Smith & Nephew plc (SN) 2004年年度报告「LSE」.pdf

1、Growing in expanding markets2004 Annual ReportDear ShareholderAs a consequence of the Company s Ordinary Shares being traded on the New York Stock Exchange(in the formof American Depositary Shares)we are required to prepare and file a Form 20-F with the US Securities andExchange Commission.In order

2、to provide the same information to both UK and US shareholders we havecombined the Annual Report and Accounts and the Company s Form 20-F filing as a single document.USshareholders receive the combined Annual Report and Form 20-F.For non-US shareholders who have elected to receive the full Annual Re

3、port and Accounts,the combinedAnnual Report and Form 20-F contains a very large amount of information and you may not wish to receivesuch a large document in the future.If so,please complete the enclosed form of request to elect to receive theCompany s Summary Financial Statement in future,which is

4、sent to the vast majority of shareholders eachyear.Shareholders electing to receive the Summary Financial Statement may subsequently choose to receivethe full combined Annual Report and Form 20-F.Yours sincerely,Dudley EustaceChairman8 March 2005iTHIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANKiiINTRODUCTIONThe S

5、mith&Nephew Group is a global medical devices business engaged in orthopaedics,endoscopy andadvanced wound management with sales of over 1.2 billion in 2004.Smith&Nephew plc is the parentcompany of the Smith&Nephew Group.It is an English public limited company with its shares listed on theofficial l

6、ist of the UK Listing Authority and traded on the London Stock Exchange.It is also traded on the New YorkStock Exchange in the form of ADSs.This report is the Annual Report of Smith&Nephew plc for the year ended 31 December 2004.It comprises in asingle document the Annual Report and Accounts of the