Core Viewpoint - Stryker is set to report its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2025 on January 29, 2026, with a press release and webcast scheduled for that day [1][2]. Financial Reporting - The financial results will be announced in a press release at approximately 4:05 p.m. ET on January 29, 2026, which will include summary financial information for the fourth quarter and full year ending December 31, 2025 [1]. - A webcast to discuss these results will take place at 4:30 p.m. ET on the same day, with an archive available on the company's website two hours after the live call [2]. Company Overview - Stryker is recognized as a global leader in medical technologies, focusing on improving healthcare through innovative products and services in MedSurg, Neurotechnology, and Orthopaedics [3]. - The company impacts over 150 million patients annually, emphasizing its commitment to enhancing patient and healthcare outcomes [3].

Core Viewpoint - Investors in the Medical - Products sector should consider Envista (NVST) and Stryker (SYK) for potential value investment opportunities [1] Group 1: Zacks Rank and Analyst Outlook - Envista has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a more favorable earnings estimate revision activity compared to Stryker, which has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [3] - The improving analyst outlook for NVST suggests a more positive sentiment among analysts [3] Group 2: Valuation Metrics - NVST has a forward P/E ratio of 19.16, significantly lower than SYK's forward P/E of 26.00, indicating NVST may be undervalued [5] - The PEG ratio for NVST is 1.07, while SYK's PEG ratio is 2.50, suggesting NVST has a better growth-to-price ratio [5] - NVST's P/B ratio is 1.16, compared to SYK's P/B of 6.19, further indicating NVST's relative undervaluation [6] Group 3: Value Grades - Based on various valuation metrics, NVST holds a Value grade of B, while SYK has a Value grade of C, making NVST a more attractive option for value investors [6]

Company Overview - Stryker Corporation, based in Portage, Michigan, is a leading global medical technology company specializing in orthopaedics, MedSurg, and neurotechnology solutions, with a market cap of $135.7 billion [1] Earnings Expectations - Analysts anticipate Stryker to report a fiscal fourth-quarter profit of $4.39 per share on a diluted basis, reflecting a 9.5% increase from $4.01 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For the full fiscal year, EPS is expected to be $13.56, an 11.2% increase from $12.19 in fiscal 2024, with further growth projected to $14.98 in fiscal 2026, representing a 10.5% year-over-year rise [3] Stock Performance - Stryker's stock has declined by 4.3% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 Index's 14.8% gains and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund's 11.8% rise during the same period [4] Analyst Ratings - The consensus opinion on Stryker's stock is bullish, with a "Strong Buy" rating from 18 out of 27 analysts, while two suggest a "Moderate Buy" and seven give a "Hold" rating [6] - The average analyst price target for Stryker is $432.88, indicating a potential upside of 22% from current levels [6] Recent Developments - On December 19, Stryker's shares rose over 1% following an upgrade by Citizens JMP Securities from "Market Perform" to "Outperform," with a price target set at $440, reflecting confidence in the company's long-term growth outlook [5]

Core Business Focus - Intuitive Surgical is a leader in robotic-assisted soft-tissue surgery with its da Vinci platform supporting over 10,800 systems globally and achieving over 20% growth in procedure volumes [2][9] - Stryker operates a diversified MedTech portfolio including orthopedic implants, surgical instruments, and neurotechnology, with robotics playing a smaller role through the Mako system focused on joint replacements [3][5] Robotics Exposure - Robotics is the core growth engine for Intuitive Surgical, generating 85% of total revenues from recurring sources, with high switching costs and a durable competitive moat [4][9] - Stryker's Mako system has performed over 2 million robotic procedures but is limited to orthopedic applications, with growth tied to implant sales rather than a standalone robotics ecosystem [5][6] Revenue Model & Visibility - Intuitive Surgical employs a razor-and-blade model, with recurring revenue growth exceeding 20% supported by procedure growth and utilization, maintaining pro forma operating margins near 39% [7][9] - Stryker's revenue mix includes capital equipment and consumables, with consistent gross and operating margin expansion, but lower margins compared to Intuitive Surgical [8][9] Growth Profile - Intuitive Surgical's growth is driven by deeper penetration in general surgery and geographic expansion, with procedure growth in the high-teens to 20% range [12] - Stryker's growth is steadier, tracking high single digits to low double digits, supported by aging demographics and broad product launches [13] Earnings Estimates - Intuitive Surgical's earnings estimates for the current year are projected at $8.61, with a year-over-year growth estimate of 17.30% [14] - Stryker's earnings estimates for the current year are projected at $13.56, with a year-over-year growth estimate of 11.24% [16] Price Performance & Valuation - Over the past year, Intuitive Surgical has gained 7.5%, while Stryker has declined by 4.3% [17] - Stryker's shares trade at a forward price/earnings ratio of 23.7, significantly lower than Intuitive Surgical's 60.45 [19] Bottom Line - Intuitive Surgical offers greater upside potential due to concentrated robotics exposure and higher margins, while Stryker's diversification and consistent execution make it suitable for stability-oriented investors [23][24]

Group 1 - Stryker Corporation (NYSE:SYK) is recognized as a leading healthcare AI stock, with Citi adjusting its price target from $455 to $420 while maintaining a Buy rating [1][2] - The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.88 per share, which is a 4.8% increase from the previous dividend paid in October 2025, resulting in an annualized dividend of $3.52 per share [2] - Stryker appointed Spencer Stiles as President and Chief Operating Officer, effective January 1, 2026, who will oversee global businesses and corporate strategy [3] - Dylan Crotty will be promoted to Group President of Orthopaedics, succeeding Stiles, and is noted for his operational leadership [4] Group 2 - Stryker designs and manufactures medical technologies in orthopedics, surgical equipment, and neurotechnology, utilizing AI in surgical robotics, predictive analytics, enhanced imaging, inventory management, and remote monitoring [5]

Upgrades - Keefe Bruyette upgraded Bain Capital Specialty Finance (BCSF) to Outperform from Market Perform with an unchanged price target of $16, citing attractive entry point for shares [2] - JPMorgan upgraded Paccar (PCAR) to Overweight from Neutral with a price target of $133, increased from $108, due to offsetting tariff-related headwinds following the latest Section 232 proclamation [3] - Wells Fargo upgraded Generac (GNRC) to Overweight from Equal Weight with a price target of $195, up from $186, highlighting a "near-free call option" on data center growth after recent share pullback [4] - Barclays upgraded Cummins (CMI) to Overweight from Equal Weight with a price target of $546, increased from $515, reflecting new emissions rules and reduced R&D expenses [5] - Citizens upgraded Stryker (SYK) to Outperform from Market Perform with a price target of $440, citing reasonable valuation at current share levels [5] Downgrades - Wedbush downgraded Lyft (LYFT) to Underperform from Neutral with a price target of $16, down from $20, due to risks from autonomous vehicle disruption in the U.S. ridesharing market [6] - JPMorgan downgraded Lockheed Martin (LMT) to Neutral from Overweight with a price target of $515, up from $465, based on out-year cash flow estimates being below consensus [6] - Raymond James downgraded Allegiant Travel (ALGT) to Outperform from Strong Buy with a price target of $98, up from $78, citing valuation concerns after recent share strength [6] - Deutsche Bank downgraded Elevance Health (ELV) to Hold from Buy with a price target of $320, down from $332, due to reduced estimates and challenging macro environment [6] - Williams Trading downgraded Birkenstock (BIRK) to Hold from Buy with a price target of $51, down from $75, following earnings report and lack of clarity from management [6]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies, including daily updates on Zacks Rank and Industry Rank, research reports, and stock screens [1][2] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, helping investors identify securities likely to outperform the market in the short term [2][3] - Each stock receives a rating from A to F, with A indicating the highest potential for outperformance [3] Value Score - The Value Style Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales [3] Growth Score - The Growth Style Score evaluates stocks based on projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow to find those with sustainable growth potential [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Style Score identifies trends in stock prices and earnings outlooks, helping investors time their positions effectively [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to highlight stocks with attractive value, strong growth forecasts, and positive momentum [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to guide investors in building successful portfolios [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically produced an average annual return of +23.81% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] Stock Selection Strategy - To maximize returns, investors should focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B [9] - Stocks with lower ranks (4 or 5) should be avoided, even if they have high Style Scores, due to declining earnings forecasts [10] Company Spotlight: Stryker (SYK) - Stryker is a leading medical technology company, generating approximately 60% of its sales from MedSurg & Neurotechnology and 40% from Orthopaedics [11] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of B, with a Growth Style Score of B indicating an expected year-over-year earnings growth of 11.2% for the current fiscal year [12] - Recent upward revisions in earnings estimates and a positive earnings surprise average of +2.9% make Stryker a notable option for growth investors [12][13]

Group 1: Fund Performance - Parnassus Value Equity Fund reported a net return of 7.46% for Q3 2025, outperforming the Russell 1000 Value Index, which returned 5.33% during the same period [1] - The fund reduced its weight in the IT sector to increase holdings in the Health Care sector [1] Group 2: Stryker Corporation Overview - Stryker Corporation (NYSE:SYK) is a medical technology company with a market capitalization of $134.835 billion, and its stock closed at $352.58 per share on December 17, 2025 [2] - The one-month return for Stryker Corporation was -2.19%, and its shares lost 1.28% over the last 52 weeks [2] Group 3: Investment Insights on Stryker Corporation - Stryker Corporation is viewed as a high-quality, defensive compounder with a durable growth runway supported by new launches in its MedSurg business segment and expanding adoption of its robotics surgery platform [3] - The current CEO, Kevin Lobo, is expected to drive continued progress on profitability due to his strong track record of leading successful innovations [3] Group 4: Hedge Fund Interest - Stryker Corporation was held by 72 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q3 2025, an increase from 59 in the previous quarter [4] - Despite its potential, some analysts believe that certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk compared to Stryker Corporation [4]

Stacks of gold coins forming an upward arrow beside a lab beaker and heart-rate icon. Key Points Stryker, Amgen, and Eli Lilly have all raised their dividends, signaling increased capital returns to shareholders despite varied stock performance in 2025. Amgen now offers an industry-leading 3.2% dividend yield, one of the few large-cap healthcare stocks with a yield above 3%. Wall Street maintains a positive outlook across all three names, with Stryker offering the highest implied upside at over 20%, fo ...

Core Insights - Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI, is rapidly transforming the MedTech industry, enhancing product development, manufacturing, sales personalization, and patient care [1] - The FDA is supportive of innovative medical devices incorporating AI, with 209 AI-enabled devices approved by 2025 [2] - AI is becoming a central efficiency driver in MedTech, improving operations, supply chains, and commercial functions while reducing costs and enhancing quality control [3] Company Highlights - Companies like Stryker (SYK), Tempus AI (TEM), and GE HealthCare Technologies (GEHC) are positioned favorably for investors due to their strong AI integration and growth prospects [4] - Stryker's Mako SmartRobotics platform enhances surgical precision and generates recurring revenue through implants and services, with a projected earnings growth rate of 11.2% for 2025 [11][13] - Tempus AI is expanding its AI algorithms across various medical fields and has secured FDA clearances for its cardiac imaging platform, with a projected earnings growth rate of 58.9% for 2025 [14][16] - GE HealthCare is collaborating with NVIDIA to improve medical imaging and diagnostics, with a projected sales growth rate of 4.3% for 2025 [17][20] AI Applications in Medical Specialties - Interventional pulmonology is well-suited for AI integration, improving procedure planning and management of pulmonary diseases [5] - AI technologies enhance diagnostic procedures by creating virtual maps of the lung and analyzing pathological specimens, leading to improved accuracy [6] - Radiology has seen significant AI investment, with 956 AI-enabled devices approved, enhancing diagnostic precision and clinical workflows [7] - AI applications in oncology are transforming cancer management through data analytics, medical imaging, and clinical decision support [8]