Author: openjargon

The ASX healthcare sector has been under immense pressure throughout the first half of 2026, as macroeconomic pressures, rising inflation, higher cost of living, and regulatory uncertainty have driven a sector-wide share price downturn.

The S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) is the worst-performing sector by far in 2026 and has significantly underperformed the broader index.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 Health Care Index is down around 28% year to date and 42% from 12 months ago.

For context, the wider S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is around 2.5% higher year to date and around 5% higher than this time last year.

The good news is that analysts widely forecast many of these beaten-down ASX healthcare shares to rebound over the next 12 months, with some carrying potential upside of up to 202%.

Here are three of them.

ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD)

ResMed shares have fallen around another 4% at the time of writing on Thursday morning. For the year to date, the shares are down around 27%, and they’re roughly 32% lower than a year ago. 

The global leader in sleep health has been swept up in the general sector-wide ASX healthcare sell-off. Its latest third-quarter earnings update didn’t help. The result came in softer than expected, forcing investor sentiment to keep tumbling. 

But it looks like the ASX healthcare stock is now oversold and trading far below fair value. 

Sleep disorders need long-term management, and as a global leader, ResMed has a powerful position in the large and growing market. 

According to Market Index data, the majority of brokers have a strong buy rating on ResMed shares and tip a huge 202% upside to an average target price of $80.09 at the time of writing.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

Pro Medicus shares have climbed higher in Thursday morning trade, up around 1% and changing hands at $170.72 a piece. For the year to date, however, the ASX healthcare shares are still down around 23% and around 38% lower than 12 months ago.

The company’s share price turned a corner in early June when it announced three new contract wins. These include a new seven-year $16 million contract with TidalHealth, a five-year $28 million contract renewal with Allegheny Health Network (AHN), and a five-year $16 million contract renewal with OSU.

The Pro Medicus share price has rebounded by over 29% since the 1st of June.

The company’s US subsidiary also won two $40 million five-year contract renewals back in early March. 

It looks like we’ll see more out of the company over the next 12 months, too. Market Index data shows that the majority of brokers rate the ASX healthcare shares as a strong buy and tip around a 13% upside to an average target price of $192.92 at the time of writing.

Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH)

Cochlear shares are climbing higher on Thursday. At the time of writing, the ASX healthcare company’s shares are up around 1% and changing hands at $112.30 a piece. But it’s been a difficult year for the medical hearing implant device company. Its shares are still down around 57% year to date and 60% lower than this time last year.

Cochlear has also endured a sector-wide rotation away from ASX healthcare shares this year.

Its share price has also crashed on two separate occasions in 2026. Once in February, off the back of a softer-than-expected half-year result. And again in April, when the company downgraded its FY26 earnings guidance. Cochlear cited weaker conditions across developed markets and softer overall demand. The update was one of the worst earnings downgrades in the company’s listed history. 

But Cochlear is still a strong, globally dominant business, and its long-term outlook is intact. I think the sell-off has been overdone. Market Index data suggests brokers are reserved about the stock. The majority rate Cochlear shares as a hold. But the $143.14 average target price still implies a potential 27% upside at the time of writing.

The post 3 beaten-down ASX healthcare shares tipped to rise up to 202% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Air New Zealand, Emeco, ResMed, and Westgold shares are tumbling today
• 2 of the best ASX 200 tech shares to buy before they rebound
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• Got $10,000? I’d buy these ASX 200 shares right now
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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Cochlear and ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having an underwhelming session on Thursday. In late morning trade, the benchmark index is down 0.35% to 8,935.4 points.

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

Air New Zealand Ltd (ASX: AIZ)

The Air New Zealand share price is down almost 2% to 36.5 cents. This follows the release of a market update from the airline operator this morning. Air New Zealand advised that group capacity decreased 0.1% in May compared with the prior year. In addition, international long-haul available seat kilometres (ASKs) decreased by 1.3%, while domestic capacity increased 2.9%. The latter was supported by two additional A321 aircraft in operation compared with May last year. However, it notes that this was partly offset by targeted capacity reductions following the sharp rise in jet fuel prices after the conflict in the Middle East.

Emeco Holdings Ltd (ASX: EHL)

The Emeco Holdings share price is down 7.5% to 93 cents. Investors have been selling the mining equipment rental provider’s shares following the release of a trading update. Management advised that it expects to report operating EBITDA of $290 million to $295 million in FY 2026. It then expects “stable earnings” in FY 2027, with a weighting to the second half. The company’s CEO, Ian Testrow, commented: “Emeco has built a robust business model able to withstand challenging market conditions and still deliver resilient earnings, growth in margins, a strong balance sheet and cash flow generation. The recent trading conditions have moderately impacted our near-term earnings, however, with the hard work of the team, we have been able to proactively manage costs and capital expenditure and successfully secured fleet redeployment opportunities for FY27.”

ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD)

The ResMed share price is down 3.5% to $26.56. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Morgan Stanley overnight. According to the note, the broker has downgraded the sleep disorder treatment company’s shares to an equal-weight rating (from overweight) with a reduced price target of US$230.00 (from US$286.00). For ResMed’s ASX-listed shares, that is the equivalent of a price target of A$32.70. Morgan Stanley made the move on concerns over ResMed’s near-term earnings outlook.

Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX)

The Westgold Resources share price is down over 3% to $5.25. This follows another pullback in the gold price overnight, which is weighing heavily on most ASX gold stocks today. In fact, the S&P/ASX All Ords Gold Index is down 1.8% at the time of writing.

The post Why Air New Zealand, Emeco, ResMed, and Westgold shares are tumbling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Do experts rate BHP, Cochlear, and ResMed shares as buys, holds, or sells?

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

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) shares are flying higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) airline stock closed yesterday trading for $9.98. In late morning trade on Thursday, shares are swapping hands for $10.08 apiece, up 1%.

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

This comes as Qantas announces the pending launch of its “history making” flights to London.

Here’s what’s happening.

Qantas shares rise ahead of historic flights

In an update released after market close on Wednesday, Qantas announced it will launch its non-stop ‘Project Sunrise’ flights between Sydney and London, commencing in October 2027.

Potentially offering longer-term support for Qantas shares, this will be the first-ever non-stop commercial flight service connecting Australia’s east coast to the United Kingdom.

Qantas noted that it first began flying between Sydney and London way back in 1947. Back then, the ‘Kangaroo Route’ took four days, with seven refuelling stops on the way to the UK.

But with the new Airbus A350-1000ULR – part of the airline’s $15 billion fleet renewal program – that travel time will be cut to less than 22 hours.

The non-stop cross-global service has faced some delays, with Airbus pushing back the delivery of the planes from December to April. Qantas will take delivery of 12 aircraft in total, each configured with 238 seats across four cabins.

The first Sydney to London flights should then go into service within six months.

If you’re eager to head to the UK without stopovers, saving up to four hours of travel time, Qantas will begin selling Project Sunrise tickets in February.

What did management say?

“Qantas was built on the belief that Australia’s distance from the rest of the world should never stand in the way,” CEO Vanessa Hudson said on the pending launch of the service that could help boost Qantas shares.

“The pioneering spirit of generations of our people has forged that path ever since, and today is the most significant step in that mission in our 105-year history,” she noted.

Hudson added:

We made a commitment in 2017 that Qantas would conquer the final frontier of long-haul aviation and connect Australia’s east coast directly to London, something that has never before been possible. From October 2027, that promise becomes reality…

This aircraft has been designed from the ground up for ultra long-haul travel, with a cabin built around science and combatting jetlag, with an onboard experience purpose-built for the length of the journey.

The ASX 200 airline confirmed that non-stop Sydney-New York flights will be the next service to follow the Sydney-London launch. Management said the timing for these services will be announced next year.

With today’s intraday gains factored in, Qantas shares have soared 19% over the past month, buoyed in part by fast falling oil prices.

The post Qantas shares lifting off today on ‘history making’ news 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.

A strong performance from international shares has contributed to a “tremendous” 2.1% jump in the median superannuation fund’s balance in May, according to financial research and insights company Chant West.

The organisation said that, taking into consideration market movements in June so far and with less than two weeks of the financial year to go, they are estimating that the median growth fund, with 61% to 80% of investments in growth assets, will return 9% for the year.

Offshore boost to portfolios

Head of Super Investment Research, Mano Mohankumar, said the strong performance to date had been largely driven by international listed shares.

He explained further:

It also helped that all asset classes have delivered positive returns over the period with the exception of Australian REITs, to which super funds have very little exposure. The FY26 experience is another timely reminder of the importance of maintaining a long-term perspective and not getting distracted by short-term market noise. In late March, a return in the vicinity of 9% for growth funds would have appeared unlikely following the significant share market pullback, sparked by the US-Iran conflict and concerns around interest rates amid rising inflation. However, since then we’ve seen international share markets rebound strongly, albeit with some volatility, supported by robust corporate earnings, optimism around easing tensions in the Middle East and continued enthusiasm for AI investment.

Mr Mohankumar said a return of 9% would mark four consecutive years of strong returns with returns of 9.2% in FY23, 9.1% in FY24, and 10.4% in FY25.

He added:

It would also represent the 15th positive year out of the last 17. Most importantly, super funds continue to meet their long-term return and risk objectives.

How to top up your super before the end of the financial year

If you’re looking to maximise your superannuation contributions for the year, and potentially reduce your tax bill, it’s worth having a look at the amount of concessional contributions you have made, and whether you can top that up.

Concessional contributions are contributions made to superannuation from your before-tax salary, and include the super guarantee contributions made by your employer, which are 12% of your salary.

Each year, you are allowed to make concessional contributions of up to $30,000. Extra contributions made beyond what your employer contributes can serve to reduce your tax load, as contributions are taxed at 15%.

In terms of figuring out how much extra you can put into your super in this way, it is possible to keep track of your concessional contributions by using the Australian Taxation Office’s online services.

Your superannuation fund might also be able to show you where you stand with regard to concessional contributions.

If you do put extra into your super and want it to be a concessional contribution, you also need to lodge a notice of intent to claim, which alerts your super fund that it is a concessional contribution, and they will take the 15% tax out as necessary.

This is necessary as it is also possible to make non-concessional contributions of up to $130,000 per year.

The post Super funds had a “tremendous” May. Just how much did they jump? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Air New Zealand, Emeco, ResMed, and Westgold shares are tumbling today
• Qantas shares lifting off today on ‘history making’ news
• This ASX uranium stock is up 950% in a year. Why is it surging again?
• Rio Tinto share price rallies 75% in 12 months: Is the mining stock still a buy or have the shares now peaked?
• Buy, hold, sell: Flight Centre, SGH, and Navigator Global shares

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.

Cauldron Energy Ltd (ASX: CXU) shares are extending their impressive run on Thursday.

The latest rise follows new survey results from the uranium explorer’s Yanrey project in Western Australia.

At the time of writing, the Cauldron Energy share price is up 16.67% to 10.5 cents, taking its gain over the past week to an incredible 81%.

The stock has now climbed 950% in 12 months as investors continue to back the company’s uranium exploration plans.

So, what’s behind today’s jump?

New results point to more exploration upside

According to the release, Cauldron has received the first results from a passive seismic survey carried out north of its Manyingee North uranium deposit.

The survey measures natural vibrations in the ground to map buried rock structures without drilling. Cauldron is using it to trace an ancient underground channel that may contain uranium mineralisation.

The results suggest the Manyingee North palaeochannel stretches at least another 6 kilometres to the north.

Near the deposit, the channel is thought to be around 1.8 kilometres wide. It then widens to roughly 2.8 kilometres further north before narrowing to 1.2 kilometres.

Cauldron believes the wider section may be an old estuarine lagoon that formed behind a narrow river mouth.

This has added to investor excitement because similar buried channels already host the company’s existing uranium deposits.

Drilling is next on the list

Cauldron recently completed a heritage survey that cleared drilling lines around 3 kilometres north of Manyingee North.

This area will be the first target in the company’s 2026 drilling program. However, wet weather has pushed the start back until later this month.

Chief Executive Jonathan Fisher said the survey results had given the company a clearer idea of where to drill.

Cauldron now wants to find out whether uranium mineralisation continues along the newly mapped channel and how far the Manyingee North deposit could extend.

Keep in mind, the survey does not confirm that more uranium is present. The company will still need to drill the target to find out what is actually there.

A sizeable uranium resource

The Yanrey uranium project is located around 100 kilometres south of Onslow and covers roughly 1,493 square kilometres.

Across the project, Cauldron has 3 defined deposits containing a combined 55.6 million pounds of uranium oxide.

Manyingee North has an inferred resource of 9.8 million pounds, while Manyingee South contains 14.9 million pounds. Bennett Well is the largest of the bunch, with 30.9 million pounds.

The survey also shows the buried channel may stretch much further north than Cauldron has drilled before.

However, investors will have to wait for new results before they know whether this larger target contains more uranium.

The post This ASX uranium stock is up 950% in a year. Why is it surging again? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Air New Zealand, Emeco, ResMed, and Westgold shares are tumbling today
• Qantas shares lifting off today on ‘history making’ news
• Super funds had a “tremendous” May. Just how much did they jump?
• Rio Tinto share price rallies 75% in 12 months: Is the mining stock still a buy or have the shares now peaked?
• Buy, hold, sell: Flight Centre, SGH, and Navigator Global shares

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

The Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) share price has fallen into the red in Thursday morning trade. 

At the time of writing, the ASX mining stock is down around 1% and trading at $185.41 per share.

This morning’s trading price means Rio Tinto shares have fallen just over 5% from an all-time high of $194.47 recorded in early June, but they’re still around 25% higher year to date and a huge 75% higher than this time last year.

The miner’s annual share price gains have put Rio Tinto in 8th place on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) by market capitalisation.

Why has the Rio Tinto share price flown higher over the past 12 months?

There has been a resurgence of confidence in copper and iron ore – the two key commodities Rio Tinto produces – in 2026, creating a strong tailwind for the Rio Tinto share price.

Trading Economics data shows that the price of iron ore spiked at a multi-year high in May and is around 7% higher than 12 months ago, at the time of writing. 

Meanwhile, copper spiked to an all-time high earlier this month and is still trading around those high levels. Copper prices are now 33% higher than the trading prices seen 12 months ago.

But surging commodity prices aren’t the only thing driving the Rio Tinto share price close to record highs.

In April, the ASX miner reported impressive first-quarter FY26 production results. It confirmed a 9% year-on-year increase in copper-equivalent production and a 13% increase in iron ore production in the Pilbara region. The result means Q1 FY26 was the second-best Q1 production the miner has achieved since 2018, despite weather disruptions and reduced shipments.

At the time, Rio Tinto also confirmed that it is focusing on expanding production volumes across its core commodity assets.

Why are the shares falling again today?

There isn’t any price-sensitive news out of the miner today to explain the latest slump. The lower share price is most likely the result of a pullback in commodity prices. At the time of writing, iron ore prices are down around 0.4%, and copper is down around 1.4% for the day.

Are Rio Tinto shares still a buy, or has the opportunity now passed?

According to analyst sentiment, it looks like the Rio Tinto share price has reached its peak.

Market Index data shows that the majority of brokers have a hold rating on Rio Tinto shares. The latest $173.26 target price implies a potential 9% downside for Rio Tinto shares, at the time of writing.

TradingView data reflects something similar. Eight out of 16 analysts have a hold buy rating on the shares. Another six have a buy or strong buy rating, and two rate Rio Tinto shares as a strong sell.

The average $180.34 target price implies a potential 3% downside at the time of writing. Although some more bullish analysts still think the Rio Tinto share price could increase another 14% to $210.66. Those who are more bearish are tipping the shares to fall 23% to $142.68, at the time of writing.

The post Rio Tinto share price rallies 75% in 12 months: Is the mining stock still a buy or have the shares now peaked? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Bought $10,000 of Rio Tinto shares five years ago? Here’s what that’s really worth today
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• Are Rio Tinto or BHP shares a better buy right now?
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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.

Wondering where to invest fresh capital?

To narrow things down, let’s see if Morgans rates the following three ASX shares as buys, holds, or sells. Here’s what it is recommending:

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)

Morgans notes that this travel agent giant has unsurprisingly downgraded its earnings guidance.

It believes investors should look beyond this, highlighting that it would have been a great year for Flight Centre if it were not for the Middle East conflict.

As a result, it has retained its buy rating with an improved price target of $14.80 (from $14.55). It said:

Given recent downgrades from other travel industry peers due to the conflict in the Middle East, FLT’s downgrade wasn’t a surprise. Given its balance sheet strength and depressed share price, a new up to A$200m share buyback was announced. We have made only minor changes to our forecasts given FLT’s guidance was broadly in line with our previous forecast. While a peace agreement and eased travel restrictions are positive, we think 1H27 will still be challenging.

We forecast a strong recovery in 2H27. If it wasn’t for this conflict, FLT would have had a great year given its results for the first nine months were strong. We are buyers of FLT because when operating conditions ultimately improve, both its earnings and share price will be materially higher.

Navigator Global Investments Ltd (ASX: NGI)

Another ASX share that has been given a buy rating is investment company Navigator Global Investments.

Morgans has put a buy rating and improved price target of $3.42 (from $2.97) on its shares.

While the broker has trimmed its FY 2026 earnings estimates, it has lifted its outer year forecasts to reflect the Stable transaction. It commented:

NGI on the 4th of May announced the acquisition of a portfolio of alternative asset manager interests from Stable Asset Management, alongside a new strategic partnership between the two firms. Following the completion of the entitlement offer and lifting of research restrictions we update our forecasts. We view the transaction as strategically attractive, though the projected double-digit EPS accretion in Year 1 assumes Stable sustains its strong near-term growth trajectory (EBITDA +35% – MorgansE).

We revise our NGI FY26F EPS down -5%, reflecting management’s updated FY26F EBITDA guidance range (US$100m-US$104m), which came in below our prior forecast (US$106m). Our FY27F and FY28F EPS forecasts are lifted by 9%–13%, incorporating the earnings accretion from the Stable transaction. Our price target increases to A$3.42 (from A$2.97). We maintain our BUY rating with >20% upside to our price target.

SGH Ltd (ASX: SGH)

Morgans has been looking at this diversified investment company’s investor day presentation and was pleased with what it saw.

In response, the broker has resumed coverage with a buy rating and a $52.75 price target. It commented:

At SGH’s recent investor day management set out a medium-term strategy and framework to deliver 10% EPS/EBIT growth at a 15% ROCE, along with a near doubling of market cap. These ambitions are set against a track record of growing organically, while acquiring industrial businesses, improving operational performance and cash generation. SGH takes an entrepreneurial approach to leverage, gearing up to acquire what it perceives as ‘privileged assets’, with operational improvements then driving a quick deleverage.

With first gas expected from Crux in FY28, the Ravenhall (DXS JV) underway, and Boral volumes muted, we believe the business can continue delivering double-digit earnings growth. The stock is trading at 16.8x PER (Consensus, NTM), in line with its historical 3-year average, but a c.4.5x PER (NTM) discount to the index (ASX 200 industrials). Given the baseline strategy is set, and potential levers for outperformance are clear (property, Crux, M&A), we rate SGH a BUY with a A$52.75/sh price target.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Flight Centre, SGH, and Navigator Global shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How high could Flight Centre shares fly according to brokers?
• Why AIC Mines, EOS, Flight Centre, and Nickel Industries shares are racing higher today
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• Flight Centre updates profit guidance; unveils $200m buy-back
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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 Flight Centre Travel Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) updated its profit guidance earlier this week, with the probably unsurprising news that earnings would be lower than previously expected due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Weak fourth quarter takes the shine off

The travel company said that underlying profit before tax (UPBT) was now expected to be in the range of $275 to $295 million, down from previous guidance of $310 to $345 million.

The company said the underlying business was performing well, as evidenced by 10% underlying earnings growth across the first three quarters of the year, before the Middle East conflict broke out.

And given that a peace agreement appears to have been brokered this week, Flight Centre was predicting a “significant earnings tailwind” which would bolster FY27 results.

To take the sting out of the profit downgrade, the company also announced a $200 million share buyback, “reflecting strong belief in FLT’s recovery and outlook”.

Flight Centre Managing Director Graham Turner said regarding the update:

The change in our short-term expectations reflects a temporary, conflict-driven headwind layered over what was shaping as a very solid year. It has been driven by an external shock – the Middle East conflict disrupting peak leisure travel – not by a deterioration in our underlying business. Group-wide, the company delivered almost 10% UPBT growth across the first three quarters of FY26, accelerating to ~20% growth during Q3. Even after absorbing Q4 disruption, the group still expects an underlying profit broadly in line with FY25. Looking ahead, we have strong foundations and growth prospects in both the leisure and corporate sectors. This is reflected in the Board’s decision to launch a new up-to-$200m buy-back – which clearly signals that we see our shares as undervalued at current levels.

Flight Centre shares a good buy

The analysts at Macquarie said in a note to clients this week that the earnings downgrade was expected while the quantum was previously unclear.

They said the Australian Government’s recent downgrading of travel warnings for the Middle East was a positive, as was Flight Centre’s good momentum in corporate travel.

Macquarie has a price target of $14.45 on Flight Centre shares compared to $12.44 currently.

The analyst team at Morgans said they believed the first half of FY27 would still be challenging for Flight Centre, but they are predicting a strong recovery later in the year.

They added:

If it wasn’t for this conflict, FLT would have had a great year given its results for the first nine months were strong. We are buyers of FLT because when operating conditions ultimately improve, both its earnings and share price will be materially higher.  

Morgans has a price target of $14.80 on Flight Centre shares.

The post How high could Flight Centre shares fly according to brokers? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Flight Centre, SGH, and Navigator Global shares
• Why AIC Mines, EOS, Flight Centre, and Nickel Industries shares are racing higher today
• What’s going on with Flight Centre shares today?
• Flight Centre updates profit guidance; unveils $200m buy-back
• Here are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

Motley Fool contributor Cameron England has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel 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.

The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has gained 5.1% over the last year, but this ASX All Ords mining stock has raced ahead of those returns.

The outperforming miner in question is Meteoric Resources (ASX: MEI). The rare earths stock has gained 37.5% over the past 12 months. That’s despite today’s retrace.

In morning trade on Thursday, Meteoric shares are down 5.7%, changing hands for 16.5 cents apiece. For some context, the All Ords is up 0.1% at this same time.

Meteoric shares are under pressure today, despite the miner releasing a promising progress update on the performance of the Pilot Plant at its Caldeira Rare Earth Project, located in Brazil.

Here’s what’s happening.

ASX All Ords mining stock targeting critical minerals

Meteoric commissioned the Pilot Plant in late 2025. Inclusive of a ramp-up period, the company reported on the performance results for the first five months of the plant’s operations.

The ASX All Ords mining stock said that over this period, the plant has processed approximately 43 tonnes of ore from the Capao do Mel (CDM) starter pit. And it’s achieved the targeted throughput rate of 600 kilograms per day.

Management highlighted that the Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC) production from this throughput has consistently averaged higher than the forecast 2 kilograms per day.

Magnet rare earth oxide (MREO) recoveries have been averaging 71% in MREC.

MREO recoveries jumped to 80% during May, which the miner credits to ongoing process optimisation, iterative flowsheet improvements, and ore quality.

To date, the ASX All Ords mining stock has provided more than 200 kilograms of MREC to existing and potential offtake partners in the United States, Europe, and Asia for product qualification.

The company has also provided MREC to be used in studies for development of oxide separation in Brazil.

What did Meteoric Resources management say?

Commenting on the progress that should support the ASX All Ords mining stock over the longer term, Meteoric CEO Stuart Gale said, “Results from our first five months of Pilot Plant operation have been excellent and exceed our expectations.”

Gale added, “It has validated the investment Meteoric has made in metallurgical and process testwork, along with the assumptions made in our studies to date.”

Looking ahead, Gale said:

The exceptionally high NdPr and DyTb combined recovery of 80% in the past month gives us encouragement that we may ultimately be able to exceed our targeted MREO recoveries by applying the learnings of the piloting program and capitalising on our +4,000ppm reserve material.

In addition to the strong MREO recoveries, rare earths on the United States critical minerals list like yttrium, samarium, gadolinium and ytterbium are all recovering well.

The post Up 38% in a year, ASX All Ords mining stock reports rare earths progress 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.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares are on the move on Thursday.

In morning trade, the counter-drone technology company’s shares are up 1% to $2.86.

What’s behind the move?

It is unclear what is moving DroneShield shares today, but there has been news out of the company this week.

Yesterday, the company announced a strategic partnership with Defenture to accelerate joint commercial opportunities for mobile counter-UAS capability.

Defenture is an innovation-driven company specialising in tactical mobility solutions.

According to the release, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony was held at Eurosatory 2026, which is a global tradeshow for defence and security that brings together key stakeholders from the international ecosystem.

It notes that the MOU will combine DroneShield’s counter-UAS hardware, software, command-and-control, and operational support capabilities with Defenture’s on-the-move vehicle platform expertise.

The two companies aim to progress a coordinated market deployment roadmap for an air defence and counter-UAS command-and-control solution suited to modern operational environments.

Furthermore, under the MOU, the two parties intend to jointly define, prioritise, and pursue commercial activities, including coordinated go-to-market initiatives, customer engagement, testing activities, interoperability milestones, and selected joint opportunities.

It advised that this includes offering DroneShield’s current and next generation counter-UAS systems across Defenture platforms, such as the Mammoth and GRF, as well as the development of layered on-the-move counter-UAS concepts for future customer engagement.

Overall, it believes that as military and security operators across Europe continue to prioritise counter-UAS capabilities, this MOU will provide a pathway for DroneShield and Defenture to pursue joint opportunities that bring together mobility, interoperability, and operational effectiveness in response to evolving drone threats.

Management commentary

DroneShield’s chief commercial officer, Louis Gamarra, commented:

Many military customers are looking for scalable and mobile counter-UAS solutions, that can be deployed quickly and operate effectively in dynamic environments. DroneShield’s new partnership with Defenture brings together complementary strengths to support that requirement and create a pathway for joint opportunities in key markets.

Speaking about the partnership, Defenture’s board member, Roderick Toutenhoofd, said:

By combining Defenture’s mobile platform capability with DroneShield’s proven counter-UAS technologies, we are better placed to support customers seeking agile, layered protection against evolving drone threats. The evolution of modern drone warfare has made clear that traditional platforms now require UAS protection, and partnering with DroneShield allows us to bring that capability to market in a way that is practical, mobile, and operationally relevant.

The post Own DroneShield shares? Here’s some big news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• What on earth’s going on with DroneShield shares?
• Down 37%. Has the market lost interest in DroneShield shares?
• Can the DroneShield share price climb back to $6?
• 3 ASX shares I’d buy that are not banks, miners, or supermarkets
• DroneShield’s big European news fails to halt share price slide

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 DroneShield. 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.