STE vs. WAT: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at STE and WAT, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | STE | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | STERIS plc | Waters Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 24.58 billion USD | 17.66 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 1, 1992 | November 17, 1995 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of STE and WAT 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | STE | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.39% | 1.09% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -1.19% | -17.24% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 13.83% | -21.73% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 6.84% | -12.79% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 10.18% | 2.76% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 21.40% | -20.01% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.54M | 0.62M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.63M | 0.68M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 20.46% | 38.48% |
| Beta | 1.01 | 1.06 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
STE
9.47%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 34.53%
- Q3
- 19.38%
- Median
- 9.52%
- Q1
- 4.86%
- Min
- -7.58%
STE’s Return on Equity of 9.47% is on par with the norm for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
WAT
35.02%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.96%
- Q3
- 11.55%
- Median
- 6.22%
- Q1
- 3.86%
- Min
- -6.95%
WAT’s Return on Equity of 35.02% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
STE
11.26%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 23.34%
- Q3
- 13.06%
- Median
- 9.53%
- Q1
- 5.96%
- Min
- -3.87%
STE’s Net Profit Margin of 11.26% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
WAT
21.71%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 27.28%
- Q3
- 16.17%
- Median
- 7.24%
- Q1
- 3.00%
- Min
- -3.05%
A Net Profit Margin of 21.71% places WAT in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
STE
16.01%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 29.44%
- Q3
- 17.80%
- Median
- 13.95%
- Q1
- 8.73%
- Min
- -3.56%
STE’s Operating Profit Margin of 16.01% is around the midpoint for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
WAT
27.69%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 33.15%
- Q3
- 19.34%
- Median
- 13.02%
- Q1
- 8.05%
- Min
- -4.38%
An Operating Profit Margin of 27.69% places WAT in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services 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 | STE | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 9.47% | 35.02% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 6.07% | 14.40% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.26% | 21.71% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 16.01% | 27.69% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 44.01% | 59.02% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
STE
1.96
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.90
- Q3
- 3.05
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.49
- Min
- 0.86
STE’s Current Ratio of 1.96 aligns with the median group of the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
WAT
1.75
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 4.76
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.85
- Q1
- 1.40
- Min
- 0.43
WAT’s Current Ratio of 1.75 aligns with the median group of the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
STE
0.31
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.49
- Q3
- 0.71
- Median
- 0.45
- Q1
- 0.14
- Min
- 0.00
STE’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.31 is typical for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
WAT
0.67
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.75
- Q3
- 0.83
- Median
- 0.41
- Q1
- 0.18
- Min
- 0.00
WAT’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.67 is typical for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
STE
11.23
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 58.29
- Q3
- 25.56
- Median
- 9.06
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- -28.92
STE’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 11.23 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
WAT
11.29
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 29.61
- Q3
- 23.24
- Median
- 6.07
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- -14.08
WAT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 11.29 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | STE | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.96 | 1.75 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.19 | 1.22 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.31 | 0.67 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 11.23 | 11.29 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
STE
0.90%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.05%
- Q3
- 1.76%
- Median
- 0.71%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
STE’s Dividend Yield of 0.90% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
WAT
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.80%
- Q3
- 0.78%
- Median
- 0.37%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WAT currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
STE
35.77%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 160.00%
- Q3
- 72.47%
- Median
- 27.49%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
STE’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 35.77% is within the typical range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
WAT
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 156.00%
- Q3
- 65.73%
- Median
- 23.81%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WAT has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | STE | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.90% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 35.77% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
STE
39.88
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 73.48
- Q3
- 51.69
- Median
- 34.31
- Q1
- 25.74
- Min
- 11.47
STE’s P/E Ratio of 39.88 is within the middle range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
WAT
26.76
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 117.96
- Q3
- 65.59
- Median
- 37.26
- Q1
- 27.51
- Min
- 1.73
In the lower quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, WAT’s P/E Ratio of 26.76 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
STE
4.49
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 9.53
- Q3
- 5.26
- Median
- 3.39
- Q1
- 2.13
- Min
- 0.00
STE’s P/S Ratio of 4.49 aligns with the market consensus for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
WAT
5.81
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 12.46
- Q3
- 6.70
- Median
- 4.24
- Q1
- 2.68
- Min
- 0.73
WAT’s P/S Ratio of 5.81 aligns with the market consensus for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
STE
3.37
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 10.85
- Q3
- 5.98
- Median
- 3.48
- Q1
- 2.43
- Min
- 0.69
STE’s P/B Ratio of 3.37 is within the conventional range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies 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.
WAT
9.62
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.99
- Q3
- 4.69
- Median
- 3.30
- Q1
- 1.88
- Min
- 1.02
At 9.62, WAT’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | STE | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 39.88 | 26.76 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.49 | 5.81 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 3.37 | 9.62 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 31.50 | 28.57 |