• Why cheap WiseTech shares could rise almost 60%

    Two work colleagues looking at a laptop and discussing something.

    WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares were under pressure on Wednesday.

    The logistics software company’s shares ended the session 10% lower at $40.89.

    Is this a buying opportunity for investors? Let’s see what Bell Potter is saying about the fallen star.

    What is the broker saying?

    Bell Potter notes that WiseTech delivered a result that was in line with its forecasts but slightly below consensus estimates. It said:

    FY26 revenue and EBITDA of US$1,396m and US$558m were in line with our forecasts of US$1,394m and US$561m but slightly below VA consensus of US$1,406m and US$569m. NPAT of US$179m was 11% ahead of our forecast of US$160m and driven by a lower tax rate (19% vs BPe 25%). Cash flow was strong with underlying OCF up 46% and a conversion rate of 100%. The final dividend of US8.8c ff was ahead of our forecast of US8.0c and was driven by the beat in EPS.

    Looking ahead, management’s guidance for FY 2027 was better than it expected according to the broker. But once again, it was softer than consensus estimates. It adds:

    WiseTech provided FY27 revenue guidance of US$1.48 – 1.54bn which was consistent with our forecast of US$1.53bn but slightly below VA consensus of US$1.55bn. The company shifted to providing EBITDA guidance on an underlying basis and gave a range of US$725 – 780m which was consistent with VA consensus of US$761m. This implied guidance for the underlying EBITDA margin of 49-51%.

    In response, Bell Potter has made both upgrades and downgrades to its near-term estimates. The broker explains:

    We have downgraded our FY27 and FY28 revenue forecasts by c.2% and now forecast FY27 revenue of US$1,507m which is around the middle of the guidance range. We have, however, upgraded our FY27 underlying EBITDA forecast by 3% but left our FY28 forecast close to unchanged. We now forecast FY27 underlying EBITDA of US$745m which is more towards the lower end of the guidance range. That is, we forecast a margin of 49.4% which is towards the low end of the range.

    Should you buy WiseTech shares?

    According to the note, Bell Potter has retained its buy rating on WiseTech shares with a trimmed price target of $65.00 (from $71.75).

    Based on its current share price, this implies potential upside of almost 60% for investors over the next 12 months.

    Commenting on its buy recommendation, Bell Potter said:

    In our view the issue with the result was the guidance and, in particular, the expected 45%/55% H1/H2 split in CargoWise revenue this year which implies mid single digit growth in H1 and strong double digit growth in H2. While we reflect this skew in our forecasts, we adjust for the risk in our valuation by reducing the multiples we apply in the PE ratio and EV/EBITDA and also increasing the WACC we apply in the DCF. The net result is a 9% decrease in our TP to $65.00 and we retain the BUY.

    The post Why cheap WiseTech shares could rise almost 60% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in WiseTech Global right now?

    Before you buy WiseTech Global 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 WiseTech Global 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 positions in WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

    Businessman at his desk, looking seriously at information on his digital tablet.

    On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was out of form and dropped into the red. The benchmark index fell 0.4% to 9,127.8 points.

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

    ASX 200 expected to edge lower

    It looks set to be a soft session for Australian investors on Thursday following a subdued night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 4 points lower this morning. In the United States, the Dow Jones fell 0.2%, the S&P 500 was a fraction lower, and the Nasdaq edged 0.1% lower.

    ASX 200 result releases

    Earnings season continues on Thursday with another group of ASX 200 shares due to release their results. This includes Bunnings owner Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), airline operator Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN), mining and mining services company Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN), diversified miner South32 Ltd (ASX: S32), and fund manager Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG).

    Oil prices fall

    ASX 200 energy shares Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a subdued session after oil prices fell overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 0.6% to US$81.89 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 1.3% to US$87.45 a barrel. This was driven by positive developments in the Middle East.

    Buy DroneShield shares

    DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares are in the buy zone according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, in response to the counter-drone technology company’s half-year results, the broker has retained its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $2.40. It said: “We expect RFRecon and new high-moat next gen products to drive continued contract wins, particularly from Europe where DRO has a leading presence in the CUAS EW vertical. Top end of CY26 revenue guidance looks achievable. Retain Buy.”

    Gold price falls

    It could be a poor session for ASX 200 gold shares such as Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) on Thursday after the gold price fell overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 1% to US$4,647.8 an ounce. Traders were selling the precious metal following the release of US inflation data.

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

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

    Before you buy DroneShield 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 DroneShield 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 positions in Woodside Energy Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Is the Rio Tinto share price a buy for its 5% dividend yield?

    Man holding a calculator with Australian dollar notes, symbolising dividends.

    While the Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) share price has bounced around over the last few years, the dividend yield has remained attractive.

    Dividends aren’t guaranteed, but the company usually tries to pay investors a sizeable payout with a rewarding dividend payout ratio.

    Rio Tinto’s earnings aren’t as volatile as they used to be thanks to its diversified commodities strategy. It has significantly increased its exposure to copper, built a presence in lithium and continued its strong performance with Australian iron ore. Plus, it’s part of a massive iron ore project in Africa called Simandou.

    Let’s take a look at what the dividend yield is at the current Rio Tinto share price.

    Potential dividend for FY26

    The business is projected to deliver a larger dividend payout for shareholders for the 2026 financial year.

    Rio Tinto’s FY26 half-year result included a number of impressive growth numbers. Revenue rose 15% to US$31 billion, 28% growth of underlying operating profit (EBITDA) to US$14.8 billion, underlying earnings growth of 43% to US$6.85 billion, net profit growth of 47% to US$6.7 billion and free cash flow growth of 75% to US$3.8 billion.

    All of those growth numbers allowed the business to increase its interim payout by 43% to US$2.11 per share.

    Based on the dividend projection on Commsec, the business could pay a dividend yield of 3.7% excluding franking credits and 5.3% including franking credits.

    That’s certainly not the largest dividend yield the business has had in the last few years.

    The Rio Tinto share price has risen by 55% over the past year, which has dramatically impacted the dividend yield on offer. When the share price rises by 10%, the dividend yield is reduced by a tenth, so the huge rise for the ASX mining share isn’t helpful for prospective investors.

    Is the Rio Tinto share price a buy?

    The company had a very strong period in the first six months of 2026, which may make it seem appealing.

    However, mining companies can be very cyclical because of how significantly resource prices can change and how much that can affect earnings due to the operating leverage, both positively and negatively.

    If I were choosing when the right time is to invest in Rio Tinto shares, I wouldn’t necessarily choose a period of strength to invest. The best buying price usually appears when commodity prices are beaten down.

    But, its exposure to copper and lithium is certainly paying off for the business with strengthening prices for both of those commodities. I think Rio Tinto’s earnings are on a good trajectory for the long-term.

    According to Commsec, there are currently 15 ratings on the business, with seven of those being a buy and eight being a hold. While it’s been a good run for existing shareholders, I think future investors are more likely to achieve market-beating returns by waiting for a lower valuation. I’d look at other ideas today.

    The post Is the Rio Tinto share price a buy for its 5% dividend yield? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Rio Tinto 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 Rio Tinto 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 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 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.