[Hidden Market Picks] L&K Biomed: Rosy outlook on overseas sales

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L&K Biomed Co. (Kosdaq: 156100), South Korean medical-devices maker specializing in spinal implants, expect good business to continue on next year thanks to rising demand for its products in overseas markets.

The company is forecast to report an operating profit of 3.2 billion won ($2.8 million) for full 2017, up 26.4 percent from a year earlier. Sales are expected to jump 34.0 percent on year to 46.2 billion won. Its operating profit for 2018 is expected to climb to 8.4 billion won on sales of 62.3 billion won.

The company recorded an operating loss of 500 million won on sales of 16.6 billion won in the first half this year due to accounting rule change but returned to black with an operating profit of 2.0 billion won and sales of 11.7 billion won in the third quarter after its successful venture into new market Australia. It is expected to have fared well in the fourth quarter as it has also secured new sales contracts in India and Europe while boosting sales in Australia.

The company offers a wide array of spinal implants line up, ranging from products for cervical vertebrae to ones for sacral vertebrae. Most of its products are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and it supplies spinal implants directly to 78 American hospitals including Stanford University Medical Center.

It also offers FDA-approved spinal implants for minimally invasive surgery, which is showing a fast and steady growth.

As of the first half of this year, sales from the U.S., which takes up 64.9 percent of the global spinal implants demand, contributed to 39.4 percent of the company¡¯s total sales. A 34.2 percent of the company¡¯s total sales came from Korea, followed by Australia with 13.7 percent and others making up the rest.

For more information, please contact Kim Jae-ik, analyst, NH Investment & Securities at +82 2 768 7350, jaeikik@nhqv.com or visit Financial Supervisory Service (http://englishdart.fss.or.kr/). Company details and latest quarterly report can be searched under L&K BIOMED or 156100.

Latest trading data is available via Korea Exchange under L&K BIOMED or 156100.

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