Tag: Stock pick

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is hovering around 8,700 points, which is not far below its record high of approximately 9,200 points.

That can make buying feel a little harder. When the market is already trading at elevated levels, I think investors need to be more selective. I would rather focus on high-quality businesses with long-term growth runways than chase whatever has already been running hot.

One ASX blue chip stock I would still consider buying in this environment is ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD).

A global healthcare leader

I think ResMed is one of the strongest healthcare businesses on the ASX.

The company develops products to treat sleep apnoea and breathing disorders, as well as software solutions for home healthcare. This gives it exposure to several powerful long-term trends, including ageing populations, rising awareness of sleep health, and the shift toward care being delivered outside hospitals.

What I like most is that ResMed is not relying on one narrow product line.

It has devices, masks and accessories, software, data, and connected health platforms. That creates a broader ecosystem around patients, clinicians, and healthcare providers.

Its latest third-quarter update showed the business still has momentum. Revenue increased 11% to US$1.4 billion, while earnings per share rose 21% to US$2.86. ResMed also reported a 290-basis-point lift in its gross margin.

I would not buy the stock purely because of one quarterly result, but I think that update supports the view that the business remains in good shape.

A huge addressable market

For me, the bigger reason to like ResMed is the size of the opportunity.

Sleep apnoea remains massively underdiagnosed and undertreated globally. ResMed’s presentation points to more than 1 billion people with sleep apnoea, with fewer than 20% of patients diagnosed or treated in the US and fewer than 10% in the rest of the world.

That is the kind of runway I like in a blue chip.

ResMed does not need to invent a completely new market to keep growing. It can continue expanding access, improving diagnosis, and helping more patients move onto treatment.

The company also has a growing digital advantage. Its ecosystem includes more than 26 billion nights of respiratory medical data, more than 36 million patients in AirView, and more than 34 million cloud-connectable devices worldwide.

I think that data and connectivity could become increasingly valuable as healthcare becomes more digital, personalised, and outcome-focused.

Innovation remains important

Another reason I would consider this ASX blue chip stock is that it continues to invest in new products.

The company highlighted its AirSense 11 rollout into more global markets and newer mask launches such as AirTouch N30i and AirTouch F30i. It is also expanding into adjacent sleep health areas, including its planned acquisition of Noctrix, which has a device for refractory moderate-to-severe restless leg syndrome.

That tells me ResMed is still thinking about the broader sleep health market, rather than standing still with its existing portfolio.

Foolish takeaway

With the ASX 200 around 8,700 points, I would be careful about what I buy.

But ResMed is one ASX blue chip stock I think still deserves attention.

It has a global market position, a large underpenetrated opportunity, strong recent earnings momentum, and a growing digital health ecosystem.

For investors looking beyond short-term market levels, I think those qualities make it a blue chip worth considering.

The post 1 ASX blue chip stock I’d consider buying with the ASX 200 around 8,700 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• What’s going on with ResMed shares today?

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

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) shares are lifting off today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) travel stock closed yesterday trading for $10.16. In morning trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for $10.42 apiece, up 2.6%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.6% at this same time.

This outperformance follows the company’s presentation and trading update at the annual Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) Conference.

Here’s what we know.

Flight Centre shares lift on profit growth

In a trading update cover the nine months to 31 March, the ASX 200 travel stock reported a 7.6% year on year increase in total transaction value (TTV) to $19.5 billion.

Management noted that the third quarter showed strong momentum, with Q3 TTV up 6.8% to $7 billion, representing 9.4% growth in constant currency.

Flight Centre shares also look to be getting a lift from the 9.7% year-on-year increase in underlying profit before tax (UPBT), which reached $226.4 million over the nine months.

The company’s corporate segment enjoyed a 23% increase in UPBT, while profits in its leisure segment were up 2% from the same nine-month period last year.

And if you held Flight Centre stock at market close on 24 April, you’ll have received the fully franked interim dividend of 12 cents per share on 16 April.

The first nine months of FY 2026 also saw the company complete its $200 million share buyback program.

“We’ve seen strong momentum in both our corporate and leisure businesses, despite a challenging travel environment,” Flight Centre chief financial officer Adam Campbell said.

“Our people have gone above and beyond for customers, and our focus on technology and efficiency continues to deliver returns,” he added.

What’s next for the ASX 200 travel stock?

Looking to what could impact the Flight Centre share price in the months ahead, investors would do well to keep an eye on potential disruption from the Middle East conflict.

Today, management reaffirmed the company’s full year FY 2026 UPBT guidance of $315 million to $350 million.

But Flight Centre said that it is continuing to closely monitor the impact of world events on its short-term results, with hostilities in the Middle East “creating near-term uncertainty and temporarily disrupting international travel patterns”.

For now, investors will have to settle for some ongoing uncertainty, with Flight Centre noting that the impact of ongoing unrest and potential future fuel supply disruptions are “not currently clear heading into the key May-June trading period”.

While the company said its global corporate business has not yet been significantly impacted, its leisure business took an estimated $10 million profit hit in April amid the ongoing hostilities.

With today’s intraday gains factored in, Flight Centre shares remain down 19% since this time last year, not including dividends.

The post Why are Flight Centre shares jumping higher in Tuesday’s sinking market? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are down 0.6% to 8,642 points after missile strikes in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US and Iran fired on each other, and Iranian drones hit vessels from South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Iran also hit an oil port in the UAE, causing a large fire.

The four-week-old ceasefire is now in jeopardy as the US tries to restart shipping via US Navy escort under ‘Project Freedom’.

ASX 200 energy shares are leading the market today, up 1%, with technology not too far behind, up 0.8%.

Meanwhile, three experts give us their views on three ASX stocks.

Let’s check them out.

ASX 200 shares attracting buy ratings this week

Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL)

The Deep Yellow share price is $1.81, down 1.6% today and down 7.4% in the year to date (YTD).

On the The Bull this week, Michael Gable of Fairmont Securities explained his buy rating on this ASX 200 uranium share.

Gable said:

The uranium sector remains promising because demand should continue to outpace supply for the next few years.

Although the uranium price has edged higher in the past several months, I’m expecting a much bigger move to occur soon when utilities return to contract for future supplies.

This uranium developer, based in Namibia, appears cheap at these levels and it’s highly leveraged to any increase in the underlying uranium price.

Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR)

The Liontown share price is $2.39, down 1.2% today and up 47% YTD.

Bell Potter has reiterated its buy rating on this ASX 200 lithium share and lifted its 12-month target from $2.42 to $2.65.

Liontown released its 3Q FY26 report last week.

After reviewing the report, the broker said:

LTR is now in a net cash position. Over FY26-27, LTR will continue to ramp up and de-risk Kathleen Valley.

With current lithium price strength, LTR can rapidly generate cash to support incremental production expansions and shareholder returns.

Kathleen Valley is highly strategic in terms of scale, long project life and location in a tier-one mining jurisdiction.

LTR has offtake contracts with top-tier EV and battery OEMs.

Alkane Resources Ltd (ASX: ALK)

The Alkane Resources share price is $1.45, down 1.9% today and up 46% over six months.

Bell Potter has renewed its buy rating on this ASX 200 gold share and lifted its target from $1.95 to $2.10.

In a new note, the broker said:

ALK offers multimine gold and antimony exposure across three attractive jurisdictions, a strong balance sheet and an operating platform focused on organic and inorganic growth options.

Valuation metrics are undemanding and we retain our Buy recommendation.

The post 3 ASX 200 shares to buy this week: Experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Deep Yellow, IGO, and Viva Energy shares
• Is this ASX energy stock a buy, hold or sell following quarterly results?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• The five best ASX 200 stocks to buy and hold in April revealed
• 5 ASX mining shares to buy: experts

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.

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares are drifting lower on Tuesday following a pre-market update from the data centre operator.

At the time of writing, the share price is down 0.99% to $13.94.

Despite the small decline, the stock is still up about 26% over the past month as momentum has built.

By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up a modest 0.72% over the same period.

Here’s what was announced.

$1.8 billion debt facility locked in

According to the release, NextDC has secured $1.8 billion in new senior debt commitments from a syndicate of domestic and global banks.

The funding comes from a group that includes the major four banks, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ).

The new facilities will lift total available senior debt from $4.6 billion to $8.2 billion once completed.

Liquidity is also expected to increase, with the company pointing to around $5.4 billion in cash and undrawn capacity.

The facilities will sit under existing terms and carry margins broadly in line with its current debt.

A general syndication process is expected to begin shortly, with financial close still subject to standard conditions.

Funding supports expansion pipeline

The capital is aimed at supporting NextDC’s ongoing build-out of its data centre network.

Most of the proceeds will go towards capital expenditure tied to recently signed customer contracts and future developments.

The company has been stepping up investment to meet demand from cloud providers and enterprise customers.

This follows an update last month showing record contracted utilisation across its platform.

Share price reaction

The market appears to be taking a more measured view of the update, with shares edging lower despite the scale of the funding.

While securing $1.8 billion adds flexibility, it also highlights the level of capital required to keep expanding.

That trade-off can keep a lid on short-term sentiment, even as the longer-term pipeline continues to build.

It also means the focus stays on how efficiently that capital is deployed across projects already underway.

Foolish takeaway

It’s encouraging to see NextDC is still pushing ahead with its expansion, but execution is where it really counts.

And that only gets harder with multiple projects running at the same time.

The balance sheet is clearly being structured to support that build-out over several years.

From here, I’d be watching how quickly that spending actually turns into capacity and revenue across the business.

The post NextDC shares pull back after a funding update. Here’s what you need to know appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

The Brent crude oil price hit a four-year high of US$114 per barrel today after the US and Iran exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz.

This follows the US announcing it would escort commercial ships from nations uninvolved in the conflict through the critical waterway.

Iranian drones hit South Korean and United Arab Emirates (UAE) vessels, as well as the UAE’s Fujairah oil terminal, causing a large fire.

ASX 200 energy shares are leading the market today, up 1.3%, due to the correlation between a rising Brent crude oil price and earnings.

However, the market is also aware that rising energy costs may lead to resurgent global inflation and higher interest rates.

This is contributing to a 0.6% fall for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) as the market braces for the Reserve Bank’s next interest rate decision at 2.30pm on Tuesday.

No end in sight

The Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s gas and oil supply is shipped, remains effectively shut down.

The Brent crude oil price has lifted 12% over the past week. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude is up 9% to US$105 per barrel.

US gas prices have also lifted 10% over the week. US heating oil prices are up 4% and European gas prices have increased 9%.

Trading Economics analysts said Middle East tensions have intensified sharply over the past 24 hours.

They commented:

The US and Iran exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz, raising uncertainty over the durability of the four-week ceasefire.

US forces repelled Iranian attacks while escorting two US-flagged vessels through the strategic waterway, stating they had “defended all commercial ships” from drones and small boats deployed by Tehran.

CBA senior economist Ryan Felsman said the four-week-old ceasefire between the US and Iran was now in jeopardy.

Overnight, gold futures fell “as Middle East risks pushed the US dollar higher and kept inflation fears in focus”, he said.

Interest rates in Australia

CBA expects the Reserve Bank to raise interest rates for a third consecutive month today.

Felsman said:

We expect the RBA to lift the cash rate 25bp at their meeting … to 4.35%. However, the decision will be finely balanced.

We anticipate another split vote with the softer March trimmed mean CPI print and recent falls in sentiment surveys strengthening the case to the leave the cash rate unchanged and wait to see how the data evolves.

Those arguing for a hike, by contrast, will focus on inflation being persistently too high, a labour market that remains too tight and rising cost pass through from the war in Iran

The market is pricing in a 74% chance of an interest rate rise today.

What’s happening with ASX 200 energy shares?

At the time of writing, the Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price is up 2.2% to $32.83.

The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is up 0.7% to $7.97.

The Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) share price is 1.5% higher at $35.80.

The Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA) share price is up 1.7% to $2.46.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) shares are up 2.9% to $2.14 apiece.

The Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price is 1.9% higher at $1.17.

The post Brent crude oil price rips to 4-year high amid missile strikes in Strait of Hormuz appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Deep Yellow, IGO, and Viva Energy shares
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
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• Viva Energy updates investors on Geelong Refinery operations

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.

If you are looking for some new investment ideas, then it could pay to hear what analysts are saying about the ASX shares in this article, courtesy of The Bull.

Here’s what they are recommending this week:

Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL)

The team at Fairmont Equities thinks investors should be buying this uranium producer’s shares.

It is expecting uranium prices to move meaningfully higher, which could underpin a re-rating for Deep Yellow shares, especially given how Fairmont thinks they look cheap at current levels. It said:

The uranium sector remains promising because demand should continue to outpace supply for the next few years. Although the uranium price has edged higher in the past several months, I’m expecting a much bigger move to occur soon when utilities return to contract for future supplies. This uranium developer, based in Namibia, appears cheap at these levels and it’s highly leveraged to any increase in the underlying uranium price.

IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO)

Alto Capital has named this lithium producer’s shares as a sell this week.

Although the investment firm concedes that IGO is a high-quality company, it thinks its shares are overvalued, especially given uncertainty in near term commodity prices. It explains:

IGO is a diversified battery metals company with exposure to lithium, nickel and copper, including a strategic interest in the Greenbushes lithium operation. The company has benefited from strong investor interest in the energy transition theme, supported by long term demand expectations for battery materials.

While IGO remains a high quality operator, the share price appears to reflect a recovery in underlying commodity prices. In our view, uncertainty in near term commodity prices amid earnings volatility are likely to persist. The risk-reward balance supports taking profits.

Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA)

The team at Baker Young has named this fuel retailer and refiner’s shares as a hold.

While there are things to like about Viva Energy, there is not quite enough to warrant a buy rating right now. Baker Young commented:

Energy market dislocation highlights the strategic importance of Viva Energy’s refining operations, particularly in light of the recently enhanced Federal Government subsidy framework. While the recent fire at the Geelong facility is a setback, the financial impact appears manageable and unlikely to offset the benefit of elevated refining margins.

Higher fuel prices may weigh on convenience retail performance, which had shown signs of a recovery. Over time, refining margins are expected to normalise, but the stock appears well supported in the near term.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Deep Yellow, IGO, and Viva Energy shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX 200 shares to buy this week: Experts
• Brent crude oil price rips to 4-year high amid missile strikes in Strait of Hormuz
• Why Viva Energy, Transurban and NAB shares are turning heads on Monday
• Viva Energy updates investors on Geelong Refinery operations
• Is this ASX energy stock a buy, hold or sell following quarterly results?

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.

It’s a big day in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold stock space today, with industry heavyweights Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) and Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) announcing their intentions to merge.

The combined company will have a market capitalisation of some $10.7 billion at current share prices.

Together the ASX 200 gold stocks expect to produce more than 700,000 ounces of gold a year from five Western Australian operating hubs. Their collective Ore Reserves amount to 6.0 million ounces with 20.5 million ounces in Mineral Resources.

Here’s what’s happening.

Two ASX 200 gold stocks to become one

This morning Regis Resources and Vault Minerals revealed they have agreed to a “merger-of-equals” via a Vault scheme of arrangement which will see Regis acquire 100% of Vault’s shares.

Vault shareholders will get 0.6947 new shares in Regis for each Vault share they hold.

Both the Vault board and the Regis Resources board unanimously endorsed the scheme, barring a superior proposal emerging. The merger remains subject to shareholder and other regulatory approvals.

If the scheme is implemented, Regis shareholders will own around 51% and Vault shareholders will own approximately 49% of the combined company.

The ASX 200 gold stocks said efficiencies from the merger could realise more than $500 million of tax benefits and lower the cost of capital for the combined mining company.

They forecast combined annualised free cash flow of $1.7 billion and a balance sheet with $1.9 billion in cash and bullion, no drawn debt, and $300 million in available debt facilities.

The combined ASX 200 gold stock will be led by Russell Clark as non-executive chairman and Jim Beyer as managing director and CEO. The new company’s board of directors will be comprised of four directors from each of the current Regis Resources and Vault Minerals boards.

What did Regis Resources and Vault Minerals management say?

Commenting on the ASX 200 gold stocks’ merger intentions, Regis Resources CEO Jim Beyer said, “This merger creates Australia’s third largest primary ASX-listed gold producer, which demands global recognition.”

Beyer added, “The combined company is exceptionally well-positioned to deliver long term value and enhanced capital returns for our shareholders.”

Vault Minerals CEO Luke Tonkin said:

Vault’s portfolio, anchored by the King of the Hills operation currently undergoing a significant mill expansion, brings long-life, high-quality assets and a strong financial position to the merger.

By combining these strengths with Regis’ proven operational and exploration capability, the merged company is better positioned to deliver sustained production, enhanced reserve replacement and long-term value creation across gold price cycles.

Vault Minerals shares are up 4.4% in morning trade following the merger news, changing hands for $4.70 apiece.

Regis Resources shares are down 4.2% at $6.87 each.

The post Big ASX 200 gold stock news! Regis Resources and Vault Minerals announce $11 billion merger appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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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.

The Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Ltd (ASX: DBI) share price is in focus after the release of its latest investor presentation. Key highlights include FY25 funds from operations (FFO) of $173.3 million, up 10.6% on the prior year, and a distribution of 24.625 cents per security, growing 11.9% year on year.

What did Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure report?

• Funds From Operations (FFO) rose 10.6% year-on-year to $173.3 million
• EBITDA increased 5.2% to $294.3 million for FY-25
• Distributions per security lifted 11.9% to 24.625 cents
• Capital projects worth $429.6 million completed or underway as at 31 March 2026
• $1.07 billion in new debt financing executed during the period
• Zero serious injuries or illnesses recorded for FY-25

What else do investors need to know?

DBI’s foundation asset, Dalrymple Bay Terminal (DBT), continues as the world’s largest export facility for metallurgical coal, with all 84.2Mtpa of capacity fully contracted to at least June 2028 on take-or-pay arrangements. The company’s revenue is largely protected from volume risk and sees annual price indexation with inflation.

Significant growth projects—such as the NECAP capital program and the planned 8X expansion—are advancing, with $429.6 million invested in improvements and expansions supporting future returns. DBI has also reaffirmed its strategic focus on ESG, with no reported safety incidents and ongoing community and sustainability contributions.

What’s next for Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure?

Investors can expect DBI to provide distribution guidance for FY-26/27 at its upcoming AGM. The company is targeting organic and external growth, with the next stage of the NECAP expansion and the 8X project both set to support long-term uplift in revenues and distributions.

DBI remains focused on disciplined capital management, further refinancing opportunities, and potential asset diversification, all while maintaining its investment grade credit ratings and maximising securityholder returns.

Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure shares have risen 34%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 6% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Highlights from Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure’s latest investor presentation appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

The Ventia Services Group Ltd (ASX: VNT) share price is in focus after the company announced it has secured new Victorian road maintenance contracts worth approximately $340 million over four years, covering the Grampians and Eastern Metropolitan regions.

What did Ventia Services Group report?

• Secured Victorian Road Maintenance Contracts (VRMC) in the Grampians and Eastern Metropolitan regions
• Estimated combined contract value of approximately $340 million over a four-year base term
• Options to extend contracts by two years (Grampians) and up to four years (Eastern Metropolitan)
• Scope includes routine maintenance, inspections, hazard rectification, emergency response, and minor capital works

What else do investors need to know?

Ventia says the $340 million contract value includes routine and planned maintenance, alongside possible minor capital works, dependent on Victorian government budget approvals. The contracts reinforce Ventia’s position in delivering essential infrastructure services, directly supporting both regional and metropolitan communities throughout Victoria.

Contract commencement is expected from 1 July 2026, adding to Ventia’s expanding pipeline of long-term, government-backed projects. The contracts also demonstrate government confidence in Ventia’s experience and capacity in the transport sector.

What did Ventia Services Group management say?

Managing Director and Group CEO Dean Banks said:

With decades of experience providing operations and maintenance across the Transport sector, these contracts will see Ventia support safe, reliable journeys for communities across regional and metropolitan Victoria, while delivering value for the State over the life of the assets.

What’s next for Ventia Services Group?

These contracts extend Ventia’s established footprint in infrastructure services and underline its strategy to be the partner of choice in long-term road management. The company may benefit from potential contract extensions and further opportunities as state priorities and budgets evolve.

Ventia says it will continue focusing on innovation, sustainability, and service delivery excellence across Australia and New Zealand’s infrastructure networks.

Ventia Services Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Ventia Services shares have risen 34%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 6% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Ventia Services secures $340m Victorian road maintenance contracts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Highlights from Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure’s latest investor presentation
• Genesis Minerals drilling update: High-grade Leonora results boost outlook
• Vicinity Centres shares: 3Q FY26 update reveals positive momentum
• ALS reports cyber security incident impacting operations
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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.

Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) shares are climbing on Tuesday morning.

At the time of writing, the pharmacy giant’s shares are up 4.5% to $2.96.

The move follows an update released after the market close on Monday ahead of the company’s presentation at the 2026 Macquarie Australia Conference.

What is lifting Sigma shares?

Investors appear to be responding positively to an update showing strong Chemist Warehouse sales momentum, a planned entry into the UK market, and further investment in New Zealand.

According to the release, sales across the Australian Chemist Warehouse branded store network increased 16.7% for the financial year to date through to 30 April 2026. Like-for-like sales were up 14.4% over the same period.

Internationally, Chemist Warehouse branded store sales increased 24.7% for the financial year to date through to 31 March 2026, with like-for-like growth of 11.8%.

Chemist Warehouse momentum continues

A key highlight from the update is the ongoing performance of the Australian Chemist Warehouse network.

Sigma noted that growth has remained strong even as it cycles the structural uplift from GLP-1 medicine sales in the second half of 2025.

Management expects growth in GLP-1 sales to continue. This is good news given how it also highlighted that GLP-1 customers have an average basket size 40% higher in units.

UK expansion announced

Sigma has revealed that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with GreenLight Healthcare to launch Chemist Warehouse in the UK market.

GreenLight is an employee-owned pharmacy group founded in London in 1999, with 22 stores in and around London.

Under the proposed joint venture, Sigma will acquire a 75% interest in a number of stores, with GreenLight retaining 25%. Sigma will licence the Chemist Warehouse brand and provide retail support, including ranging, store layout, inventory management and marketing.

The first phase will focus on rebranding and developing up to five stores, with the first site planned for Hoxton Street in northeast London.

Management commentary

Commenting on the update, Sigma’s CEO, Vikesh Ramsunder, said:

Our operational performance is pleasing with momentum sustained throughout the year reinforcing the defensive nature of our business model and continued execution of our growth strategy.

International expansion is one of our four key strategic growth pillars. Having proven that the Chemist Warehouse model resonates with customers in other markets, including New Zealand and Ireland, the JV with GreenLight now provides a measured market access into the UK.

Ramsunder also touched on global geopolitical challenges that retailers are facing. He adds:

Sigma is currently well placed to navigate the global geopolitical challenges impacting many businesses. We are absorbing increased fuel costs within existing financial targets and hold significant inventory in our DC network to service the market. We are currently not seeing any material disruption in our ability to source or deliver products or services at this point.

The post Sigma shares race higher on update and Chemist Warehouse UK expansion appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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