UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 22, 2004


                               CONMED CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


          New York                      0-16093                 16-0977505
 ------------------------------        ----------             ---------------
(State or other jurisdiction of       (Commission            (I.R.S. Employer
  incorporation or organization)       File Number)          Identification No.)



                                 525 French Road
                              Utica, New York 13502
                              ---------------------
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)



                                 (315) 797-8375
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)






Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits

          (c) Exhibits

          The following is furnished as an Exhibit to this report:

          Exhibit No. Description of Exhibit

          99.1     Press Release dated July 22, 2004, issued by CONMED
                   Corporation



Item 12. Results of Operations and Financial Condition

On July 22, 2004, CONMED Corporation issued a press release announcing financial
results  for the three and six month  periods  ended  June 30,  2004.  The press
release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

                                    SIGNATURE

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.



                                          CONMED CORPORATION
                                             (Registrant)


                                          By:/s/ Robert D. Shallish, Jr.
                                             ---------------------------
                                             Vice President-Finance and
                                             Chief Financial Officer



Date: July 23, 2004





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit
Number          Exhibit Description

99.1            Press Release, dated July 22, 2004, issued by CONMED Corporation












                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

                                          Contact:
                                          CONMED Corporation
                                          Robert Shallish
                                          Chief Financial Officer
                                          315-624-3206

                                          Financial Dynamics
                                          Investors: Julie Huang / Lanie Marcus
                                          Media: Sean Leous
                                          212-850-5600


FOR RELEASE: 7:00 AM (Eastern) July 22, 2004

                 CONMED REPORTS SECOND QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS
           17.1% Increase in EPS (excluding unusual charges from 2003)


Utica, New York, July 22, 2004 ----- CONMED Corporation (Nasdaq: CNMD) announced
today its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2004.

Total sales for the second  quarter  increased  5.1% to $130.9  million  ($129.4
million at constant  exchange  rates)  compared to $124.5  million in the second
quarter of 2003.  Excluding the Company's  capital-intensive  Integrated Systems
product line, second quarter product sales grew 6.5% (5.3% at constant currency)
from the year-ago quarter.  GAAP net income for the second quarter grew to $12.3
million,  or $0.41  per  diluted  share,  on a 4%  increase  in  diluted  shares
outstanding,  compared  to $2.8  million,  or $0.09 per diluted  share,  in last
year's second quarter.  Excluding acquisition,  financing and pension charges in
last  year's  second  quarter  (please  see  attached  reconciliation  for  full
explanation), non-GAAP net income for the three months ended June 2003 was $10.2
million, or $0.35 per diluted share.

Sales of the Company's orthopedic products grew 6.8% to $79.1 million from $74.1
million in last year's second quarter. Arthroscopy sales increased 7.4% to $47.7
million (5.6%  internal  growth,  and 1.8% foreign  currency)  compared to $44.4
million in the same  period a year ago.  Powered  instrument  sales grew 5.7% to
$31.4 million (3.4% internal growth and 2.3% from foreign currency)  compared to
$29.7  million in the second  quarter of 2003 on the  continued  strength of the
PowerPro(R) line of products.

Electrosurgery  revenues  increased  9.0% to $20.6 million  compared to sales of
$18.9  million in the 2003 second  quarter.  Sales of Patient Care Products grew
4.0% to $18.4  million  compared to $17.7  million.  Endosurgery  (renamed  from
Endoscopy  consistent  with the market's  description  of these  endo-mechanical
surgery  products)  revenues  increased 5.0% to $12.5 million compared to second
quarter 2003 sales of $11.9  million.  The Integrated  Systems  product line had
sales of $0.3 million in the second  quarter of 2004 compared to $1.9 million in
the comparable period of 2003.





CONMED NEWS RELEASE CONTINUED:          2 of 8                     July 22, 2004


Mr. Joseph J. Corasanti, President and Chief Operating Officer, said, "Our solid
second  quarter  performance  was in line with our  expectations  and  primarily
driven by the  strength of our  orthopedic  and  electrosurgery  divisions.  Our
quarterly performance was driven by:

     o    Orthopedic sales, which were led by our

          o    New   enhanced   definition   3-chip   Autoclavable   camera;
          o    PowerPro(TM)  line  of  powered  surgical   instruments;   and
          o    Bioabsorable line of shoulder repair implants; and

          o    Electrosurgery  sales,  which  were  driven  by our  System  5000
               electrosurgical  generator,  which continues to take market share
               thanks  to  its  enhanced  features  and  product  line  specific
               salesforce."

"In addition,  our Patient Care sales continue to show positive growth,  keeping
with our strategy of growing the base business together with the addition of new
products  such as our pulse  oximetry  offering  and our  Endosurgery  sales (as
mentioned above, this was renamed from Endoscopy) improved sequentially,  due to
higher international sales."

The  Company  experienced  strong  cash flow in the  quarter,  growing  its cash
balance $21 million.  CONMED is in discussions regarding an acquisition,  and if
completed, will utilize its cash balances and a portion of its available line of
credit to finance the purchase.

For the six months  ended June 30,  2004,  CONMED  reported  revenues  of $264.9
million,  up 9.2% (6.9% excluding  foreign  currency) from the $242.6 million in
the first half of last year. Net income for the first half of 2004 grew to $24.3
million, or $0.81 per diluted share,  compared to net income of $9.4 million, or
$0.32 per  diluted  share,  for the six months  ended June 30,  2003.  Excluding
special charges and credits in the first six months of 2003, non-GAAP net income
and EPS for the first half of 2003 were $20.2  million  and $0.69,  respectively
(please see attached  schedule for full  explanation of the special  charges and
credits in 2003).

Mr.  Corasanti  commented,  "Our SG&A and R&D expense  levels  during the second
quarter of 2004 were  approximately $1.0 million higher than we had contemplated
during this year's  budget  process  primarily  due to  increased  research  and
development  activities and legal expenses associated with the Johnson & Johnson
anti trust lawsuit we announced earlier this year. However,  absent these costs,
our  earnings  for the quarter  would have been even  better.  We began the anti
trust lawsuit  because we believe  Johnson & Johnson's  marketing  practices for
endosurgery  products  utilize  monopoly  bundling  techniques  in  violation of
several  federal and state  statutes.  In seeking to complete the process in the
most expeditious  manner, we have incurred certain legal expenses in this period
which were greater than originally contemplated."





CONMED NEWS RELEASE CONTINUED:          3 of 8                     July 22, 2004



"As for increased R&D activities,  during the first half of 2004, in addition to
many  other  projects,   we  have  been  progressing  with  the  product  launch
development  of two Patient Care  products  acquired  last year.  Pro2(R) is our
patented  pulse  oximetry  device  utilizing  unique  reflectance  technology to
measure blood oxygenation.  ECOM(R),  is a new way to measure the cardiac output
of  critically  ill  patients.  We expect  Pro2(R) to be available for sale this
fall, while ECOM(R) should be ready for market in the first half of next year."

As  required  of  all  public   companies,   ConMed  has  been   involved   with
Sarbanes-Oxley  section 404 compliance activities for several months. During the
last  half  of 2004  the  Company  will  be  performing  tests  of its  internal
accounting  controls  in  accordance  with  the Act and has  engaged  consulting
assistance in this regard. Further, the Company's independent auditors will also
perform tests of internal  accounting  controls in accordance  with the Act. The
Company estimates that it will incur additional costs of approximately  $800,000
in the next six months for these mandated audit activities.

Mr.  Corasanti  concluded,  "As we look ahead to the second half of 2004, we are
confident  that our sales and earnings  will continue to grow.  Seasonally,  the
upcoming  third  quarter  tends to be our softest in terms of sales,  due to the
combination  of fewer  elective  surgeries  performed  and  overall  slowness in
European  business  during the summer  months.  Accordingly,  for the 2004 third
quarter,  we expect to generate  revenues of approximately  $125 million to $130
million,  and  diluted  earnings  per  share in the  range  of  $0.34 to  $0.38,
considering slightly higher legal, Sarbanes-Oxley, and development expenses. For
the full year of 2004,  we remain  comfortable  with our  forecast  for top-line
growth of 6% over  2003  levels.  At this  level of  sales,  we  expect  diluted
earnings per share for 2004 in the range of $1.68 to $1.72."

CONMED Profile
CONMED is a medical  technology company  specializing in instruments,  implants,
and video  equipment for  arthroscopic  sports  medicine,  and powered  surgical
instruments,  such as drills and saws, for orthopedic,  ENT, neuro-surgery,  and
other  surgical   specialties.   The  Company  is  also  a  leading   developer,
manufacturer and supplier of RF electrosurgery systems used routinely to cut and
cauterize tissue in nearly all types of surgical procedures worldwide, endoscopy
products such as trocars, clip appliers,  scissors,  and surgical staplers.  The
Company offers integrated  operating room design and intensive care unit service
managers.  The Company also manufactures and sells a full line of ECG electrodes
for heart  monitoring and other patient care products.  Headquartered  in Utica,
New York, the Company's 2,600 employees  distribute its products  worldwide from
eleven manufacturing locations.





CONMED NEWS RELEASE CONTINUED:          4 of 8                     July 22, 2004



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,  including the above mentioned  anticipated  revenues and
earnings,  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,
2003; (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 NEWS RELEASE CONTINUED:          5 of 8                     July 22, 2004

CONMED CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (in thousands except per share amounts) (unaudited) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, -------- -------- 2003 2004 2003 2004 ---- ---- ---- ---- Net sales ............................................ $ 124,540 $ 130,912 $ 242,574 $ 264,876 Cost of sales ........................................ 59,082 62,198 115,048 125,803 Cost of sales, nonrecurring - Note A ................. 327 -- 739 -- --------- --------- --------- --------- Gross profit ......................................... 65,131 68,714 126,787 139,073 --------- --------- --------- --------- Selling and administrative ........................... 39,353 42,409 76,498 86,202 Research and development ............................. 4,378 4,836 8,081 9,575 Write-off of purchased in-process research and development assets - Note B .................... -- -- 7,900 -- Other expense (income), net - Note C ................. 3,310 -- (4,348) -- --------- --------- --------- --------- 47,041 47,245 88,131 95,777 --------- --------- --------- --------- Income from operations ............................... 18,090 21,469 38,656 43,296 Loss on early extinguishment of debt............. 7,912 -- 8,078 -- Interest expense ..................................... 5,861 2,558 11,399 5,864 --------- --------- --------- --------- Income before income taxes ........................... 4,317 18,911 19,179 37,432 Provision for income taxes ........................... 1,554 6,619 9,748 13,101 --------- --------- --------- --------- Net income ........................................... $ 2,763 $ 12,292 $ 9,431 $ 24,331 ========= ========= ========= ========= Per share data: Net Income Basic ............................................ $ .10 $ .41 $ .33 $ .83 Diluted .......................................... .09 .41 .32 .81 Weighted average common shares Basic ............................................ 28,910 29,649 28,892 29,476 Diluted .......................................... 29,212 30,313 29,195 30,151
Note A - Included in cost of sales in the three and six months ended June 30, - ------ 2003 are $.3 million and $.7 million, respectively, in acquisition-related costs Note B - In the six months ended June 30, 2003, we wrote off $7.9 million of - ------ purchased in-process research and development assets in connection with the Bionx acquisition. No benefit for income taxes was recorded on the write-off as these costs are not deductible for income tax purposes. Note C - Included in other expense (income) in the three months ended June 30, - ------ 2003 are $2.1 million of pension settlement costs related to the restructuring of our orthopedic sales force and $1.2 million in acquisition-related costs. Included in other expense (income) in the six months ended June 30, 2003 are a $9.0 million gain on the settlement of a contractual dispute, $2.1 million of pension settlement costs related to the restructuring of our orthopedic sales force and $2.6 million in acquisition-related costs. CONMED NEWS RELEASE CONTINUED: 6 of 8 July 22, 2004
CONMED CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS (in thousands) ASSETS (unaudited) December June 30, 2003 2004 ---- ---- Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents......................................................... $ 5,986 $ 30,203 Accounts receivable, net.......................................................... 60,449 54,675 Inventories .................................................................... 120,945 116,094 Deferred income taxes............................................................. 10,188 9,481 Other current assets.............................................................. 3,538 3,548 ---------- ----------- Total current assets.......................................................... 201,106 214,001 Property, plant and equipment, net.................................................... 97,383 96,253 Goodwill and other assets, net........................................................ 506,569 502,114 ---------- ----------- Total assets.................................................................. $ 805,058 $ 812,368 ========== ========== LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Current portion of long-term debt................................................. $ 4,143 $ 3,988 Other current liabilities......................................................... 50,712 43,545 ---------- ----------- Total current liabilities..................................................... 54,855 47,533 Long-term debt .................................................................... 260,448 236,399 Other long-term liabilities........................................................... 56,265 62,636 ---------- ----------- Total liabilities............................................................. 371,568 346,568 ---------- ----------- Shareholders' equity: Capital accounts.................................................................. 236,948 246,786 Retained earnings................................................................. 194,473 218,804 Accumulated other comprehensive income............................................ 2,069 210 ---------- ----------- Total equity.................................................................. 433,490 465,800 ---------- ----------- Total liabilities and shareholders' equity................................... $ 805,058 $ 812,368 ========== ===========
OTHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION (unaudited, in thousands)
Three months ended Six months ended ------------------ ---------------- June 30, June 30, -------- -------- 2003 2004 2003 2004 ---- ---- ---- ---- Depreciation....................... $ 2,534 $ 2,614 $ 4,908 $ 5,259 Amortization....................... 3,375 3,496 6,321 7,430 Capital expenditures............... 2,241 2,718 3,951 4,338
CONMED NEWS RELEASE CONTINUED: 7 of 8 July 22, 2004 CONMED CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF REPORTED NET INCOME TO NET INCOME BEFORE NONRECURRING ITEMS (In thousands except per share amounts) (unaudited)
Three months ended June 30, -------- 2003 2004 ---- ---- Reported net income ........................................ $ 2,763 $ 12,292 -------- --------- Acquisition-related costs included in cost of sales ................................... 327 -- -------- --------- Pension settlement costs ................................... 2,081 -- Other acquisition-related costs ............................ 1,229 -- -------- --------- Total other expense (income), net ...................... 3,310 -- -------- --------- Loss on early extinguishment of debt ....................... 7,912 -- -------- --------- Nonrecurring expense before income taxes ................... 11,549 -- Provision (benefit) for income taxes on nonrecurring expense (4,157) -- -------- --------- Net income before nonrecurring items ....................... $ 10,155 $ 12,292 ======== ========= Per share data: Reported net income (loss) Basic ................................................ $ 0.10 $ 0.41 Diluted .............................................. 0.09 0.41 Net income before nonrecurring items Basic ................................................ $ 0.35 $ 0.41 Diluted .............................................. 0.35 0.41
Management has provided the above reconciliation of net income before nonrecurring 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 NEWS RELEASE CONTINUED: 8 of 8 July 22, 2004
CONMED CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF REPORTED NET INCOME TO NET INCOME BEFORE NONRECURRING ITEMS (In thousands except per share amounts) (unaudited) Six months ended June 30, -------- 2003 2004 ---- ---- Reported net income ........................................ $ 9,431 $ 24,331 -------- --------- Acquisition-related costs included in cost of sales ................................... 739 -- -------- --------- Write-off of purchased in-process research and development assets ................................ 7,900 -- -------- --------- Gain on settlement of a contractual dispute, net of legal costs ................................. (9,000) -- Pension settlement costs ................................... 2,081 -- Other acquisition-related costs ............................ 2,571 -- -------- --------- Total other expense (income), net ...................... (4,348) -- -------- --------- Loss on early extinguishment of debt ....................... 8,078 -- -------- --------- Nonrecurring expense before income taxes ................... 12,369 -- Provision (benefit) for income taxes on nonrecurring expense (1,608) -- -------- --------- Net income before nonrecurring items ....................... $ 20,192 $ 24,331 ======== ========= Per share data: Reported net income Basic ................................................ $ 0.33 $ 0.83 Diluted .............................................. 0.32 0.81 Net income before nonrecurring items Basic ................................................ $ 0.70 $ 0.83 Diluted .............................................. 0.69 0.81
Management has provided the above reconciliation of net income before nonrecurring 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.