The Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX: FBU) share price is in focus after the company posted a quarterly volume update for Q2 FY26, highlighting modest improvement in product sales over the first quarter, but ongoing market challenges, especially in the Heavy Building Materials and Distribution divisions.

What did Fletcher Building report?

• Light Building Products volumes mostly flat or higher than Q1 and prior corresponding period (pcp); Waipapa up 4.0% on Q1 and 23.4% on pcp
• Iplex NZ volumes rose 3.7% versus Q1 and 15.1% on pcp
• Heavy Building Materials volumes contracted: Winstone Aggregates down 2.7% on Q1 and 8.4% lower on pcp
• Distribution’s PlaceMakers Frame & Truss volumes 3.1% up on Q1 and 4.8% higher than pcp, but margins under pressure
• Residential division took 135 units to profit, down 24.1% compared to Q2 FY25

What else do investors need to know?

Fletcher Building noted some encouraging signs, with Light Building Products showing improvement and margins remaining generally stable across that division. However, margin compression continued to challenge the Group, particularly in Distribution and Steel businesses, as trading conditions stayed highly competitive.

Heavy Building Materials divisions, such as Winstone Aggregates and Humes, delivered further volume declines due to weak demand in roading and larger projects, offset slightly by more stable volumes in Firth and Golden Bay. In Australia, sales trends were generally positive within Light Building Products.

What did Fletcher Building management say?

Andrew Reding, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, commented:

Quarterly volumes showed modest improvement compared with Q1 FY26, with some encouraging signs emerging across the portfolio. That said, these gains are yet to be sustained and, on their own, are not enough to offset the impact of the earlier declines.

What’s next for Fletcher Building?

Fletcher Building remains cautious about the near-term outlook, flagging continued margin pressures from competitive conditions and only partial recovery in sales volumes so far. Management expects that any significant recovery in demand will take time, with the company not counting on a meaningful volume recovery until calendar year 2027.

The Group plans to continue navigating tough market settings by maintaining discipline on cost and margin management, while looking for opportunities to benefit from broader economic improvements as they emerge.

Fletcher Building share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Fletcher Building shares have risen 29%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 7% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Fletcher Building Q2 volume update: Key results and 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 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.

Two of the most recognisable names in the consumer discretionary sector are JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman. 

This sector relies heavily on economic conditions and consumer sentiment. 

Some of these factors have led to the sector staying relatively flat over the last 12 months.

The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ) is up just 1.6% in that span. 

But is there any opportunity in the new year for two of Australia’s biggest electronics and white goods companies?

Here’s what experts are tipping for JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman shares. 

JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH)

The group’s products focus on consumer electronics, electrical goods, and white goods through its JB Hi-Fi, JB Hi-Fi Home, and The Good Guys stores.

JB Hi-Fi shares have fallen by roughly 18% since late last year, and are overall down 3.3% in the last 6 months. 

Most of this decline came amidst changing inflation and cash rate news last October, which pushed consumer sentiment lower. 

This was despite the company reporting quarterly sales growth across all its businesses.

So are they worth a buy?

It’s important to first point out JB Hi-Fi offers a solid dividend yield of just over 3%. 

As for the share price, RBC Capital Markets placed a $101 price target on JB Hi-Fi shares late last year. 

Meanwhile, TradingView has an average one year price target of $102.89. 

These targets indicate an upside between 8-11% from its current share price. 

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN)

It’s been a very different story for Harvey Norman shares over the last 12 months. 

Its share price has risen by more than 46% in that span, making it among the best retail shares to have owned in 2025.

This largely came on the back of impressive FY25 results. 

At the time of writing, Harvey Norman shares are trading at $6.78 each. 

So is there more growth to come in 2026? Or should investors take profits?

Much like its competitor JB Hi-Fi, it also offers a strong yield. 

It’s forecast to pay fully franked dividend yields of 4.5% in FY 2026.

Secondly, brokers still see share price growth for Harvey Norman shares in 2026. 

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $8.30 price target on its shares. 

From current prices, that indicates an upside of more than 22%.

The post Are JB Hi-Fi or Harvey Norman shares a better buy right now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Top 5 ASX 200 retail shares of 2025
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• 2 quality ASX 200 shares to buy now amid a rising Aussie dollar

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

Thankfully for Australian income investors, the local market is home to countless ASX dividend shares.

But with so much choice, it can be hard to decide which ones to buy over others.

To narrow things down, let’s take a look at three that are highly rated and expected to offer great dividend yields. They are as follows:

APA Group (ASX: APA)

The first ASX dividend share to look at is APA Group.

It is a leading owner and operator of energy infrastructure, generating stable, regulated cash flows that are largely insulated from economic ups and downs.

APA Group’s portfolio spans gas pipelines, electricity transmission assets, and power generation, with long-term contracts that provide excellent visibility over future earnings. This stability has allowed APA to steadily grow its distributions over time. So much so, it has gone almost two decades with consecutive annual dividend increases.

And this trend is expected to continue in FY 2026, with management guiding to an increase to 58 cents per share. Based on its current share price of $8.58, this would mean a dividend yield of 6.8%.

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN)

Another ASX dividend share for income investors to consider is HomeCo Daily Needs REIT.

It is a REIT built around owning properties people rely on regardless of economic conditions.

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT’s portfolio is focused on convenience-based retail and essential services, including neighbourhood shopping centres, large-format retail, health services, and government buildings. Its major tenants include Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

Because the REIT’s assets are leased on long-term agreements, management has good visibility on its earnings and is able to provide dividend guidance each year.

Speaking of which, it is guiding to a dividend of 8.6 cents per share in FY 2026. Based on its current share price of $1.36, this represents a 6.3% dividend yield at current prices.

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

Finally, Rural Funds Group could be a top pick for income investors.

It offers exposure to Australian agricultural properties through a diversified portfolio of farms across cattle, cropping, almonds, vineyards, and macadamias. These are leased to high-quality operators on long-term contracts.

Many include inflation-linked rental increases, which can help protect real income over time. And with demand for food production a long-term structural tailwind, this makes farmland a scarce and valuable asset class.

The company plans to pay an 11.73 cents per share dividend in FY 2026. Based on its current share price of $2.02, this represents an attractive 5.8% dividend yield.

The post These amazing ASX dividend shares offer 5.8% to 6.8% yields in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 Apa Group, Rural Funds Group, and Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended HomeCo Daily Needs REIT and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

There are a wide range of potential ASX share investments that Australians can make when starting out with $500.

One of the tricky things is that a beginner portfolio can be quite unbalanced. If one’s first investment was a business like Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) or Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), then 100% of the portfolio is invested in just one name.

It would be good to invest in an option that provides everything a beginner investor may want. I think the philanthropic investment business Future Generation Australia Ltd (ASX: FGX) could meet a beginner’s criteria.

Diversification

Future Generation Australia is a listed investment company (LIC) which is different to most other LICs on the ASX. It is invested in the funds of a number of Australia’s leading fund managers.

However, these fund managers don’t charge Future Generation Australia with management fees of 1% (or more) as a typical fund might. Instead, they work for free so that the LIC can donate 1% of the value of its net assets each year to youth charities.

By having exposure to numerous funds, investors can benefit from owning a lot of underlying stocks, just by owning this ASX share. At the end of November 2025, its portfolio contained more than 400 underlying securities.

Some of the fund managers it’s invested in include Paradice, Bennelong, L1 Group Ltd (ASX: L1G), Wilson Asset Management, Cooper Investors, Vinva, Eley Griffiths, Firetrail and QVG Capital.

These fund managers provide better diversification than the overall ASX share market, in my view, because their portfolios are much less focused on the ASX banking sector. Instead, more is allocated to industrials, discretionary retailers, communication services, IT and cash.

Returns

Diversification is helpful for lowering risks and overall portfolio volatility. But, ultimately, we want to see positive returns. Market-beating returns would be preferable.

Future Generation Australia’s portfolio has been very satisfactory.

At the end of November, the ASX share’s portfolio return was 11.8% per annum over three years, 10% per annum over five years and 10.9% over seven years. These figures compare favourably to the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO).

The funds are focused on smaller businesses than the ASX 300 is focused on, giving investors the chance to buy in faster-growing companies.

Philanthropy

As a shareholder myself, I’m very pleased to know that Future Generation Australia is donating millions of dollars each year to a number of youth charities.

Some of the charities that the ASX share supports are Australian Children’s Music Foundation, Brave, Yiliyapinya, The Mirabel Foundation, Raise, Giant Steps, Karinyahouse, KidsXpress, Yawarda and Lighthouse Foundation.

According to Future Generation Australia, the donations to date have totalled $49 million.

Dividends

Some beginner investors may be looking for passive income from their investments. Plenty of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) don’t have a good dividend yield.

Future Generation Australia aims to deliver investors a mixture of capital growth and dividends over time. Pleasingly, the business has increased its dividend every year over the past decade.

The ASX share’s FY25 dividend yield translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.8%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

For investors who don’t want cash payments, they can utilise the LIC’s dividend re-investment plan (DRP) and see the value of the holding increase over time.

Overall, this ASX share offers everything a beginner investor could want.

The post Is this the perfect place to start investing in ASX shares with $500? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Future Generation Australia. 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 gold price has surged to a fresh record, pushing above US$4,590 per ounce and putting ASX gold stocks firmly back in the spotlight.

According to Trading Economics, gold is now up more than 70% over the past year, with prices accelerating sharply in recent weeks as investors seek safety amid rising geopolitical and political risks.

So, what does this mean for Australian gold stocks, and could the rally still have room to run?

Gold hits record highs as uncertainty grows

The immediate catalyst for the latest move has been a surge in global uncertainty.

Overnight, gold climbed more than 1.8% after reports emerged that US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell had been threatened with criminal charges linked to past Senate testimony. That development has raised serious concerns around the independence of the US Federal Reserve.

At the same time, geopolitical risks remain elevated. Tensions involving Iran, Israel, Venezuela, and the US have increased fears of broader conflict and supply disruptions across energy and commodity markets.

As a result, investors are buying safe haven assets, with gold once again acting as the ultimate defensive play.

Rate cut expectations adding fuel

Interest rate expectations are also playing a key role.

Recent US economic data has pointed to a cooling labour market, with job growth slowing more than expected. This has strengthened expectations that the US Federal Reserve will begin cutting interest rates later this year.

Lower interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding gold, which does not generate income. Historically, gold prices tend to perform well when interest rates fall or are expected to fall.

With US inflation easing and economic momentum slowing, many investors believe the conditions are now in place for gold to remain elevated.

Why ASX gold stocks could benefit

Most Australian gold miners such as Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST), and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) have all-in sustaining costs well below current spot prices. With gold trading above US$4,590 an ounce, margins across the sector have expanded dramatically.

That extra cash flow can be used to strengthen balance sheets, pay down debt, increase dividends, or accelerate exploration and development activity.

Australian producers also benefit from a favourable currency backdrop. With the Australian dollar weaker against the US dollar, local miners receive even higher realised prices when gold is sold.

Investor interest returning to the sector

After several years of underperformance, investor sentiment towards gold stocks is improving.

Many ASX gold shares still trade well below their historical valuation multiples, despite the yellow metal sitting at record highs. That gap is now starting to close as investors rotate back into profitable, cash-generative miners.

If gold prices remain elevated, or push even higher, ASX gold stocks could continue to attract renewed buying interest throughout 2026.

Foolish bottom line

Gold’s surge to record highs reflects a world grappling with political risk, geopolitical tension, and shifting interest rate expectations.

For ASX gold miners, this environment is highly supportive. Strong margins, rising cash flow, and improving sentiment suggest the sector may be entering a new upcycle.

The post Gold price surges to another record high. Why ASX gold stocks could be next appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 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.

We’re not even two weeks into the new year, but there are a few ASX 200 shares that have wasted no time – already rising significantly since New Year’s Day. 

Let’s see what’s sparked their runs.

Alcoa (ASX: AAI)

Alcoa is a vertically integrated U.S. based aluminium producer with a global footprint across bauxite mining, alumina refining, primary aluminium smelting and casting, and associated energy generation.

Like many mining stocks, it has enjoyed a strong start to the year. 

Gold, silver and other commodity shares are continuing on from 12 months of strong performance. 

Alcoa shares have risen more than 18% year to date already. 

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up just 0.67%. 

This ASX 200 stock is now up 64% over the last 12 months, and is sitting close to an all-time high. 

So is there any more upside?

Alcoa shares closed yesterday at $94.75 per share. 

However, it appears estimates from analysts believe it is now trading above fair value. 

TradingView has an average 12 month price target of $74.11. 

This is approximately 21.8% lower than its current share price. 

Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC)

Reliance is the world’s largest supplier of push-to-connect (PTC) brass plumbing systems for water and central heating applications.

This ASX 200 stock is already up almost 9% so far in 2025. 

This marks a rebound from a tough 2025. 

Its share price remains down almost 16% from a year ago. 

It seems this year’s bounce back could continue based on guidance from analysts. 

TradingView has an average one year price target of $4.59 which indicates more than a 9% upside. 

Online trading platform Selfwealth lists this ASX 200 stock as undervalued by 20%.

Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS)

Ramelius Resources is another ASX 200 materials stock continuing its bull run. 

It has risen by almost 8% so far this year. 

It is a gold mining and production company with its primary production being focused on the Mt Magnet goldmine in Western Australia. 

Over the last 12 months its share price is now up just over 100%. 

In recent news out of the company, it is maintaining its FY26 gold production guidance and lifting its minimum dividend to two cents per year.

Despite its rapid rise, there appears to be modest upside for this ASX 200 stock, although it is approaching fair value estimates. 

TradingView has an average one year price target of $4.71. 

This indicates an upside of 7.3%. 

Selfwealth lists the stock as undervalued by roughly 12%. 

The post Red hot: These ASX 200 shares are off to a strong start in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Term deposits don’t offer the growth that I want over the long-term. S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares can provide investors with resilient passive income and growth of the payments.

It’s true that term deposits will protect capital, but they don’t grow the capital value either.

I think it could be a better move for the long-term to own growing businesses that are likely to provide reliable passive income as the years go by. Let’s look at two of my ideas.

Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

I think real estate investment trusts (REITs) are a good industry to look for opportunities because of how they have rental contracts (usually multi-year contracts), and the capital value of the buildings usually doesn’t change much year to year.

This ASX 200 share is particularly attractive because it is exposed to a number of tailwinds that are driving demand for industrial space. Those drivers include increasing e-commerce adoption, the growth of fresh food and pharmaceuticals, data centres, the onshoring of supply chains, a limited supply of new warehouses, and the growth of Australia’s population.

The business has guided that it will grow its funds from operations (FFO) – the net rental profit – by up to 6% to between 18.2 to 18.5 cents per unit. The business is expecting to increase its distribution by 3% to 16.8 cents per unit, translating into a forecast distribution yield of 5%.

Grant Nichols, the ASX 200 share’s fund manager, said:

CIP continues to achieve strong outcomes across its portfolio relating to leasing, capital transactions and value add initiatives. The ability to deliver these results is credited to CIP’s portfolio being concentrated in Australia’s urban infill markets where tenant demand is strongest, vacancy is low and supply is constrained.

These urban infill assets provides multiple future opportunities for alternative, higher-use developments such as data centres and residential schemes.

APA Group (ASX: APA)

APA is an impressive energy infrastructure business that owns a vast gas pipeline network – it transports half of the country’s gas usage. Other gas assets include gas processing, gas storage and gas-powered energy generation.

It also has wind farms, solar farms and electricity transmission assets.

The ASX 200 share is seeing long-term cash flow growth from an expanding portfolio of assets, which is helping pay for a distribution that has been hiked every year for the last two decades. That’s an excellent record of reliability.

APA is benefiting from the fact that a vast majority of its revenue is inflation-linked, giving the business a useful tailwind for its top-line.

While a lot of its new assets in recent years have been pipelines, though it also announced a new power plant.

It’s expecting to increase its payout to 58 cents per unit in FY26, translating into a forward distribution yield of 6.6%.

The post Forget term deposits! I’d buy these two ASX 200 shares instead appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• These amazing ASX dividend shares offer 5.8% to 6.8% yields in 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 positions in and has recommended Apa Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

I’m always on the lookout for ASX dividend shares that I believe can add reliability or helpful cash flow to my portfolio.

Dividends aren’t guaranteed in the same way interest from a term deposit is. But, some businesses have a more reliable dividend record than others.

If we just buy the most reliable names, then we can have greater confidence in the level of cash flow we think we’re going to get. On the other hand, I wouldn’t be confident about what dividends the miner Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) may pay because of volatile iron ore prices.

I’ll highlight two names I think offer very compelling payouts.

Rivco Australia Ltd (ASX: RIV)

This business is unique on the ASX – it owns water entitlements that it can lease to irrigators on short-term or long-term leases.

I like this ASX dividend share because it gives investors the ability to indirectly gain exposure to the important agricultural sector without having the operational risk of running farms.  

Pleasingly, the business can benefit from both the lease income and the potential long-term growth in the value of the entitlements.

Thanks to the decision of the company to pay a sustainable dividend, rather than the biggest it could, it has steadily grown its payout every six months since 2017.

The last two dividends declared by the business come to a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.3%, including franking credits.

The business is also trading at an attractive discount. The Rivco share price is currently at a 7.25% discount to the latest monthly net asset value (NAV) per share.

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

Rural Funds is another ASX dividend share that also gives investors exposure to the agricultural sector.

The real estate investment trust (REIT) owns a national portfolio of farms that are leased to high-quality tenants. Those farm types include cattle, vineyards, almonds, macadamias and cropping. I like that for the diversification it can add to my portfolio.

Prior to COVID-19, the business had an impressive record of growing its distribution by 4% per year. However, this was stopped by the high interest rate environment. Even so, the business has managed to maintain its annual payout each year since then.

It’s expecting to pay an annual distribution of 11.73 cents per unit in FY26, translating into a forward distribution yield of 5.8%.

With rental increases built into most of its contracts (either fixed increases or linked to inflation), I think the prospects are positive for both rental profit growth and distribution growth in the longer-term.

It also looks like it’s trading at a really good value. At 30 June 2025, it reported having a NAV of $3.08. That means it’s currently trading at a 35% discount, which I’d call a really appealing level to buy at.

The post 2 ASX dividend shares I’d buy for reliable payouts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

On Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the week with a decent gain. The benchmark index rose 0.5% to 8,759.4 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Tuesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to rise again

The Australian share market looks set to push higher again on Tuesday following a positive start to the week on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 23 points or 0.25% higher. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 0.1%, the S&P 500 is 0.2% higher, and the Nasdaq is up 0.5%.

Oil prices rise

It could be a decent session for ASX 200 energy shares Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) after oil prices pushed higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.5% to US$59.42 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 0.7% to US$63.77 a barrel. Traders were buying oil in response to Iranian and Venezuelan uncertainty.

BHP and Rio Tinto expected to rise

It looks set to be a good session for BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares on Tuesday after their NYSE-listed shares charged higher on Monday night. Both miners were up around 2% during the session on Wall Street.

Gold price jumps

ASX 200 gold shares including Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) could have a good session on Tuesday after the gold price jumped overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 2.8% to US$4,626.7 an ounce. This was driven by safe haven demand and a weaker US dollar.

Buy WiseTech shares

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares offer major upside according to analysts at Citi. The broker has retained its buy rating and $109.15 price target on this logistics solutions technology company’s shares. It believes WiseTech can achieve the midpoint of its annual revenue guidance despite granting some customers a short-term exemption from its new pricing model. Although Citi concedes that second half revenue from Cargowise value packs could be smaller than previously expected, it believes this could be offset by stronger than expected industry freight volumes. The broker also sees scope for strong earnings from lower than forecast operating expenses.

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has edged slightly higher to start 2026. 

However it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the entire index. 

These three companies all endured a tough day yesterday, with their share prices falling between 4-7%.

Let’s see what’s behind the decline. 

Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB)

Mesoblast shares fell approximately 7% yesterday. 

There was no price sensitive news out of the company. 

It appears investors may have been profit taking after finishing last week on a high. 

These ASX 200 shares rose almost 10% on Friday following the release of a sales update.

This pushed Mesoblast shares close to a 52-week high. 

The allogeneic cellular medicines developer reported a gross revenue of US$35.1 million on Ryoncil (remestemcel-L-rknd) sales for the quarter ended 31 December 2025. 

This was a 60% increase on the prior quarter ended 30 September.

Mesoblast shares have enjoyed a resurgence and are now 80% higher than mid-2025. 

Experts seem to believe there’s no reason to think it will slow down. 

6 analysts have a strong buy recommendation along with an average price target of $4.19 according to TradingView data. 

This indicates a further upside of 47%. 

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

DroneShield shares fell approximately 4% yesterday. 

There was no price sensitive news from the company. 

This ASX 200 stock has continued its strong performance to start the year, up 25% in 2026. 

It is now up more than 420% in the last 12 months as it continues to benefit from a massive increase in global defence spending amid greater geopolitical turmoil.

It seems brokers still see more upside for this ASX 200 stock as investors may be advised to take advantage of yesterday’s 4% dip. 

Bell Potter has a buy rating along with a 12-month price target of $4.50.

This indicates a further 16.8% upside. 

Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL)

Super Retail Group shares fell around 5% yesterday. 

This came on the back of a trading update which included adjusted profit guidance. 

The company has projected profit before tax of $172 million to $175 million, subject to its audit review.

This is down from $186 million in the prior corresponding period and $206 million a year before that.

Despite this, TradingView has a one year price target of $17.94 on this ASX 200 stock. 

This indicates 20% upside after yesterday’s sell off. 

The post Are these ASX 200 shares a buy after yesterday’s sell off? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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