QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) shares are a popular option for income investors.

But would they be a good pick if you were looking to generate passive income in 2026? Let’s see what one leading broker is saying.

Are QBE shares a buy for passive income in 2026?

According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts think that investors should be waiting for a better entry point.

Ahead of the release of its quarterly update this week, a note reveals that the broker has put a hold rating and $21.20 price target on its shares.

Based on its current share price of $19.74, this implies potential upside of 7.4% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its expectations for this week’s update, the broker said:

The Q3 update is due on 27 Nov. The quarterly statements usually cover written premium, rating changes, catastrophe claims, and investment returns, as well as the outlook and expectations. We anticipate a relatively benign quarter. Short bond yields have been stable, but H1 saw strong returns on risk assets.

Premium rate increases remain positive but have been slowing (Q2 rates were +0.8% vs pcp) and we will be watching whether these have flattened out or continued to soften. Inflation remains present and this may be storing up problems for the combined ratio (COR), so there will be a focus on whether the company continues to expect a COR of ~92.5%.

But what about passive income?

The broker estimates to QBE’s shares will provide investors with dividend yields of 4.8% in FY 2025 and then 4.7% in FY 2026.

That would turn a $10,000 investment into passive income of approximately $480 and $470, respectively.

Commenting on its hold recommendation, Bell Potter said:

At the half year results, we felt the company could be seen to be growing into a softening environment. With a PCA capital ratio of 1.81 (after interim dividend), the company’s capital is at the top of its target range (1.6-1.8x). This capital is being valued by the equity market at a premium to book value and the company is looking for ways to utilise its capital and grow into attractive areas.

We have not changed our assumptions and any change to our forecasts is driven by changing fx rates (we use spot rates as a forecast). We will review our forecasts post the Q3 update, noting the upside with the shares below $20/sh. For now, we maintain our target price at $21.20/sh and keep our HOLD recommendation.

The post Are QBE shares a buy for passive income in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• What does Macquarie think QBE shares are worth?
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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.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B) is nearing the end of an era. Long-time CEO Warren Buffett is retiring at the end of this year. That adds some uncertainty about what’s ahead for the conglomerate.

Despite that uncertainty, now is a great time to invest in Berkshire Hathaway. Here’s one reason why investors shouldn’t hesitate to buy the stock right now.

In a great position

Berkshire Hathaway reported its third-quarter financial results earlier this month, the last time before Warren Buffett’s retirement as the CEO. The company reported a robust 34% increase in its operating profit, which rose to $13.5 billion on lower insurance losses in the period. Berkshire also posted a 17% increase in its net income, which rose to $30.8 billion.

The company continued to retain all of its earnings. Berkshire didn’t repurchase any of its shares during the quarter (it hasn’t bought back stock for five straight quarters) and hasn’t paid a dividend since 1967. Additionally, the company continued to be a net seller of stocks out of its investment portfolio. It has sold more stocks than it bought for 12 straight quarters. As a result, Berkshire ended the period with a record $381.7 billion in cash.

While Buffett’s company has been a net seller of stocks, including continuing to trim its positions in Apple and Bank of America, the company has a more than $306 billion investment portfolio. Berkshire Hathaway recently added a meaningful new position, purchasing $4.3 billion of shares in Alphabet during the third quarter. The technology giant is currently its 13th largest holding at 1.8% of its investment portfolio.

In addition to its cash position and stock portfolio, Berkshire owns nearly 200 operating businesses, including BNSF railroad, Dairy Queen, and GEICO. With its market capitalization currently over $1 trillion, these operating businesses are worth nearly $400 billion after subtracting Berkshire’s cash position and the value of its investment portfolio. The company is bolstering its operating portfolio after recently agreeing to acquire the chemicals business of Occidental Petroleum (one of its largest stock holdings) in a $9.7 billion deal. The acquisition will expand Berkshire’s chemicals portfolio (it previously bought Lubrizol for $9.7 billion in 2011), while providing it with another strong operating business that should generate relatively stable and growing earnings.

Tremendous optionality

Warren Buffett is handing over a tremendous company to his successor, Greg Abel. It has a record cash position, a strong portfolio of operating companies, and a massive investment portfolio. That gives Abel an extraordinary amount of flexibility to guide the company in the future.

With a record $381 billion in cash, Abel could buy nearly any company he wanted to expand Berkshire’s operating portfolio. He could easily top Buffett’s biggest deal, which was the 2016 acquisition of Precision Castparts for $37 billion. However, going for a big splashy deal might not make the most sense, as Buffett eventually lamented the price his company paid for Precision Castparts after writing off nearly $10 billion of that company’s value in 2011. More than likely, Abel will remain disciplined and only pursue a sizable acquisition if it’s too good to pass up.

Abel can also use the company’s massive cash position to add to Berkshire’s investment portfolio. He likely had some say in Berkshire’s recent decision to make a sizable investment in Alphabet.

Finally, Abel will have the flexibility to return more cash to investors. For example, while Warren Buffett has been reluctant to pay a dividend, Abel might opt to initiate a quarterly payment to return some cash to investors, given the strength of its operating cash flows and size of its cash position. He could also start making more routine share repurchases compared to his value-oriented predecessor. Unless the company starts putting more cash to work in new investments, it might need to return more money to shareholders. It will become increasingly difficult for the company to justify retaining such a large amount of cash on its balance sheet, especially given the expected decline in interest rates as the Federal Reserve continues to lower them.

Starting an exciting new chapter

Berkshire Hathaway is about to turn the page on an illustrious part of its history with Warren Buffett’s upcoming retirement. He’s leaving the company in great shape and capable hands, which makes the next chapter look exciting. That’s why right now looks like a great time to buy shares of Berkshire.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post 1 reason now is a great time to buy Berkshire Hathaway stock appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Matt DiLallo has positions in Alphabet, Apple, and Berkshire Hathaway and has the following options: short January 2026 $265 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Apple, and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Occidental Petroleum. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Apple, and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Netflix continues to dominate the streaming landscape

Market expectations are high

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post Should you buy Netflix before 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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

Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL) has long been one of my favourite ASX investments, with the Soul Patts share price one of the top names on my ASX watchlist.

As I’ve documented here many times before, I am attracted to this ASX share’s diversified underlying portfolio, as well as the company’s management, which has a long history of delivering market-beating returns to shareholders.

The fact that Soul Patts has the best dividend track record on the ASX (28 years of annual dividend increases) doesn’t hurt either.

Soul Patts shares have been on quite a journey over 2025. The investment house rocketed in value back in early June after the company announced plans to acquire the building materials manufacturer Brickworks, topping out at a new record high share price of $45.14 in September. Since then, however, the Soul Patts share price has come off the boil somewhat, as the joy over the merger’s consummation faded.

After dipping below $35 each last week, the company is sitting at $37.49 a share at the time of writing. That’s almost 20% down from that September record high.

So yes, the Soul Patts share price is a lot cheaper than it used to be. But they’re not quite cheap enough for me to buy more.

How to value the Soul Patts share price

It can be hard to put a valuation on a company like Soul Patts, considering the nature of its vast underlying portfolio. Although this portfolio includes many easily valued ASX shares, it also contains assets like property, private equity and credit, which are harder to put a price tag on.

Soul Patts does give us some insights. Each year, for example, we get a net tangible assets per share metric. As of July 2025, this stood at $27.90, which doesn’t factor in the Brickworks merger.

Back in September, Soul Patts also told the market that its post-merger portfolio was valued at $13.2 billion. Today, the company’s market capitalisation sits at $14.26 billion.

Given the haphazard nature of these valuation metrics, I prefer to use a simpler, albeit cruder, method to value Soul Patts shares.

We’ve already established this company’s stellar dividend track record. Given that Soul Patts is such a consistent dividend payer and has increased its annual payouts every year for almost three decades, I think comparing the company’s running dividend yield to its long-term average is a simple way to check if it is presenting good value at current pricing.

So, going back about five years, I’ve determined that the average Soul Patts dividend yield stands at about 2.9%. For the company to achieve that yield today, its shares would need to be priced at approximately $35.50. Unfortunately, at the current price of $37.49, the dividend yield is only 2.75%.

As such, the company is still a little pricey for my liking. I would like to see the Soul Patts share price below $35.50 a share, preferably below $35, before I consider adding more. Let’s hope there’s an opportunity to do so soon.

The post Trading just under $38 now, the Soul Patts share price looks like a bargain to me anywhere below $35 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Shares in Select Harvests Ltd (ASX: SHV) were trending higher on Wednesday after the company announced a solid profit result and predicted demand for almonds to remain strong.

The Australian almond grower reported a net profit of $30.9 million, up from just $900,000 the previous year, while EBITDA was up 81% to $82.4 million.

This was despite the company’s almond crop falling by 16% to 24,903 tonnes.

The profit uplift came as a result of an improved almond price, up 32% over the previous corresponding period.

The company said it also achieved a “meaningful reduction in net debt” to $79.1 million, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.1%.

Almond consumption growing

The company said on the outlook, it “continues to hold the view that the macro environment for almonds is positive”.

On the demand side, global trends indicate continued growth in the consumption of healthy foods and snack products, alongside increasing demand for high-quality protein in our key markets. This along with our customer strategy means we continue to see a strong order book. We anticipate world almond demand to continue at a compound annual growth rate of 5% – 7%. On the supply side, our view is that US bearing acres have peaked and we are witnessing a reduction in almond acreage across California.

Managing Director David Surveyour said the company continued to execute against its strategic pillars.

The investment in safety, our people, horticulture, processing and sales has positioned us to leverage the favourable macro-economic conditions. The improvements to our profit, cash and balance sheet reflect the quality of our assets, the operational gains we are making and our commitment to financial discipline. We thank our team and partners for their dedication and our customers for their continued support of the business.

The company said with regards to the current season, the bloom was “generally positive”, however, it was not forecasting a crop size at this time.

Our sales and operations teams are well prepared for the coming season. It remains our view there is substantial leverage and growth in our core business. Our focus remains on growing, processing and selling as efficiently as we can.

Select Harvests did not declare a final dividend for FY25, with the company saying the board was balancing the importance of paying down debt against dividend payments, and it would continue to do so.

Select Harvests was valued at $568.4 million at the close of trade on Tuesday. The company’s shares were 3.5% higher at $4.14 around noon on Wednesday.

The post Almond grower’s shares up on positive full-year profit result appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Should you buy Netflix before 2026?
• Trading just under $38 now, the Soul Patts share price looks like a bargain to me anywhere below $35
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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.

Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models and recommendations again. This has led to the release of a number of broker notes this week.

Three ASX shares that brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why their analysts are feeling bullish on them right now:

Chrysos Corporation Ltd (ASX: C79)

According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have upgraded this mining technology company’s shares to a buy rating with an improved price target of $9.40. This follows the release of a trading update at its annual general meeting. Bell Potter notes that Chrysos has started FY 2026 strongly, with revenue up 54% year to date. This is ahead of the broker’s estimates. The good news is that it appears to believe that this trend can continue. It highlights that Chrysos’ industry adoption has accelerated over the past 12 months with the signing of the master services agreement with Newmont and the broadening of relationships with commercial lab operators. In addition, the exploration upcycle should deliver further upside. So much so, it estimates that the company will comfortably outperform its EBITDA guidance this year. The Chrysos share price is trading at $8.04 this afternoon.

Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

A note out of Morgans reveals that its analysts have upgraded this fashion jewellery retailer’s shares to a buy rating with a trimmed price target of $40.00. This follows the release of a trading update from Lovisa covering the first 20 weeks of FY 2026. Morgans notes that the company’s sales and store growth have slowed over the past three months. However, it is still growing sales at 20%+, which is impressive given the challenging retail trading conditions. In light of this and the recent pullback in its share price, Morgans thinks that it is a great opportunity to buy a high quality retailer with a global store rollout opportunity. Especially given that its shares are trading back around their average 10-year forward earnings multiple and offering ~20% EPS compound annual growth over the next 3 years. The Lovisa share price is fetching $31.24 at the time of writing.

Web Travel Group Ltd (ASX: WEB)

Analysts at Macquarie have retained their outperform rating on this travel technology company’s shares with a trimmed price target of $6.85. According to the note, the broker was pleased with the WebBeds owner’s performance during the first half. It highlights that Web Travel delivered earnings that were in line with expectations. As a result of this strong performance, the broker is feeling increasingly confident that the company can achieve its FY 2027 growth targets. The Web Travel share price is trading at $4.60 on Wednesday.

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

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

This ASX tech stock has been one of the standout performers in the market in 2025. The share price of Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) has soared this year by 93%.

It’s a stark contrast with the performance of ASX 200 tech shares in general. By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) is down 24% from its peak in September.

Back in the groove

After a few challenging weeks, during which trade in this high-flying ASX tech stock was lower, Megaport has found its groove again. At the time of writing, the shares trade hands for $14.30 apiece, up 3.1%. That brings this week’s share gains to 11%.  

Several factors explain why the Brisbane-based company is breaking away from the tech pack. Some major brokers continue to recommend buying or holding the ASX 200 tech stock. They highlight Megaport’s competitive advantage in automated networking and its growing list of large enterprise customers.

Megaport is a network-as-a-service solutions provider that makes it fast and easy for businesses to connect to the cloud. Instead of building expensive physical networks or signing long-term telecom contracts, companies can use Megaport’s software to create private, secure data connections in minutes. It’s cheaper, quicker and more flexible than traditional networking.

Expanding global footprint

Megaport’s platform allows customers to connect to around 860 data centres worldwide. In the first half of FY25 alone, the tech company added another 82 data centres and four new internet exchange locations.

The ASX 200 stock has continued to scale quickly, too. Its customer numbers are growing rapidly, and it has an expanding global footprint. This has helped Megaport underpin a strong annual recurring revenue (ARR) growth. For example, in FY25, it reported a 20% increase in ARR to $243.8 million. 

Can Megaport keep climbing?

Consensus analyst forecasts suggest there’s still room for this ASX tech stock to go higher. The average 12-month price target sits around $16 to $17, implying further upside from current trading levels.  

Broker Morgans just upgraded its recommendation for the tech share to a buy rating with a $17.00 price target. This implies potential 19% upside for investors over the next 12 months.

The broker released its update to reflect the acquisition of Latitude.sh and its network expansion into the India market. Analysts are pleased with Megaport’s performance so far in FY 2026.

Explaining its upgrade, Morgans said:

We update our forecasts to include MP1 recent capital raising, acquisition of “Compute-as-a-Service” provider Latitude.sh and network expansion into India. The acquisitions accelerate revenue and EBITDA growth while the core MP1 business keeps improving. Since June 2025 NRR (net revenue retention) has lifted 2 ppts to 109%. Revenue and ARR (annual recurring revenue) growth is strong. We upgrade to a BUY recommendation and our target price moves to $17.

The post Why this high-flying ASX tech stock is surging again 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 Megaport. 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 seaweed farming outfit Sea Forest Ltd (ASX: SEA) have made a strong debut on the ASX, with the shares charging almost 30% beyond their initial public offer price.

The company raised $20.5 million via the issue of new shares at $2 apiece, with the stock charging to $2.59, up 29.5%, soon after trade on the ASX started on Wednesday morning.

The company is involved in the commercial cultivation of a particular type of seaweed native to Australia, which has benefits as a stock feed additive, in that it leads to the production of less methane when consumed.

Decarbonisation a key focus

Chair John McKillop said in the company’s prospectus that Sea Forest was a leader in the field.

Founded in Tasmania in 2018, Sea Forest is one of the first companies to achieve success in the commercial cultivation and application of the native Australian seaweed asparagopsis. Our operations span manufacturing and distribution, with world-class research facilities, land-based cultivation infrastructure in Triabunna and Swansea, and 1800 hectares of marine leases in Tasmania. These have enabled extensive research and development that have led us to where we are today.

The company’s flagship product is SeaFeed, which Mr McKillop said was an innovative livestock feed additive that had been scientifically proven to reduce methane emissions from ruminant animals such as cows, “while also delivering measurable productivity gains and sustainability benefits across the livestock sector”.

He went on to say:

The agricultural industry is undergoing transformation, driven by the shift to decarbonise supply chains and meet the growing demand for sustainable food production. Sea Forest’s technology addresses these challenges directly, enabling farmers and supply chain partners to reduce scope 3 emissions (being indirect greenhouse gas emissions), access premium markets for low emission products and contribute to global climate goals.

Funds to boost expansion

Mr McKillop said commercialisation of SeaFeed was under way, with the first trial sales in FY24.

The company is now focussed on expanding its production capacity, and is developing new facilities in Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales as well as in Europe and South Africa.

The company’s financial results, included in its prospectus, showed it increased sales from $313,000 to $451,000 from FY24 to FY25, and made a net loss of $9.1 million in FY25.     

New investors in the company were expected to hold 18.3% of the shares on issue following the company’s listing on the ASX.

Sea Forest is valued at about $145 million based on the current trading price of $2.59.

The post Seaweed farmer’s shares take off on first day of trade 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 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.