This comes after the biotech company announced a new commercial milestone for its lead Rett syndrome therapy.

In early afternoon trade, the Neuren share price is up 6.75% to $13.13. By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is rocketing 2.6% higher to 8,957 points.

Today's rise stands out because the stock is still down roughly 30% since the start of 2026.

Let's take a closer look at the release.

DAYBUE STIX rollout reaches the next stage

The catalyst for Wednesday's gain is a fresh commercial milestone from ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: ACAD), Neuren's US partner for DAYBUE.

According to the release, DAYBUE STIX is now broadly available across the United States for patients with Rett syndrome.

The new powder formulation was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December and first launched on a limited basis during the March quarter.

This update confirms the rollout has now moved into wider commercial distribution, giving more patients and caregivers access to the therapy.

The new formulation gives families more flexibility because it can be mixed with water-based liquids, making it easier to adjust taste and dose volume.

Management also pointed to encouraging early caregiver feedback from the limited launch, with more than 80% of surveyed users reporting satisfaction.

Broader rollout supports the royalty outlook

Neuren receives royalties on all global net sales of trofinetide under its licensing agreement with Acadia. As a result, commercial rollout milestones usually have a direct impact on the share price.

At its FY25 result, the company reported royalty income of $65 million and guided to a further lift in 2026 as DAYBUE sales continue to expand.

Acadia's 2026 guidance previously pointed to DAYBUE net sales of US$460 million to US$490 million, which implies another year of solid revenue growth for Neuren.

With a market capitalisation of roughly $1.56 billion, the stock remains well below the peaks seen in 2025.

Foolish Takeaway

Neuren's latest gain follows broader US access to DAYBUE STIX, a rollout step that could support patient growth and future royalties.

Based on the company's strong February result and Acadia's 2026 sales guidance, I still see Neuren as one of the more compelling ASX biotech investments.

The combination of DAYBUE revenue growth and progress across the NNZ-2591 pipeline continues to reinforce the long-term opportunity.

After a difficult start to 2026, today's move may be an early sign that confidence is rebuilding around the company's revenue outlook.

The post Why Neuren shares are rebounding on Wednesday after a brutal 2026 sell-off appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

While that is a fantastic return, it pales in comparison to the potential return on offer with the ASX 200 stock in this article.

That's because Bell Potter believes this stock is dirt cheap and could be destined to rocket from current levels.

Which ASX 200 stock?

The stock that Bell Potter is bullish on is Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU).

It is a biotechnology company with two novel drug assets. The most advanced is Daybue (trofinetide), which has been licensed to Acadia (NASDAQ: ACAD) for commercialisation.

Neuren's second asset, NNZ-2591, is under development for multiple rare diseases, the most advanced of which is Phelan McDermid syndrome.

The ASX 200 stock is currently conducting a Phase 3 trial in Phelan McDermid syndrome and has conducted Phase 2 trials in three other rare neurological conditions.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter was pleased with the ASX 200 stock's performance in FY 2025, highlighting that it is profitable from its existing royalty stream alone. It said:

The FY25 result demonstrated NEU remains comfortably profitable based on the existing royalty stream from Daybue more than offsetting R&D spend on the company's second asset, NNZ-2591. Royalty revenue of $64.6m (+15%) plus interest income of $12.2m was well above opex of $42.6m, resulting in NPAT of $30.4m. Cash balance is a mighty $296m as at 31-Dec-2025 with no debt. This is after the $50m buyback over the last ~15 months, which NEU announced will resume from 2nd of March.

Should you invest?

According to the note, the broker has reaffirmed its buy rating and $22.00 price target on the company's shares.

Based on its current share price of $12.21, this implies potential upside of 80% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its recommendation, the broker said:

We have increased our Daybue licensing income forecast but are still below Acadia's guidance range. While the recent EU approval setback clouded NEU's near-term catalyst, the company's balance sheet remains impeccable and will continue to be supplemented by ongoing royalties and possible milestones.

The biggest upside opportunity still lies in the company's second asset, NNZ-2591, for which the Phase 3 trial in Phelan McDermid syndrome is now recruiting. Results from the Phase 3 trial are still ~18 months away but represent the key inflection opportunity for NEU. We maintain our BUY recommendation and make no change to our $22.00 PT.

The post Why this cheap ASX 200 stock could rise 80% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are dropping:

Capstone Copper Corp (ASX: CSC)

The Capstone Copper share price is down 8% to $13.29. This morning, this copper miner revealed full-year production growth of 22% to 224,764 tonnes with a cash cost of $2.44 per pound. However, it also provided guidance for FY 2026, which revealed that it expects production of just 200,000 to 230,000 tonnes with cash costs of $2.45 to $2.75 per pound. The higher costs are expected to be driven by modest inflation and the impact of lower-grade zones driven by mine sequence at Mantos Blancos and Pinto Valley.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price is down 10% to $22.10. Investors have been selling this family safety technology company's shares following the release of its full-year results. At one stage today, Life360's shares were up as much as 15% before making a significant U-turn. Interestingly, this is despite Life360 delivering earnings ahead of expectations and reiterating its guidance for FY 2026. However, it is worth noting that the tech sector is a sea of red today.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

The Neuren Pharmaceuticals share price is down 7.5% to $12.73. This morning, this pharmaceuticals company confirmed that European regulators have rejected its application for trofinetide for the treatment of Rett syndrome. Its partner, Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD), commented: "While we are disappointed by the CHMP's recommendation to refuse approval, we continue to be encouraged by the meaningful benefits trofinetide has demonstrated for people living with Rett syndrome. The strong engagement and positive feedback we have seen from patients, caregivers, and clinicians in the Rett community reinforce our belief in the treatment's clinical value. We remain committed to working constructively with EU regulators to explore next steps and to bring this therapy to patients."

St George Mining Ltd (ASX: SGQ)

The St George Mining share price is down 15.5% to 13.5 cents. This is despite the rare earths explorer announcing a substantial increase in the size and quality of the mineral resource estimate at its 100%-owned Araxa Project. Management believes this confirms the tier one status of the rare earths and niobium deposit in the world's premier niobium-producing region. However, it seems that investors were expecting stronger numbers.

The post Why Capstone Copper, Life360, Neuren, and St George Mining shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade, the ASX 200 stock is down over 6% to $12.89.

Why is this ASX 200 stock under pressure?

This morning, Neuren advised that its partner, Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD), has confirmed that it plans to request re-examination of the opinion adopted by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

This is in relation to the marketing authorisation application for trofinetide for the treatment of Rett syndrome in patients two years of age and older.

Neuren also confirmed that, as was anticipated, the previously announced CHMP trend vote was confirmed in a formal vote, blocking its immediate approval.

Trofinetide is approved in the United States, Canada and Israel, where it represents the first and only treatment approved for Rett syndrome.

Acadia's CEO, Catherine Owen Adams, commented:

While we are disappointed by the CHMP's recommendation to refuse approval, we continue to be encouraged by the meaningful benefits trofinetide has demonstrated for people living with Rett syndrome. The strong engagement and positive feedback we have seen from patients, caregivers, and clinicians in the Rett community reinforce our belief in the treatment's clinical value. We remain committed to working constructively with EU regulators to explore next steps and to bring this therapy to patients.

Why was approval denied?

The ASX 200 stock highlights that while the pivotal LAVENDER clinical trial successfully met its co-primary and key secondary endpoints, the CHMP issued a refusal based on perceived deficits.

This includes the treatment effect observed with trofinetide after 12 weeks, while measurable, was viewed as limited in magnitude. It also notes that the study did not capture all core symptoms of Rett syndrome and that assessment of longer‑term outcomes was influenced by patient discontinuations over time.

Acadia believes this feedback provides important information as it considers the intended re-examination.

Commenting on the news, the ASX 200 stock's CEO, Jon Pilcher, said:

Neuren fully supports a re-examination of the CHMP opinion. Trofinetide has been making a difference for patients for nearly three years in approved markets and the unmet medical need in Europe remains substantial and urgent.

Following today's weakness, the Neuren share price is now down by a disappointing 30% since the start of the year. However, it is trading relatively flat on an annual basis.

The post Why is this ASX 200 stock sinking 6% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade, the ASX 200 pharma stock is down 9% to $13.30.

Why is this ASX 200 stock sinking?

Investors have been selling the pharmaceuticals company's shares on Thursday after it provided an update from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the next steps for its second drug candidate, NNZ-2591.

According to the release, the FDA has given Neuren a clear pathway forward for advancing NNZ-2591 in two rare neurological conditions, though some additional work will be required.

What is NNZ-2591?

NNZ-2591 is the ASX 200 stock's follow-on drug behind trofinetide (DAYBUE), which is already approved in the US for Rett syndrome.

It is being developed for multiple serious childhood neurological disorders, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and Pitt Hopkins syndrome (PTHS).

Neuren recently met with the US Food and Drug Administration to clarify what is required to move these programs into later-stage clinical development.

For HIE, which is a severe form of brain injury in newborns, Neuren plans to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application so it can begin clinical trials in infants.

The FDA generally agreed with Neuren's proposed initial study design and dosing. However, it asked the company to provide additional juvenile animal study data to better support dosing in newborn babies before trials can begin.

Neuren said it plans to generate this data before submitting the IND and still expects to commence the first HIE clinical study later in 2026. Importantly, management said this feedback does not materially change the cost or funding position of the program.

Pitt Hopkins

Pitt Hopkins syndrome is an extremely rare and severe neurodevelopmental disorder.

The FDA has provided guidance on how the ASX 200 stock could structure a future trial to prove NNZ-2591 works.

The regulator indicated that Neuren may use a condition-specific clinical global assessment, as long as it is paired with an observer-reported functional measure. This is similar to the approach already being used in Neuren's ongoing Phase 3 trial for Phelan-McDermid syndrome.

Because Pitt Hopkins is rarer and more disabling than related conditions, Neuren is still assessing the best trial design and expects further discussions with the FDA. Even so, the company still plans to initiate the next Pitt Hopkins trial in 2026.

Disappointment continues

This update comes just two days after the ASX 200 stock fell sharply following news that its partner, Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD), received a negative trend vote from European regulators for trofinetide in Rett syndrome.

That development weighed on sentiment, even though trofinetide is already approved and generating revenue in the US and other markets.

The post ASX 200 healthcare stock sinks 9% on FDA update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade, the ASX 200 healthcare share was down as much as 22% to $12.66.

The pharmaceuticals company's shares have recovered a touch since then but remain down 12% at the time of writing.

Why is this ASX 200 healthcare share crashing?

Investors have been hitting the sell button today after it was dealt a major blow in Europe.

This morning, Neuren Pharmaceuticals advised that its licensee, Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ACAD), has provided an update on its marketing authorisation application (MAA) for trofinetide for the treatment of Rett syndrome in the European Union (EU).

According to the release, Acadia was informed by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) of a negative trend vote on its MAA for trofinetide, following its recent CHMP oral explanation.

Subject to the outcome of the CHMP vote in February, Acadia intends to request a re-examination of the opinion by the CHMP upon its formal adoption.

Acadia's CEO, Catherine Owen Adams, was disappointed with the news, but remains hopeful that approval will be achieved in time. She said:

While the negative trend vote is disappointing and not what we hoped for, we believe the strong data that supported the approval of trofinetide for the treatment of Rett syndrome in the United States, Canada, and Israel speak to the meaningful benefits that trofinetide can deliver. We now have more than 1,000 patients on active treatment globally, from newly diagnosed 2-year-olds to adults who have lived with their disease for decades.

Our ongoing real-world experience study in the U.S. continues to show outcomes that closely mirror the impact observed in rigorous randomized clinical trials conducted across a broad age range. We look forward to working with the EMA and other stakeholders to advance trofinetide as an important potential treatment option in the EU. Our commitment to the Rett syndrome community in the EU remains steadfast, and we are fully dedicated to making trofinetide available to individuals and families who urgently need a new therapeutic option.

What's next?

Neuren notes that pursuant to EU legislation, an applicant has the right to request a re-examination of a CHMP opinion within 15 calendar days of receipt of the opinion. This is followed by submission of the grounds for the request for re-examination within 60 calendar days of receipt of the opinion.

The CHMP then has up to 60 days after receipt of these grounds to re-examine its opinion.

Neuren's CEO, Jon Pilcher, commented:

Given the totality of experience with trofinetide in clinical trials and real world use over many years, this negative trend vote is frustrating for us and the Rett syndrome community in the EU. We fully support Acadia's intention to seek re-examination of the CHMP opinion in February, if necessary.

The post Guess which ASX 200 healthcare share is crashing 22% on Tuesday on European blow appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade, the ASX 200 stock is up 3.5% to $19.59.

Why is this ASX 200 stock rising today?

Investors have been bidding the pharmaceuticals company's shares higher today after it received approval from regulators in the United States for a new product.

According to the release, its partner in the United States, Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD), has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Daybue STIX. It is a dye- and preservative-free powder formulation of trofinetide for the treatment of Rett syndrome in adult and paediatric patients two years of age and older. It is a rare genetic disorder that affects the way the brain develops, impacting the ability to use muscles for eye and body movements and language.

It notes that the new powder formulation offers children and adults living with Rett syndrome new flexibility and choice regarding the dose volume and taste of their Daybue treatment.

The ASX 200 stock advised that the approval of this new formulation was supported by the results of a bioequivalence study. This study demonstrated that both original Daybue oral solution and the new Daybue STIX powder formulation provide comparable exposure.

This confirmed bioequivalence means patients can expect the same efficacy and safety established by the oral solution formulation when using Daybue STIX.

Acadia has advised that it expects Daybue STIX to be available on a limited basis starting in the first quarter of 2026.

After which, it will be more broadly available early in the second quarter of 2026. The current oral solution formulation will remain available.

Acadia has an exclusive worldwide licence for the development and commercialisation of trofinetide (Daybue). This agreement sees Neuren receive royalties on all net sales of trofinetide and is eligible to receive additional payments on achievement of commercial and development milestones.

Neuren's CEO, Jon Pilcher, was pleased with the news. Commenting on the approval, he said:

The Neuren team is excited about the approval of this new treatment option for Rett syndrome families and the continued investment and innovation for trofinetide by our global partner, Acadia. Caregivers can mix Daybue STIX with a variety of water-based liquids providing flexibility to modify the taste and volume of their loved-one's dose. We look forward to seeing the impact as Daybue STIX becomes more broadly available during 2026.

The post This ASX 200 stock is charging higher on FDA approval news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

While investors often flock to established blue chips for stability, it is worth remembering that today's giants were once ambitious small caps.

And if you could have identified them when they were small and held onto them until today, the returns would have been mouth-watering.

With that in mind, let's take a look at a couple of small cap ASX shares that are showing the kind of growth potential and industry leadership that could one day land them a spot among the market's elite.

Here's they are and why analysts are tipping them as buys:

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

Gentrack is a utilities and airports software company that is increasingly making waves with its cloud-native platform, g2.0.

This New Zealand-based company provides specialist billing, CRM, and analytics software to utility retailers and airport operators around the world. With the energy sector undergoing a rapid transformation — from decarbonisation to decentralised energy — demand for purpose-built digital infrastructure is surging.

Gentrack is stepping up to meet that challenge with its modernised platform, which replaces legacy systems with agile, cloud-native tools built for the complexity of modern utility grids.

While growth in the first half of FY 2025 was a touch softer than expected, management expects the second half to deliver strong levels of project revenue from both new and existing customers.

Analysts at Bell Potter remain bullish and is forecasting an earnings per share CAGR of 40% for FY 2024 to 2027. The broker currently has a buy rating and $13.20 price target on the small cap ASX share. It said:

We continue to be bullish on GTK's ability to maintain customer win momentum in Core and ROW markets, supporting high NRR revenues and flow on ARR; GTK anticipates a positive 2H25 for contract announcements and has been ramping up spend/headcount in sales, development and deployment roles, but likely won't impact until FY26.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

Another standout small cap with blue chip potential could be biotech company Neuren Pharmaceuticals.

The company's big breakthrough came with its drug DAYBUE — the first treatment approved in the United States for Rett syndrome. It is a rare and devastating neurodevelopmental disorder. Through its commercialisation deal with Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD), Neuren earns 10–15% royalties on DAYBUE sales in North America, as well as milestone payments — all without having to fund the commercial effort itself.

DAYBUE is off to a strong start, but this could be just the beginning. Acadia is now pushing for European approval, which could open up new royalty streams.

Meanwhile, Neuren's next-generation drug candidate, NNZ-2591, is advancing toward a phase three trial in the second half of 2025. If successful, it could unlock entirely new markets in other rare neurological disorders — with some indications representing patient populations five times larger than Rett syndrome.

It is for this reason that Macquarie recently initiated coverage on Neuren with an outperform rating and $18.60 price target. It said:

Current valuation offers favourable risk-reward. We believe DAYBUE in NA is driving most of current share price, with further upside from ROW/ pipeline. Its strong cash position enables pipeline acceleration, potentially providing significant long-term upside if approved.

The post These ASX small cap shares could be tomorrow's blue chips appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That ASX 200 healthcare stock is none other than Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU).

Yesterday, Neuren shares closed at a flat $12 each. This morning, those same shares opened at $12.03 but quickly started dropping. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 healthcare stock has lost a horrid 8.83% and is down to just $10.94 a share. That's after going as low as $10.90 this afternoon.

So what on earth is going on here that has seen Neuren lose close to 10% of its value in just a single trading day?

Well, it appears that this steep sell-off is a consequence of an ASX announcement Neuren made to investors this morning just before market open.

Neuren shares plunge amid big Europe news

This announcement revealed that Neuren's partner, Acadia Pharmaceuticals, has submitted a marketing authorization application to the European Medicines Agency for its trofinetide treatment. Trofinetide is a therapeutic treatment for Rett syndrome in adults and pediatric patients two years and older.

Acadia Pharmaceuticals reportedly expects approval for trofinetide to occur in the first quarter of 2026. If it does indeed gain approval from the relevant agencies, it will be the "first and only approved therapy for Rett syndrome in the European Union".

Trofinetide is already an approved treatment for Rett syndrome in the United States and Canada under the 'Daybue' trademark.

If approved, Acadia will sell trofinetide in Europe under license from Neuren. Upon the first commercial sale of the treatment in Europe, Neuren is contracted to receive a US$35 million payment from Acadia. That's in addition to ongoing royalty payments.

Why has this ASX 200 healthcare stock taken a dive?

It's not entirely clear why investors have reacted so poorly to this news out of Neuren today. The rollout of trofinetide in Europe has been anticipated for some time.

Perhaps investors were expecting a quicker European rollout or an announcement regarding other planned rollouts in Japan and other countries.

Regardless, it's a rough day for this ASX 200 healthcare stock. It's also some fresh salt in the wounds of Neuren's investors.

After today's share price plunge, this ASX 200 healthcare stock is down a painful 53.6% over the past 12 months. Investors will no doubt hope for a turnaround over the rest of 2025.

The post Why did this $1.4 billion ASX 200 healthcare stock just dive 9%? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are climbing:

Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN)

The Brainchip share price is up 15% to 27 cents. This is despite there being no news out of the semiconductor company. However, it is worth noting that rumours and speculation on message boards often drive Brainchip's shares higher. Only for nothing to transpire and its shares to tumble deep into the red again. Last month, the company released its quarterly update and revealed cash receipts of US$45,000 for the three months. This is despite commercial activities being underway for some time.

Cooper Energy Ltd (ASX: COE)

The Cooper Energy share price is 4% to 17.2 cents. This follows the release of an update on the energy producer's guidance for FY 2025. It revealed that it is increasing its production guidance to 65 –72 TJe/day (from 62 – 69 TJe/day). Management advised that this increase is primarily driven by improved performance at the Orbost Gas Processing Plant. Cooper Energy's CEO, Jane Norman, said "Our increased production guidance reflects confidence that the Orbost plant can continue to operate at least as well as it has thus far in FY25, with maximum rates around nameplate capacity, less frequent and shorter absorber cleans, as well as improved reliability."

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

The Core Lithium share price is up 2% to 11 cents. This has been driven by the release of new lithium drilling results from the Blackbeard prospect at its flagship Finniss Lithium Project in the Northern Territory. Core Lithium's CEO, Paul Brown, commented: "The results from Blackbeard are highly encouraging and indicate we have discovered a large, highly mineralised pegmatite within a short distance of our processing infrastructure, consistent with the key objective of our 2024 field season."

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

The Neuren Pharmaceuticals share price is up 8% to $13.28. This morning, this pharmaceuticals company revealed that it will receive a significant payment from its US partner, Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD). This follows news that Acadia has finalised an agreement to sell a Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher (PRV). Under its agreement with Acadia, Neuren is entitled to one-third of the sale proceeds, which amounted to US$150 million. This means Neuren will receive approximately US$50 million or A$75 million.

The post Why Brainchip, Cooper Energy, Core Lithium, and Neuren shares are roaring higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Two ASX 200 shares that are contributing are listed below. Here's why they are pushing higher today:

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

The Neuren share price is up 2.5% to $13.02. Investors have been buying this pharmaceutical company's shares after it revealed that its partner, Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD), has received Health Canada approval for Daybue (trofinetide) for the treatment of Rett syndrome in adult and pediatric patients two years of age and older under the Priority Review process.

The ASX 200 share notes that this makes Daybue the first and only drug approved in Canada for the treatment of Rett syndrome.

Canada is included as part of the North America region under Neuren's agreement with Acadia. This means that potential sales in the country will be added to its US sales when calculating Neuren's royalties and sales milestone payments.

Neuren's CEO, Jon Pilcher, commented:

We are excited to see this first approval outside the United States, which is a significant milestone in the ongoing program to expand access to DAYBUE.

Neuren shares are now up 18% since this time last year.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT)

The NextDC share price is up 0.7% to $17.51. This follows news that the data centre operator has signed an agreement to purchase a new data centre site, Sydney S7.

The S7 site is located in Eastern Creek, approximately 45 kilometres west of Sydney's Central Business District and approximately 8 kilometres from its existing S4 site in Horsley Park, which is currently in planning. Management believes both sites represent a significant expansion opportunity in the Western Sydney Availability Zone.

In respect to S7, it notes that the 258,000sqm of developable land is in close proximity to a major electricity substation, as well as telecommunications, utilities, and associated public infrastructure.

S7 is expected to accommodate a data centre facility capable of approximately 550MW of capacity. This is huge, to say the least. As a comparison, NextDC's total contracted utilisation in FY 2024 was 172.6MW.

Though, this has come at a significant cost. NextDC notes that the purchase price of the S7 site is approximately $353 million. Subject to satisfaction of the conditions in the agreement, the ASX 200 share will progressively settle on the S7 land parcels across FY 2025. However, it will not attribute the S7 property holding costs within its FY 2025 underlying EBITDA guidance due to the uncertainty over the timing and quantum of such costs.

As a result, the company's FY 2025 capital expenditure guidance remains unchanged in the range of $1,300 million to $1,500 million.

NextDC's shares are up 43% over the past 12 months.

The post 2 ASX 200 shares rising on big news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

When choosing stocks, I take the view of whether that cash will be invested in companies that will be doing better in 2029 than right now.

Here are two I reckon that are looking pretty damn good at the moment:

Pivoting from cash burner to cash saver

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) is an old favourite, but it's a company that continues to adapt well to changing conditions.

The market has very much appreciated the change in direction that chief executive Sukhinder Singh Cassidy has brought over her 13-month tenure.

She has transformed the mindset of the software business from a grow-at-all-costs startup attitude to a more mature controlled-growth strategy. Costs have been cut in an attempt to increase cash flow and margins.

The Xero share price has thus rocketed 70% over the past 12 months.

Singh Cassidy's work is far from done yet though, so I feel like this is one to buy as a long-term investment.

The chances that the New Zealand tech company will be in better shape in five years' time compared to now seems reasonably high.

The ASX 200 shares under attack

In contrast, Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU) hasn't started 2024 in the best way.

The ASX 200 biotech shares are now 20% lower than where they started the year.

A short seller report has had much to do with investors fleeing this Australian company, which develops treatments for rare neurological disorders.

Neuren has a business model where its already commercially approved drug, Daybue, is licenced out to US giant Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: ACAD) for sale to the public.

This brings in revenue for Neuren, which it uses to fund its pipeline of drugs under development and testing.

Last month, US short seller Culper Research did not target Neuren specifically but accused Acadia of understating the side effects of Daybue.

However, fund managers are sticking by the embattled ASX 200 share.

While some have reduced their share price predictions, all six analysts currently surveyed on CMC Invest are still rating Neuren as a buy.

Again, with several products under development, the chance that this company will be bigger and better in five years seems pretty decent.

The post $10k of savings? I'd buy these ASX 200 shares to grow my money appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The ASX 200 healthcare share was down 13% to $20.04 before being paused from trade.

What's going on with this ASX 200 healthcare share?

Investors have been heading to the exits today after a short seller targeted its US partner Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: ACAD).

According to a note out of Culper Research, it is shorting Acadia due to concerns over the Daybue product which is licenced to it from Neuren Pharmaceuticals.

Culper Research believes that key stakeholders have turned "sour" on Daybue, which could be bad news for the ASX 200 healthcare share.

It has been generating significant revenue from royalties and milestone payments over the last 12 months amid strong demand for the only approved treatment for Rett Syndrome.

But this revenue generation may not last, with the short seller describing Daybue as a "flop". It said:

We believe ACADIA's April 2023 launch of Daybue – the Company's highly-anticipated "first and only" drug to treat Ret Syndrome – has been a total flop.

Despite an initial outburst of interest in the drug, our research reveals that patients, caregivers, physicians, and insurers have all soured on the drug.

The sell-side sell calls for over $800 million in peak Daybue revenues, but our research suggests that Daybue new patient starts already topped this past summer, peak revenues will be a mere fraction of sell-side estimates, and Daybue's flop will have knock-on effects as ACADIA remains a cash-burning machine.

Insiders see the writing on the wall: ACADIA's Head of R&D, its Chief Science Officer, and its General Counsel have all left in the past 3 months. We think shares are headed much lower.

'Horror stories'

Culper Research also alleges that Acadia has misrepresented Daybue's safety profile and that there are "horror stories" being reported by users. It adds:

We think ACADIA has misrepresented Daybue's safety profile, and in turn, patient retention rates. The Company has constantly characterized Daybue's side effects as mild and manageable, but our analysis of FAERS data suggests that roughly 1 of every 10 to 11 Daybue patients end up hospitalized.

These horror stories have now made their way through the Ret community. Multiple high-prescribing physicians collectively told us that collectively, close to half of their patients are now no longer even interested in trying Daybue.

Neuren hasn't revealed why its shares are paused from trade. But it's quite likely the ASX 200 healthcare share is preparing a response to these allegations.

The post This ASX 200 healthcare share is diving 13% as short sellers take aim appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back today are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

The Core Lithium share price is up 7.5% to 99.5 cents. Investors have been buying this lithium miner's shares after it announced a "fantastic outcome for shareholders." That outcome was a significant jump in its Finniss Lithium Operation's mineral resource estimate. It has lifted to 30.6 million tonnes at 1.31% lithium oxide, which is a 62% improvement.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

The Neuren Pharmaceuticals share price is up 5.5% to $14.21. This morning, this pharmaceutical company announced that its North America partner Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD) has officially launched its Daybue product for the treatment of Rett syndrome. This has triggered a US$40 million milestone payment to Neuren.

Norwest Energy NL (ASX: NWE)

The Norwest Energy share price is up 4% to 6.35 cents. This morning, this energy company recommended that its shareholders accept the takeover offer from Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN). That offer is for one Mineral Resource share for every 1,300 Norwest shares they own.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

The Pilbara Minerals share price is up 4% to $3.95. This appears to have been driven by the release of a broker note out of UBS this morning. According to the note, the broker has upgraded this lithium miner's shares to a buy rating with a $4.60 price target. Although the broker has reduced its near term lithium forecasts, it has boosted its long term assumptions. Following this action the broker sees value in its shares.

The post Why Core Lithium, Neuren, Norwest, and Pilbara Minerals shares are pushing higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The two ASX 300 shares that have reached these milestones are listed below. Here's what you need to know:

Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Ltd (ASX: DBI)

The Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure share price climbed to a record high of $2.65 this morning.

As you can see below, this meant that the ASX 300 Australian infrastructure company's shares had risen over 30% since this time last year.

Investors have been scrambling to buy shares thanks to its ownership of the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal (DBCT), which provides terminal infrastructure and services for producers and consumers of Australian coal. Robust demand for Australian coal has underpinned strong earnings and big dividends.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

The Neuren Pharmaceuticals share price has continued its impressive run and hit a record high of $13.33 on Friday.

This means the ASX 300 biotech company's shares are up almost 200% since this time last year, as you can see on the chart below.

The catalyst for this has been news this week that the company's treatment for Rett's Syndrome has been granted US FDA approval. This is the first and only approved treatment for the rare genetic neurological and developmental disorder that affects the way the brain develops.

With its commercial launch coming soon, it may not be long until the company starts generating meaningful revenue. This is thanks to its deal with partner Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD), which includes royalties of up to 15% of net sales above US$750 million and sales milestone payments of up to US$350 million on total sales above US$1 billion in a calendar year.

The post 2 ASX 300 shares cracking record highs on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.