ISRG vs ROK: Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?
Last updated August 2026
Short answer
ISRG is the larger of the two ($126.59B market cap): the incumbent the market prices for continued execution (29.27x forward earnings, beta 1.46). ROK is the smaller challenger ($53.42B), priced similarly on forward earnings (32.82x): more room to run, but more to prove. The real question is which set of drivers you believe, and whether owning one (or both) leaves you over-concentrated.
ISRG vs ROK: the tie-breaker metrics
Same yardstick, side by side (as of August 2026). Valuation lined up like this is most meaningful for two names in the same corner of the market, which these are. Figures are approximate; verify before investing.
| Metric | ISRG | ROK | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $126.59B | $53.42B | Size. The larger name is the incumbent; the smaller has more room to grow and more to prove. |
| Forward P/E | 29.27 | 32.82 | Valuation on next year's expected earnings, the same yardstick for both. Lower is cheaper for that growth; higher means the market is paying up. |
| Trailing P/E | 40.47 | 49.75 | Valuation on the last 12 months. A big drop from trailing to forward means the market expects earnings to jump, so more growth is already in the price. |
| Beta | 1.46 | 1.54 | Volatility vs the market. Above 1 swings harder than the index; below 1 is steadier. Higher beta means bigger drawdowns to hold through. |
| Price vs 52-week range | 9% of range | 91% of range | Where today's price sits between the 52-week low and high. Near the high is momentum with less margin of safety; near the low is out of favor or a discount, depending on why. |
| Price / book | 6.88 | 15.17 | How much you pay over book value. Very high can signal an asset-light, high-return business or a rich price. |
Before you buy: how ISRG and ROK affect your concentration
The metrics above tell you which is the marginally better business. The bigger risk for most people is not picking the slightly worse stock, it is over-concentrating. ISRG and ROK share themes, so owning both, or adding either to what you already hold, can quietly push a large share of your portfolio into one bet.
This is the part a generic comparison page cannot answer, because it depends on what you own. Connect your brokerage and Walnut shows your real, combined ISRG and ROK exposure, flags overlap with your existing positions, and tells you if adding one would tip you past a concentration you are comfortable with, read-only by default, with your login staying at your broker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.
What does Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) do?
Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) is the dominant maker of robotic-assisted surgery systems, best known for the da Vinci platform used in minimally invasive procedures across urology, gynecology, general surgery, and other specialties. Its business model is razor-and-blade: Intuitive sells or places the large capital systems, then earns high-margin recurring revenue from the single-use instruments and accessories consumed in each procedure, plus service contracts. As the installed base of systems grows and procedure volumes rise, recurring revenue compounds. The company has expanded its platform with newer systems (including the da Vinci 5 and the Ion platform for lung biopsy), and benefits from surgeon training, hospital workflow integration, and a large library of validated procedures that create high switching costs. Intuitive went public in 2000 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. It is the clear leader in surgical robotics with a wide moat, strong margins, and consistent procedure-volume growth, though it trades at a premium valuation that reflects those qualities.
What does Rockwell Automation (ROK) do?
Rockwell Automation (ROK) is one of the largest pure-play industrial automation and digital transformation companies in the world. It provides the hardware, software, and services that factories and industrial facilities use to run, monitor, and optimize their operations: programmable logic controllers, drives, motor control, sensors, industrial networking, and the Allen-Bradley and FactoryTalk product families that are standards in many North American plants. Rockwell organizes its business around Intelligent Devices, Software and Control, and Lifecycle Services, and increasingly pairs its installed base of automation hardware with software, analytics, and recurring services. A long partnership with software firms and its acquisitions in areas like manufacturing-execution software, cybersecurity, and information solutions position it to sell connected, data-driven factory systems, not just discrete controllers. Founded in 1903 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell is an S&P 500 industrial that benefits from secular trends in reshoring, factory modernization, and the digitization of manufacturing, while remaining tied to the capital-spending cycles of its industrial customers.
ISRG vs ROK: how do they differ?
Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.
- ISRG drivers: Razor-and-blade recurring revenue; Installed base and switching costs.
- ROK drivers: Installed base and switching costs; Software, recurring revenue, and analytics.
Which fits which kind of investor
A faster-growing, richer-valued name usually swings harder, so it suits a longer horizon and a higher tolerance for volatility; a steadier, more cash-generative business suits a more conservative or income-minded investor. The honest test is which set of risks you could hold through a drawdown: ISRG trades at a premium valuation, so any slowdown in procedure growth, system placements, or margins can compress the multiple sharply. For ROK, rockwell's results are tied to industrial and manufacturing capital-spending cycles, so demand can soften in downturns or when customers delay projects, and orders can be lumpy.
ISRG or ROK: which should you pick?
Growth-minded investors who believe the theme has years to run tend to accept the richer multiple for more upside; value-minded investors lean toward the cheaper forward earnings and steadier profile. Pick ISRG if you believe its drivers more; ROK if you believe its. Many investors hold both, but since they share themes, that is a concentrated bet, not diversification. Decide deliberately and check overlap. For the full detail, see the ISRG and ROK guides.
ISRG vs ROK: the full fundamentals
ISRG. Intuitive trades at a high earnings multiple that reflects its dominant market position, high-margin recurring revenue, strong balance sheet, and consistent procedure-volume growth. The premium is the central debate: bulls justify it with the durability of the razor-and-blade model and a long runway, while bears point to multiple-compression risk if procedure growth slows or competitors gain share. Figures are approximate and should be verified against the latest filing.
ROK. Rockwell typically trades at a premium multiple relative to the broader industrials group, reflecting its pure-play automation focus, strong installed-base moat, and growing software mix. The valuation embeds expectations for factory modernization and reshoring; multiple compression risk rises if the industrial capital-spending cycle weakens or order growth disappoints. Figures are approximate and move with results and price; verify current revenue, margins, and yield.
Headline figures (approximate, early 2026): ISRG shows revenue (ttm) ~$8 to 9 billion (verify), recurring revenue share ~80%+ from instruments, accessories, and service, operating margin ~30% (strong), gross margin ~65% to 68%; ROK shows revenue (ttm) ~$8 billion (verify), operating margin ~ high teens to ~20% segment margins (verify), profitability Consistently profitable, p/e (ttm) ~25x to ~30x, varies (verify).
The bottom line: ISRG vs ROK
ISRG and ROK are related but distinct: same themes, different businesses and risks. Neither wins in the abstract; the right pick is whichever thesis you actually believe, sized so you are not over-concentrated in one theme. Walnut can show your combined ISRG and ROK exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.
Wondering how ISRG or ROK 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 Intuitive Surgical with AI
Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how ISRG 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 is the difference between ISRG and ROK?
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Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) is the dominant maker of robotic-assisted surgery systems, best known for the da Vinci platform used in minimally invasive procedures across urology, gynecology, general surgery, and other specialties. Rockwell Automation (ROK) is one of the largest pure-play industrial automation and digital transformation companies in the world. They show up together because they share investment themes, but they are different businesses, so the better fit depends on which thesis you are expressing.
Is ISRG or ROK the better stock?
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Neither is universally better. ISRG is the larger incumbent; ROK is the smaller challenger and looks pricier on forward earnings. Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Compare what each does, the tie-breaker metrics above, and the risks, then decide which fits your thesis and what you already own.
Which is cheaper, ISRG or ROK?
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On forward P/E (as of August 2026), ISRG trades at 29.27x and ROK at 32.82x, so ISRG is the cheaper of the two on next year's expected earnings. A lower multiple is not automatically the better buy: a richer valuation can be justified by faster growth, and a lower one can reflect real risk. Weigh the multiple against how fast each business is compounding.
Should you own both ISRG and ROK?
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Because they share themes, owning both concentrates you in that theme. That can be intentional (a focused bet) or accidental (less diversification than it looks). Walnut can show your combined exposure across both, and whether adding either over-concentrates you, before you buy.
What are the risks of ISRG vs ROK?
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ISRG: ISRG trades at a premium valuation, so any slowdown in procedure growth, system placements, or margins can compress the multiple sharply. Competition is intensifying as Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, and others develop rival surgical-robotics platforms that could erode Intuitive's dominance over time. Hospital capital budgets are cyclical and can defer system purchases in tight economic periods. Reimbursement changes, regulatory scrutiny of new systems, and any safety or recall issues are risks. The company is also exposed to global healthcare-spending trends and currency, and the high valuation leaves little room for execution missteps. ROK: Rockwell's results are tied to industrial and manufacturing capital-spending cycles, so demand can soften in downturns or when customers delay projects, and orders can be lumpy. It competes with large global automation rivals like Siemens, Schneider Electric, ABB, and Emerson, several of which have broader geographic and product breadth. Exposure to specific end markets (autos, semiconductors, food and beverage, energy) introduces concentration and cyclicality. Supply-chain disruptions and component availability have affected lead times in the past. The stock often trades at a premium multiple for an industrial, so disappointing orders or margins can pressure the valuation.
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Walnut is informational, not investment advice. This page is descriptive and not a recommendation to buy or sell ISRG or ROK; figures are approximate and dated (as of August 2026). Verify current data before investing.