3 Huge Growth Opportunities for This Health Care Giant

Orthopedics device maker Stryker 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 Surgical hasn't performed as well as investors thought. Robotics forerunner Intuitive Surgical 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.

Keeping your eye on the long term
Stryker's looking to start up its growth engine, but this company's also been a top play over the long term in the health care sector. That's a critical plus for investors: After all, the best investing strategy to maximize your financial success is to buy and hold great stocks for the long term. The Motley Fool's special free report "3 Stocks That Will Help You Retire Rich" names specific investment opportunities that could help you build long-term wealth and help you retire well. The Fool also outlines critical wealth-building strategies that every investor should know. Click here to keep reading.

The article 3 Huge Growth Opportunities for This Health Care Giant originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Dan Carroll has no position in any stocks mentioned. Max Macaluso, Ph.D. has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Intuitive Surgical. The Motley Fool owns shares of Intuitive Surgical. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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