Author: openjargon

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having a modestly weaker session on Thursday. In late morning trade, the benchmark index is down 0.1% to 8,969 points.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back today are listed below. Here’s why they are charging higher:

AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP)

The AMP share price is up 4% to $1.45. Investors have been buying the financial services company’s shares following the release of a first-quarter update. AMP reported a 45% growth in Platforms net cashflows to $1.1 billion and improved Superannuation & Investments (S&I) net cash outflows down to $80 million. The latter is a 26% year-on-year improvement. Another positive is news that AMP will be undertaking a $150 million on-market share buyback.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price is up almost 9% to $1.44. This is despite there being no news out of the location technology company on Thursday. However, it is worth noting that a number of ASX tech shares are rebounding today following a positive night on the tech-focused Nasdaq index. The gains have been so strong that the S&P ASX All Technology index is up a sizeable 3.7% at the time of writing.

Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL)

The Netwealth share price is up 4.5% to $24.93. This follows the release of the investment platform provider’s third-quarter update this morning. Netwealth revealed a 20.9% increase in funds under administration (FUA) to $125.8 billion. This was underpinned by FUA net inflows of $7.6 billion for the quarter. Looking ahead, it expects FUA net flows to be largely in line with what was recorded in FY 2025, along with an EBITDA margin of 49%.

Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM)

The Ora Banda Mining share price is up a sizeable 11% to $1.46. The catalyst for this has been the release of a production update from the gold miner this morning. The company reported record quarterly production of 38,766 ounces of gold, which is up 21% quarter on quarter. Ora Banda Mining’s managing director, Luke Creagh, said: “The team has done an outstanding job with the ramp-up of operations during FY26 with this quarter showing a 21% increase in ounces produced over the December period which has delivered $76.3 million in free cash flow after substantial investments into future growth projects.”

The post Why AMP, Life360, Netwealth, and Ora Banda shares are racing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX 300 shares that could be much bigger in 5 years
• Up 115% since August, Ora Banda shares leaping higher today on record gold production
• AMP posts Q1 2026 results, launches $150m buyback
• Netwealth Group lifts FUA to $125.8B with strong quarterly flows
• 2 ASX 200 shares down 30%+ that I’d buy with $4,000

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360 and Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360 and Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) shares are back in positive territory on Thursday, with buyers stepping in despite the stock’s weak run through 2026.

At the time of writing, the Flight Centre share price is up 2.77% to $11.86, trimming its year-to-date decline to about 21%.

The stock has spent most of the year drifting lower, even as international travel conditions remained broadly supportive.

Today’s gain suggests investors are willing to look past the recent weakness and focus on improving financial positioning instead.

Here’s what was announced.

Flight Centre completes $200 million buyback

According to the release, Flight Centre has completed its $200 million on-market share buyback, retiring more than 16 million shares.

Management said that represents about 7% of the company’s issued capital before the program began.

The buyback was first announced in April 2025 and has now been fully executed, marking one of the group’s larger recent shareholder return initiatives.

The company also said it will redeem its 2028 convertible notes next month, extinguishing the roughly $100 million still outstanding from debt raised during the COVID-19 period.

Together, the update leaves the balance sheet looking cleaner ahead of the second half of FY26, with fewer financing overhangs still in place.

A broader portfolio reshuffle is still underway

This latest announcement also reflects a broader reshaping of the business.

Recent deals across the UK events and cruise markets, including Fresh and Iglu, show where management is directing fresh capital.

At the same time, the proposed sale of Flight Centre’s 47% stake in the Pedal Group cycling joint venture to the Turner Collective for $61.7 million shows a willingness to exit smaller non-core holdings. In addition, it frees up more capital for areas where returns may be stronger.

That leaves the portfolio tilting further toward higher-return areas such as premium travel experiences, events, and specialist international operations.

Investors have been looking for clearer signs that management is becoming more disciplined with capital. That focus has only grown after the dilution and debt build-up that followed the pandemic in 2020.

Foolish bottom line

Even with today’s rise, Flight Centre shares remain well below their February highs and are still down about 21% this calendar year.

The market is still weighing the pace of margin recovery across corporate and leisure travel against softer consumer conditions in some regions.

The announcement does not change earnings guidance directly, but it removes financing overhangs and reduces the share count. That should support earnings per share over time.

The post This ASX travel stock is rising after a major capital management milestone appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Is it time to buy low on these ASX travel stocks?
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Why is the Flight Centre share price soaring 9% on Wednesday?
• Flight Centre Travel Group sells Pedal Group stake for $61.7 million
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

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

ASX All Ords silver share Silver Mines Ltd (ASX: SVL) has delivered some outsized returns to faithful stockholders over the past year.

In morning trade on Thursday, shares are up 1.1%, trading for 18.2 cents apiece, outpacing the 0.1% gains posted by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) at this same time.

Just one year ago, you could have picked up Silver Mines shares for just 10 cents each, delivering a gain of 82.0% at current prices. That’s well ahead of the 15.5% 12-month gains posted by the benchmark index.

Part of that outperformance has been driven by the surging silver price. At US$80 per ounce, the silver price is up 142% since this time last year. But the ASX All Ords silver share has hardly been sitting idle.

Here’s what the miner reported this morning.

ASX All Ords silver share uncovers high-grade samples

Silver Mines shares are pushing higher today following the release of an exploration update at the miner’s Calico North and Kramer Hills Projects, located in the US state of California.

At Calico North, the ASX All Ords silver share has completed a spectral survey and a field mapping program. 219 rock samples were collected as part of the field mapping. The company reported that around 20% of those samples returned assays greater than 50 grams of silver per tonne (g/t AG), with 10% of the rock samples returning more than 100 g/t Ag.

The miner said phase one drill planning at Calico North is underway.

Phase one drill planning is also underway for Kramer Hills.

The ASX All Ords silver share said that its field mapping program at Kramer Hills has been completed, which confirmed the location of the target structure in proximity to the historic Shaherald Pit.

An ecological survey of the Kramer Hills project area has been completed by Stringer Biological Consulting.

What did Silver Mines management say?

Commenting on the exploration results helping to boost the ASX All Ords silver share today, Silver Mines managing director Jo Battershill said, “We are very encouraged by the speed at which reconnaissance exploration activities have occurred at the Calico North and Kramer Hills Projects in San Bernardino.”

Battershill added:

Our technical team is now focused on interpreting the results, planning the inaugural drill programs and completing the required permitting steps. We are on track to be drilling at Kramer around mid-year…

The Calico North Project ticks a lot of boxes for us with extensive zones of silver-barite mineralisation trending across almost 40 kilometres of prospective strike and close to historical mines that produced over 20 million ounces of high-grade silver.

The post Up 82% in 12 months, ASX All Ords silver share jumping today on big US news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Brazilian Rare Earths, L1 Group, Silver Mines, and Xero shares are dropping today
• Why are these ASX silver stocks racing higher today?

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.

One of the themes that has been emerging as the war with Iran drags on, is the increasing needs for energy security in Australia.

This has led to both the federal and some state governments promising support for more oil and gas exploration on and offshore, including in Queensland, where Omega Oil and Gas Ltd (ASX: OMA) is active.

Major drilling program to start

Omega’s upcoming drilling program is well timed, with the company recently announcing that it had secured a drilling rig for a drilling program of at least three and up to six more wells at its tenements in the Taroom Trough.

As the company said:

Subject to permitting, Omega plans to, and is fully funded to, drill at least four wells in our expanded 2026/27 program – a minimum of two wells on our existing PCA areas, and two wells on the recently awarded ATP 2081 (formerly PLR2025-1-9), realising the cost and efficiency benefits of a continuous campaign. Omega also maintains options to drill further horizontal and vertical wells. Omega’s program is scheduled to commence in May 2026 following completion of preceding wells by other operators. The program aims to delineate reservoir and resource distribution over a broad area, identify “sweet spots”, and mature Omega’s resource and reserve base.

Omega said it had a “commanding” acreage position in the Taroom Trough both through its own tenements and via its 19.43% ownership stake in Elixir Energy Ltd (ASX: EXR).

Taken together, this gave Omega an interest in 5041 sq km.

Omega Managing Director Trevor Brown said:

With basin-wide drilling in the Taroom Trough during 2026, and our multi-well campaign fast approaching, Omega is entering an exciting growth phase. We believe that our upcoming program, scheduled to commence in May 2026, will further de-risk this exciting play and demonstrate the vast scale of the Taroom Trough’s oil and gas resources.

Shares looking cheap

The analyst team at Canaccord Genuity said a recent visit to the Taroom Trough by Queensland Premier David Crisafulli “and subsequent press releases calling for the acceleration of permitting represents, in our view, a key turning point in the political narrative regarding oil and gas development”.

They added:

We upgrade our price target to $1.30 (from $0.85) and retain our speculative buy after increasing our risking. In our view regulatory tail risk is fast evaporating and that could lead to higher corporate activity in a play which is proximal to existing infrastructure and underutilised LNG facilities.

Omega shares were changing hands for 84.5 cents early on Thursday. The company was valued at $390.9 million.

The post Up 238% in a year, one broker thinks there’s still way more upside for this ASX energy company appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• This ASX gold project developer could more than triple in value: Broker
• Why AMP, Life360, Netwealth, and Ora Banda shares are racing higher today
• This ASX travel stock is rising after a major capital management milestone
• Up 82% in 12 months, ASX All Ords silver share jumping today on big US news
• This ASX critical minerals company says its mining project could be the world’s largest

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.

Sovereign Metals Ltd (ASX: SVM) says its Kasiya mining project in Malawi could turn out to be the world’s largest producer of two critical minerals following the completion of a positive definitive feasibility study (DFS).

The company said in a statement to the ASX on Thursday that the Kasiya project, once in production, would be the world’s largest producer of both natural rutile and flake graphite.

The DFS indicates the project could run for at least 25 years, producing 222,000 tonnes of rutile per year and 275,000 tonnes of graphite.

Strong cash flow

This would generate US$476 million in EBITDA per year and total revenue over the life of the mine of US$16.5 billion, the company said.

The project would cost US$727 million to bring into production, the company said, and would be the lowest-cost graphite producer globally, even when compared to Chinese producers.

Sovereign said it had already signed non-binding memoranda of understanding for offtake agreements covering more than 50% of the rutile produced during stage one of the mine and more than 35% of the graphite.

The potential for heavy rare earths extraction as part of the rutile production was not included in the DFS, but was being evaluated, the company said.

This could provide a third income stream, producing dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium, which were all subject to Chinese export controls, at minimal incremental cost.

Sovereign Managing Director Frank Eager said regarding the DFS:

The completion of this DFS marks a defining milestone for Kasiya and for the global titanium and graphite supply chains. To deliver a DFS of this quality, depth and confidence, rarely achieved by a pre-production company, reflects the calibre of partnerships that Sovereign has assembled around this project: Rio Tinto’s technical expertise, alignment with IFC Performance Standards under our Collaboration Agreement, and offtake interest driven by U.S. and Japanese supply chain security priorities. The successful completion of large-scale field trials, combined with the expertise of our experienced owner’s team and the technical support provided by Rio Tinto, reinforces Kasiya’s potential to be a long-life, low-cost, and reliable source of two critical and globally strategic minerals. Kasiya is not simply a mining project – it is a globally strategic asset.

Titanium in short supply

Sovereign said that rutile is the purest and highest-grade form of naturally-occurring titanium feedstock, and was the preferred feedstock “for titanium sponge production and high-specification titanium alloy applications in aerospace, defence and medical industries”.

The US is currently 100% reliant on imports for its titanium sponge needs, the company said, and added that primary global rutile supply was in structural decline.

The company added that “Kasiya’s natural rutile has demonstrated premium chemical characteristics and suitability across all major end-use applications, with high titanium dioxide content, low impurity levels, and favourable particle size distribution – positioning it as a preferred high-purity feedstock within a structurally undersupplied market”.

Sovereign Metals shares were 0.7% higher in early trade at 72 cents. The company was valued at $463 million.

The post This ASX critical minerals company says its mining project could be the world’s largest appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX 300 shares that could be much bigger in 5 years
• Up 115% since August, Ora Banda shares leaping higher today on record gold production
• 2 ASX shares downgraded by Morgans this week
• Average superannuation balance at age 67, versus what you actually need
• Whitehaven shares are up 80% in a year. Here’s why investors still see upside

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.

It is easy to focus on what a company is today. But in investing, what really matters is what a business could become.

Some companies are already large and well established. Others are still in earlier stages, quietly building the foundations for something much bigger. Finding these businesses early can make a big difference to long-term returns.

With that in mind, here are three ASX 300 shares that I think could be much bigger in five years.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

The first ASX 300 share that could have a much larger footprint in the future is Megaport.

It is evolving from a network connectivity provider into a broader infrastructure platform. With its move into compute through the Latitude acquisition, the company is positioning itself at the centre of how businesses deploy and manage cloud and AI workloads.

This shift could significantly expand its addressable market. Instead of just connecting infrastructure, Megaport is now moving toward enabling it.

If execution is strong, the company could become a much more important player in the global digital infrastructure space.

Morgans thinks Megaport’s shares are seriously undervalued. It recently put a buy rating and $16.00 price target on them, which implies potential upside greater than 100%.

Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL)

Another ASX 300 share that could be significantly larger in the future is Netwealth.

Netwealth operates an investment platform used by financial advisers to manage client portfolios. It might not grab headlines, but the business model is incredibly powerful.

As funds under administration grow, revenue tends to rise alongside it. And because the platform is highly scalable, a large portion of that growth flows through to profit.

The company has been steadily gaining market share, supported by strong technology and service. If it continues on this path, the business could look very different in five years’ time.

Morgan Stanley is a fan of the company and has an overweight rating and $35.00 price target on its shares. This suggests that upside of almost 40% is possible between now and this time next year.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

A third ASX 300 share that could grow meaningfully is Temple & Webster.

Temple & Webster operates in online furniture and homewares, a category that is still transitioning from physical stores to digital platforms.

While the company has faced periods of volatility, it has continued to build brand awareness and expand its customer base.

What is particularly interesting is its improving profitability. As scale increases, the business has the potential to generate stronger margins.

If the shift to online continues and the company executes well, it could be significantly larger in five years than it is today.

Bell Potter is bullish on the company’s outlook. It recently put a buy rating and $13.00 price target on its shares, which implies potential upside of almost 100% for investors.

The post 3 ASX 300 shares that could be much bigger in 5 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Netwealth Group lifts FUA to $125.8B with strong quarterly flows
• These ASX shares look too good to ignore after the recent pullback
• This could be the best ASX 300 stock buy today!
• Down 50%, but could these top ASX tech stocks double from here?
• Where to invest $10,000 in ASX shares in April

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

Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM) shares are charging higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold stock closed yesterday trading for $1.315. In early morning trade on Thursday, shares are changing hands for $1.375 apiece, up 4.6%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.1% at this same time.

Taking a step back, Ora Banda shares have gained 19% in 12 months. And investors who stepped in and bought the dip at the 1 August closing price of 64 cents a share will now be sitting on gains of 114.9%.

Here’s what’s piquing ASX investor interest today.

Ora Banda shares surge on record production

Ora Banda shares are jumping higher today following the release of the ASX 200 gold stock’s March quarterly update (Q3 FY 2026).

The three months saw the miner achieve an all-time high quarter production of 38,766 ounces of gold. That’s up 21% quarter on quarter.

Ora Banda sold 38,637 ounces of gold in Q3, bringing its FY 2026 total gold sales to 101,200 ounces.

One headwind for Ora Banda shares is the miner’s elevated production costs. The company reported an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $3,612 per ounce of gold sold. Management said this was largely driven by the increased cost of third-party processing. They added that studies towards building a new standalone 3 million tonne per annum (mtpa) processing plant are advancing. They expect to announce a decision on the standalone plant in the June quarter.

Core achievements over the March quarter included an updated 1.3 million ounce Mineral Resource for the miner’s Round Dam project.

With free cash flows of $76.3 million over the three months, Ora Banda held a closing cash balance of $231.7 million at the end of the quarter, up 49% from 31 December.

What did management say?

Commenting on the results helping boost the Ora Banda share price today, managing director Luke Creagh said:

The team has done an outstanding job with the ramp-up of operations during FY26 with this quarter showing a 21% increase in ounces produced over the December period which has delivered $76.3 million in free cash flow after substantial investments into future growth projects.

Over the quarter, Ora Banda spent $52.5 million on capital projects, resource development, and exploration.

Creagh noted:

Our exploration activities continue to deliver outstanding results including high grade intercepts from Golden Pole, discoveries at Little Gem (Sapphire Trend) and the release of a significant 1.3 Moz Mineral Resource for Round Dam.

These have been made possible through the company’s $73 million FY26 investment into exploration and resource development across the Davyhurst Project.

The post Up 115% since August, Ora Banda shares leaping higher today on record gold production appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why ASX 200 gold stocks like Northern Star and Evolution Mining are storming higher today
• Should you buy these ASX gold stocks after last week’s crash?
• Why are ASX 200 gold stocks like Northern Star and Newmont down so much today?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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.

When it comes to investing, we all want to see brokers upgrading the ASX shares that we hold in our portfolios.

And in a perfect world, this is all that we would experience.

Unfortunately, the investing world isn’t perfect and sometimes shares you own will cop a downgrade from brokers.

Two such ASX shares that have experienced exactly this from analysts at Morgans this week are named below. Let’s see why the broker has just downgraded these shares:

GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG)

This fund manager released its quarterly update this month. While the broker sees a few positives from the update, the overall story remains somewhat negative with outflows continuing.

Combined with a poor investment performance, this has seen Morgans lower its medium-term earnings estimates for GQG Partners.

This has led to the broker downgrading GQG Partners’ shares to an accumulate rating with a trimmed price target of $1.92. This implies potential upside of 13% for investors from current levels. It commented:

GQG has provided a March FUM update. Whilst GQG monthly outflows remained negative (-US$1.2bn), they did improve significantly on the February and January levels (-US$3.2bn and -US$4.2bn respectively), albeit it was a more difficult month for investment performance (-~US$9bn) – in line with market volatility. We lower our GQG FY26F/FY27F EPS by -5%-8% based on the reduced FUM levels detailed in the quarterly. Our PT is set at A$1.92 (previously A$2.03). We continue to see medium-term value in GQG, but with less upside to our PT we move from BUY to ACCUMULATE.

Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN)

Another ASX share that Morgans has downgraded this month is mining and mining services company Mineral Resources.

The broker made the move in response to negative weather impacts and higher cost assumptions due to inflation in shipping and fuel.

Morgans has cut its recommendation on Mineral Resources shares to an accumulate rating with a trimmed price target of $67.00. This implies potential upside of 14% for investors over the next 12 months. It commented:

We have updated our 2H26 forecasts to reflect weather impacts in 3Q26, which we expect to have a modest effect on Onslow iron ore shipments, alongside minor increases to cost and capex assumptions driven by inflation in shipping and fuel. We have also incorporated our revised LT iron ore price of US$85/t (previously US$80/t). Net these changes our target price moves to A$67ps (previously A$68ps) and we move to an ACCUMULATE rating (previously BUY) as recent share price strength has reduced valuation upside.

The post 2 ASX shares downgraded by Morgans this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• One ASX share to double, one yielding 11% — ASX picks for April
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Why this $5 billion ASX financial stock is slipping today
• GQG Partners share price in focus as Q1 FUM update reveals outflows
• ASX 200 shares rip with financials leading a remarkable recovery last week

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Gqg Partners. 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 Gqg Partners. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

In Australia, many government or association estimates around retirement are based on the understanding that you’ll retire at age 67. By this point, you’ll be able to access your superannuation (from age 65) and you’re also eligible to receive Age Pension payments.

Although with higher inflation and rising cost-of-living, more and more Australians are pushing their retirement to their 70s to give them more time to build up their balance. It also means there will be fewer retirement years to fund. 

Regardless of when you decide to retire, by age 67 you should know exactly how much superannuation you have, and what you need to live the retirement lifestyle you want.

Here’s a breakdown of the average superannuation balance of Australians aged 67, and how much you actually need by retirement.

The numbers are quite different.

What is the average superannuation balance at age 67 in Australia?

According to the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) data, the average superannuation balance for Australian men aged 65-69 is $448,518, and for women it is $392,274.

If your superannuation balance is on track with the rest of the population, that’s great news. But it doesn’t mean you have enough to retire with the lifestyle you want.

So how much money do I really need by age 67 to retire comfortably?

The benchmark for a comfortable retirement has climbed even higher this year. Australians now need $54,840 per year to retire comfortably, or $77,375 a year for a couple.

To support that level of spending, ASFA estimates you’ll need a super balance of roughly $630,000 as a single and $730,000 as a couple by the age of 67. 

A comfortable retirement lifestyle is defined as one that allows Australians to maintain a good standard of living. 

This includes top-level private health insurance, ownership of a reasonable car brand, regular leisure activities, funds for home repairs and renovations, occasional meals out, and an annual domestic trip. 

The figures also assume you own your home outright and that you’re receiving the age pension.

Help! I’m falling behind. What can I do?

At age 67 you still have a few options to help boost your superannuation balance and retirement lifestyle.

Many Australians are now delaying their retirement by a few years and retiring in their 70s. This gives you more time to build your superannuation balance, and means there are fewer retirement years to fund. Even three to five years gives your investments more time to grow.

Given superannuation funds are heavily invested in the Australian share market, particularly the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), the longer you wait to access your balance, the more time it has to benefit from compounding growth. 

If you don’t want to delay retirement, another option is to live a modest one. ASFA defines a modest retirement as one which is able to cover expenses slightly above the full Centrelink Age Pension. 

Think basic health insurance with limited cap payments, infrequent exercise, a limited home repair budget, minimal utility expenses, limiting dining out, and maybe an annual domestic trip. Again, it assumes you own your home outright.

It’s not the ideal scenario but it’s certainly do-able.

Australians need $35,503 per year, or $51,299 per year for a couple. To fund that, ASFA estimates you need a superannuation balance of around $110,000, or a couple would need $120,000. These balances are well within the average for Australians at age 67.

The post Average superannuation balance at age 67, versus what you actually need appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• This ASX critical minerals company says its mining project could be the world’s largest
• 3 ASX 300 shares that could be much bigger in 5 years
• Up 115% since August, Ora Banda shares leaping higher today on record gold production
• 2 ASX shares downgraded by Morgans this week
• Whitehaven shares are up 80% in a year. Here’s why investors still see upside

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

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) shares are edging lower on Thursday as investors absorbed another balance sheet update from the coal producer.

At the time of writing, the Whitehaven share price is down 1.76% to $8.35, leaving the stock still ahead by 80% over the past 12 months.

Here is what was announced.

Whitehaven locks in US$900 million of longer-dated debt

According to the release, Whitehaven has priced US$900 million of senior secured notes in the US market.

The issue has been split into two tranches. It includes US$450 million maturing in October 2031 with a 6.25% coupon, and another US$450 million maturing in April 2034 with a 6.75% coupon.

The proceeds will repay the remaining US$1.1 billion acquisition term loan tied to the Daunia and Blackwater purchase. Any remaining funds will support general corporate purposes.

This refinancing step extends the company’s average debt tenor from roughly 2.5 years to about 6 years, giving Whitehaven a much longer funding runway.

Management said the new structure lowers total debt to around 0.3 times. It is also expected to reduce annual interest expense by roughly $50 million to $55 million, based on current SOFR and Treasury rates.

The market is focusing on balance sheet quality, not just coal prices

After an 80% gain over the past year, Whitehaven has been one of the better-performing large-cap energy names on the ASX.

Much of that re-rating has come from the earnings uplift delivered by the Queensland metallurgical coal assets, but debt execution has remained a key watchpoint since the acquisition.

By replacing shorter-dated bank debt with staggered 5.5-year and 8-year notes, Whitehaven has reduced refinancing pressure and lowered funding costs.

This should improve flexibility around dividends, mine development spending, and further optimisation work across its Queensland and NSW portfolio.

With the next quarterly update due later this month, attention now shifts to production and coal pricing trends.

Foolish takeaway

I think this was the kind of update the market wanted to see after Whitehaven’s huge 12-month run.

The Queensland coal assets have already lifted the earnings profile, and this debt refinancing now makes the balance sheet look far more comfortable.

Lower interest costs, longer debt maturities, and reduced leverage should all support stronger free cash flow from here.

My view is that investors will now be more willing to focus on coal prices, production delivery, and capital returns rather than debt risk.

After an solid gain over the past year, the easy re-rating may already be behind it. But if metallurgical coal prices stay supportive and the new assets keep performing, I still think the shares can push higher over the next 12 months.

The post Whitehaven shares are up 80% in a year. Here’s why investors still see upside appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in March

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