Author: openjargon

The L1 Gold Fund Ltd (ASX: LGF) share price is back in focus today as the company wraps up its institutional placement and entitlement offers, raising about $254.9 million with strong shareholder demand.

What did L1 Gold Fund report?

• Successfully completed an institutional placement, entitlement offer, and shortfall offer totalling approximately $254.9 million at $2.25 per new share
• Placement raised $160.3 million, Institutional Entitlement Offer $52.5 million, and Shortfall Offer $42.0 million
• Founders Mark Landau and Raphael Lamm fully participated, taking up $52.5 million in entitlements
• New shares to be allotted on 2 September 2026 and commence trading on 3 September 2026
• Retail entitlement offer aiming to raise up to $261.7 million opens 31 August 2026

What else do investors need to know?

The placement and entitlement offers received strong support from both existing and new eligible shareholders, highlighting ongoing confidence in the company and the gold sector. L1 Group chose not to take up its $42 million entitlement so these shares could be allocated to new investors in the shortfall offer, but may subscribe to any retail shortfall.

Eligible retail shareholders will be able to buy 1 new share for every 3 held as at the record date, at an issue price matching the pre-tax net tangible asset value. The offers are not underwritten and the investment manager, L1 Capital Pty Ltd, will bear all fundraising costs.

What’s next for L1 Gold Fund?

The retail entitlement offer will open on 31 August 2026 and close on 9 September 2026. Eligible investors can also apply for extra shares beyond their entitlement through a top-up facility, with allocation at the company’s discretion.

Once the capital raising is complete, L1 Gold Fund expects to use the fresh funds to continue investing in gold and precious metals, aiming to strengthen its portfolio for long-term shareholder value.

View Original Announcement

The post L1 Gold Fund raises $254.9m in placement and entitlement offers appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• L1 Gold Fund posts debut FY26 result and capital raise update

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.

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) shares are taking a hit on Wednesday after the travel company released its FY26 results.

At the time of writing, the Flight Centre share price is down 6.79% to $12.08.

The reaction is probably not what shareholders were hoping for, especially with a few solid numbers in the result.

But once you dig a little deeper, there are also some weaker spots that help explain why the market has reacted this way.

Let’s take a closer look at the numbers.

FY26 results were mixed

Flight Centre reported record total transaction value (TTV) of $25.7 billion, up 4.7% from FY25, while revenue increased 2.5% to $2.9 billion.

Underlying EBITDA also moved higher, rising 3.9% to $466 million. However, underlying profit before tax went the other way, falling 4% to $278 million.

Statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) increased 38% to $149 million, while earnings per share (EPS) jumped 43% to 70.9 cents.

Shareholders also received some good news on the dividend front, with Flight Centre declaring a fully franked final dividend of 30 cents per share. This takes the full-year payout to 42 cents, up 5% on FY25.

The company said trading was strong through the first 9 months before conflict in the Middle East disrupted travel during the fourth quarter.

Flight Centre estimates the disruption cost its leisure business around $60 million in profit.

Why are Flight Centre shares falling?

The weaker result from Flight Centre’s leisure business looks to be one of the biggest reasons investors are selling the shares today.

Barrenjoey analyst Matt Ryan said underlying profit before tax came in around 2% below market expectations, while the leisure division missed consensus by about 8%.

There was still growth in travel volumes, with leisure TTV rising 7.4% to $12.6 billion. But that didn’t flow through to earnings, with underlying EBITDA falling 6.7% to $250 million and underlying profit before tax dropping 21.7% to $139 million.

The corporate business had a stronger year, with underlying profit before tax rising 28% to $240 million.

Furthermore, there’s also a few reasons for investors to be cautious heading into FY27.

Flight Centre expects corporate earnings to be more heavily weighted toward the second-half, with first-half profit likely to come in below last year.

Flight Centre pointed to the Middle East war, upfront investment, currency movements and contract timing as reasons for the softer start.

What happens next?

Despite the subdued mood, there are still a few positive signs heading into FY27.

Flight Centre said July delivered record TTV and its strongest July leisure profit since 2015.

Long-haul travel from Australia is also starting to improve, which could help the business over the year ahead.

RBC Capital Markets highlighted the strong July performance, although there’s still some uncertainty around how quickly earnings can recover.

Investors should get a better idea in November, when Flight Centre plans to provide its FY27 earnings guidance at its AGM.

The post Flight Centre shares are sinking 7% after its FY26 results. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The IVE Group Ltd (ASX: IGL) share price is in focus today after the company delivered a full-year FY26 result in line with guidance. The company raised its dividend above guidance to 18.5 cents per share and reported improved margins, despite softer revenue in challenging market conditions.

What did IVE Group report?

• Revenue fell 1.8% to $937.4 million from $954.8 million in FY25.
• Pre-AASB 16 underlying NPAT increased 3.0% to $52.5 million.
• Post-AASB 16 underlying NPAT slipped 1.7% to $51.2 million.
• IFRS NPAT dropped to $37.4 million from $46.7 million a year ago.
• Final fully franked dividend lifted to 9.0 cents per share, resulting in a full-year dividend of 18.5 cents per share, topping guidance.
• Net debt was $173.2 million, up from $114.4 million, reflecting recent acquisitions and investments in capacity.

What else do investors need to know?

IVE Group continued to roll out its 2030 strategy during the year, integrating three new acquisitions—Impressu, Daily Press, and BMS. The group moved five business units to its new Kemps Creek supersite and opened a NSW packaging plant, aiming to unlock operational efficiencies and expansion opportunities.

The company also focused on commercialising artificial intelligence, combining in-house platforms and strategic partnerships to drive recurring revenue and productivity. Additionally, its third-party logistics footprint grew with a new facility in Dandenong and significant client wins.

What did IVE Group management say?

Managing Director Matt Aitken said:

IVE delivered on guidance with a solid full-year performance underpinned by continued margin resilience, despite an increasingly difficult economic landscape. Over the past year the Group has made good progress against our 2030 strategy including the move to the new Dandenong 3PL site, the relocation of five business units to the Kemps Creek supersite and a number of scale enhancing and/or strategic acquisitions together which provide additional opportunities for operational efficiencies and long-term revenue growth.

What’s next for IVE Group?

Looking ahead to FY27, management expects underlying NPAT before lease accounting impacts to remain broadly stable. Capital expenditure is set to fall sharply to about $26 million as major fit-outs and capacity expansions wrap up.

IVE Group plans to keep net debt below 1.5 times pre-AASB 16 EBITDA, and will return to a dividend payout ratio of 55–65% of underlying earnings. Board renewal will see four directors retire over two years, supporting further evolution as IVE pursues its long-term growth strategy.

IVE Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, IVE Group shares have declined 3%, trailing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which has risen 2% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post IVE Group posts FY26 result, beats dividend guidance appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Flight Centre shares are sinking 7% after its FY26 results. Here’s why

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 Starpharma Holdings Ltd (ASX: SPL) share price is in focus today as the company reported a 145% jump in full-year revenue to $12 million and reduced its reported loss by 25% to $7.5 million.

What did Starpharma report?

• Revenue rose 145% to $12.0 million (FY25: $4.9 million), mainly from the Genentech licence agreement.
• Reported loss improved to $7.5 million, down from $10.0 million last year.
• Closed FY26 with $11.0 million in cash; post-year-end capital raising added $30 million to strengthen funding.
• Research and product development spending was $11.1 million (FY25: $8.4 million), after R&D tax incentive.

What else do investors need to know?

Starpharma strengthened its balance sheet after the reporting period, raising $30 million through a well-supported entitlement offer. This extends its funding runway into FY28, giving the company greater flexibility to advance its pipeline programs.

The company has continued to invest in its DEP® technology, with particular progress on its lead radiopharmaceutical asset, DEP® HER2-Lutetium, and next-generation oncology candidates. New and existing strategic partnerships further reinforce its commercial and research initiatives.

What did Starpharma management say?

Chief Executive Officer Cheryl Maley said:

During FY26, we significantly advanced our lead radiopharmaceutical asset, DEP® HER2-Lutetium, executed new strategic partnerships and strengthened existing ones, and further validated the broad potential of DEP® with a focus on targeted oncology treatments. We thank our shareholders for their continued support throughout the year. Our focus remains on building long-term shareholder value through the development of a pipeline of targeted oncology therapies enabled by our DEP® technology. The team is committed to executing on the milestones ahead and translating our scientific and commercial progress into meaningful outcomes for patients and shareholders.

What’s next for Starpharma?

Looking ahead, Starpharma is focused on advancing its clinical and preclinical DEP® pipeline, including further development of the DEP® HER2-Lutetium asset in targeted oncology. Management says the recently strengthened cash position supports the group’s research programs and continued progress of its key partnerships.

The company aims to deliver long-term value for shareholders by progressing its innovative dendrimer-based therapies, with a particular emphasis on expanding its presence in oncology and strengthening its commercial relationships.

Starpharma share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Starpharma shares have surged more than 500%, significantly outpacing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

View Original Announcement

The post Starpharma: FY26 earnings reveal strong revenue growth and improved loss 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.

The Arena REIT (ASX: ARF) share price is likely in focus today after the ASX-listed property group announced its tenant, Edge Early Learning, has entered voluntary administration. Arena is working proactively with the administrator and exploring alternative leasing options to protect long-term shareholder value.

What did Arena REIT report?

• Edge Early Learning, a key tenant, has entered voluntary administration.
• The future of Edge’s leases across Arena-owned properties remains uncertain.
• Arena holds around $4 million in pooled bank guarantees as security over the Edge leases.
• The company is actively progressing discussions with possible replacement tenants.

What else do investors need to know?

Arena previously flagged its exposure to Edge Early Learning, and this latest update confirms that uncertainty for some properties in its portfolio is continuing. Arena’s management is engaging constructively with the administrator to seek the best outcome for its securityholders.

While the leases with Edge remain unresolved, Arena’s diversified tenant base across early learning and healthcare sectors may help to cushion some of the financial impact. The company is proactively seeking new leasing arrangements and will provide further updates as more information becomes available.

What’s next for Arena REIT?

Arena’s immediate focus remains on working with the administrator of Edge Early Learning and seeking to secure alternative tenants for any affected properties. The $4 million held in bank guarantees provides some protection to the REIT, but uncertainty remains until lease arrangements are clarified.

Shareholders can expect further updates from management as the situation evolves and discussions with potential replacement tenants progress.

Arena REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Arena REIT shares have declined 41%, significantly trailing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Arena REIT faces leasing challenge after Edge Early Learning enters administration 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.

The DUG Technology Ltd (ASX: DUG) share price is in focus after the company announced a US$9.3 million software and HPC infrastructure contract, awarded by an undisclosed National Oil Company, with a two-year term set to commence in the first quarter of FY27.

What did DUG Technology report?

• Secured a US$9.3 million contract for software and hosted HPC infrastructure
• Two-year term beginning Q1 FY27
• Contract includes access to DUG Insight processing and imaging toolkit
• Client is a National Oil Company with strong financial and operational capability

What else do investors need to know?

This contract deepens DUG Technology’s relationship with the energy sector, demonstrating its capability to deliver high-performance solutions globally. The client will utilise DUG’s toolkit for advanced subsurface processing and imaging workflows, playing to DUG’s core strengths in geoscientific computing and cloud-based HPC services.

The deal continues DUG’s focus on sustainable, energy-efficient solutions, leveraging its proprietary immersion cooling systems. The company remains committed to innovation and helping clients minimise risk in complex data environments.

What’s next for DUG Technology?

DUG is expected to deliver both software and HPC infrastructure services over the next two years, supporting further expansion into energy and technology markets. Management will likely focus on growing relationships within the energy industry and scaling its advanced offering globally.

The company’s ongoing investment in R&D and sustainable computing positions it well to attract similar large-scale contracts and continue driving revenue growth in coming years.

DUG Technology share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, DUG Technology shares have risen 24%, outperforming the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post DUG Technology scores US$9.3m software and HPC 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 recommended Dug Technology. 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.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) shares have fallen further into the red in Wednesday lunchtime trade.

At the time of writing, the shares are down around 1.5% and are changing hands for $20.67 a piece.

The latest decline means the shares are now down 36% year-to-date, and are 56% lower than 12 months ago.

What happened to Life360 shares?

The company’s shares were caught up in a tech-sector-wide sell-off over the past year, as investors sold their tech shares amid growing fears that companies’ core services could be replaced by AI.  

The rotation away from the tech sector saw the Life360 share price steadily tumble from an all-time high of $55.44 in early October, to an annual low of $17.91 in mid-April.

But it looked like the shares had bottomed out, and they rallied through June to early August on the back of a strong quarterly result in mid-May and renewed investor confidence.

But then the company posted an unimpressive second-quarter FY26 update two weeks ago, and it once again slashed investor sentiment.

Life360 recorded a 38% increase in revenue, to US$159 million, and a 53% increase in adjusted EBITDA, to US$31.1 million.

Global monthly active users increased by 4.6 million in the quarter, bringing the total to approximately 102.4 million – up 16% compared to the previous year.

Looking ahead, Life360 still expects FY26 revenue growth to accelerate between 33% to 40% year-on-year to between US$650 million and US$685 million. Adjusted EBITDA is also still expected to be between US$130 million to US$140 million.

Clearly, investors are displeased with the result. It appears that many shareholders expected another upward revision to FY26 revenue guidance.

Since that results announcement, Life360 shares have shed 30% of their value.

What do brokers tip for the shares next?

It looks like the experts are still bullish on Life360 shares, expecting a recovery over the next 12 months.

Market Index shows that brokers currently agree to a buy rating on the shares. The $31.73 average target price implies a potential 54% upside, at the time of writing.

TradingView data shows something similar. Out of 13 analysts, 12 currently hold a buy/strong buy rating on Life360 shares. The average target price is $31.21, implying around a 51% upside at the time of writing. However, some think the shares could climb 97% to $40.76 a share over the next 12 months.

Bell Potter recently confirmed its buy rating and $34 price target on the location technology company’s shares. Ahead of the results and share price crash, the broker said it thinks the stock is trading at reasonable value.

The post Down 56%: Has the market lost interest in Life360 shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Australia’s inflation rate fell again in July, although the latest figures came in slightly above economists’ expectations.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.5% over the 12 months to July, down from 3.8% in June.

The annual rate is still moving in the right direction, although economists had been expecting inflation to come in at around 3.3%.

Prices also rose 1% during July, above forecasts for a 0.8% increase, while underlying inflation remained elevated.

So, is another interest rate hike back on the table?

What is still pushing prices higher?

Housing remained the biggest contributor to annual inflation, with prices across the group rising 5% over the year.

New dwelling prices increased 5.7%, rents were up 3.6%, and electricity prices rose 6.1%. Food and non-alcoholic beverages were also 3.2% higher, while recreation and culture prices increased 2.6%.

There were also some sizeable price moves during July.

Automotive fuel prices jumped 7.5% for the month after falling for 3 months in a row. The ABS said the increase was driven by higher global oil prices and the partial unwinding of the federal government’s fuel excise relief measures.

Domestic holiday travel and accommodation prices also rose 6.2% as demand picked up during the school holiday period.

The RBA will be keeping a close eye on the underlying inflation figures as well.

Services inflation was still running at 3.7% over the year, while non-tradables inflation was sitting at 4.4%.

Could the RBA raise rates again?

The key number for the RBA was trimmed mean inflation, which gives a better idea of what is happening with underlying price pressures.

It rose 0.5% in July and remained at 3.6% over the year, still above the RBA’s 2% to 3% target range.

That was also higher than expected, with economists forecasting a monthly increase of around 0.3%.

The RBA left the cash rate unchanged at 4.35% earlier this month after raising rates 3 times in 2026.

Minutes from that meeting showed the board considered another rate hike, but decided to keep rates on hold and wait for more data.

There are signs higher rates are already having an effect. Australia’s unemployment rate rose to 4.5% in July, while employment unexpectedly fell by 15,800.

This gives the RBA something else to weigh up as it tries to bring inflation down without slowing the economy too much.

Mark your calendar for 29 September, when the RBA will hand down its next interest rate decision.

The post Inflation falls again, but could the RBA still raise interest rates? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ) is an ASX exchange-traded fund (ETF) I would be comfortable buying with a long-term view.

It gives investors access to many of the businesses shaping how technology is used around the world, without requiring them to decide which individual company will ultimately come out on top.

Here are three reasons I would buy it now.

It gives me exposure to businesses changing how the world operates

One reason I like the NDQ ETF is that many of its largest holdings sit behind technologies that are becoming increasingly important to consumers and businesses.

Nvidia, for example, has become central to the build-out of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure through its advanced chips.

Microsoft approaches the opportunity from another direction. Its cloud computing and software businesses give it the chance to bring AI tools directly into products already used by companies around the world.

Then there are businesses such as Amazon, where cloud computing, ecommerce, advertising, and automation all provide potential avenues for further growth.

These businesses are helping build the infrastructure, software, and services that could shape how we work, shop, communicate, and process information for many years.

I don’t have to pick the biggest winner

Artificial intelligence is a good example of why I like the broad exposure provided by the NDQ ETF.

There are several places where value could ultimately be created.

Chipmakers may benefit from the initial infrastructure spending; cloud providers can supply computing power; software companies can develop applications for businesses; and consumer platforms may find entirely new ways to use the technology.

The balance between those opportunities could shift considerably over the next decade.

Owning the NDQ ETF lets me participate across that broader development rather than trying to predict today which company will capture the largest share of the profits.

The same thinking applies beyond AI.

Technology changes quickly, and I would rather own a collection of leading businesses than depend too heavily on my ability to identify the next major trend before everyone else does.

The fund can evolve without me doing anything

The way the index can evolve is probably one of the strongest reasons I could imagine holding the NDQ ETF for many years.

The NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX) will not contain the same companies forever. Businesses that grow can become more important within the index, while others can lose influence or eventually be replaced.

That means the fund can gradually change as the corporate landscape changes.

I think this is especially valuable over a timeframe of 10, 20, or even 30 years. It would be unrealistic to expect today’s largest companies to remain in the same positions indefinitely.

Some will keep compounding. Others will eventually be overtaken by businesses that may still be relatively small today.

With the NDQ ETF, investors can participate in that evolution without continually rebuilding the portfolio themselves.

Foolish takeaway

I think the NDQ ETF gives ASX investors a simple way to own a collection of businesses positioned around some of the world’s most important long-term growth trends.

There will be periods when technology shares struggle, and the fund’s concentration in large growth companies means volatility should be expected.

But I like the idea of owning an investment that can keep evolving as new corporate leaders emerge.

The post 3 reasons I’d buy the NDQ ETF now 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, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) has more than doubled in value over the past year, but according to the team at UBS, there’s more upside to be had.

This week, the broker issued a new research report on Westgold, after the company put out an update on its Meekatharra expansion plan.

Before we get to the UBS valuation of the company, let’s have a look at what Westgold announced.

Processing expansion numbers stack up

Westgold released the results of a scoping study examining the expansion of capacity at the Meekatharra processing hub from 1.8 million tonnes per year to 2.9 million tonnes per year.

The company said regarding the plans:

The Meekatharra expansion plan is being advanced as a low-capital-intensity, brownfields expansion option that leverages Westgold’s existing Meekatharra infrastructure and long-lead equipment already procured. The preferred pathway is intended to remove an emerging processing constraint and create a larger, more flexible platform for the Murchison ore base, without the cost, risk or timeframe of constructing a new standalone processing plant.  

The expansion plan would add 47,000 ounces of gold production per year once commissioned, with total gold production to rise to 1.6 million ounces over 10 years.

Westgold said the project would cost about $100 million and have a payback period of nine months, with commissioning targeted for FY28.

Westgold Managing Director Wayne Bramwell said:

Meekatharra is the growth engine of Westgold’s Murchison business. As Bluebird–South Junction continues to expand and the Murchison open pit program ramps up, the hub is increasingly moving from being mine-constrained to processing-constrained. The MXP is a capital-efficient brownfields expansion option to address this emerging constraint. It utilises existing infrastructure and long-lead equipment already procured to increase processing capacity from 1.8Mtpa to 2.9Mtpa, without the capital intensity, execution risk or timeframe of building a new plant. Westgold will now commence feasibility-level work to confirm the engineering, capital estimate, delivery schedule and ore source assumptions ahead of a potential investment decision in late FY27.

ASX gold stock looking cheap

UBS said in a note to clients that Westgold could potentially increase gold production to 650,000 ounces per year by 2030, as a result of three separate expansion projects.

The UBS analysts said they visited Meekatharra in July and “could see numerous options for new mining fronts and potential for higher throughput”.

UBS has increased its price target on Westgold shares to $8.25 from $7.75, compared to $6.87 currently.

Westgold is valued at $6.19 billion.

The post This ASX gold producer could jump by 20%, according to UBS appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.