CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares closed 1.02% higher on Wednesday afternoon, at $170.00 a piece. For 2026 so far, the shares have fallen 2.09% and it is trading a whopping 40.5% lower than this time last year.
For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) closed 0.15% higher on Wednesday, is down 0.06% for 2026 so far, and 4.95% higher than this time last year.
What happened to CSL shares in 2025?
It’s no secret that CSL shares have been through the ringer this year. The Australian biotech company’s shares suffered a brutal sell-off in mid-August after its FY25 result and surprise restructure announcement.
Two and a half months later, the company’s share price dropped another 19.2% to a seven-year low of $170.77 in late-October when it downgraded its FY26 revenue and profit growth guidance.Â
CSL management originally forecast revenue growth of 4-5% and net profit after tax before amortisation (NPATA) growth of 7-10% for FY26. But in October revenue guidance was downgraded to 2-3% and NPATA growth guidance to 4-7%.
By the end of 2025 it had plummeted nearly 100% from its mid-August peak.
What’s ahead for CSL in 2026?
As an Australian-based global biotechnology company focused on developing and delivering biotherapies and vaccines to protect public health, CSL has great growth potential.
CSL’s core business is strong and demand for its products has continued to grow globally.
The company is also entering a key investment phase which could help boost its financials and I’d expect investor confidence to follow suit.
Analysts think CSL shares could soar past $270
According to TradingView data, 13 out of 18 analysts have a buy or strong buy rating on CSL shares. The average target price is $232.03, which implies a potential 36.49% upside at the time of writing.
But some analysts think the shares could soar to $271.37 in 2026, which suggests a potential 59.63% upside from the share price at the close of the ASX on Wednesday afternoon.
Morgan Stanley recently confirmed its overweight rating and $256.00 price target on this biotechnology company’s shares. Despite all the doom and gloom around CSL at present, Morgan Stanley is very positive on its outlook and expects a recovery this year.
The team at UBS think that CSL shares are materially undervalued at current levels. The broker recently put a buy rating and a $275.00 price target on them.
The post Prediction: CSL shares could soar past $270 in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.
Should you invest $1,000 in CSL right now?
Before you buy CSL shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and CSL wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
* Returns as of 18 November 2025
.custom-cta-button p {
margin-bottom: 0 !important;
}
More reading
- The simple buy and hold investing lesson that still works with ASX shares today
- Could these ASX 200 losers be among the best shares to buy in 2026?
- Could CSL shares outperform the ASX 200 in 2026?
- Why did CSL shares crash 39% in 2025?
- My best ASX 200 shares to buy in January
Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies 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 CSL. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
Leave a Reply