The Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL) share price will be in the spotlight on Monday after the company released its FY21 full-year results this morning.
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Sonic Healthcare share price in focus after bumper profit result
The Sonic Healthcare share price could be a mover following a well-rounded financial performance in FY21. Key highlights include:
- Revenue of $8.8 billion, up 28% on the prior corresponding period (pcp).
- Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) surged to $2.6 billion, up 81%.
- Net profit rocketed to $1.3 billion, up 149%.
- Final dividend of 55 cents, up 8%.
- Full year FY21 dividend of 91 cents, up 7%.
What happened for Sonic Healthcare in FY21?
The Sonic Healthcare share price has rallied strongly in FY21, thanks to its resilient base business and active role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company has performed approximately 30 million COVID-19 PCR tests to date across ~60 Sonic laboratories globally.
The results noted that COVID-19 PCR volumes were lower in the second half of the year versus the first half, but have been increasing post-year end with the spread of the Delta variant.
Its base business revenue (excluding COVID testing) grew 6% compared to FY20 and was up 4% versus FY19.
Sonic Healthcare's EBITDA surged 81%, again enhanced by COVID-19 testing and leveraging existing infrastructure. The company's laboratory businesses across ANZ, USA and Europe contribute approximately 88% of Group revenues, and the company was pleased to highlight a significant improvement in EBITDA margins
EBITDA margins for its Laboratory division increased from 21.3% to 30.8%. At the same time, Sonic Healthcare's medical imaging business reported 24% EBITDA growth and 108 basis points of margin improvement.
Management commentary
Sonic Healthcare's CEO Dr Colin Goldschmidt commented on the results, saying:
As a global healthcare organisation, we have continued to play a major role in combating the COVID19 pandemic, by providing 30 million PCR tests and over 2 million serology tests to date. We are also proud to be the largest non-government provider of COVID-19 vaccinations in Australia.
Goldschmidt also shed light on the company's strategic focus on acquisitions:
In addition to organic growth, Sonic continues to focus on synergistic acquisitions and other growth opportunities, supported by our current record low gearing levels, geographic footprint, leading market positions and brands, and our deeply embedded Medical Leadership culture. We were delighted to recently announce the pending acquisition of Canberra Imaging Group, following on from our move in March 2021 to majority ownership of Epworth Medical Imaging. We are actively considering further acquisition opportunities, as well as bidding for a number of outsourcing contracts.
What's next for Sonic Healthcare?
The Sonic Healthcare share price has rallied strongly this year, up 30% year-to-date.
The company advised that it will not provide earnings guidance for FY22 due to COVID-19 related unpredictability:
"The pandemic has the potential to cause fluctuations in both COVID-19 testing revenues and the base business, although the base business has become increasingly resilient to the impacts of pandemic waves. The underlying growth drivers for healthcare services remain unchanged. Base business fluctuations are also mitigated by geographical and business sector diversity. The COVID-19 Delta variant is currently driving increases in COVID-19 testing revenues."
