Initiate at OP: Buy the Implant, Not the VBP Fear

Research evidence excerpt

Initiate at OP: Buy the Implant, Not the VBP Fear

n traction

despite the refreshed value proposition. North America, expected to be a "significant growth provider,"

instead becomes a neutral or negative contributor. In our downside scenario, the Smartee manufacturing

transition encounters operational difficulties, new clinical features fail to drive meaningful adoption

acceleration, or competitive pressure intensifies. ClearCorrect remains a significant operating loss

contributor through 2027, consuming group margins and management attention. A combination of

earnings misses driven by China, ClearCorrect, and FX, alongside broader medtech multiple compression,

pushes STMN toward 30x NTM earnings. At this level, the stock would be pricing in a structural rather

than cyclical impairment of the growth algorithm.

In the Exhibit Below, We Compare STMN to Dental Peers

Compared to its peers, the company is trading at a significant premium on 2027 estimates (28.9x vs.

13.3x) given its faster 2026 and 2027 sales growth profile. STMN's consensus 2026 and 2027 organic

revenue growth estimates of approximately 9-10% significantly exceed the peer group average of 3-4%,

reflecting both the company's market share gains in implantology and the optionality from ClearCorrect's

profitability inflection. For STMN to re-rate higher, the market would need to gain confidence in a few

things. First, that the China VBP recovery delivers as management has guided, validating the 2H 2026

acceleration thesis. Second, that ClearCorrect reaches breakeven on schedule in 2027, removing a

significant earnings drag in the portfolio. Third, end-markets stabilize with North America improving from

current levels. We believe all three of these conditions are achievable within our 12-month investment