Author: openjargon

Shares in computer memory company Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT) have been performing strongly recently, even though the company raised $87 million in new capital at a discount.

Upside remains

The shares are changing hands for $7.08 at the time of writing, well above the $4.05 per share at which the company raised the new capital, but the team at Pitt Street Research believes the shares could go even higher.

The company is also raising a further $15 million in an offer to its existing shareholders.

The Pitt Street team said the new capital raise brought the company’s cash position to $172 million, “making it one of the best capitalised independent IP licensors in the non-volatile memory market”.

They added:

The next phase of Weebit Nano’s growth cycle is to scale the commercial model to start generating royalty revenues, which will be the primary driver of cash flow growth over the next 10 years. The $87m placement is being invested across three equal investment buckets to facilitate exactly that.

Pitt Street said the company was investing $25 million apiece across three growth drivers, one of which was the core ReRAM technology.

Pitt Street added:

It’s currently starting to look like Weebit Nano holds a first mover advantage as the only publicly listed independent ReRAM IP licensor with signed commercial agreements at the Tier-1 integrated device manufacturer level, a position that, to our knowledge, no direct competitor has yet replicated. For investors looking at the company’s trajectory over the next 5 years, we see a credible path to 8 – 10 qualified foundry partners, including its existing foundry customers, alongside 10 – 15 IDMs and between 150 – 200 product companies actively designing Weebit Nano ReRAM into their product and chip manufacturing flows.

Pitt Street said this was when the royalty revenue story will begin to materialise.

We model the first royalty contributions emerging in FY27 as current customers complete qualification and move toward production, with royalties scaling materially post-2030 as production volumes ramp across an expanding customer base. At that point, the business model transitions from the current license and NRE fee dominance into the high-margin, recurring royalty profile that defines the long-term earnings power of the company.

Shares looking like good value

Pitt Street has valued the company using a peer group analysis methodology, as well as looked at the company’s value in an M&A scenario.

The Pitt Street team values Weebit Nano at $10.20 per share, up from the previous valuation of $9.74.

The company is valued at $1.73 billion.

The post Up more than 300% over a year, could this ASX tech stock keep rising? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX shares that have doubled in the last year and could keep climbing
• Are these ASX shares a buy, hold or sell after jumping 8% or more?
• Up 300% in a year, this ASX tech stock just hit its highest level since 2023
• Are these ASX shares a buy, hold or sell after rocketing to record highs last week?
• Why did shares in this ASX technology company surge more than 20%?

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.

Thematic ASX ETFs give investors an opportunity to harness powerful long-term trends shaping the global economy. 

Common themes stretch from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to clean energy and healthcare innovation. 

The advantage of utilising ASX ETFs is the ability to target a theme without having to pick individual winners. 

By providing diversified exposure to entire industries or emerging megatrends, these funds can help investors position their portfolios for future growth while reducing the company-specific risks that come with backing a single stock.

There are several thematic ASX ETFs that hit new 52-week highs on Monday. 

Monitoring these funds can be a great way to identify emerging trends and winning themes across global markets. 

Here are three funds investors should be monitoring after hitting new record highs yesterday. 

Betashares Capital – Betashares Climate Change Innovation ETF (ASX: ERTH)

This ASX ETF rose almost 2% yesterday to hit its highest point in the last year. 

It is now up 24% in the last 12 months. 

The fund aims to track the performance of an index that comprises a portfolio of up to 100 leading global companies that derive at least 50% of their revenues from products and services that help to address climate change and other environmental problems through the reduction or avoidance of CO2 emissions. 

This covers clean energy providers, along with leading companies tackling green transport, waste management, sustainable product development, and improved energy efficiency and storage.

It could be an ideal choice for investors looking to target ESG investing, prioritising companies having a positive environmental impact. 

Vaneck Msci International Value (Aud Hedged) ETF (ASX: HVLU)

Value investing has reemerged as a successful strategy in 2026. 

Inflation pressure, a strong US economic growth outlook and compelling valuations are all pointing towards classic signs of a value market. 

This ASX ETF has been a beneficiary of these economic conditions, rising more than 22% year to date. 

The fund gives investors a diversified portfolio of 250 international developed market large- and mid-cap companies. These companies all have high value scores as calculated by MSCI at each rebalance.

The high value score is based on: 

• price to book value
• price to forward earnings
• enterprise value to cash flow from operations.

Global X Hydrogen ETF (ASX: HGEN)

This ASX ETF continued its stellar run yesterday, climbing 2% higher to take its year to date gain to over 85%. 

The fund seeks to invest in companies that stand to benefit from the advancement of the global hydrogen industry. 

This includes companies involved in hydrogen production; the integration of hydrogen into energy systems; and the development/manufacturing of hydrogen fuel cells, electrolysers, and other technologies related to the utilisation of hydrogen as an energy source.

The post 3 of the hottest thematic ASX ETFs for investors to target this week  appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Is green hydrogen still Australia’s next great opportunity? Here is what ASX investors need to know
• These ASX ETFs are smashing record highs 
• Why Aussie investors are pouring into international ASX ETFs
• Why value investing is back: Expert

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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.

Australia has a skills problem and it is not going away any time soon. 

The Hays 2026 Jobs Report confirms that accountants, teachers, engineers, and trades workers remain undersupplied relative to employer demand across the country.

The construction sector alone needs 90,000 additional workers to meet the federal government’s 1.2 million home target by 2029. 

For a company that sits at the centre of how Australian employers and job seekers find each other, that backdrop should be unambiguously positive. 

Yet Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK) shares are down approximately 50% in the last twelve months, making it one of the worst performing large-cap technology stocks on the ASX this year. 

The question for investors is whether that sell-off represents a warning sign or a rare buying opportunity.

What has gone wrong in the near term

The near-term headwinds are worth acknowledging. 

Job ad volumes in Australia and New Zealand dipped in the first half of FY2026 due to macroeconomic factors, including elevated interest rates, cost of living pressures, and corporate caution around headcount expansion. 

Australia’s unemployment rate jumped to its highest level since late 2021 in April 2026, as reported by the ABS, as a wave of corporate redundancies pushed more workers onto the market simultaneously. 

For a business that earns revenue primarily from employers paying to advertise job vacancies, softer hiring conditions translate directly into lower ad volumes and slower revenue growth. 

That is one core reason the market has sold the stock down so aggressively this year.

But the underlying business keeps improving

Despite the volume headwinds, Seek’s first-half FY2026 result demonstrated that the business model is becoming more resilient, not less. 

Revenue grew 21% to a record $765 million for the half year, driven by AI-enabled product innovations that boosted pricing and yield even as raw ad volumes softened. 

Seek’s placement share in the Australian recruitment market now stands at 4.9 times its nearest competitor, a dominance that is almost impossible to replicate and gives the company significant pricing power regardless of short-term volume fluctuations. 

The company declared a record interim dividend of 25 cents per share, a 25% increase on the prior corresponding period.

This signals management confidence in the business trajectory despite the challenging macro backdrop. 

Seek’s AI-powered platform improvements, including smarter candidate matching, automated screening tools, and dynamic pricing, are expanding the value the platform delivers to both employers and job seekers.

This in turn supports ongoing price growth without material churn.

The skills shortage thesis

The near-term softness in job ads is driven by macroeconomic cyclicality.

However, there is no structural change to Australia’s underlying skills shortage. 

The Hays 2026 Jobs Report confirms that demand for skilled professionals in engineering, technology, healthcare, and construction exceeds available supply.

This is a gap that demographic trends will widen rather than close over the coming decade. 

As the RBA’s hiking cycle eventually reaches its peak and business confidence stabilises, employer hiring activity should gradually recover.

Seek will be the primary beneficiary of that normalisation given its dominant market position and the absence of any meaningful competition at scale. 

Furthermore, Seek’s international operations in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia, offer a significant and largely untapped growth opportunity as those labour markets continue to formalise and digitalise. 

Citi carries a buy rating on SEEK with a price target of $26, implying upside of approximately 80% from current levels, and has acknowledged near-term headwinds while maintaining that the stock remains meaningfully undervalued at current prices. 

Foolish takeaway

Seek is not a stock for investors seeking a near-term catalyst. 

The macro headwinds are significant and the share price may remain under pressure until hiring volumes clearly recover. 

However, for patient investors with a multi-year time horizon, the combination of an unassailable domestic market position, AI-powered platform improvements, a growing international opportunity, and Australia’s structural skills shortage as a persistent demand tailwind makes the current entry point worth serious consideration.

The post Why Australia’s skills shortage could be a long-term tailwind for this ASX stock appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Are these oversold ASX shares too cheap to ignore?
• ASX tech shares vs. ATEC ETF: How they fared during sector downturn
• 4 ASX 200 stocks rated a strong buy with an upside over 50%

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.

The tech sector has had its fair share of ups and downs in recent years.

Higher interest rates, valuation concerns, and questions about artificial intelligence (AI) have all put pressure on parts of the market. But that does not mean investors should ignore the sector.

For example, the two ASX tech shares in this article are solving important problems, building sticky customer relationships, and expanding into large markets. Here’s why they could be top buy and hold picks:

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

Pro Medicus is one ASX tech share that has been an extraordinary performer over the long term.

It provides medical imaging software to hospitals, radiology groups, and healthcare networks. Its Visage platform helps customers view, manage, and distribute medical images quickly and efficiently.

That is a niche but important market. Medical imaging volumes continue to grow as healthcare systems rely more heavily on scans to diagnose and manage patients. This creates a need for fast, reliable, and scalable imaging technology.

Pro Medicus has built a strong reputation in this area, with its software consistently being selected by a number of major healthcare institutions. This speaks to the quality of its platform and the importance of performance in this field.

The company also benefits from a highly attractive business model. Its contracts can be large, long-term, and sticky. And once a customer is using Pro Medicus’ software across critical workflows, switching to another provider is not a simple decision.

Its valuation is often demanding, and investors should expect volatility if market expectations shift. But Pro Medicus has a rare combination of global growth potential, high margins, and mission-critical software.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

Xero is already a well-known ASX tech share, but its growth story is far from over.

The company’s software sits at the centre of small business finance. Once a business has its invoicing, payroll, bank feeds, reporting, payments, and adviser relationships connected to one platform, switching becomes a hassle.

That gives Xero an attractive level of customer stickiness. It also gives the company room to expand beyond basic accounting software.

The bigger opportunity is to become a broader financial operating system for small businesses. That means helping customers manage more of the work that sits around accounting, including payments, payroll, insights, automation, and compliance.

This is important because small businesses often have limited time and resources. Tools that save time, reduce admin, and improve financial visibility can be valuable even in tougher economic conditions.

Xero also has international growth potential. The company estimates that it has a global addressable market in the region of 100 million small to medium sized businesses. This arguably gives Xero a multi-decade growth runway.

The post 2 incredible ASX tech shares you’ll wish you bought and held appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Xero shares vs WiseTech shares: Which ASX tech share would I buy today?
• I would buy these world-class ASX shares for an SMSF
• How to turn $500 a month into $500,000 with ASX shares
• 2 ASX 200 shares I’d buy for the next 10 years
• Should you buy and hold Xero shares for 10 years?

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

If you are looking for income options outside the big four banks, then it could be worth checking out the ASX dividend stocks in this article.

They have been named as top buys by analysts at Bell Potter and are forecast to offer attractive dividend yields in the near term.

Here’s what the broker is recommending to clients:

Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC)

The nickel producer could be an overlooked ASX dividend stock to buy according to the broker.

The broker believes the company is positioned to deliver a major free cash flow uplift in the near term, which it expects to support big dividends. It said:

NIC is the only material ASX way to gain exposure to the nickel price, has a growth story, and is diversifying earnings to span Type 1 and Type 2 nickel. NIC continues to generate positive cash flows in a tough nickel market and is set to deliver major growth milestones in CY25 across its highest margin nickel operations. All up, given the forecast high production growth and potential for a very large free cash flow uplift in the next 2 years or so, NIC presents a compelling story and appears cheap at current valuation.

Bell Potter is forecasting dividends of 10 cents per share in FY 2027 and then 12 cents per share in FY 2028. Based on its current share price of $1.02, this would mean dividend yields of almost 10% and 12%, respectively.

The broker has a buy rating and $1.45 price target on its shares.

Praemium Ltd (ASX: PPS)

This investment platform provider has been given the thumbs up by Bell Potter.

It thinks this ASX dividend stock is undervalued compared to peers. It said:

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

Bell Potter is forecasting Praemium to pay fully franked dividends per share of 2.7 cents in FY 2026 and then 3.4 cents in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of 69.5 cents, this would mean dividend yields of 3.9% and 4.9%, respectively.

The broker has a buy rating and $1.20 price target on its shares.

The post These ASX dividend stocks offer yields of up to 12% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• This ASX 200 nickel stock is rising after a huge project upgrade
• 2 ASX mining shares to buy: experts
• Bell Potter names the best ASX shares to buy in May
• This ASX materials stock could be set to boom 40% or more
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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

On Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the week on a positive note. The benchmark index rose 0.4% to 8,692 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Tuesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 to rise

The Australian share market looks set to rise again on Tuesday following a strong night in Europe. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 22 points or 0.25% higher. In the United States, Wall Street was closed for the Memorial Day holiday. But in Europe, the DAX rose 2%, the CAC climbed 1.75%, and the FTSE pushed 0.2% higher.

Oil prices sink

ASX 200 energy shares including Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) will be on watch on Tuesday after a poor night for oil prices. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 6.5% to US$90.30 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 7% to US$96.30 a barrel. This was driven by optimism that the US and Iran could soon sign a peace deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Goodman results

All eyes will be on Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) shares on Tuesday when the industrial property giant releases its third-quarter results. The market is expecting Goodman to reaffirm its FY 2026 guidance for earnings per share growth of 9%. However, the team at Morgan Stanley sees scope for management to upgrade its guidance because of some key transactions that have occurred since its last update.

Gold price storms higher

ASX 200 gold shares Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) will be on watch on Tuesday after the gold price stormed higher overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 1.1% to US$4,573.6 an ounce. The gold price rose in response to easing oil prices, which has reduced interest rate hike expectations.

Wesfarmers shares upgraded

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares are good value according to analysts at Morgans. The broker has upgraded the Bunnings owner’s shares to an accumulate rating (from trim) with a slightly improved price target of $81.10 (from $80.50). It said: “WES’s share price has fallen 9% over the past 12 months and 7% over the past 6 months. The stock is now trading on a more reasonable 26.5x FY27F PE compared to a peak one-year forward multiple of ~37x in August 2025. […]  In our view, WES remains a high-quality business with a healthy balance sheet and a proven management team. Amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and cost-of-living pressures, its retail divisions (Bunnings, Kmart Group, Officeworks, Priceline) are well-placed to grow due to their strong value propositions. A sustained improvement in lithium prices should also support earnings over the medium term.”

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

More reading

• Buying Wesfarmers shares today? Here’s the dividend yield you’ll get
• Why this ASX gold miner is quietly outperforming its peers in 2026
• 2 ASX growth shares that could be long-term winners
• How to start investing in ASX shares in 2026
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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

There are always plenty of reasons for ASX shares to fall. Broad economic conditions, poor earnings or company-specific setbacks such as rising costs, margin pressure, regulatory issues, or weakening demand can all quickly weigh on investor sentiment.

However there is a pivotal point where ASX shares, despite these headwinds, become especially attractive to value investors.

This arbitrary number can be difficult for investors to pinpoint. 

However looking at expert estimates can help identify ASX shares that have been oversold, and now represent a buy low candidate. 

Here are three such options that may have reached that price after hitting fresh 52-week lows yesterday.

Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK)

Seek is a global leader in the online employment marketplace, serving Australia, Asia, Latin America, and beyond.

Its share price tumbled 5% yesterday to hit a new 52-week low of $12.08 per share. 

This was despite no price sensitive news from the company. 

Seek shares are now down 48% year to date. 

It seemed they had finally shaken AI replacement fears during April as its share price recovered somewhat. 

However the downslide has since continued during May. 

These ASX shares now appear too cheap to ignore. 

At the time of writing, 14 analysts offering a one year forecast have an average price target of $23.12 on Seek shares. 

This indicates an upside potential of 91% from current levels. 

Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB)

Austal is an Australian-based shipbuilder that specialises in the design, construction, and support of defence and commercial vessels globally.

Its products include naval vessels, defence surface warfare combatants, high-speed support vessels, patrol boats for law enforcement, offshore vessels, as well as passenger and vehicle ferries.

The company enjoyed a defence craze in 2025, as its share price rocketed over 100% during the last calendar year. 

However since the start of 2026, it has crashed 44%. 

This has come despite contract wins and a record order book of $17.7 billion in contracted work, up from $13.1 billion just eight months earlier. 

It now has a decade of work locked in the pipeline, yet has been heavily sold off. 

Broker targets are hovering around $6.94 for this ASX defence stock. 

This is 83% higher than its current share price, making it an enticing buy low option. 

Energy One Ltd (ASX: EOL)

Energy One engages in the development and provision of software solutions to the electricity and gas sector.

Its share price slumped 5% yesterday and it now sits 32% lower today than the start of 2026. 

These ASX shares also now appear oversold, as recent price targets have been placed on the company as high as $17.10. 

From yesterday’s closing price of $11.63, this indicates a 47% upside. 

The post Are these oversold ASX shares too cheap to ignore? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy right now
• This mid-cap ASX tech share could be 30% higher in 12 months
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• ASX tech shares vs. ATEC ETF: How they fared during sector downturn
• 3 ASX stocks positioned to benefit from rising global defence budgets

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Energy One. 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.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) is one of the ASX’s bluest blue-chip shares, if we can use that rather tortured expression.

The industrial and retailing conglomerate has been around in Australia for longer than any Australian alive today. Wesfarmers is not exactly a household name. Despite this, most Australians would be intimately familiar with several of this company’s underlying businesses. These include Kmart, Target, OfficeWorks, Bunnings, Kleenheat Gas, King Gee, and Priceline, amongst many others.

Over its long history, Wesfarmers has built up a solid reputation as a prudent manager of capital and an effective steward of its investors’ wealth.

Despite this reputation, Wesfarmers shares have had a rough 12 months, though. After clocking a new all-time high of $95.18 a share in August last year, the company has been drifting lower ever since. Its current share price of $75.62 (at the time of writing) puts Wesfarmers down about 7.5% for 2026 to date, and down 8.5% over the past 12 months. It remains about 21% away from that August record high.

That’s not all bad news for investors, though. As any good dividend seeker knows, a lower share price can mean a higher upfront dividend yield. So today, let’s examine what kind of yield Wesfarmers shares currently have on the table.

Wesfarmers shares: What kind of dividend yield is on offer right now?

At the current Wesfarmers share price, this ASX 200 blue-chip stock is trading on a trailing dividend yield of 2.83%. That yield is based on the last two dividend payments Wesfarmers has made to shareholders. The first of these was the March interim dividend, worth $1.02 per share. The second was the final dividend from October, which came in at $1.11 per share.

Both dividends came with full franking credits attached, as is Wesfarmers’ habit. Both also represented healthy rises over their prior corresponding payouts, worth 95 cents and $1.07 per share, respectively.

Wesfarmers also paid out a special dividend alongside its final dividend last year. This was worth 40 cents per share and came fully franked as well.

However, all of this reflects what shareholders have already been paid, not what they will be paid if they buy Wesfarmers shares today. Of course, we can never know what dividends any company will pay until it declares them.

Fortunately, analysts are optimistic that the income from Wesfarmers shares is set to keep rising into the future.

Last week, my Fool colleague examined what analysts at CMC Invest are pencilling in when it comes to Wesfarmers’ dividends. These analysts are predicting an annual dividend total of $2.20 per share from Wesfarmers over FY 2026. If accurate, that would give the company a forward dividend yield of approximately 2.91% at the current price.

Let’s see if that prediction turns out to be on the money.

The post Buying Wesfarmers shares today? Here’s the dividend yield you’ll get appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• How to start investing in ASX shares in 2026
• Buy, hold, sell: L1 Long Short Fund, Metcash, and Wesfarmers shares
• Buy, hold, sell: Wesfarmers, Telstra, CBA shares
• Thinking about dividend yields? Here’s how much the top 10 ASX 200 shares pay

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) climbed marginally to start the week, sending several ASX shares to fresh 52-week highs. 

This included: 

• Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) rose almost 3% to hit new highs of $71.53. 
• Korvest Ltd (ASX: KOV) climbed 1.5% to hit fresh highs of $17.07. 
• Sims Ltd (ASX: SGM) rose nearly 4% to finish at $24.12. 

When ASX shares rise significantly in a short period, holders obviously enjoy quick profits. 

However it can make it difficult for prospective investors to pull the trigger due to fears of buying at the peak. 

Here is what was driving the strong performance for these ASX shares and what experts are anticipating in the next 12 months. 

Mineral Resources hits new highs 

Mineral Resources is a leading mining services company with a portfolio of mining operations across multiple commodities, including iron ore and lithium.

Its share price is now up almost 200% in the last year. 

Much of this growth has come on the back of improved lithium sentiment. 

After a brutal downturn that crushed lithium prices across 2024 and 2025, the market has started to anticipate a recovery in battery material demand as electric vehicle sales continue growing globally.

Because Mineral Resources owns significant lithium exposure through the Wodgina and Mt Marion operations, investors are increasingly viewing the company as a leveraged play on any improvement in lithium prices.

Additionally, the company recently delivered a strong quarterly update, with volumes across iron ore, lithium, and mining services all exceeding the broker’s expectations.

However now sitting at just over $71 per share, it appears these ASX shares are fully valued. 

Ord Minnett recently placed a $67 price target on the stock, while Morgans recently placed fair value at $71. 

Korvest hits yearly highs

Korvest manufactures electrical and cable support systems, steel fabrication and provides associated metal treatment and galvanising services.

It is up an impressive 67% in the last 12 months. 

It has benefited during this span from optimism around Australia’s infrastructure, mining, and energy-transition spending cycle.

However, in a similar vein to Mineral Resources, experts see limited further upside. 

Analysts forecasts are hovering around $17.30, right around its current share price. 

Sims could be a buy

Sims is a global leader in metal and electronics recycling. The company provides a crucial circular economy service that reduces the need for new metals and electronics.

Its share price hit fresh yearly highs yesterday, and is now up 61% in the last year. 

As Mark Verhoeven reported last week, it could be poised to benefit from rising demand for recycled metals driven by EVs, renewable energy infrastructure, and data centre growth.

Recent results show strong earnings momentum, with higher profits and improving margins across its key recycling and lifecycle services businesses, particularly in North America. This suggests both cyclical recovery and better operational execution.

Looking ahead, growth is supported by continued demand for non-ferrous metals, expansion in US recycling operations, and strong tailwinds from IT asset disposal linked to AI-driven data centre expansion.

The post Are these ASX shares a buy, hold or sell after hitting fresh 52-week highs? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why this ASX stock could be a surprise winner as metal recycling demand surges
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Buy, hold, sell: Ventia, Sigma, and Mineral Resources shares
• Why Technology One, Megaport and Mineral Resources shares are turning heads on Tuesday
• Up 167% in a year, here’s why this ASX 200 lithium stock is rising again

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

Not all gold miners are created equal. 

The gold price may be the headline driver of sector returns, but operational execution, cost discipline, and balance sheet strength ultimately separate the winners from the rest. 

Over the past twelve months, Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) has demonstrated all three with impressive consistency.

The performance gap

Evolution Mining shares have risen approximately 40% over the past twelve months, comfortably outpacing the ASX 200’s gain over the same period. 

That outperformance is even more striking when viewed against the backdrop of a sector that has been far from uniformly positive. 

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) issued two production guidance downgrades in FY2026, sending its shares sharply lower.

Against that backdrop, Evolution’s consistent delivery has made it stand out as one of the most reliable large-cap gold miner on the ASX in 2026.

What is driving it

The March 2026 quarter update told the story clearly. 

Evolution delivered record group cash flow of $406 million and moved to a net cash position for the first time in the company’s history, ending the quarter with net cash of $69 million after repaying all borrowings. 

Gold production came in at 181,533 ounces for the quarter, on track to meet full-year guidance of 710,000 to 780,000 ounces at an all-in sustaining cost of A$1,640 to A$1,760 per ounce. 

At the current gold price of approximately A$4,900 per ounce, that AISC guidance implies margins of more than A$3,100 per ounce, which is among the strongest in Evolution’s history. 

The board also approved new capital investments at Cowal, Ernest Henry, and Northparkes during the quarter, reinvesting in organic growth from internally generated cash flow rather than relying on debt or equity dilution. 

In its ASX release, Evolution CEO Lawrie Conway said: 

Our record cash generation in the March quarter reflects the quality of our asset base and the team’s continued focus on operational excellence. Moving to a net cash position is a significant milestone and provides us with the financial strength to continue investing in our operations and delivering value for shareholders.

The resource base is growing

Beyond the near-term operational numbers, Evolution’s annual Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves Statement, released in May 2026, revealed that Group Mineral Resources have grown to 31 million ounces of gold and 4.2 million tonnes of copper.

Contained gold was up 3% year-on-year led by strong additions at Cowal and Northparkes. 

That growing resource base underpins Evolution’s ability to sustain and grow production well beyond the current mine plan, a quality that long-term investors should value highly.

Furthermore, Evolution’s copper by-product from Ernest Henry, which contributes meaningfully to the company’s AISC calculation, is benefiting from the same copper price surge that is driving excitement across the broader mining sector.

Foolish takeaway

Evolution Mining may not be the flashiest gold stock on the ASX. 

But is able to consistently demonstrate operational reliability, a growing resource base, record cash generation, and a net cash balance sheet.

This gives management the flexibility to keep investing in growth without diluting shareholders.

In a sector where execution risk is always present, that consistency is worth paying for.

The post Why this ASX gold miner is quietly outperforming its peers in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• 10 ASX shares given buy ratings this week
• 3 ASX 200 shares crashing in this week’s rebounding market
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

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.