BSX vs SYK: how the two businesses compare

  • Bigger business: SYK, with $25.1B of yearly revenue, about 1.3× BSX's $20.1B.
  • More cash from each sale: BSX turns 23 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 20 cents at SYK.

From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.

Stryker (SYK) is the larger business by reported revenue: $25.1B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 1.3× BSX's $20.1B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 3841 (Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus).

Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.

Sector
Health Care
SEC industry
Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus
Same classification
Fiscal year ends
December 31
Same calendar
Reviewed
Feb 17, 2026

BSX vs SYK: quick comparison

Company factBSXSYK
CompanyBoston Scientific CorporationStryker Corporation
ExchangeNYSENYSE
SEC industrySurgical & Medical Instruments & ApparatusSurgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus
Fiscal year-endDecember 31December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-02-1710-K · 2026-02-11

BSX vs SYK: audited financials

  • Scale: SYK's $25.1B of revenue is about 1.3× BSX's $20.1B.
  • Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled BSX 22.6% of revenue; SYK 20.1% of revenue, or 1.55× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
  • Periods: both fiscal years end on 2025-12-31, so these annual figures cover the same months.

BSX: FY ending 2025-12-31 · SYK: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

Where BSX and SYK overlap, and where they don't

Overlap

  • Same SEC industry: both report under SIC 3841, Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus.
  • Shared research theme: International markets.
  • Same fiscal calendar: both fiscal years end December 31.

Differences

No differences in classification, themes, or calendar are recorded in the data; the differences sit in the businesses described below.

Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.

Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX)

Boston Scientific makes minimally invasive medical devices for cardiology, urology, and other specialties.

Stryker Corporation (SYK)

Stryker makes orthopedic implants, surgical equipment, and medical devices for hospitals.

What moves each company

Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.

What moves BSX

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for BSX. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-17.

What moves SYK

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for SYK. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-11.

The investment question

You now know SYK reports about 1.3× BSX's revenue. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to international markets, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.

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SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. Both fiscal years end December 31, so annual reports line up, but check segment definitions before comparing growth or margins.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 39 matched transaction rows for BSX and 25 matched transaction rows for SYK. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

BSX vs SYK FAQs

Are BSX and SYK direct competitors?

Boston Scientific and Stryker share the SEC industry classification “Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus.” That makes the operating comparison relevant, but it does not prove that every product, customer, or revenue stream competes directly.

Is BSX or SYK the bigger company by revenue?

Stryker (SYK) is the larger business by reported revenue: $25.1B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 1.3× BSX's $20.1B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 3841 (Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus). Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.

Which is better, BSX or SYK?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this BSX vs SYK comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Boston Scientific Corporation and Stryker Corporation tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?

BSX vs SYK compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.

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