ASX All Ords gold stock Ausgold Ltd (ASX: AUC) is jumping higher today.

Ausgold shares closed yesterday trading for 87 cents. In early morning trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for 89 cents apiece, up 2.3%. That sees the Ausgold share price up 14.8% since last Thursday’s close.

For some context, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 0.7% at this same time as investors await the latest RBA interest rate announcement, due at 14:30pm AEST.

Investors are also running their slide rules over Ausgold shares today, after the miner released a promising drilling update.

Here’s what’s happening.

ASX All Ords gold stock gains on drill results

This morning, Ausgold reported on the assay results from extensional and infill drilling at its 100%-owned Katanning Gold Project (KGP), located in Western Australia.

The results stem from the miner’s expanded 58,000 metres reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling (DD) exploration campaign. The miner said it has completed 56,115 metres, spanning 373 holes, to date.

The ASX All Ords gold stock’s exploration program is intended to grow the existing 2.44-million-ounce Resource and 1.33-million-ounce reserve, as well as infill the first two years of KGP’s planned mine life.

Among the top results returned from the latest 59 RC and DD holes, one hole returned 26 metres at 3.03 grams of gold per tonne from 79 metres, including 22 metres at 3.48 grams of gold per tonne from 82 metres.

Another hole returned 10 metres at 3.78g/t from 46 metres.

What did Ausgold management say?

Commenting on the drilling results helping to boost the ASX All Ords gold stock today, Ausgold executive chairman John Dorward said:

The Katanning Gold Project continues to deliver exciting drill results, with this fifth announcement from the ongoing drilling campaign demonstrating progress across multiple fronts, including resource growth, enhanced confidence in the existing resource model, and the advancement of a pipeline of satellite opportunities.

The formal review of in-fill drilling has confirmed the robustness of the existing resource model and highlighted opportunities for improvement, while extensional drilling continues to demonstrate the scale and continuity of the Katanning mineralised system beyond the current resource envelope.

At Datatine, successful down-plunge drilling has provided further encouragement for a potential underground play, while Nanicup Bridge continues to evolve into a compelling satellite resource opportunity.

Looking ahead, Dorward added:

With a further 25,000 metres of drilling about to commence, Ausgold remains focused on systematically growing and advancing the Katanning Gold Project as we progress towards development.

With today’s intraday moves factored in, the Ausgold share price is up 25.4% over the past 12 months, outperforming the 3.3% one-year gains posted by the benchmark index.

The post Up 15% since Thursday, ASX All Ords gold stock jumping again today on ‘exciting’ results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Experts name 2 ASX mining shares to buy and one to hold (inc. BHP shares)
• Here’s why Bell Potter is bullish on Rio Tinto shares amid a commodities ‘supercycle’
• Atlas Arteria urges shareholders to reject IFM’s $5.10 takeover bid
• Qube shareholders vote on $5.20 takeover offer
• Bell Potter says this ASX stock could rise 35%

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.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares have smashed the market over the last 12 months.

During this time, the mining giant’s shares are up 75% to $189.31.

Is it too late to invest? The team at Bell Potter is bullish and continues to recommend the miner to clients.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter has been looking at the mining sector and commodity prices.

With respect to the latter, the broker believes that we are still only at the beginning of a sustained supercycle which will keep commodity prices higher for longer. It explains:

Several megatrends are now colliding with a resource base that has been starved of investment for a decade. We believe new and higher price floors are being established across a basket of commodities. We see this as the early innings of a sustained supercycle. A supercycle is a structural rather than cyclical shift in demand that plays out over many years, globally and broadly at once.

The 2000s cycle was built on China’s industrialisation and urbanisation, and was intensive in bulk, fuel-type commodities: iron ore, coal and oil. The cycle now forming is intensive in the materials behind electrification and compute power: copper, aluminium, uranium, lithium, nickel, and rare earths.

Bell Potter believes this will mean durable price floors for key commodities rather than a short-lived cyclical spike. It adds:

Three structural forces are driving it together: the AI capital expenditure boom, global electrification, and deglobalisation. At the same time, supply across several of these commodities is structurally constrained, copper most of all. That constraint is the mechanism that turns strong demand into durable price floors rather than a short-lived cyclical spike.

Why Rio Tinto shares?

According to the note, the broker believes that Rio Tinto is the highest-quality way to gain exposure to copper and aluminium. It said:

Rio Tinto (RIO) offers exposure to our top two commodity picks (copper and aluminium) in a single, large cap name. It is one of the largest Western copper producers — with the Oyu Tolgoi underground ramp lifting group copper volumes through the back half of the decade — and runs the biggest aluminium business of the diversified majors, integrated across bauxite, alumina and smelting.

With a balance sheet that trends towards net cash at spot prices, RIO can fund that copper growth while sustaining its dividend, giving investors leverage to both the electrification/AI copper theme and the aluminium-substitution trade without taking single-commodity risk.

The post Here’s why Bell Potter is bullish on Rio Tinto shares amid a commodities ‘supercycle’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Are Rio Tinto or BHP shares a better buy right now?
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• Why these ASX blue-chip shares are strong buys right now
• Rio Tinto shares slump 7.5% from an all-time high: Buy, sell or hold?

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.

The Atlas Arteria Group (ASX: ALX) share price remains in focus after the company’s Independent Directors reaffirmed their unanimous recommendation for shareholders to reject the unsolicited takeover offer from IFM, citing the offer as materially undervaluing Atlas Arteria and confirming the company’s 40.0 cents per security 2026 distribution guidance.

What did Atlas Arteria report?

• The off-market cash takeover offer from IFM is $5.10 per Atlas Arteria security.
• The offer is 12% below the $5.79 midpoint of the Independent Expert’s valuation range of $5.39 to $6.20 per security.
• Atlas Arteria reconfirmed its 2026 ordinary distribution guidance of 40.0 cents per security.
• Any net proceeds from asset sales would be returned to securityholders in addition to the ordinary distribution.

What else do investors need to know?

Atlas Arteria’s Independent Directors have strongly advised securityholders to reject IFM’s current offer, arguing it does not reflect a full and fair value for the business, especially in light of the company’s global toll road portfolio and ongoing asset-sale process.

The company is progressing the planned sale of part or all of its 66.67% stake in the Chicago Skyway, with agreements expected to be signed in the fourth quarter of 2026. Proceeds from this and any other divestments are intended to be distributed to shareholders, representing additional value on top of existing distribution targets.

Management also noted confidence that taxes arising from the Chicago Skyway transaction are expected to be immaterial, with efficient return-of-capital arrangements under consideration.

What’s next for Atlas Arteria?

Atlas Arteria is targeting continued disciplined management, with a focus on long-term value creation and sustainable returns for its investors. The company reaffirmed its planned distribution of at least 40.0 cents per security in 2026, subject to ongoing business performance and market conditions.

Beyond the current offer period, Atlas Arteria will continue strategic asset reviews and may pursue further capital returns, while upholding its governance commitments and ensuring independent majority representation on its boards.

Atlas Arteria share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Atlas Arteria shares have declined 5%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 4% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Atlas Arteria urges shareholders to reject IFM’s $5.10 takeover bid appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Qube shareholders vote on $5.20 takeover offer
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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 Qube Holdings Ltd (ASX: QUB) share price is in focus today as shareholders vote on a proposed $5.20-per-share scheme of arrangement that, if approved, will see Rubik Australia acquire 100% of Qube’s issued shares. This represents an attractive 27.8% premium to Qube’s last closing price before the deal was announced.

What did Qube report?

• Total payment of $5.20 cash per Qube share if the scheme proceeds
• Scheme Consideration of $4.80 per share plus interim dividend ($0.0535) and special dividend ($0.3465)
• Scheme values Qube’s equity at around $9.3 billion and enterprise value at $11.7 billion
• Offer implies an enterprise value/EBITDA multiple of about 14.5 times
• Payment represents a 27.8% premium to Qube’s 21 November 2025 closing price and 24% to its three-month VWAP

What else do investors need to know?

The scheme meetings convened today are a significant step for Qube shareholders, following months of engagement and regulatory review. The proposal follows a period in which Qube received and negotiated several indicative offers, resulting in a meaningfully improved bid for shareholders.

Independent expert Grant Samuel concluded that the scheme is fair and reasonable, and that the offer sits within the assessed value range for Qube shares. The Qube board has unanimously recommended shareholders vote in favour of the scheme, absent a superior proposal—which has not emerged as of the meeting date.

Regulatory clearances remain outstanding from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Foreign Investment Review Board, and the New Zealand Overseas Investment Office. The scheme is also subject to final Court approval, with key dates including a second Court hearing scheduled for 7 July 2026.

What did Qube management say?

Qube Chairman John Bevan said:

As a final comment, I would like to thank the entire Qube team of more than 10,000 staff. Your contributions have built Qube into the leading business it is today. This transaction is a milestone for our company and an acknowledgement of the strengths of the business you have contributed to and the positive future I am sure it will enjoy under a new partnership with Rubik.

What’s next for Qube?

If the scheme is approved by both shareholders and the Court, Qube shares are expected to cease trading on the ASX from 8 July 2026. Eligible shareholders (other than UniSuper) will receive their entitlements through a combination of scheme consideration and dividends, with implementation slated for 14 August 2026.

If any outstanding conditions are not met, the scheme will not proceed and Qube will remain ASX-listed. The board has highlighted ongoing engagement with regulators and outlined a clear implementation timetable.

Qube share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Qube Holdings shares have risen 18%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 4% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Qube shareholders vote on $5.20 takeover offer appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Atlas Arteria urges shareholders to reject IFM’s $5.10 takeover bid
• HomeCo Daily Needs REIT posts $92m valuation gain, reaffirms guidance
• Centuria Industrial REIT unveils data centre strategy
• Centuria Capital Group unveils AI-powered growth at Investor Day
• Contact Energy’s May 2026 report shows higher sales and lower costs

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.

Southern Cross Electrical Engineer Ltd (ASX: SXE) shares have been strong performers over the past 12 months.

During this time, the ASX stock has risen approximately 140%.

The good news is that the team at Bell Potter believes there are more gains to come from the specialised electrical provider’s shares.

What is the broker saying about this ASX stock?

Bell Potter notes that Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has announced a number of major contract wins along with a trading update and equity raising.

The former includes contracts with NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO). It said:

Three major contracts were awarded across the Data Centre and Resources sectors valued at over $150.0m. These include: 1) a Limited Letter of Authorisation by Multiplex Constructions Pty Ltd to immediately commence initial electrical and communications works on the first stage of NEXTDC’s S4 Data Centre in Horsley Park, NSW; 2) a contract by a major data centre operator to supply LV switchroom skids for a facility in Western Sydney; and 3) a Master Construction Agreement for Electrical, Instrumentation and Controls works from Rio Tinto.

The broker was also pleased to see the company upgrade its earnings guidance for FY 2026. It adds:

Strong contract delivery in 2H FY26-to-date has prompted the company to upgrade FY26 EBITDA guidance from >$72.0m to >$75.0m (BPe $72.5m; VA $72.5m). In addition, SXE has issued initial FY27 EBITDA guidance of >$100.0m (BPe $79.1m; VA $80.4m), representing a 33% uplift on the upgraded FY26 EBITDA estimate driven by the contract awards mentioned above and expected near-term award opportunities in the data centre sector and other industries.

Valuation boosted

According to the note, Bell Potter has responded to the update by retaining its buy rating on the ASX stock with an improved price target of $5.40 (from $3.70).

Based on its current share price of $4.02, this implies potential upside of almost 35% for investors over the next 12 months.

In addition, a fully franked 2.1% dividend yield is expected over the period.

Commenting on its investment thesis, Bell Potter said:

Our Target Price lifts to $5.40/sh (up from $3.70/sh), given a more optimistic mediumterm revenue growth outlook, underpinned by rising investment momentum in the Data Centre and BESS construction markets. Our upgraded Target Price implies a NTM PE of 27.9x (41% premium to the peer group). This premium is justified given the company’s strong prospects of delivering acquisition accretion in the near-term.

The post Bell Potter says this ASX stock could rise 35% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here’s why Bell Potter is bullish on Rio Tinto shares amid a commodities ‘supercycle’
• Atlas Arteria urges shareholders to reject IFM’s $5.10 takeover bid
• Qube shareholders vote on $5.20 takeover offer
• How high does UBS think News Corp shares will go?
• HomeCo Daily Needs REIT posts $92m valuation gain, reaffirms guidance

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Nextdc. 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 Southern Cross Electrical Engineering. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Media companies have been under significant pressure in recent years as advertising dollars increasingly flow to online competitors.

News Corporation (ASX: NWS) is quite different from traditional media companies, however.

While it does have a division of what you’d consider traditional media, which publishes newspapers and online news, it also holds a 61.4% stake in digital real estate company REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), and has divisions that focus on business intelligence in Dow Jones, and oil market data in Dow Jones Energy.

The analyst team at UBS has run the ruler over the company’s various divisions, and is predicting solid share price gains over the next 12 months – I’ll get to that shortly.

Firstly, let’s have a look at what they’re saying about the company.

Business data the key to growth

The UBS team said in their research note to clients this week that despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and AI uncertainty, “News Corp has continued to prove resilient, with the share price down 2% over the last 6 months despite REA down 17%”.

UBS said Dow Jones continued to be a key growth engine, delivering about 14% EBITDA on a compound basis over 2022-25.

The analysts said they see “meaningful headroom” for Dow Jones to grow and support double-digit EBITDA growth for News over the next three years.

As they said:

Across News Corp’s earnings segments, Dow Jones has been the fastest-growing contributor to Group EBITDA between FY21-25, with its share increasing from 21% to 36%. While segment-level EBITDA drivers are difficult to break out, growth in DJ revenue has been primarily driven by DJ Risk (avg 15% yoy over FY23-25) followed by Energy (avg +13%yoy), reflecting ongoing demand for corporate risk data and commodities pricing insights amidst global geopolitical uncertainty and AI tailwind.

The Dow Jones Risk division provides proprietary anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) data, which UBS said is used by financial institutions, corporates, and government agencies worldwide.

They added:

Demand for both AML/KYC and sanctions data has accelerated in recent years, driven by heightened geopolitical risk, expanding regulatory complexity and broader adoption of AI-enabled compliance workflows, which are increasing the need for trusted, structured data sets.

UBS is predicting Dow Jones will increase its market share in this field from 9% to 12% by FY29.

On the energy front, UBS said Dow Jones Energy was likely to benefit from the ongoing oil supply chain disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict.

News Corp shares looking cheap

UBS has lowered its price target for News Corp shares from $58 to $56, which is still 34.2% higher than the current price of $41.74.

The company is valued at $23.04 billion.

The post How high does UBS think News Corp shares will go? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here’s why Bell Potter is bullish on Rio Tinto shares amid a commodities ‘supercycle’
• Atlas Arteria urges shareholders to reject IFM’s $5.10 takeover bid
• Qube shareholders vote on $5.20 takeover offer
• Bell Potter says this ASX stock could rise 35%
• HomeCo Daily Needs REIT posts $92m valuation gain, reaffirms guidance

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.

The HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN) share price is in focus after the real estate investment trust reported a $92 million preliminary unaudited valuation gain for the June 2026 quarter, up 1.8% on the prior period, and reaffirmed key earnings guidance.

What did HomeCo Daily Needs REIT report?

• Preliminary unaudited valuation gain of $92 million (+1.8%) for the quarter ending 30 June 2026
• Portfolio value lifted to $5,187 million from $5,095 million at 31 December 2025
• Gearing maintained at midpoint of 30–40% target range
• Quarterly distribution of 2.15 cents per unit declared
• FY26 distribution per unit (DPU) guidance of 8.6 cents reaffirmed
• FY26 funds from operations (FFO) guidance of 9.0 cents per unit reaffirmed

What else do investors need to know?

All 46 properties in the HomeCo Daily Needs REIT portfolio were valued, with 19 independently assessed and the remainder by internal valuation. Capital expenditure for the quarter totalled $48 million, contributing to the portfolio’s net valuation increase of $44 million when factoring in capex.

The trust continues to benefit from exposure to leading national retailers, high occupancy above 99%, and strong rent collection. Hedge coverage was extended to 60% of drawn debt through to June 2027, supporting funding certainty.

What did HomeCo Daily Needs REIT management say?

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT Fund Manager Paul Doherty said:

HDN has recorded positive net revaluation gains for the fifth consecutive period. The positive valuation gain has been driven by net operating income growth and accretive tenant led developments.

Investor demand for daily needs retail property remains strong with investors attracted to the secure investment fundamentals underpinned by the non-discretionary focus of the income and high-quality tenant covenants. The portfolio continues to benefit from its exposure to leading national retailers, Australia’s fastest growing metropolitan areas and our disciplined approach to capital deployment. As a result, HDN has consistently delivered industry leading operational performance with high occupancy and rent collection of >99%, complemented by our developments delivering incremental net operating income and valuation gains.

Gearing remains at the midpoint of our target range and during the period hedge coverage was extended to 60 per cent through to June 2027. We reaffirm our FY26 guidance of 9.0 cents FFO per unit and 8.6 cents per unit in distributions.

What’s next for HomeCo Daily Needs REIT?

Guidance for FY26 remains unchanged, with management optimistic about ongoing operating performance and capital management. HomeCo Daily Needs REIT is focused on further growing its daily needs retail footprint, continuing tenant-led developments, and maintaining its disciplined investment strategy.

The Distribution Reinvestment Plan is activated for the June 2026 quarter with no discount, offering unitholders the flexibility to reinvest distributions.

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, HomeCo Daily Needs REIT shares have remained flat, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 4% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post HomeCo Daily Needs REIT posts $92m valuation gain, reaffirms guidance appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Atlas Arteria urges shareholders to reject IFM’s $5.10 takeover bid
• Qube shareholders vote on $5.20 takeover offer
• Centuria Industrial REIT unveils data centre strategy
• Centuria Capital Group unveils AI-powered growth at Investor Day
• Contact Energy’s May 2026 report shows higher sales and lower costs

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 recommended HomeCo Daily Needs REIT. 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.

Defensive ASX shares have attracted plenty of attention from investors in recent years.

But after strong share price moves across parts of the market, are the big names in this article still buys?

Here’s what brokers are saying.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The first ASX share to look at is Coles. The supermarket giant remains one of the more defensive businesses on the ASX. Australians continue buying groceries through all parts of the economic cycle, which gives Coles a level of earnings resilience that many discretionary retailers do not have.

UBS is positive on the company and currently has a buy rating and $25.50 price target on its shares. Based on the current Coles share price of $23.51, that implies potential upside of approximately 8.5%.

UBS is also forecasting dividends per share of 77 cents in FY 2026 and 89 cents in FY 2027. This represents dividend yields of approximately 3.3% and 3.8%, respectively.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Another defensive ASX share that is popular with investors is Telstra.

The telco giant has a large mobile network, strong brand, and exposure to essential communications services. That can make it attractive to income-focused investors.

However, the share price already appears to reflect a fair amount of good news.

Macquarie currently has a neutral (hold) rating and $5.57 price target on Telstra shares. Based on the current share price of $5.10, the price target suggests potential upside of approximately 9.2%.

As for income, Macquarie expects dividends per share of 21 cents in FY 2026 and 21.5 cents in FY 2027. That implies forward yields of approximately 4.1% and 4.2%, respectively.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

A third ASX share that has defensive qualities is Wesfarmers.

It owns some of Australia’s strongest retail businesses, including Bunnings and Kmart. These brands have scale, loyal customers, and strong market positions.

But quality can come at a price. Macquarie has a neutral rating and $85.00 price target on Wesfarmers shares. This compares with the current Wesfarmers share price of $86.23.

With respect to income, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 192 cents in FY 2026 and 224 cents in FY 2027. Based on the current share price, this represents forward yields of approximately 2.2% and 2.6%.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)

A final defensive ASX share that is popular with investors is Woolworths.

Like Coles, Woolworths benefits from defensive supermarket demand. It also has scale, a major store network, and a large digital business. But Bell Potter is not calling it a buy at current levels.

The broker has a hold rating and $35.50 price target on Woolworths shares. This compares with the current share price of $38.23.

Bell Potter expects dividends per share of 91 cents in FY 2026 and 94 cents in FY 2027. This represents forward dividend yields of approximately 2.4% and 2.5%.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Coles, Telstra, Wesfarmers, and Woolworths shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Centuria Industrial REIT unveils data centre strategy
• Wesfarmers shares: Buy, hold or sell?
• Buying Coles shares? Here’s the dividend yield you’ll get today
• Why Aussie Broadband, Coles, EOS, and Santos shares are falling on Monday
• Could Elon Musk’s SpaceX take a bite out of Telstra shares?

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

The Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP) share price is in focus as the company holds its Investor Day, where company is expected to discuss its data centre strategy and pipeline highlights, including new development opportunities and expansion plans across multiple Australian sites.

What did Centuria Industrial REIT report?

• Presented a detailed data centre strategy targeting real estate returns with no direct operating risk.
• Highlighted current operational assets, including Telstra-leased data centre in Clayton (VIC), Thomastown (VIC), Toowoomba (QLD), and Malaga (WA).
• Outlined multiple future data centre developments backed by significant urban infill landholdings.
• Confirmed strong long-term leases with major tenants such as Telstra, Fujitsu, and Centuria DC.
• Emphasised a focus on securing power allocations and planning approvals for data centre conversions.

What else do investors need to know?

Centuria Industrial REIT (CIP) continues to grow its position as Australia’s largest domestic pure play industrial REIT, with data centre real estate now a critical part of its growth plan. The company is leveraging its large portfolio of urban land parcels to unlock value through conversion and development of data centre properties, taking advantage of strong demand, particularly for facilities suited to AI and hyperscale computing.

New power studies and planning applications have been advanced at key sites, such as Clayton and Thomastown, both targeting ready-for-service dates from 2029. CIP is also exploring various funding options, including possible joint ventures, land sales, and capital partnerships—demonstrating flexibility in realising future value.

What’s next for Centuria Industrial REIT?

Looking ahead, CIP is focused on progressing data centre development across its portfolio, particularly by unlocking additional power capacity and securing planning approvals. Recent acquisitions and site expansions, like Toowoomba’s facility and the future conversion options at Clayton and Thomastown, position Centuria to meet the rising demand from hyperscale and AI workloads.

Management has reiterated openness to partnering with other capital providers and data centre operators, and flagged the potential for further value creation from possible asset demergers or joint ventures.

Centuria Industrial REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, the Centuria Industrial REIT shares have declined 4%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 4% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Centuria Industrial REIT unveils data centre strategy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Atlas Arteria urges shareholders to reject IFM’s $5.10 takeover bid
• Qube shareholders vote on $5.20 takeover offer
• HomeCo Daily Needs REIT posts $92m valuation gain, reaffirms guidance
• Buy, hold, sell: Coles, Telstra, Wesfarmers, and Woolworths shares
• Centuria Capital Group unveils AI-powered growth at Investor Day

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 Telstra 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.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares have been an excellent investment over the last 30 years for Aussies. One of the best aspects of owning the ASX bank share has been the dividend payments.

Dividends aren’t guaranteed of course, but when a business generates resilient net profit, then it can deliver reliable (and hopefully growing) dividends.

CBA may be the most reliable of the big four ASX bank shares, but it’s good to consider what the dividend may look like. Let’s look at analyst estimates for the next couple of financial years.

FY26

We’re close to the end of the 2026 financial year, though we’ve only seen the FY26 interim dividend from CBA at this stage.

The ASX bank share will announce the dividend for the second half of FY26 with its annual result in August.

The independent forecast on Commsec suggests that the bank’s annual dividend per CBA share could be $5.15 in FY26. At the time of writing, that translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.5% for FY26, including franking credits.

The latest update from the bank was its FY26 third-quarter update. What happens with its financial performance is essential because profit funds the dividend payments, so investors should consider the business’ performance if they’re hoping for compelling dividend growth.

It reported a quarterly cash profit of around $2.7 billion. While this represented a year-over-year increase of 4%, it was a 1% reduction compared to the quarterly average of the first half of FY26. A mixed bag. Profit generation is key for the CBA share price.

CBA noted that underlying expenses increased 1% largely because of higher cloud computing volumes, software licensing and investment in AI capabilities.

However, on the income side, operating income was flat in the quarter, with a stable net interest margin (NIM). The ASX bank share noted 12.5% ($21.6 billion) business lending growth, 9.1% ($38.3 billion) household deposit growth and 7.1% ($41.2 billion) home lending growth.

But, CBA also faced a $316 million loan impairment expense for the quarter, with higher collective provisions reflecting heightened geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty. Commonwealth Bank did try to reassure investors by stating its underlying portfolio credit quality remains sound.

FY27

CBA will also have to deal with the potential flow-on effects from changes to the Australian taxation system in FY27 (and onwards). The adjustment to negative gearing and capital gains tax could impact demand for loans.

I’m not sure how Australian property prices will go over the longer-term, but it’s possible there could be some headwinds in the shorter-term, which could show up in CBA’s financials.

Hopefully, for CBA’s sake, owner occupiers can make up the demand for established homes and investor capital refocuses on (building) new properties rather than reducing overall.

I’m optimistic that CBA’s earnings can remain resilient while continuing its good business loan growth.

The current projection on Commsec suggests the business can pay an annual dividend per CBA share of $5.45 in FY27, a solid increase of 5.8%. That translates into a forward grossed-up dividend yield of 4.9%, including franking credits.

With a forward yield of less than 5%, there could be other ASX shares that offer better dividend income.

The post Here’s the dividend forecast out to 2027 for CBA shares 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 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.