STAA vs HOLX

For growth investors, Hologic, Inc.

(HOLX) is the stronger pick with 1. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -23. 7% for STAAR Surgical Company (STAA). Hologic, Inc. (HOLX) offers the better valuation at 30. 5x trailing P/E (17. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate STAAR Surgical Company (STAA) a "Hold" — based on 15 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On forward P/E, Hologic, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 17. 2x.

Over the past 5 years, Hologic, Inc.

(HOLX) delivered a total return of +15. 8%, compared to -80. 2% for STAAR Surgical Company (STAA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: STAA returned +273. 7% versus HOLX's +124. 3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Hologic, Inc.

(HOLX) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 41β versus STAAR Surgical Company's 0. 54β — meaning STAA is approximately 32% more volatile than HOLX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, STAAR Surgical Company (STAA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 11% versus 52% for Hologic, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Hologic, Inc.

(HOLX) is pulling ahead at 1. 7% versus -23. 7% for STAAR Surgical Company (STAA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Hologic, Inc. grew EPS -25. 0% year-over-year, compared to -295. 1% for STAAR Surgical Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, HOLX leads at -5. 5% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Hologic, Inc.

(HOLX) is the more profitable company, earning 13. 8% net margin versus -33. 6% for STAAR Surgical Company — meaning it keeps 13. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HOLX leads at 17. 4% versus -19. 2% for STAA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — STAA leads at 73. 9%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Hologic, Inc.

(HOLX) trades at 17. 2x forward P/E versus 70. 2x for STAAR Surgical Company — 53. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HOLX: 3. 9% to $79. 00.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Hologic, Inc.

(HOLX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 41), +124. 3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HOLX: +124. 3%, STAA: +273. 7%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.