Gursimran Kaur's questions to STAAR SURGICAL (STAA) leadership • Q1 2025
Question
Gursimran Kaur from Wells Fargo asked how new leadership is shaping the strategy in China and what underpins the company's confidence in the region's recovery. She also requested details on the inefficiencies targeted by U.S. cost-cutting measures and the implications for the long-term U.S. strategy.
Answer
President and COO Warren Foust highlighted that new leadership, including interim APAC Head of Strategy Wei Zhang, provides deep regional expertise. CEO Stephen Farrell cited rising procedure volumes and resolving distributor inventory as reasons for confidence in China. Regarding U.S. costs, Foust and Farrell explained the cuts are rightsizing the business to 2023 SG&A levels by addressing underutilized facilities and heavy marketing spend, while remaining committed to the U.S. market's growth.