COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
ALC vs ISRG
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. ALC scored 73.3, ISRG scored 73.2 — ALC leads.
Compare another set
ALC
Alcon Inc.
73.3
$73.48 · $35.5B
Score gap
0.1
ALC leads
ISRG
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
73.2
$378.81 · $135.7B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestISRG43.5x
- Fastest growthISRG+20.7%
- Highest qualityALC87 / 100
- Largest discount to fair valueALC-30%
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Growth against the P/E multiple. Up and to the right is cheaper and faster — the quality-growth idea in one picture. Points beyond the axis are pinned to the edge and marked off-scale rather than allowed to compress everything else.
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
ALC
stronger →← stronger
ISRG
87
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
84
71
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
93
63
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
50
ALC is stronger on 2 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
ALC
ISRG
$2.1bB
FCF
$3.2bB
+10.5%B
Rev
+20.7%A-
0.25B
D/E
—
56.1xC
P/E
43.5xC
1.53C+
PEG
1.95C+
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
ALC
ISRG
30% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
222% above
~0%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~40%/yr
+24%
1-yr DCF upside
-72%
+43%
5-yr DCF upside
-69%
+76%
10-yr DCF upside
-64%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
ALC
Why this score
- Durable high returns
ISRG
No notable signals flagged.
The companies
ALCAlcon Inc.
Why now
Medical Instruments & Supplies · market cap $35.5b. 16% off the 52-week high of $87.64. Revenue growing +10%, comfortably above the S&P median. 15 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $85.24 (implying +16% upside).
Moat
Net margin 31% is exceptional — pricing-power territory rare outside premium software, branded staples, and specialty pharma. ROE 30% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which.
Risk
Trailing P/E 56.1x prices in sustained high growth — any quarter that disappoints triggers sharp re-rating.
ISRGIntuitive Surgical, Inc.
Why now
Medical Instruments & Supplies · market cap $135.7b. Down 37% from 52-week high of $603.88 — deep drawdown territory. Revenue growing +21%, comfortably above the S&P median. 30 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $478.01 (implying +26% upside).
Moat
Net margin 28% sits well above the S&P median (~11%) — suggests structural pricing advantage or cost discipline competitors can't quickly close. ROE 17% sits above Buffett's preferred 15% threshold — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately. FCF converts 103% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
Down 37% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up. Beta 1.46 implies above-market volatility — position-size to the drawdowns this name will produce in a market correction, not to its bull-case return. Trailing P/E 43x sits well above the S&P median (~20x) — multiple compression is a real risk if revenue growth decelerates.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Where ALC and ISRG diverge
The two are effectively level on the headline score. They get there differently, though — each leads on a different pillar, so the better pick depends on which you weight.
- GrowthALC 71.4 · ISRG 93.2ISRG +21.8
- ValueALC 63.2 · ISRG 50.3ALC +12.9
- QualityALC 87.5 · ISRG 83.7ALC +3.8
Pillars run 0–100 against sector peers, so a score is a statement about a company relative to its own industry rather than to the other name here. A wide Value gap usually means the market already prices the difference in quality or growth — which is the trade-off this comparison comes down to.