The Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP) share price is in focus after the company released its 1Q27 operational update, showing resilient retail sales growth and steady leasing activity across its major segments.

What did Stockland report?

• Retail comparable Moving Annual Turnover (MAT) up 3.5%, with specialty sales up 4.3% year-on-year
• Logistics leasing spreads at 17.6%, with portfolio 8% under-rented, suggesting further upside potential
• Masterplanned Communities (MPC) net sales of 1,506; 828 settlements in Q1 with 4,502 contracts on hand
• Land Lease Communities (LLC) achieved 206 net sales; portfolio occupancy remains at 100%
• FY27 FFO per security guidance: 38.0–39.0 cents; distribution guidance: 25.2 cents, in line with last year

What else do investors need to know?

Stockland reported solid operational metrics in its logistics and retail portfolios, with leasing activity driving longer weighted average lease expiries and high occupancy in key segments. The company flagged continued strength in specialty retail sales, with sales per square metre tracking above industry averages.

Residential market conditions varied by state, with Queensland demand moderating, affordability constraints impacting NSW, and Victoria remaining stable at lower levels. Land lease contracting volumes slowed but conversion rates improved, helping to maintain a robust pipeline of future settlements.

What’s next for Stockland?

Looking ahead, Stockland affirmed its FY27 targets for masterplanned community and land lease settlements, with operating margins expected to remain firm. The company sees its $36.4 billion development pipeline and new data centre partnerships as key drivers for medium-term growth.

Stockland’s gearing is expected to stay within the 20–30% target range. Management noted the outlook and guidance are based on no material changes to current market conditions.

Stockland share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Stockland shares have declined 36%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has declined 2% over the same period.

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The post Stockland posts steady 1Q27 operational update and reaffirms FY27 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.

Woolworths vs Metcash shares: Which is the better ASX defensive stock?

Choosing between Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) and Metcash Ltd (ASX: MTS) is a classic dilemma for investors seeking a defensive anchor on the ASX. Both companies are at the heart of Australia’s consumer staples scene— but their scale, focus, and fundamentals tell very different stories. If you’re looking to decide between Woolworths vs Metcash shares, let’s unpack what really sets them apart.

The case for Woolworths

Woolworths is a giant in the Australian and New Zealand supermarket landscape, with iconic brands and a massive, established store network. Woolworths owns the likes of Big W domestically and supermarket chains in New Zealand, maintaining a sprawling operation across more than 1400 stores and employing over 190,000 people as of its most recent public description. The group moved out of liquor and hospitality in 2021 by spinning off Endeavour Group, firmly returning its focus to groceries and discount retail— businesses that tend to shine when times are tough.

A few standout figures:

• Market cap of $48.36 billion, making it one of the largest companies on the ASX
• P/E ratio of 42.89 signals a premium valuation
• Dividend yield of 2.45% (fully franked), supported by reliable cash generation over decades

Woolworths also boasts a 100% franked dividend, handing full tax credits to Australian shareholders. Its reputation as a “defensive share” comes from the essential nature of its products— even in lean times, most households keep buying their groceries.

The case for Metcash

Metcash is the backbone for many of Australia’s independent supermarkets, bottle shops, and hardware stores. Its wholesale model supplies well-known brands like IGA and Foodland (supermarkets), Cellarbrations and Bottle-O (liquor), and Mitre 10 and Total Tools (hardware). Unlike Woolworths’ direct-to-consumer approach, Metcash supports and supplies a vast network of independent retailers—an approach that might be less visible day-to-day, but is absolutely critical to regional and local economies.

Key metrics for Metcash include:

• Market cap of $3.46 billion, much smaller than Woolworths’
• P/E ratio of 12.17, markedly lower than Woolworths’
• Dividend yield of 5.84% (fully franked), offering a higher income stream for shareholders

Metcash’s 100% franked dividends also give Australian investors the full franking benefits, and its focus on supporting independent businesses offers potential for stability in challenging retail climates.

Valuation comparison

Here’s how Woolworths and Metcash stack up on the key valuation and income metrics:

	Woolworths	Metcash
Market Cap	$48.36 billion	$3.46 billion
P/E Ratio	42.89	12.17
Dividend Yield	2.45%	5.84%
EPS	0.925	0.253
Dividend per share	0.97	0.19
Franking	100%	100%

Woolworths trades on a substantially higher P/E ratio, reflecting its scale, stability, and perceived lower risk. In contrast, Metcash’s lower P/E and higher yield may look appealing to value and income investors. Note: P/E ratios between a national supermarket retailer and a wholesale distributor aren’t perfectly like-for-like, but the contrast is hard to miss.

Recent share price momentum

Comparing recent share price performance up to 14 October 2026:

• Woolworths closed at $39.59, down slightly by 0.20% on the day
• Metcash closed at $3.08, unchanged for the session
• Year-to-date, Woolworths is up an impressive 38.3%, while Metcash is down 3.8%

Woolworths has powered ahead in 2026, while Metcash has struggled for momentum.

Which is the better buy?

If I had to pick a better ASX defensive stock right now, I’d lean toward Woolworths. Its ultra-defensive business model, massive brand presence, and recent share price outperformance simply can’t be ignored. Yes, the P/E is lofty compared to Metcash, but investors have been willing to pay up for proven resilience and stability—just look at the 38% YTD return versus Metcash’s negative return. Metcash does offer a much higher (and fully franked) dividend yield, which could suit income hunters. But overall, Woolworths’ combination of reliability, proven dividends, and price momentum put it ahead for me when looking for a sleep-easy, core ASX defensive share.

The post Woolworths vs Metcash: Which ASX defensive stock is better? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Woolworths vs JB Hi-Fi: Which ASX shares to buy now?

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.

Once upon a time, investing was seen as an exclusive club for the wealthy and well-connected. 

High transaction fees, significant minimum balance requirements, and a lack of access to information posed barriers for many Australians.

Today, almost anyone can invest. Technological advances such as online brokers, fractional trading, and a wide range of information sources have democratised access to financial markets. 

The ASX currently operates Australia’s largest equity market, with more than 2,000 listed entities. Around 2,500 retail products are currently on offer.

Over the past 12 months, average daily trading activity hit $9.1 billion. This level of liquidity and transparency has instilled investor confidence and fuelled investor participation.

Given these changes, the average Australian investor’s profile is likely to have changed dramatically over the past few decades.

So, what does the average Australian investor look like in 2026? 

How big is their portfolio? How old are they? What are they invested in? How often do they trade? 

These questions were recently answered in the 2026 ASX Australia Investor Study.

Meet your average Australian investor

Gone are the days of the average Australian investor being a multimillionaire. 

Today, the average Australian investor is 46 years old with an income of $122,000. That’s only slightly higher than the average Australian annual wage of $108,000, as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

In terms of portfolio size, the average sits at $450,000. However, this reflects a small number of investors with very large portfolios pulling that number significantly higher. The median portfolio value is much lower at $130,000. This means that 50% of Australian investors have portfolios worth less than that number.

The average Australian investor trades (buys and sells) nine times a year. Interestingly, this number is down from an average of 13 times in 2023. 

Online brokers remain the most popular trading platform. Nearly 70% of investors used them to place a trade in the past year.

ASX-listed shares remain the most popular investment type, with 48% of Australian investors making a new investment in the past 12 months.

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) ranked second, with 33% of investors adding this investment type to their portfolio in the past year. 

This is not surprising given the surge in popularity of ETFs since Australia’s first ETF launched in 2001. 

The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated Australians’ preference for ETFs, with investors drawn to their simplicity and low cost.

In fact, since 2020, the number of ETF investors has nearly doubled, with an additional 2.47 million Australians adding at least one ETF to their portfolio.

As reported by the Australian Financial Review, State Street, the largest global ETF administrator and one of the world’s big three ETF providers alongside BlackRock and Vanguard, has predicted the Australian ETF market to grow to $380 billion in funds under management (FUM) in 2026. This would be a material increase from $320 billion in ETF FUM in 2025.

Cryptocurrency was ranked the third most popular asset class, with 23% of investors making an investment in the past 12 months. While Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) remains the most popular cryptocurrency, many others have entered the market in recent years, lifting participation rates. 

What is holding people back?

An additional 950,000 Australians plan to make their first investment in the next 12 months. Among these prospective investors, 41% plan to invest in ASX-listed shares, 33% in ETFs, and 28% in cryptocurrencies.

However, some Australians continue to face real or perceived barriers that prevent them from investing. 

A lack of Investment knowledge was cited as the leading barrier for intending investors. 51% of respondents said they would start investing if they developed sufficient knowledge. 

Being more confident about future returns (28%) and waiting until the economy and markets feel more stable (16%) were also cited as additional barriers.

Where do investors get their information?

The ASX Investor Study also examined Australian investors’ preferred sources of investment information in 2026. 

Family and friends were cited as the top source of information at 41%. This was noticeably up from 2023, when this number sat at 31%. 

According to the study:

Investors faced with a large volume of information, and potential misinformation and disinformation, may be turning increasingly to family and friends when making investment decisions. There was also a noticeable increase in the importance of online broking websites and traditional media as information sources, compared with 2023.

Primary sources such as company annual reports and websites, and product disclosure statements ranked further down the list. 

The study suggested that “investors are relying more on third-party opinions and less on information sourced directly from companies or product providers.”

Short videos and podcasts also remained popular, with around a third of investors using these mediums as an information source.

What about artificial intelligence? 

The prevalence of artificial intelligence as an information source was also surveyed.

Around 14% of investors use AI tools as a “significant source of information advice”.

However, the gap between age brackets was particularly noticeable. While 24% of Younger investors (age 18 to 29) reported using AI, just 1% of retirees (over 65) had used this new medium for investment information over the past 12 months.

Foolish Takeaway

The democratisation of financial markets has allowed many Australians to become millionaires through investing. 

Over the past 30 years, Australian shares have achieved an average annual growth rate of 9%. 

This means that the average Australian investing $1,000 per month at this growth rate can increase their balance to around $1 million in 25 years. 

With that kind of life-changing trajectory, we should all celebrate progress that has been made in the investing landscape over the past few decades.

The post What does the average Australian investor in 2026 look like? 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 Bitcoin and BlackRock. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.