Avantor lifts 2026 outlook as VWR returns to growth

Avantor reported second-quarter 2026 earnings and revenue above estimates and raised its full-year organic revenue growth and adjusted earnings guidance. The company cited stronger-than-expected performance and improved expectations for the second half.

VWR Distribution & Services returned to organic growth, rising 1.7%. Management said more than half of the improvement came from commercial actions and expects growth to accelerate through the second half.

Bioscience & Medtech Products organic revenue fell 5.6%, reflecting weakness in Fluid Handling, NuSil, Electronic Materials and Serum, along with customer ordering patterns and shipment comparisons. The segment recorded double-digit order growth and a 1.1-times book-to-bill ratio, which management said supports its expectation of a second-half return to growth.

Avantor’s full-year organic growth outlook is negative 0.5% to positive 0.5%, suggesting the recovery remains gradual. The company has also upgraded its VWR e-commerce platform; it reported second-quarter improvements in direct traffic, conversion rates and daily sales.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Avantor’s 2026 earnings per share remained at 81 cents over the past 30 days. Its consensus revenue estimate for the third quarter was $1.64 billion, 1.1% above the year-earlier figure.