The company reiterated its full-year earnings forecast at $205 million to $210 million. The forecast assumes exchange rates of 67 US cents and 60 euro cents for the period, from 72 US cents and 59 euro cents for the prior March year.
It also allows for an expected $20 million to $30 million spend on litigation for the full-year and a moderate flu season in the Northern Hemisphere. Last year the flu season there had been very strong, meaning more people got sick.
Fisher & Paykel has been locked in patent disputes with rival ResMed since 2016 and in September trimmed its earnings forecast after its San Diego-based rival lodged complaints with the US International Trade Commission.
Fisher & Paykel spent $15.6 million on litigation in the year ended March 31, down from $20.7 million a year earlier. Litigation cost it about $7.7 million in the six months through September.
Managing director Lewis Gradon noted the "lumpy" nature of legal action, and the fact the ITC action and a Federal Court action in Australia would cause "big spending" by company later in the second half.
He urged analysts not to try and forecast a litigation spend for the coming year based on the second-half rate.
Operating revenue for the six months through September climbed 12 per cent to a record $511.3 million, up 8 per cent on a constant currency basis.
Operating revenue for the hospital product group, which includes products used in respiratory, acute and surgical care, increased 13 per cent to a record $297.3 million and was up 11 per cent in constant currency.
Homecare product revenue – which includes sleep apnoea and respiratory support equipment - rose 10 per cent to $211.1 million, up 6 per cent in constant currency.
"Our devices and systems used for nasal high flow therapy continue to drive much of the growth in our hospital business," Gradon said. "Our new F&P 950 heated humidification system for neonates is performing well in New Zealand and Australia, and we are looking forward to the release of the 950 in Europe next year."
Growth in hardware devices used in the home was "robust" and the company experienced strong demand for its myAirvo and SleepStyle devices, he said. Sleep apnoea masks and accessories growth of 2 percent in constant currency terms was as expected, as the company anticipates the launch of new masks.
Minor changes had been needed to the manufacturing process for its new mask, which will now be introduced early in 2019, followed by further new masks during the year, Gradon said.
Fisher & Paykel is forecasting about $160 million of capital expenditure this year, mostly for construction of a fourth building in Auckland and a second in Mexico.
Gradon noted that while the new Mexican building should be completed in December, production won't start until the new financial year. The Auckland building won't be completed until late 2020 and consideration of other processing sites is probably several years away, he said.
The company noted that its full-year earnings forecast assumes a moderate flu season in the Northern Hemisphere, and that it had experienced a "very strong" flu season there last year.
Gradon said that, on a full-year basis, the difference between a strong and moderate flu season could be 2 to 4 percent of sales growth for the firm's hospital division.
It was hard to be that precise on the earnings impact, he said, noting that in the past seven years the company had experienced two strong flu years, three moderate years and two weak ones.
The company will pay an interim 9.75 cents per share dividend on December 21.
- BusinessDesk
