STERIS plc (STE)
Valuation Overview•Is STERIS plc Overvalued or Undervalued?
Trading at a discount to intrinsic cash flow value, implying pessimistic long-term market expectations.
Moderate quality score of 74/100, reflecting stable operating margins and manageable leverage.
Analysts remain bullish, forecasting further upside expansion with consensus targets suggesting solid gains.
Verdict: Solid fundamental quality, though profitability presents a headwind.
Wall Street is highly bullish, projecting significant upside alongside robust expected earnings growth. This is paired with healthy capital returns, anchored by a strong, well-covered dividend yield.
STE demonstrates adequate business quality with stable profitability. This is supported by a highly conservative balance sheet featuring strong liquidity and pristine Altman Z safety.
The company demonstrates solid revenue growth (9.4% 3Y CAGR) paired with highly explosive earnings growth (95.0% EPS 3Y CAGR). The company maintains healthy operational efficiency with a 18.6% operating margin.
| Financial Metric | Trend (12Q) | Latest Qtr | 1Y Growth | 3Y CAGR | 5Y CAGR | 10Y CAGR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $1.6B | +8.7% | +9.4% | +13.8% | +10.2% | |
| EBITDA | $316.8M | — | -6.4% | — | — | |
| Net Income | $220.3M | +27.7% | +94.3% | — | +21.6% | |
| EPS (Diluted) | $2.24 | +27.9% | +95.0% | +11.4% | +17.7% | |
| Free Cash Flow | $245.2M | +25.0% | +35.0% | +16.6% | — |
| Metric | TTM | 3Y Avg | 5Y Avg | 10Y Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 44.2% | 43.8% | 43.9% | 43.0% |
| Operating Margin | 18.6% | 16.9% | 15.9% | 15.4% |
| Net Margin | 13.2% | 10.6% | 8.0% | 9.2% |
| FCF Margin | 16.4% | 14.2% | 12.1% | 12.1% |
| Quarter | EPS Est. | EPS Act. | Surprise | EPS | Rev |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2'26Latest | $2.85 | $2.83 | -0.7% | ||
| Q1'26 | $2.53 | $2.53 | +0.0% | ||
| Q4'25 | $2.35 | $2.47 | +5.1% | ||
| Q3'25 | $2.26 | $2.34 | +3.5% | ||
| Q2'25 | $2.60 | $2.74 | +5.4% | ||
| Q1'25 | $2.33 | $2.32 | -0.4% | ||
| Q4'24 | $2.12 | $2.14 | +0.9% | ||
| Q3'24 | $1.98 | $2.03 | +2.5% |
Total return is -13.2% (1Y), lagging the benchmark by -38.2%
| Period | Total Return | vs S&P 500 (Alpha) | Dividend Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD | -18.5% | -27.8% | — |
| 1Y | -13.2% | -38.2% | +1.1% |
| 3YCAGR | -0.6% | -20.7% | +3.2% |
| 5YCAGR | +1.4% | -11.5% | +5.3% |
| 10YCAGR | +12.5% | -1.3% | — |
The S&P 500 is at 31.3x trailing P/E — Expensive relative to historical averages.
Quick answers to common questions about STERIS plc (STE) valuation, health, and returns.
STERIS plc is estimated to be undervalued under our discounted cash flow framework. relative multiples indicate the stock is Fair versus peers compared to industry peers. undervalued (implying +41.5% upside to DCF intrinsic value of $286.78)
STERIS plc has multiple valuation anchors: DCF Intrinsic Value: $286.78 | Peer Relative Fair Value: $200.95 | Wall Street Analyst Target: $269.50 (implying +33.0% upside). A convergence of these signals offers higher conviction.
STERIS plc displays good financial health with a composite quality score of 74/100, supported by a Altman Z-Score of 4.1 (safe zone), Piotroski F-Score of 9/9, Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 9.5%.
STERIS plc pays a 1.2% dividend yield, covered by a 31% payout ratio with 21 years of growth, supplemented by a 1.2% buyback yield.
STERIS plc's current growth trajectory is Stable. The company achieved +8.7% 1Y revenue growth and +27.9% 1Y EPS growth, compared to its 3Y revenue CAGR of +9.4%.
Wall Street consensus is Buy based on 13 analysts, beating EPS expectations in 67% of recent quarters with a -2-quarter streak. The consensus price target represents a +33.0% change from current levels.
Investment risks for STERIS plc include: -25.8% 1-year max drawdown. Volatility risk is characterized by a beta of 0.60x.
No. These computations are purely quantitative model outputs for informational purposes. They do not account for qualitative management shifts or macro events. Always consult a licensed RIA before buying or selling shares.
Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. All valuation models, scores, and target estimates are automated computations under stated assumptions and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for any investment decision.