The Vicinity Centres (ASX: VCX) share price is in focus today as the company hosted its 2026 Capability Showcase, highlighting the completed redevelopments at Chadstone and Chatswood Chase – two of the Group’s flagship retail assets.

What did Vicinity Centres report?

• Chadstone’s total value now stands at $7.26 billion, with annual retail sales (MAT) of $2.74 billion, and specialty sales per sqm rising to $28,000.
• Chatswood Chase occupancy reached 99.7%, with +15% foot traffic and +26% same-store sales since redevelopment.
• Premium assets comprise 67% of Vicinity’s retail portfolio, up from 51% in 2022.
• Gearing at 26.1% and interest cover at 4.1x, with 87% of debt hedged into FY27.
• Development pipeline of $2.5 billion invested since 2022, with stabilised project yields of 5.6% (Chadstone) and 6.7% (Chatswood Chase).

What else do investors need to know?

Vicinity emphasised its ongoing capital recycling strategy, shifting more of its portfolio toward premium centres and outlets. The company reported strong leasing demand and productivity lifts after major redevelopments, with Chadstone maintaining its title as Australia’s top retail centre and Chatswood Chase achieving rapid re-leasing and income growth.

The capability showcase also spotlighted Vicinity’s disciplined balance sheet management, with continued access to diversified funding and a focus on maintaining investment-grade credit ratings. The Group reaffirmed its commitment to ESG, reporting a 45% reduction in emissions intensity since FY16 and remaining on track for Net Zero 2030 target.

What did Vicinity Centres management say?

CEO and Managing Director Peter Huddle said:

Our strategy of concentrating capital into premium, differentiated assets is delivering superior value and resilience for investors, retailers and communities.

What’s next for Vicinity Centres?

Vicinity says it will continue to focus investment on its development pipeline, including the on-time and on-budget delivery of the Galleria project and revitalisation of Uptown set for early 2027. Management also flagged early-stage planning for large-scale residential opportunities at Chatswood Chase and further mixed-use projects across the portfolio, aiming to unlock additional value and support future growth.

The Group will maintain its disciplined capital approach, keeping gearing and liquidity in check while seeking risk-adjusted returns above industry benchmarks. Its strategy remains anchored in asset renewal and balancing defensive income with growth, despite changing market conditions.

Vicinity Centres share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Vicinity Centres shares have declined 9%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has declined 9% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Vicinity Centres: 2026 Capability Showcase highlights Chadstone and Chatswood Chase appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Vicinity Centres FY26: Profit up, distributions rise as premium focus delivers

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.

Once you reach your mid-60s, your superannuation should be high on your priority list. After all, at this age, retirement has either begun or is just around the corner. 

At age 66, you’ve reached the milestone for unconditional superannuation access (meaning you can access your balance regardless of whether you’ve stopped working or not). You’re also just one year away from accessing the Age Pension payment if eligible.

That means, by this point in your life, you should know exactly how much super you have saved and what you need to be able to live the type of retirement you want.

Here’s a breakdown of the average superannuation balance of Aussies aged 66, and what you actually need at this age to retire. 

How does yours compare?

What is the average superannuation balance at age 66 in Australia?

There isn’t an exact figure for the average superannuation balance for men at age 66, but the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) provides a helpful estimate.

The average 65 to 69-year-old Australian male in FY27 has an average superannuation balance of $448,518.

Unfortunately, women the same age have a lot less, mostly because women tend to take extended periods out of the workforce. There are periods of time, sometimes spanning several consecutive years, where women earn lower compulsory employer superannuation or none at all.

The average 65 to 69-year-old Australian female has an average superannuation balance of around $392,274 in FY27. 

How does your super balance stack up with men and women the same age as you?

If your superannuation balance is on track with the rest of the population, that’s great news. But unfortunately, it doesn’t actually mean you have enough to live the retirement lifestyle you want. 

How much superannuation do I need to retire at age 66?

According to the latest ASFA Retirement Standard, the benchmark for a comfortable retirement is around $55,923 per year for single Australians and closer to $78,566 per year for couples.

To support that level of spending, ASFA estimates you’ll need a super balance of roughly $630,000 as a single and $730,000 as a couple by the age of 67. 

The figures also assume you own your home outright and that you’re receiving the age pension.

Am I on track?

In order to reach that number, ASFA calculates that at the age of 66, for a comfortable retirement, Australians should have a current superannuation balance close to $604,500.

That’s significantly higher than the average balances for Australians aged 65 to 69.

Why is the average Australian so far behind?

Unfortunately, there are several reasons.

In some exceptional cases, it’s possible to access your superannuation early. For example, to pay certain expenses on compassionate grounds, as well as terminal illness, incapacity, and severe financial hardship. 

There was an uptick in the number of Australians who applied for an early release during the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by soaring cost-of-living and widespread income loss.

The problem is that accessing your superannuation early severely affects long-term compounding growth and lowers balances in the long term. 

At the same time, ongoing economic volatility and consistently high cost of living also mean that individuals have severely curbed the amount of voluntary contributions going into super fund accounts. 

High fees and poor performance also eat into retirement savings. Meanwhile, sticking with an underperforming fund or default option is a mistake that can cost your super balance over time.

The post The average superannuation balance at age 66 in Australia, versus what you actually need to retire appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Netwealth shares could be set to rise 60% in the next 12 months – Expert
• IperionX validates GenX™ titanium production: Major efficiency gains
• Vicinity Centres: 2026 Capability Showcase highlights Chadstone and Chatswood Chase
• Cochlear vs Pro Medicus: Which beaten-down ASX healthcare share is the better buy today?
• Do this before the bubble bursts

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.

Cochlear vs Pro Medicus shares: Which ASX healthcare giant deserves a spot in your portfolio?

If you’re sizing up Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH) against Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME), you’re comparing two homegrown titans of Australian healthcare tech. Both companies are recognised leaders globally, but their share prices have taken a hit from recent peaks. So, which one stands out for long-term investors today?

The case for Cochlear

Cochlear is the world’s top cochlear implant maker, holding about half of the global market. Founded in 1983, it commercialised technology pioneered by Dr Graeme Clark, and now supplies devices that are the standard of care for children with severe hearing loss and an increasing number of seniors. Most of its revenue comes from overseas, especially the US and Europe.

• A few notable numbers jump out for Cochlear:
• It has a $8.92 billion market cap, reflecting strong global scale.
• Recently raised dividends: its payout climbed from $1.75 per share (final, 2023) to $2.15 (final, 2025 and 2026), with 85% franking.
• The company offers a solid 3.15% dividend yield, much higher than many healthcare peers.

The case for Pro Medicus

Pro Medicus specialises in cutting-edge medical imaging and radiology IT for hospitals and medical clinics worldwide. Its product suite includes systems for image archiving, reporting, appointments, billing, and workflow optimisation, with a strong presence in US hospital networks.

• Key highlights for Pro Medicus:
• It’s a heavyweight, with a $17.28 billion market cap—nearly double Cochlear’s.
• Its dividend yield is much more modest at 0.42%, but fully franked at 100%.
• Pro Medicus’ dividends are growing fast: from 12 cents per share (final, 2022) up to 37 cents (final, 2026), suggesting growing profits and cash flow for shareholders.

Valuation comparison

Here’s how these two measure up on the basics:

Metric	Cochlear (COH)	Pro Medicus (PME)
Market Cap	$8.92b	$17.28b
P/E Ratio	60.59	65.22
Dividend Yield	3.15%	0.42%
EPS	$2.252	$2.536
Franking	85%	100%

Cochlear trades at a slightly lower P/E but offers a much higher dividend yield, while Pro Medicus is bigger, with marginally higher earnings per share and full franking.

Recent share price performance

Based on prices as of 15 September 2026 (not live data), both have seen sharp slides from their recent highs, but the scale differs:

• Cochlear’s year-to-date return is a sobering -46.83%.
• Pro Medicus is less bruised, down -24.80% for the year.

Looking at the last two weeks, both stocks have been volatile. Cochlear slipped from around $140–$145 to $136.43, while Pro Medicus dropped from above $190 to $165.45 over the same period. Neither is escaping the market’s negativity, but the percentage drawdown has been much steeper for Cochlear.

Which is the better buy?

If I had to choose, my pick would be Pro Medicus. Here’s why: While both shares look expensive by P/E and have fallen hard from their peaks, Pro Medicus has weathered the storm better and shows faster recent growth in earnings and dividends. Its fully franked dividends are on a rapid upward trajectory, and the company’s bigger global footprint (especially in the US hospital market) suggests more room for upside if conditions improve.

Cochlear is terrific for yield hunters, with a higher dividend yield and solid franking, but its aggressive price fall and slightly lower growth rate leave me wanting more momentum. Both businesses are quality names, and neither is cheap, but given how Pro Medicus has held up better and seems to have more earnings power right now, I’d lean toward Pro Medicus for future upside—even if it means accepting a lower current yield.

The post Cochlear vs Pro Medicus: Which beaten-down ASX healthcare share is the better buy today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX 200 shares tipped by experts to jump 30% to 62%
• 2 ASX shares I’d buy before they return to their 52-week highs
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 9 ASX 200 shares earning strengthened buy ratings this week
• EchoIQ shares just crashed 48%. What happens now?

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 Cochlear. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear and Pro Medicus. 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.