Abiomed reaches profit on stock sale

May 20, 2010|Associated Press

DANVERS — Heart device maker Abiomed Inc. yesterday reported a return to profitability for the fiscal fourth quarter on the sale of its stake in World Heart Corp., which netted $6.4 million.

For the quarter ended March 31, Abiomed said it earned $193,000, or a penny per share, compared with a loss of $8.5 million, or 23 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding one-time costs and the gain from the sale, the company lost 13 cents per share. Revenue rose 17 percent to $23 million from $19.6 million as revenue from sales of its Impella device rose 67 percent to $15.2 million. The system allows surgeons to implant a device that keeps a patient’s blood flowing during and after surgery.

Analysts had expected a smaller loss of 12 cents on $22.7 million in revenue. In fiscal 2010, Abiomed lost $19.8 million, or 54 cents per share, compared with a loss of $31.6 million, or 91 cents per share, in fiscal 2009. Revenue rose to $85.7 million from $73.2 million.

The company expects fiscal 2011 revenue between $93 million and $95 million, below analysts’ average forecast for $102.5 million in revenue.