• UBS names its 10 top ASX picks for the next 3-6 months

    a woman in a business suit looks wide eyed and interested as she holds a tin can with string to hear ear listening to some news.

    Investors looking for ideas over the next few months have a new list to work through.

    UBS has released its latest “Top Picks” list, naming 10 ASX shares its analysts see as the most compelling opportunities over the next 3 to 6 months.

    The list is selected from a wider pool of 30 stocks and is updated each month.

    So, which ASX shares made the cut this time?

    Resources and industrials are in hot demand

    UBS says the August reporting season reinforced what it describes as a “capex over consumer” cycle.

    The broker sees stronger conditions in areas benefiting from spending on data centres, mining, energy and defence, while consumer-facing parts of the market look less attractive.

    Several of the stocks on the list fit that view.

    They include Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD), which finished Monday at $8.17, Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) at $63.06, Orica Ltd (ASX: ORI) at $22.95 and Ventia Services Group Ltd (ASX: VNT) at $5.73.

    UBS is currently overweight both the mining and industrial sectors.

    Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) also makes the cut. The data centre connectivity company closed Monday at $17.13 after a strong run this year, up 45%.

    The full UBS top 10

    The rest of the list is a pretty much a mixed bunch.

    Auckland International Airport Ltd (ASX: AIA) finished Monday at $6.99, while AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) closed at $2.48.

    Healthcare heavyweight CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) ended the session at $173.18, while gaming company Light & Wonder Inc (ASX: LNW) finished at $125.30.

    Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) rounds out the list after closing Monday at $2.69.

    That gives UBS a mix of mining, infrastructure, technology, healthcare, financial and consumer-related exposure.

    It’s also worth remembering these are short-term picks, not necessarily the stocks UBS likes best over the next 5 or 10 years.

    The list can change quickly as share prices and earnings expectations move on the daily.

    What is UBS avoiding?

    Just as interesting is where UBS is more cautious.

    The broker isn’t keen on banks, consumer discretionary shares and real estate, with higher RBA interest rates and weaker sentiment making life tougher across those parts of the market.

    UBS thinks that could lead to more earnings-per-share (EPS) downgrades in the months ahead.

    That leaves the broker leaning more heavily towards companies exposed to business investment and infrastructure spending.

    Of course, these are only 3-to-6-month picks, and UBS refreshes the list every month.

    I’d be interested to see which of these 10 are still there next time around.

    The post UBS names its 10 top ASX picks for the next 3-6 months appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in UBS right now?

    Before you buy UBS 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 UBS 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 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 CSL, Light & Wonder Inc, and Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL and Light & Wonder Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Why a fund manager loves these ASX shares right now

    Buy and sell keys on an Apple keyboard.

    There are plenty of interesting investment opportunities available on the ASX share market right now.

    The experts in charge of WAM Capital Ltd (ASX: WAM) have outlined some compelling opportunities in its portfolio that have pleasing outlooks.

    WAM Capital is a listed investment company (LIC) – a company that invests in other shares to generate profits for shareholders. Which ASX shares? The LIC wants to find the “most compelling undervalued growth opportunities in the Australian market”.

    Let’s dive into the two stocks that Wilson Asset Management highlighted as ideas in its August 2026 update.

    EVT Ltd (ASX: EVT)

    The first ASX share that WAM discussed was EVT, an Australian leisure and property company that operates cinemas, hotels and commercial properties. Its cinema chains are reportedly the largest in Australia and New Zealand.

    The fund manager noted that the EVT share price rose in August following the release of its FY26 annual result. It shot up 18% during last month.

    Wilson Asset Management highlighted that the ASX share’s reported net profit after tax (NPAT) rose 51.9% year-over-year to $50.7 million. The company’s board of directors declared a fully franked final dividend of 23 cents per share, representing a year-over-year rise of 4.5%.

    WAM said that the FY26 result was ahead of the consensus of analysts’ expectations, driven by the cinema segment.

    The fund manager also noted the business plans to divest approximately $800 million of non-core property assets, as well as an independent strategic review of the group structure.

    WAM said the proposed asset divestments are expected to support hotel growth and potential special dividends, while the strategic review is a potential catalyst to unlock further shareholder value.

    FDC Consolidated Holdings Ltd (ASX: FDC)

    The other ASX share that Wilson Asset Management wanted to highlight was FDC, an integrated construction and building services company that delivers major construction, fit-out and refurbishment solutions across Australia.

    The FDC share price also increased by 19% in August 2026. This positive performance was in response to the company’s first annual result as an ASX-listed company.

    FDC reported that revenue grew by 13% year-over-year, which reflected the strength of its diversified business model and national footprint, according to WAM. There was double-digit growth across its construction, fit-out and refurbishment segments.

    WAM then pointed out that FDC also reaffirmed its FY27 prospectus forecasts and highlighted a diversified project pipeline, which supported confidence in the ASX share’s future earnings growth.

    The post Why a fund manager loves these ASX shares right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Evt right now?

    Before you buy Evt 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 Evt 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 Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Are CSL shares still cheap after almost doubling since June?

    A female scientist in a laboratory setting using a tablet to review data, with a male scientist working in the background.

    CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares have been one of the more spectacular ASX recovery stories of the past few months.

    After a difficult period for the healthcare giant, investors have returned quickly as confidence in its earnings outlook improved.

    With the shares now trading around $173.18, I think the valuation deserves another look.

    A very different price

    Back in June, CSL shares could be bought for just $90.

    At that level, I thought the stock looked dirt cheap for a global healthcare business with strong market positions across plasma therapies, vaccines, and specialist medicines.

    The market clearly agreed eventually. At around $173.18 on Tuesday, CSL shares have almost doubled in roughly three months.

    That is an extraordinary move for a company of this size, and it changes the valuation discussion quite considerably.

    The easy answer is that CSL is no longer cheap in the way it was at $90.

    But I do not think that automatically makes the shares expensive.

    What does the valuation look like now?

    According to consensus estimates, CSL is expected to generate earnings per share of $9.01 in FY27, rising to $9.51 in FY28 and $10.10 in FY29.

    At the current share price, that puts CSL on a PE ratio of roughly 19 times forecast FY27 earnings.

    While I would not call that cheap, I think it is still a reasonable price for a business with CSL’s global position and the prospect of returning to steady earnings growth.

    The valuation also becomes a little more attractive if those earnings forecasts are delivered. Based on the FY29 estimate, the shares are trading at around 17 times earnings.

    That gives investors some room for the earnings recovery to do more of the work from here.

    Why I still see value

    CSL still has several qualities I like as a long-term investment.

    Its plasma collection network, scale in immunoglobulin therapies, and established global operations are difficult to replicate.

    There is also potential for earnings to improve as the business works through the operational issues and restructuring that weighed on investor confidence previously.

    I would not expect the next few years to be completely smooth.

    CSL still needs to show that it can deliver the earnings recovery the market is now pricing in, and any disappointment could put pressure on the share price after such a strong rebound.

    Even so, I think the current valuation leaves the stock in a reasonable position if earnings continue moving higher.

    Foolish takeaway

    CSL shares looked exceptionally cheap around $90 in June.

    At $173.18, I do not think that description fits anymore.

    The shares have almost doubled, and investors are now paying around 19 times forecast FY27 earnings.

    For me, that moves CSL from dirt cheap to decent value.

    I would still be comfortable buying at today’s price for the long term, but I think the opportunity now rests much more on future earnings growth than on an obviously depressed valuation.

    The post Are CSL shares still cheap after almost doubling since June? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in CSL right now?

    Before you buy CSL 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 CSL 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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    More reading

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