Having a bit of exposure to the small side of the market can be a good thing for a portfolio if your risk tolerance allows it.

You only need to look at the performance of the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries index to see this.

It is up 22% year to date, whereas the S&P/ASX 200 index is only up 7.4%.

But which small cap ASX stocks could be worth considering? Let’s take a look at two that Morgans is positive on. They are as follows:

Atturra Ltd (ASX: ATA)

The first small cap ASX stock that Morgans has been looking at is Attura.  It is a technology company providing a range of enterprise advisory, consulting, IT services, and solutions to local government, utilities, education, defence, federal government, financial services, and manufacturing industries,

It recently revealed the immediate termination of a fixed term contract with an Australian public sector body. While this is disappointing, Morgans believes that significant share price weakness since the announcement has created an opportunity for investors. It said:

ATA have announced a contract dispute which will negatively impact its FY26 and its 1H26 result. Management commented that “Atturra does not have a history of disputes or termination of material contracts and views this as a one-off occurrence. ATA’s balance sheet remains strong, and the Company sees no ongoing impact from this purported termination.” We agree and see this as a largely one-off event. We reduce our forecasts in line with guidance which lowers our TP to 80cps (was 95cps).

Morgans has an accumulate rating and 80 cents price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of 21% for investors over the next 12 months.

PeopleIn Ltd (ASX: PPE)

Another small cap ASX stock that Morgans is positive on is PeopleIn. It is a workforce solutions company servicing over 4,000 businesses.

It focuses on high-demand and defensive employment sectors including engineering, trades and labour, food services and agriculture, technology, finance, corporate services, education and defence.

Morgans was pleased with the company’s decision to divest businesses and believe it will create higher quality earnings. It explains:

PPE has now divested two businesses as it, refocuses on its core competencies, being Queensland infrastructure, food and agriculture, defence and professional services. Whilst the divestments have been opportunistic and at healthy earnings multiples, the impact has been dilutionary to EPS. Offsetting the lower EPS, the residual business should prove higher quality (and higher growth), as the business looks beyond what is approaching cyclically low earnings.

To this end, we continue to see earnings growth driving share price appreciation through FY27/28, with any turnaround unlikely to be visible until 4QFY26. Hence, we reiterate our Speculative Buy rating with a $1.10/sh price target.

Morgans has a speculative buy rating and $1.10 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of 25% over the next 12 months.

The post Morgans names 2 small cap ASX stocks to watch appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• At record prices, why don’t ASX gold miners pay high dividends?
• Down 56% in 2025, are Treasury Wine shares a good buy for 2026?
• Bell Potter names the best ASX 200 growth shares to buy in 2026
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• From gold to copper and lithium: Mining stocks are on a tear and these 4 ASX ETFs tell the story

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 Peoplein. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Atturra and Peoplein. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) shares are marching higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) global wine company closed yesterday trading for $4.95. In early afternoon trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for $5.035 apiece, up 1.7%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.8% at this same time.

As you’re likely aware (or should be if you read the headline!), today’s outperformance is not par for the course for Treasury Wine shares this year.

Despite today’s welcome boost, shares in the ASX 200 wine stock remain down 55.5% year to date.

Those losses will have only been modestly eased by the 40 cents per share in partly franked dividends Treasury Wine paid to eligible stockholders over the year. The ASX 200 stock trades on a trailing dividend yield of 7.9%.

So, after this horror year, is the company now a good buy for 2026?

Should you buy Treasury Wine shares today?

Bell Potter Securities’ Christopher Watt recently ran his slide rule over the Aussie wine company (courtesy of The Bull).

“This global wine giant owns the premium Penfolds brand, among other labels,” Watt said.

As for the big decline in Treasury Wine shares, he noted, “The share price recently plunged after TWE downgraded earnings.”

Watt explained:

The company now expects earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to range between $225 million and $235 million in the first half of fiscal year 2026. Prior EBIT consensus was $334 million.

Indeed, even at the higher end of its revised guidance, investors will have taken note that Treasury Wine’s first-half earnings forecast is down a sharp 30%.

“We are currently experiencing category weakness in the US and China, two of our key growth markets, which will impact our business performance in the near-term,” Treasury Wine CEO Sam Fischer said.

But Watt noted that management isn’t sitting on its laurels.

He said:

The company is taking action to restore channel distribution and is actively reducing inventory levels across China and the United States. The shares have fallen from $7.88 on July 1 to trade at $4.80 on December 18.

Despite that steep sell-down, Watt isn’t quite ready to pull the trigger yet, issuing a hold recommendation on Treasury Wine shares.

According to Watt:

TWE has a strategy, but a recovery will take time. At these price levels, patient investors can hold as the transition towards luxury wine remains a long-term positive. The stock carries calculated risk, so investors should continue to monitor news developments.

The post Down 56% in 2025, are Treasury Wine shares a good buy for 2026? 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 Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you are a fan of growth shares, then read on!

That’s because listed below are three ASX 200 growth shares that Bell Potter thinks could be among the best to buy in 2026.

Here’s what it is saying about them:

Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA)

The team at Bell Potter thinks the Vegemite owner is well-placed for a period of strong growth thanks to its restructuring and strategy. Commenting on the ASX 200 growth share, it said:

Following recent restructuring announcements, with regard to the closure of Strathmerton and winding down of the PCA operations, there appears a clear pathway towards a $250-270m EBITDA target. If successful in generating this return and having consideration for the cash costs to achieve this target (c$85- 100m), it would imply a share price of $8.00-9.00ps (at BGA’s historical ~12x EBITDA multiple).

In effect, BGA now has a clearly articulated strategy to generating >20% p.a. EPS growth to FY28e. Trading on a FY25-28e PEG ratio of ~1x, BGA is one of the more compelling growth exposures in the sector.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $7.00 price target on this diversified food company’s shares. Based on its current share price of $6.16, this implies potential upside of 14% for investors over the next 12 months.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

Another ASX 200 growth share that Bell Potter is tipping as a buy is location technology company Life360.

While its performance in the last quarter was softer than expected, the broker believes that this will be a one off and expects it to return to form in the fourth quarter. It said:

Life360 has had a large pullback in its share price like many other stocks in the technology sector (peak of ~$55 in early October down to ~$35 in mid November). Outside of the general correction in the sector there was one factor specific to the company which also drove down the share price – slowing monthly active user or MAU growth in 3Q2025. Q3 is traditionally the strongest quarter for MAU growth so the relatively slow growth was a big surprise and was also not well explained by the company.

Outside of this number, however, everything was as expected or better and importantly paying subscriber growth was still strong. Our view is the outlook remains very positive for the company and the one quarter of relatively soft MAU growth was an aberration. We therefore expect a return to reasonable or even strong MAU growth in 4Q2025, and this could also serve as a potential catalyst for the share price.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $52.50 price target on its shares. This suggests that upside of 57% is possible for investors between now and this time next year.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

A final ASX 200 growth share that could be a buy according to Bell Potter is health imaging technology company Pro Medicus.

It thinks Pro Medicus is one of the highest quality companies on the Australian share market. And after years of strong growth, don’t expect a slowdown any time soon. Bell Potter expects the explosive growth to continue. It said:

Pro Medicus is among the highest quality companies on the ASX. CY25 was yet another banner year with 10 major contract announcements, totalling minimum revenues of $445m. We expect EPS growth of 36% in FY26 followed by 30% in FY27. The company continues to announce new contract wins on a regular basis as the drivers of interest in its product offering remain firmly in place. The entire radiology industry is headed to cloud based (off premises) archiving.

Put simply, the Visage 7 viewer, Workflow and Archive are the fastest and most advanced tools for the retrieval and viewing of large radiology files. The platform is immensely scalable and relatively easily installed, providing it with a sustainable competitive advantage over the likes of peers Intelerad, Sectra, Phillips and GE Healthcare. The company is conservatively managed and well owned by large institutional investors while the two founders continue to have a controlling stake.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $320.00 price target on its shares. Based on its current share price of $232.93, this implies potential upside of 37% for investors over the next 12 months.

The post Bell Potter names the best ASX 200 growth shares to buy in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360 and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360. 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 Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price is 0.02% lower in lunchtime trade on Tuesday. At the time of writing, the stock is changing hands at $115.60 a piece.

The share price peaked at an all-time high of $194.21 in late June but has since tumbled nearly 79% to today’s trading price. For 2025 so far, the shares are down 31.02%.

What happened to Xero shares in 2025?

The company posted lower-than-expected FY25 results in May, followed quickly by news of a US$2.5 billion acquisition of US-based Melio in June.

Investors weren’t happy with the move and offloaded shares in the New Zealand-based cloud-based accounting software company in a panic about the deal’s size and its projected cash flow. The deal was completed in mid-October, but investor confidence never recovered.

Later in November, Xero investors reacted unfavourably to the company’s FY26 interim results, selling off more of the stock.

The company’s FY26 results revealed a 20% increase in operating revenue to NZ$1,194 million. This was driven by ANZ revenue growth of 17% and a 24% jump in International revenue. Xero’s EBITDA increased 21% to NZ$377.9 million. The company’s net operating result was a little behind expectations, but its EBITDA was ahead. Its total operating expenses as a percentage of revenue are now expected to be around 70.5% in FY26.

Later in the same month, Xero was caught up in the ASX 200 tech sector sell-off. The sector decline, particularly of high‑valuation and AI‑linked tech names like Xero, follows investor concerns about overheated valuations and an AI bubble. 

But analysts think the investor reaction has been way overdone and the sell-off unfounded.

Huge upside ahead in 2026

According to TradingView data, most analysts are bullish on Xero shares for 2026. Out of 15 analysts, 12 have a buy or strong buy rating on the stock. The average target price is $184.80 but the maximum is a whopping $229.73 per share. That’s around double the $115.60 share price at the time of writing and implies an upside of over 98%.

UBS says that it is positive on the medium term growth outlook for Xero and believes the current share price is an “attractive buying opportunity”. The broker has a $194 price target on the shares.

Ord Minnett also sees significant value in the shares. Last month, the broker put a buy rating and $200 price target on them. This implies a potential upside of approximately 80% for investors.

Macquarie is more bullish on the stock. The broker has an outperform rating and $228.90 price target on the shares, saying the company is well-positioned for growth in the US.

The post Prediction: Xero stock is going to double in 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 Macquarie Group and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

2025 has been a spectacular year for some commodities.

For example, the gold price has jumped by about 70% since early January to reach a new record high on Monday.

This powerful rally has also helped some of the leading ASX 200 gold miners to deliver outsized returns for their shareholders.

Take Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM) and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN).

Shares in both companies are up by more than 160% so far this year.

But gold isn’t the only metal breaking new ground.

Silver and copper pushed to record highs at the start of this week, whilst lithium has also posted strong gains in recent months.

Such favourable pricing environments help boost the earnings prospects of mining companies and drive strength across the sector.

And broadly speaking, mining stocks have enjoyed a powerful and wide-ranging rally in 2025.

The four exchange traded funds (ETFs) presented below help paint a picture of how strong this momentum has been.

In essence, each of the following mining-related ETFs just hit a new record high.

VanEck Australian Resources ETF (ASX: MVR)

This ETF offers exposure to a portfolio of ASX mining and energy stocks operating across a wide range of commodities.

Its largest holdings include diversified mining titan BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and iron ore giant Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG).

Today, shares in this ASX ETF reached their highest level since the fund’s inception in 2013.

They have now risen by 37% since the start of the year, changing hands at $43.83 per share at the time of writing.

VanEck Gold Miners AUD ETF (ASX: GDX)

Founded in 2015, this ASX ETF provides exposure to the world’s largest gold miners, mostly located outside Australia.

However, it holds positions in some renowned ASX 200 gold producers such as Newmont and Evolution.

Shares in this ETF hit an all-time peak in today’s session, reaching as high as $138.63 per share.

They are now up by 150% since the start of the year.

Betashares Energy Transition Metals ETF (ASX: XMET)

This ETF offers exposure to a portfolio of global companies producing metals for the world’s energy transition.

In a nutshell, the push to reduce carbon emissions has seen the mining industry tasked with delivering the critical metals for a cleaner world.

So, metals such as lithium, rare earths, silver, and copper are taking on an increasingly important role.

Today, shares in this ASX ETF also reached their highest level since the fund’s inception in 2022.

They have now risen by 98% in 2025, climbing to $14.68 each at the time of writing.

Global X Copper Miners AUD ETF (ASX: WIRE)

This ASX ETF has been providing access to the world’s leading copper miners since its founding in late 2022.

Copper boasts widespread industrial applications.

It is also becoming growingly significant in AI data centres, as well as electric vehicles and associated infrastructure.

Shares in this ETF also reached a new all-time high in today’s session.

All up, they have now soared by 75% since the start of January.

The post From gold to copper and lithium: Mining stocks are on a tear and these 4 ASX ETFs tell the story appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bart Bogacz 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.

There’s still time to buy Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) shares for Christmas.

Though not much.

The ASX is open for normal trading today and operates on a shortened trading day tomorrow, 24 December.

In late morning trade today, Woolworths shares are in the red.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) supermarket giant closed yesterday trading for $29.38. At time of writing, shares are changing hands for $29.29 apiece, down 0.3%.

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

As you’re likely aware, it’s been a rough year for Australia’s biggest supermarket.

With today’s intraday dip factored in, Woolies stock is down 3.9% year to date, trailing the 6.7% gains delivered by the benchmark index over this same period.

Though that’s not including the 84 cents a share in fully franked dividends Woolworths paid eligible stockholders over the year. The ASX 200 stock currently trades on a 2.9% fully franked trailing dividend yield.

Looking ahead, however, Bell Potter Securities’ Christopher Watt believes shareholders will be more amply rewarded in 2026 (courtesy of The Bull).

We’ll look at why in just a tick.

Buit first…

Why did Woolworths shares come under pressure?

The biggest headwind to impede the ASX 200 supermarket this year was the release of the company’s FY 2025 results on 27 August.

Investors responded to those results by sending Woolworths shares down 14.7% on the day. And the stock remained under pressure, plumbing multi-year lows of $25.91 on 14 October.

Investors were clearly concerned over rising costs, with the company reporting a 0.66% increase in cost of doing business to 23.3%. And Woolies’ gross margin declined by 0.07% year on year to 27.2%.

Earnings also went backwards, with FY 2025 earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) declining by 12.6% to $2.75 billion.

With costs up and earnings down, net profit after tax (NPAT) of $1.39 billion fell by 17.1% year on year.

And passive income investors would not have been happy with the 21.1% cut in the final dividend payout of 45 cents per share, fully franked.

Now, that’s the year gone by.

Here’s why Bell Potter Securities’ Christopher Watt sees a light at the end of the tunnel for Woolworths shares.

Should you buy the ASX 200 supermarket giant today?

“After a challenging period marked by margin pressure and earnings downgrades, Woolworths is showing early signs of stabilisation,” said Watt, citing his first reason to buy the stock.

“Recent trading updates indicate improving momentum in core divisions, particularly Australian Food and B2B (Business-to-Business), suggesting the worst may be behind WOW,” he added.

As for the third reason you may want to buy Woolworths shares for Christmas, Watt concluded:

Given the supermarket giant generates solid cash flow, WOW stands out among consumer staples. As market sentiment improves, so too should investor confidence in the group’s earnings outlook.

The post 3 reasons to buy Woolworths shares for Christmas 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 Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares are 0.045% higher in Tuesday morning trade. At the time of writing, the shares are changing hands at $67.26 a piece. For 2025 so far, the shares have dropped 45.71%.

The logistics software provider’s stock has faced several headwinds this year. 

In October, WiseTech investors were spooked by news that the company’s Sydney headquarters had been searched by the Australian Federal Police and ASIC. The raid was in relation to alleged insider trading by Richard White and other staff members during late 2024 to early 2025.

No charges have been laid against the software company itself, but board resignations, leadership instability, and investor uncertainty have accelerated the share price decline.

Shortly after, the ASX 200 tech sector suffered an overall dramatic sell-off in late November. And WiseTech shares were caught up in the turmoil. The sector suffered from investor concerns about overheated valuations and an AI bubble. 

But the business is still solid…

Despite the turmoil, WiseTech’s underlying business is robust. It is a global leader in logistics software, with expanding operations and a proven track record of growth. Its flagship product, CargoWise, enables freight and logistics companies to easily and smoothly manage shipments, customs, and compliance.

The company has previously demonstrated resilience and growth through economic cycles, too. And it’s well-positioned to benefit from increased interest trends like automation and cloud computing.

Over the past five years, the business was also able to double its revenue to US$778.7 million. And for FY26, management expects revenue to grow about 80% to around US$1.4 billion. However, the company has also forecast an EBITDA margin of between 40%-41% for FY26, down from 49% in FY25, mostly due to consolidation integration costs following the acquisition of e2open Parent Holdings.

Are the shares a buy, sell, or hold for 2026?

Analysts’ sentiment is mostly very positive for the outlook of WiseTech shares next year. TradingView data indicates that 14 out of 16 analysts have assigned a buy or strong buy rating to the stock. The average target price is $110.33, but some anticipate the shares could rocket as high as $178.16 over the next 12 months. That implies an enormous 162.91% potential upside at the time of writing. Even the average target price implies a huge 62.58% upside.

If WiseTech shares reach these levels, or even come close to them, then the current trading price of $67.26 presents a fantastic opportunity to buy the stock at a bargain price ahead of the next rebound.

The post Is WiseTech a buy, sell or hold in 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 WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) share price could be in focus today after the company announced it has refinanced and upsized its debt facility to US$400 million, boosting total liquidity to more than US$1.2 billion.

What did Perseus Mining report?

• Signed a new syndicated revolving corporate facility of US$400 million, replacing the previous US$300 million facility
• Accordion option of an additional US$100 million available
• As at 30 September 2025, net cash position was US$837 million
• Total available liquidity now exceeds US$1,237 million
• Facility tenure of three years, with an option to extend for another two years (1+1)
• Achieved a margin reduction of 125 basis points against the previous facility

What else do investors need to know?

Perseus Mining appointed Citi and Nedbank as mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners for the new facility, which adds two additional international banks to its lending group. The amended facility is now supported by a total of eight international banks, reflecting strong market confidence in the company.

Facility terms include more flexible covenant arrangements and competitive pricing, secured after the loan syndication was oversubscribed. The company says no minimum hedging requirements are attached.

With this financial cushion, Perseus Mining is well placed to pursue its stated five-year growth outlook, while maintaining a commitment to shareholder returns through dividends and potential buybacks.

What did Perseus Mining management say?

Perseus’s Chief Financial Officer, Lee-Anne de Bruin, said:

Perseus has received very strong support from a consortium of high-quality international lenders including two additional international banks joining the syndication. The process was more than 100% oversubscribed which is regarded as a major endorsement of the underlying quality of our assets and future cash flows.

With cash and undrawn debt capacity exceeding US$1.2 billion, Perseus is fully funded to deliver on our 5 Year Outlook and pursue future growth opportunities whilst maintaining our commitment to return funds to shareholders via ongoing dividends and share buy backs.

What’s next for Perseus Mining?

Looking ahead, Perseus Mining says its strengthened financial position will help underpin project development and expansion plans. The enhanced liquidity also provides flexibility to manage both expected and unexpected events.

The company reaffirmed its focus on growth across its portfolio and ensuring ongoing returns for shareholders, supported by the stability this funding arrangement brings.

Perseus Mining share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Perseus Mining shares have risen 119%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 7% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Perseus Mining upsizes debt facility, boosting liquidity for growth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has followed Wall Street’s lead and is pushing higher. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.6% to 8,754.7 points.

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

4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX)

The 4DMedical share price is up 6% to $3.79. This respiratory imaging technology company’s shares have been on fire again this month. The driver of this has been a commercial arrangement for the clinical use of its CT:VQ platform with United States-based Cleveland Clinic. CT:VQ is a CAT scan-based ventilation-perfusion software. 4DMedical’s founder and CEO, Andreas Fouras, said: “In just over three months since FDA clearance, we’ve established CT:VQ at three of America’s leading academic medical centres: Stanford, University of Miami, and Cleveland Clinic. This rapid adoption by elite institutions demonstrates the compelling clinical and operational advantages of CT:VQ over traditional nuclear VQ imaging.”

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

The Core Lithium share price is up 2.5% to 27.7 cents. This morning, this lithium miner announced the sale of non-core uranium assets. It has sold its 100% interests in the Napperby, Fitton, and Entia Uranium Projects for a cash consideration of $2.5 million to Elevate Uranium Ltd (ASX: EL8). The deal also includes $2.5 million in Elevate Uranium shares and a net smelter royalty of 1% on any metals or minerals produced from the Napperby project area. Core Lithium’s CEO, Paul Brown, said: “We’re pleased to enter into this transaction for our non-core uranium assets which sharpens our strategic focus as a lithium developer and advances our Finniss operation towards a restart.”

Fenix Resources Ltd (ASX: FEX)

The Fenix Resources share price is up 5.5% to 47.5 cents. This follows the release of the results of a scoping study into the opportunity to expand production, reduce costs, and extend mine life from the Weld Range Iron Ore Project. The study found that Fenix could lift production from the Weld Range from 6Mtpa in 2028 to 10Mtpa by 2031, with operations continuing through to 2042. It also believes it can reduce life of mine C1 cash costs to ~A$55.40 per wet metric tonne. This is 27% lower than the midpoint of its FY 2026 guidance range.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

The Goodman Group share price is up almost 9% to $31.77. This has been driven by news that the industrial property giant has signed an agreement with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to establish a A$14 billion European data centre partnership. The partnership’s portfolio will comprise four projects totalling 435 MW of primary power and 282 MW of IT load. This includes two centres in Paris (PAR01 and PAR02), one in Frankfurt (FRA02), and one in Amsterdam (AMS01).

The post Why 4DMedical, Core Lithium, Fenix, and Goodman shares are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are popular on the ASX amongst many investors. Some investors love the property exposure that a REIT can provide. Others enjoy those outsized dividend distributions that often offer some of the highest dividend cash flow available on the ASX.

I am not one of those investors, though. In fact, I have only ever owned one ASX REIT, and that was long ago and for a very brief time. I don’t see any scenario that will have me rethinking that position anytime soon.

So why don’t I find this popular asset class on the ASX appealing? Well, there are a couple of reasons I never buy ASX REITs.

ASX REITs don’t pay franking credits

Firstly, ASX REITs don’t typically attach franking credits to their dividend distributions, at least at a significant level. This is due to their unique structure. Most REITs are exempt from paying corporate tax. Whilst this has some upsides, such as allowing the trusts to pay out higher dividend distributions to their investors, it has the downside of not allowing those payments to come with franking credits attached. Remember, franking credits are generated when a company pays corporate tax on its profits.

This is not a delbreaker in itself. I am fine with an unfranked dividend if it is an above-average payout. But many investors might find this aspect of REIT investing unappealing.

The returns of ASX REITs are not good

I can deal with the unfranked dividends that REITs usually pay their investors. But what I really struggle with is the tendency of the typical ASX REIT to be a substandard investment.

REITs often employ leverage, or borrowed money, to construct their investment portfolios. That is understandable, given that REITs invest in real estate. However, this has the unfortunate consequence of tying the valuation of those REITs to interest rates. If you look at the long-term unit price of any REIT, it often rises and falls alongside movements in the cash rate. This dynamic seems to limit the ability of an ASX REIT to compound over time.

Take the price of popular ASX REIT and Westfield operator Scentre Group (ASX: SCG). Today, Scentre units are going for $4.21 each at the time of writing. That’s almost exactly the same price as you could have bought this REIT for ten years ago today.

It’s a similar story for many others, including Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW), HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN), Mirvac Group (ASX: MGR), and Vicinity Centres (ASX: VCX).

Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP) has yet to even get close to its last record high, which was clocked way back in late 2007.

Of course, not all ASX REITs are tread-water investments. For example, Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) has been a notable performer in recent years. However, most ASX REITs tend to fall into this valuation stagnation, and it doesn’t give the sector a good name.

Foolish Takeaway

The tendency of most ASX REITs to stagnate and fail to deliver compounding returns for their investors has put me off owning investments in this sector. That’s not to say there isn’t money to be made here, or that investors can’t find the odd diamond. But those, at least in my experience, are few and far between.

The post I never buy ASX REITs. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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