Author: openjargon

The team at Morgans has issued new research reports this week, setting out the case for buying shares in three very different sectors.

They reckon there’s upside of a minimum 28.4% to be had among the trio, with one share, admittedly a speculative buy, tipped to more than double.

Let’s have a look at the companies they like.

Civmec Ltd (ASX: CVL)

Shares in Civmec recently hit record highs and have delivered a return of more than 70% over the past year.

That’s perhaps not a surprise, given the company’s announcement last week that its order book had hit a record high of $1.5 billion.

This followed the company being awarded a further package of work by Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX: ILU) at its Eneabba Rare Earths Refinery in Western Australia.

Civmec was also awarded the major construction contract for Perth Park, “Western Australia’s premier entertainment and sporting precinct on the Burswood Peninsula”.

The company also said:

Civmec has recently secured a number of new awards, panel agreement extensions and new orders across its maintenance portfolio, increasing utilisation at its permanent regional facilities. The Group has also secured packages of work from long-term clients across the lithium, rare earths, critical minerals, iron ore, coal, alumina and hydrocarbons commodities, as well as manufacturing work to be delivered from its Newcastle facility.

The Morgans analyst team said they believed the Iluka and Perth Park contracts “almost entirely de-risks expectations for strong earnings growth in FY27”.

They added:

We expect Civmec to enjoy a strong 12-24 months given increased earnings certainty and an unprecedented outlook supported by capex programs across a broad range of commodities.

Morgans has a price target of $2.30 on Civmec shares compared to $1.79 currently.

IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

The Morgans team said on the downside, visa data in IDP’s key markets “remains in deep contraction”, with Australia, Canada, and the UK all experiencing material declines.

But on the upside, China is scaling quickly, they said, “and the group continues to demonstrate pricing power across both IELTS and Student Placement”.

IELTS is the globally recognised standard test for English language proficiency.

Morgans said they viewed IDP’s earnings reset as “cyclical rather than structural”.

They added:

Visa restrictions have tightened across all four key destination markets, compressing volumes materially, but underlying demand for international study remains supported by Asian demographics and IDP retains clear market leadership in both IELTS and student placement. Yield growth through the downturn speaks to genuine franchise pricing power. We see scope for earnings to stabilise and return to growth from FY27, led by the completed A$25m cost-out, China IELTS optionality and a stabilising placement backdrop as policy settings evolve.

Morgans has a price target of $3.15 on IDP shares compared to $2.11 currently.

Comet Ridge Ltd (ASX: COI)

This company recently renegotiated a deal with Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) under which it would acquire the larger company’s interest in the Mahalo gas project.

The renegotiation required a smaller up-front cash payment, and also extended the completion date by three months.

The Morgans team said Comet Ridge had successfully used the uncertainty around Federal gas policy to its advantage.

They said the company was trading at a heavily discounted rate with regard to its gas holdings, and they have a price target of 27 cents on the shares compared to 12.5 cents currently, with a speculative buy rating.

The post Three ASX shares to buy right now according to Morgans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Why 4DMedical, Eagers Automotive, IDP Education, and oOh!Media shares are charging higher today
• These shares are being dumped from the ASX 200 index
• This ASX stock just hit a record high. Here’s why investors are buying
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares 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.

ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD) shares are marching higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) sleep disorder treatment company closed on Friday trading for $27.64. In afternoon trade on Tuesday, following the Monday King’s Birthday ASX trading holiday, shares are swapping hands for $27.91 apiece, up 1%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.3% at this same time.

Taking a step back, however, ResMed shares remain down 28.2% over the past 12 months, materially lagging the 0.2% one-year gains of the benchmark index.

Which brings us back to our headline question.

Resmed shares: Buy, hold, or sell?

MPC Markets’ Mark Gardner recently analysed the outlook for the ASX healthcare stock (courtesy of The Bull).

“ResMed remains a high-quality respiratory care business,” he noted.

Addressing the past year’s selling pressure, Gardner noted:

Concerns about the impact of GLP-1 weight loss drugs have weighed on sentiment, although recent analysis suggests the big undiagnosed sleep apnoea market still provides a long runway for device demand.

He added:

The company continues to benefit from a strong mask and device portfolio, but investors were disappointed management left its fiscal year 2026 outlook unchanged after a solid third quarter result.

Connecting the dots, Gardner issued a hold recommendation on ResMed shares.

“Our hold recommendation balances the quality of the franchise against near term uncertainty around margins, competition and investor expectations,” he concluded.

What’s the latest from the ASX 200 healthcare share?

ResMed released the third-quarter results Gardner mentioned above on 1 May.

Highlights included revenue of US$1.43 billion. That was up 11% year on year, or up 8% in constant currency.

The quarter also saw ResMed achieve an operating cash flow of US$554 million, with US$262 million returned to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends.

ResMed pays dividends on a quarterly basis.

“Our third quarter results reflect the continued strength of our global business, driven by ongoing demand for our market-leading products and disciplined execution of our strategy,” ResMed CEO Mick Farrell said.

Farrell added:

These results highlight the momentum behind our strategy, and the continued progress we are making in shaping the future of sleep health, breathing health, and healthcare in the home.

As we advance through the remainder of our fiscal year 2026, we remain focused on expanding access to care globally, scaling our digital health capabilities, and delivering further strong, profitable growth.

Amid high expectations and potentially the lack of an FY 2026 outlook upgrade, ResMed shares closed down 7.6% on the day of the results release.

The post Down 28% in a year, should I buy the dip on Resmed shares right now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Are CSL and ResMed shares buys at 52-week lows?

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

With so many shares to choose from on the Australian share market, it can be difficult to decide which ones to buy. The good news is that brokers across the country are doing a lot of the hard work for you.

Three top ASX shares that leading brokers have named as buys this week are outlined below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

According to a note out of UBS, its analysts have retained their buy rating on this biotech giant’s shares with a reduced price target of $158.00. UBS is feeling upbeat about the company’s outlook, believing that this year could mark the low point for CSL’s profits. This is particularly the case given the cost savings that the company’s transformation program is targeting and lower plasma costs following a shift in collections. In light of this and the CSL share price trading at a discount to peer multiples, UBS thinks now could be an opportune time for investors to buy shares. The CSL share price is trading at $99.19 this afternoon.

Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE)

A note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating on this automotive retailer’s shares with a slightly trimmed price target of $28.00. Bell Potter believes the Eagers Automotive shares look reasonable value trading on PE ratios of ~20x and ~17x in 2026 and 2027. The latter includes the first full year of the CanadaOne investment, which it feels is the more relevant PE multiple to focus on. In addition, Bell Potter believes that the recent trading update at the annual general meeting has effectively wiped the slate clean, so there should be no surprises with its half-year results. The Eagers Automotive share price is fetching $21.53 at the time of writing.

IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

Analysts at Morgans have upgraded this student placement and language testing platform provider’s shares to a buy rating with a $3.15 price target. According to the note, recent visa data shows that IDP Education’s key destination markets remain in deep contraction, with Australia, Canada, and the UK all experiencing material volume and visa grant rate declines. However, positively, the company’s China IELTS is scaling quickly, the cost base reset is on track, and it continues to demonstrate pricing power across both IELTS and Student Placement. So, with structural demand drivers for international study intact, a leaner cost base, growing China optionality, and ongoing technology/product development, Morgans is willing to look through the near-term backdrop and recommends investors buy its shares while they are trading on a cyclically depressed multiple. The IDP Education share price is trading at $2.11 on Tuesday.

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

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in CSL. 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 and Eagers Automotive Ltd. 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) has had a volatile start to the year, inflation woes and geopolitical instability putting pressure on investor sentiment and share prices.

The ASX 200 is trading in the red again on Tuesday, down around 0.3% at the time of writing.

Here are two ASX 200 shares I think can drive the ASX 200 Index higher throughout the remainder of 2026. And with upsides as high as 100%, they look super cheap right now.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

Life360 shares are around 1% higher at the time of writing, and changing hands at $22.22 a piece. It’s good news for the US-based software development company’s shares after a run of share price falls.

The ASX 200 tech company’s shares are now around 60% below an all-time high recorded in October last year, and 32% lower for the year to date. 

Life360 shares have been caught up in an ongoing tech-sector-wide sell-off over the past nine months, as investors sold their tech shares amid growing fears that companies’ core services could be replaced by AI. 

At the same time, there has been some concern that some tech company share prices, including Life360, had become overpriced and were trading above fair value.

But I think the oversold ASX 200 shares show great potential for growth.

Life360 recently reported a 38% increase in quarterly revenue, mostly driven by a 32% increase in subscription revenue and a 36% increase in core subscription revenue. The company also upgraded its FY26 adjusted EBITDA and revenue guidance, showing that the business is profitable and performing well.

Market Index data shows that all brokers have a strong buy rating on the stock. The $32.05 average target price implies a potential 44% upside at the time of writing.

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)

Flight Centre shares are also up around 1% in Tuesday afternoon trade, to $11.11 each.

The ASX 200 travel shares are now down around 26% year to date and are roughly 16% lower than 12 months ago. 

Flight Centre rallied well through late-2025 and early-2026 and peaked at a 52-week high in early February this year.

But a slower-than-expected profit growth, higher travel costs, geopolitical tensions, and inflation concerns pulled the brakes on the share price in February and March. And Flight Centre shares have still struggled to rebound.

As travel disruptions and fuel supply concerns ease, I think ASX 200 travel stocks like Flight Centre could rebound quickly.

Brokers unanimously rate Flight Centre shares as a strong buy and tip a 41% upside to an average $15.61 target price, at the time of writing.

West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF)

The Australia-based gold mining company’s shares have fallen over 4% on Tuesday afternoon, and are trading at $2.96 at the time of writing.

The gold miner’s shares have been volatile this year, trading between $2.71 and $3.91 per share. For the year to date, the shares are now down around 4%, but after a huge rally late 2025, the share price is 29% higher than it was 12 months ago.

The ASX 200 gold miner has faced headwinds from higher mining costs and softer gold prices. Investor sentiment dropped, and they began selling their gold shares and rotating into larger, more stable assets instead. 

But West African Resources has posted record-breaking production results this year and recently raised its production guidance for FY26 and the next 10 years. The ASX 200 gold miner forecasts production of 430,000 to 490,000 ounces of gold, which implies production up to 63% higher than FY25.

The gold price is forecast to rebound this year. If gold prices return to record highs, then the value of high-performing gold miners like West African Resources could accelerate.

Brokers unanimously rate the ASX 200 gold miner’s shares as a strong buy, and the average $5.89 target price implies a potential 100% upside at the time of writing. 

The post These 3 oversold ASX 200 shares look cheap right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel 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) is lower on Tuesday, despite plenty of stocks trading higher.

At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.29% to 8,600 points. It was much weaker earlier, falling as low as 8,490.9 points before recovering some lost ground.

At the latest check, 111 ASX 200 shares were trading higher, compared with 87 lower and 2 unchanged.

Usually, that would be enough to help the index, but the selling is landing in some of the market’s largest stocks.

Here’s the latest.

A few heavyweights are doing the damage

Today, the main pressure is coming from the big miners.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are down 2.08% to $59.965 at the time of writing.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares are also weaker, falling 1.62% to $181.59, while Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares are down 3.56% to $19.80.

The weakness comes as investors stay cautious on the resources sector.

Iron ore is still sitting near US$101 a tonne after falling over the past month, while demand from China and broader global growth signals remain in focus.

Gold miners are also weighing on the market.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are down 4.50% to $18.985, even though gold is slightly higher today at around US$4,337 an ounce.

Banks are not offering enough support

The big banks aren’t giving the ASX 200 much help either.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are up 0.11% to $161.07, which is helping limit the damage.

But the other major banks are not following it higher.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares are down 0.52% to $34.63, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares are down 1.09% to $36.19, and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares are down 0.26% to $34.03.

There are still buyers around

There are still plenty of green screens away from the miners and banks.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares are up 1.57% to $80.17 at the time of writing, while Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares are 2.52% higher at $5.09.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) shares are also stronger, rising 2.19% to $36.47, while CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares are up 1.46% to $99.34.

QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) is also in the green, with its shares up 1.43% to $22.99.

The number of stocks rising shows investors are still buying selectively. But with the big miners and banks still weighing down the benchmark, the ASX 200 remains stuck in the red.

The post Here’s why the ASX 200 is falling despite a sea of green appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) shares are charging higher today.

Again.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) respiratory imaging technology company closed on Friday trading for $3.97. In early afternoon trade on Tuesday, with the ASX having been shuttered on Monday for the King’s Holiday, shares are swapping hands for $4.13 apiece, up 4%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.4% at this same time.

Taking a step back, 4D Medical shares are now up an eye-popping 1,276.7% over the past 12 months, compared to a 1.4% gain delivered by the benchmark index.

And it was thanks to this rapid share price gain, and the resulting market cap surge, that 4DMedical stock was included in the ASX 200 back on 20 April.

To put the past year’s gains into better perspective, if you’d invested $10,000 in the ASX 200 healthcare stock 12 months ago, you’d be sitting on $137,667 today.

And looking ahead, MPC Markets’ Mark Gardner forecasts more outperformance to come (courtesy of The Bull).

Here’s why.

Should I buy 4DMedical shares today?

“4DMedical develops advanced respiratory imaging technology,” Gardner explained.

Commenting on his bullish outlook for the ASX 200 healthcare stock, he said:

The company has attracted attention after securing commercial validation through relationships with GSK, Mayo Clinic and Philips, which support the case for broader adoption of its CT:VQ technology in the United States and other markets.

Sounding a word of caution, Gardner noted, “The shares remain volatile, and the business is still in the early stages of converting partnerships into material revenue.”

Indeed, while 4DMedical shares are up a stellar 1,277% in 12 months, shares are down 9% in 2026. And that comes after they hit an all-time closing high of $6.80 each on 10 April.

But taking a long-term view, Gardner believes the company is still undervalued at current levels.

He concluded:

However, the company has a stronger funding position after its recent capital raise and a clearer commercial pathway than in prior years. We believe the market is undervaluing the longer-term opportunity at recent levels.

What’s the latest from the ASX 200 healthcare stock?

4DMedical shares closed up 18.9% on 29 May after the company announced that it had inked a commercial agreement with US-based SimonMed Imaging for the immediate clinical deployment of its CT:VQ technology.

Commenting on the agreement on the day, 4DMedical CEO and founder Andreas Fouras said:

SimonMed is one of the largest and most influential outpatient imaging providers in the United States. Their decision to adopt CT:VQ, moving directly to commercial deployment, is a major milestone for 4DMedical and a strong validation of both our technology and our clinical value.

The post Up 1,277% in a year, why 4DMedical shares are tipped for more outsized gains 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 recommended GSK. 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.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares are finally showing signs of life after a brutal year for one of the ASX’s former market darlings.

At the time of writing, the CSL share price is up 1.39% to $99.27.

That puts the stock more than 5% higher over the past week, giving shareholders a bit of relief after months of heavy selling.

Still, there’s a long way to go.

CSL shares remain down almost 60% over the past 12 months.

It’s worth noting that the stock hit a decade low of $90 last week before buyers stepped back in.

So, has the CSL share price finally found a floor?

Why CSL has fallen so far

The pressure on CSL has been building for a while.

Investors have been dealing with weaker earnings momentum, guidance cuts, margin pressure, and concerns about how the business is being run after a difficult stretch.

The major blow came after interim Chief Executive Gordon Naylor completed his 90-day review, and the company lowered its FY26 outlook.

CSL now expects FY26 revenue of about US$15.2 billion on a constant currency basis, along with NPATA of about US$3.1 billion, excluding restructuring costs and impairments.

The company also pointed to pressure across several parts of the business. US immunoglobulin revenue is being affected by inventory normalisation, while weaker albumin pricing in China is weighing on the outlook.

Slower HEMGENIX growth and competition in iron have added to the mix.

The impairment charge has weighed on sentiment, with CSL expecting to recognise about US$5 billion of additional non-cash, pre-tax impairments across FY26 and FY27.

Insiders are buying after the fall

The recent director buying has given investors something else to watch.

Naylor bought 1,100 CSL shares on-market on 26 May for $107,800. Non-Executive Director Alison Watkins also bought 2,540 shares earlier in May for $250,595.

More recently, Chair Carolyn Hewson bought 1,036 shares for about $99,342.

That’s a positive signal, but it does not guarantee the sell-off is over. Directors can buy too early, and CSL still needs to show that earnings pressure is starting to ease.

But after a near-60% fall in the share price, the timing is hard to ignore.

It shows that several people inside the company are willing to buy, while confidence in the stock remains weak.

Has the sell-off gone too far?

That is the big question.

CSL is still a huge healthcare business, with strong positions across plasma, vaccines, iron, nephrology, and specialist medicines.

But investors aren’t just buying the stock just because of its old reputation.

The rebound from $90 shows some buyers are willing to step in at lower levels. But one good week is not enough to say the worst is over.

CSL now needs to show stronger earnings and margins, and a clearer path forward after the Vifor disappointment.

The post Has the CSL share price finally bottomed out? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

It’s been a volatile ride for Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS) shares so far in 2026. 

The share price has swung anywhere between $5.86 and an all-time high of $12.26 in early June.

At the time of writing, EOS shares are down around 4% on the day and trading at $10.56 each.

The latest fall means the shares are around 6% higher for the year to date and a huge 331% higher than this time last year.

What caused the huge share price rally over the past 12 months?

The Aussie defence company, which develops and produces advanced electro-optic technologies, benefited from surging demand for exposure to the defence sector in late 2025 and early 2026. 

Ongoing conflict in the Middle East and rising geopolitical tensions have led to an uptick in government defence spending. This includes the development of missiles or submarines, as well as technologies such as drones, AI, and electronic warfare.

As a result of strong demand for this defence technology, EOS has won several major contracts in 2026. This has helped to drive investor confidence and has sent the share price soaring.

The good news has flowed through to the middle of the calendar year. In late May, the defence company announced that two experienced and high-profile directors would join its board as non-Executive Directors.

At the end of last week, S&P Dow Jones Indices announced its quarterly rebalance of the S&P/ASX Indices. EOS will join the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) on the 22nd of June.

While strong tailwinds have driven EOS shares higher, headwinds have also caused the share price to fluctuate.

What headwinds have pushed EOS shares lower?

News of significant insider selling late last year raised concerns about the valuation of the EOS share price. EOS announced that its CEO, CFO, and other senior Executives had exercised more than 3.4 million of share options with plans to sell a significant portion. The news caught investors off-guard, and the volume of shares being disposed of raised questions. 

In April, EOS also reported that it was issued a $4 million penalty in the Federal Court for failing “to disclose a materially significant downgrade to its 2022 revenue forecast to the market for approximately 14 weeks”.

In May, the company also raised $150 million through a fully underwritten institutional placement at $8 per new share. EOS also raised $40 million through a private placement to an entity related to Calidus. This is a major provider of defence equipment, technology, and services based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. These funds will be used to acquire MARSS and increase balance sheet flexibility.

It’s been an action-packed year for EOS shares. But the question now is, what’s next?

Are EOS shares still a buy? Or have they reached their peak?

TradingView data shows that analysts have a strong buy consensus on EOS shares. The average $12.94 target price implies around a 24% upside at the time of writing. 

But some are even more bullish and think the defence shares have the potential to climb another 53% to $16 over the next 12 months.

The post Up 331% in a year. Can EOS shares keep storming higher? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Electro Optic Systems. 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.

In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on track to end the day lower. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.4% to 8,589.7 points.

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

Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX: AIS)

The Aeris Resources share price is down 7% to 38.5 cents. This appears to have been driven by broad weakness in the mining sector today, which has overshadowed a promising announcement this morning. Aeris Resources revealed that significant gold intersections continue at Golden Plateau. It achieved high-grade gold intersections from the Main, North and East lodes. Aeris’ executive chair, Andre Labuschagne, said “The consistent performance of our geological model continues to impress, with drill holes across the Main, North and East lodes intersecting mineralisation at their predicted positions and delivering some of our strongest results to date.”

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

The Northern Star share price is down almost 4% to $19.14. Investors have been selling gold stocks today following a pullback in the price of the precious metal. Traders appear to be betting on higher oil prices causing a spike in inflation, putting pressure on central banks to raise interest rates. The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index is down 4.5% at the time of writing.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

The REA Group share price is down almost 4% to $152.74. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Bell Potter this morning. According to the note, the broker has downgraded the property listings company’s shares to a sell rating (from buy) with a heavily reduced price target of $137.00 (from $217.00). Bell Potter said: “We downgrade our recommendation to Sell (prev. Buy). REA currently trades around 28x FY27e P/E, which is a level it has historically only traded at during EPS declines; VA consensus currently anticipates 14% EPS growth in FY27 (BPe: -2%). REA also appears expensive against other ASX classifieds on a FCF growth basis at 1.7x EV/FCFg in FY27e.”

Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT)

The Weebit Nano share price is down 8% to $6.95. This is despite there being no news out of the memory technology developer. However, it is worth noting that chip stocks were sold off on Wall Street on Friday. So, today’s selling of Weebit Nano shares could be a reflection of that weakness.

The post Why Aeris Resources, Northern Star, REA Group, and Weebit Nano shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in REA Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are marching higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy stock closed on Friday trading for $30.91. At the time of writing (remember, markets were closed on Monday for the King’s Holiday), shares are swapping hands for $31.06 apiece, up 0.5%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.5% at this same time following lower expectations for US Federal Reserve interest rate relief and renewed fighting in the Middle East over the weekend.

That sees the Brent Crude oil price holding at US$94 per barrel, up 54% year to date.

Surging global energy prices, along with its own operational successes, have sent the Woodside share price up 31.3% in 2026, smashing the 1.7% year-to-date losses posted by the benchmark index.

And that’s not including the 83.5 cents per share fully-franked dividend that Woodside paid to eligible stockholders on 27 March. Woodside stock currently trades on a 5.4% fully-franked trailing dividend yield.

And looking ahead, MPC Markets’ Mark Gardner expects the Aussie oil and gas giant to be well-placed to keep outperforming (courtesy of The Bull).

Here’s why.

Should I buy Woodside shares today?

“Woodside is one of Australia’s leading oil and gas producers,” Gardner said. “The company remains leveraged to LNG demand from Asia.”

“Energy prices remain volatile, but gas continues to play an important role in regional energy security,” he noted.

Supporting his buy recommendation on Woodside shares, Gardner pointed to the company’s promising growth projects. That includes the Scarborough Energy project, located on and offshore in Western Australia.

According to Gardner:

The Scarborough Energy project is reportedly 96% complete and on track for first LNG cargoes in the fourth quarter of 2026. In our view, the market isn’t fully pricing in the production uplift from Woodside’s major growth projects.

While Woodside’s passive income payouts have come down from their peak levels of 2022 and 2023, Gardner remained bullish on the energy stock’s outlook.

“The dividend has been under pressure, but the balance sheet and asset base remain appealing for investors seeking energy exposure,” he concluded.

What’s the latest from the ASX 200 oil and gas stock?

Woodside reported its first-quarter results on 29 April.

Highlights included a 7% quarter-on-quarter increase in operating revenue, which reached US$3.26 billion.

As for the strong balance sheet Gardner mentioned above, Woodside reported liquidity of around US$8.3 billion as at 31 March.

And on the major projects front, recently appointed Woodside CEO Liz Westcott noted, “We continued disciplined delivery of major cash-generative growth projects.”

Atop the Scarborough Energy Project, the company’s Trion oil project was 56% complete, while its Louisiana LNG Project was 24% complete at the end of the quarter.

Woodside shares closed up 2% on the day of the results release.

The post Why Woodside shares just got a big buy call 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.