Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) shares are changing hands for $9.51 each in Wednesday afternoon trade.

That’s around a 0.5% decrease over the day, but after a line of share price declines, it means the shares have now tumbled around 17% over the past week alone.

For the year to date, Paladin Energy shares are down 6%, but they’re still 23% higher than a year ago.

What has happened to Paladin Energy shares over the past week?

There hasn’t been any price sensitive news out of the company over the past week to explain the latest sell-off. 

It looks like the decline is due to a number of factors, including geopolitical uncertainty, a drop in confidence about the outlook for ASX uranium shares, a company update, and its FY26 results late last month.

As a uranium production company that focuses on developing and operating uranium mines globally, Paladin Energy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in sentiment about uranium. 

The escalating conflict in the Middle East, higher inflation data, and concerns about more interest-rate rises has seen some investors reduce their exposure to riskier shares like Paladin Energy.

Elsewhere, Paladin Energy posted a note to the ASX last week confirming that JP Morgan Chase & Co, and its affiliates have ceased to be substantial holders in the company. It’s possible that the news may have spooked already concerned investors.

Meanwhile, the company posted its FY26 results late last month. The company posted a 71% year-on-year increase in sales revenue to US$304 million. Paladin Energy also reported a gross profit of US$52 million, up from a gross loss of US$26 million in FY25.

But while the uranium miner has shown improving operational metrics and turned a net profit, it also posted notable operating cash outflows. Paladin Energy ended the financial year with a net loss after tax of US$9.1 million, although that’s an improvement from the US$77 million net loss reported in FY25.

Are the uranium miner’s shares a buy, sell, or hold now?

Despite the confidence loss and recent sell off, it looks like brokers are still very bullish about the outlook for Paladin Energy shares over the next 12 months.

TradingView data shows that out of 15 analysts, 11 have a buy/strong buy rating on the shares and another 1 has a hold rating. Three more analysts have a strong sell rating on the shares.

The average $13.19 target price implies the shares could jump another 39% over the next year, at the time of writing. And some are even more bullish that the shares have the potential to climb 100% higher to $18.96.

The post Down 17% in a week: What has happened to Paladin Energy shares? 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 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.

Washington H Soul Pattinson vs PM Capital Global Opportunities Fund shares

If you’re tossing up between Washington H Soul Pattinson (ASX: SOL) and PM Capital Global Opportunities Fund (ASX: PGF) shares, you’re looking at two very different investment companies. One is a legendary Aussie investment house with more than a century of history; the other is a globally focused LIC aiming to deliver long-term capital growth. Which one might suit your portfolio better? Let’s take a closer look at both.

The case for Washington H Soul Pattinson

Soul Patts, as it’s fondly known, is one of the ASX’s oldest and most respected investment companies. It holds a diversified portfolio, spanning listed and private companies, emerging businesses, real assets like property and agriculture, and more. It counts major stakes in TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG) and New Hope Corporation (ASX: NHC), with recent growth including the merger of Brickworks into the group.

Notable fundamentals for Soul Patts include:

• Market cap: $16.63 billion — one of the largest and most stable investment groups around.
• P/E ratio: 6.83 — hinting at a relatively undemanding valuation.
• YTD return: Up 19.36% for 2026 so far, showing strong momentum.
• Dividend yield: 2.44% fully franked, with a long track record of steadily increasing payouts.

Its 100% franking is a plus for Aussie income investors, and decades of consistent dividend growth add to its appeal. Soul Patts describes its goal as delivering shareholder returns via both capital growth and steadily increasing dividends — a dual focus.

The case for PM Capital Global Opportunities Fund

PM Capital Global Opportunities Fund is a listed investment company (LIC) set up to give Australians exposure to a portfolio of listed securities across global markets. It aims squarely at long-term capital growth, using the skills of the PM Capital team to pick opportunities outside Australia.

A few key points stand out:

• Market cap: $1.92 billion — much smaller than Soul Patts, but still substantial for a LIC.
• Dividend yield: 4.72% fully franked — easily outpacing SOL on yield.
• YTD return: 5.32% for 2026, lagging SOL over the same period.

Valuation comparison

Here’s how the key numbers stack up, where they’re available:

	Washington H Soul Pattinson (SOL)	PM Capital Global Opportunities Fund (PGF)
Market Cap	$16.63 billion	$1.92 billion
P/E Ratio	6.83	N/A
Dividend Yield	2.44% (100% franked)	4.72% (100% franked)
YTD Return	19.36%	5.32%

Soul Patts sports a much larger market cap, while PGF trades at a yield almost double, but doesn’t provide standard profit metrics. PGF’s income focus shows in its higher yield, while Soul Patts has outperformed on recent growth.

Recent share price performance

The numbers below are based on provided pricing up to 15 September 2026.

Over the last three weeks, Soul Patts’ share price has oscillated between roughly $43.75 and $45.30, with a slightly negative bias in the past few sessions but strong gains overall, consistent with its positive year-to-date return of 19.36%.

PGF shares have traded tightly around $3.15–$3.37 in the same window, with movement mostly sideways to slightly down in recent days. Its year-to-date return is just 5.32%.

Long story short, Sol Patts has provided significantly greater share price growth than PGF in 2026 so far.

Which is the better buy?

If I had to pick between these two today, I’d lean toward Washington H Soul Pattinson. The sheer scale and depth of its diversification — through listed, private, real assets, and credit — gives me confidence in its resilience and ability to ride out market turmoil. It’s hard to argue with more than a century of history and a market cap that dwarfs PGF.

But it’s not just size: SOL has delivered far stronger share price growth this year, and while its 2.44% yield is more modest, that’s backed by a rich history of increases and 100% franking. It also trades at a low price-to-earnings ratio of 6.83, suggesting you’re not overpaying for those assets.

PGF certainly shines on dividend yield — at 4.72%, it’s better for upfront income. And its global approach might suit investors wanting international exposure from Aussie soil. But with less diversification, I view it as a riskier play right now.

For my money, the combination of SOL’s growth, proven management, and ultra-diverse portfolio are hard to beat, especially when share price momentum is humming.

The post Soul Patts vs PM Capital Global Opportunities Fund: Which is better? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. 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 draft. 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.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO), Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX: RHC), and AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) shares have climbed to fresh annual highs in Wednesday trade as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) swings into the green.

Here’s what has happened, and what brokers tip next.

Santos shares

The ASX energy shares have climbed over 2% to $8.74 at the time of writing in what is the highest recorded share price for Santos since January 2020. Today’s increase means the shares are now 42% higher for the year-to-date and 14% higher than 12 months ago.

It looks like the oil and gas major’s shares are enjoying tailwinds from a climbing oil price. According to Trading Economics, crude oil is trading around US$104 per barrel on Wednesday. This is a retreat from a high of US$105 per barrel yesterday, but it still represents a 24% increase in the price of crude oil over the past month alone. 

Prices are rising amid new drone attacks and ongoing conflict in the Middle East which have restricted oil supply even further. 

And investment bank Goldman Sachs said recently that it thinks crude oil could rise above US$120 if production remains well below pre-conflict levels. 

Experts are bullish that Santos shares can keep climbing higher, too. TradingView data shows that all brokers have a strong buy rating on the stock. The $8.99 average target price implies around a 3% upside at the time of writing.

Ramsay Health Care shares

Ramsay Health shares are also up around 2% to a multi-year high of  $54.64 at the time of writing. The share price flew higher in late-August off the back of a healthcare-sector wide rebound and the company’s impressive FY26 results announcement. 

Ramsay Health shares are now up around 58% for the year-to-date and 63% higher than 12 months ago.

For FY26, the company reported a 22.9% increase in its underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) and a 11.8% increase in its underlying EBIT. Revenue also climbed 4.2%. Shareholders also received a dividend increase, up 13.8% to 91 cents per share for the full-year FY26.

Looking ahead, Ramsay expects to report EBIT growth and further margin improvement in FY27, with ongoing focus on cost management, activity growth, and capital discipline. 

The company is also moving ahead with plans to separate its 52.79% stake in Ramsay Santé, which owns hospitals across Europe.

But it looks like the experts want to see more evidence that the company can keep growing. TradingView data shows the majority of brokers have a hold rating but the $51.49 average target price now implies a downside of around 6%.

AMP shares

AMP shares are up around 0.5% to $2.51 at the time of writing on Wednesday. This is the highest share price AMP has traded at since November 2018. The shares are also up an impressive 37% for the year-to-date and are 39% higher than a year ago.

Ongoing geopolitical tensions and concerns about Australia’s inflation data weighed heavily on financial shares like AMP throughout the first half of the year.

But the diversified financial services company continues to post some strong financial results. In mid-July it announced first-half NPAT guidance of $170 to $180 million, significantly higher than the $131 million reported for the same period last year. Investors rushed to buy the shares and sent the price flying 22% higher within a week.

Then, early last month AMP posted its first-half FY26 results, including a 33% year-on-year increase in underlying NPAT to $174 million, an 8.2% year-on-year increase in assets under management (AUM) and a 33% increase in AMP’s Platforms net cash flows increased by 33%.

Again, investors were thrilled and the share price has continued climbing since the announcement.

TradingView data shows that the majority of brokers have a buy rating on AMP shares. But after such a strong rally recently, the average $2.49 target price now implies a downside of around 1%.

The post Santos, Ramsay Health Care, and AMP shares reach new 52-week highs: Can they keep climbing? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• The ASX 200 is finally rising. Is the sell-off running out of steam?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Worried about a downturn? 3 ASX shares and 3 ETFs built to weather it
• Santos shares slide from fresh multi-year high: What’s next for the ASX energy stock?
• Santos shares are up 40% in 2026. Here’s why I’d still buy them today

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.