ASX health care stocks were smashed in 2025. CSL collapsed, Pro Medicus paused. Is there an opportunity in 2026?It was a tough 2025 for 2 of the market’s most loved growth engines.The ASX has a way of humbling investors right when a narrative feels “unbreakable”. In 2025, 2 ASX health care companies took a battering as investors sold long time staples and portfolio favourites. CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) collapsed, Pro Medicus Limited’s (ASX: PME) momentum paused and they dragged the ASX health care index is dow ...

Core Thesis - Vistra Corp. presents a bullish investment opportunity following a significant pullback in its stock price, which is currently trading between $160 and $170, down approximately 20% from its all-time high of $219 [2] Valuation and Financial Performance - The trailing P/E ratio of Vistra is 61.66, while the forward P/E is 17.92, indicating a potential valuation reset [1] - Despite the elevated trailing P/E, this is attributed to a recent quarterly EPS miss due to a non-operational accounting event, not reflecting underlying business weakness [3] - The company has shown strong year-on-year growth in revenue, net income, net profit margin, EBITDA, and annual EPS, with a return on capital of around 11%, above industry averages [3] Operational Expansion - Vistra is expanding its asset base through the acquisition of seven natural gas plants and investments in gas and solar projects [4] - A new 20-year power supply agreement starting in 2027 enhances revenue visibility, while partnerships with Amazon and Microsoft strengthen its market position [4] Macro Environment - The current lower interest rate environment is expected to reduce financing costs, benefiting ongoing and future projects [5] - Rising energy demand driven by electrification trends, including electric vehicles and AI infrastructure, is anticipated to provide additional growth from 2026 onward [5] Institutional Confidence - Institutional confidence is increasing, as evidenced by JPMorgan's 23% increase in its stake in Vistra in Q3 2025 at prices near current levels [6] - Technical analysis indicates strong support for the stock around $166 and $160, with a broader base near $150, suggesting an attractive risk-reward setup [6] Historical Context - Previous bullish coverage highlighted Vistra's strengths as an AI-driven power beneficiary, nuclear exposure, and strong cash flow, with the stock appreciating approximately 35.11% since then due to strengthened energy demand expectations [7]

Core Viewpoint - Paycom Software has experienced a significant decline in stock value, down approximately 72% from its all-time high in November 2021, raising questions about whether this represents a broken story or a high-quality business undergoing a valuation reset, potentially presenting a buying opportunity [1] Group 1: Valuation Reset - Paycom specializes in payroll and human resources software, with a revenue base that is predominantly recurring, making the stock's drastic decline unexpected [3] - The high valuation in 2021 set a challenging growth expectation, and any signs of slowing growth prompted investors to reassess the stock's valuation [4] - Revenue growth has slowed significantly, with a 9.1% year-over-year increase in Q3 2025 compared to 30.4% growth in Q3 2021, indicating a dramatic deceleration [5] Group 2: Recent Performance - The third-quarter results for 2025 showed a sequential deceleration in growth, with 9.1% top-line growth down from 10.5% in Q2 [6] - Despite the deceleration, management projects approximately 9% total revenue growth for 2025, and share repurchases are becoming increasingly important to the investment thesis [8] Group 3: Profitability - Paycom's third-quarter growth of 9.1% is still considered solid, with recurring revenue growth at 10.6% year-over-year, representing about 95% of total revenue [9] - Profitability metrics are strong, with adjusted EBITDA margin increasing from 37.9% in the previous year to 39.4% in Q3 2025, and non-GAAP earnings per share rising 16.2% year-over-year to $1.94 [10]

Group 1 - PAR Technology Corporation's stock is currently trading near 4x revenue, indicating a valuation reset earlier this year that has attracted investor interest [1] - The company reported an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of approximately $298 million, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 22% [1] - Subscription revenue for PAR Technology grew by 25%, showcasing strong performance in its revenue streams [1] Group 2 - The analyst emphasizes a focus on companies with strong fundamentals and real potential, particularly in the tech, infrastructure, and internet services sectors [1] - The article aims to share investment ideas and foster connections among investors who prioritize long-term returns over short-term fluctuations [1]

Group 1: Market Overview - The S&P 500 sector has increased over 13% year-to-date, but gains are concentrated in a few tech companies known as the Magnificent Seven, which have a combined market capitalization of nearly $21 trillion [1] - The healthcare industry has underperformed, with exchange-traded funds tracking major healthcare names trading slightly below parity compared to benchmark indices [2] Group 2: Impact of Policies - Health insurance companies warn that tariffs from the Trump administration could lead to higher premiums for enrollees, raising costs for prescription drugs and medical services [3] - President Trump's initiative to align U.S. drug prices with international markets has negatively impacted major pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly, which lost formulary status to Novo Nordisk [4] Group 3: Investment Opportunities - There may be a bullish opportunity for contrarian investors as speculation about a valuation reset in the tech sector could lead to a rotation into cheaper stocks, potentially benefiting the healthcare sector [5] - The healthcare sector is supported by demographic trends, particularly the aging baby boomer generation, which is reshaping the healthcare landscape [6] Group 4: Investment Vehicles - Direxion offers an ultra-leveraged ETF, the Direxion Daily Healthcare Bull 3X Shares (CURE), which tracks 300% of the performance of the Health Care Select Sector index [7] - The CURE ETF allows for extreme short-term exposure to the healthcare industry, spreading risk across multiple companies rather than relying on a single entity [8] Group 5: Performance Metrics - The CURE ETF has lost over 13% since the beginning of the year and is down more than 40% over the past 52 weeks [10] - The CURE ETF is currently trading between the 200-day moving average and the 50-day moving average, showing resilience with a sideways consolidation pattern since May [12]