Bruker 4Q profit rises on instrument sales

BILLERICA, Mass. (AP) — Rising sales of scientific instruments helped Bruker Corp.'s fourth-quarter profit jump 33 percent.

Bruker said Wednesday that its profit rose to $39.1 million, or 23 cents per share, from $29.3 million, or 18 cents per share.

Excluding one-time charges, Bruker said it earned 31 cents per share. That beat Wall Street expectations for 29 cents per share, according to a FactSet poll.

Revenue increased 14 percent, to $475.1 million from $416.1 million. Analysts expected $468.1 million.

Bruker said revenue from the scientific instrument business rose 14 percent to $445.8 million. It said favorable foreign currency exchange rates boosted its sales overseas, while investments in its new chemical and applied markets division cut into profits for the division. Revenue from Bruker's energy and superconductor technology business rose to $33.6 million from $29.3 million.

Bruker said its profit slipped 3 percent in 2011, to $92.3 million, or 55 cents per share, from $95.3 million, or 58 cents per share. Revenue rose 27 percent, to $1.65 billion from $1.3 billion.

The company said it expects an adjusted profit of 94 to 98 cents per share from its scientific instrument business in 2012, compared with 87 cents per share in 2011. The energy unit lost 5 cents per share in 2011. Bruker forecast annual revenue of $1.76 billion to $1.81 billion.

Analysts are forecasting a total profit of 96 cents per share for Bruker in 2012 on $1.74 billion in revenue.

The company said it will earn 11 to 13 cents per share from the scientific instrument unit in the first quarter on total revenue of $380 million to $390 million. Analysts are projecting income of 16 cents per share on $378.8 million in revenue for the quarter.

Shares of Bruker rose 27 cents to $16.06 in morning trading.