STAAR Surgical (NASDAQ: STAA) outlines go-shop period outcome for Alcon deal

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

STAAR Surgical Company reported that it issued a press release announcing the results of its “go-shop” process related to its previously announced merger agreement with Alcon Research, LLC and Rascasse Merger Sub, Inc. The go-shop period, established under an amendment to the merger agreement, expired at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 6, 2025.

The company explains that the proposed transaction is still subject to approval by its stockholders, required regulatory clearances and other closing conditions, and it points investors to its definitive proxy statement and other SEC filings for detailed information, including risk factors describing circumstances that could delay, terminate or otherwise affect completion of the merger.

Insights

M&A and corporate governance analyst

STAAR highlights the end of its go-shop window and reiterates merger risks and disclosure sources.

The company explains that it issued a press release announcing the results of its “go-shop” process connected to its proposed merger with Alcon Research, LLC and Rascasse Merger Sub, Inc. The go-shop period, which was provided for in Amendment No. 1 to the August 4, 2025 Agreement and Plan of Merger, expired at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 6, 2025.

The text underscores that the deal remains a proposed transaction and could still be delayed or fail to occur. It lists risks such as potential termination of the merger agreement, failure to obtain stockholder approval, failure to secure required regulatory approvals, management distraction, impacts on retention of key personnel, customer and supplier relationships, possible legal proceedings, and the possibility of a significant stock price decline if the merger is not consummated.

STAAR directs stockholders to its definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, first sent on September 16, 2025, its 2025 annual meeting proxy statement and its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2024 for detailed information on the transaction, risk factors, and the directors and executive officers who may be deemed participants in the proxy solicitation.

STAAR SURGICAL CO false 0000718937 0000718937 2025-12-08 2025-12-08

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 8, 2025

STAAR Surgical Company

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware		0-11634		95-3797439
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)		(Commission File Number)		(IRS Employer Identification Number)

25510 Commercentre Drive Lake Forest, California		92630
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

626-303-7902

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class		Trading Symbol(s)		Name of each exchange on which registered
Common		STAA		NASDAQ

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On December 8, 2025, STAAR Surgical Company (“STAAR”) issued a press release announcing the results of its “go-shop” process, which expired at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on December 6, 2025, pursuant to the previously announced Amendment No. 1, dated November 7, 2025, to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated August 4, 2025, with Alcon Research, LLC and Rascasse Merger Sub, Inc. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

Exhibit No.		Description of Exhibit
99.1		Press Release, dated December 8, 2025
104		Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

Additional Information About the Merger and Where to Find It

This communication relates to the proposed transaction involving the Company. In connection with the proposed transaction, the Company has filed relevant materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including the Company’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”) on September 16, 2025. The Proxy Statement was first sent to Company stockholders on September 16, 2025 and was thereafter supplemented. This communication is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or any other document that the Company may file with the SEC or send to its stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING THE PROXY STATEMENT, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO, IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain the documents (when available) free of charge at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov, or by visiting the Company’s investor relations website, https://investors.staar.com.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the proposed transaction or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.

Participants in the Solicitation

Under SEC rules, the Company and certain of its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of the Company’s common stock in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of the Company and their ownership of the Company’s common stock is set forth in the Proxy Statement, the definitive proxy statement for the Company’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Proxy Statement”), which was filed with the SEC on April 24, 2025 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000718937/000095017025058174/staa-0250424.htm), including the sections captioned “Compensation of Directors,” “Information Regarding Executive Officers” and “Security Ownership of Principal Shareholders and Management,” or its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2024, which was filed with the SEC on February 21, 2025 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000718937/000095017025024813/staa-20241227.htm), and in other documents filed by the Company with the SEC. To the extent holdings of such participants in the Company’s securities have changed since the amounts described in the Proxy Statement, such changes have been reflected on Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 3 or Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with

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the SEC by the Company’s directors and executive officers. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC in respect of the proposed transaction when they become available.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information covered by this communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements often contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “estimate,” “project,” “continue,” “will,” “should,” “may,” and similar terms. All statements in this communication that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from what is expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Alcon merger agreement or could cause the consummation of the proposed transaction to be delayed or to fail to occur; (2) the failure to obtain approval of the proposed transaction from the Company’s stockholders; (3) the failure to obtain certain required regulatory approvals or the failure to satisfy any of the other closing conditions to the completion of the proposed transaction within the expected timeframes or at all; (4) risks related to disruption of management’s attention from the Company’s ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; (5) the effect of the announcement of the proposed transaction on the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with its customers, suppliers and others with whom it does business, or on its operating results and business generally; (6) the ability of the Company to meet expectations regarding the timing and completion of the transaction; (7) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company related to the proposed transaction; (8) the possibility that the Company’s stock price may decline significantly if the proposed transaction is not consummated; and (9) other important factors set forth in the Proxy Statement under the caption “Risk Factors” and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2024 under the caption “Risk Factors,” as any such factors may be updated from time to time in the Company’s other filings with the SEC.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, except as may be required under applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

				STAAR Surgical Company
Date: December 8, 2025				By:		/s/ Stephen C. Farrell
				Name:		Stephen C. Farrell
				Title:		Chief Executive Officer

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FAQ

What did STAAR Surgical (STAA) disclose about its go-shop process with Alcon?

STAAR Surgical stated that on December 8, 2025 it issued a press release announcing the results of its “go-shop” process conducted under Amendment No. 1, dated November 7, 2025, to the August 4, 2025 Agreement and Plan of Merger with Alcon Research, LLC and Rascasse Merger Sub, Inc. The go-shop period expired at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 6, 2025.

Is the proposed STAAR Surgical–Alcon transaction already completed?

No. The transaction is described as a proposed transaction, and STAAR notes that it could be delayed or fail to occur. Completion is still subject to approval of the transaction by STAAR’s stockholders, receipt of certain required regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other closing conditions set out in the merger agreement.

How can STAAR Surgical (STAA) stockholders get more information about the Alcon merger?

STAAR urges stockholders to read all relevant SEC filings, especially its definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed on September 16, 2025 and subsequently supplemented. These documents, along with other filings such as the Annual Report on Form 10-K, are available free of charge at the SEC’s website and via the company’s investor relations website.

Who may be considered participants in the proxy solicitation for STAAR Surgical’s merger?

Under SEC rules, STAAR Surgical explains that the company and certain of its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from holders of its common stock in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about these individuals and their holdings is provided in the proxy statement and other SEC filings.

What key risks to completing the Alcon merger does STAAR Surgical highlight?

The company lists several forward-looking risk factors, including events that could lead to termination of the Alcon merger agreement, failure to obtain stockholder approval, failure to receive required regulatory approvals or satisfy closing conditions, potential disruption of management’s attention from ongoing operations, effects on retention of key personnel and business relationships, possible legal proceedings related to the transaction, and the possibility that the stock price may decline significantly if the proposed transaction is not consummated.