SonoSite 4th-quarter revenue fell to $69 million due to fewer orders from military customers

SonoSite 4Q revenue falls on lower military orders

BOTHELL, Wash. — SonoSite Inc., which makes hand-carried ultrasound devices, said Wednesday its revenue edged down in the fourth quarter due to a decrease in orders from military customers.

The company said that based on preliminary results, its quarterly revenue totaled about $69 million, down from $70.2 million a year earlier. SonoSite said it gained $4 million in revenue from CardioDynamics International, a diagnostic device maker it acquired in August, but other sales fell 7 percent, mostly due to declining military orders.

According to Thomson Reuters, analysts expect the company to report $69.1 million in revenue. SonoSite is scheduled to report full fourth-quarter results on Feb. 11.

SonoSite markets four of its systems to military customers. It says the products are designed to be resistant to damage and easy to use.

SonoSite said foreign currency exchange rates were favorable in the fourth quarter and boosted its revenue by 4 percent

For the full year, the company said revenue fell to $227 million from $243.5 million in 2008. Excluding $10 million in total revenue from CardioDynamics, revenue slipped 10 percent. Foreign currency exchange rates cut revenue by 2 percent.