Tag: Stock pick

Long-term investing does not have to be complicated, especially when it comes to self-managed super funds (SMSFs).

Instead of trying to predict which individual company will outperform next year, many investors prefer to back broad themes and structural trends through exchange traded funds (ETFs). With the right mix, you can build an SMSF portfolio that evolves with the market.

Here are three different ASX ETFs to consider buying and holding for the long haul.

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (ASX: VTS)

The first ASX ETF to consider is the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF.

Unlike funds that track just the largest stocks, this one provides exposure to the entire US share market. This includes mega-cap giants down to smaller growth businesses. That means investors are not just backing today’s leaders, but also tomorrow’s potential disruptors.

Over time, some of the strongest returns in the US market have come from stocks that started small and grew into household names. The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF captures that full lifecycle.

For long-term investors who believe in the depth and dynamism of the US economy, this broad exposure can be a powerful core holding.

Betashares Global Cash Flow Kings ETF (ASX: CFLO)

Another ASX ETF that could be worth holding for years is the Betashares Global Cash Flow Kings ETF.

This fund focuses on stocks that are generating strong free cash flow. In simple terms, it tilts toward businesses that convert revenue into real, usable money after expenses and investment.

Cash flow matters. It supports dividends, share buybacks, debt reduction, and reinvestment into growth. Companies with strong cash generation often prove more resilient during economic slowdowns.

Rather than chasing hype, the Betashares Global Cash Flow Kings ETF leans into financial strength. That can make it a steady long-term complement to broader market exposure. It was recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

VanEck China New Economy ETF (ASX: CNEW)

For investors willing to look beyond developed markets, the VanEck China New Economy ETF adds a different dimension.

It focuses on China’s new economy sectors. These are areas such as technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and consumer upgrades. Instead of traditional state-owned enterprises, the ETF tilts toward businesses aligned with structural growth and rising domestic demand.

China remains one of the world’s largest economies, and its consumption patterns are evolving rapidly. While volatility can be higher, long-term structural exposure can enhance portfolio diversification. It was also recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

The post 3 top ASX ETFs to buy and hold in an SMSF appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 ASX ETFs for new investors to buy and hold
• 3 exciting ASX ETFs to buy with $3,000 this month
• Why these ASX ETFs could be perfect for buy and hold investors
• 3 ASX ETFs to buy and hold for 25 years
• 3 super ASX ETFs to add to your SMSF

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

Warren Buffett has shared countless investing insights over the decades.

But one simple rule stands above the rest: buy wonderful ASX shares at fair prices.

It sounds straightforward. Yet most investors do the opposite. They chase cheap ASX shares, trade frequently, or panic during market pullbacks. Buffett’s edge hasn’t come from complexity. It has come from discipline.

Here’s how that rule could transform an ASX share portfolio.

Focus on wonderful ASX shares, not cheap

Warren Buffett doesn’t look for the lowest price-to-earnings ratio in the market. He looks for sustainable competitive advantages.

On the ASX, that might include companies like ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD), which operates in sleep disorder treatment with high barriers to entry. Or REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), which dominates online property listings with powerful network effects.

These shares are rarely the cheapest on traditional valuation metrics. But their competitive positions allow them to grow earnings consistently over long periods.

Buffett would argue that paying a fair price for quality beats buying average businesses at bargain prices.

Think in decades, not quarters

Another part of Warren Buffett’s rule is time horizon.

If you buy a wonderful business, the intention should be to hold it. That long-term mindset changes behaviour. You become less concerned about short-term volatility and more focused on whether the company is strengthening its competitive position.

Take ResMed. Demand for sleep and respiratory care is supported by demographic trends that will likely persist for decades. Over a long horizon, those drivers matter far more than short-term share price swings.

Let compounding work quietly

The real power of Buffett’s rule lies in compounding.

When a business consistently reinvests profits at high returns on capital, earnings grow. When earnings grow, the share price tends to follow over time.

That’s how Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) became one of the world’s most successful investment vehicles. Not through constant trading, but through owning great businesses and letting time amplify returns.

An ASX share portfolio built around high-quality compounders can operate the same way.

The transformation

Applying Buffett’s rule doesn’t require outlandish strategies.

It just means being selective. It means resisting the urge to constantly rotate. And it means prioritising business quality over short-term price movements.

Over time, that shift in mindset, from trading to owning, can be the difference between average returns and truly transformative wealth creation.

The post The Warren Buffett rule that could transform your ASX share portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Where to invest $10,000 in ASX 200 shares next week
• How to build an ASX share portfolio you can stick with long term
• Why these buy-rated ASX shares stand out to me
• What happens if you invest $10,000 in ASX shares and leave it alone for 20 years?
• Why this top fundie is doubling down on ASX 200 tech stocks like TechnologyOne and Xero shares

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

Owners of Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares can be happy with the FY26 first-half result considering the ASX telco share delivered investors a pleasing amount of profit and dividend growth.

For the six months to 31 December 2025, Telstra reported that total income grew 0.2% to $11.8 billion, operating profit (EBIT) climbed 9.2% to $2 billion and earnings per share (EPS) grew 11.2% to 9.9 cents.

The cash measure of profitability saw even stronger growth, with cash EBIT rising 14% to $2.5 billion and cash EPS climbing 19.7% to 14 cents.

The dividend payment was increased by 10.5% to 10.5 cents per share, though it wasn’t fully franked. Let’s take a look at where analysts think the payout could go from here.

FY26

After seeing the numbers, UBS said that the result continued to demonstrate the strength of its mobile division, which delivered 4% revenue and EBITDA growth. Cost control was another highlight for the business.

UBS said it remains “constructive on the growth outlook” for Telstra and is forecasting that cash EBIT can grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% over the next four years, driven by capturing CPI inflation-linked mobile price rises and continued cost control through AI productivity savings. The broker expects this to support dividend growth in the years ahead.

The broker is expecting Telstra to deliver average revenue per user (ARPU) growth in FY26 and FY27, alongside “solid” subscriber net additions across postpaid, prepaid and wholesale users. This gave UBS “comfort on the sustainability of continued price rises across the various customer segments over the medium term.”

UBS also thinks Telstra’s profit margins can rise for the foreseeable future, with cost growth limited to a CAGR of 1.5% over the next four years. There are three reasons for that. First, up to 650 redundancies (1.5% of Telstra’s workforce) were indicated by Telstra. Second, the benefits of the consolidation of software and IT providers. Third, a joint venture with Accenture to help with costs and deliver faster product-to-market times.

The broker predicts Telstra’s EBITDA margin could expand by an average of 60 basis points between FY26 and FY30 with ongoing efficiencies as AI adoption increases.

UBS forecasts that the Telstra annual dividend per share could rise to 21 cents in FY26. That’d be a cash dividend yield of 4.1%, excluding any potential franking credits.

FY27

The payout is projected to increase in the 2027 financial year for owners of Telstra shares.

UBS suggests the ASX telco share could declare an annual dividend per share of 22 cents in the 2027 financial year.

FY28

The 2028 financial year could see yet another increased payout for investors.

UBS forecasts the business could decide on an annual dividend per share of 23 cents.

FY29

The 2029 financial year could see a big increase of the annual payout to 26 cents per share, according to the UBS forecast.

FY30

The 2030 financial year could see the biggest payout since FY17. UBS forecasts the business could pay an annual dividend per share of 29 cents. That’s a potential cash yield of 5.7%, excluding franking credits. It would also represent an increase of 38% between FY26 and FY30.

The post Here’s the dividend forecast out to 2030 for Telstra shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Goodman, Hub24, and Telstra shares
• 2 more ASX 200 blue chip stocks that increased dividends this week
• How to build an ASX share portfolio you can stick with long term
• These 2 ASX 200 blue-chip shares just raised their dividends
• Why isn’t the new Telstra dividend fully franked?

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

Investments rarely fall by as much as the Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share price did last week in a single day. After the buy now, pay later business reported its result, it dropped 34%!

The numbers weren’t quite as strong as some investors may have hoped, but broker UBS saw plenty of positives, and believes the ASX share could be a big opportunity at this price.

Let’s see why UBS thinks the Zip share price reaction “presents [an] attractive entry point as growth remains intact”.

Attractive time to buy

UBS acknowledged that the FY26 first-half result was a “slight miss” compared to analyst expectations, but the 34% decline seemed like “an overreaction” because US growth remains strong.

The market has seemingly focused on an increase in the net bad debts, but UBS suggested this was “not unexpected” because Zip is now focusing on customer growth in the region and it’s still within the comfort range of between 1.5% to 2%.

UBS said that it remains comfortable on the growth outlook for the company in the US as structural tailwinds continue and it sees “benefits longer term to net bad debts as Zip’s pay-in-8 volumes continue to season”.

Even so, after seeing the report, UBS decided to somewhat lower its projections between FY26 to FY28 due to lower customer additions in the US (to an average of 0.4 million per year from 0.45 million), an increase in net bad debts from 1.67% to 1.8%, and foreign currency headwinds from a stronger Australian dollar.

However, those negatives are somewhat offset, in UBS’ eyes, by stronger expected US total transaction value (TTV)/customer growth in the second half, improvements in interest cost tailwinds and general operating expenditure efficiencies.

It’s expecting Zip’s US TTV to grow by 38% in the second half of FY26, then grow 30% in FY27 and 22% in FY28. It thinks BNPL can gain more market share and focus on predominantly non-discretionary sectors that are more resilient through the economic cycle.

What is the Zip share price valuation?

UBS thinks the company could deliver an EPS compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% for over the next three years. The broker thinks that’s attractive compared to other BNPL and banking peers considering the Zip share price is trading at around 15x FY27’s estimated earnings.

The broker has a price target of $4.50 on the buy now, pay later company. That suggests a possible one-year rise of around 140% from where it is at the time of writing.

The post This expert thinks the Zip share price is a buy and could rise 140%! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Down 45% in 2026, could you double your money buying the dip in Zip shares now?
• Why PWR, QBE, Telix, and Zip shares are storming higher today
• Why are Zip shares rebounding 5% today?
• Recap: Winners and losers from earnings season week 3
• Buy, hold, or sell? Goodman Group, Wesfarmers, Zip shares

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.

If you’ve got $10,000 ready to put to work next week, focusing on established ASX 200 shares with clear long-term drivers could be a smart move.

But which shares could be worth considering? Let’s take a look at three ASX 200 shares that brokers currently rate as buys. They are as follows:

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL)

The first ASX 200 share to consider is Aristocrat Leisure. It is no longer just a poker machine manufacturer. In recent years, it has evolved into a diversified gaming technology company with exposure to land-based machines, online real-money gaming, and mobile social casino titles.

That mix gives it multiple revenue streams. Its content pipeline, research and development investment, and intellectual property are central to its success, with new game releases driving recurring performance across venues and digital platforms.

Gaming demand can fluctuate, but strong franchises and global scale give Aristocrat resilience. Over time, its combination of hardware, digital content, and expanding international footprint could support steady growth.

Bell Potter is a big fan and currently has a buy rating and $70.00 price target on its shares.

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

Another ASX 200 share worth considering according to analysts is NextDC.

It operates critical data centre infrastructure that supports cloud providers, enterprises, and government agencies. As digital workloads expand and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption accelerates, the need for secure, high-performance data centres continues to rise.

The company has a growing development pipeline and long-term customer contracts that provide visibility into future revenue. While its share price can be volatile in periods of tech weakness, the underlying demand drivers remain structural rather than cyclical.

For investors seeking exposure to digital infrastructure rather than pure software, NextDC offers a different angle on the technology theme.

Morgans is bullish on this one and has a buy rating and $19.00 price target on its shares.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

A final ASX 200 share to consider next week is REA Group.

REA operates Australia’s leading online property marketplace. Its dominant position gives it pricing power and strong network effects, as agents and buyers naturally gravitate toward the platform with the most listings and audience engagement.

Property cycles may ebb and flow, but digital advertising in real estate is now deeply embedded. Over the long term, population growth and housing turnover support ongoing activity.

REA’s ability to monetise listings, premium placement, and data services makes it more than just a classifieds site. It is a platform business with strong competitive barriers.

Bell Potter is positive on the company and has a buy rating and $211.00 price target on its shares.

The post Where to invest $10,000 in ASX 200 shares next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX 200 tech shares lead market sectors with a 7% bounce back
• These ASX 200 shares could rise 20% to 40%
• 3 out of favour ASX 200 shares that could be worth a look today
• Why these buy-rated ASX shares stand out to me
• What happens if you invest $10,000 in ASX shares and leave it alone for 20 years?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Nextdc and REA Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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.

Owning Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares has come with a lot of earnings growth over the last five years. Analysts reckon there’s plenty more to come over the next five years.

The parent business of Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks, WesCEF (chemicals, energy and fertilisers) and many more has given investors plenty to smile about.

The latest result was pleasing, with high single-digit net profit growth, even if the market wasn’t satisfied (it fell more than 5% on the day of the report). Let’s see what analysts from UBS thought of the result and how bullish they are regarding earnings growth.

FY26

After looking at the financials, UBS said that Wesfarmers’ earnings before tax (EBT) and net profit after tax (NPAT) both beat analyst expectations because of a stronger performance by WesCEF thanks to ammonium nitrate, fertiliser and lithium (both the Mt Holland performance and a higher lithium price).

UBS noted that Bunnings achieved revenue growth in both consumer and commercial, with the consumer segment being stronger. The commercial segment continues to endure a “challenged backdrop”.

The broker thinks that Bunnings continues to have strong revenue growth options based on its categories (with market share gains in existing ones and entry into new ones), channel (with digital growth, boosted by the new marketplace) and type of customer (namely commercial ones) – these growth channels are capital-light options.

UBS also believes that Kmart can grow its market share by capturing more dollars from existing customers, including by developing new products to expand its reach into new categories.

Officeworks is looking to reset its cost base, implement new software systems and more. But, UBS thinks there is potential execution risk by changing the product range, store format, selling team, skills and incentives and brand marketing.  

Taking all of that into account, UBS forecasts that Wesfarmers could achieve $2.86 billion of net profit in FY26.

FY27

Earnings are expected to continue rising in the 2027 financial year and beyond, according to UBS.

The broker suggests that the business could generate $3.07 billion of net profit in FY27.

FY28

Net profit could get even better for owners of Wesfarmers shares in 2028, with a forecast rise to $3.41 billion, according to UBS.

FY29

Wesfarmers’ net profit is expected to rise again by another $400 million in the 2029 financial year, which is a solid level of growth.

The broker suggests the retail giant could make net profit of $3.8 billion in FY29.

FY30

The best year of this series of projections is expected to be the 2030 financial year.

Wesfarmers is forecast to make $4 billion of net profit, which would mean its earnings could jump 40% between FY26 to FY30. That’d be a useful tailwind for rising earnings.

In terms of whether the Wesfarmers share price is a good buy today, UBS has neutral rating on the business, with a price target of $90. The broker wrote:

We see a balanced risk reward as WES’ resilient earnings and strong EBT & ROC growth outlook for Bunnings & Kmart are reflected in its elevated multiple; Retain Neutral.

The post Here’s the earnings forecast out to 2030 for Wesfarmers shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 more ASX 200 blue chip stocks that increased dividends this week
• 5 low-cost ASX ETFs for a global diversified portfolio
• Buy, hold, sell: Lovisa, Wesfarmers, and Rio Tinto shares
• How to build an ASX share portfolio you can stick with long term
• These 2 ASX 200 blue-chip shares just raised their dividends

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.

When I think about buying shares to hold for a decade, I want businesses that are scaling and building competitive advantages that strengthen over time.

Right now, three ASX 200 names stand out to me for exactly those reasons.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

Megaport has just delivered one of its strongest half-year performances on record.

Group annual recurring revenue surged 49% year-on-year to $338 million, supported by both organic growth and acquisitions. Even stripping out acquisitions, Megaport Network annual recurring revenue (ARR) grew 19% in constant currency and net revenue retention lifted to 111%. That tells me customers are not just sticking around, they are spending more.

Customer lifetime has extended from 10 to 13 years, and lifetime value jumped 57% in constant currency to $2.5 billion. Those are powerful unit economics.

What excites me most is the Latitude.sh acquisition, which added US$45 million of ARR and expands Megaport into compute and GPU-as-a-service. Management describes this as the convergence of network and compute, positioning the platform for cloud, AI, and data centre growth.

I believe this combination of strong recurring revenue, improving retention, and expansion into AI infrastructure gives Megaport genuine 10-year potential.

Life360 Inc. (ASX: 360)

Life360 continues to prove that its growth story is far from over. In the fourth quarter of 2025, monthly active users (MAU) reached 95.8 million, with full-year net additions of 16.2 million, representing 20% year-on-year growth. Paying Circles climbed to 2.8 million, with 576,000 net additions for the year, the highest annual increase on record.

Revenue for FY25 is expected to land between US$486 million and US$489 million, up roughly 31% to 32%, with adjusted EBITDA of US$87 million to US$92 million. Importantly, management expects MAU growth of approximately 20% again in 2026.

What I like here is the combination of scale and monetisation. The user base is enormous, conversion rates are improving, and margins are expanding. Life360 is becoming a global safety platform with strong brand recognition and network effects.

Over a 10-year horizon, I see significant room for further penetration, higher subscription uptake, and new product layers across safety, insurance, and hardware.

HUB24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

I think HUB24 is one of the most consistent growth stories on the ASX, and its latest half-year result only strengthens my conviction.

Underlying EBITDA rose 35% to $104.9 million, while underlying NPAT jumped 60% to $68.3 million. Platform net inflows hit a record $10.7 billion for the half, and total funds under administration reached $152.3 billion.

The company was ranked first for quarterly and annual net inflows and upgraded its FY27 platform FUA target to $160 billion to $170 billion. That kind of upgrade signals confidence in its pipeline and competitive positioning.

I believe HUB24 benefits from a powerful structural tailwind: the ongoing shift to independent financial advice and modern platform technology. Its scale advantages, margin expansion, and adviser adoption trends suggest this is still a business in growth mode, not maturity.

For a 10-year hold, I want a company taking share in a large market with strong recurring revenue. HUB24 ticks those boxes for me.

Foolish takeaway

If I am building a portfolio to hold for the next decade, I want exposure to businesses that are expanding rapidly and compounding their advantages.

Megaport is building the backbone for network and AI infrastructure. Life360 is scaling a global safety ecosystem. HUB24 is consolidating leadership in wealth platforms.

All three are growing strongly today, and I believe they have the runway to grow much larger over the next 10 years.

The post 3 rapidly growing ASX 200 shares I would buy and hold for 10 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Goodman, Hub24, and Telstra shares
• ASX 200 tech shares lead market sectors with a 7% bounce back
• How to build an ASX share portfolio you can stick with long term
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• 3 ASX 200 shares storming 22% to 29% higher this week

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Hub24. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Hub24, Life360, and Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Hub24. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Morgans has been busy looking over recent result releases.

Three popular ASX 200 shares that the broker has given its verdict on are listed below. Here’s what it is saying about them:

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

Morgans notes that this industrial property giant’s shares have pulled back following the release of its half-year results. This appears to have been driven by disappointment over the lack of an earnings guidance upgrade with its results and concerns that one may not be coming at all this year.

Nevertheless, the broker sees value in Goodman’s shares at current levels and has put an accumulate rating and $36.05 price target on them. It said:

GMG is leaning hard into data centre (DC) development across scarce, power-enabled metro locations, backed by long-dated capital partners and a conservative balance sheet. FY26 guidance is unchanged, with near-term results reflecting longer development timeframes and a larger share of balance-sheet originated developments. Execution now hinges on converting customer negotiations into commitments across key DC campuses while holding returns.

Whilst the company has flagged the longer development timeframe for DCs, recent share price weakness points to impatience as the market discounts the uncertainty around hyperscale demand, investor appetite and potentially the lower likelihood of an FY26 EPS upgrade. Combining improving margins against a higher cost of capital and increased balance sheet investment, our valuation remains broadly unchanged at $36.05/sh and sees us reiterate our Accumulate recommendation.

Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

This investment platform provider impressed Morgans with its half-year results. It notes that Hub24 delivered a result comfortably ahead of expectations thanks to stronger than forecast platform revenue growth.

In response, the broker has upgraded Hub24 shares to an accumulate rating with an improved price target of $112.40. It said:

HUB’ 1H26 result was ahead of expectations, following a record half of flows/FUA. Group underlying EBITDA of $104.9m, up +35 on pcp (+9% vs MorgF $96.4m). Underlying NPAT was $68.3m up +60% on pcp (+14% vs MorgF $59.8). This was driven by stronger than expected Platform revenue growth (+29.5% YoY), which saw Platform EBITDA Margins +163bps vs. 2H26 to 46.7%.

FY27 FUA targets were upgraded by ~6.5% at the mid-point to A$160bn-$170bn, more closely aligning HUB’s outlook with Consensus expectations for ~$169bn, reaffirming flows expectations of ~$18-20bn through to FY27. This update sees our EPS forecasts lift by: +6%/ +3%/+3% in FY26-28F, which sees us lift our price target to $112.40/sh and move to an ACCUMULATE rating.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Lastly, Telstra was another ASX 200 share that outperformed expectations during the first half. However, Morgans concedes that its guidance is largely unchanged for the full year.

Following the release, Morgans has retained its hold rating with an improved price target of $5.20. It explains:

TLS’s 1H26 result was slightly better than expected albeit with full year guidance broadly reiterated. Highlights of the result were strong performance for the all-important mobile business, strong cashflow and a slightly higher than expected interim dividend. The interim dividend is partially franked (90.5%) and above consensus expectations. Our TP lifts to $5.20 and we retain our Hold recommendation.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Goodman, Hub24, and Telstra shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 more ASX 200 blue chip stocks that increased dividends this week
• How to build an ASX share portfolio you can stick with long term
• These 2 ASX 200 blue-chip shares just raised their dividends
• Why isn’t the new Telstra dividend fully franked?
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

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

ASX 200 tech shares enjoyed a moment in the sun last week, outperforming the other market sectors with a 6.55% uplift.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rose 1.84% to finish at 9,081.4 points on Friday.

As earnings season continued, strong results and higher oil prices pushed the ASX 200 to a new record of 9,118.3 points on Thursday.

That beat the previous record of 9,115.2 points set on 21 October.

Eight of the 11 market sectors finished the week in the green.

Let’s recap.

ASX tech shares led the market last week

Last week was a welcome bright spot for ASX 200 tech shares, which are in the midst of a prolonged rout.

And boy, is it ugly.

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) has fallen by more than 40% over the past six months.

We took a deep dive into the issues plaguing the sector last week.

In a nutshell, there’s fear in the market over artificial intelligence (AI).

Investors are worried about high tech stock valuations, extraordinary AI capex, and whether AI could white-ant SaaS companies.

Perhaps a rebound is now underway, given last week’s 6.55% increase for the tech sector.

Let’s take a look at what happened in the sector last week.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares lifted 10.51% to finish at $47.10 ahead of the company’s earnings release on Wednesday.

The Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price rose 5.51% to $77.54.

NextDC Limited (ASX: NXT) shares slipped 0.71% to $13.92.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares soared 22.71% to $24.74, with investors reassured by upgraded FY26 guidance at last week’s AGM.

Shares in electronics solutions provider Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) lifted 1.37% to $34.69.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) shares increased 8.27% to $23.84.

The Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) share price tumbled 9.98% after the company reported an underlying net loss of $3.3 million for 1H FY26.

The Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) share price rose 7.32% to $10.41 ahead of its earning report on Thursday.

Macquarie Technology Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ) shares rose 5.4% to $67.19.

The Data#3 Ltd (ASX: DTL) share price lifted 4.24% to $9.10 ahead of the IT solutions provider’s earnings release on Monday.

Objective Corporation Ltd (ASX: OCL) shares increased 6.4% to $14.

The Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE) share price edged 0.43% higher to $7.05 ahead of the financial technology company’s report on Wednesday.

The Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT) share price rose 5.72% to $3.51.

Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN) soared 16.29% to $5.14 after the company reported a 389.1% lift in net profit for 1H FY26.

Hansen is one of a large group of ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend next week. The tech stock will pay a dividend of 5 cents per share.

Shares in hotel bookings management platform provider, Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR) rose 4.62% to $3.62.

The Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT) share price fell 0.2% to $4.90.

Shares in wealth management software company Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS) fell 7.45% to $1.93.

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

Here’s how the 11 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.

Over the five trading days:

S&P/ASX 200 market sector	Change last week
Information Technology (ASX: XIJ)	6.55%
Energy (ASX: XEJ)	4.88%
Communication (ASX: XTJ)	3.26%
Industrials (ASX: XNJ)	3.12%
Healthcare (ASX: XHJ)	3.07%
Financials (ASX: XFJ)	2.76%
Utilities (ASX: XUJ)	1.04%
Materials (ASX: XMJ)	0.67%
A-REIT (ASX: XPJ)	(0.23%)
Consumer Staples (ASX: XSJ)	(1%)
Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ)	(1.15%)

The post ASX 200 tech shares lead market sectors with a 7% bounce back appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
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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 Bravura Solutions, Catapult Sports, Life360, Megaport, Objective, SiteMinder, Technology One, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports, Dicker Data, Life360, Objective, SiteMinder, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Technology One. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Yesterday, we discussed two ASX 200 blue chip stocks that used their earnings reports last week to unveil a hike to their next dividend payments. Those blue chip stocks were Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES). Both Telstra and Wesfarmers delivered historic interim dividends, although Telstra surprised investors by revealing a partially franked dividend for the first time in decades.

But it wasn’t just Telstra and Wesfarmers that hiked their next dividends last week. So today, let’s go through another two ASX 200 blue chip stocks that have a pay rise for their investors in store over the coming weeks.

Two more ASX 200 blue chip stocks that just hiked their dividends

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

First up, we have the ASX 200 blue chip stock and mining giant BHP. BHP is known amongst the dividend community for its commodity-linked dividends, which can wax to enormous proportions when resources markets are hot (although it does also tend to wane dramatically in lean times too).

Fortunately for investors, the interim dividend that BHP revealed on Tuesday was a waxer. The Big Australian unveiled a payout worth 73 US cents per share. That’s a 46% hike over the equivalent payment of 50 US cents that we saw doled out in 2025. It will come with full franking credits attached, as is BHP’s habit. Interestingly, this dividend is notable as it is the first one in a very long time (perhaps ever) to draw more of its funding from BHP’s copper division than from its iron ore business.

Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)

Next up, we have another ASX 200 blue chip stock to discuss with private health insurer Medibank Private. Medibank delivered its own half-year earnings report on Thursday. It contained a lot for the ASX’s income investors to like.

Medibank reported a few green metrics across the board, with revenues and earnings both up year-on-year. Saying that, the company did report a flat underlying profit after tax. Despite this flat profit, Medibank announced that its first dividend payment of 2026 will come in at 8.3 cents per share. Like BHP’s next dividend, this one will also come fully franked.

This latest dividend represents a 6.4% rise over last year’s interim payment of 7.8 cents per share. As we pointed out on Thursday, it continues an impressive dividend streak for this ASX 200 blue chip stock, which is now entering its sixth year of annual payout hikes.

The post 2 more ASX 200 blue chip stocks that increased dividends this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Goodman, Hub24, and Telstra shares
• 5 low-cost ASX ETFs for a global diversified portfolio
• Buy, hold, sell: Lovisa, Wesfarmers, and Rio Tinto shares
• How to build an ASX share portfolio you can stick with long term
• These 2 ASX 200 blue-chip shares just raised their dividends

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