The Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV) share price is in focus after the company posted a net profit from continuing operations of $129.2 million, down 10.3% from last year, with total revenue from ordinary activities slipping 2.8% to $808 million.

What did Premier Investments report?

• Total revenue from continuing operations: $808.0 million (down 2.8%)
• Net profit after tax (continuing operations): $129.2 million (down 10.3%)
• Final dividend: 36 cents per share, fully franked (record date 11 December 2026; payable 22 January 2027)
• Interim dividend: 45 cents per share, fully franked
• Total ordinary dividends for FY26: 81 cents per share (up from 50 cents in FY25, which included a large in-specie distribution)
• Net tangible assets per share: $4.19 (down from $4.43)

What else do investors need to know?

The 2026 financial year was Premier Investments’ first full year after selling its five Apparel Brands to Myer Holdings in January 2025. The group is now focused on its Peter Alexander and Smiggle retail brands, alongside its investment in Breville Group.

Peter Alexander continued to perform strongly, recording $565.3 million in sales (up 3.2%), aided by the successful launch of the ‘Peter’s Dreamers’ loyalty program. However, subsequent to year-end, the group announced the closure of its three UK Peter Alexander stores due to sustained weak trading in that market—an impairment expense of $7.7 million was recognised.

In contrast, Smiggle recorded global sales of $230.2 million, down 12.9% from the prior year, and has embarked on a strategic brand repositioning, targeting its original core age group for renewed growth.

Premier also remains a major shareholder in Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG) (holding 25.2%), booking $34.8 million in associate profit and receiving $13.9 million in dividends from Breville during the year.

What did Premier Investments management say?

John Bryce, Chief Financial Officer at Premier Retail, said:

Despite challenging conditions, we were able to maintain strong gross margins and continue investment in our brands. The resilience of Peter Alexander and our ability to adapt at Smiggle shows the underlying strength of our focused retail platform.

What’s next for Premier Investments?

Looking ahead, Premier Investments will focus on deepening customer engagement, particularly through the Peter Alexander loyalty program. With the winding down of UK store operations, Peter Alexander’s international strategy will now centre on online rather than bricks-and-mortar in Europe.

For Smiggle, the brand refresh is expected to underpin future growth, with a relaunch planned for FY27 targeting the core 6–12 year age demographic. The group also plans ongoing investment in both brands, supply chain innovation, digital channels, and sustainability initiatives.

Management remains confident in the group’s financial flexibility and cash position, supporting continued dividends and capital management.

Premier Investments share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Premier Investments shares have declined 45, significantly trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

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The post Premier Investments earnings: Net profit slips, dividend steady in FY26 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 recommended Premier Investments. 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.

Magellan Financial Group vs GQG Partners shares

When it comes to picking ASX-listed fund managers, Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) and GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG) stand out as two big names vying for investor attention. Both are global equities managers with well-known brands and diverse client bases, but recent share price volatility and shifting fundamentals have made this a much more interesting contest than it might have been a few years ago. If you’re weighing up Magellan Financial Group vs GQG Partners shares, here’s what sets them apart right now.

The case for Magellan Financial Group

Magellan Financial Group is an Australian-based diversified financial services group with its roots in global equities and infrastructure fund management. Founded in 2006, it recently made waves by merging with Barrenjoey Capital Partners, expanding into areas like investment banking and private capital. Magellan has faced considerable outflows from its flagship funds, underperforming peers and sparking a broader strategic reset—including outsourcing some global equities funds.

Looking at its fundamentals:

• Market cap of $2.47 billion
• Fully franked trailing dividend yield of 7.69%
• P/E ratio of 16.90
• Earnings per share of $0.500
• Year-to-date return of -8.8%

Franking is a standout here—Magellan’s dividends remain 100% franked, which may appeal for investors seeking tax-effective income. But it’s worth noting the dividend per share appears much lower than last decade’s peak, reflecting pressure on earnings.

The case for GQG Partners

GQG Partners operates as a global boutique asset manager focused on active stock-picking across global markets. Headquartered in the US but with a strong ASX listing, GQG’s client base spans big pension funds, sovereign wealth, and individual investors. Its strong global presence makes it a recognised player in global equities.

GQG’s recent fundamentals stand out:

• Larger market cap of $3.21 billion
• Staggering reported dividend yield of 19.39% (unfranked)
• P/E ratio of 4.78—a fair bit lower than Magellan’s
• Earnings per share of $0.159
• Year-to-date return of -30.1%

It’s hard to ignore that eye-popping yield and rock-bottom P/E for an asset manager of this size, but the dividend is entirely unfranked—a key point for local income hunters.

Valuation comparison

Here’s how some key metrics stack up:

Metric	Magellan Financial Group	GQG Partners
Market Cap	$2.47b	$3.21b
P/E Ratio	16.90	4.78
Dividend Yield	7.69% (100% franked)	19.39% (unfranked)
Earnings per Share	$0.500	$0.159
Year-to-date Return	-8.8%	-30.1%

Note: GQG Partners’ low P/E and high yield jump off the page, but the EPS figure used to compute the P/E ratio may differ from the trailing earnings number reported here. If it seems mathematically inconsistent, it’s likely due to different definitions of earnings in these calculations. Magellan’s 100% franked dividends stand in contrast to GQG’s unfranked payouts—potentially a big factor, depending on your tax situation or income needs.

Recent share price performance

Comparing share recent share price momentum from 25 August to 21 September 2026:

• Magellan shares have fallen -8.8% year to date with some sharp swings. From $10.78 on 25 August to $8.43 by 21 September, the shares lost significant ground, with a particularly steep fall on 27 August (-14.0%).
• GQG Partners shares suffered an even heavier YTD drop of -30.1%. Between 25 August ($1.49) and 21 September ($1.09), GQG lost about 27% of its value, also weathering large one-day drops, especially on 26 August (-6.7%).

It’s fair to say recent performance has been negative for both, but the speed of decline for GQG has been particularly severe.

Which is the better buy?

This is a tricky face-off. GQG Partners clearly screens as far “cheaper” on P/E and headline yield, but it’s missing franking credits and has been hammered much harder on price—in fact, I’d want to understand the sustainability of that 19.4% yield before counting on it. Magellan looks steadier, both in how its payout is franked and in less severe recent share price losses, though it’s hardly immune to volatility and has well-known business challenges on its plate.

If pushed to pick, I’d lean modestly towards Magellan Financial Group for its franking, more stable payout record, and less dramatic share price drawdown over the last quarter. That said, GQG’s value metrics are so extreme that, for brave investors who can stomach volatility and do their homework on the dividend, it remains tempting as a contrarian punt. Right now, my pick would be Magellan—pragmatically, for income consistency and overall relative stability. But it’s closer than it looks, and both have things to prove moving forward.

The post Magellan Financial Group vs GQG Partners: ASX fund manager showdown appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 recommended Gqg Partners. 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 draft. 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.

The Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Ltd (ASX: SOL) (Soul Patts) share price is in focus after the investment house delivered a landmark year to 31 July 2026, with statutory NPAT soaring 502% to $2.19 billion and revenue jumping 96% as a result of the merger with Brickworks Limited.

What did Washington H. Soul Pattinson report?

• Revenue from continuing operations rose 96% to $1.87 billion (FY25: $955 million)
• Statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) attributable to shareholders up 502% to $2.19 billion (FY25: $364 million), including one-off merger gains
• Net Cash Flow From Investments (NCFI) increased 12% to $572 million
• Final dividend of 63 cents per share, fully franked (up 6.8% on FY25); total FY26 ordinary dividends 111c (up 7.8%)
• Net Asset Value (pre-tax) up 10.4% to $13.7 billion; post-tax NAV $14.5 billion (up 27.2% per share basis)
• Available liquidity of $3.8 billion in cash and facilities

What else do investors need to know?

FY26 was transformative for Soul Patts, driven by the completed merger with Brickworks in September 2025. The new group consolidated two of the country’s most recognised compounders and led to a significant reset of Soul Patts’ capital structure, tax base, and portfolio mix. With the cross-shareholding unwound, Brickworks’ results are now fully included from the merger date, with prior holdings equity-accounted.

Beyond record profit, Soul Patts demonstrated active portfolio management, selling down equities including its TPG Telecom stake, divesting the Goodman industrial property joint venture for $1.9 billion, and expanding allocations to global private markets and fixed income. The business remains Australia’s only dividend aristocrat, marking its 28th consecutive year of increased ordinary dividends.

What did Washington H. Soul Pattinson management say?

Todd Barlow, Managing Director & CEO said:

One year on, the Brickworks merger decision has delivered a cleaner capital structure, a stronger balance sheet and great firepower for new investments, without compromising the disciplined governance and capital allocation Soul Patts has always been known for.

What’s next for Washington H. Soul Pattinson?

Looking ahead, Soul Patts says its strong balance sheet and cash reserves give the group flexibility to pursue new investments as opportunities arise, especially during market volatility. Management expects to continue rotating capital into global private markets, with a focus on quality and disciplined deployment. The reactivated Dividend Reinvestment Plan allows shareholders to reinvest in new shares for the 2026 final dividend, with grants expected to grow now that the Soul Patts Foundation corpus has expanded post-merger.

Market conditions remain uncertain, but management is prioritising liquidity management, a continued defensive portfolio approach, and active capital deployment to sectors with long-term structural growth. Soul Patts’ history of resilience and dividend growth underpins its guidance of ongoing value creation for shareholders.

Washington H. Soul Pattinson share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Soul Patts has risen 16%, outpacing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which is flat over the same period.

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The post Washington H. Soul Pattinson posts 502% profit surge after Brickworks merger appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended 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. 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.