Category: Stock Market

The New Year period is a great time to reflect on where our personal finances are and where they could get to in 2026 and beyond.

Personal finances play a big part in our wealth because they provide the engine for investing and other efforts that improve our financial picture.

Depending on what your finances look like, doing one or more of the following steps could have a big impact.

Spend less than you earn

Each month, our personal finances have their own ‘profit and loss’. Is more money coming in than going out?

Money doesn’t just appear out of nowhere. Income and saving are both important to build wealth.

Whether the income comes from a job, business ownership, dividends, rental profits, interest or something else, we need to have enough money coming in to cover the essentials like shelter, food, transportation and utilities.

After that, it’s down to us to decide how much we want to spend on non-essential items and services.

There are a variety of ways to spend less and a few ways to earn more (such as increasing our skills, taking up a side hustle, and so on).

Ultimately, if we earn $10 more than we spend each month, that’s building wealth.  However, consistently spending more is likely to lead to long-term problems.

Pay down debt

Debt can be one of the most problematic things if it’s not used to buy assets that rise in value over time. Most debt comes with an interest cost.

Considering we have to pay the interest with our after-tax money, the interest saving on paying down debt could be comparable to solid returns in the share market. For example, an interest rate of 7.5% for debt could be comparable to a pre-tax return of 10% from the share market. But, that’s a guaranteed saving, whereas the share market is not.

If someone has various debts, there are two methods that could make the most sense after paying the required minimum payments.

One option is to pay off the debt with the highest interest rate because this would be the best choice for our personal finances.

But, another option could be more powerful. Dealing with money is a very psychological thing, so paying off debts smallest to largest could be the way to go. Building momentum could be the way to see progress and stay committed to the cause until it’s done.

Start investing in (ASX) shares

Compounding is a very powerful financial force. While it works against us if we have debt, it works for us when we invest in assets that grow.

Investing in (ASX) shares is definitely a smart way to build wealth. Overall, shares have a long-term track record of delivering an average return of 10% per year. At that pace, $1,000 turns into $2,000 in around eight years. I reckon Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) is a great place to start investing for the long-term for diversified returns.

Some shares have delivered much stronger returns than 10% per year. Finding these opportunities means identifying which businesses are going to grow profit significantly over time.

In ten years, your future self could be very glad that your investment journey began in 2026.

The post Getting your personal finances on track in 2026? Here are three steps to take appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why this could be the easiest way to become a millionaire with shares on the ASX

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks were on fire in 2025. 

During the year, there was an explosion of demand for cloud computing and automation. At the same time, there was a small pool of AI stocks listed on the ASX which meant investors had limited choices for where to put their money. As a result, ASX AI stocks saw their share prices skyrocket.

As we move in 2026, it looks like investment and adoption of AI-driven technologies is here to stay. 

And if 2026 is anything like the past year, there is one unstoppable ASX AI stock you’ll want in your portfolio.

The artificial intelligence stocks I’d keep in my portfolio

Over in the US, Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA) is widely considered to be the top AI stock to own into 2026 due to the company’s dominance in the AI processor and infrastructure space.  

But looking closer to home, NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares present an excellent opportunity for Australian investors to jump aboard the AI-train before the next boom.

The data centre operator’s shares closed in the red on Monday afternoon. At the time of writing the shares are down 1.91% to $12.30 a piece. For 2026 so far, the shares are 2.15% lower.

Over the past year, the shares have dropped 18.54%. 

While it might not be the best start for NextDC shares, the AI stock is primed to soar over the next 12 months.

Here’s why.

NextDC operates a rapidly expanding network of data centres focused on cloud computing, telecommunication networks and supports AI workloads. It has physical centres, cooling, power, and security services and project support. As data usage explodes, demand for secure, high-quality infrastructure is likely to grow alongside it.

The company is heavily investing in expanding its business too. The company recently announced it has partnered with OpenAI to develop and operate a hyperscale AI campus and large-scale GPU supercluster at its site in Sydney. It’ll be the largest data centre in the southern hemisphere. 

Just two weeks following the announcement, NextDC announced that its pro forma contracted utilisation increased by 96MW or 30% to 412MW since its last update on 1 December.

As AI workloads increase, NextDC is positioning itself well to absorb a lot of the demand.

What’s next for NextDc shares?

I’m very optimistic that 2026 will be the year for growth of NextDC shares. 

TradingView data shows analysts are equally bullish. All 13 analysts have a buy or strong buy rating on the shares with an average target price of $21.04. At the time of writing this implies the shares could jump 71.04% higher over the next 12 months. 

However, some think the increase could be even higher. The maximum analyst target price is $29.36, which implies an incredible potential upside of 138.70% in 2026!

The post 1 unstoppable artificial intelligence stock you’ll want to own in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 4 reasons to buy Nvidia stock like there’s no tomorrow
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Happy new year! 

As we all slowly get the wheels turning in 2026, brokers are also waking up from their holiday slumber.

Many are now providing a fresh outlook for the year ahead. 

One such company receiving new analysis is ASX materials stock Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX: AIS). 

The company is a precious metals explorer and producer. Its copper-dominant portfolio comprises four operating assets across four states. 

How did this materials stock perform last year?

Like many copper shares, Aeris Resources enjoyed a stellar 2025 on the back of record global commodity prices.

At the beginning of 2025, this ASX materials stock was trading for just $0.18, and by the end of the calendar year, it had soared to $0.60. 

That’s a 236% rise. 

But after such a stellar performance, Bell Potter believes the growth isn’t finished. 

In a report from the broker last week, the broker reiterated its buy recommendation. 

Key approval

In Bell Potter’s report, the broker said the company has been granted Development Consent for its Constellation Project by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. 

The broker said this is a major permitting milestone for Constellation. It de-risks its pathway to production and its objective of commencing mining operations from mid-CY26. 

The Development Consent is issued under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and includes the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), representing the main hurdle for the operational plan and environmental and social impact approvals.

The broker said it anticipates this will boost production at 100% owned Tritton Copper Mine in NSW in 2HCY26. 

Furthermore, higher ore grades and tonnages should drive higher production and lower costs, improving margins and cash flows for the company.

Bell Potter believes combined with current production from other sites, the new site will reinforce its status as the largest Australian copper mine not owned by a major mining company. 

This will further leverage AIS’ exposure to a rising copper price and it remains one of our key picks in the sector.

Broker tipping more upside

Bell Potter raised its EPS guidance in FY26: +27%, FY27: +41% and FY28: +57% on higher copper price forecasts.

It has increased its price target to $0.82 (previously $0.65), and from yesterday’s closing price, this indicates an upside of 37%. 

AIS is a copper-dominant producer, with its near-term outlook highly leveraged to the copper price, increasing production at Tritton and gold production at Cracow.

The post Why Bell Potter thinks this materials stock can soar 37% higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

It was a rollercoaster year for S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) tech shares in 2025.

Fear of a potential artificial intelligence (AI) bubble contributed to tech stocks entering bear market territory in November.

A bear market is one in which shares drop by 20% or more from their most recent peak.

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) finished the year down 21.04%.

The total return, including dividends, was 20.80%.

This made ASX 200 tech shares the second-worst performer of the 11 market sectors for 2025.

Tech shares vastly underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which rose 6.8% and delivered total returns of 10.32%.

Amid the carnage, which ASX 200 tech shares came out best for capital gains?

And what ratings have these tech shares attracted from analysts for 2026?

Let’s find out.

Which ASX 200 tech shares triumphed amid sector ruin?

1. Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA)

Electronics solutions provider Codan delivered the best capital growth among ASX 200 tech shares last year.

The Codan share price soared 77% to finish the year at $28.43.

Codan designs and manufactures electronics solutions for government, corporate, NGO, and consumer clients worldwide.

Petra Capital has a hold rating on Codan with a 12-month share price target of $32.70.

Canaccord Genuity has a buy rating with a $37.54 target.

2. Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

The Megaport share price ripped 65% to $12.17 in 2025.

Megaport provides cloud and data centre connectivity services through a global network-as-a-service (NaaS) platform.

Macquarie has an outperform rating on Megaport with a share price target of $21.70.

Citi has a buy rating and a target of $16.30.

3. Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price leapt 49% to close at $33.53 on 31 December.

Life360 owns the popular family location app.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and a $52.50 price target on Life360 shares.

Morgan Stanley has an overweight rating and $58.50 price target.

4. Data#3 Ltd (ASX: DTL)

Shares in this IT services provider ascended 41% to close at $9.01 apiece on 31 December.

Macquarie has downgraded its rating on this ASX 200 tech share to neutral but lifted its target from $9.15 to $9.85.

Morgan Stanley gives Data#3 shares a buy rating with a $9.50 target.

5. Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

The Catapult Sports share price lifted 12% to finish the year at $4.15.

Bell Potter has a buy rating on Catapult shares with a 12-month target of $6.50.

Morgans also gives the sports performance analytics company a buy rating with a target of $6.25.

The post Top 5 ASX 200 tech shares for growth in 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports, Life360, Macquarie Group, and Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports, Life360, and Macquarie Group. 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 tumbled sharply from their highs in 2025, falling 46% in the past 12 months.

The start of this year has been far from impressive, with Australia’s biggest tech stock dropping a further 3.2% to $66.73 at the time of writing.

No wonder investors are asking if WiseTech shares can rebound in 2026?

Let’s unpack the tale.

What’s still working for WiseTech?

First, there is a real business under the share price angst. WiseTech’s flagship CargoWise platform remains a dominant global logistics software suite. It helps freight forwarders and supply-chain operators automate complex cross-border workflows.

Its recurring SaaS model delivers high margins and sticky customers. The company’s cloud footprint also gives it a truly worldwide addressable market.

On fundamentals, revenue continues to climb. Management forecasts around 80% top-line growth in FY26 on the back of strong demand, even if margins are forecast to compress slightly amid integration costs.

What’s holding it back?

But the plot twist isn’t trivial. Investors hate uncertainty, and WiseTech’s story has had plenty. The recent leadership and governance drama — including board turnover and regulatory scrutiny — has left a ‘governance discount’ hanging over WiseTech shares.

There are execution risks too. The company’s ambitious acquisition of e2open and rollout of new products have created integration complexities and near-term margin pressure. Guidance for FY26 came in below some market expectations, prompting at least one respected broker to trim its price target.

What the analysts are saying

Despite the headwinds, optimism around WiseTech shares still outweighs pessimism. Broker consensus shows most analysts still peg WiseTech as a buy or strong buy with average 12-month price targets around $110.00, a 65% upside. The most optimistic market watchers see possible gains for 2026 of well over 150% at a maximum share price of $176.

Analysts at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) just upgraded WiseTech shares to an outperform rating with a $108.50 price target, a possible gain in 2026 of 63%. The broker is feeling more confident about WiseTech’s business model transition and believes that the company will be able to reshape the logistics industry. 

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $100.00 price target on WiseTech Global’s shares. This points to a 45% upside from current levels.

The broker notes:

The company’s quality is underpinned by a highly predictable business model, with around 95% of its revenue being recurring and a customer churn rate of less than 1%. This provides clear and consistent cash flow, enabling a distinct path to deleverage, with management confident in reducing ND/EBITDA from ~3x in FY26 to 1.7x in FY27.

The post Can WiseTech shares bounce back in 2026? 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 Macquarie Group and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and WiseTech Global. 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.

Even after its 38% rise in 2025, I think Nvidia is still a top buy for 2026. I’ve got a handful of reasons why Nvidia is still a top buy now, and investors who don’t have enough exposure to the top growth stock in the market should consider them as a reason to buy more. 

1. AI spending isn’t slowing down

After three years of artificial intelligence spending increasing, 2026 appears to be another year of growth. All the AI hyperscalers have informed investors that they should expect higher capital expenditures in 2026 than in 2025. Several companies benefit from these higher spending amounts, and Nvidia is one of them. 

For example, Meta Platforms told investors during its Q3 earnings announcement that its “capital expenditures dollar growth will be notably larger in 2026 than 2025.” In 2024, Meta spent $39 billion on capital expenditures. For 2025, it expects full-year capital expenditures to be around $70 billion to $72 billion. If Meta continues this acceleration, it’s reasonable to expect its AI spending to reach $100 billion by 2026.

While Meta isn’t spending all of that money on Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs), a decent chunk will be heading Nvidia’s way. This same story can be repeated for practically any AI company, making Nvidia a strong candidate to own in 2026.

2. 2026 isn’t going to be the last year of AI growth

This won’t be the last year we see strong AI growth. Data centers take a considerable amount of time to build, and many of the plans announced in 2025 won’t be fully operational for several years. This means that they won’t be purchasing Nvidia chips for a few years, so the AI growth trend will stretch out beyond 2026. That’s why Nvidia has informed investors that it expects global data center capital expenditures to rise from $600 billion in 2025 to $3 trillion to $4 trillion by 2030.

With multiple years of AI growth expected, Nvidia is a great stock to buy and hold.

3. Nvidia isn’t as expensive as you may think

There is a common misconception in the market that Nvidia’s stock is overvalued. However, when you factor in the growth Nvidia is expected to deliver, this argument breaks down quickly. Nvidia trades for about 25 times fiscal year 2027’s (ending January 2027) earnings.

NVDA PE Ratio (Forward 1y) data by YCharts.

That’s right in line with where other big tech companies trade, yet they don’t have the great long-term prospects Nvidia does.

NVDA PE Ratio (Forward 1y) data by YCharts.

4. Nvidia doesn’t have the capacity to meet demand

The massive AI demand for advanced chips has consumed all of Nvidia’s production capacity. During its earnings call for the fiscal 2026 third quarter, Nvidia informed investors that it is “sold out” of cloud GPUs. When demand outpaces supply, that allows Nvidia to maintain its high margins and also control the supply of chips. Although alternatives are starting to emerge as real competition for Nvidia, it’s still at the top of the AI food chain.

Nvidia is working as hard as it can to increase capacity to meet demand for its products, but just because you hear about an AI hyperscaler creating its own chips doesn’t mean it’s completely shifting away from Nvidia’s technology.

Nvidia is still the top name in AI computing, and with AI spending expected to continue rising over the next few years, Nvidia is an excellent stock to buy hand over fist.

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

The post 4 reasons to buy Nvidia stock like there’s no tomorrow 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.

More reading

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Keithen Drury has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Meta Platforms and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended 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.

Most investors spend far too much time worrying about when to buy and not nearly enough time thinking about what they want to own for the long haul.

Yet history shows that wealth is usually built by backing the right assets and then giving them time to work, not by constantly tweaking a portfolio.

If your goal is to invest once, stay invested, and let global growth do the heavy lifting over the next decade, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are hard to beat. They offer portfolio diversification, exposure to powerful structural trends, and far less stress than trying to pick individual winners.

With that in mind, here are three ASX ETFs that could be top buys in 2026 and worth holding through to at least 2036.

Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

The Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF gives investors access to some of the most influential technology companies across Asia, excluding Japan. These are businesses powering everything from ecommerce and digital payments to semiconductors and social media across fast-growing economies.

Key holdings include companies such as WeChat owner Tencent Holdings (SEHK: 700), chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM), Temu owner PDD Holdings (NASDAQ: PDD), and ecommerce leader Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA).

While Asian tech stocks can be volatile in the short term, the long-term opportunity is compelling and underpinned by rising middle classes, accelerating digital adoption, and ongoing innovation.

This fund was recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF is one of the simplest ways to invest in many of the world’s highest-quality growth companies. It tracks the Nasdaq 100 Index, which is home to global leaders in technology, consumer services, and healthcare.

While the Magnificent Seven often dominate headlines, the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF also provides exposure to businesses beyond that group. This includes stocks like Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE), Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU), Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), and Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST).

Over a 10-year horizon, continued investment in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital services could help the Magnificent Seven and these businesses compound earnings well into the 2030s.

Betashares India Quality ETF (ASX: IIND)

The Betashares India Quality ETF offers a different kind of long-term opportunity. Rather than focusing purely on technology, it targets high-quality Indian stocks with strong balance sheets, sustainable earnings, and competitive advantages.

India is forecast to be one of the fastest-growing major economies over the next decade, driven by favourable demographics, infrastructure investment, and a rapidly expanding middle class.

The Betashares India Quality ETF provides exposure to this growth through a diversified portfolio of businesses across financials, consumer sectors, and industrials.

For investors looking to diversify beyond developed markets, this fund adds an attractive growth engine to a long-term portfolio. It was recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

The post The best ASX ETFs to buy in 2026 and hold until at least 2036 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF and Betashares Capital – Asia Technology Tigers Etf. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Adobe, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Costco Wholesale, Intuit, Starbucks, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and Tencent. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Alibaba Group and has recommended the following options: long January 2028 $330 calls on Adobe and short January 2028 $340 calls on Adobe. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Adobe and Starbucks. 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 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.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares have just wrapped up what was an exceptionally lucrative year. The ASX 200 mining giant rose from $117.46 a share at the end of 2024 to the $146.82 we saw the miner close out 2025 at last week. That’s a gain worth almost exactly 25%.

Much of these gains came in the latter half of 2025, with the Rio share price rising more than 44% between late June and late December. Not bad, considering the broader market’s gains for 2025 were far more muted at just under 6%. Particularly given that Rio investors also enjoyed two decent dividends over the year just gone, worth about 4% at current pricing.

Despite these rosy returns, Rio shares have evidently not decided to rest on their laurels now that 20206 is underway. Since 1 January, Rio Tinto stock has put on another 1.4%, including today’s gains of just over 1%.

What’s even more exciting, though, is Rio Tinto’s new all-time record high.

Yep, Rio Tinto shares hit a new record this Monday. After opening at $148.29 a share this morning, today’s trading saw the miner get as high as $150.14 a share.

Not only is that price a new all-time high for Rio, but it is also the first time in the company’s long history that we have seen a ‘$150’ at the front of its ticker.

A long time coming for Rio Tinto shares’ latest record high

It’s taken a long time for Rio shares to get to where they are today. Way back in 2008, Rio reset what was then its record high by reaching $123 a share. But the global financial crisis quickly put a stop to that momentum. It took until 2021 for Rio Tinto shares to finally topple that previous high.

Even today, someone who bought Rio shares at that 2008 peak and kept holding would only be up by about 22% from that 2008 high. That doesn’t include dividends, which would have improved that rather paltry metric substantially.

So why are Rio shares doing so well in early 2026?

Well, investors seemed to have taken note of how well commodity markets fared in 2025. As my Fool colleague Bronwyn noted last week, raw materials saw significant price spikes last year. Copper, aluminium, silver, and lithium all saw healthy increases, and all happen to be metals that Rio Tinto mines and processes.

Given Rio’s large-scale operations and relatively low cost bases, perhaps investors are piling in anticipation of further price rises, or possibly broader economic inflation. Let’s see how Rio Tinto shares fare over the rest of January and beyond.

The post Own Rio Tinto shares? They just hit a new record high 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 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 had one of the wildest rides you will ever experience on the Australian share market in 2025.

The counter drone technology company’s shares had plenty of ups and downs, but ultimately delivered the goods (and more) for investors.

What happened with DroneShield shares in 2025?

After ending the previous year at 77 cents, the DroneShield share price was as high as $6.71 at one stage last year.

However, some heavy insider selling and the accidental release and subsequent retraction of a contract win announcement weighed heavily on sentiment.

This meant that DroneShield shares ultimately ended the period at $3.08, which represents an annual return of 300%.

The catalyst for this was the announcement of an endless stream of major contract wins, which underpinned explosive sales and profit growth.

For example, in October, DroneShield released its third quarter results and revealed revenue of $92.9 million and cash receipts of $77.4 million. This was a 1,091% and 751% increase, respectively, over the prior corresponding period.

Since then, it has continued to win significant contracts. This includes an $8.2 million contract from an in-country reseller for delivery to a western military end-customer and a $49.6 million contract with an in-region European reseller that is contractually required to distribute the products to a European military end-customer.

In addition, DroneShield addressed investor concerns by announcing plans to establish a mandatory minimum shareholding policy (MSP) for all directors and members of senior management.

What’s next?

The good news is that there could be further market-beating returns for investors in 2026 according to analysts at Bell Potter.

Late last year, the broker put a buy rating and $4.40 price target on DroneShield’s shares. Based on its current share price of $3.31, this implies potential upside of 33% for investors over the next 12 months.

Bell Potter highlights that the company has an approximate $2.5 billion sales pipeline to attempt to convert in the first half of the year. The broker said:

We believe DRO has a market leading RF detect/defeat C-UAS offering and a strengthening competitive advantage owing to its years of battlefield experience and large and focused R&D team. We expect 2026 will be an inflection point for the global counter-drone industry with countries poised to unleash a wave of spending on RF detect and defeat solutions. Consequently, we believe DRO should see material contracts flowing from its $2.5b potential sales pipeline over the next 3-6 months as defence budgets roll over to FY26e.

The post Why did DroneShield shares rocket 300% in 2025? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended 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.