ST JUDE MEDICAL INC
10-K, 1997-03-27
ELECTROMEDICAL & ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549


                             FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT

[X]                ANNUAL REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                   FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996

                           COMMISSION FILE NO. 0-8672

                             ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

         MINNESOTA                                              41-1276891
(State or other jurisdiction                                 (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)

                               ONE LILLEHEI PLAZA
                            ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 55117
                     (Address of principal executive office)

                                 (612) 483-2000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

           SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:

COMMON STOCK ($.10 PAR VALUE)                    PREFERRED STOCK PURCHASE RIGHTS
     (Title of class)                                    (Title of Class)

        SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT: NONE

         Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to
Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, or will not be contained, to
the best of the Registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy information
statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any
amendment to this Form 10-K. ____

         Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant: (1) has filed all
reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months; and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES __X__  NO ____

         The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates
of the Registrant was approximately $3.0 billion at March 7, 1997, when the
closing sale price of such stock, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange,
was $38 1/8.

         The number of shares outstanding of the Registrant's Common Stock, $.10
par value, as of March 7, 1997, was 81,027,862 shares.

         Portions of the Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended
December 31, 1996, are incorporated by reference in Parts I, II and IV. Portions
of the Proxy Statement dated March 24, 1997, are incorporated by reference in
Part III.

                              --------------------

The exhibit index set is forth on pages 12, 13, and 14. 



                             ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.

                                    1996 10-K

                                     PART I

Item 1. BUSINESS

GENERAL

         St. Jude Medical, Inc. ("St. Jude" or the "Company") designs,
manufactures and markets medical devices and provides services for the
cardiovascular segment of the medical device industry. The Company's products
are distributed in more than 100 countries worldwide through a combination of
direct sales personnel, independent manufacturers' representatives and
distribution organizations. The main markets for the Company's products are the
United States, Western Europe and Japan.

         Effective September 30, 1994, St. Jude acquired from Siemens AG
substantially all the worldwide assets of its cardiac rhythm management
operations ("Pacesetter"). The acquisition significantly expanded the Company's
product offerings and provided a platform for potential further diversification
activities within the cardiac rhythm management market.

         Effective May 31, 1996, the Company acquired Daig Corporation ("Daig"),
a Minnesota based manufacturer of specialized cardiovascular devices for the
electrophysiology and interventional cardiology markets. Daig's competencies are
in catheter development and manufacturing and certain of its electrophysiology
products complement other St. Jude Medical cardiac rhythm management ("CRM")
product offerings.

         Effective September 23, 1996, the Company acquired Biocor(R) Industria
E Pesquisas Ltd., a Brazilian manufacturer of tissue heart valves.

         Effective November 29, 1996, St. Jude Medical's Pacesetter subsidiary
acquired substantially all of the assets of Telectronics Pacing Systems, Inc.
("Telectronics"), a pacemaker company, and Medtel, a distribution company in the
Asia-Pacific region, both wholly owned subsidiaries of Pacific Dunlop, Ltd. In
addition to state-of-the-art pacing technologies, Telectronics enhances the
Company's CRM operations by adding important intellectual property assets and an
experienced sales organization.

         On October 23, 1996, the Company and Ventritex, Inc. ("Ventritex")
signed a definitive agreement for a tax-free, stock-for-stock merger. The merger
is subject to regulatory approvals and Ventritex shareholder approval. In
January 1997, Ventritex reported three deaths related to a component failure in
its Cadence(R) model V110 ICD device. Ventritex received FDA approval to
reprogram or replace approximately 5,600 devices which utilize that component to
prevent further incidents related to component failures. The Company is
performing further investigation of the component failure and its impact on the
Ventritex business prior to concluding the merger. There can be no assurance
given as to if and when the merger will be concluded.

         St. Jude provides products and services for a single industry segment,
that of cardiovascular medical devices. Substantially all of its operations and
assets are attributable to cardiovascular medical devices. The Company currently
operates through three global business units. The Heart Valve Division is
responsible for the Company's heart valve disease management products including
mechanical and tissue heart valves and annuloplasty rings. The Pacesetter
Division is responsible for the Company's cardiac rhythm management products
including bradycardia pulse generators, leads and programmers and tachycardia
research and development. The Daig Division provides a broad array of product
offerings for interventional cardiology, including percutaneous angiography
catheters, introducers used in catheter procedures, guidewires and guiding
sheaths. Daig also participates in the electrophysiology market with catheters
for diagnostic mapping of the heart, ablation of malfunctioning heart tissue and
temporary cardiac pacing catheters. In addition, the Company maintains
geographically based sales and marketing organizations which are responsible for
marketing, sales and distribution of the Company's and third party products in
Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Japan, Canada, Latin America and the
Asia-Pacific region.

         Typically, the Company's net sales are somewhat stronger in the first
and second quarters and weaker in the third quarter. This results from patient
tendency to defer, if possible, cardiac procedures during the summer months and
from the seasonality of the domestic and Western European markets where summer
vacation schedules normally result in fewer surgical procedures. Manufacturers'
representatives randomly place large orders which can distort the net sales
pattern noted above. In addition, new product introductions, acquisitions, and
regulatory approvals can modify the expected net sales pattern.

         In 1996, approximately 62% of net sales were derived from cardiac
rhythm management products, approximately 33% from heart valve products and the
balance from interventional cardiology products. Approximately 57% of the
Company's 1996 net sales were in the U.S. market, down from 59% in 1995.

CARDIAC RHYTHM MANAGEMENT

         The Pacesetter Division is headquartered in Sylmar, California and has
manufacturing facilities in Sylmar; Miami Lakes, Florida; Denver, Colorado;
Sweden and Scotland. Pacesetter pulse generators and pacing leads treat patients
with hearts that beat too slowly or irregularly; a condition known as
bradycardia. Various models of bradycardia pulse generators and leads are
produced by Pacesetter. Pulse generators can sense and produce impulses in both
the upper and lower chambers of the heart, adapt to changes in heart rate and
can be non-invasively programmed by the physician to adjust sensing, electrical
pulse intensity, duration, rate and other characteristics.

         The pulse generator contains a lithium battery power source and
electronic circuitry. It generates pacing pulses and monitors the heart's
activity to sense abnormalities requiring correction. It is most often implanted
pectorally, just below the collarbone. The leads are insulated wires that carry
the pulses to the heart and information from the heart back to the pacemaker. A
pacemaker uses electrical currents equivalent to those in a healthy heart.

         Pacesetter's product line includes a new pacing system platform called
the Trilogy(R) series. The series was an outgrowth of the highly successful
Synchrony(R) platform and was designed with the philosophy of cardiac
optimization. Trilogy(R) has an ovoid shape, doubles memory, adds new diagnostic
capabilities and in some versions has an automaticity feature.

         Microny(TM), a single chamber pacemaker, which was the first pacemaker
in the world to incorporate AutoCapture(TM), has been introduced in
international markets and is in clinical trials in the U.S. The
AutoCapture(TM)algorithm is capable of adjusting the pacemaker's output to
provide the minimal amount of electrical impulse necessary to stimulate the
heart and provides an appropriate safety margin on a beat by beat basis.
Microny(TM) is the world's smallest pacemaker weighing only about 13 grams. The
sensor is an accelerometer, a "ball in a cage" sensor which has excellent
sensitivity to the intensity of the patient's body movement in determining the
proper pacing rate.

         The Regency(TM) family of single chamber pacemakers incorporates the
AutoCapture(TM) feature and several advanced diagnostic capabilities. Pacesetter
has released the Regency(TM) pacemaker in most international markets and
commenced U.S. clinical trials in 1996.

         Telectronics products which are marketed through the Telectronics sales
force include the Meta(TM) 1256 DDDR pulse generator and other pulse generator
products. The Meta(TM) device includes Telectronics' Minute Ventilation(TM)
biosensor feature and third generation Automatic Mode Switching (AMS)(TM).

HEART VALVES

         The St. Jude Medical Division is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota
and has manufacturing facilities in St. Paul, Puerto Rico, Canada and Brazil.
Heart valve replacement or repair may be necessary because the natural heart
valve has deteriorated due to congenital defects or disease. Heart valves
facilitate the one-way flow of blood in the heart and prevent significant
backflow of blood into the heart and between the heart's chambers.

         St. Jude offers both mechanical and tissue replacement heart valves and
valve repair products. The St. Jude Medical(R) mechanical heart valve is the
most widely implanted valve in the world with over 725,000 valves implanted to
date. Internationally the Company markets the Toronto SPV(R) stentless tissue
valve, the world's leading stentless tissue valve, and SJM(R) Biocor(TM) tissue
valves. The Toronto SPV(R) commenced domestic clinical trials in 1994. Under an
agreement with Heartport, Inc. ("Heartport"), St. Jude's heart valve prostheses
will be used in combination with Heartport's proprietary Port-AccessTM
technology to perform less invasive heart valve surgery to repair or replace
diseased heart valves. In early 1997, Heartport received FDA authorization to
commence U.S. marketing of its Port-Access(TM) mitral valve repair and
replacement system.

         Annuloplasty rings are prosthetic devices used to repair diseased or
damaged mitral heart valves. The Company has executed a license agreement with
Professor Jacques Seguin to manufacture and market an advanced semi-rigid
annuloplasty ring. This SJM(R) Seguin annuloplasty ring, cleared by the FDA for
U.S. release during first quarter 1997, can be used with conventional surgery
and Heartport's Port-Access(TM) technology.

         St. Jude has also entered into several other relationships to provide
additional products and services for heart valve disease management, including:

     1)  An agreement with LifeNet Transplant Services which enables St. Jude to
         assist in the marketing of human donated allograft heart valves.
     2)  An alliance with DuPont Pharma to jointly develop educational programs
         on using anticoagulant drugs with mechanical heart valves.
     3)  An alliance with Boehringer Mannheim Corporation which provides valve
         patients the opportunity to use a home test kit for measuring
         anticoagulation levels.

ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY AND INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY

         Daig is headquartered and has its manufacturing operations in
Minnetonka, Minnesota. Daig designs, manufactures and markets specialized
disposable cardiovascular devices for the electrophysiology and interventional
cardiology markets, including percutaneous catheter introducers, diagnostic
guidewires, electrophysiology catheters and bipolar temporary pacing catheters
(used with external pacemakers).

         Percutaneous (through the skin) catheter introducers are used to create
passageways for cardiovascular catheters from outside the human body through the
skin into a vein, artery or other location inside the body. Daig's percutaneous
catheter introducer products consist primarily of peel- away sheaths, sheaths
with and without hemostasis valves, dilators, guidewires, repositioning sleeves,
obturators and needles. All of these products are offered in a variety of sizes
and packaging configurations.

         Diagnostic guidewires are used in conjunction with percutaneous
catheter introducers to aid in the introduction of intravascular catheters.
Daig's diagnostic guidewires are available in multiple lengths and incorporate a
proprietary surface finish for lasting lubricity.

         Electrophysiology catheters are placed into the human body
percutaneously to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias
(abnormal heart rhythms). Between two and five electrophysiology catheters are
generally used in each electrophysiology procedure. Daig's electrophysiology
catheters are available in multiple configurations.

         Bipolar temporary pacing catheters are inserted percutaneously for
temporary use (less than one hour to a maximum of one week) with external
pacemakers to provide patient stabilization prior to implantation of a permanent
pacemaker, following a heart attack, or during surgical procedures. Daig
produces and markets several designs of bipolar temporary pacing catheters.

         In addition to these current products, Daig continually explores the
possibility for new products and for new or expanded applications for existing
products. Daig has received marketing clearance for a diagnostic angiography
catheter and plans to launch this product commercially during 1997. Daig is also
involved in various research and development efforts, including two related to
its Livewire(TM) steerable electrophysiology catheter. One of these efforts aims
to expand the approved diagnostic labeling of the Livewire(TM) steerable
electrophysiology catheter to include certain ablation therapies. The other,
which is being conducted pursuant to an FDA Investigational Device Exemption
("IDE"), involves a clinical trial to gather data in support of the use of the
Livewire(TM) steerable electrophysiology catheter in combination with
specialized guiding introducers as a cure for atrial fibrillation (a heart
rhythm disorder).

SUPPLIERS

         Under an agreement with CarboMedics, Inc. (CMI), which covers the
supply of pyrolytic carbon heart valve components for the mechanical heart
valve, the Company must purchase a minimum of 20% of its needs through 1998 at
negotiated prices. If CMI is unable or fails to perform under the agreement, the
license permits the Company to self-manufacture its component requirements
during the supply interruption. The agreement can be extended for additional one
year terms after 1998 at the Company's option and prices the Company would pay
in 1999 and beyond would be adjusted annually by a producer price index based
formula established in the agreement.

         The Company purchases raw materials and other items from numerous
suppliers for use in its products. The Company maintains sizable inventories of
up to three years of its projected requirements for certain materials, some of
which are available only from a single vendor. The Company has been advised from
time to time that certain of these vendors may terminate sales of products to
customers that manufacture implantable medical devices in an effort to reduce
their potential products liability exposure. Some of these vendors have modified
their positions and have indicated a willingness to either temporarily continue
to provide product until such time as an alternative vendor or product can be
qualified or to reconsider the supply relationship. While the Company believes
that alternative sources of raw materials are available and that there is
sufficient lead time in which to qualify such other sources, any supply
interruption could have a material adverse effect on the Company's ability to
manufacture its products.

COMPETITION

         Within the medical device industry, competitors range from small
start-up companies to companies with significant resources. The Company's
customers consider many factors when choosing supplier partners including
product reliability, clinical outcomes, product availability, inventory
consignment, price and product services provided by the manufacturer. Market
share can shift as a result of technological innovation, product recalls and
product safety alerts. This emphasizes the need to provide the highest quality
products and services. St. Jude expects the competition to continue to increase
by using tactics such as consigned inventory, bundled product sales and reduced
pricing.

         The Company is the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of
mechanical heart valves. There are two other principal and several other smaller
mechanical heart valve manufacturers. The Company competes against two principal
and a large number of other smaller tissue heart valve manufacturers.

         Pacesetter has traditionally been a technological leader in the
bradycardia pacemaker market. Worldwide there are six primary manufacturers and
suppliers of bradycardia pacemakers, including the Company. One other company
and Pacesetter account for well over half of the worldwide bradycardia pacemaker
net sales. The Company has strong market share positions in all major developed
markets.

         The market areas Daig focuses on are the cardiac catherization
laboratories and the electrophysiology laboratories in hospitals throughout the
world. These are growing markets with numerous competitive companies.

         The cardiovascular segment of the medical device market is a dynamic
market currently undergoing significant change due to cost of care
considerations, regulatory reform, industry consolidation and customer
consolidation. The ability to provide cost effective clinical outcomes is
becoming increasingly more important for medical device manufacturers.

MARKETING

         The Company's products are sold in over 100 countries throughout the
world. No distributor organization or single customer accounted for more than
10% of 1996 net sales.

         In the United States, St. Jude sells directly to hospitals through an
employee based sales organization for its heart valve and catheter products and
a combination of independent manufacturers' representatives and an employee
based sales organization for its pacemaker products. In Western Europe, the
Company has an employee based sales organization selling in 14 countries.
Throughout the rest of the world the Company uses a combination of independent
distributor and direct sales organizations.

         Payment terms worldwide are consistent with local practice. Orders are
shipped as they are received and, therefore, no material back orders exist.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

         The Company is focused on the development of new products and
improvements to existing products. In addition, research and development expense
reflects the Company's efforts to obtain FDA approval of certain products and
processes and to maintain the highest quality standards of existing products.
The Company's research and development expenses, exclusive of purchased research
and development, were $74,841,000 (9.3% of net sales), $72,305,000 (9.5%) and
$23,471,000 (6.0%) in 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.

GOVERNMENT REGULATION

         The medical devices manufactured and marketed by the Company are
subject to regulation by the FDA and, in some instances, by state and foreign
governmental authorities. Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (the
"Act"), and regulations thereunder, manufacturers of medical devices must comply
with certain policies and procedures that regulate the composition, labeling,
testing, manufacturing, packaging and distribution of medical devices. Medical
devices are subject to different levels of government approval requirements, the
most comprehensive of which requires the completion of an FDA approved clinical
evaluation program and submission and approval of a pre-market approval ("PMA")
application before a device may be commercially marketed. The Company's
mechanical and tissue heart valves, certain pacemakers and leads and certain
electrophysiology catheter applications are subject to this level of approval or
as a supplement to a PMA approval. Other pacemakers and leads, annuloplasty ring
products and other electrophysiology and interventional cardiology products are
currently marketed under the 510(k) pre-market notification procedure of the
Act.

         In addition, the FDA may require testing and surveillance programs to
monitor the effect of approved products which have been commercialized and it
has the power to prevent or limit further marketing of a product based on the
results of these post-marketing programs. The FDA also conducts inspections
prior to approval of a PMA to determine compliance with current good
manufacturing practice regulations and may, at any time, conduct periodic
inspections to determine compliance with both good manufacturing practice
regulations and/or current medical device reporting regulations. If the FDA were
to conclude that St. Jude Medical was not in compliance with applicable laws or
regulations, it could institute proceedings to detain or seize products, issue a
recall, impose operating restrictions, assess civil penalties against employees
and recommend criminal prosecution to the Department of Justice. Furthermore,
the FDA could proceed to ban, or request recall, repair, replacement or refund
of the cost of, any device manufactured or distributed.

         The FDA also regulates record keeping for medical devices and reviews
hospital and manufacturers' required reports of adverse experiences to identify
potential problems with FDA authorized devices. Aggressive regulatory action may
be taken due to adverse experience reports. FDA device tracking and post-market
surveillance requirements are expected to increase future regulatory compliance
costs.

         Diagnostic-related groups ("DRG") reimbursement schedules regulate the
amount the United States government, through the Health Care Financing
Administration ("HCFA"), will reimburse hospitals and doctors for the inpatient
care of persons covered by Medicare. In response to the U.S. government budget
deficit and rising Medicare and Medicaid costs, several legislative proposals
have been advanced which would restrict future funding increases for these
programs. While the Company has been unaware of significant domestic price
resistance directly as a result of DRG reimbursement policies, changes in
current DRG reimbursement levels could have an adverse effect on its domestic
pricing flexibility.

         St. Jude business outside the United States is subject to medical
device laws in individual foreign countries. These laws range from extensive
device approval requirements in some countries for all or some of the Company's
products to requests for data or certifications in other countries. Generally,
regulatory requirements are increasing in these countries. In the European
Economic Union ("EEU"), the regulatory systems have been harmonized and approval
to market in EEU countries (the "CE mark") can be obtained through one agency.
In addition, government funding of medical procedures is limited and in certain
instances being reduced.

         The Office of the Inspector General (the "OIG") of the United States
Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") is currently conducting an
investigation regarding possible hospital submissions of improper claims to
Medicare/Medicaid programs for reimbursement for procedures using cardiovascular
medical devices that were not approved for marketing by the FDA at the time of
use. Beginning in June 1994, approximately 130 hospitals received subpoenas from
HHS seeking information with respect to reimbursement for procedures using
cardiovascular medical devices (including certain products manufactured by the
Company) that were subject to investigational exemptions or that may not have
been approved for marketing by the FDA at the time of use. The subpoenas also
sought information regarding various types of remuneration, including payments,
gifts, stock and stock options, received by the hospital or its employees from
manufacturers of medical devices. Civil and criminal sanctions may be imposed
against any person participating in an improper claim for reimbursement under
Medicare/Medicaid. The OIG's investigation and any related change in
reimbursement practices may discourage hospitals from participating in clinical
trials or from including Medicare and Medicaid patients in clinical trials,
which could lead to increased costs in the development of new products. St. Jude
believes it is too early to predict the possible outcome of this matter or when
it will be resolved. There can be no assurance that the OIG's investigation or
any changes in third-party payors' reimbursement practices will not materially
adversely affect the medical device industry in general or the Company in
particular. In 1995, HCFA, part of HHS, issued a regulation clarifying that
certain medical devices subject to investigational requirements under the Act
may qualify for reimbursement. In April 1996, a Federal District Court in
California declared the Health Care Financing Administration's governmental
guidelines, denying reimbursement for investigational devices, to be invalid.
The government has appealed this decision, and the impact on the OIG
investigation is uncertain. There can be no assurance that the OIG's
investigation or any resulting or related changes in third-party payors'
reimbursement practices will not materially adversely affect the medical device
industry in general or St. Jude Medical in particular.

         In 1994 the predecessor organization to Pacesetter entered a consent
decree which settled a lawsuit brought by the United States in U.S. District
Court for the District of New Jersey. The consent decree which remains in effect
indefinitely requires that Pacesetter comply with the FDA's good manufacturing
practice regulations and identifies several specific provisions of those
regulations. The consent decree provides for FDA inspections and that Pacesetter
is obligated to pay certain costs of the inspections.

         In May 1995 Telectronics and its President entered into a consent
decree with the FDA. The consent decree provided that Telectronics would not
manufacture or ship products for distribution in the United States until
Telectronics established to the satisfaction of the FDA that its manufacturing
facility in Florida operates in conformity with the FDA's good manufacturing
practice regulations. Telectronics has satisfied its obligations in this regard
and was released from these restrictions of the consent decree in June 1996. The
consent decree which remains in effect indefinitely requires that Telectronics
comply with the FDA's good manufacturing practice regulations and identifies
several specific provisions of those regulations. The consent decree provides
for FDA inspections and that Telectronics is obligated to pay certain costs of
the inspections.

         In 1994 a state prosecutor in Germany began an investigation of
allegations of corruption in connection with the sale of heart valves. As part
of that investigation, the prosecutor seized documents from St. Jude's offices
in Germany as well as documents from certain competitors' offices. The
investigation is continuing and has been broadened to include other medical
devices. Subsequently, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
issued a formal order of private investigation covering sales practices of St.
Jude and other manufacturers in Germany.

PATENTS AND LICENSES

         The Company's policy is to protect the intellectual property rights in
its work on medical devices. Where appropriate, St. Jude applies for United
States and foreign patents. In those instances where the Company has acquired
technology from third parties, it has sought to obtain rights of ownership to
the technology through the acquisition of underlying patents or licenses.

         While the Company believes design, development, regulatory and
marketing aspects of the medical device business represent the principal
barriers to entry into such business, it also recognizes that its patents and
license rights may make it more difficult for its competitors to market products
similar to those produced by the Company. St. Jude can give no assurance that
any of its patent rights, whether issued, subject to license or in process, will
not be circumvented or invalidated. Further, there are numerous existing and
pending patents on medical products and biomaterials. There can be no assurance
that the Company's existing or planned products do not or will not infringe such
rights or that others will not claim such infringement. The Company's principal
patent covering its mechanical heart valve will expire in the United States in
July 1998. No assurance can be given that the Company will be able to prevent
competitors from challenging the Company's patents or entering markets currently
served by the Company.

INSURANCE

         The medical device industry has historically been subject to
significant products liability claims. Such claims could be asserted against the
Company in the future for events not known to management at this time.
Management has adopted risk management practices, including products liability
insurance coverage, which management believes are prudent.

         The Company's former products liability insurance carrier is currently
seeking to rescind its coverage of Pacesetter products for the period October 1,
1994, through December 31, 1995. Should the carrier prevail, the Company would
be self-insured for Pacesetter claims made during that period. St. Jude cannot
predict the outcome of the dispute. See Item 3 "Legal Proceedings".

         California earthquake insurance is currently difficult to procure,
extremely costly, and restrictive in terms of coverage. The Company's earthquake
and related business interruption insurance for its operations located in Los
Angeles County, California does provide for limited coverage above a significant
self-insured retention. There are several factors that preclude the Company from
determining the effect an earthquake may have on its business. These factors
include, but are not limited to, the severity and location of the earthquake,
the extent of any damage to the Company's manufacturing facilities, the impact
of such an earthquake on the Company's California workforce and the
infrastructure of the surrounding communities, and the extent, if any, of damage
to the Company's inventory and work in process. While the Company's exposure to
significant losses occasioned by a California earthquake would be partially
mitigated by its ability to manufacture certain of the Pacesetter products at
its Swedish manufacturing facility, any such losses could have a material
adverse effect on the Company, the duration of which cannot be reasonably
predicted. The Company is currently engaged in the expansion of manufacturing
capabilities at its Swedish facility and has constructed a pacemaker component
manufacturing facility in Arizona. These facilities would further mitigate the
adverse impact of a California earthquake.

EMPLOYEES

         As of December 31, 1996, the Company had 3,620 full-time employees. It
has never experienced a work stoppage as a result of labor disputes and none of
its employees are represented by a labor organization, with the exception of the
Company's Swedish employees and certain employees in France.

INDUSTRY SEGMENT AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS

         The medical products and service industry is the single industry
segment in which the Company operates. The Company's domestic and foreign net
sales, operating profit and identifiable assets, and its export sales to
unaffiliated third parties are described in Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial
Statements on page 37 of the 1996 Annual Report to Shareholders and are
incorporated herein by reference.

         The Company's foreign business is subject to such special risks as
exchange controls, currency devaluation, dividend restrictions, the imposition
or increase of import or export duties and surtaxes, and international credit or
financial problems. Since its international operations require the Company to
hold assets in foreign countries denominated in local currencies, many assets
are dependent for their U.S. dollar valuation on the values of a number of
foreign currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The Company may from time to
time enter into purchase and sales contracts in the forward markets for various
foreign currencies with the objective of protecting U.S. dollar values of assets
and commitments denominated in foreign currencies.

Item 2.       PROPERTIES

         St. Jude Medical's principal executive offices are owned and are
located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Manufacturing facilities are located in
California, Colorado, Minnesota, Florida, Canada, Puerto Rico, Scotland and
Sweden. Approximately 61%, or 243,000 square feet, of the total manufacturing
space is owned by the Company and the balance is leased.

         The Company also maintains sales and administrative offices inside the
United States at 13 locations in 8 states and outside the United States at 37
locations in 20 countries. With the exception of one location, all of these
locations are leased.

         In management's opinion, all building and machinery and equipment are
in good condition and suitable for their purposes and are maintained on a basis
consistent with sound operations.

Item 3.       LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

         GUIDANT LITIGATION

         On November 26, 1996, Guidant Corporation ("Guidant"), a competitor of
Pacesetter and Ventritex, CPI (a wholly owned subsidiary of Guidant), Guidant
Sales Corporation (a wholly owned subsidiary of Guidant, "GSC"), and Eli Lilly
and Company, (the former owner of CPI, "Lilly"), filed a lawsuit against St.
Jude Medical, Pacesetter, Inc. ("Pacesetter"), Ventritex, Inc. ("Ventritex") and
certain members of the Telectronics Group in State Superior Court in Marion
County, Indiana (the "Telectronics Action"). The lawsuit alleges, among other
things, that, pursuant to an agreement entered into in 1993, CPI and Lilly
granted Ventritex certain intellectual property licenses relating to cardiac
stimulation devices, and that such licenses will terminate upon consummation of
the proposed merger of Ventritex and Pacesetter (the "Merger"). The lawsuit
further alleges that, pursuant to an agreement entered into in 1994 (the
"Telectronics Agreement"), CPI and Lilly granted the Telectronics Group certain
non-transferable intellectual property licenses relating to cardiac stimulation
devices (the "CPI/Telectronics License"). The lawsuit seeks declaratory and
injunctive relief to prevent and invalidate the transfer to Pacesetter of the
intellectual property rights covered by the CPI/Telectronics License pursuant to
Pacesetter's acquisition of Telectronics (the "Telectronics Acquisition") and
the application of such license rights to the manufacture and sale by Pacesetter
of Ventritex's products following the consummation of the Merger. On December
17, 1996, St. Jude Medical, Pacesetter, Ventritex and the Telectronics Group
removed the lawsuit to the United States District Court for the Southern
District of Indiana, and filed a motion to dismiss the complaint or, in the
alternative, to stay proceedings pending arbitration of the dispute pursuant to
the arbitration provisions of the Telectronics Agreement.

         CPI, GSC and Lilly simultaneously filed suit against St. Jude Medical,
Pacesetter, Ventritex and others in the United States District Court for the
Southern District of Indiana seeking (i) a declaratory judgment that continued
manufacture, use or sale by Ventritex of cardiac stimulation devices of the type
currently manufactured and sold by Ventritex will, upon consummation of the
Merger, be unlicensed and constitute an infringement of patent rights owned by
CPI and Lilly, (ii) to enjoin the manufacture or sale by St. Jude Medical,
Pacesetter or Ventritex of cardiac stimulation devices of the type currently
manufactured by Ventritex from and after consummation of the Merger and (iii)
certain damages and costs. On December 19, 1996, St. Jude Medical, Pacesetter
and Ventritex filed a motion to dismiss the complaint or, in the alternative, to
stay proceedings pending resolution of the Telectronics Action or arbitration.

         St. Jude Medical believes that the foregoing complaints contain a
number of significant factual inaccuracies concerning the Telectronics
Acquisition and the terms and effects of the various intellectual property
license agreements referred to in such complaints. St Jude Medical believes that
the allegations set forth in the complaints are without merit, and St. Jude
Medical intends to defend the actions vigorously. On December 24, 1996, the
Telectronics Group and Pacesetter filed a lawsuit against Guidant, CPI, GSC and
Lilly (the "Defendants") in the United States District Court for the District of
Minnesota seeking (i) a declaratory judgment that the Defendants' claims, as
reflected in the Telectronics Action, are subject to arbitration pursuant to the
arbitration provisions of the Telectronics Agreement, (ii) an order that the
Defendants arbitrate their claims against the Telectronics Group and Pacesetter
in accordance with the arbitration provisions of the Telectronics Agreement,
(iii) to enjoin the Defendants preliminarily and permanently from litigating
their dispute with the Telectronics Group and Pacesetter in any other forum and
(iv) certain costs. The Court ruled against the Company and held that the
Telectronics Agreement is not subject to arbitration.


         OTHER LITIGATION AND PROCEEDINGS

         From 1987 to 1991, Siemens AG through its Pacesetter and other
affiliates ("Siemens") manufactured and sold approximately 32,000 model 1016T
and 1026T pacemaker leads of which approximately 25,000 were sold in the U.S. In
March 1993 Siemens was sued in federal district court in Cincinnati, Ohio ("the
Wilson case"). The suit alleged that the model 1016T leads were negligently
designed and manufactured. Class action status was granted by the court in
September 1993.

         When St. Jude acquired from Siemens substantially all of its worldwide
cardiac rhythm management business ("Pacesetter") on September 30, 1994, the
purchase agreement specifically provided that Siemens retain all liability for
the Wilson case, as well as all other litigation that was pending or threatened
before October 1, 1994. The purchase agreement also provided that St. Jude would
assume liability for other products liability claims which arose after September
30, 1994.

         Siemens and St. Jude were named defendants in a class action suit filed
in March 1995 in Houston, Texas for alleged defects in models 1016T and 1026T
pacemaker leads (the "Hann case"). The suit sought class action status for
patients who had inner insulation failures of these leads after March 22, 1993
and who were not members of the Wilson class. Siemens and St. Jude settled the
Wilson and Hann cases in November 1995. Management currently estimates the
Company's share of the settlement to be approximately $5 million; the precise
number of class members, and the corresponding financial liability, could
increase or decrease as the process for filing claims is completed. The
settlement agreement has an "opt out" provision for class members. Apart from
this class action settlement, additional claims could be made or lawsuits
brought by patients with these leads whose leads fail at a later date or whose
leads fail for reasons outside the class definition.

         St. Jude's products liability insurance carrier, Steadfast, a wholly
owned subsidiary of Zurich Insurance Company ("Zurich"), has denied coverage for
this case and has filed suit against St. Jude in federal district court in
Minneapolis seeking rescission of the policy covering Pacesetter business
retroactive to the date St. Jude acquired Pacesetter. Zurich alleges that St.
Jude made material negligent misrepresentations to Zurich including failure to
disclose the Wilson case in order to procure the insurance policy. St. Jude has
filed an answer denying Zurich's claim and has alleged that Zurich specifically
had knowledge of the Wilson case.

         The terms of the products liability insurance policy which Zurich is
seeking to rescind provide that St. Jude would be entitled to $10 million in
coverage for the 1016T and 1026T pacemaker lead claims after payment by St. Jude
of a self insured retention. St. Jude is investigating whether it may have
claims against any entities, in addition to Zurich, arising from this situation,
and has brought suit against its former insurance broker, Johnson & Higgins.

         The Company is unaware of any other pending legal proceedings which it
regards as likely to have a material adverse effect on its business.

Item 4.     SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

         Not applicable.

Item 4A.   EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY

NAME                            AGE             POSITION*
- ----                            ---             ---------
Ronald A. Matricaria            54              Chairman (1995), President and
                                                Chief Executive Officer (1993)

Patrick P. Fourteau             49              President, Pacesetter (1996)


Terry L. Shepherd               44              President, St. Jude Medical
                                                Division (1994) and President,
                                                International (1995)

Daniel J. Starks                42              Chief Executive Officer, Daig
                                                (1996)

John P. Berdusco                60              Vice President, Administration
                                                (1993)

Peter L. Gove                   49              Vice President, Corporate
                                                Relations (1994)

Kevin T. O'Malley, Esq.         45              Vice President and General
                                                Counsel (1994)

Stephen L. Wilson               44              Vice President, Finance and
                                                Chief Financial Officer (1990)

* Dates in brackets indicate period during which the named executive officers
began serving in such capacity. Executive officers serve at the pleasure of the
Board of Directors and are elected annually for one year terms.

         Mr. Matricaria's business experience is set forth in the Company's
definitive Proxy Statement dated March 24, 1997 under the Section "Election of
Directors." The information is incorporated herein by reference.

         Mr. Fourteau joined the Company in 1995 as President of St. Jude
Medical Europe. He was appointed President of the Pacesetter Division in May
1996. Prior to joining the Company, he was employed by Eli Lilly and Co. for 19
years in various positions including his last position of vice president of
pharmaceutical operations for Lilly International.

         Mr. Shepherd joined the Company in 1994 as President of the St. Jude
Medical Division. Prior to joining St. Jude, Mr. Shepherd was President and CEO
of Hybritech, Inc. where he had been employed for 3 years. Prior to that, Mr.
Shepherd held various management positions at Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. (CPI)
where he worked for 15 years. Hybritech and CPI were both wholly owned
subsidiaries of Eli Lilly & Company.

         Mr. Stark's business experience is set forth in the Company's
definitive Proxy Statement dated March 24, 1997 under the section "Election of
Directors." The information is incorporated herein by reference.

         Mr. Berdusco joined the Company in 1993 as Vice President,
Administration. Prior to joining the Company, he was Executive Director
Corporate Facilities Planning, Manufacturing Strategy Development and Sourcing
for Eli Lilly & Company. From 1962 to 1993, Mr. Berdusco held various management
positions with Eli Lilly & Company in both domestic and international
operations.

         Mr. Gove joined the Company in 1994 as Vice President, Corporate
Relations. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Gove was Vice President, Marketing
and Communications of Control Data Systems, Inc., a computer services company,
from 1991 to 1994. From 1981 to 1990, Mr. Gove held various executive positions
with Control Data Corporation. From 1970 to 1981, Mr. Gove held various
management positions with the State of Minnesota and the U.S. Government.

         Mr. O'Malley joined the Company in 1994 as Vice President and General
Counsel. Prior to joining St. Jude, Mr. O'Malley was employed by Eli Lilly and
Co. for 15 years in various positions including his last position of General
Counsel of the Medical Device and Diagnostics Division.

         Mr. Wilson joined the Company in 1990 as Vice President, Finance and
Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Wilson was Vice
President and Controller of the Foxboro Company, a process automation company,
where he had been employed for five years. Prior to that, Mr. Wilson was
employed by Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing Company, a metrology products and
machine tools company, and previously was with Coopers & Lybrand.


                                     PART II

Item 5.     MARKET FOR THE COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK AND RELATED
            SECURITY HOLDER MATTERS

         The information set forth under the captions "Supplemental Market Price
Data" and "Dividends" on page 40 of the Company's 1996 Annual Report to
Shareholders is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 6.     SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

         The information set forth under the caption "Five Year Summary of
Selected Financial Data" on page 39 of the Company's 1996 Annual Report to
Shareholders is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7.     MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF
            OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION

         The information set forth under the caption "Management's Discussion
and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition" on pages 21
through 26 of the Company's 1996 Annual Report to Shareholders is incorporated
herein by reference.

Item 8.     FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

         The following Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company and
Report of Independent Auditors set forth on pages 27 through 38 of the Company's
1996 Annual Report to Shareholders are incorporated herein by reference:

         Consolidated Statements of Income - Years ended December 31, 1996, 1995
         and 1994

         Consolidated Balance Sheets - December 31, 1996 and 1995

         Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity - Years ended December
         31, 1996, 1995, and 1994

         Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Years ended December 31, 1996,
         1995 and 1994

         Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Item 9.     DISAGREEMENTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

         None.


                                    PART III

Item 10.    DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY

         The information set forth under the caption "Election of Directors" in
the Company's definitive Proxy Statement dated March 24, 1997, is incorporated
herein by reference. Information on executive officers is set forth in Part I,
Item 4A hereto.

Item 11.    EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

         The information set forth under the caption "Executive Compensation and
Other Information" and "Election of Directors" in the Company's definitive Proxy
Statement dated March 24, 1997, is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 12.    SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
            AND MANAGEMENT

         The information set forth under the caption "Security Ownership of
Certain Beneficial Owners and Management" and "Election of Directors" in the
Company's definitive Proxy Statement dated March 24, 1997, is incorporated
herein by reference.

Item 13.    CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

         The information set forth under the caption "Election of Directors" in
the Company's definitive Proxy Statement dated March 24, 1997, is incorporated
herein by reference.


                                     PART IV

Item 14.    EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS
            ON FORM 8-K

(a)      List of documents filed as part of this Report

         (1)  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

              The following Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company and
              Report of Independent Auditors as set forth on pages 27 through 38
              of the Company's 1996 Annual Report to Shareholders are
              incorporated herein by reference:

              Consolidated Statements of Income - Years ended December 31, 
              1996, 1995 and 1994

              Consolidated Balance Sheets - December 31, 1996 and 1995

              Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity - Years ended
              December 31, 1996, 1995, and 1994

              Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Years ended December 31,
              1996, 1995 and 1994

              Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

         (2)  FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE

              The following financial statement schedule is filed as part of
              this Form 10-K Annual Report:

                     Schedule                                           Page
                      Number     Description                            Number
                      ------     -----------                            ------
                        II       Valuation and Qualifying Accounts        17

              The report of the Company's Independent Auditors with respect to
              the above-listed financial statements and financial statement
              schedule appears on page 16 of this Report.

              All other financial statements and schedules not listed have been
              omitted because the required information is included in the
              consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto, or is not
              applicable.

         (3)  EXHIBITS

          Exhibit Index                                              

2.1       Agreement and Plan of Merger dated January 29, 1996               
          related to the Daig acquisition is incorporated by reference to
          Schedule 13D filed February 13, 1996.

2.2       Asset Purchase Agreement dated September 24, 1996                 
          related to the Telectronics purchase is incorporated by
          reference to Form 8-K dated November 29, 1996.

2.3       Agreement and Plan of Merger dated October 23, 1996               
          related to the Ventritex merger. #

3.1       Articles of Incorporation are incorporated by reference to        
          Exhibit 3(a) of the Company's Form 8 filed on August 20,
          1987, amending the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
          the quarter ended June 30, 1987.

3.2       Amendment to Articles of Incorporation dated September
          5, 1996. #

3.3       Bylaws are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3B of the         
          Company's Form S-3 Registration Statement dated
          September 25, 1986 (Commission File No. 33-8308).

4.1       Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated as of June            
          26, 1990, between the Company and Norwest Bank
          Minneapolis, N.A., as Rights Agent including the Certificate of
          Designation, Preferences and Rights of Series A Junior
          Participating Preferred Stock is incorporated by reference to
          Exhibit 1 of the Company's Form 8 Amendment 2 to Form 8-A dated
          July 6, 1990.

10.1      Employment letter dated as of March 9, 1993, between the          
          Company and Ronald A. Matricaria is incorporated by
          reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company's Form 10-K
          Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 1993.*

10.2      Employment letter dated as of November 8, 1996, from              
          the Company to Ronald A. Matricaria.* #

10.3      Supply Contract dated April 17, 1990, between the                 
          Company and CarboMedics, Inc. (portions of this exhibit
          have been deleted and filed separately with the Securities and
          Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 24b-2) is incorporated by
          reference to the Company's Form 8 filed on April 17, 1990
          amending the Company's Form 10-K Annual Report for the year
          ended December 31, 1989.

10.4      Form of Indemnification Agreement that the Company has            
          entered into with officers and directors.  Such agreement
          recites the provisions of Minnesota Statutes Section 302A.521
          and the Company's Bylaw provisions (which are substantially
          identical to the Statute) and is incorporated by reference to
          Exhibit 10(d) of the Company's Form 10-K Annual Report for the
          year ended December 31, 1986.*

10.5      Form of Employment Agreement that the Company has                 
          entered into with officers relating to severance matters in
          connection with a change in control is incorporated by
          reference to Exhibit 10(f) of the Company's Form 10-K Annual
          Report for the year ended December 31, 1987.*

10.6      Retirement Plan for members of the Board of Directors as          
          amended on March 15, 1995, is incorporated by reference
          to Exhibit 10.6 of the Company's Form 10-K Annual
          Report for the year ended December 31, 1994.*

10.7      Management Savings Plan dated February 1, 1995, is                
          incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 of the
          Company's Form 10-K Annual Report for the year ended
          December 31, 1994.*

10.8      The St. Jude Medical, Inc. 1992 Employee Stock Purchase           
          Savings Plan is incorporated by reference to the
          Company's Form S-8 Registration Statement dated June
          10, 1992, (Commission File No. 33-48502).

10.9      1989 Restricted Stock Plan is incorporated by reference to        
          the Company's Form S-8 Registration Statement dated
          June 6, 1989 (Commission File No. 33-29085).*

10.10     The St. Jude Medical, Inc. 1991 Stock Plan is incorporated        
          by reference to the Company's Form S-8 Registration
          Statement dated June 28, 1991 (Commission File No. 33-
          41459).*

10.11     The St. Jude Medical, Inc. 1994 Stock Option Plan is              
          incorporated by reference to the Company's Form S-8
          Registration Statement dated July 1, 1994 (Commission
          File No. 33-54435).*

10.12     The Management Incentive Compensation Plan is                     
          incorporated by reference to Appendix A of the
          Company's definitive Proxy Statement dated March 27,
          1995.*

10.13     Assumption by the Company of the Daig Corporation
          Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement dated March 1,
          1995, incorporated by reference to the Company's Form S-
          8 Registration Statement dated May 31, 1996
          (Commission File No. 333-4935).*

11        Computation of Earnings Per Share #

13        1996 Annual Report to Shareholders.  Except for those
          portions of such report expressly incorporated by reference
          in this Form 10-K Annual Report, the Annual Report to
          Shareholders is not deemed to be "filed" with the
          Securities and Exchange Commission. #

21        Subsidiaries of the Company #

23        Consent of Independent Auditors #

27        Financial Data Schedule #

- -----------------------------
* Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

# Filed as a part of this Form 10-K Annual Report.

(b)      Reports on Form 8-K during the quarter ended December 31, 1996

              Form 8-K dated October 22, 1996
              Item 5.      Other Events
                        Announcement of definitive agreements to acquire 1)
                        substantially all the cardiac rhythm management assets
                        of Telectronics Pacing Systems, Inc. and 2) Medtel, both
                        from Pacific Dunlop, Ltd.; and settle certain legal and
                        patent disputes with Intermedics Inc. Separately,
                        announcement of a definitive agreement for the merger of
                        Ventritex, Inc. with the Company's Pacesetter
                        subsidiary.


              Form 8-K dated November 29, 1996
              Item 2.      Acquisition or disposition of assets
                        Effective November 29, 1996, St. Jude completed the
                        acquisition from Telectronics Pacing Systems, Inc. of
                        substantially all of its cardiac rhythm management
                        assets and the acquisition of Medtel from Pacific
                        Dunlop.

              Item 7.  Exhibits


              Form 8-K dated December 6, 1996
              Item 5.      Other Events
                        Presentation of supplemental financial statements,
                        supplemental management's discussion and analysis of
                        financial condition and results of operations, and other
                        information that give effect to the May 31, 1996,
                        acquisition of Daig Corporation.

              Item 7.      Financial Statements and Exhibits


(c)      Exhibits: Reference is made to Item 14(a)(3).

(d)      Schedules: Reference is made to Item 14(a)(2).




                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                 ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.


Date: March 27, 1997             By /s/ Ronald A. Matricaria
                                    -------------------------------------------
                                 Ronald A. Matricaria
                                 Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
                                 (Principal Executive Officer)


                                 By  /s/ Stephen L. Wilson
                                    -------------------------------------------
                                 Stephen L. Wilson
                                 Vice President, Finance
                                 and Chief Financial Officer
                                 (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this
report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
Registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S>                                  <C>        <C>          <C>                                  <C>        <C>
  /s/ Ronald A. Matricaria            Director   3/27/97        /s/ Charles V. Owens, Jr.          Director   3/27/97
- ----------------------------------                            ---------------------------------
Ronald A. Matricaria                                          Charles V. Owens, Jr.

  /s/ Paul J. Chiapparone             Director   3/27/97        /s/ Walter L. Sembrowich           Director   3/27/97
- ----------------------------------                            ---------------------------------
Paul J. Chiapparone                                           Walter L. Sembrowich

  /s/ Thomas H. Garrett III           Director   3/27/97        /s/ Daniel J. Starks               Director   3/27/97
- ----------------------------------                            ---------------------------------
Thomas H. Garrett III                                         Daniel J. Starks

  /s/ Kenneth G. Langone              Director   3/27/97        /s/ Roger G. Stoll                 Director   3/27/97
- ----------------------------------                            ---------------------------------
Kenneth G. Langone                                            Roger G. Stoll

  /s/ William R. Miller               Director   3/27/97        /s/ Gail R. Wilensky               Director   3/27/97
- ----------------------------------                            ---------------------------------
William R. Miller                                             Gail R. Wilensky

</TABLE>



                         Report of Independent Auditors


We have audited the consolidated financial statements of St. Jude Medical, Inc.
as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, and for each of the three years in the period
ended December 31, 1996, and have issued our report thereon dated February 5,
1997. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in the
Index at Item 14(a). This schedule is the responsibility of the Company's
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion based on our audits.

In our opinion, the financial statement schedule referred to above, when
considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole,
presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein.


/s/ Ernst & Young LLP


Minneapolis, Minnesota
February 5, 1997


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                                    YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996

                                          SCHEDULE II - VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
                                                       (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)


                           COL. A                    COL. B                    COL. C                   COL D.            COL E.
- -----------------------------------------     --------------------      --------------------          ----------     --------------
                                                                        Additions Charged to
                                              Balance at Beginning      --------------------                         Balance at End
                        Description                of Period            Expense         Other         Deductions       of Period

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                 <C>                <C>            <C>            <C>               <C> 
Year ended December 31, 1996
      Allowance for doubtful accounts(3)             $9,361             $  650         $   15(5)      $2,348(1)         $7,678
      Products liability claims reserve(4)             8558               ----           ----            254(2)           8304

Year ended December 31, 1995
      Allowance for doubtful accounts(3)             $5,782             $2,510         $1,256(5)     $   187(1)         $9,361
      Products liability claims reserve(4)            1,500               ----          8,000(5)         942(2)          8,558

Year ended December 31, 1994
      Allowance for doubtful accounts(3)               1873                715          3,675(5)         481(1)           5782
      Products liability claims reserve(4)              401              1,181           ----             82(2)          1,500

</TABLE>

      (1) Reserve or uncollectible accounts written off, net of recoveries.
      (2) Settlements paid.
      (3) Deducted from accounts receivable on the balance sheet.
      (4) Included in other accrued expenses on the balance sheet.
      (5) Balance assumed through acquisitions.



                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

                                      AMONG

                                 VENTRITEX, INC.
                             ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.
                                       AND
                                PACESETTER, INC.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

<S>                                                                                     <C>
ARTICLE 1

THE MERGER.............................................................................  1
         SECTION 1.2.   Effective Time.................................................  1
         SECTION 1.3.   Closing of the Merger..........................................  1
         SECTION 1.4.   Effects of the Merger..........................................  1
         SECTION 1.5.   Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws........................  2
         SECTION 1.6.   Directors......................................................  2
         SECTION 1.7.   Officers.......................................................  2
         SECTION 1.8.   Conversion of Shares...........................................  2
         SECTION 1.9.   Exchange of Certificates.......................................  2
         SECTION 1.10.  Stock Options..................................................  4

ARTICLE 2

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY..........................................  5
         SECTION 2.1.   Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries...................  5
         SECTION 2.2.   Capitalization of the Company and its Subsidiaries.............  6
         SECTION 2.3.   Authority Relative to this Agreement...........................  6
         SECTION 2.4.   SEC Reports; Financial Statements..............................  7
         SECTION 2.5.   Information Supplied...........................................  7
         SECTION 2.6.   Consents and Approvals; No Violations..........................  8
         SECTION 2.7.   No Default.....................................................  8
         SECTION 2.8.   No Undisclosed Liabilities; Absence of Changes.................  8
         SECTION 2.9.   Litigation.....................................................  9
         SECTION 2.10.  Compliance with Applicable Law.................................  9
         SECTION 2.11.  Employee Plans.................................................  9
         SECTION 2.12.  Environmental Laws and Regulations............................. 10
         SECTION 2.13.  Tax Matters.................................................... 11
         SECTION 2.14.  Intangible Property............................................ 12
         SECTION 2.15.  Opinion of Financial Advisor................................... 12
         SECTION 2.16.  Brokers........................................................ 12
         SECTION 2.17.  Accounting Matters............................................. 13
         SECTION 2.18.  Material Contracts............................................. 13
         SECTION 2.19.  Products....................................................... 13
         SECTION 2.20.  Amendment to Rights Agreement.................................. 14

ARTICLE 3

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
OF PARENT AND ACQUISITION.............................................................. 14
         SECTION 3.1.   Organization................................................... 14
         SECTION 3.2.   Capitalization of Parent and its Subsidiaries.................. 15
         SECTION 3.3.   Authority Relative to this Agreement........................... 15
         SECTION 3.4.   SEC Reports; Financial Statements.............................. 15
         SECTION 3.5.   Information Supplied........................................... 16
         SECTION 3.6.   Consents and Approvals; No Violations.......................... 16
         SECTION 3.7.   No Default..................................................... 17
         SECTION 3.8.   No Undisclosed Liabilities; Absence of Changes................. 17
         SECTION 3.9.   Litigation..................................................... 17
         SECTION 3.10.  Compliance with Applicable Law................................. 18
         SECTION 3.11.  Tax Matters.................................................... 18
         SECTION 3.12.  Products....................................................... 18
         SECTION 3.13.  Intangible Property............................................ 18
         SECTION 3.14.  Brokers........................................................ 19
         SECTION 3.15.  Accounting Matters............................................. 19
         SECTION 3.16.  Telectronics Agreements........................................ 19
         SECTION 3.17.  Medtronic Agreement............................................ 19

ARTICLE 4

COVENANTS.............................................................................. 19
         SECTION 4.1.   Conduct of Business of the Company and Parent.................. 19
         SECTION 4.2.   Preparation of S-4 and the Proxy Statement..................... 22
         SECTION 4.3.   No Solicitation................................................ 22
         SECTION 4.4.   Intentionally omitted.......................................... 23
         SECTION 4.5.   Stockholder Meeting............................................ 23
         SECTION 4.6.   Access to Information.......................................... 23
         SECTION 4.7.   Additional Agreements; Best Efforts............................ 24
         SECTION 4.9.   Public Announcements........................................... 25
         SECTION 4.10.  Indemnification; Directors' and Officers' Insurance............ 25
         SECTION 4.11.  Notification of Certain Matters................................ 26
         SECTION 4.12.  Pooling........................................................ 26
         SECTION 4.13.  Tax-Free Reorganization Treatment.............................. 27
         SECTION 4.14.  Employee Matters............................................... 27
         SECTION 4.15.  Company Affiliates............................................. 27
         SECTION 4.16.  SEC Filings.................................................... 27
         SECTION 4.17.  Guarantee of Performance....................................... 28

ARTICLE 5

CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER............................................... 28
         SECTION 5.1.   Conditions to Each Party's Obligations to Effect the Merger.... 28
         SECTION 5.2.   Conditions to the Obligations of the Company................... 28
         SECTION 5.3.   Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and Acquisition........ 30

ARTICLE 6

TERMINATION; AMENDMENT; WAIVER......................................................... 30
         SECTION 6.1.   Termination.................................................... 30
         SECTION 6.2.   Effect of Termination.......................................... 31
         SECTION 6.3.   Fees and Expenses.............................................. 31
         SECTION 6.4.   Amendment...................................................... 32
         SECTION 6.5.   Extension; Waiver.............................................. 32

ARTICLE 7

MISCELLANEOUS.......................................................................... 32
         SECTION 7.1.   Nonsurvival of Representations and Warranties.................. 32
         SECTION 7.2.   Entire Agreement; Assignment................................... 32
         SECTION 7.3.   Validity....................................................... 33
         SECTION 7.4.   Notices........................................................ 33
         SECTION 7.5.   Governing Law.................................................. 33
         SECTION 7.6.   Descriptive Headings........................................... 33
         SECTION 7.7.   Parties in Interest............................................ 33
         SECTION 7.8.   Severability................................................... 34
         SECTION 7.9.   Specific Performance........................................... 34
         SECTION 7.10.  Subsidiaries................................................... 34
         SECTION 7.11.  Counterparts................................................... 34
</TABLE>



                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER


                  THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of October 23,
1996, is among VENTRITEX, INC.,a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), ST. JUDE
MEDICAL, INC., a Minnesota corporation ("Parent"), and PACESETTER, INC., a
Delaware corporation and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent
("Acquisition").

                  WHEREAS, the Boards of Directors of the Company, Parent and
Acquisition each have, in light of and subject to the terms and conditions set
forth herein, (i) determined that the Merger (as defined in Section 1.1) is fair
to their respective stockholders and in the best interests of such stockholders
and (ii) approved the Merger in accordance with this Agreement;

                  WHEREAS, for federal income tax purposes, it is intended that
the Merger shall qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section
368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"); and

                  WHEREAS, it is intended that the Merger shall be recorded for
accounting purposes as a "pooling-of-interests".

                  NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements herein contained, and
intending to be legally bound hereby, the Company, Parent and Acquisition hereby
agree as follows:


                                    ARTICLE 1

                                   THE MERGER

                  SECTION 1.1. The Merger. At the Effective Time and upon the
terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement and in accordance with the
Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL"), the Company shall be merged with
and into Acquisition (the "Merger"). Following the Merger, Acquisition shall
continue as the surviving corporation (the "Surviving Corporation") and the
separate corporate existence of the Company shall cease.

                  SECTION 1.2. Effective Time. Subject to the provisions of this
Agreement, Parent, Acquisition and the Company shall cause the Merger to be
consummated by filing an appropriate Certificate of Merger or other appropriate
documents (the"Certificate of Merger") with the Secretary of State of the State
of Delaware in such form as required by, and executed in accordance with, the
relevant provisions of the DGCL, as soon as practicable on or after the Closing
Date (as defined in Section 1.3). The Merger shall become effective upon such
filing or at such time thereafter as is provided in the Certificate of Merger
(the "Effective Time").

                  SECTION 1.3. Closing of the Merger. The closing of the Merger
(the "Closing") will take place at a time and on a date to be specified by the
parties, which shall be no later than the second business day after satisfaction
or waiver of the conditions set forth in Article 5, other than those conditions
that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the
fulfillment or waiver of those conditions (the "Closing Date"), at the offices
of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, 767 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10153,
unless another time, date or place is agreed to in writing by the parties
hereto.

                  SECTION 1.4. Effects of the Merger. The Merger shall have the
effects set forth in the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
and subject thereto, at the Effective Time, all the properties, rights,
privileges, powers and franchises of the Company and Acquisition shall vest in
the Surviving Corporation, and all debts, liabilities and duties of the Company
and Acquisition shall become the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving
Corporation.

                  SECTION 1.5. Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. The
certificate of incorporation of Acquisition in effect at the Effective Time
shall be the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until
amended in accordance with applicable law. The bylaws of Acquisition in effect
at the Effective Time shall be the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until
amended in accordance with applicable law.

                  SECTION 1.6. Directors. The directors of Acquisition at the
Effective Time shall be the initial directors of the Surviving Corporation, each
to hold office in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of
the Surviving Corporation until such director's successor is duly elected or
appointed and qualified.

                  SECTION 1.7. Officers. The officers of Acquisition at the
Effective Time shall be the initial officers of the Surviving Corporation, each
to hold office in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of
the Surviving Corporation until such officer's successor is duly elected or
appointed and qualified. The officers of the Company at the Effective Time shall
be the initial officers of the Ventritex division of the Surviving Corporation,
each to hold such position in accordance with the certificate of incorporation
and bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until such person's successor is duly
appointed and qualified.

                  SECTION 1.8. Conversion of Shares.

                  (a) At the Effective Time, each share of common stock, par
value $0.001 per share, of the Company ("Company Common Stock") issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (individually a "Share" and
collectively, the Shares") (other than Shares held by Parent, Acquisition or any
other subsidiary of Parent) shall, by virtue of the Merger and without any
action on the part of Acquisition, the Company or the holder thereof, be
converted into and shall become exchangeable for 0.6 of a fully paid and
nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.10 per share, of Parent
("Parent Common Stock") (the "Exchange Ratio"). If between the date of this
Agreement and the Effective Time the outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock
shall have been changed into a different number of shares or a different class
by reason of any stock dividend, subdivision, reclassification,
recapitalization, split, combination or exchange of shares, the amount of shares
of Parent Common Stock constituting the Exchange Ratio shall be correspondingly
adjusted to reflect such stock dividend, subdivision, reclassification,
recapitalization, split, combination, exchange of shares or other similar
transaction.

                  (b) At the Effective Time, each outstanding share of the
common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of Acquisition shall remain outstanding
as one share of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Surviving
Corporation.

                  (c) At the Effective Time, each Share held by Parent,
Acquisition or any subsidiary of Parent or Acquisition immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of Acquisition, the Company or the holder thereof, be canceled, retired and
cease to exist and no payment shall be made with respect thereto.

                  (d) In accordance with Section 262 of the DGCL, no appraisal
rights shall be available to holders of Shares in connection with the Merger.

                  SECTION 1.9. Exchange of Certificates.

                  (a) As of the Effective Time, Parent shall make available to
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Exchange Agent"), for the benefit
of the holders of Shares, for exchange in accordance with this Article 1,
through the Exchange Agent: (i) certificates representing the appropriate number
of shares of Parent Common Stock issuable pursuant to Section 1.8 in exchange
for outstanding Shares and (ii) cash to be paid in lieu of fractional shares of
Parent Common Stock pursuant to Section 1.9(f) (such shares of Parent Common
Stock and such cash are hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Fund").

                  (b) As soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective
Time, the Exchange Agent shall mail to each holder of record of a certificate or
certificates which immediately prior to the Effective Time represented
outstanding Shares (the "Certificates") whose Shares were converted into the
right to receive shares of Parent Common Stock pursuant to Section 1.8: (i) a
letter of transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and
risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only upon delivery of the
Certificates to the Exchange Agent and shall be in such form and have such other
provisions as Parent and the Company may reasonably specify) and (ii)
instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the Certificates in exchange
for certificates representing shares of Parent Common Stock. Upon surrender of a
Certificate for cancellation to the Exchange Agent or to such other agent or
agents as may be appointed by Parent and Acquisition, together with such letter
of transmittal, duly executed, the holder of such Certificate shall be entitled
to receive in exchange therefor a certificate representing that number of whole
shares of Parent Common Stock and, if applicable, a check representing the cash
consideration to which such holder may be entitled pursuant to Section 1.9(f) on
account of a fractional share of Parent Common Stock, which such holder has the
right to receive pursuant to the provisions of this Article 1, and the
Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be canceled. In the event of a
transfer of ownership of Shares which is not registered in the transfer records
of the Company, a certificate representing the proper number of shares of Parent
Common Stock may be issued to a transferee if the Certificate representing such
Shares is presented to the Exchange Agent, accompanied by all documents required
to evidence and effect such transfer and by evidence that any applicable stock
transfer taxes have been paid. Until surrendered as contemplated by this Section
1.9, each Certificate shall be deemed at any time after the Effective Time to
represent only the right to receive upon such surrender the certificate
representing shares of Parent Common Stock and cash in lieu of any fractional
shares of Parent Common Stock as contemplated by this Section 1.9. Holders of
unsurrendered Certificates shall be entitled to vote after the Effective Time at
any meeting of Parent stockholders the number of whole shares of Parent Common
Stock represented by such Certificates, regardless of whether such holders have
exchanged their Certificates.

                  (c) No dividends or other distributions declared or made after
the Effective Time with respect to Parent Common Stock with a record date after
the Effective Time shall be paid to the holder of any unsurrendered Certificate
with respect to the shares of Parent Common Stock represented thereby and no
cash payment in lieu of fractional shares shall be paid to any such holder
pursuant to Section 1.9(f) until the holder of record of such Certificate shall
surrender such Certificate. Subject to the effect of applicable laws, following
surrender of any such Certificate, there shall be paid to the record holder of
the certificates representing whole shares of Parent Common Stock issued in
exchange therefor, without interest, (i) at the time of such surrender, the
amount of any cash payable in lieu of a fractional share of Parent Common Stock
to which such holder is entitled pursuant to Section 1.9(f) and the amount of
dividends or other distributions with a record date after the Effective Time
theretofore paid with respect to such whole shares of Parent Common Stock, and
(ii) at the appropriate payment date, the amount of dividends or other
distributions with a record date after the Effective Time but prior to surrender
and a payment date subsequent to surrender payable with respect to such whole
shares of Parent Common Stock.

                  (d) In the event that any Certificate for Shares shall have
been lost, stolen or destroyed, the Exchange Agent shall issue in exchange
therefor, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the holder thereof,
such shares of Parent Common Stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares, if
any, as may be required pursuant to this Agreement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
Parent may, in its discretion, require the delivery of a suitable bond or
indemnity.

                  (e) All shares of Parent Common Stock issued upon the
surrender for exchange of Shares in accordance with the terms hereof (including
any cash paid pursuant to Section 1.9(c) or 1.9(f)) shall be deemed to have been
issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such Shares, and there
shall be no further registration of transfers on the stock transfer books of the
Surviving Corporation of the Shares which were outstanding immediately prior to
the Effective Time. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates are presented to
the Surviving Corporation for any reason, they shall be canceled and exchanged
as provided in this Article I.

                  (f) No fractions of a share of Parent Common Stock shall be
issued in the Merger, but in lieu thereof each holder of Shares otherwise
entitled to a fraction of a share of Parent Common Stock shall, upon surrender
of his or her Certificate or Certificates, be entitled to receive an amount of
cash (without interest) determined by multiplying the average closing price for
Parent Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market (or any subsequent
national securities exchange on which shares of Parent Common Stock are listed
for trading) for the five trading days immediately preceding the date of the
meeting of the Company's stockholders held in connection with the Merger by the
fractional share interest to which such holder would otherwise be entitled. The
parties acknowledge that payment of the cash consideration in lieu of issuing
fractional shares was not separately bargained for consideration but merely
represents a mechanical rounding off for purposes of simplifying the corporate
and accounting problems which would otherwise be caused by the issuance of
fractional shares.

                  (g) Any portion of the Exchange Fund which remains
undistributed to the stockholders of the Company for six months after the
Effective Time shall be delivered to Parent, upon demand, and any stockholders
of the Company who have not theretofore complied with this Article I shall
thereafter look only to Parent for payment of their claim for Parent Common
Stock for any cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock and any
dividends or distributions with respect to Parent Common Stock, as the case may
be.

                  (h) Neither Parent nor the Company shall be liable to any
holder of Shares, or Parent Common Stock, as the case may be, for such shares
(or dividends or distributions with respect thereto) or cash from the Exchange
Fund delivered to a public official pursuant to any applicable abandoned
property, escheat or similar law.

                  SECTION 1.10. Stock Options.

                  (a) At the Effective Time, each outstanding option to purchase
shares of Company Common Stock (a "Company Stock Option" or, collectively,
"Company Stock Options") issued pursuant to the Company's stock option plans
listed on Schedule 1.10 hereto (the "Company Plans"), whether vested or
unvested, shall be cancelled and, in lieu thereof, Parent shall issue to each
holder of a Company Stock Option an option (each, a "Parent Option"), to
acquire, on substantially the same terms and subject to substantially the same
conditions as were applicable under such Company Stock Option, including,
without limitation, term, exercisability, vesting schedule, status as an
"incentive stock option" under Section 422 of the Code, acceleration and
termination provisions, the same number of shares of Parent Common Stock as the
holder of such Company Stock Option would have been entitled to receive pursuant
to the Merger had such holder exercised such option in full immediately prior to
the Effective Time, at a price per share equal to (y) the aggregate exercise
price for the shares of Company Common Stock otherwise purchasable pursuant to
such Company Stock Option divided by (z) the number of full shares of Parent
Common Stock deemed purchasable pursuant to such Company Stock Option; provided,
however, that in the case of any option to which Section 421 of the Code applies
by reason of its qualification under any of Sections 422 through 424 of the
Code, the exercise price, the number of shares purchasable pursuant to such
option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be
adjusted, if necessary, in order to comply with Section 424 of the Code and
provided, further, however, that the number of shares of Parent Common Stock
that may be purchased upon exercise of any such Parent Option shall not include
any fractional share and, upon exercise of the Parent Option, a cash payment
shall be made for any fractional share based upon the average closing price for
Parent Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market (or any subsequent
national securities exchange on which shares of Parent Common Stock are listed
for trading) for the five trading days immediately preceding the
date of exercise. Employment with the Company shall be credited to the optionees
for purposes of determining the number of vested shares of Parent Common Stock
subject to exercise under converted Company Options after the Effective Time.
None of the Company Stock Options that are unvested at the Effective Time shall
become vested as a result of the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
consummation of the Merger.

                  (b) As soon as practicable after the Effective Time, but no
later than 30 days thereafter, Parent shall deliver to the holders of Company
Stock Options appropriate notices setting forth such holders' rights pursuant to
the respective Company Plans and stating that the holders will receive Parent
Options exercisable for shares of Parent Common Stock on substantially the same
terms and conditions as their Company Stock Options (subject to the adjustments
required by this Section 1.10 after giving effect to the Merger). At or prior to
the Effective Time, Parent shall take all corporate action necessary to reserve
for issuance a sufficient number of shares of Parent Common Stock for delivery
upon exercise of Parent Options issued by it in accordance with this Section
1.10. As soon as practicable after the Effective Time, to the extent the Parent
Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Parent Options issued in accordance
with this Section 1.10 has not previously been registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), then Parent shall file a
registration statement on Form S-3 or Form S-8, as the case may be (or any
successor or other appropriate forms), or another appropriate form with respect
to the Parent Common Stock subject to such Parent Options, and shall use its
best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statements (and
maintain the current status of the prospectus or prospectuses contained therein)
for so long as the Parent Options remain outstanding.


                                    ARTICLE 2

                  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

                  The Company hereby represents and warrants to each of Parent
and Acquisition as follows:

                  SECTION 2.1. Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries.

                  (a) The Company and each of its subsidiaries (as defined in
Section 7.10), is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has all
requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
and to carry on its businesses as now being conducted, except where the failure
to be so organized, existing and in good standing or to have such power and
authority would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined below).
When used in connection with the Company or its subsidiaries, the term "Company
Material Adverse Effect" means any change or effect (i) that is materially
adverse to the properties, business, results of operations or financial
condition of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as whole, other than any
change or effect arising out of general economic conditions or conditions
generally affecting the cardiovascular medical device market or (ii) that would
impair the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby.

                  (b) Except as set forth in Section 2.1(b) of the Disclosure
Schedule previously delivered by the Company to Parent (the "Company Disclosure
Schedule"), the Company has no subsidiaries and does not own, directly or
indirectly, beneficially or of record, any shares of capital stock or other
security of any other entity or any other investment in any other entity.

                  (c) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly qualified
or licensed and in good standing to do business in each jurisdiction in which
the property owned, leased or operated by it or the nature of the business
conducted by it makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except in such
jurisdictions where the failure to be so duly qualified or licensed and in good
standing would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

                  (d) The Company has heretofore delivered to Parent accurate
and complete copies of the certificate of incorporation and by-laws, as
currently in effect, of each of the Company and each of its subsidiaries.

                  SECTION 2.2. Capitalization of the Company and its
Subsidiaries.

                  (a) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of:
35,000,000 Shares, of which, as of October 15, 1996, 20,959,260 Shares were
issued and outstanding, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value
$0.001 per share (the "Company Preferred Stock"), of which, as of the date
hereof, none are issued and outstanding. All of the issued and outstanding
Shares have been validly issued, and are fully paid, nonassessable and free of
preemptive rights. As of October 15, 1996, 2,782,116 Shares were reserved for
issuance and issuable upon or otherwise deliverable in connection with the
exercise of outstanding Company Stock Options issued pursuant to the Company
Plans, 78,813 Shares were reserved for issuance under the Company's 1991
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "ESPP") and 3,345,455 Shares were reserved for
issuance pursuant to the conversion of the Company's 5-3/4% Convertible
Subordinated Notes due August 15, 2001 (the "Convertible Notes"). The final
purchase by participants under the ESPP will occur no later than the business
day immediately preceding the Effective Time. The ESPP will terminate at the
Effective Time. A total of 35,000 shares of Preferred Stock have been designated
as Series A Participating Preferred Stock and reserved for issuance in
connection with the exercise of the Rights (as defined in Section 2.20). Except
as set forth in Section 2.2(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, since October
15, 1996, no shares of the Company's capital stock have been issued other than
pursuant to stock options already in existence on October 15, 1996, and no stock
options have been granted. Except as set forth above or as set forth in Section
2.2(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, as of the date hereof, there are
outstanding (i) no shares of capital stock or other voting securities of the
Company, (ii) no securities of the Company or its subsidiaries convertible into
or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or voting securities of the Company,
(iii) no options or other rights to acquire from the Company or its
subsidiaries, and no obligations of the Company or its subsidiaries to issue,
any capital stock, voting securities or securities convertible into or
exchangeable for capital stock or voting securities of the Company, and (iv) no
equity equivalents, interests in the ownership or earnings of the Company or its
subsidiaries or other similar rights (including stock appreciation rights)
(collectively, "Company Securities"). There are no outstanding obligations of
the Company or its subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
Company Securities. Except as set forth in Section 2.2(a) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, there are no stockholder agreements, voting trusts or other
agreements or understandings to which the Company is a party or to which it is
bound relating to the voting of any shares of capital stock of the Company.

                  (b) All of the outstanding capital stock of the Company's
subsidiaries is owned by the Company, directly or indirectly, free and clear of
any Lien (as defined below) or any other limitation or restriction (including
any restriction on the right to vote or sell the same, except as may be provided
as a matter of law). There are no securities of the Company or its subsidiaries
convertible into or exchangeable for, no options or other rights to acquire from
the Company or its subsidiaries, and no other contract, understanding,
arrangement or obligation (whether or not contingent) providing for the issuance
or sale, directly or indirectly, of any capital stock or other ownership
interests in, or any other securities of, any subsidiary of the Company. There
are no outstanding contractual obligations of the Company or its subsidiaries to
repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any outstanding shares of capital stock
or other ownership interests in any subsidiary of the Company. For purposes of
this Agreement, "Lien" means, with respect to any asset (including, without
limitation, any security) any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest
or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset.

                  SECTION 2.3. Authority Relative to this Agreement.

                  (a) The Company has all necessary corporate power and
authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and
validly authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Company
Board") and no other corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are
necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby (other than, with respect to the Merger, the approval and
adoption of this Agreement by the holders of a majority of the then outstanding
shares of Company Common Stock). This Agreement has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid, legal and binding
agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization,
moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting
creditors' rights and to general equity principles (the "Bankruptcy and Equity
Exception").

                  (b) The Company Board has, by unanimous vote of those present,
duly and validly approved, and taken all corporate actions required to be taken
by the Company Board for the consummation of, the transactions, including the
Merger, contemplated hereby and resolved to recommend that the stockholders of
the Company approve and adopt this Agreement.

                  SECTION 2.4. SEC Reports; Financial Statements.

                  (a) The Company has filed all required forms, reports and
documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") since January
1, 1995, each of which has complied in all material respects with all applicable
requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act"), each as in effect on the dates such forms, reports
and documents were filed. The Company has heretofore delivered to Parent, in the
form filed with the SEC (including any amendments thereto), (i) its Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1996, (ii) all definitive
proxy statements relating to the Company's meetings of stockholders (whether
annual or special) held since July 1, 1995 and (iii) all other reports or
registration statements filed by the Company with the SEC since January 1, 1995
(the "Company SEC Reports"). As of their respective dates, none of such Company
SEC Reports contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated or incorporated by reference therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The consolidated
financial statements of the Company included in the Company SEC Reports complied
as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and
the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto and fairly
present, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP")
applied on a consistent basis (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto),
the consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and their consolidated results of
operations and changes in financial position for the periods then ended
(subject, in the case of the unaudited interim financial statements, to normal
year-end adjustments). Since June 30, 1996, except as set forth in the Company
SEC Reports, there has not been any change, or any application or request for
any change, by the Company or any of its subsidiaries in accounting principles,
methods or policies for financial accounting or tax purposes (subject, in the
case of the unaudited interim financial statements, to normal year-end
adjustments).

                  (b) The Company has heretofore made available to Parent a
complete and correct copy of any material amendments or modifications, which
have not yet been filed with the SEC, to agreements, documents or other
instruments which previously had been filed by the Company with the SEC pursuant
to the Exchange Act.

                  SECTION 2.5. Information Supplied. None of the information
supplied or to be supplied by the Company for inclusion or incorporation by
reference in (i) the registration statement on Form S-4 to be filed with the SEC
by Parent in connection with the issuance of shares of Parent Common Stock in
the Merger (the "S-4") will, at the time the S-4 is filed with the SEC and at
the time it becomes effective under the Securities Act, contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and
(ii) the proxy statement relating to the meeting of the Company's stockholders
to be held in connection with the Merger (the "Proxy Statement"), will, at the
date mailed to stockholders and at the time of the meeting of stockholders of
the Company to be held in connection with the Merger, contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. If at any time
prior to the Effective Time any event with respect to the Company, its officers
and directors or any of its subsidiaries should occur which is required to be
described in an amendment of, or a supplement to, the S-4 or the Proxy
Statement, the Company shall promptly so advise Parent and such event shall be
so described, and such amendment or supplement (which Parent shall have a
reasonable opportunity to review) shall be promptly filed with the SEC and, as
required by law, disseminated to the stockholders of the Company. The Proxy
Statement, insofar as it relates to the meeting of the Company's stockholders to
vote on the Merger, will comply as to form in all material respects with the
provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

                  SECTION 2.6. Consents and Approvals; No Violations. Except for
filings, permits, authorizations, consents and approvals as may be required
under, and other applicable requirements of, the Securities Act, the Exchange
Act, state securities or blue sky laws, the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act"), the filing and recordation
of the Certificate of Merger as required by the DGCL and as otherwise set forth
in Section 2.6 to the Company Disclosure Schedule, no filing or registration
with or notice to, and no permit, authorization, consent or approval of, any
court or tribunal or administrative, governmental or regulatory body, agency,
commission or authority (a "Governmental Entity") is necessary for the execution
and delivery by the Company of this Agreement or the consummation by the Company
of the transactions contemplated hereby, except where the failure to obtain such
permits, authorizations, consents or approvals or to make such filings or give
such notice would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Except as set
forth in Section 2.6 to the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company nor the consummation
by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i) conflict with or
result in any breach of any provision of the respective certificate or articles
of incorporation or bylaws (or similar governing documents) of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries, (ii) result in a violation or breach of, or constitute
(with or without due notice or lapse of time or both) a default (or give rise to
any right of termination, amendment, cancellation or acceleration or Lien)
under, any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage,
indenture, lease, license, contract, agreement or other instrument or obligation
to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which any of
them or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound, or (iii)
violate any order, writ, injunction, decree, law, statute, rule or regulation
applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective
properties or assets, except in the case of (ii) or (iii) for violations,
breaches or defaults which would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

                  SECTION 2.7. No Default. None of the Company or its
subsidiaries is in default or violation (and no event has occurred which with
notice or the lapse of time or both would constitute a default or violation) of
any term, condition or provision of (i) its certificate or articles of
incorporation or bylaws (or similar governing documents), (ii) any note, bond,
mortgage, indenture, lease, license, contract, agreement or other instrument or
obligation to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is now a party or by
which any of them or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound
or (iii) any order, writ, injunction, decree, law, statute, rule or regulation
applicable to the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their respective
properties or assets, except in the case of (ii) or (iii) for violations,
breaches or defaults that would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

                  SECTION 2.8. No Undisclosed Liabilities; Absence of Changes.
Except as and to the extent publicly disclosed by the Company in the Company SEC
Reports, as of June 30, 1996, none of the Company or its subsidiaries had any
liabilities or obligations of any nature, whether or not accrued, contingent or
otherwise, and whether due or to become due or asserted or unasserted, which
would be required by GAAP to be reflected in, reserved against or otherwise
described in the consolidated balance sheet of the Company (including the notes
thereto) as of such date. Except as publicly disclosed by the Company in the
Company SEC Reports, since the date of the end of the period covered by the
latest Company SEC Report, (i) the business of the Company and its subsidiaries
has been carried on only in the ordinary and usual course, and (ii) to the
knowledge of the Company, none of the Company or its subsidiaries has incurred
any liabilities of any nature, whether or not accrued, contingent or otherwise,
and there have been no events, changes or effects with respect to the Company or
its subsidiaries, which would have a Company Material Adverse Effect. For
purposes of this Agreement, "knowledge of the Company" means the actual
knowledge of any executive officer or member of the Company Board as listed in
Section 2.8 of the Company Disclosure Schedule.

                  SECTION 2.9. Litigation. Except as publicly disclosed by the
Company in the Company SEC Reports or disclosed in Section 2.9 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, there is no suit, claim, action, proceeding or
investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against
the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or
assets which (i) would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect or (ii) as of the date hereof, questions the validity of
this Agreement or any action to be taken by the Company in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or could otherwise prevent
or delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Except as publicly disclosed by the Company, none of the Company or its
subsidiaries is subject to any outstanding order, writ, injunction or decree
which would have a Company Material Adverse Effect or would prevent or delay the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

                  SECTION 2.10. Compliance with Applicable Law. Except as
publicly disclosed by the Company in the Company SEC Reports, the Company and
its subsidiaries hold all permits, licenses, variances, exemptions, orders and
approvals of all Governmental Entities necessary for the conduct of their
respective businesses as presently conducted (the "Company Permits"), except for
failures to hold such permits, licenses, variances, exemptions, orders and
approvals which would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Except as
publicly disclosed by the Company in the Company SEC Reports, the Company and
its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of the Company Permits, except
where the failure so to comply would have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Except as publicly disclosed by the Company in the Company SEC Reports, the
businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries are not being conducted in
violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any Governmental Entity except
that no representation or warranty is made in this Section 2.10 with respect to
Environmental Laws (as defined in Section 2.12(a)) and except for violations or
possible violations which would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Except as publicly disclosed by the Company in the Company SEC Reports or as
disclosed in Section 2.10 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, to the knowledge
of the Company, no investigation or review by any Governmental Entity with
respect to the Company or its subsidiaries is pending or threatened, nor, to the
knowledge of the Company, has any Governmental Entity indicated an intention to
conduct the same, other than, in each case, those which would not have a Company
Material Adverse Effect.

                  SECTION 2.11. Employee Plans.

                  (a) Section 2.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists
all "employee benefit plans," as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, and all other
employee benefit plans or other benefit arrangements, including executive
compensation, directors' benefit, bonus or other incentive compensation,
severance and deferred compensation plans and practices which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries maintains, contributes to or has any obligation to or
liability for (each an "Employee Benefit Plan" and collectively, the "Employee
Benefit Plans").

                  (b) True, correct and complete copies or descriptions of each
Employee Benefit Plan (and, where applicable, the most recent summary plan
description, actuarial report, determination letter, most recent Form 5500 and
trust agreement) have been delivered or made available to Parent for review
prior to the date hereof.

                  (c) As of the date hereof, except as disclosed on Section
2.11(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, (i) all material payments required
to be made by or under any Employee Benefit Plan or any related trusts have been
made; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have performed all material
obligations required to be performed by them under any Employee Benefit Plan;
(iii) the Employee Benefit Plans, have been administered in material compliance
with their terms and the requirements of ERISA, the Code and other applicable
laws; (iv) there are no material actions, suits, arbitrations or claims (other
than routine claims for benefit) pending or threatened with respect to any
Employee Benefit Plan; and (v) the Company and its subsidiaries have no material
liability as a result of any "prohibited transaction" (as defined in Section 406
of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code) for any excise tax or civil penalty.

                  (d) Except as disclosed on Section 2.11(d) of the Company
Disclosure, none of the Employee Benefit Plans is subject to Title IV of ERISA.

                  (e) Except as set forth on Section 2.11(e) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any
unsatisfied withdrawal liability with respect to any Multiemployer Plan.

                  (f) Except as set forth on Section 2.11(f) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, each of the Employee Benefit Plans which is intended to be
"qualified" within the meaning of Section 401(a) of the Code has been determined
by the Internal Revenue Service to be so "qualified" and the Company knows of no
fact which would adversely affect the qualified status of any such Employee
Benefit Plan.

                  (g) Except as set forth on Section 2.11(g) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i) result in any
material payment becoming due, or materially increase the amount of compensation
due, to any current or former employee of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries; (ii) materially increase any benefits otherwise payable under any
Employee Benefit Plan; or (iii) result in the acceleration of the time of
payment or vesting of any such material benefits.

                  SECTION 2.12. Environmental Laws and Regulations.

                  (a) Except as publicly disclosed by the Company in the Company
SEC Reports, (i) each of the Company and its subsidiaries is in compliance with
all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to
pollution, the protection of human health from the effects of pollution or the
environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, ground
water, land surface or subsurface strata) (collectively, "Environmental Laws"),
except for non-compliance that would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect,
which compliance includes, but is not limited to, the possession by the Company
and its subsidiaries of all material permits and other governmental
authorizations required under applicable Environmental Laws necessary for the
operation of its business as presently conducted, and compliance with the terms
and conditions thereof; (ii) none of the Company or its subsidiaries has
received written notice of, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is the subject
of, any action, cause of action, claim, investigation, demand or notice by any
person or entity alleging liability under or non-compliance with any
Environmental Law (an "Environmental Claim") that would have a Company Material
Adverse Effect; and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no
circumstances that are reasonably likely to prevent or interfere with such
material compliance in the future.

                  (b) Except as publicly disclosed by the Company in the Company
SEC Reports, there are no Environmental Claims which would have a Company
Material Adverse Effect that are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened against the Company or its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the
Company, against any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental
Claim the Company or any of its subsidiaries has or may have retained or assumed
either contractually or by operation of law.

                  SECTION 2.13. Tax Matters.

                  (a) The Company and each of its subsidiaries has timely filed
all Federal income tax returns and all other material tax returns and reports
required to be filed by it. All such tax returns are complete and correct in all
material respects. The Company and each of its subsidiaries has paid (or the
Company has paid on its subsidiaries' behalf) all taxes shown due on such tax
returns. The most recent consolidated financial statements contained in the
Company SEC Reports reflect an adequate reserve for all taxes payable by the
Company and its subsidiaries for all taxable periods and portions thereof
through the date of such financial statements. The Company has previously
delivered to Parent copies of the Federal and California income tax returns
filed by the Company for its taxable years ended in 1993, 1994 and 1995. For
purposes of this Agreement, "tax" or "taxes" shall mean all taxes, charges,
fees, imposts, levies, gaming or other assessments, including, without
limitation, all net income, gross receipts, capital, sales, use, ad valorem,
value added, transfer, franchise, profits, inventory, capital stock, license,
withholding, payroll, employment, social security, unemployment, excise,
severance, stamp, occupation, property and estimated taxes, customs duties,
fees, assessments and charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest
and any penalties, fines, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any
taxing authority (domestic or foreign). "Tax returns" shall mean any report,
return, document, declaration or any other information or filing required to be
supplied to any taxing authority or jurisdiction (foreign or domestic) with
respect to taxes, including without limitation, information returns, any
document with respect to or accompanying payments or estimated taxes, or with
respect to or accompanying requests for the extension of time in which to file
any such report, return document, declaration or other information.

                  (b) Except as disclosed on Section 2.13 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, no material deficiencies for any taxes have been proposed,
asserted or assessed against the Company or any of its subsidiaries that have
not been fully paid or adequately provided for in the appropriate financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, no requests for waivers of the
time to assess any taxes are pending, and no power of attorney with respect to
any taxes has been executed or filed with any taxing authority. No material
issues relating to taxes have been raised in writing by the relevant taxing
authority during any presently pending audit or examination. None of the Federal
income tax returns of the Company or any of its subsidiaries consolidated in
such tax returns has been examined by the Internal Revenue Service.

                  (c) No material liens for taxes exist with respect to any
assets or properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except for
statutory liens for taxes not yet due.

                  (d) Except as disclosed on Section 2.13 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule and other than with respect to contractual tax indemnity
obligations of the Company and its subsidiaries involving claims for state and
local taxes which are not material in amount, none of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party to or is bound by any tax sharing agreement, tax
indemnity obligation or similar agreement, arrangement or practice with respect
to taxes (including any advance pricing agreement, closing agreement or other
agreement relating to taxes with any taxing authority).

                  (e) None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has taken
or agreed to take any action that would prevent the Merger from constituting a
reorganization qualifying under the provisions of Section 368(a) of the Code.

                  (f) Except as disclosed in Section 2.13 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, there are no employment, severance or termination
agreements, other compensation arrangements or Employee Benefit Plans currently
in effect which provide for the payment of any amount (whether in cash or
property or the vesting of property) as a result of any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement to any employee, officer or director of the
Company or any of its affiliates who is a "disqualified individual" (as such
term is defined in Section 280G(c) of the Code), that would be characterized as
an "excess parachute payment" (as such term is defined in Section 280G(b)(1) of
the Code).

                  (g) Except as disclosed in Section 2.13 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, no Federal, state, local or foreign audits or other
administrative proceedings or court proceedings are presently pending with
regard to any Federal income or material state, local or foreign taxes or tax
returns of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries has received a written notice of any pending audit or
proceeding with regard to any federal income or material state, local or foreign
taxes or tax returns of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

                  (h) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has agreed
to or is required to make any adjustment under Section 481(a) of the Code.

                  (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i)
with regard to any assets or property held or acquired by any of them, filed a
consent to the application of Section 341(f) of the Code or agreed to have
Section 341(f)(2) of the Code apply to any disposition of a subsection (f) asset
(as such term is defined in Section 341(f)(4) of the Code) owned by the Company
or any of its subsidiaries or (ii) received, or filed any requests for, rulings
or determinations in respect of any taxes within the last five years.

                  (j) No property owned by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries (i) is property required to be treated as being owned by another
Person pursuant to the provisions of Section 168(f)(8) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1954, as amended and in effect immediately prior to the enactment of the
Tax Reform Act of 1986; (ii) constitutes "tax exempt use property" within the
meaning of Section 168(h)(1) of the Code; or (iii) is "tax exempt bond financed
property" within the meaning of Section 168(g) of the Code.

                  (k) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are not
currently, have not been within the last five years, and do not anticipate
becoming a "United States real property holding company" within the meaning of
Section 897(c) of the Code.

                  (l) No subsidiary of the Company owns any Shares.

                  SECTION 2.14. Intangible Property. To the Company's knowledge,
the Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate licenses or other valid
rights to use all patents, patent rights, trademarks, trademark rights, trade
names, trade name rights, copyrights, service marks, trade secrets, applications
for trademarks and for service marks, know-how and other proprietary rights and
information used or held for use in connection with the business of the Company
and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, except for failures to own or
possess adequate licenses or other valid rights to use any of the foregoing
which would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect, and, except as set forth
in the Company SEC Reports or Section 2.14 of the Company Disclosure Schedule,
to the knowledge of the Company there are no pending assertions or claims
challenging the validity of any of the foregoing which would have a Company
Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in Section 2.14 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, to the Company's knowledge, there are no current claims or
notices that the manufacture and sale of the Company's products infringes the
patents of any third party.

                  SECTION 2.15. Opinion of Financial Advisor. Goldman, Sachs &
Co. (the "Financial Advisor") has delivered to the Company Board its opinion to
the effect that, as of the date of such opinion, the Exchange Ratio is fair to
the holders of Shares, and such opinion has not been withdrawn.

                  SECTION 2.16. Brokers. No broker, finder or investment banker
(other than the Financial Advisor, a true and correct copy of whose engagement
agreement has been provided to Parent) is entitled to any brokerage, finder's or
other fee or commission or expense reimbursement in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by and
on behalf of the Company or any of its affiliates.

                  SECTION 2.17. Accounting Matters. Neither the Company nor, to
the best of its knowledge, any of its affiliates or stockholders (including the
Company Affiliates), has taken or agreed to take any action that would prevent
Parent from accounting for the business combination to be effected by the Merger
as a "pooling-of-interests." The Company has not failed to bring to the
attention of Parent any actions, or agreements or understandings, whether
written or oral, to act that would be reasonably likely to prevent Parent from
accounting for the Merger as a "pooling-of-interests."

                  SECTION 2.18. Material Contracts.

                  (a) The Company has filed as an exhibit to an Annual Report on
Form 10-K or another document filed pursuant to the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act, or has delivered or otherwise made available to Parent true,
correct and complete copies of all contracts and agreements to which the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is a party that are required to be filed in an
exhibit to an Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by the Company with the SEC as of
the date of this Agreement (the "Contracts"). The Contracts include any
severance or other agreement with any employee or consultant pursuant to which
such person would be entitled to receive any additional compensation or an
accelerated payment of compensation as a result of the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby.

                  (b) Each of the Contracts is valid and enforceable in
accordance with its terms, and there is no default under any Contract so listed
either by the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, by any other party
thereto, and no event has occurred that with the lapse of time or the giving of
notice or both would constitute a default thereunder by the Company or, to the
knowledge of the Company, any other party, in any such case in which such
default or event would have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

                  (c) No party to any such Contract has given notice to the
Company of or made a claim against the Company with respect to any breach or
default thereunder, in any such case in which such breach or default would have
a Company Material Adverse Effect.

                  SECTION 2.19. Products. Except as disclosed in the Company SEC
Reports:

                  (a) Each of the products currently being produced or sold by
the Company and its subsidiaries (i) is in compliance in all material respects
with all applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws and regulations and (ii)
conforms in all material respects to any promises or affirmations of fact made
on the container or label for such product or in connection with its sale;

                  (b) To the knowledge of the Company, no facts exist which
would reasonably be expected to furnish a substantial basis for the recall,
withdrawal or suspension by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any such
product as a result of, or in order to comply with, any U.S. federal, state or
local law, regulation or rule or order of any Governmental Entity, except for
such recalls, withdrawals or suspensions as would not have a Company Material
Adverse Effect;

                  (c) Section 2.19 of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth
a list of all licenses and approvals granted by or pending with any Governmental
Entity in any country to market any product of the Company and its subsidiaries
(the "Company Product Registrations"). All products sold under the Company
Product Registrations are manufactured and marketed in all material respects in
accordance with the specifications and standards contained in the Company
Product Registrations. The Company and its subsidiaries have the sole rights
under the Company Product Registrations and such registrations are in full force
and effect; and

                  (d) Except as disclosed in Section 2.19 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, since January 1, 1993, there have been no statements,
citations, warning letters, FDA Forms 483, or decisions by any Governmental
Entity that any product produced, manufactured, marketed or distributed at any
time by the Company or any of its subsidiaries is defective or fails to meet any
applicable standards promulgated by any such Governmental Entity. Except as
disclosed in Section 2.19 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, there is no
proceeding by the FDA or any other Governmental Entity, including, but not
limited to, a grand jury investigation, a 405 hearing or a civil penalty
proceeding, pending, or to the Company's knowledge threatened, against the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, and no such proceedings have been brought at
any time in the past relating to the safety or efficacy of the products of the
Company and its subsidiaries and, to the Company's knowledge, there is no basis
for such a proceeding.

                  SECTION 2.20. Amendment to Rights Agreement. The Company Board
has taken all necessary action to amend the Rights Agreement, dated as of August
16, 1994, as amended, between the Company and Chemical Trust Company of
California, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agreement") so that none of the
execution or delivery of this Agreement, the exchange of Parent Common Stock for
the Shares in accordance with Article I, or any other transaction contemplated
hereby will cause (i) the rights (the "Rights") issued pursuant to the Rights
Agreement to become exercisable under the Rights Agreement, (ii) Parent or
Acquisition to be deemed an "Acquiring Person" (as defined in the Rights
Agreement), or (iii) the "Shares Acquisition Date" (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) to occur upon any such event. The "Expiration Date" (as defined in
the Rights Agreement) of the Rights shall occur immediately prior to the
Effective Time.


                                    ARTICLE 3

                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
                            OF PARENT AND ACQUISITION

                  Parent and Acquisition hereby represent and warrant to the
Company as follows:

                  SECTION 3.1. Organization.

                  (a) Each of Parent and its subsidiaries is a corporation duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation and has all requisite corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its
businesses as now being conducted, except where the failure to be so organized,
existing and in good standing or to have such power and authority would not have
a Parent Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). When used in connection
with Parent or Acquisition, the term "Parent Material Adverse Effect" means any
change or effect that is (i) materially adverse to the properties, business,
results of operations or financial condition of Parent and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, other than any change or effect arising out of general
economic conditions unrelated to any businesses in which Parent and its
subsidiaries are engaged or (ii) that would impair the ability of Parent and/or
Acquisition to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The parties
acknowledge and agree that a decrease in the market value of the Parent Common
Stock will not, in and of itself, constitute a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

                  (b) Except as set forth in Section 3.1(b) of the Disclosure
Schedule previously delivered by Parent to the Company (the "Parent Disclosure
Schedule"), Parent has no subsidiaries and does not own, directly or indirectly,
beneficially or of record, any shares of capital stock or other security of any
other entity or any other investment in any other entity.

                  (c) Each of Parent and its subsidiaries is duly qualified or
licensed and in good standing to do business in each jurisdiction in which the
property owned, leased or operated by it or the nature of the business conducted
by it makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except in such
jurisdictions where the failure to be so duly qualified or licensed and in good
standing would not have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

                  (d) Parent has heretofore delivered to the Company accurate
and complete copies of the articles of incorporation and by-laws, as currently
in effect, of Parent.

                  SECTION 3.2. Capitalization of Parent and its Subsidiaries.

                  (a) The authorized capital stock of Parent consists of (i)
250,000,000 shares of Parent Common Stock, of which, as of September 30, 1996,
80,976,337 shares of Parent Common Stock were issued and outstanding, and (ii)
25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $.01 par value per share, of which, as of
the date hereof, none are issued and outstanding. All of the shares of Parent
Common Stock have been validly issued, and are fully paid, nonassessable and
free of preemptive rights. As of September 30, 1996, 5,155,986 shares of Parent
Common Stock were reserved for issuance and issuable upon or otherwise
deliverable in connection with the exercise of outstanding options and 494,442
shares of Parent Common Stock were reserved for issuance in connection with
Parent's employee stock purchase savings plan. Except as set forth in Section
3.2 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule since September 30, 1996, no shares of
Parent's capital stock have been issued other than pursuant to stock options
already in existence on September 30, 1996, and no stock options have been
granted. Except as set forth above or as described in Section 3.2 of the Parent
Disclosure Schedule, as of the date hereof, there are outstanding (i) no shares
of capital stock or other voting securities of Parent, (ii) no securities of
Parent or its subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for shares of
capital stock or voting securities of Parent, (iii) no options or other rights
to acquire from Parent or its subsidiaries, and no obligations of Parent or its
subsidiaries to issue, any capital stock, voting securities or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock or voting securities of
Parent, and (iv) no equity equivalents, interests in the ownership or earnings
of Parent or its subsidiaries or other similar rights (including stock
appreciation rights) (collectively, "Parent Securities"). There are no
outstanding obligations of Parent or any of its subsidiaries to repurchase,
redeem or otherwise acquire any Parent Securities. Except as set forth in
Section 3.2 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule, there are no stockholder
agreements, voting trusts or other agreements or understandings to which Parent
is a party or to which it is bound relating to the voting of any shares of
capital stock of Parent.

                  (b) All of the outstanding capital stock of Parent's
subsidiaries (including Acquisition) is owned by Parent, directly or indirectly,
free and clear of any Lien or any other limitation or restriction (including any
restriction on the right to vote or sell the same, except as may be provided as
a matter of law). There are no securities of Parent or its subsidiaries
convertible into or exchangeable for, no options or other rights to acquire from
Parent or its subsidiaries, and no other contract, understanding, arrangement or
obligation (whether or not contingent) providing for the issuance or sale,
directly or indirectly, of any capital stock or other ownership interests in, or
any other securities of, any subsidiary of Parent. There are no outstanding
contractual obligations of Parent or its subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire any outstanding shares of capital stock or other ownership
interests in any subsidiary of Parent.

                  SECTION 3.3. Authority Relative to this Agreement. Each of
Parent and Acquisition has all necessary corporate power and authority to
execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly
authorized by the boards of directors of Parent and Acquisition and by Parent as
the sole stockholder of Acquisition, and no other corporate proceedings on the
part of Parent or Acquisition are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly
and validly executed and delivered by each of Parent and Acquisition and
constitutes a valid, legal and binding agreement of each of Parent and
Acquisition, enforceable against each of Parent and Acquisition in accordance
with its terms, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception.

                  SECTION 3.4. SEC Reports; Financial Statements.

                  (a) Parent has filed all required forms, reports and documents
with the SEC since January 1, 1995, each of which has complied in all material
respects with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act, each as in effect on the dates such forms, reports and documents were
filed. Parent has heretofore delivered to the Company, in the form filed with
the SEC (including any amendments thereto), (i) its Annual Reports on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995, (ii) all definitive proxy
statements relating to Parent's meetings of stockholders (whether annual or
special) held since January 1, 1996 and (iii) all other reports or registration
statements filed by Parent with the SEC since January 1, 1995 (the "Parent SEC
Reports"). As of their respective dates, none of such Parent SEC Reports
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated or incorporated by reference therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading. The consolidated financial statements of Parent
included in the Parent SEC Reports complied as to form in all material respects
with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations
of the SEC with respect thereto and fairly present, in conformity with GAAP
applied on a consistent basis (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto),
the consolidated financial position of Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries
as of the dates thereof and their consolidated results of operations and changes
in financial position for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of the
unaudited interim financial statements, to normal year-end adjustments). Since
December 31, 1995, except as set forth in the Parent SEC Reports, there has not
been any change, or any application or request for any change, by Parent or any
of its subsidiaries in accounting principles, methods or policies for financial
accounting or tax purposes.

                  (b) Parent has heretofore made available to the Company a
complete and correct copy of any material amendments or modifications, which
have not yet been filed with the SEC, to agreements, documents or other
instruments which previously had been filed by Parent with the SEC pursuant to
the Exchange Act.

                  SECTION 3.5. Information Supplied. None of the information
supplied or to be supplied by Parent or Acquisition for inclusion or
incorporation by reference in (i) the S-4 will, at the time the S-4 is filed
with the SEC and at the time it becomes effective under the Securities Act,
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading and (ii) the Proxy Statement will, at the date mailed to
stockholders and at the time of the meeting of stockholders of the Company to be
held in connection with the Merger, contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they are made, not misleading. If at any time prior to the Effective
Time any event with respect to Parent, its officers and directors or any of its
subsidiaries should occur which is required to be described in an amendment of,
or a supplement to, the S-4 or the Proxy Statement, Parent shall promptly so
advise the Company and such event shall be so described, and such amendment or
supplement (which the Company shall have a reasonable opportunity to review)
shall be promptly filed with the SEC. The S-4 will comply as to form in all
material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder.

                  SECTION 3.6. Consents and Approvals; No Violations. Except for
filings, permits, authorizations, consents and approvals as may be required
under, and other applicable requirements of, the Securities Act, the Exchange
Act, state securities or blue sky laws, the HSR Act, the filing and recordation
of the Certificate of Merger as required by the DGCL and as otherwise set forth
in Section 3.6 to the Parent Disclosure Schedule, no filing or registration with
or notice to, and no permit, authorization, consent or approval of, any
Governmental Entity is necessary for the execution and delivery by Parent or
Acquisition of this Agreement or the consummation by Parent or Acquisition of
the transactions contemplated hereby, except where the failure to obtain such
permits, authorizations, consents or approvals or to make such filings or give
such notice would not have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth
in Section 3.6 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule, neither the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement by Parent or Acquisition nor the
consummation by Parent or Acquisition of the transactions contemplated hereby
will (i) conflict with or result in any breach of any provision of the
respective articles of incorporation or bylaws (or similar governing documents)
of Parent or Acquisition or any of Parent's subsidiaries, (ii) result in a
violation or breach of, or constitute (with or without due notice or lapse of
time or both) a default (or give rise to any right of termination, amendment,
cancellation or acceleration or Lien) under, any of the terms, conditions or
provisions of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease, license, contract,
agreement or other instrument or obligation to which Parent or Acquisition or
any of Parent's subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their
respective properties or assets may be bound or (iii) violate any order, writ,
injunction, decree, law, statute, rule or regulation applicable to Parent or
Acquisition or any of Parent's subsidiaries or any of their respective
properties or assets, except in the case of (ii) or (iii) for violations,
breaches or defaults which would not have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

                  SECTION 3.7. No Default. None of the Parent or its
subsidiaries is in default or violation (and no event has occurred which with
notice or the lapse of time or both would constitute a default or violation) of
any term, condition or provision of (i) its certificate or articles of
incorporation or bylaws (or similar governing documents), (ii) any note, bond,
mortgage, indenture, lease, license, contract, agreement or other instrument or
obligation to which Parent or any of its subsidiaries is now a party or by which
any of them or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound or
(iii) any order, writ, injunction, decree, law, statute, rule or regulation
applicable to Parent, its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or
assets, except in the case of (ii) or (iii) for violations, breaches or defaults
that would not have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

                  SECTION 3.8. No Undisclosed Liabilities; Absence of Changes.
Except as and to the extent publicly disclosed by Parent in the Parent SEC
Reports, as of June 30, 1996, none of Parent or its subsidiaries had any
liabilities or obligations of any nature, whether or not accrued, contingent or
otherwise, and whether due or to become due or asserted or unasserted, which
would be required by GAAP to be reflected in, reserved against or otherwise
described in the consolidated balance sheet of Parent (including the notes
thereto) as of such date. Except as publicly disclosed by Parent in the Parent
SEC Reports and except for the execution by Parent, Acquisition and certain
affiliates of Parent of that certain Asset Purchase Agreement (United States),
dated as of September 24, 1996, among Acquisition, Telectronics Pacing Systems,
Inc. and TPLC, Inc., the International Purchase Agreements referred to in such
Asset Purchase Agreement (United States) and the other agreements to be executed
pursuant to such Asset Purchase Agreement (United States) and International
Purchase Agreements (collectively, the "Telectronics Agreements"), since the
date of the end of the period covered by the latest Parent SEC Report, (i) the
business of Parent and its subsidiaries has been carried on only in the ordinary
and usual course, and (ii) to the knowledge of Parent, none of Parent or its
subsidiaries has incurred any liabilities of any nature, whether or not accrued,
contingent or otherwise, which would have, and there have been no events,
changes or effects with respect to Parent or its subsidiaries which would have,
a Parent Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement, "knowledge of
the Parent" means the actual knowledge of any executive officer or member of the
Board of Directors of the Parent as listed in Section 3.8 of the Parent
Disclosure Schedule.

                  SECTION 3.9. Litigation. Except as publicly disclosed by
Parent in the Company SEC Reports or disclosed in Section 3.9 of the Parent
Disclosure Schedule, there is no suit, claim, action, proceeding or
investigation pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened against Parent
or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets which
(i) would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse
Effect or (ii) as of the date hereof, questions the validity of this Agreement
or any action to be taken by Parent in connection with the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby or could otherwise prevent or delay the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Except as
publicly disclosed by Parent, none of Parent or its subsidiaries is subject to
any outstanding order, writ, injunction or decree which would have a Parent
Material Adverse Effect or would prevent or delay the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby.

                  SECTION 3.10. Compliance with Applicable Law. Except as
publicly disclosed by Parent in the Parent SEC Reports, Parent and its
subsidiaries hold all permits, licenses, variances, exemptions, orders and
approvals of all Governmental Entities necessary for the conduct of their
respective businesses as presently conducted (the "Parent Permits"), except for
failures to hold such permits, licenses, variances, exemptions, orders and
approvals which would have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Except as publicly
disclosed by Parent in the Parent SEC Reports, Parent and its subsidiaries are
in compliance with the terms of the Parent Permits, except where the failure so
to comply would not have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Except as publicly
disclosed by Parent in the Parent SEC Reports, the businesses of Parent and its
subsidiaries are not being conducted in violation of any law, ordinance or
regulation of any Governmental Entity, except for violations or possible
violations which would not have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Except as
publicly disclosed by Parent in the Parent SEC Reports, to the knowledge of
Parent, no investigation or review by any Governmental Entity with respect to
Parent or its subsidiaries is pending or threatened, nor, to the knowledge of
Parent, has any Governmental Entity indicated an intention to conduct the same,
other than, in each case, those which would not have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.

                  SECTION 3.11. Tax Matters. Neither Parent nor any of its
affiliates has taken or agreed to take any action that would prevent the Merger
from constituting a reorganization qualifying under the provisions of Section
368(a) of the Code.

                  SECTION 3.12. Products. Except as disclosed in the Parent SEC
Reports and except for the products to be acquired pursuant to the Telectronics
Agreements, as to which no representation or warranty is being made hereunder:

                  (a) Each of the products currently being produced or sold by
Parent and its subsidiaries (i) is in compliance in all material respects with
all applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws and regulations and (ii)
conforms in all material respects to any promises or affirmations of fact made
on the container or label for such product or in connection with its sale;

                  (b) To the knowledge of Parent, no facts exist which would
reasonably be expected to furnish a substantial basis for the recall, withdrawal
or suspension by Parent or any of its subsidiaries of any such product as a
result of, or in order to comply with, any U.S. federal, state or local law,
regulation or rule or order of any Governmental Entity, except for such recalls,
withdrawals or suspensions as would not have a Parent Material Adverse Effect;

                  (c) All products sold under all licenses and approvals granted
by or pending with any Governmental Entity in any country to market any product
of Parent and it subsidiaries (the "Parent Product Registrations") are
manufactured and marketed in all material respects in accordance with the
specifications and standards contained in the Parent Product Registrations.
Parent and its subsidiaries have the sole rights under the Parent Product
Registrations in the United States and such registrations are in full force and
effect; and

                  (d) As of the date hereof, there are no pending and
unsatisfied statements, citations, warning letters, FDA Forms 483, or decisions
by any United States Governmental Entity that any product produced,
manufactured, marketed or distributed by Parent or any of its subsidiaries is
defective or fails to meet any applicable standards promulgated by any such
United States Governmental Entity. There is no proceeding by the FDA or any
other United States Governmental Agency, including, but not limited to, a grand
jury investigation, a 405 hearing or a civil penalty proceeding, pending, or to
Parent's knowledge threatened, against Parent or any of its subsidiaries,
relating to the safety or efficacy of the products of Parent and its
subsidiaries and, to Parent's knowledge, there is no basis for such a
proceeding.

                  SECTION 3.13. Intangible Property. To Parent's knowledge,
Parent and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate licenses or other valid
rights to use all patents, patent rights, trademarks, trademark rights, trade
names, trade name rights, copyrights, service marks, trade secrets, applications
for trademarks and for service marks, know-how and other proprietary rights and
information used or held for use in connection with the business of Parent and
its subsidiaries as currently conducted, except for failures to own or possess
adequate licenses or other valid rights to use any of the foregoing which would
not have a Parent Material Adverse Effect, and, except as set forth in the
Parent SEC Reports or Section 3.13 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule, to the
knowledge of Parent there are no pending assertions or claims challenging the
validity of any of the foregoing which would have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect. Except as disclosed in Section 3.13 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule,
to Parent's knowledge, there are no pending claims or notices that the
manufacture and sale of Parent's products infringes the patents of any third
party.

                  SECTION 3.14. Brokers. No broker, finder or investment banker
(other than CS First Boston) is entitled to any brokerage, finder's or other fee
or commission or expense reimbursement in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by and on behalf of
Parent or Acquisition or any of their affiliates.

                  SECTION 3.15. Accounting Matters. Neither Parent nor, to the
best of its knowledge, any of its affiliates, has taken or agreed to take any
action that would prevent Parent from accounting for the business combination to
be effected by the Merger as a "pooling-of-interests." Parent has not failed to
bring to the attention of the Company any actions, or agreements or
understandings, whether written or oral, to act that would be reasonably likely
to prevent Parent from accounting for the Merger as a "pooling-of-interests."

                  SECTION 3.16. Telectronics Agreements. Parent has furnished to
counsel to the Company true, complete and correct copies of all Telectronics
Agreements in effect as of the date of this Agreement and any written documents,
instruments or other arrangements executed by the parties thereto in connection
therewith.

                  SECTION 3.17. Medtronic Agreement. The License Agreement,
dated August 26, 1992, between Medtronic Inc. and Siemens AG as assigned to
Parent on August 23, 1994 is in full force and effect and will not by its terms
terminate by reason of the Merger.


                                   ARTICLE 4

                                    COVENANTS

                  SECTION 4.1. Conduct of Business of the Company and Parent.

                  (a) Except as contemplated by this Agreement or Section 4.1 of
the Company Disclosure Schedule, during the period from the date hereof to the
Effective Time, the Company will, and will cause each of its subsidiaries to,
conduct its operations in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice and, to the extent consistent therewith, with no less diligence and
effort than would be applied in the absence of this Agreement, seek to preserve
intact its current business organizations, seek to keep available the service of
its current officers and employees and seek to preserve its relationships with
customers, suppliers and others having business dealings with it. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, and except as otherwise expressly
provided in this Agreement, prior to the Effective Time, neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries will, without the prior written consent of Parent, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld:

                  (i) amend its certificate of incorporation or bylaws (or other
         similar governing instrument);

                  (ii) authorize for issuance, issue, sell, deliver or agree or
         commit to issue, sell or deliver (whether through the issuance or
         granting of options, warrants, commitments, subscriptions, rights to
         purchase or otherwise) any stock of any class or any other securities
         or equity equivalents (including, without limitation, any stock options
         or stock appreciation rights), except for the sale of up to 78,813
         shares of Company Common Stock to employees under the ESPP, the
         issuance of shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to the conversion
         of the Convertible Notes in accordance with the terms thereof and the
         issuance or sale of shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to
         outstanding options granted prior to the date hereof under the Company
         Plans (in each case, in the ordinary course of business and consistent
         with past practice);

                  (iii) split, combine or reclassify any shares of its capital
         stock, declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution
         (whether in cash, stock or property or any combination thereof) in
         respect of its capital stock, make any other actual, constructive or
         deemed distribution in respect of any shares of its capital stock or
         otherwise make any payments to stockholders in their capacity as such,
         or, except as set forth in Section 4.1(c) below, redeem or otherwise
         acquire any of its securities or any securities of any of its
         subsidiaries;

                  (iv) adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation,
         dissolution, merger, consolidation, restructuring, recapitalization or
         other reorganization of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other
         than the Merger);

                  (v) alter through merger, liquidation, reorganization,
         restructuring or in any other fashion the corporate structure or
         ownership of any subsidiary in a manner that would have a Company
         Material Adverse Effect;

                  (vi) (A) incur or assume any long-term or short-term debt or
         issue any debt securities except for borrowings under existing lines of
         credit in the ordinary course of business and in amounts not material
         to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (B) assume,
         guarantee, endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether
         directly, contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any other
         person except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
         practice and in amounts not material to the Company and its
         subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and except for obligations of the
         wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company; (C) make any loans, advances
         or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other person (other
         than to the wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company or customary loans
         or advances to employees in the ordinary course of business consistent
         with past practice and in amounts not material to the maker of such
         loan or advance); (D) pledge or otherwise encumber shares of capital
         stock of the Company or its subsidiaries; or (E) mortgage or pledge any
         of its material assets, tangible or intangible, or create, grant or
         incur any material Lien thereupon;

                  (vii) except as may be required by law or as contemplated by
         this Agreement, enter into, adopt or amend or terminate any bonus,
         profit sharing, compensation, severance, termination, stock option
         (except for normal grants to newly hired or current employees,
         consistent with past practice), stock appreciation right, restricted
         stock, performance unit, stock equivalent, stock purchase agreement,
         pension, retirement, deferred compensation, employment, severance or
         other employee benefit agreement, trust, plan, fund, award or other
         arrangement for the benefit or welfare of any director, officer or
         employee in any manner, or (except for normal increases in the ordinary
         course of business consistent with past practice that, in the
         aggregate, do not result in a material increase in benefits or
         compensation expense to the Company, and as required under existing
         agreements or in the ordinary course of business generally consistent
         with past practice) increase in any manner the compensation or fringe
         benefits of any director, officer or employee or pay any benefit not
         required by any plan and arrangement as in effect as of the date hereof
         (including, without limitation, the granting of stock appreciation
         rights or performance units);

                  (viii) acquire, sell, lease or dispose of any assets outside
         the ordinary course of business or any assets which in the aggregate
         are material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole,
         enter into any commitment or transaction outside the ordinary course of
         business or grant any exclusive distribution rights;

                  (ix) except as may be required as a result of a change in law
         or in generally accepted accounting principles, change any of the
         accounting principles or practices used by it;

                  (x) revalue in any material respect any of its assets,
         including, without limitation, writing down the value of inventory or
         writing-off notes or accounts receivable other than in the ordinary
         course of business or as required by generally accepted accounting
         principles;

                  (xi) (A) acquire (by merger, consolidation, or acquisition of
         stock or assets) any corporation, partnership or other business
         organization or division thereof or any equity interest therein; (B)
         enter into any contract or agreement, other than in the ordinary course
         of business or amend in any material respect any of the Contracts or
         the agreements referred to in Section 2.18; (C) authorize any new
         capital expenditure or expenditures which, individually, is in excess
         of $500,000 or, in the aggregate, are in excess of $5 million;
         PROVIDED, that none of the foregoing shall limit any capital
         expenditure already included in the Company's fiscal 1996 or fiscal
         1997 capital expenditure budget provided to Parent prior to the date
         hereof; or (D) enter into or amend any contract, agreement, commitment
         or arrangement providing for the taking of any action that would be
         prohibited hereunder;

                  (xii) make or revoke any tax election or settle or compromise
         any tax liability in a manner that involves the payment of a sum of
         money in excess of $100,000 or change (or make a request to any taxing
         authority to change) any material aspect of its method of accounting
         for tax purposes;

                  (xiii) pay, discharge or satisfy any material claims,
         liabilities or obligations (absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted,
         contingent or otherwise), other than the payment, discharge or
         satisfaction in the ordinary course of business of liabilities
         reflected or reserved against in, or contemplated by, the consolidated
         financial statements (or the notes thereto) of the Company and its
         subsidiaries or incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent
         with past practice;

                  (xiv) settle or compromise any pending or threatened suit,
         action or claim relating to the transactions contemplated hereby in a
         manner that involves the payment of a sum of money in excess of
         $100,000 or that imposes material non-monetary obligations on the
         Company; or

                  (xv) take, propose to take, or agree in writing or otherwise
         to take, any of the actions described above or any action which would
         make any of the representations or warranties of the Company contained
         in this Agreement untrue or incorrect in any material respect.

                  (b) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement,
prior to the Effective Time, neither Parent nor any of its subsidiaries will,
without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld:

                  (i) amend its certificate of incorporation or bylaws (or other
         similar governing instrument);

                  (ii) authorize for issuance, issue, sell, deliver or agree or
         commit to issue, sell or deliver (whether through the issuance or
         granting of warrants, commitments, subscriptions, rights to purchase or
         otherwise) any stock of any class or any other securities or equity
         equivalents, except for the sale of shares of Parent Common Stock to
         employees under the Parent's employee stock purchase savings plan, the
         issuance of shares of Parent Common Stock pursuant to outstanding
         options granted prior to the date hereof under the Parent's employee
         stock option plans and the grant of options after the date hereof (and
         the issuance of shares pursuant thereto) pursuant to such plans (in
         each case, in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past
         practice);

                  (iii) split, combine or reclassify any shares of its capital
         stock, declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution
         (whether in cash, stock or property or any combination thereof) in
         respect of its capital stock (other than in respect of periodic regular
         cash dividends), make any other actual, constructive or deemed
         distribution in respect of any shares of its capital stock or otherwise
         make any payments to stockholders in their capacity as such, or redeem
         or otherwise acquire any of its securities or any securities of any of
         its subsidiaries;

                  (iv) adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation,
         dissolution, merger, consolidation, restructuring, recapitalization or
         other reorganization of Parent or any of its subsidiaries (other than
         the Merger);

                  (v) alter through merger, liquidation, reorganization,
         restructuring or in any other fashion the corporate structure or
         ownership of any subsidiary in a manner that would have a Parent
         Material Adverse Effect;

                  (vi) except as may be required as a result of a change in law
         or in generally accepted accounting principles, change any of the
         accounting principles or practices used by it; or

                  (vii) take, propose to take, or agree in writing or otherwise
         to take, any of the actions described above or any actions which would
         make any of the representations or warranties of the Company contained
         in this Agreement untrue or incorrect in any material respect.

                  (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 4.1(a) hereof,
         following the public announcement of the execution of this Agreement
         and prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall repurchase in open
         market transactions 200,000 shares of Company Common Stock outstanding
         on the date hereof.

                  SECTION 4.2. Preparation of S-4 and the Proxy Statement. The
Company will, as promptly as practicable, prepare and file with the SEC the
Proxy Statement in connection with the vote of the stockholders of the Company
with respect to the Merger. Parent will, as promptly as practicable, prepare,
following receipt of notification from the SEC that it has no further comments
on the Proxy Statement, and file with the SEC the S-4, containing a proxy
statement/prospectus and form of proxy, in connection with the registration
under the Securities Act of the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable upon
conversion of the Shares and the other transactions contemplated hereby. Parent
and the Company will, and will cause their accountants and lawyers to, use all
reasonable best efforts to have or cause the S-4 declared effective as promptly
as practicable, including, without limitation, causing their accountants to
deliver necessary or required instruments such as opinions, consents and
certificates, and will take any other action required or necessary to be taken
under federal or state securities laws or otherwise in connection with the
registration process. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to cause
the Proxy Statement to be mailed to its stockholders at the earliest practicable
date.

                  SECTION 4.3. No Solicitation.

                  (a) Until the earlier of the Effective Time or the termination
of this Agreement, the Company agrees that neither it nor any of its
subsidiaries, nor any of the officers, directors or employees of it or its
subsidiaries shall, and it shall direct and use its best efforts to cause its
and its subsidiaries' representatives and agents (including, without limitation,
any investment banker, attorney or accountant retained by the Company or any of
its subsidiaries), not to, directly or indirectly, initiate, solicit or
knowingly encourage (including by way of furnishing non-public information or
assistance), or take any other action knowingly to facilitate, any inquiries or
the making of any proposal that constitutes, or may reasonably be expected to
lead to, an Acquisition Proposal (as defined below), or enter into or maintain
or continue discussions or negotiate with any person or entity in furtherance of
such inquiries or to obtain an Acquisition Proposal or agree to or endorse any
Acquisition Proposal; provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement shall
prohibit the Company Board from (i) complying with Rule 14e-2 promulgated under
the Exchange Act with regard to an Acquisition Proposal or (ii) furnishing
information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with, any person or
entity that makes an unsolicited Acquisition Proposal after the date of this
Agreement, if, in the case referred to in clause (ii) above, the Company Board,
after consultation with and based upon the advice of independent legal counsel,
determines in good faith that such action is likely to be required for the
Company Board to comply with its fiduciary duties to stockholders under
applicable law and, prior to taking such action, the Company receives from such
person or entity an executed confidentiality agreement in reasonably customary
form. For purposes of this Agreement, "Acquisition Proposal" means an inquiry,
offer or proposal regarding any of the following (other than the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement) involving the Company or any of its
subsidiaries: (w) any merger, consolidation, share exchange, recapitalization,
business combination or other similar transaction; (x) any sale, lease,
exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition of all or
substantially all the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, in a single transaction or series of related transactions; (y) any tender
offer or exchange offer for 20 percent or more of the outstanding shares of
Company Common Stock or the filing of a registration statement under the
Securities Act in connection therewith; or (z) any public announcement of a
proposal, plan or intention to do any of the foregoing or any agreement to
engage in any of the foregoing.

                  (b) Except as set forth in this Section 4.3(b), the Company
Board shall not (i) withdraw or modify, or propose to withdraw or modify, in a
manner adverse to Parent, the approval or recommendation by the Company Board,
(ii) approve or recommend, or propose to approve or recommend, any Acquisition
Proposal or (iii) cause the Company to enter into any agreement with respect to
any Acquisition Proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of
Directors of the Company, after consultation with and based upon the advice of
independent legal counsel, determines in good faith that it is necessary to do
so in order to comply with its fiduciary duties to stockholders under applicable
law, the Company Board may approve or recommend a Superior Proposal (as defined
below) or cause the Company to enter into an agreement with respect to a
Superior Proposal, but in each case only (i) after providing reasonable written
notice to Parent (a "Notice of Superior Proposal") advising Parent that the
Company Board has received a Superior Proposal, specifying the material terms
and conditions of such Superior Proposal and identifying the person making such
Superior Proposal and (ii) if Parent does not make within 48 hours of Parent's
receipt of the Notice of Superior Proposal, an offer which the Company Board,
after consultation with its financial advisors, determines is superior to such
Superior Proposal. For purposes of this Agreement, a "Superior Proposal" means
any bona fide Acquisition Proposal that the Company Board determines in its good
faith judgment (based on the advice of a financial advisor of nationally
recognized reputation) to be more favorable to the Company's stockholders than
the Merger.

                  SECTION 4.4. Intentionally omitted.

                  SECTION 4.5. Stockholder Meeting. The Company shall call a
meeting of its stockholders to be held as promptly as practicable for the
purpose of voting upon this Agreement and related matters. The Company will,
through the Company Board recommend to its stockholders approval of such
matters; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company Board may withdraw its
recommendation if the Company Board by a majority vote determines in its good
faith judgment, after consultation with and based upon the advice of independent
legal counsel, that it is necessary to do so to comply with its fiduciary duties
to stockholders under applicable law.

                  SECTION 4.6. Access to Information.

                  (a) Between the date hereof and the Effective Time, upon
reasonable notice and except as may be otherwise required by applicable law,
each party (for these purposes, Parent and Acquisition shall be deemed to be one
party) will give to the other party and the other party's authorized
representatives reasonable access during normal business hours to its employees,
plants, offices, warehouses and other facilities and to all of its books and
records, will permit the other party to make such inspections as the other party
may reasonably require and will cause its officers and those of its subsidiaries
to furnish the other party with such financial and operating data and other
information with respect to its business, properties and personnel as the other
party may from time to time reasonably request, provided that no investigation
pursuant to this Section 4.6(a) shall affect or be deemed to modify any of the
representations or warranties made herein and provided, further, that the
foregoing shall not require either party to permit any inspection, or to
disclose any information, that in its reasonable judgment would result in the
violation of any of its obligations to a third party with respect to
confidentiality if it shall have used best efforts to obtain the consent of such
third party to such inspection or disclosure.

                  (b) Between the date hereof and the Effective Time, the
Company shall furnish to Parent and Acquisition within five business days after
the delivery thereof to management, such monthly financial statements and data
as are regularly prepared for distribution to Company management. At the
earliest time they are available, each party shall furnish to the other party
such quarterly and annual financial statements as are prepared for its SEC
filings, which shall be in accordance with its books and records.

                  (c) Parent will furnish to counsel to the Company true,
complete and correct copies of all Telectronics Agreements (and any written
documents, instruments or other arrangements executed by the parties thereto in
connection therewith) executed following the date hereof and on or prior to the
Effective Time.

                  (d) Each party will hold and will cause its consultants and
advisors to hold in confidence all documents and information concerning the
other party furnished to it in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement pursuant to the terms of the Confidentiality Agreements entered
into between the Company and Parent dated August 30, 1996.

                  SECTION 4.7. Additional Agreements; Best Efforts. Subject to
the terms and conditions herein provided, each of the parties hereto agrees to
use its best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all action, and to do, or
cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable
laws and regulations to consummate and make effective the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and the Telectronics Agreements as soon as
practicable, including, without limitation, (i) cooperation in the preparation
and filing of the Proxy Statement and the S-4 and any amendments to any thereof;
(ii) the taking of all action necessary, proper or advisable to secure any
necessary consents of all third parties and Governmental Entities; (iii)
contesting and resisting any legal proceeding relating to the Merger or the
Telectronics Agreements and having vacated, lifted, reversed or overturned any
decree, judgment or other order that restricts, prevents or prohibits the Merger
or any other transaction contemplated hereby or by the Telectronics Agreements;
and (iv) the execution of any additional instruments, including the Certificate
of Merger, necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. In case
at any time after the Effective Time any further action is necessary to carry
out the purposes of this Agreement, the proper officers and directors of each
party hereto shall take all such necessary action. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 4.7, except for contractual arrangements in effect on
the date hereof, neither party shall be required to pay any amounts of money to
third parties to secure any consent or approval or to agree to any request or
requirement of any Governmental Entity that would materially impair or diminish
the benefits or ownership rights expected to be derived by Parent or the Company
from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Telectronics
Agreements.

                  SECTION 4.8. Antitrust Reviews. Each party hereto will use its
best efforts (a) to file with the US Department of Justice and US Federal Trade
Commission, as soon as practicable after the date hereof, the Notification and
Report Form under the HSR Act and any supplemental information or material
requested pursuant to the HSR Act, and (b) to comply as soon as practicable
after the date hereof with any other laws of any country and the European Union
under which any consent, authorization, registration, declaration or other
action with respect to the transactions contemplated herein may be required.
Each party hereto shall furnish to the other such information and assistance as
the other may reasonably request in connection with any filing or other act
undertaken in compliance with the HSR Act or other such laws, and shall keep
each other timely apprised of the status of any communications with, and any
inquiries or requests for additional information from, any Governmental Entity
under the HSR Act or other such laws.

                  SECTION 4.9. Public Announcements. Each of Parent, Acquisition
and the Company will consult with one another before issuing any press release
or otherwise making any public statements with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Merger, and
shall not issue any such press release or make any such public statement or any
filing with any third party or Governmental Entity prior to such consultation.

                  SECTION 4.10. Indemnification; Directors' and Officers'
Insurance.

                  (a) Indemnification. From and after the Effective Time, Parent
shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, defend and
hold harmless each person who is now, or has been at any time prior to the date
hereof, or who becomes prior to the Effective Time, a director, officer or
employee of the Company or any subsidiary thereof (each an "Indemnified Party"
and, collectively, the "Indemnified Parties") against all losses, expenses and
costs (including reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses), claims, damages or
liabilities or, subject to the proviso of the next succeeding sentence, amounts
paid in settlement, arising out of actions or omissions occurring at or prior to
the Effective Time and whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the
Effective Time that are in whole or in part (i) based on, or arising out of the
fact that such person is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company
or one or more of its subsidiaries or (ii) based on, arising out of or
pertaining to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Parent hereby
agrees that any loss, expense, cost (including reasonable attorneys' fees and
expenses), claims, damages or liability suffered by any director, officer or
employee of the Company arising out of any claim initiated by Intermedics, Inc.,
Peter Dorflinger or any other officer or employee of Intermedics, Inc. shall be
deemed to be a loss, expense, cost, claim, damage or liability arising out of
the fact that such person is or was a director, officer or employee of the
Company or one or more of its subsidiaries. In the event of any loss, expense,
claim, damage or liability (whether or not arising before the Effective Time)
described in the first sentence of this Section 4.10(a), (i) Parent shall pay
the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel selected by the Indemnified Parties,
which counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to Parent, promptly after
statements therefor are received and otherwise advance to such Indemnified Party
upon request reimbursement of documented expenses reasonably incurred, in either
case to the extent not prohibited by the DGCL and upon receipt of any
affirmation and undertaking required by the DGCL, (ii) Parent will cooperate in
the defense of any such matter and (iii) any determination required to be made
with respect to whether an Indemnified Party's conduct complies with the
standards set forth under the DGCL and Parent's articles of incorporation or
bylaws shall be made by independent counsel mutually acceptable to Parent and
the Indemnified Party; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Parent shall not be liable for
any settlement effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be
reasonably withheld). The Indemnified Parties as a group may retain only one law
firm with respect to each related matter except to the extent there is, in the
opinion of counsel to an Indemnified Party, under applicable standards of
professional conduct, a conflict on any significant issue between positions of
any two or more Indemnified Parties.

                  (b) Insurance. For a period of three years after the Effective
Time, Parent shall cause to be maintained in effect the policies of directors'
and officers' liability insurance maintained by the Company for the benefit of
those persons who are covered by such policies at the Effective Time (or Parent
may substitute therefor policies of at least the same coverage with respect to
matters occurring prior to the Effective Time), to the extent that such
liability insurance can be maintained annually at a cost to Parent not greater
than 150 percent of the premium for the current Company directors' and officers'
liability insurance; provided that if such insurance cannot be so maintained or
obtained at such costs, Parent shall maintain or obtain as much of such
insurance as can be so maintained or obtained at a cost equal to 150 percent of
the current annual premiums of the Company for such insurance.

                  (c) Successors. In the event Parent or any of its successors
or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other person and shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity or such consolidation or
merger or (ii) transfers all or substantially all of its properties and assets
to any person, then and in either such case, proper provision shall be made so
that the successors and assigns of Parent shall assume the obligations set for
in this Section 4.10.

                  (d) Survival of Indemnification. To the fullest extent
permitted by law, from and after the Effective Time, all rights to
indemnification now existing in favor of the employees, agents, directors or
officers of the Company and its subsidiaries with respect to their activities as
such prior to the Effective Time, as provided in the Company's certificate of
incorporation or bylaws, in effect on the date thereof or otherwise in effect on
the date hereof, shall survive the Merger and shall continue in full force and
effect for a period of not less than six years from the Effective Time.

                  (e) Benefit. The provisions of this Section 4.10 are intended
to be for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, each Indemnified Party,
his or her heirs and his or her representatives.

                  SECTION 4.11. Notification of Certain Matters. The Company
shall give prompt notice to Parent and Acquisition, and Parent and Acquisition
shall give prompt notice to the Company, of the status of matters relating to
completion of the transactions contemplated hereby, including (i) the occurrence
or nonoccurrence of any event the occurrence or nonoccurrence of which would be
likely to cause any representation or warranty contained in this Agreement to be
untrue or inaccurate in any material respect at or prior to the Effective Time,
(ii) any material failure of the Company, Parent or Acquisition, as the case may
be, to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition or agreement to be
complied with or satisfied by it hereunder, (iii) any notice of, or other
communication relating to, a default or event which, with notice or lapse of
time or both, would become a default, received by it or any of its subsidiaries
subsequent to the date of this Agreement and prior to the Effective Time, under
any contract or agreement material to the financial condition, properties,
businesses or results of operations of it and its subsidiaries taken as a whole
to which it or any of its subsidiaries is a party or is subject, (iv) any notice
or other communication from any third party or Governmental Entity with respect
to the Merger or the other transactions contemplated hereby or alleging that the
consent of such third party or Governmental Entity is or may be required in
connection with the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, or (v) any material adverse change in their respective financial
condition, properties, businesses or results of operations, taken as a whole,
other than changes resulting from general economic conditions; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 4.11 shall not
cure such breach or non-compliance or limit or otherwise affect the remedies
available hereunder to the party receiving such notice.

                  SECTION 4.12. Pooling. The Company and Parent each agrees that
it will not take any action which could prevent the Merger from being accounted
for as a "pooling-of-interests" for accounting purposes, and the Company will
bring to the attention of Parent, and Parent will bring to the attention of the
Company, any actions, or agreements or understandings, whether written or oral,
that could be reasonably likely to prevent Parent from accounting for the Merger
as a "pooling-of-interests." The Company and Parent shall use their best efforts
to cause Ernst & Young LLP ("E&Y") to deliver to Parent and the Company a
letter, addressed to the Company and Parent, stating that after appropriate
review of this Agreement and based upon its familiarity with the Company and
Parent, following the Merger the Company and Parent are entities that qualify as
parties to a pooling of interests transaction under Opinion 16 of the Accounting
Principles Board and applicable SEC rules and regulations. Each party will
inform all Company Affiliates (as hereinafter defined in Section 4.15) and other
relevant affiliates and employees of the parties as to those actions that should
or should not be taken by such persons so that the Merger will be accounted for
as a "pooling-of-interests" and will use its best efforts to cause such
affiliates and persons employed by it to take or not take such actions as either
party may be informed by any Governmental Entity are necessary to be taken or
not to be taken so that the Merger will be accounted for as a
"pooling-of-interests."

                  SECTION 4.13. Tax-Free Reorganization Treatment. The Company,
Parent and Acquisition shall execute and deliver to Sullivan & Cromwell, counsel
to the Company, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, counsel to Parent, certificates
containing customary representations, at such time or times as reasonably
requested by such law firms in connection with their respective deliveries of
opinions with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby.

                  SECTION 4.14. Employee Matters.

                  (a) For the period commencing with the Effective Time and
ending on June 30, 1998, Parent shall and shall cause its subsidiaries to
maintain with respect to their employees who had been employed by the Company or
any of its subsidiaries (i) base salary or regular hourly wage rates for each
such employee at not less than the rate applicable immediately prior to the
Merger to such employee, and (ii) benefits under employee benefit plans (as
defined for purposes of Section 3(3) of ERISA), other than employee benefits as
to which the employees' interests are based upon the Shares, which are
substantially comparable in the aggregate to such benefits provided by the
Company and its subsidiaries immediately prior to the Merger. Thereafter, in
Parent's discretion, either (i) the provisions of the preceding sentence shall
be complied with by Parent or (ii) employees of the Company and its subsidiaries
shall be treated no less favorably under the compensation and benefits programs
of Parent than other similarly situated employees of Parent and its
subsidiaries.

                  (b) Parent and its subsidiaries shall credit employees of the
Company and its subsidiaries with their service prior to the Merger with the
Company and its subsidiaries to the same extent such service was counted under
the Company ERISA Plans for all purposes other than benefit accruals under the
defined benefit pension plans of Parent and its subsidiaries.

                  (c) Parent will, and will cause the Surviving Corporation to,
honor the employment and severance agreements and all other obligations of the
Surviving Corporation listed on Section 4.14(c) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as requiring Parent or the
Surviving Corporation to continue any specific plans or to continue the
employment of any specific person.

                  SECTION 4.15. Company Affiliates. Prior to the Effective Time,
each of the Company and Parent will deliver to the other a letter identifying
all persons who, at the time of the meeting of the Company's stockholders
referred to in Section 4.5, it believes are its "affiliates" for purposes of
Rule 145 under the Securities Act and for the purposes of applicable
interpretations regarding the pooling-of-interests method of accounting (the
persons identified in the Company's letter are each hereinafter referred to as a
"Company Affiliate" and the persons identified in Parent's letter are each
hereinafter referred to as a "Parent Affiliate"). The Company shall use its best
efforts to obtain a written agreement on or prior to the Effective Time from
each person who is identified as a Company Affiliate providing that (i) such
Company Affiliate will not sell, pledge, transfer or otherwise dispose of any
shares of Parent Common Stock issued to such Company Affiliate pursuant to the
Merger, except in compliance with Rule 145 promulgated under the Securities Act
or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Each
of the Company and Parent shall use its best efforts to obtain a written
agreement on or prior to the Effective Time from each Company Affiliate and
Parent Affiliate, respectively, providing that (ii) on or prior to the earlier
of (x) the mailing of the Proxy Statement or (y) the thirtieth day prior to the
Effective Time such person will not thereafter sell or in any other way reduce
such person's risk relative to any shares of Parent Common Stock (within the
meaning of the SEC's Financial Reporting Release No. 1, "Codification of
Financing Reporting Policies," ss. 201.01 47 F.R. 21028 (April 15, 1982)), until
such time as financial results (including combined sales and net income)
covering at least 30 days of post-merger operations have been published, except
as permitted by Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 76 issued by the SEC.

                  SECTION 4.16. SEC Filings. Each of Parent and the Company
shall promptly provide the other party (or its counsel) with copies of all
filings made by the other party or any of its subsidiaries with the SEC or any
other state or federal Governmental Entity in connection with this Agreement and
the transactions contemplated hereby.

                  SECTION 4.17. Guarantee of Performance. Parent hereby
guarantees the performance by Acquisition of its obligations under this
Agreement.


                                    ARTICLE 5

                    CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER

                  SECTION 5.1. Conditions to Each Party's Obligations to Effect
the Merger. The respective obligations of each party hereto to effect the Merger
are subject to the satisfaction at or prior to the Effective Time of the
following conditions:

                  (a) this Agreement shall have been approved and adopted by the
requisite vote of the stockholders of the Company;

                  (b) no statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree,
ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or enforced
by any court or other Governmental Entity and continued in effect which
prohibits, restrains, enjoins or restricts the consummation of the Merger;

                  (c) any waiting period applicable to the Merger under the HSR
Act shall have terminated or expired, and any other governmental or regulatory
notices or approvals required with respect to the transactions contemplated
hereby shall have been either filed or received;

                  (d) the S-4 shall have become effective under the Securities
Act and shall not be the subject of any stop order or proceedings seeking a stop
order, and Parent shall have received all state securities laws or "blue sky"
permits and authorizations necessary to issue shares of Parent Common Stock in
exchange for the Shares in the Merger;

                  (e) the Company and Parent each shall have received from E&Y a
letter stating that after appropriate review of this Agreement and based upon
its familiarity with the Company and Parent, following the Merger the Company
and Parent are entities that qualify as parties to a pooling of interests
transaction under Opinion 16 of the Accounting Principles Board and applicable
SEC rules and regulations and such letter shall not have been withdrawn or
modified in any material respect;

                  (f) [intentionally omitted]; and

                  (g) the closing contemplated by the Asset Purchase Agreement
(United States), dated as of September 24, 1996, by and among Acquisition,
Telectronics Pacing Systems, Inc. and TPLC, Inc. shall have occurred.

                  SECTION 5.2. Conditions to the Obligations of the Company. The
obligation of the Company to effect the Merger is subject to the satisfaction at
or prior to the Effective Time of the following conditions:

                  (a) the representations and warranties of Parent and
Acquisition contained in this Agreement or in any other document delivered
pursuant hereto shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as of
the Effective Time with the same effect as if made at and as of the Effective
Time (except for the representation and warranty made in the first sentence of
Section 3.12(d), which is being made only as of the date of this Agreement), and
at the Closing Parent and Acquisition shall have delivered to the Company a
certificate to that effect;

                  (b) each of the obligations of Parent and Acquisition to be
performed at or before the Effective Time pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement shall have been duly performed in all material respects at or before
the Effective Time, and at the Closing Parent and Acquisition shall have
delivered to the Company a certificate to that effect;

                  (c) each Parent Affiliate shall have delivered and performed
his or her obligations under the letter referenced in Section 4.15;

                  (d) the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable to the Company
stockholders pursuant to this Agreement and such other shares required to be
reserved for issuance in connection with the Merger shall have been authorized
for listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market (or any subsequent national securities
exchange on which shares of Parent Common Stock are then listed for trading)
upon official notice of issuance;

                  (e) the opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell, counsel to the
Company, addressed to the Company substantially to the effect that (i) the
Merger will be treated for federal income tax purposes as a reorganization
within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code; (ii) each of Parent,
Acquisition and the Company will be a party to the reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code; and (iii) no gain or loss will be
recognized by a stockholder of the Company as a result of the Merger with
respect to Shares converted into shares of Parent Common Stock (other than with
respect to cash received in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock),
dated the Closing Date, shall have been delivered and such opinion shall not
have been withdrawn or modified in any material respect;

                  (f) there shall have been no events, changes or effects with
respect to Parent or its subsidiaries (other than such events, changes or
effects that arise out of or result from the execution of this Agreement or the
proposed consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby) having or which would have a Parent Material Adverse Effect;

                  (g) Parent and Acquisition shall have executed with State
Street Bank and Trust Company a supplemental indenture with respect to the
Convertible Notes, which supplemental indenture shall provide that upon
consummation of the Merger, (i) Acquisition shall assume the due and punctual
payment of the principal of and interest on all the Convertible Notes and the
performance and observance of every covenant to be performed or observed by the
Company under the Indenture under which such Convertible Notes were issued, (ii)
the holder of each Convertible Note outstanding immediately following the Merger
thereafter shall have the right to convert such Convertible Note into Parent
Common Stock at the rate of 34.90908 shares of Parent Common Stock for each
$1,000 principal amount of the Convertible Notes and (iii) Parent shall assume
as a joint obligor Acquisition's obligations to pay the principal of and
premium, if any, and interest on the Convertible Notes;

                  (h) the Agreement, dated the date hereof, between Intermedics,
Inc. and Acquisition (the "Intermedics Consent") shall be in full force and
effect without any modification or amendment that would materially and adversely
affect the ability of the Surviving Corporation following the Effective Time to
conduct the operations of the Company as such operations are conducted by the
Company on the date of this Agreement;

                  (i) Acquisition shall have offered to enter into an employment
agreement in the form annexed hereto as Exhibit A with each of the persons
listed in Section 5.2(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule; and

                  (j) Intermedics, Inc. and Acquisition shall have entered into
the 1996 License Agreement referred to in the Intermedics Consent, such 1996
License Agreement to be in substance as described in the Intermedics Consent as
determined in the reasonable judgment of the Company.

                  SECTION 5.3. Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and
Acquisition. The respective obligations of Parent and Acquisition to effect the
Merger are subject to the satisfaction at or prior to the Effective Time of the
following conditions:

                  (a) the representations and warranties of the Company
contained in this Agreement or in any other document delivered pursuant hereto
shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as of the Effective
Time with the same effect as if made at and as of the Effective Time, and at the
Closing the Company shall have delivered to Parent and Acquisition a certificate
to that effect;

                  (b) each of the obligations of the Company to be performed at
or before the Effective Time pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall have
been duly performed in all material respects at or before the Effective Time,
and at the Closing the Company shall have delivered to Parent and Acquisition a
certificate to that effect;

                  (c) each Company Affiliate shall have delivered and performed
his or her obligations under the letter referenced in Section 4.15;

                  (d) there shall have been no events, changes or effects with
respect to the Company or its subsidiaries (other than such events, changes or
effects that arise out of or result from the execution of this Agreement or the
proposed consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby) having or which would have a Company Material Adverse Effect;

                  (e) the opinion of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, addressed to
Parent, substantially to the effect that (i) the Merger will be treated for
federal income tax purposes as a reorganization within the meaning of Section
368(a) of the Code; (ii) each of Parent, Acquisition and the Company will be a
party to the reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code;
and (iii) no gain or loss will be recognized by Parent, Acquisition or the
Company as a result of the Merger, dated the Closing Date, shall have been
delivered and such opinion shall not have been withdrawn or modified in any
material respect; and

                  (f) the Surviving Corporation shall have entered into an
employment agreement with each of the persons listed in Section 5.3(f) of the
Parent Disclosure Schedule.


                                    ARTICLE 6

                         TERMINATION; AMENDMENT; WAIVER

                  SECTION 6.1. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated and
the Merger may be abandoned at any time, but prior to the Effective Time:

                  (a) by mutual written consent of Parent, Acquisition and the
Company;

                  (b) by Parent and Acquisition or the Company if (i) the Merger
has not been consummated by May 1, 1997, PROVIDED that no party may terminate
this Agreement pursuant to this clause (i) if such party's failure to fulfill
any of its obligations under this Agreement shall have been the reason that the
Effective Time shall not have occurred on or before said date, or (ii) the
Company or Parent shall have convened a meeting of its respective stockholders
and failed to obtain the requisite vote of its respective stockholders; or

                  (c) by the Company if (i) there shall have been a breach of
any representation or warranty on the part of Parent or Acquisition set forth in
this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of Parent or Acquisition
shall have become untrue, in either case such that the conditions set forth in
Section 5.2(a) would be incapable of being satisfied by May 1, 1997 (or as
otherwise extended), (ii) there shall have been a breach by Parent or
Acquisition of any of their respective covenants or agreements hereunder having
a Parent Material Adverse Effect or materially adversely affecting the
consummation of the Merger, and Parent or Acquisition, as the case may be, has
not cured such breach within 20 business days after notice by the Company
thereof, or (iii) the Company enters into a definitive agreement relating to a
Superior Proposal in accordance with Section 4.3(b) (provided that such
termination shall not be effective until payment of the amount required under
Section 6.3(a)).

                  (d) by Parent and Acquisition if (i) there shall have been a
breach of any representation or warranty on the part of the Company set forth in
this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of the Company shall have
become untrue, in either case such that the conditions set forth in Section
5.3(a) would be incapable of being satisfied by May 1, 1997 (or as otherwise
extended), (ii) there shall have been a breach by the Company of its covenants
or agreements hereunder having a Company Material Adverse Effect or materially
adversely affecting the consummation of the Merger, and the Company has not
cured such breach within 20 business days after notice by Parent or Acquisition
thereof, or (iii) the Company Board shall have withdrawn, modified or changed
its approval or recommendation of this Agreement or the Merger, shall have
recommended to the Company's stockholders any Acquisition Proposal (other than
the Merger), shall have failed to call, give notice of, convene or hold a
stockholders' meeting to vote upon the Merger, or shall have adopted any
resolution to effect any of the foregoing, or the Company shall have entered
into a definitive agreement relating to a Superior Proposal.

                  SECTION 6.2. Effect of Termination. In the event of the
termination and abandonment of this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.1, this
Agreement shall forthwith become void and have no effect, without any liability
on the part of any party hereto or its affiliates, directors, officers or
shareholders, other than the provisions of this Section 6.2 and Sections 4.6(c)
and 6.3. Nothing contained in this Section 6.2 shall relieve any party from
liability for any wilful breach of this Agreement.

                  SECTION 6.3. Fees and Expenses.

                  (a) In the event that this Agreement shall be terminated
pursuant to:

                  (i) Sections 6.1(d)(i) or 6.1(d)(ii) as a result of a wilful
breach by the Company and, within twelve months thereafter, the Company enters
into an agreement with respect to any Acquisition Proposal (other than the
Merger)), or

                  (ii) Sections 6.1(c)(iii) or 6.1(d)(iii), then Parent and
Acquisition would suffer direct and substantial damages, which damages cannot be
determined with reasonable certainty. To compensate Parent and Acquisition for
such damages, and in full satisfaction and settlement of any claims that Parent
otherwise might have against the Company in respect of any such termination of
this Agreement, the Company shall pay to Parent the amount of Fourteen Million
Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($14,500,000) (and not as a penalty) as follows:
(i) in the case of a termination under Section 6.1(d)(i) or 6.1(d)(ii), such
amount shall be paid on the date the Company consummates an Acquisition Proposal
and (ii) in the case of a termination under Section 6.1(c)(iii) or 6.1(d)(iii),
such amount shall be paid on the date of such termination. Notwithstanding the
immediately preceding sentence, any payment as a result of a termination of this
Agreement pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) or 6.1(d)(ii) shall be reduced by the
amount of any damages actually recovered by Parent or Acquisition in respect
thereof.

                  (b) If the Company Board withdraws its recommendation to
Company stockholders that they vote to approve this Agreement and related
matters by reason of changes to the market prices of Parent Common Stock (in the
absence of any occurrences that had or would have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect) following the date hereof and the Merger is not consummated by reason of
such withdrawal, then the Company shall pay to Parent the amount of Fourteen
Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($14,500,000). Such payment shall not be
deemed to be the exclusive remedy or remedies for any breach of this Agreement
by the Company, but shall be in addition to all other remedies available to
Parent at law or equity. Nothing contained in this Section 6.3(b) shall be an
admission by Parent that a change in the market prices of Parent Common Stock
(in the absence of any occurrences that had or would have a Parent Material
Adverse Effect) following the date hereof is an appropriate basis for the
Company Board to withdraw its recommendation to Company stockholders pursuant to
Section 4.5 hereof.

                  (c) Each party shall bear its own expenses in connection with
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. The cost of printing
the S-4 and the Proxy Statement shall be borne equally by the Company and
Parent.

                  SECTION 6.4. Amendment. This Agreement may be amended by
action taken by the Company, Parent and Acquisition at any time before or after
approval of this Agreement by the stockholders of the Company but, after any
such approval, no amendment shall be made which requires the approval of such
stockholders under applicable law without such approval. This Agreement may not
be amended except by an instrument in writing signed on behalf of the parties
hereto.

                  SECTION 6.5. Extension; Waiver. At any time prior to the
Effective Time, each party hereto (for these purposes, Parent and Acquisition
shall together be deemed one party and the Company shall be deemed the other
party) may (i) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or
other acts of the other party, (ii) waive any inaccuracies in the
representations and warranties of the other party contained herein or in any
document, certificate or writing delivered pursuant hereto or (iii) waive
compliance by the other party with any of the agreements or conditions contained
herein. Any agreement on the part of either party hereto to any such extension
or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed on
behalf of such party. The failure of either party hereto to assert any of its
rights hereunder shall not constitute a waiver of such rights.


                                    ARTICLE 7

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

                  SECTION 7.1. Nonsurvival of Representations and Warranties.
The representations and warranties made herein shall not survive beyond the
Effective Time or a termination of this Agreement.

                  SECTION 7.2.  Entire Agreement; Assignment.  This Agreement

                  (a) constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all other prior
agreements and understandings, both written and oral, between the parties with
respect to the subject matter hereof; and

                  (b) shall not be assigned by operation of law or otherwise;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Acquisition may assign any or all of its rights and
obligations under this Agreement to any direct wholly-owned subsidiary of
Parent, but no such assignment shall relieve Acquisition of its obligations
hereunder if such assignee does not perform such obligations.

                  SECTION 7.3. Validity. If any provision of this Agreement, or
the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid or
unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement, and the application of such
provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby, and
to such end, the provisions of this Agreement are agreed to be severable.

                  SECTION 7.4. Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands
and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and
shall be deemed to have been duly given upon receipt) by delivery in person, by
cable, telegram, facsimile or telex, or by registered or certified mail (postage
prepaid, return receipt requested), to the other party as follows:

           if to Parent or
           to Acquisition to:     St. Jude Medical, Inc.
                                  One Lillehei Plaza
                                  St. Paul, MN 55117
                                  Attention: General Counsel
                                  Facsimile: (612) 490-4333

           with a copy to:        Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
                                  767 Fifth Avenue
                                  New York, NY 10153
                                  Attention: Dennis J. Block, Esq.
                                  Facsimile: (212) 310-8007


           if to the Company to:  Ventritex, Inc.
                                  701 East Evelyn Avenue
                                  Sunnyvale, CA 94086
                                  Attention:  Mr. Frank M. Fischer
                                  Facsimile: (408) 738-0285

           with a copy to:        Sullivan & Cromwell
                                  125 Broad Street
                                  New York, NY 10004
                                  Attention:  Benjamin F. Stapleton, Esq.
                                  Facsimile: (212) 558-3588

or to such other address as the person to whom notice is given may have
previously furnished to the other in writing in the manner set forth above.

                  SECTION 7.5. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without
regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.

                  SECTION 7.6. Descriptive Headings. The descriptive headings
herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be
part of or to affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

                  SECTION 7.7. Parties in Interest. This Agreement shall be
binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party hereto and its
successors and permitted assigns, and except as provided in Sections 4.10 and
7.2 nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall
confer upon any other person any rights, benefits or remedies of any nature
whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

                  SECTION 7.8. Severability. If any term or other provision of
this Agreement is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, all other provisions of
this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or
legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any
manner materially adverse to any party.

                  SECTION 7.9. Specific Performance. The parties hereto
acknowledge that irreparable damage would result if this Agreement were not
specifically enforced, and they therefore consent that the rights and
obligations of the parties under this Agreement may be enforced by a decree of
specific performance issued by a court of competent jurisdiction. Such remedy
shall, however, not be exclusive and, shall be in addition to any other remedies
which any party may have under this Agreement or otherwise.

                  SECTION 7.10. Subsidiaries. The term "subsidiary" shall mean,
when used with reference to any entity, any entity more than fifty percent (50%)
of the outstanding voting securities or interests (including membership
interests) of which are owned directly or indirectly by such former entity.

                  SECTION 7.11. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but
all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement.


           IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to
be duly executed on its behalf as of the day and year first above written.

                                       ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.

                                       By: /s/ Ronald A. Matricaria
                                           -----------------------------------
                                       Name: Ronald A. Matricaria
                                       Title: President and Chief Executive
                                              Officer



                                       PACESETTER, INC.

                                       By: /s/ Patrick Forteau
                                           -----------------------------------
                                       Name: Patrick Forteau
                                       Title: President



                                       VENTRITEX, INC.

                                       By: /s/ Frank M. Fischer
                                           -----------------------------------
                                       Name: Frank M. Fischer
                                       Title: President and Chief Executive
                                              Officer



                                   EXHIBIT 3.2

                              ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
                                       OF
                             ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.

         I, the undersigned Kevin T. O'Malley, Assistant Secretary of St. Jude
Medical, Inc., a corporation subject to the provisions of Chapter 302A,
Minnesota Statutes, known as the Minnesota Business Corporation Act, hereby
certify that resolutions adopting an amendment to the language of Article VII of
the Articles of Incorporation to read as set forth below were adopted pursuant
to Chapter 302A, Minnesota Statutes, by the Board of Directors and by the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares
entitled to vote at a meeting of the shareholders held on May 9, 1996.

         RESOLVED, that the first sentence of Article VII of the corporation's
Articles of Incorporation be replaced with the following:

                  "The authorized capital stock of this corporation shall be Two
                  Hundred Fifty Million (250,000,000) shares of common stock of
                  the par value of Ten Cents ($.10) per share (the "Common
                  Stock") and Twenty-Five Million (25,000,000) shares of
                  preferred stock of the par value of One Dollar ($1.00) per
                  share (the "Preferred Stock")."

         RESOLVED FURTHER, that the officers of the corporation acting
individually, are each authorized and directed to execute such documents and
certificates and to take such other action as may be necessary to give effect to
the previous resolution.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of
September, 1996.



                                    /s/ Kevin T. O'Malley
                                    -------------------------------------------
                                         Kevin T. O'Malley, Assistant Secretary



                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.2



November 8, 1996


Mr. Ronald A. Matricaria
62 West Pleasant Lake Road
North Oaks, MN  55127

         Re:      RONALD A. MATRICARIA - SUCCESSION PLANNING

Dear Ron:

I am pleased to outline for you the recommendations made by the Compensation
Committee, and subsequently approved by the Board, in connection with a revised
compensation program offered to you in exchange for extending your existing
employment agreement with the Company for a period of five years.

The Board approved the following changes in your compensation:

1) BASE SALARY. Effective January 1, 1997, you shall receive a base salary at
the rate of Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($750,000) per annum, payable
in bi-weekly installments.

2) BONUS. Bonus compensation payable to you will remain the same, that is, the
opportunity to earn 100% of base salary each fiscal year upon achievement of
established targets to be mutually agreed upon by yourself and the Board of
Directors.

3)       STOCK OPTIONS.

         (a)      You will be granted a non-qualified option to purchase 236,000
                  shares of the Company's common stock under the 1991 Stock
                  Plan. These shares will be exercisable at the rate of 25% per
                  year on the next four anniversary dates from July 16, 1996.
                  The purchase price of the shares of common stock covered by
                  this option shall be the fair market value on July 16, 1996.
                  [Note: The July 16, 1996, fair market value was $31.375 as
                  determined by the average of the high and low trades on July
                  16, 1996].

         (b)      You will be granted a non-qualified option to purchase 260,000
                  shares of the Company's common stock under the 1994 Stock
                  Option Plan. These shares will be exercisable at the rate of
                  25% per year on the next four anniversary dates from July 16,
                  1996. The purchase price of the shares of common stock covered
                  by this option shall be the fair market value on July 16,
                  1996. [Note: The July 16, 1996, fair market value was $31.375
                  as determined by the average of the high and low trades on
                  July 16, 1996].

         (c)      You will be granted a non-qualified option to purchase 500,000
                  shares of the Company's common stock subject to shareholder
                  approval. These shares will be exercisable at the rate of 25%
                  per year on the next four anniversary dates from July 16,
                  1996. The purchase price of the shares of common stock covered
                  by this option shall be $31.375, the fair market value on July
                  16, 1996. [Note: The July 16, 1996, fair market value was
                  $31.375 as determined by the average of the high and low
                  trades on July 16, 1996].

         (d)      You will be granted a non-qualified option to purchase 500,000
                  shares of the Company's common stock subject to shareholder
                  approval. The purchase price of the shares of common stock
                  covered by this option shall be the fair market value on July
                  16, 1996. [Note: The July 16, 1996, fair market value was
                  $31.375 as determined by the average of the high and low
                  trades on July 16, 1996].

                  The right to exercise this option shall vest based on
                  achievement of stock price targets as measured for the month
                  of December in each of the five years from December 1997
                  through December 2001. Specifically, the options will vest at
                  the rate of 20% for each 20% compounded increase in the stock
                  price from the grant date to each of December 1997, 1998 and
                  1999, and each 15% compounded increase in the stock price
                  thereafter to each of December 2000 and 2001.

                  The stock price for each December will be calculated as the
                  arithmetic mean of the closing prices of the stock for all the
                  trading days of December of each year.

                  If the stock price target for any calendar year is not met or
                  exceeded in that year, the number of shares which would have
                  been exercisable will carry forward to the next subsequent
                  year and will become exercisable only if the next subsequent
                  year's stock price target is achieved.

                  The number of exercisable shares can be accelerated if the
                  arithmetic mean of the stock price in December of an earlier
                  year meets or exceeds the stock price target for a subsequent
                  year(s).

                  In the event the stock price targets are not achieved, this
                  option will become fully exercisable only on the 16th day of
                  July, 2006, if you remain as an employee or as a board member
                  of the Company.

4) RESTRICTED STOCK. You will be granted a total of 50,000 shares of the
Company's $0.10 par value common stock (shares) under the St. Jude Medical 1989
Restricted Stock Plan. The shares will be subject to certain restrictions during
the restriction period enumerated in the Restricted Stock Agreement.
Restrictions will lapse on twenty-five percent of the shares on each annual
anniversary date from July 16, 1996.

5) SPLIT DOLLAR LIFE INSURANCE. The Committee hereby approves the adoption of a
$3,000,000 split dollar life or similar life insurance policy for you.

6) CHANGE OF CONTROL AGREEMENT. Your original change of control agreement will
be renewed. In addition, a new change of control agreement will be entered
providing you with a payment of $10,000,000 upon a change of control as defined
in your existing change of control agreement and regardless of whether he
remains employed by the Company or is terminated subsequent to a change in
control.

7) USE OF COMPANY PLANE. The Company finds that it is in the best interest of
the Company, for both security reasons and time management reasons, that you and
your immediate family from time-to-time use the Company plane for personal, as
well as business use. The Company will be responsible for payment of any tax due
for such personal use.

8) ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC. SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN AND TRUST
(SERP). In 1993, the Company established a nonqualified supplemental retirement
plan which is subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture in the event you leave
the Company prior to October 1, 1996. As further consideration for the amended
terms of your employment agreement and to tie the value and security of your
retirement income to your continued commitment to the financial success of the
Company, St. Jude shall before October 1, 1996, terminate and liquidate the SERP
and in lieu thereof make a discretionary contribution under the St. Jude
Medical, Inc. Management Savings Plan (MSP), in the amount of $3,460,000 to be
held and distributed in accordance with the terms of the MSP.

9) STOCK OPTION AMENDMENTS. If you cease to be an employee, but remain as a
director, your outstanding stock options will be amended to permit the exercise
of any vested shares for the original option term.

If you retire from the Company or from the Board (with consent by the Committee)
any stock options held may thereafter be exercised to the extent they were
exercisable at the time of retirement, up to one year from the date of such
retirement, or the expiration of the stated terms of the options, whichever
period is shorter.

Congratulations Ron on the success you have achieved through your outstanding
leadership for the Company during your short tenure. You have significantly
reduced the risk profile through diversification and improved the growth profile
of St. Jude Medical thereby significantly enhancing shareholder value.

Onward and upward!

Best Regards,

/s/ William R. Miller

William R. Miller
Chairman, Compensation Committee

WRM:kj




<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                     ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                          YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996

                 EXHIBIT 11 - COMPUTATION OF EARNINGS PER SHARE

                                                                                 Year Ended December 31

                                                                     ---------------------------------------------

                                                                        1996             1995             1994
                                                                    ------------     ------------     ------------
<S>                                                                 <C>              <C>              <C>       
PRIMARY
           Average shares outstanding                                 80,636,809       79,790,294       79,617,015

           Net effect of dilutive stock options, based on the
           treasury stock method using average market price            1,316,272        1,197,510          467,894
                                                                    ------------     ------------     ------------

                                                          TOTAL       81,953,081       80,987,804       80,084,909
                                                                    ============     ============     ============

           Net  Income                                              $ 92,180,708     $138,847,849     $ 86,450,001
                                                                    ============     ============     ============

           Earnings Per Share                                       $       1.12     $       1.71     $       1.08

FULLY DILUTED
           Average shares outstanding                                 80,636,809       79,790,294       79,617,015

           Net effect of dilutive stock options, based on the
           treasury stock method using year-end market price,          
           if higher than average market price                         1,607,200        1,674,162          814,628
                                                                    ------------     ------------     ------------

                                                          TOTAL       82,244,009       81,464,456       80,431,643
                                                                    ============     ============     ============

           Net Income                                               $ 92,180,708     $138,847,849     $ 86,450,001
                                                                    ============     ============     ============

           Earnings Per Share                                       $       1.12     $       1.70     $       1.07
</TABLE>



ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.
ANNUAL REPORT
1996 


CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF LIVES SAVED AND IMPROVED -- THE ST. JUDE MEDICAL(R)
HEART VALVE. 

[PHOTO]

DR. C. WALTON LILLEHEI, THE "FATHER OF OPEN HEART SURGERY," ENCOURAGED THE
INNOVATIVE DESIGN OF THE ST. JUDE VALVE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.

[PHOTO]

SINCE RECEIVING A ST. JUDE MEDICAL(R) HEART VALVE IN 1978, 77-YEAR-OLD NORA
CARVALHO CONTINUES TO WORK AND MAKE CERAMIC DOLLS.

[PHOTO]

TOM COOK CREDITS THE VALVE WITH SAVING HIS LIFE, WHICH ALLOWED HIM TO WITNESS
THE DEVELOPMENT OF DAUGHTER RACHEL'S FILM CAREER.

[PHOTO]

ROBERT BRECKINRIDGE, A RETIRED EXECUTIVE WHO ENJOYS FREQUENT TRAVEL FOLLOWING
HIS VALVE SURGERY, SAYS, "I FEEL LIKE A NEW PERSON."

[PHOTO]

"I HAVE A WHOLE NEW LIFE SINCE HEART VALVE SURGERY," SAYS JOAN HURD, WHO SERVES
AS A FOSTER CARE PARENT TO SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN.


More than 725,000 St. Jude Medical(R) mechanical heart valves have been
implanted since 1977, representing the highest quality of design for the highest
quality of life. The St. Jude mechanical valve -- one of the most successful
prosthetic devices ever brought to market -- has proven itself to be unmatched
in clinical performance and economic value and is the foundation for St. Jude
Medical's commitment to providing THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR HEART VALVE DISEASE
WORLDWIDE(SM).

These people from around the world represent two decades of lives changed by
skilled surgeons and medical technology. All are part of the St. Jude Medical(R)
heart valve story.

[PHOTO]

AN ENERGETIC 14-YEAR-OLD WHO SWIMS AND RUNS THE MILE, REBECCA KLOOZ RECEIVED TWO
VALVES AS AN INFANT IN 1982 AND AGAIN LAST YEAR. 

[PHOTO]

ELIZABETH HOFFMANN BECAME LINGUIST-SECRETARY TO THE ASSISTANT MEDICAL DIRECTOR,
GERMAN HEART CENTRE OF BERLIN, AFTER A 1983 VALVE IMPLANT SAVED HER LIFE.

[PHOTO]

BEFORE VALVE SURGERY, CATERING MANAGER ROBERT ZABEL WAS EXHAUSTED AT DAY'S END.
NOW HE HAS THE ENERGY FOR SPORTS AND HOBBIES.

[PHOTO]

LEONARD BRUCCIANI HAS RIDDEN HIS BIKE 10,000 MILES SINCE RETIRING FROM THE
MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT...AND SINCE RECEIVING A MECHANICAL HEART VALVE IN
1985.

[PHOTO]

SPORTS ENTHUSIAST TONY NGUYEN RUNS DAILY, PLAYS VOLLEYBALL AND PERFORMS CHINESE
DRAGON DANCING WHEN NOT WORKING AT THE COMPANY'S WOODRIDGE FACILITY.

MISSION: St. Jude Medical, Inc. is dedicated to the design, manufacture and
distribution of innovative medical devices of the highest quality, offering
physicians, patients and payors unmatched clinical performance and demonstrated
economic value.

The Company's three operating divisions provide the medical marketplace with
products and services across a wide variety of cardiovascular applications: the
St. Jude Medical Heart Valve Division, the global leader in heart valve disease
management; Pacesetter, a leader in innovation for cardiac rhythm management;
and Daig, a pioneer in specialty catheters.

The Company's products are sold in more than 100 countries. St. Jude Medical has
fourteen operations and manufacturing facilities around the world. As of
December 31, 1996, the Company employed 3,620 people.

[PHOTO]

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, VALVE RECIPIENTS
DR. STEWART PERLMAN AND RABBI STEPHEN FUCHS MAINTAIN DEMANDING WORK SCHEDULES
WHILE STILL EXCELLING AT THEIR FAVORITE SPORTS.  

[PHOTO]

JUDITH GAVIN CALLS HER LIFE "HYPERACTIVE" -- SHE SKIS, TRAVELS EXTENSIVELY FOR
EMPLOYER IBM, AND VOLUNTEERS WITH THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION.

[PHOTO]

SEVEN YEARS AFTER SURGERY, FARRELL JOHNSON SAYS HE'S MORE ACTIVE THAN EVER AND
HAS "PEACE OF MIND" WITH HIS SJM HEART VALVE.

[PHOTO]

SURGEON KIT AROM, M.D., HAPPILY RECEIVES A GIFT FROM 1990'S 500,000TH VALVE
PATIENT, LINDA STACK, WHOSE HOBBIES INCLUDE FISHING, WATER SKIING AND SNOW
TUBING.

[PHOTO]

ACCORDING TO LI JUE'S CARDIOLOGIST, SHE DOES MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE HER AGE,
WHICH, IN CHINA, INCLUDES REGULAR BICYCLING.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 1   Letter to Shareholders
 5   Heart Valve Disease Management
11   Cardiac Rhythm Management
16   Catheter Technology
18   A Global Company
21   Management's Discussion and Analysis
27   Report of Management
27   Report of Independent Auditors
28   Consolidated Financial Statements
39   Five-Year Summary of Selected Financial Data
40   Investor Information
41   Leadership and Board of Directors

[PHOTO]

RETIRED BUS DRIVER THOMAS HAGERTY ENJOYS READING AND DANCING AND IS PROUD TO BE
ONE OF ST. JUDE'S VALVE PATIENTS.  

[PHOTO]

JOANNE LAMOREAUX, UTAH TEACHER AND HORSEBACK RIDER, IS GRATEFUL FOR THE HEART
VALVE RECEIVED IN 1993 THAT LET HER ENJOY A FIRST GRANDCHILD THIS YEAR.

[PHOTO]

SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD DENISE OPLAND NOW HAS THE ENDURANCE TO DO IT ALL -- PLAY
GUITAR, "SURF THE INTERNET" AND RUN ON HER HIGH SCHOOL TRACK TEAM.

[PHOTO]

MARIA EUGENIA VIVEROS, 12, OF CALI, COLOMBIA, CAN RUN AND PLAY AGAIN THANKS TO A
HEART VALVE DONATED TO CHILDREN'S HEARTLINK BY ST. JUDE MEDICAL.

[PHOTO]

RECIPIENT OF THE 700,000TH ST. JUDE VALVE IN 1996, KENT ADEE JOINED THE
CELEBRATION WHEN ST. JUDE MEDICAL MOVED ITS LISTING TO THE NEW YORK STOCK
EXCHANGE.


                              TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS


                               ST. JUDE MEDICAL'S
                           2OTH ANNIVERSARY, 1996, WAS
                 a defining year for the future of our Company.

[PHOTO]
ST. JUDE MEDICAL(R) MECHANICAL HEART VALVE SJM(R) MASTERS SERIES 

We again achieved record net sales and earnings, exclusive of purchased research
and development and special charges related to strategic acquisitions. All
businesses strengthened their market position as the size and scope of St. Jude
Medical increased.

We continued to expand from a single-product company and diversify into multiple
medical technology platforms, a strategy initiated in 1993 to increase
shareholder value.

As we begin 1997, we are excited by the Company's growth prospects and have
aggressive plans for the future.

This year's report commemorates the 20th anniversary of the first implant in
October 1977 of the St. Jude Medical(R) mechanical heart valve, arguably the
most successful medical device ever brought to market. The cover depicts people
from around the world who represent over 725,000 individuals whose lives have
been enriched by this remarkable product -- the foundation for St. Jude
Medical's reputation for quality, commitment to excellence and financial
strength.

Net sales in 1996 grew to $800 million, an increase of 7 percent from 1995 on
a comparable business basis. Income per share increased 9 percent from 1995 to
$1.87, excluding purchased research and development and special charges. We
repaid the remainder of the 1994 Pacesetter acquisition debt ahead of schedule.
We borrowed funds, which we expect to repay in about one year, to acquire
Telectronics' assets. Our financial condition is excellent.

[PHOTO]
"NEVER MISS A BEAT" LAPEL BUTTON

Creating shareholder value continues to be a principal objective of the Board
and management. Since we began to diversify in 1994, the stock price has more
than doubled and market capitalization has increased approximately $2 billion.

On December 2, we listed St. Jude Medical's common stock on the New York Stock
Exchange to reach the broadest base of investors. Representatives of our
principal constituencies -- customers, employees and shareholders -- joined
members of the Board of Directors and Company executives for "St. Jude Medical
Day" on Wall Street.

                                      1

In 1996, our heart valve business strengthened its undisputed global leadership
position in prosthetic valves while continuing to execute its strategy to offer
a full range of solutions for heart valve disease management. Few businesses in
any market are as strong and well-positioned as the St. Jude Medical Heart Valve
Division.

[LOGO] 
(DAIG)

We completed a stock-for-stock merger with Daig, a specialty catheter company,
to expand our offerings in cardiac rhythm management (CRM), enter the
interventional cardiology market, and acquire important core competencies in
catheter design and manufacturing. Daig's prospects are very exciting.

Pacesetter, our first cardiac rhythm management business, made progress on many
fronts. Several new products were introduced, continuing Pacesetter's tradition
of technological innovation and a focus on quality speed to market.

A new Pacesetter hybrid component facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, is complete
and a new manufacturing facility in Stockholm, Sweden, will open this summer.
Both are important investments in vertical integration and the latest
manufacturing technologies.

In October, we announced several important agreements regarding our cardiac
rhythm management strategy. Industry analysts have characterized these
transactions as innovative and far-reaching. All are now complete except the
Ventritex merger, which we hope to close in the near future.

Ventritex will provide St. Jude Medical extensive technology and an approved
product line of state-of-the-art implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs)
to complement our pacemaker products. With Ventritex, we immediately gain a
market position in ICDs.

[LOGO] 
(TELECTRONICS)

Telectronics adds important intellectual property, including pioneering work in
automatic mode switching and minute ventilation technologies, advanced pulse
generator products and an experienced sales organization. A settlement with
Intermedics resolves long-standing disputes among several companies and
facilitates the announced Ventritex merger.

With Pacesetter, Daig and Telectronics, St. Jude Medical has assembled one of
the world's largest cardiac rhythm management businesses in just over two years.
We are now focused on combining these operations into a global, resource-rich
organization offering a broad range of products to diagnose and treat
arrhythmias.

Building on the St. Jude Medical(R) mechanical heart valve, we have executed
since 1993 a series of acquisitions and strategic alliances to position the
Company to offer products and services to clinicians and healthcare
professionals in heart valve disease 

                                     Page 2

management, cardiac rhythm management and interventional cardiology -- all
large, growing and important global therapeutic markets. We are poised for
continued growth in all three markets. We remain interested in other
cardiovascular challenges including atrial fibrillation, restenosis and
congestive heart failure.

[PIE GRAPH]
STRATEGIC PLATFORMS

In recognition of the dramatic changes in the scale of the Company, we continue
to invest in our information technology and distribution infrastructure. We
selected Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS) as our global information
technology services partner and are implementing an enterprise-wide integrated
hardware and software system. We are leveraging the worldwide capabilities of
Federal Express Corporation to enhance our distribution system and better
support our customers.

The Company continued in 1996 to expand global operations. We increased our
sales and support resources in Europe. We moved from distributor to direct sales
in Brazil, the largest healthcare market in South America. In the Asia-Pacific
region, operations substantially expanded as we opened sales offices in Hong
Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, China.

As governments, providers and payors around the world continue to deal with
healthcare availability and financing, St. Jude Medical is focused on bringing
to market cost-effective devices with demonstrated value and clinical benefit.

Comprehensive reform at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) did not pass,
but Congress limited the FDA's ability to restrict exports of U.S. products
approved for sale in other countries. Unfortunately, legislation to protect
suppliers of biomaterials for medical technology products did not materialize.
Both FDA and biomaterials reform are important priorities for the 105th
Congress.

Our principal goal in 1997 is to effectively integrate the recent transactions
into one global cardiac rhythm management business. Substantial progress has
been made with Telectronics. Assuming the completion of the Ventritex merger, we
plan to immediately offer ICD products to our customers through our extensive
global sales and support resources.

In other sections of this report we will delineate our objectives in each
business and geography.

We welcomed Paul J. Chiapparone and Daniel J. Starks to the Board of Directors.
Mr. Chiapparone is executive vice president of EDS and brings a wealth of
experience in international business and information technology to the Board.
Mr. Starks is the CEO of Daig and has considerable medical technology expertise.
After 14 years of

                                      3


service to St. Jude Medical, Charles V. Owens will be retiring from the Board of
Directors. Charlie's wealth of medical technology industry experience has been
invaluable, and we appreciate his many contributions to the Company. The Board
continued an annual CEO performance evaluation. A similar process for Board
members is now in place.

In recognition of the Company's 20th anniversary, we formed the St. Jude Medical
Foundation to support clinical and community involvement projects consistent
with cardiovascular health. We also established the Hendrickson Technical
Achievement Award, in honor of former Board member and chairman William G.
Hendrickson, Ph.D., to recognize technical contributions by our employees.

As we begin 1997, we have achieved the commitments we made to you in 1993
to diversify and strengthen St. Jude Medical.

Today, St. Jude Medical is a larger, more diverse and stronger global company
than ever. While we have accomplished a great deal, we have aggressive goals for
sales growth and increasing profitability. We see a bright and exciting future
for the Company.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the 3,620 global members of the St. Jude
Medical team, thank you for your continued support.



For the Board of Directors,

/s/ Ronald A. Matricaria

Ronald A. Matricaria
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

March 5, 1997

[PHOTO]

RON MATRICARIA WITH 5-YEAR-OLD RYAN JOHNSON, WHO RECEIVED A ST. JUDE MEDICAL(R)
VALVE IN AUGUST 1994. RYAN IS AN ACTIVE KINDERGARTNER WHO ENJOYS COLLECTING
DINOSAUR TOYS.

                                        4


                                                  HEART VALVE DISEASE MANAGEMENT

[PHOTO]
REBECCA KLOOZ AND ST. JUDE MEDICAL HAVE "GROWN UP" TOGETHER. AT AGE TWO, REBECCA
WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST PATIENTS TO RECEIVE A MECHANICAL VALVE. HER COURAGE AND
SMILE ARE INSPIRING! REBECCA IS A VERY ACTIVE TEENAGER WHO ENJOYS PIANO AND
CRAFTS.

THE STRENGTH
OF ST. JUDE MEDICAL'S MARKET
and technology leadership in heart valves is evident
in the more than 725,000 valves that have been implanted by surgeons around the
world, four times the closest competitor.

In October 1977 at the University of Minnesota Hospital, Helen Heikkinen
received the first St. Jude Medical(R) mechanical heart valve, implanted by
cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Demetre Nicoloff.

Its innovative bi-leaflet design, coupled with unsurpassed quality and
reliability and a series of product enhancements, has made the St. Jude valve an
extremely successful product and afforded us undisputed leadership in this
market. The valve was developed and brought to market by a unique collaboration
of clinicians, engineers and entrepreneurs. The stories of several of our
patients are told on the cover and throughout this annual report.

As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our flagship product, we continued in
1996 to execute our strategy: to provide our customers comprehensive,
uncompromising solutions to the multifold challenges of heart valve disease.

We are dedicated to continuing our market leadership in heart valve disease
management, building on the unequaled record of performance of the St. Jude
Medical(R) mechanical heart valve.

During 1996, we advanced our core heart valve business with the worldwide launch
of the St. Jude Medical(R) mechanical heart valve SJM(R) Masters Series
rotatable valve. Approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare
came in January. In February, the first U.S. implants occurred and the
Conformite Europeene (CE) Mark was received for the mitral version of this
product. In just over a year, more than 25,000 Masters Series valves have been
implanted.

                                      5

In 1997, we will introduce another enhancement to the St. Jude Medical valve
with a new, unique cuff with anti-bacterial properties to lessen the risk of
serious infections. Other important mechanical product line extensions are in
development.

[LOGO]
BIOCOR

We made important progress toward global leadership in bioprosthetic valves
consistent with our strategy to offer clinically proven tissue valves of the
highest quality. We acquired Biocor(R) Industria E Pesquisas Ltd. of Belo
Horizonte, Brazil. A leading world developer and producer of tissue heart valves
with more than 13 years of proven clinical performance, Biocor is a market
leader for tissue valves in Brazil.

SJM Biocor(TM) bioprosthetic heart valves are CE Mark approved and a principal
focus of our European sales plan for 1997. Biocor dramatically increases our
tissue valve market share and will be a cornerstone of this business in the
years to come.

[PHOTO]
(TORONTO SPV(R) VALVE*)

Our Toronto SPV(R) valve, the leading stentless porcine tissue valve in Europe
and Canada, was specifically designed to overcome the historical limitations on
hemodynamics and durability associated with tissue valves. The Toronto SPV(R)
valve has a documented record of excellent performance. The valve continues to
yield very promising results in U.S. clinical studies. We anticipate FDA
approval of this innovative product late this year.

In addition, we made substantial progress with several innovative
anti-mineralization technologies that hold promise for improving long-term
durability of tissue valves. We hope to introduce one or more of these
technologies in the next two years.

In early 1996, we purchased the remaining assets of The Heart Valve Company, our
former joint venture with Hancock Jaffe Laboratories, and will apply its unique
technologies across our tissue valve products.

We continue to pursue a longer-term goal of developing the first durable
replacement heart valve that functions more like natural tissue without
requiring anticoagulants.


[PHOTO]

JOANNE LAMOREAUX TEACHES 6TH GRADE IN SOUTH JORDAN, UTAH. AFTER JOANNE RECEIVED
HER HEART VALVE IN 1993 AT THE LDS HOSPITAL IN SALT LAKE CITY, AS A CLASS
PROJECT HER STUDENTS WROTE TO ST. JUDE AND THANKED THE COMPANY FOR HELPING MRS.
LAMOREAUX.

*NOT AVAILABLE IN U.S.,
PENDING FDA APPROVAL.

                                      6

[PHOTO]

ABOVE: BIOCOR(R) FOUNDER DR. MARIO VRANDECIC AND DAVID ELIZONDO, TECHNICAL
SERVICES MANAGER AT BIOCOR, INSPECT AN SJM BIOCOR(TM) VALVE*. RIGHT: BOB ELGIN,
VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS, HEART VALVE DIVISION, WITH HEART VALVE PRODUCTS FROM
BIOCOR.

*NOT AVAILABLE IN U.S.

[PHOTO]

ABOVE: DAVE STRONACH, ST. JUDE MEDICAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE IN ONTARIO, CANADA,
WHO IS ALSO A HEART VALVE RECIPIENT, WITH THE COAGUCHEK(TM) PRODUCT*, WHICH
OFFERS EASY SELF-TESTING AT HOME FOR MEASURING BLOOD COAGULATION LEVELS WITH
ACCURATE RESULTS IN TWO MINUTES. RIGHT: DICKEY FRANSSEN-BRADER, SENIOR PRODUCT
MANAGER IN THE HEART VALVE DIVISION, OVERSEES THE INTRODUCTION OF THE
COAGUCHEK(TM) MONITORING PRODUCT. 

*NOT AVAILABLE IN U.S., PENDING FDA APPROVAL.

[PHOTO]

MEETING AT THE COMPANY'S LILLEHEI FACILITY, THE HEART VALVE DIVISION'S
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD REVIEWS TRENDS IN HEART VALVE DISEASE.

[PHOTO]

SJM(R) SEGUIN ANNULOPLASTY RING

[PHOTO]

TOM COOK WORKS WITH KIDS AT OLSON MIDDLE SCHOOL IN BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA. TOM
RECEIVED A ST. JUDE VALVE IN 1979 AFTER HIS HEALTH DRAMATICALLY DECLINED. HIS
STORY WAS RECOUNTED IN A LOCAL NEWSPAPER -- "ILLNESS TAUGHT TEACHER A LESSON IN
LIVING." WITH HIS NEW VALVE, TOM SAID, "I LIVED TO SEE MY DAUGHTER BEGIN A FILM
CAREER AND WATCH MY SON GROW UP."


In 1996, we expanded initiatives to address other important needs in the
management of heart valve disease: 

*    A January agreement with LifeNet Transplant Services enables St. Jude
     Medical to assist in the marketing of human donated allograft heart valves
     for patients who are not suitable for mechanical or bioprosthetic devices.
*    An alliance in April with Boehringer Mannheim Corporation provides
     mechanical valve patients the opportunity to use a home test kit for
     measuring anticoagulation levels. Boehringer Mannheim's CoaguChek(TM) has
     decreased the number of anticoagulation-related complications for over
     6,000 patients in Europe, reducing the cost while enhancing the quality of
     care. Together we are pursuing FDA approval to offer this device for home
     use in 1997 and plan to extend our alliance to additional markets.
*    European implants began in May of the SJM(R) Seguin annuloplasty ring used
     to correct malfunctioning mitral valves. We hold an exclusive license for
     this innovative product and expect the market for valve repair, currently
     under 10 percent of heart valve surgical procedures, to expand. FDA
     approval to offer this product in the United States was received last
     month.

Under our agreement with Heartport, Inc., worldwide clinical trials began of
Heartport's innovative Port-Access(TM) system for less-invasive heart valve
replacement and repair surgeries. Heartport recently received FDA approval of
its Port-Access(TM) system, a major regulatory milestone for both Heartport and
St. Jude Medical.

[LOGO]
HEARTPORT

The Heartport(TM) Port-Access(TM) system, in combination with a St. Jude
Medical(R) Port-Access(TM) mechanical heart valve system, allows surgical access
to the heart from small incisions between the ribs, and implantation of the
valve without cutting the chest bone and surrounding tissue.

                                      9

To date, approximately 50 patients worldwide have received a St. Jude valve
using Heartport's less-invasive technology. Surgical time is shortened, patient
trauma lessened and recovery time greatly reduced, all contributing to shorter
hospital stays and convalescence and reduced healthcare costs. We also are
monitoring other approaches to less- invasive heart valve replacement and repair
surgery.

In 1996, in honor of his major contributions to surgery, cardiovascular medicine
and St. Jude Medical, we dedicated a new training room in our Lillehei facility
to Dr. C. Walton Lillehei, who remains a major contributor to our heart valve
business.

1996 was a year of hard work and building for the future in the heart valve
business.

1997 will be a very exciting year for the division, our customers and their
patients. We anticipate more new and important product introductions than this
market has ever seen, while continuing an absolute commitment to quality without
compromise -- a commitment that began 20 years ago this October with the first
implant of the St. Jude Medical(R) mechanical heart valve.

[PHOTO]

KENT ADEE, RETIRED LONG ISLAND SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER, RECEIVED A ST. JUDE VALVE
IN 1996. KENT ENJOYS FISHING, GARDENING AND SINGING IN CHURCH WITH HIS DAUGHTER
KELLY AND WIFE CONNIE.

[PHOTO]

BUST OF DR. C. WALTON LILLEHEI IN THE COMPANY'S LILLEHEI FACILITY.

[PHOTO]

THE WOODRIDGE CARBON TECHNOLOGY TEAM -- WINNERS OF THE COMPANY'S HENDRICKSON
AWARD -- (STANDING LEFT TO RIGHT) BILL SCHEID, PAUL KELLEY, RICH RODRIGUEZ, MIKE
JACKSON, BOB ENO, (SEATED LEFT TO RIGHT) MIKE COYLE AND JIM BRAZIL.

[PHOTO]

TERRY SHEPHERD, PRESIDENT, ST. JUDE MEDICAL HEART VALVE DIVISION AND
INTERNATIONAL.

                                     10

                            CARDIAC RHYTHM MANAGEMENT

[PHOTO]

PACESETTER MICRONY(TM) SR+*
(ACTUAL SIZE)

[PIE CHART]
THE GLOBAL CARDIAC RHYTHM MANAGEMENT MARKET

*BRADYCARDIA
*TACHYCARDIA
*ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
*ATRIAL FIBRILLATION 
 (DEVELOPING MARKET)

[PHOTO]

MARTHA HUBBARD OF COVINA, CALIFORNIA, WHO RECEIVED A PACESETTER REGENCY(TM) SR+*
PACEMAKER, WITH HER PHYSICIAN, DR. MARK MYERS.

*NOT AVAILABLE IN U.S., PENDING FDA APPROVAL.



TRADITIONALLY                     
A TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN MARKET        
cardiac rhythm management (CRM)   

today presents opportunity and challenge -- rapidly evolving products, changing
customer profiles, increasing cost-benefit focus and promising advances in
clinical research.

Bradycardia, the largest and most mature of the four CRM market segments,
generates over $2.2 billion annually in pacemaker system sales to treat slow
heart rates. Two other market segments, VT/VF (ventricular
tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation) and electrophysiology, represent over $800
million of device sales to diagnose and treat fast heart rates and are
experiencing double-digit growth.

Technological innovation and advancing clinical knowledge are driving the fourth
emerging CRM segment, atrial fibrillation (AF), which affects two million U.S.
citizens per year. AF is a known precursor to stroke and is currently managed
with medication. Newer treatments involving catheter mapping and ablation and
electrical stimulation device therapy are currently under investigation.

St. Jude Medical has aggressively pursued a leadership position in the total CRM
market, expected to exceed $5 billion by the year 2000. The acquisition of
Pacesetter in 1994 provided the Company the number two position in the
bradycardia segment.

Several 1996 events essentially complete our cardiac rhythm management strategy:

*    The acquisition of Daig provides catheter core competencies and products
     and an impressive patent portfolio for electrophysiology and AF.
*    The acquisition of substantially all of Telectronics Pacing Systems' assets
     broadens our bradycardia product portfolio and provides valuable
     intellectual property.
*    The settlement of intellectual property disputes with Intermedics resolves
     pending litigation and helps facilitate our announced merger with
     Ventritex, Inc.
*    The Ventritex merger will provide our cardiac rhythm management business
     with approved, state-of-the-art ICD products and an immediate presence in
     the important and fast-growing VT/VF market. 

                                     11


[PHOTO]

ABOVE: PROCESS TECHNICIAN NAM NGUYEN OVERSEES A PROGRAMMABLE ROBOTIC COMPONENT
PLACEMENT STATION. RIGHT: JOHN DARBY, PLANT MANAGER, AND FRANK KELLY, VICE
PRESIDENT, HYBRID OPERATIONS, LED THE TEAM THAT BUILT THE NEW PACESETTER HYBRID
PRODUCTION FACILITY.

[PHOTO]

MEMBERS OF THE PACESETTER ICD TECHNOLOGY TEAM -- JIM GREEN, DR. MARK KROLL, JIM
CAUSEY AND SUE BIENKOWSKI.

[PHOTO]
TRILOGY(R) DR+

[PHOTO]
META(TM) DDDR 1256

[LOGO] 
CELLULAR TESTED

Pacesetter's 1996 accomplishments in the Bradycardia market segment helped
prepare for a substantial expansion of our CRM business

In September, the FDA approved market release of our newest, most sophisticated
pacemaker, the Trilogy(R) DR+. We initiated U.S. clinical trials of the first
commercially released AutoCapture(TM) pacing systems, Microny(TM) and
Regency(TM). Both have enjoyed wide international acceptance. The Microny(TM) is
the world's smallest pacemaker.

AutoCapture(TM) pacing systems are unique in the industry and provide the
foundation for true Automaticity(TM) in pacing therapy -- the ability of the
pacemaker to monitor patient heart beats and automatically adjust its output as
a result. Automated features address physician needs to save time while
improving patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

In 1996, Pacesetter received the only FDA approval to use the term Cellular
Tested(TM) on product labeling and literature, meaning patients with these
devices need not take special precautions when using cellular telephones, as
they are advised to do with other pacemakers that experience electrical
interference from cellular signals.

In addition, over the past year, Pacesetter:

*    Received CONFORMITE EUROPEENE (CE) Mark approval for the ADDVENT(R) VDDR
     pacing system.
*    Completed U.S. trials and European market release of the Tendril(R) DX and
     Passive PLUS(R) DX steroid-eluting leads -- expected to attain FDA approval
     this year -- and completed trials in preparation for European launch of the
     Membrane EX(TM) lead.
*    Obtained positive customer reaction to the prototype of its
     next-generation, highly automated programmer, the APS(TM) III, expected to
     reach the U.S. and European markets by the end of this year.
*    Demonstrated, in response to worldwide customer demand, the effect of a
     renewed emphasis on quality speed to market with rapid development of the
     Trilogy(R) DC+.

Our bradycardia offerings have expanded with the Telectronics line of innovative
pulse generators led by the META(TM) DDDR 1256, now approved for the U.S.
market. This device includes Telectronics' exclusive Minute Ventilation(TM)
biosensor feature and the market's first Automatic Mode Switching (AMS(TM))
capability, in its third generation. Early acceptance of the META(TM) DDDR 1256
is very encouraging.

                                       13

In addition, new Pacesetter manufacturing facilities in Scottsdale, Arizona, and
Jarfalla, Sweden, outside of Stockholm, are key elements of our vertical
integration strategy. These facilities will improve operational efficiency and
expand manufacturing capacity.

The integration of Pacesetter, Daig, Telectronics and Ventritex into a
worldwide, resource-rich CRM business is our principal priority. Progress to
date with the Telectronics integration is substantial.

Ventritex has several important ingredients for our future in the VT/VF market
segment: state-of-the-art, market-released ICD products that are well regarded
by electrophysiologists; sales and marketing teams with established customer
relationships; and a technology platform to complement the intellectual property
assets and research and development capabilities of Pacesetter and Telectronics.

1997 holds great promise for St. Jude Medical's cardiac rhythm management
business. The integration of the recent transactions provides the resources to
effectively compete in this large and growing marketplace. Our CRM business
prospects are very exciting.

[PHOTO]

PACESETTER'S STATE-OF-THE-ART HYBRID PRODUCTION FACILITY IN SCOTTSDALE,
ARIZONA.

[PHOTO]

BUEHL TRUEX, WINNER OF THE HENDRICKSON AWARD FOR HIS WORK AT PACESETTER IN PULSE
GENERATOR MECHANICAL DESIGN, WITH DAVE MORLEY, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT,
PACESETTER. 

[PHOTO]

JIM DENNIS, PRESIDENT, TELECTRONICS, AND PATRICK FOURTEAU, PRESIDENT,
PACESETTER. 

[PHOTO]

HENDRICKSON AWARD WINNER HANS ABRAHAMSSON, OF PACESETTER AB SWEDEN, FOR HIS
CONTRIBUTION TO THE APS(TM) PROGRAMMER DEVELOPMENT. 


                                       14

[PHOTO]

ABOVE: GENNARO FLORIO OF HAMDEN, CONNECTICUT, RECEIVED A TRILOGY(R) DR+ IN 1996.
GENNARO'S SON JOE, A SENIOR SCIENTIST AT PACESETTER, WORKED ON THE DESIGN OF THE
TRILOGY(R) PACEMAKER THAT NOW HELPS HIS DAD AND HIM ENJOY A GAME OF GOLF. LEFT:
JOANNE LEDESMA AND NOEL AGREDANO ARE PART OF THE MANUFACTURING TEAM THAT
ASSEMBLES PACESETTER TRILOGY(R) PULSE GENERATORS IN SYLMAR, CALIFORNIA. 

CATHETER TECHNOLOGY


THE ACQUISITION
OF DAIG WAS AN IMPORTANT STEP
in St. Jude Medical's cardiac rhythm management strategy.

With products for electrophysiology and investigational devices for atrial
fibrillation (AF), Daig provides St. Jude Medical a presence in these two
cardiac rhythm management market segments. Daig also provides an entry into
interventional cardiology (IC), where it is a market leader in hemostasis and
specialty guiding introducers.

Daig's strength with the electrophysiologist, an increasingly important
customer, is built upon two assets: a broad and technologically innovative line
of specialty catheters and guiding introducers and a strong field clinical
support capability. The Livewire(TM) EP catheter, released two years ago in the
United States for diagnostic mapping of the heart, received in 1996 the CE Mark
for mapping and ablation (surgical destruction of malfunctioning tissue to
improve electrical performance). We expect in 1997 to gain FDA approval to use
this catheter for supraventricular ablation procedures.

Atrial fibrillation, treatable but not curable with drugs, afflicts over four
million people worldwide, posing serious and costly complications. Treatment
alternatives, including catheter ablation, often with a subsequent pacemaker
implantation, show promise. Daig's Livewire(TM) system is the first ablation
product in U.S. clinical trials to treat AF.

Daig's percutaneous catheters, introducers and guiding sheaths provide
differentiated niche products to the worldwide interventional cardiology market.
Daig's Spyglass(TM) angiography catheter and the Maximum(TM) hemostasis
introducer have recently been released. The segments of the IC market in which
Daig participates are expected to reach $400 million by the year 2000.

Daig's world-class catheter technology and manufacturing expertise can be used
by St. Jude Medical in other therapeutic classes. Daig had strong growth in 1996
and will be an important contributor to St. Jude Medical in the years ahead.

[PHOTO]

JOANNE SCHNEEWIND AND JEAN LUEBKE PREPARE DAIG INTRODUCER COMPONENTS PRIOR TO
ASSEMBLY. 

[PHOTO]

LIVEWIRE(TM) EP CATHETER

[PHOTO]

SPYGLASS(TM) ANGIOGRAPHY CATHETERS 


                                       16

[PHOTO]

ABOVE: MARIE FERGUSON OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, WAS PLAGUED BY SYMPTOMS OF
CHRONIC, UNCONTROLLED ARRHYTHMIAS. HER PHYSICIAN OFFERED HER HOPE WITH A
CATHETER RF ABLATION PROCEDURE USING A DAIG PRODUCT. FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURE
MARIE IS LESS TIRED AND HER OUTLOOK ON LIFE IS MUCH IMPROVED. RIGHT: DAN STARKS,
CEO, AND MIKE COYLE, PRESIDENT, LEAD DAIG'S EXPANSION IN ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY AND
INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY. 

A GLOBAL COMPANY

MAJOR PROGRESS
IN EXPANDING OUR GLOBAL
resources occurred during 1996. Demand for

cardiovascular devices from customers beyond the United States has never been
greater. Extending our presence to take full advantage of opportunities in these
markets for all of our businesses is a major goal of St. Jude Medical.

In 1996, approximately 43 percent of our total sales came from international
markets representing over 100 countries. In 1995, 41 percent of sales came from
these same countries. Growth in international sales in 1996 exceeded 11 percent,
with all business units participating.

In markets that can support the investment required to establish a direct
presence, we are aggressively pursuing that approach to expand our business
platforms. St. Jude Medical has a significant presence throughout Western Europe
and several countries in Latin America. In 1996, we continued to expand direct
operations in Brazil, Canada and Portugal.

To take advantage of potentially explosive growth in the very diverse yet vital
Asia-Pacific market, we established a regional structure, including the
headquarters in Hong Kong and representative offices in Shanghai and Beijing.
Overall sales in the area increased more than 30 percent in 1996. In 1997, a
representative office will open in India, another significant emerging market.

In Japan, as a result of the combined efforts of our pacing distributors, Getz
Brothers and Fukuda, we maintained a market leadership position in pacing
as sales increased over 20 percent from 1995. The Company's long-time role as
the market leader in the Japanese heart valve market continued.

[PHOTO]

PACESETTER AB'S NEW EUROPEAN MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN JARFALLA, NORTH OF
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.

[PHOTO]

DAVID GREEN RECEIVED A ST. JUDE VALVE IN 1991. A COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT, HE
IS AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER WITH CHILDREN'S HEARTLINK AND WENT TO COLOMBIA AS A
MEDICAL VOLUNTEER WHERE HE MET MARIA EUGENIA VIVEROS. 


                                       18

[PHOTO]

ABOVE: IN PRAGUE FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CARDIOLOGY MEETING ARE (LEFT TO RIGHT) IVO
NEKUDO, THE COMPANY'S DISTRIBUTOR IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC; PETER VAN DER SLUIS,
AREA DIRECTOR, EASTERN EUROPE; AND ANNETTE UELZE, HEART VALVE PRODUCT MANAGER
FOR EASTERN EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA. RIGHT: HELENA MATYSOVA, OF PRAGUE,
RECEIVED A ST. JUDE MEDICAL(R) MECHANICAL HEART VALVE IN 1996. HELENA SKIS, JOGS
AND ENJOYS GARDENING.

In the Western European medical device market, estimated to grow to $50 billion
by 2003, we added Daig's catheter and introducer products to support
interventional cardiologists. Both the heart valve and pacing businesses grew,
in part due to a decision to implement a direct sales organization in Italy.

We are poised to offer ICD products in Europe, assuming the completion of the
Ventritex merger.

During 1996, we dramatically expanded the reach of St. Jude Medical into Russia
and other countries of the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle
East and certain areas of Latin America, where our business is best represented
by distributors for scale and support reasons. Important progress was made in
these regions, as sales growth in several countries approached 50 percent. We
plan to continue to take full advantage of market opportunities in a number of
emerging markets.

As we expand our product offerings in 1997 to address the different types of
cardiovascular disease around the world, our goal is to ensure that any patient,
anywhere, anytime, can access the important technologies and related support
services of St. Jude Medical.

[PHOTO]

STEVE HEALY, VICE PRESIDENT, WORLDWIDE SALES AND MARKETING FOR THE HEART VALVE
DIVISION (STANDING), MEETS WITH A GROUP OF FRENCH DOCTORS WHO WERE AMONG OVER
200 PHYSICIANS WHO TOURED THE COMPANY'S HEART VALVE MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS IN
1996.

[PHOTO]

AT AN INTERNATIONAL CLINICIANS' MEETING, RAJIV MAJAJAN, PRESIDENT OF J. MITRA
AND BROS. OF NEW DELHI, INDIA AND A COMPANY DISTRIBUTOR, DISCUSSES ASIAN MARKET
STRATEGIES WITH DR. DAVID LIK CHING CHEUNG OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
GRANTHAM HOSPITAL. 

                                       20

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL
CONDITION

(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

INTRODUCTION: The Company designs, manufactures and markets medical devices and
provides services primarily for the cardiovascular segment of the medical device
market. Principal products include the world's most frequently implanted
mechanical heart valves, tissue heart valves, bradycardia pacemakers, pacemaker
leads and specialty catheters.

The principal objective for management is to increase shareholder value. This is
accomplished through a focus on customer satisfaction, product innovation,
continual product and process improvement and investment in medical
technologies. The Company has implemented a long-term business strategy which
focuses investment on specific medical device technologies which will provide
innovative solutions to health care providers and patients.

Effective November 29, 1996, St. Jude Medical acquired substantially all of the
assets of Telectronics Pacing Systems, Inc. ("Telectronics"), a pacemaker
company, and Medtel, a distribution company in the Asia-Pacific region, both of
which were wholly owned subsidiaries of Pacific Dunlop, Ltd. The acquisition,
which was accounted for as a purchase, included a $135,000 cash payment and an
earnout provision tied to future pacing sales which could result in additional
payments of up to $40,000 over six years if certain revenue milestones are
achieved. The purchase price is also subject to adjustment based on changes to
the net asset value of Telectronics and Medtel between June 30, 1996, and
November 29, 1996. The Company and Pacific Dunlop currently disagree on the
amount of the adjustment and are following the process prescribed in the asset
sale agreement to resolve the disagreement. The Company expects that any
adjustment would be made in 1997. The Company's reported results for 1996
include Telectronics and Medtel subsequent to November 29, 1996.

Effective September 23, 1996, the Company acquired Biocor(R) Industria E
Pesquisas Ltd., a Brazilian manufacturer of tissue heart valves for $4,000 in
cash and an earn-out which could result in additional cash payments of up to
$4,000 over the next three years.

Effective May 31, 1996, the Company acquired Daig Corporation ("Daig"), a
Minnesota-based manufacturer of specialized cardiovascular devices for the
electrophysiology and interventional cardiology markets. Each share of Daig
common stock was converted into .651733 shares of Company common stock and the
Company issued 10,013,319 shares to Daig shareholders. The transaction qualifies
as a tax-free reorganization and was accounted for as a pooling of interests.
The accompanying financial statements, for all periods presented, have been
restated to include the results of Daig.

Effective September 30, 1994, St. Jude Medical acquired from Siemens AG
substantially all the worldwide assets of its cardiac rhythm management
operations ("Pacesetter") for $511,300. The acquisition represented a
significant diversification and provided the Company with its cardiac rhythm
management technology platform. The Company's fourth quarter 1994 and full year
1995 and 1996 financial results include Pacesetter's operations.

Effective January 19, 1996, the Company sold its cardiac assist operations to
C.R. Bard for approximately $24,000. Cardiac assist net sales were approximately
$12,000 and $10,500 in 1995 and 1994, respectively. Also in January, the Company
acquired the remaining 50% of The Heart Valve Company for $1,000 in cash and
149,153 shares of its common stock.

The commentary that follows should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated
Financial Statements and the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. The
Company's fiscal year is the 52 or 53 week period ending the Saturday nearest
December 31. Fiscal years 1996, 1995 and 1994 consisted of 52 weeks.

Shown in the following table for the periods indicated are the net sales by
technology platform and the percentage relationships of certain items in the
consolidated statements of income to consolidated net sales and the percentage
change of the dollar amounts of such items as compared with the prior period.
Due to the impact of the Telectronics, Medtel and Biocor acquisitions, and the
cardiac assist business divestiture, as well as the September 1994 purchase of
Pacesetter, amounts are not directly comparable between years.

                                       21

                                                                 Year-to Year
                               Percent of Net Sales          Increase/(Decrease)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            1996        1995
                              Year Ended December 31       Compared   Compared
                             1996      1995        1994    to 1995     to 1994
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net sales:
   Heart valve              33.3%      33.7%       62.2%      5%         5%
   Cardiac rhythm
     management             62.4%      60.7%       27.9%      9%       323%
   Interventional
     cardiology              4.2%       4.0%        7.2%     12%         9%
   Cardiac assist             .1%       1.6%        2.7%    (95%)       15%
- --------------------------------------------------------
Net sales                  100.0%     100.0%      100.0%      6%        94%
Cost of sales               30.5%      30.8%       28.6%      5%       110%
- --------------------------------------------------------
Gross profit                69.5%      69.2%       71.4%      7%        88%
- --------------------------------------------------------
Selling, general and
   administrative           33.6%      32.5%       27.0%     10%       133%
Research and
   development               9.3%       9.5%        6.0%      4%       208%
Purchased research
   and development           5.0%        --        10.4%     --       (100%)
Special charges              5.9%        --          --      --         --
- --------------------------------------------------------
Operating profit            15.7%      27.2%       28.0%    (39%)       89%
Other income
   (expense), net            1.8%       (.8%)       1.9%    360%      (175%)

Income before taxes         17.5%      26.4%       29.9%    (30%)       72%
Income tax provision         6.1%       8.2%        7.8%    (21%)      103%

Net income                  11.4%      18.2%       22.1%    (34%)       61%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[BAR GRAPH]
NET SALES
(IN MILLIONS)

* UNITED STATES
* INTERNATIONAL

NET SALES: Net sales totalled $808,780 in 1996, a $46,945, or 6%, increase over
1995 net sales of $761,835. Excluding the approximately $8,000 of Telectronics
net sales subsequent to its acquisition and the results of the cardiac assist
business, which was sold in January 1996, net sales increased approximately 7%
over 1995 net sales.

Sales outside the U.S. improved from 41% of net sales in 1995 to 43% in 1996
reflecting increasing sales in higher growth, developing foreign markets.
Unfavorable foreign currency effects due to the stronger U.S. dollar reduced
1996 net sales compared to 1995 by approximately $4,200. This negative impact on
sales was offset by a favorable foreign currency impact on operating expenses
and gains relating to the Company's hedging activities, which were recorded in
other income.

Heart valve net sales of approximately $269,000 increased 5% in 1996 despite
worldwide healthcare reform and increased competition which continued to put
pressure on the number of procedures performed as well as pricing flexibility.
Heart valve 1995 sales levels benefited from substantial non-recurring second
and third quarter sales to Iran. Excluding these non-recurring sales, 1996 net
sales would have increased 7% over 1995 net sales.

Domestic mechanical heart valve net sales increased in 1996 due to the full year
availability of the St. Jude Medical(R) mechanical heart valve SJM(R) Masters
Series valve and general price increases that were partially offset by a slight
reduction in unit sales due to a reduction in procedures and hospital inventory
management. International mechanical heart valve net sales in 1996 were more
than 7% higher than 1995. This resulted mainly from increased unit sales in the
developing markets of Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific
regions. Tissue heart valve net sales in 1996 increased significantly from 1995
levels due to the continuing physician acceptance of the Toronto SPV(R) valve
and the September 1996 acquisition of Biocor(R) Industria E Pesquisas Ltd., a
Brazilian manufacturer of tissue heart valves.

[BAR GRAPH]
NET SALES
(IN MILLIONS)

* HEART VALVES
* CARDIAC RHYTHM MANAGEMENT
* INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY

Cardiac rhythm management net sales of approximately $504,000 increased 9% from
1995 levels. Pacesetter's higher sales level resulted from a 12% increase in
units partially offset by a 5% decrease in average selling prices because of
pricing pressures and more units being sold in lower priced developing markets.
Domestic pacemaker sales were affected by the lack of a competitive auto mode
switching feature in the Company's Trilogy(R) line for the first nine months of
1996. Subsequent to the early fourth quarter FDA approval of the Trilogy(R) DR+
pacemaker, which has this feature, domestic sales increased at twice the rate in
the fourth quarter compared with the average sales increase during the first
nine months. Telectronics sales totalled almost $8,000 in December 1996. Daig's
sales of electrophysiology catheters and related products increased by over 50%
in 1996 compared with 1995.

                                       22

Interventional cardiology net sales of approximately $34,000 increased 12% over
1995 due to increased sales and marketing activities in the U.S. market and to
the introduction of new products.

Net sales in 1995 of $761,835 were $369,886 or 94% higher than 1994 net sales of
$391,949. Approximately $349,000 of the increase was attributable to the full
year effect of the Pacesetter acquisition and increased Pacesetter sales. The
increase also resulted from higher mechanical heart valve sales in emerging
international markets and increased Daig sales due to new product introductions
and expanded marketing programs. Domestic mechanical heart valve sales increased
due to the full year availability of the St. Jude Medical(R) Hemodynamic Plus
Series valves and general price increases that were partially offset by a
reduction in unit sales.

COST OF SALES: As a percentage of net sales, cost of sales in 1996 decreased to
30.5% from 30.8% in 1995 primarily as a result of manufacturing efficiencies, an
increase in the percentage of internally produced Fmechanical heart valve
components and the elimination of a 2% mechanical heart valve royalty payment
during the first quarter 1995. The decrease in cost of sales was partially
offset by the negative foreign currency impact on net sales, average selling
price decreases due to higher unit sales in lower margin emerging markets and
pricing pressure in the cardiac rhythm management business.

In 1995, cost of sales as a percentage of sales increased to 30.8% from 28.6% in
1994 primarily as a result of Pacesetter operations. Although Pacesetter margins
are consistent with the industry, its margins are not as high as the Company's
heart valve margins. In addition, the Company pays an approximate 5.5% royalty
on all cardiac rhythm management product sales. The increase was also
attributable to a higher percentage of mechanical heart valve sales into lower
margin emerging markets and a price increase from the Company's supplier of
pyrolytic carbon components. These increases were partially offset by the
elimination of a 2% mechanical heart valve royalty payment during the first
quarter 1995.

SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE: Selling, general and administrative (SG&A)
expense increased in 1996 to $272,121 from $247,389 in 1995. As a percentage of
net sales, SG&A increased to 33.6% in 1996 from 32.5% in 1995. The higher dollar
amount and percentage of net sales increases were mainly due to the continued
move to direct sales particularly in Canada, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific
region, as well as increased expenditures for European and information systems
infrastructure. SG&A in 1996 also included Telectronics subsequent to the
November 29, 1996 acquisition date.

During 1995, selling, general and administrative expense increased $141,418 over
1994 levels, which was mainly attributable to the Pacesetter operations. Selling
efforts for pacemakers are much more labor intensive and the Company uses a
commission-based independent contractor sales force in the U.S. and distributors
in all international markets except Western Europe. In addition, Pacesetter
related goodwill amortization was recorded for the full year in 1995 compared to
only one quarter in 1994. SG&A expenses also increased due to additional
marketing costs attributable to expanded coverage in the Pacific Rim and Latin
American markets and an increased infrastructure in Western Europe as a result
of the Pacesetter acquisition.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: Research and development (R&D) expense in 1996
increased to $74,841 from $72,305 recorded in 1995, but as a percentage of net
sales decreased to 9.3% from 9.5%. The dollar increase was attributable
primarily to Pacesetter which has major ongoing R&D programs in the areas of
bradycardia pacemakers and tachycardia defibrillators as well as development of
a new programmer. R&D spending for the heart valve business increased slightly
due to tissue valve research while Daig R&D spending decreased slightly. R&D in
1996 also included Telectronics subsequent to the acquisition date.

[BAR GRAPH]
RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT
(IN MILLIONS)

                                       23

In 1995, research and development expense increased to $72,305 from $23,471
recorded in 1994. The increase mainly resulted from the full year effect of
Pacesetter's operations. A slight decrease in R&D for the heart valve business
resulted from the completion of certain phases of the development of the SJM(R)
Masters Series rotatable heart valve which was introduced in 1995. Daig R&D
expense increased in 1995 principally due to electrophysiology catheter
development efforts.

PURCHASED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: In 1996, the Company incurred $40,350 of
non-cash purchased research and development charges, representing the appraised
value of in-process R&D which must be expensed under generally accepted
accounting principles for purchase accounting. The purchased R&D related to the
acquisitions of The Heart Valve Company ($5,000), Telectronics ($32,200) and
Biocor ($3,150).

The Pacesetter acquisition was also accounted for as a purchase and a non-cash
charge of $40,800 for purchased research and development was incurred in 1994.

SPECIAL CHARGES: In 1996 the Company recorded $47,808 of special charges which
consisted of a $25,000 payment to Intermedics, Inc. to resolve various patent
and legal disputes, repositioning charges of $11,100 related to its tissue heart
valve business, distributor termination related charges of $7,700 in support of
the Company's continued move to direct sales, integration charges of $2,200 to
be incurred by Pacesetter as a result of the Telectronics acquisition, and
non-recurring special charges of $1,808.

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE): Other income in 1996 totalled $15,053 compared to other
expense of $5,790 in 1995. Interest expense during 1996 decreased to $3,537 from
$12,962 in 1995 due to the elimination of Pacesetter acquisition debt which was
repaid by the end of third quarter 1996. This was partially offset by interest
expense on the fourth quarter 1996 borrowings in support of the Telectronics and
Medtel acquisitions and a settlement payment to Intermedics, Inc. In addition,
several non-recurring 1996 transactions increased other income over 1995,
including a gain on sale of the Company's cardiac assist business and the
successful completion of litigation related to the terminated Electromedics'
acquisition which were partially offset by transaction costs associated with the
Daig acquisition. The Company also recorded increased foreign exchange hedging
gains and gains on the sale of various investments in 1996.

Other expense totalled $5,790 in 1995 compared to other income of $7,680 in
1994. Interest expense in 1995 increased significantly over 1994 levels as a
result of a full year of debt as opposed to one quarter of debt associated with
the Pacesetter acquisition. Due to fluctuations in the U.S. dollar and a shift
in the relationship between European currencies, foreign exchange contract gains
and foreign exchange transaction gains were recorded in 1995 compared to losses
recorded in 1994.

INCOME TAX PROVISION: The Company's 1996 effective income tax rate was 35.0%
compared to 31.1% in 1995. The increase was primarily attributable to changes to
Treasury regulations pertaining to taxation of Puerto Rican operations, which
were finalized in the second quarter 1996 retroactive to the beginning of 1996,
as well as to non-deductible expenses associated with the Daig acquisition and
to separate previously legislated changes relating to taxation of Puerto Rican
operations. The Treasury regulation changes have significantly reduced tax
benefits derived from the Company's Puerto Rican operations.

The Company's 1995 effective income tax rate increased to 31.1% from 26.3% in
1994. The higher rate resulted from lower tax advantaged investment income,
income from Pacesetter operations which is generally taxed at a higher rate than
the Company's previously existing business and reduced tax benefits derived from
the Company's Puerto Rican operations.

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 significantly reduced the tax
benefits which were previously available from income generated by the Company's
Puerto Rican operations under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 936. As a
result of this legislation, Puerto Rican tax benefits were reduced by 50% in
1996, 45% in 1995 and 40% in 1994.

NET INCOME: Reported net income for 1996 -- including the effect of pre-tax
purchased R&D charges of $40,350, special charges of $47,808 and Telectronics
post-acquisition operating losses of approximately $5,600 -- was $92,181, or
$1.12 per share. Without these items, net income on a comparable business basis
would have been $153,500, or $1.87 per share.

                                       24

OUTLOOK: The Company expects that market demands, government regulation and
societal pressures will continue to change the healthcare industry worldwide
resulting in further business consolidations and alliances. To meet customer
needs, the Company intends to continue to pursue diversification opportunities
in the form of acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships and strategic business
alliances. In addition, the Company will participate with industry groups to
promote the introduction and use of advanced medical device technology within a
cost conscious environment. Finally, customer service in the form of
cost-effective clinical outcomes will continue to be a primary focus for the
Company.

In 1996, competition continued to increase in the Company's heart valve
business; however, the Company estimates it held its share of the worldwide
heart valve market. During 1996, increased domestic competition resulted in a
slight reduction in domestic unit demand for the Company's products.
International unit sales growth exceeded 6% reflecting continued penetration of
emerging markets. Competition is anticipated to place pressure on pricing and
terms and healthcare reform is expected to result in further hospital
consolidations over time.

The Company's cardiac rhythm management business is also in a highly competitive
market. During 1996, the Company introduced to the market several new pulse
generators and pacemaker lead products. Rapid technological change is expected
to continue, requiring the Company to invest heavily in R&D and to effectively
market its products.

As provided for in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the
Company cautions investors that a number of factors could cause actual future
results of operations to vary from those anticipated in previously made
forward-looking statements and any other forward-looking statements made in this
document and elsewhere by or on behalf of the Company. Net sales could be
materially affected by legislative or administrative reforms to the U.S.
Medicare and Medicaid systems or other non-U.S. reimbursement systems in a
manner that would significantly reduce reimbursement for procedures using the
Company's medical devices, the acquisition of key patents by competitors that
would have the effect of excluding the Company from new market segments,
healthcare industry consolidation resulting in customer demands for price
concessions, products introduced by competitors with advanced technology and
better features and benefits or lower prices, fewer procedures performed in a
cost-conscious environment, and the lengthy approval time by the FDA or other
government authorities to clear implantable medical devices for commercial
release. Cost of sales could be materially affected by unfavorable developments
in the area of products liability and price increases from the Company's
suppliers of critical components, a number of which are sole sourced. Operations
could be affected by the Company's ability to execute its diversification
strategy or to integrate acquired companies, a serious earthquake affecting the
Company's Pacesetter facility in Los Angeles, California, adverse developments
in the litigation arising from the acquisitions of Telectronics and Ventritex,
unanticipated product failures and attempts by competitors to gain market share
through aggressive marketing programs. The Company expects to incur significant
charges in connection with its merger with Ventritex, Inc. and the Telectronics
and Ventritex businesses are presently reporting operating losses.

The Company anticipates that its 1997 effective income tax rate may increase due
to a higher ratio of Pacesetter and Daig income which is generally taxed at a
higher rate than the Company's heart valve income, reduced Puerto Rican income
as a percentage of total income and a lower Puerto Rican tax benefit as IRC
Section 936 tax benefits are reduced by an additional 5% per year through 1998.
Legislation was also passed in 1996 to phase out the Section 936 tax benefit
over a ten year period which will further negatively impact the Company's
effective tax rate. In addition, the IRS has proposed an adjustment of
approximately $16,600 in additional taxes relating primarily to the Company's
Puerto Rican operations in 1990 and 1991. It is likely that similar adjustments
will be proposed for subsequent years. The Company is vigorously contesting the
proposed adjustment.

On October 23, 1996, the Company and Ventritex, Inc. ("Ventritex") signed a
definitive agreement for a tax-free, stock-for-stock merger. The merger is
subject to regulatory approvals and Ventritex shareholder approval. There can be
no assurance given as to if and when the merger will be concluded.

                                       25

FINANCIAL CONDITION

SUMMARY: The financial condition of the Company remained strong during 1996. The
$255,000 of debt incurred in the fourth quarter 1994 with respect to the
Pacesetter acquisition was fully repaid by the end of third quarter 1996, but
$172,000 of new debt was incurred in the fourth quarter 1996 relating to the
Telectronics and Medtel acquisitions and the payment to Intermedics. Cash and
marketable securities decreased to $184,570 at December 31, 1996, from $187,382
at December 31, 1995. Working capital, the difference between current assets and
current liabilities, was $371,268 at December 31, 1996, a $16,497 increase from
the prior year end level attributable primarily to the Telectronics aquisition.

LIQUIDITY: Company operations provide a strong, positive cash flow which is more
than sufficient to meet the Company's operational requirements. Cash provided by
operations in 1996 amounted to $134,520 compared to $185,172 in 1995. The
current ratio was 2.3 to 1 at December 31, 1996.

The Company has a $130,000 long-term revolving line of credit through July 2001
with a seven member banking syndicate comprised of banks in the United States
and other countries where it conducts its business. At December 31, 1996, the
Company had $10,000 available under the line. The Company also maintains other
non-committed credit facilities which it utilizes to supplement the revolving
line of credit.

Accounts receivable increased approximately $36,000 in 1996 principally due to
increased sales, a shift in sales to emerging markets with longer payment cycles
and the acquisition of Telectronics. Inventories increased approximately $36,000
primarily as a result of expanded product offerings in both the heart valve and
cardiac rhythm management businesses and the acquisition of Telectronics. Net
property, plant and equipment increased almost $106,000 due to the construction
of two new Pacesetter facilities in Arizona and Sweden, pacemaker programmer
investments and the acquisitions of Telectronics and Biocor.

[BAR GRAPH]
CASH FLOWS
FROM OPERATIONS
(IN MILLIONS)

Cash flow from operations and access to additional capital will enable the
Company to pursue further diversification opportunities and to fund expected
capital expenditures. During 1997, the Company will fund the completion of
cardiac rhythm management manufacturing facilities in both the U.S. and Sweden.
In addition, the Company will continue to invest in its information systems and
telecommunications infrastructure.

CAPITAL: The Company's capital structure consists of equity and interest bearing
debt. Interest bearing debt as a percent of total capital was 17.1% at December
31, 1996, an increase from 14.0% at December 31, 1995. The ratio of debt to cash
flow from operations increased from .6/1 to 1.3/1.

Cash dividends paid to shareholders in 1994 were $13,935. The Company
discontinued its cash dividend subsequent to the third quarter 1994 in order to
accelerate debt repayment and to provide additional funds for investment in new
businesses.

OUTLOOK: Management is unaware of any adverse business trends that would
materially affect the Company's strong financial position. Should suitable
investment opportunities arise that would require additional financing,
management believes that the Company's excellent earnings, strong cash flow and
solid balance sheet provide a substantial basis to obtain additional financing
at highly competitive rates and terms.

[BAR GRAPH]
CAPITAL STRUCTURE
(IN MILLIONS)

* EQUITY
* DEBT

                                       26

REPORT OF MANAGEMENT

The management of St. Jude Medical, Inc. is responsible for the preparation,
integrity and objectivity of the accompanying financial statements. The
financial statements were prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles and include amounts which reflect management's best
estimates based on its informed judgement and consideration given to
materiality. Management is also responsible for the accuracy of the related data
in the annual report and its consistency with the financial statements.

In the opinion of management, the Company's accounting systems and procedures,
and related internal controls, provide reasonable assurance that transactions
are executed in accordance with management's intention and authorization, that
financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, and that assets are properly accounted for and
safeguarded. The concept of reasonable assurance is based on the recognition
that there are inherent limitations in all systems of internal control, and that
the cost of such systems should not exceed the benefits to be derived therefrom.
Management reviews and modifies the system of internal controls to improve its
effectiveness. The effectiveness of the controls system is supported by the
selection, retention and training of qualified personnel, an organizational
structure that provides an appropriate division of responsibility and a strong
budgeting system of control.

St. Jude Medical, Inc. also recognizes its responsibility for fostering a strong
ethical climate so that the Company's affairs are conducted according to the
highest standards of personal and business conduct. This responsibility is
reflected in the Company's business ethics policy.

The adequacy of the Company's internal accounting controls, the accounting
principles employed in its financial reporting and the scope of independent and
internal audits are reviewed by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors,
consisting solely of outside directors. The independent auditors and internal
auditor meet with, and have confidential access to, the Audit Committee to
discuss the results of their audit work.

/s/ Ronald A. Matricaria

Ronald A. Matricaria
CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER


/s/ Stephen L. Wilson

Stephen L. Wilson
VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 


REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


Board of Directors
St. Jude Medical, Inc.
St. Paul, Minnesota

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of St. Jude
Medical, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1996 and 1995 and the related
consolidated statements of income, shareholders' equity and cash flows for each
of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1996. These financial
statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on
our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the consolidated financial position of St. Jude Medical,
Inc. and subsidiaries at December 31, 1996 and 1995 and the consolidated results
of their operations and cash flows for each of the three years in the period
ended December 31, 1996, in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Minneapolis, Minnesota
February 5, 1997

                                       27

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Year Ended December 31                              1996           1995            1994
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                           <C>            <C>             <C>         
Net sales                                     $    808,780   $    761,835    $    391,949
Cost of sales                                      246,896        234,830         112,087
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gross profit                                       561,884        527,005         279,862

Selling, general and administrative expense        272,121        247,389         105,971
Research and development expense                    74,841         72,305          23,471
Purchased research and development charges          40,350           --            40,800
Special charges                                     47,808           --              --
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating profit                                   126,764        207,311         109,620

Other income (expense), net                         15,053         (5,790)          7,680
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income before taxes                                141,817        201,521         117,300

Income tax provision                                49,636         62,673          30,850
=========================================================================================

Net income                                    $     92,181   $    138,848    $     86,450


Earnings per share:
   Primary                                    $       1.12   $       1.71    $       1.08
   Fully diluted                              $       1.12   $       1.70    $       1.07
=========================================================================================

Cash dividends paid per share                 $       --     $       --      $       0.20
=========================================================================================
Average shares outstanding:
   Primary                                      81,953,000     80,988,000      80,085,000
   Fully diluted                                82,244,000     81,464,000      80,432,000
=========================================================================================

</TABLE>

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

                                       28

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)

December 31                                                               1996           1995
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                                  <C>            <C>        
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents                                            $    41,124    $    34,767
Marketable securities                                                    143,446        152,615
Accounts receivable, less allowance (1996 - $7,678, 1995 - $9,361)       205,869        169,690
Inventories:
   Finished goods                                                        115,795         82,176
   Work in process                                                        26,255         27,544
   Raw materials                                                          57,425         53,583
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total inventories                                                        199,475        163,303
Prepaid income taxes                                                      44,234         15,930
Other current assets                                                      30,462         15,909
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total current assets                                                     664,610        552,214
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Land                                                                      14,232          9,949
Buildings and improvements                                                57,472         46,014
Machinery and equipment                                                  202,375        142,311
Construction in progress                                                  66,863         19,315
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gross property, plant and equipment                                      340,942        217,589
   Less accumulated depreciation                                         (73,228)       (55,519)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net property, plant and equipment                                        267,714        162,070
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER ASSETS                                                             369,043        339,532
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL ASSETS                                                         $ 1,301,367    $ 1,053,816
================================================================================================

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable                                                     $   191,820    $    79,894
Accrued income taxes                                                      24,205         41,346
Accrued employee compensation and related taxes                           44,374         45,503
Other accrued expenses                                                    32,943         30,700
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total current liabilities                                                293,342        197,443
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES
Long-term debt                                                           172,000        120,000
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONTINGENCIES
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share -
   25,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued
Common stock, par value $.10 per share -
   250,000,000 shares authorized; issued and outstanding
   1996 - 81,009,796 shares; 1995 - 79,921,597 shares                      8,101          7,992
Additional paid-in capital                                                63,783         34,769
Retained earnings                                                        772,223        680,042
Cumulative translation adjustment                                            386          4,319
Unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities                   (8,028)         9,691
Receivable for stock issued                                                 (440)          (440)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total shareholders' equity                                               836,025        736,373
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY                           $ 1,301,367    $ 1,053,816
================================================================================================

</TABLE>

See notes to consolidated financial statements.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                       29

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)


                                            Common Stock
                                   -----------------------------        Additional
                                    Number of                            Paid-In          Retained
                                     Shares              Amount          Capital          Earnings
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                               <C>              <C>               <C>              <C>        
Balance December 31, 1993          79,520,007       $     7,953       $    27,688      $   468,679
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Net income                                                                                  86,450
Issuance of common stock
   upon exercise of stock
   options, net of taxes
   withheld                           107,658                10               704              
Tax benefit realized upon
   exercise of stock options                                                  223               
Cash dividends
   ($.20 per share)                                                                        (13,935)
Purchase and retirement
   of common shares                                                          (125)             
Translation adjustment                            
Unrealized gain on
   investments, net of taxes              
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance December 31, 1994          79,627,665             7,963            28,490          541,194
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net income                                                                                 138,848
Issuance of common stock
   upon exercise of stock
   options, net of taxes
   withheld                           293,932                29             4,930            
Tax benefit realized upon
   exercise of stock options                                                1,349             
Translation adjustment                       
Unrealized gain on
   investments, net of taxes            
Receivable for stock issued              
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance December 31, 1995          79,921,597             7,992            34,769          680,042
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net income                                                                                  92,181
Issuance of common stock
   upon exercise of stock
   options, net of taxes
   withheld                           939,046                94            17,328           
Tax benefit realized upon
   exercise of stock options                                                5,701             
Issuance of common stock
   for business acquired              149,153                15             5,985            
Translation adjustment                 
Unrealized gain (loss) on
   investments, net of taxes          
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BALANCE DECEMBER 31, 1996          81,009,796       $     8,101       $    63,783      $   772,223
===================================================================================================

</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

[WIDE TABLE CONTINUED FROM ABOVE]


                                    Cumulative           Unrealized        Receivable         Total
                                    Translation        Gain (Loss) on      for Stock      Shareholders'
                                    Adjustment          Investments         Issued           Equity
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                               <C>               <C>               <C>               <C>          
Balance December 31, 1993          $    (3,609)      $      --         $      --         $   500,711  
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      
Net income                                                                                    86,450
Issuance of common stock                                                                              
   upon exercise of stock                                                                             
   options, net of taxes                                                                         714
   withheld                                                                                           
Tax benefit realized upon                                                                        223
   exercise of stock options                                                                          
Cash dividends                                                                               (13,935)
   ($.20 per share)                                                                                   
Purchase and retirement                                                                               
   of common shares                                                                             (125)
Translation adjustment                   1,125                                                 1,125
Unrealized gain on                                                                                    
   investments, net of taxes                                 686                                 686
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance December 31, 1994               (2,484)              686              --             575,849  
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net income                                                                                   138,848
Issuance of common stock                                                                              
   upon exercise of stock                                                                             
   options, net of taxes                                                                              
   withheld                                                                                    4,959
Tax benefit realized upon                                                                             
   exercise of stock options                                                                   1,349
Translation adjustment                   6,803                                                 6,803
Unrealized gain on                                                                                    
   investments, net of taxes                               9,005                               9,005
Receivable for stock issued                                                   (440)             (440)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance December 31, 1995                4,319             9,691              (440)          736,373  
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net income                                                                                    92,181
Issuance of common stock                                                                              
   upon exercise of stock                                                                             
   options, net of taxes                                                                      17,422
   withheld                                                                                           
Tax benefit realized upon                                                                             
   exercise of stock options                                                                   5,701
Issuance of common stock                                                                              
   for business acquired                                                                       6,000
Translation adjustment                  (3,933)                                               (3,933)
Unrealized gain (loss) on                                                                             
   investments, net of taxes                             (17,719)                            (17,719)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BALANCE DECEMBER 31, 1996          $       386       $    (8,028)      $      (440)      $   836,025  
=====================================================================================================

</TABLE>

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                       30

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)

Year Ended December 31                                                       1996        1995          1994
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                                      <C>          <C>          <C>      
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income                                                               $  92,181    $ 138,848    $  86,450
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
   provided by operating activities:
      Depreciation                                                          25,445       21,524        9,218
      Amortization                                                          19,490       20,102        7,816
      Purchased research and development charges                            40,350         --         40,800
      Special charges                                                       20,586         --           --
      Gain on sale of business                                             (10,486)        --           --
      Changes in operating assets and liabilities net of acquisitions:
         Increase in accounts receivable                                   (22,038)     (19,245)     (23,885)
         Increase in inventories                                              (868)     (23,499)      (4,965)
         Decrease (increase) in other current assets                       (13,108)       1,289       (9,516)
         Increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses                   7,734       38,482        8,018
         Increase (decrease) in accrued income taxes                       (11,558)      20,288       (3,334)
         Increase in prepaid and deferred income taxes                     (13,208)     (12,617)     (14,331)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES                                  134,520      185,172       96,271
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchases of property, plant and equipment                                 (95,018)     (44,935)     (20,836)
Purchases of marketable securities                                         (27,000)     (26,524)     (88,760)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of marketable securities                     21,044       14,500      308,761
Investments in companies, joint ventures and partnerships                     (155)      (3,701)     (13,564)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired                                        (117,800)      13,000     (524,300)
Proceeds from sale of business                                              24,204         --           --
Other investing activities                                                  (2,528)       2,694       (7,686)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES                                     (197,253)     (44,966)    (346,385)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from exercise of stock options                                     17,422        4,514          644
Cash dividends paid                                                           --           --        (13,935)
Common stock repurchased                                                      --           --           (125)
Proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt                               172,000         --        255,000
Repayment of long-term debt                                               (120,000)    (135,000)        --
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES                         69,422     (130,486)     241,584
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Effect of currency exchange rate changes on cash                              (332)         647          567
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS                             6,357       10,367       (7,963)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR                              34,767       24,400       32,363
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF YEAR                                 $  41,124    $  34,767    $  24,400
=============================================================================================================

</TABLE>

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

                                       31

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)

NOTE 1 SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

NATURE OF OPERATIONS: St. Jude Medical, Inc. develops, manufactures and
distributes medical devices with an emphasis on cardiac care products and
services. The Company's products are sold in more than 100 countries. Principal
products include prosthetic heart valves, pacemakers and electrophysiology and
interventional catheters. The main markets for these products are the United
States, Western Europe and Japan. In the United States, the Company uses a
direct employee-based sales organization for its heart valve and catheter
products and a combination of independent contractors and an employee-based
sales organization for its pacemaker products. In Western Europe, the Company
has a direct sales presence in 14 countries. Throughout the rest of the world,
the Company principally uses distributor-based sales organizations.

PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION: The consolidated financial statements include the
accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. Significant
intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Certain reclassifications of previously reported amounts have been made to
conform with the current year presentation.

USE OF ESTIMATES: The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates
and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and
accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

ACCOUNTING PERIOD: The Company's fiscal year is the 52 or 53 week period ending
the Saturday nearest December 31. Fiscal years 1996, 1995 and 1994 consist of 52
weeks.

TRANSLATION OF FOREIGN CURRENCIES: Assets and liabilities of the Company's
foreign subsidiaries are translated at exchange rates in effect on reporting
dates and differences due to changing exchange rates are recorded as "cumulative
translation adjustment" in shareholders' equity. Income and expenses are
translated at rates which approximate those in effect on transaction dates.

CASH EQUIVALENTS: Cash equivalents, consisting of liquid investments with a
maturity of three months or less when purchased, are stated at cost which
approximates market.

INVENTORIES: Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Cost is
determined under the first-in, first-out method. Allowances are made for
slow-moving, obsolete, unsalable or unusable inventories.

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION: Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123,
"Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation," encourages but does not require
companies to record compensation cost for stock-based compensation plans at fair
value. The Company has elected to continue to account for stock-based
compensation using the intrinsic value method prescribed in Accounting
Principles Board Opinion No. 25, "Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees" and
related Interpretations. See Note 5.

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT AND DEPRECIATION: Property, plant and equipment
are stated at cost and are depreciated using the straight line method based on
useful lives of 31.5 to 39 years for buildings and improvements and three to
seven years for machinery and equipment. Accelerated depreciation is used by the
Company for tax accounting purposes only.

LONG-LIVED ASSETS: The Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards (FAS) No. 121, "Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and
for Long-Lived Assets to Be Disposed Of," in 1996. FAS No. 121 requires
impairment losses to be recorded on long-lived assets used in operations when
indicators of impairment are present and the undiscounted cash flows estimated
to be generated by those assets are less than the assets' carrying amount. There
was no financial impact to the Company upon adopting FAS No. 121.

REVENUE RECOGNITION: The Company's general practice is to recognize revenues
from product sales as shipped and for services as performed. For certain
products, the Company maintains consigned inventory at customer locations. For
these products, revenue is recognized at the time the Company is notified that
the device has been used.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: Research and development expense includes all
expenditures for general research into scientific phenomena, development of
useful ideas into merchantable products and continuing support and upgrading of
various products. All such expense is charged to operations as incurred.

EARNINGS PER SHARE: Primary and fully diluted earnings per share are computed by
dividing net income for the year by the weighted average number of shares of
common stock and common stock equivalents outstanding.

NOTE 2 ACQUISITIONS

On September 30, 1994, the Company acquired substantially all of the Siemens AG
worldwide cardiac rhythm management business ("Pacesetter") for $511,300. The
acquisition was accounted for under the purchase accounting method. Goodwill is
amortized on a straight line basis over 20 years. The results of Pacesetter's
operations have been included in the consolidated results of operations from the
date of acquisition. 

                                       32

In conjunction with the Pacesetter acquisition, the Company recorded a non-cash
pre-tax charge of $40,800 relating to that portion of the purchase price
attributable to purchased research and development. The purchased research and
development charge represents the appraised value of the in-process research and
development that must be expensed under generally accepted accounting
principles.

On November 29, 1996, the Company acquired from Pacific Dunlop, Ltd.
substantially all of the worldwide cardiac rhythm management assets of
Telectronics Pacing Systems, Inc. ("Telectronics") for $135 million. The initial
price can be adjusted upward or downward based upon the change in net asset
value between June 30, 1996 and November 29, 1996. The Company and Pacific
Dunlop, Ltd. currently disagree about the final adjustment to the purchase price
and are following procedures in the purchase agreement to resolve their
differences. The Company expects that any adjustment to the purchase price would
be recorded in 1997. The acquisition was accounted for under the purchase
accounting method. Goodwill of approximately $76,000 including approximately
$43,000 of consolidation charges, is amortized on a straight line basis over 20
years. During 1997, the Company expects to consolidate Telectronics operations
into its Pacesetter operations and plans to close Telectronics manufacturing
facilities. The results of Telectronics operations have been included in the
consolidated results of operations from the date of acquisition. In conjunction
with the Telectronics acquisition, the Company recorded a pre-tax charge of
$32,200 relating to that portion of the purchase price attributable to purchased
research and development.

The following unaudited pro forma information has been prepared assuming that
the acquisition of Pacesetter had occurred at the beginning of 1993 and the
acquisition of Telectronics had occurred at the beginning of 1995. Pro forma
adjustments include amortization of goodwill, increased interest expense,
decreased interest income and the related income tax effects. Pro forma results
are not necessarily indicative of the results that would have occurred had the
acquisitions actually taken place at the beginning of the specified periods, or
the expected results of future operations.

                       1996       1995       1994
===================================================
Net sales            $905,295   $921,920   $696,739
Net income           $ 19,060   $ 93,362   $119,174
Earnings per share   $   0.23   $   1.15   $   1.49
===================================================


On September 23, 1996, the Company acquired Biocor(R) Industria E Pesquisas
Ltd., a Brazilian tissue heart valve manufacturer for $4,000 in cash and an
earn-out which could result in additional cash payments of up to $4,000 over the
next three years. On January 5, 1996, the Company acquired the remaining shares
of The Heart Valve Company for $1,000 in cash and 149,153 shares of its common
stock. In connection with the acquisitions of Biocor and The Heart Valve
Company, the Company recorded pre-tax charges of $3,150 and $5,000,
respectively, relating to purchased research and development. The results of
Biocor and The Heart Valve Company have been included in the Company's results
of operations since the dates of acquisition and were not material.

On May 31, 1996, the Company acquired Daig Corporation ("Daig"), a manufacturer
of specialized cardiovascular devices for the electrophysiology and
interventional cardiology markets. Each share of Daig common stock was converted
into .651733 shares of Company common stock. The Company issued 9,929,897 shares
to Daig shareholders. Additionally, one outstanding option to acquire 128,000
shares of Daig common stock was converted to an option to acquire 83,422 shares
of Company common stock. The transaction qualified as a tax-free reorganization
and was accounted for as a pooling of interests. The accompanying financial
statements, for all periods presented, have been restated to include the results
of Daig, which were not material.

NOTE 3 SPECIAL CHARGES

Results of operations for 1996 include pre-tax charges recorded in the fourth
quarter of $47,808 for costs relating to patent and litigation settlements and
repositioning several of the Company's operations. Patent and other legal
disputes between Pacesetter and a third party were settled for $25,000. The
repositioning charges of $22,808 related to the planned consolidation of tissue
heart valve manufacturing operations ($11,100), the termination of various
distributor agreements in conjunction with the conversion to direct sales
($7,700), the realignment of Pacesetter manufacturing operations in connection
with the Telectronics integration ($2,200), and other non-recurring expenses
($1,808).

NOTE 4 INCOME TAXES

The components of income before taxes were as follows:

                          1996         1995       1994
========================================================
Domestic              $ 142,236    $ 183,525   $ 108,249
Foreign                    (419)      17,996       9,051
- --------------------------------------------------------
Income before taxes   $ 141,817    $ 201,521   $ 117,300
========================================================

                                       33

The components of the income tax provision were as follows:

                             1996        1995        1994
===========================================================
Current:
  Federal                 $ 63,005    $ 47,281    $ 36,368
  State and Puerto Rico      9,676      11,518      10,217
  Foreign                    1,022       6,226       3,107
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Total current               73,703      65,025      49,692
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Deferred:
  Prepaid                  (28,304)     (7,329)     (5,757)
  Deferred                   4,237       4,977     (13,085)
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Total deferred             (24,067)     (2,352)    (18,842)
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Income tax provision      $ 49,636    $ 62,673    $ 30,850
===========================================================


Deferred income tax assets (liabilities) were comprised of the following at
December 31:

                                                   1996        1995
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Deferred income tax asset:
  Inventory (intercompany profit in inventory
    and excess of tax over book valuation)      $ 12,429    $ 16,590
  Intangibles                                     30,915      10,728
  Accruals not currently deductible                5,825       7,923
  Unrealized loss on investments                   5,029        --
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Deferred income tax asset                         54,198      35,241
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Deferred income tax liability:
  Unrealized gain on investments                    --        (5,830)
  Accumulated depreciation                        (7,757)     (7,037)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Deferred income tax liability                     (7,757)    (12,867)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Net deferred income tax asset                   $ 46,441    $ 22,374
=====================================================================


The reconciliation of the Company's effective income tax rate to the statutory
U.S. federal income tax rate of 35% is as follows:

                                      1996         1995          1994
======================================================================
Income tax provision at
  U.S. statutory rate              $ 49,636     $ 70,533     $ 41,055
Increase (decrease) in taxes
  resulting from:
  State income taxes, net of
    federal tax benefit               4,309        4,434        1,763
  Tax benefits from Foreign
    Sales Corporation                (3,878)      (1,886)      (1,557)
  Tax benefits from Puerto Rican
    operations                       (3,128)      (8,442)      (7,880)
  Tax exempt income                    --           --         (2,274)
  Foreign taxes at higher
    (lower) rates                     1,849       (1,640)         194
  Other                                 848         (326)        (451)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Income tax provision               $ 49,636     $ 62,673     $ 30,850
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Effective income tax rate              35.0%        31.1%        26.3%
======================================================================

The Company's effective income tax rate is favorably affected by Puerto Rican
tax exemption grants which result in Puerto Rican earnings being partially tax
exempt through the year 2003.

The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") is currently examining the Company's
1992-1994 federal income tax returns. In addition, the IRS has completed an
audit examination of the Company's 1990-1991 income tax returns and has proposed
an adjustment of approximately $16,600 in additional taxes, not including
interest or state income taxes, for which the Company anticipates receiving
statutory notices of deficiency in the near future. The proposed adjustment
relates primarily to the Company's Puerto Rican operations. It is likely that
similar adjustments will be proposed for subsequent years. The Company is
vigorously contesting the proposed adjustment and expects that the ultimate
resolution will not have a material adverse effect on its financial position or
liquidity, but could potentially be material to the net income of a particular
future period if resolved unfavorably.

The Company has not recorded deferred income taxes applicable to undistributed
earnings of foreign subsidiaries ($15,906 at December 31, 1996) because
distribution of these earnings generally would not require additional taxes due
to available foreign tax credits.

The Company made income tax payments of $68,460, $52,624 and $49,565 in 1996,
1995 and 1994, respectively.

NOTE 5 STOCK PURCHASE AND OPTION PLANS

STOCK PURCHASE: The Company's employee stock purchase savings plan allows
participating employees to purchase, through payroll deductions, shares of
common stock at 85% of the fair market value at specified dates. Under the terms
of the plan, 750,000 shares of common stock have been reserved for purchase by
plan participants. Employees purchased 108,795, 97,525 and 26,041 shares in
1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively. At December 31, 1996, 494,442 shares were
available for purchase under the plan.

STOCK BASED-COMPENSATION: 
Under the terms of the Company's various stock plans, 7,687,769 shares of common
stock have been reserved for issuance to directors, officers and employees upon
the grant of restricted stock or the exercise of stock options. Stock options
are exercisable over periods up to 10 years from date of grant and may be
"incentive stock options" or "non-qualified stock options" and may have stock
appreciation rights attached. At December 31, 1996, there were a maximum of
3,591,959 shares available for grant and 

                                       34

4,095,810 options outstanding. At December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, there were
options excersisable of 2,038,824, 2,507,524 and 1,320,036, respectively. Stock
option and long-term performance award transactions were:

                                 Options/Awards     Weighted Average
                                OutstandingPrice       Per Share
====================================================================
Balance at December 31, 1993       2,113,162       $   19.03
   Granted                         1,148,625           20.86
   Cancelled                        (320,495)          25.37
   Exercised                          (8,250)           7.87
- ---------------------------------------------
Balance at December 31, 1994       2,933,042           19.48
   Granted                           756,552           27.01
   Cancelled                        (165,744)          21.04
   Exercised                        (196,627)          14.80
- ---------------------------------------------
Balance at December 31, 1995       3,327,223           21.17
   Granted                         1,690,600           37.04
   Cancelled                        (141,964)          31.20
   Exercised                        (780,049)          17.43
- ---------------------------------------------
Balance at December 31, 1996       4,095,810           28.41
====================================================================


Pursuant to the terms of the Company's various stock plans, optionees can use
cash, previously owned shares or a combination of cash and previously owned
shares to reimburse the Company for the cost of the option and the related tax
liabilities. Shares are acquired from the optionee at the fair market value of
the stock on the transaction date.

All options have been granted at not less than fair market value at dates of
grant. When stock options are exercised, the par value of the shares issued is
credited to common stock and the excess of the proceeds over the par value is
credited to additional paid-in capital. When non-qualified options are
exercised, the Company realizes income tax benefits based on the difference
between the fair value of the stock on the date of exercise and the stock option
exercise price. These tax benefits do not affect the income tax provision, but
rather are credited directly to additional paid-in capital.

In July 1996, the Board of Directors approved a stock option grant of 1,000,000
shares at an exercise price of $31.38 per share to the Company's CEO. This grant
is subject to shareholder approval at the May 1997 shareholders' meeting of a
one-time waiver of the 300,000 share annual limitation under the Company's 1994
Stock Option Plan which will have the effect of ratifying this grant.

The Company applies Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, "Accounting for
Stock Issued to Employees", and related interpretations, in accounting for its
stock-based compensation plans. Accordingly, no compensation expense has been
recognized for its stock option awards. Had compensation expense for the
Company's stock option awards been determined based upon their grant date fair
value consistent with the methodology prescribed under Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 123, "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation", the
Company's net income and earnings per share would have been reduced by $4,850,
or $.05 per share and $2,115, or $.02 per share for 1996 and 1995, respectively.
These amounts are not necessarily indicative of the amounts that will be
reported in the future. The fair value of the options at the grant date was
estimated using the Black-Scholes model with the following weighted average
assumptions:

                           1996    1995
=======================================
Expected life (years)        6       6
Interest rate              6.3%    7.2%
Volatility                40.5%   31.1%
Dividend yield               0%      0%
=======================================

Under the terms of the Company's shareholder rights agreement, upon the
occurance of certain events which result in a change in control as defined by
the agreement, registered holders of common shares are entitled to purchase
one-tenth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock at a
stated price, or to purchase either the Company's shares or shares of the
acquiring entry at half their market value.

NOTE 6 FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND 
       OFF-BALANCE SHEET RISK

FOREIGN CURRENCY INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES: The Company may enter into
foreign exchange contracts to manage its exposure to fluctuations in foreign
currency exchange rates. These contracts involve the exchange of foreign
currencies for U.S. dollars at specified rates at future dates. Counterparties
to these contracts are major international financial institutions. Maturities of
these instruments are typically one year or less from the transaction date.
Gains or losses from these contracts are included in other income (expense).

The Company had contracts totalling $25,217 at December 31, 1996 and $12,483 at
December 31, 1995, to exchange French Francs, German Marks and Canadian Dollars
into U.S. dollars. These instruments were recorded at their fair value at each
balance sheet date. The cumulative unrealized gain (loss) on these contracts
totalled $905, $45 and $(128) at December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively,
and was recorded as other income (expense).

LONG-TERM DEBT: The Company has an unsecured $130,000 committed revolving line
of credit with a group of seven banks that terminates in July 2001. The Company
also maintains $100,000 of non-committed lines of credit with two banks to
supplement the revolving line of credit, that expires in November 1999. The rate
of interest payable under these borrowing facilities is a floating rate and is a
function of the London Interbank 

                                       35

Offered Rate. The weighted average interest rates at December 31, 1996 and 1995,
were 5.6% and 6.1%, respectively. A facility fee of .08% of the revolving line
commitment is paid quarterly. At December 31, 1996, the Company had borrowings
under the committed line of $120,000 and $52,000 under the non-committed lines.

The credit agreement contains various covenants which require the Company to
maintain a specified financial ratio, limit liens, regulate asset disposition
and subsidiary indebtedness and restrict certain acquisitions and investments.
At December 31, 1996, the Company was in compliance with these covenants.

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS: Marketable securities consist of equity
instruments, bank certificates of deposit and Puerto Rico industrial development
bonds. Under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (FAS) No. 115,
"Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities," debt
securities that the Company does not have the positive intent to hold to
maturity and all marketable equity securities are classified as
available-for-sale and are carried at fair value. Unrealized holding gains and
losses on securities classified as available-for-sale are carried as a separate
component of shareholders' equity. A net realized gain of $1,195 was recorded on
sales of available-for-sale securities in 1996. No net realized gains or losses
were recorded in 1995. The net unrealized holding loss on available-for-sale
securities included as a separate component of shareholders' equity was $8,028
(net of $5,029 of current deferred income taxes) at December 31, 1996.

                                       1996                        1995
================================================================================
                                          Estimated                   Estimated
                                               Fair                        Fair
                                 Cost         Value         Cost          Value
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assets:
   Cash and
     Cash Equivalents         $ 41,124      $ 41,124      $ 34,767      $ 34,767
   Marketable Securities      $156,503      $143,446      $137,094      $152,615
================================================================================

The Company also guarantees certain obligations of its subsidiaries. As of
December 31, 1996 and 1995, the maximum amount of such guarantees was $7,500.

CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK: Trade accounts receivables, certain marketable
securities and foreign exchange contracts are the financial instruments which
may subject the Company to concentration of credit risk.

Within the European Economic Union, payment of certain accounts receivable is
made by the national healthcare system within several countries. Although the
Company does not anticipate collection problems with these receivables, payment
is contingent to a certain extent upon the economic situation within these
countries. The credit risk associated with the balance of the trade receivables
is limited due to dispersion of the receivables over a large number of customers
in many geographic areas. The Company monitors the credit worthiness of its
customers to which it grants credit terms in the normal course of business.

Marketable securities are placed with high credit qualified financial
institutions and Company policy limits the credit exposure to any one financial
institution. Counterparties to foreign exchange contracts are major financial
institutions; therefore, credit loss from counterparty nonperformance is
unlikely.

NOTE 7 RETIREMENT PLANS

DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN: The Company has a defined contribution profit sharing
plan, including features under section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code,
which provides retirement benefits to substantially all full-time U.S.
employees. Under the 401(k) portion of the plan, eligible employees may
contribute a maximum of 10% of their annual compensation with the Company
matching the first 3%. The Company's level of contribution to the profit sharing
portion of the plan is subject to Board of Directors approval and is based on
Company performance. The Company has additional defined contribution programs
for employees outside the United States. The benefits under these plans are
based primarily on compensation levels. Total retirement plan expense was
$5,124, $6,558 and $2,873 in 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.

DEFINED BENEFIT PLANS: In certain countries outside the United States, the
Company maintains defined benefit plans. An accrual of $5,023 was recorded as of
December 31, 1996 which is approximately equal to the actuarially calculated
unfunded liability.

                                       36

NOTE 8 GEOGRAPHIC AREA

The Company operates in the medical products industry and is segmented into
three geographic areas -- the United States (including export sales to
unaffiliated customers except to customers in Europe, the Middle East and
Africa), Europe (including export sales to unaffiliated customers in the Middle
East, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific) and other international. Operating
profit for export sales is reported in the exporting geography.

Sales between geographic areas are made at transfer prices which approximate
prices to unaffiliated third parties. Export sales to unaffiliated customers
included in United States sales were $65,946, $61,865 and $45,856 for 1996, 1995
and 1994, respectively.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Net sales by geographic area were as follows:

                                                Other
                  United                        Inter-         Elimina-
                  States          Europe       national         tions            Total
=======================================================================================
<S>             <C>            <C>            <C>             <C>             <C>      
1996
Customer
   sales        $ 525,204      $ 268,076      $  15,500       $    --         $ 808,780
Inter-
   company
   sales          105,822           --            8,198        (114,020)           --
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                $ 631,026      $ 268,076      $  23,698       $(114,020)      $ 808,780
=======================================================================================
1995
Customer
   sales        $ 509,029      $ 248,836      $   3,970       $    --         $ 761,835
Inter-
   company
   sales           91,523           --            8,869        (100,392)           --
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                $ 600,552      $ 248,836      $  12,839       $(100,392)      $ 761,835
=======================================================================================
1994
Customer
   sales        $ 277,385      $ 113,236      $   1,328       $    --         $ 391,949
Inter-
   company
   sales           68,604           --            3,800         (72,404)           --
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                $ 345,989      $ 113,236      $   5,128       $ (72,404)      $ 391,949
=======================================================================================

</TABLE>

Operating profit (loss) by geographic area was as follows:

                                       Other
           United                      Inter-
           States         Europe      national       Corporate        Total
============================================================================
1996      $116,920      $ 57,486      $ (2,582)      $(45,060)      $126,764
1995      $169,759      $ 51,345      $    (90)      $(13,703)      $207,311
1994      $ 82,871      $ 38,799      $   (509)      $(11,541)      $109,620
============================================================================


Identifiable assets by geographic area were as follows:

                                          Other
            United                        Inter-
            States          Europe       national      Corporate         Total
===============================================================================
1996     $  706,440     $  279,741     $   52,209     $  262,977     $1,301,367
1995     $  595,744     $  203,044     $    9,772     $  245,256     $1,053,816
1994     $  558,568     $  181,470     $    4,523     $  202,261     $  946,822
===============================================================================

1996 operating profit reflects purchased research and development charges of
$40,350 and special charges of $47,808 and 1994 operating profit reflects a
purchased research and development charge of $40,800.

Corporate expenses consist principally of non-allocable general and
administrative expenses. Corporate identifiable assets consist principally of
cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities.

NOTE 9 OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE), NET

Other income (expense), net consisted of the following:

                                                  1996       1995        1994
==============================================================================
Interest income                                $  7,076  $   8,056     $14,351
Interest expense                                (3,537)   (12,962)     (3,776)
Foreign exchange gains (losses)                   2,395        541     (1,937)
Gain on the sale of a business                   10,486        --          --
Acquisition transaction costs                   (5,118)        --          --
Other                                             3,751    (1,425)       (958)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other income (expense), net                     $15,053 $  (5,790)   $  7,680
==============================================================================

NOTE 10 OTHER ASSETS

Other assets as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, net of accumulated amortization
of $42,792 and $34,923, respectively, consisted of the following:

                                        1996          1995
===========================================================
Investments in companies,
  joint ventures and partnerships     $  7,684     $ 22,356
Intangibles and other                  361,359      317,176
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Other assets                          $369,043     $339,532
===========================================================

Investments in companies, joint ventures, and partnerships are stated at cost
which approximates market. Intangibles and other assets consist principally of
the excess of cost over net assets of certain acquired businesses and
technology. Intangibles and other assets are being amortized over periods
ranging from 10 to 20 years.

                                       37

NOTE 11 CONTINGENCIES

The Company is involved in various products liability lawsuits, claims and
proceedings of a nature considered normal to its business. In connection with
two pacemaker lead models, the Company may be subject to future uninsured
claims. The Company's products liability insurance carrier has denied coverage
for these models and has filed suit against the Company seeking rescission of
the policy covering Pacesetter business retroactive to the date the Company
acquired Pacesetter. The Company was a codefendant in a 1995 class action suit
with respect to these leads. This case was settled in November 1995. The
Company's share of the settlement is approximately $5,000. Additional claims
could be filed by patients with these leads who were not class members. Further,
claims may be filed in the future relative to events currently unknown to
management. Management believes losses that might be sustained from such actions
would not have a material adverse effect on the Company's liquidity or financial
condition, but could potentially be material to the net income of a particular
future period if resolved unfavorably.

NOTE 12 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

On October 17, 1995, the Board of Directors declared a three-for-two stock split
in the form of a 50% stock dividend to shareholders of record on November 2,
1995. Earnings per share, dividends per share, shares outstanding and weighted
average shares outstanding have been restated to reflect the stock dividend.

NOTE 13 PENDING TRANSACTION

On October 23, 1996, the Company and Ventritex, Inc. ("Ventritex") signed a
definitive agreement for a tax-free, stock-for-stock merger. The merger is
subject to regulatory approvals and Ventritex shareholder approval. There can be
no assurance given as to if and when the merger will be concluded. The Company
expects to incur significant transaction and integration charges if the merger
is completed.

NOTE 14 QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

Quarterly data for 1996 and 1995 was as follows:

                                                 Quarter

                              First        Second        Third        Fourth
================================================================================
Year Ended
   December 31, 1996:
     Net sales             $ 199,028     $ 203,217     $ 193,846     $ 212,689
     Gross profit          $ 138,012     $ 140,355     $ 134,793     $ 148,724
     Net income            $  38,440     $  36,597     $  36,295     $ (19,151)*
     Earnings per share    $     .47     $     .45     $     .44     $    (.23)*

Year Ended
   December 31, 1995:
     Net sales             $ 189,138     $ 195,072     $ 186,176     $ 191,449
     Gross profit          $ 127,202     $ 136,087     $ 129,775     $ 133,941
     Net income            $  32,635     $  35,613     $  34,400     $  36,200
     Earnings per share    $     .40     $     .44     $     .42     $     .44
================================================================================

*    Includes the effect of pre-tax charges of $35,350 for purchased research
     and development associated with the Telectronics and Biocor acquisitions
     and special charges of $47,808 for patent and litigation settlements and
     repositioning of several of the Company's operations.

Primary and fully diluted per share results are the same for all quarters in
1996, but differed by $.01 per share in the first quarter of 1995 due to
rounding. The full year 1996 primary and fully diluted earnings per share were
$.01 lower than the sum of the reported quarterly earnings per share due to
rounding. The full year 1995 primary earnings per share was $.01 higher than
fully diluted earnings per share due to rounding.

                                       38

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

FIVE-YEAR SUMMARY OF SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)

                                      1996**          1995           1994***        1993           1992
==========================================================================================================

Summary of Operations for the Year Ended:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                               <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>        
Net sales                         $   808,780    $   761,835    $   391,949    $   278,320    $   258,734
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gross profit                      $   561,884    $   527,005    $   279,862    $   207,887    $   191,008
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Percent of sales                      69.5%          69.2%          71.4%          74.7%          73.8%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating profit                  $   126,764    $   207,311    $   109,620    $   139,046    $   127,100
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Percent of sales                      15.7%          27.2%          28.0%          50.0%          49.1%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net income                        $    92,181    $   138,848    $    86,450    $   114,573    $   105,185
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Percent of sales                      11.4%          18.2%          22.1%          41.2%          40.7%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Primary earnings per share*       $      1.12    $      1.71    $      1.08    $      1.42    $      1.30
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FINANCIAL POSITION AT YEAR END:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cash and marketable securities    $   184,570    $   187,382    $   150,577    $   377,434    $   342,772
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Working capital                   $   371,268    $   354,771    $   339,844    $   421,859    $   384,514
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total assets                      $ 1,301,367    $ 1,053,816    $   946,822    $   545,788    $   482,056
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Long-term debt                    $   172,000    $   120,000    $   255,000           --      $       495
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total shareholders' equity        $   836,025    $   736,373    $   575,849    $   500,711    $   439,244
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OTHER DATA:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividends declared per share             --             --      $       .20    $       .27    $       .20
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Primary weighted average
   shares outstanding*             81,953,000     80,988,000     80,085,000     80,499,000     81,203,000
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total employees                         3,620          2,579          2,480            917            865
==========================================================================================================

</TABLE>


Note: The Five-Year Summary of Selected Financial Data includes the results of
Daig Corporation for all periods presented.

  *Earnings per share and share data have been adjusted for a 50% stock dividend
   paid in 1995. 
 **Results for 1996 include $88,158 pre-tax for purchased research and 
   development and special charges.
***Results for 1994 include a $40,800 pre-tax charge for purchased research and
   development.

[BAR GRAPH]
NET SALES
(DOLLARS IN MILLIONS)

[BAR GRAPH]
OPERATING PROFIT
(DOLLARS IN MILLIONS)

[BAR GRAPH]
NET INCOME
(DOLLARS IN MILLIONS)

[BAR GRAPH]
PRIMARY EARNINGS PER SHARE
(IN DOLLARS)

* PURCHASED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL CHARGES.

                                       39

INVESTOR INFORMATION

TRANSFER AGENT
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
6201 15th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11219
718-921-8293
800-937-5449

Correspondence regarding stock holdings and changes of address should be
directed to the transfer agent.

When shares owned by one shareholder are held in different forms of the same
name (e.g., John Doe, J. Doe) or when new accounts are established for shares
purchased at different times, duplicate mailings of shareholder information
results. The Company, by law, is required to mail to each name on the
shareholder list unless the shareholder requests that duplicate mailings be
eliminated or consolidates all accounts. Such requests should be directed, in
writing, to American Stock Transfer, 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219.

ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS The annual meeting of shareholders will be held
at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 1, 1997, at the Lutheran Brotherhood Building, 625
Fourth Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN.

INVESTOR INFORMATION
A copy of the Company's annual report on Form 10-K or other financial reports
will be provided free of charge to any shareholder upon written request to
Investor Relations, St. Jude Medical, Inc., One Lillehei Plaza, St. Paul, MN
55117-9983.

St. Jude Medical, Inc. does not issue quarterly shareholder reports.
Shareholders and security analysts can obtain the latest Company news releases,
including quarterly results, and other information by calling Investor Relations
at a toll-free number (1-800-552-7664). Company news releases are also available
through "Company News On-Call" by fax (1-800-758-5804, ext. 816662) or at
www.prnewswire.com on the Internet. St. Jude Medical's home page on the Internet
is available at www.sjm.com.

DIVIDENDS 
St. Jude Medical, Inc. discontinued its cash dividend upon completion of the
acquisition of Pacesetter, which was finalized September 30, 1994. The Company
did not pay any cash dividends in 1995 or 1996.

On November 16, 1995, the Company distributed a 50% common stock dividend to
shareholders of record as of November 2, 1995.

RESEARCH COVERAGE 
The following firms currently provide research coverage of St. Jude Medical,
Inc.:

Bear, Stearns & Company, New York, NY
C.J. Lawrence/Deutsche Bank Securities Corp., New York, NY
Dain Bosworth Incorporated, Minneapolis, MN
Donaldson, Lufkin, Jenrette, New York, NY
Goldman Sachs & Company, New York, NY 
Jefferies & Company, Incorporated, Los Angeles, CA 
John G. Kinnard & Company, Minneapolis, MN 
J.P. Morgan Securities, Incorporated, New York, NY 
Lehman Brothers, Incorporated, New York, NY
Montgomery Securities, San Francisco, CA 
Morgan Stanley & Company, Incorporated, New York, NY 
NatWest Securities, Incorporated, New York, NY 
Needham & Company, Incorporated, New York, NY 
Olde Discount, Detroit, MI 
PaineWebber Incorporated, New York, NY 
Piper Jaffray Incorporated, Minneapolis, MN 
Principal Financial Securities, Incorporated, Dallas, TX 
Robert W. Baird & Company, Incorporated, Milwaukee, WI 
Salomon Brothers Incorporated, New York, NY Sanford
C. Bernstein & Company, Incorporated, New York, NY 
Schroder, Wertheim & Company, Incorporated, New York, NY 
Smith Barney, New York, NY 
UBS Securities, New York, NY 
Wasserstein Perella Securities, Incorporated, New York, NY 
Wessels, Arnold & Henderson, Minneapolis, MN

SUPPLEMENTAL MARKET PRICE DATA
On December 2, 1996, the common stock of St. Jude Medical, Inc., began trading
on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol STJ. The range of high and low
prices per share for the Company's common stock for fiscal 1996 and 1995 are set
forth below. As of February 5, 1997, the Company had 4,624 shareholders of
record.

                             Year Ended December 31
                         1996                    1995
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Quarter              High         Low        High        Low
- ------------------------------------------------------------
First              $46.00      $36.38      $28.83     $23.67
Second             $39.50      $33.25      $35.67     $27.08
Third              $41.50      $29.63      $42.67     $32.58
Fourth             $43.25      $35.00      $43.25     $32.50

Listed options are traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange under the symbol
STJ.

TRADEMARKS
Biocor(R), SJM(R), SJMBiocor(TM), St. Jude Medical(R), St. Jude Medical(R)
Port-Access(TM), Toronto SPV(R), ADDVENT(R), AMS(TM), APS(TM), AutoCapture(TM),
Automaticity(TM), Cellular Tested(TM), Membrane EX(TM), META(TM), Microny(TM),
Minute Ventilation(TM), Passive PLUS(R), Regency(TM), Tendril(R), Trilogy(R),
Livewire(TM), Maximum(TM), and Spyglass(TM).

Heartport(TM) and Port-Access(TM) are trademarks of Heartport, Inc. Contour(TM)
is a trademark of Ventritex, Inc. CoaguChek(TM) is a trademark of Boehringer
Mannheim Corporation.

                                       40

LEADERSHIP


ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ronald A. Matricaria
CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT AND
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

John P. Berdusco
VICE PRESIDENT, ADMINISTRATION

David W. Elliot, Jr.
DIRECTOR, CORPORATE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Peter L. Gove
VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE RELATIONS

Robert J. Helbling
VICE PRESIDENT,
CORPORATE DISTRIBUTION

Kevin T. O'Malley, Esq.
VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL

Stephen L. Wilson
VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE AND
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Harold A. Bencic
CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
EDS

HEART VALVE DIVISION
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Terry L. Shepherd
PRESIDENT, HEART VALVE DIVISION
AND INTERNATIONAL

Darrin J. Bergman
DIRECTOR, MECHANICAL
DEVELOPMENT

Robert S. Elgin
VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS

Alan R. Flory, DVM
DIRECTOR, CLINICAL AND
REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Donald S. Guzik
DIRECTOR, QUALITY SYSTEMS

Steven J. Healy
VICE PRESIDENT, WORLDWIDE
SALES AND MARKETING

C. Walton Lillehei, Ph.D., M.D.
MEDICAL DIRECTOR

M. William Mirsch, II
DIRECTOR, TISSUE DEVELOPMENT

Patrick J. O'Neill
DIRECTOR, FINANCE

Jan M. Webster
DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES

CARDIAC RHYTHM
MANAGEMENT DIVISION
PACESETTER
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patrick P. Fourteau
PRESIDENT

Fred A. Colen
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT,
QUALITY SPEED TO MARKET

Eric N. Falkenberg
VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS 
DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING

Barry L. Forwand
VICE PRESIDENT, NORTH AMERICAN SALES

Diane M. Johnson, Esq.
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND
GENERAL COUNSEL

Mark W. Kroll, Ph.D.
VICE PRESIDENT, TACHYCARDIA
BUSINESS UNIT

Paul A. Levine, M.D., F.A.C.A.
VICE PRESIDENT, MEDICAL SERVICES

Joseph H. McCullough
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING

David R. Morley
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS

Franklin R. Rick
VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE

Mary C. Sutton
VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES

CARDIAC RHYTHM
MANAGEMENT DIVISION
TELECTRONICS
ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
James W. Dennis
PRESIDENT, TELECTRONICS

John M. Buske
DIRECTOR, FINANCE

Thomas V. Brown
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL 
MANAGER, SALES AND MARKETING

Kenneth A. Collins
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
AND GENERAL MANAGER, CLINICAL

John D. Greenbaum
VICE PRESIDENT, QA/RA

Tibor A. Nappholz
VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC RESEARCH

Gary R. Pehrson
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND 
GENERAL MANAGER, BRADYCARDIA

DAIG
MINNETONKA, MINNESOTA
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel J. Starks
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Michael J. Coyle
PRESIDENT

James A. Hassett
DIRECTOR, CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT

Robert A. Eno
DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS

Dennis A. Stowers
DIRECTOR, MANUFACTURING

Peter C. McLane
DIRECTOR, MARKETING

INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Terrie M. Ajamil
VICE PRESIDENT, AREA OPERATIONS, 
ASIA-PACIFIC

Michel Cavadini
VICE PRESIDENT, ADMINISTRATION 
EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST

Ruud Helwig
VICE PRESIDENT, BENSAS, EASTERN 
EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

Angelo Rivetti
VICE PRESIDENT, EUROPE

Edward A. Storch
VICE PRESIDENT, AREA OPERATIONS, 
LATIN AMERICA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA
AND NEW ZEALAND

Dr. Ignacio L. Balboa
MANAGING DIRECTOR, SPAIN
AND PORTUGAL

Joel D. Becker
BUSINESS UNIT DIRECTOR,
HEART VALVE DIVISION

Alain Brunier
MANAGING DIRECTOR, FRANCE

Eric Delwart
MANAGING DIRECTOR, BELGIUM

Erwin Eggenschwiler
COUNTRY MANAGER, SWITZERLAND

Luciano Frattini
MANAGING DIRECTOR, ITALY

George Fazio
GENERAL MANAGER, ST. JUDE
MEDICAL CANADA

Jurgen Fuchs
MANAGING DIRECTOR, GERMANY

Roland Gerard
DIRECTOR, EUROPEAN REGULATORY 
AFFAIRS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
ULF GRAPE
COUNTRY MANAGER, SWEDEN

Svend-Erik Hansen
COUNTRY MANAGER, DENMARK

Frans M. van Heck
MANAGING DIRECTOR, NETHERLANDS

Jon P. Hunt, Ph.D.
BUSINESS UNIT DIRECTOR, 
CARDIAC RHYTHM MANAGEMENT

Luit Mulder
AREA DIRECTOR, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

Arto Nousiainen
COUNTRY MANAGER, FINLAND

Roger G. Osborne
MANAGING DIRECTOR, UNITED KINGDOM

Wolfgang Sacken
COUNTRY MANAGER, AUSTRIA

Peter van der Sluis
AREA DIRECTOR, EASTERN EUROPE

Frieda J. Valk
DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES


BOARD OF DIRECTORS

[PHOTO] 
ST. JUDE MEDICAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN THE COMPANY'S LILLEHEI FACILITY WITH
HENDRICKSON AWARD DISPLAY. 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roger G. Stoll, Ph.D.(3)
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND PRESIDENT,
OHMEDA, INC.
LIBERTY CORNER, NEW JERSEY

Kenneth G. Langone(2)
MANAGING DIRECTOR,
INVEMED ASSOCIATES, INC.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Thomas H. Garrett, III(3)
BUSINESS CONSULTANT,
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Walter L. Sembrowich, (1,2)
Ph.D.
PRESIDENT,
AVIEX, INC.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

William R. Miller(2)
FORMER VICE CHAIRMAN,
BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB CO.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul J. Chiapparone(1)
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT,
ELECTRONIC DATA SYSTEMS CORPORATION
PLANO, TEXAS

Charles V. Owens(3)
CHAIRMAN, GENESIS LABS, INC.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Daniel J. Starks
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, DAIG CORPORATION
MINNETONKA, MINNESOTA

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gail R. Wilensky, Ph.D.(1)
SENIOR FELLOW,
PROJECT HOPE, WASHINGTON, D.C.

Ronald A. Matricaria
CHAIRMAN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 DENOTES MEMBERS OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE
2 DENOTES MEMBERS OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
3 DENOTES MEMBERS OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE


ST. JUDE MEDICAL
GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.

ONE LILLEHEI PLAZA

ST. PAUL, MN 55117-9983

PHONE:       612.483.2000

TELEX:       298453

FAX:         612.490.4333

INTERNET:    www.sjm.com




                     ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                   EXHIBIT 21 - SUBSIDIARIES OF THE REGISTRANT

St. Jude Medical, Inc. Wholly Owned Subsidiaries:

Pacesetter, Inc. (Delaware)
St. Jude Medical S.C., Inc. (Delaware)
St. Jude Medical Europe, Inc. - (Delaware)
SJM Europe, Inc. - (Delaware)
St. Jude Medical Sales Corporation (Barbados)
St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico, Inc. (Delaware)
St. Jude Medical Canada, Inc. (Canada)
151703 Canada Inc. (Canada)
SJM Acquisition Corp (Minnesota)
St. Jude Medical, Inc., Cardiac Assist Division (Delaware)
St. Jude Medical (Hong Kong) Ltd. (Hong Kong)
Glory Telectronics Ltd. (Hong Kong)
Medical Telectronics Ltd. (New Zealand)
Telectronics N.V. (Netherlands Antilles)
St. Jude Medical Brasil, Ltda. (Brazil)
         - Newcor Industrial S.A. (Brazil)
         - Telectronics Medica Ltda (Brazil)
              (wholly owned by above-named corporation)
Daig Corporation (Minnesota)
         - Flite Time, Inc. (Minnesota)
              (wholly owned by above-named corporation)
St. Jude Medical Pty. Ltd. (Australia)


SJM Europe Inc.'s Wholly Owned Subsidiaries:

Pacesetter Netherlands Distribution AB (Sweden)
Pacesetter AB (Sweden)
St. Jude Medical Sweden AB (Sweden)
St. Jude Medical Pacesetter Sales AB (Sweden)
St. Jude Medical Italia S.p.A (Italy)
St. Jude Medical Espagna S.A. (Spain)
St. Jude Medical Danmark A/s (Denmark)
         - Telectronics Scandinavia A/s (Denmark)
              (wholly-owned by above-named corporation)
St. Jude Medical Finland O/y (Finland)
St. Jude Medical AG (Switzerland)
St. Jude Medical GmbH (Germany)
St. Jude Medical Medizintechnik Ges.m.b.H. (Austria)
         - Telectronics Gesellschaft MBH (Austria)
              (wholly-owned by above-named corporation)
N.V. St. Jude Medical Belgium, S.A. (Belgium)
         - Portugal branch
St. Jude Medical France S.A. (France)
St. Jude France S.A. (France)
St. Jude Medical UK Limited (United Kingdom)
         - Pacesetter Medical Products Limited (United Kingdom)
              (wholly-owned by above-named corporation)
St. Jude Medical Nederland B.V. (Netherlands)
         - Telectronics B.V. (Netherlands)
              (wholly-owned by above-named corporation)
Telectronics S.A. - Belgium




EXHIBIT 23


                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS



We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
of St. Jude Medical, Inc. of our report dated February 5, 1997, included in the
1996 Annual Report to Shareholders of St. Jude Medical, Inc.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in Registration Statement No.
33-29085; Registration Statement No. 33-41459; Registration Statement No.
33-48502 and Registration Statement No. 33-54435 on Form S-8 of our reports
dated February 5, 1997, with respect to the consolidated financial statements
and schedules of St. Jude Medical, Inc. included in or incorporated by reference
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996.


/s/ Ernst & Young LLP


Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 26, 1997


<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<CASH>                                          41,124
<SECURITIES>                                   143,446
<RECEIVABLES>                                  213,547
<ALLOWANCES>                                     7,678
<INVENTORY>                                    199,475
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               664,610
<PP&E>                                         340,942
<DEPRECIATION>                                  73,228
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,301,367
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          293,342
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                         8,101
<OTHER-SE>                                     827,924
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 1,301,367
<SALES>                                        808,780
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               808,780
<CGS>                                          246,896
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  246,896
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                   650
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               3,537
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                141,817
<INCOME-TAX>                                    49,636
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             92,181
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    92,181
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.12
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.12
        


</TABLE>


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