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PerkinElmer (PKI) to Post Q4 Earnings: What's in the Cards?

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PerkinElmer, Inc. is slated to release fourth-quarter 2020 results on Feb 2, after the closing bell. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered an earnings surprise of 47.2%. Further, its earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 40.2%.

Q4 Estimates

Currently, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter revenues is pegged at $1.22 billion, suggesting growth of 51.3% from the year-ago reported figure. The consensus mark for earnings stands at $3.60 per share, indicating a whopping improvement of 166.7% from the prior-year quarter.

Diagnostics Revenues: A Key Catalyst

PerkinElmer's Diagnostics segment is likely to have favored the to-be-reported quarter’s performance. Strength in immunodiagnostics and applied genomics business might get reflected in the segment’s fourth-quarter revenues.

Further, the continued rise in infectious and autoimmune diseases, especially in emerging markets, may have benefited the segment.

PerkinElmer, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

PerkinElmer, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

PerkinElmer, Inc. price-eps-surprise | PerkinElmer, Inc. Quote

In September 2020, the company launched the PerkinElmer Solus Listeria monocytogenes ELISA Assay, which will help high throughput food processors and contract labs focus on L. mono testing for food and environmental surface samples.

In November 2020, the company announced that its SARS-CoV-2 Real-time RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) Assay received CE-IVD marking for the utilization of saliva as specimen type and the choice to combine up to five specimens from suspected COVID-19 infected or asymptomatic individuals.

During the third quarter, the company’s EONIS screening assay got CE IVD approval, which tests for newborns for spinal muscular atrophy, SMA, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, SCID and X-linked a gamma global anemia, XLA, simultaneously, in 1 multiplex RT-PCR assay.

With respect to COVID-related new product launches and approvals, PerkinElmer received CE marking for a multi-analyte PCAM respiratory SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR panel for the direct identification of COVID-19 influenza A, influenza B and Respiratory Syncytial Virus, RSV, in a single test ahead of the upcoming flu season.

These developments are likely to have positively impacted the company’s Diagnostics segment in the fourth quarter. This, in turn, might get reflected in the company’s to-be-reported quarter’s results.

Other Factors to Note

PerkinElmer is likely to have witnessed solid international growth in the to-be-reported quarter. Improved momentum in Europe and consistent growth trend in the United States might have contributed to the fourth-quarter performance.

The company’s product pipeline looks solid with over 15 COVID-related products and above 20 non-COVID-related products launched to date.

Also, in September, the company introduced the DA 7350 instrument and Process Plus cloud-based software to provide continuous quality control for food and food ingredient manufacturing processes.

Hence, the positive impact of such developments is likely to get reflected in the fourth-quarter results.

Additionally, the company’s Discovery product portfolio may have witnessed strong demand courtesy of sustained robust performance by life sciences.

Productivity initiatives and volume leverage are likely to have contributed to the company’s fourth-quarter gross and operating margins. New product introductions might have improved product mix and thereby gross margin.

However, PerkinElmer’s exposure to the international markets increases the risk of foreign exchange volatility. In third-quarter 2020, revenues were impacted by foreign exchange headwind of 1%. Consequently, this is likely to be reflected in the fourth-quarter revenues.

Here’s What the Quantitative Model Suggests

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for PerkinElmer this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat.

Earnings ESP: PerkinElmer has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: PerkinElmer sports a Zacks Rank #1.

Stocks Worth a Look

Here are some medical stocks worth considering as these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter.

AmerisourceBergen Corporation has an Earnings ESP of +2.58% and a Zacks Rank of 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Haemonetics Corporation (HAE - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +4.80% and a Zacks Rank of 3.

Ecolab Inc. (ECL - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.08% and a Zacks Rank of 3.

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