Intuitive Surgical Stock: The Dark Horse in the Massive Anti-Obesity Market

By David Jagielski, CPA – Apr 7, 2026 at 10:15AM ESTKey PointsThe rising popularity of GLP-1 drugs is a big reason why investors are bullish on the anti-obesity market.GLP-1 drugs, however, need to be taken on an ongoing basis and come with risks.Bariatric surgery may be a better option for patients, and Intuitive's da Vinci surgical systems could benefit from increased demand.There's been growing excitement in the anti-obesity market in recent years. New GLP-1 drugs have been providing patients with highly effective and relatively safe ways to achieve significant weight loss. People can lose more than 20% of their body weight, reduce their cardiovascular risk, and become much healthier in the process. But there's a catch. A problem with GLP-1 medications is that many people who stop taking them regain all the weight that they lost. In some cases, they may become even heavier. On top of this, the drugs can come with troubling side effects, making it challenging to stick with them for the long term. For many patients, they've turned to another option: weight loss surgery. A possible big winner here is Intuitive Surgical (ISRG 0.59%). Here's why it can potentially be a dark horse in the anti-obesity market, and why it can be an excellent buy today. Image source: Getty Images. Why bariatric surgery could make more sense for patients in the long run Surgery can be a costly option for patients to consider, but it may end up being the more practical one in the long run. According to a recent study, bariatric surgery was found to be a far more effective treatment for obesity than GLP-1 weight loss drugs. In a study of more than 50,000 patients, those who opted for surgery lost 58 pounds (on average) after two years, versus just 12 pounds for those who used popular GLP-1 drugs. Even in the long run, much of the weight may still remain off with surgery. Data suggests that bariatric surgery patients may experience a regain of some weight after a few years, but it may not be as drastic as with GLP-1 drugs. In the case of gastric bypass surgery, after 10 years, the amount of a patient's excess weight loss has been around 52%, versus 65% at the one-year mark. Intuitive's da Vinci surgical system provides patients with a minimally invasive option for bariatric surgery and can thus benefit those with long-term needs for practical weight-loss solutions. ExpandNASDAQ: ISRGIntuitive SurgicalToday's Change(-0.59%) $-2.75Current Price$459.53Key Data PointsMarket Cap$164BDay's Range$458.14 - $461.1752wk Range$427.84 - $603.88Volume407Avg Vol1.9MGross Margin65.98% Intuitive Surgical stock can make for an excellent long-term buy Although it's been a tough year thus far for Intuitive Surgical, whose shares are down more than 20%, the company has the potential to help revolutionize healthcare, and thus, can be a great long-term investment. Last year, its top line hit $10.1 billion in revenue, up from $8.4 billion in the previous year. And with strong profit margins of around 28%, the business is in an excellent position to grow in value over the long term. While growth investors may be loading up on promising GLP-1 stocks, Intuitive Surgical shouldn't be overlooked, as its upside could be significant in the long run, particularly in the anti-obesity market.Read NextApr 7, 2026 •By Prosper Junior BakinyThis Healthcare Stock Has No Debt and a Near-Monopoly in Its MarketApr 6, 2026 •By Matt DiLallo8 Best Robotics Stocks to Buy in 2026Mar 27, 2026 •By Prosper Junior BakinyIs Intuitive Surgical a Buy Right Now?Mar 17, 2026 •By Prosper Junior Bakiny2 Stocks That Could Create Lasting Generational WealthMar 12, 2026 •By Daniel SparksIntuitive Surgical Stock: Buy, Sell, or Hold?Mar 11, 2026 •By Keith SpeightsBest Healthcare Stocks to Buy in 2026 and How to Invest in ThemAbout the AuthorDavid Jagielski, CPA, has been a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering healthcare, consumer staples, consumer discretionary, and technology stocks since 2017. David has more than 10 years of experience in finance roles across businesses of different sizes and sectors. He holds a Certified Public Accountant designation in Canada.TMFdjagielskiStocks MentionedIntuitive SurgicalNASDAQ: ISRG$461.81(+1.96%)+$8.86*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.