Few assets spark as much debate as Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC). Every sharp pullback revives the same question: Is this the start of a crash, or just another bout of volatility in a long-term uptrend?

The honest answer is that no one knows what the price of any asset will do over the short term. That uncertainty is magnified with Bitcoin, which remains far more volatile than shares, bonds, or property. Large price moves in either direction can happen quickly and often shock markets.

For investors, the more useful question is not whether Bitcoin will crash in 2026, but how to think about the probabilities that shape its price.

Why Bitcoin looks different today

One important context point is that many of the long-term headwinds that once clouded Bitcoin’s future have eased.

The launch of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in 2024 was a structural shift. These products gave the cryptocurrency a new level of legitimacy and accessibility, allowing large investment firms to offer Bitcoin exposure within familiar, regulated vehicles. That opened the door to broader institutional participation, rather than Bitcoin remaining the domain of early adopters and retail traders.

At the same time, governments and institutions are increasingly recognising Bitcoin’s role as a potential store of value and hedge against purchasing power erosion. While that debate is far from settled, Bitcoin is no longer dismissed outright as a fringe experiment.

The result is that Bitcoin has firmly anchored itself in global capital markets. After surpassing a trillion-dollar market capitalisation and gaining direct institutional allocation via ETFs, Bitcoin now trades alongside other risk assets, responding to shifts in global liquidity and monetary policy.

Macro forces still matter

That integration cuts both ways.

Bitcoin’s price action over recent months illustrates this clearly. Pullbacks have coincided with a hawkish stance from the US Federal Reserve, rising real yields, and, more recently, Japan’s surprise monetary tightening, which disrupted the yen carry trade.

When global liquidity tightens, risk assets tend to struggle. When liquidity eases, they often rally together. Bitcoin is no longer exempt from these forces. In that sense, sharp declines are not signs of failure, but a reflection of Bitcoin’s place within the broader financial system.

That also means any discussion of a 2026 “crash” cannot ignore macro conditions. Monetary policy decisions in the US and Japan, inflation trends, and global growth expectations will likely matter as much as crypto-specific developments.

Price targets are not prophecies

Bitcoin attracts bold forecasts like few other assets. Bullish commentators regularly float eye-catching price targets, including claims that Bitcoin could rise tenfold to reach US$1 million per coin.

Mathematically, that would imply a market capitalisation of around US$21 trillion, assuming Bitcoin’s maximum supply of 21 million coins. It would also make early adopters and large corporate holders exceptionally wealthy.

The problem is that price targets are not predictions of the future. They often reflect the incentives and positioning of the person making them. Bitcoin holders tend to publish optimistic forecasts. Critics often argue that the asset is ultimately worthless.

History shows that such proclamations rarely come true with any precision. Markets do not move in straight lines, and narratives often change faster than prices.

A long-term lens still matters

Despite its harsh volatility, Bitcoin is proving itself as a large, enduring asset class. Zooming out, its long-term price chart remains one that many investors would dream of owning — provided they can tolerate the rollercoaster along the way.

Whether Bitcoin crashes in 2026 is unknowable. What is more predictable is that volatility will remain a defining feature. For investors, preparing for wide swings, rather than betting on precise outcomes, remains the more sensible approach.

As with any speculative asset, the long run is what ultimately matters.

The post Will the Bitcoin price crash in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) share price is in focus after announcing a new A$14 billion European data centre partnership with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. The joint venture aims to develop a major data centre portfolio across key European cities.

What did Goodman Group report?

• Launched a 50/50 A$14 billion (€8 billion) partnership with CPP Investments targeting European data centres
• Initial capital commitment of A$3.9 billion (€2.2 billion) for portfolio development
• Projects span four developments in Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Paris with 435 MW of primary power and 282 MW IT load
• All projects have secured power, planning permits, and advanced site works
• Transaction due to complete in phases by March 2026, subject to closing conditions

What else do investors need to know?

This partnership broadens Goodman Group’s portfolio, bolstering its presence in the rapidly growing data centre sector. The so-called FLAP markets – Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, and Paris – are sought after due to their strong demand for cloud and AI infrastructure.

Importantly, the partnership leverages Goodman’s powered landbank and local development expertise alongside CPP Investments’ track record in digital infrastructure. Construction is slated to begin by 30 June 2026, potentially supporting Goodman’s long-term earnings growth.

What did Goodman Group management say?

Group CEO Greg Goodman said:

A portfolio of this size and quality – located in Europe’s FLAP markets – is rare. These powered locations are highly sought after to meet the rapidly growing requirement for cloud computing and AI adoption, particularly when they offer speed to market and delivery certainty. The quality and scale of this Partnership make it ideal for our long-term relationship with CPP Investments. We’re pleased to be investing alongside them for their entry into the European data centre market.

What’s next for Goodman Group?

Goodman Group expects the new partnership to strengthen its foothold in digital infrastructure, meeting soaring demand for cloud and AI solutions in Europe. By focusing on fully permitted and powered sites ready for rapid construction, Goodman is aiming to capture growth in key gateway markets.

Completion of the transaction is expected in phases through to March 2026. Management continues to seek opportunities with capital partners for further expansion, with data centres forming a core pillar of Goodman’s global growth strategy.

Goodman Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, the Goodman Group shares have declined 20%, underperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 6% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Goodman Group announces $14bn European data centre partnership with CPP Investments 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 positions in and has recommended Goodman Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Goodman Group. 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 Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) share price is in focus today, after the company announced a binding agreement to acquire the highly prospective Yalgoo Project, expanding its Mt Gibson project tenure in Western Australia.

What did Capricorn Metals report?

• Signed a binding agreement to acquire the Yalgoo Project tenement package from Tempest Minerals for $4.5 million
• The deal includes cash and Capricorn shares based on a five-day VWAP prior to completion
• Yalgoo Project covers approximately 1,000 square kilometres, adjoining Capricorn’s existing Golden Range and Fields Find tenements
• Deferred milestone payments of up to $1.5 million are tied to exploration success and development decisions
• Completion of the acquisition is expected in January 2026, subject to regulatory and due diligence conditions

What else do investors need to know?

The Yalgoo Project sits in the Yalgoo-Singleton Greenstone Belt – a region well-known for gold and base metals. Capricorn has highlighted several drill-ready target zones and plans to kick off focused exploration in 2026.

This acquisition adds more than 60 kilometres of largely untested strike length to Capricorn’s regional footprint, with an eye on both resource expansion and future gold production opportunities.

What did Capricorn Metals management say?

Mark Clark, Executive Chairman, said:

The acquisition of the Yalgoo Project continues the expansion of Capricorn’s Mt Gibson exploration footprint and adds highly prospective targets very close to the Company’s recently acquired Golden Range and Fields Find projects. This provides Capricorn with an outstanding exploration opportunity with a view to adding meaningful additional ore sources to MGGP and the region. We look forward to commencing active exploration on the project in 2026.

What’s next for Capricorn Metals?

Capricorn will conduct geological mapping and geochemical sampling across the newly acquired ground in the third quarter, aiming to define drilling targets by the first half of FY27.

Management sees the Yalgoo Project as a strategic extension for its existing operations, with the goal of boosting both resource potential and shareholder value over the long term.

Capricorn Metals share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Capricorn Metals shares have risen 128%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 6% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Capricorn Metals boosts exploration ground with Yalgoo Project acquisition 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 ASX dividend stock APA Group (ASX: APA) may not be the biggest dividend-paying business in Australia, but I think it could be one of the most appealing for a few different reasons.

APA owns and/or manages a $27 billion portfolio of gas, electricity, solar, battery, and wind assets. Impressively, it delivers around half of the nation’s domestic gas through 15,000km of gas pipelines that it owns, operates, and maintains.

It also has investments in electricity transmission assets, which connect Victoria with South Australia, Tasmania with Victoria, and New South Wales with Queensland.

Finally, APA owns and operates power generation assets, including gas-powered, as well as wind and solar assets.

Its assets are always in demand – it doesn’t face cyclical demand like a retailer or miner.

Let’s get into what three of the most attractive things are about the business.

High yield

When someone invests for passive income, I imagine they want a good dividend yield right away. Ideally, the business has a similar/higher dividend yield than what interest rate term deposits are offering.

The ASX dividend stock certainly offers a noticeably higher payout return than what banks are currently offering.

APA is expecting to increase its payout to 58 cents per security in the 2026 financial year. That translates into a forward distribution yield of 6.2%.

The ASX dividend stock has long-term payout growth

For me, what’s more important than the yield right now is its long record of payout growth for shareholders. If I’m investing for passive income, I want to see there’s a good record of regular growth (rather than cuts).

APA is one of the best available ASX dividend stocks in terms of consistent payout growth.

Incredibly, it has grown its payout every year for the last 20 years in a row, which is the second-best record on the ASX.

Growth isn’t guaranteed from the ASX dividend stock forever, of course, but I think it can continue growing because of two key reasons. Firstly, a vast majority of APA’s revenue is linked to inflation, which provides solid growth over time.

Secondly, APA’s cash flow is regularly boosted by an addition to its portfolio of energy assets.

Expanding portfolio

APA’s energy portfolio is already diversified, and it’s adding to it regularly, which helps increase the cash flow from its asset base.

The latest asset it has announced for its portfolio is the proposed Brigalow Peaker Power Plant for Queensland, in partnership with CS Energy. It’s aimed to be operational in 2028, which will provide firming capacity for peak electricity demand periods, complementing variable renewable energy.

APA will own 80% of the project, while CS Energy will operate and maintain the plant, retaining a 20% ownership stake in the project. The agreement between the two businesses will see APA generate returns under an inflation-linked revenue arrangement, as well as the potential for higher returns from a small portion of variable revenue.

Overall, thanks to its payouts and long-term earnings growth, I believe the ASX dividend stock has a promising future and is worth considering for purchase in almost any market.

The post I’d buy this ASX dividend stock in any market appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 positions in and has recommended Apa Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX technology shares have lost serious momentum over the last couple of months. 

In fact, the S&P/ASX All Technology (ASX: XTX) index is down more than 20% since the start of October. 

As a result, there are some well-known companies that are now undervalued. 

If you are looking for a bargain buy before the new year, here are two technology shares with appealing price targets. 

CAR Group Ltd (ASX: CAR)

CAR Group is the company behind online marketplace carsales.com.au. 

Since August, its share price has tumbled more than 25% and is now trading on a lower than normal price to earnings (P/E) ratio – around two-year lows at a P/E of ~28x. 

It could be a buy-low opportunity for investors as this drop seems to be without an obvious driver. 

Recent guidance out of Bell Potter seems to agree with this sentiment. 

In a note out of the broker earlier this month, it said the company continues to screen favourably on a risk-adjusted return basis when considering the stability of earnings growth against comparable ASX-listed classifieds platforms. 

The broker has a buy recommendation and $44.20 price target on CAR Group shares. 

This indicates an upside of 36.53% from yesterday’s closing price. 

Similarly, the team at Wilsons Advisory reinforced the recent share price falls largely reflecting a broad de-rating across technology shares. 

The report said it views these concerns as largely sentiment-driven and overblown given the company’s firmly entrenched competitive moat. 

SEEK Ltd (ASX: SEK)

The company operates online job marketplace Seek.com.au. 

It also operates several other businesses, including Seek Learning, to help connect people with education opportunities; Seek Business, to facilitate the sale of businesses and franchises; and Seek Volunteer, which lists volunteer opportunities.

Its share price is overall up roughly 4% this year, but has fallen almost 19% since September. 

This dip seems to be more cyclical rather than structural, as the core business still has solid cash flow and profitability. 

At its recent AGM, the company reiterated a FY26 guidance that would result in: 

• 10% revenue growth
• 15% EBITDA growth 
• 32% adjusted profit growth. 

Earlier this month, a note out of Macquarie reinforces it is a technology stock with plenty of upside. 

Macquarie confirmed its outperform rating and $32.50 target price. 

This indicates an upside of 37.37%. 

The post Last minute technology shares for your Christmas wish list appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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 recommended CAR Group Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Bell Potter has been busy picking out its best shares to buy for 2026.

Two ASX dividend shares that made the list are named below. Here’s why the broker thinks they are best buys for the year ahead:

Regal Partners Ltd (ASX: RPL)

Bell Potter thinks that this specialist alternatives investment manager could be an ASX dividend share to buy now. It has put a buy rating and $4.40 price target on its shares.

The broker has been impressed with its performance and believes this can continue in the future. So, with its shares de-rating recently, it thinks now is a good time to invest. It said:

Regal Partners continues to grow its FUM through inflows, acquisitions, and strong fund performance. The recent quarter was the strongest on record, with FUM reaching $20.0bn, up 13.1% over the quarter, with inflows of 4.1% and investment performance of 9.9%. Revenue is underpinned as 85% of funds ($13.7bn) were at or close to generating performance fees in FY25. The funds continue to see strong performance from: PM Capital funds, Tactical Opportunities and Resources Royalties. Despite record results, the shares have been de-rated since the start of the year. We do not believe the improvement in operational performance is reflected in the current share price.

With respect to dividends, the broker is forecasting payouts of 15.2 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 20 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $3.23, this equates to dividend yields of 4.7% and 6.2%, respectively.

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

Another ASX dividend share that has been named as a best buy is Rural Funds. It has a buy rating and $2.45 price target on the agricultural property company’s shares.

The broker believes that its shares are being undervalued by the market. It highlights their sharp discount to net asset value (NAV), compared to a small premium traditionally. Bell Potter said:

The ~35% discount to market NAV is well above the historical average 5% premium since listing. Counterparty profitability indicators have been improving and farm asset values have been resilient, which would suggest that the underearning on unleased assets is the largest performance drain. Exiting or leasing these assets (combined value ~$387m) would result in reasonable AFFO accretion (14-18% on FY26e PF AFFO) with the scope to also reduce gearing, with this likely to be the greatest share price catalyst. We would expect execution against asset sales to emerge in CY26e.

Bell Potter is expecting dividends per share of 11.7 cents per share in FY 2026 and FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $2.02, this equates to dividend yields of 5.8%.

The post 2 of the best ASX dividend shares to buy in 2026 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 positions in and has recommended Rural Funds Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Given how volatile DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares have been in 2025, it is easy to forget that they are actually smashing the market.

In fact, based on yesterday’s close price of $3.00, the counter drone technology company’s shares are up exactly 300% since the start of the year.

Sure, they are still more than 50% lower than their 52-week high, but if you asked shareholders if they would take a 300% annual gain back on 1 January, I think each one would take it.

But what about 2026? Can this high-flying stock continue its ascent over the next 12 months? Let’s find out.

Can DroneShield shares continue to rise in 2026?

The good news is that analysts at Bell Potter believe that there is still plenty more gas left in DroneShield’s tank.

This is due to its exposure to increasing demand for counter-UAS technologies across the world and particularly in Europe.

In response to last week’s $50 million order from a European military end-customer, Bell Potter said:

This repeat order represents the company’s second largest contract in its history and highlights the urgent need for counter-UAS technologies in Europe. Following this announcement, we estimate that our CY26e Hardware revenue forecast (excl. subscription) of $271m is 24% secured by announced contracts, noting DRO typically delivers product faster than traditional defence contractors.

And while Bell Potter concedes that a potential Russia-Ukraine peace deal could hit sentiment, it doesn’t believe it will lessen demand for its products. It adds:

We expect a Ukraine peace deal would weigh negatively on share price sentiment in the short term but would likely see no change to our forecasts given current global defence spending rhetoric.

Shares tipped to rise

According to the note, the broker has put a buy rating and $4.40 price target on DroneShield’s shares.

Based on its current share price of $3.00, this suggests that they could rise a further 47% between now and the end of December 2026. That’s not bad considering their incredible rise this year.

Commenting on its recommendation, Bell Potter concludes:

We believe DRO has a market leading RF detect/defeat C-UAS offering and a strengthening competitive advantage owing to its years of battlefield experience and large and focused R&D team. We expect 2026 will be an inflection point for the global counter-drone industry with countries poised to unleash a wave of spending on RF detect and defeat solutions. Consequently, we believe DRO should see material contracts flowing from its $2.5b potential sales pipeline over the next 3-6 months as defence budgets roll over to FY26e.

The post Will DroneShield shares continue their epic run into 2026 and beyond? 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 positions in and has recommended DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It’s no secret I am an advocate for ASX ETF investing. 

For beginner investors, ASX ETFs can offer a way to enter the market with instant diversification.

It can also be a set and forget option, to avoid ongoing portfolio management. 

For experienced investors, new funds are constantly entering the market that can offer more specific focus through thematic investing. 

This year has seen plenty of new funds hit the market with more niche exposure. 

Another benefit of ASX ETFs is the prospect of strong returns. 

These three funds managed by VanEck have brought bigger returns than traditional indexes like S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) in the last year. 

Vaneck Vectors Global Clean Energy ETF (ASX: CLNE)

This ASX ETF is made up of 30 of the largest and most liquid companies involved in clean energy production and associated technology and clean energy equipment globally.

It falls into the category of ESG investing.

ESG is a growing theme amongst investors focussed on positively impacting the world through their investment choices.

According to VanEck, the fund targets business activities including but not limited to:

• biofuel & biomass energy production, technology & equipment
• ethanol & fuel alcohol production
• fuel cells technology & equipment
• geothermal energy production
• hydro electricity production, turbines & other equipment
• solar energy production, photo voltaic cells & equipment
• wind energy production, turbines & other equipment

In the last 12 months, the fund has risen 43.76%. 

That means a hypothetical investment of $10,000 made a year ago would today be worth approximately $14,376 today. 

VanEck Msci International Value ETF (ASX: VLUE)

This ASX ETF is made up of 250 international developed market large and mid-cap companies, with high value scores as calculated by: 

• price to book value
• price to forward earnings
• enterprise value to cash flow from operations.

Essentially, this fund targets companies in developed markets that are trading at attractive valuations relative to their fundamentals.

Its largest weighting by country is to the United States (44.8%) followed by Japan (22.5%). 

This strategy has clearly worked in the last year, as this ASX ETF has risen 27.20% in the last 12 months. 

This means a hypothetical investment of $10,000 made a year ago would today be worth $12,720 today. 

VanEck Australian Resources ETF (ASX: MVR)

This ASX ETF provides a portfolio of ASX-listed resources companies.

It’s no surprise this fund has performed well. 

The S&P/ASX 200 Resources (ASX:XJR) index is up 27% this year. 

At the time of writing, it is made up of 31 holdings. 

This includes some of Australia’s largest resource companies such as BHP Group (ASX: BHP) and Fortescue Metals Group (ASX: FMG). 

In the last 12 months, the fund has risen by 36.74%. 

This means an original investment of $10,000 made a year ago would today be worth $13,674. 

The post Guess how much $10,000 invested in these VanEck ASX ETFs a year ago is worth today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell has positions in BHP Group. 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 recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you’re looking to get rich quick in 2026, these ASX stocks could earn you money, fast.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

Xero shares closed 0.017% lower on Monday, at $115.62 a piece.

Investors have reacted cautiously to the company’s latest FY26 interim results in November. And they’re still recovering from news of Xero’s US$2.5 billion acquisition of US-based Melio in July. 

But analysts think investors have overreacted. Macquarie previously said it thinks the market has it wrong on Xero shares. It said that its newly acquired Melio business is performing on track. Meanwhile, the team at UBS have said it is positive on Xero’s medium term growth outlook and believes the current share price is an “attractive buying opportunity”.

TradingView data shows analysts are very bullish on the stock. The maximum target price is $229.73 which implies the shares could jump 98.7% in 2026.

Droneshield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

Droneshield shares jumped 7.91% higher at the close of the ASX on Monday, at $3.00 a piece. For the year to date they’ve surged 300%!

The AI drone operator has captured investor attention this week after it released an update on its governance review.

Its shares have been under considerable pressure. From its US CEO resignation to employee share sell-offs and even an accidental ASX release, Droneshield shares have attracted a lot of not-so-positive attention. 

But it looks like the tide is about to turn. Analysts have a strong buy rating on the ASX stock and think they could climb up to $5.00 a piece. That’s a 66.7 potential upside at the time of writing.

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)

Lynas shares closed 2.38% higher on Monday at $12.84 a piece. Over 2025 the shares have jumped 91.12%

Shares in the miner have soared this year and have ridden the wave of booming demand for rare earths materials. But a new agreement between the US and China to ease tariffs and postpone export controls for a year dampened the share price in November. The deal helped alleviate fears of supply chain disruptions, an issue that had previously driven the Lynas valuation sky-high. 

Going forward, analysts are divided about the stock. TradingView data shows 7 out of 16 analysts have a buy or strong buy rating on the shares. The maximum target price is $29.50, and if this comes to fruition, this implies the shares could jump 136.38% higher in 2026.

Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC)

Lendlease unveiled a binding agreement to sell a 40% interest in The Exchange TRX retail mall and full 60% interest in the adjacent office tower for ~$400 million on Monday, which caused a share price spike.

At the close of the ASX on Monday the shares were 1.4% higher at $5.06 a piece. However over 2025 the shares have dropped 18.91%.

It’s been an uncertain year for the development and construction business but it looks like the ASX company is turning a corner for 2026. It has a strong development pipeline, capital recycling initiatives in place, and plans for cost savings.

Analysts mostly have a buy rating on the stock and think they could climb up to $6.74 a piece. At the time of writing that implies a 33.2% upside for the ASX stock in 2026.

Metcash Ltd (ASX: MTS)

Metcash shares ended 0.61% higher on Monday afternoon, at $3.30 each. For the year so far the shares are 5.42% higher, and they look set to climb much higher.

The shares have suffered a huge 15% crash over the past month after investors were unimpressed with its FY26 half year result.

Analysts are confident the business can turn it around for 2026 though. Most have a buy rating on the stock and the maximum target price is $4.70. This implies the shares could climb as high as 42.425 over in 2026

The post 5 magnificent ASX stocks that can make you richer in 2026 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 DroneShield and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The S&P/ASX 300 index (ASX: XKO) tracks the largest 300 companies here in Australia by market capitalisation.

Year to date, the ASX 300 index has slightly outperformed the ASX 200 index, which is the benchmark index here in Australia. 

So what does this tell us?

Broadly speaking, there were companies that sat outside the largest blue-chip stocks that had strong returns this year. 

Last week I covered two ASX 200 stocks that doubled in 2025. 

This proves that there is still plenty of upside even amongst large companies. 

Here are two ASX 300 shares that outperformed these and tripled in value in 2025. 

Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd (ASX: KCN)

One of the hottest covered topics this year has been the success of gold shares.

Global gold prices have climbed to all-time highs (above US $4,400/oz) in late 2025, driven by safe-haven demand, expectations of U.S. interest rate cuts, and geopolitical tensions.

One of the winners in this bull run has been Kingsgate Consolidated. 

It is a gold and silver miner, explorer, and mine developer operating in the Pacific Rim. The company’s main project is the Chatree Gold Mine in central Thailand. 

Kingsgate also operates the 100%-owned Nueva Esperanza Gold/Silver Project in Chile.

At the start of 2025, these ASX 300 shares were trading for approximately $1.29 each. 

Yesterday, shares closed at $5.52. 

That’s a 327.9% rise in less than 12 months. 

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

Another emerging theme in 2025 has been the investor push towards defence stocks. 

Global and Australian spending in defence is increasing at a rapid rate due to global conflict. 

One of the key benefactors in 2025 has been DroneShield, one of the most hotly covered ASX 300 stocks this year. 

It has secured several milestone contracts this year. 

The company develops and sells artificial-intelligence-powered hardware and software to detect drones used by the likes of terrorists and criminals. The company’s solutions protect people, organisations, and critical infrastructure from the intrusion of drones.

It rose almost 8% yesterday alone, taking its yearly growth to 300%. 

It’s worth noting this hasn’t come without volatility.

From January to October it rose more than 700%, before losing ground in the last couple of months. 

Do these ASX 300 shares have further upside?

For investors who were not fortunate enough to reap the benefits of these massive gains in 2025, there could be further upside. 

A recent report from Bell Potter included a $4.40 price target for DroneShield shares. 

This indicates a further 46% upside for the ASX 300 stock. 

For Kingsgate shares, TradingView has a one year price target of $6.83, which indicates a further 23% upside from yesterday’s closing price of $5.52. 

The post Investors tripled their returns with these ASX 300 shares this year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield. 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.