Author: openjargon

If you are looking for new investment ideas this month, then it could pay to listen to what Bell Potter is saying.

That’s because the broker has just released its latest top Australian picks from the small-cap side of the market. These are its panel of favoured ASX shares that it believes offer attractive returns over the long term.

Two that make the list in May are named below. Here’s why it is bullish on them:

Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX: AIS)

Bell Potter has added this copper miner to its list this month. The broker highlights its substantial cash balance and strong production growth outlook as reasons to buy.

Commenting on the new addition, it said:

We add Aeris Resources (AIS) to the Small Cap Panel as a high-conviction copper-led growth and re-rating story. AIS is a copper-dominant producer whose near-term outlook is highly leveraged to copper prices and increasing production at its 100%-owned Tritton operation in central west NSW.

The market capitalisation is ~30% backed by net cash ($149.8m at the end of the March quarter, no drawn bank debt), with the last gold hedges to roll off this quarter, leaving the company completely unhedged from start of FY27. AIS’ March quarter delivered a $43m lift in cash with operating cash flow of $76m, and management is guiding to the low end of FY26 production guidance, implying a material step-up in copper output through the June quarter as production ramps.

Bell Potter also highlights that Aeris is now in a catalyst-rich window for this ASX share. It adds:

The setup into CY26 is the cleanest catalyst-rich window this stock has had. The first full quarter of open-pit production at Tritton should drive a step-change in operating cash flow, while early works at the higher-grade Constellation open-pit are set to commence this quarter, with first ore by end of CY26 a major positive catalyst for the copper production growth profile.

Praemium Ltd (ASX: PPS)

Another ASX share that is on the list in May is investment platform provider Praemium.

The broker is a big fan of the company and believes it is being significantly undervalued by the market compared to its larger rivals. Another positive is that Bell Potter estimates that its shares offer a 4.5% dividend yield at current levels.

As a result, the broker believes this has created a buying opportunity for investors. It said:

While Praemium has demonstrated commercial momentum, strong growth capacity, and a leading technology offering, its valuation continues to lag key peers. This stock looks very attractive at a 12MF PE of ~14x, and we expect the market to catch on as the company executes on further market share gains and FUA growth.

The post Bell Potter names the best ASX shares to buy in May appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Aeris, ANZ, and Bega Cheese shares
• 4 ASX copper shares to buy now: experts
• Forget Rio Tinto shares and buy this ASX copper miner
• 2 wonderful ASX All Ords stocks I’d buy today
• Missed out on Hub24 and Netwealth? Bell Potter thinks this ASX tech stock is next

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 positions in and has recommended Praemium. 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.

ASX dividend share Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL) could be a dream holding for retirees due to its defensive earnings and impressive dividend profile.

Sonic Healthcare is a large global pathology business with operations across Germany, Australia, the USA, Switzerland, the UK, Belgium, Poland and New Zealand.

There are not many ASX shares that are as globally successful as Sonic Healthcare, and there’s a lot to like about the business.

Excellent dividend credentials

The Sonic Healthcare board of directors has a progressive dividend policy, and the payout has increased every year since 2013. Indeed, the annual dividend has increased almost every year since the mid-1990s.

Very few businesses on the ASX have a long-term dividend record like that. Only Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL) and APA Group (ASX: APA) have a similar sort of payout record.

In the FY26 half-year result, the ASX dividend share decided to increase its interim dividend by 2.3% to 45 cents per share.

The last two dividends declared came to $1.08 per share. Excluding franking credits, that equals a dividend yield of 5.4%. If it repeats that level of dividend over the next 12 months, it’d be a grossed-up dividend yield of 7%. I think any retiree would be happy with that level of passive income.

Earnings growth

Sonic Healthcare is not a business that’s stuck with no growth – it’s actively grown through both organic growth and acquisitions. The growing and ageing populations of its core markets give the business a promising tailwind of demand.

In the FY26 half-year result, the company reported revenue grew by 17% to $5.45 billion, with organic growth of 5%.

For me, earnings growth is the most important thing to drive the share price (and dividend) higher.

The ASX dividend share’s HY26 operating profit (EBITDA) rose 10% to $907 million. Meanwhile, net profit increased 11% to $262 million and operating cash flow grew 10% to $682 million.

Given the company’s focus on improving its operating leverage, acquisition synergy realisation, and ongoing cost control across the business, I think its earnings outlook is very positive.

According to the projection on Commsec, the business is forecast to generate earnings per share (EPS) of $1.18 in FY26. That means it’s valued at 17x FY26’s estimated earnings.

The company’s EPS is expected to increase to $1.36 in FY27 and then $1.57 in FY28, suggesting there’s a good chance of capital growth and dividend growth in the years ahead.

The post Why this ASX dividend share is a retiree’s dream appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• What’s making healthcare the worst sector on the ASX 200, down 39% in a year?
• 3 ASX dividend shares to build a passive income
• 1 ASX dividend stock down 30% I’d buy right now
• 3 cheap ASX dividend shares offering 5% to 6% yields (and major upside)
• 6 ASX shares hitting 52-week lows amid today’s market rally

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sonic Healthcare. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you are looking for the winning combination of major upside potential and an above-average dividend yield, then read on.

That’s because Bell Potter thinks the ASX dividend share in this article offers both.

Which ASX dividend share?

The share in question is Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI).

It is the youth fashion retailer behind the Universal Store, Perfect Stranger, and Thrills brands.

Bell Potter highlights that Universal Store has released a solid trading update for the first 43 weeks of the financial year. It said:

Universal Store Holdings (UNI) provided a trading update for the first 43 weeks of FY26: group retail sales of +14% on pcp broadly in line with BPe, like-for-like (LFL) sales on pcp of +8.5% and +12.9% for key banners, Universal Store (US) and Perfect Stranger (PS) respectively. The improved growth rate from the last update at UNI’s key banner, US (+8.1% at end of Apr vs +7.1% at mid-Feb) was supported by some benefit in comps in the pcp through Apr.

However, the wholesale business saw a pronounced decline YTD to book in another impairment charge (last in 1H25) given structural challenges with a longer dated recovery flagged. FY26 guidance of revenue at $368-375m (+11.5% at mid-point) and EBITA of $61.5-64.5m was provided, in line with Consensus implying gross margins remaining in line. FY26 new store openings were also tracking to the previous guidance of 11-17 across the three banners.

Big potential returns

According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating on the ASX dividend share with a trimmed price target of $9.30 (from $10.50).

Based on its current share price of $7.11, this implies potential upside of 30% for investors over the next 12 months.

In addition, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividend yields of 5.2% in FY 2026, 5.5% in FY 2027, and then 6.3% in FY 2028.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, Bell Potter said:

At 13x FY27e P/E (BPe), we see an entry opportunity to a high-quality retailer as we remain optimistic on UNI’s performance in 4Q26 given supportive comps and look forward to FY27e in delivering continued execution driven market share expansion across retail banners. In line with selective consumption trends across the broader sector, we retain our views of the youth customer prioritising ontrend streetwear and expect UNI to benefit with their leading position. Maintain BUY.

The post Bell Potter says this ASX dividend share offers a 5% yield and 30% upside appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why this ASX retail stock is falling after a solid trading update
• Want passive income? These ASX dividend shares offer 5%+ yields
• 2 ASX shares highly recommended to buy: Experts
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• How much is needed in superannuation to target a $2,500 monthly passive income?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Universal Store. 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 recommended Universal Store. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Owners of Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares can be excited about the company’s latest plan to expand its business and unlock further earnings growth through residential apartments.

Wesfarmers is initially investing $100 million of equity into a joint venture to help deliver apartments that are cheaper and faster than traditional construction.

The Australian business already has a significant presence in the construction industry through its Bunnings, Tool Kit Depot and Beaumont Tiles. This “initial” move could become a larger initiative, according to Wesfarmers.

Wesfarmers invests in affordable apartment construction

The Western Australian business announced it has entered into a 50:50 joint venture with Built Group to establish Built Living, which wants to deliver “residential apartments at scale through advanced manufacturing”.

This will reportedly be Australia’s first advanced manufacturing facility dedicated to medium and high-rise residential precast concrete construction and development.

Wesfarmers said Built Living will use ‘design for manufacture and assembly’ methods that are used in international markets. Its goal is to deliver apartments at approximately 20% lower costs and 50% faster than traditional construction.

Once the facility is complete in Western Australia, it expects to support delivery of more than 2,000 apartments annually once completed. Construction is expected to start in the second half of 2026.

Wesfarmers said its commitment will be staged, with additional facilities in other states to be considered.

It was also announced that the Western Australian Government is supporting this through a long-term lease of land in the Neerabup Automation and Robotics Precinct in Western Australia, together with “direct support” for the development of the facility.

A portion of the facility’s annual capacity will be reserved for government-backed housing projects and the state’s social infrastructure pipeline.

Wesfarmers also believes this will create growth opportunities for its existing businesses, including through supply arrangements with Bunnings’ trade business on arm’s length, commercially competitive terms.

Management commentary

The Wesfarmers managing director Rob Scott said:

Australia urgently needs more housing, and the Built Living joint venture is well positioned to address that need using internationally-proven construction models, to deliver high quality properties.

Built brings world-class construction experience, sophisticated digital processes and a strong track record of quality developments, while Wesfarmers contributes investment capacity and demonstrated capabilities in advanced manufacturing and supply chain management.

We look forward to working closely with Built and the Western Australian Government on what is a shared challenge. Addressing Australia’s housing shortage will take real collaboration across industry and government, and we are pleased to be in a partnership that can help make a meaningful difference.

Wesfarmers share price snapshot

The Wesfarmers share price fell approximately 0.6% yesterday after this news was announced, though this decline also came amid an RBA rate hike concerning developments in the Middle East regarding a possible resumption of hostilities between the US and Iran.

The post Own Wesfarmers shares? It’s expanding into modular apartment construction appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• I’m worried about the ASX 200 falling further. Here’s why
• CSL, Wesfarmers, Endeavour shares crash to multi-year lows: Buy, hold, or sell?
• CSL and Wesfarmers among scores of ASX shares hitting fresh 52-week lows
• 3 top ASX shares to build a simple, balanced portfolio in 2026
• How much could the Wesfarmers share price rise in the next year?

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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.

It’s been a fairly miserable time for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the past few months. The ASX 200 started 2026 off on a strong note, rising by a healthy 5.4% between early January and early March. But the Iran war put a stop to that, with the index now down about 6% since 2 March.

Things haven’t been looking up more recently either. Since the middle of April, the ASX 200 has retreated by around 3%.

Over the past six months, the Australian share market has also lost about 2% of its value. This is the period I’d like to focus on.

Back in early November, the ASX was still basking in the afterglow of the August interest rate cut that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) delivered. That was the third RBA rate cut of 2025, bringing the cash rate down to 3.6%.

Since then, the RBA has dramatically reversed course. Take the interest rate hike that was announced just today. If we combine it with February and March’s hikes, all three of 2025’s rate cuts have been nullified. Today, the cash rate is back to 4.35%, exactly where it was at the start of 2025.

Do higher interest rates mean lower ASX 200 shares?

Under typical financial logic, rate hikes are bad news for the share market. This is due to two factors. The first is that a higher cash rate tends to change the way investors value ASX shares by boosting the risk-free return available from government bonds. A higher risk-free rate means that shares need to deliver higher profits to justify the same valuation.

The second factor is the increased appeal of ‘safer’ assets thanks to the higher rates. Many investors will simply opt for a term deposit or government bond over a dividend-paying share if they can get a better interest rate on the safer investments. This latest hike could pull term deposit rates well over 5.5%. That looks pretty good against the kinds of yields that the likes of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) are currently sporting.

So, by all accounts, the three interest rate increases we have seen in 2026 so far should have a fairly significant impact on the overall ASX 200 Index. Yet it is seemingly not. Despite these rate hikes and despite the clear economic damage that is being caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, investors have sent the ASX 200 down 2% over the past six months.

Something doesn’t seem right to me. That’s why I think there’s a good chance the ASX 200 Index will continue to drift lower in the coming months. I could be wrong. But I also believe in reversion to the mean.

The post I’m worried about the ASX 200 falling further. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Own Wesfarmers shares? It’s expanding into modular apartment construction
• CSL, Wesfarmers, Endeavour shares crash to multi-year lows: Buy, hold, or sell?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Infratil shares: CDC inks Australia’s largest data centre contract
• My 3 favourite ASX 200 dividend shares for passive income

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. 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.

A $5,000 investment can be more than enough to start building income in the share market.

But where should you start?

Here are three ASX dividend shares that could be worth buying in May.

APA Group (ASX: APA)

The first ASX dividend share that could be a buy is APA Group.

It owns and operates energy infrastructure, including gas pipelines, storage assets, and related infrastructure across Australia.

The appeal here is that its earnings are tied more closely to contracted infrastructure usage than short-term movements in commodity prices. Gas still has a role to play in energy security, industrial demand, and firming electricity supply as renewable generation increases.

That gives APA a different type of income profile from traditional energy producers. It is more about the pipes and networks that move energy around the system.

With long-life infrastructure assets and contracted cash flows, APA remains a share that income-focused investors may want to keep on the radar.

Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR)

Another ASX dividend share worth looking at is Dicker Data.

It is a technology distributor that connects major global vendors with resellers across Australia and New Zealand. Its partners include companies across hardware, software, cloud, cybersecurity, and infrastructure.

This makes it a different income idea from the usual banks, telcos, and infrastructure names. Dicker Data sits in the middle of the technology supply chain, benefiting as businesses continue to spend on digital systems.

The company has historically returned a large portion of earnings to shareholders through dividends, making it one of the more generous dividend payers on the local market.

For investors comfortable with a more cyclical income stream, Dicker Data offers dividend exposure linked to technology spending rather than consumer spending.

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

A third ASX dividend share that could be a top pick for income investors is Rural Funds Group.

It owns agricultural assets, including farmland and related infrastructure, which are leased to high-quality operators across different parts of the agriculture sector.

This structure gives investors exposure to farmland income without having to operate farms directly. Rental income is the key driver, while the underlying assets remain connected to long-term demand for food and agricultural production.

Weather, interest rates, and tenant performance can all influence sentiment toward the stock. But for investors seeking income from a less conventional part of the ASX, Rural Funds offers something different.

The post Where to invest $5,000 into ASX dividend shares in May appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 top ASX shares to build a simple, balanced portfolio in 2026
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• How I’d invest $2,000 in high-yield ASX 300 shares
• How to become a millionaire on a $60,000 salary
• Want passive income? These ASX dividend shares offer 5%+ yields

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 positions in and has recommended Apa Group, Dicker Data, and Rural Funds Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), and Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV) shares were among 72 companies that recorded fresh 52-week lows yesterday.

Among those 72 companies was a trend: the dominance of ASX healthcare shares and consumer discretionary or retail stocks.

CSL, Wesfarmers, Endeavour shares weaken

CSL, Wesfarmers, and Endeavour shares have fallen amid significant headwinds in both of their sectors.

In the healthcare space, companies are dealing with currency headwinds as the US dollar weakens and the AUD strengthens, the implementation of US tariffs for larger companies, and uncertainty over the impact of artificial intelligence (AI).

They also face higher labour costs, while consumers sacrifice non-urgent medical procedures due to the cost-of-living crisis.

ASX biotechs are also grappling with uncertainty with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Trump administration.

Crumbling consumer confidence is also contributing to delayed healthcare and fewer non-urgent medical procedures.

Consumer confidence in Australia is at its lowest level in five years amid resurgent inflation and rising interest rates.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised the official interest rate for a third consecutive time yesterday due to rising inflation.

Inflation was already ticking upward before the war in Iran began, and higher fuel prices are now expected to exacerbate the impact.

We’ve already seen it at the petrol bowser, and economists warn it will eventually show up on our supermarket shelves, too.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose from 3.7% over the 12 months to February to 4.6% in March, according to the Bureau of Statistics.

The inflation surge was mostly due to a 33% spike in automotive fuel prices in the month of March (the Iran war began on 28 February).

Discretionary spending is usually the first corner cut by consumers when they have to tighten their wallets.

This does not bode well for ASX retail shares like Wesfarmers, which owns Bunnings, Kmart, Priceline, and Officeworks, nor consumer staples retailers like Endeavour, which owns the Dan Murphy’s liquor store chain and a large network of pubs.

So, what do the experts think about these three ASX 200 shares? Let’s take a look.

Buy, hold, or sell?

CSL shares

The CSL share price hit a 9-year low of $122.48 yesterday.

The market’s largest ASX 200 healthcare share has lost half of its value over the past 12 months.

On the CommSec trading platform, CSL has a consensus moderate buy rating among 18 analysts tracking the stock.

Earlier this month, Bell Potter published a new note on CSL shares that said the company “was not out of the woods just yet”.

Bell Potter has a hold rating on CSL shares and recently reduced its 12-month target from $175 to $155.

The broker said:

The current share price reflects a materially de-rated PE multiple of ~15x our FY27 NPAT forecast, bringing CSL in line with the global biopharma peer set which also trades at an avg PE of 15x.

While CSL doesn’t face the same extent of generic/biosimilar competition as these biopharma peers, it does have a lower growth outlook of ~2.5% revenue CAGR (3yr) per our forecast compared to >4% avg for global peers.

Considering the low-growth outlook in the near-term, risk to FY26 guidance, and our below-consensus FY27 forecasts, we maintain our HOLD recommendation notwithstanding the historically low trading multiple.

Endeavour shares

The Endeavour share price fell to a record low of $3.13 on Tuesday.

The market’s third largest ASX 200 consumer staples share has fallen 22% over 12 months.

On CommSec, Endeavour shares have a consensus hold rating among 16 analysts.

Yesterday, Bell Potter reiterated its buy rating on Endeavour shares after the group’s 3Q FY26 report.

However, the broker reduced its price target from $4.15 to $3.85.

Bell Potter said:

Although the outlook for consumer spending has weakened due to the Middle East conflict and a worsening rate environment, we believe market expectations are low for the company’s strategic refresh, leaving greater room for upside potential.

We see opportunity for consensus upgrades: a strengthening of Dan Murphy’s lowest-price perception; and cost-out opportunities.

Wesfarmers shares

The Wesfarmers share price reached a 52-week low of $71.31 yesterday.

The market’s largest ASX 200 consumer discretionary share has declined 9% over 12 months.

On CommSec, Wesfarmers shares also score a hold rating from 16 analysts rating the company.

John Athanasiou from Red Leaf Securities is pessimistic on Wesfarmers shares.

He explained his sell rating on the ASX 200 retail share recently on The Bull:

Its businesses are household names, but recent trading suggests slowing consumer demand and cost pressures are weighing on sentiment.

With much of its value already priced in amid a mixed outlook on near term retail growth, Wesfarmers lacks fresh catalysts to drive meaningful upside.

Trimming positions into strength may be prudent for investors seeking a better risk-reward proposition.

The post CSL, Wesfarmers, Endeavour shares crash to multi-year lows: Buy, hold, or sell? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Own Wesfarmers shares? It’s expanding into modular apartment construction
• I’m worried about the ASX 200 falling further. Here’s why
• Forget gold! Start hunting fallen ASX 200 shares to buy for an earlier retirement
• CSL and Wesfarmers among scores of ASX shares hitting fresh 52-week lows
• Down over 50%: Are CSL and Cochlear strong buys in May?

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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 CSL and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

I think it’s a great idea to look at compelling ASX growth shares after their share price has heavily declined because the future price/earnings (P/E) ratio is typically much lower.

I’m not sure about you, but I’d much rather buy an ASX share when it’s trading at 40x FY27’s estimated earnings than 50x FY27’s estimated earnings. That’s a big difference!

Let’s look at two of the most appealing businesses on the ASX.

Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR)

This company is behind Siteminder software, a leading hotel distribution and revenue platform, as well as Little Hotelier, which is an all-in-one hotel management software that “makes the lives of small accommodation providers easier”.

Siteminder is a truly global business, with offices in Sydney, Bangkok, Barcelona, Berlin, Dallas, Galway, London, Manila, Mexico City and Pune.

Despite the ASX growth share’s impressive market position and its excellent growth rate, the market has sent the Siteminder share price down by 57% in the past six months.

The FY26 half-year result saw annualised recurring revenue (ARR) growth of 29.7% to $280.3 million.

Net property additions were 2,900 during the FY26 half-year result, taking the total properties to 53,000. It’s continuing its strategy of pursuing its larger hotel properties.

It said that average revenue per user (ARPU) increased by 11.3% to $435, with the growth driven by its smart platform initiative and rising product adoption.

The business is helping hotels generate the strongest levels of revenue from their available rooms throughout the year, including an offering that enables Siteminder to manage the room pricing for the subscriber.

It’s also generating rising profit margins as its revenue increases. For example in HY26, operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) more than doubled to $12.3 million.

The ASX growth share is priced at just 17x FY27’s estimated earnings.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

Pro Medicus is the other ASX growth share I’ll highlight because of the much cheaper valuation and earnings growth rate it’s been achieving.

It describes itself as a leading healthcare informatics company with leading-edge medical imaging solutions. The ASX growth share offers a suite of radiology information systems (RIS), picture, archiving and communication systems (PACS), AI and e-health solutions.

The healthcare industry in North America and Europe is becoming increasingly digital and online, so Pro Medicus is well-placed to service this large and growing demand.

It has announced numerous contract wins over the last few years, including the recent five-year A$23 million contract with the University of Maryland Medical System and five-year A$37 million contract renewal with Northwestern Medicine.  

Pro Medicus’ numerous contract wins helped the business make $124.8 million of revenue, up 28.4% year-over-year.

It has an incredibly high operating profit (EBIT) margin and it continues rising – in HY26, the underlying EBIT margin improved to 73%, up from 72%. This helped it grow underlying profit before tax by 29.7% to $90.7 million.

The Pro Medicus share price is down 57% since July 2025, as the chart below shows.

According to the forecast on Commsec, the Pro Medicus share price is valued at 76x FY27’s estimated earnings.

The post 2 ASX growth shares to buy now while they’re on sale appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Forget gold! Start hunting fallen ASX 200 shares to buy for an earlier retirement
• 4 ASX healthcare shares to buy as sector struggles: experts
• How I would invest $10,000 across ASX growth shares in May
• 10 excellent ASX shares to buy in May
• Why these ASX shares jumped 15%+ in April

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Pro Medicus and SiteMinder. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended SiteMinder. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended SiteMinder. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

On Tuesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a subdued session and recorded a small decline. The benchmark index fell 0.2% to 8,680.5 points.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 to rise

The Australian share market looks set to rise on Wednesday following a strong night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 38 points or 0.45% higher. In the United States, the Dow Jones rose 0.75%, the S&P 500 climbed 0.8%, and the Nasdaq jumped 1%. This took the S&P 500 index to a record high close.

Oil prices fall

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a poor session after oil prices tumbled overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 3.55% to US$102.63 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 3.75% to US$110.14 a barrel. Traders were selling oil after the US-Iran ceasefire remained in place despite rising tensions.

Computershare shares on watch

Computershare Ltd (ASX: CPU) shares will be on watch on Wednesday after the share registry company released a second-half trading update. The company revealed that it is performing in-line with its guidance for FY 2026. As a result, it has reaffirmed its upgraded guidance for management earnings per share to be around 144 cents per share. This will be up around 6% on the prior corresponding period.

Gold price rises

ASX 200 gold shares including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a good session on Wednesday after the gold price pushed higher overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 0.7% to US$4,566.7 an ounce. The gold price rebounded from a one-month low after oil prices pulled back.

Buy WiseTech shares

Bell Potter is tipping WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares as a buy this week. According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating and $78.75 price target on the logistics solutions technology company’s shares. It said: “We note our FY27 revenue and EBITDA forecasts of US$1,567m and US$728m imply an EBITDA margin of 46.5% which in our view could be conservative given the underlying guidance for FY26 is b/w 41-46% and the exit margin is likely to be towards the top end of this range.”

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Yesterday afternoon, Infratil Ltd (ASX: IFT) reported that its data centre investment CDC signed Australia’s largest-ever data centre contract, a 555MW deal with a US investment grade customer, taking total CDC contracted capacity to over 1 gigawatt.

What did Infratil report?

• CDC secures a 30-year contract for 555MW in new data centre capacity, with options to extend by 20 years
• Total CDC contracted capacity surpasses 1GW, more than doubling with this agreement
• CDC FY27 EBITDAF guidance remains at A$680m to A$720m; FY28 EBITDAF expected to exceed A$1 billion
• Annualised EBITDAF of approximately A$2 billion projected when all contracted capacity is deployed
• CDC expects FY27 capex of A$3.8bn to $4.2bn (excluding land), supporting construction of new sites

What else do investors need to know?

CDC’s contract will use capacity already under development, due to be operational across FY28 and FY29. The 555MW capacity alone represents roughly 40% of the total Australian data centre operating capacity forecast for 2025, underlining CDC’s position as the largest provider in Australasia.

CDC’s balance sheet remains strong, with A$3.9 billion in cash and undrawn facilities as at 31 March. Earlier this year, CDC shareholders, including Infratil, provided a further A$500 million in equity, but the new contract fits fully within CDC’s current growth plan and won’t require more capital from investors.

What’s next for Infratil?

CDC is aiming for its newly contracted capacity to become operational through FY28 and FY29. Longer-term, CDC continues to develop more sites, with a current pipeline of 1.6GW for future builds through to 2034, and plans for further expansion in response to strong demand.

Moody’s recently assigned CDC’s Australian business a Baa2 (Stable) credit rating, enhancing access to global debt markets to help fund its construction and growth. All up, Infratil sees CDC’s expansion as a major driver of earnings and value for its shareholders.

Infratil share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Infratil shares have risen 2%, underperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 6% over the same period.

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The post Infratil shares: CDC inks Australia’s largest data centre contract 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.