Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP) shareholders haven’t had much to smile about lately.

The property giant has fallen around 29% in 2026, and Friday is adding a bit more pain, with the shares down 3.91% to $4.055.

In addition, CEO Tarun Gupta has sold a number of Stockland securities on market this week.

The transaction is worth around $3.8 million, which is enough to catch the eye given how far the shares have already fallen.

But before investors read too much into it, I think there are a couple of things worth knowing.

Why did the CEO sell?

According to recent filing, Gupta sold a total of 874,721 securities on 7 September at an average price of $4.319.

Stockland said the sale was made to meet tax liabilities, which makes the move a little less concerning in my view.

Gupta also still has plenty of exposure to the company. He personally holds 85,493 Stockland securities, while the Sundara Family Trust owns another 1.86 million. He also has around 1.52 million performance rights.

But what caught my attention even more is what some of the other directors have been doing.

Bob Johnston bought 90,000 securities at $4.57 on 31 August, while Kate McKenzie, Christopher Lawton, and Penny Winn have also made smaller on-market purchases since late August.

What about the business?

Stockland’s FY26 numbers were actually pretty solid.

Funds from operations increased 10.4% to $892 million, while statutory profit rose 20.2% to $994 million.

FFO per security reached 36.9 cents, while net tangible assets increased to $4.39 per security.

At $4.055, Stockland shares are now trading below that NTA figure. They have also given back all of the 12% jump that followed last month’s full-year result.

The company also finished FY26 with gearing of 22.7%, while strong residential settlement volumes helped lift development earnings.

Of course, the market is forward-looking, and higher bond yields and interest rate concerns remain a headache for property stocks.

Would I be worried?

Not really.

I mean a $3.8 million CEO sale is always going to attract attention, especially when the share price is already falling.

But the stated reason was tax liabilities, and Gupta still has significant exposure to the company.

Furthermore, a few of the other directors have also been buying.

Overall, brokers remain positive. TipRanks shows 6 buy ratings and 1 hold, with an average price target of $5.30.

That implies around 31% upside from today’s price.

The post Stockland shares are sinking 4%. Is this $3.8 million CEO sale a warning sign? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Home values just fell for a fifth straight month. Which ASX shares are most exposed?
• Are Stockland shares a buy after its FY26 results announcement?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Rate rises have finally caught house prices. What does that means for ASX property shares?
• Stockland profit up 20% as development surges: FY26 results and outlook

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.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares have given investors a pretty wild ride over the past year.

The stock is down another 2.94% to $1.65 on Friday, leaving it close to its 52-week low.

But after such a big fall, I think this is starting to look like one of the more interesting ASX turnaround stories to watch.

Here’s why.

Short sellers have piled in

The latest short-selling data showed 15.38% of DroneShield shares were sold short, making it the second most shorted stock on the ASX.

That’s a huge bet against the company.

Yes, short sellers clearly have plenty to point to.

DroneShield reported a $12.4 million underlying EBITDA loss in the first-half, while its statutory loss came in at $32.2 million.

The shares also look expensive on traditional earnings measures, with profits still small compared with the company’s $1.5 billion valuation.

But this is where I think things get interesting.

If DroneShield keeps delivering stronger revenue and winning new orders, some short sellers may start heading for the exits.

That could add another source of buying demand if sentiment starts turning.

Sales are still moving fast

The share price might look ugly, but the sales numbers tell a very different story.

First-half revenue jumped 74% to $125.8 million, while committed FY26 revenue recently increased to $251 million from $240 million.

That already puts DroneShield inside management’s full-year revenue outlook of $250 million to $270 million.

There is also another $46 million of committed revenue sitting in FY27 and beyond.

And I think the new product pipeline is worth watching too.

DroneShield’s first RfRecon order will be deployed to an existing Western European military customer before the end of the year.

I like seeing new products move from launch to customer orders this quickly because it gives the company another way to keep growing.

The balance sheet gives me another reason to stay positive, with around $180 million in cash at the end of June and no debt.

Could DroneShield shares really double?

I think they can.

A move from $1.65 to $3.30 would mean a 100% gain, which sounds huge at first glance.

But even at that price, DroneShield shares would still be more than 50% below their 52-week high.

The big thing I want to see now is more of that revenue growth flowing through to profits.

If that starts happening over the next few reporting periods, I think investors could become much more bullish on the stock.

The post DroneShield shares are down 75%. Could this huge short bet backfire? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Should I buy DroneShield shares following today’s trading update?
• What are the most shorted ASX shares on the market right now?
• Top 3 ASX defence shares to buy right now
• 3 reasons to buy DroneShield shares after their 74% decline
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

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 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.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are down 1.3% to 8,708.5 points on Friday.

Meanwhile, brokers have lifted their ratings on several ASX shares this week. 

Let’s review. 

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

The Northern Star Resources share price is $21.59, down 4.2% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 gold share has fallen 5%.

UBS upgraded Northern Star shares to a buy rating on Wednesday.

The broker raised its 12-month price target from $24.25 to $29.40.

This implies a potential 36% upside ahead.

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN)

The HomeCo Daily Needs REIT share price is $1.09, down 1.4% today.

Over the past month, this real estate investment trust (REIT) has fallen 16%.

UBS upgraded HomeCo Daily Needs REIT shares to a buy rating yesterday.

The broker has a 12-month price target of $1.30.

This implies a potential 19% upside ahead.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

The Whitehaven Coal share price is $8.70, down 1.6% today.

Over the past month, this ASX coal share has ascended 13%.

JP Morgan upgraded Whitehaven Coal shares to a buy rating this week.

The broker increased its 12-month price target from $8.20 to $9.30.

This indicates potential capital gains of 7% over the next year. 

Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL)

The Regis Resources share price is $7.56, down 4.9% today.

Over the past month, the gold mining stock has lifted 1.6%.

UBS upgraded Regis Resources shares to a hold rating this week.

The broker raised its 12-month price target from $8 to $8.90.

This suggests a potential 17% upside ahead.

Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP)

The Bapcor share price is 81 cents, up 0.3% today.

Over the past month, this ASX consumer discretionary share has lost 92% of its market valuation.

Morgans upgraded Bapcor shares to a hold recommendation with an 88-cent target.

This implies a potential 10% upside ahead.

Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM)

The Ora Banda Mining share price is $1.52, down 5% today.

Over the past month, the ASX gold mining share has risen 11%.

UBS upgraded Ora Banda Mining shares to a buy rating this week.

The broker raised its 12-month price target from $1.80 to $1.95.

This indicates potential capital gains of 28% over the next year. 

ARB Corporation Ltd (ASX: ARB)

The ARB Corporation share price is $18.42, down 0.8% today.

Over the past month, this ASX retail share has fallen 9%.

Canaccord Genuity upgraded ARB shares to a buy rating this week.

The broker increased its 12-month price target from $21.80 to $25.40.

This suggests a potential 38% upside ahead.

Alkane Resources Ltd (ASX: ALK)

The Alkane Resources share price is $1.82, down 3.9% today.

Over the past month, Alkane Resources shares have risen 14%.

UBS upgraded the ASX gold and antimony miner to a buy rating this week.

The broker raised its 12-month price target from $2 to $2.35.

This suggests potential capital growth of 29% over the next year. 

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB)

The NAB share price is $38.50, up 2% today.

Over the past month, NAB shares have fallen 7%.

Goldman Sachs upgraded the ASX 200 bank share to a hold rating yesterday.

The broker raised its price target from $38.75 to $39.75.

This suggests a potential 17% upside ahead.

The post 9 ASX shares just upgraded by the experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• CEO sells $3.9 million of shares. Should investors be worried?
• Down 16%, could this $2 billion activist bet wake up Northern Star shares?
• Where to invest $5,000 into ASX dividend shares
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• ASX 200 dives to a 6-week low. What’s behind today’s sell-off?

JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. 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 positions in and has recommended ARB Corporation, Goldman Sachs Group, and JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Corporation and HomeCo Daily Needs REIT. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.