Author: openjargon

At the start of each week, I like to look at ASIC’s short position report to find out which ASX shares are being targeted by short sellers.

That’s because I believe it is worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn’t quite right with a company.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

• Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX: LOT) continues its run as the most shorted ASX share after its short interest remained flat at 20%. A very disappointing quarterly update from this uranium producer has weighed heavily on sentiment.
• Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) has seen its short interest ease to 14.8%. Short sellers continue to target the pizza chain operator, possibly on the belief that its turnaround will take longer than hoped.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) has short interest of 14.8%, which is down slightly week on week. This may be due to the radiopharmaceuticals company struggling with US FDA approvals over the past 18 months.
• Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) has short interest of 14%, which is flat again week on week. The uranium miner’s uncertain production outlook beyond 2026 is largely behind this.
• Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) has short interest of 12.7%, which is up week on week. Short sellers aren’t giving up on this quick service restaurant operator despite a recent rally following the closure of its loss-making US operations.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has 12.6% of its shares held short, which is down week on week. A positive investor day update from the wine giant could be behind the decline in short interest.
• DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) has short interest of 12.3%, which is up week on week. This may have been driven by the ASIC investigation into some of the counter-drone technology company’s announcements and insider share sales.
• CAR Group Limited (ASX: CAR) has short interest of 11.8%, which is up since last week. Short sellers may believe higher interest rates and rising fuel costs could weigh on the automotive market.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has 11.2% of its shares held short, which is up week on week. Short sellers appear to believe the Middle East conflict could negatively impact the travel agent’s performance.
• 4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) has entered the top ten with short interest of 11.1%. This medical technology company has a lofty valuation following a stunning gain over the past 12 months.

The post Here are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 8 ASX 200 shares with renewed buy ratings this week

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Domino’s Pizza Enterprises and Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, DroneShield, Telix Pharmaceuticals, and Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CAR Group Ltd, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, Flight Centre Travel Group, and Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) share price is in focus today after announcing the completion of the M7-M12 Integration Project in Sydney and the agreed sale of its remaining A25 asset in Montreal. May traffic numbers also nudged higher, reflecting resilience against current economic headwinds.

What did Transurban report?

• Completion of the M7-M12 Integration Project, adding a third lane along a 26-kilometre stretch of Sydney’s M7 Motorway
• Agreement to sell Transurban’s remaining 50% interest in Montreal’s A25 concession for CAD 280 million
• Group traffic rose 0.1% in May versus the prior corresponding period
• Strong growth in North America, with Greater Washington Area traffic up 2.4% in May
• Commercial vehicle traffic across Australian markets increased by 4.0% in May

What else do investors need to know?

The M7-M12 project is set to boost capacity by up to 30,000 vehicles per day, providing improved travel times, reduced congestion, and connecting to the new Western Sydney Airport. According to management, peak-hour trips between Marsden Park and Liverpool are now up to 13 minutes faster.

Transurban’s CAD 280 million A25 sale proceeds will support ongoing North America growth initiatives, particularly in the Greater Washington Area. Staff at A25 will transition to the new owner, La Caisse.

While Sydney and Melbourne traffic grew (up 0.1% and 1.7% respectively), Brisbane traffic declined by 3.2% due to unusually heavy rainfall. The group highlights the resilience of its CPI-linked revenues in managing inflation impacts.

What did Transurban management say?

Transurban CEO Michelle Jablko commented:

We have delivered 26 kilometres of widened M7, making a typical peak-hour trip between Marsden Park and Liverpool up to 13 minutes faster and saving customers a total of up to 27 minutes when compared to the non-tolled alternative.

What’s next for Transurban?

Transurban will continue to monitor macroeconomic and geopolitical factors, focusing on disciplined balance sheet management and customer value delivery. Proceeds from the A25 sale will be channelled into further growth in North America.

Through ongoing upgrades and expansions, such as the West Gate Tunnel in Melbourne, Transurban aims to support urban development and maintain stable, CPI-linked revenues. Management maintains a confident outlook, reinforced by the essential nature of its transport assets.

Transurban share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Transurban shares have risen 8%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 3% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Transurban earnings: M7-M12 project and A25 sale boost outlook appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Atlas Arteria: Takeover offer lifted to $5.10 per security
• IperionX snaps up rare earths assets to strengthen U.S. critical minerals position
• $5,000 invested in the ASX 200 at the start of 2026 is now worth…
• Vicinity Centres: Chairman Trevor Gerber announces 2026 retirement
• ASX settles ASIC lawsuit, updates on CHESS project and penalty

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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is one of the main indices of the ASX share market and gives investors exposure to a number of leading Australian blue chips.

Some of the businesses we can find in the ASX 200 includes BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), and CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL).

A significant portion of the return is influenced by the names above because of their large market capitalisations, and by how much smaller many of the other ASX shares are, particularly in the second 100 of the index.

ASX 200 capital growth in 2026 to date

The ASX 200 has risen by 0.87% since the start of the year, so investors would have seen some capital growth, though not much. But a gain is better than nothing.

If it weren’t for the Middle East conflict and the jump in inflation and interest rates, the ASX share market could have delivered a stronger return.

Let’s look at how the biggest influences on the index have performed this year to date.

• The BHP share price is up 37.5%
• The CBA share price is down 1%
• The Westpac share price is down 10%

• The NAB share price is down 14%
• The ANZ share price is down 6%
• The Wesfarmers share price is up 6%
• The Macquarie share price is up 19%
• The Rio Tinto share price is up 25%
• The Goodman share price is up 2%
• The Fortescue share price is down 9%
• The Woodside share price is up 32%
• The Telstra share price is up 7%
• The CSL share price is down 37%

As you can see, some shares are up significantly, while others are down quite a bit. The index has largely evened out, with it just slightly up.

How much would $5,000 have grown?

If someone had $5,000 invested in the ASX 200 at the start of the year, it would now be worth just over $5,040, plus the dividend payments.

You can’t exactly invest directly in an index, but you can invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the ASX 200, with management fees being a key difference. For example, there’s the iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ) and the State Street SPDR S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: STW).

BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200) also invests in 200 ASX shares, with similar holdings to the ASX 200.

The post $5,000 invested in the ASX 200 at the start of 2026 is now worth… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Atlas Arteria: Takeover offer lifted to $5.10 per security
• IperionX snaps up rare earths assets to strengthen U.S. critical minerals position
• Transurban earnings: M7-M12 project and A25 sale boost outlook
• Vicinity Centres: Chairman Trevor Gerber announces 2026 retirement
• ASX settles ASIC lawsuit, updates on CHESS project and penalty

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 CSL, Goodman Group, Macquarie Group, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, CSL, Goodman Group, Macquarie Group, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Vicinity Centres Ltd (ASX: VCX) share price is in focus after the company announced Chairman Trevor Gerber will retire at the 2026 AGM, with Patrick Allaway to succeed as Chairman-elect effective 15 June 2026.

What did Vicinity Centres report?

• Chairman Trevor Gerber to retire after eleven years of service, effective 28 October 2026 AGM
• Patrick Allaway appointed as Non-executive Director and Chairman-elect from 15 June 2026
• Gerber led the company through a multi-year investment and repositioning strategy
• No financial or dividend updates were included in this announcement

What else do investors need to know?

Vicinity Centres highlighted the significant contribution of Trevor Gerber, noting his leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic and during a period of strategic refocus toward premium retail assets. The company credits Gerber for leaving the business well-positioned, with a clear strategy and robust financial footing.

Patrick Allaway joins the board with over 30 years’ experience across financial and capital markets, and a strong background in corporate advisory. He brings industry expertise from previous roles at major listed businesses such as Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ) and Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC)

What’s next for Vicinity Centres?

Following this leadership transition, the company says it will continue its focus on delivering sustained income and value growth through its premium retail asset strategy. Incoming Chairman Patrick Allaway highlighted his intention to work closely with the board and executive team to build on current momentum and further position Vicinity as a leader in the sector.

The brokerage’s forward focus appears to be on maintaining asset quality, disciplined management, and continuing to create value for securityholders as the new chairperson takes over.

Vicinity Centres share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Vicinity Centres shares have risen 2%, slightly trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 3% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Vicinity Centres: Chairman Trevor Gerber announces 2026 retirement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Atlas Arteria: Takeover offer lifted to $5.10 per security
• IperionX snaps up rare earths assets to strengthen U.S. critical minerals position
• Transurban earnings: M7-M12 project and A25 sale boost outlook
• $5,000 invested in the ASX 200 at the start of 2026 is now worth…
• ASX settles ASIC lawsuit, updates on CHESS project and penalty

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 Nine Entertainment. 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 S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) share Tuas Ltd (ASX: TUA) has suffered a big, painful fall this year. The ASX telco share has dropped by around 63%, as the chart below shows.

Tuas is one of the holdings inside the WAM Capital Ltd (ASX: WAM) portfolio – Wilson Asset Management is a fund manager backing the business.

WAM Capital is one of the largest listed investment companies (LICs) on the ASX, with a market capitalisation not far from $2 billion. It aims to invest in the most compelling undervalued growth opportunities in the Australian share market.

Let’s look at why the ASX 300 share is so compelling.

What happened to the ASX 300 share?

The Wilson Asset Management team described Tuas as a telecommunications company that owns and operates the SIMBA mobile network in Singapore.

WAM noted that the Tuas share price has declined significantly on the back of an update from the Singaporean telecommunications regulator Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), which halted its review of Tuas’ proposed acquisition of M1 Limited.

That proposed acquisition did not proceed before the 21 May 2026 deadline because of revelations that Tuas’ subsidiary, Simba, may have been using radio frequency bands that it was not authorised to use.

WAM noted that Simba is cooperating with the regulator’s investigation and continues to operate its network in Singapore.

Why are Tuas shares an opportunity?

The investment team said that while the news is disappointing, WAM has “strong conviction” in the underlying business which has “outperformed significantly” since the acquisition announcement last year.

WAM believes the ASX 300 share can continue to grow strongly, supported by differentiated products in both the mobile and fixed line space of the Singapoean telco market.

The company’s latest update showed significant growth by the business.

In the first half of FY26, Tuas reported revenue growth of 26% to S$91.9 million, with underlying operating profit (EBITDA) jumped 27% to S$42.1 million. Tuas said the faster EBITDA growth reflected “strong operational leverage”. Pleasingly, the underlying EBITDA margin improved to 46%, up from 45% in the first half of FY25.

The revenue growth was largely driven by expansion in both mobile and broadband users. Mobile users rose 21.7% to 1.4 million and the relatively new broadband division saw subscriber growth of around 32,000 to 46,000.

It’s important to remember that the business generated S$18.7 million of underlying net profit and S$50.1 million of operating cash flow in the first half of FY26. If it can grow earnings from here, it can justify a higher valuation.

Plus, it now has a large amount of cash to use for growth. With the M1 deal not going ahead, it could use that money to expand into other markets.

Tuas is certainly a higher-risk investment with the company under regulatory attention, so there may be other ASX shares that may have an easier path to growth.

The post This ASX 300 share is down 63% in 2026: Experts think it’s a buy! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Tuas. 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 Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) share price is in focus after the company reported a 44% jump in first-half FY26 EBITDA to $384.5 million and declared its inaugural interim dividend of 7 cents per share.

What did Vault Minerals report?

• Revenue rose 20% to $817.3 million for H1 FY26
• EBITDA up 44% to $384.5 million, with a 47% margin
• Statutory NPAT recorded a loss of $35.2 million (down from $119.3 million profit in H1 FY25)
• Gold sales fell by 15% to 169,274 ounces
• Operating cash flow up 20% to $284.8 million
• Interim dividend declared at 7 cents per share, totalling $73 million

What else do investors need to know?

Vault Minerals finished the half with a strong balance sheet—$537.3 million in cash and bullion and no debt—after significant investment in growth projects. The period saw elevated capex, largely for the King of the Hills (KoTH) plant expansion, which is tracking ahead of schedule for September 2026 commissioning.

Production in the year to date reached 306,542 ounces across Leonora, Mount Monger, and Deflector, with full-year guidance set at 332,000 to 360,000 ounces. The company has also initiated a share buyback program ($33 million deployed) and closed legacy gold hedges, giving more exposure to spot prices from H2 FY26.

On the corporate front, Vault agreed to merge with Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) under a scheme of arrangement, creating a top-tier Australian gold producer with over 700,000 ounces annual output, pending shareholder and court approvals in the second half of 2026.

What’s next for Vault Minerals?

Looking ahead, Vault expects to ramp up production as major projects like the KoTH plant upgrade and Spanish Galleon underground access come online. Capital spending is set to step down in FY27, positioning the company for improved margins.

Management noted further organic growth options across the portfolio. Restart of the Sugar Zone mine is expected during FY27, and regulatory milestones for tailings and approvals are progressing on track.

Vault Minerals share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Vault Minerals shares have risen 45%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 3% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Vault Minerals lifts earnings, initiates dividend, and announces merger with Regis 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 ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX) share price is in focus today after the company announced it will pay a $20.5 million penalty and contribute $3 million to ASIC’s legal costs, settling longstanding legal proceedings related to its previous CHESS project.

What did ASX report?

• Settled ASIC civil proceedings relating to past statements about the previous CHESS project
• Admitted to contravening provisions of the ASIC Act over “progressing well” claims
• Agreed to pay $20.5 million penalty (subject to Federal Court approval)
• Will also contribute $3 million to ASIC’s legal costs
• Penalty and costs to be provisioned as significant items in FY26

What else do investors need to know?

ASX’s decision to resolve the ASIC proceedings means both parties will not proceed to trial. The penalty and legal costs—together totalling $23.5 million—will be recognised as one-off, non-recurring items in financial year 2026.

The Federal Court will still need to formally approve the proposed settlement, which could occur as late as financial year 2027. ASX says its Board made this decision to help restore confidence and focus on ongoing strategic initiatives.

What did ASX management say?

ASX Chair David Clarke said:

The market must have confidence in what ASX says about its operations as these statements can be relied upon to make decisions. When we stopped the CHESS project in November 2022 to reassess our whole approach, that tested market confidence in ASX and called into question the nature of statements previously made.

As the market operator and a steward of critical market infrastructure, our words matter. I am sorry ASX fell short. We recognise the impact this has on trust and confidence, and we take responsibility for the lessons that must be learned from that experience.

The CHESS project is now on firmer footing, and our decision to settle this matter reflects the desire by the Board to focus ASX on building for the future while maintaining the work still required to build confidence and deliver for the market. We will continue the reset across the Group, informed by the findings of the ASIC Inquiry report delivered earlier this year.

What’s next for ASX?

ASX Limited says it’s moving ahead with its technology refresh, noting that Release 1 of the new CHESS system went live recently, providing modernised clearing services and processing increased trading volumes smoothly. Management describes CHESS as a critical priority and is directing significant investment towards this technology upgrade.

The company continues to roll out its CHESS Partnership Program, which supports key stakeholders with up to $70 million in financial distributions during the extended timeline for the new CHESS project.

View Original Announcement

The post ASX settles ASIC lawsuit, updates on CHESS project and penalty 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.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares have risen by less than 1% in the calendar year to date (YTD). 

Let’s start the new week with some fresh ratings on three ASX 200 shares.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

BHP shares finished last week at $62.93 apiece, up 38% YTD. 

Elio D’Amato from EnviroInvest has a hold rating on this ASX 200 mining share. 

D’Amato said (courtesy The Bull): 

This diversified miner produces iron ore, copper and other commodities critical to global economic growth. It remains a core holding in many portfolios due to its scale, balance sheet strength and ability to generate significant cash flow through commodity cycles.

However, in my view, recent news reports highlighting delays to decarbonisation initiatives and a reduced emphasis on environmental objectives are disappointing.

Copper and potash projects still provide exposure to the energy transition, but the environmental investment case is less compelling than it was several years ago.

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC)

The Nine Entertainment share price closed at 91 cents on Friday, down 18% YTD.

Andrew Wielandt from DP Wealth Advisory has a sell rating on this ASX 200 communications share. 

Wielandt commented: 

This TV, newspaper publishing and streaming company has restructured its asset portfolio. It completed the sale of Nine Radio on April 30 and acquired QMS Media on March 31.

The prospect of higher interest rates in a slowing economy present challenges, making it difficult to identify sufficient catalysts for meaningful growth.

In our view, there remains a structural shift away from free-to-air television towards streaming services and video on demand, but this in only partially addressed through NEC’s 9Now and Stan platforms in a fiercely competitive environment.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

The Wesfarmers share price closed at $86.47 on Friday, up 5.8% YTD.

Andrew Wielandt from DP Wealth Advisory has a hold rating on this ASX 200 consumer discretionary share. 

Wielandt said: 

The company’s operations span across a diversified industrial portfolio, including retail, fertilisers, chemicals and more recently healthcare. However, the market is cautious about a slowing domestic economy under pressure from rising interest rates.

A proposed change in taxation treatment for capital gains may slow the property market.

Wesfarmers is one of the biggest employers in Australia, so a minimum 4.75 per cent wage increase for employees from July 1, 2026 may also weigh on the minds of investors.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Nine Entertainment, Wesfarmers, BHP shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX settles ASIC lawsuit, updates on CHESS project and penalty
• Meridian Energy: May 2026 operating update highlights robust inflows
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• 3 ASX stocks that look like classic Warren Buffett investments
• Why did ASX 200 retail shares outperform last week?

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, Nine Entertainment, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you are interested in adding a blue-chip ASX 200 stock to your portfolio, then it could be worth considering Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK) shares.

That’s the view of analysts at Bell Potter, which remains positive on the job listings giant.

What is the broker saying about this popular ASX 200 stock?

Bell Potter highlights that recent economic data remains mixed for SEEK, with interest rate hikes potentially causing headwinds for the company. However, data centre investments and increased discretionary spending are seen as positives. It said:

Recent Australian economic data remains mixed, with a view to an additional RBA rate hike as a headwind for jobs growth, noting some commentary that the current 4.35% cash rate may be the peak; unemployment eased to 4.5% from 4.1% across Jan-May after previously remaining tight through the rate rise cycle (+ve for cuts), GDP came in softer than expected at 0.3% for the March quarter (2.5% YoY) despite $13bn in data centre investment for the quarter (+ve), discretionary spending at+0.1% qtrly growth likely indicates a stretched consumer broadly (+ve), though we anticipate geo-political headwinds continue to flow through the energy-related inflation (-ve).

Clerical/Admin internet job ads have been the most challenged job category declining -3% in April on YoY/R3M/R6M bases and potentially reflects early AI-impact; Professionals, Managers, Technicians/Trades, Labourers, and Sales job ads all grew across the comparable periods.

Should you invest?

According to the note, Bell Potter continues to see value in the ASX 200 stock despite trimming its valuation.

This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating with a reduced price target of $18.60 (from $23.90).

Based on its current share price of $13.68, this implies potential upside of 36% for investors over the next 12 months.

In addition, an attractive 3.8% dividend yield is expected over the forecast period, boosting the total potential return to almost 40%.

Commenting on its recommendation, the broker said:

We maintain our Buy; SEK is our preferred rate-sensitive classifieds exposure looking through to a dovish RBA tilt, given the diversification in CAR and policy-impacted earnings outlook for REA.

Our Target Price is reduced to $18.60sh through earnings changes and an increase in our WACC to 10.3% (prev. 10.2%), a reduction our Growth Fund valuation via Coursera and an increase in Fund discount rate to 30% (prev. 20%) on visibility in PortCo operating performance in an AI-enabled environment. SEK’s underlying proprietary data (~750m points per day) partially consists of traffic meta data which is unable to be scraped by third parties, is valuable for targeted job placements, should support yield through soft volume environments.

The post Bell Potter says this popular ASX 200 stock could deliver a 40% return appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The Meridian Energy Ltd (ASX: MEZ) share price is in focus after the company’s May 2026 operating report, highlighting record-high financial year-to-date inflows and a robust 7.8% lift in monthly retail sales volumes.

What did Meridian Energy report?

• National hydro storage increased to 125% of the historical average by 8 June 2026.
• May monthly total inflows were 82% of the historical average; year-to-date inflows reached 118% of average (the highest since 1998).
• Waitaki catchment water storage ended May at 106% of the historical average, up 26% year-on-year.
• May retail sales volumes rose 7.8% compared to May 2025, with residential sales up 20.4%.
• Meridian’s total generation for May climbed 12% year-on-year, reflecting higher hydro and lower wind generation.
• Average price received for generation in May was 61.7% lower than the same month last year.

What else do investors need to know?

Meridian reported robust water storage levels, with financial year-to-date inflows at their highest since 1998. These healthy inflows underpin the company’s resilience as winter approaches and there is no indication of significant drought risk for the southern hydro lakes.

While retail customer connections dipped slightly (down 0.8% in May), they are up 14.3% compared to a year earlier. Segment sales growth was broad-based, with gains across residential, small and medium business, large business, agriculture, and corporate segments.

National electricity demand in May 2026 climbed 1.7% year-on-year (0.6% excluding NZ Aluminium Smelters), while the price Meridian received for generation saw a sharp year-on-year fall, tracking the broader drop in New Zealand electricity futures prices.

What’s next for Meridian Energy?

Meridian remains focused on navigating fluctuating weather conditions and electricity prices while maintaining strong hydro storage. With water levels well above historical averages, the company appears well-equipped to manage variable market and weather challenges in the coming months.

Investors can expect continued regular updates, with weekly lake storage figures and further details on market conditions made available on Meridian’s website.

Meridian Energy share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Meridian Energy shares have declined 14%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 3% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Meridian Energy: May 2026 operating update highlights robust inflows 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.