Latest news with #BEL20
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Belgium's top index breaks 18-year-old record, capping slow recovery from 2008 crisis
Aug 14 (Reuters) - Belgium's blue-chip index, BEL 20 (.BFX), opens new tab, hit a record high of 4,785.27 points on Thursday, surpassing the previous peak set in May 2007, supported by a strong rally in European stocks this year and solid performances from financial institutions like lender KBC ( opens new tab and insurer Ageas ( opens new tab. The milestone marks a long-awaited recovery for Belgian equities, which have taken much longer to bounce back than neighbouring markets. France and Germany broke their pre-financial crisis records after 14 and five years, respectively, while Belgium needed nearly two decades to do it. This prolonged recovery was partly due to the market's relatively heavy exposure to the financial sector during the 2008 crisis, which devastated Dexia and Fortis that were among Belgium's largest companies at the time. Fortis bank was ultimately sold to BNP Paribas ( opens new tab in a deal that left the Belgian state a top shareholder in the French bank, a position it still holds. Ageas rose from the ashes of Fortis' insurance operations to become Belgium's largest insurer. The country also lacks the industrial and business powerhouses that have driven growth in neighbouring countries, according to senior financial economist Tom Simonts from KBC Group. "We don't have anything related to AI. Chips? No. Luxury? No. European defence? No. We missed all the really big trends," Simonts told Reuters. He said the record-breaking stock performance was indicative of Belgium's economic resilience in the face of macroeconomic and local uncertainties, pointing to the country's strong field of small and medium-sized enterprises, along with generally strong corporate balance sheets and high cash reserves that have helped companies weather economic storms. "We're no Michael Schumacher, but we're still in the race," Simonts concluded, looking at the future performance of BEL 20.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
argenx SE (ARGX): A Bull Case Theory
We came across a bullish thesis on argenx SE (ARGX) by Simvestor08 on r/valueinvesting on Reddit.. In this article, we will summarize the bulls' thesis on ARGX. argenx SE (ARGX)'s share was trading at $573.26 as of 30th May. ARGX's trailing and forward P/E were 34.93 and 59.88 respectively according to Yahoo Finance. A laboratory technician researching a sample of cells in a biotechnology laboratory. Argenx (ARGX), a $35 billion biotech company dual-listed on Nasdaq and Belgium's BEL 20, presents a highly compelling investment case with strong upside potential, backed by a proven management team and a deep pipeline. Despite broader sector pressures, including political noise related to Trump and general weakness across pharma, Argenx remains well-positioned for sustained growth. The company is already profitable and boasts a commercialized multi-blockbuster drug, with several late-stage candidates in its pipeline. Guggenheim recently assigned a $1,065 price target—nearly double the current ~$573 share price—highlighting the potential of Argenx's upcoming Phase 2 and Phase 3 readouts, which are largely derisked with estimated success probabilities ranging from 70% to 90%. Beyond its pipeline strength, Argenx is widely respected for its disciplined and focused leadership, a quality that has been consistently noted across the biotech community. In 2023, Bloomberg reported that Argenx engaged JP Morgan to explore strategic options, including a potential takeover, following the release of positive Phase 3 data for CIDP—an indication with peak sales projected at $4–5 billion. The company's business model is also structurally resilient to political risk; it maintains a tight pricing corridor between the US and Europe and manufactures its US-sold products domestically, minimizing exposure to drug pricing reforms or supply chain disruptions. While the recent downturn in pharma dragged ARGX's valuation lower, the fundamentals remain intact, and with multiple catalysts on the horizon, a doubling of the share price within 12 to 24 months appears feasible for long-term investors. Previously, we have covered ARGX in May 2025 wherein we summarized a bullish thesis by FluentInQuality on Substack. The author highlighted the company's transformation into a platform biotech leveraging FcRn inhibition to systematically expand into chronic autoimmune indications, anchored by its flagship therapy, Vyvgart. The article emphasized that despite strong revenue growth, a deep pipeline, and strategic global expansion, the market had undervalued argenx's long-term potential and M&A appeal. argenx SE (ARGX) is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 54 hedge fund portfolios held ARGX at the end of the first quarter which was 47 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of ARGX as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock. Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey. Sign in to access your portfolio
