The Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH) share price has been volatile in recent months and is now down 4% this year to date.
Shares in the hearing solutions company are currently swapping hands at $286.19 apiece on Thursday, less than 1% in the red.
While the company did not post anything price-sensitive today, it did announce the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Here is more on that announcement.
Cochlear appoints new CFO
Cochlear recently announced the appointment of Sarah Thom as its new CFO, effective 1 January 2025.
Thorn joins Cochlear from BCG, where she served as a Managing Director and Partner.
Cochlear CEO Dig Howitt expressed confidence in Thom's capabilities:
I am delighted to welcome Sarah to Cochlear. Sarah has a unique blend of capabilities in strategy and transformation design and delivery in the health care and medtech sectors. Sarah joins us at an exciting time in Cochlear's growth journey and she will be a valuable addition to the Cochlear executive team.
Thom will begin her transition into the role in November 2024, working closely with the current CFO, Stu Sayers, who will move to his new role as President, Asia Pacific & Latin America.
Long-term outlook for Cochlear shares intact
Cochlear's share price has been under pressure since the release of its FY24 earnings last month. Despite a 15% increase in sales revenue and a 27% jump in profit to $387 million, the results fell at the lower end of the company's guidance.
This missed the market's expectations, with analysts anticipating a profit closer to $397 million.
Investors may have been looking for a stronger performance, particularly after the company raised its guidance in February. Additionally, the company expects profit growth of 6% – 11% in FY25.
Stock prices are often set on expectations, so when expectations are high, even the slightest miss can cause volatility.
But this actually provides opportunities for the patient and intelligent investor who has a long-term view in mind.
So, despite recent market volatility, Cochlear's long-term growth prospects appear to remain intact.
CEO Howitt said Cochlear aims for annual revenue growth of around 10% moving forward.
It also aims to help over 50,000 people with cochlear or acoustic implants in FY25 – hard to argue with the benefit to society here either. It's not all just about the numbers.
The company's core hearing implant business continues to show strong growth, particularly in developed markets.
While emerging markets experienced slower growth in the latter half of FY24, management believes in the long-term potential of these regions.
Foolish takeaway
The short-term weakness in the Cochlear share price might be unsettling for some investors, but the company's long-term strategy outlook can't be ignored.
For patient, long-term investors, this volatility offers the opportunity to allocate to high-quality businesses at more attractive prices.
Time will tell what Cochlear shares will do from here. They are up 10% in the past year.
