Tag: Stock pick

Macquarie Group vs AMP shares: Which ASX financial stock stands out?

If you’re considering ASX financial stocks, Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) and AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) are both familiar names—though they play very different roles in Australia’s finance sector. Investors might be weighing up Macquarie Group vs AMP shares for solid income, growth potential, or pure exposure to the banking and investment space. Here’s how these two stack up right now.

The case for Macquarie

Macquarie Group is a global powerhouse in investment banking, asset management, and specialist advisory. While it is best known as Australia’s fifth-largest bank by market cap, its retail banking arm is just a slice of the wider business. Macquarie has footholds in 34 markets and, as of its company profile, is ranked among the top 50 global asset managers. Its expertise covers everything from infrastructure and commodities to renewable energy and resources.

In terms of key numbers, Macquarie is a true ASX heavyweight with a market cap of $94.41 billion. Its shares currently trade at a P/E ratio of 19.50, showing a more moderate valuation relative to the broader financial sector heavyweights. Dividend yield sits at 2.83%, franked to 35%. Earnings per share (EPS) come in at 12.669, so despite the generally cyclical nature of investment banking, profitability remains healthy.

For dividends, Macquarie has a solid history of regular payouts, albeit with some variability in franking percentages over time. Its most recent announced dividend was $4.20 with 35% franking.

The case for AMP

AMP Limited traces its roots back to 1849, giving it a uniquely deep history among ASX names. Today it operates across superannuation, life insurance, investment management, and some banking and wealth divisions. After demutualising in 1998, AMP has undergone serious transformation—shedding various assets, including the Collimate Capital business in 2022, and shifting its financial advice arm into a new joint venture in 2024, according to its most recent public description.

AMP’s fundamentals look quite different to Macquarie’s. Its market cap is $6.22 billion, making it much smaller in scale. The shares trade at a P/E ratio of 35.00—well above Macquarie’s—though the earnings per share are also much lower at just 0.074. The dividend yield now sits at 1.93% with 20% franking. Recent dividends have been modest—its last payment was 3 cents per share.

AMP’s story in recent years has been one of turnaround efforts and business refocus, with income investors seeing less predictability in dividend payments compared to Macquarie.

Valuation comparison

There are some clear valuation and size differences between these two:

Metric	Macquarie Group	AMP
Market Cap	$94.41 billion	$6.22 billion
P/E Ratio	19.50	35.00
Dividend Yield	2.83% (35% franking)	1.93% (20% franking)
Dividend per Share	$7.00	$0.05
Earnings per Share	12.669	0.074
Year to Date Return	23.7%	45.1%

Note: AMP’s reported P/E ratio may be based on a different earnings measure (e.g. underlying or forward earnings) than the EPS figure shown, which is why they may appear inconsistent.

Recent share price performance

Comparing recent share price action up to 29 September 2026:

• As of 29 September 2026, Macquarie Group closed at $247.09, having delivered a 23.7% year-to-date return. Its share price has shown steady momentum with only modest pullbacks during the period.
• On the same date, AMP closed at $2.58, boasting a strong 45.1% year-to-date gain. Recent price movement has tilted higher, although its share price remains far lower in absolute dollar terms and tends to be more volatile day-to-day.

Which is the better buy?

Both Macquarie Group and AMP are established finance names, but I’d lean strongly towards Macquarie at current levels. Its size, diversified global earnings base, and history of resilient profitability set it apart. The P/E ratio is reasonable for a major financial, especially given its international footprint and wide range of fee-earning businesses. Dividends are higher and more consistent, with better franking.

AMP, by contrast, is still rebuilding investor trust after a string of restructures. Its higher P/E and much lower EPS signal either a recovery story not yet proven, or simply a more speculative bet. While the 45.1% year-to-date return for AMP is impressive, it comes after a drawn-out period of underperformance and heavy restructuring. Dividends are lower and only lightly franked.

Unless you are looking specifically for a speculative turnaround play or believe in AMP’s fresh growth strategy, my pick would be Macquarie Group for its overall blend of income, growth, and business quality.

The post Macquarie Group vs AMP: Which ASX financial stock is best? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Are ASX 200 bank stocks a buy in October?
• 2 ASX shares highly recommended to buy: Experts
• How high could Macquarie shares go? RBC Capital Markets has its say
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Soul Patts vs Macquarie Group: Best ASX dividend stock for retirees?

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in Imricor Medical Systems Inc (ASX: IMR) have been on the slide recently, falling from levels above $2 to just $1.56 at the time of writing.

This has created a buying opportunity, according to the analysts at Morgans, who have issued a new research report into the company with a bullish share price target.

Innovative medical technology gaining traction

Imricor has developed a suite of products such as catheters, sheaths, and other tools which can be used under real-time magnetic resonance (MR) guidance, rather than under x-ray fluoroscopy guidance, thus taking advantage of MR’s superior imaging capabilities.

The company has had some wins recently, with the Children’s Medical Centre Dallas signing up to buy Imricor’s NorthStar mapping and guidance system, becoming the second US hospital customer just two weeks after the launch of the company’s US commercial operations.

Imricor said:

Children’s Medical Center Dallas will be the second customer under Imricor Cardiovascular, validating the newly launched vertical and the market opportunity across more than 250 children’s hospitals and more than 2,000 adult hospitals in the United States.

The company also recently announced that the US Food and Drug Administration had approved a manufacturing module which covers the design, manufacturing, and quality processes around seven Imricor products.

Imricor Chair Steve Wedan said:

Manufacturing is one of the most demanding components of any PMA, and ours covered seven devices at once. To have the FDA complete its evaluation and close this module is a strong validation of the design controls, production processes and quality system our team has built. It is the kind of milestone that is easy to state in a sentence but very hard to earn.

Morgans said in its new research note on the company that its share price had fallen more than 20% since it entered the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO).

The broker added:

The recent share price weakness creates a great buying opportunity. The recent news flow has been positive and we expect further key milestones to be announced over the next three to six months.

Morgans said a collaboration with Philips combining Philips’ MRI platform with Imricor’s cardiac systems and catheters offered a purpose-built alternative to x-ray guidance.

They added:

It is available immediately in CE-marked (European) markets. The partnership expands IMR’s commercial reach and creates a scalable platform for future MRI-guided interventions across additional clinical application. We expect this will accelerate commercial adoption across the Philips global network. The other major manufacturers (Siemens and GE Health) will be following suit.

Morgans has a price target of $2.90 on Imricor shares compared to $1.56 at the time of writing, which would represent upside of 85.9%.

Imricor is valued at $568.3 million.

The post Could this ASX biotech really jump more than 80% in value? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• By October 2027, $5,000 invested in Xero shares could turn into…
• Buy, hold, sell: Aristocrat, Liontown, and Navigator Global shares
• This ASX 200 share is tipped to return over 50%
• Stockland vs Vicinity Centres: Which ASX REIT is the better buy?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

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 GE HealthCare Technologies. 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.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shares fell further into the red in September, down around 31% over the course of the month.

At the time of writing, the ASX technology stock is down around 1% to $57.39. That means the shares are down 49% year-to-date and 64% lower than 12 months ago.

It’s been well-documented that the cloud-based accounting software business has been smashed by a tech-sector wide selloff this year after investors became spooked that AI could replace the core services of companies like Xero. 

There has also been an investor rotation away from growth stocks and into more defensive assets amid ongoing global volatility and inflation concerns.

No price-sensitive news explains why Xero shares have shed so much value over the past month. Investors may have taken profits after the shares rebounded strongly through July and most of August.

The resurgence of macroeconomic pressures has also spooked investors across the board. This hasn’t helped Xero’s share price downturn.

Concerns about the latest inflation figures and the Reserve Bank’s interest rate hike in September has only contributed to headwinds.

The Reserve Bank raised the cash rate to a 15-year high of 4.6% at its meeting earlier this week. On Wednesday, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) announced that Australia’s annual headline inflation rate jumped to 4% in the 12 months to August 2026, up from 3.5% the month prior.

As of late September, Australian 10-year bond yields were sitting at around 5.36%, which hasn’t helped high-growth tech stocks either.

The question now is, are Xero shares still a buy? Or will any investment made today turn into a loss by October 2027?

What’s ahead for Xero?

The company has sticky subscription revenue, and I see huge potential for growth both into new markets and with new offerings.

It looks like the experts are also bullish on Xero shares.

Market Index data shows that most brokers rate the shares a buy. The $112 average target price implies that the shares could jump another 95%, at the time of writing.

Sentiment is also very positive on TradingView. Out of seven analysts, six have a buy/strong buy rating and one rates the shares as a hold. However, they all agree there will be upside ahead.

The average $113.31 target price implies a potential 97% upside, while the maximum $144.36 implies Xero’s shares could rise by another 151% at the time of writing.

If I buy $5,000 of Xero shares today, what could they be worth in 12 months time?

Assuming Xero shares reach the average forecasted target prices of $112 or $113.31, a $5,000 investment today could be worth around $9,750 or $9,850 by October 2027.

However, if the more bullish expert forecasts come to fruition, a $5,000 investment today could grow to $12,550 by this time next year.

The post By October 2027, $5,000 invested in Xero shares could turn into… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Codan vs Xero: Which ASX tech stock is the better buy in October?
• 5 leading ASX shares I’d buy and hold until 2040
• Buy, hold, sell: Premier Investments, New Hope, Xero shares
• Can the Xero share price climb back to $100?
• Sell alert! Why this expert is calling time on Life360 and Xero shares

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 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.

The team at Morgans has been busy running the rule over a number of ASX shares this week.

But does the broker rate them as buys? Let’s see what it is recommending:

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL)

Morgans has made minor revisions to its estimates ahead of this gaming technology company’s results next month.

However, it remains very positive and has retained its accumulate rating on Aristocrat Leisure’s shares with a slightly trimmed price target of $69.00. This implies potential upside of approximately 17% for investors. It said:

With G2E in Las Vegas this week, and ahead of its FY26 result on 12 November, we have made minor revisions to our earnings forecasts. We lower our FY26-27 fee per day and North American outright unit forecasts and our FY26 Product Madness bookings. We also lift our AUD/USD assumption and increase our buy-back assumptions. 

Our NPATA forecasts fall by c.1% across FY26-27F. EPSA is broadly unchanged in FY26 and up c.1% in FY27, reflecting higher buy-backs. Our 12-month target price decreases to A$69.00 (prev. A$70.00). We maintain our Accumulate recommendation.

Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR)

Another ASX share that Morgans has been looking at is lithium miner Liontown.

In response to its production expansion announcement, the broker has retained its accumulate rating with a $1.10 price target. This suggests that upside of almost 40% is possible for investors. It commented:

LTR has approved the A$389m Kathleen Valley Expansion, targeting ~780ktpa of spodumene concentrate from FY30, with steady-state production in line with our expectations but unit costs above MorgansF and consensus. 

Our target price falls to A$1.10ps (from A$1.40ps) on a slower FY28-FY29 ramp-up and higher near-term capex and costs, with falling lithium prices and execution now the key risks. We maintain our ACCUMULATE rating with a A$1.10ps target price.

Navigator Global Investments Ltd (ASX: NGI)

This global investment company’s shares could be worth considering according to Morgans.

In response to news that Navigator Global is selling its stake in Invictus Capital Partners, the broker has retained its buy rating with a $3.04 price target. This implies potential upside of 27% for investors from current levels. It said:

NGI has agreed to sell its stake (21%) in Invictus Capital Partners to New York Life Investment Management (NYLIM). The sale will take place in several stages. The sale crystallises a premium of up to ~8% to cost on the initial 12.7% stake, while NGI keeps its carry and future upside through a residual 8.3% stake. Management expects the retained stake could be worth meaningfully more, on a pro-rata basis, when it is transferred in 2031, helped by the NYLIM partnership. 

In our view, the sale shows the optionality and embedded value in NGI’s portfolio. We have left our earnings forecasts unchanged for now and will wait for more detail from NGI at its February result. That timing matches the expected transaction completion in the first quarter of 2027. We see long-term value in the NGI story and maintain our BUY recommendation and target price of A$3.04.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Aristocrat, Liontown, and Navigator Global shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Forget PLS, this ASX lithium stock could rise 80%
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Barrenjoey tips this ASX financial stock to rise 73%
• Liontown Resources approves $389m Kathleen Valley lithium expansion
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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.

If you are searching for big returns, then it could be worth hearing what Bell Potter is saying about the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) share in this article.

That’s because the broker believes it could deliver a total return of around 50% over the next 12 months.

Which ASX 200 share?

The share that Bell Potter is recommending to clients is Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL).

It is an investment platform provider used by over 4,000 financial advisers and with over $135 billion in funds under administration (FUA).

Bell Potter has updated its forecasts to reflect weaker equity markets. It said:

We update our model to reflect equity market movements and comment on net flow expectations. Consensus forecasts appear too high, implying the upper end of the $18-20bn guided range is achieved over the last 6 weeks of 1Q. This compares to $14bn run rate over the first 7 weeks. Equity markets have also weakened since the trading update, with September the second worst performing month this year behind March.The local share market declined by -4%. We make no EPS changes, having already factored in the negative mark-to-market impact of the drawdown.

The broker also highlights that it thinks consensus estimates for net inflows is too high and is forecasting inflows of $3.2 billion for the first quarter. It adds:

Guidance stands between $18-20bn. This is subject to sentiment and the economic and regulatory environment. Our 1Q net inflow forecast is $3.2bn vs. $3.5bn consensus. NWL reported $1.4bn of net inflows between 30 June and 21 August with a one-off institutional outflow worth $0.6bn. That equates to a $1.2bn monthly run rate. Our estimate assumes a $1.4bn exit rate vs. $1.7bn consensus. Flows have been running around that range already before MS Wealth contribution.

However, despite this, the broker remains very positive on the ASX 200 share and sees recent share price weakness as a buying opportunity.

Big potential returns

According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating on the ASX 200 share with a trimmed price target of $25.00 (from $30.00).

Based on the current Netwealth share price of $16.69, this implies potential upside of 50% for investors between now and this time next year.

In addition, the broker is forecasting a fully franked 3.1% dividend yield in FY 2027 (and 3.6% in FY 2028 and 4.1% in FY 2029), which boosts the total 12-month return to over 50%.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, Bell Potter said:

Maintain Buy. Given interest rates, we have moved our valuation multiple to 2022-23 levels with a class action provision. Our flow expectations are below FY27 guidance. NWL has operated in similar environments, with large withdrawals and clients moving off platform. FY23 flows landed -10% below the guidance and growth was restored in 12mths. Our $17.9bn matches this experience. So far, we are 6mths into the cycle.

The post This ASX 200 share is tipped to return over 50% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• 2 ASX shares highly recommended to buy: Experts
• Why are Netwealth shares crashing 6% on Friday?
• Netwealth faces class action after compensation payments
• 3 ASX shares down 40% to 80% I’d buy on the cheap

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

Stockland vs Vicinity Centres shares: Which ASX REIT comes out on top?

Many Aussie investors turn to A-REITs for solid income, dependable assets, and a defensive edge in uncertain times. If you’re tossing up between Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP) and Vicinity Centres (ASX: VCX) shares, you’re comparing two giants of the local real estate investment trust landscape. Both offer exposure to property, but take different approaches. Let’s dig in and see which one might suit your portfolio best.

The case for Stockland

Stockland is one of Australia’s most diversified property names. Its main play is residential land and housing development, making it the country’s biggest in this space. According to its company profile, about a third of its funds come from this sometimes volatile segment, but the lion’s share flows in from commercial properties—predominantly retail, with a growing push into office and logistics assets. Stockland is reshaping its portfolio, trimming traditional retail and adding new growth opportunities like industrial properties.

Looking at the fundamentals:

• Market cap: $10.02 billion
• P/E ratio: 9.98
• Dividend yield: 6.16%

Earnings per share sits at $0.410, and the 2026 year-to-date return is a rough -25.8%. Of note, Stockland’s dividends remain unfranked and have fluctuated over the years, but the recent dividend per share is $0.25. What stands out for income seekers is that healthy yield, though the share price has seen some serious headwinds lately.

The case for Vicinity Centres

Vicinity Centres is an Australian REIT laser-focused on retail, being the country’s second-largest retail property manager by owned assets. Emerging from the merger of Federation Centres and Novion, Vicinity operates and manages a portfolio of about 50 shopping centres, including some prominent malls. Beyond retail, Vicinity is adding value by developing mixed-use spaces that bring together shopping, workspaces, and residential elements.

A glance at Vicinity’s key numbers:

• Market cap: $10.67 billion
• P/E ratio: 7.53
• Dividend yield: 5.46%

Its earnings per share comes in at $0.301, and its year-to-date return for 2026 is -6.5%. Dividends (also unfranked) have been consistent, with the most recent payout sitting at $0.12 per share. For those seeking retail exposure and a stable yield, Vicinity offers a pure-play approach.

Valuation comparison

Here’s a head-to-head look at some key valuation metrics:

Metric	Stockland	Vicinity Centres
Market cap	$10.02bn	$10.67bn
P/E ratio	9.98	7.53
Dividend yield	6.16%	5.46%
Earnings per share	$0.410	$0.301
Dividend per share	$0.25	$0.12
Year-to-date return	-25.79%	-6.48%

Note: Stockland’s P/E and EPS are arithmetically consistent; the same applies for Vicinity Centres, so these numbers align as expected. Franking is 0% for both—there’s no franking edge here.

Recent share price performance

Comparing recent share price action up to 25 September:

• As of 25 Sep 2026, Stockland closed at $4.02, down 1.95% for the day, continuing a steep decline YTD (-25.8%).
• On the same day, Vicinity Centres closed at $2.27, down 0.44%, with a YTD return of -6.5%.
• Vicinity has shown greater resilience over 2026, while Stockland has experienced heavier selling pressure.

Which is the better buy?

For me, Vicinity Centres stands out as the steadier option right now. The retail focus gives it a degree of predictability, and its recent share price performance has been much less volatile than Stockland. While Stockland offers a slightly higher dividend yield, the sharp -25.8% YTD share price decline suggests deeper market concerns—perhaps about its exposure to residential cycles or business mix changes. Vicinity’s P/E is a fair bit lower than Stockland’s, pointing to a less demanding valuation, especially for a business with more stable income and property assets.

Stockland’s diversified approach and higher yield might appeal to bolder investors prepared to ride out the volatility for long-term gains, but I’d lean toward Vicinity Centres for its greater consistency, resilience, and competitive yield at a lower earnings multiple. If I had to pick one ASX REIT for my own watchlist, it would be Vicinity—at least based on the numbers in front of me.

The post Stockland vs Vicinity Centres: Which ASX REIT is the better buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 6 ASX 200 shares scoring renewed buy calls this week
• Vicinity Centres: 2026 Capability Showcase highlights Chadstone and Chatswood Chase
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Stockland shares are sinking 4%. Is this $3.8 million CEO sale a warning sign?

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

On Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a day to forget and sank deep into the red. The benchmark index fell 2% to 8,614.4 points.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to rebound

The Australian share market looks set for a better session on Friday following a positive night of trade in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 48 points or 0.55% higher this morning. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones was up 0.05%, the S&P 500 rose 0.2%, and the Nasdaq edged 0.05% higher.

Oil prices charge higher

ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)could have a strong finish to the week after oil prices charged higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 3% to US$93.13 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 4.6% to US$102.57 a barrel. This follows reports that the US has sent a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East.

Megaport shares given buy rating

The Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) share price could be heading even higher according to Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has initiated coverage on the cloud infrastructure provider’s shares with a buy rating and $27.00 price target. It commented: “We initiate coverage of Megaport with a BUY recommendation and $27.00 target price. […] In our view Megaport looks value trading on an FY28 EV/EBITDA multiple of c.7x when the median multiple of the domestic comps is c.15x (based on FY28 forecasts) and international comps is c.11x (based on 2027 forecasts).”

Gold price rises

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) could have a good finish to the week after the gold price rose overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 0.5% to US$4,207.6 an ounce. Easing US Treasury yields gave the precious metal a boost.

Buy Netwealth shares

It could be a good time to buy Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL) shares according to Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating on the investment platform provider’s shares with a trimmed price target of $25.00 (from $30.00). It said: “Given interest rates,we have moved our valuation multiple to 2022-23 levels with a class action provision. Our flow expectations are below FY27 guidance. NWL has operated in similar environments, with large withdrawals and clients moving off platform.FY23 flows landed -10% below the guidance and growth was restored in 12mths. Our $17.9bn matches this experience. So far, we are 6mths into the cycle.”

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

More reading

• Bell Potter just put a buy rating on Megaport shares with 33% upside
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why is the ASX down 176 points today?
• Which were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in September?
• How high does Macquarie think Megaport shares will go?

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

Scores of S&P/ASX All Ords (ASX: XAO) shares are set to pay dividends this month following the recent reporting season.

To receive a dividend, you must own the ASX share before its ex-dividend date.

We’re helping you keep track of ex-dividend dates with an article every Friday.

Here are the ASX shares going ex-dividend next week.

ASX shares with ex-div dates next week

Verbrec Ltd (ASX: VBC)

This ASX industrials share will pay a 100% franked dividend of 0.002 cents per share on 20 October.

The ex-dividend date is Monday, 5 October.

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN)

Harvey Norman shares will pay a fully-franked dividend of 13 cents per share on 12 November.

The ex-div date is Tuesday, 6 October.

Ridley Corporation Ltd (ASX: RIC)

This S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) consumer staples share will pay a 100% franked dividend of 5.3 cents per share on 22 October.

The ex-dividend date is Tuesday.

Reece Ltd (ASX: REH)

This ASX All Ords industrial share will pay a 100% franked dividend of 13.4 cents per share on 21 October.

The ex-div date is Tuesday.

MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF)

MFF Capital Investments will pay a 100% franked dividend of 11 cents per share on 29 October.

The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, 7 October.

WAM Capital Ltd (ASX: WAM)

WAM Capital shares will pay a 60% franked dividend of 7.75 cents per share on 21 October.

Wilson Asset Management shocked investors by forecasting a near-halving in the annual dividend for FY27.

WAM Capital shares vastly underperformed the market in FY26, falling 10.5% in value.

That compares to a 2.4% increase for the ASX All Ords index.

The ex-dividend date for the next payment is Thursday, 8 October.

ARB Corporation Ltd (ASX: ARB)

This S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) consumer discretionary share will pay a 100% franked dividend of 35 cents per share on 23 October.

The ex-div date is Thursday.

Clime Capital Ltd (ASX: CAM)

This ASX financial share will pay a 50% franked dividend of 1.4 cents per share on 23 October.

The ex-dividend date is Thursday.

Naos Emerging Opportunities Company Ltd (ASX: NCC)

This ASX listed investment company (LIC) will pay a fully-franked dividend of 2.1 cents per share on 30 October.

The ex-div date is Thursday.

EQT Holdings Ltd (ASX: EQT)

This ASX All Ords financial share will pay a 100% franked dividend of 20 cents per share on 23 October.

The ex-div date is Friday, 9 October.

The post 10 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Wam Capital. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended ARB Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Harvey Norman and Mff Capital Investments. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It is fair to say that Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) shares have been on fire this year.

Since the start of the year, the cloud infrastructure provider’s shares have risen a massive 70%.

As a comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down around 1.1% over the same period.

But if you thought the gains were over, think again. That’s because Bell Potter has just initiated coverage on Megaport and believes there’s plenty more upside on offer here for investors.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter notes that Megaport provides investors with exposure to the strong growth in inference compute demand. It explains:

Megaport provides one of the few direct exposures on the ASX to a neocloud provider and, in particular, the strong growth in inference compute demand. Even if and when other neocloud providers like Firmus and/or Sharon AI list on the ASX, Megaport provides differentiated exposure as it is building a globally distributed AI inference cloud – which is less capital intensive – rather than building the physical AI factories or data centres themselves.

The broker was also pleased to see that the company is collaborating with Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), which provides better access to in-demand GPUs. It adds:

Last month NVIDIA announced it was “collaborating with a growing ecosystem of Australian NVIDIA Cloud Partners (NCPs) and AI infrastructure partners to expand land, power and shell capacity” and Megaport was named as one of the partners. This collaboration provides numerous advantages – including better access to GPUs and improved ability to sell to AI native companies – and also validates Megaport’s model and its differentiated approach to providing inference compute.

Strong growth

Bell Potter believes the above leaves Megaport well-placed to deliver very strong growth over the coming years.

In fact, it expects EBITDA to grow from $77 million in FY 2026 to $726 million in FY 2028. It explains:

We forecast underlying EBITDA to grow from $77m in FY26 to $329m in FY27 and $726m in FY28. This forecast strong growth is largely underpinned by strategic contracts which are being rolled out this year. Our forecasts are also supported by Megaport saying the annualised EBITDA run-rate will be >$650m once all the strategic contracts are billing. Importantly, all the capex required for the roll out of the strategic contracts is fully funded.

Should you buy Megaport shares?

According to the note, Bell Potter has initiated coverage on Megaport shares with a buy rating and $27.00 price target.

Based on its current share price of $20.25, this implies potential upside of 33% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its recommendation, Bell Potter said:

We initiate coverage of Megaport with a BUY recommendation and $27.00 target price. The TP is generated through a blend of an EV/EBITDA and DCF valuation where we apply a 10.0x multiple to our underlying FY28 forecast in the former and a 10.1% WACC and 3.5% terminal growth rate in the latter. In our view Megaport looks value trading on an FY28 EV/EBITDA multiple of c.7x when the median multiple of the domestic comps is c.15x (based on FY28 forecasts) and international comps is c.11x (based on 2027 forecasts).

The post Bell Potter just put a buy rating on Megaport shares with 33% upside appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Megaport and 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.

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares have climbed higher over the past month, despite headwinds from inflation figures and higher interest rates.

At the time of writing, the ASX bank shares are trading at $38.45. That’s around 3% higher than a month ago, and 6% higher for the year-to-date.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has fallen 4% over the past month, and is around 0.2% lower for the year-to-date.

ANZ is Australia’s fourth-largest bank by market capitalisation. Its shares have outperformed the other three major banks over the past month and so far in 2026.

It’s also the big-four bank of choice among brokers.

Market Index data shows the experts are split between a buy and hold rating on ANZ shares. But the $36.05 average target price implies a downside of around 6%, after the latest rally.

Brokers have a hold rating on National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares, but rate Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and Westpac Banking Corporation Ltd (ASX: WBC) as a sell or strong sell.

It’s also one of the strongest passive income players.

What passive income does ANZ pay its shareholders?

As one of Australia’s big four major banks, ANZ is generally considered to have stable earnings and predictable cash flow. 

While bank stocks are usually considered cyclical, ANZ’s strong deposit base and diversified portfolio mean it is also relatively defensive in nature.

In mid-August, the bank reported cash profit of $1.9 billion, up 1% compared to the first-half quarterly average. While revenue was flat for the quarter, its net interest margin (NIM) edged up to 1.54% from 1.53%.

As of August, ANZ has achieved 73% of its gross cost-savings target of $800 million for FY26.

The bank’s strong performance enables it to make reliable, regular dividend payments to shareholders. It does this every six months, in July and December. 

It also offers both a dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) and a bonus option plan (BOP) as alternatives to receiving cash dividends on ANZ ordinary shares.

ANZ’s most recent dividend payment was an 83-cent per share interim dividend, franked at 75%, in July. 

The 83-cent dividend is the same payout that investors have received every six months since July 2024. However, the latest payout included an additional 5% franking credit (previously 70% or 65%).

Forecasts show that ANZ is expected to pay an annual dividend of $1.66 in FY26, and the same again in FY27. At the time of writing, that translates to a forward dividend yield of 4.3% for each year.

How many ANZ shares can I get with $10,000?

Using the $38.45 trading price at the time of writing, a $10,000 investment in ANZ shares would buy around 260 shares.

How much passive income can I earn from those shares in FY26 and FY27?

Assuming the bank pays the forecasted $1.66 dividend in FY26 and FY27, those 260 shares could earn around $431.60 in passive income each year.

The post If I invest $10,000 in ANZ shares, what passive income could I receive in FY27? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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