Echo Therapeutics (OTCMKTS:ECTE) and STERIS (NYSE:STE) Head-To-Head Analysis

STERIS (NYSE:STE) and Echo Therapeutics (OTCMKTS:ECTE) are both medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability, dividends, earnings and analyst recommendations.

Profitability

This table compares STERIS and Echo Therapeutics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
STERIS	12.07%	14.43%	9.52%
Echo Therapeutics	N/A	N/A	N/A

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for STERIS and Echo Therapeutics, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
STERIS	0	2	7	0	2.78
Echo Therapeutics	0	0	0	0	0.00

STERIS currently has a consensus price target of $273.50, suggesting a potential upside of 5.42%. Given STERIS’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts plainly believe STERIS is more favorable than Echo Therapeutics.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

94.7% of STERIS shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.1% of STERIS shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 7.0% of Echo Therapeutics shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares STERIS and Echo Therapeutics”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
STERIS	$5.46 billion	4.66	$614.64 million	$6.96	37.28
Echo Therapeutics	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

STERIS has higher revenue and earnings than Echo Therapeutics.

Summary

STERIS beats Echo Therapeutics on 8 of the 9 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 Echo Therapeutics

Echo Therapeutics, Inc. is a medical device company, which engages in the development of non-invasive, and wireless continuous glucose monitoring system for use in the diabetes outpatient market. It offers needle-free skin preparation device as a platform technology that allows for enhanced skin permeation enabling extraction of analytes, such as glucose and delivery of topical pharmaceuticals. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Iselin, NJ.