Company Announcements

Danaher’s second-quarter sales (see IBO 7/31/12) for its Environmental segment’s water quality businesses grew in mid-single digits, led by North American municipal markets, partially offset by lower demand in China and flat European demand. Within the Life Sciences & Diagnostics segment, sales for existing life sciences businesses grew in the low single digits due to demand for microscopy products, which rose in China and emerging markets, but was lower in Europe. MS sales grew modestly, as applied and clinical research market sales increased but pharmaceutical and academic research market sales declined.

QIAGEN sales in the second quarter grew 8.9% to $307.2 million (see IBO 8/15/12), with acquisitions adding 9% growth and currency negatively impacting results by 5%. At constant exchange rates (CER), consumables and related revenues increased 12% and Instrument sales rose 28%. Molecular Diagnostics, Applied Testing, Pharma and Academia sales grew 22%, 28%, 8% and 1% CER to account for 48%, 8%, 20% and 25% of sales, respectively. Sales in Asia-Pacific/Japan, Europe/Middle East/Africa and the Americas grew 20%, 18% and 7% CER to make up 18%, 35% and 46% of sales, respectively. In May, the company acquired AmniSure International, which makes the AmniSure assay for the detection of the premature leak of amniotic fluid. It is expected to add $12 million to 2012 sales. QIAGEN raised its full-year sales growth forecast from 6%–8% CER to 8%–9% CER. Third-quarter sales are expected to increase 9%–10% CER.

Hitachi High-Technologies’ fiscal first-quarter Science & Medical Systems sales rose 39.8% to ¥35.5 billion ($443.3 million) (see IBO 7/31/12). Sales of Electron Microscopes and Clinical Analyzers grew 23.6% and 91.7% to make up 19% and 58% of segment sales, respectively. Analytical Instruments and “Biotechnology Products, Other” sales fell 17.2% and 8.2% to make up 7% and 16%, respectively.

Mettler-Toledo’s second-quarter Lab sales grew 8% in local currency to $251 million, led by the Process Analytics segment and mid-teens growth in China. Due to the macroeconomic environment, the company announced a series of cost controls, including the exit of certain product lines, the transfer of functions to lower-cost countries, workforce reductions and the rationalization of certain operations. The initiatives are expected to take two years to complete, with a total restructuring charge of $20–$25 million. Operating costs are expected to decline 40% annually.

Roche Applied Science’s second-quarter sales rose 3.7% CER to €363 million ($465 million). Genomics sales (sequencing and microarrays) fell 18%. Custom Biotech and qPCR & Nucleic Acid Purification sales rose 9% and 2%, respectively. Sales in North America and Europe/Middle East/Africa declined 6% and 5% to account for 38% and 37% of sales, respectively. Rest of World sales grew 5%. In addition to the divestment of all NimbleGen microarray products except those for sequence capture (see IBO 6/15/12), the division plans to streamline its Cellular Analysis portfolio, align R&D to support early innovation and reorganize marketing.