Perhaps the displeasure of waiting in line for hours to get a COVID test this holiday season would be slightly allayed if you were a shareholder in a pathology company doing the leg work?

Investors who saw the value in pathology and ‘pro-pandemic’ stocks like Australian Clinical Labs (ASX: ACL) will be glad to read that the Company has upgraded their expectations for 1H FY22 forecasts, thanks to strong demand for COVID testing. 

The revised expectations have also been driven by the non-COVID based business which remained resilient throughout the period. 

ACL is one of the largest private hospital pathology businesses in Australia. The pathology provider operates 86 fully accredited laboratories across the country, performing a wide range of diagnostic tests and pathology services. 

ACL now anticipates their total revenue to come in between $497.3 and $517.2 million. When lodging their prospectus upon IPO earlier in the year the Company indicated earnings for 1H FY22 to be between $437.5 to $454.9 million. 

Additionally, the Company’s expected NPAT has been lifted significantly from $86.3-$94.9 million to now sit between $116.3 to $128 million. 

These new guidance figures are based on results to November and include the December month to date, as well as forecasts to the end of the month. 

The Company also completed an acquisition last month which saw leading private pathology provider Medlab and their 288 collection sites integrated in the ACL brand. The updated financials also encompass 12 days of having Medlab under their belt. 

 CEO of ACL, Melinda McGrath commented on the redefined financials, saying: “We anticipate heightened volumes of COVID-19 testing to continue during the remainder of FY22 due to the impact of new variants and outbreaks, the lifting of travel restrictions and increased demand for both commercial and travel testing.”

So, whilst standing in line for that next COVID test (to let you board a plane to somewhere tropical), consider snagging yourself some shares. It might take the sting out of the 4 hour wait…