STERIS (NYSE:STE – Get Free Report) and Milestone Scientific (NYSE:MLSS – Get Free Report) are both medical companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability, dividends, risk and earnings.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of current ratings and target prices for STERIS and Milestone Scientific, as provided by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| STERIS | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2.50 |
| Milestone Scientific | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.00 |
STERIS currently has a consensus price target of $246.00, suggesting a potential upside of 9.02%. Milestone Scientific has a consensus price target of $1.25, suggesting a potential upside of 45.87%. Given Milestone Scientific’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Milestone Scientific is more favorable than STERIS.
Profitability
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| STERIS | 7.36% | 13.85% | 7.99% |
| Milestone Scientific | -54.87% | -60.78% | -40.80% |
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares STERIS and Milestone Scientific”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| STERIS | $5.23 billion | 4.26 | $378.24 million | $3.82 | 59.07 |
| Milestone Scientific | $8.42 million | 7.86 | -$6.93 million | ($0.10) | -8.57 |
STERIS has higher revenue and earnings than Milestone Scientific. Milestone Scientific is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than STERIS, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Volatility and Risk
STERIS has a beta of 0.84, suggesting that its stock price is 16% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Milestone Scientific has a beta of 1.08, suggesting that its stock price is 8% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
94.7% of STERIS shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 5.8% of Milestone Scientific shares are held by institutional investors. 1.1% of STERIS shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 24.8% of Milestone Scientific shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Summary
STERIS beats Milestone Scientific on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About STERIS
STERIS plc provides infection prevention products and services worldwide. It operates through four segments: Healthcare, Applied Sterilization Technologies, Life Sciences, and Dental. The Healthcare segment offers cleaning chemistries and sterility assurance products; automated endoscope reprocessing system and tracking products; endoscopy accessories, washers, sterilizers, and other pieces of capital equipment for the operation of a sterile processing department; and equipment used directly in the operating room, including surgical tables, lights, and connectivity solutions, as well as equipment management services. It also provides capital equipment installation, maintenance, upgradation, repair, and troubleshooting services; preventive maintenance programs and repair services; instrument and endoscope repair and maintenance services; and custom process improvement consulting and outsourced instrument sterile processing services. The Applied Sterilization Technologies segment provides contract sterilization and testing services for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers through a network of approximately 50 contract sterilization and laboratory facilities. The Life Sciences segment designs, manufactures and sells consumable products, such as formulated cleaning chemistries, barrier, sterility assurance products, steam and vaporized hydrogen peroxide sterilizers, and washer disinfectors. This segment also offers equipment installation, maintenance, upgradation, repair, and troubleshooting services; and preventive maintenance programs and repair services. The Dental segment provides hand and electric-powered dental instruments, infection control products, conscious sedation, personal protective equipment, and water quality products for dental suite. The company serves its products and services to hospitals, other healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The company was founded in 1985 and is based in Dublin, Ireland.
About Milestone Scientific
Milestone Scientific Inc., a biomedical technology research and development company, patents, designs, develops, and commercializes diagnostic and therapeutic injection technologies, and devices for medical, dental, and cosmetic use in the United States, China, and internationally. The company operates through Dental and Medical segments. Its products include CompuDent and STA Single Tooth Anesthesia System that are used for all dental procedures that require local anesthetic. In addition, the company offers CompuFlo, a computer-controlled drug delivery system for the painless delivery of drugs, anesthetics, and other medicaments, as well as for the aspiration of bodily fluids or previously injected substances, and disposable injection handpiece for the tactile control during the injection. Further, it provides CompuFlo Epidural, a computer-controlled anesthesia system for use in various medical applications. Additionally, the company offers company offers CompuMed for use in various medical procedures performed in plastic, hair restoration, and colorectal surgery, as well as podiatry, dermatology, orthopedics, and various other disciplines. Milestone Scientific Inc. was incorporated in 1989 and is headquartered in Roseland, New Jersey.
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