Unlike the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), the US markets have continued to push higher this December into fresh record territory. Earlier this month, the flagship S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) hit a new all-time high of 6,920.34 points, dragging many US stocks to new 52-week and record highs of their own.

But not all US stocks are at all-time highs right now. In fact, many quality names have been left in the dust as investors flock to the tech titans that are so popular right now.

Today, let’s discuss three US stocks that I believe are among the best businesses out there, but are currently underappreciated by the market.

Three high-quality US stocks I would buy at current prices

Procter & Gamble Inc (NYSE: PG)

Procter & Gamble is one of the best consumer staples stocks in the world. It might not be a household name itself, but I can almost guarantee that its products would be in most readers’ houses as we speak. This company’s brands include Gillette razors, Fairy dishwashing products, Oral-B toothpaste, and Pantene shampoo.

Procter & Gamble is distinguished by its phenomenal dividend track record. It has increased its annual dividends every single year for 69 years running. Despite this inherent quality, Procter & Gamble shares have had a rough year, currently down aobut 14% in 2025. Although the company has recently bounced off a new 52-week low of just over US$145 a share, I think its current 2.9% dividend yield represents a nice entry point.

Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ: COST)

Next up, we have another US stock and consumer staples company in Costco, famous for its bulk-focused warehouse supermarkets. Its unique membership model has driven this company to immense profitability, evident from its five-year gain of 133%. Costco also has an impressive dividend track record. It has increased its annual dividend for 21 consecutive years, by an average of 12.97% per year since 2020.

However, just like Procter & Gamble, Costco has had a rough year. This US stock has lost 11.1% over 2025 so far, and is down more than 20% from its last 52-week high. Although I wouldn’t call this company cheap just yet, it is still a rare dip for a high-quality name that almost never goes on sale. I’m seriously considering adding more shares to my position at these prices.

Waste Management Inc (NYSE: WM)

I’ve always been attracted to waste management as an investable industry, given its inherent defensiveness. Waste Management is the largest of these US stocks, and the most dominant. It has been growing its revenues and earnings like clockwork in recent years, helping the company to do the same with its dividends.

Waste Management has a 22-year streak of dividend increases, and has grown its payouts by an average of 8.65% per annum over the past five years.

Yet investors have been tepid on this company over 2025, with Waste Management stock down almost 10% from its May record high.

Again, if this US stock stagnates any further, I might add some more shares to my position.

The post 3 high-quality US stocks that look temptingly cheap today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Costco Wholesale, Procter & Gamble, and WM. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended WM. 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.

RPMGlobal Holdings Ltd (ASX: RUL) has moved one step closer to being acquired by Caterpillar Inc (NYSE: CAT), after shareholders overwhelmingly approved the proposed $5-per-share scheme of arrangement at a shareholder meeting today.

According to the company’s newly released voting results, an extraordinary 99.88% of votes cast were in favour of the takeover. In addition, 96.90% of shareholders present and voting supported the transaction, comfortably exceeding both approval thresholds required under the Corporations Act.

The outcome confirms what was already evident from proxy tallies ahead of the meeting: shareholder support for the Caterpillar bid is emphatic.

With no superior offer emerging, RPM investors have embraced the opportunity to crystallise significant, certain value at a premium. RPM Global shares are up 65% year to date, largely spurred on by news of the acquisition.

What happens next?

Although shareholder approval is a major milestone, several steps remain before the scheme becomes binding.

The scheme is still subject to approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), which remains pending, as well as Federal Court approval, with a hearing scheduled for 3 February 2026 in Melbourne.

If all conditions are met, RPM Global shares are expected to be suspended from trading at the close on the effective date, and the takeover would be fully implemented on 18 February 2026.

Why shareholders backed the deal

For most investors, the Caterpillar offer represents a clean exit at a compelling valuation with no market execution risk. In the absence of any rival bids, the certainty of cash today outweighs the operational risks and competitive pressures involved in continuing to scale the business independently.

Mining technology remains a rapidly evolving sector, and Caterpillar’s global footprint and financial strength provide RPM’s software with an opportunity to reach a wider commercial platform than it could achieve alone.

Foolish bottom line

With shareholder approval secured and the ACCC having already cleared the deal, only FIRB and the court remain as formal hurdles. Barring unexpected delays, RPM Global appears firmly on track to join the Caterpillar group early in 2026, marking the end of the ASX chapter for this mining technology company.

The post What’s the latest update on takeover target RPM Global? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares are holding up on Thursday despite a significant regulatory development.

At the time of writing, the banking giant’s shares are up 1% to $36.40.

This suggests investors have either already priced in the news or are looking past it. So, what’s happening?

Federal Court orders record penalties

This afternoon, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has announced that the Federal Court has ordered ANZ to pay $250 million in combined penalties. This is for widespread misconduct and systemic risk management failures.

According to ASIC, this is the largest combined penalty ever secured against a single entity by the regulator.

The penalties relate to four separate court proceedings spanning both ANZ’s institutional and retail banking divisions, which were first announced in September 2025.

What are the penalties?

The $250 million total comprises multiple findings of misconduct.

The Court ordered $135 million in penalties for institutional and markets misconduct connected to the management of a $14 billion Australian Government bond deal, as well as the inaccurate reporting of secondary bond market turnover data. This includes a record $80 million penalty for unconscionable conduct.

A further $40 million penalty was imposed for failures to respond to hundreds of customer hardship notices, in some cases for more than two years.

ANZ was also ordered to pay $40 million for making false and misleading statements about savings interest rates and failing to pay the promised rates to tens of thousands of customers.

In addition, the Court has imposed a $35 million penalty for failing to refund fees charged to deceased customers and for not responding to estate representatives within required timeframes.

Serious misconduct

ASIC Chair, Joe Longo, said the scale of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the misconduct and its impact on customers, taxpayers, and the Australian Government. He said:

The size of the penalties ordered today underscores the seriousness of ANZ’s misconduct and its far-reaching consequences for the Government, taxpayers and tens of thousands of customers. ANZ must overhaul its non-financial risk management and put the interests of clients, customers and the public first.

In the bond trading and misreporting matter, ANZ exposed the Australian Government to a significant risk of harm, denied the Government an opportunity to protect itself and the public interest, and mislead the government for nearly two years by overstating bond trading volumes by billions of dollars.

In response to the news, ANZ said:

ANZ is focused on significantly improving its management of non-financial risks across the bank, with a dedicated program of work underway as part of its Root Cause Remediation Plan. In addition, ANZ has established an ASIC Matters Resolution Program within Australia Retail to meet commitments to ASIC to deliver improvements across a number of areas in its Retail division. Both programs of work will be reviewed by Promontory, an independent expert appointed to review and report on progress and delivery of this work.

The post ANZ hit with $250m fine for widespread misconduct and systemic risk failures 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.

The Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN) share price is little changed on Friday after the insurer released an update outlining its key dates and expected dividend timetable for 2026.

At the time of writing, Suncorp shares are trading at $17.56, down a marginal 0.05%. The muted reaction suggests the market sees today’s announcement as largely administrative, rather than a material shift in its investment outlook.

Still, for income-focused investors, the update provides useful clarity around when cash returns could land next year.

What did Suncorp announce?

In a brief ASX release this morning, Suncorp confirmed its key reporting and shareholder dates for the 2026 financial year.

The group expects to announce its half-year results on 18 February 2026, followed by its full-year results on 12 August 2026. The annual general meeting is scheduled for 24 September 2026.

More importantly for many investors, Suncorp also outlined its expected dividend timetable for the year.

Expected dividend dates for 2026

For shareholders, Suncorp is currently targeting the following dividend dates:

Interim dividend 2026

• Ex-dividend date: 23 February 2026
• Record date: 24 February 2026
• Payment date: 31 March 2026

Final dividend 2026

• Ex-dividend date: 17 August 2026
• Record date: 18 August 2026
• Payment date: 22 September 2026

As always, the company noted that all dates remain subject to change.

Why the market response is subdued

Today’s flat share price reaction reflects the fact that no dividend amounts were disclosed. Investors already broadly expect Suncorp to remain a solid dividend payer, particularly after its banking exit changed it into a pure-play insurance business.

Recent broker commentary has focused less on dividend timing and more on weather exposure, claims inflation, and the sustainability of margins in an increasingly volatile climate environment.

That mixed outlook is reflected in recent broker updates. Just last week, Morgan Stanley lifted its price target by 1% to $24.40, while UBS took a more cautious view, trimming its target by 5% to $22.

That backdrop helps explain why the stock has struggled for momentum in 2025, despite continuing to attract income-focused investors.

The bigger picture for income investors

While today’s announcement has little impact on valuation, it does reinforce Suncorp’s positioning as a steady, reliable dividend stock.

For investors building income portfolios, clarity around ex-dividend and payment dates matters, particularly when planning cash flow across the year.

With its shares trading well below earlier highs and sentiment still mixed, Suncorp remains a stock many investors are watching closely.

For now, the focus turns to February, when Suncorp reports its half-year results.

The post Suncorp shares tread water as investors digest 2026 dividend timeline 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.

It has been another busy week for many of Australia’s top brokers. This has led to the release of a number of broker notes.

Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone right now:

Capstone Copper Corp (ASX: CSC)

According to a note out of Morgans, its analysts have retained their buy rating on this copper miner’s shares with an improved price target of $17.40. The broker highlights that copper prices have risen strongly in the second half of the year. It believes this strength will continue in 2026 given how tight supply is and its expectation for it to stay this way due to project delays, increasing demand, and falling grades. This bodes well for Capstone Copper, which is the brokers top pick for pureplay copper exposure. In fact, Morgans has lifted its earnings estimates for FY 2026 significantly in response to rising copper prices. The Capstone Copper share price is trading at $14.27 on Friday.

Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO)

Another note out of Morgans reveals that its analysts have upgraded this small business lender’s shares to a buy rating with a $2.02 price target. The broker made the move on valuation grounds following recent share price weakness. While Morgans acknowledges that it is a higher risk option (and doesn’t pay a dividend) compared to the big four banks, it expects strong earnings growth over the next two financial years. And if it delivers on this, it sees potential for its shares to be trading around $3.00 per share in the not so distant future. The Judo Capital share price is fetching $1.73 at the time of writing.

Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

Analysts at Morgan Stanley have upgraded this fashion jewellery retailer’s shares to an overweight rating with a $38.00 price target. According to the note, Morgan Stanley believes that recent volatility in Lovisa’s growth is transitory rather than structural. The broker sees earnings per share rising 83% by FY 2028. This is expected to be supported by its agility on product range and best-in-class supply chain execution. In light of this, Morgan Stanley views the recent de-rating of its shares as an opportunity for investors to build a position in a competitively advantaged Australian retailer. The Lovisa share price is trading at $30.43 this afternoon.

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

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

Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP) shares are slipping around 2% today (as of the time of writing) after the company revealed that its lenders have approved a temporary increase to the company’s net leverage ratio covenant, giving the automotive parts retailer extra breathing room as it progresses its turnaround strategy.

What did Bapcor announce?

Under the revised terms, Bapcor’s debt covenant will temporarily rise from the current limit of 3x adjusted EBITDA to a new limit of 3.5x adjusted EBITDA.

This temporary increase will apply only for the 31 December 2025 and 30 June 2026 testing periods. The covenant will then revert to the previous 3x threshold. Management said the change reflects lenders’ ongoing support for Bapcor’s operational reset and financial recovery efforts.

CFO Kim Kerr noted that the move underscores the lending syndicate’s confidence in the company’s turnaround program and its ability to stabilise and rebuild performance.

While the market marked the stock slightly lower today, this announcement comes during an otherwise strong week for Bapcor shareholders. The stock is still up roughly 14% over the past five days following the news that Chris Wilesmith will become the company’s new CEO in January. It’s a leadership change that investors clearly welcomed.

Wilesmith’s appointment was viewed as a credible catalyst for much-needed change after a turbulent period marked by profit downgrades, rising short interest, and operational missteps. A seasoned automotive and retail operator with experience at Supercheap Auto, Jaycar, and Mitre 10 New Zealand, Wilesmith brings deep sector expertise and a track record of operational discipline.

Today’s covenant update, by contrast, is more of a housekeeping item. Although it points to ongoing financial pressure, it also indicates that lenders are aligned with Bapcor’s recovery efforts and willing to offer temporary flexibility as the business restructures.

Foolish bottom line

For investors, the mixed reaction is understandable: the company still faces meaningful operational and financial challenges, yet the pieces for a reset are falling into place. Leadership change, lender support, and a clearer path to stabilisation suggest that this week’s rally is a sign that confidence is beginning to rebuild.

Whether that optimism holds will depend on execution, but for now, Bapcor appears to be regaining the market’s trust.

The post Why Bapcor shares are falling today despite a powerful 14% rebound this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Kevin Gandiya has no positions in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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.

As we eye the final few hours of trade before Friday’s closing bell, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 0.9% for the week despite the best lifting efforts of these three ASX 200 stocks.

One of this week’s top performers is a major online furniture and homewares retailer, another is an Aussie gold miner, and the third earns its keep devising novel means to protect sensitive areas from hostile drones.

Which companies am I talking about?

Read on!

2 ASX 200 stocks racing ahead of the benchmark

The first outperforming ASX 200 stock on my list is Emerald Resources NL (ASX: EMR).

Emerald Resources shares closed last Friday trading for $5.90. At the time of writing, shares in the ASX gold stock are changing hands for $6.28 apiece.

That sees the Emerald Resources share price up 6.4%.

There’s no fresh news out from the miner this week. But Emerald Resources shares will have caught some tailwinds from the 1% increase in the gold price over the week amid increasing expectations of further interest rate cuts from the US Federal Reserve.

Gold is currently fetching US$4,318 per ounce.

Which brings us to the second ASX 200 stock posting strong gains in this week’s slumping market, Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW).

Shares in the online furniture and homewares retailer closed last week trading for $12.63 and are currently trading for $13.63 each.

This puts the Temple & Webster share price up 7.9% for the week.

There’s also no fresh price-sensitive news out from Temple & Webster this week. But shares are surging 8.7% today amid another share buyback announcement.

The company noted, “TPW may buy back up to 10% of its issued capital over the next 12 months without shareholder approval – price for any share buy-backs not to exceed 5% above the VWAP of TPW shares over the five trading days prior.”

Flying ahead of the pack

Leading the charge higher this week, we find DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares.

DroneShield shares closed last Friday trading for $2.08. In afternoon trade today, shares are changing hands for $2.63 apiece.

That sees this ASX 200 stock up 26.2% for the week, despite Thursday’s 12.1% plunge.

DroneShield shares got a huge boost on Wednesday, closing up 22.2%, after the company announced a new $49.6 million contract with a European military customer.

The contract with the unnamed customer entails handheld counter drone systems, alongside the associated accessories and software updates.

The post 3 ASX 200 stocks storming higher in this week’s sinking market 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 DroneShield and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

When an investor buys any ASX bank stock, but particularly one of the four major Australian banks, you can probably place a successful bet that it is at least in part due to the expectation of receiving a hefty dividend going forward. That’s certainly the case for most investors who buy National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares, I’d wager. NAB, like most of the big four banks, has been paying out fat, and fully franked, dividends for decades.

That has continued in 2025. Over this year, NAB has funded two dividend payments, as is the norm on the ASX. The first was the interim dividend from March, which saw investors bag 85 cents per share. The second was the December final dividend, also worth 85 cents per share.

Both payments came fully franked.

NAB shares have enjoyed a lucrative 2025 to date, even with the dip we saw in November. As it currently stands (at the time of writing), the bank has achieved a healthy 13.4% year-to-date return in 2025.

That’s great.

At the present share price of $42.26, NAB is currently on a trailing dividend yield of 4.03%. When you consider that grosses up to 5.76% with the value of those full franking credits, we have a decent yielder on our hands.

Or do we? After all, an ASX dividend share’s yield only reflects what the company has paid out over the last 12 months. Not what it will pay out going forward. There’s no way to know what any ASX share will pay out in the future. Not until the company formally declares a dividend. As such, we have to venture into some educated guesswork.

Is NAB’s 4% dividend yield safe?

On the surface, NAB’s dividend does look relatively safe. The bank’s 2025 annual dividends represented a payout ratio of 73.3% of cash earnings. That’s quite low by ASX bank standards, and within NAB’s own policy of paying out between 65% and 75% of earnings.

However, there’s arguably not much of a cushion if NAB’s earnings fall in 2026, or the bank decides it wishes to use its capital for a different purpose.

Management has already stated its preference for share buybacks, with NAB chair Philip Chronican stating that “we retain a bias towards reducing the share count over time” earlier this month. That perhaps implies that NAB would rather cut its dividend than reduce its buybacks if cash becomes tight.

At least one expert reckons that’s what’s in store for NAB shares too. Analysts at Macquarie have recently forecast that NAB will trim its annual dividends from $1.70 per share to $1.50 a share by 2027 amid stagnant growth and pressure on NAB’s earnings.

However, not all experts are so bearish on NAB’s dividend. My Fool colleague recently went over the views of CMC Markets, which predict that NAB will be able to hold its payouts at around $1.70 per share for the next few years.

Foolish takeaway

It’s difficult to predict what an ASX dividend share will pay out in the future at the best of times. But particularly so when there are experts offering different views.  However, no one seems to think there is any sort of dividend growth in NAB’s immediate future, so perhaps that should be the notion that investors take home.

The post 4% yield: Is NAB’s dividend safe? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in National Australia Bank. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. 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 end the week on a positive note. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.4% to 8,621.6 points.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here’s why they are falling:

Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX: AIS)

The Aeris Resources share price is down almost 4% to 52 cents. This morning, this copper miner revealed that it has increased its share purchase plan (SPP) offer in response to strong demand. Aeris was looking to raise $10 million at 45 cents per share, but received applications in excess of $21.6 million. It has decided to increase the offer instead of scaling back applications, with all valid applications accepted. Aeris Resources advised that proceeds from the share purchase plan will be applied to general working capital.

Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL)

The Netwealth share price is down 2.5% to $26.31. On Thursday, this investment platform provider has agreed to pay $100 million in compensation to First Guardian investors. In response, Ord Minnett has retained its hold rating on Netwealth’s shares with a reduced price target of $27.75 (from $29.00). This implies potential upside of approximately 5.5% for investors. Elsewhere, the team at Citi remains positive and has retained its buy rating with a reduced price target of $30.65 (from $35.00).

Nova Minerals Ltd (ASX: NVA)

The Nova Minerals share price is down 12% to 90.5 cents. This gold and critical minerals stock has returned from suspension today after announcing the pricing of a US$20 million NASDAQ offering. The company advised that it intends to use the proceeds for planned exploration and development activities on its Estelle Project. This includes additional drilling and exploration, feasibility and environmental studies, camp expansion, permits and approvals, initial development activities, and for general corporate purposes and working capital.

Paragon Care Ltd (ASX: PGC)

The Paragon Care share price is down a further 9% to 20.5 cents. This medical equipment, devices, consumables, and pharmaceuticals provider’s shares have been hammered this week. This has been driven by news that receivers and administrators have been appointed to 54 pharmacies in the Infinity Retail Pharmacy Group after it failed to repay its Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) debt. Paragon Care was also owed $47 million and that repayment now looks unlikely.

The post Why Aeris Resources, Netwealth, Nova Minerals, and Paragon Care shares are dropping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. 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 Netwealth Group and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) shares have slipped around 2% at the time of writing, after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) released its final determination on regulated voice interconnection rates.

The ruling is expected to result in a small reduction of the company’s EBITDA in the coming years.

What do investors need to know?

The ACCC’s ruling covers the key “terminating” and “originating” access services that allow voice calls to be connected between different carriers. These regulated rates determine what telcos pay each other to complete calls, meaning they directly affect the economics of networks such as Aussie Broadband’s voice platforms, NetSIP, and Symbio.

According to the company, the new rate schedule will result in a reduction of charges from 1 July 2026, with further step-downs occurring from 2027–2029.

For Aussie Broadband, the impact will not be immediate, as FY26 remains unaffected; however, management estimates an EBITDA reduction of approximately $3 million in FY27 and $6 million in FY28, after applying planned market-facing mitigation strategies.

There has been no determination on rates after 30 June 2029.

FY27’s impact represents less than 2% of the company’s FY26 EBITDA guidance, but investors nonetheless marked the stock lower as the long-term regulatory headwind became clearer.

In its announcement, the company signalled disappointment with the ACCC’s position, arguing that the decision risks undermining investment in fixed-line voice networks. CEO Brian Maher said:

While we acknowledge the delayed implementation date and the additional time this gives us to work through these changes with our partners and their customers, we are disappointed that ultimately the ACCC has disregarded the impact the reductions in regulated rates will likely have on challenger fixed-only providers that enable an essential infrastructure and service to the broader community. We also strongly disagree with their definition of a modern efficient operator and believe the ACCC has not fully considered or valued the resiliency and redundancy benefits of operating fixed voice networks.

These networks remain essential infrastructure for 000 emergency access, business operations, and network redundancy during mobile outages. Aussie Broadband also noted that it had provided significant input during the consultation phase, particularly regarding the impact on challenger providers.

Despite the setback, Aussie Broadband emphasised that it will pursue a range of mitigation initiatives to protect margins and support ongoing network investment. The company reiterated its Look-to-28 goals and maintained its commitment to keeping EBITDA margins at a minimum of 12.5%.

Foolish bottom line

While today’s share price decline reflects investor reaction to an unwelcome regulatory outcome, the long lead time before the changes take effect gives Aussie Broadband room to adjust its pricing, cost structures, and product mix. For now, the market is digesting the implications, but the company remains confident it can navigate the transition while continuing to grow its broader broadband and enterprise services footprint.

The post Aussie Broadband shares sink 2% on ACCC report appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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