Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. BIO posted first-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.29, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12.3%. However, the bottom line declined 31.4% from the prior-year quarter’s levels.
The quarter’s adjustments eliminate the impacts of certain non-recurring items like the amortization of purchased intangibles, Restructuring costs, gains/losses from the change in the fair market value of equity securities and gains/losses on equity-method investments.
The company’s GAAP EPS was $13.45 per share in the first quarter compared with GAAP earnings of $2.32 in the year-ago quarter.
Revenues in Detail
Revenues of $610.8 million in the first quarter missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.2%. The figure dropped 9.8% from the year-ago quarter’s levels (down 9.6% at the constant exchange rate or CER).
Segmental Analysis
Sales in the Life Science segment in the first quarter totaled $241.7 million, down 25.3% year over year and 25.2% at CER. The currency-neutral year-over-year sales decline was broad-based and was primarily due to weakness in the biotech and biopharma end markets and the economic environment in China.
Net sales in the Clinical Diagnostics segment totaled $368.6 million, up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis and 4.8% at CER. Increased demand for quality control, blood typing, and diabetes products primarily drove the currency-neutral year-over-year sales increase.
Margins
In the quarter under review, Bio-Rad’s gross profit fell 10.1% to $325.9 million. The gross margin contracted 18 basis points (bps) to 53.4%.
Operating expenses were $281.2 million in the first quarter, down 6.4% year over year. The operating profit totaled $44.7 million, down 27.8% from the prior-year quarter’s levels. The operating margin in the first quarter contracted 182 bps to 7.3%.
Financial Update
Bio-Rad exited the first quarter of 2024 with cash and cash equivalents (including short-term investments) of $1.65 billion compared with $1.61 billion at the end of fourth-quarter 2023. Total debt (including current maturities) at the end of the first quarter was $1.19 billion, almost in line with the reported figure at the end of the prior quarter.
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Quote
The cumulative net cash flow from operating activities at the end of the first quarter was $697.9 million compared with the year-ago figure of $981.2 million.
2024 Guidance
Bio-Rad reinstated its guidance for full-year 2024.
The company anticipates non-GAAP currency-neutral revenue growth of approximately 1%-2.5%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $2.68 billion.
The adjusted operating margin projection for the full year is 13.5%-14%.
Our Take
Bio-Rad exited the first quarter of 2024 on a mixed note, with an earnings beat and a revenue miss. The ongoing weaknesses in the biotech and biopharma end markets primarily impacted sales of the company’s Life Science segment products. It continued to experience weak demand for Life Science products in China. A contraction in the margins also raises apprehension.
On a positive note, the company witnessed growth across the Clinical Diagnostics segment primarily driven by an increased demand for quality control, blood typing, and diabetes products. The company remains cautiously optimistic about a gradual biopharma market recovery in the second half of the year and remains confident in its overall strategy and long-term market opportunities.
Zacks Rank & Key Picks
Bio-Rad currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Some better-ranked stocks from the broader medical space are Medpace MEDP, ResMed RMD and Encompass Health Corporation EHC.
Medpace, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), reported EPS of $3.20 in first-quarter 2024, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 30.6%. Revenues of $511 million improved 17.7% from last year’s comparable figure. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Medpace has an estimated 2024 earnings growth rate of 26.5% compared with the industry’s 12.3%. The company’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 12.8%.
ResMed, sporting a Zacks Rank #1, reported a first-quarter 2024 EPS of $2.13, which topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.9%. Revenues of $1.20 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.9%.
RMD has an estimated fiscal 2024 earnings growth rate of 17.9% compared with the industry’s 15.7%. In each of the trailing four quarters, the company delivered an average earnings surprise of 2.8%.
Encompass Health, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), reported first-quarter 2024 adjusted EPS of $1.12, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 20.4%. Net operating revenues of $1.3 billion topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.6%.
EHC has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 15.6% compared with the industry’s 11.7% growth. The company’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 18.7%.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
