Category: Stock Market

If you’re looking to put $3,000 to work before the end of the year and stock picking isn’t your thing, then it could be worth considering exchange traded funds (ETFs).

Whether you are seeking exposure to megatrends, fast-growing emerging markets, or long-term structural themes, the ETFs below offer a compelling mix for a small, high-impact investment.

Here are three ASX ETFs worth considering with $3,000 this December.

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

In recent years, cybersecurity has become a non-negotiable expense for businesses, governments, and consumers. With cyberattacks increasing in frequency, complexity, and cost, global spending on digital defence is surging.

The Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF gives investors exposure to leading cybersecurity companies such as CrowdStrike Holdings (NASDAQ: CRWD), Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW), and Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO). These are businesses providing essential security infrastructure, software, and threat detection systems to organisations worldwide.

Demand for cybersecurity is not cyclical, it is structural. As more devices and services connect to the internet, the need for reliable protection grows even faster. For investors seeking long-term, tech-driven growth without the need to pick individual winners, this fund could be a compelling addition to a portfolio in December.

Betashares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF (ASX: RBTZ)

The Betashares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF taps into two of the most transformative forces shaping the global economy: robotics and artificial intelligence.

These technologies are already reshaping manufacturing, medicine, logistics, retail, and consumer electronics, and the pace of adoption is accelerating. Among its holdings are companies leading the charge such as Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG), and ABB Ltd (SWX: ABBN). Nvidia powers the world’s AI chips, Intuitive Surgical leads robotic-assisted surgery, and ABB is a global automation heavyweight.

They, and the rest of its holdings, look well-positioned for growth over the next decade and beyond. This bodes well for the performance of the Betashares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF, which was recently recommended by Betashares.

Betashares India Quality ETF (ASX: IIND)

Finally, the Indian economy could be one of the most powerful growth stories of the next 20 years. With a young population, rising incomes, rapid urbanisation, and increasing global influence, the country is positioning itself as a major economic engine.

The Betashares India Quality ETF gives investors exposure to high-quality Indian stocks such as Infosys (NYSE: INFY), HDFC Bank (NSEI: HDFCBANK), and Tata Consultancy Services (NSEI: TCS). These are leaders in IT services, financials, and business outsourcing.

Overall, this ETF allows Australian investors to tap into India’s growth without needing to pick individual stocks or navigate the complexities of investing directly in the country. It was also recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

The post 3 excellent ASX ETFs to buy with $3,000 in December 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 Abb, BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, Cisco Systems, CrowdStrike, Intuitive Surgical, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended HDFC Bank and Palo Alto Networks. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CrowdStrike and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

BHP Group (ASX: BHP) shares are the talk of the town among investors and analysts alike this week. 

The Australian mining and metals giant’s shares have climbed 1.06% in Wednesday afternoon trading. At the time of writing, the shares are changing hands at $44.77 a piece. That’s a 31% increase from a 3.5-year low in April. The shares are 12.04% higher for the year to date.

The miner’s shares have come under the spotlight recently. Last week, the mining giant made the list as the second most-traded ASX share among CommSec clients. Although a huge 80% of activity was investors selling up the mining giant’s stock, potentially from investors taking their latest gains off the table. 

What’s all the fuss about?

It’s been a big week for BHP.

The copper price hit a new all-time high of US$11,600 per tonne on the London Metal Exchange on Monday, bumping up BHP’s valuation. The metal has now gained more than 30% since the start of the year, comfortably outpacing the broader market.

Copper is a central material for the global energy transition, with significant use in electric vehicles and associated charging infrastructure. It is also a critical component in AI data centres thanks to its conductivity and efficiency in power distribution and cooling. And as the world’s largest copper producer, BHP’s share price and company strength are very closely tied to the metal’s price fluctuations.

In other news, the mining giant has struck up a new US$2 billion infrastructure agreement tied to its Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO) operations.

According to the miner’s release yesterday, BHP has entered into a binding deal with Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), an investment group owned by BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, which handles more than $12.5 trillion in assets.

Under the arrangement, a new trust will be set up, with BHP owning and controlling 51% and GIP holding the remaining 49%. The project is due for completion by the end of FY26, subject to approvals.

Management stated that the proceeds from the agreement will be evaluated and deployed in accordance with BHP’s capital allocation framework. 

What’s next for BHP shares?

Analysts are relatively uncertain about the outlook for BHP shares. Data shows that out of 19 analysts, 12 have a hold rating on the mining giant’s stock. Another 6 have a buy or strong buy rating, while 1 analyst has a strong sell rating.

The average target price for BHP shares is $44.94, although some think it could rise to as high as $47.80 over the next 12 months. At the time of writing, this implies a potential upside of up to 6.87%.

The post Why is everyone talking about BHP shares this week? 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 recommended BlackRock. 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.

Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX: LOT) shares could be a great way to gain exposure to uranium.

That’s the view of analysts at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), which are bullish on the uranium developer.

What is the broker saying?

Macquarie notes that Lotus Resources has been battling sulfuric acid supply issues, which is slowing the ramp up of the Kayelekera operation.

However, it was pleased to see that the company’s acid plant is making good progress and will be onstream soon. It said:

LOT has experienced sulfuric acid supply issues from its Zambian supplier, which appears to be due to lower Zambia & Congo copper production, truck shortages and we expect also an element of demand pull from the gold sector. LOT now has a second supplier out of South Africa (10 days’ drive) to supplement its Zambia contract (5 days’ drive) which should help to stabilise its acid supply chain, however in any event LOT’s relocated Kayelekera acid plant (now relocated to better ground) has made good progress and is due to onstream in February.

As a result of the above, Macquarie has pushed back its export expectations. It adds:

Given the slower ramp in December quarter (acid issues) and the time still required for product accreditation (by western converters), we push back first export to the June quarter 2026 (Apr-Jun) for modelling purposes. We acknowledge LOT may be able to enter into commercial arrangements (eg. physical swaps or loans) to bring this forward but at this stage we don’t factor this in.

Should you buy this ASX uranium stock?

Macquarie remains positive on the uranium developer despite this little hiccup, noting that it doesn’t materially impact its investment case.

According to the note, the broker has retained its outperform rating and 28 cents price target on Lotus Resources shares.

Based on its current share price of 17.2 cents, this implies potential upside of almost 65% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its outperform rating, Macquarie said:

Outperform. Delays to first sales at Kayelekera now validates LOT’s decision to raise additional equity in September, in our view. Given the additional capital was already raised, the cut to production ramp doesn’t materially alter the investment case.

Valuation: Our SOTP-based TP is overall unchanged. Catalysts: Uranium prices, Kayelekera offtake contracts, Kayelekera first shipment (late CY25), Letlhakane PFS (2HCY26).

The post Macquarie says this ASX uranium stock can rocket 65% in 2026 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 Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Income investors who bought Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) shares for their dividend income potential in recent years might be feeling a little jaded today.

On paper, Woolworths has everything an income investor looks for. It is a defensive stock in the consumer staples sector of the economy. It is a large, mature blue-chip share that has a clear market lead in the grocery space.

As such, Woolworths should have a durable earnings base from which to fund stable shareholder payouts.

Well, Woolworths’ dividends have been anything but stable in recent years. To illustrate, the company forked out an annual total of $1.08 in dividends per share over 2021. In 2022, that fell to 92 cents per share, only to come back up to $1.04 per share in 2023. 2024 continued that $1.04 per share in income, with investors also getting a 40 cents per share special dividend.

However, rather than reflecting positive developments with the underlying Woolworths business, this dividend was funded by the sale of the company’s remaining stake in Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV).

But today, in late 2025, shareholder patience might be running a little thin. This year saw a notable reduction in the dividend income enjoyed from Woolworths shares. The company paid out an interim dividend in April worth 39 cents per share. September saw a final dividend of 45 cents per share doled out. That puts this company’s full-year payouts for 2025 at just 84 cents per share.

That’s the lowest annual Woolworths dividend investors have bagged since the COVID-ravaged 2020.

So what’s going on here?

What’s up with the 2025 Woolworths dividend?

Well, sadly, 2025’s paltry payouts were a direct consequence of the trouble Woolworths finds itself in right now. The company has had one of the toughest years in its long history this year.

The departure of its old CEO, Bradford Banducci, in late 2024 got things off to a bad start already. Banducci had a less-than-glorious exit involving an interview walkout.

But Woolworths has had to deal with a series of missteps, as well as quarter after quarter showing the company losing market share to rivals. Particularly, Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL).

This was evident in the company’s full-year results. Back in August, Woolworths reported the lowest net profit after tax the company has brought in for at least five years. The net profit of $1.385 billion was down 17.1% from FY2024’s $1.71 billion. Group earnings also declined significantly, dropping 12.6% from $3.22 billion in FY2024 to $2.75 billion in FY2025.

Earnings per share tanked by 17.1% to $1.135.

The company blamed this fall in earnings and profits for its 2025 dividend cut:

The Board declared a final dividend of 45 cents per share, bringing the total full year dividend to 84 cents per share, with the reduction on the prior year reflecting the decline in earnings per share.

So that’s what’s up with the Woolworths dividend. A company can only pay out what it gets in. And when what it gets is falling, the dividends are often the first thing on the chopping block.

For Woolworths to start increasing its dividends, it will first need to see its earnings and profits return to growth. No doubt shareholders will be hoping they do in 2026, but let’s see what happens.

At the current Woolworths share price of $29.24, this ASX 200 blue chip has a trailing dividend yield of 2.87%.

The post What’s going on with the Woolworths dividend? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models and recommendations again. This has led to the release of a number of broker notes this week.

Three ASX shares that brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why their analysts are feeling bullish on them right now:

CAR Group Limited (ASX: CAR)

According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have retained their buy rating and $42.20 price target on this auto listings company’s shares. It notes that the CAR Group share price has been caught up in tech sector volatility recently, dragging it down to an attractive level. Bell Potter highlights that its shares trade at a significant discount to fellow ASX-listed classifieds platforms. Outside this, it likes the carsales.com.au owner due to its ability to generate cash flows that support growth investments and shareholder returns simultaneously. The CAR Group share price is trading at $31.89 on Wednesday afternoon.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

A note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating and $26.10 price target on this supermarket giant’s shares. The broker has been out visiting Coles’ food manufacturing facilities. It notes that the company has the capacity to manufacture 970 tonnes of cooked products and 1.5 million meals a week. Coles has called out ready-made meals as a key growth area in the future. Speaking of growth, Macquarie believes that its supply chain investment, operational execution, and market share gains will help support an earnings per share compound annual growth rate of 10% over the next three years. The Coles share price is fetching $21.76 at the time of writing.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

Another note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating on this network solutions company’s shares with an improved price target of $21.70. Macquarie notes that the recent acquisition of Latitude expands the immediate addressable share of customer wallet. It points out that customers already consume compute products, but Megaport has not historically sold compute. Latitude’s product offering is highly complementary to the existing product set and offers a direct position in a large and fast-growing end market. Stripe, Mercado Livre, and Grok are new customer wins. It estimates that Bare Metal as a Service (BMaaS) is a large, end market currently worth US$15 billion, but growing rapidly. Combined with the stabilisation of core revenue, Macquarie believes Megaport is well-placed for long term growth. The Megaport share price is trading at $13.62 today.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today 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 Macquarie Group and Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CAR Group Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) shares are 1.58% higher in lunchtime trade on Wednesday. At the time of writing, the shares are changing hands for $13.50 a piece. 

The software-defined network (SDN) service provider’s shares are 23.8% lower than their 3.5-year peak early last month. But they’re still up an impressive 81.4% for the year to date.

Megaport completed an institutional placement in mid-November, just a day after it revealed that it was raising $220 million to fund the acquisition of Latitude.sh for US$150 million in cash and scrip. 

The company has suffered amid the tech-sector-wide investor sell-off, but analysts are still bullish on the outlook for the stock over the next 12 months.

In a new note to investors, analysts at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) have revealed their latest expectations for the shares.

Huge upside ahead for Megaport shares

In its note, the broker has confirmed its outperform rating on Megaport shares. Its analysts have also hiked its 12-month target price up to $21.70, up from $18.50 previously.

At the time of writing, this implies a huge potential 60.7% upside for investors over the next 12 months.

Last month, Megaport said it had acquired Latitude.sh, a global Compute as a Service platform. 

Macquarie said it has revised its EPS earnings and EBITDA number to incorporate Latitude numbers. The broker said its increased target price reflects these EPS earnings changes.

“We revise FY26/27/28/29E EPS by n.m/n.m/+212%/+163%. The law of small numbers is at play, with EBITDA changes more meaningful at +9%/+101%/+106%/+108%. With the $200m placement now complete, our earnings changes reflect the incorporation of Latitude numbers. We assume the initial A$132m capex is spread over FY26 & FY27, with further growth reinvestment presenting downside to these numbers,” the broker said in its note.

“Top line is stabilised, Latitude adds a new growth driver in a fast-growing end market. Reinvestment in growth will drive further top-line acceleration out of FY26. Product roadmap suggests MP1 will move more into software with edge compute, driving higher long-term margins. Retain Outperform,” the broker added.

What else did the broker have to say?

While customers already consume compute products, Megaport has not historically offered compute solutions. This means Latitude’s product is highly complementary to Megaport’s existing offerings and provides a direct entry into a large, fast-growing end market. Early traction is evident with new customer wins, including Stripe, Mercado Livre, and Grok. Latitude also strengthens exposure to blockchain applications.

Macquarie also commented that Latitude CPU (central processing units) are strong. All Latitude SKUs are expected to achieve positive internal rates of return within the first one to two years, even after factoring in a 3–6 month ramp period.

“Industry conversations confirm CPU useful lives are 6-7 years, with examples of operation beyond this time. We understand Latitude currently assumes an accounting useful life of 5 years, slightly longer than a tax useful life of 4 years. This leads to a minor tax shield on CPU capex,” the broker said.

The post Megaport shares tipped to jump another 60%: Here’s why 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 Macquarie Group and Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP) shares have hit a 12-month low following a trading update this week which said the company’s performance had been “below expectations”.

But Macquarie analysts believe there is still money to be made buying Bapcor shares at these levels, with their 12-month price target on the stock indicating a total return of almost 15%.

Tough start to the year

Bapcor said on Tuesday that its trading performance in October and November was “below expectation mainly in the trade segment”.

The company went on to say:

Revenue declined in tools and equipment versus the prior corresponding periods though parts revenue has grown modestly. Trade is also investing in pricing across specific parts categories to regain market share. The price reductions have adversely impacted margins in the short term but are expected to drive volume growth in the future.

Bapcor updated its guidance for the first half to be a loss in the range of $5 million to $8 million, including about $13 million in non-recurring items.

The company also updated its full-year guidance, saying net profit was expected to be in the range of $31 million to $36 million, and excluding the non-recurring ietms from the first half, would be in the range of $44 million to $49 million.

Bapcor delivered a full-year net profit of $28.1 million for FY25, which was up 117% on the previous year due to lower significant items.

Working on a turnaround

The company’s Chief Executive Angus McKay said on Tuesday the weaker operational result for October and November was disappointing.

Although the turnaround of the business is more challenging and taking longer than expected we are committed to doing the difficult work that will result in a stronger, more sustainable company. I am excited by the appointment of Craig Magill and Dean Austin to Key EGM roles in the trade and retail segments respectively. Craig has significant Bapcor and automotive experience and Dean brings extensive retailing and merchandising experience.

Shares still good value

Macquarie said in a research note sent to clients this week that the downgrade was a 17% reduction from previous expectations, and it has a neutral rating on Bapcor shares.

That said, Macquarie still has a 12-month price target of $2.05 on the shares, and once dividends are factored in, was forecasting a total shareholder return of 14.7% for Bapcor shares.

The updated price target was a steep 29% discount to Macquarie’s previous price target on the shares however.

The research note also said:

Delivering revised FY26 guidance is critical to provide confidence in the underlying earnings base and alleviate any balance sheet concerns, stabilisation of revenue, earnings and market share in the trade segment.

Bapcor shares hit a 12-month low of $1.80 on Wednesday before recovering slightly to be 1.2% lower at $1.82.

Bacpor was valued at $627.9 million at the close of trade on Tuesday.

The post Trading near 12-month lows, are Bapcor shares worth a look? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) dividend stock Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Ltd (ASX: DBI) is charging higher today.

Shares in the infrastructure company – which owns the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal (DBCT) in Queensland – closed yesterday trading for $4.54. In early afternoon trade on Wednesday, shares are changing hands for $4.77 apiece, up 5.1%.

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

Today’s outperformance is nothing new for the ASX 200 dividend stock, with the Dalrymple Bay share price now up 40.3% since this time last year.

Atop this benchmark smashing share price gain, Dalrymple Bay shares trade on a partly franked 4.9% trailing dividend yield. And the stock has added appeal for many passive income investors as it makes quarterly dividend payouts.

And looking ahead, analysts at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) expect Dalrymple’s dividend yield to increase to 5.5% in 2026 and then to 6.1% in 2027. And that’s atop of further forecast share price gains.

Here’s why.

ASX 200 dividend stock tipped to keep on giving

Dalrymple Bay shares closed up 1.6% yesterday after the company announced that it had successfully secured $1.07 billion of new loan facilities.

With the new facilities reducing the company’s exposure to previously existing more expensive and less flexible debt, the ASX 200 dividend stock expects to save around $75 million in interest costs through to 2030.

“This refinance is strongly cashflow accretive to DBI and reaching financial close on these new facilities was a key part of our capital allocation review process,” Dalrymple Bay CEO Michael Riches said.

“DBI maintains substantial debt capacity to fund its committed NECAP [Non-Expansionary Capital Expenditure] projects, now at a significantly lower cost and this refinance creates greater flexibility and options,” he added.

Commenting on the benefits of the new funding arrangement, Macquarie said:

Upside from the transaction is: No longer is debt risk margins +350bps for additional borrowing. The risk premium has dropped to 150-200bps. Whilst the current debt has locked much of this, all future NECAP financing cost is materially cheaper, lifting the long-term value of DBI.

Macquarie reiterated its outperform rating on the ASX 200 dividend stock. According to the broker:

We think DBI is a unique investment with dividend growth of 5% and a valuation EV/EBITDA multiple of 13x, which is below comparable port multiples. Main upside event is 8X development, and medium-term repricing to capture more of the difference between NQXT [North Queensland Export Terminal] and DBCT [Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal].

Macquarie increased its price target for Dalrymple Bay shares to $5.33 (up from the prior $4.91), which it said reflects lower funding costs.

That represents a potential upside of 11.7% from current levels. And it doesn’t include those upcoming dividends.

The post Up 40% in a year, why Macquarie expects this ASX 200 dividend stock to keep outperforming in 2026 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 positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price is down 0.41% to $21.70 at the time of writing on Wednesday morning. Today’s drop means the supermarket giant’s shares have fallen 10% from their all-time peak in early-September. For the year-to-date the shares are still 15% higher.

The Coles share price spiked in late-August and early-September on the back of a robust FY25 result. It also posted a strong quarterly update in late October, where it reported a 3.9% increase in group sales and quarterly results generally in line with analyst expectations. 

Now, in a new note to investors, analysts at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) said toured Coles food manufacturing facilities and discussed read-made meal strategy plans with management. Following the tour, here’s the broker’s latest outlook for the stock.

Robust upside ahead for Coles shares

In the investor note, Macquarie confirmed its outperform rating and $26.10 target price on Coles shares. At the time of writing this implies a potential 20.3% upside for investors over the next 12 months.

“We remain attracted to ongoing execution, benefits from supply chain investment and strong earnings growth outlook, with ~10% EPS CAGR over the next three years driving returns,” the broker said in its note.

What did Macquarie think of the Coles food manufacturing facilities tour?

The broker said the tour of Coles’ facilities in NSW showcased the supermarket giant’s vertically integrated fresh food production sites. 

The sites are indicative of a focus on vertical integration, supply chain efficiency and private label, Macquarie explained. It added that benefits include customer satisfaction and cost efficiency.

The broker also noted that there were key takeaways for key assets Retail Ready Operations Australia (meat), Fresh Milk Co (Milk), and Chef Fresh (Convenience Meals).

“The facility processes both red and white meat, partnering exclusively with trusted livestock producers. Further, it operates 24/7 processing 5,500 tonnes of product per month, covering >80 SKUs. The facility supplies >600 stores, giving supply surety and improving shelf life of retail ready meat products,” the broker said of Coles’ Retail Ready Operations.

When discussing the Coles Fresh Milk Co, Macquarie said:

The NSW site was acquired in 2024 from Saputo, operating five days per week for 16 hours per day. ~200m litres of milk are processed every year from two facilities, including a second in VIC, with capacity to process up to ~450m litres. The level of automation was a standout in the facility, with almost zero manual handling of milk between supplier delivery and distribution.

Meanwhile, regarding Chef Fresh, the broker said:

The site has the capacity to manufacture 970 tonnes of cooked products and 1.5m meals a week. It produces >100 SKUs across Coles Finest, PerFORM, Coles Kitchen and Nature’s Kitchen. Chef Fresh supplies ~90% of private label convenience meals. Further, COL called out ready-made meals as a key growth area.

The post How much upside does Macquarie predict for Coles shares? 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 Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX All Ords stock Dateline Resources Ltd (ASX: DTR) came under pressure yesterday after the company moved to address media speculation surrounding potential Rare Earth Elements (REE) tenements in the United States.

The Dateline share price closed down a sizeable 12.24% to 21.5 cents.

What sparked all this?

The situation began after an announcement from US1 Critical Minerals (ASX: USC), formerly Gladiator Resources, which stated that legal proceedings had been launched against Dateline’s CEO, Stephen Baghdadi.

The implication was that USC was trying to gain control of certain promising REE tenements in the United States and that Stephen Baghdadi or the ASX All Ords stock may have been involved in some way.

Without doubt, the news created some investors to worry with the Dateline share price plummeting on the news. Dateline has now stepped in with this announcement to set the record straight.

Dateline pushes back on the claims

According to the release, Dateline said that while Stephen Baghdadi has indeed been pursuing additional REE opportunities following the Colosseum Gold–REE project, there are no arrangements of any kind between its CEO, or related entities and USC/Gladiator.

Dateline also made it clear that if it does secure more prospective REE tenements, those assets will be developed for the benefit of Dateline shareholders only.

The company firmly rejected any suggestion that the tenements would be transferred to another party, and said any legal claims against the company or its CEO will be vigorously defended.

Chairman backs the CEO

Chairman Mark Johnson also came out swinging, crediting Stephen Baghdadi and his team for an exceptional year. He said:

Dateline’s exceptional year is owed to the outstanding efforts of our Managing Director, Mr Stephen Baghdadi and the team that he has assembled. Mr Baghdadi identified and negotiated the Colosseum opportunity and managed government and regulatory engagements in the highest levels of the Federal Government through to state, county and local authorities. His efforts have yielded significant value to Dateline.

Foolish takeaway

These kinds of disputes aren’t unusual when companies are operating in competitive spaces like Rare Earths, especially where new discoveries can quickly attract attention.

Today’s sell-off shows the market reacting to uncertainty, but Dateline’s response aims to settle the speculation and reassure shareholders that the company remains focused on developing its REE opportunities.

The post Why this ASX All Ords stock came under pressure yesterday after addressing media speculation appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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