Seek Returns

STE vs. SYK: STERIS vs. Stryker Stock Comparison

How do STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK) 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

STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK) 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 STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK)
Profile ItemSTESYK
NameSTERIS plcStryker Corp.
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 Capitalization24.50 billion USD124.06 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 1, 1992March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

STE
SYK
GSPC
Loading price history…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK)
MetricSTESYK
Total Return (1Y)-1.85%-6.99%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)9.57%7.60%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)3.26%4.64%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

STE
SYK
GSPC
Loading price history…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK)
MetricSTESYK
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)26.39%32.80%
Beta (5Y)0.810.72
Max Drawdown (5Y)-36.18%-32.47%
Avg. Volume (3M)694.02K2.81M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
STE and SYK 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 STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK)
MetricSTESYK
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.23-0.34
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.34-0.49

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Stryker (SYK) at 16.02% sits in the top ROE quartile, while STERIS (STE) at 11.61% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for SYK.

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%

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

16.02%

Max
47.61%
SYK
16.02%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): A comparison of their ROE against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both STERIS (STE) at 13.41% and Stryker (SYK) at 13.78% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

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%

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

13.78%

Max
29.35%
SYK
13.78%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both STERIS (STE) at 19.18% and Stryker (SYK) at 22.96% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

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%

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

22.96%

Max
35.43%
SYK
22.96%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK)
MetricSTESYK
ROE (TTM)11.61%16.02%
ROA (TTM)7.00%8.36%
Net Margin (TTM)13.41%13.78%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.18%22.96%
Gross Margin (TTM)44.30%65.70%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both STERIS (STE) at 8.73% and Stryker (SYK) at 11.16% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): 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 Stryker (SYK) at 8.25% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for STE.

Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK)
MetricSTESYK
Revenue Growth (YoY)8.73%11.16%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.38%10.83%
EPS Growth (YoY)27.90%8.25%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)94.97%10.83%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both STERIS (STE) at 2.05 and Stryker (SYK) at 2.18 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

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

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.18

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
SYK
2.18
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30
Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both STERIS (STE) at 0.28 and Stryker (SYK) at 0.66 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

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

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.66

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
SYK
0.66
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK)
MetricSTESYK
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.052.18
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.280.66
Net Debt / EBITDA0.911.62

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both STERIS (STE) at 1.02% and Stryker (SYK) at 1.05% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

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%

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.05%

SYK
1.05%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both STERIS (STE) at 30.61% and Stryker (SYK) at 37.49% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

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%

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

37.49%

SYK
37.49%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK)
MetricSTESYK
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.02%1.05%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)30.61%37.49%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both STERIS (STE) at 29.93 and Stryker (SYK) at 34.70 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

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

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

34.70

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
SYK
34.70
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21
Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): 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 Stryker (SYK) at 4.72 sits in the pricier quartile — SYK costs more per dollar of sales.

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

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

4.72

Max
8.80
SYK
4.72
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03
Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): 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 STERIS (STE) at 3.38 and Stryker (SYK) at 5.29 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

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

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

5.29

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
SYK
5.29
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
Loading chart…
STERIS (STE) vs. Stryker (SYK): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for STERIS (STE) and Stryker (SYK)
MetricSTESYK
P/E Ratio (TTM)29.9334.70
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.974.72
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.385.29
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.36%2.98%