Category: Stock Market

Shares in Infratil Ltd (ASX: IFT) are trading higher after the company upgraded its forecast earnings for its CDC data centre business for FY27.

Upwards revision

In a statement to the ASX on Thursday, the company said that it had previously forecast that CDC’s FY25 EBITDAF would double to about $660 million in FY27.

Infratil now estimates that this figure will increase to $680 million to $720 million “based on the updated outlook for delivery of existing contracted capacity and the expectation for continued strong demand”.

The company also said that FY26 EBITDAF was expected to come in at the lower end of the guidance range of $390 million to $400 million, “reflecting the timing of existing contracted capacity that has been weighted toward the back end of FY26”.

Infrastructure of the future

CDC Chief Executive Officer Greg Boorer said recent geopolitical developments have highlighted Australasia’s secure position and competitive differentiation as a strategic location for data centres.

He added:

We attended the largest AI event in the United States last week, and one of the key takeaways is that large-scale intelligence generation will be critical to future economic prosperity. The good news is that Australasia is globally front of mind as a preferred secure option for large-scale intelligence generation. As a result, we’re having even more conversations with our strategic customers about their increased capacity needs, and we’re continuing to build new intelligence generation capacity as fast as we can to meet that increasing demand.

Infratil said CDC had the largest pipeline of data centre capacity in Australia, with 18 operational sites and another five under construction.

The company added:

An important contributor to CDC’s ability to fast track development is the minimal water usage enabled by its closed-loop water cooling system. CDC added almost 200 megawatts of built operating capacity in the December quarter.

Infratil Chief Executive Officer Jason Boyes said data centre demand remained very strong.

He added:

Our focus is on supporting CDC to deliver more capacity to meet the growing demand for data centre space across Australasia. Infratil, along with CDC’s other major shareholders, recently provided A$500 million in equity funding to support the acceleration of CDC’s construction programme.

The Infratil earnings update coincided with an investor tour of CDC’s Eastern Creek campus, where two additional data centres are nearing operational status.

Infratil shares were 5.2% higher in early trade at $9.72.

The company was valued at $9.23 billion at the close of trade on Wednesday.

The post Which data centre operator just upgraded its earnings outlook? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Infratil lifts CDC outlook and FY27 earnings guidance

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.

Newly minted S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) gold stock St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) is marching higher today.

St Barbara shares closed yesterday trading for 57 cents. In early morning trade on Thursday, shares are changing hands for 58 cents apiece, up 1.8%.

For some context, the ASX 300 is down 0.1% at this same time.

If you’ve been paying close attention to the boards, you might have noticed that St Barbara shares joined the ASX 300 at market open this Monday. That came as part of the S&P Dow Jones Indices quarterly rebalance, after the gold miner’s market cap more than doubled over the past year.

Now, here’s what’s grabbing investor interest today.

ASX 300 gold stock lifts on investment approval

The St Barbara share price is marching higher after the miner announced that the transaction with the Lingbao Gold Group’s investment in the New Simberi Gold Project, located in Papua New Guinea, has been approved.

The ASX 300 gold stock said that all outstanding conditions precedent regarding the Initial Life of Mine Plan, the Construction Work Program, Budget for New Simberi, and the finalisation of agreements with Kumul Mineral Holdings have now been satisfied.

Lingbao and St Barbara also committed to making a Final Investment Decision (FID) on the New Simberi Gold Project at completion, which is targeted for 1 April.

St Barabra expects to book a gain on sale of around $500 on the Lingbao transaction.

Lingbao is acquiring its interest in the New Simberi Gold Project for $370 million in cash. The ASX 300 gold stock said that the retention of its equivalent interest realises a total value of at least $740 million, which is around $500 million more than its expected carrying value for the Simberi business unit prior to Lingbao’s investment.

What did management say?

Commenting on the investment approval boosting the ASX 300 gold stock today, St Barbara managing director and CEO Andrew Strelein said, “The satisfaction of the final conditions precedent on the Lingbao Transaction allows St Barbara and Lingbao to now move forward to completion.”

Strelein added:

We anticipate that the Kumul deal will also close on the 1 April 2026 with only two PNG government approvals now required. Any delay with those final approvals does not impact the timing of the completion of the Lingbao Transaction.

This is a pivotal moment for St Barbara as we unlock significant immediate value for the company, while opening up a new future for our business as we move to execute the New Simberi Gold Project and deliver value to our shareholders and to our stakeholders in PNG.

With today’s intraday gains factored in, shares in the ASX 300 gold stock are up 164% in 12 months.

The post Guess which newly minted ASX 300 gold stock is lifting off today on $500 million news 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.

The Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price has been on the rise this year, it’s up close to around 10% in 2026. Telstra recently gave another reason why investors may be excited by the ASX telco share as an investment opportunity.

Telstra offers a variety of services to customers of different sizes. Some of its biggest earnings generators include mobile subscriptions, device sales, NBN connections, cable infrastructure, cybersecurity and so on.

The company announced price rises for subscribers. Let’s take a look at what was announced and what experts think of it.

Mobile price rise

In an online statement, Telstra announced it’s increasing prices from 5 May 2026.

Telstra said that its customers are doing more on its network than ever before and it’s investing to deliver the “best experience available”, while helping Australians to stay connected.

The ASX telco share said from 5 May that most postpaid plans will increase by $4 per month, with the price of the premium plan staying the same.

Pre-paid plans will rise by around $5 and customers will “enjoy increased data allowances across all impacted plans”.

Telstra said that its price changes “help drive ongoing investment in our mobile network infrastructure, enabling innovation and the rollout of new features that expand connectivity options for customers.”

It highlighted satellite-to-mobile messaging as one of the changes it has introduced for customers, who can use that service almost anywhere in Australia when beyond the range of its mobile network and with a clear view of the sky.

Telstra said it’s expanding and upgrading its 5G network, including ‘5G advanced’ in more locations.

What do experts make of this change for the Telstra share price?

Broker UBS noted that these price rises came earlier than expected – in recent times, it has happened in July. The price rises announced are likely to flow through to a greater increase in the average revenue per user (ARPU) than expected.

UBS said that this move gives it comfort that the sector can continue to extract “meaningful price growth from the consumer over the medium term.”

But, the broker also suggested that the price rise could lead to earlier-than-expected customer churn, starting in the fourth quarter of FY26 compared to the previous expectations of the first quarter of FY27.

The broker said its estimates for revenue, operating profit (EBITDA) and net profit for between FY26 to FY28 were largely unchanged because the increase in mobile ARPU growth is expected to be offset by lower subscription growth.

UBS said that due to elevated inflation, the broker thinks the increase will likely be absorbed by customers. Even so, the broker now expects just 0.2% annual subscriber growth in the longer-term, with expectations that Telstra could see a net loss of 16,000 of postpaid and 16,000 of prepaid users in the second half of FY26.

UBS now forecasts that Telstra’s net profit could reach $2.31 billion in FY26 and $2.48 billion in FY27.

The broker has a neutral rating on the telco, with a Telstra share price target of $5.30.

The post Is the Telstra share price a buy after increasing mobile plan prices? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares are on the move on Thursday morning.

At the time of writing, the banking giant’s shares are up 1% to $40.83.

Why are Westpac shares rising today?

The catalyst for today’s move appears to be the release of an update on the bank’s UNITE transformation program.

According to the update, Westpac has made solid progress on the large-scale simplification strategy, which is designed to improve customer experience, reduce costs, and lift returns.

Management notes that the program remains on track, with no changes to its overall scope, timeline, or budget since its FY 2025 results.

What is the UNITE strategy?

UNITE is Westpac’s major transformation program aimed at simplifying its operations across technology, products, and processes.

The bank revealed that it has already decommissioned more than 180 applications, reduced its product set by over 70%, and simplified more than 700 processes.

Management believes this will lead to a more consistent experience for both customers and employees, while also helping to close the cost-to-income gap with peers.

Strong progress across key initiatives

Westpac highlighted a number of milestones achieved so far.

These include the rollout of its Digital Banker platform to all bankers, consolidation of systems such as its chat platform, and the completion of its wealth platform migration to Panorama.

The company also confirmed that program discovery is now complete, with 57 initiatives identified and currently being delivered through 10 work packages.

At present, eight initiatives have been completed, with 49 remaining in progress.

Investment and benefits

Westpac revealed that it invested $195 million into the UNITE program during the first quarter of FY 2026, with approximately 73% of that amount expensed.

The broader program is expected to involve significant investment, with around 40% of total spend forecast to occur across FY 2027 and FY 2028.

Importantly, management continues to point to meaningful long-term benefits, including reduced operational complexity, improved productivity, and stronger shareholder returns.

Outlook

Looking ahead, Westpac has outlined a series of key milestones for the second half of FY 2026.

These include further progress on mortgage simplification, continued rollout of its Digital Banker capabilities, and advancement of its One Commercial Bank initiative.

Following today’s move, Westpac shares are now up an impressive 30% over the past 12 months.

The post Westpac shares are climbing following UNITE update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

AML3D Ltd (ASX: AL3) shares are having a strong session on Thursday.

In morning trade, the ASX defence stock is up 20% to 20.5 cents.

Why is this ASX defence stock jumping?

Investors have been buying the additive manufacturing company’s shares following the release of an announcement before the market open.

According to the release, the ASX defence stock has received an order for high demand, non-safety critical replacement components used in US Navy submarines.

The release notes that AML3D plans to leverage its proprietary ARCEMY technology to 3D metal print five of the high demand components, which are no longer available from the original manufacturer.

The order has been signed with BlueForge Alliance, which is a US nonprofit, neutral integrator, supporting the strengthening and sustainment of the US Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base.

What is it worth?

The ASX defence stock advised that this US Navy submarine components contract is valued at ~A$2.61 million (US$1.84 million). This is payable up front and upon meeting contract milestones.

Management notes that the contract follows successful hydrostatic testing by the US Navy of ARCEMY 3D metal printed components.

Uniquely positioned

The company believes this deal highlights that it is uniquely positioned to address supply chain constraints across the US Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base.

It highlights that its WAM technology produces high quality, complex components that match and exceed those supplied by traditional manufacturers with a significant reduction in lead times.

Commenting on the contract, the ASX defence stock’s CEO, Sean Ebert said:

Signing this order is a significant milestone for AML3D. It shows our advanced manufacturing technology is key to solving a wide range of critical supply chain challenges for the US Navy’s submarine program. This latest contract pertains to complex components that are no longer supported by the original manufacturer and could not be sourced in a time and cost-effective manner from the Navy’s traditional supplier base.

AML3D’s advanced industrial 3D metal printing technology is increasingly being embedded in the US Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base. This contract allows us to continue to build and deepen our longterm, strategic partnership with the US Navy and supports our investment to double capacity at our US Technology Center in Ohio. Our US Scale-up strategy continues to deliver significant growth and value to AML3D and its shareholders. While the latter strategy is being successfully delivered, we at the same time continue to progress our plans to enter into the UK market and other globally significant markets across Europe.

The post Guess which ASX defence stock is jumping 20% on US Navy contract appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL) shares are in focus on Thursday morning.

At the time of writing, the investment company’s shares are up over 2% to $39.11.

Why are Soul Patts shares rising today?

Investors have been buying the company’s shares this morning following the release of its half-year results for FY 2026, which mark the first set of results since its merger with Brickworks.

According to the release, Soul Patts delivered strong growth in key investment metrics, supported by its diversified portfolio and increased activity during the period.

Soul Patts reported a 14.6% increase in pre-tax net asset value (NAV) to $13.8 billion for the half. Net cash flow from investments rose 15.4% to $334 million, highlighting the strength of its portfolio in generating income.

Management also noted that the portfolio delivered a 9.7% return for the period, outperforming its benchmark by 6.6%.

Importantly, this performance was achieved following a transformational period for the company, including the completion of the Brickworks merger.

Profit boosted by one-offs

On a statutory basis, Soul Patts reported net profit after tax of $2.3 billion, which represents a whopping 604% increase on the prior corresponding period.

However, this result was driven largely by one-off items, including the Brickworks merger and asset sales.

On a more comparable basis, group regular net profit after tax rose 6.7% to $304 million. This reflects higher trading gains and contributions from its expanded portfolio.

Dividend growth continues

In positive news for income investors, Soul Patts declared a fully franked interim dividend of 48 cents per share.

This represents a 9.1% increase on the prior corresponding period and continues the company’s remarkable track record of dividend growth.

Management highlights that 2026 marks the 28th consecutive year of increasing dividends, underlining Soul Patts’ reputation as one of the most consistent dividend payers on the ASX.

Management commentary

Soul Patts’ managing director and CEO, Todd Barlow, was pleased with the half. He said:

Our 1H26 result reflects a landmark period of portfolio transformation, increased activity and value creation. The breadth and resilience of the portfolio, with strong cash generation and capital growth across the majority of asset classes, delivered a solid performance against our three key investment measures.

Outlook

While no guidance was given for FY 2026, management spoke positively about its prospects in the second half. It stated:

The breadth and resilience of our multi-asset portfolio ensures Soul Patts is well positioned to navigate market volatility and protect shareholder capital. Our strong balance sheet and ample liquidity means we have increased capacity to act on new investment opportunities, with the flexibility to deploy capital selectively in a rapidly changing macroeconomic environment.

With a constant focus on risk management, cash generation, and diversification, we are committed to delivering long-term value creation for shareholders.

The post Soul Patts shares push higher on profit jump and 28th dividend increase in a row appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT) share price is in focus today after the company released its FY26 trading update, highlighting record annualised contract value (ACV) growth of 27–28% and a near 50% boost in Management EBITDA.

What did Catapult Sports report?

• FY26 closing ACV expected at US$133–134 million, up 27–28% year-on-year (constant currency)
• Management EBITDA anticipated to rise ~50% year-on-year
• Free Cash Flow (excluding transaction costs) forecast at US$5–6 million
• Cash balance at year-end around US$50 million, with no debt
• Temporary increase in accounts receivable, with some 2H collections to be received early FY27
• Recent acquisitions, IMPECT and Perch, contributed to growth

What else do investors need to know?

The company flagged a higher-than-usual closing accounts receivable balance, mainly driven by timing of collections following the recent acquisitions. Management expects these receivables will be collected early in FY27, and confirmed this was a temporary impact stemming from integrating new businesses.

Catapult’s capital raise and acquisitions have strengthened its position, allowing the business to finish the year with a healthy US$50 million cash balance and no debt. Investors can expect the full FY26 results announcement on 20 May 2026.

What’s next for Catapult Sports?

Looking ahead, Catapult sees its strong subscription revenue and expanding operating leverage supporting further growth. The company plans to continue integrating its new acquisitions, delivering on cost discipline, and driving innovation in sports technology.

Management’s focus will be on optimising performance, collecting outstanding receivables, and leveraging its global footprint across more than 5,000 teams and 100+ countries.

Catapult Sports share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Catapult Sports shares have declined 2%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 7% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Catapult Sports delivers strong FY26 growth and profitability 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 positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. 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.

Droneshield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares rocketed 19.4% higher on Wednesday. At the close of the ASX on Wednesday afternoon, the shares were $4.26 a piece.

The uptick means the drone operators share price is now 28% higher for the year-to-date and a huge 330.3% higher than just 12 months ago.

The company’s shares have steadily declined over the past five days, before crashing 14% earlier this week following sentiment that tensions in the Middle East were de-escalating. 

Wednesday’s share price hike has recovered most of the losses, but the shares are still down nearly 2% over the five-day period.

Why are Droneshield shares being so volatile?

Droneshield shares have jumped higher this year on renewed investor enthusiasm about defence sector stocks. Ongoing conflict in the Middle East and rising geopolitical tensions have led to an uptick in government defence spending. This includes the development of missiles or submarines, as well as technologies such as drones, AI, and electronic warfare.

Given counter-drone electronic warfare sits at the core of Droneshield’s business, it has been well placed to soak up the increase in investor demand.

It’s possible that the share price crashes over the past five days are as a result of softening investor sentiment. It’s also possible that investors were taking gains off the table after this year’s strong price rally.

Even news of Droneshield’s announcement on Tuesday didn’t stop the share price from tumbling. 

The company revealed that it has a new interoperability between its DroneSentry-C2 command-and-control software and optical sensing technologies from OpenWorks Engineering.

According to the announcement, the integration strengthens DroneShield’s ability to combine multiple sensor inputs into a single operational platform, improving detection, tracking, and identification of drone threats.

OpenWorks Engineering is a UK-based company specialising in advanced optical sensors and imaging systems. The release highlights that the addition of its technology gives DroneShield customers another option to enhance visual detection and tracking capabilities within a unified system.

So, why has the share price spiked higher now?

There was no price sensitive news out of the company on Wednesday, which implies the share price move is driven by broader market sentiment.

Earlier sentiment that the war in the Middle East is deescalating has also reversed. Iran rejected the US ceasefire proposal on Wednesday, calling it unreasonable and putting forward its own conditions instead. This likely contributed to Droneshield’s share price reversal.

Can Droneshield shares keep climbing?

Analysts are mostly bullish about the outlook for DroneShield shares but it doesn’t look like the annual increase will continue at the same pace.

TradingView data shows two out of three analysts have a strong buy rating on the defence stock. The third analyst has downgraded their rating to neutral. 

The average target price for DroneShield shares over the next 12 months is $4.50 a piece. At the time of writing, that implies a 5.6% upside ahead for investors. 

As tensions in the Middle East continue, and they put more pressure on military spending, we could see demand for DroneShield’s counter-drone detection and mitigation technology pick up pace. But it won’t be the huge 330% uplift we’ve seen over the past 12 months.

The post Droneshield shares rocket 20% higher: What has happened? 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 positions in and has recommended DroneShield and is short shares of DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) share price is in focus today after the company announced it has begun commissioning the Stage 1 upgrade of its King of the Hills (KoTH) processing plant, confirming the project is on time and on budget.

What did Vault Minerals report?

• Stage 1 KoTH plant upgrade commissioning has commenced, increasing plant throughput capacity to ~6.0 million tonnes per annum (mtpa)
• New primary crusher and conveyor belt extension installation completed
• Wet plant upgrades, including four additional CIL tanks and a new tailings booster pump, are in operation
• Stage 1 power station upgrade finalised with two new gas-fired gensets
• ~15mt of stockpiled ore at KoTH, containing ~180,000 ounces, as of 28 February 2026

What else do investors need to know?

Stage 2 of the KoTH plant upgrade remains on schedule and budget, targeting completion in the second quarter of FY27. This second phase is planned to lift total plant capacity to between 7.5 and 8.0 Mtpa throughout the second half of FY27.

The upgrade is projected to boost throughput by about 50% at a competitive capital intensity of $57 per tonne of increased annual capacity. Vault Minerals also highlighted the flexibility provided by its substantial stockpiles, which help ensure ongoing mill feed despite possible supply disruptions linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

What’s next for Vault Minerals?

Looking ahead, Vault Minerals will focus on finalising commissioning of the Stage 1 upgrades, with the first ore set to feed through the new crusher by 31 March 2026. Management will also continue advancing the Stage 2 expansion, keeping the project on time and within budget.

By expanding throughput capacity and securing a long-term, CPI-linked gas supply for its power station, the company aims to enhance operational resilience and steady production despite broader market uncertainties.

Vault Minerals share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Vault Minerals shares have risen 39%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 7% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Vault Minerals: KoTH plant upgrade commissioning kicks off 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 Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL) share price is in focus as the diversified investment house posted another strong half, with pre-tax net asset value (NAV) climbing to $13.8 billion and interim dividends rising for a 28th consecutive year. The portfolio generated a 9.7% return in 1H26, outperforming the ASX200 by 6.6%.

What did Washington H. Soul Pattinson report?

• Net Asset Value (pre-tax) rose 9.7% to $13.8 billion versus the prior corresponding period (pcp).
• Statutory NPAT surged to $2,303 million (up 604.3% vs pcp), while regular NPAT increased 6.7% to $304 million.
• Net Cash Flow From Investments (NCFI) jumped 15.4% to $334 million.
• Interim dividend increased 9.1% to 48 cents per share, fully franked.
• Strong balance sheet with available cash of $472 million and $1.2 billion in liquidity.

What else do investors need to know?

Soul Patts continues its shift towards a more diversified portfolio, with significant investment growth in emerging companies, credit, private companies, and real assets. The recent Brickworks merger has delivered both financial upside and enhanced portfolio flexibility, resetting tax positions and boosting post-tax NAV per share by 26.8% during the half.

The company’s disciplined deployment of $2.1 billion into new public and private investments was matched by a broad range of exits and loan repayments, keeping liquidity robust. The team now manages a portfolio distributed widely across listed companies, private investments, property, and sector-diverse credit holdings.

What’s next for Washington H. Soul Pattinson?

Looking ahead, Soul Patts plans to actively manage liquidity and risk, reposition the portfolio to capture new opportunities, and continue allocating capital in a counter-cyclical fashion. The focus remains on balancing growth, yield, and capital protection for long-term shareholder value.
Management is also prioritising increased deployment into international and defensive assets and stands ready to capitalise on mispriced risk as markets evolve.

Washington H. Soul Pattinson share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Soul Patts shares have risen 9%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 7% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Soul Patts 1H26 earnings: Strong growth, dividend up again 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 positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. 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.