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Intuitive Surgical vs. Stryker: Which MedTech Stock Is the Better Buy Now?
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Key Takeaways
Intuitive Surgical posted 16% procedure growth, led by strong Ion and da Vinci performance in Q2.
Stryker's organic sales rebounded to 9% as Mako installations hit records and utilization increased.
ISRG's digital ecosystem and international expansion add growth levers despite U.S. and China challenges.
Intuitive Surgical (ISRG - Free Report) and Stryker (SYK - Free Report) offer two distinct paths to robotic-assisted surgery. ISRG is building a focused ecosystem around da Vinci, SP and Ion, while Stryker combines Mako robotics with a broad MedTech portfolio spanning orthopedics, surgical technologies, endoscopy and medical products.
ISRG has gained 7.7% over the past month versus a 16.1% decline for SYK. For the rest of 2026, Intuitive Surgical’s faster procedure growth and expanding digital roadmap contrast with Stryker’s recovery-driven and diversified growth opportunity. The Zacks Medical sector was down 2.9% in the same time period, while the S&P 500 Index gained 1.5%.
One-Month Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Case for ISRG
Intuitive Surgical’s operational execution in the second quarter reinforced its robotics thesis. Total procedures grew 17% in the first quarter, followed by 16% growth in the second quarter. The second-quarter improvement was driven by 15% growth in da Vinci and 36% in Ion.
Revenues were up 19% to $2.89 billion in the second quarter. Da Vinci placements reached 468, including 246 da Vinci 5 systems, while SP procedures jumped 61%. Recurring revenues represented 85% of total revenues. Its technology moat is also expanding as da Vinci 5 captures higher-fidelity surgical data, while My Intuitive+ includes AI-driven case insights.
International expansion adds another growth lever. Da Vinci procedures rose 20% outside the United States, while benign procedures in international markets accelerated 37%. Ion procedures reached 48,000 in the second quarter and exceeded 400,000 cumulatively. Key challenges include softer U.S. growth in deferrable procedures, GLP-1 pressure on bariatrics, China’s competitive and pricing environment, and higher R&D and input costs.
ISRG Sales & EPS Growth Estimates
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Case for SYK
Stryker’s second-quarter results showed a meaningful recovery from its first-quarter cybersecurity disruption. Organic sales increased 9% versus 2.4% in the first quarter, with high-single-digit growth in MedSurg and Neurotechnology and Orthopedics. Mako installations reached a record second-quarter level in both the United States and internationally, while utilization increased.
Mako now spans hip, knee, spine and shoulder procedures, with more than 2.5 million procedures completed globally and systems placed in 47 countries. The U.S. launch of Mako RPS further expands the robotics offering.
SYK’s diversified model provides additional growth levers. The second-quarter growth was driven by strong Endoscopy, Medical, Instruments and Trauma and Extremities performance, while connected OR and Smart Care businesses, including Vocera and care.ai, broaden technology exposure.
The AVS acquisition expands peripheral vascular and cardiovascular opportunities. Management expects a strong second half, supported by capital demand, elevated backlog and production recovery. However, operational performance can be hurt by the peripheral vascular supply disruption and continued execution following the cyber incident.
SYK Sales & EPS Growth Estimates
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Valuation — ISRG vs SYK
At 34.54X F12M P/E, ISRG trades above the Zacks Medical sector’s 21X P/E, reflecting its growth premium. However, it remains below the five-year median of 67.72X, meaning the current multiple is not elevated versus that historical benchmark.
SYK trades at 16.95X F12M P/E, below the sector multiple and its five-year median of 25.93X. The discount provides valuation support as recovery and product launches progress through 2026.
5-year P/E F12M Chart for ISRG vs SYK and Medical Sector
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Conclusion
Stryker offers a diversified MedTech exposure, with improving capital-product momentum and continued expansion of its Mako franchise. Intuitive Surgical, however, presents the more concentrated growth story. Its 16% procedure growth, 20% international da Vinci growth, 61% SP growth and 36% Ion growth during the second quarter demonstrate stronger operating momentum, while its data-driven digital ecosystem creates a pathway toward AI-enabled differentiation. Despite its sector premium, ISRG’s robotics leadership, recurring revenues and expanding clinical applications make it the more attractive bet currently. Intuitive Surgical carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, while Stryker has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
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Intuitive Surgical vs. Stryker: Which MedTech Stock Is the Better Buy Now?
Key Takeaways
Intuitive Surgical (ISRG - Free Report) and Stryker (SYK - Free Report) offer two distinct paths to robotic-assisted surgery. ISRG is building a focused ecosystem around da Vinci, SP and Ion, while Stryker combines Mako robotics with a broad MedTech portfolio spanning orthopedics, surgical technologies, endoscopy and medical products.
ISRG has gained 7.7% over the past month versus a 16.1% decline for SYK. For the rest of 2026, Intuitive Surgical’s faster procedure growth and expanding digital roadmap contrast with Stryker’s recovery-driven and diversified growth opportunity. The Zacks Medical sector was down 2.9% in the same time period, while the S&P 500 Index gained 1.5%.
One-Month Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Case for ISRG
Intuitive Surgical’s operational execution in the second quarter reinforced its robotics thesis. Total procedures grew 17% in the first quarter, followed by 16% growth in the second quarter. The second-quarter improvement was driven by 15% growth in da Vinci and 36% in Ion.
Revenues were up 19% to $2.89 billion in the second quarter. Da Vinci placements reached 468, including 246 da Vinci 5 systems, while SP procedures jumped 61%. Recurring revenues represented 85% of total revenues. Its technology moat is also expanding as da Vinci 5 captures higher-fidelity surgical data, while My Intuitive+ includes AI-driven case insights.
International expansion adds another growth lever. Da Vinci procedures rose 20% outside the United States, while benign procedures in international markets accelerated 37%. Ion procedures reached 48,000 in the second quarter and exceeded 400,000 cumulatively. Key challenges include softer U.S. growth in deferrable procedures, GLP-1 pressure on bariatrics, China’s competitive and pricing environment, and higher R&D and input costs.
ISRG Sales & EPS Growth Estimates
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Case for SYK
Stryker’s second-quarter results showed a meaningful recovery from its first-quarter cybersecurity disruption. Organic sales increased 9% versus 2.4% in the first quarter, with high-single-digit growth in MedSurg and Neurotechnology and Orthopedics. Mako installations reached a record second-quarter level in both the United States and internationally, while utilization increased.
Mako now spans hip, knee, spine and shoulder procedures, with more than 2.5 million procedures completed globally and systems placed in 47 countries. The U.S. launch of Mako RPS further expands the robotics offering.
SYK’s diversified model provides additional growth levers. The second-quarter growth was driven by strong Endoscopy, Medical, Instruments and Trauma and Extremities performance, while connected OR and Smart Care businesses, including Vocera and care.ai, broaden technology exposure.
The AVS acquisition expands peripheral vascular and cardiovascular opportunities. Management expects a strong second half, supported by capital demand, elevated backlog and production recovery. However, operational performance can be hurt by the peripheral vascular supply disruption and continued execution following the cyber incident.
SYK Sales & EPS Growth Estimates
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Valuation — ISRG vs SYK
At 34.54X F12M P/E, ISRG trades above the Zacks Medical sector’s 21X P/E, reflecting its growth premium. However, it remains below the five-year median of 67.72X, meaning the current multiple is not elevated versus that historical benchmark.
SYK trades at 16.95X F12M P/E, below the sector multiple and its five-year median of 25.93X. The discount provides valuation support as recovery and product launches progress through 2026.
5-year P/E F12M Chart for ISRG vs SYK and Medical Sector
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Conclusion
Stryker offers a diversified MedTech exposure, with improving capital-product momentum and continued expansion of its Mako franchise. Intuitive Surgical, however, presents the more concentrated growth story. Its 16% procedure growth, 20% international da Vinci growth, 61% SP growth and 36% Ion growth during the second quarter demonstrate stronger operating momentum, while its data-driven digital ecosystem creates a pathway toward AI-enabled differentiation. Despite its sector premium, ISRG’s robotics leadership, recurring revenues and expanding clinical applications make it the more attractive bet currently. Intuitive Surgical carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, while Stryker has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.