Intuitive Surgical Faces Slowing da Vinci Growth and Competitive Pressures in 2026
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 5d ago
0mins
Source: Fool
- Challenges in Asia: CFO Jamie Samath highlighted that procedure growth in Japan remains below expectations, while increased competition from local Chinese suppliers negatively impacts Intuitive's performance, as provincial tenders favor lower pricing.
- Decline in Ion Placements: Although the utilization rate for the Ion system rose by 11% year-over-year in Q4, only 42 Ion systems were placed, down from 69 in the previous year, indicating a shift in U.S. customers' focus towards maximizing existing system usage.
- Slowing da Vinci Growth: Intuitive Surgical projects da Vinci procedure growth of only 13% to 15% for 2026, down from 18% in 2025, primarily due to capital pressures in Europe and potential impacts from changes in U.S. Medicaid funding, reflecting a challenging market environment.
- Positive Outlook for Robotic Surgery: Despite challenges, a study cited by Intuitive found that patients undergoing robotic-assisted surgeries were 50% less likely to require open surgery compared to those with laparoscopic procedures, presenting a significant opportunity for the company in the approximately 20 million soft tissue surgeries performed annually.
Get Free Real-Time Notifications for Any Stock
Monitor tickers like ISRG with instant alerts to capture every critical market movement.
Sign up for free to build your custom watchlist and receive professional-grade stock notifications.
Analyst Views on ISRG
Wall Street analysts forecast ISRG stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for ISRG is 637.32 USD with a low forecast of 575.00 USD and a high forecast of 740.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
20 Analyst Rating
16 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 522.040
Low
575.00
Averages
637.32
High
740.00
Current: 522.040
Low
575.00
Averages
637.32
High
740.00
About ISRG
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets da Vinci surgical systems and the Ion endoluminal system. The Company specializes in invasive care and robotic-assisted surgery. Its technologies include the da Vinci surgical systems and the Ion endoluminal system. The da Vinci surgical system is designed to enable surgeons to perform a range of surgical procedures within its targeted general surgery, urologic, gynecologic, cardiothoracic, and head and neck specialties and consists of a surgeon's console or consoles, a patient-side cart, and a high-performance vision system. The Ion endoluminal system is a flexible, robotic-assisted, catheter-based platform for which the cleared indication is minimally invasive biopsies in the lung and consists of a system cart, a controller, a catheter, and a vision probe. Its Ion system extends its commercial offering beyond surgery into diagnostic and endoluminal procedures.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Intuitive Surgical's AI Surgical Robot Prospects
- Growing Market Demand: By the end of 2025, Intuitive Surgical has installed over 11,106 da Vinci surgical robots globally, marking a 12% increase from 2024, indicating strong demand in the healthcare sector for robotic-assisted surgeries.
- Increase in Surgeries: The number of surgeries performed using da Vinci robots rose by 18% year-over-year, reflecting not only the effectiveness of the technology but also hospitals' recognition of high-tech surgical solutions.
- FDA Approval of AI Enhancements: In late 2025, the FDA approved Intuitive Surgical's AI-based enhancements, which assist surgeons in making real-time decisions when a patient's lung shifts, thereby improving surgical safety and effectiveness.
- Future AI Surgery Potential: With an expanding database of surgeries, Intuitive Surgical has the potential to leverage AI for autonomous surgeries, providing world-class medical care, although its current price-to-earnings ratio of 66 may deter some investors while attracting aggressive growth seekers.
Continue Reading
Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci Robots See High Demand and AI Integration
- Growing Market Demand: By the end of 2025, Intuitive Surgical has installed over 11,106 da Vinci surgical robots globally, representing a 12% increase from 2024, indicating strong demand in the healthcare sector for robotic-assisted surgeries.
- Surgery Volume Increase: The number of surgeries performed using da Vinci robots rose by 18% year-over-year, reflecting not only the effectiveness of the technology but also the company's increasing market penetration in surgical procedures.
- AI Technology Integration: In 2025, the FDA approved Intuitive Surgical's AI-enhanced Ion endoluminal system, enabling surgeons to make real-time decisions in situations where a patient's lung has moved, marking the beginning of an AI revolution in robotic surgery.
- Significant Data Potential: With a vast database of surgical data, Intuitive Surgical may drive AI surgery advancements through data sales or partnerships with tech companies, potentially providing world-class medical care globally.
Continue Reading