• Why this undervalued ASX All Ords tech stock is tipped for ‘significant growth’

    A businessman points to an arrow going up on a graph, indicating a share price rise for an ASX company.

    ASX All Ords tech stock Acusensus Ltd (ASX: ACE) is pushing higher today.

    Acusensus shares closed yesterday trading for $1.125. At the time of writing, shares are swapping hands for $1.13 apiece, up 0.4%.

    For some context, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 0.2% at this same time.

    Taking a step back, while Acusensus shares remain up 21% over 12 months, the ASX All Ords tech stock has slumped 33.8% in 2026.

    And according to Ellerston Capital Australian equities portfolio manager James Barker, that sees this ASX share trading in bargain territory (courtesy of The Australian Financial Review).

    Here’s why.

    Why this ASX All Ords tech stock is positioned for growth

    Asked which stock in his fund is the most undervalued by the market, Barker pointed to Acusensus.

    He noted:

    Acusensus is a founder-led Australian company whose artificial intelligence camera technology catches drivers using their phones, speeding or not wearing seatbelts, with long-dated government contracts to run road safety enforcement programs across Australia, New Zealand, the US and the UK.

    Spurring his bullish outlook, he said that the ASX All Ords tech stock has the potential for significant market growth in the United States.

    According to Barker:

    It operates in four Australian states and or territories, runs New Zealand’s nationwide mobile speed camera program, and has started to get traction in the large US market – a significant growth opportunity.

    Revenue should grow around 40% in FY26, with government-backed contracted revenue providing strong visibility for a company this size. Success in the US would step-change the business, and we do not believe this is factored into the price.

    What’s the latest from Acusensus?

    Acusensus reported its half-year results (H1 FY 2026) on 26 February.

    Highlights for the six months to 31 December included a 40% year-on-year revenue boost to $40.3 million. And adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 9% to $3.9 million.

    On the bottom line, the ASX All Ords tech stock reported a gross profit of $16.4 million, up 21% from H1 FY 2025.

    Turning to the balance sheet, as at 31 December, the company held cash (including term deposits) of $41 million.

    Commenting on the results on the day, Acusensus co-founder and managing director Alexander Jannink said, “The first half of this financial year has been a remarkable period for Acusensus.”

    He noted:

    We’ve not only delivered record revenue growth, but importantly, we have expanded our reach and are making significant strides in our mission to reduce road trauma and make roads safer globally.

    As for the growth opportunities in the US, Jannink said, “A personal highlight for me was securing our first major, long-term contract in the United States with the Connecticut Department of Transportation.”

    The post Why this undervalued ASX All Ords tech stock is tipped for ‘significant growth’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Acusensus 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 Acusensus 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 16 June 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.

  • Up 29% since May, can Wesfarmers shares keep surging higher?

    Young couple at the counter of a hardware store.

    Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares have been on a tear since plumbing a one-year closing low of $71.26 on 18 May.

    During the Tuesday lunch hour today, shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) conglomerate – whose retail subsidiaries include Bunnings Warehouse, Kmart Australia, Officeworks, and Priceline – are trading for $91.73 apiece.

    That sees the Wesfarmers share price up an impressive 28.7% in just two months.

    Taking a step back, the ASX 200 stock is up 12.2% in 2026, well ahead of the 0.4% year-to-date gains posted by the benchmark index.

    And that’s not including the $1.02 per share fully-franked dividend the company paid to eligible stockholders on 31 March. Wesfarmers stock trades on a 2.8% fully-franked trailing dividend yield.

    Looking ahead, however, Alto Capital’s Tony Locantro believes the company may struggle to deliver further outperformance over the coming months (courtesy of The Bull).

    Wesfarmers shares: Buy, hold, or sell?

    “Market leading businesses include retailers Bunnings, Kmart Group and Officeworks,” Locantro noted.

    As for Wesfarmers’ recent financial performance, he said:

    The company delivered a strong first half result in full year 2026, reporting net profit after tax of $1.603 billion, up 9.3%, reflecting continued earnings growth across its retail portfolio amid disciplined operational execution.

    But following the strong gains posted by Wesfarmers shares, Locantro issued a sell recommendation on the stock. He concluded:

    Despite these strong fundamentals, much of the company’s quality and long-term growth outlook appear fully reflected in its premium valuation. While Wesfarmers remains an outstanding long-term business, future upside may be constrained by elevated market expectations.

    Given the strong share price performance and demanding valuation, the current risk-reward balance supports taking profits at current levels.

    What’s the latest from the ASX 200 stock?

    Wesfarmers reported its half-year results (H1 FY 2026) on 19 February.

    The 9.3% year-on-year profit boost Locantro mentioned above was driven by a 3.1% increase in half-year revenue to $24.21 billion.

    And earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) leapt by 8.4% to $2.49 billion.

    “Wesfarmers’ increase in profit was supported by strong earnings contributions from our largest divisions – Bunnings, Kmart Group and WesCEF,” Wesfarmers managing director Rob Scott said of the results.

    Addressing the challenging market conditions the company faced in the six months to 31 December, Scott added:

    Despite a modest improvement in consumer demand, higher costs continued to weigh on many households and businesses, and residential construction activity remained subdued. The divisions performed well, driving productivity to mitigate cost pressures and keep prices low for customers.

    Amid high market expectations, Wesfarmers shares closed down 5.6% on the day of the results release.

    The post Up 29% since May, can Wesfarmers shares keep surging higher? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Wesfarmers 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 Wesfarmers 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 16 June 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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 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.

  • Down 61%: Can this ASX defence stock rebound, or is it time to sell up?

    A U.S. Naval Ship (DDG) enters Sydney harbour.

    Shares in ASX defence stock, Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB), have fallen further into the red in Tuesday trading. 

    At the time of writing, the shares are down another 0.5% and are trading at $3.38 each.

    The drop means the shares have now fallen by more than 50% year to date and are also around 45% lower than this time last year.

    What does Austal do?

    Austal is an Australian-based global shipbuilding company specialising in the design, construction, and support of defence and commercial vessels.

    These include naval vessels, defence surface warfare combatants, and law enforcement patrol boats.

    The company also installs and maintains vessel command and control systems, communication and radar technology, and information management systems.

    What happened to the ASX defence stock?

    Its share price spiked to an all-time high of $8.76 in January as tailwinds pushed ASX defence sector stocks higher overall.

    The company also won a few new contracts in late December, including a contract extension worth more than $135 million to build two new Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats for the Australian Border Force, bringing the total contracted to 14 vessels. 

    Austal was also awarded a $1.029 billion design and construct contract to build 18 Landing Craft Medium (LCM) vessels for the Australian Army under the Commonwealth’s Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement.

    In January, US President Donald Trump also said the 2027 US defence budget should be US$1.5 trillion, well above the US$901 million approved so far. Other countries also began bolstering their defence spending.

    In February, Austal posted its first-half FY26 results, revealing a 34.4% year-on-year increase in revenue. Its EBIT also climbed 41.3%, and net profit climbed 21.4%. But it also cut its earnings guidance for FY26, citing an accounting issue. 

    The news spooked investors and triggered a sell-off that Austal shares have struggled to recover from.

    Surprisingly, even news of the increase of conflict in the Middle East didn’t do enough to convince investors to buy back in.

    The shares are now down 61% from that January peak.

    Are Austal shares a buy, sell, or hold now?

    If broker forecasts are anything to go by, it’s time to load up on Austal shares while they’re still cheap.

    TradingView data shows that there are only three analyst ratings on the ASX defence stock. One is a hold, and the other two are a strong buy.

    They all agree on some element of upside ahead, although the range is pretty significant.

    The minimum $4.10 target price implies a potential 20% upside.

    The average $6.14 target price implies a potential 80% upside, at the time of writing.

    And the maximum $7.71 target price implies that the shares could jump 126% higher over the next 12 months.

    The post Down 61%: Can this ASX defence stock rebound, or is it time to sell up? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Austal 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 Austal 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 16 June 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    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 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.

Sorry, but nothing was found. Please try a search with different keywords.