Author: openjargon

The Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) dividend has been announced along with the FY26 result. The numbers give shareholders a cash payout, along with insights into company performance.

Excluding the US operations that are being closed, the company reported network sales growth of 17.9% to $1.38 billion, revenue increased 21.8% to $520.4 million, underlying operating profit (EBITDA) rose 28.7% to $85 million, and statutory net profit soared 31.6% to $40.6 million.

The company also noted that it opened 35 new restaurants across Australia and Asia this year and added 62 new sites to its Australian development pipeline.

With its profit generation in Australia, the business was able to declare a large final dividend with the FY26 result.

Guzman Y Gomez dividend

GYG has declared an FY26 final dividend of 40.6 cents per share and includes a special dividend of 14.4 cents per share.

The special dividend retrospectively increases the implied dividend payout ratio for the interim dividend (which was 7.4 cents per share) to an implied dividend payout ratio of around 90% of underlying earnings to reflect the removal of US losses from its earnings.

The increase of the dividend also reflects an increase in earnings and reduced Guzman Y Gomez share count after the completion of its share buyback.

GYG’s board of directors also approved the extension of the share buyback program to a further $100 million.

At the time of writing, following the jump of the Guzman Y Gomez share price, the final dividend represents a dividend yield of 1.6%, excluding franking credits, and 2.2%, including franking credits.

When will this be paid?

Before getting to the exciting payment date for the upcoming GYG dividend, we need to look at the ex-dividend date.

The ex-dividend date is the cut-off day for investors who want to receive the payout. Investors need to own shares before this date to be entitled to the dividend.

Guzman Y Gomez’s ex-dividend date for the FY26 final dividend is 15 September 2026, which is less than a month away. Therefore, investors have until the end of trading on 14 September 2026 to buy shares.

The dividend will then be paid on 30 September 2026, which is just over a month away, so investors won’t have a long time to wait.

There is no dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) relating to this upcoming dividend.

What is the full-year GYG dividend yield?

Based on the interim and final dividends, the business will deliver a full-year dividend of 48 cents per share. At the time of writing, that translates into a dividend yield of 1.9%, excluding franking credits, and 2.7%, including franking credits.

The post Everything you need to know about the Guzman Y Gomez dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Guzman Y Gomez, Pro Medicus and James Hardie shares are turning heads on Friday
• Guzman y Gomez delivers record FY26 results, launches new buyback
• 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade
• 5 ASX shares downgraded by brokers this week
• Consumer staples and discretionary shares are rallying: These stocks could be top buys

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Guzman Y Gomez. 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.

Three fast-rising S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold stocks released their full-year FY 2026 earnings results this morning.

And investors have responded by bidding all three stocks higher as we head into the Friday lunch hour, despite the 0.2% fall in the ASX 200 at this same time.

Here’s what’s happening.

Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS)

Ramelius Resources shares are up 0.8% at time of writing, swapping hands for $3.95 apiece.

That sees this ASX 200 gold stock up 37% since this time last year.

For FY 2026, Ramelius reported a 1% year-on-year increase in revenue to $1.03 billion.

Underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $765 million were down 7%.

On the bottom line, the gold miner reported a 33% year-on-year decline in underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) to $320 million.

Profits and earnings were impacted in part by the lower production volumes associated with the completion of operations at the company’s Edna May project.

Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL)

Regis Resources shares are also attracting attention today after the miner released its FY 2026 results.

Shares in the ASX 200 gold stock are up 3.2%, trading for $8.49 each. That sees the Regis Resources share price up 90% in 12 months.

Over the 12 months, Regis Resource produced 379,050 ounces of gold at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $2,945 per ounce.

The miner sold 373,879 ounces over the year, receiving an average price of $6,283 per ounce.

This saw revenue increase by 43% from FY 2025 to $2.35 billion. And it helped the miner set a new record NPAT of $715 million, up a whopping 181% year on year.

With profits soaring, management declared a fully-franked final dividend of 20 cents per share.

Regis ended the year with cash and bullion holdings of $1.18 billion, up $667 million from the close of FY 2025.

Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD)

The third ASX 200 gold stock making moves following the release of its full-year results is Genesis Minerals.

Genesis Minerals shares are up 2%, trading for $8.17 apiece. That puts the share price up 93% since this time last year.

FY 2026 was an eventful period for the miner, with gold production up 33% from FY 2025 to 285,402 ounces. Genesis produced the gold at an AISC of $2,670 per ounce.

And earnings hit a new record high, with the company reporting a 110% lift in EBITDA to $952 million.

Profits surged as well, with underlying NPAT up 147% to $547 million.

And with profits rocketing, the ASX 200 gold stock delivered its first ever dividend, fully franked at 5 cents per share.

Genesis Minerals ended the financial year with cash and equivalents of $520 million, up 81% from last year.

The post 3 ASX 200 gold stocks jumping higher on big news today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Ramelius Resources reports profit drop, expands growth plans in FY26 earnings
• Regis Resources delivers record FY26 profit and dividends
• Genesis Minerals FY26 earnings: profit, growth, maiden dividend
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

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.

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) shares are tumbling on Friday, falling 8% to $16. That is a sharp reversal after the stock climbed 5% on Thursday following the release of its half-year results.

Despite today’s decline, Telix shares remain up around 42% year to date, although they are down roughly 4% over the past 12 months.

So, why are Telix shares plunging despite another strong set of numbers?

Telix delivers strong first-half growth

On Thursday, Telix reported a 22% year-on-year increase in revenue to US$477 million, tracking towards the upper end of its FY26 guidance. The company’s gross margin improved to 55%, while its Precision Medicine segment delivered an impressive 65% margin.

Adjusted EBITDA jumped 146% to US$52 million, while profit after tax reached US$38 million. That included a US$40 million payment from Regeneron.

Operationally, Precision Medicine remained the key growth engine, with flagship products Illuccix and Gozellix continuing to gain market share.

The biotech company also achieved several important clinical milestones, including completing enrolment for late-stage trials and making regulatory progress across the US, China, Europe, and Japan.

The business is simultaneously expanding its global manufacturing footprint through new and upgraded facilities in Australia, Belgium, Japan, and the US.

Telix shares reaffirmed FY26 revenue and other income guidance of more than US$1 billion, with Research & Development expenditure expected to come in between US$230 million and US$270 million.

Why are Telix shares falling?

One clue for the plummeting Telix share price comes from Bell Potter.

The leading broker was pleased with Telix’s first-half performance, but warned that competition could weigh on revenue later in the year. It said:

1H26 increased by 22% to $477m, dominated by US sales of PSMA imaging agents. FY26 revenue guidance range is unchanged at $950m – $970m with the company guiding to the upper end. We expect the launch of a competitor product (TruVu – Lantheus) will impact 4Q26 revenues, nevertheless, the top end of the guidance is realistic. We do not anticipate a change in guidance irrespective of 3Q26 revenues.

Importantly, Bell Potter now believes Telix shares are approaching fair value. As a result, it has downgraded the stock from buy to hold, while retaining its $19 price target.

That target still represents potential upside of roughly 17% from $16, but the downgrade may be giving investors pause after Telix’s substantial gains this year.

In other words, today’s sell-off may have less to do with disappointing results and more to do with valuation, competition, and expectations for future growth.

The post Telix shares are tumbling. Is the stock finally at fair value? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why were Telix shares just downgraded?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• 7 ASX 200 shares with reaffirmed buy ratings this week
• Telix Pharmaceuticals delivers robust half-year earnings and pipeline progress
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

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

The analyst team at UBS has been hard at work this week analysing the deluge of profit reports which have come out, and have issued a number of buy recommendations on companies.

I’ve selected three of those which UBS believes will perform particularly well from a share price perspective, which I’ll run through now.

Let’s have a look.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP)

Zip on Thursday announced record cash EBTDA of $268.9 million, up 57.9% on the previous year.

The buy now, pay later provider said total transaction volume (TTV) grew to $16.7 billion, up 27.2%, while the number of merchants on its platforms increased 13.8%.  

On the outlook, Chief Executive Officer Cynthia Scott said the company was targeting cash earnings of $340 million in FY27, which would be a 26% increase.

UBS said in a note to clients that the outlook for the current year was better than expected, providing comfort around the defensive qualities of the buy now, pay later business model through slowing economic times.

UBS said:

Whilst macro remains key uncertainty into FY27, we have increased confidence around Zip’s defensive quality and ability to drive customer growth and transaction frequency. Our US TTV growth forecast of +30% in FY27 is comprised of 9% customer growth and 19% TTV/customer growth, which we view achievable.

UBS has a price target on ZIP shares of $4.70 compared to $2.76 currently.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

This cloud computing company this week announced FY26 revenue of $312.2 million, up 37%, while EBITDA was up 24% to $77.1 million.

Megaport Chief Executive Officer Michael Reid said:

Our team delivered an exceptional result in FY26. The Network business produced its strongest commercial performance to date, Latitude.sh expanded rapidly following acquisition, and our combined capabilities secured major long-term customer contracts across Compute, Network, and Storage. We have materially increased the scale of the business, broadened the markets we can serve, and created a much larger opportunity. Now our job is to execute against it.

UBS said the net outcome of the results report was “firmly in the positive”, and they are estimating EBITDA of $624 million for Megaport in FY28.

The broker has a price target of $26.40 on Megaport shares, up from $24.20, compared to the current share price of $18.60.

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF)

UBS said MA Financial Group delivered an in-line FY26 result, “though we think the share price reaction (+18%) reflects material potential for upside towards new FY29 targets, and a stronger 2H outlook”.

UBS has a price target on MA Financial Group of $10.10 compared to $7.07 currently.

The post 3 ASX shares UBS says will return better than 36% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How high do UBS and Macquarie think Zip shares will go?
• Buy, hold, sell: Fortescue, Northern Star, and Megaport shares
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 7 ASX 200 shares with reaffirmed buy ratings this week
• Buy, sell, hold: Dexus, APA, Zip shares

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

Guzman Y Gomez (ASX: GYG), Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME), and James Hardie Industries PLC (ASX: JHX) shares are making waves today.

Two of the big name ASX shares are outpacing the 0.2% losses posted by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) in late morning trade on Friday, while one is charging higher.

Here’s what’s grabbing investor interest.

James Hardie shares lift on $1.4 billion asset sale

James Hardie shares are in the green today, up 0.6% at $43.05 apiece.

Investors are responding positively after the ASX 200 building materials company announced that it is divesting its European operations.

The company will sell its Fermacell business to Holcim for €840 million (AU$1.38 billion). James Hardie also intends to close its European fibre cement operations.

The ASX 200 stock will use the proceeds to pay down some $600 million in debt as well as funding a new $250 million share buyback. The company expects the deal to close in the first half of calendar 2027.

Commenting on the sale helping lift James Hardie shares today, CEO Aaron Erter said:

We believe this divestiture will strengthen our balance sheet, deliver compelling value for our shareholders and position the Fermacell business for long-term success under Holcim’s ownership.

Guzman Y Gomez shares jump on earnings surge

Like James Hardie shares, Guzman Y Gomez shares are outperforming today.

And strongly.

At the time of writing, shares in the ASX 200 Mexican fast-food restaurant chain are up 8%, changing hands for $25.89 each.

This follows the release of Guzman Y Gomez’s full-year FY 2026 results.

Investors look to be supporting the stock, with GYG now having completed its painful exit from its US operations and eying growth in its core Aussie markets.

While GYG achieved a statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) increase of 31.6% from FY 2025 to $40.6 million, the company reported a statutory group NPAT loss of $26.7 million due to its US exit.

In other core financial metrics, Guzman Y Gomez shares are likely attracting attention, with the company reporting a 28.7% year-on-year increase in underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to $85 million.

Management also announced an additional $100 million share buyback.

Which brings us to…

Pro Medicus shares slide despite new contract win

Joining Guzman Y Gomez and James Hardie shares in turning heads today, we find Pro Medicus.

At the time of writing, shares in the ASX 200 health imaging company are down 3.1%, trading for $199.71 apiece.

Pro Medicus shares are sliding despite the company announcing a new $25 million, seven-year contract with United States-based healthcare provider Valley Health. The contract covers the full range of Pro Medicus’ cloud-based medical imaging solutions.

The post Why Guzman Y Gomez, Pro Medicus and James Hardie shares are turning heads on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Pro Medicus signs A$25m US contract: What it means for investors
• Guzman y Gomez delivers record FY26 results, launches new buyback
• James Hardie sells European business, launches share buyback
• Investing in AI stocks on the ASX? Here’s what you should buy
• My top 5 ASX 200 shares to buy and hold

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

Global Lithium Resources Ltd (ASX: GL1) shares have jumped substantially in recent weeks, as the company has secured key approvals for its Manna lithium project in Western Australia.

The shares are up slightly more than 200% over the past 12 months, but the analyst team at Shaw and Partners believe the share price has a long way to go yet.

They’ve got a buy rating on the shares, and a very bullish share price target, which I’ll get to shortly.

First, let’s look at the company’s recent announcements.

Approvals coming thick and fast

Firstly, in early August, GL1 announced that it had received approval for the Mining Development and Closure Proposal (MDCP).

The company said at the time:

The approved MDCP enables the establishment of important early works and critical infrastructure at the Manna mine site, directly supporting the integrated Manna-Nova strategy. The proposed Manna mine, located 110km east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, is planned to operate for at least 14 years. The Project’s MDCP approval contemplates the development of multiple open pits, comprising one main (Manna Main) and two satellites (Manna North and Manna South), waste rock and dry stack tailings, ore stockpiles, accommodation village, bore field, topsoil stockpile areas and associated mining infrastructure.

The company said the approval would also give more confidence to a final investment decision for the mine, which is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026, with the first direct shipping ore then targeted for the second quarter of 2027.

Then on 20 August, GL1 announced it had received the Native Vegetation Clearing Permit for the mine, completing the primary state approvals needed to begin early works. The company’s groundwater licence was also approved.

GL1 Managing Director Dr Dianmin Chen said:

Three major approvals in a fortnight is a credit to the professionalism of DMPE and DWER and to the depth of our own team’s technical work. Manna is now cleared on the ground, cleared to take water, and ready to move into construction. These approvals pave the way for starting early works and then mining operations at Manna, which will generate jobs, boost economic activity in the region, and benefit all stakeholders including our local communities for many years to come.

Global Lithium Resources shares looking cheap

Shaw and Partners said GL1 had substantially derisked the Manna project by securing the approvals.

The broker added:

Instead of committing to a standard greenfield build, GL1 management’s capital-light approach has successfully preserved Manna’s cash and strategic optionality. This positions Manna to capture the near-term market window, where lithium prices are expected to benefit from sustained supply deficits and growing demand over the next three years.

Shaw and Partners has a price target of $1.75 on GL1 shares, compared to 67.5 cents currently.

The post Up more than 200% over a year, could this ASX lithium company double again? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• What ASX reporting season share price swings really mean
• How high do UBS and Macquarie think Zip shares will go?
• Why is the Bitcoin price rocketing 16% this week?
• Buy, hold, sell: Fortescue, Northern Star, and Megaport shares
• Could this ASX portfolio make work optional at 55?

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.

Reporting season can make the share market look ridiculous.

A company reports rising revenue and profit, only for its share price to sink. Another company remains unprofitable, yet its share price rockets higher.

These reactions can appear irrational. However, they make more sense once investors understand that the market is not simply grading the result.

It is grading the surprise.

A voting machine and a weighing machine

Benjamin Graham, the investor and author who mentored Warren Buffett, famously said:

“In the short run, the market is a voting machine, but in the long run, it is a weighing machine.”

Reporting season provides a perfect demonstration.

In the short term, investors are voting on whether a result was better or worse than expected. Those expectations have been shaped by broker forecasts, company guidance, industry conditions, and the narrative surrounding the business.

If a company reports a $50 million loss when analysts feared a $100 million loss, its shares could rise sharply. The business still lost money, but the result was better than expected.

Meanwhile, a company might increase revenue by 20%, only to see its share price tumble because the market expected 30% growth, margins contracted, or management issued a weaker outlook.

The number matters, but the gap between the number and expectations often matters more on the day.

Codan shares jump on strong results

Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) shares closed more than 12% higher after the technology company released its FY26 results.

Codan reported a 30% increase in revenue to $875 million and a 69% rise in net profit after tax to $175.2 million. Its full-year dividend increased by 70% to 48.5 cents per share.

Importantly, Codan also said its communications division had entered FY27 strongly. That forward-looking commentary gave investors new information to weigh, despite Codan having already upgraded its FY26 profit guidance in April.

Zoom out further and the relationship becomes clearer. Codan shares have more than doubled over the past 12 months while the company’s revenue, profit margins, and earnings have risen strongly.

The daily jump was a vote on the latest result and outlook. The longer-term rise increasingly reflects the growing weight of the business.

Why IDP Education shares crashed

IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) provided the other side of the lesson.

Its shares closed more than 20% lower following the release of the company’s FY26 results.

IDP reported adjusted operating earnings (EBITDA) of $122.9 million, within the guidance range provided earlier in the year. The company also produced strong cash conversion and reduced its overhead cost base by more than originally targeted.

However, the market was more interested in what came next.

Looking ahead, IDP expects challenging market conditions to persist in FY27, with tightening migration and student visa policies likely to weigh on volumes for a third year.

IDP shares are now down around 64% over the past 12 months. Over that period, the company’s revenue and profits have fallen steeply.

Again, the one-day move was a vote on expectations. The longer decline has increasingly weighed the deterioration in earnings.

Foolish takeaway

Reporting-day volatility should not be ignored, but it should be interpreted in context.

The first question is what the market expected. The second is what has genuinely changed. The third is whether that change matters to the company’s earnings power several years from now.

Investors can then examine the outlook, margins, cash flow, competitive position, and management’s capital allocation. These factors usually matter far more than whether a company narrowly beat or missed a broker forecast.

Sometimes a violent share price move signals a genuine structural change. Other times, it is simply a reaction to expectations that were too optimistic or pessimistic.

That distinction is why short-term market timing is so difficult. Investors must correctly predict the result, what everyone else expected, and how the market will react to the difference.

Over longer periods, much of that noise fades. Share prices may still wander, but earnings, cash flow, and business quality gradually place more weight on the scales.

The post What ASX reporting season share price swings really mean appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• IDP shares crash 24% to historic low on Thursday: What happened?
• Codan FY26: Profit surges 69% with higher dividend
• IDP Education posts steep FY26 profit drop but stays on transformation track
• These 2 oversold ASX shares look super cheap right now

Motley Fool contributor Leigh Gant 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 Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) surged more than 18% on Thursday after the company reported its full-year results, begging the question, are the shares now fully priced?

While the shares jumped significantly on Thursday, they are 9.3% lower over a 12-month period after pulling back 7.2% on Friday morning to $2.83.

The analysts at Macquarie have had a look at the results and have come up with an outperform rating on the stock, and a bullish share price target which I’ll get to shortly.

The team at UBS are also bullish on the company.

Before we get to what the analysts are saying, let’s look at what Zip announced this week.

Large jump in earnings underpinned Zip share price surge

The buy now, pay later service provider on Thursday announced record cash EBTDA of $268.9 million, up 57.9% on the previous year.

Total transaction volume (TTV) grew to $16.7 billion, up 27.2%, while the number of merchants on Zip’s platforms increased 13.8%.

Zip Chief Executive Officer, Cynthia Scott, said regarding the result:

Consistent execution has built the platform to deliver our next phase of growth and innovation. In FY26, we exceeded our targets with record cash earnings of $268.9m, up 57.9%, underpinned by material cash earnings growth in both markets. We maintained strong unit economics, expanded operating leverage and reinforced the value of our differentiated business model. Our focus on exceptional customer experiences is translating into stronger engagement. In the US, we achieved more than 40% growth in both TTV and revenue for a second consecutive year while adding new customers at scale. In ANZ, we returned to revenue and Australian receivables growth, led by the continued success of our Zip Plus product.

Ms Scott said Zip was targeting cash earnings of $340 million in FY27, which would be a 26% increase.

Brokers like the look of Zip shares

UBS said in its note to clients that the outlook for the current year was better than expected, providing comfort around the defensive qualities of the buy now, pay later business model through slowing economic times.

UBS said:

Whilst macro remains key uncertainty into FY27, we have increased confidence around Zip’s defensive quality and ability to drive customer growth and transaction frequency. Our US TTV growth forecast of +30% in FY27 is comprised of 9% customer growth and 19% TTV/customer growth, which we view achievable.

UBS has a price target on ZIP shares of $4.70.

Macquarie said “Zip’s outlook remains attractive as management executes the market opportunity in the US, supported by performance in AU”.

Macquarie has a price target of $3.50 on Zip shares.

Zip is valued at $3.8 billion.

The post How high do UBS and Macquarie think Zip shares will go? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 7 ASX 200 shares with reaffirmed buy ratings this week
• Buy, sell, hold: Dexus, APA, Zip shares
• Why Megaport, Northern Star and Zip shares are turning heads on Thursday
• Zip Co reports record FY26 earnings and outlines growth strategy

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

The Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price has been on fire this week.

The world’s first and biggest crypto by market cap really took off on Wednesday.

It’s currently trading for US$73,307, up 15.6% since this time last week, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

While BTC remains down 42% from the all-time high of US$126,198 it reached on 7 October last year, this week’s rally will certainly come as welcome news to crypto investors awaiting a rebound.

So, what’s driving the strong gains?

What’s boosting the Bitcoin price?

Last month, the Bitcoin price briefly caught some tailwinds after United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the US’ crypto regulating Clarity Act looked set to get the green light from Congress.

The Clarity Act is intended to give the SEC and the CFTC departments oversight into crypto trading. If passed, it could fully open the door to trading in cryptos like Bitcoin and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) in US stock markets.

However, with the Clarity Act now stalled in Congress, those tailwinds have faded.

But crypto investors still have Bessent to thank for the big boost in the Bitcoin price this week. Not to mention the Ethereum price, which at US$2,345, is up 24.6% since last Friday. The world’s number two crypto by market cap hit its own all-time high of US$4,954 on 25 August 2025.

On Wednesday, Bessent announced the US Treasury Department will at least double the amount of longer-dated treasuries it plans to buy back to address surging bond yields. He said this “could be more than the $4 billion” size the administration initially planned.

While yields have yet to sustainably fall, the Bitcoin price took off on the hopes that the decades’ high borrowing costs in the world’s top economy may come off the boil.

And with US government debt topping US$40 trillion this week, the debasement trade – where investors buy assets like gold or crypto as a hedge against a decaying greenback – appears to be back on.

“The market read this as a quiet form of quantitative easing, a move that weakens the dollar and sends scarce, debasement-hedge assets like Bitcoin higher,” Matt Mena, senior strategist at 21Shares, said (quoted by Fortune).

Looking to what may be ahead for the Bitcoin price, Zach Pandl, Grayscale’s head of research, speculated:

Our best guess is that Bitcoin potentially bottomed at $58,000 earlier this summer… and [that] it’s a compelling time for investors with longer-term horizons to be allocating to Bitcoin and the crypto asset class.

The post Why is the Bitcoin price rocketing 16% this week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Amid big swings in the Bitcoin price, can the crypto really help diversify your investment portfolio?
• ASX shares or crypto? Here are the benefits and risks of each
• What could spark a Bitcoin price rebound in 2026?
• Down 48%, why a Bitcoin price rebound may be off the cards
• Could US lawmakers drive a rebound in the beaten-down Bitcoin price?

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

Looking for some new portfolio additions?

Well, it could pay to hear what Morgans is saying about the popular ASX shares in this article. Are they buys, holds, or sells? Here’s what you need to know:

Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG)

Morgans notes that this iron ore giant delivered a mixed FY 2026 result with flat earnings.

In light of this, the broker has retained its hold rating with a reduced price target of $18.70. It said:

A mixed FY26 result from FMG, with higher revenue helping to offset cost increases and elevated admin/R&D to help keep underlying earnings flat. With the focus on FY27 guidance, Iron Bridge remained a key issue, with the magnetite operation struggling through ramp up and with elevated costs. Plans for a green steel plant was big news, although difficult to quantify. We maintain a HOLD rating, with an A$18.70 target price (was A$21.80).

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

The broker was impressed with this network-as-a-service company’s results and guidance for FY 2027.

In response, the broker has upgraded Megaport shares to a buy rating with a $25.00 price target. It commented:

MP1’s FY26 underlying EBITDA and FY27 EBITDA guidance were above market expectations. Both Network and Compute delivered record growth. At first glance, simple maths suggests MP1’s funding position looks tight. However, there is nearly $500m of additional funding that got lost in translation. We think MP1 ends FY27 with nearly $600m of surplus liquidity (assuming no new deals get signed). 

Deals already contracted deliver $620m of annualised contracted EBITDA which means after EBITDA lifts 3x YoY in FY27, it will more than double into FY28, based on deals already signed. We upgrade to a Buy recommendation and $25 target price.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

Finally, following the release of an FY 2026 result that was in line with expectations, Morgans has downgraded this gold miner’s shares to a hold rating with a $25.00 price target. 

Commenting on the downgrade, Morgans said:

FY26 result was in line with a 30cps final dividend beating both MorgansF and consensus, while FY27 guidance met expectations at the headline level despite KCGM ramp-up risk. Move to a HOLD (previously ACCUMULATE) with a A$25ps target price. We expect the near-term valuation discount to persist until operating & strategic clarity improves post KCGM ramp-up and new CEO beginning in October.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Fortescue, Northern Star, and Megaport shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Megaport. 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.