The Arena REIT (ASX: ARF) share price is in focus after the real estate investment trust shared an update on its Edge Early Learning portfolio, with rent continuing to be received on all 27 affected properties.

What did Arena REIT report?

• Arena is receiving rent on all 27 properties leased to Edge Early Learning.
• The administrator of Edge has entered binding agreements or term sheets to sell 22 early learning centre businesses to six parties.
• The transactions cover all seven Arena-owned properties currently operated by Edge.
• Four proposed new tenants: Montessori Academy (2 centres) and three experienced operators for the remaining 5 centres in Queensland.
• Arena holds a $4 million bank guarantee and security deposits over the Edge leases.

What else do investors need to know?

Arena is currently conducting due diligence on the proposed assignments of leases for the impacted Arena-owned centres. These transactions are still subject to confirmatory checks, final documentation, regulatory approvals, and the formal transfer of service licences.

Of the four Edge centres that are directly controlled by Arena, one has signed lease documentation and two have term sheets with Montessori Academy—pending regulatory approval. The trust continues to reserve its legal rights and is actively managing risk through security held over the leases.

What’s next for Arena REIT?

Arena will continue due diligence before consenting to the assignment of leases. Outcomes will depend on completion of transactions and regulatory consents. The trust has secured its income stream in the near term and will update investors as further developments occur with the Edge Early Learning portfolio.

Arena’s broader strategy remains focused on its core social infrastructure properties in the early learning and healthcare sectors, supported by a diversified tenant base.

Arena REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Arena REIT shares have declined 39%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has declined 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Arena REIT provides Edge Early Learning update 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 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.

Capricorn Metals vs PDI Gold shares: which has more upside?

Gold miners are back in the spotlight, and many investors are weighing up where the biggest opportunities still lie. Today I’m comparing Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) and PDI Gold Ltd (ASX: PDI), two top-performing gold stocks on the ASX. If you’re looking to ride the next wave in gold, which company has more upside left? Here’s my deep dive.

The case for Capricorn Metals

Capricorn Metals is a Perth-based gold producer with two main projects: Karlawinda, an established operation in the Pilbara, and the recently acquired Mt Gibson in Western Australia’s Mid-West. The business is focused on growing through ongoing exploration and increasing its gold output. According to its most recent corporate description, Capricorn holds a resource base of 4.4 million ounces and has proven reserves of 1.3 million ounces—a strong foundation for future production.

From a fundamentals perspective, a few points stand out:

• Market capitalisation: $6.74 billion, making it a substantial player in the Aussie gold sector
• P/E ratio: 23.39, so investors are paying a decent premium for its earnings compared to many miners
• Dividend yield: 0.68%, fully franked, with dividends paid twice a year (most recently $0.05 per share final in October 2026 and $0.05 interim in April 2026)
• EPS: $0.630 per share
• Year to date return: 3.2%

Capricorn Metals also stands out for paying consistent, fully franked dividends—a rarity among local gold companies, even if the yield itself is modest.

The case for PDI Gold

PDI Gold Ltd, formerly Predictive Discovery, is a gold developer focused on West Africa. The flagship Bankan Gold Project in Guinea positions it as a major player in the region. Following its late 2025 merger with Robex Resources, PDI now controls a combination of two of the largest gold developments in West Africa. This gives it a substantial footprint and exposure to a region that’s seen strong recent interest from global gold investors.

Here are the highlights from the current fundamentals:

• Market capitalisation: $4.42 billion
• P/E ratio: Not applicable (the company is not yet profitable, with earnings per share at -$0.110)
• No dividends paid to date
• Shares outstanding: 988.17 million
• Year to date return: 21.6%

What really leaps out is PDI’s explosive recent performance—the share price has surged over 21% so far this year. While it’s still firmly in the development and exploration stage with no profits or dividends, investors have clearly been backing its growth story, especially after the transformative Robex merger.

Valuation comparison

With both companies operating in the gold space but at different stages, a few contrasting points stand out:

Metric	Capricorn Metals	PDI Gold
Market Cap	$6.74 billion	$4.42 billion
P/E Ratio	23.39	N/A (loss-making)
EPS	$0.630	-$0.110
Dividend Yield	0.68% (fully franked)	0.00%
YTD Return	3.2%	21.6%

Capricorn is a profitable, dividend-paying producer with a moderate earnings multiple. PDI, by contrast, is a larger-scale explorer and developer with no profits (so no P/E ratio or dividends), but its bigger market cap reflects market optimism about future cash flows. Note: PDI Gold’s lack of a P/E or earnings yield is simply because it’s not profitable yet. Both operate in gold, but investors are paying for current profit in Capricorn and for future growth in PDI.

Recent share price momentum

Comparing recent share price performance up to 9 October 2026:

• Capricorn Metals closed at $14.74 on 9 October 2026, up 1.4% for the day but only up 3.2% for the year to date. The last month saw a few sharp swings but overall a fairly flat trend.
• PDI Gold closed at $4.47 on 9 October 2026. It’s delivered a stunning 21.6% year-to-date return, with several recent upswings—especially after the Robex merger hype. The price is holding high after a stretch of volatility.

Both companies have seen volatility, but PDI Gold has handsomely outperformed Capricorn Metals so far in 2026.

Which is the better buy?

If I had to pick just one for more upside from here, I’d lean toward PDI Gold. The company has already run hot in 2026, and while that adds risk, I think its combination with Robex and focus on a major African resource hub puts it in a structural growth sweet spot. There are clear risks—no profit or dividend yet, and gold mine development in West Africa carries geopolitical and project execution complexity. But the market is backing PDI as an emerging powerhouse, and momentum is clear. By contrast, Capricorn Metals looks like the safer, steadier choice—it’s profitable, already producing, and pays fully franked dividends. But its muted recent performance and richer P/E make me think the biggest gains may have already been captured for now. For investors with the stomach for more volatility and who want exposure to the next big gold story, my pick would be PDI Gold.

The post Capricorn Metals vs PDI Gold: Which high-flying ASX gold stock has more upside left? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• This up-and-coming ASX gold producer could rise more than 50%: Broker
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

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.

Investors on the lookout for big returns might want to check out the two shares below that feature on the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO).

That’s because the team at Bell Potter has just recommended them to clients and is predicting returns of 16% to 38% over the next 12 months.

GenusPlus Group Ltd (ASX: GNP)

Bell Potter sees a lot of value in this Australian infrastructure services provider’s shares.

The broker was pleased with news that GenusPlus is acquiring Universal Communications Group Holdings. It highlights that the deal adds scale and capability to its telecommunication services offering, including network maintenance.

It also expects it to be immediately earnings accretive and provide a platform to drive further growth in New Zealand across telecommunications and other critical infrastructure markets.

In response, the broker has retained its buy rating and $12.80 price target on the ASX 300 share.

Based on its current share price and including dividends, this represents a total potential return of 38% for investors.

Commenting on its recommendation, Bell Potter said:

We view the UCG deal as strategic. The UCG acquisition will fast-track GNP’s multimarket growth strategy across the Communications, Transmission, Wind, Rail and Gas sectors. The UCG acquisition also provides a platform to extend GNP’s existing construction and maintenance capabilities in New Zealand.

Southern Cross Electrical Engineering Ltd (ASX: SXE)

Another ASX 300 share that has been given the thumbs up is Southern Cross Electrical Engineering.

It is a leading Australian national provider of specialised electrical, instrumentation, communications, security, fire, and maintenance services.

Bell Potter notes that it has also announced an acquisition this month. Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has agreed to buy Entire Operations, which is a Melbourne-based provider of integrated fire protection and mechanical (HVAC) services.

The broker has boosted its earnings estimates for FY 2027-2029 to reflect the deal and has lifted its valuation accordingly.

According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating on the ASX 300 share with an improved price target of $5.70.

Based on its current share price and including dividends, this would mean a total return of around 16% for investors over the next 12 months.

Speaking about the acquisition, Bell Potter said:

The acquisition of Entire ticks a lot of boxes and mirrors SXE’s prior acquisition playbook. Firstly, Entire expands SXE’s existing fire suppression market exposure and extends skillsets into a new market, HVAC, which is underpinned by structural tailwinds already benefiting the Group. 

Secondly, the deal valuation and EPS accretion is attractive and underpins the FY27 guidance upgrade. Lastly, fire suppression and HVAC are complementary adjacent service offerings to SXE’s core electrical capabilities.

The post 2 ASX 300 shares tipped by brokers to return 16% to 38% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 GenusPlus Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended GenusPlus Group and Southern Cross Electrical Engineering. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.