QIAGEN Sets 2018 Outlook For Further Growth In Adj. Sales, Adj. EPS

(RTTNews) - QIAGEN N.V. (QGEN) announced, for full-year 2018, the company expects underlying growth in adjusted EPS to approximately $1.38-$1.40 CER, but this is expected to be reduced to about $1.31-1.33 CER. QIAGEN's organic growth in net sales is expected to be about 6-7% CER for 2018 (accelerating from 5% CER in 2017), which excludes business portfolio changes in both periods as well as the acquisition of STAT-Dx (launch planned for second half of 2018). The affected products had sales of about $25 million in 2017, and are expected to provide about $7 million in 2018, while the STAT-Dx acquisition is expected to provide about $7 million of sales. Based on these factors, total adjusted net sales growth of about 6-7% CER is expected.

For first-quarter of 2018, underlying adjusted EPS outlook is $0.24-$0.25 CER, but this is expected to be reduced to about $0.23-$0.24 CER. Organic growth in net sales is projected to be approximately 5-6% CER. Total adjusted net sales growth guidance is approximately 5% CER.

Fourth-quarter net sales rose 8% at actual rates to $396.9 million over the year-ago period, representing 5% CER growth plus about three percentage points due to positive currency movements against the U.S. dollar. Adjusted net sales including all revenues from the acquisition of the bioinformatics company OmicSoft rose 6% CER over the fourth quarter of 2016. Excluding items in both periods, adjusted net sales rose 6% CER. Adjusted net income was $100.1 million, or $0.43 per share ($0.43 CER), compared to $93.5 million, or $0.39 per share, in the year-ago period.

Peer Schatz, CEO of QIAGEN N.V., said: "The acquisition of STAT-Dx, with a planned launch of QIAstat-Dx in the second half of 2018, provides QIAGEN with a next-generation solution to capture growth in a highly attractive market segment of PCR-based, multiplex syndromic testing that is rapidly growing and highly synergistic with our current technology and channel capabilities as well as with our portfolios for infectious disease and oncology testing. We have set 2018 goals for accelerating organic growth and for higher adjusted net sales and adjusted earnings per share. We see the new year as very exciting on our path to achieving our 2020 mid-term growth targets."