Staar Surgical (Nasdaq:STAA) announced today that it appointed Warren Foust as its new president and CEO. The appointment went into effect today, Aug. 4, 2026. Alongside Foust’s appointment, Lake Forest, California-based Staar named Deborah Andrews, its CFO, an EVP as well. Foust and Andrews became interim co-CEOs in February, following the resignation of CEO Stephen […]
Staar Surgical
Staar Surgical co-CEOs address shareholders, poor Q4 earnings
Staar Surgical’s (Nasdaq: STAA) co-CEOs released a letter to the company’s shareholders following a fourth-quarter earnings report that revealed a net loss of $18.3 million, or 37¢ EPS for the quarter. Staar reported $57.8 million in Q4 revenue, missing Wall Street’s $75.05 million prediction but an 18% increase year-over-year. Net sales excluding China, Staar’s largest […]
FDA expands age indication for Staar Surgical EVO ICL
Staar Surgical (Nasdaq:STAA) announced that it received FDA approval for an expanded age indication for its Evo lenses. Evo Visian Implantable Collamer Lenses (ICL) can now extend to patients between the ages of 21 and 60 years old. Its previous indication covered patients between 21 and 45. The expanded approval comes on the heels of […]
Staar Surgical names interim co-CEOs in leadership shift following failed Alcon deal
Staar Surgical (Nasdaq:STAA) announced today that it appointed Warren Foust and Deborah Andrews as interim co-CEOs. The temporary appointments of both executives, who currently hold other leadership roles at Staar, went into effect yesterday, Feb. 1. They follow a topsy-turvy period for the company, which is undergoing a leadership change after a failed merger with […]
Staar Surgical CEO, board chair stepping down after Alcon merger fails
Staar Surgical (Nasdaq: STAA) CEO Stephen Farrell and Board of Directors Chair Elizabeth Yeu have stepped down from the company’s board, effective immediately. Farrell will remain CEO until Jan. 31, 2026, the company announced today. Neal Bradsher and Richard LeBuhn of Broadwood Partners, Staar’s largest shareholder, and Christopher Wang of Yunqui Capital will join Staar’s […]
Staar Surgical to terminate Alcon deal after stockholder vote
Staar Surgical (Nasdaq:STAA) announced today that preliminary estimates suggest that it failed to receive stockholder approval for its planned merger with Alcon . The company’s proxy solicitor delivered the preliminary estimates, throwing yet another wrench into the maligned attempted merger — one of the biggest deals put on the table in 2025. As a result […]
Medtech M&A: The biggest deals of 2025
In 2025, the medtech industry saw another year full of all kinds of deals in the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) arena. Private equity played its part, while some of medtech’s biggest names made further moves to try and enhance their portfolios. Last year, along with the biggest deals of 2024, analysts suggested that, in 2025, […]
Alcon amends Staar merger agreement as deal looks set to move forward
Alcon announced today that it entered into an amended merger agreement for its planned acquisition of Staar Surgical (Nasdaq:STAA). The companies amended their agreement after the “go-shop” period for the deal, which allowed other potential bidders to come in for Staar, expired on Dec. 6. Following that expiration and the amendment to the deal, the […]
Alcon’s Staar Surgical acquisition clears hurdle as ‘window shop’ period closes
Staar Surgical (Nasdaq:STAA) announced today that the 45-day “window shop” period for its merger with Alcon expired. This period expired at the end of the day on Friday, Sept. 19. The company saw no competing acquisition proposal, despite efforts to find a new buyer from Staar’s largest shareholder. In August, Alcon announced that it agreed to […]
Staar Surgical’s board urges stockholders to approve Alcon acquisition in face of scrutiny
Staar Surgical (Nasdaq:STAA) announced today that it filed a definitive proxy statement related to its planned merger with Alcon . In conjunction with the proxy statement, the company issued a letter to its stockholders outlining its desire to move forward with the deal. In August, Alcon announced that it agreed to acquire Staar in a deal […]
Alcon faces opposition from Staar Surgical’s largest shareholder in planned acquisition
Broadwood Partners said today that it intends to vote against the proposed acquisition of Staar Surgical (Nasdaq:STAA) by Alcon . In August, Alcon announced that it agreed to acquire Staar in a deal with an equity value of approximately $1.5 billion. With the acquisition, Alcon would bring in the Staar family of Evo Implantable Collamer […]
