New partnership with Ekso Bionics (EKSO) to support Ekso devices

Exo Bionics EKSO recently announced a research partnership with Shepherd Center, a renowned rehabilitation hospital in Atlanta, to incorporate EksoNR and Ekso Indego devices into its rehabilitation and community network.

Shepherd Center is known for providing top-notch clinical care, research and family support to patients with the most complex diseases, including multiple sclerosis, traumatic amputations, spinal cord and brain injuries, stroke and pain.

More about the Partnership

As part of their collaboration, Ekso Bionics and the Shepherd Center will collaborate on creating a training and research program for Ekso devices. This experience is expected to provide an understanding of how best to incorporate Ekso device training into clinical programs and support individual use of Ekso Indego Personal devices.

Shepherd Center will partner with Ekso Bionics to develop a training program for the Ekso Indego Personal device, which Ekso Bionics says will provide individuals with the opportunity to learn and learn about exoskeleton technology, providing those interested in purchasing the home device needed to successfully integrate it into everyday life.

With its expertise in spinal cord injury (SCI) and programming, the Shepherd Center is in a unique position to explore the potential benefits of integrating exoskeleton technology into healthcare from the hospital to the patient’s home.

More about Ekso devices

EksoNR is a rehabilitation device that helps patients stand and walk. It works with healthcare professionals to provide the required support for the patient’s trunk and legs, encouraging appropriate movement patterns throughout the physical rehabilitation process. It also creates challenges for patients as they get closer to leaving the EksoNR rehabilitation center and returning to their daily lives.

Ekso Indego Therapy provides physicians with the ability to offer patients with stroke or spinal cord injury tailored gait rehabilitation. The specific robot-assisted gait pattern can be taught using two different software packages, and the assessment can be performed after the gait pattern has been eliminated. The easy-to-use iOS app lets you customize many settings, and viewing patient and device performance analytics can be used to improve treatment plans.

Ekso Indego Personal provides people with spinal cord injuries a new level of functional independence and vertical mobility at home and in the community. With a modular design consisting of five interconnected components and weighing only 29 pounds, the Ekso Indego Personal is designed for ease of use and intuitive operation. It offers easy setup and quick learning, making it easy for most users to stand and walk on the device for the first time.

Industry prospects

According to a report by Grand View Research, the global exoskeleton market, which was valued at $419.5 million in 2023, is expected to grow by 16.6% between 2024 and 2030.

Rapid technological advancements in the global market are expected to increase the demand for exoskeletons. The rising popularity and increasing use of exoskeletons by companies is expected to drive the market growth. Moreover, the rising incidence rate of SCI is expected to drive demand in global markets.

Price performance

Over the past six months, EKSO shares have fallen 39.5% against an industry gain of 4.4%. During the same period, the S&P 500 index increased by 14.3%.

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Zacks Rank and Other Stocks to Consider

EKSO is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Some other top-shelf companies in the broader healthcare space that reported quarterly results include: DaVita DVA, Ecolab ECL i Universal health services UHS.

Currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2, DaVita’s long-term growth rate is estimated at 13.6%. DVA’s earnings have topped estimates in each of the four consecutive quarters, with an average surprise of 29.4%. You can see see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

DaVita shares have gained 44% compared to the industry’s gain of 20.4% last year.

Currently sporting a Zacks Rank of 2, Ecolab’s estimated long-term growth rate is 13.3%. ECL’s earnings beat estimates in each of the four consecutive quarters, and the average surprise was 1.7%.

Ecolab shares rose 33.8% against an industry decline of 9.3% last year.

Universal Health Services currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.91% and a Zacks Rank #2. UHS estimates that the earnings growth rate in 2024 will be 30.5%.

UHS earnings have topped estimates in each of the four consecutive quarters, delivering an average earnings surprise of 8.12%.

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