Tag: Stock pick

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are down 0.9% to 8,689.1 points on Thursday.

Meanwhile, three experts share their views on three ASX 200 shares.

Let’s take a look.

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

The Telix Pharmaceuticals share price is $16.02, down 0.4% today and up 4% over 12 months. 

Bell Potter has a buy rating on this ASX 200 healthcare share. 

Analyst John Hester said: 

TLX has announced a scrip-based merger with the privately owned ITM Group, based in Germany for consideration of up to US$2.35bn.

ITM is a leading manufacturer of therapeutic isotopes, including Lu-177, being the dominant therapeutic isotope for the treatment of cancers including for the Novartis blockbuster Pluvicto.

The merger creates a vertically integrated radiopharmaceutical company with enhanced capabilities across development, isotope production and global manufacturing.

[The merger] represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire a dominant share in the supply of Lu-177 that is very difficult to replicate. While earnings may take a year or two to realise, the underlying value is obvious.

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC)

The New Hope Corporation share price is $5.86, down 0.09% today and up 49% over 12 months. 

Morgans has a hold rating on this ASX 200 coal share.

The broker said: 

Cash surprise drives dividend beat – Strong operational delivery and a year-end cash balance of A$485m supported a fully franked 30cps final dividend, materially ahead of MorgansF (20cps) and consensus (14cps).

Operational performance exceeded expectations – NHC delivered record saleable coal production of 11.5Mt and coal sales of 11.8Mt, exceeding the top end of guidance and demonstrating the resilience of its operations despite disruptions throughout the year.

Strong run, balanced view – NHC shares have rallied 60% YTD, supported by stronger coal prices and improving market sentiment. While we remain constructive on thermal coal fundamentals, the recent share price performance may provide an opportunity for investors to crystallise some gains.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

The REA share price is $151.55, down 0.5% today and down 34% over 12 months. 

Morgans has a sell rating on this ASX 200 communications share. 

Analyst Michael Ardrey said:

Despite REA’s ability to generate strong results in challenged operating environments, we continue to see significant downside risk to listings volumes/earnings vs. company guidance and consensus and await further data points via lending volumes and market listings before re-considering our thesis.

The post Buy, hold, sell: New Hope, REA, Telix Pharmaceuticals shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Just when it looked like oil prices might be settling down, Brent crude has made its way back towards US$103 a barrel.

As of Thursday morning, the global benchmark is trading at approximately US$102.92, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is changing hands at US$92.26.

Brent slipped below US$98 on Tuesday amid signs of improving Middle Eastern oil supplies, but it didn’t stay there long.

According to Trading Economics, Brent has gained around 11.7% over the past month and more than 48% over the past year.

That puts US$110 less than 7% away.

So, what’s driving the rebound?

Oil supply disruptions continue

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is still a long way from normal, and that’s keeping oil traders on edge.

According to Reuters, just 3 commodity vessels passed through the waterway on Tuesday, compared with 4 on Monday.

That’s 80% below the 10-day average of approximately 15 vessels.

All 3 were heading out of the Strait, although the figures don’t include ships travelling with their tracking systems switched off.

Before the conflict, approximately 1/5th of global oil and gas flows passed through the waterway.

With traffic still so low, getting oil out of the region remains difficult, and thus helping keep prices elevated.

Saudi Arabia gets oil moving again

There has been some good news on the supply side, with Saudi Arabia restarting its East-West oil pipeline.

This comes after drone attacks forced its closure earlier this month.

The pipeline had been transporting around 4 million barrels per day to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.

However, operations have only resumed at reduced capacity of late.

It could apparently take another 6 to 8 weeks before the pipeline is fully operational again.

US oil inventories rise unexpectedly

The latest US inventory figures weren’t quite what analysts had expected.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that crude inventories increased by 3 million barrels to 426.4 million barrels last week.

Analysts had expected a decline of approximately 641,000 barrels.

Fuel stockpiles moved in the opposite direction, though.

Gasoline stockpiles fell by 1.7 million barrels. Distillate inventories, including diesel and heating oil, declined by 400,000 barrels.

US refineries also processed 519,000 fewer barrels per day, with utilisation falling to 94%.

Could Brent hit US$110?

I think US$110 is within reach, although much depends on what happens next between the US and Iran.

Just yesterday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would not surrender to the US, but remained open to diplomacy.

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen within 7 days if Washington eased military pressure.

The next level I’ll be watching is US$105. A move through there would put US$110 right in my view.

I expect more volatility along the way for now, but I do think oil prices have further to climb.

The post Oil prices are climbing again. Could Brent crude hit US$110? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• ASX 200 turns higher after a rocky start. Is a recovery on the table?
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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) are three of the biggest names on the Australian share market.

They also give investors exposure to very different parts of the economy, spanning resources, healthcare, and banking.

But if I were looking at these ASX shares today, I would not treat all three the same.

Here is how I see each one.

BHP shares

BHP would be firmly in the buy category for me.

The mining giant gives investors exposure to some of the commodities I think could remain important for decades, particularly iron ore and copper.

Iron ore remains central to BHP’s earnings, while copper could become an increasingly important part of the story as investment in electrification, power networks, renewable energy, and data centres supports demand.

I also like BHP’s scale. Mining is inherently cyclical, and commodity prices can move sharply, but large, low-cost operations can leave a business in a stronger position when conditions become more difficult.

There will inevitably be periods when weaker commodity prices put pressure on earnings and dividends. That comes with investing in resources.

But for investors prepared to look through those cycles, I think BHP remains one of the ASX mining shares I would be most comfortable owning for the long term. For me, that makes BHP shares a buy.

CSL shares

CSL is another share I would be happy to buy.

The healthcare giant has been through a difficult period, with investors becoming much less enthusiastic about the stock than they were several years ago.

For me, that creates an opportunity. CSL still owns high-quality healthcare businesses with significant global operations. Its plasma therapies business remains the centrepiece, while vaccines and other specialised treatments add further diversification.

What I like here is the potential for earnings growth to improve as the company continues rebuilding margins and growing demand across its major businesses.

CSL also operates in areas where barriers to entry are high. Plasma collection networks, manufacturing expertise, regulatory approvals, and established healthcare relationships are difficult to replicate.

The recovery may still take time, and investors will want to see continued evidence that margins and profit growth are moving in the right direction.

Even so, I think the long-term opportunity looks attractive after the weakness in the share price. That leaves CSL shares as a buy for me.

Westpac shares

Westpac is where I become more cautious. It remains one of Australia’s major banks and has a huge customer base across mortgages, deposits, and other financial services.

That gives the business plenty of stability, and I can understand why existing shareholders may be happy to continue holding it, particularly those focused on dividends.

My hesitation is around how much growth investors can reasonably expect from a mature Australian bank.

Westpac has substantial exposure to residential lending, where competition can be intense and growth depends heavily on the Australian housing and consumer markets. And with the housing market going through a weak period, Westpac’s growth looks challenged to me.

For existing shareholders, I see no strong reason to sell. But if I were investing new money today, I would look for other opportunities.

That makes Westpac shares a hold for me.

Foolish takeaway

BHP and CSL are the two ASX shares here where I would be most comfortable putting new money to work.

They offer very different investment cases, but both have long-term growth drivers that I think can reward patient investors.

Westpac remains a solid business, and I would be comfortable continuing to own it. At current levels, though, I would rather hold than add.

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

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

Shares in Helloworld Travel Ltd (ASX: HLO) are down almost 20% over the past 12 months, but according to the analysts at Morgans, now could be the time to buy.

The broker has upgraded its share price target for the company following a new deal to acquire Crown Currency Exchange (CCE) for $135 million.

Before we get to what the share price target is, let’s look at that deal in more detail.

Expansion potential from the new deal

Helloworld announced the deal earlier this week, saying it would buy out CCE, which operates 68 stores across Australia.

The company added:

It was acquired by the vendor in 2019 and has expanded its footprint across Australia under the management of Emily Palermo. Both Emily Palermo and Greg Woolley will be remaining with the business in their respective capacities as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman. The business employs over 200 people with the Head Office located in Hobart and outlets throughout Australia.

Helloworld’s Managing Director, Andrew Burnes, said the acquisition would be highly complementary to Helloworld’s retail agency businesses and would present multiple opportunities for expansion across the company’s retail networks.

CCE generated EBITDA of $22 million in FY26.

The size of the acquisition is large relative to Helloworld’s current market capitalisation of $229.2 million.

The deal will be funded by debt, equity, and a vendor loan facility.

Helloworld shares look cheap

Morgans said in its research note to clients that CCE was Australia’s third-largest foreign exchange retailer behind Travelex and Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd’s (ASX: FLT) Travel Money Oz.

The broker agreed that CCE was a good fit for Helloworld.

HLO’s retail travel agency network sells roughly 2.4m airline tickets a year to outbound travellers, a natural tie-in for currency exchange. The agents will now have the ability to sell foreign currency alongside travel bookings. Synergies are expected mainly from rolling CCE outlets into HLO’s existing agency network. CCE does not currently operate in New Zealand, unlike its peers, giving HLO a further expansion opportunity.

Morgans said Helloworld was currently paying a 7.3% fully franked dividend yield, and stated:

We think patient investors will be well rewarded when a travel industry rebound eventuates. With ANZ’s largest agency network, HLO is well placed to leverage the structural tailwinds favouring leisure travel given its target market is becoming wealthier, living longer and travelling more. FY27 earnings guidance at the 23 October AGM is the next share price catalyst.

Morgans has increased its share price target for Helloworld from $2.18 to $2.24, against a current price of $1.37.

The post Which ASX travel stock does Morgans tip to jump 60%? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL), and PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares have all fallen into the red in Thursday morning trade as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) falls on higher oil prices and interest rate jitters.

Here’s the latest from the three ASX 200 stocks, and which ones brokers tip as a buy, sell or hold over the next 12 months.

Brokers rate PLS Group shares a BUY

PLS Group shares have dropped around 5% this morning, to $3.98 each at the time of writing. 

It’s been a rocky ride for the lithium miner this year and its share price has swung between a peak of $6.81 and a low of $2.32 over the past 12 months. The shares are now down around 27% over the past month, are down 7% for the year-to-date, but 66% higher than a year ago.

The shares rebounded in August off the back of growing investor optimism that the lithium price recovery is improving, and then they rocketed higher again when the miner posted a strong FY26 result in mid-August.

PLS posted a 152% increase in revenue, a 59% increase in underlying EBITDA, and a swing into profit in NPAT (from a loss in the prior corresponding period).

There isn’t any price sensitive news out of the company recently to explain the latest selloff. It’s likely a combination of investors taking gains off the table and a softer lithium price.

But experts are bullish that PLS shares could keep climbing. Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a buy rating on the shares. The $5.47 average target price implies a 38% upside at the time of writing.

Brokers rate Telstra shares a HOLD

Telstra shares are down around 0.5% at the time of writing, to $4.80 a piece. The ASX telecommunications company’s shares are now down around 1% for the year-to-date and are 2% lower than 12 months ago.

The shares spiked to a multi-year high in May but tumbled lower in June to August after the company suffered a major nationwide network outage and a disappointing FY26 result.

Telstra posted a 0.8% decline in revenue and a 4.4% increase in underlying earnings.

The shares have rebounded slightly over the past month, likely as investors rotate towards more secure, defensive assets amid geopolitical uncertainty and Australian sharemarket weakness.

Brokers are on the fence about the outlook for Telstra shares over the next 12 months. Market Index data shows the majority have a hold rating on the stock. The $5.01 average target price implies an upside of around 4% at the time of writing.

Brokers rate AGL shares a SELL

AGL shares are down around 0.5% at the time of writing, to $8.18 a piece. The shares have generally tumbled lower so far in 2026 and are now down 12% since January. They’re also around 6% lower than 12 months ago.

The ASX energy shares rebounded in August when it posted its FY26 results, but the increase was short lived.

The company posted a 2% increase in both its underlying EBITDA and underlying NPAT for FY26. It also confirmed a 60% increase in its operating free cash flow. For FY27, AGL is guiding underlying EBITDA between $1.9 to $2.2 billion and underlying NPAT between $470 to $670 million.

Brokers aren’t impressed either. Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a sell rating on AGL shares. However, after the latest share price decline, the $9.70 target price implies a potential 19% upside.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Telstra, AGL, PLS shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share price is having a rough Thursday session.

The buy-now, pay-later company’s shares have fallen heavily to around $2.09, adding to what has already been a volatile year for shareholders.

At this level, the Zip share price is well below its recent highs. But has the sell-off gone far enough to create a buying opportunity?

I think there is a strong case that it has.

How cheap is the Zip share price?

I think some context around the share price could be helpful.

Zip shares have traded as high as $4.94 over the past 52 weeks and as low as $1.38. At $2.09, the stock is now almost 60% below that 52-week high.

Of course, a falling share price does not automatically make a stock cheap. The more important question for me is what investors are paying relative to the earnings Zip could generate over the next few years.

On that front, the valuation is starting to look quite interesting.

Consensus forecasts indicate earnings per share (EPS) of approximately 15 cents in FY27.

At a share price of $2.09, Zip shares are trading at a forward price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of roughly 14 times FY27 forecast earnings.

The valuation becomes even cheaper again next year if Zip meets expectations.

Consensus EPS is expected to rise to 18 cents in FY28. That would put the shares on a forward PE ratio of around 12 times.

By FY29, analysts are forecasting EPS of 22.4 cents, which would reduce the PE ratio to just over 9 times at today’s share price.

For a business still expected to deliver meaningful earnings growth, I think those multiples look cheap.

Why I think the sell-off creates an opportunity

Zip is still a growth investment, so I would not look at the current valuation in isolation.

The investment case depends on the company continuing to expand earnings over the coming years. If the consensus forecasts are roughly right, EPS would rise by almost 50% between FY27 and FY29.

Investors need to remember that growth stocks can remain volatile. Zip has already moved between $1.38 and $4.94 during the past year, showing just how quickly market sentiment can change.

Forecasts can also move. If earnings growth disappoints, the low forward PE ratios based on FY28 and FY29 expectations may prove less compelling than they currently appear.

Still, I think today’s share price gives investors a reasonable margin for some uncertainty.

Foolish takeaway

For me, the Zip share price is looking cheap at around $2.09.

A FY27 PE ratio of roughly 14x does not look demanding, and the valuation could fall into the single digits by FY29 if current earnings forecasts are met.

There is plenty that Zip still needs to deliver, and I would expect the share price to remain volatile along the way. But after such a sharp fall from its 52-week high, I think the risk/reward is compelling.

At $2.09, I would be comfortable buying Zip shares and holding them for the next few years.

The post Is the Zip share price a bargain at $2.09? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• $10,000 invested in Zip and New Hope shares 3 years ago is now worth…

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 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.

Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares are down around 1% to $16.65 on Thursday morning.

The decline means the miner’s shares are now down around 24% year to date.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 1% today and around 1% for the year-to-date.

It’s been a tough couple of months for the global mining giant. After its shares hit a two-year high of $22.99 in May, they’ve slowly but gradually tumbled downwards.

Just last week, Fortescue shares hit an annual low of $16.22 a piece.

Fortescue’s shares were hit by headwinds from iron ore prices. The company generates substantial cash flow from its large iron ore operations, so rising iron ore prices act as a tailwind and falling prices act as a headwind for the miner’s shares.

Trading Economics data shows that iron ore prices spiked to around US$111 per tonne in May, hit an annual low of around US$93 per tonne in August, and are currently trading at around US$97 per tonne.

Ongoing conflict in the Middle East has also put downward pressure on shares, driven by concerns about rising costs, oil supply risks, and broad market uncertainty.

A mixed FY26 result last month, including a 9% increase in revenue, 9% increase in EBITDA, and a 15% decrease in statutory net profit after tax (NPAT), didn’t help the share price either.

The question now is, where will the shares go next?

Here’s what the experts think.

What do brokers tip for Fortescue shares?

Analyst forecasts are a mixed bag.

Market Index data shows brokers are divided equally among buy, sell and hold ratings. The $18.66 average target price implies around an 11% upside, at the time of writing.

On TradingView, the majority of analysts (10 out of 16) have a hold stance on Fortescue shares. Another four rate the shares as a sell/strong sell, and two rate them as a strong buy.

The average $17.59 target price implies a potential 6% upside ahead. Although some think the shares could jump another 32% to $22.01 over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

Joshua Baker from RaaS Group has a sell rating on the ASX mining shares and warns that the outlook for iron ore prices isn’t as appealing as other commodities.

The team at Morgans have a hold rating on Fortescue shares. The broker said that with the focus on FY27 guidance, Iron Bridge remains a key issue. It explained that the magnetite operation is struggling through ramp-up and with elevated costs. Elsewhere, Morgans said the miner’s plans for a green steel plant are difficult to quantify.

What could drive Fortescue shares higher this year?

An iron ore price recovery would obviously help to drive the shares higher over the next 12 months, as would any progress on its green steel plant.

Fortescue is also actively diversifying its business beyond iron ore and into other markets, such as copper and renewable energy, which could reduce its reliance on iron ore over the long term and also strengthen its bottom line.

The post What do brokers tip for Fortescue shares over the next 12 months? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

What a difference a day makes for Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) shareholders.

After jumping 12% yesterday, the lithium miner has gone backwards on Thursday, falling 7.74% to 38.8 cents in morning trade.

The selling follows a string of company announcements released this morning, giving investors plenty to digest after the stock’s recent rally.

Despite today’s decline, Core shares have still gained approximately 269% over the past year following a remarkable recovery.

So, let’s take a closer look at what’s going on with Core Lithium?

Cash piles up, but losses continue

Core’s FY26 annual report shows a significant improvement in the company’s financial position, although there’s still some work to do.

The lithium miner finished June with $181.8 million in cash, compared with just $23.5 million a year earlier.

Much of that improvement came from a $120 million share placement and funding arrangements with Glencore and InfraVia.

However, Core still reported a net loss of approximately $26 million, while operating cash outflows totalled $21.1 million.

The company also received approximately $62.2 million in additional funding after the financial year ended.

Finniss is back in business

The good news is that Core’s flagship Finniss lithium operation is making progress following its restart.

Earlier this month, the company produced its first spodumene concentrate from the processing plant, meeting its September quarter target.

According to the release, the milestone was achieved within 6 months of the final investment decision (FID) in March.

Core has also completed upgrades to the processing plant, which are expected to increase annual throughput capacity by approximately 20% to 1.2 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, development continues at the BP33 underground mine, with first ore targeted for mid 2027.

The next milestone will be the first shipment of newly produced lithium concentrate, which Core expects during the December quarter.

What’s behind Thursday’s sell-off?

While the annual report contains some encouraging developments, lithium prices have been heading in the opposite direction of late.

According to Trading Economics, lithium carbonate was trading at approximately 135,200 Chinese yuan per tonne on Wednesday.

This is down 15.76% over the past month.

The recent pullback comes as more Aussie lithium mines return to production, with investors keeping a close eye on the potential increase in supply.

Following Core’s recent share price rally, some investors may also be taking the opportunity to lock in profits.

I think Core Lithium’s next test is getting Finniss running consistently and generating cash, particularly with lithium prices below their recent highs.

The post Why are Core Lithium shares crashing 8% on Thursday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 gold stock Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6) is down around 2% to 92 cents a piece at the time of writing.

Despite the latest decline, the shares are still up a huge 114% year to date and have jumped 319% since September 2025.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 1% today and around 1% for the year-to-date.

This rally in the ASX 200 gold stock means that $3,000 invested in Minerals 260 Ltd 12 months ago is already worth over $12,500 today!

What has caused the ASX 200 gold stock to rally higher?

There have been a few factors driving up Minerals 260’s shares over the past year. These include the company’s huge resource growth and substantial capital.

The company has rapidly expanded its gold resource base at Bullabulling following aggressive and successful drilling programs. Bullabulling, which is located in Western Australia, is reported to be one of Australia’s largest undeveloped gold projects.

The site has now surpassed 6.2 million ounces, up significantly from the company’s December 2025 resource estimate of 4.5 million ounces. The company has more drilling programs planned later this year and into 2027, focusing on upgrading existing resources and exploring for new zones.

Elsewhere, in February this year, Minerals 260 also announced it had signed a $220 million strategic funding package with Canadian gold royalties and streaming giant Franco-Nevada Corp (NYSE: FNV) to accelerate and de-risk the development of the Bullabulling gold project. The update saw its share price quickly jump higher.

Minerals 260 got another boost in June when it was added to the ASX 200 index amid a quarterly rebalance.

Most recently, the company announced that it has been granted an expanded Mining Lease at its Bullabulling Gold Project and has acquired additional regional tenements, expanding its total project area to 1,527 km². The move broadens its exploration potential and underpins the scale of the Bullabulling Gold Project.

Can Mineral 260’s shares keep climbing higher?

If analyst forecasts are anything to go by, there is still plenty more upside to come out of Minerals 260’s shares over the next 12 months.

According to TradingView data, all six brokers have a buy/strong buy rating on the shares. The average $1.355 target price implies a potential 47% upside at the time of writing. Some are even more bullish and expect the shares could climb 74% higher to $1.60 over the next 12 months.

The post If I’d put $3k in this ASX 200 gold stock 12 months ago, I’d have $12,500 now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Franco-Nevada. 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.

GPT Group vs Dexus shares: Which ASX REIT looks better value?

When it comes to picking between GPT Group (ASX: GPT) and Dexus (ASX: DXS), you’re sizing up two heavyweight names from the ASX’s real estate investment trust (REIT) sector. Both offer large, diversified portfolios, long track records, and established brands. For everyday investors hunting income, value, or just exposure to Australian property, weighing GPT against Dexus makes a lot of sense. So, which might offer better value right now?

The case for GPT Group

GPT Group is one of Australia’s largest listed property trusts, tracing its origins to the country’s first ever REIT, set up in 1971. Over the decades, GPT has built a robust and conservative portfolio split across office buildings, major retail centres, and logistics/industrial assets. According to GPT Group, it manages over $42 billion of property and has recently increased its tilt toward industrial assets, now accounting for almost a third of its holdings.

What stands out in GPT’s current fundamentals is its:

• Attractive 8.12 P/E ratio (notably lower than Dexus’s)
• Dividend yield of 5.44%
• Market cap around $8.6 billion, making it one of the larger players on the market.

GPT’s consistent history of paying fully unfranked distributions – roughly 24 cents per share annually in recent years – underlines its income credentials, though franked income isn’t on offer here. Its conservative approach to gearing (debt) and measured development pipeline have long appealed to more cautious property investors.

The case for Dexus

Dexus has transformed beyond a pure office property landlord into a broader platform managing listed and unlisted real estate, infrastructure, and alternative assets – especially since its big 2023 acquisition of AMP Capital’s real estate and infrastructure arm. Dexus directly and indirectly holds premium office, logistics, retail, and airport assets, notably including stakes in Melbourne Airport and Jandakot Airport.

Key fundamentals for Dexus right now include:

• A higher dividend yield of 6.67%
• A market cap of $5.96 billion (a notch below GPT, but still sizeable)
• P/E ratio of 10.17

Dexus’s income stream is attractive, at around 37 cents per share (annualised from the last year’s payouts), with a portion of its most recent distributions franked (but with franked percentages varying between periods). Its recent diversification into infrastructure assets sets it apart from most traditional REITs, potentially adding some resilience – though also introducing new complexity for investors used to pure property exposure.

Valuation comparison

Here’s a side-by-side look at the major valuation metrics based on the latest figures:

	GPT Group	Dexus
Market Cap	$8.60 billion	$5.96 billion
P/E Ratio	8.12	10.17
Dividend Yield	5.44%	6.67%
Dividend per Share	$0.24	$0.37
EPS	0.549	0.546
Franking	0%	Variable, up to ~20%
YTD Return	-15.5%	-17.4%

Both companies sport very similar recent EPS. GPT’s P/E ratio is noticeably lower, which usually means investors are paying less for each dollar of earnings – but Dexus’s higher dividend yield may appeal to those seeking bigger income streams. Franking is limited for both, but Dexus’s distributions do carry some franking credit, while GPT’s are unfranked. Note: both companies have reported EPS figures very close to or slightly above their per-share distributions, but as always, there can be timing and calculation differences between reported EPS and current-year payout ratios.

Recent share price performance

Share prices for both companies have been under pressure over the year to date, as interest rates and broader property sector worries have weighed on REIT valuations.

Comparing 25 August to 21 September 2026:

• GPT Group fell from $4.69 to $4.49, a drop of around 4.3% across the period.
• Dexus slipped from $5.88 to $5.54, down approximately 5.8% over the same range.
• Year to date, GPT’s return is -15.5%, while Dexus has dropped -17.4%.

In short, Dexus shares have underperformed slightly versus GPT in terms of recent momentum. Both have lagged the broader ASX, in line with their sector.

Which is the better buy?

For me, it’s a line-ball call because both GPT Group and Dexus look like reasonable value on paper and have offered consistent income. If I had to tip one for value today, I’d lean just slightly toward GPT Group. My reasons? GPT trades on a meaningfully lower P/E (8.12 vs 10.17) for similar recent earnings, has a larger and arguably more conservative asset base, and its recent price performance has been a fraction less negative. While Dexus’s higher dividend yield is tempting, the difference isn’t life-changing on a yield-per-dollar basis, and GPT’s simpler, core property focus and lower multiple appeal to my sense of “margin of safety” in the current environment.

If I were seeking maximum immediate yield and a taste of infrastructure, Dexus could still have the edge. But with its lower valuation and more traditional property mix, my pick for better value in this REIT head-to-head would be GPT Group.

The post GPT Group vs Dexus: Which ASX REIT is better value right now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. 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.