Tag: Stock pick

  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

    A man looking at his laptop and thinking.

    On Tuesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was out of form and dropped into the red. The benchmark index fell 0.45% to 8,585.9 points.

    Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to rise

    The Australian share market looks set to rebound on Wednesday following a mixed night of trade on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 25 points or 0.3% higher this morning. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is down 0.3%, the S&P 500 is up 0.1%, and the Nasdaq is up 0.2%.

    Oil prices fall

    ASX 200 energy shares such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a poor session after oil prices dropped overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 1.2% to US$58.18 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 1% to US$61.88 a barrel. This was driven by Russia-Ukraine peace talk optimism.

    Buy Mesoblast shares

    Bell Potter thinks that Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB) shares are good value right now. This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating and $4.00 price target on them. This implies potential upside of over 40% from current levels. It said: “The majority of the value A$4/share valuation is attached to approvals in paediatrics and adult GvHD. As the market begins to appreciate the sustainability of revenues and long term EPS growth, we expect the valuation will increase as more aggressive relative valuation models are employed.”

    Gold price rises

    It could be a decent session for ASX 200 gold shares including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) on Wednesday after the gold price pushed higher overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 0.5% to US$4,238.5 an ounce. Traders were buying the precious metal ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision.

    Buy CAR Group shares

    Another ASX 200 share that Bell Potter is bullish on is CAR Group Limited (ASX: CAR). This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating and $42.20 price target the auto listings company’s shares. It said: “CAR’s global network of auto and non-auto classifieds platforms has scaled the ability to generate cash flows supporting growth investment and shareholder returns simultaneously. CAR continues to screens favourably on a risk-adjusted return basis when considering the stability of earnings growth against comparable ASX-listed classifieds platforms REA (Buy, TP:$244/sh) and SEK (Buy, TP:$31.45/sh); trading at a -24% discount presents a balanced opportunity to accumulate, in our view.”

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Beach Energy Limited shares, consider this:

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

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

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

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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

  • Own Qantas shares? Here are the dividend dates for 2026

    A woman ponders a question as she puts money into a piggy bank with a model plane and suitcase nearby.

    Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) shares have had a topsy-turvy year, as the following chart demonstrates.

    The ASX 200 airline share has lifted 7.15% in the year to date (YTD) compared to a 4.9% bump for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    Qantas may have outperformed the ASX 200, but it’s delivered lower capital growth than many other ASX 200 large-cap shares in 2025.

    There are 60 large-caps in total (market caps above $10 billion) trading today and 32 have delivered positive capital growth this year.

    Of those 32 ASX 200 large-caps, the best performer is ASX 200 gold stock Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) with 133.5% capital growth.

    The large-cap with the lowest capital growth is Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Ltd (ASX: SOL) shares with 1.8% growth.

    So, Qantas ranks towards the bottom of this list with 7.15%.

    What about dividends?

    Of course, dividends are an important part of total returns alongside capital growth.

    Qantas paid a full-year FY25 dividend of 52.8 cents per share (cps).

    Based on the current Qantas share price of $9.77, that’s a trailing dividend yield of 5.4%.

    The consensus estimate among analysts on CommSec is for Qantas to pay a full-year FY26 dividend of 42.9 cents per share.

    This equates to a forward dividend yield of 4.4%.

    That’s quite a drop, but still higher than the average dividend for ASX 200 shares these days.

    So, when will you find out for sure what Qantas shares will pay in dividends next year?

    Helpfully, Qantas has released its financial calendar for 2026.

    Get your diary out.

    Looking ahead to 2026

    Here are the dates for Qantas investors to note.

    Qantas will release its 1H FY26 results and announce its interim dividend on 26 February.

    The airline has not specified the ex-dividend dates for 2026, but they are usually one business day before the record dates.

    The record date for the interim dividend will be 11 March.

    Qantas will pay the dividend on 15 April.

    The ASX 200 airline will announce its FY26 full-year results and final dividend on 27 August.

    The record date for the final Qantas dividend will be 16 September.

    Qantas will pay the dividend on 14 October.

    The annual general meeting is scheduled for 6 November.

    Should you buy Qantas shares?

    UBS has a buy rating on Qantas shares with a 12-month price target of $11.50.

    Morgan Stanley reiterated its buy rating last month but lowered its price target from $13.40 to $12.60.

    Ord Minnett has a buy rating but also cut its price target last month from $13.80 to $13.

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

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

    Before you buy Qantas Airways Limited shares, consider this:

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

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

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

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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 Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • The CBA share price has fallen 19% since June, is it a buy?

    Woman with money on the table and looking upwards.

    The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price has declined 19% since 25 June 2025, as the chart below shows, which is a large decline for such a big business.

    After such a big drop, investors may be wondering if this is a good time to buy into the ASX bank share.

    CBA is commonly viewed as one of the highest-quality banks in the world, and comes with a price tag that reflects that (or even more).

    Let’s take a look at whether a leading fund manager thinks the bank is a buy or still overvalued.

    Earnings disappointed

    Fund manager L1 Capital recently pointed out that the CBA share price declined 11% during November as the FY26 first quarter‘s earnings disappointed on its profit margins and as elevated technology inflation led to increased costs.

    L1 pointed out that management noted caution regarding increasing competition, especially in deposits, which the market feared could indicate “further risk to margins going forward”.

    CBA reported that in the three months to September 2025, cash net profit was up 2% year-over-year. The bank said that its underlying net interest margin (NIM) was “slightly lower due to deposit switching, competition and the lower cash rate environment.”

    The Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn said:

    We recognise cost-of-living pressures remain a challenge for many. Despite escalating geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty, we are optimistic on the outlook for the country. We are closely watching the increased competitive intensity and implications across the financial system, and we will continue to adjust our settings as appropriate.

    The Australian economy remains resilient. Economic growth is recovering and disposable income is rising for many households. We remain focused on our strategy to build a brighter future for all.

    It’s telling that the bank is highlighting that competition is worth watching during this period.

    Is the CBA share price a buy?

    L1 said that while the CBA share price has dropped from more than $190 in June to close to $150 recently, it still trades on a valuation with a price/earnings (P/E) ratio of around 26x consensus estimates. In other words, that’s what a group of analysts think the business could deliver.

    According to the fund manager, this valuation is still “3 standard deviations above its 30-year average”. In other words, the P/E ratio is much higher than it has been over most of the last three decades.

    L1 also pointed out that the CBA share price traded at almost 3.5x tangible book value, which is higher than any developed market bank with a large market capitalisation has ever traded.

    The fund concluded:            

    We believe this valuation is hard to justify in the context of limited earnings growth over the next 2 years (~2% p.a. EPSCAGR). In addition, while many investors own Australia’s banks for their strong dividends, CBA is currently offering a yield of only 3.2%.

    The post The CBA share price has fallen 19% since June, is it a buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Commonwealth Bank of Australia right now?

    Before you buy Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares, consider this:

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

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

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

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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.

  • Investors should put these 2 top ASX tech shares on the watchlist

    person sitting at outdoor table looking at mobile phone and credit card.

    ASX tech shares can be some of the most exciting investments to own because of their ability to deliver a strong profit margin and rapid revenue growth.

    Businesses that deal in physical products and services can be limited by not having enough warehouses, stores, logistics or manufacturing capabilities. Software companies don’t necessarily face those sorts of physical growth limitations. Software is very replicable.

    Instead, software usually has low costs, enabling the business to have a strong gross profit margin. Gross profit can then be used for growth activities (such as marketing or software investment).

    There are plenty of compelling businesses to consider and I’m going to focus on two investments.

    Airtasker Ltd (ASX: ART)

    Airtasker describes itself as Australia’s leading online marketplace for local services, connecting people and businesses who need working doing with people who want to work.

    The company certainly ticks the box when it comes to a high gross profit, with the margin above 90%. This is extremely useful, in my view, due to how this can lead to good growth of earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA).

    The ASX tech share continues to grow in Australia at a good pace – in the first quarter of FY26, Airtasker marketplace revenue grew 20.5%.

    A key part of the company’s growth plans is expanding in the UK and the US, which are larger markets than Australia. While these two markets are much smaller than the Australian division at this stage, they are growing rapidly.

    In the first quarter of FY26, Airtasker UK revenue jumped 83.3% and Airtasker USA revenue soared 609.1%. Airtasker continues to put significant efforts and financial commitments into investing for growth in the UK and the USA. 

    Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR)

    Siteminder may be one of the most exciting ASX tech shares around, in my view.

    The company provides software for hotels around the world so they can generate as much revenue as possible by connecting with booking platforms, changing prices and hotel operations.

    There are tens of thousands of hotels around the world, so Siteminder has a large addressable market to aim at. Pleasingly, it continues to win more subscribers each year, with larger being a greater focus in recent times.

    Siteminder has a longer-term goal of growing its revenue annually by 30%, which is an excellent growth rate to help the business become much larger at a fast pace.

    Thanks to the software nature of what it provides subscribers, the business is seeing a rising gross profit margin, operating profit (EBITDA) margin, free cash flow margin and net profit margin.

    The company is focused on scaling its growth through the smart platform adoption, product expansion and global market penetration. The smart platform remains early in its adoption and monetisation curve, providing significant long-term potential across its global footprint.

    If the ASX tech share continues growing revenue rapidly, then it has a very strong future ahead.

    The post Investors should put these 2 top ASX tech shares on the watchlist appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy SiteMinder Limited shares, consider this:

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

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

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

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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

  • If I invest $5,000 in Wesfarmers shares, how much passive income will I receive in 2026?

    Male hands holding Australian dollar banknotes, symbolising dividends.

    I have viewed Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares as one of the best ASX dividend shares for a long time, both for the appealing passive income as well as the regular profit growth which helps fund larger payouts for investors.

    While a lion’s share of the profit is generated by Bunnings and Kmart, all of the business divisions are responsible for their part in helping the business fund its dividend. I’m referring to businesses like Officeworks, Wesfarmers chemicals, energy and fertilisers (WesCEF), and the healthcare segment.

    What makes Wesfarmers shares an attractive option for dividends?

    Wesfarmers has a number of goals including driving long-term earnings growth, managing working capital effectively, having strong capital expenditure processes, investing for a bigger return than its cost of capital, having financial discipline, maintaining balance sheet strength, improving its returns on invested capital, and growing its dividends over time.

    The company has a goal of delivering satisfactory returns to shareholders over time. Wesfarmers states:

    With a focus on generating strong cash flows and maintaining balance sheet strength, the group aims to deliver satisfactory returns to shareholders through improving returns on invested capital.

    As well as share price appreciation, Wesfarmers seeks to grow dividends over time commensurate with performance in earnings and cash flow. Dependent upon circumstances, capital management decisions may also be taken from time to time where this activity is in shareholders’ interests.

    How much passive income could a $5,000 investment generate in FY26?

    With those pleasing words about a focus on dividend growth in mind, Wesfarmers is projected to deliver a larger payout in the 2026 financial year compared to FY25.

    The forecast on CommSec suggests that the business could pay an annual dividend per share of $2.10 in FY26. At the time of writing, that translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 3.7%, including franking credits.

    If someone were to own $5,000 of Wesfarmers shares, that would translate into grossed-up passive income of around $185, including the bonus of the franking credits.

    Different analysts have different projections for the business.

    The forecast on CMC Markets suggests the business could deliver an FY26 annual dividend per share of $2.17, which would translate into a grossed-up dividend yield of 3.8%, including franking credits. That would turn into approximately $190 of grossed-up income for FY26.

    Obviously, income investors would like to see as big a dividend yield as possible, but the business should also retain some profits to reinvest into opportunities to deliver further profit and dividend growth in the coming years.

    I think Kmart (and Anko) is the most likely division to deliver strong profit growth from here for Wesfarmers because of the potential for more Anko products to be sold overseas (in North America and Asia). I’d be very happy to own Wesfarmers shares for the long term.

    The post If I invest $5,000 in Wesfarmers shares, how much passive income will I receive in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Wesfarmers Limited shares, consider this:

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

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

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

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • NextDC shares drop 23% from their peak: Buying opportunity or sign to sell-up?

    A woman scratches her head in dismay as she looks at chaotic scene at a data centre

    Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares traded in the red again on Tuesday afternoon. At the time of writing, the Australian data centre operator’s shares are down 2.93% to $13.74 a piece.

    It’s been a volatile year for the high-growth company. The tech stock soared nearly 80% from a multi-year low in April to an annual high of $17.99 in mid-September. The soaring share price came in leaps following solid financial results in April and August. The company also experienced a flurry in contract wins and elevated demand for data-centre capacity.

    But since that September peak, tech stocks have come off the boil and face continual headwinds. And the turn in sentiment has forced the Nextdc share price down 23.6% to the time of writing.

    For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) is down 22.7% over the same period. ASX tech stock losses have come amid building concern about the durability of the surge in AI shares. Meanwhile, following some underwhelming updates from some of the ASX tech majors, analysts are worried that valuations are overstretched. The concern is leading investors to re-evaluation their appetite for exposure in the sector.

    What does this mean about the future for NextDC shares?

    The good news is, that as a company with a network-rich connectivity ecosystem, NextDC is well-positioned to experience strong growth prospects going forward. 

    And it has significant growth plans in the pipeline too. The company is bringing major new facilities coming online across key markets. Each one of these typically ramps up utilisation over several years, which helps to drive a recurring revenue higher without steep costs.

    I think the latest tech sector sell-off has been overdone, but it also presents a great buying opportunity to buy high-quality stocks like NextDC at a great price.

    Is there upside ahead?

    There is a consensus among analysts that NextDC shares are a great buy right now. 

    TradingView data shows that all 14 analysts have a buy or strong buy rating on the shares with a maximum target price of $28.89. That’s a potential upside of a huge 110.34% at the time of writing.

    Analysts at Ord Minnett recently revealed that they’ve retained their buy rating on NextDC shares, and raised its target price to $20.59. In a note to investors, the broker said it is pleased to see that NextDC has signed a memorandum of understanding with ChatGPT’s owner OpenAI for its proposed S7 data centre in Eastern Creek, Sydney. This centre will be a hyperscale AI campus and the largest in the southern hemisphere with 650MW capacity.

    Morgans is also bullish on the company and upgraded its shares to a buy rating with a $19.00 price target earlier this month. The broker said it sees significant upside potential for investors between now and this time next year.

    The team at Macquarie are also big fans of the ASX 200 tech stock. They hold an outperform rating and $20.90 price target on its shares. 

    The post NextDC shares drop 23% from their peak: Buying opportunity or sign to sell-up? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy NEXTDC Limited shares, consider this:

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

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

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

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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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.

  • The smartest ASX ETFs for investors in their 20s and 30s

    Five happy friends on their phones.

    Being in your 20s or 30s gives you something invaluable in investing: time.

    And when it comes to building wealth, time is the ultimate superpower. It allows small, regular investments to snowball into life-changing sums thanks to decades of compounding.

    That’s why younger investors don’t need to obsess over market timing or chase the latest hot stock.

    A smarter approach is to build a long-term portfolio that captures global growth, leans into powerful megatrends, and compounds quietly in the background.

    For Australians starting their wealth-building journey, the three ASX exchange traded funds (ETFs) named below could be worthy of consideration. Here’s what they offer investors:

    Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

    If you want long-term compounding, it is hard to go past the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF. This fund gives you exposure to the 100 largest non-financial stocks that are listed on the Nasdaq index.

    Many of these are shaping the future of technology, AI, cloud computing, and digital commerce. This includes giants such as Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG), and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA). These are businesses with enormous global moats, strong cash generation, and long histories of outperformance.

    The Nasdaq has beaten most global markets over the past two decades, and while there will always be volatility, young investors can ride out the bumps and let time work its magic.

    Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

    While the US dominates global tech today, Asia is expected to be a major growth engine in the decades ahead. The Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF provides investors with exposure to some of the region’s most dynamic technology companies or tigers. This includes WeChat owner Tencent Holdings (SEHK: 700), Temu owner PDD Holdings (NASDAQ: PDD), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE: TSM), and search giant Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU).

    These companies operate in fast-expanding industries such as gaming, e-commerce, semiconductors, cloud services, and artificial intelligence. With Asia’s middle class booming and digital adoption rising rapidly, the long-term growth outlook is enormous.

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

    A third ASX ETF to look at is the BetaShares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF. The Australian tech sector may be small compared to the US, but it contains several stocks that have grown into global leaders.

    This fund provides exposure to a basket of local innovators, including WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO), and Carsales.com Ltd (ASX: CAR). These businesses benefit from recurring revenue, strong customer retention, and global expansion opportunities.

    It was recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

    The post The smartest ASX ETFs for investors in their 20s and 30s appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Betashares Capital Ltd – Asia Technology Tigers Etf right now?

    Before you buy Betashares Capital Ltd – Asia Technology Tigers Etf shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Betashares Capital Ltd – Asia Technology Tigers Etf wasn’t one of them.

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

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

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Betashares Capital – Asia Technology Tigers Etf, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Apple, Baidu, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Tencent, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Apple, CAR Group Ltd, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

    Winning woman smiles and holds big cup while losing woman looks unhappy with small cup

    It was a tough Tuesday for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares today. After a bouncy day, the ASX 200 ended up closing 0.45% lower, probably unassisted by the Reserve Bank of Australia’s December rate call this afternoon. That drop leaves the index back under 8,600 points at 8,585.9.

    This turbulent Tuesday for Australian investors follows an equally sour morning up on Wall Street that kickstarted the American trading week.

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) dropped by a notable 0.45%.

    The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) did a little better, but still fell 0.14%.

    But time to get back to ASX shares now with a look at how the various ASX sectors traversed this Tuesday’s ticky trading conditions.

    Winners and losers

    It was a complete redwash on the ASX boards today, with not one sector escaping with a rise.

    Leading these losses were again gold shares. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) suffered another bruising session, tumbling 1.51%.

    Tech stocks felt the pain too, with the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) plunging 1.3% lower.

    There was nothing healthy about healthcare shares today. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) cratered by 0.99%.

    Energy stocks weren’t spared either, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ)’s 0.93% dive.

    Communications shares had a rough time of it. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) tanked by 0.77% by the closing bell.

    Utilities stocks weren’t much better, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) dipping 0.72%.

    Mining shares also got no love. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) took a 0.64% hit this Tuesday.

    Industrial stocks came next, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ)’s 0.51% slump.

    Following industrials, we had consumer discretionary shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) sank 0.37% lower today.

    Real estate investment trusts (REITs) were close behind that, with the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) getting a 0.29% downgrade.

    Consumer staples stocks were no safe haven. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) lost 0.21% of its value this session.

    Finally, financial shares fared relatively well, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)’s 0.07% slip.

    Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

    Shipbuilder Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB) was our top stock this Tuesday, albeit without much competition.

    Austal shares lifted 3.74% this session to close at $6.65 each. This gain came despite no obvious cause from Austal itself.

    Here’s how the other winners pulled up at the curb:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB) $6.65 3.74%
    Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB) $2.82 3.30%
    Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL) $1.75 3.25%
    DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) $1.95 2.91%
    Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL) $4.65 2.65%
    HMC Capital Ltd (ASX: HMC) $3.58 2.58%
    Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) $2.85 2.15%
    HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN) $1.39 1.84%
    Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) $22.45 1.68%
    Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU) $20.08 1.67%

    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.

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

    Before you buy Austal Limited shares, consider this:

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

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

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

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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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 positions in and has recommended DroneShield and HMC Capital. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended HMC Capital and HomeCo Daily Needs REIT. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • If you’d invested $1,000 in Nvidia 5 years ago, here’s how much you’d have today

    Woman with an amazed expression has her hands and arms out with a laptop in front of her.

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    Key Points

    • Nvidia’s stock is up by over 1,200% in the past five years.

    • Its revenue has increased by over 1,000% in the past five years.

    • The artificial intelligence infrastructure buildout should keep boosting Nvidia’s growth.

    If you invest long enough, you’ll eventually run into an “I wish I had invested in that earlier” situation. They are par for the course. For me, one such missed opportunity is Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), a stock I noticed but glossed over years ago.

    From where it traded five years ago, Nvidia’s stock is up by around 1,240%, meaning a $1,000 investment then would be worth around $13,400 today. 

    NVDA data by YCharts.

    An AI must-have

    There’s no doubt that Nvidia’s role in the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem — as the main supplier of high-end graphics processing units (GPUs) and other key data center hardware and software — has played a huge role in its recent success. In the past five years, its revenue has increased by more than 1,000% (to $57 billion in its last fiscal quarter), and it’s now the world’s most valuable public company.

    As the use of AI continues to grow and companies continue to invest in AI infrastructure, Nvidia will undoubtedly be one of the biggest beneficiaries. It won’t always have the level of dominance in the AI accelerator market that it does now, but it has solidified itself as a cornerstone of the industry.

    I wouldn’t expect it to repeat its stock performance of the last five years over the next five, but the signs still point to it being a good long-term play. 

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    The post If you’d invested $1,000 in Nvidia 5 years ago, here’s how much you’d have today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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

    Before you buy Nvidia shares, consider this:

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

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

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

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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    Stefon Walters 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 Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 2 Australian dividend giants that belong in any portfolio

    A person holds their hands over three piggy banks, protecting and shielding their money and investments.

    Picking the right ASX shares to fit a portfolio can be a tricky business. I tend to think that the best stocks are the businesses that we can foresee being around in a hundred years’ time, and that have some kind of moat. This should ensure that investors continue to enjoy a decent return on their capital and grow wealth at a healthy clip. Today, let’s talk about two Australian dividend giants that I think fit this bill nicely.

    2 Australian dividend giants that any ASX investor can buy

    Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

    First up is Telstra, the telco we all know and may or may not love. Telstra has been the dominant telecommunications provider in Australia for as long as anyone can remember. Over the years, this dominance has shifted from telephony services to providing mobile and fixed-line internet, with Telstra almost universally acknowledged as possessing the best mobile network in the country. Given the importance of these connections to modern life, both in the personal and professional sense, Telstra’s dominance looks assured for the foreseeable future.

    This essential nature offers investors inherent defensiveness as well. Demand for internet and mobile services tends to be resistant to the booms and busts of the economic cycle, as well as inflation. That protects Telstra’s earnings base, and thus, the company’s dividends.

    Telstra has always been a dividend giant of the ASX, having funded fat payouts for decades. The telco has increased this dividend annually for the past four years, too. It doled out a total of 16 cents per share in 2021, but managed to pay a total of 19 cents per share in 2025. Today, Telstra offers a dividend yield of above 3.8%, which usually comes with full franking credits attached.

    Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

    Coles has only been on the ASX in its own right for a few years, having been spun out of Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) back in 2018. Since then, however, Coles has built out an impressive dividend track record. It has increased its annual payouts every single year since its ASX listing.

    2020 saw this dividend giant pay a total of 57.5 cents per share. That annual total rose to 69 cents per share this year.

    Like Telstra, Coles offers investors defensiveness in spades. After all, this is a consumer staples company that sells food and household essentials. Those are goods that we all need to buy consistently, regardless of what the economy or inflation is doing. Coles also owns the Liquorland bottle shop chain, which supplements that defensiveness.

    Today, Coles shares are trading on a fully franked dividend yield of just under 3.2%.

    The post 2 Australian dividend giants that belong in any portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Coles Group Limited shares, consider this:

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

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

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

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    More reading

    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 Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.