"Usually, the company's sales in the fourth quarter of each year experience a sequential increase from the seasonal effects of the third-quarter's summer months, " said Joseph Corasanti, president and CEO of CONMED.
Analysts covering the company worry that there is limited visibility on a turnaround in capital spending in 2009 and, they write, CONMED's own guidance for flat revenue growth could prove way too optimistic.
The stock of CONMED took a hard beating earlier this month, after the company took a significant cut to fourth-quarter and 2009 sales and earnings guidance, due to a stronger dollar and reductions in hospital spending.