Author: openjargon

  • Megaport shares soar 194% in 2 months. What’s ahead for the remainder of 2026?

    A girl runs along with her kite flying high in the sky.

    Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) shares are trading in the green again in Wednesday trade, up slightly by less than 0.1% to a four-year high of $19.05 a piece.

    The latest increase follows Megaport’s strong share price run recently. Its shares are now trading 194% higher than when they dipped to a three-year low exactly two months ago on the 10th of April. 

    The steep recovery means the shares are now up 57% year to date and 39% higher than 12 months ago.

    What caused Megaport shares to rebound?

    A crash in investor confidence sent ASX tech stocks, including Megaport, plummeting in late 2025 and into early 2026. 

    While many tech shares have struggled to pick up pace, Megaport shares rebounded strongly in April thanks to a run of good-news announcements and a reversal of sentiment.

    In late April, the software-defined network (SDN) service provider confirmed that it had secured a three-year compute and storage contract with a total value of approximately US$25.1 million (A$35.4 million) through its recently acquired Latitude.sh business.

    The company also reaffirmed its FY26 combined guidance in early May.

    Later in May, Megaport announced it had secured three more binding contracts with two US AI customers, worth a total contract value (TCV) of approximately US$183 million and annualised recurring revenue (ARR) of approximately US$65 million. Two of those three contracts have 36-month terms, providing visibility into revenue. 

    Earlier this month, Megaport went into a trading halt ahead of the launch of a new fully underwritten $827.3 million entitlement offer. The company completed the institutional component of the offer, priced at $14.30 per share, on the 5th of June.

    The run of contract wins, confirmation that the business is on track for FY26, and the entitlement offer have rallied investors. It looks like many have flocked to buy the shares while they’re still trading at a good value.

    What can we expect for the remainder of 2026?

    I think we’ll see a lot more out of Megaport shares this year, and it looks like analysts agree.

    TradingView Data shows that the majority of analysts (12 out of 14) have a buy or strong buy rating on the ASX tech shares. The other two have a hold rating.

    The average $21.72 target price implies a potential 15% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing. 

    But some are even more bullish. Some analysts are forecasting a maximum target price of $27.80 over the next 12 months, implying Megaport shares could increase another 47%.

    UBS is one broker that is bullish on Megaport shares. It renewed its buy rating and raised its 12-month price target to $24.20, up from $16.70, earlier this month. The broker said it has been and notes that contracts secured since November have an annual recurring revenue 6 times larger than the acquired business. With accelerating AI and cloud demand, cross-selling opportunities, and balance sheet capacity, UBS believes Megaport has the potential to secure even more contract wins.

    The team at Macquarie are also positive about the outlook for Megaport shares. The broker recently confirmed its buy rating and lifted its 12-month target to $27.80, up from $26.30 previously.

    But Morgans downgraded its rating earlier this week, to accumulate, from hold previously, but with a listed $21 target price. The broker said that the move comes on the back of the company’s huge share price increase over the past month. 

    The post Megaport shares soar 194% in 2 months. What’s ahead for the remainder of 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Megaport right now?

    Before you buy Megaport shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Megaport wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

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

  • Could this struggling ASX 200 stock be about to receive a takeover offer?

    Two company members shaking hands on a deal.

    Steadfast Group Ltd (ASX: SDF) shares aren’t going anywhere on Wednesday.

    The insurance broking and agency network has been placed in a trading halt before market open after flagging a potential control transaction.

    At the time of writing, the Steadfast share price is frozen at $3.95.

    That leaves the stock down around 25% in 2026 and almost 34% over the past year.

    Let’s take a closer look at the announcement.

    Steadfast enters trading halt

    According to the ASX release, trading in Steadfast shares has been halted at the company’s request.

    Steadfast said the halt is needed while it prepares an announcement regarding a potential control transaction.

    The halt is expected to remain in place until the earlier of an announcement to the market or the start of normal trading on Friday, 12 June 2026.

    That means investors may not have to wait long for more details.

    A control transaction usually points to a deal that could involve a change in control of the company. That can include a takeover offer, merger, or other major corporate move.

    For now, Steadfast hasn’t yet provided the name of any potential buyer or deal partner. It has also not confirmed whether any agreement has been reached.

    Why investors will be watching closely

    The market will be watching because the Steadfast share price has already fallen heavily this year.

    The stock last traded at $3.95, giving the company a market capitalisation of about $4.39 billion.

    It is also trading on a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of around 12.2 and a dividend yield of just over 5%.

    But after such a large drop, a bid at a premium to today’s price could still look low compared with where Steadfast was trading last year.

    Keep in mind, Steadfast isn’t a small or speculative business.

    The company provides services to insurance brokers and underwriting agencies, with operations across Australia, Asia, and Europe.

    Its network model gives it exposure to insurance broking, agency earnings, and related services.

    Where it could go from here

    The next update should tell us whether this is heading toward a firm offer or if talks are still at an early stage.

    Steadfast has only said it is preparing an update on a potential control transaction.

    That means the price, structure, timing, and any conditions are still unknown.

    If a proposal lands, shareholders will have to decide whether the price is good enough to give up any future upside.

    The post Could this struggling ASX 200 stock be about to receive a takeover offer? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Steadfast Group right now?

    Before you buy Steadfast Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Steadfast Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

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

  • Sell alert! Why this expert is calling time on Westpac and CBA shares

    Buy and sell on yellow paper with pins on them and several share price lines.

    Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are edging lower today.

    Shares in the big four S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank stock closed yesterday trading for $160.48. At the time of writing, shares are changing hands for $160.33 apiece, down 0.1%.

    Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares are heading the other way, up 1% at $35.04 each.

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

    Taking a step back, CommBank stock has dropped 11.2% over the past 12 months, trailing the 0.7% one-year gains posted by the benchmark index. CBA shares also trade on a 3.1% fully-franked trailing dividend yield.

    Westpac shares have managed to outperform the ASX 200 this past year, gaining 4.6% since 10 June 2025. Westpac shares also trade on a 4.4% fully-franked trailing dividend yield.

    Looking ahead, however, Morgans’ Damien Nguyen expects both ASX 200 bank stocks to likely underperform (courtesy of The Bull).

    Should I sell CBA shares today?

    “CBA is Australia’s highest quality retail bank, with a leading market position, strong digital platform and reliable earnings generation,” Nguyen said.

    “However, quality alone doesn’t justify the recent valuation, which stands at a significant premium to domestic and global banking peers,” he added.

    Summarising his sell recommendation on CBA shares, Nguyen concluded:

    Credit quality remains sound, but should be monitored in a higher-for-longer interest rate environment. The market has long rewarded CBA with a premium multiple. But at recent levels, the shares appear to price in a near perfect outcome with little room for disappointment.

    Time to exit Westpac shares?

    Atop his bearish outlook on CBA shares, Nguyen also issued a sell recommendation on Westpac shares.

    “Revenue growth appears constrained by a competitive mortgage market and subdued business lending conditions,” he noted.

    Citing ongoing uncertainty, Nguyen noted:

    The bank has made meaningful progress on its strategic simplification agenda, shedding non-core businesses and improving its risk and compliance foundations. The pathway to sustainable outperformance remains unclear.

    In our view, the recent share price doesn’t offer a sufficient margin of safety in a challenging banking environment. We see the risk–reward equation as unfavourable at recent levels.

    Also bearish on Westpac shares

    Westpac topped CBA shares on The Bull this week, with two analysts tipping the ASX 200 bank stock as a sell.

    “Westpac has a strong retail franchise, but the valuation appears stretched,” MPC Markets’ Mark Gardner said. “Consensus targets imply downside from current levels.”

    According to Gardner:

    The bank has made progress on simplifying its operations and cutting costs, but, in our view, earnings growth is still expected to lag the broader Australian market.

    The bank is up against competitive pressures and the risk of softer credit conditions. Investors may want to consider taking a profit at these levels.

    The post Sell alert! Why this expert is calling time on Westpac and CBA shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Commonwealth Bank Of Australia right now?

    Before you buy Commonwealth Bank Of Australia shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Commonwealth Bank Of Australia wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

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

  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy now

    a group of people sit around a computer in an office environment.

    Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models and recommendations. This has led to a number of broker notes being released this week.

    Three ASX shares that brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why their analysts are feeling bullish on them right now:

    ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ)

    According to a note out of Citi, its analysts have retained their buy rating on this banking giant’s shares with a trimmed price target of $39.25. Citi has been looking into the potential impact of proposed housing tax changes. The broker suspects that the changes could slow credit growth and has adjusted its estimates to reflect this. The good news is that Citi believes mortgage growth will moderate more than business lending growth, which leaves ANZ, with its strong business franchise, better positioned to handle the slowdown. As a result, the broker has named ANZ as its preferred major bank at present. The ANZ share price is trading at $34.46 on Wednesday afternoon.

    Life360 Inc. (ASX: 360)

    Another note out of Citi reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating on this location technology company’s shares with a trimmed price target of $28.25. Citi highlights that app data suggests that Life360 had a strong month in the United States in May. In addition, international markets showed stronger momentum. And while it is only one month of the year, the broker suspects this strength could lead to Life360 outperforming subscription revenue expectations. The Life360 share price is trading at $22.30 on Wednesday.

    Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6)

    A note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have retained their speculative buy rating and $1.35 price target on this gold developer’s shares. The broker highlights that Minerals 260 has released more positive drilling results from the Bullabulling Gold Project. Bell Potter points out that the results continue to confirm the continuity and grade of mineralisation at Bullabulling. They also demonstrate that key deposits remain open at depth and along strike. And with high-grade hits below the existing pit-shells and along the more recently identified footwall shear zones, Bell Potter believes there are strong high-grade targets emerging. Outside this, the broker notes that Minerals 260 has a very strong balance sheet and enough cash to fund it through to a final investment decision in early 2027. The Minerals 260 share price is fetching 76 cents at the time of writing.

    The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Life360 right now?

    Before you buy Life360 shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Life360 wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

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    Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360. 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.

  • Goodman shares rise as another insider sells $18.9 million. Should investors care?

    Kid stacking coins from the jar.

    Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) shares are pushing higher on Wednesday, even after another director share sale put the property giant back in the spotlight.

    At the time of writing, the Goodman share price is up 1.28% to $31.60.

    That puts the stock up almost 5% over the past month, although it is still down around 8% over the past year.

    Today’s gain comes after Goodman released a director’s interest notice after market close on Tuesday.

    Here’s the detail in the notice.

    Another director sells shares

    According to the release, Goodman Executive Director Danny Peeters sold 600,000 GMG stapled securities on market.

    The sale took place across 4 June and 5 June.

    The total value of the sale was about $18.9 million.

    After the transaction, Peeters still held 1,905,291 GMG stapled securities, along with 2,085,538 GMG performance rights under the company’s long-term incentive plan.

    It also follows a recent sale from Goodman Group boss Greg Goodman.

    Earlier this month, Goodman sold 245,525 directly held securities for about $7.7 million. He still holds a much larger indirect interest in the group, along with performance rights.

    Nonetheless, two big sales in the space of a week are always going to be noticed by shareholders.

    It appears the market doesn’t seem too worried today, but investors may still ask why senior insiders are taking some money off the table.

    Why the market is still buying

    The director sales have not stopped investors buying the stock today.

    A big reason is that Goodman is still being viewed as one of the ASX’s main ways to gain exposure to growth in data centres.

    The company already has a large global industrial property platform, and investors are now watching how far it can push into sites built around data centre demand.

    And that is being driven by cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the need for more digital infrastructure.

    Goodman has a market capitalisation of about $64.6 billion. It also trades on a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of around 38 times, with a dividend yield below 1%.

    Foolish Takeaway

    Goodman still has broker support, but the targets are not miles ahead of the current price.

    Morgan Stanley recently lifted its target to $36 apiece, while Jefferies cut its target to $34.13, and Bell Potter lowered its target to $35.50.

    That still points to some upside from $31.60, but it also shows expectations are already high.

    After both insider sales, investors will want to see Goodman keep turning its data centre pipeline into earnings growth.

    The post Goodman shares rise as another insider sells $18.9 million. Should investors care? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Goodman Group right now?

    Before you buy Goodman Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Goodman Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

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

  • Transurban, Aurizon, Ampol shares hit fresh multi-year highs: Buy, sell or hold today?

    A team of people giving the thumbs up sign.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is trading in the green at the time of writing after a run of declines over the past week. 

    At the time of writing, the index is up slightly by less than 0.1%, but it’s still down around 1.5% year to date.

    It’s not all doom and gloom across the index, though. Some ASX 200 shares have significantly outpaced the index so far this year and are now trading at 52-week highs.

    Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD)

    Ampol shares are trading in the green again at the time of writing. The shares are up slightly by around 0.1% to a two-year high of $36.58.

    For the year to date, Ampol shares have increased around 14%, driven higher by conflict in the Middle East and ongoing concerns around global oil supply.

    Ampol has also posted a few recent updates that have gathered investor attention. Earlier this month, Ampol received the green light, with conditions, from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for a proposed acquisition of fuel and convenience store operator EG Australia. 

    The company previously confirmed a 10% increase in refinery production, higher refiner margins, and increased production in its Q1 FY26 trading update. 

    Market Index data shows that all brokers are bullish on the price run for Ampol shares. All brokers rate the stock as a strong buy, and they tip around a 4% upside to an average target price of $37.84, at the time of writing.

    Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ)

    Aurizon shares are up around another 0.2%, to a six-year high of $4.34 a piece.

    For the year to date, the shares are nearly 21% higher.

    The rail freight operator, which hauls bulk commodities, including coal, iron ore, and agricultural products, has enjoyed a strong rally this year after it posted a stronger-than-expected half-year FY26 earnings result and announced an upsized dividend payment to shareholders in mid-February.

    Aurizon reaffirmed its FY26 guidance in a business update last month, despite weather and fuel-cost headwinds. 

    But after a share price surge earlier this year, it looks like brokers now consider Aurizon shares to be trading at, or even above, fair value.

    TradingView data shows that the majority of analysts (eight out of 10) have a hold rating on the freight operator’s shares. They forecast an average target price of $3.93, which implies a potential downside of around 9% at the time of writing.

    Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

    Transurban shares have been relatively stable throughout the highs and lows of a volatile start to the year. The toll road operator’s shares are trading in the green again on Wednesday, up around 0.3% to a six-year high of $15.20 a piece.

    The increase is small, but it means the shares are now around 7% higher year to date and 6% higher than 12 months ago. The share price has gone up and down throughout this period, swinging mildly anywhere between $13.37 and $15.20 so far in 2026. 

    Transurban has benefited from a flight to defensive stocks during sharemarket volatility. Most of its toll roads are on an annual contract, which means Transurban has been able to continually increase its toll prices in line with rising inflation.

    Clearly, investors are leaning towards Transbuban shares while defensive shares are back in focus, but brokers aren’t as optimistic.

    According to Market Index data, all brokers have a hold rating on the stock. However, after the latest rally, the $13.69 target price implies around a 10% downside at the time of writing.

    The post Transurban, Aurizon, Ampol shares hit fresh multi-year highs: Buy, sell or hold today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Ampol right now?

    Before you buy Ampol shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Ampol wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

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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 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.

  • Why Develop Global, IDP Education, JB Hi-Fi, and Wesfarmers shares are pushing higher today

    two men smiling with a laptop in front of them, symbolising a rising share price.

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a decent gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.35% to 8,633.2 points.

    Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are climbing:

    Develop Global Ltd (ASX: DVP)

    The Develop Global share price is up 1.5% to $6.50. This morning, this mining and mining services company announced that it will develop the Sulphur Springs and Pioneer Dome projects after making final investment decisions. The company’s managing director, Bill Beament, commented: “These are pivotal developments which set up our company for rapid growth. They unlock the huge value of these two projects, putting us on track to generate significant cashflows from three operations covering copper, zinc, silver and lithium and all in Australia.”

    IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

    The IDP Education share price is up 4% to $2.19. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Morgans this week. It upgraded the language testing and student placement company’s shares to a buy rating with a $3.15 price target. It said: “Visa data in IDP’s key destination markets remains in deep contraction, with AUS, CAD, and the UK all experiencing material volume and visa grant rate declines. Positively, IDP’s China IELTS is scaling quickly (13 test centres vs 5 at 1H26), the cost base reset is on track (A$25m net reduction), and the group continues to demonstrate pricing power across both IELTS and Student Placement (SP). With structural demand drivers for international study intact, a leaner cost base, growing China optionality and ongoing technology/product development (Navi, FastLane, One Skill Retake), we are willing to look through the near-term backdrop on a cyclically depressed multiple. We upgrade to BUY, A$3.15ps PT.”

    JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH)

    The JB Hi-Fi share price is up over 3.5% to $76.16. This is despite there being no news out of the retail giant. However, it is worth noting that investors have been buying retail shares on Wednesday. This could possibly be due to optimism that interest rate hikes are over in Australia and the RBA’s next move will be to lower them.

    Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

    The Wesfarmers share price is up 2.5% to $82.05. Investors appear to have responded positively to the company’s 2026 Strategy Briefing Day event. At the event, Wesfarmers highlighted three key messages. It is accelerating its growth and productivity agenda, it has a portfolio of high-quality businesses with a mix of growth and resilience, and it retains a strong balance sheet with flexibility to invest.

    The post Why Develop Global, IDP Education, JB Hi-Fi, and Wesfarmers shares are pushing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Develop Global right now?

    Before you buy Develop Global shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Develop Global wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

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

  • Why $250,000 in superannuation is not enough for a comfortable retirement

    Australian dollar notes in a nest, symbolising a nest egg.

    Retirees with less than $250,000 in their superannuation nest egg on retirement face a high likelihood of running out of money within a decade if they target a comfortable lifestyle, a new study from the Monash Centre for Financial Studies says.

    But the good news is that at balances greater than $400,000, “the chance of sustaining income rises to near certainty, regardless of portfolio design”, Associate Professor Ummul Ruthbah said.

    Larger nest egg the key

    According to the research carried out by Associate Professor Ruthbah and Dr Trinh Le, retirees with smaller savings pools can’t sustain higher spending targets – a comfortable lifestyle – regardless of their portfolio design.

    Associate Professor Ruthbah said:

    If someone has a low superannuation balance, one option is to adjust spending. Our study finds that when retirees target a moderate level of spending rather than a more comfortable lifestyle, the portfolio is more likely to remain sustainable over ten years, regardless of the asset allocation. Another important consideration is maintaining some exposure to equities. Our capital market assumptions suggest that bond-only portfolios are unlikely to generate optimal returns relative to the level of risk taken over the long term.

    The research also highlights the importance of market losses early in retirement.

    The research report said:

    For example, someone who retired in 2022 – a year impacted by market volatility that delivered negative equity and fixed income returns – may end up with a significantly lower portfolio balance after 10 years than someone who retired in 2023 with the same superannuation balance and investment strategy. One approach retirees can consider is to reduce or postpone withdrawals from their superannuation during periods of significant market decline. More generally, retirees may benefit from adopting a flexible withdrawal strategy that adjusts to market conditions and personal circumstances, rather than relying on a fixed withdrawal rate regardless of investment performance.

    The report said an early market downturn can reduce ending balances by as much as 25%.

    And in terms of portfolio design:

    The evidence points to a simple conclusion: retirees benefit from maintaining meaningful exposure to growth assets. Portfolios that lean too heavily on fixed income may feel safe in the short term, but almost guarantee declining balances over time.

    Gender gap needs to be addressed

    It also found that women were at greater risk of depleting their superannuation savings, given they tended to have 20% to 30% less to begin with.

    Associate Professor Ruthbah said:

    This gap has profound implications for retirement adequacy and policy design. It underlines the need for measures to boost women’s superannuation savings, whether through targeted contribution incentives, reforms to address career breaks and pay disparities, or enhancements to the Age Pension safety net.

    The report used the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) standards, about $51,800 a year for a comfortable lifestyle and $32,900 for a modest one.

    The post Why $250,000 in superannuation is not enough for a comfortable retirement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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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.

  • Why Evolution Mining, REA Group, Sigma Healthcare, and TechnologyOne shares are tumbling today

    a man weraing a suit sits nervously at his laptop computer biting into his clenched hand with nerves, and perhaps fear.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is back on form and pushing higher. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up almost 0.5% to 8,644.9 points.

    Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here’s why they are falling:

    Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)

    The Evolution Mining share price is down almost 3% to $10.99. Investors have been selling its shares after the gold price pulled back again overnight. Traders were selling gold ahead of the release of US inflation data. There are concerns that inflation could be running hot and that interest rate hikes may be necessary.

    REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

    The REA Group share price is down almost 3% to $148.39. This appears to have been driven by a second broker downgrade in as many days. After Bell Potter downgraded the property listings company’s shares to a sell rating (from buy) yesterday, UBS has followed suit and cut its recommendation to neutral from buy with a reduced price target of $165 (from $213). The broker has concerns that recent property tax changes could weigh on listing volumes in the near term.

    Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG)

    The Sigma Healthcare share price is down over 4% to $2.79. This follows news that the Chemist Warehouse owner is in preliminary talks to buy UK retail chain Boots. It said: “Sigma Healthcare Limited (Sigma) refers to the recent media speculation regarding the sale process of The Boots Group (Boots). Sigma continuously reviews opportunities that would create value for shareholders and has engaged in preliminary discussions in relation to the sale process. There is no certainty that any transaction will eventuate.” It seems that some investors are not keen on the ambitious move.

    TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

    The TechnologyOne share price is down 1.5% to $32.03. The catalyst for this may have been a broker note out of Bell Potter. It has downgraded the enterprise software provider’s shares to a hold rating (from buy) with an improved price target of $34.25 (from $32.25). Bell Potter said: “Our updated TP of $34.25 is <15% premium to the share price so we downgrade our recommendation to HOLD. We now see the stock as reasonable value on FY26 and FY27 PE ratios of 66x and 55x respectively. We do see Technology One as one of if not the best quality large cap SaaS company on the ASX but we note it is already trading at almost double the FY26 and FY27 PE ratios of WiseTech (ASX: WTC) on 35x and 28x.”

    The post Why Evolution Mining, REA Group, Sigma Healthcare, and TechnologyOne shares are tumbling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Evolution Mining right now?

    Before you buy Evolution Mining shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Evolution Mining wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in REA Group, Technology One, and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Technology One and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Technology One. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • The SpaceX and Anthropic IPOs will massively impact ASX AI shares

    A woman researcher holds a finger up in happiness as if making the 'number one' sign with a graphic of technological data and an orb emanating from her finger while fellow researchers work in the background.

    This week is a big one for global capital markets and ASX AI shares.

    SpaceX prices its shares tomorrow, 11 June 2026, at US$135 per share, implying a valuation of approximately US$1.75 trillion, and begins trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX on Thursday, 12 June.

    That would make it the largest IPO in stock market history, surpassing Saudi Aramco‘s US$1.7 trillion listing in 2019.

    Anthropic, the AI company behind the Claude platform, has filed confidentially with the SEC at a reported valuation of approximately US$900 billion, targeting a public debut as soon as October.

    And just this week, OpenAI also filed confidentially for an IPO, with the combined three-company valuation potentially exceeding US$3.6 trillion.

    None of these companies will be available on the ASX. But all three will reshape how the market thinks about AI stocks, including the ones that are available here.

    Why these IPOs change everything for ASX AI shares

    For the first time, the world’s most important AI infrastructure companies are being given public market price tags.

    That is important for ASX investors for two reasons.

    First, successful listings at these valuations validate the entire AI investment thesis at a scale that no private funding round has ever achieved.

    Second, the capital flows these IPOs generate will not stay in the United States.

    Institutional investors across Asia-Pacific, including Australia’s own superannuation funds, will look to rebalance AI exposure following the listings.

    This rebalancing will direct fresh attention and capital toward ASX-listed AI infrastructure plays.

    Three in particular stand out.

    Betashares Space Industry ETF

    The most direct ASX beneficiary of the SpaceX listing is the Betashares Space Industry ETF (ASX: RCKT), which launched on 12 May 2026.

    The ETF has had a wild ride as SpaceX anticipation built throughout the month.

    RCKT tracks the Solactive Space Industry Index, holding 28 companies across the global space economy with Rocket Lab and AST SpaceMobile as its two largest positions.

    SpaceX will need to meet index inclusion criteria before RCKT can formally hold it, a process that typically takes several months.

    In the meantime, RCKT remains the clearest and most liquid ASX proxy for investor excitement around the space economy that SpaceX is bringing.

    NextDC Ltd

    NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) is Australia’s largest independent data centre operator.

    The company is building a $7 billion AI data centre campus in Western Sydney with OpenAI as its foundational customer.

    Now that OpenAI has filed for its own IPO, that customer relationship takes on new significance.

    For context, Anthropic is paying SpaceX’s xAI division US$1.25 billion per month for exclusive compute access. This illustrates just how voracious AI companies’ appetite for data centre capacity has become.

    Every dollar an AI company spends on compute creates demand for the infrastructure NextDC provides.

    Perhaps as a result, NextDC raised its FY 2026 capital expenditure guidance to between $2.7 billion and $3.0 billion as contracted utilisation surged 60% in the March quarter.

    Macquarie Technology Group Ltd

    Macquarie Technology Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ) plays a different but equally important role in the AI IPO story.

    Anthropic’s Claude platform is increasingly being adopted by Australian government agencies, financial institutions, and critical infrastructure operators.

    Many of these organisations cannot use offshore AI infrastructure for data sovereignty reasons.

    This has created a captive market for Macquarie Technology, which provides sovereign cloud and AI infrastructure backed by a $200 million National Reconstruction Fund investment.

    As Anthropic’s public listing raises its enterprise profile globally, the demand for sovereign Australian AI infrastructure will only grow.

    The risk worth acknowledging for ASX AI shares

    History offers a warning.

    Of the five largest IPOs in modern history, only Visa significantly outperformed markets after listing.

    On the other end, Saudi Aramco still trades below its issue price.

    If SpaceX disappoints in its first weeks of trading, the repricing conversation that follows would weigh on AI stocks globally, including the RCKT ETF, NextDC, and Macquarie Technology.

    Foolish Takeaway

    SpaceX prices tomorrow, Anthropic is months away from listing, and OpenAI just filed.

    For ASX investors who want exposure to the AI IPO wave without buying US-listed stocks, the RCKT ETF, NextDC, and Macquarie Technology offer three unique ways to participate.

    The post The SpaceX and Anthropic IPOs will massively impact ASX AI shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Nextdc right now?

    Before you buy Nextdc shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Nextdc wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

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    Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven 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.