C3.ai, Inc. (AI) vs Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG)
ISRG leads on 7 of 9 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of C3.ai, Inc. and Intuitive Surgical, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — AI vs ISRG
growth of $100 · last 6yAI -91.6%ISRG +62.7%ISRG compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
AI ISRG
AI vs ISRG: by the numbers
- •ISRG is the larger company ($145.58B vs $1.55B market cap).
- •ISRG is profitable (28.15% net margin) while AI runs a net loss (-187.95%).
- •ISRG grew revenue faster over the past five years (18.39% vs 6.44% CAGR).
Which is better, AI or ISRG?
Metric tally: AI 2 · ISRG 7It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthISRG(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityISRG(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | AI | ISRG |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | — | 49.83 |
| Forward P/E | — | 34.90 |
| P/S ratio | 6.37● | 13.98 |
| P/B ratio | 2.44● | 8.46 |
| PEG ratio | — | 3.17 |
| EV / EBITDA | — | 35.41 |
| FCF yield | — | 1.92% |
Profitability
| Metric | AI | ISRG |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 30.92% | 66.29%● |
| Operating margin | -194.86% | 30.45%● |
| Net margin | -187.95% | 28.15%● |
| ROE | -71.95% | 17.05%● |
| ROIC | -68.71% | 13.71%● |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AI | ISRG |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 6.44% | 18.39%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | — | 21.51% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | — | 16.61% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -29.02% | 7.37%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, AI or ISRG?
- It depends on your goal. growth: ISRG (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: ISRG (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, ISRG leads 7 to 2.
- Which has grown faster, AI or ISRG?
- Over the past five years, ISRG grew revenue faster — AI at a 6.44% CAGR versus ISRG at 18.39%.
- Is AI or ISRG more profitable?
- ISRG runs the higher net margin — AI at -187.95% versus ISRG at 28.15%.
- Which has been the better investment, AI or ISRG?
- Over the past 5-year, ISRG delivered the higher annualized total return — AI at -29.02% versus ISRG at 19.14%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
C3.ai P/E ratioIntuitive Surgical P/E ratioC3.ai dividend yieldIntuitive Surgical dividend yieldC3.ai ROEIntuitive Surgical ROEC3.ai operating marginIntuitive Surgical operating marginC3.ai revenue growthIntuitive Surgical revenue growthC3.ai free cash flowIntuitive Surgical free cash flow
C3.ai & Intuitive Surgical appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 13, 2026.