The Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) share price is in focus today after the gold miner delivered a record net profit after tax (NPAT) of A$1.7 billion, up 24% year on year, and boosted its fully franked dividend to 55 cents per share.
What did Northern Star Resources report?
- Revenue rose 19% to A$7.6 billion (FY25: A$6.4 billion), driven by a 26% higher realised gold price.
- Statutory NPAT of A$1.66 billion, with underlying NPAT at A$1.79 billion (up 26%).
- Underlying EBITDA increased 22% to A$4.27 billion.
- Cash earnings totalled A$2.91 billion, up 1% from last year.
- Fully franked FY26 dividend of 55 cents per share, including a 30 cent final dividend.
- On-market buy-back program commenced, with A$129 million spent to buy back over 6.3 million shares so far.
What else do investors need to know?
Northern Star ended FY26 with A$1.2 billion in cash and bullion, maintaining a strong balance sheet despite higher capital investments and shareholder returns. The group kicked off commissioning for the KCGM Mill Expansion, a key growth project expected to unlock greater operational consistency and support future cash flows.
The company is investing heavily in both organic growth and exploration, including the ongoing integration of the Hemi gold project. During the year, capital investment focused on expanding processing facilities and upgrading key mining infrastructure, while a new power station was built at KCGM to support future mining volumes.
What did Northern Star Resources management say?
Commenting on its results, Northern Star’s managing director, Stuart Tonkin, said:
We are at an important inflection point for Northern Star. The KCGM Mill Expansion marks a significant milestone for the Company, with the expanded processing plant expected to deliver greater operational consistency and reliability, while supporting a significant increase in free cash generation as it ramps up.
We have a strong track record of disciplined capital allocation, supported by an investment-grade balance sheet, and have returned $3.3 billion of cumulative capital management to shareholders to date. As we enter this next phase, disciplined capital allocation remains a priority, with a clear commitment to generating superior shareholder returns.
To enhance the quality of the portfolio, the KCGM Mill Expansion is expected to structurally reset the cost base and create a stronger platform for long-term value creation. The development of Hemi provides a further opportunity to strengthen the portfolio and underpin the Company’s growth profile.
What’s next for Northern Star Resources?
Looking to FY27, Northern Star has guided to group gold production of 1.5â1.65 million ounces at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of A$3,050â3,450/oz. The KCGM ramp-up is underway, with production expected to reach 550â650koz in its initial stages.
Capital expenditure is forecast between A$2,550 million and A$2,935 million, with flexibility to adjust spending as operational needs evolve. The group is also allocating A$230â250 million for exploration, focusing on growing resources and extending mine life at key operations including KCGM, Pogo, and Hemi.
Northern Star Resources share price snapshot
The Northern Star Resources share price has outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months with a gain of 24%. This has been driven largely by a rising gold price.
The post Northern Star Resources posts record profit and higher dividend for FY26 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.
Should you invest $1,000 in Northern Star Resources right now?
Before you buy Northern Star Resources 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 Northern Star Resources 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 1 August 2026
.custom-cta-button p {
margin-bottom: 0 !important;
}
More reading
- 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
- 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
- Buy, hold, sell: REA, Northern Star Resources, Suncorp shares
- Experts name 3 popular ASX 200 shares to sell today
- 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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 summary of the company announcement. 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.