• ARB Corporation shares: FY26 profit drops but growth investments strengthen outlook

    A man in a four wheel drive vehicle lifts an arm and gives a thumbs up in the air as he traverses rugged mountain style terrain with a green valley and rocky hills in the background.

    The ARB Corporation Ltd (ASX: ARB) share price is on watch after the company reported sales revenue of $702 million, down 3.8%, and net profit after tax of $92.4 million, down 5.2%, for FY26 amid challenging market conditions.

    What did ARB Corporation report?

    • Sales revenue: $702.0 million, down 3.8% from FY25
    • Net profit before tax: $123.0 million, down 8.9%
    • Net profit after tax: $92.4 million, down 5.2%
    • Basic earnings per share: $1.11, down 5.9%
    • Final FY26 dividend announced: 35 cents per share, fully franked
    • Net cash holdings: $47.9 million, with no debt

    What else do investors need to know?

    Despite a softer demand and lower new 4×4 vehicle sales—especially in Australia—ARB’s second half performance showed improvement in profit margins and order book strength compared to the first half. The company also saw strong export sales growth in the United States (up 10.2%), with export sales overall rising slightly by 0.5% to represent 38.2% of total sales.

    ARB invested more into engineering and product development, including ramping up new releases and opening a local presence in China and South Africa. The company’s focus on its specialist store network continued, with new flagship sites and a new e-commerce platform supporting omni-channel sales.

    What’s next for ARB Corporation?

    Looking ahead, ARB expects gradually improving supply for key vehicle models in Australia and internationally, which should support better sales to both retail and original equipment manufacturers in FY27. The company is increasing investment in engineering to deliver more new products, and will further expand its footprint in markets such as China, South Africa, and the United States.

    Management highlighted a strong balance sheet with no debt, and says ARB will continue its focus on growing its Aftermarket presence, expanding export channels, and building long-term partnerships with OEM customers in Australia and abroad.

    ARB Corporation share price snapshot

    The ARB Corporation share price has been among the worst performers on the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months with a decline of over 50%.

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    Should you invest $1,000 in ARB Corporation right now?

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    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.*

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    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 positions in and has recommended ARB Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Corporation. 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.

  • Southern Cross Gold reports drilling results

    Two miners examine things they have taken out the ground.

    The Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd (ASX: SX2) share price is in focus after the company announced high-grade gold and antimony drilling results at its Sunday Creek Project, including a standout intersection of 0.3 metres at 1,466 grams per tonne (g/t) gold.

    What did Southern Cross Gold report?

    • Five new drill holes at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project, Victoria
    • Headline result: 0.3 m at 1,466.4 g/t gold, including 0.1 m at 4,500 g/t gold
    • Three composite intersections above 100 g/t gold and four between 50 and 100 g/t gold
    • Deepest mineralisation to date at Rising Sun, confirming grade continuity at depth
    • Project totals: 278 holes and 134.5 km drilled since late 2020; 96 intersections above 100 g/t gold
    • 200,000m drill program underway, with results pending from 76 holes

    What else do investors need to know?

    The latest results from Rising Sun represent the deepest and highest-grade intersections yet, expanding the project’s known mineralisation zone both laterally and at depth. Notably, these drilling step-outs are delivering consistently high grades, supporting the view that Sunday Creek’s gold and antimony system remains open and continues to grow in scale.

    Southern Cross Gold has a strong strategic position, holding 1,392 hectares of key freehold land at Sunday Creek, and is pursuing systematic exploration across a 16,900-hectare tenement package near Melbourne. The project is gaining significance as antimony is recognised as a critical mineral, with applications in batteries, defence, and high-tech manufacturing.

    What’s next for Southern Cross Gold?

    Southern Cross Gold is pressing ahead with its major 200,000-metre drilling campaign, aiming to define the full extent of the Sunday Creek system by Q1 2027. The company is focused on confirming grade continuity, expanding known mineralised zones, and further testing step-outs beyond current exploration targets.

    Given global attention on supply security of critical minerals, Sunday Creek’s gold-antimony resource could become increasingly important, bolstered by improving metallurgical results and strategic positioning with government and industry partners.

    Southern Cross Gold share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, Southern Cross Gold shares have risen 91%, significantly outperforming the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

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    The post Southern Cross Gold reports drilling results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Southern Cross Gold Consolidated right now?

    Before you buy Southern Cross Gold Consolidated 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 Southern Cross Gold Consolidated 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…

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    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 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.

  • Viva Energy Group posts record 1H26 earnings, boosts dividend

    Pensioner looking at his laptop.

    The Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA) share price is in focus today after the company reported record group EBITDA of $774.4 million for the half year ended 30 June 2026, up a substantial 154% versus the same period last year, and announced an increased interim dividend.

    What did Viva Energy Group report?

    • Group EBITDA (replacement cost basis) rose to $774.4 million, up from $304.9 million (+154%).
    • Net profit after tax (RC) increased to $371.1 million, up from $62.6 million (+493%).
    • Energy & Infrastructure EBITDA grew to $353.7 million, supported by strong refining margins.
    • Commercial & Industrial EBITDA (RC) rose 28% to $305.4 million on higher sales volumes and favourable supply deals.
    • Convenience & Mobility EBITDA (RC) jumped 86% to $138.7 million, backed by higher retail fuel sales.
    • Interim dividend of 7.73 cents per share, at the top end of policy (up from 3.83cps).

    What else do investors need to know?

    Viva Energy’s performance benefited from elevated regional refining margins, even as operations at the Geelong Refinery were impacted by a fire in April. The refinery was safely restored and all units were back online by June, helping support margins into the second half.

    Strong trading momentum was also reported across retail, with increased customer visits and uplift in convenience (ex-tobacco) sales. Lower net debt, now at $1.7 billion, reflects robust cash flow generation and prudent capital management during a period of market volatility.

    The interim dividend represents a 70% payout of C&M and C&I net profit (RC), with any additional dividend from refining earnings to be considered at year end. The dividend reinvestment plan remains active, offering a 1.5% discount for eligible shareholders.

    What did Viva Energy Group management say?

    The company’s CEO, Scott Wyatt, commented:

    Viva Energy delivered its highest underlying first half earnings with all business units reporting significant growth. These strong results reflect a substantially improved refining margin environment, as well as improving retail sales growth and continuing strength of our commercial businesses. Strong cash conversion has strengthened our balance sheet with net debt reducing from $2.1 billion at the end of 2025 to $1.7 billion at 30 June 2026. I am proud of the way our team have responded to these challenges and the results we have achieved. We enter the second half with a strong balance sheet and a clear focus on disciplined execution.

    What’s next for Viva Energy Group?

    Heading into the second half, Viva Energy plans to continue increasing productivity in its convenience operations and further expand its OTR network. The company expects the supply chain transformation to complete by November, aiming to boost store range and private label offerings. Around 20–25 new OTR stores and several site conversions are also in the pipeline for 2026.

    Commercial & Industrial earnings are anticipated to remain solid, though some moderation is expected as favourable supply agreements roll off. The Group’s Geelong Refinery will remain focused on capturing strong margin conditions, while ongoing discussions with the Federal Government around fuel security measures could support longer-term stability and growth.

    Viva Energy Group share price snapshot

    The Viva Energy Group share price has outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months with a 33% gain, buoyed by strong earnings growth and improved capital returns to shareholders.

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    The post Viva Energy Group posts record 1H26 earnings, boosts dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Viva Energy Group right now?

    Before you buy Viva Energy Group 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 Viva Energy Group 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

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    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.