Should LivaNova Breakup the Company?

LivaNova has been under pressure from PrimeStone Capital, an activist investo that wants to see big changes at the company, including a new CFO. PrimeStone can now cross that item off its wish list, as CFO Thad Huston has resigned. PrimeStone's recent interest in the company prompted a medtech analyst at Needham & Co. to conduct a sum-of-the-parts analysis of LivaNova, concluding that the sum of LivaNova's parts may be more valuable than the whole. Analyst Mike Matson said he believes the company could began to engage in portfolio management in the form of divestitures or spin-offs in an attempt to unlock shareholder value. He also estimates that the neuromodulation business at LivaNova is the company's primary source of value, and that its neuromodulation pipeline could be a source of meaningful upside over the next few years.

Medtronic's 2020 Buying Spree

Medtronic has acquired Ai Biomed, marking the company's seventh acquisition announced in 2020. The deal gives Medtronic access to the PTeye system, a probe-based technology designed to help confirm parathyroid tissue identified visually by the physician during thyroid surgery.

And in case you missed last week's Medtech in a Minute ...

Edwards Wows Analysts with Q3 Results

The TAVR pioneer reported tglobal TAVR sales of $745 million, an increase of 6% over the third quarter last year. CEO Mike Mussallem said the company expects to return to double-digit growth in 2021, but he stopped short of offering a more specific range. "Overall, Q3 results wowed us, though some may nitpick Q4 guidance or look for a more specific range on double-digit TAVR growth in 2021," Marie Thibault, a medtech analyst at BTIG, wrote in a report published Wednesday. "We anticipate more detail at the Dec. 10 annual investor day."

Abbott's Portfolio Shows Strength and Resiliency

Abbott Laboratories' medical device segment returned to growth in the third-quarter (3.4% year-over-year), complimented by an extraordinary beat on the diagnostics side, driven by $881 million in COVID-19 sales. While the medical device beat is partially a reflection of how quickly procedure volumes have bounced back across the industry, it's also a testament to the strength and resiliency of Abbott's medical device portfolio. CEO Robert Ford said Abbott has over 100 new products in the pipeline across its four businesses that are expected to launch over the next couple of years.

COVID-19 Testing Drives Significant Growth for Thermo Fisher

COVID-19-related tests helped push Thermo Fisher Scientific’s 3Q20 growth. The company brought in about $8.5 billion in revenue for the quarter, which was a 36% increase year-over-year. Thermo Fisher's involvement in the pandemic includes providing both COVID-19 diagnostic test kits as well as reagents used for laboratory-developed tests, along with sample collection products and instrumentation.

Meet the New Medtronic

ts with 99.6% specificity and 95% sensitivity for patients tested 15 days after symptom onset.