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# AtriCure CEO Says Its Products Are 'Far Superior To Anything Else On The Market' As A New Rival Enters
- URL: https://www.bullished.co/atricure-ceo-says-its-products-are-far-superior-to-anything-else-on-the-market-as-a-new-95f89f23/
- Published: 2026-11-03T22:36:05.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-03T22:36:05.000Z
- Description: Michael Carrel pointed to a smaller 30-millimeter clip due in December and a field team of about 350 people.
- Author: Matteo Parrino
- Tags: Earnings, ATRC, Industry: Healthcare

[AtriCure](https://www.bullished.co/tag/atrc/), which makes surgical devices for treating atrial fibrillation and managing the left atrial appendage, is not worried about a new competitor in appendage management, CEO Michael Carrel told analysts on the company's third-quarter earnings call. Pressed by a BTIG analyst, Carrel said "we do believe that our products are far superior to anything else on the market today."

## A smaller clip and the evidence behind it

Carrel said AtriCure recently won FDA 510(k) clearance for a 30-millimeter AtriClip Flex Mini and expects to launch it in December. He called it the first product that small, noting that every current device from AtriCure and its rivals measures 35, 40, 45 or 50 millimeters.

He also said the company is developing a Flex Mini V in anticipation of a late-2027 launch. Carrel added that AtriCure will be the only player with extensive clinical evidence, pointing to the LAX-2 trial, which he said used only AtriClip to close the appendage and showed a 56% reduction in strokes in high-risk patients.

Carrel framed competition as an opening. When rivals enter, he said, it creates awareness and talking points, and a chance to explain why AtriCure's products are safe and effective.

## A field team of roughly 350

Asked by a Needham analyst whether sales-force size could be a disadvantage against larger competitors, Carrel said AtriCure "may have the largest cardiac surgery Salesforce in the market today," about 350 people across sales and clinical roles. He said the company is in every U.S. hospital.

AtriCure will add territories in 2027, he said, but not because of appendage competitors. The plan, made long ago, is to prepare for clinical evidence from its BOX-X trial and an FDA approval it expects in 2028.

## Appendage sales still growing

The new entrant has not dented the numbers. Appendage management revenue grew more than 12% worldwide in the third quarter, Carrel said, and nearly 50% of U.S. appendage revenue came from Flex and Pro Mini devices. CFO Angela Wirick said U.S. appendage sales rose 13.5% to $51.6 million.

Total worldwide revenue was $154.5 million, up 15% from a year earlier. Net income was $4.1 million, against a $0.3 million loss a year earlier. The company now expects full-year 2026 revenue of about $606 million to $610 million and raised its adjusted EBITDA outlook to about $91 million to $94 million.

The 30-millimeter AtriClip Flex Mini launches in December, and AtriCure expects BOX-X trial data in spring 2027.

Learn

- [How To Read An Earnings Call Transcript: Start With Guidance, Then Find What's Missing →](https://www.bullished.co/learn/how-to-read-an-earnings-call/)  
How to read an earnings call transcript: check guidance first, look for dropped metrics, compare growth with last quarter, and watch hedged wording.

### More on AtriCure

- [AtriCure Posts $4.1 Million Quarterly Profit As Pain Probes Surge And Hybrid Ablation Shrinks](https://www.bullished.co/atricure-posts-4-1-million-quarterly-profit-as-pain-probes-surge-and-hybrid-ablation-3ef0d577/)

[All AtriCure (ATRC) coverage →](https://www.bullished.co/tag/atrc/)