Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) Reports First Quarter 2022 Financial Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) reported first quarter 2022 sales of $691 million, marking a 13% increase year-over-year and a 16% rise in constant currency. Instrument sales surged 26% in constant currency, driven by strong performance across key product lines. The company achieved a GAAP EPS of $2.62 and a non-GAAP EPS of $2.80, reflecting a 22% increase compared to the previous year. Waters raised its 2022 guidance for sales growth to 7.5% to 9% and non-GAAP EPS to $11.90 to $12.10 amid positive customer feedback for new product launches.

Positive

• Sales increased by 13% YoY to $691 million and 16% in constant currency.
• Instrument sales grew by 26% in constant currency.
• GAAP EPS increased to $2.62, and non-GAAP EPS rose to $2.80, a 22% increase.
• Full-year 2022 sales growth guidance raised to 7.5% to 9%.

Negative

• Currency translation expected to reduce full-year sales growth by approximately three percentage points.
• Second quarter 2022 sales growth guidance lowered by four percentage points due to currency translation.

Highlights

• Sales of $691 million grew 13% as reported and 16% in constant currency
• Transformation on track with strong commercial momentum, operational performance, and innovation
• Instrument sales grew 26% in constant currency, with strong growth across LC, MS and TA product lines
• All end-markets grew, with pharmaceutical and industrial both up high-teens
• Broad-based sales growth across all geographies, led by U.S. which grew 28% and China grew 17% in constant currency
• GAAP EPS of $2.62; non-GAAP EPS of $2.80, a 22% increase from prior year

MILFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) today announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2022.

“Our teams continue to deliver excellent results despite the challenging environment. This was a record first quarter for Waters’ sales, led by instruments which grew 26% in constant currency, while our recurring revenues grew 9% in constant currency, reflecting continued demand across our geographies and end-markets,” said Dr. Udit Batra, President and Chief Executive Officer of Waters Corporation. “Our non-GAAP operating income margin expanded by 170 basis points, demonstrating our team’s continued operational excellence and relentless focus on delivering innovative products to our customers.”

Dr. Batra continued, “Our portfolio rejuvenation is focused on large and small molecules, with Arc^TM HPLC, ACQUITY^TM Premier, and MaxPeak^TM Premier columns all providing a strong contribution to growth in the quarter. Customer response to the launches of our new mass spec products - SELECT SERIES^TM MRT, Xevo^TM TQ Absolute, and waters_connect^TM has been extremely positive as well.”

First Quarter 2022

Sales for the quarter were $691 million, an increase of 13% as reported and 16% in constant currency, compared to sales of $609 million for the first quarter of 2021.

On a GAAP basis, operating income margin for the first quarter of 2022 improved to 28.3% compared to 28.1% for the first quarter of 2021. On a non-GAAP basis, operating income margin improved to 30.3% compared to 28.6% for the first quarter of 2021.

On a GAAP basis, diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the first quarter of 2022 increased to $2.62, compared to $2.37 for the first quarter of 2021. On a non-GAAP basis, EPS increased to $2.80, compared to $2.29 for the first quarter of 2021. 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.

Other Highlights

During the first quarter of 2022, sales into the pharmaceutical market increased 15% as reported and 19% in constant currency, sales into the industrial market increased 14% as reported and 17% in constant currency and sales into the academic and government markets were flat as reported and increased 4% in constant currency.

Recurring revenues, which represent the combination of service and precision chemistries, increased 6% as reported and 9% in constant currency, while instrument system sales increased 24% as reported and 26% in constant currency.

Geographically, sales in Asia during the quarter increased 11% as reported and 14% in constant currency, sales in the Americas increased 26% (with U.S. sales growing 28%), and sales in Europe increased 3% as reported and 9% in constant currency. Sales in China increased 18% as reported and 17% in constant currency.

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.

Full-Year and Second Quarter 2022 Financial Guidance

The Company is raising its full-year 2022 guidance, and now expects constant currency sales growth in the range of 7.5% to 9%. Currency translation is expected to decrease full-year sales growth by approximately three percentage points. The Company is also raising its full-year 2022 non-GAAP EPS guidance to the range of $11.90 to $12.10. 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 2022 constant currency sales growth in the range of 6% to 8%. Currency translation is expected to decrease second quarter sales growth by approximately four percentage points. The Company expects second quarter 2022 non-GAAP EPS in the range of $2.55 to $2.65. 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 2022 financial results conference call today, May 3, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. To listen to the call and see the accompanying slide presentation, please visit www.waters.com, select “Investors” under the “About Waters” section, navigate to “Events & Presentations,” and click on the “Webcast.” A replay will be available through at least May 17, 2022 at midnight Eastern Time on the same website by webcast and also by phone at (866) 363-1809.

About Waters Corporation

Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT), a global leader in analytical instruments and software, has pioneered chromatography, mass spectrometry and thermal analysis innovations serving the life, materials and food sciences for more than 60 years. With more than 7,800 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 and distribution network, 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, including delays or disruptions to our distribution network, 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, including any potential impact on the Company’s operations stemming from sustained inflation, 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, 2021, 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.

Arc, ACQUITY, MaxPeak, SELECT SERIES, Xevo, and waters_connect are trademarks of Waters Corporation.

Waters Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
		Three Months Ended
		April 2, 2022				April 3, 2021
Net sales		$	690,572			$	608,545
Costs and operating expenses:
Cost of sales			285,685				254,147
Selling and administrative expenses			157,475				143,196
Research and development expenses			40,472				38,092
Purchased intangibles amortization			1,673				1,840
Acquired in-process research and development			9,797				-
Operating income			195,470				171,270
Other income, net (a)			170				9,359
Interest expense, net			(8,945	)			(6,845	)
Income from operations before income taxes			186,695				173,784
Provision for income taxes			26,864				25,657
Net income		$	159,831			$	148,127
Net income per basic common share		$	2.64			$	2.38
Weighted-average number of basic common shares			60,580				62,260
Net income per diluted common share		$	2.62			$	2.37
Weighted-average number of diluted common shares and equivalents			60,952				62,632

(a) During the three months ended April 3, 2021, the Company recorded an unrealized gain of $10 million due to an observable change in the fair value of an existing investment the Company does not have the ability to exercise significant influence over.

Waters Corporation and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of GAAP to Adjusted Non-GAAP
Net Sales by Operating Segments, Products & Services, Geography and Markets
Three Months Ended April 2, 2022 and April 3, 2021
(In thousands)
											Current
											Period				Constant
		Three Months Ended						Percent			Currency				Currency
		April 2, 2022			April 3, 2021			Change			Impact				Growth Rate (a)
NET SALES - OPERATING SEGMENTS
Waters		$	613,156		$	541,878		13	%		$	(15,856	)		16	%
TA			77,416			66,667		16	%			(1,581	)		18	%
Total		$	690,572		$	608,545		13	%		$	(17,437	)		16	%
NET SALES - PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Instruments		$	325,222		$	263,048		24	%		$	(6,288	)		26	%
Service			239,732			226,523		6	%			(8,163	)		9	%
Chemistry			125,618			118,974		6	%			(2,986	)		8	%
Total Recurring			365,350			345,497		6	%			(11,149	)		9	%
Total		$	690,572		$	608,545		13	%		$	(17,437	)		16	%
NET SALES - GEOGRAPHY
Asia		$	254,334		$	229,542		11	%		$	(7,571	)		14	%
Americas			248,837			197,357		26	%			(1	)		26	%
Europe			187,401			181,646		3	%			(9,865	)		9	%
Total		$	690,572		$	608,545		13	%		$	(17,437	)		16	%
NET SALES - MARKETS
Pharmaceutical		$	415,772		$	360,148		15	%		$	(11,158	)		19	%
Industrial			209,397			183,273		14	%			(4,153	)		17	%
Academic & Government			65,403			65,124		-				(2,126	)		4	%
Total		$	690,572		$	608,545		13	%		$	(17,437	)		16	%
NET SALES - EXCLUDING CHINA
Total Net Sales		$	690,572		$	608,545		13	%		$	(17,437	)		16	%
China Net Sales			121,032			102,919		18	%			850			17	%
Total Net Sales Excluding China		$	569,540		$	505,626		13	%		$	(18,287	)		16	%

(a)		The Company believes that referring to comparable constant currency growth rates is a useful way to evaluate the underlying performance of Waters Corporation's net sales. Constant currency growth rate, a non-GAAP financial measure, measures the change in net sales between current and prior year periods, ignoring the impact of foreign currency exchange rates during the current period. See description of non-GAAP financial measures contained in this release.

Waters Corporation and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of GAAP to Adjusted Non-GAAP Financials
Three Months Ended April 2, 2022 and April 3, 2021
(In thousands, except per share data)
							Acquired														Income from
							IPR&D and														Operations
			Selling &				Research &						Operating				Other				before				Provision for								Diluted
			Administrative				Development				Operating		Income				Income				Income				Income				Net				Earnings
			Expenses(a)				Expenses				Income		Percentage				(Expense)				Taxes				Taxes				Income				per Share
Three Months Ended April 2, 2022
GAAP		$	159,148			$	50,269			$	195,470		28.3	%		$	170			$	186,695			$	26,864			$	159,831			$	2.62
Adjustments:
Purchased intangibles amortization (b)			(1,673	)			-				1,673		0.2	%			-				1,673				383				1,290				0.02
Acquired in-process research and development(c)			-				(9,797	)			9,797		1.4	%			-				9,797				2,351				7,446				0.12
Restructuring costs and certain other items (d)			(2,375	)			-				2,375		0.3	%			(416	)			1,959				461				1,498				0.02
Certain income tax items (e)			-				-				-		-				-				-				(488	)			488				0.01
Adjusted Non-GAAP		$	155,100			$	40,472			$	209,315		30.3	%		$	(246	)		$	200,124			$	29,571			$	170,553			$	2.80
Three Months Ended April 3, 2021
GAAP		$	145,036			$	38,092			$	171,270		28.1	%		$	9,359			$	173,784			$	25,657			$	148,127			$	2.37
Adjustments:
Purchased intangibles amortization (b)			(1,840	)			-				1,840		0.3	%			-				1,840				414				1,426				0.02
Restructuring costs and certain other items (d)			(870	)			-				870		0.1	%			(9,707	)			(8,837	)			(2,120	)			(6,717	)			(0.11	)
Certain income tax items (e)			-				-				-		-				-				-				(550	)			550				0.01
Adjusted Non-GAAP		$	142,326			$	38,092			$	173,980		28.6	%		$	(348	)		$	166,787			$	23,401			$	143,386			$	2.29

(a)		Selling & administrative expenses include purchased intangibles amortization, litigation provisions and settlements and asset impairments.
(b)		The purchased intangibles amortization, a non-cash expense, was excluded to be consistent with how management evaluates the performance of its core business against historical operating results and the operating results of competitors over periods of time.
(c)		Acquired in-process research and development was excluded as it relates to the cost of a licensing arrangement for charge detection mass spectrometry that the Company believes is unusual and not indicative of its normal business operations.
(d)		Restructuring costs, mergers and acquisition costs and certain other items were excluded as the Company believes that the cost to consolidate operations, reduce overhead, acquire companies and certain other income or expense items are not normal and do not represent future ongoing business expenses of a specific function or geographic location of the Company.
(e)		Certain income tax items were excluded as these non-cash expenses and benefits represent updates in management's assessment of ongoing examinations or other tax items that are not indicative of the Company’s normal or future income tax expense.

Waters Corporation and Subsidiaries
Preliminary Condensed Unclassified Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands and unaudited)
		April 2, 2022			December 31, 2021
Cash, cash equivalents and investments		$	503,095		$	569,285
Accounts receivable			607,262			612,648
Inventories			381,902			356,095
Property, plant and equipment, net			547,199			547,913
Intangible assets, net			236,408			242,401
Goodwill			435,807			437,865
Other assets			329,596			328,725
Total assets		$	3,041,269		$	3,094,932
Notes payable and debt		$	1,444,122		$	1,513,870
Other liabilities			1,222,210			1,213,508
Total liabilities			2,666,332			2,727,378
Total stockholders' equity			374,937			367,554
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity		$	3,041,269		$	3,094,932

Waters Corporation and Subsidiaries
Preliminary Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Three Months Ended April 2, 2022 and April 3, 2021
(In thousands and unaudited)
		Three Months Ended
		April 2, 2022				April 3, 2021
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income		$	159,831			$	148,127
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Stock-based compensation			10,933				8,305
Depreciation and amortization			32,664				31,356
Change in operating assets and liabilities and other, net			(5,468	)			30,616
Net cash provided by operating activities			197,960				218,404
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to property, plant, equipment and software capitalization			(27,751	)			(39,503	)
Proceeds from sale of equity investment			6,785				-
Payments for intellectual property licenses			(4,897	)			-
Net change in investments			44,855				(119,501	)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			18,992				(159,004	)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in debt			(70,000	)			346,363
Proceeds from stock plans			12,832				16,295
Purchases of treasury shares			(170,136	)			(173,305	)
Other cash flow from financing activities, net			(107	)			(578	)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			(227,411	)			188,775
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			(10,705	)			(1,087	)
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			(21,164	)			247,088
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			501,234				436,695
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		$	480,070			$	683,783
Reconciliation of GAAP Cash Flows from Operating Activities to Free Cash Flow (a)
Net cash provided by operating activities - GAAP		$	197,960			$	218,404
Adjustments:
Additions to property, plant, equipment and software capitalization			(27,751	)			(39,503	)
Litigation settlements paid, net			(584	)			-
Major facility renovations			5,927				14,490
Free Cash Flow - Adjusted Non-GAAP		$	175,552			$	193,391

(a) The Company defines free cash flow as net cash flow from operations accounted for under GAAP less capital expenditures and software capitalizations plus or minus any unusual and non recurring items. Free cash flow is not a GAAP measurement and may not be comparable to free cash flow reported by other companies.

Waters Corporation and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of Projected GAAP to Adjusted Non-GAAP Financial Outlook
		Three Months Ended								Twelve Months Ended
		July 2, 2022								December 31, 2022
		Range								Range
Projected Sales
Projected constant currency sales growth rate (a)		6.0%			-		8.0%			7.5%			-		9.0%
Projected currency impact		(4.0%)			-		(4.0%)			(3.0%)			-		(3.0%)
Projected sales growth rate as reported		2.0%			-		4.0%			4.5%			-		6.0%
Projected Earnings Per Diluted Share		Range								Range
Projected GAAP earnings per diluted share		$	2.52		-		$	2.62		$	11.68		-		$	11.88
Adjustments:
Purchased intangibles amortization		$	0.02		-		$	0.02		$	0.08		-		$	0.08
Acquired in-process research and development		$	-				$	-		$	0.12				$	0.12
Certain income tax items		$	0.01		-		$	0.01		$	0.02		-		$	0.02
Projected adjusted non-GAAP earnings per diluted share		$	2.55		-		$	2.65		$	11.90		-		$	12.10

(a) Constant currency growth rates are a non-GAAP financial measure that measures the change in net sales between current and prior year periods, ignoring the impact of foreign currency exchange rates during the current period. These amounts are estimated at the current foreign currency exchange rates and based on the forecasted geographical sales in local currency, as well as an assessment of market conditions as of today, and may differ significantly from actual results.
These forward-looking adjustment estimates do not reflect future gains and charges that are inherently difficult to predict and estimate due to their unknown timing, effect and/or significance.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220502005753/en/

Caspar Tudor, Director, Investor Relations – (508) 482-2429

Source: Waters Corporation

FAQ

What were Waters Corporation's first quarter 2022 sales figures?

Waters Corporation reported first quarter 2022 sales of $691 million, a 13% increase year-over-year.

How much did the GAAP EPS increase for Waters in Q1 2022?

The GAAP EPS for Waters Corporation increased to $2.62 in Q1 2022.

What is the sales growth guidance for Waters for the full year 2022?

Waters raised its full-year 2022 sales growth guidance to between 7.5% and 9%.

What is the non-GAAP EPS guidance for Waters Corporation for Q2 2022?

The non-GAAP EPS guidance for Waters Corporation for Q2 2022 is projected to be between $2.55 and $2.65.

How did Waters Corporation's instrument sales perform in Q1 2022?

Instrument sales grew by 26% in constant currency during the first quarter of 2022.