Sonova is the leading hearing instrument manufacturer with several main brands: Phonak (premium brand), Unitron and Hansaton (value brands) as well as Lyric (invisible deep in the canal hearing aid) – audiologists are its customers. The company is also active in cochlear implants with Advanced Bionics. Customers are clinics and surgeons.
Innovative Paradise platform as the major growth driver in the next few years: Sonova is a growth company with a strong operating leverage. Hearing instruments are the most important growth drivers. With the product launches of the successful Phonak Audéo Paradise platform, the company now has the best product on the market.
Cochlear implants finally to become a growth driver: The cochlear implant unit was acquired in 2009. At the time, the plan was to swiftly grow the business and strongly increase profitability. However, due to recurring problems such as recalls, competition, and less successful product launches, the goals were never met. The future now looks better, in our view, as new products have been launched and the management changed. It is expected that sales at Cochlear Implants will outpace the other units and become increasingly profitable, thereby supporting growth.