STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-Nobel Biocare sinks on disappointing Q4

Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:33am EST: Shares in the world's two largest makers of dental implants, Nobel Biocare (NOBN.VX) and Straumann (STMN.S), lose 7.1 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively, underperforming a 0.2 percent dip in the DJ STOXX European healthcare index .SXDP after Nobel Biocare announces a worse-than-expected drop in fourth-quarter profit.

"The top line performance of dental implant makers remains disappointing," says Credit Suisse analyst Christoph Gretler. "We continue to regard dental implant names as rather unattractive investment segments in medical devices at the moment." For more double click on [ID:nLDE61821T]

Reuters Messaging rm://jason.rhodes.reuters.com@reuters.net