Category: Stock Market

Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF) shares are pushing close to a 52-week high on Wednesday after the agriculture business released its FY 2026 half-year results.

At the time of writing, the Nufarm share price is up more than 11% to $2.85.

Today’s gain adds to a stronger recent run for the ASX agriculture stock, with Nufarm shares up more than 20% over the past month.

The last time Nufarm shares traded above this level was in July 2025.

Let’s take a closer look at the announcement.

Profit and cash flow improve

Nufarm reported statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $38 million for the half, up 28% on the prior corresponding period.

Underlying NPAT rose 35% to $52 million, while underlying EBITDA increased 18% to $243 million.

The company also reported a gross profit margin of 33%, up 3.7 percentage points.

Revenue was lower at $1.7 billion, down 5% year on year, but the market appears to be focusing more on margins, cash flow, and debt.

Free cash flow improved by $193 million compared with the prior corresponding period.

Net debt fell to $1.23 billion, down $135 million, while leverage improved to 3.6 times.

Nufarm said net debt to EBITDA reduced by 20% on the prior period.

Crop Protection leads the result

Crop Protection did most of the work in the first-half.

The division delivered underlying EBITDA of $223 million, up 18% on the prior corresponding period. On a constant currency basis, EBITDA rose 6%.

Nufarm attributed the improvement to a better product mix and tighter cost control.

Europe was the strongest region, with underlying EBITDA rising 19% to $113 million. The company said lower operating costs helped offset a softer revenue result.

North America also improved, with underlying EBITDA rising 11% in local currency. Nufarm pointed to strong volumes in the United States, a solid contribution from Crop Protection, and a strong result in Canada.

APAC was weaker, with underlying EBITDA down 15%. Dry conditions in Australia and currency impacts weighed on the region.

Seed Technologies has a better half

Seed Technologies also moved in the right direction.

The division delivered underlying EBITDA of $58 million, up from $27 million a year earlier.

Hybrid Seeds grew underlying EBITDA by 7%, with demand supported by edible oils and renewable fuels.

The bigger improvement came from Emerging Platforms, where the underlying EBITDA loss narrowed to $4 million. That compares with a $30 million loss in the prior corresponding period.

Omega-3 was the main driver of the improvement, with Nufarm also securing its first regulatory approval in Japan.

The company also reported progress across canola, carinata, and sorghum varieties, which remain part of its longer-term growth plans.

Why investors are picking up Nufarm shares

The stronger first half comes as Nufarm continues to tighten up the business.

Management said its strategy refresh is focused on capital allocation, cost discipline, earnings quality, and cash generation.

The company also reaffirmed its FY 2026 outlook for underlying EBITDA and leverage.

Nufarm expects positive free cash flow in FY 2026 and is targeting leverage of about 2 x net debt to underlying EBITDA by the end of FY 2026.

It is also targeting capital expenditure below $200 million.

The post Nufarm shares jump 11% as turnaround signs continue 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 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.

Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE) shares are under pressure today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) automotive retail group closed yesterday trading for $22.35. In morning trade on Wednesday, shares are swapping hands for $21.86 apiece, down 2.2%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.2% at this same time.

Taking a step back Eagers Automotive shares remain up 25% over the past 12 months, outpacing the 2.8% one -year gains posted by the benchmark index.

The ASX 200 stock also trades on a 3.5% fully franked trailing dividend yield.

Here’s what’s happening today.

Eagers Automotive shares saw record 2025 earnings

Investors are bidding down Eagers Automotive shares today, despite the company foreshadowing ongoing strength at its Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Taking a look at the company’s 2025 performance, which saw Eagers stock notch a record closing high of $34.73 a share on 13 October, CEO Keith Thornton noted that the company “delivered a series of highly consequential outcomes” over the year.

That includes its entry into Canada through Eager’s largest-ever investment in CanadaOne Auto; the formation of Eager’s strategic partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation; and a successful $452 million capital raise.

Impressively, the company also achieved more than $1.8 billion in revenue growth, up 16.5% year on year. And 2025 saw Eagers report record underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $620.9 million, up $70 million from the prior year.

What’s next for the ASX 200 stock?

Looking at what could impact Eagers Automotive shares in the months ahead, investors may be jittery today amid ongoing uncertainty from global events.

“While we remain mindful of external uncertainty, the underlying performance of the business is strong,” Thornton said.

Highlighting that strength, he noted that across Eager’s Australian and New Zealand businesses, year-to-date through to the end of April, turnover is up approximately 5% compared to the same period last year.

And the company’s order bank has grown by 70% since December.

According to Thornton:

Given our strong order bank, we will seek to maximise deliveries ahead of 30 June this year. However, supply constraints are creating some near-term uncertainty leading into the half year.

Eagers Automotive expects to deliver a first half (H1 2026) underlying profit before tax in line with, or slightly ahead of, H1 2025 across its Australia and New Zealand operations.

As for what investors might expect from Eagers Automotive shares in the second half, Thornton concluded:

Looking to the second half, the outlook is positive. We expect an uplift in deliveries, supported by improved supply through our scaled partnership with Toyota following a materially constrained first half.

Our substantial order bank and continued demand for new energy vehicles will further underpin second half performance. Our second half will also benefit from a full half contribution from CanadaOne, which has a similar second half skew expected from its Toyota operations, along with full half contributions from our recent Australian acquisitions.

The post Why are Eagers Automotive shares tumbling on Wednesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Iron ore magnate Gina Rinehart has bankrolled the purchase of a 9.15% stake in Southern Cross Media Ltd (ASX: SXL) by former Seven Network commercial director Bruce McWilliam.

Loan agreement struck

Documents lodged with the ASX on Wednesday list Mr McWilliam as the owner of the shares, with Ms Rinehart’s company Hanrine Finance having a “security deed” – a loan agreement – over the shares.

Ms Rinehart has previously owned interests in Network Ten and Fairfax Media, and also has interests in listed mining companies such as Arafura Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: ARU).

Southern Cross Media merged with Seven West Media earlier this year in a deal worth $400 million, with the combined companies expected to realise $25 to $30 million in annual cost savings.

Seven West’s key brands at the time included the suite of Seven television channels, the newspaper The West Australian, and the free online publication The Nightly.

Southern Cross’s key brands were the Triple M radio network, the Hit network, and the audio streaming service, Listnr.

It is unclear at this stage what Mr McWilliam’s intentions regarding his stake are, although there is reported speculation that he could launch a full takeover bid or seek a board position at some point.

Media companies have struggled in recent years, with the value of both Southern Cross and Seven West falling from figures in the billions to just a couple of hundred million each before the merger went through.

New broom to usher in growth

Southern Cross recently announced the appointment of a new Managing Director, Rohan Lund, who joined the company from his previous role as head of the NRMA from 2016 to 2025, where he “led the organisation’s transformation into a diversified transport, tourism and services group, with a strong focus on digital capability, brand trust, sustainability and member experience”.

Mr Lund has also held roles as Chief Operating Officer of Foxtel, Group Chief Operating Officer of Seven West Media, founding Chief Executive Officer of Yahoo!7, and Chief Strategy Officer at Singtel Optus.

Chairman Heith Mackay- Cruise said of the appointment:

Rohan brings deep media experience, digital and technology‑enabled transformation capability, and values‑driven leadership skills. He has led complex organisations through significant change, while maintaining a strong focus on culture, trust and long‑term value creation. The Board is looking forward to working with Rohan to achieve our strategic objectives.

Southern Cross shares were 2.6% higher in early trade at 59.5 cents. The company is valued at $277.7 million.

The post Billionaire Gina Rinehart is behind the buy up of a big stake in which ASX media company? 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 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.

AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL) shares are trading in the red again on Wednesday morning. At the time of writing the shares are down around 1% to $8.62 a piece.

The latest decline means the energy provider’s shares have now tumbled 19% from their peak. The share price is also down 8% for the year-to-date and 16% lower than this time last year.

It’s been a relatively volatile ride for AGL shares over the past year, with several surges and troughs which saw the shares swing anywhere between $8.03 to $10.60.

What caused the 19% selloff?

In February, AGL reported flat underlying EBITDA and a 6% decline in underlying net profit after tax. 

But investors were excited by the company’s upgraded FY26 guidance figures.  As part of the announcement, AGL forecast a full-year underlying EBITDA of $2.02 billion to $2.18 billion. Previously, the range was $1.92 billion to $2.22 billion.

Its underlying net profit guidance was also tightened to $580 million to $680 million, from a much wider range of $500 million to $700 million.

Within a few days, AGL shares had surged nearly 20%. 

But as quick as the share price climbed, it tumbled 16% by mid-March. 

Since then, the shares have zig zagged. Slumping sentiment, lower wholesale electricity prices and battery and grid uncertainty have been among AGL’s headwinds. 

Meanwhile, news of a binding Foundation Gas Sales Agreement (GSA) with Amplitude Energy Ltd (ASX: AEL), and updated guidance figures helped act as tailwinds.

AGL is now guiding underlying EBITDA between $2.06 billion and $2.18 billion, and underlying NPAT between $610 million and $680 million for FY26.

Now the question is, what can we expect next from AGL Energy shares?

Are AGL Energy shares a buy, sell or hold?

Analyst outlook for AGL Energy shares over the next 12 months is incredibly mixed.

TradingView data shows that five out of eight analysts have a buy or strong buy rating on the stock. Another two rate AGL Energy shares as a hold and one has a strong sell rating.

Over on Market Index, three brokers are split between a buy, hold and sell stance.

However, consensus is still for an upside ahead.

The average $11.02 target price implies a $28% upside at the time of writing. Although some think the shares could slump 8% to $9.28 and others think it could rocket 48% higher to $12.76.

Shaw and Partners is one broker which currently rates the energy giant as a hold. It said that while there are positives, it is concerned about the challenges that AGL energy faces when it comes to asset transitions and evolving policy settings. The broker adds that earnings stability has improved, but execution risk still remains.

Elsewhere, Ord Minnett has a buy rating on AGL. The broker thinks the market underappreciates the pace and scale of AGL’s transition strategy.

The post AGL Energy shares tumble 19% from their peak: Buy, sell or hold? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 0.1% time of writing today, but this ASX All Ords gold stock is marching higher.

The outperforming gold miner in question is Barton Gold Holdings Ltd (ASX: BGD).

Barton Gold shares closed yesterday trading for 91.5 cents. In early morning trade on Wednesday, shares are changing hands for 93.0 apiece, up 1.6%.

Here’s what’s catching investor interest on Wednesday.

ASX All Ords gold stock jumps on exploration results

Before market open this morning, Barton Gold announced the results of the first round of assays from the ‘Phase 2’ upgrade drilling campaign underway at its Tunkillia Gold Project, located in South Australia.

The ASX All Ords gold stock is currently engaged in a 30,000-metre exploratory reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the project. Barton Gold has three drill rigs now operating at Tunkillia, aiming for a Mineral Resources Estimate (MRE) upgrade in the open pit areas.

On that front, the latest assays bode well, with the miner reporting some holes drilled into broad intersections that infill its currently modelled Area 51 mineralisation zone. Management noted that these include the highest-grade assays to date in Area 52, which they said indicate potential for optimised open pit growth and “further high-value extensions”.

One drill hole returned 52 metres ay 0.95 grams of gold per tonne from 101 metres depth, including 2 metres @ 2.84 g/t Au from 117 metres depth.

The ASX All Ords gold stock hopes to complete a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) before the end of the year. That will support its Mining Lease (ML) application and assist with upcoming project finance planning.

What did Barton Gold management say?

Commenting on the assay results helping boost the ASX All Ords gold stock today, Barton managing director Alexander Scanlon said:

Phase 1 drilling already confirmed the higher-grade mineralisation driving Tunkillia’s exceptional economics, where its ‘Starter Pit’ can repay development 2x over in the first year alone, assuming A$5,000 per ounce gold and A$50 per ounce silver.

We are therefore pleased to report that Area 51 has returned higher-grade results than anticipated, indicating potentially higher-value mineralisation, resource growth and also extensions of the optimised open pit and mine life.

Looking ahead, Scanlon added:

Tunkillia is on track for dual gold and silver resource upgrades, conversion to Ore Reserves, completion of a PFS and a Mining Lease application, all in the context of a considerably more favourable gold and silver price environment.

With today’s intraday gains factored in, Barton Gold shares are up 19.2% since this time last year, outpacing the 2.9% gains posted by the All Ords.

The post ASX All Ords gold stock lifting off today on higher-grade gold intercepts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Web Travel Group Ltd (ASX: WEB) shares are more than 4% higher after the company announced a strong set of full year numbers, with net profit more than tripling from the previous year.

Numbers higher across the board

In a statement to the ASX, the company said that total transaction volume (TTV) was up 20% compared with FY25 to $5.8 billion, driven by “significant organic growth in the Americas and Europe” while TTV margins improved 0.1% to 6.8%.

Revenue increased 20% to $394.1 million while net profit was up from $11.1 million in FY25 to $35.5 million.

Bookings in the company’s WebBeds division were up 18% year on year driven by strong results in the Americas and Europe, while the Asia Pacific (APAC) and Middle East and Africa (MEA) divisions were both impacted by the conflict in the Middle East.

Web Travel Group Managing Director John Guscic said:

FY26 was a terrific year for the WebBeds business. We continue to win share, TTV margins continue to improve, and our scalable business model is delivering higher operating leverage. WebBeds’ EBITDA margin remains world class. We have been able to maintain our market-leading TTV growth rate with no margin pressure. WebBeds delivered $1 billion incremental TTV1 this year at an improved margin compared with last year, demonstrating disciplined growth and margin resilience. This impressive result was delivered in an environment where the conflict in the Middle East placed downward pressure on Bookings and TTV in March 2026. The key driver of our FY26 result was the outstanding performance of our Americas business which saw Bookings 41% higher than the previous year. Europe also performed well with Bookings up 19%.

Mr Guscic said while APAC and MEA were both impacted by the Middle East conflict they both increased bookings during the period.

He added:

We continue to gain share by expanding our existing portfolio, winning new customers, enhancing supply sources, extending geographic reach and improving conversions. This is a direct result of the skill, dedication and focused execution from our teams around the world.

Mr Guscic said the company continued to see exciting growth opportunities despite the uncertainty in the market.

Strong start to the year

On the outlook, for the first eight weeks of FY27 bookings were up 6%.

TTV was up 4% in constant currency and down 6% in Australian dollars compared to the same period last year. Americas and Europe continue to deliver growth but the conflict continues to have a material impact on MEA and, to a lesser extent, APAC. Importantly we continue to expect FY27 TTV margins of at least 6.5%, reflecting ongoing pricing discipline and resilience in the underlying business model.

Web Travel Group Chair Roger Sharp said the company was well-placed from a balance sheet perspective should any attractive M&A opportunities arise.

He said given the uncertainty in the market the company was taking a prudent approach to capital management.

Today, Web Travel Group shares have opened 4% higher. The company is valued at $861.3 million.

The post Why are shares in this ASX travel company charging higher today? 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 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.

Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV) shares are falling on Wednesday morning.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 share is down 4% to a 52-week low of $2.95.

This follows the release of an investor day update from the Dan Murphy’s and BWS owner.

Why is the ASX 200 share falling today?

Investors have responded negatively to Endeavour’s new strategy update, which aims to drive revenue growth, improve efficiency, and support long-term shareholder returns.

Following a strategic review led by CEO and managing director Jayne Hrdlicka, the ASX 200 share has identified three priority areas for growth.

These are resetting its multi-brand retail strategy, unlocking the growth potential in its hotels business, and simplifying operations to reduce costs.

Retail reset

A key focus of the strategy is restoring stronger momentum in Endeavour’s retail business.

This comprises 1,737 retail liquor stores nationally, approximately 9 million active members across its retail programs, and around 180 million retail customer touchpoints over the last 12 months.

The company plans to reinforce Dan Murphy’s price leadership and reposition both Dan Murphy’s and BWS to better serve different customer groups.

For Dan Murphy’s, the focus will be on restoring its position as the destination for value and range, supported by sharper pricing, a more customer-led range, and stronger use of its digital assets.

For BWS, management wants to build on the brand’s convenience position, improve the digital experience, localise ranges, and deliver more value through customer engagement platforms.

Hotels investment to increase

The ASX 200 share sees a significant opportunity in its hotels business.

The company owns Australia’s largest pub network, with 352 hotels and approximately 1.1 million pub+ registrations.

Management plans to lift investment in the network through light-touch renewals, refurbishments, and whole-of-venue repositionings.

The company is targeting a year-two return on investment of more than 15% from growth capital expenditure in hotels. It also expects to increase the number of hotel renewals to 50 to 60 per year over the next three years.

Cost savings and asset sales

Another major part of the update is its cost reduction target.

Endeavour is aiming for $300 million of cost savings by FY 2029, including approximately $100 million in FY 2027. This will be achieved through operational productivity, process simplification, site cost optimisation, and procurement and supply chain improvements.

The ASX 200 share is also simplifying its asset base.

Its Pinnacle Drinks business has been repositioned to support retail and focus on higher-return brands. As part of this, Endeavour plans to exit the majority of its winery and vineyard portfolio, including Chapel Hill, Oakridge, and Josef Chromy.

Dividends take a hit

The company’s plans will impact its dividends in the near term, which could be what is weighing on its shares today.

To maintain funding flexibility and prioritise growth investment, management has changed its targeted dividend payout ratio to between 50% and 75% of underlying net profit after tax.

Commenting on the plans, Hrdlicka said:

We examined the business through a number of lenses and have made the tough choices required to deliver the Group’s next phase of growth. With a disciplined focus on customer value, a targeted step-up in Hotel investment, a hard eye to cost and a simplified asset base, we have begun to execute our transformation.

There is significant untapped potential in Australia’s best Retail liquor brands and Hotels, and we now have the roadmap in place to ensure that potential is fully realised for our customers and our shareholders.

The post Which ASX 200 share is sinking to a 52-week low after cutting its dividend payouts? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Endeavour Group. 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.

Building wealth does not usually come from one big decision. It’s the result of investing regularly, staying patient, and giving your money enough time to grow.

That’s the part many people underestimate. In the early years, the progress can look slow. But over time, the numbers can start to build quickly.

Why compounding is so powerful

Compound interest is what happens when your returns start earning returns of their own.

At the start, most of the growth comes from the money you put in. But over time, the balance gets larger, and the returns can start doing more of the work.

That’s why the later years matter so much. An 8% return on $20,000 adds about $1,600. The same return on a $500,000 portfolio adds roughly $40,000 in a year.

The percentage is the same, but the dollar impact is very different.

The numbers behind a $1 million goal

The biggest advantage is time. A 20-year-old does not need to invest anywhere near as much each month as someone starting at 50, because their money has far longer to grow.

Using the average annual return of 8%, a person starting at 20 would need to invest roughly $190 a month to build a $1 million portfolio by age 65.

Someone waiting until 30 would need closer to $436 a month. By 40, that jumps to about $1,050 a month.

The numbers get much harder later on. A 50-year-old would need to invest almost $2,900 every month to target the same result by 65.

Someone starting at 60 would need more than $13,000 a month.

One way to keep investing simple

For those who don’t want to pick individual shares, a high-growth ETF can be a simple way to start investing.

One example is the Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF (ASX: VDHG). It gives investors exposure to a mix of Australian, international, and emerging-market shares, along with some defensive assets, in a single investment.

This can suit people who want long-term growth, but don’t want to spend every week researching individual companies.

The trade-off is that it still comes with risk. A high-growth ETF can fall when share markets are weak, and investors still need to be comfortable with volatility.

But over long periods, a diversified ETF can make investing easier to stick with. Instead of trying to pick winners, investors can focus on building their portfolio and letting time do the heavy lifting.

The real key to reaching $1 million

The point isn’t to get rich overnight. It is to make investing something you can keep doing through the good and bad times in the market.

Regular investing can also take some pressure off each decision. Instead of trying to pick the perfect entry point, investors can keep adding over time and let the market cycles play out.

Compound interest is not exciting day to day. But give it enough years, and it can turn steady investing into serious wealth.

The post How much do you need to invest each month to retire with $1 million? 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 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.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) shares have traditionally been strong performers for investors.

But over the last 12 months, that hasn’t been the case, with the industrial property company’s shares down over 8%.

Does this make its shares undervalued? Let’s see what Bell Potter is saying about Goodman following its third-quarter update.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter was pleased with Goodman’s update. However, it believes investors will need to be patient when it comes to the company’s data centre operations.

Speaking about its update, the broker said:

GMG released its 3Q26 update with FY26 operating EPS growth of +9% y/y reiterated (BPe +9%, VA consensus +10%), “on track to deliver at least this level of performance.”

Powerbank – The data centre powerbank has increased by 7% to 6.4GW with additional contributions driven by Australia / New Zealand (+0.5GW to 2.1GW). […] The market continues to await leasing momentum, with Vernon (LAX01) now in the hands of Databank post recent JV, as major customer signings across the market have been announced by peers. GMG has a long and successful track record as a customer first business, and we think this reflects a combination of status of GMG projects, as well as extension and complexity of leasing and development timeliness. GMG and market anecdotes highlight the strength of current demand and in-place rental growth if and where supply is available.

Are Goodman shares undervalued?

According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating on Goodman shares with a trimmed price target of $35.50 (from $36.45).

Based on its current share price of $30.01, this implies potential upside of 18% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its buy thesis, the broker highlights that the company’s shares are trading at a discount to medium-term average multiples. This could potentially make now a good time to pick up shares. Bell Potter concludes:

No change to our Buy recommendation. While we do have some question marks vis-a-vis leasing progress, extension of timelines and associated impact on earnings mix and booking of profits, the moat around the haves and have nots for scaled data centre players appears to be widening, recognising the scale and complexity of execution. Post pull back, GMG trades at a discount to its 5yr PE vs. ASX200 avg (28% prem. vs. 52% 5yr avg) with forward customer signings a key driver.

The post Are Goodman shares undervalued? Let’s find out appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The share price of Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX:TPW) has been hit hard of late, dropping around 75% in the last 12 months.

So, what’s happening to this once buoyant ASX retail stock and most importantly, is it still a buy?

What’s happening in the homewares sector broadly?

In 2020/21, with almost all of us spending most of our time at home, homewares became a popular retail category. The pandemic essentially pulled years of demand forward.

Fast forward, and slower housing activity, rising interest rates, a consumer spending crunch and increasing shipping and energy costs have seen Temple & Webster’s share price tumble. Investors have turned away from this ASX retail stock in droves.

But a tough present doesn’t necessarily equate to a broken future. Structural growth remains, with the Australian furniture market predicted to grow steadily over the next decade, driven by renovation and lifestyle trends.

Short term pain, long-term gain for this ASX retail stock?

Despite some short-term pain, Temple & Webster offers solid fundamentals. But alongside current market headwinds, it is also facing a common business challenge – can it scale margins as it grows?

In February 2026, Temple & Webster reported H1 FY26 revenue of $375.9 million, up 19.8% on the prior corresponding period. However, it seems investors weren’t impressed with its profits, down 36%. Its gross margins also proved a sticking point, dropping to 30.5% from 32.4% in H1 FY25.

This margin decline is likely driven by a combination of factors. Rising customer acquisition costs, aggressive price competitiveness strategies and ambitious growth plans, including a recent expansion into New Zealand, are all in the mix.

Its focus has been on building market share quickly at the expense of short-term profit; a strategy outgoing CEO Mark Coulter has been very vocal about.

But investors responded resoundingly to its February earnings announcement. The ASX retail stock’s share price fell 25% in the aftermath.

In its May 2026 trading update, the company announced a rebalancing of profit and growth with a raft of pivots. These include new promotional activities, repricing across the catalogue and a slowing of fixed-cost growth.  

It seems the shift has proven effective so far, with Temple & Webster recording the most profitable April in its history.

With incoming CEO Susie Sugden (ex. Genesis Capital) set to take the helm in July, it is an interesting time for Temple & Webster. Coulter is set to stay on board as Executive Chair, and it seems likely that the current strategy will broadly continue to play out under new leadership.

Sugden’s marketing background and direct experience as a former Chief Marketing Officer at Temple & Webster should provide a steady hand.

So, is Temple & Webster a buy right now?

In my opinion, it’s an attractive entry point for patient investors. There is opportunity here for those who are prepared to weather significant volatility in the near term.

While discretionary spending is likely to continue to be slow throughout 2026, Temple & Webster is looking longer term. It has already shown it can execute on ambitious plans in an often challenging retail market. And if the current strategy is similarly executed, it will have a healthy market share to generate significant profits when consumer confidence returns.

The post Down 75%: Is this beaten down ASX retail stock a buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Melissa Maddison 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 Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.