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IDEXX Laboratories Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 2 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 11 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter revenue up 14%: Revenue was $1,091 million, up 14% as reported and 12% organic, with CAG up 15% reported and Water up 12%. Source
  • Fourth-quarter EPS rose 18%: Diluted EPS was $3.08, up 18% as reported and 17% on a comparable basis. Currency added $0.09 and share-based tax benefits added $0.07. Source
  • Full-year revenue of $4,304 million: Full-year revenue was $4,304 million, up 10% as reported and organically, above the $4,270 million to $4,300 million range given in the third quarter release. Source
  • VetLab consumables up 17%: VetLab consumables rose 17% reported and 15% organic, attributed to recent product launches, installed base growth, and higher testing use. Source
  • Capital instrument revenue up 76%: Capital instrument revenue rose 76% reported and 69% organic, led by record quarterly instrument placements. Source
  • Quarterly operating margin 28.9%: Operating margin was 28.9% for the quarter, up 150 bps reported and 120 bps comparable. Full-year operating margin was 31.6%. Source
  • 2026 revenue range initially set: Initial 2026 revenue range of $4,632 million to $4,720 million, or 7.6% to 9.6% reported growth. CAG Diagnostics recurring revenue growth guided at 8.6% to 10.6% reported. Source
  • 2026 EPS guided above 2025: 2026 EPS guided to $14.29 to $14.80, up 9% to 13% as reported, with the company citing solid organic revenue gains. Source

“IDEXX delivered a strong finish to 2025, supported by consistently high levels of execution by IDEXX teams around the world”

Jay Mazelsky, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Source2026$4,632 million - $4,720 millionNew
Revenue growth (reported and organic) Source20267.6% - 9.6% reported; 7.0% - 9.0% organicNew
CAG Diagnostics recurring revenue growth Source20268.6% - 10.6% reported; 8.0% - 10.0% organicNew
Operating margin Source202632.0% - 32.5%New
Diluted EPS Source2026$14.29 - $14.80New
Net price improvement in CAG Diagnostics recurring revenue Source2026about 4% full-year benefitNew
Operating cash flow and free cash flow as % of net income Source2026Operating cash flow 105% - 115%; free cash flow 85% - 95%New
Capital expenditures Source2026~$180 millionNew
Net interest expense, tax and share-based compensation Source2026Net interest expense ~$34; effective tax rate ~21.3%; share-based compensation tax benefit ~$15New
Average shares outstanding Source2026reduction of 1% - 2%New
Currency impact on operating margin and EPS Source2026margin ~30 bps; EPS ~$0.22; EPS growth ~2%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Initial 2026 guidance was issued, with revenue of $4,632 million to $4,720 million and EPS of $14.29 to $14.80. Source
  • Ended: The 2025 revenue range from the third quarter release, $4,270 million to $4,300 million, is superseded by reported full-year 2025 results.

Fourth quarter and full-year results

  • Fourth-quarter revenue up 14%: Revenue was $1,091 million, up 14% as reported and 12% organic, with CAG up 15% reported and Water up 12%. Source
  • Fourth-quarter EPS rose 18%: Diluted EPS was $3.08, up 18% as reported and 17% on a comparable basis. Currency added $0.09 and share-based tax benefits added $0.07. Source
  • Full-year revenue of $4,304 million: Full-year revenue was $4,304 million, up 10% as reported and organically, above the $4,270 million to $4,300 million range given in the third quarter release. Source
  • Full-year EPS of $13.08: Diluted EPS was $13.08, up 23% reported and 14% comparable, above the $12.81 to $13.01 range from the third quarter. About 7 points of growth came from lapping the prior-year litigation accrual. Source

Segments and regions

  • CAG revenue rose 15% reported: CAG revenue was $998 million, up 15% reported and 13% organic, led by CAG Diagnostics recurring revenue up 12% reported and 10% organic. Source
  • International grew faster than U.S.: Recurring revenue gains were larger in international regions than in the U.S. Management said U.S. growth also outpaced sector growth levels. Source
  • Water revenue up 12%: Water revenue rose 12% reported and 10% organic, with growth in both the U.S. and International regions. Source
  • LPD revenue up 8% reported: LPD revenue rose 8% reported and 4% organic, led by North and Latin America across major product categories. Source

“2025 was a pivotal year for the Company, marked by the successful launch of IDEXX Cancer Dx™ for canine lymphoma and meaningful adoption of IDEXX inVue Dx well ahead of our initial goals.”

Jay Mazelsky, President and Chief Executive Officer

Products and customers

  • VetLab consumables up 17%: VetLab consumables rose 17% reported and 15% organic, attributed to recent product launches, installed base growth, and higher testing use. Source
  • Capital instrument revenue up 76%: Capital instrument revenue rose 76% reported and 69% organic, led by record quarterly instrument placements. Source
  • Catalyst and inVue Dx placements: Instrument placements included over 1,900 inVue Dx placements and nearly 1,400 new and competitive Catalyst placements. Source
  • Reference lab services up 11%: Reference laboratory services rose 11% reported and 9% organic, on higher testing volumes, new customers and net price gains. Source
  • Rapid assay sales declined: Rapid assay revenue fell 2% reported and 3% organic, as volumes shifted to the Catalyst Pancreatic Lipase Test launched in late 2024. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin up 50 basis points: Gross margin was 60.3% in the quarter. Management cited volume gains, reference laboratory productivity, and net price realization, which helped offset inflationary impacts. Source
  • Quarterly operating margin 28.9%: Operating margin was 28.9% for the quarter, up 150 bps reported and 120 bps comparable. Full-year operating margin was 31.6%. Source
  • Operating expenses up 11%: Operating expenses rose 11% reported and 10% comparable. The company cited investment in commercial resources and higher R&D spend. Source
  • Prior-year litigation accrual lapped: Full-year EPS comparison laps a $0.56 negative impact in 2024 and an $0.08 positive impact in the first quarter of 2025 from the litigation accrual adjustment. Source

“We enter 2026 with an exciting innovation pipeline, expanding instrument and software installed bases, and strong momentum across our global business.”

Jay Mazelsky, President and Chief Executive Officer

Demand and clinic activity

  • Diagnostic frequency aided U.S. growth: Management said U.S. growth was aided by more frequent diagnostic testing and early benefits from an aging pet population. Source
  • Commercial execution drove double-digit growth: Management attributed double-digit CAG Diagnostics recurring revenue growth to commercial execution, net customer gains, and installed base expansion. Source
  • Software installed base expanding: Veterinary software, services and diagnostic imaging systems revenue rose 13% reported and organically, led by cloud-native software installed base expansion. Source

Cash, debt and capital returns

  • Free cash flow of $1,057 million: Full-year free cash flow was $1,057,129 thousand, against $808,079 thousand in 2024, after capital expenditures of about $125 million. Source
  • Open-market buybacks of $1.22 billion: Open-market repurchases in 2025 cost $1,220,331 thousand for 2,411 thousand shares, an average of $506.07 per share. Source
  • Credit facility balance increased: Credit facility balance rose to $398,000 thousand from $250,000 thousand. Cash and cash equivalents fell to $180,070 thousand from $288,266 thousand. Source
  • Working capital metrics: Days sales outstanding were 46.8 at year end, against 47.1 a year earlier. Inventory turns were 1.6, against 1.3. Source

Innovation and product launches

  • InVue Dx adoption ahead of goals: Management said inVue Dx adoption in 2025 came well ahead of the company's initial goals. Source
  • Cancer Dx launched for canine lymphoma: The company reported the successful launch of IDEXX Cancer Dx for canine lymphoma in 2025, and the CEO described 2025 as a pivotal year. Source
  • Innovation pipeline entering 2026: Management said the company enters 2026 with an innovation pipeline and expanding instrument and software installed bases. Source

2026 guidance and planning

  • 2026 revenue range initially set: Initial 2026 revenue range of $4,632 million to $4,720 million, or 7.6% to 9.6% reported growth. CAG Diagnostics recurring revenue growth guided at 8.6% to 10.6% reported. Source
  • 2026 EPS guided above 2025: 2026 EPS guided to $14.29 to $14.80, up 9% to 13% as reported, with the company citing solid organic revenue gains. Source
  • Targeted margin improvement of 40 to 90 bps: Reported operating margin improvement of 40 to 90 bps is targeted for 2026, within an operating margin range of 32.0% to 32.5%. Source
  • Cash conversion and capex targets: Operating cash flow is targeted at 105% to 115% of net income and free cash flow at 85% to 95%, with capital expenditures of about $180 million. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
R&D spend, full year Source$251,207 thousand (2024: $219,792 thousand)
VetLab consumables sales, full year Source$1,496,752 thousand, up 14.8% reported
Rapid assay products sales, full year Source$348,950 thousand, down 3.0% reported
Pipeline milestone SourceIDEXX Cancer Dx canine lymphoma test launched in 2025

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: The 2026 CAG Diagnostics guidance assumes sustained execution benefits, continued volume gains, and about 4% from net price improvement. Source
  • External: Currency is estimated at about 0.6% of 2026 revenue growth and about $0.22 of EPS, net of hedging, under the stated exchange-rate assumptions. Source
  • Operational: Rapid assay volumes continue to be affected by the Catalyst Pancreatic Lipase Test launch, which shifted some testing across modalities. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said inVue Dx adoption came well ahead of the company's initial goals for 2025. 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.