Stryker, Zimmer, Smith+Nephew warn orthopaedic headwinds to last into Q4

Smith+Nephew, Stryker and Zimmer Biomet have rounded out the current earnings season with third-quarter results, revealing how the orthopaedics industry remains constrained by COVID-19, hospital staffing shortages and lower pricing in China.

Analysts expected orthopaedic companies to fall short of prior revenue forecasts, having heard intra-quarter commentary about the impact of the U.S. delta wave and other forces. Even so, the results managed to throw up some surprises, such as Stryker’s orthopaedic and spine sales falling short of Evercore ISI expectations but being offset by MedSurg growth, and provide an outlook for the fourth quarter that disappointed some observers.

None are forecasting a strong rebound in the fourth quarter. Having reported a 5.9% underlying drop in third-quarter orthopaedic sales, Smith+Nephew forecast a deceleration of its overall business in the fourth quarter, reflecting fewer selling days than in the comparable period of last year. Smith+Nephew expects to hit the bottom end of its 10% to 13% full-year sales growth guidance, pointing to a sharp slowdown after nine months in which the business grew 14%.

Zimmer and Stryker also downplayed the prospects of a rapid recovery in the fourth quarter. Stryker expects fourth quarter growth of its more deferrable businesses to be similar to the delta-hit third quarter. Zimmer cut the midpoint of its full-year sales guidance by 23%, reflecting the impact of a weak third quarter and the assumption that the headwinds will persist.

“Until we see a fundamental shift in these trends, we’re just going to assume that these pressure points aren’t going away, but will be with us into Q4 and possibly into early 2022,” Zimmer CEO Bryan Hanson told investors on the third-quarter results conference call.

| MedTech Dive

Image Credit: Nick Paul Taylor / MedTech Dive

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About Peter Coffaro 487 Articles
A growth-driven and strategic executive, Peter Coffaro commands more than 25 years of progressive management success within the medical device industry. Recognized by the World Journal of Orthopedics, Exponential Healthtech, and MedReps.com as one of the top medical sales influencers in the industry; he has 10 years of combined sales management experience and has held positions as a Director, General Manager, Distributor, and Vice President. Peter has worked for some of the top orthopedic companies in the world - Zimmer, DePuy, and Stryker. He is also the founder of OrthoFeed: a popular blog that covers digital orthopedic news and emerging medical technologies. Peter is a three-time Hall of Fame award winner at Johnson and Johnson and has an extensive background in organizational development, business development, sales management, digital marketing, and professional education. Peter holds a B.S. degree in Biology and Chemistry from Northern Illinois University.

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