Buy, hold, sell: Whitehaven, Endeavour, Neuren Pharmaceuticals shares

As earnings season continues, brokers have updated their ratings and 12-month price targets.

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S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are down 0.9% to 9,049.3 points on Thursday.

Among the 11 market sectors of the ASX 200, healthcare is the only one in the green, up 0.3%.

As earnings season continues, brokers are busy updating their ratings.

Let's check out some new recommendations.

A financial expert or broker looks worried as he checks out a graph showing market volatility.

Image source: Getty Images

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

This ASX healthcare share is $20.60 apiece, up 2.2% today and up 8% over 12 months.

Bell Potter reiterated its buy rating on Neuren Pharmaceuticals shares after the company's 1H FY26 report.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals announced a maiden fully-franked interim dividend of 15 cents per share.

The broker kept its 12-month share price target at $25.50. 

This implies potential capital gains of almost 25% ahead.

Analyst Thomas Wakim said:

The dividend provides a moderate yield for shareholders, however capital growth will dominate future shareholder returns and is the reason to own the stock in our view, particularly as the binary Phase 3 readout in PMS draws closer (estimated in ~1H CY28), the result of which will largely determine whether NEU is a one-trick pony or whether they repeat the glory a second time round with NNZ-2591.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

The Whitehaven Coal share price is $8.10, up 0.4% today and up 19% over 12 months.

Morgans downgraded its recommendation from buy to hold due to recent share price strength.

After reviewing the miner's FY26 results, the broker reduced its 12-month target from $8.50 to $8.05.

This implies the ASX 200 energy share is already fully valued.

Morgans commented:

WHC delivered a mixed result, with EBITDA broadly in line with consensus expectations, although underlying NPAT missed slightly.

A 6c dividend was declared, consistent with consensus.

The effects of poor coal prices in the 1H provided a significant headwind for the full-year result.

FY27 guidance was softer than expected, with production growth appearing limited given the unchanged upper end of group guidance, while both costs and capital expenditure expectations have moved higher.

Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV)

The Endeavour share price is $3.05, down 0.5% today and down 23% over 12 months.

Morgans maintained a trim call on the ASX 200 consumer staples share after Endeavour's FY26 report.

The broker cut its target price from $3.20 to $2.95, suggesting a 3% downside ahead.

Morgans said:

There were no major surprises in EDV's FY26 result after the company pre-announced its key numbers (sales, underlying EBIT and underlying NPAT) in early August.

However, the outlook for costs was greater than anticipated as EDV increases investment to execute its new strategy.

Management noted that competition remains intense in the Retail segment, particularly in the online channel, while Hotels sales growth softened in early 1H27 across all key categories (food & beverage, gaming and accommodation).

We expect FY27 to be a disruptive year as EDV implements its transformation initiatives.

Liquor demand also remains under pressure from elevated interest rates, ongoing cost-of-living pressures and a subdued consumer environment.

Given these headwinds and the execution risk associated with the transformation program, we believe the balance of risks remains skewed to the downside.

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 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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