Shares of Medtronic Plc (NYSE: MDT) declined this week, despite the company reporting stronger-than-expected Q3 2026 earnings. Investors were unsettled by weaker margins and a cautious full-year outlook, tempering enthusiasm around the earnings beat. The company entered fiscal 2026 with renewed momentum, fueled by the growing demand for cardiovascular therapies and breakthrough innovations such as pulsed field ablation. After years of restructuring and portfolio optimization, the medical device maker is now reaping the benefits and appears well‑positioned to seize emerging opportunities in the medical technology sector.
Stock
Following the post‑earnings downturn, MDT shares traded largely sideways in subsequent sessions. Over the past two years, the stock has staged a modest recovery, reversing its prior losing streak. Having raised its annual payout for more than four decades, Medtronic continues its long tradition as a Dividend Aristocrat. This consistency signals strong cash‑flow generation and disciplined capital allocation. Backed by margin‑focused growth initiatives and breakthroughs in cardiovascular therapies and surgical robotics, Medtronic presents a compelling case for investors seeking long‑term exposure to medtech innovation.
The company reported adjusted earnings of $1.36 per share for the third quarter, down from $1.39 per share reported in the year-ago period. The latest number exceeded analysts’ estimates, continuing the long streak of outperformance. On an unadjusted basis, net profit was $1.14 billion or $0.89 per share, compared to $1.29 billion or $1.01 per share in the prior-year quarter. Operating margin decreased to 16.2% from 19.9% last year, mainly reflecting continued investments in R&D. Meanwhile, third-quarter revenue increased 8.7% from last year to $9.0 billion. Cardiovascular and Neuroscience segments increased by 13.8% and 4.1% respectively in Q3.
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Outlook
The Medtronic leadership reaffirmed its FY26 organic revenue growth forecast of 5.5% and adjusted earnings per share guidance of $5.62 to $5.66. Excluding the potential impact from tariffs, the guidance represents FY26 earnings per share growth of approximately 4.5%. The company expects its full-year operating margin to be roughly flat excluding tariffs, and down approximately 50 basis points including the tariff impact.
“Our innovation pipeline is far broader, and we are committed to driving sustained innovation across our portfolio, advancing a steady cadence of new technologies across high-need, high-growth categories we are well-positioned like MMA, carotid stenting, thrombectomy, coronary DCB, cardiac rhythm management, spine surgery, as well as many others. And to that point, I am extremely excited to highlight a major milestone in our neuroscience business. Just last week, we secured FDA clearance for our Stealth Axis Surgical System for spinal procedures,” said Medtronic’s CEO, Geoffrey Martha, during his post-earnings interaction with analysts.
Focus on Margin
The decline in operating margin underscores profitability pressures. The company is preparing to divest its diabetes business later this year, a move that will allow it to focus on faster-growing, higher-margin segments. The Hugo robotic-assisted surgery system, which received regulatory clearance in the US for urologic procedures last year, is emerging as a key growth driver.
After entering 2026 on a positive note, Medtronic shares experienced weakness ahead of the earnings. The latest closing price is above its 52-week average value of $92.50. On Friday, MDT opened at $97.18 and traded lower in the early hours of the session.