Fourth quarter 2013 IBO Lab Equipment/Consumables Sales Index revenues grew 3.7%, 4.9% excluding currency, to $4,474 million. Adjusted operating profit rose 10.0% to $809 million. Operating margin gained 90 basis points to 16.4% of sales. Full-year 2013 Index sales grew 1.7%, 2.8% excluding currency, to $16,759 million. Adjusted operating profit rose 2.3% to $2,956 million. Operating margin fell 10 basis points to 17.7% of sales.

For the fiscal fourth quarter ending November 30, 2013, Gerresheimer Life Science Research revenue fell 8.6%, 3.8% excluding currency, to €20.3 million ($27.5 million = €0.74 = $1) to account for 6% of sales (see page 12). Adjusted EBITA fell 23.2% to €2.6 million ($3.6 million). Fiscal 2013 sales dropped 12.9%, 6.9% organically, to €86.8 million ($114.2 million = €0.76 = $1) to account for 7%. Currency and the divestment of a Chinese subsidiary shrank growth by 2.0% and 4.0%, respectively. Slower research spending in the US hurt organic sales. Adjusted EBITA fell 8.5% to €9.7 million ($12.8 million) due to lower sales volume. Customer spending is expected to remain cautious in fiscal 2014.

Kewaunee Scientific revenues for the fiscal third quarter ending January 31 fell 5.2% to $26.0 million (see page 12). Backlog was higher at $69.8 million. Domestic sales rose 5.3% to make up 83% of revenues due to the delivery of several back orders. Excluding those, domestic lab construction projects were limited. International sales fell 36.2% to make up 17% of revenues due to a strong year-over-year comparison. However, orders were much higher due to winning bids in Asia and the Middle East. Gross profit margin fell 10 basis points to 18.1% of revenues. Operating income dropped 1.8% to $0.9 million. Fiscal fourth quarter financial results are expected to be similar to the last two quarters.

For the fiscal second quarter ending January 31, Pall’s BioPharmaceuticals sales grew 8.4%, roughly 8% organically, to $218.6 million to account for 32% of company sales (see page 12). Acquisitions contributed about 1% to revenue growth, while currency headwinds reduced growth by 0.7%. Higher placements of single-use systems, new products and strong demand in Europe and Asia drove organic consumables sales. Given the strong order rate, similar sales growth for the BioPharmaceuticals unit is expected to continue in fiscal 2014.

Sartorius Lab Products & Services (LPS) fourth quarter 2013 sales grew 2.9%, 7.0% excluding currency, to €68.3 million ($93.6 million = €0.73 = $1) to account for 30% of company revenues. The phaseout of certain noncore products lowered sales growth by roughly 3%. In local currency, sales to Europe, Asia/Pacific and Other Markets grew 9.7%, 3.0% and 38.0% to account for 54%, 28% and 4% of LPS revenue, respectively. North American sales fell 1.9% excluding currency to make up 13%. LPS adjusted EBITA fell 21.9% to €8.2 million ($11.2 million).

In 2013, Sartorius LPS sales fell 0.5% to €267.4 million ($356.5 million = €0.75 = $1) but gained 2.4% excluding currency to account for 30% of company revenues. The discontinued products lowered sales growth by 2%. Excluding those products and currency, orders were lower at €263.6 million ($351.5 million). Lab instruments, and consumables and service revenues made up 67% and 33% of sales, respectively. Discontinued products and weak demand in the first quarter 2013 reduced North American sales 4.3% excluding currency to make up 15% of LPS sales. In local currency, sales to Europe, Asia/Pacific and Other Markets grew 5.5%, 0.8% and 0.9% to account for 53%, 28% and 5%, respectively. LPS adjusted EBITA sank 16.3% to €30.9 million ($41.2 million). Excluding amortization, adjusted operating profit fell 14.0% to €27.7 million ($36.9 million) due to new products and currency. Including headwinds of 2% from discontinued products, 2014 LPS sales are projected to grow 1%–4% on a currency-neutral basis.

Fourth quarter 2013 Sigma-Aldrich Research sales grew 1.2%, 3.2% organically, to $347 million to account for 51% of sales. Currency and divested products lowered growth by 1.5% and 0.6%, respectively. Organic Research sales benefited from high single-digit sales growth to the pharmaceutical, biotech and CRO markets and mid-single-digit sales growth to dealer networks. Organic sales to academia and government were flat. Geographically, demand in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and Asia Pacific was strongest. Revenue for the Applied business rose 6.8%, 6.2% excluding currency, to $156 million, to make up 23% of sales. Diagnostic and Testing sales grew in the high single digits organically, including high double-digit growth in Asia Pacific and strong demand in the Americas and the EMEA. Demand in the Americas drove low to mid-single-digit sales growth for the Industrial segment.

Full-year 2013 Sigma-Aldrich Research sales grew 0.3%, 1.9% organically, to $1.40 billion to account for 52% of sales. Acquisitions and divested products slowed growth by 1.4% and 0.3%, respectively. New partnerships and demand in emerging markets raised dealer-network organic sales by mid-single digits to account for 25% of sales. Organic sales to pharmaceutical, biotech and CRO markets grew in the low to mid-single digits to account for 25%. Despite a low single-digit sales drop due to US sequestration, organic academic, government and hospital sales were flat to account for 50%. Organic Research sales to the EMEA and Asia Pacific rose. Full-year 2013 Applied sales grew 5.2%, 4.7% excluding currency, to $629 million, to make up 23%. Organic sales for Diagnostic and Testing grew in the high single digits, and Industrial sales grew in the low single digits to each account for 50% of Applied sales. For 2014, Applied and Research sales are expected respectively to grow in the mid-single digits and low to mid-single digits organically.

Fiscal second quarter sales ending December 31, 2013, for Techne’s Biotechnology segment grew 1.3%, 0.4% excluding currency, to $70.6 million to account for 84% of company revenues. New products contributed 1.0% to revenue growth. Within the US, sales to industrial, pharmaceutical and biotech customers grew 2.6% to make up 29% of segment revenue. US academic sales declined 4.6% to account for 12%. Total US sales made up 53% of Biotechnology revenues. Excluding currency, segment sales to Pacific Rim distributors (excluding China) and China grew 7.5% and 31.7% to make up 10% and 6%, respectively. European sales contracted 2.0% excluding currency to represent 29%. Biotechnology gross margin expanded 100 basis points to 76.5% of sales, but operating profit slipped 0.7% to $36.6 million.

Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Laboratory Products and Services (LPS) organic sales grew 8.2% to $1.64 billion to account for 47% of fourth quarter 2013 company sales. Strong demand for clinical trials, logistics services and lab products was partially offset by weak US academic and government sales. Segment revenue benefited from timing of previously delayed orders. LPS adjusted operating profit grew 8.7% to $236.4 million, and adjusted operating profit margin gained 10 basis points to 14.4% of sales. Full-year 2013 LPS revenue rose 4.9%, 4.4% organically, to $6,350.5 million to make up 49% of company sales. Acquisitions added 0.6% to sales growth, while currency lowered growth by 0.1%. LPS adjusted operating income advanced 5.6% to $918.0 million, and adjusted operating profit margin improved 10 basis points to 14.5% of sales. Full-year 2014 company sales are projected to grow 3%–4% organically, with LPS sales growing slightly lower than company average.

VWR fourth quarter 2013 revenues gained 1.5% to $1,059.3 million but shrank 0.9% organically. Acquisitions and currency elevated revenue growth by 1.1% and 1.2%, respectively. These factors also boosted gross margins, which rallied 130 basis points to 28.8% of sales. Restructuring activities raised adjusted operating profit 16.3% to $85.1 million. Sales for the Europe segment grew 3.3% organically to represent 45% of revenues. Excluding sales to government, which fell in the mid-single digits, European sales grew in the low to mid-single digits across all customer segments. Europe adjusted operating income increased 13.8% to $56.8 million. For the Americas, sales fell 3.9% organically to account for 53% of revenues, including a low double-digit sales decline for microelectronics and a high single-digit decline for government. This drop was partially offset by higher demand from health care and academic markets. Americas operating income grew 15.7% to $29.5 million. Science Education sales fell 3.1% organically to make up 2%, but operating loss narrowed 45.5% to $1.2 million.

For 2013, VWR revenues rose 1.4% to $ 3,128.5 million but fell 1.8% organically. Acquisitions and currency contributed 2.5% and 0.7% to growth, respectively. Consumables sales grew in the low single digits to account for 77%. Capital goods sales were flat, making up 20%. Service revenue accounted for 3%. By end-market, biopharmaceutical, education and government sales made up 40%, 16% and 6% of revenues, respectively. Industrial and other markets represented 38%. Overall, US sales fell 1.9% to account for 50% of revenues. International sales grew 4.9%. Gross profit margin gained 30 basis points to 28.6% of sales due to acquisitions and currency. Adjusted operating profit grew 4.4% to $285.1 million.

Full-year 2013 sales for VWR’s Americas segment fell 2.8% organically to account for 56% of revenues, as sales of consumables declined in the low single digits. Lower sales volume reduced adjusted Americas operating income 10.6% to $111.1 million. Organic sales for Europe rose 1.3% to 42% of revenues. Segment sales gained from higher consumables sales and increased demand from pharmaceutical, biotech and industrial markets. Sales of capital goods fell in the low single digits. Higher sales volume, product mix and acquisitions raised Europe operating profit 20.0% to $177.0 million. Weak demand and a divested retail product line reduced sales for the Science Education segment by 16.6% to make up 2% of sales. Cost reductions caused segment operating loss to narrow 44.8% to $1.6 million.