Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. Q3 Earnings Hurt by Price Concessions and Hep-C Drugs
Image source: Getty Images.
Diplomat Pharmacy (NYSE: DPLO) disappointed investors in the second quarter, with revenue missing expectations. And the specialty pharmacy didn't make shareholders any happier when it announced third-quarter results after the market closed on Wednesday. Here are the highlights from Diplomat's update.
Diplomat Pharmacy results: The raw numbers
| Metric |
Q3 2016 Actuals |
Q3 2015 Actuals |
Growth (YOY) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sales |
$1.18 billion |
$946.9 million |
24.7% |
|
Net income from continuing operations |
$5.4 million |
$15.9 million |
(66%) |
|
Earnings per diluted share |
$0.08 |
$0.24 |
(66.7%) |
Data source: Diplomat Pharmacy. YOY = year over year.
What happened this quarter?
The only bright spot for Diplomat in the third quarter was solid growth in revenue. A little over half of that growth, though, stemmed from the company's acquisition ofTNH Advanced Specialty Pharmacy. The rest of the revenue growth came from newly introduced drugs and price increases for existing drugs.
Despite the higher revenue figure, investors' expectations still weren't met. Diplomat faced a couple of key challenges during the third quarter that negatively affected revenue. The company incurred around $8 million indirect and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees. These fees are price concessions made to Medicare Part D plans that aren't included at the point of sale. Diplomat also saw a shift from older hepatitis C drugs to new drugs that generated less revenue.
Earnings comparisons suffered for several reasons, including the higher DIR fees and the shift in mix to less profitable drugs. Diplomat also received a one-time $3 million incentive in the third quarter of 2015 that helped improve financial results in the prior-year period.
Higher selling, general, and administrative (SG&A)costs took a toll on Diplomat's bottom line as well. The company spent nearly 58% more on SG&A than in the same quarter last year. This large increase stemmed in large part from higher employee costs resulting from the TNH acquisition and a one-time favorable change in the third quarter of 2015 inthe fair value of contingent consideration associated with the company's acquisitions.
What management had to say
Diplomat's CEOPhil Hagerman said: "We are disappointed with our third-quarter results, which were significantly impacted by the softness in the hepatitis C business nationwide, as well as by DIR fees. The methodology and transparency around how PBMs [pharmacy benefit managers] are applying these DIR fees changed materially in 2016, and while we cannot reverse the impact they had on this quarter, we are working with our partners in the specialty pharmacy industry and with legislators to achieve an amicable solution to this problem."
Hagerman added:
Looking forward
Diplomat's outlook for full-year 2016 grew more pessimistic as a result of its third-quarter performance. The company now projects revenue between $4.4 billion and $4.6 billion, down from the previous range of$4.5 billion to $4.9 billion. Adjusted earnings per share for the year are expected to bebetween $0.83 and $0.87. Diplomat's previous guidance estimated adjusted earnings per share between$0.90 and $0.95.
The weak third-quarter results came on the heels of musical chairs in Diplomat's executive ranks. CFOSean Whelan is leaving the company at the end of the year "to spend more time with his family."Gary Kadlec is retiring as president at the same time but will continue to serve his current term on the company's board of directors.
All of this adds up to a season of uncertainty for Diplomat Pharmacy. However, the company still has several growth drivers, including a couple that Hagerman pointed out: prospects for new drugs on the way and acquisitions.
A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.
Keith Speights has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Diplomat Pharmacy. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.