Down 60%, is there a once-in-a-decade opportunity in this ASX 200 stock?

A brutal sell-off has crushed sentiment, but the underlying business may be stronger than the share price suggests.

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A 60% share price fall in just 12 months is enough to scare off even confident investors. When it happens to a popular ASX 200 stock, it naturally raises a hard question. Is this a value opportunity, or a warning sign?

In the case of Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX), I think the answer leans strongly toward opportunity.

Telix shares are trading around levels not seen since early 2024, despite the underlying business continuing to progress. For patient investors, this looks increasingly like a rare reset rather than a broken story.

Why this ASX 200 stock collapsed

The sell-off wasn't driven by a single issue. It was a combination of disappointment, uncertainty, and broader sector pressure.

Last year, investors became frustrated by delays and shifting timelines across Telix's development pipeline. Expectations had been high following the success of Illuccix, and when subsequent programs took longer to progress, sentiment turned quickly.

At the same time, the global biotech sector was hit by policy noise out of the US. Proposed tariffs on pharmaceutical products, particularly those manufactured outside the US, weighed heavily on valuations across the industry. Even though the long-term impact was unclear, markets reacted first and asked questions later.

Overlay that with a general risk-off environment for growth stocks, and Telix found itself caught in a perfect storm.

What the market may be missing now

The recent fourth-quarter update showed that Telix's core business remains very much intact.

The company met its FY25 guidance, delivering strong revenue growth driven by Illuccix, which is now well established in the US prostate cancer imaging market. Importantly, Telix continues to reinvest those cash flows into expanding its product portfolio rather than standing still.

The update also highlighted steady progress across multiple development programs, including kidney, brain, and therapeutic radiopharmaceutical candidates. While not every program will succeed, the breadth of the pipeline materially reduces reliance on a single product over time.

In my view, the market has focused too heavily on what hasn't happened yet and not enough on what is already working.

Why this could be a rare opportunity

Telix today is not the same company it was before Illuccix was commercialised. It now has meaningful revenue, a growing installed base, and the ability to self-fund development.

Yet the share price suggests the market is treating it like a pre-revenue biotech again.

That disconnect doesn't last forever.

If Telix continues to execute, delivers incremental pipeline progress, and avoids further major delays, sentiment could turn quickly. From these levels, even a partial re-rating of this ASX 200 stock could produce outsized returns.

Foolish takeaway

Buying a stock after a 60% fall is never comfortable. But discomfort is often where the best long-term opportunities emerge.

Telix Pharmaceuticals remains a high-risk investment. That hasn't changed. What has changed is the price investors are being asked to pay for that risk.

For those with patience and a tolerance for volatility, I think this looks less like a falling knife and more like a once-in-a-decade chance to buy into a proven radiopharmaceutical business at a heavily discounted valuation.

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Telix Pharmaceuticals. 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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