Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) Stock Lifted to “Strong-Buy” by Barclays

Barclays upgraded shares of Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) to a strong-buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday morning,Zacks reports.

ISRG has been the topic of a number of other reports. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on Intuitive Surgical from $650.00 to $600.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Mizuho set a $500.00 target price on Intuitive Surgical and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. Wall Street Zen lowered Intuitive Surgical from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, September 20th. TD Cowen downgraded Intuitive Surgical from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, HSBC downgraded Intuitive Surgical from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $391.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have given a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Intuitive Surgical has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $502.53.

Intuitive Surgical Trading Up 2.4%

Shares of Intuitive Surgical stock opened at $414.52 on Wednesday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $383.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of $411.61. The stock has a market capitalization of $146.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.48, a PEG ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 1.46. Intuitive Surgical has a 1-year low of $328.57 and a 1-year high of $603.88.

Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 16th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.48 by $0.32. The business had revenue of $2.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.83 billion. Intuitive Surgical had a net margin of 28.45% and a return on equity of 16.91%. Intuitive Surgical’s revenue was up 18.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.81 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Intuitive Surgical will post 8.87 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Intuitive Surgical news, EVP Gary Loeb sold 400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $379.00, for a total value of $151,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 5,320 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,016,280. This represents a 6.99% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Amy L. Ladd sold 72 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $393.10, for a total value of $28,303.20. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 179 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $70,364.90. This represents a 28.69% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 12,370 shares of company stock valued at $4,891,989 in the last quarter. 0.60% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Intuitive Surgical

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Alteri Wealth LLC lifted its stake in shares of Intuitive Surgical by 5.0% in the 4th quarter. Alteri Wealth LLC now owns 483 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $274,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Intuitive Surgical by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,308 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $741,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. 3Chopt Investment Partners LLC increased its position in Intuitive Surgical by 5.2% during the 1st quarter. 3Chopt Investment Partners LLC now owns 462 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $213,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. raised its holdings in Intuitive Surgical by 58.1% in the first quarter. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. now owns 68 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the period. Finally, W.G. Shaheen & Associates DBA Whitney & Co raised its holdings in Intuitive Surgical by 1.0% in the first quarter. W.G. Shaheen & Associates DBA Whitney & Co now owns 2,542 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $1,172,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the period. 83.64% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Intuitive Surgical News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Intuitive Surgical this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and buy ratings supported sentiment. Barclays began coverage with an Overweight rating, while Citi reiterated a Buy, potentially strengthening confidence in Intuitive Surgical’s long-term outlook. Barclays starts coverage of Intuitive Surgical stock at Overweight Intuitive Surgical Gets a Buy from Citi
• Positive Sentiment: Growth in the da Vinci SP platform remains a key catalyst. Rising procedure volumes, utilization and system placements, along with expanding medical indications and international adoption, could help the single-port platform develop into a significant revenue franchise. Can ISRG’s Single-Port Platform Become the Next Billion-Dollar Franchise?
• Positive Sentiment: Relative strength attracted attention. ISRG advanced even as the broader market declined, indicating some investors may view the pullback as an opportunity, particularly given the company’s strong operating history and future product potential. Intuitive Surgical Gains As Market Dips
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on what could reignite growth. Commentary points to higher system sales, procedure growth, expanded indications and greater utilization as potential drivers for the stock after a period of underperformance relative to the S&P 500. What Could Lift ISRG Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Competition remains a significant overhang. Jim Cramer questioned the business’s attractiveness because several companies are pursuing robotic surgery, particularly Johnson & Johnson, raising concerns about pricing, market share and the durability of Intuitive Surgical’s competitive advantage. Intuitive Surgical and JNJ Give Jim Cramer More Than Valuation to Consider

Intuitive Surgical Company Profile

Intuitive Surgical, Inc develops and commercializes robotic-assisted systems and related technologies designed to support minimally invasive medical procedures. The company’s products are intended to help surgeons perform operations through small incisions while providing enhanced visualization, precision, and control.

Its principal product is the da Vinci Surgical System, a platform used across a range of specialties, including general surgery, urology, gynecology, thoracic surgery, and cardiac procedures.