Analyst Ratings February 20, 2026

William Blair Opens Coverage on Zimmer Biomet With Market Perform Rating

Analyst highlights product-line strengthening and a planned U.S. commercial reorganization while flagging near-term execution risk

By Avery Klein ZBH
William Blair Opens Coverage on Zimmer Biomet With Market Perform Rating
ZBH

William Blair initiated coverage of Zimmer Biomet (ZBH) with a Market Perform rating, citing revenue momentum and a strong gross margin but signaling caution around a planned U.S. commercial reorganization and its potential impact on 2026 forecasts. The stock trades at a P/E of 28 and a market capitalization of $19.67 billion.

Key Points

  • William Blair initiated coverage of Zimmer Biomet (ZBH) with a Market Perform rating, noting current valuation metrics: P/E of 28 and market cap of $19.67 billion.
  • Management’s strategy of divestitures and tuck-in acquisitions over the past five years has coincided with 7.2% revenue growth over the last twelve months and a 72% gross profit margin; a research service views the shares as undervalued with net income expected to grow this year.
  • Near-term focus is on a planned U.S. commercial reorganization intended to increase salesforce specialization; William Blair has de-risked 2026 estimates to reflect potential disruption and will monitor execution before revising its view.

William Blair has launched coverage of Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ZBH), assigning the medical-device company a Market Perform rating, the firm said on Thursday. Zimmer Biomet currently trades with a price-to-earnings ratio of 28 and a market capitalization of $19.67 billion.

The analyst team noted that over the past five years Zimmer Biomet has pursued a mix of divestitures and tuck-in acquisitions intended to accelerate top-line growth. William Blair said it is encouraged by management’s efforts to broaden the company’s product portfolio and bolster its pipeline. The strategy appears to be yielding results: revenue expanded 7.2% over the last twelve months, and the company reported a gross profit margin of 72%.

In addition, an investment research service highlighted that the shares appear undervalued at current levels and that net income is projected to rise this year. That same analytical coverage is available in a Pro Research Report covering the company among more than 1,400 U.S. equities.

William Blair’s near-term attention is centered on the execution of a planned transition of Zimmer Biomet’s U.S. commercial organization. The initiative is designed to create a more dedicated salesforce with greater specialization among sales representatives, the firm said. To reflect potential short-term disruptions from that reorganization, William Blair said it has de-risked its 2026 estimates by explicitly accounting for transitional impacts.

The analyst emphasized the importance of the sales representative–surgeon relationship in orthopedics and said it will monitor how the reorganization affects those dynamics before adopting a more constructive stance on the shares.

Zimmer Biomet develops and manufactures a broad set of products for musculoskeletal health, including orthopedic reconstructive systems, sports medicine and biologics solutions, extremities and trauma products, and dental implants.

Separately, the company reported fourth-quarter results that topped analyst expectations. Despite that earnings beat, management issued a cautious outlook for 2026. The company’s announcement did not include any new mergers or acquisitions, and, according to the report, other analyst firms had not yet issued upgrades or downgrades following the earnings publication.

For investors and market participants tracking Zimmer Biomet, the combination of recent revenue growth, a high gross margin and an earnings beat is being weighed against the execution risk tied to the commercial reorganization and the company’s guarded forward guidance. William Blair’s Market Perform rating reflects that balance: constructive signals on product and pipeline progress, tempered by the need to observe how the planned U.S. sales transition unfolds.


What to watch next

  • Progress and disruption tied to the U.S. commercial organization transition and its effect on surgeon-sales rep interactions.
  • Updates to 2026 guidance as management and the salesforce implementation evolve.
  • Any changes in analyst sentiment following the company’s fourth-quarter results and the new commercial structure.

Risks

  • Execution risk from the planned U.S. commercial organization transition, which could disrupt sales rep–surgeon relationships critical to orthopedic product adoption - impacts healthcare and medical-device markets.
  • A cautious outlook for 2026 issued by the company despite a fourth-quarter earnings beat, creating uncertainty around future revenue and earnings trajectories - impacts investors and equity markets following the company.
  • Analyst community had not yet issued upgrades or downgrades after the earnings release, leaving external sentiment and consensus forecasts uncertain in the near term - impacts investor assessment and sell-side coverage.

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