Intuitive Surgical and Lennar have been highlighted as Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day

For Immediate ReleaseChicago, IL – March 19, 2026 – Zacks Equity Research shares Intuitive Surgical, Inc. ISRG as the Bull of the Day and Lennar Corp. LEN as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc.'s BBAI and Palantir Technologies Inc. PLTR.Here is a synopsis of all four stocks:Bull of the Day:Intuitive Surgical, Inc. is still expanding the reach of its da Vinci surgical system. This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) is expected to grow earnings in the double digits in 2026 and 2027.Intuitive is a leader in minimally invasive care and the pioneer of robotic-assisted surgery. Its technologies include the da Vinci surgical system and the Ion endoluminal system.It sells several models of the da Vinci surgical system. It offers surgeons high-definition 3D vision, a magnified view, and robotic and computer assistance.As of Dec 31, 2025, more than 20 million patients worldwide had been operated on using da Vinci surgical systems.Intuitive Expands Direct Operations in Southern EuropeOn Mar 2, 2026, Intuitive announced that it had completed the acquisition of the da Vinci and Ion distribution business operated by ab medica, Abex, Excelencia Robótica, and their affiliates.This business is in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta, San Marino and associated territories.There is a combined installed base of more than 470 da Vinci surgical systems in Italy, Spain, and Portugal as of Dec 31, 2025. The Ion endoluminal system was recently launched in Italy and Spain.It will add 250 employees to the Intuitive team.The acquisition will provide more agile customer service and can bring the systems to more patients across Southern Europe.Another Earnings Beat for Intuitive Surgical in Q4 2025On Jan 22, 2026, Intuitive Surgical reported its fourth quarter 2025 earnings and it beat on the Zacks Consensus for the twelfth quarter in a row. Earnings were $2.53 compared to the Zacks Consensus of $2.25, for a beat of $0.28.It's last miss was all the way back in 2023. Intuitive has only missed twice in the last 5 years.Worldwide procedures of both da Vinci and Ion grew about 18% year-over-year. Da Vinci procedures rose 17% and Ion procedures grew 44%.The company placed 532 da Vinci surgical systems in the quarter, up from 493 in the fourth quarter of 2024.It's da Vinci surgical system installed base grew to 11,106 systems as of Dec 31, 2025, up 12% compared with 9,902 systems at the end of 2024. It grew the Ion endoluminal system installed base to 995 systems, up 24% compared with 805 systems as of Dec 31, 2024.Fourth quarter revenue jumped 19% to $2.87 billion from $2.41 billion a year ago. It was boosted by growth in procedure volume, higher da Vinci system placements, and an increase in the installed base of systems.Analysts Continue to Be Bullish on Intuitive Surgical in 2026 and 2027For its 2026 outlook, Intuitive Surgical said that worldwide da Vinci procedure growth would be in the range of 13% to 15%. That's below the 2025 growth of 18%.But the analysts have been raising their earnings estimates on 2026 and 2027 anyway.Ten estimates were revised higher for 2026 since the earnings in January, but one has also been revised higher in the last month. That has pushed the 2026 Zacks Consensus up to $10.06 from $9.61 just 2 months ago.This is earnings growth of 12.7% as the company made $8.93 last year.One estimate has also been revised higher for 2027 in the last month as well, with seven estimates revised higher in the prior 60 days.The 2027 Zacks Consensus is moving higher, up to $11.41 from $11.01 in the last 60 days.That's another 13.4% earnings growth.Shares Sink in 2026: Is It a Buying Opportunity?Intuitive Surgical has fallen off its highs and is now down 15% year-to-date.Intuitive is not a cheap stock, but it hasn't been for years. It trades with a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 48. A P/E over 30 is considered to be an expensive stock.Intuitive also trades with a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 17. A P/S ratio over 10 for a growth company is considered high.But investors are buying the growth.For investors who have been waiting for a pullback in Intuitive Surgical, this is the time to have it on your short list.Bear of the Day:Lennar Corp. isn't going to see a turnaround in 2026. This Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) is expected to see earnings decline for the fourth year in a row as the housing market continues to struggle.Lennar is one of the largest homebuilders in the United States. It builds affordable, move-up, and active adult homes. Lennar's Financial Services segment also provides mortgage financing, title and closing services primarily for buyers of Lennar's homes.It also originates mortgage loans through LMF Commercial, which are secured primarily by commercial real estate properties throughout the United States.Lennar's Multifamily segment develops multifamily rental properties nationwide.Lennar Missed on Earnings in the Fiscal First Quarter of 2026On Mar 12, 2026, Lennar reported its fiscal first quarter 2026 results and missed on the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $0.08. Earnings were $0.88 versus the Consensus of $0.96.It was the fourth earnings miss in a row.Revenues from home sales fell 13% to $6.3 billion from $7.2 billion in the year ago quarter. Revenues were lower primarily due to an 8% decrease in the average sales price of homes delivered and a 5% decrease in the number of home deliveries.Home deliveries fell to 16,863 from 17,834 in the first quarter of 2025. The average sales price declined to $374,000 from $408,000.Gross margin, a key metric for homebuilders, fell to 15.2% from 18.7% in the year ago quarter. The gross margin decreased primarily due to lower revenue per square foot and higher land costs year over year, which were partially offset by a decrease in construction costs."Our first quarter of fiscal year 2026 was defined by the same persistent headwinds that have challenged the housing market for over three years — high mortgage rates, constrained affordability, cautious consumer sentiment, and geopolitical uncertainty, especially now including the recent conflict in Iran," said Stuart Miller, CEO.Analysts Cut Lennar's Earnings Estimates for 2026 and 2027Many had hoped that 2026 would be the year that housing would finally turn around. But the analysts are bearish on Lennar for 2026.Five estimates were cut in the last week, pushing the fiscal 2026 earnings consensus down to $6.14 from $6.49. The consensus had been at $6.84 just 60 days ago.That's an earnings decline of 23.8% as Lennar made $8.06 in fiscal 2025.It would be the fourth year of earnings declines, if the consensus holds.Here's what it looks like on the price, consensus, and surprise chart. This is a classic Strong Sell chart.Shares of Lennar Hit 6-Month LowsWith the housing market still challenged, investors are fleeing the homebuilder stocks. Lennar is down 28.5% in the last 6 months.It's still not that cheap, because earnings continue to fall. Lennar trades with a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 15.8. A P/E under 15 usually indicates value.Lennar is shareholder friendly. In the fiscal first quarter, it bought 2 million shares for $237 million. It also pays a dividend, currently yielding 2.1%.With the homebuilders, it's wait-and-see. Earnings are expected to recover in fiscal 2027, growing 27.1%, but that's predicated on the housing market recovering.For investors interested in the homebuilders, you might want to wait on the sidelines for a confirmed turn in the earnings.Additional content:Is BigBear.ai the Next Palantir? What You Should Know Before InvestingBigBear.ai Holdings, Inc.'s shares have risen 27.3% over the past year, positioning it as a potential competitor to Palantir Technologies Inc. in the artificial intelligence (AI) defense sector. But is this comparison far-fetched, and is BigBear.ai worth buying given that the stock remains in negative territory this year? Let's take a closer look.What's Driving Optimism Around BigBear.aiBigBear.ai strengthened its capabilities by acquiring Ask Sage in December 2025, followed by the acquisition of CargoSeer in January 2026. Alongside these strategic moves, the company expanded its operations into the Middle East to broaden its geographic revenue base, positioning itself for strong growth in the years ahead.The Ask Sage acquisition, in particular, has the potential to accelerate revenue growth and strengthen BigBear.ai's standing in the national defense and security market. By integrating Ask Sage, BigBear.ai enhances its platform with a secure generative AI workflow, enabling customers to implement AI solutions while maintaining data privacy, a crucial requirement for defense clients.Following these strategic initiatives, BigBear.ai's management has expressed confidence and expects full-year 2026 revenues to be between $135 million and $165 million, up 17% at the midpoint compared to 2025's revenue of $128 million, according to the company's press release.BigBear.ai's cash balance of $462 million as of Dec. 31, 2025, further supports its ongoing growth initiatives. Kevin McAleenan, CEO of BigBear.ai, also noted that the company has reduced its debt by more than 90%, which significantly lowers its financial risk.Is BigBear.ai Positioned to Become the Next Palantir?While BigBear.ai's revenue projections for the current year appear encouraging, its fourth-quarter 2025 performance highlighted some challenges. Revenue declined 38% to $27.3 million from $43.8 million a year ago, primarily due to reduced volume in Army-related programs, which indicates a potential risk tied to customer concentration.Gross margin also came under significant pressure, declining from 37.4% in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 20.3% in the fourth quarter of 2025, raising clear concerns about profit consistency. BigBear.ai, anyhow, remains unprofitable, raising concerns about the long-term viability of its business model. While the company's net loss narrowed to $5.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 from $138.2 million a year ago, the improvement was mostly due to accounting adjustments rather than actual operational performance.In contrast, Palantir delivered strong profitability, reporting a GAAP net income of $609 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting a solid 43% margin, according to investors.palantir.com. Its GAAP net income is also expected to grow each quarter throughout 2026. Additionally, with a Rule of 40 score of 127%, way above the 40% benchmark, the company demonstrated a highly scalable business model.Unlike BigBear.ai, Palantir reported revenue for the fourth quarter of 2025 of $1.4 billion, marking a 70% year-over-year increase and a 19% rise from the previous quarter. Management also projects full-year 2026 revenue between $7.182 million and $7.198 billion, up from $4.475 billion in 2025. Given this strong growth, it's premature to determine whether BigBear.ai could reach Palantir's scale anytime soon.Is BigBear.ai Stock Still a Buy Despite the Challenges?BigBear.ai recently bolstered its position through strategic acquisitions, international expansion, enhanced AI offerings for defense clients and lower financial risk, which may encourage current stakeholders to maintain their holdings.However, prospective investors should exercise caution as the company continues to struggle with profitability, face margin pressures and declining revenues. They should wait for these issues to improve before investing.BigBear.ai currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here.Media ContactZacks Investment Research800-767-3771 ext. 9339https://www.zacks.comZacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer.Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss.This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.Quantum Computing Stocks Set To SoarArtificial intelligence has already reshaped the investment landscape, and its convergence with quantum computing could lead to the most significant wealth-building opportunities of our time.Today, you have a chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this technological revolution. In our urgent special report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power, you'll discover the little-known stocks we believe will win the quantum computing race and deliver massive gains to early investors.Access the Report Free Now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG): Free Stock Analysis Report Lennar Corporation (LEN): Free Stock Analysis Report Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR): Free Stock Analysis Report BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. (BBAI): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks