Category: Stock Market

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) is one of those businesses I think can suit investors looking for steady long-term returns rather than excitement.

With the shares trading close to their 52-week low, I think the current price deserves a closer look.

If I had $5,000 to invest today, I would be comfortable putting it into Telstra shares.

The income case is still strong

Telstra shares are trading around $4.60.

According to CommSec, analysts expect fully franked dividends per share of 22 cents in FY27 and 22.5 cents in FY28.

That puts the forward dividend yield at roughly 4.8% in FY27, before taking franking credits into account.

For an investor looking for passive income, I think that is attractive.

More importantly, the dividend is expected to keep edging higher rather than simply remaining flat.

Telstra has made a sustainable and growing dividend an important part of its strategy, and I think its recurring cash flows give it a good base from which to support those payments.

Mobile and internet services are regular household expenses, so Telstra continues receiving revenue from millions of customers every month.

That makes the income case easier for me to understand and gives shareholders a reason to hold the stock through quieter periods.

The business has defensive qualities

I also like Telstra because demand for its core services does not disappear when economic conditions weaken.

People still need mobile phones, internet connections, and access to digital services.

Businesses also rely heavily on telecommunications infrastructure to operate.

Telstra still faces economic pressure, competition, and changing customer behaviour, although I think demand for its services is more resilient than for many discretionary products.

For someone investing $5,000 and looking to hold for years, that stability has real value.

I would be much more comfortable owning a business whose products remain part of everyday life than relying on a company that needs consumers to keep spending freely.

There is still room for modest growth

Telstra does not need strong earnings growth to produce a respectable long-term result.

CommSec forecasts earnings per share of 20.8 cents in FY27 and 21.6 cents in FY28.

That is not explosive growth, but it does point in the right direction.

I think the more interesting part is how Telstra can keep improving the business around its existing customer base.

Its mobile network remains central to the company, while investments in fibre, satellite connectivity, enterprise services, and other infrastructure can create additional opportunities over time.

If Telstra can grow earnings gradually while continuing to increase its dividend, I think shareholders could receive a combination of income and moderate capital growth.

For me, that is enough to make the shares interesting at the current price.

Foolish takeaway

Yes, I would invest $5,000 into Telstra shares at around $4.60.

I like the combination of fully franked income, resilient demand, and the potential for steady earnings growth over time.

For investors seeking income and a relatively defensive long-term holding, I think the current share price looks attractive.

The post Would I buy Telstra shares with $5,000 as they near a 52-week low? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much passive income can I earn off my $800,000 superannuation balance?
• Buy, hold, sell: DigiCo Infrastructure REIT, CBA, Telstra shares
• VGS vs VHY: Which Vanguard ETF comes out on top?
• How much superannuation do I need to earn $4,000 a month in passive income?
• Looking to bank the boosted Telstra dividend? You better hurry!

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

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) are two of Australia’s biggest banks.

Both offer exposure to the Australian economy, home lending, deposits, business banking, and dividends.

But if I were choosing between them today, which one would I buy?

Why CBA shares stand out

CBA remains my preferred Australian bank because I think it has the strongest overall franchise.

Its enormous customer base gives it relationships across everyday banking, mortgages, business banking, credit cards, payments, and investing.

I particularly like the way CBA has invested in technology around those customers.

The CommBank app has become an important part of how millions of Australians manage their finances, and the bank continues adding services that can make customers more likely to stay within its ecosystem.

That technology investment can also help CBA operate more efficiently, make decisions faster, and improve areas such as fraud detection and customer service.

Business banking gives me another reason to be positive.

CBA has built a substantial position with Australian businesses, giving it another avenue for growth alongside its dominant retail banking operations. Business customers can use the bank for lending, deposits, payments, and other services as their companies develop.

For me, CBA has several strong parts of the business working together, and I think that makes it a high-quality long-term holding.

What about Westpac shares?

Westpac is certainly not a bad bank.

It has millions of customers, a huge deposit base, and one of Australia’s largest mortgage businesses. It is also investing to improve its technology and strengthen areas such as business banking.

The shares also trade on a lower price-to-earnings ratio than CBA and offer a higher dividend yield.

That could make Westpac more attractive to investors who place greater weight on income or who want to pay a lower multiple for a major bank.

My hesitation comes from the growth outlook. I remain concerned about Westpac’s heavy exposure to Australian housing at a time when home lending growth could become more difficult. Recent weakness in mortgage applications has reinforced that concern for me.

The bank is working to expand elsewhere, particularly in business banking, but I would like to see more progress before becoming more positive.

A cheaper valuation can certainly improve the investment case. I still want to feel confident that the underlying business has enough ways to grow over the years ahead.

Are CBA shares worth paying more for?

CBA shares normally command a substantial premium over Westpac shares, and investors need to decide whether the quality of the business justifies paying more.

I think it does. I would rather pay a higher price for the bank I believe has the stronger customer franchise, better technology, and more attractive long-term growth opportunities.

Of course, CBA still needs to execute well. A premium valuation leaves less room for disappointment, and banking conditions can change quickly.

But when I am investing with a long holding period, I tend to put more weight on the quality of the business than simply choosing whichever share looks cheaper.

Foolish takeaway

If I had to choose between CBA and Westpac shares today, I would buy CBA.

Westpac offers a lower valuation and stronger prospective income, which may suit some investors.

For me, though, CBA’s customer relationships, technology, and business banking position give it the stronger long-term investment case.

The post CBA vs Westpac shares: Which is the best buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• CBA shares bounce after settling long-running class action
• Will CBA shares ever get back to the top of the ASX 200?
• Buy, hold, sell: DigiCo Infrastructure REIT, CBA, Telstra shares
• VGS vs VHY: Which Vanguard ETF comes out on top?
• How many CBA shares do I need to buy for $8,000 of passive income?

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Commonwealth Bank Of 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 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.

Every earnings season, it is the blue chips of the ASX that investors arguably look forward to hearing from the most. Even if an investor doesn’t own one of these shares themselves, what these companies have to say has ASX-wide implications, and even provides an insight into the health of the Australian economy itself. Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) is one of those shares, and we heard about the company’s latest numbers, including the new Woolworths dividend, this morning.

As my Fool colleague covered earlier, it was a strong set of numbers that the company had to show for itself. Woolworths revealed that it brought in $71.54 billion in revenues over the 12 months to 30 June, up 3.6% from the prior year.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) before significant items was up an even healthier 6.7% to $6.09 billion. Meanwhile, Woolworths posted a net profit after tax (NPAT) and before significant items of $1.6 billion. That was up a pleasing 15.4%.

But let’s talk about the new Woolworths dividend.

Everything you need to know about the next Woolworths dividend

Woolworths just revealed that its final dividend for 2026 will be worth 52 cents per share. That’s a 15.56% increase over the final dividend of 45 cents per share that investors enjoyed in 2025. Like almost every dividend that this company pays, this one will come with full franking credits attached.

Together with the interim dividend of 45 cents per share (also fully franked), this final dividend takes Woolworths’ 2026 payouts to 97 cents per share, up 15.48% from the 84 cents per share that investors enjoyed over 2025. This represents a payout ratio of 74.1% from the $1.309 in earnings per share (EPS) that the company made over FY2026.

If one doesn’t yet own Woolworths shares, but would like to receive this latest payout from the company, Woolworths has named 1 September as the ex-dividend date. That means investors will need to have Woolworths shares in their name by the end of August to be eligible to receive it.

Anyone who buys Woolworths shares on or after 1 September will leave the right to receive the payout behind with the seller. Payment day will then roll around on 25 September next month.

Woolworths is running its dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) for this latest dividend. That means investors who wish to receive additional Woolworths shares in lieu of a cash payment can nominate to do so by 3 September.

Woolworths is currently trading with a trailing dividend yield of 2.21%. However, the company can now be assigned a forward yield of 2.38%.

The post Everything you need to know about the Woolworths dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX 200 closes in on record territory as BHP and Woolworths surge
• Why Woolworths, Domino’s and DroneShield shares are turning heads on Wednesday
• How many Woolworths shares do I need to earn $10,000 per year in passive income?
• Woolworths Group FY26 earnings: Sales, profit and dividend all grow
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares have crashed into the red in early morning trade as investors digest the company’s latest half-year FY26 update.

At the time of writing, the counter-drone operators’ shares are down around 6% and trading at $1.83.

The latest price movement means DroneShield shares are now down 45% for the year-to-date, and are 49% lower than 12 months ago.

What’s the latest out of DroneShield?

The ASX defence company revealed that for the six months ending 30th of June, revenue jumped 74% to a record $125.8 million. Recurring revenue also increased 229% to $11.5 million.

But DroneShield also posted a statutory net loss after tax of $32.2 million, compared with a $2.1 million profit a year earlier. Underlying EBITDA also came in at a $12.4 million loss, compared with an $8 million profit posted in the first half of FY25.

The counter-drone operator said that the company has been focused on expanding its product range and geographical footprint over the first half of FY26. The higher corresponding operating costs, higher staff numbers, and strategic software and hardware investments all contributed to the reported loss.

Did the result meet market expectations?

DroneShield’s $125.8 million revenue came in line with guidance expectations. But recurring revenue was a miss, at $11.5 million versus guidance of $14.2 million for the six-month period.

Gross margin was in line with expectations at 60%, versus 65% in the prior corresponding period. 

Clearly, investors aren’t thrilled with the result either, with many rushing to sell off their stake in the company.

Are DroneShield shares a buy, sell or hold?

The experts are divided in their outlook for DroneShield shares over the next 12 months. But after today’s results announcement, we may see some brokers and analysts revise their stance in the coming days.

At the time of writing, Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a sell rating on DroneShield shares. However, the $2.40 target price implies a potential 30% upside ahead, at the time of writing.

TradingView data shows that of the four analysts, two have a strong buy rating and two have a sell/strong sell rating.

The target prices also vary. The average target price of $2.13 implies a potential 18% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing. 

But the minimum $1.60 target price implies a 11% downside at the time of writing. And the maximum $2.80 target price suggests DroneShield shares could rise another 55% over the next 12 months.

The latest forecasts are a sharp revision from just one month ago. In late July, some experts were forecasting DroneShield shares to rally as high as $4.80 each. 

The post Are DroneShield shares a buy, sell or hold following their half-year FY26 results today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Woolworths, Domino’s and DroneShield shares are turning heads on Wednesday
• DroneShield share price in focus as record revenue meets interim loss
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Are DroneShield shares worth buying and holding?

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. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is pushing higher again on Wednesday, extending the gains seen at the start of the week.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is up 0.56% to 9,215 points.

This puts the index at its highest level in 2 weeks and less than 1% below the record high of 9,296 points reached earlier this month.

Wall Street also gave a positive lead overnight, with the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) rising 0.66%, while the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJX: .DJI) added around 0.3%.

The move is relatively broad as well, with 104 shares trading higher, 86 lower and 10 unchanged.

So, what’s driving the market today?

BHP and Woolworths lead the way

Mining shares are giving the index plenty of support, led by another record high from BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP).

The BHP share price is up 1.18% to $68.47 after touching a new all-time high of $68.77 earlier this morning. Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) is also up 1.37% to $181.75, with copper prices remaining close to record levels.

BHP has been on a strong run since releasing its FY26 results last week, when the miner reported record underlying EBITDA of US$32.9 billion and underlying attributable profit of US$13.2 billion.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) is another major contributor today, with its shares jumping 5.59% to $41.02 following the release of its FY26 results.

The supermarket giant reported a 3.6% increase in group sales to $71.54 billion, while underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) rose 15.4% to $1.6 billion. Woolworths also lifted its final fully franked dividend by 15.6% to 52 cents per share.

Energy and tech stocks head lower

Not every part of the market is enjoying today’s gains, with lower oil prices weighing on the energy sector.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are down 4.27% to $31.59, while Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) has fallen 2.45% to $7.95.

Oil prices moved lower overnight, with brent crude falling 3.9% to US$88.58 per barrel as concerns around supply disruptions eased.

Tech shares are also having a tougher session, with the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) down roughly 1.25%.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares are sinking 7.8% to $41.92 after releasing its FY26 results this morning, despite reporting a 79% jump in revenue to US$1.40 billion.

According to The Australian, the fall appears to be driven by weaker than expected CargoWise growth and a softer outlook for e2open.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shares have also dropped 4.99% to $84.51.

The post ASX 200 closes in on record territory as BHP and Woolworths surge appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Everything you need to know about the Woolworths dividend
• Why Woolworths, Domino’s and DroneShield shares are turning heads on Wednesday
• Why are WiseTech shares crashing 8.5% today?
• How many Woolworths shares do I need to earn $10,000 per year in passive income?
• WiseTech Global share price: FY26 earnings soar 79% on e2open acquisition

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 positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global and Xero. 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.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP), and DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares are creating a stir today.

In late-morning trade on Wednesday, one of the high-profile S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) stocks is racing ahead of the benchmark’s 0.5% gains, while two are falling hard.

Here’s what’s grabbing investor interest.

DroneShield shares tumble on half-year loss

DroneShield shares are getting hammered today, down 12.1% at $1.72 apiece.

This follows the release of the ASX 200 drone defence stock’s half-year results (H1 2026).

On the positive side of the ledger, the company announced record first-half revenue of $125.8 million, up 74% year on year.

But investors look to be selling down DroneShield shares with the company reporting an underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) loss of $12.4 million, down from an $8 million in positive earnings in H1 2025.

Management said the loss came amid “a period of planned investment in production capacity, product development, organisational systems and management capability to support larger global operations”.

On the bottom line, DroneShield reported a statutory net loss after tax of $32.2 million, down from a $2.1 million profit in the first half of 2025.

Woolworths shares lift on earnings growth

Unlike DroneShield shares, Woolworths shares are taking off today after the ASX 200 supermarket giant released its full-year FY 2026 results.

At the time of writing, Woolworths shares are changing hands for $40.59 each, up 4.5%.

Investors are favouring their buy buttons after Woolies reported a 3.6% year-on-year boost in sales to $71.54 billion. And EBITDA (before significant items) increased by 6.7% to $6.09 billion.

On the bottom line, Woolworths achieved a NPAT (before significant items) of $1.60 billion, up 15.4%.

This saw management increase the final fully-franked dividend by 15.6% from last year’s final payout of 52 cents per share.

Which brings us to…

Domino’s shares slump on $134 million loss

Joining Woolworths and DroneShield shares in creating a buzz today, we find Domino’s Pizza.

Shares in the ASX 200 fast-food pizza retailer are down 10.7% at the time of writing, trading for $17.94 apiece.

This follows the release of Domino’s own FY 2026 results.

Investors are pressuring the stock after Domino’s reported an 11.2% year-on-year decline in revenue to $2.05 billion.

While FY 2026 underlying NPAT of $121.6 million was up 4.0% from FY 2025, statutory NPAT came in at a loss of $134.2 million, impacted by significant non-cash items.

On the passive income front, management declared a final unfranked dividend of 32.5 cents per share. That’s up 51.2% from last year’s final payout. But Domino’s full-year dividend payments of 57.5 cents per share are down 25.3% from FY 2025.

The post Why Woolworths, Domino’s and DroneShield shares are turning heads on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Everything you need to know about the Woolworths dividend
• Are DroneShield shares a buy, sell or hold following their half-year FY26 results today?
• ASX 200 closes in on record territory as BHP and Woolworths surge
• How many Woolworths shares do I need to earn $10,000 per year in passive income?
• Domino’s Pizza Enterprises posts FY26 loss but boosts franchise profitability

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 Domino’s Pizza Enterprises and DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Fifteen years gives a strong business plenty of time to become something much larger.

That is the sort of opportunity I would be looking for. I want companies that are already proving themselves today but still have several ways to grow from here.

These are three ASX shares I would be happy to buy with that timeframe in mind.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

Pro Medicus has already become an important provider of medical imaging software to major healthcare systems, particularly in the US.

But despite winning some very large customers, the company estimates it still has only around 11% of the US market.

I think that leaves a substantial opportunity ahead.

Visage has already shown that it can handle the demands of large hospital networks, so Pro Medicus can keep taking that proven technology to more healthcare organisations over the years ahead.

There is also room to do more within existing customers. The company is expanding beyond radiology into cardiology and enterprise imaging, which could allow Visage to handle a greater share of the medical images produced across a healthcare system.

Medical imaging volumes should also keep rising as populations age and healthcare becomes more reliant on scans. Artificial intelligence could make the platform even more valuable as hospitals look for better ways to analyse those images and manage growing workloads.

With so much of the US market still available, I think Pro Medicus has plenty of room to keep growing for years.

Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

Hub24 has built an important position in Australia’s wealth management industry.

Its investment platform helps financial advisers manage client portfolios and superannuation, putting the company behind a growing amount of Australian household wealth.

Hub24 has been expanding the technology available to advisers through businesses such as Class and myprosperity. That gives it more ways to help advice practices with administration, reporting, client engagement, and other everyday tasks.

The more of that work Hub24 can handle, the more important its technology can become to advisers.

Australia’s superannuation system provides another long-term tailwind. Workers keep contributing throughout their careers, while investment returns can increase the value of existing savings.

Hub24 therefore has the chance to win a larger share of a market that itself should continue growing.

If it keeps improving its technology and strengthening adviser relationships, I think the business could look considerably larger by the early 2040s.

Life360 Inc. (ASX: 360)

Life360 is an ASX share that has built a service that millions of families use as part of everyday life.

Location sharing remains at the centre of the platform, but I think the longer-term opportunity comes from how many other family safety needs can be addressed around that relationship.

The company has already expanded into driving safety, emergency assistance, identity protection, connected devices, pets, and services aimed at ageing family members.

Growing the number of paid subscribers remains an important part of the story, including converting more free users over time. But I see that as one part of a wider opportunity to make Life360 more valuable to each household.

International growth could also become increasingly important.

Life360 already has users across a huge number of countries, giving it the chance to build stronger businesses outside the US as awareness and adoption increase.

If the company keeps finding practical ways to help families protect the people and things they care about, I think it could become a much more substantial consumer technology platform over the next 15 years.

Foolish takeaway

A 15-year investment does not need every year to go smoothly.

What I want is enough time for strong businesses to develop new products, enter larger markets, deepen customer relationships, and keep building on what they have already achieved.

I think Pro Medicus, Hub24, and Life360 all have that sort of runway.

That is why I would be comfortable buying all three today and giving their long-term opportunities plenty of time to develop.

The post 3 ASX shares I’d buy for the next 15 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Pro Medicus, Fortescue, CBA shares
• ASX 200 healthcare shares soar 9% amid notable FY26 reports from CSL, Pro Medicus
• How I’d use ASX growth shares to build long-term wealth
• Why Guzman Y Gomez, Pro Medicus and James Hardie shares are turning heads on Friday
• Pro Medicus signs A$25m US contract: What it means for investors

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Hub24. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Hub24 and Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Hub24 and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are back in the green on Wednesday after the banking giant announced a deal to settle a long-running class action.

At the time of writing, the CBA share price is up 0.92% to $158.47.

It has been a much tougher month for shareholders, with the stock down around 8% over that period. CBA shares are also roughly flat since the start of 2026 and remain around 15% below their 52-week high of $185.59.

Still, investors appear comfortable with today’s announcement, with shares moving higher in morning trade.

Let’s take a closer look at the release.

CBA reaches $249 million settlement

CBA said this morning that it has reached an in-principle agreement to settle a class action involving the bank, Colonial First State Investments and Avanteos Investments.

The proposed settlement is worth $249 million and still needs to be finalised and approved by the Federal Court of Australia.

The proceedings were launched in 2018 by Slater and Gordon on behalf of class members.

They relate to certain cash and deposit options issued by CBA and offered through Colonial First State superannuation and wrap products between November 2008 and September 2021.

However, CBA, Colonial First State Investments and Avanteos Investments deny the allegations and have made no admission of liability or wrongdoing.

If the court approves the deal, eligible class members could receive a share of the settlement after legal fees and other costs are deducted.

Why are CBA shares higher?

A $249 million settlement does sound sizeable, but there’s a key detail in the above announcement.

CBA said the proposed settlement is already covered by a provision recognised in an earlier period. 

That means investors aren’t looking at a new $249 million hit to current earnings, which likely helps explain why the share price has moved higher today.

The announcement also comes shortly after CBA reported another strong full-year result.

Cash net profit after tax rose 7% to $10.98 billion in FY26, while statutory profit increased 8% to $10.91 billion.

The bank also lifted its final dividend to $2.70 per share, taking the fully-franked full-year payout to $5.05 per share.

What next for CBA shares?

Today’s rise is welcome for shareholders, but CBA shares still have ground to recover after falling around 8% this month.

The bank is also trading much closer to its 52-week low of $146.98 than the record levels it reached earlier this year.

Even after that pullback, CBA shares are not exactly cheap, trading on a P/E ratio of around 24. That still leaves the bank at a fairly high valuation compared with the other major banks.

The focus now is on whether CBA shares can keep moving higher after a difficult few weeks.

The post CBA shares bounce after settling long-running class action appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Will CBA shares ever get back to the top of the ASX 200?
• Buy, hold, sell: DigiCo Infrastructure REIT, CBA, Telstra shares
• How many CBA shares do I need to buy for $8,000 of passive income?
• Buy, hold, sell: Pro Medicus, Fortescue, CBA shares
• Are Westpac shares a buy at their new 52-week low?

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.

ASX retail stock Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) is rocketing 19% to $29.22 on Wednesday morning, taking its monthly gain to 35%.

Despite the surge, the jewellery retailer remains 22% lower over the past 12 months, while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained around 2%.

So, what’s driving today’s dramatic rebound?

Lovisa delivers another strong year

Investors are responding to a solid full-year result, with Lovisa delivering growth across its key financial metrics. Total revenue increased 17.6% to $938.8 million, while comparable-store sales rose 2.0%.

The ASX retail stock also lifted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) by 14.1% to $158.2 million. Net profit after tax climbed 10.7% to $95.6 million.

Lovisa generated $294.5 million in operating cash flow, up 21.0%, demonstrating the company’s ability to fund its expansion while continuing to generate substantial cash.

Shareholders also received a boost, with the full-year dividend increasing 11.7% to 86 cents per share.

Global expansion remains a key growth driver

Lovisa continued its aggressive international expansion during the year, opening 160 new stores and finishing with 1,136 stores across more than 50 markets. Europe was the standout region for store growth, with 76 new locations added, including 34 in the UK and 20 in Germany.

However, management isn’t simply opening stores for the sake of growth. Lovisa closed 43 underperforming locations and relocated another 12, highlighting its focus on improving store profitability and optimising its global network.

The ASX retail stock also continued investing in technology, its supply chain, and global retail operations. Importantly, Lovisa said these investments were fully funded by existing cash flows.

What did Lovisa management say?

Lovisa Global Chief Executive Officer John Cheston said:

Lovisa has once again been able to deliver strong global sales and profit growth, with the highlights being continued growth in the Americas and Europe and another exceptional Gross Margin performance.

What’s next for Lovisa shares?

The early signs from FY27 are encouraging. Lovisa reported total sales growth of 16.4% on a constant-currency basis during the first eight weeks, while comparable-store sales increased 3.0%.

The retailer plans to continue expanding its physical and digital presence, supported by its strong balance sheet and steady cash generation.

After a 22% decline over the past year, today’s 19% rally of the ASX retail stock suggests investors are reassessing Lovisa’s growth prospects.

Whether the recovery can continue, however, will depend on the company maintaining strong comparable-store growth while successfully scaling its rapidly expanding international footprint.

The post Why is this $3 billion ASX retail stock rocketing 19% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 positions in and has recommended Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Lovisa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares have crashed into the red in Wednesday morning trade.

At the time of writing, the shares are down around 8.5% to $41.73 per share.

This means the shares are now down 39% for the year to date and are now 64% lower than trading levels seen this time last year.

Today’s decline follows the company’s FY26 results announcement, which it posted to the ASX ahead of the market open this morning.

It looks like the announcement spooked investors, with many rushing for the exit this morning.

What did WiseTech report this morning?

WiseTech reported that it has raised its annual earnings and flagged growth for FY27 in line with analysts’ expectations.

The company reported a 46% increase in EBITDA to US$558.4 million for the 12 months through to the 30th of June. The result was in line with the company’s $550 million to $585 million guidance range but short of market forecasts of $569.5 million.

But WiseTech’s EBITDA beat the average analyst forecast of $599.9 million on an underlying basis. WiseTech reported a 56% jump in underlying EBITDA to $644.5 million at a 42% margin.

The company’s total revenue increased by 79% compared to the prior year, and its underlying NPAT increased by 29% due to organic growth from its e2open acquisition.

WiseTech said its cost-saving programs also delivered around US$115 million in annualised savings, including efficiencies from adopting AI in operations.

The company also raised its final dividend to 88 US cents per share, up from 77 US cents per share.

Looking ahead, WiseTech is guiding total revenue growth between 6% and 10% (US$1.48 billion to US$1.54 billion) for FY27, and underlying EBITDA growth between 12% and 21%, with a margin uplift to 49% to 51%. 

Where to now for WiseTech shares?

At the time of writing, the outlook for WiseTech shares is unchanged, although I expect some market experts could revise their outlook in the coming days following today’s results.

At the time of writing, brokers and analysts are still very bullish on where we’ll see the share price travel from here.

Market Index shows that the majority of brokers (three out of four) are very bullish on the ASX tech stock and hold a strong buy rating. The average $54.71 target price implies a potential 27% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

TradingView data shows something similar. Of 12 analysts, 10 have a buy/strong buy rating, and the other two rate the shares as a hold.

The $60.63 average target price implies a potential 46% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

The post Why are WiseTech shares crashing 8.5% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• WiseTech Global share price: FY26 earnings soar 79% on e2open acquisition
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Why WiseTech shares are pushing higher again on Tuesday
• Up 52% from its low! Has the WiseTech share price finally bottomed out?
• 3 ASX growth shares brokers say could beat the market

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