Align Technology posts better-than-expected Q1 2015 results

Align Technology has announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2015, during which it outperformed expectations with a revenue total of $198 million (130.43 million pounds).

This represented a year-on-year increase of 9.7 percent, with clear aligner case shipments rising by 16.6 percent to 130,800. Its international and North American business divisions both contributed positively to this growth.

Thomas Prescott, Align president and chief executive officer, said: "We are pleased to have delivered better-than-expected results with strong revenues, margins and earnings per share, driven primarily by higher Invisalign volume from our North American orthodontists."

For the second quarter, the firm expects net revenues in the range of $206.6 million to $210.4 million, with diluted earnings per share of between $0.35 and $0.38.

Meanwhile, clear aligner case shipments are expected to be between 139,500 and 142,000, up approximately 18 percent over the same period a year ago, at the midpoint of the range and above Align's three-year average.

Mr Prescott will be stepping down as chief executive of Align during the coming quarter, with Joseph Hogan confirmed as his successor.