Instruments and medical devices · 24/36 against 19/36 checks · to 2026-09-08
DXCM vs ISRG.
DexComMakes continuous glucose monitors for people with diabetes.
Intuitive SurgicalMakes the da Vinci surgical robots and earns most of its money on their instruments.→DexCom (DXCM) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) are within reach of each other at $31.9B and $123.7B, and on the filings DexCom passes more, 24 checks of 36 against 19.
Which passes more checks?
widest gap first→The two are furthest apart on Trend analysis, where DexCom passes 4 more of the six.
| DXCM | ISRG | |
|---|---|---|
| Trend analysis | 4/6 | 0/6 |
| Value | 2/6 | 1/6 |
| Growth | 5/6 | 6/6 |
| Shareholder returns | 4/6 | 3/6 |
| Quality | 5/6 | 5/6 |
| Health | 4/6 | 4/6 |
| All checks | 24/36 | 19/36 |
→Intuitive Surgical turns over $11.0B to DexCom's $5.0B, 2.2 times as much. DexCom keeps 20.1% of revenue as profit against 28.4% at Intuitive Surgical.
Which is cheaper?
→DexCom is the cheaper of the two on earnings, 34.3x against 40.5x. Against their own histories, DexCom is below its 87.9x median and Intuitive Surgical is below its 57.6x.
| DXCM | ISRG | |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $84.53 | $350.16 |
| Market cap | $31.9B | $123.7B |
| P/E | 34.3x | 40.5x |
| P/E, own median own 7-year median / own 11-year median | 87.9x | 57.6x |
| P/S | 6.4x | 11.2x |
| Free cash flow yield | 4.4% | 2.6% |
Which is growing faster, DXCM or ISRG?
→Intuitive Surgical grew revenue faster last year, +20.7% against +15.5% at DexCom - 5 points apart. Over three years the order is reversed: Intuitive Surgical compounds at +17.4% against +17.0%.
| DXCM | ISRG | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue (TTM) | $5.0B | $11.0B |
| Revenue growth, 1 year | +15.5% | +20.7% |
| Revenue CAGR, 3 years | +17.0% | +17.4% |
| Net income (TTM) | $1000M | $3.1B |
| Free cash flow (TTM) | $1.4B | $3.2B |
Which hands more back to owners?
→Neither DexCom nor Intuitive Surgical pays a dividend worth the name, so what either returns to owners has to come through the share count.
| DXCM | ISRG | |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | - | - |
| Payout ratio | - | - |
| Years of unbroken dividend | - | - |
Which keeps more of each sale?
→Intuitive Surgical keeps more of each sale: gross margin of 66.7% against 62.5%, a gap of 4 points that flows into everything below it.
| DXCM | ISRG | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 62.5% | 66.7% |
| Operating margin | 22.9% | 31.3% |
| Return on equity | 38.1% | 17.3% |
Which balance sheet is stronger?
| DXCM | ISRG | |
|---|---|---|
| Debt / equity | - | - |
| Interest coverage | 102.6x | - |
| Cash and short-term investments | $1.1B | $5.2B |
Where they differ most
the checks behind the gapTrend analysis: DexCom 4 ahead
- Price above the Kumo cloud $84.53 against a cloud top of $76.62
- Tenkan above the Kijun Tenkan $88.29 above the Kijun $87.34, 38 sessions since they crossed
- The Senkou cloud ahead is rising the Senkou spans already drawn for the next 26 sessions are rising
- Price above the Kumo cloud $350.16, below the cloud bottom of $368.92
- Price above the Tenkan and the Kijun $350.16 against the Tenkan (9 sessions) at $364.96 and the Kijun (26) at $376.43
- Tenkan above the Kijun Tenkan $364.96 below the Kijun $376.43, 4 sessions since they crossed
Value: DexCom 1 ahead
- Free cash flow yield above 3% 4.4% vs 3.0%
- Price isn't outrunning growth PEG 0.92
- Earnings yield beats a long bond (4%) 2.5% vs 4.0%
- Free cash flow yield above 3% 2.6% vs 3.0%