Category: Stock Market

Well, the first earnings season of 2026 is well and truly underway today with the release of the latest financials from the ASX 200 bank stock and blue-chip share, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA). CBA’s earnings, and dividend announcements by extension, are always one of the most-watched events of any ASX earnings season. This is due to CBA’s status as one of the largest (the largest until recently) S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares and, being Australia’s largest bank, a litmus test of the broader health of our economy.

This morning, Commonwealth Bank did indeed drop its latest numbers, covering the six months to 31 December 2025. And they have delighted investors, judging by what CBA shares are up to right now.

As we went through this morning, it was a rather pleasant earnings report for investors to dive into. The bank reported a statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $5.41 billion, up 5% over the same period in 2024. Cash net profits rose by an even better 6% to $5.45 billion, while the bank claimed a return on equity (ROE) metric of 13.8%, up 10 basis points.

So it’s perhaps no surprise that we are seeing CBA shares jump a healthy 6.77% at the time of writing to $169.49 a share – a three-month high.

But let’s talk about what CBA had to say about its next dividend.

CBA shares jump as record interim dividend revealed

The good news continues on this front, with CBA today unveiling a new interim dividend of $2.35 per share. This interim dividend, which will naturally come with full franking credits attached, represents a 4.44% increase over the interim dividend of $2.25 per share that investors enjoyed last year. It is also the largest interim dividend the bank has ever paid out.

Together with the final dividend of $2.60 per share from September, it takes CBA’s 12-month dividend total to an all-time high of $4.95 per share.

This latest dividend represents a payout ratio of 74% of CBA’s normalised net profits, right in the middle of the bank’s 70% to 80% payout target.

It is set to arrive in eligible shareholders’ bank accounts late next month on 30 March. However, if investors don’t yet own CBA shares but wish to receive this payment, they will need to own shares by the end of trade on 17 February. That’s before the bank trades ex-dividend on 18 February.

CBA is running its dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) for this payout too. So if any shareholders wish to receive additional CBA shares rather than the traditional cash payment, they can opt to do so by 20 February.

At the current CBA share price, this ASX 200 bank stock is trading on a trailing dividend yield of 2.86%. Factoring in this new dividend, though, we can give CBA a forward dividend yield of 2.92%.

The post Here’s everything you need to know about the new CBA dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares are having yet another day to forget on Wednesday.

In morning trade, the biotechnology giant’s shares are down 12% to a multi-year low of $150.16.

Investors have been selling the company’s shares after Australia’s bluest blue-chip became a shambles by announcing the sudden exit of its CEO the night before its half-year results.

CSL shares crash on results and CEO exit

Let’s start with the CEO exit. As we covered here yesterday, CSL shocked the market by announcing that Dr Paul McKenzie was retiring after a disastrous three years in the role.

The company advised that effective today, highly experienced former CSL senior executive and non-executive director Gordon Naylor has been appointed interim CEO and managing director.

CSL’s chair, Dr Brian McNamee AO, said:

Paul and the Board have determined that now is the right time for new leadership to continue to drive CSL’s strategic transformation and performance.

Results

Putting further pressure on CSL shares was the release of half-year results that were disappointing.

The company posted underlying NPATA of US$1.9 billion, which was down 7% on the prior corresponding period. This profit decline reflects a number of factors such as government policy changes and one-off charges. CSL’s chief financial officer, Ken Lim, said:

We are clearly not satisfied with our performance and have implemented a number of initiatives to drive stronger growth going forward. Our first-half results were also adversely impacted by a number of factors including government policy changes, one-off restructuring costs and impairments. In the second half we have an ambitious growth plan, driven by immunoglobulin (Ig), albumin and our newly launched products.

What were the drivers of the result?

The company’s key CSL Behring business had a disappointing half. It reported a 7% decline in revenue to US$5.5 billion. This reflects a 6% decline in immunoglobulins revenue due partly to Medicare Part D reforms.

The CSL Seqirus business posted total revenue of US$1.6 billion, down 2% on the prior corresponding period. This was driven by non-recurring avian influenza outbreak revenue in FY 2025.

Finally, the CSL Vifor business posted a 12% increase in total revenue to US$1.2 billion. This was driven by growth in nephrology, partially offset by a decline in iron due to competition from generic products.

Outlook

One positive is that management has reaffirmed its guidance for the full year. It continues to target approximately 2% to 3% revenue growth and 4% to 7% NPATA growth at constant currency. This excludes one-off restructuring costs and impairments. It stated:

The Company has an ambitious growth plan for the second half and maintains its guidance for the 2026 financial year of approximately 2-3% growth in revenue and 4-7% growth in NPATA, excluding one-off restructuring costs and impairments, at constant currency. For CSL Behring, second-half growth is expected to be driven by Ig, albumin and newly launched products.

In addition, the company will be buying back more CSL shares. It advised that its share buy-back has been expanded from US$500 million to US$750 million, reflecting its strong balance sheet and cash flow.

The post CSL shares crash 12% on half-year results and shock CEO exit appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Here’s everything you need to know about CSL’s upcoming dividend
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• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
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• CSL prepares for half-year results as CEO transition comes into focus

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

Shares in Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) are trading higher on Tuesday morning after the company announced a change at the top.

At the time of writing, the Domino’s share price is up 2.91% to $23.

The announcement comes just weeks before the pizza chain is due to report its half-year results on 25 February 2026.

A new leader for the next phase

In an ASX release today, Domino’s confirmed it has appointed Andrew Gregory as its incoming Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director.

Gregory brings more than 30 years of experience in the quick-service restaurant sector. Most recently, he held senior leadership roles at McDonald’s, including Senior Vice President for global franchising, development and delivery in the United States.

Domino’s said Gregory will commence in the role no later than 5 August 2026, once he has completed his current employment obligations. A transition period will take place in the meantime to ensure a smooth handover.

Executive Chairman Jack Cowin said the appointment followed a comprehensive global search and reflects the board’s focus on long-term leadership stability. He added that Gregory’s background in franchising and operations makes him well placed to lead the business through its next phase of improvement and growth.

Company profile and recent performance

Domino’s Australia is the largest franchisee of the Domino’s brand outside the United States. It is headquartered in Brisbane and operates across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and several European markets.

The group earns revenue from company-owned stores, franchise operations, and supply chain services. Over the years, Domino’s has built one of the largest food service networks listed on the ASX.

Despite its scale, the company has faced challenges in recent years. Store closures, cost pressures, and softer consumer demand in some regions have weighed on earnings and investor sentiment.

Share price context

Domino’s shares have been volatile over the past year. After falling sharply earlier in FY26, the stock has recovered from its lows but remains well below levels seen earlier in the decade.

The recent rebound suggests some investors are becoming more constructive, although confidence remains sensitive to earnings updates and management execution.

What investors are watching next

Attention now turns to Domino’s half-year results, due on 25 February 2026.

Investors will be looking closely at sales trends, margins, and any commentary around trading conditions in key markets. Guidance for the second half of the year is also likely to be a major focus.

While the CEO appointment has been welcomed by the market, the upcoming earnings result will be a more important test of whether the business is stabilising.

The post Domino’s shares catch investors’ attention today. Here’s what was announced appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 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.

ASX shares benefiting from growth trends can be smart buys if their earnings are being driven by an undeniable tailwind. The growth theme that I’m going to highlight in this article is cybersecurity.

The world is becoming increasingly digital as the years go by, with almost every sector seeing changes. Think about work, learning, communication, education, shopping, banking, filing tax returns, and more – many of these areas have changed significantly.

The more these activities occur online, the more important it is to protect users and core systems from cybercrime. Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing sector that can help tackle this problem.

Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that global spending on cybersecurity over the five-year period of 2021 to 2025 will be a cumulative total of US$1.75 trillion, representing year-over-year growth of 15%. I’d imagine almost every ASX share would love to say its industry is growing at 15% per year.

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

This is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that aims to give investors access to the world’s leading cybersecurity companies. That includes both global cybersecurity giants as well as emerging players from different countries.

There are currently 32 businesses in the portfolio, which include names like Cisco Systems, CrowdStrike, Fortinet, and Okta. These companies are from a variety of countries, including the US, India, France, Israel, and Canada.

We don’t necessarily need to pick which of these businesses will be the biggest winners – it’s a diversified bet on the sector.

The HACK ETF has done well for investors over the long term – since August 2016, it has delivered an average annual return of 15.9%, which is a fantastic level of performance. But, past performance is not a guarantee of future returns, of course.

While management fees shouldn’t necessarily have a significant impact on net returns, it’s useful to know that management costs are an annual 0.67%.

Qoria Ltd (ASX: QOR)

Wilson Asset Management recently provided its monthly update about the listed investment company (LIC) WAM Microcap Ltd (ASX: WMI), which included ASX share Qoria.

WAM described Qoria as a business that develops cloud-based cybersecurity and child protection software for schools and families worldwide.

The fund manager noted that the Qoria share price fell in January as the market focused on profitability and diminishing cash reserves, despite promising growth metrics, such as annual recurring revenue (ARR) surpassing US$100 million and continued growth.

But the Qoria share price has since bounced back sharply after the ASX share received a takeover offer from Aura, which has agreed to acquire the ASX share at 72 cents per share.

But, gaining investment access to Qoria will not be disappearing from the ASX – Aura will give Qoria shareholders 1 Aura CHESS depositary interest (CDI) for every 17.2 ordinary Qoria shares they own. Qoria’s shares represent, in aggregate, 35% of Aura.

The ASX share has a promising future of revenue growth, whether it’s as a separate entity or part of a merged business.

The post 2 exciting ASX shares to buy to take advantage of this huge theme rising at 15% per year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Wam Microcap. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, Cisco Systems, CrowdStrike, Fortinet, and Okta. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CrowdStrike and Okta. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares have been a very effective ASX dividend share to invest for passive income at certain times over the last few years. When the ASX mining share declines in value, it can boost the potential future dividend yield.

The business is exposed to a number of different commodities including iron ore, copper and coal. The BHP share price has risen by more than 20% in the past six months, which has been a headwind for a high dividend yield.

However, I’m not sure this is the best time to invest because of how strongly the ASX mining share has performed in recent times. Instead, I think the following ASX dividend shares could be a better buy.

L1 Long Short Fund Ltd (ASX: LSF)

This is a listed investment company (LIC). Its purpose is to invest in a mixture of ASX and global shares. It can utilise short selling as part of its strategy.

It likes to look at areas of the share market with a lower price/earnings (P/E) ratio for opportunities. It thinks “low P/E stocks will strongly outperform high P/E stocks (in general) over the coming 1-2 years”.

Since the strategy’s inception, materials (mining) has been the best-performing sector for the portfolio. So, over time, the LIC has been an effective way to make investment returns from the mining sector with diversified exposure, not just by owning BHP shares.

Since the LIC’s beginning in April 2018, its overall portfolio has returned an average of 15.1% per year. This has helped the ASX dividend share deliver investors a growing dividend since it started paying one in 2021.

It has started paying a quarterly dividend, giving investors more regular cash flow. The annualised dividend of 14 cents per share translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.6%, including franking credits.

The business is rapidly building its profit reserve, which can help fund even larger payouts.

APA Group (ASX: APA)

BHP is increasingly putting its focus on copper, and that’s useful for the diversification of its earnings. But, it’s still quite reliant on its iron ore earnings to deliver good passive income for investors. This means it needs China to continue buying vast quantities of the commodity (and paying a good price for it).

APA’s earnings are much more consistent – it owns a vast portfolio of energy assets, including a massive national network of gas pipelines. It reportedly transports half of the country’s usage.

The business also owns solar farms, wind farms, large batteries and electricity transmission assets connecting different states’ energy grids. As APA continues to invest in its growing portfolio of various energy assets, it is building its cash flow potential to fund larger payouts.

Pleasingly, a significant majority of APA’s revenue is linked to inflation, so the business has benefited from the period of higher inflation.

On the distribution side of things, the business has grown its annual payout every year since 2004 and it’s expecting to grow the passive income again in FY26 to 58 cents per security. At the time of writing, that translates into a forward distribution yield of 6.6%.

The post Forget BHP shares! Buy these ASX dividend shares instead for passive income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in L1 Long Short Fund. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group. The Motley Fool 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.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) has confirmed its next dividend, giving income investors clarity on what to expect over the coming months. The update comes alongside a sharp market reaction, with the CSL share price down 9.32% to $155.42 following the release of its latest results.

The decline has pushed CSL shares to a new multi-year low, not seen since January 2018.

While CSL is not known as a high-yield stock, its dividend remains an important part of overall shareholder returns. The company has long prioritised reinvesting for growth while keeping dividends ticking along in the background, even during periods of share price volatility.

Here are the key details and what they mean for investors.

CSL’s latest dividend at a glance

CSL has declared an interim dividend of US$1.30 per share following the release of its HY26 results.

Here are the important dates to note:

• Ex-dividend date: 10 March 2026
• Record date: 11 March 2026
• Payment date: 9 April 2026

To receive the dividend, investors must own CSL shares before the ex-dividend date.

Is the dividend franked?

This is where CSL differs from many large ASX companies.

CSL’s dividend is 100% unfranked. That means there are no franking credits attached for Australian investors. This reflects the fact that most of CSL’s earnings are generated offshore, particularly in the US and Europe.

The dividend is declared in US dollars, which also introduces a currency element for Australian shareholders. The final amount received in Australian dollars will depend on the exchange rate set closer to the payment date.

What does this mean for the dividend yield?

At current share prices, including today’s sharp pullback, CSL’s dividend yield remains relatively modest compared to banks and supermarkets.

This reflects the company’s ongoing focus on reinvesting in growth, research, and manufacturing capacity, rather than directing a larger share of profits toward income.

A quick look at the financial backdrop

CSL reported HY26 NPATA of US$1.9 billion, with management noting that its transformation program is progressing well. While the result triggered a sell-off in the share price, cash flow remains strong.

That financial strength supports ongoing dividends, an expanded share buyback program, and the company’s maintained full-year guidance, which points to a stronger second half.

What investors should take away

CSL’s dividend is well covered by cash flow, but is unlikely to appeal to investors chasing high income.

The company’s global leadership in plasma therapies, vaccines, and biologics keeps the focus on long-term earnings growth, with dividends playing a supporting role.

The post Here’s everything you need to know about CSL’s upcoming dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• CSL names Gordon Naylor interim CEO as Dr Paul McKenzie retires

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

There has been a broad-based sell-off in Australian technology stocks, driven by the notion that artificial intelligence (AI) will rapidly erode the business models of some of our most successful large businesses.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA) and CAR Group Ltd (ASX: CAR) have not been immune from the sell-off, with shares in both trending sharply lower over the past three months.

AI the great unknown

So, on what basis are they being sold off?

Wilsons Advisory has looked at what they called “The AI fear trade”, and believes the doom and gloom around these particular stocks might be overdone.

Firstly, they explain that recent developments in AI models, such as Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.6, “have shown growing capability in automating coding, workflows, and enterprise tasks”.

They go on to explain:

For software companies, this has sparked concerns that incumbent software providers could be displaced by in-house AI-driven solutions, as well as by new AI-powered entrants. In the online classifieds space, there are mounting fears that AI chatbots could allow users to bypass traditional platforms as gatekeepers to their respective marketplaces.

Broadly speaking, the Wilsons team said, while they are strong believers in the transformative power of AI, “the recent indiscriminate sell-off across tech and tech-adjacent stocks has overly discounted the wide moats of some of the ASX 100’s highest-quality companies, in our view”.

In the case of REA Group and CAR Group, they write, the fear is that AI can aggregate listings across different platforms and become the first port of call for either real estate or vehicle buyers.

They note that currently 80% of site traffic for these businesses is direct to site rather than via search.

The Wilsons team adds:

In a ‘worst-case’ scenario where direct traffic to REA Group and CAR Group declines, and they are pushed downstream from this gatekeeper position, their value propositions to agents and dealers – as the best source of quality leads – could weaken. While listings would likely remain on the platforms, reduced buyer attention would erode network effects and pricing power, particularly undermining ‘pay-for-prominence’ and depth-based advertising models.

If this were to happen, it would weaken yield growth over time, while costs would increase due to referral fees paid to AI platforms and also due to increased marketing spend to win back customers.

The Wilsons team added:

With these concerns front of mind, both stocks have de-rated and now trade below their historical averages, as the market applies a higher discount rate to reflect elevated structural uncertainty.

Solid businesses will be resilient

However, the Wilsons team argues that the AI disruption thesis underappreciates the wide moats of both platforms, underpinned by brand strength, deep proprietary datasets, and integrated ecosystems.

As they go on to say:

As the dominant players in their respective markets, REA Group and CAR Group have built significant brand recognition and trust – critical in high-value purchase decisions (particularly property). This advantage becomes increasingly important in an AI-driven world where search, content, and discovery are becoming more fragmented, favouring trusted incumbents over generic aggregators.

In terms of their datasets, both businesses actually look likely to benefit from using AI, “to deepen the value of their marketplaces, supported by data that third-party models cannot easily replicate”.

REA Group, for example, has decades’ worth of property data that can be used to power its own AI-driven features, such as conversational search, Wilsons says.

And in terms of the business ecosystem, Wilsons argues that both platforms have moved “well beyond” being simple listings platforms, and are tightly integrated into the business of agents and dealers.

Wilsons said further:

Overall, we expect AI investment to support continued yield and depth growth for both REA Group and CAR Group over the medium to long term by enhancing their value propositions. As these benefits flow through to revenue and profitability metrics, AI-related investor concerns around disruption and longer-term pricing power should gradually ease.

The post Does AI spell doom for REA Group and Car Group? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP) share price was in focus today after its half-year 2026 results showed funds from operations of $57.3 million, 5.1% net operating income growth, and reaffirmed guidance for FY26.

What did Centuria Industrial REIT report?

• Funds from Operations (FFO): $57.3 million, or 9.1 cents per unit (cpu), up from 8.9 cpu in HY25
• Distribution per Unit: 8.4 cpu, increased from 8.1 cpu a year earlier
• Net Tangible Assets (NTA): $3.95 per unit
• Like-for-like Net Operating Income (NOI) growth: 5.1%
• Portfolio occupancy: 95.7%, with a 7.1-year weighted average lease expiry
• Portfolio valuation gain: $75 million, the fourth consecutive period of gain

What else do investors need to know?

Centuria Industrial REIT completed a $36 million buy-back of its units, with the share price still trading at around a 20% discount to its net tangible assets. The trust also refinanced $775 million of debt, extending its average debt maturity to four years and locked in a new $325 million Exchangeable Note at a 3.5% coupon.

Leasing activity was robust, with about 144,000 square metres of lease terms agreed—covering 12% of the portfolio—and data centre exposure increased with recent acquisitions and ongoing development applications. The REIT maintained a Baa2 stable Moody’s rating, and gearing remains conservative at 35.9%.

What did Centuria Industrial REIT management say?

Grant Nichols, CIP Fund Manager and Head of Listed Funds, said:

During the period, CIP reinforced its earnings growth profile through prudent capital management and significant leasing activity, capturing robust rental reversion. The REIT benefits from continued tenant demand for urban infill assets with CIP’s portfolio 85% weighted to these markets… Further earnings growth potential is evident across CIP’s portfolio with 60% of leases expiring over the next three years being under-rented, providing an opportunity to execute positive rent reversions.

What’s next for Centuria Industrial REIT?

CIP reaffirmed its upgraded full-year funds from operations guidance, expecting 18.2 to 18.5 cpu, with distributions set at 16.8 cpu, paid quarterly. The trust continues to focus on unlocking rental upside from under-rented properties and value-add development, including more exposure to the growing data centre sector.

Management’s outlook remains positive on the back of strong tenant demand, low national vacancy, and ongoing momentum in industrial asset values. Completion of development and leasing initiatives is expected to underpin future earnings and asset growth.

Centuria Industrial REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Centuria Industrial REIT shares have risen 11%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Centuria Industrial REIT grows earnings and holds guidance for HY26 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is in focus after the company reported a 13 mmboe increase in proved plus probable (2P) reserves before production, and a 17-year 2P reserves life at the end of 2025.

What did Santos report?

• Proved plus probable (2P) reserves: 1,484 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe), up 13 mmboe before production
• Annual proved reserves replacement ratio: 95%
• Developed reserves now 62% of total 2P reserves
• 2P reserves life: 17 years
• 2P reserves mix: 83% gas, 17% liquids
• Estimated revenue from product sales for 2025: ~$4,939 million

What else do investors need to know?

Santos saw its 2P reserves replacement driven by additions in the Cooper Basin and Papua New Guinea assets. Around 40% of total 2P reserves are held in Santos’ international assets.

Contingent resources (2C) decreased to 3,212 mmboe, largely due to divestments in the Petrel and Tern fields. On the climate front, Santos has injected 1 million tonnes of CO₂ into storage and increased its contingent CO₂ storage resources by 24 million tonnes to 202 million tonnes in the Cooper Basin.

What did Santos management say?

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Gallagher said:

Today’s statement is the result of Santos’ disciplined annual reserves review and accounting processes, which include external audit of approximately 97 per cent of total 2P reserves. It’s also pleasing to add another 24 million tonnes of 2C CO₂ storage, which is an important asset to underpin Santos’ decarbonisation strategy and commercial expansion of the successful Moomba CCS project to meet customer demand for CO₂ storage in the future.

What’s next for Santos?

Santos says its focus remains on disciplined capital allocation while supporting the long-term growth of energy demand in Australia and Asia. The continued rise in CO₂ storage capacity, especially at the Moomba CCS project, is seen as a key pillar in meeting both commercial and decarbonisation goals.

Investors can expect further updates when Santos finalises its audited 2025 financial statements. For now, guidance figures including revenue, costs, and other financial metrics remain preliminary.

Santos share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Santos shares have remained flat, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (AS: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Santos 2025 Annual Reserves statement: higher reserves and long-life assets appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The National Storage REIT (ASX: NSR) share price is in focus today after the company delivered a first-half FY26 IFRS profit after tax of $73.7 million and declared a fully-franked interim dividend of 6.0 cents per security.

What did National Storage REIT report?

• IFRS profit after tax: $73.7 million (Earnings per stapled security 5.27 cps)
• Underlying earnings: $84.3 million (Underlying EPS 6.0 cps, up 8.2%)
• Group revenue per available metre (REVPAM): $286/m², up 5.3%
• Operating margin: 68%
• Net tangible assets (NTA): $2.61 per stapled security, up 1.2%
• Interim fully-franked dividend: 6.0 cps, payable 20 February 2026

What else do investors need to know?

National Storage REIT settled 18 acquisitions worth $200 million during the half, expanding its portfolio with 13 operational centres and five sites for future development. Alongside this, 11 new developments were completed in 1H FY26, adding 99,000 square metres of net lettable area.

The company also released its 2025 Sustainability Report, highlighting further progress on environmental goals, including efforts to reduce and offset Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 through solar installations, LED upgrades, and other energy efficiency measures.

In December 2025, NSR entered into a scheme implementation deed with a consortium led by Brookfield Asset Management and GIC. If approved, securityholders are set to receive $2.86 per stapled security at an implied equity value of $4.0 billion.

What did National Storage REIT management say?

Managing Director Andrew Catsoulis said:

Our strong 1H FY26 earnings result has demonstrated both the resilience and embedded capacity for growth of NSR’s business. Underlying earnings for the period increased by 8.2% to $84.3 million, or 6.0 cps, operating margin was 68% and NTA increased to $2.61 per stapled security. NSR’s total assets increased from 30 June 2025 by 7.4% to $6.1 billion, as the total asset value of NSR’s property portfolio rose by 6.2% to $5.65 billion, with valuation uplift again driven predominantly by improved operational performance, with the weighted average capitalisation rate remaining steady at 5.87%.

What’s next for National Storage REIT?

Looking ahead, National Storage REIT continues to focus on portfolio expansion, with 43 active development projects and a pipeline of about 401,000m² of new space. The acquisitions and development pipeline give management clear visibility over medium-term growth.

The proposed acquisition by the Brookfield-GIC consortium remains subject to shareholder, court, and regulatory approvals, with completion targeted for the second quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, management maintains its strategy of maximising occupancy and rental rates while progressing its sustainability commitments.

National Storage REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, National Storage REIT shares have risen 23%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

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The post National Storage REIT grows profit and portfolio in 1H FY26 results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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