STAAR Surgical Company (STAA)

The past six months have been marked by significant events impacting STAAR Surgical Co.'s stock price, primarily centered around a proposed acquisition by Alcon. Despite Alcon increasing its acquisition offer, the shareholder vote was postponed multiple times due to a lack of sufficient shareholder support. Ultimately, STAAR Surgical announced its intention to terminate the merger agreement with Alcon, leading to a decline in STAAR's stock price. Amidst these events, Yunqi Capital purchased 750,000 shares in early January 2026.

STAAR Surgical's products, particularly its ICLs, exhibit some demand seasonality, especially in China during the summer months. The distributor ordering cycle for ICLs typically begins in May, preceding the busy summer period. Implied volatility for STAAR's stock has historically tended to rise most significantly in February and decline to its lowest levels in August, which could be indicative of underlying seasonal patterns in demand or market sentiment.

STAAR Surgical Co. specializes in implantable lenses for the eye and their accessory delivery systems, focusing on both refractive and cataract solutions for over 40 years. Its primary products include Implantable Collamer Lenses (ICLs) used to correct visual disorders, and it also produces Intraocular Lenses (IOLs) for cataract surgery. The majority of the company's sales are generated from its ICL product family.

STAAR Surgical Co. is headquartered in Lake Forest, California, USA, and maintains a significant global presence with facilities in the US, Japan, Germany, Singapore, Canada, Spain, and Switzerland. It distributes its ophthalmic solutions through its own sales representatives and independent distributors, with products sold in over 75 countries worldwide. Manufacturing operations are primarily situated in the United States (California) and Switzerland, as well as in Ichikawa City, Japan.

In the past year, STAAR Surgical has actively worked to enhance its brand and product awareness, including partnering with Will Levis to raise awareness for its EVO Implantable Collamer Lenses (EVO ICL). The EVO ICL Technology was recognized for transforming vision care and securing significant growth and market share expansion. However, the company has faced challenges regarding its growth in China in recent years, which has impacted its performance. The contentious proposed acquisition by Alcon, which ultimately failed due to strong shareholder opposition, affected STAAR's reputation.

STAAR Surgical Co. has an overwhelmingly institutional ownership structure, with institutional investors holding 96.70% of the outstanding shares as of the third quarter of 2025. Broadwood Partners LP is the largest individual shareholder, owning 35.31 million shares, representing 70.99% of the company, and holds a roughly 30% stake. Insider ownership stands at 5.89%, equating to 2.91 million shares.