Tag: Stock pick

Shares in GrainCorp Ltd (ASX: GNC) have come under heavy selling pressure following a cautious earnings update from the agribusiness group.

At the time of writing, GrainCorp shares are down 14.86% to $6.13, extending a difficult period for the stock.

Over the past year, the share price has struggled as global grain markets remain oversupplied and margins stay under pressure.

Let’s take a closer look at the update.

What spooked investors today

In an ASX announcement released today, GrainCorp provided its first look at its FY26 earnings.

GrainCorp expects FY26 underlying EBITDA of $200 million to $240 million, reflecting softer margins across global grain markets. Underlying NPAT is forecast to be between $20 million and $40 million for the year.

Those figures exclude business transformation costs and the impact of the sale of GrainCorp Canada.

Management warned that FY26 earnings will be pressured by lower margins across the business. That reflects ongoing oversupply in global grain markets and continued pressure on export spreads.

Why margins are under pressure

GrainCorp said market conditions remain challenging across the East Coast Australia winter harvest.

Even though production volumes were strong, global grain supplies remain high. In turn, this is keeping prices low and putting pressure on margins across the supply chain.

Management noted that many growers are holding back on selling grain due to weaker prices.

As a result, GrainCorp expects margins on grain handled in FY26 to be lower, despite solid receival volumes.

Why less grain is expected in FY26

GrainCorp expects to handle between 10.1 million and 12 million tonnes of grain in FY26. This is down from 13.3 million tonnes in FY25.

The drop reflects a more normal harvest after a very strong year, along with ongoing weather uncertainty.

In its Nutrition and Energy businesses, GrainCorp expects results to be similar to FY25. However, earnings from Energy are likely to be lower due to uncertainty around US biofuels policy.

Cost control moves into focus

Management was quick to highlight cost control.

The company confirmed it is accelerating cost management initiatives while maintaining service levels to growers and customers.

GrainCorp’s balance sheet remains strong, giving it flexibility to navigate softer conditions and continue executing its longer-term strategy.

Foolish Takeaway

GrainCorp shares are deep in the red today as investors react to softer margin guidance for FY26.

The outlook highlights ongoing pressure from global grain oversupply, weak pricing, and tighter export spreads. Those headwinds are likely to weigh on earnings in the near term.

However, GrainCorp still operates critical grain infrastructure and maintains a solid balance sheet. After a huge one-day sell-off, the big question is whether the market has already priced in much of the bad news.

The post GrainCorp shares slide nearly 15%. Is this ASX 200 stock now oversold? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• GrainCorp shares: FY26 earnings guidance forecasts lower profits

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.

If you are looking for some new portfolio additions, then it could be worth checking out the ASX shares named below.

They have been named by analysts as buys this week, courtesy of The Bull. Here’s what they are recommending:

Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

The team at Catapult Wealth has named investment platform provider Hub24 as a buy this week.

It has been impressed with its performance in FY 2026 and believes its outlook is positive given its increasing funds under administration. It said:

HUB24 operates an investment and superannuation platform. The company posted strong growth in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026. Record quarterly platform net inflows of $5.6 billion were up 2 per cent on the prior corresponding period and significantly higher than consensus forecasts. Excluding large migrations, platform net inflows were up 42 per cent.

Quarterly and annual net inflows lifted the company’s market share in platform administration to 9.3 per cent as at September 30, 2025, up from 7.9 per cent in the prior corresponding period. Attracting increasing funds paints a bright outlook for profits moving forward.

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC)

Over at Baker Young, its analysts think coal miner New Hope could be a buy this week.

It highlights that Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) is extending the life of its coal fired power station, which is good news for coal demand.

Baker Young also notes that its balance sheet is strong and is well-placed to develop the New Acland operation. It said:

The extension of Origin Energy’s Eraring coal fired power station is a reminder that demand for thermal coal is likely to remain robust for longer than many investors believe. New Hope group saleable coal production of 2.7 million tonnes for the quarter ending October 31, 2025 was up 7.1 per cent on the previous quarter. Underlying EBITDA of $107.9 million for the quarter was up 15.5 per cent on the prior quarter.

New Hope has a strong balance sheet, and we feel the market is undervaluing NHC’s growth potential through the New Acland stage 3 development. Recently trading on a modest forecast earnings multiple in fiscal year 2026 and an attractive fully franked dividend yield, the stock screens as attractive.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

Finally, analysts at Morgans are bullish on cloud accounting platform provider and have named it as a buy.

The broker thinks that recent share price weakness has created a buying opportunity for investors. It explains:

Xero is a global accounting software provider. It offers an attractive medium term growth opportunity as subscriber momentum improves and operating leverage begins to flow through the business model. The business continues to expand its footprint across key geographies, with cloud accounting penetration still well below potential, providing a long runway for adoption.

Recent cost discipline has strengthened margins. Despite a softer macroeconomic backdrop, resilient revenue growth is supported by price increases and a broader ecosystem of adjacent services. We view the current share price as an attractive entry point for long term investors.

The post Why analysts say Hub24, New Hope, and Xero shares are buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX shares highly recommended to buy: Experts
• Down 50% from recent highs: Is it time to buy these ASX stocks?
• 3 ASX 200 shares I would buy in February
• These were the worst-performing ASX 200 shares in January
• How to turn $250 a month into a $500,000 ASX share portfolio

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Hub24 and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Hub24. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

With February now underway, I think it’s a good time to think about putting fresh money to work rather than letting it sit idle. If I had $2,000 to invest right now, I wouldn’t try to spread it too thin or chase anything speculative. I’d focus on a small number of growth-oriented ASX shares where I think the risk–reward looks attractive from here.

These are three stocks I’d be comfortable backing at the moment.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP)

Zip Co is an ASX share I think the market has been overly harsh on.

The share price has been dragged down alongside the broader sell-off in tech and fintech, even though Zip itself has been doing the hard work operationally. It’s no longer loss-making, cash flow has improved materially, and management has been far more disciplined around costs and credit.

What I like most is that Zip is still growing, but now with a much clearer focus on profitability rather than headline user numbers. If sentiment toward growth stocks improves even modestly, I think Zip could re-rate meaningfully from current levels.

Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN)

Nanosonics is a higher-risk ASX share pick, but one I think has genuine upside if execution improves.

The medical device company already has a strong installed base with its trophon products, and that creates a recurring revenue stream through consumables and upgrades. On top of that, the approval of newer products like trophon3 and the CORIS system gives Nanosonics multiple shots at reigniting growth over the next few years.

The share price reflects a lot of scepticism right now. For me, that’s exactly why it’s interesting. If adoption of these newer platforms plays out as management expects, today’s valuation could end up looking overly pessimistic.

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

Catapult Sports is the kind of niche technology business I think about owning when markets are nervous.

Catapult operates in elite sports performance and analytics, an area that continues to grow as teams become more data-driven. Its software is deeply embedded once adopted, which supports high customer retention and recurring revenue.

The business has also been steadily improving margins and cash generation, which matters far more to me now than rapid top-line growth alone. With the share price well off its highs, I think Catapult offers an appealing mix of long-term relevance and near-term recovery potential.

How I’d think about the split

With $2,000, I’d be comfortable splitting the investment roughly evenly across these three ASX shares. That gives exposure to fintech, healthcare technology, and sports analytics without relying on a single outcome.

All three carry risk, but they’re risks I think are already reflected in the share prices. For me, February looks like a reasonable time to start building or adding to positions like these.

The post Where I would invest $2,000 in ASX shares in February appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These were the worst-performing ASX 200 shares in January
• Buy local: 3 Australian innovations to add to your watch list
• Down 40% to 50%! Why I think these ASX growth shares are strong buys
• 3 ASX tech shares I would buy with $5,000
• Top Australian shares to buy right now with $2,000

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

Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM) shares are tumbling today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold stock closed Friday trading for $1.28. In morning trade on Monday, shares are swapping hands for $1.18 apiece, down 7.8%.

For some context, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) is down 0.7% at this same time.

In a better comparison of golden apples to golden apples, Ora Banda shares are moderately outperforming the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD), which is down 8.9% this morning.

This comes as the gold price continues to get hammered in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s appointment of Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chairman. Gold is currently trading for US$4,801 per ounce, down more than 21% since Thursday.

Warsh’s focus on combating inflation has traders pricing in higher US interest rates. That could throw up numerous headwinds for gold, which doesn’t pay a yield itself and is priced in US dollars.

That’s the macro picture.

Now here’s the latest from the ASX 200 gold miner.

Ora Banda shares on the growth path

Though pressured by the falling gold price today, Ora Banda mining shares could get longer-term support after the miner announced another batch of “exceptional drill results”.

The results come from Round Dam, an 18-kilometre-long mineralised trend located within the company’s Waihi Project, in Western Australia. Ora Banda has been actively exploring the open-pit and underground mining potential along a 7.5-kilometre section of this trend.

Ora Banda has now completed 280 holes for 53,000 metres of drilling from its 62,000 metre Phase 1 exploratory program.

This morning, the miner reported it had identified up to six subparallel continuous gold lodes along the trend. The company said that early indications are that the Round Dam trend will be “highly amenable” to bulk tonnage open-pit mining with the added potential for high grade shoot development.

What did management say?

Commenting on the latest gold results that could help boost Ora Banda shares over the longer term, managing director Luke Creagh said, “At Round Dam we are looking at the potential for large-scale surface mining opportunities, enhanced by multiple, newly identified high grade shoots.”

Creagh added:

Excitingly, the Round Dam Project is located only 15 kilometres from our existing Davyhurst processing infrastructure, with the potential for rapid resource development.

Today’s Round Dam results are another highlight in the company’s ongoing $73 million FY26 exploration strategy to target projects with the potential to become mines in short order supporting the company’s organic growth strategy.

Despite now sinking a painful 29.8% since Thursday’s close, Ora Banda shares remain up 85.2% since hitting one-year closing lows on 1 August.

The post Tumbling gold price pressuring Ora Banda shares despite new high-grade results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why is this ASX 200 gold stock crashing 15% today?
• Why Brainchip, Galan Lithium, Iluka, and Ora Banda shares are tumbling today
• Why I think ASX 200 gold shares like Newmont and Northern Star will keep surging higher in 2026
• Up 154% since August, Ora Banda shares jumping again today on ‘exciting’ gold results

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.

ASX growth shares that are delivering rapid progress in their revenue and profit can be really attractive investments.

Compounding is a very powerful force and helps a business grow into a much larger company after a few years.

I’m going to look at two ASX growth shares that are expected to grow their earnings and are rated as buys by broker UBS.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

This company is the owner of realestate.com.au, Australia’s leading property portal. It also owns a number of other Australian property-related businesses and a few international businesses, including REA India.

UBS rates REA Group as a buy with a price target of $248. A price target is where analysts think the share price will be in 12 months from the time of the investment call. That means the broker reckons the REA Group share price could climb by around 30% in the next year.

The broker said that in 2026, investors will be seeking clarity around potential long-term impacts of AI on the broader industry and its pricing power. There is also wider uncertainty impacting volumes, with inflation remaining sticky and expectations around potential rate hikes in Australia.

UBS says it sees an economic moat in the ASX growth share’s customer experience, brand, uniqueness of product and complexity of the ecosystem. The broker thinks there is potential for the negative AI narrative to unwind over this year.

The broker also indicated that current global developments (such as Zillow partnering with OpenAI), suggest a “supportive environment where AI platforms are partnering with established players, rather than looking to displace”.

UBS thinks the company can extract strong yield growth (price increases) in 2026 and this could alleviate some market concerns. The broker also suggested that potential rate hikes could lead to more distressed selling by some property owners, which may help volumes. Currently, the broker is expecting a slight decline of volumes (1.5%) in FY26.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT)

Nextdc is a leading data centre developer and provider, with locations in a number of cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Darwin, Port Hedland, Sunshine Coast, Tokyo , Kuala Lumpur and Auckland.

The business is rated as a buy by UBS, with a price target of $22.55. That suggests a possible rise of close to 70% over the next year.

UBS has noted that in the first six months of FY26, it contracted approximately the same level of MW (167MW) as the prior four years cumulatively and also more than doubled the record contracted MW in FY25 (72MW).

The broker estimated that 94MW of uncontracted capacity exists within existing assets in NSW and Victoria, meaning there’s more room for large-scale contracts.

UBS suggested one of the reasons why the market is uncertain about the ASX growth share at the moment is its balance sheet capacity. The broker forecasts net debt could peak at $5.5 billion in FY28, compared to its facility for $6.4 billion.

The broker estimates that around 60MW could be built and fitted with the current debt facility.

UBS noted that its price target is based on its existing operations as well as the developed application-approved land bank.

The post Experts rate these 2 ASX growth shares as buys this month! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why these beaten-down ASX shares are worth a second look
• Why buy and hold investing with ASX shares could make you rich
• Eight stocks to buy in the bruised tech sector according to RBC
• Is AI a real threat to CAR Group and REA Group shares?
• The incredible ASX stock I’d hold for 10 years without watching the share price

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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.

Shares in KMD Brands Ltd (ASX: KMD) were trading higher after the company posted a sizeable increase in sales for the first half of the year.

In a statement to the ASX on Monday morning, the company said that sales at its Rip Curl stores were up 5.6% for the five months to December 25 compared with the same period the previous year, and were up 12.9% across its Kathmandu stores.

Sales of its Oboz footwear line were up 4.5% for the period.

Its total group sales were 7.9% higher for the first five months of the year.

Outlook positive

The company went on to say:

Group wholesale sales for the five months of FY26 year-to-date are 9.4% above last year. Forward wholesale order books remain stable and slightly above last year. In-season buying from key accounts has also been positive.  

The company said its group gross margin year to date was 56.7%, which was about 100 basis points below the same period last year due to the increased amount of promotional activity, “and continued focus by all brands to optimise mix and sell through aged inventory”.

KMD Brands Managing Director Brent Scrimshaw said the company was performing well.

We are pleased with the group’s early progress in the execution of its Next Level transformation strategy, in particular trading over the critical Black Friday and Christmas periods. Whilst we are still at the early stages of our transformation, we are encouraged by the improved performance of Kathmandu, with an adjusted flow of fresh innovation planned in the second half which we believe will strengthen our ability to expand gross margin over time. We continue to focus on optimising the balance between sales and gross margin while actively managing our inventory investment.

The company said that it expected first half underlying EBITDA to be in the range of $8 to $11 million, up from $3.9 million for the same period last year.

RBC Capital Markets said the market update was neutral for the company’s shares, with the sales growth figures “tracking ahead of expectations across all segments, but “with consensus expectations currently at the top-end of KMD’s EBITDA guidance we expect operating expenses are currently tracking ahead of expectations”.

KMD shares were 6.3% higher at 25.5 cents in early trade before settling back to be steady at 24 cents.

The company was valued at $160.1 million at the close of trade on Friday.

The post This retailer has posted a strong increase in sales across the first half appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: BHP, CSL, and Endeavour shares
• Here’s the earnings forecast out to 2028 for Woodside shares
• BlueScope shares slipping as new CEO backs rejection of $13.2 billion takeover offer
• Rio Tinto shares fall despite big acquisition news
• EOS shares tumble on European listing update

Motley Fool contributor Cameron England has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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.

Wondering which popular ASX shares to buy, hold, or sell? Let’s take a look at what analysts are saying about three popular options, courtesy of The Bull.

Here’s what they are recommending to their clients:

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

This mining giant’s shares could be fully valued now following a strong run according to analysts at Morgans. As a result, the broker has put a hold rating on the Big Australian.

It thinks that investors should hold onto BHP’s shares for the income but wait for a better entry point before increasing positions. The broker explains:

BHP remains a high quality diversified miner. The stock has performed well, with the price increasing from $34.16 on April 9, 2025 to trade at $51.39 on January 29, 2026. While capital discipline and dividend yield remain attractive, there isn’t a compelling catalyst to add to portfolios at current levels, in our view. We suggest investors retain exposure for income and longer term portfolio balance, and wait for a potentially better entry point before increasing weight.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

Morgans thinks the risk-reward on offer with this biopharmaceutical giant’s shares is attractive at current levels. As a result, it has named CSL shares as a buy.

The broker highlights that its current valuation is notably lower than long-term averages, which bodes well for buyers. It said:

This biopharmaceutical giant offers a stronger risk/reward profile after a period of share price underperformance. Plasma collections are rising, costs are normalising and earnings momentum is improving. Recovery at CSL Behring, a blood products division, remains on track and the influenza vaccination division Seqirus continues to provide defensive earnings. The current valuation sits well below long term averages despite fundamental improvement. This sets up an attractive long term capital growth story. Catalysts for a share price re-rating include an earnings recovery and margin expansion.

Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV)

The team at Capital Wealth is tipping this drinks giant as a hold this week.

It thinks that investors should keep their powder dry until it has released its updates in the coming months. It said:

Endeavour operates liquor outlets, hotels and gaming facilities. The company expects earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of between $555 million and $566 million before significant items of $45 million in the first half of fiscal year 2026. Preliminary unaudited retail EBIT of between $323 million and $328 million reflects margin pressure from discounting that lifted Dan Murphy’s and BWS sales by 0.7 per cent to $5.404 billion.

Hotel sales rose 4.4 per cent to $1.2 billion. Despite hotel strength and softer earnings, we continue to hold EDV pending its March and April updates as the company offers defensive attributes and could rebound on signs of successfully executing its strategy under new chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka.

The post Buy, hold, sell: BHP, CSL, and Endeavour shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• Why buy and hold investing with ASX shares could make you rich
• Buy, hold, sell: BHP, DroneShield, and Santos shares
• How to turn $250 a month into a $500,000 ASX share portfolio
• I think the market is wrong about CSL shares

Owning Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares can be a volatile ride because of the shifts in energy prices over the months and years as supply and demand shift.

It’s challenging to predict what’s going to happen next, but analysts can gain insights from certain factors (such as production) and forecast Woodside’s revenue and costs.

We’re going to look at what experts think of Woodside shares and the profit prospects in the next few years.

FY25

The 2025 financial year is already over for Woodside, but investors haven’t seen what the numbers are yet, so we’re going to look at what analysts think those numbers may be.

UBS is predicting that FY25 could see US$12.8 billion of revenue, US$3.95 billion of operating profit (EBIT) and US$2.2 billion of net profit. The balance sheet is projected to have reached US$7.3 billion of net debt at the end of 2025.

These final projections before the actual result’s release in February were in response to the 2025 fourth quarter production.

UBS noted that production was 4% better and revenue was 7% ahead of market expectations due to stronger oil production from both Mad Dog (US Gulf Coast) and Sangomar (Senegal).

The broker said that while Sangomar has started to decline from the fourth quarter of 2025, a beneficial one-off adjustment to Woodside’s share of production under the sharing contract with the Senegalese government saw higher quarter-over-quarter production net to Woodside.

After seeing the quarterly update, UBS increased its 2025 estimate for earnings per share (EPS) by 8%.

However, it was also noted that trading volumes in LNG were cut materially over the fourth quarter. The trading division is expected to see a trading loss of around $10 million in the second half of 2025 – trading volumes in LNG were swapped with longer trading volumes in oil, according to UBS.

The broker said that while the FY25 result is now substantially ‘de-risked’, it remains cautious for Woodside shares of a material forecast decline of FY26’s net profit and free cash flow.

FY26

Despite a strong 2025 fourth quarter of oil production, UBS said that new 2026 production for Woodside was 4% below the market’s expectations at the midpoint.

Production guidance (by product) points to weaker oil production in 2026 than the market expected (LNG production was in line).

UBS said it believes the key driver of the market’s view of an implied 13% cut to 2026 oil production guidance (which is forecast by the market to meet the midpoint of guidance) is a “faster decline rate at Sangomar followed by the natural field decline” in Australian oil assets.

It cut its 2026 (and onwards) EPS estimates due to a steeper decline in oil production, primarily from Sangomar and higher interest cost driven by higher capital expenditure during 2026 and higher tax.

The broker is forecasting that in 2026, Woodside could generate US$10.7 billion of revenue and US$1 billion of net profit.

FY27

UBS didn’t have much to say about the 2027 financial year projection and onwards, but it provided estimates.

In FY27, the broker forecasts that the business could generate revenue of US$11.2 billion and make net profit of US$1.58 billion, representing the start of a recovery from the low financial point in FY26.

FY28

The company’s financials could improve in FY28, according to UBS’ projections.

In the 2028 financial year, the broker forecasts the ASX energy share could make US$12 billion of revenue and net profit of US$1.98 billion.

UBS has a neutral rating on Woodside shares, with a price target of $23.10, suggesting a noticeable decline over the next year.

The post Here’s the earnings forecast out to 2028 for Woodside shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• 3 ASX 200 shares I would buy in February
• ASX 200 energy shares lead the market as oil and uranium prices spike
• Buying ASX shares for passive income? Here’s how Woodside, Fortescue and CBA shares stack up
• Why ASX 200 energy stocks like Santos and Woodside shares are ending the week with a bang

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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.

BlueScope Steel Ltd (ASX: BSL) shares are sliding today.

Shares in the $13 billion S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) industrial stock closed Friday trading for $30.24. In morning trade on Monday, shares are changing hands for $29.91 apiece, down 1.1%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.6% at this same time as investors eye a potential RBA interest rate hike tomorrow.

That’s today’s price action for you.

Now here’s what’s happening with the company’s top management.

BlueScope shares under new management

BlueScope shares are slipping today after the company confirmed that Tania Archibald has today started in her new role as managing director and CEO.

The company first announced Archibald’s appointment to the top position on 5 November.

BlueScope gave a nod of appreciation to outgoing CEO Mark Vassella, who led the company for eight years. Over that time, the ASX 200 industrial stock returned $4.2 billion to shareholders and invested $3.7 billion in growth. BlueScope shares have also more than doubled in value over the past eight years.

A word from the new CEO

Commenting on her first day as CEO, Archibald said:

Our current $2 billion investment program is now entering the final phase. We’re poised to deliver strong cash flows. And I intend to capitalise on it for the benefit of shareholders. As the investment phase ramps down, the delivery phase ramps up.

Looking at what could impact BlueScope shares in the year ahead, she said the company’s portfolio is “well positioned”.

According to Archibald:

In the United States, steel demand remains robust and there is no better place in the world to make and sell steel. In Asia, BlueScope maintains a unique footprint across major growth economies, while in New Zealand the EAF has reset the operating model and cost base. In Australia, ongoing population growth is driving steel demand across all sectors including housing and infrastructure.

BlueScope shares not for sale ‘on the cheap’

Archibald also turned her attention to recently lobbed – and summarily rejected –takeover offer in joint proposal by SGH Ltd (ASX: SGH) and Steel Dynamics Inc (NASDAQ: STLD).

The nonbinding proposal, which valued BlueScope at $13.2 billion, was announced on 6 January.

Today, Archibald said:

The board rejected the proposal, and I supported that rejection. It very significantly undervalued this company. It sought to transfer value away from our shareholders by buying BlueScope on the cheap.

The board remains open to any proposal that genuinely reflects BlueScope’s fundamental value. But we are not sitting here waiting. We are getting on the front foot to accelerate the delivery of BlueScope’s value.

BlueScope shares closed up a sharp 20.8% on the day the takeover proposal was reported.

The post BlueScope shares slipping as new CEO backs rejection of $13.2 billion takeover offer appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• BlueScope Steel: New CEO Tania Archibald sets out fresh value-focused agenda
• So BlueScope shares go to all-time high of $31. Big deal. What next?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why BHP, BlueScope, Catalyst Metals, and Ryman shares are storming higher today
• 5 ASX 200 mining stocks including Mineral Resources and BHP shares smashing new 52-week highs today

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 recommended Steel Dynamics. 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.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares are on the slide on Monday morning.

At the time of writing, the mining giant’s shares are down 2% to $148.71.

Why are Rio Tinto shares falling?

Today’s move appears to have been driven by broad market weakness which has overshadowed news that the miner is increasing its aluminium exposure with an acquisition.

According to the release, Rio Tinto and Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco) have entered into a definitive agreement with Votorantim.

This will see the two parties acquire, through a joint venture to be owned 33% by Rio Tinto and 67% by Chalco, Votorantim’s 68.596% controlling shareholding in Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio.

It notes that the transaction, at an all-cash consideration of R$10.50 per share, represents a premium of approximately 21.2% over the weighted average trading price of its stock for the 20 trading days prior to the signing of the transaction agreement.

It values Votorantim’s shareholding at approximately US$902.6 million (Rio Tinto’s pro-rata share is US$297.8 million), subject to closing adjustments and the other terms of the transaction agreement, including satisfaction of regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

But it won’t stop there. Following closing, the joint venture will launch a mandatory tender offer for the remaining shares in Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio not held by Votorantim, as required by Brazilian law.

Management notes that the transaction will leverage Rio Tinto and Chalco’s deep and complementary expertise across the aluminium value chain to unlock the next phase of growth at Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio.

What is Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio?

The release highlights that Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio is a vertically integrated low-carbon aluminium business in Brazil. It is supported by a 1.6 GW portfolio of renewable power generation assets, including 21 hydropower plants and wind power complexes.

The operation serves primarily the growing domestic market, with competitive low-carbon products and operations. It has three bauxite mines in production with current production of approximately 2 million tonnes of bauxite per annum, and an aluminium complex in Sao Paulo. The latter encompasses a 0.8 million tonnes capacity alumina refinery, an approximately 0.4 million tonnes capacity aluminium smelter, secondary recycling capacity of 0.3 million tonnes, and downstream processing facilities.

Rio Tinto’s Aluminium & Lithium chief executive, Jerome Pecresse, said:

This acquisition, jointly with Chalco, of Votorantim’s controlling position in CBA’s [Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio’s] fully integrated aluminium supply chain in Brazil is aligned with our strategy to deliver value for shareholders by extending our low-carbon, renewable-powered aluminium footprint in rapidly growing markets. It also provides the opportunity to grow our bauxite and alumina supply chain in the Atlantic region.

Our partnership with Chalco brings together our combined operational excellence, innovation and unique project execution capabilities, unlocking the potential to create value for the benefit of our shareholders, as well as CBA’s employees, customers and local communities.

The post Rio Tinto shares fall despite big acquisition news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• ASX copper shares surge as commodity hits record high
• Why the $260 billion Glencore merger is a ‘high-stakes gamble’ for Rio Tinto shares
• Buy, hold, sell: CSL, CBA, and Rio Tinto shares
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

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.