Skip to content

COOContact lenses & women's health

The Cooper Companies

Narrow moatHigh uncertainty

Updated

Price
$57.94
Fair value
fair value $71.00
Discount
18.4% below fair value
LSEG rating
LSEG 2.61 — lower is better (1–5)
Next earnings
Earnings Dec 9 · · estimated

Loading your notes…

In short

Thesis
The market prices CooperCompanies for slow contact lens growth after a strategic review that kept CooperSurgical, and a return to CooperVision growth in fiscal 2027 can close the gap.
Gap
Can close. The fiscal 2027 guidance in December 2026 and the next quarterly reports show whether CooperVision returns to growth.
Next test
(estimate): Q4 fiscal 2026 earnings and fiscal 2027 guidance

About

CooperCompanies has two businesses. CooperVision makes soft contact lenses, including toric and multifocal lenses, and sells them around the world. CooperSurgical sells fertility products and services and office and surgical products for women's health.

Revenue was $1.066 billion in Q3 fiscal 2026, which ended on July 31, 2026: $717.0 million from CooperVision and $349.2 million from CooperSurgical. Its fiscal year ends on October 31. Al White is President and CEO.

Thesis

The market prices CooperCompanies for slow contact lens growth. CooperVision revenue was flat in Q3 fiscal 2026 because the company reduced U.S. channel inventory, and it expects CooperVision organic growth of minus 2% to 0% in Q4. In September 2026, the board ended a strategic review and kept CooperSurgical, because the offers it received were not in the interest of shareholders. The board said that a new competitor in non-hormonal IUDs and a fertility litigation settlement affected the value.

For the gap to close, three things must be true. CooperVision must return to organic growth in fiscal 2027 after the inventory reduction, helped by new products and a larger sales force. Fertility revenue must keep growing, as in Q3 when it grew 5% organically. Free cash flow must meet the target of more than $2.2 billion for fiscal 2026 to 2028 and fund buybacks under the $3 billion program.

The Q4 fiscal 2026 report and the fiscal 2027 guidance, estimated for about December 9, 2026, are the next test. If these checks pass, the gap can close over the next four to six quarters. The main reason it may not close is slower growth in contact lenses, where competition is strong.

Checkpoints

  1. Dec 9, 2026 · est.Pending
    Q4 fiscal 2026 earnings and fiscal 2027 guidanceQ4 results within guidance and fiscal 2027 guidance for CooperVision organic growth pass; another guidance cut or no return to growth fail.
  2. Mar 2027 · est.Pending
    Q1 fiscal 2027: CooperVision growthPositive CooperVision organic growth after the inventory reduction pass; flat or falling CooperVision revenue fails.

Every passed and failed checkpoint across all picks

Balance sheet

Cash
$155M
Debt
$2.5B
Net debt
$2.4B
Interest cover
6.2×
times profit pays interest
Credit line
$1.3B
undrawn, to May 2029

Cash against debt

Cash$155M
Debt$2.5B

debt covered by cashnet debt $2.4B

When the debt is due

12 months$628M
Later$1.9B

CooperCompanies funds itself with bank debt. At July 31, 2026, total debt was $2.54 billion: $966.7 million drawn on the $2.3 billion revolving credit facility that matures on May 1, 2029, term loans of $1.50 billion, of which $550 million is due within a year, and other debt.

Risks

  • CooperVision revenue was flat in Q3 fiscal 2026, and the company expects Q4 organic growth of minus 2% to 0%. If growth does not return after the inventory reduction, earnings and the share price can stay low.
  • The board said that a new competitor is entering the non-hormonal IUD market, where CooperSurgical competes. More competition can lower CooperSurgical revenue.
  • A U.K. tribunal decided in March 2026 that the company did not withhold enough payroll taxes on part of the price for the Sauflon acquisition. The company is appealing and estimates a possible loss of 0 to 71.7 million pounds plus interest.
  • Debt rose to $2.54 billion at July 31, 2026, as the company bought back shares. More buybacks with borrowed money increase leverage.

Recent events

  • September 23, 2026CooperVision opened The Vision Centre, its new global research and development center, as part of a faster program of new product introductions.
  • September 9, 2026CooperCompanies reported Q3 fiscal 2026 results. Revenue rose 1% to $1.066 billion, and non-GAAP EPS rose 4% to $1.15. CooperVision revenue was flat because of a U.S. channel inventory reduction. Free cash flow rose 66% to $273.0 million, and a $307.2 million tax benefit followed the end of a U.K. tax examination. The company lowered its fiscal 2026 guidance to non-GAAP EPS of $4.51 to $4.55.
  • September 9, 2026The board completed the strategic review that started in December 2025 and decided to keep CooperSurgical. It raised the share repurchase authorization from $2 billion to $3 billion. The company also said that in August 2026 it paid $306.8 million to settle substantially all claims about recalled embryo culture media, of which insurance paid $43.8 million.
Show 1 older event
  • June 4, 2026CooperCompanies reported Q2 fiscal 2026 results. Revenue rose 8% to a record $1.082 billion, and non-GAAP EPS rose 26% to $1.21. A $271.6 million litigation charge for the fertility media recall caused a GAAP operating loss.

Similar companies

  • ABEVAmbevShares: Regulation and courts, Weak consumer
    Discount
    8.9%
    LSEG
    3.10
    Gap
    Can close
  • AXPAmerican ExpressShares: Regulation and courts, Weak consumer
    Discount
    8.9%
    LSEG
    2.34
    Gap
    Can close
  • ULUnileverShares: Regulation and courts, Weak consumer
    Discount
    7.1%
    LSEG
    1.83
    Gap
    Can close
  • ABGAsbury AutomotiveShares: Weak consumer, Regulation and courts
    Discount
    46.1%
    LSEG
    2.67
    Gap
    Can close
  • ALGNAlign TechnologyShares: Weak consumer, Regulation and courts
    Discount
    24.5%
    LSEG
    2.47
    Gap
    Can close

Read it all? Star COO or pass, then go on to the next one.