Today’s Change
Current Price
Boston Scientific (BSX 12.46%), a medical device maker for interventional specialties, closed Wednesday at $50.42, down 12.53%. The stock dropped after management reiterated soft full-year organic growth guidance and flagged softer demand in key WATCHMAN and urology franchises. Trading volume reached 49.5 million shares, about 191% above its three-month average of 17 million shares. Boston Scientific IPO’d in 1992 and has grown 1,078% since going public.
How the markets moved today
S&P 500 inched up 0.03% to 7,521, while the Nasdaq Composite added 0.07% to finish at 26,675. Within medical devices, industry peers Abbott Laboratories closed at $85.68 (-1.14%) and Stryker ended at $305.99 (-2.24%), reflecting broader pressure across sector rivals.
What this means for investors
Investors were hoping for a positive update from Boston Scientific at the Bernstein Annual Strategic Decisions Conference today, but management merely reiterated its previous guidance for the year. The company projects that organic sales will rise between 5.5% to 7% in 2026 and by 6% to 8% in Q2. However, due to expectations for its key WATCHMAN device to deliver flat sequential sales growth in Q2 and Q3, analysts believe the lower end of this guidance may be more realistic.
While the WATCHMAN device was supposed to be a core growth driver for the company, it remains the market share leader in its niche despite its growth slowdown. Trading at 15 times forward earnings after its stock has been halved, BSX stock and its broad portfolio of medical devices aren’t outrageously valued.
Josh Kohn-Lindquist has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Abbott Laboratories. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
