The Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) share price is in focus today after the company reported its assets under management (AUM) fell to $39.9 billion as at 31 December 2025, down from $40.2 billion three months earlier. Net outflows amounted to $0.3 billion for the quarter.

What did Magellan Financial Group report?

• Total AUM decreased to $39.9 billion from $40.2 billion at 30 September 2025
• Retail AUM fell to $15.8 billion, down from $16.2 billion
• Institutional AUM edged higher to $24.1 billion from $24.0 billion
• Net outflows for the quarter were $0.3 billion
• Magellan Global Equities retail AUM decreased by $0.5 billion (including flows and other changes)

What else do investors need to know?

Magellan continues to operate through two main pillars: investment management and specialist financial services. The group’s partnerships with Barrenjoey Capital Partners, Vinva Investment Management, and FinClear form part of its specialised focus on selective high-quality businesses.

The quarterly AUM update reflects some ongoing outflows in retail products, though institutional AUM was slightly higher due to positive flows and other factors such as market movements and distributions.

What’s next for Magellan Financial Group?

Investors will be looking for signs that outflows can stabilise and that Magellan’s partnership-led growth strategy continues to add long-term value. The company remains committed to disciplined capital management and evolving its specialist service offerings.

Future updates on new mandate wins, strategic partnerships, or improvements to net flows could impact sentiment towards the Magellan Financial Group share price.

Magellan Financial Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Magellan Financial group shares have declined 16%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Magellan Financial Group dips as AUM slips in December quarter appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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.

With most brokers taking a break over the holiday period, there haven’t been many notes hitting the wires.

But never fear! Summarised below are three recent recommendations that remain very relevant today. Here’s what brokers are saying about these ASX shares:

Chrysos Corporation Ltd (ASX: C79)

According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts upgraded this mining technology company’s shares to a buy rating with an improved price target of $9.40. This followed the release of a trading update from Chrysos’ annual general meeting. Bell Potter noted that Chrysos started FY 2026 strongly and reported a 54% increase in revenue year to date. This was ahead of the broker’s estimates. Looking ahead, Bell Potter believes that this trend can continue. It points out that Chrysos’ industry adoption has accelerated over the past 12 months with the signing of the master services agreement with Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and the broadening of relationships with commercial lab operators. In addition, Bell Potter believes the exploration upcycle should deliver further upside, which could lead to Chrysos comfortably outperforming its EBITDA guidance this year. The Chrysos share price is trading at $7.31 this afternoon.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

A note out of Macquarie revealed that its analysts retained their outperform rating on this network solutions company’s shares with an increased price target of $21.70. Macquarie noted that the recent acquisition of India-based Latitude expands its immediate addressable share of customer wallet. The broker points out that customers already consume compute products, but Megaport has not historically sold compute. As a result, Latitude’s product offering is highly complementary to the existing product set and offers a direct position in a large and fast-growing end market. It estimates that Bare Metal as a Service (BMaaS) is a large, end market currently worth US$15 billion, and growing rapidly. Combined with the stabilisation of its core revenue, Macquarie believes this leaves Megaport well-placed for long term growth. The Megaport share price is fetching $12.21 at the time of writing.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP)

Another note out of Macquarie revealed that its analysts retained their outperform rating and $4.85 price target on this buy now pay later provider’s shares. The broker thinks that Zip will deliver on its net transaction margin guidance in FY 2026 despite elevated loss rates that are being caused by its accelerating total transaction value (TTV) growth. Outside this, Macquarie is forecasting Zip to continue to deliver rapid growth supported by increased product adoption, expansion of its merchant network, increased customer engagement, and digital product innovation. The Zip share price is trading at $3.22 on Wednesday afternoon.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Sometimes, I have a single, big idea to write about in this space.

Other times, it’s a couple of smaller ones – or big ideas that I write about briefly.

Today, I want to do the latter: share with you my thoughts about a couple of slightly related topics, which I hope will be interesting and useful.

—

The first is ‘predictions’. Hopefully topical, given the time of year, when newspapers, starved of news, turn to ‘experts’ to tell the rest of us what the next 12 months will bring.

They are, as I hope you’ve read from me before, useless.

Because here’s the thing: there are two possible outcomes:

Either the things everyone expects actually come to pass, in which case the ‘predictions’ are useless because everyone expected them anyway.

Or things happen that no-one expected, and the expert crystal-ball gazers say ‘Well, no-one could have seen that coming’!

I hope the irony is clear.

Even those who are right, once or twice, tend to be wrong more often.

So why do we listen?

Because we’re human.

Because we crave certainty and, if we can’t get it, we’ll happily (if usually subconsciously) accept a prediction instead. Anything to fill the void of uncertainty.

Worried the market might fall in 2026? Understandable.

Think it might rise in 2026? Understandable.

Know which one it’ll be? Me neither.

Instead?

Instead, I try to think in probabilities. And in timeframes that matter.

I think it’s probable that the market is higher in a decade. (I have no idea what it’ll do this year.)

I think it’s probable that high-quality, successful businesses will thrive over that time (though some won’t).

I think it’s probable that paying good (but not necessarily great) prices will mean the success of those businesses will make it more likely that shareholders will benefit from that success.

That’s how I invest. With not a prediction in sight.

—

Second, I want to just share some short thoughts on house prices. Or, more accurately, the influences on prices.

There are two, related, forces predominantly driving them.

The first is, unsurprisingly, interest rates.

The second, is the balance of supply and demand.

On the former, the simplest explanation is the question ‘How much can I borrow?’

At a given level of income, the bank will decide you can afford to repay ‘X’.

At a lower interest rate, a monthly payment of ‘X’ will mean you can borrow more, and therefore pay more for housing.

At a higher rate, you can borrow – and pay – less.

On the latter, it’s pretty simple:

If there are 10 houses and 11 buyers, prices will tend to rise.

If there are 10 houses and 9 buyers, prices will tend to fall.

Now those are tendencies, not guarantees, but that’s the broad market reality.

Cutting rates likely pushes prices up.

Adding to population likely does, too.

So do things like first homebuyer grants and deposit guarantees, and the like.

On the flip side, reducing population growth / adding to supply puts downward pressure on prices.

As does rising interest rates.

There are other long-term considerations like actual or potential tax changes, but assuming those remain stable, the two influences, above, drive prices.

Investor activity is also a component, but that’s largely a subset of those two forces, too.

So what?

Well, that’s probably for another article. And there are some policy changes that are definitely overdue, in my opinion.

But for now, it’s enough just to highlight how and why prices might change in 2026 and beyond, and some of the levers policy-makers might seek to use if they ever got serious about improving housing affordability, rather than just talking about it and doing things that make it worse!

Fool on!

The post Property and predictions: Our two national sports appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips 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.

Shares in Greatland Resources Ltd (ASX: GGP) are surging higher on Wednesday following the release of a standout quarterly update.

At the time of writing, the gold and copper producer’s shares are up 7.14% to $11.55. The stock is comfortably outperforming the broader ASX as investors digest a robust operational and financial result.

So, let’s take a closer look at the numbers behind the update.

Solid quarterly output continues

According to the release, Greatland delivered its December 2025 quarterly production update.

The company reported gold production of 86,273 ounces for the quarter, alongside copper output of 3,528 tonnes. This marks a clear improvement on the September quarter, when Greatland produced 80,890 ounces of gold and 3,366 tonnes of copper.

For the first half of FY26, total production now stands at 167,163 ounces of gold and 6,894 tonnes of copper. This keeps the company on track operationally as it continues integrating the Telfer and Havieron assets in Western Australia’s Paterson Province.

Sales for the quarter totalled 72,212 ounces of gold and 3,301 tonnes of copper. While all-in sustaining costs (AISC) are still being finalised, management confirmed they will be released with the full December quarterly activities report later this month.

Cash balance surges to $948 million

One of the standout takeaways from today’s update was Greatland’s balance sheet strength.

The company closed the December quarter with $948 million in cash and no debt. That compares to $750 million at the end of September, representing a cash build of $198 million over the three-month period.

Management noted this figure includes a one-off stamp duty payment of $46 million related to the Telfer-Havieron acquisition. Excluding that payment, the underlying cash build would have been $244 million for the quarter.

Importantly, Greatland remains unhedged, giving shareholders full exposure to higher gold prices. However, some downside protection is in place through gold put options.

What investors should watch next

While today’s production and cash figures were well received, investor focus now shifts to the full December quarterly activities report.

That report is due for release on 28 January 2026.

It should provide greater detail on costs, guidance, and progress at Havieron, which is viewed as a key long-term growth asset.

Greatland is also scheduled to host a webcast for shareholders and analysts on the same day. This should offer further insight into strategy, operations, and near-term priorities.

Taken together, today’s report helps explain why I believe Greatland should be on investors’ radars in 2026.

The post This ASX resources stock is soaring 7% on a big quarterly result appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Shares in Island Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: ILA) are marching higher after the company said it had secured patent protection in the US for the use of one of its compounds in tackling viruses.

Island shares traded as high as 49.5 cents in the morning session on the ASX before settling back to be 12.2% higher at 46 cents.

The biotechnology company said it had been granted a patent for the use of its compound Galidesivir in the treatment of filoviridae viruses.

The company went on to say:

The patent comprises a broad range of claims in connection with the treatment of a viral infections from the filoviridae family, via the administering of a therapeutically effective amount of Galidesivir. Patent protection for the use of Galidesivir to treat filoviridae viruses marks the latest successful conversion from application to approval for the diversified patent portfolio that Island gained full rights to as part of its acquisition of the Galidesivir program. The patent portfolio comprised both issued patents and pending patent applications, with each new approval strengthening the framework for Island to continue broadening its IP footprint alongside the clinical development pathway for Galidesivir.

Broad patent protection

The patent protection extends out to late 2031. The viruses the compound targets are single-stranded ribonucleic acid viruses, the best-known of which are the Ebola virus and the Marburg virus.

The company explained further:

Filoviridae viruses are generally recognised by the US government as biological select agents or toxins (BSAT), which have been classified by the US Department of Health and Human Services as having the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety.

The new patent win adds to the granting of a patent last month covering the use of Galidesivir in treatment options for COVID-19.

Island Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Dr David Foster said it was another important milestone for the company.

He added:

This latest patent grant highlights that our IP footprint continues to go from strength to strength, and further validates the vigour of the patent portfolio that we gained full ownership rights of as part of the Galidesivir acquisition.” “What is particularly pleasing about this patent is that it provides IP protection over a broad range of claims in the application of Galidesivir to treat filoviruses, in direct alignment with detailed clinical development pathway for the treatment of Marburg – a member of the filoviridae virus family.” “As we continue to advance the study design in close consultation with the FDA, this patent approval provides a strong framework to further expand our IP footprint alongside our clinical progress.

Island Pharmaceuticals was valued at $110.1 million at the close of trade on Tuesday.

The post Which biotech’s shares are surging higher on US patent news? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Unico Silver Ltd (ASX: USL) shares are breaking records again on Wednesday.

In morning trade, the ASX silver stock is up 9% to a record high of 99 cents.

This means its shares are now up almost 400% over the past 12 months.

Why is this ASX silver stock hitting a new record high?

Investors have been fighting to get hold of the silver miner’s shares following the release of a drilling update from the 100%-owned Joaquin Project in Santa Cruz, Argentina.

According to the release, Unico Silver has released assay results for a further 31 drill holes totalling 4,478 metres of drilling. This brings total reported assays since drilling commenced in September to 91 holes covering 14,594 metres.

The ASX silver stock highlights that this forms part of a 30,000 metre drill program. It is focused on regional exploration and new discoveries, and the delineation of high-confidence, pit-constrained, free-milling silver ounces at Joaquin.

Drilling results

As you might have guessed from the investor reaction, the results from this latest drilling were positive.

The company notes that infill and extensional drilling at La Negra SE confirms that there is a broad, shallow zone of oxide silver-gold mineralisation over 850 metres strike and 175 metres vertical extent. It remains open to the south-east and at depth.

Positively, the true thickness ranges from 15 metres to 75 metres, which is supportive of bulk open pit mining potential.

What’s next?

It shouldn’t be long until there are more results to run the rule over. Drilling resumed on 5 January and includes three diamond rigs and one reverse circulation (RC) rig. At La Negra SE, infill drilling on a 50 metres by 25 metres grid is nearing completion with eight holes remaining to support a high confidence indicated resource.

Based on timing and new results, the ASX silver stock advised that it will proceed directly to a pre-feasibility study (PFS)-level mineral resource estimate (MRE), covering La Negra, La Negra SE, and La Morocha.

The company’s managing director, Todd Williams, was pleased with the news. He said:

Infill drilling at La Negra SE continues to deliver wide, shallow zones of oxide silver-gold mineralisation with excellent continuity across the full 850-metre strike length. These results confirm the scale and geometry required for conventional open-pit development and support our decision to move directly to a Pre-Feasibility Study Mineral Resource Estimate.

With infill drilling nearing completion, geotechnical and comminution programs already underway, and three key prospects – La Negra, La Negra SE and La Morocha – advancing to Indicated Resource status, Joaquin is rapidly transitioning from exploration to development while remaining open to further growth.

The post Up 400% in a year: Why is this ASX silver stock breaking records today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

4D Medical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) has secured a contract with UC San Diego Health – one of the US’s pre-eminent academic health systems – to use its CT:VQ technology for clinical use in lung imaging.

Shares in the biotechnology company jumped on the news, trading 9.3% higher at $4.58 – not far off their record high of $4.65 – in early trade on Wednesday.

Prestigious institution

4D Medical said in a statement to the ASX that UC San Diego Health (UCSD) was “one of the nation’s leading academic health systems and has consistently ranked in the top 10 in the US for pulmonary and lung surgery”.

The company added:

UCSD has commenced clinical use of CT:VQ under a structured launch framework whereby introductory pricing will apply through March 31, supporting early clinical adoption and workflow establishment, before transitioning to full commercial terms. UCSD joins Stanford University, University of Miami, and Cleveland Clinic as the fourth U.S. academic medical centre (AMC) to deploy CT:VQ for clinical use. This expanding network of leading AMCs powers 4DMedical’s strategic approach of establishing reference sites at the nation’s most prestigious institutions, creating a powerful foundation for broader market adoption.

4D Medical said it had been slightly more than four months since it received US Food and Drug Administration clearance to market its technology, and in that time, it had secured contracts with four of the most respected academic medical centres in the US.

The company added:

These deployments demonstrate the compelling clinical value proposition of CT:VQ: eliminating the need for radioisotope and contrast administration, providing superior image resolution compared to nuclear medicine, seamlessly integrating into existing CT imaging workflows, and enabling access to reimbursement pathways that support sustainable clinical adoption.

Strong momentum

4D Medical founder and Managing Director Andreas Fouras said the new contract win was a “powerful validation” of the company’s technology.

He added:

In just over four months since FDA clearance, we’ve established CT:VQ at four of America’s leading academic medical centres: Stanford, University of Miami, Cleveland Clinic, and now UCSD. This rapid adoption by elite institutions demonstrates both the transformative potential of CT:VQ and the strength of our go-to-market execution. These prestigious AMCs serve as powerful anchors for our commercialisation strategy. Combined with our Philips partnership and growing commercial pipeline, we are building unstoppable momentum as we establish CT:VQ as the new standard of care in pulmonary imaging.  

4D Medical was valued at $2.2 billion at the close of trade on Tuesday. The company has increased in value almost 20-fold over the past 12 months, from lows of just 22.5 cents.

The post This biotech company’s shares are on a tear – again – after another contract win appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Share markets have entered 2026 with a familiar mix of confidence and concern.

The S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) and S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) continued to climb in 2025, brushing against new highs, while global headlines felt increasingly uneasy. Geopolitical tensions are flaring across multiple regions, inflation remains sticky in Australia, and interest rate expectations are once again creeping higher.

At the same time, valuation metrics like the Buffett Indicator and the US CAPE ratio are flashing warning signs. By historical standards, markets look expensive.

It’s no wonder some investors are feeling uneasy.

But amid all this noise, there is one move that long-term investors should still avoid at all costs in 2026.

Panic selling

Panic selling comes in two distinct forms, and both can quietly sabotage long-term wealth.

Panic selling on the way up

When markets keep rising, it can feel unnatural.

Investors start to tell themselves that prices “can’t possibly go any higher” or that a correction is surely just around the corner. The temptation is to get clever — trim positions, move to cash, and wait for the inevitable pullback.

The problem is that markets do not operate on neat schedules.

History shows that expensive markets can remain expensive for far longer than most expect. The US market spent much of the late 1990s trading above long-term valuation averages. Australian shares experienced something similar in the years leading up to the global financial crisis.

Trying to perfectly time the top has proven to be a fool’s errand for decades. Miss just a handful of strong market days, and long-term returns can fall dramatically.

Real Foolish investing — capital-F Foolish — is about owning quality businesses through cycles, not hopping in and out based on discomfort.

Selling simply because markets feel “too high” risks leaving investors stranded on the sidelines while compounding does the heavy lifting elsewhere.

Panic selling on the way down

The second, and more damaging, version of panic selling happens when markets fall.

Market pullbacks are not an anomaly. They are a feature.

Corrections of around 10% occur almost as regularly as summers. Deeper drawdowns of 20% or more are less frequent, but still inevitable over long investing lifetimes. What we never know is when they will arrive, how deep they will be, or what will trigger them.

That uncertainty makes emotional decision-making incredibly dangerous.

Selling during periods of fear often locks in losses just as long-term opportunities are emerging. Many of the strongest market recoveries in history have occurred when sentiment was at its darkest.

It’s also worth remembering that some high-quality businesses can continue growing earnings through economic slowdowns, inflationary environments, and geopolitical stress. Investors who sell everything in a panic risk missing those quiet compounding stories.

Warren Buffett has long emphasised that volatility is not risk — permanent capital loss is. That philosophy remains just as relevant today.

Valuations are high — and that’s not the whole story

There’s no denying that valuation indicators look stretched in parts of the market. 

But valuation signals are blunt instruments.

Markets can stay elevated for years while earnings catch up, particularly when innovation, productivity gains, or global capital flows remain supportive.

For Australian investors, this matters. The ASX has its own mix of resources, banks, healthcare, infrastructure, and global earners. Local inflation and interest rate dynamics may differ from the US, but emotional responses tend to be universal.

Foolish Takeaway

The biggest risk in 2026 is not a market crash itself. It’s how investors respond to one.

Panic selling — whether driven by fear of missing the top or fear of deeper losses — can quietly undo years of disciplined investing. Long-term wealth is rarely built by perfectly timed decisions. It’s built by patience, quality, and the ability to sit through uncomfortable periods.

Markets will rise. Markets will fall. That part is inevitable.

Making emotional decisions at the wrong moment doesn’t have to be.

The post 1 move to avoid at all costs if the stock market crashes in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Leigh Gant 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.

Meteoric Resources NL (ASX: MEI) shares are getting a lot of attention from investors on Wednesday.

In morning trade, the ASX rare earths stock is up 5.5% to 19.5 cents.

What’s going on with this ASX rare earths stock?

The catalyst for today’s strong gain has been the release of an update on its flagship Caldeira Rare Earth Project in Brazil.

According to the release, the company has received a non-binding and conditional letter of support from Export Finance Australia (EFA) for indicative financing of up to US$50 million (~A$77 million).

The company notes that the proposed financing is intended to support the development of the Caldeira Project through the use of Australian engineering, procurement, construction, and management contractors.

It believes this strategy will reinforce the established partnership between Australia and Brazil through enhanced supply chain support within the project. In addition, it feels this underscores the Australian Government export credit agency’s determination to drive Australian expertise and exports into global rare earths markets.

Solid foundation

Management highlights that the EFA funding support, together with the United States Export Import Bank’s (EXIM) US$250 million letter of interest that was received in March 2024, provides a solid foundation for funding of the Caldeira Project.

But the company isn’t stopping there. It is continuing active discussions with the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) and other Export Credit Agencies together with a number of potential strategic investors to optimise funding solutions for the Caldeira Project.

Commenting on the news, the ASX rare earths stock’s managing director, Stuart Gale, said:

We view the Letter of Support from Export Finance Australia as a strong vote of confidence in Meteoric’s strategy and capability to become the next major supplier of critical rare earth materials. This endorsement will assist with the broader project financing discussions underway for the Caldeira Project and adds flexibility to our funding strategy.

The recent approval of our Preliminary Environmental Licence without restriction, commissioning of our Pilot Plant and first production of a mixed rare earth carbonate, the Caldeira Project is now positioned as one of the world’s most advanced, highest confidence, high-grade rare earth developments. The Project’s scale, low operating costs, low capital intensity and rapid path to market stand as clear differentiators and underpin its capability to be an important new, long-term cornerstone of emerging rare earth supply chains.

The post This ASX rare earths stock is jumping on big news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

Shares in Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) were trading higher on Wednesday after the company said it was on track to achieve the upper end of its production guidance for the full year.

The company released a production report for the second quarter on Wednesday, which said that its Karlawinda Gold Project had delivered another strong quarter, producing 30,476 ounces of gold.

The company said this brought production for the year to date to 62,794 ounces of gold, and the company was “on track to achieve the upper end of FY26 guidance of 115,000-125,000 ounces at an all in sustaining cost of $1530-$1630 per ounce”.

This compares with the current gold price of $6683 per ounce.

Project to expand

Expansion works at Karlawinda in central Western Australia are ongoing, with the company aiming to spend $120 million overall. The expansion project is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2027.

The company’s website said that based on current reserves, the expanded operation has a projected mine life approaching 10 years.

The company said further:

 With an extensive tenement package spanning over 4,000 square kilometres, the Company remains confident further reserve growth through ongoing exploration.

Capricorn said in its release on Wednesday that expansion works were progressing well.

Continued achievement of the post-expansion mining run rate allowed Capricorn to deliver both strong quarterly gold production and also the development requirements of the Karlawinda Expansion Project. The mining fleet achieved the planned poit face positions to achieve budget gold production while also delivering the required pre-stripping and infrastructure materials for the expansion project. Mining production rates have continued at the expanded project run rate for the Karlawinda Expansion Project for the last three quarters.

Capricorn said it had cash and bullion worth $444.2 million at the end of the quarter, up from $394.4 million at the end of the September quarter.

The company said it had also spent $2.9 million on development activities at its Mount Gibson gold project, also in WA, where it currently has a gold resource of 684,000 ounces of gold.

That spending was “mainly focused on finalising detailed design, early procurement activities and contract preparations”.

The company added:

This early spend of part of the MGGP capital budget is a strategic decision to compress the ultimate construction timeline.

Capricorn shares were 2.5% higher in early trade at $14.93.

The company was valued at $6.64 billion at the close of trade on Tuesday.

The post This ASX 100 gold stock says it is on track to hit the upper end of production guidance appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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