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Intuitive Surgical Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 21 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 2 lowered. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 23% year over year: Revenue reached $2.77 billion, up from $2.25 billion, driven by procedure volume, higher da Vinci placements and a larger installed base. Source
  • Procedures grew about 17% worldwide: Worldwide procedures across da Vinci and Ion grew about 17%; da Vinci procedures rose about 16% and Ion procedures about 39%. Source
  • Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $2.50: Non-GAAP net income per diluted share was $2.50, against $1.81 a year earlier, while GAAP diluted EPS was $2.28 against $1.92. Source
  • Cash fell $1.05 billion in quarter: Cash, cash equivalents and investments ended at $7.98 billion, down $1.05 billion, mainly from repurchases and an acquisition, partly offset by operating cash. Source
  • Italy, Spain and Portugal distribution acquired: The company acquired da Vinci and Ion distribution businesses in Italy, Spain and Portugal and moved those markets from distributor to direct sales. Source
  • Gross margin range raised to 67.5-68.5%: Expected non-GAAP gross profit margin for 2026 is now 67.5% to 68.5% of revenue, from 67% to 68% previously. Source
  • Tariff impact estimate reduced: The gross margin range includes an estimated tariff impact of 1.0% of revenue for 2026, down from 1.2% in the prior release. Source

“We are pleased with company performance this quarter, which was marked by expanded adoption of our da Vinci, Ion, and digital platforms,”

Dave Rosa, Intuitive CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Worldwide da Vinci procedure growth Sourcefull year 2026approximately 13.5% to 15.5%Raised from approximately 13% to 15%
Non-GAAP gross profit margin Sourcefull year 202667.5% to 68.5% of revenueRaised from 67% to 68% of revenue
Tariff impact included in gross margin range Sourcefull year 20261.0% of revenueLowered from 1.2% of revenue, plus or minus 10 basis points
Non-GAAP operating expense growth Sourcefull year 202611% to 14%Lowered from 11% to 15%

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: The 2026 worldwide da Vinci procedure growth range moved up at both ends, to about 13.5% to 15.5%. Source
  • Guidance raised: The 2026 non-GAAP gross profit margin range moved up at both ends, to 67.5% to 68.5% of revenue. Source
  • Guidance lowered: The upper end of the 2026 non-GAAP operating expense growth range was cut from 15% to 14%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: The estimated 2026 tariff impact on gross margin was cut from 1.2% to 1.0% of revenue. Source
  • New: The company completed acquisition of the da Vinci and Ion distribution businesses in Italy, Spain and Portugal and moved from distributor to direct sales there. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 23% year over year: Revenue reached $2.77 billion, up from $2.25 billion, driven by procedure volume, higher da Vinci placements and a larger installed base. Source
  • Procedures grew about 17% worldwide: Worldwide procedures across da Vinci and Ion grew about 17%; da Vinci procedures rose about 16% and Ion procedures about 39%. Source
  • Da Vinci placements rose to 431: The company placed 431 da Vinci systems, up from 367, including 232 da Vinci 5 systems against 147 a year earlier. Source
  • Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $2.50: Non-GAAP net income per diluted share was $2.50, against $1.81 a year earlier, while GAAP diluted EPS was $2.28 against $1.92. Source
  • GAAP operating income rose to $855 million: GAAP income from operations was $855 million against $578 million; non-GAAP income from operations was $1.08 billion against $0.77 billion. Source

Products and revenue lines

  • Instruments and accessories up 23%: Instruments and accessories reached $1.69 billion, with growth attributed to about 16% da Vinci procedure growth, customer buying patterns and about 39% Ion procedure growth. Source
  • Systems revenue rose with placements and pricing: Systems revenue was $651 million against $523 million a year earlier, reflecting more placements, a larger lease base and higher average selling prices. Source
  • Services revenue grew to $434 million: Services revenue was $433.7 million, against $363.0 million a year earlier and $422.0 million in the prior quarter. Source

“We remain deeply committed to supporting customers globally in their pursuit of the quintuple aim:”

Dave Rosa, Intuitive CEO

Costs, margins and tax

  • Non-GAAP gross margin rose to 67.8%: Non-GAAP gross profit margin was 67.8%, against 66.4% a year earlier and 67.6% in the prior quarter; GAAP gross margin was 66.1%. Source
  • Operating expenses rose year over year: GAAP total operating expenses were $975.2 million, against $879.6 million; research and development rose to $361.9 million from $316.2 million. Source
  • Prior quarter carried $70 million contribution: The prior-quarter SG&A included a $70 million contribution to the Intuitive Foundation, with none shown for the first quarter of 2026. Source
  • Excess stock-compensation tax benefit declined: Excess tax benefits tied to share-based compensation were $73 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, against $145 million, or $0.40, a year earlier. Source

Demand and installed base

  • Da Vinci installed base up 12%: The da Vinci installed base reached 11,395 systems at March 31, 2026, up from 10,189 a year earlier. Source
  • Ion installed base up 22%: The Ion installed base reached 1,041 systems at March 31, 2026, up from 853 a year earlier. Source
  • Usage-based share of lease placements: Of the 431 da Vinci placements, 243 were under operating leases and 118 of those were usage-based. Source

Cash, capital and acquisitions

  • Cash fell $1.05 billion in quarter: Cash, cash equivalents and investments ended at $7.98 billion, down $1.05 billion, mainly from repurchases and an acquisition, partly offset by operating cash. Source
  • Repurchased 2.3 million shares for $1.1 billion: The company bought back 2.3 million shares of common stock for $1.1 billion during the quarter. Source
  • Italy, Spain and Portugal distribution acquired: The company acquired da Vinci and Ion distribution businesses in Italy, Spain and Portugal and moved those markets from distributor to direct sales. Source
  • Goodwill and deferred tax assets moved: Goodwill rose to $613.2 million from $370.3 million at year-end, while deferred tax assets fell to $683.8 million from $1,018.6 million. Source

2026 guidance and tariffs

  • Da Vinci procedure growth range raised: Expected 2026 worldwide da Vinci procedure growth is now about 13.5% to 15.5%, up from about 13% to 15%. Source
  • Gross margin range raised to 67.5-68.5%: Expected non-GAAP gross profit margin for 2026 is now 67.5% to 68.5% of revenue, from 67% to 68% previously. Source
  • Operating expense growth ceiling lowered: Expected non-GAAP operating expense growth for 2026 is now 11% to 14%, down from 11% to 15% at the upper end. Source
  • Tariff impact estimate reduced: The gross margin range includes an estimated tariff impact of 1.0% of revenue for 2026, down from 1.2% in the prior release. Source

Management view and disclosures

  • Chief executive cites platform adoption: The chief executive said the quarter was marked by expanded adoption of da Vinci, Ion and digital platforms. Source
  • Supplemental procedure data posted online: Supplemental financial and procedure information was posted to the Investor Relations section of the company website. Source
  • Non-GAAP measures reconciled to GAAP: Non-GAAP measures are defined in the release and reconciled to GAAP measures in the reconciliation tables at the end. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Worldwide procedure growth Sourceapproximately 17%
Da Vinci procedure growth Sourceapproximately 16%
Ion procedure growth Sourceapproximately 39%
Da Vinci systems placed Source431
Da Vinci 5 systems placed Source232
Ion endoluminal systems placed Source52
Da Vinci installed base Source11,395 systems
Ion installed base Source1,041 systems

Risks management discussed

  • External: Tariffs beyond current expectations could be material to 2026 results, including the gross margin estimate. Source
  • Operational: The effect of tariffs depends on the share of components procured and finished goods made outside the United States, plus tariff scope and timing. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.