Author: openjargon

The Elevra Lithium Ltd (ASX: ELV) share price is in focus after the company reported a big 39% increase in revenue to US$202 million and returned to a net profit of US$44 million for FY26 following a transformational year.

What did Elevra Lithium report?

• Revenue rose 39% to US$202 million (FY25: US$145 million)
• Group profit after income tax of US$44 million, swinging from a US$247 million loss in FY25
• Underlying EBITDA improved to US$14 million, up from a US$43 million loss
• Closing cash balance surged to US$255 million (FY25: US$47 million)
• Spodumene concentrate production reached 197,967 dmt (down 3% on PCP), with 181,494 dmt sold (down 13%)
• Operating cost per tonne sold increased 2% to US$853/dmt

What else do investors need to know?

Several strategic milestones shaped Elevra Lithium’s FY26. The merger between Sayona Mining and Piedmont Lithium was completed, creating North America’s largest hard-rock lithium producer and unlocking US$15 million in cost synergies over ten months.

Elevra fully funded a staged brownfield expansion at its flagship North American Lithium (NAL) mine, expected to lift annual production capacity by 15–20% from mid-CY27. The company also advanced the Moblan Lithium Project, increased resources at both NAL and Moblan, and agreed to divest its stake in the Ewoyaa Lithium Project for approximately US$71 million.

A major US$202 million equity raise bolstered the balance sheet, supporting expansion plans while keeping cash reserves healthy. The group also saw Board and management changes, including the appointment of a new CFO, Christian Cortes.

What did Elevra Lithium management say?

Lucas Dow, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said:

FY26 marked a transformational year for Elevra. We completed the merger of Sayona Mining and Piedmont Lithium, creating a leading North American lithium producer, fully funded the staged expansion of NAL, advanced our broader development pipeline, and continued to sharpen our portfolio through the agreed divestment of our interests in the Ewoyaa Lithium Project.

On the operational front, FY26 was a year defined by resilience, disciplined execution and strategic progress. We demonstrated improved safety performance. While temporary mining conditions at NAL in the first half of the year impacted production and led us to revise our operating guidance, our team responded quickly and efficiently through disciplined mine planning to improve plant performance and deliver production within our original guidance with minimal impact to unit operating costs compared to FY25.

The June 2026 quarter represented our strongest operational performance of the year, with recoveries improving to 71%, a new monthly production record in May, and quarterly production exceeding 54,000 dmt. As we enter FY27, we do so with confidence in our strategy, confidence in our assets, and confidence in the opportunities ahead.

What’s next for Elevra Lithium?

Looking forward, Elevra’s top priorities are to deliver steady operating performance at NAL, execute the brownfield expansion on time and on budget, restructure customer offtake deals, and advance development at Moblan. FY27 guidance includes spodumene production of 198,000–210,000 dmt, sales of up to 230,000 dmt, and sustaining capital expenditure focused on expansion and project studies.

Management remains focused on disciplined capital allocation and maintaining balance sheet flexibility. Successful completion of the Ewoyaa sale and ongoing exploration in Québec and Western Australia will help sharpen Elevra’s focus on core growth assets.

Elevra Lithium share price snapshot

The Elevra Lithium share price has smashed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months with a gain of more than 100%.

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The post Elevra Lithium posts FY26 profit rebound and funds expansion 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. 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 passive income ideas can be some of the best ideas for generating cash returns because of how they can provide large and growing dividend payouts.

Dividends aren’t guaranteed, but some investments can provide payout guidance that can give us a high level of confidence of what the payment may be for the coming financial year.

I’ll run through two of my favourite picks for payouts.

Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

I think this is one of the best options in the real estate investment trust (REIT) sector for payouts because of the tailwinds it’s benefiting from and the rising distributions.

It describes itself as Australia’s largest domestic pure-play industrial REIT and is in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). It wants to provide investors with income and an opportunity for capital growth.

The properties are located in key metropolitan areas throughout Australia and it’s underpinned by a quality and diverse tenant base.

In FY26, the business experienced like-for-like net operating income (NOI) growth of 5.2%. There are a number of drivers increasing the rent value of industrial real estate such as data centres, e-commerce adoption, a growing population, the onshoring of logistics, and refrigerated storage for food and medicine.

The ASX passive income idea also reported in FY26 that it saw 30% positive re-leasing spreads – its rental income is seeing a big jump, with new contracts generating much stronger rent than the old rent. The REIT reckons that its portfolio is, on average, 17% under-rented, suggesting further strong growth as leases come up for renewal in the coming years.

Centuria Industrial REIT has provided guidance that its FY27 distribution will grow by 3% year-over-year to 17.3 cents per security, while net rental profit could grow by up to 5.5% per unit.

At the time of writing, the FY27 distribution guidance translates into a forward yield of 5.8%.

WCM Quality Global Growth Fund (ASX: WCMQ)

I think plenty of Australian investors could benefit from owning quality exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that give exposure to global shares. However, not many of those ETFs have a good dividend yield.

I believe the WCMQ ETF can provide a pleasing mixture of capital growth and dividends, which is why I think it’s a top option to consider.

WCM is a California-based fund manager. It has two criteria for including any company in its portfolio. The company must have a growing competitive advantage (or expanding economic moat) and a corporate culture that supports expanding the moat.

WCM believes the direction of a company’s economic moat is more important than the actual current size of its moat. It focuses on companies with a positive moat ‘trajectory’, measured by rising return on invested capital (ROIC), rather than those with a large but static or deteriorating moat.

Since the ETF’s inception in August 2018, its portfolio has returned an average of 15.2% per year.

The fund aims to provide investors with a minimum annualised cash yield of 5% per year, based on the net asset value on 30 June 2026.

It has provided guidance that it will pay quarterly distributions of 53.6 cents over the next year, which is a yield of around 5.3% at the time of writing.

$300 per month from these ASX passive income ideas

At the time of writing, the distribution guidance for these two ideas comes to an average dividend yield of 5.55%.

They don’t pay monthly, but they do pay quarterly. So, I think it’s better to think of the target as an annual goal and then split that into a monthly amount.

Achieving $300 per month translates into an annual target of $3,600. To deliver that goal at an average of 5.55%, we’re talking about investing approximately $64,900 across these two names. But I’d ensure I spread my money across more than just two names for good diversification.

The post 2 ASX passive income ideas I’d use to generate $300 a month in 2027 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Wcm Quality Global Growth Fund. 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 McMillan Shakespeare Ltd (ASX: MMS) share price is in focus today after the company delivered a record net profit after tax of $106.7 million for FY26, up 11.4%. Group revenue also climbed 6.8% to $602.1 million.

What did McMillan Shakespeare report?

• Revenue up 6.8% to $602.1 million
• Statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) from continuing operations up 11.4% to $106.7 million
• Underlying net profit after tax and amortisation (UNPATA) up 13.8% to $107.9 million
• Underlying EBITDA grew 14.1% to $180.7 million
• Fully franked final dividend of 70 cents per share, total FY26 dividend 132 cents per share
• Return on capital employed (ROCE) rose to 62.1%

What else do investors need to know?

McMillan Shakespeare saw healthy growth across all segments in FY26, with novated leases under management surging 13.5% to 90,000 and salary packaging customers up 7.1% to 402,000. The plan and support services business also expanded its customer base, and productivity gains were delivered through ongoing investments in technology, automation, and artificial intelligence.

The company reported a strong balance sheet, with net assets of $126.4 million and a low debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 0.4x. MMS also announced an on-market share buyback of up to $10 million to be executed over 12 months.

What’s next for McMillan Shakespeare?

The company enters FY27 from a position of strength, expecting the supportive environment for novated leasing to continue, helped by ongoing electric vehicle incentives and cost-of-living pressures. Demand is anticipated to remain steady across salary packaging and fleet management, while the plan and support services segment is well placed for regulatory changes in the NDIS.

MMS plans to deliver productivity gains, broaden sales capability, and invest selectively in customer propositions as it continues to focus on growth, digital innovation, and enhancing customer experience.

McMillan Shakespeare share price snapshot

The McMillan Shakespeare share price has outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months with a gain of almost 8%.

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The post McMillan Shakespeare shares on watch on strong FY26 profit and 70c dividend 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 recommended McMillan Shakespeare. 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.

Building a $1 million share portfolio can sound like a goal reserved for people starting with a lot of money.

But time and consistency can change the picture considerably.

If I were aiming for that target over the next 20 years, this is how I would approach it.

Start with $20,000 and keep adding

Let’s assume I begin with a $20,000 ASX share portfolio and invest another $1,500 each month.

That works out to $18,000 of new money every year.

If the portfolio produces an average return of around 9% per annum, those contributions could grow to approximately $1 million over 20 years.

I should point out that there are no guarantees the market will deliver 9% annually. Returns will vary considerably from year to year, but 9% is roughly in line with the historical average annual return.

I think this example shows why I would focus less on finding one spectacular investment and more on keeping money invested for a long time.

I would also reinvest dividends where appropriate and give successful investments time to grow rather than constantly trading in and out of the market. This will allow compounding to do its work.

Focus on quality businesses

If I were choosing individual ASX shares, I would want companies capable of becoming more valuable over many years.

That means looking for strong competitive positions, healthy balance sheets, capable management, and genuine opportunities to keep growing.

This could mean ASX shares like Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH), TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE), and Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG).

The goal would not be to predict which share performs best next month. I would be trying to assemble a collection of businesses capable of compounding earnings and value throughout much of the 20-year period.

Diversification would also be important. It is worth remembering that even businesses that look excellent today can disappoint. So, having a portfolio with sufficient diversification could offer some downside protection.

Consistency could be the biggest advantage

I think the $1,500 monthly contribution into ASX shares is just as important as the return assumption.

There will inevitably be periods when markets fall sharply and investing feels uncomfortable.

Those could actually be some of the most valuable months to keep contributing, because the same $1,500 buys more shares at lower prices.

Foolish takeaway

I would not expect the journey to $1 million to be smooth.

But starting with $20,000, investing $1,500 each month, and targeting a long-term return of around 9% gives the goal a realistic foundation.

For me, the strategy comes down to three things: quality investments, consistent contributions, and enough patience to let compounding do its work.

The post How I’d aim to build a $1 million ASX share portfolio in 20 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Investing can become complicated very quickly.

There are individual shares to research, results to follow, broker notes to read, and market swings to understand.

But not every investor wants to build a portfolio company by company.

For those who want a simpler way to invest, ASX exchange traded funds (ETFs) can do a lot of the heavy lifting.

Here are three ASX ETFs to consider buying if you want to keep things simple.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF could be a good starting point.

This fund gives investors exposure to a large collection of companies listed across developed markets.

I think this is valuable for Australian investors because the local share market is quite concentrated. Banks, miners, supermarkets, and a handful of healthcare and industrial names do a lot of the work.

The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF changes that in one trade. It gives investors access to global companies involved in technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer products, industrials, and communications.

That makes it a simple way to move beyond Australia without having to choose which overseas shares to buy.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

The iShares S&P 500 ETF is another ASX ETF that can keep investing simple.

This fund tracks the S&P 500 Index, which is where you’ll find 500 of the largest listed companies in the United States.

That includes many of the businesses already shaping the global economy through cloud computing, artificial intelligence, software, payments, healthcare, consumer brands, industrial products, and digital advertising.

There is some overlap with the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF because the United States is such a large part of global share markets.

But the iShares S&P 500 ETF gives investors a more direct exposure to corporate America and the S&P 500, which has been one of the world’s most important long-term wealth-building markets.

For investors who want a simple, low-fuss way to own leading US companies, this ETF could be worth considering.

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

A third ASX ETF to look at is the Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF.

It gives investors access to companies helping protect networks, cloud systems, devices, data, payments, and digital identities.

This could be a good place to be. As more of the economy moves online, more money needs to be spent keeping it safe.

Businesses now rely on cloud software, remote access, online payments, artificial intelligence tools, and connected systems. None of that works properly if security fails.

The Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF will not be as diversified as a broad global ETF, so investors should expect more ups and downs. But as a long-term theme, cybersecurity looks like a problem that companies cannot afford to ignore.

The post 3 ASX ETFs to buy for simple investing 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 positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

On Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was out of form and sank into the red. The benchmark index fell 1% to 9,038.2 points.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to rise

The Australian share market looks set for a positive session on Friday following a strong night of trade in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 11 points higher this morning. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones was up 0.2%, the S&P 500 rose 0.7%, and the Nasdaq jumped 1.55%.

Oil prices rise

ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)could have a good finish to the week after oil prices rose overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1.55% to US$83.51 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 1.9% to US$89.52 a barrel. This follows news that the White House has stated there are no US-Iran peace talks happening.

NextDC results

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares will be on watch on Friday after the data centre operator released its FY 2026 results. The company reported a 16% increase in revenue to $405 million and a 15% lift in underlying EBITDA to $248.8 million. Both were ahead of management’s guidance range for FY 2026. This was driven by a record 202% increase in contracted utilisation to 740.1MW.

Gold price edges higher

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) could have a decent finish to the week after the gold price edged higher overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 0.1% to US$4,657.6 an ounce. This may have been driven by easing interest rate hike expectations.

Sigma Healthcare upgraded

Chemist Warehouse owner Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) could be an ASX 200 share to buy according to Bell Potter. This morning, in response to its results, the broker has upgraded the company’s shares to a buy rating with a $3.00 price target. It said: “The obvious overhang on the stock is the potential sell down by founders now that their 5.0bn share are out of escrow. Nevertheless the earnings outlook remains exceptionally strong with debt leverage falling and dividends likely to grow. Execution on the merger between the legacy Sigma and CWG appears to have been well executed by the highly skilled management team.”

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Nextdc and Woodside Energy Group Ltd. 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 dividend shares are a simple way for Australian investors to earn a regular passive income.

But because there are so many on offer, all yielding different amounts, it can be difficult to find the best ones to invest in.

Here are two of my top ASX dividend stock picks. And they all both pay their shareholders a yield of 8% or more.

BetaShares Australian Top 20 Equities Yield Maximiser Complex ETF (ASX: YMAX)

Unlike many ASX shares listed on the sharemarket, YMAX is an ASX-listed exchange-traded fund (ETF). That means that it’s not a straight company stock, but instead it gives its shareholders exposure to Australia’s 20 largest blue-chip shares. 

The fund uses a covered call strategy to generate extra income that is typically higher than dividend yields alone. It generally offers lower volatility than a direct investment in the underlying shares. It does not aim to track an index.

YMAX’s largest allocation is to the financial sector, which accounts for 45.8% of its allocation at the time of writing. The materials sector is second, accounting for 22.7% of the ETF.

The fund also invests into the consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, industrials, real estate, communications, and healthcare sectors. 

Aside from diversification, YMAX offers another perk that many other ASX shares on the index don’t. It pays its shareholders a dividend every single month.  

As of the 31st of July, the YMAX ETF has a 12-month gross distribution yield of 8.6%, and a net yield of 7.3%. The total franking level is 41.2%.

The ASX dividend share’s most recent dividend was a 5 cents per unit payment to shareholders in mid-August. It has paid between 3.5 cents and 5 cents per share since it moved to monthly payouts in February this year. Prior to this, YMAX paid shareholders on a quarterly basis.

Metrics Master Income Trust (ASX: MXT)

The Metrics Master Income Trust is a listed investment trust (LIT) which gives direct exposure to the Australian corporate loan market. This is a space currently dominated by regulated Australian banks.

Rather than owning a portfolio of ASX shares, the trust has a portfolio of corporate loans and private credit investments (an increasingly popular asset class for income-focused investors). It currently manages around $40 billion in assets.

Metrics Master Income Trust said it targets a return of the Reserve Bank cash rate plus 3.25% per annum through the economic cycle. This is net of around 7.60% per annum fees. 

Distributions are paid monthly, and there is also a distribution reinvestment plan (DRP). The plan allows its investors to reinvest their monthly income distributions.

The Trust’s most recent unfranked dividend of 1.44 cents was paid to shareholders earlier this month. The latest dividend means that the fund has paid 12 dividends to investors over the past 12 months, totalling 15.8 cents per share. At the time of writing, this gives the trust a dividend yield of 8.18%.

The post 2 ASX dividend shares yielding 8% (or 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 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.

Two ASX fintech shares stand out to me for their potentially enormous US growth opportunities. While both companies already have established businesses, their exposure to the world’s largest economy could provide another leg of growth.

For investors seeking ASX shares with international ambitions, Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) and Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) are two names worth considering.

Xero: first moves in US$29 billion market

Xero is a cloud-based accounting software company that helps small and medium-sized businesses manage accounting, invoicing, payments, payroll and other financial tasks.

Australia and New Zealand provided Xero with its foundation, while the UK has developed into another substantial market. The company finished FY26 with 4.92 million customers globally, an impressive customer base for a company that began in New Zealand less than two decades ago.

Yet, Xero estimates its total addressable market at around 100 million small and medium-sized businesses worldwide.

The US could therefore be crucial to the next phase of growth for these ASX fintech shares. Xero had approximately 424,000 US customers at the end of FY26, leaving plenty of room to expand in one of management’s three most important markets.

The acquisition of US billing platform Melio has strengthened Xero’s US proposition by allowing businesses to manage outgoing payments directly through its platform. Management estimates the US small-business payments opportunity alone at US$29 billion.

Xero’s combination of accounting, payments and payroll gives customers more reasons to stay within its ecosystem. Its JAX artificial intelligence platform could provide another growth engine by automating financial tasks and helping customers make better decisions using their existing data.

There are risks, including intense US competition and the need to integrate Melio successfully.

Zip: US is only source of customer growth

Zip is a fintech company that provides buy now, pay later and digital payment services to consumers and merchants. It is also another ASX fintech share with a rapidly expanding US opportunity. The US is already its biggest source of growth, accounting for around two-thirds of revenue in FY26.

Total revenue increased 24.7%, including 37.3% growth in the US in Australian dollar terms. In US dollar terms, US revenue climbed 44.3%, compared with just 4.6% revenue growth in ANZ.

The US is also Zip’s only source of customer growth. US active customers increased 9.3% to 4.65 million, while ANZ active customers declined 8% to 1.88 million. For FY27, Zip expects US total transaction value growth of more than 30%.

Importantly, Zip isn’t simply growing revenue. Operating leverage is helping profits grow substantially faster. Cash gross profit rose 26.2% to $642.3 million in FY26, while cash operating profit jumped 57.9% to $268.9 million.

That combination of strong US growth and improving profitability makes Zip one of the ASX fintech shares I think investors should keep on their radar.

The post 2 ASX fintech shares to buy for their huge US growth potential 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 positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares have had a strong rally throughout August.

At the time of writing, the ASX mining stock is up around 12% over the past month, and is a huge 58% higher than 12 months ago.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has increased by around 3% over the past month and is 2% higher than it was 12 months ago, at the time of writing.

Can BHP shares keep climbing higher next month? Is it time to snap up the stock before the next rally or have the shares reached a ceiling?

What happened to BHP shares in August?

BHP started trending higher in early August as the market grew more bullish on copper prices.

But the share price picked up pace after the miner reported its record FY26 earnings results on the 18th of August.

The group posted a strong operational performance across all its key segments and an impressive 27% increase in its underlying EBITDA. 

Investors were clearly thrilled with the update and many have rushed to snap up a stake in the mining company.

Should I buy BHP shares before the end of the month?

If broker analysis is anything to go by, it looks like the shares are now trading around, or even a little above, fair value.

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a hold rating on BHP shares. But after the August rally, the average $61.78 target price now implies a potential 8% downside ahead, at the time of writing.

TradingView data shows similar sentiment. The majority of analysts (14 out of 24) have a hold rating on BHP shares. Another six rate the mining stock as a strong buy, and four rate the shares as a sell/strong sell.

Again, the average $62.68 target price now implies a potential 7% downside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

However, the range between the maximum and minimum target prices is huge. Some forecast the shares to fall around 35% to $35.14. Meanwhile, others are bullish that BHP shares could soar 36% higher to $91.71 over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

The team at Morgans downgraded its outlook on BHP shares to a sell and reduced its 12-month target price to $55.30 after the company announced its FY26 results. The broker noted that while it was a solid result, the share price already factors in more upside.

John Athanasiou from Red Leaf Securities has a hold rating on BHP shares following the FY26 results announcement last week. He said that the quality of BHP’s asset base, balance sheet and diversified portfolio leaves existing shareholders with little reason to sell. But after a solid run, he said investors may be better off waiting for a more attractive entry point.

Morgan Stanley renewed its buy rating on BHP shares after the miner’s FY26 report and increased its 12-month price target to $67.50.

The post Should I buy BHP shares before the end of August? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has positions in BHP 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 recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Lovisa Ltd (ASX: LOV) shares jumped sharply earlier this week after the jewellery retailer announced a solid uplift in profit and revenue.

But the shares remain about a third lower over the past 12 months, and the question remains: where to from here for the share price?

I’ve had a look at two brokers’ reports issued following the release of Lovisa’s results, and the good news is that both rate the shares highly, with bullish share price targets from each.

I’ll get to that shortly. Firstly, let’s look at the results in more depth.

Strong uplift in profits

Lovisa this week reported revenue of $938.8 million, up 17.6%, while net profit was up 10.7% to $95.6 million.

The company also bolstered its final dividend by 22.2% to 33 cents per share, 50% franked.

Chief Executive Officer John Cheston said:

Lovisa has once again been able to deliver strong global sales and profit growth, with the highlights being continued growth in the Americas and Europe and another exceptional Gross Margin performance. I would like to share my appreciation to the global team for their hard work in delivering these outstanding results and continuing the global momentum of the business.

The company’s gross profit was 18.4% higher in FY26, while gross margin was up 60 basis points to 82.6%, “representing a 270 basis point improvement on FY23 following multiple years of gross margin expansion”.

In terms of the start of the current financial year, Lovisa said total sales for the first eight weeks were up 16.4% while comparable same-store sales were up 3%.

The company added:

We continue to focus on opportunities for expanding both our physical and digital store network, with structures in place to drive this growth in existing and new markets and formats, with a long new store runway supporting continued store rollout momentum. Our balance sheet remains strong with available cash and debt facilities supporting continued investment in growth.

Lovisa shares looking cheap according to brokers

Morgans said the results were strong, with net profit coming in ahead of consensus estimates.

The broker added:

Lovisa has ambitious expansion plans, with significant white space opportunity for continued network expansion. Ongoing investment will be needed to expand Lovisa’s multinational network, but the company has the capacity to fund this, and we expect strong returns. We have an accumulate rating and $31.00 target price.

Morgan Stanley is even more bullish on the stock, with a $33.50 target price, compared to the price of $26.98 at the time of writing.

They said they saw a compelling bull case for the stock based on expansion in the total addressable market, extended store roll-outs, and an increasingly diversified business.

Lovisa is valued at $3.06 billion.

The post After a big jump this week, what are brokers saying about the Lovisa share price? 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 Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Lovisa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.