Category: Stock Market

Investors holding iShares Core S&P 500 AUD ETF (ASX: IVV) units are benefiting from strong momentum in the US stock market in 2025.

The IVV exchange-traded fund (ETF) tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index (SP: INX) before fees.

It’s an easy way of gaining exposure to the roaring US share market without having to trade on an overseas exchange.

Geographical diversification is valuable in any investor’s portfolio to help us capture the best returns and reduce our overall risk.

While the ASX follows the US closely in terms of whether it goes up or down each day, the pace of that movement often varies.

For example, in the year to date, the S&P 500 is up 14% while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 4.2%.

Another benefit of the IVV ETF is that it provides exposure to some of the world’s largest and most profitable companies.

The exchange-traded fund’s top 10 holdings are Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA), Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL), Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ: AVGO),  Alphabet Inc Class C (NASDAQ: GOOG),  Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: META), Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA), and Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class B
(NYSE: BRK.B).

Today, the IVV ETF is trading on the ASX for $69.14 per unit, up 1.04%.

Let’s find out what $10,000 invested a year ago is worth today.

What is a $10,000 investment in IVV ETF now worth?

On 25 November 2024, the IVV ETF closed at $61.25 apiece.

If you had invested $10,000 in IVV then, it would have bought you 163 units (for $9,983.75).

There’s been a capital gain of $7.89 per unit since then, which equates to $1,286.07 of capital growth.

Therefore, your portfolio is now worth $11,269.82.

What about dividends?

IVV pays four distributions (dividends) per year.

The ETF paid investors $2.134185 per unit in December 2024, $1.764574 per unit in March this year, $1.866967 per unit in June, and $1.994748 in September.

This means you would have received just over $7.76 per unit of income over the past 12 months, or $1,264.88 in total.

Total returns…

Your capital gain of $1,286.07 plus your income of $1,264.88 gives you a total return of $2,550.95.

Now remember, you invested $9,983.75 buying your 163 units on 25 November 2024.

This means you have received a total return, in percentage terms, of 25.55%. Wow!

And that happened during a year of turmoil, too. Remember the April rout caused by new US tariffs?

A distant memory now.

The IVV ETF has more than $705 billion in funds under management and charges a 0.03% annual fee.

The post $10,000 invested in IVV ETF a year ago is now worth… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• What $5,000 invested in ASX ETFs today could become in 10, 15, and 20 years
• 5 excellent ASX ETFs to buy in December
• The best ASX ETFs to buy and hold for 20 years
• My plan of attack for the next share market crash
• The best ASX ETFs to buy for global investing in 2026

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Broadcom and has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. 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) healthcare share Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX: RHC) is off to the races today.

Shares in Australia’s biggest private hospital operator closed yesterday trading for $31.90. In morning trade on Tuesday, shares leapt to $36.38 apiece, up 14%. After some likely profit-taking, in later morning trade, shares are swapping hands for $35.48 each, up 11.2%.

This sees the ASX 200 healthcare stock commanding a market cap of $7.4 billion.

Here’s what’s grabbing investor interest today.

ASX 200 healthcare share lifts off on AGM

Ramsay Health Care shares are surging today on the heels of the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) in Sydney.

Ramsay Health Care chair, David Thodey, opened the meeting by acknowledging the headwinds that have faced the ASX 200 healthcare share over the past year.

“This year, Ramsay has continued to navigate the industry wide shifts impacting the provision of healthcare services across all our regions,” he said.

Thodey noted:

The operating environment remains challenging, with ongoing cost pressures and the reluctance of some payors to recognise and pay their fair share of these inflationary cost increases. Elysium and Ramsay Santé in particular, face a number of industry headwinds.

But judging by today’s strong share price gains, ASX investors appear to share Thodey and the board’s confidence that the ASX 200 healthcare share’s “refreshed strategy, strengthened group executive team, and a sharpened focus on our core Australian business positions us strongly to navigate the evolving private healthcare landscape and improve earnings in our core Australian business”.

Thodey added:

While there is still much work ahead and cost pressures remain, the Board is encouraged by the progress we are making towards improving the performance of our Australian and UK hospital businesses.

A word from Ramsay Health Care’s CEO

Ramsay Health Care CEO and managing director Natalie Davis, who stepped into the leadership role on 2 December last year, took the podium next.

Davis said:

Over the past year, we’ve maintained our leading patient NPS scores across our regions. We’re growing our clinical trials network in Australia to expand access to new treatments, to strengthen our doctor value proposition and to build partnerships that support clinical innovation.

When the ASX 200 healthcare share released its full-year FY 2025 results on 28 August, the company reported a 1.7% increase in underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) from continuing operations to $305.3 million.

At the AGM today, Davis noted ongoing improvement on the balance sheet.

“Since reporting our full year results, we have successfully refinanced $2.05 billion of Funding Group facilities, extending the duration of our facilities and reducing the margin,” she said.

And she concluded that the ASX 200 healthcare shares is on track with its three key performance priorities, “transforming our market leading Australian hospital business; strengthening our capital discipline and improving capital returns across the portfolio; and evolving our culture of ‘People caring for People’ to innovate and drive performance”.

The post Guess which $7 billion ASX 200 healthcare share is leaping 14% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Macquarie names 16 potential ASX takeover targets

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

Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB) shares are in the spotlight on Tuesday.

In morning trade, the allogeneic cellular medicines developer’s shares are up over 1% to $2.36.

This follows the release of the company’s annual general meeting update and quarterly sales guidance.

What did the company announce?

Let’s start with its sales performance in the current quarter.

According to the release, Mesoblast’s sales are expected to be up strongly quarter on quarter thanks to increasing demand for its Ryoncil (remestemcel-L-rknd) product.

For the quarter ended 31 December, management revealed that it expects gross revenue of more than US$30 million from sales of Ryoncil (remestemcel-L-rknd). This represents an increase of 37% on the US$21.9 million in gross revenue that was record from Ryoncil in the prior quarter ended 30 September 30.

What else?

At its annual general meeting, management spoke very positively about Ryoncil and how its approval by the US FDA has transformed the company forever. The company’s chair, Jane Bell, said:

The FDA approval of Ryoncil is not simply a regulatory milestone: it is a turning point in our transition from development to commercialization, and a powerful validation of Mesoblast’s scientific platform, manufacturing rigor, and clinical strategy.

The commercial launch of Ryoncil has been executed flawlessly with strong uptake to date and growing sales, which have exceeded our expectations. We are very pleased with the commercial and government reimbursement that is now in place, as we ensure that all children with this devastating disease have access to our life-saving treatment with payor coverage now extending to over 260 million lives in the U.S. as well as successful onboarding and physician adoption.

Bell also highlights that the first approval could be just the start of many more in the future. She highlights that Mesoblast has its eyes on the cardiovascular and back pain markets, adding:

Achieving a first FDA approval and demonstrating successful product commercialization provides important validation for our whole strategy and value chain of our technology platforms. The learnings from Ryoncil are being adapted to the rest of the company’s pipeline and will hold us in good stead as we work towards further FDA approvals for our cardiovascular and back pain indications for our second-generation stromal cell technology platform.

Mesoblast shares have been strong performers over the past 12 months. During this time, they are up almost 40%. This compares to a gain of just 1.3% from the ASX 200 index over the same period.

The post Mesoblast shares push higher on strong sales update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Should you buy Mesoblast, Paladin Energy, and Xero shares?
• Brokers say Mesoblast, NAB, and Pilbara Minerals shares are sells
• Warning! Analysts name 3 ASX 200 stocks to sell today
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 5 ASX 200 shares I’d buy with $10,000 this week

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

For Australians edging toward life after work, few questions loom larger than “Do I have enough super?”

With the Age Pension age now 67 and having gradually increased from 65 over the past decade, it’s an important milestone for anyone planning their retirement income.

While everyone’s path looks different, current data offers a helpful snapshot of what the average Australian has saved by pension age today.

What the average Australian has in super at 65–74

According to the Australian Retirement Trust, the average superannuation balance for Australians aged 65 to 74 is $435,900 for men and $381,700 for women. These figures reflect long-term contribution patterns, career breaks, wage differences, and the simple reality of compounding over several decades.

But averages don’t always tell the whole story. 

How much super is considered “comfortable”?

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) provides useful benchmarks for what a “comfortable” retirement might look like.

Based on the data in your attached screenshot, ASFA’s recommended super balance at age 65 is currently $571,000 for a comfortable standard of living. This figure is designed to support:

• private health insurance, clothing, and reliable transport
• local holidays, outings, and everyday lifestyle activities
• home maintenance, entertainment and streaming services
• general financial flexibility as costs rise over time

These targets also increase each year to stay in line with inflation, which is important to remember when comparing your personal balance with age-based estimates. Today’s 40-year-old benchmark will not be the same by the time that person reaches 65.

How the Age Pension fits in

Australia’s retirement system is built on three pillars: compulsory super, voluntary savings, and the Age Pension.

The Age Pension itself is means-tested — both income and assets — which means your super balance will influence how much pension support you may receive.

A few general principles apply:

• Lower super balances may qualify for a higher Age Pension entitlement, helping close the income gap.
• Higher super balances reduce or eliminate pension payments, but provide greater financial independence and spending flexibility.
• Many Australians end up with a mix of both — part-pension supplemented by super withdrawals.

This is why knowing the averages can be useful, but understanding your own total retirement income picture matters more.

Is the average super balance enough?

A combined figure of around $400,000 may support a modest or part-pension lifestyle for many retirees. However, whether it’s “enough” depends on:

• your spending needs
• whether you own your home
• your health requirements
• your desired lifestyle (local travel vs international travel, etc.)
• whether you expect the full, part, or no Age Pension

The key message ASFA emphasises — and which comes through clearly in your attached data — is that consistent contributions compound meaningfully over time, and the benchmarks climb gradually to reflect rising living costs.

Building super is a decades-long process, and even small, steady contributions can lift retirement outcomes significantly.

Why investing consistently still matters

The jump in “comfortable” recommended balances from age 25 ($26,000) to age 65 ($571,000) isn’t an accident. It reflects:

• inflation
• rising living standards
• longer lifespans
• the power of compounding for anyone who invests consistently

Rather than being discouraged by large end-targets, Australians are better served by focusing on the controllables: regular contributions, long investment time frames, and avoiding panic during market downturns.

As the numbers show, wealth in super builds slowly — and then suddenly — over the final decade of full-time work.

The post Here’s the average Australian superannuation balance at pension age appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• $10,000 invested in IVV ETF a year ago is now worth…
• Guess which $7 billion ASX 200 healthcare share is leaping 14% today
• Mesoblast shares push higher on strong sales update
• Top 10 most-traded ASX shares last week
• Bendigo Bank shares are crashing today on ‘very disappointing’ deficiencies

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) dropped 2.5% over the course of last week. At the time of writing on early Tuesday morning, however, the index is trading 0.37% higher. Over the month, the index is still down 5.51%.

Here’s what investors have been buying. 

Most-traded share on the ASX last week

Droneshield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares continued their downward tumble last week, but the company continues to be in favour with investors. New data from CommSec shows that between the 17th and 21st of November, the most commonly traded Australian share by clients, based on contract note volumes either bought or sold weekly, is still the AI-drone operator. Around 60% of trading activity was buying, and the remaining 40% was selling activity.

Droneshield’s shares closed just over 2% higher at $1.74 each on Monday afternoon. But the stock has plummeted 73.6% since peaking in early October. 

The company has come under enormous pressure recently following a number of announcements and media speculation that its sales could be affected by the rise of drones using fibre optic technology. On Wednesday last week, the company said Matt McCrann, who joined the company in 2019 and who had been the US CEO since 2022, “has resigned from the business, effective immediately”. There was no explanation for his departure.

The company also responded to an ASX Aware Letter this week. Droneshield was asked to explain recent share sales and the accidental release, and retraction, of a $7.6 million contract mistakenly announced as new.  

The share price also crashed earlier this month following news that CEO Oleg Vornik had sold $49.47 million worth of shares in the company, with several other directors also offloading sizable shareholdings.

Analysts are still optimistic about an upside ahead for the ASX company and its shares. Just yesterday, investment advisory and portfolio management company, MPC Markets, named DroneShield shares as a buy, and said that the stock is now trading at a “reasonable price”.

What other Australian shares were investors interested in?

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) was the second most-traded ASX share last week, although 60% of activity was selling. The miner’s shares fell 1.52% throughout the week. Blackwattle portfolio managers, Tim Riordan and Michael Teran, said that Pilbara Minerals is the lithium star of the ASX right now. In their latest bulletin, Riordan and Teran said the market’s largest pure-play lithium share has “material upside” ahead.

Third on CommSec’s list are Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares. Around 72% of their activity throughout the week was from buyers. These investors were likely taking advantage of the banking giant’s share price plunge earlier this month. CBA’s share price plummeted over 15.3% between 6th November and Wednesday last week. Analysts and investors are unimpressed with the bank’s latest quarterly update. 

There was also a flurry of buying activity from CommSec clients in Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO), WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR), and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP). 

Investors were also interested in buying CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), and Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) shares throughout the week.

The post Top 10 most-traded ASX shares last week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• What is Ord Minnetts’ view on Virgin Australia and BHP shares?
• Buy Telstra and these ASX dividend shares for passive income
• Revealed: BHP and 4 other ASX 200 mining stocks rank among top global copper producers
• Is the 2025 ASX share selloff your chance to buy generational bargains?
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

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

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) shares are taking a fall today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank stock closed yesterday trading for $11. In morning trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for $10.33 apiece, down 6.1%.

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

Taking a step back, Bendigo Bank shares have underperformed over the past year, sliding 22.7%. Those losses will have been modestly eased by the 66 cents in fully-franked dividends the Aussie bank paid out over the full year. Bendigo Bank currently trades on a 6.3% fully franked trailing dividend yield.

Now, here’s what the bank just reported on its decidedly lacking historic risk management issues.

Bendigo Bank shares tank on money laundering deficiencies

Before market open this morning, the bank reported on the results of the independent Deloitte investigation into suspicious activities at one of its branches. The review focused on activity at the branch in the period between 1 August 2019 and 1 August 2025.

Bendigo Bank engaged Deloitte in August this year to conduct the investigation after it identified and reported the matter to AUSTRAC and law enforcement. The bank noted that it ensured the Deloitte review was sufficiently broad to identify both the nature and scope of the issues at the branch. That includes any related systemic Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing issues.

Today, Bendigo Bank shares are under pressure after the Deloitte review concluded that deficiencies in the bank’s approach to identifying, mitigating, and managing money laundering and terrorism financing risk existed throughout the six-year period.

And Deloitte discovered that these deficiencies weren’t limited to the single branch. Rather, the report identified weaknesses and deficiencies across many key aspects of Bendigo Bank’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing risk management approaches.

What did management say?

Commenting on risk management shortcomings that are pressuring Bendigo Bank shares today, the board said it “is very disappointed with the findings”.

The board added that it “is fully committed to ensuring that the bank undertakes the necessary enhancements to its systems, processes and frameworks to ensure it is fully compliant with its obligations under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006”.

Additionally, the board said it is committed to fully funding the “uplift program” to address all of the deficiencies identified in the Deloitte review.

As for the potential impact on Bendigo Bank shares in the months ahead, the board concluded:

While the final outcomes (including costs) are unknown at this stage, the bank will keep the market informed in line with its continuous disclosure obligations. The Bank will continue to engage constructively with AUSTRAC, APRA and ASIC in relation to this matter.

The post Bendigo Bank shares are crashing today on ‘very disappointing’ deficiencies appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Moody’s upgrades Bendigo and Adelaide Bank credit rating: what investors need to know
• Where to from here for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank shares?
• Why Bendigo Bank, CBA, Coronado, and Life360 shares are dropping today
• Bendigo and Adelaide Bank reports stable capital and funding buffers
• 2 blue-chip ASX shares that offer 4% dividend yields

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

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) shares are rising on Tuesday morning.

At the time of writing, the rare earths producer’s shares are up 1% to $15.17.

Why are Lynas Rare Earths shares rising?

Investors have been buying the company’s shares today after a rally in rare earths stocks offset some bad news.

With respect to the latter, Lynas has revealed that significant power supply disruptions are affecting the Kalgoorlie Rare Earths Processing Facility.

The company notes that its Kalgoorlie Rare Earths Processing Facility is supplied with power through Western Power’s Eastern Goldfields Load Permissive Scheme (ELPS).

It points out that it signed on to ELPS in 2021 on the basis that, as stated in Western Power’s public announcement:

ELPS customers are ensured access to cleaner power in lieu of costly, emissions-intensive diesel generators.

Indicative reliability levels were consistent with the requirements to run the Kalgoorlie facility safely and efficiently. However, during 2025, the company advised that there has been a significant increase in power supply disruptions at the Kalgoorlie Rare Earths Processing Facility.

So much so, that in November its outage frequency and duration have been at a level that has led to significant lost production of Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC).

What’s the impact?

Lynas revealed that the production of finished goods at its Malaysian facility will be affected by these outages.

It advised that while the Kalgoorlie team is working hard to recover the lost production, it cannot reach the Malaysian facility in time to be processed to finished goods within the quarter.

Furthermore, the shortfall in MREC feedstock cannot be mitigated by increased production in Malaysia as the Malaysian kilns are shut down for scheduled major maintenance.

Lynas is working constructively with the Western Australian Government and Western Power to identify causes of recent outages and options to improve power availability to the Lynas plant.

However, while these are being progressed on an urgent basis, even on a best-case scenario, management concedes that there will not be enough time to improve this quarter’s forecast production.

In addition, given that its power supply remains unpredictable, Lynas stated that is not possible to quantify the exact production shortfall. Though, at present, it estimates there may be a shortfall equivalent to one month’s production during this quarter.

One positive, though, is that Lynas will still produce sufficient finished product to meet key customer needs.

Lynas is now urgently assessing off-grid power solutions in the hope that lost production can be recovered within the financial year.

The post What’s going on with Lynas Rare Earths shares today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How this new development could drive the next big boost for ASX rare earths stocks like Lynas
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Upgrade alert! Why this broker is urging investors to buy Lynas Rare Earths shares
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

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 recommended Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. 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.

Web Travel Group Ltd (ASX: WEB) shares are jumping on Tuesday morning.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 stock is up 14% to $4.55.

This follows the release of the WebBeds owner’s half year results before the market open.

ASX 200 stock jumps on results day

For the six months ended 30 September, Web Travel reported an 18% jump in bookings to 5.1 million and a 22% lift in total transaction value (TTV) to a record of $3.17 billion. Management notes that its top three regions reported significantly above market growth, particularly the Americas.

Another positive was its improved TTV margin. The ASX 200 stock recorded a first half TTV margin above guidance at 6.5%. This means it is on track to be at least 6.5% for FY 2026.

This ultimately led to Web Travel posting a 20% increase in revenue to $204.6 million and a 17% jump in underlying EBITDA to a record of $81.7 million.

On the bottom line, the ASX 200 stock posted underlying EBIT of $66.2 million and underlying net profit after tax of $48.6 million. This was up 10% and down 7.4%, respectively, over the prior corresponding period.

Cash flow from operations was $120.5 million during the period, leaving it with a closing cash balance of $481.1 million. However, no dividend was declared for the first half of FY 2026.

Management commentary

Web Travel’s managing director, John Guscic, was pleased with the half. He said:

WebBeds continues to deliver world class TTV growth. We reported $3.2 billion TTV for the first 6 months of the financial year, 22% more than the same period last year, driven by the significant above-market growth coming through in our top 3 regions, particularly the Americas. A range of initiatives have helped optimise TTV margins which were 6.5% for the period, ahead of our guidance. TTV margins remain on track to be at least 6.5% for FY26.

Outlook

The ASX 200 stock revealed that the second half has started strongly. Guscic said:

Trading for the first 7 weeks of 2H26 has been strong with TTV up 23% compared to the same period last year. We are on track to deliver record results with FY26 underlying EBITDA expected to be between $147 and $155 million.

The managing director also spoke positively about its medium term growth targets. He added:

This impressive growth is a reflection of our efforts and not macro-economic events. We delivered an incremental $580 million TTV compared to the same period last year, with improved TTV margins. WebBeds continues to win global share, which is amplifying the network effect and making us even more relevant to our hotel supply and travel buyer partners. The team’s unwavering focus on winning new clients, enhancing supply and geographic reach, and continuing to improve conversions is bringing us closer to our $10 billion TTV FY30 target.

The post Guess which ASX 200 stock is jumping 14% on record results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• 3 ASX consumer discretionary shares to sell now: experts
• Experts name 3 ASX 200 shares to sell now

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

It seems like every week there is a new ASX ETF hitting the market. 

These often become increasingly niche as ETF providers and investors seek to capitalise on themes or sectors that haven’t been combined into a single fund. 

On Monday, the team at GlobalX announced the newest fund: The Global X Japan TOPIX 100 ETF (J100). 

Why invest in Japan?

I covered last week that data from October shows there were record-breaking inflows in Japanese stocks in October.

Investors are looking to capitalise on normalising Japanese inflation, sweeping economic reform, and meaningful alignment with booming global sectors like  AI, EVs, and energy transition.

It might surprise Aussie investors to discover that in 2025, the TOPIX Index (major index for the Tokyo Stock Exchange) is outperforming the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

According to Global X, after years of stagnation, the perception is beginning to shift on Japanese stocks. 

For the first time in decades, Japan’s equity market is not only displaying signs of growth but also of transformation, as long-standing cultural and financial barriers give way to a more dynamic and shareholder-focused era.

The Global X Japan TOPIX 100 ETF (J100)

The Global X Japan TOPIX 100 ETF (J100) tracks the TOPIX 100 Total Return Index. This is a subset of the broader TOPIX (Tokyo Stock Price Index). It represents the 100 largest and most liquid companies on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Essentially, it provides exposure to Japan’s largest and most established companies. This spans across sectors such as technology, industrials, consumer goods, and finance. 

At the core of this fund is the aim to harness the tailwinds associated with Japan’s structural shift away from decades of deflation toward a more normalised inflation environment.

According to Global X, a return to normalised inflation has far-reaching benefits for Japan’s economy. 

Moderate price growth encourages firms to (or unions to demand) raise wages, which in turn supports consumption and domestic demand. 

For corporates, this environment often translates into stronger revenue growth, which in turn can be monetised through healthier margins, leading to rising earnings.

This shift could be especially significant in Japan, where households remain among the most under-invested globally, holding around 51% of their assets in cash and deposits and just 18% in equities or investment trusts, compared with 12% and 55% respectively in the United States.

Diving deeper 

The J100 ASX ETF includes 100 holdings. 

Its largest weighting by sector is to: 

• Industrials (25.9%) 
• Consumer Discretionary (17.4%) 
• Financials (17.3%) 

By individual company: 

• Toyota Motor Corp (5.1%)
• Sony Group Corp (4.5%)
• Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (4.5%)

The fund will likely compete with similar funds: 

• iShares MSCI Japan ETF (ASX: IJP) – The fund is designed to measure the performance of Japanese large & mid-capitalisation companies.
• BetaShares Japan ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: HJPN) – The fund aims to track the performance of an index (before fees and expenses) that provides diversified exposure to the largest globally competitive Japanese companies, hedged into Australian dollars.

The post Meet the newest ASX ETF from GlobalX appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Top 10 most-traded ASX shares last week
• Bendigo Bank shares are crashing today on ‘very disappointing’ deficiencies
• What’s going on with Lynas Rare Earths shares today?
• Guess which ASX 200 stock is jumping 14% on record results
• Lovisa vs Kogan – Which consumer discretionary stock does Bell Potter prefer?

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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.

Consumer discretionary stocks are susceptible to rise and fall with economic cycles. 

Household spending can be linked to metrics like inflation, interest rates and CPI. 

When times are tough, we’re less likely to splurge on non-essential items like electronics and jewellery. 

Two ASX consumer discretionary stocks that offer these kinds of products are Lovisa Holdings Limited (ASX: LOV) and Kogan.Com Limited (ASX: KGN). 

The team at Bell Potter has just released fresh guidance on both these consumer discretionary stocks. 

Here’s the latest analysis from Bell Potter. 

Lovisa Holdings Limited (ASX: LOV)

Lovisa offers affordable, on-trend fashion jewellery and other accessories. 

Its vertically integrated business model involves developing, designing, sourcing, and merchandising 100% of its Lovisa-branded products.

Its stock price has experienced plenty of volatility this year, and at the time of writing, is trading at $30.68 per share. 

However, as the chart shows below, shares have been as high as $43.00 and as low as $21 in 2025. 

The company held its AGM last week. 

Following the AGM, Bell Potter maintained its hold recommendation on this ASX consumer discretionary stock. 

However, the broker reduced its price target to $33.50 (from $42.00 previously). 

Bell Potter reduced its price target on the company primarily because the latest trading update showed softer-than-expected comparable sales and a need to temper earlier, more optimistic assumptions, which flowed through to lower earnings forecasts and a lower valuation multiple.

Our Price Target decreases by ~20% to $33.50 (prev $42.00). Along with our earnings revisions, we also reduce our target P/E multiple to ~32x on FY27e (prev. 38x on FY27e) to reflect the de-rating in LOV/broader peer group and our relative expectations for growth within our overall coverage.

Kogan.Com Limited (ASX: KGN)

This consumer discretionary stock is an Australian pure-play online retailer. 

The company primarily caters to value-driven consumers through its private label products, spanning multiple categories including consumer electronics, appliances, homewares, hardware and toys.

Kogan’s share price has dropped 50% year to date. 

Following its AGM last week, Bell Potter maintained its hold rating but reduced its price target to $3.30 (from $4.30 previously). 

The broker said EBITDA for the period was at the lower end of the 6-9% EBITDA margin guidance for FY26.

It also noted that while the company does showcase some stability, it is focused on the Nov-Dec period for the Australian business, as challenging comps are being tested. A path to recovery is expected in the NZ business in 2H thereafter.

We continue to view EBITDA margins as highly sensitive to the investment into sustaining the GS/customer/subscriber growth. At our revised PT of $3.30 the total expected return is <15% so we maintain our HOLD rating.

Based on the broker’s revised price target of $3.30, there is an estimated upside of 9.27% from Kogan’s closing price yesterday of $3.02. 

The post Lovisa vs Kogan – Which consumer discretionary stock does Bell Potter prefer? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX shares that I think are buys for both growth and dividends
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Why Gentrack, Kogan, Webjet, and WiseTech shares are pushing higher today
• Why Accent, DroneShield, Lovisa, and Pilbara Minerals shares are sinking today

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