Author: openjargon

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) is fast becoming one of the ASX’s most important strategic companies.

After surging 5.57% to $21.43 on Wednesday, the rare earths producer is now trading within touching distance of its 52-week high of $21.96. That peak was reached in October last year, highlighting the strength of the stock’s recent momentum.

The move leaves Lynas valued at about $21.6 billion, with the share price up close to 179% over the past 12 months.

Much of that strength reflects growing investor focus on supply chain security and China’s grip on critical minerals.

As heavy rare earths become a bigger geopolitical issue, Lynas’ non-China processing capability is gaining strategic value.

Here’s why the market may not be done with the rally yet.

Why investors are watching Lynas closely

Supply security is becoming the key issue for the market.

China still dominates global heavy rare earth processing, particularly for materials such as dysprosium and terbium. These are essential for electric vehicles, wind turbines, semiconductors, fighter jets, missile systems, and advanced electronics.

Recent commentary around Pentagon supply chain deadlines and China’s export restrictions has put the spotlight on the limited number of companies capable of processing these materials outside China, with Lynas among the best placed to benefit.

The company’s Malaysia processing facility is widely regarded as the largest commercial heavy rare earth separation facility outside China. It is also one of the only scaled operations capable of producing separated heavy rare earth oxides for Western customers.

That marks a major strategic shift because heavy rare earth separation has historically been almost fully controlled by China.

Lynas remains the only major commercial-scale heavy rare earth separator outside China, with production centred at its upgraded Malaysia facility.

Why the world can’t function without rare earths

Rare earths are now essential to modern industry.

They are critical to the permanent magnets used across advanced manufacturing, defence systems, AI infrastructure, and the global energy transition. In many applications, there are still no practical substitutes that offer the same performance and durability.

If China tightens supply further, Western manufacturers could face serious supply shortages across defence, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. That could slow production, lift costs, and speed up the push toward reliable Western suppliers.

Foolish takeaway

Lynas stands out because its relevance goes well beyond short-term commodity price swings. Its value lies in owning processing capability that is difficult to replicate, globally scarce, and likely to stay highly important for years.

Scarcity, scale, and geopolitical relevance continue to make Lynas a compelling stock to hold through market cycles as part of a diversified portfolio.

The post Why Lynas could be one of the ASX’s biggest winners again today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• ASX 200 mining shares rebound after March sell-off creates opportunities
• The war in Iran has inspired an unexpected ASX 200 market trend
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• 4 cheap Aussie rare earths companies which are worth a look, according to Wilsons Advisory
• Buy, hold, sell: What this leading broker is saying about Lynas 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 recommended Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. 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.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares have been hotly covered this year as the healthcare giant has tumbled to multi-year lows. 

Despite this fall, many experts have tipped a recovery for CSL shares. 

At the time of writing, CSL shares are hovering close to 52-week lows, closing yesterday at $142.18. 

Fresh headwinds have hit the company this week as President Trump announced new 100% tariffs on Australian pharmaceuticals. 

CSL said in a statement on Tuesday that it had taken note of the new tariff announcement. However the company said that it was not anticipating a large impact.

Following this news, the team at Bell Potter released updated guidance on CSL shares. 

How will the new tariffs impact CSL shares?

It seems Bell Potter shares the confidence expressed from CSL management. The broker also believes that the new tariffs won’t have a large impact on business. 

We agree with CSL’s initial assessment that the majority of its products are unlikely to be subjected to recently announced US pharmaceutical tariffs. Specifically, plasmaderived therapies (~63% of CSL revenue) appear to be explicitly excluded and CSL’s flu vaccine sales (~14% of group) in the US are largely from UK manufacturing facilities, where a 10% tariff (and potentially shifting to 0%) is in place.

The broker said further concessions are also being made to companies that enter onshoring and/or pricing agreements with the US government. 

Based on this, it continues to view the threats of tariffs as a ploy to increase US sovereign drug manufacturing and would not be surprised to see CSL enter into an official pricing/onshoring agreement after the recent $1.5b Illinois expansion, like nearly all big pharma companies have done.

Price target reduction

Despite the fact that Bell Potter doesn’t view these new tariffs as a threat to CSL revenue, the broker did reduce its price target for CSL shares. 

The broker has maintained a hold recommendation on the company, along with an updated price target of $155.00 (previously $175.00). 

From today’s opening price of approximately $142.00, this indicates a potential upside of 9%. 

The broker said while CSL doesn’t face the same extent of generic/biosimilar competition as these biopharma peers, it does have a lower growth outlook.  

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. We don’t think CSL is out of the woods just yet. PT is lowered to $155.

The post What’s Bell Potter’s updated view on CSL shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why are CSL shares struggling to regain momentum?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• How to invest $1,000 per month in ASX shares and build long-term wealth
• I’m following Warren Buffett to snap up these cheap ASX stocks
• Why beaten down CSL shares now offer ‘long-term appeal’

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

The Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC) share price is in focus after the company announced a new $1.2 billion institutional mandate, boosting its funds under management and adding to its momentum in FY26.

What did Charter Hall Group report?

• Secured a new $1.2 billion diversified direct property mandate from an existing institutional client
• Mandate covers a confidential portfolio across multiple core real estate sectors
• Continued growth in funds under management during FY26
• Reinforces the company’s expertise in large-scale, cross-sector property management

What else do investors need to know?

The newly announced mandate is expected to further strengthen Charter Hall’s leading position in the Australian property funds management sector. While the specific assets remain confidential, this addition reflects the trust major institutional clients place in the company’s expertise.

Charter Hall has long invested across office, industrial and logistics, retail, and social infrastructure sectors. The Group’s diverse portfolio and disciplined approach are highlighted as key factors in securing significant mandates like this.

What did Charter Hall Group management say?

Charter Hall Managing Director & Group CEO, David Harrison, said:

Charter Hall is pleased to be appointed to manage this $1.2 billion diversified direct property mandate. The mandate continues the momentum in funds under management growth and equity flows announced during FY26 and demonstrates Charter Hall’s cross-sector expertise and scale across Australia’s core real estate sectors.

What’s next for Charter Hall Group?

Charter Hall will continue to focus on expanding its funds under management and nurturing relationships with key investors. The Group is expected to leverage its broad platform and integrated expertise to source and manage high‑quality assets for both new and existing clients.

With the addition of this mandate, Charter Hall underscores its capabilities and outlook for steady growth across Australia’s main real estate sectors.

Charter Hall Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Charter Hall Group shares have risen 29%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which as risen 21% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Charter Hall Group secures $1.2bn property mandate from institutional client appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 easy tips to boost your superannuation balance by $10,000
• Bendigo and Adelaide Bank lifts profit and launches strategic partnerships
• Sandfire Resources posts Q3 FY26 operations highlights and maintains guidance
• Transurban Group March quarter 2026: Traffic rises across key toll roads
• 2 ASX 200 shares I rate as top buys for growth

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.

Whether you’re falling behind on your superannuation goal or just want to boost your balance, here are five easy ways to boost your balance by $10,000.

1. Review your superannuation setup and performance

The easiest way to get back on track is by reviewing the setup and performance of  your current superannuation fund. 

Is your fund performing well and in line with market expectations or a benchmark such as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)? 

The difference between a poor-performing fund and a top-performing one can be the difference between boosting your balance by another $10,000 and losing money down the drain.

You also need to check that your fund’s risk appetite aligns with your own. Putting your money into the wrong type of fund can quickly chip away at your balance, but also, being too conservative too early means you’ll lose out on the potential for more growth. 

2. Sacrifice some of your salary

The easiest way to boost your super balance is to add as much to it as you can. Concessional contributions are pre-tax super payments taxed at a lower rate of 15%, and capped at a total of $30,000 per year. Concessional contributions include employer super guarantee, salary sacrifice, and any pre-tax personal contributions. 

3. Make a lump sum payment after tax

You can also add after-tax income to your super. This is called a non-concessional contribution.

You can make these contributions up to age 67 without extra work testing or exemptions. This is capped at $120,000 per year.

4. Stay on top of your concessional contributions rules

What many Australians don’t know is that if you don’t use your capped total of $30,000 per year in concessional contributions, you can carry it over to the next financial year. In fact, you can carry over your leftover pre-tax cap amounts from the past five years, which means you can make larger contributions above the $30,000 limit without the extra tax. 

There is also the “bring-forward rule”. This is similar to the catch-up concessional contribution, but the bring-forward rule applies to their non-concessional contributions. Under this rule, eligible Australians can contribute three years’ worth of non-concessional contributions (up to $120,000 per year) at once.

Low- and middle-income Australians might also be eligible for a government co-contribution if they make after-tax contributions to super. 

5. Ask your spouse to add extra

Couples can boost their combined super savings if the higher-income earner contributes after-tax funds to the lower-income earner’s account. If the lower-earning spouse brings in less than $40,000 per year, you might also get a tax offset.

Great, this is helpful but how long will it take to see the $10k on my balance?

How long it’ll take to truly boost your superannuation balance by $10,000 depends entirely on how much extra you contribute using the steps above, and how frequently.

For example, adding $20 per week would total an additional contribution of $1,040 over the course of the year. Assuming your superfund has an average return of around 6%, you can expect it to take around seven or eight years to reach $10,000.

If you did the same thing but added the equivalent of $50 per week, or $2,600 per year, it would take more like 4 years.

Meanwhile, if you decide to add a lump sum of $5,000 right now and let compounding do the rest of the heavy lifting, you’re looking at about four or five years.

The post 5 easy tips to boost your superannuation balance by $10,000 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Charter Hall Group secures $1.2bn property mandate from institutional client
• Bendigo and Adelaide Bank lifts profit and launches strategic partnerships
• Sandfire Resources posts Q3 FY26 operations highlights and maintains guidance
• Transurban Group March quarter 2026: Traffic rises across key toll roads
• 2 ASX 200 shares I rate as top buys for growth

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.

The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) share price is in focus after the bank posted unaudited cash earnings of $137.9 million, up 7.6% on the previous half-year’s quarterly average, and announced two new strategic partnerships aimed at ramping up innovation and efficiency.

What did Bendigo and Adelaide Bank report?

• Unaudited cash earnings of $137.9 million for 3Q26, up 7.6% from the 1H26 quarterly average
• Statutory net profit after tax of $109.4 million for the quarter
• Net interest margin improved to 1.98%, up 6 basis points on 2Q26
• Lending growth annualised at 5.6% for the quarter, with strong momentum in both residential and business lending
• Operating expenses were 4.1% lower than the previous quarter, largely due to reduced staff costs
• Credit expenses incurred were $2.1 million

What else do investors need to know?

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank kicked off the next phase of its Productivity Program, which includes newly announced partnerships with Infosys and Genpact. The Infosys collaboration brings a seven-year boost to technology services, giving the bank access to more advanced software and AI expertise, while the six-year deal with Genpact focuses on process optimisation.

These partnerships are expected to enhance efficiency, build on existing technology platforms, and help respond more quickly to customer needs. However, they’ll also result in changes to the workforce, especially in technology and business operations teams, with consultations to follow.

Significant operational improvements are targeted, with ongoing expense benefits of $65–$75 million per year expected by FY28. Upfront transition costs of $85–$95 million are mostly expected to fall in FY27.

What’s next for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank?

Looking ahead, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank remains focused on accelerating its 2030 strategy by investing in technology and process excellence. Management says the operational efficiencies achieved through these partnerships will support expense guidance, aiming for business-as-usual costs to remain no higher than inflation through the cycle.

The bank is also keeping a close eye on global developments and potential impacts on credit risk, while continuing to support its customers, particularly amid a challenging external environment.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank shares have risen 6%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 21% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Bendigo and Adelaide Bank lifts profit and launches strategic partnerships appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Charter Hall Group secures $1.2bn property mandate from institutional client
• 5 easy tips to boost your superannuation balance by $10,000
• Sandfire Resources posts Q3 FY26 operations highlights and maintains guidance
• Transurban Group March quarter 2026: Traffic rises across key toll roads
• 2 ASX 200 shares I rate as top buys for growth

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 positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank. 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.

Cogstate Ltd (ASX: CGS) shares are in focus today after a big climb yesterday. 

The ASX healthcare stock was one of many ASX shares to enjoy a strong rebound after President Trump set a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. 

Cogsgate shares jumped an impressive 12% during yesterday’s trading session.

Why did Cogstate shares climb yesterday? 

It seems investors were reacting positively to not only international market tailwinds, but also to the company’s 3Q26 Business Update. 

Cogstate is a neuroscience technology company specialising in brain health assessments. The principal activity of the company is the sale of technology and services to measure cognition.

In yesterday’s release, the company said it continues to demonstrate strong demand across an expanding range of Central Nervous System (CNS) indications, consistent with trends outlined with the release of the 1H26 financial results.

The company reported total contracted revenue, as at 31-Mar-26, has increased reflecting the sales contracts executed during the quarter: 

• Contracted revenue for the June 2026 half year (2H26), including revenue recognised during 3Q26, is $29.1 million, up from $21.7 million under contract at 31-Dec-25. 
• This brings full year FY26 revenue under contract (including first half actual of $26.9 million) to $56.0 million (FY25 total revenue was $53.1 million). 
• Contracted revenue for next financial year (FY27) is $35.6 million, up from $27.0 million under contract at 31-Dec-25.

What did Bell Potter have to say?

Following this release, the team at Bell Potter provided updated guidance on Cogsgate shares. 

The broker said the strong sales momentum is continuing for the healthcare stock, with the recent results representing the best quarter of new sales in at least 3 years. 

Bell Potter said it was clearly a positive update, which increases confidence that the diversification and strong momentum seen in 1H26 was not just a ‘one-off’ and further growth in the revenue backlog looks likely.

Following the strong sales update, he broker has lifted its FY27 revenue forecast by 3% and its FY28 forecast by 5%.

Our updated FY26 forecast implies $3.2m of in-period additions in Q4 which seems quite achievable.

Buy recommendation in tact

The broker also reiterated its buy recommendation for Cogsgate shares, along with increasing its price target to $3.20 (previously $2.90). 

The broker said the company is trading at a discount to global peers (13x on avg) despite having a far more attractive topline growth outlook. 

From yesterday’s closing price of $2.40, the updated price target from Bell Potter indicates a potential upside of 33%. 

The post Are Cogsgate shares a buy, hold or sell after rocketing 12% higher yesterday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• This ASX healthcare stock is up 70% in a year and climbing again today

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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 Cogstate. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Cogstate. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

There are few ASX shares that can sustainably give investors a dividend yield above 10%, but a few could be appealing options to own.

Not every large yield is reliable. Extremely high dividend yields may be funded by an unsustainable dividend payout ratio, or by a significant decline in the share price (which pushes up the trailing yield) as the market expects a drop in earnings (and dividends).

While the dividend yields I’m about to talk about are not guaranteed, I think it’s likely the ASX shares will continue to paying large dividends for the foreseeable future.

Centuria Office REIT (ASX: COF)

This is a very unloved real estate investment trust (REIT) right now – it owns office buildings across Australian metropolitan locations.

In the last six months alone, the Centuria Office REIT unit price has declined by 20%, making it much cheaper.

The work from home trend has certainly been a headwind for office demand in the last few years. Recently, AI growth and rising interest rates are also a potential headwind for earnings, office property valuations and market confidence.

However, the properties are still generating rental income for investors, the buildings still retain significant value and the land the ASX share owns is rising in value over time.

In the FY26 first-half result, the business reported its portfolio valuation increased by $42.8 million, which was the second consecutive period of valuation gains. That shows the business was experiencing green shoots last year.

The business also said it continued to sign new rental leases, while the supply of new office buildings remains restrained because of high replacement costs (and lower demand).

In FY26, the business is expecting to generate rental profit (FFO – funds from operations) of between 11.1 to 11.5 cents per security. The guided FY26 distribution of 10.1 cents per unit translates into a forward distribution yield of 10.75%. Even a 10% cut of the distribution next financial year would still see it pay a distribution/dividend yield of well over 9%.

Hearts and Minds Investments Ltd (ASX: HM1)

The other high-yield ASX share I want to highlight is a unique listed investment company (LIC) on the ASX. It invests in shares across the world.

Instead of just one funds management team being in charge of the investment decisions, it’s invested in stocks that have been chosen (for no management costs) by various fund managers.

Some of the portfolio is chosen by a core group of permanent fund managers, while picks in the portfolio are decided by an annual investment conference where experts pitch a stock they think could be a strong performer.

The reason why so many investment professionals are willing to contribute ideas for free is that the LIC donates 1.5% of net assets each year to medical research. I think that’s a great initiative and one well worth supporting.

This ASX share has pleasing dividend characteristics – it hasn’t given shareholders a dividend reduction since it started paying dividends in FY21. It has grown its annual payout every year in that time, aside from FY23 when it maintained its dividend.

The ASX share has provided guidance it will grow its half-year dividend by 0.5 cents every six months for the foreseeable future, implying the next two dividends to be declared will come to 20.5 cents per share. That translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 10%, including franking credits.

The post 2 ASX shares with dividend yields above 8% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 20 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week
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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Hearts And Minds Investments. 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 Limited (ASX: ZIP) has always been clear on its trajectory — grow first, make profit later. And for a while, investors were on board with the buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) company’s pathway to profitability. Its cash burn was readily accepted as a means to fuel growth and investors looked to user adoption and transaction volume as the primary measures of success.

However, with changing economic conditions, investors began asking more questions about execution and profitability.

What’s happening at Zip Co?

While Zip Co shares saw circa 60% growth over the last twelve months, year-to-date, they have dropped roughly 40%.

Zip Co has been responding to changing investor sentiment for some time, reducing costs, improving margins and narrowing losses. In February, it reported some impressive 1H26 results, including:

• A significant improvement in operating margin at 18.7%, up from 13% on the prior corresponding period (PCP).
• Record total transaction volume of $8.4 billion, a 34.1% increase on PCP
• A 4.1% increase in active customers on PCP
• 10.5% growth in merchants on the platform

But it is still asking investors to believe that the worst is behind it and the best is still worth waiting for. There is no denying that Zip Co is a company on the improve. The question is whether investors will be willing to back its next phase.

What is happening in the BNPL sector more broadly?

Looking at what is happening in the BNPL sector more broadly, it was flying in 2022. In Australia, according to Finder, 49% of Australians were actively using the service to fund purchases. And this looked set to grow. But things went the other way, dropping to 40% or 2 in 5 Australians by 2024. That said, more recent surveys have found high adoption rates amongst younger consumers and Australians remain one of the highest users of BNPL. In addition, with Gen Z eschewing the traditional credit card model, there is still room for user growth.

Of course, BNPL is irrevocably tied to consumer spending. And it is more widely used by younger consumers, who are also more likely to be affected by current conditions. On the flip side, given that it can fund a wide range of products and services, it may prove an interest-free lifeline on hard-to-delay purchases for some right now.

Whether you believe BNPL can pick up or not in the current climate is key to your investment decision as reaching profitability for Zip Co is highly sensitive to the broader economic backdrop. 

Are Zip Co shares a buy right now?

Many analysts certainly think so. And with the share price rallying 20% yesterday, it looks like investors are starting to agree.

Zip Co is a materially better business today than it was in 2022. Costs and losses are both trending in the right direction and its geographic footprint is more focused. User growth and transaction volume continue to grow, despite challenging market conditions.

But right now, Zip Co is sitting in an uncomfortable middle ground. It is no longer a high-growth disruptor that investors are willing to fund on belief alone but has not yet reached profitability. In calmer economic conditions, it could well have remained in investor favour.  

For me, Zip Co shares are a conditional buy. There is certainly potential upside at the current price. And it is making the right moves towards profitability. But you have to be comfortable with some volatility in near-term and wholeheartedly believe in a cyclical recovery in consumer spending.

The post Are Zip Co shares a buy right now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Are Zip shares still a buy after soaring 20%
• 2 ASX shares highly recommended to buy: Experts
• Down 50% in 2026, Zip shares are ‘one of the most compelling value opportunities on the ASX’
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 2 ASX financial stocks that could double – or even triple – in value

Motley Fool contributor Melissa Maddison 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.

The Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR) share price is in focus as the company posted group copper equivalent production of 34.5kt for the March quarter, and a net cash balance of $76 million at quarter-end.

What did Sandfire Resources report?

• Group copper equivalent (CuEq) production of 34.5kt in Q3 FY26, totalling 106.5kt for the nine months to 31 March 2026
• MATSA mine produced 21.7kt CuEq in the quarter; Motheo mine delivered 12.8kt CuEq
• Net cash balance of $76 million as at 31 March 2026, up $63 million from December 2025
• Group capital expenditure guidance for FY26 reduced by $15 million to $225 million
• Underlying operating costs: $86/t at MATSA and $44/t at Motheo, in line with guidance

What else do investors need to know?

Persistent high rainfall and unplanned maintenance limited MATSA’s output in Q3, while Motheo’s transition to higher grade ore was delayed. However, both mines recorded improvements in annualised ore mining and processing rates, with Motheo achieving a record 6.5Mt mined and 6.1Mt processed.

The company’s FY26 copper equivalent production guidance remains at 149kt to 165kt, though full-year performance is now expected in the lower half of that range. Guidance for operating costs was reaffirmed, barring extended impacts from the Middle East conflict on freight and energy prices.

Sandfire also made its inaugural tax payment from Motheo and completed additional payments to Havilah Resources related to its Kalkaroo project. Management’s next in-depth update will come with the full March 2026 Quarterly Report later this month.

What’s next for Sandfire Resources?

Looking ahead, Sandfire expects an upswing in production volumes in the June quarter, particularly at Motheo as higher grade ore comes online. The company is aiming to meet the lower half of guidance ranges for both operations in FY26 and is keeping capital spending tightly managed following a slight delay in ramping up activity at Kalkaroo.

Management says FY26 cost guidance is on track for MATSA and Motheo, although external factors like freight and energy costs remain a watchpoint. Investors can expect a fuller financial and operational update with the upcoming official quarterly report release.

Sandfire Resources share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Sandfire Resources shares have risen 153%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 21% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Sandfire Resources posts Q3 FY26 operations highlights and maintains guidance appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Charter Hall Group secures $1.2bn property mandate from institutional client
• 5 easy tips to boost your superannuation balance by $10,000
• Bendigo and Adelaide Bank lifts profit and launches strategic partnerships
• Transurban Group March quarter 2026: Traffic rises across key toll roads
• 2 ASX 200 shares I rate as top buys for growth

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.

The Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) share price is in focus after the company reported a 3.0% increase in average daily traffic (ADT) for the March 2026 quarter, boosted by strong performances in Melbourne and North America.

What did Transurban Group report?

• Group average daily traffic up 3.0% to 2,536,000 trips versus Q3 FY25
• Melbourne ADT grew 3.8%, driven by the opening of the West Gate Tunnel
• Brisbane ADT increased 5.2%, reflecting post-cyclone recovery
• North America ADT rose 7.9%, supported by the 495 Northern Extension ramp-up
• Sydney ADT edged up 0.6% despite ongoing freeway construction impacts

What else do investors need to know?

Transurban’s latest quarterly update highlights resilience amid ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. Major projects like Sydney’s M7 upgrade and the new West Gate Tunnel in Melbourne contributed to traffic growth. The company noted that 90% of its revenue is either CPI-linked or has fixed escalations, helping provide stability during market swings.

Large vehicle traffic remained a key driver, especially in Melbourne, which saw an impressive 17.1% increase in this category. In North America, the 495 Express Lanes posted a 17.2% jump in ADT, while the 95 Express Lanes delivered steady growth.

Transurban also stressed its ongoing support for customers through its Linkt Assist program and expanded assistance for community organisations and small suppliers, reflecting its focus on customer and community care.

What did Transurban Group management say?

Chief Executive Officer of Transurban Group Michelle Jablko said:

This quarter’s results reflect the strength of our diversified portfolio and our ability to keep Australia’s cities moving, even during challenging market conditions.

What’s next for Transurban Group?

Transurban is looking ahead to the staged opening of widened sections of the Sydney M7 in the June quarter and the anticipated completion of the Warringah Freeway project by the end of 2026. Management will continue to monitor the evolving geopolitical and macroeconomic environment and assess how developments might impact travel patterns and demand.

With most revenue either linked to inflation or set by contract, the company remains optimistic about its ability to deliver consistent returns and maintain support for customers dealing with cost-of-living pressures.

Transurban Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Transurban shares have risen 3%, underperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 21% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Transurban Group March quarter 2026: Traffic rises across key toll roads 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 positions in and has recommended Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Transurban Group. 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.