Author: openjargon

Gold has had a strong run.

With rising geopolitical tensions, it is easy to see why investors have been drawn to the precious metal.

But if I were looking for a long-term wealth-building idea on the ASX, I would be more interested in a business that can generate cash flow, pay dividends, and benefit from a major structural demand trend.

That is why BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares stand out to me.

The copper opportunity

BHP is often thought of as an iron ore giant, and for good reason.

Iron ore has been the backbone of the business for years and remains a major earnings driver. But I think the more interesting long-term story is copper.

Copper is used across electricity networks, renewable energy infrastructure, data centres, electric vehicles, industrial machinery, and construction. If the world keeps electrifying, it is hard to see copper demand disappearing.

That is where BHP could be well placed.

The company already has major copper exposure, and management has been clear about its desire to increase its exposure to future-facing commodities. For investors, that gives BHP a growth angle that goes beyond the usual iron ore cycle.

I think this matters because copper is becoming more strategically important. Supply is difficult to bring on quickly, new mines can take years to develop, and permitting can be challenging.

If demand remains strong and supply stays tight, copper could be a very useful tailwind for BHP over the next decade.

A real business behind the theme

One of the risks with commodity investing is getting too excited about the theme and forgetting the business.

That is why I prefer BHP shares to many smaller resource shares.

It has scale, diversification, balance sheet strength, and a long operating history. It can invest through cycles, fund major projects, and return capital to shareholders when conditions are favourable.

BHP also has potash as another long-term option through its Jansen project. That gives it exposure to global food production and fertiliser demand, which could become increasingly important over time.

So, while copper is my favourite part of the thesis, it is not the only reason I would own the stock.

There is also the dividend.

BHP’s dividend will always move with commodity prices and earnings. It is not a fixed income stream. But over time, the company has shown a willingness to reward shareholders when cash generation is strong.

For investors who want both income and long-term growth potential, I think that combination is attractive.

Why I would buy instead of gold

Gold can help during uncertain periods, and I understand why some investors like it.

But gold does not grow earnings, expand production, or pay dividends.

BHP can do all three, although none of that is guaranteed, and commodity cycles can be brutal.

The key difference for me is that BHP gives investors exposure to real economic activity. If copper demand grows, if potash becomes a larger contributor, and if iron ore remains profitable, the company can generate cash and reinvest for the future.

That is the kind of long-term setup I would rather own.

Foolish Takeaway

Gold may continue to attract attention, especially while markets remain unsettled.

But for my money, BHP looks like the more attractive long-term ASX share idea.

It offers exposure to copper, iron ore, potash, dividends, and one of the strongest resource platforms in the world.

The post Forget gold, BHP shares could be the better long-term buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Up 55% in a year, are BHP shares still a buy today?
• Why the ASX 200 is being smashed today
• ASX 200 mining shares smash multi-year highs as key commodity prices rise
• The ASX 200 just suffered its biggest fall in 7 weeks. Here’s what’s going on
• The Aussie dollar just hit a 4-year high. Which ASX shares will benefit?

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

The CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) share price has been under heavy selling pressure again this week.

So much so, the biotechnology giant’s shares are trading near a decade-low.

Is this a buying opportunity? Let’s see what the team at Bell Potter is saying about the former market darling.

What is the broker saying?

In a broker note titled “Blood on the Street”, Bell Potter highlights that CSL has made a sizeable downgrade to its earnings guidance.

While this was disappointing, Bell Potter was particularly concerned with its CSL Behring gross margin weakness. This has caused doubts that CSL will be able to bring its margin back to pre-COVID levels in the future. It said:

CSL provided a hefty downgrade to FY26 guidance, lowering revenue by ~$750m (i.e. -4.7%) and NPATA by ~$300m (i.e. -8.7%) from the prior midpoint of guidance ranges. Updated guidance now implies a 2% decline in revenue and 4% decline in NPATA vs FY25. We were already below prior guidance ranges however the update today was worse than expected. The majority of CSL’s products are facing a mix of underlying market softness (e.g. Seqirus, albumin) or increased competitive pressures (e.g. Ig and iron) as evidenced by today’s update.

One of the most concerning takeaways was the further degradation in Behring GM for FY26, leading to further loss of confidence it can climb back to the pre-Covid level of ~57%. Additionally, the US Ig plasma market has undoubtedly faced oversupply recently, leading to price competition and further market share loss for CSL. The approval by EU regulators of Grifols’ Egyptian based plasma supply chain will only add further supply capacity in the coming years to the global market.

Is the CSL share price good value?

According to the note, the broker has retained its hold rating with a heavily reduced price target of $100.00 (from $155.00).

This is only modestly higher than the current CSL share price of $99.25.

Commenting on its recommendation, Bell Potter 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.

The post ‘Blood on the Street’: What is Bell Potter saying about the CSL share price crash? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How low can CSL shares go?
• Down 63%: Should you finally give up on CSL shares?
• What are experts saying about these shares hitting 52-week lows 
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Why ANZ, CSL, Dateline, and DroneShield shares are sinking today

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.

Being added to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is no small feat. 

Outside of reflecting a company’s strong performance, it also opens up a new universe of institutional investors and ETFs to the company.

Index inclusion can also shine a light on compelling businesses that the broader market has been sleeping on. 

Here are three newly added ASX 200 members worth adding to your watchlist.

SRG Global (ASX: SRG)

SRG is a Perth-based infrastructure services company employing more than 5,000 people across more than 20 industries, with revenues approaching $1.6 billion. 

What sets it apart from your typical contractor is how recurring its revenue is, with more than 80% of the business tied to annuity-like streams.

The most recent half-year results told a good story: EBITDA climbed 20% year on year, and the work-in-hand book hit a record $4.2 billion, up 24% from the prior year.

For investors looking for infrastructure exposure without the volatility of miners and explorers, SRG is worth a closer look.

Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX: VUL)

Vulcan is building what it describes as the world’s first carbon-neutral lithium operation, drawing lithium from geothermal brines beneath Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley. 

The flagship Lionheart Project is targeting 24,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per year, enough to supply batteries for around 500,000 electric vehicles annually. 

As European carmakers face mounting pressure to clean up their supply chains, a domestically sourced green lithium product could stand to benefit.

Vulcan Energy has secured a €2.2 billion financing package, and construction of the project is now underway in Frankfurt. 

The company is still pre-revenue, so risks remain high, and performance depends on the scale of the lithium deposits and on management execution.

But if Vulcan can execute, investors could gain a lot. 

Predictive Discovery Limited (ASX: PDI)

Predictive Discovery is a leading West African gold producer and developer, listed on the ASX.

Predictive Discovery’s Bankan Gold Project in Guinea has been shaping up as one of the more significant gold discoveries in West Africa in recent years. 

The timing of Predictive Discovery’s index promotion could hardly be better, given that the price of gold has risen significantly over the last few years. 

Similar to Vulcan, future performance depends largely on the scale of the deposits found and on management’s ability to execute its plan.

Despite all of this, the scale of the Bankan project gives plenty of reasons to be excited. 

Foolish takeaway

Index inclusion gives investors the opportunity to analyse new stocks with exciting business models. 

SRG, Vulcan, and Predictive Discovery are no exception.

All have fascinating future growth trajectories, and I reckon they should be on investors’ watchlists.

The post Just added to the ASX 200: 3 stocks that deserve a spot on your watchlist  appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven 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 Srg Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG) and Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) shares are turning heads today.

Two of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) heavyweights are underperforming the 0.6% losses posted by the benchmark index during the Tuesday lunch hour, while one is marching higher.

Here’s what’s catching investor interest.

Life360 shares tumble despite revenue growth

Life360 shares are taking a beating today.

Shares in the ASX 200 location sharing software company are down a sharp 10.9% at the time of writing, trading for $17.93 each.

This underperformance follows the release of the company’s first-quarter results (Q1 2026) and comes amid broader weakness in the ASX tech sector today and apparently lofty investor expectations.

Indeed, Life360 shares are tumbling despite the company reporting a 38% year-on-year quarterly revenue boost to US$143.1 million. And adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$17.1 million were up 7%.

Management also increased full-year 2026 revenue guidance to between US$650 and US$685 million, up from prior guidance of US$640 million to US$680 million. Full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance was increased to US$130 to US$140 million, up from the prior range of US$128 million to US$138 million.

GQG shares lift on FUM boost

Unlike Life360 shares, GQG shares are on the rise today following an April performance update.

As at 30 April, the ASX 200 financial stock reported funds under management (FUM) of US$166.9 billion. That’s up US$4.4 billion from the end of March.

GQG achieved that FUM growth despite April net outflows of US$1.4 billion. Management credited this to a strong month for investment markets and performance across GQG’s strategies.

WiseTech shares join tech sell-off

Joining GQG and Life360 shares in the financial headlines, WiseTech shares are down 5.2%, changing hands for $40.08.

The ASX 200 logistics software solutions company presented at the annual Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) Australia Conference today.

The company highlighted its strong first half-year performance (H1 FY 2026), which included a 76% increase in revenue and a 31% increase in EBITDA. This was spurred by WiseTech’s acquisition of US-based cloud software company e2open in late 2025 to create TradeWise.

Management said this provided “a clear path to margin expansion post integration”.

WiseTech now serves more than 22,000 logistics companies across 193 countries. That includes 23 of the top 25 largest global freight forwarders.

And rather than seeing AI as a potential threat to its business, WiseTech noted, “AI amplifies our resilient market position, drives step-change efficiency, and accelerates customer success.”

The post Why is everyone talking about WiseTech, GQG and Life360 shares on Tuesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why are Life360 shares sinking 8% today?
• GQG Partners reports growth in funds under management for April 2026
• Life360 Q1 2026 earnings: revenue climbs, advertising growth stands out
• 1 smashed-up ASX share I’d buy before it rebounds
• 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 positions in and has recommended Life360, Macquarie Group, and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360, Macquarie Group, and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Gqg Partners. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) has just made a final investment decision to go ahead with a major gas project in Papua New Guinea, which will start producing two years from now.

All systems go

The Adelaide-based oil and gas company said in a statement to the ASX on Tuesday that it had decided to go ahead with the Agogo Production Facility (APF) Tie-In Project in PNG, following approval by the PNG LNG joint venture.

Santos said:

The APF Tie-In Project will deliver gas from the Santos-operated Agogo Production Facility to the PNG LNG gas pipeline via a new 19-kilometre pipeline, together with two new wells and associated production facility modifications. Santos’ share of capital expenditure is approximately $160 million (gross capex approximately $400 million over three years). First gas is targeted second quarter 2028.  

Santos Managing Director Kevin Gallagher said the project was a “highly value-accretive investment” which met the company’s investment criteria.

He added:

The APF Tie-In Project is a high-quality development with strong economics and a clear role in our strategy to build and grow portfolio production. The execution of this project will convert Santos’ 66 mmboe (million barrels of oil equivalent) 2P undeveloped reserves into developed reserves, delivering incremental net production of ~54 mmscf/d (million standard cubic feet per day) with significant upside potential depending on reservoir performance. With an expected internal rate of return of greater than 50 per cent and a payback period less than four years from FID, and approximately two years from first gas, the project is expected to be strongly value accretive, support our long-term production profile and sustain feed gas supply to PNG LNG.

The project has a 12-year production plateau, and Santos said it had the potential to continue production beyond 2050.

Santos said the key regulatory approvals were in place, the required land access had been secured, and all material joint venture approvals had been obtained.

Santos holds a 39.9% interest in the PNG LNG joint venture. The other joint venture partners are ExxonMobil PNG, ENEOS Xplora, Kumul Petroleum, and the Mineral Resources Development Company.

Shares looking attractive

Jarden last month published a research report into Santos, which said that while commissioning issues at the company’s Barossa and Pikka projects were negatives, the company had delivered an “otherwise solid quarterly”.

The Jarden team added:

While we think Santos will eventually need to downgrade 2026 production guidance, it shouldn’t stop the company from moving from its 5-year investment phase to serious cash flow generation in 2H26.

Jarden has a price target on Santos shares of $8.80 compared with $7.55 currently.

Santos is valued at $24.42 billion.

The post Which ASX energy company has just signed off on a major gas project? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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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.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares are being sold off on Tuesday.

In morning trade, the counter-drone technology company’s shares are down 16% to $2.95.

Why are DroneShield shares crashing?

Investors have been rushing to the exits on Tuesday after the company made an announcement.

According to the release, the company has advised that it has received a notice from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

The notice reveals that ASIC is requesting for it to provide reasonable assistance in connection with an investigation under the Corporations Act.

What is the investigation?

The investigation relates to announcements made between 1 November 2025 and 20 November 2025, as well as share trading between 6 November 2025 and 12 November 2025. It said:

DroneShield advised that it will cooperate fully with the investigation regarding announcements and information provided to the Australian Securities Exchange between 1 and 20 November 2025, and trading in Droneshield shares between 6 and 12 November 2025 (inclusive).

What was announced during this time?

Between 1 November and 20 November, DroneShield made a number of announcements.

However, a release that stands out is one that it made on 10 November, which was subsequently withdrawn.

On that date, DroneShield announced the receipt of a package of three standalone contracts totalling $7.6 million for handheld systems for delivery to the U.S. Government.

However, it later withdrew this announcement after realising that it had made a mistake and that the contracts were not new orders. It stated:

DroneShield advises that the November Contracts do not represent new orders. The November Contracts were orders that were reissued by the customer due to regulatory updates. The November Contracts were previously issued to DroneShield this year. One of the November Contracts was previously announced by DroneShield to the ASX on 17 September 2025.

And during 6 and 12 November 2025, several executives were selling DroneShield shares through on-market trades.

It is unclear if any of these sales were made during the short window between the release of the announcement and its withdrawal. And that may be the reason why ASIC is looking into the company today.

With respect to action, DroneShield revealed that it doesn’t know what may come of the investigation. It advised:

It is not clear what action, if any, may result from ASIC’s investigation.

The post DroneShield shares crash 16% on ASIC investigation appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why ANZ, CSL, Dateline, and DroneShield shares are sinking today
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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 DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares are continuing to slide after yesterday’s brutal sell-off.

At the time of writing, the CSL share price is down another 3.75% to $96.97.

That follows Monday’s huge plunge, when the healthcare giant fell more than 20% to as low as $93.64 after a disappointing update.

That was a near-decade low for the stock. The last time CSL shares were trading around this price was November 2016.

CSL shares are now down around 44% in 2026 and almost 59% over the past year.

So, how much worse can this get?

Another guidance cut hurts confidence

The latest damage came after CSL released its interim CEO 90-day review and financial update on Monday.

In that update, CSL said its growth plans are working, but the financial benefits are taking longer than previously expected.

The company now expects FY26 revenue of around US$15.2 billion. It also expects NPATA, excluding restructuring costs and impairments, of around US$3.1 billion.

CSL also expects to recognise about US$5 billion of additional non-cash, pre-tax impairments across FY26 and FY27. These are mainly tied to CSL Vifor’s intangible assets and property, plant, and equipment.

Investors clearly did not like the update, with CSL shares heavily sold off on Monday.

The size of the impairment is also hard to ignore. According to The Australian, the charge is likely to be the third largest in ASX history, behind Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO)’s US$20 billion Alcan write-down and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)’s US$15 billion shale write-down.

Brokers are also cutting numbers

Unfortunately, the market reaction has not been kind.

Broker cuts have followed quickly today. Citi reportedly slashed CSL shares to neutral with a $110 price target, while Jarden cut the stock to neutral with a $191 target. Canaccord also cut CSL shares to hold with a $106.31 price target.

Some analysts still see value after the sell-off. But the market is clearly less confident about CSL’s earnings path than it was a week ago.

The chart still looks bad

From a technical view, CSL shares remain under heavy pressure.

The stock broke below $100 on Monday and is now trading close to yesterday’s low of $93.64. That makes the low the nearest support level to watch.

If that level breaks, the next round number investors will likely focus on is $90.

On the upside, $100 is now the first obvious resistance level. Monday’s close at $100.75 may also matter because sellers have already pushed the stock back below it today.

The relative strength index (RSI) is also sitting near 11, which tells us that the stock is very much oversold.

Foolish Takeaway

CSL is still the ASX’s biggest healthcare company with a market cap of around $46.5 billion. But that’s not enough to stop investors selling.

The market is dealing with repeated downgrades, a major Vifor write-down, weaker earnings expectations, and a share price that keeps making fresh lows.

At some point, the fall may bring bargain hunters back in. But right now, it looks like CSL shares are trying to find a floor.

The post How low can CSL shares go? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Down 63%: Should you finally give up on CSL shares?
• What are experts saying about these shares hitting 52-week lows 
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Why ANZ, CSL, Dateline, and DroneShield shares are sinking today
• Why the ASX 200 is being smashed today

Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. 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 positions in and has recommended CSL. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group and CSL. 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) dividend shares, including National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) and property developer Stockland Corp Ltd (ASX: SGP), could be among the winners of Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ federal budget proposals.

Chalmers will reveal the details of Labor’s upcoming 2026-27 federal budget this evening.

Among the bigger shakeups ASX investors are facing is the expected axing of the 50% capital gains tax (CGT) discount currently applied to investments that are sold after being held for more than a year. Investors will instead get credit in line with inflation.

This could have a material impact on investor interest in ASX 200 dividend shares like NAB and Stockland, as franking credits (often applied to dividends) are not expected to be impacted.

Instead, investors will face a bigger hit when they sell ASX growth stocks that have posted sizeable share price gains outpacing inflation.

Changing the investing equation

Commenting on the potential CGT shakeup that looks to favour ASX 200 dividend shares over high-growth tech and medical stocks, Jacki Neumann, head of capital markets at Sharesies, said:

Reform of the 50% CGT discount changes the equation for growth investors in particular. While a move toward an indexation framework aims for a more equitable environment, it creates a threshold where the tax benefits of indexation diminish once an asset’s growth significantly outpaces inflation.

This shift invites a recalibration of risk, where investors will need to weigh their appetite for high-growth assets against the more predictable returns of income-generating investments.

Advantage ASX 200 dividend shares

UBS equities strategist Richard Schellbach also expects the proposed CGT changes will favour the likes of NAB, Stockland, and other quality ASX 200 dividend shares in the banking and real estate sectors over high-growth stocks.

“Usually, budgets have little impact on the equity story. However, these speculated tax changes could matter in terms of altering incentives and shifting flows,” Schellbach said (quoted by The Australian Financial Review).

Noting that ASX stocks with strong capital gain potential are likely to become less attractive following the CGT changes, Schellbach pointed to both Stockland and NAB as potential beneficiaries.

NAB shares trade on a fully-franked dividend yield of 4.6%, while Stockland shares trade on an unfranked dividend yield of 6.8%.

As for other ASX 200 dividend shares that could gain from the new federal budget, Schellbach indicated Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ), rail-based transport company Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ), energy infrastructure company APA Group (ASX: APA), and shopping mall owner Vicinity Centres (ASX: VCX).

The post How Chalmers’ budget tips the scales for ASX 200 dividend shares like Stockland and NAB appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Former Federal Treasurer Peter Costello will join the board of Helloworld Travel Ltd (ASX: HLO), the company announced today.

Deep level of experience

Helloworld said in a statement to the ASX on Tuesday that Mr Costello would join the board on June 1.

The company added:

Mr Costello has an extraordinary amount of experience at government, financial and commercial levels including over 11 years as Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia, Chair of the Independent Advisory Board to the World Bank, a decade as Chair of Australia’s Future Fund (which he established as Treasurer), Chair of Nine Entertainment Group alongside many other significant roles.

Helloworld Chief Executive Officer Andrew Burnes said he looked forward to working with Mr Costello, who will join as an independent, Non-Executive Director.

Shares looking cheap

Shaw and Partners’ most recent update on Helloworld said their analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Overseas Arrivals and Departures data for February 2026 boded well for the company, with Departures up 8.5% for the financial year to that date.

They added:

Preliminary data for March 2026 was quite solid showing departures for the month up 13.2% versus the previous corresponding period. We retain our buy rating on Helloworld with an unchanged price target of $2.80 per share.

Helloworld launched a takeover bid for fellow travel company Webjet Group Ltd (ASX: WJL) in November last year; however, following due diligence, Helloworld did not present a bid that the Webjet board could recommend, and talks ceased in mid-February.

Strong results

In its most recent results for the half year, Helloworld said it had booked total transaction volumes of $2.1 billion for the half, “with strong forward bookings for the remainder of FY26 and well into FY27”.

Mr Burnes said at the time:

Helloworld Travel Limited delivered a solid performance in the first half, underpinned by continued investment in the business. We progressed the expansion of our retail networks, our technology offering and wholesale product range, while further strengthening our core capabilities in air ticketing and consolidation. Helloworld remains the largest network of independent travel agents and brokers across Australia and New Zealand. We continue to leverage our scale, industry expertise and strong partner relationships to drive sustainable long‑term growth. During the period, we completed multiple strategic acquisitions that have contributed positively to the Group’s financial performance. We are pleased to report a strong first‑half result and the declaration of a fully franked dividend of 5.0 cents per share.

At the time, the company reiterated its underlying EBITDA guidance of $64 to $72 million.

Helloworld shares were 1.1% higher on Tuesday morning at $1.45. The shares have traded as high as $2.10 and as low as $1.30 over the past 12 months.

The company is valued at $234.9 million.

The post Which former Treasurer has joined this ASX travel company’s board? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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

Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP) shares are edging lower on Tuesday morning.

At the time of writing, the ASX stock is down slightly to $2.93, broadly in line with weakness across the ASX 200 index.

What did this ASX 200 stock announce?

Centuria Industrial REIT released its third quarter operating update this morning.

According to the release, the ASX 200 stock has exchanged contracts on four divestments totalling $188 million, at an average 17% premium to prior book value.

These sales include the 67-69 Mandoon Road asset in Girraween for $98 million, the completed 50-64 Mirage Road development in South Australia for $50 million, and two smaller properties in Edinburgh and Epping.

Once completed, the divestments are expected to reduce gearing by approximately 3%.

Development gains

A standout from the update was the sale of the 50-64 Mirage Road development in Direk, South Australia.

The project reached practical completion during the quarter and was sold to an owner-occupier for $50 million.

Management said this represented a 33% premium to total project costs and delivered an internal rate of return of approximately 25% for unitholders.

Centuria also noted progress across several other developments, including recently completed projects in Derrimut, Victoria and Direk, South Australia.

Leasing momentum

Leasing activity also remained positive during the quarter.

The ASX 200 stock agreed lease terms across approximately 14,400 square metres during the period.

For FY 2026 to date, re-leasing spreads averaged 36%, reflecting the under-rented nature of parts of the portfolio and continued demand for industrial property in infill locations.

Data centre opportunities

Centuria Industrial REIT also revealed that it has continued to progress potential data centre opportunities across its portfolio.

During the quarter, it settled the acquisition of a data centre in Wellcamp, Queensland, as well as a strategic asset in Yarraville, Victoria, located near major power infrastructure.

Management also pointed to a potential 40MW data centre opportunity adjacent to its existing Clayton Data Centre in Victoria.

The company said it remains open to potential capital partners, joint ventures, or a demerger of data centre assets to unlock value.

Guidance reaffirmed

The ASX 200 stock has reaffirmed its upgraded FY 2026 funds from operations guidance range of 18.2 cents per unit to 18.5 cents per unit.

It also maintained distribution guidance of 16.8 cents per unit for the year.

Speaking about its outlook, the company’s fund manager, Grant Nichols, said:

Looking ahead, we foresee the domestic infill industrial market’s supply-demand imbalance to persist with limited construction of new warehouses coupled with consistently high occupier demand as tenants look to strengthen their delivery times and reduce transport costs.

Current macroeconomic uncertainty, resultant of the Middle East conflicts and global oil constraints, is impacting inflation and construction price pressures. These factors are expected to curtail future industrial market supply. The value of high-quality, existing infill industrial assets is expected to increase as the disconnect to replacement cost continues to escalate.

The post What’s going on with this ASX 200 stock today? 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.