tiprankstipranks
Trending News
More News >
Alcon (CH:ALC)
NYSE:ALC

Alcon (ALC) AI Stock Analysis

Compare
11 Followers

Top Page

CH:ALC

Alcon

(NYSE:ALC)

Select Model
Select Model
Select Model
Outperform 75 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:75Outperform
Price Target:
CHF72.00
▲(16.50% Upside)
Alcon's overall stock score reflects its strong financial performance and positive earnings call, highlighting growth in key areas like vision care and surgical equipment. However, valuation concerns and technical indicators suggest caution, with potential challenges from tariffs and market conditions impacting margins.
Positive Factors
Revenue Growth
Consistent revenue growth indicates strong product demand and effective market strategies, supporting long-term business expansion.
Innovation in Product Launches
Successful product launches like Unity VCS enhance competitive positioning and drive future revenue, reflecting a robust R&D pipeline.
Cash Flow Management
Strong cash flow management ensures liquidity and financial flexibility, enabling strategic investments and shareholder returns.
Negative Factors
Gross Margin Pressure
Decreasing gross margins due to tariffs could impact profitability and limit financial resources for reinvestment in growth.
Challenges in Cataract Markets
Slower growth in cataract markets may hinder revenue expansion in a key segment, affecting overall business performance.
Operating Margin Decline
Declining operating margins due to increased R&D investment and tariffs may pressure profitability and strategic flexibility.

Alcon (ALC) vs. iShares MSCI Switzerland ETF (EWL)

Alcon Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionAlcon Inc., an eye care company, researches, develops, manufactures, distributes, and sells eye care products for eye care professionals and their patients worldwide. The company's Surgical segment offers equipment, instrumentation and diagnostics, intraocular lenses (IOLs), and other implantables; and consumables, including viscoelastics, surgical solutions, incisional instruments, surgical custom packs, and other products for use in surgical procedures. Its cataract products include centurion vision system, LenSx femtosecond laser, LuxOR surgical ophthalmic microscope, NGENUITY 3D visualization system, and ORA system for intra-operative measurements; custom pak surgical procedure packs; vitreoretinal products comprising constellation vision systems, procedure packs, lasers and hand-held microsurgical instruments, and grieshaber and MIVS instruments, as well as scissors, forceps and micro-instruments, medical grade vitreous tamponades, and Hypervit vitrectomy probes; refractive surgery products, including WaveLight lasers and Contoura Vision used for LASIK treatment; EX-PRESS glaucoma filtration device; and implantables products, including AcrySof IQ IOLs products include monofocal IOLs and advanced technology IOLs under the PanOptix and ReSTOR brands for the correction of presbyopia and astigmatism at the time of cataract surgery. Its Vision Care segment provides daily disposable, reusable, and color-enhancing contact lenses; ocular health products, such as dry eye, glaucoma, contact lens care, and ocular allergies; and ocular vitamins and redness relievers under the TOTAL, PRECISION, DAILIES AquaComfort PLUS, Air Optix, Opti-Free, Clear Care, Tears Naturale, Genteal, ICAPS, and Vitalux brands. The company was formerly known as Alcon Universal S.A. and changed the name to Alcon Inc. in December 2001. Alcon Inc. was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
How the Company Makes MoneyAlcon generates revenue through multiple streams, primarily from the sale of surgical products and vision care products. The Surgical segment includes revenue from cataract surgery devices, which are critical for treating cataracts, and refractive surgery devices used for vision correction procedures. The Vision Care segment derives income from the sale of contact lenses and lens care products, catering to both daily and extended wear needs. Alcon's revenue model is bolstered by strong relationships with healthcare professionals, hospitals, and clinics, which facilitate widespread distribution of its products. Additionally, the company invests in research and development to innovate new products and improve existing offerings, thereby enhancing its market competitiveness. Strategic partnerships with healthcare providers and participation in global eye care initiatives further contribute to its earnings.

Alcon Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Nov 11, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Mar 03, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call reflected a company experiencing strong product launches and growth in vision care, but also facing challenges with gross margins and market conditions in cataracts. The strategic focus on innovation and product differentiation is driving positive momentum, although external pressures from tariffs and market dynamics create ongoing challenges.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Surgical Equipment Success
Unity VCS launched successfully, delivering greater efficiency and workflow optimization. Sales of equipment grew by 13% in Q3, driven by Unity VCS.
Vision Care Growth
Contact lens sales increased by 5% to $707 million in Q3, with double-digit growth in toric modalities.
Strong Ocular Health Performance
Systane artificial tears delivered high single-digit growth, and the new Tryptyr product showed encouraging early performance.
Growing Market Share in Implantables
PanOptix Pro stabilized market share in the U.S., with 94% light utilization and reduced light scatter.
Negative Updates
Gross Margin Pressure
Core gross margin decreased by 50 basis points year-over-year, mainly due to incremental tariffs.
Challenges in Cataract Markets
Cataract procedure volumes grew only 3% in Q3, below historical averages.
Impact of Tariffs
The company incurred $57 million of tariff-related charges in the first 9 months, with an expected full-year impact of $100 million.
Core Operating Margin Decline
Core operating margin reduced to 20.2%, down 60 basis points due to lower gross margin and increased R&D investment.
Company Guidance
During the Alcon Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Call, significant guidance was provided, highlighting the company's strong performance and optimistic outlook. Alcon reported third-quarter sales of $2.6 billion, a 5% increase compared to the previous year. The Surgical franchise revenue rose by 5% year-over-year to $1.4 billion, with equipment sales notably accelerating by 13% to $243 million. Vision Care sales also grew by 5% to $1.2 billion, driven by innovation in contact lenses and price adjustments. The company's core operating margin was 20.2%, slightly down by 60 basis points mainly due to increased tariffs and investments in new product launches. Tariff-related charges impacted cost of sales, with a full-year expectation of approximately $100 million. Despite these challenges, Alcon reaffirmed its full-year guidance, anticipating sales between $10.3 billion and $10.4 billion, with constant currency growth of 4% to 5%. Looking to 2026, Alcon expects continued acceleration from recent product launches, with potential headwinds from tariffs and investments in new phases of clinical trials. The company remains focused on disciplined execution to deliver sustainable growth and long-term shareholder value.

Alcon Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Alcon demonstrates solid financial health with strong revenue growth and profitability margins. The balance sheet is stable, with manageable leverage and a healthy equity position. However, the decline in free cash flow growth and modest return on equity highlight areas for potential improvement.
Income Statement
85
Very Positive
Alcon's income statement shows strong performance with a consistent increase in total revenue over the years, highlighted by a TTM revenue growth rate of 1.60%. The company maintains healthy profitability margins, with a gross profit margin of 55.13% and a net profit margin of 10.70% in the TTM period. The EBIT and EBITDA margins are also robust at 14.38% and 17.26%, respectively, indicating efficient operational management. However, the slight decline in gross profit margin compared to previous years suggests potential cost pressures.
Balance Sheet
78
Positive
Alcon's balance sheet reflects a stable financial position with a manageable debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24, indicating prudent leverage use. The return on equity is modest at 4.93%, suggesting room for improvement in generating returns for shareholders. The equity ratio stands at a healthy level, reinforcing the company's financial stability. However, the relatively low ROE compared to industry peers may indicate underutilization of equity capital.
Cash Flow
72
Positive
The cash flow statement reveals a mixed picture. While the operating cash flow to net income ratio is strong at 0.85, indicating good cash generation relative to earnings, the free cash flow growth rate has declined by 1.81% in the TTM period. The free cash flow to net income ratio of 0.78 suggests that the company is generating adequate free cash flow, but the recent decline in growth could be a concern if it persists.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue10.19B9.91B9.46B8.72B8.29B6.83B
Gross Profit5.61B5.51B5.25B4.75B4.65B2.94B
EBITDA2.05B2.68B2.24B1.72B1.76B1.11B
Net Income1.05B1.02B974.00M335.00M376.00M-531.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets31.49B30.35B29.61B29.21B28.00B27.60B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments1.50B1.83B1.10B980.00M1.58B1.57B
Total Debt5.23B5.14B5.13B5.07B4.48B4.50B
Total Liabilities9.43B8.79B8.99B9.53B8.74B8.78B
Stockholders Equity22.06B21.55B20.62B19.68B19.26B18.82B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow1.59B1.41B537.00M472.00M165.00M256.00M
Operating Cash Flow2.05B2.08B1.39B1.22B1.34B823.00M
Investing Cash Flow-1.37B-1.17B-1.09B-1.86B-1.20B-572.00M
Financing Cash Flow-765.31M-322.00M-211.00M-8.00M-123.00M466.00M

Alcon Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price61.80
Price Trends
50DMA
63.26
Negative
100DMA
61.94
Negative
200DMA
66.79
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.21
Positive
RSI
42.67
Neutral
STOCH
21.48
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CH:ALC, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 61.8 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 63.59, below the 50-day MA of 63.26, and below the 200-day MA of 66.79, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.21 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 42.67 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 21.48 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for CH:ALC.

Alcon Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (51)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
80
Outperform
CHF217.35B18.313.18%7.62%-18.33%
75
Outperform
CHF30.88B34.004.82%0.44%0.39%-12.46%
73
Outperform
CHF270.26B19.8431.98%2.94%4.77%-11.07%
72
Outperform
CHF14.91B37.951.02%4.49%45.08%
70
Outperform
CHF33.89B104.440.09%6.22%
68
Neutral
CHF12.16B24.212.14%3.79%-7.84%
51
Neutral
$7.86B-0.30-43.30%2.27%22.53%-2.21%
* Healthcare Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CH:ALC
Alcon
61.80
-21.97
-26.22%
CH:ROG
Roche Holding AG
338.30
62.23
22.54%
CH:NOVN
Novartis AG
114.20
23.64
26.10%
CH:STMN
Straumann Holding AG
93.50
-37.88
-28.83%
CH:SOON
Sonova Holding AG
211.40
-101.85
-32.51%
CH:GALD
Galderma Group AG
144.30
30.89
27.24%
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Nov 27, 2025