Author: openjargon

There are not many S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) shares that could provide shareholders with a dividend yield of more than 9%. oOh!Media Ltd (ASX: OML) is one of those companies that may have a very promising future ahead for passive income investors.

I’d imagine there are very few of those high-yield ASX 300 shares that are expected to deliver earnings growth of more than 33% between FY26 and FY28, which is what analysts are predicting.

oOh!Media describes itself as a leading out-of-home media company that helps advertisers, landlords, leaseholders, community organisations, local councils, and governments reach large and diverse public audiences.

It has an extensive network of digital and static locations across Australia and New Zealand, including roadside locations, retail centres, airports, train stations, bus stops, office towers, and universities.

The ASX 300 share is projected to pay a large dividend yield

oOh!Media decided to deliver investors a large dividend per share of 6.25 cents in FY25. The final dividend of 4 cents per share represented a year-over-year increase of 14%.

The business said that its full-year dividend payout ratio was 53% of underlying adjusted net profit.

The forecast on Commsec suggests the business could deliver pleasing growth in FY26 (and beyond). In the 2026 financial year, it’s projected to increase its payout to 6.3 cents. The annual payment could then rise to 7.4 cents per share in FY27 and 8.1 cents per share in FY28.

Following the 35% decline of the oOh!Media share price in the last six months, the potential FY26 payout now translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 9.4%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

That shows the business could provide significant passive income in the next year.

Positives to consider about oOh!Media

There may well be a bit more competition at the moment, but the ASX 300 share operates in a growing sector, which alone could help the business deliver rising profits in the coming years. Scale has its advantages in an industry like this, and oOh!Media is one of the biggest in the sector.

A few weeks ago, when the company gave its FY25 results during the reporting season, it revealed some positive commentary.

It said that it continued to see growth in the 2026 calendar year, with first-quarter media revenue “pacing up 7% in Australia”.

oOH!Media expects that out-of-home will continue to take revenue market share from other media sectors.

The ASX 300 share also noted that 2026 capital expenditure will be between $55 million and $65 million, largely funding new advertising assets.

The forecast on CommSec suggests the business is trading at 8x FY26’s estimated earnings. Earnings per share (EPS) are projected to rise 34% over two years to 15.5 cents by FY28, which would mean it’s valued at just 6x FY28’s estimated earnings.

In other words, it seems really cheap, and I think it just needs to deliver a bit of earnings growth to justify a significantly higher share price.

The post This is the ASX 300 share offering a 9% dividend yield! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Pexa shares are sinking 16% today
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• 2 ASX stocks that could help turn $10,000 into $1 million
• Why Qantas shares nosedived 16% in March
• Is Telstra stock a buy at $5.37 a share?

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

PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA) shares are being hit hard on Wednesday.

Investors appear to be heading for the exits after the market reacted to a major broker downgrade and a regulatory update released yesterday.

In afternoon trade, the PEXA share price is down 15.75% to $12.815, making it one of the worst performers on the ASX today.

The heavy sell-off comes despite the stock still being up more than 15% over the past 12 months. That is comfortably ahead of the broader ASX during a period that has included volatility throughout March.

The move suggests investors are weighing what the regulatory changes could mean for PEXA’s core Australian earnings.

Broker downgrade puts pressure on valuation

The sell-off follows a UBS downgrade, with the broker cutting PEXA from buy to neutral and lowering its price target to $15.70 from $17.50.

The concern comes from what UBS called a “double-edged” outcome from two regulatory updates affecting Australia’s electronic lodgement network operator market.

On one side, ARNECC’s decision not to proceed with interoperability reforms removes the near-term risk of expensive platform changes.

PEXA confirmed it would continue working with regulators to improve the existing national network and customer outcomes.

But the bigger issue for investors is IPART in New South Wales proposing to regulate service fees using a building-block framework based on efficient costs.

That creates uncertainty around earnings from PEXA’s dominant Australian exchange business, which remains its main profit driver.

UBS believes that while the interoperability outcome removes one risk, the prospect of fee regulation could place more pressure on margins over time.

Still ahead over 12 months despite today’s pullback

Even after today’s fall, the stock remains up about 15% over the past year. It has also outperformed both its sector and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over that period.

Today’s decline follows a solid run through late March, supported by better progress in the UK business, asset sale activity, and a well-received half-year result.

PEXA still has a leading position in Australia’s digital property settlement market, with its platform widely used by lawyers, conveyancers, and financial institutions.

Foolish Takeaway

Today’s sell-off looks less about how the business is performing and more about concerns over future regulation.

The halt to interoperability changes may remove one issue, but the prospect of fee controls on the core Australian network looks to be the bigger concern for investors.

With the stock still ahead over one year, the focus now turns to whether PEXA can protect margins as regulators work through the next stage.

The post Why Pexa shares are sinking 16% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Dateline, Karoon Energy, Lindian, and PEXA shares are falling today
• PEXA goes live with NatWest in the UK. Is this the breakthrough investors have been waiting for?
• PEXA Group shares in focus as NatWest goes live on UK platform
• Brokers rate these 2 top ASX shares as buys in March
• Broker recommends investors accumulate these 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 positions in and has recommended PEXA Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended PEXA Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models and recommendations again. This has led to a number of broker notes being released this week.

Three ASX shares that brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why their analysts are feeling bullish on them right now:

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL)

According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have retained their outperform rating and $63.00 price target on this gaming technology company’s shares. The broker has been looking at recent US casino gaming data and was pleased to see year on year growth. This is despite operating in a potentially softer consumer backdrop. In light of this, the broker continues to forecast solid growth from Aristocrat over the medium term. So, with its shares de-rating significantly this year and its valuation at a multi-year low, the broker thinks investors should be snapping them up while they are down. The Aristocrat Leisure share price is trading at $46.55 this afternoon.

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

A note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $4.75 price target on this sports technology company’s shares. This follows the release of its investor day event presentation which outlined its medium-term growth targets. Bell Potter highlights that the key target is annual contract value (ACV) of US$200 million+ in two to three years. This in theory will be achieved by reaching 5,000 pro teams (vs ~4,000 now) and ACV per pro team of ~US$40,000 (vs ~US$30,000 now). The broker believes that this is achievable given the increase in solutions it offers due to acquisitions and new product development. Bell Potter is forecasting ACV of US$207 million in FY 2029, which is consistent with Catapult’s target. The Catapult share price is fetching $3.50 at the time of writing.

Navigator Global Investments Ltd (ASX: NGI)

Analysts at Morgans have retained their buy rating on this investment company’s shares with a trimmed price target of $2.98. According to the note, the broker was pleased with the company’s acquisition of Georgian, which is a Toronto-based AI-focused growth equity firm. It thinks the acquisition is a strategic fit and will be earnings accretive. Outside this, it highlights that a recent selloff of Navigator Global shares appears to have been tied to private credit concerns around its key strategic partner Blue Owl. However, Morgans thinks that the company’s fundamentals are largely unchanged. The Navigator share price is trading at $2.17 on Wednesday.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Tech rebound: Bell Potter says this ASX 300 stock is a top buy
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Experts name 2 ASX financials stocks to watch closely
• These 3 dirt-cheap ASX shares are tipped to climb another 50-90%
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

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

Every investor’s ultimate goal is to produce huge returns from their ASX stocks. While it’s possible to turn $10,000 into $1 million, it’s not as simple or as risk-free as you’d expect.

This level of investment growth usually takes many years of strong earnings, a lot of patience, and a big chunk of luck.

But if I had to pick two ASX stocks that I thought could make it happen, it would be these two.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

The Pro Medicus share price soared to an all-time high of around $330 per share in July last year. It then seesawed until around early October. At this point, a sudden shift in investor sentiment sent the ASX stock crashing. 

Key drivers were a combination of a broad-based tech sector sell-off, concerns that the company’s share price was inflated and overvalued, and investors taking huge profits off the table after a strong run.

Sentiment didn’t improve when the company posted a record-breaking half-year FY26 result in mid-February. Its revenue was up 28%, and profit jumped nearly 30%, but it still missed investors’ extremely high expectations.

But it’s worth noting that despite the confidence crash, as a business, Pro Medicus is incredibly strong. The company is continually expanding operations, and the outlook for the medical imaging sector is positive.

Pro Medicus even made some leaps in company growth over the past couple of months. The business has won several contracts so far in 2026, including two $40 million five-year contract renewals with its wholly owned US subsidiary, Visage Imaging, in early March.

At the time of writing, the shares are up 4.4% to $122.04. But I think the stock is still trading significantly below fair value right now. Analysts tip an upside of up to 145% to $300 per share, at the time of writing.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

Megaport is another ASX stock that was caught up in the sector-wide sell-off of technology stocks. At the time, many investors were also concerned that AI could disrupt traditional software models. There was also concern that AI tools might replace or reduce demand for subscription-based software. 

The beaten-down tech stock was also battered by high investor expectations and heavy acquisition spending, which raised concerns about near-term costs and profits. 

Megaport shares climbed to a mult-year high in November last year, before crashing nearly 60% to the price at the time of writing.

But the reality is that the long-term drivers of AI and tech-sector growth haven’t gone away. Technology is rapidly advancing, and businesses are investing in AI more than ever before. Continued tech investment points to widespread, ongoing adoption rather than rejection.

At the time of writing, Megaport shares are up 1% to $7.32 a piece. But I think the market will correct itself, and AI-related tech stocks could enjoy a share price recovery. Analysts tip a huge upside of up to 227% to $23.98 over the next 12 months.

The post 2 ASX stocks that could help turn $10,000 into $1 million appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Arafura Rare Earths, Eagers Automotive, Life360, and Pro Medicus shares are racing higher today
• How to invest during an ASX share bear market when you’re worried about prices falling more
• Buy, hold, sell: BHP, CBA, and Pro Medicus shares
• 3 ASX 200 healthcare shares at multi-year lows
• Bullish on artificial intelligence? Here are 3 ASX shares I’d buy

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

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) shares got hammered in March.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) airline stock closed out February trading for $9.95. When the opening bell sounded on 31 March, shares were swapping hands for $8.37 apiece.

This saw Qantas shares down 15.9% over the month just past, or more than twice as much as the 7.8% loss posted by the ASX 200 over this same period.

Though it’s worth noting that Qantas traded ex-dividend on 10 March. Investors who owned the stock at market close on 9 March can expect to receive the 100% franked 19.8 cent per share dividend on 15 April.

If we add that dividend payment back in, then the ASX 200 airline stock sank a modestly less 13.9% in March.

Here’s what’s been pressuring the flying kangaroo.

What sent Qantas shares into a tailspin?

Turning directly to the elephant in the room, the biggest tailwind pressuring Qantas shares last month was the outbreak of the Iran war at the end of February.

That’s causing two separate difficulties for the airline.

First, the Middle East conflict could disrupt international travel destinations and see travellers delay their business or holiday flights.

Second, the conflict in the oil-rich Middle East and the closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route sent the oil price rocketing in March.

Here’s what I mean.

On 27 February, Brent crude oil was trading for US$72.50 per barrel. By 31 March, a barrel of Brent crude oil was trading for US$107.50, up more than 48% over the month.

And any sustained major increase in the oil price could have a material impact on Qantas shares.

Indeed, on 26 February, Qantas forecast fuel costs for H2 FY 2026 would be around $2.5 billion, inclusive of hedging and carbon costs.

But with the Iran war sending global oil prices surging, Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) analyst Ian Myles said Qantas’ overall costs could increase by $250 million over two to three months.

And the ASX 200 airline’s former chief economist, Tony Webber, said that if the Middle East conflict dragged on, it could see Qantas earnings fall by more than 50%.

According to Webber, a prolonged war could see some major changes in the company’s flight operations. He noted:

They will cut capacity most on longer sectors where fuel costs are a higher percentage of total costs and where reducing capacity provides the strongest fare response, usually routes with more business and fewer leisure travellers.

Following the March carnage, Qantas shares are now down 4.3% since this time last year, not including dividends.

The post Why Qantas shares nosedived 16% in March appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why I’d buy these 3 ASX income shares this week
• I think smart investors should buy these ASX 200 blue-chip shares with $10,000
• Qantas shares extend losses as fuel costs reshape operations
• Why Qantas shares could be flying into turbulence
• Qantas stock is down 17.7% in a month. Time to buy?

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

Late last month, amid all of the chaos of the Iran war, something extraordinary happened on the ASX. More specifically, with Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) stock.

On 24 March, shares of this ASX 200 telco hit a new 52-week high. Not only was it a new 52-week high, but the highest Telstra stock has traded at in many years. Yep, last Tuesday saw Telstra shares top $5.37 each. We haven’t seen that kind of pricing on this telco since at least early 2017. That means Telstra was at a nine-year high a week ago.

Today, Telstra stock has cooled off a little, but is still at $5.32 at the time of writing. That puts the company at an impressive year-to-date gain of 9.45% for 2026, and up 24.8% over the past 12 months.

Telstra is a strong and mature ASX 200 blue-chip stock. But gains of this magnitude prompt us to wonder whether the telco is still a good deal at $5.37 a share. Or indeed, at today’s $5.32.

So let’s talk about that.

Is Telstra stock a buy at $5.37?

That’s a tough question for investors to consider. Telstra, as we’ve already established, is a high-quality company that dominates its sector and shows characteristics of possessing a wide economic moat.

It is also growing at a slow-but-steady pace. The company’s most recent earnings, released in February, showed Telstra growing its reported earnings per share (EPS) by 11% to 9.9 cents, as well as its underlying net profits after tax by 10% to $1.2 billion.

Investors have to consider whether Telstra’s future growth trajectory is enough to justify its current share price, though. At today’s price, Telstra stock trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 26.6.

That’s not ridiculous, but it’s arguably not cheap either. For comparison, that’s about the same earnings multiple that Google-owner Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) is currently at.

But what about Telstra stock’s dividends? After all, many investors just buy this telco for its famously large and dependable income cheques.

Well, Telstra’s galloping share price over recent months has indeed come with the unfortunate consequence of reducing Telstra’s dividend yield. Investors were perhaps used to a yield well over 4% until Telstra went on this stock price surge. Today, the company is trading with a yield of about 3.8%.

That’s certainly not as attractive as it once was. Particularly so if we consider that one can obtain a safer 5% yield with a cash investment like a term deposit these days.

Brokers still call buy

Saying that, some ASX brokers still think Telstra is a buy today. Last week, my Fool colleague covered the outperform rating that Macquarie’s brokers gave Telstra shares. Macquarie thinks the recently announced price increases on Telstra’s mobile offerings bode well for the company’s future and dividends. The broker has set a 12-month stock price target of $5.64 per share for Telstra.

Let’s see if Macquarie is on the money there.

The post Is Telstra stock a buy at $5.37 a share? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 must-own ASX dividend shares which belong in every portfolio
• 5 reasons why I’d buy Telstra shares for passive income
• Telstra just hit a 10-year high. Has this ASX income giant still got more to give?
• How to build a defensive ASX share portfolio in 2026
• 3 blue-chip ASX dividend shares to buy and hold

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

Shares of Acrow Ltd (ASX: ACF) are staging a strong turnaround on Wednesday afternoon after the company released a market update.

Earlier in the day, the stock had been trading in the red, down 0.60% to 82.5 cents.

But sentiment shifted quickly after the release, sending the shares 6.63% higher to 88.5 cents.

The sudden reversal suggests investors saw enough in the update to feel more confident about the company’s growth over the next year.

Here’s what appears to be driving the move.

Momentum builds after a strong March

According to today’s announcement, Acrow secured $14.3 million in new hire contracts during March, making it the strongest month in the company’s history.

That pushed its hire revenue pipeline to a record $256 million, up 34% on the prior comparable period.

Management said conditions have improved across Australia. Queensland has been a standout, with March revenue reaching its highest level in more than 12 months.

That strength has given the board confidence to reaffirm its FY26 guidance and provide initial FY27 guidance.

The company continues to expect FY26 revenue of $315 million to $325 million, with EBITDA of $80 million to $84 million.

Looking ahead, Acrow expects FY27 revenue between $335 million and $350 million, and EBITDA in the range of $88 million to $98 million.

Using the midpoint, that implies roughly 7% revenue growth and 13% EBITDA growth year over year.

Management commentary

Chief Executive Officer Steven Boland said the company’s multi-year diversification strategy is helping build a more resilient earnings base.

Boland said Acrow had spent the past three years broadening its revenue streams to better handle ups and downs in the broader construction industry.

He noted that the strategy has positioned the company to take advantage of the next uplift in the construction cycle, particularly across civil infrastructure markets in Queensland.

Those comments are likely to have supported today’s move higher, with investors focusing on both current trading momentum and clearer growth prospects into FY27.

Foolish Takeaway

Today’s gain came after investors received a clearer growth outlook for both FY26 and FY27.

After trading lower earlier in the afternoon, the stock reversed course as the company pointed to record contract momentum and a stronger forward pipeline.

With early FY27 guidance now in place, the focus shifts to whether Acrow can keep turning infrastructure demand into higher revenue and profits.

That could leave the stock better placed if infrastructure demand continues to improve across key East Coast markets.

The post From red to green: Why this under-the-radar ASX stock is ripping higher this afternoon appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Which All Ords builder could benefit from Brisbane’s big Olympics build?

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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) plunged 7.8% in March, but that didn’t stop the DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) share price from posting another month of solid gains.

Shares in the ASX 200 drone defence company closed out February trading for $3.62. When the closing bell sounded on 31 March, shares were changing hands for $3.81 apiece.

This put the DroneShield share price up 5.3% over the month just past.

Here’s what’s been piquing investor interest.

DroneShield share price soars higher amid global conflicts

On the macro level, daily news feeds detailing the Iran conflict and the growing prevalence of drone warfare were hard to escape in March, and likely helped boost the DroneShield share price.

Russia’s war in Ukraine is also seeing ongoing heavy drone use, while various nations around the world have been moving to protect their critical infrastructure from hostile drone attacks.

The ASX 200 defence stock also reported on a number of promising developments over the month.

On 11 March, DroneShield reported that it had commenced manufacturing its counter-drone products in the European Union in collaboration with an unnamed EU partner.

Pointing to the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 initiative, the company noted:

Under a new collaboration with an experienced and established manufacturer, production of European-made counter-UAS systems is now underway, with delivery scheduled for mid-2026…

As part of this collaboration, DroneShield has established and will continue to grow a primarily EU-based supply chain, making this the company’s only production line currently outside of Australia.

DroneShield CEO Oleg Vornik said, “The ReArm Europe Plan / Readiness 2030 initiative has highlighted the importance of localised, scalable production, and this new production line positions us to meet that demand.”

The DroneShield share price closed up 1.5% on the day.

Building on its growing EU footprint, on 30 March the company announced that it had opened a new headquarters in Amsterdam.

Commenting on its new head office in the Dutch capital city, the company said:

It further builds on DroneShield’s newly established European manufacturing footprint to advance sovereign counter-UAS capability, which marks a major expansion of the company’s European industrial footprint and manufacturing capacity.

In calendar year 2025, the European market accounted for 45% of the company’s total revenue.

And the turbulent global outlook for 2026 could help the DroneShield share price continue to outperform.

According to the ASX defence stock:

As of February 2026, DroneShield has a regional pipeline valued at $1.2 billion. Geopolitical pressures, such as the Iranian conflict, ongoing war in Ukraine and repeated Russian drone incursions, continue to drive demand for deployed counter-UAS solutions across Europe and the Middle East.

The post How the DroneShield share price smashed the benchmark in March appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why I’d buy DroneShield and these ASX 200 shares next month
• Where to invest $10,000 in ASX 200 shares this April
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Why are DroneShield shares trading higher today?
• What is Bell Potter saying about DroneShield and EOS shares this week?

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 DroneShield and is short shares of 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.

West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF) this week announced record gold production guidance for this year and, looking further out, said it expects to average more than half a million ounces of gold production per year for the next decade.

It was a positive announcement, though it led the team at Macquarie to slightly lower its price target for the company.

They are still bullish on the stock, however, and think investors can make serious gains over the next 12 months.

We’ll get to the details of their share price target shortly.

Firstly, what did West African Resources announce?

Strong production profile

The company said its ore reserves had increased to seven million ounces of gold, which would underpin 5.3 million ounces of gold production from 2026 to 2035.

West African Executive Chair Richard Hyde said there could be further upside:

WAF’s updated 10-year production outlook forecasts the production of 5.3 million ounces of gold over the next decade, with production peaking in 2030 at 596,000 ounces. Our unhedged Mineral Resources now stand at 13.6 million ounces of gold, while Ore Reserves total 7.0 million ounces. We see potential to improve annual production further through our ongoing drilling programs where we plan to drill more than 100,000m annually targeting extensions at M5 South underground, beneath M5 North open-pit and Toega underground. Our 2026 10-year production plan highlights WAF’s strong and sustainable long-term future.

The company said its Sanbrado and Kiaka projects, along with surrounding exploration licenses, had “strong potential” for new discoveries and extensions of existing resources.

The company added:

Current efforts are focused on near mine exploration to maximise value from our operating assets, where mineralisation remains open at depth. West African plans to further expand its owner operated drilling fleet in 2026 with the purchase of two additional surface diamond rigs to accelerate resource and reserve growth.

Shares looking cheap

The analyst team at Macquarie ran the ruler over this week’s announcement and said that the production forecast was in line with consensus estimates.

However, they said that the higher overall production over the next 10 years was offset by higher expected costs across the operations.

They said the company had also hinted at paying a dividend, so they had factored a 10-cent per share dividend into their calculations on the company’s shares.

Macquarie has a 12-month price target of $4.50 on West African shares, which they reduced by 10 cents from $4.60, compared with the current share price of $3.37.

That would be a return of 33.5% if achieved.

The post After new production guidance, how high could this ASX gold stock go? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Challenger, Magellan, Northern Star, and West African Resources shares are storming higher
• Guess which ASX 200 gold stock is lifting off today on record breaking news
• West African Resources: 2026 production guidance forecasts record gold output
• 2 ASX gold miners to buy for solid share price gains, according to Barrenjoey
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is building on yesterday’s gain and moving higher again on Wednesday.

At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 1.64% to 8,624 points, adding to Tuesday’s 0.25% rise and putting it at its highest level in about two weeks.

The move extends the rebound from last week’s 10-month low after a difficult March for our Aussie share market.

Gains are broad across the ASX, with 146 stocks rising against 49 falling, showing solid buying support across the top 200 names.

Here’s what is driving the rebound.

Relief from offshore markets keeps momentum alive

The main reason for today’s gains is another strong lead from Wall Street and growing optimism that tensions in the Middle East may ease.

Local shares are moving higher after US markets rallied overnight on hopes Washington could wind back its involvement in Iran within weeks.

Wall Street had a strong overnight session, with the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) rising 2.9%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) gaining 2.5%, and the Nasdaq climbing 3.8%.

The bigger flow-through now is oil prices and what that means for inflation expectations.

Any sign of easing tensions may limit further energy price rises, a major reason the ASX 200 remained under pressure through March.

Miners and big banks are doing the heavy lifting

Much of today’s move is coming from the ASX’s biggest index names.

Among the top miners, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) is up 4.49%, Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) has climbed 4.25%, and Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) is up 3.15%.

The banks are also adding support, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) all trading in positive territory.

With miners and banks both higher, the index is getting strong support from its largest sectors.

This combination is helping keep the benchmark near session highs heading into afternoon trade.

Foolish Takeaway

Today’s move suggests confidence is returning to the ASX after a difficult March, but it may still be an attractive time for long-term investors to start picking up quality shares at lower prices.

Many leading ASX names remain well below where they were trading before last month’s sell-off, which could leave value on offer if conditions continue to improve.

At the same time, it still makes sense to keep some cash on the sidelines in case global tensions flare up again and drag the market lower.

That way, investors can take advantage of current weakness while still leaving room to buy more if another downturn creates even better opportunities.

The post ASX 200 charges higher again as relief rally gathers pace appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These were the worst-performing ASX 200 shares in March
• How to invest during an ASX share bear market when you’re worried about prices falling more
• These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in March
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Paladin Energy shares: Judicial review challenges EIS approval

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