Tag: Stock pick

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares have continued falling further into the red this week.

At the close of the ASX on Tuesday afternoon, the technology stock was down another 3% to $35.25. That means the shares are now down 49% year-to-date and are a huge 63% lower than 12 months ago.

It’s been well-documented that the business has been smashed by a tech-sector wide selloff this year, and an investor rotation into more defensive assets amid global volatility earlier this year.

It hasn’t helped that the company itself has been thrust into the spotlight on a number of occasions, putting pressure on an already depressed share price.

There have been a series of updates and media reports in 2026. This included coverage of investigations into founder Richard White by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and, more recently, news that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had executed a search warrant at the company.

ASIC and the AFP also searched WiseTech Global’s headquarters in late October 2025.

Then, late last month, WiseTech posted its FY26 results. On the surface the earnings result was positive, and earnings were in line with analyst expectations. But its EBITDA figures came in short of market forecasts and investors rushed to sell up.

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

What’s ahead for the ASX tech shares?

WiseTech shares have had a difficult year so far, but the company continues to hold a competitive advantage in the global logistics market. 

And brokers are bullish that we could see a strong rebound ahead.

Market Index shows that all brokers have a strong buy rating on WiseTech shares. The average $61.19 target price implies a potential 74% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing. 

TradingView data also shows that some brokers are even more positive. Out of 17 analysts, 13 have a buy/strong buy rating and the other four rate the shares as a hold.

The average target price is a little lower, at $57.19. This implies a potential 62% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing. Some think WiseTech shares could rocket 184% over the next 12 months, to $100.09 each by this time next year.

So, if I buy $5,000 of WiseTech shares today, what could they be worth in 12 months?

Assuming the average target price comes to fruition, that means a $5,000 investment today could be worth around $8,100 to $8,700 in 12 months time.

But if the more bullish expert forecasts hold, a $5,000 investment today could grow to an enormous $14,200 by this time next year.

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

More reading

• Xero and Megaport: 2 ASX tech shares the market can’t agree on
• WiseTech shares are down 62%. Why are brokers still bullish?
• Down 62%, are WiseTech shares now a buy, hold or sell?
• These ASX shares benefit from a high Aussie dollar
• Why I’m buying WiseTech shares before the market catches on

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 WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. 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) has fallen further this week as investor sentiment continues to slide. 

Renewed conflict between the US and Iran is driving fresh fears about oil prices and supply, inflation, and the potential for further interest rate hikes.

Let’s find out how the shift in sentiment is affecting major ASX 200 shares like Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX: WBC), Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG), and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), and what brokers tip next.

Buy Origin Energy shares

Origin Energy shares closed the day up around 1% on Tuesday afternoon, at $11.32 a piece. The shares spiked to $12.11 after the company ported an impressive FY26 result last month, but the shares have since slid around 7%, wiping out most of the gains. 

For the year-to-date, Origin shares are largely flat, and they’re around 8% lower than 12 months ago.

It looks like profit-taking investors sold up shortly following the share price spike, and the macro situation hasn’t helped either. Rising oil prices and renewed inflation concerns have spooked investors and contributed to a board ASX sell off. 

But it looks like market experts are confident that we’ll see a rebound ahead.

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a buy rating on the ASX energy shares, and the $12.09 average target price implies a potential 7% upside, at the time of writing.

Hold Telstra shares

Telstra shares ended the day flat on Tuesday afternoon, at $4.79 a piece. The ASX telco shares have rebounded around 5% since hitting an annual low in late August. The shares are down around 2% year-to-date and around 1% lower than 12 months ago.

The shares tumbled after the telco posted its FY26 results mid-month, with revenue down 0.8% and underlying earnings up 4.4%. However, not long after, investors swooped back in to snap them up at a lower valuation.

As a classic defensive stock, Telstra shares are also benefiting from the latest flight to security amid renewed geopolitical volatility.

Brokers aren’t convinced that there is much more room for growth going forward. Market Index data shows the majority have a hold rating on Telstra shares. But the $5.01 average target price implies an upside of around 4% at the time of writing.

Sell Westpac shares

Westpac shares slid around another 1% on Tuesday, ending the day at $34.58 per share. August was a tough month for ASX bank shares, with declines across the board. Again, renewed inflation concerns and interest rate fears have seen investors sell up their shares in the major bank.

Falling mortgage demand, a weakening housing market, tight competition and squeezed margins are also acting as headwinds for Westpac shares.

The shares are now down around 11% for the year-to-date and are about 9% lower than 12 months ago.

But it doesn’t look like there is potential for a rebound ahead. 

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a sell rating on Westpac shares. And the $22.91 average target price implies the shares could fall around another 2%, at the time of writing.

The post Buy, hold sell: Telstra, Origin Energy & Westpac shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• All 4 big banks now expect a rate hike. What does this mean for ASX bank shares?
• How much do I need to retire on $80,000 a year at 50?
• Is the Telstra share price a buy for its 6.25% dividend yield?
• What happens if the ASX share market crashes just after I retire?
• How much passive income could a $500,000 superannuation balance generate?

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 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.

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) shares have fallen more than 21% over the past year, and at least one broker thinks that is an opportunity.

Morgan Stanley has a buy rating with a 12-month price target of $12.80.

Qantas shares closed Tuesday at $9.28, which implies capital growth of around 38%.

Why Morgan Stanley likes Qantas shares

Qantas trades on a price-to-earnings ratio of 11 with a 3.87% fully franked dividend yield.

That is one of the cheaper multiples in the S&P/ASX 200 (ASX: XJO).

Qantas’ operating momentum is also better than the share price suggests.

Management expects total unit revenue across domestic and international to rise between 8% and 10% in the first half of FY27.

Qantas Loyalty earnings are forecast to grow 5% to 7%, and the division already lifted underlying EBIT 12% in FY26.

The first Project Sunrise A350-1000ULR arrives in April, with the first non-stop Sydney to London service launching in October.

What Qantas shares earned in FY26

The full-year result was a step backwards: Underlying profit before tax fell $330 million to $2.06 billion.

Statutory profit after tax declined $316 million to $1.29 billion.

Underlying earnings per share dropped 14 cents to 96 cents.

Almost all of that decline has a single cause.

The conflict in the Middle East produced a net impact of $420 million on the FY26 result, driven by record fuel prices and route disruption.

Strip that out and the underlying business actually grew.

What’s more, shareholders were still paid. The final fully franked dividend was 19.8 cents per share, taking total FY26 dividends to $600 million.

Net capital expenditure rose 3% to $4.0 billion and 17 new aircraft were delivered.

Net debt increased to $6.2 billion, which remains inside the target range, and a planned $150 million buyback was cancelled.

Chief executive Vanessa Hudson was optimistic about the year:

This has been another year of progress, with customer satisfaction at its highest in a decade and world-leading operational performance, even as the aviation industry faced record high fuel costs and disruption from the conflict in the Middle East. We came through it with a strong result, which is what allows us to continue investing in the largest fleet renewal in our history and deliver more for our customers, people and shareholders.

What Qantas shares could pay from here

Reassuringly, the dividend outlook is steadier than the earnings outlook.

Commsec projections have the airline holding its annual dividend at 39.6 cents in FY27.

That would be a 4.25% yield, or roughly 6% grossed up with franking credits.

The same projections point to 43.1 cents in FY28 and 49.6 cents in FY29.

For an airline, that is an unusually respectable income profile.

The risk facing Qantas

Oil is a key input whose volatility continues to impact Qantas.

Brent crude settled at US$97.31 a barrel on Monday after another escalation between the United States and Iran near the Strait of Hormuz.

Every dollar on the oil price flows almost directly into the airline’s largest controllable cost.

Weakening households are the second risk.

Consumer sentiment fell 5.2% in September to 84.4, and discretionary travel is the sort of spending that gets deferred.

Qantas says international demand remains strong, helped by customers redirecting away from the Middle East, but that is a fragile advantage.

Foolish takeaway

Morgan Stanley’s target implies the market is treating thr fuel shock as permanent.

That may prove too pessimistic, because the fleet renewal, the Loyalty division and the unit revenue guidance all point in a more positive direction.

At 11 times earnings with a 6% grossed-up yield in prospect, Qantas shares are at least being priced for the risk, leaving potentially plenty of upside on the table.

The post Morgan Stanley tips Qantas shares to climb 38% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 6 ASX shares tipped by brokers to rise 34% to 87%
• Here’s the dividend forecast out to 2029 for Qantas shares
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• Buy, hold, sell: Flight Centre, Qantas, and Wesfarmers shares
• 11 ASX 200 shares with reaffirmed buy ratings post-results

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

The value of investment assets you can own while still qualifying for the age pension will increase on 20 September.

The changes reflect indexation adjustments, which are made twice per year, to keep up with inflation.

Let’s take a look at what’s changing.

How much in assets can you own and still get the pension?

If you were born on or after 1 January 1957, you are eligible for the pension from age 67, whether you are retired or not.

The pension is subject to an assets test and an income test.

On 20 September, the guardrails on both tests change.

In this article, we’re focusing on the rules for the assets test.

The first thing to know is your home is excluded from the pension assets test.

If you rent your home, you’re also allowed to own a higher value of assets while still qualifying for the age pension.

Assessable assets under the test include superannuation, ASX shares, bonds, investment properties, and cash.

Under this next round of indexation changes, effective 20 September, only the upper thresholds for the assets test are changing.

Here are the details.

If you own your home

Single homeowners whose assets are worth less than $333,000 qualify for a full pension.

Single homeowners whose assets are worth between $333,001 and $745,750 (up from $733,500) will be eligible for a part-payment.

Couple homeowners whose assets are worth less than $499,000 qualify for a full pension.

Couple homeowners who have between $499,001 and $1,121,000 (up from $1,102,500) in assets will qualify for a part-payment.

If you rent your home

Single renters whose assets are worth less than $600,000 qualify for the full payment.

Single renters who have between $600,001 and $1,012,750 (up from $1,000,500) in assets will qualify for a part-payment.

Couple renters whose assets are worth less than $766,000 qualify for the full payment.

Couple renters who have between $766,001 and $1,388,000 (up from $1,369,500) in assets will qualify for a part-pension.

How much is the age pension?

Pension payments will increase on 20 September to reflect inflation.

Single pensioners will get an extra $36.80 per fortnight from 20 September.

That will raise the full pension payment up to $1,237.70 per fortnight.

Couples will get an extra $27.80 per partner, per fortnight.

That will bump up the full pension to $933 per partner, per fortnight.

Even if your assets are worth very close to the upper limit for a part-pension, it is still worth applying for social security.

You may only get a few dollars in pension, but you’ll receive the full benefit of the Australian Pensioner Concession Card (PCC).

The PCC can save you thousands of dollars every year on a broad range of living expenses in retirement.

The post How much in assets can you own while still qualifying for the age pension? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• By September 2027, $5,000 invested in WiseTech shares could turn into…
• Buy, hold sell: Telstra, Origin Energy & Westpac shares
• Morgan Stanley tips Qantas shares to climb 38%
• Why the ASX 200 just hit a six-week low
• All 4 big banks now expect a rate hike. What does this mean for ASX bank shares?

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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The S&P/ASX 200 (ASX: XJO) has fallen to a six-week low. The question is: why?

Australians have decided that interest rates are going up again.

The index lost a flat 1% on Tuesday to finish at 8,920.8 points.

That leaves the market back below 9,000 points and more than 3% below where it traded in mid-August.

What fell on the ASX 200

The damage was not spread evenly across the market.

Consumer discretionary shares were the worst sector by a wide margin, falling 1.88%.

Technology shares dropped 1.76% and financials lost 1.63%.

Listed property fell 1.46%.

Utilities were the only sector to post a meaningful gain, rising 0.59%.

Looking more deeply into this, that pattern seems like a textbook interest rate reaction.

Investors sold anything that depends on household spending and bought the things that behave like bonds.

Consumer sentiment did the damage

The trigger arrived before the market opened.

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment fell 5.2% in September to 84.4.

Any reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists, so 84.4 is a weak result.

The report itself was blunt about the cause.

The fall takes sentiment back towards the deeply pessimistic levels seen earlier in the year. Both fuel prices and interest rates again look to be driving the move.

Nearly two-thirds of consumers now expect mortgage rates to rise within twelve months.

Assessments of family finances dropped 9.2%, and among homeowners the fall was 13%.

Westpac then moved its own forecast to a November rate rise, joining ANZ and CommBank.

That followed June quarter national accounts showing the economy growing 0.4% for the quarter and 2.1% over the year.

JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman are wearing it

Two retailers show what all of this looks like at the company level.

JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) shares fell 2.25% on Tuesday to $66.07.

That is a fresh 52-week low, and the shares are now down 42.8% over twelve months.

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN) shares closed flat at $4.32.

They are just above a 52-week low of $4.15 and are down 41.3% over the year.

The FY26 results do not explain those falls

Despite this sell-off, both companies actually posted reasonably strong results.

JB Hi-Fi lifted FY26 revenue 4.8% to $11.06 billion and net profit after tax 6% to $489.9 million.

Earnings before interest and tax rose 5.8% to $734.4 million.

The total dividend jumped 22.5% to 337 cents per share fully franked, and the company finished the year with $206.5 million of net cash and no interest-bearing debt.

For its part, Harvey Norman grew total system sales 3.1% to $9.64 billion and statutory profit before tax 4.9% to $790.29 million.

Its fully franked dividend rose 3.8% to 27.5 cents per share.

Chair Gerry Harvey said of the results:

FY26 delivered growth in operating earnings, continued international expansion and strong franchise profitability. With total assets approaching $9 billion, net assets approaching $5 billion, substantial property ownership and low gearing, we remain well positioned to deliver long-term sustainable growth for our shareholders.

Foolish takeaway

A 1% fall is not a crash, and the ASX 200 remains only modestly below its August level.

What changed on Tuesday was the assumptions behind the market.

Investors had been pricing in a pause, and they are now pricing in a hike.

The post Why the ASX 200 just hit a six-week low appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much do I need to retire on $80,000 a year at 50?
• These ASX shares benefit from a high Aussie dollar
• 3 stellar ASX dividend stocks to supplement your superannuation 
• 9 ASX shares downgraded by experts post-results this week
• 3 top ASX dividend shares to buy in September

Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven 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 Harvey Norman. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX bank shares fell hard on Tuesday, with the bad news coming from the banks’ own economists.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shifted its forecast to a November rate rise, taking the cash rate to 4.60%.

That means all four majors now expect the Reserve Bank to tighten again this year.

The financials sector dropped 1.63% on the day.

What higher rates actually do to ASX bank shares

The instinct is that rate rises are good for banks, and that is only half true.

Higher rates let banks reprice deposits more slowly than loans, which supports margins for a period.

However, they also slow credit growth, lift arrears and eventually raise bad debt charges.

The most recent results show margins remain stable.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s (ASX: CBA) FY26 net interest margin came in at 2.05%, three basis points lower than FY25.

Westpac held its margin steady at 1.89% in the June quarter.

National Australia Bank Ltd’s (ASX: NAB) margin slipped two basis points to 1.79%, whereas that of ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) rose one basis point to 1.54%.

Loan losses are also creeping up.

CommBank’s loan impairment expense rose 9% to $788 million in FY26.

NAB booked $299 million of credit impairment charges in the third quarter.

What the majors are actually earning

CommBank remains the standout on profitability.

Cash net profit after tax lifted 7% to $11.0 billion in FY26, on operating income of $30.2 billion.

Cash return on equity reached 14.0% and the full-year dividend rose to $5.05 per share fully franked.

Its common equity tier one ratio finished the year at 12.0%.

The quarterly updates from the other three were steadier.

Westpac reported $1.8 billion of net profit excluding notable items, with a 12.1% capital ratio.

NAB delivered $1.83 billion of cash earnings and an 11.93% capital ratio.

ANZ posted $1.90 billion of cash profit in its own third quarter update.

What you are paying for ASX bank shares today

When looking at valuations, this is where the argument becomes more difficult to justify.

CommBank closed Tuesday at $158.69 on a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.6 and a 3.15% yield.

NAB finished at $38.87 on 19.6 times earnings with a 4.33% yield.

ANZ ended at $36.94 and Westpac at $34.58, yielding 4.37% and 4.41% respectively.

Fund manager Wilson Asset Management remains underweight the sector.

Its team pointed to slowing credit growth, rising competition and some deterioration in loan book quality.

Business lending pipelines were described as relatively healthy, while mortgage growth expectations have been revised lower.

Foolish takeaway

A rate hike is not necessarily a huge positive for ASX bank shares, and Tuesday’s selling made that point.

The sector is being asked to grow earnings while credit growth slows and households tighten.

I find NAB, ANZ and Westpac far easier to justify than CommBank at 24.6 times earnings.

The yields on those three are genuinely useful, and the capital positions are strong enough to fund them.

What I would not do is buy ASX bank shares purely because the cash rate is heading higher, because the last three hikes have not lifted a single major’s margin.

The post All 4 big banks now expect a rate hike. What does this mean for ASX bank shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold sell: Telstra, Origin Energy & Westpac shares
• How many ANZ shares do you need for $8000 of passive income?
• How much is needed in superannuation for $3,000 in weekly passive income?
• Are NAB, ANZ, Westpac and CBA shares attractive buys right now?
• Sell alert! Why this expert is calling time on Flight Centre and CBA shares

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

The recent changes to capital gains tax (CGT) may reduce the after-tax appeal of investment returns driven by share-price growth. 

This is influencing some investors to favour ASX dividend shares. That’s because a greater portion of returns comes from regular income and potentially franking credits.

According to S&P research, the trailing 12-month dividend yield of the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) is around 3.5%.

For investors looking to outperform this benchmark, here are three ASX dividend shares with yields over 6%. 

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

Rural Funds Group is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that holds and leases agricultural land and equipment. 

The company manages around $2 billion of diversified farmland and assets located across several states.

Its segments include cattle, almonds, macadamias, cropping, vineyards, and other agricultural products. The majority of its revenue is derived from its cattle and almond segments.

ASX REITs can be attractive dividend stocks because they typically own income-producing property and distribute a significant portion of rental income to investors as distributions. 

Their returns can therefore provide relatively predictable income. It is worth considering dividends are not guaranteed as REITs can be sensitive to interest rates, property values and debt costs.

At the time of writing, this ASX dividend stock is offering a distribution per unit of 11.73 cents in FY27, which is a yield of approximately 6%.

IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH)

IPH is a holding company, which engages in the provision of intellectual property (IP) services.

This is attractive as a dividend stock because it has a defensive, recurring business, strong cash generation, and a history of growing its dividend. 

IPH is considered defensive because businesses still need to protect and maintain their patents and trademarks regardless of the economic cycle. Once a company has an IP portfolio, it generally continues paying for renewals, legal work and administration even during a recession.

So IPH’s revenue is less dependent on people buying discretionary products or services, which can make its cash flows and dividends more stable than those of many other companies.

At the current share price, the recent dividends imply a very high yield of over 11%. 

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN)

Another ASX dividend stock to target for high yields is HomeCo Daily Needs. 

Another ASX REIT, it is an Australian property group focused on the ownership, development, and management of Australian shopping centres.

It also offers a defensive profile, as its property focuses on everyday needs such as supermarkets, healthcare, childcare and essential services. 

These tenants tend to remain in demand even when the economy weakens, which supports relatively stable rental income and distributions.

At the time of writing, it offers a yield over 7%. 

The post 3 ASX dividend shares with yields over 6% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much do I need to retire on $80,000 a year at 50?
• 2 great ASX dividend share buys for passive income in September
• 3 ASX passive income stocks to buy with $50,000
• 3 top ASX dividend shares to buy in September
• How much is needed in superannuation to target a $60,000 annual passive income?

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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 Rural Funds Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended HomeCo Daily Needs REIT and IPH Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Choosing ASX dividend shares gets harder when the cash rate is looking like increasing.

All four major banks now expect the Reserve Bank to tighten again this year.

A term deposit paying close to 5% becomes a competitor for income money.

The three companies below each deal with that problem in different ways.

1. Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG)

Macquarie Group is the one of the few companies that benefits from higher rates.

The company earns on client cash balances, and its markets businesses tend to do better when volatility rises.

FY26 net profit rose 30% to $4.85 billion and earnings per share climbed 30% to $12.77.

Return on equity recovered to 14.0% and assets under management reached $748 billion.

The full-year dividend was $7.00 per share, though franked at only 35%.

Today, the shares trade on a price-to-earnings ratio near 19.9 with a 2.78% yield.

The trade-off is a dividend that grows with earnings.

2. Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Transurban Group is the classic rate-sensitive income stock, and it has been treated accordingly.

The shares closed at $13.63, within a few cents of a 52-week low, and are down 4.82% over twelve months.

The trailing yield is 5.01%.

Despite all of this, the company’s operating result was solid.

Proportional toll revenue rose 6.7% to $3,982 million and proportional EBITDA rose 7.5% to $3,063 million.

Free cash increased 5.1% to $2,111 million.

The FY26 distribution was 69.0 cents per security, up 6.2%, and management has guided to 72 cents in FY27.

Proportional drawn debt sits at $27.1 billion with gearing of 37.4%.

The weighted average cost of Australian dollar debt is 4.8% and 87.8% of debt is hedged.

That hedging is what buys the company time if rates keep climbing.

Toll escalation is linked to inflation, so the same forces pushing rates higher also lift Transurban’s revenue.

Chief executive Michelle Jablko noted that despite the macroeconomic backdrop the group’s roads proved relatively resilient through the year.

3. APA Group (ASX: APA)

APA Group has been the best performer of the three, rising 22.23% over twelve months to $10.83.

The company’s dividend yield is 5.32%, though franked at only about 31%.

FY26 underlying EBITDA rose 8.3% to $2,183 million, above the midpoint of guidance.

Free cash flow rose 3.2% to $1,118 million and the distribution lifted 1.8% to 58.0 cents per security.

FY27 guidance calls for EBITDA of $2,260 million to $2,340 million and a 59.0 cent distribution.

The organic growth pipeline has expanded to roughly $3.5 billion.

Chief executive Adam Watson summed it up.

Our underlying earnings were up 8.3% and above the mid-point of guidance, supported by new assets and ongoing strong operational performance.

The catch is the price.

Brokers are split between hold and sell ratings, with an average target below the current share price.

Foolish takeaway

The instinct when rates rise is to sell every yield stock in sight.

That is too blunt, because these three respond to the same cash rate in opposite directions.

I would rather own a 5% distribution that grows with inflation than a term deposit that does not.

Transurban is the ASX dividend shares idea I find most interesting today, purely because the market has already marked it down.

Macquarie is the one I would be happiest holding if the Reserve Bank continues to look to increase rates.

The post Top 3 ASX dividend shares to buy if interest rates go up appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Top 3 ASX shares to buy with $3,000 in September
• How much is needed in superannuation for $3,000 in weekly passive income?
• 3 ASX passive income stocks to buy with $50,000
• These ASX shares benefit from a high Aussie dollar
• 3 stellar ASX dividend stocks to supplement your superannuation 

Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven 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 and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group and Transurban 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.

Fresh commentary from the team at Morgans has identified an exciting exploration-stage mining growth stock investors should be adding to their watchlist. 

The company in question is G50 Corp Ltd (ASX: G50). 

Company overview

G50 Corp was established to identify and advance opportunities involving economically viable precious metal deposits across the United States.

The Company’s flagship Golconda Project, situated in northwestern Arizona, represents its most advanced exploration asset. The project encompasses a number of historically worked, small-scale precious and polymetallic mines, positioned directly southeast of a significant porphyry copper-molybdenum system.

In central Nevada, Gold 50 holds the Spitfire, Broken Hills, Top Gun and Caisson Projects, each offering further exploration potential.

Despite limited modern exploration across these properties, all four projects exhibit evidence of gold mineralisation at surface. In particular, the Spitfire Project has recorded exceptionally high-grade, or “bonanza-grade,” gold and silver mineralisation.

As is typical with small-cap shares, it has experienced volatility in 2026. 

At the time of writing, its share price is down 35% year to date. 

For comparison, the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries (ASX: XSO) index is down 8% in the same period, while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 2%.

However, Morgans is bullish this exciting growth stock could be set to explode. 

Strong momentum

According to Morgans, G50 is making progress across its projects. 

Recent exploration has expanded the Golconda mineral system and identified high-grade gold at White Caps. 

The Company is also exploring ways to develop and potentially generate revenue from its gallium resources, which could benefit from growing demand for critical minerals.

G50 recently raised additional funding through a placement led by Hancock. 

This gives the Company the money it needs to increase exploration, develop its gallium opportunities and continue work on the larger Golconda project, including future funding and permitting requirements.

G50 continues to unlock value across its asset base, with recent activity extending the Golconda system, delivering a high-grade gold discovery at White Caps, and advancing potential gallium development pathways amid an increasingly supportive backdrop for critical minerals.

Big upside for this growth stock

Based on this guidance, Morgans has a $1.94 price target and speculative buy recommendation on G50 shares. 

From current levels, this indicates an upside of 321%. 

Following the recent Hancock-cornerstoned placement, the Company is well funded to accelerate exploration and advance potential gallium monetisation pathways, supporting early cash flow, financing and permitting for the broader Golconda deposit. We maintain our SPECULATIVE BUY rating with a target price of A$1.94ps.

The post Could this exciting growth stock be set to triple? Morgans thinks it can appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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.

June 3 would have been an excellent day to channel your inner Warren Buffett and buy CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares.

Of the many investment quotes Buffett is famous for, perhaps the best known is, “Be greedy when others are fearful.”

Indeed, on 3 June, a lot of investors were fearful about buying the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) biotech giant, after it closed at a more than nine-year low.

Why did CSL shares crash to a multi-year low?

The CSL share price decline began in mid-2024 and ran for roughly two years.

Over this time the company issued a number of earnings downgrades, partly driven by lower than forecast plasma demand.

Vaccine uptakes in the United States also slumped, right about when management announced their plan to spin off the CSL Seqirus segment, its influenza vaccine business, into a separate ASX-listed company. (That plan remains on hold at the moment.)

Investors also reacted negatively to former CSL CEO Paul McKenzie’s unexpected exit in February this year.

Which brings us back to the closing bell on June 3, when you could have picked up CSL for just $92.24 a share.

Investing $10,000 into the ASX 200 healthcare share

If you’d embraced your inner Warren Buffett and invested $10,000 in the ASX 200 biotech stock on 3 June, you could have picked up 108 shares with a bit of pocket money left over.

On Tuesday, CSL shares were trading for $171.66 apiece. And if you held the stock through to market close, you’d also have received the final CSL dividend of $2.277 a share.

The stock is trading ex-dividend today.

So, if we add that passive income payout back into the recent share price, then the accumulated value of the shares you picked up for $92.24 on June 3 works out to (a rounded) $173.94 each.

Meaning the 108 shares you acquired for $10,000 just over three months ago would be worth $18,786 today.

Or a gain of 87.9%.

What’s sent the CSL shares rocketing?

By 17 August, shares in the ASX 200 healthcare stock had recovered to $134.60 as investors began to bet on the success of the company’s ‘reset’ process.

Then on 18 August, CSL shares rocketed 17.3% following the release of the company’s full-year FY 2026 results.

While revenue declined 1% year on year and CSL reported a net loss after tax of US$2.6 billion, the company forecast steady revenue in FY 2027 and underlying NPAT growth of around 5%.

“FY26 has been a year of reset. We have taken decisive action and created a clear path to return to sustainable growth,” CSL interim CEO Gordon Naylor said on the day of the results release.

The post $10,000 invested in CSL shares in June is now worth… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Forget CSL shares. 3 ASX healthcare stocks with bigger upside
• If I invest $10,000 in CSL shares, what passive income will I earn in FY27?
• UBS names its 10 top ASX picks for the next 3-6 months
• Are CSL shares still cheap after almost doubling since June?
• CSL led the ASX healthcare shares rebound. Can it continue?

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