As the Q3 earnings season wraps, let’s dig into this quarter’s best and worst performers in the research tools & consumables industry, including Thermo Fisher (NYSE: TMO) and its peers.

The life sciences subsector specializing in research tools and consumables enables scientific discoveries across academia, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. These firms supply a wide range of essential laboratory products, ensuring a recurring revenue stream through repeat purchases and replenishment. Their business models benefit from strong customer loyalty, a diversified product portfolio, and exposure to both the research and clinical markets. However, challenges include high R&D investment to maintain technological leadership, pricing pressures from budget-conscious institutions, and vulnerability to fluctuations in research funding cycles. Looking ahead, this subsector stands to benefit from tailwinds such as growing demand for tools supporting emerging fields like synthetic biology and personalized medicine. There is also a rise in automation and AI-driven solutions in laboratories that could create new opportunities to sell tools and consumables. Nevertheless, headwinds exist. These companies tend to be at the mercy of supply chain disruptions and sensitivity to macroeconomic conditions that impact funding for research initiatives.

The 10 research tools & consumables stocks we track reported a mixed Q3. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.1% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 1.3% below.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady. On average, they are relatively unchanged since the latest earnings results.

Thermo Fisher (NYSE: TMO)

With over 14,000 sales personnel and a portfolio spanning more than 2,500 technology manufacturers, Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: TMO) provides scientific equipment, reagents, consumables, software, and laboratory services to pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, and healthcare customers worldwide.

Thermo Fisher reported revenues of $11.12 billion, up 4.9% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.9%. Overall, it was a strong quarter for the company with a decent beat of analysts’ revenue estimates and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

“Our team did an outstanding job and delivered excellent operational performance in the quarter, reflecting the strength of our proven growth strategy, the power of our PPI Business System, and the continued active management of our company,” said Marc N. Casper, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Interestingly, the stock is up 2.5% since reporting and currently trades at $572.

Is now the time to buy Thermo Fisher? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Best Q3: Sotera Health Company (NASDAQ: SHC)

With a critical role in ensuring the safety of millions of patients worldwide, Sotera Health (NASDAQGS:SHC) provides sterilization services, lab testing, and advisory services to ensure medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and food products are safe for use.

Sotera Health Company reported revenues of $311.3 million, up 9.1% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 2.6%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ full-year EPS guidance estimates.

The market seems content with the results as the stock is up 3.3% since reporting. It currently trades at $17.17.

Is now the time to buy Sotera Health Company? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Weakest Q3: Avantor (NYSE: AVTR)

With roots dating back to 1904 and embedded in virtually every stage of scientific research and production, Avantor (NYSE: AVTR) provides mission-critical products, materials, and services to customers in biopharma, healthcare, education, and advanced technology industries.

Avantor reported revenues of $1.62 billion, down 5.3% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 1.4%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a slight miss of analysts’ revenue estimates and a miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.

Avantor delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 24.5% since the results and currently trades at $11.39.

Read our full analysis of Avantor’s results here.

Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT)

Founded in 1958 and pioneering innovations in laboratory analysis for over six decades, Waters (NYSE: WAT) develops and manufactures analytical instruments, software, and consumables for liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis used in scientific research and quality testing.

Waters Corporation reported revenues of $799.9 million, up 8% year on year. This number surpassed analysts’ expectations by 2.4%. More broadly, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also produced an impressive beat of analysts’ organic revenue estimates but a miss of analysts’ EPS guidance for next quarter estimates.

The stock is up 10% since reporting and currently trades at $380.13.

Read our full, actionable report on Waters Corporation here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Mettler-Toledo (NYSE: MTD)

With roots dating back to the precision balance innovations of Swiss engineer Erhard Mettler, Mettler-Toledo (NYSE: MTD) manufactures precision weighing instruments, analytical equipment, and product inspection systems used in laboratories, industrial settings, and food retail.

Mettler-Toledo reported revenues of $1.03 billion, up 7.9% year on year. This result topped analysts’ expectations by 3.2%. Aside from that, it was a mixed quarter as it also logged a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates but revenue guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations significantly.

Mettler-Toledo delivered the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The stock is down 2.6% since reporting and currently trades at $1,402.

Read our full, actionable report on Mettler-Toledo here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Market Update

Thanks to the Fed’s series of rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has cooled significantly from its post-pandemic highs, drawing closer to the 2% goal. This disinflation has occurred without severely impacting economic growth, suggesting the success of a soft landing. The stock market thrived in 2024, spurred by recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November), and a notable surge followed Donald Trump’s presidential election win in November, propelling indices to historic highs. Nonetheless, the outlook for 2025 remains clouded by potential trade policy changes and corporate tax discussions, which could impact business confidence and growth. The path forward holds both optimism and caution as new policies take shape.

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