Abbott Laboratories vs. Intuitive Surgical: Which Healthcare Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

Abbott Laboratories and Intuitive Surgical represent different healthcare investment strategies. Abbott offers diversified operations across diagnostics, nutrition, and medical devices with a conservative 18x forward P/E ratio, $7.4B free cash flow, and 2.49% dividend yield. Intuitive Surgical commands a premium 39x P/E multiple but delivers 21% revenue growth, zero debt, and dominance in robotic-assisted surgery. Both companies project ~13% sales growth for 2026, but Abbott's lower valuation and new Cologuard cancer screening acquisition make it the better buy for long-term value investors.