Portage, Michigan, Jan. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stryker (NYSE:SYK) reported operating results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023:

Fourth Quarter Results

• Reported net sales increased 11.8% to $5.8 billion
• Organic net sales increased 11.4%
• Reported operating income margin of 21.6%
• Adjusted operating income margin⁽¹⁾ increased 60 bps to 27.2%
• Reported EPS increased 102.7% to $2.98
• Adjusted EPS⁽¹⁾ increased 15.3% to $3.46

Full Year Results

• Reported net sales increased 11.1% to $20.5 billion
• Organic net sales increased 11.5%
• Reported operating income margin of 19.0%
• Adjusted operating income margin⁽¹⁾ increased 40 bps to 24.2%
• Reported EPS increased 33.7% to $8.25
• Adjusted EPS⁽¹⁾ increased 13.5% to $10.60

"We drove excellent organic sales growth of over 11% in both the fourth quarter and the full year, and delivered strong adjusted earnings," said Kevin Lobo, Chair & CEO. "It was exciting to surpass $20 billion in sales as we continue to drive high growth. I would like to thank our teams for the strong performance in 2023."

Sales Analysis

Consolidated net sales of $5.8 billion and $20.5 billion increased 11.8% in the quarter, 11.5% in constant currency, and increased 11.1% in the full year, 11.6% in constant currency. Organic net sales increased 11.4% and 11.5% in the quarter and full year including 10.7% and 10.9% from increased unit volume and 0.7% and 0.6% from higher prices.

MedSurg and Neurotechnology net sales of $3.4 billion and $11.8 billion increased 12.3% in the quarter, 12.0% in constant currency, and increased 11.5% in the full year, 12.1% in constant currency. Organic net sales increased 11.8% and 11.8% in the quarter and full year including 10.1% and 10.2% from increased unit volume and 1.7% and 1.6% from higher prices.

Orthopaedics and Spine net sales of $2.4 billion and $8.7 billion increased 11.0% in the quarter, 10.7% in constant currency, and increased 10.5% in the full year, 11.1% in constant currency. Organic net sales increased 10.7% and 11.1% in the quarter and full year including 11.5% and 11.9% from increased unit volume partially offset by 0.8% and 0.8% from lower prices.

Earnings Analysis

Reported net earnings of $1.1 billion and $3.2 billion increased 103.0% and 34.2% in the quarter and full year. Reported net earnings per diluted share of $2.98 and $8.25 increased 102.7% and 33.7% in the quarter and full year. Reported gross profit margin and reported operating income margin were 63.7% and 21.6% in the quarter and 63.7% and 19.0% in the full year. Reported net earnings include certain items, such as charges for acquisition and integration-related activities, the amortization of purchased intangible assets, structural optimization and other special charges (including asset write-offs and impairments), costs to comply with certain medical device regulations, recall-related matters, regulatory and legal matters and tax matters. Excluding the aforementioned items, adjusted gross profit margin⁽¹⁾ was 63.9% in both the quarter and full year, and adjusted operating income margin⁽¹⁾ was 27.2% and 24.2% in the quarter and full year. Adjusted net earnings⁽¹⁾ of $1.3 billion and $4.1 billion increased 15.4% and 13.9% in the quarter and full year. Adjusted net earnings per diluted share⁽¹⁾ of $3.46 and $10.60 increased 15.3% and 13.5% in the quarter and full year.

2024 Outlook

Based on our momentum from 2023, strong procedural volumes, healthy demand for capital products and a stabilizing macro-economic environment, we expect 2024 organic net sales growth⁽²⁾ to be in the range of 7.5% to 9.0% and expect adjusted net earnings per diluted share⁽²⁾ to be in the range of $11.70 to $12.00. Based on the steady progress of our pricing actions, we would expect the full year impact of price to be roughly flat. If foreign exchange rates hold near current levels, we anticipate sales will be modestly unfavorably impacted for the full year, being more negative in the first half of the year. We expect adjusted net earnings per diluted share⁽²⁾ will be negatively impacted by foreign exchange rates approximately $0.05 to $0.10. This is included in our guidance.

(1) A reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures: adjusted gross profit margin, adjusted operating income and adjusted operating income margin, adjusted net earnings and adjusted net earnings per diluted share, to the most directly comparable GAAP measures: gross profit margin, operating income and operating income margin, net earnings and net earnings per diluted share, and other important information accompanies this press release.
(2) We are unable to present a quantitative reconciliation of our expected net sales growth to expected organic net sales growth as we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty and without unreasonable effort the impact and timing of acquisitions and divestitures and the impact of foreign currency exchange rates. We are unable to present a quantitative reconciliation of our expected net earnings per diluted share to expected adjusted net earnings per diluted share as we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty and without unreasonable effort the impact and timing of structural optimization and other special charges, acquisition-related expenses and the outcome of certain regulatory, legal and tax matters. The financial impact of these items is uncertain and is dependent on various factors, including timing, and could be material to our Consolidated Statements of Earnings.

Conference Call on Tuesday, January 30, 2024

As previously announced, we will host a conference call on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at 4:30 p.m., Eastern Time, to discuss our operating results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2023 and provide an operational update.

Please register for this conference call at: https://www.veracast.com/webcasts/stryker/events/SYK4Q23.cfm. After registering, a confirmation will be sent via email, including dial-in details and unique conference call access codes required for call entry. Registration is open throughout the live call. To ensure you are connected prior to the beginning of the call, we suggest registering a minimum of 15 minutes before the start of the call.

A simultaneous webcast of the call will be accessible via the Investor Relations page of our website at www.stryker.com. For those not planning to ask a question of management, we recommend listening via the webcast. Please allow 15 minutes to register, download and install any necessary software.

Following the conference call, a replay will be available on our website up to one year from the time of the earnings call.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains information that includes or is based on forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities law that are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: weakening of economic conditions, or the anticipation thereof, that could adversely affect the level of demand for our products; geopolitical risks, including from international conflicts and upcoming elections in the United States and other countries, which could, among other things, lead to increased market volatility; pricing pressures generally, including cost-containment measures that could adversely affect the price of or demand for our products; changes in foreign currency exchange markets; legislative and regulatory actions; unanticipated issues arising in connection with clinical studies and otherwise that affect United States Food and Drug Administration approval of new products; inflationary pressures; increased interest rates; supply chain disruptions; changes in reimbursement levels from third-party payors; a significant increase in product liability claims; the ultimate total cost with respect to recall-related matters; the impact of investigative and legal proceedings and compliance risks; resolution of tax audits; changes in tax laws and regulations; the impact of legislation to reform the healthcare system in the United States or other countries; costs to comply with medical device regulations; changes in financial markets; changes in our credit ratings; changes in the competitive environment; our ability to integrate and realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions in full or at all or within the expected timeframes; our ability to realize anticipated cost savings; potential negative impacts resulting from environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability related matters; the impact on our operations and financial results of any public health emergency and any related policies and actions by governments or other third parties; and breaches or failures of our or our vendors' information technology systems or products, including by cyber-attack, data leakage, unauthorized access or theft. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.

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, Orthopaedics and Spine 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 www.stryker.com.

For investor inquiries please contact:
Jason Beach, Vice President, Investor Relations at 269-385-2600 or jason.beach@stryker.com

For media inquiries please contact:
Yin Becker, Vice President, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at 269-385-2600 or yin.becker@stryker.com

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Note: Fourth quarter and full year 2023 had the same number of selling days as 2022. Beginning in the first quarter 2023 we consolidated Other MedSurg and Neurotechnology into Endoscopy as Other MedSurg and Neurotechnology (primarily Sustainability Solutions) has been fully integrated into our Endoscopy business. Endoscopy includes sales related to Other of $91 and $84 for the three months 2023 and 2022 and $343 and $302 for the full year 2023 and 2022. We have reflected these changes in all historical periods presented.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION - RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

We supplement the reporting of our financial information determined under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) with certain non-GAAP financial measures, including: percentage sales growth in constant currency; percentage organic sales growth; adjusted gross profit; adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses; adjusted research, development and engineering expenses; adjusted operating income; adjusted other income (expense), net; adjusted income taxes; adjusted effective income tax rate; adjusted net earnings; and adjusted net earnings per diluted share (Diluted EPS). We believe these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful information to assist investors and shareholders in understanding our financial results and assessing our prospects for future performance. Management believes percentage sales growth in constant currency and the other adjusted measures described above are important indicators of our operations because they exclude items that may not be indicative of or are unrelated to our core operating results and provide a baseline for analyzing trends in our underlying businesses. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures for reviewing the operating results of reportable business segments and analyzing potential future business trends in connection with our budget process and bases certain management incentive compensation on these non-GAAP financial measures.

To measure percentage sales growth in constant currency, we remove the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates that affect the comparability and trend of sales. Percentage sales growth in constant currency is calculated by translating current and prior year results at the same foreign currency exchange rate. To measure percentage organic sales growth, we remove the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates, acquisitions and divestitures, which affect the comparability and trend of sales. Percentage organic sales growth is calculated by translating current year and prior year results at the same foreign currency exchange rate excluding the impact of acquisitions and divestitures. To measure earnings performance on a consistent and comparable basis, we exclude certain items that affect the comparability of operating results and the trend of earnings. The income tax effect of each adjustment was determined based on the tax effect of the jurisdiction in which the related pre-tax adjustment was recorded.

Because non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized, it may not be possible to compare these financial measures with other companies' non-GAAP financial measures having the same or similar names. These adjusted financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for reported sales growth, gross profit, selling, general and administrative expenses, research, development and engineering expenses, operating income, other income (expense), net, income taxes, effective income tax rate, net earnings and net earnings per diluted share, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures are an additional way of viewing aspects of our operations that, when viewed with our GAAP results and the reconciliations to corresponding GAAP financial measures below, provide a more complete understanding of our business. We strongly encourage investors and shareholders to review our financial statements and publicly-filed reports in their entirety and not to rely on any single financial measure.

The following reconciles the non-GAAP financial measures discussed above with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. The weighted-average diluted shares outstanding used in the calculation of adjusted net earnings per diluted share are the same as those used in the calculation of reported net earnings per diluted share for the respective period.