Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares have both been strong investments to hold in 2026.

Currently trading for $5.37, Telstra shares are up 10.2% year to date. And that’s not including the 10.5 cent per share partly franked dividend the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) telco paid eligible stockholders on 27 March.

Woodside shares have enjoyed an even stronger run of late. At time of writing on Monday, shares in the ASX 200 oil and gas giant are changing hands for $30.90 each, up 30.6% this calendar year.

Atop those capital gains, Woodside also paid out a fully franked 83.5 cent per share dividend on 27 March.

To put this performance in perspective, the ASX 200 is down 0.4% so far in 2026.

But following on this strong run, and with market dynamics potentially becoming more difficult, Shaw and Partners’ Jed Richards believes the time has come to sell both of these blue-chip ASX stocks (courtesy of The Bull).

Time to take profits on Woodside shares?

“Woodside has benefited from elevated oil and gas prices driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East,” Richards said. “However, in our view, the share price strength appears largely macro driven rather than based on underlying company improvements.”

Indeed, the Brent crude oil spiked from US$72 per barrel on 27 February, the day prior to the onset of the Iran war, to trade at more than US$118 per barrel on 29 April. Brent crude is currently fetching US$99 per barrel amid hopes that a peace deal is within reach.

Summarising his sell recommendation on Woodside shares, Richards said:

Given Middle East tensions are expected to ease over time, energy prices could soften and reduce earnings support. The stock now appears fully valued.

In response to share price gains, it makes sense to lock in profits and re-allocate the proceeds to opportunities with stronger growth outlooks.

Are Telstra shares a sell?

Atop recommending exiting Woodside shares, Richards also believes Telstra shares could struggle to outperform over the coming months following its recent run higher.

“Telstra is currently trading at elevated levels, in our view, with its defensive appeal pushing the share price higher,” he said. “However, underlying growth remains limited, and the dividend yield is becoming less attractive as the share price rises.”

Telstra shares currently trade on a 3.7% partly franked trailing dividend yield.

Explaining his sell recommendation, Richards concluded:

Recent updates show steady but low growth across its core business segments, according to our analysis. Valuations are now stretched and the risk-reward balance is less compelling.

The shares have risen from $3.89 on February 10, 2025 to trade at $5.45 on May 21, 2026. We would be inclined to take a profit at these levels.

The post Sell alert! Why this expert is calling time on Telstra and Woodside shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

No company’s quarterly 13F filings are perhaps more watched than those of Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B). For decades, investors have pounced on Berkshire’s quarterly updates to glean some insights into the stocks that legendary stock picker Warren Buffett has been buying or selling over the most recent quarter.

Although Buffett may have vacated the CEO chair at Berkshire, he remains at the company as chairman and oracle. Even so, Berkshire’s first 13F filing of 2026 is also the first that covers the tenure of new CEO Greg Abel.

As we discussed earlier this afternoon, Abel has certainly put his stamp on the Berkshire portfolio, with several notable buys. The most dramatic of these was a tripling-down of its Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL) position, making it Berkshire’s fifth-largest investment.

We’ve already been through Berkshire’s stock purchases today, though, so let’s get to the stocks that the company was selling over the first three months of 2026.

What stocks did Berkshire sell last quarter?

Long-time Berkshire watchers might be shocked to hear that the company sold positions in no fewer than 20 companies over the three months to 31 March. 14 of those 20 positions were closed out entirely.

Here are the stocks that Berkshire no longer owns:

• Atlanta Braves Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: BATRK)
• Liberty Latin America Ltd (NASDAQ: LILA)(NASDAQ: LILAK)
• Diageo plc (NYSE: DEO)
• Allegion plc (NYSE: ALLE)
• Lamar Advertising Co (NASDAQ: LAMR)
• Charter Communications Inc (NASDAQ: CHTR)
• Formula One Group (NASDAQ: FWONK)
• Heico Corp (NYSE: HEI)
• Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN)
• Pool Corp (NASDAQ: POOL)
• Domino’s Pizza Inc (NASDAQ: DPZ)
• UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE: UNH)
• Mastercard Inc (NYSE: MA)
• Visa Inc (NYSE: V)

These are the stocks that Berkshire reduced its holdings of, but didn’t sell down entirely:

• Liberty Live Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: LLYVK)
• Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC)
• Davita Inc (NYSE: DVA)
• Nucor Corp (NYSE: NUE)
• Contellation Brands Inc (NYSE: STZ)
• Chevron Corp (NYSE: CVX)

What should we take from these sells?

Some very interesting names there indeed. Perhaps the most shocking sell-offs to note are the household names Amazon, Visa and Mastercard. These have been in Berkshire’s portfolio for a few years, and Buffett himself has sung the praises of all three businesses. It will be interesting to hear Abel explain these sales.

Chevron, another long-term Berkshire holding, is also notable. This oil stock was Berkshire’s largest sale of the quarter, with the company offloading almost US$10 billion worth of Chevron (35.2% of its stake). Contellation Brands (an alcoholic beverage manufacturer famous for its Corona label) was also notable, with Berkshire selling 95.1% of its position. It is curious why the other 4.9% remains on the company’s books.

It was also interesting to see that Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL), Berkshire’s largest position that has been reduced almost every quarter in recent years, was left untouched.

Berkshire Hathaway was a net seller over the quarter, with the sheer number of portfolio cuts and shaves outweighing the buys, and the huge Alphabet purchase in particular. It seems that Greg Abel isn’t afraid to shake things up.

The post Berkshire Hathaway just sold these stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Mastercard, and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Chevron, Domino’s Pizza, Heico, Mastercard, and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Constellation Brands, Diageo Plc, Pool, and UnitedHealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Heico, Mastercard, and Visa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Shares in Alcoa Corporation (ASX: AAI) have charged more than 7% higher on no news of note, however, a research report issued by UBS could explain why investors are piling into the stock.

Shares looking like a good buy

UBS has upgraded its rating on the miner and aluminium producer to a buy, saying that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted the market for Alcoa’s products and will continue to do so.

The broker’s analyst team said:

We upgrade Alcoa to Buy as we believe smelter outages due to the protracted conflict in the Middle East will more than offset near-term demand risks resulting in stronger for longer aluminium prices & premiums. This will more than offset lower for longer alumina prices resulting in earnings resilience that is not priced in.

UBS said demand indicators for aluminium were soft and inventories in China were elevated, therefore, “against this backdrop we expect London Metals Exchange (LME) prices to consolidate near-term”.

But longer term, “we are constructive on the outlook for aluminium and believe tighter fundamentals will support elevated prices of more than $3,000/t over the next 1-2 years”.

UBS said, using conservative LME prices, they were forecasting “sequentially higher” EBITDA and free cash flow for the company in the second quarter, while divestments could drive the company’s net debt below its target range of US$1 to US$1.5 billion, “opening the door for buybacks in 2H26 that will act as a positive catalyst”.

UBS said it expected more than three million tonnes worth of supply disruption from the Middle East conflict, “resulting in deficits that are likely to support higher aluminium prices & premiums over the next 1-2yrs, regardless of if/when flows through the straits of Hormuz resume”.

On the capital management front, UBS said Alcoa said during its 2025 investor day that it was targeting the monetisation of US$500 million to US$1 billion in assets from 2026-30.

Press reports confirmed that Alcoa is in advanced negotiations to sell its idle Massena East aluminium smelter in New York to the digital asset and Bitcoin mining firm, NYDIG, Alcoa have indicated a potential sale in 2026; we do not factor this into our net debt forecasts but this could lead to accelerated cash returns.

UBS is forecasting Alcoa to have net debt of less than US$500 million by the end of 2026, which they say could open the door to a buyback.

Bullish target price

UBS has a price target of $110 on Alcoa shares compared to $100.41, up 7.6% on Monday.

Alcoa is valued at $24.62 billion.

The post Why are Alcoa shares among the top ASX 200 performers today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England 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 start the week with a gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.4% to 8,694.5 points.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are racing higher:

Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC)

The Charter Hall share price is up 6% to $20.48. Investors have been buying the integrated diversified property investment and funds management company’s shares after it upgraded its guidance for FY 2026. Charter Hall now expects FY 2026 operating earnings of $1.03 per share, which is up from $1.00 per share previously. The company’s managing director and CEO, David Harrison, said: “Australia continues to attract institutional capital as a stable and highly dependable real asset market. We are seeing increased allocations from existing institutional investors alongside new domestic and offshore inflows seeking diversified exposures. The resilience of unlisted property returns, and inflation hedge characteristics continue to support strong investor demand, with Australia remaining a preferred destination for global capital.”

Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN)

The Coronado Global share price is up 20% to 25.7 cents. This has been driven by news that the coal miner has reached an agreement to sell its interest in the Logan Mining Complex located in the United States. While there is only expected to be a nominal cash consideration, management expects the transaction to be free cash flow positive through the elimination of ongoing holding costs and future obligations. Coronado Global’s interim CEO, Gerry Spindler, said: “This transaction represents a further step in streamlining Coronado’s portfolio and focusing on our high-quality core assets. The divestment transfers future obligations associated with Logan while enabling us to prioritise capital and operational focus elsewhere.”

Meeka Metals Ltd (ASX: MEK)

The Meeka Metals share price is up 15% to 13.2 cents. Investors have been buying the gold miner’s shares after it announced that ore development has commenced at Judy North. It notes that the previously unmined Judy North orebody has been accessed from the existing decline with ore development commencing in May and currently ramping up. The good news is that development grade is performing in line with expectations. Meeka’s managing director, Tim Davidson, said: “While Judy North is a new mining area with no previous development history, it clearly displays the same very high gold grades that are typical of the other active mining areas at Andy Well.”

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN)

The Qantas share price is up almost 5% to $9.10. Investors have been buying the airline operator’s shares after oil prices pulled back meaningfully. The catalyst for this has been optimism that the US and Iran could be close to signing a peace deal and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The post Why Charter Hall, Coronado Global, Meeka Metals, and Qantas shares are racing 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.

A fresh resource upgrade is putting Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC) back on investors’ radar on Monday.

The ASX nickel stock is up 1.98% to $1.03 at the time of writing after the company released a major update on its Sampala Project in Indonesia.

It comes after a strong stretch for shareholders. Nickel Industries shares have gained around 23% in 2026 and 53% over the past year.

So, what has investors buying the ASX 200 nickel stock today?

Sampala gets a lot bigger

The latest JORC update gives Nickel Industries a much larger resource at its Sampala Project in Indonesia.

The company said Sampala now has a combined mineral resource of 1.095 billion wet metric tonnes (wmt), grading 1.24% nickel and 0.09% cobalt.

In metal terms, that works out to around 8 million tonnes of nickel and 583,000 tonnes of cobalt.

Management said the updated resource places Sampala among the largest known nickel laterite resources globally.

Its location also makes the update more useful for the business. Sampala sits close to the company’s existing Indonesian processing operations, where it already has nickel pig iron, matte, and high-pressure acid leach exposure.

A nearby resource of this size can support ore supply and give the company more control over its raw material base.

Why Sampala is getting attention

The project is about 58 kilometres by road from Nickel Industries’ rotary kiln electric furnace and high-pressure acid leach operations in the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park.

Nickel Industries said the first 8 kilometres of a planned 24-kilometre haul road have been built.

The company said the road linking Sampala to its existing operations is now about 90% complete.

Other development work is also moving ahead.

The crushing plant has been commissioned and can process up to 600 wmt per hour.

Site offices, communications, mine roads, and accommodation are also progressing.

Management said Sampala will help make the company’s RKEF operations self-sufficient in saprolite ore.

It also said a nearby HPAL expansion could use limonite ore from Sampala through a slurry pipeline.

The acquisition terms

Nickel Industries is also moving to secure more control over Sampala.

The company is making an advance payment of US$28.5 million to secure the right to acquire 60% equity control and economic rights in the ANN mining concession.

A final acquisition payment of US$144 million is then expected in April 2027.

Nickel Industries said the deferred structure helps preserve near-term liquidity while development at Sampala continues.

The company also noted that Indonesian reference pricing changes have improved the value of both saprolite and limonite ore.

The structure gives Nickel Industries room to keep progressing Sampala while pushing the larger payment into 2027.

The post This ASX 200 nickel stock is rising after a huge project upgrade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares are marching higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) iron ore giant closed on Friday trading for $21.50. During the Monday lunch hour, shares are changing hands for $21.84 apiece, up 1.6%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.5% at this same time.

That’s today’s price action for you.

Now here’s what’s happening with the Fortescue board.

Fortescue shares farewell executive director

This morning the ASX 200 miner announced that Elizabeth Gaines will step down from her role as executive director on 30 June.

If you own Fortescue shares, you’re probably familiar with Gaines.

The miner noted that she has made “an extraordinary contribution” to the company for more than 13 years.

Indeed, Gaines joined the Fortescue board in 2013, then served as chief financial officer before taking over as CEO and managing director from February 2018 to August 2022.

She was also credited with helping drive Fortescue’s transition to green energy, serving as an ambassador for Fortescue’s 2030 Real Zero target to decarbonise its mining operations.

Commenting on Gaines’ pending departure and lengthy history of helping support Fortescue shares, executive chairman and founder Andrew Forrest said, “Elizabeth has been one of the highly impactful leaders that built Fortescue’s strong and proud history, serving this company with distinction.”

Forrest added:

She has helped drive the inexorable march of Fortescue, proving what others say is impossible, delivering for shareholders while helping set the course for our next great chapter: leading the world in decarbonising technology, energy and heavy industry.

“I believe strongly in Fortescue’s vision and its ability to deliver on it,” Gaines said.

According to Gaines:

Fortescue is an exceptional company, with exceptional people driven by ambition, purpose and values. I look forward to watching Fortescue continue to lead from the front and deliver for shareholders, communities and future generations.

What else did the ASX 200 miner announce?

In other top executive news, Fortescue reported that former Dutch minister of finance, Sigrid Kaag, has been appointed to the board as a non-executive director, subject to completion of regulatory procedures.

Fortescue highlighted Kaag’s “significant expertise” in European decision-making, risk and crisis management, and sustainable finance.

“Sigrid is an outstanding global leader with deep diplomatic expertise and a strong understanding of the Middle East, North Africa and European energy markets,” Forrest said.

With today’s intraday gains factored in, Fortescue shares are up 40.5% in a year, racing ahead of the 4% 12-month gains posted by the ASX 200.

The post Fortescue shares outperforming today amid latest executive shakeup appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

Earlier this month, Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) released a very important quarterly SEC filing. Although this filing, outlining the buys and sells that the investing house made during the most recent quarter, is routine for Berkshire, this one marks the first time we get a look at what the company is doing under its new management.

As most of the investing world is probably aware, Berkshire’s legendary long-term CEO, Warren Buffett, stepped down from the company he has helmed since the 1960s at the beginning of the year. Although Buffett remains the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, his longtime deputy, Greg Abel, has stepped into the driver’s seat. The 13F filing that was released on 15 May gives us our first look at how Berkshire’s new CEO is running the show.

It has certainly not disappointed those looking for indications of a new direction for Berkshire. So today, let’s get into which shares the company was buying over the first three months of 2026.

Berkshire’s stock market buys are a surprise

In an arguably strange move for a company whose management has always prided itself on being a net buyer of shares, Berkshire was a net seller in the most recent quarter. In fact, Abel seems to be stamping his mark on the Berkshire portfolio, with a shocking 22 positions in individual shares reduced over the period. 16 of those 22 were sold out entirely. We’ll cover those sells later today, so keep your eye out for that.

In contrast, Berkshire added to just five positions, two of them new portfolio additions.

By far the biggest addition was to Berkshire’s existing holdings of Google owner Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL). Alphabet was already a sizeable investment for Berkshire. But the company’s stake more than tripled over the quarter, going from 17.8 million shares at the end of 2025 to 57.8 million by 31 March.

Incredibly, that makes Alphabet the fifth-largest position in Berkshire’s portfolio today, helped along by the company’s healthy performance over 2026 (up 21.5%) so far too. That’s a big deal for the notoriously tech-phobic Berkshire.

The other positions that Berkshire added to last quarter were the New York Times Co (NYSE: NYT) and home construction company Lennar Corp (NYSE: LEN) (NYSE: LEN.B).

Berkshire tripled its stake in the fabled newspaper and media company, The New York Times, while its stake in Lennar got a smaller US$270 million boost.

Airlines make (another) return

The positions that Berkshire initiated during the quarter were Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE: DAL) and department store Macy’s Inc (NYSE: M). Berkshire is now the proud owner of 39.8 million Delta shares (worth around US$2.8 billion) and 3.04 million Macy’s shares (US$55 million).

The Delta position is indeed very interesting. Two decades ago, Buffett famously waxed lyrical about the dangers of buying airline stocks, only to pick up major stakes in several airlines just before the pandemic struck. He subsequently sold out of all of them. So to see Delta back in the Berkshire stable is quite notable.

In addition to these American positions, Berkshire also continued to build out its position in the Japanese holdings companies it has been amassing for a while now. CNBC reports that Berkshire upped its stake in Mitsubishi Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation this year by a further 11.1% and 10.2%, respectively.

The post-Buffett age at Berkshire Hathaway has well and truly begun.

The post Berkshire Hathaway just bought these stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Berkshire Hathaway, Lennar, and The New York Times Co. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Delta Air Lines. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.4% today, with plenty of help from this rocketing ASX All Ords coal stock.

The high-flying stock in question is Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN).

Coronado Global shares closed on Friday trading for 21.5 cents. In late morning trade on Monday, shares are swapping hands for 25.5 cents each, up 18.6%.

This sees the Coronado Global share price up an impressive 121.7% over the past 12 months, smashing the 3.6% one-year gains posted by the All Ords.

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

ASX All Ords coal stock leaps on strategic divestment

Investors are bidding up Coronado Global shares after the miner announced it has reached an agreement to divest its Logan Mining Complex in West Virginia.

Phoenix Coal Holdings will take ownership of the Logan Mining Complex, which includes coal mining properties, leases and mining permits, as well as a preparation plant and loadout facility.

The ASX All Ords coal stock said that Phoenix will pay a “nominal cash consideration” for the asset, after working capital adjustments. Importantly, Phoenix Coal will also assume a number of liabilities attached to the asset, including reclamation and post-closing operational obligations.

As such, Coronado said it expects the transaction to be free cash flow positive as it eliminates ongoing holding costs and future obligations for the company.

Management highlighted that the deal reflects Coronado’s ongoing strategy to optimise its asset portfolio and focus on core, higher-return operations.

What did Coronado Global management say?

Commenting on the divestment that’s boosting the ASX All Ords coal stock today, interim Coronado Global CEO Gerry Spindler said: “This transaction represents a further step in streamlining Coronado’s portfolio and focusing on our high-quality core assets.”

Spindler added, “The divestment transfers future obligations associated with Logan while enabling us to prioritise capital and operational focus elsewhere.”

The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions. The miner expects the deal to be completed in July.

Here’s what else Coronado has been up to recently.

ASX All Ords coal stock’s ‘commercial reset’

After completing a two-year expansion program, Spindler said that over the March quarter, the ASX All Ords coal stock had “commenced a structural operational and commercial reset”.

He noted, “The reset involves restructuring mine plans, improved productivity and modified contractor arrangements designed to strengthen performance.”

According to Spindler:

Capital discipline remains a priority. Coronado will continue to pursue selective upgrades to plant efficiency and targeted equipment improvements where returns are compelling.

However, no new capital programs of the scale undertaken over the previous two years, are planned, or required, reflecting both the completion of the growth phase and the Company’s focus on cash and balance sheet improvement.

The post Up 122% in a year, why is this ASX All Ords coal stock surging 19% on Monday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

With so many shares to choose from on the Australian share market, it can be difficult to decide which ones to buy. The good news is that brokers across the country are doing a lot of the hard work for you.

Three top ASX shares that leading brokers have named as buys this week are outlined below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

According to a note out of Morgans, its analysts have retained their buy rating on this sports technology company’s shares with a trimmed price target of $5.40. Morgans was pleased with Catapult’s FY 2026 results. The broker highlights that the company’s strong organic momentum has continued, with revenue increasing 19% to US$141 million and annualised contract value (ACV) ending at US$134 million, which is up 28% on the prior corresponding period. Morgans points out that operating leverage is now evident, with a 41% incremental margin in the period. It was also pleased to see average ACV per pro team cross US$30,000 for the first time and improving SaaS metrics. The Catapult share price is trading at $3.28 on Monday.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

A note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have upgraded this Mexican-focused quick service restaurant operator’s shares to a buy rating with an improved price target of $24.50. Bell Potter has responded positively to news that Guzman Y Gomez is closing its struggling US operations. The broker has welcomed the US exit, noting that it was a previous overhang on the stock, and sees the switch to focusing on the core Australia opportunity as more beneficial to shareholders. Bell Potter is confident in the medium-term Australia opportunity, backed by a pipeline of 108 restaurants, as well as the successful master franchising operation in Singapore and Japan. The Guzman Y Gomez share price is fetching $20.02 at the time of writing.

Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)

Analysts at Macquarie have upgraded this uranium producer’s shares to an outperform rating with a $13.25 price target. According to the note, the broker highlights that Paladin Energy’s shares have underperformed rivals recently. Macquarie thinks this has created a buying opportunity, noting that its shares are trading at a level that implies a sizeable discount to spot prices of U308. And while the broker concedes that there are production risks heading into FY 2027, it remains positive and believes it could be a great way to gain exposure to the uranium cycle and AI megatrend. The Paladin Energy share price is trading at $11.35 today.

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

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• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

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

After a strong start to 2026, QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) shares are giving back some ground on Monday.

The S&P/ASX 200 financial stock is down 1.25% to $23.27 at the time of writing.

That leaves QBE up around 17% in 2026, despite being flat over the past year.

Today’s fall comes after UBS analysts raised concerns about a softer insurance pricing backdrop, which could become a bigger issue heading into 2027.

So, why’s UBS taking a more cautious look at the stock?

Let’s dive in.

What UBS is watching

According to The Australian, UBS analyst Kieren Chidgey has pointed to a warning from Lloyd’s as a potential issue for QBE.

Lloyd’s has reportedly signalled it may intervene in 2027 growth plans because the insurance market is softening faster than expected.

QBE has exposure to this because it writes about 10% of its premiums through Lloyd’s.

Chidgey does not appear to be saying QBE is directly in the firing line. In fact, he said QBE is unlikely to be caught in the intervention “cross-hairs” because of its long underwriting record.

The bigger concern is what this says about margins.

UBS said the underlying margin trajectory heading into 2027 is softening, with Lloyd’s expecting rate adequacy to fall below long-term hurdle levels for the first time since 2018.

Property and energy asset coverage were named as two areas where growth could slow.

Why investors are taking notice

Insurance stocks have benefited from several years of strong premium increases, which have helped offset claims inflation, weather costs, and other risks.

QBE has been part of that trend. The company delivered a solid FY 2025 result, with statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) rising 21% to US$2.16 billion. Its combined operating ratio improved to 91.9%, which was its strongest result in several years.

The combined operating ratio is a key insurance measure. A lower number means the insurer is keeping more premium revenue after paying claims and costs.

QBE also lifted its full-year dividend by 25% to $1.09 per share. It has also guided to mid-single-digit gross written premium growth in 2026 and a group combined operating ratio of around 92.5%.

But after a strong run-in premiums and margins, investors are being reminded that insurance pricing may not keep moving in the same direction forever. If pricing pressure builds into 2027, the market may start paying closer attention to whether QBE can protect its margins.

Why QBE still has support

QBE still has some support because it is a global insurer with a broad earnings base.

The company operates across 27 countries and has exposure to Australia, North America, Europe, and other international markets. This gives it more spread than a domestic insurer tied mostly to one economy or one insurance market.

The stock also still offers a dividend yield of about 4.65%, which may be another reason investors have been willing to stick with it this year.

The post UBS sounds the alarm on this ASX 200 financial stock after a big 2026 run appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 recommended Lloyds Banking Group Plc. 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.