Building a (Bigger) Niche

Originally Published MX January/February 2002

COVER STORY

Building a (Bigger) Niche

American Medical Systems CEO Douglas W. Kohrs says that his company's public-market success comes down to two things: sales growth and profitability.

Interview by Steve Halasey

American Medical Systems (AMS; Minneapolis), a manufacturer and marketer of medical devices used in the areas of incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and prostate disease, has had a banner year. The company announced record-breaking results for the third quarter of 2001, reporting a 22% increase in sales and a 52% increase in earnings as compared with the same period in 2000. Such figures are staggering, especially with the recent downturn that the U.S. economy has taken, but Douglas W. Kohrs, president and CEO of AMS, doesn't consider the results surprising. After all, the company that AMS is today was built by a group of savvy investors and dedicated employees.

Founded in 1972, AMS was acquired by Pfizer (New York City) in 1985. In September 1998, a group of investors led by Warburg Pincus Equity Partners (New York City) acquired