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Sotera Health Co.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 lowered, 1 new, 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 4.4% in quarter: Net revenues were $324.9 million, up from $311.3 million in the third quarter of 2025. Growth was 4.4% on both as-reported and constant currency bases. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 3.9%: Adjusted EBITDA was $170.7 million, up 3.9%, or 4.0% in constant currency, from $164.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 12%: Adjusted EPS was $0.29 per diluted share, against $0.26 in the third quarter of 2025. Nine-month Adjusted EPS was $0.72, against $0.60. Source
  • Sterigenics grew 8.2% in constant currency: Sterigenics net revenues rose 8.5% to $209.3 million, driven by pricing, improved volume and mix, and a foreign currency benefit. Segment income rose 9.6% to $117.5 million. Source
  • Nordion fell on Co-60 harvest timing: Nordion net revenues fell 12.4% to $55.0 million, or 11.5% in constant currency, due to expected Co-60 harvest schedules. Segment income fell 11.4% to $33.7 million. Source
  • Dollar ranges lowered, growth kept: Dollar ranges for net revenues and Adjusted EBITDA moved down by about $2 million to $4 million. Constant currency growth ranges were kept, and the foreign currency benefit assumption was reduced to 70 basis points. Source
  • Net leverage fell to 2.9x: Net Leverage Ratio was 2.9x at September 30, 2026, against 3.2x at December 31, 2025, within the company's long-term goal of 2.0x to 3.0x. Net debt was $1.83 billion. Source
  • Annex-1 cleanroom completed at Nelson Labs: Nelson Labs completed a new Annex-1 compliant cleanroom during the quarter. No cost or capacity figures were given. Source

“We are pleased with our third-quarter performance, which included solid top- and bottom-line constant currency growth, along with nearly 100 basis points of sequential Adjusted EBITDA margin expansion,”

Alton Shader, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net revenues, dollar range SourceFull-year 2026$1.233 billion to $1.250 billionLowered from $1.236 billion to $1.254 billion
Net revenues growth, constant currency SourceFull-year 20265.25% to 6.75%Kept
Adjusted EBITDA, dollar range SourceFull-year 2026$632 million to $641 millionLowered from $634 million to $643 million
Adjusted EBITDA growth, constant currency SourceFull-year 20265.75% to 7.25%Kept
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFull-year 2026approximately flat versus 2025New
Foreign currency benefit to net revenues and Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull-year 202670 basis pointsLowered from 100 basis points
Interest expense, net SourceFull-year 2026$137 million to $140 million
Tax rate applicable to Adjusted Net Income SourceFull-year 202627.0% to 28.0%Kept
Adjusted EPS SourceFull-year 2026$0.95 to $1.01Kept
Weighted-average fully diluted share count SourceFull-year 2026289 million to 291 million sharesKept
Capital expenditures SourceFull-year 2026$200 million to $225 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Foreign currency benefit to net revenues and Adjusted EBITDA was revised to 70 basis points from 100 basis points. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Net revenue dollar range moved down to $1.233 billion to $1.250 billion from $1.236 billion to $1.254 billion. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted EBITDA dollar range moved down to $632 million to $641 million from $634 million to $643 million. Source
  • Guidance kept: Adjusted EPS, tax rate, diluted share count and capital expenditure ranges remain as in the prior update. Source
  • New: Moody's Ratings upgraded the company's credit rating in early October. Source
  • New: Nelson Labs completed a new Annex-1 compliant cleanroom during the quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 4.4% in quarter: Net revenues were $324.9 million, up from $311.3 million in the third quarter of 2025. Growth was 4.4% on both as-reported and constant currency bases. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income was $58.4 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, against $48.4 million, or $0.17, a year earlier. Nine-month net income was $138.6 million, against $43.1 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 3.9%: Adjusted EBITDA was $170.7 million, up 3.9%, or 4.0% in constant currency, from $164.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 12%: Adjusted EPS was $0.29 per diluted share, against $0.26 in the third quarter of 2025. Nine-month Adjusted EPS was $0.72, against $0.60. Source
  • Nine-month revenue and margin up: Nine-month net revenues were $926.3 million, up from $860.2 million. Nine-month Adjusted EBITDA margin was 50.9%, against 50.8%. Source

Segment results

  • Sterigenics grew 8.2% in constant currency: Sterigenics net revenues rose 8.5% to $209.3 million, driven by pricing, improved volume and mix, and a foreign currency benefit. Segment income rose 9.6% to $117.5 million. Source
  • Sterigenics margin improved 57 basis points: Segment income margin improved 57 basis points. Nine-month Sterigenics net revenues rose 8.9% to $607.0 million, or 7.2% in constant currency. Source
  • Nordion fell on Co-60 harvest timing: Nordion net revenues fell 12.4% to $55.0 million, or 11.5% in constant currency, due to expected Co-60 harvest schedules. Segment income fell 11.4% to $33.7 million. Source
  • Nordion margin improved on productivity: Nordion segment income margin improved 71 basis points, on operational productivity and favorable pricing, partly offset by inflation. Nine-month Nordion net revenues rose 6.1% to $146.2 million. Source
  • Nelson Labs grew 9.2% in constant currency: Nelson Labs net revenues rose 8.8% to $60.6 million, or 9.2% in constant currency, on favorable volume, mix and pricing. Segment income rose 2.5% to $19.5 million. Source
  • Nelson Labs margin affected by mix: Segment income margin was impacted primarily by business mix. Nine-month Nelson Labs segment income fell 2.4% to $53.6 million, on revenue that rose 4.9% to $173.1 million. Source

“Based on our year-to-date performance and expectations for the remainder of the year, we are reaffirming our 2026 constant currency revenue and Adjusted EBITDA outlook.”

Alton Shader, Chief Executive Officer

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Cost of revenues rose to $144.1 million: Cost of revenues rose from $133.8 million, and gross profit rose to $180.8 million from $177.6 million. Source
  • Inflation partly offset segment gains: Management said inflation partly offset benefits to Sterigenics segment income and segment income margin. Nordion margin gains were also partly offset by inflation. Source
  • Interest expense fell year over year: Interest expense, net was $34.1 million, down from $39.1 million. Nine-month interest expense was $103.3 million, against $120.7 million. Source
  • Sequential margin up nearly 100 basis points: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 52.5%, against 52.7% a year earlier. Sequentially, it improved nearly 100 basis points from the second quarter. Source

Full-year 2026 guidance

  • Dollar ranges lowered, growth kept: Dollar ranges for net revenues and Adjusted EBITDA moved down by about $2 million to $4 million. Constant currency growth ranges were kept, and the foreign currency benefit assumption was reduced to 70 basis points. Source
  • Interest, tax and share guidance steady: The interest expense range narrowed around the same midpoint. Tax rate, Adjusted EPS, diluted share count and capital expenditure ranges were unchanged. Source
  • Supply and inflation assumptions noted: The guidance assumes continuity of EO and Co-60 supply, and it reflects inflationary trends, including effects on energy prices and labor supply. Source
  • Non-GAAP ranges not reconciled: Adjusted EBITDA, tax rate and Adjusted EPS guidance are not reconciled to GAAP because certain items are out of the company's control or cannot be predicted. Source

“We remain focused on being a trusted partner to our customers, combining exceptional service with the quality, reliability and technical expertise needed to support critical healthcare products and the patients who depend on them.”

Alton Shader, Chief Executive Officer

Capital, cash and leverage

  • Net leverage fell to 2.9x: Net Leverage Ratio was 2.9x at September 30, 2026, against 3.2x at December 31, 2025, within the company's long-term goal of 2.0x to 3.0x. Net debt was $1.83 billion. Source
  • Moody's upgraded the credit rating: The upgrade came in early October. Management tied it to continued progress in strengthening the balance sheet and reducing leverage. Source
  • Operating cash flow of $111 million: Net cash provided by operating activities was $111 million in the quarter. Nine-month operating cash flow was $228.5 million, against $184.1 million. Source
  • Debt steady, cash higher: Total debt was $2.2 billion at September 30, 2026. Unrestricted cash was $412 million, up from $345 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Capital spending increased year to date: Nine-month purchases of property, plant and equipment were $145.5 million, against $87.3 million a year earlier. The full-year range is $200 million to $225 million. Source

EO facility costs

  • Professional fees on EO facilities up: Professional services for EO sterilization facilities were $11.7 million in the quarter, against $11.2 million. Nine-month amounts were $34.9 million, against $37.5 million. Source
  • No Illinois settlement costs in 2026: No Illinois EO litigation settlement costs appear in the 2026 or 2025 third quarter. Nine-month 2025 included $64.9 million for settlements of 97 and 129 claims. Source

Strategy and facilities

  • Customer trust and service emphasized: Chief Executive Officer Alton Shader said the company is focused on being a trusted partner, combining service with quality, reliability and technical expertise. Source
  • Annex-1 cleanroom completed at Nelson Labs: Nelson Labs completed a new Annex-1 compliant cleanroom during the quarter. No cost or capacity figures were given. Source

Coming up, as management said on 3 November 2026

  • Jefferies London Healthcare Conference: Company presentation scheduled at 12:00 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on November 18, 2026. Source
  • Piper Sandler Healthcare Conference: Company presentation scheduled at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on December 2, 2026. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Guidance assumes continuity of supply for ethylene oxide and Co-60, which management identifies as an assumption. Source
  • External: Management cites inflationary trends, including effects on energy prices and labor supply, as an assumption behind its ranges. Source
  • External: The foreign currency benefit assumed in the full-year ranges was reduced by 30 basis points. Source
  • Demand: Nordion revenue depends on the timing of Co-60 harvest schedules, which reduced third-quarter revenue year over year. Source
  • Regulatory: Management said regulatory changes create uncertainty that prevents reconciliation of some forward-looking non-GAAP measures. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management reaffirmed the constant currency growth ranges for revenue and Adjusted EBITDA for full-year 2026. Source
  • Not stated: Adjusted EPS range was kept, with tax rate, diluted share count and capital expenditure ranges also kept. Source
  • Not stated: Management expects full-year Adjusted EBITDA margin to be approximately flat compared with 2025. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.