Despite Q4 sales decline, Danaher upbeat

Jan 28, 2010

Danaher, owner of KaVo Dental, Kerr Dental, and other familiar brands, experienced single-digit declines in its dental business for the 2009 fiscal fourth quarter (end-December 31) compared to the same quarter in 2008, the company reported.

Danaher President and CEO H. Lawrence Culp Jr. said sales at Sybron Dental Specialties, which manages Kerr and Ormco Orthdontics, also declined in the single digits, "with strong sales of orthodontics and disinfection products more than offset by soft sales of dental consumables."

Damon brand orthodontic sales were up 20% in the quarter, driven by excellent response to the Damon Q brand and the introduction of Damon Clear brackets, the company said. The company expanded distribution channels for SybronEndo's twisted file, which thus far has been positively received by the market, it noted.

KaVo, too, was down at a mid single-digit rate in the quarter, "but with improved performance on a sequential basis across most geographies and product categories," Culp said.

Successful portfolio products included the Dexis Platinum sensor, the KaVo comfort drive handpiece, the Gendex 8500 2D panoramic imager, and the KaVo E70 treatment unit, he noted.

In response to questions at the end of an earnings call on January 28, Culp said the upswing at KaVo suggested an end to the effects of the recession. "I think we're seeing a return to a more typical mindset on the parts of docs."

Overall, Danaher saw sales of $3.1 billion for the fourth quarter, a 1.5% decline from sales of $3.2 billion reported in the fourth quarter of 2008. Net earnings for the quarter were $267 million, a 13% decrease compared to the same quarter a year ago.