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Globe and Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Hologic's Diagnostics Arm Set for Long-Term Upside: What's Behind It?
Hologic 's HOLX Diagnostics unit, the largest by revenues, has been the most impacted by geopolitical headwinds this year. Cuts in USAID funding have affected its HIV testing business in Africa, while a challenging operating environment in China has weighed on its Cytology business. As a result, Diagnostics posted just 0.9% year-over-year reported growth in the third quarter of fiscal 2025. Despite these hurdles, the underlying growth drivers in the segment continue to remain strong. One is the BV, CV/TV assay, which has become Hologic's second-largest assay globally after shifting from a primarily lab-developed test (LDT) approved in 2019 to an in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) test on the high-throughput Panther instrument. The company is working to reach the estimated 60% of U.S. women who are not tested when they experience vaginitis, applying the same approach it uses to expand sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing. Additionally, Panther Fusion, an add-on module to the base Panther platform, is gaining nice traction this year as customers adopt more menus. The system uses PCR chemistry to run Hologic's suite of respiratory assays, including influenza, while offering an expanded IVD menu and Open Access functionality for LDTs. Open Access testing kits contributed to Fusion's solid growth in the fiscal third quarter. Over the next several years, Hologic plans to broaden the menu by launching an IVD test for GI and hospital-acquired infections, positioning the sidecar to play a key role in future Diagnostics growth. The company is also currently in the early stages of its Biotheranostics opportunity. Acquired in 2021, the asset marked Hologic's entry into the lab-based oncology space, an expanding and longtime area of interest. Biotheranostics' Breast Cancer Index test — the only commercially available test validated to inform the decision regarding extended endocrine therapy — continues to see strong adoption. Latest Updates From Hologic's Diagnostics Peers Abbott 's ABT Diagnostics sales declined 1.5% in the second quarter of 2025, mainly due to the year-over-year decrease in COVID-19 testing sales and the impact of volume-based procurement programs in China. Together, these are expected to weigh on ABT's full-year Diagnostics sales growth by around $700 million or 750 basis points. Excluding China, Abbott's Core Lab Diagnostics grew 8%, reflecting strong underlying demand in the global markets. Danaher 's DHR core sales growth in the molecular diagnostics business witnessed growth in the second quarter of 2025, as gains in non-respiratory testing more than offset declines in core sales of respiratory tests. Danaher also announced a new partnership with AstraZeneca to develop diagnostic tools that identify patients most likely to benefit from precision medicine treatments. This collaboration is leveraging the newly launched Danaher Centers to enable precision medicine to streamline the end-to-end development process. HOLX Stock Performance, Valuation and Estimates Year to date, Hologic shares have declined 5.8% compared with the industry's 11.7% fall. Hologic is trading at a forward five-year price-to-earnings of 15.05X, lower than the industry average of 27.49X. The stock carries a Value Score of B at present. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research See how analysts are projecting Hologic's EPS for fiscal 2025 and 2026. HOLX stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. See our %%CTA_TEXT%% report – free today! 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Abbott Laboratories (ABT): Free Stock Analysis Report Danaher Corporation (DHR): Free Stock Analysis Report Hologic, Inc. (HOLX): Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (
CBC
12-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
This new vending machine in North Bay, Ont., has free health and wellness supplies
Social Sharing Outside the North Bay and Parry Sound Health Unit headquarters there is a new vending machine. But it's not full of junk food and sugary drinks. This vending machine is filled with items like naloxone kits, HIV self-testing kits, wound-care supplies, menstrual kits, \and seasonal essentials such as ponchos, water bottles, socks, gloves and foil blankets. And unlike most vending machines, every item inside is free. North Bay is the 15th community in Canada to participate in the Our Healthbox program. The program was developed by Sean B. Rourke, a researcher at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. North Bay is the second community in northern Ontario to host one of the vending machines after Temiskaming Shores got one earlier this year. Rourke said more than 10,000 people across the 15 communities have used the vending machines so far. "We encourage people to get not only for themselves, but for their partners, or peers or other friends," he said. Rourke said Our Healthbox's goal is to get the vending machines into 100 cities and towns across Canada. Each community decides what goes in the vending machine, and he said there's no limit on the number of items people can take. "People take things that they need for their health and well-being and their safety, and we just keep on filling it," Rourke said. "That's been the approach." Filling a gap Stuart Nichols, the peer outreach support team lead at the True Self Debwewendizwin program run by Nipissing First Nation, said in a news release that the vending machine in North Bay helps fill a gap in harm reduction for drug users. "North Bay has not had an around-the-clock needle syringe program since 2017, which has made it harder for people to get harm reduction supplies when they need them," Nichols said. "Our North Bay Healthbox fills this gap in services and responds to the voices of people with lived experience." The machine in North Bay is open 24/7 and has an interactive touchscreen which provides some public health information, including community drug alerts.
