May 5 (Reuters) – Henry Schein on Tuesday reaffirmed its annual forecast after beating Wall Street expectations for first-quarter profit as the medical supplies distributor saw strong demand across its dental business.
The U.S. dental market has seen instability marked by uneven patient visits and weakening demand for higher-cost procedures, which analysts expect to stabilize in 2026.
“I am pleased with our strong first quarter results that reflect continuing momentum from the second half of last year as we grow market share and expand gross margins,” Henry Schein CEO Fred Lowery said, adding that the company remains confident it can deliver on its 2026 targets.
Henry Schein reaffirmed its 2026 adjusted profit forecast of $5.23 to $5.37 per share. Analysts estimate the company’s annual profit at $5.32 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG.
The company also reiterated expected sales growth of about 3% to 5% for the year.
Henry Schein reaffirming its annual forecast is “unsurprising given a backdrop of macro uncertainty,” Leerink Partners analyst Michael Cherny said in a note.
In the first quarter, Henry Schein’s largest segment, Global Distribution and Value‑Added Services, reported revenue growth of 6.1% at $2.84 billion.
Revenue from its Global Specialty Products segment, which includes dental implants and biomaterials, rose 8.1% to $397 million, while Global Technology sales, which include practice‑management software and digital services, increased 7% to $173 million.
Henry Schein reported adjusted earnings of $1.32 per share, up from $1.15 a year earlier and above analysts’ estimates of $1.22, according to data compiled by LSEG.
Revenue rose 6.3% to $3.4 billion, compared with the average of analysts’ estimates of $3.34 billion.
(Reporting by Sahil Pandey in Bengaluru)
