Boston Scientific Shares Hit Two-Year Low on Weak Demand

BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORP shares fell 11.8% to $50.83 in the afternoon of May 27 after the medical device maker warned of slowing demand for its flagship heart implant. The stock reached its lowest level in over two years, extending a year-to-date decline of 46%. Investors view the cooling uptake of the Watchman device as a threat to the company's primary growth engine.

### Shifting Treatment Patterns Impact Watchman Growth CEO Michael Mahoney told Bernstein's annual conference on the morning of May 27 that usage of the Watchman device as a standalone procedure is declining. Doctors are increasingly opting to combine the implant—which prevents strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation—with other heart treatments during a single visit.