It has been a tumultuous few weeks for Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shareholders.

The Xero share price finished Tuesday at $58.04, down around 49% in 2026 and 63% over the past 12 months.

It has also fallen more than 30% in September alone, despite the company releasing no major bad news during the sell-off.

But could Xero shares eventually make their way back to $100?

From yesterday’s close, that would require a gain of around 72%.

That sounds like a lot, but I don’t think $100 is unrealistic over the next couple of years.

Here’s why.

The market has changed its mind

One of the most interesting things about Xero’s fall is how quickly investors have changed what they’re willing to pay.

Back in late August, Xero shares were trading close to $90.

A month later, they’re below $60.

Yet Xero hasn’t issued an earnings downgrade or warned of deteriorating trading conditions during that period.

Instead, rising bond yields, interest rate concerns and worries about AI have all weighed heavily on the software sector.

That has pushed Xero back to a share price last seen in mid-2019.

The difference is that Xero is now a much bigger business.

Operating revenue increased 31% to NZ$2.75 billion in FY26, while adjusted EBITDA rose 18% to NZ$757.4 million.

Free cash flow also reached NZ$554 million.

So, while the share price has gone backwards, the business definitely hasn’t.

What could get Xero back to $100?

For me, Xero doesn’t need everything to go perfectly.

It simply needs to show investors that its current growth can continue and that the Melio acquisition is starting to pay off.

Management expects FY27 operating revenue of between NZ$3.62 billion and NZ$3.73 billion.

Adjusted EBITDA is forecast between NZ$860 million and NZ$920 million.

The US could be particularly important.

Xero is spending heavily to build its brand there, while Melio gives the company a much bigger opportunity in payments.

Then there’s AI.

Xero now has more than 5 million customers and is rolling out JAX, its AI platform designed to automate bookkeeping and financial workflows.

If those investments drive faster US growth and higher revenue per customer, investors could start looking at Xero very differently again.

Would I buy Xero shares?

Yes, I would.

I’m not expecting Xero shares to race back to $100 anytime soon.

But at $58.04, I think Xero shares are looking increasingly attractive after the recent sell-off.

The company is still growing quickly, generating plenty of cash, and has a huge opportunity ahead of it in the US.

And keep in mind, a return to $100 would still leave Xero well below its previous highs.

If management delivers on its FY27 guidance and Melio starts adding to growth, I think Xero shares can eventually climb back above $100.

The post Can the Xero share price climb back to $100? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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 Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Junior medical device company EBR Systems Ltd (ASX: ABR) recently secured reimbursement for its devices in the US.

The analyst team at Bell Potter has examined the new announcements, and has reiterated its bullish price target on the company, which we’ll get to shortly.

First let’s have a look at what was announced.

More funds for heart implant procedures

EBR has developed a system called WiSE which it says is designed to overcome the limitations of conventional cardiac resynchronisation therapy and, “is the only leadless left ventricular endocardial pacing (LVEP) device”.

The company recently released a quarterly report and said that it had surpassed its hundredth commercial WiSE implant, “with multiple sites performing their first WiSE implants and numerous sites performing their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and greater cases”.

In mid-September the company released another update, saying the base US Medicare inpatient reimbursement rates for eligible WiSE procedures had increased by about 58% and 93%.

The company added that assuming the maximum available New Technology Add-on Payment (NTAP), the total Medicare payment could reach about US$77,839 and $US66,566 respectively.

EBR Chief Executive Officer John McCutcheon said:

The final FY2027 Medicare payment rates represent a significant reimbursement and commercial milestone for WiSE. The increased inpatient reimbursement provides hospitals with a clearer and stronger payment pathway for eligible WiSE procedures, while better recognising the resources required to deliver this differentiated leadless technology. This outcome further strengthens the commercial foundation for WiSE as we scale our U.S. launch and work to expand access for heart failure patients who are not well served by conventional CRT.

The new pricing comes into effect on 1 October.

Analysts say this ASX biotech is looking cheap

Bell Potter said the increased reimbursements meant that, “financial considerations should not drive decision making in WiSE system utilisation, enabling physicians and hospitals to focus on the clinical criteria”.

The broker noted that the new payment schedules applied to inpatient procedures, which accounted for only about 20% of WiSE procedures.

Bell Potter has a price target on EBR shares of 70 cents, compared to the current price of 25 cents.

Fellow Broker Morgans has a much more bullish price target on the company, recently issuing a new research note with a price target of $1.95.

Morgans said regarding the company’s rollout:

With 17 sites already having completed ≥3 cases, we see an opportunity for utilisation to compound as physicians gain experience and WiSE becomes embedded in clinical workflows.

EBR Systems is valued at $202.9 million.

The post This ASX biotech could nearly triple in value Bell Potter says appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England 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.

Woodside Energy vs Ampol shares: which oil stock looks better?

If you’re weighing up Australia’s energy giants, Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) and Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) are two heavy hitters you’ll almost certainly consider. Both are strong, dividend-paying names in oil and gas, but with quite different businesses and investment profiles. Here’s how I think these oil stocks compare for Aussie investors today.

The case for Woodside Energy

Woodside is Australia’s largest independent oil and gas company, operating oil fields and gas projects mainly offshore, plus a global portfolio of assets after merging with BHP’s oil and gas business. Its history dates to 1954, and today it stands as a pillar of the ASX energy sector. The company generates big cashflows from oil and LNG production, and returns much of that to shareholders.

Some standout fundamentals for Woodside:

• Market cap of $60.3 billion makes it a true blue-chip, offering stability and scale.
• Dividend yield sits at a solid 5.14%, fully franked—an important benefit for income-seekers at tax time.
• Reliable track record on dividends, paying fully franked distributions twice a year going back decades, with consistency that’s hard to fault.
• The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 13.9, reflecting a moderate earnings multiple for a sector leader.

Woodside is also Australia’s biggest offshore oil and gas operator, and its assets span both domestic and international markets. The recent BHP petroleum merger has only added to its production scale and diversification.

The case for Ampol

Ampol is best known to most Aussies as the country’s largest petrol station owner and operator, with about 2,000 branded sites nationally. But it’s more than retail fuel: Ampol refines oil at Lytton, supplies fuels, lubricants and chemicals, and operates a growing business in New Zealand and the Philippines.

Here’s what stands out for Ampol:

• Dividend yield of 5.51%—a touch higher than Woodside’s—also fully franked and paid regularly, with a long history of distribution growth.
• A current P/E ratio of just 7.41, suggesting the market is pricing Ampol’s earnings more conservatively than it does for Woodside.
• Year to date, Ampol shares have returned an impressive 46.95%, slightly ahead of Woodside’s 41.37%.
• With a market cap of $10.6 billion, Ampol is mid-cap sized—smaller than Woodside by some margin but still a leader in its patch.

Ampol (formerly Caltex Australia) is unique in that it combines refining and fuel retailing. It’s also moving into low-carbon fuels and international markets, diversifying its traditional business.

Valuation comparison

There are some clear differences in valuation and dividend metrics between these oil stocks. Here’s how they stack up:

Metric	Woodside	Ampol
Market Cap	$60.3 billion	$10.6 billion
P/E Ratio	13.90	7.41
Dividend Yield	5.14% (100% franked)	5.51% (100% franked)
Dividend per share	$1.63	$3.70
Earnings per share (EPS)	1.605	7.444
YTD Return	41.37%	46.95%

Note: When comparing P/E and EPS, Ampol’s much lower P/E stands out even with a higher reported EPS. This suggests the market is more cautious on Ampol, perhaps reflecting its integrated refiner-retailer model, or possible future earnings volatility. Also, please note that the reported P/E ratios may use differing earnings measures to the stated EPS, which could explain any minor inconsistencies.

Recent share price performance

Comparing recent share price activity until 25 September 2026:

• Woodside closed at $31.72, up 0.35% from the previous day. Over the past month, the general trend has seen some volatility, but its year-to-date return is a strong 41.4%.
• Ampol closed at $44.47 on the same date, dipping 0.74% that day, with a standout year-to-date return of 47.0%—even stronger recent momentum than Woodside.

Which is the better buy?

If I had to pick just one oil stock today based strictly on these numbers, my choice would be Ampol. Here’s why: it has a lower P/E ratio, meaning investors are paying less for every dollar of the company’s earnings—an appealing starting point if you want value. Its dividend yield is a touch higher than Woodside’s, with a fully franked payout supported by solid profits. Most impressively, Ampol’s share price has outpaced even Woodside’s in 2026 so far.

Yes, Woodside offers much greater scale, and its business is heavily weighted to upstream oil and LNG, which could mean bigger swings if energy prices spike or slump. But for now, Ampol looks cheaper on fundamental multiples, pays out more in dividends per share, and has delivered even greater price returns this year. Unless I saw something in the news that changed the picture, my pick would be Ampol shares for their blend of income and value right now.

The post Woodside Energy vs Ampol: Which ASX oil stock looks better this week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• Buy, hold, sell: Xero, South32, Woodside shares
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.