Summary of Henry Schein Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Henry Schein - **Industry**: Medical Supplies and Devices - **Key Executives Present**: Stan Bergman (CEO), Ron South (CFO), Graham Stanley, Susan D'Onofrio (IR) Core Business Strategy - **BOLD Plus One Strategy**: - **B**: Build high growth, high margin businesses in specialty dental and medical products, targeting 50% of operating income from these by 2027 [4][5] - **O**: Optimize core distribution business for efficiency and customer satisfaction [5] - **L**: Leverage relationships with approximately 300 businesses to enhance sales across different product lines [6] - **D**: Digitalization of dentistry and medicine, including a new global e-commerce platform (GEP) [7][8] - **Plus One**: Advance relationships with suppliers, customers, and investors [9] Financial Performance - **Q1 Results**: Sales growth noted, with EPS growth excluding PPE impact [10][11] - **Earnings Growth Target**: High single digits to low double digits anticipated post-cyber incident recovery [11] Market Trends - **Dental Market**: Stable visit rates to dentists in the U.S., with a shift towards value in product selection [16][18] - **Equipment Stability**: Equipment sales stable, with some fluctuations; digital technology demand remains strong [18][21] - **International Markets**: Varying stability across Europe, with Brazil showing positive trends despite economic challenges [19][20] - **Software Demand**: Growth in software demand, transitioning to a SaaS model for recurring revenue [21][40] Long-term Financial Goals - **Earnings Growth**: Commitment to high single digit to low double digit growth, with 2026 guidance dependent on market momentum and restructuring initiatives [24][25] - **Cost Savings**: Expected $75 million to $100 million in cost savings from restructuring, leaning towards the higher end [25] Restructuring and Optimization - **Restructuring Focus**: Emphasis on optimizing endodontic business and leveraging synergies from acquisitions [28][29] - **Continuous Improvement**: Ongoing process to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, supported by KKR's investment [31] KKR Investment - **Strategic Partnership**: KKR holds approximately 15% stake, providing expertise in margin management and expense control [33][34] - **Negotiating Leverage**: KKR's portfolio may enhance negotiating power with suppliers [36] Capital Allocation Strategy - **M&A Activity**: Historical M&A spending of $300 million to $400 million annually, with a significant increase in 2023 [44] - **Share Repurchases**: $161 million in share repurchases in Q1, with a focus on maintaining a strong stock buyback strategy [46] Key Takeaways - **Misunderstood Aspects**: The effectiveness of the BOLD Plus strategy in driving growth and profitability through high-margin businesses and digital technology [48][49]