• Buy, hold, sell: Life360, Magellan, and QBE shares

    Business people discussing project on digital tablet.

    There are plenty of ASX shares out there for investors to choose from.

    To narrow things down, let’s see what analysts are saying about three popular shares, courtesy of The Bull. Here’s what they are recommending:

    Life360 Inc. (ASX: 360)

    Despite recent share price weakness, the team at Baker Young only rates Life360 shares as a hold.

    Commenting on the family safety technology company, the broker said:

    Life360 is a leading family safety and location sharing platform operating across the US, UK and Australia. The company delivered better-than-expected full year results in 2025, highlighted by subscription revenue increasing 33 per cent. Hardware remains an important long term growth option, as it helps lock users into paid subscriptions.

    We believe the magnitude of the recent share price decline has been excessive given the strength across most of Life360’s core subscription business. Accordingly, we remain comfortable holding this high quality, fast growing and profitable company at current levels.

    Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG)

    Another ASX share that Baker Young has given its verdict on is fund manager Magellan.

    It highlights that Magellan’s shares have rallied strongly since announcing plans to merge with Barrenjoey.

    The broker feels this has led to an excessive valuation and has named the company as a sell this week. It explains:

    Shares in this funds management firm have rallied following news it will merge with boutique investment bank Barrenjoey Capital Partners. While we recognise the strategic rationale of diversifying away from the increasingly challenging funds management industry, and view Barrenjoey as an attractive and growing participant in Australian capital markets, we question the valuation implied by the transaction. The deal effectively values the business around 15 times underlying earnings.

    Also, the transaction involves issuing MFG shares at $8.45 each to partially fund the acquisition, creating meaningful dilution for existing shareholders. Given the strong share price reaction to the announcement, we would consider taking advantage of the rally to exit positions.

    QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE)

    One ASX share that Baker Young is positive on is QBE Insurance. It has named the insurance giant as a buy this week.

    The broker sees value in QBE’s shares at current levels and highlights its attractive forecast dividend yield. It said:

    QBE offers attractive value at this stage of the cycle. In February, the global insurer reported better-than-forecast earnings growth of 23 per cent in full year 2025, driven by a solid 7 per cent increase in policy sales and relatively low claims rates. With favourable operating conditions likely to persist into full year 2026, we see compelling financial sector value at around 11.5 times projected earnings and a dividend yield of 5 per cent.

    Insurance is inherently risky and industry feedback suggests competition is increasing, which may limit further premium increases in coming years. However, QBE offers unparalleled geographical diversification among Australian insurers, which helps reduce earnings volatility. We’re comfortable accumulating the stock at current levels as an attractively valued, well diversified financial exposure.

    The post Buy, hold, sell: Life360, Magellan, and QBE shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Life360 right now?

    Before you buy Life360 shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Life360 wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • This ASX financial stock just struck a $500 million deal

    Two hands being shaken symbolising a deal.

    Shares in Perpetual Ltd (ASX: PPT) are edging higher on Monday after the financial services company announced a major strategic transaction.

    At the time of writing, the Perpetual share price is up 0.95%% to $16.40. Despite today’s modest gain, the stock has had a weak start to the year and is down 13% in 2026.

    Here’s what the company revealed to the market.

    Perpetual to sell wealth management business

    Perpetual announced that it has entered into a binding agreement to sell its Wealth Management business to Bain Capital Private Equity.

    The deal involves the sale of Perpetual Wealth Management and Perpetual Private, which together form the company’s wealth management division.

    Under the agreement, the transaction will deliver $500 million in upfront cash proceeds, subject to customary adjustments.

    In addition, Perpetual could receive a further earn out payment of up to $50 million. This will depend on the future performance of parts of the business following completion.

    The company also noted that an additional upfront cash payment may be made, depending on the performance of the advice business before completion.

    Perpetual will continue to own the rights to the Perpetual brand. Bain Capital will license the brands ‘Perpetual Wealth’ and ‘Perpetual Private’ for a period of 15 years.

    The transaction will be implemented through the sale of shares in Perpetual WM Services, which houses the wealth management operations.

    What the deal means for the business

    Management described the move as a significant step toward simplifying the group and sharpening its strategic focus.

    Following completion, Perpetual will concentrate on its Asset Management and Corporate Trust divisions.

    Chief Executive Officer Bernard Reilly said the transaction follows an extensive review process and recognises the strength of the wealth business, while allowing Perpetual to focus on areas where it sees stronger long-term opportunities.

    Reilly added:

    We believe we have achieved the right outcome for our shareholders, clients and people, and one that reflects Wealth Management’s longstanding reputation as a premium provider of high net worth advisory, fiduciary, philanthropic and not for profit offerings in the Australian market.

    Management noted that the company expects to emerge from the deal with a stronger balance sheet and a more streamlined structure.

    Use of proceeds and balance sheet impact

    Perpetual said net proceeds from the transaction are expected to be used to reduce debt and support future investment.

    The company plans to repay a $400 million bridge facility, with remaining funds potentially directed toward growth initiatives in the remaining businesses.

    The deal is expected to complete towards the end of the 2026 calendar year, subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions.

    These include approvals from the Foreign Investment Review Board and the ACCC, as well as internal restructuring steps required to separate the wealth business.

    Transaction and separation costs are estimated at around $30 million after tax, while taxes on the sale are expected to range from $45 million to $50 million.

    Perpetual currently has a market capitalisation of around $1.88 billion and offers a dividend yield of roughly 6.96%.

    The post This ASX financial stock just struck a $500 million deal appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Perpetual Limited right now?

    Before you buy Perpetual Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Perpetual Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    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.

  • This ASX gold and antimony developer has announced good drilling results at its Victorian project

    Young successful engineer, with blueprints, notepad, and digital tablet, observing the project implementation on construction site and in mine.

    Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd (ASX: SX2) has reported strong results from the most recent drilling at its flagship Sunday Creek gold and antimony project in Victoria.

    The company said in a statement to the ASX that it had hit record grades at the Apollo mineralised system, returning an intersection of 17.3m at 22.9 grams per tonne equivalent, including 6.3m at 32.3 grams per tonne equivalent.

    The company also pointed out that the results were high in antimony, with multiple intervals in the four holes in question exceeding 20% antimony, “consistent with the zonation model that predicts the richest antimony grades in the upper 700 m of the system”.

    The company said this was important given current antimony prices and global supply constraints.

    Strong drilling results

    South Cross Chief Executive Michael Hudson said the results were significant.

    As he said:

    These four holes do something important — they demonstrate that the upper Apollo system, within 220 vertical metres of surface, is capable of hosting extremely high gold antimony grades across broad widths. The 17.3 m at 22.9 g/t gold equivalent in SDDSC200 is the best composite we’ve ever recorded in the top portion of Apollo and is in an area we had not previously drilled. That’s not infill – that’s discovery. What strikes us about this set of results is the consistency. Four holes, drilled in alternating directions across the upper Apollo, all hit mineralization. The vein sets are continuous, they’re predictable, and the high-grade cores keep appearing exactly where the geology says they should. SDDSC200 also intersected a vein set we hadn’t seen before, which is a reminder that Apollo is still expanding with further drilling.

    Mr Hudson said the antimony story was “equally compelling … at a time when the Western world is urgently reassessing its antimony supply chain, these grades matter”.

    Mr Hudson said there were another 46 drill holes pending results and 10 drill rigs on site.

    Antimony in focus

    The Australian Government, in January, said that as part of its proposed $1.2 billion critical minerals reserve, the government would be stockpiling minerals, including antimony.

    Southern Cross said at the time it was well-placed to feed into this need for the mineral.

    As they said:

    The company welcomes this landmark initiative which recognizes the strategic importance of securing domestic antimony supply for Australia and its allies. Sunday Creek, located just 60km north of Melbourne in Victoria, represents one of the most significant undeveloped gold-antimony deposits in the Western world and stands ready to support Australia’s critical minerals security objectives.

    South Cross Gold Consolidated shares were 1.8% lower in early trade on Monday at $9.03.

    The post This ASX gold and antimony developer has announced good drilling results at its Victorian project appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Southern Cross Gold right now?

    Before you buy Southern Cross Gold shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Southern Cross Gold wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    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.

  • Which ASX 200 gold stock is sinking despite US$260m deal?

    A man holds his head in his hands, despairing at the bad result he's reading on his computer.

    Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are starting the week in the red.

    In morning trade, the ASX 200 gold stock is down almost 6% to $4.97.

    Why is this ASX 200 gold stock dropping?

    The gold miner’s shares are falling today after a pullback in the gold price overshadowed the release of an announcement relating to its interest in the Meyas Sand Gold Project (MSGP) in Sudan.

    This has seen most gold miners fall today, dragging the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index over 4% lower.

    According to the release, Perseus has signed a share purchase agreement to sell its 70% group interest in the project to Hong Kong Matrix Golden Fortune Mining. It is a subsidiary of Matrix Resources (Zhejiang).

    The purchase price totals US$260 million (A$372 million) and comprises a US$10 million deposit already received on signing of the agreement, with the remaining US$250 million payable on completion of the transaction. Settlement is currently scheduled for 22 April 2026.

    Strategic portfolio move

    Perseus acquired the MSGP through its purchase of Orca Gold in May 2022. The company noted that the agreed sale price will allow it to recover the purchase price and expenditure on the project while generating a book gain.

    The decision to sell the MSGP follows a lengthy strategic review of the project which considered both development and divestment options.

    The ASX 200 gold stock ultimately concluded that selling the asset was the best course of action at this time, particularly given the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan and the challenges this has created for progressing development.

    Perseus expects the proceeds from the sale of the MSGP to further strengthen its balance sheet. It notes that this could support additional capital returns to shareholders and allow internal resources to be redirected toward existing development opportunities across its portfolio.

    Commenting on the transaction, the ASX 200 gold stock’s managing director and CEO, Craig Jones said:

    Perseus maintains the view that the MSGP is a high quality gold project. A strategic review of MSGP was undertaken as a result of the protracted armed conflict in Sudan and its impact on Perseus’s ability to progress the development at suitable scale. The sale represents an important step for Perseus in its portfolio optimisation and allows allocation of resources to core assets and its growth strategy. Matrix Group is a proven development partner with a vision for the MSGP that aligns with the development goals of Sudan.

    The post Which ASX 200 gold stock is sinking despite US$260m deal? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Perseus Mining Limited right now?

    Before you buy Perseus Mining Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Perseus Mining Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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.

  • Why this ASX REIT is a retiree’s dream

    Man with his arms spread wide in a field.

    The outlook for the global economy is less certain than it was at the start of the year, so it’d make sense for retirees to want to go for ASX defensive shares such as real estate investment trusts (REITs). I’m going to talk about one ASX REIT that I’ve liked for a long time and have bought myself.

    The business I’m highlighting is Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF), a farm real estate investor that owns properties across Australia in different states and across various farming sectors.

    It’s invested in areas like cattle, almonds, macadamias, vineyards and cropping. Rural Funds has the flexibility to invest in additional farming sectors, if it sees opportunities elsewhere.

    I’ll run through some of the positives of the business.

    Pleasing and reliable distribution

    Rural Funds has a record of passive income reliability. It started paying a distribution in 2014 and increased its annual payout each year to 2022. Since then, it has been paying the same distribution per unit despite the headwinds of rising interest rates.

    Many other ASX REITs reduced their distribution during the last few years, but not Rural Funds.

    It has guided it’s going to pay the same annual distribution per unit of 11.73 cents in FY26, which translates into a distribution yield of 5.5%, better than what term deposits are currently offering.

    With how things are playing out globally, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the ASX REIT maintain its distribution at 11.73 cents per unit in FY27.

    Good rental income growth prospects

    The business has very good prospects for long-term rental profit and distribution, in my view.

    For starters, it has a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of 13.2 years. This is one of the longest in the REIT sector, if not the longest. The metric shows it has a significant level of rental income locked in for the long-term.

    More than half of the portfolio’s revenue is linked to CPI inflation, which means Rural Funds is a pleasing option for protection against inflation, in my view. A large minority of rental contracts have fixed annual increases (plus market reviews).

    In other words, most of the portfolio is going to see rental income growth each year, which is a strong tailwind for improving the underlying value of the farm and fund long-term distribution growth.

    The ASX REIT is trading at great value

    Rural Funds tells investors every six months what its adjusted net asset value (NAV) is.

    The NAV is essentially the underlying value of the business, including the farm values, the loans, cash balance and so on. It’s ‘adjusted’ to include the market value of the water entitlements.

    At the end of December 2025, Rural Funds had an adjusted NAV of $3.10 (which was up 0.6% over the six-month FY26 half-year period).

    At the time of writing, it’s trading at a discount of more than 30% to its underlying value, which looks very appealing to me.

    The post Why this ASX REIT is a retiree’s dream appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Rural Funds Group right now?

    Before you buy Rural Funds Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Rural Funds Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Rural Funds 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 positions in and has recommended Rural Funds Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Guess which ASX All Ords stock is jumping higher today on big Tesla news

    A white EV car and an electric vehicle pump with green highlighted swirls representing ASX lithium shares

    The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 0.3% today, but that’s not holding back this ASX All Ords stock.

    The outperforming stock in question is minerals and technology company Syrah Resources Ltd (ASX: SYR).

    Syrah Resources shares closed on Friday at 17 cents. In early morning trade on Monday, shares are swapping hands for 18 apiece, up 5.9%.

    Here’s what’s catching investor interest.

    ASX All Ords stock lifts on Tesla extension

    Syrah Resources shares are marching higher after the minerals and technology company released an update on an alleged default that could scuttle its offtake agreement with Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA).

    The offtake agreement is for the supply of natural graphite active anode material (AAM) from Syrah’s 11.25 thousand tonne per annum (11.25ktpa) Vidalia AAM facility, located in the US state of Louisiana.

    The ASX All Ords stock first inked the offtake agreement with Elon Musk’s EV company in December 2021.

    But in July 2025, Tesla sent a notice alleging that Syrah had defaulted on its obligation to provide conforming AAM samples from Vidalia. At the time, Tesla said Syrah Resources had to cure the alleged default by 16 January this year, or the US car-making giant could terminate the offtake agreement on 9 February.

    However, Tesla later extended that deadline to today, 16 March, to give the two companies more time to collaborate. Syrah Resources continues to insist that it is not in default under the offtake agreement.

    And it looks as if the two companies may yet reach an understanding on the issue.

    This morning, the ASX All Ords stock revealed that the parties have extended the cure date to 1 June, and said that they are “closely collaborating to cure the alleged default”.

    Tesla can then still terminate the offtake agreement if final qualification of the Vidalia AAM is not achieved by the new deadline.

    The extended agreement remains subject to the consent of the United States Department of Energy.

    What’s been happening with Syrah Resources?

    The ASX All Ords stock reported its second-quarter results (Q2 FY 2026) on 28 January.

    Highlights included a 34% quarter-on-quarter increase in natural graphite production at its Balama project to 34,000 tonnes, with Syrah reporting strong recovery and quality.

    The ASX All Ords stock sold and shipped 29,000 tonnes of natural graphite to third-party customers, up 21% from Q1, achieving a weighted average price of US$577 per tonne (CIF).

    Commenting on the results on the day, Syrah Resources CEO Shaun Verner said:

    Syrah’s operational highlights for the fourth quarter included stable operations at Balama with excellent recovery and completion of further large-volume breakbulk shipments to Indonesia in addition to further container shipments. We aim to continue Balama production and sales momentum in 2026.

    We are demonstrating high quality AAM product performance, setting up our Vidalia AAM facility to meet the very high standards in materials processing necessary in the battery manufacturing industry.

    The post Guess which ASX All Ords stock is jumping higher today on big Tesla news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Syrah Resources Limited right now?

    Before you buy Syrah Resources Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Syrah Resources Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    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 Tesla. 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.

  • 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade

    aHands pretending to hold the sun with a graphic love heart on top.

    Today, many ASX shares are trading at a lower prices than they were at the start of the year.

    Market sell-offs are not a regular occurrence, and can bring opportunity.

    Legendary investor Warren Buffett once explained why these conditions can create appealing buying conditions:

    If you expect to be a net saver during the next five years, should you hope for a higher or lower stock market during that period?

    Many investors get this one wrong. Even though they are going to be net buyers of stocks for many years to come, they are elated when stock prices rise and depressed when they fall.

    Only those who will be sellers of equities in the near future should be happy at seeing stocks rise. Prospective purchasers should much prefer sinking prices.

    With that in mind, the below two ASX shares look very appealing.

    Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

    Breville is one of the world’s largest coffee machine businesses. It has a variety of brands including Breville, Sage, Lelit and Baratza. It also has a coffee bean business called Beanz.

    The business continues to grow its revenue across its different geographic regions, despite tariffs impacting the company. It reported that in HY26, Americas revenue rose 11.6% to $549.5 million, Asia Pacific revenue increased 5.9% to $190.3 million and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Asia) revenue grew 13.7% to $233.8 million.

    I think Breville is a top business to own for the long-term because of its expansion into new markets. It’s expanding in markets like Mexico, China, the Middle East and South Korea. These are large markets which could become important profit contributors as the countries adopt coffee and Breville grows its market share.

    The business is expected by experts to see rising margins and profit in the coming years. Its operating profit (EBIT) margin could be 11.3% in FY26 and steadily climb to 13% by FY30. Meanwhile, the net profit could be $139 million in FY26 and $243 million in FY30.

    The Breville share price is currently valued at 29x FY26’s estimated earnings, making the ASX share look appealing for its growth outlook.

    Global X Fang+ ETF (ASX: FANG)

    This exchange-traded fund (ETF) is one of the most effective ways to invest in the large US tech names of Alphabet, Nvidia, Meta Platforms, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft.

    There are a total of 10 positions in this portfolio, which are regularly weighted to have a position sizing of 10% in the portfolio.

    These businesses are some of the best in the world, in my view. They (and the companies they’re invested in (such as OpenAI)) are leaders in areas like AI-related activities, social media, online shopping, online video, internet search, driverless cars, smartphones and so on.

    Since the end of October 2025, the FANG ETF unit price has dropped 20%, so this looks like an appealing time to invest in these great businesses at a lower value.

    Regardless of what happens next, I think the US tech giants are well positioned with their software offerings and balance sheets to succeed in the years ahead.

    The post 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Breville Group Limited right now?

    Before you buy Breville Group Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Breville Group Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Breville Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia and is short shares of Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Guess which ASX 200 stock has settled a major US litigation and made an acquisition

    Two people shaking hands in the boardroom on a merger.

    Orica Ltd (ASX: ORI) shares are on the move on Monday morning.

    At the time of writing, the ASX 200 industrial stock is down over 2% to $19.23.

    Why are Orica shares falling today?

    The catalyst for the move appears to be news that Orica has reached a settlement in a long-running legal dispute in the United States and has agreed to make an acquisition.

    According to the release, Orica has settled litigation with CF Industries (NYSE: CF) for a payment of US$169.5 million (A$242.3 million). The dispute began in October 2023 and the settlement has been reached with no admission of liability by any party.

    Management said the agreement removes litigation uncertainty and will allow the company to establish a more diversified supply base for its US operations, strengthening security of supply for customers in the region.

    The payment will be made in the second half of FY 2026 and funded using Orica’s existing cash and undrawn committed bank debt facilities.

    ASX 200 stock announces US acquisition

    Alongside the settlement, Orica revealed that it has agreed to acquire 100% of the explosives business of Nelson Brothers, its current joint venture partner in the United States.

    The deal will see the ASX 200 stock purchase the outstanding membership interests in Nelson Brothers LLC and Nelson Brothers Mining Services. Under the agreement, Orica will pay US$25 million and retire US$48 million of existing debt associated with the explosives business.

    The acquisition will provide Orica with four emulsion plants, initiating system magazines located in key markets, and mobile manufacturing unit bulk explosives delivery vehicles. It will also increase storage capacity and provide direct channels to market in the US quarries and construction sectors.

    Management expects the transaction to close in the second half of FY2026, subject to due diligence and final agreements.

    Commenting on both developments, the ASX 200 stock’s managing director and CEO, Sanjeev Gandhi, said:

    Orica has agreed to settle this litigation with CF following careful consideration and in the best interests of shareholders and customers. Our focus remains on executing our strategy, advancing our growth initiatives and delivering sustainable value for customers and shareholders. Importantly, our actions have ensured there has been no disruption to customer supply, and we remain committed to strengthening security of supply for our customers through a diversified and resilient sourcing strategy in North America.

    The combination of the settlement and the acquisition of Nelson Brothers’ US Explosives business will further strengthen our North American region, deliver immediate earnings benefits and support our strategy to grow in attractive downstream markets.

    The post Guess which ASX 200 stock has settled a major US litigation and made an acquisition appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Orica Limited right now?

    Before you buy Orica Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Orica Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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.

  • Want to build a second income? I’d buy these ASX shares today

    A woman relaxes on a yellow couch with a book and cuppa, and looks pensively away as she contemplates the joy of earning passive income.

    Building a second income from ASX shares could be one of the best moves Australians can make during this period.

    There are two big reasons this month could be a great time to start investing in passive income names.

    Firstly, share prices have dropped amid the large spike in the oil price. Why is that helpful for building a second income? When the share price of a dividend-paying business falls, the dividend yield is boosted. For example, a 5% dividend yield becomes a 5.5% dividend yield if the share price drops 10%. Getting a bigger income return is useful.

    Secondly, it appears inflation is returning, so it could be a good idea to invest in passive-income assets that can deliver a growing second income to offset inflation.

    Future Generation Australia Ltd (ASX: FGX)

    Future Generation is a listed investment company (LIC). A LIC structure can be advantageous over an exchange-traded fund (ETF) because the board of directors can decide on the level of dividend payments (and deliver consistency), whereas ETFs largely pass through the income they receive from their portfolios, so ETF payouts can be volatile.

    Impressively, Future Generation Australia has increased its annual payout every year for the last 10 years in a row, an excellent record of consistency.

    Another positive is that the LIC doesn’t charge any management fees or performance fees. Instead, it donates 1% of its net assets to youth-focused charities.

    Future Generation is invested in a portfolio of funds from fund managers who work for free. This means Future Generation Australia has a lot of underlying diversification. Over the last seven years to February 2026, its portfolio has returned an average of 10.7%.

    In terms of the dividend yield, its 2025 payout translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.7%, including franking credits. That’s a great starting yield for investors wanting a second income, in my view.

    APA Group (ASX: APA)

    APA is one of the largest energy infrastructure businesses in Australia. Its main portion of its asset base is a national gas pipeline network – it transports half of the country’s gas usage.

    Most of the business’ revenue is linked to inflation, so any increase in inflation can accelerate its revenue growth, though higher interest costs will be an offset to that.

    The ASX share also has other assets, like gas storage, gas processing, gas-powered electricity generation, wind farms, solar farms, and electricity transmission. It’s building a diversified portfolio.

    APA has increased its annual distribution every year for the past two decades in a row. It has been one of the most reliable dividend growth payers on the ASX.

    It has partly achieved this through the steady expansion of its asset base, investing in new assets (such as pipelines) and acquisitions (such as Basslink).

    I’m expecting the business to continue growing its distribution over the rest of this decade, which makes it an attractive second income. In FY26, it’s expected to grow its distribution to 58 cents per security, which would be a distribution yield of 6.3%.

    I like APA’s defensive earnings – energy remains a very important aspect of the Australian economy, particularly if it continues expanding its pipeline network and capacity.

    The post Want to build a second income? I’d buy these ASX shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Future Generation Investment Company right now?

    Before you buy Future Generation Investment Company shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Future Generation Investment Company wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Future Generation Australia. 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.

  • Telix shares drop despite promising US FDA update

    A young man stands facing the camera and scratching his head with the other hand held upwards wondering if he should buy Whitehaven Coal shares

    Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) shares are on the slide on Monday morning.

    At the time of writing, the ASX healthcare stock is down 2.5% to $11.03.

    Why are Telix Pharmaceuticals shares falling today?

    Investors have been selling the company’s shares today after it announced the resubmission of a new drug application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its brain cancer imaging candidate TLX101-Px, also known as Pixclara.

    According to the release, the NDA relates to an investigational PET imaging agent designed to help characterise recurrent or progressive glioma, a form of brain cancer, in both adult and paediatric patients.

    Telix advised that the application has been resubmitted with additional data requested by the FDA. The company believes the new data and statistical analysis, together with the original submission, address the issues raised in the regulator’s earlier Complete Response Letter.

    The imaging candidate has already received both Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations from the FDA, reflecting its potential to address a significant unmet medical need.

    Importantly, management highlights that while PET imaging with the tracer is already included in international clinical guidelines for imaging gliomas, there is currently no FDA-approved targeted amino acid PET imaging agent commercially available in the United States for brain cancer imaging.

    Potential companion diagnostic

    Telix also noted that TLX101-Px may serve as a companion diagnostic for its therapeutic candidate TLX101-Tx, which is being investigated as a treatment for glioblastoma in the IPAX-BrIGHT study.

    Gliomas are among the most common types of brain tumours, accounting for around 30% of all brain and central nervous system tumours and approximately 80% of malignant brain tumours.

    Commenting on the resubmission, Telix’s chief medical officer, Dr David N. Cade, said:

    We appreciate the FDA’s recognition of the critical unmet need to improve the diagnosis and management of glioma, particularly in the posttreatment setting. Our resubmission is supported by an extensive and compelling data set – particularly so for an orphan indication. We are grateful to our global clinical collaborators, who share our commitment to ensuring patients in the U.S. can benefit from this important patient management tool.

    Also commenting on the news was Maggie Haynes, who is executive director at Head for the Cure Foundation. Hayne added:

    Our community is encouraged by the FDA’s ongoing engagement and guidance to the sponsor and support for the Expanded Access Program for TLX101-Px. We are hopeful of an expedited review, so this important and proven imaging option can become available to those who urgently need it.

    The post Telix shares drop despite promising US FDA update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Telix Pharmaceuticals right now?

    Before you buy Telix Pharmaceuticals shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Telix Pharmaceuticals wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 20 Feb 2026

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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 Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.