• ANZ shares have climbed 13% in a year. Is there still room to run?

    Happy young woman saving money in a piggy bank.

    Anyone who bought ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares near their 52-week low of $32.46 would be sitting on a pretty decent gain today.

    The banking giant has recovered more than 16% from that level, with its shares gaining around 13.5% over the past year and almost 7% since January.

    Wednesday hasn’t been quite as positive, with the ANZ share price slipping 1.05% to $37.75 in midday trade.

    That leaves the stock around 8% below its 52-week high of $41.

    While ANZ has made progress with its turnaround, I think much of that improvement is already reflected in the share price.

    Here’s why.

    ANZ’s turnaround is gaining traction

    ANZ’s latest quarterly results show some encouraging signs, although earnings growth remains fairly modest.

    In its August trading update, ANZ reported cash profit of $1.90 billion, up just 1% compared with the quarterly average from the first half.

    However, excluding a provision relating to a New Zealand class action, cash profit increased 5% to $1.98 billion.

    Business and Private Banking lending grew 4%, while net interest income from its core banking operations increased 2%.

    Operating expenses also fell 3% after excluding the legal provision, with management continuing to target a 5% reduction in annual costs.

    Meanwhile, ANZ is progressing with its integration of Suncorp Bank, with customer migration scheduled for completion by June 2027.

    The bank expects the integration to deliver approximately $500 million in annual pre-tax cost savings by FY29.

    Is ANZ getting too expensive?

    At $37.75, ANZ is trading on a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of around 19.3, with a trailing dividend yield of approximately 4.4%.

    The dividend is appealing, but I’m not convinced the current valuation leaves much room for further upside.

    TipRanks has an average 12-month price target of approximately $35.40 across 8 analysts, implying around 6% downside from today’s price.

    The ratings are fairly mixed, with 3 buys, 4 holds, and 1 sell.

    Citi is among the more optimistic brokers, with a $39.25 price target, while Macquarie has a $33.50 target.

    Personally, I think ANZ needs to show more meaningful earnings growth before I’d be comfortable paying close to 20 times earnings.

    Would I buy ANZ shares today?

    Not at $37.75 apiece.

    I’d be more interested if the share price pulled back towards $35, particularly if the bank continues delivering on its turnaround plans.

    The next opportunity to assess that progress comes in November, when ANZ is scheduled to release its FY26 results.

    The post ANZ shares have climbed 13% in a year. Is there still room to run? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Anz 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 Anz 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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    Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. 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 Macquarie Group. 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.

  • Viva Energy, Codan, AMP shares reach 52-week highs: How much higher can they go?

    A happy group of workers around a table raise their arms in the air as though celebrating a work achievement. One woman is on her feet with her arm raised in the air in a fist-pumping action.

    Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA), Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA), and AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) shares have all climbed to fresh annual highs in Wednesday lunchtime trade. 

    Here’s why the shares are peaking today, and what brokers expect next.

    Viva Energy shares

    Viva Energy shares have climbed around 1% and are trading at a two-year high of $3.24 a piece, at the time of writing. The increase means the shares have jumped roughly 14% over the past month and are now up around 55% year to date.

    As Australia’s second-largest vertically integrated refined transport fuel supplier, Viva Energy has enjoyed tailwinds from tight fuel supply and rising prices through 2026 as conflict in the Middle East constrains the flow of oil in and out of the region. 

    It looks like investors are still flocking to the stock after the company posted a strong first-half result in late August. It announced record EBITDA results of $774.4 million for the half year ending June 2025, up a huge 154% from the same period last year. Its NPAT also boomed 493% higher to $371.1 million.

    The news followed an update from the company in late July, in which it said its Geelong refinery had successfully returned to 90% of its operations after being affected by a fire in April. 

    Going forward, it looks like the experts are bullish that the shares can keep rising. TradingView data shows the majority (six out of 10) have a buy/strong buy rating on the shares. Although after the latest rally, the $3.04 average target price now implies a potential 6% downside ahead.

    AMP shares

    AMP shares are up around 3% at the time of writing this morning, to an eight-year high of $2.61 per share. After the financial services shares dipped to an annual low of $1.16 in March, they’ve mostly consistently climbed higher to the time of writing. They’re now up 43% for the year to date.

    AMP shares have rallied higher since March on the back of a rebound in investor sentiment. The company has managed to execute an operational turnaround this year, enabling it to improve its earnings and return some capital to shareholders.

    It has posted strong financial results; its assets under management (AUM) have climbed; its wealth business has improved; it has boosted its interim dividend; and it has also completed a series of share buybacks.

    Last month, the company announced a 33% increase in underlying NPAT for the first half of FY26, and an 8.2% year-on-year increase in AUM to $167.6 billion. Management credited its AUM growth to momentum in AMP’s wealth and retirement businesses.

    Going forward, the experts are still bullish on the shares. According to TradingView data, the majority (seven out of nine) have a buy/strong buy rating on AMP shares. But after the rally over the past six months, the $2.57 target price implies around a 2% downside ahead, at the time of writing.

    Codan shares

    Codan shares have climbed around 2% higher at the time of writing, to an all-time high of $52.49. The shares have trended upwards throughout most of 2026 so far and are now up a huge 81% year to date.

    The company, which develops electronic solutions for government, military, corporate, and consumer markets globally, has climbed higher this year amid continued geopolitical volatility.

    Its communications segment, which designs drones and defence and public-safety equipment, benefited from a strong price rally, driven by soaring demand for defence-related stocks earlier this year.

    The shares were propelled higher by a strong FY26 result last month, with net profit up 69% and revenue up 30%.

    And the company believes it has another record year ahead. Earlier this week, it announced it is targeting full-year revenue growth of around 20% for FY27 and noted that the financial year has started with positive momentum.

    Investors are clearly thrilled, and experts are also very optimistic that the company can continue to grow.

    TradingView data shows that the majority (five out of nine) have a buy/strong buy rating on the stock. The average $53.17 target price implies around 1% upside. Although some think the shares could jump another 10% to $57.56 each, at the time of writing.

    The post Viva Energy, Codan, AMP shares reach 52-week highs: How much higher can they go? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Amp right now?

    Before you buy Amp 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 Amp 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 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.

  • Bought $5,000 worth of New Hope and BHP shares 5 years ago? Guess how much passive income you’ve already earned!

    Numerous Australian dollar notes laid out.

    New Hope Corp Ltd (ASX: NHC) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares have not only smashed the benchmark returns over the past five years, they’ve also delivered some market-beating passive income.

    Since 24 September 2021, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained 19.4%.

    Reflecting the importance of passive income, the S&P/ASX 200 Gross Total Return Index (ASX: XJT), which includes all cash dividends reinvested on the ex-dividend date, has gained 44.1% over this same period.

    So, just how much would you have earned from a $5,000 investment in New Hope and BHP shares five years ago?

    Let’s dig in.

    Drilling into BHP shares for passive income

    On 24 September 2021, you could have bought shares in the ASX 200 mining giant for $33.59 apiece. So, your $5,000 investment would have netted you 148 shares, with enough change left over for a cheeseburger.

    Now you would have done quite well on the capital gains front alone. During the Wednesday lunch hour, BHP shares are changing hands for $62.11, up 84.9% in five years. And if you sold those 148 shares today, you’d receive $9,192.

    As for that passive income, if you’d owned Australia’s largest mining stock – and now the biggest stock on the ASX – for the last five years, you would have received (or shortly will) the last 10 fully-franked dividends. BHP stock traded ex-dividend on 3 September. If you held the miner at market close on 2 September, you can expect to get paid today.

    Turning to my trusty calculator, those 10 fully-franked dividend payouts work out to $13.583 a share.

    So, the 148 BHP shares you bought for $5,000 five years ago would already have delivered $2,010 in passive income. And that’s atop those share price gains, not to mention the cheeseburger!

    Which brings us to…

    Tipping $5,000 into New Hope shares

    Five years ago, New Hope shares were trading for $2.38 each. Meaning for $5,000, you could have bought 2,100 shares in the ASX 200 coal stock.

    And you wouldn’t have regretted it.

    At the time of writing, New Hope shares are trading for $5.89, up 147.5% since 24 September 2021. And those 2,100 shares you bought are now worth $12,369.

    Over this time, you’d also have received (or shortly will) the last 10 fully-franked New Hope dividends. New Hope stock traded ex-dividend on Monday. If you owned shares in the Aussie coal miner at market close on Friday, you can expect to receive that passive income payout on 15 October.

    All told, those last 10 New Hope dividend payments equate to $2.69 a share.

    Meaning the 2,100 New Hope shares you picked up for $5,000 five years ago will already have paid out $5,649 in passive income, with tax benefits from those franking credits.

    The post Bought $5,000 worth of New Hope and BHP shares 5 years ago? Guess how much passive income you’ve already earned! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in New Hope right now?

    Before you buy New Hope 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 New Hope 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 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 recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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