• Buying Northern Star shares? Here’s the latest on the gold miner’s production woes

    Miner standing at quarry looking upset

    Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are marching higher today.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold stock closed yesterday trading for $24.60. In late morning trade on Friday, shares are changing hands for $25.01 apiece, up 1.7%.

    For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.1% at this same time, while the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) is up 1.5%.

    Despite today’s lift, Northern Star shares remain in the red in 2026, having yet to fully recover from the 8.6% plunge on 2 January.

    Why did Northern Star shares kick off 2026 with a whimper?

    Although many Aussie investors opted to take an extended New Year’s holiday break, the ASX was open on Friday, 2 January.

    And Northern Star shares got pummelled after the miner reported gold sales of around 348,000 ounces for the December quarter. That came in below market expectations amid a series of equipment failures and unplanned maintenance at Northern Star’s production sites over the quarter.

    Management also rattled investors after downgrading Northern Star’s FY 2026 gold sales guidance to between 1.6 million and 1.7 million ounces. That was down from previous gold sales guidance of 1.7 million ounces to 1.85 million ounces.

    What did the ASX 200 gold stock report?

    Northern Star shares are pushing higher today after the miner responded (after market close on Thursday) to an ASX Aware letter questioning the timing and amount of information the company had about its likely gold production and cost outlook prior to the 2 January announcement.

    The company noted that in the 2 January release, it disclosed that lower gold sales during the December quarter are expected to impact its annual cost guidance.

    As for why Northern Star didn’t provide the market with specifics on cost guidance, today the miner said, “However, any impact on annual cost guidance is not yet known to NST because the company requires further, more complete information that is not yet available to it.”

    The miner added, “Accordingly, the likelihood of any impact and its extent was not capable of being disclosed in the announcement.”

    The ASX also asked when Northern Star first became aware of the information that led to its FY 2026 gold production downgrade.

    The miner replied:

    On 1 January 2026 … NST received actual operational and production figures for the December quarter and was in a position to consider – on a reasonably informed basis – whether softer operational performance in that quarter was, having regard to operational performance and actual production in the September quarter prior and expected operational and production outcomes (including ongoing or potential, new challenges to those outcomes) for the balance of FY26, likely to cause a material variation in NST’s published annual production guidance.

    There you have it.

    Despite a shaky start to 2026, Northern Star shares remain up 51.1% over 12 months, not including dividends.

    The post Buying Northern Star shares? Here’s the latest on the gold miner’s production woes appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Northern Star Resources Limited right now?

    Before you buy Northern Star Resources Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Northern Star Resources Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

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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.

  • Which rare earths company, with a major project in Greenland, has seen a share price uplift on new US move?

    Image of young successful engineer, with blueprints, notepad and digital tablet, observing the project implementation on construction site and in mine.

    Shares in Energy Transition Minerals Ltd (ASX: ETM) were 25% higher at a fresh 12-month high on Friday morning after the company announced it had appointed advisers in the US.

    Energy Transition Minerals has a suite of offshore assets in the critical minerals space, including the large-scale Kvanefjeld rare earths project in Greenland, where it is locked in a legal battle with the Greenland government over its rights to an exploitation licence for the project.

    The company recently told the ASX in a statement that the matter would return to court on January 12.

    The company also has lithium projects in Canada and a tin and rare earths project in Spain.

    Aiming for a US listing

    Energy Transition Metals said in a statement to the ASX on Friday that it had appointed Ballard Partners as strategic advisors in the US.

    As the company explained:

    Ballard Partners’ mandate will include advising on public policy and regulatory issues which shape the global rare earths supply chain, with a focus on long-term value creation for shareholders and supporting ETM’s role as a responsible commercial participant in critical minerals markets. The appointment reflects Ballard Partners’ extensive experience advising clients in the critical minerals sector on how to protect and advance their strategic interests. Ballard’s expertise in the critical minerals policy space, and the firm’s close connections with key decisionmakers in Washington, underscores its capability to advance ETM’s engagement strategy with US investors and strengthen the Company’s international position as a commercial entity.

    The appointment follows the company’s announcement in late December that it had appointed Cohen & Company Capital Markets, which would be advising it on seeking a listing on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in the US.

    Energy Transition Minerals Managing Director Daniel Mamadou said on Friday:

    As we look to expand our engagement with US stakeholders and explore ways to list on Nasdaq, it is essential that we have leading specialists to guide us through the unique challenges of this market. Appointing local public affairs experts will help ensure that we have the right support to navigate regulatory and investor relationships, accelerating our North American engagement and furthering our international strategy.

    Greenland has been in the news again this week, with US President Donald Trump again reiterating that the US needs the island nation for its defence ambitions.

    Energy Transition Minerals shares were 25% higher at a new 12-month high of 20 cents early on Friday.

    The company was valued at $317.1 million at the close of trade on Thursday.

    The post Which rare earths company, with a major project in Greenland, has seen a share price uplift on new US move? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Energy Transition Minerals Ltd right now?

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    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Energy Transition Minerals Ltd wasn’t one of them.

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  • Is the WiseTech Global share price about to shock us all in 2026?

    A woman looks shocked as she drinks a coffee while reading the paper.

    The WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) share price has been through a bruising period. After peaking in late 2024, the stock is now down close to 50% from its highs.

    But as we move through January, I think the setup is starting to look very different. If a few key things fall into place this year, WiseTech could surprise investors in 2026.

    What went wrong in 2025?

    There is no denying that 2025 was a difficult year for WiseTech.

    The company was affected by governance concerns, media scrutiny, and an ASIC investigation, which weighed heavily on investor sentiment. While no charges have been laid, the uncertainty alone was enough to compress the valuation of a stock that previously traded on a premium multiple.

    At the same time, WiseTech embarked on one of the most significant changes in its history. It completed the large e2open acquisition and announced a major shift to its CargoWise commercial model. That combination created execution risk at a time when confidence was already fragile.

    For a market that values predictability, it was simply too much at once.

    Why 2026 could look very different for the WiseTech share price

    Looking ahead, I think the WiseTech story becomes much clearer.

    First, leadership stability has returned. Zubin Appoo is now firmly established as CEO, with a clear mandate to sharpen execution, improve productivity, and deliver on strategy. Richard White has stepped back into a focused innovation role, which addresses key person risk concerns raised by investors last year.

    Second, the new CargoWise Value Packs model is now live. This is a big deal. WiseTech is moving away from a complex seat-based pricing structure toward a simpler, more scalable transactional model. If it works as intended, it should deepen customer penetration, improve monetisation of AI-driven features, and reduce friction in global rollouts.

    Third, the e2open acquisition materially expands WiseTech’s addressable market. The business is no longer just the operating system for freight forwarders. It is increasingly positioning itself as an end-to-end platform across global trade, supply chain planning, and execution. That opens the door to a much larger long-term growth opportunity.

    The role of AI and product execution

    One area I think the market may be underestimating is WiseTech’s progress on AI.

    CargoWise already sits at the centre of enormous volumes of real-world logistics data. Management is embedding AI directly into workflows, from customs classification and compliance to exception handling and container optimisation. This is not experimental AI. It is productivity-focused automation tied directly to customer outcomes.

    If WiseTech can demonstrate that these tools materially reduce costs and improve throughput for customers, pricing power should follow.

    Guidance matters from here

    Ultimately, the bull case hinges on delivery.

    WiseTech has reaffirmed its FY26 guidance, despite the integration costs associated with e2open and short-term margin pressure. If management can meet that guidance, execute the commercial model transition smoothly, and avoid further controversies, investor confidence could return quickly.

    Given how far the share price has already fallen, it would not take much positive surprise to drive outperformance.

    Foolish Takeaway

    WiseTech Global remains a high-quality global software business operating in an industry that is only becoming more complex. The problems of 2025 were real, but they also appear addressable.

    For investors willing to accept some risk, I think the WiseTech Global share price could genuinely shock on the upside in 2026 if execution improves and the narrative stabilises.

    The post Is the WiseTech Global share price about to shock us all in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in WiseTech Global right now?

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    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

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    Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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.

  • Why are Mesoblast shares jumping 10% to a 52-week high?

    A woman with strawberry blonde hair has a huge smile on her face and fist pumps the air having seen good news on her phone.

    Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB) shares are having a strong finish to the week.

    In morning trade, the biotechnology company’s shares are up 10% to a 52-week high of $3.30.

    Why are Mesoblast shares jumping?

    Investors have been buying the allogeneic cellular medicines developer’s shares this morning following the release of a sales update.

    According to the release, Mesoblast generated gross revenue of US$35.1 million on Ryoncil (remestemcel-L-rknd) sales for the quarter ended 31 December 2025. This represents a 60% increase on the prior quarter ended 30 September.

    Mesoblast’s Ryoncil product is used for the treatment of steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease (SR-aGvHD). It is the first mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) product that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for any indication.

    The product is the only FDA-approved product approved for children under age 12 with SR-aGvHD, and will now be evaluated in a pivotal trial as part of a second-line regimen for adults with SR-aGvHD. Management notes that this is a market approximately three times larger than the paediatric market.

    Balance sheet strength

    Mesoblast notes that the increase in quarterly revenue continues to strengthen its balance sheet.

    This is being supported by its entry into a US$125 million facility with its largest shareholder, which substantially lowered the company’s cost of capital and freed up its major assets to provide flexibility for strategic partnerships and commercialisation.

    It notes that the new facility has enabled Mesoblast to repay in full its prior senior secured loan.

    The new US$125 million five-year interest-only facility has a substantially lower overall cost compared with previous facilities, can be repaid at any time without incurring early prepayment or make-whole fees, does not include exit fees, does not encumber any of Mesoblast’s material assets or intellectual property, and has no restrictions on additional unsecured debt or licensing activities.

    Additionally, the company has partly repaid its subordinated royalty facility which will continue to reduce from ongoing revenue and will be fully repaid by mid-2026.

    Commenting on recent developments, Mesoblast’s chief executive, Dr. Silviu Itescu, said:

    Our strong balance sheet, continued growth in quarterly sales of Ryoncil, and a new lower-cost financing facility provides greater flexibility for strategic partnerships and pursuit of label expansion for Ryoncil.

    Following today’s gain, Mesoblast shares are now up by a sizeable 105% over the past six months.

    The post Why are Mesoblast shares jumping 10% to a 52-week high? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Mesoblast Limited right now?

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    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Mesoblast Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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  • Up 177% in a year, why is this ASX 300 gold stock leaping higher again on Friday?

    Woman with gold nuggets on her hand.

    S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) gold stock Alkane Resources Ltd (ASX: ALK) is at it again today.

    And by ‘it’ I mean charging ahead of the benchmark.

    Alkane Resources shares closed yesterday trading for $1.37. In morning trade on Friday, shares are changing hands for $1.47 apiece, up 7.3%.

    For some context, the ASX 300 is up 0.2% at this same time.

    Today’s outperformance is par for the course for this high-flying ASX 300 gold stock.

    One year ago, you could have bought Alkane Resources shares for 53 cents each. If you were to sell those shares at current levels, that would see you sitting on a gain of 177.4%. Or enough to turn a $10,000 investment into $27,736.

    In 12 months.

    Part of those impressive gains has been driven by the surging gold price. Gold is currently trading for US$4,476.55 per ounce, up 66.4% since this time last year.

    And Alkane Resources certainly hasn’t been sitting idle.

    Here’s what is stoking renewed investor interest today.

    ASX 300 gold stock jumps on production update

    The Alkane Resources share price is leaping higher once more today following the release of the gold miner’s December quarterly production update (Q2 FY 2026).

    The ASX 300 gold stock reported that it had produced 43,663 ounces of gold equivalent over the three months to 31 December. That brings its first half (H1 FY 2026) production to 80,070 ounces of gold equivalent.

    Turning to the balance sheet, as at 31 December, Alkane held $218 million in cash, $14 million in listed investments and another $14 million in bullion, for a total of $246 million. That’s up $15 million from the prior quarter’s end, after the ASX 300 gold stock paid $11 million of FY 2025 income tax.

    The company noted that it is debt free except for equipment finance of A$22 million.

    Over the quarter, Alkane Resources sold 42,709 ounces of gold and 409 tonnes of antimony.

    Management reaffirmed full-year FY 2026 guidance of 160,000 to 175,000 ounces of gold equivalent at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of A$2,600 – A$2,900 per gold equivalent ounce.

    What did management say?

    Commenting on the results helping lift the ASX 300 gold stock today, Alkane Resources managing director Nic Earner, said:

    Alkane has had a solid quarter’s production from our three operating mines which together produced 42,767 ounces of gold and 267 tonnes of antimony (43,663 ounces of gold equivalent) over the quarter.

    Tomingley will pour its 750,000th ounce of gold during January 2026, a great testament to the team there. We have further strengthened our balance sheet over the quarter with A$246 million in cash, bullion and listed investments at quarter end.

    The post Up 177% in a year, why is this ASX 300 gold stock leaping higher again on Friday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Alkane Resources right now?

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    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Alkane Resources wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

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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.

  • Which gaming company has just announced a huge new share buyback?

    Three women laughing and enjoying their gambling winnings while sitting at a poker machine.

    Shares in Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL) are trading higher after the company announced it was extending its share buyback by another $750 million.

    The gaming company said it had bought back $701.1 million already since February 2025, and given the company’s strong cash generation, had decided to extend.

    As the company said:

    The board has approved an increase in the on-market share buy-back program to allow up to a further $750 million in shares to be bought back over an additional 12-month period ending 5 March 2027 (up to $1.5 billion in aggregate). The on-market share buy-back program will continue to be conducted on an opportunistic basis and Aristocrat reserves the right to vary, suspend or terminate the on-market share buy-back program at any time.

    The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Trevor Croker, stated that the company was able to conduct the extended buyback while also expanding the business.

    He said in a statement:

    With the $750 million on-market share buy-back program previously announced in February 2025 nearing completion, and our consistently strong cash flow generation, we are able to continue to pursue a mix of returns to shareholders via dividends and share buy-backs while also investing in strategic acquisitions and organic growth initiatives.

    Strong performance

    In its most recent profit announcement in November, Aristocrat reported full-year revenue had increased 11% to $6.29 billion and net profit was up 9.4% to $1.42 billion.

    Mr Croker said at the time that it was a strong result with double-digit growth across most key metrics.

    The group delivered strong revenue and EBITDA growth over the year, again benefitting from strong organic growth and an outstanding portfolio of content across the group. This result once again highlights our market leadership and scale as fundamental strengths of the business , supported by a focus on efficiency and extracting operating leverage as we grow.

    Mr Croker said the company had taken “foundational steps that will set up Aristocrat Interactive to accelerate performance, and allow us to fully utilise our content, scale and capabilities”.

    He added that the company would continue to pursue strategic merger and acquisition opportunities “in a disciplined and consistent manner”.

    Aristocrat shares were 2.4% higher at $58 on Friday morning, not far off their 12-month lows of $54.20.

    The company was worth $34.82 billion at that price. Aristocrat is paying an unfranked trailing dividend yield of 1.6%.

    Aristocrat will hold its annual general meeting on February 19.

    The post Which gaming company has just announced a huge new share buyback? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Aristocrat Leisure Limited right now?

    Before you buy Aristocrat Leisure Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Aristocrat Leisure Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

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

  • Rio Tinto shares sink 6% on Glencore merger bombshell

    A man holds his head in his hands, despairing at the bad result he's reading on his computer.

    Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares are on the slide on Friday morning.

    At the time of writing, the mining giant’s shares are down over 6% to $142.64.

    Why are Rio Tinto shares sinking?

    Investors have been selling the company’s shares this morning after responding negatively to a massive announcement.

    According to the release, Rio Tinto and Glencore (LSE: GLEN) have been engaging in preliminary discussions about a possible combination of some or all of their businesses. This could include an all-share merger between the two mining giants.

    As things stand, the two parties’ current expectation is that any merger transaction would be effected through the acquisition of Glencore by Rio Tinto by way of a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement.

    However, it has warned that there can be no certainty that an offer will be made or as to the terms of any such offer, should one be made.

    It also stressed that nothing in this announcement will be construed as indicating any terms of any such transaction or offer. Rio Tinto reserves the right to introduce other forms of consideration and vary the mix or composition of consideration of any offer.

    In accordance with London stock exchange rules, Rio Tinto will have until 5.00 p.m. (London time) on 5 February 2026 to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for Glencore or to advise that no offer will be made.

    What is Glencore?

    Rio Tinto is of course the world’s biggest iron ore miner and has a market capitalisation of about US$142 billion.

    Glencore is valued at US$65 billion as of its last close and is one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies. It is a major producer and marketer of more than 60+ commodities that advance everyday life.

    The company notes that its customers are industrial consumers, such as those in the automotive, steel, power generation, battery manufacturing and oil sectors. It also provides financing, logistics and other services to producers and consumers of commodities.

    In 2024, it generated US$14.4 billion in adjusted EBITDA and US$3.2 billion in marketing adjusted EBIT.

    Should the merger go ahead, it would create a monster with a market value of over US$200 billion (~A$300 billion).

    However, only time will tell if that will be the case. Glencore and Rio Tinto have looked at a merger in the past, with no deal ultimately being reached. And it appears the market isn’t overly keen on the plan, based on the way Rio Tinto shares are performing today.

    The post Rio Tinto shares sink 6% on Glencore merger bombshell appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Rio Tinto Limited right now?

    Before you buy Rio Tinto Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Rio Tinto Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

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  • Guess which ASX 200 stock is rocketing 24% on impressive half year profit update

    Overjoyed man celebrating success with yes gesture after getting some good news on mobile.

    Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) shares are ending the week with an almighty bang.

    In morning trade, the ASX 200 stock is up 24% to a record high of $39.20.

    Why is this ASX 200 stock rocketing?

    The catalyst for today’s move has been the release of an announcement from the metal detector and communications products manufacturer before the market open on Friday.

    That announcement includes a trading update covering the half year period ended 31 December 2025. Though, management notes that all figures are preliminary, unaudited, and subject to review by the group’s auditors.

    According to the release, Codan is expecting its group revenue for the first half of FY 2026 to be approximately $394 million. If this proves accurate, it will mean a sizeable increase of 29% over the prior corresponding period.

    Based on this estimate, the ASX 200 stock believes that its underlying net profit after tax will be not less than $70 million for the half. This represents growth of approximately 52% over the prior corresponding period, and indicates that margins are improving meaningfully in FY 2026.

    What were the drivers of this growth?

    Management notes that its revenue and profit growth for the first half of FY 2026 were underpinned by “outstanding results achieved by the metal detection business and ongoing strong performance in the communications segment.”

    The ASX 200 stock’s metal detection business delivered revenue of approximately $168 million for the half. This represents growth of ~46% over the prior corresponding period. The company advised that this growth was primarily achieved by gold detector sales in the African region. In addition, metal detector sales in other key rest of world recreational markets achieved double-digit growth for the half compared to the same period last year.

    As for the communications segment, it achieved revenue of approximately $222 million for the six months. This represents growth of ~19% over the prior corresponding period. Management notes that this rate of growth is consistent with its “stated expectation of growth at the upper end of the 15% to 20% growth target range for the first-half of FY26.”

    Following today’s move, this ASX 200 stock is now up almost 150% over the past 12 months from $15.94. This means that a $10,000 investment a year ago, would now be worth close to $25,000.

    Codan intends to release its audited half year results for FY 2026 next month on 19 February.

    The post Guess which ASX 200 stock is rocketing 24% on impressive half year profit update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Codan Limited right now?

    Before you buy Codan Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Codan Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

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  • AustralianSuper boosts its stake in takeover target BlueScope Steel

    A woman in a red dress holding up a red graph.

    Superannuation fund AustralianSuper has boosted its stake in takeover target BlueScope Steel Ltd (ASX: BSL), likely betting that a sweetened takeover offer will be tabled.

    In a notice lodged with the ASX late on Thursday afternoon, the superannuation fund indicated that it had increased its stake in BlueScope, which on Wednesday rejected a $30 per share takeover offer from SGH Ltd (ASX: SGH) and US company Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ: STLD).

    AustralianSuper’s stake in BlueScope increased from 12.5% to 13.52% following share purchases on Monday and Tuesday at prices ranging from $24.38 to $29.55.

    Strong bargaining position

    Given that AustralianSuper’s stake is higher than 10%, it puts the super fund in a strong bargaining position to potentially block any takeover bid or hold out for a higher price.

    Generally, under a takeover scenario, companies can move to compulsorily acquire the shares they do not own if they manage to gain control of more than 90% of a company’s shares.

    The BlueScope board on Wednesday formally rejected the $30 per share bid from SGH and Steel Dynamics, after news of the bid broke on Monday.

    The BlueScope board said it had unanimously rejected the bid, saying it undervalued the company.

    BlueScope Chair Jane McAloon put it this way:

    Let me be clear – this proposal was an attempt to take BlueScope from its shareholders on the cheap. It drastically undervalued our world-class assets, our growth momentum, and our future – and the board will not let that happen. This is the fourth time we’ve said no, and the answer remained the same – BlueScope is worth considerably more than what was on the table.

    Ms McAloon said the company was “well recognised” for building shareholder value and had delivered over $3.8 billion in shareholder returns since 2017, achieving an average 18% return on invested capital.

    Industry at a low point

    Ms McAloon also said that steel spread prices in Asia were currently at a low point, and if they returned to historical average levels, “this would be expected to generate an additional $400 to $900 million of EBIT per annum relative to FY2025”.

    She added that BlueScope was targeting $500 million in extra earnings from growth programs, which were “well under way”, and the company was also targeting $200 million in cost and productivity improvements this financial year.

    The proposal from SGH and Steel Dynamics would have involved SGH acquiring all of the shares in BlueScope and then on-selling BlueScope’s North American businesses to the American company.

    BlueScope shares closed at $29.40 on Thursday, valuing the company at $12.78 billion.

    The post AustralianSuper boosts its stake in takeover target BlueScope Steel appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in BlueScope Steel Limited right now?

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    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and BlueScope Steel Limited wasn’t one of them.

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  • Codan posts strong first-half FY26 revenue and profit growth

    a man sits at his computer pumping his fist as he smiles widely with eyes closed and an expression of great joy as he looks at his laptop screen in his own home with a cup nearby.

    The Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) share price is in focus today after the company reported group revenue of about $394 million for the first half of FY26, up 29% on the same time last year. Underlying net profit after tax is expected to exceed $70 million, roughly 52% higher than the previous period.

    What did Codan report?

    • First-half FY26 group revenue: ~$394 million, up 29% year-on-year
    • Underlying net profit after tax: not less than $70 million, up ~52%
    • Metal detection revenue: ~$168 million, up ~46%, driven by strong gold detector sales in Africa
    • Communications segment revenue: ~$222 million, up ~19%, meeting the higher end of Codan’s growth target
    • Approximately $4 million of revenue from legacy Minetec business included

    What else do investors need to know?

    Codan’s results were supported by ongoing strength in both its metal detection and communications businesses. Recreational metal detector sales outside Africa also delivered double-digit growth for the half.

    The company’s communications business continued to perform well, matching the upper end of its stated 15%–20% growth target for the first half. All figures in this update are preliminary, unaudited, and will be reviewed by Codan’s auditors before final results are released.

    What’s next for Codan?

    Codan is set to release its full audited first-half FY26 results on 19 February 2026, which will give investors greater detail about segment performance and outlook. The business remains focused on developing durable technology solutions for customers in demanding environments worldwide.

    Investors will be watching for further updates on growth in both the metal detection and communications segments, as well as any news on dividends or refreshed strategic targets.

    Codan share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, Codan shares have risen 99%, strongly outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

    View Original Announcement

    The post Codan posts strong first-half FY26 revenue and profit growth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Codan Limited right now?

    Before you buy Codan Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Codan Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

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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.