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STERIS vs Stryker: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

STERIS leads structurally, with growth as the clearest single gap between the two profiles. Both sides have seen trend damage — neither carries a clear market edge right now. With both trends damaged, the structural comparison carries most of the weight here.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

Growth still does most of the heavy lifting in this comparison. STERIS plc leads by 9 points on the overall comparison score.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Medical Devices

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. STE and SYK share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how STERIS and Stryker each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
STE
STERIS plc
52
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
SYK
Stryker Corporation
43
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in growth.

Dimension spread: STE vs SYK Profitability 25 31 Stability 59 64 Valuation 61 53 Growth 71 25 STE SYK
Gap Ranking
#1 Growth +46
#2 Valuation +8
#3 Profitability +6
#4 Stability +5
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for STE and SYK Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer STESYK Relative valuation Structural strength

STERIS plc still looks stronger, and the price setup does not materially undermine that lead.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where STE and SYK each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY STE Neutral · below norm 0th 50th 100th 16 pct gap SYK Neutral · below norm 0th 50th 100th 38th 55th
Today STE sits in the lower-middle of its own 5-year history (38th percentile), while SYK sits higher in its own history (55th). Within each stock's own 5-year context, STE is at a historically more favourable entry position than SYK. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger — peer-relative analysis is a separate question addressed above.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Growth
STERIS plc ranks near the top of the group on growth; Stryker Corporation sits in the weaker half.
Valuation
STERIS plc sits higher in the group on valuation, adding to the overall structural advantage.
Growth — Dominant Gap
STE
71
SYK
25
Gap+46in favour of STE

Earnings growth is one contributing factor within the growth lead.

What else supports the lead

STERIS plc also shows lower market-fundamental divergence, which makes the lead look less detached from the underlying business picture.

What this means for the comparison

Growth clearly separates the pair, while the broader read stays strong rather than one-way.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the STE vs SYK comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Similar growth-driven comparisons

Explore how STE and SYK each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.