UK's Smith+Nephew launches $500-million buyback after first-half profit beat
Shares of Smith+Nephew jumped 14% in early trading.
The company, which makes orthopaedic implants, wound dressings and other surgical aids, has been aggressively cutting costs and launching products amid a recovery in its biggest market, the United States, offseting weaker demand in China.
Smith+Nephew's orthopaedics segment reported 5% underlying revenue growth in the second quarter, while its Sports Medicine & ENT business grew 5.7% and Advanced Wound Management unit saw a 10.2% rise.
"The operational improvements we have made under the 12-Point Plan are increasingly translating into better financial performance," CEO Deepak Nath said in a statement.
The London-based company is benefiting from a rise in consumers taking more elective surgeries across key markets, excluding China, where demand headwinds and a bulk-buying programme is weighing on its margins and volumes.
Still, Smith+Nephew maintained its full-year outlook and expects higher margin growth in the second half of the year. It continues to expect an impact of $15 million to $20 million from tariffs.
It posted a trading profit of $523 million for the six-month period ended June 28, beating analysts' estimates of $496 million, according to a company-compiled consensus.
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