ALC
NEUTRAL
$80.29
Live
Alcon Inc. · NYSE
Target $91.8
(+14.3%)
$71.55
52W Range
$99.2
At a glance
Key valuation, profitability, growth, and risk metrics.
Updated Jan 24, 2026
Market cap
$39.59B
P/E
38.6
ROE
4.8%
Profit margin
10.3%
Debt/Equity
0.24
Dividend yield
0.41%
AI Analysis
AI-powered fundamental assessment
Confidence
72%
Alcon Inc. (ALC) exhibits a weak Piotroski F-Score of 4/9, indicating marginal financial health, while the absence of an Altman Z-Score prevents a full distress risk assessment. Despite solid revenue growth and strong gross margins, earnings are contracting year-over-year, and the stock trades at a high valuation (P/E 38.60 vs. sector average 212.00) with a weak technical trend. Analysts recommend a 'buy' with a $91.80 target, implying 14% upside, but this is at odds with deteriorating profitability and low insider sentiment. The Graham Number of $45.87 suggests significant overvaluation, though sector dynamics and growth expectations may justify some premium.
Key Strengths
Solid revenue growth of 6.5% YoY, outpacing some peers
High gross margin of 55.57%, reflecting pricing power and efficient manufacturing
Strong balance sheet with low debt/equity (0.24) and healthy current ratio (2.12)
Conservative dividend policy with low payout ratio (16.22%) ensuring sustainability
Analyst consensus supports 'buy' with 17 analysts and a $91.80 target price
Key Risks
Weak Piotroski F-Score (4/9) signals deteriorating fundamentals and poor profitability trends
Earnings under pressure with YoY EPS growth at -2.5% and operating margin decline
High P/E ratio (38.60) vs. Graham fair value of $45.87 implies substantial overvaluation
Technical trend is bearish (0/100), indicating negative price momentum
Missing key financial data (EV, cash, debt, ROIC, shares outstanding) limits confidence in analysis
AI Fair Value Estimate
Based on comprehensive analysis
$45.87
-42.9% below current price
Performance Snowflake
Multi-dimensional analysis across 5 key categories
Overall
47
Moderate
35
52
56
44
50
AI Verdict
Neutral with upside risk if earnings stabilize
Key drivers: High gross margin and revenue growth, Low leverage and strong liquidity, Bearish technical trend and weak earnings growth, Overvalued relative to Graham criteria, Lack of Altman Z-Score and missing financials
Confidence
70%
Value
35/100
Ref P/E, PEG, Graham Number
Positives
- Forward P/E of 23.50 is lower than current P/E, suggesting earnings recovery priced in
Watchpoints
- Current P/E of 38.60 is high relative to historical norms
- Graham Number implies fair value at $45.87, nearly 43% below current price
- No PEG ratio due to inconsistent earnings growth
Future
52/100
Ref Growth rates
Positives
- Revenue growth of 6.5% YoY is stable
- Q/Q EPS growth improved to +3.9%
Watchpoints
- Earnings growth YoY is negative (-9.40%)
- No clear inflection in operating margin or ROE
Past
56/100
Ref Historical trends
Positives
- History of beating earnings estimates (14 of last 25 quarters)
- Notable earnings surprises in 2020–2023 period
Watchpoints
- Recent quarters show declining beat rate (2 of last 4)
- Average surprise down to 1.83% in last 4 quarters
Health
44/100
Ref Altman Z-Score, Piotroski F-Score
Positives
- Low debt/equity (0.24) indicates conservative capital structure
- Current ratio of 2.12 shows strong short-term liquidity
Watchpoints
- Piotroski F-Score of 4/9 indicates weak financial health
- ROE (4.82%) and ROA (2.62%) are very low, signaling poor capital efficiency
- Altman Z-Score unavailable, increasing uncertainty
Dividend
50/100
Ref Yield, Payout
Positives
- Low payout ratio (16.22%) ensures dividend safety
Watchpoints
- Dividend strength score is weak at 25/100
- Yield is minimal at 0.41%, offering little income appeal
Stock Price & Analyst Targets
Real-time price movements and analyst price targets
Current Price
$80.29
Analyst Target
$91.8
Upside/Downside
+14.3%
Multi-Horizon Performance vs Peers
Price momentum across 5Y → 1W horizons for ALC and closest competitors.
Updated 2026-01-23
| Company | 5Y | 3Y | 1Y | 6M | 1M | 1W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
ALC
Alcon Inc.
Primary
|
+8.8% | +9.9% | -9.6% | -12.6% | +0.1% | +1.6% |
|
MDLN
Medline Inc.
Peer
|
+15.2% | +15.2% | +15.2% | +15.2% | +13.9% | +7.6% |
|
A
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
Peer
|
+11.4% | -11.3% | -10.7% | +12.8% | -2.2% | -3.3% |
|
ALNY
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Peer
|
+114.5% | +67.5% | +29.6% | -32.7% | -2.8% | -2.3% |
|
HLN
Haleon plc
Peer
|
+38.2% | +12.9% | -5.4% | +4.5% | -1.9% | -2.0% |
ALC
Alcon Inc.
Primary
5Y
+8.8%
3Y
+9.9%
1Y
-9.6%
6M
-12.6%
1M
+0.1%
1W
+1.6%
MDL
Medline Inc.
Peer
5Y
+15.2%
3Y
+15.2%
1Y
+15.2%
6M
+15.2%
1M
+13.9%
1W
+7.6%
A
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
Peer
5Y
+11.4%
3Y
-11.3%
1Y
-10.7%
6M
+12.8%
1M
-2.2%
1W
-3.3%
ALN
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Peer
5Y
+114.5%
3Y
+67.5%
1Y
+29.6%
6M
-32.7%
1M
-2.8%
1W
-2.3%
HLN
Haleon plc
Peer
5Y
+38.2%
3Y
+12.9%
1Y
-5.4%
6M
+4.5%
1M
-1.9%
1W
-2.0%
Positive values indicate cumulative gains over the specified period. Comparables pulled from the same sector to highlight whether momentum is stock-specific or industry-wide.
Historical Performance Trends
Long-term financial metrics and growth patterns
Revenue & Net Income
Profit & Operating Margins
Return on Equity (ROE)
Quarterly Revenue Growth
Historical data shows last 12 quarters (3 years)
Valuation Metrics
Key valuation ratios and pricing indicators
P/E Ratio
38.6
Forward P/E
23.5
PEG Ratio
N/A
P/B Ratio
1.79
P/S Ratio
3.89
EV/Revenue
4.24
EV/EBITDA
17.2
Market Cap
$39.59B
Profitability
Profit margins and return metrics
Profit Margin
10.28%
Operating Margin
12.85%
Gross Margin
55.57%
ROE
4.82%
ROA
2.62%
Growth
Revenue and earnings growth rates
Revenue Growth
+6.5%
Earnings Growth
-9.4%
Q/Q Revenue Growth
N/A
Q/Q Earnings Growth
-9.9%
Financial Health
Balance sheet strength and liquidity metrics
Debt/Equity
0.24
Low debt
Current Ratio
2.12
Strong
Quick Ratio
1.15
Good
Cash/Share
$3.05
Quarterly Earnings History
EPS performance vs analyst estimates
2026-02-24
$N/A
2025-11-11
$0.79
+3.0% surprise
2025-08-19
$0.76
+6.8% surprise
2025-05-13
$0.73
-4.3% surprise
Healthcare Sector Comparison
Comparing ALC against 560 companies in the Healthcare sector
(34 bullish, 167 neutral, 359 bearish)
P/E Ratio
38.6
This Stock
vs
75.44
Sector Avg
-48.8%
(Discount)
Return on Equity (ROE)
4.82%
This Stock
vs
-88.14%
Sector Avg
-105.5%
(Below Avg)
Profit Margin
10.28%
This Stock
vs
-16.28%
Sector Avg
-163.1%
(Weaker)
Debt to Equity
0.24
This Stock
vs
2.66
Sector Avg
-91.1%
(Less Debt)
Revenue Growth
6.5%
This Stock
vs
124.04%
Sector Avg
-94.8%
(Slower)
Current Ratio
2.12
This Stock
vs
4.47
Sector Avg
-52.7%
(Weaker)
Similar Companies
Peer comparison within the same industry
| Company | AI Rating | Market Cap | P/E | ROE | Profit Margin | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
ALC
Alcon Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $39.59B | 38.6 | 4.8% | 10.3% | $80.29 | |
|
MDLN
Medline Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $38.33B | 33.02 | 6.5% | 4.1% | $47.22 | Compare |
|
A
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $38.29B | 30.28 | 20.6% | 18.8% | $135.05 | Compare |
|
ALNY
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
|
BEARISH | $41.57B | 135.09 | 73.3% | 8.4% | $313.41 | Compare |
|
HLN
Haleon plc
|
NEUTRAL | $42.18B | 18.98 | 10.3% | 15.1% | $9.49 | Compare |
ALC
Alcon Inc.
NEUTRAL
Mkt Cap
$39.6B
P/E
38.6
ROE
4.8%
Price
$80.29
Wall Street Analysts
Professional analyst ratings and price targets
Consensus
BUY
17 analysts
Stifel
2026-01-09
Buy
Hold
B of A Securities
2025-12-11
Buy
Underperform
BTIG
2025-11-24
Buy
Buy
Baird
2025-11-13
Outperform
Outperform
Needham
2025-11-12
Buy
Buy
Mizuho
2025-11-11
Outperform
Outperform
Keybanc
2025-10-21
Overweight
Overweight
Barclays
2025-10-13
Equal-Weight
BTIG
2025-10-13
Buy
Buy
Stifel
2025-09-29
Buy
Buy
Past News Coverage
Recent headlines mentioning ALC from our newsroom.
Newest → oldest
No matching news yet.