Category: Stock Market

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) shares have climbed another 1.85% in Wednesday afternoon trading to a two-year high of $34.90.

The uptick also means the Australian petroleum company’s shares are now 8.6% higher year to date and 50% higher than this time 12 months ago.

What is driving Ampol shares higher?

Ampol is the largest transport energy distributor and retailer in Australia, with more than 1,800 Ampol-branded service stations across the country as of June 2025. Its shares have rocketed higher on the back of conflict in the Middle East and concerns about global oil supply.

Ampol shares have jumped 24% higher since the war between the US and Iran ramped up in late February.

While news that the two nations could be reaching a peace deal temporarily dented Ampol’s share price earlier this month, failure to agree on terms and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to allow oil supplies to flow back through saw demand spike back up again.

As of late April, the two nations are in a temporary, but unstable, ceasefire. The Strait of Hormuz is partially open, but supply continues to be very constrained and unpredictable. 

While news that increased supply has helped cool the price of WTI crude oil, it is still significantly higher than earlier this year. Trading Economics data shows WTI crude oil is currently around US$100 per barrel, up from around US$60 per barrel seen in late February.

Prices for Brent oil, gasoline, and heating oil have also cooled, but remain much higher than before the conflict situation escalated.

And it’s not just fuel prices

Ampol shares have also been driven higher recently off the back of some good news announcements out of the company.

Last week, the Aussie fuel supplier said it has submitted a formal remedy offer with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) about a proposed acquisition of fuel and convenience store operator EG Australia. Ampol revealed it is now offering 41 retail fuel sites for divestment, up from the previously proposed 37, in an effort to address competition concerns raised by the ACCC.

Also last week, Ampol posted its Q1 FY26 trading update, where it confirmed a 10% increase in refinery production, higher refiner margins, and increased production.

The company said it has locked in diesel and jet fuel supply through to the end of May, and gasoline supplies to the end of June, despite rising landed crude costs. 

It confirmed that demand from both consumers and commercial customers in Australia and New Zealand has remained stable despite recent price increases.

Are Ampol shares a buy, sell, or hold?

Analysts think there is still some upside left for Ampol shares this year. TradingView data shows that out of 10 analysts, seven have a buy or strong buy rating on the stock.

The average $36.77 target price implies a 5% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing. Whereas, the maximum $40.80 target pierce implies a potential 17% increase in value.

The post Ampol shares surge 50% to a two-year high: Buy, sell or hold? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX 200 energy shares lift as pessimism over Iran war deepens
• What key update is fueling Ampol shares today?
• Why is everyone talking about Core Lithium, Ampol and Santos shares on Thursday?
• Ampol’s final ACCC remedy brings EG Australia acquisition closer
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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.

It has been an interesting 12 months for the share market.

Income-focused shares, particularly banks and miners, have done a lot of the heavy lifting. At the same time, many growth names and technology stocks have struggled, with sentiment weighed down by valuation concerns and uncertainty around AI disruption.

That shift in leadership has had a clear impact on how different strategies have performed.

Why the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF has performed well

One ETF that has quietly benefited from this environment is the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY).

The VHY ETF focuses on higher-yielding shares within the Australian market. That naturally leads it toward sectors like financials and resources, which have been among the stronger performers over the past year.

For example, companies such as Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) have both delivered solid gains, supported by strong earnings.

I think this highlights an important point. Market returns are not evenly distributed. Leadership changes over time, and in the past year, income has been back in favour. The Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF is designed to capture that.

The role of distributions

It is also worth remembering that returns from an ETF like this do not just come from the share price.

Distributions play a big role. Over the past 12 months, the VHY ETF has paid distributions of 81.14 cents, 65.83 cents, 109.69 cents, and 200.17 cents per unit.

That adds up to a meaningful income stream on top of any capital growth.

What is the investment in the VHY ETF worth now?

Putting it all together. If you had invested $10,000 into the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF a year ago at $71.63, you would have received around 139.6 units.

At today’s price of $82.98, those units would now be worth approximately $11,580.

On top of that, the total distributions over the year come to approximately $4.56 per unit. Across 139.6 units, that equates to roughly $637 in income.

That brings the total value of the investment to around $12,217.

In other words, a $10,000 investment has grown by just over 22% in a year.

Foolish takeaway

I think this is a good example of how different parts of the market can take the lead at different times.

The VHY ETF has benefited from strong performance in dividend-paying sectors, as well as the income those companies generate. That combination has worked well over the past year.

Looking ahead, I think it reinforces the value of diversification. Income strategies can have their moment, just as growth strategies do. The key is having exposure to both and staying invested for the long term.

The post $10,000 invested in the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield (VHY) ETF a year ago is now worth? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Morgans says hold BHP shares and buy this ASX 200 stock      
• Experts name 1 ASX bank share to buy and 2 to sell       
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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group and Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are sliding today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank stock closed yesterday trading for $174.61. In afternoon trade on Wednesday, shares are changing hands for $172.29 apiece, down 1.3%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.3% at this same time.

Despite today’s slip, CBA shares have materially outperformed the benchmark index in 2026, up 6.9% compared to the 0.4% year to date loss posted by the ASX 200.

For a more accurate picture, we should also include the $2.35 a share fully franked interim dividend CommBank paid out on 30 March. That passive income payout followed another half year of strong profitability.

So, if we add that interim dividend back in, then the cumulative value of CBA stock has gained 8.4% so far in 2026, despite the broader Aussie stock market decline.

Which returns us to the topic at hand.

CBA shares: Buy, hold or sell?

Morgans’ Damien Nguyen recently analysed the outlook for Australia’s biggest bank stock (courtesy of The Bull).

“CBA is Australia’s strongest major bank, with a leading retail franchise and consistent profitability,” he noted.

Despite that consistent profitability, Nguyen expressed concerns over the Big Four bank’s current valuation.

According to Nguyen:

However, the market fully recognises these strengths. The shares were recently trading at a significant premium, leaving limited upside as interest rate benefits fade and competition increases.

CBA shares currently trade at a P/E ratio of around 28.

As for the other big four Aussie bank stocks, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares trade on a P/E ratio of around 20 times; ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares trade on a P/E ratio of around 18 times; and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares trade on a P/E ratio of around 18 times.

Explaining his sell recommendation on CBA shares, Nguyen concluded:

While the business remains high quality, future returns are likely to be more modest, in our view. With the company’s valuation pricing in a lot of good news, we see better value elsewhere, supporting a sell view.

Just how profitable is CommBank?

CBA reported its half year results (H1 FY 2026) on 11 February, and it was another profitable six months for the ASX 200 bank stock.

CBA shares closed up 6.8% on the day after the company reported a 6% year on year increase in its half year cash net profit after tax (NPAT) to $5.45 billion.

The post Should you buy CBA shares for their ‘consistent profitability’? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 5 years ago, $10,000 bought 112 CBA shares. How many would it buy now?
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• Buy, hold, sell: Macquarie, Boss Energy, CBA shares
• Experts name 3 ASX 200 shares to sell now

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.

Shares in Pathkey.AI Ltd (ASX: PKY) hit a new 12-month high on Wednesday after the company announced it would buy Singapore-based Chipforge, an AI-driven semiconductor hardware company.

Major share boost

Pathkey.AI shares traded as high as 7.1 cents before settling back to be changing hands for 5.7 cents around noon, up 39.02%.

The company said in its statement to the ASX that Chipforge was developing an Agentic AI platform, “that translates high-level design intent into verified, synthesisable hardware code, shortening chip development cycles that would otherwise take 12–24 months and multi-million-dollar expenditure”.

Pathkey.AI Chair Shannon Robinson said the Chipforge technology complemented the company’s existing offering.

Mr Robinson added:

By adding this complementary AI chip‑design technology to our technology stack, we are materially strengthening our position as a leader in AI. According to a recent article by McKinsey & Company, The global semiconductor market is forecast to reach around US$1 trillion by 2030, driven by AI, data‑centre expansion, edge computing, defence and next‑generation compute workloads. Against that backdrop, owning chip design and verification IP is highly strategic. This transaction accelerates our roadmap, deepens our technical moat, and positions us to capture a far greater share of value as semiconductor spending scales globally.

Pahtkey.AI said Chipforge was developing a design platform for semiconductor engineering, which would “materially reduce the time and cost of designing custom chips, one of the most expensive and time-consuming processes in modern technology”.

Such custom chip design was expensive, the company said, relying as it does on a small global pool of highly specialised hardware engineers.

Pathkey.AI added:

The bottleneck sits in two stages. First, translating a design concept into the precise hardware code that defines how a chip will behave. Second, verifying that the design actually works as intended before it is committed to silicon. Verification alone routinely consumes more than half of a chip project’s total budget and development timeline. Chipforge applies AI agents across the full design workflow.

Share-based deal

Under the terms of the deal, which is still subject to conditions, the owners of Chipforge will be issued 560 million new shares in Pathkey.AI as well as 150 million performance rights.

Pathkey.AI said it had $3.26 million in cash on hand at the end of March and expected to receive R&D rebates in the order of $840,000 over the next 12 months.

The company said it did not expect to carry out a capital raise in association with the new deal.

It added:

Based on its existing cash reserves and expected receipts, the Company considers that it is well funded to support the continued development of both the TrialKey and Chipforge platforms, together with its working capital requirements, over the next 12 months.

Pathkey.AI was valued at $24.9 million at the close of trade on Tuesday.

The post Which junior ASX AI company has rocketed almost 40% on a transformational deal? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• $10,000 invested in the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield (VHY) ETF a year ago is now worth?
• Should you buy CBA shares for their ‘consistent profitability’?
• 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade
• This $7 billion stock just hit fresh highs. Here’s what’s driving the move
• Forget DroneShield shares, I’d buy these ASX defence stocks instead

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.

I think the best time period to invest for is the long term. That gives the ASX share investment the most time to come good, partly thanks to the power of compounding.

But, I wouldn’t invest in something for 10 years just to hold it a long time; I want to own investments that could provide great returns.

So, I’m going to outline two ideas that I’m optimistic can deliver strong earnings growth and great returns in that time.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

GYG is a fast-growing Mexican restaurant business with over 240 locations in Australia, as well as a few restaurants in Japan, Singapore, and the US.

The company has a goal to increase its Australian restaurant network to 1,000 locations within 20 years, which would essentially be a quadrupling of its size.

Not only could that lead to a big rise in network sales, but it will hopefully mean stronger profit margins thanks to scale benefits.

GYG’s network sales are growing at an impressive pace – in the third quarter of FY26, the company generated total network sales growth of 19.5% to $345.9 million, with Australia and Asian comparable network sales growth of 6.6%.

We’re seeing the ASX share’s rising profitability come through in the company’s Australia and Asia segments’ underlying operating profit (EBITDA) margin as a percentage of network sales, which is predicted by the market to improve to between 6% to 6.2%, up from 5.7% in FY25.

In subsequent years, I expect the ASX share’s EBITDA margin will continue to rise, particularly if comparable sales continue to be a solid double-digit percentage each year.

According to the forecast on CommSec, the GYG share price is valued at 39x FY28’s estimated earnings at the time of writing.

Global X S&P World Ex Australia GARP ETF (ASX: GARP)

This is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that aims to invest in the most compelling shares globally. It invests in 250 companies that are spread across multiple countries and sectors, giving it good diversification.

The investment strategy of the fund is to buy companies with robust earnings growth and solid financial strength, trading at reasonable valuations. In other words, a high level of growth at a reasonable price (GARP).

On the growth side of things, these businesses have a strong level of growth in terms of 3-year sales per share and earnings per share (EPS) growth. They also have low levels of debt and a high return on equity (ROE). Finally, the price-earnings (P/E) ratio is appealing for that level of growth.

Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, but the index that this ASX ETF tracks has delivered an average return per year of 16.4%. If it can continue outperforming the global share market (and ASX share market) over the long term, I think it’ll be a great investment to own for the long term.

The post 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• 2 ASX shares that I rate as buys today for both growth and dividends!
• Is this going to be the best-performing ASX ETF for the next decade?
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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Guzman Y Gomez. 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.

Another move higher has pushed this ASX lithium stock to fresh multi-year highs on Wednesday.

Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR) shares are climbing again after a new update landed this morning.

At the time of writing, the share price is up 2.11% to $2.42, marking a new multi-year high.

The rally adds to a strong run this year, with Liontown now up more than 50% in 2026.

A lot of that momentum has come from a rebound in lithium prices, which has lifted sentiment across the sector.

Here’s what the company just announced.

Early works kick off at Kathleen Valley expansion

In its release, Liontown outlined early works and long-lead procurement plans tied to the Kathleen Valley expansion in Western Australia.

This comes ahead of a final investment decision (FID), which Liontown expects in the first quarter of FY27.

Management is moving ahead with early-stage development to reduce future schedule and cost risks.

That includes ordering key equipment and starting site-based work programs tied to the expansion.

One of the more notable items is a 5.5MW ball mill, which sits on the project’s critical path.

Delivery is expected to take around 18 months, locking in a key piece of infrastructure early.

The company is also progressing drilling, grade control work, and mine planning across the Northwest Flats orebody.

At the same time, development of underground access is continuing, alongside infrastructure upgrades and site mobilisation.

Spending starts ahead of FID

Further to the update, Liontown flagged early capital spending as part of this initial phase.

The ball mill alone is expected to cost around $12 million over the next 12 months.

Total early works spending is estimated between $15 million and $18 million in FY26. But that could rise to about $77 million before the FID is made.

Liontown said the aim is to bring forward key steps so the project can move faster once formal approval is locked in.

Management also noted that early procurement helps reduce pricing risk in a tight equipment market.

Foolish bottom line

Liontown is now moving beyond planning and into execution on its next growth phase.

The Kathleen Valley operation is already a major lithium asset, and the expansion is aimed at lifting output further.

The early spend is not that large, but it shows management is willing to commit some capital ahead of a final decision.

From here, it comes down to two things.

Lithium prices need to hold up, and the expansion needs to stay on track as it moves closer to FID.

And if both fall into place, the share price could push further into fresh highs.

The post This $7 billion stock just hit fresh highs. Here’s what’s driving the move appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Ramelius, Liontown and Woodside shares are making waves on Wednesday
• Liontown shares: Expansion works begin at Kathleen Valley
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• ASX lithium shares rally as oil shock highlights EV appeal

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.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares are spiking higher again in Wednesday lunchtime trade. 

The uptick isn’t too surprising, given that the counter-drone technology company is one of many ASX defence stocks in the spotlight right now. 

Tensions in the Middle East have seen heavy government defence spending as many nations around the world realise that global volatility could well continue, or even escalate further.

At the time of writing, DroneShield shares are up 0.7% to $3.64 a piece. The shares are now up nearly 10% year to date and are 172% higher than this time 12 months ago.

While DroneShield presents a great success story, it hasn’t been a smooth ride. After soaring to an all-time high of $6.60 in October last year, DroneShield shares have swung anywhere between $1.16 to $4.74 a piece. 

Analysts still tip more upside, around 22%, to an average target price of $4.40 at the time of writing.

The upside is impressive, but there are a few other ASX defence stocks I’d rather buy instead.

Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS)

EOS shares are up 1.13% at the time of writing, to $9.81 each. It’s a 1.5% decline for the year-to-date, but an enormous 691% higher than a year ago.

The Aussie defence company develops and produces advanced electro-optic technologies, so it has benefited from surging demand for exposure to the defence sector in 2026. 

The company has won several major contracts over the past few months, helping build investor confidence, keeping the share price hovering around an all-time high. 

Analysts are very bullish on the EOS share price, expecting further upside. All four analysts on TradingView data have a strong buy consensus. 

The maximum target price is $16, which implies a potential 63% upside at the time of writing. Even the average $12.79 target price represents a potential upside of 31% from here.

Titomic Ltd (ASX: TTT)

I also like the look of the lesser-known defence stock, Titomic. The company is a high-tech manufacturing company that uses advanced technology to print 3D metal parts on an industrial scale. 

These are mainly used in defence, aerospace, mining, and oil & gas to produce things like satellite structures, hypersonic shielding, drone parts, and large structural components.

The company posted its latest quarterly update in January, revealing global expansion plans, new defence contracts, and strong cash reserves. 

Titomic also recently announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to the US as part of its strategy to grow its defence and aerospace business. 

It looks like there is plenty of growth ahead for the ASX defence stock. At the time of writing, Titomic shares are down 3.45% to 28 cents per share. But the shares are still up 14% for the year-to-date and 19% over the year.

Analysts tip a 75% upside to 50 cents per share over the next 12 months.

Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB)

Austal is an Australian-based global shipbuilding company. The company designs and constructs naval vessels, defence surface warfare combatants, high-speed support vessels, law enforcement patrol boats, offshore vessels, and even passenger and vehicle ferries. 

The company has secured some big contract wins recently, including a $4 billion contract with the Australian Government in February. 

Austal also posted its first-half FY26 results in the same month, revealing a 34.4% year-on-year increase in revenue. Its EBIT also climbed 41.3%, and net profit climbed 21.4%.

Analysts are bullish that the shipbuilding company can keep growing this year. TradingView data shows that three out of six analysts have a strong buy rating on the defence stock. Another two have a hold rating. 

The average target price of $6.69 implies a potential 55% upside at the time of writing. Although some think the shares could jump up to 79% higher to $7.71 each.

The post Forget DroneShield shares, I’d buy these ASX defence stocks instead appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• The ASX’s hottest shares just stumbled — warning sign?
• Why I’d buy and hold DroneShield shares for 10 years
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• Buy, hold, sell: Cochlear, CSL, and DroneShield shares

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down another 0.5% in Wednesday morning trade, continuing a run of six consecutive days of losses. Concerns about new inflation data and a potential cash rate hike is weighing heavily on shares. Rising oil prices and continued conflict in the Middle East is also dampening investor sentiment.

But when times are tense and share prices are solemn, it does create a great opportunity for investors to snap up ASX 200 shares for cheap.

Here are three ASX 200 shares on my radar right now, and it looks like they’re all trading well below fair value. 

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

Xero shares are up 0.99% on Wednesday, to $80.23 a piece, after this morning giving back some of the gains from a rebound earlier this month. 

The ASX 200 shares are now down a staggering 50% over the past 12 months and have lost 60% of their value since peaking at an all-time high in June last year. 

The cloud-based accounting software company was caught up in the sector-wide tech sell-off and AI-related nervousness late last year (and into early 2026). 

This, combined with investor concerns about the company’s Melio acquisition and its potentially overvalued share price, led many to sell up. 

But Xero’s business model, which is often referred to as “sticky”, has recurring revenue, global exposure, and good profitability. 

It’s also actively expanding its presence and its product suite. 

Market Index data shows brokers have a strong buy rating on the ASX 200 company’s shares, and tip a 89% upside to $149.77, at the time of writing.

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)

Flight Centre shares also tumbled this morning, down 1.52% to $10.34 per share. The travel stock is now down 31% year-to-date and 19% from this time last year.

Slower-than-expected profit growth, weak travel demand and geopolitical tensions have put pressure on the travel company’s stock. 

Inflation concerns and tighter cost-of-living have also seen many consumers pull back on their discretionary spending on things like travel.

The company posted its FY26 half-year report in February, blowing expectations out of the water. Flight Centre’s profit before tax came in 5% ahead of market expectations, and many brokers now consider the stock as trading well below fair value. 

As travel disruptions and fuel supply concerns ease, travel stocks like Flight Centre could rebound quickly.

Brokers rate the ASX 200 travel company’s shares as a strong buy and tip a 66% upside to $17.18 a piece, at the time of writing.

James Hardie Industries PLC (ASX: JHX)

James Hardie shares are also red on Wednesday, down 0.67% to $30.5 each. The shares are now almost 17% lower than this time last year.

James Hardie shares have suffered an incredibly volatile run over the past 12 months. 

The fibre cement producer and marketer’s shares have crashed on three separate occasions over the past year, following an acquisition announcement, a disappointing Q1 FY26 result and a general drop in investor sentiment. 

But the company has a dominant presence in the US. Its scale gives it pricing power and a strong competitive advantage that peers cannot match. 

The business continues to improve, too, with some solid growth expected ahead. In its Qs FY26 results, James Hardie posted a 30% increase in net sales and a 26% hike in EBITDA. It also raised its FY26 guidance to reflect the stronger result.

Brokers rate the ASX 200 shares as a strong buy and tip a 38% upside to $42.24, at the time of writing.

The post 3 super cheap ASX 200 shares I’d buy right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why I’d invest $4,000 into these ASX 200 shares
• Could buying Xero shares at $80 make me rich?
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Experts are bullish about the potential of this ASX 200 share!
• 3 ASX 200 stocks storming higher in this week’s sinking market

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having another subdued session on Wednesday. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is down 0.2% to 8,690.6 points.

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

29Metals Ltd (ASX: 29M)

The 29Metals share price is up 8% to 23.7 cents. This follows the release of the copper miner’s quarterly update. 29Metals revealed that copper production was 6.4kt with C1 costs of US$4.25 per pound. While this compares unfavourably to the previous quarter, it appears to have been better than feared. It also stated that: “Considering various factors, it is expected that existing liquidity will be sufficient to fully fund the revised plan for 2026 and maintain growth investments at Gossan Valley and exploration.”

Aurelia Metals Ltd (ASX: AMI)

The Aurelia Metals share price is up 9% to 30.5 cents. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Ord Minnett this morning. According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating on the gold miner’s shares with an improved price target of 50 cents. In addition, the team at Macquarie has retained its outperform rating and 40 cents price target on Aurelia Metals shares.

Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA)

The Codan share price is up 16% to $42.23. The catalyst for this has been the release of a trading update from the technology company this morning. Codan revealed that the second half has been stronger than expected. As a result, it now expects FY 2026 EBIT to hit $235 million and net profit to reach $170 million.  This will be an increase of over 60% from last year. The company said: “In DTC, strong demand from defence customers for unmanned systems, supported by ongoing geopolitical tensions, continues to drive growth in our software-defined radios (SDRs). As a result, the Communications business is expected to achieve revenue growth at the top end of the 15% to 20% range for the full year FY26.”

oOh!Media Ltd (ASX: OML)

The oOh!Media share price is up 40% to $1.19. This follows news that the media company has received a takeover offer from Pacific Equity Partners (PEP). The company advised that it received an unsolicited, non-binding indicative offer from PEP to acquire 100% of oOh!Media at $1.40 per share via a scheme of arrangement. In response, it said: “The Board of oOh!, together with its advisers, is considering and evaluating the Proposal and will update shareholders in due course. There is no certainty that the Proposal will result in a binding offer or that any transaction will eventuate.”

The post Why 29Metals, Aurelia Metals, Codan, and oOhMedia shares are racing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Shares in recent ASX IPO Sea Forest Ltd (ASX: SEA) have edged 3% higher today after the company reported a sharp lift in revenue, highlighting early signs of commercial traction for its seaweed-based livestock feed business.

The company, which counts surfing champion Mick Fanning among its early backers, listed on the ASX in November 2025 with a bold mission: to reduce methane emissions from cattle using a proprietary seaweed feed additive.

Now, investors are starting to see the first signs of that story playing out.

Revenue growth starts to accelerate

Sea Forest reported revenue of $1.1 million for the March quarter, up 92% on the previous quarter.

Whilst the absolute number is still small, the growth rate stands out and is exactly what investors are hoping to see as the business starts to scale commercial volumes of its SeaFeed product across its customer base.

Importantly, this growth is being driven by contracted supplementation volumes, meaning customers are actively adopting the product rather than just trialling it.

The company also reported more than 130,000 head of cattle under agreement, a figure that has continued to grow following new supply deals signed after the quarter, giving some visibility into future demand.

A bigger opportunity beyond cattle

During the quarter, the company partnered with global fashion brand Theory to launch a low-carbon wool collection, using its methane-reducing feed in sheep.

While wool is expected to be a smaller revenue contributor initially, it highlights that Sea Forest’s technology has applications beyond just cattle.

This matters because the long-term investment case for early-stage investors is tied to the size of the total addressable market, and bigger is usually better.

Still early days

Despite the strong growth, Sea Forest remains in the early stages of its commercial journey.

The company reported operating cash outflows for the quarter and ended with around $8.4 million in cash, although it also holds additional liquidity in short-term investments.

That’s typical for a business in scale-up mode, but it does mean execution will be critical to ensure the company has a strong foundation for future capital raises.

Investors will be watching whether the company can continue new converting agreements into sustained revenue growth while managing its cash position.

Foolish bottom line

Sea Forest’s latest update shows early signs of traction, with strong revenue growth and increasing customer adoption. But as a recent IPO, the story is still unfolding, and the key test will be whether this early momentum can translate into scalable, profitable growth over time.

The post This recent ASX IPO stock just reported 92% revenue growth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Kevin Gandiya has no positions 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.