Category: Stock Market

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been the driving force behind many of the stock market’s biggest winners over the last three years. Big companies like Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) have seen their share prices reach new all-time highs, driven by strong AI-related business results across both software and cloud computing. Both companies are pushing toward $4 trillion valuations. Meanwhile, Nvidia briefly touched a $5 trillion market cap this year as big tech companies continue to buy up its graphics processing units (GPUs) as fast as it can sell them.

But not every AI-related stock has zoomed higher this year. One company, in particular, has seen its stock stuck in neutral, climbing less than 5% this year while the S&P 500 is up more than 17%. But that could be a buying opportunity for long-term investors. In fact, the stock could produce very strong returns as soon as next year. Here’s why you’ll want to own Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) in 2026.

A dominant force across three major industries

Amazon may have started as a small online bookseller, but it has grown to be much more. Its marketplace offers nearly everything you can think of, and it can ship millions of items to U.S. customers within one to two days thanks to its massive fulfillment network. It has built a burgeoning advertising business that has expanded from retail media ads to video ads served through its Prime Video service and other streaming partners. And it’s the largest cloud computing platform in the world, operating Amazon Web Services (AWS).

All three businesses are experiencing rapid growth and demonstrating strong momentum.

The online retail business continues to produce high-single-digit revenue growth despite generating over $250 billion in annual sales. Its third-party seller services, which enable other businesses to sell through Amazon’s marketplace, are showing accelerating growth, up 11% in the most recent quarter. The entire ecosystem rests on Amazon’s Prime subscription service, which has steadily pushed subscription revenue 10% higher.

Amazon’s advertising business is accelerating, climbing 24% in the most recent quarter, reaching a $70 billion run rate. Prime Video is a key catalyst for that continued growth, as 80% of subscribers are on the ad-supported tier and Amazon adds more live sports content to the service. It has also partnered with several major streaming platforms through its demand-side ad-buying platform.

Overall, Amazon is seeing operating margin expansion in its North American and International reporting segments. A couple of factors are leading to higher margins. First, advertising sales have extremely high margins relative to product sales and even third-party services. The second is that Amazon’s improvements to its fulfillment center have reduced its shipping costs. Shipping costs have increased at a slower pace than paid units in each of the last eight quarters.

Amazon’s cloud computing business remains the company’s most important segment, accounting for most of the operating income and growing quickly. Management has successfully reaccelerated revenue growth for the segment, achieving 20% year-over-year growth last quarter, driven by strong triple-digit revenue from AI services. That rate is significantly slower than both Microsoft and Google, but AWS is also growing off a larger base.

CEO Andy Jassy expects sales to continue at the current pace for the foreseeable future. That’s supported by a growing backlog, which reached $200 billion by the end of the third quarter. Amazon also signed deals in October with commitments exceeding everything it booked in Q3, so there’s a lot of momentum behind the cloud computing segment to keep growing.

Amazon looks undervalued right now

Amazon is investing heavily to capitalize on the opportunities it sees in both cloud computing and e-commerce. It spent $90 billion through the first three months of the year on capital expenditures (capex), and management expects full-year cash capex to come in around $125 billion. That’s well above Alphabet’s planned $92 billion in capex for the year and slightly more than Microsoft (which spent $80 billion through the first nine months of the year).

That high spending has weighed heavily on Amazon’s free cash flow, which fell to $14.8 billion over the trailing-12-month period. That’s down from $47.7 billion in the previous 12-month period. Indeed, the high capex has hit Amazon’s cash flow much harder than capex has hit either Microsoft or Alphabet. That’s in part because its competitors have high-margin software businesses that continue to grow quickly, offsetting their spending, while Amazon’s retail business still has relatively low margins.

But Amazon has gone through multiple investment cycles throughout its history. Each time, it has emerged with much stronger cash flows than it had before the investment cycle. Considering the growing backlog of cloud computing contracts and the secular trend toward migrating to cloud computing services, investors should remain confident that the pattern will hold. While management expects to increase its capex further in 2026, free cash flow will eventually trough as capital intensity levels off. With strong operating cash-flow growth, Amazon should see a rapid recovery in free cash flow.

Amazon has historically traded around 50 times its free cash flow near its peaks. With its current market cap of $2.5 trillion, investors are merely expecting it to return to its peak free-cash-flow levels from a bit over a year ago. It seems very likely that Amazon will far exceed those levels over time, pushing its stock price significantly higher.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post 1 unstoppable artificial intelligence (AI) stock you’ll want to own next year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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Adam Levy has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. 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, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Warren Buffett has been leading holding company Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B) since 1965. That’s 60 years of market trouncing.

As of the end of 2024, Berkshire Hathaway had gained 5,502,284% in per-share market value since Buffett took over, whereas the S&P 500 had gained 39,054% at the same time. When he leaves at the end of the year, it will be with an unmatched legacy and a trove of wisdom for investors.

Buffett may still weigh in about market dynamics and the right approach to investing from a different perch, but he will no longer be writing the company’s annual letters, chock-full of his nuggets of wisdom. Here are three of his gems to guide you as you continue your own investing journey.

“No matter how serene today may be, tomorrow is always uncertain.”

Buffett wrote this in his 2010 shareholder letter, not too long after the mortgage crisis and subsequent market implosion. He reminded investors that no one saw what was coming in 1987 or 2001, two other times in history when the market crashed.

Although that sounds like a dour take on the market, he actually meant it in a positive way. “Don’t let that reality spook you. Throughout my lifetime, politicians and pundits have constantly moaned about terrifying problems facing America,” a statement eerily reminiscent of today’s political scene. And that was precisely his point: “America’s best days lie ahead.”

We live in uncertain times, too. There could be an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble, or a cryptocurrency bubble, or a general stock market bubble — or not. But as Buffett pointed out 15 years ago, that’s par for the course. The short term is always uncertain, but the long-term arc has always been upward. Buffett will always bet on America, and don’t let the uncertainty keep you out of the markets.

“It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.”

Buffett is known as a value investor, but he isn’t just searching for cheap stocks. Stocks are by definition only bargains if they’re valuable; otherwise, they’re value traps.

It’s the great companies that can withstand market volatility and create shareholder value. So while you don’t want to overpay, the more important part of choosing a stock is focusing on a wonderful company.

That doesn’t mean Buffett isn’t looking for the incredible opportunity of a great company at a cheap price. He demonstrated that when Berkshire Hathaway bought shares of UnitedHealth Group when they dropped a few months ago. The one trait he pointed out about incoming CEO Greg Abel in the most recent shareholder letter is his ability to act when opportunities present themselves.

“When investing, pessimism is your friend, euphoria the enemy.”

This is a crucial lesson for investors to keep in mind during strong bull markets — like today. The S&P 500 continues to rise, posting double-digit gains for the third year in a row, but the market appears to be driven by an AI-based euphoria.

Large hyperscalers are sinking billions of dollars into AI development, and the results have yet to be seen. Berkshire itself invested in Alphabet in the third quarter, so Buffett still sees value in some AI development. He also owns shares of Amazon.

He has warned investors about buying stocks when the market is at a high, noting that “Unfortunately…stocks can’t outperform businesses indefinitely.” The stock market is highly valued today, which might be why Berkshire Hathaway has been a net seller of stocks for the past 12 quarters and has built up record levels of cash and short-term Treasury bills.

Warren Buffett would counsel investors to stay in the market and keep buying the right stocks under the right circumstances, but be wary of euphoria and embrace pessimism. If you expect the market to rise over the long term, pessimistic markets can offer the greatest opportunities.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post As Warren Buffett steps down from the CEO role at Berkshire Hathaway, it’s the end of an era. 3 powerful pieces of his advice to remember. appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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Jennifer Saibil 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 Alphabet, Amazon, and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended UnitedHealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The stock market is witnessing a technological arms race playing out in real time. Companies are racing to build the data centers and other infrastructure to support artificial intelligence (AI), which experts believe could create trillions of dollars in economic value over the coming decades.

Inside these data centers are massive clusters of chips, which work together to train and operate AI models. The AI chip conversation begins with Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), the company that has dominated this market from the jump.

However, tech giant Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL)(NASDAQ: GOOG) has emerged as a potential competitor after successfully training its AI models with custom-built TPU chips it designed in-house.

Which AI chip stock is the better buy heading into 2026? 

Nvidia’s AI dominance creates a high ceiling, but a lower floor

Thus far, developing AI has required massive quantities of chips. Nvidia’s leadership in the AI chip market has translated to explosive revenue and profit growth for the company since early 2023. Some experts believe Nvidia’s market share in the data center GPU chip space is as high as 92%.

As long as hyperscalers continue to build out this infrastructure, it’s hard to see Nvidia’s business slowing down anytime soon. In fact, Nvidia announced that it has booked $500 billion in orders for its Blackwell chips and their looming successor, Rubin, through the end of next year, with $150 billion of that already delivered.

This data center boom has been highly lucrative. Nvidia now has deep pockets to develop and prepare for emerging AI opportunities outside of data centers, such as autonomous vehicles and humanoid robotics. That said, data center chip sales have become nearly the entirety of Nvidia’s business. If data center investments dry up, Nvidia would struggle to fill those holes, and the stock would likely collapse.

Alphabet’s AI ecosystem makes it the safer bet

For as much money pouring into AI data centers as there is, the group of companies cutting the checks, the AI hyperscalers, is relatively small. Among them is Google’s parent company, Alphabet. Rather than relying on Nvidia’s chips to power its AI models, Alphabet has worked diligently to develop its own custom-built tensor processing units, or TPUs, designed specifically for Google Cloud’s machine learning workloads.

Alphabet successfully trained its newest Gemini model on its TPUs. It went so well that the company is considering selling its TPUs to other AI hyperscalers, such as Meta Platforms. Alphabet probably won’t challenge Nvidia’s market leadership, but the TPU represents additional upside to Alphabet’s complete AI ecosystem. It’s icing on an already delicious cake.

The stock already has a high floor due to its lucrative advertising and cloud computing business segments. Even if Alphabet never sells its TPUs to another company, they still provide a crucial cost benefit, saving Alphabet from spending billions of dollars on third-party chips. At this point, it appears that Alphabet has a significantly higher floor than Nvidia.

The winner? It depends

Does that make Alphabet the better buy? Well, it sort of depends on the style of investor you are. If you want maximum upside, it’s hard to beat Nvidia, which has proven to possess the foresight needed to dominate the AI opportunity from the beginning. Even if other companies begin encroaching on the data center market, Nvidia will likely remain a key player in the AI field, including future applications.

However, if you’re looking for a business that is a bit more diversified and stable, Alphabet may be a better fit for you. The company has multiple established business units and still offers exposure to new industries, like autonomous driving and quantum computing, through its smaller divisions.

The good news? Both stocks trade at attractive valuations, based on the market’s expectations for their future earnings growth.

NVDA PE Ratio data by YCharts

A higher anticipated growth rate accompanies Nvidia’s higher price-to-earnings ratio, though things can change quickly if the AI investment cycle ends prematurely. 

Ultimately, it’s hard to go wrong with either company as a buy-and-hold AI investment for 2026 and beyond.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post Which AI chip stock is the better buy for 2026: Nvidia or Alphabet? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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Justin Pope has positions in Alphabet. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Meta Platforms, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Meta Platforms, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It’s hard to recommend a single retirement stock that would suit an investor’s golden years in their entirety. We all hope to enjoy a retirement that lasts for decades. As such, the companies we need to choose to fund that retirement need to be watertight when it comes to profitability and dividend-paying ability.

If an investor were bent on just investing in individual companies, we at the Motley Fool would recommend a highly diversified portfolio of retirement stocks that covers most corners of the ASX.

But that is not the only path that would-be retirees can take with their ASX dividend shares. There’s a rather unique stock out there right now that arguably fulfils every need a retiree might have. It is inherently diversified, offers a strong, fully-franked dividend yield, and pays out that dividend every single month. What’s more, it is specifically tailored to cater to a retired investor.

This retirement stock is Plato Income Maximiser Ltd (ASX: PL8).

What makes Plato a top ASX retirement stock?

Plato Income Maximiser is a listed investment company (LIC). LICs are companies that, instead of making goods or marketing a service, are investors themselves. A LIC typically owns an underlying portfolio of investments that it manages on behalf of its shareholders. As such, buying shares of a LIC is akin to buying a share of that underlying portfolio.

In Plato’s case, that underlying portfolio is made up of a variety of ASX dividend stocks, all selected based on their dividend yield, as well as the perceived sustainability of that yield going forward.

These shares hail from across the ASX. Recently, they included Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Metcash Ltd (ASX: MTS), and Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN), amongst others.

So what makes Plato a strong candidate for the ideal retirement stock? Well, its yield is a good start. Over the past 12 months, Plato shares have paid out 12 dividends, each worth 0.55 cents per share, fully franked. That 6.6 cents in annual dividends per share gives Plato a trailing yield of 4.56% at the current stock price (at the time of writing).

That’s a fair bit of upfront cash flow every month. But Plato doesn’t just deliver dividend returns. Its overall performance (share price growth plus dividends) has come in at 10.2% per annum since its inception in 2017. That’s as of 30 November. Unlike many other would-be retirement stocks, that shows a track record of providing real capital growth alongside meaningful dividend income.

As such, I think this makes Plato a fantastic retirement stock to consider today.

The post The ideal retirement stock: 4.6% yield paying cash out every month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Trying to predict what the share market will do next month or next year is a tough game. But looking a decade ahead is where long-term investors often gain a real edge.

Businesses with sustainable competitive advantages, long growth runways, and proven execution can compound shareholder value quietly over many years.

If you are prepared to buy quality and sit tight through market cycles, the rewards by 2035 could be substantial.

With that in mind, here are three Australian shares that tick those boxes and look well placed for long-term buy and hold investors.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

Pro Medicus is arguably one of the ASX’s highest-quality companies. It is the medical imaging software provider behind the Visage platform, which is used by leading hospitals and health networks across the United States.

What makes Pro Medicus especially attractive as a long-term holding is the strength of its business model. It operates with exceptionally high margins, recurring revenue, and minimal capital requirements. Once a hospital adopts its Visage platform, switching costs are high, and contract lengths are long.

With global demand for medical imaging continuing to rise due to radiologist shortages and digitisation still in its early stages, Pro Medicus has a long runway to expand earnings well beyond the next decade.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

REA Group is the company behind the realestate.com.au website. It has become the default destination for Australian property buyers, sellers, and agents, giving the company immense pricing power.

Even during softer housing markets, REA has continued to grow earnings by lifting yields from agents and expanding into adjacent services such as data, mortgages, and commercial property listings. This ability to grow without relying solely on listings volumes is a key reason it has been such a strong long-term performer.

Looking ahead to 2035, Australia’s population growth, housing undersupply, and ongoing shift toward digital services suggest REA’s competitive position is unlikely to weaken anytime soon. This bodes well for its earnings growth over the next decade.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

Finally, Temple & Webster may not yet have the scale of the other two, but its long-term potential is compelling. The online furniture and homewares retailer has steadily taken market share as consumers shift away from traditional bricks-and-mortar stores.

Its asset-light, digital-first model allows it to offer a wider product range, better data-driven marketing, and lower overheads than many competitors. Importantly, online penetration in furniture remains relatively low compared to categories like electronics or apparel, leaving plenty of room for growth.

If Temple & Webster continues to execute well, expands its private label offering, and benefits from the ongoing e-commerce tailwind, the next decade could be very positive.

The post 3 of the best Australian shares to buy and hold until 2035 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

There are a few things I look for in an ASX stock when I’m looking for my next investment. One of the first checkboxes on my list is ‘Do I believe this company will be larger and more successful in ten years’ time than it is today?’

The second is a long track record of delivering meaningful returns, hopefully ones that beat the broader market.

I think MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF) ticks both with flying colours. That’s why I’ve been buying this ASX stock with the expectation of holding it for the next decade, and hopefully the one after that.

MFF is a listed investment company (LIC). This means that instead of producing goods or services that customers purchase, it functions as an investor itself, holding a vast portfolio of underlying investments. These are owned by the company and managed on behalf of all shareholders. 

In MFF’s case, this underlying portfolio consists mostly of American stocks. Not just any stocks, though. MFF’s management team are unabashed fans of Warren Buffett’s investing style. Portfolio manager Chris Mackay, one of the co-founders of Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG), likes to identify dominant companies with wide moats, buy them at compelling prices, and hold them indefinitely.

Many of MFF’s largest portfolio holdings have been there for many years. These include Home Depot, Amazon, Alphabet, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, and Bank of America. MFF has identified these companies as outstanding compounders of capital, and intends to hold them as long as they continue to fulfil that role. 

But let’s talk about dividends.

A 3.4% ASX dividend stock to hold for decades

MFF has been around in some form or another since 2006. Since fully separating from Magellan in 2013, the company has grown its portfolio from approximately $412 million to $2.4 billion as of 30 June 2025. 

MFF Capital has been paying biannual dividends since 2012. However, it has accelerated its growth in recent years to become one of the ASX’s most formidable dividend-growth stocks.

In 2016, MFF investors received 2 cents per share in annual dividends. But every year since, the company has jacked up its payouts. By 2020, it was paying out an annual total of 6 cents per share, and by 2025, 17 cents per share. Those consisted of an interim dividend worth 8 cents per share and a final dividend of 9 cents per share. Both payments came fully franked, as is MFF’s custom. That’s an annual compounded growth rate of over 30% since 2016.

The LIC has already flagged that investors can expect an interim dividend of 10 cents per share in 2026.

I’ve owned MFF Capital shares for years now, and my only regret is not buying more. I’ll be happy to add more of this ASX stock to my holdings soon.

At the current share price, MFF Capital is trading on a dividend yield of 3.4%.

The post 3.4% dividend yield! I’m buying this ASX stock and holding for decades appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, American Express, Mastercard, Mff Capital Investments, and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Home Depot, Mastercard, and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Mastercard, Mff Capital Investments, and Visa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you’re hunting for ASX 200 stocks with genuine growth legs beyond 2025, Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW) and Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC) are worth a hard look.

One is shaking up the online retail landscape; the other is quietly reinventing itself in property and development.

Both ASX 200 stocks suffered share price fluctuations in the past 6 months, but are potential mainstay picks in their respective sectors. Let’s have a closer look.

Temple & Webster

Temple & Webster is Australia’s online furniture and homewares retailer. The company is built on the simple idea of letting customers deck out their homes without ever stepping into a store.

It’s not just selling couches and lamps — it’s capturing market share in a category still shifting from bricks to clicks.

At the time of writing, Temple & Webster shares are up over 7% to $13.46. Taking a step back, shares are up 3.5% but have been in a steady decline over the past six months, down 38%.  

After a blistering run earlier in the year — with revenue and profit growth impressive by any measure — the stock corrected sharply in late November after a trading update showed sales growth had eased.

But beneath the short-term volatility lies a compelling story. The online retailer returned to profitability in FY 2025 following hefty losses in FY 2024. The revenue of the ASX 200 stock climbed more than 20% in FY25 while net profit significantly improved.

The business also remained debt-free with a strong cash position, and active customers hit record levels. This is an important indicator of a brand with sticky demand.

Analysts aren’t blind to this. Most brokers see Temple & Webster as a strong buy. The average 12-month price target is $20.40, which suggests a 52% upside, while the most bullish forecast points to a 108% upside.  

Lendlease

Lendlease Group has had a complicated 2025. The ASX 200 stock price lagged the broader market as investors digested a dramatic turnaround from loss to profit and a shift in strategic focus.

The company exited international construction operations to simplify the business, returned to profitability, and lifted distributions. Still, increasing macroeconomic headwinds caused its shares to slip.

But turning a corner is the name of the game in property, and Lendlease is doing exactly that. FY25 saw profit leap back into the black and distributions rise sharply, underscoring that fundamentals are improving.

Its strong development pipeline, capital recycling initiatives, and cost savings paint a business ready for the next leg of growth.

No wonder the broker community has a buy recommendation on Lendlease, with price targets indicating potential upside from current levels of $4.99 at the time of writing.

Analysts forecast an average 12-month price target of $6.45, a potential gain of almost 30%.

The post 2 quality ASX 200 stocks to buy for your 2026 portfolio 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 Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Unlike the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), the US markets have continued to push higher this December into fresh record territory. Earlier this month, the flagship S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) hit a new all-time high of 6,920.34 points, dragging many US stocks to new 52-week and record highs of their own.

But not all US stocks are at all-time highs right now. In fact, many quality names have been left in the dust as investors flock to the tech titans that are so popular right now.

Today, let’s discuss three US stocks that I believe are among the best businesses out there, but are currently underappreciated by the market.

Three high-quality US stocks I would buy at current prices

Procter & Gamble Inc (NYSE: PG)

Procter & Gamble is one of the best consumer staples stocks in the world. It might not be a household name itself, but I can almost guarantee that its products would be in most readers’ houses as we speak. This company’s brands include Gillette razors, Fairy dishwashing products, Oral-B toothpaste, and Pantene shampoo.

Procter & Gamble is distinguished by its phenomenal dividend track record. It has increased its annual dividends every single year for 69 years running. Despite this inherent quality, Procter & Gamble shares have had a rough year, currently down aobut 14% in 2025. Although the company has recently bounced off a new 52-week low of just over US$145 a share, I think its current 2.9% dividend yield represents a nice entry point.

Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ: COST)

Next up, we have another US stock and consumer staples company in Costco, famous for its bulk-focused warehouse supermarkets. Its unique membership model has driven this company to immense profitability, evident from its five-year gain of 133%. Costco also has an impressive dividend track record. It has increased its annual dividend for 21 consecutive years, by an average of 12.97% per year since 2020.

However, just like Procter & Gamble, Costco has had a rough year. This US stock has lost 11.1% over 2025 so far, and is down more than 20% from its last 52-week high. Although I wouldn’t call this company cheap just yet, it is still a rare dip for a high-quality name that almost never goes on sale. I’m seriously considering adding more shares to my position at these prices.

Waste Management Inc (NYSE: WM)

I’ve always been attracted to waste management as an investable industry, given its inherent defensiveness. Waste Management is the largest of these US stocks, and the most dominant. It has been growing its revenues and earnings like clockwork in recent years, helping the company to do the same with its dividends.

Waste Management has a 22-year streak of dividend increases, and has grown its payouts by an average of 8.65% per annum over the past five years.

Yet investors have been tepid on this company over 2025, with Waste Management stock down almost 10% from its May record high.

Again, if this US stock stagnates any further, I might add some more shares to my position.

The post 3 high-quality US stocks that look temptingly cheap today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Costco Wholesale, Procter & Gamble, and WM. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended WM. 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.

RPMGlobal Holdings Ltd (ASX: RUL) has moved one step closer to being acquired by Caterpillar Inc (NYSE: CAT), after shareholders overwhelmingly approved the proposed $5-per-share scheme of arrangement at a shareholder meeting today.

According to the company’s newly released voting results, an extraordinary 99.88% of votes cast were in favour of the takeover. In addition, 96.90% of shareholders present and voting supported the transaction, comfortably exceeding both approval thresholds required under the Corporations Act.

The outcome confirms what was already evident from proxy tallies ahead of the meeting: shareholder support for the Caterpillar bid is emphatic.

With no superior offer emerging, RPM investors have embraced the opportunity to crystallise significant, certain value at a premium. RPM Global shares are up 65% year to date, largely spurred on by news of the acquisition.

What happens next?

Although shareholder approval is a major milestone, several steps remain before the scheme becomes binding.

The scheme is still subject to approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), which remains pending, as well as Federal Court approval, with a hearing scheduled for 3 February 2026 in Melbourne.

If all conditions are met, RPM Global shares are expected to be suspended from trading at the close on the effective date, and the takeover would be fully implemented on 18 February 2026.

Why shareholders backed the deal

For most investors, the Caterpillar offer represents a clean exit at a compelling valuation with no market execution risk. In the absence of any rival bids, the certainty of cash today outweighs the operational risks and competitive pressures involved in continuing to scale the business independently.

Mining technology remains a rapidly evolving sector, and Caterpillar’s global footprint and financial strength provide RPM’s software with an opportunity to reach a wider commercial platform than it could achieve alone.

Foolish bottom line

With shareholder approval secured and the ACCC having already cleared the deal, only FIRB and the court remain as formal hurdles. Barring unexpected delays, RPM Global appears firmly on track to join the Caterpillar group early in 2026, marking the end of the ASX chapter for this mining technology company.

The post What’s the latest update on takeover target RPM Global? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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