Author: openjargon

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL), and PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares have all fallen into the red in Thursday morning trade as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) falls on higher oil prices and interest rate jitters.

Here’s the latest from the three ASX 200 stocks, and which ones brokers tip as a buy, sell or hold over the next 12 months.

Brokers rate PLS Group shares a BUY

PLS Group shares have dropped around 5% this morning, to $3.98 each at the time of writing. 

It’s been a rocky ride for the lithium miner this year and its share price has swung between a peak of $6.81 and a low of $2.32 over the past 12 months. The shares are now down around 27% over the past month, are down 7% for the year-to-date, but 66% higher than a year ago.

The shares rebounded in August off the back of growing investor optimism that the lithium price recovery is improving, and then they rocketed higher again when the miner posted a strong FY26 result in mid-August.

PLS posted a 152% increase in revenue, a 59% increase in underlying EBITDA, and a swing into profit in NPAT (from a loss in the prior corresponding period).

There isn’t any price sensitive news out of the company recently to explain the latest selloff. It’s likely a combination of investors taking gains off the table and a softer lithium price.

But experts are bullish that PLS shares could keep climbing. Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a buy rating on the shares. The $5.47 average target price implies a 38% upside at the time of writing.

Brokers rate Telstra shares a HOLD

Telstra shares are down around 0.5% at the time of writing, to $4.80 a piece. The ASX telecommunications company’s shares are now down around 1% for the year-to-date and are 2% lower than 12 months ago.

The shares spiked to a multi-year high in May but tumbled lower in June to August after the company suffered a major nationwide network outage and a disappointing FY26 result.

Telstra posted a 0.8% decline in revenue and a 4.4% increase in underlying earnings.

The shares have rebounded slightly over the past month, likely as investors rotate towards more secure, defensive assets amid geopolitical uncertainty and Australian sharemarket weakness.

Brokers are on the fence about the outlook for Telstra shares over the next 12 months. Market Index data shows the majority have a hold rating on the stock. The $5.01 average target price implies an upside of around 4% at the time of writing.

Brokers rate AGL shares a SELL

AGL shares are down around 0.5% at the time of writing, to $8.18 a piece. The shares have generally tumbled lower so far in 2026 and are now down 12% since January. They’re also around 6% lower than 12 months ago.

The ASX energy shares rebounded in August when it posted its FY26 results, but the increase was short lived.

The company posted a 2% increase in both its underlying EBITDA and underlying NPAT for FY26. It also confirmed a 60% increase in its operating free cash flow. For FY27, AGL is guiding underlying EBITDA between $1.9 to $2.2 billion and underlying NPAT between $470 to $670 million.

Brokers aren’t impressed either. Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a sell rating on AGL shares. However, after the latest share price decline, the $9.70 target price implies a potential 19% upside.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Telstra, AGL, PLS shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Here are the most popular ASX share superannuation investments in SMSFs
• PLS shares have surged 85% in a year. So why are short sellers circling?
• How much is needed in superannuation to target a $95,000 annual passive income?
• 3 for income: I’d buy these ASX shares for dividends today

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

The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share price is having a rough Thursday session.

The buy-now, pay-later company’s shares have fallen heavily to around $2.09, adding to what has already been a volatile year for shareholders.

At this level, the Zip share price is well below its recent highs. But has the sell-off gone far enough to create a buying opportunity?

I think there is a strong case that it has.

How cheap is the Zip share price?

I think some context around the share price could be helpful.

Zip shares have traded as high as $4.94 over the past 52 weeks and as low as $1.38. At $2.09, the stock is now almost 60% below that 52-week high.

Of course, a falling share price does not automatically make a stock cheap. The more important question for me is what investors are paying relative to the earnings Zip could generate over the next few years.

On that front, the valuation is starting to look quite interesting.

Consensus forecasts indicate earnings per share (EPS) of approximately 15 cents in FY27.

At a share price of $2.09, Zip shares are trading at a forward price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of roughly 14 times FY27 forecast earnings.

The valuation becomes even cheaper again next year if Zip meets expectations.

Consensus EPS is expected to rise to 18 cents in FY28. That would put the shares on a forward PE ratio of around 12 times.

By FY29, analysts are forecasting EPS of 22.4 cents, which would reduce the PE ratio to just over 9 times at today’s share price.

For a business still expected to deliver meaningful earnings growth, I think those multiples look cheap.

Why I think the sell-off creates an opportunity

Zip is still a growth investment, so I would not look at the current valuation in isolation.

The investment case depends on the company continuing to expand earnings over the coming years. If the consensus forecasts are roughly right, EPS would rise by almost 50% between FY27 and FY29.

Investors need to remember that growth stocks can remain volatile. Zip has already moved between $1.38 and $4.94 during the past year, showing just how quickly market sentiment can change.

Forecasts can also move. If earnings growth disappoints, the low forward PE ratios based on FY28 and FY29 expectations may prove less compelling than they currently appear.

Still, I think today’s share price gives investors a reasonable margin for some uncertainty.

Foolish takeaway

For me, the Zip share price is looking cheap at around $2.09.

A FY27 PE ratio of roughly 14x does not look demanding, and the valuation could fall into the single digits by FY29 if current earnings forecasts are met.

There is plenty that Zip still needs to deliver, and I would expect the share price to remain volatile along the way. But after such a sharp fall from its 52-week high, I think the risk/reward is compelling.

At $2.09, I would be comfortable buying Zip shares and holding them for the next few years.

The post Is the Zip share price a bargain at $2.09? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Down over 50%: 2 ASX shares to buy for global growth
• 4 ASX shares tipped by brokers to return 63% to 125%
• 7 ASX 200 shares with reaffirmed buy ratings this week
• Buy, hold, sell: AGL Energy, Telstra, Zip shares
• $10,000 invested in Zip and New Hope shares 3 years ago is now worth…

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 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.

Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares are down around 1% to $16.65 on Thursday morning.

The decline means the miner’s shares are now down around 24% year to date.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 1% today and around 1% for the year-to-date.

It’s been a tough couple of months for the global mining giant. After its shares hit a two-year high of $22.99 in May, they’ve slowly but gradually tumbled downwards.

Just last week, Fortescue shares hit an annual low of $16.22 a piece.

Fortescue’s shares were hit by headwinds from iron ore prices. The company generates substantial cash flow from its large iron ore operations, so rising iron ore prices act as a tailwind and falling prices act as a headwind for the miner’s shares.

Trading Economics data shows that iron ore prices spiked to around US$111 per tonne in May, hit an annual low of around US$93 per tonne in August, and are currently trading at around US$97 per tonne.

Ongoing conflict in the Middle East has also put downward pressure on shares, driven by concerns about rising costs, oil supply risks, and broad market uncertainty.

A mixed FY26 result last month, including a 9% increase in revenue, 9% increase in EBITDA, and a 15% decrease in statutory net profit after tax (NPAT), didn’t help the share price either.

The question now is, where will the shares go next?

Here’s what the experts think.

What do brokers tip for Fortescue shares?

Analyst forecasts are a mixed bag.

Market Index data shows brokers are divided equally among buy, sell and hold ratings. The $18.66 average target price implies around an 11% upside, at the time of writing.

On TradingView, the majority of analysts (10 out of 16) have a hold stance on Fortescue shares. Another four rate the shares as a sell/strong sell, and two rate them as a strong buy.

The average $17.59 target price implies a potential 6% upside ahead. Although some think the shares could jump another 32% to $22.01 over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

Joshua Baker from RaaS Group has a sell rating on the ASX mining shares and warns that the outlook for iron ore prices isn’t as appealing as other commodities.

The team at Morgans have a hold rating on Fortescue shares. The broker said that with the focus on FY27 guidance, Iron Bridge remains a key issue. It explained that the magnetite operation is struggling through ramp-up and with elevated costs. Elsewhere, Morgans said the miner’s plans for a green steel plant are difficult to quantify.

What could drive Fortescue shares higher this year?

An iron ore price recovery would obviously help to drive the shares higher over the next 12 months, as would any progress on its green steel plant.

Fortescue is also actively diversifying its business beyond iron ore and into other markets, such as copper and renewable energy, which could reduce its reliance on iron ore over the long term and also strengthen its bottom line.

The post What do brokers tip for Fortescue shares over the next 12 months? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Fortescue shares break a 4-day losing streak as $150 million legal fight heats up
• Sell alert! Why this expert is calling time on Boss Energy and Fortescue shares

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.

What a difference a day makes for Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) shareholders.

After jumping 12% yesterday, the lithium miner has gone backwards on Thursday, falling 7.74% to 38.8 cents in morning trade.

The selling follows a string of company announcements released this morning, giving investors plenty to digest after the stock’s recent rally.

Despite today’s decline, Core shares have still gained approximately 269% over the past year following a remarkable recovery.

So, let’s take a closer look at what’s going on with Core Lithium?

Cash piles up, but losses continue

Core’s FY26 annual report shows a significant improvement in the company’s financial position, although there’s still some work to do.

The lithium miner finished June with $181.8 million in cash, compared with just $23.5 million a year earlier.

Much of that improvement came from a $120 million share placement and funding arrangements with Glencore and InfraVia.

However, Core still reported a net loss of approximately $26 million, while operating cash outflows totalled $21.1 million.

The company also received approximately $62.2 million in additional funding after the financial year ended.

Finniss is back in business

The good news is that Core’s flagship Finniss lithium operation is making progress following its restart.

Earlier this month, the company produced its first spodumene concentrate from the processing plant, meeting its September quarter target.

According to the release, the milestone was achieved within 6 months of the final investment decision (FID) in March.

Core has also completed upgrades to the processing plant, which are expected to increase annual throughput capacity by approximately 20% to 1.2 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, development continues at the BP33 underground mine, with first ore targeted for mid 2027.

The next milestone will be the first shipment of newly produced lithium concentrate, which Core expects during the December quarter.

What’s behind Thursday’s sell-off?

While the annual report contains some encouraging developments, lithium prices have been heading in the opposite direction of late.

According to Trading Economics, lithium carbonate was trading at approximately 135,200 Chinese yuan per tonne on Wednesday.

This is down 15.76% over the past month.

The recent pullback comes as more Aussie lithium mines return to production, with investors keeping a close eye on the potential increase in supply.

Following Core’s recent share price rally, some investors may also be taking the opportunity to lock in profits.

I think Core Lithium’s next test is getting Finniss running consistently and generating cash, particularly with lithium prices below their recent highs.

The post Why are Core Lithium shares crashing 8% on Thursday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 gold stock Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6) is down around 2% to 92 cents a piece at the time of writing.

Despite the latest decline, the shares are still up a huge 114% year to date and have jumped 319% since September 2025.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 1% today and around 1% for the year-to-date.

This rally in the ASX 200 gold stock means that $3,000 invested in Minerals 260 Ltd 12 months ago is already worth over $12,500 today!

What has caused the ASX 200 gold stock to rally higher?

There have been a few factors driving up Minerals 260’s shares over the past year. These include the company’s huge resource growth and substantial capital.

The company has rapidly expanded its gold resource base at Bullabulling following aggressive and successful drilling programs. Bullabulling, which is located in Western Australia, is reported to be one of Australia’s largest undeveloped gold projects.

The site has now surpassed 6.2 million ounces, up significantly from the company’s December 2025 resource estimate of 4.5 million ounces. The company has more drilling programs planned later this year and into 2027, focusing on upgrading existing resources and exploring for new zones.

Elsewhere, in February this year, Minerals 260 also announced it had signed a $220 million strategic funding package with Canadian gold royalties and streaming giant Franco-Nevada Corp (NYSE: FNV) to accelerate and de-risk the development of the Bullabulling gold project. The update saw its share price quickly jump higher.

Minerals 260 got another boost in June when it was added to the ASX 200 index amid a quarterly rebalance.

Most recently, the company announced that it has been granted an expanded Mining Lease at its Bullabulling Gold Project and has acquired additional regional tenements, expanding its total project area to 1,527 km². The move broadens its exploration potential and underpins the scale of the Bullabulling Gold Project.

Can Mineral 260’s shares keep climbing higher?

If analyst forecasts are anything to go by, there is still plenty more upside to come out of Minerals 260’s shares over the next 12 months.

According to TradingView data, all six brokers have a buy/strong buy rating on the shares. The average $1.355 target price implies a potential 47% upside at the time of writing. Some are even more bullish and expect the shares could climb 74% higher to $1.60 over the next 12 months.

The post If I’d put $3k in this ASX 200 gold stock 12 months ago, I’d have $12,500 now 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 recommended Franco-Nevada. 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.

GPT Group vs Dexus shares: Which ASX REIT looks better value?

When it comes to picking between GPT Group (ASX: GPT) and Dexus (ASX: DXS), you’re sizing up two heavyweight names from the ASX’s real estate investment trust (REIT) sector. Both offer large, diversified portfolios, long track records, and established brands. For everyday investors hunting income, value, or just exposure to Australian property, weighing GPT against Dexus makes a lot of sense. So, which might offer better value right now?

The case for GPT Group

GPT Group is one of Australia’s largest listed property trusts, tracing its origins to the country’s first ever REIT, set up in 1971. Over the decades, GPT has built a robust and conservative portfolio split across office buildings, major retail centres, and logistics/industrial assets. According to GPT Group, it manages over $42 billion of property and has recently increased its tilt toward industrial assets, now accounting for almost a third of its holdings.

What stands out in GPT’s current fundamentals is its:

• Attractive 8.12 P/E ratio (notably lower than Dexus’s)
• Dividend yield of 5.44%
• Market cap around $8.6 billion, making it one of the larger players on the market.

GPT’s consistent history of paying fully unfranked distributions – roughly 24 cents per share annually in recent years – underlines its income credentials, though franked income isn’t on offer here. Its conservative approach to gearing (debt) and measured development pipeline have long appealed to more cautious property investors.

The case for Dexus

Dexus has transformed beyond a pure office property landlord into a broader platform managing listed and unlisted real estate, infrastructure, and alternative assets – especially since its big 2023 acquisition of AMP Capital’s real estate and infrastructure arm. Dexus directly and indirectly holds premium office, logistics, retail, and airport assets, notably including stakes in Melbourne Airport and Jandakot Airport.

Key fundamentals for Dexus right now include:

• A higher dividend yield of 6.67%
• A market cap of $5.96 billion (a notch below GPT, but still sizeable)
• P/E ratio of 10.17

Dexus’s income stream is attractive, at around 37 cents per share (annualised from the last year’s payouts), with a portion of its most recent distributions franked (but with franked percentages varying between periods). Its recent diversification into infrastructure assets sets it apart from most traditional REITs, potentially adding some resilience – though also introducing new complexity for investors used to pure property exposure.

Valuation comparison

Here’s a side-by-side look at the major valuation metrics based on the latest figures:

	GPT Group	Dexus
Market Cap	$8.60 billion	$5.96 billion
P/E Ratio	8.12	10.17
Dividend Yield	5.44%	6.67%
Dividend per Share	$0.24	$0.37
EPS	0.549	0.546
Franking	0%	Variable, up to ~20%
YTD Return	-15.5%	-17.4%

Both companies sport very similar recent EPS. GPT’s P/E ratio is noticeably lower, which usually means investors are paying less for each dollar of earnings – but Dexus’s higher dividend yield may appeal to those seeking bigger income streams. Franking is limited for both, but Dexus’s distributions do carry some franking credit, while GPT’s are unfranked. Note: both companies have reported EPS figures very close to or slightly above their per-share distributions, but as always, there can be timing and calculation differences between reported EPS and current-year payout ratios.

Recent share price performance

Share prices for both companies have been under pressure over the year to date, as interest rates and broader property sector worries have weighed on REIT valuations.

Comparing 25 August to 21 September 2026:

• GPT Group fell from $4.69 to $4.49, a drop of around 4.3% across the period.
• Dexus slipped from $5.88 to $5.54, down approximately 5.8% over the same range.
• Year to date, GPT’s return is -15.5%, while Dexus has dropped -17.4%.

In short, Dexus shares have underperformed slightly versus GPT in terms of recent momentum. Both have lagged the broader ASX, in line with their sector.

Which is the better buy?

For me, it’s a line-ball call because both GPT Group and Dexus look like reasonable value on paper and have offered consistent income. If I had to tip one for value today, I’d lean just slightly toward GPT Group. My reasons? GPT trades on a meaningfully lower P/E (8.12 vs 10.17) for similar recent earnings, has a larger and arguably more conservative asset base, and its recent price performance has been a fraction less negative. While Dexus’s higher dividend yield is tempting, the difference isn’t life-changing on a yield-per-dollar basis, and GPT’s simpler, core property focus and lower multiple appeal to my sense of “margin of safety” in the current environment.

If I were seeking maximum immediate yield and a taste of infrastructure, Dexus could still have the edge. But with its lower valuation and more traditional property mix, my pick for better value in this REIT head-to-head would be GPT Group.

The post GPT Group vs Dexus: Which ASX REIT is better value right now? 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 draft. 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.

The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ) is one of the better-known growth exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the ASX.

It has been around long enough that the basic story is familiar, but I still think there are good reasons to consider it today.

If I had $10,000 to invest for long-term growth, these are the three reasons the NDQ ETF would be on my shortlist.

It gives me something the ASX cannot

The first reason is simple. The Australian share market has plenty of strong businesses, but it does not have many companies operating at the front of global technology.

The NDQ ETF changes that. It gives investors exposure to large Nasdaq-listed businesses across software, semiconductors, ecommerce, digital advertising, cloud computing, biotechnology, and other areas that are difficult to access through the ASX.

This includes Apple, Nvidia, Broadcom, and Tesla.

For me, that makes the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF particularly attractive alongside Australian shares.

The winners can keep getting bigger

Another thing I like about the NDQ ETF is that it gives successful businesses room to become more important within the portfolio.

The Nasdaq-100 is weighted towards its largest companies, so businesses that grow into global leaders can make a meaningful contribution to returns.

Concentration is something I would think carefully about. The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF can become heavily influenced by a relatively small group of companies, particularly when the largest technology businesses are performing strongly.

But I do not necessarily see that as a weakness.

If I already had diversification elsewhere, I might actually want part of my portfolio focused on companies with dominant market positions and large opportunities still ahead of them.

That is a different job from a broad-market ETF, and I think the NDQ ETF can do it well.

AI is only part of the opportunity

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an obvious reason investors are interested in the Nasdaq today, but I would not want the entire investment case resting on AI.

What I want is the wider technology ecosystem around it.

More computing power means greater demand for semiconductors and data centres. Businesses are continuing to move workloads into the cloud. Digital advertising, ecommerce, cybersecurity, automation, and online services are still evolving.

Many Nasdaq-100 companies sit across several of those trends at once.

That gives the NDQ ETF more than one way to benefit as technology spending changes over time.

There will undoubtedly be periods when these shares fall, particularly if valuations become stretched or investors move away from growth stocks.

But with a long enough timeframe, I would be prepared to accept that volatility.

Foolish takeaway

For me, the NDQ ETF has a strong long-term case.

It gives investors access to some of the world’s biggest technology and growth businesses in a single ASX investment, with exposure to several trends that could keep expanding for years.

If I had $10,000 available for long-term growth, the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF would be one of the ETFs I would be happy to own.

The post 3 reasons I’d invest $10,000 into the NDQ ETF 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 Apple, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Broadcom, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV) shares were up more than 3% in early trade despite the company’s net profit falling more than 10%.

Challenging trading conditions

The retailer, which reported its full-year results on Thursday, declared a final dividend of 36 cents per share, fully franked, which maintains its dividend yield at more than 7%, albeit on a share price that is down more than 40% over the year.

Revenue from ordinary activities came in at $808 million for the year to July 25, down 2.8%, while net profit was $129.2 million, down 10.3%.

Premier Chair Solomon Lew said the company continued to progress its growth plans for Peter Alexander and Smiggle during the year, “with significant progress made across a number of key initiatives”.

Mr Lew added:

Peter Alexander delivered another record sales performance in FY26 and successfully launched its Peter’s Dreamers loyalty program, attracting more than 1.4 million members within its first 10 months of operation. At Smiggle, the key relaunch initiatives announced in March 2026 have been delivered, with the brand entering 1H27 with a refreshed product range and renewed customer proposition ahead of the critical peak trading period.

Mr Lew said discretionary retail conditions in the second half of the year were very challenging, in particular in the later months.

He added:

Despite this backdrop, we remained focused on executing our growth strategies and positioning both brands for the critical Black Friday, Christmas and Back-to-School trading period ahead. The actions taken over the past six months leave both brands better placed as they enter 1H27. Premier’s diversified portfolio, including the continued strength of our investment in Breville and a strong balance sheet, provides the flexibility to invest in our brands, pursue new opportunities and continue our capital management initiatives, including the on-market share buy-back.  

During the year, Premier opened four new Peter Alexander stores and another five were either expanded or relocated.

The company said at least five new store openings and one relocation or expansion were confirmed for the first half of 2027, including the opening of a large flagship store in the Sydney CBD in October 2026.

Premier said the first seven weeks of the new year continued to be challenging; however, sales were within 1% of the previous period on a like-for-like basis.

Premier Investments shares look fully priced

RBC Capital Markets said the result was neutral for the company.

They said both Smiggle and Peter Alexander sales came in within their forecasts.

They added:

The early 1H27 trading commentary suggests to us that the Retail segment as a whole is tracking largely in line to marginally ahead of consensus, with a clean inventory position to start FY27.

RBC has a price target on Premier of $12 against $11.42 currently, up 2.3% on the day. Premier is valued at $1.78 billion.

The post Why are Premier Investments shares trading higher today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Premier Investments earnings: Net profit slips, dividend steady in FY26

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 recommended Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

To get some idea of the massive potential unleashed by the artificial intelligence revolution, you need look no further than ASX AI stock DXN Ltd (ASX: DXN).

If you’re not familiar with DXN, the company manufactures and operates modular data centres.

And business is booming. Here’s what I mean.

Tipping $5,000 into ASX AI stock DXN in March

Back in March, I hadn’t yet heard of DXN. But I wish I had.

You see, on 24 March, DXN shares closed the day trading for 2 cents apiece.

So, for $5,000, I could have bought 250,000 shares in the ASX AI stock. I would then have watched the share price drop to 1.5 cents by market close on 13 April, cutting my initial $5,000 investment to just $3,500.

But if I’d held tight through those early losses, I would then have watched the stock go on an epic tear.

Indeed, in morning trade today, DXN shares are up another 4.6%, currently changing hands for 45.5 cents apiece.

Which means the 250,000 shares I bought six months ago for just $5,000 would be worth $113,750 today. Or a gain of 2,175%.

Boom!

What’s been sending DXN shares to the moon?

Investors have been bidding up the ASX AI stock as DXN kicks off FY 2027 with growing demand for its modular models across AI infrastructure markets.

“FY26 will be remembered as the year DXN’s long-term investment thesis came into focus,” DXN managing director Shalini Lagrutta said following the release of the company’s full-year results on 31 August.

Lagrutta added:

While revenue for the year was impacted by customer-side project deferrals, our maiden AI HPC contract validated years of investment behind our AI-ready modular platform and drove a five-fold increase in the company’s market capitalisation.

We enter FY27 with our strongest-ever backlog currently sitting at $40.9 million as of 30 August 2026 and a rapidly maturing pipeline of identified projects, of which approximately 21% are AI infrastructure related.

Is the ASX AI stock still a good buy today?

Despite its 20-bagger status, Wilson Asset Management – which is a major shareholder in the ASX AI stock – is still adding to its position.

According to Wilson Asset Management portfolio manager Shaun Weick (quoted by the Australian Financial Review):

We think DXN has the potential to be a multi-bagger from here and is one of the best micro-cap opportunities on the ASX…

They have engineered a modular solution, which critically accelerates the rollout of AI factory capacity. They have been awarded multiple initial contracts which, if delivered successfully in coming months, unlocks gigawatt-scale projects which is a multi-billion-dollar revenue opportunity.

The post If I’d invested $5,000 in this ASX AI stock 6 months ago, I’d have $113,750 today! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

It hasn’t been a great start to Thursday’s session for BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shareholders.

The mining giant’s share price has fallen 2.34% to $60.62 in morning trade, wiping out Wednesday’s 1.39% gain.

The stock is now trading almost 12% below its August high of $68.77, with Thursday’s decline adding to a fairly difficult September.

The selling follows an incident at one of BHP’s major overseas operations, where activities have been suspended.

So, what just happened?

Fatal accident forces mine shutdown

According to Reuters, a worker was killed on Wednesday while carrying out maintenance work at BHP’s Escondida copper mine in Chile.

Escondida is the world’s largest copper mine, located in Chile’s Atacama Desert.

Union officials reported that the accident involved a front-end loader, a large vehicle used to move materials around mine sites.

Following the incident, BHP confirmed that all operational activities at Escondida had been suspended, although it hasn’t said when production might resume.

Under Chilean mining regulations, operations cannot restart following a fatal accident until safety inspectors have confirmed that conditions are safe.

A major blow to BHP’s copper business?

Escondida is one of BHP’s biggest assets, with the mining giant holding a 57.5% stake in the operation.

To put its size into perspective, the mine produced approximately 1.26 million tonnes of copper during FY26.

Copper has also become a huge part of BHP’s business, generating US$18.2 billion in underlying EBITDA, or 54% of the group’s total earnings last financial year.

Looking ahead, BHP is targeting production of between 1 million and 1.1 million tonnes at Escondida in FY27.

However, those forecasts were issued before yesterday’s incident, and the company has yet to indicate whether the shutdown will affect its production targets.

A strike could be next

The shutdown comes at a difficult time, with BHP also facing the possibility of a strike at Escondida.

The mine’s supervisors’ union, which represents around 1,020 workers, has urged members to reject the company’s latest pay offer.

Union members are scheduled to vote between 28 and 30 September, with union leaders urging workers to support strike action.

If the offer is rejected, a mandatory five-day government mediation process would follow before a legal strike could begin.

What happens next for BHP shares?

At $60.62, BHP shares are looking considerably more attractive than they did above $68 last month.

However, I wouldn’t be rushing to buy based on today’s decline alone.

I’d prefer to wait for an update from BHP before deciding whether the recent pullback presents a buying opportunity.

The post BHP shares fall as mining operations grind to a halt appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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