Investors looking for stocks in the Medical - Dental Supplies sector might want to consider either The Cooper Companies (COO) or West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zac ...

Core Insights - SGA's U.S. Large Cap Growth Strategy reported a Q4 2025 portfolio return of 0.3% (Gross) and 0.2% (Net), underperforming the Russell 1000 Growth Index and S&P 500 Index which returned 1.1% and 2.7% respectively [1] - The portfolio faced significant challenges in 2025, marking it as the most difficult year since the firm's inception in 2003, but remains optimistic about growth potential and relative valuation [1] - The strategy is positioned to benefit from a shift away from high momentum dynamics in U.S. markets and a broadening of market leadership [1] Company-Specific Insights - The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ:COO) was highlighted as a notable contributor in Q4 2025, despite a one-month return of -0.27% and a 52-week loss of 12.81% [2] - As of February 9, 2026, The Cooper Companies, Inc. had a stock price of $81.48 and a market capitalization of $16.199 billion [2] - The company reported positive operating results, alleviating supply constraints for premium daily silicone hydrogel contact lenses, securing new private label contracts, and showing innovation in myopia control and multifocal lens platforms [3] - CooperSurgical demonstrated sequential improvement despite facing macroeconomic challenges in the Asia Pacific region [3]

Core Viewpoint - CooperCompanies will report its first quarter 2026 financial results on March 5, 2026, at 4:15 PM ET, followed by a conference call to discuss the results and corporate developments at 5:00 PM ET [1]. Company Overview - CooperCompanies is a leading global medical device company with two main business units: CooperVision, which focuses on the contact lens industry, and CooperSurgical, which specializes in fertility and women's healthcare [3]. - The company is headquartered in San Ramon, California, employs over 15,000 people, sells products in more than 130 countries, and positively impacts over 50 million lives annually [3].

Core Viewpoint - Diamond Hill Capital's "Large Cap Fund" investor letter for Q4 2025 highlights a cautious stance on AI-driven market enthusiasm while emphasizing the attractiveness of fundamentally stable, high-quality, cash-generative businesses [1] Group 1: Market Performance - The Russell 1000 Value Index increased by 3.8% in Q4 2025, with the information technology sector rising by 11% and communication services by 9%, driven by AI optimism [1] - The Fund returned 1.41% in the quarter, underperforming the Russell 1000 Value Index [1] Group 2: The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ:COO) - The Cooper Companies, Inc. was introduced as a new addition to the Diamond Hill Large Cap Fund, focusing on its operations in contact lenses and women's health [2][3] - The Cooper Companies' stock closed at $80.65 per share on December 30, 2025, with a market capitalization of $16.034 billion [2] - The company experienced a one-month return of -4.35% and a 52-week loss of 15.37% [2] Group 3: Investment Rationale - The Fund initiated a position in The Cooper Companies due to revenue growth deceleration and executional challenges impacting valuations, despite long-term growth potential in the contact lens industry [3] - The women's health and fertility segment faces cyclical headwinds but operates in a market with secular tailwinds, with expectations for long-term benefits from recent investments [3] Group 4: Hedge Fund Interest - The Cooper Companies is not among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, with 56 hedge fund portfolios holding the stock at the end of Q3, up from 48 in the previous quarter [4] - While acknowledging the potential of The Cooper Companies, the Fund believes certain AI stocks present greater upside potential and less downside risk [4]

Core Viewpoint - The article compares The Cooper Companies (COO) and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) to determine which stock is more attractive to value investors [1] Group 1: Zacks Rank and Earnings Outlook - Both COO and WST currently have a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook due to favorable analyst estimate revisions [3] - The Zacks Rank is a strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, which is beneficial for investors [2] Group 2: Valuation Metrics - COO has a forward P/E ratio of 17.91, while WST has a forward P/E of 31.34, suggesting COO is more attractively priced [5] - COO's PEG ratio is 2.30, compared to WST's PEG ratio of 3.31, indicating that COO may offer better value relative to its expected earnings growth [5] - COO has a P/B ratio of 1.95, while WST has a P/B of 5.67, further supporting the notion that COO is undervalued compared to WST [6] Group 3: Value Grades - Based on various valuation metrics, COO holds a Value grade of B, while WST has a Value grade of C, indicating that COO is the superior value option at this time [6]

Company Overview - Cooper Companies was founded in 1958 and has been listed on the S&P 500 since 2016 [1] - The company operates under two main business units: CooperVision and CooperSurgical [1] - CooperVision is the leading contact lens company globally, ranked 1 in terms of wearers and 2 in revenue [1] - CooperSurgical specializes in fertility and women's health care, focusing on non-pharmaceutical medical devices [1] Employee and Market Reach - The company employs over 15,000 individuals worldwide [2] - More than 50 million people use Cooper's products, including contact lenses and women's health care products [2] - Approximately 42 million patients annually wear Cooper's contact lenses [2] - CooperVision accounts for about two-thirds of the company's consolidated revenues [2]

Summary of The Cooper Companies FY Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: The Cooper Companies (NasdaqGS: COO) - **Founded**: 1958 - **S&P 500 Inclusion**: Since 2016 - **Business Units**: - **CooperVision**: Leading contact lens company, number one in wearers and number two in revenue - **CooperSurgical**: Focused on fertility and women's healthcare, leading in non-pharma medical devices [1][2] Key Financial Metrics - **Employees**: Over 15,000 globally - **Product Users**: Over 50 million, with 42 million annual contact lens wearers - **Revenue Composition**: CooperVision accounts for about two-thirds of consolidated revenues - **Historical Revenue Growth**: 10-year growth rate of 8.6% [2][3] Growth Insights - **CooperVision Growth**: Primarily organic growth at 6.3%, with the contact lens market growing mid-single digits annually - **CooperSurgical Growth**: Approximately 16%, driven by acquisitions [3][4] - **Market Trends**: - Contact lens market growth projected at 4%-6% annually - Fertility market growth in mid-single digits, with potential for double-digit growth in the past [4][13] Financial Guidance - **Non-GAAP EPS Guidance**: $1.02-$1.04 for Q1 and $4.45-$4.60 for the full year - **Free Cash Flow Guidance**: $5.75-$6.25 billion, with expectations of $2.2 billion in free cash flow over the next fiscal year [5][6] Strategic Priorities - **Focus on Organic Growth**: Transitioning from heavy investment to driving organic growth and operational efficiency - **Cost Management**: Significant reorganization to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency [7][9] - **AI Integration**: Utilizing AI for inventory optimization and management [10] Market Dynamics - **Contact Lens Market**: - 35% of the global population is myopic, projected to reach 50% by 2050 - Major competitors: J&J (36% market share), CooperVision (27%), Alcon (25%) [13][14] - Shift towards daily lenses driving revenue growth, with daily wearers generating 2.5 times more revenue than monthly wearers [15][16] - **Fertility Market**: - Global market valued at approximately $3 billion, with one in six experiencing infertility - Growth driven by delayed childbirth and increasing insurance support for fertility treatments [26][27] Product Innovations - **New Product Launches**: - MiSight: FDA-approved contact lens for myopia management - MyDay MiSight: Daily silicone hydrogel lens with myopia control technology [21][22][24] - **Expansion Plans**: Launching new products in Europe and Asia, including MyDay Energys and MyDay Multifocal [24][25] Capital Allocation Strategy - **Share Repurchase Program**: Increased from $1 billion to $2 billion, with plans to consistently allocate a portion of free cash flow to buybacks [11][33] - **Investment Focus**: Transitioning from acquisitions to leveraging past investments for growth and shareholder value [11][33] Market Outlook - **2026 Guidance**: Expectation of improved performance in both CooperVision and CooperSurgical, with a focus on regaining traditional growth rates in the fertility market [45][46] - **Regional Performance**: Strong consumer behavior in the Americas, with challenges in Asia-Pac but expected improvements [47][48] Strategic Review - **Ongoing Evaluation**: Conducting a strategic review to assess the potential separation of CooperVision and CooperSurgical, considering synergies and market positioning [36][38][39] Conclusion - **Overall Sentiment**: Positive outlook on growth opportunities in both contact lens and fertility markets, with a strong focus on operational efficiency and shareholder value creation [30][33]

Company Overview - CooperCompanies is a leading global medical device company with FY25 revenue of $41 billion[7] - The company's products are sold in more than 130 countries and it has over 15000 employees in 45+ countries[7] - CooperCompanies operates through two business units: CooperVision (CVI) and CooperSurgical (CSI)[7] Financial Performance and Guidance - CooperCompanies' total revenue has more than doubled in the last decade, with a CAGR of 86% from 2015 to 2025[9] - The company provides FY26 revenue guidance of $4299 - $4338 million, with organic growth of 45% - 55%[10] - CooperVision's FY26 revenue guidance is $2900 - $2925 million, with organic growth of 45% - 55%[10] - CooperSurgical's FY26 revenue guidance is $1399 - $1413 million, with organic growth of 4% - 5%[10] - Non-GAAP EPS guidance for FY26 is $445 - $460[10] - The company targets free cash flow of $575 - $625 million for FY26[10] Market Position and Strategy - CooperVision is the 1 contact lens company in the world in terms of wearers[22] - The global soft contact lens market is an $11 billion market growing at 4-5% annually[16, 18] - CooperSurgical is a leading fertility company in the medical device industry, addressing a ~$3 billion global market with 4-6% annual growth[34]

Core Viewpoint - Investors in the Medical - Dental Supplies sector should consider The Cooper Companies (COO) and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) for potential investment opportunities, with a focus on which stock is more appealing to value investors [1] Group 1: Zacks Rank and Earnings Outlook - The Cooper Companies has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a stronger earnings outlook compared to West Pharmaceutical Services, which has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [3] - The improvement in earnings outlook for COO is likely more significant than that of WST [3] Group 2: Valuation Metrics - COO has a forward P/E ratio of 18.52, while WST has a forward P/E of 35.98, suggesting that COO may be undervalued relative to WST [5] - The PEG ratio for COO is 2.38, compared to WST's PEG ratio of 3.80, indicating that COO has a more favorable growth outlook relative to its valuation [5] - COO's P/B ratio is 2.01, while WST's P/B ratio is significantly higher at 6.5, further suggesting that COO is a better value option [6] Group 3: Value Grades - Based on various valuation metrics, COO holds a Value grade of B, whereas WST has a Value grade of D, reinforcing the notion that COO is the more attractive option for value investors [6]

Core Viewpoint - NexMetals Mining Corp. has appointed Warwick Morley-Jepson to its board of directors and as Co-Chair of the newly formed Safety, Sustainability and Technical Committee, which is seen as a strategic move to enhance the company's project development and operational capabilities [1][3]. Company Overview - NexMetals Mining Corp. is a mineral exploration and development company listed on TSXV and NASDAQ, focusing on redeveloping the Selebi and Selkirk copper-nickel-cobalt-platinum group element mines in Botswana [4]. - The company has confirmed that the scale of mineralization at its projects is larger than historical estimates, supported by NI 43-101-compliant resource estimates, and is currently engaged in down-hole geophysics, drilling, and metallurgical programs to expand resources [4]. Leadership and Experience - Warwick Morley-Jepson brings over 40 years of experience in the mining sector, having held senior operational and project development roles in notable global mining companies, including Kinross Gold Corporation and Ivanhoe Mines [2]. - His recent experience includes serving as Chairman and Interim CEO at Wesdome Gold Mines, which adds significant leadership expertise to NexMetals [2]. Strategic Importance - The addition of Morley-Jepson to the board is considered timely as the company aims to optimize its path forward for the Selebi and Selkirk assets, with his leadership expected to be critical in guiding key project decisions [3].