On February 19, 2025 Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: CRL) reported its results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2024 and provided guidance for 2025 (Press release, Charles River Laboratories, FEB 19, 2025, View Source [SID1234650374]). For the quarter, revenue was $1.00 billion, a decrease of 1.1% from $1.01 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The impact of foreign currency translation reduced reported revenue by 0.1%, and an acquisition contributed 0.9% to consolidated fourth-quarter revenue. A divestiture reduced reported revenue by 0.1%. Excluding the effect of these items, revenue declined 1.8% on an organic basis. On a segment basis, organic revenue growth in the Manufacturing Solutions (Manufacturing) segment was more than offset by lower revenue in the Discovery and Safety Assessment (DSA) and Research Models and Services (RMS) segments.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, the GAAP operating margin decreased to (16.7)% from 13.1% in the fourth quarter of 2023. The primary driver of the GAAP decrease was a non-cash goodwill impairment of $215.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 related to the Biologics Solutions reporting unit, which includes the Biologics Testing and CDMO businesses. On a non-GAAP basis, the fourth-quarter operating margin increased to 19.9% from 19.1%, due primarily to higher revenue and operating income in the Manufacturing segment and lower unallocated corporate costs.
On a GAAP basis, the net loss available to common shareholders for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $(215.7) million, or $(4.22) per share, a decrease from net earnings of $187.1 million, or $3.62 per diluted share, for the same period in 2023. The GAAP decreases were primarily driven by the non-cash goodwill impairment, which totaled $4.20 per share, as well as a loss of $0.32 per share on certain venture capital and other strategic investments. This compares to a gain of $2.04 per share on certain venture capital and other strategic investments in the fourth quarter of 2023, which included a gain on our original strategic investment in Noveprim Group.
On a non-GAAP basis, net income was $136.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 7.4% from $127.2 million for the same period in 2023. Fourth-quarter diluted earnings per share on a non-GAAP basis were $2.66, an increase of 8.1% from $2.46 per share for the fourth quarter of 2023. The increases in non-GAAP net income and earnings per share were driven by higher operating income, as well as favorable below-the-line items, including reductions in the tax rate, interest expense, and diluted shares outstanding.
James C. Foster, Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Throughout 2024, we have launched initiatives to generate more revenue, aggressively reduce costs, and further strengthen our business. As we move into 2025, we see many of our global biopharmaceutical clients continuing to move forward with their restructuring and pipeline reprioritization activities, which are expected to constrain early-stage spending by many of these clients again in 2025. We believe these trends are stabilizing, and therefore, our view of the global biopharmaceutical demand environment remains unchanged. In addition, small and mid-sized biotechnology clients continued to benefit from a more favorable funding environment in 2024, and we expect biotechnology demand trends will be stable to slightly improved this year."

"During this period of softer demand, we remain committed to executing on our revenue and cost-savings initiatives and protecting shareholder value. We are taking decisive actions to emerge from this period as a stronger, leaner, and more profitable company, and an even more responsive partner for our clients," Mr. Foster concluded.

Fourth-Quarter Segment Results
Research Models and Services (RMS)
Revenue for the RMS segment was $204.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 4.3% from $195.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. The Noveprim acquisition in November 2023 contributed 4.8% to fourth-quarter RMS reported revenue, and the impact of foreign currency translation reduced revenue by 0.1%. Organic revenue decreased by 0.4%, due primarily to lower revenue for research models services and the Cell Solutions business, as well as lower sales for non-human primates (NHPs) in China. The decline was partially offset by higher sales of small research models, principally driven by higher pricing.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, the RMS segment’s GAAP operating margin decreased to 6.7% from 18.9% in the fourth quarter of 2023. On a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin decreased to 22.8% from 23.1%. The GAAP and non-GAAP operating margin declines were primarily driven by research models services and NHP sales, partially offset by higher pricing for small research models and from cost savings associated with restructuring initiatives. On a GAAP basis, the lower operating margin also reflects higher costs associated with the Company’s restructuring initiatives, including severance and site consolidation costs, as well as higher amortization expense related to the Noveprim acquisition.
Discovery and Safety Assessment (DSA)

Revenue for the DSA segment was $603.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, a decrease of 3.6% from $625.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. The divestiture of a small Safety Assessment site reduced reported revenue by 0.2% and the impact of foreign currency translation increased DSA revenue by 0.1%. Organic revenue decreased by 3.5%, driven primarily by lower sales volume, as well as slightly lower pricing.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, the DSA segment’s GAAP operating margin decreased to 10.4% from 20.2% in the fourth quarter of 2023. On a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin decreased to 24.7% from 26.0% in the fourth quarter of 2023. The GAAP and non-GAAP operating margin declines were primarily driven by lower revenue, partially offset by cost savings associated with restructuring initiatives. On a GAAP basis, the lower operating margin also reflects an NHP inventory write down, as well as higher acquisition-related adjustments associated with Noveprim.

Manufacturing Solutions (Manufacturing)

Revenue for the Manufacturing segment was $194.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 1.6% from $191.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. The impact of foreign currency translation reduced Manufacturing revenue by 0.5%. Organic revenue increased 2.1%, primarily driven by the Microbial Solutions business. This was partially offset by lower revenue in the CDMO business.

Primarily as a result of the non-cash goodwill impairment, the Manufacturing segment’s GAAP operating margin decreased to (93.6)% from 18.5% in the fourth quarter of 2023. On a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin increased to 28.7% from 25.4% in the fourth quarter of 2023 driven primarily by improved operating leverage from higher revenue in the Microbial Solutions business, as well as the benefit of cost savings associated with restructuring initiatives.

Full-Year Results
For 2024, revenue decreased by 1.9% to $4.05 billion from $4.13 billion in 2023. Revenue declined by 2.8% on an organic basis.
The GAAP operating margin decreased to 5.6% from 14.9% in 2023, and on a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin decreased to 19.9% from 20.3%.
On a GAAP basis, net income available to common shareholders was $10.3 million in 2024, a decrease of 97.8% from $474.6 million in 2023. Diluted earnings per share on a GAAP basis in 2024 were $0.20, a decrease of 97.8% from $9.22 in 2023. The GAAP decreases were primarily driven by the non-cash goodwill impairment of $215.0 million, or $4.16 per share, as well as the loss on certain venture capital and other strategic investments of $0.15 per share in 2024. This compares to a gain of $1.87 per share on certain venture capital and other strategic investments in 2023.
On a non-GAAP basis, net income was $532.9 million in 2024, a decrease of 2.9% from $548.9 million in 2023. Diluted earnings per share on a non-GAAP basis in 2024 were $10.32, a decrease of 3.3% from $10.67 in 2023.
Research Models and Services (RMS)
For 2024, RMS revenue was $829.4 million, an increase of 4.7% from $792.3 million in 2023. Revenue declined by 0.1% on an organic basis.

On a GAAP basis, the RMS segment operating margin decreased to 13.8% in 2024 from 19.5% in 2023. On a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin increased to 23.7% in 2024 from 23.0% in 2023.

Discovery and Safety Assessment (DSA)
For 2024, DSA revenue was $2.45 billion, a decrease of 6.3% from $2.62 billion in 2023. Revenue declined by 6.2% on an organic basis.

On a GAAP basis, the DSA segment operating margin decreased to 18.1% in 2024 from 23.2% in 2023. On a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin decreased to 25.7% in 2024 from 27.5% in 2023.

Manufacturing Solutions (Manufacturing)
For 2024, Manufacturing revenue was $769.3 million, an increase of 6.6% from $721.4 million in 2023. Organic revenue growth was 6.8%.

On a GAAP basis, the Manufacturing segment operating margin decreased to (9.3)% in 2024 from 12.2% in 2023. The GAAP operating margin was impacted by the non-cash goodwill impairment. On a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin increased to 27.4% in 2024 from 21.8% in 2023.

Provides 2025 Guidance
The Company is providing financial guidance for 2025. The 2025 revenue outlook assumes relatively stable biopharmaceutical demand trends compared to those experienced during the second half of 2024, including continued budgetary constraints from global biopharmaceutical clients and stable to slightly improved demand from small and mid-sized biotechnology clients. In addition, we expect that DSA pricing will be a headwind to revenue growth throughout 2025, and that lower commercial revenue in the CDMO business will impact the Manufacturing segment’s growth rate. Earnings per share in 2025 will principally be affected by the lower revenue, partially offset by the benefit of cost savings associated with the Company’s restructuring initiatives. The Company plans to repurchase approximately $350 million in common stock in 2025.
The Company’s 2025 guidance for revenue and earnings per share is as follows:

2025 GUIDANCE
Revenue growth/(decrease), reported
(7.0)% – (4.5)%
Impact of divestitures/(acquisitions), net
N/M
(Favorable)/unfavorable impact of foreign exchange
1.0% – 1.5%
Revenue growth/(decrease), organic (1)
(5.5)% – (3.5)%
GAAP EPS estimate
$4.30 – $4.80
Acquisition-related amortization and other acquisition- and integration-related costs (2)
~$3.50
Costs associated with restructuring actions (3)
~$1.00
Other items (4)
~$0.30
Non-GAAP EPS estimate
$9.10 – $9.60

Footnotes to Guidance Table:
(1) Organic revenue growth is defined as reported revenue growth adjusted for completed acquisitions and divestitures, as well as foreign currency translation.
(2) These adjustments include amortization related to intangible assets, as well as the purchase accounting step-up on inventory and certain long-term biological assets. In addition, these adjustments include some costs related to the evaluation and integration of acquisitions and divestitures.
(3) These adjustments primarily include site consolidation (including site transition costs), severance, impairment, and other costs related to the Company’s restructuring actions.
(4) These items primarily relate to certain third-party legal costs related to investigations by the U.S. government into the NHP supply chain related to our Safety Assessment business.

Webcast
Charles River has scheduled a live webcast on Wednesday, February 19th, at 8:30 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.