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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  Form 11-K

Annual Report Pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the Twelve-Month Period Ended December 31, 1996

Commission File No. 0-20165

A.   Full title of the plan and the address of the plan if different from that
     of the issuer named below:

           STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust

B.   Name of issuer of securities held pursuant to the plan and the address of
     its principal executive office:

           STERIS Corporation
           5960 Heisley Road
           Mentor, Ohio  44060


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                           Annual Report
                           STERIS CORPORATION 401(K) PLAN
                           AND TRUST

                           December 31, 1996 and 1995

                           Plan Sponsor
                           STERIS CORPORATION
                           5960 Heisley Road
                           Mentor, Ohio  44060

                           Plan Administrator
                           STERIS CORPORATION
                           5960 Heisley Road
                           Mentor, Ohio  44060


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                     STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust

                          Audited Financial Statements

                           December 31, 1996 and 1995
CONTENTS REQUIRED INFORMATION Report of Independent Auditors................................................................... 1 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PROVIDED Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits, with Fund Information........................... 2 Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits, with Fund Information............ 4 Notes to Financial Statements.................................................................... 5 SCHEDULES Item 27(a)--Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes....................................... 9 Item 27(d)--Schedule of Reportable Transactions................................................... 10 EXHIBITS Exhibit 23--Consent of Independent Auditors....................................................... 12
4 Report of Independent Auditors Board of Directors STERIS Corporation Mentor, Ohio We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust (the "Plan") as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the related statement of changes in net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 1996. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available for benefits of the Plan at December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the changes in its net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 1996, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the financial statements taken as a whole. The accompanying supplemental schedules of assets held for investment purposes as of December 31, 1996 and reportable transactions for the year then ended, are presented for purposes of complying with the Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and are not a required part of the financial statements. The fund information in the statements of net assets available for benefits at December 31, 1996 and 1995 and changes in net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 1996 is presented for purposes of additional analysis rather than to present the changes in net assets available for benefits of each fund. The supplemental schedules and fund information have been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in our audits of the financial statements and, in our opinion, are fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole. Ernst & Young LLP Cleveland, Ohio July 9, 1997 1 5 STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust Statement of Net Assets Available for Benefits, with Fund Information December 31, 1996
Victory Victory Victory Investment STERIS Stock Balanced Quality EB Magic Stock Index Fund Fund Bond Fund Fund Fund ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASSETS Investments: STERIS Corporation common shares $ 6,141,069 Mutual funds $ 22,004,849 $ 9,008,960 $ 457,373 Common/collective trusts $ 6,642,459 Participant loans receivable Other investments 9,934 20,903 348 381 59,311 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total investments 22,014,783 9,029,863 457,721 6,642,840 6,200,380 Employee contributions receivable 110 25 98,163 360 Employer contribution receivable 200,569 91,264 19,500 133,066 72,695 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total assets 22,215,462 9,121,152 477,221 6,874,069 6,273,435 LIABILITIES Accrued purchase of investments 122 381 Accrued expenses 17,716 19,321 549 2,173 3,401 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS $ 22,197,746 $ 9,101,831 $ 476,550 $ 6,871,515 $ 6,270,034 =============================================================================== Participant Loans Total ------------------------------- ASSETS Investments: STERIS Corporation common shares $ 6,141,069 Mutual funds 31,471,182 Common/collective trusts 6,642,459 Participant loans receivable $ 1,713,003 1,713,003 Other investments 90,877 ------------------------------- Total investments 1,713,003 46,058,590 Employee contributions receivable 98,658 Employer contribution receivable 517,094 ------------------------------- Total assets 1,713,003 46,674,342 LIABILITIES Accrued purchase of investments 503 Accrued expenses 43,160 ------------------------------- NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS $ 1,713,003 $ 46,630,679 ===============================
See notes to financial statements. 2 6 STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust Statement of Net Assets Available for Benefits, with Fund Information December 31, 1995
Victory Victory Victory Investment STERIS Stock Balanced Quality EB Magic Stock Index Fund Fund Bond Fund Fund Fund ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASSETS Investments: STERIS Corporation common shares $ 1,404,971 Mutual funds $ 659,380 $ 396,433 $ 209,510 Common/collective trusts $ 110,460 Participant loans receivable Other investments 228 266 104 22,550 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total investments 659,608 396,699 209,614 110,460 1,427,521 Contributions receivable 5,879 3,544 3,464 1,403 20,121 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total assets 665,487 400,243 213,078 111,863 1,447,642 LIABILITIES Accrued purchase of investments 4,743 1,901 1,930 823 8,178 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS $ 660,744 $ 398,342 $ 211,148 $ 111,040 $ 1,439,464 ============================================================================ Participant Loans Total ------------------------------ ASSETS Investments: STERIS Corporation common shares $ 1,404,971 Mutual funds 1,265,323 Common/collective trusts 110,460 Participant loans receivable $ 38,733 38,733 Other investments 23,148 -------------------------------- Total investments 38,733 2,842,635 Contributions receivable 34,411 -------------------------------- Total assets 38,733 2,877,046 LIABILITIES Accrued purchase of investments 589 18,164 -------------------------------- NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS $ 38,144 $ 2,858,882 ================================
See notes to financial statements. 3 7 STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits, with Fund Information For the Year Ended December 31, 1996
Victory Victory Victory Investment STERIS Stock Balanced Quality EB Magic Stock Index Fund Fund Bond Fund Fund Fund ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ADDITIONS Employee contributions $ 1,344,363 $ 653,552 $ 151,544 $ 895,667 $ 721,135 Investment income 293,398 175,699 17,231 192,479 2,666 Transfer from Amsco 401(k) 19,633,449 7,742,202 5,570,641 2,939,240 Employer contribution receivable 200,569 91,264 19,500 133,066 72,695 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total additions 21,471,779 8,662,717 188,275 6,791,853 3,735,736 DEDUCTIONS Distributions to participants 1,666,003 779,887 27,791 377,484 222,246 Expenses 17,716 19,321 549 2,173 3,401 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total deductions 1,683,719 799,208 28,340 379,657 225,647 Net realized and unrealized appreciation in fair value of investments 2,036,978 631,677 (7,419) 27,243 1,643,851 Net investment transfers (288,036) 208,303 112,886 321,036 (323,370) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net additions 21,537,002 8,703,489 265,402 6,760,475 4,830,570 Net assets available for benefits at beginning of year 660,744 398,342 211,148 111,040 1,439,464 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS AT END OF YEAR $ 22,197,746 $ 9,101,831 $ 476,550 $ 6,871,515 $ 6,270,034 ============================================================================ Participant Loans Total ------------------------------- ADDITIONS Employee contributions $ 3,766,261 Investment income $ 70,256 751,729 Transfer from Amsco 401(k) 1,688,481 37,574,013 Employer contribution receivable 517,094 ------------------------------- Total additions 1,758,737 42,609,097 DEDUCTIONS Distributions to participants 53,059 3,126,470 Expenses 43,160 ------------------------------- Total deductions 53,059 3,169,630 Net realized and unrealized appreciation in fair value of investments 4,332,330 Net investment transfers (30,819) ------------------------------- Net additions 1,674,859 43,771,797 Net assets available for benefits at beginning of year 38,144 2,858,882 ------------------------------- NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS AT END OF YEAR $ 1,713,003 $46,630,679 ===============================
See notes to financial statements. 4 8 STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 1996 and 1995 A. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN The following brief description of the STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust (the "Plan") is provided for general information purposes only. Participants should refer to the Plan document for complete information regarding the Plan's definitions, benefits, eligibility, and other matters. GENERAL The Plan, which became effective April 1, 1992, is a contributory plan available to all employees of STERIS Corporation (the "Company" or "STERIS") who have completed three months of service and have attained the age of 18 (21 prior to June 30, 1996). Employee participation in the Plan is voluntary and enrollment in the Plan is permitted on the first day of each January, April, July, and October (an "Entry Date"). The Plan is subject to certain provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") and the Internal Revenue Code. On May 1, 1996, STERIS and Amsco International, Inc. (Amsco) shareholders approved the Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 16, 1995 and restated as of March 28, 1996, pursuant to which a newly-formed, wholly-owned subsidiary of STERIS was merged with and into Amsco, with Amsco becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of STERIS, via the issuance of 0.46 STERIS Common Share for each outstanding share of Amsco Common Stock. Effective as of June 30, 1996, the Plan was amended and the Amsco 401(k) Tax Deferred Savings Plan (the "Amsco Plan") was merged into the Plan. Also on June 30, 1996, the equity of all participants and beneficiaries in the Amsco Plan as of the date of the merger was transferred to the Plan. CONTRIBUTIONS A participant is permitted to contribute not less than 1 percent and not more than 10 percent of his/her compensation received during a calendar year. All contributions made by a participant must be "before-tax" deferred compensation contributions. 5 9 STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust Notes to Financial Statements--Continued A. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN--CONTINUED Effective as of October 1, 1996, the Company may make matching discretionary contributions to a participant's account. The level of matching contributions is determined quarterly by the Company. Employer contributions are allocated to each participant's account in accordance with the investment election choices made by the participant. For the quarter ended December 31, 1996, the Company made a 50% matching contribution in cash on employee contributions on the first 6% of eligible participant compensation. Participants are fully vested in Company matching contributions at such time as the contribution is made. PARTICIPANT ACCOUNTS Each participant may direct their contributions to be invested in 5 percent increments in any combination of the following investment options: EB Magic Fund, Victory Stock Index Fund, Victory Balanced Fund, Victory Investment Quality Bond Fund, STERIS Corporation common stock. The allocation of a participant's contributions to these investment funds is selected by the participant and may be changed on each entry date. A participant may elect to have a portion or all of the balance of his prior contributions (in increments of 5 percent) transferred from any fund in which it is invested to any other fund. Separate accounts are maintained for each participant showing each type of contribution and the interest of each participant in the various funds. The Plan provides participants the opportunity to apply for a loan up to 50% of that participant's balance, not to exceed $50,000. At December 31, 1996, $29,442 had been allocated to participants who have withdrawn from the Plan. VESTING AND PAYMENT OF BENEFITS Participant contributions, with all earnings and appreciation thereon, are fully vested at all times. A participant whose employment terminates due to death or retirement (including retirement on account of total and permanent disability) or for reasons other than death or retirement will be eligible for a distribution equal to the full amount of the separate accounts attributable to their participant contributions. 6 10 STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust Notes to Financial Statements--Continued A. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN--CONTINUED The Company, by action of its Board of Directors and without approval of its shareholders, has the right to amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan in its entirety. If the Plan is terminated, all amounts credited to a participant's account will be paid to such participant as directed by the Company. PLAN EXPENSES Costs incident to the purchase and sale of securities, such as brokerage commissions and stock transfer taxes, are paid by the respective funds. As of July 1, 1996, all other general and administrative expenses incurred in the administration of the Plan, which were previously paid by the Company, are charged against the respective funds. B. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Investments in the EB Magic Fund are stated at fair value as determined by the trustee based on the underlying investments held in the fund. Also, included in the EB Magic Fund at December 31, 1996 are three fully benefit responsive guaranteed investment contracts. These contracts are carried at contract value which approximates fair value. The average yield and crediting interest rate for the year ending December 31, 1996 was 7.62%. Interest rates are fixed. All contracts mature in 1999. All other investments are stated at fair value as measured by quoted prices in active markets. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with current year reporting. C. TRANSACTIONS WITH PARTIES-IN-INTEREST Party-in-interest transactions include the investment in the special funds of the trustee and the payment of administrative expenses. Additionally, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the administration of the Plan for the first half of 1996 were paid for by the Company. Such transactions are exempt from being prohibited transactions. The Plan purchased shares of common stock of the Company for $544,613 and sold shares of common stock of the Company for $327,449 for the year ended December 31, 1996. 7 11 STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust Notes to Financial Statements--Continued D. INCOME TAX STATUS The Plan Administrator believes the Plan is in operational compliance with Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 401(a) and is, therefore, not subject to tax under IRC Section 501(a). The Plan Administrator has indicated that the Plan has been modeled after a prototype plan that has been accepted by the Internal Revenue Service. However, due to recent Plan amendments, the Plan Administrator intends to request in a timely manner a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service. The tax exempt status of the Plan does not affect the taxability of distributions to participants. E. INVESTMENTS The Plan's investments are as follows:
DECEMBER 31, 1996 COST FAIR VALUE -------------------------------- Collective Investment Trusts of KeyBank National Association: *Employee Benefits Money Market Fund $ 90,877 $ 90,877 *EB Magic Fund **6,621,735 6,642,459 Mutual Funds: Victory Stock Index Fund **20,429,677 22,004,849 Victory Balanced Fund **8,629,253 9,008,960 Victory Investment Quality Bond Fund 457,606 457,373 *STERIS Corporation common stock **3,692,619 6,141,069 Participant loans 1,713,003 1,713,003
DECEMBER 31, 1995 COST FAIR VALUE -------------------------------- Collective Investment Trusts of KeyBank National Association: *Employee Benefits Money Market Fund $ 23,148 $ 23,148 *EB Magic Fund 108,037 110,460 Mutual Funds: Victory Stock Index Fund **543,398 **659,380 Victory Balanced Fund **348,456 396,433 Victory Investment Quality Bond Fund **201,812 **209,510 *STERIS Corporation common stock **694,972 **1,404,971 Participant loans 38,733 38,733 *Party-in-interest **Investment representing five percent or more of the Plan's net assets available for benefits
8 12 STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust Form 5500, Item 27(a)--Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes
December 31, 1996 Cost Fair Value ------------------------------ Collective Investment Trusts of Key Bank National Association: *Employee Benefits Money Market Fund $ 90,877 $ 90,877 *EB Magic Fund 6,621,735 6,642,459 Mutual Funds: Victory Stock Index Fund 20,429,677 22,004,849 Victory Balanced Fund 8,629,253 9,008,960 Victory Investment Quality Bond Fund 457,606 457,373 *STERIS Corporation common stock 3,692,619 6,141,069 Participant loans 1,713,003 1,713,003
* Party-in-interest 9 13 STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust Form 5500, Item 27(d)--Schedule of Reportable Transactions For the Year Ended December 31, 1996
Current Value of Asset on Net Purchase Selling Cost of Transaction Gain or Description of Asset Price Price Asset Date (Loss) - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CATEGORY (i) SINGLE TRANSACTIONS IN EXCESS OF 5% OF PLAN ASSETS Employee Benefits Money Market Fund $ 19,610,464 $19,610,464 $ 19,610,464 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 7,739,120 7,739,120 7,739,120 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 206,400 206,400 206,400 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund $ 19,570,021 19,570,021 19,570,021 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 7,720,207 7,270,207 7,720,207 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 209,762 209,762 209,762 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 175,219 175,219 175,219 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 379,943 379,9043 379,943 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 175,219 175,219 175,219 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 379,943 379,943 379,943 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 193,912 193,912 193,912 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 193,912 193,912 193,912 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 180,318 180,318 180,318 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 180,318 180,318 180,318 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 515,067 515,067 515,067 Employee Benefits Money Market Fund 515,067 515,067 515,067 Victory Balanced Fund 265,178 265,178 265,178 Victory Stock Index Fund 459,161 459,161 459,161 EB Magic Fund 147,841 147,841 147,841 Victory Balanced Fund 7,742,203 7,742,203 7,742,203 Victory Balanced Fund 379,943 370,236 370,236 $ 9,707 Victory Stock Index Fund 19,618,274 19,618,274 19,618,274 Victory Stock Index Fund 175,219 169,883 169,883 5,336 Victory Stock Index Fund 193,911 184,641 184,641 9,270 Victory Stock Index Fund 174,227 167,056 167,056 7,171 Victory Stock Index Fund 514,563 455,025 455,025 59,538
10 14 STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust Form 5500, Item 27(d)--Schedule of Reportable Transactions--Continued
Current Value of Asset on Net Number of Purchase Selling Cost of Transaction Gain or Transactions Description of Asset Price Price Asset Date (Loss) - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CATEGORY (iii) SERIES OF TRANSACTIONS IN EXCESS OF 5% OF PLAN ASSETS 257 Employee Benefit Money $ 31,449,608 $31,449,608 $31,449,608 248 Market Fund $ 31,381,878 31,381,878 31,381,878 86 EB Magic fund 1,539,592 1,539,592 1,539,592 45 545,739 536,796 545,739 $ 8,943 50 STERIS Corporation Common 544,613 544,613 544,613 11 Stock 327,449 225,279 327,449 102,170 109 Victory Balanced Fund 9,054,610 9,054,610 9,054,610 38 808,582 773,814 808,582 34,768 92 Victory Investment Quality 307,404 307,404 307,404 28 Bond Fund 52,123 51,610 52,123 513 103 Victory Stock Index Quality 21,845,536 21,845,536 21,845,536 44 Bond Fund 2,093,057 1,959,256 2,093,057 133,801
There were no category (ii) or (iv) reportable transactions during the year ended December 31, 1996. 11
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                                                                      Exhibit 23

                         Consent of Independent Auditors

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form
S-8 No. 33-55976) pertaining to the STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust of
our report dated July 9, 1997, with respect to the financial statements and
schedules of the STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust included in this
Annual Report (Form 11-K) for the year ended December 31, 1996.

                                                              Ernst & Young LLP

Cleveland, Ohio
July 9, 1997


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                                   SIGNATURES

THE PLAN. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, the Plan has duly caused this annual report to be signed on their
behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                               STERIS Corporation 401(k) Plan and Trust

Dated:  July 15, 1997          By:    /s/ LAURA L. WEIEN
        -------------             --------------------------------------
                                      Laura L. Weien
                                      Treasurer

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