Shares in Amplia Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: ATX) are having a day to forget after the company announced it had halted patient recruitment for its AMPLICITY clinical trial.

Shares in the drug developer, which is backed by big hitters such as former Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) Managing Director Alan Moss, fell 31.2% in early trade and on high volume, to change hands at 16.5 cents.

Concerning side effects

The company said it had halted recruitment for the clinical trial after three “dose limiting toxicities” related to the chemotherapy regimen, mFOLFIRINOX, emerged.

The trial was seeking to investigate the use of the company’s lead drug narmafotinib in combination with the chemotherapy regimen modified FOLFIRINOX in treating advanced pancreatic cancer.

The company pointed out that its own compound was not the result of the toxicity.

As the company said:

Eight patients have been dosed with daily narmafotinib in combination with the mFOLFIRINOX regimen administered on its routine cycle and doses. Three events of protocol-defined dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) have been observed at this time, though importantly none have been attributed to narmafotinib and instead relate to the chemotherapy regimen. Five of the 8 patients remain on study and will continue to receive the narmafotinib – mFOLFIRINOX combination with continuing safety monitoring as before.

Amplia said it would “halt recruitment in AMPLICITY and focus its resources on exploring combinations other than with FOLFIRINOX”.

Amplia Managing Director Dr Chris Burns said regarding the results:

The dose limiting toxicities observed are very disappointing for the patients and their families; however, toxicity with FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy is well documented. Given these effects, and the evolving landscape for pancreatic cancer treatment, we will continue to build on our promising ACCENT trial data, as well as plan for additional studies with new, targeted agents being developed for pancreatic cancer. While efficacy data from AMPLICITY is early, four of the eight patients in the trial have recorded stable disease at their first (2-month) scan, with one of these patients subsequently recording a partial response at their 4 -month scan. No other efficacy data is available at this time though updates will be reported in due course.

ACCENT potential is large

While it was bad news for the company today, Bell Potter recently said there had been good recent news out of the ACCENT trial, where in a Phase 1b/2 trial in 64 pancreatic cancer patients, there had been four “complete responders”.

Bell Potter said the trial outcomes to date were “remarkable” and there was “compelling evidence that narmafotinib’s anti-fibrotic mechanism is allowing chemo to exert greater effect and penetrate tumour tissue more effectively”.

Bell Potter has a speculative buy rating on the stock and a 42-cent price target, albeit this was before today’s announcement about the AMPLICITY trial.

Amplia was valued at $135.9 million at the close of trade on Thursday.

The post Down 30% today, is it time to buy into this beaten-down biotech share? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. 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.

Metallium Ltd (ASX: MTM) shares are under pressure on Tuesday, even as the company chalks up another milestone in its US expansion strategy.

In midday trade, the Metallium share price is down 2.42% to 60.5 cents.

That leaves the stock down roughly 42% since the start of 2026, despite still sitting well above where it traded a year ago after a huge 12-month run.

The weaker move suggests investors may be weighing valuation and execution after a string of strong US announcements over recent months.

Let’s take a closer look.

US defence work moves into the next phase

Today’s update confirmed Metallium has successfully completed Phase I of its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract. The project was run in partnership with the US Department of War’s Defence Logistics Agency (DLA).

The program focused on recovering gallium from semiconductor and electronic waste streams using the company’s Flash Joule Heating technology.

Management said all technical milestones were achieved or exceeded, with the work completed in 6 months, around half the usual SBIR Phase I timeline.

Gallium is used in radar systems, semiconductors, satellite electronics, and advanced communications. The United States currently relies almost entirely on imports for this supply.

Metallium said its process could help recover gallium from alternative waste feedstocks, supporting domestic supply chain security and reducing dependence on overseas production.

The company also noted the successful completion may support a potential Phase II SBIR funding round worth up to US$1 million. This is expected to help fund further development and pilot-scale deployment.

Why the shares may still be under pressure

Despite the positive milestone, today’s weakness may reflect a market that was already expecting further progress in the company’s US strategy.

Metallium has been highly active in Texas, where it is scaling its Gator Point Technology Campus and targeting 8,000 tonnes per annum of PCB feedstock throughput by the end of 2026.

With a market capitalisation of about $449 million, the stock has already delivered a one-year return of about 388%, even after the 2026 pullback.

At this stage, investors may be waiting for the next major update to come from commercial revenues, additional US government funding, or further progress at the Texas facility.

What to watch next

The next key item to watch is whether Metallium can convert this successful defence contract into Phase II funding.

Longer term, investors will also be watching for commercial gallium recovery lines to emerge at its Texas campus.

If that happens, today’s pullback could look more like a pause after such a strong run.

The post Another US milestone, another share price drop: What’s going on with this ASX stock? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

New 100% tariffs on Australian pharmaceuticals will not significantly affect the nation’s largest drug company, CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), the company said on Tuesday.

New trade war front

US President Donald Trump last week announced that the US would impose tariffs of up to 100% on imported drugs, however, there were carve-outs for companies that had plans to move manufacturing to the US.

There were also tariff caps on certain countries with trade deals with the US, including Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, and the European Union.

CSL said in a statement to the ASX on Tuesday that it had taken note of the new tariff announcement, but said that it was not anticipating a large impact.

The company said:

CSL is working through the details of the Proclamation, but the initial view is that most of CSL’s U.S. product sales will not be subject to tariffs. CSL is pleased the U.S. Administration has recognised the unique nature of plasma-derived therapies under the Proclamation. This is consistent with the longstanding approach of special policy accommodations to ensure patient access to these life-saving therapies. CSL’s U.S. plasma therapies are derived entirely from U.S. sourced plasma. CSL continues to invest in manufacturing and job creation in the U.S., recently announcing plans to spend $1.5 billion to expand its plasma therapy manufacturing capabilities in Illinois.

CSL said the primary product sold by its Seqirus division in the US was Fluad, which was made in the United Kingdom, where the tariff is currently 10%, with expectations that it would be reduced to zero.

Mayne also in the clear

Relative minnow Mayne Pharma Ltd (ASX: MYX) also said the new tariffs were expected to have “no material impact” on the company’s FY27 earnings profile.

Mayne Pharma said there was no tariff to be applied to generic medicines, and there would only be a minimal tariff applied to its women’s health portfolio.

It also manufactures branded dermatology products in the US, and hence no tariff would apply.

The company said:

For the Company’s Women’s Health segment, Mayne Pharma believes the tariffs would not apply to the contraceptives in the branded portfolio and would not have a material effect on the menopause products as only one active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is sourced internationally, and that API is sourced from a territory under an existing trade deal with the US and subject to a lower tariff.

CSL shares were 2.1% higher in early trade at $141.94, while Mayne shares were 2.6% higher at $2.39.

The post What’s the impact of US tariffs on Aussie drugmakers CSL and Mayne Pharma? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

If I were putting fresh money into ASX dividend shares today, I would be thinking about reliability first.

Not just the size of the yield, but how sustainable it is.

In my experience, the best income stocks are those backed by strong cash flow, essential services, and business models that can withstand different economic environments.

With that in mind, here are three ASX dividend shares I would be comfortable buying with $10,000.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Telstra is one of the more straightforward income ideas on the ASX.

It operates critical telecommunications infrastructure that Australians rely on every day. That gives it a level of earnings visibility that many companies could only dream about.

What I like is that the business continues to generate solid cash flow while improving efficiency.

In its recent half-year update, Telstra highlighted ongoing earnings growth supported by cost control and operational discipline, alongside continued strength in its mobile division.

The company is also targeting sustainable growth in cash earnings over time, which supports its ability to maintain and gradually grow its dividend. And given recent mobile pricing increases, I believe it is placed to deliver on this.

For me, Telstra offers a combination of stability and income that is hard to ignore.

APA Group (ASX: APA)

APA Group is another name that stands out to me for income investors.

It owns and operates energy infrastructure assets, including gas pipelines and electricity transmission networks. These are long-life assets that generate relatively predictable cash flows.

In its latest half-year result, APA delivered growth in earnings, with underlying EBITDA increasing 7.6% and distributions rising 1.9%. That sort of consistency is what I look for.

It may not be a fast-growing company, but that is not the goal here.

For income-focused investors, I think APA offers dependable returns backed by essential infrastructure.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

Coles brings a different type of defensive income.

As one of Australia’s major supermarket operators, it generates earnings from everyday spending. People continue to buy groceries regardless of what is happening in the economy, which helps support stable revenue.

The company’s latest half-year result showed continued sales growth and strong earnings momentum, supported by execution and operational improvements. It also declared a fully-franked interim dividend of 41 cents per share, reinforcing its role as an income stock.

What I like about Coles right now is its balance. It provides income, but it also has opportunities to improve margins and grow earnings over time through automation and digital investment.

That combination could be attractive for long-term investors.

Foolish Takeaway

I don’t think dividend investing should be about chasing the highest yield available. For me, it is about finding businesses that can keep paying and, ideally, keep growing those payments over time.

Together, I think Telstra, APA Group, and Coles are the types of ASX dividend shares that can form a solid foundation for a long-term income portfolio.

The post The reliable ASX dividend shares I’d buy with $10,000 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB) shares are edging lower despite the biotech company delivering another upbeat commercial update today.

In early afternoon trade, the Mesoblast share price is down 0.47% to $2.12. By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is hovering 1.5% higher to 8,696 points.

The weaker move for Mesoblast suggests the market may now be waiting for the next bigger catalyst after the stock’s strong recovery over the past year.

Here’s what the market is weighing up.

Ryoncil keeps building momentum

According to today’s update, Mesoblast’s flagship cell therapy Ryoncil generated net sales of US$30.3 million during the March quarter.

Management said this completed the product’s first full year launch cycle. Growth in February and March more than offset the usual seasonal weakness seen in January.

That puts cumulative net revenue since launch close to US$100 million, a major commercial milestone for a company that spent years working toward US commercialisation.

Ryoncil remains Mesoblast’s first FDA-approved product and is currently approved in the United States for steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease in children.

The company said the product’s profitability is helping fund its broader late-stage pipeline. This includes label expansion studies and other inflammatory disease programs.

Why the market may still be cautious

Even with the positive sales result, the share price reaction has remained lowkey.

Part of that likely reflects how much optimism had already been priced in earlier this year when Mesoblast shares hit a 52-week high above $3.30 in January.

At $2.12, the stock is now trading well below that level, even as operating progress continues.

The company’s market capitalisation still sits near $2.75 billion, showing investors still see considerable value in the rest of its pipeline.

The softer move today may also reflect the fact that this release focused on quarterly sales progress rather than upgraded guidance, regulatory milestones, or new clinical data.

After such a strong run in recent quarters, the market may now be waiting for the next major clinical or commercial update before bidding the shares higher again.

What to watch next

The next major watchpoint is whether Mesoblast can keep quarterly sales growth building toward its previously guided FY2026 Ryoncil net revenue range of US$110 million to US$120 million.

If sales momentum continues, attention is likely to shift toward margin improvement, cash generation, and progress across its late-stage pipeline.

Despite today’s positive update, Mesoblast shares are down roughly 21% since the start of the year.

The post Mesoblast shares are back in the red on Tuesday. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are surging on Tuesday, rising by 2.6% or 224.5 points to an intraday peak of 8,804 points.

All 11 ASX 200 market sectors are higher today, with tech shares in the lead, up 6.2%, followed by materials and financials, both up 2.8%.

As we’ve previously reported, ASX investors appear keen to buy the dip after a 7.8% fall for ASX 200 shares in March.

Trading in April has been volatile, but overall, ASX 200 shares are already 3.5% higher this month.

However, investors are buying ASX 200 shares amid continuing uncertainty as to how the Iran war will play out.

Regardless of when the war ends, the global energy shock will reverberate for months, potentially pushing up inflation and interest rates.

But today, investors appear to be looking through those near-term risks.

Initial panic over the conflict and oil shock appears to be subsiding, with investors reverting to their traditional forward-looking nature.

When investors aren’t panicking about daily news, they tend to trade on what they expect will happen over the next six to 12 months.

Last week, James Gerrish from Shaw and Partners said the “war fear” in the market was fading, although “we’re not out of the woods yet”.

Gerrish noted that the ASX 200’s steep fall in March was “potentially affording an opportunity to buy high-performing stocks at a cheaper entry”.

Are investors buying the dip?

In the surging tech sector today, WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares are up 5.8% to $40.06.

The Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price is up 4.4% to $77.31.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares are up 4.7% to $28.17 and Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) is up 5% to $19.64.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares are 13.3% higher at $12.76 after the company announced a $1 billion hybrid securities offer.

Among the miners, the BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price is up 3.3% to $52.97.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares are up 2.6% to $165.88 and Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) is 2.3% higher at $20.72.

The largest ASX 200 lithium mining share, PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS), is up 2.9% to $5.24.

The market’s largest ASX 200 gold share, Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) is 3.4% higher at $22.65.

Among the financials, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price is $178.08, up 3.1%.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares are up 3% to $43.04.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares are $40.88, up 2.6%, and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares are $37.60, up 2.7%.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) shares are flying on Tuesday, up 8.6% to $1.71.

In energy, Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are $35.24, up 0.9%, while Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) is $8.07, down 0.2%.

Oil prices continue to trade close to four-year highs.

Brent crude is US$110.40 a barrel, up 0.5%, and WTI crude is US$113.50 per barrel, up 0.9% on Tuesday.

What’s the latest in the Middle East?

The US says it is continuing to negotiate with Iran amid a renewed threat from the President that the US will bomb Iran’s power plants.

Over the weekend, US President Donald Trump said he would target power plants and bridges if Iran did not re-open the Strait of Hormuz.

In an expletive-laden post on Truth Social, President Trump said:

Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran.

There will be nothing like it!!!

Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.

Technically, the strait is not closed. However, no shipping company is willing to sail through it given the risk of Iran attacks.

Iran reportedly rejected a ceasefire proposal over the weekend.

Iran also vowed to respond to any US strikes on civilian infrastructure by attacking the energy assets of Gulf neighbours.

The post ASX 200 surging as investors look beyond Iran war appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group and Zip Co. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360, Technology One, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group and Technology One. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Knowing which ASX shares to avoid can be just as important as knowing which ones to buy.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at three shares that analysts are tipping as sells this week, courtesy of The Bull.

Here’s what you need to know about them:

Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

The team at Investor Pulse is recommending this industrial property company’s shares as a sell this week.

It has concerns about industrial rent growth and the impact of rising interest rates. It said:

As the largest pure play industrial fund in Australia with a portfolio of 85 high quality assets, the trust has delivered solid growth, including a 40 megawatt data centre expansion. Yet the market is increasingly wary about industrial rent growth amid a cooling economy. A potentially looming supply issue may peak in mid calendar year 2026, which could challenge historically low vacancy rates in urban markets.

Rising interest rates on debt is another concern for a company with a $3.9 billion portfolio. Although the portfolio maintains an occupancy rate of 95.7 per cent and a weighted average lease expiry of 7.1 years, broader economic headwinds remain.

DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT)

Over at Morgans, its analysts have named data centre operator DigiCo Infrastructure as a sell.

Although the broker acknowledges that data centre demand is positive, it is waiting for management to deliver before becoming positive. This is especially the case given its poor first-half performance. Morgans said:

DGT is a data centre real estate investment trust. This developer operates across Australia and North America. The REIT requires significant capital expenditure to expand in an already competitive environment. The company’s first half result in fiscal year 2026 and its profit forecasts for the full year fell short of investor expectations.

While the outlook in the data centre space has incrementally improved, management will need to deliver before there is meaningful conviction in the business. Shares in DGT were priced at $5 in the initial public offering prior to listing on the ASX on December 13, 2024. The shares were trading at $1.89 on April 2, 2026.

Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV)

Investor Pulse is also recommending investors sell this drinks giant’s shares.

After a tough first half, it is concerned that there could still be worse to come. This could mean analysts are forced to lower their earnings estimates in the coming months. It said:

Endeavour operates liquor outlets, hotels and gaming facilities. In our view, key concerns emerged in its first half result in fiscal year 2026. Underlying group earnings before interest and tax of $563 million fell 5.4 per cent despite a 0.9 per cent increase in group sales to $6.7 billion.

While the hotels segment generated a 4.4 per cent increase in sales, the retail division, comprising Dan Murphy’s and BWS, posted a 11.6 per cent decline in underlying EBIT. Statutory net profit after tax fell 17.1 per cent to $247 million, impacted by $45 million in significant items. Downward revisions in consensus earnings per share suggest the bottom may not have been reached at this point.

The post Experts name 3 ASX shares to sell appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Endeavour Group. 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.

Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ), Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX), and NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares are grabbing headlines today.

In late morning trade on Tuesday, all three blue-chip stocks are racing ahead of the 2.6% intraday gains posted by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

Here’s what’s happening.

NextDC shares leap on $1 billion funding news

Turning to NextDC first, shares in the ASX 200 data centre operator and developer are up 13.6% today, trading for $12.79 apiece.

Investors are sending NextDC shares surging after the company announced it was raising $1 billion in new funds via the issue of new hybrid securities.

The hybrid securities launch is backed by Canadian investment group La Caisse, which inked a binding $1 billion commitment to make up for any potential shortfall.

The securities carry a 100-year maturity.

The new funds will support NextDC’s plans to develop new data centres and expand capacity.

Commenting on the fund-raising initiative that’s boosting NextDC shares today, CEO Craig Scroggie said:

The announcement of the Hybrid Securities Offer and the La Caisse commitment represent another step toward NextDC delivering on a material step-change in the scale of our business as we deliver on the company’s contracted forward order book across the period to FY29 and make further investments across the portfolio of new projects.

Which brings us to…

Telix shares surge on revenue growth

Telix shares are also catching plenty of investor attention today.

Shares in the ASX 200 diagnostic and therapeutic product developer are up 6.3% today, trading for $13.77 each.

This follows the release of Telix’s March quarterly update.

Among the highlights, the company reported an 11% quarter-on-quarter increase in unaudited revenue to US$230 million. And management reaffirmed full-year FY 2026 revenue guidance in the range of US$950 million to US$970 million.

The March quarter saw the ASX healthcare share continue to advance its global studies across prostate, brain, and kidney cancer.

“We are delivering on our strategic priorities to advance our high-value clinical programs, demonstrated by the momentum in our therapeutics pipeline this quarter,” Telix CEO Christian Behrenbruch said.

Bank of Queensland shares jump on strategic loan sale

Last, but not least, Bank of Queensland shares join Telix and NextDC shares in grabbing financial headlines and outperforming today.

Shares in the ASX 200 bank stock are up 5.3% at the time of writing, changing hands for $7.16 each.

Investors are bidding up Bank of Queensland shares after the company reported on its $3.7 billion equipment finance loan sale to investment management firm Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF).

Why is this boosting the Bank of Queensland share price today?

As the Motley Fool reported this morning:

The capital partnership enables BOQ to accelerate its specialist banking transformation by shifting equipment finance exposures off balance sheet while growing capital-light revenues. The transition is designed to improve return on equity and support further business in the small and medium business sector.

The post Why is everyone talking about Telix, Bank of Queensland and NextDC shares today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX 200 surging as investors look beyond Iran war
• Why are Telix shares jumping 8% today?
• Why are NextDC shares surging higher?
• Bank of Queensland announces $3.7bn loan sale and capital partnership with Challenger
• NEXTDC announces $1 billion hybrid securities offer and La Caisse backing

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

Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT) shares are back in the green on Tuesday, extending what has already been one of the ASX’s standout 12-month performances.

In morning trade, the Weebit Nano share price is up 2.54% to $3.64.

The latest gain adds to a remarkable rally that has seen the stock surge almost 150% over the past year, driven by growing confidence in its ReRAM memory technology and broader AI commercial opportunity.

With momentum still on its side, today’s rise suggests investors see further upside in the company’s next growth phase.

Retail investors get access after $80 million raise

Today’s update is the next stage of the recent capital raising, when Weebit Nano launched an $80 million institutional placement alongside an Israeli placement targeting up to $10 million.

The funds are intended to strengthen the balance sheet and support a faster push into next-generation memory and AI in-memory compute applications.

The newly opened SPP is targeting up to another $15 million, though management can accept additional demand or scale applications back.

The offer opened today and is scheduled to close on 29 April, with the new shares expected to be allotted on 6 May.

For existing shareholders, the SPP offers access at the same $4.05 price paid by institutions, without brokerage costs.

That said, with the stock trading at $3.64 this morning, the market is pricing the shares below the offer price. This could reduce short-term retail demand unless investors are looking further ahead to potential licensing growth.

Why investors are still interested

The bigger driver behind the strong 12-month share price performance is Weebit Nano’s licensing momentum.

The company’s ReRAM technology is being positioned as a lower-power replacement for embedded flash memory across AI, IoT, automotive, industrial automation, and edge computing devices.

Recent commercial wins, including its licensing agreement with Texas Instruments, have strengthened confidence that the technology is moving from early validation into broader commercial use.

With a market capitalisation of about $840 million, the stock remains one of the ASX tech sector’s biggest winners over the past 12 months.

Investors appear willing to look past the short-term dilution from the raise and stay focused on growth in AI memory markets.

Foolish takeaway

Tuesday’s gain suggests the market has responded well to Weebit Nano broadening its recent raise to include everyday retail shareholders.

The next focus will be SPP uptake and whether the fresh capital can help support additional foundry and semiconductor licensing deals in the year ahead.

The post This ASX tech stock is up 150% in a year. Here’s why it’s climbing again today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The ASX bank share space could be an appealing place to invest during the rising interest rate environment. Owning National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares is one of the options to consider for dividends.

The bank may benefit from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) increasing the cash rate because NAB can lend out transaction account balances for a higher return (but the cost is minimal and doesn’t change, unlike a savings account balance, during rate hikes).

But, there is a danger of higher loan arrears and bad debts due to rate rises, which may be a headwind for NAB’s profit. Let’s have a look at what could happen with the dividend in the coming years.

FY26

The bank recently reported its FY26 first quarter which included some strong positives.

It said it generated $2.02 billion of cash earnings, representing a 16% increase year-over-year. The bank said that underlying net profit grew by 12% year-over-year.

The bank said it was executing across key priorities including growing business banking, driving deposit growth and strengthening its own-channel (proprietary) home lending.

Australian business lending rose 2%, with market share gains in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and total business lending.

Its Australian home lending grew by 1.1x the speed of the overall lending system, implying that it grew market share.

NAB also noted that its deposit balances in business and private banking and personal banking, increased 3%, including 6% growth in transaction accounts excluding offsets.

The ASX bank share is also targeting productivity savings of more than $450 million for FY26 and it’s also aiming for FY26 operating expense growth to be less than FY25 growth of 4.6%.

In terms of the dividend for owners of NAB shares, the projection on CMC Invest suggests that the ASX bank share could pay an annual payout of $1.705 in FY26. At the time of writing, that’s a dividend yield of 4.1%, or 5.8% including franking credits.

FY27

Time will tell what happens with the Middle East, fuel prices, inflation and interest rates, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re still living with the effects of it in the 2027 financial year.

Currently, analysts are projecting an increase in the NAB dividend in the 2027 financial year. In this period of uncertainty. If I were a shareholder, I’d be happy with any sort of dividend growth during economic challenges.

The projection on CMC Invest suggests that NAB could hike its annual dividend per share by 1.5% to $1.73.

FY28

The final year of this series of projections is the 2028 financial year, which could see another year of growth for the dividend.

Currently, the forecast on CMC Invest suggests the annual payout could grow another 1.7% year-over-year to $1.76 per share.

That’s certainly not the strongest growth rate around for dividend rises, but it’s a lot better than nothing and would ensure a pleasing ongoing dividend yield for investors.

The post Here’s the dividend forecast out to 2028 for NAB shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Buy, hold, sell: NAB, Pro Medicus, and Telstra shares

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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.