We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best ASX Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Opthea Limited (NASDAQ:OPT) stands against other best ASX stocks to buy according to hedge funds.
According to a report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) published on December 4, 2024, the Australian economy grew by 0.3% in the September quarter of 2024, which marked the twelfth consecutive quarter of growth. This growth, however, was the lowest rate since the December quarter of 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also noted that in nominal terms, GDP rose by 0.4%.
In terms of trade, a key indicator of the economy’s international competitiveness fell by 2.5% in the quarter. This decline was primarily due to a 2.6% drop in export prices and was the third consecutive quarterly fall. The weakening in global bulk commodity demand, particularly from China, significantly affected the prices of metallurgical coal and iron ore. Import prices also fell slightly by 0.1%, aligning with lower global oil prices.
However, public investment surged by 6.3% after three-quarters of decline, with government investment rising, driven by increased imports of defense equipment and investments in hospital and road projects. State and local public corporations also contributed to the rise, with increased activity on major road and renewable energy projects.
READ ALSO: 12 Most Promising Green Stocks According to Hedge Funds and 10 Worst Performing Energy Stocks in 2024.
According to Morgan Stanley’s 2025 Outlook and Implications for Australian Investors, the outlook for Australian equities is optimistic, though it is expected to lag behind major developed markets, particularly the United States. Morgan Stanley has raised its year-end 2025 price target for the ASX 200 to 8500, reflecting a base case multiple of 17.0x and a forecasted 10% earnings per share growth over the next 12 months. Within the Australian market, Morgan Stanley favors sectors that are poised for strong performance, such as healthcare, technology, and consumer discretionary. These sectors are expected to benefit from secular growth trends and favorable macroeconomic conditions.
In the energy sector, Morgan Stanley anticipates lower crude oil prices in 2025 due to rising supply from both OPEC and non-OPEC producers, outpacing slowing demand growth. This could impact energy-related stocks and investments. Regarding metals, copper remains the top pick, driven by declining inventories and demand recovery at lower price levels. For gold, the outlook is more cautious, with limited upside expected despite potential tailwinds from rate cuts. According to the report, physical demand for gold is beginning to soften, which may dampen its appeal as a safe-haven asset.
The Australian economy continues its growth streak and sectors such as healthcare, technology, and consumer discretionary are positioned for strong performance.
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 10 best ASX stocks to buy according to hedge funds, we used Finviz and Yahoo stock screeners to identify companies that are dual-listed in the United States and Australia. We then used Insider Monkey’s Hedge Fund database to rank 10 stocks according to the largest number of hedge fund holders, as of Q3 2024. The list is sorted in ascending order of hedge fund sentiment.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A researcher in a lab coat studying the effects of VEGFR-3 on vascular leakage.
Opthea Limited (NASDAQ:OPT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holdings: 3
Opthea Limited (NASDAQ:OPT) is an Australian biotechnology company developing novel therapies to treat eye diseases, particularly those involving abnormal blood vessel growth and vascular leakage. The company collaborates with ophthalmologists and clinical researchers to advance their drug candidates through clinical development.
Opthea Limited’s (NASDAQ:OPT) lead candidate, sozinibercept, is a biologic designed to inhibit VEGF-C and VEGF-D, complementing the effects of VEGF-A inhibitors. The company is conducting two pivotal Phase 3 trials, COAST and ShORe, to assess the efficacy and safety of sozinibercept in combination with established VEGF-A inhibitors, Eylea and Lucentis. These studies have enrolled nearly 2,000 treatment-naive wet AMD patients across more than 300 global sites, with topline results expected in mid-2025.
Despite the competitive landscape of the wet AMD market, where therapies such as Eylea, Vabysmo, and Lucentis are well established, Opthea Limited (NASDAQ:OPT) is positioning sozinibercept as a complementary treatment to enhance the efficacy of existing options. The company’s strategy is centered on demonstrating that inhibiting VEGF-C and VEGF-D, in addition to VEGF-A, can lead to improved visual outcomes and better patient quality of life.
Overall OPT ranks 6th on our list of the best ASX stocks to buy according to hedge funds. While we acknowledge the potential of OPT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than OPT but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
