Intuitive Surgical ISRG and Medtronic MDT are two powerhouses in the rapidly evolving field of robotic-assisted surgery. As hospitals increasingly adopt minimally invasive technologies, both companies are racing to capture market share with their flagship systems — da Vinci for Intuitive and Hugo for Medtronic.
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With growing demand for surgical precision and better patient outcomes, investors are closely watching which company holds the edge. In this article, we’ll compare their market positions, growth potential, and innovation pipelines to determine which stock may be the smarter buy in today’s competitive medtech landscape.
ISRG & MDT: Price Performance
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The year-to-date price performances of both Intuitive Surgical and Medtronic have not been impressive, likely due to tariff concerns and rising competition from Chinese robotic device makers. Shares of ISRG have gained 5.8% year to date, while those of MDT have improved 1.7%. The S&P 500 Index has increased 0.2% in the same period.
ISRG’s Da Vinci: An Established Player
Intuitive Surgical started 2025 with strong momentum, underpinned by its dominant position in robotic-assisted surgery and growing global demand for minimally invasive procedures. The company’s flagship da Vinci Surgical System remains the industry gold standard, with almost 10,000 systems installed worldwide — a testament to its technological edge and deep hospital integration.
ISRG continues to post robust recurring revenues from instrument and accessory sales, a high-margin stream that scales with increased surgical procedures. As procedure volumes rise, especially in general surgery and international markets, the company benefits from a growing installed base and deepening utilization.
Intuitive is poised to leverage AI integration, real-time analytics, and next-generation robotics to further differentiate its platform going forward. Recent FDA approvals and expanding indications — particularly in urology and gynecology — support continued volume growth. Its strong balance sheet, zero debt, and consistent free cash flow provide ample firepower for R&D and international expansion, especially in underserved markets like Asia and Latin America.
With a long runway for innovation and procedure growth, ISRG’s fundamentals remain strong. For investors seeking exposure to healthcare technology with a recurring-revenue business model and high barriers to entry, Intuitive Surgical stands out as a high-quality, long-term growth story in 2025.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ISRG’s fiscal 2025 sales and EPS implies a year-over-year improvement of 15.6% and 7.1%, respectively. EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have moved southward over the past 60 days.
ISRG Estimate Movement
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MDT’s Hugo: A New Entrant
Medtronic, one of the world’s largest medical device companies, entered 2025 with a diversified product portfolio and ongoing efforts to reinvigorate growth. The company’s operations span cardiovascular, diabetes, neuroscience, and surgical innovations, providing stability across economic cycles. A key area of focus is its Hugo robotic-assisted surgery platform, which aims to challenge Intuitive Surgical’s dominance. Early adoption is promising, but Hugo still faces regulatory hurdles and limited market penetration compared to da Vinci.
However, Medtronic maintains solid revenue from its legacy businesses and a respectable dividend yield, appealing to income-focused investors. The company’s cost-saving initiatives and restructuring efforts are beginning to improve margins, and its pipeline includes next-gen devices and AI-enhanced surgical tools, which could support long-term growth.
However, challenges remain. MDT has experienced slower top-line growth in recent years, partially due to supply-chain constraints and delayed procedure volumes during the pandemic. Competition is intensifying across multiple segments, and innovation pacing remains a concern for some analysts. Regulatory scrutiny and pricing pressures also weigh on margins.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Medtronics’ 2025 sales and EPS implies a year-over-year improvement of 8.6% and 10.4%, respectively. However, EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have declined 2 cents each over the past 60 days.
MDT Estimate Movement
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ISRG or MDT: Which Is a Better Pick?
Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci dominance — nearly 80% market share, sustainable 19% revenue growth, recurring consumables and Ion lung biopsy system — underpins broad surgical robotics leadership. While Medtronics’ Hugo has been launched in select international markets and shown early adoption potential, it remains under limited commercial release. The company is actively working toward securing full FDA approval. With a 16.5% robotic-surgery market CAGR through 2029 per this Surgical Robots Market report,ISRG is most likely to continue to grow on the back of its strong da Vinci portfolio. However, MDT’s prospects in this market are yet to be seen as Hugo’s full commercial launch is expected next year.
While Intuitive Surgical carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present, Medtronic has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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