BLCO Cover Image
Q4 Earnings Roundup: Bausch + Lomb (NYSE:BLCO) And The Rest Of The Medical Devices & Supplies – Specialty Segment

Looking back on medical devices & supplies – specialty stocks’ Q4 earnings, we examine this quarter’s best and worst performers, including Bausch + Lomb (NYSE:BLCO) and its peers.

The medical devices industry operates a business model that balances steady demand with significant investments in innovation and regulatory compliance. The industry benefits from recurring revenue streams tied to consumables, maintenance services, and incremental upgrades to the latest technologies, although specialty devices are more niche. The capital-intensive nature of product development, coupled with lengthy regulatory pathways and the need for clinical validation, can weigh on profitability and timelines. In addition, there are constant pricing pressures from healthcare systems and insurers maximizing cost efficiency. Over the next several years, one tailwind is demographic–aging populations means rising chronic disease rates that drive greater demand for medical interventions and monitoring solutions. Advances in digital health, such as remote patient monitoring and smart devices, are also expected to unlock new demand by shortening upgrade cycles. On the other hand, the industry faces headwinds from pricing and reimbursement pressures as healthcare providers increasingly adopt value-based care models. Additionally, the integration of cybersecurity for connected devices adds further risk and complexity for device manufacturers.

The 6 medical devices & supplies – specialty stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 0.8%.

Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 22.5% since the latest earnings results.

With a nearly 170-year history dedicated to vision care and eye health innovation, Bausch + Lomb (NYSE:BLCO) develops and manufactures a comprehensive range of eye health products including contact lenses, pharmaceuticals, surgical devices, and consumer eye care solutions.

Bausch + Lomb reported revenues of $1.28 billion, up 9.1% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.8%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a mixed quarter for the company with a decent beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but full-year revenue guidance slightly missing analysts’ expectations.

“Underpinning our recent success is a commitment to long-term, profitable growth,” said Brent Saunders, chairman and CEO, Bausch + Lomb.

Bausch + Lomb Total Revenue
Bausch + Lomb Total Revenue

Bausch + Lomb delivered the weakest full-year guidance update of the whole group. The stock is down 22.3% since reporting and currently trades at $12.70.