Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares are under pressure on Wednesday, even after the energy giant delivered another positive operational update.

In morning trade, the Santos share price is down 5.44% to $7.65, after falling as low as $7.47 shortly after market open.

Even after today’s pullback, the stock remains up roughly 24% since the start of 2026, reflecting what has still been a strong run.

Today’s announcement highlighted another successful Alaska appraisal result, while also showing that two of Santos’ biggest production projects remain on track.

Here’s what the market is watching.

Alaska appraisal adds more momentum

According to the release, Santos has successfully completed the Quokka-1 appraisal well in Alaska’s North Slope.

The well encountered a high-quality reservoir with 143 feet of net oil pay in the Nanushuk formation and delivered a strong flow rate of 2,190 barrels of oil per day during testing.

Management said the result further confirms the quality and scale of the Quokka resource, which sits close to the company’s existing Pikka development.

Santos now expects the Quokka discovery could support a two-drillsite development comparable in size to Pikka phase 1, with contingent resource estimates and further appraisal work due during FY26.

Chief Executive Kevin Gallagher said the result further supports Santos’ Alaska growth outlook.

He added:

The Quokka-1 results demonstrate the exceptional quality of the Nanushuk reservoir and confirm our geological assessment of this significant accumulation.

Pikka and Barossa updates support the bigger picture

The announcement also included progress updates on Santos’ two major near-term production catalysts.

At Pikka phase 1, the project is now moving through its final commissioning stages.

The company said mechanical completion of commissioning activities is progressing well, fuel gas has been introduced to the plant, and first oil is expected in the coming weeks.

Santos is still targeting plateau production of 80,000 barrels per day by mid 2026.

Meanwhile, the Barossa LNG project continues moving toward full rates after recent commissioning constraints linked to the floating production storage and offloading vessel.

Santos said dry gas sales have already begun, with production restart expected around 18 April.

Together, these projects are expected to drive a significant lift in Santos’ production across 2026 and 2027.

Earlier this year, Reuters reported that once Barossa LNG and Pikka phase 1 reach full rates, they could lift Santos’ production by around 25% to 30% by 2027 compared with 2024 levels.

With a market capitalisation of about $24.9 billion, Santos remains one of the ASX energy sector’s largest companies.

The post Santos shares sink 5% despite another strong Alaska result 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.

The Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price is flying higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) travel stock closed yesterday trading for $11.09. In early morning trade on Wednesday, shares are changing hands for $12.03 apiece, up 8.5%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up Xx% at this same time.

Here’s what grabbing investor interest today.

Flight Centre share price leaps on $61 million deal

The Flight Centre share price is taking off today after the company announced that it had entered into a binding agreement to divest its shareholding in the Pedal Group joint venture (JV).

Flight Centre intends to sell its 47% interest in the JV to the Turner Collective for $61.7 million. If you’re unfamiliar with Pedal Group, the company consists of the 99 Bikes retail chain and wholesaler Advance Traders Australia.

The divestment remains subject to Flight Centre shareholder approval and regulatory conditions. However, management expects the deal to complete in May.

Flight Centre’s independent directors unanimously support the transaction, stating that it represents a further step in the company’s ongoing portfolio simplification and strategic reallocation program.

Should the deal go through, management expects to realise an accounting gain of around $15 million on the sale. They said that the resulting capital gain is likely to be fully offset by existing revenue and capital losses, with no cash tax payable on the sale.

What did management say?

Commenting on the $61.7 million divestment that’s helping lift the Flight Centre share price today, non-executive chairman Gary Smith said, “Pedal is a strong business with a loyal and engaged customer base, and we are proud of what has been built through the joint venture.”

Smith added, “We believe the Turner Collective is well placed to support Pedal’s next phase of growth.”

As for the company’s broader simplification strategy, Smith concluded:

This divestment follows the sale of our Cross Hotels and Resorts business and reflects FLT’s disciplined approach to capital allocation and portfolio simplification. The transaction crystallises a strong return on our investment and enhances our capacity to invest in our core global travel businesses and future growth initiatives.

Flight Centre share price snapshot

Since hitting a one-year close highs of $16.45 on 3 February, the Flight Centre share price has come under heavy selling pressure.

With today’s large rebound factored in, shares in the ASX 200 travel stock remain down 20% year to date and down 26.9% since the recent 3 February highs.

The post Why is the Flight Centre share price soaring 9% on Wednesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 recommended Flight Centre Travel Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you have a high tolerance for risk, then it could be worth considering the small-cap ASX share in this article.

That’s because analysts at Bell Potter have named it as a buy and are tipping huge returns over the next 12 months.

Which small-cap ASX share?

The small cap that Bell Potter is bullish on is Kinatico Ltd (ASX: KYP).

It is a leading provider of know your people solutions to organisations in Australia and New Zealand.

Bell Potter is expecting the small-cap ASX share to release a quarterly update next week.

The good news is that it believes the update will be positive and reveal double-digit revenue growth. However, it thinks the next quarter will be the one that shines. It said:

We expect Kinatico to provide a Q3 update – or Flash – sometime next week and our key forecasts are total revenue up 10% y-o-y to $8.9m and SaaS revenue up 29% yo-y to $5.2m (note this implies SaaS revenue is 58% of total revenue which is consistent with Q2). It is unclear if the company will provide EBITDA for Q3 or not but we forecast $1.4m. Note we do not expect Q3 to be a particularly strong quarter for either total or SaaS revenue and, for instance, we only forecast q-o-q growth of 4% and 6% for each respectively.

We have also not changed or updated our forecasts since the H1 result in February for recent events (e.g. the war in Iran) and there may be some downside risk in our total revenue forecast for Q3 due to some potential weakness in the legacy business CVCheck. We remain optimistic, however, that Q4 will be strong driven by a large uplift in SaaS revenue as some of the current pilots and trials for Kinatico Compliance (KC) with enterprise clients convert into contracts.

Big potential returns

According to the note, Bell Potter has retained its buy rating on the small-cap ASX share with a trimmed price target of 38 cents (from 40 cents).

Based on its current share price of 15 cents, this implies potential upside greater than 100% over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, Bell Potter said:

We have lowered the multiple we apply in the EV/EBITDA valuation from 10x to 8x due to the continued weakness/sell-off in technology stocks. We have not, however, changed the 10.6% WACC we apply in the DCF given we already consider this reasonably high.

We note that, post this change in the EV/EBITDA, there is now a large difference between the two valuations – $0.20 and $0.57 – and the market is clearly not believing or factoring in any of the earnings and/or cash flow growth we forecast over the short to medium term. The net result is a 5% decrease in our target price to $0.38 which is >100% premium to the share price and we retain our BUY recommendation. We also note Kinatico is in a good financial position with c.$10m cash and no debt.

The post Why this small-cap ASX share could double in value appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Pro Medicus announces $23m US contract

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.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares tumbled heavily in early trade after the company announced that both its Managing Director and Chair would step down, as well as releasing record quarterly trading results.

Boss to step down immediately

In a statement to the ASX on Wednesday, the anti-drone technology company said its Managing Director, Oleg Vornik, would step down from his role today after more than 10 years.

He will continue as an adviser to the company for the next three months, to ensure a smooth transition to new Managing Director Angus Bean, who was previously Chief Product Officer.

Mr Vornik said it had been “the experience of a lifetime to serve as DroneShield’s CEO”.

He added:

I joined DroneShield as its first employee in 2015 and have led its growth from a market capitalisation of $27 million at its Initial Public Offering in 2016 to entering the ASX200 in September 2025 with a market capitalisation of nearly $4 billion.” “With over 500 employees across the globe today, I am proud to have led DroneShield during a period of exceptional growth, and to have established the momentum for the next stage.” “Leading a rapidly growing public company from inception has been incredibly demanding. After 11 years I am looking forward to taking some time off, and reconnecting with family and friends before I decide what’s next.

Mr Bean will take up his new role immediately. He said he had also joined the company early, as its sixth employee, and had led the technical team through periods of rapid growth.

He added:

We are fortunate to have developed a strong depth of talent across DroneShield, including world-class leaders in engineering, physics, defence, intelligence and aerospace. Together the team continues to build technology that supports critical safety and security operations around the world. These systems now protect key government and military personnel, sites and critical infrastructure every day, and I am committed to leading the talented team here in Australia and around the world as we embark on the next stage of growth.

Heavy hitter to join board

Chair Peter James, who has served in that role for 10 years, will step down at the company’s annual general meeting on May 29 and will be replaced by high-profile businessman Hamish McLennan.

Mr McLennan has previously served as Executive Chair and CEO of Ten Network Holdings and is chair of real estate listings company REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA).

He said he looked forward to contributing to the next phase of the company’s growth.

He added:

Strengthening governance, discipline and operational maturity will be central to supporting DroneShield’s continued growth as an Australian technology success story and an important national defence partner during a period of elevated global security challenges. The Company has achieved significant progress under Peter and Oleg’s leadership, and I will work closely with Angus to build on this strong foundation.

DroneShield also issued a trading update, saying it had booked $63 million in revenue in the March quarter, up 87% on the first quarter of 2025, and a record $77 million in cash receipts, up 361%.

The company said it had total committed revenue of $140 million just three months into the year, compared to $216.5 million in revenue for 2025.

DroneShield shares fell 17.3% in early trade to $3.30. The company was valued at $3.68 billion at the close of trade on Tuesday.

The post Why are DroneShield shares getting smashed today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 positions in and has recommended DroneShield and is short shares of 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.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) shares are pushing higher on Wednesday.

The move follows a market update released before the open that appears to have given investors another reason to buy.

In morning trade, the Pro Medicus share price is up 8.82% to $132.74. That lifts the company’s market capitalisation to roughly $12.7 billion.

Today’s gain stands out because the stock is still down about 30% in 2026, following a steep de-rating from the record highs reached last year.

Let’s take a closer look at the announcement.

Another major US academic health system added

According to the release, Pro Medicus’ wholly owned US subsidiary, Visage Imaging, has signed a 5-year contract with the University of Maryland Medical System.

Worth a minimum of $23 million, the deal adds another sizeable US academic health network to the company’s growing customer base.

The agreement covers the rollout of the company’s cloud-based Visage 7 Enterprise Imaging Platform across UMMS, including Visage 7 Viewer and Workflow.

It will be deployed in the cloud and provide a single enterprise-wide imaging workflow across the health network.

UMMS includes 11 hospitals and is closely linked with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, giving Pro Medicus deeper exposure to another leading US academic institution.

Management said implementation will begin immediately, with the initial go-live targeted for early calendar year 2027.

Like many of the company’s recent wins, the contract uses a transaction-based licensing model, meaning revenue can increase as imaging volumes grow.

Why the market likes this one

The contract continues a strong run of North American wins for Pro Medicus.

Its February half-year result showed more than $280 million in minimum contract value signed during the first half alone, while revenue rose 28.4% and underlying profit before tax increased 29.7%.

The Maryland deal also shows demand remains strong for the company’s cloud-based full-stack imaging platform, even after several years of rapid expansion.

It also reinforces the company’s growing presence across major academic and enterprise imaging networks, where contract sizes have been trending higher.

Foolish Takeaway

After a roughly 30% decline in 2026, I think Pro Medicus is shaping up as one of the more compelling buying opportunities on the ASX.

The company continues to strengthen its position as the market leader in premium medical imaging software, particularly across major US hospital networks.

With contract momentum building and its leadership intact, I believe Pro Medicus has a realistic path to doubling over the next 12 months.

The post After a 30% 2026 slide, Pro Medicus shares are rocketing again 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 recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) share price has had a difficult run.

At around $140.31, it is sitting much closer to its 52-week low of $133.35 than its high of $275.79.

For one of the highest-quality names on the ASX, that kind of decline has clearly weighed on sentiment.

So the question becomes whether a meaningful rebound is possible for the biotech giant.

In my view, a move back to $200 in 2026 is possible. But it would likely require several things to fall into place.

It starts with operational improvement

The first piece is the business itself.

For the CSL share price to move higher in a sustained way, investors will need to see clear evidence that performance is improving.

That could come through stronger growth in its core plasma therapies, better margins, and a smoother execution of its broader transformation program.

I think consistency will matter just as much as growth.

Investors want confidence that the company is back on a stable footing after a period that has been more volatile than many expected.

The outlook needs to feel credible

Forward guidance plays a big role in how the market values a company like CSL.

It is not just about what the company has done. It is about what it can do next.

For the CSL share price to approach $200, I think the market would need to believe that earnings growth is not only returning, but sustainable.

That means clear communication from management, achievable targets, and evidence that key growth drivers are gaining traction.

Sentiment has to shift

Even strong results are not always enough on their own.

After a prolonged period of underperformance, investor sentiment can take time to recover.

At the moment, I think CSL is still working through that phase.

A series of solid updates could help rebuild confidence. Over time, that can lead to a re-rating, where investors are willing to pay a higher price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for the same earnings.

That shift in perception can be powerful.

The broader market matters too

It is also worth remembering that individual shares do not move in isolation.

Global market conditions will play a role.

If concerns around inflation, interest rates, or geopolitical tensions ease, that could support a broader recovery in equity markets. In that environment, high-quality growth names like CSL may benefit.

On the other hand, if volatility persists, it could limit how quickly the CSL share price rebounds.

It is not a straight line

Even if CSL is on the right path, the share price is unlikely to move in a straight line.

There will likely be periods of strength and periods of weakness along the way. That is normal, especially for a company going through a period of change.

From my perspective, the key is whether the long-term story continues to improve.

Foolish Takeaway

I think the CSL share price reaching $200 in 2026 is achievable, but it is not a given.

It would likely require a combination of stronger operational performance, a credible growth outlook, improving investor sentiment, and a supportive market backdrop.

If those elements come together, a meaningful recovery could follow. But as always, the path is unlikely to be smooth, and patience would still be required.

The post Could the CSL share price reach $200 in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

The Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) share price is in focus today after the company signed a new five-year, $23 million contract with the University of Maryland Medical System, with its Visage 7 cloud platform to be rolled out across the network.

What did Pro Medicus report?

• Signed a five-year, $23 million contract with the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS)
• Contract covers Visage 7 Viewer and Visage 7 Workflow solutions
• Full implementation to be delivered through a cloud-based platform
• Contract uses a transaction-based licensing model, with potential for increased revenue

What else do investors need to know?

The UMMS partnership extends Pro Medicus’ reach across multiple prominent health sites in Maryland, including major hospitals and trauma centres. This adds to a growing client list for the company’s cloud-based imaging solutions, especially in the North American market.

Implementation of the Visage 7 platform will start immediately, with the target for completion and go-live set for early 2027. The transaction-based model could offer upside for Pro Medicus if usage volumes increase over the contract term.

What’s next for Pro Medicus?

With the UMMS rollout planned for early 2027, Pro Medicus will deliver and implement its Visage 7 imaging platform across an extensive network, supporting radiologist efficiency and specialist workflows. Management has highlighted a strong pipeline spanning all market segments.

As cloud-based imaging becomes more widely adopted in healthcare, Pro Medicus aims to remain a leader in providing scalable and efficient solutions for clients in Australia, North America, and beyond.

Pro Medicus share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Pro Medicus shares have declined 35%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 16% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Pro Medicus announces $23m US contract 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 recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pro Medicus. 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 ASX dividend share space has seen its fair share of volatility over the last few weeks, so this could be the right time to invest. They’re much more appealing to me than a term deposit for a few different reasons.

The recent jump in inflation is certainly leading to expectations of a rise in interest rates. The prospects are good for Aussies interested in term deposits.

However, despite that, I think it’s an even better time to look at ASX dividend shares.

I’m expecting inflation to reduce in the future back to a more normal a level, even if that takes a while, which could mean the lower share prices (and higher yield) today are worth jumping on whilst they’re still available.

Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL)

One of the main reasons why I prefer ASX dividend shares over term deposits is because of the organic growth that businesses can deliver.

Companies have the ability to grow their earnings over time, meaning that they can deliver growing dividend payments (offsetting inflation) and achieve capital growth.

I think Soul Patts is one of the best examples of this because the business has increased its dividend each year for the past 28 years in a row. There is no other company on the ASX with that history of dividend increases.

The only organic way a term deposit delivers any material income growth is when the RBA cash rate goes up. But interest rates can go down too, as we saw in 2025, hurting the interest rate on offer.

Dividend growth is not guaranteed, but I like the odds of this ASX dividend share hiking its payout this year and next year.

It has been able to deliver such consistent growth because of how it operates. It’s an investment conglomerate that owns a portfolio of ASX shares, international shares, private businesses, property and credit.

The company has deliberately built its asset base to be defensive and provide resilient cash flow, while also having growth potential. As it receives its portfolio’s investment cash flow (mainly dividends), it enables Soul Patts to pay a higher dividend each year and retain a minority of that money to reinvest in more opportunities.

It currently has a grossed-up dividend yield of 3.6%, including franking credits. The somewhat low yield is partly a function of it having a very sustainable dividend payout ratio.

WCM Global Growth Ltd (ASX: WQG)

For investors looking for an ASX dividend share that can provide a stronger yield than a term deposit, I’d definitely look at this option.

It’s a listed investment company (LIC) – its job is to invest in other shares on behalf of shareholders to generate good investment returns.

The LIC looks across the globe for opportunities, so it’s a great option for Australians looking for diversification. Its ideas come from across the world, including the Americas, Europe and Asia, as well as various sectors.

WCM Global Growth wants to find businesses with expanding economic moats (or improving competitive advantages) and these businesses must have a culture that supports a strengthening of the competitive advantages.

As a LIC, the business is able to decide on the level of dividends it wants to pay to shareholders. The ASX dividend share has been steadily increasing its payout over the last several years and it has guided that its quarterly dividend will continue rising each quarter over the next year.

The LIC’s guidance for the next four dividends to be declared comes to a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.7%, including franking credits, at the time of writing. I expect the payout will continue rising for the foreseeable future.

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

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited and Wcm Global Growth. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) share price is in focus after the company announced record quarterly revenue of $63 million and all-time high customer cash receipts of $77 million for the March quarter, reflecting strong growth momentum.

What did DroneShield report?

• Quarterly revenue of $63 million for Q1 FY26, up 87% year-on-year
• All-time record customer cash receipts of $77 million in Q1 FY26, up 361% year-on-year
• Total committed revenue for FY26 to date stands at $140 million
• FY25 revenue was $216.5 million, rising 276% from FY24
• Underlying profit before tax (FY25): $33.3 million; net cash from operations: $15.9 million

What else do investors need to know?

DroneShield announced a significant leadership transition, with long-serving CEO Oleg Vornik stepping down after more than a decade, and Chairman Peter James retiring from the board. Angus Bean, previously Chief Product Officer, has started as the new Managing Director and CEO, bringing deep knowledge of the business having helped build DroneShield’s core technologies and engineering team.

Hamish McLennan will join as Independent Non-Executive Director and Chairman-Elect from 1 May 2026, taking over as Chairman after the upcoming AGM. The board emphasised that strengthening governance and supporting further growth are key priorities amid robust demand for counter-drone technology.

What’s next for DroneShield?

DroneShield is focused on capitalising on the global growth in demand for counter‑drone solutions. The board transition – including fresh leadership for both CEO and Chairman – is intended to maintain the company’s growth trajectory and bolster operational maturity as it scales further in Australia and overseas.

The company’s strong order pipeline and emphasis on technology innovation position it well for FY26 and beyond. Investors can expect further updates at the company’s AGM and with future trading updates.

DroneShield share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Droneshield shares have risen 353%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 16% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post DroneShield posts record revenue and unveils leadership changes 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 positions in and has recommended DroneShield and is short shares of 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. 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 Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) share price is in focus after reporting total assets under management (AUM) dropped to $37.5 billion as at 31 March 2026, down from $39.9 billion at the end of 2025.

What did Magellan Financial Group report?

• Total AUM fell to $37.5 billion, down $2.4 billion for the March quarter
• Retail AUM declined from $15.8 billion to $14.1 billion
• Institutional AUM slipped to $23.4 billion, down from $24.1 billion
• Net outflows totalled $1.0 billion for the quarter
• Negative market movements and other factors further reduced AUM by $1.4 billion

What else do investors need to know?

The drop in AUM across both retail and institutional segments reflects ongoing industry headwinds and softer investor sentiment. Magellan’s Magellan Global Equities and Airlie Australian Equities funds both saw asset reductions this quarter, while Magellan Global Listed Infrastructure held up slightly better.

There was some offset from Vinva Global and Australian Equities, which actually recorded positive net flows within the retail category. However, these gains weren’t enough to counter the wider outflows and negative market performance.

What’s next for Magellan Financial Group?

Magellan will be focusing on stabilising and rebuilding confidence in its investment strategies, especially within its core equities funds. The business may look to enhance client engagement and refine its product line-up to better suit changing investor needs.

While restoring growth in AUM will likely remain a key challenge, Magellan’s leadership appears committed to navigating the current market volatility and exploring opportunities to strengthen its competitive position.

Magellan Financial Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Magellan Financial Group shares have risen 38%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 16% over the same period.

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The post Magellan Financial Group posts March 2026 AUM drop appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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