Cooper Companies Plunges to 52-Week Low After Earnings Miss, Guidance Cut and Failed Strategic Review

Cooper Companies stock fell nearly 16% after hours and hit a 52-week low of $51.76 on September 10 after the contact lens and medical device maker reported fiscal Q3 2026 revenue of $1.07 billion, flat year-over-year and slightly below Wall Street consensus. The company also cut its full-year guidance, citing weak CooperVision sales and US channel inventory destocking that management said would extend into Q4.

Compounding the revenue disappointment, Cooper Companies disclosed it had concluded a strategic review of its CooperSurgical segment without plans to pursue a sale or deal. Bank of America, which downgraded the stock, said the company had failed to sell CooperSurgical at an attractive valuation. The combination of a soft quarter, reduced outlook, and the strategic review outcome with no transaction made COO the worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 on the day.

At least five analyst firms moved against the stock. Piper Sandler and William Blair cut their ratings outright on the earnings miss, while Baird downgraded on weak sales and BofA downgraded citing CSI retention concerns. Stifel, Wells Fargo, Needham, which cut its target to $73, and Mizuho all reduced their price targets, citing the guidance miss and sales softness. The company did report record free cash flow during the quarter and announced a $3 billion expanded share buyback, though analysts said those positives were overshadowed by the destocking narrative heading into Q4.