The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is fighting hard to stay in positive territory on Tuesday afternoon. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up slightly to 8,726 points.

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

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is up 4% to $3.25. This follows the announcement of its third contract win in as many weeks. This morning, DroneShield announced that it has received a contract for $8.2 million from an in-country reseller for delivery to a western military end-customer. The contract is for handheld counter-drone systems, associated accessories and spare kits, and software updates. DroneShield advised that it has this stock on the shelf. As a result, it expects to complete the delivery prior to end of 2025 or early in the first quarter of 2026.

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

The IPD Group share price is up 5% to $4.42. Investors have been buying the electrical solutions provider’s shares after it signed an agreement to acquire Platinum Cables for $37.5 million upfront. It is a leading Australian provider of high-performance cable solutions for the mining and resources sector. IPD’s CEO, Michael Sainsbury, commented: “The acquisition of Platinum Cables is a continuation of our growth strategy that reinforces our leadership in the mining sector and delivers immediate earnings accretion for shareholders.”

Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB)

The Mesoblast share price is up almost 2% to $2.86. This morning, the allogeneic cellular medicines developer revealed that it has repaid in full its existing senior secured loan from Oaktree Capital Management and in part its subordinated royalty facility from NovaQuest Capital Management. This was achieved by drawing down US$75 million from a new five-year facility provided by existing Mesoblast shareholder and director, Dr Gregory George. The new credit line has a fixed interest rate of 8% per annum, which is a substantial reduction from Mesoblast’s current debt facilities, with a five-year interest only period.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

The Woodside Energy share price is up 1.5% to $23.46. Investors have been buying this energy producer’s shares following a rise in oil prices overnight. Traders were bidding oil prices higher in response to tensions in Yemen. It isn’t just Woodside shares that are rising today. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy index is up approximately 1.2% at the time of writing.

The post Why DroneShield, IPD, Mesoblast, and Woodside shares are charging higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• This ASX healthcare stock just changed its debt. Here’s why it matters
• 5 ASX tech shares to buy and hold until 2035
• My top 10 ASX stocks to buy for 2026
• Guess which ASX All Ords share is leaping higher today on acquisition news
• DroneShield share price jumps 6% on new contract win

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woodside Energy Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield and Ipd Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Ipd Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Shares in Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB) are trading higher today after the company released an update on its debt and funding arrangements.

The broader ASX market is also moving higher, which has helped support the share price.

At the time of writing, Mesoblast shares are swapping hands for $2.90, up 3.20%. In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is slightly up around 0.1%.

So, what did Mesoblast announce?

Old debt removed and replaced

According to the release, Mesoblast advised it has fully repaid its existing senior secured loan with OakTree Capital Management.

That loan has now been replaced with a new five-year credit facility worth up to US$125 million. The new funding comes with a fixed interest rate of 8% per year, which the company says is lower than the cost of its previous debt.

The new facility also gives Mesoblast financial flexibility. An initial US$75 million is available immediately, while a second tranche of up to US$50 million can be drawn at the company’s option before June 30, 2026.

No new shares issued

One important point for shareholders is that this funding does not dilute ownership.

Mesoblast did not issue new shares as part of the deal. The company also said the facility does not place any claims over its key assets or intellectual property.

The facility can also be repaid early without penalty and does not include ongoing commitment fees. Management said this materially lowers the company’s overall cost of capital while preserving strategic flexibility.

No new shares issued

Even though the update improves Mesoblast’s balance sheet, it does not change the company’s short-term earnings outlook.

There is no immediate revenue boost tied to this announcement. As a result, some investors may be waiting for progress on regulatory approvals, commercial launches, or partnerships before becoming more optimistic.

It is also worth noting that Mesoblast shares have already risen in recent months, which can limit how strongly the market reacts to positive news.

What investors should watch next

This update reduces funding risk and gives Mesoblast more breathing room over the next few years.

From here, investors will be watching how the company uses this financial flexibility. Key areas of focus include clinical progress, regulatory decisions, and any moves toward commercialisation.

While today’s share price move was modest, the debt update puts Mesoblast on firmer footing heading into 2026.

That said, I’ll be watching Mesoblast from the sidelines for now, as I focus on more developed biotech companies.

The post This ASX healthcare stock just changed its debt. Here’s why it matters 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.

Technology changes quickly, but great technology businesses tend to compound value over very long periods of time.

The trick isn’t necessarily trying to predict the next big trend; it’s backing companies that solve real problems, adapt as markets evolve, and keep finding ways to grow.

That said, here are five ASX tech shares I’d be happy to buy and hold for the long term.

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

Catapult sits in a niche that’s only becoming more important: elite sports performance and athlete monitoring. Its wearable technology and analytics software are now embedded across many of the most popular professional teams worldwide. This includes Manchester United, Kansas City Chiefs, the NSW State of Origin team, Golden State Warriors, and the Brazil national soccer team. Once adopted, these systems are hard to replace, creating strong customer stickiness. This can be seen in its high retention rates. As sports continue to become more data-driven, Catapult is well-positioned to expand its footprint, not just in new teams, but also through deeper usage with existing customers.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

DroneShield is an ASX tech share I rate highly. It operates in a market that didn’t exist a decade ago but is now mission-critical. Counter-drone technology is becoming essential for military, government, and critical infrastructure protection. DroneShield’s mix of software, sensors, and electronic warfare solutions gives it exposure to a structural, not cyclical, growth trend. While its shares can definitely be volatile, the long-term relevance of its technology is difficult to ignore.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

Life360 is a family safety app provider that has 90 million+ monthly active users worldwide. What I like most about this ASX tech share is its ability to monetise engagement over time through subscriptions and upsells, without undermining the core user experience. As location-based services and digital safety become more important, Life360 stands to benefit as the clear market leader.

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

Gentrack may not be well-known, but it’s exactly the kind of tech share long-term investors should be acquainted with. The company provides mission-critical billing and operational software to utilities and airports. These are the types of customers that value reliability over experimentation. With global energy systems becoming more complex and decentralised, demand for Gentrack’s software should only increase. In addition, its recurring revenue and long customer contracts position it for robust long-term earnings growth.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

I think that TechnologyOne is one of the ASX’s highest-quality companies. It focuses on enterprise software for government, education, and large organisations. These are customers who tend to be loyal and long-lived, as it can be hard for them to move to new providers. TechnologyOne’s shift to a SaaS model has improved revenue visibility and quality, as well as margins, while its international expansion offers further growth. Its shares are not cheap, but businesses with its high level of consistency rarely are.

The post 5 ASX tech shares to buy and hold until 2035 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports, DroneShield, Gentrack Group, Life360, and Technology One. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports, Gentrack Group, and Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Technology One. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

As 2025 draws to a close, all eyes are on the best ASX stocks to buy in 2026. These are my top picks.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

Xero shares have faced a couple of headwinds in 2025, but I think the latest investor sell-off was unwarranted and overdone. The New Zealand-based cloud-based accounting software company looks like a great buying opportunity at the current trading price. Analysts also expect the shares to double in value next year. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT) 

Weebit develops and licenses a new memory technology (Resistive Random-Access Memory, or ReRAM), which is designed to replace traditional Flash memory. The company has had an exceptionally strong start to the financial year, and given that there are very few businesses that can replicate its technology in-house, it looks like Weebit could quickly become a dominant market player. 

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

It’s no secret that CSL shares have been through the wringer this year, suffering not one, but two brutal sell-offs. But I think we could be beginning to see green shoots of recovery. But CSL’s core business remains robust, and demand for its products continues to grow globally. I think there is now an opportunity to buy the biotech company’s shares at a rare discount.

Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB)

If you’re unsure about CSL shares, Mesoblast is another Australian clinical-stage biotech company that has exceptional potential for strong growth. The company is also well-funded and won’t be subject to the US 100% tariff on pharmaceuticals. What’s not to like?

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)

Flight Centre shares have stormed higher over the past 6 weeks following a promising trading update in November. The company said it is off to a positive start for FY26 and expects more growth over the next 12 months. I think that the current share price dip presents a great opportunity for investors to buy into the stock for cheap.

Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO)

The outlook for ASX bank stocks doesn’t look very promising right now, with the exception of Judo Bank, of course. Unlike its larger peers, the bank has had a strong start to FY26, and it looks set to continue. At its latest AGM, it said lending momentum was strong over the first quarter and that it’s confident it can achieve FY26 guidance of $180-$190 million.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

The software-defined network (SDN) service provider is another favourite of mine. The ASX stock has suffered amid the tech-sector-wide investor sell-off over the past couple of months, but I’m very optimistic that there is a huge share price upside ahead. Megaport is rapidly expanding and reinvesting into growth plans.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)

Woolworths’ oligopoly, with supermarket rival Coles, means the two ASX stocks have significant power over the Australian grocery sector. It’s this dominance that gives Woolworths a competitive advantage in the retail space. The business is huge, it is defensive, and Woolworths is well-known for its lengthy history of paying consistent, and sometimes generous, dividends.

Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL)

Soul Patts is Australian dividend royalty. The diversified Australian investment house pays its fully-franked dividends twice per year and has offered a consistent yield of 2.3% to 2.4% since 2016. In FY25, it paid a total $1.03 per share, 100% fully franked. Any investors which don’t have Soul Patts in their portfolio should buy the ASX stock in 2026.

Plato Income Maximiser Ltd (ASX: PL8) 

Investors looking for a reliable passive income but want the payouts to be more regular should look into Plato. It’s a perfect ASX retirement stock that pays out around 4.58% every single month. The ASX dividend stock is focused on delivering high, reliable monthly income with franking credits from an actively managed, diversified portfolio of Australian shares.

The post My top 10 ASX stocks to buy for 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 CSL, Megaport, Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited, Woolworths Group, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL and Flight Centre Travel Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

FireFly Metals Ltd (ASX: FFM) shares are in focus on Tuesday.

At the time of writing, the copper and gold developer’s shares are trading at $2.02, down 5.16%.

The company has had a busy end to the year, raising fresh funds and strengthening its balance sheet as it prepares for further work at its Canadian project.

With copper sentiment improving and funding remaining tight across the sector, FireFly’s recent progress has caught investors’ attention.

Here’s what the company has been working on.

Retail demand comes in well above expectations

According to the release, FireFly has doubled the size of its Share Purchase Plan (SPP) to $10 million after receiving far more interest than expected.

The SPP was originally capped at $5 million. However, applications came in at around $31 million, which is more than 6 times that amount.

Because of this, the company decided to lift the cap while still using scale-back rules to limit dilution.

In total, 1,558 eligible shareholders took part. That represents about 27% of those eligible. The average investment was just under $20,000, showing support came from a wide range of retail investors.

The SPP closed on 19 December. New shares were issued on 30 December and are expected to start trading on 31 December, subject to normal ASX processes.

More funding secured

The expanded SPP follows a much larger capital raising completed earlier in December.

FireFly raised $139 million before costs through a mix of institutional and Canadian placements. This included an $85 million placement at $1.70 per share, alongside two Canadian raisings.

Following completion of the raisings, FireFly reported a pro forma cash balance of around $246.9 million before costs. That leaves the company with a strong cash position heading into the new year.

Importantly, the SPP was priced at the same level as the institutional placement. This allowed retail investors to participate on the same terms as larger investors.

What the money will be used for

FireFly plans to use the funds to move its Green Bay Copper-Gold Project in Newfoundland forward.

Work will include underground development, early construction activities, mining and economic studies, and more drilling. The goal is to grow and improve the project’s resource base and prepare it for future development.

Management has said 2026 will be a busy year, with several parts of the project progressing at the same time.

What investors should watch next

FireFly shares have had a strong run over the past year, helped by better sentiment around copper and steady progress at Green Bay.

While raising new money increases the number of shares on issue, this funding reduces financial risk and gives the company time to focus on getting work done.

From here, investors will be watching how FireFly uses its strong cash position to deliver progress on the ground over the next 12 months.

The post Why this ASX mid-cap stock is back in the spotlight today 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.

The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.1% in morning trade on Tuesday, with plenty of help from this soaring ASX All Ords share.

The fast-rising stock in question is IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG).

Shares in the distributor of electrical equipment and industrial digital technologies closed yesterday trading for $4.20. At the time of writing today, shares are swapping hands for $4.43 apiece, up 5.5%.

This now sees IPD shares up an impressive 58% since plumbing one-year closing lows on 23 June.

Here’s what’s catching ASX investor interest.

ASX All Ords share jumps on strategic acquisition

Investors are piling into IPD shares after the company announced that it has agreed to the terms of a binding agreement to acquire Platinum Cables.

Platinum Cables provides high-performance cable solutions for the Aussie mining and resources sector. In FY 2025, Platinum reported revenue of $44.8 million. The company achieved FY 2025 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $8.2 million, with a margin of 18.2%.

The ASX All Ords share will pay $37.5 million upfront for the acquisition, which it said equates to 5.2 times Platinum Cables’ FY 2025 earnings before interest and tax (EBIT).

The payment consists of $37 million cash and $500,000 in newly issued IPD shares. There’s also a contingent cash consideration of up to $7.5 million. That’s based on EBIT growth through to 31 December 2026 (5 times multiple on EBIT growth).

IPD reported it will fund the acquisition with both cash and debt. The ASX All Ords share said it has agreed to an expanded core debt facility with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) with a $56.1 million limit. It’s also agreed to a new $10 million working capital facility.

Investors are also responding enthusiastically to news that Platinum’s current management team will stay aboard and operate the business as a stand-alone entity.

What did management say?

Commenting on the acquisition that’s boosting the ASX All Ords share today, IPD CEO Michael Sainsbury said, “The acquisition of Platinum Cables is a continuation of our growth strategy that reinforces our leadership in the mining sector and delivers immediate earnings accretion for shareholders.”

The company anticipates pro forma FY 2025 earnings per share (EPS) accretion of around 11.5%, excluding synergies and one-off transaction costs.

Sainsbury continued:

The Platinum Cables business is highly complementary to our combined IPD and CMI business units and is leveraged to the same tailwinds, including the electrification of the Australian economy.

With their strong track record of organic growth and the potential for significant revenue synergies, we look forward to the Platinum Cables team joining IPD Group.

Platinum Cables founder David Bambach added, “We look forward to further growing the Platinum Cables business within the broader IPD Group”.

The ASX All Ords share expects to complete the acquisition tomorrow, 31 December.

The post Guess which ASX All Ords share is leaping higher today on acquisition news 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 positions in and has recommended Ipd Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Ipd Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

When most investors think about BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), iron ore usually gets the spotlight. It is still a critical part of the story, but it is no longer the part that excites me the most.

That honour belongs to copper.

With copper prices hitting a record high this month, I think the market is being reminded of something BHP has been quietly building for years.

That is a portfolio that’s increasingly leveraged to one of the most important metals of the modern economy.

Copper demand

Copper sits at the centre of several powerful structural trends.

Electrification, renewable energy, electric vehicles, data centres, and artificial intelligence all require vast amounts of copper. In fact, many of these technologies are significantly more copper-intensive than the systems they are replacing.

What makes this particularly compelling is that supply growth has struggled to keep pace. New copper projects are expensive, complex, and slow to bring online. Furthermore, grades are declining, permitting is harder, and geopolitical risks are rising.

The combination of rising demand and constrained supply is exactly what long-term investors should be paying attention to.

BHP shares are one of the best ways to play copper

BHP isn’t just exposed to copper; it is becoming increasingly defined by it.

The company already owns some of the world’s most important copper assets. This includes Escondida in Chile and a growing copper province in South Australia. Operationally, copper production has been trending higher, supported by improved throughput and ongoing investment in productivity and expansion projects.

More importantly, BHP isn’t standing still. Management has been clear about its ambition to grow copper output further over time, with a pipeline of options across existing operations and future developments. That gives the company leverage not just to today’s copper price, but to where prices could sit over the next decade.

A diversified base

What I particularly like about BHP is that this copper upside sits within a diversified mining giant.

Iron ore, metallurgical coal, and other commodities continue to generate enormous cash flows, helping fund growth while supporting dividends and balance sheet strength. It is also busy developing the enormous Jansen potash project, which is due to go live in mid-2027.

That diversification matters. It allows BHP to invest counter-cyclically, rather than being forced to pull back at exactly the wrong time.

In other words, I see copper as providing the upside, while the broader portfolio helps manage the risk.

Strong execution

A bullish commodity view only really works if the company can execute, and BHP has been doing exactly that.

Its operational performance has been solid, maintenance programs have been delivered on schedule, and major assets continue to operate at the lower end of the global cost curve. That cost discipline is critical in mining. It means higher prices flow through more cleanly to profits and cash flow.

It also gives BHP more flexibility to keep investing through the cycle, rather than chasing growth at the top.

What this means for the BHP share price

I don’t see the BHP share price as a speculative copper bet. I see the company as a high-quality, large-cap miner that is increasingly aligned with where the global economy is heading.

If copper prices remain elevated or continue to rise as demand accelerates, BHP is well placed to benefit. And if conditions soften, its scale, diversification, and balance sheet provide a buffer many pure-play copper producers simply don’t have.

Foolish Takeaway

I believe the BHP share price remains one of the most attractive long-term mining investments on the ASX. With world-class copper assets, a clear growth pathway, and the financial strength to execute, BHP offers investors exposure to one of the most important commodities of the future, without taking on undue risk.

The post Why I’m bullish on the BHP share price as copper prices surge appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino 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 BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) share price is catching the eye of investors again on Tuesday.

In morning trade, the counter drone technology company’s shares are outperforming the broader market by some distance.

At the time of writing, the DroneShield share price is up 6% to $3.32.

This compares favourably to the performance of the benchmark ASX 200 index, which is up 0.2% to 8,743.1 points on Tuesday morning.

Why is the DroneShield share price charging higher?

Investors have been fighting to get hold of the company’s shares today after it announced its third contract win in as many weeks.

In the middle of December, DroneShield announced a new contract worth $49.6 million with an in-region European reseller that is contractually required to distribute the products to a European military end-customer.

This contract was for handheld counter-drone systems, associated accessories, and software updates. It advised that it expects to complete all deliveries in the first quarter of 2026.

DroneShield then followed this up last week with a standalone contract for $6.2 million from an in-country reseller for delivery to a military end-customer in an Asia Pacific country.

It advised that the reseller is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a multi-billion dollar, global, publicly listed customer that is contractually required to distribute solutions to a major Asia Pacific military government department.

This contract comprises selected 3rd party hardware, interoperable with DroneShield’s command-and-control software platform, DroneSentry-C2.

What was today’s announcement?

This morning, DroneShield revealed that it has received a contract for $8.2 million from an in-country reseller for delivery to a western military end-customer.

Once again, the reseller is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a multi-billion dollar, global, publicly listed customer. However, on this occasion the reseller is required to distribute the products to the western military government department in-country.

According to the release, the contract is for handheld counter-drone systems, associated accessories and spare kits, and software updates.

DroneShield advised that it has this stock on-the-shelf and expects to complete the delivery prior to end of 2025 or early in the first quarter of 2026.

Cash payment is expected to be fully received during the first quarter of 2026. No additional material conditions need to be satisfied.

Management notes that over the past 7 years, prior to this contract, DroneShield has received 38 contracts from this reseller totalling over $9.6 million. Though, it warns that there are no obligations for any additional contracts from this reseller or end-customer.

The post DroneShield share price jumps 6% on new contract wi 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.

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

Nine publicly traded American companies are worth $1 trillion or more, but only four have graduated into the exclusive $3 trillion club so far: Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, and Microsoft.

I think Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) could join them by the end of 2026 thanks to the accelerating revenue growth in its cloud computing division, and the surging profits in its legacy e-commerce business. The company has a market capitalization of $2.48 trillion as I write this, so investors who buy its stock today could earn a 21% return over the next year if it does cross the $3 trillion milestone.

Read on, and let’s consider Amazon’s growth prospects in the year ahead. 

All eyes on Amazon Web Services

Amazon’s potential pathway to the $3 trillion club next year starts with its industry-leading cloud computing platform, Amazon Web Services (AWS). It used to be a place where businesses would simply store data and host their critical digital applications, but it has evolved to become the center of Amazon’s artificial intelligence (AI) strategy.

AWS operates state-of-the-art data centers and it rents the computing capacity to AI developers who don’t have the financial resources to build their own infrastructure. These data centers are filled with advanced AI chips from suppliers like Nvidia, but Amazon also designed its own chips called Inferentia and Trainium. Top developers like Anthropic are using hundreds of thousands of the latest Trainium2 chips, which offer up to 40% better price performance than competing hardware when training AI models.

Then there is the AWS Bedrock platform, where businesses can access hundreds of completed AI models from third-parties including Anthropic and Meta Platforms. Developing models from scratch is time consuming and expensive, so using a ready-made solution can help businesses achieve their AI goals much faster.

AWS generated a record $33 billion in revenue during the third quarter of 2025 (ended Sept. 30), which was up 20% year over year. That was the fastest growth rate since the fourth quarter of 2022, which highlights the platform’s incredible AI-driven momentum. But it gets better, because AWS has a whopping $200 billion order backlog from customers who are waiting for more data center capacity to come online, so the strong top-line results are likely to continue.

Amazon’s earnings continue to crush Wall Street’s estimates

The $33 billion in third-quarter revenue that AWS brought in accounted for just 18% of Amazon’s total revenue of $180 billion. However, the cloud business is the company’s most profitable by far, contributing 65% of its total operating income. E-commerce is actually Amazon’s largest source of revenue, but its profit margins are very thin because its Amazon.com site focuses on selling a high volume of products at low prices.

However, Amazon is pushing to improve profitability in its e-commerce business by boosting efficiency and implementing new technologies. In 2023, it broke its U.S. logistics network into eight distinct regions, so now the products in each fulfillment center are specific to their geographic region. As a result, orders travel shorter distances to reach customers, which brings down packing and shipping costs.

Amazon also uses AI-powered software like Project Private Investigator in its fulfillment centers, which uses computer vision to identify defective products before they ship. This reduces returns and refunds, creating further cost savings.

The accelerating growth at AWS combined with improved efficiency in the e-commerce business is driving a huge increase in Amazon’s overall profit. The company generated earnings of $5.22 per share during the first three quarters of 2025, which was a whopping 42% jump from the same period in 2024. Plus, Amazon’s earnings have beaten Wall Street’s consensus estimates in every single quarter of 2025, by an average of 22%.

How Amazon can cross the $3 trillion milestone in 2026

Amazon stock trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 32.8 as I write this. That’s roughly in line with the Nasdaq-100 index which trades at a P/E ratio of 32.1, so Amazon stock is basically sitting at fair value relative to its peers in the tech sector.

Wall Street’s consensus estimate (provided by Yahoo! Finance) suggests Amazon could generate earnings of $7.86 per share in 2026, placing its stock at a forward P/E ratio of 29.6.

AMZN PE Ratio data by YCharts

Assuming Wall Street is right, Amazon stock would have to climb by 11% next year just to maintain its current P/E ratio of 32.8, lifting its market cap to $2.75 trillion. But remember, the company has a habit of beating Wall Street’s expectations.

If its 2026 earnings beat the consensus estimate by 22% like they have so far in 2025, then its stock could be poised for a 35% gain next year instead. That would catapult its market value to a whopping $3.35 trillion.

However, even an earnings beat of just 9% next year would be enough to see Amazon join the $3 trillion club. Given the incredible momentum across its e-commerce business and AWS, I think that’s an achievable target. 

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

The post 1 unstoppable stock that could join Nvidia, Alphabet, Apple, and Microsoft in the $3 trillion club in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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Anthony Di Pizio has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are marching higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy stock closed yesterday trading for $23.08. In morning trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for $23.35 apiece, up 1.2%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.1% at this same time.

Taking a step back, Woodside shares remain down 4.6% over 12 months. Though if we add the two fully franked dividends the company paid out over the year back in, investors will still be sitting on a modest gain today.

Woodside stock trades on a 7.2% fully franked trailing dividend yield.

Now, here’s what’s happening in Turkey.

Woodside shares gain on Turkish LNG deal

Overnight, Woodside announced that together with Turkey’s BOTAS, it signed a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) for the long-term supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Woodside shares could get long-term support from the deal, which will see the company supply BOTAS with a total of 5.8 billion cubic meters natural gas equivalent. That equates to around 500,000 tonnes of LNG a year. The LNG sales will start in 2030 and continue for up to nine years.

The LNG will mostly come from Woodside’s still under-construction Louisiana LNG project in the United States, with the rest being sourced from the company’s broader portfolio.

Commenting on the deal, Woodside executive vice president Mark Abbotsford said:

This supply agreement with BOTAS represents a strategic milestone for Woodside given it is our first long-term LNG supply arrangement with the Turkish market. It is yet another demonstration of the strength and flexibility of Woodside’s diversified portfolio and ability to deliver on our global ambitions.

Woodside also appreciates the support shown by the Turkish and United States governments following the announcement of the HOA [Heads of Agreement] earlier this year.

What else did the ASX 200 energy stock report?

Woodside shares could also be getting a boost today from a separate announcement relating to the company’s Beaumont New Ammonia (BNA) facility, located in Texas.

Management revealed that BNA has produced its first ammonia following the completion of systems testing. This marks the first phase of operations commissioning of the facility.

“These outcomes confirm the facility’s production readiness and our ability to move toward commercial start-up following handover,” Woodside vice president Beaumont New Ammonia Kellyanne Lochan said.

The company expects commercial production of ammonia from BNA to begin following handover to Woodside OCI Global in early 2026. Woodside is targeting production of lower-carbon ammonia in the second half of 2026.

Woodside shares could benefit long term from BNA, which has an annual production capacity of 1.1 million tonnes.

Management said the project is designed to support growing global demand for ammonia, lower-carbon ammonia, and hydrogen-adjacent products. They noted that BNA has the potential to roughly double US ammonia exports.

The post Woodside shares lift off amid big news out of Turkey appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• $5,000 to spare? I’d buy these 5 ASX 200 shares before the end of 2025
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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.