QIAGEN Reports Strong Third Quarter 2008 Results




 * 31% Revenue Growth, 14% Organic Growth
 * 53% Adjusted Operating Income Growth
 * $0.21 Adjusted EPS

VENLO, The Netherlands, Nov. 10, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QIAGEN N.V. (Nasdaq:QGEN) (Frankfurt:QIA) today announced the results of operations for the third quarter and the nine-month period ended September 30, 2008.

The reported net sales for the third quarter 2008 and adjusted earnings per share exceeded the guidance provided by the Company on August 5, 2008.

Third Quarter and Nine-Month Period 2008 Results

The Company reported that consolidated net sales for its third quarter 2008 increased 31% to $230.8 million from $176.6 million for the same quarter in 2007. In the three month period ended September 30, 2008, the Company reported operating income of $38.2 million as compared to an operating loss of $1.7 million in the third quarter of 2007, and reported net income for the third quarter of 2008 of $20.8 million, as compared to a net loss of $7.3 million in the same quarter of 2007. Diluted earnings per share for the third quarter increased to $0.10 in 2008 from a loss of $0.04 per share in the same quarter of 2007.

On an adjusted basis, third quarter operating income increased 53% to $66.8 million in 2008 from $43.7 million in 2007, third quarter adjusted net income increased 36% to $42.4 million in 2008 from $31.1 million in 2007 and third quarter adjusted diluted earnings per share increased to $0.21 in 2008 from $0.17 in 2007.

QIAGEN's third quarter 2007 results include the results of operations of Digene Corporation and eGene, Inc., which were acquired end of July 2007, as well as certain charges related to these acquisitions. QIAGEN's third quarter 2008 results include the results of operations of Corbett Life Science, which was acquired in July 2008, and Digene Corporation and eGene, Inc. as well as certain charges related to these acquisitions.



 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 QIAGEN's Third Quarter 2008
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 in US$ millions, except per share
  information                               Q3 2008  Q3 2007   Growth
 --------------------------------------------------------------------

 Net sales                                    230.8    176.6      31%
 Operating income, adj. (1)                    66.8     43.7      53%
 Net income, adj. (2)                          42.4     31.1      36%
 EPS, adj. (2) (US$)                           0.21     0.17      24%
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 (1) excluding acquisition, integration and restructuring related
     charges as well as amortization of acquired intangibles and
     equity-based compensation (SFAS 123R).

 (2) excluding acquisition, integration and restructuring related
     charges as well as amortization of acquired intangibles and
     equity-based compensation (SFAS 123R) and including a tax benefit
     of $0.02 in EPS in Q3 2007.

For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2008, net sales increased 49% to $655.8 million compared to $439.6 million in the same period of 2007. Operating income as reported for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 increased 81% to $105.2 million from $58.1 million for the same period in 2007, net income increased 83% to $64.3 million from $35.1 million in the same period of 2007, and diluted earnings per share increased to $0.31 in 2008 from $0.21 in the same period of 2007.

On an adjusted basis, operating income for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2008 increased 65% to $186.1 million in 2008 from $112.5 million in 2007, and adjusted net income increased 51% to $119.6 million from $79.4 million. Adjusted diluted earnings per share in the nine months ended September 30, 2008 increased 21% to $0.58 per share from $0.48 per share in the same period of 2007.

QIAGEN has regularly reported adjusted results to give additional insight into its financial performance as well as considered results on a constant currencies basis. Adjusted results should be considered in addition to the reported results prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, but should not be considered a substitute. The Company believes certain items should be excluded from adjusted results when they are either outside of our ongoing core operations or can vary significantly from period to period, which affects the comparability of results with the Company's competitors and our own prior periods. Costs and charges excluded from adjusted results include acquisition, integration, and restructuring-related costs, acquisition-related amortization, and equity based compensation in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (Revised) (SFAS 123R).



 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 QIAGEN's Adjustments to Gross Profit, Operating Income, Net Income
  and EPS
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 in US$ millions
  unless indicated     Q3 2008      Q3 2007      9M 2008      9M 2007
 --------------------------------------------------------------------

 Gross profit,
  reported               152.9        116.2        442.2        294.8
 Acquisition and
  integration rela-
  ted charges              0.4          1.4          0.4          1.4
 Amortization of
  acquired intangi-
  bles                    12.8          8.4         35.5         12.2
 SFAS 123R impact          0.2           --          0.8           --
 Gross profit,
  adjusted               166.3        126.0        478.9        308.4

 Operating income
  (loss), reported        38.2         (1.7)       105.2         58.1
 Acquisition and
  integration rela-
  ted charges
  (incl. COS)              8.9          5.9         27.1          7.9
 Purchased in-
  process research
  & development            0.8         25.9          0.8         25.9
 Amortization of
  acquired intangi-
  bles (incl. COS)        16.8         11.4         46.0         16.6
 Relocation and re-
  structuring char-
  ges                      0.2           --          0.7          0.5
 SFAS 123R impact
  (incl. COS)              1.9          2.2          6.3          3.5
 Operating income,
  adjusted                66.8         43.7        186.1        112.5

 Net income (loss),
  reported                20.8         (7.3)        64.3         35.1
 Acquisition and
  integration rela-
  ted charges              6.0          3.8         17.6          5.1
 Purchased in-
  process research
  & development            0.8         25.9          0.8         25.9
 Relocation and re-
  structuring char-
  ges                      0.1           --          0.5          0.4
 Acquisition trig-
  gered impairment         2.5           --          2.5           --
 Amortization of
  acquired intangi-
  bles                    10.9          7.3         29.7         10.7
 SFAS 123R impact          1.3          1.4          4.2          2.2
 Net income,
  adjusted                42.4         31.1        119.6         79.4

 Weighted average
  number of diluted
  common shares    204,600,000  185,481,000  204,999,000  166,193,000
 EPS, reported in
  US$(1)                  0.10        (0.04)        0.31         0.21
 EPS, adjusted in
  US$                     0.21         0.17         0.58         0.48
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 (1) Dilutive shares are not considered in the Q3 2007 reported
     diluted loss per share as those shares would be antidilutive.
     Basic shares for Q3 2007 were 177,919,000.

"QIAGEN experienced a successful and strong third quarter 2008," said Peer Schatz, QIAGEN's Chief Executive Officer. "We saw significant revenue, operating margin and net income growth which exceeded our guidance. We continued to expand our leadership and strategic position. Our growth is significantly driven by innovation. In the third quarter 2008 alone, we launched 23 new products in the area of sample and assay technologies with now even 5% of sales once again achieved record sales from products launched within the last 12 months."

"We saw strong demand across all of our customer segments and expect this trend to continue. Sales to customers in molecular diagnostics (approximately 45% of our sales) showed a very strong performance during the third quarter with a growth rate of approximately 38% over the comparable quarter 2007," Schatz added. "Growth was experienced across the board for our products in this area -- platforms, sample and assay technologies. In terms of assay areas, our genetic, infectious disease and women's health assays showed especially strong performances. Within the women's health assay portfolio, which represents about half of our sales into molecular diagnostics customers, the successful introduction of our novel marketing programs in the areas of channel management, segmentation and messaging had very strong resonance -- in particular in HPV testing, where we recorded an organic growth rate of approximately 20%."

"We are also very pleased with the launch of our new QIAsymphony platform, which was launched in June of this year and which has introduced a new dimension of molecular processing power. Our pipeline is very strong for this new, modular, random access and continuous load platform. We are also very excited about our most recent acquisition of an assay detection platform: the Pyrosequencing technology which we added through the acquisition of the BioSystems business from Biotage this October," Peer Schatz continued. "This transaction added a fundamental assay technology for high-resolution sequence detection and quantification of gene variations and we believe it will play a very important role in epigenetics as well as multiplex genetic and pathogen detection. Our molecular 'sample to result' solutions for customers in molecular diagnostics, applied testing, pharma and academic research now span qualitative/endpoint PCR, multiplex technologies, capillary electrophoresis as well as quantitative and high resolution sequence-based analysis and cover a broad range of throughput needs."

"We are very pleased with our financial performance in the third quarter of 2008. Both reported revenues and adjusted earnings per share exceeded our expectations. We experienced a strong adjusted operating margin increase to 29% in the third quarter 2008 which corresponds to a growth rate of 53% year over year reflecting further achievements of cost synergies following the acquisition of Digene," said Roland Sackers, QIAGEN's Chief Financial Officer.

"Revenue growth for the third quarter was 31% and was fueled by a strong organic growth of 14% and a positive contribution of 13% at constant currencies from acquisitions," Roland Sackers continued. "The demand for all our consumable products as well as for our instrumentation business remained strong during the entire quarter up to the very last day without any sign of slow down. Our sample and assay portfolio contributed 26% growth (23% at constant exchange rates) driven by strong growth in molecular diagnostics. QIAGEN's instrumentation business recorded a very strong growth rate of 88% (83% at constant exchange rates) based on the new instruments (QIAsymphonySP and QIAxcel) as well as a strong demand for Rotor-Gene real-time PCR cycler and the CAS instrument following the Corbett acquisition. Net sales in the Americas for the third quarter 2008 represented 51% of our overall business and recorded a growth rate of 28% while European sales, which represent 34% of our revenues, showed a growth rate of 21% (14% at constant exchange rates). Net sales in Asia remained strong, showing a growth rate of 27% (20% at constant exchange rates)."

Update on Guidance for Fiscal 2008

Based on the first nine months and reflecting the dilution of approximately $0.01 to adjusted earnings per share related to the acquisition of the BioSystems business from Biotage in October 2008, QIAGEN increased its guidance for adjusted earnings per share for the full year 2008 from adjusted $0.78 - $0.79 to $0.79 - $0.80.



 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 QIAGEN's Third Quarter 2008 at Constant Currencies
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
                           2008     2008     2007     Growth Rates
 As percentage              Q3       Q3       Q3
 of net sales,                    Constant                   Constant
 unless indicated        Reported Currency Reported Reported Currency
 --------------------------------------------------------------------

 Consumables                  86%      86%      89%      26%      23%
 Instruments                  13%      13%       9%      88%      83%
 Others                        1%       1%       2%     -55%     -57%
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 Total revenues              100%     100%     100%      31%      27%
 --------------------------------------------------------------------

 Gross margin                 66%      65%      66%      32%      26%
 Gross margin, adj. (1)       72%      71%      71%      32%      27%

 Operating income margin      17%      16%      -1%      n/a      n/a
 Operating income margin,
  adj. (1)                    29%      29%      25%      53%      47%

 Net income margin             9%       8%      -4%      n/a      n/a
 Net income margin, adj.
  (2)                         18%      18%      18%      36%      30%

 EPS in US$ per share       0.10     0.09    -0.04       n/a      n/a
 EPS in US$ per share,
  adj. (2)                  0.21     0.20     0.17       24%      18%
 --------------------------------------------------------------------

 (1) excluding acquisition, integration and restructuring related
     charges as well as amortization of acquired intangibles and
     equity-based compensation (SFAS 123R).
 (2) excluding acquisition, integration and restructuring related
     charges as well as amortization of acquired intangibles and
     equity-based compensation (SFAS 123R) and including a tax benefit
     of $0.02 in EPS in Q3 2007.

Detailed information on QIAGEN's business and financial performance will be presented in its conference call on November 11, 2008 at 9:30am ET. The corresponding presentation slides will be available for download on QIAGEN's website at www.qiagen.com/goto/ConferenceCall. A webcast of the conference call will be available on the same website at www.qiagen.com/goto/ConferenceCall.

QIAGEN -- Sample and Assay Technologies Highlights:



 * QIAGEN acquired BioSystems business from Biotage a publicly listed
   developer, manufacturer and distributor of products for genetic
   analysis and medicinal chemistry headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden.
   The BioSystems unit of Biotage is best known for having pioneered
   Pyrosequencing(r), which has become a fundamental technology in
   next-generation sequencing. Pyrosequencing is a patented assay
   technology that in special formats can achieve significantly longer
   runs and can be employed in a massively parallel design to address
   the needs for applications such as high volume data generation in
   whole genome sequencing applications. In its widely used standard
   format this technology provides the opportunity to read DNA-
   sequences up to 100 base pairs in real time and at a price per read
   in the single dollar range. The technology offers significant value
   for applications including Epigenetics in research and molecular
   diagnostics as well as in Multiplex analyses in genetic and
   pathogen detection.

 * QIAGEN introduced the first molecular diagnostic test based on
   Pyrosequencing for the detection of mutations in the K-ras gene
   which is associated with the development of colon cancer. QIAGEN
   expects to launch this test as a CE-labeled version for Europe and
   in the US very shortly.

 * QIAGEN launched 23 new products in the area of sample & assay
   technologies including a series of innovative products for
   analyzing genetic differences and micro RNA (miRNA) analysis. In
   addition, QIAGEN launched a number of assay technologies including
   a CE-marked test for the detection and quantification of Malaria
   (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae), the next
   generation of multiplex detection of respiratory viral targets
   (ResPlex II Panel v 2.0) and a molecular diagnostic assay in the EU
   to type the HLA-B*5701 allele, a genetic variation in the Human
   Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) system, causing adverse reactions in AIDS
   patients.

 * QIAGEN and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announced a
   collaboration to develop new molecular testing solutions to improve
   the safety of food products. QIAGEN will equip the joint "CAS/SIBS-
   QIAGEN Laboratory for Food Safety" with instruments and consumables
   while CAS will provide the physical space and researchers. Under
   this collaboration, food safety experts from the INS will use
   QIAGEN technologies, to develop a wide range of molecular tests for
   the detection of food-borne pathogens. These QIAplex multiplex
   assays allow the design of highly sensitive molecular tests for up
   to 50 different pathogens in one single run.

About QIAGEN:

QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands holding company, is the leading global provider of sample and assay technologies. Sample technologies are used to isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from biological samples such as blood or tissue. Assay technologies are used to make such isolated biomolecules visible. QIAGEN has developed and markets more than 500 sample and assay products as well as automated solutions for such consumables. The company provides its products to molecular diagnostics laboratories, academic researchers, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and applied testing customers for purposes such as forensics, animal or food testing and pharmaceutical process control. QIAGEN's assay technologies include one of the broadest panels of molecular diagnostic tests available worldwide. This panel includes the only FDA-approved test for human papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer. QIAGEN employs more than 2,900 people in over 30 locations worldwide. Further information about QIAGEN can be found at www.qiagen.com.

Certain of the statements contained in this news release may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. To the extent that any of the statements contained herein relating to QIAGEN's products, markets, strategy or operating results are forward-looking, such statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of uncertainties and risks. Such uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, risks associated with management of growth and international operations (including the effects of currency fluctuations and risks of dependency on logistics), variability of operating results, the commercial development of the applied testing markets, clinical research markets and proteomics markets, women's health/HPV testing markets, nucleic acid-based molecular diagnostics market, and genetic vaccination and gene therapy markets, changing relationships with customers, suppliers and strategic partners, competition, rapid or unexpected changes in technologies, fluctuations in demand for QIAGEN's products (including fluctuations due to general economic conditions, the level and timing of customers' funding, budgets, and other factors), our ability to obtain regulatory approval of our infectious disease panels, difficulties in successfully adapting QIAGEN's products to integrated solutions and producing such products, the ability of QIAGEN to identify and develop new products and to differentiate its products from competitors' products, market acceptance of QIAGEN's new products and the integration of acquired technologies and businesses. For further information, refer to the discussions in reports that QIAGEN has filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).



                              QIAGEN N.V.
              CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                              (unaudited)

                                                   Three months
 (in thousands, except per share data)          ended September 30,
                                            -------------------------
                                                2008          2007
                                            -----------   -----------
 Net sales                                  $   230,800     $ 176,632
   Cost of sales                                 64,688        50,695
   Cost of sales - acquisition related              396         1,343
   Cost of sales - acquisition related
    intangible amortization                      12,777         8,406
                                            -----------   -----------
 Gross profit                                   152,939       116,188
                                            -----------   -----------

 Operating expenses:
   Research and development                      24,073        17,870
   Sales and marketing                           55,972        45,162
   General and administrative                    21,142        21,470
   Purchased in-process research and
    development                                     830        25,900
   Acquisition, integration and related
    costs                                         8,554         4,546
   Acquisition related intangible
    amortization                                  4,018         2,951
   Relocation and restructuring costs               172            --
                                            -----------   -----------
 Total operating expenses                       114,761       117,899
                                            -----------   -----------

 Income (loss) from operations                   38,178        (1,711)
                                            -----------   -----------

 Other income (expense):
   Interest income                                2,095         5,414
   Interest (expense)                            (9,194)      (10,742)
   Acquisition triggered impairment of cost
    method investment                            (4,000)           --
   Other income, net                                767         1,084
                                            -----------   -----------
 Total other (expense)                          (10,332)       (4,244)
                                            -----------   -----------

 Income (loss) before provision for income
  taxes and minority interest                    27,846        (5,955)
   Provision for income taxes                     6,679         1,380
   Minority interest (income) loss                  376            (7)
                                            -----------   -----------
 Net income (loss)                          $    20,791   $    (7,328)
                                            ===========   ===========

   Weighted average number of diluted common
    shares                                      204,600       185,451

   Diluted net income (loss) per common
    share (1)                               $      0.10   $     (0.04)

   Diluted net income per common share
    excluding acquisition, integration and
    restructuring related  charges as well
    as amortization of acquired intangibles
    and equity-based compensation
    (SFAS 123R)                             $      0.21   $      0.17

   (1) Dilutive shares are not considered in the Q3 2007 reported
       diluted loss per share as those shares would be antidilutive.
       Basic shares for Q3 2007 were 177,919.


                              QIAGEN N.V.
              CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                              (unaudited)

                                                    Nine months
 (in thousands, except per share data)          ended September 30,
                                            -------------------------

                                                2008          2007
                                            -----------   -----------
 Net sales                                  $   655,794   $   439,550
   Cost of sales                                177,607       131,201
   Cost of sales - acquisition related              396         1,343
   Cost of sales - acquisition related
    intangible amortization                      35,552        12,256
                                            -----------   -----------
 Gross profit                                   442,239       294,750
                                            -----------   -----------

 Operating expenses:
   Research and development                      69,281        42,091
   Sales and marketing                          167,746       108,460
   General and administrative                    61,345        48,760
   Purchased in-process research and
    development                                     830        25,900
   Acquisition, integration and related
    costs                                        26,621         6,582
   Acquisition related intangible
    amortization                                 10,484         4,357
   Relocation and restructuring costs               706           478
                                            -----------   -----------
 Total operating expenses                       337,013       236,628
                                            -----------   -----------

 Income from operations                         105,226        58,122
                                            -----------   -----------

 Other income (expense):
   Interest income                                7,391        15,840
   Interest (expense)                           (28,832)      (20,356)
   Acquisition triggered impairment of cost
    method investment                            (4,000)           --
   Other income, net                              3,328         1,965
                                            -----------   -----------
 Total other (expense)                          (22,113)       (2,551)
                                            -----------   -----------

 Income before provision for income taxes
  and minority interest                          83,113        55,571
   Provision for income taxes                    18,272        20,456
   Minority interest (income) loss                  491            (7)
                                            -----------   -----------
 Net income                                 $    64,350   $    35,122
                                            ===========   ===========

   Weighted average number of diluted common
    shares                                      204,999       166,193

   Diluted net income per common share      $      0.31   $      0.21

   Diluted net income per common share
    excluding acquisition, integration and
    restructuring related charges as well as
    amortization of acquired intangibles and
    equity-based compensation (SFAS 123R)   $      0.58   $      0.48


                              QIAGEN N.V.
                 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 (in thousands, except par value)            Sept. 30,      Dec. 31,
                                                2008          2007
                                            -----------   -----------
 Assets                                     (unaudited)

 Current Assets:
   Cash and cash equivalents                $   326,034   $   347,320
   Marketable securities                             --         2,313
   Notes receivable                               3,271         5,139
   Accounts receivable, net                     151,820       136,707
   Income taxes receivable                       30,095        10,696
   Inventories                                  113,733        88,346
   Deferred income taxes                         44,357        23,732
   Prepaid expenses and other                    38,746        33,693
                                            -----------   -----------
      Total current assets                      708,056       647,946
                                            -----------  -----------

 Long-Term Assets:
   Property, plant and equipment, net           284,216       283,491
   Goodwill                                   1,134,327     1,107,882
   Intangible assets, net                       633,173       639,107
   Deferred income taxes                         77,826        72,128
   Other assets                                  35,278        24,620
                                            -----------   -----------
      Total long-term assets                  2,164,820     2,127,228
                                            -----------   -----------
                                            -----------   -----------
    Total assets                            $ 2,872,876   $ 2,775,174
                                            ===========   ===========


 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

 Current Liabilities:
   Short-term loans                         $        --   $         4
   Current portion of long-term debt             25,000            --
   Current portion of capital lease
    obligations                                   3,011         2,769
   Accounts payable                              41,158        40,379
   Accrued and other liabilities                110,421       104,220
   Income taxes payable                          27,453        13,456
   Deferred income taxes                          7,862         4,903
                                            -----------   -----------
      Total current liabilities                 214,905       165,731
                                            -----------   -----------

 Long-Term Liabilities:
   Long-term debt, net of current portion       925,000       950,000
   Capital lease obligations, net of current
    portion                                      30,593        33,017
   Deferred income taxes                        237,110       225,893
   Other                                          7,132         8,405
                                            -----------   -----------
      Total long-term liabilities             1,199,835     1,217,315
                                            -----------   -----------

 Minority interest in consolidated
  subsidiaries                                      376           553
                                            -----------   -----------

 Shareholders' Equity:
   Common shares, EUR .01 par value:
      Authorized--410,000 shares
      Issued and outstanding--197,283 shares
         in 2008 and 195,335 shares in 2007       2,205         2,175
      Additional paid-in-capital                955,769       925,597
      Retained earnings                         453,129       388,779
      Accumulated other comprehensive income     46,657        75,024
                                            -----------   -----------
      Total shareholders' equity              1,457,760     1,391,575
                                            -----------   -----------
    Total liabilities and shareholders'     -----------   -----------
     equity                                 $ 2,872,876   $ 2,775,174
                                            ===========   ===========


            

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