Yahoo Finance Should You Be Adding STERIS (NYSE:STE) To Your Watchlist Today?
It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making. Sometimes these stories can cloud the minds of investors, leading them to invest with their emotions rather than on the merit of good company fundamentals. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.
Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like STERIS (NYSE:STE). While this doesn't necessarily speak to whether it's undervalued, the profitability of the business is enough to warrant some appreciation - especially if its growing.
Check out our latest analysis for STERIS
How Quickly Is STERIS Increasing Earnings Per Share?
The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so you'd expect share price to follow earnings per share (EPS) outcomes eventually. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. We can see that in the last three years STERIS grew its EPS by 6.2% per year. This may not be setting the world alight, but it does show that EPS is on the upwards trend.
One way to double-check a company's growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. While we note STERIS achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 3.6% to US$5.1b. That's encouraging news for the company!
The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. For finer detail, click on the image.
Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of STERIS' future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.
Are STERIS Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
We would not expect to see insiders owning a large percentage of a US$21b company like STERIS. But thanks to their investment in the company, it's pleasing to see that there are still incentives to align their actions with the shareholders. Given insiders own a significant chunk of shares, currently valued at US$55m, they have plenty of motivation to push the business to succeed. That's certainly enough to let shareholders know that management will be very focussed on long term growth.
While it's always good to see some strong conviction in the company from insiders through heavy investment, it's also important for shareholders to ask if management compensation policies are reasonable. Well, based on the CEO pay, you'd argue that they are indeed. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like STERIS, with market caps over US$8.0b, is about US$14m.
STERIS offered total compensation worth US$7.7m to its CEO in the year to March 2023. That is actually below the median for CEO's of similarly sized companies. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.
Is STERIS Worth Keeping An Eye On?
One positive for STERIS is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. Earnings growth might be the main attraction for STERIS, but the fun does not stop there. Boasting both modest CEO pay and considerable insider ownership, you'd argue this one is worthy of the watchlist, at least. We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 1 warning sign for STERIS that you need to be mindful of.
Although STERIS certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see companies with insider buying, then check out this handpicked selection of companies that not only boast of strong growth but have also seen recent insider buying..
Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.
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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
