One of the beauties of buying and owning Australian exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is that investors can buy them with the expectation of never having to sell.

Most ETFs follow some sort of index. This is periodically rebalanced every few months to ensure that the stocks in the index reflect the real-life changes that are constantly happening on the share market. For example, an ETF that tracks the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) will be rebalanced every three months or so to ensure that it accurately holds the largest 200 shares on the Australian stock market.

This process is always carried out behind the scenes, requiring no involvement from the investor who owns the ETF. As such, the right Australian ETF can be owned forever.

But not all Australian ETFs are suitable for a long-term investment, at least in my view. So today, let’s talk about three funds that I think would serve well in any portfolio indefinitely.

3 Australian ETFs you could buy and never sell

iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF (ASX: IXI)

Consumer staples companies are some of the most resilient businesses on the planet. That’s because they tend to make things we need, rather than want. That includes food, drinks, and household essentials. If you’re looking for an investment that can last a lifetime, this space is a great one to check out.

This Australian ETF offers a range of global leaders in this space. As a case in point, many of the names in IXI ETF have been around for decades, and in some cases, centuries. Some of this Australian ETF’s largest holdings include Coca-Cola Co, Walmart, Nestle, British American Tobacco and Procter & Gamble.

BetaShares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC)

If you had to bet on one sector of the ASX providing the most lucrative investments for the next few decades, I think tech would be the best choice. This sector houses some of the best innovative and prosperous stocks on the ASX, including Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO), Computershare Ltd (ASX: CPU), WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME), and TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE).

All of these stocks can be found in the Betashares Australian Technology ETF. I think it’s reasonable to assume that these stocks will continue to contribute some of the best returns on the ASX. And if they don’t, ATEC ETF will replace them with the next generation of tech winners.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

Last but not least, we have an Australian ETF that tracks the most popular index in the world, America’s S&P 500. The S&P 500 represents the largest 500 stocks listed on the US markets. That’s everything from Magnificent 7 giants like NVIDIA and Amazon to Netflix, Mastercard, Exxon Mobil and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.

Speaking of Buffett, the legendary investor has often advocated an S&P 500 ETF as a perfect investment for most of the population. With American companies continuing to shape the global economy, I think this Australian ETF is a prudent long-term bet for a ‘forever investment’.

The post 3 Australian ETFs to buy and hold forever appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Coca-Cola, Mastercard, Netflix, and Procter & Gamble. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Mastercard, Netflix, Nvidia, Technology One, Walmart, WiseTech Global, Xero, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended British American Tobacco P.l.c., Nestlé, and Pro Medicus and has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $40 calls on British American Tobacco and short January 2026 $40 puts on British American Tobacco. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global, Xero, and iShares International Equity ETFs – iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Mastercard, Netflix, Nvidia, Pro Medicus, Technology One, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Australian superannuation funds have fallen in value for the first time in more than six months, with property and Australian shares weighing them down, research house SuperRatings says.

After a stellar seven-month run of positive returns, SuperRatings has estimated that the median balanced fund fell by 0.5% in November.

Downward shift after strong performance

SuperRatings director Kirby Rappell said super funds were still doing well overall, however, compared with historical averages.

We expect most asset classes to have delivered negative returns over the month with listed property and Australian shares seeing a pullback. While this month breaks the strong run, 2025 is well on track to be an above average year for member balances, with the 11 months to 30 November 2025 estimated to have returned 8.7% against a median of 7.1% for the full year since 2000.

SuperRatings said the median growth option fell by an estimated 0.6% in November, while the median capital stable option is estimated to have returned a negative 0.2% for the period. 

Mr Rappell said the fall in November had implications for the returns over the calendar year.

The estimated decline means a second consecutive double digit calendar return is unlikely, however members should be pleased that returns remain strong over the long term with the median balanced option providing an estimated 7.1% per annum over the last 25 years. For pension members, the results have been even better with the median balanced pension product is estimated to return 9.5% for the 11 months to 30 November 2025.

Uncertainty ahead

SuperRatings said while the returns were positive for the year to date, there was uncertainty going forward about the trajectory of inflation and its impact on interest rate decisions.

While the returns so far are worth celebrating, the reserve bank of Australia held interest rates in the final meeting of 2025 and the trajectory of inflation into 2026 remains somewhat uncertain. It is important to remember the long-term nature of superannuation and the benefit of holding steady to your long-term strategy should we see increased ups and downs over the second half of the 2026 financial year.

The Association of Super Funds Australia (ASFA) recently estimated that to achieve a “comfortable” retirement at age 67, couples needed a superannuation balance of $690,000, while singles would need $595,000.

To achieve a “modest” retirement while renting privately, a couple would need $385,000, while a single person would need $340,000.

These figures were calculated in today’s dollars and assume inflation of 2.75% and investment earnings of 6%.

The post Superannuation breaks a stellar streak with falls in November 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.

Bell Potter has been busy running the rule over a number of sectors this week.

This has led the broker to pick out ASX 200 stocks that it believes are among the best to buy in December ahead of the new year. Let’s see what it is recommending to clients:

Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA)

This diversified food company’s shares have been named as a buy by Bell Potter with a $7.00 price target,

The broker highlights that its strategy leaves it well-placed to grow its earnings per share by upwards of 20% per annum through to 2028. It said:

Following recent restructuring announcements, with regard to the closure of Strathmerton and winding down of the PCA operations, there appears a clear pathway towards a $250-270m EBITDA target. If successful in generating this return and having consideration for the cash costs to achieve this target (c$85- 100m), it would imply a share price of $8.00-9.00ps (at BGA’s historical ~12x EBITDA multiple). In effect, BGA now has a clearly articulated strategy to generating >20% p.a. EPS growth to FY28e. Trading on a FY25-28e PEG ratio of ~1x, BGA is one of the more compelling growth exposures in the sector. Buy, Price Target $7.00

Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

This industrial property company is another ASX 200 stock that gets the seal of approval from Bell Potter. It has a buy rating and $3.65 price target on its shares.

Bell Potter highlights that its shares are trading at a sharp discount to their net tangible assets (NTA). This comes at a time when the broker believes there is a strong chance of higher valuations for its properties driven by cap rate compression. It said:

The capital transaction market for industrial has improved significantly across CY25, and indeed, we see strong runway for the sector and in turn valuations into CY26 with material levels of dry powder capital already raised awaiting deployment. Coming into 1H26 and FY26 result periods, we anticipate revaluation uplift driven by cap rate compression as well as net effective rental growth given +5.8% trailing LFL NOI growth that we think is cycling trough levels. CIP provides access to a best in class, scaled, east coast portfolio of industrial property yet trades at a c. -14% discount to NTA.

Generation Development Group Ltd (ASX: GDG)

A third ASX 200 stock that is rated highly by the broker is Generation Development Group.

It is a provider of investment bonds and investment-linked lifetime annuities that offer tax-efficient solutions for wealth accumulation, estate planning, and regular retirement income.

The broker has a buy rating and $8.40 price target on its shares.

It is positive on the company’s outlook, noting that its investor day targets were comfortably ahead of expectations. It said:

FY28 managed account targets provided at the investor day were ahead of consensus forecasts, incorporating +$28-33bn net inflows and implying +33% compound FUM growth at the mid-point. Expectations for +50% EBITDA margins were also reiterated. Trading on 32x FY28 PE we view the risk-reward as positively asymmetric with: (1) run-rate net inflows of +$8bn likening to +$24bn before new mandates and partnerships; (2) adviser install base utilisation of 35%; and (3) a request for proposal with large superannuation funds flagged to complete within 6-12 months.

The post 3 of the best ASX 200 stocks to buy in December 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 recommended Generation Development Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares are $140.03 apiece, up 1.8% on Thursday and up 18.5% in the year to date (YTD).

Rio Tinto is yet to pay its final dividend for FY25 because it reports on a different timetable to the other major ASX 200 iron ore miners.

In September, Rio Tinto paid an FY25 interim dividend of US$1.48 per share, which converted to just under A$2.22.

The miner will announce its final dividend for FY25 in February.

Currently, Rio Tinto shares are trading on a trailing dividend yield of 4.23%.

That’s not as high as we’re used to with Rio Tinto shares, but it’s higher than the average ASX 200 dividend these days.

By comparison, Rio Tinto’s key iron ore rivals, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG), have trailing yields of 3.79% and 4.79%, respectively.

When will Rio Tinto announce its dividends in the new year?

According to Rio Tinto’s corporate calendar, the miner will announce its full-year FY25 results and final dividend on 19 February.

Prior to that, we’ll get a 4Q FY25 production report on 20 January.

The 1Q FY26 and 2Q FY26 production reports will follow on 21 April and 15 July, respectively.

Rio Tinto will release its 1H FY26 results and interim dividend on 29 July.

The 3Q FY26 production report will be released on 14 October.

What happened to the Rio Tinto share price this year?

The Rio Tinto share price has increased by 18.5% in 2025.

This compares to a 13.3% rise for BHP shares and a superior 22% bump for Fortescue shares.

A steady iron ore price has contributed to these gains.

The iron ore price remains above the important psychological threshold of US$100 per tonne.

On Thursday, the iron ore price is US$106.66 per tonne, up 3% this year.

Should you buy Rio Tinto shares?

The consensus rating among 15 traders on the CommSec trading platform is a moderate buy.

Three have a strong buy rating on Rio Tinto shares, four have a moderate buy, six say hold, and two say it’s a moderate sell.

Last week, Rio Tinto promised investors a ‘stronger, sharper, and simpler‘ strategy in the year ahead.

Rio Tinto will streamline its focus to three segments to enhance productivity and create industry-leading returns.

They are Iron Ore; Copper; and Aluminium and Lithium.

In a new note this week, Macquarie retained a neutral rating on Rio Tinto shares with a 12-month price target of $130.

Among the diversified major miners, the broker prefers Rio Tinto over BHP, but prefers South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) overall.

The broker said it expects a weaker iron ore market in the medium term and prefers Rio to BHP for several reasons.

They include Rio Tinto having a relatively better catalyst backdrop, shorter-term growth, and more room to improve.

The broker said Rio’s new strategy should generate about US$2 billion of savings per annum.

Macquarie also said:

… RIO is in a harvest phase for its capital program, with Simandou ramping up and OT [Oyu Tolgoi] continuing and blending opportunities with Simandou ore enabling Pilbara production growth.

New growth options are required, but not until the back end of the decade once OT and Simandou ramps up.

Asset sales, whose quantum exceeded our expectations at US$5-10b in aggregate, help improve returns (dividends) as funding growth is de-constrained. We had expected BHP to pull this lever earlier than RIO, which means RIO has jumped in front of the queue.

The post Own Rio Tinto shares? Here are the dividend dates for 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group and South32. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. 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.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) healthcare share Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX: RHC) is edging lower today.

Shares in Australia’s biggest private hospital operator closed yesterday trading for $35.55. In early afternoon trade on Thursday, shares ae changing hands for $35.49, down 0.2%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.5% at this same time.

Longer-term, Ramsay Health Care shares have gained 4.0% in 2025, slightly underperforming the 5.2% year to date returns posted by the benchmark index.

Atop those share price gains, the ASX 200 healthcare share also trades on a fully franked 2.3% trailing dividend yield.

While the past year’s performance has been modest, looking ahead, Family Financial Solutions’ Jabin Hallihan believes Ramsay Health Care shares are currently materially undervalued (courtesy of The Bull).

Here’s why.

Should you buy the ASX 200 healthcare share today?

“Ramsay is one of Australia’s largest private hospital operators,” Hallihan said. “Strong fundamentals and margin recovery support long term growth.”

As for his buy recommendation on the ASX 200 healthcare share, he noted, “In Australia, RHC reported revenue growth of 6.5% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the prior corresponding period. Earnings before interest and tax rose 5.8%.”

And earnings are forecast to keep growing.

“RHC expects EBIT growth in full year 2026,” Hallihan noted.

He concluded:

Ramsay’s shares remain undervalued relative to our fair value estimate of $54, as we expect profitability to improve through higher indexation, digital efficiencies and easing wage pressures. The shares were trading at $37.23 on December 4.

Going by Family Financial Solutions’ fair value estimate, that implies a potential 52.2% upside from current share price.

What’s the latest from Ramsay Health Care?

Ramsay Health Care shares closed up 12.7% on 25 November, the day the company held its annual general meeting (AGM).

Investors were buying the ASX 200 healthcare share amid ongoing progress following what management admitted was a difficult year gone by.

“While there is still much work ahead and cost pressures remain, the board is encouraged by the progress we are making towards improving the performance of our Australian and UK hospital businesses,” Ramsay Health Care chair David Thodey said on the day.

Ramsay Health Care CEO and managing director Natalie Davis added:

Over the past year, we’ve maintained our leading patient NPS scores across our regions. We’re growing our clinical trials network in Australia to expand access to new treatments, to strengthen our doctor value proposition and to build partnerships that support clinical innovation.

The post Why this buy rated ASX 200 healthcare share is tipped to surge 52% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 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.

When it comes to Australia’s aviation industry, arch-rivals Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) and Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd (ASX: VGN) dominate investor attention. Both airlines compete fiercely for passengers, routes, and market share.

The two businesses are closely aligned, and both benefit from upticks in demand for travel and tourism. But in terms of outlook over the next 12 months, there is one clear winner. Here’s the travel airline stock I’d buy and the one I’d sell.

I’d sell Qantas shares

Aviation heavyweight Qantas Airways has dominated the Australian domestic aviation market for decades. It currently accounts for around 60% of the domestic market, and it’s still growing.

Qantas is adding capacity to its routes to mainland US, New Zealand, Singapore, and Hawaii. Jetstar is adding capacity to its routes to Bali, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, and Singapore. Jetstar is also entering the Philippines.

It looks like the company’s operational momentum is improving, but I’m concerned that the airline still has its work cut out to be able to grow at the rate it expects. Cost pressures are still a risk, demand for travel can change quickly, and competition is heating up from rival Virgin and other airline newcomers.

When it comes to Qantas stock, its share price has been relatively volatile this year. At the time of writing, its shares are 1.81% higher at $9.82 a piece, but over the past 12 months, they have fluctuated anywhere between $7.55 and $12.62 a piece. For the year, the shares are 10.64% higher.

UBS has a buy rating on the business, with a price target of $11.50. At the time of writing, this implies that a potential 17.1% upside is ahead.

But the team at Sanlam Private Wealth has put a sell rating on the shares. The broker is concerned about the airline’s earnings growth outlook and thinks it is vulnerable to possible downgrades.

I’d buy Virgin Australia shares

Since its relisting on the ASX 200 in June this year, the airline has repositioned itself under a simpler, leaner business model, shedding many of its old inefficiencies. And I like what the business has done. 

The Virgin Australia share price is storming higher in lunchtime trade on Thursday. At the time of writing, the shares are 4.84% higher at $3.25 a piece. The latest uptick has helped recover gains lost over the past year. The shares are now 9.62% higher than this time last year.

Analysts are optimistic that the aviation stock will take off soon. The team at Ord Minett recently said it is impressed with the company’s near-term outlook. The broker has a buy rating and $4 target price on Virgin Australia shares. At the time of writing, that implies a potential 23.1% upside ahead for the stock.

Data shows that some analysts are even more bullish. Out of 7 analysts, 5 have a buy or strong buy rating, and the maximum target price is $4.20. That implies that the shares could increase another 30.03%.

The post Virgin Australia versus Qantas shares: One I’d buy and one I’d sell appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Lithium stocks have roared back to life in 2025.

Shares in Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) have ballooned by 93% since the start of the year, trading near 52-week highs at the time of writing.

Its ASX 200 peer Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR) has performed even better, soaring by 168% since early January.

But in recent weeks, an emerging explorer has outshone both of these ASX 200 mining heavyweights.

More specifically, Wildcat Resources Ltd (ASX: WC8) has entered the spotlight following significant progress at its Bolt Cutter lithium discovery in Western Australia.

And shares in this ASX lithium stock have surged by 43% in just the past month, fuelled by a string of promising exploration results.

According to investment firm Euroz Hartleys Group Limited (ASX: EZL), the rally may still have a long way to run.

Let’s take a closer look at what is driving the broker’s bullish outlook for this ASX lithium stock.

Established ASX lithium stock

Wildcat is quickly cementing its place as a significant player in the Australian lithium space.

Its flagship Tabba Tabba project lies roughly 50 kilometres from Pilbara Minerals’ globally renowned Pilgangoora mine.

And since acquiring the project in 2023, Wildcat has defined a 74 million tonne resource grading 1% lithium (Li2O).

A recent pre-feasibility study (PFS) for Tabba Tabba outlined an initial 17-year mine life and projected $3.2 billion in free cash flow after tax.

However, investor attention seems to have shifted to its nearby Bolt Cutter project in recent weeks, located just 10 kilometres from Tabba Tabba.

What happened?

This week, Wildcat unveiled a batch of encouraging lithium intercepts from exploration drilling at Bolt Cutter.

Notable hits included 9m at 1.84% lithium from 128m depth, and 7m at 1.03% lithium from 49m.

Overall, 17 of the 20 holes from this batch of drilling returned significant intercepts.

As a result, the mineralised strike at Bolt Cutter Central has now expanded to 1.4 kilometres in length, up from 900 metres just last month.

In addition, the lithium-hosting pegmatites remain open in most directions.

And Euroz Hartleys appears buoyant on how the discovery is shaping up.

Euroz Hartleys viewpoint

Commenting on the impact of the most recent drill results at Bolt Cutter, the broker noted:

The system is interpreted to be in a flat lying and stacked pegmatite system, on our early stage estimates we see the potential for Bolt Cutter to host mineralisation in the order of ~15-20mt at ~1% Li2O, and see it as a potential satellite operation to the flag ship Tabba Tabba project.  

More broadly, Euroz Hartleys has identified Wildcat as the “clear standout” amongst Australian lithium developers.

It pointed to the group’s strong $51 million cash position and simultaneous progress at both Bolt Cutter and Tabba Tabba.

The broker believes the market has likely underestimated the significance of Wildcat’s recent acquisition of neighbouring tenements.

It expects these moves to be reflected in a definitive feasibility study, projected for completion in 2026. 

Share price outlook for the ASX lithium stock

Euroz Hartleys has issued a speculative buy rating on Wildcat shares, setting a target price of $0.51 apiece.

This implies 59% upside potential from $0.32 per share at the time of writing.

The post Expert says this barnstorming ASX lithium stock could soar by another 59% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bart Bogacz 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.

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN) shares are marching higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) electronics and home furnishings retail stock closed yesterday trading for $7.02. During the Thursday lunch hour, shares are swapping hands for $7.07 apiece, up 0.7%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.6% at this same time.

Taking a step back, shares have strongly outperformed in 2025, gaining 50.4% compared to the 5.3% year-to-date gains delivered by the benchmark index.

Atop those capital gains, Harvey Norman shares also trade on a 3.8% fully franked trailing dividend yield.

So, on the heels of such a strong year, is the ASX 200 retail stock still a good buy today?

Below, we look at two opposing answers to that potentially lucrative question (courtesy of The Bull).

The sell-side analysis

Kicking off with the sell side, we turn to Family Financial Solutions’ Jabin Hallihan.

“The Australian retailer operates a mix of company-owned stores and franchises,” said Hallihan, who has a sell recommendation on Harvey Norman shares. “It also operates in New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and Europe.”

In a nod to the company’s revenue growth, he noted, “Aggregates sales revenue, excluding Australian franchisees, rose 9.1% between July 1 and November 20 when compared to the prior corresponding period.”

But Hallihan believes the Harvey Norman share price has risen too high.

“Our issue is valuation,” he said.

Hallihan concluded:

While Harvey Norman benefits from a solid balance sheet and property assets, its shares on December 4 were trading above our fair value estimate of $5.50 after a 12% upgrade. The shares look expensive relative to fundamentals. We believe competition will limit margin expansion.

Which brings us to…

The buy case for Harvey Norman shares

Catapult Wealth’s Blake Halligan has a more optimistic outlook on the ASX 200 retail stock.

“Improving consumer sentiment favours this retail giant leading into the usually strong Christmas trading period,” said Halligan, who has a buy rating on Harvey Norman shares.

Part of his bullishness stems from the rapid rise of AI-enabled products, which could spur sales growth.

“Electronics and furniture are expected to perform well, particularly in artificial intelligence-related products amid strong interest in the latest iPhone,” Halligan said.

He concluded:

HVN’s franchising operations are enjoying robust pre-tax margins as costs remain well contained compared to last year. Aggregate sales for Australian franchisees increased 6.5% between July 1 and November 20, 2025, when compared to the prior corresponding period.

The post Up 50% in 2025, should you buy Harvey Norman shares before Christmas? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 Harvey Norman. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Charter Hall Retail REIT (ASX: CQR) share price is in focus as the trust announces a quarterly distribution of 6.4 cents per unit, with the payment scheduled for 27 February 2026.

What did Charter Hall Retail REIT report?

• Quarterly distribution declared: 6.4 cents per ordinary unit, unfranked
• Ex-date for distribution: 30 December 2025
• Record date: 31 December 2025
• Payment date: 27 February 2026
• Distribution relates to the quarter ending 31 December 2025
• No franking credits attached; 100% unfranked

What else do investors need to know?

The distribution amount of 6.4 cents per unit is in line with Charter Hall Retail REIT’s recent quarterly payments, reflecting steady cash flow from its retail property portfolio. It remains payable in Australian dollars, with no currency arrangements or special tax components noted in this announcement.

Charter Hall Retail REIT has a Dividend/Distribution Reinvestment Plan (DRP) in place. However, for this particular distribution, the DRP is not applicable.

What’s next for Charter Hall Retail REIT?

Looking ahead, investors can expect regular quarterly distributions, reflecting the REIT’s ongoing commitment to stable income. The trust’s property portfolio will likely continue to play a key role in supporting future distributions.

Charter Hall Retail REIT hasn’t provided additional guidance with this announcement but maintaining distribution payments signals ongoing confidence in its retail property operations.

Charter Hall Retail REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Charter Hall REIT shares have risen 23%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 3% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Charter Hall Retail REIT unveils December 2025 quarterly distribution appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a strong gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.55% to 8,626.8 points.

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

Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN)

The Chalice Mining share price is down 2.5% to $1.62. Investors have been selling this mineral exploration company’s shares this week following the release of the pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the Gonneville Palladium-Nickel-Copper Project. The PFS confirmed a long life, globally competitive critical minerals mine in Western Australia, which it believes will generate $4.7 billion in free cashflow (pre-tax) over an initial 23 year open-pit mine life. In response to the update, UBS retained its neutral rating but slashed its price target down to $1.75.

Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX: PDI)

The Predictive Discovery share price is down 7% to 65.5 cents. This morning, fellow gold miner Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) revealed that it was ending its pursuit of Predictive Discovery after its proposal was no longer deemed to be superior. It is possible that some investors were counting on a bidding war breaking out between Perseus and fellow suitor Robex Resources.

Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV)

The Premier Investments share price is down 4% to $14.43. This has been driven by the retail conglomerate’s shares going ex-dividend this morning for its latest payout. In September, the Peter Alexander and Smiggle owner released its FY 2025 results and reported a sizeable a 31.1% jump in profit. This strong form allowed the company’s board to declare a fully franked final dividend to 50 cents per share. Eligible shareholders can now look forward to receiving this dividend next month on 23 January.

St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM)

The St Barbara share price is down almost 11% to 50 cents. Investors have reacted negatively to news that the gold miner will sell down interests in its Simberi gold operations in Papua New Guinea. Chinese company Lingbao Gold Group (HKG: 3330) has agreed to pay $370 million for a half stake in a subsidiary that would own 80% of the Simberi gold project. The remaining 20% of the project is being sold to Kumul Mineral Holdings for $100 million. The company notes that the “transaction values 100% of the Simberi Gold Project at $800 million which represents a 31% premium to the current St Barbara market capitalisation.”

The post Why Chalice Mining, Predictive Discovery, Premier Investments, and St Barbara shares are sinking today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Perseus Mining ends Predictive Discovery takeover bid
• Predictive Discovery updates market on amended Robex merger
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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 recommended Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.