BIO-TECHNE Corp: Form 10-Q for the period ended Sep 30, 2024

CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following management discussion and analysis (“MD&A”) provides information that we believe is useful in understanding our operating results, cash flows and financial condition. We provide quantitative information about the material sales drivers including the effect of acquisitions and changes in foreign currency at the corporate and segment level. We also provide quantitative information about discrete tax items and other significant factors we believe are useful for understanding our results. The MD&A should be read in conjunction with both the unaudited condensed consolidated financial information and related notes included in this Form 10-Q, and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2024. This discussion contains various “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and also contains various “Forward-Looking Statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We refer readers to the statements entitled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and “Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements” located at the end of Item 2 of this report.

OVERVIEW

Bio-Techne and its subsidiaries, collectively doing business as Bio-Techne Corporation (Bio-Techne, we, our, us or the Company) develop, manufacture and sell biotechnology reagents, instruments and services for the research and clinical diagnostic markets worldwide. With our deep product portfolio and application expertise, we sell integral components of scientific investigations into biological processes and molecular diagnostics, revealing the nature, diagnosis, etiology and progression of specific diseases. Our products aid in drug discovery efforts and provide the means for accurate clinical tests and diagnoses.

We are committed to providing the life sciences community with innovative, high-quality scientific tools that allow our customers to make extraordinary discoveries and treat and diagnose diseases. We intend to build on Bio-Techne’s past accomplishments, high product quality reputation and sound financial position by executing strategies that position us to serve as the standard for biological content in the research market, and to leverage that leadership position to enter the diagnostics and other adjacent markets. The Company’s strategic pillars for long-term growth and profitability are grow and leverage the core, capitalize on high potential markets, market expansion through innovation and acquisition, deliver best-in-class customer experience, and develop people through a transformative culture.

During the quarter ended September 30, 2024, the Company operated under two operating segments, Protein Sciences and Diagnostics and Spatial Biology (formerly Diagnostics and Genomics). The name change is intended to better reflect the focus and scope of our offerings. The manner in which we operate our business and review discrete financial information did not change. Segment information presented herein reflects the updated name of the operating segment. The operating segments the Company operated under were consistent with the Company's operating segments disclosed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2024.

Our Protein Sciences segment is a leading developer and manufacturer of high-quality purified proteins and reagent solutions, most notably cytokines and growth factors, antibodies, immunoassays, biologically active small molecule compounds, tissue culture reagents and T-Cell activation technologies. This segment also includes protein analysis solutions that offer researchers efficient and streamlined options for automated western blot and multiplexed ELISA workflow. Our Diagnostics and Spatial Biology segment develops and manufactures diagnostic products, including FDA-regulated controls, calibrators, blood gas and clinical chemistry controls and other reagents for OEM and clinical customers, as well as a portfolio of clinical molecular diagnostic oncology assays, including the ExoDx®Prostate (IntelliScore) test (EPI) for prostate cancer diagnosis. This segment also manufactures and sells advanced tissue-based in-situ hybridization assays (ISH) for research and clinical use.

RECENT ACQUISITIONS

A key component of the Company's strategy is to augment internal growth at existing businesses with complementary acquisitions. The Company did not make any acquisitions during the first quarter of fiscal 2025.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Operational Update

Consolidated net sales increased 5% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 compared to the same prior year period. Organic growth for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was 4% compared to the prior year, with foreign currency exchange impacting sales by approximately 1%. A business held-for-sale did not have a material impact.

Consolidated net earnings decreased to $33.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 as compared to $51.0 million in the same prior year period.

Net Sales

Consolidated net sales for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 were $289.5 million, an increase of 5% compared to the same prior year period. Organic growth for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was 4% compared to the prior year, with foreign currency exchange impacting sales by approximately 1%. A business held-for-sale did not have a material impact. Organic growth for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was primarily driven by broad based performance of our Diagnostics and Spatial Biology portfolio as well as strong growth in our GMP reagent offerings within our Protein Sciences segment.

Gross Margins

Consolidated gross margin for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was 63.2% compared to 66.9% for the same prior year period. Under purchase accounting, inventory is valued at fair value less expected selling and marketing costs, resulting in reduced margins in future periods as the inventory is sold. Excluding the impact of costs recognized upon the sale of acquired inventory, amortization of intangibles, stock compensation expense, restructuring and restructuring-related costs, and the impact of a business held-for-sale, adjusted gross margin for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was 69.5% compared to 71.3% for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Fluctuations in consolidated gross margin and adjusted gross margin, as a percentage of sales, have primarily resulted from changes in product mix. We expect that, in the future, gross margins will continue to be impacted by the mix of our portfolio growing at different rates as well as future acquisitions.

A reconciliation of the reported consolidated gross margin percentages, adjusted for acquired inventory sold, intangible amortization, stock compensation expense, restructuring and restructuring-related charges, and the impact of a business held-for-sale included in cost of sales, is as follows (in thousands):

1) Includes the quarterly results of a business that has met the held-for-sale criteria since December 31, 2023.

2) Adjusted gross margin percentage excludes both $2,303 of revenue and $558 of gross margin for a business that has met the held-for-sale criteria since December 31, 2023.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 13% to $119.2 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 from the same prior year period. The increase in expense was due to restructuring and restructuring-related charges.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses decreased 1% to $23.9 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 from the same prior year period. The decrease in expense was due to cost management initiatives.

Segment Results

Protein Sciences

Protein Sciences’ net sales for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was $204.5 million, which remained flat compared to the same respective prior year period. As of December 31, 2023, a business within the Protein Sciences segment met the criteria as held-for-sale; this held-for-sale business has been excluded from the segment’s fiscal 2025 operating results. The exclusion of first quarter fiscal 2025 sales related to this held-for-sale business reduced sales by 1%. Organic growth for the segment was 1%, with foreign currency exchange having an immaterial impact.

The operating margin was 39.4% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 compared to 43.2% in the comparative prior year period. The segment’s operating margin was unfavorably impacted by product mix and re-instatement of incentive compensation accruals.

Diagnostics and Spatial Biology (formerly Diagnostics and Genomics)

Diagnostics and Spatial Biology's net sales for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was $83.2 million, with reported growth of 14% compared to the same respective prior year period. Organic revenue growth was 14% for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, with foreign currency exchange having an immaterial impact.

The operating margin for the segment was 5.1% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 compared to 0.7% in the comparative prior year period. The segment’s operating margin was favorably impacted due to volume leverage and productivity initiatives, partially offset by re-instatement of incentive compensation accruals.

Income Taxes

Income taxes were at an effective rate of 16.4% of consolidated earnings for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared to (2.9)% for the same respective prior year period. The change in the Company’s tax rate for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was driven by a mix of net income and timing of discrete items.

The forecasted tax rate as of the first fiscal quarter of 2025 before discrete items is 23.6% compared to the prior year forecasted tax rate before discrete items of 24.5%. Excluding the impact of discrete items, the Company expects the consolidated income tax rate for the remainder of fiscal 2025 to range from 23% to 27%.

Net Earnings

Non-GAAP adjusted consolidated net earnings are as follows (in thousands):

(1) Since December 31, 2023, the Company has a business that has met the held-for-sale criteria.

Depending on the nature of discrete tax items, our reported tax rate may not be consistent on a period-to-period basis. The Company independently calculates a non-GAAP adjusted tax rate considering the impact of discrete items and jurisdictional mix of the identified non-GAAP adjustments. The following table summarizes the reported GAAP tax rate and the effective non-GAAP adjusted tax rate for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023.

The difference between the reported GAAP tax rate and non-GAAP tax rate applied to the identified non-GAAP adjustments for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 is primarily a result of discrete tax items, including the tax benefit of stock option exercises.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Cash and cash equivalents and available-for-sale investments were $187.5 million as of September 30, 2024, compared to $152.9 million as of June 30, 2024. Included in the available-for-sale-investments as of June 30, 2024 were certificates of deposit that have maturity dates within one year of $1.1 million. During the first fiscal quarter of 2025, the certificates of deposit reached maturity. The Company had no available-for-sale investments as of September 30, 2024.

The Company has a line-of-credit governed by a Credit Agreement dated August 31, 2022 that will mature on August 31, 2027. As of September 30, 2024, there is $700 million available on the line-of-credit. See Note 6 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for a description of the Credit Agreement.

During fiscal year 2022, the Company paid $25 million to enter into a two-part forward contract which requires the Company to purchase the full equity interest in Wilson Wolf if certain annual revenue or EBITDA thresholds are met. During fiscal year 2023, Wilson Wolf met the EBITDA target and the Company paid an additional $232 million to acquire 19.9% of Wilson Wolf. Since the first part of the forward contract has been triggered, the second part of the forward contract will automatically trigger, which requires the Company to acquire the remaining 80.1% of Wilson Wolf on December 31, 2027. The second part of the contract would be accelerated in advance of December 31, 2027 if Wilson Wolf meets certain financial milestones. As of September 30, 2024, the second milestones have not been met. The second option payment of approximately $1 billion plus potential contingent consideration is forecasted to occur between fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2028.

Management of the Company expects to be able to meet its cash and working capital requirements for operations, facility expansion, capital additions, and cash dividends for the foreseeable future, and at least the next 12 months, through currently available cash, cash generated from operations, and remaining credit available on its existing revolving line of credit.

Cash Flows From Operating Activities

The Company generated cash of $63.9 million from operating activities in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 compared to $59.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. The increase from the prior year was primarily due to changes in the timing of cash payments on certain operating assets and liabilities.

Cash Flows From Investing Activities

We continue to make investments in our business, including capital expenditures.

Capital expenditures for fixed assets for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024 were $9.2 million and $13.6 million, respectively. Capital expenditures for the remainder of fiscal 2025 are expected to be approximately $32 million. Capital expenditures are expected to be financed through currently available funds and cash generated from operating activities. Expected additions in fiscal 2025 are related to increasing capacity to meet expected sales growth across the Company.

During the fiscal quarter of 2025, the Company invested $15.0 million into Spear Bio. There was no comparable activity in the first quarter of 2024.

During the first fiscal quarter of 2025, certificates of deposit reached maturity for $1.1 million. In the first quarter of 2024, the Company sold its exchange traded investment grade bond funds $23.8 million.

The Company received tax distributions of $1.4 million and $2.1 million from its equity method investee during the first quarter of 2025 and 2024, respectively.

During the first fiscal quarter of 2024, the Company paid $166.4 million to acquire Lunaphore. In the second fiscal quarter of 2024, an additional payment of $3.3 million was paid to the Lunaphore shareholders upon the finalization of the net working capital, which resulted in a total purchase price of $169.7 million during fiscal 2024. There was no comparable activity in the first fiscal quarter of 2025.

Cash Flows From Financing Activities

During the first quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024, the Company paid cash dividends of $12.7 million and $12.7 million, respectively, to all common shareholders. On October 30, 2024, the Company announced the payment of a $0.08 per share cash dividend, or approximately $12.7 million, will be payable November 22, 2024 to all common shareholders of record on November 11, 2024.

Cash of $25.1 million and $14.4 million was received during the first quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024, respectively, from the exercise of stock options.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024, the Company made repayments of $19.0 million and $70.0 million, respectively, on its long-term debt balance. The Company drew $160.0 million under its revolving line-of-credit facility during the first quarter of fiscal 2024. There was no comparable activity in the first quarter of fiscal 2025.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024, the Company received $5.0 million and $20.2 million related to taxes paid on restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock options exercised through a net share settlement classified as financing activities.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Company's significant accounting policies are discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2024 and are incorporated herein by reference. The application of certain of these policies requires judgments and estimates that can affect the results of operations and financial position of the Company. Judgments and estimates are used for, but not limited to, valuation of available-for-sale investments, inventory valuation and allowances, valuation of intangible assets and goodwill and valuation of investments in unconsolidated entities. There have been no significant changes in estimates in the quarter ended September 30, 2024 that would require disclosure nor have there been any changes to the Company's policies.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation” in Item 2, contains financial measures that have not been calculated in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (GAAP). These non-GAAP measures include:

• Organic revenue
• Adjusted gross margin
• Adjusted operating margin
• Adjusted net earnings and diluted earnings per share
• Adjusted effective tax rate

We provide these measures as additional information regarding our operating results. We use these non-GAAP measures internally to evaluate our performance and in making financial and operational decisions, including with respect to incentive compensation. We believe that our presentation of these measures provides investors with greater transparency with respect to our results of operations and that these measures are useful for period-to-period comparison of results.

Our non-GAAP financial measure of organic revenue represents revenue growth excluding revenue from acquisitions within the preceding 12 months, the impact of foreign currency, the impact of businesses held-for-sale, as well as the impact of partially-owned consolidated subsidiaries. Excluding these measures provides more useful period-to-period comparison of revenue results as it excludes the impact of foreign currency exchange rates, which can vary significantly from period to period, and revenue from acquisitions that would not be included in the comparable prior period. Revenues from businesses held-for-sale are excluded from our organic revenue calculation starting on the date they become held-for-sale as those revenues will not be comparative in future periods. Revenues from partially-owned subsidiaries consolidated in our financial statements are also excluded from our organic revenue calculation, as those revenues are not fully attributable to the Company. There was no revenue from partially-owned consolidated subsidiaries in fiscal year 2024 or fiscal year 2025.

Our non-GAAP financial measures for adjusted gross margin, adjusted operating margin, and adjusted net earnings, in total and on a per share basis, exclude stock-based compensation, which is inclusive of the employer portion of payroll taxes on those stock awards, the costs recognized upon the sale of acquired inventory, amortization of acquisition intangibles, restructuring and restructuring-related costs. Stock-based compensation is excluded from non-GAAP adjusted net earnings because of the nature of this charge, specifically the varying available valuation methodologies, subjection assumptions, variety of award types, and unpredictability of amount and timing of employer related tax obligations. The Company excludes amortization of purchased intangible assets, purchase accounting adjustments, including costs recognized upon the sale of acquired inventory, and other non-recurring items including gains or losses on goodwill and long-lived asset impairment charges, and one-time assessments from this measure because they occur as a result of specific events, and are not reflective of our internal investments, the costs of developing, producing, supporting and selling our products, and the other ongoing costs to support our operating structure. Costs related to restructuring and restructuring-related activities, including reducing overhead and consolidating facilities, are excluded because we believe they are not indicative of our normal operating costs. Additionally, these amounts can vary significantly from period to period based on current activity. The Company also excludes revenue and expense attributable to partially-owned consolidated subsidiaries as well as revenue and expense attributable to businesses held-for-sale in the calculation of our non-GAAP financial measures.

The Company’s non-GAAP adjusted operating margin and adjusted net earnings, in total and on a per share basis, also excludes acquisition related expenses inclusive of the changes in fair value of contingent consideration, and other non-recurring items including certain costs related to the transition to a new CEO, goodwill and long-lived asset impairments, and gains. We also exclude certain litigation charges which are facts and circumstances specific including costs to resolve litigation and legal settlement (gains and losses). In some cases, these costs may be a result of litigation matters at acquired companies that were not probable, inestimable, or unresolved at the time of acquisition.

The Company’s non-GAAP adjusted net earnings, in total and on a per share basis, also excludes gain and losses from investments, as they are not part of our day-to-day operating decisions (excluding our equity method investment in Wilson Wolf as it is certain to be acquired in the future) and certain adjustments to income tax expense. Additionally, gains and losses from investments that are either isolated or cannot be expected to occur again with any predictability are excluded. The Company independently calculates a non-GAAP adjusted tax rate to be applied to the identified non-GAAP adjustments considering the impact of discrete items on these adjustments and the jurisdictional mix of the adjustments. In addition, the tax impact of other discrete and non-recurring charges which impact our reported GAAP tax rate are adjusted from net earnings. We believe these tax items can significantly affect the period-over-period assessment of operating results and not necessarily reflect costs and/or income associated with historical trends and future results.

The Company periodically reassesses the components of our non-GAAP adjustments for changes in how we evaluate our performance, changes in how we make financial and operational decisions, and considers the use of these measures by our competitors and peers to ensure the adjustments are still relevant and meaningful.

Readers are encouraged to review the reconciliations of the adjusted financial measures used in management's discussion and analysis of the financial condition of the Company to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures provided within the Company's consolidated financial statements.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS

This quarterly report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include those regarding the Company's expectations as to the effect of changes to accounting policies, the amount of capital expenditures for the remainder of the fiscal year, the source of funding for capital expenditure requirements, the sufficiency of currently available funds for meeting the Company's needs, the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, and expectations regarding gross margin fluctuations, increasing research and development expenses, increasing selling, general and administrative expenses and income tax rates. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the actual results of operations. The following important factors, among others, have affected and, in the future, could affect the Company's actual results: integration of newly acquired businesses, the introduction and acceptance of new products, general national and international economic, political, regulatory, and other conditions, increased competition, the reliance on internal manufacturing and related operations, supply chain challenges, the impact of currency exchange rate fluctuations, the recruitment and retention of qualified personnel, the impact of governmental regulation, maintenance of intellectual property rights, credit risk and fluctuation in the market value of the Company's investment portfolio, and unseen delays and expenses related to facility construction and improvements. For additional information concerning such factors, see the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2024 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Part II. Item 1A below.

The Company’s exposure to market risk from changes in interest rates and currency exchange rates has not changed materially from its exposure discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2024.

(a) Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures.

The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)). The Company's management has evaluated, with the participation of its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, the effectiveness of the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of September 30, 2024, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

(b) Changes in internal controls over financial reporting.

There were no changes in the Company's internal control over financial reporting during the first quarter of fiscal 2025 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

During the quarter ended September 30, 2024, there have been no material changes from the risk factors found in Part I, Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2024.