On May 4, 2022 Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: CRL) reported its results for the first quarter of 2022 (Press release, Charles River Laboratories, MAY 4, 2022, View Source [SID1234613478]). For the quarter, revenue was $913.9 million, an increase of 10.8% from $824.6 million in the first quarter of 2021.

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Acquisitions contributed 4.7% to consolidated first-quarter revenue growth. The divestiture of the Research Models and Services operations in Japan (RMS Japan) in October 2021 reduced reported revenue growth by 1.6%. The impact of foreign currency translation reduced reported revenue growth by 1.7%. Excluding the effect of these items, organic revenue growth of 9.4% was driven by contributions from all three business segments.

On a GAAP basis, first-quarter net income attributable to common shareholders was $93.0 million, an increase of 51.2% from net income of $61.5 million for the same period in 2021. First-quarter diluted earnings per share on a GAAP basis were $1.81, an increase of 50.8% from $1.20 for the first quarter of 2021. The increases in the GAAP net income and earnings per share were driven primarily by higher revenue and operating income, as well as lower costs associated with the Company’s debt refinancing activities in the first quarter of 2021.

On a non-GAAP basis, net income from continuing operations was $141.1 million for the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 9.3% from $129.2 million for the same period in 2021. First‑quarter diluted earnings per share on a non-GAAP basis were $2.75, an increase of 8.7% from $2.53 per share for the first quarter of 2021. The non-GAAP net income and earnings per share increases were driven primarily by higher revenue and operating margin improvement, partially offset by a higher tax rate and increased interest expense.

James C. Foster, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are pleased with our solid, first-quarter financial results that were in line with our expectations, and believe we are continuing to distinguish ourselves from the competition in the current business environment. We continue to benefit from strong, sustained business trends, including record booking activity and robust backlog growth in the Discovery and Safety Assessment segment, that is affording us exceptional visibility into future demand as studies are booked well into 2023. We believe these trends, coupled with the continued strength of biopharmaceutical client spending, support our expectation that the revenue growth rate will accelerate from the first-quarter level, positioning us to achieve our financial guidance for the year."

First-Quarter Segment Results

Research Models and Services (RMS)

Revenue for the RMS segment was $176.5 million in the first quarter of 2022, essentially unchanged from $176.9 million in the first quarter of 2021. Reported revenue growth was reduced by 7.7% due to the divestiture of RMS Japan, and by 1.2% due to the impact of foreign currency translation. Organic revenue growth of 8.7% was driven by broad-based growth for research models, particularly in North America, and research model services, particularly in the Insourcing Solutions (IS) business.

In the first quarter of 2022, the RMS segment’s GAAP operating margin increased to 27.1% from 25.4% in the first quarter of 2021. On a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin increased to 29.9% from 28.7% in the first quarter of 2021. The GAAP and non-GAAP operating margin increases were driven primarily by operating leverage from higher sales of research models.

Discovery and Safety Assessment (DSA)

Revenue for the DSA segment was $544.3 million in the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 8.6% from $501.2 million in the first quarter of 2021. The impact of foreign currency translation reduced revenue by 1.6%, while acquisitions contributed 0.7% to DSA revenue growth. Organic revenue growth of 9.5% was primarily driven by the Safety Assessment business.

In the first quarter of 2022, the DSA segment’s GAAP operating margin increased to 19.3% from 18.1% in the first quarter of 2021. The GAAP operating margin increase was driven by lower acquisition-related adjustments associated with contingent consideration. On a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin decreased to 22.9% from 23.8% in the first quarter of 2021, primarily reflecting higher staffing costs.

Manufacturing Solutions (Manufacturing)

Revenue for the Manufacturing segment was $193.1 million in the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 31.8% from $146.5 million in the first quarter of 2021. The acquisitions of the Cognate BioServices (Cognate) and Vigene Biosciences (Vigene) CDMO businesses contributed 24.4% to Manufacturing revenue growth, while the impact of foreign currency translation reduced revenue by 2.7%. Organic revenue growth of 10.1% was driven by strong demand for Biologics Testing Solutions services, with Microbial Solutions revenue also increasing.

In the first quarter of 2022, the Manufacturing segment’s GAAP operating margin decreased to 24.0% from 33.8% in the first quarter of 2021. On a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin decreased to 33.1% from 35.5% in the first quarter of 2021. The GAAP and non-GAAP operating margin decreases were driven primarily by the additions of Cognate and Vigene. Higher amortization and other integration costs associated with these acquisitions also contributed to the GAAP operating margin decline.

Updates 2022 Guidance

The Company is updating its 2022 financial guidance, which was previously provided on February 16, 2022. Reported revenue growth guidance is being increased by 50 basis points to 13.5% to 15.5% to reflect the Explora BioLabs acquisition, which was completed on April 5, 2022, partially offset by unfavorable movements in foreign currency translation. Organic revenue growth guidance remains unchanged for 2022.

The Company is maintaining its non-GAAP earnings per share guidance as a result of its first-quarter financial performance that was in line with prior expectations and an outlook of accelerating revenue growth during the remainder of the year. The 2022 non-GAAP earnings per share outlook includes a higher-than-expected tax rate, due principally to a lower excess tax benefit associated with stock-based compensation in the first quarter, as well as increased interest expense due to higher rate assumptions for the year. GAAP earnings per share guidance is being lowered to reflect amortization and other acquisition-related costs associated with Explora BioLabs, as well as the first-quarter loss from venture capital and other strategic investments.

Footnotes to Guidance Table:

(1) The contribution from acquisitions/divestitures (net) reflects only those transactions that have been completed.

(2) Organic revenue growth is defined as reported revenue growth adjusted for acquisitions, divestitures, the 53rd week in 2022, and foreign currency translation.

(3) Acquisition-related amortization includes an estimate of $0.05-$0.15 for the impact of the Explora BioLabs acquisition because the preliminary purchase price allocation has not been completed.

(4) These adjustments are related to the evaluation and integration of acquisitions and divestitures, and primarily include transaction, advisory, and certain third-party integration costs, as well as adjustments related to contingent consideration and certain costs associated with acquisition-related efficiency initiatives.

(5) Venture capital and other strategic investment performance only includes recognized gains or losses. The Company does not forecast the future performance of these investments.

(6) These items primarily relate to charges associated with U.S. and international tax legislation that necessitated changes to the Company’s international financing structure; environmental litigation costs related to the Microbial Solutions business; and severance and other costs related to the Company’s efficiency initiatives.

Webcast

Charles River has scheduled a live webcast on Wednesday, May 4th, at 9:30 a.m. ET to discuss matters relating to this press release. To participate, please go to ir.criver.com and select the webcast link. You can also find the associated slide presentation and reconciliations of GAAP financial measures to non-GAAP financial measures on the website.

Bank of America Healthcare Conference Presentation

Charles River will present at the Bank of America 2022 Healthcare Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Wednesday, May 11th, at 1:20 p.m. PT (4:20pm ET). Management will provide an overview of Charles River’s strategic focus and business developments.

A live webcast of the presentation will be available through a link that will be posted on ir.criver.com. A webcast replay will be accessible through the same website shortly after the presentation and will remain available for approximately two weeks.

Non-GAAP Reconciliations

The Company reports non-GAAP results in this press release, which exclude often-one-time charges and other items that are outside of normal operations. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP results is provided in the schedules at the end of this press release.