Author: openjargon

An $800,000 superannuation balance sounds like a substantial amount of money.

But retirement could last for 20 or 30 years, and that money may need to cover everything from everyday expenses to travel and unexpected costs.

So, could $800,000 really be enough for a comfortable retirement?

What does a comfortable retirement cost?

One place I would start is the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia’s Retirement Standard.

ASFA estimates that a single homeowner aged 65 to 84 needs roughly $56,000 a year for a comfortable retirement, while a couple needs around $79,000.

That budget is designed to cover more than the basics. It allows for things such as private health insurance, leisure activities, eating out, maintaining a car, household repairs, and occasional travel.

Of course, everyone’s spending will look different. Someone who enjoys frequent overseas trips with Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) may want considerably more, while another retiree with relatively modest expenses could live comfortably on less.

How does $800,000 compare?

This is where I think an $800,000 balance starts to look encouraging.

ASFA estimates that a single homeowner retiring at age 67 needs around $630,000 in superannuation to fund a comfortable retirement. For a couple, the estimated combined balance is around $730,000.

On those benchmarks, $800,000 sits above both figures.

Importantly, those calculations do not assume someone simply lives off the investment income and leaves the original capital untouched forever.

Retirement savings are there to be used. ASFA’s modelling assumes retirees gradually draw down their superannuation and may also receive some Age Pension support as their balance declines.

That means an $800,000 balance does not necessarily need to produce the entire annual spending requirement through dividends or interest alone.

I would still keep investing

If I retired with $800,000, I would not suddenly move the whole balance into cash.

Retirement could still last 20 or 30 years, and inflation will continue increasing the cost of living throughout that period.

I would therefore want part of the portfolio invested in growth assets such as Australian and international shares or exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

The aim would be for investment returns to help replace some of the money being withdrawn and give the balance a better chance of supporting rising expenses over time.

I would also keep some more defensive assets available so I was not forced to sell shares after a major market fall.

That balance between growth and stability would become increasingly important once the portfolio was funding my lifestyle.

There are some important assumptions

Whether $800,000 is enough would depend heavily on personal circumstances.

Owning a home outright makes a substantial difference. A retiree still paying rent or a mortgage would generally need considerably more income.

Retirement age also matters. Someone stopping work at 60 needs their savings to support more years than someone retiring at 67.

Health costs, travel plans, family support, and other major expenses could also change the amount required.

For that reason, I would treat the $800,000 figure as part of the retirement plan rather than the whole plan.

Foolish takeaway

I think $800,000 in superannuation could provide a comfortable retirement for many Australians, particularly homeowners retiring around the traditional retirement age.

It is already above ASFA’s current comfortable retirement benchmarks for both singles and couples.

For me, the key would be making sure the money remained invested sensibly, withdrawals were sustainable, and there was enough flexibility to deal with whatever the next few decades brought.

The post Could I retire comfortably with $800,000 in superannuation? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why I’d invest $10,000 into Qantas shares today
• Looking to bank the final Qantas dividend? You’d better hurry!
• How many Qantas shares do I need to buy for $5,000 of passive income in FY27?
• 33 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week
• Top 3 ASX 200 shares now below their 200-day moving average

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino 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.

It has already been a huge year for Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares.

The Santos share price is down 1.72% to $8.58 at the time of writing, but the stock is still up almost 40% since the start of 2026.

Just yesterday, it traded as high as $8.75, a level not seen since late 2014.

Yes, buying after a run like that can feel uncomfortable. Nobody wants to turn up after most of the gains have already been made.

But despite the much higher share price, I’d still be happy buying Santos today.

Here’s why.

Production is about to step up

The biggest reason is that Santos is entering a very different stage of its growth phase.

After years of heavy spending, major projects such as Pikka in Alaska and Barossa are now producing and ramping up.

Pikka achieved first oil in May and has already reached around 40,000 barrels of gross production per day.

Santos is targeting roughly 80,000 barrels per day by the end of the third quarter.

Barossa is starting to contribute as well, giving the company another source of production growth.

Santos expects second-half production to be around 20% to 30% higher than the first half.

And that’s the part I really like.

The company has already done much of the expensive work.

Investors should now start to see greater benefits from those projects, including higher production and stronger cash flow.

The next project is already lined up

Pikka and Barossa aren’t the end of it either.

Santos recently agreed to increase its interest in the Papua LNG project by an additional 3.3% for approximately US$189 million.

That gives the company another sizeable growth project beyond those already contributing.

Papua LNG is still further down the track, but it adds another potential production source without Santos having to rely too heavily on Pikka and Barossa.

The company also has operations across Australia, Papua New Guinea and the United States, which gives it a decent spread of assets.

And with oil prices above US$100 a barrel, Santos is getting some help from higher energy prices as well.

Would I worry about the valuation?

TipRanks shows 9 ranked analysts covering Santos, with 7 buys and 2 holds.

The average 12-month price target is $8.64, which is nearly identical to the current share price.

But there are more bullish targets out there.

Bernstein sits at $10.10, while Citi has a $9.35 target and Macquarie recently lifted its target to $9.25.

So, I wouldn’t buy Santos expecting another 40% gain in the next few months.

My interest is more about what the business could look like over the next few years.

The post Santos shares are up 40% in 2026. Here’s why I’d still buy them today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Goldman Sachs says oil could surge past US$120. Could this be the next big market shock?
• Why I’d buy Santos and Woodside shares today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• $10,000 invested in Santos and Woodside shares 3 years ago is now worth…
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

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.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares have tumbled further into the red in Tuesday’s trade.

At the time of writing, the shares are down by around another 1% and changing hands at $153 each. 

The latest decrease means the banking giant has now shed around 12% since it posted its FY26 results in mid-August. The shares are also now down around 5% year to date and 9% lower than 12 months ago.

Why are CBA shares still falling?

It’s been a tough month for ASX bank shares across the board as investor confidence continues to take a beating.

Growing concerns about higher-than-expected inflation, the prospect of further interest rate hikes, and fears of a rising cost of living have led many investors to shy away from ASX shares recently.

And all this came against a backdrop of falling mortgage demand, a weakening housing market, and tight competition squeezing margins.

The bank’s FY26 results, which it posted in mid-August, didn’t help spark investor confidence.

CBA posted a 7% increase in cash NPAT and an 8% increase in statutory NPAT. Operating income also increased by 6.2%. The bank announced a $2.70-per-share fully franked final dividend and a fully franked full-year dividend of $5.05, up 20 cents.

On a positive note, CBA said it is the first time it has reported growth at or above system in each of its five core domestic product categories: home lending, business lending, consumer finance, household deposits, and business deposits.

But going forward, CBA flagged a cautious outlook, with softer household spending and slower economic growth. This raised concerns about the bank’s earnings strength and its already-high valuation amid a weakening market.

Now the question is, are CBA shares approaching the bottom? Or is there more downside ahead?

Are the shares a buy, sell or hold now?

CBA shares have finally made their long-awaited correction, but I don’t think the end is in sight yet.

Market Index data shows all brokers still have a strong sell rating on the shares. The $125.20 average target price implies the shares could fall another 19% over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

On TradingView data, the majority (14 out of 16) have a sell/strong sell rating on CBA. The average $127.86 target price implies a potential 16% downside, and the minimum $90 suggests the shares could fall another 41%, at the time of writing.

Shaw and Partners has named the Big Four bank as an ASX share to sell this week. The broker highlights that CBA shares continue to trade at a significant premium to peers despite its subdued earnings growth outlook and warns that there is limited scope for further earnings-driven upside.

Medallion Financial Group’s Stuart Bromley also has a sell recommendation on CBA shares. He agrees that the bank’s valuation is strengthened and that better valuation opportunities exist elsewhere. 

The post Down 12%: Are CBA shares a buy, sell or hold now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX 200 drops again as selling continues
• Westpac, ANZ, NAB or CBA shares? Which ASX bank stock should I buy for $5,000 a year in passive income?
• Vanguard ETFs vs. Betashares ETFs: Who’s coming out on top?
• How much superannuation is needed to target $5,500 per month in passive income?
• My top ASX passive income stocks for the next 10 years

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.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) and New Hope Corp Ltd (ASX: NHC) shares don’t have much in common.

After all, one is an S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) buy now, pay later (BNPL) stock while the other is an ASX 200 coal stock.

One thing they do have in common is their strong outperformance today.

In morning trade on Tuesday, the ASX 200 is down 0.5%.

New Hope shares, on the other hand, are up 2.9%, changing hands for $6.46 each. And Zip shares are soaring 4.3%, trading for $2.19 apiece.

Zip shares look to be getting a boost today after the company announced that, in line with its 20 August announcement, Zip commenced the on-market share buyback of up to $50 million worth of its shares on Monday.

As for New Hope, the coal miner released its FY 2026 results this morning.

New Hope reported a full year net profit after tax (NPAT) of $161 million. And management declared a fully franked final dividend of 30 cents per share, up from last year’s final passive income payout of 15 cents per share.

That’s this week’s price action.

Now, if you’d invested $10,000 in both ASX 200 stocks three years ago, here’s what you’d have today.

(As for our benchmark, the ASX 200 has gained 19.5% since 15 September 2023.)

New Hope share gains driven by dividends

Three years ago, New Hope shares were trading for $6.22 apiece.

So, for $10,000 you could have bought 1,607 shares in the ASX 200 coal miner.

At today’s $6.46, you could sell those same shares for $10,381.

While that’s not much of a capital gain over three years, we haven’t factored in the New Hope dividends yet.

We can’t count the 30 cent per share final dividend declared today, as you’d need to own the stock at market close this Friday to be eligible for that passive income payout.

But if you’d owned the coal miner for the past three years you would have received the past six fully franked dividend totalling $1.13 a share.

If we add that back in to today’s share price, then the accumulated value of the New Hope shares you bought for $10,000 three years ago is now worth $7.59 each.

And those 1,607 shares are worth an accumulated $12,197.

Zip shares strong rebound from post pandemic beating

Unlike New Hope shares, Zip shares were beaten down badly by 15 September 2023, trading for just 32 cents each.

For $10,000, then, you could have picked up 31,250 shares in the ASX 200 BNPL stock.

Now, Zip doesn’t pay any dividends.

But at today’s $2.19 share price, those 31,250 shares are worth a cool $68,438.

How about in 2026?

It’s a vastly different story in 2026.

Year to date Zip shares remain down 34% while New Hope shares have surged 61% and paid an interim dividend.

The post $10,000 invested in Zip and New Hope shares 3 years ago is now worth… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• New Hope shares near 52-week high. Here’s what stood out in the result
• New Hope reveals major 2026 coal resource increases
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• Energy shares rose while the ASX 200 slumped last week. Here’s why
• Zip shares crash another 11% this week: What is going on?

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.

Woolworths vs Coles shares: Which supermarket player deserves a place in your portfolio?

Both Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) and Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) have become household names for Aussies when it comes to grocery shopping. If you’re considering these supermarket heavyweights for the dividend income they’re known for, you might be weighing up Woolworths vs Coles shares. Let’s unpack how these rivals stack up on yield, value, and recent performance.

The case for Woolworths Group

Woolworths Group stands as one of Australia’s largest retail companies, with a strong presence in the supermarket sector across Australia and New Zealand. The company also owns the Big W discount department store chain and several supermarket brands in New Zealand. Woolworths is known for its defensive qualities, as consumers continue to spend on essentials like food and toiletries even during economic downturns.

Looking at the numbers, Woolworths commands a massive market cap of $47.34 billion, making it the larger of the two by some margin. Its shares sport a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 41.62 and an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.925. For income seekers, Woolworths is fully franked and has a current dividend yield of 2.52%. The group has shown robust YTD (year-to-date) returns of 34.34%.

On dividends, Woolworths has a reliable habit, paying fully franked dividends for decades. Its latest final dividend was $0.52 per share, paid in September 2026, and there was also a $0.45 interim earlier in the year.

The case for Coles Group

Coles Group is another major force in Aussie retail, providing groceries, household goods, liquor, and more — in-store and online. The business was previously part of Wesfarmers, but became its own ASX-listed company again in 2018. Coles operates over 900 supermarkets and also has Coles Express and Coles Liquor, though it sold off its fuel and convenience division to focus on core retailing.

Coles comes in with a $31.48 billion market cap, making it smaller than Woolworths but still a market leader by any measure. It trades at a lower P/E of 28.61 and offers a dividend yield of 3.36%, notably higher than Woolworths. Like its rival, Coles dividends are fully franked, and its current EPS is $0.812. The year-to-date return stands at 11.99%.

Dividend consistency is strong, with regular half-yearly payments. The latest final dividend was $0.37 per share (paid September 2026), with a $0.41 interim earlier in the year, all fully franked.

Valuation comparison

Here’s how some key stats line up side by side:

Metric	Woolworths	Coles
Market Cap	$47.34b	$31.48b
P/E Ratio	41.62	28.61
Dividend Yield	2.52%	3.36%
Earnings per Share	$0.925	$0.812
YTD Return	34.34%	11.99%
Franking	100%	100%

Woolworths is the much larger company, with stronger recent share price appreciation, but Coles stands out for its lower valuation and bigger dividend yield.

Recent share price performance

Please note: these prices reflect the close on 14 September 2026, not live data.

– Woolworths closed at $38.75, having rallied strongly throughout 2026. Its YTD return is an impressive 34.34%.
– Coles closed at $23.44, with a 2026 YTD return of 11.99%.

Over recent weeks, both shares have experienced typical market ups and downs, but Woolworths has shown more significant price momentum than Coles.

Which is the better buy?

If I had to pick between Woolworths and Coles right now, my nod goes to Coles. Here’s why: the dividend yield is meaningfully higher at 3.36% compared to Woolworths’s 2.52%, so if I’m chasing income, Coles is immediately more appealing — and both offer fully franked dividends, making income even sweeter for Aussie shareholders.

Coles also trades on a much lower P/E, hinting that Woolworths’s current valuation is pretty stretched, especially after that bumper 34% YTD gain. While Woolworths’s share price run is impressive, it leaves less room for error and less compelling value. Coles looks relatively steady and offers more bang for buck on the dividend front, which matters most to yield-focused investors.

Woolworths still boasts market leadership and a reputation for resilience, but today, I reckon Coles is the supermarket share with the greater value and income edge.

The post Woolworths vs Coles: Which supermarket giant is the better ASX buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Echo IQ, James Hardie, Woolworths shares
• Worried about a recession? These ASX shares would be just fine
• Experts name CBA and these big-name ASX 200 shares as sells this week
• How to build a superannuation portfolio generating $50,000 a year
• Where to invest $5,000 into ASX dividend shares

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.

The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) I would be comfortable owning for a very long time.

It provides broad exposure to international share markets in a single investment, which can make it a simple way to add global growth to a portfolio.

Here are three reasons I think it is a buy.

Broad global diversification

One of the biggest attractions of the VGS ETF is just how much exposure investors get through one fund.

It invests across developed markets outside Australia, giving investors access to companies in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Europe, and other major economies.

That means an investor is not relying on the performance of one country or a small collection of businesses.

I think this can be particularly valuable for Australians whose other investments are already concentrated locally.

The Australian share market has plenty of strong companies, but many of the world’s largest healthcare, industrial, technology, consumer, and financial businesses are based elsewhere.

The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF makes it easy to participate in those opportunities without having to open an overseas brokerage account or research dozens of individual companies.

Exposure to global leaders

The VGS ETF owns some of the world’s most successful businesses.

Its portfolio includes companies such as Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon, alongside over a thousand other businesses operating across many industries.

I like that because investors can benefit if today’s leading companies continue expanding, without having to decide which individual stock will ultimately perform best.

The portfolio also changes naturally over time. Companies that become more valuable can grow into larger positions in the underlying index, while businesses that lose ground become less influential.

Over a long holding period, I think that is attractive. The fund can continue evolving alongside global markets without investors having to constantly rebuild their portfolio themselves.

It is easy to keep adding

The third reason I like the VGS ETF is its simplicity.

There is no need to wait for the perfect stock idea every time new money becomes available.

An investor can buy more units and immediately spread that money across a large collection of international businesses. That can make regular investing much easier.

I would still expect volatility. Global share markets will go through recessions, bear markets, changing interest rates, and periods when valuations become stretched.

Currency movements can also influence returns for Australian investors.

But for someone investing over 10 years or longer, I think those short-term fluctuations are a reasonable price to pay for access to global economic and corporate growth.

Foolish takeaway

I think the VGS ETF gets a lot right without making investing unnecessarily complicated.

It gives investors exposure to a wide range of countries and industries, includes many of the world’s strongest companies, and can be easily added to over time.

For me, those qualities make the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF one of the ASX ETFs I would be happy to buy and hold for the long term.

The post 3 reasons to buy the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares (VGS) ETF appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino 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 Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) shares are heading north after the coal miner released its FY26 results on Tuesday.

At the time of writing, the New Hope share price is up 2.55% to $6.44, just below its 52-week high of $6.49.

It’s been a strong run for the stock, and today’s gain has taken it even closer to a new high.

And while profit fell from last year, there were still a few things investors seemed to like.

So, what stood out?

Production keeps climbing

One of the better parts of the update was the continued lift in coal production.

New Hope produced 11.5 million tonnes of saleable coal during FY26, up 7.6% from a year earlier.

Coal sales rose even faster, climbing 11.8% to 11.8 million tonnes.

Bengalla produced 8.2 million tonnes on New Hope’s 80% interest basis, while New Acland lifted production 17.3% to 3.3 million tonnes.

But the higher volumes weren’t enough to make up for weaker coal prices.

New Hope’s average realised coal price fell 10% to $145.20 per tonne, while group FOB cash costs increased 7.9% to $88.90 per tonne.

That hit earnings pretty hard, with underlying EBITDA falling 32.8% to $514.3 million.

Net profit after tax (NPAT) came in at $161 million, down 63.4% from the previous year.

Cash is still coming in

Even with profit down, New Hope still brought in plenty of cash.

Operating cash flow came in at $564.1 million, while the company finished July with $778.5 million in available cash.

And shareholders are seeing some of that cash come back their way.

New Hope declared a fully-franked final dividend of 30 cents per share, taking total dividends for FY26 to 40 cents per share.

That’s up from 34 cents per share in FY25, despite the big drop in profit.

The company also has an on-market share buyback of up to $100 million in place.

What happens next?

New Hope still has more production to bring on.

New Acland is working towards around 5 million tonnes of saleable coal a year, while Maxwell should contribute more as production ramps up.

Over the longer term, New Hope is aiming for group saleable coal production of around 15 million tonnes.

Of course, coal prices will have a big say in how earnings look.

If coal prices hold up, having more tonnes to sell should help earnings as that extra production comes through.

And with plenty of cash in the bank, New Hope can keep spending on growth while still paying shareholders along the way.

The post New Hope shares near 52-week high. Here’s what stood out in the result appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Buy, hold, sell: New Hope, BOQ, Santos shares
• Buy, hold, sell: Endeavour, JB Hi-Fi, and New Hope shares 

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.

Shares in Barton Gold Holdings Ltd (ASX: BGD) have been pretty much steady over the past year, but according to the team at Canaccord Genuity, that could be about to change.

Big things in store for this ASX gold company

CG has initiated coverage on Barton Gold with a speculative buy rating and a bullish price target, which I’ll get to shortly.

First, let’s look at why they like the company.

The CG team said Barton had done a good job of building a large gold development portfolio in South Australia “through a combination of opportunistic asset acquisitions, infrastructure ownership deals and disciplined capital management”.

They added:

The company has consolidated a 2.2Moz Au and 3.1Moz Ag resource base across four projects, acquired strategic assets including the Wudinna Gold Project and the region’s only gold processing facility, the Central Gawler Mill (CGM), and generated more than A$13m of non-dilutive cash through asset monetisation initiatives. In our view, few junior developers have built a comparable regional platform while maintaining such a measured approach to shareholder dilution. BGD’s portfolio is underpinned by two core development assets: Tunkillia and Challenger.

The broker believes the company’s value driver is the Tunkillia project, where Barton has delineated to date 1.6 million ounces of gold and 3.1 million ounces of silver.

A scoping study released in May 2025 envisaged an eight-year mining plan with a capital cost of $452 million; however, recently completed resource drilling is expected to support further improvements, CG said.

The broker added:

We view Tunkillia as one of the more compelling undeveloped gold projects in Australia given its scale, production profile, meaningful silver credits and overall similarity to Capricorn Metals Ltd’s (ASX: CMM) Karlawinda gold mine.

CG said Barton’s stage one strategy involved restarting the Challenger gold mine and the associated Central Gawler Mill (CGM), “creating a potential pathway to near-term producer status and an internal source of cash flow to assist Tunkillia’s development”.

They added:

Challenger hosts 313koz Au across tailings, open pit and underground resources, while the fully permitted 600ktpa CGM produced ~1.2Moz historically and is estimated to require only ~A$26m of refurbishment capital. A definitive feasibility study is underway evaluating an initial 3-4 year operation based largely on tailings retreatment and near-surface feed, preserving the larger underground opportunity for future development.

Beyond Tunkillia and Challenger, Barton holds additional regional growth prospects, CG said, including the Perseverance Mine and the Tolmer silver-gold discovery.

Shares looking cheap

CG has a price target of $2.05 for Barton Gold shares, compared to the current $1.02.

The post This ASX gold developer could jump more than 100%: Broker appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Buy, hold, sell: Magellan, Iluka Resources, PLS Group shares
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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England 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.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are down 0.6% to 8,701 points on Tuesday.

Among the 11 market sectors, technology is in the lead today, up 2.3%, while materials is the laggard, down 2.1%.

Let’s check out some new expert ratings for this week (courtesy The Bull).  

Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG)

The Magellan share price is $8.59, up 0.5% today and down 20% over the past month.

James Bills from Shaw and Partners has a buy rating on this ASX 200 financial share. 

Bills said: 

Magellan offers investors exposure to a respected global funds management business that appears attractively valued following several challenging years. The company continues to generate strong cash flow and maintain a robust balance sheet.

The business also offers an appealing dividend yield – recently above 7 per cent – supported by surplus capital.

Improving sentiment and stabilising operating conditions provide potential for a re-rating, making Magellan an attractive opportunity for income and capital growth investors.

Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX: ILU)

The Iluka Resources share price is $6.03, down 0.8% on Tuesday and down 16% over the past month.

Joshua Baker from RaaS Group has a hold rating on this ASX 200 mining share. 

Baker said: 

This mineral sands producer is diversifying into rare earths via its Eneabba refinery, which is 60 per cent complete. The company recently reported the refinery is progressing on schedule and on budget. An inaugural off-take agreement has been executed.

Mineral sands revenue of $433 million in the first half of 2026 was down 22 per cent on the prior corresponding period.

If the Eneabba project continues without any major cost blowouts or delays amid mineral sands prices continuing to recover, ILU may be a buy next year.

PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS)

The PLS Group share price is $4.37, down 0.9% today and down 14% over the past month.

Toby Grimm from Baker Young has a sell rating on this ASX 200 lithium share. 

Grimm said: 

This lithium producer generated group revenue of $1.934 billion in full year 2026, up 152 per cent on the prior corresponding period. It was driven by a 121 per cent increase in the average realised price and record sales volumes.

However, in our view, considerable optimism is already priced into the stock. Further details, including the benefits and risks, of potentially expanding the Pilgangoora operations are expected to be released in the December quarter.

After a strong share price run in the past year, we would consider cashing in some gains at these levels.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Magellan, Iluka Resources, PLS Group shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Which ASX lithium miners does Macquarie prefer?
• PLS shares have soared 107% in a year! Is the ASX 200 lithium stock now a buy, hold or sell?
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• 9 ASX 200 shares earning strengthened buy ratings this week
• What are the most shorted ASX shares on the market right now?

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Magellan Financial Group. 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.

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares are sliding today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) data centre operator and developer closed yesterday trading for $11.71. In morning trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for $11.51 apiece, down 1.7%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.5% at this same time.

Taking a step back, the ASX tech stock has also trailed the benchmark index over the last full year, falling 32.2% compared to the 1.7% one-year decline posted by the ASX 200.

Looking ahead, however, Shaw and Partners’ James Bills believes that NextDC shares are well positioned for “attractive” long-term growth (courtesy of The Bull).

Here’s why.

Should I buy NextDC shares today?

Citing the first reason he’s bullish on the ASX 200 tech stock, Bills said, “The company continues to benefit from strong demand for data centre infrastructure, driven by cloud computing, artificial intelligence and increasing digitalisation across the economy.”

Then there’s the company’s fast-growing capacity.

“NXT is expanding capacity across key Australian markets and maintains a strong development pipeline to support future growth,” Bills said.

And summarising the third reason he issued a buy recommendation on NextDC shares, Bills concluded:

While investment spending remains elevated, management continues to secure long-term customer contracts that provide earnings visibility. With structural growth tailwinds expected to persist for many years, NXT remains well positioned to deliver attractive long-term shareholder returns.

What’s the latest from the ASX 200 tech stock?

NextDC reported its full-year FY 2026 results after market close on 27 August.

Highlights included a 16% year-on-year increase in revenue to $496.5 million.

And, as Bills mentioned above, investment spending indeed remains elevated. In FY 2026, NextDC reported all-time high capital expenditure of $3.397 billion.

On the bottom line, the company achieved a statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $82.1 million, up from a $60.5 million net loss the prior year.

Looking at what could impact NextDC shares in FY 2027 ahead, the company forecasts net revenue between $615 million and $640 million. On the higher end, that would represent growth of 29% from FY 2026 revenue.

Commenting on the company’s performance, NextDC CEO Craig Scroggie said:

FY26 was the largest contracting year in NEXTDC’s history. Contracted utilisation tripled to 740.1MW on a pro forma basis, and we exceeded guidance on both net revenue and Underlying EBITDA.

Our Forward Order Book of 565MW is now more than 3.2 times our billing utilisation, and our focus is on delivering that capacity and converting it into revenue and cash inflow.

NextDC shares closed up 2.1% on the first trading day following the results release.

The post Down 32%: 3 reasons to buy the BIG dip in NextDC shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Experts name 3 top ASX shares to buy this week
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Buy, hold, sell: NextDC, South32, CBA shares
• 2 ASX shares I’d buy before they return to their 52-week highs
• NEXTDC shares are falling despite $1.1 billion funding boost. Here’s why

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.