Author: openjargon

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) shares are climbing higher in lunchtime trade on Wednesday.

At the time of writing, the shares are up 4.46% to $18.72 a piece.

It’s welcome news for investors after the US-based software development company’s shares crashed 11% yesterday following another tech sell-off at the same time as the company released its first-quarter FY26 results announcement.

Despite today’s uptick, the shares are still 42% lower for the year-to-date and are now trading 66% below an all-time high of $55.87 recorded in October last year. The tech shares are also 31% below trading levels seen this time last year.

What sent the shares tumbling?

The tech stock has been caught up amid the tech-sector-wide sell-off over the past 8 months. 

Investors ditched their tech shares amid a growing fear that companies’ core services could be replaced by AI. At the same time, there was concern that tech sector share prices, including Life360, had become overpriced.

The shares crashed another 18% following its FY25 results announcement in March.

It looks like the tech sector suffered another sector-wide sell off yesterday, with tech shares down across the board.

The sentiment shift overshadowed Life360’s latest financial results announcement, which it posted ahead of the market open on Tuesday morning.

Life360 reported a 38% increase in its total revenue for the quarter, primarily driven by a 32% increase in subscription revenue and 36% increase in core subscription revenue.

The company also upgraded its FY26 guidance. It now expects consolidated revenue in the range of US$650 million to US$685 million, up from previous guidance of US$640 million to US$680 million. This implies year-on-year growth of 33% to 40%.

Life360 also lifted its adjusted EBITDA guidance to a range of US$130 million to US$140 million, up from US$128 million to US$138 million previously. This implies an expected margin of around 20%.

Why are Life360 shares climbing higher again today?

There has been no price-sensitive news out of the company today to explain the turnaround.

The rebounding share price is most likely due to investors buying back into the stock after yesterday’s crash. 

Are the shares a buy, sell or hold now?

Analysts are very bullish about the outlook for Life360 shares over the next 12 months, with consensus of a strong upside ahead.

TradingView data shows that 13 out of 14 analysts have a buy or strong buy rating on the shares. The average $31.83 target price implies a potential 71% upside at the time of writing. But some think the shares could rocket another 119% to $40.71.

Bell Potter has confirmed its buy rating on the family safety and location technology company’s shares, although the broker trimmed its target price to $32.59. 

The broker noted that its first quarter FY26 revenue and adjusted EBITDA were 4% and 18% ahead of its forecasts and 4% and 14% ahead of market consensus. 

The post Life360 shares rebound 4.5% today: Buy, sell or hold? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Does Bell Potter think the Life360 share price is dirt cheap?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Why Amotiv, DroneShield, Life360, and WiseTech shares are tumbling today
• Why is everyone talking about WiseTech, GQG and Life360 shares on Tuesday?
• Why are Life360 shares sinking 8% 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 positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. 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 Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) is trading in the green again on Wednesday morning, continuing on a run of increases over the past seven weeks.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 gold stock’s shares are 0.82% higher at $14.10 a piece.

The latest uptick means the shares have now rebounded 50% from a dip recorded in late March.  

For the year-to-date, Capricorn Metals’ shares are still down 2.8%, but they’re up an impressive 66% from this time last year.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 0.5% at the time of writing and is just over 0.5% lower for the year to date.

So, if I bought $500 of Capricorn Metals shares two years ago, what would they be worth today?

The ASX 200 gold shares have enjoyed a strong rally over the past few years. While the shares have climbed 66% in the past 12 months, they’ve flown a huge 202% higher since May 2024.

That means $500 invested in Capricorn Metals 24 months ago is already worth $1,510. 

What has been driving the ASX 200 gold stock higher?

There have been a few factors driving the gold miner’s share price higher, including a rally in gold prices, strong gold production, and improved investor sentiment.

The price of gold has more than doubled over the past two years, from around US$2,300 per ounce in May 2024 to around US$4,700 per ounce at the time of writing. 

At the same time, Capricorn Metals has delivered consistently strong production and cash flow results. 

Most recently, the gold miner posted its March quarter update, in late April, where it revealed strong gold production, a record quarterly cash flow, and a maiden 5 cent per share fully-franked dividend payment to shareholders.

The ASX 200 gold miner also confirmed that it is on track to meet the upper end of its FY26 production guidance of 115,000 to 125,000 ounces at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $1,530 to $1,630 per ounce. 

Year-to-date gold production totals 93,152 ounces at an AISC of $1,623 per ounce.

Capricorn also said it is making steady progress on its next phase of growth. Development of the Karlawinda Expansion Project (KEP) is advancing well, and work continues at its Mt Gibson Gold Project (MGGP). 

It looks like investors are pleased with the latest announcement and have flocked to the stock.

Can the Capricorn Metals share price keep climbing higher?

According to TradingView data, it looks like we can expect plenty more out of the gold miner’s shares over the next 12 months.

All nine analysts have a consensus buy rating on the ASX 200 gold stock, with the average $18.22 target price representing a potential 29% upside at the time of writing.

Meanwhile, some expect the shares to fly another 70% to $24. 

The post If I’d put $500 in this ASX 200 gold stock two years ago, I’d have $1,510 today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 4 ASX mining shares to buy: brokers
• 3 ASX 200 stocks storming higher in this week’s flat market
• This ASX 200 gold stock rose 10% yesterday: Is it a buy, hold or sell?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares 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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Shares in Elevra Lithium Ltd (ASX: ELV) have fallen sharply in early trade after the company announced it had finalised a $275 million institutional placement.

New money raised at a discount

The company said in a statement to the ASX on Tuesday that it had raised the money at $12.20 per share, pushing its shares as low as $12.20 before they recovered to be 8.1% lower at $12.62.

The company said the placement received strong support from existing shareholders, “and a high-quality cohort of new domestic and global institutional investors, reflecting recognition of the company’s accelerated North American Lithium (NAL) Brownfield expansion strategy and key Moblan technical and pre-development workstreams to FID (final investment decision)”.

Existing Elevra shareholders will also be able to apply for new shares at the offer price, with $20 million in new shares available under the share purchase plan.

The company also announced on Monday that it had struck an agreement with the Canada Growth Fund for $146 million in convertible notes.

The company said regarding the overall funding package:

The Strategic Financing Package has been structured to provide Elevra with a high degree of funding certainty and balance sheet flexibility through a transformational phase of growth. Together, the fully underwritten Placement, strategic Convertible Notes investment and SPP will fully fund the NAL Brownfield Expansion project, alongside fund key Moblan technical and pre-development activities through to FID while maintaining prudent liquidity and optionality through market cycles. Importantly, the NAL expansion will deliver accelerated production growth, improving mill throughput and driving meaningful unit cost reductions. This investment underpins Elevra’s transition towards a lower cost, resilient, sustainable, and globally relevant lithium producer, enhancing cash flow generation and competitiveness across a range of lithium price environments.

Elevra Managing Director Lucas Dow said finalising the funding was an important milestone.

He added:

This financing marks a key inflection point for Elevra, delivering full funding certainty across the three stages of the NAL Brownfield Expansion while preserving balance sheet flexibility at a critical point in our growth trajectory. With strong strategic support from Canada Growth Fund, we are well positioned to execute our near-term growth plans, materially increasing production scale while reducing unit costs. Together with advancing Moblan toward development, this transaction sets the stage to fundamentally reshape Elevra into a larger, more resilient, globally competitive lithium producer.

Shares performing strongly

Elevra has raised the money close to its year-highs, with the stock appreciating from as low as $2.10 over the past 12 months to $13.74 before the placement, close to the year-high of $14.06.

Elevra is valued at $2.33 billion.

The post Why are shares in this major ASX lithium company down almost 10% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) shares are climbing again on Wednesday after the lithium miner locked in a major contract at its Finniss operation.

At the time of writing, the Core Lithium share price is up 4.48% to 35 cents.

It marks another strong session for a stock that has already staged a huge recovery. Core Lithium shares are now up around 25% in 2026 and 372% over the past year.

Here’s what the company announced.

A major mining contract lands

According to the release, Core has awarded the BP33 underground mining contract at Finniss to Develop Global Ltd (ASX: DVP).

The contract is worth about $274 million and covers 3 years of mining services at BP33. Core also has the option to extend the deal by another year.

The work includes drill and blast, load and haul, decline development, production, and ground support.

Mobilisation is expected to begin in June 2026, with works due to start in July 2026.

Why BP33 is getting attention

BP33 is a key deposit within Core’s Finniss Lithium Operation in the Northern Territory.

The company said BP33 underpins a lower-cost, long-life production base, with more than 10 years of mine life and further exploration upside.

Core also said the contract followed a competitive tender process. Develop was selected because of its underground mining experience, technical capability, and alignment with Core’s delivery targets.

The project is expected to progress alongside open pit mining at the Grants deposit.

Core said first spodumene concentrate remains targeted for the December quarter of 2026. First BP33 ore is expected in mid-2027, with ramp-up to nameplate production planned by mid-2028.

Finniss restart gathers pace

Core’s Finniss project has been through a difficult period, largely due to weaker lithium prices and pressure across the battery materials sector.

But that backdrop is now looking much healthier. Trading Economics shows lithium carbonate prices in China have climbed strongly in 2026, supported by tighter supply and stronger demand.

The price is sitting at CNY 200,000 per tonne, up more than 200% over the past year.

While that doesn’t remove the risks around Finniss, it helps explain why investors are taking another look at Core.

Today’s underground contract follows the company’s final investment decision (FID) and funding package announced earlier this year.

Foolish takeaway

Core Lithium has come a long way from last year’s lows.

The once beaten-down stock touched 7.6 cents in June last year. It is now trading at 35 cents, helped by improving lithium sentiment and a clearer restart plan at Finniss.

The post Core Lithium shares jump again after a major Finniss milestone appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX mining stock drops despite big lithium news
• This $1 billion ASX lithium stock is in the spotlight today. Here’s why
• Why is everyone talking about Core Lithium, Ampol and Santos shares on Thursday?
• Up 444% in a year, what’s moving Core Lithium shares today?
• ASX lithium shares rally as oil shock highlights EV appeal

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.

Over the years, CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares have rarely been on the radar of income investors.

That’s not because the company doesn’t pay dividends.

The biotechnology giant has a long track record of payouts to its shareholders.

However, due to the high earnings multiples that its shares would trade on, the dividend yield has always been very modest.

But due to a significant multiple compression over the past 12 months, that has now changed.

So, rather than being a growth stock, is CSL now an ASX dividend stock? Let’s run the numbers and find out.

CSL dividends

According to a note out of Bell Potter this week, its analysts are expecting the company to pay dividends of $3.97 per share in FY 2026, then $4.25 per share in FY 2027, and finally $4.65 per share in FY 2028.

Based on the current CSL share price of $98.55, this would mean attractive dividend yields of 4%, 4.3%, and 4.7%, respectively.

It is a similar story at Morgans. Its analysts believe CSL shares could provide generous dividend yields in the near term.

The broker is forecasting dividends of approximately $4.42 per share in FY 2026 and then $4.74 per share in FY 2027. This equates to dividend yields of 4.5% and 4.8%, respectively.

Should you buy this ASX stock for dividends?

At present, Bell Potter is sitting on the fence with CSL shares.

In response to its disappointing guidance update, the broker has retained its hold rating with a reduced price target of $100.00. It said:

Earnings decreases drive large reductions to our PE and DCF-based valuations. We increase the PE valuation weighting to 75% and reduced the multiple to 12.0x. This leads to a reduction of our PT to $100 (from $155). We maintain our Hold recommendation. CSL’s global biopharma peers trade on a median of 14x FY27 PE.

We think a discount is warranted for CSL considering the declining underlying earnings outlook across FY26-27, the lack of stable management, and series of credibility hits following several disappointing results/trading updates. CSL is trading on ~12x our forecast NPATA for FY27. The difference between NPATA to statutory NPAT remains uncertain given the $5b of additional impairments announced today with unclear spread across FY26-27.

However, Morgans has retained its buy rating with a $147.59 price target. It said:

While forward earnings visibility remains limited, we believe the current valuation increasingly discounts a structurally impaired plasma franchise, which we do not believe the current industry dynamics support. We reduce FY26-28 forecasts and lower our blended DCF, PE and EV/EBITDA-based target price to A$147.59. Given CSL’s global leadership positions, structurally growing end markets and operational initiatives, we retain a BUY rating.

The post Is CSL now an ASX dividend stock to buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX uranium stock Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) plunged 10.8% to $11.34 on Wednesday morning despite the company returning to profit and delivering strong revenue growth.

The sharp sell-off may surprise some investors given the ASX energy stock remains up an impressive 77% over the past 12 months, massively outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen roughly 5% over the same period.

So why is the market hitting the brakes?

Big turnaround in earnings

Paladin is a uranium producer best known for operating the Langer Heinrich Mine in Namibia, one of the key uranium projects benefiting from renewed global interest in nuclear energy.

The ASX uranium stock sells uranium into global markets, where demand has been strengthening as countries seek cleaner and more reliable energy sources.

Its latest results showed major operational and financial improvement. Revenue surged to US$209.1 million for the nine months to 31 March 2026, up sharply from US$138.2 million during the prior corresponding period.

Gross profit reached US$34.4 million, representing a huge turnaround from the US$21.7 million gross loss recorded a year earlier.

Most importantly, Paladin delivered a net profit after tax of US$1.7 million attributable to shareholders. That compares with a US$30.1 million loss in the prior period.

The ASX uranium stock has clearly benefited from stronger uranium pricing and improved operational momentum at Langer Heinrich.

Cash flow worries may be spooking investors

Despite the return to profitability, investors in the ASX uranium stock appear concerned about the company’s cash flow position.

Operating cash flow showed an outflow of US$36.4 million compared to an inflow of US$14 million during the prior corresponding period.

That may partly explain today’s aggressive share price reaction. Mining investors often focus heavily on cash generation and project funding requirements, especially for companies ramping up production and developing new projects simultaneously.

Paladin is currently spending heavily to support the Patterson Lake South (PLS) project in Canada while continuing the ramp-up of Langer Heinrich.

Balance sheet strengthened

The company has also been actively strengthening its financial position. During the period, Paladin completed a A$400 million equity raise and share purchase plan to support development activities and operational growth.

Management of the ASX uranium stock also restructured its syndicated debt facility, reducing total debt capacity from US$150 million to US$110 million while securing a US$70 million undrawn revolving credit facility. That provides additional financial flexibility as the company progresses its uranium growth strategy.

Paladin also reported a US$3.3 million impairment relating to exploration assets after relinquishing certain Canadian tenements as part of broader portfolio streamlining efforts.

Importantly, the company finished the period with unrestricted cash of US$219.5 million plus the undrawn debt facility.

What next for Paladin?

Looking ahead, Paladin remains focused on advancing the Patterson Lake South project toward a final investment decision while increasing uranium production at Langer Heinrich.

Management says a strong contract book, flexible pricing arrangements and solid liquidity position should support future growth.

Still, today’s sell-off highlights how volatile ASX uranium stocks can remain, even when profitability improves sharply.

The post Why is this ASX uranium stock crashing 11% after returning to profitability? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold stock Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG) has handed investors some outsized gains over the past year.

That outperformance has been spurred by the miner’s own operational successes on and beneath the ground, and a surging gold price.

In late morning trade today, Resolute Mining shares are up 1.1%, changing hands for $1.38 apiece. For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.5% at this same time.

Taking a step back, shares in the ASX 200 gold stock are up an impressive 142.1% in 12 months, smashing the 4.3% one-year gains posted by the benchmark index.

Here’s why Resolute Mining shares are outperforming again today.

ASX 200 gold stock lifts on fourth mine potential

Resolute Mining shares are holding their own in today’s sinking market after the miner announced the results of a scoping study for its ABC Project, located in Cote d’Ivoire.

The ABC Project has a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 2.16 million ounces of gold.

The ASX 200 gold stock said the preliminary technical and economic study confirmed the ABC Project’s strong economic potential. Should the project get the green light, it will be Resolute Mining’s second operating gold mine in Cote d’Ivoire and fourth mine in total.

The scoping study revealed the ABC Project could produce around 141,000 ounces of gold per year over a 12-year mine life. Total gold production is estimated at 1.7 million ounces.

On the cost front, Resolute estimates an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of US$1,614 per ounce, which it noted will support “robust operating margins”. Capital costs are expected to be around US$648 million.

The ASX 200 gold stock expects the project could deliver average annual free cash flow of US$262 million and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$323 million in the first five years of production. That’s based on a US$3,500 per ounce gold price.

To date, Resolute has drilled more than 25,000 metres, saying it expects the results of that drill campaign will support an updated MRE in the second half of 2026.

What did Resolute Mining management say?

Commenting on the study results helping lift the ASX 200 gold stock today, Resolute Mining CEO Chris Eger said, “Resolute is very pleased to announce the results of the scoping study for ABC which demonstrates the significant economic potential of the ABC Project.”

Eger added:

Building on the strong results from the ongoing step out drilling at the Kona South and Central deposit, we are confident the project has potential to grow and become more commercially attractive…

The scoping study now provides Resolute with the required technical platform to commence the DFS [Definitive Feasibility Study]. Progress on exploration, metallurgical testwork, site investigations and permitting has been prioritised with the target of completing the required workstreams to finalise a DFS by the end of 2027.

The post Up 142% in a year, ASX 200 gold stock lifting today on potential fourth operating mine appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
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• Why Resolute shares are on watch after this major quarterly update
• Will these top-performing ASX stocks keep charging higher?

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

The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price has been an incredible performer compared to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) in the past year.

In the last 12 months, the ASX mining share has gone up by 55%, as the chart below shows, while the ASX 200 is only up by 5%. That means $10,000 is now worth around $15,500.

BHP has been one of the best-performing blue-chips on the ASX in that time. I think there are a few reasons why the business has performed so strongly for shareholders.

US tariffs in 2025

When we’re looking at how much a share has risen over a certain time period, it’s important to consider where the share price started and where it ended.

A year ago, the BHP share price was suffering amid investor concerns surrounding US tariffs and what impact that may have on the Chinese economy and demand for iron ore.

Understandably, as the months went by and China continued buying iron ore, investor concerns faded away amid ongoing strength for the iron ore price.

Resource prices

A key input of BHP’s profitability is the resource price. Its costs per tonne don’t change much month to month, so any extra revenue for that production is a great boost for its earnings.

The iron ore price has remained strong enough for the ASX mining share to deliver significant profits.

According to Trading Economics, the iron ore price is currently sitting at US$111 per tonne. That’s a lot stronger than I was expecting it would be by now. The iron ore price is up by 11% over the past year, with that extra revenue largely adding to net profit, aside from paying more to the government.

The copper price has also performed strongly – in the FY26 third-quarter, the company reported that its average realised price was US$5.47 per pound, up 31%. Again, a lot of this additional copper revenue is a strong boost for profitability.

Strong production

Resource prices are just part of the picture, the business is also capitalising on the higher resource prices by delivering high levels of production.

In the third quarter of FY26, the company reported that it produced 62.8kt of iron ore, representing 2% growth year-over-year.

Copper production of 476.8kt was 7% lower year-over-year, but that was still a strong output for the business.

With the company working on increasing its production at existing projections and building new ones, it can increase its output in the coming years.

The post $10,000 invested in BHP shares 12 months ago is now worth… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Forget gold, BHP shares could be the better long-term buy

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

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW) shares are under pressure again on Wednesday.

In morning trade, the ASX 300 stock sank 15% to a 52-week low of $4.54 before recovering slightly.

At the time of writing, the online furniture retailer’s shares are down 6% to $5.01.

Why is this ASX 300 stock sinking?

Investors have been selling Temple & Webster’s shares following the release of an update on its guidance for FY 2026.

According to the release, since its last trading update, consumer confidence has reached historic lows.

In response, the ASX 300 stock has rebalanced profit and growth in the short-term, successfully implementing a margin optimisation program.

It notes that following this, its EBITDA in April increased to ~$2.5 million. This is the most profitable April in the company’s history.

As a result of this rebalance, Temple & Webster’s FY 2026 revenue is expected to be in the range of $665 million to $675 million. This will be an increase of 11% to 12% on the prior corresponding period.

The company’s EBITDA is expected to be in the range of $20 million to $22 million. This will be an increase of 6% to 17% over the prior corresponding period.

Management also highlights that the current margin run-rates would lead to EBITDA almost doubling to ~$40 million in FY 2027, even in a low growth scenario.

It believes this significant uplift in profitability, combined with a strong balance sheet, positions the ASX 300 stock well for both organic and inorganic growth, and broader capital management initiatives.

However, judging from its share price performance today, the market isn’t as convinced.

Commenting on the change, Temple & Webster’s outgoing founder and CEO, Mark Coulter, said:

We remain firmly focused on growing our market share and reaching $1 billion in revenue by FY28, and becoming a larger, more profitable business. However right now, given the uncertainty in the Australian economy, we have prudently chosen to rebalance between profit and growth in our core business. Over the last two months, we have implemented a new promotional cadence, repriced the entire catalogue, obtained more support from our suppliers, restructured our marketing campaigns, and slowed our fixed cost growth.

These initiatives have led to a new profit record for the month of April by quite a long way, and a clear path to a doubling of EBITDA in FY27 to ~$40 million, despite the economic headwinds. This shows the incredible agility of our business model and the speed of which we can adjust our levers in response to external changes.

Coulter then concludes:

A more profitable core business allows us to keep investing in our consumer offering and platform – including a larger and more diversified private label and exclusive business, better and faster delivery options, and personalisation across all our customer touchpoints. It also allows us to take advantage of a more attractive M&A environment, particularly in our emerging growth areas such as home improvement, B2B and international, which all continue to perform well.

The post Why did this ASX 300 stock just crash 15% to a 52-week low? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Shares in Perenti Ltd (ASX: PRN) are trading higher after the company announced that its underground mining subsidiary Barminco had won an $850 million contract with Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL).

Long-term body of work

The company said in a statement to the ASX that the contract would run for four years with the option to extend for another year.

The company said further:

The award follows a competitive tender process and marks the commencement of a new operating relationship between Barminco and Bellevue. The Bellevue Gold Project is a long-life, high-quality underground gold operation in a well-established mining jurisdiction and represents an important addition to Barminco’s Australian portfolio. Under the agreed scope of works Barminco will provide all underground mining services to support the ongoing development and production activities.

Perenti said the contract would require about $75 million of growth capital to be spent.

Perenti Managing Director Mark Norwell said:

We are excited to partner with Bellevue as we focus on delivering enduring value four our clioents, our people, the communities in which we work and ultimately our shareholders. This contract award reinforces Barminco as a global leader in underground mining, further strengthening Barminco’s underground mining portfolio and earnings in Australia. This award supports our strategy to deliver sustainable cash generation and future earnings growth.

Barminco also operates other mines in Western Australia, including the nearby Gold Fields-owned Agnew Mine, Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL)’s Duketon underground mines, Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS)’s Dalgaranga mine, and AngloGold Ashanti‘s Sunrise Dam Mine.

Bellevue Managing Director Darren Stralow said:

This was a highly competitive process, as shown by the strength of the tenders and the final result. Barminco presented an extremely attractive proposal across safety, operational capability, and technical expertise, positioning Bellevue strongly for the next phase of operational delivery and growth. Their depth of underground mining experience and global scale will further support Bellevue as the operation continues to mature and optimise.  

Building on a solid base

Perenti has solidly grown its revenue over the past four years, from $2.43 billion in FY22 to $3.48 billion in FY25.

Guidance for the current year is revenue of $3.45 to $3.55 billion, EBIT of $335 to $350 million, and free cash flow of more than $170 million.

In a recent investor presentation, the company said that in addition to its Australian operations, it was expanding in the US, growing from zero projects in FY19 to eight currently.

The company also recently announced that Dr Vanessa Torres will commence as the new Managing Director on June 1, having previously worked at South32 Ltd (ASX: S32).

Perenti shares were 3.5% higher at $2.10 in early trade. The company is valued at $1.89 billion.

The post Which ASX 200 mining services provider is charging higher on a big contract win? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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