STERIS(STE) - 2026 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total as-reported revenue grew by 10% in the second quarter, with constant currency organic revenue increasing by 9% driven by volume and a 210 basis points price increase [4] - Gross margin increased by 60 basis points to 44.3%, while EBIT margin rose by 90 basis points to 23.1% of revenue compared to the previous year [4] - Adjusted earnings per diluted share from continuing operations were $2.47, reflecting a 15% increase year-over-year [5] - Free cash flow for the first half of fiscal 2026 was $527.7 million, indicating strong performance driven by increased earnings and improved working capital [5] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the healthcare segment, constant currency organic revenue grew by 9%, with services growing by 13% and consumables by 10% [6][7] - For the AST segment, constant currency organic revenue increased by 7%, with services up by 13% but capital equipment revenue anticipated to decline [8] - Life sciences saw a 12% increase in constant currency organic revenue, driven by a 39% growth in capital equipment shipments [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The healthcare capital equipment backlog exceeded $400 million, with orders up by 3% year-to-date [6] - Capital equipment backlog in life sciences increased by over 50% to $114 million [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is increasing its revenue growth outlook for fiscal 2026 to approximately 8%-9% as-reported, with constant currency organic revenue growth now expected to be 7%-8% [9] - The earnings outlook has been revised to a range of $10.15-$10.30, with EBIT margins expected to improve by 10-20 basis points [10] - The company is confident in its ability to meet revised expectations, supported by strong performance in the first half of the year [10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the operating margins improved despite headwinds from tariffs and inflation, with tariffs impacting margins by 90 basis points and material and labor inflation by 130 basis points [14][16] - The company expressed confidence in sustaining growth trends in services, particularly in the AST segment, due to stable volumes from medtech customers and recovery in bioprocessing [12][13] Other Important Information - Capital expenditures for the first half of fiscal 2026 totaled $180.1 million, with depreciation and amortization at $241.1 million [5] - The company ended the quarter with $1.9 billion in total debt, with a gross to EBITDA ratio of approximately 1.2 times [5] Q&A Session Summary Question: What drove the second consecutive quarter of double-digit growth in AST services? - Management attributed the growth to stable volume from medtech customers and recovery in bioprocessing, with confidence in sustaining a 9%-10% growth outlook [12][13] Question: Can you elaborate on the operating margins despite headwinds? - Management confirmed that tariffs and inflation were significant headwinds, with tariffs impacting margins by 90 basis points and inflation by 130 basis points [14][16] Question: What is the outlook for healthcare subsegments? - Management indicated that service growth is expected to remain strong, with consumables performing well and capital equipment growth dependent on shipment timing [27] Question: How is the company addressing capacity constraints in AST? - Management stated that expanding capacity is a long process, with several expansions completed and planned, ensuring a good position in most geographies [36] Question: What is the state of single-use scopes in healthcare? - Management noted that while there is a place for single-use scopes, particularly small diameter scopes, the bulk of the business remains with large diameter scopes due to their robustness and cost-effectiveness [46]