Johnson & Johnson, together with its subsidiaries, researches, develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the healthcare field worldwide. The company's Innovative Medicine segment offers products for various therapeutic areas, such as immunology, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis; infectious diseases comprising HIV/AIDS; neuroscience, consisting of mood disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, and schizophrenia; oncology, such as prostate cancer, hematologic malignancies, lung cancer, and bladder cancer; cardiovascular and metabolism, including thrombosis, diabetes, and macular degeneration; and pulmonary hypertension comprising pulmonary arterial hypertension through retailers, wholesalers, distributors, hospitals, and healthcare professionals for prescription use. Its MedTech segment provides Interventional Solutions, including electrophysiology products to treat heart rhythm disorders; the heart recovery portfolio, which includes technologies to treat severe coronary artery disease requiring high-risk PCI or AMI cardiogenic shock; and neurovascular care that treats hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. this segment also offers an orthopaedics portfolio that includes products and enabling technologies that support hips, knees, trauma, spine, sports, and other; surgery portfolios comprising advanced and general surgery technologies, as well as solutions for breast aesthetics, ear, nose, and throat procedures; contact lenses under the ACUVUE Brand; and TECNIS intraocular lenses for cataract surgery. It distributes its products to wholesalers, hospitals, and retailers, as well as physicians, nurses, hospitals, eye care professionals, and clinics. Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 and is based in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Johnson & Johnson

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (Symbol: DIA) where we have detected an approximate $112.0 million dollar outflow -- that's a 0.3% decrease week over week (from 87,192,867 to 86,942,867). Among the largest underlying components of DIA, in trading today Travelers Companies Inc (Symbol: TRV) is up about 1%, Honeywell International Inc (Symbol: HON) is up about 2%, and Johnson & Johnson (Symbol: JNJ) is higher by about 0.4%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the DIA Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of DIA, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, DIA's low point in its 52 week range is $366.32 per share, with $455.85 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $455.34. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
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DIA, TRV, HON, JNJ: Large Outflows Detected at ETF

Stryker Corporation SYK posted robust second-quarter 2025 results, with broad-based momentum across its core businesses. Net sales grew 11.1% year over year to $6.1 billion, while organic sales improved 10.2%. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.13 exceeded the consensus mark, reflecting healthy volume growth, favorable pricing and disciplined execution.
Management raised full-year organic sales growth guidance to 9.5-10% and adjusted EPS to $13.40-$13.60. Despite strong execution and innovation-led growth, competitive risks, macro pressures and elevated valuation suggest limited near-term upside.
Share of Stryker have gained 6.9% so far this year compared with the industry’s increase of 7.5%. The S&P 500 Index was up 8.6% in that period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Short-Term Growth Drivers
Orthopaedics Strength and Mako Adoption: Orthopaedics delivered a strong rebound, supported by rising elective procedure volumes and continued adoption of the Mako robotic platform. Knee and hip implant demand was particularly strong, with Mako placements gaining traction globally. Knee implants grew 6.3%, while hip implants advanced 8.9%, both benefiting from increased procedure volumes and accelerating adoption of the Mako robotic platform.
Management highlighted that Mako procedures reached a milestone of 2 million during the second quarter, with international markets showing particularly strong momentum as hospitals continue to scale robotic-assisted surgery capabilities. Rising Mako placements are driving not only implant volume growth but also deeper integration of robotics into orthopedic care pathways. These trends underscore Stryker’s technology edge and the near-term momentum of robotics in driving surgical efficiency and patient outcomes.
MedSurg and Neurotechnology Contributions: MedSurg and Neurotechnology segments reported 16.7% organic growth, reflecting high demand for patient handling, surgical instruments and neurovascular solutions. Hospitals are refreshing capital equipment and investing in advanced surgical technology, boosting utilization of Stryker’s diverse portfolio. Neurotechnology grew in the mid-teens, driven by craniomaxillofacial and stroke product demand. Together, these segments add stability and balance to SYK’s growth profile.
Long-Term Growth Drivers
Global Expansion and Emerging Markets: Stryker’s international business remains a long-term growth lever, with double-digit gains in Asia-Pacific and Latin America. In emerging markets, low penetration of robotic-assisted surgery and orthopedic procedures provides a significant runway. The company is investing in localized manufacturing and R&D to improve competitiveness and capture share, but execution in price-sensitive markets will be critical to sustaining momentum.
Innovation and Pipeline Development: SYK’s innovation pipeline remains robust, spanning orthopaedics, trauma, extremities and endoscopy. The Mako platform continues to expand procedural scope, while upcoming launches in sports medicine and next-generation endoscopy strengthen its market position. R&D spending above 6% of sales underscores management’s commitment to innovation. However, sustaining a leadership edge will depend on the pace of adoption relative to competitors’ offerings.
Synergies and Portfolio Expansion: Stryker’s portfolio expansion strategy is delivering tangible benefits, underpinned by recent acquisitions in spine and neurovascular markets. The 2022 acquisition of Wright Medical’s spine assets has strengthened SYK’s position in minimally invasive spine procedures, adding breadth to its Orthopaedics offering. Similarly, the 2023 acquisition of Cerus Endovascular enhanced the Neurotechnology franchise with innovative stent and coil technologies, bolstering leadership in stroke care.
Management emphasized that these deals are already yielding integration synergies, from expanded R&D collaboration to streamlined distribution networks. Importantly, Stryker is capitalizing on cross-selling opportunities, particularly leveraging Mako placements as an entry point for bundled solutions across orthopaedics, spine, and neurovascular. This ecosystem approach enhances hospital partnerships, drives recurring revenue from implants and instruments, and supports long-term growth momentum.
SYK’s Sales & EPS Estimates
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Challenges
Competitive Pressures in Robotics and Devices: Competition in robotic orthopaedics is intensifying, with Zimmer Biomet ZBH, Johnson & Johnson JNJ and Medtronic MDT advancing rival platforms. Sustaining differentiation will require continued evidence of superior outcomes and cost-effectiveness. Broader medtech competition also poses pricing and margin pressures, particularly in capital-intensive markets.
Macro and Cost Pressure: Persistent inflation, FX volatility and wage pressures remain headwinds. Regulatory hurdles in global markets also create uncertainty for new product launches. While Stryker delivered strong top-line growth, management acknowledged that inflationary cost pressures, FX headwinds and wage inflation had a tangible impact on margins in second-quarter 2025. Foreign exchange reduced revenue growth, while cost inflation in raw materials and logistics created a drag on gross margin despite productivity offsets. Wage pressures, particularly in U.S. manufacturing facilities, also elevated operating expenses, tempering some of the benefits from favorable pricing.
Regulatory and Supply-Chain Risks: Supply-chain reliability has improved compared to the disruptions during 2022-2023, but management noted ongoing bottlenecks in electronic components and specialty materials that limited product availability in certain geographies. Geopolitical instability remains a risk factor, with tariffs and trade restrictions contributing to higher input costs. Regulatory hurdles for product approvals in international markets also continue to slow time-to-market for new launches.
Competitors’ Update
Zimmer Biomet posted another solid quarter in the second quarter of 2025 with net sales of approximately $2.08 billion, up 7% year over year (2.8% organic), driven by robust demand in its hip, knee, and surgical portfolios. The company raised its full-year EPS guidance to $8.10–$8.30, underscoring confidence in continued orthopedic momentum. ZBH also highlighted a significant 16% sales increase in its Sports Medicine, Extremities & Trauma (S.E.T.) segment, which contributed meaningfully to both revenue growth and margin stability amid tightening operating conditions.
Johnson & Johnson delivered a strong second-quarter 2025, with sales reaching $23.7 billion, marking a 5.8% year-over-year increase, and adjusted EPS of $2.77. The company raised its full-year sales forecast to $93.2-$93.4 billion and EPS guidance to $10.80-$10.90 due to lower-than-expected tariff costs. Within the medtech division, JNJ reported 6% growth, bolstered by robust performance across device segments, especially in electrophysiology. JNJ’s diversified portfolio and favorable macro dynamics have helped it outperform, although headwinds like legal litigation and competitive pressure remain.
Medtronic delivered a solid second-quarter 2025 performance, with revenues of roughly $8.58 billion (reflecting an 8.3% year-over-year increase) and EPS of 81 cents, while adjusted EPS was $1.26. Despite at least a 9-cent negative impact from foreign exchange, MDT raised its full-year organic revenue growth and EPS guidance, reflecting resilience in core franchises such as TAVR, diabetes, spine and neuromodulation. Medtronic continues to benefit from strong innovation-led demand and operational discipline, even amid FX headwinds and persistent cost pressures.
Stryker Corporation Price
Conclusion
Stryker’s second-quarter performance highlights its strong execution across orthopaedics, MedSurg and Neurotechnology while sustaining margin discipline. Its robust pipeline, global expansion and integration synergies create a compelling long-term outlook. However, premium valuation, competitive intensity and macro risks temper the near-term investment case. While Stryker remains a high-quality medtech leader with durable advantages, the stock’s risk-reward profile suggests patience. Stryker currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.
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Stryker's Robotics and Global Gains Offset by Macro Concerns

Rising demand for precision and personalized medicine has significantly augmented the need for artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled medical devices to deliver highly individualized diagnostics and treatments.
At this stage, it should be fruitful to invest in giant medical stocks focusing rigorously on AI applications. Four such companies are: Boston Scientific Corp. BSX, Johnson & Johnson JNJ, GE HealthCare Technologies Inc. GEHC and Tempus AI Inc. TEM. Each of our picks carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Increasing AI Applications in Medical Devices
Globally, generative artificial intelligence and agentic AI are increasingly being integrated into medical devices, transforming both clinical workflows and patient care. AI algorithms can analyze patient-specific imaging data or genetic profiles to guide the design of implants, surgical plans, or therapeutic regimens, improving patient outcomes.
Generative AI is primarily being used for content creation and design optimization within the medical device space. Generative AI powers real-time clinical documentation tools embedded within diagnostic devices.
Agentic AI enables medical devices to act autonomously and make decisions based on real-time data. Agentic AI also supports predictive maintenance in connected medical equipment, such as MRIs and ventilators.
Boston Scientific Corp.
Boston Scientific is seeing strength across its target markets despite macroeconomic issues, primarily tariff tensions and related cost inflation. BSX has been investing in AI to support its devices and improve procedural outcomes.
Strong demand for its MedSurg and Cardiovascular lines, traction in the United States and internationally for its next-generation WATCHMAN FLX and FLX Pro are important drivers. BSX’s HeartLogic is a heart failure diagnostic that utilizes AI to detect worsening heart failure in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators (CRT-Ds).
The Rhythm AI module in the Rhythmia HDx mapping system can automatically interpret electroanatomical maps to identify arrhythmia circuits, enabling electrophysiologists to target ablation therapy more effectively. BSX’s Coronary Advanced Analysis software uses AI to analyze optical coherence tomography images to characterize plaque.
Boston Scientific has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 18.3% and 18.7%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 2.4% in the last 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson boast a major MedTech division (Johnson & Johnson MedTech) focused on medical devices and diagnostics. JNJ applies AI technologies for surgical robotics, digital surgery analytics and imaging. The company has developed an AI-enabled ecosystem called Ottava, its next-gen robotic surgery platform.
JNJ has also developed the Caresurgical/VELYS digital surgery systems, which use data and AI for procedure planning. Its Polyphonic Digital Ecosystem connects operating rooms, allowing surgeons to share live video and data with remote peers. AI in this system helps identify significant events in the surgery video feed for discussion.
Johnson & Johnson has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 5.2% and 8.8%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 0.1% over the last 30 days.
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GE HealthCare Technologies
GE HealthCare Technologies is experiencing strong market demand across the U.S. and global healthcare sectors, driven by rising procedure volumes, hospital capital investments, and increasing adoption of AI-powered imaging and diagnostics. AI is central to GEHC’s digital strategy, which focuses on its precision care framework.
GEHC has launched CleaRecon DL — an AI-driven solution that enhances cone-beam computed tomography image quality. GEHC’s Invenia Automated Breast Ultrasound Premium, the latest 3D ultrasound, offers advanced AI and innovative features to drive faster, reproducible supplemental screening and streamline exam readings on patients with dense breasts.
GE HealthCare Technologies has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 3.5% and 0.9%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 12.7% over the last 30 days.
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Tempus AI Inc.
Tempus AI is a technology company advancing precision medicine through the practical application of artificial intelligence principally in healthcare. TEM provides AI-enabled precision medicine solutions to physicians to deliver personalized patient care, and parallel facilitates for the discovery, development and delivery of optimal therapeutics.
TEM’s AI applications include analyzing patient data, generating clinical notes, identifying care gaps, and assisting with treatment decisions, particularly in oncology and cardiology. TEM integrates data including phenotypic, morphologic, and molecular data from different sources to provide a more comprehensive view of a patient's condition.
Tempus AI has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 81.1% and 55.7%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 2.9% over the last 30 days.
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4 Medical Devices Behemoths to Buy Amid Extensive AI Applications

Johnson & Johnson JNJ faces several challenges, like potential losses from expiring drug patents, ongoing legal battles related to its talc powder and broader macroeconomic uncertainties. Here, we discuss the various headwinds that J&J faces and see if the drug and medical devices giant is well-equipped to navigate them.
Stelara LOE and Medicare Part D Redesign Hurting J&J’s Sales
J&J lost U.S. patent exclusivity for its multibillion-dollar product Stelara in 2025. Several biosimilar versions of Stelara have been launched in the United States in 2025. According to patent settlements and license agreements, Amgen AMGN,Teva Pharmaceutical Industries TEVA/Alvotech, Samsung Bioepis/Sandoz and some other companies have already launched Stelara biosimilars this year.
The launch of generics by Amgen, Teva and other companies is significantly eroding Stelara’s sales and hurting J&J’s sales and profits in 2025. Stelara sales declined 42.7% in the second quarter of 2025. Stelara LOE negatively impacted the Innovative Medicine segment’s growth by 1170 basis points in the second quarter.
Stelara biosimilar competition is expected to accelerate throughout 2025 as the number of biosimilar entrants increases. Stelara sales are expected to come down from almost $11 billion in 2023 to around $2.7 billion in 2027, per our estimates.
In addition, sales in 2025 are being hurt by the impact of the Medicare Part D redesign under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Among other measures, the IRA requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to effectively set prices for certain single-source drugs and biologics reimbursed under Medicare Part B and Part D.
In August 2023, the HHS selected J&J’s drugs, Xarelto, Stelara and Imbruvica as one of the first 10 medicines subject to government-set prices. J&J expects a negative impact of approximately $2 billion in sales due to the Medicare Part D redesign in 2025. The Part D redesign is mainly hurting sales of drugs like Stelara, Tremfya, Erleada and pulmonary hypertension drugs.
JNJ’s Talc Lawsuits, Tariffs and MedTech China are Overhangs
J&J faces more than 62,000 lawsuits for its talc-based products, primarily baby powders. The lawsuits allege that its talc products contain asbestos, which caused many women to develop ovarian cancer. In April, a bankruptcy court in Texas rejected J&J’s proposed bankruptcy plan to settle its talc lawsuits after a two-week trial in Houston. J&J will go back to the traditional tort system to fight the lawsuits individually, with its bankruptcy strategy to settle the lawsuits failing for the third time.
The uncertainty around tariffs and trade production measures has muted economic growth. President Trump has once again threatened to impose heavy tariffs, as high as 250%, on pharmaceutical imports. Trump’s repeated threats to impose tariffs on pharmaceutical imports are aimed at pushing American pharma companies to shift pharmaceutical production back to the United States, primarily from European and Asian countries. Trump has said that drugmakers have about one to one and a half years to bring production back to the United States before the new tariffs are imposed.
In the MedTech segment, though sales improved in the second quarter from first-quarter levels, J&J continues to face headwinds in China. Sales in China are being hurt by the impact of the volume-based procurement (VBP) program. VBP is a government-driven cost-containment effort in China.
Can J&J Navigate the Challenges?
The Stelara patent cliff and the potential impact of Part D redesign are the most significant headwinds in 2025. The uncertainty around the talc lawsuits and pharma tariffs also lingers. However, the company looks quite confident that it will be able to navigate these challenges. J&J recorded a strong operational performance in the first half of 2025, backed by double-digit growth in revenues from key brands and contributions from new launches.
J&J expects operational sales growth in both the Innovative Medicine and MedTech segments to be higher in the second half than in the first, with growth expected to accelerate from 2026 onward.
As regards the impact from tariffs, on the second-quarter conference call, J&J lowered the potential impact from tariffs from $400 million to $200 million. J&J has also committed to boosting manufacturing in the United States and has a plan to invest $55 billion over the next four years to ensure that all medicines consumed in the United States are manufactured domestically.
JNJ’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
J&J’s shares have outperformed the industry year to date. The stock has risen 25.7% in the year-to-date period against a 0.3% decline of the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, J&J is expensive. Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 16.0 forward earnings, higher than 14.56 for the industry. The stock is also trading above its five-year mean of 15.65.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings has risen from $10.83 per share to $10.86 per share for 2025 and from $11.33 per share to $11.36 per share over the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
J&J has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) currently. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Can J&J Navigate Stelara, Talc Suits, Tariff & Other Headwinds?

Key Points
Sender Co & Partners, Inc. increased its Kenvue stake by 530,717 shares, with an estimated transaction value of $12.08 million.
The trade represented a 3.4% change relative to the fund's 13F reportable AUM.
Kenvue became Sender's largest disclosed position after the trade, now representing 3.8% of reported AUM at the end of the second quarter.
What happened
According to an SEC filing published August 15, 2025, Sender Co & Partners, Inc. increased its position in Kenvue(NYSE:KVUE) by 530,717 shares. The estimated trade value, based on the period's average share price, was approximately $12.08 million. The fund held 645,397 shares of Kenvue, worth $13.5 million by June 30, 2025, making it the top position by value in the portfolio.
What else to know
This buy brought Kenvue to 3.8% of Sender's reported equity Assets Under Management (AUM) as of June 30, 2025.
Top holdings after the filing are:
Kenvue: $13.51 million (3.82% of AUM)
Nvidia: $8.90 million (2.52% of AUM)
Boeing: $7.44 million (2.11% of AUM)
AST SpaceMobile: $6.88 million (1.95% of AUM)
Constellation Energy: $6.71 million (1.90% of AUM)
Kenvue shares were priced at $21.10 as of August 18, 2025, down 2.5% over 12 months, underperforming the S&P 500 by 17.5 percentage points over the same period.
The stock yielded 3.9% in dividends, was 16.2% below its 52-week high, had a forward P/E of 18.7 for fiscal year 2026, and an EV/EBITDA ratio of 15.6.
Company Overview
Market Capitalization
$40.5 billion
Revenue (TTM)
$15.14 billion
Net Income (TTM)
$1.42 billion
Dividend Yield
3.90%
Company Snapshot
Offers a diversified portfolio of consumer health products, including brands such as Tylenol, Nicorette, Zyrtec, Neutrogena, Aveeno, OGX, Listerine, Johnson's, Band-Aid, and Stayfree.
Generates revenue primarily through the sale of over-the-counter medicines, personal care, and essential health products across self-care, skin health and beauty, and essential health segments.
Targets global retail consumers seeking trusted health, wellness, and personal care solutions.
Kenvue Inc. is a leading consumer health company, operating at scale with a broad portfolio of well-established brands and a global presence. Kenvue's competitive advantage lies in its diverse product offerings and strong market positions in key categories.
Foolish take
Sender's acquisition of such a significant stake in consumer health products company Kenvue isn't because of what the company was in the second quarter, but rather what it could become.
The stock has attracted the interest of value investors, including activist investor Starboard Value, because the consumer health company, a spin-off from Johnson & Johnson, has some compelling, well-known brands in its product portfolio. However, it has underperformed its peers, and value investors see an opportunity for value creation as the company attempts to close the gap to its rivals, notably in its skin health and beauty segment.
There's little doubt that Starboard's agreement with Kenvue to appoint three new board members (including Starboard CEO Jeffrey Smith) to the board in early March would have influenced Sender's thinking.
However, it's not clear that Sender would have welcomed the subsequent removal of CEO Thibault Mongon, as it occurred in mid-July.
Mongon's departure has become the catalyst for the ongoing strategic review at the company. At the same time, the board tries to find a new permanent CEO.
If Starboard's involvement can improve matters at Kenvue, then Sender's investment will prove a smart move. However, there's no guarantee it will, and there's a lot of work to be done to turn around a company operating in highly competitive end markets and one set for sales declines in 2025.
Glossary
AUM (Assets Under Management): The total market value of assets a fund or investment firm manages on behalf of clients.
13F reportable assets: Securities that institutional investment managers must disclose quarterly to the SEC if they exceed certain thresholds.
Dividend yield: Annual dividends paid by a company divided by its current share price, expressed as a percentage.
Forward P/E: Price-to-earnings ratio using forecasted earnings for the next fiscal year, indicating expected valuation.
EV/EBITDA: Enterprise value divided by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization; measures company value relative to earnings.
Portfolio position: An individual investment or holding within a fund or investor's overall portfolio.
52-week high : The highest price at which a stock has traded during the past 12 months.
TTM:The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.
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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Constellation Energy, Kenvue, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $13 calls on Kenvue. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Sender Buys Into the Turnaround Story at Kenvue

Intuitive Surgical ISRG is doubling down on its Ion platform’s global prospects, marking its first commercial system sales in Australia and Korea during the second quarter of 2025. The expansion comes as Ion continues its remarkable momentum, with procedures surging 52% year over year to nearly 35,000 in the quarter. Yet, the international push raises the question: Is this a carefully calculated growth play, or could it stretch resources at a time when macro headwinds weigh on key Asian markets?
Japan and China remain challenging for Intuitive Surgical. Both are grappling with constrained hospital capital budgets and lingering trade frictions, limiting system placements. Against this backdrop, Australia and Korea may look like lower-risk testbeds — markets with relatively advanced healthcare infrastructures, established robotic adoption in da Vinci, and strong physician interest in minimally invasive innovation. By planting early Ion footprints here, Intuitive Surgical could seed referral centers that drive regional adoption and generate clinical data critical for broader Asia-Pacific traction.
The strategic intent seems clear — replicate the U.S. playbook, where Ion’s rapid adoption was underpinned by strong utilization growth (8% YoY) and expanding clinical evidence. Korea, in particular, has already emerged as a hotspot for SP platform adoption, suggesting it could be a fertile ground for the Ion platform as well. Australia, meanwhile, offers a gateway into the broader Asia-Pacific, with its regulatory pathways often influencing neighboring markets.
Still, execution risks loom. Capital constraints in Asia, combined with intensifying competition and tariff uncertainties, could slow the Ion platform’s scale-up. Moreover, Intuitive will need to balance resources between sustaining U.S. growth and nurturing nascent international markets.
For now, Ion platform’s early international sales are more symbolic than material. But, if Intuitive Surgical can leverage its success in the United States to establish clinical and commercial credibility in Asia-Pacific, this could prove to be a strategic beachhead rather than a costly overreach.
Competition Update
Johnson & Johnson’s JNJ Monarch robotic-assisted bronchoscopy has received an FDA 510(k) clearance in March for its Monarch Quest software, which integrates NVIDIA-accelerated AI navigation and GE Healthcare’s 3D mobile imaging, boosting real-time computational power by around 260% to enhance targeting of peripheral lung nodules. Additionally, the results from the Johnson & Johnson’s TARGET multicenter study (679 patients across the United States., Canada, and Hong Kong) published in CHEST show the Monarch system reached nodules in 98.7% of cases, achieving an 83.2% diagnostic yield. Johnson & Johnson’s Monarch also demonstrated a safety profile compared to non-robotic bronchoscopy.
Medtronic’s MDT Hugo robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system has made significant advances — the Expand URO IDE study in the United States met both safety and effectiveness endpoints, showing a 98.5% surgical success rate across urologic procedures, outperforming the 85% benchmark. Medtronic has submitted Hugo to the FDA for urologic indication in early 2025, with additional trials underway in hernia and benign gynecology, and preparation for oncologic gynecology studies. In Europe, Medtronics’ Hugo achieved a CE Mark for its LigaSure vessel-sealing technology last month, expanding its utility in various surgical specialties.
ISRG’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
Shares of ISRG have lost 7.8% in the year-to-date period compared with the industry’s decline of 7.5%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, Intuitive Surgical trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 54.56, above the industry average. However, it is still lower than its five-year median of 72.16. ISRG carries a Value Score of D.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Intuitive Surgical’s 2025 earnings implies an 11.3% rise from the year-ago period’s level.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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ISRG's International Push for Ion: Strategic Bet or Overstretch?

The NASDAQ 100 Pre-Market Indicator is down -14.36 to 23,699.4. The total Pre-Market volume is currently 178,882,121 shares traded.
The following are the most active stocks for the pre-market session:
Opendoor Technologies Inc (OPEN) is +0.38 at $4.16, with 20,195,663 shares traded. OPEN's current last sale is 437.89% of the target price of $0.95.
Intel Corporation (INTC) is +1.3801 at $25.04, with 8,460,558 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 6 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Sep 2025. The consensus EPS forecast is $-0.12. INTC's current last sale is 113.82% of the target price of $22.
Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (IOVA) is +0.34 at $2.84, with 8,341,565 shares traded. IOVA's current last sale is 37.87% of the target price of $7.5.
TEGNA Inc. (TGNA) is +0.92 at $21.10, with 4,161,054 shares traded. TGNA's current last sale is 105.5% of the target price of $20.
Direxion Daily TSLA Bull 2X Shares (TSLL) is +0.06 at $12.57, with 3,577,945 shares traded. This represents a 99.84% increase from its 52 Week Low.
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) is +0.24 at $176.49, with 2,188,268 shares traded. JNJ's current last sale is 100.85% of the target price of $175.
ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ) is +0.04 at $17.33, with 2,096,197 shares traded. This represents a 3.71% increase from its 52 Week Low.
Walmart Inc. (WMT) is +0.2984 at $101.00, with 1,995,708 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 3 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Jul 2025. The consensus EPS forecast is $0.73. WMT is scheduled to provide an earnings report on 8/21/2025, for the fiscal quarter ending Jul2025. The consensus earnings per share forecast is 0.73 per share, which represents a 67 percent increase over the EPS one Year Ago
Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) is +0.7093 at $54.46, with 1,738,012 shares traded. NVO's current last sale is 91.53% of the target price of $59.5.
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) is +0.35 at $182.36, with 1,698,961 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for NVDA is in the "buy range".
XPeng Inc. (XPEV) is +0.51 at $20.41, with 1,610,378 shares traded. Smarter Analyst Reports: XPeng Reveals Innovative Products with Future Prospects
NIO Inc. (NIO) is +0.07 at $4.94, with 1,309,773 shares traded. NIO's current last sale is 116.24% of the target price of $4.25.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Pre-Market Most Active for Aug 19, 2025 : OPEN, INTC, IOVA, TGNA, TSLL, JNJ, SQQQ, WMT, NVO, NVDA, XPEV, NIO

The NASDAQ 100 After Hours Indicator is down -2.43 to 23,711.33. The total After hours volume is currently 129,178,808 shares traded.
The following are the most active stocks for the after hours session:
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT) is unchanged at $82.96, with 9,316,788 shares traded. This represents a 5.47% increase from its 52 Week Low.
Twilio Inc. (TWLO) is +0.45 at $105.50, with 7,167,052 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for TWLO is in the "buy range".
Sitio Royalties Corp. (STR) is -0.04 at $18.08, with 6,193,205 shares traded. STR's current last sale is 66.96% of the target price of $27.
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) is -0.05 at $181.96, with 5,844,362 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for NVDA is in the "buy range".
Opendoor Technologies Inc (OPEN) is +0.04 at $3.82, with 4,322,985 shares traded. OPEN's current last sale is 402.11% of the target price of $0.95.
Bank of America Corporation (BAC) is -0.0191 at $47.90, with 3,248,573 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 4 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Dec 2025. The consensus EPS forecast is $0.96. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for BAC is in the "buy range".
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) is unchanged at $176.25, with 3,103,798 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 4 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Dec 2025. The consensus EPS forecast is $2.55. JNJ's current last sale is 100.71% of the target price of $175.
Neogen Corporation (NEOG) is unchanged at $5.54, with 3,027,610 shares traded. NEOG's current last sale is 85.23% of the target price of $6.5.
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) is +9.3299 at $185.50, with 2,915,140 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for PANW is in the "buy range".
Viper Energy, Inc. (VNOM) is +0.16 at $37.40, with 2,425,662 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 3 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Sep 2025. The consensus EPS forecast is $0.34. As reported in the last short interest update the days to cover for VNOM is 9.171964; this calculation is based on the average trading volume of the stock.
Kenvue Inc. (KVUE) is unchanged at $21.10, with 2,217,646 shares traded. KVUE's current last sale is 94.83% of the target price of $22.25.
CNH Industrial N.V. (CNH) is unchanged at $12.20, with 2,004,227 shares traded. CNH's current last sale is 81.33% of the target price of $15.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

After Hours Most Active for Aug 18, 2025 : VCIT, TWLO, STR, NVDA, OPEN, BAC, JNJ, NEOG, PANW, VNOM, KVUE, CNH

Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Johnson & Johnson (Symbol: JNJ), where a total volume of 37,238 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 3.7 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 44.3% of JNJ's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 8.4 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $180 strike call option expiring January 16, 2026, with 6,521 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 652,100 underlying shares of JNJ. Below is a chart showing JNJ's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $180 strike highlighted in orange:
Alcoa Corporation (Symbol: AA) options are showing a volume of 24,562 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 2.5 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 43.3% of AA's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 5.7 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $31.50 strike put option expiring August 22, 2025, with 2,098 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 209,800 underlying shares of AA. Below is a chart showing AA's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $31.50 strike highlighted in orange:
And Bank of America Corp (Symbol: BAC) options are showing a volume of 137,605 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 13.8 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 42.4% of BAC's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 32.4 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $50 strike call option expiring November 21, 2025, with 10,862 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 1.1 million underlying shares of BAC. Below is a chart showing BAC's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $50 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for JNJ options, AA options, or BAC options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Top Ranked Dividend Stocks With Insider Buying
VLUE Average Annual Return
HTH market cap history
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Noteworthy Monday Option Activity: JNJ, AA, BAC

In recent trading, shares of Johnson & Johnson (Symbol: JNJ) have crossed above the average analyst 12-month target price of $175.77, changing hands for $176.64/share. When a stock reaches the target an analyst has set, the analyst logically has two ways to react: downgrade on valuation, or, re-adjust their target price to a higher level. Analyst reaction may also depend on the fundamental business developments that may be responsible for driving the stock price higher — if things are looking up for the company, perhaps it is time for that target price to be raised.
There are 22 different analyst targets within the Zacks coverage universe contributing to that average for Johnson & Johnson, but the average is just that — a mathematical average. There are analysts with lower targets than the average, including one looking for a price of $155.00. And then on the other side of the spectrum one analyst has a target as high as $193.00. The standard deviation is $10.169.
But the whole reason to look at the average JNJ price target in the first place is to tap into a "wisdom of crowds" effort, putting together the contributions of all the individual minds who contributed to the ultimate number, as opposed to what just one particular expert believes. And so with JNJ crossing above that average target price of $175.77/share, investors in JNJ have been given a good signal to spend fresh time assessing the company and deciding for themselves: is $175.77 just one stop on the way to an even higher target, or has the valuation gotten stretched to the point where it is time to think about taking some chips off the table? Below is a table showing the current thinking of the analysts that cover Johnson & Johnson:
»
Current
1 Month Ago
2 Month Ago
3 Month Ago
Strong buy ratings:
10
9
9
9
Buy ratings:
2
2
2
2
Hold ratings:
13
13
13
13
Sell ratings:
0
0
0
0
Strong sell ratings:
0
0
0
0
Average rating:
2.12
2.17
2.17
2.17
The average rating presented in the last row of the above table above is from 1 to 5 where 1 is Strong Buy and 5 is Strong Sell. This article used data provided by Zacks Investment Research via Quandl.com. Get the latest Zacks research report on JNJ — FREE.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Johnson & Johnson

Price history and volume

Shares 360

Investment risk — high

Investment potential — medium

AI Factors

Inflation

Ukraine War

Recession Risk

Possible US government shutdown

German Economy

US Presidental Election

Consumer Confidence

European Bond Market

Security parameters