4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) shares are lifting off today.

Again.

Shares in the respiratory imaging technology company closed yesterday trading for $2.89. In morning trade on Friday, shares are changing hands for $3.48 apiece, up 20.4%.

For some context, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.5% at this same time.

Today’s big gains will mark a new record closing high for the company (if maintained to close). And they see 4DMedical shares up an eye-watering 656.5% over 12 months.

This now sees the company commanding a market cap north of $1.7 billion, which could see it re-rated to list on the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) next year.

Here’s what’s piquing ASX investor interest today.

4DMedical shares rip higher on new US deal

4DMedical shares are off to the races after the company announced that it has entered into a commercial arrangement for the clinical use of CT:VQ with United States-based Cleveland Clinic.

CT:VQ is the company’s CAT scan-based ventilation-perfusion software.

4DMedical noted that the Cleveland Clinic is consistently ranked among the top hospitals in the US. The agreement provides an introductory pricing period of one month to support clinical workflow integration, followed by full commercial terms.

Cleveland Clinic’s commercial launch of CT:VQ follows 4DMedical’s recent agreements with Stanford University and the University of Miami.

Investors look to be taking note, with the company saying it is establishing a growing network of premier academic medical centres deploying CT:VQ for advanced respiratory diagnostics.

What did management say?

Commenting on the deal that’s sending 4DMedical shares surging today, founder and CEO Andreas Fouras said, “Securing Cleveland Clinic as a CT:VQ customer is a major milestone for 4DMedical”.

He said the new agreement “validates both our technology and our commercialisation strategy”. Fouras added that, “Cleveland Clinic is one of the most respected healthcare institutions in the world.”

According to Fouras:

In just over three months since FDA clearance, we’ve established CT:VQ at three of America’s leading academic medical centres: Stanford, University of Miami, and Cleveland Clinic. This rapid adoption by elite institutions demonstrates the compelling clinical and operational advantages of CT:VQ over traditional nuclear VQ imaging.

Our AMC-focused strategy is working exactly as planned. These prestigious institutions serve as powerful reference sites that, combined with the Philips partnership, provide the platform to accelerate adoption across national health systems and community hospitals.

And helping to build excitement for the outlook for 4DMedical shares, Fouras concluded, “The momentum is extraordinary, and we’re just getting started.”

The post Up 657% in a year, 4DMedcial shares rocketing another 20% today on big US news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why 4DMedical, DroneShield, EOS, and Star shares are rising today
• Up 10x since July, could this hot ASX stock be the next Droneshield?
• Why 4DMedical, EOS, Gorilla Gold, and Neuren shares are racing higher today

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 All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.5% today, with this ASX All Ords share once more outpacing those gains.

The fast-rising stock in question is diversified services provider Symal Group Ltd (ASX:SYL).

Symal is a relative newcomer to the ASX, having listed in November 2024. And the ASX All Ords share has been on a tear ever since.

Symal shares closed yesterday trading for $3.26. In early morning trade on Friday, shares are changing hands for $3.37 apiece, up 3.4%.

With today’s intraday boost factored in, the Symal share price is now up a whopping 98.2% in 2025.

Here’s what’s grabbing ASX investor interest today.

ASX All Ords share gains on South Australian expansion

Investors are piling into Symal shares today after the company announced it has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire 80% of the shares in Davison Earthmovers.

The ASX All Ords share will pay $23.2 million for its majority stake in the South Australian civil construction business. The acquisition includes more than $11 million in plant and equipment assets.

Symal said that the business also brings a skilled workforce and strong management team. Paul Davison, founder and managing director, will retain a 20% stake and continue to lead the business.

The ASX All Ords shares also highlighted that South Australia is a region with a $27.3 billion infrastructure pipeline over the next four years. With the acquisition of Davison, Symal said it is well-placed to accelerate its participation in major projects. This includes road and rail infrastructure, defence, building and facilities, and renewable energy initiatives.

Turning to the numbers, Symal expects the acquisition to deliver annualised underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of around $7 million and be earnings per share (EPS) accretive from the first year of ownership.

Symal expects the deal to be completed in Q3 FY 2026, subject to satisfaction of closing conditions.

What did management say?

Commenting on the deal that’s boosting the ASX All Ords share today, Symal managing director Joe Bartolo said, “This acquisition marks a pivotal step in Symal’s journey to build enduring capability and presence in South Australia.”

Bartolo added:

Davison Earthmovers brings a legacy of excellence, a skilled team, and trusted relationships that resonate with our own values and culture. By integrating their expertise and resources, we’re not just expanding our footprint – we’re strengthening our ability to deliver complex infrastructure solutions with agility and reliability.

South Australia is entering a transformative phase, with major investments reshaping its infrastructure landscape. The addition of the Davison team positions Symal to play a leading role in this growth by leveraging local insights and executing on our proven self-performing model.

Symal said it will provide updated FY 2026 guidance upon completion of the acquisition.

The post Up 98% in 2025, guess which ASX All Ords share is lifting off again today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 2 ASX All Ords shares tipped to rip 20% to 85% in 2026
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Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB) has won its second contract in as many days, with the shipbuilder saying on Friday it will build another two vessels for the Australian Border Force.

The win follows Austal’s announcement on Thursday, which stated that it had been awarded a $1.029 billion design and construct contract to build 18 Landing Craft Medium (LCM) vessels for the Australian Army under the Commonwealth’s Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement.

Contract extension

Under the new deal announced on Friday, Austal will build another two Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats.

The company went on to say:

This latest award, valued at over $135 million, brings the total number of Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats contracted to Austal to 14 vessels, reinforcing the long-standing partnership between Austal, the Australian Border Force and the Royal Australian Navy in delivering critical maritime capability for Australia’s national security.

Austal Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said the new vessels were strengthening the Border Force’s readiness and operational reach.

He went on to say:

Over the past five years the Evolved Cape-Class Patrol boats have proven themselves as highly capable, reliable assets for Australia’s border protection missions. With nine Evolved Capes already delivered and performing exceptionally with the Royal Australian Navy, and two more already under construction for the Australian Border Force, this new order further enhances Australia’s maritime surveillance and response capability across Northern Australia and our vast maritime domain.

The Evolved Cape-class design features expanded accommodation for up to 32 personnel, Austal said, enhanced “quality of life” systems, and advanced sustainment technologies “to maximise operational availability”.

Construction of the newly ordered boats will take place at Austal’s Henderson shipyard in Western Australia.

WA shipyard in favour

The LCM order announced on Thursday will also be built at Henderson, with the first of those to be built in 2026 and the final landing craft to be delivered in 2032.

Each of those vessels would be capable of transporting loads of up to 80 tonnes.

Mr Gregg said this contract was the first awarded to the company under the Federal Government’s Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement.

He went on to say:

This Landing Craft Medium design and build contract awarded to Austal Defence Australia is the first vessel construction in the Government’s commitment to delivering continuous naval shipbuilding at Henderson, Western Australia, enlivening decades of opportunity for individuals and businesses to engage, collaborate and invest in defence programs.

Austal shares were trading 5.4% higher at $6.57 in early trade on Friday. Austal was valued at $2.5 billion at the close of trade on Thursday.

The post Austal wins second major contract in as many days, sending its shares sharply higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Austal secures $135m patrol boat contract extension
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Austal lands $1 billion defence deal. So why are its shares barely moving?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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.

It is a good day to own ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares.

Shareholders of these big four banks should be smiling today for a couple of reasons. But why? Let’s find out.

Why is it a good day to own ANZ and Westpac shares?

The first reason that today is a good day for the banks’ shareholders is that they are both pushing higher on Friday morning.

At the time of writing, the ANZ share price is up 0.65% to $36.27 and the Westpac share price is up over 1% to $38.72.

Investors have been bidding the big four banks’ shares higher today after a strong night of trade on Wall Street.

This has seen the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rise 0.5% in early trade this morning.

What else?

Another reason that today is a good day for shareholders is that it is payday for them both.

Last month, both banks released their full year results and declared their latest final dividends.

ANZ reported a statutory profit of $5,891 million, which was down 10% from the prior year, and a flat cash profit (excluding significant items) of $6,896 million.

This was reflective of both the strength of ANZ’s franchise and the importance of executing its long-term strategy according to management. It highlighted that its institutional and New Zealand divisions performed well, while Australian retail and business banking remained competitive.

This allowed ANZ to reward its shareholders with a 70% franked final dividend of 83 cents per share for FY 2025. This brought its full year dividend to 166 cents per share, which was in line with what it paid a year ago.

Eligible shareholders can look forward to receiving this final dividend of 83 cents per share later today.

The Westpac dividend

Last month, Westpac released its full year results for FY 2025. Australia’s oldest bank reported a 3% increase in net interest income to $19.473 billion for the 12 months ended 30 September. This was underpinned by a 6% increase in loans and a 7% lift in customer deposits.

And while higher operating expenses weighed on its profits for the year, with Westpac reporting 1% decline in net profit after tax to $6.989 billion, it didn’t stop its board from increasing its dividend modestly to a fully franked $1.53 per share.

This includes a fully franked final dividend of 77 cents per share, which is being paid to eligible Westpac shareholders today.

The post Why today is a great day to own ANZ and Westpac shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• $5,000 invested in ANZ shares at the start of 2025 is now 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.

NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF) shares are edging higher on Friday.

In morning trade, the private health insurer’s shares are up almost 1% to $6.96.

What’s going on with NIB shares today?

Investors have been buying the company’s shares today after it released an update on its profit expectations.

According to the release, it expects to report non-recurring one-off items that will impact its statutory operating profit (SOP) but not its underlying operating profit (UOP).

The company advised that non-recurring cash expenses in first half are expected to be around $17 million, which is higher than previously indicated at its FY 2025 results briefing in August.

Its one-off and non-recurring expenses, including M&A and integration costs, were $21.5 million for the half. These expenses partly relate to a net cash expense (before tax) of approximately ~$8 million relating to historical adjustments for the Private Health Insurance Australian Government Rebate (AGR) and NSW Hospital Insurance Levy (HIL).

With respect to the AGR, NIB highlights that the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has recently clarified that the AGR could not be claimed on some historical marketing offers and COVID customer givebacks. In response, NIB has amended its approach moving forward.

For HIL, as a result of recent legal determinations, NIB has confirmed that a different basis of calculation can be utilised for the HIL. This includes refunding some historically charged levies and providing some offset to the AGR impact. This approach has also been amended going forward.

Outside this, the company’s non-recurring cash expenses include restructuring costs associated with the group-wide productivity program, as well as strategic initiatives such as the strategic review of NIB Travel, with an outcome expected in FY 2026.

What else?

NIB also revealed that a non-cash expense (before tax) of around $4.5 million is expected to be incurred in the first half. This is for the reduction in the value of redundant acquired software relating to acquisitions in NIB Thrive.

Management advised that this will be recognised in the amortisation of acquired intangibles.

Since 2022, the company has acquired six NDIS plan management businesses, a support coordination business, and an NDIS marketplace platform.

Over the last 12 months, it has consolidated the majority of these businesses onto a single technology platform to enhance automation, operating efficiency, and ongoing business model simplification.

Underlying profit on target

While we are not quite at the end of the half, management highlights that it is currently performing to expectations for group UOP during the first half. Though, it acknowledges that this is subject to the second quarter risk equalisation outcome.

The post NIB shares edge higher on profit update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• NIB holdings updates investors on 1H26 one-off expenses and profit outlook
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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 NIB Holdings. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

You don’t need thousands of dollars to get started in the share market.

In fact, investing smaller amounts regularly can be one of the smartest ways to build long-term wealth, especially when you use exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

ETFs let you spread your money across dozens or even hundreds of stocks all in a single trade. That makes them ideal for investors who want diversification, global exposure, and a simple way to get their money working without having to pick individual stocks.

If you have $250 to invest this month, here are three ASX ETFs that could be worth considering.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

The iShares S&P 500 ETF is a great foundation for almost any portfolio, regardless of how much you are investing. It tracks the S&P 500 index, which represents 500 of the largest and most influential stocks in the United States.

Its holdings include household names like Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST), Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B), and JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM). Importantly, it also includes plenty of high-quality businesses outside the mega-cap tech giants.

For a small investment, this fund offers instant exposure to the world’s most powerful economy and a long history of strong long-term returns. It is the kind of ETF you can keep adding to month after month.

VanEck Video Gaming and Esports ETF (ASX: ESPO)

If you want to add a growth tilt to your $250 investment, the VanEck Video Gaming and Esports ETF could be an exciting option. It provides investors with targeted exposure to the global video game and esports industry, which continues to grow as gaming becomes a mainstream form of entertainment.

The fund holds companies such as Tencent Holdings (SEHK: 700), Nintendo, Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA), Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ: TTWO), and Roblox (NYSE: RBLX). These businesses sit at the intersection of technology, media, and consumer spending.

Overall, this ASX offers a way to invest in a high-growth theme without relying on a single company to succeed, which is especially useful when investing smaller amounts. It was recently recommended by analysts at VanEck.

VanEck China New Economy ETF (ASX: CNEW)

Finally, the VanEck China New Economy ETF could be worth a look. It offers exposure to companies that are driving China’s new economy.

There are a total of 120 fundamentally sound and attractively valued Chinese stocks across sectors such as technology, healthcare, consumer staples, and consumer discretionary. Its holdings include a broad mix of domestically focused businesses that benefit from rising incomes, urbanisation, and long-term structural change.

It was also recently recommended by analysts at VanEck.

The post Where to invest $250 in ASX ETFs this month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. 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 Berkshire Hathaway, Costco Wholesale, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, Nvidia, Roblox, Take-Two Interactive Software, Tencent, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Electronic Arts and Nintendo and has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Berkshire Hathaway, Microsoft, Nvidia, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

When it comes to ease of use for investing, you can’t go past exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to allow you to invest according to thematics, particularly when you’re looking to get exposure to overseas shares with a minimum of fuss.

CommSec has just announced which ETFs investors using its platform have favoured over the past year, and perhaps not surprisingly, they have a global and a technology focus.

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

First cab off the rank is the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF, which aims to track the tech-heavy NASDAQ’s top 100 index, and given how US tech stocks have been performing over the past year, it’s no surprise that this one has done well.

According to the Betashares website, this ETF has delivered a 20.87% return over the past year, not far off its index benchmark of 21.32%.

And over three years, the returns are even better, returning 29.49% against the index’s 29.96%.

The fund’s top holding is Nvidia, comprising 9% of its holdings, followed by Apple at 8.8%, Microsoft at 7.7%, and Broadcom at 5.5%.

That’s just ahead of Amazon at 5.1%.

Other holdings include Alphabet, Tesla, and Meta.

iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ)

As the name suggests, this ETF, the second most popular with CommSec users, seeks to track the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which comprises the top 200 companies listed on the Australian bourse.

Australian shares have not performed anywhere near as well as the top US tech stocks over the past year, and this is reflected in the relatively muted return for this ETF of 5.44% over one year and a three-year return of 9.61%.

Given it tracks the top Aussie stocks, the largest holdings should be no surprise, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) the top dog at a 9.84% weighting, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) at 8.61%, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) at 5.03%, and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) at 4.92%.

Other companies in the top 10 holdings include CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), and Goodman Group (ASX: GMG).

iShares Global 100 ETF (ASX: IOO)

The third-most popular ETF among CommSec customers has a global focus; however, considering the dominance of US stocks, its holdings are similar to the NDQ ETF.

The fund aims to track 100 of the largest global stocks, and again, Nvidia and Apple are at the top of the holdings list, with 11.65% and 11.26% of the fund in these two stocks, respectively.

Among the differences between the ETFs is IOO’s 2.42% holding in JP Morgan and holdings in Eli Lilly and Walmart.

This ETF has returned 22.43% over the past year and 28.04% over the past three years.

The post Check out the three most-traded ETFs on CommSec this past year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor Cameron England has positions in CSL, Wesfarmers, and iShares International Equity ETFs – iShares Global 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, CSL, Goodman Group, JPMorgan Chase, Macquarie Group, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Broadcom and has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, BHP Group, CSL, Goodman Group, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Qube Holdings Ltd (ASX: QUB) share price is in focus today after the company updated investors on the Macquarie Asset Management due diligence process. Qube confirmed that Macquarie has provided the necessary confirmation to continue the exclusivity period under the Process Deed, as previously announced.

What did Qube Holdings report?

• Received confirmation from Macquarie Asset Management to extend the due diligence exclusivity period
• Exclusivity governed by the Process and Exclusivity Deed signed on 23 November 2025
• Update follows Qube’s prior ASX announcement regarding the potential Macquarie proposal on 24 November 2025
• No certainty yet that a binding offer will result from the process

What else do investors need to know?

Qube’s ongoing discussions with Macquarie Asset Management follow a non-binding indicative proposal, but there’s no guarantee it will turn into a firm offer. The Process Deed gives Macquarie an exclusivity period to conduct due diligence and possibly submit a binding proposal.

The company has reminded shareholders that no decision is required at this stage. Investors will receive further updates as the process develops, keeping them informed every step of the way.

What’s next for Qube Holdings?

Qube expects to continue working with Macquarie Asset Management throughout the extended exclusivity period. The company will provide timely updates as and when further developments arise regarding Macquarie’s intentions.

For now, the Process Deed means the due diligence phase goes on, but Qube stressed that there is still uncertainty as to whether shareholders will ultimately receive a binding proposal.

Qube Holdings share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Qube Holdings shares have risen 20%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which have risen 5% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Qube Holdings shares in focus after Macquarie due diligence update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• Austal secures $135m patrol boat contract extension
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
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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.

There are a lot of options for income investors to choose from on the local share market.

To narrow things down, let’s take a look at three ASX dividend stocks that analysts are tipping as buys this month. They are as follows:

Jumbo Interactive Ltd (ASX: JIN)

The first ASX dividend stock to look at is Jumbo Interactive. It is an online lottery ticket seller and lottery platform provider, best known for its Oz Lotteries app and Powered by Jumbo platform.

The team at Macquarie is positive on Jumbo and sees significant value in its shares at current levels. Especially given its strong growth outlook. It said:

We forecast +25% three-year EPS CAGR (FY25-28), and see attractive valuation on 11.5% free-cash-flow yield & 11x P/E, 12-months forward.

The broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of 33 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 44.5 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $10.93, this would mean dividend yields of 3% and 4.1%, respectively.

Macquarie has an outperform rating and $15.00 price target on its shares.

Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL)

Another ASX dividend stock that could be a buy according to analysts is Sonic Healthcare. It is one of the largest pathology and diagnostic imaging providers in the world.

Bell Potter is positive on this one and believes it is well-placed for solid growth in the coming years. It explains:

One can expect SHL to generate solid mid-high single digit organic EPS growth with addon benefit of acquisitions to drive double-digit growth on a normal basis. SHL is a sold compound generator, which is why it holds appeal in our view.

As for dividends, the broker expects partially franked dividends of 109 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 111 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $22.52, this represents dividend yields of 4.8% and 4.9%, respectively.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $33.30 price target on its shares.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

Finally, Universal Store could be an ASX dividend stock to buy. It is a youth-focused fashion retailer behind the Thrills, Perfect Stranger, and Universal Store.

Bell Potter believes the company is well-placed for growth thanks to its private label expansion and store rollout. It said:

At ~18x FY26e P/E (BPe), we see UNI trading at a discount to the ASX300 peer group and see the multiple justified by the distinctive growth traits supporting consistent outperformance in a challenging broader category, longer term opportunity with three brands, organic gross margin expansion via private label product penetration (currently ~55%) and management execution.

It is forecasting fully franked dividends of 37.3 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 41.4 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $8.08, this equates to dividend yields of 4.6% and 5.1%, respectively.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $10.50 price target on its shares.

The post Experts say these ASX dividend stocks are cheap buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• These 2 ASX dividend shares are great buys right now
• $5,000 to invest? Consider 4 no-brainer ASX dividend shares with over 20 years of growth
• Bell Potter names three retail stock picks for your Christmas hamper

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Universal Store. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Jumbo Interactive and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Jumbo Interactive, Sonic Healthcare, and Universal Store. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The NIB holdings Ltd (ASX: NIB) share price is in focus as the company flagged $17 million in non-recurring expenses for the first half of FY26, higher than the previous guidance, with underlying operating profit (UOP) still expected to meet expectations.

What did NIB holdings report?

• Expected non-recurring cash expenses of around $17 million in 1H26, up from prior guidance
• Non-cash expense of about $4.5 million for redundant software amortisation
• FY25 one-off and non-recurring expenses totalled $21.5 million
• Underlying operating profit (UOP) remains on track with previous expectations
• Announcement of ongoing restructuring costs tied to productivity programs and strategic reviews

What else do investors need to know?

NIB attributed the higher one-off expenses mainly to historical adjustments on the Private Health Insurance Australian Government Rebate (AGR) and the NSW Hospital Insurance Levy (HIL). The company adjusted its claims and levy calculations following new clarification and legal decisions affecting the health insurance industry.

Additionally, a reduction in the value of previously acquired software—stemming from consolidation of NDIS-related businesses onto a unified technology platform—led to a one-off, non-cash hit to statutory profit. The group-wide productivity program and the ongoing strategic review of nib Travel will also contribute to non-recurring costs.

What’s next for NIB holdings?

Looking ahead, NIB anticipates its 1H26 underlying operating profit will stay in line with market expectations, subject to outcomes from second quarter risk equalisation. The company is focusing on streamlining its technology and business models to drive efficiencies, including consolidating its NDIS businesses and continuing its review of the travel segment, with updates expected in FY26.

NIB is scheduled to release its full 1H26 results on 23 February 2026.

NIB holdings share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, NIB Holdings shares have risen 27%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

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The post NIB holdings updates investors on 1H26 one-off expenses and profit outlook 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 positions in and has recommended NIB Holdings. 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.