Author: openjargon

Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares have tumbled 1.32% in afternoon trade on Tuesday. At the time of writing, the shares are trading hands at $21.66.

The latest slump continues a run of three consecutive days of declines. The shares spiked to a two-year high of $22.99 on Thursday last week but have since shed 6% of their value.

They’re now down 2% for the year to date but 34% higher than this time 12 months ago.

What happened to Fortescue shares?

The iron ore miner’s shares rallied 15% in early May week as investors broadly rotated back into slumping ASX mining stocks. 

Investor sentiment appeared to briefly reverse from earlier this year, when many were concerned about rising costs, fears about a shortage of oil supply, and geopolitical uncertainty around conflict in the Middle East. Renewed confidence in the outlook for iron ore then acted as a strong tailwind for the miner’s share price.

Trading Economics data shows that the price of iron ore spiked higher again in May. Just over a week ago, the price of iron ore spiked to a multi-year high of over US$111 per tonne. It has slumped slightly ever since but is still 3.225% higher than a month ago and 11% higher than last year. 

It also looks like the market has become more optimistic about Fortescue’s decarbonisation and green-energy investments after management highlighted potential future fuel savings and operational efficiencies.

The company said it is committed to spending US$6.2 billion on decarbonisation, including a US$680 million investment to accelerate its 200-megawatt Pilbara Green Energy Project. 

Overall market sentiment and improved confidence explains why the shares spiked to a multi-year high late last week. But when it comes to understanding today’s slump, it’s not as clear.

There hasn’t been any price-sensitive company news to explain the turnaround since the share price spiked. It’s likely that the latest sell-off is mostly due to investors selling their shares and taking their gains off the table after the price rally. 

Is the latest slump a buying opportunity?

It doesn’t look like it.

While Fortescue shares rallied last week, data suggests that analysts don’t think the rally can continue. In fact, they expect the opposite.

TradingView data shows that eight out of 17 analysts have a sell or strong sell rating on the shares. Another eight have a hold rating while just one analyst rates the iron ore miner’s shares as a strong buy.

The average $18.90 target price implies a 13% downside at the time of writing. Meanwhile, some expect the shares to crash another 32% to $14.76 over the next 12 months.

The post Fortescue shares slump 6% from a multi-year high: Buy, sell or hold? 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 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.

Investors will have to wait a little longer to see where Webjet Group Ltd (ASX: WJL) shares trade next.

The ASX travel stock was placed in a trading halt on Tuesday, with its shares last sitting at 49 cents.

It has been a rough year for shareholders, with the stock down around 44% in 2026 and 44% over the past year.

The halt comes as investors wait for a potentially major update that could materially affect its financial outlook.

Here’s what we know so far.

Webjet calls a trading halt

In a statement to the ASX, Webjet said it had requested an immediate trading halt pending an announcement.

The company said the update relates to “future material changes to a certain commercial arrangement”.

Webjet also said the change is currently expected to have a material impact on its financial outlook.

No other details were provided in the trading halt request.

The halt is expected to remain in place until the earlier of the announcement being released or normal trading beginning on Wednesday, 21 May 2026.

The timing is also notable because Webjet is due to hold its FY26 results briefing tomorrow morning.

The company said CEO and Managing Director Katrina Barry, along with CFO Layton Shannos, will discuss its half-year results, strategy, and outlook.

More change at the top

The halt comes at a sensitive time for the business.

Barry is leaving the business this week after less than 2 years in the top job.

Her departure follows the recent exit of deputy CEO David Galt.

Chairman Don Clarke is also due to retire on Wednesday.

That leaves Webjet dealing with several leadership changes while shareholders wait for more details on the commercial update.

The company previously said Barry would remain through the completion of the company’s full-year results in May.

Webjet has also reaffirmed its FY26 earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) guidance of $28 million to $29 million.

That guidance excludes Webjet Bizness Travel, which is delivering in line with plan.

It also excludes Hive, which is expected to reduce second-half earnings by $600,000 to $900,000.

Why bidders may still be watching

The leadership changes are also feeding renewed takeover speculation.

The Australian reported that RBC Capital Markets analyst Wei-Weng Chen believes the departures of Barry and Galt could create a leadership vacuum.

He said this could potentially play into the hands of suitors Helloworld Travel Ltd (ASX: HLO) and BGH Capital.

Both groups had previously shown interest in Webjet.

BGH Capital had offered 91 cents per share, while Helloworld had offered 90 cents per share.

Those takeover talks were terminated earlier this year, with uncertainty around an acceptable binding proposal blamed for the end of discussions.

Since then, Webjet shares have fallen more than 15%.

The post Why this ASX travel stock is halted after crashing 44% in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 ASX All Ords shares downgraded by brokers this week
• Webjet and Web Travel Group: Are these ASX travel shares a buy?

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 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 team at Morgans has been busy looking at recent updates from a couple of popular ASX shares.

Is the broker now positive on them? Or has it turned negative? Let’s find out:

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

Morgans notes that this network-as-a-service company has announced a series of major contract wins for its recently acquired Latitude.sh business.

The broker was impressed with the contract wins and has upgraded its estimates to reflect them.

This has led to Morgans reaffirming its buy rating on Megaport’s shares with an improved price target of $15.50. Based on its current share price of $12.63, this implies potential upside of 23% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on the company, the broker said:

MP1 has announced a series of large contract wins which are financially and strategically significant. MP1 will use its globally unique communications platform to connect servers and GPU clusters in numerous DCs across the US.

DC power constraints are a growing issue and MP1 was uniquely able to stitch together multiple sites to provide consolidated inference solutions. We update our forecasts to reflect recent contract wins, lifting our TP to $15.50 per share. We retain a BUY recommendation.

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC)

Another ASX share that Morgans has been looking at is coal miner New Hope.

It released its third-quarter update this week and performed comfortably ahead of expectations. In fact, Morgans highlights that New Hope’s group coal sales were 20% better than consensus forecasts.

It was also a similar story for production and its underlying earnings for the period.

However, due to its current valuation, this strong performance wasn’t enough for a buy rating from Morgans.

It has retained its hold rating on New Hope shares with a $5.25 price target. Based on its current share price of $5.48, this implies potential downside of 4.2% over the next 12 months. It commented:

NHC delivered a materially stronger-than-expected 3Q26, with group coal sales of 3.2Mt beating consensus by ~20%. Saleable Production was also strong at 3.01Mt, beating consensus by ~10%. Bengalla achieved a FOB cash cost ($AUD/t) of $74, down from $84.4 in the prior quarter.

Underlying EBITDA (unaudited) of ~A$130m came in ~22% ahead of the prior quarter, supported by higher volumes and a meaningful step-down in unit costs. We maintain a HOLD rating with a target price of A$5.25ps.

The post What is Morgans saying about Megaport and New Hope shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Megaport. 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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has rebounded early this week. Here are four ASX 200 shares that I think can help drive the index higher over the next 12 months.

A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

A2 Milk shares have crashed 26% since early April after the company released a trading, supply chain, and outlook update stating that it was experiencing significant supply chain disruptions that are expected to affect its FY26 performance. The ASX 200 company said it was facing temporary product availability issues in China, driven by strong demand, freight disruptions, production constraints, and longer product release and customs clearance times. As a result, the company downgraded its FY26 guidance, and it has sent the share price tumbling. Brokers are still bullish on the ASX 200 company’s shares, though. Market Index data shows they rate the stock a buy and tip a 55% upside to $9.18 at the time of writing. 

Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU)

Vault Minerals shares shed nearly 40% of their value amid a broad-based sell-off of ASX gold stocks following the escalation of conflict between the US and Iran and resulting global economic uncertainty. It looks like investors were also using the opportunity to take gains off the table after a strong price rally in late 2025. The ASX 200 gold company’s shares have since recovered some ground, but sentiment has still been sluggish over the past month. Brokers are very optimistic about the outlook for the gold miner, though. They rate the ASX 200 shares as a strong buy and tip a potential 59% upside to $7.06.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

Pro Medicus shares are climbing higher this week. The uptick is great news for investors after it suffered a brutal 53% sell-off over the past 12 months. On Monday, the healthcare imaging software company announced a new contract win. It said its US subsidiary, Visage Imaging, has signed a 7-year, $90 million contract with Beth Israel Lahey Health. The company’s US subsidiary also won two $40 million five-year contract renewals back in early March. It looks like we’ll see plenty more out of the company over the next 12 months, too. TradingView data shows analysts rate the ASX 200 shares as a strong buy and tip an average 47% upside to $191.90, at the time of writing. 

Resmed Inc (ASX: RMD)

Resmed shares have rebounded from a two-year low recorded in mid-May. Again, as an ASX healthcare share, the company has faced significant headwinds in late 2025 and early 2026. Most significantly, Resmed shares were swept up in the general sector-wide sell-off. Its latest third-quarter earnings update also came in softer than expected, which didn’t help lessen declining sentiment. But it looks like the ASX 200 shares are now widely considered oversold and below fair value. Broker consensus is for a strong buy rating. And they tip the shares to climb 51% higher to $43.38 over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

The post 4 ASX 200 shares tipped to jump another 50% to 60% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• How to generate $20,000 a year in passive income on the ASX

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

ASX gold stock Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) pushed higher on Tuesday after the ASX miner released another encouraging operational update.

During afternoon trade, Bellevue Gold shares climbed 2.5% to $1.55.

The rally continues an impressive run for shareholders. The ASX gold stock is now up roughly 75% over the past 12 months. By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained just 3% over the same period.

So, what exactly did the ASX gold stock announce?

High-grade ore source

Bellevue Gold revealed that it has delivered first ore from the Deacon North underground mine at its Bellevue Gold Project in Western Australia.

Importantly, management of the ASX gold stock said the milestone was achieved on schedule. That matters because Deacon North has the potential to become a major high-grade ore source for the company as production ramps up through FY26 and FY27.

The company also confirmed that all major mining areas at the Bellevue Gold Mine are now in production. Mining operations at Deacon Main and Viago are already established and tracking in line with FY26 guidance.

Management said growing ore contributions from Deacon Main, Viago, and now Deacon North are expected to drive production growth across the next two financial years.

Operational setbacks, cost pressures

Investors appear to like what they are seeing.

The market has been watching the ASX gold stock closely, following earlier operational setbacks and cost pressures. Hitting key development milestones on time could help rebuild investor confidence in the company’s execution capabilities.

Higher-grade ore production is also critical. If Bellevue can successfully increase access to high-grade material, it could help lift gold production, improve margins, lower unit costs, and strengthen free cash flow.

Electromagnetic surveys for next phase drilling

The ASX gold stock also flagged more exploration activity ahead.

Bellevue Gold said it has completed the first surface drilling program, while a second phase drilling program is already underway. The company expects that work to continue through the June quarter and into FY27.

At the same time, downhole electromagnetic surveys are beginning to refine exploration targeting and support the next phase of drilling activity.

Management also revealed that it expects a sixth underground diamond rig to arrive on site during the June 2026 quarter. The rig will then begin underground exploration drilling in FY27.

What next for the ASX gold stock?

Today’s announcement builds on Bellevue Gold’s stronger March quarter update released last month.

During the quarter, the company produced 40,745 ounces of gold while lowering costs and generating a record underlying free cash flow of roughly $158 million.

Management of the ASX gold stock also reaffirmed FY26 guidance, which was another positive sign for investors looking for greater operational consistency.

Gold prices remain near historically elevated levels, which is also helping sentiment toward ASX gold shares more broadly.

For Bellevue Gold, however, the focus increasingly appears to be shifting toward operational delivery. And right now, the market seems pleased with the progress.

The post Guess which ASX gold stock is edging higher today on drilling news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is getting a decent bounce on Tuesday after a tough start to the week.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is up 1.02% to 8,592 points.

Monday’s sell-off left the index at its lowest level in around 7 weeks, with higher oil prices, inflation worries, and Middle East tensions weighing on the market.

But today’s risk appetite looks very different.

Buyers have moved back into a wide spread of shares, with strength coming from banks, supermarkets, healthcare stocks, insurers, and property names.

The rebound helps steady the market after a rough few weeks, although it doesn’t wipe out the recent damage.

The ASX 200 is still down around 1.3% over the past week and 4% over the past month. It also remains slightly lower in 2026.

Broad buying returns

The rebound is fairly broad, with buyers returning across most parts of the market.

At the latest check, 136 ASX 200 stocks are trading higher, while 59 are lower and 5 are unchanged.

Most sectors are also in positive territory, although the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) remains the weak spot, down 0.76%.

A softer session for miners is weighing on that part of the market, with lithium, rare earths, and resources shares under pressure.

Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR), Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC), and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares are down 5.60%, 5.07%, and 2.75%, respectively.

But the rest of the market is doing more than enough to offset that weakness.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) is up more than 4% after a broker upgrade, while Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) is 3.90% higher, and QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) is up 4.28%.

Brambles Ltd (ASX: BXB) is also clawing back some ground after Monday’s heavy fall. Its shares are up 0.91% after falling yesterday on the back of an FY26 earnings guidance downgrade.

Oil cools after a wild run

A pullback in oil prices is also helping the market settle after Monday’s heavy selling.

Brent crude futures fell more than 2% after US President Donald Trump said he was holding off a planned attack on Iran while negotiations continued.

Reuters reported that Brent crude dropped to around US$109 a barrel in early Asian trade.

The fall has taken some heat out of the market after oil surged on fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Energy prices are still elevated, so investors are unlikely to treat the risk as gone.

But the drop has given the market some breathing room, especially after energy prices helped drive Monday’s sell-off.

The post ASX 200 charges higher as buyers return after Monday’s sell-off appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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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 recommended Lynas Rare Earths Ltd and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares are slipping today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) data centre operator and developer closed yesterday trading for $14.58. In early afternoon trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for $14.49 apiece, down 0.6%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.9% at this same time.

Today’s underperformance is not par for the course for this ASX 200 tech stock, with shares up 8.9% over the past year compared to the 3.5% 12-month gains posted by the benchmark index.

And savvy investors who bought NextDC shares at the one-year closing lows of $11.26 on 2 April will now be sitting on gains of 28.7%.

But following that strong six-week run higher, is the ASX 200 stock still a good buy today?

Should you buy NextDC shares now?

Dolphin Partners Financial Services’ Arthur Garipoli recently ran his slide rule over the ASX tech stock (courtesy of The Bull).

“This global data centre operator recently raised capital via a 1 for 5.4 pro rata, non-renounceable rights issue to institutions and retail investors at $12.70 a share,” Garipoli said.

“Proceeds of more than $1 billion will be used to construct data centres to meet rapidly growing demand from cloud computing customers,” he added.

Despite the company’s strong growth forecasts, Garipoli isn’t ready to pull the trigger yet, issuing a hold recommendation on NextDC shares.

He concluded:

A compounded annual growth rate in operating earnings of more than 40% is expected between fiscal years 2025 and 2028, as contracted capacity translates to revenue and earnings going forward.

What’s been happening with the ASX 200 tech share?

Atop the recent successful capital raising, Garipoli mentioned above, on 20 April, NextDC released an update for the three months to 31 March (3Q FY 2026).

Among the highlights for the quarter, NextDC reported a 60% increase in its contracted utilisation to 667 megawatts (MW). And management noted that NextDC’s forward order book increased by 83% over the three months to 544MW.

The ASX 200 tech stock also reaffirmed its full-year FY 2026 underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) guidance to be in the range of $230 million to $240 million.

The company also maintained its full-year revenue guidance in the range of $390 million to $400 million.

NextDC shares were in a trading halt on the day of the update due to the capital raising. Shares closed up 1.3% on 22 April following the resumption of trading on the ASX.

The post Up 29% since April, should you buy NextDC shares today? 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.

Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP) recently delivered another weak trading update, which has pushed its shares even lower, with the stock now more than 90% down over a 12-month period.

The question is, does the share price weakness now represent good value buying, or is it still time to stay on the sidelines?

I’ve canvassed the opinions of three major brokers and will shortly reveal their share price target for the company.

Conflict derails momentum

First, let’s have a look at Bapcor’s recent trading update.

The auto parts and accessories retailer said in its update released last week that it had “positive momentum from turnaround activities implemented since the release of the 1H26 results”.

But it also warned that trading in its second half had been negatively impacted by the war in the Middle East.

The company said:

Bapcor has delivered improved sales momentum, with sales growth in February 2026 to April 2026 across all business segments versus the prior comparative period (pcp). This is a turnaround from the declines evident across all business segments in the period from July 2025 to January 2026 versus the pcp.     

But while the February to April period was positive, “trading conditions have materially deteriorated since late March 2026 with the commencement of the Middle East conflict and the increase in interest rates”.

The company therefore reduced its FY26 earnings guidance to $62 to $68 million, down from $74 to $79 million.

Bapcor Managing Director Chris Wilesmith said:

We are pleased with the positive momentum of the turnaround, which has been delivered through decisive actions we’ve taken to improve pricing, stock availability and team engagement. This is despite the challenging external environment which was not contemplated when we began this turnaround, and which has slowed the rate of improvement contemplated in our previous guidance. We will continue driving initiatives during the important trading months of May and June.

The company said net debt at the end of April was about $168 million, and the current trading conditions could give rise to a non-cash impairment at the end of the financial year.

Analysts still wary

Following the update, brokers have revised their price targets for Bapcor shares, which are currently changing hands for 36.75 cents.

Macquarie reduced its price target for the company from 61 cents to 44 cents.

They said:

Management remains focused on executing strategic initiatives to improve operating and financial performance. Given the softer trading conditions from the Middle East conflict and higher rates, some initiatives will take longer to execute on and hence see the benefits. Maintain Neutral.

Morgans, in a note titled “A long road back”, said it was “Another disappointing, but largely unsurprising update from BAP”.

Morgans has a price target of 41 cents per share on the company.

Morgan Stanley, meanwhile, has a very bearish price target of 25 cents on the shares.

Morgan Stanley said:

We see BAP’s Autobarn as sub-scale vs Supercheap Auto (SCA) and Repco, with less scope for command and control with a franchise network. We also see the range as less DIY and more discretionary vs SCA and especially vs Repco, a concern with a softening consumer.

Bapcor is valued at $248.9 million.

The post Down more than 90% over a year, is it time to buy Bapcor shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Are you on the lookout for some new portfolio additions?

If you are, it could be worth seeing what analysts are saying about the three ASX shares in this article, courtesy of The Bull.

Are they bullish, bearish, or something in between? Let’s find out:

ALS Ltd (ASX: ALQ)

Morgans has named this testing services company’s shares as a buy this week.

The broker likes the ASX share due to its exposure to strong industry tailwinds and the prospect of a sizeable jump in earnings per share in FY 2027. It said:

ALS Limited provides laboratory testing services across key industrial and consumer facing industries, primarily in the commodities and life sciences segments. It operates across 50 countries and 300 locations. ALS is now the dominant global leader in geochemistry testing, which generates high levels of cash amid minimal competition.

Excess capital from commodities is used to drive earnings growth in life sciences. Strong industry tailwinds coupled with significant forecast earnings per share growth in full year 2027 suggests ALS is on a continuing growth trajectory.

Develop Global Ltd (ASX: DVP)

The team at Dolphin Partners Financial Services has named this mining and mining services company’s shares as a hold this week.

While the financial services firm was pleased with the achievement of Woodlawn steady state production, it doesn’t appear to see enough value in Develop Global’s shares at current levels for a more positive recommendation. It said:

This company explores and develops mineral resources in Australia, including the Woodlawn zinc-copper project in New South Wales. Other projects include the Sulphur Springs deposit and the Pioneer Dome lithium project in Western Australia. DVP recently announced its flagship Woodlawn zinc-copper project had achieved and exceeded nameplate processing capacity rates of 850,000 tonnes per annum.

The achievement of Woodlawn steady state production is a major operational milestone, de-risking the project’s expected cash flows. Also, on May 13, DVP announced it had been awarded a $274 million contract with Core Lithium.

Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV)

Dolphin Partners Financial Services has named this drinks giant’s shares as a sell this week.

It believes the Dan Murphy’s and BWS owner could struggle given fierce competition and a challenging economic environment. In addition, it suspects that costs could rise because of higher fuel prices. It commented:

Endeavour operates liquor outlets, hotels and gaming facilities. While Endeavour is a leader in the liquor retailing space, the business is operating in a challenging economic environment involving fierce competition, continuing margin pressure and macroeconomic shocks. Many analysts have cut forecasts to reflect softer trends.

Increasing fuel costs in response to the Middle East conflict is imposing pricing pressure throughout its supply chain. Increasing cost of living pressures is another challenge. The shares have fallen from $4.04 on March 2 to trade at $3.23 on May 13. Other stocks appeal more in this economic climate of higher interest rates and cash strapped consumers.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Endeavour and these popular ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Are these 4 ASX All Ords stocks a buy after rebounding from 52-week lows?
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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Endeavour 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.

ASX critical mineral stock Metallium Ltd (ASX: MTM) shares are lower on Tuesday, despite the critical minerals company announcing a new US government contract.

At the time of writing, the Metallium share price is down 4.63% to 51.5 cents.

The fall adds to a difficult run for shareholders. Metallium shares are down around 24% over the past month and have fallen about 52% in 2026.

Let’s take a closer look at the contract.

US defence contract lands

In its ASX release, Metallium said its Flash Metals Texas subsidiary has been awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contract.

The contract is with the US Department of War through the Defence Logistics Agency.

It is worth US$1 million and will support pilot-scale development and scale-up of Metallium’s Flash Joule Heating technology.

The work is aimed at recovering gallium and germanium from electronic waste.

Metallium said the Phase II program follows the successful completion of Phase I, which showed its technology could recover gallium from semiconductor and electronic waste streams.

The company said Phase I was delivered in six months, with all technical milestones achieved.

Why these minerals are important

Gallium and germanium aren’t household names, but they sit in some important parts of the economy.

They are used in radar systems, satellite electronics, missile guidance systems, advanced semiconductors and communications technology.

Metallium said the US is fully dependent on imports for gallium supply, with China responsible for around 100% of global primary gallium production.

The company also said germanium supply remains constrained, with the US relying heavily on imports.

Against that backdrop, Metallium is trying to position its technology as a way to recover strategic materials from electronic waste.

The company said Phase II will focus on extracting both gallium and germanium from electronic waste streams at its Texas Technology Campus.

It will also support pilot-scale deployment, technology optimisation, operating conditions and commercial readiness.

More progress in the US

Metallium said the program will run for 12 months and could lead to a Phase III award and broader commercial deployment.

The company also said it may place Flash Metals Texas technology with a Phase III award on a no-cost lease basis.

From there, the technology could support US government or commercial gallium procurement.

The update also follows Metallium’s recent collaboration with Indium Corporation, a major US refiner of gallium, germanium and other critical metals.

Foolish takeaway

Metallium is still a high-risk small-cap stock, so investors are not giving it much room for error.

A US$1 million contract is not huge, but having the US government as a customer gives the announcement extra weight.

The next test is whether these pilot programs can turn into larger commercial work.

The post Why this ASX critical minerals stock is falling despite a US defence win 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 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.