SWOT Analysis for Boston Scientific –

Boston Scientific is a global developer of interventional medical devices that target cardiac rhythm management, cardiac and vascular surgery, electrophysiology, tumor reduction, cancer treatments, hearing reduction; and pain management

Strengths:
Broad Product Portfolio in Specific Fields – Well known for its Taxus Stent which is a drug-eluting stent used to open blocked arteries
Strong Market Position – Product marketing is executed in 100 countries through a direct sales force
Strong Upper Management – Share prices increased when new CEO was announced
Strategy – open to new technology in fields that are less competitive and attractive such as gastroenterology with stents. Allows the company to experiment and assess what works and doesn’t work without the stress of competitors.

Weaknesses:
Quality Issues – Boston Scientific products such as infusion ports and catheters have had several warnings from the FDA. This has opened the market up for competitors like Johnson and Johnson to create stents and similar products with a better guarantee in quality.
Lack of R&D – Boston Scientific has depended a lot on its Taxus Stent as its premier stent product. Companies like Johnson and Johnson had been closing in for years on the stent market with products such as the Cypher stent.

Opportunities:
Diversifying Product Line – Boston Scientific acquired Guidant Technologies back in 2006 which allowed them to not only focus mainly on stents but expand in other cardiovascular fields and thus offering a more complete package to hospitals, doctors, and patients.

Threats:
Crowded Industry – Johnson and Johnson, Medtronic, and Abbott labs threaten the vascular stent line of business. While St. Jude Medical and Medtronic threaten the defibrillator line of business.
FDA Rulings – Boston Scientific has had to recall products in the past due to quality issues and not filing paperwork correctly. This could have potentially lead to less investor confidence and market capitalization.
Law Suits – Johnson and Johnson and Boston Scientific had filed law suits against each other in the past regarding patent infringements such essentially hurts Boston Scientifics reputation.