Labcorp Holdings Inc. (LH) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Access earnings results, analyst expectations, report, slides, earnings call, and transcript.
Overview
The earnings call reveals mixed sentiments. While revenue growth and EPS guidance are positive, there are concerns about unfavorable currency impacts, conservative guidance, and risks in 2026. The Q&A section highlights some uncertainties and management's avoidance of specific details, which tempers optimism. The absence of a market cap limits the ability to predict strong movements, leading to a neutral sentiment.
Key Financial Performance
Enterprise Revenue Growth Over 7% year-over-year growth in 2025. Driven by strong performance in Diagnostics and Central Labs.
Adjusted EPS 13% year-over-year growth in 2025. Reflects strong operational performance and cost management.
Margins Improved by over 50 basis points year-over-year in 2025. Attributed to strong performance in Diagnostics and Central Labs.
Free Cash Flow $1.2 billion in 2025, a 10% year-over-year increase. Driven by operational efficiencies and strong revenue growth.
Q4 Enterprise Revenue $3.5 billion, a 5.6% year-over-year increase. Driven by organic growth (3.8%), acquisitions (1.2%), and foreign currency translation (0.6%).
Q4 Adjusted Operating Income $488 million, 13.9% of revenue, compared to $423 million (12.7% of revenue) last year. Increase driven by organic growth in Diagnostics and Central Labs.
Q4 Adjusted EPS $4.07, an 18% year-over-year increase. Reflects strong operational performance.
Q4 Free Cash Flow $490 million, compared to $665 million last year. Decrease due to working capital timing.
Diagnostics Revenue (Q4) $2.7 billion, a 5.5% year-over-year increase. Organic growth contributed 4.1%, acquisitions 1.5%, and price/mix 3.3%.
Diagnostics Adjusted Operating Income (Q4) $419 million, 15.4% of revenue, compared to $360 million (13.9% of revenue) last year. Increase driven by organic growth, including Invitae.
Biopharma Laboratory Services Revenue (Q4) $793 million, a 3.4% year-over-year increase. Central Labs revenue grew 11.1%, while Early Development revenue declined 13.5%.
Biopharma Laboratory Services Adjusted Operating Income (Q4) $136 million, 17.2% of revenue, compared to $131 million (17% of revenue) last year. Increase due to Central Labs revenue growth.
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Operating Highlights
New Tests Launched: In 2025, Labcorp launched more than 130 new tests, focusing on strategic and high-growth areas such as oncology, women's health, neurology, and autoimmune disease.
Genetic Testing Expansion: Successfully integrated Invitae, expanding leadership in genetic testing solutions.
Specialty Tests: Added new specialty tests, including MRD testing for early-stage cancers and the first FDA-cleared blood test for Alzheimer's disease assessment in primary care.
Consumer Health: Labcorp OnDemand expanded to offer tests for over 200 biomarkers, including new tests for food allergies, micronutrients, and thyroid health.
Partnerships and Acquisitions: Signed or closed 13 deals with health systems and laboratories, contributing over $1 billion in revenue over three years. Acquired assets from Parkview Health, Community Health Systems, Incyte Diagnostics, and Empire City Laboratories.
Global Expansion: Announced a strategic investment to build a new 500,000+ square foot central laboratory facility to support growth and demand.
AI and Automation: Implemented AI and automation in pathology, cytology, and microbiology. Launched AI-powered solutions for appointment scheduling, results reporting, and test finding for physicians.
Operational Efficiencies: LaunchPad initiative delivered $100-$125 million in annual savings. Streamlined early development business, reducing annual revenue by $50 million but increasing operating income.
Specialty Testing Leadership: Advanced leadership in specialty testing, with double-digit growth in esoteric testing and increased utilization in clinical trials.
Central Laboratory Growth: Strong demand in central laboratory business, particularly in oncology, neurology, and cardiometabolic studies.
Strategic Facility Investment: Investing in a new central laboratory facility to enhance integrated customer experience and support long-term growth.
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Risk or Challenges
Global economic and market conditions: The company acknowledges that global economic and market conditions could impact its businesses, operating and financial results, cash flows, and financial condition. These factors are beyond the company's control.
Regulatory environment: The company mentions the delay of PAMA through December 31, 2026, but highlights the need for permanent reform. Advocacy for the RESULTS Act is ongoing, indicating potential regulatory challenges.
Early development revenue decline: Early development revenue declined by 13.5% in Q4 2025, and the company is focusing on streamlining this business, which will reduce annual revenue by $50 million. This indicates challenges in this segment.
Working capital timing: A decrease in free cash flow in Q4 2025 was attributed to working capital timing, which could pose financial management challenges.
Debt leverage: The company has a total debt of $5.6 billion and a debt leverage ratio of 2.3x gross debt to trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDA, which could impact financial flexibility.
Foreign currency translation: Foreign currency translation contributed to revenue changes, indicating exposure to currency fluctuations that could impact financial performance.
Capital expenditures: The company plans to invest approximately 4% of revenue in capital expenditures in 2026, including a new strategic facility. This could strain financial resources if not managed effectively.
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Guidance & Outlook
2026 Enterprise Revenue Growth: Expected to grow 4.7% to 6% compared to prior year, including a 40 basis points tailwind from foreign currency translation.
Diagnostics Revenue Growth: Projected to increase by 5% to 6% in 2026, primarily driven by organic growth.
Biopharma Laboratory Services (BLS) Revenue Growth: Anticipated to grow 3% to 5% versus prior year, with Central Labs expected to grow mid-single digits organically and early development revenue expected to remain relatively flat but improve throughout the year.
Enterprise Margins: Expected to improve across both Diagnostics and BLS segments in 2026, with BLS margins expanding more significantly due to strong Central Labs growth and operating efficiencies in early development.
Adjusted EPS: Guidance range of $17.65 to $18.25, implying a growth rate of approximately 9% at the midpoint.
Free Cash Flow: Projected to range between $1.24 billion and $1.36 billion, with seasonality expected to weight cash flow towards the second half of the year.
Capital Expenditures: Expected to be approximately 4% of revenue, reflecting investments in a new strategic facility to support long-term growth in central lab service operations.
LaunchPad Initiative Savings: Anticipated to deliver savings in line with the long-term target of $100 million to $125 million per year in 2026.
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Shareholder Return Plan
Dividends Paid: During the quarter, we paid out $59 million in dividends.
Capital Allocation Strategy: Dividends continue to be an important part of our capital allocation strategy.
Share Repurchase Program: We repurchased $225 million of stock during the quarter.
Share Repurchase Authorization: The company currently has approximately $800 million of share repurchase authorization.
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Key Q&A
Q:How are you thinking about the contributions from price and volume for 2026 guidance?
A:The 2026 guidance expects revenue growth at a midpoint of 5.4%, with Diagnostics revenue growing 5%-6%. Half of the organic growth is expected to come from volume and the other half from price/mix, similar to the current year.
Q:How should we think about contributions from Invitae this year?
A:The Invitae integration is complete, and its operations are fully integrated into the company. Revenue growth in specialty areas is expected to be 2-3x faster than the overall market, but Invitae will no longer be broken out specifically.
Q:Why was the fourth quarter organic volume lighter than normal?
A:The fourth quarter organic volume was impacted by lower referrals from a large consumer genetic client facing financial challenges and some weather-related issues. Adjusting for these, organic volume growth would have been over 2%, consistent with the full year.
Q:Where do you think you are being most conservative or facing the biggest risks in your 2026 guidance?
A:The 2026 guidance is considered strong, with revenue growth of 4.7%-6% and EPS growth of 9% at the midpoint. Risks include slightly higher or lower organic volumes, timing of M&A, and consolidation or divestment of $50 million in revenue in the early development business.
Q:Is there any change to the competitive landscape in the diagnostic business?
A:The diagnostic market remains strong, and the company expects to outperform market growth. Focus areas include hospital deals, specialty testing in women's health, oncology, neurology, and autoimmune diseases, and consumer testing through Labcorp OnDemand and other platforms.
Q:What are your thoughts on PAMA and its potential impact this year?
A:The company is pleased with the delay of PAMA and continues to advocate for the RESULTS Act as a permanent solution. They are prepared to submit data if required but believe the RESULTS Act is the right approach to achieve the government's objectives.
Q:What investments are being made in the central lab business within CapEx this year?
A:CapEx investment for 2026 is expected to be around 4% of revenue, focusing on refreshing lab infrastructure, technology, and expanding a new strategic site for the central lab business to support long-term growth.
Q:What is the outlook for the early development (ED) market in 2026?
A:The early development business is expected to be relatively flat in 2026, with improvements in the second half. The company is consolidating and divesting underperforming areas to improve utilization and margins.
Q:What is the revenue potential for new oncology tests in the next 12-24 months?
A:The company has launched new precision oncology tests, including MRD testing for various cancers, and expects strong growth. They offer over 450 oncology tests, which drive additional testing needs for patients.
Q:What is the impact of ACA tax credits expiration and weather on 2026 guidance?
A:The expiration of ACA tax credits is estimated to reduce diagnostic volume by 30 basis points, and the impact of severe weather in January has been factored into the guidance. The company expects earnings to be evenly distributed across the year.
Q:What is the deal pipeline for the Diagnostics segment?
A:The deal pipeline remains robust, with strong interest from hospitals and local laboratories. The company is focused on partnerships to address financial pressures in the healthcare system and expects continued growth in this area.
Q:What is the long-term growth profile and margin potential for the consumer-driven market?
A:The consumer-driven market, including Labcorp OnDemand, Ovia Health, and genetic testing, shows strong growth. The company expects to break out revenue in this area as it reaches critical mass.
Q:What is the outlook for early development revenue and margins in 2026?
A:Early development revenue is expected to be relatively flat, with improvements in the second half. Actions to consolidate and divest underperforming areas are expected to improve margins, with BLS segment margins expanding more than Diagnostics.
Q:What is the performance of esoteric testing in the fourth quarter?
A:Esoteric testing accounted for 41.5% of total testing revenue in Q4, up from 37.5% in Q1. Growth in esoteric testing outpaced routine testing, driven by investments in specialty testing and hospital partnerships.
Q:What is the durability of growth in the consumer-driven market?
A:The consumer-driven market is expected to grow strongly, with a focus on specialty testing and consumer platforms like Labcorp OnDemand. The company is strategically prioritizing areas with strong growth potential and maintaining margins.
Q:Review of Unclear Management Responses
A:Management avoided providing specific details on the revenue or margin contributions of Invitae post-integration, the exact margin expansion expected for 2026, and the precise revenue impact of new oncology tests. Additionally, they did not break out revenue for the consumer-driven market or provide exact figures for early development revenue and margins.
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Earnings Word Cloud
The most frequently occurring keywords in this quarter's earning call
AI solution
AI test
Act Executive
BLS action
Chief Legal
Chief Officer
Connect trial
Construction state
Consumer Health
Corporate Secretary
Day Julia
Diagnostics Central
Diagnostics Chief
Diagnostics LaunchPad
Diagnostics line
Diagnostics majority
Diagnostics tax
Labcorp
OnDemand test
Stage
ability
addition
currency development
development enterprise
enterprise basis
facility
line term
momentum
pathology
point Diagnostics
program dividend
progress priority
repurchase program
saving line
service
specialty testing
tailwind currency
translation basis
LH Transcript
Labcorp Holdings Inc. (LH) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Unknown2-17
The earnings call reveals mixed sentiments. While revenue growth and EPS guidance are positive, there are concerns about unfavorable currency impacts, conservative guidance, and risks in 2026. The Q&A section highlights some uncertainties and management's avoidance of specific details, which tempers optimism. The absence of a market cap limits the ability to predict strong movements, leading to a neutral sentiment.
Labcorp Holdings Inc. (LH) Presents at 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference Transcript
Neutral1-13
Labcorp Holdings Inc. (LH) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Positive10-28
The earnings call highlights strong financial performance with increased revenue guidance across segments, margin improvements, and raised EPS guidance. The Q&A section reveals organic demand growth and strategic initiatives to offset potential risks like PAMA. Despite some uncertainties, the overall sentiment is positive, with raised guidance, margin expansion, and strong segment performance. The lack of specific guidance on some issues is outweighed by the positive financial outlook and strategic growth plans.
Labcorp Holdings Inc. (LH) Presents At Morgan Stanley 23rd Annual Global Healthcare Conference Transcript
Neutral9-9
LH Report
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