Latest Proof Snapshot
The latest proof is mixed. In fiscal Q1 2026, reported revenue rose 3.5% to $5.951bn, company-defined core revenue increased only 0.5%, reported net earnings were $1.029bn, reported diluted EPS was $1.45, and adjusted diluted EPS rose 9.5% to $2.06; that adjusted EPS bridge adds back $434m pretax, or $360m after tax, of acquisition-related intangible amortization, $77m pretax, or $59m after tax, of equity and limited-partnership investment fair-value losses, plus $17m pretax, or $15m after tax, of Masimo transaction costs. Those investment losses are not operating segment economics, so the cash proof matters more than the adjusted headline alone. Management's guide is the live test: Q2 company-defined core revenue is expected to increase in the low-single-digit range, and full-year 2026 company-defined core revenue is still expected to grow 3% to 6%, with adjusted diluted EPS guidance raised to $8.35-$8.55. Operating cash flow for the quarter was $1.322bn and company-reported free cash flow for the quarter was $1.085bn, so the cash signal was solid; it should not be annualized mechanically because the same release cited a lighter-than-typical Cepheid respiratory season and a still-gradual recovery path.