Becton, Dickinson(BDX) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue grew 8.5% to $5.5 billion, with 3% organic growth and new BD organic growth at 4% [6][22] - Adjusted gross margin reached 54.8%, up 50 basis points year over year, and adjusted operating margin was 25.8%, up 60 basis points year over year [6][30] - Adjusted diluted EPS was $3.68, exceeding expectations with a growth of 5.1% [6][30] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - BD Medical's Pharm Systems showed sequential improvement with 4.8% growth, driven by double-digit growth in Biologics [23] - APM delivered 13% pro forma growth, supported by strong commercial execution and new product innovation [24] - BD Life Sciences experienced low single-digit decline in Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions, but showed significant sequential positive momentum [27] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total company organic growth was led by the U.S. and Greater Asia outside of China, partially offset by challenges in China [23] - Research instruments improved by approximately 40-80% sequentially in the U.S. and EMEA, driven by the launch of FaxDiscover 88 [28] - BackTech utilization increased over 20 percentage points sequentially, exiting the quarter at over 80% of historic levels [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company announced a definitive agreement to separate its Biosciences and Diagnostics business, which is expected to unlock significant shareholder value [5][9] - Focus on enhancing capital allocation with an emphasis on share buybacks and competitive dividends post-separation [10] - Continued investment in innovation and commercial execution to drive growth, particularly in areas like UCC and new product launches [39][66] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving organic revenue growth despite market headwinds, particularly in China and certain sub-segments [8][32] - The company reaffirmed its organic revenue guidance for the year and raised its earnings guidance by $0.18 at the midpoint [8][33] - Management highlighted the importance of BD Excellence in driving margin expansion and operational efficiency [21][60] Other Important Information - The company plans to use at least half of the $4 billion cash distribution from Waters for share buybacks, with the remainder for debt repayment [10] - The company expects a full-year 2026 tariff impact of around $275 million, an improvement from previous expectations [34][60] Q&A Session Summary Question: Growth outlook for RemainCo business - Management indicated that they expect stable mid-single-digit growth for RemainCo, driven by strong performance across various segments and continued investments in innovation [36][38] Question: Operating margin guidance for Q4 - Management acknowledged a slight sequential step down in operating margins due to timing of investments, but emphasized strong overall performance and margin management [44][46] Question: Fiscal 2026 margin outlook - Management stated that post-separation operating margins would remain healthy, with continued benefits from BD Excellence and a favorable tariff outlook [52][56] Question: Capital deployment strategy post-separation - Management highlighted a focus on reinvesting in growth opportunities and maintaining strong capital allocation strategies, including share buybacks [63][66] Question: Trends in urology business - Management confirmed that the double-digit growth in urology is a continuation of strong momentum, driven by ongoing innovation and market expansion [75][78]