Fiscal first quarter sales ending December 31, 2014, for Brooks Automation Life Science Systems (LSS) grew 36.8%, 7.3% excluding the acquisition of FluidX (see IBO 10/15/14), to $16.7 million (see page 12) to account for 14% of company sales. Product revenue grew 56.9%, 12.7% excluding the acquisition, to account for 77% of LSS revenue. LSS service revenue declined 3.6% to make up 23%. Adjusted LSS gross margin dropped 16 percentage points to 30.4% of sales, as a shortfall in materials and resource planning resulted in higher installation and shipping costs in order to fulfill customer orders. As a result, adjusted operating loss widened 82.6% to $4.2 million. LSS bookings were $18 million in the quarter, including the acquisition, to end the quarter with a total backlog of $53 million and a 12-month backlog of $38 million.

Fourth quarter 2014 sales for NanoString Technologies jumped 54.3% to $15.6 million (see page 12), including 13.8% growth from the companion diagnostic collaboration with Celgene. Excluding this, sales grew 40.5% to $14.2 million. Consumables and instruments revenues grew 68.9% and 20.0% to make up 51% and 45% of products and services revenue, respectively. Sales of in vitro diagnostic kits improved 11.1% to account for 1%. Service revenue grew 20.8% to make up 4%. Operating loss widened 38.6% to $11.5 million.

Full-year 2014 NanoString sales grew 51.6% to $47.6 million. Collaboration revenue amounted to $3.1 million, or 9.9% of sales growth. Excluding this revenue, total products and services sales expanded 41.7% to $44.5 million. Consumables and instruments sales climbed 43.1% and 39.1% to make up 54% and 41% of products and services revenue, respectively. Sales of in vitro diagnostic kits grew 269.1% and to account for 2%. Service revenue rose 21.9% to make up 4%. Sales in the Americas, Europe and Middle East, and Asia Pacific grew 47.5%, 58.9% and 63.7% to account for 68%, 19% and 13% of sales, respectively. Operating loss widened 61.5% to $46.0 million. The company projected 2015 sales to climb 22%–28% to $58–$61 million and an operating loss of $43–$49 million.

Pacific Biosciences fourth quarter 2014 sales climbed 85.1% to $16.9 million. The company delivered 15 PacBio RS II systems, compared to five a year ago, ending the quarter with 15 systems in backlog. Product revenue jumped 123.2% to make up 76% of sales, including Instrument and Consumables sales growth of 172% and 64% to $8.6 million and $4.3 million, respectively. Service and Other revenue increased 38.7% to represent 14%. Contractual revenue from Roche amounted to $1.7 million, similar to a year ago. Operating loss widened 5.2% to $17.9 million.

Full-year 2014 Pacific Biosciences sales climbed 115.0% to $60.6 million. Contractual revenues from Roche, which amounted to $16.8 million compared to $1.7 million a year ago, accounted for 28% of sales. Excluding these payments, revenues grew 65.4% to $43.8 million. Product sales jumped 76.2% to make up 58% of sales. Instrument sales grew 92% to $22.1 million, as the company shipped 38 systems compared to 17 a year ago. Consumables sales increased 55% to $13.2 million. Service and Other revenue expanded 32.0% to account for 14%. Operating loss narrowed 18.9% to $62.9 million. The company projected 2015 sales to grow at least 20%, including similar contractual revenue from Roche as in 2014. First quarter sales are expected to decline sequentially due to fewer system placements and flat consumables growth.

QIAGEN adjusted fourth quarter 2014 sales slipped 0.5% to $360.8 million but grew 3% organically. Acquisitions contributed 1% to sales growth, while currency reduced sales by 4%. Excluding sales of US HPV test products, revenues grew 9% organically. All figures below are on a currency-neutral basis. Instruments sales climbed 18% to account for 16% of sales, driven by service revenue and shipments of 250 QIAsymphony systems. Consumables and Related revenue grew 2% to account for 84%. Molecular Diagnostics (MD) sales advanced 3% to account for 51% of revenues. Applied Testing sales grew 13% to account for 9% of revenues, led by acquisitions and higher instrument sales. Pharma and Academia revenue grew 1% and 6% to make up 18% and 22%, respectively. Total sales to the Americas declined 4% to account for 44% of revenues. Asia-Pacific/Japan sales increased 11% to make up 20%. Sales to Europe/Middle East/Africa improved 12% to represent 34%. Adjusted operating profit improved 1.9% to $97.1 million.

QIAGEN 2014 adjusted sales improved 3.1%, 2% organically, to $1.35 billion. Acquisitions added 2% to sales growth, while currency lowered sales by 1%. Excluding US HPV tests, revenues grew 9%. All figures below are on a currency-neutral basis. Consumables and Related revenues grew 4%, and Instruments sales improved 8% to make up 87% and 13% of sales, respectively. Instrument sales were driven by demand for the QIAsymphony system, which surpassed 1,250 cumulative placements, including 60% and 40% with MD and life science customers, respectively. MD sales grew 4% to account for 50% of revenues. Excluding the 40% decline in US HPV sales, MD sales climbed 16% due to strong demand for QIAsymphony systems as well as double-digit sales growth for the QuantiFERON-TB test and Personalized Healthcare portfolio, which each accounted for more than $100 million in annual revenue. Applied Testing, Pharma and Academia sales expanded 9%, 3% and 2% to account for 8%, 19% and 23% of revenues, respectively. Sales to the Americas were flat to account for 46% of revenue but jumped 11% excluding HPV product sales. Asia-Pacific/Japan sales grew 8% to make up 19%, including high-single-digit growth in China, double-digit growth in Korea and higher sales in Japan. Sales to Europe/Middle East/Africa grew 9% to represent 34%, with solid growth in Germany, France, the UK and Turkey. Adjusted operating profit expanded 6.3% to $338.0 million. In 2015, currency-neutral sales are expected to grow 4% including acquisitions and headwinds of roughly 3%–4% from lower US HPV product sales.