S-FAST Harnesses Power of New M-Turbo„¢ System in Design Specialized for Emergency Medicine First EMED Visualization Tool with Zero Footprint
BOTHELL, WA - October 8, 2007 €“ Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound, today introduced the S-FAST„¢ point-of-care ultrasound tool, the first ultrasound product custom designed to focus solely on the specialized visualization needs of the emergency physician. Sonosite unveiled the new device at the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Scientific Assembly in Seattle.
The company expects to begin shipping the product in the fourth quarter of this year. With the S-FAST ultrasound tool, emergency clinicians get breakthrough image quality and technology that acquires the optimal image in seconds with just two controls, packaged in a revolutionary design that can be carried, mounted on an IV pole, or fixed on a wall or ceiling for zero footprint, and, of course, withstand being dropped from three feet onto a hard surface.… [Read more]
Powerful M-Turbo Hand-Carried System Delivers Breakthrough Image Quality, State-of-the-Art Connectivity and Extreme Durability for Point of Care Visualization
BOTHELL, WA - October 1, 2007 €“ Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound, today announced the introduction of the M-Turbo„¢ ultrasound system for use in the full range of clinical applications at the point of care. The fourth major product platform since Sonosite released the industry€™s first hand-carried ultrasound system in 1999, the M-Turbo system delivers an exponential increase in raw processing power for superior image clarity across all exam types, plus seamless connectivity for digital image export in a rugged, hand-carried product weighing less than 8 pounds. Sonosite plans to begin customer deliveries later this quarter.… [Read more]
BOTHELL, WA - August 20, 2007 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound, announced today it has filed an amendment to its patent infringement lawsuit against General Electric Company (GE) and certain of its affiliates in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.
The lawsuit and the amendment are filed as a counterclaim to the complaint GE and its affiliates filed against Sonosite on May 15, 2007 in the same court. Sonosite filed its original answer to the GE complaint on July 5, 2007 denying all of GE's claims and alleging that GE's asserted patents are either invalid, not infringed, or both. In its original counterclaim complaint, Sonosite asserted that GE and its affiliated companies infringe Sonosite's U.S. Patent Nos. 6,569,101,"Medical Diagnostic Instrument with ECG Module, Authorization Mechanism and Methods of Use," and 5,817,024, "Handheld Ultrasonic Diagnostic Instrument with Digital Beamformer." In its August 17 amendment, Sonosite asserts that GE and its affiliated companies also infringe Sonosite's U.S. Patent Nos. 6,962,566, "Medical Diagnostic Ultrasound Instrument with ECG Module, Authorization Mechanism and Methods of Use," and 6,364,839, "Ultrasound Diagnostic Instrument Having Software in Detachable Scanhead."… [Read more]
BOTHELL, WA €“ September 18, 2007 €“ Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound, said today that Anne M. Bugge, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, will present at the UBS 2007 Global Life Sciences Conference being held at the Grand Hyatt in New York City from September 23-27, 2007. The presentation will be webcast live on September 26 at 2:30 pm, Eastern Time. An audio replay of the presentation will be available for 30 days following and can be accessed via the Investors Section of Sonosite€™s website at www.sonosite.com.
About Sonosite
Sonosite, Inc. (www.sonosite.com) is the innovator and world leader in hand-carried ultrasound. Headquartered near Seattle, the company is represented by nine subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 90 countries. Sonosite€™s small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. The company employs over 550 people worldwide.… [Read more]
BOTHELL, WA and NEW DELHI, INDIA- October 4, 2007- Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound, announced today that it is opening a wholly-owned subsidiary, Sonosite India Private Limited, to better serve its growing customer base and expand its presence in the Indian market. Headquartered in Gurgaon, Delhi NCR, the new subsidiary will provide sales and marketing support and provide the opportunity for Sonosite to deliver the high level after-sale service and education programs it is known for throughout its customer base. "Sonosite has enjoyed excellent growth in the Indian market since establishing our liaison office in 2005 under the experienced leadership of Mr. Pavan Behl as country manager," said Graham Cox, Sonosite Vice President, International.
"Opening a direct subsidiary here further underscores our long-term commitment to our customers in India, as well as allows us to better support our distribution partners and to build on the progress already made. We can now offer the financial and practical benefits of hand-carried ultrasound to the Indian market in the same way that Sonosite products have already positively impacted clinical practice in other countries. Offering a free 5-year warranty on our latest products allows clinicians to use their budgets to provide the best equipment for their patients, without the worry of ongoing costs," he added.… [Read more]
Company Now Shipping both M-Turbo and S Series S Series First Ultrasound Device to Offer Zero Footprint Option Mount Sinai to Receive First S Series Shipment
BOTHELL, Wash. - December 17, 2007 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in point-of-care, hand-carried ultrasound, today announced that it has begun worldwide shipments of its S Series™ ultrasound tools. Based on the company's fourth generation technology platform, the S Series product line combines the processing power, image quality and advanced data management features of Sonosite's newly introduced M-Turbo„¢ system with a customized user interface to address the specific needs of four clinical specialties. "Sonosite is the only company that has designed a system that can withstand rigorous use in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU),€™ said John M. Oropello, MD, FCCP, FCCM, Professor of Surgery and Medicine, Program Director, Critical Care Medicine and Co-Director, Neurosurgical €“ICU, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.… [Read more]
Product Rollout Continues with Specialized Visualization Tool for ICUS-ICU Unveiled at Meeting of American College of Chest Physicians Sonosite Introduces Third S-Series Product in three weeks
BOTHELL, WA - October 22, 2007 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound, today introduced the S-ICU™ visualization tool, the first ultrasound device custom-designed for the intensive care physician. Sonosite is showcasing the S-ICU product at the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) annual meeting in Chicago, and expects to begin customer shipments in the fourth quarter of this year. With the S-ICU tool, intensivists get the breakthrough image quality of Sonosite€™s powerful, newly introduced M-Turbo„¢ system with the user interface, software and controls specialized to address the point-of-care exams and procedures commonly performed in a hospital intensive care unit (ICU).… [Read more]
BOTHELL, WA - December 27, 2007 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO) the world leader in point-of-care, hand-carried ultrasound, said today that Kevin M. Goodwin, President & CEO, will present at the 26th Annual JPMorgan Healthcare Conference being held at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco January 7-10, 2008. Mr. Goodwin's presentation will be webcast live on January 7th at 9:00 am Pacific Time. An audio replay of the presentation will be available for 30 days following and can be accessed via the Investors Section of Sonosite's website at www.sonosite.com.
About Sonosite
Sonosite, Inc. (www.sonosite.com) is the innovator and world leader in hand-carried ultrasound. Headquartered near Seattle, the company is represented by ten subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 90 countries. Sonosite€™s small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. The company employs over 600 people worldwide.… [Read more]
2007 Revenue Tops $205 Million New Products Account for Over 30% of Fourth Quarter Revenue BOTHELL, WA, January 7, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in point-of-care, hand-carried ultrasound, today provided preliminary revenue results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2007. The company said that fourth quarter revenue grew approximately 20% to $65 million compared to the prior year's fourth quarter. For the year, worldwide revenue is estimated to have increased by 20% to over $205 million. Sonosite President and CEO Kevin M. Goodwin said that the new M-Turbo„¢ and S Series„¢ products, which the company began shipping in December, accounted for over 30% of the quarter€™s revenue.
"Market response and uptake worldwide was stronger than we expected in the first quarter of our product launch," Mr. Goodwin said. "This is a particularly encouraging given that we essentially had only 40 selling days with our new products in the field in the fourth quarter." The company unleashed its largest ever roll-out of five new products at major medical meetings during the fourth quarter of 2007.… [Read more]
Zero-Footprint Ultrasound Customized for Imaging Needs of Sports Medicine, Rheumatologists and Musculoskeletal Specialists
BOTHELL, WA - February 22, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc., (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in point-of-care, hand-carried ultrasound, announced today the introduction of the S-MSK™ ultrasound tool, the first ultrasound product customized for musculoskeletal specialists - including rheumatologists, physiatrists, sports physicians, orthopedic and osteopathic surgeons and physical therapists.
The company plans to begin customer shipments in March. Based on Sonosite€™s fourth generation M-Turbo„¢ platform, the S-MSK ultrasound tool delivers an exponential increase in processing power for superior image clarity plus seamless connectivity for digital image export in a rugged, easy to use form factor. It is backed by Sonosite€™s ground-breaking 5-year warranty, which comes standard with purchase. "The image quality of Sonosite€™s new generation platform is outstanding and comparable to that of larger, more expensive machines," says Alvin F. Wells, MD, PhD, Rheumatology and Immunotherapy Center and Clinical Assistant Professor, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Milwaukee. "With this new technology, we can look deep into the joints and see what is going on.… [Read more]
BOTHELL, WA - February 22, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc., (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in point-of-care, hand-carried ultrasound, announced today the new M-OB/GYN Office™ ultrasound tool specifically customized for the physician's office. The company plans to begin customer shipments this month. Based on Sonosite's fourth generation M-Turbo™ platform, the M-OB/GYN Office system delivers an exponential increase in processing power and superior image clarity for obstetrical and gynecological imaging, plus seamless connectivity for digital image export in a rugged, easy to use form factor. It is backed by Sonosite's 5-year warranty, which comes standard with purchase.… [Read more]
2007 Operating Income Grows 16% BOTHELL, WA - February 14, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in point-of-care, hand-carried ultrasound, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2007. Worldwide revenue in the fourth quarter of 2007 grew 19% to $64.8 million compared with $54.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2006. For the full year of 2007, worldwide revenue grew 20% to $205.1 million compared with $171.1 million for 2006. Sonosite reported net income of $4.3 million or $0.25 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2007 compared with net income of $5.8 million or $0.34 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2006.
The 2007 comparison with 2006 was impacted by Sonosite's effective tax rate of 40% in the fourth quarter of 2007 compared with 1% in the fourth quarter of 2006. Income taxes are largely a non-cash expense due to unused net operating loss carryforwards. For the full year of 2007, Sonosite reported net income of $6.9 million or $0.40 per diluted share compared with net income of $7.2 million or $0.43 per diluted share in the prior year. The 2007 comparison was impacted by the company's tax rate of 38% for the year compared to 8% for the full year of 2006.… [Read more]
BOTHELL, WA - March 13, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO) the world leader in point-of-care, hand-carried ultrasound, said today that Kevin M. Goodwin, President and CEO, will present at the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association (WBBA) Invest Northwest™ CEO and Investor Forum being held at the Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle from March 18-19, 2008. Mr. Goodwin's presentation will be webcast live on March 18th at 8:40 am Pacific Time. An audio replay of the presentation will be available for 30 days following and can be accessed via the Investors Section of Sonosite€™s website at www.sonosite.com.
About Sonosite
Sonosite, Inc. (www.sonosite.com) is the innovator and world leader in hand-carried ultrasound. Headquartered near Seattle, the company is represented by ten subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 100 countries. Sonosite€™s small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. The company employs over 600 people worldwide.… [Read more]
BOTHELL, WA - May 15, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound at the point-of-care, said today that Anne Bugge, Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations will present at the 2008 Citi Investment Research Global Healthcare Conference being held at the Hilton Hotel in New York City May 21-22, 2008. Ms. Bugge€™s presentation will be webcast live on May 21st at 4:00 pm Eastern Time. An audio replay of the presentation will be available for 30 days following and can be accessed via the Investors Section of Sonosite€™s website at www.sonosite.com.
About Sonosite
Sonosite, Inc. (www.sonosite.com) is the innovator and world leader in hand-carried ultrasound. Headquartered near Seattle, the company is represented by ten subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 100 countries. Sonosite€™s small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. The company employs over 600 people worldwide.… [Read more]
BOTHELL, WA - May 29, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound for the point-of-care, today announced the appointment of Richard O. Martin, PhD., to its Board of Directors. Dr. Martin served as President of Medtronic Physio Control Corporation from 1998 until his retirement in 2001. Prior to its acquisition by Medtronic in 1998, Dr. Martin was Chairman and CEO of Physio Control Corporation. He also held several senior executive positions in engineering, marketing and sales with Intermedics, Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of cardiac pacemakers and other biomedical products before being named President and COO of that company in 1985.
From 1989 to 1990, Dr. Martin also served as Director, President and COO of Positron Corporation, a leading manufacturer of positron emission tomography (PET) systems specializing in cardiology, oncology and neurology applications. "Dr. Martin brings in-depth knowledge and years of corporate leadership in the medical imaging, diagnostics and therapeutics fields," said Kevin M. Goodwin, Sonosite President and CEO. "It is a pleasure to welcome Dick to our Board. We look forward to benefiting from the breadth of his experience and insights.… [Read more]
Company Reports Revenue Growth of 23% and EPS of $0.07 Conference Call Today at 1:30 pm Pacific/4:30 pm Eastern BOTHELL, WA - April 28, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc. (NasdaqGS:SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound for the point-of-care, today reported record financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008. Worldwide revenue in the first quarter of 2008 grew 23% to $52.5 million compared with the first quarter of 2007. Changes in foreign currency rates increased worldwide revenue by approximately 4%. Compared to the first quarter of 2007, international revenue grew 32% and US revenue grew 12%.
In the US, hospital revenue grew 16% and office revenue grew 33%. The overall US growth rate was offset by an expected decline in US enterprise revenue of 17%. For the first quarter of 2008, Sonosite reported net income of $1.2 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $563,000 or $0.03 per share for the first quarter in 2007. Net income in the quarter included a one-time, pre-tax charge of $675,000 for integration of the former MarketBridge physician office channel and the elimination of overhead within the company's marketing, general and administrative structure. Cash flow from operations was $7.3 million in the quarter. "The year is off to an excellent start and we are on track to achieve our growth and profitability objectives for 2008," said Kevin M. Goodwin, Sonosite President and CEO.… [Read more]
Education and EMED Features Added BOTHELL, WA - June 12, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc., (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound for the point-of-care, announced today the first expansion of capabilities for the powerful M-Turbo™ system. The expanded platform includes four new transducers addressing anesthesia, surgery, venous access, musculoskeletal and adult and pediatric cardiology applications, plus further enhancements to emergency medicine documentation worksheets. It also enables playback on the M-Turbo system of the revolutionary Sonosite Education Key™ program training modules. Existing customers can easily upgrade their systems via a software download from a USB thumb drive. Customer shipments began this week. … [Read more]
Bernard J. Pitz named Senior Vice President and CFO Mike Schuh to take new position within company
BOTHELL, WA - May 12, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound for the point-of-care, announced that Bernard J. Pitz is joining the company today as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. After serving as CFO for eight years, Mike Schuh will move into a new executive position in the company overseeing business process. Mr. Pitz€™s career spans 26 years in global finance positions in the telecommunications, software, wireless technology and medical technology industries. \
Most recently, Mr. Pitz served as Vice President, Finance, CFO and Treasurer with Sybron Dental Specialties, Inc., a leading manufacturer of high technology dental, orthodontic, dental implant and infection prevention products, formerly listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Danaher Corporation acquired Sybron for approximately $2.2 billion in 2006. Prior to Sybron, Mr. Pitz worked with Motorola Corporation from 1983 to 1998 in positions of increasing responsibility in their wireless data, paging and cellular divisions. During that time positions included Regional Operations Controller, Latin America and Senior Division Controller, Greater China Cellular Subscriber stationed in Beijing.… [Read more]
iF Product Design Awarded to S-Nerve BOTHELL, WA, March 6, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc., (Nasdaq: SONO) the world leader and specialist in point-of-care, hand-carried ultrasound, said today that its new S-Nerve™ ultrasound tool has received a design award from the prestigious International Forum (iF) in the Health+Care category. An international jury evaluated 2,771 entries based on design, functionality, aesthetics, innovation, workmanship and choice of materials. The S-Nerve tool, part of Sonosite's recently introduced S Series„¢ product line, is custom designed to support the visualization needs of anesthesiologists performing regional anesthesia.… [Read more]
BOTHELL, WA - May 27, 2008 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound at the point-of-care, said today that the General Electric Company (GE) filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on May 22 seeking to invalidate Sonosite's US Patent No. 5,722,412, "Hand Held Ultrasonic Diagnostic Instrument" ("the 412 patent").
Sonosite has performed a preliminary assessment of the case and believes GE's claim is baseless and without merit. "GE's latest filing is yet another attempt to slow our strong momentum," said Kevin M. Goodwin, Sonosite President and CEO. "Our momentum is growing because our small, innovative hand-carried systems are having a significant, global impact on patient safety and the cost of healthcare. Because GE is not winning with product innovation or customers, they challenge us in the courts yet again by filing another meritless lawsuit. We strongly believe that there is no legal basis for this lawsuit and we will proceed firmly ahead to defend our legal rights.… [Read more]