• ANZ shares are lagging the other big banks: Here’s why

    Three male athletes sprint on an athletics track with the sun low on the horizon behind them representing the race between ASX lithium shares to outperform

    ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares are 0.53% higher at the time of writing in Tuesday lunchtime trade, at $34.38 a piece. Over the past month the bank’s shares have fallen 6.99% and they’re now 20.25% higher for the year-to-date.

    While the major bank’s share price has been mostly positive over the past year, analysts at Macquarie think ANZ is showing early signs of revenue underperformance.

    Here’s what the broker had to say in a recent note to investors.

    Headwinds ahead for ANZ shares

    Overall, analysts said that business credit remains strong, at around 9% annualised and on a three-month rolling rate. This is primarily driven by agriculture and real estate credit growth. 

    Meanwhile, investor mortgage growth continues to surge, annualising at over 10%, the highest level since 2015. 

    Term deposit costs are also favorable. With the banks focusing their competition on savings deposits, term deposits have become less competitive. 

    But when it comes to winners and losers among the bunch of Australian banks, ANZ falls short. 

    “ANZ is showing early signs of revenue underperformance, lagging behind peers in mortgage (~0.5x), business (~0x) and deposit growth,” Macquarie analysts said in the investor note.

    While still early, and consistent with ANZ’s guidance for below system mortgage growth in 2026, it could suggest ANZ’s strategy reset is weighing on underlying performance.

    Elsewhere, the broker said Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is arguably the best performer, gaining share in all segments. Meanwhile National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) and Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX: WBC) see strong growth in their business lending. 

    Mortgage credit growth remains negative for regional banks, with Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) shrinking 5-9% over the three-month period. The broker notes that Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ) has continued to grow its business credit by around 10%.

    What’s Macquarie’s outlook for the bank sector?

    The broker said that pre-provision earnings trends were generally better across the banks. It added that recent data has been incrementally positive, including better credit growth and lower funding costs (although this has been partly offset by deposit switching), which suggests a potential upside risk to FY26 consensus earnings. 

    ANZ and NAB remain our preferred exposures in the sector; however, if ANZ’s balance sheet underperformance continues, it could suggest risk to consensus revenue expectations.

    Macquarie has a neutral rating on ANZ shares with a target price of $35.00. At the time of writing this implies a potential 1.8% upside for investors over the next 12 months.

    The post ANZ shares are lagging the other big banks: Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Australia And New Zealand Banking Group right now?

    Before you buy Australia And New Zealand Banking Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Australia And New Zealand Banking Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies 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 Bendigo And Adelaide Bank. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Why Catapult, Collins Foods, Guzman Y Gomez, and Pantoro shares are falling today

    A man sits in despair at his computer with his hands either side of his head, staring into the screen with a pained and anguished look on his face, in a home office setting.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a small gain. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.3% to 8,591 points.

    Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here’s why they are falling:

    Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

    The Catapult Sports share price is down 9% to $4.68. This is despite there being no news out of the sports technology company. However, it is worth noting that Japanese giant Fujitsu made an announcement yesterday which could potentially have some impact on Catapult’s business. It has launched the Fujitsu Accelerator Program for SPORTS, which is “a global partner co-creation program aimed at fostering new innovation in the sports sector.” One area of focus will be “data analysis and collection for team sports.”

    Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF)

    The Collins Foods share price is down 1.5% to $11.40. This follows the release of the KFC restaurant operator’s half year results for FY 2026 this morning. Although Collins Foods delivered strong profit growth and upgraded its guidance, it wasn’t enough for some investors. It seems that this and more were already priced in given its strong share price gain in 2025. Year to date, the Collins Foods share price remains up approximately 55%.

    Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

    The Guzman Y Gomez share price is down almost 4% to $22.36. This burrito seller’s shares have been under significant selling pressure this year. So much so, they are now down by approximately 45% since the start of the year. Valuation concerns and disappointing progress in the US market have weighed heavily on investor sentiment. It is also worth noting that Guzman Y Gomez is one of the most shorted ASX shares at present. At the last count, the company had 12.3% of its shares held short.

    Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR)

    The Pantoro Gold share price is down 12% to $4.75. This has been driven by news that one of its largest shareholders has sold down its holding. This morning, the gold miner advised that Tulla Resources has sold 25.8 million shares in the company. Commenting on the sale, non-executive director and associate of Tulla Resources, Mark Maloney, said: “Tulla Resources has undertaken this sale as part of a strategy to return capital to its Principals and to free funding for its other resource projects. Tulla Resources retains a significant shareholding in Pantoro Gold, representing 6.11% of the register and is committed to the long-term success of the Company. At this time, we have no intention to sell any further shares. I will continue as a non-executive director and remain strongly supportive of the Company’s growth strategy and future.”

    The post Why Catapult, Collins Foods, Guzman Y Gomez, and Pantoro shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Catapult Group International right now?

    Before you buy Catapult Group International shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Catapult Group International wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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

  • Up 131% in 2025, why Macquarie expects Lynas Rare Earths shares to keep outperforming in 2026

    a geologist or mine worker looks closely at a rock formation in a darkened cave with water on the ground, wearing a full protective suit and hard hat.

    Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) shares are pushing higher today.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rare earths miner closed yesterday trading for $14.70. During the Tuesday lunch hour, shares are swapping hands for $15.07 apiece, up 2.5%.

    For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.2% at this same time.

    With today’s intraday gains factored in, Lynas Rare Earths shares are now up a whopping 130.6% year to date.

    Lynas has been a direct beneficiary as demand for the critical rare earth elements – Neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr) – it produces soars as Western nations seek to end China’s stranglehold on rare earths supplies.

    Both elements are crucial in the production of everything from smartphones to wind turbines to electric vehicles, alongside numerous military applications.

    Lynas Rare Earths shares well-placed for more outsized gains

    Looking to the year ahead, the team at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) expect more outperformance from the ASX 200 stock.

    That’s despite the significant power disruptions Lynas reported on 25 November, which negatively impacted production at its Kalgoorlie Rare Earths Processing Facility in Western Australia.

    Management advised on the day that the power disruptions will also affect the production of finished goods at Lynas’ Malaysian facility.

    Following the 25 November power issues, Macquarie noted:

    While the exact impact has not been disclosed, we note that the operation was running in batch production mode prior to these power issues. LYC is working with the WA government to improve grid stability and is also evaluating off-grid solutions.

    And the broker doesn’t expect investors will see a materially negative impact on Lynas Rare Earths shares.

    Macquarie said:

    The Kalgoorlie disruption coincides with a planned major shutdown at the cracking and leaching facility in Malaysia, leading to production losses in 2QFY26. The company expects to lose approximately one month of output but plans to maintain sales through inventory drawdown.

    We estimate NdPr production of 1.7kt in the December quarter, followed by output recovery in 2HFY26.

    Noting that it expects the NdPr market to remain tight, the broker said, “We forecast LYC to sell 9kt of NdPr in FY26, supported by its ~7ktpa Malaysian facility and additional volumes from Kalgoorlie.”

    Connecting the dots, Macquarie maintained its outperformance rating on Lynas Rare Earths shares with a $17.00 12-month price target. That’s almost 13% above current levels.

    “We expect the NdPr market to remain tight fundamentally, driven by solid demand and supply disruptions. LYC remains the largest ex-China REE producer,” Macquarie concluded.

    The post Up 131% in 2025, why Macquarie expects Lynas Rare Earths shares to keep outperforming in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Lynas Rare Earths Ltd right now?

    Before you buy Lynas Rare Earths Ltd shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Lynas Rare Earths Ltd wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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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 positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Cochlear-aligned biotech off to a lacklustre start on the ASX

    A health professional wearing a stethoscope and scrubs shrugs with uncertainty.

    Shares in biotechnology company Epiminder Ltd (ASX: EPI) got off to a less-than-stellar start on the ASX this week, with shareholders in the initial public offering already incurring decent losses.

    The company’s shares listed on Monday and closed the day at $1.31, well below the IPO price of $1.50. The stock fell a further 5.4% on Tuesday morning to be changing hands for $1.24 apiece.

    Positive developments fail to bolster shares

    This was despite the company announcing an update to the US Medicare status of its Minder system, with the company saying the reimbursement level for the device would be set at US$27,700.

    As the company told the ASX on Monday:

    The company’s Minder device is the first and only US FDA-authorised implanted continuous EEG monitoring systems designed for monitoring of brain activity for epilepsy. Epiminder aims to use its innovative solution to assist patients and healthcare professionals in the management of drug-resistant epilepsy. It is seeking to fulfill a large and unmet addressable market. With approximately 1.1 million adults with drug-resistant epilepsy in the US alone.

    The company said on Monday that in late November, it onboarded its first “Detect program partner”, and was targeting up to 25 sites in the US under its Detect program “to build clinical utility evidence”.

    The company is also pleased to advise that it recently received the final ruling in relation to US Medicare reimbursement levels for the implantation of the Minder Device for 2026. The final US Medicare reimbursement level for 2026 has been set at approximately US$27,700, having previously been set on a preliminary basis at approximately US$22,500.

    Epiminder said it was also eligible for other Medicare payments due to its device being classed as a “breakthrough” device.

    Listing to drive commercialisation

    The company raised $125 million in its IPO, with Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH) taking up $10 million in new shares under the offer.

    In addition to the stake it already owned, Cochlear was set to own 36% of the company on listing.

    Epiminder said in its prospectus that it would use the money raised to progress its commercialisation plans.

    The company is aiming to formally launch its G0 Minder system in the US in the first half of 2026, “undertaking a phased commercial rollout into leading epilepsy centres as part of a program, titled Detect, to demonstrate the clinical utility of the system”, it said.

    The company’s chair, Philip Binns, said in the prospectus that the market for its device was worth an estimated US$1.1 billion annually in the US alone.      

    The post Cochlear-aligned biotech off to a lacklustre start on the ASX appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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

  • 3 ASX agriculture shares just re-rated by experts

    happy farmer, agricultural stock rise

    The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is in the green on Tuesday, up 0.08% to 8,873.8 points.

    Morgans has updated its ratings and 12-month price targets on three ASX agriculture shares following their FY25 reports.

    Let’s take a look.

    Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF

    Nufarm is an agricultural chemical and seed-technology company with clients all over the world.

    The Nufarm share price is $2.39, down 2.85% today and down 34% in the year to date.

    Morgans has a buy rating on Nufarm shares with a 12-month price target of $3.20 following the company’s FY25 results.

    The broker commented:

    While NUF’s FY25 result was weak, it was slightly above guidance.

    A solid Crop Protection result was overshadowed by a poor Seed Technologies performance. Gearing was far too high at 2.7x, however it was better than feared. Outlook comments were upbeat.

    In FY26, material earnings growth and a reduction in leverage ratios is expected. We have upgraded our forecasts. Now that there is certainty on Seed Technologies future, industry operating conditions have improved and there is a clear pathway to deleveraging the balance sheet, we upgrade NUF to a Buy recommendation and A$3.20 price target.

    Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD)

    Elders supplies all types of farming products, as well as advisory, financial, and real estate services.

    The Elders share price is $7.28, up 0.14% on Tuesday and up 1% for 2025.

    Recently, the broker retained its buy rating on Elders after the company released its FY25 results.

    Morgans says there are many drivers in FY26 that should enable Elders to deliver strong growth.

    The broker upgraded its price target on the ASX agriculture share from $8.50 to $8.65.

    Morgans commented:

    ELD’s FY25 result was in line with its guidance. As was well guided too, the 2H25 was weak due to drought.

    Outlook comments were optimistic, the 1Q26 is off to a strong start and FY26 should benefit from a positive rainfall outlook, higher selling prices, acquisitions and the transformation projects.

    Graincorp Ltd (ASX: GNC)

    Graincorp offers grain handling, storage and logistics services, as well as trading and marketing. It also processes oilseeds to produce vegetable oils and other food products.

    The Graincorp share price is $8.09, up 0.4% today and up 9.6% in the year to date.

    Morgans thinks this ASX agriculture share has been oversold following an 8.4% decline over the past month.

    The broker maintained an accumulate rating on Graincorp shares with a new price target of $9.05 following the company’s FY25 results.

    Morgans said:

    While it can be argued that the FY25 P&L result was lower quality due to one-offs, operating cashflow was materially stronger than expected, underpinning GNC’s strong core cash position.

    This allowed the company to reward shareholders with an attractive final dividend.

    In line with the recent outlook commentary from its international peers, GNC said that the margin environment will likely remain subdued in FY26. Consensus estimates were therefore too high.

    Importantly, payments to the insurer will no longer occur in big crop years, allowing GNC’s strong fixed cost leverage to return when crop production issues around the world ultimately eventuate.

    The post 3 ASX agriculture shares just re-rated by experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Elders Limited right now?

    Before you buy Elders Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Elders Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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 Elders. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Shopify experienced instability for hours on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Last year, it handled $11.5 billion between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

    An employee pushes a box on a conveyor belt at the Newegg warehouse on Cyber Monday in City of Industry
    Shopify experiences a major outage on Cyber Monday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

    • Shopify experienced an outage on Cyber Monday, disrupting merchant transactions.
    • The outage mainly affected business login and point-of-sale systems.
    • Shopify powers over 10% of US e-commerce, and its stock fell 5.8% on Monday.

    It was a tough day for one of the nation's largest transaction platforms to experience instability.

    Shopify suffered an outage on Cyber Monday, freezing some merchants out of their accounts and point-of-sale systems during one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

    The financial impact is still unclear. A spokesperson directed Business Insider to the company's status page.

    Many small business owners posted on social media to tell shoppers that their shipping labels could not be generated and that they may experience issues during checkout.

    Outage tracker Downdetector showed a spike of roughly 4,000 problem reports at 11 a.m. ET, with thousands more pouring in around 1:15 p.m. ET.

    The Canadian e-commerce transaction giant said early afternoon on its status page that some sellers were "experiencing issues" with Shopify admin, Point of Sales, Mobile, and Shopify Support.

    By mid-afternoon, Shopify reported that services were recovering after engineers fixed an issue with the company's login authentication flow, though pockets of disruption remained.

    "We are seeing signs of recovery for admin and POS login issues now," Shopify said in a 2:31 p.m. ET update, adding that teams were still monitoring the situation.

    By 3:38 p.m. ET, Shopify said in its most recent status update that its Help Center is still "experiencing longer than normal wait times."

    As of 9 p.m. ET, Point of Sale, API & Mobile, and Support are still considered to have "degraded performance."

    Shopify powers more than 10% of US e-commerce sales. The company's President, Harley Finkelstein, said in a press release on Saturday that the platform processed $6.2 billion in gross merchandise volume on Black Friday, up 25% year over year, led by cosmetics, activewear, fitness, and nutrition.

    Shopify's stock closed 5.8% down on Monday.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Own IAG shares? Here are the dividend dates for 2026

    Two children hold on tightly to books hugged against their chests, as if they were holding on to ASX shares for the long term.

    Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG) shares are $7.67, down 0.2% while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 0.4%.

    As the end of the year draws near, ASX companies are releasing their corporate calendars for the new year.

    Get your diaries out, here are the key dates to note for 2026.

    When will IAG shares pay dividends in 2026?

    Let’s start with the most important dates for us investors: the dividend announcements.

    IAG will release its 1H FY26 results and announce its interim dividend on 12 February.

    The ex-dividend date for the interim IAG dividend will be 17 February.

    The record date will be 18 February.

    If you’d prefer not to receive your dividend as cash and instead reinvest in more IAG shares via the dividend reinvestment plan (DRP), you’ll need to lodge your DRP election by 5pm AEST on 19 February.

    IAG will pay the interim dividend to shareholders on 13 March.

    The next big announcement will be the FY26 full-year results and final dividend on 13 August.

    The ex-dividend date for the final dividend will be 24 August.

    The record date will be 25 August, and your DRP election must be lodged by 5pm on 26 August.

    IAG will pay the final dividend to investors on 28 September.

    The annual general meeting is scheduled for 22 October.

    What’s the latest news from the insurance giant?

    IAG issued a statement regarding major weather events in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria on 10 November.

    Managing Director and CEO Nick Hawkins said:

    IAG has received more than 10,000 claims across its brands which includes approximately 5,800 from RACQ Insurance (RACQI) customers. The majority of these claims relate to motor and property hail damage.

    IAG has activated its Major Event Command Centre and deployed teams of property assessors and partner builders to conduct Make-Safe repairs and help customers across the impacted areas.

    Hawkins said the company had a range of reinsurance protections in place to reduce the financial impact of natural hazards.

    … in relation to IAG’s owned and partner brands in Australia and New Zealand, excluding RACQI, IAG has long-term reinsurance arrangements that provide significant downside protection against natural peril events exceeding the full year non-RACQI perils allowance of $1,316 million.

    In combination with whole-of-account quota share arrangements, IAG has approximately $1 billion of downside protection for non-RACQI natural perils costs.

    What are the experts saying about IAG shares?

    Macquarie has a neutral rating on IAG shares and a 12-month price target of $9.10.

    UBS is more ambitious with a buy rating on IAG shares and a price target of $9.25.

    The post Own IAG shares? Here are the dividend dates for 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Insurance Australia Group Limited right now?

    Before you buy Insurance Australia Group Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Insurance Australia Group Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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.

  • Macquarie tips almost 35% upside for Pexa shares

    A happy male investor turns around on his chair to look at a friend while a laptop runs on his desk showing share price movements

    Big returns could be on the cards for buyers of PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA) shares.

    That’s the view of analysts at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), which are feeling positive about this ASX tech stock.

    What is the broker saying?

    Macquarie has been looking at recent housing market data that could impact this property settlements technology company.

    It highlights that settlement activity has been growing at a solid rate in recent months, albeit with NSW volumes softening in November. The broker said:

    NSW settlement activity was up +4.4% on pcp in Nov-25, a deterioration vs Oct-25 (+17.6%) and Sep-25 (+12.9%), while QLD activity in Oct-25 (latest available) was up +8.2% on pcp ahead of Sep-25 (+3.8%). By applying 75/25% weighting to NSW and QLD data (reflecting the number of dwellings in NSW/VIC vs QLD), total estimated national activity was up +15.5% in Oct-25, the strongest month of activity in 18 months. Our weighted average index is >95% correlated with PXA reported market volumes and is tracking at +7.1% YTD26 vs MRE +2.8% in 1H26E.

    Transfer activity (on a weighted avg basis) was up +16.6% in Oct-25, the strongest month since Jul-24 (+19.4%). Refinancing activity remains robust at +15.1% in Oct-25, albeit weaker than the prior month at +24.9% and the last 6 months at +21.6%.

    Big potential returns

    In light of the above, Macquarie remains positive on this ASX tech stock and believes it is positioned to achieve its earnings estimates in FY 2026.

    According to the note, the broker is forecasting revenue of $426.1 million and an adjusted net profit of $13.8 million in FY 2026, and then an increase to $470.8 million and $25.4 million, respectively, in FY 2027.

    As a result, Macquarie has reaffirmed its outperform rating and $19.10 price target on Pexa’s shares.

    Based on its current share price of $14.31, this implies potential upside of almost 35% for investors over the next 12 months.

    Commenting on its outperform recommendation, the broker said:

    Reiterate Outperform. Formal commitment from additional Tier-1 lenders is likely to incentivise the other four Tier-1 lenders to onboard with PXA quickly, driving rapid market share gains.

    Valuation: Our TP of $19.10 remains unchanged and is based on the blended average of DCF, PE Relative and SOTP valuations. Catalysts: Tier-1 lender commitments, Digital strategic review, NatWest onboarding 2H26, IPART pricing review 2H26.

    The post Macquarie tips almost 35% upside for Pexa shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in PEXA Group right now?

    Before you buy PEXA Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and PEXA Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    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 positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and PEXA Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and PEXA Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Guess which 10-bagger ASX gold stock is surging 65% today on takeover news

    Three rockets heading to space

    ASX gold stock African Gold Limited (ASX: A1G) is on fire today.

    African Gold shares closed yesterday trading for 31.5 cents. In late morning trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for 52 cents apiece, up 65.1%.

    For some context, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.1% at this same time.

    Today’s outperformance is par for the course for African Gold shares, which are now up a blistering 940% since this time last year.

    And investors who bought the ASX gold stock in June 2024, when it was trading for a mere 2 cents per share, will now be sitting on 10-bagger plus gains of 2,525%.

    Yep, that’s no typo.

    Atop the soaring gold price (at US$4,225 per ounce, the yellow metal is up 60% in 12 months), here’s what’s grabbing ASX investor interest today.

    ASX gold stock rips higher on takeover news

    The African Gold share price is rocketing after the company announced it has entered into a binding scheme implementation deed with Canadian-based gold miner, Montage Gold Corp (TSE: MAU).

    Under the agreement, Montage will acquire 100% of the shares in the ASX gold stock that it does not already hold. In exchange, African Gold shareholders will receive 0.0628 new Montage shares for every African Gold share held on the record date of the share scheme.

    The scheme has an implied value of approximately 50 cents per African Gold share. With shares having risen to 52 cents apiece today, investors may be thinking that an even sweeter deal could be on the horizon.

    Montage is currently the largest shareholder of the ASX gold stock, holding 17.3% of all shares.

    African Gold’s independent directors unanimously support the scheme and recommend that African Gold shareholders and African Gold option holders vote in favour.

    Under the deal, African Gold option holders will receive 0.0628 Montage options for every African Gold option they hold.

    What is management saying?

    Commenting on the takeover bid for the ASX gold stock, African Gold CEO Adam Oehlman said: “This transaction represents a compelling outcome for African Gold shareholders at this stage of the company’s evolution.”

    Oehlman continued:

    It validates the scale, quality and strategic positioning of the Didievi Gold Project and provides our shareholders with continued exposure to the upside through ownership in a larger, well-capitalised Côte d’Ivoire-focused gold company.

    The board believes this proposed combination delivers scale, balance sheet strength and development expertise that materially de-risks Didievi and enhances its path toward production.

    Montage CEO Martino De Ciccio added:

    This significantly accretive transaction builds on the momentum generated thus far to advance our strategy of creating a premier African gold producer and delivering value for both Montage and African Gold stakeholders.

    The post Guess which 10-bagger ASX gold stock is surging 65% today on takeover news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in African Gold Limited right now?

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    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and African Gold Limited wasn’t one of them.

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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 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 gold developer’s shares are hitting record highs, up 300% for the year. Find out why

    Man putting golden coins on a board representing multiple streams of income.

    Shares in gold project developer Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6) hit a record high on Tuesday after the company shed new light on the size of its Western Australian gold project this week.

    The stock has more than quadrupled over the past year, hitting 43.5 cents in early trade on Tuesday, up from a 12-month low of just 10 cents, with the shares trading at low levels until about the start of September.

    Project shaping up well

    The company published an updated minerals resource for its BullaBulling gold project, 25km west of Koolgardie in WA, on Monday, with the amount of contained gold doubling to 4.5 million ounces.

    The company said the mineral resource estimate of 4.5 million ounces was at a grade of 1 gram per tonne of ore, and had more than doubled from the previous estimate of 2.2 million ounces.

    The company also said exploration drilling had confirmed extensions of the mineral resources at depth across four deposits, “supporting an increased depth of about 100m in some areas of the pit shell”.

    The mineral resource was calculated using a gold price of $4500 per ounce of gold and a cut-off grade of 0.4 grams per tonne.

    The company said it would continue drilling at the project “to target mineralisation at depth and along strike with a further mineral resource estimate planned in calendar year 2026”.

    More growth targeted

    Minerals 260 Managing Director Luke McFadyen said the upgrade was pleasing.

    This is an exceptional outcome for the company and our shareholders, just seven months after acquiring BullaBulling. When we acquired the asset, we believed there was a significant opportunity to grow the mineral resource estimate through an aggressive drilling campaign and improving the understanding of the geology. By doing this we have been able to add 2.2 million ounces and validate the previous mineral resource estimate, doubling the mineral resource estimate to 4.5 million ounces and establishing Bullabulling as one of the leading gold projects in Australia.

    Mr McFadyen said the company had a pre-feasibility study underway, which was on track for completion next year.

    The company had also recently employed new Chief Operating and Development Officers, and the engagement of an engineering contractor was “imminent”, he said.

    Mr McFayden added:

    Minerals 260 is building significant momentum towards its goal of becoming a major gold producer, targeting first production in late-2028.

    In more positive news for the company, Bell Potter recently issued a research note putting a speculative target price of 57 cents on the shares.

    Minerals 260 was valued at $892.5 million at the close of trade on Monday.

    The post This gold developer’s shares are hitting record highs, up 300% for the year. Find out why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Minerals 260 Limited right now?

    Before you buy Minerals 260 Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Minerals 260 Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

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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 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.