Staar Surg Stock Price, News & Analysis

STAAR Surgical (NASDAQ: STAA) and Alcon (NYSE: ALC) agreed amendments to their merger agreement that create a new 30-day go-shop allowing STAAR to solicit third-party proposals through December 6, 2025. Under the amendment, Alcon waives matching rights and limited information rights during the go-shop, and STAAR will not pay a termination fee if it accepts a superior qualified proposal.

The companies said Alcon will engage with STAAR stockholders and proxy advisors. STAAR postponed its Special Meeting to vote on the merger to December 19, 2025 (previously December 3, 2025); stockholders of record as of October 24, 2025 remain entitled to vote.

Yunqi Capital, a 5.1% STAAR Surgical (NASDAQ:STAA) shareholder, praised STAAR’s Q3 2025 results and urged STAAR’s board to terminate the proposed sale to Alcon (SIX/NYSE:ALC). Yunqi highlighted cost discipline: reported operating expenses of $59.4M, excluding $5.9M merger costs an implied run rate of $214M vs prior guidance of $225M. Cash, cash equivalents and investments rose to $192.7M from $189.9M sequentially. Yunqi says China ICL demand recovered, disputes Alcon’s selective use of IQVIA and McKinsey data, and calls Alcon’s $28/share proposal opportunistic. Yunqi notes ~72% of outstanding STAAR shares reportedly voted against the deal as of Oct 23, 2025, and offers to join the board to add shareholder perspective.

STAAR Surgical (NASDAQ: STAA) reported Q3 2025 net sales of $94.7M, up 6.9% year-over-year, including a one-time $25.9M recognition from a December 2024 China shipment paid in full in Q3. Excluding China, sales were $38.9M, up 7.7% Y/Y. Gross margin improved to 82.2% from 77.3% a year ago, driven by timing on the China shipment and cost reductions. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $34.6M ($0.68/sh) from $16.2M. GAAP net income was $8.9M ($0.18/sh) versus $10.0M a year ago. Cash and investments totaled $192.7M and the company had no debt. The company repurchased ~115k shares for $2.0M in Q3 and will not host a conference call due to a pending Alcon acquisition.

Broadwood Partners (investor in STAAR Surgical, NASDAQ:STAA) on Nov 4, 2025 urged shareholders to vote AGAINST Alcon’s (NYSE:ALC) proposed acquisition of STAAR. Broadwood says it owns 27.5% of STAAR and criticizes an Alcon presentation as "fallacious" and misleading, arguing the STAAR board should not delay the shareholder vote or seek Alcon’s permission to run a strategic process. Broadwood cites what it describes as broad shareholder and proxy-advisor opposition to the deal and highlights prior procedural adjournments of STAAR’s Special Meeting. The statement frames the transaction as distracting and harmful to STAAR’s business and directs shareholders to a campaign site for more information.

Company (NYSE:ALC) faced public shareholder resistance after Yunqi Capital, a 5.1% shareholder, sent a letter urging STAAR Surgical’s board to terminate the proposed merger announced Aug 5, 2025.

Yunqi cited a postponed special meeting now set for December 3, 2025, reported vote results showing roughly 72% of outstanding shares opposed the merger and about 81% opposed a $55 million executive compensation package, and said Alcon provided no commitment to increase consideration as of October 24, 2025.

STAAR Surgical (merger with Alcon, ALC) postponed its Special Meeting of Stockholders from November 6, 2025 to December 3, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. PT because of ongoing discussions with Alcon. The new record date for voting eligibility is the close of business on October 24, 2025. Stockholders holding shares as of that record date will be eligible to vote at the postponed meeting, and STAAR will provide a notice and meeting materials in advance. Stockholders with voting questions are instructed to contact STAAR’s proxy solicitor, Innisfree M&A Incorporated, at the provided toll-free and broker phone numbers.