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AlconXSWX:ALC -1.65%70 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.20 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus rates XSWX:ALC with a GF Score™ of 70/100 and a GF Value™ of CHF74.22 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 615 Medical Devices & Instruments companies, Alcon ranks better than 83.9% on this metric.
Shares Outstanding (EOP) are shares that have been authorized, issued, and purchased by investors and are held by them.
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. A positive ratio may indicate share buybacks over the period, while a zero or negative ratio may reflect no repurchases or potential share issuance. Alcon's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was 0.20%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Alcon's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
XSWX:ALC'
s 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -0.3 Med: -0.1 Max: 0.2
Current: 0.2
During the past 10 years, Alcon's highest 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was 0.20%. The lowest was -0.30%. And the median was -0.10%.
XSWX:ALC's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is ranked better than 83.9% of 615
companies
in the Medical Devices & Instruments industry
Industry Median: -2.7
vs XSWX:ALC: 0.20
Alcon (XSWX:ALC) 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Explanation
A negative number means the company might be issuing new shares. A positive number indicates that the company is buying back shares.
Be Aware
Investors usually like share buybacks. But as pointed by Warren Buffett, only if a company buys back shares at the prices below the stock's intrinsic value, it rewards remaining shareholders. If a company buys its overvalued stocks back, it destroys shareholder value.
Alcon 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Related Terms
XSWX:ALC vs ISRG, BDX, MDLN: 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Comparison
For the Medical Instruments & Supplies subindustry, Alcon's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Alcon 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio vs Medical Devices & Instruments Industry
For the Medical Devices & Instruments industry and Healthcare sector, Alcon's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Alcon's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio falls into.
This is the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. The annualized percentage change is calculated with expontential compound based on the latest four years of annual data on Shares Outstanding (EOP).
Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the average dividends per share growth rate.
What does a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 0.20 mean?
Alcon (XSWX:ALC) has a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 0.20 as of Mar. 2026. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for Alcon and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Alcon ranks #99 out of 615 companies in the Medical Devices & Instruments industry, placing it in the top 16.1%.
Is Alcon's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio too high?
Alcon's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.20. Based on the distribution chart, Alcon ranks #99 out of 615 companies in the Medical Devices & Instruments industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Alcon has a GF Score™ of 70/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Alcon's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio compare to ISRG and BDX?
According to the Medical Devices & Instruments industry distribution chart, Alcon ranks #99 out of 615 companies for 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio. This places Alcon in the top 16% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio for a Medical Devices & Instruments company?
A good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio depends on the Medical Devices & Instruments industry context. However, 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio mean?
A high 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for Alcon and its competitors. Alcon's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.20. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Alcon stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Alcon (XSWX:ALC) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF74.22, compared to a current price of CHF54.90 — trading 26% below its estimated fair value. The current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.20. Alcon's overall GF Score™ is 70/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio calculated?
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Alcon (XSWX:ALC), the current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.20 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Alcon (XSWX:ALC) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Alcon stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of CHF54.90 is trading 26% below its estimated GF Value™ of CHF74.22.
GuruFocus considers Alcon to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for XSWX:ALC:
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio: 0.20
GF Value™: CHF74.22 vs. price of CHF54.90 (26% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the XSWX:ALC stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Alcon is one of the leading visioncare companies in the world. Following nine years as a Novartis subsidiary, it was spun off as a public company in April 2019. Alcon operates in two segments: visioncare and surgical. Visioncare comprises contact lenses, lenscare solutions, and a suite of ocular health products. With brands like Dailies, Total1, and Air Optix, Alcon controls about one fourth of the US contact lens market. Surgical comprises intraocular lenses, ophthalmic surgical equipment, and consumables used during surgeries. Its main products include Centurion, a phacoemulsification device used during cataract surgeries, and a portfolio of IOLs including PanOptix and Vivity. Alcon has one of the largest installed bases of eye surgical equipment in the world.
70GF Score
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