On November 3, 2021 Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: CRL) reported its results for the third quarter of 2021 (Press release, Charles River Laboratories, NOV 3, 2021, View Source [SID1234594353]). For the quarter, revenue was $895.9 million, an increase of 20.5% from $743.3 million in the third quarter of 2020.

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Acquisitions contributed 5.9% to consolidated third-quarter revenue growth. The impact of foreign currency translation benefited reported revenue growth by 1.0%. Excluding the effect of these items, organic revenue growth was 13.6%, driven by contributions from all three business segments. The comparison to last year’s COVID-19-related impact increased the reported and organic revenue growth rates in the third quarter of 2021 by 1.8% and 1.7%, respectively.

On a GAAP basis, third-quarter net income attributable to common shareholders was $103.4 million, an increase of 0.5% from net income of $102.9 million for the same period in 2020. Third-quarter diluted earnings per share on a GAAP basis were $2.01, a decrease of 1.0% from $2.03 for the third quarter of 2020. GAAP net income and earnings per share reflect higher revenue and a lower tax rate, which were offset by venture capital investment losses. GAAP net income and earnings per share included a loss from the Company’s venture capital and other strategic investments of $0.15 per share in the third quarter of 2021, compared to a gain of $0.29 per share for the same period in 2020. The Company’s venture capital and other strategic investment performance has been excluded from non-GAAP results.

On a non-GAAP basis, net income was $139.1 million for the third quarter of 2021, an increase of 17.9% from $118.0 million for the same period in 2020. Third‑quarter diluted earnings per share on a non-GAAP basis were $2.70, an increase of 15.9% from $2.33 per share for the third quarter of 2020. The non-GAAP net income and earnings per share increases were primarily driven by higher revenue and a lower tax rate.

James C. Foster, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Our strong third-quarter results demonstrate the effectiveness of our strategy, the sustained strength of industry fundamentals, and the success we have had in becoming our clients’ partner of choice from concept, to nonclinical development, to the safe manufacture of their life-saving therapeutics."

"We continue to add people and capacity to accommodate growing client demand and to build a scalable operating model; to enhance our scientifically distinguished portfolio; and to work with clients to devise outsourcing solutions which enable them to increase productivity and speed to market. We believe these efforts will enable us to achieve our strategic and financial goals, both in 2021 and over the longer term," Mr. Foster concluded.

Third-Quarter Segment Results

Research Models and Services (RMS)

Revenue for the RMS segment was $171.3 million in the third quarter of 2021, an increase of 12.7% from $151.9 million in the third quarter of 2020. The impact of foreign currency translation contributed 1.4% and the acquisition of Cellero contributed 0.6% to third-quarter RMS revenue. Organic revenue growth of 10.7% was primarily driven by robust demand for research models, particularly in China, as well as higher revenue for research model services, particularly the Genetically Engineered Models and Services (GEMS) business. Third-quarter revenue for the cell supply business, which consists of HemaCare and Cellero, continued to be impacted by limitations on donor availability. The comparison to last year’s COVID-19-related impact increased the reported and organic revenue growth rates in the third quarter of 2021 by 2.2% and 2.1%, respectively.

In the third quarter of 2021, the RMS segment’s GAAP operating margin decreased to 22.8% from 24.4% in the third quarter of 2020, and on a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin decreased to 26.1% from 27.7%. The GAAP and non-GAAP operating margin decreases were primarily driven by the cell supply business.

Discovery and Safety Assessment (DSA)

Revenue for the DSA segment was $531.8 million in the third quarter of 2021, an increase of 15.3% from $461.2 million in the third quarter of 2020. The impact of foreign currency translation contributed 0.9%, and the acquisitions of Distributed Bio and Retrogenix contributed 1.4% to DSA revenue growth. Organic revenue growth of 13.0% was driven by both the Safety Assessment and Discovery Services businesses. From a client perspective, biotechnology clients were the primary driver of DSA revenue growth, with solid contributions from global biopharmaceutical clients as well.

In the third quarter of 2021, the DSA segment’s GAAP operating margin increased to 21.9% from 19.6% in the third quarter of 2020. The increase was primarily due to lower acquisition-related adjustments associated with contingent consideration. On a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin decreased by 90 basis points to 24.3% from 25.2% in the third quarter of 2020, primarily due to the impact of foreign currency translation, which reduced the DSA operating margin by approximately 70 basis points. In addition, a Discovery Services milestone payment received in the third quarter of 2020 contributed approximately 50 basis points to last year’s DSA operating margin.

Manufacturing Solutions (Manufacturing)

Revenue for the Manufacturing segment was $192.9 million in the third quarter of 2021, an increase of 48.1% from $130.2 million in the third quarter of 2020. The impact of foreign currency translation contributed 1.1%, and the acquisitions of Cognate BioServices (Cognate) and Vigene Biosciences (Vigene) contributed 27.9% to third-quarter Manufacturing revenue. Organic revenue growth of 19.1% was driven primarily by robust demand in the Biologics Testing Solutions and Microbial Solutions businesses. The comparison to last year’s COVID-19-related impact increased the reported and organic revenue growth rates in the third quarter of 2021 by 4.4% and 3.5%, respectively.

In the third quarter of 2021, the Manufacturing segment’s GAAP operating margin decreased to 25.2% from 37.1% in the third quarter of 2020, and on a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin decreased to 32.7% from 39.1%. The GAAP and non-GAAP operating margin decreases were driven primarily by the addition of the Cognate and Vigene CDMO businesses. The GAAP operating margin also declined due to amortization of intangible assets and acquisition-related costs associated with the transactions.

Updates 2021 Guidance

The Company is updating its 2021 financial guidance, which was previously provided on August 4, 2021. The Company completed the divestitures of its RMS operations in Japan and its CDMO site in Sweden on October 12th. The effect of these transactions will reduce revenue by nearly $20 million and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share by less than $0.10 in the fourth quarter of 2021. The divestitures have been reflected in the updated 2021 financial guidance.

The primary drivers of the updated reported revenue growth guidance are the impact of foreign exchange and the divestitures. Foreign currency translation is now expected to benefit reported revenue growth by 1.5% to 2.0% in 2021, compared to the prior outlook of a 2.5% benefit.

The Company is updating its GAAP and non-GAAP earnings per share guidance, primarily to reflect a lower-than-expected tax rate driven by R&D tax credits and a favorable excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation, partially offset by the impact of the divestitures. On a GAAP basis, the updated guidance also reflects a gain related to the sale of the Company’s RMS Japan operations.