Australia's top brokers have been busy adjusting their estimates and recommendations again, leading to the release of a large number of broker notes this week.
Three broker buy ratings that have caught my eye are summarised below. Here's why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:
Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN)
According to a note out of Citi, its analysts have retained their buy rating and lifted the price target on this retailer's shares to $4.50. The broker was pleasantly surprised with Harvey Norman's sales growth during April and May. And while it isn't clear whether its bottom line is growing as strongly, Citi appears confident that the company will deliver a solid full year result in August. I agree with Citi and feel Harvey Norman could be a decent option.
Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM)
Analysts at UBS have retained their buy rating and $35.00 price target on this gold miner's shares. This follows the release of drilling results from Red Chris and Havieron this week. UBS was pleased with the results from Havieron and believes they are strong enough for management to seriously consider mining the orebody. It doesn't feel this potential has been priced into its shares. I think UBS makes some good points and Newcrest could be worth considering if you're looking for exposure to gold.
Opthea Ltd (ASX: OPT)
A note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their conviction buy rating and $5.20 price target on this biotech company's shares. This follows the release of data from its study evaluating OPT-302 in the treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema. Goldman notes that the data was unconvincing and has raised more questions than answers. Nevertheless, the broker believes the near-term story remains broadly unchanged. This is because OPT-302 has already demonstrated a statistically significant benefit in a larger trial for Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration. This has a significant market opportunity. I agree with Goldman Sachs and think Opthea could be a top long term option.
