Intuitive Surgical Falls as Rivalry, Funding Slows Growth

Intuitive Surgical Inc. shares fell the most since October after it forecast slower growth for use of its flagship surgical robotic system system this year as rivals bring new products to market and procedure volumes are threatened by funding cuts to Medicaid and changes to Obamacare subsidies.

The company expects worldwide procedure growth using its da Vinci system to increase about 13% to 15% in 2026, according to a preliminary earnings disclosure. That’s shy of the 15.2% estimated 17 analysts polled by Bloomberg and would mark the slowest growth rate since 2020, when the pandemic hit.