Intuitive Surgical [da Vinci]: The Medical Robotics 800 Pound Gorilla

[Hamartia Antidote]

https://seekingalpha.com/amp/article/4206606-intuitive-surgical-medical-robotics-800-pound-gorilla

Summary

• Intuitive Surgical is the 800 pound gorilla in the medical robotics space and growing larger every day.
• Its latest innovation is revolutionizing lung biopsy procedures via a tiny robotic catheter.
• Fundamental growth is phenomenal for a company of its size.
• Its recurring revenue model is lucrative, and it is building an enviable cash position.
• Is a dividend in the near future?

Make no mistake, Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG) is the dominant force in robot-assisted surgery. Conceived in the 1980s as part of a US military program exploring means for conducting remote surgery on the battlefield, Intuitive's surgical robots have been under continual refinement and role-expansion for decades; the company was founded in 1996 and went public in 2000. What began as a science-fiction curiosity has rapidly grown to become an accepted method of surgery; and in fact, increasingly the preferred method. Incisions are smaller, surgeries are faster and more precise, and recovery times are quicker and with fewer post-operative complications. In this article, I will reveal just how gigantic Intuitive has grown over the last twenty years and discuss its latest expansion plans (take a deep breath). I will examine how, because of its revenue model, Intuitive's immense size is a tactical advantage. I will discuss Intuitive's stellar fundamentals - some of the best of any large company - and lastly, I will end the article with a technical look at the stock's price chart.

Before I go further, I encourage you to watch this exceptional two-minute video introduction to Intuitive Surgical: Intuitive by the Numbers (I will provide the link at the end of the article, as well)

How big has this robotic gorilla become? Here are some eye-opening statistics that will give you a sense of Intuitive's size:

• Every 36 seconds, a surgeon performs a minimally invasive da Vinci machine procedure.
• 5 Million da Vinci procedures have been performed worldwide; 875,000 in 2017.
• There are 43,000 da Vinci surgeons
• There are 4,409 da Vinci machines in all 50 states and on 6 continents.

Currently, Intuitive has a market cap of $61.19 Billion. Its 5 surgical systems help surgeons perform a multitude of surgeries in the broad categories of Abdominal, Colon, Gynecological, Heart, Neck, and Head.

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[Skull and Bones]

Now imagine combining AI and advanced diagnostic procedure with this platform. Systems like this will be inevitable in space missions and colonies.