Idexx’s high p/e makes us wary

Article Excerpt

IDEXX LABORATORIES INC. $514 is a hold. The company (Nasdaq symbol IDXX; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 80.4 million; Market cap: $41.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 10.9; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.idexx.com) makes equipment that veterinarians use to detect disease in animals. In the first quarter of 2025, Idexx’s sales rose 3.6%, to $998.4 million from $964.1 million a year earlier. That’s partly due to the launch of a new cancer diagnostic system. If you exclude unusual items, earnings improved 7.4%, to $2.91 a share from $2.71. Idexx expects to earn between $11.93 and $12.43 a share in 2025. The stock trades at 42.2 times the midpoint of that range. That high p/e increases the risk of a big drop if sales and earnings growth stall. Idexx Laboratories is a hold. hold…