Alcon's Swiss Shares Slide After Sales Growth Disappoints

By Adria Calatayud

Alcon shares in Switzerland dropped after the eyecare company reported third-quarter revenue growth that fell short of analysts' expectations and narrowed its full-year earnings outlook to the lower end of previous guidance.

Zurich-listed shares in Alcon were down 7.7% in European morning trading, taking the stock's year-to-date loss to 9.7%.

The company reported third-quarter net sales of $2.72 billion, up 5% compared with the year-earlier period when excluding currency changes.

Analysts polled by Visible Alpha had forecast Alcon's sales at $2.73 billion and constant-currency growth at 5.8%.

Alcon reported a 4% revenue increase in its surgical segment, with growing consumables and equipment sales offsetting a decline in implantables, and a 6% rise in its vision-care segment driven by both ocular-health products and contact lenses.

Net profit rose to $260 million from $237 million.

The company tightened its full-year guidance for both sales growth and core earnings. It now expects sales to grow 6% at constant currency, at the midpoint of its prior 5% to 7% range.

Core earnings per share are forecast to grow by 12% to 14%, which compares with Alcon's previous expectations of between 12% and 15%.

The weaker-than-expected sales and narrowed guidance won't be taken well by investors, as they reduce the prospect of positive surprises, analysts at RBC Capital Markets wrote in a note to clients.

Analysts at Swiss bank Vontobel said in a note that implantables sales missed expectations due to competitive pressures in the U.S., which would disappoint the market.

Write to Adria Calatayud at adria.calatayud@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 11, 2026 04:25 ET (09:25 GMT)