Author: openjargon

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are down 0.64% to 8,730.6 points on Monday.

Among the 11 market sectors, only technology is trading higher, up 0.22% today, as the sector turnaround continues.

The energy sector is the worst performer, down 1.5%, after the US cancelled a trip for US officials to the Middle East.

A second round of talks between the US and Iran will not proceed at this stage.

Iran is refusing to negotiate while the US blockade of its ports remains in place.

The Iran war is now in its ninth week, intensifying concerns about the long-tail global impact of the oil shock.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil and gas supply is transported by ship, remains effectively shut down.

Amid this ongoing economic saga, Damien Nguyen from Morgans provides his views on three ASX 200 shares (courtesy The Bull).

Let’s check them out.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

The Goodman Group share price is $28.97, down 0.6% today and down 16% over the past six months.

Goodman Group is a global industrial property owner and manager with a big focus on warehouses and data centres.

Nguyen reckons Goodman Group shares are a good buy.

He comments:

Long term demand remains supported by online retail growth and the need for efficient distribution networks close to major cities.

Goodman’s development pipeline and customer relationships provide visibility and flexibility, while its balance sheet remains conservative.

Although the valuation isn’t cheap, it reflects the group’s premium asset quality and structural growth exposure.

After recent market volatility, we see the risk–reward as attractive for long term investors.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

The BHP share price is $55.77, down 0.6% today and up 28% over six months.

Nguyen has a hold rating on this ASX 200 mining share.

He explains:

BHP provides diversified exposure to iron ore, copper and future-facing commodities, backed by a strong balance sheet and disciplined capital management.

Copper offers long term appeal through electrification, while iron ore continues to drive near term earnings. However, results remain sensitive to global growth and Chinese demand.

With commodity prices reflecting mixed economic signals, BHP’s valuation looks fair rather than compelling.

BHP suits investors seeking stability and income, but upside appears balanced by cyclical risk, supporting a hold rating.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

The Westpac share price is $38.73, down 0.7% today and up 20% over the past 12 months.

Westpac shares hit an all-time high of $43.32 on 25 February.

Nguyen has a sell rating on this ASX 200 bank share on valuation grounds.

He explains:

Westpac has made progress simplifying its business, but returns continue to lag peers. Growing revenue is a challenge in a competitive and mature banking market, while execution risk persists.

Cost control and balance sheet strength offer some support, but growth drivers are limited in a slowing credit environment.

The valuation doesn’t offer a clear margin of safety given these challenges. Income may appeal to some investors.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Goodman Group, BHP, Westpac shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 3 reasons to buy BHP shares now and hold for the next decade
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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goodman Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group and Goodman Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Knowing which ASX 200 shares to avoid can be just as important as knowing which ones to buy when aiming to maximise portfolio returns.

So, with that in mind, let’s see which shares analysts are tipping as sells this week, courtesy of The Bull.

Here’s what they are bearish on:

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

Morgans has named this big four bank as an ASX 200 share to sell this week.

This bearish stance is based on valuation grounds, with the broker suggesting that better value can be found elsewhere in the market. It explains:

CBA is Australia’s strongest major bank, with a leading retail franchise and consistent profitability. However, the market fully recognises these strengths. The shares were recently trading at a significant premium, leaving limited upside as interest rate benefits fade and competition increases.

While the business remains high quality, future returns are likely to be more modest, in our view. With the company’s valuation pricing in a lot of good news, we see better value elsewhere, supporting a sell view.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

Medallion Financial Group has named this energy producer as a sell.

It believes investors should be locking in profits after a strong run following a surge in oil prices due to the conflict in the Middle East. It said:

Karoon is an oil and gas explorer and producer. It has assets in Australia, the United States and Brazil. Revenue from ordinary activities was down 19 per cent in full year 2025 when compared to the prior corresponding period. Net profit after tax was down 2 per cent. The shares have risen from $1.54 on February 27 to trade at $2.16 on April 23.

In our view, Karoon has benefited from increasing crude oil prices since the conflict in the Middle East started on February 28. We believe these sorts of opportunities should be taken and we have locked in profits on Karoon.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)

The team at Medallion Financial Group also thinks investors should be doing the same with Santos shares following a similarly strong gain.

It has named the energy giant as a sell, especially given uncertain energy prices. Medallion said:

Santos is a global energy company. It has operations across Australia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and the United States. Total revenue from ordinary activities fell by 8 per cent in full year 2025 when compared to the prior corresponding period. The fall in revenue was due to lower realised prices. Net profit after tax was down 33 per cent. The share price has risen from $5.92 on January 7 to trade at $7.61 on April 23. We would be inclined to lock in gains given volatile and uncertain energy prices emanating from the conflict in the Middle East.

The post Experts name 3 ASX 200 shares to sell now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Brambles, CBA, and Macquarie shares
• Is the Santos share price a buy or a sell amid the Middle East events?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Market alert: 2 major ASX bank shares could fall double digits
• 5 years ago, $10,000 bought 111 CBA shares. But how many would it buy now?

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has opened with a slight dip on Monday. 

Simultaneously, the team at Morgans have provided updated guidance on Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ) and PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares. 

Bank of Queensland shares have stayed relatively flat in 2026, while PLS shares have raced ahead by a further 34%. 

It appears that Morgans views these ASX 200 stocks very differently moving forward. 

Here’s the latest from the broker. 

Bank of Queensland

Bank of Queensland released its half-year results last week. 

The bank reported a 4% increase in revenue to $835 million, but a 20% drop in statutory net profit after tax to $136 million.

As The Motley Fool’s Laura Stewart reported last week, BOQ’s business mix continued to shift towards commercial lending, which grew by 16% over the half, while housing loan balances contracted.

This result led to a hefty single-day fall of 7% last Wednesday, and investors reacted negatively to the results. 

In a new note out of Morgans, the broker said BOQ’s 1H26 earnings per share declined -12% on the previous period. This beat Morgan’s forecast by 4%. 

The broker has made small changes to its forecasts for BOQ. Earnings per share (EPS) estimates for FY26 to FY28 have been tweaked slightly, ranging from a 1% increase to a 4% decrease.

At the same time, dividend per share (DPS) forecasts have been increased, because the bank is expected to pay out a larger share of its profits and maintain a strong capital position (CET1 ratio).

Upgrade from HOLD to ACCUMULATE, with recent share price decline lifting the potential TSR to c.18% TSR. BOQ’s attractive fully franked dividend and upcoming capital release may appeal in particular to income-oriented investors.

The broker has an unchanged price target of $7.39, which indicates a potential upside of 11.6% from today’s stock price hovering around $6.62. 

PLS Group

PLS shares have continued to climb in 2026, following a strong year last year. 

The company also released updated results last week, which included record production, +8% ahead of consensus expectations, and costs -13% ahead of consensus expectations. 

Morgans said this highlights PLS’ strong operating leverage. 

However, the broker now sees the upside fully priced in for PLS shares. 

Strong cash build supports growth and potential shareholder returns. Move to a TRIM rating (previously HOLD) with a A$5.40ps target price. PLS is our preferred lithium exposure, but we see much of the near-term upside priced in and suggest selectively trimming positions.

At the time of writing, PLS shares are changing hands for approximately $5.80 each. 

The post What is Morgans’ updated view on Bank of Queensland and PLS shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) shares are taking a tumble today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy provider closed on Friday trading for $12.77. In late morning trade on Monday, shares are changing hands for $12.42 apiece, down 2.7%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.6% at this same time.

This underperformance follows the release of Origin Energy’s March quarter update (Q3 FY 2026).

Here’s what we know.

Origin Energy shares slide on revenue decline

Starting with its Integrated Gas segment, the ASX 200 energy stock reported a drop in production from Q2 FY 2026 to 164.5 petajoules (PJ). This was partly driven by natural field decline.

Origin Energy shares are likely catching some headwinds, with revenue down 13.3% quarter-on-quarter to $1.86 billion. Revenue was impacted by lower realised LNG prices due to a rising Aussie dollar over the quarter as well as lower sales volumes.

In its Energy Markets segment, the company reported a 4% year on year increase in electricity sales volumes. Gas volumes were down 32% year on year, which management said was mainly due to lower trading volumes and lower gas demand for power generation.

And despite adding some 700,000 customers over the March quarter, Origin said it now expects its share of Octopus Energy segment FY 2026 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to be negative $70 million to positive $30 million. That’s down from prior guidance of zero to $150 million.

Notwithstanding Octopus Energy’s continued strong growth in UK and international customers, and Kraken increasing contracted accounts to 90 million, we are now expecting lower earnings from Octopus for FY26. This is primarily due to impacts from UK regulatory changes as well as adverse weather in February and March in the UK

Commenting on the earnings downgrade that looks to be pressuring Origin Energy shares today, CEO Frank Calabria said:

Notwithstanding Octopus Energy’s continued strong growth in UK and international customers, and Kraken increasing contracted accounts to 90 million, we are now expecting lower earnings from Octopus for FY26. This is primarily due to impacts from UK regulatory changes as well as adverse weather in February and March in the UK.

What else did management say?

“Global commodity markets have experienced significant volatility this quarter, with the conflict in the Middle East affecting oil and LNG supply,” Calabria said.

He added that changes in oil prices have a lagged effect on Australia Pacific LNG’s long-term export contracts, noting that Origin Energy does not expect this to flow through to its results until FY 2027.

Looking ahead, Calabria added:

In Energy Markets, Origin continued to grow its share of Australia’s data centre market, and we’re well positioned to support the further growth in demand from this sector through grid connections, long-term renewable contracts, and on-site solar and batteries.

Our generation fleet maintained good reliability, and we’ve secured most of the coal supply for Eraring for FY27.

With today’s intraday dip factored in, Origin Energy shares remain up 18.7% since this time last year.

The post Why are Origin Energy shares sinking on Monday? 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.

The IperionX Ltd (ASX: IPX) share price is in focus today after the company’s March 2026 quarterly report revealed a shift to 24/7 continuous titanium powder production and a cash balance of US$48.2 million at quarter’s end.

What did IperionX report?

• Transitioned Virginia operations to full 24/7 production, exiting commissioning phase
• HAMR powder production increased to ~4.2 metric tons in March, early ramp rate equivalent to 50 tpa annualised
• All powder production systems now commissioned and targeted to reach ~200 tpa run-rate by end 2026
• Quarter-end cash balance of US$48.2 million, with US$42.1 million in additional obligated US Government funding available
• Customer receipts remain early stage, reflecting focus on prototyping and qualification batches

What else do investors need to know?

IperionX’s expansion plans are well supported, with the US Government fully obligating US$47.1 million for a 1,400 tpa titanium production scale-up. The company has also secured around 290 metric tons of titanium scrap from US agencies, providing about 1.5 years’ feedstock at full operating capacity.

Development of the company’s next-generation continuous HAMR (GenX) platform progressed, with aims to lift productivity and cut costs. Additional high-capacity pressing and sintering equipment is due for commissioning in the next quarter, addressing current bottlenecks and supporting higher-volume titanium parts manufacturing.

What did IperionX management say?

CEO and Managing Director Anastasios Arima said:

The March 2026 quarter marked an important transition for IperionX: from commissioning into continuous operations, and from technology development toward repeatable commercial execution… Our immediate operating priorities are clear: increase titanium throughput, broaden product mix, improve production consistency and commission additional downstream capacity for customers.

What’s next for IperionX?

Looking ahead, IperionX intends to continue ramping production at its Virginia manufacturing campus, aiming for a titanium powder run-rate of about 200 tpa by end-2026. Further growth to 1,400 tpa is planned, supported by ongoing US Government funding.

Parallel to operational scale-up, IperionX is pushing customer qualification programs and expects to see more defined purchase orders and revenue commencement in the second half of 2026. Completion of the Definitive Feasibility Study for the Titan critical minerals project in Tennessee by mid-year may pave the way for future expansion into titanium, rare earth, and zircon mineral supply.

IperionX share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, IperionX shares have risen 30%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 9% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post IperionX ramps up 24/7 titanium production in March 2026 quarterly update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

ASX materials shares have been a bright spot for the ASX in 2026. 

In fact, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) is up over 10% year to date. 

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up less than 1% year to date. 

This morning, the team at Morgans have updated their outlook on three ASX materials stocks. 

Let’s see what the broker had to say. 

Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM)

Newmont Corp engages in the exploration and acquisition of gold properties, containing copper, silver, lead, zinc, or other metals. 

The ASX materials company released its quarterly report last Friday. 

Morgans said the company delivered a strong beat across multiple operating and financial metrics, while completing its US$6bn buyback and announcing a further US$6bn program. 

The result reinforces NEM’s positioning as a high-quality, cash-generative gold producer with strong balance sheet flexibility and increasing capacity to return capital to shareholders.

The broker has maintained its buy recommendation along with a $208 price target. 

From today’s opening price of roughly $155.59, this price target indicates a potential upside of 34%. 

Year to date, it has hovered around a similar price and is up approximately 3% in that span. 

Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL)

Regis Resources also released a quarterly report late last week. 

The gold production and exploration company reported sales for the quarter that beat Morgans’ expectations whilst performing in line with company guidance. 

RRL continues to build a substantial cash balance, adding an additional A$198m bringing the total to A$1.12bn. Replenished ounces with group MRE exceeding 10% yoy resource growth underpinning future production.

We upgrade to BUY (from HOLD) following recent weakness across the gold sector which we believe has uncovered value in RRL underpinned by attractive immediate term cash generation paired with a structured capital management framework.

Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR)

This ASX materials stock is a global mineral exploration and development company, largely focused on copper.

Its stock price is down 5% year to date. 

It also released a quarterly report last week. 

Morgans noted that 3Q26 production weakness was pre-flagged and driven by grade timing and weather impacts, with improving throughput at MATSA and grade uplift at Motheo to support a strong 4Q26 finish. 

Costs remain well controlled but risks are building through potential Middle East conflict impacts. Move to an ACCUMULATE (previously HOLD) rating with an unchanged A$20.40ps target price, with recent weakness presenting a more attractive entry point against a constructive copper outlook.

The post Are these ASX materials stocks a buy, hold or sell according to Morgans? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Are you on the lookout for some new portfolio additions this week?

If you are, then it could be worth hearing what analysts are saying about the ASX 200 stocks listed below, courtesy of The Bull.

Here’s what they are recommending:

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

Morgans thinks this industrial property giant could be an ASX 200 stock to buy this week.

The broker believes recent market volatility has left its shares trading at a level that gives investors an attractive risk-reward. It explains:

Goodman Group is a global industrial property owner focusing on high quality warehouses and logistics assets, particularly those linked to e-commerce, datacentres, and supply chain infrastructure. Long term demand remains supported by online retail growth and the need for efficient distribution networks close to major cities.

Goodman’s development pipeline and customer relationships provide visibility and flexibility, while its balance sheet remains conservative. Although the valuation isn’t cheap, it reflects the group’s premium asset quality and structural growth exposure. After recent market volatility, we see the risk–reward as attractive for long term investors.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

Over at Medallion Financial Group, its analysts are tipping this health imaging technology company as a buy this week.

It was pleased with recent contract renewals on higher fees and believes recent share price weakness has created a rare buying opportunity. Medallion said:

The company provides medical imaging software and services to hospitals and healthcare groups across the world. The share price is down significantly in the past year on fears of artificial intelligence impacting the business. But the company continues winning large and long term contracts.

PME recently renewed a five-year, $37 million contract with Northwestern Medicine based in Chicago. The renewal comes with increased minimums and a higher fee per transaction. In our view, PME presents a rare chance to buy a world class software play at a significant discount.

Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG)

Another ASX 200 stock that Morgans rates as a buy is Chemist Warehouse owner Sigma Healthcare.

As with the others, the broker thinks that recent share price weakness has created a compelling buying opportunity. It explains:

SIG is a leading wholesale distributor and retail pharmacy franchisor with operations in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates. It has a solid balance sheet with conservative leverage and strong operating cash flows.

We believe SIG can continue to widen margins through expanding labels it owns and exclusive products. We expect improving operating leverage through efficiencies in the supply chain and consolidation in distribution centres. A softer share price provides a compelling buying opportunity for long term focused investors.

The post Analysts pick 3 ASX 200 stocks to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: CUV) shares are starting the week positively.

At the time of writing, the ASX 300 stock is trading 1% higher to $9.13.

What’s going on with this ASX 300 stock?

The catalyst for the move higher today appears to be a regulatory update from the United States relating to its lead product, SCENESSE.

According to the release, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed a postmarketing requirement for a cardiac safety study, known as a QT study.

This requirement had originally been put in place when SCENESSE received approval in 2019.

The removal of this requirement follows a review of long-term safety data submitted by Clinuvel.

Management noted that the FDA determined the QT study was no longer necessary, as it would not provide additional useful safety information.

This decision reflects the regulator’s confidence in the safety profile of SCENESSE, which has now been supported by both clinical and real-world data over several years.

Importance of SCENESSE

SCENESSE is Clinuvel’s lead therapy and is approved in the United States for the treatment of adult patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), which is a rare metabolic disorder.

It remains the only treatment for EPP approved by major global regulatory agencies, with more than 20,000 doses administered worldwide.

Given its importance to the ASX 300 stock, any regulatory update relating to SCENESSE is likely to be closely watched by the market.

Ongoing engagement with the FDA

Clinuvel also highlighted that it has maintained regular engagement with the US FDA since receiving approval for SCENESSE.

This has included ongoing safety reporting and data submissions, which appear to have supported the regulator’s decision to relax its requirements.

Clinuvel’s chief scientific officer, Dr Dennis Wright, appeared to be pleased with the news. He commented:

There is an active engagement between the FDA and marketing authorization holders for the life span of a product where patient safety is paramount. Having reliably reported data on SCENESSE since 2019, we are now seeing the agency relax its approach to postmarketing demands, reflecting the safety profile we see in the clinic.

Despite today’s move, Clinuvel’s shares are now down 16% over the past 12 months.

The post Guess which ASX 300 stock was given a big boost from the US FDA appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) shares are catching the eye on Monday morning.

At the time of writing, the network solutions company’s shares are up 9% to $9.73.

Why are Megaport shares rising today?

Investors have been bidding the company’s shares higher following the announcement of a major new customer contract through its recently acquired Latitude.sh business.

According to the release, Megaport has secured a three-year compute and storage contract with a total value of approximately US$25.1 million (A$35.4 million).

This equates to around US$8.4 million in annualised recurring revenue, providing a meaningful boost to its contracted income base.

The customer behind the deal is described as a US-based, high-growth technology company operating in the developer tooling sector, with exposure to enterprise demand for AI-driven applications.

Commenting on the deal, Megaport’s CEO, Michael Reid, said:

Securing a contract of this size reflects both the scale of the opportunities we see in the compute market, and our disciplined approach to deploying capital. We will continue to evaluate similar opportunities, investing alongside committed customer demand at compelling paybacks, ensuring capital is deployed after rigorous analysis while supporting the long-term growth of these markets.

The explosion in AI use cases is driving incredible demand for compute and storage, with CPUs remaining a critical component of the infrastructure that powers AI. As businesses increasingly seek flexible, high-performance automated infrastructure, Megaport is perfectly positioned to capture a growing share of this rapidly accelerating opportunity.

Positioned for AI-driven demand

Megaport revealed that business has been booming for its compute division.

Latitude.sh’s compute annual recurring revenue, excluding this new contract, has already increased 31% since the end of December to US$58.7 million.

The good news is the company believes it is well positioned to capture growing demand for compute and storage, particularly as artificial intelligence (AI) workloads continue to expand.

To support the contract, Megaport will invest approximately US$12.2 million in additional CPU server hardware. This investment is expected to deliver an attractive payback period of around 24 months.

Importantly, once the contract ends, the hardware will remain within the Latitude.sh platform and can continue generating revenue through renewals or new customers.

Network business

Alongside the contract win, Megaport revealed that its core network business continues to perform strongly.

Megaport Network annual recurring revenue reached A$272 million at the end of March, representing growth of 23% on a constant currency basis.

This reflects ongoing demand for its software-defined connectivity services across global markets.

All guidance (revenue, EBITDA, and capex) for FY 2026 has been reaffirmed. However, its capital expenditure guidance may increase slightly if compute hardware is delivered earlier than expected.

The post Why are Megaport shares jumping 9% today? 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.

Shares in Altair Minerals Ltd (ASX: ALR) have hit a fresh 12-month high after the gold explorer announced that Endeavour Mining Plc would invest $28.2 million into the company at a premium to its last closing price.

Shares racing higher

Altair shares closed at 4.2 cents on Friday, however Endeavour agreed to invest into the company at 4.3 cents per share.

Altair shares immediately raced past that mark on Monday morning, hitting a fresh 12-month high of 5.4 cents before settling back to be changing hands for 4.8 cents.

The low point for the stock over the past year was just 0.1 cents meaning that some lucky shareholders would be sitting on better than 40 times gains at the moment.

Altair said in a statement to the ASX it now had about $40 million in cash, “setting the transformational foundation for exploration success through aggressive drill-testing across Greater Oko over the coming years – with immediate focus on scaling drilling activities and deploying regional exploration teams on untapped greenstone terrain”.

The new funds would be used to carry out 50,000m worth of drilling, split between diamond and rotary air blast drilling.

The money would also allow drilling to be speeded up, with a second rotary drill rig employed.

Multiple potential discovery sites would also be advanced simultaneously, the company said.

Strategic relationship

Altair said Endeavour was a valuable partner to have on board, as it was, “the largest gold producer in West Africa and ranks in the top 10 senior gold producers worldwide”.

The company added:

Endeavour applies a bespoke methodology to exploration – leading to 22.4 million ounces of gold (Measured & Indicated) in discoveries since 2016, and is strategically aligned with Altair’s large scale exploration plans and long-term vision at Greater Oko.

The companies will also set up a joint technical committee to bolster technical know-how across their teams.

Altair Minerals Chief Executive Officer Faheen Ahmed said regarding the deal:

We are excited to add Endeavour as a substantial strategic investor into Altair and to accelerate our Greater Oko exploration programme, leveraging the technical support from one of the most successful gold exploration teams globally. Endeavour is the largest gold producer in West Africa, renowned for its exploration track record and technical expertise across the West African Birimian Greenstone Belt. The greenstone belts on the Guiana Shield represent a geological continuity of the Birimian Greenstone Belt, which presents a unique synergy between both companies, allowing Altair to leverage the technical acumen at Endeavour in order to fast track exploration success at Greater Oko.

Mr Ahmed Greater Oko presented a unique opportunity in Guyana where permits are largely fragmented, offering the largest consolidated gold exploration project in the country.

Endeavour will be a 9.9% shareholder in Altair following the placement.

Altair was valued at $244.9 million at the close of trade on Friday.

The post Up more than 40x over a year this ASX gold stock just hit a new high on big funding news 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 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.