BURLINGTON, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LabCorp  (NYSE: LH) today announced results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020.

“LabCorp remains committed to fighting the pandemic through innovations in testing and clinical trials aimed at discovering treatments and vaccines. This combined with the dedication from our employees, advances our goal of improving health and improving lives. We delivered strong results in the quarter, with growth across both our Diagnostics and Drug Development businesses,” said Adam H. Schechter, chairman and CEO, LabCorp. “Our base business continued to improve as people returned to routine medical care and treatments, and clinical trial studies resumed. I want to thank our more than 70,000 employees around the world for all of their hard work and dedication.”

Consolidated Results

Third Quarter Results

Revenue for the quarter was $3.90 billion, an increase of 33.0% over $2.93 billion in the third quarter of 2019. The increase in revenue was due to organic growth of 31.5%, acquisitions of 1.0%, and favorable foreign currency translation of 0.5%. The 31.5% increase in organic revenue includes the 32.6% contribution from COVID-19 Testing, partially offset by the (1.1%) reduction in the Company's organic Base Business due to the pandemic. "Base Business" includes the Company's business operations except for PCR and antibody COVID-19 testing ("COVID-19 Testing"). The decline in organic Base Business also includes the lower Medicare and Medicaid pricing as a result of PAMA of (0.7%).

Operating income for the quarter was $1,047.1 million, or 26.9% of revenue, compared to $339.9 million, or 11.6%, in the third quarter of 2019. The increase in operating income and margin was primarily due to COVID-19 Testing and LaunchPad savings, partially offset by the reduction in the Base Business (including ($20.0) million from PAMA) as well as higher personnel costs (primarily driven by merit increases). The Company recorded amortization, restructuring charges, and special items, which together totaled $108.7 million in the quarter, compared to $90.6 million during the same period in 2019. Adjusted operating income (excluding amortization, restructuring charges, and special items) for the quarter was $1,155.8 million, or 29.7% of revenue, compared to $430.5 million, or 14.7%, in the third quarter of 2019.

Net earnings for the quarter were $703.4 million, compared to $220.7 million in the third quarter of 2019. Diluted EPS were $7.17 in the quarter, up from $2.25 during the same period in 2019. Net earnings in the quarter were impacted by the reversal of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Provider Relief Funds that the Company received in the second quarter of 2020, which reduced net earnings and diluted EPS by ($40.7) million and ($0.42) per share, respectively. Adjusted EPS (excluding amortization, restructuring charges, and special items) were $8.41 in the quarter, up from $2.90 in the third quarter of 2019.

Operating cash flow for the quarter was $786.2 million, compared to $455.6 million in the third quarter of 2019. The increase in operating cash flow was due to higher cash earnings, partially offset by higher working capital. For the third quarter of 2020, operating cash flow benefited from income and payroll tax deferrals, but was negatively impacted by the increase in COVID-19 Testing related supplies and accounts receivable. In addition, operating cash flow for the third quarter of 2020 included the $76.2 million in CARES Act Provider Relief Funds, which the Company will be returning. Capital expenditures totaled $77.2 million, down from $92.6 million a year ago, and included the additional expenditures associated with the increase in COVID-19 Testing capacity. As a result, free cash flow (operating cash flow less capital expenditures) was $709.0 million, up from $363.0 million in the third quarter of 2019.

At the end of the quarter, the Company’s cash balance and total debt were $667.2 million and $5.8 billion, respectively. During the quarter, the Company invested $203.8 million on acquisitions and paid down $412.2 million of debt.

Year-To-Date ResultsRevenue was $9.49 billion, an increase of 10.3% over $8.60 billion in the first nine months of 2019. The increase in revenue was due to organic growth of 8.3%, acquisitions of 2.1%, and favorable foreign currency translation of 0.1%, partially offset by the disposition of a business of (0.2%). The 8.3% increase in organic revenue includes the 16.4% contribution from COVID-19 Testing, partially offset by the (8.1%) reduction in the Company's organic Base Business due to the pandemic. The decline in organic Base Business includes the negative impact from PAMA of (0.6%).

Operating income was $1.15 billion, or 12.1% of revenue, compared to $0.99 billion, or 11.6%, in the first nine months of 2019. The increase in operating income and margin was primarily due to COVID-19 Testing and LaunchPad savings, partially offset by the negative impact from the pandemic (including the impairments to goodwill and other assets), higher personnel costs (primarily driven by merit increases as well as one additional payroll day), and ($53.8) million from PAMA. The Company recorded amortization, restructuring charges, special items, and impairments, which together totaled $750.2 million in the first nine months of 2020, compared to $295.0 million during the same period in 2019. This increase includes the $437.4 million of COVID-19 related impairments on goodwill and other assets that the Company recorded in the first quarter of 2020. In addition, the Company recorded $42.7 million of other COVID-19 related costs. Adjusted operating income (excluding amortization, restructuring charges, special items, and impairments) for the first nine months of 2020 was $1.90 billion, or 20.0% of revenue, compared to $1.29 billion, or 15.0%, in the first nine months of 2019. The $613.6 million increase in adjusted operating income and 500 basis point increase in adjusted operating margin were primarily due to the increase in COVID-19 Testing and LaunchPad savings, partially offset by the reduction in the Base Business (due to the pandemic) and higher personnel costs.

Net earnings in the first nine months of 2020 were $617.8 million, or $6.31 per diluted share, compared to $596.7 million, or $6.04 per diluted share, in the same period in 2019. Adjusted EPS (excluding amortization, restructuring charges, special items, and impairments) were $13.36, an increase of 57.9% over $8.46 in the first nine months of 2019.

Operating cash flow was $1,360.7 million, compared to $874.9 million in the first nine months of 2019. The increase in operating cash flow was due to higher cash earnings, partially offset by higher working capital. For the first nine months of 2020, operating cash flow benefited from income and payroll tax deferrals, but was negatively impacted by the increase in COVID-19 Testing related supplies and accounts receivable. In addition, operating cash flow for the first nine months of 2020 included the $132.1 million in CARES Act Provider Relief Funds, which the Company will be returning. Capital expenditures totaled $282.3 million, compared to $272.0 million during the same period in 2019. This increase was driven by $29.1 million of additional expenditures associated with the increase in COVID-19 Testing capacity. As a result, free cash flow (operating cash flow less capital expenditures) was $1,078.4 million, up from $602.9 million in the first nine months of 2019.

Third Quarter Segment Results

The following segment results exclude amortization, restructuring charges, special items, and unallocated corporate expenses.

LabCorp DiagnosticsRevenue for the quarter was $2.70 billion, an increase of 53.7% over $1.76 billion in the third quarter of 2019. The increase in revenue was due to organic growth of 52.3% and acquisitions of 1.4%. The 52.3% increase in organic revenue was due to a 54.2% contribution from COVID-19 Testing, partially offset by a (1.9%) decline of the organic Base Business, which includes the negative impact from PAMA of (1.1%).

Total volume (measured by requisitions) increased by 21.8% as organic volume increased by 20.0% and acquisition volume contributed 1.8%. The organic volume growth includes increased demand for COVID-19 Testing of 28.8%, partially offset by a (8.9%) reduction in the Base Business due to the pandemic. Price / mix increased by 31.9% primarily due to COVID-19 Testing of 25.4% and organic Base Business of 7.0%, which includes the negative impact from PAMA of (1.1%).

Adjusted operating income for the quarter was $1,003.9 million, or 37.1% of revenue, compared to $296.3 million, or 16.8%, in the third quarter of 2019. The $707.6 million increase in adjusted operating income and 2,030 basis point increase in adjusted operating margin were primarily due to the increase in COVID-19 Testing and LaunchPad savings, partially offset by the negative impact from PAMA of ($20.0) million. The Company remains on track to deliver approximately $200 million of net savings from its three-year Diagnostics LaunchPad initiative by the end of 2021.

Covance Drug DevelopmentRevenue for the quarter was $1.24 billion, an increase of 5.7% over $1.18 billion in the third quarter of 2019. The increase in revenue was due to organic growth of 3.8%, acquisitions of 0.5%, and favorable foreign currency translation of 1.4%. The increase in organic revenue was due to COVID-19 Testing through its Central Laboratories business. Excluding COVID-19 Testing, organic revenue was flat compared to the third quarter of 2019. The drug development business continues to recover; however, the pandemic continues to cause delays in clinical trial progression and reductions in investigator site access, as well as interruptions to the supply chain impacting the laboratory-specific parts of its business.

Adjusted operating income for the quarter was $209.7 million, or 16.9% of revenue, compared to $175.0 million, or 14.9%, in the third quarter of 2019. The $34.7 million increase in adjusted operating income and 200 basis point increase in adjusted operating margin were primarily due to COVID-19 Testing and LaunchPad savings, partially offset by higher personnel costs. The Company remains on track to deliver approximately $150 million of net savings from its three-year Drug Development LaunchPad initiative by the end of 2020.

Net orders and net book-to-bill during the trailing twelve months were $6.13 billion and 1.31, respectively. Backlog at the end of the quarter was $12.46 billion compared to $11.79 billion last quarter, and the Company expects approximately $4.2 billion of its backlog to convert into revenue in the next twelve months.

Outlook for 2020

Given the continued unpredictability pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are a wide-range of potential financial outcomes. As a result, the Company continues to not provide 2020 guidance.

Use of Adjusted MeasuresThe Company has provided in this press release and accompanying tables “adjusted” financial information that has not been prepared in accordance with GAAP, including adjusted net income, adjusted EPS (or adjusted net income per share), adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, free cash flow, and certain segment information. The Company believes these adjusted measures are useful to investors as a supplement to, but not as a substitute for, GAAP measures, in evaluating the Company’s operational performance. The Company further believes that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures provides an additional tool for investors in evaluating operating results and trends, and growth and shareholder returns, as well as in comparing the Company’s financial results with the financial results of other companies. However, the Company notes that these adjusted measures may be different from and not directly comparable to the measures presented by other companies. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP measures are included in the tables accompanying this press release.

The Company today is providing an investor relations presentation with additional information on its business and operations, which is available in the investor relations section of the Company's website at http://www.LabCorp.com. Analysts and investors are directed to the website to review this supplemental information.

About LabCorp

LabCorp (NYSE: LH), an S&P 500 company, is a leading global life sciences company that is deeply integrated in guiding patient care, providing comprehensive clinical laboratory and end-to-end drug development services. With a mission to improve health and improve lives, LabCorp delivers world-class diagnostics solutions, brings innovative medicines to patients faster, and uses technology to improve the delivery of care. LabCorp reported revenue of more than $11.5 billion in 2019. To learn more about LabCorp, visit www.LabCorp.com, and to learn more about LabCorp’s drug development business, Covance, visit www.Covance.com.