Research Tools & Consumables Stocks Q4 Recap: Benchmarking Bruker (NASDAQ:BRKR)
March 12, 2025
Wrapping up Q4 earnings, we look at the numbers and key takeaways for the research tools & consumables stocks, including Bruker (NASDAQ:BRKR) and its peers.
The life sciences subsector specializing in research tools and consumables enables scientific discoveries across academia, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. These firms supply a wide range of essential laboratory products, ensuring a recurring revenue stream through repeat purchases and replenishment. Their business models benefit from strong customer loyalty, a diversified product portfolio, and exposure to both the research and clinical markets. However, challenges include high R&D investment to maintain technological leadership, pricing pressures from budget-conscious institutions, and vulnerability to fluctuations in research funding cycles. Looking ahead, this subsector stands to benefit from tailwinds such as growing demand for tools supporting emerging fields like synthetic biology and personalized medicine. There is also a rise in automation and AI-driven solutions in laboratories that could create new opportunities to sell tools and consumables. Nevertheless, headwinds exist. These companies tend to be at the mercy of supply chain disruptions and sensitivity to macroeconomic conditions that impact funding for research initiatives.
The 10 research tools & consumables stocks we track reported a mixed Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.3% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.
Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 12.6% since the latest earnings results.
Bruker (NASDAQ:BRKR)
Founded in 1960, Bruker (NASDAQ:BRKR) designs and manufactures high-performance scientific instruments and analytical solutions for molecular and material research, diagnostics, and industrial applications.
Bruker reported revenues of $979.6 million, up 14.6% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.4%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a mixed quarter for the company with a solid beat of analysts’ organic revenue estimates but full-year revenue guidance missing analysts’ expectations.
Frank H. Laukien, Bruker’s President and CEO, commented: “The year 2024 was transformational for Bruker. We completed several strategic acquisitions to access very large addressable markets with strong secular tailwinds. In the process, we added key spatial biology, molecular diagnostics and lab automation platforms to our portfolio. For the fourth year in a row, Bruker has delivered well above-market organic and double-digit CER revenue growth. With approximately 70% cumulative revenue growth in the last four years, we have now achieved significant scale.”
Bruker scored the fastest revenue growth but had the weakest full-year guidance update of the whole group. Still, the market seems discontent with the results. The stock is down 18.8% since reporting and currently trades at $45.71.
Founded in 1976, Bio-Techne (NASDAQ:TECH) develops and manufactures reagents, instruments, and services for life science research, diagnostics, and biopharmaceutical production.
Bio-Techne reported revenues of $297 million, up 9% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 4.2%. The business had an exceptional quarter with an impressive beat of analysts’ organic revenue estimates and a decent beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
Bio-Techne pulled off the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. Although it had a fine quarter compared to its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 18.8% since reporting. It currently trades at $59.
Founded in 1904, Avantor (NYSE:AVTR) provides products and services to customers in the life sciences, advanced technologies, and applied materials industries.
Avantor reported revenues of $1.69 billion, down 2.1% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 1.6%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.
Avantor delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates in the group. As expected, the stock is down 21.9% since the results and currently trades at $16.93.
Started as a real estate investment trust, Danaher (NYSE:DHR) designs and manufactures professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services.
Danaher reported revenues of $6.54 billion, up 2.1% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 1.6%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also recorded an impressive beat of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.
The stock is down 17.3% since reporting and currently trades at $205.11.
A 1999 spin-off of Hewlett-Packard, Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) offers analytical instruments, software, and services for laboratories in healthcare, environmental sciences, and food safety.
Agilent reported revenues of $1.68 billion, up 1.4% year on year. This result topped analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. However, it was a slower quarter as it failed to impress in some other areas of the business.
The stock is down 9.2% since reporting and currently trades at $121.99.
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