Author: openjargon

Retirement is usually presented as a switch. One day you work. The next day you stop, roll onto income from your superannuation. Additionally, some may also utilise the Age Pension to fill any gaps.

However, financial independence does not need to be that binary.

A more useful goal may be to build an investment portfolio that makes full-time work optional by 55. You might still work, run a business, or take on projects. The difference is that a portfolio now pays part of the household bills, giving you greater freedom to choose the work that deserves your time.

That is not retirement. It is leverage over your own life.

The portfolio outside superannuation

There is one important catch. According to the Australian Taxation Office, Australians can generally access super when they reach preservation age and retire, or after turning 65 regardless of whether they are still working. For anyone currently approaching 55, preservation age is 60.

That means a portfolio designed to create freedom at 55 needs to sit largely outside superannuation. It can operate as a five-year bridge before super becomes available, then continue providing income alongside super after 60.

The target also becomes less intimidating when the goal is supplemental income, not replacing an entire salary.

At an illustrative 4% dividend yield, a $300,000 portfolio could produce $12,000 a year before tax. A $500,000 portfolio could produce $20,000, while $750,000 could produce $30,000.

None of those amounts may fund a lavish retirement alone. But an extra $20,000 or $30,000 could make a four-day week possible, support a lower-paid role with more personal meaning, or provide breathing room to build a business without demanding an immediate full-time income.

Build for growth before switching to income

The mistake would be chasing the highest dividend yield from day one.

An investor with a decade or more before 55 may be better served by focusing on total returns: businesses that can grow earnings, reinvest capital, and increase dividends over time. Distributions can be reinvested while employment income still covers living costs.

Broad exchange-traded funds can provide a diversified foundation. The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) holds a broad portfolio of Australian shares, while the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) provides exposure to developed markets outside Australia.

Individual ASX shares could sit around that core, but income quality matters more than headline yield. Sustainable dividends are normally supported by durable cash flow, sensible payout ratios, and strong balance sheets. A yield that looks unusually high can also be the market warning that a dividend cut is coming.

As 55 approaches, the portfolio does not need to be rebuilt overnight. An investor could simply stop reinvesting distributions, direct new money towards income-producing assets, and build a cash buffer. Selling appreciated investments may trigger capital gains tax, another reason a gradual transition can make sense.

What happens to the Age Pension?

The Age Pension currently begins at 67 and is subject to income and assets tests. Shares, cash, and other financial investments can affect how much someone eventually receives, while Centrelink uses deeming rules to assess income from financial assets.

Building a substantial portfolio could therefore reduce or eliminate future Age Pension access.

However, that is not necessarily a failed outcome. A larger pool of productive assets may provide more income, flexibility, and control than arranging an investment life around a government threshold that remains 12 years away at age 55.

Foolish takeaway

The most valuable thing an ASX portfolio can buy at 55 may not be retirement. It may be choice.

A portfolio producing $20,000 or $30,000 a year will not make work disappear. It can change the role work plays, from financial necessity to a decision made on your own terms.

That is financial independence in a more practical form: not retiring early, but earning the right to choose early.

The post Could this ASX portfolio make work optional at 55? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Fortescue, Northern Star, and Megaport shares
• Rural Funds Group FY26 earnings: Asset sales boost profit
• Why were Goodman shares just downgraded?
• Perpetual reveals $63.5m impairment after major fund redemption
• Corporate Travel Management updates UK remediation progress and settlement terms

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 recommended Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF) share price is in focus today after the company reported full-year earnings of $124.1 million, a rise of $103.8 million mostly thanks to asset sales above book value and interest rate swap gains. Distributions per unit were steady at 11.73 cents, in line with forecasts.

What did Rural Funds Group report?

• Statutory earnings of $124.1 million, up $103.8 million year on year
• Net property income of $100.5 million, a 5.7% increase
• Adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) of 11.7 cents per unit, meeting forecasts
• Distributions per unit of 11.73 cents, unchanged and in line with guidance
• Adjusted net asset value (NAV) of $3.22 per unit, up 4.5% on the prior year
• FY27 forecast: AFFO and distributions both expected to remain steady at 11.7–11.73 cents

What else do investors need to know?

RFF sold $314.9 million in assets during the year, including six properties and water entitlements, at an average 18% premium to book value. These sales strengthened the balance sheet, reducing pro forma gearing to 31.8%, which sits comfortably within the target range.

The Group continues to focus on capital recycling and development, with FY27 forecast capital expenditure of $46.7 million. This investment is fully supported by available bank debt headroom of over $300 million and is aimed at expanding the productivity of its macadamia orchards and irrigated cropping properties.

What’s next for Rural Funds Group?

Looking ahead, the company expects AFFO and quarterly distributions to remain unchanged in FY27. There are also staged developments underway on two properties, aiming to drive future earnings. Management highlighted continued focus on defensive, inflation-hedged agricultural assets and enhancing portfolio value through selective development and leasing activity.

RFF’s long WALE of 14.8 years and quality tenant base, with nearly 90% of forecast income from corporate or institutional lessees, provide a steady foundation as the company seeks fresh growth opportunities.

Rural Funds Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Rural Funds Group shares have risen 11%, outperforming the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which is flat over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Rural Funds Group FY26 earnings: Asset sales boost profit 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 positions in and has recommended Rural Funds Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) shares have been out of form this year.

So much so, on a 12-month basis, the industrial property giant’s shares have lost around 20% of their value.

But with Goodman’s FY 2026 results out of the way, is now a good time to buy its shares? Let’s see what the team at Bell Potter is saying.

What is Bell Potter saying?

Bell Potter notes that Goodman delivered a result in line with expectations for FY 2026. It commented:

GMG announced its FY26 result with operating EPS of 129.9c (+10% y/y growth) in line with BPe and VA consensus, c.1% above full year guidance. FY27 operating EPS guidance established at +9% growth y/y which implies 141.6c (BPe 141.2c (+9% y/y), VA consensus 143.7c (+11% y/y)), with DPS guidance of 30.0c maintained (in line with BPe, VA consensus for 30.4c).

The broker also highlights that Goodman’s development work in progress (WIP) has increased materially. It adds:

Development WIP has increased a material +37% h/h with data centres now comprising 78% of the total WIP (was 57% pcp). This is driving development yield on costs higher to 8.2% (was 7.5% pcp), as well as margins (not quoted, but GMG is ULIRR aware) and production rate (>$8b pa vs. <$6bn pa FY25).

Goodman shares downgraded

Despite the positives from the result, Bell Potter has become less bullish on the investment opportunity here.

According to the note, the broker has downgraded Goodman shares to a hold rating (from buy) with a reduced price target of $32.65 (from $33.95). This compares to its current share price of $28.78.

Commenting on the downgrade, Bell Potter said:

We downgrade to Hold (was Buy). GMG has a long and rich history in customer and capital partner-focused execution of quality product delivery, and while we continue to expect that to be the case, we do think that FY27 is likely another year of building blocks that requires substantial operating cash outflow with milestones (customer leasing, partnerships, commensurate cash returns on cost) that will take some time to build out amongst a competitive peer set.

We adjust our FY27-FY29 EPS estimates by -1% to 1% to reflect: (1) half year actuals; (2) development WIP / DC capex and returns; and (3) net borrowing gains.

The post Why were Goodman shares just downgraded? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The Perpetual Ltd (ASX: PPT) share price is in focus after the company flagged a non-cash impairment charge of A$63.5 million, following a major client redemption in its asset management unit.

What did Perpetual report?

• Non-cash impairment charge of A$63.5 million against goodwill for TSW
• Impairment recognised as a Significant Item in FY26 statutory results
• Redemption of approximately US$4.6 billion from TSW International Equity strategy expected in Q2 FY27
• No impact on Perpetual’s liquidity, banking covenants, or UPAT

What else do investors need to know?

Perpetual received notice last week from a client of Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC (TSW) regarding the planned redemption. Although the redemption will occur in the next financial year, accounting standards require the resulting impairment to be recognised in the FY26 results.

The impairment is non-cash and will not affect Perpetual’s liquidity position or dividend payout ratio, as it doesn’t impact UPAT. The charge also does not affect Perpetual’s compliance with banking covenants.

Perpetual will provide a full update on FY26 results—including the final impact of the impairment—on 27 August 2026.

What’s next for Perpetual?

Looking ahead, investors will be watching for further clarification in Perpetual’s upcoming FY26 results announcement. The company remains due to release audited financial statements and further guidance on 27 August 2026.

Perpetual emphasised that its underlying profit and ability to pay dividends are not affected by this impairment charge. The business continues to focus on its broader asset management strategy and client service.

Perpetual share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Perpetual shares have declined 9%, trailing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which is flat over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Perpetual reveals $63.5m impairment after major fund redemption appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD) share price remains suspended but that hasn’t stopped the company announcing that it has reached agreements with 86% of its key impacted UK customers and confirmed the major terms of its customer remediation process.

What did Corporate Travel Management report?

• Secured binding offers from UK customers covering GBP 102 million out of a total estimated GBP 118 million liability
• Will refund GBP 87 million to these customers, with GBP 11 million already paid
• Remaining GBP 76 million to be refunded on a staged basis through to 30 September 2027
• Agreed to pay GBP 12 million to settle further UK contract uncertainties, including GBP 6 million for 1HFY26
• Continues final negotiations with customers accounting for GBP 16 million of the remaining liability

What else do investors need to know?

The company is in advanced talks with lenders to secure financing for both its client remediation obligations and ongoing business needs. These funding arrangements are expected to be announced soon.

These agreements are a significant step forward in resolving historical issues within CTM’s UK operations, helping pave the way for the release of FY25 audited financial statements. Final negotiations with a small number of remaining UK customers are progressing.

What did Corporate Travel Management management say?

Ana Pedersen, Managing Director and Group CEO, said:

Reaching agreements with impacted UK customers representing 86% of the total estimated liability is a major milestone for CTM and reflects our commitment to doing the right thing by customers. These outcomes are the result of months of constructive engagement between CTM, its advisers and affected customers, whose cooperation and support throughout this process has been greatly appreciated.

Importantly, these agreements demonstrate that we can address legacy matters responsibly while continuing to deliver the high-quality service and support our customers rely on for their travel needs. We remain focused on completing the remaining steps required to seek reinstatement of CTM’s shares to trading on the ASX and look forward to updating shareholders on our progress.

What’s next for Corporate Travel Management?

CTM expects to finalise negotiations with the few remaining clients in the coming period, clearing the path to resolving its UK business issues. The company is also seeking to secure new financing and aims for reinstatement of its shares on the ASX once all requirements are met.

Management has indicated it will continue working closely with stakeholders to maintain service quality and restore confidence among its shareholders and clients.

Corporate Travel Management share price snapshot

Over the past five years, the Corporate Travel Management share price has lost 25% of its value.

View Original Announcement

The post Corporate Travel Management updates UK remediation progress and settlement terms appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Corporate Travel Management. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Corporate Travel Management. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The Lifestyle Communities Ltd (ASX: LIC) share price is in focus today after the company reported a 55.4% jump in net new home sales and a return to profitability in FY26.

What did Lifestyle Communities report?

• Statutory profit after tax of $46.9 million (FY25: $195.3 million loss)
• Net new home sales up 55.4% to 216 homes
• Operating profit after tax of $25.4 million (FY25: $45.2 million)
• Rental income up 12.4% to $51.4 million
• Net debt reduced by $186.8 million, to $273.7 million
• Unsold inventory down 55.0%, from 269 to 121 homes

What else do investors need to know?

Lifestyle Communities achieved a 23% lift in brand awareness and improved appointment-to-sale conversions, providing support for its sales rebound. Homes under management reached 4,368, with the company managing 25 communities across Victoria.

The company continues to adapt its management fee models following the VCAT decision, offering customers an upfront option that has quickly gained traction. At the time of the result, the Court of Appeal’s ruling on the DMF issue remained pending, with a provision in place should repayment of certain fees be required.

What did Lifestyle Communities management say?

Chief Executive Officer Henry Ruiz said:

FY26 was a year of rebuilding the brand and sales momentum, strengthening our foundations and positioning Lifestyle Communities for future growth. We delivered a material improvement in net new home sales, significantly reduced inventory levels, strengthened the balance sheet via the pay down of debt and continued to grow our recurring rental income stream despite challenging property market conditions.

What’s next for Lifestyle Communities?

Lifestyle Communities enters FY27 with a stronger balance sheet, a growing rental income stream, and several development opportunities on the horizon. While settlement volumes may fluctuate due to the sales cycle, the company remains focused on disciplined, measured growth and is actively planning new communities.

The overarching strategy puts emphasis on operational discipline, steady sales momentum, and adapting to changing market conditions. The group is positioning itself to support a growing downsizer market and Victoria’s ageing population, aligning with long-term sector trends.

Lifestyle Communities share price snapshot

The Lifestyle Communities share price has modestly outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months with a gain of 5%.

View Original Announcement

The post Lifestyle Communities share price: FY26 profit rebounds with sales momentum appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Fortescue, Northern Star, and Megaport shares
• Could this ASX portfolio make work optional at 55?
• Rural Funds Group FY26 earnings: Asset sales boost profit
• Why were Goodman shares just downgraded?
• Perpetual reveals $63.5m impairment after major fund redemption

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT) share price is in focus after the company reported FY26 underlying EBITDA of $127 million, surpassing its $125 million guidance, and declared a 12.0 cent per security distribution, in line with its forecast.

What did DigiCo Infrastructure REIT report?

• Underlying EBITDA: $127 million, above guidance of $125 million
• Underlying revenue: $239 million, up from $104 million last year
• Adjusted Funds From Operations (FFO): $71 million
• Distribution declared: 12.0 cents per security, 94% payout of Adjusted FFO
• Pro-forma liquidity: ~$1.2 billion following US asset sales
• Net debt reduced to ~$0.5 billion; gearing lowered to 18%

What else do investors need to know?

DigiCo accelerated the expansion of its Sydney data centre (SYD1), completing the initial 20MW on time and on budget, and has signed Letters of Intent for a further 52MW with high-quality customers. The company’s Australian platform continues growing, with an Adelaide brownfield project in advanced customer discussions and greenfield opportunities being evaluated.

During FY26, DigiCo successfully arranged the sale of its Chicago and Los Angeles assets, boosting balance sheet strength and allowing greater focus on its Australian operations. These sales are expected to deliver approximately $470 million in net proceeds, further underpinning its next phase of capacity expansions.

What’s next for DigiCo Infrastructure REIT?

Looking ahead, DigiCo expects FY27 underlying EBITDA between $120 million and $125 million, including a minimal contribution from the 52MW Sydney expansion which will begin late in the year. The group anticipates completing the full 88MW Sydney project by end-FY28, with additional growth from the Adelaide expansion and selected greenfield projects in the pipeline.

DigiCo is targeting a 25% increase in FY27 distribution to 15.0 cents per security, and plans to fund major capital expenditure of $300–500 million from its existing liquidity. Management remains committed to prioritising Australian growth and maintaining a strong balance sheet while supporting sustainable digital infrastructure.

DigiCo Infrastructure REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, DigoCo infrastructure REIT shares have declined 1%, trailing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which is flat over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post DigiCo Infrastructure REIT posts FY26 earnings beat, outlines expansion plans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Fortescue, Northern Star, and Megaport shares
• Could this ASX portfolio make work optional at 55?
• Rural Funds Group FY26 earnings: Asset sales boost profit
• Why were Goodman shares just downgraded?
• Perpetual reveals $63.5m impairment after major fund redemption

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC) share price is in focus today after the integrated property investment and funds management giant reported a 26.8% rise in operating earnings per security and a 6% lift in its annual distribution.

What did Charter Hall Group report?

• Operating earnings of $488.1 million, with operating earnings per security (OEPS) post-tax of 103.2 cents, up 26.8%
• Statutory earnings post-tax of $427.9 million
• Distribution per security of 50.7 cents, up 6.0%
• Gross equity inflows of $6.7 billion and $17.1 billion of gross property transactions
• Group funds under management (FUM) reached $94.3 billion, including $76.0 billion of Property FUM
• Property Investment portfolio value of $3.2 billion

What else do investors need to know?

Charter Hall’s managed property portfolio remains highly diversified, with no single asset making up more than 6% of the portfolio and government tenants accounting for 26%. Portfolio occupancy stood at 97.8%, supported by a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of 8.7 years and average rent review of 3.5%.

Development completions reached $1.4 billion, while the development pipeline grew to $20.4 billion, reflecting expanded industrial and office projects. Charter Hall achieved Net Zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions from 1 July 2025, five years ahead of target, and five of its managed portfolios ranked among GRESB’s global top 10 for sustainability.

During the year, the group completed $22.6 billion in new and refinanced debt across 66 funds, giving it $1.0 billion in balance sheet investment capacity and a low gearing ratio of 14.2%.

What did Charter Hall Group management say?

David Harrison, Managing Director & Group CEO, said:

FY26 was a strong year for the Group, with record gross equity inflows for the Property Funds Management business of $6.7 billion, gross property transactions of $17.1 billion and the launch of multiple new funds and partnerships.

What’s next for Charter Hall Group?

Looking ahead, management expects FY27 post-tax operating earnings per security of around 114.0 cents, representing 10.5% growth, assuming no performance fee revenue. FY27 distribution per security guidance is for 6% growth over FY26 levels. Charter Hall’s strategy remains focused on matching quality real estate opportunities with tenant demand and further expanding its funds platform.

Sustained momentum in both institutional and direct investor channels, along with a robust development pipeline and a strong capital position, are set to underpin future earnings and portfolio growth.

Charter Hall Group share price snapshot

The Charter Hall share price has underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months with a modest decline of 3%.

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The post Charter Hall Group FY26 earnings: Operating earnings up 26.8% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1) share price is in focus today after the company posted total sales of $1.64 billion and declared a fully franked final dividend of 1.25 cents per share for FY26.

What did Accent Group report?

• Total sales reached $1.64 billion, up from $1.62 billion in FY25
• EBITDA came in at $278.9 million (FY25: $288.8 million)
• Underlying EBIT was $105.3 million; underlying NPAT was $51.0 million
• Reported statutory NPAT loss of $13.8 million due to a $48.6 million goodwill impairment
• Final fully franked dividend of 1.25 cents per share; total dividends for FY26 were 4.5 cents (FY25: 7.0 cents)

What else do investors need to know?

Accent Group completed the closure of loss-making businesses, notably the OzSale and Glue operations, which removed about $17.8 million of annualised losses. This allowed management to focus on high-performing brands and new growth opportunities.

The company successfully continued its reacquisition of The Athlete’s Foot (TAF) franchise stores, acquiring 17 in FY26, with positive contributions from these locations. Meanwhile, the launch and rollout of Sports Direct saw three stores (plus online) trading by year-end, with strong early sales and plans to expand further.

Accent Group finished the year with 876 stores, opening 43 new stores—including key brands like HOKA, Stylerunner, UGG, Lacoste, and Sports Direct—while closing 59, supporting the ongoing transformation and brand focus.

What did Accent Group management say?

Accent Group CEO Daniel Agostinelli said:

FY26 was a year of significant strategic progress for Accent Group despite a challenging macroeconomic backdrop. We completed the closure of loss-making businesses, launched and expanded Sports Direct, continued the TAF franchise reacquisition program, and released our 2030 Strategic Growth Plan. Whilst the consumer environment remained challenging, the business delivered underlying EBIT of $105.3 million and is well positioned for FY27, supported by initiatives being implemented under our 2030 Strategic Growth Plan

What’s next for Accent Group?

Looking ahead, management is driving several initiatives as part of its 2030 Strategic Growth Plan, aiming to reach at least $1.9 billion in sales, a 9%+ EBIT margin, and roughly 950 stores by the end of the decade. The focus includes ongoing cost savings, efficient capital use, new store rollouts, and digital investment, especially in vertical and performance brands.

Early trading in FY27 has shown positive signs, with owned sales (excluding closed businesses) up 3.2% in the first seven weeks. Gross margins improved in July as well, helped by disciplined inventory management, while the sports category and online channels remain resilient and key to future growth.

Accent Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Accent Group shares have declined 52%, trailing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

View Original Announcement

The post Accent Group reports FY26 results 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 recommended Accent Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The Latitude Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: LFS) share price is in focus after the company posted a 39% surge in first half cash NPAT to $64.3 million, with receivables at their highest in six years and an interim dividend announced.

What did Latitude Group report?

• Cash NPAT rose 39% year on year to $64.3 million
• Statutory NPAT from continuing operations increased 37% to $54.4 million
• Operating income up 7% to $437.8 million
• Gross receivables increased 4% to $7.3 billion
• Cash operating expenses fell 2% to $181 million
• Declared fully franked interim dividend of 5.50 cents per share

What else do investors need to know?

Latitude’s disciplined execution delivered earnings growth despite three interest rate hikes and a tougher economy. The company’s new credit card and loan volumes hit $4.4 billion, supported by strong consumer demand. Its cost-to-income ratio improved to 41.3%, reflecting ongoing focus on efficiency.

The company’s new Enterprise Growth Division gained traction in health and home improvement, welcoming Ashley & Martin as a new partner. Continued investment in artificial intelligence and technology aims to lift customer experience and productivity.

Latitude completed $2.3 billion in funding transactions and a $135 million Capital Notes 2 issuance during the period, reinforcing its funding diversity and balance sheet strength.

What did Latitude Group management say?

Managing Director and CEO Bob Belan said:

Latitude delivered a strong first half result despite a more challenging macro-operating environment, with Cash NPAT increasing 39% to $64.3 million as we continued to grow receivables, expand margins and improve operating efficiency… The Board’s decision to declare a fully franked interim dividend of 5.50 cents per share reflects confidence in the fundamentals of the business and its ability to continue creating long-term value for shareholders.

What’s next for Latitude Group?

Latitude expects ongoing economic pressures but sees its diverse products and broad partner network positioning it for further profitable receivables growth in the second half. Management expects to protect margins through disciplined pricing and portfolio management as high interest rates persist.

Productivity improvements and technology investments, including AI, remain core to the strategy. Management says this focus will offset inflation and support better experiences for customers and partners, while maintaining flexibility to return capital to shareholders.

Latitude Group share price snapshot

The Latitude Group share price has underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) significantly over the past 12 months with a 20% decline.

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The post Latitude Group profit lifts 39% as dividend rises on record receivables appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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