Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) has announced further changes at Board level, appointing a new Independent Non-Executive Director while saying farewell to a long-serving member of its Board.

The moves come as the pizza chain continues to reshape its leadership team amid a broader operational and strategic reset.

What did Domino’s Pizza Enterprises announce?

Domino’s today announced:

• Judith Swales has been appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Director, effective 24 February 2026
• Longstanding director Grant Bourke will retire from the board on the same date, after nearly 25 years of service
• A search is underway for an additional Non-Executive Director as part of the board’s ongoing renewal process

What else should investors know?

Judith Swales brings extensive experience across large, consumer-facing organisations, both as an Executive and a Director. She is currently Non-Executive Chair of Super Retail Group and has previously held senior leadership roles including as CEO, Global Markets at Fonterra, Managing Director of Heinz Australia, and CEO and Managing Director of Goodyear Dunlop Australia and New Zealand.

She has also served on the boards of Virgin Australia, DuluxGroup, and Foster’s. Ms Swales will join Domino’s Audit and Risk Committee, Nomination, Culture and Remuneration Committee, and Independent Board Committee

Grant Bourke’s retirement marks the end of an era. He joined Domino’s as a franchisee in 1993, became a director in 2001, and played a role in the company’s ASX listing in 2005. Over his career, Bourke also held senior operational roles, including Managing Director of Europe and Head of Corporate Store Operations in Australia and New Zealand, before serving as a Non-Executive Director for almost two decades.

What did Domino’s management say?

Executive Chairman Jack Cowin paid tribute to Bourke’s contribution and welcomed the new appointment.

I have been fortunate to have worked alongside Grant for more than 30 years and throughout he has demonstrated his passion for the Domino’s brand, our franchise partners, and the potential of this business.

On Swales’ appointment, Cowin added:

Judith is one of the most experienced retail executives and directors in Australia, and will add her expertise in large-scale operations, brand stewardship and governance to our deliberations.

What’s next for Domino’s Pizza Enterprises?

These board changes follow an announcement earlier this month of new executive leadership roles, including a new CEO for Australia and New Zealand and expanded responsibilities for the Group CFO, as Domino’s works through a broader leadership transition.

The board says progress continues on the search for a permanent Group Chief Executive Officer, with further updates expected in due course. Investors will be watching closely to see whether the refreshed board and executive team can stabilise performance, rebuild franchisee confidence, and return the business to more consistent growth.

Domino’s Pizza Enterprises share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises shares are down around 22%, underperforming the ASX 200 in that period.

The post Domino’s Pizza announces board refresh as turnaround continues appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have retained their buy rating and $5.00 price target on this counter-drone technology company’s shares. This follows the release of another strong update from DroneShield this week. Bell Potter notes that the company’s sales growth was stronger than it was expecting. And while its sales pipeline has shrunk since October, it isn’t concerned. It believes this reflects the loss of low probability contracts or potential contracts that have been reduced in size. Outside this, the broker believes the company has a market leading offering and a competitive advantage owing to its years of battlefield experience. This bodes well for 2026 given how Bell Potter believes this year will be an inflection point for the global C-UAS industry with countries poised to unleash a wave of spending. The DroneShield share price is trading at $4.00 on Wednesday afternoon.

Life360 Inc. (ASX: 360)

A note out of Citi reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating on this location technology company’s shares with a reduced price target of $40.75. The broker was pleased with Life360’s fourth quarter and full year update, highlighting that it was stronger than expected with monthly active users (MAUs) and guidance for FY 2026 surprising to the upside. The latter includes guidance for 20% growth in MAUs, which Citi believes should ease concerns that its user growth was slowing. Overall, it thinks the result was strong and investors should be snapping up shares at current levels. The Life360 share price is fetching $28.67 at the time of writing.

Light & Wonder Inc (ASX: LNW)

Analysts at Morgan Stanley have initiated coverage on this gaming technology company’s shares with an overweight rating and $220.00 price target. The broker believes that recent developments position Light & Wonder to grow quicker than the industry over the medium term. In light of this and its attractive valuation, Morgan Stanley sees potential for a material re-rating in its valuation in the near term. This will especially be the case if the company executes its growth strategies successfully. The Light & Wonder share price is trading at $163.81 this afternoon.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why AUB, Aurelia Metals, DroneShield, and Elevra Lithium shares are dropping today
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Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield, Life360, and Light & Wonder Inc. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Light & Wonder Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Shares in ASX small-cap stock Plenti Group (ASX: PLT) are down around 1.25% today, despite the fintech lender delivering another strong quarterly update.

By almost any measure, the numbers looked good so why was the reaction muted today?

A strong quarter with record loan originations

Plenti’s third-quarter update showed the business continuing to fire on most cylinders.

Loan originations reached $480 million, marking the fifth consecutive record quarter and representing 25% growth year on year, even with fewer business days in the quarter. The total loan portfolio climbed to $2.98 billion, up 24% from a year ago, and the company has already hit its $3 billion FY26 target ahead of schedule.

Revenue rose 22% year on year to $79.9 million, implying an annualised run-rate of around $320 million. Importantly for a lender operating in a higher-rate environment, credit quality remained strong, with net credit losses falling to 91 basis points and arrears staying low.

On the funding side, Plenti completed its largest-ever automotive ABS transaction during the quarter, securing its tightest pricing since 2021. This is a good mark of confidence from debt markets.

So why did the shares fall?

The likely explanation isn’t the headline numbers, but the developing narrative around interest rates, changes in management, and broader share price consolidation.

Management flagged that rising market funding costs during the quarter led to a temporary compression in margins on new loan originations.

While Plenti has already clawed back some of that margin through repricing (and volumes have remained robust), the update served as a reminder that funding costs remain a key swing factor for lenders.

It doesn’t help that today’s inflation/CPI update strengthened the case for the RBA to increase the cash rate, which could increase funding costs.

Another possible explanation for today’s dip in Plenti shares was the confirmation that the Chief Financial Officer will depart, with a replacement announcement expected shortly.

While the transition appears orderly, CFO changes can sometimes introduce short-term uncertainty.

In other words, today’s dip looks less like a reaction to weak execution and more like a bout of near-term caution after a strong run.

Foolish bottomline

Despite today’s pullback, Plenti’s underlying trajectory appears to be largley intact.

Investors who zoom out will likely still see some positive signs of Plenti’s progress, and the market verdict over the last 12 months has been flattering with Plenti shares up roughly 56% over that period.

That comfortably outperforms the ASX All Ords, but what comes next is more important.

Plenti Group is scaling rapidly, hitting major portfolio milestones earlier than planned, maintaining disciplined credit standards, and continuing to improve profitability as it grows.

With shares already up more than 50% over the past year, some consolidation along the way shouldn’t come as a surprise.

The post This ASX small-cap stock is up 56% in a year, so why did shares fall after today’s update? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Domino’s Pizza announces board refresh as turnaround continues
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• A blockbuster quarter for this ASX miner. So, why aren’t investors impressed?
• Here’s my buy list if the stock market crashes in 2026
• Up 640% in a year, why is this ASX gold share rocketing another 25% on Wednesday?

Motley Fool contributor Kevin Gandiya has no positions 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 Plenti Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Metals X Ltd (ASX: MLX) share price is edging lower today, despite the miner releasing a closely watched December quarter update.

At the time of writing, the Metals X share price is down 2.17% to $1.262.

That pullback comes after an extraordinary run. Metals X shares are still up roughly 175% over the past 12 months, helped by surging metal prices and a sharp turnaround at its core tin operations.

A record quarter at Renison

The key update came from the Renison tin operation in Tasmania, which Metals X owns 50% of through its joint venture with Bluestone Mines.

Renison delivered its second-highest quarterly production on record, producing 3,319 tonnes of tin-in-concentrate. That was a 46% increase from the prior quarter and comfortably above recent run rates.

December was particularly strong, with monthly production of 1,318 tonnes, the highest ever achieved at the site. The company credited higher mining rates, improved plant stability, and stronger metallurgical performance.

Mill recovery improved to 82% for the quarter, up from 76% previously, placing the December month among the strongest metallurgical periods on record.

Cash flow jumps as costs fall

Higher production and better recoveries translated into a sharp improvement in financial performance.

C1 cash production costs fell to $16,598 per tonne, a 28% improvement on the prior quarter. All-in sustaining costs (AISC) also dropped to $27,906 per tonne.

Imputed EBITDA more than doubled quarter-on-quarter to $112.5 million, with EBITDA margins rising to around 58%.

Metals X generated an imputed net cash flow of $19.48 million for the quarter. Cash and cash equivalents increased by $14.1 million to $293.6 million, even after continued investment across its broader portfolio.

More than just tin

Beyond Renison, Metals X continues to progress its growth options.

At the Rentails project, the company completed the draft environmental impact statement, with regulatory submissions expected in the March quarter. The concentrator FEED package has now been awarded, keeping the project on track for a final investment decision later in 2026.

Metals X also maintained its strategic investments, including holdings in Elements Ltd, First Tin, NICO Resources, and Tanami Gold. Management said capital allocation remains focused on disciplined growth and value-accretive opportunities.

Why the share price slipped today

Despite the strong numbers, today’s move likely reflects profit-taking after a huge run, rather than disappointment with the quarter.

With Metals X shares up 175% year-on-year, expectations were already high. Some investors may also be cautious after such an outstanding December result, especially with tin prices remaining volatile.

Still, this update reinforces that Metals X is generating serious cash in a favourable commodities backdrop.

The post A blockbuster quarter for this ASX miner. So, why aren’t investors impressed? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Domino’s Pizza announces board refresh as turnaround continues
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• This ASX small-cap stock is up 56% in a year, so why did shares fall after today’s update?
• Here’s my buy list if the stock market crashes in 2026
• Up 640% in a year, why is this ASX gold share rocketing another 25% on Wednesday?

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

I am an investor who tries to invest what I can and when I can into the markets. There are precious few certainties in the world of investing. But two of them are that the markets go up far more often than they go down in a stock market crash, and the market has never failed to exceed a previous all-time high. By that logic, it makes sense to get money into the markets as soon as possible.

Saying that, I am also an investor who loves to buy shares at the kind of steep discounts that we do tend to see during a stock market correction or crash. As such, I do tend to keep some money on the sidelines for that time that the inevitable market crash rolls around.

Now, I, along with everyone else on the planet, have no idea when the next market crash will arrive. For all I know, it could be in 2026 or in 2036.

But I do know the companies that I will attempt to load the boat with when that crash does come. 

My stock market crash buy list for 2026

When the market goes through a period defined by intense fear, I usually try to prioritise companies that tend to trade at lofty valuations. That’s because it is often the only time you can buy shares of these companies at reasonable prices. 

As such, I would have my eye firmly on two ASX tech shares in the next crash. Those are TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) and Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME).

Both of these companies are growing at exceptional rates, with high levels of free cash flow and compelling growth runways. As a result, it is normal for both TechnologyOne and Pro Medicus to trade with expensive price tags. But if there is a buying window to snatch up these stocks at a bargain price, I’ll be trying hard to climb through it.

I would also be looking to buy more shares of Washington H. SouL Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL). As I’ve long documented, Soul Patts is one of my top ASX investments, and any chance to buy more shares of this market-beater at low prices would (at least in my view) do wonders for my long-term wealth.

I wouldn’t stop at the ASX, though. These days, stock market crashes are global events. And I will be turning to the US markets when the next one happens as well. Some of the stocks I would be looking forward to loading up on include Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ: COST), Mastercard Inc (NYSE: MA), McDonald’s Corp (NYSE: MCD) and Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: META). These are all top-quality companies that (with the possible exception of Meta) never seem to go on sale. If they did, I would be there with as much cash as I could muster.

The post Here’s my buy list if the stock market crashes in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Costco Wholesale, Mastercard, McDonald’s, Meta Platforms, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Costco Wholesale, Mastercard, Meta Platforms, Technology One, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Mastercard, Meta Platforms, Pro Medicus, and Technology One. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX gold share Benz Mining Corp (ASX: BNZ) is off to the races.

Again.

Benz Mining shares closed yesterday trading for $2.25. At the time of writing on Wednesday, shares are changing hands for $2.81 apiece, up 24.9%.

For some context, the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index (ASX: XSO) is down 0.3% at this same time.

With today’s intraday jump factored in, the ASX gold share is now up an eye-popping 639.5% in 12 months. Or enough to turn an $8,000 investment into $59,158.

In just one year!

Like most gold explorers and producers, Benz Mining has enjoyed heightened investor interest amid the surging gold price. Gold is currently trading for US$5,180 per ounce, up 89% since this time last year.

And Benz Mining has hardly been sitting idle.

Here’s what’s grabbing investor interest again today.

ASX gold share leaping on high-grade results

Investors are piling into Benz Mining shares following the release of promising drill results from the Icon trend within Benz Mining’s Glenburgh Gold Project, located in Western Australia.

The ASX gold share said that the latest results reinforce Icon’s potential to host a large, long-life open-pit gold operation.

The miner reported on an “ultra high-grade” shallow lens that’s emerging at Icon through infill drilling.

Among the top results at Icon, the company reported 13 metres at 29 grams of gold per tonne from 60 metres.

Management said that the drilling also continues to demonstrate large-scale bulk mineralisation at Icon, including 200 metres at 1.0g/t gold from 76 metres.

Meanwhile, broad step out drilling at the ASX gold share’s Tuxedo prospect extended the mineralisation 200 metres at depth beneath historical shallow drilling.

What did management say?

“Results from the latest drilling at Icon and Tuxedo continue to reinforce our view that this is a large, coherent mineralised system with genuine scale,” Benz Mining CEO Mark Lynch-Staunton said.

Staunton added:

At Icon, infill drilling is delivering exactly what we want to see – improved continuity, increasing confidence in the system, and the emergence of high-grade zones within a broad mineralised envelope. These results continue to demonstrate the quality and robustness of the mineralisation.

When considered together, Icon and Tuxedo sit within the same mineralised footprint and are increasingly shaping up as a single, large open-pit style system.

Looking at what could impact the ASX gold share in the months ahead, Staunton said, “With more than three kilometres of strike already defined and less than 30% tested to date, we are still in the early stages of unlocking the full potential of this system.”

The post Up 640% in a year, why is this ASX gold share rocketing another 25% on Wednesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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

Over the past year or two, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has enjoyed a significant rally. The ASX 200 has lifted from under 7,000 points in late 2023 to the all-time record high of 9,115.2 points that we saw last year. At today’s pricing, the index is sitting at 8,932 points at the time of writing, up more than 30% from that 2023 low. This push higher has obviously been good news for many ASX investors. However, it has also had the less-welcome side effect of reducing the yields that many popular ASX 200 dividend shares trade on.

What was a common yield in 2022 or 2023 now looks like a missed opportunity in 2026.

But although yields are down across the board, there are still opportunities to buy ASX dividend shares today and secure a decent stream of passive income. So today, let’s go over five ASX dividend shares that look set to pay a dividend yield of around 4%, provided they keep their 2026 payouts at at least 2025’s levels, of course.

Five ASX dividend shares that could pay a 4% yield in 2026

First up is Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS). This telecommunications provider has long been known as one of the dividend income heavyweights of the ASX. Telstra has done a commendable job of raising its dividends like clockwork in recent years. The 19 cents per share in fully franked dividends that the company forked out last year gives Telstra a trailing dividend yield of 3.94% at current pricing.

It will come as no surprise to income investors that our next stock is an ASX 200 bank. ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), like its major bank peers, has a long and respectable track record of providing its investors with fat dividends. This ASX dividend share has had a heck of a run, up almost 60% since mid-2023. That has reduced its dividend yield substantially. But even so, the $1.66 in dividends per share (albeit partially franked) that this bank paid out in 2025 gives ANZ a trailing dividend yield of 4.56% today.

It’s a similar story with NAB’s ASX banking stablemate Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC). Like NAB, Westpac shares have enjoyed a solid run over the past few years, almost doubling in value since mid-2023 with its 91% gain. In 2025, Westpac funded two fully franked dividends, worth 76 and 77 cents per share respectively. These give this ASX dividend share a dividend yield of 3.94% today.

Last but not least…

Turning away from the banking sector now, it’s time to check out Transurban Group (ASX: TCL). Transurban is famous (or perhaps infamous) for owning the vast majority of tolled arterial roads across Australia, most notably in Sydney and Melbourne. These toll roads give Transurban a steady stream of cash flow, which the company uses to fund a robust and reliable dividend. 2025 was the fourth year in a row that investors enjoyed a dividend increase, with the company paying out 32 cents per share in February and 33 cents in August.  These give the company a trailing yield of 4.86% today (although that doesn’t come fully franked).

Finally, let’s get back to another telco with TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG). TPG is smaller than Telstra, although arguably more agile. But like its larger rival, this ASX dividend share has become a reliable income payer. TPG has funded two dividends per year for the past few years, which have all come in at 9 cents per share (and fully franked) since 2022. Even if we disregard the additional capital return from last year, these dividends give TPG shares a hefty dividend yield of 4.66% today.

The post 5 ASX dividend shares paying 4% a year on average in 2026! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• My 3 best ASX dividend-focused stocks to buy in February
• How much could the Telstra share price rise in the next year?

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

ASX growth shares trading at much lower valuations can be great investments. When excellent businesses trade at better value, I think it’s worthwhile jumping on the opportunity while it’s still available.

Businesses that are growing (earnings) at a good pace with plans for further expansion are ones I’d focus on.

The three ASX growth shares I’ll highlight are definitely ones to watch and potentially buy.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

GYG is a Mexican food business that is delivering impressive growth.

At the end of the first quarter of FY26, it had 227 restaurants in Australia, 22 in Singapore, five in Japan and seven in the US.

I’m expecting the business to add locations in each country, particularly in Australia as it builds towards 1,000 restaurants in its home market over the next two decades.

The FY26 first quarter demonstrated the progress the company is making – quarterly total network sales grew by 18.6% year-over-year to $330.6 million.

Growing scale should help the business to deliver improving profit margins and help accelerate its bottom line. As long as the company’s Australian comparable sales remain positive and above inflation over time, I think the company is on track for a very good future.

As a bonus, Asian growth (Japan, Singapore and potentially other countries) could help the business deliver more growth than investors are expecting.

The ASX growth share looks a lot cheaper after falling around 40% in the past year.

Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

Lovisa is a retailer of affordable jewellery with a truly global store network spread across numerous countries including Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain, Germany, the UK, the USA, Canada, South Africa, Poland, Mexico and many more.

The company is delivering rapid sales growth – in the first 20 weeks of FY26, global sales were up 26% year-over-year, benefiting from the ongoing store rollout. It opened 44 new net stores in the first 20 weeks of FY26, taking its total store count to 1,075 across more than 50 markets. It was a year-over-year increase of 148 more stores.

It can take an initial investment and cost to build a particular country’s store network to a certain scale, but once it reaches that scale, size benefits can play an important role in boosting earnings.

I’m expecting the company’s operating profit (EBIT) margin to increase in the coming years.

The ASX growth share looks good value to me after dropping around 30% since the end of August 2025.

VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

This exchange-traded fund (ETF) invests in some of the best companies in the US. If we’re going to invest internationally, we may as well invest in the best ones.

The fund looks for businesses it thinks have economic moats (competitive advantages) that are more likely than not to endure for at least 20 years and help the business generate strong profits during that time.

An economic moat can come in a variety of forms such as cost advantages, intellectual property, brand power, network effects and regulatory advantages.

With a shortlist of great businesses, the MOAT ETF only invests when Morningstar analysts think they’re trading at good value, which helps improve the chances of the fund outperforming other investments.

It looks cheaper today after dropping around 5% since mid-January.

The post 3 ASX growth shares to buy now while they’re on sale appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Guzman Y Gomez and VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Lovisa and VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Shares in St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) are on the rise on Wednesday. This comes after the gold miner released a major update on its Simberi Gold Project in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The company’s shares were lifted from a trading halt this morning following the announcement. At the time of writing, the St Barbara share price is up 4.05 % to 77 cents, after closing at 74 cents before the halt on Tuesday.

Simberi mining lease extension approved

In an ASX release today, St Barbara confirmed that the Simberi Mining Lease (ML 136) has been formally extended to 2038.

The approval relates to the New Simberi Gold Project and provides long-term certainty over the company’s most important operating asset. The extension aligns with the current mine plan and is based on proven and probable ore reserves outlined in the Simberi feasibility study.

This was one of the key issues holding the project back and now allows St Barbara to move ahead with its next phase.

What the approval unlocks

St Barbara has been planning a major expansion at Simberi, including a move into sulphide ore mining. That expansion is expected to significantly lift gold production and extend the mine’s life.

According to the company, the mining lease extension was an important requirement for funding and ownership changes linked to the project. With the lease now extended, St Barbara expects to move toward a final investment decision later in FY26.

The company has previously said the expanded Simberi operation could produce more than 200,000 ounces of gold each year. That would mark a significant increase from current production levels.

Strategic partners now move closer

Today’s approval also satisfies a key condition tied to previously announced agreements with Lingbao Gold Group and Kumul Minerals Holdings, PNG’s state-owned mining entity.

Under those agreements, Lingbao is set to acquire a 50 % interest in St Barbara Mining, while Kumul is expected to take a 20 % stake in the Simberi Gold Project. Both transactions were dependent on the mining lease extension being finalised.

St Barbara said the lease extension allows these transactions to move forward as planned.

What happens next

Alongside the lease update, St Barbara also released its quarterly results, showing Simberi continues to generate cash despite recent operational challenges.

With the lease extension now locked in, investor focus is likely to shift to funding, final approvals, and timing around the project’s expansion.

Foolish takeaway

Today’s update gives investors clearer visibility on the path ahead, but several milestones still need to fall into place. The next focus will be funding arrangements and progress toward a final investment decision.

Investors are likely to look ahead to the company’s half-year results next month for further detail.

The post A major green light sends this ASX gold stock higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why the St Barbara share price is halted today
• Why is this gold miner’s share price heading higher today?

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

In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a small decline. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.3% to 8,915.6 points.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here’s why they are rising:

Benz Mining Corp (ASX: BNZ)

The Benz Mining share price is up 23% to $2.77. This follows the release of a drilling update from the gold explorer. Strong results were achieved at the Glenburgh Gold Project in Western Australia. Benz CEO, Mark Lynch-Staunton, commented: “Results from the latest drilling at Icon and Tuxedo continue to reinforce our view that this is a large, coherent mineralised system with genuine scale. […] Glenburgh is rapidly emerging as a genuinely large gold system, and each round of drilling continues to build scale, confidence and long-term value for shareholders.”

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

The Boss Energy share price is up 9% to $1.96. Investors have been buying the uranium producer’s shares following the release of a solid quarterly update this morning. Boss Energy reported record drummed production of 456 klbs U3O8 and IX production of 406 klbs for the three months from the Honeymoon operation. This represents an 18% and 8% increase, respectively. Another positive was that Honeymoon’s C1 costs were $30 per pound (US$20 per pound). This is down 12% following positive results from reagent optimisation in the wellfields and plant.

Develop Global Ltd (ASX: DVP)

The Develop Global share price is up 1.5% to $5.60. This follows the release of the mining and mining services company’s quarterly update. The company reported a 98.5% increase in quarterly revenue to $39.1 million from 9,472 tonnes of concentrate sales. Develop’s managing director, Bill Beament, said: “It was a pivotal quarter for Develop which has set up the company for rapid growth in copper, zinc and silver/gold production.”

DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT)

The DigiCo Infrastructure REIT share price is up 4.5% to $2.73. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Bell Potter. It upgraded the data centre company’s shares to a buy rating with a $3.25 price target. The broker said: “Stock has been a key underperformer across the REIT sector last 6m (-17% vs. -3% XPJ), but yet there is now more certainty on leasing / FFO in FY26+ post guidance update.” Bell Potter’s price target implies further upside of 19% for investors over the next 12 months.

The post Why Benz Mining, Boss Energy, Develop Global, and Digico shares are storming higher today 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 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.