Goldman Sachs analyst Robert Jones kept his Sell rating on Dentsply Sirona (XRAY) and Patterson Companies (PDCO) while lowering his price target on the former to $43 from $45 and keeping that of the latter at $21. Jones says his Q2 dental survey indicates a "modest softening in consumable purchases and a slightly greater slowdown in equipment spending" reported by U.S. dentists, which puts the guidance of those companies at risk. The survey also revealed that the outlook for dental specialties lik implants and ortho is still more robust, suggesting a mid-single-digit implant market growth rate. The analyst is also positive on Align Technology (ALGN), keeping its Buy rating and raising its price target to $440 from $344 amid the "strong worldwide growth in 'Invisalign' search data" and the continued rollout of iTero in China.

Stifel raised the firm's price target on Align Technology to $400 from $350 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. Respondents to the firm's survey point to "solid" 2024 year-over-year case volume growth and while Invisalign's share is expected to step down "modestly" year-over-year, new product feedback is upbeat, says the firm, which adds that it has "an upside bias to our 2024 revenue estimate."