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Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Reported sales rose slightly: Net sales were $653.0 million, up 0.5 percent from $649.7 million a year earlier. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating income rose: Non-GAAP income from operations was $77.0 million, or 11.8 percent of revenue, against $73.3 million, or 11.3 percent, a year earlier. Source
  • Life Science decline tied to funding: The currency-neutral Life Science decline was attributed to constrained academic research and biotech funding. Source
  • Gross margin declined year on year: GAAP gross margin was 52.6 percent against 54.8 percent; non-GAAP gross margin was 53.5 percent against 55.6 percent. Source
  • Sartorius stake drove net loss: The fair-value change in the Sartorius AG investment substantially drove the net loss, against net income a year earlier. Source
  • Free cash flow lower in quarter: Free cash flow was $89.2 million in the quarter against $123.4 million; nine-month free cash flow was $255.5 million against $208.3 million. Source

“During the third quarter, we continued to navigate a dynamic global environment and evolving conditions across the markets for our life science and clinical diagnostics products,”

Norman Schwartz, Bio-Rad's Chairman and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue growth, non-GAAP and currency-neutral SourceFull-year 2025approximately 0 to 1.0 percentKept
Non-GAAP operating margin SourceFull-year 2025approximately 12.0 to 13.0 percentKept
Non-GAAP operating margin basis Source2025 financialexcludes 103 basis points related to amortization of purchased intangiblesKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2025 revenue and operating margin guidance were maintained rather than revised from the second quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Reported sales rose slightly: Net sales were $653.0 million, up 0.5 percent from $649.7 million a year earlier. Source
  • Currency-neutral sales declined: Excluding currency effects, sales fell 1.7 percent, with lower sales in both segments. Source
  • Non-GAAP net income rose: Non-GAAP net income was $60.8 million, or $2.26 per diluted share, against $56.3 million, or $2.02, a year earlier. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating income rose: Non-GAAP income from operations was $77.0 million, or 11.8 percent of revenue, against $73.3 million, or 11.3 percent, a year earlier. Source

Segments and regions

  • Life Science sales edged up: Life Science sales were $261.8 million, up 0.3 percent as reported and down 1.5 percent on a currency-neutral basis. Source
  • Life Science decline tied to funding: The currency-neutral Life Science decline was attributed to constrained academic research and biotech funding. Source
  • Clinical Diagnostics sales edged up: Clinical Diagnostics sales were $391.2 million, up 0.6 percent as reported and down 1.8 percent on a currency-neutral basis. Source
  • China diabetes reimbursement rates lower: The currency-neutral Clinical Diagnostics decline was mainly from lower reimbursement rates for diabetes testing in China. Source
  • Life Science excluding process chromatography fell: Life Science revenue excluding process chromatography declined 6.0 percent as reported, after a 3.5 percent increase in the year-earlier quarter. Source

“Despite ongoing challenges in academic research and biotech funding, and the resulting reduced demand for instruments, our teams delivered solid results in Q3.”

Norman Schwartz, Bio-Rad's Chairman and CEO

Margins and operating costs

  • Gross margin declined year on year: GAAP gross margin was 52.6 percent against 54.8 percent; non-GAAP gross margin was 53.5 percent against 55.6 percent. Source
  • Cost of goods sold increased: Cost of goods sold was $309.6 million against $293.8 million, while net sales rose 0.5 percent. Source
  • Research and development spending lower: R&D expense was $71.3 million in the quarter, against $91.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • SG&A expense rose: GAAP SG&A expense was $206.8 million against $200.4 million; non-GAAP SG&A was $202.2 million against $197.1 million. Source
  • Restructuring and IVDR costs excluded: Restructuring costs were $2.5 million in the quarter and $38.1 million for nine months; EU IVDR compliance costs were $0.9 million, all excluded from non-GAAP results. Source

Investment gains, losses and taxes

  • Sartorius stake drove net loss: The fair-value change in the Sartorius AG investment substantially drove the net loss, against net income a year earlier. Source
  • Other investments grew: Other investments were $5,057.8 million at September 30, 2025, up from $4,839.2 million at December 31, 2024. Source
  • GAAP tax rate lower: The effective tax rate was 20.7 percent against 24.2 percent, primarily affected by accounting for equity securities, per the company. Source
  • Non-GAAP tax rate lower: The non-GAAP effective tax rate was 26.7 percent against 28.8 percent; the company attributed the 2024 higher rate to earnings mix and deferred tax asset valuation. Source

“Our ongoing focus on disciplined cost management contributed to a better-than-expected operating margin.”

Norman Schwartz, Bio-Rad's Chairman and CEO

Cash flow, capital and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow lower in quarter: Free cash flow was $89.2 million in the quarter against $123.4 million; nine-month free cash flow was $255.5 million against $208.3 million. Source
  • Nine-month operating cash flow higher: Net cash provided by operating activities was $367.3 million for nine months, against $331.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • Capital spending lower: Payments for property, plant and equipment were $31.7 million in the quarter, against $40.2 million; $111.8 million for nine months, against $122.7 million. Source
  • Share repurchases higher for nine months: Treasury stock purchases were $295.5 million for nine months, against $203.6 million a year earlier. Source
  • Cash and short-term investments lower: Cash and cash equivalents were $395.8 million and short-term investments $1,022.8 million at September 30, 2025. Source

Acquisitions, goodwill and intangibles

  • Acquisition payments in nine months: Payments for acquisitions were $218.5 million for nine months, with no acquisition payments shown in the prior-year period. Source
  • Goodwill and intangibles increased: Goodwill rose to $578.7 million and purchased intangibles to $388.4 million, from $410.5 million and $293.6 million at December 31, 2024. Source
  • Intangible amortization higher: Amortization of purchased intangibles was $7.3 million in the quarter, against $5.3 million a year earlier. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Constrained academic research and biotech funding is cited as reducing demand for instruments. Source
  • Regulatory: Lower reimbursement rates for diabetes testing in China weighed on Clinical Diagnostics sales. Source
  • Financial: Changes in the fair market value of the Sartorius AG investment move reported net income and loss. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.