Strong gains in its patient care, clinical informatics, and home healthcare solutions units contributed to sales growth for Philips Healthcare in its first quarter.
For the period (end-March 31), the vendor had sales of 2.0 billion euros ($2.8 billion U.S.), up 8% on a nominal basis and 5% on a comparable, currency-adjusted basis from the $1.8 billion euros ($2.6 billion U.S.) reported in the first quarter of 2010.
Comparable sales grew 6% in North America, while mature markets elsewhere increased by 3%. The company's sales in growth markets increased by 22%, thanks to notably better sales in India and China, particularly in imaging systems.
Currency-comparable equipment order intake was in line with the first quarter of 2010, according to Philips. While solid equipment orders were realized in Philips' patient care and clinical informatics units, imaging systems equipment order intake declined compared to the first quarter of 2010.
Excluding the impact of large multiyear orders mostly related to imaging systems last year, equipment order intake climbed by 5%. Equipment orders in markets outside of North America were flat, while growth-market equipment orders surged by 28%. North American equipment orders were in line with the first quarter of 2010, Philips said.
Philips turned in earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization (EBITA) of 199 million euros ($287 million U.S.), compared with 166 million euros ($240 million U.S.) in 2010. The improved EBITA was attributed to higher sales across all businesses, partially offset by higher selling and R&D costs to support the company's growth initiatives, Philips said.
