3. Mergers and acquisition frenzy continues
They may not be as large as the $50 billion Medtronic-Covidien deal in early 2015, but M&A activity remains robust in the medical device industry, including Stryker making a $700 million fluorescence imaging technology play with its acquisition of Novadaq.Meanwhile, Abbott is nearing the finish line with its previously rocky acquisition of Alere, after an amended merger was agreed to in April at a $5.3 billion price tag. (Abbott previously had some merger cold feet after a series of accounting snafus at Alere; news came out just today that Alere will pay $13 million to settle SEC accounting fraud charges.)