LIVE
BSX
Boston Scientific Corporation · Healthcare
$45.29
-20.28% this month
VERSUS
⟷
COMPARE
ISRG
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. · Healthcare
$406.78
-7.88% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
BSX
2
ISRG
3
Comparison scoreboard
ISRG LEADS 3/5AI Score
BSX 40.2
ISRG ✓50.7
1Y Return
BSX -55.48%
ISRG ✓-20.57%
Fwd P/E
BSX ✓12.59
ISRG 34.88
Target Up.
BSX ✓+64.36%
ISRG +37.47%
Op. Margin
BSX 20.60%
ISRG ✓30.87%
Metrics last refreshed: 6/20/2026
Quick take
BSX vs ISRG Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
Boston Scientific and Intuitive Surgical are both leaders in minimally invasive medical procedures, but with fundamentally different business models. BSX sells single-use devices for catheter-based and scope-based interventions; ISRG sells robotic surgical systems and generates recurring instrument revenue from each procedure. ISRG's recurring revenue model is more predictable; BSX's innovation-driven model is more diversified across therapeutic areas.
BSX vs ISRG is device innovation across multiple minimally invasive specialties (Boston Scientific) versus robotic surgery platform dominance with deep installed base recurring revenue (Intuitive Surgical) — ISRG's procedure volume model is more predictable; BSX's multi-category innovation growth is faster-paced.
Live analysis · updated 6/20/2026
ISRG holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. ISRG has delivered stronger 1-year price return (-20.57% vs -55.48%), though BSX trades at the lower forward P/E (12.59x vs 34.88x). ISRG leads on both revenue growth (23.00%) and operating margin (30.87%), suggesting a stronger fundamental setup on both dimensions. Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for BSX (+64.36%) than for ISRG (+37.47%).
Normalized 1Y performance
BSX
ISRG
Recent returns
BSX
ISRG
Analyst price targets & sentiment
BSX
Price target range
analyst mean$77.10
current price$45.29
+64.4% upside to analyst mean
ISRG · 28 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Buy (2.0/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$350.00
analyst high$675.00
analyst mean$565.08
current price$406.78
+37.5% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
BSX may suit investors who:
- →prefer medtech innovation exposure across cardiac, urological, endoscopic, and neurological device categories
- →value FARAPULSE's rapid adoption curve and Watchman's structural heart disease position as category-defining device platforms
- →want medtech growth exposure without the extreme (60–80x) premium valuation commanded by Intuitive Surgical's procedure model
- →are comfortable with BSX's lack of a robotic surgery platform potentially limiting participation in robotic procedure growth
ISRG may suit investors who:
- →prefer the dominant robotic surgery platform with 10,000+ installed da Vinci systems generating predictable recurring procedure revenue
- →value procedure volume growth as a highly visible, hospital-level metric that compounds as robotic surgery adoption increases globally
- →want the most defensible medtech business model — once hospitals train surgeons on da Vinci, procedure volumes compound for years
- →are comfortable with 60–80x earnings premium reflecting ISRG's moat quality and long-duration procedure volume growth visibility
Performance & AI score
| Metric | BSX | ISRG |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 40.2 | 50.7 |
| AI rank | #1072 | #423 |
| Latest close | $45.29 | $406.78 |
| 1M return | -20.28% | -7.88% |
| 6M return | -52.06% | -26.95% |
| 1Y return | -55.48% | -20.57% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | BSX | ISRG |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $4.47K (-55.3%) started 2025-06-18 | $7.98K (-20.2%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $10.39K (+3.9%) started 2021-06-21 | $13.65K (+36.5%) started 2021-06-21 |
| 10Y ago | $19.82K (+98.2%) started 2016-06-20 | $56.49K (+464.9%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | BSX | ISRG |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $69.72B | $145.58B |
| Trailing P/E | 19.63 | 50.01 |
| Forward P/E | 12.59 | 34.88 |
| Price/Sales | N/A | 22.91 |
| EV/Revenue | 3.86 | 13.34 |
| Analyst target | $77.10 | $565.08 |
| Target upside | +64.36% | +37.47% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | BSX | ISRG |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 11.60% | 23.00% |
| Earnings growth | 100.00% | 18.80% |
| EPS growth | +100.00% | +18.80% |
| FCF margin | +13.62% | +21.30% |
| Operating margin | 20.60% | 30.87% |
| Profit margin | 17.29% | 28.15% |
| ROIC proxy | 14.66% | 17.23% |
| Return on equity | 14.66% | 17.23% |
| Dividend yield | N/A | N/A |
| Beta | 0.56 | 1.45 |
| Debt/equity | 42.25 | 0.95 |
| Current ratio | 1.90 | 4.61 |
| Quick ratio | 0.98 | 3.26 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
BSX max drawdown58.43%
ISRG max drawdown32.16%
BSX max wkly drop19.50%
ISRG max wkly drop8.79%
5Y risk snapshot
BSX max drawdown58.43%
ISRG max drawdown49.90%
BSX max wkly drop19.50%
ISRG max wkly drop22.30%
10Y risk snapshot
BSX max drawdown58.43%
ISRG max drawdown49.90%
BSX max wkly drop19.55%
ISRG max wkly drop22.30%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | BSX | ISRG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | -55.32% | -20.16% |
| CAGR | -55.37% | -20.19% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -2.26 | -0.73 | |
| Max drawdown | 58.43% | 32.16% | |
| Max daily drop | 17.59% | 6.67% | |
| Max wkly drop | 19.50% | 8.79% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +3.88% | +36.50% |
| CAGR | +0.76% | +6.43% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.01 | 0.22 | |
| Max drawdown | 58.43% | 49.90% | |
| Max daily drop | 17.59% | 14.34% | |
| Max wkly drop | 19.50% | 22.30% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +98.21% | +464.90% |
| CAGR | +7.09% | +18.92% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.22 | 0.56 | |
| Max drawdown | 58.43% | 49.90% | |
| Max daily drop | 17.59% | 14.34% | |
| Max wkly drop | 19.55% | 22.30% |
Business comparison
| Category | BSX | ISRG |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Boston Scientific Corporation | Intuitive Surgical, Inc. |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | N/A | Medical Instruments & Supplies |
| Core business | Boston Scientific specializes in minimally invasive device-based therapies — catheter-based cardiac interventions, electrophysiology ablation, urological implants, and endoscopic procedures. Its growth is driven by device innovation (FARAPULSE, Watchman, ACURATE) rather than a platform-based procedure volume model like Intuitive. BSX sells devices that are used once per procedure; Intuitive sells a robotic system that generates recurring instrument revenue across many procedures. | Intuitive Surgical is the dominant robotic surgery company, with 10,000+ da Vinci robotic systems installed globally generating a large recurring base of instruments, accessories, and services revenue per procedure. Each da Vinci procedure generates $1,500–$2,000+ in instrument and accessory revenue for Intuitive. The da Vinci 5 system incorporates force feedback and AI capabilities. Ion (bronchoscopic navigation for lung biopsies) and SP (single-port robotic surgery) expand the platform beyond traditional laparoscopy. |
| Investor focus | Investors track organic revenue growth, FARAPULSE PFA procedure adoption, Watchman implants, TAVR launch, and M&A pipeline adding device capabilities. | Investors track da Vinci procedure volume growth (the primary revenue driver), new system placements, da Vinci 5 upgrade cycle, Ion navigation system adoption, and ISRG's operating margin as the platform matures. |
BSX strengths
- →Fastest-growing large-cap medtech with FARAPULSE PFA driving cardiac ablation procedure volumes at an accelerating rate
- →Watchman left atrial appendage closure is in a category with no fully equivalent competitor — structural heart disease market with long procedure growth runway
- →Diversified device portfolio across cardiology, endoscopy, urology, and neuromodulation reduces single-segment revenue concentration risk
ISRG strengths
- →Da Vinci's 10,000+ installed base generates a massive, predictable recurring revenue stream from instruments and services that grows with procedure volume
- →Robotic surgery procedure growth has secular tailwinds — surgeons trained on robotics prefer it, and hospitals that install da Vinci see procedure volumes increase over time
- →Ion bronchoscopic navigation and da Vinci SP create new procedure categories beyond traditional laparoscopic surgery
Risks to watch — BSX
- →Does not own a robotics platform — cannot participate in the fastest-growing surgical modality (robotic surgery) without major acquisition
- →FARAPULSE and TAVR require manufacturing scale-up to meet physician demand as procedures ramp faster than production
- →Premium valuation requires sustained double-digit revenue growth — market reaction to any miss is amplified at high multiples
Risks to watch — ISRG
- →Premium valuation (60–80x earnings) is even higher than Boston Scientific — requires consistent procedure volume growth to maintain
- →Medtronic Hugo and J&J Ottava robots are entering the market with systems targeting da Vinci's dominant installed base
- →US soft tissue robotic surgery market is approaching maturation in some specialties (urology, gynecology) — international expansion is the next growth phase
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