• Where I’d invest $15,000 in ASX shares now

    Happy businessman fist pumping while looking at a tablet.

    If I had $15,000 ready to invest today, I would spread it evenly across three ASX shares I think can keep finding new ways to grow.

    Here are three shares I would buy with the money.

    Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL)

    Netwealth would be my first pick.

    This ASX share provides the investment platform and technology financial advisers use to manage client portfolios and superannuation.

    I think the opportunity is increasingly about helping advice practices operate better. Advisers have to manage investments, reporting, administration, tax information, client communication, and an expanding range of products. A platform that can bring more of that work together can become increasingly important to how the practice runs.

    Netwealth can keep improving those capabilities while competing for more advisers and client assets.

    It also operates in a market with a strong long-term tailwind. Australia’s pool of superannuation and investment wealth should continue expanding over the years ahead.

    For me, $5,000 invested in Netwealth would be backing a company that could potentially capture more of that wealth while becoming more valuable to the people managing it.

    Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

    I would put another $5,000 into home appliance manufacturer Breville.

    What I like here is the repeatability of the growth model. Breville can develop a strong product, build a reputation around it, take it into more countries, and then introduce those customers to other products across the kitchen.

    Coffee has become a major strength, but I do not think the investment case needs to stop with espresso machines.

    Breville has spent years building expertise in product design and a premium brand that can extend across many kitchen categories.

    If the company keeps producing products people are willing to pay more for and expands its presence across international markets, I think it has a straightforward path to becoming a much larger global consumer business.

    Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

    My final $5,000 would go into Catapult Sports.

    Professional sports organisations now generate enormous amounts of information from athlete tracking, video, training, and competition. The challenge is turning all of that information into better decisions.

    Catapult is building technology around that entire process. Its products can help coaches and performance teams understand how athletes are moving, review matches, prepare tactics, and increasingly connect information that previously sat in separate systems.

    I think that could make the company much more deeply involved in how sporting organisations work.

    New areas such as athlete development, strength training, and scouting also give Catapult room to expand beyond the products it first became known for.

    With professional sport played at enormous scale around the world, I think there is plenty of territory left for this ASX share to pursue.

    Foolish takeaway

    With $15,000 to invest, I would be comfortable giving each of these ASX shares $5,000.

    The common thread for me is the ability to keep expanding what they already do well.

    That gives me enough confidence to buy today and let the businesses, rather than short-term share price movements, determine the outcome over the years ahead.

    The post Where I’d invest $15,000 in ASX shares now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Breville Group right now?

    Before you buy Breville Group shares, consider this:

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

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

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

    * Returns as of 1 August 2026

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

  • Here’s what brokers tip next for APA, Transurban, Aurizon shares

    Woman and man at work looking at data on a tablet at work.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) spiked to an all-time high in early August. After falling from that peak, it remains up around 3% year-to-date.

    Concerns about inflation, higher interest rates and a rising oil price saw stocks soften across much of the index.

    Some ASX 200 shares, like Transurban Group Ltd (ASX: TCL) and Aurizon Ltd (ASX: AZJ) were smashed by the slump in sentiment, while others, such as APA Group Ltd (ASX: APA) bucked the trend and flew higher.

    Here’s a breakdown of how each of these shares are tracking now, and what brokers tip next.

    Hold APA shares

    At the time of writing, APA shares are trading at $10.94 a piece. That’s a 6% increase over the past month and around a 21% increase for the year-to-date.

    The shares stormed higher after the company reported its FY26 results in mid-August, which surpassed guidance.

    APA reported an 8.3% increase in underlying EBITDA as part of its FY26 results this morning. It also announced a 3.2% increase in its free cash flow and 1.9% uplift in statutory revenue (excluding pass-through), and a 81.4% jump in statutory net profit.

    Going forward, APA is also guiding a higher underlying EBITDA of between $2,260 million and $2,340 million for FY27.

    The share price has climbed around 8% higher since its results announcement, but it looks like the shares could now be around fair value.

    Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a hold rating on APA shares. The average $9.65 target price implies a potential 12% downside at the time of writing.

    Hold Transurban shares

    Transurban shares have fallen around 8% over the past month, at the time of writing. The slump means the shares are now down around 3% for the year-to-date.

    The shares started sliding after it posted its FY26 update. The toll road company reported a 7.5% increase in its proportional operating EBITDA and a 6.7% increase in its proportional toll revenue growth. EBITDA market also increased to 75.7%, up from 74.9% in FY25.

    But it looks like investors are concerned about Transurban’s climbing debt-servicing costs and are now questioning whether its shares are now trading at over stretched valuations. The shares are now down around 6% since the results announcement.

    Brokers are also reserved about the outlook for the shares. Market Index data shows that the majority have a hold rating on APA shares. The $13.95 average target price implies around a 2% upside ahead, at the time of writing.

    Hold Aurizon shares

    Aurizon shares crashed around 13% following its FY26 results last month. There has been a slight share price recovery, but they’re still down around 12% over the past month. 

    The rail freight operator posted a 6% increase in revenue, a 9% increase in underlying EBITDA, and a 24% increase in underlying NPAT. Management also raised its full-year dividend 46% to 23 cents per share.

    Going forward, Aurizon is guiding underlying EBITDA of $1,725–$1,775 million, with full-year dividends expected to be in the range of 23 to 24 cents per share. 

    The company is targeting higher earnings in the Network and Bulk divisions, but it said Coal is expected to moderate due to lower contracted volumes. Containerised Freight is forecast to reach break-even on an EBITDA basis.

    But it looks like investors are concerned about the cautious FY27 guidance figures and declining coal haulage expectations.

    Brokers are also reserved. Again, Market Index shows that the majority of brokers have a hold rating on the shares. The $3.68 target price implies a downside of around 1% at the time of writing.

    The post Here’s what brokers tip next for APA, Transurban, Aurizon shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Apa Group right now?

    Before you buy Apa Group shares, consider this:

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

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

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

    * Returns as of 1 August 2026

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

  • This ASX 200 tech giant is down 30% in 2026. Can it make a comeback?

    A person bounces another up high from a seesaw as the one in the air looks through a telescope into the future.

    Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shares are edging higher on Thursday.

    At the time of writing, the accounting software stock is up 0.82% to $81.37.

    It has been a much better story over the past month, with Xero shares gaining around 14% after falling to a 7-year low of $61.45 in late July.

    But even after that rebound, the stock is still down close to 30% since the start of 2026 and more than 50% below its 52-week high of $166.

    So, can Xero shares continue their comeback?

    Xero is still growing

    The share price has taken a beating, but the business itself is still growing at a decent rate.

    Xero reported FY26 operating revenue of NZ$2.75 billion, up 31%, while annualised monthly recurring revenue jumped 37% to NZ$3.27 billion.

    The company also added 506,000 customers during the year, taking its global customer base to 4.92 million.

    Average revenue per customer rose 23% to NZ$55.44, while adjusted EBITDA increased 18% to NZ$757.4 million.

    Net profit went the other way, falling 27% to NZ$167.4 million, with costs from the Melio acquisition weighing on the result.

    Still, management expects another strong year ahead.

    FY27 revenue guidance sits between NZ$3.62 billion and NZ$3.73 billion, which points to growth of around 30% at the midpoint.

    And Xero still has plenty of room to grow. The company has previously estimated its total addressable market at around 100 million small and medium-sized businesses.

    That compares with fewer than 5 million customers today.

    What do the brokers think?

    Despite the weak share price, several brokers still see plenty of upside.

    Citi has a buy rating and $113.60 price target, while Morgan Stanley is even more bullish with a $130 target.

    UBS sits at $127, Ord Minnett at $110, and Morgans at $111.

    But there are some more cautious views as well. RBC Capital has a hold rating and $85 target, while Jefferies has a $77 target.

    According to TipRanks, the average 12-month price target is $99.29.

    That would put the shares around 22% above where they trade today.

    Is the comeback getting started?

    I think there’s still a bit more to prove before this rally can really get going.

    Xero needs to keep growing while integrating Melio and making sure higher costs don’t eat too far into earnings.

    However, the rebound from its $61.45 low is at least a sign that investors are starting to take another look at the stock.

    At $81 a pop, Xero shares certainly look more appealing than they did when they were swapping hands for close to $200.

    If the company delivers on FY27 guidance and keeps making progress in the US, the shares should keep climbing.

    The post This ASX 200 tech giant is down 30% in 2026. Can it make a comeback? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    * Returns as of 1 August 2026

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    Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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 Jefferies Financial Group and Xero. 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.