A Tale of 2 Tariffs: why Intuitive Surgical feels they’ll hurt hiring but Boston Scientific thinks they’ll be OK.
Tariffs are in the headlines in our nightmares. For companies in the medical device sector, they're more than just geopolitical posturing. They’re uncertainty generators, strategic landmines, and serious stressors when it comes to financial planning. With shifting policies, varying percentages, and different implementation timelines, tariff talk is as nerve-racking as it is confusing. But as the dust settles from recent announcements, the real question emerges: how are medtech companies responding?
I've been enjoying reading Amanda Pedersen lately—she's been doing some sharp reporting for Medical Device + Diagnostic Industry (MD+DI). She reports despite a looming $200 million tariff hit in the second half of 2025, Boston Scientific is charging forward with confidence—and hiring. The company has raised its 2025 guidance, forecasting 12%-14% organic revenue growth and 15%-17% sales growth. Adjusted EPS is also projected to climb to $2.87–$2.94, up from previous estimates.
Boston Scientific’s diversified manufacturing footprint and firm control on discretionary spending are helping absorb the blow. With new investments in Georgia and expanded capacity in Minnesota, they’re staying the course. Outgoing CFO Dan Brennan summarized the balance: "Revenue and FX offset half, discretionary spend reductions offset the other half." And their long-standing, well-optimized supply chain remains unchanged. “We’re not looking to make any changes,” Brennan noted. CEO Mike Mahoney added: “We find ways to deal with the reality and deliver high performance.” For job seekers and professionals in the medtech space, Boston Scientific’s ability to grow despite the tariffs is both encouraging and unusual.
Not every story has the same spin. She also shares a more sobering tale: Intuitive Surgical, the robotic surgery titan, expects a 1.7% increase in cost of sales due to tariffs, with that impact expected to grow quarterly.
Why the pain? Intuitive manufactures 98% of its robotic systems in the U.S., sources parts globally, and exports worldwide. This makes them a "significant net U.S. exporter" but also deeply vulnerable to tariff spikes from multiple directions—U.S.-China, Mexico-U.S., and broader international trade.
Some of the most dramatic numbers: 125% Chinese tariffs on subassemblies and finished goods and 145% U.S. tariffs on imported Chinese components. Even their European-made endoscopes face rising tariff levels.
CFO Jamie Samath explained that while Intuitive’s Mexican-made products mostly qualify under USMCA, some do not—and those incur 25% tariffs. The ripple effects include an updated pro forma gross margin estimate of 65%–66.5% and the warning that hospitals may delay or reprioritize capital budgets, affecting robotic system sales.
Intuitive Surgical’s exposure to global parts and rising tariffs is beginning to squeeze its margins—and potentially its sales outlook. As Samath summed up: “To the extent our customers see increased pricing as a derivative effect of tariffs, that creates pressure.”
Boston Scientific and Intuitive Surgical—two powerhouses, two paths. One absorbing impact and forging ahead, the other recalibrating amid financial strain. For recruiters, job seekers, and medtech strategists, the lesson is clear: resilience isn’t just about reacting to tariffs. It’s about building operations, teams, and supply chains strong enough to thrive in spite of them.
In today’s fast-moving market, resilience starts with the right people. No matter how challenging the landscape, Gochkeys can help provide the best candidate options in the shortest amount of time. Let the hiring—and the hiring stories—continue.
