MONEY Magazine Names Zimmer Holdings
a 'Next Generation' Blue Chip
01/07/2004
Zimmer Holdings, up 120.8% since we gave our buy signal for
the company, has been picked by Money magazine as a 'next
generation' blue chip stock.
In addition to recommending Zimmer stock,
on July 31 we recommended buying Zimmer options. As of today,
the options have increased 511% in value. The company's press
release about the Money magazine article follows:
01/07/2004
WARSAW, Ind., Jan 07, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via Comtex/
-- In its December 2003 issue, MONEY Magazine selected Zimmer
Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ZMH; SWX: ZMH) as one of 20 "Next
Generation" Blue Chip stocks. The article identifying
"companies that have a great shot at becoming tomorrow's
blue chips" was part of a series titled "100 Companies
to Watch."
The magazine's selection was based on a
number of criteria, including a company's popularity with
mutual fund managers, earnings growth, sales growth and strength
of profit margins. In addition to financial performance criteria,
the magazine also noted that an "aging population provides
growing market for (Zimmer's) hip and knee replacements."
According to Ray Elliott, Zimmer's Chairman,
President and Chief Executive Officer, the ranking underscores
the strength of the company's performance in the market place
and its reception by investors since becoming a public company
in 2001. "Our market capitalization has tripled since
August 2001, when our shares began trading at $28.50,"
said Elliott. "With our recent acquisition of Centerpulse
AG, we are positioned to continue our growth record with our
expanded product portfolio, our new leadership position in
the European market and our platform in the rapidly expanding
spinal segment."
Zimmer's prospects were highlighted in a
similar article in the June 9, 2003, issue of BusinessWeek
magazine, which profiled the company as one of its Top 100
"Hot Growth" companies.
About the Company
Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Warsaw,
Indiana, Zimmer is the worldwide #1 pure-play leader in the
design, development, manufacture and marketing of reconstructive
orthopaedic, spinal and dental implants, trauma products and
related orthopaedic surgical products. The new Zimmer has
operations in more than 24 countries around the world and
sells products in more than 80 countries. In October, 2003,
the company finalized its acquisition of Centerpulse AG, a
Switzerland-based orthopaedics company and the leader in the
European market. For the year 2002, the pro forma worldwide
combined revenues of Zimmer and Centerpulse were approximately
$2.2 billion. On a combined basis, Zimmer and Centerpulse
are supported by the efforts of nearly 7,000 employees.
Visit Zimmer on the worldwide web at www.zimmer.com
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking
statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 based on current
expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the
orthopaedics industry, management's beliefs and assumptions
made by management. Forward-looking statements may be identified
by the use of forward-looking terms such as "may,"
"will," "expects," "believes,"
"anticipates," "plans," "estimates,"
"projects," "targets," "forecasts,"
and "seeks" or the negative of such terms or other
variations on such terms or comparable terminology. These
statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve
risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual
outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, our ability
to successfully integrate Centerpulse AG, price and product
competition, rapid technological development, demographic
changes, dependence on new product development, the mix of
our products and services, supply and prices of raw materials
and products, customer demand for our products and services,
control of costs and expenses, our ability to form and implement
alliances, international growth, U.S. and foreign government
regulation, product liability and intellectual property litigation
losses, reimbursement levels from third-party payors, general
industry and market conditions and growth rates and general
domestic and international economic conditions including interest
rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations. For a further
list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see
the disclosure materials filed by Zimmer with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission. Zimmer disclaims any intention or
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Readers of this document are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, since, while
we believe the assumptions on which the forward- looking statements
are based are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these
forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. This
cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking
statements contained in this document.
SOURCE: Zimmer Holdings, Inc.
Media: Brad Bishop, +1-574-372-4291,
bradley.bishop@zimmer.com , or Investors: Sam Leno, +1-574-372-4790,
sam.leno@zimmer.com , both of Zimmer Holdings, Inc.
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