Financial Performance - Second quarter net sales of 1.942billionincreased3.91,942.0 million, up 3.9% from 1,869.6millioninQ22023[20]−Netsalesforthefirstsixmonthsof2024reached3,831.2 million, a 3.5% increase from 3,700.6millioninthesameperiodof2023[22]−TotalconstantcurrencynetsalesgrowthforthesixmonthsendedJune30,2024,was5.63,831.2 million, with adjusted gross profit of 2,769.1million[34]EarningsandProfitability−Secondquarterdilutedearningspersharewere1.18; adjusted diluted earnings per share were 2.01[1]−Netearningsforthesecondquarterwere242.8 million, or 415.0milliononanadjustedbasis[1]−NetearningsforQ22024roseto242.8 million, compared to 209.6millioninQ22023[20]−OperatingprofitforQ22024grewto351.3 million, up from 329.6millioninQ22023[20]−Netearningsforthefirstsixmonthsof2024were415.2 million, down from 442.1millioninthesameperiodof2023[22]−NetearningsforthesixmonthsendedJune30,2024,were415.9 million, compared to 442.6millionin2023[24]−AdjustednetearningsforthethreemonthsendedJune30,2024,were415.0 million, compared to 382.8millionin2023[27][28]−AdjusteddilutedearningspershareforthethreemonthsendedJune30,2024,were2.01, up from 1.82in2023[27][28]−NetEarningsforthesixmonthsendedJune30,2024,were415.2 million, with adjusted net earnings of 814.7million[29]−DilutedearningspercommonshareforthesixmonthsendedJune30,2024,were2.01, with adjusted diluted earnings per share of 3.95[29]−AdjustedoperatingprofitforQ22024increasedto552.6 million, up from 514.3millioninQ22023[35]−AdjustedoperatingprofitmarginforQ22024improvedto28.51,106.2 million, a 3.5% increase[4] - International net sales for the second quarter were 835.8million,a4.4801.1 million, a 3.9% increase (5.5% on a constant currency basis)[4] - Hips product category sales totaled 506.5million,a0.4420.1 million, slightly up from 415.8millionattheendof2023[23]−NetcashprovidedbyoperatingactivitiesforthesixmonthsendedJune30,2024,was597.4 million, down from 655.6millionin2023[24]−NetcashusedininvestingactivitiesforthesixmonthsendedJune30,2024,was442.0 million, compared to 392.5millionin2023[24]−CashandcashequivalentsattheendofJune30,2024,were420.1 million, up from 319.8millionin2023[24]−NetcashprovidedbyoperatingactivitiesforthesixmonthsendedJune30,2024,was597.4 million, with free cash flow of 342.4million[33]−CashandcashequivalentsasofJune30,2024,were420.1 million, slightly lower than 415.8millionattheendof2023[38]DebtandAssets−TotalassetsasofJune30,2024,were21,520.0 million, compared to 21,496.9millionattheendof2023[23]−Long−termdebtdecreasedto3,956.7 million as of June 30, 2024, from 4,867.9millionattheendof2023[23]−NetdebtasofJune30,2024,stoodat5,414.6 million, slightly higher than 5,352.1millionattheendof2023[38]ExpensesandCosts−ResearchanddevelopmentexpensesforQ22024were109.4 million, down from 118.1millioninQ22023[20]−RestructuringandothercostreductioninitiativesforQ22024increasedto41.5 million, up from 24.4millioninQ22023[20]−IntangibleassetamortizationforthesixmonthsendedJune30,2024,was286.1 million[29] - Restructuring and other cost reduction initiatives for the six months ended June 30, 2024, amounted to 165.9million[29]−EuropeanUnionMedicalDeviceRegulationcostsforthesixmonthsendedJune30,2024,were13.4 million[29] - Inventory and manufacturing-related charges for the six months ended June 30, 2024, were 3.8million[29]−OthercertaintaxadjustmentsforthesixmonthsendedJune30,2024,resultedina20.5 million benefit[29] - Intangible asset amortization for Q2 2024 was 144.0million,upfrom138.2 million in Q2 2023[35] - Restructuring and cost reduction initiatives cost 41.5millioninQ22024,comparedto24.4 million in Q2 2023[35] - European Union Medical Device Regulation costs decreased to 7.6millioninQ22024from15.2 million in Q2 2023[35] - Litigation charges in Q2 2024 were minimal at 0.1million,comparedtoacreditof3.8 million in Q2 2023[35] Guidance and Forecasts - The company updated 2024 reported revenue guidance to 4.0% - 5.0% due to currency expectations[7] - The company reaffirmed 2024 constant currency revenue growth guidance of 5.0% - 6.0%[7] - Adjusted diluted EPS guidance for 2024 remains unchanged at 8.00−8.15[7] Gross Margin and Profitability Metrics - Gross margin for the six months ended June 30, 2024, was 64.7%, with an adjusted gross margin of 72.3%[34] - Adjusted effective tax rate for Q2 2024 was 18.2%, down from 19.6% in the same period last year[37]