Stifel Nicolaus Issues Pessimistic Forecast for STAAR Surgical (NASDAQ:STAA) Stock Price

STAAR Surgical (NASDAQ:STAA) had its target price decreased by equities research analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from $19.00 to $18.00 in a note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “hold” rating on the medical instruments supplier’s stock. Stifel Nicolaus’ price target would indicate a potential downside of 4.86% from the company’s current price.

A number of other equities analysts have also commented on the stock. Wedbush assumed coverage on shares of STAAR Surgical in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They set a “neutral” rating and a $26.00 price target on the stock. Morgan Stanley began coverage on shares of STAAR Surgical in a research note on Friday, January 16th. They set an “underweight” rating and a $13.00 price target for the company. Canaccord Genuity Group decreased their price objective on STAAR Surgical from $30.75 to $22.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of STAAR Surgical in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on STAAR Surgical from $28.00 to $30.75 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $20.78.

STAAR Surgical Price Performance

Shares of STAA stock opened at $18.92 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $941.08 million, a P/E ratio of -9.70 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $19.97 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $24.19. STAAR Surgical has a one year low of $14.69 and a one year high of $30.81.

STAAR Surgical (NASDAQ:STAA) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, March 3rd. The medical instruments supplier reported ($0.37) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.14 by ($0.51). The firm had revenue of $57.80 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $75.54 million. STAAR Surgical had a negative net margin of 41.79% and a negative return on equity of 16.06%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 18.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that STAAR Surgical will post -1.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, major shareholder Broadwood Partners, L.P. bought 336,946 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 6th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $21.62 per share, for a total transaction of $7,284,772.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 15,356,437 shares in the company, valued at approximately $332,006,167.94. The trade was a 2.24% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders acquired 434,138 shares of company stock worth $9,424,176 over the last three months. 0.59% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On STAAR Surgical

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its position in shares of STAAR Surgical by 4.5% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 29,390 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $518,000 after buying an additional 1,267 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its position in STAAR Surgical by 33.4% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 544,843 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $9,606,000 after purchasing an additional 136,390 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its position in shares of STAAR Surgical by 11.6% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 123,347 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $2,175,000 after buying an additional 12,841 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC increased its stake in shares of STAAR Surgical by 74.1% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,563 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 665 shares during the period. Finally, Resona Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of STAAR Surgical by 11.6% during the second quarter. Resona Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,421,836 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $40,746,000 after acquiring an additional 252,218 shares in the last quarter. 96.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting STAAR Surgical

Here are the key news stories impacting STAAR Surgical this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Gross-margin improvement, healthy cash and insider buying — Q4 showed stronger gross profit and expanded margins, cash and equivalents rose to about $153.2M, and recent insider purchases by Broadwood signal insider conviction. STAAR Surgical Company (STAA) Stock Falls on Q4 2025 Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Revenue growth year-over-year — Net sales rose ~18% vs. year-ago quarter, showing demand growth for the EVO ICL franchise even as near-term timing issues impacted quarter-to-quarter comparisons. Staar Surgical Reports Q4 2025 Results and Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst supporters and mid-range price targets — Some firms (e.g., Jefferies) remain constructive with buy ratings/targets, and median analyst targets sit above the 52-week low, providing a potential floor if execution improves. STAAR Surgical Company (STAA) Stock Falls on Q4 2025 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Shareholder letter & leadership transition — Company issued a shareholder letter after the close noting a recent leadership transition; implications depend on clarity of near-term strategy and guidance. STAAR Surgical Issues Shareholder Letter
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call transcript available — Management commentary on the call will be key for guidance timing and cadence of the expected 2026 recovery. STAAR Surgical Company (STAA) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Big miss vs. consensus — Q4 revenue of $57.8M and EPS of -$0.37 fell well short of analyst expectations (~$75–77M revenue and positive EPS estimates), driving immediate downward pressure. Staar Surgical (STAA) Lags Q4 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst caution on near-term cadence — Needham maintained a Hold citing short-term revenue headwinds and is looking for a 2026 recovery, signaling limited near-term upside until revenue stabilizes. Staar Surgical: Short-Term Revenue Headwinds and 2026 Recovery Hopes Support Neutral Hold Rating
• Negative Sentiment: Shares reacted downward — The market sold off STAA after the release and misses, reflecting disappointed near-term results despite structural positives. STAAR Surgical Company (STAA) Stock Falls on Q4 2025 Earnings

STAAR Surgical Company Profile

STAAR Surgical Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells implantable lenses for the eye, and companion delivery systems to deliver the lenses into the eye. The company provides implantable Collamer lens product family (ICLs) to treat visual disorders, such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia. It markets its products to health care providers, including ophthalmic surgeons, vision and surgical centers, hospitals, government facilities, and distributors, as well as products are primarily used by ophthalmologists.