The DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT) share price is in focus after the company secured a 15-year, 71MW contract at its SYD1 data centre and reaffirmed its FY27 EBITDA guidance.

What did DigiCo Infrastructure REIT report?

• 15-year contract for 71MW at SYD1 signed with a global technology firm backed by investment grade credit
• SYD1 now 100% contracted across 88MW of total capacity
• Weighted average lease expiry extended to over 10 years; annual rent escalations average 3%
• Design & Construct contract finalised for SYD1 52MW expansion, fully funded with no new equity needed
• FY27 underlying EBITDA guidance reaffirmed at $120–125 million

What else do investors need to know?

The recently inked SYD1 contract includes reallocating 20MW of previously leased capacity to the new customer. The remaining 17MW of SYD1’s capacity is leased to co-location customers, with renewal rental growth averaging around 8% since DigiCo’s IPO.

DigiCo has locked in a fixed-price design and construction deal for the ongoing expansion at SYD1, which remains on track and fully funded through existing liquidity and asset sale proceeds. The first 10MW of this expanded capacity is expected to be operational and generating income in late Q4 FY27, with the balance delivered in FY28.

What did DigiCo Infrastructure REIT management say?

Simon Mitchell, Co-Head and Chief Financial Officer of DGT, said:

Execution of the 71MW contract at SYD1 is a key milestone for DGT, taking the site to 100% contracted across 88MW of total capacity. The 15-year agreement with a global technology firm provides long-term earnings visibility, supported by investment grade credit backing. It validates the quality of our infrastructure and strengthens the quality of cashflows from our portfolio. When we acquired SYD1, our business plan was to fully lease and develop the site to 88MW over five years, and we now expect to reach that milestone well ahead of our original plan.

What’s next for DigiCo Infrastructure REIT?

DigiCo says its strategy is to steadily grow contracted capacity through the delivery of the SYD1 and ADL1 expansions. Together, these projects are expected to underpin DigiCo’s pathway to around $250 million in annual Australian Platform Stabilised EBITDA once fully operational.

Management reaffirmed FY27 EBITDA guidance, noting the expansion is fully funded and on schedule, with staged delivery designed to meet customer requirements. No new equity capital is required for current growth plans.

DigiCo Infrastructure REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, DigiCo Infrastructure shares have declined 32%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has declined 3% over the same period.

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The post DigiCo Infrastructure REIT locks in major SYD1 contract and reaffirms guidance 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.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares have fallen further into the red on Thursday.

In Thursday morning trade, the shares hit a 52-week low of $1.42, down 4%. At the time of writing, the shares are trading at $1.44, down 3.37%.

The counter-drone operator’s shares have now crashed by 57% so far in 2026. They’re also down a huge 72% compared to this time last year.

Just a year ago, DroneShield shares were riding a wave of booming investor interest. But in late 2025 and into early 2026, they turned a corner and have been mostly tumbling ever since.

What happened to DroneShield shares?

DroneShield shares started the year strong amid a surge in conflict in the Middle East. During this time, governments around the world hiked their defence budgets.

But investors soon started to shy away from the technology stock following concerns that its growth prospects are out of kilter with its share price growth.

The share sell-off accelerated in May when DroneShield announced that it is being investigated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

ASIC’s investigation is ongoing and relates to market announcements and share trading in November 2025.

Sentiment slumped even further when the company posted a disappointing first-half FY26 result in August.

DroneShield posted a 74% increase in revenue for the six months ending 30th of June, and a 229% increase in recurring revenue. 

But the company also reported a statutory net loss after tax of $32.2 million, compared with a $2.1 million profit a year earlier. 

Meanwhile, underlying EBITDA also came in at a $12.4 million loss, compared with an $8 million profit posted in the first half of FY25.

DroneShield’s revenue came in line with guidance expectations. But recurring revenue was a miss, at $11.5 million versus guidance of $14.2 million for the six-month period. And investors weren’t impressed.

The share price was further depressed by news of DroneShield’s newly appointed chief financial officer, Rebecca Lowde, and new non-executive director, Lynne Saint. It’s not uncommon for investors to sell up on leadership changes because it implies potential for new uncertainties.

Even news last month that DroneShield’s revenue is on track with FY26 guidance wasn’t enough to reignite investor confidence.

What should I do with my shares now? Sell up, or wait and hold?

It looks like the experts are divided. TradingView data shows that, of four analysts, two have a strong buy rating, one has a hold rating, and one has a strong sell rating. 

The average $2.01 target price implies a potential 40% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing. And some are even more optimistic that the shares have the potential to climb another 81% to $2.60 a piece.

And my view?

The ASIC investigation is concerning, and I think the share price did run too far earlier this year. But DroneShield is still continuing to generate new contracts, and a new leadership change might be exactly what the business needs to move into the next stage of growth.

I’d wait and hold for now.

The post Down another 4% to a 52-week low. What should I do with my DroneShield shares now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 positions in and has recommended DroneShield. 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.

The GQG Partners Ltd (ASX: GQG) share price is in focus today after the company declared a third-quarter dividend of US$0.0327 (AUD$0.0467) per share, representing 90% of its distributable earnings for the period ended 30 September 2026.

What did GQG Partners report?

• Declared quarterly dividend of US$0.0327 per share (AUD$0.0467), subject to rounding
• Dividend payout equals 90% of third-quarter distributable earnings
• Ex-dividend date: 20 October 2026
• Record date: 21 October 2026; payment date: 16 December 2026

What else do investors need to know?

GQG Partners continues to operate as a global investment boutique, managing active equity portfolios for a wide range of institutional investors. The announcement highlights the company’s commitment to returning capital to shareholders with a high payout ratio.

The dividend is converted from USD to AUD based on the exchange rate as at 14 October 2026, which was 0.70015 US dollars per one Australian dollar. Shareholders should note that final dividend amounts may be subject to minor rounding adjustments.

What’s next for GQG Partners?

Investors can expect the next key event to be the ex-dividend date on 20 October 2026, followed by the cash dividend payment scheduled for 16 December 2026. GQG Partners is likely to maintain its active management approach and regular dividend payments, in line with its publicly stated policy of distributing a significant portion of earnings.

Looking forward, shareholders will be watching for further financial updates and any changes to the company’s distribution approach.

GQG Partners share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, GQG Partners shares have declined 31%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has declined 3% over the same period.

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The post GQG Partners declares Q3 2026 dividend for shareholders 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 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.