S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are down 0.6% to 8,701 points on Tuesday.

Among the 11 market sectors, technology is in the lead today, up 2.3%, while materials is the laggard, down 2.1%.

Let’s check out some new expert ratings for this week (courtesy The Bull).  

Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG)

The Magellan share price is $8.59, up 0.5% today and down 20% over the past month.

James Bills from Shaw and Partners has a buy rating on this ASX 200 financial share. 

Bills said: 

Magellan offers investors exposure to a respected global funds management business that appears attractively valued following several challenging years. The company continues to generate strong cash flow and maintain a robust balance sheet.

The business also offers an appealing dividend yield – recently above 7 per cent – supported by surplus capital.

Improving sentiment and stabilising operating conditions provide potential for a re-rating, making Magellan an attractive opportunity for income and capital growth investors.

Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX: ILU)

The Iluka Resources share price is $6.03, down 0.8% on Tuesday and down 16% over the past month.

Joshua Baker from RaaS Group has a hold rating on this ASX 200 mining share. 

Baker said: 

This mineral sands producer is diversifying into rare earths via its Eneabba refinery, which is 60 per cent complete. The company recently reported the refinery is progressing on schedule and on budget. An inaugural off-take agreement has been executed.

Mineral sands revenue of $433 million in the first half of 2026 was down 22 per cent on the prior corresponding period.

If the Eneabba project continues without any major cost blowouts or delays amid mineral sands prices continuing to recover, ILU may be a buy next year.

PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS)

The PLS Group share price is $4.37, down 0.9% today and down 14% over the past month.

Toby Grimm from Baker Young has a sell rating on this ASX 200 lithium share. 

Grimm said: 

This lithium producer generated group revenue of $1.934 billion in full year 2026, up 152 per cent on the prior corresponding period. It was driven by a 121 per cent increase in the average realised price and record sales volumes.

However, in our view, considerable optimism is already priced into the stock. Further details, including the benefits and risks, of potentially expanding the Pilgangoora operations are expected to be released in the December quarter.

After a strong share price run in the past year, we would consider cashing in some gains at these levels.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Magellan, Iluka Resources, PLS Group shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• PLS shares have soared 107% in a year! Is the ASX 200 lithium stock now a buy, hold or sell?
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• 9 ASX 200 shares earning strengthened buy ratings this week
• What are the most shorted ASX shares on the market right now?

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Magellan Financial 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 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.

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares are sliding today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) data centre operator and developer closed yesterday trading for $11.71. In morning trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for $11.51 apiece, down 1.7%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.5% at this same time.

Taking a step back, the ASX tech stock has also trailed the benchmark index over the last full year, falling 32.2% compared to the 1.7% one-year decline posted by the ASX 200.

Looking ahead, however, Shaw and Partners’ James Bills believes that NextDC shares are well positioned for “attractive” long-term growth (courtesy of The Bull).

Here’s why.

Should I buy NextDC shares today?

Citing the first reason he’s bullish on the ASX 200 tech stock, Bills said, “The company continues to benefit from strong demand for data centre infrastructure, driven by cloud computing, artificial intelligence and increasing digitalisation across the economy.”

Then there’s the company’s fast-growing capacity.

“NXT is expanding capacity across key Australian markets and maintains a strong development pipeline to support future growth,” Bills said.

And summarising the third reason he issued a buy recommendation on NextDC shares, Bills concluded:

While investment spending remains elevated, management continues to secure long-term customer contracts that provide earnings visibility. With structural growth tailwinds expected to persist for many years, NXT remains well positioned to deliver attractive long-term shareholder returns.

What’s the latest from the ASX 200 tech stock?

NextDC reported its full-year FY 2026 results after market close on 27 August.

Highlights included a 16% year-on-year increase in revenue to $496.5 million.

And, as Bills mentioned above, investment spending indeed remains elevated. In FY 2026, NextDC reported all-time high capital expenditure of $3.397 billion.

On the bottom line, the company achieved a statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $82.1 million, up from a $60.5 million net loss the prior year.

Looking at what could impact NextDC shares in FY 2027 ahead, the company forecasts net revenue between $615 million and $640 million. On the higher end, that would represent growth of 29% from FY 2026 revenue.

Commenting on the company’s performance, NextDC CEO Craig Scroggie said:

FY26 was the largest contracting year in NEXTDC’s history. Contracted utilisation tripled to 740.1MW on a pro forma basis, and we exceeded guidance on both net revenue and Underlying EBITDA.

Our Forward Order Book of 565MW is now more than 3.2 times our billing utilisation, and our focus is on delivering that capacity and converting it into revenue and cash inflow.

NextDC shares closed up 2.1% on the first trading day following the results release.

The post Down 32%: 3 reasons to buy the BIG dip in NextDC shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Experts name 3 top ASX shares to buy this week
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Buy, hold, sell: NextDC, South32, CBA shares
• 2 ASX shares I’d buy before they return to their 52-week highs
• NEXTDC shares are falling despite $1.1 billion funding boost. Here’s why

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.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares are going through a difficult period.

The counter-drone technology company has fallen to a fresh 52-week low of around $1.59, leaving the share price a long way below its previous high of $6.70.

For investors prepared to accept a high level of risk, I think the lower price is becoming increasingly interesting.

The business is still growing

The share price performance looks ugly, but I think it is important to separate that from what is happening inside the business.

DroneShield continues to convert growing global demand for counter-drone technology into revenue.

Its latest trading update showed FY26 committed revenue had reached $251 million, putting it inside management’s existing revenue outlook of $250 million to $270 million. The company also reported $46 million of committed revenue for FY27 and beyond.

For me, that is encouraging because it shows the opportunity is moving beyond conversations and potential contracts. Customers are placing orders.

DroneShield also secured the first order for its recently released RfRecon product, which will be deployed to an existing Western European military customer before the end of 2026. The initial order is not financially material, but it does provide early validation for another product in the company’s expanding range.

Why the opportunity still interests me

The long-term driver behind DroneShield has not disappeared just because the shares have fallen.

Drones are becoming a larger part of modern warfare, border security, and threats to critical infrastructure.

That creates demand for systems capable of detecting, tracking, and defeating them.

DroneShield already sells into military, government, law enforcement, and critical infrastructure markets around the world.

I also like that the company is investing to expand internationally rather than relying entirely on Australia.

If counter-drone spending continues increasing and DroneShield can establish itself as a meaningful supplier across several major defence markets, today’s business could look very different in five or 10 years.

But this is still a high-risk investment

This is the part I would not understate. DroneShield remains one of the highest-risk ASX shares I would consider buying.

Revenue can be lumpy because defence orders do not arrive evenly. The company is still scaling quickly, and investors need to see that larger revenue translates into sustainable profits over time.

Competition could also intensify as governments commit more money to counter-drone systems and larger defence companies pursue the same opportunity.

Then there is the share price itself. A fall from $6.70 to $1.59 shows how violently market expectations can change. I would not assume that reaching a 52-week low means the shares cannot fall further.

For that reason, I would only consider DroneShield as a relatively small position within a diversified portfolio.

Foolish takeaway

At $1.59, I think DroneShield shares are a buy for investors with a high tolerance for risk.

The valuation is much less demanding than it was near the highs, while committed revenue continues to move in the right direction.

There is still plenty for the company to prove, particularly around profitability and execution.

But for patient investors willing to accept substantial volatility, I think the long-term counter-drone opportunity makes the current share price worth considering.

The post Are DroneShield shares a buy at their 52-week low? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• $10,000 invested in DroneShield and Core Lithium shares 3 years ago is now worth…
• DroneShield shares are down 75%. Could this huge short bet backfire?
• Should I buy DroneShield shares following today’s trading update?
• What are the most shorted ASX shares on the market right now?

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield. 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.