The team at Morgans has been busy looking at a number of ASX shares in recent weeks.

Three that it has given its verdict on are revealed below. Is it bullish, bearish, or something in between? Let’s find out:

Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX: BBN)

Morgans has become more positive on this baby products retailer’s shares following recent weakness.

And while it isn’t quite ready to recommend Baby bunting as a buy, it has lifted its rating to hold (from trim) with a $2.70 price target. Commenting on the ASX share, the broker said:

The recent share price pullback has provided an opportunity to move our recommendation to HOLD (from TRIM), now offering ~6% TSR to our unchanged target price. Refurbished stores to date have performed above our expectations and management’s target range (15-25%).

Up to October, the 3 refurbished stores have seen sales up 30% on the pcp. BBN has now completed 9 refurbishments, and we expect BBN to provide an update on performance at the 1H26 result. We see the risk/ reward now more balanced, and 14x FY27 PE as a fair valuation. We have made no changes to our forecasts or valuation. We have a $2.70 price target.

EBR Systems Inc (ASX: EBR)

An ASX share that Morgans is more positive on is EBR Systems. It is a medical device company focused on the treatment of cardiac rhythm disease through wireless cardiac pacing. It has a buy rating and $2.95 price target on its shares.

Morgans has been impressed with the company’s commercial performance and highlights its sizeable total addressable market (TAM). It said:

4Q25 delivered a clear step-up in commercial execution, with case volumes doubling q/q and revenue materially ahead of expectations, confirming accelerating physician uptake during the Limited Market Release (LMR). Preliminary 4Q revenue of US$0.87-0.94m exceeded our estimate by c60%, with FY25 revenue of US$1.55-1.62m validating early pricing and demand assumptions.

We view clinical momentum with the WiSE-UP post-approval study and the TLC-AU feasibility study as supporting longer-term adoption and label expansion. Updated TAM of US$5.8bn (+60%) highlights a materially larger opportunity, underpinned by growth in leadless pacing and de novo CRT applications. We adjusted CY25-27 forecasts, with our DCF-based valuation increasing to A$2.95. BUY.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

Finally, this wine giant’s shares have fallen heavily over the past 12 months. Unfortunately, Morgans doesn’t believe this necessarily means they are in the buy zone yet.

The broker has a hold rating and $5.25 price target on its shares. Commenting on the Penfolds owner, Morgans said:

As we feared, but even weaker than expected, TWE’s trading update meant that consensus estimates were far too high. Its US performance was particularly disappointing given of all the capital spent in recent years. Gearing is now well above TWE’s target range and will remain high for the next couple of years.

While we made large downgrades to our forecasts only two weeks ago following the goodwill write-down, TWE’s new trading update has seen us make another round of material revisions. We stress that earnings uncertainty remains high. It will take time for new management to deliver more acceptable returns and for TWE to rebuild credibility with the market. We maintain a HOLD rating.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Morgans gives its verdict on 3 ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Treasury Wine Estates. 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.

Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM) shares have been on fire since hitting multi-year lows on 1 August.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold stock closed yesterday trading for $1.605. In late morning trade on Thursday, shares are changing hands for $1.625 apiece, up 1.3%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.2% at this same time.

With today’s lift factored in, Ora Banda shares are up 111.4% over 12 months and up a whopping 153.9% since the 1 August close.

The Aussie gold miner has been a clear beneficiary of a surging gold price. At the current US$4,627 per ounce, the gold price is up a blistering 72% since this time last year.

But Ora Banda has hardly been sitting idle.

Here’s what the ASX 200 gold stock just reported.

Ora Banda shares lift on gold results

Investors are bidding up Ora Banda shares again today after the miner reported on continued exploratory drilling success at its Waihi Project, located in Western Australia.

The targeted follow up exploration drilling was focused on the Golden Pole Lode within Waihi. Initial drilling by Ora Banda, reported on 4 September 2025, confirmed the presence of a new lode in the hanging wall of Golden Pole.

The ASX 200 gold stock said the latest drill program continued to expand the mineralisation area with thick, high-grade gold results.

Ora Banda reported top results, including:

• 0m at 27.4 g/t Inc. 2.0m at 87.5 g/t
• 2m at 56.3 g/t Inc. 1.8m at 67.7 g/t
• 2m at 36.9 g/t Inc. 1.9m at 41.9 g/t

Atop its promising intercepts at Golden Pole, Ora Banda said that its current 97-hole program across its broader Waihi Project continues to deliver “outstanding results”.

What did management say?

Commenting on the strong gold results helping boost Ora Banda shares today, managing director Luke Creagh said:

These outstanding results continue to support the case for Waihi to be Ora Banda’s third underground mine, with drilling right across the Waihi package returning high-grades, excellent widths and the potential for further extensions of the mineralised system, all within three kilometres of the Davyhurst Processing plant.

Furthermore, the identification of a brand-new lode to the West of Golden Pole highlights the incredible opportunity within the package, opening up another exciting zone for exploration at Waihi.

Ora Banda shares will be one to watch, with the ASX gold miner reporting it has already designed an additional 20 holes for immediate infill and extensional drilling on the Golden Pole Lode.

The post Up 154% since August, Ora Banda shares jumping again today on ‘exciting’ gold results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) shares have returned from their trading halt and tumbled into the red.

In morning trade, the ASX tech stock was down as much as 9% to $3.90.

The respiratory imaging technology company’s shares have recovered a touch since then but remain down 3.5% at the time of writing.

Why is this ASX tech stock sinking?

The catalyst for today’s weakness has been the company’s decision to take advantage of recent share price strength to raise funds from institutional investors.

According to the release, 4DMedical has received total firm commitments from wholesale, professional, and sophisticated investors for a $150 million single-tranche institutional placement.

These funds will be raised at an issue price of $3.80 per new share, which represents an 11.4% discount to its last close price.

Management notes that the capital raise follows rapid commercial traction, with its CT:VQ product deployed at four leading U.S. academic medical centres within four months of FDA clearance. This includes Stanford, Cleveland Clinic, University of Miami, and UC San Diego Health.

Why is it raising funds?

The ASX tech stock advised that there are a number of reasons why it is seeking a cash injection.

Proceeds from the capital raise are intended to be used for sales, marketing, and business development to drive adoption across U.S. academic medical centres and health systems.

In addition, they will be used for customer success and support to ensure seamless clinical integration and workflow optimisation, as well as research and development to expand the company’s product portfolio and maintain technological leadership.

The company also notes that the capital raise will provide balance sheet flexibility to capitalise on growth opportunities and accelerate CT:VQ commercialisation.

The company’s founder and CEO, Andreas Fouras, was pleased with the outcome of the capital raise. He said:

We are pleased to welcome several high-quality global institutional investors to our share register and sincerely appreciate the strong ongoing support from existing shareholders. This placement provides 4DMedical with the balance sheet strength to accelerate U.S. commercialisation of CT:VQ at a time when unprecedented interest from clinicians is driving rapid adoption across leading academic medical centres.

Since FDA clearance, adoption by elite institutions such as Stanford, Cleveland Clinic, University of Miami and UC San Diego has validated both our technology and our go-to-market strategy. With a strong commercial pipeline ahead of us, strategic partnerships including Philips, and now a cash position exceeding $200m, we have the resources to drive CT:VQ to become the new standard in pulmonary imaging while taking the Company through profitability and to the next set of opportunities. Importantly, we have delivered this $150m placement with less than 4% dilution, and I am excited to have taken this opportunity to increase my shareholding in the Company. We are only getting started.

Despite today’s weakness, the 4DMedical share price remains up 700% over the past 12 months.

The post Up 700% in 12 months! Why this ASX tech stock just raised $150m 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.

If I were narrowing my long-term investing watchlist down to a single exchange-traded fund (ETF) in 2026, this could be it.

The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) is an ETF I am seriously considering buying and then holding for decades. Not because it is exciting in the short term, but because it does almost everything I want a genuine long-term investment to do.

Why this Vanguard ETF keeps coming up on my radar

The core appeal of this Vanguard ETF is straightforward. It provides exposure to the global share market outside Australia.

The ETF invests in around 1,300 companies across roughly 23 developed countries, including the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Switzerland. That breadth matters. Australia is a strong market, but it represents only a small part of the global investment universe.

Investing internationally also gives access to sectors that are not well represented on the ASX. Technology and healthcare are the clearest examples. These industries have driven a significant share of global earnings growth over extended periods, yet they comprise a relatively small portion of the Australian market.

The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF offers a simple way to gain that exposure without trying to pick winners.

Exposure to global leaders

Looking through the portfolio, the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF holds many of the world’s most influential companies.

Its largest positions include Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Hermes, Meta Platforms, L’Oreal, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, and Eli Lilly. These are businesses with global reach, strong competitive positions, and ongoing investment in innovation. As markets change over time, the index adjusts automatically, allowing new leaders to emerge while others fall away.

That hands-off structure is exactly what I want from an ETF I plan to hold for the long term.

Designed for buy-and-hold investors

This Vanguard ETF seeks to track the MSCI World ex-Australia Index, with net dividends reinvested. The fund is unhedged, meaning returns are exposed to movements in foreign currencies. That can add volatility in the short term, but over very long periods, I am comfortable accepting that trade-off.

Costs are another reason it appeals to me. With an investment management fee of 0.18% per annum and no additional indirect or transaction costs, this fund keeps expenses low. When compounding over decades, that matters to me.

While past performance should never be the sole basis for an investment decision, it is reassuring that the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF has historically tracked its benchmark closely, which is exactly what I would expect from a low-cost index ETF.

How I would likely use it

On its own, the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF provides broad global diversification outside Australia. For investors seeking balance, I believe it pairs naturally with the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) to create a straightforward mix of domestic and international equities.

That kind of structure is easy to understand, easy to maintain, and well-suited to long-term investing.

Foolish Takeaway

I am not considering this Vanguard ETF because I expect it to outperform all others next year. I am considering it because I believe global equities will continue to grow over time, and I want broad, low-cost exposure to that growth.

For investors with a long investment horizon and a tolerance for market volatility, I think the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF is worth buying and holding for the long haul.

The post 1 Vanguard ETF I’m buying in 2026 and holding forever appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF. 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, Nvidia, and Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL) shares are charging higher on Thursday morning.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 gold share is up 5% to $8.05

Why is this ASX 200 gold share rising?

Investors have been buying the gold miner’s shares on Thursday after it delivered a standout December quarterly update, headlined by record production at its flagship Plutonic Gold Belt and a strengthened outlook for growth.

Before the market open, the ASX 200 gold share reported record quarterly gold production of 28,176 ounces from Plutonic under its ownership. This was achieved with three mines operating across the belt: Plutonic Main, Plutonic East and the Trident open pit.

Management notes that production during the quarter represented the highest quarterly output at Plutonic since 2014, which is a meaningful milestone for an asset that was close to insolvency just a few years ago.

For the quarter, gold was produced at an average all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of A$2,565 per ounce and A$2,776 per ounce sold. Management notes that it benefited from higher throughput and improved dilution of fixed costs.

Looking ahead, the company has retained its FY 2026 guidance of 100,000 ounces to 110,000 ounces of gold production at an AISC of A$2,200 to A$2,650 per ounce.

Growth pipeline

Beyond production, investors appear encouraged by progress across the ASX 200 gold share’s growth pipeline.

It advised that development at the K2 underground mine continued during the quarter, with first ore expected before 30 June 2026. Importantly, the company also settled a long-running inherited legal dispute over the K2 deposit. This clears the way for accelerated mining and exploration activity at what will become Plutonic’s fourth ore source.

Meanwhile, mining at the Trident open pit is tracking to plan and is expected to conclude in the first half of calendar year 2026, after which underground development will commence. The Old Highway project is also progressing through approvals and is expected to become Catalyst’s fifth producing mine in time.

Collectively, these projects underpin Catalyst’s strategy to lift annual production from around 100,000 ounces to approximately 200,000 ounces and extend Plutonic’s mine life to around ten years.

Commenting on the company’s performance, Catalyst’s CEO, James Champion de Crespigny, said:

Record gold production for the quarter is pleasing. The operating risk for the business continues to fall as new mines come online. Before 30 June we will be producing from four mines on the belt – a terrific outcome from the team considering less than two and a half years ago Plutonic was near bankrupt, producing from only one mine! Exploration results at Cinnamon are encouraging as are further results expected this quarter from Trident, Old Highway and K2.

The post This ASX 200 gold share is racing 5% higher on record quarter 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 All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.3% today, with ASX All Ords gold share Wia Gold Ltd (ASX: WIA) trading just about flat.

Shares in the African focused gold miner closed yesterday trading for 47 cents. In morning trade on Thursday, shares are changing hands for, well, 47 cents apiece.

This leaves the Wia Gold share price up a stellar 291.7% since this time last year, smashing the 12-month 8.1% gains posted by the benchmark index.

Part of that meteoric rise has been driven by the surging gold price. One ounce of gold is currently trading for US$4,627. This puts the gold price up 72% over 12 months.

Investors have also been bidding up the ASX All Ords gold share amid the promising growth potential at its Namibian and Cote d’Ivoire projects, including its Kokoseb gold discovery in Namibia.

Here’s what’s happening today.

ASX All Ords gold share under new leadership

The Wia Gold share price is stable at time of writing after the miner announced the appointment of Henk Diederichs as managing director and CEO. He will take over the reins on 1 February.

Diederichs is an engineer with more than 20 years of experience in the mining industry and has worked across various African jurisdictions. He is currently the chief operating officer of ASX All Ords gold share Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX: PDI).

Predictive Discovery is advancing its Bankan Gold Project, located in Guinea, where Diederichs was said to have played a “pivotal role” in progressing Bankan through its Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS).

Prior to this, Diederichs served as the CEO of OreCorp Limited, helping drive the advancement of the Nyanzaga Gold Project, located in Tanzania. OreCorp was acquired by Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) in April 2024.

What did management say?

Commenting on the leadership shakeup for the ASX All Ords gold share, Wia Gold chairman Josef El-Raghy said:

His appointment marks a milestone for the company as we accelerate Wia’s transition from exploration to development, by progressing Kokoseb through the Definitive Feasibility Study phase, following the completion of the Scoping Study in September 2025.

Henk brings extensive leadership experience and a proven track record in successfully advancing resource projects through feasibility, development and into production, particularly across Africa.

Incoming managing director and CEO Diederichs said, “I am excited to lead the development and construction of Kokoseb, one of Africa’s most promising and robust gold mining projects.”

Diederichs added:

With the significant progress achieved to date and key milestones ahead, including the completion of the DFS and securing the necessary permits to bring Kokoseb into production, I look forward to building a strong development and operations team in Namibia to deliver a highly value accretive project that benefits all our stakeholders.

The post Up 298% in a year, ASX All Ords gold share welcomes new CEO appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Shares in logistics software company Wisetech Ltd (ASX: WTC) have been relatively out of favour in recent times, and remain trading not far off their 12-month lows.

However, the consensus seems to be that the only way is up, with 12 of the 14 analysts surveyed by Tradingview having a strong buy recommendation on the stock, and two having it as a hold.

The price targets are all above the current share price of $67.43, ranging from $74.08 to a very bullish $177.09.

Share price upside likely

The team at Jarden have this week put out a research note on the stock, and they’re also predicting share price upside, with their $74 price target implying a 10% total return, including Wisetech’s very modest dividend yield.

The Jarden team said Wisetech is reporting its half-year results on February 25, and the company has a history of surprising the market both positively and negatively.

They expect new contract wins and a faster rollout of the company’s CargoWise product to be a surprise to the upside.

The Jarden team went on to say:

For FY26, we see potential upside if execution of the new commercial model drives a higher-than-expected revenue uplift with limited churn, as well as if Wisetech can successfully roll out new products including Container Transport Optimisation. We also believe Wisetech’s operating cost guidance may be conservative

Possible downsides include higher customer churn as a result of a move to the company’s CargoWise Value Pack product, “as well as consolidation of systems within large global freight forwarders to non-CargoWise based software also present downside risk to Wisetech’s FY26 guidance”.

The Jarden team is expecting the first half underlying EBITDA to come in at US$274 million, up 41% on the previous corresponding period, with revenue up 70% to US$649 million.

Other risks to the company’s results include a reduction in global shipping volumes, with volumes into the US softening in the first half, Jarden said.

Another longer-term key risk for the company could be artificial intelligence, the Jarden team said:

The extent to which AI might benefit or disrupt WiseTech. For instance, AI could enable customers to use WiseTech’s capabilities more efficiently in combination with its unique data assets, or could AI-driven solutions disrupt WiseTech?

Wisetech was valued at $22.65 billion at the close of trade on Wednesday.

The company’s shares have traded between $61.49 and $130.50 over the past year.

The post Is Wisetech a buy, sell or hold at current levels? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England has positions in WiseTech Global. 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.

Building a reliable income portfolio does not require complex strategies or constant trading.

For do-it-yourself (DIY) investors, the key is to focus on businesses and funds that generate steady cash flows, operate in resilient industries, and have a track record of paying dividends through different market conditions.

Starting with $50,000 gives you enough flexibility to diversify your income sources while still keeping the portfolio simple and manageable.

Here is how I would think about building a stable income portfolio from that starting point.

Start with dependable core income

Every income portfolio needs a foundation. This is where established Australian shares with predictable earnings can play an important role. Businesses tied to everyday spending or essential services tend to hold up better when economic conditions soften, which helps support consistent dividends.

Examples include supermarket operators like Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), telecommunications providers such as Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), and defensive operators like Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC) and HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN). These types of companies are not usually the fastest growers, but their cash flows are often more predictable, which is exactly what an income-focused portfolio needs.

Allocating a meaningful portion of the $50,000 to these kinds of businesses can help establish a stable base of dividends from day one.

Add diversified income through ETFs

Exchange traded funds (ETFs) can make income investing simpler and more diversified.

Australian income ETFs provide exposure to a basket of dividend-paying companies, reducing reliance on any single stock. Funds such as Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY) can be useful for spreading risk while maintaining an attractive income profile.

Including an income-focused ETF alongside individual shares helps smooth dividend payments over time and reduces the impact if one company cuts or suspends its dividend.

Balance income with sustainability

One of the biggest mistakes income investors make is chasing yield at all costs.

A stable income portfolio should prioritise dividends that are supported by earnings and cash flow, not those that look attractive but may be difficult to maintain. Companies with moderate payout ratios, strong balance sheets, and disciplined capital management are more likely to deliver income consistently over many years.

This is especially important for DIY investors who want a portfolio they can largely leave alone without worrying about frequent dividend shocks.

Foolish takeaway

Starting with $50,000 gives DIY investors a strong base to build a stable income portfolio.

By focusing on dependable businesses, using income ETFs for diversification, and prioritising sustainability over big yields, it is possible to create an income stream that can last through market cycles. Over time, consistency and discipline tend to matter far more than chasing the highest yield on offer.

The post DIY investors: How to build a stable income portfolio starting with $50,000 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended The Lottery Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group and Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended HomeCo Daily Needs REIT, The Lottery Corporation, and Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Three widely held ASX media shares, News Corp (ASX:NWS), REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), and Nine Entertainment Co Holdings (ASX: NEC), are trading near their 52-week lows as investor confidence in the sector weakens.

Over the past six months, the prices of the three ASX 200 media shares have tumbled between 15% and 30%. The sell-off reflects a mix of structural pressures, regulatory scrutiny, and shifting sentiment, rather than a single common trigger.

However, most analysts see upside for the media stocks. Let’s find out who they see as the winner.

News Corp

News Corp remains one of the world’s most influential media companies. The heavyweight ASX media share owns mastheads such as The Wall Street Journal and The Australian, alongside book publisher HarperCollins and digital platforms like Dow Jones.

The company’s strength lies in its premium content and subscription-led model. Paid digital news and data services have helped insulate News Corp from the worst of the advertising downturn. Its global reach and political influence also give it a unique position in public debate and policymaking.

But weaknesses persist. Traditional print remains in structural decline, and the business is still exposed to cyclical advertising markets. News Corp also faces ongoing reputational, regulatory scrutiny, and past political and governance controversies.

Strategically, News Corp is betting that trusted journalism, data-driven services, and digital marketplaces can offset legacy declines. In a fragmented media landscape, scale and trust remain News Corp’s biggest assets and its biggest tests.

The ASX media share trades at $45.77 per share at the time of writing, having lost 15% of its value in the past 6 months. Most analysts see News Corp as a buy. Their average 12-month price target is $57.38, which implies a 25% upside.   

REA Group

REA Group’s decline in 2025 has been driven more by growth concerns than by any clear deterioration in its business. The ASX media share continues to dominate Australia’s online property market through realestate.com.au, retaining strong pricing power and delivering earnings growth.

Even though the share price has fallen, REA’s latest results show the business continues to grow. In the first quarter of FY26, revenue rose about 4% year on year, while profit increased roughly 5%, supported by resilient demand across its core markets.

However, caution has crept in. A fall in new national property listings has raised questions about near-term momentum, while an ACCC investigation into REA’s pricing practices, launched in May, has added regulatory uncertainty.

Even so, analysts remain largely constructive. Macquarie rates the stock neutral with a $220 price target, while UBS sees stronger upside with a $255 target. On average, broker forecasts still point to 32% upside over the next 12 months.

Nine Entertainment

Nine’s share price fall has been steeper, and not entirely for operational reasons. In May, the company sold its 60% stake in Domain and returned capital via a special dividend. When the stock went ex-dividend in September, the share price dropped 34% to reflect that payout.

Beyond the technical impact, the ASX 200 media share faces genuine challenges. The business remains heavily exposed to free-to-air television, a segment under pressure from softer advertising markets. Brokers have responded by trimming 2026 revenue forecasts from about $2.7 billion to closer to $2.3 billion.

The focus now shifts to execution. Nine must stabilise earnings from traditional media while accelerating growth across digital assets such as Stan.

Most brokers continue to rate the media stock a buy following its sharp decline. The average 12-month price target sits at $1.31, suggesting potential upside of about 16%.

The post Which ASX media share to buy: News Corp, Nine or REA Group? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nine Entertainment. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The analyst team at Jarden has reviewed the junior telcos listed on the ASX before they deliver their first-half results and has come up with a recommendation for which one they prefer in an increasingly competitive market.

Both Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) and Superloop Ltd (ASX: SLC) will face increasing competitive pressure from Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), the Jarden team says, with Telstra “unbundling modems and collapsing visible price premiums, though we see asymmetric risk/reward profiles between the two challengers”.

Tough market conditions

The Jarden team said in their research note to clients this week that there has been a contraction in the telco market since the end of FY25, and this “reflects implicit negative earnings expectations that we believe create potential for significant volatility on result day”.

They went on to say:

We expect Superloop is better positioned to beat these lowered market expectations. Reflecting this view, we are downgrading Aussie Broadband to neutral from overweight with a reduced target price of $5.25 (from $5.80), while maintaining our buy rating on Superloop with an adjusted target price of $3.25 (from $3.40).

Should Superloop achieve that price target, it would be a 33.2% return from current levels.

Jarden has reduced its earnings per share expectations for Superloop by 10% for FY26, but says “this reflects the law of small numbers rather than fundamental deterioration”.

They went on to say:

We expect consumer gross margins to outperform expectations despite competitive intensity, with pricing discipline remaining intact.

In Superloop’s wholesale business, Jarden said Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG), which on-sells Superloop products under its own brand, materially increased promotional activity late in the first half, “positioning the company for stronger second half 2026 subscriber growth as marketing spend is deployed”.

The Jarden team said Superloop’s Smart Communities business also remained underappreciated by the market.

Challenges ahead for Aussie

Should the Aussie Broadband share price hit the Jarden price target, it would constitute an 8.3% return from current levels.

The Jarden team said their main concern for this business going forward was residential growth challenges.

More broadly, we see mounting structural headwinds as larger base management effects combine with direct exposure to Telstra’s entry into the BYO segment, likely limiting Aussie Broadband’s growth runway.  Additionally (now confirmed by Aussie broadband), Symbio faces significant margin pressure from ACCC mandated voice interconnection rate cuts that will see a 70% reduction from 86c/min to 26c/min, creating approximately $9m in EBITDA headwinds by FY29.

Symbio is a division of Aussie Broadband that specialises in hosting phone services for large businesses.

The post Which telco challenger brand could deliver a 33% return? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Aussie Broadband. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. 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.