Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN) Stock Price & How to Invest

Last updated October 2026

Short answer

Align Technology (ALGN) is the company behind Invisalign clear aligners and iTero intraoral scanners, so investing in it is a bet on the ongoing shift of orthodontics from metal braces to digital clear-aligner treatment. You can buy the US-listed Nasdaq shares directly or hold them through a broker or ETF that tracks medical-device names.

ALGN stock price

As of 2026-10-16, Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN) last closed at $147.31, up 12.9% over the past year. Over the past 52 weeks it has traded between $130.45 and $197.51.

ALGN last close
$147.31
1 day
-1.36%
1 month
-2.09%
1 year
+12.92%
52-week range
$130.45 to $197.51
Last close
2026-10-16

Prices are daily closing prices from Yahoo Finance and may be delayed. For the live quote, check your broker or Align Technology, Inc.'s investor relations page. Walnut is informational, not investment advice.

What does Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN) do?

Align Technology is a global medical device company best known for Invisalign, the clear-aligner system that has become the dominant alternative to traditional metal braces, and for iTero, its line of intraoral scanners used to capture digital impressions and plan treatment. The business splits into two segments: Clear Aligner, which generated roughly $3.2 billion of Align's approximately $4.0 billion in fiscal 2025 revenue (trailing revenue had reached about $4.14 billion by mid-2026), and Imaging Systems and CAD/CAM services (iTero and exocad software), which added about $0.8 billion. Align sells primarily through orthodontists and general dentists, and its scanners feed cases directly into the Invisalign workflow, creating a self-reinforcing ecosystem.

The investment picture is a high-quality franchise navigating a maturing growth phase. Align holds a leading share of a large, still-underpenetrated clear-aligner market with strong brand recognition and high gross margins near 70 percent, but revenue growth has slowed to low single digits as North America matures and lower-priced rivals expand. Recent results show renewed volume momentum internationally: second-quarter 2026 revenue was about $1.06 billion, up roughly 4% year over year, with adjusted EPS of $2.64 just ahead of the $2.60 estimate, and the company continues to return cash through buybacks. The shares have de-rated during 2026, falling about 16% in the three months to October 16 as Evercore ISI and Baird downgraded the stock, so the debate centers on whether Align can convert its ecosystem advantage and international runway into faster growth while defending pricing.

What's driving Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN)?

1. Clear-aligner market penetration

Clear aligners still represent a minority of the roughly 500 million people worldwide with malocclusion, leaving a long runway as treatment shifts away from metal braces. Align's brand, doctor relationships, and case-management software position it to capture a meaningful share of that expansion. Growth in EMEA, APAC, and Latin America has been running at double-digit rates, offsetting a more mature North America.

2. iTero scanner and digital ecosystem

The iTero scanner line and exocad CAD/CAM software lock doctors into Align's digital workflow, with the majority of Invisalign cases now submitted through digital scans. This razor-and-blade dynamic drives recurring aligner volume and switching costs. New scanner models and AI-assisted treatment tools aim to deepen that ecosystem advantage.

3. Margin profile and capital returns

Align operates with gross margins near 70 percent and generates substantial free cash flow, which it has been directing toward share repurchases, including a fresh $200 million authorization announced in early 2026. Trailing free cash flow was about $594 million as of mid-2026, against roughly $1.1 billion of cash and only about $121 million of debt. Manufacturing scale in lower-cost regions supports profitability. Disciplined cost management gives the company flexibility to invest in growth while returning cash.

4. Adult and teen segment expansion

Align continues to broaden its addressable base, with growth in adult patients seeking discreet treatment and in teens and younger patients where clear aligners are displacing braces. Product features aimed at complex cases expand the range of treatments aligners can address. Direct-to-consumer marketing and doctor-education programs support demand across both cohorts.

What are the risks to Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN)?

Growth has decelerated to low single digits as the North American clear-aligner market matures and consumers pull back on discretionary, often out-of-pocket dental spending during economic softness. Competition is intensifying from lower-priced systems such as Straumann's ClearCorrect, Dentsply Sirona's SureSmile, and Envista's Spark, which can pressure both volume and pricing. Align manufactures aligners in Mexico and ships them to the United States, exposing it to tariff and trade-policy shifts, and a large portion of revenue is international, adding foreign-exchange sensitivity. Sentiment has already turned: in October 2026 Evercore ISI cut the stock to In Line with a $155 target and Baird moved to Neutral at $162, while Stifel and Leerink lowered targets, and a growth stumble in the October 28 report could extend that reaction. Trailing GAAP earnings also fell about 12% year over year in the latest quarter even as revenue grew. Patent expirations over time may further lower barriers to entry for competitors.

What is the Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN) forecast?

14 analysts publish price targets on ALGN, averaging $193.79 against a $147.31 price as of October 2026, or +31.6%. The published targets run from $155.00 to $235.00, a moderate spread, and the ratings split 8 buy, 7 hold, 1 sell. Over the last six months there have been 4 raises and 4 cuts among the published actions. A price target is what an analyst published on a date, not a prediction, and sell-side ratings skew positive across the whole market.

Read the full ALGN forecast and price target for the target table, the recent rating actions by firm, and how the consensus has shifted.

Is ALGN a buy or a sell?

We give no verdict on Align Technology, Inc.. Both cases are real, which is why the question is contested at all, so here is the strongest version of each.

The case for buying. Clear-aligner market penetration. Clear aligners still represent a minority of the roughly 500 million people worldwide with malocclusion, leaving a long runway as treatment shifts away from metal braces. The most optimistic published target, $235.00, assumes this works close to its best case.

The case against. Growth has decelerated to low single digits as the North American clear-aligner market matures and consumers pull back on discretionary, often out-of-pocket dental spending during economic softness. The most pessimistic target, $155.00, is roughly what ALGN is worth if this bites instead.

Read the full bull and bear case on ALGN, including what would have to change to break either one. Walnut is not an investment adviser.

Has Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN) split its stock?

No. Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN) has not split its stock in the last 10 years. That is a statement about the window we check rather than about the company’s entire history, so an older split is possible. It also matters less than it once did: fractional shares mean a high price per share no longer keeps smaller investors out, which removed most of the practical reason to split.

How is Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN) valued? (approximate, October 2026)

A simple financial snapshot. These are approximations and refresh quarterly; for current figures see Align Technology, Inc.'s investor relations page or your broker.

  • Revenue (TTM): ~$4.14B, up ~4% YoY in the latest quarter
  • Revenue (Q2 2026): ~$1.06B; adjusted EPS $2.64 vs $2.60 expected
  • Margins (TTM): ~71% gross, ~18% operating, ~10% net
  • Net income (TTM): ~$414M GAAP
  • P/E ratio: ~26x trailing, ~12x forward
  • Market cap: ~$10.6B (stock ~$149)
  • Dividend: None
  • Next earnings: October 28, 2026; consensus ~$2.78 EPS on ~$1.01B revenue

As of October 16, 2026, Align carried trailing revenue of about $4.14 billion and a market capitalization near $10.6 billion, down from roughly $13 billion in July. At about 12 times forward earnings and 2.6 times sales, the stock no longer trades at the premium multiple it once commanded; the 14 analysts tracked by Yahoo Finance still had a mean target near $194, though several cut targets in October. The third-quarter report on October 28 is the next test of whether volume growth is holding.

Who competes with Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN)?

Clear-aligner rivals

Straumann Group (ClearCorrect), Dentsply Sirona (SureSmile), and Envista's Ormco (Spark) are the main doctor-channel competitors, often positioned at lower price points and bundled within broader dental portfolios. Newer entrants such as Angelalign in Asia and smaller direct-to-consumer brands add pressure, while the earlier direct-to-consumer player SmileDirectClub exited after bankruptcy.

Intraoral scanner and digital dentistry

In its iTero scanner business, Align competes with Dentsply Sirona (Primescan), Envista, 3Shape, and Medit, which supply intraoral scanners and CAD/CAM tools to dental practices. These rivals compete on price, accuracy, and integration with their own treatment and lab ecosystems.

Traditional orthodontics

Conventional metal and ceramic braces from suppliers like Dentsply Sirona, Envista's Ormco, and 3M's former orthodontic unit remain the largest alternative to clear aligners by case volume, especially in cost-sensitive markets and for complex cases. Align's growth partly depends on continued conversion away from these legacy options.

What stocks are similar to Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN)?

Other names that sit close to ALGN: same theme, named as a direct competitor, or held beside it in the same funds. Each entry says which. Worth a look if you are thinking about diversification within a thesis rather than concentration on one ticker.

How to invest in Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN)

There are three common ways to get ALGN exposure. Buy shares (or fractional shares) directly at any major broker. Hold an ETF that includes it, which spreads the position across many companies. Or build it into a focused thematic portfolio, so ALGN sits alongside other stocks that express the same thesis.

Walnut takes the portfolio route. Describe a thesis where ALGN fits (for example “AI infrastructure” or “dividend-growth large-caps”) and the AI proposes 5 to 6 constituents with target weights. You review the plan and fund it through your own broker when you're ready.

New to this? Start with how to invest in stocks, see how to analyze a stock with AI, or compare the best AI stock analyzers.

The bottom line on Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN)

ALGN is the category-defining clear-aligner leader whose shares (about $149 on October 16, 2026, down roughly 4.5% year to date) now trade near 12 times forward earnings after a run of analyst downgrades, so the story hinges on whether Invisalign volume growth can reaccelerate against rising low-cost competition and cyclical consumer spending.

More on Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN)

Whether ALGN is worth buying today depends more on your time horizon and what you already hold than on any single call. We walk through valuation, what would have to go right, and the risks in is ALGN a buy or a sell?, and where the stock could go from here in the ALGN stock forecast.

For income investors, whether ALGN pays a dividend and how the payout looks is covered in does ALGN pay a dividend? And to weigh ALGN against a peer, read the full side-by-side comparisons: ALGN vs NVST and ALGN vs MMED.

Wondering how ALGN fits the portfolio you already own? Walnut is an AI investing app that connects your brokerage read-only and answers questions like that about your actual holdings: overlap, concentration, and how each position tracks the S&P 500. Compare the best AI portfolio analyzers or see the best AI investing apps in 2026.

Investing in Align Technology, Inc. with AI

Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how ALGN fits what you actually hold: whether you own it already through a fund, what it would do to your concentration, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.

FAQ

What does Align Technology do?

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Align Technology makes Invisalign clear aligners, which straighten teeth as a discreet alternative to metal braces, and iTero intraoral scanners plus exocad software used by dentists and orthodontists to capture digital impressions and plan treatment. Clear aligners are the large majority of its revenue.

How does Align make money?

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Most revenue comes from selling Invisalign aligners to orthodontists and general dentists, who treat patients. A smaller but meaningful share comes from selling iTero scanners and CAD/CAM software, which feed cases back into the aligner business and create recurring demand.

How big is Align Technology?

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As of October 2026, Align generated trailing revenue of about $4.14 billion and carried a market capitalization near $10.6 billion, with about 20,000 employees, making it one of the larger companies in the medical device and dental equipment space.

Is Align Technology profitable?

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Yes. Align operates with gross margins near 71 percent and earned about $414 million of GAAP net income over the trailing twelve months to June 2026. In the second quarter of 2026 it reported net income of about $108 million and adjusted EPS of $2.64, and trailing free cash flow of roughly $594 million funds share buybacks.

Who are Align Technology's main competitors?

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In clear aligners, its main rivals are Straumann's ClearCorrect, Dentsply Sirona's SureSmile, and Envista's Spark, along with regional players like Angelalign. In scanners, it competes with Dentsply Sirona, 3Shape, and Medit. Traditional braces remain the largest alternative by volume.

Why has Align's revenue growth slowed?

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Growth cooled to low single digits as the North American clear-aligner market matured, consumers grew cautious about discretionary dental spending, and lower-priced competitors expanded. International regions such as EMEA, APAC, and Latin America have been growing faster and partly offsetting the slowdown. Total revenue grew about 4% year over year in the second quarter of 2026.

What are the biggest risks for ALGN stock?

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Key risks include slowing volume growth, price competition from cheaper aligner systems, sensitivity to consumer spending on elective dental care, tariff and foreign-exchange exposure from manufacturing in Mexico and large international sales, and a premium valuation that amplifies reactions to disappointments.

How can I invest in Align Technology?

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ALGN trades on the Nasdaq, so you can buy shares directly through a brokerage account or gain exposure through ETFs that hold medical device and dental equipment companies. This is descriptive information, not investment advice, and Walnut is not an investment adviser.

How did Align Technology do in its latest quarter?

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For the second quarter of 2026, Align reported revenue of about $1.06 billion, up roughly 4% year over year, and adjusted EPS of $2.64, slightly ahead of the $2.60 consensus. GAAP net income was about $108 million. The third-quarter report is scheduled for October 28, 2026, with analysts expecting about $2.78 per share on roughly $1.01 billion of revenue.

How has ALGN stock performed in 2026?

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As of the October 16, 2026 close near $148.96, ALGN was down about 4.5% year to date and about 16% over three months, though up about 15% over one year. Its 52-week range ran from roughly $128.67 to $200.44. October brought downgrades from Evercore ISI and Baird plus lower targets from Stifel and Leerink.

Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Financial figures on this page are approximations; always verify current numbers with Align Technology, Inc.'s investor relations page or your broker before making investment decisions.