Positioning political buying, disclosed 2026-08-24
Options no verdict drawn today, left as found
Ethical passes the values gate
Price401.65 USD
Fair value374.79
Ethical score74.5/100
RatingOVERVALUED
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-08-22Read Markup374.48+7.3% to today ✓
2026-07-02Read Distribution422.06-4.8% to today ✓
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
Intuitive Surgical holds its Markup at $401.65. Consolidating, no directional conviction, held for 23 days.
As held on the ledger · 2026-09-21
Phase
Markup
Quantitative state
Consolidating, no directional conviction, held for 23 days
Price at the screen
$401.65
Valuation
46.01 trailing · 33.27 forward price to earnings
Values screen
PASS· score 74.5
Beta
1.47
The Workings
Five Screens, Shown in Full
Full pass across all five screens. This security clears the Titan Ethical Standard: its business and its balance sheet both stay inside the lines.
Test
Figure
Limit
What it means
Status
Business activity
Permissible
Core business clean
Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines: no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending.
Pass
Debt load
12.30%
Below 33%
Interest-bearing debt is just 12.3% of its assets, well under the one-third ceiling: it does not run on borrowed money.
Pass
Interest-bearing cash
15.15%
Below 33%
Cash held in interest-bearing accounts and securities is 15.1% of assets, under the one-third limit.
Pass
Receivables
23.93%
Below 49%
Money owed to the company is 23.9% of assets, under the 49% limit.
Pass
Revenue purity
3.64%
Below 5%
Only 3.6% of revenue comes from non-compliant sources, under the 5% line.
Pass
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
What the Numbers Say It Is Worth
The Fair Value Range
Our framework reads OVERVALUED: it trades above our $374.79 fair value estimate, moderate competitive moat, 18.50% revenue growth.
Fair value range in USD, drawn from the 2026-09-21 screen. The gold marker is the market price at the same screen. The price runs 6.7% above the base estimate.
Third-party analyst targets: 30 covering, consensus Buy. The average target sits +21% from the screen price.
Reading the gap · Our more conservative model reads it as fully-to-richly valued here, while the Street is more bullish: a quality-at-a-fair-price name rather than a deep-value one.
Price History & Projections
Where it has been, where the models see it going. History from market close data; projection points are our fair-value estimates and third-party analyst targets, dated to the 2026-09-21 screen.
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; the Street's range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
The Business, in Plain Words
Precision Surgery, Ethical and Pricey
When a surgeon's steady hand guides the robotic arms of Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci system, they're not just performing surgery; they're pushing the boundaries of minimally invasive care. This medical marvel enhances precision, reduces recovery times, and stands out for its role in transforming surgery. It's a business that's growing revenue by 18% and boasts a healthy profit margin of 28%, backed by a moderate competitive moat.
However, the current price of $374.48, mirroring our fair value of $374.78, offers no margin of safety, labeling it as overvalued in our books. Despite the consensus 'buy' rating from 30 analysts and a lofty median target of $484, the stock's forward P/E of 31.0x is a steep hill to climb, especially considering the ethical pass it receives. The ethical screen is crucial here; it's not just about numbers but the kind of impact a company makes.
Risks are inherent in any investment, and for Intuitive Surgical, they come with the territory of technological innovation and market leadership. The high P/E is a reflection of future growth expectations, but it also means any misstep could lead to a significant repricing. Given the stock's valuation, investors should be aware that they are paying a premium for future growth, which, while promising, is never guaranteed. Analysis, not advice.
The risks · The things to watch: it already moves more than the market on an average day.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
Where & How to Trade
ISRG trades on a US exchange. As a listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering its home market. New to this, or investing from abroad? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
The Dated Journal · Newest First, Never Edited
Every Entry, As Written
2026-08-22Markup · changed$374.48+8.4%Entry 9
The framework has shifted from distribution to markup since the last review. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved up 8.4% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 22%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 19%. The street (30 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $573.
2026-07-21Distribution$345.42+0.0%Entry 8
The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 22%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 19%. The street (30 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $573. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-20Distribution$345.42+0.0%Entry 7
The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 22%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 19%. The street (30 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $573. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-19Distribution$345.42-18.2%Entry 6
The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 18.2% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 22%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 19%. The street (30 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $573. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-18Distribution$422.06+0.0%Entry 5
The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (74). The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 22%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 19%. The street (30 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $573. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-17Distribution$422.06+0.0%Entry 4
The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (74). The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 22%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 19%. The street (30 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $573. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-16Distribution$422.06+0.0%Entry 3
The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (74). The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 22%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 19%. The street (30 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $573. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-03Distribution$422.06+0.0%Entry 2
The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (74). The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns.
2026-07-02Distribution$422.06Entry 1
The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (74). The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.