Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares are back in the red on Wednesday as investors digest the gold producer’s latest update.

At the time of writing, the Ramelius share price is down 3.51% to $2.885.

The move adds to a difficult start to the year for the ASX 200 gold stock. Ramelius shares are now down around 5% over the past month and 30% in 2026.

Ramelius has now closed out FY26, and the market is getting its first look at how the June quarter finished.

Let’s take a closer look at the announcement.

Stronger finish to the year

According to the release, Ramelius produced 53,466 ounces of gold in the June quarter.

That represents a 40% increase on the prior quarter and lifted full-year production to 192,182 ounces.

This means Ramelius finished FY26 inside its guidance range of 185,000 to 205,000 ounces. Management said this was the 6th year in a row that the company has met its production guidance.

The stronger quarter was helped by improved haulage rates, particularly at Dalgaranga, while the Never Never underground operation remained on track.

Managing Director Mark Zeptner said the June quarter was a strong finish to the year and showed “consistent delivery” from the operations team.

Cash and gold balance grows

Ramelius also finished the quarter in a strong financial position.

The company reported underlying free cash flow of $183 million. This included growth capital and exploration, but came before dividends, share buybacks, and tax payments.

It ended June with cash and gold of $649.6 million.

Ramelius also kept returning money to shareholders during the quarter. It paid a fully-franked interim dividend of $54.4 million and completed $30.5 million of share buybacks.

The total buybacks now stand at $140.7 million under the company’s $250 million buyback program.

Why are Ramelius shares falling?

Ramelius hasn’t yet provided final all-in sustaining costs (AISC) for the June quarter. These figures will be included in the full quarterly report, which is due on 29 July.

Until those numbers land, investors don’t have the full margin detail, even though production and cash flow both look healthy.

There is also a lot happening across the project pipeline.

At Mt Magnet, stage one circuit works have started, while stage two and three works are close to completion. The camp expansion, wind project, and major project recruitment are also moving along.

Ramelius is also working through the Edna May Hub transaction. The company estimates this could deliver almost $600 million of pre-tax value once cash, retained free cash flow, and share consideration are included.

The post $650 million in cash and gold, guidance hit: Why this ASX 200 stock is still falling appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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.

Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH) shares looked to be finding their feet last week. Not anymore.

The hearing implant leader slipped 2.3% to $124.49 during Wednesday morning trade, putting the brakes on what had been an impressive recovery.

The stock had rallied around 10% last week and is still up 28% over the past month. That’s no small feat after suffering one of the biggest share price collapses on the ASX this year.

But before investors start celebrating, it’s worth remembering the bigger picture. Cochlear shares remain down 52% in 2026 and have lost almost 60% over the past 12 months.

So, is today’s weakness simply a pause after a strong rebound, or are investors being reminded why the shares fell so hard in the first place?

A reality check

It’s easy to forget just how brutal April was. On 22 April, Cochlear dropped a trading update that landed like a lead balloon.

Demand for hearing implants across developed markets came in below expectations. Then, to make matters worse, conflict in the Middle East disrupted shipments and triggered order cancellations.

Management didn’t just trim guidance; it took a chainsaw to it. The company cut its FY26 underlying net profit forecast from $435 million to $460 million down to just $290 million to $330 million.

The market’s response was swift and ruthless. Cochlear shares plunged more than 40% in a single trading session as investors suddenly questioned whether one of the ASX’s highest-quality healthcare companies had lost its mojo.

Since then, the debate has been simple: was this a nasty bump in the road or the start of a much tougher journey?

The bull case hasn’t disappeared

Here’s the thing. Cochlear’s long-term competitive position hasn’t suddenly vanished.

The company still controls around half of the global cochlear implant market, making it the clear industry leader. That leadership has been built over decades through research, innovation, and close partnerships with surgeons and hospitals around the world.

Those advantages are incredibly difficult for rivals to replicate.

The growth runway for Cochlear shares also remains enormous. More than six million people across developed markets are estimated to be eligible for cochlear implants, yet only around 3% have received one.

That leaves plenty of room for future growth as awareness increases, diagnosis rates improve, and hearing technology continues to evolve.

What do the experts think?

Brokers aren’t exactly pounding the table, but neither are they rushing for the exits.

According to TradingView data, most analysts currently rate Cochlear shares as a hold. The average 12-month price target is $127.33, only about 3% above the current share price. In other words, the market thinks the easy money from the recent rebound may already have been made.

That said, there are still plenty of optimists. Six of the 18 analysts covering Cochlear rate the healthcare stock as either a buy or strong buy. The most bullish forecast sees the stock climbing another 38% over the next year.

On the flip side, two brokers recommend selling, with the lowest target price sitting at $95, implying a downside of roughly 23%.

The post Cochlear shares are slipping again. Is the comeback already over? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 3 ASX shares down at least 50% in FY26
• Healthcare shares lead the ASX 200 again as sector rotation gathers pace

Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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 Cochlear. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The IperionX Ltd (ASX: IPX) share price is in focus after the company announced it has priced an underwritten public offering of 2,275,000 American Depositary Shares (ADSs), raising nearly US$50 million before costs. The funds will support expansion of IperionX’s titanium production technologies and R&D activities.

What did IperionX report?

• Priced public offering of 2,275,000 ADSs at US$21.98 per ADS
• Gross proceeds of approximately US$50 million (before costs)
• Offering led by US institutional investors
• Funds to be used for commercialising titanium and alloy technology, plus site expansion
• Expected closing date: 9 July 2026 (subject to conditions)

What else do investors need to know?

Each ADS will represent 10 ordinary IperionX shares, with the total 22,750,000 shares to be issued from the company’s existing placement capacity under Listing Rule 7.1. The capital raise is being managed by Cantor as sole bookrunner, with Roth Capital Partners and B. Riley Securities acting as co-managers.

Net proceeds from the offer will be directed towards advancing the scale-up and expansion of IperionX’s Virginia Titanium Manufacturing Campus, furthering its titanium metal research, and developing the Camden-Titan Project in Tennessee. Extra funds will go towards general corporate purposes.

What’s next for IperionX?

With fresh funding, IperionX plans to accelerate the commercialisation of its proprietary titanium technologies and continue building out its production capabilities in the United States. The company sees these investments supporting its goal to become a key producer of high-quality, lower-cost, and more sustainable titanium alloys.

The outlook includes ongoing expansion at core US sites and increased R&D to enhance process efficiencies. Management also flagged continued focus on developing the Camden-Titan Project and supporting general business initiatives.

IperionX share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, IperionX shares have declined 7%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post IperionX launches US$50m capital raise for titanium expansion 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.