Bio-Techne(US:TECH)2025-12-03 21:15Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company ended Q1 with a negative growth of 1%, but excluding two large cell therapy customers, the growth for the rest of the business was approximately 1% [6][8] - The company anticipates a similar overall growth rate for Q2, projecting a decline of about 1% but an improvement to 3% when excluding the impact of the two customers [25][30] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The diagnostics business grew mid-single digits in Q1, building on a mid-teen growth from the previous year, indicating a strong performance despite fluctuations [30] - The ProteinSimple franchise has consistently outperformed, with no down quarters and double-digit growth in recent periods, suggesting resilience in a challenging market [26][70] - The Spatial Biology segment experienced a flat performance in Q1 after a down quarter, but bookings increased double-digit, indicating potential for recovery [27][75] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The pharmaceutical market, which constitutes 30% of revenue, has shown recovery with double-digit growth in recent quarters, alleviating previous concerns about regulatory pressures [12][13] - Academic market conditions have stabilized, with expectations of a flat NIH budget, improving sentiment among academic customers [14][66] - Biotech funding has improved, with funding levels increasing from a decline of 30% to a decline of 13%, suggesting a potential recovery in spending [17][22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on its ProteinSimple and Spatial franchises to drive growth, especially as market conditions stabilize [26][75] - The strategy includes leveraging the strong demand for consumables and reagents associated with their instruments, which are expected to enhance margins over time [77][80] - The company is optimistic about the long-term potential of its cell therapy business, despite short-term challenges, due to the high quality of clinical trials being conducted [92][94] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism about the near-term outlook, noting that while challenges remain, there are signs of stabilization in key markets [12][14] - The company anticipates that improvements in funding and market conditions will begin to reflect in financial results by the second half of fiscal year 2026 [22][58] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining strong relationships with customers and adapting to their needs as market conditions evolve [43][59] Other Important Information - The two large customers in the cell therapy space accounted for as much as 35%-40% of GMP revenue at their peak, but their absence is expected to impact revenue significantly in the near term [41][90] - The company has a diverse customer base, with 698 other customers, and is actively seeking to expand its reach in the cell therapy market through grant programs [94][96] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the impact of the two large customers on revenue? - The two customers have significantly influenced revenue, making up a large portion of GMP revenue, and their absence is expected to reduce business temporarily [41][90] Question: How does the company view the recovery in the biotech market? - The company sees a lag of 2-3 quarters before funding translates into spending, but is optimistic about a recovery in fiscal year 2027 [58] Question: What are the expectations for the diagnostics business? - The diagnostics business is expected to continue performing well, with a more even revenue stream anticipated throughout the year [30][31] Question: How is the company addressing margin progression? - Management expects margin expansion to be consistent with revenue growth, projecting at least a 100 basis point improvement for the year [97]