Swiss eye care firm Alcon’s quarterly revenue rises less than expected

By Simon Ferdinand Eibach

Gdansk, May 6 (Reuters) – Swiss-American eye care company Alcon reported a 10% rise in its quarterly revenue, citing recent product launches as the main drivers.

• Alcon’s net sales rose to $2.69 billion in the first quarter of 2026 from $2.45 reported a year earlier.

• Sales missed estimates of $2.71 billion by analysts polled by LSEG, with net sales in the implantables segment almost stagnant due to competitive pressures.

• Shares of Alcon opened down 4.67% at 0700 GMT, with Vontobel analysts pointing to soft cataract markets.

• Alcon’s operating earnings amounted to $292 million in the first quarter, falling 32% from a year earlier.

• The company hiked its full-year guidance for diluted earnings per share growth to 10%-13% from 9%-12%, as it announced a $1.5 billion share repurchase program with a plan to cancel the acquired shares.

• In an investor webcast, Finance Chief Timothy Stonesifer said the company cut its assumed average tariff rate on U.S. imports for the remainder of the year to 10% from 15%, resulting in a $25 million reduction in projected tariff-related expenses for 2026.

• Alcon launched 10 new products in the first quarter of 2026, including Clareon TruPlus IOL, the next generation of monofocal and toric lenses for cataract surgery.

(Reporting by Simon Ferdinand Eibach; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)