Swiss dental implant maker Nobel Biocare Holding AG (NOBN.VX) Wednesday reported a 30.5% drop in second-quarter net profit on revamp costs and persistently weak sales in the U.S., but said that business is set to improve during the remainder of the year and that its current restructuring should help it in the future.

The Zurich-based company said net profit for the three months to the end of June dropped to EUR19.6 million from EUR28.2 million a year earlier, undercutting analysts' views of EUR21 million.

Sales, meanwhile, increased to EUR155 million from EUR153.5 million, beating forecasts of EUR150 million as the company benefited from positive currency effects.

Despite the overall rise, sales in the U.S., Germany, Sweden and Spain continued to fall as customers kept postponing difficult and costly dental surgeries.

The sales drop in the U.S. and elsewhere means that Nobel Biocare has continued to lose market share as several of its key competitors such as Dentsply International Inc (XRAY), Zimmer Holdings Inc (ZMH) and Biomet Inc (BMET) were able to grow in the past quarter. Swiss peer Straumann Holding AG (STMN.EB) will report figures on August 18.

Despite these difficulties, Nobel Biocare, whose shares have lost more than 45% this year so far, said that its current restructuring will help it regain its growth momentum within the next nine to 12 months.

-By Goran Mijuk, Dow Jones Newswires, +41 43 443 80 47; goran.mijuk@dowjones.com
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