For the second quarter, revenues for IBO’s Lab Equipment/Consumables Index grew 4.1%, 4.0% excluding currency, to $4,278 million. Operating profit for the Index rose 7.6% to $794 million. Based on continuing operations, operating margin gained 50 basis points to 16.5% of sales. Second quarter sales benefited from delayed orders in the first quarter due to weather conditions in the US and higher demand from pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers. For the first half of the year, Index sales grew 3.1% organically, and operating profits rose 6.0%.

For the fiscal second quarter ending May 31, revenue for Gerresheimer’s Life Science Research segment declined 2.6% to €21.8 million ($30.1 million = €0.73 = $1) to account for 6% of company sales. However, excluding currency, segment sales improved 2.8% to represent the first positive organic sales growth for the segment since the fiscal third quarter 2012. Adjusted EBITA expanded 2.9% to €2.7 million ($3.7 million) as a result of higher margins.

Kewaunee Scientific fiscal first quarter sales ending July 31 fell 4.6% to $30.5 million due to a strong year over-year comparison. Domestic sales dropped 10.4% to account for 79% of revenues as a result of competitive pricing and slowdown in laboratory-construction projects. International sales climbed 27.5% to make up 21% of revenues, led by demand in India and the Middle East. While back orders declined 7.1% to $82.7 million, the company noted increased bidding opportunities. Gross margin slipped 40 basis points to 20.1% of sales as a result of lower manufacturing volume. Operating profit fell 27.1% to $1.8 million due to increased sales and marketing investments, as the company opened its first facility in China (see IBO 8/15/14). Fiscal second quarter and 2015 sales are expected to improve, driven by continued strength in international markets and increased laboratory-project opportunities in the US.

For the fiscal fourth quarter ending July 31, Pall’s BioPharmaceuticals sales, which are comprised solely of consumables, grew 24.1%, 11.9% organically, to $267.1 million to account for 33% of revenues. Acquisitions and currency contributed 9.7% and 2.5% to revenue growth, respectively. Fiscal full-year BioPharmaceuticals sales grew 13.0%, 6.2% organically, to $917.5 million to account for 33% of company sales. Acquisitions and currency added 6.1% and 0.7% to sales growth, respectively. Sales were driven by demand for single-use technologies, new products and strength in Europe and Asia. Fiscal 2015 BioPharmaceuticals revenue is projected to grow in the mid- to high single digits organically.

In the second quarter, sales for Sartorius’s Lab Products & Services segment (LPS) shrank 2.9% to €64.8 million ($88.8 million = €0.73 = $1) to account for 27% of company sales. However, excluding currency and the phaseout of certain noncore products, which lowered segment growth by 2% and 3%, respectively, LPS sales grew about 2%. Rebounding from a sharp decline in the first quarter, North American sales rose 13.6% excluding currency to make up 17% of segment sales. European, Asia/Pacific and Other Markets sales declined 2.6%, 3.2% and 12.1% in local currency to account for 53%, 27% and 4% of LPS sales, respectively. Segment orders grew 2.0% excluding currency to €66.9 million ($91.6 million). LPS adjusted EBITDA fell 14.1% to €9.2 million ($12.6 million). In local currency, 2014 LPS sales are projected to grow at the low range of the previous guidance of 1%–4%, and full-year LPS EBITDA margin was cut 150 basis points to 15.0% of sales.

Second quarter sales for Sigma-Aldrich’s Research business grew 1.1% but were flat excluding currency at $357 million to account for 51% of company revenues. All sales figures below are organic. Dealer-network revenue grew in the low to mid-single digits. Pharmaceutical sales were flat, as strong sales to biotech customers were offset by weak demand from CRO markets in Asia. Sales to the academic, government and hospital markets declined in the low single digits. Geographically, sales rose 4% in the US, led by academic and pharmaceutical demand. Asia Pacific sales were flat, as high single-digit growth in China and higher sales in Southeast Asia were offset by declines in India, South Korea and Oceania. Research sales to EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) fell as a result of funding delays at the start of the quarter, especially in Southern Europe. However, demand from Northern and Eastern Europe was positive. The company reaffirmed its 2014 low single-digit organic-growth outlook for the Research business.

Revenue for Sigma-Aldrich’s Applied business rose 7.5%, 6.2% excluding currency, to $172 million to make up 25% of revenues. Unit sales were driven by double-digit growth in the Diagnostic and Testing segment due to demand from clinical-testing laboratories and diagnostics manufacturers, and higher sales of stable isotopes. The Diagnostics business was particularly strong in Asia Pacific, especially China, where sales rose 20%–30%, and Japan. Industrial sales grew in the low single digits, led by strong US sales of specialty polymers and demand for plant cell-culture–media materials to agbio customers. Double-digit sales growth of raw materials for manufacturing of DNA further contributed to segment growth. Applied sales increased across all geographies, with notable strength in Asia Pacific. The full-year sales outlook for the Applied business was unchanged, with projected growth in the mid-single digits.

For the fiscal fourth quarter ending June 30, revenue for Bio-Techne’s Biotechnology segment grew 4.0%, 1.3% organically, to $76.7 million to make up 83% of company sales. Currency and the acquisition of PrimeGene (see IBO 4/15/14) contributed 1.8% and 0.9% to segment growth, respectively. All figures below are organic. Within the US, combined sales to industrial, pharmaceutical and biotech customers grew 4%. However, US academic sales fell 8%. European sales declined 3%. Sales to Pacific Rim distributors (excluding China) and China grew 5% and 37%, respectively. Biotechnology gross margin declined 172 basis points to 75% of sales due to currency. Adjusted operating income slipped roughly 1% to $39.4 million due to sustained commercial and infrastructure investments.

For the fiscal year, Bio-Techne’s Biotechnology sales grew 4.3%, 2.9% organically, to $300.6 million to account for 84% of revenues. Currency and acquisitions added 1.2% and 0.2% to sales growth, respectively. Sales were driven by new products, which accounted for 1.2% of segment growth, as well as demand in China and from pharmaceutical and biotech customers in the US. Combined US sales to industrial, pharmaceutical and biotech customers grew 4% to make up 29% of segment revenue. US academic sales fell 9% to make up 12%. Total US sales accounted for 53% of Biotechnology revenues. Despite weak academic sales and continued consolidation at large pharmaceutical companies, European sales rose 1% to make up 28% of revenues. Sales to Pacific Rim distributors (excluding China) and China grew 10% and 25% to account for 9% and 6%, respectively. Sales to Rest of World made up 3%. Biotechnology gross margin slipped 10 basis points to 76.3% of sales. Adjusted operating profit advanced roughly 2% to $160.0 million.

Second quarter sales for Thermo Fisher Scientific Laboratory Products and Services (LPS) grew 6.5%, 5.8% organically, to $ 1,699.4 million to account for 39% of company revenues. Currency added 0.9% to sales growth, while divested research sera and media products (see IBO 1/15/14) lowered growth by 0.2%. Organic growth was driven by strong demand for clinical trial–logistics services, and higher sales of lab equipment and consumables to pharmaceutical and biotech markets. Segment adjusted operating income grew 8.0% to $257.7 million and, as a percentage of sales, advanced 20 basis points to 15.2% due to productivity improvements and higher sales volume. Total 2014 Thermo revenues were slightly revised to $16.86–$16.98 billion to include stronger-than-expected pharmaceutical and biotech sales and the Cole-Parmer divestment (see IBO 5/31/14).

VWR second quarter sales grew 5.1%, 1.8% organically, to $1,102.7 million. Acquisitions and currency each contributed 1.7% to revenue growth. Sales were driven by strong double-digit growth for private-label products, while branded-products sales increased modestly. Consumables sales grew in the mid-single digits. Equipment and instruments revenues grew in the low single digits. Service revenue increased in the double digits. By end-markets, combined sales to pharmaceutical, biotech, health care and industrial customers expanded in the mid-single digits, and sales to education markets grew in the low single digits. Government sales were slightly negative. Gross profit margin was unchanged at 28.2% of revenues. Adjusted operating profit climbed 13.8% to $63.6 million due to lower personnel-related expenses and completed restructuring activities.

Sales for VWR’s Americas segment grew 1.9%, 0.6% organically, to account for 56% of total revenues. Acquisitions added 2.0% to segment sales growth, while currency lowered growth by 0.7%. Consumables sales increased modestly, but sales of capital goods were flat to slightly lower. All customer markets grew in the low to mid-single digits, except government sales, which declined in the low single digits. Laboratory-related sales advanced 1.9% to account for roughly 75% of segment sales. Americas adjusted operating income expanded 11.9% to $33.8 million as a result of improved gross margins and lower SG&A expenses.

VWR EMEA-APAC (Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific) sales improved 9.4%, 3.4% organically, to make up 44% of revenues. Consumables sales grew in the high single digits, and capital goods sales grew in mid-single digits. Pharmaceutical, biotech, health care and industrial sales grew in upper single digits. Government and education sales advanced in the low single digits. Adjusted segment operating profit climbed 15.5% to $39.5 million.