Author: openjargon

The Perpetual Ltd (ASX: PPT) share price is in focus after the company rejected a further revised takeover proposal from EQT and confirmed the end of discussions. The $22.50 per share proposal was deemed by the board to undervalue Perpetual and carried too much execution risk.

What did Perpetual report?

• Rejected a further revised, non-binding buyout offer from EQT at $22.50 per share.
• Proposal included the option for a permitted dividend of up to $0.60 per share for 1H27.
• Board maintained its view that the offer undervalued the company.
• Sale of Wealth Management business remains on track for completion in Q4 FY26.
• Expected move to a net cash position after the sale, offering increased financial flexibility.

What else do investors need to know?

Perpetual says its engagement process with EQT has now concluded, as the latest proposal was described as “best and final” in the absence of competing offers. Shareholders are not required to take any action in response to this announcement.

The board also reiterated that the planned sale of its Wealth Management arm is proceeding as expected, with completion likely by the end of 2026. This sale is anticipated to enhance Perpetual’s financial position and allow more capital management initiatives in the future.

What’s next for Perpetual?

With the EQT engagement process now closed, Perpetual is focused on its core Asset Management and Corporate Trust businesses. Management highlights a continued commitment to delivering sustainable long-term value to shareholders.

Once the Wealth Management business sale wraps up, Perpetual expects to be in a net cash position, providing room to consider additional capital management options alongside dividends.

Perpetual share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Perpetual shares have risen 3%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has declined 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Perpetual rejects EQT’s final offer and confirms asset sale plans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• 40 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Perpetual posts higher FY26 profit and readies for business sale

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) stock Orica Ltd (ASX: ORI) has slowly climbed back from yearly lows hit in March of this year. 

Since that time, its share price is up 20%.

The company manufactures, distributes, and sells commercial blasting systems, explosives, and mining and tunnelling support systems to the mining industry, as well as various chemical products and services in Australia, Canada, the US, and internationally.

Investor concerns

Lately, there has been concern surrounding the company’s North American ammonium nitrate (AN) supply arrangements. 

This has come following the termination of a key contract with CF Industries (NYSE: CF), which supplied around half of the company’s North American blasting business. 

This comes at a time when the AN supply and demand conditions in the US have tightened. 

Subsequently, this could make it more difficult for Orica to secure new contracts on attractive terms.

Why the concerns may be overblown

However, the team at Ord Minnett appear less concerned. 

The broker said the North American blasting business generated only about 10% of Orica’s FY25 operating profit (EBIT).

And the part connected to the CF Industries contract was only a portion of that.

So, even if this business becomes less profitable, the overall impact on Orica could be manageable rather than disastrous.

Orica is also looking at ways to reduce costs in this division, which could help protect its profit margins.

There is another, potentially more important story.

Orica also produces sodium cyanide (NaCN).

Sodium cyanide is a chemical that is very important for extracting gold from ore.

Demand for this chemical is strong, and supply is tight.

The two biggest producers, one of which is Orica, have said their production capacity is essentially fully booked.

Target price intact 

The team at Ord Minnett said stronger NaCN pricing and improved plant utilisation could drive returns in the company’s chemicals division back towards historical levels (before the acquisition of Cyanco in 2024) and closer to the company’s broader target range of 13% to 15%. 

We increase our earnings forecasts for the chemicals segment to capture the stronger market fundamentals in NaCN. However, this has been more than offset by a stronger Australian dollar since our last note. Consequently, our EPS estimates are revised down by 1.9%, 2.9%, and 3.3% in FY26, FY27, and FY28, respectively. Our target price of $26 is unchanged.

This ASX 200 stock closed trading last week at $22.61. 

Based on the retained price target from Ord Minnett, there is 15% upside for this ASX 200 company. 

The post This ASX 200 stock just received a fresh buy rating and is tipped to climb 15% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Orica, GQG Partners, BHP shares
• UBS names its 10 top ASX picks for the next 3-6 months
• ASX 200 mining shares outperform in final week of earnings season

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.

The Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) share price is in focus after the gold miner upgraded its FY30 production outlook and released new FY27 guidance, flagging production growth of up to 610,000 ounces by 2030 and an 11% lift on its October 2025 plan.

What did Ramelius Resources report?

• FY30 gold production target upgraded to 560,000–610,000 ounces at an AISC of A$2,100–2,400/oz (11% increase)
• FY27 gold production guidance: 205,000–225,000 ounces at an AISC of A$2,150–2,350/oz
• FY27 growth capital expenditure: A$480–570 million; Mt Magnet plant expansion costs increased (now A$280 million)
• Sale of Edna May hub delivered A$210 million in cash and A$90 million in Forrestania Resource Limited shares
• Current cash, gold and investments exceed A$1 billion

What else do investors need to know?

Ramelius’ production targets are underpinned by expanded operations at Mt Magnet, discoveries at Galaxy and Cue, and development of Rebecca-Roe. Enhanced capital outlays reflect capacity upgrades, infrastructure to future-proof operations, and inflationary impacts.

The company’s outlook assumes a higher gold price (A$5,500/oz) and cost base reflecting sector-wide pressures, but management expects to maintain one of the lowest cost positions among ASX gold miners. The recently appointed EPC contractor, Primero, will deliver a new 3Mtpa processing circuit at Mt Magnet, facilitating future production growth.

What did Ramelius Resources management say?

Managing Director Mark Zeptner said:

We are continuing to systematically unlock the full potential of our Top Tier Mt Magnet hub while de-risking Rebecca-Roe through permitting progress and advanced design work. We expect to maintain our sector-leading AISC position, despite the cost pressures being felt by all gold miners, while delivering a 205% increase in production by FY30… Our targeted exploration strategy, combined with operational and technical expertise, has driven an 11 percent uplift in our FY30 production outlook to more than 600,000 ounces, reaffirming our position as Australia’s standout gold growth story, underpinned by a long term resilient low-cost advantage… These commitments are consistent with our delivery philosophy. FY26 marks our sixth consecutive year of meeting market guidance – demonstrating the discipline and reliability of our operating model. We remain focused on organic growth through investing in exploration and optimisation of existing infrastructure, an approach that we believe will result in superior returns for our shareholders.

What’s next for Ramelius Resources?

Ramelius is pushing ahead with growth plans at Mt Magnet, aiming for a steady-state run rate of 4.3Mtpa in March 2028 and a Life-of-Mine to 2043. The Rebecca-Roe project is advancing through final permitting, with early works capital brought forward to FY27.

The business remains focused on organic growth and ramping up production with a pipeline of resource definition and mine expansion projects, while maintaining a capital-efficient approach and strong balance sheet.

Ramelius Resources share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Ramelius Resources shares have declined 3%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has fallen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Ramelius Resources boosts production outlook and sets new FY27 guidance appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 7 ASX 200 shares with reaffirmed buy ratings this week
• Buy, hold, sell: James Hardie, REA Group, and Ramelius shares
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• Which ASX gold company is Morgans’ preferred mid cap buy?
• 33 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week

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 average annual return for the ASX share market over the long-term has been approximately 10%. It has been closer to 9% per year for the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) in the last decade or so.

If any individual ASX share can deliver a double-digit return, there’s a good chance that it’ll be a market-beating return.

There are a few ASX stocks that expert analysts think could deliver enormous returns over the next year. Of course, that’s not a guaranteed return, but it can show how undervalued analysts think these ASX shares are. Let’s look at two potential winners.

Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN)

Hansen describes itself as a leading global provider of software and services to the energy and utilities, and communications and media industries. It has customers in more than 80 countries.

The ASX share’s software enables customers to create, sell and deliver new products and services, manage and analyse customer data, and control critical revenue management and customer support processes. In other words, its customers couldn’t run the administration side of their business without Hansen’s software.

FY26 was a solid year of profit growth.

Operating revenue fell 1.5% due to its revenue ‘mix’, including lower licence fees and foreign exchange headwinds. Within that total, support and maintenance revenue grew 13.4% to $230.3 million.

The company also reported 7.2% growth in underlying operating profit (EBITDA) to $119.6 million and 22.5% growth in underlying net profit after tax (NPAT), driven by cost discipline and AI-driven productivity gains.

FY27 revenue is expected to be stable, with recurring support and revenue maintenance to grow between 6% and 8%. The underlying EBITDA margin is expected to exceed 26% – likely lower than FY26’s figure – due to reduced licence revenue and continued investment in AI capabilities, product investment and customer-led development opportunities.

It’s down 25% after revealing its FY26 result, but analysts think there’s a strong bounce back ahead. Hansen said it expects revenue growth in FY28 and the underlying EBITDA margin will return to its target of 30% or more.

According to CMC Invest, analysts have issued seven ratings on the business in the last three months: six buy and one sell. The average price target is $5.42, implying a possible rise of 70% over the next 12 months – that would be significantly higher than where it traded just before it reported FY26.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT)

Another ASX share worth looking at, according to expert analysts, is Nextdc. It’s a data centre developer and owner, with facilities in each major Australian mainland city, as well as multiple regional hubs.

It also has a growing international presence, with projects proposed in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Tokyo.

If you haven’t already seen the company’s FY26 result, I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that its revenue and operating profit (EBITDA) rose, while the underlying net loss, depreciation expense and capital expenditure also increased as it heavily invests.

FY26 revenue grew 16% to $496.5 million, while underlying operating profit (EBITDA) increased 15% to $248.8 million.

However, excluding positive property revaluations and a tax benefit (which I’d describe as non-operational items), it would have registered a net loss of $103.9 million – a worsening of 71.7%. Capital expenditure increased 100% to $3.4 billion, and the depreciation and amortisation expense grew 26% to $262.5 million.

In FY27, it expects revenue to grow at least 52%, underlying EBITDA to grow at least 55% and capital expenditure to grow at least 55%.

According to CMC Invest, the business has received nine ratings in the last three months. Eight of those ratings were a buy, and one was a hold. The average price target of $19.61 implies a possible rise of 72% over the next year.

The post 2 ASX shares tipped to surge 70% or more in the next 12 months appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Goodman Group vs Nextdc: Which stock is the better buy today?
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• 2 ASX 200 shares tipped by brokers to return 73% and 83%
• Down 32%: 3 reasons to buy the BIG dip in NextDC shares today
• Experts name 3 top ASX shares to buy this week

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 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 Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) share price is in focus today after announcing a merger with ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE, a global leader in therapeutic radioisotopes. The deal could create a radiopharmaceutical powerhouse, with combined estimated 2026 revenue over US$1.3 billion and deeper supply chain security for Telix’s growing pipeline.

What did Telix Pharmaceuticals report?

• Strategic agreement to acquire 100% of ITM for US$1.65 billion upfront (cash-free/debt-free)
• Post-adjustments, ~US$1.25 billion in Telix shares to ITM shareholders, plus up to US$700 million in milestone payments
• Pro forma combined revenue projected at over US$1.3 billion for 2026
• ITM achieved US$273 million revenue in 2025, with a 40% CAGR from 2021–2025
• Combined group expected to generate positive EBITDA from 2027 onwards

What else do investors need to know?

The merger positions Telix as a vertically integrated leader, with capabilities across radioisotope production, global manufacturing, and therapeutic development. ITM brings expertise in commercial-scale isotope production, including lutetium-177, actinium-225, and terbium-161, and serves over 65 countries.

ITM’s late-stage pipeline includes ITM-11, a novel candidate for treating neuroendocrine tumours, which has completed a Phase 3 trial. This potentially accelerates Telix’s entry into established commercial markets and complements its existing precision medicine platform.

The transaction is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, with closing expected by the end of FY2026. Following completion, Telix shareholders will own about 76.3% of the combined group, and ITM shareholders the remaining 23.7%.

What did Telix Pharmaceuticals management say?

Telix Managing Director and Group CEO, Dr. Christian Behrenbruch, said:

This merger positions Telix at the forefront of the consolidation that is occurring as the industry matures. ITM is the leader in radioisotope production, with deep scientific expertise and a track record of value-adding innovation. We have enjoyed a close working relationship with ITM for many years and there is strong management alignment for the rationale behind this transaction. By combining our complementary strengths, we will create a company with commercial scale, world-leading supply and the most exciting theranostic drug portfolio in the sector. Importantly, this combination further expands our late-stage therapeutic pipeline with two completed Phase 3 trials and deepens radioisotope security, while bringing together the mission-critical capabilities needed to deliver radiopharmaceutical treatments to patients around the world.

What’s next for Telix Pharmaceuticals?

Telix expects the merger to drive new growth opportunities, deepen its global supply chain, and enhance its ability to deliver innovative cancer therapies. The launch of ITM-11, if approved, could open up additional high-margin revenues in targeted radionuclide therapy markets.

Management anticipates further cost savings, manufacturing efficiencies, and synergy benefits post-merger. An extraordinary general meeting is planned for November 2026 to seek shareholder approval.

Telix Pharmaceuticals share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Telix shares have risen 19%, outpacing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has declined 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Telix Pharmaceuticals: ITM merger builds a sector leader appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Telix Pharmaceuticals. 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.

It has been a tough 12 months for ASX financials stock Regal Partners Ltd (ASX: RPL). 

The specialist alternative investment manager has seen its share price fall more than 30% year to date. 

However, a new report from Ord Minnett points to a major rebound over the next year. 

The company manages a range of investment strategies covering hedge funds, growth equity, real & natural assets and credit & royalties on behalf of institutions, family offices, charitable groups and private investors.

Not just a dividend stock 

In recent months, this ASX financials stock has been highlighted for its generous dividend yield – and for good reason. 

It currently offers a very healthy dividend yield of 11.1%, after more than doubling its net profit over the past financial year.

However, recent share price weakness now makes it an attractive growth option as well. 

According to Ord Minnett, it delivered a strong first-half FY26 result (1H26), though attention focused mainly on the announced transition to retirement of founder and portfolio manager Philip King. 

Mr King is responsible for approximately 16% of RPL’s funds under management (FUM), or $3.4 billion, and will remain in his current roles until at least 30 June 2027. The extended handover period should help support continuity. RPL declared a fully franked interim dividend of 12 cents per share (cps) which was double last year’s interim. Financially, the result was robust. Normalised net profit after tax reached $93 million (guidance was for at least $90 million), more than double the prior corresponding period, and 3% ahead of consensus.

Flows remain strong

Ord Minnett also highlighted the standout contributor during the most recent half was performance fees which came-in at $119 million. 

This was above guidance for at least $115 million, and significantly higher than the $42 million generated in the first-half of FY25. “Performance fees may moderate in the second-half of FY26 given the amount of FUM that is at, or within, 5% of its high-water mark, has fallen by $1.1 billion in the six months to 30 June 2026.

This has likely declined further in July given softer investment returns from a range of long/short strategies. Flows remain strong. Net inflows totalled $300 million in July, with additional inflows during August across credit and listed investment company products. This momentum has prompted us to lift our expectations for CY26 net inflows to $2.2 billion, ahead of management’s guidance of $2 billion.

Big upside for ASX financials stock

Based on this guidance, Ord Minnett slightly lowered its price target on this ASX financials stock. However, significant upside remains. 

The broker now has a price target of $4.90 (previously $5.40). 

We maintain a Buy recommendation. Despite the leadership transition risk, RPL is trading on an attractive FY27 price to earnings multiple of circa 8x, and on our numbers, offers around 14% per annum growth in EPS over FY26–29.

From current levels, this indicates 118% upside potential. 

The post Ord Minnett tips this ASX financials stock to double within the next 12 months  appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

Goodman Group vs Nextdc shares: Which ASX stock with AI exposure comes out on top?

If you’re on the hunt for ASX stocks with exposure to the booming demand for AI infrastructure, Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) and Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT) are both front-runners. But they’re very different plays: one is Australia’s leading industrial property trust, while the other is the country’s top home-grown data centre operator. Let’s break down their businesses, fundamentals, valuation, and recent price moves to help you decide where you might want to put your money.

The case for Goodman Group

Goodman Group is Australia’s largest real estate investment trust (REIT) and operates an integrated property business across 14 countries. It specialises in owning, developing and managing industrial and commercial properties—including logistics hubs, warehouses, and, increasingly, cutting-edge facilities geared towards cloud infrastructure and AI.

A few fundamentals stand out for Goodman Group:

• A hefty market capitalisation of $53.42 billion, putting it among the ASX heavyweights.
• A P/E ratio of 19.42, which looks reasonable for a global property group exposed to future tech trends.
• The dividend yield sits at 1.16% with unfranked payouts, and its dividends have held steady at $0.15 per half-year for several years running.

Goodman’s scale means it can win huge development projects—like new hyperscale data centres and logistics hubs—that directly benefit from AI’s ever-growing appetite for space, power and connectivity.

The case for Nextdc

Nextdc is the quintessential ASX data centre stock—with a core focus on building and operating state-of-the-art infrastructure tailored specifically to cloud, digital services, and, increasingly, AI workloads. Its flagship data centres are critical to the digital economy, providing secure, high-speed connections for both Aussie and global tech companies.

Three things jump off the page with Nextdc:

• It’s much smaller than Goodman, with a market cap of $8.40 billion—arguably a more ‘pure play’ on AI and cloud megatrends.
• The P/E ratio is a sky-high 93.36, reflecting hefty expectations for future growth rather than immediate profits.
• Nextdc pays no dividend, preferring to reinvest heavily into expanding its footprint and ramping up capacity to capture the next wave of AI and cloud demand.

If you’re backing the digital economy and big data, Nextdc gives you direct exposure to the backbone infrastructure that makes AI possible.

Valuation comparison

Here’s how these two stack up on key numbers:

Metric	Goodman Group	Nextdc
Market Cap	$53.42 billion	$8.40 billion
P/E Ratio	19.42	93.36
Dividend Yield	1.16% (unfranked)	0.00%
Earnings per Share	1.329	0.122
Year-to-Date Return	-16.20%	-7.65%

The clear contrasts? Goodman is much larger and stands out for its steady (if modest) dividend—though it’s unfranked. Nextdc is valued much more optimistically on earnings, as often happens with “growth at all costs” tech infrastructure stocks.

Recent share price performance

Let’s look at the past month: from 18 August to 17 September 2026.

Goodman Group’s shares started this window at $30.47 and finished at $26.00—a drop of about 14.7%. That’s consistent with its negative year-to-date return of -16.20%.

Nextdc began the period at $14.73 and ended at $11.06, marking a fall of about 24.9%. However, its year-to-date return is somewhat better at -7.65%, suggesting earlier 2026 gains have softened the blow.

So, while both have fallen in the short run, Goodman’s decline has been less severe over the recent month, but Nextdc has fared a bit better year-to-date.

Which is the better buy?

Here’s how I see it. Goodman Group looks like the safer, lower-multiple choice, offering big scale and a steady, if low, dividend. It’s exposed to data centre and AI-driven property demand, but as just one part of a broader real estate strategy. Its valuation looks reasonable, but recent price falls reflect market caution toward property and infrastructure assets.

Nextdc, on the other hand, is a genuine pure-play on AI and cloud infrastructure. It’s priced for high growth—with that towering P/E and no dividend—because investors expect surging demand to boost profits down the road. But it’s riskier: one slip in execution or a slower ramp-up in demand and that valuation could compress quickly.

If I had to choose today, my pick would be Nextdc. Despite a steeper recent correction, I think it offers the most upside for those seeking direct, higher-octane AI exposure, provided you can stomach short-term volatility. Goodman is a solid anchor for a more conservative portfolio, but if it’s AI infrastructure ‘oomph’ you’re after, I’d lean towards Nextdc

The post Goodman Group vs Nextdc: Which stock is the better buy today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX shares tipped to surge 70% or more in the next 12 months
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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goodman 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. 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 edged 0.11% lower last week, closing at 8,731.2 points on Friday.

On The Bull this week, Dylan Evans from Catapult Wealth explains his ratings on three ASX 200 shares.

Let’s take a look.  

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The Coles share price closed at $23.12 on Friday, down 0.47% for the week.  

Evans has a buy rating on this ASX 200 consumer staples share. 

He said: 

The supermarket industry structure remains favourable, with Coles and competitor Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) dominating market share.

Coles posted group sales revenue of $45.580 billion in full year 2026, up 2.8 per cent on the prior corresponding period. Excluding significant items, group earnings before interest and tax of $2.322 billion was up 9.9 per cent.

Supermarket eCommerce sales was a highlight, growing 26.4 per cent.

Coles offers a reliable dividend yield, backed by defensive earnings.

Catalysts for growth include online expansion, population growth and supply chain automation.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

The CSL share price closed at $175.59 on Friday, up 5.08% for the week.  

Evans has a hold rating on this ASX 200 healthcare share. 

He commented: 

The CSL share price has partially recovered after the company posted a brighter outlook at its 2026 full year results.

A promising sign was profit growth guidance in full year 2027, driven by the core blood plasma business. This guidance should provide the market with confidence about CSL’s brighter future after a difficult period.

There’s potential value in the stock, particularly if CSL achieves guidance and growth recovers.

National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB)

The NAB share price closed at $38.47 on Friday, down 0.65% for the week.  

Evans has a sell rating on this ASX 200 bank share. 

He said: 

Revenue grew by 2 per cent in the third quarter of fiscal year 2026 when compared to the first half quarterly average. Cash earnings also increased by 2 per cent.

In our view, the broader banking sector is facing several headwinds. The Federal Government announced changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing in the May Budget. Investment loan applications have slowed amid a cost of living crisis.

While the NAB business is well managed and the balance sheet is solid, it’s difficult to identify any significant growth on the horizon.

Investors may want to consider taking some profits and explore superior earnings growth opportunities elsewhere.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Coles, NAB, CSL shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• Down 15% and paying record dividends: Are CBA shares now a good buy for passive income?
• How much passive income could I make by investing $500 a month in ASX shares?
• Are BHP, CBA, and CSL shares top buys?

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

Now could be the time to sell the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) share in this article.

That’s because the team at Bell Potter has just put a sell rating on its shares and is warning of significant downside potential.

Which ASX 200 share?

The share in question is coal miner New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC).

Bell Potter notes that New Hope released its results this month and delivered a profit below expectations. It said:

Earlier this week, NHC reported FY26 underlying EBITDA of $514m (pre-reported) and statutory NPAT of $161m (BP est. $183m), below our estimates with higher finance expenses. In FY26, NHC realised an average price of A$145/t and average group FOB cash cost (excluding royalties) A$89/t (up 8% YoY) for an underlying margin of A$45/t, down 30% YoY with lower realised thermal coal prices. 

Though, one positive was that the ASX 200 share is paying a much larger than expected dividend despite the profit weakness. Bell Potter adds:

Operating cash flow was $564m and capex $193m for free cash flow $403m. A 30cps fully franked final dividend was declared (BPe 14cps, VA consensus 15cps), equating to $253m or 157% of statutory NPAT. At 31 July 2026, NHC had cash and liquid investments of $778m and debt (including leases) of $447m, for net cash of $332m. FY27 guidance was not released; NHC typically publish initial guidance with the October quarterly production report scheduled for November 2026.

Downgraded to sell

According to the note, Bell Potter has downgraded the ASX 200 share to a sell rating (from hold) with a $5.00 price target. 

Based on its current share price of $6.38, this implies potential downside of almost 22% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on the downgrade, the broker said:

We have downgraded our NHC recommendation to Sell on recent share price appreciation. Our $5.00/sh Target Price already incorporates a 14% premium to our sum-of-the-parts valuation, reflecting NHC’s leverage to global energy security themes amplified by recent geopolitical tensions. We expect energy markets will normalise over the near-term. Beyond the ramp-up of New Acland Stage 3, NHC has a limited organic production growth pipeline, and we expect earnings will peak in FY27. We expect NHC may participate in further industry consolidation as an acquirer.

Overall, this could make it worth keeping your powder dry for the time being and waiting for a better entry point down the line.

The post Guess which ASX 200 stock was downgraded to a sell rating appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• $10,000 invested in Zip and New Hope shares 3 years ago is now worth…

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 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 ASX dividend stock Regis Healthcare Ltd (ASX: REG) has fallen a huge 49% from its high just over a year ago and this looks like a great time to invest.

Regis is one of the largest aged care operators in Australia. It provides services to more than 10,000 older Australians through residential aged care homes, home care service hubs, day therapy, respite centres and retirement villages.

Some of the decline happened earlier this month after the company noted that the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) starting price will increase 2.55% from $295.64 to $303.19, starting 1 October 2026.

The government also announced that the hotelling supplement will remain unchanged at $22.15 per resident per day.

Regis Healthcare said that the price increase is significantly below cost inflation in the sector and the broader economy.

I think the ASX dividend stock is a buy for multiple reasons.

Significantly cheaper

It’s clear that conditions in the short-term are more challenging for Regis Healthcare, but I think the share price has more than made up for that.

It has fallen by roughly half in the space of a year. A share price is meant to reflect a company’s long-term future potential. I don’t think its long-term prospects have worsened by around 50%.

The company is still benefiting from the long-term tailwind of Australia’s ageing population. In FY26, its total occupied bed days increased 8.4% to 2.85 million, with its average occupancy increased by 0.7 percentage points to 95.8%.

FY26’s aged care revenue per occupied bed grew 6.7%, while aged care staff expenses per occupied bed rose 8.3%.

FY26 underlying operating profit (EBITDA) climbed 10% to $138 million, underlying net profit grew 4% to $55.6 million, and statutory net profit rose 14% to $55.7 million.

After falling so far, the business now trades at a much more appealing price/earnings (P/E) ratio.

According to the forecast on Commsec, the Regis Healthcare share price is now valued at 28x FY27’s estimated earnings.

Regis Healthcare said the industry requires 10,000 new beds per year to meet potential demand. In 2025, the industry added around 800 beds, falling well short of that target. As one of the big players in the sector, the ASX share will be an important player in meeting that demand in the coming years.

Mitigating actions to help protect against margin reduction

While the latest price update for aged care providers may not match expense growth, it will partially offset the rise in costs. Plus, the ASX dividend stock is undertaking a range of initiatives to mitigate ongoing margin pressures.

Its initiatives include an increase to room prices, a rollout of ‘higher everyday living fee (HELF)’ services, other revenue optimisation, and operational efficiency initiatives.

Hopefully those ideas will help reduce the burden of increased costs, without reducing service at its homes.

Pleasing dividend credentials with the ASX dividend stock

I’m not expecting a dividend increase from the business every year, though it has increased its annual payout each year for the last four consecutive years.

FY27 could see a reduction based on likely reduced profitability, but then projections suggest a return to regular dividend growth in the subsequent years.

According to the projection on Commsec, it could pay an annual dividend per share of 15.1 cents in FY27. That’d be a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.6%, including franking credits.

The FY29 annual dividend is projected to be 19.2 cents per share – larger than the FY26 dividend. This would be a grossed-up dividend yield of 5.8%, including franking credits.

I believe the ASX dividend stock’s payout could grow materially over the next five to ten years as ageing-demographic tailwinds continue to strengthen. This could be a good time to pounce.

The post 1 ASX dividend stock down 49% I’d buy right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX shares tipped to grow 30% or more in the next 12 months
• 9 ASX shares downgraded by experts post-results this week
• 40 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week
• Regis Healthcare reacts to government funding change
• Regis Healthcare reports higher FY26 profits and dividend

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 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.