• GrainCorp keeps guidance steady as transformation delivers gains

    Farmer holding grains in his hands.

    The GrainCorp Ltd (ASX: GNC) share price is in focus today as the company reaffirmed its FY26 guidance, forecasting underlying EBITDA mid-range at $200–240 million and underlying NPAT between $20–50 million, including $5 million in restructuring costs.

    What did GrainCorp report?

    • Reconfirmed FY26 underlying EBITDA guidance at around $200–240 million
    • FY26 underlying NPAT expected within $20–50 million range
    • Business Transformation Program to deliver $12 million run-rate benefits by end FY26
    • One-off restructuring costs of $5 million incurred in FY26
    • System transformation spend unchanged for 2H26 at $25 million; FY27 updated to $30–35 million

    What else do investors need to know?

    GrainCorp’s Business Transformation Program is on track, targeting a $20–30 million uplift in through-the-cycle EBITDA by FY28. Operating model changes across Agribusiness, affecting around 80 roles, are aimed at improving decision-making and execution across its east coast network.

    Investment continues in GrainCorp’s systems transformation, particularly in the Nutrition and Energy segment, with deployment for Release 1 extended to post-harvest in 2Q CY27. The company maintains a disciplined balance sheet and has deferred further systems upgrades in Agribusiness to focus on operating improvements.

    What did GrainCorp management say?

    Managing Director and CEO Robert Spurway said:

    We have completed major changes to our operating model and remain focused on driving efficiency and best-in-class financial outcomes.

    What’s next for GrainCorp?

    GrainCorp will continue to monitor conditions in the 2026–27 winter crop, especially as New South Wales and Victoria see favourable growing weather, and Queensland faces drier conditions. The latest ABARES report forecasts a 12% lift in east coast winter crop production from June, providing potential upside.

    Management will also keep an eye on new export opportunities, thanks to recent increases in global commodity prices. GrainCorp’s refreshed structure and strong balance sheet are intended to position the company to make the most of market opportunities as they arise.

    GrainCorp share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, GrainCorp shares have declined 19%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

    View Original Announcement

    The post GrainCorp keeps guidance steady as transformation delivers gains appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in GrainCorp right now?

    Before you buy GrainCorp 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 GrainCorp 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 1 August 2026

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    Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

  • St Barbara share price on watch after a huge announcement

    Two miners laughing and having fun while using smart phone during their coffee break.

    The St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) share price could be one to watch on Thursday after the gold miner released a big update before market open.

    St Barbara shares finished flat at 73 cents apiece yesterday, but investors could have plenty to think about when trading gets underway this morning.

    So, what has St Barbara announced?

    St Barbara cashes in

    According to the release, St Barbara has agreed to sell its remaining interest in the New Simberi Gold Project in Papua New Guinea to China’s Lingbao Gold Group.

    Under the deal, the company will receive $410 million in cash when the transaction completes.

    It will also receive another $43 million to repay its share of construction spending on New Simberi between April and signing.

    However, St Barbara will still retain some exposure to the project.

    The company will keep a 2.75% net smelter return royalty on future gold and silver production from New Simberi, along with a 1.5% royalty over minerals produced from the Tabar Islands exploration licences.

    The transaction is expected to complete in the March quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.

    Could shareholders get another big dividend?

    There could be a pretty big payday coming for shareholders.

    St Barbara had $427 million in cash at the end of August. After the sale completes, it expects to have around $880 million in cash and no debt.

    The board is considering paying shareholders another fully franked special dividend of around 13 cents per share after completion.

    That would come on top of the fully franked 5-cent dividend already declared in August, taking potential dividend returns to 18 cents per share.

    Based on Wednesday’s 73-cent closing price, that is equal to almost 25% of the current share price.

    The company is also considering an on-market share buyback of up to 100 million shares. A decision is expected after the 15-Mile Processing Hub pre-feasibility study update due around the end of September.

    What does St Barbara look like after the sale?

    Once Simberi is sold, St Barbara will be left with its Nova Scotia gold projects and the royalties from Simberi.

    From there, the focus will be on restarting production at Touquoy by the end of 2026 and moving the 15-Mile Processing Hub towards a final investment decision (FID) by the end of FY27.

    The Simberi royalty could still bring in plenty of cash too, with St Barbara estimating around $286 million over the current mine plan.

    I think St Barbara is one to keep a close eye on in the coming weeks.

    The post St Barbara share price on watch after a huge announcement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in St Barbara right now?

    Before you buy St Barbara 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 St Barbara 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 1 August 2026

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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.

  • How many Fortescue shares do I need to buy to earn $1,000 per month in passive income?

    Female miner standing next to a haul truck in a large mining operation.

    Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares are an attractive option for passive-income hunting investors.

    The company generates a substantial cash flow from its large iron ore operations which means that when iron ore prices and production is strong, it can return a significant portion of its profits to shareholders through dividends.

    Fortescue is also actively diversifying its business beyond iron ore and into other markets, such as copper and renewable energy, which could reduce its reliance on iron ore over the long term and strengthen its bottom line.

    But what if you wanted to generate $1,000 of passive income from Fortescue shares every single month? Is it even possible? And if so, what would it entail?

    Let’s investigate.

    What’s the latest out of Fortescue shares?

    At the time of writing, ASX mining shares are trading for $17.61 a piece. That’s about 21% lower year-to-date and a 6% decline from this time last year.

    What dividend does Fortescue pay its shareholders?

    Fortescue has a strong dividend history dating back to 2011.

    The miner traditionally pays its shareholders two full-franked dividends every year, in March and September. The miner has a policy of returning 50%-80% of its net profit after tax to shareholders as dividends.

    Fortescue is due to pay its shareholders a final 46 cent per share dividend, fully franked, later this month. Combined with the 62 cent dividend paid out in March, that brings the miner’s total FY26 dividend to $1.08 per share.

    Current forecasts suggest that the company’s FY27 total dividend per share could decline to 86.4 cents per share, off the back of falling iron ore prices. 

    Based on the current share price, that translates to a dividend yield of around 6.1% for FY26, and around 5% for FY27.

    How many Fortescue shares do I need to generate $1,000 per month in passive income?

    At the time of writing, Fortescue shares are $17.61 each.

    That means, for the $1.08 per share dividend in FY26, investors would need to buy roughly 11,111 shares to generate around $1,000 per month (or $12,000 per year) in passive income.

    To earn the same amount in FY27, assuming the miner pays the forecasted 86.4 cents per share dividend, investors would need to buy around 13,888 shares.

    What would that cost me?

    In order to buy the 11,111 Fortesce shares needed to generate the equivalent of a $1,000 per month passive income in FY26, you would need to invest around $196,000.

    For the same level of passive income in FY27, investors would need to spend around $245,000 on the mining shares.

    It’s not a small investment, but it’s one that could pay off over the long term.

    And remember, you don’t have to invest the full amount at once. You can slowly build your investment over time and let compound growth do the rest.

    The post How many Fortescue shares do I need to buy to earn $1,000 per month in passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Fortescue right now?

    Before you buy Fortescue 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 Fortescue 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 1 August 2026

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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 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.

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