During the quarter, the company’s operating margin was impacted by legal settlement costs, rising inflationary costs, acquisition and integration-related expenses and increased R&D investments, post the acquisition of Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. A Tough Competitive Landscape: With the ophthalmology industry being highly competitive, Alcon faces intense competition in the Surgical and Vision Care businesses. Other Key Picks Some other top-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Zimmer Biomet ZBH, Penumbra PEN and Hologic, Inc. HOLX. Penumbra, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 at present, has an estimated growth rate of 64.1% for 2024.