2 no-brainer Australian stocks to buy with $1,000 right now

Brokers believe these buy-rated shares could rise over 50% from current levels.

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If you have $1,000 to invest in Australian stocks, but can't decide where to put it, then read on!

That's because listed below are two popular stocks that analysts rate highly and could be no-brainer buys right now.

Here's what they are recommending to clients this month:

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

The first Australian stock that could be a no-brainer buy is NextDC. It develops and operates data centres that support cloud computing, enterprise IT, and increasingly, artificial intelligence workloads.

As more data is created, stored, and processed, demand for secure, high-performance data centre capacity continues to grow. You only need to look at its recent updates to see this. NextDC revealed that its pro forma contracted utilisation increased to 412MW during the first half of FY 2026. This is up 68% from 245MW at the end of June.

What makes NextDC compelling is that it is still in a build-out phase. Many of its facilities are yet to reach maturity, meaning earnings can grow as utilisation rises without a proportional increase in costs. Over time, this operating leverage could be powerful.

Morgans is bullish on the company's outlook and has put a buy rating and $19.00 price target on its shares. Based on its current share price of $12.48, this suggests that upside of over 50% is possible between now and this time next year.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

Another Australian stock that is highly rated is Pro Medicus. Through its Visage imaging platform, the company provides mission-critical software to hospitals and healthcare networks, particularly in the United States.

Once installed, the software becomes deeply embedded in clinical workflows, making it difficult and risky to replace.

It appears well-placed for growth over the long term given its global market opportunity and favourable industry trends. Medical imaging volumes continue to rise, datasets are becoming larger and more complex, radiologists are in short supply, and hospitals are under pressure to improve efficiency. Pro Medicus addresses all of these challenges with a capital-light, high-margin model.

It is partly for this reason that the team at Bell Potter is so bullish on Pro Medicus. The broker currently has a buy rating and $320.00 price target on its shares. Based on its current share price of $209.66, this also implies potential upside of over 50% for investors over the next 12 months.

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Nextdc and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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