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ABT vs. STE: Abbott Laboratories vs. STERIS Stock Comparison

How do Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE) are both classified in the Health Care Equipment sub-industry within the broader Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE)
Profile ItemABTSTE
NameAbbott LaboratoriesSTERIS plc
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupHealth Care Equipment & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Services
GICS IndustryHealth Care Equipment & SuppliesHealth Care Equipment & Supplies
GICS Sub-IndustryHealth Care EquipmentHealth Care Equipment
Market Capitalization190.39 billion USD24.50 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980June 1, 1992
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ABT
STE
GSPC
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE)
MetricABTSTE
Total Return (1Y)-10.78%-1.85%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)7.79%9.57%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-0.79%3.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ABT
STE
GSPC
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE)
MetricABTSTE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)28.48%26.39%
Beta (5Y)0.530.81
Max Drawdown (5Y)-39.64%-36.18%
Avg. Volume (3M)8.74M694.02K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ABT and STE are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE)
MetricABTSTE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.53-0.23
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.76-0.34

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 9.14% and STERIS (STE) at 11.61% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

ABT

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.14%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
ABT
9.14%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

11.61%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
STE
11.61%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their ROE against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 9.75% and STERIS (STE) at 13.41% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

ABT

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.75%

Max
29.35%
ABT
9.75%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

13.41%

Max
29.35%
STE
13.41%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

STERIS (STE) at 19.18% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 11.66%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ABT

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

11.66%

Max
35.43%
Q3
14.14%
ABT
11.66%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

19.18%

Max
35.43%
STE
19.18%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE)
MetricABTSTE
ROE (TTM)9.14%11.61%
ROA (TTM)4.90%7.00%
Net Margin (TTM)9.75%13.41%
Operating Margin (TTM)11.66%19.18%
Gross Margin (TTM)57.17%44.30%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 5.67% and STERIS (STE) at 8.73% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

STERIS (STE) at 27.90% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at -51.31% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in earnings momentum.

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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE)
MetricABTSTE
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.67%8.73%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.51%9.38%
EPS Growth (YoY)-51.31%27.90%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.65%94.97%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 1.46 and STERIS (STE) at 2.05 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

ABT

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.46

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
ABT
1.46
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.05

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
STE
2.05
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 0.61 and STERIS (STE) at 0.28 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

ABT

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.61

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
ABT
0.61
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.28

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
STE
0.28
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE)
MetricABTSTE
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.462.05
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.610.28
Net Debt / EBITDA2.370.91

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 2.22% and STERIS (STE) at 1.02% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

ABT

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.22%

ABT
2.22%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.02%

STE
1.02%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 92.54% and STERIS (STE) at 30.61% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

ABT

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

92.54%

ABT
92.54%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

30.61%

STE
30.61%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE)
MetricABTSTE
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.22%1.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)92.54%30.61%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 41.02 and STERIS (STE) at 29.93 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

ABT

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

41.02

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
ABT
41.02
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

29.93

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
STE
29.93
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 3.95 and STERIS (STE) at 3.97 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

ABT

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.95

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
ABT
3.95
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.97

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
STE
3.97
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 3.73 and STERIS (STE) at 3.38 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

ABT

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.73

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
ABT
3.73
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.38

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
STE
3.38
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and STERIS (STE)
MetricABTSTE
P/E Ratio (TTM)41.0229.93
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.953.97
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.733.38
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.19%3.36%