Category: Stock Market

It’s no surprise that ASX gold stocks were among the top performers in 2025. Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) were two of the excelling ASX 200 shares, significantly driven by soaring gold prices.

The share price of Evolution Mining rocketed by 163% to $12.68 at the time of writing, while Regis Resources almost tripled in value to $5.7 billion.

Now the big question is: can the ASX gold stocks keep the rally going in the new year. Let’s have a closer look at the two belles of the 2025 ASX gold ball.

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)

The outlook for further aggressive share price gains for ASX gold stocks will depend largely on how gold moves in the new year.

Evolution Mining boasts solid fundamentals: record gold output, strong cash flow and low operating costs that give it an edge when bullion is on a tear.

After a blistering run, several brokers have turned cautious on Evolution’s valuation. UBS dropped its view toward a sell at one point, trimming price targets amid weaker earnings forecasts, and flagged flat production of the gold miner ahead.

Analysts see a wide range of fair value forecasts, hinting the ASX gold stock may be pricing in more growth than justified. And with gold itself subject to dollar swings and macro flows, there’s a real risk this rocket needs to cool before blasting higher again.

Data at TradingView show that most market watchers are cautious on the $25 billion gold miner with a hold recommendation. The maximum 12-month price target is set at $14.45, a potential gain of 14%. The average price target is a lot lower at $11.20, which suggests a loss of 11%.

Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL)

Regis has also been on a tear, rebounding from losses to post a hefty profit as gold prices climbed. Broker sentiment is mixed but generally a bit more upbeat than Evolution Mining’s.  

Some analysts see solid production, beating targets and have nudged price targets higher, with healthy dividend yields rounding out the appeal.

Yet Regis Resources has its own hangups: guidance for FY26 suggests production flat or slightly softer and rising costs, hinting that the easy gains are behind it. And while demand for ASX gold stocks persists, the growth runway for Regis Resources looks less explosive than during last year’s run-up.

The most optimistic analyst sees a 27% upside for 2026 with a maximum price target of $9.60. However, the average price target is $6.95, 8% lower than the current share price of $7.55.

The two ASX gold stocks might still be a play if you’re in for the long haul, but don’t expect another runaway rally without bumps.

The post Is it too late to buy these two highflying ASX gold stocks? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Gold stars: 5 best ASX 200 gold shares of 2025
• Best and worst performing ASX 200 sectors of 2025
• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares in 2025
• What on earth is going on with ASX 200 gold stocks like Northern Star today?

Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares are one of the ways that Aussies can invest in a large blue-chip on the ASX. I think investors should consider investing in the ASX telco share at its current valuation.

The company may be best known for its mobile network, but it also has household and small business broadband customers, large enterprise customers, cybersecurity, Asia Pacific operations and infrastructure assets.

Its operations are diversified, but there’s more to weigh up than just diversification. Let’s dive in.

Positives

Telstra maintains an impressive market position in the mobile market, with a reputation for having the best network. It has a lot of good spectrum assets, the widest network coverage, and a status of reliability.

Being able to attract customers based on the quality of its network has given the company pricing power. It’s able to charge more than competitors (and increase prices), delivering a greater return on its investments in its network than competitors.

The business has seen its subscriber count increase over the years, giving the company pleasing operating leverage. It’s able to spread the cost of the network across more users, boosting profit margins. During FY25, Telstra’s mobile subscribers grew 0.6% including both consumer and wholesale users, with mobile revenue rising 3% to $11 billion and operating profit (EBITDA) grew 5% to $5.3 billion.

Growing profit is one of most important things that a business can do – Telstra’s mobile division is delivering the goods. I’m expecting more growth as Australia becomes increasingly digital and connected. FY25 saw earnings per share (EPS) grew 3.2% to 19.1 cents and cash EPS increased 12% to 22.4 cents.

Broker UBS projects the company’s reported EPS could climb to 22 cents in FY26, 23 cents in FY27, 25 cents in FY28, 28 cents in FY29 and 31 cents in FY30. That suggests EPS could rise by 62% between FY25 to FY30, which is a great outlook.

Finally, the dividend is solid and continues to grow. UBS estimates that the dividend per share could be 21 cents in FY26, translating into a future grossed-up dividend yield of approximately 6%, including franking credits.

Negatives regarding Telstra shares

The Telstra share price has performed pleasingly for shareholders, rising around 20% in the past year. However its earnings have not risen as fast as that, resulting in a higher price/earnings (P/E) ratio.

A higher P/E ratio is not preferable, but I still think the current valuation is attractive. According to the UBS forecasts, the Telstra share price is valued at 22x FY26’s estimated earnings.

I think it’s also a good idea to monitor how much Telstra charges for its mobile subscriptions, to ensure Telstra remains competitive. Competition could win market share if they’re able to offer deals that are cheap enough to win disgruntled customers. The company’s average revenue per user (ARPU) may not grow as fast in the next three years as the last three.

But, with those aspects in mind, I still think the Telstra share price is a good long-term buy.

The post The pros and cons of buying Telstra shares in 2026 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.

On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fought hard but recorded a very small decline. The benchmark index fell slightly to 8,714.3 points.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to open flat

The Australian share market looks set for a subdued session on Friday following a poor night in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day flat this morning. On New Year’s Eve on Wall Street, the Dow Jones was down 0.6%, the S&P 500 was down 0.75%, and the Nasdaq fell 0.75%.

Oil prices fall

It could be a poor finish to the week for ASX 200 energy shares such as Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) after oil prices fell. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 0.9% to US$57.42 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 0.8% to US$60.85 a barrel. This means that oil prices had their worst year since 2020.

BHP and Rio Tinto on watch

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares will be on watch on Friday. On Wednesday night, both miners’ NYSE listed shares ended the year in the red. BHP’s shares were down 0.9% and Rio Tinto shares were down 0.6%. Though, it is worth noting that both giants recorded strong gains for 2025 despite this.

Gold price tumbles

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a tough finish to the week after the gold price tumbled lower. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 1% to US$4,341.1 an ounce. Traders were selling gold and silver after CME raised its precious metals futures margins again. This couldn’t stop the gold price from recording a gain of over 60% for 2025.

Tech weakness

Aussie tech stocks Life360 Inc. (ASX: 360) and WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares could have a poor session after weakness in the US tech sector on New Year’s Eve. Life360’s NASDAQ listed shares fell almost 4%, which doesn’t bode well for today’s session. Nevertheless, the location technology company’s shares still recorded a gain of approximately 50% for 2025.

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Gold stars: 5 best ASX 200 gold shares of 2025
• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares in 2025
• The pros and cons of buying BHP shares in 2026
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• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares in 2025

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360, WiseTech Global, and Woodside Energy Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360 and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360 and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX 200 gold shares ripped in 2025 on the back of two consecutive years of extraordinary growth in the gold commodity price.

The best performing ASX 200 gold share for capital growth was Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR).

Shares in Pantoro Gold, which only joined the benchmark index in the December quarter rebalance, rocketed 220%.

Next best was Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG) shares, up 206%.

The Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) share price roared 196% and Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) shares ripped 194%.

Rounding out the top five ASX gold shares of 2025 is Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU), up 121%.

The safe-haven asset’s ascendancy last year also led to extraordinary gains for the large-cap players.

The share price of the market’s largest gold miner, Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST), rose by 73% in 2025.

The second and third biggest ASX 200 gold shares more than doubled in 2025.

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares ripped 164% while Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM) shares increased 152%.

Gold price rises 65% in 2025

The gold price experienced its strongest year of gains since 1979, rising 65% last year.

The strength of last year’s rally was surprising after an impressive 27% gain in 2024.

The yellow metal clocked a new record high of US$4,533 per ounce in December. It finished the year at US$4,319.82 per ounce.

A combination of tailwinds including interest rate cuts, geopolitical tensions, and aggressive central bank buying has pushed gold higher.

Many retail investors piled into the trend fairly late, with inflows into gold ETFs rising strongly in the second half of 2025.

Even non-shares investors got in on the act, with city workers lining up in their lunch breaks to buy physical bullion from dealers.

Meanwhile, other Aussies cashed in their gold jewellery.

What’s next for the gold price?

America’s biggest bank, JPMorgan and French bank Societe Generale SA both project the gold price to reach US$5,000 per ounce in 2026.

Goldman Sachs is tipping US$4,900 per ounce by the end of the new year.

Far East Capital, a mining investment advisory firm, commented (courtesy ListCorp):

Longer term, we expect to see continued buying by the Chinese central bank as a major theme that will not terminate soon.

It now seems assured that the next test will be at US$5,000/oz. 

Ed Coyne from global asset manager Sprott Inc says the gold price rally has changed the margins of gold mining shares worldwide.

Coyne said:

What’s been interesting is that investors understand the value of gold from a diversification standpoint.

Still, they are just now starting to wake up to the opportunity in the mining stocks as well, so we’re excited about that.

He added:

Now that gold has continued to perform as it has, the margins on these mining stocks are spectacular.

The return on invested capital, the return on assets, and the return on all these different metrics look very attractive.

Their debt-to-equity ratio is very attractive. Their dividend yields are actually higher than the S&P 500.

The post Gold stars: 5 best ASX 200 gold shares of 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Best and worst performing ASX 200 sectors of 2025
• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares in 2025
• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares in 2025
• These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in December

JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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 Goldman Sachs Group and JPMorgan Chase. 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.

Well, 2026 is off and running, officially. We’ve already looked at five ASX shares I’d love to add to my portfolio in 2026 this January. But that’s not enough to satisfy my ambition for 2026. I also love investing in US stocks for my ASX share portfolio, given that the United States houses the best companies on the planet.

So today, let’s talk about five US stocks that I would love to buy, or buy more of, this year.

5 US stocks I’d love to buy in 2026

Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN)

First up, no one will be surprised to see Amazon. This e-commerce and cloud giant has been in my portfolio for many years. But I would love to add some more in 2026. I am still excited about this company’s future growth. Amazon’s online marketplace has never looked more dominant, given that it is entrenched in economies right around the world.

This company’s AWS cloud platform also continues to grow at an astounding pace, and seems to be carving out a place as the clear market leader in cloud-based infrastructure.

Amazon stock had a fairly flat 2025, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it is my first US stock purchase this year.

Duolingo Inc (NASDAQ: DUOL)

Duolingo is another US stock that I’ve owned for a while now, and one that has been particularly lucrative to my portfolio. I am delighted to see this language-learning company report seemingly evergreen growth year after year, both in active users and through the number of courses users can engage with (chess was a notable 2025 addition).

Despite its impressive growth rates, Duolingo is a stock that tends to be highly volatile. Over 2025, for instance, it got as high as US$544.93 and as low as US$166.27 a share. I’m hoping for more volatility this year, and a low price to pick up more shares at.

S&P Global Inc (NYSE: SPGI)

Now onto a stock that I don’t yet own, but would like to by this time next year. S&P Global is a financial services company you might know best from its stewardship of many of the world’s most important stock market indexes. These include both the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and the S&P 500 Index.

The rise of index investing over the past decade or two has been a boon for S&P Global. It has been able to compound revenues and profits at a remarkably consistent rate. This is evidenced by its 52-year streak of annual dividend increases, which have averaged an inflation-crushing rise of 7.46% per annum over the past five years. If there is a pullback opportunity to buy this company in 2026, I won’t miss it.

Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ: COST)

Costco is the US stock behind the eponymous supermarket chain. Costco’s unique membership model and bulk-oriented grocery warehouses have helped the company stand out against fierce global competition, including in Australia. We can see this in action through Costco’s 21-year streak of dividend increases, which have averaged an impressive 12.97% per annum over the past five years.

Costco stock also had an uncharacteristically poor year in 2025. If this trend continues in 2026, I will be happy to add some more shares to my existing position.

Mastercard Inc (NYSE: MA)

Our final US stock is a company we’d all be familiar with, and one that is probably in your wallet as we speak. Mastercard is the global payments giant that forms a near-duopoly with its fierce rival, Visa.

Mastercard has one of the most picture-perfect growth trajectories you can imagine, with more than a decade of double-digit growth in revenues, earnings, profits and dividends in the bank. Its annual dividend growth has averaged 13.7% over the past five years.

I’ve held Mastercard shares for many years, but have always regretted not loading the boat to the brim at the time of my first purchase. If I have the opportunity to rectify this mistake in 2026, I would be delighted to.

The post I want to buy Amazon and these 4 US stocks in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Amazon, Costco Wholesale, Duolingo, and Mastercard. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Amazon, Costco Wholesale, Duolingo, Mastercard, and S&P Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon and Mastercard. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX 200 materials was the best performer among the 11 market sectors by a long shot last year.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) rose by 31.71% and produced total returns, including dividends, of 36.21%.

The sector outperformed the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) by more than 4:1.

The ASX 200 lifted 6.8% in 2025 to finish the year at 8,714.31 points. The total return was 10.32%.

The worst-performing sector was healthcare, with the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) falling 24.91%.

Let’s review.

ASX 200 materials shares outperformed by 4:1

Strong growth in metal prices, particularly gold, silver, copper, and lithium, propelled ASX mining shares higher last year.

Mining strength was the main contributor to the materials sector’s lead last year.

(The materials sector also includes agriculture stocks, building materials suppliers, packaging companies, and others.)

Materials vastly outperformed the other 10 market sectors.

The second best performer was industrials with a respectable 10.2% gain.

The best performing share within the ASX 200 materials sector was Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR).

Shares in this ASX 200 gold miner, which only joined the benchmark index in the December quarter rebalance, ripped 220% in 2025.

The next best materials share was fellow gold miner, Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG), with 206% share price growth.

ASX lithium producer, Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR) followed with 197% share price growth.

Other gold mining shares followed, with Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RSG) up 196% and Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) up 194%.

Healthcare weakened by CSL and Pro Medicus share price falls

The healthcare sector was dragged down by its largest share, CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL).

The CSL share price plummeted 39% in 2025 amid challenging market conditions, including lower demand for vaccines worldwide.

Analysts at investment platform, Stake, said it was a “bruising year” CSL shares investors.

In Stake’s 2025 Retail Investor Report Card, the analysts said:

Despite posting higher underlying profit, investors recoiled at plans to spin out its vaccine arm and cut more than 3,000 jobs globally.

Concerns over the restructuring weighed heavily on the stock…

CSL argued the overhaul would sharpen its focus on high-growth plasma therapies, but the market remained cautious.

Shares only faced further pressure after the firm downgraded FY26 revenue and profit guidance in late October.

The ASX 200 healthcare sector’s third largest company also dragged it down.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) shares ended a period of rapid growth in July when the share price peaked at a record $336.

The correction that followed led to an overall 12-month decline of almost 12%.

Market sector snapshot

Here’s how the 11 market sectors performed in 2025, ranked in order of capital growth.

Rank	S&P/ASX 200 market sector	Capital gains	Total returns (including dividends)
1	Materials (ASX: XMJ)	31.71%	36.21%
2	Industrials (ASX: XNJ)	10.2%	13.98%
3	Financials (ASX: XFJ)	7.97%	12.05%
4	Communication (ASX: XTJ)	7%	10.56%
5	Utilities (ASX: XUJ)	6.92%	13.22%
6	A-REIT (ASX: XPJ)	5.03%	8.38%
7	Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ)	1.77%	4.09%
8	Consumer Staples (ASX: XSJ)	(1.43%)	2.01%
9	Energy (ASX: XEJ)	(2.25%)	3.21%
10	Information Technology (ASX: XIJ)	(21.04%)	(20.80%)
11	Healthcare (ASX: XHJ)	(24.91%)	(23.66%)

Source: S&P Global

The post Best and worst performing ASX 200 sectors of 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL and Pro Medicus. 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) had a good but not exceptional year. During the 12 months, the benchmark index rose 6.8% to finish at 8,714.3 points.

Unfortunately, not all shares climbed with the market.

For example, the ASX 200 shares listed below were well and truly out of form and sank deep into the red. Here’s why they were the worst performers in 2025:

HMC Capital Ltd (ASX: HMC)

The HMC share price was the worst performer on the ASX 200 in 2025 with a 60% decline. This was despite the diversified investment company delivering strong profit growth in FY 2025. The team at Morgans is likely to see this as a buying opportunity. It has a buy rating and $4.85 price target on its shares. It said: “The current price essentially implies that HMC is ex-growth with a questionable NTA – a view we do not share. So, whilst re-rating of the stock remains contingent on these elements coming to fruition, we believe it to be highly achievable over the next 12 months.”

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

The Telix Pharmaceuticals share price wasn’t far behind with a decline of almost 55%. The catalyst for this was the radiopharmaceuticals company revealing that it received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for TLX250-CDx. It is an investigational PET2 agent for the diagnosis and characterisation of renal masses as clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Telix confirmed that the “CRL identifies deficiencies relating to the Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) package. The FDA has requested additional data to establish comparability between the drug product used in the ZIRCON Phase 3 clinical trial and the scaled-up manufacturing process intended for commercial use.” This has created doubts about future developments and also led to consensus downgrades.

IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

The IDP Education share price was out of form and crashed 54% in 2025. Investors sold off this language testing and student placement company’s shares after the release of a market update. IDP Education revealed that its key destination markets continue to be impacted by policy uncertainty, which is negatively impacting the size of the international student market globally.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

The Treasury Wine share price was sold off and dropped 53% over the period. Investors were selling the struggling wine giant’s shares after it revealed that trading conditions worsened and its performance was below expectations. The company’s new CEO, Sam Fischer, said: “We are currently experiencing category weakness in the US and China, two of our key growth markets, which will impact our business performance in the near-term. Maintaining the strength of our brands and the health of their respective sales channels is of critical importance to our Management team and our Board as we navigate through the current environment.” 

The post These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares in 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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

The start of a new year is often a natural time for investors to reset, reassess, and look ahead to where the next opportunities might emerge.

While nobody can predict short-term market movements, a mix of stabilising economic conditions, easing inflation pressures, and accelerating digital transformation could create fertile ground for select ASX stocks.

With that in mind, here are two Australian shares that look particularly interesting to watch as the new year gets underway.

Light & Wonder Inc (ASX: LNW)

Light & Wonder enters 2026 as a very different company to the one investors knew just a few years ago.

Following its strategic transformation away from traditional lotteries, the business is now a focused global gaming and digital entertainment group. It operates across land-based gaming machines, online real money gaming, and social casino platforms, giving it exposure to multiple growth avenues within the global gaming industry.

A key attraction is the company’s increasing emphasis on recurring and digital revenues. Its content portfolio continues to perform strongly across casinos worldwide, while its digital division benefits from the structural shift toward online gaming and mobile-first entertainment.

If management continues to execute well and digital earnings expand as expected, Light & Wonder could be well positioned for further growth as 2026 unfolds.

UBS is bullish on the company. It recently put a buy rating and $206.00 price target on Light & Wonder’s shares. This implies potential upside of approximately 30% for investors in 2026.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

Megaport is another ASX stock worth keeping a close eye on in the year ahead.

The company operates a global software-defined networking platform that allows businesses to instantly connect their infrastructure to leading cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. As enterprises increasingly adopt multi-cloud and hybrid IT strategies, demand for fast, flexible, and secure connectivity continues to grow.

While Megaport has faced share price volatility in recent years, its underlying business metrics have improved markedly. The company has been focused on driving operating leverage, improving margins, and moving toward sustained profitability.

If cloud adoption trends continue and Megaport delivers on its execution goals, 2026 could mark an important turning point for the business. Especially given its recent acquisition of Latitude.sh, which is a global, automated infrastructure platform delivering compute-as-a-service. This has expanded its total addressable market materially.

Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) thinks that Megaport is an ASX stock to buy now. It has an outperform rating and $21.70 price target on its shares. This suggests that upside of approximately 80% is possible from current levels.

The post Happy New Year: Here are two ASX stocks to watch going into 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The ASX mining share BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) has had a strong 12 months. Now investors need to look towards next year to decide if it’s a buy today or not.

There are a lot of moving parts to BHP because of how many commodities the business is exposed to, including iron ore, copper, coal and potash.

Investors can’t control what happens with resource prices, but we can control when to buy (and sell). It’s important to remember that commodity prices can be volatile and cyclical, which can be both an opportunity and a risk.

Let’s take a look at some of the positives and negatives of buying in 2026.

Positives about BHP shares

It’s not surprising to me that the BHP share price has risen well over 20% in the past six months (at the time of writing), given the surprising strength of some commodities.

The iron ore price is currently at around US$107 per tonne, according to Trading Economics. A few months ago, I thought it would be priced under US$100 per tonne by now.

A higher resource price is fantastic for a commodity business because it’s receiving more revenue for the same production, which largely drops onto the net profit line as well.

Copper is a great commodity for the long-term and short-term. Copper has long-term demand tailwinds for its role in electrification and decarbonisation. In a recent note, analysts from broker UBS wrote about copper:

The medium-term outlook has been bullish for years… will 2026 be the year the market finally experiences real tightness? We are cognisant that the copper rally in 2H25 has been driven more by speculative positioning on supply disruptions/ downgrades than physical tightness and we do not forecast an acceleration in global demand in 2026.

But we have visibility/conviction on limited growth in global mine output for the 2nd consecutive year and believe acute tightness in the concentrate market & tightening scrap will result in a sharp slowdown in refined output that will push the market into deficit in 2026, resulting in inventory drawdowns and further sustainable price upside.

That seems like a very positive outlook for copper’s impact on BHP shares.

Negatives

The strong rally of the BHP share price may mean it doesn’t have that much more room for gains in 2026.

One of the reasons I’m cautious about the mining giant is that there is a huge new iron ore project in Africa called Simandou (partly owned by Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) ), which could have a negative impact on the elevated iron ore price considering due to the impact this could have on the global supply and demand situation.

UBS wrote about the iron ore price:

We expect prices to remain ~$100/t over the next 6mths with demand stable & incremental supply growth modest (Simandou 10-20mt 2H weighted); medium-term we expect additional supply from Simandou/the majors to be part offset by India/ depletion of marginal producers; however, we find it difficult to see the bull case for iron ore and we forecast prices falling back to ~$90/t in 2027 (90th percentile of cost curve) as higher cost tonnes make way for Simandou.

In other words, its iron ore earnings may fall in the next year or two.

According to CMC Markets, there are currently 15 recent analyst ratings on the business, with three buy ratings, 11 hold ratings and one sell rating. However, the average price target on BHP shares is $43.56, implying a slight fall over the next year from where it is at the time of writing.

In my view, it looks like there are other ASX shares that could be better buys.

The post The pros and cons of buying BHP shares in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• A dividend giant I’d buy over BHP shares right now!
• 6 most traded ASX shares of 2025
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• 4 ASX mining shares with buy ratings for 2026
• Why I’m bullish on the BHP share price as copper prices surge

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

Owning BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares has regularly meant receiving sizeable passive income. But, there are other ASX dividend giants that appeal to me more for payouts.

BHP and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) are the two largest businesses on the ASX, but there are quite a few names that have bigger attraction.

The name I want to highlight today is Future Generation Australia Ltd (ASX: FGX), one of the most appealing listed investment companies (LICs) Aussies can buy for income.

Why the ASX dividend giant’s setup is so appealing

A LIC has a company structure, just like any other company. But, instead of selling products or services, the LIC is trying to generate profit for shareholders by generating investment returns with a portfolio.

The LIC structure allows the board of directors to declare the size of dividends they want to, assuming the business has an accounting profit reserve that’s large enough for the desired payout. LICs can provide shareholders with steadily rising dividends thanks to this dynamic.

Future Generation Australia is no ordinary LIC, though. Usually, the portfolio of a LIC is managed by a fund manager that charges management fees.

The ASX dividend giant I’m highlighting today doesn’t charge any management fees. Instead, it donates 1% of the value of its net assets each year to charities focused on helping youths and the fund managers work for free to enable this initiative. It’s a fantastic LIC, in my view.

Diversification

Investors usually like to see that their wealth is diversified – it’s good not to have all one’s eggs in one basket.

Future Generation Australia’s portfolio has significant diversification. It’s not managed by one fund management outfit. The LIC is invested across the funds of a number of fund managers, who all work for free.

It’s invested in 16 funds, that each have their own portfolio, giving shareholders significant diversification. Some of the fund managers include Paradice, Bennelong, L1 Group Ltd (ASX: L1G), Cooper Investors, QVG, Vinva, Eley Griffiths and Lanyon.

According to the ASX dividend giant, there are more than 400 underlying shares across different sectors. Pleasingly, it has a much smaller weighting to ASX financial shares, giving investors varied exposure to the ASX share market than the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO).

Dividend potential

On the passive income side of things, I think Future Generation Australia is a very appealing investment.

It has increased its payout every year between 2015 to 2025 – a decade of dividend increases is the type of reliability I’d want to see.

The LIC’s FY25 annual payout has been guided to be 7.2 cents per share. That translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.9%, including franking credits, at the time of writing. Broker UBS estimates that BHP, on the other hand, could pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 5.3% in FY26 to owners of BHP shares.

Future Generation looks to me like the clear winner for passive income.

The post A dividend giant I’d buy over BHP shares right now! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• The pros and cons of buying BHP shares in 2026
• 6 most traded ASX shares of 2025
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• 4 ASX mining shares with buy ratings for 2026
• Why I’m bullish on the BHP share price as copper prices surge

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Future Generation Australia. 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. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.