• Chorus Limited FY26 profit surges as fibre uptake climbs and dividend rises

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    The Chorus Ltd (ASX: CNU) share price is in focus after the company delivered a solid full-year FY26 result, with revenue growing to $1,029 million and net profit after tax jumping to $37 million.

    What did Chorus Ltd report?

    • Operating revenue rose 1.5% to $1,029 million
    • EBITDA lifted 3% to $726 million
    • Net profit after tax climbed to $37 million (FY25: $4 million)
    • Operating expenses reduced 2% to $303 million
    • Total FY26 dividend increased 4% to 60 cents per share (final dividend of 36 cents per share)
    • Total fibre connections rose by 32,000 to 1,147,000, now 96% of all connections

    What else do investors need to know?

    Chorus continues to make strong progress transitioning to a simpler, all-fibre business. Fibre uptake reached 75.9% of serviceable addresses, edging closer to the company’s 80% target by 2030. The decline in legacy copper connections accelerated, with only 44,000 remaining nationwide at year-end.

    Chorus expanded its product range by launching new services such as Express Connect, Unified Transport, and TimeSync, aiming to support next-generation digital needs. The company has also increased its focus on digital inclusion, introducing the affordable Equity Fibre 100 broadband product for eligible low-income households.

    What did Chorus Ltd management say?

    Chief Executive Officer Mark Aue said:

    FY26 marked the start of the second horizon of Chorus’ strategy, extending through to FY29, focused on growth, simplicity and efficiency. We are building momentum towards a simpler, more focused business, while continuing to invest in the digital infrastructure New Zealand will rely on for decades.

    What’s next for Chorus Ltd?

    Looking ahead to FY27, Chorus expects EBITDA between $730 million and $760 million, capital expenditure of $375 million to $415 million, and a minimum dividend of 62 cents per share (with partial imputation expected). The company plans to continue its copper network retirement, which is now scheduled to be completed by 2028.

    Management sees ongoing demand growth for high-capacity, reliable, low-latency connectivity, driven by increasing adoption of artificial intelligence and data centre services. Chorus believes fibre is well-placed to support this demand and remains focused on disciplined investment, improving operational efficiency, and exploring new infrastructure opportunities.

    Chorus share price snapshot

    Over the past year, Chorus Ltd’s share price has underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) with a decline of almost 9%.

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    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.*

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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 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.

  • GemLife beats forecasts and upgrades FY26 guidance

    A young man sits at his desk working on his laptop with a big smile on his face.

    The GemLife Communities Group (ASX: GLF) share price is in focus today after the company posted its 1H26 results, exceeding its Prospectus forecasts, with revenue climbing 86% and underlying NPAT up 102% on the prior year.

    What did GemLife report?

    • Revenue of $195.1 million, up 86% on 1H25 Pro Forma and 36% ahead of Prospectus forecasts
    • EBIT of $68.3 million, up 89% on 1H25 and 36% above forecast
    • Underlying NPAT of $58.5 million, up 102% on 1H25 and 27% above forecast
    • Statutory NPAT of $53.3 million, an increase of 59% on 1H25
    • Inaugural annual distribution of 1.1 cents per security declared
    • Gearing at 32.3%, within target range

    What else do investors need to know?

    GemLife delivered 208 home settlements in the half, up 75% on 1H25 and 16 above its Prospectus target. Average sale prices jumped 10% to $876,000, reflecting increased demand and more premium home sales. At 30 June, 52 further homes had been completed and sold, awaiting settlement in 2H26.

    The company’s development pipeline is strengthening, with 292 homes under contract and 78 additional expressions of interest, giving a total pipeline of 370 homes. GemLife also secured approvals for 593 more homes at three sites during the half, including its first South Australian community.

    What did GemLife management say?

    Founder, Managing Director and Group CEO Adrian Puljich said:

    GemLife is pleased to have delivered a strong 1H26 result, exceeding our final Prospectus forecast period across key financial and operational metrics. This performance reflects our continued focus on product mix optimisation and execution, supporting both average sale prices and build margins, which have remained within our 47-52% target range for the eighth consecutive year. We believe this performance is underpinned by GemLife’s premium market positioning and the efficiencies and cost savings generated through our vertically integrated business model, which has been refined over more than 40 years

    GemLife now has a portfolio of 33 communities comprising 10,452 homes, providing clear visibility over future development activity in a sector supported by favourable demographic trends.

    At GemLife, our focus remains on innovative and disciplined development execution through our fully vertically integrated platform, yielding greater capital velocity and sustained earnings growth. We are committed to delivering thoughtfully designed communities for our homeowners while generating long-term value for securityholders.

    What’s next for GemLife?

    GemLife has upgraded its FY26 underlying EPS guidance to 30.0–31.0 cents, up from 28.5–30.0 cents previously. This implies growth of 27% to 31% over FY25, reflecting management’s confidence in continued strong demand and the group’s substantial pipeline.

    Looking ahead, GemLife will continue focusing on its vertically integrated model and innovative community development. With more than 3,000 lots in development across 13 sites, the group is well-placed for growth in Australia’s land lease community sector.

    GemLife share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, Gemlife shares have risen 9%, outpacing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

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    Should you invest $1,000 in GemLife Communities Pty right now?

    Before you buy GemLife Communities Pty 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 GemLife Communities Pty 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 1 August 2026

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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.

  • Ampol profit and dividend surge in first-half 2026 results

    Woman refuelling the gas tank at fuel pump.

    Ampol Ltd (ASX:ALD) share price has been in focus after the company delivered a strong first half for 2026, with a 245% jump in RCOP EBIT to $1,392 million and the interim dividend more than quadrupling to 185 cents per share.

    What did Ampol Ltd report?

    • Group RCOP EBITDA (excluding Significant Items) rose to $1,637 million, up 152% on 1H 2025
    • RCOP Net Profit After Tax (NPAT) (excluding Significant Items) surged to $857 million, up 376%
    • Statutory NPAT at $1,363 million, compared to a loss of $25 million last year
    • Fully franked interim dividend of 185 cents per share, more than four times the prior year
    • EG Australia acquisition completed, supporting retail growth strategy

    What else do investors need to know?

    Ampol’s strong result was delivered despite global market disruptions from conflict in the Middle East, with reliable supply chains and trading capabilities helping to capture opportunities across its operations. Notably, its refinery performance improved, with Lytton Refiner Margin per barrel reaching a robust US$28.26 and total production up 8.7%.

    The company’s Energy Solutions division continued to progress, narrowing losses and increasing public EV charging network bays to 356 across Australia. Ampol also reported sturdy balance sheet metrics, even after settling the EG Australia acquisition, with committed liquidity facilities of $5.8 billion and leverage at 1.8 times.

    What did Ampol Ltd management say?

    Matt Halliday, Managing Director and CEO, commented:

    The first half of 2026 was marked by the Middle East conflict and the consequential impact on the flow of oil and refined products around the world, including Australia and New Zealand which were not immune. Against that backdrop, Ampol’s primary focus was to secure fuel and minimise the impact to our customers. I could not be more proud of the resilience of our business and the capabilities our people demonstrated during this period.

    What’s next for Ampol Ltd?

    Ampol is expecting ongoing volatility in oil markets due to geopolitical uncertainty, but its physical supply arrangements and recent acquisition of EG Australia are expected to underpin growth. Management is confident in delivering between $65 million and $80 million of annual cost synergies from EG Australia within two years.

    The outlook for the second half also includes continued benefits from strong refinery margins, contribution from newly acquired assets, and ongoing investment in the Lytton Ultra Low Sulfur Fuels Project, which is on track to start up later in 2026.

    Ampol share price snapshot

    The Ampol share price has outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months with a gain of 34%, supported by strong earnings momentum and resilient refining operations.

    View Original Announcement

    The post Ampol profit and dividend surge in first-half 2026 results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Ampol 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 Ampol 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 1 August 2026

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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 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.