On May 7, 2020 AmerisourceBergen Corporation (NYSE:ABC) reported that in its fiscal year 2020 second quarter ended March 31, 2020, revenue increased 9.5 percent to $47.4 billion. On the basis of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), diluted earnings per share (EPS) was $4.64 for the March quarter of fiscal 2020, compared to $0.13 in the prior year quarter (Press release, AmerisourceBergen, MAY 7, 2020, View Source [SID1234557351]). Adjusted diluted EPS, which is a non-GAAP measure that excludes items described below, increased 13.7 percent to $2.40 in the fiscal second quarter.

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The Company revised its adjusted diluted EPS guidance for fiscal 2020 to a range of $7.35 to $7.65, from $7.55 to $7.80 previously. The Company does not provide forward-looking guidance on a GAAP basis, as discussed below in Fiscal Year 2020 Expectations.

"While we are pleased to report another quarter of strong revenue and adjusted diluted EPS growth in the second quarter of fiscal 2020, we are even prouder of the impressive work being done across our company to ensure continued patient access to pharmaceuticals in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Steven H. Collis, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AmerisourceBergen.

AmerisourceBergen’s protocols to protect and support the health and wellness of its associates have been enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Company has business continuity plans in place that are designed to help ensure the continued operation of critical business functions.

"I have been inspired by the actions of our associates to be innovative and solution-oriented to meet the complex needs of our upstream and downstream partners," Mr. Collis continued. "AmerisourceBergen’s diligence, actions and thoughtfulness in navigating this pandemic have been guided by our purpose of being united in our responsibility to create healthier futures and have proven vital for all our stakeholders."

Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2020 Summary Results

GAAP

Adjusted (Non-GAAP)

Revenue

$47.4B

$47.4B

Gross Profit

$1.4B

$1.4B

Operating Expenses

$1,079M

$745M

Operating Income

$310M

$672M

Interest Expense, Net

$34M

$34M

Effective Tax Rate

(251.6)%

21.5%

Net Income Attributable to ABC

$960M

$497M

Diluted Earnings Per Share

$4.64

$2.40

Diluted Shares Outstanding

207M

207M

Below, AmerisourceBergen presents descriptive summaries of the Company’s GAAP and adjusted (non-GAAP) quarterly results. In the tables that follow, GAAP results and GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations are presented. For more information related to non-GAAP financial measures, including adjustments made in the periods presented, please refer to the Supplemental Information Regarding non-GAAP Financial Measures following the tables.

Second Quarter GAAP Results

Revenue: In the second quarter of fiscal 2020, revenue was $47.4 billion, up 9.5 percent compared to the same quarter in the previous fiscal year, reflecting a 9.3 percent increase in Pharmaceutical Distribution Services revenue and a 12.7 percent increase in revenue within Other.
Gross Profit: Gross profit in the fiscal 2020 second quarter was $1.4 billion, a 2.6 percent decrease compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year. Gross profit in the current year quarter was unfavorably impacted by LIFO expense in comparison to a LIFO credit in the prior year period and significantly lower gains from antitrust litigation settlements, offset in part by increases in gross profit in Pharmaceutical Distribution Services and Other. Gross profit as a percentage of revenue was 2.93 percent, a decrease of 36 basis points from the prior year quarter.
Operating Expenses: In the second quarter of fiscal 2020, operating expenses were $1,078.6 million, compared to $1,377.2 million in the same period last fiscal year. The decrease in operating expenses was primarily due to the $223.7 million impairment of PharMEDium’s assets compared to a $570.0 million impairment of PharMEDium’s assets in the same period in the previous fiscal year. Operating expenses as a percentage of revenue in the fiscal 2020 second quarter was 2.27 percent, compared to 3.18 percent for the same period in the previous fiscal year.
Operating Income: In the fiscal 2020 second quarter, operating income increased to $309.5 million from $47.6 million in the prior year quarter due to the decrease in operating expenses. Operating income as a percentage of revenue was 0.65 percent in the second quarter of fiscal 2020, compared to 0.11 percent for the same period in the previous fiscal year.
Interest Expense, Net: In the fiscal 2020 second quarter, net interest expense of $34.4 million was down 20.5 percent versus the prior year quarter primarily due to certain build-to-suit leases now being accounted for as operating leases, resulting from the adoption of the new lease accounting standard.
Effective Tax Rate: The effective tax rate was (251.6) percent for the second quarter of fiscal 2020. The effective tax rate in the quarter was primarily impacted by tax benefits associated with the Company’s decision to permanently exit the PharMEDium compounding business. The prior year’s second quarter effective tax rate of (49.5) percent was favorably impacted by the $570.0 million impairment of PharMEDium’s assets.
Diluted Earnings Per Share: Diluted earnings per share was $4.64 in the second quarter of fiscal 2020 compared to $0.13 in the previous fiscal year’s second quarter. This increase was primarily due to the discrete income tax benefits recognized in the current year period.
Diluted Shares Outstanding: Diluted weighted average shares outstanding for the second quarter of fiscal 2020 were 207.1 million, a 2.6 percent decline versus the prior fiscal year second quarter primarily due to share repurchases.
Second Quarter Adjusted (non-GAAP) Results

The comments below compare adjusted results, which exclude: gain from antitrust litigation settlements; LIFO expense/credit; PharMEDium remediation and shutdown costs; New York State Opioid Stewardship Act; contingent consideration adjustment; acquisition-related intangibles amortization; employee severance, litigation, and other; impairment of PharMEDium’s assets; certain discrete tax benefits; and a gain on the sale of an equity investment.

Revenue: No adjustments were made to the GAAP presentation of revenue. In the second quarter of fiscal 2020, revenue was $47.4 billion, up 9.5 percent compared to the same quarter in the previous fiscal year, reflecting a 9.3 percent increase in Pharmaceutical Distribution Services revenue and a 12.7 percent increase in revenue within Other.
Adjusted Gross Profit: Adjusted gross profit in the fiscal 2020 second quarter was $1.4 billion, which was up 7.5 percent compared to the same period in the previous year, due to the increases in gross profit in Pharmaceutical Distribution Services and Other. Adjusted gross profit as a percentage of revenue was 2.99 percent in the fiscal 2020 second quarter, a decrease of 5 basis points from the prior year quarter.
Adjusted Operating Expenses: In the second quarter of fiscal 2020, adjusted operating expenses were $745.2 million, an increase of 6.2 percent compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year primarily due to an increase in costs to support revenue growth primarily in Other, offset in part by lower depreciation due to the completion of the integration of H. D. Smith. Adjusted operating expenses as a percentage of revenue in the fiscal 2020 second quarter was 1.57 percent, compared to 1.62 percent for the same period in the previous fiscal year.
Adjusted Operating Income: In the fiscal 2020 second quarter, adjusted operating income of $671.7 million increased 8.9 percent from the prior year period due to an 8.9 percent increase in operating income within Pharmaceutical Distribution Services and an 8.4 percent increase in operating income within Other. Adjusted operating income as a percentage of revenue was 1.42 percent in the fiscal 2020 second quarter, unchanged from the previous fiscal year’s second quarter.
Interest Expense, Net: No adjustments were made to the GAAP presentation of net interest expense. In the fiscal 2020 second quarter, net interest expense of $34.4 million was down 20.5 percent versus the prior year quarter primarily due to certain build-to-suit leases now being accounted for as operating leases, resulting from the adoption of the new lease accounting standard.
Adjusted Effective Tax Rate: The adjusted effective tax rate was 21.5 percent for the second quarter of fiscal 2020, same as the previous fiscal year’s second quarter.
Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share: Adjusted diluted earnings per share was up 13.7 percent to $2.40 in the second quarter of fiscal 2020 compared to $2.11 in the previous fiscal year’s second quarter, driven primarily by the increase in adjusted operating income and a lower number of diluted shares outstanding.
Diluted Shares Outstanding: No adjustments were made to the GAAP presentation of diluted shares outstanding. Diluted weighted average shares outstanding for the second quarter of fiscal 2020 were 207.1 million, a 2.6 percent decline versus the prior fiscal year second quarter primarily due to share repurchases.
Segment Discussion

The Company’s operations are comprised of the Pharmaceutical Distribution Services reportable segment and other operating segments that are not significant enough to require separate reportable segment disclosure and, therefore, have been included in Other for the purpose of reportable segment presentation. Other consists of operating segments that focus on global commercialization services and animal health and includes AmerisourceBergen Consulting Services (ABCS), World Courier and MWI Animal Health (MWI).

Pharmaceutical Distribution Services Segment

Pharmaceutical Distribution Services revenue was $45.6 billion, an increase of 9.3 percent compared to the same quarter in the prior fiscal year primarily due to organic growth of some of its largest customers, increased specialty product sales and overall market growth. Segment operating income of $563.1 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2020 was up 8.9 percent compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year, primarily due to the increase in gross profit resulting from the growth in revenue.

Other

Revenue in Other was $1.9 billion in the second quarter of fiscal 2020, an increase of 12.7 percent compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year, due to growth at all three operating segments: MWI, ABCS and World Courier. Operating income in Other increased 8.4 percent to $108.3 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2020. This increase was primarily due to the performance of MWI and World Courier.

Recent Company Highlights & Milestones

AmerisourceBergen published its 2019 Corporate Citizenship Report, detailing the impact of its robust sustainability and community efforts across 150 campuses in 50 countries and its focus on sustainable operations, inspired associates and healthy communities. For the second year in a row, selected information within the 2019 Report was assured by ERM Certification and Verification Services.
The AmerisourceBergen Foundation has made grant donations that will be deployed to regional, national and global organizations focused on combating the economic, psychosocial and health challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
MWI Animal Health announced a series of technology tools that will enable veterinarian practices to virtually engage with their clients, which has become critically important during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AmerisourceBergen launched additional offerings to specialty physician practices through IPN Solutions. Now, practices will have access to an expanded suite of solutions, which include enhanced business insights, revenue cycle management services, valuable clinical research opportunities and more offerings that integrate with existing practice technologies.
AmerisourceBergen announced that it is continuing its strategic relationship with the American Oncology Network, LLC (AON), a high-growth medical oncology provider with a focus on supporting the long-term viability of oncology treatment in community-based settings. AmerisourceBergen will support AON in its effort to accelerate key strategic priorities to scale its integrated value-based care delivery model nationwide.
Fiscal Year 2020 Expectations

The Company does not provide forward-looking guidance on a GAAP basis as certain financial information, the probable significance of which cannot be determined, is not available or cannot be reasonably estimated. Please refer to the Supplemental Information Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures following the tables for additional information.

Fiscal Year 2020 Expectations on an Adjusted (non-GAAP) Basis

AmerisourceBergen has updated its fiscal year 2020 financial guidance to reflect the Company’s continued strong performance and opportunistic share repurchases in the second quarter and incorporate potential impacts of COVID-19 in the second half of the fiscal year. The Company now expects:

Revenue growth in the low- to mid-single digit percent range, down from the mid- to high- single digit percent range; and
Adjusted Diluted EPS to be in the range of $7.35 to $7.65, down from the previous range of $7.55 to $7.80.
Additional expectations now include:

Adjusted operating expenses to increase in the low-single digit percent range, down from the mid-single digit percent range;
Adjusted operating income growth in the low- to mid-single digit percent range, widened from the mid-single digit percent range;
Pharmaceutical Distribution Services segment operating income growth in the low- to mid-single digit percent range, widened from mid-single digit percent range;
Other, which is comprised of businesses focused on Global Commercialization Services & Animal Health, operating income decline in the low-single digit percent range, revised from growth in the high-single digit percent range; and
Weighted average diluted shares are now expected to be between 206 million to 207 million, down from the previous expectation of approximately 208 million for the fiscal year.
All other previously communicated aspects of the Company’s fiscal year 2020 financial guidance and assumptions remain the same.

Dividend Declaration

The Company’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.42 per common share, payable June 1, 2020, to stockholders of record at the close of business on May 18, 2020.

New Share Repurchase Authorization

In May 2020, AmerisourceBergen’s Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program allowing the Company to purchase up to $500 million of its outstanding shares of common stock, subject to market conditions. As of March 31, 2020, the Company had $68.8 million remaining under the share repurchase program authorized in October 2018.

Conference Call & Slide Presentation

The Company will host a conference call to discuss the results at 8:30 a.m. ET on May 7, 2020. A slide presentation for investors has also been posted on the Company’s website at investor.amerisourcebergen.com. Participating in the conference call will be:

Steven H. Collis, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer
James F. Cleary, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
The dial-in number for the live call will be (866) 270-1533. From outside the United States, dial (412) 317-0797. No access code is required. The live call will also be webcast via the Company’s website at investor.amerisourcebergen.com. Users are encouraged to log on to the webcast approximately 10 minutes in advance of the scheduled start time of the call.

Replays of the call will be made available via telephone and webcast. A replay of the webcast will be posted on investor.amerisourcebergen.com approximately one hour after the completion of the call and will remain available for one year. The telephone replay will also be available approximately one hour after the completion of the call and will remain available for seven days. To access the telephone replay from within the U.S., dial (877) 344-7529. From Canada, dial (855) 669-9658. From outside the United States and Canada, dial (412) 317-0088. The access code for the replay is 10142230.

Upcoming Investor Events

AmerisourceBergen management will be participating in the following investor conference in the coming months:

Goldman Sachs 41st Annual Global Healthcare Conference, June 9-11.
Please check the website for updates regarding the timing of the live presentation webcasts, if any, and for replay information.