Type: Public
On the web: http://www.edwards.com
Employees: 7,000
Employee growth: 9.4%

Edwards Lifesciences has its heart in the right place. Named for the co-inventor of the first artificial heart valve, Miles "Lowell" Edwards, the company is a spinoff of Baxter International. Its main products are still heart valve devices, including valves made from animal tissue and annuloplasty rings that repair damaged valves. The company also makes monitoring systems that measure heart function during surgery; various types of cannulae (surgical tubes used for drainage, delivery, or filtration); and embolectomy catheters that remove blood clots from peripheral arteries. Edwards Lifesciences markets its products worldwide through a direct sales force and distributors.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2010:
Sales: $1,447.0M
One year growth: 9.5%
Net income: $218.0M
Income growth: (4.8%)

Officers:
Chairman and CEO: Michael A. Mussallem
Corporate VP, CFO, and Treasurer: Thomas M. Abate
Director Global Communications: Nolan Taira

Competitors:
Hospira
Medtronic
St. Jude Medical

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