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Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE: MTD) reported first-quarter 2026 sales growth and higher adjusted earnings, citing solid execution, innovation and margin initiatives despite a more uncertain macroeconomic backdrop. Chief Executive Officer Patrick Kaltenbach said the company delivered good performance in an increasingly uncertain market environment, adding that margin initiatives supported very good adjusted EPS growth. He said Mettler-Toledo remains positioned to benefit from customer investments in automation, digitalization and onshoring, while acknowledging increased macroeconomic uncertainty.
Chief Financial Officer Shawn Vadala said first-quarter sales were $947 million, up 3% in local currency and up 1% excluding acquisitions. Acquisitions contributed about 1.5 percentage points to growth. On a reported U.S. dollar basis, sales increased 7%.
Local currency sales rose 2% in the Americas, 1% in Europe and 5% in Asia/rest of world. China sales increased 4% in the quarter. Laboratory sales grew 1% in local currency, while industrial sales rose 5%. Product Inspection sales increased 11%, while core industrial sales rose 1%. Food Retail grew 7%. Service revenue increased 7%, or 5% excluding acquisitions.
Adjusted operating profit was $246 million, up 4% from the prior year. Adjusted operating margin was 26%, down 80 basis points year over year, though up 40 basis points excluding unfavorable currency. Vadala said incremental tariffs reduced operating profit by an estimated 4% and created a 90-basis-point headwind to operating margin.
Adjusted earnings per share were $8.91, up 9% from the prior year. Reported EPS was $8.33, compared with $7.81 a year earlier. Reported EPS included purchased intangible amortization, restructuring costs and a small headwind related to the timing of stock option exercises.
Adjusted free cash flow was $120 million, which Vadala said was negatively affected by the timing of tax payments that were $58 million higher than the prior year.
Mettler-Toledo maintained its full-year 2026 local currency sales growth forecast at approximately 4%. The company now expects acquisitions to contribute about 1.5 percentage points in the first half of the year and less than 1 percentage point for the full year.
The company forecast full-year adjusted EPS of $46.30 to $46.95, representing growth of 8% to 10%. That is an increase from the prior outlook of 8% to 9%. At recent spot rates, currency is expected to benefit sales growth by about 2% and be neutral to adjusted EPS.
For the second quarter, the company expects local currency sales growth of approximately 3%, including about 1.5 percentage points from acquisitions. Adjusted EPS is expected to be $10.70 to $10.85, implying growth of 6% to 8%.
Vadala said the guidance assumes tariffs in the second half return to levels consistent with prior IEEPA rates. The outlook does not include potential tariff refunds from the U.S. government or potential tariff refunds to customers. He also said higher costs tied to inflation related to the conflict in the Middle East are included in the guidance, with the company working to mitigate those costs through savings initiatives and pricing actions.
Kaltenbach said the laboratory business saw modest growth across most product categories and strong growth in bioprocessing. That was partially offset by a decline in pipettes due to soft demand from academia and biotech customers. He said the company expects gradual improvement in lab activity in the second half of the year, supported by replacement needs among pharma and biopharma customers.
Core industrial sales were flat excluding acquisitions, reflecting cautious purchasing patterns across most end markets. Product Inspection sales grew solidly, benefiting from innovation and the company’s mid-market strategy, despite challenges in food manufacturing. Food Retail posted strong growth against easier comparisons.
By geography, Kaltenbach said the Americas were flat excluding acquisitions, with strong bioprocessing and Product Inspection growth offset by softer core industrial demand and customer delays. In Europe, Product Inspection and Food Retail were strong, but market conditions were softer, particularly in chemicals. Asia/rest of world grew, led by China and continued strength in India, Southeast Asia and other emerging markets.
In response to analyst questions, Vadala said China has become a bright spot, with the company raising its full-year China growth expectation to mid-single digits. He said China’s industrial business has delivered several consecutive quarters of growth, including high-single-digit growth in the first quarter.
Kaltenbach said the strength in China was not primarily from Product Inspection, but from core automation within the industrial business. He cited investment in automation across Chinese markets and opportunities in pharma tied to pharmacopeia changes, which are driving demand for high-end balances and replacements in quality-control and R&D labs.
Management also highlighted service as a continuing growth driver. Kaltenbach said service revenue growth of 7%, including 5% organic growth, reflected the company’s strong customer connections. He said Mettler-Toledo continues to fund initiatives aimed at covering more of its installed base and increasing service attachment rates at the point of sale.
Kaltenbach pointed to several recent product launches, including the EasyMax Advanced automated lab reactor, the InMotion PX One Autosampler and low-retention pipette tips that do not use PFAS. In industrial markets, he highlighted X-ray and metal detection innovations, including the M50 R-Series, which he said delivers a 20% increase in detection sensitivity.
Management said Mettler-Toledo is positioned to benefit over time from automation, digitalization, biopharma, semiconductor, new energy and onshoring trends. Kaltenbach said reshoring remains in the early innings, but could create future opportunities as customers build out manufacturing capacity with more automated and digitalized solutions.
Mettler-Toledo International Inc is a global manufacturer and distributor of precision instruments and services for laboratory, industrial and food retail applications. The company’s product portfolio includes laboratory balances and analytical instruments, industrial weighing systems, process analytics and sensors, metal detection and x-ray inspection equipment, checkweighers, and a range of automated inspection and data-management solutions. Mettler-Toledo also provides software, calibration and lifecycle services intended to support compliance, quality control and operational efficiency across customer facilities. The company serves a broad set of end markets including pharmaceutical and biotech laboratories, chemical and food processors, logistics and manufacturing operations, and retail environments where accurate weighing and inspection are critical.
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