Edwards Lifesciences to Report on Lowered Outlook

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- This has been a busy week of earnings reports as many large cap companies crowd the headlines and anxious shareholders react to news from the earnings confessional.

Some of these reports, as well as the political circus in the U.S. and even the baseball championships have left many shareholders, voters and sports fans feeling the pounding of that most important of all pumps, our incredible hearts.

With the ongoing process of aging comes new medical issues and coronary challenges. Here in the U.S., more than 1,000 "baby boomers" turn 65 each day. The oldest of that large demographic group (estimated at around 75 million people) will soon be turning 67 in 2013.

The breakthroughs in cardiac technologies and the science of keeping the heart pumping reliably are becoming more important with each passing year.

One of the companies focusing on this critically important area of health care for almost 13 years is Edwards Lifesciences (EW) which reports earnings Friday.

Irvine, Calif.-based Edwards Lifesciences provides products and technologies used to treat advanced cardiovascular diseases. Edwards' expertise involves providing many of the vital parts that are used during cardiac surgery procedures. They appear to be one of the most successful "specialists" in creating minimally invasive surgery products.

Beyond that EW manufactures and sells various other vascular devices consisting of balloon-tipped, catheter-based embolectomy products, plus surgical clips and clamps. When it comes to the medical products needed for the repair of the human heart EW appears to provide them or is working on providing them.

You can learn about EW's specialties at their educational web site. You're sure to come away learning not only about this company but of many medical advances that have been made in the science of keeping our "tickers ticking."

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As EW prepares to report third-quarter results, it's important to remember that the company has guided lower in the weeks preceding. Analysts lowered their consensus estimate of earnings per share from 60 cents to around 56 cents. That would still represent a 47% increase over the year-ago quarter when the company reported earnings of 38 cents per share.

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