Latest news with #KevinLobo
Mint
4 days ago
- Business
- Mint
The importance of repetition in the workplace
If you had to define the indispensable power of a leader, which would you pick? Would it be probing intelligence? Boundless energy? Or perhaps just being lucky? One ability may not come to mind for many, but really should. For if there is a talent that every boss needs to master, it's the ability to say the same thing over and over and over again without seeming bored. You don't have to spend a lot of time with executives to hear repeated words and phrases. They might be drumming home the critical elements of their strategy to investors. They might be reciting talking-points with the media. They might be inculcating the company's culture at town halls with employees, or telling the firm's origin story for the thousandth time. What they are not doing is starting afresh every time. When Kevin Lobo first became the chief executive of Stryker, a medical-technology firm in Michigan, his team drew up a mission statement ('Together with our customers, we are driven to make health care better") that he used at the start of every presentation he gave. He says that the combination of simplicity and repetition helped it to spread organically: presentations within Stryker now routinely start with its mission. Anyone who takes on a leadership role at Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharma firm behind Wegovy, a weight-loss jab, will head to Copenhagen to hear Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, the ceo, give a talk about the firm's enduring values. If Amazon's culture is coupled to certain ideas, such as its 'day one", never-settle, mentality, it's largely because of repetition. The firm always reattaches its first shareholder letter, where the term is prominent, to its most recent one, for instance. Likewise, if you associate JPMorgan Chase with a 'fortress balance-sheet", it's probably because Jamie Dimon, the bank's boss, has been saying it for 20 years straight. Repetition is partly a function of time constraints: in the same way that many politicians have a stump speech they can give at every rally, most bosses are too busy to craft their messages from scratch every time. But mainly it's to do with the way that people remember things and absorb ideas. Repetition makes things stick, as every schoolchild knows. That's true in offices and beyond. David Gergen, a doyen of American political communications, advised candidates in debates to pick the three or four points they wanted to drive home. Songwriters do something similar. One analysis, by Joseph Nunes of the University of Southern California and his co-authors, found that songs with more repetitive lyrics were more likely to make it into the top 40 singles chart in America. Another study, by Emilia Parada-Cabaleiro and Maximilian Mayerl of Nuremberg University of Music and their co-authors, concluded that lyrics have become simpler and more repetitive over the past five decades. If it works for Fatboy Slim, why not the senior leadership team? Repetition helps persuade people that something is correct, a phenomenon known as the illusory truth effect. In various studies, people have been given a list of plausible statements (the capybara is the largest of the marsupials, for example, or this column is the best one in The Economist), whose veracity they are asked to judge. They are then shown more statements, some new and some repeated. The more times someone is exposed to a statement (this column is the best one in The Economist), the more likely they are to say it is true. Repetition is harder on speakers than listeners. It takes time for anyone to realise that they are hearing the same thing over and over. Workers are in any case likely to be forgiving. In a recent paper, Francis Flynn and Chelsea Lide of Stanford University looked at the comments people made about leaders in an archive of 360-degree assessments. Less than a quarter of leaders were judged to have got communication right. The miscreants were nearly ten times more likely to be criticised for under-communicating than over-communicating. Repetition may even be a positive sign for employees. In autocratic organisations, bosses may rely on fear to make people attentive. In more decentralised firms, managers need to find other, more subtle ways to guide behaviour. The burden falls more heavily on the repeaters. But if Mr Lobo has had enough of reciting his mission statement or Mr Dimon is fed up of the word 'fortress", you would not know it. There is more to leadership than repetition. But it is still a singular part of the job. Subscribers to The Economist can sign up to our new Opinion newsletter, which brings together the best of our leaders, columns, guest essays and reader correspondence.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SYK Q1 Earnings Call: Stryker Delivers Revenue Beat, Cites International Growth and Tariff Headwinds
Medical technology company Stryker (NYSE:SYK) announced better-than-expected revenue in Q1 CY2025, with sales up 11.9% year on year to $5.87 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $2.84 per share was 4% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy SYK? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $5.87 billion vs analyst estimates of $5.68 billion (11.9% year-on-year growth, 3.2% beat) Adjusted EPS: $2.84 vs analyst estimates of $2.73 (4% beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $1.45 billion vs analyst estimates of $1.42 billion (24.7% margin, 2% beat) Adjusted EPS guidance for the full year is $13.33 at the midpoint, missing analyst estimates by 1% Operating Margin: 14.3%, down from 18.5% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow Margin: 2.2%, up from 0.7% in the same quarter last year Organic Revenue rose 10.1% year on year, in line with the same quarter last year Market Capitalization: $149.9 billion Stryker's first quarter results reflected healthy demand across both its MedSurg & Neurotechnology and Orthopaedics divisions, with management highlighting double-digit growth in its U.S. trauma, extremities, neurocranial, and surgical technologies segments. CEO Kevin Lobo emphasized the outperformance of new product platforms, especially the Mako robotic system and Pangea trauma plating system, as key contributors to market share gains. Management also pointed to continued strength in international markets, particularly Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Europe, as a foundation for ongoing growth. Looking ahead, Stryker's 2025 guidance reflects the company's expectation for continued high-single-digit organic sales growth, while acknowledging several headwinds. CFO Preston Wells noted that tariffs—estimated to impact costs by $200 million this year—will require ongoing mitigation through pricing, supply chain optimization, and disciplined spending. Management cited strong order backlogs and robust demand for capital equipment as supportive factors, but recognized supply chain disruptions in the medical business and the need to integrate recent acquisitions like Inari Medical as considerations for the remainder of the year. Stryker's management attributed the quarter's performance to broad-based demand, new product uptake, and successful execution in core and emerging markets. The following insights summarize the major drivers behind the company's recent financial results: Robotic Surgery Momentum: The Mako robotic platform set a Q1 record for installations, with high utilization rates globally. Management expects continued growth in hips and knees as Mako expands into new indications and geographies. Product Innovation Pipeline: Recent launches, such as the LIFEPAK 35 defibrillator and the Pangea trauma plating system, drove meaningful sales growth. LIFEPAK 35 is set to expand into Europe and Japan, while Pangea will enter Australia and Canada this year and Japan in 2026. International Expansion: Stryker underscored strong growth in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Europe, citing these markets as significant future catalysts. The company expects regulatory delays to cause a lag between U.S. and international product uptake, but sees a multi-year runway for international sales. M&A and Portfolio Optimization: The acquisition of Inari Medical was completed, integrating into the vascular division. Stryker also finalized the sale of its U.S. Spinal Implants business, sharpening its strategic focus and capital allocation. Capital Equipment Demand: Management reported double-digit growth across capital businesses and stated that hospital capital spending remains robust, with a healthy order backlog and no current signs of a slowdown. Management expects Stryker's growth to be shaped by ongoing product launches, international expansion, and efforts to offset tariff-related cost pressures. The company's outlook is rooted in strong procedural demand, but it faces operational and macroeconomic uncertainties. Tariff Mitigation Efforts: Stryker plans to counteract the estimated $200 million tariff impact through pricing strategies, expense discipline, and supply chain optimizations. CFO Preston Wells noted that gross and operating margin improvement will depend on successfully executing these measures. Capital Equipment Backlog: The elevated order book for capital equipment is expected to support sales growth through the year, with management citing a six-month visibility into demand. Integration of Acquisitions and Divestitures: The performance of newly acquired Inari Medical and the transition of the U.S. Spinal Implants business out of the portfolio are expected to influence both revenue growth and margin profiles in coming quarters. Marcus Robert (JPMorgan): Pressed on how Stryker will absorb the $200 million tariff impact and what mitigation levers are most effective. Management cited sales momentum, pricing, and discretionary spending as key tools. Larry Biegelsen (Wells Fargo): Asked about the sustainability of operating margin expansion despite tariffs, with Preston Wells clarifying that margin gains will come from both gross margin and operating expense initiatives. Joanne Wuensch (Citi): Inquired about the ongoing integration of Inari Medical and whether there were any surprises post-acquisition. Management reported favorable early results and cultural alignment. Ryan Zimmerman (BTIG): Sought details on the international hip business's growth durability, with CEO Kevin Lobo attributing strong results to recent acquisitions and pending product launches in Europe and Asia-Pacific. Travis Steed (Bank of America): Questioned the details and geographic exposure of the tariff impact, as well as mitigation strategies for 2026. Management said future plans remain flexible due to the changing environment. In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will closely monitor (1) the rollout and adoption pace of new products such as Mako 4 and LIFEPAK 35 in both U.S. and international markets, (2) Stryker's ability to offset tariff-related cost pressures through pricing and operational efficiency, and (3) ongoing strength in capital equipment demand and procedural volumes globally. Additionally, we will watch for integration milestones with Inari Medical and any updates regarding regulatory changes or supply chain disruptions. Stryker currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 28.4×. At this valuation, is it a buy or sell post earnings? Find out in our free research report. Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stryker completes sale of U.S. spinal implants business
Portage, Michigan, April 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stryker (NYSE: SYK), a global leader in medical technologies, announced today that it has completed the sale of its U.S. spinal implants business to Viscogliosi Brothers, LLC, as part of the newly formed company VB Spine, LLC. 'The sale of our spinal implants business enhances our strategic focus, positioning us to meet evolving customer needs and invest where we see the greatest opportunity for innovation and long-term growth,' said Kevin Lobo, Chair and CEO, Stryker. 'We remain committed to the spine space through our Interventional Spine, Neurotechnology and Enabling Technologies businesses, as well as our strategic partnership with VB Spine. We're grateful to our Spine team members for their contributions and confident they're well positioned for continued success.' VB Spine will have exclusive access to Mako Spine and Copilot for use with its implants in spine procedures. Certain international markets are expected to transfer to VB Spine at later dates, subject to the completion of all legal and regulatory requirements and required consultations with employees and/or employee representatives. About Stryker Stryker is a global leader in medical technologies and, together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better. We offer innovative products and services in MedSurg, Neurotechnology and Orthopaedics that help improve patient and healthcare outcomes. Alongside our customers around the world, we impact more than 150 million patients annually. More information is available at Contacts For investor inquiries:Jason Beach, Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations at 269-385-2600 or For media inquiries: Kim Montagnino, Chief Communications Officer at 269-385-2600 or
