Advertisement
New Zealand markets closed

  • NZX 50

    11,796.21
    -39.83 (-0.34%)
     

  • NZD/USD

    0.5892
    -0.0013 (-0.22%)
     

  • NZD/EUR

    0.5523
    -0.0022 (-0.39%)
     

  • ALL ORDS

    7,817.40
    -81.50 (-1.03%)
     

  • ASX 200

    7,567.30
    -74.80 (-0.98%)
     

  • OIL

    83.24
    +0.51 (+0.62%)
     

  • GOLD

    2,406.70
    +8.70 (+0.36%)
     

  • NASDAQ

    17,037.65
    -356.67 (-2.05%)
     

  • FTSE

    7,895.85
    +18.80 (+0.24%)
     

  • Dow Jones

    37,986.40
    +211.02 (+0.56%)
     

  • DAX

    17,737.36
    -100.04 (-0.56%)
     

  • Hang Seng

    16,224.14
    -161.73 (-0.99%)
     

  • NIKKEI 225

    37,068.35
    -1,011.35 (-2.66%)
     

  • NZD/JPY

    91.0710
    -0.1830 (-0.20%)
     

Alcon (ALC) Vision Care Sales Grow Despite Supply Disruption

Zacks Equity Research
·4-min read

Alcon Inc ALC is witnessing a recovery in the Surgical and Vision Care businesses. The company’s focus on research and innovation is also encouraging. However, a challenging international market with subdued demand for ophthalmological products amid the pandemic is a concern. The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Alcon has outperformed the industry over the past year. The stock has rallied 33.5% compared with the industry’s 9.5% rise.

The company reported better-than-expected results for third-quarter 2021. Year-over-year growth across all sales categories in Surgical and Vision Care was driven primarily by a rise in demand for new products, solid commercial execution and strong market recovery in the United States. Recovery in the international markets remains mixed. However, Alcon was encouraged to see signs of recovery in select European markets late in the quarter.

Segment-wise, in Surgical, the portfolio of advanced technology intraocular lenses has been driving increased penetration rates of ATIOLs and Alcon continues to see strong demand for cataract refractive equipment. In Vision Care, the company’s new contact lenses are gaining market share and the Systane brand family has been posting strong double-digit growth in all regions.

Alcon Price

Alcon Price
Alcon Price

Alcon price | Alcon Quote

ADVERTISEMENT

The margin improvements buoy optimism. Alcon’s guidance continues to assume the global markets to return to 2019 levels by the end of 2021. The U.S. markets are expected to continue to grow above 2019 for the remainder of the year, and the international markets as a whole are expected to reach 2019 levels early next year.

On the flip side, in the third quarter of 2021, in terms of end markets, within Surgical, excluding India, the global market was down mid-single-digits compared to 2019. The international markets were down in the high single digits, primarily due to emerging markets such as Japan, which continue to be suppressed. In Vision Care, international markets have not yet returned to 2019 levels.

While updating its 2021 guidance, Alcon assumed that its international market would return to 2019 levels not before early next year with business in countries such as India and Japan remaining subdued.

Further, in the third quarter, the cost of net sales was up 2.5% year over year. Selling, general & administrative expenses shot up 13.7%. The company currently continues to invest in R&D to deepen its new product pipeline with advanced eye care innovation. Research & development expenses increased 47.2% in the reported quarter. This has been continuously putting pressure on Alcon’s bottom line.

Key Picks

A few better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space include Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. TMO, McKesson Corporation MCK and NextGen Healthcare, Inc. NXGN. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Thermo Fisher surpassed earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 9.02%. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy).

Thermo Fisher’s long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 14%. Thermo Fisher’s earnings yield of 3.7% compares favorably with the industry’s (3.6%).

McKesson beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 19.9%. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

McKesson’s long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 8.9%. McKesson’s earnings yield of 9.9% compares favorably with the industry’s 3.2%.

NextGen Healthcare surpassed earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16%. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2.

NextGen Healthcare’s long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 8.5%. NextGen’s earnings yield of 5.9% compares favorably with the industry’s (4.1%).


Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO) : Free Stock Analysis Report

McKesson Corporation (MCK) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Alcon (ALC) : Free Stock Analysis Report

NEXTGEN HEALTHCARE, INC (NXGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research