Compare StocksAAPL vs ISRG

Apple Inc. (AAPL) vs Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG)

AAPL
Apple Inc.
$280.25
VS
ISRG
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$457.78

Rewards

AAPL
  • Apple Inc. has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
  • Apple Inc. scores 96/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with roic consistency as the strongest competitive dimension.
  • Return on equity has consistently exceeded 20% over 4 years, indicating efficient use of shareholder capital.
ISRG
  • Gross margin of 66.3% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • Intuitive Surgical, Inc. scores 89/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with revenue predictability as the strongest competitive dimension.
  • Free cash flow has grown at a 37.5% CAGR over the past 4 years, demonstrating strong earnings power growth.

Risks

AAPL
  • FCF yield of 2.5% is below 3%, meaning the market is pricing in substantial future growth to justify the current price.
  • Insiders have sold $24.6M worth of stock in the past 3 months — significant insider liquidation.
ISRG
  • FCF yield of 1.4% is below 3%, meaning the market is pricing in substantial future growth to justify the current price.
  • PEG ratio of 2.96 indicates the stock is expensive relative to its expected growth — the market may be pricing in more growth than analysts project.
  • 7 insider sales totaling $3.1M with no purchases in the past 3 months — insiders are reducing their exposure.

Key Valuation Metrics

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AAPL
ISRG
Valuation
$101.09B
Free Cash Flow
$2.25B
2.46%
FCF Yield
1.39%
33.93
Trailing P/E
55.56
29.30
Forward P/E
38.83
Quality & Moat
60.20%
ROIC
N/A
105.18%
ROE
N/A
47.86%
Gross Margin
66.29%
1.56
PEG Ratio
2.96
Balance Sheet Safety
0.80
Debt / Equity
N/A
N/A
Interest Coverage
No debt
0.10
Net Debt / EBITDA
-1.16
0.39%
Dividend Yield
N/A
AAPL: 5ISRG: 2
AAPLISRG

Historical Fundamentals

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AAPL

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

ISRG

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

$1 Retained Earnings Test

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AAPL
$7.57
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$257.06B
Δ Market Cap
+$1.94T
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
ISRG
Not enough historical data to compute the retained earnings test.

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

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AAPL
58.6% Overvalued
Price is 58.6% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $280.25
Fair Value: $176.66
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
ISRG
127.6% Overvalued
Price is 127.6% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $457.78
Fair Value: $201.12
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued

Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

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AAPL

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $280?

+16.0%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +17.4%

The market implies +16.0% Owner Earnings growth, above historical trends.

Standard FCF implies a demanding +17.4%, reflecting heavy growth investment.

ISRG

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $458?

+24.8%
Market-Implied FCF Growth Rate

Market roughly matching historical growth — reasonable.

Economic Moat Score

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AAPL
96/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. ROIC Consistency is the standout factor.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 5 years of fundamental data.
ISRG
89/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. Revenue Predictability is the standout factor.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 5 years of fundamental data.

Forensic Accounting

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AAPL
-2.29
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
ISRG
-3.07
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Ownership Breakdown

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AAPL
Insiders 1.6%Institutions 65.3%Retail & Other 33.0%
No. of Institutional Holders7,540
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
ISRG
Insiders 0.6%Institutions 89.4%Retail & Other 10.1%
No. of Institutional Holders3,195
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

Insider Buying Activity

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AAPL
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
ISRG
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

Insider Selling Activity

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AAPL
3
Sells (3M)
11
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $112.79M
PAREKH KEVAN
Chief Financial Officer
$421,850
@ $275.00 · 2026-04-23
O'BRIEN DEIRDRE
Officer
$7.66M
@ $255.35 · 2026-04-02
COOK TIMOTHY D
Chief Executive Officer
$16.51M
@ $254.23 · 2026-04-02
KONDO CHRISTOPHER
Officer
$1.02M
@ $271.23 · 2025-11-07
PAREKH KEVAN
Chief Financial Officer
$1.04M
@ $247.39 · 2025-10-16
O'BRIEN DEIRDRE
Officer
$11.07M
@ $257.39 · 2025-10-02
ADAMS KATHERINE L
General Counsel
$12.10M
@ $256.79 · 2025-10-02
COOK TIMOTHY D
Chief Executive Officer
$33.38M
@ $256.81 · 2025-10-02
LEVINSON ARTHUR D
Director
$20.89M
@ $232.07 · 2025-08-28
O'BRIEN DEIRDRE
Officer
$7.77M
@ $223.20 · 2025-08-08
KONDO CHRISTOPHER
Officer
$933,955
@ $208.19 · 2025-05-12
PAREKH KEVAN
Chief Financial Officer
$941,420
@ $206.00 · 2025-04-23
COOK TIMOTHY D
Chief Executive Officer
$24.18M
@ $223.65 · 2025-04-02
ADAMS KATHERINE L
General Counsel
$8.68M
@ $223.67 · 2025-04-02
WILLIAMS JEFFREY E
Chief Operating Officer
$7.95M
@ $224.01 · 2025-04-02
LEVINSON ARTHUR D
Director
$343,147
@ $226.35 · 2025-02-03
LEVINSON ARTHUR D
Director
$45.46M
@ $227.32 · 2024-11-19
KONDO CHRISTOPHER
Officer
$945,233
@ $228.87 · 2024-11-18
MAESTRI LUCA
Chief Financial Officer
$13.43M
@ $226.52 · 2024-10-04
O'BRIEN DEIRDRE
Officer
$13.84M
@ $226.87 · 2024-10-02
ADAMS KATHERINE L
General Counsel
$13.80M
@ $226.20 · 2024-10-02
WILLIAMS JEFFREY E
Chief Operating Officer
$13.55M
@ $226.86 · 2024-10-02
COOK TIMOTHY D
Chief Executive Officer
$50.28M
@ $224.46 · 2024-10-02
KONDO CHRISTOPHER
Officer
$1.96M
@ $225.00 · 2024-08-15
KONDO CHRISTOPHER
Officer
$1.12M
@ $216.50 · 2024-08-09
ADAMS KATHERINE L
General Counsel
$20.64M
@ $206.44 · 2024-08-05
LEVINSON ARTHUR D
Director
$14.37M
@ $191.58 · 2024-05-30
KONDO CHRISTOPHER
Officer
$951,785
@ $190.40 · 2024-05-15
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
ISRG
7
Sells (3M)
29
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $69.33M
LADD AMY L
Director
$291,886
@ $471.54 · 2026-04-29
CURET MYRIAM J
Officer
$51,865
@ $493.95 · 2026-03-10
BROSIUS MARK PRESTON
Officer
$630,475
@ $487.61 · 2026-03-09
BROSIUS MARK PRESTON
Officer
$1.82M
@ $496.19 · 2026-03-05
WIDMAN FREDRIK
Officer
$181,915
@ $495.68 · 2026-03-03
WADORS PATRICIA L.
Officer
$109,936
@ $499.71 · 2026-02-27
WIDMAN FREDRIK
Officer
$65,830
@ $494.96 · 2026-02-11
CURET MYRIAM J
Officer
$65,523
@ $520.02 · 2026-01-29
CURET MYRIAM J
Officer
$122,500
@ $532.61 · 2026-01-27
BROSIUS MARK PRESTON
Officer
$2.72M
@ $547.47 · 2025-12-15
BROSIUS MARK PRESTON
Officer
$2.63M
@ $547.36 · 2025-12-12
CURET MYRIAM J
Officer
$58,230
@ $559.90 · 2025-12-10
CURET MYRIAM J
Officer
$71,124
@ $568.99 · 2025-12-01
GUTHART GARY S
Officer and Director
$13.02M
@ $570.89 · 2025-12-01
CHARLTON HENRY L
Officer
$7.96M
@ $580.00 · 2025-11-12
BARRATT CRAIG H
Director
$435,000
@ $580.00 · 2025-11-12
CURET MYRIAM J
Officer
$58,800
@ $560.00 · 2025-11-10
MILLER BRIAN EDWARD
Officer
$2.01M
@ $575.00 · 2025-11-10
WIDMAN FREDRIK
Officer
$1.14M
@ $550.00 · 2025-11-05
CURET MYRIAM J
Officer
$4.22M
@ $548.34 · 2025-10-29
BARRATT CRAIG H
Director
$1.20M
@ $548.01 · 2025-10-24
ROSA DAVID J
Chief Executive Officer
$13.41M
@ $547.55 · 2025-10-24
LADD AMY L
Director
$305,588
@ $455.42 · 2025-09-04
GUTHART GARY S
Officer and Director
$13.87M
@ $472.49 · 2025-08-29
CURET MYRIAM J
Officer
$2.22M
@ $492.48 · 2025-07-25
BROSIUS MARK PRESTON
Officer
$242,182
@ $561.91 · 2025-06-06
BROSIUS MARK PRESTON
Officer
$355,139
@ $550.60 · 2025-06-04
BROSIUS MARK PRESTON
Officer
$23,596
@ $561.81 · 2025-05-16
BROSIUS MARK PRESTON
Officer
$36,886
@ $558.88 · 2025-05-14
SAMATH JAMIE E.
Chief Financial Officer
$483,074
@ $527.95 · 2025-05-02
NACHTSHEIM JAMI DOVER K
Director
$1.25M
@ $520.00 · 2025-05-01
LADD AMY L
Director
$4.44M
@ $505.55 · 2025-04-30
DESANTIS ROBERT
Officer
$508,509
@ $513.65 · 2025-04-29
CURET MYRIAM J
Officer
$2.05M
@ $513.18 · 2025-04-25
LOEB GARY
Officer
$872,406
@ $513.18 · 2025-04-25
DESANTIS ROBERT
Officer
$5.76M
@ $499.22 · 2025-03-13
MILLER BRIAN EDWARD
Officer
$6.37M
@ $493.44 · 2025-03-12
BROSIUS MARK PRESTON
Officer
$260,725
@ $533.18 · 2025-03-07
BROSIUS MARK PRESTON
Officer
$824,991
@ $558.94 · 2025-03-06
ROSA DAVID J
President
$9.20M
@ $557.52 · 2025-03-05
CURET MYRIAM J
Officer
$1.75M
@ $577.30 · 2025-03-03
WIDMAN FREDRIK
Officer
$464,762
@ $573.78 · 2025-03-03
BROSIUS MARK PRESTON
Officer
$282,300
@ $573.78 · 2025-03-03
SAMATH JAMIE E.
Chief Financial Officer
$106,585
@ $566.94 · 2025-02-28
CURET MYRIAM J
Officer
$1.39M
@ $581.00 · 2025-02-27
SAMATH JAMIE E.
Chief Financial Officer
$61,652
@ $570.85 · 2025-02-26
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

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AAPL
FearGreed
😏Greed(71/100)

"Market is optimistic — be cautious and ensure you have a margin of safety"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
ISRG
FearGreed
😐Neutral(43/100)

"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

⚖️ Buffett Signal

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AAPL
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Greed (71)
ISRG
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (43)
View AAPL Full AnalysisView ISRG Full Analysis
AAPL vs ISRG: Which Is the Better Buy? | SafetyMargin.io