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Intuitive Surgical and Oklo have been highlighted as Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 29, 2025 – Zacks Equity Research shares Intuitive Surgical (ISRG - Free Report) as the Bull of the Day and Oklo (OKLO - Free Report) as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Rocket Companies, Inc. (RKT - Free Report) , Ameriprise Financial (AMP - Free Report) and Banco Santander (SAN - Free Report) .

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks.

Bull of the Day:

Intuitive Surgical is a Zack Rank #1 (Strong Buy) that develops, manufactures, and markets advanced medical technologies that allow physicians to perform minimally invasive procedures with greater precision and efficiency.

The company is best known for its da Vinci Surgical System, a robot-assisted platform that provides surgeons with 3-D high-definition vision, enhanced dexterity, and minimally invasive access to target tissue, reducing the trauma of traditional open surgery.

ISRG recently posted a big EPS beat, helping the stock rally back to summer highs. Now the question is how the stock will close out the year and if it can see all-time highs before the year ends.

About the Company

Beyond the operating room, Intuitive offers the Ion endoluminal system, a flexible, catheter-based platform that enables minimally invasive lung biopsies and extends the company’s presence into diagnostic procedures.

ISRG also produces a wide range of instruments and accessories, including EndoWrist tools like forceps, scissors, and electrocautery devices that mimic natural wrist movements, as well as vision products and sterile drapes to support surgical workflows.

The company complements its hardware offerings with comprehensive services, including installation, repair, 24/7 technical support, proactive system monitoring, and training programs to optimize usage.

Its products are sold through dedicated capital and clinical sales teams across the United States and internationally, and operations are organized into three segments: Instruments and Accessories, Systems, and Services.

ISRG is valued at $200 billion and has a Forward PE of 64. The stock has Zacks Style Scores of “F” in Value, but “A” in Momentum.

Q3 Earnings Beat

Investors were rewarded with a 15% move higher on a 20% EPS beat. Intuitive Surgical reported adjusted earnings of $2.28 per share, beating estimates of $1.99, on revenue of $2.51 billion versus $2.41 billion expected.

The company raised its full-year 2025 guidance, now projecting worldwide da Vinci procedures to grow 17–17.5%, up from the prior 15.5–17%, and raising pro forma gross margin to 67–67.5%.

Global da Vinci procedures increased 20%, with 427 systems placed versus 379 a year ago, and the installed base grew 13%. Adoption of the da Vinci 5 system drove an upgrade cycle, with 240 placements in Q3 and strong utilization gains across multiport, SP, and Ion platforms, while international expansion continues, including early Da Vinci 5 placements in Japan and Europe.

The company highlighted clinical advances, including improved diagnostic yield for Ion and gentler surgery with force feedback in thoracic procedures, alongside digital enhancements that enable remote deployment and AI-ready intraoperative guidance.

Estimates Head Higher

Analysts have been quick to lift estimates after the stellar earnings report.

For the current quarter, estimates have gone from $2.16 to $2.25 over the last 7 days. For next quarter, we see a similar move, going from $2.02 to $2.11.

For the current year, estimates have gone from $8.16 to $8.66, a jump of 5%.

The longer-term looks solid as well, with estimates for next year going from $9.16 to $9.55, an increase of 4%.

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Intuitive Surgical, Inc. Quote

Price targets have been going higher with those estimates:

Truist went from $525 to $620 with a Buy rating.

UBS went from $585 to $600 with a Neutral.

Raymond James has an Outperform and $603 target.

The Technical Take

ISRG was trending lower since the summer months, but the move higher after earnings changed that trend. While the stock could pull back, all-time highs are in sight.

Let’s look at some moving averages and upside targets

21-day: $468

50-day: $461

200-day: $512

That stock has shot above any Fibonacci resistance and the 161.8% extension targets are at $650, which would be an all time high for the stock.

In Summary

Intuitive Surgical’s combination of strong fundamentals, innovative technology, and robust earnings momentum makes it a standout in the healthcare and robotics space.

The company continues to expand its da Vinci and Ion platforms globally, drive system utilization, and deliver clinical advancements that support adoption and long-term growth.

With estimates and price targets moving higher, along with strong technical signals pointing toward all-time highs, ISRG remains well-positioned for investors seeking growth in the medical technology sector. For those looking at momentum plays, the stock’s recent surge and continued upgrades make it a compelling bull case heading into year-end.

Bear of the Day:

Oklo is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) that is a nuclear company developing next-generation microreactors designed to deliver reliable, carbon-free power at a fraction of the footprint of traditional plants.

The AI excitement around the future of small modular reactors and U.S. government support for clean energy has taken the stock from $20 to $190 just this year.

While the stock has pulled back, investors might want to avoid any dip buying until earnings come out on November 13th. Estimates have been falling and with a valuation so high any disappointment on EPS or the outlook could take shares lower.

About the Company

Founded in 2013 and based in Santa Clara, California, Oklo is focused on designing and deploying compact fast reactors that use recycled nuclear fuel to generate clean, baseload electricity. Oklo aims to simplify nuclear deployment through factory-built modules and long operating cycles without the need for frequent refueling.

With no commercial revenue yet and significant development costs ahead, Oklo remains in the early stages of execution, and investors are questioning whether its ambitious timelines can be met.

The company has a market cap over $20B, with a Zacks Style Score of “F” in Value.

Q2 Earnings Miss

Earnings aren’t the driver of this stock. Instead, the positive news that flows out daily surrounding AI and its energy needs is the driver. While there is a bullish path in powering AI, earnings will eventually matter

Looking back on the Q2 earnings miss, OKLO posted a 50% EPS surprise on the downside. While management outlined progress toward filing its first combined license application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in early Q4 and expects an 18-month review process, commercial operations for its Aurora Powerhouse remain years away, currently targeted for late 2027 or early 2028.

The company ended the quarter with $227 million in cash, boosted by a $460 million follow-on equity raise earlier this year, but continues to burn through operating cash at a guided pace of $65–$80 million for the full year.

Since reporting earnings, Oklo has announced several bullish updates. The company was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for its Reactor Pilot and Fuel Line Pilot Programs, both aimed at speeding reactor deployment and securing domestic fuel supply. Oklo also broke ground on its first Aurora Powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory, a key step toward commercialization.

With growing government backing and surging AI-driven power demand, Oklo is positioned to benefit from renewed momentum in nuclear development, though fuel supply risks remain a concern.

And earnings aren’t there yet.

Earnings Estimates Falling Ahead of Earnings

Investors should expect a lot of volatility when Oklo reports in mid-November.

As we mentioned above, the earnings numbers won't be the catalyst, but any outlook into how projects are developing will be. That being said, we still need to watch the numbers.

Earnings estimates are headed the wrong way across all time frames. For both the current and next quarters, we see only slight movement to the downside.

But looking at the current year, estimates have dropped from -$0.42 to -$0.50 over the last 90 days.

Technical Take

The stock went parabolic, but has come down off the highs of $193. After a drop to the $110 area, there has been a bounce to $140, which is right where the 21-day MA resides.

The 50-day was that $110 support and the 200-day is way down at $61.

Chances are the stock trades between the 21-day and 50-day until earnings and we will then see an outsized move. Bulls should be cautious of those previous low breaks.

In Summary

Oklo has captured investor attention with its next-generation microreactor technology and ties to the AI energy story, but the stock’s run from $20 to $190 may be overextended. With no revenue yet, rising losses, and falling earnings estimates ahead of its November 13 report, the stock faces heightened risk if expectations are not met. While government support and nuclear momentum remain long-term positives, near-term volatility and valuation concerns make this one to avoid for now.

Additional content:

Rocket Companies Set to Release Q3 Earnings: What to Expect

Rocket Companies, Inc. is scheduled to report third-quarter 2025 results on Oct. 30, after market close. The company’s results are expected to reflect year-over-year growth in revenues and a decline in earnings.

In the last reported quarter, RKT’s adjusted net income per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The results were driven by a rise in revenues. However, an increase in total expenses was a spoilsport.

Rocket Companies has a decent earnings surprise history. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters and met twice, the average surprise being 16.67%.

Rocket Companies, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Rocket Companies, Inc. Quote

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Rocket Companies’ third-quarter earnings of 4 cents per share has been unchanged over the past seven days. The figure indicates a 50% decline from the year-ago reported number.

The consensus estimate for revenues is pegged at $1.75 billion, indicating a year-over-year rise of 31.1%. For the third quarter of 2025, RKT expects adjusted revenues to be between $1.6 billion and $1.75 billion.

Key Factors & Estimates for RKT in Q3

Revenues: RKT remains well-positioned with solid momentum following a strong second-quarter performance, supported by healthy mortgage and housing markets and by its recent acquisition of Redfin Corp.

With residential real-estate prices still elevated and inventory starting to ease, demand for funding, title and servicing products remains firm. Additionally, the demand for real estate loans remained robust during the quarter. This is anticipated to have contributed to sustained growth in the quarter to be reported.

Mortgage rates in the third quarter of 2025 remained range-bound. As such, refinancing activities and origination volumes witnessed decent growth. Hence, RKT is expected to have seen some increased activity in terms of originations and refinancing.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RKT’s loan servicing fee income in third-quarter 2025 is pegged at $406.5 million, indicating a year-over-year rise of 8.8%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Rocket Companies’ net gain on sale of loans for the third-quarter 2025 revenues is pegged at $924.4 million, suggesting a year-over-year rise of 9.5%.

The Federal Reserve implemented a 25-basis point (bps) interest rate cut near the end of the third quarter of 2025. This is unlikely to have a negative impact on RKT’s NII as the yields remained high for most of the quarter, while funding costs are likely to have stabilized.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Rocket Companies’ NII for third-quarter 2025 revenues is pegged at $34.3 million, suggesting a significant jump from the $6.8 million in the prior-year quarter.

These favorable factors, combined with Rocket’s broader footprint, which includes mortgages, title, servicing and real-estate agent/lender synergies, should support revenue growth in the quarter.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RKT’s other income for the third-quarter 2025 is pegged at $447 million, implying a year-over-year surge of 48.8%.

Expenses: Expenses are expected to have risen during the quarter due to integration-related investments following the Redfin acquisition and higher marketing and technology costs alongside rising headcount.

Additionally, the company initiated the wind-down of the Rocket Visa Signature Card credit card program in July, which may have added to transitional costs. Thus, RKT’s expenses are likely to have risen during the reported quarter.

Rocket Companies Acquires Redfin

On July 1, 2025, RKT acquired Redfin Corp, a leading digital real estate brokerage, in an all-stock deal for $1.75 billion.

The deal was announced in March 2025 and is expected to offer significant synergies and earnings accretion for Rocket Companies. Management projected over $200 million in run-rate synergies by 2027, including about $140 million in cost savings and $60 million in revenue synergies. The transaction was also expected to be accretive to adjusted EPS by the end of 2026 while preserving Rocket’s strong balance sheet.

What the Zacks Model Reveals for RKT

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for RKT this time around. This is because the company does not have the right combination of the two key ingredients — a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) — to increase the odds of an earnings beat.

You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Earnings ESP: Rocket Companies has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%.

Zacks Rank: RKT currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Finance Stocks to Consider

Here are a couple of finance stocks that you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this time:

The Earnings ESP for Ameriprise Financial is +2.55%, and it carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The company is slated to report third-quarter 2025 results on Oct. 30.

Over the past week, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMP’s quarterly earnings has remained unchanged at $9.60 per share.

Banco Santander is scheduled to announce third-quarter 2025 results on Oct. 29. The company sports a Zacks Rank #1 at present and an Earnings ESP of +4.00%.

Quarterly earnings estimates for SAN have remained unchanged at 25 cents per share over the past week.

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