The financial future of my kids is high up on my priority list. The goal is straightforward. I want to invest in ASX shares that have the potential to thrive for decades.

That’s because my kids are still in the single digits. So there is no point in chasing the next big growth stock. Instead I’m after consistent growth and good quality businesses that can stand the test of time.

Here are three ASX shares which I think fit the bill.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Transurban is a long-term favorite of mine. It’s a global infrastructure business that builds and operates urban toll road networks, tunnels, and bridges and operates 22 assets across Australia, the US, and Canada.

The business is widely considered a high-grade defensive ASX dividend stock because its toll road services are essential.

Even in the event of a downturn, people still need to travel to work and transportation will always continue. Transurban’s toll roads typically have stable traffic volumes year-round, which means the business enjoys resilient cash flow regardless of economic conditions.

Another bonus is that most of its toll roads are on an annual contract. This means Transurban is able to increase its toll prices each year in line with rising inflation.

Over the past year, the ASX shares have been relatively stable, fluctuating mildly between $13.25 a piece and $15.62 a piece. Over the past 12 months, the shares are up around 7%.

It’s this stability and consistent earnings that means Transurban is able to pay a reliable dividend to its shareholders too.

In February, the toll road operator paid an interim dividend of 34 cents per share, unfranked, to its shareholders.

For FY26, the company has forecast a distribution of 69 cents per security, which implies a forward dividend yield of around 4.1%, at the time of writing.

Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Ltd (ASX: SOL)

If I were to focus on long-term dividend income. Soul Patts is another ASX share I’d consider buying for my kids. 

Soul Patts is an Australian diversified investment house. It’s often compared to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway because it invests in a broad portfolio of assets ranging from ASX-listed companies, to private credit, to real estate, and others.

It is widely regarded as Australian dividend royalty and it’s also one of the few ASX shares that have continually raised its dividend payments over the past 28 years.

Soul Patts historically pays its fully-franked dividends twice per year in May and a final dividend in December. It occasionally also pays shareholders an additional special dividend.

For the first half of FY26, Soul Patts paid a fully-franked interim dividend of 48 cents per share. This was a 9.1% increase on the prior corresponding period.  At the time of writing, the ASX shares have a grossed-up dividend yield of around 2.4%, including franking credits.

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

The Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF is an entirely different type of investment. It is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the performance of the Nasdaq CTA Cybersecurity Index and it gives investors easy access to cybersecurity-focused companies.

As an ETF, HACK allows Australian investors to invest in a diversified basket of international cybersecurity stocks without having to purchase individual shares on overseas exchanges. It typically holds around 30 to 40 companies involved in software, hardware, and services protecting digital infrastructure, data, and networks.

Cybersecurity is becoming more important across the world as cyberattacks grow in sophistication, frequency, and scale. 

I also think it will also become a larger cost for businesses as more activity moves online and businesses expand on their use of artificial intelligence.

The fund also pays a semi-annual dividend to its shareholders. Earlier this month, HACK paid its most recent $0.615682 per unit dividend to its investors. 

As at 30th June 2026, the HACK ETF has a 12-month gross distribution yield of 2.5%.

The post 3 ASX shares I’d buy and hold for my kids appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• How much do I need in my superannuation to earn $7k per month in passive income?
• 5 ASX ETFs for beginner investors in July
• How much is needed in superannuation to target a $100,000 annual passive income?
• How to make $50,000 of passive income from ASX shares like CBA

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 BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, Transurban Group, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Transurban Group and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form and pushed higher. The benchmark index rose 0.35% to 8,823 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Thursday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to jump

It looks set to be a great session for Australian investors on Thursday despite a subdued night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 75 points or 0.85% higher this morning. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 0.1%, the S&P 500 is 0.05% lower, and the Nasdaq is down 0.35%.

Hold Beach Energy shares

Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) shares are around fair value despite falling heavily this year according to Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has retained its hold rating on the energy producer’s shares with a reduced price target of 95 cents (from $1.15). It said: “BPT is in a production replacement cycle with respect to exploration and appraisal. Production growth should return in FY27 and capex ease, enabling positive free cash flow to support balance sheet deleveraging and ongoing dividends. We are positive on BPT’s exposure to Australian east coast gas markets (around half of sales volumes) and cautious with respect to global oil markets.”

Oil prices rise again

ASX 200 energy shares Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a good session after oil prices charged higher again overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 3.3% to US$87.12 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 3.65% to US$94.33 a barrel. Traders were bidding oil higher after the US claimed that Iran is not serious about signing a peace deal.

Buy Paladin Energy shares

Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) shares are undervalued according to Bell Potter. In response to its quarterly update and release of FY 2027 guidance, the broker has retained its buy rating on the uranium producer’s shares with a trimmed price target of $14.80 (from $15.30). It commented: “We retain our Buy recommendation. We have a positive medium- to long-term outlook for the uranium market, supported by barriers to new supply and demand growth linked to electrification, energy security and AI-related power requirements. PDN has around ~53% exposure to spot prices out to 2030. Production at LHM continues to improve with higher-grade mined ore feeding the processing plant and continued process optimisation.”

Gold price climbs

It could be a good session for ASX 200 gold shares including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) on Thursday after the gold price rose overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 1.55% to US$4,139.4 an ounce. Safe haven demand sent the gold price to a two-week high.

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• The Santos share price is in the spotlight this week. Here’s why
• Why is everyone talking about Resolute Mining, Westgold and Paladin shares on Wednesday?
• Why this top expert thinks Qantas shares can fly 20% higher
• Beach Energy posts steady Q4 production and a resilient outlook

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woodside Energy Group Ltd. 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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) enjoyed a happy hump day this Wednesday. After a bumpy start to the week, investors seemed to be in a positive mood all session today. After some bouncing around, the ASX 200 ended up closing 0.34% higher. That leaves the index at a flat 8,823 points.

This excitable Wednesday on the ASX comes after an even more upbeat night over on the American markets.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in a great mood, rising 0.74%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was even more jubilant, gaining 1.29%.

But get back to the local markets now and dive a little deeper into what the different ASX sectors were doing this hump day.

Winners and losers

Despite the broader market’s gains, there were a few sectors that were left out in the cold.

First amongst those were again healthcare shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) tanked 1.93% today.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) were also shunned, with the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) diving 1.44%.

Consumer discretionary stocks matched that loss. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) also tumbled 1.44%.

Tech shares were on the nose too, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ)’s 1.07% slump.

Communications stocks weren’t much better. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) dipped 0.93% this session.

Utilities shares came next, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) shedding 0.75% of its value.

Industrial stocks fared better, though. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) saw its value decline 0.08% this Wednesday.

Our final losers were consumer staples shares, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ)’s 0.02% slip.

Turning to the winners now, it was gold stocks that came out on top. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) enjoyed a 3.98% surge today.

Broader mining stocks also ran hot, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) roaring 2.3% higher.

Energy shares didn’t miss out either. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) jumped 0.67% this session.

Last and least, financial stocks joined the party, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)’s 0.19% increase.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Titanium stock IperionX Ltd (ASX: IPX) was our index winner this Wednesday. IperionX shares rocketed 8.67% higher today to close at $3.51 each. Although there was no news out from the company, most mining shares had a stunner today.

Here’s how the other chart-toppers pulled up at the kerb: 

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
IperionX Ltd (ASX: IPX)	$3.51	8.67%
Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd (ASX: KCN)	$4.27	7.56%
Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM)	$1.11	7.28%
FireFly Metals Ltd (ASX: FFM)	$1.78	6.91%
Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)	$9.13	6.66%
Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL)	$6.29	6.61%
Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX)	$4.85	6.13%
Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD)	$6.10	5.90%
Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB)	$3.72	5.68%
Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL)	$5.92	5.34%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why is everyone talking about Resolute Mining, Westgold and Paladin shares on Wednesday?
• Why this top expert thinks Qantas shares can fly 20% higher
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• Westgold Resources exceeds guidance with record gold production in FY26
• Mercury NZ trading margin jumps 33% as renewables drive Q4 result

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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.

Of all the ASX healthcare shares, Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL) is one of the most appealing businesses to me in the sector.

Sonic Healthcare describes itself as a global healthcare provider with specialist operations in laboratory medicine and pathology, radiology, general practice medicine and corporate medical services.

It’s headquartered in Sydney, but it has operations in a number of countries including Australia, Germany, USA, Switzerland, the UK, Belgium, Poland and New Zealand.

There are (at least) three great reasons to like the business.

Revenue growth with good tailwinds

The business is regularly delivering good revenue growth, which is an important element of long-term success. Sonic Healthcare is benefiting from the fact that there are ageing and growing population demographics in its core markets.

The FY26 half-year result showed the ability of the business to grow – revenue rose 17% year over year to $5.4 billion. That included organic revenue growth of 5%.

Sonic Healthcare has managed to drive its revenue through both organic expansion and acquisitions.

The great thing about being a global business is that Sonic can allocate its organic investment and acquisition attention to whichever market or opportunity it thinks is the best place for its money.

I believe the ASX healthcare share will be able to continue growing revenue at a good pace for the foreseeable future.

Good profit growth

Profit growth is even more important than revenue growth, of course.

Sonic’s profit is growing at a pleasing pace, which I think the market is underestimating. In the FY26 half-year result, Sonic Healthcare revealed operating profit (EBITDA) growth of 10%, net profit growth of 11% and operating cash flow growth of 10%.

As the business become larger, I expect its profit margins to increase, as it did in the past. The company noted that its underlying EBITDA margin did increase in the HY26 period.

According to the projection on Commsec, the Sonic Healthcare share price is valued at less than 18x FY26’s estimated earnings. The forecast on Commsec suggests the business could grow its earnings by 15% in FY27 and another 14% in FY28.

If the ASX healthcare share is able to continue growing its earnings by more than 10% in the coming years, it could justify more market excitement again about its prospects.

Rising dividend

One of the benefits of owning the ASX healthcare share is that the business is regularly increasing its payout.

It has increased its annual payout each year since FY13, meaning it has been able to give investors a pleasing level of payout consistency.

According to the projection on Commsec, the business could pay an annual dividend per share of $1.095 in FY26, which translates into a 5.25% dividend yield, excluding any franking credits.

Overall, I think this business is undervalued and has a promising future.

The post 3 reasons why this ASX healthcare share price is a buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Healthcare shares lead the ASX 200 again as sector rotation gathers pace

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 recommended Sonic Healthcare. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Of all the ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in my portfolio, of which there are a few, there’s only one that I think is looking attractive right now. Sure, my index funds, which include the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) and the Vanguard MSCI Australian Small Companies Index ETF (ASX: VSO), are always solid options. But neither of these funds is looking like a screaming bargain at today’s prices. At least in my opinion.

But the VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)? That’s a different story.

The VanEck Wide Moat ETF is a rather unique fund on the ASX. It is not your traditional index fund, blindly following an entire market. Instead, it is an actively managed ASX ETF that holds a relatively concentrated portfolio of US stocks.

Not just any US stock finds its way into the MOAT portfolio, though. Each holding is only selected if it appears to display signs of possessing a wide economic moat. A moat is a concept first coined by legendary investor Warren Buffett. It describes an intrinsic competitive advantage that a company can possess and use to keep its customers coming back and its competition at bay. Much as a literal moat protected a castle from marauders in days of yore.

There are many types of moats that a company might have. It could be a powerful and trusted brand, or a cost advantage that allows a company to offer consistently lower prices than its rivals. It could also be offering a product or service that customers find difficult to avoid using.

Only companies that Morningstar determines possess at least one of these moats are eligible for inclusion in the VanEck Wide Moat ETF. To illustrate, some of its current holdings include Airbnb, Microsoft, Nvidia, Nike, Disney, Clorox, Amazon, and PepsiCo.

Whether it’s Airbnb’s brand, Nvidia’s cutting-edge chips, Disney’s intellectual property assets, or Amazon’s cost advantage, you can see why these companies might possess a moat.

But let’s talk about this ETF itself.

Why this ASX ETF is looking hot right now

Over long periods of time, MOAT units have returned some impressive numbers. As of 30 June, this ASX ETF has delivered an average of 14.4% per annum over the past ten years (that’s growth plus dividend returns). Since inception in 2015, the number is 13.94% per annum.

Yet the past year has been a lacklustre one for this fund. Over the 12 months to 30 June, investors banked just 5.97%. Indeed, over this same period, the MOAT unit price itself has gone backwards by about 3.8%. As of today’s pricing, the gap is even wider at a 6.2% loss.

Yet I think this makes this ASX ETF a compelling investing opportunity. This ETF has the runs on the board to show that its strategy is a successful one over long periods of time. As such, any pullback or departure from the mean might be a great time to pick up some units. I’ve had this ETF in my portfolio for many years, and it has been a lucrative investment. As such, I’m considering adding some more at current levels.

The post I think this Buffett-inspired ASX ETF is in the buy zone right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Amazon, Microsoft, PepsiCo, VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF, Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF, and Vanguard Msci Australian Small Companies Index ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Airbnb, Amazon, Microsoft, Nike, Nvidia, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Airbnb, Amazon, Microsoft, Nike, Nvidia, VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It’s been a tough year for the Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price.

In afternoon trade on Wednesday, the world’s first and biggest crypto by market cap is trading for US$66,185.

While that’s up 1.2% over the past 24 hours and up 3.4 over the past month, the price remains down 47.5% since the token hit an all-time high of US$126,198 on 7 October.

And crypto investors won’t have found any shelter in Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) either.

At US$1,930, the Ethereum price is up 3.2% over the last week, but down 48% since this time last year.

The world’s number two crypto by market cap notched its own record high of US$4,954 on 25 August 2025, leaving the token down 61% from that record.

Which brings us back to US lawmakers.

Could this US legislation support a Bitcoin price rebound?

Yesterday the Bitcoin price jumped 2.5% amid news that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the nation’s crypto regulating Clarity Act was close to potentially passing through Congress.

If passed, the Clarity Act will give the SEC and the CFTC departments oversight into crypto trading, which could fully open the door to trading in cryptos like Bitcoin and Ethereum in US stock markets.

Commenting on potential impact of the Clarity Act, should it pass, Miller Tabak + Co chief market strategist Matt Maley said (quoted by Bloomberg):

Bitcoin has quietly been building a nice ‘base’ by trading within a sideways range since early June. Now, with the Clarity Act getting closer to passage, it is trying to rally past of the top end of that range. So, if the act can push over the goal line, it could be a nice catalyst for a strong breakout move by Bitcoin.

Why has the world’s top crypto crashed this year?

Through much of 2025, the Bitcoin price enjoyed strong buying support from the so-called debasement trade. That trade saw investors buying crypto currencies and gold as a hedge against a falling US dollar.

But that trade went into reverse this year as investors eyed a rapidly changing outlook for previously forecast interest rate cuts from the US Federal Reserve. Indeed, with inflation ticking higher in the world’s top economy, many analysts expect the Fed to hold tight or even raise rates this year.

These changing expectations have seen the US dollar gain against most international currencies. And they’ve sent the Bitcoin and Ethereum prices tumbling.

The post Could US lawmakers drive a rebound in the beaten-down Bitcoin price? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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 Bitcoin and Ethereum. 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.

ASX bank shares Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) all face another competitor in Australia: Revolut.

CBA and the other majors already face a lot of competition from the likes of ING, HSBC, Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ), Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN), Pepper Money Ltd (ASX: PPM), Mystate Ltd (ASX: MYS), and AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP).

Perhaps the biggest impact on the big four banks in recent years has been Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), which has genuinely become a serious competitor. Macquarie is rapidly capturing market share on both the loans and deposits side of things.

Revolut is a technology-focused UK bank that’s already got a valuation that is similar to ANZ Group. According to reporting by the Australian Financial Review, Revolut has recently been granted an Australian banking licence.

Revolut to disrupt the major ASX bank shares?

The AFR reported that Revolut Bank Australia has secured an unrestricted licence from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority – granted five years after the application.

Revolut reportedly already has 1 million Australian users, with that number doubling each of the last 4 years. Its key offering is a money management app that can make payments, move money between countries, and buy shares.

Customer deposits are now being moved to deposit accounts thanks to the banking licence. Revolut customers will have up to $250,000 of their money protected by the government guarantee.

Revolut can also pay interest on customer savings, while giving itself a better source of funding. The UK bank can also offer personal lending and credit cards.

The AFR reported that Revolut Bank Australia CEO Matt Baxby said:

The natural place to take share is from traditional banks. I don’t think there’s any question we’re providing incremental competition and innovation. It’s very difficult for them to play offence. Their natural game is defence because they’ve got large franchises’ revenue streams to protect.

The newspaper also noted that “several major bank executives have privately cited Revolut as being one of the biggest competitors to local lenders.”

So, it seems like major ASX bank shares are well aware of the potential competition from Revolut.

Should shareholders of CBA, ANZ, NAB, and Westpac be worried?

I think it could be unwise to completely dismiss what Revolut can achieve. Yes, some of the other smaller, digital banks that have come along have not been able to challenge them. They were too small, with the majors having insurmountable scale advantages.

However, I think it’s important to look at how Macquarie has changed the sector. Macquarie was a well-funded business and had the scale to invest heavily, accept a lower margin, and build great tools. Revolut is already a big business, making billions of dollars in profit.

I’ve already been cautious investing in ASX bank shares for some time, and this gives me another reason to look at other ASX shares.

The post This UK bank plans to disrupt CBA, ANZ, NAB and Westpac appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• CBA shares have risen 10% in a month, are they still a buy?
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• 2 ASX shares highly recommended to buy: Experts

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO) shares are slipping today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank stock closed yesterday trading for 91 cents. In early afternoon trade on Wednesday, shares are swapping hands for 90.7 cents apiece, down 0.3%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.2% at this same time.

Unfortunately for faithful stockholders, today’s underperformance isn’t a one-off. With today’s intraday move factored in, the challenger bank’s share price is down a painful 49.6% in 2026.

Most of that pain came in a single day. Namely, 25 June, when Judo shares crashed 40.4% after the bank increased its forecast full-year FY 2026 cost of risk estimates and slashed its full-year profit guidance.

And looking ahead, Investor Pulse’s Mark Elzayed believes Judo Bank could continue to struggle (courtesy of The Bull).

Here’s why.

Why Judo shares could face ongoing headwinds

“This Australian lender focuses on small and medium size enterprises,” Elzayed said.

Commenting on the 25 June downgrades that sent the ASX 200 bank stock into a tailspin, Elzayed noted:

Judo recently cut profit before tax guidance in fiscal year 2026 to between $163 million and $169 million from a previous range of between $180 million and $190 million. It was primarily driven by a higher cost of risk now expected to range between $116 million and $122 million following specific provisions against three exposures across different sectors.

And while management is forecasting profit growth for FY 2027, that guidance also left investors wanting.

“Profit before tax guidance of between $210 million and $220 million in full year 2027 was below market expectations of $255.1 million,” Elzayed said.

Summarising his sell recommendation on Judo shares, he concluded, “In our view, market reaction reflects more than a one-off potential earnings downgrade. Provisioning risk remains elevated, so we retain a sell on Judo Capital.”

What did the ASX 200 bank stock’s CEO say about the downgrades?

“While today’s update is partly a result of the macro environment, it is nevertheless disappointing,” CEO Chris Bayliss said on the day Judo shares crashed 40.4%.

“Regardless, we remain confident in the strength of our underlying business and the quality of the portfolio,” he added.

Addressing the root of the profit downgrade, Bayliss said:

We continue to see strong underlying momentum in the business. Recent credit outcomes have been driven by a small number of customers, who we are actively working with. These exposures have deteriorated subsequent to the customer-by-customer review undertaken in the third quarter and reflect recent, borrower-specific developments.

The post Sell alert! Why this expert is calling time on Judo shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• 2 ASX shares tipped to grow 45% or more in the next 12 months
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• Buy, hold, sell: CAR Group, Judo Capital, and Worley shares

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.

A bunch of new research notes have come out this week, with brokers issuing buy ratings on some interesting companies.

Let’s see which ones they like.

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

NextDC shares are flat over the past 12 months, having traded as low as $10.74 and as high as $17.93.

UBS has a price target of $22.55 on NextDC shares compared to $14.03 currently.

The broker referred to a recent announcement NextDC made to the ASX, which said that following further contract wins, NextDC’s contracted utilisation had increased by 11% to 740 megawatts.

NextDC said at the time, “the pro-forma forward order book is expected to progressively convert to billings, revenue and EBITDA over the period FY26 to FY30”.

UBS said there was “very little” detail in the update, but said it was “another substantial win”.

The broker added that it was not possible to put a number on the earnings impact, as it was unclear whether it was a neocloud or AI contract.

Alkane Resources Ltd (ASX: ALK)

UBS has actually downgraded its price target for Alkane by 40 cents to $1.75, but still has a buy rating on the gold stock, which was last changing hands for $1.35.

The broker said the company’s recently-released quarterly costs came in above their estimates, and FY27 guidance was soft.

Alkane also proposed a maiden 2-cent dividend in the recent update, having built its cash holdings to $432 million.

Managing Director Nic Earner said it was a good end to the year for the company.

He said:

It has been another great quarter for Alkane, producing 40,949 ounces of gold and 456 tonnes of antimony (42,491 ounces of gold equivalent) over the full quarter, which places full year FY26 production at 168,337 ounces of gold equivalent, in the top half of guidance.

UBS said M&A activity would remain in focus as the most viable way for the company to grow production.

The broker added:

Near term production in Tier 1 jurisdictions remains the preference, and we continue to view ALK’s holding of Medallion Metals (ASX: MM8), with its Ravensthorpe Gold Project as an interesting option.

BCI Minerals Ltd (ASX: BCI)

Shaw and Partners has a buy rating on this salt project developer, saying in a research note this week that the company was progressing well.

The broker said:

Mardie has advanced significantly since our recent initiation, achieving construction completion of 85% (82% including the crystalliser lining program), up from 81% in March. Crucially, the operation has commenced salt precipitation on schedule, exiting the initial filling phase to become an active producer with 49kt of crystallised salt on pavement at quarter end. The critical path to First Salt on Ship remains governed by natural solar evaporation and weather conditions during this early phase. Management continues to target operational readiness for FSOS by MarQCY27.

Shaw and Partners said as the project closes the gap to its first commercial harvest, “the current market valuation continues to significantly discount the tier-1 replacement value of this 60-plus year infrastructure asset. We expect a major equity re-rating as execution risks give way to structural cash flow”.

The broker has a price target of 75 cents on BCI compared to 42.75 cents currently.

The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy with gains of up to 75% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England has positions in Nextdc. 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.

The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is catching investor attention this week.

At the time of writing, in Wednesday lunchtime trade, the shares are up around 1% and changing hands for $7.86 a piece.

Today’s increase follows a run of share price rises recently. Since dipping to a low of $7.04 in late June, the shares have now rebounded over 11%. 

They’re now up around 27% year to date, but are around 0.5% below the trading levels seen this time last year.

Why is everyone talking about the Santos share price?

There hasn’t been any price-sensitive news out of Santos this week.

It looks like the ASX 200 oil and gas giant’s share price is the talk of the town right now as conflict between the US and Iran continues to escalate.

Santos shares gradually cooled through June and into July, off the back of expectations that the conflict was winding down. When the original peace deal broke in June, Santos fell 8% in a single session. 

But a stark reversal over the past two weeks has reinvigorated the war risk tailwinds that saw the company’s shares fly higher earlier this year. 

Escalating conflict has quickly caused a spike in oil prices, which in turn acts as a strong tailwind for Santos shares.

Trading Economics data shows that the price of WTI crude oil has now climbed past US$85 per barrel and is hovering near six-week highs as supply risks intensify across several major export routes even beyond the Middle East.

“President Donald Trump dismissed the likelihood of imminent talks with Iran while warning of additional strikes and pledging retaliation if Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen disrupted shipping through the Red Sea,” Trading Economics said.

“The Red Sea has become a vital export corridor for Saudi Arabia during the conflict, enabling the kingdom to reroute part of its crude exports through pipelines and reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, a Kuwaiti tanker carrying oil products was struck in Hormuz, underscoring persistent threats to maritime traffic. Outside the region, traders are also monitoring a series of attacks on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal along Russia’s Black Sea coast, a key export hub for most of Kazakhstan’s crude.”

Company-specific tailwinds

Tightening oil supply isn’t the only thing driving the Santos share price higher. 

A few company-specific tailwinds, including a rise in production and improved cash flow, have also helped support the Santos share price recently.

In late April, Santos posted its March quarter update, revealing a 1% increase in production and a 3% rise in sales revenue compared with the prior quarter. 

Its free cash flow from operations of US$383 million was in line with Q425, and management reaffirmed its FY26 production and cost guidance.

The company also recently confirmed it has now hit continuous production at its Pikka oil project in Alaska. The project is now producing about 20,000 barrels of oil per day, which will ramp up to 80,000 barrels per day during the third quarter of 2026.

What do brokers expect next?

The experts are still very bullish that the Santos share price can keep climbing higher this year.

TradingView data shows that the majority (12 out of 14) analysts have a buy or strong buy rating on the shares.

The average $8.48 target price implies a potential 8% upside, at the time of writing. But some are even more bullish that the shares could jump another 35% to a multi-year high of $10.66 a piece.

The post The Santos share price is in the spotlight this week. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 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.