- Alcon (ALC, Financial) reported first-quarter 2025 sales of $2.5 billion, a 3% increase on a constant currency basis compared to Q1 2024.
- Diluted earnings per share rose to $0.70, a 40% increase from the previous year.
- The company launched innovative products, including Unity VCS and PanOptix Pro, as part of its strategic push in ophthalmic surgery.
Alcon, a global leader in eye care, has announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2025, ending March 31. The company reported net sales of $2.5 billion, which is flat on a reported basis but reflects a 3% growth when adjusted for constant currency impacts compared to the same period in 2024.
Alcon's diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter rose to $0.70, marking a significant 40% increase from the prior year's first-quarter EPS of $0.50. The core diluted EPS came in at $0.73, slightly down by 6% due to unfavorable currency impacts, aligning with the previous year when adjusted for constant currency.
The company generated $384 million in cash from operations and $278 million in free cash flow during the first three months of 2025. Shareholders approved a dividend of CHF 0.28 per share at the Annual General Meeting on May 6, 2025, with payments expected to be made around mid-May.
In addition to financial results, Alcon has made strides in its product offerings with the launch of several new products. These include the Unity VCS and PanOptix Pro, which are expected to drive growth and innovation within the ophthalmic surgery market for the second half of 2025 and beyond.
The company's Vision Care segment, consisting of contact lenses and ocular health, saw net sales of $1.1 billion, a 1% increase on a reported basis, with constant currency sales growing by 3%. Within this segment, contact lens sales rose by 3%, supported by product innovations and strategic price adjustments.
Alcon CEO David J. Endicott expressed optimism about the future, noting that the company anticipates a normalization of the US market and expects its groundbreaking innovations to continue to create value in the latter half of 2025.
Looking ahead, Alcon updated its 2025 outlook, forecasting net sales between $10.4 billion and $10.5 billion, and adjusted its core diluted EPS guidance to $3.05 to $3.15.
