Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) Upgraded to “Buy” at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Saturday.

Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. William Blair upgraded Medtronic from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Piper Sandler restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Medtronic in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Daiwa Securities Group cut their price target on Medtronic from $117.00 to $115.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 27th. UBS Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $104.00 price objective on shares of Medtronic in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on shares of Medtronic in a research report on Friday, January 30th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $114.00 price objective on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $110.74.

Medtronic Stock Down 0.5%

Shares of MDT stock opened at $87.20 on Friday. Medtronic has a 52-week low of $79.55 and a 52-week high of $106.33. The stock has a market cap of $111.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.29, a PEG ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.71. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $95.80 and its 200-day moving average is $96.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 1.87 and a current ratio of 2.54.

Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 17th. The medical technology company reported $1.36 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $9.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $8.89 billion. Medtronic had a return on equity of 14.82% and a net margin of 13.00%.Medtronic’s quarterly revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.38 earnings per share. Medtronic has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.620-5.660 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Medtronic will post 5.46 EPS for the current year.

Medtronic Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 27th will be issued a $0.71 dividend. This represents a $2.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 27th. Medtronic’s dividend payout ratio is currently 79.11%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Medtronic news, EVP Harry Skip Kiil sold 52,524 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.71, for a total transaction of $5,132,120.04. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 32,768 shares in the company, valued at $3,201,761.28. This trade represents a 61.58% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.26% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Medtronic

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Medtronic by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 128,961,343 shares of the medical technology company’s stock worth $12,388,027,000 after purchasing an additional 1,888,381 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its position in shares of Medtronic by 2.0% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 61,660,158 shares of the medical technology company’s stock worth $5,966,780,000 after purchasing an additional 1,199,621 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in shares of Medtronic by 2.7% during the fourth quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 53,616,694 shares of the medical technology company’s stock worth $5,150,420,000 after purchasing an additional 1,419,730 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors raised its position in shares of Medtronic by 12.6% in the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 34,573,163 shares of the medical technology company’s stock valued at $3,321,101,000 after buying an additional 3,880,174 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Medtronic by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 27,879,481 shares of the medical technology company’s stock valued at $2,665,832,000 after buying an additional 231,919 shares in the last quarter. 82.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Medtronic News

Here are the key news stories impacting Medtronic this week:

• Positive Sentiment: FDA clearance expands addressable market for Stealth AXiS — The U.S. FDA cleared Medtronic’s Stealth AXiS surgical system for cranial and ENT procedures, adding to the spine clearance received in February. The broader indication increases the platform’s market opportunity for navigation + robotics in higher‑value neurosurgical/ENT cases, supporting future procedure volume and device sales. Medtronic gets US FDA nod to use surgical system in cranial, ENT surgeries
• Positive Sentiment: Distribution deal adds a minimally invasive pain product to the portfolio — Medtronic expanded distribution with Merit Medical for the ViaVerte™ basivertebral nerve ablation (BVNA) system, a minimally invasive, implant‑free therapy for chronic low back pain. This is a commercially relevant, non‑capital product that could contribute recurring revenue and broaden Medtronic’s spine/pain offerings. Medtronic (MDT) Expands Partnership with Merit Medical for ViaVerte System
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst reaffirmation with a high price target — Needham reiterated a Buy rating and $120 price target on MDT, signaling continued analyst confidence in Medtronic’s multi‑year growth thesis (including tuck‑ins, robotics, and margin improvement). That target implies substantial upside from current levels and can support investor sentiment. Needham Reiterates Buy Rating on Medtronic
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic spin‑off plan remains a potential value catalyst — Coverage highlights Medtronic’s planned spin‑off of its high‑growth diabetes unit later this year. A diabetes spin‑off could unlock value for the parent (focused on cardiovascular, robotics, and other higher‑margin hospital businesses) and make both entities more strategically coherent. 5 Spin-Off Stocks That Could Reward Patient Investors in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor writeups argue the company is set for faster growth — Recent commentary (e.g., Seeking Alpha’s “Time For A Growth Spurt”) lays out a bullish case around robotics, procedure growth, and margin leverage; these are thematic/analytical pieces rather than direct catalysts. Impact timing is uncertain. Medtronic: Time For A Growth Spurt
• Negative Sentiment: Near‑term technicals and volume suggest selling pressure — MDT is trading below its 50‑ and 200‑day moving averages with intraday volume above average, a setup that can keep the stock under pressure despite positive fundamental news until technicals stabilize.

About Medtronic

Medtronic plc is a global medical technology company that develops and manufactures a broad range of therapeutic devices and health care solutions. Headquartered legally in Ireland with principal operational offices in the United States, the company markets products to hospitals, physicians and health systems worldwide and has grown from its founding in 1949 into one of the largest medical-device manufacturers serving global health-care markets.

Medtronic’s offerings span several clinical areas, including cardiac rhythm and heart failure (pacemakers, implantable cardioverter‑defibrillators and related cardiac therapies), minimally invasive and surgical technologies (laparoscopic and advanced energy devices, visualization systems and surgical innovations), restorative therapies (spine and orthopedics, neuromodulation and neurovascular treatments) and diabetes management (insulin-delivery systems and glucose monitoring solutions).