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Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 January 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 7%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $12.21 billion, up 7% from $11.40 billion a year earlier. Organic growth was 3%. Source
  • Full-year revenue rose 4%: Full-year revenue was $44.56 billion, up 4% from $42.88 billion, with organic growth of 2%. Full-year adjusted EPS was $22.87, up 5%. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin eased: Adjusted operating margin was 23.6% against 23.9%. Adjusted operating income was $2.88 billion, up 6% from the year-ago quarter. Source
  • $16.5 billion deployed in 2025: Management said the company deployed about $16.5 billion in 2025, including $13 billion committed to M&A. Source
  • Full-year free cash flow declined: Free cash flow was $6.34 billion in 2025 against $7.32 billion. Operating cash flow was $7.82 billion against $8.67 billion, and capital expenditures were $1.53 billion. Source
  • $3.6 billion returned to shareholders: Management said the company returned $3.6 billion to shareholders in 2025 through stock buybacks and dividends. Source
  • No 2026 figures in release: The release contains no 2026 revenue, margin or EPS figures. The company said 2026 financial guidance would be provided on the earnings call that morning. Source

“Throughout the year we effectively navigated the external environment and leveraged our PPI Business System to enable excellent operational performance.”

Marc N. Casper, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: The release gives no 2026 figures. The company said it will provide 2026 financial guidance on the earnings call. Source
  • New: A definitive agreement to acquire Clario, a provider of endpoint data solutions for clinical trials, was announced in the fourth quarter. Source
  • New: A technology alliance agreement was entered with the Chan Zuckerberg Institute for Advanced Biological Imaging. It covers imaging technologies for visualizing human cells. Source

Fourth quarter and full-year results

  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 7%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $12.21 billion, up 7% from $11.40 billion a year earlier. Organic growth was 3%. Source
  • Acquisitions and currency added growth: Of the 7% fourth-quarter revenue growth, acquisitions contributed 2 percentage points and currency translation contributed 2 percentage points. Source
  • Fourth-quarter GAAP EPS rose 9%: GAAP diluted EPS was $5.21 in the fourth quarter, up 9% from $4.78. Adjusted EPS was $6.57, up 8% from $6.10. Source
  • Full-year revenue rose 4%: Full-year revenue was $44.56 billion, up 4% from $42.88 billion, with organic growth of 2%. Full-year adjusted EPS was $22.87, up 5%. Source
  • Full-year GAAP operating income rose 6%: GAAP operating income for 2025 was $7.75 billion. Adjusted operating income was $10.11 billion, up 4% from 2024. Source

Segment results

  • Life Sciences Solutions revenue rose 13%: Life Sciences Solutions revenue was $2.95 billion, up from $2.60 billion. Segment margin was 35.5% against 36.6%. Source
  • Analytical Instruments margin declined: Analytical Instruments revenue was $2.22 billion, up 1%. Segment margin fell to 26.3% from 30.5%, with segment income of $583 million against $666 million. Source
  • Specialty Diagnostics margin improved: Specialty Diagnostics revenue was $1.22 billion, up 5%. Segment margin was 26.6% against 23.6%, with segment income of $324 million against $273 million. Source
  • Lab Products and Biopharma Services grew: Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services revenue was $6.38 billion, up 7%. Segment margin was 14.5% against 14.0%, after $546 million of eliminations. Source
  • Full-year Analytical Instruments margin lower: For 2025, Analytical Instruments segment margin was 23.0% against 26.2%. Life Sciences Solutions was 36.3% against 36.4%. Source

“We enter 2026 from a position of strength. Our growth strategy is resonating with customers, positioning us for continued share gain, and our PPI Business System provides a strong foundation to continue our excellent operational performance.”

Marc N. Casper, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific

Products, customers and launches

  • Helios MX1 semiconductor system launched: The company launched the Helios MX1 plasma focused ion beam scanning electron microscope in the fourth quarter. It is described as a fully automated semiconductor analysis system. Source
  • FDA approval for companion diagnostic: The company received FDA approval for the Oncomine Dx Target Test as a companion diagnostic for Bayer's HYRNUO, a targeted therapy for HER2-mutated non-small cell lung cancer. Source
  • EXENT System cleared in United States: U.S. 510(k) clearance was received for the EXENT System, described as an automated platform to aid in the diagnosis of multiple myeloma. Source
  • Accelerator drug development adoption scaling: Management said it continued to scale adoption of Accelerator Drug Development, its integrated CDMO and CRO offering, and secured wins across its biopharma services businesses. Source

Costs and margins

  • GAAP operating margin rose: GAAP operating margin was 18.5% against 17.7%. Restructuring and other costs were $46 million against $228 million a year earlier. GAAP operating income was $2.26 billion, up 12%. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin eased: Adjusted operating margin was 23.6% against 23.9%. Adjusted operating income was $2.88 billion, up 6% from the year-ago quarter. Source
  • Cost of revenues rose as share: Cost of revenues was 58.5% of revenue against 57.0% a year earlier. Selling, general and administrative expenses held at 16.2% of revenue. Source
  • Full-year margins slightly higher: Full-year GAAP operating margin was 17.4% against 17.1%. Full-year adjusted operating margin was 22.7% against 22.6%. Source
  • Interest expense rose in quarter: Fourth-quarter interest expense was $365 million against $316 million. Interest income was $258 million against $227 million. Source

“It was also a very active year for capital deployment, as we advanced our strategy and added exciting new capabilities that further strengthen our long-term competitive position.”

Marc N. Casper, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific

Acquisitions and capital deployment

  • $16.5 billion deployed in 2025: Management said the company deployed about $16.5 billion in 2025, including $13 billion committed to M&A. Source
  • Filtration business acquisition from Solventum: The company completed the acquisition of its Filtration and Separation business from Solventum, which management described as a complement to its bioproduction capabilities. Source
  • Sanofi sterile fill-finish site acquired: The company completed the purchase of Sanofi's Ridgefield, New Jersey, sterile fill-finish site, which management said expands U.S. drug product manufacturing capacity. Source
  • Clario acquisition agreement announced: A definitive agreement to acquire Clario was announced in the fourth quarter. Clario is described as a leading provider of endpoint data solutions for clinical trials. Source
  • Acquisition cash spending increased: Acquisitions, net of cash acquired, were $4.04 billion in 2025 against $3.13 billion in 2024. Source

Cash flow and shareholder returns

  • Full-year free cash flow declined: Free cash flow was $6.34 billion in 2025 against $7.32 billion. Operating cash flow was $7.82 billion against $8.67 billion, and capital expenditures were $1.53 billion. Source
  • Fourth-quarter free cash flow rose: Fourth-quarter free cash flow was $3.02 billion against $2.83 billion. Operating cash flow in the quarter was $3.46 billion against $3.29 billion. Source
  • $3.6 billion returned to shareholders: Management said the company returned $3.6 billion to shareholders in 2025 through stock buybacks and dividends. Source
  • Buybacks lower, dividends higher: Purchases of company common stock were $3.00 billion in 2025 against $4.00 billion. Dividends paid were $636 million against $583 million. Source
  • Year-end cash and long-term debt higher: Cash and cash equivalents were $9.85 billion at year-end against $4.01 billion. Long-term obligations were $35.85 billion against $29.06 billion. Source

Strategy and alliances

  • No 2026 figures in release: The release contains no 2026 revenue, margin or EPS figures. The company said 2026 financial guidance would be provided on the earnings call that morning. Source
  • Chan Zuckerberg Institute technology alliance: A technology alliance agreement was entered with the Chan Zuckerberg Institute for Advanced Biological Imaging to develop technologies for visualizing human cells. Source
  • Bioprocess design center added in India: The company expanded its bioprocess design centers in Asia, opening a new site in India to support pharma and biotech customers with process development and scale-up. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said the company is positioned to deliver on its 2026 objectives, creating value for stakeholders. 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.