Respironics Tops $1 Billion Mark

MURRYSVILLE, Pa.–Respironics reported that the booming sleep
business helped boost its fourth-quarter and fiscal year profits to
record levels.

For fiscal year 2006, ended June 30, earnings were up 20 percent
to $99.9 million from $84.4 million last year, according to a
statement released last week. Revenue rose 15 percent to $1 billion
from $911.5 million in 2005.

In the fourth quarter, sales were up 12 percent to $280.7
million. Income was $29.4 million, up from $24.7 million during the
same period last year.

In this period, the company released the remaining CPAP devices
in its M-Series products for obstructive sleep apnea and expanded
further into the respiratory business, spending $10.4 million to
acquire OxyTec Medical Corp., which has designed a portable oxygen
concentrator.

For fiscal 2007, the company said it expects revenue in the
range of $1.19 billion to $1.22 billion.