The National Storage REIT (ASX: NSR) share price is edging higher in Tuesday’s mid-afternoon trade.

That adds to what has already been a strong 12-month run for the company.

Shares in the storage giant are up 0.54% to $2.785 at the time of writing, leaving the stock up about 28% over the past year.

That keeps it trading just below the $2.86 per security takeover price proposed by the Brookfield and GIC-backed consortium back in December.

Today’s move suggests investors are growing more confident that the gap to the offer price may continue to close.

Foreign approvals tick another box

In a statement to the ASX, National Storage confirmed that the required FIRB and New Zealand overseas investment approvals for the proposed acquisition have now been secured.

That now removes two of the key regulatory hurdles tied to the all-cash $2.86 per stapled security offer from the Brookfield and GIC consortium.

The company said all foreign competition approvals and clearances have now also been received.

The remaining steps are the final scheme approvals, including securityholder backing at next week’s meeting and subsequent court approval.

With most of the regulatory work now complete, investors will be looking ahead to the vote as the next step before the deal can be finalised.

Why buyers are staying disciplined

The modest lift in the share price makes sense given that most of the takeover premium was already captured when the binding offer was announced.

At $2.78, the stock is trading at only a small discount to the scheme consideration, showing investors largely expect the deal to proceed while still leaving a small margin for timing risk.

And that discount may continue to narrow as the 15 April securityholder vote approaches.

The board has unanimously recommended the scheme, with directors saying they intend to vote their own holdings in favour unless a superior proposal emerges.

The business itself still stacks up

While takeover progress is driving short-term trading, National Storage’s underlying business has also remained solid.

The REIT remains Australia and New Zealand’s largest self-storage operator, with more than 290 locations and over 100,000 customers.

Its latest interim distribution of 6 cents per security also keeps the trailing yield above 4%, which has helped support investor interest even as the stock trades near the deal value.

Unless an unexpected obstacle emerges, the next major catalyst looks set to be the scheme meeting result and final court timetable.

The post Why this ASX REIT is quietly pushing back toward its takeover price 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 positions in and has recommended Brookfield and Brookfield Corporation. 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.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are storming higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy stock closed on Thursday trading for $34.89. In early afternoon trade on Tuesday, shares are swapping hands for $35.50 apiece, up 1.8%.

For some context the ASX 200 is up 1.6% at this same time.

Spurred by surging global gas and oil prices, Woodside shares are now up a whopping 50.5% since market close on 31 December, while the benchmark index is just about flat over this same period.

And this doesn’t include the 83.5 cents per share fully franked dividends that Woodside paid out to eligible stockholders on 27 March.

If we add that back in, then Woodside stock has gained 54.0% so far in 2026. And this is a company with a market cap north of $67 billion.

With this picture in mind, is the ASX 200 energy share still a good buy today?

Should you buy Woodside shares today?

Fairmont Equities’ Michael Gable recently analysed the outlook for the Aussie oil and gas giant (courtesy of the Bull).

“We were buying this major oil and gas producer prior to the conflict in Iran in response to looming supply issues,” Gable said. “Investors have been underweight in the energy sector.”

According to Gable, who currently has a hold recommendation on Woodside shares:

As the world increasingly focuses on tightening energy supplies, we expect investors will start adding the most liquid and blue-chip energy stocks to their portfolios. The largest on the ASX is Woodside Energy.

Indeed, with the Iran war crimping global supplies, Brent crude oil is trading for US$111 per barrel today, up 83% year to date.

As for his hold recommendation on Woodside, Gable concluded, “The share price recently pushed beyond several major technical levels, which is a positive sign from a charting point of view.”

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

Woodside reported its full calendar year 2025 results on 24 February.

Highlights included record full-year production of 198.8 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe), exceeding the company’s guidance.

The company reported revenue of $12.98 billion, down 1.0% year on year. And with 2025 realised oil prices significantly lower than in 2024, underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) of $2.65 billion was down 8%.

But with the final dividend slipping only 1.6%, and the outlook for oil and gas prices already improving in late February, Woodside shares closed up 2.4% on the day of the results release.

The post Up 54% in 2026, are Woodside shares still a good buy today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Aristocrat, BHP, and Woodside shares 
• How ASX 200 energy shares like Santos, Beach and Woodside surged in March’s sinking market
• These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in March
• How are these 5 ASX share giants really tracking in 2026?
• Are investors taking a massive gamble by chasing the Woodside share price higher?

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.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) shares are up 6.5% to $1.68 apiece amid a broader market rally on Tuesday.

The Zip share price has been volatile over the past 12 months.

Zip has traded between a low of $1.09 on 7 April last year and a high of $4.93 on 20 October.

In 2026, Zip stock is down 50.4%.

Fund manager Blackwattle holds Zip in its Small Cap Quality Fund.

Portfolio managers Robert Hawkesford and Daniel Broeren gave their assessment of this ASX financial share in a newsletter last week.

Zip shares offer ‘compelling value’, say experts

Hawkesford and Broeren said Zip faced heavy selling during earnings season despite a strong 1H FY26 result.

The buy now, pay later provider reported record cash EBTDA of $124.3 million, up 85.6%, and total income of $664 million, up 29.2%.

The managers said strong operating leverage was also evident, with operating margins expanding 580 basis points to 18.7%.

Nonetheless, Zip shares were pummelled, crashing 33% on results day.

Hawkesford and Broeren said:

Unfortunately, Zip appears to be caught in the crosshairs of two broader market themes: negative sentiment toward technology stocks amid concerns around AI disruption, and a rotation out of higher-multiple growth companies as investors place greater emphasis on valuation.

However, Hawkesford and Broeren said Zip does not fit neatly into either category, commenting:

Its BNPL offering is fundamentally a payments and consumer finance product embedded at the point of sale, with competitive advantages stemming from its merchant network and proprietary credit decisioning (and data), rather than being ‘pure software’.

The managers point out that Zip shares are trading at an attractive entry point after a 50% decline year-to-date.

… at just 12x FY27e P/E, with significant growth potential, it is far from expensive – currently ranking, in our opinion, as one of the most compelling ‘value’ opportunities on the ASX.

What do other experts think?

On the CommSec trading platform, Zip shares have a strong buy consensus recommendation.

Ten of 11 analysts rating Zip on the platform give it a strong buy rating and one offers a moderate buy rating.

On the TradingView website, Zip also scores a strong buy consensus rating.

Once again, 10 out of 11 analysts give Zip a strong buy and one gives it a moderate buy.

The analysts’ 12-month share price targets for Zip range from a low of $2.60 to a high of $5.27.

Zip is scheduled to release its 3Q FY26 results update next Friday, 17 April.

The post Down 50% in 2026, Zip shares are ‘one of the most compelling value opportunities on the ASX’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 2 ASX financial stocks that could double – or even triple – in value
• ASX share market sell off: Buy in the dip or stay on the sidelines?
• Down 55%! Can this ASX financial stock stage a major comeback?
• 5 most traded ASX 200 shares since the war began

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Zip Co. 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.</em>&lt;/p>

The share market is rallying on Tuesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lifting 2.6% to an intraday high of 8,804 points.

It appears investors are buying the dip after the ASX 200 dropped 7.8% in March, creating some value buying opportunities.

Many exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are also rising today.

For example, the market’s largest ETF, the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) is up 1.3% to $107.58 apiece.

Australian investors love their ETFs.

The latest data shows we have ploughed a record $333 billion into the 426 exchange-traded funds on the market today.

If you’re considering buying ETFs amid today’s market rally, here are three recommended by experts.

Betashares Global Uranium ETF (ASX: URNM)

The URNM ETF is $12.07 apiece, down 0.33% today, but up 105% over the past 12 months.

On The Bull this week, Michael Gable from Fairmont Equities explained his buy rating on this ASX ETF.

URNM stock rose from $6.34 on April 3, 2025 to $15.24 on January 29, 2026.

The recent dip provides investors with another buying opportunity.

We expect demand for uranium to exceed supply in the years ahead, particularly as countries diversify their energy sources away from fossil fuels.

Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC)

The ATEC ETF is $19.92 apiece, up 2.3% today and down 15% over 12 months.

On The Bull last week, Blake Halligan from Catapult Wealth revealed a buy rating on this ETF.

Halligan said ATEC had experienced a material pullback alongside the broader tech sector due to fears over artificial intelligence (AI).

This has created an attractive entry point for long term investors.

Halligan said:

Share prices in several of its key constituents, including Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO), WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) and REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), have fallen significantly despite stable earnings trajectories and ongoing revenue growth across the sector.

Market concerns surrounding artificial intelligence disruption appear overdone, in my view, particularly given the high costs of switching software platforms.

Despite weaker sentiment, fundamentals are largely intact.

In our view, an appealing opportunity exits to gain exposure to high quality Australian technology names through ATEC.

Munro Global Growth Fund Complex ETF (ASX: MAET)

The MAET ETF is $5.94 apiece, up 0.2% today and down 2.5% over 12 months.

Last month on The Bull, Andrew Wielandt from DP Wealth Advisory gave a buy recommendation on this ASX ETF.

Wielandt said:

Funds under management, including it’s unlisted managed fund, exceed $1 billion.

This exchange traded fund focuses on global companies involved in high performance computing, digital enterprise, climate, innovative health and security.

Also, the ETF focuses on capital preservation.

During the past five years, the fund has returned 9.1 per cent per annum.

I hold MAET in my self managed super fund. I like the fund’s historical record and outlook.

The post 3 ASX ETFs to buy amid share market rally today: Experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 2 ASX mining shares to buy: Expert
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• 3 of the best ASX ETFs for beginner investors in 2026
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• 3 cheap ASX ETFs to buy for the tech rebound

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Betashares S&P Asx Australian Technology ETF. 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.

AIC Mines Ltd (ASX: A1M) recently released a new mineral resource figure for its flagship Eloise project, with the new data prompting Shaw and Partners to reiterate its buy recommendation on the stock.

The analyst team at Shaw and Partners also has a bullish price target on the AIC Mines shares which we’ll get to later.

Firstly, let’s have a look at what the company announced.

Main project looking good

AIC said in a statement released at the end of March that its Eloise processing plant near Cloncurry in Queensland now had access to the largest resource base compared to any time in its 30 year history.

The combined project mineral resource increased 10% to 31.2 million tonnes of ore at a grade of 2% copper and 0.4 grams per tonne of gold, containing 631,800 tonnes of copper and 445,800 ounces of gold.

The company also said that resource extension drilling at the Jericho deposit, which is part of the greater Eloise project, showed that the ore body remained open along strike and at depth.

AIC Mines managing director Aaron Colleran said regarding the results:

Resource definition and extension drilling completed in the 2025 field season has increased resources and improved reserves at both Eloise and Jericho – again highlighting the quality of these deposits and the strong geological, geophysical, geochemical and structural understanding that our exploration and geology teams have developed. The increase in resources and reserves at Eloise and Jericho strengthens the long term outlook and underpins potential mine-life extensions and future production growth. It is a great time to own a copper mine, as global demand for copper is surging due to the rapid expansion of renewable energy, electric vehicles, and AI infrastructure projects. With copper being a crucial component in electrical wiring and hence electrification, its value is rising steadily and set to rise further, making copper mining operations more profitable than ever.

Shares looking cheap

Shaw and Partners said in a note to its clients that it was important to note that AIC’s calculations were done using conservative price assumptions.

As they said:

The Ore Reserves were … calculated using a $10,500/t copper price and a $2,500/oz gold price, significantly below current spot prices of $18,400/t for copper and $6,900/oz for gold.

Shaw and Partners said catalysts for share price growth in the future would include production scaling via an underground link to new ore zones, a mill expansion which was under way, and the potential for regional consolidation.

Shaw and Partners has a $1.10 price target on AIC Mines shares, which would represent a return of more than 100% from the current level of 53.5 cents if achieved.

AIC mines is valued at $430.7 million.

The post This ASX copper company’s shares could more than double: Broker appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Up 54% in 2026, are Woodside shares still a good buy today?
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• 3 ASX ETFs to buy amid share market rally today: Experts
• 3 reasons to buy New Hope shares today
• ASX 200 sector leaders to buy amid today’s market rally

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.

New Hope Corp Ltd (ASX: NHC) shares have regained their earlier intraday losses to be trading just about flat at the time of writing.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) coal stock closed on Thursday trading for $5.84. At the time of writing, shares are changing hands for $5.83 each, down a fraction of a percent.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 1.4% at this same time.

Taking a step back, New Hope shares have surged 71% over the past 12 months, racing ahead of the 18.5% one-year gains delivered by the benchmark index.

And that doesn’t include the 25 cents a share in fully-franked dividends New Hope has paid (or shortly will pay) eligible stockholders over the year.

If we add those back in, then the accumulated value of New Hope shares has surged 78.3% over 12 months.

And according to Fairmont Equities’ Michael Gable, there’s still plenty of potential “significant upside” ahead for the ASX 200 coal stock (courtesy of The Bull).

Here’s why.

Should you buy New Hope shares today?

“I have been bullish on this thermal coal producer for several months,” said Gable, who has a buy recommendation on New Hope shares.

“I believe global demand for coal will remain elevated,” he said, citing the first reason you might want to buy the Aussie coal miner.

Thermal coal was recently trading for US$139 per tonne, up 17% since 1 March.

“The conflict in the Middle East is lifting demand for thermal coal, with countries, such as Japan, increasing coal-fired power generation to offset instability in gas markets,” he noted.

Indeed, Iranian attacks on LNG cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and a separate attack on a major gas facility in Qatar are causing supply disruptions for numerous nations’ energy providers.

As Trading Economics noted:

The developments removed a large portion of feedstock for gas-powered plants in Asia, including Japan and Korea, which are the main consumers of higher grades of Australian thermal coal out of the Newcastle port. Ample appropriate facilities from the two large economies propel gas-to-coal switching for power generation.

Moving on to the second reason that now could be an opportune time to buy New Hope shares, Fairmont Equities’ Gable said, “During the past few weeks, NHC shares broke out of a bullish technical pattern on strong volume, which implies significant upside from here.”

And the third reason you may wish to buy shares today is the coal miner’s strong passive income history and outlook.

While New Hope’s latest 10-cent interim dividend was down 47.4% from the prior interim dividend payout amid a big half-year profit decline, that profit slide came amid a significantly lower coal price environment than the miner is facing today.

New Hope shares currently trade on a fully-franked trailing dividend yield of 4.3%.

The post 3 reasons to buy New Hope shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX mining shares to buy: Expert
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• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are rising strongly on Tuesday as investors look beyond the ongoing war in Iran.

Nine of the 11 ASX 200 market sectors are higher, with tech shares in the lead, up 4%, followed by materials, up 2.1%.

It appears investors are looking for value after a prolonged tech sector downturn and a sell-off in mining shares last month.

Here are three ASX 200 shares with buy recommendations from the experts.

All three are the leading stocks of their respective sectors by market capitalisation.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

CSL is the largest ASX 200 healthcare share with a market cap of $67.4 billion.

Healthcare shares have been in a sector rout due to currency changes, US tariffs, and higher labour and cost pressures.

The S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) has fallen 27% over six months.

On Tuesday, the CSL share price is $140.82, up 1.4%.

CSL shares have halved in value over the past two years, and recently hit an eight-year low of $133.35.

Disappointing results, a company restructure, and lower global vaccination rates have weighed on the stock.

However, UBS sees value here, maintaining a buy recommendation on CSL shares with a 12-month target of $235.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

BHP is the largest stock in the ASX 200 materials sector with a market cap of $260 billion.

ASX mining shares were the worst hit by the war in Iran.

Over the first three weeks of March, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) tumbled 21%.

The BHP share price dropped from a record high of $59.39 on 3 March to a low of $46.06 on 23 March.

Today, the BHP share price is $52.62, up 2.7%.

Morgan Stanley has a buy rating on the ASX 200 mining giant with a share price target of $56.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

Wisetech is the largest ASX 200 tech share with a market cap of $13 billion.

Portfolio managers Tim Riordan and Michael Teran from Blackwattle describe Wisetech as one of the market’s highest quality companies.

That’s despite the Wisetech share price more than halving over the past six months.

Wisetech has faced several issues and has also fallen amid a broader tech sector rout driven by artificial intelligence (AI) fears.

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) has deteriorated 45% over six months.

However, Riordan and Teran recommend that investors buy the dip on Wisetech shares.

They comment:

We are excited about the FY27 and beyond outlook and see WTC as one of the few technology companies pivoting in the face of AI disruption risk.

We believe this makes a significant long-term, compounding growth profile and highly attractive Risk/Reward makes the current share price selloff a significant investment opportunity.

The post ASX 200 sector leaders to buy amid today’s market rally appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX 200 tech shares this fund manager backs to survive the AI threat
• What’s the impact of US tariffs on Aussie drugmakers CSL and Mayne Pharma?
• Up 59% in a year, should you still buy BHP shares today?
• Buy, hold, sell: CSL, QBE, and Pro Medicus shares
• Is now the time to load up on CSL shares?

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group and CSL. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

APA Group Ltd (ASX: APA) shares climbed to a fresh multi-year high on Tuesday as buying momentum in the utility giant continues.

In afternoon trade, the APA share price was up 1.12% to $9.97, after touching $10 in morning trade, its highest level since July 2023.

That leaves the stock up roughly 30% over the past 12 months, comfortably outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the same period.

The latest gain comes as investors respond to APA’s steady cash flow growth, rising distributions, and expanding project pipeline.

Strong half-year result keeps momentum building

One of the main drivers behind APA’s strength in recent months has been its latest first-half result for FY26.

The utility giant reported a 7.6% increase in underlying EBITDA to $1.092 billion, alongside growth in both revenue and distributions. Management also increased its organic growth pipeline to about $3 billion, up from $2.1 billion previously.

APA also reaffirmed its FY26 distribution guidance of 58 cents per security. This puts the stock on a forward yield of roughly 6% at the current share price, partially franked.

That remains an attractive yield for a business built on long-term contracted infrastructure assets.

Today’s move above the previous $9.95 52-week high also supports the recent upward move in the share price.

The chart is now confirming the trend

From a technical standpoint, APA’s share price has been building steadily since its February low of $8.63.

The stock is now trading comfortably above its rising short-term moving averages, with the $9.80 to $9.85 range emerging as the first support zone after today’s push higher.

Holding above that level would keep the recent upward move in place.

The relative strength index (RSI) now looks to be sitting in the upper-60s, which points to strong momentum without yet suggesting the shares are overbought.

The shares are also now trading comfortably above their 50-day moving average, reinforcing the strength of the move since late February.

The next level on the chart sits around $10.20, followed by the broader resistance zone set back in July 2023.

Foolish Takeaway

APA’s move to a multi-year high is being supported by both stronger fundamentals and an improving chart.

The company is delivering higher earnings, expanding its growth pipeline, and maintaining attractive distribution guidance. The share price has also continued to trend higher in recent months.

That mix has helped push APA shares to their highest level in nearly 3 years.

The post Why this reliable ASX dividend stock just climbed to a fresh multi-year high 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 positions in and has recommended Apa Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX 200 tech shares are leading the market on Tuesday, up 6.5%, while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lifts 2.6%.

It appears investors are buying the dip after a substantial 7.8% fall for the ASX 200 in March.

Despite the war in Iran being far from over, investors appear confident today and are looking to the tech sector for value buys.

ASX 200 tech shares have been in a downward spiral since September 2025.

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) has fallen 44% since then.

The primary driver is fear over how the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution will play out.

Investors have been worried about expensive stock valuations in the US and Australia, as well as sky-high capex spending on AI.

This year, a new fear emerged: whether AI will seriously damage software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers.

This is a potent threat for ASX 200 tech shares given four of the six biggest companies by market capitalisation are SaaS providers.

Blackwattle Mid Cap Quality portfolio managers Tim Riordan and Michael Teran explain the SaaS fear:

Leading AI companies, Anthropic and OpenAI released several exciting updates in February, demonstrating exponential improvement.

These updates were also focused on industries beyond traditional software, such as Insurance and Logistics, with the focus of the AI modules to reduce friction (costs) for enterprises and consumers.

Stocks related to these “targeted” industries experienced sharp declines on this new potential AI disruption risk.

Global markets continued their rotation into value, coined the “HALO” trade (Heavy Assets, Low Obsolescence) as the market gravitates to low AI disruption risk businesses.

Riordan and Teran completed a portfolio re-jig in February following “our change in view of AI disruption in late January”.

We have concentrated capital into technology businesses which have stronger barriers (namely network effects), at highly discounted valuations, while also allowing our “HALO” winners to run.

Changes to the portfolio continue to be driven by our continuous tandem goals of improving the overall Quality Score of the portfolio whilst maintaining a highly attractive portfolio level risk/reward skew.

The managers said AI fears were “understandable” but certain ASX 200 tech businesses were “better positioned to thrive in a post AI world”.

They added: “… and going forward the market will likely focus more on individual businesses after this initial indiscriminate sell-off”.

ASX 200 tech shares this fundie is backing

Blackwattle holds the largest ASX 200 tech share, Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), in its Mid Cap Quality Fund.

Wisetech shares have more than halved over the past six months.

The Wisetech share price is $38.66, up 2.1% on Tuesday.

Riordan and Teran said:

We view WTC as an ‘Enduring Quality’ business, as one of the highest quality companies on the ASX, continuing their multidecade customer and product growth journey.

We are excited about the FY27 and beyond outlook and see WTC as one of the few technology companies pivoting in the face of AI disruption risk.

We believe this makes a significant long-term, compounding growth profile and highly attractive Risk/Reward makes the current share price selloff a significant investment opportunity.

Blackwattle also holds telecommunications provider Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) in its Small Cap Quality Fund.

This ASX 200 tech share has also more than halved over the past six months.

The Megaport share price is currently $7.08, up 2.6% today.

Small-cap fund managers, Robert Hawkesford and Daniel Broeren, said Megaport was a ‘picks and shovels’ play amid the AI revolution.

The company’s competitive advantage is generated by the large number of data centers globally that it connects together with physical assets in ~1,000 data centers and a proprietary software layer, offering customers one-touch access from a central location.

The share price has been volatile in recent years and again more recently in a broader sell-off in ‘growth stocks’ and a more indiscriminate sell-off in technology stocks given fear over AI disruption…

MP1’s networking capability, however, makes it part of the ‘pick and shovels’ needed to deliver AI to corporates globally.

It is a beneficiary of AI adoption, so we see current weakness as a buying opportunity.

The post 2 ASX 200 tech shares this fund manager backs to survive the AI threat appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares have slumped in Tuesday’s trade. At the time of writing, the telco’s shares are down 1% to $5.36 a piece.

Despite today’s slump, the shares are still up 10.3% year to date and 24.5% over the year.

If I bought $8,000 worth of Telstra shares one month ago, what are they worth now?

Telstra shares dropped to an eight-month low of $4.72 on the 23rd of January, before beginning an upwards trajectory. The telco’s stock has leapt higher since it posted its impressive half-year FY26 result in mid-February.

Over the past month, Telstra shares have climbed 3.77%. That means that $8,000 invested in Telstra shares just one month ago is now worth $8,301.60.

Meanwhile, investors who bought $8,000 worth of Telstra shares 12 months ago would now have $9,960.

That’s a decent return!

Can Telstra shares keep climbing higher?

These days, internet access and mobile phone connectivity are a daily necessity rather than a perk. That means that, regardless of how severe inflation or the cost of living gets, connectivity and telecommunications will remain a high priority for most Australians. 

In other words, Telstra is a classic defensive stock that is likely to perform steadily, regardless of what stage of the economic cycle we’re in. This is great news for investors who want to hedge against potential volatility elsewhere in the index, but I don’t think we’ll see a strong upside out of the telco over the next 12 months.

Analysts seem to be mostly neutral on the outlook for Telstra shares this year. TradingView data shows that 11 out of 14 analysts have a hold rating on the stock, and the other four have a strong buy rating. The average target price is $5.26, which implies a 2% downside at the time of writing.

What about Telstra’s passive income?

While it doesn’t look like Telstra shares will keep rocketing higher this year, it could still be worth buying the stock for passive income.

Telstra’s defensive nature means it can offer shareholders a consistent, reliable passive income. In fact, its dividend payout ratio is close to 100% of its earnings. 

The telco pays out two dividends per year, in March and September. Last month, investors were paid an interim dividend of 10.5 cents, 90.48% franked. 

For FY25, the company paid investors an annual dividend of 19 cents per share. At the time of writing, that translates to a dividend yield of around 3.9%.

The post $8,000 invested in Telstra shares 1 month ago is now worth… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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