Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) is back in the spotlight on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, as fresh Wall Street commentary and a new round of target-price updates reframe the conversation around the medtech leader’s 2026 setup—especially in fast-growing cardiac categories like electrophysiology (EP) and left atrial appendage closure (WATCHMAN). [1]
While Boston Scientific shares have been under pressure recently—down nearly 10% over the past month according to UBS—today’s headlines tilt toward a familiar theme: analysts see the pullback as creating a more attractive entry point into a multi-year growth story, even as valuation and policy risks remain key watch items. [2]
BSX stock: What’s new on December 17, 2025
Several separate items hit the tape today, and together they map the current bull-and-bear debate around Boston Scientific stock:
- UBS reiterated a Buy rating and kept its $140 price target, arguing the risk/reward into 2026 is “skewed to the upside” as high-growth segments maintain momentum. [3]
- RBC raised its price target to $130 from $125 and maintained an “Outperform” rating, according to reporting summarized by MarketBeat. [4]
- Canaccord Genuity adjusted its target price to $131 from $132 (Buy), per an MT Newswires headline listing on MarketScreener. [5]
- A cluster of institutional ownership/SEC filing write-ups highlighted large-fund position changes and reiterated key financial/guidance figures from the company’s latest quarter. [6]
- A widely-circulated Zacks-style analyst roundup emphasized how bullish sell-side ratings can be—and why investors may want to cross-check sentiment with earnings-estimate trends. [7]
Taken together, December 17 coverage is less about a single “new product approval” moment and more about re-underwriting the next leg of growth: how durable is WATCHMAN demand, what happens as EP growth normalizes, and how should investors weigh premium valuation against a pipeline-driven narrative.
Where BSX stock is trading and why that matters
In early coverage today, UBS noted Boston Scientific was trading around $94.68 at the time of its write-up, and highlighted the company’s market capitalization around $140 billion. [8]
MarketBeat’s snapshot showed BSX opening around $92.93, with a stated market cap near $137.8 billion and a trailing P/E near ~49.7—a reminder that even after a pullback, BSX is still priced like a premium compounder rather than a “cheap” defensive. [9]
That valuation framing is central to today’s debate: bulls argue the premium is supported by category leadership and execution; skeptics argue the multiple leaves less room for error if growth slows or policy headwinds intensify.
Analyst takeaways: UBS stays bullish into 2026 (and explains the roadmap)
The most detailed incremental analysis on December 17 comes from UBS, which maintained its Buy rating and $140 price target and described the firm’s 2026 outlook as increasingly asymmetric to the upside. [10]
1) Electrophysiology: still a growth engine, but UBS expects a slowdown
UBS framed EP as roughly ~17% of estimated 2025 sales and said it expects EP growth to slow in 2026—but also highlighted management’s stated commitment to growing the business above market rates (with UBS referencing an estimated market growth range around 20–25%). [11]
The nuance matters: slowing growth does not necessarily mean “bad growth.” For premium medtech names, the market often focuses on rate-of-change. If investors believe EP is normalizing from a hot stretch, the stock’s multiple can compress—even if the business remains strong.
2) WATCHMAN: sustained double-digit growth—and a major 2026 catalyst
UBS also pointed to WATCHMAN as about ~10% of estimated 2025 sales and said CEO Mike Mahoney expressed conviction in sustained double-digit growth, even before an upcoming CHAMPION data readout expected in spring 2026. [12]
For investors, CHAMPION is the kind of event that can shift the narrative quickly: positive data can reinforce the durability of growth assumptions; mixed or delayed data can inject uncertainty into forward multiples.
3) The “above plan” 2026 growth argument
Boston Scientific has communicated a long-range plan of 10%–12% sales growth, and UBS said the company appears positioned to guide 2026 sales growth above that range, with potential upside leaning more heavily on WATCHMAN in 2026. [13]
That’s the crux of UBS’s message: if WATCHMAN and other faster-growth franchises keep compounding, the company could outperform “plan,” which in turn could support continued premium valuation.
RBC raises its target to $130: what the market is likely reading into it
MarketBeat reports RBC raised its price target on Boston Scientific to $130 from $125 while keeping an Outperform rating. [14]
Target-price raises are often less about the exact number and more about what’s implied:
- The analyst is not seeing evidence of a growth breakdown.
- The firm is comfortable underwriting forward expectations—often tied to procedure volume resilience, product cycle confidence, and margin trajectory.
- The downside case may be viewed as more limited after the stock’s recent pullback.
That said, investors should keep perspective: target prices can cluster and then move together, especially after earnings season or investor events reset consensus assumptions.
Canaccord trims to $131: small change, but it signals “fine tuning,” not “thesis break”
A MarketScreener headline list shows Canaccord Genuity adjusted its price target to $131 from $132 and maintained a Buy rating on December 17. [15]
A one-dollar change is not a signal on its own, but it does suggest the firm is updating its model inputs—often reflecting modest revisions to near-term revenue pacing, FX, margin assumptions, or valuation multiples.
In a market that has been hypersensitive to valuation, even minor adjustments can feed a broader “reset” dynamic where analysts move targets gradually rather than making dramatic calls.
What the latest quarter and guidance say about the fundamental trend
December 17 coverage repeatedly referenced Boston Scientific’s most recent reported quarter and company outlook.
Q3 performance: top-line strength and an upward guidance trajectory
Reuters’ October coverage provides important context for why analysts remain constructive: Boston Scientific raised its 2025 adjusted EPS forecast to $3.02–$3.04 after beating Q3 expectations, with management also highlighting strong cardiovascular drivers including WATCHMAN and Farapulse. [16]
MarketBeat’s December 17 recap similarly cites Q3 EPS of $0.75 vs. $0.71 consensus and revenue around $5.07B, alongside reiterated FY2025 EPS guidance of $3.02–$3.04. [17]
Meanwhile, UBS’s write-up referenced Q3 net revenue of about $5,065 million and noted organic growth figures, reinforcing the idea that the company is executing at a pace the Street still respects. [18]
Margin and policy headwinds: the “tariff” and macro overlay
Reuters also highlighted a key risk investors continue to monitor across medtech: trade uncertainty and potential tariffs, with Boston Scientific’s CFO citing a $100 million tariff-related headwind while still expecting margin expansion. [19]
That’s relevant for 2026 positioning: if tariffs or procurement pressure intensify, it can affect costs and pricing—especially for global manufacturers. Bulls argue Boston Scientific’s mix and scale help offset those pressures; bears argue policy risk is underappreciated in premium multiples.
The Zacks-style reality check: analyst optimism is high—but what does it predict?
One of today’s most shared “stock research” formats is a Zacks-style breakdown syndicated on Finviz. It shows Boston Scientific with an Average Brokerage Recommendation (ABR) of 1.22 (between Strong Buy and Buy) based on 32 brokerage firms, with 27 Strong Buy and 3 Buy recommendations in the mix. [20]
However, the same piece cautions against relying solely on brokerage sentiment and notes Boston Scientific had a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year cited at $3.04 and described as unchanged over the past month in that framework. [21]
The practical takeaway for investors reading today’s coverage:
- Sentiment is clearly constructive, but
- the more actionable question is whether earnings estimates (not just price targets) keep moving up—or flatten out.
In today’s tape, Boston Scientific is being treated like a “quality growth” name again—but quality growth stocks can still underperform if estimate revisions stall while valuation stays high.
Institutional flows and insider activity: what filings are signaling
Boston Scientific remains heavily institutionally owned, and today’s news cycle included filings-based write-ups that can influence perception—even if they don’t change fundamentals.
Institutional ownership remains high
MarketBeat’s filings recap states institutional investors and hedge funds own about ~89% of Boston Scientific shares. [22]
Two examples highlighted today:
- Assenagon Asset Management increased its BSX holdings by 9.1% in Q3, ending with roughly 2.91 million shares. [23]
- Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak cut its stake sharply (MarketBeat cited a 93.2% reduction), ending with a much smaller position. [24]
Important nuance: these are quarterly snapshots and can reflect rebalancing, mandate changes, or client flows—not necessarily a thesis change about Boston Scientific.
Insider sales: a recurring headline, but context matters
MarketBeat’s December 17 summaries also cite insider selling in the last quarter totaling 143,095 shares worth roughly $14.23 million, including specific executive transactions. [25]
Insider sales can weigh on sentiment in a premium-valued stock, but investors typically assess:
- whether selling is broad-based vs. isolated,
- whether it’s tied to scheduled plans, and
- whether insiders are also buying (buying often carries stronger signaling value than selling).
The 2026 watchlist: what could move BSX stock next
Based on the themes running through December 17 analyst commentary, these appear to be the most important “next catalysts” for Boston Scientific stock:
- WATCHMAN demand durability and any incremental visibility ahead of CHAMPION results (expected spring 2026). [26]
- Electrophysiology growth normalization vs. continued market-share gains—especially as competition and adoption curves evolve. [27]
- Margin trajectory as the company balances product mix, growth investments, and policy-related cost headwinds (tariffs, pricing pressure). [28]
- Guidance tone into 2026, especially whether management can credibly point to sales growth above the long-range plan. [29]
Investors tracking the calendar should also note MarketScreener’s listing of a projected Q4 2025 earnings release date of February 3 (not company-confirmed in that listing, but presented as a projection). [30]
Bottom line: Boston Scientific stock enters 2026 with bullish targets—and real valuation tests
Boston Scientific (BSX) is ending 2025 with a familiar profile: strong execution in large, growing categories, plus an analyst community that remains broadly constructive. On December 17, UBS reiterated a $140 target and RBC raised to $130, while other firms made smaller model adjustments—signaling continued confidence in the growth narrative, particularly around WATCHMAN and EP. [31]
But the premium framing hasn’t disappeared. With valuation still elevated (as reflected in today’s market snapshots), the next phase for BSX stock likely hinges on two things: continued earnings power and credible 2026 guidance that can keep the market convinced the company is still compounding above-plan—rather than reverting to a slower-growth medtech baseline. [32]
References
1. www.investing.com, 2. www.investing.com, 3. www.investing.com, 4. www.marketbeat.com, 5. www.marketscreener.com, 6. www.marketbeat.com, 7. finviz.com, 8. www.investing.com, 9. www.marketbeat.com, 10. www.investing.com, 11. www.investing.com, 12. www.investing.com, 13. www.investing.com, 14. www.marketbeat.com, 15. www.marketscreener.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. www.marketbeat.com, 18. www.investing.com, 19. www.reuters.com, 20. finviz.com, 21. finviz.com, 22. www.marketbeat.com, 23. www.marketbeat.com, 24. www.marketbeat.com, 25. www.marketbeat.com, 26. www.investing.com, 27. www.investing.com, 28. www.reuters.com, 29. www.investing.com, 30. www.marketscreener.com, 31. www.investing.com, 32. www.marketbeat.com
