Edwards Lifesciences Corp. reported good news this week, with its third-quarter results exceeding expectations. Sales came in at $1.1 billion, an increase of 4%, and CEO Mike Mussallem highlighted the success of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), with the Sapien valve platform performing well. Mussallem noted that TAVR sales were $745 million, up 6%, with Europe showing strength.
Abbott Laboratories saw improvement with its medical devices and diagnostics in the third quarter, which featured wins in the areas of COVID-19, diabetes, and structural heart. The company revealed its quarterly results on a Oct. 21 call, during which management said it was increasing its guidance for full-year adjusted earnings per share (EPS) to at least $3.55.
Medtronic plc management put an emphasis on being nimble and commercializing novel technology at its investor day this week, and analysts appeared to approve of the message. As Wells Fargo’s Larry Biegelsen noted, Dublin-based Medtronic is moving away from a centralized company that is focused on economic value and margin expansion to one that is more decentralized, emphasizing innovation and topline growth.
The Cooper Companies Inc. (Coopercompanies) reported fiscal third-quarter revenue of $578 million, a 14% decline from the same period the prior year but higher than analysts’ consensus of $536 million. The company attributed the results to better than expected recovery in both its Coopervision Inc. (CVI) and Coopersurgical Inc. (CSI) businesses.
Medtronic plc reported first-quarter worldwide revenue of just over $6.5 billion, a decrease of 13% as reported. As Cowen’s Josh Jennings wrote, the company’s results were better than expected, with an organic revenue growth decline of 17% vs. the Street’s prediction of a 25% decrease.
PERTH, Australia – Sydney-based Cochlear Ltd. reported its first loss in 25 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a patent battle loss in the U.S. For fiscal year 2020, which ended June 30, Cochlear reported a AU$238 million (US$170 million) loss in sales, down 186% from last year’s profit of AU$276 million.
Alcon AG released second-quarter results Aug. 18, reporting worldwide sales of $1.2 billion. That figure represented a decrease of 36%, or 34% on a constant currency basis, vs. the same period last year as COVID-19 hit all business categories. As Wells Fargo’s Larry Biegelsen noted, the Geneva-based company, which held its call Aug. 19, saw net loss per share coming in worse than expected due to higher selling, general and administrative expenses.
Senseonics Holdings Inc. is one of the latest med-tech companies to release its quarterly numbers, revealing sales of $261,000, a decline of -94.3% year-over-year. That figure may have fallen below SVB Leerink Research’s estimate of $1.6 million and consensus at $1.4 million “given the company's well-telegraphed ongoing strategic review,” wrote Danielle Antalffy in a note. Still, Senseonics had some good news, which Antalffy heralded as “very positive.” That came in the form of a financial and strategic partnership with Ascensia Diabetes Care that revolves around a global commercialization and distribution agreement and a concurrent financing deal.
Orthopedic companies felt pressure from COVID-19 in their most recent quarters. For example, Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. reported second-quarter net sales of $1.226 billion, a decrease of 38.3% from the prior-year period. Still, those revenues did come ahead of expectations, as Wells Fargo analyst Larry Biegelsen noted – $432 million ahead of his group's estimate and $305 million ahead of consensus.
