Key Points Intuitive Surgical's stock has enriched its many investors. Its future looks promising, too. The shares trade at lower-than-average levels, presenting a compelling opportunity for long-term investors. 10 stocks we like better than Intuitive Surgical › If you don't know much about Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG), you might want to remedy that. It's a very impressive growth stock. Its past performance is likely to wow you, and its future looks very promising. Over the past decade, Int ...

Core Viewpoint - Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) reported strong second-quarter fiscal 2025 results with a solid top-line beat and healthy procedure growth, but shares fell over 7% due to concerns about margin pressures, cost headwinds, and demand risks overshadowing the positives [1][8]. Financial Performance - ISRG's stock declined by 7.7% since July 22, underperforming the industry growth of 0.7% and peers like Medtronic (MDT) and Zimmer Biomet (ZBH), which gained 1.1% and 3.6% respectively [2]. Margin and Cost Pressures - Management indicated that recently enacted tariffs will negatively impact cost of sales by approximately 100 basis points in 2025, compounding existing pressures from higher facility costs and increased service costs related to the da Vinci 5 rollout [3]. - Pro-forma gross margin decreased to 67.9% from 70% year-over-year [3]. Capital Expenditure Risks - Ongoing budgetary constraints in international markets such as Japan, China, and parts of Europe may slow hospital capital spending, with potential U.S. CapEx risks if macro or policy pressures intensify [4]. Procedure Mix and Revenue Impact - A shift in procedure mix is dampening revenue per case, with fewer bariatric procedures leading to lower instrument and accessory revenues, while an increase in cholecystectomy procedures, which yield lower revenue, adds to the pressure [5]. - A higher mix of trade-in transactions and expectations for increased leasing may weigh on near-term capital sales [5]. Operating Expenses - Rising headcount and increased depreciation from newly commissioned facilities are driving higher operating expenses, limiting near-term operating leverage [6]. Growth Opportunities - The da Vinci 5 platform is gaining traction, with increasing procedures and placements, despite near-term margin pressures [8][13]. - ISRG has secured approvals for new instruments and procedures, expanding the addressable market and offering opportunities for higher instrument and accessory utilization per case [17]. - The company continues to expand its footprint internationally, contributing meaningfully to top-line growth [18]. Long-Term Growth Potential - Management is committed to developing Intuitive Telepresence, a platform for remote surgeries, which could significantly extend the reach of skilled surgeons and address surgical expertise shortages [19][20]. - If successful, telesurgery could create multi-billion-dollar incremental opportunities, opening new revenue streams alongside traditional system sales [21]. Investment Considerations - The post-earnings pullback reflects investor concerns regarding margin resilience amid tariffs, cost inflation, and an evolving procedure mix [22]. - Structural tailwinds remain compelling, with the da Vinci 5's clinical differentiation and ongoing international market penetration providing avenues for growth [23]. - Investors will focus on milestones such as tariff mitigation strategies, gross-margin stabilization, and easing supply constraints for high-value da Vinci 5 instruments [24].

Core Insights - Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) reported a second-quarter 2025 gross margin of 67.9%, down from 70% in the prior-year period, indicating structural shifts in operations and product mix [1][9] - The margin contraction is driven by the increasing contribution of newer, lower-margin platforms, particularly the da Vinci 5 and Ion systems, which have higher manufacturing and service costs [2][5] - Depreciation from recent capacity investments, including a new facility in Bulgaria, adds overhead costs, impacting short-term margins [3][9] - Tariff-related expenses reduced gross margin by approximately 60 basis points in Q2, with an expected annual drag of about 100 basis points [4][9] - Management anticipates long-term margin recovery through scale efficiencies and increased procedure volumes, despite near-term volatility [5][9] Peer Performance - Boston Scientific (BSX) reported an adjusted gross margin of 69.4%, down 100 basis points year over year, primarily due to inventory charges, but benefited from a favorable product mix [6] - Thermo Fisher (TMO) had an adjusted gross margin of 41.3%, down about 80 basis points, impacted by tariffs and foreign exchange, though productivity gains helped cushion the decline [7] Valuation and Estimates - ISRG shares have lost 5% year-to-date, compared to the industry's decline of 6.8% [8] - The forward price-to-earnings ratio for ISRG is 56.6, above the industry average but lower than its five-year median of 72.4 [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ISRG's 2025 earnings implies an 11.3% rise from the previous year [12]

Core Insights - Palantir Technologies is currently valued at $269 billion, but analysts believe Intuitive Surgical and ServiceNow could surpass this valuation by 2026 [1] Intuitive Surgical - Intuitive Surgical is a leader in robotics-assisted surgery, known for its da Vinci systems, which enhance precision in minimally invasive procedures across five surgical areas [3][7] - The company operates on a razor-and-blade business model, where surgical systems are the razors and consumable tools are the blades, creating a steady revenue stream [4] - In Q1, Intuitive Surgical reported a 19% revenue increase to $2.2 billion, driven by growth in da Vinci procedures and system placements, with non-GAAP earnings rising 21% to $1.50 per diluted share [5] - Morgan Stanley analyst Patrick Wood set a bull-case target price of $850 per share for Intuitive Surgical, indicating a 64% upside from its current price of $517, leading to a potential market value of $304 billion [6] - Recent FDA approvals allow da Vinci systems to perform more colorectal surgeries, suggesting a larger total addressable market and potential for faster growth [8] - Wall Street anticipates adjusted earnings growth of 10% annually through 2026, but Intuitive Surgical has historically beaten estimates by an average of 14% [9] - If earnings grow at 28% annually through Q3 2026, the market value could reach $270 billion without changes in the P/E ratio, though current shares trade at 68 times earnings, indicating a high valuation [10] ServiceNow - ServiceNow specializes in workflow management software, particularly in IT service management and AI for IT operations, and introduced generative AI features in 2023 [11] - The company reported an 18% revenue increase to $3 billion in Q1, with non-GAAP net income also rising 18% to $4.04 per diluted share, attributed to its strong position in enterprise-grade AI [12] - Wall Street expects ServiceNow's adjusted earnings to grow at 19% annually through 2026, with the company beating consensus estimates by an average of 7% over the last six quarters [12] - If this trend continues, trailing-12-month earnings could reach $20.10 per share, leading to a potential share price of $1,325, implying a 39% upside from the current price [12] - In this scenario, ServiceNow's market value could reach $275 billion by Q3 2026, surpassing Palantir's current valuation, although the current valuation is considered expensive for the expected growth rate [13]