Medical device maker Boston Scientific posted weaker quarterly earnings today as sales slipped and expenses rose.

The US group is one of the largest companies in Ireland employing more than 4,500 people here. Its Irish operations represents almost 20 per cent of its global workforce of 24,000.

Fourth-quarter net earnings were $60 million, or 4 cents per share, down from $107 million, or 7 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding special items, earnings were 11 cents per share, matching the average estimate on Wall Street.

Revenue dipped to $1.82 billion from $1.85 billion as sales slipped in the interventional cardiology business, which sells heart stents, and in the cardiac rhythm management business, which sells pacemakers and implantable heart defibrillators.

Those two businesses make up more than half of Boston Scientific's total revenue.

Sales rose in the company's other smaller businesses, including urology and women's heath, endoscopy and neuromodulation.

The company forecast first-quarter earnings of 4 cents to 7 per share. It expects adjusted earnings, excluding charges for restructuring, acquisitions and amortization, to be 14 cents to 17 cents per share, with sales of $1.74 billion to $1.82 billion.

For the full year, Boston Scientific estimated earnings at 29 cents to 37 cents per share. It said it expected adjusted earnings of between 64 cents and 70 cents per share on sales of $7.05 billion to $7.35 billion.