Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Thermo Fisher (TMO) to Report Q2 Earnings: What's in Store?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO - Free Report) is slated to report second-quarter 2018 results before the market opens on Jul 25. Last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 3.31%. Moreover, Thermo Fisher surpassed estimates in all the trailing four quarters with an average beat of 3.16%.

Let's see how things are shaping up for this announcement.

Key Catalysts

Thermo Fisher has been going strong with its analytical instrument businesses boasting higher global demand. Particularly, the company’s acquisition of FEI has been largely contributing to its analytical instruments portfolio over the past year. Ever since, the company has introduced several products including the new line of Vanquish Duo UHPLC systems, which leverage Thermo Fisher’s leading instrument platforms and digital capabilities.

The buyout has also enabled Thermo Fisher to access FEI’s industry leading high-performance electron microscopy platform used for protein study as well as facilitating life-science research. The company has launched products in electron microscopy including the Verios G4 extreme high-resolution scanning electron microscope for advanced semiconductor production. This also indicates a vital highlight of the quarter to be reported.

Thermo Fisher anticipates realizing total synergies of approximately $80 million by the end of three years following the deal’s closure with about $55 million of cost synergies and roughly, $25 million of adjusted operating income benefits from revenue-related synergies.

Apart from FEI-related development, the company progressed well with respect to its next-generation sequencing (NGS) business. Its recently-introduced Ion GeneStudio S5 Series of instruments offers a complete solution to help researchers invent cancer diagnostics for clinical treatments. This development is likely to aid the company’s top line in the yet-to-be-reported quarter.

Overall, the Waltham MA-based company is gearing up for yet another quarter of strong analytical instruments segmental growth. In the period to be reported, Thermo Fisher expects to see a positive impact from the electron microscopy business as well as a robust volume expansion plus productivity.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Analytical Instruments revenues is pegged at $1.258 billion, higher than the year-ago figure of $1.166 billion.

Here are other factors that might influence Thermo Fisher’s second-quarter results:

The company’s focus on boosting growth through implementation of strategies and consolidating its product offerings is encouraging. These initiatives might in turn, help it post impressive results in the second quarter.

The company had spent nearly $1 billion on research and development in 2017 and the same trend is continuing through 2018. Alike the last-reported quarter, we expect all innovations and product introductions to substantially drive the company’s top line in the second quarter.

The company’s aim at expanding capabilities in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific belt as well as the emerging markets should also strongly enhanced results. Recent standout contributors are China, India and South Korea. With strategic investments in supporting key customer applications, Thermo Fisher forecasts to sustain a bullish momentum for 2018.

Moreover, growth is estimated in the applied markets such as environmental and food safeties apart from life science. In addition, the company is betting on some key areas with enormous opportunities at its disposal including advancing precision medicines from mass spectrometry to the targeted gene sequencing and structural biology. 

However, we are anxious about Thermo Fisher facing a foreign exchange headwind on 2018 revenues and adjusted EPS. Also, a hostile macroeconomic condition continues to weigh heavily on the stock. Plus, stiff competition persistently poses challenges to the stock’s value.

Here’s What the Quantitative Model Predicts:

Per the proven Zacks model, a company with a favorable Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) has good chances of beating estimates if it also has a positive Earnings ESP.

Thermo Fisher has a Zacks Rank #3, which increases the predictive power of ESP. However, its Earnings ESP of -0.50% leaves surprise prediction inconclusive. The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.64 for earnings per share reflects 14.78% increase year over year. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Stocks to Consider

Here are a few medical stocks worth considering with the right combination of elements to beat estimates this time around:

Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +5.2% and a Zacks Rank of 1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Baxter International Inc. (BAX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.42% and a Zacks Rank #2.

Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.49% and is a Zacks Rank of 2.

Wall Street’s Next Amazon

Zacks EVP Kevin Matras believes this familiar stock has only just begun its climb to become one of the greatest investments of all time. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in pure genius.

Click for details >>

Published in