Finally, our remarks today will include references to Non-GAAP financials, including net income and diluted earnings per share, which are financial measures that are not defined under generally accepted accounting principles. Investors should review the reconciliation of these Non-GAAP measures to the comparable GAAP results contained in our earnings release. We have also posted a supplemental earnings presentation in the investor relations section of our website for your reference. Total company revenue in the second quarter was approximately $651 million, essentially flat as reported and down 1.9% on a currency-neutral basis compared with the prior year.

Sequentially, revenue was up 10%, reflecting improved performance as our teams overcame challenging end market dynamics in the first quarter. Clinical diagnostics returned to modest currency-neutral growth, led by quality controls in our blood typing portfolio. Excluding process chromatography, life science revenue was approximately flat on a currency-neutral basis, representing an improvement in the segment's underlying trend. In the academic and government market, demand remains below historical levels, particularly in Americas.

NIH funding outlays have begun to increase year-over-year, but purchasing activity typically lags funding. As a reminder, our current niche position in the polishing step of bioprocessing contributes to revenue concentration from a select number of commercial therapeutics and vaccines. Asia Pacific, excluding China, grew 6% on a currency-neutral basis, with growth across most major product areas. China, which represents approximately 6% of Bio-Rad's total revenue, declined in the high teens, reflecting the timing of quality control orders and softer demand for life science instruments.

What went well
  • Revenue of approximately $651 million rose 10% sequentially, reflecting meaningful progress after a challenging first quarter, even as it was essentially flat as reported year over year.
  • Clinical Diagnostics returned to modest currency-neutral growth (reported +2.6% to $399 million), led by quality controls and the blood typing portfolio.
  • Digital PCR was a standout, growing 6% currency-neutral with instrument revenue up more than 20% on competitive wins and qPCR conversions; the Stilla Technologies acquisition, now one year in, is accretive to growth and delivering margins ahead of expectations.
  • Regional bright spots included Asia Pacific ex-China up 6% currency-neutral and a return to growth in EMEA, with Middle East revenue up 7% and roughly $3 million of channel-partner inventory replenishment.
  • Non-GAAP operating margin improved to 12.5% from just 6.6% in the first quarter, and the company announced a restructuring targeting $30-$35 million of net annualized savings (after reinvestment) by the end of 2027.
  • Agentic AI is delivering tangible productivity gains, with one product-development team completing 12 months of software work in six weeks and another building cloud functionality in about a month.
What went wrong
  • Total currency-neutral revenue declined 1.9% year over year, dragged by the Life Science segment, where sales fell 5.1% currency-neutral to $252 million on continued academic-research softness and a tough process chromatography comparison.
  • China, roughly 6% of revenue, declined in the high teens on quality-control order timing and softer life science instrument demand.
  • Non-GAAP operating margin of 12.5% was down from 13.6% a year earlier, pressured by a mix shift toward lower-margin instruments and elevated freight and logistics costs tied to Middle East conflict.
  • Process chromatography (under 5% of revenue) declined year over year as expected and will remain a modest drag on third-quarter growth given a tough prior-year comparison.
  • Digital PCR consumables pull-through has not yet reached the level management ultimately expects, with consumables down slightly year over year.
  • The restructuring carries roughly $90 million of one-time costs with minimal savings realized in 2026, and management is taking a measured view of the second half given academic, China, and Middle East uncertainties.

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodCurrent guidance
Full-year currency-neutral revenue growthFY2026-3% to +0.5% (reaffirmed)
Life Science currency-neutral growthFY2026-3% to -1%
Clinical Diagnostics currency-neutral growthFY2026-3% to +1%
Non-GAAP gross marginFY202653%-54% (reaffirmed)
Non-GAAP operating marginFY202610%-12% (reaffirmed)
Free cash flowFY2026~$290M-$340M (reaffirmed)
Restructuring savingsBy end 2027$30M-$35M net annualized savings (after reinvestment), ~$90M one-time cost, ~40-50 bps of 2027 operating margin expansion

Performance Breakdown

MetricYoYNote
Total net sales $651M (flat reported; -1.9% CN) Life Science weakness on academic softness offset modest Clinical Diagnostics growth; revenue rose 10% sequentially.
Clinical Diagnostics +2.6% reported (+0.3% CN) to $399M Led by quality controls and blood typing; Americas growth offset by Asia Pacific declines and China order timing.
Life Science -4.1% reported (-5.1% CN) to $252M Ongoing academic-research market challenges and a tough process chromatography comparison; excluding process chromatography, roughly flat currency-neutral.
Digital PCR +6% CN (instruments +20%+) QX700 competitive wins and qPCR conversions supported by a broad assay menu and Stilla integration; consumables pull-through still building.
GAAP operating income $72.6M (11.2% margin) Down from $77.1M a year ago; GAAP gross margin 53.1% vs 53.0%.
Non-GAAP operating margin 12.5% (down from 13.6%) Instrument mix and elevated logistics costs; up sharply from 6.6% in Q1 on favorable manufacturing absorption.
Non-GAAP diluted EPS $2.62 (vs $2.61) Non-GAAP net income of $70.2 million, excluding the change in the equity value of the Sartorius stake.
GAAP diluted EPS $13.85 (vs $11.67) GAAP net income of $371.4 million was heavily inflated by the mark-to-market gain on the Sartorius AG shareholding, not underlying operations.

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

TopicPrevious mentionCurrent periodTrend
Portfolio transformation and restructuring2024 portfolio review; 2025 rationalization and prior restructuringAnnounced the next phase of reshaping organizational structure, workforce, and footprint to reallocate resources toward innovation and growth; targets $30-$35 million net savings by end of 2027, framed as more than a cost program.
Digital PCR and StillaRecently acquired StillaOne year post-close, the expanded portfolio has accelerated growth and beaten margin expectations; management sees near-term mid-single-digit ddPCR growth building toward high single digits as consumables pull-through develops.
Academic and biopharma end-market recoveryDepressed demandNIH funding outlays are beginning to rise year over year (though purchasing lags), and biopharma is showing early stabilization among later-stage and commercial customers; management wants a more sustained pattern before calling a durable recovery.
China strategySoft marketDown high teens on order timing and life science softness; in-China, for-China manufacturing is now operational, enabling participation in a broader range of local-content tenders.
Sartorius stakeValuable optionalityView unchanged: a valuable, monetizable asset at the right time and price, with the deferred tax liability already accrued on the balance sheet.
Elliott Management engagementCEO Schwartz described active, constructive dialogue and broad alignment on improving execution, sharpening capital allocation, and closing the gap between Bio-Rad's value and its share price.
AI enablementEarly adoptionAgentic AI is accelerating analysis and development, cited as a lever for future efficiency and potential margin expansion beyond the announced restructuring.

Q&A Summary

Jack Meehan (Operon Research) asked whether the 20%+ digital PCR instrument growth included any one-time or stocking benefit.
Jon DiVincenzo said it was broad-based, driven by rapidly qualifying Bio-Rad's assay catalog onto the acquired Stilla platform ahead of schedule, motivating the commercial team to win share from qPCR across all geographies, including growth in both academic and biopharma segments despite a weak academic market.
Jack Meehan (Operon Research) asked how a Sartorius monetization would be treated for taxes and what structures could minimize leakage.
CFO Roop Lakkaraju said tax efficiency would depend on the specific monetizing event and be case-by-case, and noted Bio-Rad already accrues the tax effect of the Sartorius shares as a deferred tax liability on the balance sheet, so the P&L impact is already reflected even though cash taxes would still be owed.
Tycho Peterson (Jefferies) asked whether the restructuring's 40-50 bps of 2027 margin benefit is incremental to underlying margin expansion and where the leverage comes from.
Lakkaraju confirmed it is incremental, with the predominance of actions in OpEx areas plus some facility rationalization phased through 2027; DiVincenzo added Bio-Rad is pursuing product cost reductions above the gross-margin line and higher-margin new products, while managing mix and leveraging existing OpEx.
Dan Leonard (RBC) asked whether the $30-$35 million savings against a ~$90 million one-time cost (roughly a three-year payback) is conservative.
Lakkaraju said those are the projected numbers and stressed it is a net figure, because Bio-Rad is adding back certain capabilities needed to drive longer-term innovation and growth, which nets the gross savings down; the timeline runs to end-2027 largely due to facility-related actions.
Albert Hu (LightShed) asked about the process chromatography decline and confidence in returning to low-single-digit growth in 2027 and mid-to-high single digits long term.
Lakkaraju cited good visibility from clinical- and commercial-phase customers, acknowledged tough Q2/Q3 comparisons from last year's elevated orders, and expressed confidence in low-to-mid single-digit near-term growth building toward high single digits, while cautioning that Bio-Rad's niche polishing-step position drives quarter-to-quarter lumpiness.
Jack Meehan (Operon Research) asked about tariff dynamics and whether meaningful refunds or customer paybacks were expected.
Lakkaraju said Bio-Rad has applied for refunds and awaits the ongoing government appeals process before recognizing any benefit in the P&L, and confirmed the company did not charge customers a surcharge, so nothing is owed back to customers.

More on Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

Reported 2026-08-04 · figures from the Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Q2 2026 earnings call.

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