The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is starting the week in style. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 1.35% to 8,923.7 points.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are storming higher:

Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

The Accent share price is up 15% to 74.5 cents. This follows news that major shareholder, Frasers Group, has made a low-ball takeover offer of 65 cents per share. This was where the footwear retailer’s shares ended last week. The company’s board has advised shareholders to take no action. It said: “The Accent Board notes that: the Offer Price is equal to the last closing price of Accent shares on 12 June 2026 and therefore represents no premium to that closing price; Frasers’ own substantial holding notice discloses that its last on-market purchases of Accent shares occurred between 3 February 2026 and 5 February 2026, at average prices above A$0.90, which is materially above the Offer Price; and because the Offer is an on-market bid, shareholders who sell their Accent shares to Frasers will not be able to withdraw that sale and will not receive the benefit of any increase in the Offer Price or any superior proposal that may emerge.”

IperionX Ltd (ASX: IPX)

The IperionX share price is up 6% to $5.43. This morning, the titanium products company announced the US$3 million acquisition of critical mineral and mining assets adjacent to its flagship Titan Project in Tennessee. Management notes that the deal consolidates its position in the Big Sandy Critical Minerals Province. It also brings together established infrastructure and large stockpiles of pre-processed rare earth minerals.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

The Northern Star share price is up 7.5% to $20.73. Investors have been buying gold miners today after the precious metal surged in response to a peace deal between the US and Iran. With oil now flowing through the Strait of Hormuz and oil prices tumbling, there are hopes that inflation could ease and interest rates may not need to rise further.

Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG)

The Sigma Healthcare share price is up 7% to $2.83. Investors have been buying the Chemist Warehouse owner’s shares after it announced that it was no longer interested in acquiring UK pharmacy chain Boots. It advised: “Sigma engaged in the Boots sale process given the potentially unique opportunity it presented to accelerate its UK expansion through the market-leading Boots brand and large footprint. However, following its preliminary review the Company has concluded that such an acquisition would not currently meet its strategic and capital investment objectives.”

The post Why Accent, IperionX, Northern Star, and Sigma Healthcare shares are racing higher on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Sigma Healthcare shares are surging. What does Macquarie say they’re worth?
• 3 ASX shares I’d buy that are not banks, miners, or supermarkets
• Why this ASX 300 stock is jumping 10% today?
• Sigma Healthcare withdraws from Boots sale process
• Guess which ASX stock is jumping on takeover offer

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Accent 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 recommended Accent Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares are slipping again on Monday.

At the time of writing, the DroneShield share price is down 0.51% to $2.945 during mid-afternoon trade.

The ASX defence share has now fallen more than 56% from the record high of $6.71 reached in early October 2025.

However, DroneShield shares are still up around 74% over the past 12 months. Investors have backed rapid revenue growth and rising demand for counter-drone technology.

So, could the stock eventually make its way back above $6?

What does the chart say?

The first challenge is getting the share price back above $3.

DroneShield shares have repeatedly traded around this level over recent weeks, making it an important area for buyers and sellers.

The stock is also sitting below the middle of its 20-day Bollinger Band, which is around $3.02. The upper band is near $3.64, making that the next major resistance area if the shares begin climbing.

The 14-day relative strength index (RSI) is around 44. That puts the stock below the neutral level of 50, but it’s not yet in oversold territory.

On the downside, the lower Bollinger Band sits near $2.41. A fall towards that level would leave the share price with even more ground to recover.

Can DroneShield return to $6?

Reaching $6 would require the shares to more than double from today’s price.

That is possible, but the company will probably need more than a technical rebound.

DroneShield reported $216.5 million of revenue in 2025, up from $57.5 million a year earlier. It also entered 2026 with a growing international presence and continued demand from defence customers.

The company has since announced a US$24.9 million contract linked to the US Department of War. It had also secured $155 million of committed 2026 revenue by 20 April.

However, sentiment has been held back by an ASIC investigation covering company announcements and share trading during November 2025. DroneShield has said it will cooperate fully, but the uncertainty may continue to weigh on the stock.

Broker opinions are also divided. Recent price targets have ranged from $2.28 to $4.80, with even the most optimistic target still below $6.

What would need to happen?

A move above $3.60 would be an encouraging start, followed by a break through the $4 to $4.80 area.

From there, investors would need to see more major contract wins, and stronger profits to justify another push towards the record high.

DroneShield has already shown how quickly it can move when sentiment improves. But with the shares still trading below several resistance levels, $6 looks like a long-term target.

The post Can the DroneShield share price climb back to $6? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX shares I’d buy that are not banks, miners, or supermarkets
• DroneShield’s big European news fails to halt share price slide
• Here are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• ASX defence shares like Droneshield have soared since 2022. Is there any growth left?
• 3 reasons to buy DroneShield shares in June

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield. 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.

Shares in Bannerman Energy Ltd (ASX: BMN) have been under pressure recently, which the analyst team at UBS says presents a good entry point for investors keen to buy into the uranium demand thematic.

The company’s shares are up 33% over the past year to $3.44, but remain well below the highs of $5.25 achieved over that period.

We’ll get to UBS’s share price prediction shortly, but first will look at the company’s news which has been generating interest.

Progress on Namibian project

Bannerman’s flagship project is the Etango mine development in Namibia, where it is progressing towards making a final investment decision which is expected for the middle of this year.

In February the company announced that the Shenzhen Stock Exchange listed China National Uranium Corporation would invest up to US$321.5 million in the project, for a 45% stake in the Bannerman subsidiary which owns 95% of Etango.

Namibian social welfare organisation One Economy Foundation owns 5% of the project.

Bannerman said at the time that the deal enabled the debt-free construction of the mine, and that there could be other potential collaboration opportunities.

Bannerman Executive Chairman Brandon Munro said at the time:

By enabling the debt-free construction of Etango, this solution maximises flexibility and dramatically derisks the construction and ramp-up phases of project execution. It also delivers us a Tier-1 cornerstone offtake partner on genuine and market terms, ensuring Bannerman remains strongly exposed to future uranium price upside potential. Importantly, the residual 40% of Etango offtake will be independently marketed by Bannerman, with strict confidentiality ring-fencing arrangements in place, and strengthened by the flexibility embedded in the cornerstone offtake.

Bannerman shares looking like good value

UBS has this week published its first analyst report on Bannerman, saying the transaction, “establishes a clear pathway to development of the Etango project with minimal incremental capex needed”.

UBS said the next major step for the company was to make a final investment decision, but that they, “expect minimal completion risk”.

They added:

We are constructive on the long-term uranium outlook as reflected with our US$100/lb long-term price forecast, which enhances Etango’s project economics.

This bullishness on uranium is driven by, “increasing focus on energy security as well as increasing demand from AI and data centres” UBS said.

They added:

We forecast spot uranium trading from US$85/lb to US$100/lb by 2028 as the deficits widens. As it relates to BMN, we are attracted to its exposure to China counterparties who offer relatively favourable terms (with regard to payment terms etc) which should reduce stress on its balance sheet as it ramps to nameplate. Further, we view Namibia as a relatively stable jurisdiction with a track record of successful and stable uranium assets with international ownership.

UBS has a $5.15 price target on Bannerman shares. Bannerman is valued at $652.3 million.

The post How high does UBS think this ASX uranium share will go? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
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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 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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is starting the week in a positive fashion. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 1.3% to 8,919.2 points.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here’s why they are falling:

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)

The Aussie Broadband share price is down 5% to $5.27. Investors have been selling the broadband provider’s shares following the release of a trading update this morning. Aussie Broadband revealed that it expects to report earnings in the middle of the previously announced underlying EBITDA FY 2026 guidance range of $162 million to $167 million. In addition, capital expenditure is expected to be at the upper end of the previously provided guidance range of $55 million to $60 million. This may have fallen short of the market’s expectations for the financial year.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The Coles Group share price is down 2% to $23.51. This may have been driven by investors switching out of defensive assets and into risk-on assets. A number of defensive ASX shares are falling on Monday while the market charges higher.

Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS)

The EOS share price is down 2.5% to $9.10. This follows the release of a revenue update from the defence and space company this morning. EOS revealed that it expects to generate between $240 million and $270 million of revenue in 2026, excluding the recently acquired MARSS business. The high end of this guidance range is over double the $128.5 million it reported from continuing operations in FY 2025. This may have been overshadowed by news that the US and Iran have signed a peace deal, which could potentially mean softer than expected demand for defence products in the near term.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)

The Santos share price is down a sizeable 7.5% to $7.46. Investors have been selling Santos and other ASX energy stocks on Monday after oil prices pulled back meaningfully. Traders were selling oil in response to news that the US and Iran have signed a peace deal. Upon the announcement, US President Donald Trump said: “Let the oil flow!” This is great news for the world, but less so oil producers. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy index is down 5% at the time of writing.

The post Why Aussie Broadband, Coles, EOS, and Santos shares are falling on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• EOS shares climb as new US order boosts growth outlook
• Which ASX 200 share is sinking 4% on Monday?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Why EOS, Karoon Energy, REA Group, and Woodside shares are falling today
• EOS shares are sliding again. Here’s what investors are worried about

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 Aussie Broadband and Electro Optic Systems. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Aussie Broadband. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp (NASDAQ: SPCX) made an immediate impact on Wall Street after completing the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history.

The SpaceX share price closed its first session at US$160.95, which was 19.22% above the US$135 IPO price.

The stock opened at US$150 and climbed as high as US$176.52 before giving back some of those gains during afternoon trade.

By the closing bell, SpaceX was valued at around US$2.1 trillion.

That was also enough to push Elon Musk’s estimated wealth above US$1 trillion, making him the first person to reach the milestone.

The IPO has delivered an early win for investors who received shares in the offer. Anyone buying now, however, is paying a much higher price after just one day of trading.

The biggest IPO in history

SpaceX sold around 555.6 million shares at US$135 each, raising US$75 billion before costs.

That made it the largest IPO on record and valued the company at roughly US$1.77 trillion before trading began.

Demand was well above the number of shares available, with the offer more than 4 times oversubscribed.

Retail investors were allocated around 20% of the float, which was unusually high for a listing of this size.

The company also gave its underwriters an option to buy another 83.3 million shares. If exercised in full, the total amount raised could climb above US$86 billion.

Why investors are excited

It’s important to note that SpaceX is no longer being valued as just a rocket company.

Starlink is already a major part of the business, providing satellite internet services across a growing number of countries.

The company also owns xAI and is pouring money into artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. Its longer-term plans include developing data centres in orbit, although the technology and economics are still largely unproven.

SpaceX generated US$18.7 billion of revenue in 2025, but recorded a net loss of US$4.9 billion as spending climbed.

This explains why the US$2.1 trillion valuation has been attracting so much attention of late.

Investors are betting that Starlink will keep growing, Starship will eventually become commercially viable, and SpaceX can turn its AI operations into another major source of revenue.

And while those ambitions are enormous, they’ll require a huge amount of capital and could take years to produce significant profits.

Should you buy SpaceX shares?

Friday’s impressive rally shows there is no shortage of interest in SpaceX.

However, investors buying at US$160.95 are already paying almost 20% more than those who received shares in the IPO.

That’s a significant premium for a company that is still losing money and expects to spend heavily on Starlink, Starship, and AI infrastructure.

Musk also retains strong voting control through SpaceX’s share structure, which gives ordinary investors limited influence over major decisions.

There may also be more selling once lock-up restrictions expire and early investors are allowed to reduce their holdings.

SpaceX has some of the biggest growth plans on the market, but its valuation already assumes many of them will succeed.

I would be inclined to let the excitement settle before considering the shares at these levels.

The post Elon Musk is now the world’s first trillionaire. Should you buy SpaceX shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

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.

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) shares are taking a beating today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) Aussie fuel supplier closed on Friday trading for $36.45. In early afternoon trade on Monday, shares are changing hands for $34.21 apiece, down 6.2%.

For some context the ASX 200 is up 1.3% while the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) is down 5.3% at this same time.

While many ASX shares are rallying today, ASX energy stocks are broadly underperforming amid news that the US and Iran have agreed to a peace deal to end the Middle East conflict.

With oil tankers potentially beginning to move through the critical Strait of Hormuz again later this week, the Brent crude oil price is down 4.9% to US$83.06 per barrel. This sees the Brent crude oil price down 25% from the US$110.40 per barrel it was trading for a month ago.

Despite today’s underperformance, Ampol shares remain up 32.7% over the past 12 months, racing ahead of the 4.4% one-year gains delivered by the benchmark index.

And that’s not including Ampol’s two fully franked dividends, totalling $1.00 a share, which eligible stockholders will have received over this period.

Ampol trades on a fully franked trailing dividend yield of 2.9%.

With this performance in mind, we return to our headline question.

Ampol shares: Buy, hold or sell?

DP Wealth Advisory’s Andrew Wielandt ran his slide rule over the ASX 200 energy stock late last week, prior to the latest Middle East peace deal announcement.

“Ampol is Australia’s biggest petrol and convenience network,” he said (quoted by The Bull). “It also owns the Lytton oil refinery in Queensland.”

Wielandt noted:

The Middle East crisis is positive for the company’s refining margins and earnings growth is expected to continue moving forward. The convenience retail segment provides the benefit of diversification.

But taking into account the outsized gains already delivered by Ampol shares, Wielandt concluded, “A significantly increasing share price in the past 12 months reflects market optimism, so ALD remains a hold at these levels.”

Consider this ASX ETF instead

Wielandt isn’t ready to pull the buy trigger on Ampol shares at current levels.

But he sounded a bullish note on an exchange traded fund (ETF) that holds ASX giants like Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares.

Namely the BetaShares FTSE Rafi Australia 200 ETF (ASX: QOZ).

“This exchange traded fund offers a point of difference from many other ETFs,” Wielandt said.

“It considers fundamental size or economic footprint of a business, rather than just its market capitalisation. Consequently, this ETF focuses more on value businesses,” he added.

Summarising his buy recommendation on the ASX ETF, Wielandt concluded:

The ETF has posted returns of 10.87% per annum over the past five years and 19.12% in the past year to May 29, 2026. Consistent performance is appealing during volatile times.

The post Should I buy the dip on Ampol shares today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Can these ASX shares hitting 52-week highs keep rising?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why Acrow, Ampol, Medallion Metals, and Northern Star shares are racing higher

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

Shares in Chemist Warehouse owner Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) are trading strongly higher on Monday after the company announced it had pulled out of talks with UK-based The Boots Group.

Short-lived takeover conversation

Sigma last week confirmed that it was in preliminary discussions with The Boots Group after the news broke in the Australian Financial Review.

But the company on Monday said these discussions had drawn to a close, while the company kept the door open to other international opportunities.

The company said:

International growth is one of Sigma’s four key strategic growth pillars and the Company remains committed to driving growth in its core offshore markets, while assessing and seeding new markets. This includes the UK where Sigma recently announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Greenlight Healthcare. Sigma engaged in the Boots sale process given the potentially unique opportunity it presented to accelerate its UK expansion through the market-leading Boots brand and large footprint. However, following its preliminary review the Company has concluded that such an acquisition would not currently meet its strategic and capital investment objectives.

Sigma said it had many opportunities for growth and was confident in its current strategy.

It said the company would continue to assess acquisition opportunities, “in all markets that will deliver on our strategy and long-term sustainable returns for Sigma shareholders”.

Brokers say core business is strong

Macquarie issued a new research note on Sigma when the news of the Boots talks broke last week.

The analyst team said Boots had a potential enterprise value of US$10 billion, with about 1800 stores and 20% of the UK market share.

The Macquarie team said any deal would have necessitated a “sizeable” equity raise from Sigma.

They said the weaker Sigma share price when the deal was announced was, “evident of caution on a significant overseas transaction in an unproven market, with weak track record of UK expansion by Australian companies”.

But Macquarie said Sigma’s domestic earnings trajectory appeared to remain intact, driven by health and beauty trends and operating leverage.

Macquarie has a share price target of $3.50 on Sigma shares, while a Jarden report from early May has a $3.60 share price target.

Sigma shares are 7% higher on Monday at $2.82.

Jarden said in early May that Sigma had a long runway for growth via new and expanded stores, “with success in Ireland and NZ, and now the UK entry”, referring to a memorandum of understanding with GreenLight Healthcare to launch Chemist Warehouse in the UK market.

Sigma is valued at $30.48 billion.

The post Sigma Healthcare shares are surging. What does Macquarie say they’re worth? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 3 ASX shares I’d buy that are not banks, miners, or supermarkets
• Sigma Healthcare withdraws from Boots sale process
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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 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.

Once you reach your early 60s, your superannuation balance should become a priority. 

After all, at the age of 63 you’re just two years from the average retirement age and four years from potentially receiving the Age Pension payment. By this age, you should know exactly what is in your super, and how much money you need to fund your retirement when you finally stop working.

Here’s a rundown of what the average Aussie has at age 63, and exactly what you actually need.

What is the average superannuation balance at age 63?

There isn’t an exact figure for the average superannuation balances at the exact age of 63, but the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) provides a good guide.

The data shows that at age 60-64, the average Australian male has approximately $395,852 in their superannuation. Meanwhile, the average female has around $313,360.

How does your balance compare?

How much will retirement cost me?

ASFA data also shows how much Australians actually need in their superannuation in order to live a comfortable retirement.

That’s one where retirees can expect to maintain a good standard of living. It assumes you’d own the top level of private health insurance, own a reasonable car brand and do regular leisure activities. It also includes funds for potential home repairs or renovations, the occasional meal out, and perhaps even an annual holiday.

According to ASFA, a comfortable retirement is expected to cost around $54,840 per year for single Aussies. It is expected to cost roughly $77,375 per year for a couple. 

These figures also assume that you’ll be entitled to receive a part Age Pension payment once you reach age 67.

That means ASFA’s data indicates that by age 67, single Australians need a superannuation balance of approximately $640,000. And couples should have closer to $730,000.

Will the average super balance at age 63 be enough to fund my retirement?

It’s unlikely.

In fact, concerningly, with up to $395,852 in their superannuation, Australians at age 63 are already falling very far behind.

ASFA has crunched the numbers, and it turns out that in order to reach the total balance needed at age 67, you’d need a superannuation balance of around $562,000 at age 63. That is significantly lower than the average for both men and women.

What can I do to catch up?

Even though, at age 63, you’re very close to retirement age, there are still things you can do to boost your superannuation balance to a level you can retire on.

The most important thing you can do is to check that your super fund is performing well and your risk profile is appropriate for your age. At age 63, it might make more sense to shift your risk profile from long-term growth to capital preservation.

You’ll also need to add extra contributions wherever you can. Individuals can make concessional (before-tax) super contributions, such as salary sacrificing, taxed at a reduced rate of 15% and up to an annual cap. You can also make after-tax payments within your annual limits. 

It also makes sense to check in with Government contribution rules. There are several different rules and co-contribution rules which you might be eligible for depending on your personal circumstances.

Another option is to delay your retirement and give your superannuation time to enjoy  more compound growth. The average retirement age in Australia is currently around 65 years old, but more and more individuals are working into their 70s.

The post Average superannuation balance for 63 year olds in 2026. How does yours compare? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Elon Musk is now the world’s first trillionaire. Should you buy SpaceX shares?
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• Sigma Healthcare shares are surging. What does Macquarie say they’re worth?
• Could Elon Musk’s SpaceX take a bite out of Telstra shares?
• 3 ASX shares I’d buy that are not banks, miners, or supermarkets

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.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares aren’t joining in the broader market rally today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) telco provider closed on Friday trading for $5.20. During the Monday lunch hour, shares are changing hands for $5.13 apiece, down 1.4%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 1.3% today following news that the US and Iran have inked a peace deal.

Taking a step back, Telstra shares have gained 4.9% over the past year, just edging out the 4.3% one-year gains posted by the benchmark index.

Atop those capital gains, Telstra stock also trades on a fully-franked 3.9% trailing dividend yield.

But could Elon Musk’s newly listed Space Exploration Technologies Corp (NASDAQ: SPCX) juggernaut take a bite out of Telstra’s lunch?

Why Telstra’s shares could come under competitive pressure

Telstra shares may be underperforming today amid investor concerns that Starlink, a SpaceX subsidiary, could compete with the ASX 200 telco via its satellite-based internet services.

As you’re likely aware, SpaceX listed on the NASDAQ on Friday in a record-breaking US$75 billion initial public offering (IPO), with significant success.

The SpaceX share price closed the day up 19.2%, giving the company an eye-popping market cap of US$2.1 trillion. And this has seen founder Elon Musk take the crown as the world’s first trillionaire (in US dollars).

To give you some idea of the potential threat SpaceX poses to global telcos, Starlink serves 10.3 million subscribers in 164 countries. And Starlink reported US$11.4 billion in revenue from its connectivity segment in 2025, bringing in US$4.4 billion in operating income.

What are the experts saying about the competition from Musk’s SpaceX?

As The Australian Financial Review reports, investor concerns over the SpaceX impact on global telcos are partly fuelled by Oppenheimer, with the broker cautioning that US telcos will face competitive pressures from Starlink.

However, Barrenjoey analyst Eric Choi expects that Telstra shares are likely to be less impacted.

“There is a long-term risk that Optus and Vodafone use satellite to close some of the coverage differential to Telstra,” he said.

But Choi noted that the “quality and reliability of the Telstra network, the strength of the brand and Telstra’s regional points of presence” should help support the stock.

Sean Sequeira, Chief Investment Officer at Australian Eagle Asset Management, also pointed to the ASX 200 telco’s high-quality offerings as likely to help fend off any potential competition from Musk’s SpaceX.

“Historically, customers have not left Telstra because it has a superior network despite being more expensive,” Sequeira said (quoted by the AFR). “It would take a significant event for clients to move en masse.”

And Telstra is already working with Musk’s Starlink.

Choi noted:

We estimate Telstra pays Starlink $50 million to $100 million per annum today, and Starlink utilises Telstra’s spectrum to offer SMS in remote areas. Optus also has a partnership with Starlink but is yet to launch direct-to-device.

The post Could Elon Musk’s SpaceX take a bite out of Telstra shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• If I invest $5,000 in Telstra shares today, how much passive income will I receive in FY26 and FY27?
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Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Banks, miners, and supermarkets play a big role on the ASX.

But they are not the only places to find compelling long-term opportunities.

I think there are some interesting ASX shares sitting in areas such as wealth technology, healthcare retail, and defence technology. These businesses are exposed to different demand drivers, which can be useful for investors looking beyond the usual market heavyweights.

These are three ASX shares I would consider buying.

Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

The first ASX share I would buy is Hub24.

Hub24 provides investment platform technology used by financial advisers and their clients. That may not sound exciting at first, but I think it is an attractive part of the market.

Financial advice is becoming more demanding. Clients may have superannuation, managed accounts, pensions, tax considerations, estate planning needs, and changing retirement goals. Advisers need tools that help them manage that complexity without wasting time on manual administration.

That is where Hub24 has built its position. The platform can become part of an adviser’s daily workflow. Once client portfolios, reporting, administration, and managed accounts are running through the system, switching providers is not something most advisers would do lightly. I like that stickiness.

Hub24 can also benefit as more wealth moves through modern platforms. Australia’s superannuation and retirement savings pool is enormous, and I think efficient technology will keep becoming more important as investors seek advice and better portfolio management.

Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG)

Sigma is another ASX share I would buy.

I think the attraction with the Chemist Warehouse owner is repeat customer demand.

Pharmacy retail is tied to everyday health, wellness, beauty, personal care, and prescription needs. Customers may walk in for one product and leave with several. That gives the business frequent traffic and plenty of opportunities to deepen customer relationships.

Chemist Warehouse’s value proposition is also a major strength in my view.

In a cost-of-living environment, shoppers are highly aware of price. A value-led pharmacy retailer can stay relevant because customers still need health products, but they want to feel they are getting a good deal.

I also think Sigma’s scale could become more powerful over time. Larger retail and distribution networks can support stronger supplier relationships, improved logistics, private-label opportunities, better customer data, and category expansion.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

DroneShield provides counter-drone and electronic warfare technology. Its products help customers detect, track, identify, and respond to drones in defence, government, and security settings.

I think this is a market with strong long-term relevance, potentially making it an ASX share to buy and hold.

Drones are changing the way militaries, airports, prisons, public events, and critical infrastructure operators think about security. They can be used for surveillance, disruption, smuggling, or attacks, which creates demand for counter-drone systems.

What I like about DroneShield is that it gives ASX investors exposure to a specialised defence technology niche. Recent contract momentum suggests customers are prepared to spend money on these capabilities, which is important for turning a strong theme into a real business.

This is not a quiet blue-chip share. Contract timing can be uneven, competition can increase, and the share price may remain volatile. But for investors comfortable with risk, I think DroneShield has one of the more interesting growth runways on the ASX.

Foolish Takeaway

The ASX offers more than banks, miners, and supermarkets.

I like the idea of looking for businesses that are exposed to different forms of demand, whether that is better wealth management technology, everyday healthcare spending, or rising security needs. These are very different opportunities, and each carries its own risks.

But for investors willing to look beyond the most familiar parts of the market, I think shares like these show there are still plenty of ways to find long-term growth on the ASX.

The post 3 ASX shares I’d buy that are not banks, miners, or supermarkets appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• DroneShield’s big European news fails to halt share price slide
• Sigma Healthcare withdraws from Boots sale process
• Here are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• How I would use Warren Buffett’s golden rules to build wealth with ASX shares
• ASX defence shares like Droneshield have soared since 2022. Is there any growth left?

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in DroneShield and Hub24. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield and Hub24. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Hub24. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.