Tag: Stock pick

The Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) share price is edging higher in Friday trade.

At the time of writing, shares in the technology distributor are up 0.93% to $8.69.

Despite the modest rise today, Dicker Data shares have pulled back significantly in recent months. The stock is down about 16% over the past week and roughly 15% year-to-date, leaving it trading well below recent highs.

For long term investors seeking reliable income and growth, that weakness could be creating an opportunity.

Let’s take a closer look at why this ASX dividend stock may be worth considering.

A proven dividend payer

One of the biggest attractions of Dicker Data is its long track record of returning cash to shareholders.

The company pays quarterly fully franked dividends, which is relatively uncommon on the ASX. Over the past several years, it has consistently distributed a large portion of its earnings.

For example, the company recently declared a final dividend of 11.5 cents per share, continuing its steady stream of payments. Across FY25, fully franked dividends totalled 44 cents per share.

Dicker Data recently reviewed its dividend policy and confirmed it plans to distribute between 80% and 100% of net profit after tax (NPAT) to shareholders, subject to cash and capital requirements.

At current prices, the stock offers a dividend yield of around 5.1%, supported by those regular quarterly payments.

Positioned to benefit from rising IT spending

Beyond dividends, Dicker Data also benefits from long-term growth in technology spending.

The company distributes hardware, software, cloud infrastructure and cybersecurity products to resellers across Australia and New Zealand. This places it in the middle of a major and expanding industry.

According to Gartner forecasts, IT spending in Australia is expected to reach about $172.3 billion in 2026, representing 8.9% growth year-on-year.

Demand is being driven by several structural trends including cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and data centre expansion.

Dicker Data is also positioning itself for the next phase of growth in AI. The company has been working with partners such as Dell Technologies and Cisco to develop AI infrastructure solutions, including new AI platforms expected to roll out in the first-half of 2026.

If businesses continue upgrading their technology systems, Dicker Data should remain well placed to benefit.

Foolish bottom line

Dicker Data may not always attract the same attention as some high profile technology companies. But its business model is simple, profitable and cash generative.

The company has a strong reputation with major technology vendors and has built a network that supports thousands of resellers across Australia and New Zealand.

Combined with reliable earnings and quarterly dividends, Dicker Data offers investors attractive income potential. It also provides exposure to long term growth in technology spending.

With the Dicker Data share price well below recent highs, long-term investors may see today’s weakness as a chance to buy.

The post 1 incredibly cheap ASX dividend growth stock to buy now and hold for decades appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 ASX dividend shares to buy for income in 2026
• Dicker Data shares fall to a 7-month low. Is this a bargain buy?
• ASX 200 tech shares lead market sectors with a 7% bounce back
• Invest $20,000 in these 4 ASX shares and get $1,000 passive income

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

With only a few hours of trade left before Friday’s closing bell, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 4.1% for the week, despite the best lifting efforts of these seven ASX 200 stocks.

Following the United States and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend, you’ll notice a number of this week’s outperformers are ASX energy shares, benefiting from rising global energy prices.

An ASX defence stock also makes the list. But you may be surprised by the top-performing ASX 200 stock this week, which earns its keep in the funds management business.

So, without further ado…

ASX 200 stocks racing higher despite the falling market

The first company rewarding investors in this week’s falling market is Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA).

Shares in the Aussie fuel supplier closed last Friday trading for $1.77. In afternoon trade today, shares are changing hands for $2.12, up 19.8% for the week.

Viva Energy looks to be benefiting from fast-rising oil and gas prices. Currently trading at US$84.17 per barrel, Brent crude oil is up 16.1% since last Friday.

That’s also likely seeing investors pile into Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) shares, another Aussie fuel supplier.

Shares in the ASX 200 stock closed last week at $28.17 and are currently trading for $31.48. This sees the Ampol share price up 11.7% for the week.

Which brings us to Santos Ltd (ASX: STO).

Shares in the oil and gas producer closed last Friday at $6.76 and are currently trading for $7.42. This sees the Santos share price up 9.7% despite the wider market sell-down.

Not surprisingly, then, Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are also strongly outperforming this week. Shares in the oil and gas giant closed last week at $28.31 and are currently changing hands for $30.61 each, up 8.1%.

And the rally has extended to ASX 200 coal stocks, like Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC), spurred by a 14% spike in thermal coal prices this week to US$135 per tonne.

Shares in the coal producer closed last week at $7.81 and are currently swapping hands for $8.50 apiece. That sees the Whitehaven share price up 8.8% this week.

And with drone attacks in the Middle East now making regular news, DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares are also attracting heightened investor interest.

Shares in the drone defence company closed last week at $3.62 and are currently trading at $3.96. That sees the DroneShield share price up 9.3% for the week.

Leading the pack higher

Leading the ASX 200 stock charge this week is Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG).

Shares in the fund manager closed last Friday at $8.46 and are trading for $11.18 at the time of writing. This puts the Magellan share price up 32.2% for the week.

Magellan shares closed up a whopping 21.9% on Tuesday after exiting a trading halt and following news that the company plans to merge with Barrenjoey Capital Partners.

Commenting on the merger, Magellan chairman Andrew Formica said:

The merger with Barrenjoey marks a transformative step in MFG’s evolution, bringing together two highly complementary businesses to create an Australian financial services group with meaningful scale and breadth.

The post 7 ASX 200 stocks racing higher in this week’s sinking market appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Catapult, DroneShield, Karoon Energy, and WiseTech shares are charging higher
• Oil prices rocket 8%. Here’s where I’d put my money
• Can this ASX energy stock keep the rally going?
• $10,000 invested in Woodside shares at the start of 2026 is now worth…
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

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 DroneShield and is short shares of DroneShield. 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.

You may have missed it with all that has been going on this week, but we had a big development in the world of ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Popular ETF provider Vanguard debuted a new index fund, and it’s certainly worth paying attention to. Yep, the Vanguard S&P 500 US Shares Index ETF (ASX: V500) officially launched on the Australian stock market on Tuesday.

This is big news for Australian lovers of index funds and ASX ETFs. That’s because, up until Tuesday, there was only one fund on the ASX available for investors who wanted to invest in the most popular and widely tracked index in the world – the S&P 500 Index.

The S&P 500 is the flagship index of the American stock markets. It covers the 500 largest companies that are listed on either the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ. That’s everything from tech giants Apple, Amazon, NVIDIA and Microsoft to American staples like Coca-Cola Co, Ford Motor Co, Berkshire Hathaway Inc and McDonald’s Corp.

It’s for this reason that legendary investor Warren Buffett calls the S&P 500 a “slice of America”.

As we touched on above, until Tuesday, it was the iShares S&P 500  ETF (ASX: IVV) that was ASX investors’ only port of call if they wished to invest in a simple S&P 500 index fund.

This has been great for iShares. IVV is currently the third-most popular ETF on the ASX by funds under management (about $13 billion).

Can Vanguard’s new S&P 500 fund compete with the IVV ETF?

However, the iShares S&P 500 ETF now has some stiff competition from Vanguard. Vanguard is a beloved brand amongst ETF and index fund investors. This is largely thanks to the group’s not-for-profit model, which allows it to offer some of the most competitive management fees on the market. The beloved status of its founder amongst the investing community, the late Jack Bogle, a pioneer of the first index funds, also helps.

The Vanguard S&P 500 US Shares Index ETF was also accompanied by a currency-hedged iteration, the Vanguard S&P 500 US Shares Index (Hedged) ETF (ASX: V5AH), as well as an unlisted managed fund.

But how does it stack up against the iShares S&P 500 ETF, which has been around since 2007?

Well, both products essentially offer investors the same thing: exposure to the 500 stocks in the S&P 500 index. The only real difference investors have to contemplate is the fees.

In this arena, iShares is still out in front. It charges a miniscule 0.04% per annum (or $4 a year for every $10,000 invested). Vanguard’s V500 is still competitive, but is askign 0.07% per annum ($7 for every $10,00 invested). Now, Vanguard’s fund is still fresh, so it’s possible that the provider will be able to reassess its fee as its asset base grows larger. But as it stands today, IVV is the cheaper option. This will be an interesting space to watch.

The post Can Vanguard’s new S&P 500 fund topple the IVV ETF? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 world-class ASX ETFs to buy and hold
• 3 ASX shares perfect for beginners
• The $10-a-day ASX share investing habit that could change your financial future
• 5 simple ASX ETFs to build a long-term portfolio around
• New to the share market? Here are 3 ASX ETFs to buy for easy investing

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Microsoft, Nvidia, and iShares S&P 500 ETF and is short shares of Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Microsoft, Nvidia, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) share price is under heavy pressure in mid-afternoon trade on Friday.

At the time of writing, shares in the ASX gold miner are down 7.39% to $27.19.

The decline comes despite a very strong run over the past year. Northern Star shares are still up more than 50% over the last 12 months, reflecting a powerful rally in the gold sector.

So, what is pushing the stock lower today?

Gold price pullback weighs on ASX miners

The main driver behind today’s fall appears to be a pullback in gold prices.

Gold is currently trading at around US$5,090 per ounce, after easing in recent sessions following a strong rally earlier this year.

The precious metal has surged sharply over the past 12 months and remains more than 70% higher year-on-year, supported by strong investor demand and geopolitical tensions.

However, gold prices can be volatile in the short-term.

Recent media reports suggest the metal has come under pressure from a stronger US dollar and rising bond yields.

There have also been signs that some investors are taking profits after the metal recently traded near record levels.

This appears to be weighing on Northern Star and other ASX-listed gold stocks today.

Northern Star remains a major gold producer

Northern Star is one of Australia’s largest gold miners.

The company operates a portfolio of major mining operations across Western Australia and Alaska, including the well-known Kalgoorlie Super Pit.

Northern Star reported strong production and earnings growth in its most recent results. This was supported by higher gold prices and steady output from its operations.

The company delivered first-half revenue of $4.31 billion, up 19% year-on-year, while underlying EBITDAincreased 34% to $1.88 billion.

Net profit after tax (NPAT) also rose strongly, reaching $1.11 billion for the half-year.

Northern Star declared an interim dividend of 25 cents per share, reflecting the strong cash generation from its operations.

What could happen next?

While the Northern Star share price is falling today, the broader outlook for the gold sector remains closely tied to movements in the gold price.

Gold often attracts demand during periods of economic uncertainty and geopolitical tension.

Central bank buying has also remained strong in recent years, providing additional support for the market.

If gold prices remain elevated or move higher again, miners such as Northern Star could continue to benefit.

For now, the latest pullback in the gold price is clearly putting pressure on the Northern Star share price.

The post Why the Northern Star share price is sinking 7% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why BHP, Northern Star, Resimac, and Tivan shares are falling today
• If gold is a safe haven, why are ASX 200 gold stocks like Northern Star and Evolution Mining getting smashed this week?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Can these red hot ASX 200 stocks keep rising?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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 BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price is having a tough finish to the week.

In afternoon trade, the mining giant’s shares are down 6% to $51.85.

This means the Big Australian’s shares are down almost 13% from the record-high of $59.39 they reached on Monday.

What’s going on with the BHP share price?

While there has been some weakness in certain commodity prices since the war began in the Middle East, it hasn’t been severe enough to explain the pullback in the BHP share price.

It seems that there are other reasons for the selling from investors.

One could be profit-taking. When BHP’s shares reached their record high, it meant they were up approximately 50% over a 12-month period.

That incredible return doesn’t even include the dividends that BHP has paid during the period.

Clearly, BHP shares have been a great investment over the past 12 months. But with analysts now suggesting that they are fully valued, some investors may have decided to take profit.

For example, Morgans recently put a hold rating and $49.00 price target on its shares. It said:

A strong copper-driven 1H26 result, but the highlight was a savvy deal monetising Antamina’s silver stream for value equal to consensus valuation of the entire asset. Earnings quality continues to step forward, maintaining robust operational and cost performances across the portfolio. Injecting >US$6bn cash in H2 more than offsets Jansen. Maintain HOLD rating.

What else?

In addition, over the past 12 months, the mining sector has benefited from a sector rotation which saw large investors sell out of technology and into miners.

The opposite appears to be happening on Friday, with the mining sector a sea of red but the technology sector roaring higher.

The S&P/ASX 200 Resources index is down 3.7% at the time of writing, while the S&P/ASX All Technology Index is up 3.6%.

It is possible that investors are buying beaten up ASX shares like Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME), which is up 10% today, and WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), which is up 6%, and selling high-performing ASX shares like BHP, Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST).

Time will tell if this is a true rotation, but given the dirt cheap valuations in the tech sector and full valuations in the mining sector, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the shift continues in the coming weeks.

The post Why is the BHP share price crashing 6%? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why BHP, Northern Star, Resimac, and Tivan shares are falling today
• 1 beaten-down ASX share to consider buying today, and 5 I’m shunning for now
• Why BHP, EQ Resources, Lottery Corp, and Woodside shares are falling today
• Why is BHP share price sinking today?
• 5 Australian stocks to buy and hold for the next 5 years

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

The Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP) share price is in focus after the ASX-listed property trust announced a quarterly distribution of 4.2 cents per unit, unfranked, payable on 30 April 2026.

What did Centuria Industrial REIT report?

• Declared quarterly distribution of 4.2 cents per ordinary unit
• Distribution is unfranked
• Ex-date: 30 March 2026
• Record date: 31 March 2026
• Payment date: 30 April 2026
• Distribution relates to the quarter ending 31 March 2026

What else do investors need to know?

Centuria Industrial REIT’s latest dividend will be paid in Australian dollars and is not franked. Investors holding units as of the record date will be eligible for the payment. The trust has confirmed it offers a distribution reinvestment plan (DRP), though it has not specified if the DRP applies to this particular distribution.

The announcement did not include profit figures or other operational updates, as this release specifically covers distribution details for the quarter.

What’s next for Centuria Industrial REIT?

Looking ahead, Centuria Industrial REIT is expected to continue providing regular distributions to investors, supported by its industrial property portfolio. The consistent timing of its quarterly payments may appeal to income-focused shareholders seeking predictable cash flow.

Further updates on the trust’s property acquisitions, leasing activity, or portfolio performance may be released with future financial results or semi-annual updates.

Centuria Industrial REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Centuria Industrial REIT shares have risen 5%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 9% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Centuria Industrial REIT declares quarterly distribution for March 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Is the ASX 200 ok?
• Superannuation check up: Here’s how much you should have saved by age 40, 50 and 60
• Passive income: How much would I need to invest in ASX shares to earn $1,000 every month?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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.

Some companies get a lot of attention from investors. Others quietly keep delivering strong growth without generating the same level of excitement.

To me, one S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) growth share that sometimes feels overlooked is Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB).

The wealth platform provider has been one of the fastest-growing businesses in Australia’s financial services industry for years. Yet it often doesn’t get the same spotlight as some of the bigger tech names on the ASX.

And when you look closely at how the business is performing, I think there’s a case to be made that it could be one of the more underrated growth shares on the market right now.

A structural growth story

One reason I continue to like Hub24 is the structural shift happening in the wealth management industry.

Financial advisers increasingly rely on modern investment platforms to manage client portfolios, reporting, and administration. As advisers move away from older legacy systems, newer platforms have been steadily gaining market share.

Hub24 has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of this shift.

The company has built a reputation for providing advisers with flexible portfolio tools, strong reporting capabilities, and a wide range of investment options. That has helped it steadily attract advisers and client assets onto its platform.

As more funds move onto the platform, Hub24 benefits from a scalable business model where revenue grows alongside the assets managed through the system.

Strong momentum continues

The company’s latest half-year results highlighted just how strong that momentum remains.

The ASX 200 growth share reported underlying EBITDA of $104.9 million for the first half of FY26, which was up 35% year on year, while underlying net profit after tax increased 60% to $68.3 million.

Platform inflows were also very strong. The company delivered record half-year platform net inflows of $10.7 billion and continued to rank first for platform net inflows in the industry.

Funds under administration across the platform climbed to more than $150 billion, highlighting how quickly the business has been scaling.

Importantly, this growth isn’t just coming from market movements. Hub24 continues to win new advisers and licensee agreements, which helps support long-term growth in funds on the platform.

A long runway ahead

What excites me most about Hub24 is that the opportunity still looks far from saturated.

Australia’s wealth management industry is enormous, and advisers continue to migrate away from legacy platforms. That gives newer and more innovative platforms room to keep taking share.

Hub24 is also continuing to invest in new technology and product capabilities to strengthen its offering. This includes new retirement solutions, enhancements to adviser tools, and the development of its broader technology ecosystem.

Over time, these investments could further strengthen its position with advisers and make the platform even more valuable to clients.

Foolish Takeaway

Hub24 has already delivered impressive growth over the past decade, but the structural tailwinds behind the business remain firmly in place.

With strong inflows, growing funds under administration, and a platform that continues to win market share, I think Hub24 still has plenty of growth ahead of it.

That’s why I believe this ASX 200 company could be one of the more underrated growth shares on the market right now.

The post Is this the most underrated ASX 200 growth share right now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX growth shares I think could double by 2030
• 5 Australian stocks to buy and hold for the next 5 years
• 5 top ASX 200 shares I’d buy in March
• The $10,000 ASX share portfolio I’d build for a 25-year-old today
• If I had to build an ASX share portfolio from scratch today, here’s how I’d do it

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Hub24. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Hub24. 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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having a tough finish to the week. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is down 1.15% to 8,838 points.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back today are listed below. Here’s why they are rising:

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

The Catapult Sports share price is up over 7% to $3.91. This morning, this sports technology company was the subject of a bullish broker note out of Bell Potter. The broker has retained its buy rating on Catapult’s shares with a trimmed price target of $4.85. It said: “Catapult remains one of our preferred tech stocks amongst the mid caps (along with Gentrack). We note Catapult is likely to come out of the S&P/ASX 200 at the next rebalance later this month but remain in the S&P/ASX 300. This could be viewed as a negative catalyst but in our view is already largely expected so should not come as a surprise.”

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is up 6% to $3.93. This appears to have been driven by optimism that demand for this counter-drone technology company’s products could increase strongly. The war in the Middle East this week has emphasised just how important counter-drone technology has become. Following today’s gain, DroneShield shares are now up over 360% since this time last year.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

The Karoon Energy share price is up 1.5% to $1.84. Investors have been buying this energy producer’s shares following another strong rise in oil prices. Traders have been bidding oil prices up above US$80 per barrel this week in response to the war in the Middle East. There are concerns over supply disruption due to Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz. Approximately 20% of global oil supplies pass through the narrow shipping lane.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

The WiseTech share price is up 6% to $50.44. This is despite there being no news out of the logistics software company. However, it is worth noting that tech stocks are rising strongly today despite the market weakness. It seems that some investors are rotating out of high-performing areas into beaten down parts of the share market. This has seen the S&P/ASX All Technology Index rise 3.3% on Friday afternoon.

The post Why Catapult, DroneShield, Karoon Energy, and WiseTech shares are charging higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why investors are piling back into these ASX tech shares today
• 5 ASX shares I’d buy and hold for the next decade
• Bell Potter says this ASX 200 tech stock is a top buy
• These 2 ASX shares have the booster power to rocket higher in 2026
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports, DroneShield, and WiseTech Global and is short shares of DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shares have enjoyed a strong rebound this week, while CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares continue to struggle.

In early afternoon trade on Friday, Xero shares are up 5.7% at $88.68 each. This sees shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) business and accounting software provider up 6.7% since last Friday’s close, compared to the 4.1% one-week loss posted by the benchmark index.

CSL shares aren’t faring quite as well, though they’re still outperforming the benchmark. Down 0.9% at time of writing at $145.19 apiece, shares in the ASX 200 biotech giant are down 1.1% this week.

Looking ahead, however, Fairmont Equities’ Michael Gable expects both ASX 200 stocks will underperform (courtesy of The Bull).

Time to sell Xero shares?

Despite this week’s outperformance, Xero shares remain down more than 48% over 12 months.

Commenting on the ASX 200 tech stock late last week, before the United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran, Gable noted:

Xero is a global accounting software provider. XRO is a great business, but it’s caught up in a major sector rotation, where investor funds have been moving out of technology stocks with high price/earnings ratios and into hard assets.

Indeed, Xero trades on P/E ratio of around 53 times.

Explaining his sell recommendation on Xero stock, Gable said:

The downtrend in the share price indicates sellers were recently still in control and any price bounces are struggling to gain traction. We believe the shares will remain under pressure until the market stops trying to pick the bottom. The shares have fallen from $194.21 on June 24, 2025 to trade at $81.525 on February 26, 2026.

CSL shares still plagued by uncertainty

The CSL share price is down more than 44% in 12 months.

Gable also issued a sell recommendation on CSL.

“This biotechnology giant was a market darling for a long time,” he said.

He added:

But it’s now failing to command a premium as uncertainty surrounding the company’s US vaccine business is making it more difficult for investors to forecast future earnings. The recent departure of its chief executive also adds to the uncertainty.

CSL reported on the unexpected exit of CEO Paul McKenzie after market close on 10 February. McKenzie held the top spot for three rather tumultuous years. CSL shares close down 4.6% the following day on the news.

And Gable believes the share price may have further to fall.

He concluded:

From a technical perspective, the stock has topped out and is trending lower. In my view, this leaves further downside risk in the share price until investors feel more confident that CSL can lift earnings. The shares have fallen from $271.32 on August 18, 2025 to trade at $145.68 on February 26, 2026.

The post Sell alert! Why this top analyst is calling time on Xero and CSL shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why investors are piling back into these ASX tech shares today
• 32 ASX shares about to go ex-dividend
• Why CSL shares are rebounding today after falling to an 8-year low
• 3 reasons why the CSL share price could leap 87% to $274!
• Beaten down: Are Cochlear, Pro Medicus or CSL shares a better buy right now?

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

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) copper stock Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR) is giving back some of its recent outsized gains this week.

Following on the United States and Israel’s strikes on Iran, and Iran’s ensuing retaliation in the Middle East, global copper prices have fallen 3.4% this week. The red metal is currently trading for US$12,902 per tonne.

Sandfire shares have fared even worse. Down a sharp 7.1% during the Friday lunch hour, trading for $17.56, the Sandfire share price has dropped 13.1% since last Friday’s close.

Still, with the copper price remaining up 48% since 9 April, and Sandfire achieving plenty of success on and under the ground, shares in the ASX 200 copper stock are 115.8% since market close on 9 April.

Which brings us back to our headline question.

Should you buy the ASX 200 copper stock today?

Fairmont Equities’ Michael Gable ran his slide rule over Sandfire shares late last week, before the onset of the Middle East conflict.

“SFR is Australia’s largest listed pure play copper producer,” Gable said (quoted by The Bull). “I expect copper prices to climb in calendar year 2026 in response to increasing global demand.”

And Gable was impressed with the ASX 200 copper stock’s H1 FY 2026 earnings results. He noted:

The company’s recent half year result for fiscal year 2026 delivered underlying earnings of US$107 million, which was above consensus. Analysts have been lifting their price targets, painting a brighter outlook.

But, citing the meteoric share price rise since, April Gable placed a hold recommendation on Sandfire shares.

“The share price has risen from $8.15 on April 9, 2025 to trade at $20.475 on February 26, 2026. At these levels, a hold recommendation is appropriate,” he said.

Following on this week’s selling pressure, the Sandfire share price is now down 14.2% since the 26 February level that Gable notes.

What’s the latest from Sandfire Resources?

Sandfire reported its half year results on 19 February.

Atop the earnings beat Gable mentioned above, the ASX 200 copper stock achieved a 17% year on year increase in sales revenue to US$672.1 million.

And on the bottom line, Sandfire’s net profit after tax (NPAT) of US$96.3 million was up 94% from H1 FY 2025.

As for what’s ahead, Sandfire CEO Brendan Harris said:

Our business is increasingly well positioned with two high-margin operations in Spain and Botswana, producing the commodities the world needs, and the recent addition of another copper and gold development opportunity in South Australia that has the potential to underpin a large scale, long life and low-cost operation in a preferred jurisdiction.

The post Up 116% in 11 months, is this ASX 200 copper stock a good buy today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why this ASX copper stock is sinking 7% today
• ASX 200 materials sector leads as earnings season ends with a record high
• Brokers review 12-month price targets for 3 ASX 200 mining shares post-results
• Sandfire Resources posts 94% profit jump and record revenue in H1 FY26
• Copper price forecast for 2026: Goldman Sachs

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.