A vs. STE: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at A and STE, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
A’s market capitalization stands at 34.48 billion USD, while STE’s is 23.37 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
With betas of 1.23 for A and 0.94 for STE, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | A | STE |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Agilent Technologies, Inc. | STERIS plc |
| Country | US | IE |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Medical - Diagnostics & Research | Medical - Devices |
| CEO | Padraig McDonnell | Daniel A. Carestio |
| Price | 121.38 USD | 237.55 USD |
| Market Cap | 34.48 billion USD | 23.37 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.23 | 0.94 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | November 18, 1999 | June 1, 1992 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of A and STE by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
A
19.46%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 57.35%
- Q3
- 18.17%
- Median
- 2.69%
- Q1
- -16.72%
- Min
- -48.78%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, A’s Return on Equity of 19.46% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
STE
9.46%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 49.04%
- Q3
- 9.53%
- Median
- -7.46%
- Q1
- -32.83%
- Min
- -82.64%
STE’s Return on Equity of 9.46% is on par with the norm for the Medical - Devices industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
A
11.71%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 42.99%
- Q3
- 11.55%
- Median
- 3.02%
- Q1
- -11.49%
- Min
- -40.79%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, A’s Return on Invested Capital of 11.71% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
STE
7.20%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 21.88%
- Q3
- 6.63%
- Median
- -1.11%
- Q1
- -21.08%
- Min
- -51.95%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, STE’s Return on Invested Capital of 7.20% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
A
17.59%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 22.76%
- Q3
- 15.19%
- Median
- 1.64%
- Q1
- -22.25%
- Min
- -78.24%
A Net Profit Margin of 17.59% places A in the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
STE
11.26%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 44.80%
- Q3
- 9.77%
- Median
- -5.53%
- Q1
- -29.37%
- Min
- -87.68%
A Net Profit Margin of 11.26% places STE in the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin
A
21.38%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 36.06%
- Q3
- 20.26%
- Median
- 6.15%
- Q1
- -21.89%
- Min
- -82.21%
An Operating Profit Margin of 21.38% places A in the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
STE
15.87%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 30.13%
- Q3
- 13.12%
- Median
- 3.47%
- Q1
- -24.42%
- Min
- -80.56%
An Operating Profit Margin of 15.87% places STE in the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | A | STE |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 19.46% | 9.46% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 9.59% | 6.06% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 11.71% | 7.20% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.59% | 11.26% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.38% | 15.87% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 53.79% | 45.31% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
A
2.09
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 6.91
- Q3
- 4.11
- Median
- 2.46
- Q1
- 1.44
- Min
- 0.73
A’s Current Ratio of 2.09 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
STE
1.96
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 12.68
- Q3
- 6.30
- Median
- 4.05
- Q1
- 1.85
- Min
- 0.01
STE’s Current Ratio of 1.96 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Devices industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
A
0.57
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 1.10
- Q3
- 0.82
- Median
- 0.39
- Q1
- 0.21
- Min
- 0.01
A’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.57 is typical for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
STE
0.02
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 2.34
- Q3
- 1.09
- Median
- 0.37
- Q1
- 0.08
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, STE’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.02 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio
A
-472.33
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 37.07
- Q3
- 5.62
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- -38.78
- Min
- -57.46
A has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -472.33. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
STE
10.05
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 18.18
- Q3
- 7.53
- Median
- 0.85
- Q1
- -9.80
- Min
- -33.94
STE’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 10.05 is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | A | STE |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 2.09 | 1.96 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.60 | 1.39 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.57 | 0.02 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.29 | 0.01 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 1.43 | -0.04 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -472.33 | 10.05 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for A and STE. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
A
0.81%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 2.76%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 0.81%, A offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
STE
0.96%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 3.57%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 0.96%, STE offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Medical - Devices industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio
A
23.76%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 37.46%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
A’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 23.76% is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
STE
35.77%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 102.12%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
STE’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 35.77% is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | A | STE |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.81% | 0.96% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 23.76% | 35.77% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
A
29.67
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 48.28
- Q3
- 44.64
- Median
- 29.13
- Q1
- 22.34
- Min
- 15.59
A’s P/E Ratio of 29.67 is within the middle range for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
STE
37.98
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 90.56
- Q3
- 56.92
- Median
- 43.19
- Q1
- 21.79
- Min
- 5.55
STE’s P/E Ratio of 37.98 is within the middle range for the Medical - Devices industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
A
3.80
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 4.18
- Q3
- 3.64
- Median
- 2.40
- Q1
- 0.57
- Min
- 0.04
A Forward PEG Ratio of 3.80 places A in the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
STE
4.19
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 6.56
- Q3
- 3.52
- Median
- 2.22
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.03
A Forward PEG Ratio of 4.19 places STE in the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
A
5.20
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 12.53
- Q3
- 6.19
- Median
- 3.58
- Q1
- 1.95
- Min
- 0.58
A’s P/S Ratio of 5.20 aligns with the market consensus for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
STE
4.28
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 15.74
- Q3
- 8.12
- Median
- 3.40
- Q1
- 2.37
- Min
- 0.42
STE’s P/S Ratio of 4.28 aligns with the market consensus for the Medical - Devices industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio
A
5.64
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 10.67
- Q3
- 5.74
- Median
- 2.95
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.39
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry.
STE
3.53
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 16.65
- Q3
- 8.03
- Median
- 3.73
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- 0.65
STE’s P/B Ratio of 3.53 is within the conventional range for the Medical - Devices industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | A | STE |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 29.67 | 37.98 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 3.80 | 4.19 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 5.20 | 4.28 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 5.64 | 3.53 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 24.63 | 29.95 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 25.95 | 18.84 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 5.51 | 4.27 |