Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) shares are storming higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold stock closed yesterday trading for $8.40. In morning trade on Thursday, shares are swapping hands for $8.72, up 3.8%.

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

With today’s intraday gains factored in, Regis Resources shares are now up a whopping 174.2% over 12 months, racing ahead of the 7.9% one-year gains posted by the ASX 200.

And that doesn’t include the 5 cents a share in fully-franked dividends the gold miner paid out in FY 2025.

That was the first dividend Regis Resources had paid since 2022, by the way. But with profits surging to record levels amid a rocketing gold price, that’s nothing compared to the passive income the ASX 200 gold miner is paying out in FY 2026.

Here’s what’s happening.

Regis Resources shares attracting passive income investors

This morning, the ASX 200 gold stock released its half-year results for the six months to 31 December (H1 FY 2026).

And Regis Resources shares are jumping with the miner reporting a 40% year-on-year increase in half-year gold sales revenue to $1.09 billion. Regis achieved an average realised price of $5,968 per ounce for that gold, up 52% from H1 FY 2025.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $621 million were up 73%.

Over the half year, Regis produced 186,917 ounces at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $2,850 per ounce.

On the bottom line, the miner reported a record net profit after tax (NPAT) of $323 million, up 73% year on year.

And Regis Resources shares are catching plenty of investor interest today, with management declaring a fully-franked interim dividend of 15 cents per share. That’s up 200% from the 5 cents per share paid out over all of FY 2025.

If you’re looking to bank that passive income payout (currently representing an instant 1.7% yield), you’ll need to own shares at market close on 11 March. The ASX 200 gold stock trades ex-dividend on 12 March.

On the balance sheet, Regis held cash and bullion of $930 million as at 31 December.

What’s next for the ASX 200 gold stock?

Regis Resources shares could continue to catch tailwinds as investors chase the upcoming dividends.

The miner said that moving forward, it intends to pay fully-franked dividends on a semi-annual basis. These are expected to represent between 25% and 50% of the increase in the company’s cash and gold bullion balance over the preceding half year.

Regis Resources CEO Jim Beyer said:

Looking to the remainder of the financial year, we remain on track to deliver in line with guidance and in the prevailing gold price environment, we expect to see another period of significant cash generation and profitability.

The post Big ASX gold news! Regis Resources shares leaping higher today on 200% dividend boost appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
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• Buy, hold, sell: DroneShield, Regis Resources, and Suncorp shares

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.

The Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR) share price is in focus after the company reported its most recent half year result, with net profit after tax up 94% to US$96.3 million and group revenue up 17% to a record US$672.1 million.

What did Sandfire Resources report?

• Group sales revenue of US$672.1 million, up 17% on the prior corresponding period
• Net profit after tax (NPAT) of US$96.3 million, up 94%
• Underlying EBITDA of US$304.5 million, up 19%, with a margin of 45%
• Underlying earnings more than doubled to US$107.1 million
• No interim dividend was declared
• Net cash position of US$13.2 million at 31 December 2025 (compared to net debt of US$288.2 million last year)

What else do investors need to know?

Sandfire’s result was driven by robust operational performance at MATSA and Motheo, higher copper and precious metal prices, and a significant reduction in global treatment and refining charges. The company maintained its annual production, cost, and capital expenditure guidance for its key operations.

The company continued to invest in growth, committing US$112 million to capital expenditure, with a focus on drilling to extend resources and early works for a new tailings facility. After the half year, Sandfire struck an agreement to advance the Kalkaroo Copper-Gold Project in South Australia and increased capital guidance slightly to support new exploration.

What did Sandfire Resources management say?

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Brendan Harris said:

We closed H1 FY26 with a TRIF of 1.3, down from 1.7 at the end of FY25. While it’s pleasing to achieve an outcome that moves us closer toward our goal of having a workplace that is injury free, the number of high potential incidents remains a concern and underlines the importance of the work we’re doing to establish repeatable systems and processes that will further strengthen our internal system of risk management and control. Our business is increasingly well positioned with two high-margin operations in Spain and Botswana, producing the commodities the world needs, and the recent addition of another copper and gold development opportunity in South Australia that has the potential to underpin a large scale, long life and low cost operation in a preferred jurisdiction.

What’s next for Sandfire Resources?

Sandfire reaffirmed production, cost and capital expenditure guidance for MATSA and Motheo, with group copper equivalent output weighted to the second half. The company expects higher grades and improved availability at both major mines in H2 FY26. Planned ramp-up at the newly acquired Kalkaroo project in South Australia, and continued targeted exploration, will see total group capital and exploration outlays rise modestly.

The strong balance sheet leaves the company well placed to fund growth, progress development projects, and potentially return capital to shareholders in the future.

Sandfire Resources share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Sandfire Resources share have risen 76%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 8% over the same period.

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The post Sandfire Resources posts 94% profit jump and record revenue in H1 FY26 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

ASX bank stocks are back in the spotlight after reporting stronger-than-expected profits in their latest financial updates.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) was the last of the big four Aussie banks to post its latest update for this earnings season ahead of the market open on Wednesday. The banking giant revealed a 15% hike in its cash earnings for the first quarter of FY26 and a 6% increase in revenue. 

The announcement follows Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), which posted its first-quarter results on Friday last week. The bank reported a 5% increase in unaudited statutory net profit and a 6% increase in net profit excluding notable items. Westpac CEO Anthony Miller said, “We are optimistic on the outlook for the economy and expect demand for both business and household credit to remain resilient.” 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) posted its half-year results last week, where it revealed a 6% increase in cash net profit to $5,445 million. The bank also lifted its interim dividend by 4% to $2.35 per share. CBA’s CEO, Matt Comyn, said that economic growth strengthened during the half, “driven by increases in consumer demand and rising investment in AI and energy infrastructure”.

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) also announced its latest quarterly update ahead of the ASX open on Thursday last week. The bank reported a first-quarter cash profit of $1.94 billion, up a whopping 75% from the second-half average of FY25.

The results send share prices flying

NAB shares closed 3.8% higher after the company’s results announcement yesterday. And this morning they’re climbing again. At the time of writing, the shares are up another 2.38% to $48.26.

Westpac’s announcement pushed its share price 1.3% lower for the day. At the time of writing this morning, the shares are up another 2.25% to $41.72 a piece.

Meanwhile, CBA shares soared nearly 6% higher on the back of its announcement. At the time of writing on Thursday morning, the shares have dropped 0.41% to $179.37.

ANZ shares jumped 8.5% the day it released its update. At the time of writing, the shares are up 1.76% for the day at $39.92.

What’s next for ASX bank stocks this year?

This earnings result season has been a welcome recovery for the banking majors after overall banking sector weakness late last year caused share price declines across most of the sector. 

But analysts aren’t optimistic that the ASX bank stocks will continue climbing this year.

Analysts’ sentiment is split between neutral and strong sell stances on NAB shares, with an average target price of $41.66. That implies a potential 13.5% downside at the time of writing.

They’re also split on Westpac shares. Out of 16 analysts, eight have a hold rating, and another 8 have a sell or strong sell rating. The average target price is $35.03, implying a potential 16.12% downside over the next 12 months from the current trading price.

The outlook for CBA shares is much more negative, with the majority of analysts holding a sell or strong sell rating on the stock. The average target price is low too, at just $131.20 per share. This implies a potential 26.87% downside at the time of writing.

ANZ shares hold the most promise. Most analysts are split between a hold position and a buy or strong buy position. The average target price still represents a drop from the share price at the time of writing, though. Analysts have tipped an average 7.21% decline to $37.04 this year.

The post Are ASX bank stocks back in favour after earnings season? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why experts think the NAB share price is a buy with more upside
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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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 Insignia Financial Ltd (ASX: IFL) share price is in focus after the company posted a 6.3% lift in underlying net profit after tax (UNPAT) to $132.1 million for the first half of FY26, and lifted funds under management and administration to $342 billion.

What did Insignia Financial report?

• Underlying net profit after tax (UNPAT) rose 6.3% to $132.1 million
• Group statutory NPAT of $78.8 million, up from a $16.8 million loss in 1H25
• Revenue grew 3.8% to $829.1 million
• Funds under management and administration (FUMA) increased 4.7% to $342 billion
• No interim dividend declared for the half
• Cost to income ratio improved to 62.5%, down from 68.0% in 1H25

What else do investors need to know?

Insignia Financial reported net flows of $0.9 billion during the half, despite ongoing headwinds across parts of the wealth management sector. The Wrap platform segment was a standout, delivering strong UNPAT growth of 22.7% and positive net flows. Meanwhile, Master Trust net flows remained negative but the segment achieved a 7.1% increase in net profit after tax.

Cost discipline was a focus, with base operating expenses dropping by $30.8 million. However, increased reinvestment in strategic projects lifted reinvestment operating expenses to $30.8 million, supporting longer-term transformation and digital initiatives.

What’s next for Insignia Financial?

Looking ahead, Insignia Financial aims to deliver double-digit earnings growth over the medium term, in line with its 2030 strategy to become Australia’s leading, most efficient diversified wealth management company. Management is targeting further simplification, digital enhancement, adviser network growth, and ongoing cost excellence to support sustainable long-term growth.

Transformational projects—including AI-enabled services and platform consolidation—are expected to underpin margin improvements and better customer outcomes, though investment in these areas is likely to remain elevated in the near term.

Insignia Financial share price snapshot

Over the past 12 month, Insignia Financial shares have remained flat, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 8% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Insignia Financial lifts 1H26 profit and funds under management appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) shares have crashed over 21% since the start of 2026 after the company’s latest Q4 FY25 results disappointed investors. 

The company reported in late January that it had achieved the lower end of its guidance, but investors weren’t pleased, and the share sell-off accelerated.

It’s just one of several significant headwinds that the company has faced over the past six months, including slow or delayed regulatory approvals for some of its key radiopharmaceutical products.

At the time of writing on Thursday morning, the shares are 0.9% higher at $8.96 a piece. The uptick means the shares are now 66.63% below where they were trading this time last year.

What’s ahead for Telix this year?

While earlier concerns that the shares could drop below $10 did unfortunately eventuate, it looks like there is good news ahead for the biotech company this year. After several months of sustained share price declines and slumping investor sentiment, it looks likely that Telix shares are at or close to the bottom. 

If Telix receives clearances or expanded approvals for its radiopharmaceutical products in major markets, such as the US or Europe, resolving regulatory setbacks, and investor sentiment improves, it could drive the share price back upwards.

Just yesterday, the company announced it has submitted a European marketing authorisation application for TLX101-Px, its brain cancer imaging agent.

Telix has been preparing regulatory submissions for both Europe and the US simultaneously. The company intends to make its TLX101-Px product commercially available across key European markets.

TLX101-Px diagnostic is expected to help select and track patients in Telix’s ongoing glioblastoma therapy trials, including phase 3 studies in Europe. And the good news is that there aren’t any commercial alternatives widely available, so Telix’s product could address an urgent clinical need without competition.

Telix still has exceptional growth potential in a rapidly expanding market, and at its current share price, the ASX stock is highly attractive.

How high can Telix shares go?

Analysts are incredibly bullish on Telix shares for 2026. TradingView data shows that all 16 analysts have a buy or strong buy rating on the stock. And the expectation is that the share price will soar over the next 12 months.

Some expect the shares to climb 174.55% to $24.65, but others are even more optimistic and expect the share price to rocket to $32.15 a piece. That implies an enormous 258.82% upside at the time of writing and over triple the current value!

The post Prediction: Telix shares could triple in value this year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The Ventia Services Group Ltd (ASX: VNT) share price is in focus today after the company delivered FY25 earnings, with NPATA up 13% to $257.6 million and record Work in Hand of $22.1 billion.

What did Ventia Services Group report?

• Revenue: $6.1 billion, up 0.6% from FY24
• NPATA: $257.6 million, up 13.0%
• EBITDA: $532.1 million, up 6.6% (margin of 8.7%)
• Work in Hand: $22.1 billion, up 14.4%
• Operating cash flow conversion: 93.6%, up 2.2pp
• Final dividend: 12.54 cps, 90% franked (full year: 23.25 cps)

What else do investors need to know?

Ventia marked record growth in its secured work pipeline, achieving an 82% renewal rate and lengthening average contract tenure to 6.4 years. The company continued to strengthen safety outcomes, with its Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate improving by 15%.

In sector performance, Infrastructure Services and Telecommunications delivered solid revenue and EBITDA growth, while Defence and Social Infrastructure segments focused on higher-margin work despite softer revenue. An additional $100 million buyback extension brings the total on-market program to $250 million across FY25–FY26.

What did Ventia Services Group management say?

Ventia Managing Director and Group CEO Dean Banks commented:

FY25 delivered continued margin expansion, strong cash generation and a record level of Work in Hand. Revenue grew modestly, while our EBITDA margin increased to its highest level. Earnings per share rose 17.9%, supported by solid business performance and the on-market share buyback. Our record Work in Hand of $22.1 billion and renewal rate of 82% highlights the quality of our relationships and reinforces our ability to secure long-tenure agreements with strategic customers. These wins, combined with the lengthening of our average tenure to 6.4 years, derisks our portfolio and provides a solid platform for future growth. We are committed to delivering consistent and increasing returns for our shareholders, supported by disciplined execution and a robust pipeline of work won. We see significant future opportunity across our business, underpinned by strong demand drivers and market trends. This foundation positions Ventia to realise sustainable long-term value.

What’s next for Ventia Services Group?

Looking ahead, Ventia has guided for underlying NPATA growth of 7–10% for FY26, supported by its record Work in Hand and resilient contract-based business model. The company plans to focus on expansion opportunities in energy transition, defence, water, and digital infrastructure, reflecting long-term demand and customer needs.

Board and management remain confident in their ability to deliver sustainable value and dividends, underpinned by strong cash generation and prudent capital management.

Ventia Services Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Ventia Services Group shares have risen 45%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 8% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Ventia Services Group posts FY25 result: NPATA up, record Work in Hand appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price has risen by more than 12% (at the time of writing) in the past month. Experts believe the ASX bank share can continue to deliver positive returns for investors from here.

NAB recently reported its FY26 first quarter update to investors, which showed cash profit of $2.02 billion, up 16% year-over-year. The underlying cash profit increased by 11% year-over-year.

Revenue rose 6% while expenses were broadly flat. It reported a credit impairment charge of $170 million, with the ratio of non-performing loans falling.

Let’s take a look at what experts think of the numbers and the NAB share price.

UBS views on the ASX bank share

The broker described the first quarter result as “strong”, with the growth stronger than what UBS and other market analysts were expecting (of 10.4% growth).

UBS highlighted that while costs were flat compared to the second half of FY25, costs rose 5% year-over-year which was driven by tech and staff inflation.

The broker believes that NAB’s business lending is expected to “benefit from favourable structural trends”, which is a key reason for UBS’ positive view on the ASX bank share.

UBS also said that NAB’s numbers show it is more profitable than its peers, apart from Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA).

The broker thinks investors will be focused on continued cost management, as well as loan growth. UBS noted that cost guidance in FY26 is that its growth will be less than 4.6%.

UBS said that “asset quality looks stable and the credit environment appears mid-cycle, and likely to benefit NAB more than peers”.

Earnings expectations increased

On the back of the better-than expected result in the first quarter of FY26, UBS decided to increase its earnings per share (EPS) forecast for FY26 by 2.8%, for FY27 by 2.1% and for FY28 by 0.7%.

These increases were “largely driven” by improving margins, in terms of the net interest margin (NIM). The NIM measures how much profit a bank makes on its lending in percentage terms, including both the loan rate and the cost to fund the loans (like term deposits and savings accounts).

On top of that, UBS decided to reduce what credit charges it’s expecting for NAB in FY26 and FY27.

UBS rating on the NAB share price

The broker currently has a buy rating on the ASX bank share, with a NAB share price target of $50.50. At the time of writing, that implies a possible rise of 7% over the next year, plus whatever dividends the bank decides to pay.

The post Why experts think the NAB share price is a buy with more upside appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) share price is in focus after the company reported a $69 million statutory profit for H1 FY26, with a fully franked interim dividend of 4 cents per share declared.

What did Whitehaven Coal report?

• Revenue: $2.48 billion, down 28% from $3.43 billion in H1 FY25
• Underlying EBITDA: $446 million, down 54%
• Cash generated from operations: $387 million, down 58%
• Statutory NPAT: $69 million (includes $88 million non-recurring items); underlying net loss after tax of $19 million
• Fully franked interim dividend: 4.0 cents per share ($32 million) plus up to $32 million share buy-back
• Run-of-mine coal production: 20Mt, up from 19.4Mt in H1 FY25

What else do investors need to know?

Whitehaven improved its safety performance, with a TRIFR of 2.9, down from 4.6, and reported zero environmental enforcement actions. Net debt rose to $710 million at 31 December 2025, reflecting reserved cash for acquisition payments.

The company closed the half-year with robust production, benefiting from diversification into metallurgical coal despite coal prices being 19% lower than last year. Operating costs fell slightly to $135 per tonne, and a cost-out program targeting $60 to $80 million in annual savings is on track.

What did Whitehaven Coal management say?

Paul Flynn, CEO & Managing Director, said:

Performance across Whitehaven’s QLD and NSW operations in the first half of FY26 was in line with or better than plan.

Although prices were relatively soft in H1 FY26, Whitehaven’s scale and diversification into metallurgical coal is delivering value through the cycle, allowing us to benefit from the dynamics of both metallurgical and high-CV thermal coal markets.

What’s next for Whitehaven Coal?

The outlook remains positive, with long-term demand for both metallurgical and high-quality thermal coal supported by energy security needs and strong offtake arrangements. While thermal coal prices remain subdued, metallurgical coal markets are showing signs of recovery.

Whitehaven is confident it will deliver at the upper end of its FY26 guidance for coal production and sales. The company also plans to lower financing costs in FY27 by refinancing its US$1.1 billion facility, aiming to diversify funding sources and improve cost efficiency.

Whitehaven Coal share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Whitehaven Coal shares have risen 56%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 9% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Whitehaven Coal posts H1 FY26 profit, declares 4c dividend as guidance maintained appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

ASX All Ords gold stock Ausgold Ltd (ASX: AUC) is charging higher today.

Ausgold shares closed yesterday trading for $1.015. In early morning trade on Thursday, shares are changing hands for $1.050 apiece, up 3.5%.

For some context, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.9% at this same time.

This sees the Ausgold share price up 123.4% in 12 months, smashing the 7.1% one-year gains delivered by the benchmark index.

Here’s what’s catching investor interest today.

ASX All Ords gold stock jumps on cooperative agreement

The Ausgold share price is lifting after the company announced that it has entered into a binding Consultation and Cooperation Agreement with the Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar Aboriginal Corporation (WKSNAC).

The agreement involves the ASX All Ords gold stock’s 100%-owned Katanning Gold Project, located in Western Australia.

WKSNAC is the Indigenous Land Use Agreement holder for the region.

Ausgold said that the “landmark” agreement creates a framework for ongoing consultation and cooperation with WKSNAC to support the development, construction, and operation of its Katanning Gold Project.

The agreement aims to deliver long-term benefits for both the miner and the traditional owners, enabling cultural heritage management and stakeholder engagement.

What did management say?

Commenting on the agreement helping to boost the ASX All Ords gold stock today, Ausgold executive chairman John Dorward said, “This agreement represents an important and very positive milestone for the Katanning Gold Project and reflects our commitment to working collaboratively with the Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar Aboriginal People.”

Dorward added:

Establishing a clear and respectful framework for managing important matters such as cultural heritage and community engagement is critical as we progress the Katanning Gold Project towards development.

It is through collaborative partnerships like this that we seek to ensure that the Katanning Gold Project will deliver tangible long-term benefits for all stakeholders.

What’s been happening with the ASX All Ords gold stock?

Ausgold reported its December quarterly results on 16 January.

Among the highlights for the three months, the ASX All Ords gold stock delivered an updated Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for its Katanning Gold Project.

The updated DFS increased the project’s life-of-mine forecast gold production by 82,000 ounces to 1.22 million ounces. Average annual gold production is forecast to be 143,000 ounces in the first four years, with “a significantly enhanced production profile” in years five to 10.

The updated DFS also pointed to lower costs, with an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) over the first four years of $2,157 per ounce and $2,252 per ounce over the life-of-mine.

“The December Quarter was another exceptionally active period for Ausgold, with strong progress achieved across multiple fronts towards the development of our flagship 2.44-million-ounce Katanning Gold Project,” Dorward said on the day.

The post Up 123% in a year, ASX All Ords gold stock lifting off again today on ‘landmark’ agreement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Up 185% in a year, ASX All Ords gold stock reports further growth potential

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.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share are crashing on Thursday.

In early trade, the buy now, pay later provider’s shares are down 33% to $1.90.

This follows the release of Zip’s half-year results before the market open.

Record earnings and margin expansion

For the six months ended 31 December, Zip reported record cash EBTDA of $124.3 million. This was up 85.6% on the prior corresponding period.

Key drivers of this growth were its total transaction volume (TTV), which rose 34.1% to $8.4 billion, and operating margin improvements. The latter increased significantly to 18.7% from 13% a year earlier.

Transactions increased 20.2% to 54.9 million, and the number of merchants on the platform grew 10.5% to 90,600. Active customers rose by 4.1% to 6.6 million.

Cash gross profit climbed 33.5% to $314.3 million, with a strong cash net transaction margin of 3.8%, in line with the prior period.

Importantly, net bad debts were 1.73% of TTV, which is broadly in line with management’s strategic settings.

US growth

The US business continues to be the primary growth engine. The company revealed that US TTV increased 44.7% year on year to $6.3 billion, with revenue up 47% to $445.3 million. Active customers in the US rose 9.7% to 4.6 million.

Zip’s CEO and managing director, Cynthia Scott, said:

We continue to execute strongly on our US growth opportunity, with TTV and revenue up 44.2% and 46.4% respectively (in USD), with active customers up 9.7% (407k) year on year. We also expanded our Pay-in-Z offering, giving customers greater flexibility for everyday purchases by making Pay-in-2 available to all customers in February 2026.

In the ANZ market, TTV grew 9.7% to $2.1 billion, with revenue up 3.1%. Management noted that revenue and Australian receivables returned to growth, supported by the rollout of Zip Plus and improved funding outcomes.

Guidance upgraded

Also failing to give Zip shares a boost today is management upgrading its FY 2026 guidance.

The company now expects its group operating margin to be greater than 18%, up from its previous 16% to 19% range. It also upgraded its guidance for group cash EBTDA as a percentage of TTV to be greater than 1.4%. This is up from greater than 1.3%.

Commenting on its outlook, Scott added:

We are well-positioned to continue executing against our FY26 strategic priorities and delivering profitable growth at scale. Following a strong first half, Zip has upgraded its FY26 guidance for operating margin and cash EBTDA as a % of TTV while reconfirming its other target ranges.

Why are Zip shares crashing today?

Despite delivering strong first-half growth and upgrading parts of its guidance, the market appears to be focusing on a few more cautious elements in the release.

Revenue margin edged lower to 7.9% as the higher-growth US business, which carries a lower margin profile, made up a larger share of total transaction volume. At the same time, net bad debts increased slightly to 1.73% of TTV, up from 1.56% a year ago, even though this remains within management’s target settings.

Investors may also be reacting to guidance that second-half cash EBTDA is expected to be broadly in line with the first half, suggesting profit growth may moderate from here rather than accelerate further.

With Zip shares having rallied strongly since last April, the combination of margin mix pressure, slightly higher credit losses, and a more measured second-half outlook could have triggered heavy profit-taking today.

The post Zip shares crash 33% on results day 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.