Tag: Stock pick

The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price is pushing higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy stock closed yesterday trading for $27.10. In early morning trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for $27.36 apiece, up 1.0%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.3% at this same time.

This follows the release of Woodside’s full calendar year 2025 results.

Here are the highlights.

Woodside share price lifts on record production

The Woodside share price is marching higher today with the company achieving all-time high full year production of 198.8 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe), topping 2025 production guidance.

Management credited the record result to strong production at its Sangomar project, located offshore Senegal, which produced at nameplate capacity for most of the year. Woodside’s operated Pluto LNG and NWS Project assets also were highlighted as high-end performers.

Pleasingly costs came down in 2025, declining 4% year on year to US$7.8 per barrel of oil equivalent (boe). Though realised prices declined even more, falling 5% from 2024 to US$60.2/boe.

Over the 12 months, the ASX 200 oil and gas stock raked in $12.98 billion in revenue, down 1% from 2024. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $9.28 billion were in line with 2024 earnings.

On the bottom line, Woodside’s net profit after tax (NPAT) of $2.72 billion was down 24% from 2024, while underlying NPAT of $2.65 billion declined by 8%.

But the Woodside share price looks to be getting some support after management declared a final fully franked dividend of US 59 cents per share. That’s up 11% from last year’s final payout (in US dollar terms).

Adding in the interim Woodside dividend, the company will have paid out a total of US$2.1 billion in passive income to shareholders for the 2025 calendar year.

If you want to bag that final Woodside dividend, you’ll need to own shares at market close on 4 March. Woodside trades ex-dividend on 5 March. You can then expect to see that passive income land in your bank account on 27 March.

On the major growth project front, Scarborough is 94% complete with first LNG cargo forecast late this year. Woodside’s Louisiana LNG project is now 22% complete.

What did management say?

Commenting on the results helping lift the Woodside share price today, acting CEO Liz Westcott said:

Sangomar produced at nameplate capacity of 100,000 barrels per day for most of 2025 at almost 99% reliability. This translated into $2.6 billion of EBITDA (Woodside share) generated since start-up, demonstrating the asset’s value.

Looking ahead, Westcott added:

Woodside’s objectives for 2026 are clear: ramp up Beaumont; deliver first LNG cargo from Scarborough; and continue progressing Louisiana LNG and Trion to schedule and budget.

The post Why is the Woodside share price outperforming today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Woodside Energy Group posts record 2025 production and maintains dividend
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• 3 ASX 200 shares powering higher in 2026
• Why did the Woodside share price just hit an 18-month high?

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.

Morgans has just updated its recommendations for a number of popular ASX shares, three of which are named below.

Is the broker bullish, bearish, or something in-between? Let’s find out.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

Morgans notes that this quick service restaurant operator continues to perform strongly in the Australian market. But the same cannot be said for its US operations, which are a big disappointment given its bold global expansion ambitions.

However, Morgans remains positive and believes it can replicate its local success overseas. As a result, it has retained its buy rating with a reduced price target of $24.00. It said:

If it was just about Australia, GYG would be doing just fine right now. In its home market, it continues to outperform the broader QSR industry both in terms of comp sales and network expansion. Australian earnings were up strongly in 1H26, much as we had expected. But it’s not just about Australia. GYG came to market with a strategy for global expansion that was breathtakingly ambitious. The first big opportunity was the US. Unfortunately, the pace of network expansion in the US so far has been pedestrian and the restaurants it has opened have lost more money than expected. It was a further step-up in US losses that disappointed investors most today and caused group EBITDA to fall 7% short of our forecast.

We do believe global growth will click into gear at some point to complement a very healthy Australian business. We maintain a BUY rating, though our revised 12-month target sees the share price recovering to $24.00 rather than the $32.30 we had before. GYG has a bit to prove, but we can be certain it is going to give it all it’s got to ultimately realise its growth ambitions.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

Morgans was pleased with Megaport’s performance during the first half, noting that its earnings were stronger than expected.

In response, the broker has retained its buy rating with a $15.50 price target. Commenting on the ASX 200 share, it said:

MP1’s 1H26 result was a beat relative to our and consensus EBITDA expectations. Revenue was inline, with gross profit higher and OPEX lower than expected. FY26 guidance is broadly inline with our expectations. However, the 1H/2H skew and composition are meaningfully different. This necessitates a huge increase in OPEX from 1H26 into 2H26 which leaves us thinking guidance looks conservative.

Cycling 2H26 OPEX into FY27 and beyond causes us to reduce our FY27 and FY28 EBITDA forecasts by ~20%, while concurrently lifting our revenue forecasts by ~6%. Our valuation declines to $15.50 and we retain our Buy recommendation.

Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM)

This gold miner impressed with its fourth-quarter update. However, due to its current valuation, the broker only rates Newmont shares as accumulate (between buy and hold) with a $187.00 price target. It said:

4Q25 earnings result was a material beat. Key positives: earnings well ahead of expectations and 2026 guidance in-line with expectations. Key negatives: no increase in per share dividend, elevated spend over next few years, limited clarity on when NEM intends to reach its 6Mozpa target. Move to an ACCUMULATE rating with a A$187ps Target Price.

The post Buy, hold, or sell? Guzman Y Gomez, Megaport, and Newmont shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Another broker puts a buy recommendation on Guzman y Gomez shares
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Why Coronado, G8 Education, Megaport, and Perenti shares are dropping today
• Why UBS just upgraded Guzman Y Gomez shares to a buy

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Megaport. 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 ARB Corporation Ltd (ASX: ARB) share price is in focus after the company reported a 1.0% decline in sales to $358 million for the first half of FY2026, with profit before tax down 18.8% to $57.1 million.

What did ARB Corporation report?

• Sales revenue: $358.0 million, down 1.0% over 1H FY2025
• Reported profit before tax: $57.1 million, down 18.8%
• Underlying profit before tax (excl. non-operating items): down 16.3%
• Profit after tax: $42.2 million, down 17.2%
• Earnings per share: 50.6 cents, down 17.9%
• Interim dividend: 34 cents per share, fully franked

What else do investors need to know?

Sales to the Australian Aftermarket, which make up nearly 57% of ARB’s business, slipped 1.7% in a soft new vehicle market. However, export sales increased 8.8%, with standout growth of 26.1% into the US on the back of strategic partnerships and expanding product range.

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) sales fell 38.2% after a build-up of inventory in the prior half and lower global new vehicle sales. Cash holdings at 31 December were $59.4 million, reflecting robust operating cash inflows but impacted by special dividend payments.

What’s next for ARB Corporation?

Management expects sales margins in the second half to be broadly in line with the last period, helped by hedging the company’s Thai baht exposure. While market conditions remain challenging in Australia due to tight new vehicle supply and ongoing skilled labour shortages, ARB’s order book remains healthy and investment in new stores and e-commerce continues.

Export growth is expected to continue, particularly in the US. OEM sales may recover modestly in the second half as inventory levels normalise. Overall, ARB expects 2H FY2026 financial performance to pick up compared to the first half, with a long-term focus on building scale in Australia and international markets.

ARB Corporation share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, ARB shares have declined 44%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 9% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post ARB Corporation: Profit drops, but US growth accelerates appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Ingenia Communities affirms top-end guidance after first-half results
• Viva Energy Group FY25 earnings: Higher second-half profit and dividend declared
• Emerald Resources lifts profit 23% as gold projects drive growth
• Woodside Energy Group posts record 2025 production and maintains dividend
• Scentre Group lifts profits and distributions with busy Westfield redevelopments

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended ARB Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. 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 Ingenia Communities Group (ASX: INA) share price is in focus as the company reaffirmed guidance at the top of its range and reported a first-half statutory profit of $97.4 million, up 11% year-on-year.

What did Ingenia Communities report?

• Revenue: $257.3 million (1H25: $256.9 million)
• EBIT: $85.0 million, down 1%
• Underlying profit: $62.1 million, underlying EPS 15.2c (down 10%)
• Statutory profit: $97.4 million, up 11%
• New homes settled: 248 in 1H26
• Half-year distribution: 4.8 cents per stapled security, payable 26 March 2026

What else do investors need to know?

Ingenia maintained a pronounced second-half skew, with accelerating development settlements expected to support results in the remainder of FY26. The business is targeting FY26 EBIT between $180.5 and $188.7 million, aiming for delivery at the top of this guidance range.

The Group invested $88 million during the half in development projects, new site acquisitions, and growth, including expanding its development pipeline through a new site in Townsville and progressing seven further sites in due diligence.

Both the residential (Living) and Holidays arms saw solid momentum. Lifestyle Rental EBIT rose 6% to $25.7 million, and Holidays EBIT improved 10% to $31.5 million, reflecting resilient demand, higher occupancy, and rate growth, despite higher costs in marketing and utilities.

What’s next for Ingenia Communities?

Management reaffirmed that the Group is on track to deliver FY26 results at the top of the guidance range, aided by a strong pipeline and increased activity expected in the second half. Two new communities, including the expanded Latitude One, should contribute to settlements and earnings in FY26.

Industry demand drivers—like an ageing population and the housing shortage—continue to support Ingenia’s outlook. The company currently has 440 deposits and contracts in place and is commencing new projects, setting up a strong runway for growth heading into FY27.

Ingenia Communities share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Ingenia Communities shares have declined 20%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 9% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Ingenia Communities affirms top-end guidance after first-half results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ARB Corporation: Profit drops, but US growth accelerates
• Viva Energy Group FY25 earnings: Higher second-half profit and dividend declared
• Emerald Resources lifts profit 23% as gold projects drive growth
• Woodside Energy Group posts record 2025 production and maintains dividend
• Scentre Group lifts profits and distributions with busy Westfield redevelopments

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 financial power of compounding can lead to wonderful results for investors with ASX shares.

As Albert Einstein once supposedly said about compounding:

Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe. Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t pays it.

When I think about which S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) shares could grow the revenue and earnings the most over the next decade, the two below are ones that come to mind. That’s why I’m invested in them.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

Temple & Webster is a leading homewares and furniture company. It sells hundreds of thousands of products, with a large majority of those shipped directly by suppliers, leading to the ASX share having a capital-light model and being able to offer a huge array of products.

In its FY26 half-year result, the company recorded $376 million of revenue, up 20% year-over-year. In the trading update for the second half to 9 February 2026, revenue was up another 20%.

I think that the trading update was particularly pleasing because it shows how the business is still growing at a strong pace. However, the company’s margins were a little weaker, particularly because it’s investing in starting up sales to New Zealand.

While investors may not like seeing margins fall in the shorter-term, I believe it’s the right call in the long-term. It’s very useful for the business to grow market share and this can provide operating leverage benefits.

In FY26, it still expects its delivered margin and contribution margin to rise. In the long-term, the operating profit (EBITDA) margin could reach more than 15%.

I’m also excited to see the company’s home improvement segment is growing at a rapid pace – in HY26, revenue grew 47% to $30 million. It’s quickly becoming a notable contributor to the overall financials and could become an important part of the business.

Additionally, its good balance sheet (of $160 million of cash) will allow the business to fund a pleasing share buyback during this uncertain period.

I think Temple & Webster has a very promising future and it’s a top ASX share to buy today after its decline. It’s rapidly soaring towards its medium-term goal of $1 billion of sales.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

The enterprise resource planning (ERP) software business recently pushed back against some AI-related negativity with a strong update at its annual general meeting (AGM).

The company has a goal of growing revenue from its existing client base each year by 15%, which means it doubles in size in five years. It’s managing to do that by selling more software modules to clients and investing around a quarter of its revenue into research and development R&D) in improving its software.

In the annual general meeting AGM update, the ASX share upgraded its guidance for both annual recurring revenue (ARR) and profit before tax (PBT). It said that ARR is now expected to grow by between 16% to 18% and PBT is projected to grow by between 18% to 20% in FY26.

While AI is certainly a legitimate worry, I think the update shows that businesses which could theoretically be affected can still very much succeed during this period. In-fact, TechnologyOne was even able to reveal promising progress on its own AI initiatives, including its AI showcase product launches.

If it continues growing revenue by more than 15% per year, it has a very promising future, with $1 billion by FY30 its current ARR goal.

The post 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Technology One and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Technology One and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Technology One and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

City Chic Collective Ltd (ASX: CCX) has released its FY26 first-half results for the 6 months ended 28 December 2025 today.

In early morning trade, the City Chic share price is up 4.55% to 11.5 cents. Even with today’s gain, the stock remains down about 12% over the past month.

Let’s take a closer look at what the company reported.

Earnings rise as revenue holds steady

City Chic reported total revenue of $69.2 million for the half. This was down 0.4% compared with the prior corresponding period.

While sales were slightly lower, profitability improved. Underlying EBITDA came in at $6.5 million, up 86% on the prior period. The result reflects tighter cost control and improved gross margins.

Trading gross margin increased by 220 basis points to 62.2%. The company said this was supported by better product mix and more disciplined promotional activity.

Statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) remained a loss at $3.5 million. However, this was an improvement on the previous year.

Active customers across the group totalled about 503,000, broadly steady compared with the prior period.

ANZ grows while US sales fall

Performance differed across City Chic’s regions.

In Australia and New Zealand, revenue rose 7.4% compared with the prior period. The company pointed to stronger full price sales and disciplined trading through key promotional periods.

In the United States, revenue fell 31.7%. Management said this was due to a deliberate reduction in inventory in response to tariff related uncertainty and a focus on improving long-term profitability. Lower fresh inventory had the biggest impact on partner sales, which depend on new product launches.

Overall inventory was down almost 10% compared with June 2025 and more than 20% compared with the prior period.

Online sales were stable, while partner sales were weaker due to the inventory strategy.

Cash position improves

City Chic ended the half with net cash of $5.4 million. This was up 84% from June 2025.

During the period, the company repaid $5 million in borrowings. A $10 million debt facility remains in place and undrawn. The facility has been extended to 31 March 2028.

The board did not declare a dividend for the half. The company said it remains focused on restoring sustainable and profitable growth.

Early positive signs from the second-half

The company also provided an update on recent trading.

In the first 8 weeks of the second-half, ANZ revenue was up 9% compared with the prior period. Gross margin dollars in ANZ increased 17% over the same timeframe.

In the United States, new product has been ordered ahead of a planned fourth quarter relaunch. The company is also expanding its marketplace presence and adjusting its operating model to support long term profitability.

City Chic said it remains focused on disciplined cost management, inventory control and improving margins as it works to deliver sustainable earnings growth.

The post City Chic shares lift after first-half FY26 results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why is the Woodside share price outperforming today?
• Buy, hold, or sell? Guzman Y Gomez, Megaport, and Newmont shares
• ARB Corporation: Profit drops, but US growth accelerates
• Ingenia Communities affirms top-end guidance after first-half results
• 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade

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.

Steadfast Group Ltd (ASX: SDF) shares are under pressure on Tuesday.

In morning trade, the ASX 200 stock is down 1.5% to $4.37.

Why is this ASX 200 stock falling?

Investors have been hitting the sell button today after the insurance broker network company revealed that its long-serving founder-CEO, Robert Kelly AM, is stepping down.

Mr Kelly co-founded Steadfast in 1996 and led the company’s listing on the ASX in August 2013.

It notes that under his stewardship, Steadfast has transformed into Australasia’s largest general insurance broker network and group of underwriting agencies and expanded internationally.

According to the release, the leadership transition plan agreed by the board and Mr Kelly follows succession planning discussions which have been underway for some time and are designed to enable a smooth change of leadership.

The ASX 200 stock’s chair, Ms Vicki Allen, revealed that its search process for a replacement is progressing. She also advised that the Board has confidence in the capability and experience of Steadfast’s executive leadership team. As a result, internal candidates are being considered alongside external candidates as part of a thorough process.

As things stand, the Steadfast board expects to announce the appointment of its new CEO by the release of its FY 2026 results in August.

What’s next?

Importantly, this won’t necessarily be the end of Robert Kelly AM’s involvement with Steadfast.

The release notes that he will remain on the board after his retirement and transition to a non-executive director role.

The ASX 200 stock advised that it feels continuity of industry relationships and an orderly transition is in the interests of all shareholders. Mr Kelly will seek election as a non-executive director at the next annual general meeting.

Commenting on his exit, Robert Kelly AM said:

It has been a privilege to play a leadership role in the creation of Steadfast. I am extremely proud of the achievements of the Company; its strong track record clearly demonstrates the strength of the business model and positions the business to deliver sustainable value to our shareholders for many years to come.

Ms Vicki Allen adds:

In initiating and agreeing this transition plan with the Board, Robert has demonstrated his strong commitment and service to Steadfast. Robert’s contribution cannot be understated. His leadership has enabled Steadfast to grow into Australasia’s largest general insurance broker network and group of underwriting agencies with a strong track record of growth.

This comes at an unfortunate time for the company, with Steadfast shares recently sinking amid concerns that its business model could be disrupted and ultimately made redundant by artificial intelligence models.

The post Guess which ASX 200 stock is dropping on founder-CEO exit news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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

All Ordinaries (ASX: XAO), or ASX All Ords, stocks may not get as much attention as larger businesses on the ASX. But, I view them as more likely to have strong growth potential.

It’s usually a lot easier growing a $500 million business into a $1 billion business than going from $50 billion to $100 billion.

The two businesses I want to highlight are both among the leaders in Australia at what they do and have plans for more long-term earnings growth.

Beacon Lighting Group Ltd (ASX: BLX)

Beacon Lighting has a national store network that sells lighting to consumers. It also has a commercial segment and an international segment.

There were a few positives from the recent FY26 half-year result. Total sales rose by 3.2%, company store comparative sales increased by 0.4%, international sales increased 13.5% and trade sales grew 12.6%.

However, operating expenses increased by 4.3% and this meant operating profit (EBIT) declined 5.5% and net profit dropped 6%.

I think there is a strong outlook for the company, with a possible increase from 130 stores at the end of HY26 to up to 217 stores over the long-term. The ASX All Ords stock continues to grow its commercial sales and market share.

If international sales continue to grow faster than total sales, then that segment will become a larger and more influential segment of the business. The rest of the world is a large addressable market, so there is a long growth runway here.

In five years, I’m expecting the business to be a materially large and more profitable business. It could be smart to invest while economic conditions and investor confidence are low.

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel is the second-largest funeral operator in Australia. It has a very defensive set of earnings because, sadly, there is a certain level of demand for its services each year. It’s a morbid idea, but it provides an essential service.

Death volumes are expected to slowly but steadily rise over the next decade because of Australia’s ageing and growing population, giving the ASX All Ords stock a useful tailwind.

Additionally, its average revenue per funeral is growing at roughly the speed of inflation over the years. Again, that’s not an incredibly strong growth rate but it provides a decent growth boost for revenue.

A growing number of funerals combined with the average funeral delivering more revenue, should lead to a rising top line. Added to that, the business is occasionally making bolt-on acquisitions to boost its market share, geographic spread and scale.

In five years, I believe the business will be making more revenue, have a larger market share, generate more profit and pay a larger dividend. After dropping 10% in the last year, at the time of writing, I think this could be the right time to invest at the current Propel share price.

The post 2 excellent ASX All Ords stocks I’d buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Propel Funeral Partners. 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 Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA) share price is in focus today after the company reported a 33% lift in second-half EBITDA to $396 million, with the highest ever Commercial & Industrial sales volumes and a fully franked final dividend of 3.94 cents per share declared.

What did Viva Energy Group report?

• Full year FY25 EBITDA (replacement cost) of $700.9 million, down 6.4% from FY24
• NPAT (replacement cost) fell 27.8% to $183.6 million
• Commercial & Industrial EBITDA of $460.5 million, near record levels
• Convenience & Mobility EBITDA of $197.4 million, following a strong second half
• Fully franked final dividend of 3.94 cents per share, with total dividends for FY25 at 6.77 cps
• Net debt increased to $2,074.8 million (vs $1,793.5 million at FY24)

What else do investors need to know?

Viva Energy completed its full acquisition of Liberty Convenience and opened 35 new OTR stores in 2025, expanding its retail footprint. The Group also upgraded its systems, implementing a new ERP platform to simplify operations and exit legacy Coles arrangements.

Operationally, the Geelong refinery benefited from the successful commissioning of the Ultra Low Sulphur Gasoline plant ahead of new regulatory requirements. During the year, the company refinanced its revolving credit facility, boosting liquidity.

What did Viva Energy Group management say?

CEO and Managing Director Scott Wyatt said:

I am pleased with the progress we have made on our strategic agenda and the results we delivered in the second half of the year of 2025. Earnings in this period were substantially up on both the first half and the same period last year. This reflected improved market conditions, the continued strength of our Commercial businesses, stronger refining margins in the 4QFY25, improved retail fuel margins, and a strengthening Convenience business as integration and consolidation progressed.

What’s next for Viva Energy Group?

Looking ahead, Viva Energy plans to complete its retail integration in FY26, targeting 40–60 new OTR store openings and improved supply chain efficiencies by exiting Coles product arrangements. With minor refinery maintenance planned and a shift to a more stable operational phase, the company expects to reduce its net debt-to-EBITDA ratio towards 2x by the end of 2027.

Management is also optimistic about sales and earnings momentum in FY26, supported by ongoing investment in its convenience, commercial and refinery businesses, and further benefits from recent integration.

Viva Energy Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, the Viva Energy shares have declined 28%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 9% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Viva Energy Group FY25 earnings: Higher second-half profit and dividend declared appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ARB Corporation: Profit drops, but US growth accelerates
• Ingenia Communities affirms top-end guidance after first-half results
• Emerald Resources lifts profit 23% as gold projects drive growth
• Woodside Energy Group posts record 2025 production and maintains dividend
• Scentre Group lifts profits and distributions with busy Westfield redevelopments

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.

If you have room in your portfolio for some new additions, then the ASX All Ords stock in this article could be worth considering.

That’s because Bell Potter is bullish and is predicting strong returns for investors over the next 12 months.

Which ASX All Ords stock?

The stock in question is IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG). It is a leading Australian distributor of electrical equipment and industrial digital technologies operating nine distribution centres and servicing 4,200+ customers nationally.

Bell Potter notes that the company supplies products used in buildings, infrastructure, and process sectors that help to reduce energy use and reliance on the transmission network.

Bell Potter notes that the ASX All Ords stock delivered a half-year result that was slightly ahead of expectations. It said:

Revenue of $193m (BPe $188m), up 9% YoY, with 11% YoY growth delivered at the core IPD business, 2% YoY at CMI and 55% at Ex Engineering. Pleasingly, Data Centre revenue was 16% higher YoY to $32.8m (growth would have been 25% if a large order did not slip into early CY26). GM of 33.3% was broadly in line with our estimate, down from 35.2% in the PcP, as a greater volume of competitively won projects were delivered.

Opex as a % of revenue of 20.2% declined on the PcP (22.1%) and was in line with our estimate. As a result, EBITDA margin of 13.2% was consistent with our forecast and the PcP. Underlying EBITDA of $25.4m and EBIT of $21.7m were 2% ahead of expectations and were above the top-end of the company’s 1H FY26 guidance ranges. Underlying NPAT of $14.4m (BPe $14.3m) grew 8% YoY. A fully franked interim dividend of 6.8cps was declared (BPe 6.7cps).

The even better news is that its outlook commentary was positive and the second half has started strongly. The broker adds:

FY26 outlook comments include: 1) The strong momentum observed across the Group in 1H continued through to Feb’26, including at the recently acquired Platinum Cables business; and 2) IPG enters 2H with a healthy orderbook and a strong qualified opportunity pipeline to support sustainable earnings growth in the short-term.

Potential market-beating returns

According to the note, Bell Potter has reaffirmed its buy rating and $5.30 price target on the ASX All Ords stock.

Based on its current share price of $4.65, this implies potential upside of 14% for investors over the next 12 months.

In addition, the broker is expecting a 3.2% dividend yield over the period, which boosts the total potential return beyond 17%.

Commenting on its positive view of the stock, the broker said:

IPG is well positioned to capitalise on the Commercial construction market recovery currently underway and ongoing positive momentum in Data Centre and Infrastructure construction activity. IPG represents a relatively undervalued Industrials investment compared with the ASX300 Industrials index. Our $5.30/sh Target Price implies a NTM PE of 16.1x, a 22% discount to the Industrial Services peer group despite sharing a consistent NTM EPS growth outlook (16.6% IPG vs 17.5% peer group).

The post Why Bell Potter is bullish on this ASX All Ords stock 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 Ipd Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Ipd Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.