HUNENBERG, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 24, 2006--Alcon, Inc. (NYSE:ACL - News) reported global sales of $1,157.1 million for the first quarter of 2006, an increase of 8.1 percent over global sales in the first quarter of 2005, or 10.5 percent excluding the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations. Net earnings for the first quarter of 2006 increased 18.5 percent to $295.7 million, or $0.95 per share on a diluted basis, compared to $249.5 million, or $0.80 per share for the first quarter of 2005. Earnings per share in the first quarter of 2006 were reduced by approximately $0.07 per share due to the expensing of share-based compensation expense as a result of the implementation of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) 123®. If SFAS 123® had been in effect in the first quarter of 2005, a charge of $0.08 would have been incurred in that quarter.
