Author: openjargon

With so many shares to choose from on the Australian share market, it can be difficult to decide which ones to buy. The good news is that brokers across the country are doing a lot of the hard work for you.

Three top ASX shares that leading brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD)

According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have retained its buy rating and $9.90 price target on this gold miner’s shares. This follows the release of a solid half-year result last week. In addition, it highlights that the company has signed an agreement to acquire Magnetic Resources NL (ASX: MAU) for $639 million. The broker believes this deal puts the company on a path to growing production to 500,000 ounces per annum, which is almost double its current production. Overall, the broker is a big fan of the company and points out that it is a high-quality gold producer with expanding production underpinned by a large mineral resource portfolio in a rising gold price environment. The Genesis Minerals share price is trading at $7.20 on Monday.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

A note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating on this quick service restaurant operator’s shares with a trimmed price target of $27.30. This follows the release of a half-year result that fell short of consensus estimates due to another poor performance in the United States market. Macquarie believes the long-term outlook for the Australian business is positive but concedes that there is uncertainty for the US business. But it isn’t overly concerned, noting that management has the option for closing the business if the losses continue. As a result, it feels that recent share price weakness has created a buying opportunity for investors. The Guzman Y Gomez share price is fetching $19.25 at the time of writing.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

Analysts at Morgans have retained their buy rating on this network-as-a-service provider’s shares with a trimmed price target of $15.50. According to the note, the broker was pleased with Megaport’s performance in the first half. It highlights that its EBITDA was ahead of both consensus and its own expectations. In addition, although management has reaffirmed its guidance for FY 2026, it thinks that this could be conservative given its lower than expected costs. The Megaport share price is trading at $8.06 on Monday afternoon.

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

More reading

• Why Coronado, G8 Education, Megaport, and Perenti shares are dropping today
• Why UBS just upgraded Guzman Y Gomez shares to a buy
• Why this growing ASX 200 gold stock could rise 40%
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• 3 rapidly growing ASX 200 shares I would buy and hold for 10 years

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

McMillan Shakespeare Ltd (ASX: MMS) shares have dropped 5.25% in Monday afternoon trade. At the time of writing, the ASX 300 stock is trading at $16.62 per share. The drop follows the company’s half-year results for FY26, which it posted ahead of the market open early this morning.

Today’s decline means the employee benefits provider’s shares are now 3.15% lower for the year to date, but still 19.23% above where they traded this time last year.

Why the ASX 300 stock is falling on results day

Here’s what McMillian Shakespeare posted for the six months ending 31st December 2025:

• Statutory Net Profit After Tax (NPAT) up 9.7% to $49.6 million
• Underlying Net Profit After Tax and Amortisation (UNPATA) up 1.4% to $50.3 million
• Group revenue up 11.2% to $297.4 million
• Half year full-franked dividend of 62 cents

What happened in H1 FY26?

McMillan Shakespeare reported a statutory NPAT from continuing operations of $49.6 million. This was up 9.7% from the first half of FY25.

The company also reported a 1.4% increase in its UNPATA to $50.3 million, although this was 7% below market expectations.

Group revenue reached $297.4 million for the six-month period, up 11.2% on the prior corresponding period (pcp), driven by growth across all segments.

McMillan Shakespeare’s novated leases segment was up 7% on the pcp. The increase was supported by new customer growth, improved retention and increased penetration into the salary packaging client base.

Oly grew its client base by 233% on the pcp, accounting for 5.2% of all group novated lease sales during the period.

Meanwhile, the onboard Finance receivables segment grew strongly, up 31% to $539 million.

The board announced a half-year fully franked dividend of 62c declared. It said this reflects the mid-point of its stated dividend payout policy of 70-100% of UNPATA. The board added that McMillan Shakespeare will undertake an on-market buyback of shares up to a value of $10 million over the next 12 months. The interim dividend announcement was a miss versus market expectations.

McMillan Shakespeare’s CEO and managing director Rob De Luca said: “The Group delivered growth in financial performance in the half underpinned by an increase in revenue across all segments and an uplift in productivity to offset inflation.”

“MMS continues to pay dividends within our stated policy range of 70%-100% of UNPATA, balancing investments for future growth and returning capital to investors. This half we will pay an ordinary fully franked dividend of ~85% of UNPATA and undertake an on-market buyback of up to $10 million over the next 12 months, reflecting total announced capital returns of up to $53.2m, up 7.6% on 1HFY25 ($49.4m).”

What’s the outlook for the H2 of FY26?

The company said it expects its UNPATA to benefit from customer growth across all segments. It also expects increased Onboard Finance receivables, and efficiencies from prior year strategic investments in the second half of FY26.

It notes that the Federal Government’s review of the Electric Car Discount is underway. The NDIS annual pricing review outcomes are also expected in the next six months. 

The company said it will “continue to take a disciplined approach to investing in and executing on our strategic priorities – excelling in customer experience, driving simplicity and technology-enablement, and delivering valued solutions”. 

The post This ASX 300 stock has shed over 5% following half-year results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• How high does Macquarie think Digico shares can go?
• Why this expert is calling time on AMP and Domino’s shares
• How much could the CBA share price rise in the next year?
• Experts name 3 ASX 200 shares to sell now

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

Digico Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT) reported a strong set of first-half numbers last week, and also announced it was accelerating its key SYD1 expansion project.

The team at Macquarie have run the ruler over the results, and while they’ve reduced their target price for the company, they still have an outperform rating on the stock and are bullish on its prospects.

Positive operating result

More on that later. Firstly, to the results, Digico reported underlying revenue of $108 million, up 12% on the previous corresponding period, and underlying EBITDA of $57 million, up 15%.

The company will pay an interim dividend of 6 cents, in line with guidance, and its gearing is sitting at 35.8%, towards the lower end of its target range of 35-45%.

On the growth front, the data centre operator said existing capacity at its SYD1 site was now 100% contracted, “and broad-based demand has materially exceeded IPO expectations and validated the asset’s strategic value”.

An 88MW expansion project is now expected to deliver 15% yield on cost, the company said, and had been accelerated, “and will now be delivered in progressive stages over the next three years”.

Digico reaffirmed its full-year guidance for underlying EBITDA of $125 million, at the top end of its previous guidance of $120-$125 million, with full-year dividends of 12 cents per share.

Digico chief executive officer Michael Juniper said regarding the result:

Digico enters the second half of FY26 with strong momentum and a clear path to unlocking long term value. In the past six months, we have demonstrated the strength of our underlying platform, secured substantial new capacity, executed meaningful steps to simplify our operating model and materially accelerated our capacity expansion at SYD1. Every action we’re taking is about closing the gap between Digico’s net asset value and security price to ensure our market valuation reflects the underlying value of our assets and growing earnings base. We are focused on delivering sustainable, high quality growth for our investors.

Shares looking cheap

The Macquarie team reviewed last week’s results and noted that the yield from the SYD1 expansion had improved from 12% to 15%.

They did, however, reduce their price target on Digico shares from $3.89 to $3.54, which, combined with the dividend yield, would be a total shareholder return of 67.2%.

The Macquarie team added:

Digico has posted some good runs on the board recently with … approval for SYD1, contract wins, and senior hires. Momentum is building, but the key to unlocking value is SYD1 capital recycling to demonstrate the inherent value of the asset.

Digico shares were changing hands for $2.08 on Monday. The company was valued at $1.21 billion at the close of trade on Friday.

The post How high does Macquarie think Digico shares can go? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• DigiCo Infrastructure REIT posts 1H FY26 earnings and accelerates SYD1 expansion
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why Benz Mining, Boss Energy, Develop Global, and Digico shares are storming higher today
• Broker names 3 ASX real estate stocks to buy
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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.

AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) and Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) shares have both underperformed the 8.8% gains delivered by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the past year.

And Catapult Wealth’s Dylan Evans doesn’t foresee a turnaround for the two beleaguered stocks anytime soon (courtesy of The Bull).

In afternoon trade on Monday, Domino’s shares are up 1%, changing hands for $22.28 apiece. This leaves shares in the ASX 200 fast food pizza retailer down 31% over the past 12 months.

AMP shares are down 2.4% today, trading for $1.33 each. This puts shares in the diversified financial services company down 5.2% since this time last year.

AMP shares crashed 26.7% on 12 February following the release of the company’s full calendar year 2025 results. Investors were favouring their sell buttons, with the company reporting an 11.3% year-on-year fall in statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) to $133 million. AMP also forecast tighter margins in its platforms business.

Now, here’s why Evans has a sell recommendation on both AMP and Domino’s shares.

AMP shares flat over five years

“This diversified financial services company has been making progress with its turnaround strategy,” Evans noted. “Simplifying the business is revealing positive outcomes.”

But that’s not keeping him from recommending investors sell AMP shares.

According to Evans:

However, there’s a long road ahead for AMP given its disappointing performance over many years. Its platform business is exposed to the tailwind of a growing superannuation asset pool, but it lags competitors in a space with rapidly evolving technology.

Commenting on the long-run historic AMP share price performance, Evans concluded, “The shares were priced at $1.41 on March 1, 2021. The shares were trading at $1.37 on February 19, 2026. Better options exist elsewhere.”

Time to sell Domino’s shares?

Turning to Domino’s Pizza, Evans noted, “The fast food giant has been expanding into European and Asian markets with some success.”

But he doesn’t believe that expansion is a sufficient reason to hold onto Domino’s shares.

Evans concluded:

However, in our view, DMP faces too many headwinds. Domino’s is battling cost inflation on raw materials, cost of living pressures among consumers and a long-term trend towards healthier options.

Also, Domino’s faces significant competition from an ever-growing list of food choices and home delivery services.

ASX investors will get a clearer look under the hood (or bonnet, if you prefer) of Domino’s shares on Wednesday when the company reports its half-year earnings results (H1 FY 2026).

Stay tuned!

The post Why this expert is calling time on AMP and Domino’s shares 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 positions in and has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price has gone up 11% in 2026 to date, as shown on the chart below, which is a solid return. Experts have given their view on what could happen over the next year.

The capital gains we’ve seen this year all came after the ASX bank share reported its FY26 first-half report.

Let’s take a look at what investors saw in the HY26 result before getting to expert views on the CBA share price.

FY26 half-year result recap

The bank reported that its net interest margin (NIM) – lending profitability in percentage terms – was flat year over year on an underlying basis at 2.04%, with competition in home lending. But there was strong growth in at-call deposits.

CBA also said that its loan impairment expense (credit quality) was flat year over year at $319 million, but down 21% from the second half of FY25.

The bank reported that its operating expenses increased by 5% to $6.7 million due to inflation, increased technology investment, and additional lenders and operational resources. Investment spending rose 10% to $1.2 billion, with the investment in its technology to modernise its infrastructure.

CBA said that its lending volume growth was “disciplined”. Home lending in Australia grew at the same pace as the overall lending system, while Australian deposits grew 1.1x faster than the overall banking system. Pleasingly, New Zealand lending grew at 1.3x the system rate, and Australian business lending grew by 1.3x the system rate.

CBA said that pre-provision profit increased 5% year over year to $8.1 billion, cash net profit grew 6% to $5.4 billion, and statutory net profit increased by 5% to $5.4 billion. The dividend was hiked by 4% to $2.35 per share. These metrics are key to driving the CBA share price higher.

While those numbers don’t suggest huge growth, they were enough to excite the market, given how big the ASX bank share already is and how much profit growth was expected.

Let’s see where analysts think the ASX bank share can go from here.

Expert views on the CBA share price

According to CMC Invest, there have been 10 recent ratings on Commonwealth Bank in the last three months. Of those 10, all are sell ratings.

The average price target of those 10 ratings is $127.22, implying a possible drop of close to 30% in the next year. The most optimistic price target suggests a possible decline of around 20% in the next 12 months, while the most pessimistic price target suggests it could fall 50%.

I personally don’t think we’re going to see the CBA share price crash by 50% this year (unless the entire market plummets, which is also unlikely). However, analyst views suggest the CBA share price is overvalued relative to the profit it’s generating, compared to its peers.

If the bank continues to grow its loan book and maintains its profit margins, it could still do well over the long term. But I believe there are more attractive ideas out there, either for growth or dividend income.

The post How much could the CBA share price rise in the next year? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 3 ASX 200 shares powering higher in 2026

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.

Analysts have been busy updating their recommendations this month following the release of countless results.

Three ASX 200 shares that have received sell ratings, courtesy of The Bull, are named below. Here’s why analysts are bearish on these names:

CAR Group Limited (ASX: CAR)

This auto listings company’s shares have been named as a sell by Shaw and Partners this week.

The broker has concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) disrupting the ASX 200 share’s business model and heightening competition. It said:

CAR operates a global digital marketplace across diverse vehicle categories. Reported revenue of $626 million in the first half of fiscal year 2026 was up 8 per cent on the prior corresponding period. Reported net profit after tax of $143 million was up 16 per cent. However, the shares have fallen from $41.62 on August 18, 2025 to trade at $25.51 on February 19, 2026. In my view, CAR is another group exposed to advancing artificial intelligence, which is transforming the economics of software creation. AI can reduce barriers to entry and heighten competitive pressures. It may be prudent to reduce exposure.

Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

Over at MPC Markets, its analysts believe this fashion jewellery retailer’s shares are expensive and think investors should be looking in some gains.

As a result, it has named the ASX 200 share as a sell. It explains:

This global fashion and jewellery accessories retailer generated total revenue of $500.7 million in the first half of fiscal year 2026, an increase of 23.3 per cent. The company released its results on February 19, 2026. Statutory net profit after tax of $58.39 million was up 2.6 per cent. The results appear to have fallen short of market estimates as the shares were down about 12 per cent in morning trade on February 19. The shares have fallen from $43.14 on August 29, 2025 to trade at $27.85 on February 19, 2026. Despite, the share price fall, we believe the shares are trading at a premium, so investors may want to consider cashing in some gains.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

Shaw and Partners is also feeling concerned about the threat of AI disruption on this property listings company’s business.

In addition, it highlights that Domain now has a powerful owner that could increase competition. In light of this, it has named REA shares as a sell. The broker said:

This online multinational digital advertising business specialises in property. The shares have plunged since Nasdaq-listed CoStar Group acquired REA competitor Domain Holdings Australia in August 2025. REA is a strong operator, with a well established brand. However, CoStar is well equipped to provide fierce competition. Also, investors are most concerned about the impact artificial intelligence will have on the company’s operations moving forward. As new AI‑driven competitors emerge, margins may compress and the traditional valuation multiples applied to software centric companies could moderate.

However, it is worth noting that not everyone agrees. For example, Morgans has a buy rating and $35.20 price target on CAR Group shares, Morgan Stanley has an overweight rating and $32.50 price target on Lovisa’s shares, and Bell Potter has a buy rating and $211.00 price target on REA shares.

The post Experts name 3 ASX 200 shares to sell now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Shares in ecommerce company Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) are trading higher after the company reported what one broker has called a “very strong result”.

In a statement to the ASX on Monday, Kogan.com said it had boosted gross sales by 16%, while revenue was 5% higher at $287.6 million.

Adjusted EBITDA was $24.4 million, down 3% on the same period the previous year, while net profit of $8.2 million was down 20%.

Despite a decline in some figures, the team at RBC Capital Markets said it was a “very strong result,” beating EBITDA expectations by 23%.

The RBC team added:

Pleasing to us, the significant beat to expectations for EBITDA has been driven by both segments Kogan.com (+16.5% vs consensus) and Mighty Ape (+15.1% vs consensus). January trading (revenue growth: +7.8%) is tracking below current consensus expectations for 2H26 (+13.8%). However, we note this has been driven by weaker than expected top-line growth at Mighty Ape with Kogan.com tracking ahead. Given the well-flagged and one-off nature of issues within the Mighty Ape segment, we expect the market may choose to look through lower than expected performance in this segment in early 2H26.

And it seems that was the case, with Kogan.com shares trading 6.8% higher at $3.30 around noon on Monday.

Fleshing out the results further, the company said it had 3 million active customers on Kogan.com at the end of the half, up 28% year on year, while Mighty Ape had 700,000 customers, up 3%.

The company also increased its interim dividend by 14.3% to 8 cents per share, fully-franked.

Company well-positioned

Kogan.com chief executive officer Ruslan Kogan said the company was performing well.

Kogan.com’s consistent focus on delivering value to our growing customer base is driving significant momentum across our business. Our platform’s strength allows us to continuously improve the shopping experience and deliver increasing value for our customers. We are very pleased with our ability to grow and serve over 3 million Active Customers. This dedication to value resonated during the crucial Christmas trading months of November and December. By helping millions of shoppers stretch their holiday budgets, we achieved a 35% increase in Adjusted EBITDA over the period.

Mr Kogan said there had been a “deliberate operational and inventory reset” within the Mighty Ape division, and he was encouraged by the early signs of that strategy paying off.

Mr Kogan added that the company was well-positioned in challenging times.

The broader economic environment remains challenging for many households. In times like these, customers gravitate towards trusted brands that consistently deliver value. The Kogan Group is well positioned in this regard, having built its reputation on providing marketing leading prices, supporting customers with unbeatable value that makes everyday shopping more affordable.

RBC has a bullish price target of $5.50 on Kogan.com shares. Kogan was valued at $302.4 million at the close of trade on Friday.

The post This online ASX retailer is trading strongly higher after beating earnings expectations appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• This ASX 300 stock has shed over 5% following half-year results
• How high does Macquarie think Digico shares can go?
• Why this expert is calling time on AMP and Domino’s shares
• How much could the CBA share price rise in the next year?

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

Building a second income could be exactly what many working Australians aspire to do. Passive income from ASX shares can help bolster or even entirely replace wage earnings.

We can only earn so much from our work earnings each year. How good would it be to have more money to spend on discretionary areas or allow us to work less?

Share investing is very scalable – owning more shares doesn’t mean spending more time managing them. Owning a bigger property portfolio can mean dealing with more maintenance issues, more bills and more tenants.

Investing in ASX shares can just tick along in the background. There are two ASX share names that have been growing their annual dividend payout every single year for more than 20 years! I think they’re great options for a second income.

APA Group (ASX: APA)

APA is one of the largest energy infrastructure businesses on the ASX with a large portfolio of assets, including a national network of gas pipelines, wind farms, solar farms, gas-powered energy generation and electricity transmission.

I like how the business is steadily building its portfolio so that it can generate more cash flow and fund a larger payout.

For example, it recently announced that it expects to add approximately 30% additional gas transport capacity to its east coast gas grid and address projected southern market gas shortfalls from 2028. Its expansion plan includes $480 million of capital expenditure.

The business has increased its annual distribution every year since 2004, which is an excellent record of consistent growth.

It’s expecting to increase its annual distribution per security by 1 cent per security in FY26 to 58 cents per security. This translates into a distribution yield for FY26 of 6.3%, which is a solid starting yield.

Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL)

Soul Patts is by far the leading pick for building a second income, in my view.

It’s not just a single business – it’s an investment house that owns a portfolio of assets across a range of industries including resources, telecommunications, swimming pools, agriculture, industrial properties, building products, financial services and plenty more.

By owning this diversified portfolio, it has created an array of avenues to receive cash flow which is used to pay for its expenses, deliver a rising dividend each year and re-invest the rest into more opportunities.

The company has paid a dividend to shareholders every year since it listed in 1903, including through the wars, global pandemics, recessions and so on. That’s a great level of commitment to giving investors passive income each year.

Soul Patts has increased its annual payout each year since 1998, meaning it’s getting close to three decades of continuous dividend growth.

Each year, the ASX share adds to its portfolio which can help grow its payout for shareholders.  

I’m expecting the business to pay an annual dividend per share in FY26 that equates to a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.1% in FY26, including franking credits. I think that’s a good starting point with the yield.

The post Want to build a second income? I’d buy these ASX shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL) shares enjoyed a big lift last week following the release of the company’s strong half-year earnings results (H1 FY 2026).

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) wealth management and technology company closed up 16.6% on Wednesday, the day of the results release. And the stock gained another 6.0% on Thursday.

All up, Netwealth shares gained 21.1% in the week just past.

During the Monday lunch hour today, shares are giving back some of those gains, down 1.8% at $25.40 each.

Which could make now an opportune time to buy, according to Catapult Wealth’s Dylan Evans (courtesy of The Bull).

Should you buy Netwealth shares today?

According to Evans:

Netwealth agreed in late 2025 to pay compensation of $100.7 million to customers who invested in the First Guardian Master Fund, a collapsed fund that was included on its platform.

While Netwealth shares were negatively impacted by the First Guardian failure, Evans noted that the losses incurred are now water under the proverbial bridge.

“On February 18, 2026, investors responded positively to the company’s first half results in fiscal year 2026,” he said.

Digging into those results, Evans said:

Platform revenue of $189 million was up 25.3% on the prior corresponding period. A statutory loss of $2.2 million includes the First Guardian compensation expense. Excluding the expense, net profit after tax of $69 million was up 19.9%.

And the ASX 200 wealth manager is on the growth path.

“Netwealth is the second fastest growing superannuation and investment platform in Australia, driven in part by technology investment and leadership in a rapidly changing sector,” Evans said.

And Evans expects the company has plenty of growth runway left ahead of it.

“With less than 9% of market share, Netwealth still has plenty of room to continue growing in double digits,” he concluded.

Don’t forget the passive income!

Another reason you might want to buy Netwealth shares is for the passive income on offer.

With underlying half-year net profit after tax leaping 19.9% year on year, management declared a fully franked interim dividend of 21 cents per share. That’s up 20% from last year’s interim payout.

If you want to grab the interim Netwealth dividend, you’ll need to own shares at market close on 3 March. Netwealth trades ex-dividend on 4 March.

You can then expect to receive see passive income payout land in your bank account on 26 March.

The post Up 21% last week, why Netwealth shares are still a buy today 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 positions in and has recommended Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you are looking for some portfolio additions, then it could be worth hearing what analysts are saying about the ASX 200 shares in this article, courtesy of The Bull.

Do they rate them as buys, holds, or sells? Let’s find out.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Shaw and Partners is positive on this conglomerate and has named it as a buy this week.

The broker believes that the Bunnings and Kmart owner is one of Australia’s best managed companies and positioned to continue delivering long term value. It said:

This industrial conglomerate remains one of the best managed companies in Australia. Its management team consistently demonstrates smart capital allocation and a disciplined acquisition strategy amid maintaining a strong oversight on operations across its diverse group of businesses. This quality of leadership gives me confidence that Wesfarmers can continue delivering long term value, even through changing economic conditions.

Its diversified revenue streams across retail, chemicals and industrial operations also provide resilience that few companies can match. The company posted its first half results for fiscal year 2026 on February 19. Revenue of $24.212 billion was up 3.1 per cent on the prior corresponding period. Statutory net profit after tax of $1.603 billion increased 9.3 per cent.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

Over at Catapult Wealth, its analysts were pleased with the banking giant’s quarterly update.

However, due to bank stock valuations looking stretched, it has put a hold rating on Westpac’s shares. It said:

The bank’s first quarter update in fiscal year 2026 was positive, with profit growth of 6 per cent, excluding notable items, tracking ahead of consensus. The bank’s cost cutting program has the potential to boost earnings. Upside potential is backed by one of the best balance sheets in the sector, and a strong retail banking franchise. Despite the positives, Westpac and the broader banking sector remain relatively expensive given modest growth expectations, so it’s difficult to make a case for an overweight allocation.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)

The team at Shaw and Partners is also positive on supermarket giant Woolworths. The broker has named it as a buy this week.

Its analysts like Woolworths due to its defensive earnings and investments in digital shopping, supply chain improvements, and customer experience. It said:

The supermarket giant’s revenue base is remarkably consistent, supported by everyday essential spending. Even during softer economic periods, consumers continue to prioritise groceries and household staples, which helps stabilise WOW’s earnings. The company’s ongoing investment in digital shopping, supply chain improvements and customer experience initiatives should continue to support dependable, long term performance.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Wesfarmers, Westpac, and Woolworths shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 4 reasons to buy Wesfarmers shares today
• 3 of the best Aussie stocks I would buy
• Where to invest $10,000 in ASX 200 blue chip shares today
• Here’s the earnings forecast out to 2030 for Wesfarmers shares
• 2 more ASX 200 blue chip stocks that increased dividends this week

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