Sonova Announces New Sales and Earnings Outlook for the Current Business Year 2010/11

STÄFA, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sonova Holding AG, the world’s leading provider of hearing systems, is announcing today that the Group is expecting sales of around CHF 1,600 million and an EBITA margin of 20-21% for 2010/11, barring any unforeseen events. The previously announced recall of the Advanced Bionics cochlear implant, delayed sales growth in traditional hearing instruments and negative currency effects have resulted in changes in the outlook for the current business year.

In the field of hearing implants, the Group confirmed a drop in sales of around CHF 65 million for the current business year due to the product recall by Advanced Bionics that took place in November 2010. Efforts to re-enter the market are progressing well. Activities in the field of research and development have also been further intensified.

Due to an unclear regulatory situation in the US market, the launch of the new Phonak hearing instruments in the second half of the current business year was delayed. It has not been possible to compensate the lost sales, especially as the severe winter has made it difficult to achieve above-average growth. After strong growth in recent years, Unitron, Sonova’s second strongest hearing-systems brand, will fall short of its expected sales targets in the current business year. All in all, the Sonova Group is expecting sales of hearing systems in the current business year to be around CHF 40-50 million less than originally anticipated.

Regardless of this, the Group has confirmed that its products have been met with a positive response from customers and that demand for the recently launched Phonak brand products based on the new Spice technology is good. Unitron will present a product range based on the new platform at the AAA Congress in Chicago in April 2011.

Sonova is anticipating an EBITA margin of 20-21% for the 2010/11 business year. This is due primarily to the sales loss from the Advanced Bionics recall, lower sales growth in hearing systems and stronger negative currency effects.

As a result of the product recall by Advanced Bionics, the related goodwill has to be reassessed. Based on the information currently available, Sonova expects an impairment of CHF 150-200 million. This impairment will be recorded as a restatement for business year 2009/10. The result for the current business year 2010/11 is not affected by this restatement.

Sonova expects the growth drivers in the hearing systems market to remain unchanged. The Group is continuing to aim to achieve long-term growth and increased profitability by being an innovation leader, expanding its sales channels and new business areas.

Sonova will publish its results for the 2010/11 business year on May 24, 2011.

Disclaimer

This Media Release may contain forward-looking statements which offer no guarantee with regard to future performance. These statements are made on the basis of management’s views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance at the time the statements are made. They are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not confined to, future global economic conditions, exchange rates, legal provisions, market conditions, activities by competitors and other factors outside the company’s control.

About Sonova

Sonova is the leading provider of innovative hearing healthcare solutions. The globally active group is the world‘s top manufacturer of hearing systems, the market leader in wireless communication systems for audiology applications, develops and manufactures advanced cochlear implant systems and provides professional solutions for hearing protection. Sonova is pursuing a clear growth strategy and is intent to grow faster than the market. To this end it is constantly expanding its existing business segments and branching out into other areas of the hearing healthcare industry.Present in over 90 countries, and with a workforce of over 6,800 employees, Sonova generated sales of CHF 1.5 billion in the financial year 2009/10 and a net profit of CHF 355 million. This financially strong group of companies bases its success on innovation, customer focus and proactive cost management. The company has been successfully promoting understanding and communication for over 60 years, and is ideally positioned to benefit from the trends in this growth industry.

For more information please visit www.sonova.com.

Sonova shares (ticker symbol: SOON) have been listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange since 1994.



CONTACT:

Sonova
Dr. Holger Schimanke, +41 58 928 33 44
Director Investor & Corporate Relations
[email protected]
or
Nicole Müller, +41 58 928 33 22
Investor & Corporate Relations
[email protected]

KEYWORDS:   United States  Europe  North America  New York  Switzerland

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