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EW vs. STE: Edwards Lifesciences vs. STERIS Stock Comparison

How do Edwards Lifesciences (EW) 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

Edwards Lifesciences (EW) 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE)
Profile ItemEWSTE
NameEdwards Lifesciences CorporationSTERIS 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 Capitalization58.73 billion USD24.50 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 27, 2000June 1, 1992
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

EW
STE
GSPC
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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE)
MetricEWSTE
Total Return (1Y)25.08%-1.85%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.28%9.57%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-2.77%3.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

EW
STE
GSPC
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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE)
MetricEWSTE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.58%26.39%
Beta (5Y)0.780.81
Max Drawdown (5Y)-54.32%-36.18%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.69M694.02K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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EW 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE)
MetricEWSTE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.81-0.23
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.23-0.34

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 9.33% 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.

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.33%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
EW
9.33%
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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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 15.30% and STERIS (STE) at 13.41% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

15.30%

Max
29.35%
EW
15.30%
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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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 30.15% and STERIS (STE) at 19.18% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

30.15%

Max
35.43%
EW
30.15%
Q3
14.14%
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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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE)
MetricEWSTE
ROE (TTM)9.33%11.61%
ROA (TTM)8.77%7.00%
Net Margin (TTM)15.30%13.41%
Operating Margin (TTM)30.15%19.18%
Gross Margin (TTM)78.02%44.30%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 11.55% 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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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at -73.74% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in earnings momentum.

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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE)
MetricEWSTE
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.55%8.73%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)10.77%9.38%
EPS Growth (YoY)-73.74%27.90%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-9.14%94.97%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

STERIS (STE) at 2.05 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 4.60 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

4.60

Max
7.59
EW
4.60
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
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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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 0.06 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while STERIS (STE) at 0.28 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.06

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
EW
0.06
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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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE)
MetricEWSTE
Current Ratio (MRQ)4.602.05
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.060.28
Net Debt / EBITDA-1.880.91

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Edwards Lifesciences (EW) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile STERIS (STE) reports a yield of 1.02%, ranking against industry peers normally.

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.00%

EW
0.00%
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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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Edwards Lifesciences (EW) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile STERIS (STE) reports a payout of 30.61%, ranking against industry peers normally.

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.00%

EW
0.00%
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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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE)
MetricEWSTE
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%1.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%30.61%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

STERIS (STE) at 29.93 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 59.38 sits in the richer quartile — EW needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

59.38

Max
80.41
EW
59.38
Q3
47.62
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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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

STERIS (STE) at 3.97 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 8.80 sits in the pricier quartile — EW costs more per dollar of sales.

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

8.80

EW
8.80
Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
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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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 5.41 and STERIS (STE) at 3.38 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

5.41

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
EW
5.41
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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Edwards Lifesciences (EW) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and STERIS (STE)
MetricEWSTE
P/E Ratio (TTM)59.3829.93
P/S Ratio (TTM)8.803.97
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.413.38
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.95%3.36%