Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX), a medical-device maker for interventional specialties, closed Wednesday at $75.50, down 17.59%. The stock fell after Q4 earnings beat expectations, but cautious 2026 guidance and weaker electrophysiology sales reset growth assumptions. Trading volume reached 78.1 million shares, about 581% above its three-month average of 11.5 million shares. Boston Scientific IPO'd in 1992 and has grown 1,664% since going public.
How the markets moved today
The S&P 500 slipped 0.51% to 6,882, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.51% to 22,905 as large-cap growth names came under pressure. Within medical devices, industry peers Medtronic closed at $101.84 (-1.30%) and Stryker finished at $360.66 (-0.04%), underscoring how Boston Scientific’s drop was company‑specific rather than sector‑wide.
What this means for investors
Despite growing sales and adjusted EPS by 16% and 14% in Q4 -- easily beating Wall Street’s estimates -- Boston Scientific stock dropped 18% on Wednesday due to “weak” guidance. More specifically, the company’s Q1 and 2026 EPS guidance came up one penny shy of analysts’ hopes. I think today’s market reaction is overdone -- even if the company traded at a slight premium before earnings.
Not only did Boston Scientific’s core Cardiovascular segment grow sales by 18% -- alongside its MedSurg unit, which increased revenue by 12% -- management guided for $4.2 billion in free cash flow in 2026. Compounding investor returns by 18% annually since 2016 and growing sales by double-digits for 12 straight quarters, Boston Scientific looks as strong as ever, despite today’s overdone drop.
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Josh Kohn-Lindquist has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Medtronic. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
