Smith & Nephew - No distractions from the search for growth

Smith & Nephew's Q317 results featured 9% revenue growth in emerging markets that continued the trend of previous quarters. A further efficiency review looks likely to focus on reducing complexity in manufacturing and warehousing, improving the G&A ratio and continued salesforce efficiency. A narrowing of the FY revenue and profit growth expectations towards the lower end of the previously guided range may have disappointed some, but this close to the year-end there should be confidence that the revised FY ranges will remain intact. Management does not comment on M&A speculation, but with the recently announced retirement of its CEO, S&N’s continued strength in the attractive emerging markets and rumoured activist interest look likely to stoke further media speculation.