Some ASX shares spend long periods in the market's bad books.
That can be frustrating for existing shareholders, but it can also create opportunities for patient investors. When expectations are already low, a business does not need perfection to improve the investment case. It may only need steadier execution, better confidence, or a clearer path to growth.
Here are two ASX shares I would consider buying before sentiment improves.
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CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)
CSL is one share I think investors may come back to over time.
The healthcare giant has been through a difficult period, and confidence is lower than it once was. But I still think the core business has plenty of value.
CSL operates in markets that are difficult to enter and require deep expertise, global scale, regulatory experience, and long relationships with healthcare providers. Plasma therapies, vaccines, and other specialist healthcare products are not areas where new competitors can simply arrive and quickly take market share.
What interests me now is the reset in expectations. CSL no longer needs to be viewed as a perfect compounder to be a worthwhile investment. A period of steadier margins, better execution, and clearer earnings growth could be enough to change the conversation.
The business still needs to deliver, of course. But I think the market may be underestimating how valuable CSL's global healthcare infrastructure remains.
Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP)
Zip is a very different idea. This is a higher-risk growth share, but I think it has become more interesting as the business has matured.
The old buy now, pay later excitement has faded. That may be a good thing. Zip is now being judged more on earnings, credit quality, operating discipline, and whether it can build a sustainable payments business.
I like that shift. A company that can grow while controlling risk has a much better chance of creating long-term value than one chasing volume at any cost. Zip still needs to prove that its model can keep scaling profitably, especially in large markets such as the United States.
But if management keeps improving credit settings, customer quality, and operating leverage, I think the upside could be meaningful.
Zip remains speculative compared with a blue-chip share. Still, I think it is the kind of stock that can move quickly if the market starts to believe the earnings story has changed.
Foolish takeaway
Buying before sentiment improves is uncomfortable by nature.
The easier moment usually comes later, after the share price has already started to recover and the story sounds cleaner. That is why I think shares like CSL and Zip are worth watching closely now.
Both businesses have something to prove, but both also have a credible path to becoming more valuable if execution improves. That is the kind of setup I like when looking for opportunities.
