Orthopedics device maker Stryker (SYK 0.58%) might be one of the biggest names in medical tech, but this stock's not often thought of as a great growth opportunity. However, Stryker's changing the game in 2013: The company has paved a path for future growth that just grew clearer this week, when the company purchased robotic surgery maker MAKO Surgical (MAKO.DL).
MAKO Surgical hasn't performed as well as investors thought. Robotics forerunner Intuitive Surgical (ISRG -0.55%) lit the path for MAKO by pushing its da Vinci surgical suite to hospitals across the U.S., and Intuitive's stock has succeeded over the past few years because of its strong sales, consistent earnings growth, and expanded approvals for new surgical indications. That hasn't caught up to MAKO yet: The company hasn't even reached profitability. But as part of Stryker's portfolio, this once-controversial stock could become a significant portion of a top device maker's future.
Stryker's strategy doesn't end with MAKO, however. In the video below, Fool contributor Dan Carroll tells you what's ahead for Stryker in the wake of the MAKO acquisition -- and what other top moves the company's making to solidify its stock's growth in the long run.
