Tag: Stock pick

It was a wild, volatile, but positive start to the trading week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Monday. After opening in the red this morning, investors quickly turned things around with a run of buying. But that didn’t last long either, with the index spending most of the day in red territory.

However, the ASX 200 staged a late comeback and only just managed to finish in the green, gaining 0.028% for the day and finishing at 8,808.5 points.

This shaky start to the trading week for the Australian markets came after a happy finish to the American trading week on Friday night (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) fared decently, rising 0.29%.

In a rare event, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) also gained 0.29%.

But let’s return to this week and the local markets to see how the various ASX sectors performed this session.

Winners and losers

At the front of today’s red sectors were tech stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) was hit hard, plunging 2.48%.

Gold stocks were also hit hard, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) cratering 1.89%.

Utilities shares were unpopular, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) saw its value tank 1.63% today.

Consumer staples stocks were no safe haven either, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ)’s 0.91% slump.

Mining shares didn’t hold water. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) sank 0.65% this Monday.

Nor did healthcare stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) dropping 0.61%.

Industrial stocks were our final losers today. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) slid 0.17% down.

Let’s turn to the winners now. Leading the push higher were communications stocks, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)’s 0.89% surge.

Consumer discretionary shares proved popular as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) jumped 0.86% today.

We could say something similar for financial stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) advancing 0.67%.

Energy shares also ran relatively hot. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) put on an additional 0.66% this Monday.

Finally, real estate investment trusts (REITs) only just got over the line, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ)’s 0.04% inch higher.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Biotech company Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB) was the best share on the index. Mesoblast stock leapt 4.91% higher this Monday to close at $2.35. This was potentially a reaction to a bullish broker note, which we covered this morning.

Here’s the rest of today’s best: 

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB)	$2.35	4.91%
Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD)	$36.75	4.17%
Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD)	$5.88	3.70%
Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA)	$2.33	3.56%
Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG)	$2.92	3.55%
ARB Corporation Ltd (ASX: ARB)	$18.03	2.85%
Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)	$1.45	2.12%
Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG)	$8.35	1.95%
Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)	$91.32	1.81%
Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)	$4.98	1.63%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why Mesoblast shares could double in value

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended ARB Corporation and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Corporation and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Well, it seems we are back to square one in the Strait of Hormuz. The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran apparently collapsed over the weekend. The United States has resumed strikes on Iran, while Iran has announced that, once again, ships are not permitted to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Does this mean investors should look to ASX energy shares like Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)?

Yes, we seem to be in a new phase of crisis when it comes to this all-important, and now universally recognised global chokepoint. With ships unable to transit the Strait, markets have turned bearish. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is lower today, currently down by about 0.4%. But naturally, ASX energy shares like Woodside are going the other way. Woodside itself is currently up 0.3% in today’s session to $29.14 a share. Since last Tuesday, this stock, the largest oil and gas producer on the ASX, has lifted by a confident 4.15%.

Although not quite as high as the near-$36 levels we were seeing back in April, Woodside is still up by more than 23% in 2026 to date. Over the past 12 months, investors have enjoyed a 21% return.

Despite these impressive gains, Wodoside shares are still trading on an eye-catching dividend yield of 5.67% at present.

So, with global oil prices spiking once again, and a yield of that size on the table, are Woodside shares currently in the buy zone?

Woodside shares: Time to buy?

I think anyone debating this question is missing the forest for the trees. In Warren Buffett’s view of investing, which I share, good investing practice involves buying high-quality companies that have the ability to compound their earnings over many years at cheap prices.

I think Woodside falls short on a few of those criteria. Firstly, Woodside shares are becoming more expensive, not cheaper, as a result of recent events. That’s not a buy signal in my book.

Secondly, the latest developments in the Middle East are small chapters in what is becoming a very long book indeed. Yes, the Strait is back to being closed. But no one knows if it will reopen tomorrow, next week, or next year. Buying an energy stock based on a view of when a future event may occur is getting dangerously close to flipping a coin. A gamble is, or at least should be, a very different proposition from an investment decision.

Thirdly, it’s my view that most energy shares are not high-quality compounders. Their profits are largely out of their control, riding or dying on the back of fickle global energy prices. This can be great when prices are high. But it can also lead to a prolonged drought if energy prices remain subdued.

So no, I don’t think Woodside shares are attractive following the events of the weekend. In my view, there are simply too many unknowns to make an informed investment decision given the current circumstances.

The post With Hormuz closed, is there an opening to buy Woodside shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Is the Woodside share price a buy for its 14% dividend yield?
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• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares are pushing higher again on Monday.

At the time of writing, the Wesfarmers share price is up 1.41% to $90.96. Today’s gain takes its rise in 2026 to around 12%.

The stock is also trading only about 4% below its 52-week high of $95.18.

There haven’t been any new company announcements today. However, Macquarie has lifted its price target by 1.2% to $86.

While the increase is positive, the new target still sits below the current share price.

So, has the market pushed Wesfarmers shares too far?

Why have Wesfarmers shares climbed?

The recent results help explain why the share price has kept climbing.

Wesfarmers reported a 3.1% increase in first-half revenue to $24.21 billion, while net profit rose 9.3% to $1.60 billion. The fully-franked interim dividend also increased 7.4% to $1.02 per share.

Bunnings remained the largest contributor, with earnings rising 5% to $1.39 billion. Kmart Group earnings increased 6.1% to $683 million.

Returns on capital (ROC) were around 70% at both businesses, which remains one of Wesfarmers’ biggest strengths.

Nonetheless, Wesfarmers is still looking for more growth. Bunnings has expanded into categories including tools, workwear, rural products, and automotive accessories. Kmart has kept expanding its Anko range and opened more joint venture stores in the Philippines.

Management said in February that its retail businesses had continued trading well through the first 6 weeks of the second half.

Brokers remain cautious

The share price now sits well above most broker forecasts.

Macquarie’s new $86 target is one of the higher recent estimates, but it still sits around 5.5% below the current share price.

Goldman Sachs and CLSA both have $78 targets, while Citi is more bearish with a $69 target.

Most analysts remain cautious. Investing.com currently shows an average 12-month price target of $76.36, around 16% below today’s price, along with an overall sell consensus.

The valuation is another reason for the caution. Wesfarmers trades on a trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 33.7 times and offers a dividend yield of about 2.8%.

What does the chart show?

Momentum remains strong, although the stock is nearing overbought territory.

Wesfarmers has a relative strength index (RSI) reading of 68, just below the level of 70 generally viewed as overbought.

The share price is also above the middle Bollinger Band at around $88.48. The 52-week high near $95.18 is the next resistance level, while the $88 to $90 area is the nearest support zone.

Wesfarmers is still producing solid earnings, but the share price now leaves less room for a weak result.

The full-year result on 27 August will show whether earnings are keeping pace with the share price.

The post Up 12% in 2026! Are Wesfarmers shares now too expensive? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. 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 Goldman Sachs Group, Macquarie Group, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group and Wesfarmers. 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 trading lower on Monday as another jump in oil prices weighs on global markets.

At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.38% to 8,772 points after briefly moving above 8,820 earlier in the session.

The selling is spread across much of the market, with 118 ASX 200 shares trading lower, compared with 75 in positive territory and 7 stocks unchanged.

However, gains from the major banks and several energy shares are helping keep the decline from becoming much larger.

Here’s what is behind today’s fall.

Oil jump rattles global markets

The latest weakness follows another escalation in the conflict between the United States and Iran over the weekend.

Brent crude oil futures have climbed around 4% to more than US$79 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude is trading above US$74.

Concerns remain centred on the Strait of Hormuz and the potential disruption to energy shipments through the key waterway.

The oil rise is also adding to inflation concerns and has pushed US futures lower ahead of Monday night’s session.

S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) futures are down 0.48%, while Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) futures are falling 1.12%.

Asian markets are also mostly lower. South Korea’s Kospi has dropped around 5%, while Japan’s Nikkei is down more than 1%.

Tech, healthcare and miners in the red

The weaker global lead is hitting several of the ASX 200’s larger growth and resources stocks.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shares are down 3.57% to $70.78, while WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) has tumbled 2.32% to $33.21.

ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD) shares have dropped 5.53% to $28.37, and CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) is 0.94% lower at $121.73.

The major miners are also weighing on the index. BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are down 0.70% to $57.87, while Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) has slipped 0.58% to $163.53.

Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) is among the heavier fallers, sinking 4.12% to $57.24.

Consumer staples are also lower. Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) shares are down 1.07% to $39.73, while Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) has dipped 1.66% to $23.17.

Banks and energy shares provide support

The ASX 200 would be much lower without support from the major banks.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are up 0.26% to $169.30. Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) has added 0.30% to $36.65, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) is 0.43% higher at $39.78, and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) has gained 0.69% to $36.30.

Higher oil prices are also helping some energy stocks. Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are up 0.33% to $29.15.

The post ASX 200 drops as soaring oil prices rattle global markets 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 positions in and has recommended CSL, ResMed, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group and CSL. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

One of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s biggest energy stocks is having a rough start to the week.

AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL) shares are down 5.10% to $8.01 today after the electricity provider was hit with a broker downgrade.

The decline leaves the AGL share price down almost 14% since the beginning of 2026 and around 16% over the past 12 months.

The selling follows a warning that weak wholesale electricity prices could delay the company’s earnings recovery for several years.

Here’s more on that detail.

Macquarie cuts its rating

According to The Australian, Macquarie has downgraded AGL shares from neutral to underperform and cut its price target by 12% to $7.75.

The new target sits below Friday’s closing price of $8.44 and is also slightly lower than where the stock is trading today.

Macquarie believes the electricity market remains too well supplied, with wholesale power prices sitting near 5-year lows. Mild weather, additional battery storage, and growing output from wind and solar projects have all contributed to the softer pricing environment.

The broker noted that the number of hours with prices above $300 per megawatt-hour across the National Electricity Market fell 70% during the June quarter compared with a year earlier.

AGL’s longer-term outlook weakens

Macquarie now expects wholesale power prices to recover in FY31, 2 years later than its previous FY29 forecast.

The broker reportedly cut its FY28 earnings forecast by 25% and lowered its FY29 estimate by 72%. It believes AGL’s earnings could fall back to 2021 levels by FY28.

Macquarie’s weaker outlook also takes into account the impact of data centres, which are often seen as a major source of future electricity demand. However, the broker believes this extra demand could keep coal-fired power stations operating for longer and attract more renewable generation.

This could leave the electricity market oversupplied for longer and delay a recovery in wholesale prices.

The risk would grow if the planned closures of Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG)’s Eraring power station and AGL’s Bayswater facility are delayed.

AGL’s upcoming results in focus

The downgrade comes even after AGL lifted the lower end of its FY26 guidance in May.

The company now expects underlying EBITDA of between $2.06 billion and $2.18 billion. Underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) is forecast to come in between $610 million and $680 million.

AGL said improved plant availability, steadier consumer margins, and disciplined cost management had supported the stronger outlook.

Management also warned that FY27 could include lower wholesale prices in some regions and softer market conditions.

AGL will provide its FY27 guidance when it releases its full-year results on 12 August.

The post Why this ASX 200 energy stock is crashing 5% on Monday 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 positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If an ASX investor is on the hunt for their next dividend share, they might be drawn to the financial sector of the Australian markets. ASX financial shares have long been known for their hefty dividend potential, mainly thanks to the generosity of the ASX bank shares. AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) is a financial share, and does have a banking division. But does this make the company a sound dividend investment?

AMP is one of the ASX’s most interesting stocks, at least in my view.

This company has had quite the journey since demutualising and floating on the ASX back in the late 1990s. Unfortunately, it has been a rather arduous journey for most of the past two and a half decades. The company once commanded a price of almost $15 a share back in its early ASX days. However, chronic mismanagement and a series of scandals proved to be catastrophic for those investors who received AMP shares as part of their demutualisation. Since January 1999, the AMP share price has collapsed by more than 87%. That’s a pretty rough return for more than 27 years of waiting.

More recently, though, AMP seems to have at least steadied the ship. At $1.70 a share today (at the time of writing), AMP is up about 14.5% over the past 12 months, and up by more than 54% since mid 2021.

But how does this financial stock measure up when it comes to dividend income? Can it rival its larger and more popular peer in the financial space?

AMP shares: What kind of dividends are on offer today?

At today’s price of $1.70 a share, AMP stock is trading on a trailing yield of 2.37%. That stems from the last two dividends the company has paid out. The first of those was the final dividend worth 2 cents per share that we saw doled out back in April. The second was the interim dividend from September, also worth 2 cents per share. Both payments came partially franked at 20%.

The final dividend was a particularly welcome one, as it represented a 100% increase on the 1 cent per share payout investors bagged in April 2025.

Saying that, investors have had better in the past. For example, 2023 saw shareholders receive two payments worth 2.5 cents per share each.

Still, AMP’s relatively low yield and lack of full franking do arguably make the company uncompetitive in the ASX financial space when it comes to dividends. At least where things currently stand.

Who knows what the future might hold, though. As my Fool colleague Samantha recently covered, many ASX brokers are bullish on AMP shares right now. Perhaps the company will keep improving its income offerings to investors going forward. We’ll have to wait and see.

The post Buying AMP shares? Here’s the dividend yield you’ll get today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price is sliding again on Monday following a new announcement from the accounting software company.

At the time of writing, Xero shares are down 4.24% to $70.29. The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) is also lower, although its 1.33% fall is much smaller.

The latest drop adds to a painful year for shareholders. Xero shares have now fallen almost 40% in 2026 and around 60% over the past 12 months.

Here’s the latest.

CEO sells remaining ordinary shares

According to the release, Singh Cassidy sold 29,608 Xero shares on market on 7 July at $74 apiece.

The transaction was worth just over $2.19 million, with Xero saying the sale was made to manage personal tax obligations.

Interestingly, the sale means Singh Cassidy no longer holds any ordinary Xero shares directly. However, she still has plenty riding on the company through 171,381 restricted stock units and 1,038,308 unlisted options.

Those holdings leave her with plenty of exposure to how Xero performs from here.

More than $7.5 million sold since May

The latest sale follows another large disposal by Singh Cassidy only a few weeks earlier.

Between 26 May and 2 June, she sold 70,737 Xero shares for around $5.4 million. Xero also said those sales were made to cover tax obligations.

Combined, the two transactions have seen the Chief Executive sell 100,345 shares worth roughly $7.6 million since late May.

Both sales have been linked to tax obligations, but the timing isn’t a great look when Xero shares are already trading near their 52-week low of $65.

Strong growth has not stopped the slide

Xero’s share price had already been falling despite solid growth in the underlying business.

Its FY26 result showed operating revenue rising 31% to NZ$2.75 billion, while adjusted EBITDA increased 18% to NZ$757.4 million. Net profit fell 27% to NZ$167.4 million as acquisition costs linked to US payments business Melio weighed on the result.

Management expects FY27 operating revenue of between NZ$3.62 billion and NZ$3.73 billion. Adjusted EBITDA is forecast to reach NZ$860 million to NZ$920 million.

Why are Xero shares falling?

Today’s CEO sale seems be adding to the selling, while the weaker tech sector is also working against the stock.

However, the 60% decline over the past year points to much bigger concerns.

Investors are weighing the price paid for Melio, higher costs, and the time needed to turn faster US growth into stronger profits.

The business is still growing revenue and customers, but the market wants to see more of that growth flow through to the bottom line.

The post Another CEO share sale has this ASX 100 tech stock sinking today 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 positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Silex Systems Ltd (ASX: SLX) is an interesting company in that it’s aspiring to be part of the uranium supply chain, but on the technology front rather than the mining front.

Uranium technology delivering results

The company is focused on commercialising the Silex laser isotope separation technology, which can be used to produce different grades of fuel for the nuclear power industry.

The company held an investor day recently where it invited analysts, including those from Shaw and Partners, to visit its facilities at Lucas Heights in New South Wales.

Shaw and Partners said in a note to clients following the visit:

Silex management outlined the progress post achieving Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL-6) last year. The first phase of commercialisation is reprocessing tails at the Paducah facility in Kentucky. Silex is on track for first production of uranium in 2030. On the site visit we also saw the zero spin silicon enrichment project in dry commissioning.

The Silex technology is owned by a joint venture company, Global Laser Enrichment (GLE), which is 51% owned by Silex and 49% owned by uranium major Cameco.

Shaw and Partners said the achievement of TRL-6, “started the clock ticking on Cameco’s option to acquire a 26% stake in GLE to move to 75% ownership”.

They added:

Cameco now has 30 months to make a decision. We note that Cameco is making increasingly optimistic comments about GLE on its result calls. We hosted a call with Cameco early this week at which Cameco repeated its optimism on the GLE technology.

Shaw and Partners said the Silex technology had the potential to re-enrich about 150 million pounds of previously processed uranium tailings back into mine-grade uranium.

They added:

One way to think about this opportunity is that (the Paducah facility) I will be a 5Mlb/yr uranium mine producing uranium at a cash cost of less than US$30/lb. For reference, Paladin’s Langer Heinrich operation is expected to produce 5-6Mlb of uranium at a cash cost in the high US$30s/lb once at full operation.

Silicon also a potentially large oppportunity

The company also announced on 29 June the construction of the world’s first laser-based silicon enrichment plant.

The company said:

Enriched silicon-28 in the form of high-purity Q-Si is required for next-generation silicon-based quantum computers being developed by advanced semiconductor companies around the world. Quantum computers, the first of which are expected to be commercialised by the end of the decade, could revolutionise the computing industry by providing an immense increase in computing power, compared to today’s most advanced classical chips made by companies such as Nvidia, Intel, IBM and AMD. Quantum computing is therefore expected to underpin a transformational performance uplift in the emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry.

Shaw and Partners has a price target of $12.80 on Silex shares compared to $5.74 currently.

The company is valued at $1.59 billion.

The post This ASX uranium company could jump more than 100% in value: Broker 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 positions in and has recommended Advanced Micro Devices, Cameco, Intel, International Business Machines, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

FleetPartners Group Ltd (ASX: FPR) shares are starting the week on the front foot.

At the time of writing, the FleetPartners share price is up 3.02% to $3.07.

The latest gain takes the ASX financial stock’s rise in 2026 to around 9%.

FleetPartners provides vehicle leasing, fleet management, and salary packaging services across Australia and New Zealand.

Investors are responding to the company’s third-quarter business update released this morning.

Here’s what FleetPartners reported.

New business growth picks up

FleetPartners said new business written rose 8% during the 9 months to June compared with the same period last year.

Growth accelerated during the third quarter, with new business written up 24% from a year earlier. The company wrote $246 million of new business during the quarter.

FleetPartners also completed $14 million of sale-and-leaseback transactions, while its June pipeline was 27% above the average level recorded during the first half.

The stronger result has prompted management to upgrade its FY26 new business written outlook from marginal growth to high-single-digit growth.

The company said the economic environment remains challenging, but new customer wins, contract renewals, and continued growth from smaller fleet customers are supporting the pipeline.

Core income continues to rise

Assets under management or financed (AUMOF) increased 6% year to date, while core income grew 7%.

FleetPartners had around 67,000 funded vehicles at the end of June, up 2% from March.

The novated leasing business also performed well, with new business written rising 20% from the prior corresponding period.

Management said stronger electric vehicle demand, increased sales activity, and the acquisition of Remunerator supported the growth.

The company still expects AUMOF to grow at a mid-single-digit rate in FY26, while its core margin should remain relatively stable.

Used-car market weighs on lease-end income

FleetPartners sold 1,618 vehicles during the quarter, a 31% reduction from the previous quarter. End-of-lease income came in at $8 million, while profit per unit fell to $4,951.

The company chose to hold back vehicles rather than accept weaker prices in a softer used-car market. Inventory increased by 448 units during the quarter as a result.

FleetPartners expects sales volumes and lease-end income to improve in the fourth quarter as the winter slowdown eases. However, lease-end income is still expected to remain below the levels recorded in the first two quarters.

Why are FleetPartners shares rising?

The upgrade to FY26 new business written is helping drive today’s gain.

FleetPartners is also growing its funded asset base and core income, while its pipeline remains well ahead of the first-half average.

The used-car market is still weighing on lease-end income, although management avoided selling more vehicles into weaker pricing.

The final quarter will show whether better disposal volumes can lift lease-end income as management expects.

The post Why this ASX financial stock is moving higher today 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.

WAM Active Ltd (ASX: WAA) has had a stellar year and is rewarding its shareholders with a special dividend, pushing its total shareholder return for the year past 40%.

Fund outperforms its benchmarks by a healthy margin

The fund said in a statement to the ASX that its investment portfolio increased by a record 75.5% in the year to the end of June, outperforming the Bloomberg AusBond Bank Bill Index (Cash) and the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Accumulation Index by 71.6% and 69.8%, respectively.

Chairman Geoff Wilson said regarding the result:

FY2026 is the strongest year in WAM Active’s history since the Company was established in January 2008. This record result reflects the strength of WAM Active’s disciplined and flexible investment strategy, outstanding stock selection and active portfolio management. We remained focused on delivering strong long term returns and a growing stream of fully franked dividends for shareholders.

The WAM board has declared a fully-franked final dividend of 3.2 cents per share and a special dividend of 2 cents per share.

The fund added:

Including the special fully franked dividend of 1.0 cents per share announced in January 2026, shareholders will receive total fully franked dividends for FY2026 of 9.4 cents per share. The investment portfolio performance, together with the fully franked dividends paid during the year, delivered a record total shareholder return of 40.2% for the year to 30 June 2026.

WAM said the total dividends for FY26 represented a fully-franked dividend yield of 8.6% and a grossed-up dividend yield of 12.3%.

Fund leans into key themes

The fund’s lead portfolio manager, Oscar Oberg, said the fund’s outperformance was driven by exposure to four key themes: critical minerals, electrification and grid infrastructure, precious metals, and artificial intelligence (AI).

He added:

Equity markets over the 2026 financial year were characterised by elevated volatility, rapid shifts in macroeconomic expectations and pronounced rotation across sectors and themes. Changes to interest rate outlooks, geopolitical developments and the accelerating AI adoption contributed to periods where company fundamentals were often overshadowed by broader market positioning. These conditions created dislocations across parts of the market, particularly in smaller and less well-covered companies, providing opportunities for the investment team to identify mispriced securities using WAM Active’s market-driven approach.

Dividends are still on the table

The ex-dividend dates for the fund’s ordinary dividend and special dividend are 17 November and 4 December, respectively.

WAM shares are changing hands for $1.12, up 36.2% over a 12-month period.

The post This fund’s 75% return smashed its benchmark, and it’s celebrating with a special dividend 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.