Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) Reports First Quarter 2021 Financial Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) reported first quarter 2021 sales of $609 million, up 31% from $465 million in Q1 2020. EPS rose to $2.37 (GAAP) from $0.86 yoy. Net cash from operations reached $218 million, an increase from $152 million. Instrument sales grew 49%, with pharmaceutical sales up 32%. The company anticipates full-year 2021 constant-currency sales growth of 8% to 11% and non-GAAP EPS of $9.85 to $10.05. The Q1 earnings call is scheduled for May 5, 2021.

Positive

• Sales increased 31% to $609 million in Q1 2021.
• GAAP EPS rose to $2.37, up from $0.86 in Q1 2020.
• Net cash provided by operating activities was $218 million, an increase of 43%.
• Instrument system sales rose 49%, indicating strong demand.

Negative

• None.

Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) today announced first quarter 2021 sales of $609 million, a 31% increase as reported, compared to sales of $465 million for the first quarter of 2020. Foreign currency translation benefited sales growth by approximately 4% for the quarter.

On a GAAP basis, diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the first quarter of 2021 increased to $2.37, compared to $0.86 for the first quarter of 2020. On a non-GAAP basis, EPS increased to $2.29, compared to $1.15 for the first quarter of 2020. A description and reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP results appear in the tables below and can be found on the Company’s website www.waters.com in the Investor Relations section.

On a GAAP basis, net cash provided by operating activities was $218 million for the first quarter of 2021, compared to $152 million for the first quarter of 2020. On a non-GAAP basis, adjusted free cash flow for the first quarter of 2021 was $193 million versus $121 million for the first quarter of 2020.

“I remain grateful to our colleagues for their continued hard work and commitment, especially to those who are experiencing the devastating effects of the pandemic,” said Dr. Udit Batra, President and Chief Executive Officer of Waters Corporation. “There is much to be pleased about with our first quarter results, driven by strong growth across each of our major end markets, with pharma leading the way. Thanks to solid execution and instrument sales growing in double-digits, we saw revenue increases across every region, with China’s sales more than doubling. Our transformation plan is well underway, with commercial momentum and a strong leadership team in place, we now turn towards developing a new strategy as we work to more closely align our portfolio with higher growth areas of the market.”

Unless otherwise noted, sales growth and decline percentages are presented on an as-reported basis and are the same as the sales growth and decline percentages presented on a constant-currency basis as compared with the same period in the prior year, each of which is detailed in the reconciliation of sales growth rates to constant-currency growth rates in the tables below.

During the first quarter of 2021, sales into the pharmaceutical market increased 32% as reported and 28% in constant currency, sales into the industrial market increased 28% as reported and 24% in constant currency and sales into the academic and government markets increased 33% as reported and 29% in constant currency.

During the first quarter, recurring revenues, which represent the combination of service and precision chemistries revenues, increased 20% as reported and 15% in constant currency, while instrument system sales increased 49% as reported and 45% in constant currency.

Geographically, sales in Asia during the quarter increased 44% as reported and 41% in constant currency, sales in the Americas increased 15% as reported and 14% in constant currency (with U.S. sales growing 13%) and sales in Europe increased 36% as reported and 25% in constant currency.

Second Quarter and Fiscal Year 2021 Financial Outlook

The Company expects full-year 2021 constant-currency sales growth in the range of 8% to 11%. Currency translation is expected to increase full-year sales growth by one to two percentage points. The Company also expects full-year 2021 non-GAAP EPS in the range of $9.85 to $10.05. Please refer to the tables below for a reconciliation of the projected GAAP to non-GAAP financial outlook for the full-year.

The Company expects second quarter 2021 constant-currency sales growth in the range of 14% to 16%. Currency translation is expected to increase second quarter sales growth by approximately three percentage points. The Company also expects second quarter 2021 non-GAAP EPS in the range of $2.15 to $2.25. Please refer to the tables below for a reconciliation of the projected GAAP to non-GAAP financial outlook for the second quarter.

Conference Call

Waters Corporation will webcast its first quarter 2021 financial results conference call today, May 5, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. To listen to the call, please visit www.waters.com, select “Investors” under the “About Waters” section, and click on the “Live Webcast.” A replay will be available through May 12, 2021 at midnight Eastern Time on the same website by webcast and also by phone at 866-485-4163.

About Waters Corporation

Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT), the world's leading specialty measurement company, has pioneered chromatography, mass spectrometry and thermal analysis innovations serving the life, materials and food sciences for more than 60 years. With more than 7,400 employees worldwide, Waters operates directly in 35 countries, including 14 manufacturing facilities, and with products available in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit www.waters.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains financial measures, such as constant-currency growth rate, adjusted operating income, adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per diluted share and adjusted free cash flow, among others, which are considered “non-GAAP” financial measures under applicable U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered supplemental to, and not a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The Company’s definitions of these non-GAAP measures may differ from similarly titled measures used by others. The non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release adjust for specified items that can be highly variable or difficult to predict. The Company generally uses these non-GAAP financial measures to facilitate management’s financial and operational decision-making, including evaluation of the Company’s historical operating results, comparison to competitors’ operating results and determination of management incentive compensation. These non-GAAP financial measures reflect an additional way of viewing aspects of the Company’s operations that, when viewed with GAAP results and the reconciliations to corresponding GAAP financial measures, may provide a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting the Company’s business. Because non-GAAP financial measures exclude the effect of items that will increase or decrease the Company’s reported results of operations, management strongly encourages investors to review the Company’s consolidated financial statements and publicly filed reports in their entirety. Reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are included in the tables accompanying this release.

Cautionary Statement

This release contains “forward-looking” statements regarding future results and events. For this purpose, any statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words “feels”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “expects”, “intends”, “suggests”, “appears”, “estimates”, “projects” and similar expressions, whether in the negative or affirmative, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The Company’s actual future results may differ significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements within this release for a variety of reasons, including and without limitation, risks related to the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, including: portions of our global workforce being unable to work fully and/or effectively due to working remotely, illness, quarantines, government actions, facility closures or other reasons related to the pandemic, increased risks of cyber-attacks resulting from our temporary remote working model, disruptions in our manufacturing capabilities or to our supply chain, volatility and uncertainty in global capital markets limiting our ability to access capital, customers being unable to make timely payments for purchases and volatility in demand for our products; foreign exchange rate fluctuations potentially affecting translation of the Company’s future non-U.S. operating results; the impact on demand for the Company’s products among the Company’s various market sectors or geographies from economic, sovereign and political uncertainties, particularly regarding the effect of new or proposed tariff or trade regulations or changes in the interpretation or enforcement of existing regulations; the effect on the Company’s financial results from the United Kingdom exiting the European Union; fluctuations in expenditures by the Company’s customers, in particular large pharmaceutical companies; introduction of competing products by other companies and loss of market share; pressures on prices from competitors and/or customers; regulatory, economic and competitive obstacles to new product introductions; other changes in demand for the Company’s products from the effect of mergers and acquisitions by the Company’s customers; increased regulatory burdens as the Company’s business evolves, especially with respect to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, among others; shifts in taxable income in jurisdictions with different effective tax rates; the outcome of tax examinations or changes in respective country legislation affecting the Company’s effective tax rate; the effect of the adoption of new accounting standards; the ability to access capital, maintain liquidity and service the Company’s debt in volatile market conditions, particularly in the U.S., as a large portion of the Company’s cash is held and operating cash flows are generated outside the U.S.; environmental and logistical obstacles affecting the distribution of products and risks associated with lawsuits and other legal actions, particularly involving claims for infringement of patents and other intellectual property rights. Such factors and others are discussed more fully in the sections entitled “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” of the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which discussions are incorporated by reference in this release, as updated by the Company’s future filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements included in this release represent the Company’s estimates or views as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s estimates or views as of any date subsequent to the date of this release. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Waters Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
		Three Months Ended
		April 3, 2021				March 28, 2020
Net sales		$	608,545			$	464,939
Costs and operating expenses:
Cost of sales			254,147				210,644
Selling and administrative expenses			143,196				147,735
Research and development expenses			38,092				34,989
Purchased intangibles amortization			1,840				2,625
Litigation provision			-				666
Operating income			171,270				68,280
Other income (expense), net			9,359				(374	)
Interest expense, net			(6,845	)			(10,043	)
Income from operations before income taxes			173,784				57,863
Provision for income taxes			25,657				4,301
Net income		$	148,127			$	53,562
Net income per basic common share		$	2.38			$	0.86
Weighted-average number of basic common shares			62,260				62,232
Net income per diluted common share		$	2.37			$	0.86
Weighted-average number of diluted common shares and equivalents			62,632				62,626

Waters Corporation and Subsidiaries

FAQ

What were Waters Corporation's Q1 2021 sales figures?

Waters Corporation reported Q1 2021 sales of $609 million, a 31% increase compared to $465 million in Q1 2020.

What is the EPS for Waters Corporation in Q1 2021?

For Q1 2021, Waters Corporation reported a GAAP EPS of $2.37, up from $0.86 in Q1 2020.

How did Waters Corporation's sales perform in the pharmaceutical market in Q1 2021?

Sales into the pharmaceutical market increased by 32% in Q1 2021.

What is the full-year 2021 sales growth outlook for Waters Corporation?

Waters Corporation expects full-year 2021 constant-currency sales growth in the range of 8% to 11%.

When is the conference call for Waters Corporation's Q1 2021 financial results?

The conference call for Waters Corporation's Q1 2021 financial results is scheduled for May 5, 2021, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time.