Whitehaven Coal vs New Hope shares

When it comes to Australian coal stocks, Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) and New Hope Corp Ltd (ASX: NHC) both shine as prominent, dividend-paying, resource-heavy businesses. If you’re looking at coal shares for value or income, these two are probably near the top of your watchlist. But which one offers better value right now? Let’s break down the fundamentals and differences that really matter for investors weighing up Whitehaven Coal vs New Hope shares.

The case for Whitehaven Coal

Whitehaven Coal is one of Australia’s leading coal producers, exporting both thermal and metallurgical coal primarily to Asian markets. With its core operations in New South Wales’ Gunnedah Basin and recent expansion into Queensland’s Bowen Basin (through the Blackwater and Daunia mine acquisitions), Whitehaven now generates roughly 70% of its output from higher-margin metallurgical coal. According to its most recent profile, Whitehaven also sold part of its new Queensland assets to Japanese steel giants, bolstering its balance sheet and partnerships.

Looking at the numbers:

• Market cap sits at $6.37 billion, making it the larger of the two rivals.
• Its P/E ratio is 16.52, well below New Hope’s.
• Dividend yield is a modest 1.26%, but those payouts are fully franked.
• Year-to-date return is 3.6%, suggesting limited recent price momentum.
• EPS is $0.48 per share, and the company currently pays $0.12 per share in annual dividends.
• Dividend history shows some volatility, with larger special or final payouts in certain years.

The case for New Hope Corp

New Hope is an established Australian thermal coal producer, mainly operating the New Acland and Bengalla mines. The majority of New Hope’s output is also exported, positioning it as a beneficiary of Asian energy demand. Production volumes and reserves, according to its company profile, are robust enough to support the business for decades, and the ongoing expansion at New Acland could drive further growth. New Hope also holds a minority stake in a metallurgical coal asset, but thermal coal makes up almost all of its revenues.

On fundamentals:

• Market cap is $5.10 billion, smaller than Whitehaven, but not by much.
• The P/E ratio is 33.58—a lot higher than Whitehaven’s.
• Dividend yield is 3.92%, fully franked—significantly higher than Whitehaven’s current payout.
• Year-to-date return is a whopping 60.8%—a sign of very strong price momentum lately.
• EPS currently reads $0.19 per share, with $0.60 per share paid out as dividends.
• Dividend payments, according to the recent payment record, have been sizeable and frequent, including several special dividends.

Valuation comparison

With both companies in the coal space and at similar scales, the contrasts in valuation and yield stand out. Here’s a side-by-side look at the most relevant metrics:

Metric	Whitehaven Coal	New Hope
Market Cap	$6.37 billion	$5.10 billion
P/E Ratio	16.52	33.58
Dividend Yield	1.26%	3.92%
Earnings per Share (EPS)	$0.48	$0.19
Dividend per Share	$0.12	$0.60
Year-to-Date Return	3.6%	60.8%
Franking	100%	100%

Note: New Hope’s reported P/E ratio may be based on a different earnings measure (e.g. underlying or forward earnings) than the EPS figure shown, which is why they may appear inconsistent.

If value means paying less for each dollar of earnings, Whitehaven’s significantly lower P/E ratio stands out. But if income is your focus, New Hope’s current dividend yield is notably higher. That said, New Hope is actually paying out more in annual dividends than its listed EPS—investors should be mindful and look into whether this level is sustainable going forward.

Recent share price performance

Comparing 24 August to 21 September 2026:

• Whitehaven Coal shares moved from $8.09 on 24 August 2026 to $7.75 on 21 September 2026, falling around 4.2% over this period.
• New Hope shares went from $5.90 on 24 August 2026 to $6.05 on 21 September 2026, up about 2.5% in the same stretch.
• Year-to-date, Whitehaven is up just 3.6%, while New Hope has soared 60.8%—a phenomenal run.

Which is the better buy?

This is one of those rare coal sector battles where value and momentum tell different stories. On pure value, I think Whitehaven Coal edges ahead—with a much lower P/E ratio and a solid underlying business that has just bulked up its metallurgical coal presence. For yield hunters, though, New Hope is handing out far more cash (at least for now) and rewarding shareholders with bumper dividends and franking.

However, I’d be cautious: New Hope’s dividend per share exceeds its reported earnings per share, suggesting that its payout may not be sustainable longer term or could be supported by special dividends or reserves. On the other hand, Whitehaven’s yield is relatively low for a resources stock, but the company has delivered some chunky dividends in previous years, and its business mix is shifting toward higher-value metallurgical coal.

If I had to pick now, I’d lean toward Whitehaven Coal as the better value buy. It’s trading on a much lower earnings multiple, and recent acquisitions offer upside. New Hope looks great for yield and momentum, but its higher valuation and the question mark over dividend sustainability nudge me toward Whitehaven—for the long run.

The post Whitehaven Coal vs New Hope: Which ASX coal share offers better value today? 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 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 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.

It was a wild and volatile mid-week session for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Wednesday. After yesterday’s pleasing performance from the markets, investors didn’t quite seem to know what to do today.

After opening higher this morning, the ASX 200 spent time in both positive and negative territory this session, before closing in the green, up 0.086%. That leaves the index at 8,765.3 points.

This indecisive, yet positive, showing from the local markets comes after a mixed session on Wall Street.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had a rough one, losing 0.36% of its value.

However, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) did much better, rising 0.45%.

Let’s return to ASX shares now, and dive a little deeper into what was going on amongst the various ASX sectors this session.

Winners and losers

We had lots of winners and losers this Wednesday.

Leading the latter were again utilities shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) was slammed, plunging 2.21%.

Energy stocks had another shocker as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) cratering by 1.7%.

Communications shares were also on the nose. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) took a 0.96% tumble by the closing bell.

Healthcare stocks weren’t popular either, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ)’s 0.62% dive.

Tech shares weren’t much better. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) lost 0.61% today.

Financial stocks were in that ballpark too, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) dipping 0.56%.

Industrial shares weren’t riding to the rescue. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) suffered a 0.31% correction.

Our last losers this hump day were consumer discretionary stocks, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)’s 0.09% slip.

With the losers out of the way, let’s turn to the winners. At the front of the pack, we had gold shares. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) held up well, adding a hearty 2.5% to its total.

Broader mining stocks ran hot as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) soaring up 1.57%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) were just behind that. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) bounced 1.31% higher today.

Finally, consumer staples shares proved to be a safe haven, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ)’s 0.1% lift.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Gold stock Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL) was our crown-wearer this Wednesday. Catalyst shares shot up 6.57% to finish at $6.16 each. This move came despite no news from the company, although most gold shares did well.

Here’s how the other winners pulled up at the kerb:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL)	$6.16	6.57%
Sunrise Energy Metals Ltd (ASX: SRL)	$21.65	5.71%
Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR)	$3.01	5.61%
Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6)	$0.945	5.59%
Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA)	$53.10	4.50%
Elsight Ltd (ASX: ELS)	$4.88	4.05%
Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)	$22.80	3.97%
Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG)	$1.23	3.80%
Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC)	$0.845	3.68%
Greatland Resources Ltd (ASX: GGP)	$11.18	3.52%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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.

Dicker Data vs Megaport shares

Many Aussie investors looking to back tech may consider Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) or Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) for the growth and innovation in their portfolios. While both operate in the broader technology sector, Dicker Data focuses on wholesale IT distribution, while Megaport delivers network and cloud connectivity. If you’re weighing up Dicker Data vs Megaport shares, let’s dig into the key differences, strengths, and opportunities that set these two apart.

The case for Dicker Data

Dicker Data is a well-established IT distributor supplying computer hardware, software, cloud, and related technology products to Aussie and Kiwi businesses. Founded back in 1978, Dicker Data has built a robust client base across Australia and New Zealand, with more than 12,500 customers across Australia and in New Zealand, as of its company profile. The company highlights a hands-on approach, keeping its operations mostly in-house for faster and localised service.

Looking at fundamentals, Dicker Data stands out with:

• P/E Ratio of 25.31, suggesting investors expect reasonable future growth but at a more moderate valuation relative to the sector’s high flyers.
• A fully franked dividend yield of 3.05%, backed up by a strong history of regular, fully franked payouts — something many income-focused investors will appreciate.
• A market cap of $2.72 billion, making it a sizable but not top-heavy player in the Aussie tech landscape.

Dicker Data’s ability to blend growth with income, thanks to persistent profitability and payout history, is a key part of its appeal.

The case for Megaport

Megaport is a global network-as-a-service powerhouse connecting customers across a huge network of over 1,200 data centres is more than 30 countries. Its technology gives businesses nearly instant, flexible connections to top cloud platforms such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud – all without long-term lock-ins. The company made a big move into AI compute infrastructure in late 2025, acquiring Latitude.sh and adding virtual GPU cloud services, which could drive new growth. Megaport now splits operations into three regional networks and its new Compute division.

Megaport’s fundamentals paint a picture of a high-growth tech story:

• Year to date, shares have rallied 57.7%.
• Market cap is $4.49 billion, making it one of the bigger homegrown tech names on the ASX.
• It doesn’t currently pay a dividend, choosing to reinvest for aggressive expansion.

Investors chasing disruption and global growth might be drawn to Megaport’s scale and reach — but it comes with typical ‘new tech’ risks and volatility.

Valuation comparison

Here’s a clear look at the key valuation differences:

	Dicker Data	Megaport
Market Cap	$2.72 billion	$4.49 billion
P/E Ratio	25.31	370.00
Dividend Yield	3.05% (fully franked)	0.00%
Earnings per Share	0.590	-0.218
Year to Date Return	48.5%	57.7%

One thing stands out immediately: Dicker Data is turning a profit, paying reliable fully franked dividends, and trading at a P/E that’s still high but far below Megaport’s nosebleed 370.00. Megaport’s negative EPS (-0.218) is inconsistent with its extremely high P/E ratio, likely because its P/E is calculated on underlying or forward earnings — so take that number with a big grain of salt. Dicker Data looks much more mature, while Megaport’s market cap and valuation reflect investor optimism about its potential future earnings.

Recent share price performance

Both companies have enjoyed remarkable share price momentum in 2026, but let’s break it down:

• Dicker Data’s price history (24 Aug–21 Sep 2026) shows steady gains, with a couple of sharp daily jumps, notably a 20.66% surge on 28 August. Overall, shares are up 48.5% year to date.
• Megaport’s price history covers the same date range (24 Aug–21 Sep 2026), with a more dramatic 7.6% gain in one session and a few volatile down days, including an -8.3% stumble. But the stock is up an even stronger 57.7% year to date.

Which is the better buy?

If I’m backing raw upside in tech and don’t mind some bumpiness along the way, my pick would be Megaport. The company’s sky-high valuation (P/E of 370.00, and not yet profitable on a reported basis) means shares are priced on hopes for huge future growth — especially after the AI compute expansion. Its recent price run (+57.7% YTD), global reach, and expansionist energy signal a business chasing big opportunities, not dividends.

But if I want something steadier, with real profits and reliable fully franked income, Dicker Data stands tall. A 3%-plus dividend, a history of payout increases, and a market multiple far below Megaport’s make this a strong contender for those prioritising consistency or tax-effective yield.

In short, I reckon Megaport offers greater potential upside, but Dicker Data gives me solid value and income right now. For pure upside — and a whiff of risk — I’d lean towards Megaport. But both look like worthy, albeit very different, ways to ride the Aussie tech wave.

The post Dicker Data vs Megaport: Which ASX tech share has more upside? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Nextdc vs Megaport: Which ASX tech growth share comes out on top?

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 Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Dicker Data. 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.