Tag: Stock pick

In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a solid gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.4% to 8,972.1 points.

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

Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC)

The Reliance Worldwide share price is down 8% to $3.54. This morning, this plumbing parts company released its half-year results and reported a 4.6% decline in revenue to US$645.4 million and a 34.9% decline in reported net profit after tax to US$43.7 million. Reliance revealed that it was impacted by increased US tariffs and weaker demand in the US and UK. Net sales in the Americas dropped by 7.2% and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) sales rose by 2.4%.

Santana Minerals Ltd (ASX: SMI)

The Santana Minerals share price is down 12% to 86.5 cents. This has been driven by news that the gold developer has received firm commitments from institutional and sophisticated investors to raise $130 million. These funds are being raised via a placement of approximately 144.4 million shares at 90 cents per new share. Commenting on the news, Santana Minerals’ executive director and CEO, Damian Spring, said: “This is a strong show of support for Santana and its proposed development of the Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project. This placement essentially fills the equity component of funding for the development with discussions on the remaining debt funding advancing well.”

Sims Ltd (ASX: SGM)

The Sims share price is down 5% to $20.26. This follows the release of the scrap metal company’s half-year results. Sims reported a disappointing loss of $29.9 million for the half. This includes unrealised losses on derivative contracts as at the reporting date, together with a further sizeable, expected credit loss on the residual receivable from Unimetals in the UK. Despite this, the company still increased its interim dividend by 40% to 14 cents per share.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

The Treasury Wine share price is down a further 5% to $4.72. Investors have been selling this wine giant’s shares this week in response to the release of its half-year results. It was a tough half for Treasury Wine, with profit falling materially from the prior corresponding period. This led to the Penfolds owner suspending its dividend. The company’s CEO, Sam Fischer, said: “Today’s results come at a time when we are already making meaningful progress with the decisive actions required to return TWE to a path of sustainable, profitable growth. Our focus is firmly on the future to strengthen execution and ensure we build a stronger, more resilient business for the long term.”

The post Why Reliance, Santana Minerals, Sims, and Treasury Wine shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Sims FY26 half-year earnings: Profit surges, dividend rises
• Reliance Worldwide half-year earnings: profit falls, dividend steady
• 2 ASX mining stocks with buy ratings
• Why Audinate, Australian Clinical Labs, Coronado, and Treasury Wine shares are sinking today
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

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

The Contact Energy Ltd (ASX: CEN) share price is in focus today after the company completed a NZ$450 million share placement, a key part of its NZ$525 million equity raise to support ongoing growth and investment.

What did Contact Energy report?

• Successfully completed a fully underwritten NZ$450 million institutional placement
• Equity raise totals up to NZ$525 million, including a proposed NZ$75 million non-underwritten retail offer
• Strong support from existing shareholders and demand from new international institutional investors
• Settlement for the placement expected on 20 February 2026 (NZX) and 19 February 2026 (ASX)
• All new shares to rank equally with existing ordinary shares

What else do investors need to know?

Contact Energy will open its retail offer to eligible shareholders on 19 February 2026, aiming to raise up to NZ$75 million, with the ability to accept additional subscriptions at its discretion. The retail offer closes on 6 March 2026, giving existing investors a chance to participate on similar terms to the institutional placement.

The company has emphasised fairness by ensuring all eligible institutional shareholders who applied for at least their pro-rata allocation received that amount. New shares issued will begin trading on both the NZX and ASX from 20 February 2026 (placement) and 13 March 2026 (retail offer).

What’s next for Contact Energy?

Funds raised through this placement and retail offer will support Contact Energy’s growth plans and strengthen its balance sheet as it continues to invest in New Zealand’s renewable energy future. The company says it is focused on treating shareholders fairly while providing opportunities for both existing and new investors to participate in its long-term strategy.

Contact aims to deliver value for its shareholders by advancing planned projects and initiatives aligned with its sustainability goals, keeping the energy business competitive in the changing market landscape.

Contact Energy share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Contact Energy hare have declined 3%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Contact Energy completes NZ$450m share placement for growth plans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX recap: 5 most traded shares last week
• AFIC announces CEO transition: Alison Gibson to succeed Mark Freeman in 2026
• Why experts think this ASX 200 share can rise 20% after its result
• BHP Group posts 28% profit jump and higher dividend in half-year earnings
• Sims FY26 half-year earnings: Profit surges, dividend rises

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 summary of the company announcement. 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.

Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT (ASX: HCW) shares have jumped 5.97% higher in Tuesday lunchtime trade. At the time of writing, the shares are changing hands at 71 cents a piece. The latest spike follows the company’s half-year results for FY26, which it posted ahead of the market open this morning.

The uptick means the shares are now 1.39% lower year to date and 33.02% below where they traded this time last year.

Why HealthCo Healthcare’s shares are storming higher on results day

Here’s what the commercial health and wellness real estate assets manager posted for the half-year ended 31st December 2025:

• Revenue from ordinary activities up 6% to $30.5 million
• Revenue, including income from the share of losses/profits of equity accounted investees was down 51% to $14.7 million
• Loss from ordinary activities after tax was up 75% to $26.9 million

What happened in H1 FY26?

HealthCo Healthcare reported a 6% increase in revenue to $30.5 million. This was up from $28.7 million in the prior corresponding period (pcp).

Its revenue, including income from the share of losses/profits of equity accounted investees, dropped 51% to $14.7 million for the period. This was from $30.1 million in the prior corresponding period (pcp).

The loss from ordinary activities after tax attributable to owners of HealthCo and Wellness REIT was 75% higher at $26.9 million. This was $15.4 million in the pcp.

As expected, no interim distributions were declared during the financial half year to preserve balance sheet liquidity.

HealthCo Healthcare also noted that $77 million of its asset sales settled in H1 FY26. It also achieved a cash and undrawn debit of $155 million, and its gearing was 28.5%, which was below its 30% to 40% target range.

The update revealed that all 11 hospitals owned by HealthCo Healthcare and the Unlisted Healthcare Fund (Landlords) have paid 100% of all rent due. This is up to and including February 2026.

The Landlords have executable agreements with alternative operators on a state-by-state basis for all 11 hospitals. These agreements include new long-term lease tenure, unchanged rent and rental incentives. These will ensure sustainable commercial arrangements between the Landlords and the alternative operators. These incentives would indicatively result in a 10% to 15% near-term reduction in asset valuations.

“During the half, our priority has been to progress a long-term solution for the Healthscope hospital portfolio that ensures the continuity of essential healthcare services and maximises value for our investors. We are encouraged by the agreements reached with alternative operators and the strong operational performance of the broader portfolio. HCW’s fundamentals remain resilient, and we are focused on delivering a clear resolution that positions the platform for renewed growth and disciplined capital deployment,” HealthCo Healthcare Managing Director, real estate, Sid Sharma said.

HealthCo Healthcare Fund Manager, Christian Soberg, added:

We have maintained a strong balance sheet to ensure we are well-placed to support transition arrangements and capture future opportunities. We are making progress toward resolving the Healthscope situation with a path to restoring normalised distribution settings for our unitholders.

What’s the outlook for HealthCo Healthcare for FY26?

The company said that its key priority is to “resolve the Healthscope situation”. Healthscope is currently in receivership following a collapse under private equity ownership by Brookfield. The collapse was driven by high debt and poor financial performance. Healthscope leased four hospitals directly owned by the HealthCo Healthcare REIT and another seven owned by an associated entity.

The company said it expects to recommence distributions and issue guidance once this has been resolved. 

The post HealthCo Healthcare shares spike 6% following H1 FY26 results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Reliance, Santana Minerals, Sims, and Treasury Wine shares are falling today
• Contact Energy completes NZ$450m share placement for growth plans
• Seeking exposure to promising global stocks? Here are 2 quality ASX ETFs (and 1 LIC) to buy today
• Here’s everything you need to know about the latest BHP dividend
• Why BHP, JB Hi-Fi, Judo Capital, and PEXA shares are storming higher today

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 Brookfield and Brookfield Corporation. 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.

ASX ETFs, or exchange traded funds, provide investors with the means to gain exposure to a broad basket of stocks.

They can be particularly useful if you’re looking to add global stocks to your portfolio. Rather than having to research and buy a dozen (or so) international stocks, you can get that diversity, and more, from an ETF with a single investment.

Below we look at two ASX ETFs and one listed investment company (LIC) that hold a number of promising and potentially undervalued global stocks (courtesy of The Bull).

If you’re unfamiliar with LICS, they’re similar to ETFs in many ways, but they are closed-end funds. Meaning they issue a fixed number of shares on the ASX that investors can buy. ETFs are open-end funds which buy and sell shares depending on market demand.

With that said…

Two buy-rated ASX ETFs for global stock investors

First up we have the Betashares Global Shares Ex US ETF (ASX: EXUS).

As the name implies, the fund invests in global stocks outside the United States.

“The US accounts for more than 70% of global market size. Some investors are seeking further diversification and less concentration risk,” said DP Wealth Advisory’ Andrew Wielandt, who has a buy rating on the ASX ETF.

According to Wielandt:

At end of January 2026, main holdings in this ETF included ASML, Roche and HSBC. Geographically, exposure at the end of January 2026 included Japan, the United Kingdom and Canada. While the ETF was only listed on the ASX in November 2025, the index it follows has shown returns of more 12 per cent per annum over the past five years.

Which brings us to the second ASX ETF focused on global stocks outside of Australia, the BetaShares Global Energy Companies ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: FUEL).

FUEL holds some of largest global energy companies, excluding companies listed in Australia, hedged into Australian dollars.

“I have been bullish on commodities for the past two years. The uptrend in precious metals was followed by base metals,” said Fairmont Equities’ Michael Gable. “Now, I believe the energy sector is poised for a bull run in response to increasing demand.”

Explaining his buy rating on FUEL, Gable concluded:

This exchange traded fund captures the biggest global oil and gas companies. Not only are many investors still underweight in the energy sector, but this ETF is now breaking out of a multi-year trading range. This means the ETF is most likely at the start of a major uptrend, which should last throughout 2026, in my view.

Don’t forget this internationally focused ASX LIC

Moving from ASX ETFs to an ASX LIC, we find the L1 Global Long Short Fund Ltd (ASX: GLS). As a long-short fund, GLS has the potential to gain from both rising and falling stocks.

“GLS targets high quality undervalued companies across developed markets,” DP Wealth Advisory’s Wielandt said. “The fund is managed by co-chief investment officers Raphael Lamm and Mark Landau.”

Commenting on his buy rating on the ASX LIC, Wielandt explained:

Both chief investment officers have established a top track record in operating long and short strategies, taking advantage of market rises and falls, depending on how their portfolio is positioned.

With consistent exposure across Asia, North America and Europe, the L1 Capital team has driven risk-adjusted returns that aren’t held hostage to following the MSCI global benchmark. We expect the fund’s solid performance from June 2025 to continue.

The post Seeking exposure to promising global stocks? Here are 2 quality ASX ETFs (and 1 LIC) to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Experts name 2 ASX ETFs to buy this week
• 3 ASX ETFs to target with exposure outside the US and Australia
• 5 excellent ASX ETFs to buy now
• Own MNRS or ARMR ETFs? Here’s why it’s a big day for you

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

Owners of BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares can rejoice because the latest dividend payment was just announced in its FY26 half-year result and it was a big increase of the passive income payout.

As a commodity business, BHP’s profit is significantly influenced by what happens with resource prices. A higher resource price can largely add straight onto the bottom line because it’s getting much more revenue for the same level of production.

BHP revealed that its sold copper price rose 32%, helping the copper underlying operating profit (EBITDA) soar 59% to US$8 billion. Copper made up just over half of the company’s earnings.

Overall revenue grew 11% to US$27.9 billion, underlying EBITDA rose 25% to US$15.5 billion and attributable profit jumped 28% to US$5.6 billion.

BHP dividend announced

BHP’s board of directors decided to declare a fully franked dividend of US 73 cents per share. That represented a year-over-year increase of close to 50%.

The ASX mining share said that this represented a dividend payout ratio of 60% of profit.

BHP said this extends its track record of strong returns while balancing investment in growth. It noted that after this dividend is paid, it will have paid more than US$110 billion to shareholders since the introduction of the capital allocation framework in 2016.

Important dates

The ex-dividend date tells investors the cut-off date to be entitled to the upcoming dividend. Investors need to own BHP shares before this date to ensure they receive the dividend.

BHP said that the ex-dividend date for ASX investors is 5 March 2026, which is just over two weeks away. That means investors need to own BHP shares before the end of trading on 4 March 2026 to be entitled to the interim dividend.

The BHP dividend will be paid on 26 March 2026, with the dividend re-investment plan (DRP) allocation date being 13 April 2026. Investors who want to take part in the DRP need to do so before 5pm on 9 March 2026.

How could the BHP dividend payments progress?

The ASX mining share‘s shorter-term success will be heavily influenced by what happens with resource prices.

BHP revealed what it’s seeing and expecting with demand, which will be important for the resource prices:

CY26 copper demand is expected to remain strong off its current high base. Seaborne iron ore demand is expected to stabilise at a high level in CY26, while seaborne metallurgical coal demand could recover modestly driven by India and developing economies.

Indian commodity demand continues to grow strongly, driven by broad-based sectoral growth and underpinned by the ongoing capacity additions in the steel and metals value chain (e.g. blast furnaces in steel, smelting and refining in copper).

Over the long term, population growth, urbanisation, rising living standards, and the infrastructure required for digitisation and decarbonisation are all expected to drive demand for steel and copper. Growing global population and rising incomes will shift dietary patterns and the need to improve soil productivity, underpinning long-term potash demand.

In other words, the outlook seems positive for ongoing good profitability and BHP’s dividend payouts.

The post Here’s everything you need to know about the latest BHP dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why BHP, JB Hi-Fi, Judo Capital, and PEXA shares are storming higher today
• ASX recap: 5 most traded shares last week
• BHP shares jump 8% on strong half-year result and big dividend increase
• BHP Group posts 28% profit jump and higher dividend in half-year earnings
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on form again and pushing higher. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.3% to 8,966.4 points.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are storming higher:

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

The BHP Group share price is up 7% to $53.92. Investors have been buying this mining giant’s shares following the release of its half-year results. The Big Australian reported an 11% increase in revenue to US$27.9 billion and a 25% lift in underlying EBITDA to US$15.46 billion. A key driver of this growth was its copper operation, which delivered record EBITDA of US$8 billion. This meant that copper contributed the majority of earnings for the first time in its history. Looking ahead, management has increased its FY 2026 group copper guidance to the range of 1.9 Mt to 2.0 Mt.

JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH)

The JB Hi-Fi share price is up a further 8% to $89.32. Investors have been buying the retail giant’s shares this week after it released its half-year results. JB Hi-Fi reported a 7.3% increase in total sales to $6.1 billion and a 7.1% lift in net profit after tax to $305.8 million. Commenting on the results, JB Hi-Fi’s CEO, Nick Wells, said: “We are pleased to report record sales and strong earnings for HY26, as we built on the momentum of the previous year. In a retail environment where customers are seeking value, our brands continue to resonate strongly and our teams continue to execute to a high standard.”

Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO)

The Judo Capital share price is up 4% to $1.92. The catalyst for this has been the release of the lender’s half-year results this morning. Judo Capital reported a 46% increase in statutory net profit after tax to $59.9 million and a 53% jump in profit before tax to $86.5 million. The company’s CEO, Chris Bayliss, said: “Today’s result demonstrates that Judo continues to successfully execute against its clear and simple strategy. We are on track to achieving our existing FY26 guidance for significant profit growth and realising the operating leverage inherent in our business model.”

PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA)

The PEXA Group share price is up 5.5% to $14.63. This follows news that the property settlement technology company has decided to exit its majority-owned Digital Solutions businesses following a strategic review. In addition, the company has upgraded its FY 2026 EBITDA margin guidance to 34% to 37% (from 32% to 35%).

The post Why BHP, JB Hi-Fi, Judo Capital, and PEXA shares are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here’s everything you need to know about the latest BHP dividend
• ASX recap: 5 most traded shares last week
• Is JB Hi-Fi a buy, sell or hold following its half-year result?
• Why the Pexa share price is on the rise today
• BHP shares jump 8% on strong half-year result and big dividend increase

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) closed 0.5% higher at the end of last week, and the upward momentum has continued this week too. At the time of writing on Tuesday morning, the index is another 0.47% higher for the day, and now 2.89% higher for the year-to-date.

Earnings season has taken its toll on some sectors of the market, while defensive stocks continued to outperform.

New data from CommSec reveals the Australian shares that were most traded by its clients last week, and the results might be surprising.

5 most traded ASX shares

Droneshield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares have been a firm favourite among its clients for several weeks now. But last week sentiment shifted and CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares became the star of the show. 

The biotech company’s shares crashed nearly 17% over the course of the week after the company released a soft half-year result and announced a shock CEO exit.

Analysts have been positive on CSL shares for some time, with many tipping an extraordinary comeback this year. And it looks like, after a brutal sell-off, many investors saw a buying opportunity. The stock was the most traded among the bank’s clients last week, and 79% of activity was buying.

The share price has failed to rebound just yet, with an increase just under 1% this week so far.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares were the second most-traded, but most of the activity (78%) was investors selling up their stock. This is most likely investors taking profits after the shares jumped 10% following the bank’s surprisingly strong half-year results announcement. 

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares were the third most traded, with most activity (80%) being from buyers after the shares dropped over 13% throughout the week amid a broad pullback in the tech sector.

While Droneshield shares weren’t a priority last week, they were still on investors’ minds. The shares came in fourth place, mostly down to buying activity. 

Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS) shares were the fifth most traded ASX share among Commsec’s clients last week. The shares are significantly lower than their all-time high in January thanks to a few headwinds, but analysts are still bullish about their outlook this year.

What other ASX shares were investors interested in?

CommSec clients were also interested in buying AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP), Pro Medics Ltd (ASX: PME) and Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shares last week.

There was also a lot of selling activity around ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares throughout the week.

The post ASX recap: 5 most traded shares last week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Contact Energy completes NZ$450m share placement for growth plans
• Here’s everything you need to know about the latest BHP dividend
• Why BHP, JB Hi-Fi, Judo Capital, and PEXA shares are storming higher today
• With FY 2026 profits forecast to grow 4% to 7%, are CSL shares a good buy today?
• AFIC announces CEO transition: Alison Gibson to succeed Mark Freeman in 2026

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 CSL, DroneShield, Electro Optic Systems, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, CSL, and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Shares in Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX: BBN) are charging higher on Tuesday after the retailer released its half-year results.

In early afternoon trade, the Baby Bunting share price is up 10% to $2.42. It marks a welcome bounce for investors after the stock fell roughly 15% earlier this year.

Let’s take a closer look at what impressed investors.

Record gross margin and solid sales growth

For the first half of FY26, Baby Bunting reported total sales of $271.4 million, up 6.7% on the prior corresponding period.

Comparable store sales increased 4.7%, above the company’s earlier guidance range of 2% to 3%.

Gross margin was a standout metric, increasing 124 basis points to 41%, the highest level in the company’s history. Management said this was driven by better supplier terms, growth in private label and exclusive products, and improved pricing discipline.

Gross profit increased 10% to $111.4 million.

Profit lifts, but costs still a focus

On a pro forma basis, net profit after tax (NPAT) came in at $5 million, up 4.1% on last year and in line with guidance.

Underlying NPAT, which strips out one-off items linked to store refurbishments and network changes, jumped 44% to $7.2 million.

However, cost of doing business rose to $96.8 million. This reflects investment in new stores, refurbishments, marketing, and general inflation pressures.

Management also confirmed no interim dividend will be paid as it focuses on funding growth.

Store upgrades delivering results

A key part of Baby Bunting’s strategy is its ‘Store of the Future’ refurbishment program.

The company said refurbished stores delivered sales uplifts of around 25%, which is at the top end of its target range. In total, 6 refurbishments were completed in the first half, with more planned in the second half.

The company’s online channel grew by 18% and now accounts for almost one quarter of overall sales.

Trading update and guidance

Importantly, momentum appears to have continued into the second half.

For the first 7 weeks of the second half, comparable sales are up 6.7%. That includes solid growth in both Australia and New Zealand.

Management maintained second-half pro forma NPAT guidance of $12.5 million to $14.5 million. Full-year pro forma NPAT guidance remains at $17.5 million to $19.5 million.

The company is also targeting full-year comparable sales growth of 5% to 7% and gross margin above 41%.

What’s driving the share price?

Today’s 10% jump reflects a positive market response to stronger sales momentum and record margins.

While the stock is still down for the year, these results show a business that is stabilising after a tougher retail period.

The focus now shifts to whether this improvement can be sustained. If comparable sales stay solid and margins remain above 41%, earnings growth in the second half could accelerate.

The post Why Baby Bunting shares are jumping 10% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• This ASX 200 stock just announced a huge dividend hike
• This ASX industrials stock has dropped nearly 5% following H1 FY26 result
• Is JB Hi-Fi a buy, sell or hold following its half-year result?
• With FY 2026 profits forecast to grow 4% to 7%, are CSL shares a good buy today?
• AFIC announces CEO transition: Alison Gibson to succeed Mark Freeman in 2026

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

We are now in the midst of this February’s ASX earnings season. We’ve already heard from some big names over the past week or two, with more ASX 200 stocks joining the list daily.

This morning, another stock gave investors a look at its latest numbers. This particular ASX 200 stock reported double-digit increases across the board, and gave investors a massive 13% dividend hike as a result.

That ASX 200 stock was none other than Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK).

This online classifieds stock certainly has a half-year to remember over the six months to 31 December 2025. As we covered this morning, Seek reported an impressive 21% rise in sales revenues over the period to $647 million. Net revenues increased by 12%, with earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) surging 19% to $267 million. That enabled Seek to report an adjusted profit of $104 million, up 35%.

Although Seek did ring up a reported net loss of $178 million, this was mostly a result of a $356 million impairment in its stake in Chinese online recruitment platform Zhaopin.

Investors were expecting more, though, it seems. At the time of writing, this ASX 200 stock has retreated 2.1% and is trading at $16.81  share. That’s despite initially spiking up to $18.48 this morning.

But let’s talk dividends.

ASX 200 stock reveals 13% dividend hike

In some pleasing news for income investors, Seek reaffirmed its status as one of the ASX 200’s best dividend-paying tech stocks this morning by revealing a 13% hike to its next interim dividend. Yep, Seek will pay a 2026 interim dividend worth 27 cents per share this year. As is typical of Seek, this dividend will come with full franking credits attached.

This 27 cents per share dividend is 13% higher than 2025’s interim dividend of 24 cents per share. It also represents a meaningful increase over October’s final dividend, which was worth 22 cents per share.

Seek has nominated 17 March next month as this payment’s ex-dividend date, with pay day then rolling around on 1 April (no joke).

This latest dividend from Seek is a notable one. It is the third interim dividend to be raised from the previous year’s levels in a row, as well as being the highest individual dividend the ASX 200 stock has ever declared.

Together with that final dividend from October, worth 22 cents per share, Seek’s 12-month dividend total now rises to a record 49 cents per share.

That means that, although Seek currently trades on a trailing dividend yield of 2.73% (at current pricing), we can now give this ASX 200 stock a forward dividend yield of 2.91%.

The post This ASX 200 stock just announced a huge dividend hike appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Seek shares edge higher on HY results and sale of Employment Hero stake
• SEEK delivers double-digit growth and record dividend in FY26 half-year results
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

SRG Global Ltd (ASX: SRG) shares are down 4.76% to $2.80 a piece at the time of writing on Thursday. The latest stock price plunge follows news of the ASX industrial company’s half-year results for the period ending 31 December 2025, which were released ahead of the market open this morning.

The latest decline means the shares are now 6.04% lower for the year-to-date but they’re still trading 95.8% above where they were this time last year.

Why the ASX industrials stock’s shares are crashing on results day

Here’s what the engineering-led specialist construction, maintenance and mining services company posted this morning:

• Revenue up 20% to $743.9 million
• EBITDA up 20% to $71.0 million
• EDIT(A) up 26% to $53.2 million
• Net profit after tax (NPAT) up 27% to $33.7 million
• EPS up 20% to 5.5 cents 
• Dividends per share up 20% to 3 cents

What happened in H1 FY26?

SRG Global posted a 20% increase in its revenue to $743.9 million, from $619.7 million in the first half of FY25. 

It also posted a 20% increase in its earnings before interest tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to $71 million. This is up from $59 million in the first half of FY25. The company said this was due to continued strong margin performance and operational delivery across both of its operating segments.

In the same period the ASX industrials company improved its cash position to a net debt of $21.2 million. This is up from from proforma net debt of $52.5 million following its TAMS acquisition in October 2025. 

“I am pleased to report that TAMS delivered to business case in its first 2 months with SRG Global and is now fully integrated into the business. TAMS is a market leading marine infrastructure services provider with a 25-year history of long-term client relationships and is an embedded partner with Port Authorities and blue-chip clients in diverse sectors for critical port and marine infrastructure maintenance and engineering, design & construction,” SRG Global managing direction David Macgeorge said. 

“SRG Global has record Work in Hand of $4.2 billion and is well positioned for long-term growth with end-to-end asset life cycle capability in key sectors such as water, energy, resources, transport, defence, ports / marine, health, education and data centres across Australia and New Zealand.”

The board declared a 1H interim fully franked dividend of 3.0 cents per share. This is up 20% from the first half of last year. The record date of the dividend is Friday, 13 March 2026 with a payment date of Friday, 10 April 2026.

What’s ahead of SRG Global this year?

The ASX industrials company is optimistic about the outlook for its full-year results. 

SRG Global has upgraded its FY26 earnings guidance to $164 million to $168 million. It has also upgraded EBITDA guidance to $126 million to $130 million EBIT(A) for FY26.

The company also said that its $4.2 billion WIH (work in hand) and $11.5 billion opportunity pipeline products are a platform for long-term sustainable growth. It notes that its has a positive exposure to growth sectors including water, energy, industrial/resources, transport, defence, health, education, data centres and ports/marine.

The post This ASX industrials stock has dropped nearly 5% following H1 FY26 result 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 recommended Srg Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.