CYTEK(US:CTKB)2025-02-28 06:21Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Full year revenue in 2024 grew 4% over 2023, reaching $200.5 million, driven by strong growth in service revenue and double-digit growth in international markets outside of the U.S. [12] - Adjusted EBITDA for 2024 was $22.4 million, a gain of more than 77% compared to $12.6 million in 2023 [15][54] - Fourth quarter revenue was $57.5 million, essentially flat compared to Q4 2023 after adjusting for the strong appreciation of the U.S. dollar [16][36] - GAAP gross profit for Q4 2024 was $33.7 million, an increase of 2% compared to Q4 2023 [40] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Service revenue grew 8% year-over-year in Q4 2024, mainly due to the growth in the total installed base of instruments [16][38] - Product revenue decreased 3% versus Q4 2023 but increased 14% sequentially versus Q3 2024 [37] - Northern Lights CLC unit placements grew by 15% in 2024 compared to 2023, achieving the highest placement growth rate across the product portfolio [33] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total U.S. revenue declined 10% compared to Q4 2023, driven by lower instrument sales [39] - Asia Pacific revenue grew 21%, driven by strong growth in China [39] - Other international markets, primarily Canada and Latin America, also saw strong growth, with revenue reaching $5.3 million in Q4 2024 compared to $1.9 million in the prior year quarter [39] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to solidify its position as a market leader in next-gen cell analysis solutions through key growth pillars: Instruments, Applications, Bioinformatics, and Clinical [18] - The recent acquisition of Luminex has diversified the instrument portfolio and enhanced technical capabilities [25] - The company opened a new manufacturing facility in Singapore to increase capacity and enhance global supply chain flexibility [28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed a conservative stance on the China market due to a dynamic environment but noted an uptick in orders related to the China stimulus program [16] - The company expects solid growth in service business and good momentum in instrument sales in APAC, despite softer market conditions in the U.S. and EMEA [59] - Full year revenue guidance for 2025 is projected to be in the range of $204 million to $212 million, representing overall growth of 2% to 6% over 2024 [60] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately 4 million shares for a total cost of approximately $21.6 million during 2024 [56] - Cytek Cloud user base grew to over 16,000, expanding by more than 160% from the start of 2024 [30] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the 8.5% instrument growth and the mix? - Management noted good growth in Northern Lights and expects that momentum to carry forward, but did not provide specific guidance on product categories [66][70] Question: Can you summarize the impact of recent tariffs and export controls? - Management indicated that the diversified manufacturing locations provide flexibility to mitigate potential impacts from tariffs [76][80] Question: What is the exposure to NIH funding and its impact? - The company estimated around 5% of total revenue is funded by NIH grants, with a potential 8% reduction in funding [90][92] Question: What are the expectations for service revenue growth in 2025? - Management expects a continuation of the good momentum seen in service revenues in 2024 [114] Question: Is the company open to additional M&A? - Management confirmed openness to M&A, focusing on businesses in existing or adjacent markets that can contribute positive EBITDA within a year [120]