Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG) shares took a tumble Wednesday after reporting preliminary fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results. The drop came despite what looked like a pretty solid performance across the board.
The robotic surgery specialist delivered expanded procedures, higher system placements, and revenue gains for both the quarter and the full year. Sometimes the market just wants more, apparently.
According to market data, ISRG stock has climbed over 4% in the past six months. Investors looking for exposure can consider the iShares U.S. Medical Devices ETF (IHI).
Procedures Keep Growing
Worldwide procedures using da Vinci and Ion systems grew about 18% in the fourth quarter compared to the same period last year. That's meaningful growth in an established market.
Da Vinci procedures rose about 17%, while Ion procedures jumped roughly 44%. The Ion system, used for lung procedures, is clearly gaining traction.
For all of 2025, combined procedures increased approximately 19% versus 2024. Looking ahead, Intuitive expects global da Vinci procedures to grow roughly 13% to 15% in 2026.
System Placements Hit New Heights
The company placed 532 da Vinci surgical systems in the fourth quarter alone. Of those, 303 were the newer da Vinci 5 units, which shows hospitals are adopting the latest technology.
For the full year 2025, Intuitive placed 1,721 da Vinci systems. The report noted that Ion endoluminal system placements were lower in the earlier part of the year compared to 2024.