Sulzermedica faces higher patent damages:

Swiss medical device company Sulzermedica is facing higher patent infringement damages than expected if it loses its appeal. A court of first instance has set damages payable to Stryker (US) at $73 million, compared with original estimates of some $50 million. The news is contained in the third quarter results of Sulzer, Sulzermedica's engineering parent, which repeats earlier warnings that 1995 profits will be below last year's SwFr 195 million ($160 million). Sulzer's nine-month group sales were 2% up on the previous year at SwFr 4,252 million. Sulzermedica's turnover was 3% down at SwFr 769 million, which, nevertheless corresponds to a 13% increase when expressed in US dollars.