Date: December 21, 2025 (Sunday)
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISRG) heads into the Christmas-shortened trading week with momentum—yet also with two developments investors will likely keep on the radar: a newly posted FDA Class 2 recall entry tied to a da Vinci 5 console component, and a recent FDA clearance that expands da Vinci SP into three high-volume general surgery procedures.
ISRG last closed at $572.47 after rising 1.88% in the latest session, a move that outpaced the broader market on the day. [1]
Below is the week-ahead playbook—what just happened, what Wall Street is forecasting, and what to watch from Monday, Dec. 22 through Friday, Dec. 26, 2025.
Where ISRG stock stands heading into Dec. 22–26
ISRG finished the latest session at $572.47, extending a short winning streak and drawing heavier-than-usual interest: MarketWatch noted volume around 4.0 million shares, nearly double its 50-day average (as cited by that outlet). [2]
From a technical “headline” perspective, two widely watched reference points are clustering near the same area:
- MarketWatch put ISRG about 7% below its 52-week high of $616.00. [3]
- Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) separately highlighted a $616 buy point in a consolidation pattern and said ISRG’s Relative Strength (RS) Rating recently improved to 81. [4]
Why it matters this week: a thin holiday tape can exaggerate moves around obvious levels—both upward break attempts and quick pullbacks can be more “mechanical” when liquidity is lighter than normal.
The biggest ISRG headlines right now
1) FDA clearance expands da Vinci SP into three general surgery procedures
On December 10, 2025, Intuitive announced the FDA cleared da Vinci SP for inguinal hernia repair, cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), and appendectomy—expanding the single-port platform beyond its existing U.S. clearances in urology, colorectal, thoracic, and transoral procedures. [5]
This matters because general surgery is where “procedure density” is large—and adding indications can support:
- higher utilization at hospitals that already own SP, and/or
- incremental placements where a broader procedure menu improves the ROI story.
MedTech Dive framed the clearance as part of Intuitive’s broader effort to expand adoption of SP (launched in the U.S. in 2018) and detailed why SP can be clinically attractive for “narrow or deep spaces,” including the ability to control multiple instruments and an imaging endoscope through a single entry point. [6]
2) FDA posted a Class 2 recall entry tied to a da Vinci 5 console component
A separate development surfaced in the FDA’s recall database: the agency posted (on December 19, 2025) a Class 2 recall record for da Vinci 5, Surgeon Console Column Motor Connector (Recall Number Z-0964-2026). [7]
Key details from the FDA posting include:
- Date initiated by firm:August 21, 2024 (not new operationally, but newly visible as a posted/classified recall record) [8]
- Quantity in commerce:144 [9]
- Stated issue: an error condition that can lock certain “ergonomics” adjustments at the surgeon console until restart/repair, which may contribute to delay, aborted, or alternate procedure scenarios, per the database narrative [10]
- Action described: customer notification, acknowledgment, and a plan to replace affected motor module assemblies once available [11]
Week-ahead angle: In a holiday week with fewer catalysts, discrete regulatory or safety-related headlines can carry outsized sentiment impact—especially for a premium-valued medtech leader. Investors will likely watch for any follow-on commentary, context, or media pickup.
3) Leadership move: digital and AI strategy transition effective Jan. 1, 2026
On December 18, 2025, Investing.com reported (citing an SEC filing/press statement) that Brian E. Miller, Ph.D. will move from Chief Digital Officer to Head of Digital and AI Strategy, effective January 1, 2026, and will no longer report directly to the CEO in the new role. [12]
This is unlikely to be a near-term trading driver by itself, but it reinforces that “digital + AI” remains part of the corporate narrative—particularly as robotic platforms increasingly compete on workflow, data, training, and analytics (not only hardware).
4) Insider activity remains part of the flow narrative
On the insider front, a Reuters/Refinitiv item carried by TradingView noted that Mark Brosius filed a Form 4 on December 15, 2025, disclosing a planned sale totaling 4,964 shares (about $2.7 million) following a planned exercise, executed under a 10b5-1 plan. [13]
Meanwhile, MarketBeat’s December 21 write-up also highlighted recent insider selling activity based on filings it compiled, alongside institutional ownership context. [14]
Week-ahead angle: In a low-liquidity week, flows (institutional rebalancing, tax positioning, and year-end book “window dressing”) can sometimes matter more than fundamentals—so investors often watch tape behavior and volume clues closely.
Wall Street forecasts: targets edge higher, but valuation is still the debate
Analyst price targets and ratings (as of Dec. 21, 2025)
Across major aggregation snapshots, the tone stays constructive overall:
- MarketBeat shows a “Moderate Buy” consensus, with an average price target of $611.08 (about 6.75% above $572.47), and a target range spanning $440 to $700. [15]
- Recent target moves in December included:
- Truist raising its target to $650 from $620 (maintaining Buy) [16]
- RBC Capital raising its target to $650 from $625 (maintaining Outperform) [17]
- Wells Fargo raising its target to $654 from $600 (maintaining Overweight) [18]
- Citigroup downgrading ISRG to Neutral from Buy and adjusting its target to $635 from $650 [19]
How to read this cluster: Multiple firms are willing to underwrite mid-$600s targets, but the Citi downgrade signals the key pushback point: after a strong run, ISRG can become “less obviously undervalued,” even if the long-term story remains intact.
Earnings and revenue expectations: next report looms in late January
MarketBeat estimates Intuitive’s next earnings date as Thursday, January 22, 2026 (after market close) based on historical reporting patterns. [20]
Zacks’ latest “key facts” note going into earnings includes:
- Expected next-quarter EPS around $2.25 and revenue around $2.72B (Zacks consensus framing) [21]
- Full-year Zacks consensus estimates of $8.61 EPS and $9.92B revenue [22]
- A valuation framing that includes a forward P/E around 65.27 (as cited by Zacks in that piece) [23]
And as background for the operating trendline, Intuitive’s Q3 release reported:
- Q3 2025 revenue $2.51B (+23% Y/Y)
- Combined da Vinci + Ion procedures up about 20% (da Vinci ~19%, Ion ~52%)
- 2025 outlook calling for da Vinci procedure growth of about 17%–17.5% [24]
Product momentum vs. operational risk: what the market may weigh this week
Why the da Vinci SP expansion is strategically meaningful
The Dec. 10 FDA clearance potentially expands SP’s relevance in everyday hospital case mix—hernia repair, gallbladder removal, and appendectomy are common procedures. [25]
MedTech Dive added useful context on scale: SP is still a smaller part of Intuitive’s overall installed base, and the outlet cited Intuitive’s commentary that SP procedures rose 91% in Q3, with management expecting new indications to increase use. [26]
Week-ahead watch: investors may look for any incremental commentary (sell-side notes, channel checks, hospital adoption stories) connecting the clearance to 2026 placement potential.
Why the FDA recall posting matters even if it’s not “new-new”
The FDA entry is specific and technical—focused on a console component and a failure mode that can lock ergonomics adjustments and contribute to delays or procedural changes, per the database description. [27]
Week-ahead watch: whether the recall posting gets broader media pickup, and whether it becomes a short-term overhang on sentiment. In many cases, the market reaction depends less on the existence of a recall record and more on perceived severity, scale, and any indication of broader reliability concerns.
The week ahead calendar: Christmas hours, thinner liquidity, and key U.S. data
This is a shortened U.S. trading week:
- Early close:Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025 — stock markets close at 1:00 p.m. ET (NYSE and Nasdaq schedules) [28]
- Closed:Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025 — Christmas Day [29]
- Open: Friday, Dec. 26 resumes regular hours (per the exchange calendars showing only Dec. 25 as closed) [30]
Even with the holiday, several macro releases could move rates and high-multiple growth stocks:
- Investopedia flagged Q3 GDP (delayed), durable goods, and consumer confidence on Tuesday, with jobless claims in focus on Wednesday. [31]
- MarketWatch’s calendar view also lists key releases on Tuesday, including GDP and durable goods. [32]
- Barron’s similarly previewed a shortened week and highlighted Tuesday data as a focal point. [33]
Why macro matters for ISRG in particular: ISRG often trades like a premium “quality growth” medtech name; shifts in rates and risk appetite can change what investors are willing to pay for durable growth—especially in a tape where volume is lower and price discovery can be jumpy.
Technical setup to watch (without the hype)
Several widely circulated reference levels are likely to show up in trading commentary this week:
- $560–$575 zone: recent swing area based on the latest session’s low/high range in market data feeds
- $616 area: highlighted both as the 52-week high (MarketWatch) and as a consolidation “buy point” (IBD) [34]
What typically matters in a holiday week:
- Breakouts that occur on unusually light volume can be less reliable.
- Conversely, quick downdrafts can reverse sharply if they’re flow-driven rather than fundamentally driven.
Week-ahead checklist for ISRG investors
Here are the practical “watch items” most likely to set the tone between Dec. 22 and Dec. 26:
- Any follow-up coverage or commentary on the FDA recall posting (scale, context, customer impact, remediation pace). [35]
- Sell-side note flow tied to the da Vinci SP expanded indications and what it could mean for 2026 utilization/placements. [36]
- How ISRG trades around $616 (a level reinforced by multiple outlets as technically meaningful). [37]
- Macro prints on Tuesday/Wednesday and any rate-driven re-pricing of high-quality growth stocks. [38]
- Holiday liquidity conditions (early close Wednesday; closed Thursday) that can amplify intraday swings. [39]
Bottom line for the week ahead
Intuitive Surgical enters the holiday week with fundamental momentum supported by regulatory expansion for da Vinci SP and a market narrative that continues to reward consistent procedure growth and platform rollout. [40]
At the same time, the newly posted FDA Class 2 recall record around a da Vinci 5 console component is the kind of headline that can matter disproportionately in a thin, shortened week—especially for a stock that many analysts still like, but that also trades at a premium valuation by several common yardsticks. [41]
References
1. www.marketwatch.com, 2. www.marketwatch.com, 3. www.marketwatch.com, 4. www.investors.com, 5. www.globenewswire.com, 6. www.medtechdive.com, 7. www.accessdata.fda.gov, 8. www.accessdata.fda.gov, 9. www.accessdata.fda.gov, 10. www.accessdata.fda.gov, 11. www.accessdata.fda.gov, 12. www.investing.com, 13. www.tradingview.com, 14. www.marketbeat.com, 15. www.marketbeat.com, 16. www.tipranks.com, 17. www.gurufocus.com, 18. www.marketbeat.com, 19. www.marketscreener.com, 20. www.marketbeat.com, 21. www.nasdaq.com, 22. www.nasdaq.com, 23. www.nasdaq.com, 24. www.globenewswire.com, 25. www.globenewswire.com, 26. www.medtechdive.com, 27. www.accessdata.fda.gov, 28. www.nyse.com, 29. www.nyse.com, 30. www.nyse.com, 31. www.investopedia.com, 32. www.marketwatch.com, 33. www.barrons.com, 34. www.marketwatch.com, 35. www.accessdata.fda.gov, 36. www.globenewswire.com, 37. www.marketwatch.com, 38. www.investopedia.com, 39. www.nyse.com, 40. www.globenewswire.com, 41. www.accessdata.fda.gov
