First quarter revenues for the IBO Lab Equipment/Consumables Index grew 1.3%, 2.2% excluding currency, to $4,186 million. Adjusted operating profit advanced 5.1% to $766 million. Based on continuing operations, operating margin for the Index expanded 60 basis points to 16.7% of sales.

For the fiscal first quarter ending February 28, sales for Gerresheimer Life Science Research segment fell 5.9%, 2.4% excluding currency, to €20.3 million ($27.8 million = €0.73 = $1) accounting for 7% of company sales. Sales declined due to lower US research spending and inventory destocking by pharmaceutical customers toward the end of 2013. Segment sales grew in the first two months of this year. Adjusted operating income fell 0.5% to €2.1 million ($2.9 million) due to strict cost-savings measures.

Kewaunee Scientific fiscal fourth quarter sales ending April 30 shrank 14.9% to $27.1 million (see page 12). Domestic sales fell at the same rate to account for 78% of sales as the company expands its dealer network. International sales fell 15.1% to make up 22%, mainly due to a change in the shipment date of a large order. Gross margin dropped 30 basis points to 21.6% of sales, and operating profit slumped 27.1% to $1.5 million. For the fiscal year, sales fell 5.1% to $111.2 million. Domestic sales slipped 1.9% to account for 83% of revenues due to pricing pressure, lackluster project demand and a focus on selling through its own dealer association. International sales fell 17.7% to make up 17% of sales due to the timing of a large order. Total order backlog improved 11.0% to $89.0 million due to higher international orders. Full-year gross margin rose 80 basis points to 19.8% of revenues. Operating income grew 13.0% to $6.0 million due to lower operating expenses and higher gross margins.

Fiscal third quarter sales ending April 30 for Pall BioPharmaceuticals (BP) grew 13.2%, about 6% organically, to $235.7 million to account for 35% of company sales. Acquisitions and currency contributed approximately 7% and 1% to revenue growth, respectively. Segment orders expanded near double digits organically, led by strong demand for single-use products.

First quarter sales for Sartorius Lab Products & Services (LPS) fell 7.3%, or 4.7% excluding currency, to €63.7 million ($87.3 million = €0.73 = $1) to account for 29% of company sales. The drop was primarily due to phasing out certain noncore products. Excluding currency, sales in Europe, North America and Other Markets fell 6.9%, 14.2% and 2.8% to account for 54%, 14% and 5% of LPS revenue, respectively. Asia/Pacific sales gained 4.9% excluding currency to make up 28%. Segment orders grew 5.4% on a currency-neutral basis to €65.3 million ($89.5 million). LPS adjusted EBITA fell 38.4% to €5.6 million ($7.7 million) due to currency and lower sales volume. The company maintained its 2014 LPS currency-neutral revenue- growth outlook of 1%–4%.

Sigma-Aldrich first quarter Research sales fell 0.6% to $359 million to account for 52% of company revenues. Excluding divestments and currency headwinds, organic Research sales grew just under 1% and would have increased 2% without weather-related issues in the US. Strong demand in Latin America, the UK and Germany drove Organic Research sales, which were moderated by weak US academic funding. Within Asia Pacific, strong demand in China was mostly offset by lower sales in India. Overall, Research sales to academic, government and hospital markets were flat, pharmaceutical sales fell slightly, and dealer-network sales grew in the low single digits. On a stand-alone basis, academic sales fell, accounting for 15% of Research sales.

First quarter revenue for Sigma’s Applied business climbed 7.5%, 6.9% excluding currency, to $171 million, making up 25% of revenues. Organic sales increased for both Diagnostic and Testing, and Industrial segments, including growth across all geographies, especially in Europe and Asia Pacific. Diagnostic and Testing segment revenue grew in the high single digits, including double-digit sales growth for standards and certified reference materials, as well as good demand for analytical chemistry products and stable isotopes. Industrial segment sales grew about 5%. The company reaffirmed its full-year organic sales outlook, which included low- to mid-single-digit growth for the Research business and mid-single-digit growth for the Applied business.

Fiscal third quarter revenues ending March 31 for Techne’s Biotechnology segment grew 6.4%, 5.1% excluding currency, to $80.1 million to account for 84% of sales. Within the US, combined sales to industrial, pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers grew 4.2% to comprise 29% of segment revenue. Academic sales fell 11.7% to make up 10%. Total US sales accounted for 52% of Biotechnology revenues. Excluding currency, segment sales to Europe, Pacific Rim distributors (excluding China) and China grew 7.7%, 12.0% and 2.0% to make up 28%, 10% and 7%, respectively. Segment sales to Rest of World represented 3%. Biotechnology gross margin slipped 20 basis points to 77.3% of sales. However, operating profit advanced 3.1% to $44.6 million.

First quarter sales for Thermo Fisher Scientific Laboratory Products and Services (LPS) gained 2.2%, 2.1% organically, to $1,590.5 million to account for 41% of company sales. Currency added 0.2% to revenue growth but was mostly offset by divested research sera and media products (see IBO 1/15/14). Similar to the previous quarter, demand for clinic trials logistics services was strong, while US academic and government sales were weak. LPS adjusted operating profit grew 1.4% to $234.0 million. However, adjusted operating profit margin slipped 10 basis points to 14.7% of sales because of currency and increased investments. Thermo’s 2014 outlook was unchanged as total company organic sales are projected to grow 3%–4% to $16.8–$17.0 billion.

VWR first quarter sales grew 3.2%, 0.7% organically, to $1,056.6 million. Acquisitions and currency added 1.5% and 0.9% to revenue growth, respectively. Gross profit margin gained 60 basis points to 29.6% of revenues due to increased sales volume and product mix. Operating profit grew 21.3% to $77.0 million due to currency, acquisitions and improved gross margins. As of the beginning of the year, the company reorganized its operations into two reporting segments; the Americas (North, Central and South America) and EMEA-APAC (Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific).

VWR first quarter sales for the Americas segment declined 2.7% organically to make up 54% of revenues, primarily due to severe weather conditions in the US. Excluding weather-related issues, Americas sales were slightly lower, including flat US sales. From a customer perspective, within the Americas segment, combined sales to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and industrial customers were unchanged, while sales to education and government markets declined in the high single digits. Consumables segment sales were flat, and sales of capital goods fell in the high single digits. Americas operating income rose 17.5%, 13.5% organically, to $29.6 million due to initiatives completed in 2013. EMEA-APAC segment sales climbed 5.2% organically to represent 46% of revenues, including mid-single-digit organic growth across all customer groups. From a product perspective, consumables and capital goods organic sales each grew at a similar pace. EMEA-APAC sales of private-label product grew double digits. Segment operating profit rose 23.8%, 18.5% organically, to $47.4 million due to higher sales volume.