Positive and specific revenue commentary for the US and Europe...

Positive and specific revenue commentary for the US and Europe for Q4 2021.

Reference is made to multiple new European customers - the precise number is not specified - that signed agreements with GSS in late December and "through" January [seemingly implying that more than one new customer was signed in January, although this is not clear]. GSS says that for various reasons these did not contribute to sales in Q1 but will do so in Q2 and thereafter. The revenue commentary on both the US and Europe is very favourable.

GSS concludes with commentary on M&A activity in the diagnostics sector, which it characterises as "very active" and that "interest and understanding of molecular diagnostics has increased markedly as a result of SARS-CoV-2 testing." One of the two largest transactions (US$1.8 billion) thus far in 2021 was undertaken by Roche. Is it a coincidence that a new non-executive director has been appointed to the board of GSS who until recently worked at Roche? Why even mention this if it does not contemplate, as it must, the potential M&A implications for GSS itself?

Finally, GSS has a project to build an instrument that goes from patient sample to result, the aim of which is to significantly reduce user input. This almost sounds like the instrument would be installed and that the internal hospital procedures would be greatly simplified and reduced with corresponding cost benefits. This project has a 24 month timeline. GSS continues to innovate across the whole range of its offerings, which arguably it receives little recognition for, but might be of interest to large global companies in the diagnostics sector.