tiprankstipranks
Trending News
More News >
Sotera Health (SHC)
NASDAQ:SHC
Advertisement

Sotera Health (SHC) AI Stock Analysis

Compare
185 Followers

Top Page

SHC

Sotera Health

(NASDAQ:SHC)

Rating:66Neutral
Price Target:
$17.00
▲(9.68% Upside)
Sotera Health's overall stock score is driven by strong earnings call performance and positive technical indicators, despite high valuation concerns and financial leverage risks. The company's raised outlook and improved liquidity are significant positives, but the high P/E ratio and overbought technical signals suggest caution.
Positive Factors
Business Model
SHC has a durable business model with exposure to commercial pharmaceutical and medical devices, which are less volatile in an economic downturn due to the necessary nature of the products.
Regulatory Requirements
Nelson volumes are benefiting from new regulatory requirements across various end-markets, including bioprocessing and medtech.
Volume Trends
Management was positive on volume trends across Steri and Nelson, with new customer inquiries due to NESHAP regulations stressing competing facilities.
Negative Factors
Litigation Uncertainty
The uncertainty related to ongoing litigation has reduced following recent settlements.
Market Share
Management noted that EO litigation headlines have caused small market share losses, but this headwind is abating.

Sotera Health (SHC) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Sotera Health Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionSotera Health (SHC) is a leading global provider of mission-critical end-to-end sterilization solutions and lab testing services for the healthcare industry. Operating through its three primary segments—Sterigenics, Nordion, and Nelson Labs—the company is dedicated to ensuring the safety of healthcare products. Sterigenics offers comprehensive sterilization services, Nordion provides Cobalt-60 used in radiation therapy and sterilization, and Nelson Labs offers microbiological and analytical lab testing services.
How the Company Makes MoneySotera Health generates revenue primarily through its diverse portfolio of sterilization and lab testing services offered across its three segments: Sterigenics, Nordion, and Nelson Labs. Sterigenics is a major source of income, providing various sterilization methods, including gamma, ethylene oxide, and electron beam, to healthcare manufacturers. Nordion contributes by supplying Cobalt-60, essential for gamma sterilization and radiation therapy. Nelson Labs supports revenue through its comprehensive suite of microbiology testing and laboratory services, catering to healthcare, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies. The company's earnings are bolstered by long-term contracts with clients, strategic partnerships, and its global presence, all contributing to a stable and diversified revenue stream.

Sotera Health Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Aug 08, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Nov 05, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call conveyed a generally positive sentiment, with significant revenue and adjusted EBITDA growth across most business segments and an upward revision of the financial outlook for 2025. However, some challenges were noted, including a revenue decline in Nelson Labs and a margin decrease for Nordion. The impact of a legal settlement also affected net income.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Top Line and Adjusted EBITDA Growth
Sotera Health delivered a 6.4% increase in revenue and a 9.8% growth in adjusted EBITDA for Q2 2025 compared to Q2 2024.
Sterigenics Revenue Surge
Sterigenics achieved a 10.5% year-over-year revenue growth driven by increased customer demand and successful facility expansion.
Nordion's Strong Performance
Nordion exceeded revenue expectations with a 2.9% increase in Q2 2025, attributed to the timing of Cobalt-60 shipments.
Nelson Labs Margin Expansion
Nelson Labs saw a segment income margin expansion of over 500 basis points, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of improvement.
Raised 2025 Financial Outlook
Sotera Health increased its 2025 revenue growth outlook to 4.5%-6% and adjusted EBITDA growth outlook to 6%-7.5%.
Strong Liquidity Position
Sotera Health ended Q2 with $918 million in available liquidity, including $332 million in unrestricted cash.
Negative Updates
Nelson Labs Revenue Decline
Nelson Labs experienced a 3.3% revenue decline in Q2 2025 due to anticipated volume impacts from expert advisory services.
Nordion Margin Decrease
Nordion's segment income margin decreased by 145 basis points, driven by the timing of supplier mix.
Pending Legal Settlement Impact
Net income was impacted by a $34 million settlement of EO claims in Illinois, resulting in GAAP net income of $8 million for Q2 2025.
Company Guidance
During Sotera Health's second quarter 2025 earnings call, the company reported strong financial performance and provided updated guidance for the rest of the year. Sotera Health achieved a 6.4% increase in revenue, reaching $294 million, and a 9.8% growth in adjusted EBITDA to $151 million. Adjusted EBITDA margins improved by 156 basis points to 51.2%. The company's Sterigenics segment saw a 10.5% increase in revenue, driven by a 6% rise in volume and mix and a 4% pricing uptick. Nordion's revenue increased by 2.9%, while Nelson Labs experienced a 3.3% revenue decline but improved margins by 514 basis points due to core lab testing and optimization. The company's net leverage ratio improved to 3.5x, and they raised their full-year 2025 guidance, projecting revenue growth of 4.5% to 6% and adjusted EBITDA growth of 6% to 7.5%. Adjusted EPS guidance was increased to a range of $0.75 to $0.82. The company also reported positive operating cash flow of $57 million and capital expenditures totaling $31 million for the quarter.

Sotera Health Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Sotera Health shows moderate financial health with stable revenue growth and efficient cost management. However, high leverage poses a financial risk, and profitability metrics indicate room for improvement. Cash flow generation is strong, but the company needs to enhance its cash conversion efficiency and reduce reliance on debt.
Income Statement
65
Positive
Sotera Health's income statement shows moderate revenue growth with a TTM increase of 1.6%. The gross profit margin remains stable around 55%, indicating efficient cost management. However, the net profit margin is low at 2.1% TTM, reflecting challenges in converting revenue into profit. EBIT and EBITDA margins are healthy, but have shown a slight decline in recent periods, suggesting potential operational inefficiencies.
Balance Sheet
50
Neutral
The balance sheet reveals a high debt-to-equity ratio of 4.60 TTM, indicating significant leverage and potential financial risk. Return on equity is modest at 5.3% TTM, suggesting limited profitability relative to shareholder equity. The equity ratio is low, reflecting a reliance on debt financing over equity.
Cash Flow
70
Positive
Cash flow analysis shows strong free cash flow growth of 44.5% TTM, indicating improved cash generation. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is slightly above 1, suggesting adequate cash flow coverage. However, the free cash flow to net income ratio is moderate at 0.41, indicating room for improvement in cash conversion efficiency.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue1.12B1.10B1.05B1.00B931.48M818.16M
Gross Profit624.44M602.29M577.16M557.00M518.67M443.57M
EBITDA415.70M442.20M406.83M-17.41M400.81M319.96M
Net Income24.02M44.40M51.38M-233.57M116.88M-38.62M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets3.22B3.07B3.13B3.12B2.79B2.76B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments332.44M277.24M296.41M395.21M106.92M102.45M
Total Debt2.35B2.35B2.33B2.03B1.83B1.91B
Total Liabilities2.71B2.67B2.69B2.77B2.20B2.31B
Stockholders Equity511.28M404.91M443.73M350.24M586.10M452.30M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow110.85M45.09M-362.71M95.58M179.38M67.08M
Operating Cash Flow264.26M224.16M-147.73M277.96M281.55M120.58M
Investing Cash Flow-153.33M-179.00M-214.91M-181.90M-159.83M-158.69M
Financing Cash Flow-22.37M-50.56M265.96M197.76M-117.29M73.43M

Sotera Health Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price15.50
Price Trends
50DMA
13.14
Positive
100DMA
12.53
Positive
200DMA
12.68
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.91
Positive
RSI
58.50
Neutral
STOCH
43.69
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For SHC, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 15.5 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 15.57, above the 50-day MA of 13.14, and above the 200-day MA of 12.68, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.91 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 58.50 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 43.69 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for SHC.

Sotera Health Risk Analysis

Sotera Health disclosed 47 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Sotera Health reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Sotera Health Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (51)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
70
Outperform
$10.19B27.3310.81%2.68%5.15%412.41%
70
Neutral
$20.14B21.4713.65%1.72%12.58%13.00%
66
Neutral
$4.59B190.925.14%2.40%-40.03%
64
Neutral
$15.03B12.1768.11%-3.32%
56
Neutral
$7.94B449.94-1.96%-1.21%-115.44%
53
Neutral
$9.09B-35.51%12.56%-464.28%
51
Neutral
$7.91B-0.36-41.71%2.23%23.45%-1.86%
* Healthcare Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
SHC
Sotera Health
15.50
-0.15
-0.96%
CRL
Charles River Labs
162.31
-25.65
-13.65%
EXAS
Exact Sciences
51.41
-7.70
-13.03%
ILMN
Illumina
97.68
-26.71
-21.47%
QGEN
Qiagen
47.04
2.80
6.33%
DGX
Quest Diagnostics
180.11
30.09
20.06%

Sotera Health Corporate Events

Legal Proceedings
Sotera Health Subsidiary Settles $34M Ethylene Oxide Claims
Negative
Jul 24, 2025

On July 23, 2025, Sterigenics U.S., LLC, a subsidiary of Sotera Health Company, agreed to a $34 million settlement to resolve 129 ethylene oxide claims related to its former Willowbrook, Illinois facility. This settlement, which includes claims set for trials in late 2025 and early 2026, is contingent upon several conditions, including full claimant participation and court approval. Sterigenics denies any liability, emphasizing that the settlement is not an admission of fault or safety hazards posed by the facility’s emissions.

The most recent analyst rating on (SHC) stock is a Buy with a $15.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Sotera Health stock, see the SHC Stock Forecast page.

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder MeetingsBusiness Operations and Strategy
Sotera Health Elects Directors and Approves Auditor
Neutral
May 23, 2025

At its 2025 annual meeting on May 21, Sotera Health Company elected three Class II directors for a three-year term, approved executive compensation, and ratified Ernst & Young LLP as its independent auditor for 2025. These decisions reflect the company’s ongoing governance and operational strategies, potentially impacting its market position and stakeholder confidence.

The most recent analyst rating on (SHC) stock is a Buy with a $15.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Sotera Health stock, see the SHC Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Aug 14, 2025