Summary of Henry Schein (HSIC) 2025 Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Henry Schein, Inc. (HSIC) - **Date of Conference**: May 29, 2025 - **Key Speakers**: Ron South (CFO), Andrea Albertini (CEO, Global Distribution and Technology), Tom Popack (CEO, Henry Schein Products Groups) Key Industry Insights - **Market Recovery**: After a slow January attributed to weather, there was a notable recovery in February and March, with positive trends observed in both dental and medical sectors [2][5][7] - **Regulatory Uncertainty**: The introduction of tariffs and regulatory changes has created uncertainty in the market, affecting customer navigation and supplier dynamics [4] - **Dental and Medical Stability**: The dental market remains stable, while the medical sector saw an uptick due to a late flu season, leading to increased sales of diagnostic kits [5] Core Business Initiatives - **Specialty Products Sales**: The distribution sales force is now selling specialty products, particularly in the endodontic business, which has shown strong market share and momentum [9][10][13] - **Implant Market Growth**: The company is experiencing mid to high single-digit growth in the implant market in Europe, while the U.S. market remains relatively flat due to macroeconomic conditions [20][22] - **Global E-commerce Platform**: A new e-commerce platform was launched in the UK and Ireland, with plans for a broader rollout in the U.S. and Canada in 2026. This initiative aims to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency [25][31] Financial Performance and Projections - **Long-term Growth Goals**: The company aims for 8% to 11% EPS growth, contingent on achieving 6% to 8% top-line growth, which is currently challenged by lower market growth rates in core dental and medical sectors [34][35] - **Restructuring Savings**: A restructuring plan initiated last year is expected to yield annual savings of $75 million to $100 million, contributing positively to the cost base by the end of 2025 [37] - **Technology Segment Growth**: The technology segment is expected to return to high single-digit growth, driven by the transition from on-premise to SaaS models, despite current low single-digit growth rates [44][46] Market Challenges and Opportunities - **DSO Relationships**: The company emphasizes the importance of strategic partnerships with Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) to drive profitability rather than engaging in price competition [56][58] - **Medical Segment Growth**: The medical business is projected to achieve a CAGR of 4% to 7%, with home solutions contributing significantly to this growth [61][62] - **KKR Involvement**: KKR's investment is expected to enhance operational efficiency and revenue enhancement initiatives, although it is still in the early stages of collaboration [63][64] Additional Insights - **Equipment Orders**: There is optimism regarding equipment orders, although macroeconomic concerns may lead to delays in installations and revenue recognition [40][41] - **Customer Experience Focus**: The company is working on improving customer experience through loyalty programs and targeted promotions, particularly for online shoppers [30][28] This summary encapsulates the key points discussed during the Henry Schein conference call, highlighting the company's performance, strategic initiatives, and market outlook.

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Global sales for the first quarter of 2025 were $3.2 billion, down 0.1% compared to the first quarter of 2024, with a 1.5% decrease due to foreign currency exchange and a 1.2% growth from acquisitions [26][27] - GAAP operating margin improved by 81 basis points to 5.53%, while non-GAAP operating margin increased by 14 basis points to 7.25% [27] - GAAP net income for the first quarter was $110 million or $0.88 per diluted share, compared to $93 million or $0.72 per diluted share in the prior year [27] - Non-GAAP net income was $143 million or $1.15 per diluted share, compared to $143 million or $1.10 per diluted share in the prior year [28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. Dental merchandise sales grew low single digits, while U.S. Dental equipment sales declined 8.9% due to a deferral of approximately $20 million in sales from Q4 2023 to Q1 2024 [30][31] - U.S. Medical distribution sales grew by 4.7% after excluding PPE products and COVID test kits, with Home Solutions business experiencing a total sales growth of 23% [31][32] - Global Specialty Products Group saw constant currency sales growth of 4.3%, with strong growth in the DACH region and Latin America [32][33] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - International Dental merchandise sales grew 1.1% in constant currency, while international Dental equipment sales grew 4.3% driven by strong growth in Canada and Central Europe [32] - The U.S. implant market was slightly down, but the company maintained market share and saw strong sales growth in Europe, particularly in Germany [21][33] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is advancing its Bold plus One strategic plan, focusing on operational efficiency, enhancing customer experience, and growing its digital footprint [9][10] - The establishment of two main business units, the Global Distribution and Value Added Service Group and the Global Technology Group, aims to streamline operations and improve performance [9][10] - The company expects high single-digit to low double-digit earnings growth by executing its strategic initiatives [9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the fundamentals of the business despite a slow start in January due to weather-related events, with sales performance improving in February and March [6][8] - The overall mood in the dental and medical markets is stable, with increased patient traffic and investment in practices [50][62] - Management acknowledged the potential impact of tariffs but believes current actions will mitigate financial effects [24][58] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately 2.3 million shares at an average price of $71.58 per share, totaling $161 million [34] - The company maintains its 2025 financial guidance, expecting non-GAAP diluted EPS in the range of $4.80 to $4.94 [38] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the dollar's impact on revenue guidance? - The company experienced a 1.5% headwind from foreign exchange in Q1, but expects foreign exchange to be neutral for the remainder of the year [44][45] Question: What is the current environment in April? - April showed decent performance, with stable traffic in dental distribution and solid growth in medical sales due to increased patient visits [47][50] Question: Are there any adjustments to guidance inputs? - The company maintains its sales guidance, expecting growth to be largely internally generated with foreign exchange being neutral [56] Question: How is the company managing tariff impacts? - The company is diversifying sourcing to mitigate tariff impacts and is working closely with suppliers and customers [58][59] Question: What is the current state of the dental capital equipment market? - Demand for dental equipment remains healthy, with no significant declines in orders observed [109]