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July 25, 2006 at 7:02 AM EDT

CONMED Corporation Announces Second Quarter 2006 Results

         - Sales Grow to $163.5 million, Sets New Quarterly Record -

                       - Arthroscopy Sales Grow 7.3% -

UTICA, N.Y., July 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CONMED Corporation (Nasdaq: CNMD) today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2006. Sales for the 2006 second quarter were $163.5 million compared to $158.3 million in the second quarter of 2005. Net income equaled $3.4 million, or $0.12 per diluted share for the quarter, compared to $10.5 million, or $0.35 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2005, based on a diluted weighted average share count of 28.3 million shares for the quarter ended June 30, 2006.

Excluding transition charges related to an acquisition and other unusual charges (see commentary below and attached reconciliation for additional information), non-GAAP net income for the second quarter was $6.6 million, or $0.23 per non-GAAP diluted share, compared to second quarter 2005 non-GAAP net income of $13.4 million, or $0.45 per non-GAAP diluted share. In January 2006, the Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123R, "Share-Based Payment" ("SFAS 123R"), which requires companies to recognize the cost of stock options and other stock-based payments as compensation expense. As a result of adopting SFAS 123R, the diluted earnings per share and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share were reduced by approximately $0.03 per share in the June 2006 quarter.

Mr. Joseph J. Corasanti, President and Chief Operating Officer, noted, "We are pleased the positive sales momentum from the first quarter has carried over to the second quarter of 2006, exceeding our expectations and setting a record for quarterly sales. Our capital equipment business was particularly strong growing 11% over the second quarter of 2005 due to increases in video imaging products and electrosurgical generator sales. These sales results are particularly impressive since the second quarter of last year's sales were also exceptionally strong."

Sales outside the United States were $62.8 million in the second quarter of 2006 growing 5.3% overall and 3.6% on a constant currency basis compared to the second quarter of 2005. International sales grew to 38.4% of the Company's total sales in the June 2006 quarter continuing the trend for higher growth in international markets.

The Company's cash flow continued to be strong with cash from operations totaling $27.5 million for the six months ended June, 2006. This enabled the Company to reduce its senior credit lines and other borrowings by $6.9 million. Additionally, the Company repurchased $7.8 million of its common stock during the first six months of 2006.

Following is a summary of the Company's sales by product line for the three months ended June 30, 2006 (in millions):

                                    Three Months Ended June 30,
                                                                  Constant
                                                                  Currency
                              2005         2006        Growth      Growth
                                (in millions)

    Arthroscopy              $54.8        $58.8          7.3%        6.1%

    Powered Surgical
     Instruments              33.9         33.3         -1.8%       -2.9%

    Electrosurgery            22.6         24.2          7.1%        7.1%

    Endoscopic Technologies   15.0         14.7         -2.0%       -2.0%

    Endosurgery               12.9         13.3          3.1%        3.1%

    Patient Care              19.1         19.2          0.5%        0.5%

                            $158.3       $163.5          3.3%        2.6%

As has been previously discussed, the Company's profitability in the latter half of 2005 and in 2006 has been impacted by several factors including increased costs of production caused by higher petroleum based plastic raw materials and transportation, litigation costs, quality initiatives, greater research and development expenditures, and higher interest costs. Management has initiated a number of profit improvement initiatives resulting in sequential operating margin improvement. For the second quarter 2006, operating margin excluding acquisition and other unusual charges, was 9.1% of sales compared to 7.5% in the fourth quarter of 2005 and 8.5% in the first quarter of 2006.

Acquisition and Unusual Charges

As a result of the acquisition of Endoscopic Technologies, the Company had been purchasing the finished goods of the product line from the former owner until adequate safety stock had been accumulated to facilitate an orderly transfer of the manufacturing process to the Company's facilities. As of March 31, 2006 all of the required safety stock had been accumulated. During the second quarter of 2006, manufacturing of the vast majority of the products had begun, at least on a pilot run basis, in the Company's facilities. However, first-in first-out (FIFO) inventory accounting requires that the higher cost safety stock inventory be sold before the expected lower-cost self-manufactured inventory is sold. The Company has noted this difference in cost, as well as certain other costs associated with the start-up of production, as a pro-forma adjustment to GAAP income amounts.

In April 2006, the Company refinanced its debt, resulting in a reduced interest rate and increased availability. The deferred financing fees associated with the previous debt were written off in the second quarter of 2006 amounting to $678,000.

During the second quarter of 2006, the Company was notified that the supplier of certain of its pulse oximetry products could no longer provide product because of the settlement of a patent dispute with a third party. Because the Company can no longer assure customers of a continuing supply of these products, the Company has discontinued their marketing and charged off inventory valued at $595,000. The discontinuation of these products is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's sales or results of operations. This matter does not affect the vast majority of the Company's pulse oximetry products and also does not affect sales of its proprietary Pro2(R) pulse oximetry line.

Six Month Results

For the six months ended June 30, 2006, CONMED reported revenues of $321.9 million, a 2.5% increase from the $314.1 million in the first six months of last year. Net income for the first six months of 2006 was $7.8 million, $0.27 per diluted share, compared to $21.3 million and $0.71 per share in the first six months of 2005. Non-GAAP net income for the first six months of 2006 was $12.5 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, (excluding acquisition transition and other charges) compared to non-GAAP net income of $26.9 million, or $0.90 per diluted share, for the six months ended June 30, 2005 (please see attached schedule for full explanation of transition and other charges). Adoption of SFAS 123R regarding expensing of stock options and other stock-based payments in 2006 caused diluted earnings per share and non- GAAP diluted earnings per share to be reduced by $0.05 for the six months ended June 2006.

Following is a summary of the first six months of 2006 sales by product line in millions of dollars:

                                    Six Months Ended June 30,
                                                                  Constant
                                                                  Currency
                              2005         2006        Growth      Growth
                                (in millions)

    Arthroscopy             $108.8       $113.5         4.3%         4.4%

    Powered Surgical
     Instruments              69.4         67.5        -2.7%        -2.6%

    Electrosurgery            43.5         47.5         9.2%         9.2%

    Endoscopic Technologies   29.2         29.4         0.7%         0.7%

    Endosurgery               25.2         25.2         0.0%         0.0%

    Patient Care              38.0         38.8         2.1%         2.1%

                            $314.1       $321.9         2.5%         2.6%


    Outlook

Mr. Corasanti concluded, "The Company's results for the second quarter of 2006 exceeded our expectations for both sales and profitability. As a result, we continue to believe that we are on track to achieve 5% organic sales growth for 2006 compared to 2005 and that non-GAAP diluted earnings per share should approximate $0.85 - $0.90 including the non-cash charge for stock option and other share-based payments expense. We also continue to believe that our operating margin in 2007 will improve to approximately 14% of sales as growing revenues leverage the Company's fixed-cost structure and as we realize measures to improve margins and reduce costs."

For the third quarter 2006, CONMED anticipates revenues in the range of $152 - $157 million and diluted earnings per share on a non-GAAP basis (including SFAS 123R expense) of $0.16 - $0.20 per share.

Conference Call

The Company will webcast its second quarter 2006 conference call live over the Internet on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. This broadcast can be accessed from CONMED's web site at http://www.conmed.com. Replays of the call will be made available through August 1, 2006.

CONMED Profile

CONMED is a medical technology company with an emphasis on surgical devices and equipment for minimally invasive procedures and monitoring. The Company's products serve the clinical areas of arthroscopy, powered surgical instruments, electrosurgery, cardiac monitoring disposables, endosurgery and endoscopic technologies. They are used by surgeons and physicians in a variety of specialties including orthopedics, general surgery, gynecology, neurosurgery, and gastroenterology. Headquartered in Utica, New York, the Company's 3,100 employees distribute its products worldwide from several manufacturing locations.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on certain assumptions and contingencies that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and relate to the Company's performance on a going-forward basis. The forward-looking statements in this press release involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results, performance or trends, to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements herein or in previous disclosures. The Company believes that all forward-looking statements made by it have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs or projections as expressed in the forward-looking statements will actually occur or prove to be correct. In addition to general industry and economic conditions, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to: (i) the failure of any one or more of the assumptions stated above, to prove to be correct; (ii) the risks relating to forward-looking statements discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005; (iii) cyclical purchasing patterns from customers, end-users and dealers; (iv) timely release of new products, and acceptance of such new products by the market; (v) the introduction of new products by competitors and other competitive responses; (vi) the possibility that any new acquisition or other transaction may require the Company to reconsider its financial assumptions and goals/targets; and/or (vii) the Company's ability to devise and execute strategies to respond to market conditions.



                              CONMED CORPORATION
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                   (in thousands except per share amounts)
                                 (unaudited)

                                 Three months ended       Six months ended
                                       June 30,                June 30,
                                2005         2006         2005         2006

    Net sales                 $158,276     $163,473     $314,135     $321,939

    Cost of sales               74,325       82,939      147,371      161,676
    Cost of sales,
     acquisition-
     transition - Note A         1,827        2,760        4,165        4,589

    Gross profit                82,124       77,774      162,599      155,674

    Selling and
     administrative - Note B    53,559       58,123      106,091      116,497
    Research and development     6,375        7,498       12,224       15,323
    Other expense - Note C       2,576        1,584        4,476        2,154
                                62,510       67,205      122,791      133,974

    Income from operations      19,614       10,569       39,808       21,700

    Loss on early
     extinguishment of debt          -          678            -          678

    Interest expense             3,571        4,675        7,330        9,541

    Income before income taxes  16,043        5,216       32,478       11,481

    Provision for income taxes   5,535        1,802       11,205        3,727

    Net income                $ 10,508       $3,414      $21,273       $7,754

    Per share data:

       Net Income
         Basic                    $.36         $.12         $.73         $.28
         Diluted                   .35          .12          .71          .27


       Weighted average
        common shares
         Basic                  29,494       28,061       29,301       28,068
         Diluted                30,060       28,266       29,830       28,312

Note A - Included in cost of sales in the three and six months ended June 30, 2005 are approximately $1.8 million and $4.2 million, respectively, in acquisition-transition related costs. Included in cost of sales in the three and six months ended June 30, 2006 are approximately $2.8 million and $4.6 million, respectively, in acquisition-transition related costs.

Note B - Included in selling and administrative expense in the three and six months ended June 30, 2006 are approximately $0.8 million and $1.6 million, respectively, of share-based payment expense.

Note C - Included in other expense in the three months ended June 30, 2005 are the following: $0.7 million in environmental settlement costs, $0.4 million in costs related to the termination of a product offering and $1.4 million in acquisition-related costs. Included in other expense in the six months ended June 30, 2005 are the following: $0.7 million in environmental settlement costs, $0.9 million in costs related to the termination of a product offering and $2.8 million in acquisition-related costs.

Included in other expense in the three months ended June 30, 2006 are the following: $0.6 million in costs related to the write-off of inventory in settlement of a patent dispute and $1.0 million in acquisition-related costs. Included in other expense in the six months ended June 30, 2006 are the following: $0.6 million in costs related to the write-off of inventory in settlement of a patent dispute, $0.1 million in costs related to the termination of a product offering and $1.5 million in acquisition-related costs.



                              CONMED CORPORATION
                    CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
                                (in thousands)
                                 (unaudited)

                           ASSETS

                                                   December 31,     June 30,
                                                       2005           2006
    Current assets:
       Cash and cash equivalents                      $3,454         $5,080
       Accounts receivable, net                       83,327         80,920
       Inventories                                   152,428        153,661
       Deferred income taxes                          12,887         12,341
       Other current assets                            3,419          3,902
         Total current assets                        255,515        255,904
    Property, plant and equipment, net.              104,224        109,058
    Goodwill and other intangible assets, net        527,053        527,406
    Other assets                                      16,991         15,210
         Total assets                               $903,783       $907,578

             LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

    Current liabilities:
       Current portion of long-term debt              $4,208         $3,053
       Other current liabilities                      57,924         58,987
         Total current liabilities                    62,132         62,040
    Long-term debt                                   302,643        296,902
    Deferred income taxes                             62,554         65,597
    Other long-term liabilities                       23,448         25,982
         Total liabilities                           450,777        450,521

    Shareholders' equity:
      Capital accounts                               202,810        197,785
      Retained earnings                              259,932        267,686
      Accumulated other comprehensive loss            (9,736)        (8,414)
         Total equity                                453,006        457,057

         Total liabilities and
          shareholders' equity                      $903,783       $907,578



                              CONMED CORPORATION
                CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
                                (in thousands)
                                 (unaudited)

                                                        Six months ended
                                                            June 30,
                                                       2005           2006
    Cash flows from operating activities:
     Net income                                      $21,273         $7,754
      Adjustments to reconcile net income
       to net cash provided by operating activities:
         Depreciation and amortization                15,282         14,670
         Share-based payment expense                       -          1,585
         Deferred income taxes                         7,365          3,650
         Sale of accounts receivable                  (3,000)             -
         Other, net                                  (11,025)          (194)
      Net cash provided by operating activities       29,895         27,465

    Cash flow from investing activities:
         Purchases of property, plant,
          and equipment, net                          (8,098)       (10,247)
         Payments related to business acquisitions
          net of cash acquired                          (364)        (2,458)
         Proceeds from sale of equity investment           -          1,205
      Net cash used in investing activities           (8,462)       (11,500)

    Cash flow from financing activities:
         Payments on debt                            (28,979)      (141,896)
         Proceeds of debt                              8,000        135,000
         Payments related to issuance of debt              -         (1,260)
         Net proceeds from common stock issued
          under employee plans                        13,020          1,238
         Repurchase of common stock                   (7,759)        (7,848)
         Other, net                                     (396)          (572)
      Net cash provided by financing activities      (16,114)       (15,338)

    Effect of exchange rate change
     on cash and cash equivalents                     (3,002)           999

    Net increase in cash and cash equivalents          2,317          1,626

    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period   4,189          3,454

    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period        $6,506         $5,080



                              CONMED CORPORATION
             RECONCILIATION OF REPORTED NET INCOME TO NET INCOME
                             BEFORE UNUSUAL ITEMS
                   (In thousands except per share amounts)
                                 (unaudited)

                                                       Three months ended
                                                            June 30,
                                                       2005           2006

    Reported net income                             $ 10,508         $3,414

    Acquisition-transition related costs
     included in cost of sales                         1,827          2,760

    Write-off of inventory in settlement
     of a patent dispute                                   -            595

    Environmental settlement costs                       698              -

    Termination of product offering                      429             27

    Other acquisition-related costs                    1,449            962

        Total other expense                            2,576          1,584

    Loss on early extinguishment of debt                   -            678

    Unusual expense before income taxes                4,403          5,022

    Provision (benefit) for income taxes on
     unusual expense                                  (1,519)        (1,808)

    Net income before unusual items                 $ 13,392         $6,628


    Per share data:

    Reported net income
       Basic                                           $0.36          $0.12
       Diluted                                          0.35           0.12

    Net income before unusual items
       Basic                                           $0.45          $0.24
       Diluted                                          0.45           0.23

Management has provided the above reconciliation of net income before unusual items as an additional measure that investors can use to compare operating performance between reporting periods. Management believes this reconciliation provides a useful presentation of operating performance.



                              CONMED CORPORATION
             RECONCILIATION OF REPORTED NET INCOME TO NET INCOME
                             BEFORE UNUSUAL ITEMS
                   (In thousands except per share amounts)
                                 (unaudited)

                                                        Six months ended
                                                            June 30,
                                                       2005           2006

    Reported net income                             $ 21,273         $7,754

    Acquisition-transition related costs
     included in cost of sales                         4,165          4,589

    Write-off of inventory in settlement
     of a patent dispute                                   -            595

    Environmental settlement costs                       698              -

    Termination of product offering                      949             83

    Other acquisition-related costs                    2,829          1,476

        Total other expense                            4,476          2,154

    Loss on early extinguishment of debt                   -            678

    Unusual expense before income taxes                8,641          7,421

    Provision (benefit) for income taxes on
     unusual expense                                  (2,981)        (2,672)

    Net income before unusual items                 $ 26,933       $ 12,503


    Per share data:

    Reported net income
       Basic                                           $0.73          $0.28
       Diluted                                          0.71           0.27

    Net income before unusual items
       Basic                                           $0.92          $0.45
       Diluted                                          0.90           0.44

Management has provided the above reconciliation of net income before unusual items as an additional measure that investors can use to compare operating performance between reporting periods. Management believes this reconciliation provides a useful presentation of operating performance.

SOURCE  CONMED Corporation
    -0-                             07/25/2006
    /CONTACT:  Robert Shallish, Chief Financial Officer of CONMED Corporation,
+1-315-624-3206; or Investors - Julie Huang, or Theresa Kelleher, both of
Financial Dynamics, +1-212-850-5600, for CONMED Corporation /
    /Web site:  http://www.conmed.com/
    (CNMD)

CO:  CONMED Corporation
ST:  New York
IN:  MTC HEA BIO
SU:  ERN ERP CCA

EA
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9651 07/25/2006 07:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com