Intuitive Surgical Upgraded to Buy by Citi - Plus Key Moves on Stryker and Abbott

"Citi argues that the stock has sold off alongside the broader market despite no deterioration in the underlying business, and that the company remains well positioned to grow sales at a double-digit pace while leveraging earnings. That assessment is grounded in a track record that is hard to dismiss: Intuitive beat EPS and revenue estimates in all four quarters of 2025, and its da Vinci 5 platform is still in the early stages of a multi-year adoption cycle."

"The firm upgraded Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) to Buy from Neutral, opened a 90-day catalyst watch on Stryker (), and trimmed its price target on Abbott () while maintaining its Buy rating. Across all three names, Citi analyst Joanne Wuensch characterized sector fundamentals as "healthy" despite recent turbulence - a conviction call at a moment when the VIX has climbed sharply."

"For Stryker, Citi is not changing its Buy rating, but the addition of a 90-day catalyst watch signals the firm is watching for a specific near-term inflection. The note points to consistent double-digit revenue and earnings growth as the foundation for the existing Buy, while the catalyst watch likely reflects early data from the Mako RPS handheld robotic system, which entered limited market release heading into 2026."

Citi analyst Joanne Wuensch affirms the strength of U.S. medical technology sector fundamentals amid broader market turbulence. Intuitive Surgical received an upgrade to Buy from Neutral, supported by consistent double-digit growth and the da Vinci 5 platform's early adoption cycle, despite recent stock pullback. Stryker maintains its Buy rating with a new 90-day catalyst watch focused on the Mako RPS handheld robotic system's market performance. Abbott retains its Buy rating with a modest price target reduction to $136 from $140 following Q4 results. All three companies demonstrate solid operational execution and growth trajectories that justify positive outlooks despite recent market volatility.

Read at 24/7 Wall St.