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On Friday, JPMorgan analysts downgraded Cooper Companies’ stock from Overweight to Neutral, significantly reducing the price target from $110.00 to $76.00. The downgrade followed a mixed financial update from the company on Thursday, which saw better-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results overshadowed by a decreased organic sales forecast for CooperVision (CVI) and CooperSurgical (CSI). According to InvestingPro data, the company maintains a healthy financial position with a "GOOD" overall score, despite trading at a relatively high P/E ratio of 38.4x.
According to JPMorgan, the contact lens market is expected to grow at its historical rate of 4-6%, but this outlook is tempered by tighter budgeting from distributors, retailers, and consumers. Additionally, the fertility market, another segment Cooper Companies operates in, is anticipated to see growth in the low single digits. This slower growth is partly attributed to softness in the Asia-Pacific region, due to the timing of planned fertility cycles. The company has maintained revenue growth of 7.15% over the last twelve months, though InvestingPro analysis suggests the stock is currently trading above its Fair Value.
The analysts expressed difficulty aligning the optimistic tone of Cooper Companies’ management with the market challenges anticipated through the end of fiscal year 2026. They noted that while some market dynamics might be transient, the recent pattern of mixed execution and the prospect of a sustained market slowdown to previous levels are concerning.
JPMorgan’s revised stance reflects skepticism that a 5-6% organic growth outlook can warrant a higher valuation for Cooper Companies’ shares. The lowered price target and rating downgrade indicate a more cautious perspective on the company’s stock performance in the near future.
In other recent news, Cooper Companies reported its second-quarter fiscal year 2025 financial results, showcasing a strong performance with earnings per share (EPS) of $0.96, surpassing the forecast of $0.9282. The company’s revenue reached $1,002 million, exceeding the expected $995.95 million, marking a 6% year-over-year increase. Despite the positive earnings, the company adjusted its growth expectations for its contact lens and fertility markets downward. Cooper Companies also provided a revenue guidance range of $4.11 to $4.15 billion for the fiscal year, reflecting a growth rate of 5.5% to 6.5%, and expects non-GAAP EPS to be between $4.05 and $4.11. Needham maintained a Hold rating on Cooper Companies, noting the mixed nature of the company’s guidance, which included an upward revision of EPS guidance due to favorable foreign exchange conditions and strong second-quarter performance. The CooperSurgical division showed improvement, particularly in the Office & Surgical areas, despite ongoing softness in the Fertility sector. The company continues to face challenges such as tariffs, which are expected to impact next fiscal year’s earnings by approximately 3%.
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