Author: openjargon

There are roughly 2000 companies listed on the ASX as well as 390 ETFs. 

Now, on one hand, that’s great for investors as there is almost certainly something for everyone. 

However on the flip side, it’s simply impossible to stay across every single company. 

Exchange traded funds (ETFs) can be a great answer for this, as you can capture a market or sector with just one trade. 

Increasingly, new ASX ETFs are becoming available with more niche focuses. 

This is referred to as thematic investing.

With that in mind, here are three examples of niche ASX ETFs you might not have considered. 

Betashares Nasdaq Next Gen 100 Etf (ASX: JNDQ)

The NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX) is a stock market index made up of equity securities issued by 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

Generally, this index is referred to as the companies that represent the new economy. 

This ASX ETF from Betashares aims to target the 100 largest Nasdaq-listed non-financial companies by market capitalisation outside of the Nasdaq-100 Index. 

Ultimately, it provides exposure to a collection of innovative companies with the potential to become tomorrow’s leaders in sectors including technology, healthcare and industrials.

Examples of leading companies that graduated from the Nasdaq Next Generation 100 Index to the Nasdaq-100 include Tesla, Netflix. 

According to Betashares, many of the companies in JNDQ’s Index are at a relatively early stage of their development. JNDQ provides exposure with meaningful weightings to companies having potential for significant growth.

This fund could be ideal for investors who want to target the next generation of blue-chip US stocks.

Additionally, it rose almost 9% last year. 

BetaShares Electric Vehicles and Future Mobility ETF (ASX: DRIV)

First available in late 2021, this fund provides exposure to up to 50 of the world’s leading automotive technology companies. 

These are companies at the forefront of innovation in automotive technology. 

Within the fund, it has its largest exposure to:

• Automobile Manufacturers (32.1%)
• Construction & Transport Machinery (22.4%)
• Automotive Parts & Equipment (16.1%)
• Semiconductors (14.8%)

Furthermore, this was a winning formula in 2025, with the fund rising by almost 18%. 

BetaShares Cloud Computing ETF (ASX: CLDD)

As the name suggests, this fund provides exposure to leading companies in the global cloud computing industry, and it has been available on the ASX since 2021.

It is currently made up of 37 holdings, with approximately 87% of the fund being US based companies.

These companies are involved in the delivery of computing services, servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics and other services on the internet. 

Finally, it is worth noting this fund has faced considerable volatility since first listing.

The post 3 niche ASX ETFs you didn’t know existed 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.

Investing in artificial intelligence (AI) stocks can give you an opportunity to capture growth in a market that is expected to compound considerably in the coming years. 

However, there aren’t as many pure-play AI stocks listed on the ASX as you might think. 

With that being said, many ASX-listed companies use AI to improve efficiency, decision-making, or customer experience, even though AI is not the core focus of their business.

If you are looking to gain AI exposure in 2026, here are three stocks to consider. 

Black Pearl Group Ltd (ASX: BPG)

Black Pearl Group is a newly listed ASX company (listed November 2025). 

It is a data technology platform that develops and operates a lead prospecting and marketing product suite via its proprietary Pearl Engine platform and augmented large language model. 

The company aims to reach $50 million in annual recurring revenue over the next three to five years from September 2025. 

This growth is expected to come from acquiring B2B Rocket to serve smaller businesses, launching Bebop for larger sales teams, and expanding Pearl Diver into higher-value data services that are more deeply integrated into customer operations.

At the time of writing, shares in this AI company are trading at $0.82. 

However, Bell Potter is optimistic the company can deliver on its aimed growth over the coming years. 

The broker has a speculative buy rating on these AI shares along with a price target of $1.45. 

This indicates more than 76% upside.

Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT)

Weebit Nano is a developer of advanced semiconductor memory technology.

It develops advanced storage and computing technologies, particularly its ReRAM (Resistive Random-Access Memory) technology. 

This technology is used in Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, smartphones, robotics, autonomous vehicles, 5G communications, advanced AI systems, and cloud computing.

It has risen an impressive 61% in the last 12 months. 

This has been fuelled by key wins throughout the year, including a major licensing agreement less than two weeks ago. 

Its unique technology is very hard to replicate, giving it a strong market position moving forward. 

NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

NextDC is an AI stock that may be undervalued after a difficult 12 months. 

The company operates data centres in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia.

From these facilities, it delivers the critical infrastructure that underpins cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and hyperscale operations.

Every major AI trend, like large language models – depends on vast data storage, processing capacity, and high-speed connectivity. That demand ultimately feeds through to data-centre operators like NextDC. 

While this isn’t a groundbreaking cloud computing or AI solution, it is set to play a fundamental role in the growth of the sector. 

Ord Minnett sees the current stock price as a value play. 

The broker has a $20.50 price target on these AI shares. This indicates an upside of 66% from yesterday’s closing price of $12.30. 

The post 3 No-Brainer Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks to Buy for 2026 With $200 Right Now 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.

For income investors, the start of a new year can be a great time to reassess a portfolio and look for reliable dividend payers that can deliver cash flow through the months and years ahead.

While interest rates and bond yields can move around, high-quality ASX dividend shares remain one of the most effective ways to generate growing income over time.

With that in mind, here are two ASX dividend shares that could be among the best to buy in January.

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN)

For investors seeking defensive income, HomeCo Daily Needs REIT could be an ASX dividend share to consider buying.

This real estate investment trust (REIT) owns a diversified portfolio of convenience-based retail assets, including neighbourhood centres, large-format retail, and health and services properties. Many of these assets are leased to essential retailers such as supermarkets, hardware chains, and service providers, which tend to be more resilient across economic cycles.

HomeCo’s long lease durations, 99% occupancy rate, and exposure to tenants with strong operating profiles provide good visibility over rental income. This, in turn, has supported consistent distributions to shareholders over the years.

UBS expects this trend to continue and is forecasting dividends per share of 8.6 cents in FY 2026 and then 8.7 cents in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $1.35, this would mean dividend yields of 6.4% and 6.45%, respectively.

UBS currently has a buy rating and $1.53 price target on the company’s shares.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

Universal Store may not be the first name that comes to mind for income investors, but it has quietly built an impressive dividend track record.

The youth fashion retailer operates the Universal Store, Thrills, and Perfect Stranger brands and has demonstrated an ability to grow earnings even in challenging retail conditions. Its focus on private-label products has supported margins, while disciplined cost control has helped protect profitability.

Importantly for dividend investors, Universal Store generates strong cash flow and carries a relatively clean balance sheet. This has allowed it to return a meaningful portion of its profits to shareholders through attractive fully franked dividends.

Bell Potter is a big fan of the company and recently put a buy rating and $10.50 price target on its shares.

As for income, it is expecting fully franked dividends of 37.3 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 41.4 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $7.99, this would mean dividend yields of 4.7% and 5.2%, respectively.

The post The best ASX dividend shares to buy in January appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Universal Store. 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 HomeCo Daily Needs REIT and Universal Store. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If I were a retiree, I would want to own investments that can provide both resilience and a reliable dividend. As a bonus, I’d like to see a steadily-rising payout. I think the ASX dividend share APA Group (ASX: APA) ticks a lot of boxes.

APA is an impressive business with a huge portfolio of energy infrastructure. It has 15,000km of gas pipelines that it owns, operates and maintains.

The business also has investments in electricity transmission assets, connecting Victoria with South Australia, Tasmania with Victoria and New South Wales with Queensland.

Additionally, APA owns power generation assets, including gas-powered, wind and solar assets across Australia, as well as gas storage and gas processing facilities.

Why APA shares are resilient

APA plays an important role in moving gas around the country, which is seen as a key source of energy for the coming decades with coal usage expected to reduce in the coming years with planned closures of Australia’s big coal power stations.

The Australian (Labor) government itself has indicated that it sees gas being an important source of baseload power to 2050 (and beyond). As part of its gas strategy, the government said:

The role of gas will change as we reach net zero in Australia by 2050. Even in net zero scenarios, Australia and the world will need gas at lower levels through to 2050 and beyond. Australian gas will play an important role in an orderly global and domestic energy transformation.

APA says that it transports half of the country’s gas usage, making it an integral player for Australia’s energy sector. Households and businesses will continue to need energy (including gas), whether the economy is weak or booming.

A large majority of APA’s revenue is linked to inflation, giving the business steady and growing revenue. This is a useful inflation protection for retirees, in my view.

It is enhancing its ability to generate larger profits by regularly expanding its portfolio of assets. The latest announcement by the business is to develop and own the proposed Brigalow Peaking Power Plant in Queensland, which is expected to be operational in 2028. APA will own 80% of the project.

A consistently growing dividend

APA has grown its distribution for 20 years in a row, which is an incredibly long record of increases compared to many other ASX shares. It has the second-best record for consecutive annual increases on the ASX.

APA shares are a retiree’s dream because of how reliable it has been with its payouts – it grew through the GFC, COVID-19 and the supercharged inflation periods. Payout growth can’t be expected forever, but I think it’s likely to continue its hikes for the foreseeable future.

It’s expecting to increase its annual payout to 58 cents per security in FY26, which translates into a forward distribution yield of 6.3%. That’s a solid starting yield for retirees, in my view.

The post Why APA shares are a retiree’s dream appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The BlueScope Steel Ltd (ASX: BSL) share price is in focus today after the company confirmed it has received a $30-per-share cash takeover proposal from an Australian and US consortium, including SGH Ltd (ASX: SGH) and Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ: STLD). The non-binding bid is subject to a range of conditions and follows several earlier bids that BlueScope previously rejected.

What did BlueScope report?

• Received an unsolicited, indicative takeover offer at $30.00 per share in cash
• The proposal comes from a consortium comprising SGH and Steel Dynamics
• The arrangement would see SGH acquire BlueScope, then on-sell its North American businesses to Steel Dynamics
• Bid is subject to due diligence, Board recommendation, shareholder and regulatory approval, and other conditions
• BlueScope has previously rejected three similar unsolicited approaches valuing shares up to $29.00 each

What else do investors need to know?

BlueScope’s Board and advisers are carefully reviewing the latest proposal, weighing it against the company’s underlying value and long-term strategy. The Board points to BlueScope’s portfolio of quality assets, expected cash flow increases, and $2.3 billion committed to sustainable earnings growth as key factors in their evaluation.

Previous bids were knocked back for undervaluing BlueScope and coming with significant execution risks, including uncertainties around regulatory outcomes. The company has made it clear that shareholders need not take any action for now.

What’s next for BlueScope?

BlueScope’s Board says it is committed to optimising shareholder value and regularly reviewing all options to accelerate value realisation. The company is continuing to deliver on its capital pipeline, pursue productivity improvements, and realise value from major landholdings.

Any future developments regarding the takeover proposal will be shared as required under BlueScope’s disclosure obligations. For now, the Board is focused on thorough due diligence and protecting shareholders’ interests.

BlueScope share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, BlueScope shares have risen 29%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 6% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post BlueScope fields $30-per-share takeover bid from SGH, Steel Dynamics 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.

If you want to accelerate your long-term wealth creation without spending your weekends analysing individual stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) could be the answer.

The right mix of ASX ETFs can give you instant diversification, exposure to global megatrends, and access to some of the world’s best businesses in a single trade.

With that in mind, here are five excellent ASX ETFs that could help supercharge a portfolio over the years ahead.

BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

The hugely popular BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF offers exposure to the world’s most influential technology and innovation leaders. Its holdings include Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT), and Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA), alongside growing non-tech names like Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ: COST) and Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX). Given the quality on offer among its holdings, it appears well-positioned to deliver strong returns over the next decade.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

For broad-based US exposure, the iShares S&P 500 ETF is hard to beat. It tracks America’s 500 largest stocks, giving investors ownership in businesses such as Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), and Visa (NYSE: V). The S&P 500 index has a long track record of compounding wealth, and this ASX ETF provides a simple, low-cost way to tap into that engine of returns.

Betashares Australian Quality ETF (ASX: AQLT)

A third ASX ETF that could be a top pick for investors is the Betashares Australian Quality ETF. It takes a selective approach to the local share market. Instead of tracking the index, it focuses on high-quality Australian shares with strong balance sheets and consistent profitability. Key holdings include BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), and Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), making it a compelling option for investors seeking a quality tilt at home. It was recently recommended to investors by the team at Betashares.

BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing areas of global technology, and the BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF provides investors with targeted exposure to this critical theme. This ASX ETF holds specialists such as Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW), CrowdStrike Holdings (NASDAQ: CRWD), and Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT). As cyber threats continue to rise, demand for these services looks structural rather than cyclical.

BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

Finally, the BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF could be a great pick for investors. It offers access to Asia’s tech heavyweights, including Tencent Holdings (SEHK: 700), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (NYSE: TSM), and Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA). With rising digital adoption and long-term economic growth across Asia, this ASX ETF could be a great buy and hold pick for Aussie investors.

The post 5 excellent ASX ETFs to supercharge your portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF and Betashares Capital – Asia Technology Tigers Etf. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Apple, BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Costco Wholesale, CrowdStrike, Fortinet, Macquarie Group, Microsoft, Nvidia, Starbucks, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Tencent, Visa, Wesfarmers, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Alibaba Group, Johnson & Johnson, and Palo Alto Networks and has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Apple, BHP Group, CrowdStrike, Microsoft, Nvidia, Starbucks, Visa, Wesfarmers, 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.

There are some truly wonderful S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares that investors can buy. Over time, there’s a good chance that the best businesses will deliver stronger returns, as we’ve already seen in the past decade.

In my view, businesses that have an excellent product/service with good economics are likely to continue winning over time.

In the next five years, I think the below two businesses could be among the best performers of the current names in the ASX 200 Index. I’d happily invest $2,000 between them.

Let’s get into why that’s my belief with these ASX 200 shares.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

Xero, an accounting software business, has done an incredible job at growing its subscriber number to more than 4 million, with a sizeable presence in numerous countries including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, South Africa, Singapore, the US and Canada.

The world is becoming more digital. This includes tax authorities wanting more lodgements done so in a timely fashion, and increasingly requiring them to be completed online. This provides a strong tailwind for ongoing adoption of Xero’s software by small and medium businesses.

For me, the most important thing to see with a software business is growing margins. It costs the business very little to sell one more piece of software to a new subscriber, allowing the the gross profit margin to be close to 90%.

The FY26 half-year result showed a number of positives for the ASX 200 share. Revenue grew 20%, net profit rose 42% and free cash flow surged 54%.

In five years, I believe the business will be significantly more profitable, justifying a substantially higher Xero share price than it currently trades at today.

Broker UBS forecasts that in FY30 Xero could generate net profit of NZ$1.1 billion. I think that is an exciting prospect for long-term shareholders, with the operating profit (EBIT) margin expected to reach 26.6% in FY30 (up from a projected 13.4% in FY26).

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

TechnologyOne is another software business that has impressive growth characteristics with international growth ambitions.

It provides enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for businesses, universities, councils and governments.

I like the defensive nature of TechnologyOne’s client base – they need the software for their operations and the client base is collectively very loyal. The company has worked hard at providing improvements to its software for clients, which also enables the ASX 200 share to generate more revenue from its clients.

A key driver of its underlying value is the net revenue retention (NRR) – this is how much revenue is generated from its existing client base from last year. TechnologyOne aims for a NRR of 115% each year, which means revenue can double every five years.

With the company targeting the UK as another growth centre, as well expectations of an overall rising profit before tax (PBT) margin over time, I think the software company has a very promising outlook for shareholder returns.

The forecast from UBS suggests the business could generate $340 million of net profit in FY30, up from a projected $163 million in FY26.

The post 2 incredible ASX 200 shares I’d buy with $2,000 right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• BlueScope fields $30-per-share takeover bid from SGH, Steel Dynamics
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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Technology One. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Technology One and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Technology One. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX dividend shares can be a great source of cash returns for investors because they can pay dividends and hopefully grow earnings over time.

Businesses that trade at large discounts to their underlying value can provide a sizeable yield. The lower the price/earnings (P/E) ratio, the larger the dividend yield.

There are some very impressive dividend yields out there for investors to take advantage of. I’m going to talk about two with potentially large payouts.

Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

Accent is a significant retailer of footwear in Australia. It owns a number of brands including The Athlete’s Foot, Nude Lucy, Stylerunner, Platypus and other brands. It also acts as a retailer of a number of global brands, including Vans, Hoka, Herschel, Skechers Ugg and others. Additionally, the ASX dividend share recently started opening Sports Direct stores Australia.

That agreement with Frasers to open Sports Direct stores locally has led to access to Frasers brands like Everlast, Karrimor, Lonsdale, Slazenger, as well as global brands like Nike, Adidas, Under Armour New Balance and Puma.

The company recently reported a trading update that showed total group owned sales were up 3.7% year-over-year, though the gross profit margin was down 1.6% year-over-year. FY26 full-year operating profit (EBIT) is expected to be in the range of between $85 million and $95 million, which sadly disappointed the market.

With the Accent share price down 60% in the last year, its dividend yield is still expected to be large, even if the payout projection has reduced. UBS forecasts that Accent could pay an annual dividend per share of 5 cents in FY26, translating into a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.6%, including franking credits.

UBS forecasts that Accent’s annual dividend per share could steadily increase over the subsequent financial years. It’s trading at 13x FY26’s estimated earnings, with profit projected to rise from there.

Bailador Technology Investments Ltd (ASX: BTI)

Bailador is an investment company that focuses on technology businesses which have compelling financials, strong growth potential, possible international revenue generation and the ability to generate repeat revenue.

This ASX dividend share is invested in software across a number of areas including hotel channel management and distribution for online bookings, financial advice and investment management, digital healthcare, tours and activities booking, volunteer management, AI-enabled property investment, fitness and wellness sector and more.

The businesses in the Bailador portfolio are growing at a rapid pace, with FY25 seeing a portfolio-weighted revenue growth rate of 47%. If the businesses continue growing at that sort of speed, the portfolio value could shoot higher in the coming years.

In a December update, Bailador reported that its Updoc value had increased by 20.5% and the PropHero value jumped 45.6%, taking the November 2025 pro-forma pre-tax net tangible assets (NTA) per share to $1.98. That means the Bailador share price is trading at a discount of close to 40%, which is huge.

Due to that massive discount, the potential annualised Bailador grossed-up dividend yield for FY26 is 9.25%, including franking credits.

The post 2 ASX dividend shares with yields above 7%! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Accent Group and Bailador Technology Investments. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Bailador Technology Investments and Nike. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group, Bailador Technology Investments, and Nike. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

One of the many ASX gold shares that enjoyed big returns last year was Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST). 

The company is a global-scale Australian gold producer with projects in Australia and North America. 

In 2025, its share price rose 73% on the back of soaring commodity prices.

Rocky start to 2026

However despite the strong gains last year, it has been a bumpy ride in the early days of 2026. 

Investors have been offloading Northern Star shares to start the year after the company reported softer gold sales for the December 2025 quarter and trimmed its full-year production guidance. 

The company revised its annual production guidance to between 1.6 million ounces and 1.7 million ounces, from between 1.7 million ounces and 1.85 million ounces.

This triggered a 8.6% share price drop on January 2. 

The company said operational hiccups during the December quarter – including equipment failures and ongoing recovery works – led to reduced gold sales across all three production centres.

Should you buy the dip?

Following last week’s sell-off, Broker Bell Potter weighed in with updated analysis on Northern Star shares. 

The broker said the stock closed 8.6% lower on the announcement equating to A$3.3bn in market capitalisation loss. 

Assuming that these issues are merely one-offs, with production normalising over 2H, we would argue the response is potentially overdone. On our estimates, we model a -12% impact to EBITDA (A$460m) for FY26.

Bell Potter said in the report that Northern Star will continue to generate above average returns in the current environment.

Target price unchanged 

Despite the recent dip, Bell Potter has reiterated its price target on Northern Star shares. 

However, the broker has updated its model ahead of the 2Q result (22nd Jan) which sees EPS decline 17% in FY26 and increase 11% and 27% in FY27 and FY28 respectively on higher assumed gold prices. 

Bell Potter has maintained its price target of $30.00 along with its buy recommendation on Northern Star shares. 

From yesterday’s closing price of $24.95, this indicates an upside of 20.24%. 

This is in line with targets elsewhere. 

TradingView has an average price target of $29.82 and online brokerage platform SelfWealth lists the stock as undervalued by approximately 21.4%. 

The post What’s this broker’s outlook on Northern Star 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.

On Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the week with a small gain. The benchmark index rose slightly to 8,728.6 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Tuesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to push higher

The Australian share market looks set to push higher on Tuesday following a strong start to the week on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 35 points or 0.4% higher. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 1.55%, the S&P 500 is 0.7% higher, and the Nasdaq is up 0.65%.

Oil prices rise

It could be a good session for ASX 200 energy shares Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) after oil prices pushed higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1.7% to US$58.29 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 1.6% to US$61.74 a barrel. Traders were buying oil in response to Venezuelan uncertainty.

BlueScope takeover

BlueScope Steel Ltd (ASX: BSL) shares will be on watch today after the steel products company confirmed that it has received a $30.00 per share takeover offer from a consortium comprising SGH Ltd (ASX: SGH) and US-based Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ: STLD). After rejecting three earlier offers, the company is currently considering this one.

Gold price charges higher

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) could have a good session on Tuesday after the gold price jumped overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 2.8% to US$4,449 an ounce. This was driven by safe haven demand after UK strikes on Venezuela.

Buy Northern Star shares

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are good value according to analysts at Bell Potter. According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating and $30.00 price target on the gold miner’s shares. In response to last week’s selloff following a production downgrade, Bell Potter said: “NST closed 8.6% lower on the announcement equating to A$3.3bn in market capitalisation loss. Assuming that these issues are merely one-offs, with production normalizing over 2H, we would argue the response is potentially overdone.”

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday 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 recommended Steel Dynamics. 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.