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THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INC. (TMO)·Q1 2025 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • Q1 2025 revenue was $10.36B (+0% YoY, +1% organic) and adjusted EPS was $5.15 (+1% YoY); GAAP EPS grew 15% to $3.98, supported by strong productivity and disciplined execution amid a more uncertain macro environment .
  • Results modestly beat Wall Street: adjusted EPS $5.15 vs consensus ~$5.10* and revenue $10.36B vs consensus ~$10.23B*; management also cited an internal “clean beat” driven by operations (+$0.09), partly offset by FX (-$0.05) .
  • Full-year 2025 guidance updated: revenue $43.3–$44.2B (midpoint unchanged), adjusted EPS $21.76–$22.84 (midpoint lowered by $1), organic growth 1–3%, adjusted operating margin 22.0–22.6% due to tariff and policy impacts, partly mitigated by pricing and supply chain actions .
  • Capital deployment remained robust: entered agreement to acquire Solventum’s Purification & Filtration business for ~$4.1B, repurchased $2.0B of shares, and increased the dividend by 10% (later declaring $0.43 per share) — potential medium-term catalysts from portfolio expansion and U.S. manufacturing investments ($2B over four years) .

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

What Went Well

  • Operational execution delivered an internal “clean beat” on adjusted EPS and organic revenue (~$100M or +1%); adjusted EPS +$0.04 vs prior internal assumption, driven by strong operations (+$0.09), partially offset by FX (-$0.05) .
  • High-impact innovation pipeline and commercial wins: launched the AI-enabled Vulcan Automated Lab for semiconductor analysis, Olink Reveal proteomics kits, and energy-saving centrifuges; “We delivered very strong performance in the first quarter…” — Marc Casper .
  • Segment breadth supported resilience: Specialty Diagnostics grew ~3–4% with stable 26.5% margin, while Analytical Instruments grew 2–3% led by electron microscopy; LPS had good growth in Pharma Services and channel despite pandemic run-off .

What Went Wrong

  • Macro/tariffs and policy changes drove guidance cuts: EPS midpoint -$1 vs January, with ~$400M revenue headwind from U.S.-China tariffs and ~$150M OI impact from U.S. policy changes (including NIH/clinical trials) .
  • Free cash flow fell to $373M vs $908M YoY on working capital timing; GAAP operating cash flow was $723M vs $1.251B YoY .
  • China declined mid-single digits; academic/government end market softened in the U.S.; $200M of vaccine-related clinical studies were cancelled/paused, reducing CRO revenue visibility near term .

Financial Results

Consolidated Performance vs Prior Periods and Estimates

MetricQ3 2024Q4 2024Q1 2025
Revenue ($USD Billions)$10.60 $11.395 $10.364
GAAP Diluted EPS ($)$4.25 $4.78 $3.98
Adjusted EPS ($)$5.28 $6.10 $5.15
GAAP Operating Margin (%)17.3% 17.7% 16.6%
Adjusted Operating Margin (%)22.3% 23.9% 21.9%
Adjusted Gross Margin (%)41.8% 43.2% 41.7%
Organic Revenue Growth (%)0% 4% 1%
Consensus Revenue ($USD Billions)$10.234*
Consensus Adjusted EPS ($)$5.10*

Notes: Consensus values marked with * are from S&P Global. Values retrieved from S&P Global.

Segment Revenue and Margins

Segment ($USD Millions)Q3 2024 RevenueQ4 2024 RevenueQ1 2025 RevenueQ3 2024 Segment MarginQ4 2024 Segment MarginQ1 2025 Segment Margin
Life Sciences Solutions$2,387 $2,604 $2,341 35.4% 36.6% 35.6%
Analytical Instruments$1,808 $2,186 $1,718 24.9% 30.5% 23.2%
Specialty Diagnostics$1,129 $1,157 $1,148 25.9% 23.6% 26.5%
Lab Products & Biopharma Services$5,740 $5,936 $5,640 13.5% 14.0% 13.0%
Eliminations($467) ($487) ($482)
Total$10,598 $11,395 $10,364

KPIs

KPIQ3 2024Q4 2024Q1 2025
Operating Cash Flow ($USD Millions)$2,167 $3,289 $723
Free Cash Flow ($USD Millions)$1,915 $2,826 $373
Capital Expenditures ($USD Millions)$271 $480 $362
Cash & Short-term Investments ($USD Millions)$6,645 $5,570 $5,947
Total Debt ($USD Millions)$35,313 $31,275 $34,189

Note: Total debt in Q1 2025 reflects long-term obligations plus short-term obligations/current maturities .

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious Guidance (Jan 30, 2025)Current Guidance (Apr 23, 2025)Change
Revenue ($USD Billions)FY 2025$43.5–$44.0 $43.3–$44.2 Maintained midpoint
Organic Growth (%)FY 20253–4 1–3 Lowered
Adjusted Operating Margin (%)FY 2025~90 bps expansion (to ~23.5) 22.0–22.6 (tariff headwind -120 bps) Lowered
Adjusted EPS ($)FY 2025$23.10–$23.50 $21.76–$22.84 Lowered
Net Interest Expense ($USD Millions)FY 2025~350 ~330 Improved
Adjusted Tax Rate (%)FY 202511.5 10.5 Lowered
Free Cash Flow ($USD Billions)FY 2025$7.0–$7.4 $7.0–$7.4 Maintained
Net Capex ($USD Billions)FY 2025$1.4–$1.7 $1.4–$1.7 Maintained
Share Buybacks ($USD Billions)FY 2025$2 (completed in Jan) $2 (completed in Jan) Maintained
DividendFY 2025+10% increase noted Declared $0.43/share (May) Maintained/increased

Management also guided Q2 organic growth similar to Q1 and adjusted EPS $0.05–$0.10 above Q1 . Guidance excludes impact from the pending Solventum transaction .

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

TopicPrevious Mentions (Q3 2024 and Q4 2024)Current Period (Q1 2025)Trend
AI/Technology InitiativesEmphasis on Orbitrap Astral, Stellar MS, Iliad STEM; GenAI embedded in PPI system Launched AI-enabled Vulcan Automated Lab; continued advanced MS/LC innovation; Olink Reveal kits Strengthening innovation cadence
Supply Chain/PPIPPI driving productivity, quality; streamlined instrument manufacturing; inventory optimization PPI leveraged to mitigate tariffs, manage cost base, accelerate share gains Intensified execution focus
Tariffs/MacroJanuary guide assumed modest policy changes; watch FX and export controls Explicit tariff/policy impact embedded; EPS midpoint -$1; mitigation actions underway Increased uncertainty, proactive mitigation
Product PerformanceElectron microscopy and chromatography strong; LSS bioproduction orders improving Electron microscopy strong; Specialty Diagnostics growth; LPS offsetting pandemic runoff with services/channel Mixed; core strength persists
Regional TrendsChina muted; stimulus expected 2025; Q4 China mid-single-digit growth Q1 China declined mid-single digits; guidance assumes muted conditions; stimulus a potential tailwind Near-term soft; medium-term opportunity
Regulatory/PolicyIRA reprioritization; NIH/academic stability uncertain U.S. academic/government purchases more muted; vaccine trial cancellations ($200M) Headwinds
R&D/ClinicalAccelerator Drug Development introduced (integrated CRO+CDMO) Strong biotech authorizations; Accelerator driving wins; vaccine trials paused Positive momentum ex-vaccine

Management Commentary

  • “We delivered very strong performance in the first quarter in a more uncertain macroeconomic environment, and I’m incredibly proud of our team's execution.” — Marc Casper, CEO .
  • “Organic revenue growth was approximately $100 million or 1% ahead, and adjusted EPS was $0.04 ahead… a clean beat for the quarter.” — Stephen Williamson, CFO .
  • “Our updated guidance range… reflects the expected impact of recent changes in the macroeconomic environment… tariffs between U.S. and China… net headwind to adjusted operating income of $375M versus prior guide.” — Stephen Williamson, CFO .
  • “We will invest an additional $2 billion in the United States over the next four years… ensuring life-saving medicines and therapies will continue to be developed and produced in America.” — Marc Casper, CEO .

Q&A Highlights

  • Guidance methodology and scenario analysis: management widened ranges to reflect policy/tariff uncertainty; upside from reduced U.S.-China tariff impact and improved biotech funding; downside if tariffs/macro worsen .
  • Manufacturing flexibility/mitigation: scale manufacturing and twin factories across geographies enable swift supply chain reconfiguration; competitive advantage under tariff regimes .
  • Pricing: appropriate, measured pricing actions to offset inflation/tariff costs; net pricing moving from ~1% to close to ~2% for 2025 .
  • Clinical research: $200M in vaccine studies cancelled/paused; otherwise normal activity with strong biotech authorizations; Accelerator program differentiates with faster, cost-effective development .
  • Phasing: Q2 organic growth similar to Q1; adjusted EPS $0.05–$0.10 higher than Q1 .

Estimates Context

  • Q1 2025 consensus: adjusted EPS ~$5.10* (22 estimates) vs actual $5.15; revenue ~$10.234B* (20 estimates) vs actual $10.364B — modest beats in both metrics. Values retrieved from S&P Global.
  • Given EPS/margin guidance reset, Street estimates for FY 2025 EPS likely need to adjust downward toward $21.76–$22.84, with margin compression relative to the prior ~23.5% trajectory due to tariff-related FX and cost headwinds .

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • Near-term earnings reset driven by tariffs/policy, not operational weakness; mitigation actions and pricing should limit EPS impact in 2025 and largely normalize by 2026 .
  • Segments show resilience: Diagnostics steady margins; Instruments bolstered by EM and LC/MS launches; LPS benefits from Pharma Services and channel strength even as vaccine/therapy runoff fades .
  • Watch Q2: management sees adjusted EPS up $0.05–$0.10 QoQ; similar organic growth to Q1; monitor FX and tariff execution cadence .
  • Strategic catalysts: Solventum filtration acquisition broadens bioprocessing; U.S. $2B investment expands manufacturing/R&D footprint; both enhance medium-term growth and margin potential .
  • China is a swing factor: Q1 decline mid-single digits; 2025 stimulus could aid instrument demand; company’s scale in-country positions it to capture recovery .
  • Capital deployment remains shareholder-friendly: $2B buybacks completed; dividend increased and subsequently declared at $0.43/share; FCF guide maintained at $7.0–$7.4B .
  • Narrative for the stock: execution quality intact; temporary margin compression from externalities; innovation and integrated CRO/CDMO strategy (Accelerator) support medium-term reacceleration and share gains .
Footnote: Consensus values marked with * are from S&P Global. Values retrieved from S&P Global.