On February 13, 2020 LabCorp (or the Company) (NYSE: LH) reported results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2019, and provided 2020 guidance (Press release, LabCorp, FEB 13, 2020, View Source [SID1234554292]).
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"We had a strong finish to 2019, a year where we delivered solid revenue growth, adjusted EPS, and free cash flow," said Adam H. Schechter, president and CEO of LabCorp. "We start 2020 with a clear strategy that leverages our science, technology, and delivery focused on our customers to improve health and improve lives. We are well positioned to drive continued growth and shareholder value in 2020 and beyond."
Consolidated Results
Fourth Quarter Results
Revenue for the quarter was $2.95 billion, an increase of 6.0% over $2.79 billion in the fourth quarter of 2018. The increase in revenue was due to acquisitions of 4.5% and organic growth of 2.3% (which includes the negative impact from lower Medicare and Medicaid pricing as a result of PAMA of 0.9%), partially offset by the disposition of businesses of 0.6% and negative foreign currency translation of 0.2%.
Operating income for the quarter was $336.4 million, or 11.4% of revenue, compared to $307.7 million, or 11.0%, in the fourth quarter of 2018. The increase in operating income and margin was primarily due to acquisitions, organic growth, and LaunchPad savings, partially offset by the negative impact from PAMA and higher personnel costs. The Company recorded restructuring charges, special items, and amortization, which together totaled $85.6 million in the quarter, compared to $87.2 million during the same period in 2018. Adjusted operating income (excluding amortization, restructuring charges, and special items) for the quarter was $422.0 million, or 14.3% of revenue, compared to $394.9 million, or 14.2%, in the fourth quarter of 2018. Excluding the negative impact from PAMA, adjusted operating income and margin grew $53.3 million and 90 basis points, respectively, over last year.
Net earnings for the quarter were $227.1 million, compared to $157.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2018. Diluted EPS were $2.32 in the quarter, an increase of 48.7% compared to $1.56 in the same period in 2018. During the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company recorded $19.0 million in net gains on venture fund investments, partially offset by losses of $1.4 million on the disposition of businesses and a cost of $3.1 million related to debt refinancing. In the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company recorded a $24.6 million loss on the disposition of its U.S. forensics laboratory testing business, a non-cash pension settlement charge of $7.5 million, and a loss of $5.2 million on a venture fund investment. Adjusted EPS (excluding amortization, restructuring charges, and special items) were $2.86 in the quarter, an increase of 13.5% over $2.52 in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Operating cash flow for the quarter was $569.8 million, compared to $486.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2018, which was negatively impacted by approximately $105 million from the net tax payment in the fourth quarter of 2018 related to the disposition of businesses. The increase in operating cash flow was primarily due to higher cash earnings, partially offset by increased working capital to support growth. Capital expenditures totaled $128.2 million, compared to $122.2 million a year ago. As a result, free cash flow (operating cash flow less capital expenditures) was $441.6 million, compared to $364.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2018.
At the end of the quarter, the Company’s cash balance and total debt were $337.5 million and $6.2 billion, respectively. During the quarter, the Company invested $23.1 million in acquisitions, repurchased $50.0 million of stock, representing approximately 0.3 million shares, and paid down $402.7 million of debt. As of December 31, 2019, the Company had $900.0 million of authorization remaining under its share repurchase program.
Full Year Results
Revenue was $11.55 billion, an increase of 2.0% over last year’s $11.33 billion. The increase in revenue was due to growth from acquisitions of 2.3% and organic growth of 1.6% (which includes the negative impact from PAMA of 0.9%), partially offset by the disposition of businesses of 1.4% and negative foreign currency translation of 0.5%.
Operating income was $1,330.2 million, or 11.5% of revenue, compared to $1,325.7 million, or 11.7%, in 2018. The Company recorded restructuring charges, special items, and amortization which together totaled $380.6 million, compared to $397.6 million during the same period in 2018. Adjusted operating income (excluding amortization, restructuring charges, and special items) was $1,710.8 million, or 14.8% of revenue, compared to $1,723.3 million, or 15.2%, in 2018. The decrease in operating income and margin was primarily due to the negative impact from PAMA, higher personnel costs, disposition of businesses, cybersecurity investments, and a favorable one-time legal settlement in 2018, partially offset by organic growth, the Company’s LaunchPad initiatives, and acquisitions. Excluding the negative impact from PAMA, adjusted operating income and margins grew $94.5 million and 40 basis points, respectively, over last year.
Net earnings in 2019 were $823.8 million, or $8.35 per diluted share, compared to $883.7 million, or $8.61 per diluted share, last year. During 2019, the Company recorded net gains of $20.9 million on venture fund investments, partially offset by losses of $13.3 million on the disposition of businesses and a cost of $3.1 million related to debt refinancing. During 2018, the Company recorded a net gain of $184.8 million on the disposition of businesses, partially offset by a charge of $45.0 million due to the implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), a non-cash pension settlement charge of $7.5 million, and a $5.2 million loss on a venture fund investment.
Adjusted EPS (excluding amortization, restructuring, and special items) were $11.32, an increase of 2.7% compared to $11.02 in 2018.
Operating cash flow was $1,444.7 million, compared to $1,305.4 million in 2018, which was negatively impacted by approximately $105 million from the net tax payment in the fourth quarter of 2018 related to the disposition of businesses. The increase in operating cash flow was due to higher cash earnings, partially offset by increased working capital to support growth. Capital expenditures totaled $400.2 million, compared to $379.8 million in 2018. As a result, free cash flow (operating cash flow less capital expenditures) was $1,044.5 million, compared to $925.6 million in 2018.
During the year, the Company invested $876.0 million in acquisitions and repurchased $450.0 million of stock representing approximately 2.9 million shares.
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The following segment results exclude amortization, restructuring charges, special items, and unallocated corporate expenses.
Fourth Quarter Segment Results
LabCorp Diagnostics
Revenue for the quarter was $1.76 billion, an increase of 3.7% over $1.69 billion in the fourth quarter of 2018. The 3.7% increase in revenue was due to acquisitions of 3.5% and organic growth of 0.8%, partially offset by the negative impact from the disposition of businesses of 0.5%. The organic revenue increase of 0.8% includes the negative impact from PAMA of 1.5%.
Total volume (measured by requisitions), excluding the disposition of businesses, increased by 2.6%, as acquisition volume contributed 1.8% and organic volume increased by 0.8%. Organic volume includes the negative impact from managed care contract changes and lower consumer genetics demand, which largely offset the benefit of one additional revenue day. Excluding the disposition of businesses, revenue per requisition increased by 1.6% due to acquisitions and favorable mix, partially offset by the negative impact from PAMA and the nonrenewal of the BeaconLBS – UnitedHealthcare contract pertaining to the Florida market.
Adjusted operating income (excluding amortization, restructuring charges, and special items) for the quarter was $277.1 million, or 15.8% of revenue, compared to $279.3 million, or 16.5%, in the fourth quarter of 2018. The $2.2 million decline in adjusted operating income and 70 basis point decline in adjusted operating margin were primarily due to the negative impact from PAMA of $26.2 million and 130 basis points, higher personnel costs, and cybersecurity investments, partially offset by LaunchPad savings, organic growth, and acquisitions. The Company remains on track to deliver approximately $200 million of net savings from its three-year Diagnostics LaunchPad initiative by the end of 2021.
Covance Drug Development
Revenue for the quarter was $1.20 billion, an increase of 9.3% over $1.10 billion in the fourth quarter of 2018. The increase in revenue was due to acquisitions of 6.0% and organic growth of 4.6%, partially offset by the disposition of the Covance Research Products business of 0.9% and negative foreign currency translation of 0.4%. Excluding pass-throughs, organic revenue grew mid-to-high single digits.
Adjusted operating income (excluding amortization, restructuring charges, and special items) for the quarter was $183.2 million, or 15.2% of revenue, compared to $153.5 million, or 14.0%, in the fourth quarter of 2018. The $29.7 million increase in adjusted operating income and 130 basis point increase in adjusted operating margin were primarily due to LaunchPad savings, acquisitions, and organic growth, partially offset by higher personnel costs. The Company remains on track to deliver approximately $150 million of net savings from its three-year Drug Development LaunchPad initiative by the end of 2020.
Net orders and net book-to-bill during the trailing twelve months were $5.91 billion and 1.29, respectively. Backlog at the end of the quarter was $11.30 billion, compared to $10.71 billion last quarter, and the Company expects approximately $4.2 billion of its backlog to convert into revenue in the next twelve months.
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Outlook for 2020
The following guidance assumes foreign exchange rates effective as of December 31, 2019 for the full year. Enterprise level guidance includes the estimated impact from currently anticipated capital allocation, including acquisitions and share repurchases.
Revenue growth of 4.0% to 6.0% over 2019 revenue of $11.55 billion, which includes the negative impact from the disposition of business of approximately 0.2% as well as the benefit from foreign currency translation of 0.4%.
Revenue growth in LabCorp Diagnostics of 0.5% to 2.5% over 2019 revenue of $7.00 billion, which includes the negative impact from PAMA of approximately 1.3% as well as the benefit from one additional revenue day of 0.4% and foreign currency translation of 0.1%.
Revenue growth in Covance Drug Development of 7.0% to 9.5% over 2019 revenue of $4.58 billion, which includes the negative impact from the disposition of business of approximately 0.5% as well as the benefit from foreign currency translation of 0.7%.
Adjusted EPS of $11.75 to $12.15, an increase of 3.8% to 7.3% over 2019 adjusted EPS of $11.32.
Free cash flow (operating cash flow less capital expenditures) of $950 million to $1.05 billion, compared to $1.04 billion in 2019.
Use of Adjusted Measures
The Company has provided in this press release and accompanying tables "adjusted" financial information that has not been prepared in accordance with GAAP, including adjusted net income, adjusted EPS (or adjusted net income per share), adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, free cash flow, and certain segment information. The Company believes these adjusted measures are useful to investors as a supplement to, but not as a substitute for, GAAP measures, in evaluating the Company’s operational performance. The Company further believes that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures provide an additional tool for investors in evaluating operating results and trends, and growth and shareholder returns, as well as in comparing the Company’s financial results with the financial results of other companies. However, the Company notes that these adjusted measures may be different from and not directly comparable to the measures presented by other companies. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP measures and an identification of the components that comprise "special items" used for certain adjusted financial information are included in the tables accompanying this press release.
The Company today is providing an investor relations presentation with additional information on its business and operations, which is available in the investor relations section of the Company’s website at View Source." target="_blank" title="View Source." rel="nofollow">View Source Analysts and investors are directed to the website to review this supplemental information.
A conference call discussing LabCorp’s quarterly results will be held today at 9:00 a.m. EST and is available by dialing 844-634-1444 (615-247-0253 for international callers). The access code is 8663007. A telephone replay of the call will be available through Feb. 27, 2020, and can be heard by dialing 855-859-2056 (404-537-3406 for international callers). The access code for the replay is 8663007. A live online broadcast of LabCorp’s quarterly conference call on Feb. 13, 2020, will be available at View Source or at View Source beginning at 9:00 a.m. EST. This webcast will be archived and accessible through Jan. 29, 2021.