Author: openjargon

In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a small decline. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.3% to 8,915.6 points.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here’s why they are rising:

Benz Mining Corp (ASX: BNZ)

The Benz Mining share price is up 23% to $2.77. This follows the release of a drilling update from the gold explorer. Strong results were achieved at the Glenburgh Gold Project in Western Australia. Benz CEO, Mark Lynch-Staunton, commented: “Results from the latest drilling at Icon and Tuxedo continue to reinforce our view that this is a large, coherent mineralised system with genuine scale. […] Glenburgh is rapidly emerging as a genuinely large gold system, and each round of drilling continues to build scale, confidence and long-term value for shareholders.”

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

The Boss Energy share price is up 9% to $1.96. Investors have been buying the uranium producer’s shares following the release of a solid quarterly update this morning. Boss Energy reported record drummed production of 456 klbs U3O8 and IX production of 406 klbs for the three months from the Honeymoon operation. This represents an 18% and 8% increase, respectively. Another positive was that Honeymoon’s C1 costs were $30 per pound (US$20 per pound). This is down 12% following positive results from reagent optimisation in the wellfields and plant.

Develop Global Ltd (ASX: DVP)

The Develop Global share price is up 1.5% to $5.60. This follows the release of the mining and mining services company’s quarterly update. The company reported a 98.5% increase in quarterly revenue to $39.1 million from 9,472 tonnes of concentrate sales. Develop’s managing director, Bill Beament, said: “It was a pivotal quarter for Develop which has set up the company for rapid growth in copper, zinc and silver/gold production.”

DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT)

The DigiCo Infrastructure REIT share price is up 4.5% to $2.73. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Bell Potter. It upgraded the data centre company’s shares to a buy rating with a $3.25 price target. The broker said: “Stock has been a key underperformer across the REIT sector last 6m (-17% vs. -3% XPJ), but yet there is now more certainty on leasing / FFO in FY26+ post guidance update.” Bell Potter’s price target implies further upside of 19% for investors over the next 12 months.

The post Why Benz Mining, Boss Energy, Develop Global, and Digico shares are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why is this ASX 200 uranium stock jumping 11% today?
• Broker names 3 ASX real estate stocks to buy
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• ASX All Ords shares smashing 52-week highs today
• Up 54% since December, can Boss Energy shares keep racing higher in 2026?

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.

A 60% share price fall in just 12 months is enough to scare off even confident investors. When it happens to a popular ASX 200 stock, it naturally raises a hard question. Is this a value opportunity, or a warning sign?

In the case of Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX), I think the answer leans strongly toward opportunity.

Telix shares are trading around levels not seen since early 2024, despite the underlying business continuing to progress. For patient investors, this looks increasingly like a rare reset rather than a broken story.

Why this ASX 200 stock collapsed

The sell-off wasn’t driven by a single issue. It was a combination of disappointment, uncertainty, and broader sector pressure.

Last year, investors became frustrated by delays and shifting timelines across Telix’s development pipeline. Expectations had been high following the success of Illuccix, and when subsequent programs took longer to progress, sentiment turned quickly.

At the same time, the global biotech sector was hit by policy noise out of the US. Proposed tariffs on pharmaceutical products, particularly those manufactured outside the US, weighed heavily on valuations across the industry. Even though the long-term impact was unclear, markets reacted first and asked questions later.

Overlay that with a general risk-off environment for growth stocks, and Telix found itself caught in a perfect storm.

What the market may be missing now

The recent fourth-quarter update showed that Telix’s core business remains very much intact.

The company met its FY25 guidance, delivering strong revenue growth driven by Illuccix, which is now well established in the US prostate cancer imaging market. Importantly, Telix continues to reinvest those cash flows into expanding its product portfolio rather than standing still.

The update also highlighted steady progress across multiple development programs, including kidney, brain, and therapeutic radiopharmaceutical candidates. While not every program will succeed, the breadth of the pipeline materially reduces reliance on a single product over time.

In my view, the market has focused too heavily on what hasn’t happened yet and not enough on what is already working.

Why this could be a rare opportunity

Telix today is not the same company it was before Illuccix was commercialised. It now has meaningful revenue, a growing installed base, and the ability to self-fund development.

Yet the share price suggests the market is treating it like a pre-revenue biotech again.

That disconnect doesn’t last forever.

If Telix continues to execute, delivers incremental pipeline progress, and avoids further major delays, sentiment could turn quickly. From these levels, even a partial re-rating of this ASX 200 stock could produce outsized returns.

Foolish takeaway

Buying a stock after a 60% fall is never comfortable. But discomfort is often where the best long-term opportunities emerge.

Telix Pharmaceuticals remains a high-risk investment. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is the price investors are being asked to pay for that risk.

For those with patience and a tolerance for volatility, I think this looks less like a falling knife and more like a once-in-a-decade chance to buy into a proven radiopharmaceutical business at a heavily discounted valuation.

The post Down 60%, is there a once-in-a-decade opportunity in this ASX 200 stock? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• 3 ASX 200 shares I would buy before February
• 3 ASX shares tipped to climb over 100% in 2026
• Top broker tips 57% upside for beaten-down Telix shares

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is out of form and trading lower on Wednesday. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is down 0.3% to 8,914.3 points.

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

AUB Group Ltd (ASX: AUB)

The AUB Group share price is down 6% to $30.01. This morning, this insurance broker network company announced the successful completion of a share placement. AUB raised $400 million at a discount of $29.40 per new share. The company advised that the placement saw significant demand and support from both existing and new shareholders. AUB’s CEO, Mike Emmett, said: “We are pleased with the outcome and thank our shareholders for their strong support for the Placement and the transaction. We are excited for Prestige to join the AUB Group and look forward to accelerating our UK Retail strategy to deliver value for shareholders.”

Aurelia Metals Ltd (ASX: AMI)

The Aurelia Metals share price is down 3% to 34 cents. This morning, this gold miner announced that its CEO, Bryan Quinn, will be stepping down to pursue other career opportunities. Mr Quinn plans to remain with the company until the end of July. This is to ensure a smooth leadership transition and maintain the momentum across key operational and growth initiatives. Quinn commented: “I have greatly enjoyed my time working with the Aurelia team. It has been a privilege to lead the company as we improved market value, strengthened our strategic position, and built a strong leadership team with a performance-driven culture.”

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is down 3.5% to $4.04. Investors have been selling this counter-drone technology company’s shares since the release of its update this week. While it was a strong update, investors appear concerned by a reduction in its sales pipeline. Bell Potter wasn’t concerned and has retained its buy rating and $5.00 price target on its shares. It said: “We believe DRO should see material contracts flowing from its $2.1b potential sales pipeline over the next 3-6 months as defence budgets roll over to FY26e.”

Elevra Lithium Ltd (ASX: ELV)

The Elevra Lithium share price is down 14% to $7.89. This morning, this lithium miner released its quarterly update, which appears to have fallen short of expectations. Elevra reported a disappointing 15% quarter on quarter decline in spodumene concentrate production to 44,154 dmt. The company also revealed that its received US$998 per tonne for its lithium, whereas its unit operating costs were US$812 per tonne.

The post Why AUB, Aurelia Metals, DroneShield, and Elevra Lithium shares are dropping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Top Australian shares to buy right now with $2,000
• Up 576% in a year, should you buy the latest dip in DroneShield shares?
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• Is this ASX defence stock the next DroneShield? Broker tips 120% upside

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

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares are a staple of the ASX. This ASX 200 telco is one of the most widely held shares in Australian investors’ portfolios. It’s not hard to see why.

Since its privatisation back in the 1990s and early 2000s, Telstra has built up a formidable reputation as one of the ASX’s most reliable dividend payers. Its ongoing dominance of the Australian mobile and fixed-line markets arguably gives this company a wide economic moat, protecting its defensive earnings base from competition and less-than-favourable economic conditions.

As it stands today, Telstra shares have come off what has been one of the telco’s best years in quite a while. This time last year, Telstra shares were under $4 each. Today, those same shares are trading at $4.82 at the time of writing, up 21% from a year ago. That gain stretches to an even more impressive 54.3% over the past five years.

In the middle of last year, Telstra delighted investors by hitting $5.14 a share, the highest price the telco had traded at in about eight years. However, that $5.14 share price was far from the highest this company has ever traded at. Today, let’s discuss just how high Telstra has gotten in the past, and whether we might see that level again.

What is the highest price Telstra shares have ever been?

If you thought Telstra had been as high as $6 a share before, you’d be correct. In fact, as recently as 2015, Tesltra reached as high as $6.61. But, although significant at the time, that is not the company’s record price. It is not in the $7, or even $8 range either. No, Telstra’s reigning all-time record high is $9.16 a share. That was reached way back in late 1999. At today’s pricing, Tesltra is roughly half the size that it was back at the turn of the millennium.

That might sound unbelievable. But it’s worth remembering that the Telstra of 1999 is a very different beast from the company we see today. Back then, the company’s primary business was providing landline telephony services. Dial-up internet was still common, and, as a recently privatised company, Telstra faced far less competition. In fact, companies were only permitted to start competing against the former monopoly provider in the 1990s.

This was also before Telstra was forced to sell its old copper network to the NBN in the 2010s, which further eroded its monopolistic position.

Additionally, Telstra shares probably benefited enormously from the stock market boom that the markets enjoyed in the late 1990s, which was only popped by the dot-com crash a few years later. As such, we can conclude that this record high was something of a historical blip.

Perhaps Telstra will hit $9 again at some point in the future. But for now, this stock’s history remains a rather unique story, showcasing the changing nature of the share market.

The post Telstra shares’ last all-time high? It will shock you appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. 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) started the day in the green before running into headwinds at 11:30am AEDT.

That’s when the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released the latest inflation data covering the full 2025 calendar year.

In the minute following that release, the ASX 200 sank 0.2% as investors reassessed the odds of a potential interest rate hike from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), with the odds of a rate cut all but evaporating.

The RBA meets again next week and makes its first interest rate announcement for 2026 on Tuesday, 3 February. The official cash rate currently stands at 3.60%.

Here’s what’s got investors feeling jittery today.

ASX 200 dips on rising inflation

The ABS reported that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 3.8% in the 12 months to December.

“The 3.8% annual CPI inflation to December was up from 3.4% to November,” ABS head of prices statistics Michelle Marquardt said.

Spurring the price rises pressuring the ASX 200 today, housing increased by 5.5%, while food and non-alcoholic beverages prices increased by 3.4% in 2025. Recreation and culture rose by 4.4%.

Unfortunately, trimmed mean inflation, the RBA’s preferred gauge, which takes out certain volatile items, also ticked higher.

“Trimmed mean inflation was 3.3% in the 12 months to December 2025, up from 3.2% in the 12 months to November 2025,” Marquardt said.

What are the experts saying on RBA interest rates?

Commenting on the outlook for interest rates amid the resurgent inflation figures, Russell Chesler, VanEck head of investments and capital markets, said (quoted by The Australian Financial Review):

The market has been predicting two rate hikes this year, with the first in May, but at this level of inflation, the first rate hike could be sooner – possibly even at next week’s RBA meeting.

Global X senior investment strategist Marc Jocum also expects ASX 200 investors will see interest rate hikes in 2026.

According to Jocum:

This December print matters because the RBA focuses most heavily on the quarterly trimmed mean as its preferred gauge of underlying inflation, rather than reacting to short-term volatility in the monthly headline numbers. Unfortunately, this quarterly number came hotter than expected at 3.4% year on year compared to 3.3% expected and 3.0% in Q3 2025.

Noting that inflation remains above the RBA’s 2% to 3% target range, and has been rising, Jocum said, “A hawkish hold still seems to be the central scenario for February’s meeting, but the risks around that call are clearly skewed and mounting toward a rate hike.”

The ASX 200 remains up 6.3% over 12 months.

The post ASX 200 sinks as inflation spike dashes hopes for RBA interest rate relief appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are marching higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) mining giant closed yesterday trading for $49.75. As we head into the Wednesday lunch hour, shares are changing hands for $50.61 each, up 1.7%. 

After a strong nine-month run, this sees BHP now commanding a market cap of $257.5 billion. That’s helping to cement its recently reclaimed title as the biggest stock on the ASX, surpassing the $252.1 billion market cap of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA). 

Amid a resurgent iron ore price and surging copper prices (BHP’s number one and number two revenue earners), BHP shares have rocketed 48.5% from their 9 April one-year lows.

Atop those capital gains, the ASX 200 mining stock also trades on a fully-franked trailing dividend yield of 3.4%.

And according to Sanlam Private Wealth’s Remo Greco, the stock’s strong run could have a lengthy way to go yet (courtesy of The Bull). 

Should you buy BHP shares today?

The first reason Greco is bullish on the ASX 200 miner is the outlook for ongoing global growth and the resources demand that growth entails.

According to Greco:

The resources upgrade cycle continues to unfold as global growth conditions strengthen into 2026. Expected US interest rate cuts should stimulate global growth and put downward pressure on the US dollar.

The second reason BHP shares could continue to outperform in 2026 is the relatively tight supply side of the global resource story.

Greco noted:

Commodity markets are already tight in terms of adequate supply, and this is already pushing mining stocks higher. This is a global theme. BHP fits the bill as global investors are drawn to earnings upgrades driving share price gains.

And the third reason you might want to buy shares in the biggest ASX stock is the potential for further strengthening of the Aussie dollar.

The Aussie dollar is currently fetching 70.2 US cents. That’s up 5.1% from 66.8 US cents on 1 January.

Commenting on the potential impact on the returns from BHP shares, Greco said, “Also, investors are exposed to a currency gain if the Australian dollar strengthens during 2026.” 

ASX 200 mining stock eyeing ongoing strength in iron ore price

The copper price has rocketed 43% over the past 12 months. The red metal is currently trading for US$13,007 per tonne, with many analysts forecasting more gains ahead amid strong demand for the global energy transition.

And in potentially good news for BHP shares, the iron ore price may also defy some analyst forecasts of a sharp fall to US$80 per tonne.

Iron ore dipped to US$93 per tonne in early July and is currently fetching US$104 per tonne.

And according to the latest research from Deutsche Bank, iron ore prices should average comfortably above US$100 per tonne through 2026.

Deutsche Bank noted (quoted by The Australian Financial Review):

For 2026 as a whole, we forecast a balanced market with a bias towards surplus in H2; iron ore port inventories climbed through most of 2025 and currently sit at the highest level since 2022, while Chinese domestic steel demand continues to contract due to property market weakness.

Potential steel production regulation in China remains a theme, but the same had been said a year ago yet Chinese exports reached record levels in 2025. Our central assumption is only a modest reduction in steel exports in 2026.

We forecast average prices of $US106 a tonne in Q1 and $US102/t for 2026.

The post 3 compelling reasons to buy BHP shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• If I invest $12,000 in BHP shares, how much passive income will I receive in 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 recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The gold analysts at RBC Capital Markets had a slight problem – the price of gold blew past their upside projections within weeks of the year’s start.

The team have therefore had another look at the forces driving the price of the precious metal higher, and has calculated how high gold could go if it replicated last year’s record-breaking performance.

They said around their initial forecast:

Our call has been that gold would trade mostly in the US$4500-5000/oz range this year with upside risk mostly in H2 and allowing for it to trade as high as US$5203/oz on average in Q4 in our high scenario. Reaching above US$5000/oz was possible, even likely, in our view later this year, but the pace of this rally has surpassed our expectations – arguably a familiar story given the pace of gold’s gains last year. This leaves us with several questions: Are these prices sustainable? How high could they go? What does past experience tell us?

Gold price stimulus still in place

The current drivers of the surge in the gold price, RBC said in their note to clients, were uncertainty and macroeconomic factors, especially weakness in the US dollar.

They added:

Between trade, politics, geopolitical instability, Fed independence concerns, etc., there are plenty of drivers to look at, so our top theme for 2026 is certainly alive and well. Likewise, based on all our conversations in the first few weeks of the year, we do not think investor or central bank demand will fall away, with more tonnage added … and central banks still in the buying camp in search of diversification.  

Time left to run for this rally

So how high could the price of gold go? RBC has looked at previous gold rallies going back to the 1980s and said that they tend to last 1062-1168 days.

Given the current rally was 844 days old at the time of publication of their research note, “similar major rallies of the past point to early September or mid-December (essentially the end of the year) based on duration alone”.

And in terms of the price, using 2025 as a proxy, the price could go much higher.

The RBC team said:

Already gold has set 8 new all-time highs in 2026 (well above last year’s average pace), making another 2025-style year look possible. Many of the same underpinnings are there and importantly, we still do not get a sense of exhaustion in terms of accumulation from investors or from the official sector (i.e., central banks). Using 2025’s gains as a proxy, scaling similar ground in percentage terms would put gold as high as US$7100/oz at year end.

The RBC team said that while their projections were “not exactly scientific”, they did provide some context around how long gold rallies tend to run, and how strong they can be.

The gold price was US$5186.65 per ounce on Wednesday morning.

The post How high could gold go if it replicates last year’s run? The figure will astound you appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Telstra shares’ last all-time high? It will shock you
• ASX 200 sinks as inflation spike dashes hopes for RBA interest rate relief
• 3 compelling reasons to buy BHP shares today
• Top Australian shares to buy right now with $2,000
• Big news is making Bank of Queensland shares fall today

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.

If you have a spare $2,000 and are looking to invest in some high-quality Australian shares, here are five of my favourites right now.

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

Catapult is a global sports data and analytics company that provides real-time data to optimise athletes’ performance. The tech company reported a 19% revenue uplift in FY25, and the business has actively expanded since through acquisitions. Catapult is quickly gaining traction, and its recurring subscriptions mean it benefits from customer retention. That translates to a higher and more stable margin. Analysts predict the shares could climb 103.86% to $7.77 this year.

AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL)

AGL shares collapsed in 2025 after weak earnings and conservative FY26 guidance. But the Australian energy business made some significant leaps in growth at the end of the year. It announced plans to buy new gas turbines in October to raise its capacity for renewable energy, and it sold its stake in Tilt Renewables, freeing up $750 million in funds. Now, the shares are considered attractively priced. Analysts expect an upside as high as 41.51% this year to $12.75 a piece.

Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT)

In October, the next-generation computer memory technology company said it had made an “exceptionally strong” start to the financial year. It revealed record quarterly customer payments and was advancing discussions with several semiconductor fabrication companies. It also received a $4.1 million research and development tax rebate. Weebit benefits from strong demand for its product, and with very few comparable companies, it is well-positioned to dominate the memory technology space. Analysts are tipping a 37.24% upside this year to $8.07 per share.

Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC)

2025 was an uncertain year for the development and construction business, but it looks like the ASX company could turn a corner in 2026. It has a strong development pipeline, capital recycling initiatives in place, and plans for cost savings. Analysts mostly have a strong buy rating on the stock and think it could climb up to $6.70 a piece. At the time of writing, that implies a 34.81% gain in 2026.

Droneshield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

Droneshield was the best performer on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and one of the fastest-growing stocks on the planet in 2025, despite a sharp 74% sell-off from an all-time high in early October. For the year to date, the Australian shares have already recovered 25.53% of losses. We’re still a long way from the all-time peak, but I’m confident that the company’s strong 2026 growth strategy will continue to push the drone operator’s shares higher this year. Analysts tip a 26.26% upside for the shares this year, to $5.

The post Top Australian shares to buy right now with $2,000 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why DroneShield, Life360, Nova Minerals, and Santana shares are falling today

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

Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ) shares are trading lower on Wednesday.

At the time of writing, the regional bank’s shares are down almost 1% to $6.85.

What did Bank of Queensland announce?

This morning, Bank of Queensland revealed that its CEO, Patrick Allaway, is stepping down from the role next month on 28 February.

Allaway was appointed as the bank’s non-executive director and chair in 2019, before transitioning to the CEO role in 2023. That appointment was made to address regulatory challenges and required transformation, providing leadership and stability while developing internal succession.

Commenting on his exit, Allaway said:

It has been an honour to lead BOQ as the Chair of the Board and subsequently its CEO, at the Board’s request. While returning to an executive role was not in my plans, I have worked to stabilise and strengthen BOQ by progressing work to respond to two Enforceable Undertakings and address the impact of market structural shifts.

New CEO appointed

The good news is that a replacement has already been found and is coming from within.

According to the release, experienced banking and financial services executive Rod Finch will become Bank of Queensland’s CEO and managing director from 1 March 2026.

Finch has served as the bank’s chief transformation and operations officer since 2023. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry, with a track record of delivery across customer, product, strategy and transformation roles within Australia and the United Kingdom.

Bank of Queensland’s chair, Andrew Fraser, said:

As a key leader of BOQ, Rod’s appointment will ensure we maintain momentum in executing our strategy to become a simpler, specialist bank with improved performance for customers and shareholders. Rod’s executive leadership of BOQ’s strategy and transformation priorities provides leadership continuity at a pivotal stage for BOQ Group. During his tenure at BOQ, Rod has led the digital transformation and the program to uplift operational and risk performance.

Rod Finch appears up for the challenge of leading the bank. He commented:

I am honoured to be appointed CEO and grateful for the trust the Board has placed in me. I look forward to leading the organisation, building on the strategic transformation initiated by Patrick to improve outcomes for our customers, shareholders and the communities we serve.

Bank of Queensland shares are down 1% over the past 12 months compared to a 6.5% gain by the ASX 200 index.

The post Big news is making Bank of Queensland shares fall today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Bank of Queensland names new CEO as leadership transition takes shape
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• Is Bank of Queensland stock a buy for its 9% dividend yield?

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.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares are sinking today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) drone defence company closed down 6.5% yesterday trading for $4.18. In late morning trade on Wednesday, shares are swapping hands for $4.01 apiece, down 4.1%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.1% at this same time.

Taking a step back, DroneShield shares remain up a very impressive 546.8% since this time last year.

That’s enough to turn a $10,000 investment into $64,677.

But it has been anything but a smooth ride for longer-term investors.

Shares hit an all-time closing high of $6.60 on 9 October before plunging to a one-year low of $1.72 on 21 November.

So, when it comes to buying this ASX 200 stock, timing can make a big difference in your returns.

Which brings us back to our headline question.

Should you buy into the recent retrace in DroneShield shares?

With today’s intraday moves factored in, DroneShield shares are down 15.2% since last Thursday’s close, presenting a potentially profitable long-term entry point.

Shares came under pressure yesterday following the release of the company’s December quarter update (Q4 2025).

Investors clearly have high growth expectations for the defence company, with shares falling despite DroneShield reporting record quarterly revenue of $51.3 million, up 94% from Q4 2024.

And cash receipts from customers surged 142% year on year to $63.5 million.

The balance sheet also looks strong, with the company reporting a cash balance of $210.4 million as at 31 December.

Potentially spooking forward-looking, growth-hungry investors, the ASX 200 defence stock reported an 18% decline in its sales pipeline since October to US$2.09 billion.

Commenting on that decline, Bell Potter analyst Baxter Kirk said (quoted by The Australian Financial Review):

We expected an increase in the sales pipeline. The decline in pipeline is mostly due to several early stage-low probability large projects which did not materialise or were well reduced in scope.

Still, Bell Potter maintains a bullish outlook for DroneShield shares, forecasting a “wave of spending” from nations with large defence budgets seeking to secure their critical sites from drone attacks.

“We believe DRO should see material contracts flowing … over the next three to six months as defence budgets roll over to FY26,” Bell Potter noted.

The broker also said that the company’s lengthy “battlefield experience” offers it a “strengthening competitive advantage”.

Connecting the dots, Bell Potter has a $5 price target on DroneShield shares.

That represents a potential upside of almost 25% from current levels.

The post Up 576% in a year, should you buy the latest dip in DroneShield shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why the DroneShield share price could be undervalued
• Is this ASX defence stock the next DroneShield? Broker tips 120% upside
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Why DroneShield, Life360, Nova Minerals, and Santana shares are falling today
• DroneShield shares fall after reporting revenue of $216m

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 positions in and has recommended DroneShield. 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.