Tag: Stock pick

A new report from Ord Minnett has reiterated a strong outlook for Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL). The report came following its recent financial results. 

Australia’s largest insurance provider released full-year results on August 20. 

Key results included underlying net profit after tax rising 2.9% to $636.8 million. Additionally, MediBank declared a full-year dividend increase of 6.7% to 19.2 cents per share, fully franked.

The Motley Fool’s coverage of the results can be found here.

What was Ord Minnett’s view on the results?

In yesterday’s report, Ord Minnett said FY26 revenue and earnings from Medibank were in line with expectations.

However, the lack of policyholder growth in the second-half (2H26) was slightly disappointing. 

Revenues increased 6% to $9.1 billion. Underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) of $637 million was up 3% on FY25. 

It also noted the company declared a fully franked final dividend of 10.9 cents per share (cps), taking the total FY26 dividend to 19.2 cps, an increase of 7% from FY25.

Focus on policyholders

Ord Minnett also noted the net number of policyholders grew by 1.1% in the year, with Medibank policyholders up 0.6% and ahm up 2.4%, while non-resident policy units fell 2.3%. 

In the second-half (2H26), policyholder growth slowed to 0.2%, with the slowdown blamed on cost-of-living pressures, increased switching by customers, and rising competition in the June quarter as some competitors adopted aggressive growth tactics. 

While policyholder growth was weak in the 2H26, it is not too dissimilar to growth rates in previous corresponding half-years and is typical of seasonal churn in the industry. Further, the policyholder growth delivered in FY26, should not trigger material downgrades, given consensus estimates ahead of the result had a similar level of policyholder growth, of 1.3% for FY27.

Healthy upside intact for MediBank

Medibank Private shares have dipped over the last few weeks, closing trading yesterday at $4.84. 

In yesterday’s report, Ord Minnett retained its buy recommendation and $5.10 price target on MediBank Private shares thanks largely to its defensive profile. 

We reduce our EPS by 1.5–2.0% per annum in FY27–29 driven by lower policyholder growth and higher cyber litigation costs, partially offset by higher investment income. 

Our target price is unchanged at $5.10 as the earnings reductions are offset by an increase to the valuation multiple, following a rise in the price-earnings multiple of the market. 

We keep the Buy recommendation viewing MPL as a relatively defensive option for the next 12 months, with circa 5-10% annual EPS growth on our forecasts.

From yesterday’s closing price, this target indicates just over 5% upside. 

The post Why now is the time to buy MediBank Private shares: Expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX blue-chip shares offering big dividend yields
• 37 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week
• 3 great dividend stocks with 6% yields to boost passive income in FY27
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why I’d buy Medibank shares for the dividend yield

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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.

Superannuation is a fantastic tool to help Australians build wealth to support themselves in retirement.

Your super provides the benefit of concessional tax rates, and compound growth.

It can also act as a tool to generate a passive income once you transition to the pension phase.

But how much superannuation do you need to accumulate to target your ideal passive income amount?

Let’s investigate, using a $90,000 annual passive income as an example.

How much do I need in my superannuation to get $90,000 per year in passive income?

To calculate the balance you need, you need to divide your ideal annual passive income by the dividend yield of your portfolio.

For example, $90,000 ÷ 3% = $3 million (that’s the amount you’ll need in your superannuation to earn the $90,000 per year).

A $3 million superannuation portfolio isn’t achievable for many Australians. But the good news is that as your dividend yield increases, the superannuation balance needed to earn the same passive income decreases. 

For example, a portfolio with a dividend yield of around 6% only needs to be half the size of one with a dividend yield of around 3% to generate the same level of passive income.

What balance do I need if my portfolio yields 4%, 5% or 6%?

We already know what portfolio size you’d need to earn $90,000 per year off a 3% yielding account.

But if your overall portfolio has a slightly higher dividend yield of around 4%, you’ll need a balance of around $2.25 million to earn the same $90,000 per year in passive income.

If the yield of your portfolio is higher still, at around 5% for example, your balance would need to be closer to $1.8 million to earn the same dividend income.

For a 6% yielding portfolio, you’d need a superannuation balance closer to $1.5 million to earn the same amount again.

And so on…

You’d still earn $90,000 per year in passive income from each of these superannuation balance sizes.

Diversification is key

It can be tempting to go for the highest-yielding portfolio so you don’t need as much in your superannuation.

But that would be a risky move. The higher the yield, generally the more risk associated with that stock.

Also note, if you want a portfolio yielding around 5% or even higher, it doesn’t mean that every investment in that superannuation portfolio has to yield that level. It can be a combination that yields 5% overall.

And remember, you don’t need to invest the whole sum in one go. Start with a monthly investment and let compound growth do some of the hard work for you.

I’d look at splitting my superannuation portfolio into investments across several different yielding assets, preferably across different sectors.

This diversification strategy means that if one asset drops in value, its performance can be offset by other ASX shares, leading to a more consistent overall result.

I’m aiming for a 5% yielding superannuation portfolio, what ASX shares can I invest in?

To earn a $90,000 passive income off a 5% yielding portfolio, you’d need around $1.8 million saved.

There are plenty of good-quality ASX shares around this level. But here are my top picks.

Defensive shares like Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), Transurban Group (ASX: TCL), AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL) or APA Group (ASX: APA) are a solid choice for income-seeking investors. These all yield around the 5% level, at the time of writing.

Non-discretionary ASX consumer staples stocks are also naturally defensive, but many of them yield slightly less. Supermarket giants like Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) and Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) can generate stable cash flow across all phases of the economic cycle. This translates to consistent dividends for shareholders. These shares pay around 3%, at the time of writing.

Elsewhere, ASX shares like Amcor Ltd (ASX: AMC), Ebos Group Ltd (ASX: EBO) and Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN) are popular options for income-seeking investors. 

The post How much superannuation do I need to earn $90,000 per year in passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why Liontown, Northern Star and Telstra shares are turning heads on Monday
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• How to build an ASX portfolio you do not need to check every day
• Why I think these boring ASX shares could build serious wealth

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 positions in and has recommended Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Amcor Plc, Apa Group, Harvey Norman, Telstra Group, and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares have staged a remarkable comeback, surging 35% in a month and 87% from their 52-week low in June.

After a bruising year, however, investors now face a critical question: has CSL’s turnaround finally arrived, or has the rebound run too far?

More importantly, where do brokers see the CSL share price heading over the next 12 months?

Why has the biotech stock soared?

The catalyst was CSL’s FY26 result. On the surface, it looked ugly, with the $80 billion biotech company reporting a US$2.6 billion net loss after tax.

But investors quickly looked beyond the headline number. The loss included US$7.1 billion of pre-tax impairments and US$799 million of restructuring costs, much of which was non-cash. Most of the impairments related to CSL Vifor intangibles and under-utilised property, plant and equipment.

Investors in CSL shares had already received a warning in May, when CSL flagged around US$5 billion of impairments and cut its FY26 guidance. Excluding the exceptional items, underlying NPATA was US$3.1 billion, down just 2%. Revenue fell 1% to US$15.8 billion but still beat analyst expectations.

For investors, the result therefore represented something potentially more valuable than headline profit: a reset year, a cleaner balance sheet and a better-than-feared outlook.

CSL Behring remains the standout. Its plasma division generated US$11.4 billion of revenue, while immunoglobulin revenue held steady at US$6.2 billion. CSL Vifor grew revenue 3% to US$2.4 billion, although Seqirus remained under pressure, with revenue falling 8% to US$2 billion.

Could the FY27 forecast send CSL shares higher?

The bull case for CSL shares centres on FY27. CSL expects underlying NPAT to grow approximately 5%, ahead of consensus expectations of around 2%. Behring is forecast to deliver mid-single-digit growth, with immunoglobulins expected to grow at a mid-to-high single-digit rate.

The major challenge remains Vifor, where revenue is expected to plunge about 25% as iron generics enter the market.

For CSL shares, the recovery story is clearly gaining momentum. The question now is whether improving fundamentals can justify the renewed optimism already priced into the stock.

Where do brokers see CSL shares going?

Not every broker believes the recovery is firmly established. Of 18 analysts tracked on TradingView, 10 rate CSL shares a hold, while eight have a buy or strong-buy rating. The average 12-month price target is $164.69, below the current share price of around $171.45.

However, the forecasts vary dramatically. The most bullish target is $205.22, implying another 20% upside, while the lowest is just $132.25, pointing to more than 23% downside.

Macquarie is among the most bearish, with a neutral rating and target of just over $133. UBS is considerably more optimistic at $181, while Morgan Stanley has a $172 target.

Bell Potter has retained its hold rating but recently increased its target from $120 to $150.

The takeaway? CSL’s turnaround is gathering momentum, but the stock’s spectacular rebound means investors are now paying for a recovery that still needs to prove itself.

The post Where will CSL shares be in 12 months? Brokers weigh in appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Up 88%! Why CSL shares remain an ‘appealing’ buy today
• Experts name 2 ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy this week
• Buy, hold, sell: Commonwealth Bank, Goodman Group, CSL shares
• CSL shares have surged 49%: Are brokers finally turning bullish?
• Should I buy CSL shares before the end of August?

Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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. 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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the trading week off on a decidedly sour note this Monday, with the value of many ASX shares taking a hit.

Investors seemed to lose all of the optimism that defined the end of last week’s trading, with the index opening sharply lower this morning. Although investors did have a temporary change of heart around lunchtime, sending the ASX 200 briefly back into positive territory, it wasn’t to last. By the time the market closed, the index had lost 0.18% and closed at a flat 9,076 points.

This Garfield-esque start to the Australian trading week came after a similarly negative end to the American trading week on Friday night (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) gave up an early lead to finish down 0.018%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was more decisive, losing 0.52%.

But let’s return to this week and our local markets now for a closer look at how the broader market’s pessimism affected the different ASX sectors this Monday.

Winners and losers

Despite the market’s overall falls, we saw a few sectors make some hay.

But first, it was gold stocks that were hit the hardest this session. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) was smashed down 4.33% by the closing bell.

Broader mining shares were also punished, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) plunging 2.02%.

Tech stocks were also shunned. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) cratered 1.39% today.

Healthcare shares didn’t have a healthy time either, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ)’s 0.61% dive.

Our final losers this Monday were consumer discretionary stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) shrank 0.37%.

Let’s turn to the winners now. It was financial shares that took the glory, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) soaring 1.14% higher.

Consumer staples stocks ran hot, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) bounced 0.91% higher this session.

Communications shares were also in high demand, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)’s 0.78% jump.

Energy stocks found plenty of buyers as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) got a 0.54% bump.

Industrial shares got a reprieve as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) putting on 0.38%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) also got out with a win. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) ended up adding 0.18% to its total today.

Finally, utilities shares got over the line, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ)’s 0.07% improvement.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Property stock PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA) was our top-performing stock on the index this Monday. Pexa shares surged 9.43% this session to close at $7.31 each. This leap higher came after Pexa reported its latest earnings, which investors clearly took a shine to.

Here’s the rest of today’s best:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA)	$7.31	9.43%
Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd (ASX: KCN)	$5.56	4.71%
Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)	$20.86	3.83%
Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA)	$2.96	3.50%
Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Ltd (ASX: DBI)	$5.20	2.97%
Reece Ltd (ASX: REH)	$16.83	2.87%
Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)	$8.55	2.52%
Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR)	$1.23	2.51%
Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD)	$43.06	2.33%
Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN)	$18.86	2.28%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 Domino’s Pizza Enterprises. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Share prices are changing all the time and this gives investors the chance to buy ASX shares that are significantly undervalued.

In this article, we’re going to look at two stocks that could rise more than 60% over the next year if analysts are right about how undervalued the businesses are.

Below are potentially two of the most undervalued ASX shares in Australia right now.

Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR)

Siteminder is a leading ASX tech share that provides software to hotels around the world that helps run operations, advertise rooms, and decide on room prices.

In an increasingly digital world, an offering like Siteminder’s is very important. Knowing what room price to advertise at could be the difference between winning a customer or not.

Siteminder has offices in Sydney, Bangkok, Barcelona, Berlin, Dallas, Galway, London, Manila, Mexico City, and Pune. Siteminder generates 140 million reservations worth over A$85 billion in revenue for its hotel customers each year.

Despite market worries about AI, the company continues to generate strong levels of growth. In FY26, annual recurring revenue (ARR) rose 14.9% to $313.7 million despite softer global travel conditions, which demonstrated the resilience of the business and growing traction from new product initiatives like its smart platform.

The company also reported revenue growth of 18.6% to $266.1 million, while adjusted operating profit (EBITDA) soared 96.5% to $28.1 million and adjusted cash flow jumped 123% to $10.5 million. Its financials are clearly going in the right direction.

According to CMC Invest, there have been 10 ratings on the business, with nine buy ratings, and one sell rating. Of those analysts, the average price target is $5.53, which suggests a possible rise of 82% over the next year from where it is at the time of writing.

Objective Corporation Ltd (ASX: OCL)

This ASX share is a software business that enables thousands of public sector organisations which are shifting to being completely digital. The idea is that customers can work from anywhere, with access to information, along with governance and security.

Objective Corporation revealed a number of growth numbers in FY26, though the result wasn’t as strong as some investors were hoping for.

It reported revenue growth of 9% to $134.7 million, with software as a service (SaaS) revenue growth of 22%. Adjusted EBITDA climbed 11% to $51.5 million, operating cash flow grew 6.5% to $49.3 million, and net profit after tax (NPAT) rose 5% to $37.2 million.

The ASX share also reported that its R&D investment rose 8% to $33.8 million and the dividend per share was hiked by 18% to 26 cents. However, the ARR declined 2% to $117.3 million.

According to CMC Invest, there have been six ratings on the business within the last three months, with four buy ratings and two hold ratings.

The average price target is $10.61, suggesting a possible 62% rise over the next year from where it is at the time of writing.

These could be two of the most compelling ASX shares right now, among other leading ideas.

The post 2 ASX shares tipped to grow 60% or more in the next 12 months appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 ASX 200 shares with 33% to 61% upside post-results: experts
• Morgans names 3 ASX tech stocks to buy
• Why I think this is a top ASX tech share to buy today
• Objective Corporation share price crashes 18% on FY26 earnings
• SiteMinder: FY26 profit nearly doubles, revenue jumps 22%

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

It has been a big year for BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shareholders, but Monday has brought a step backwards.

BHP shares are down 2.56% to $65.58 at the time of writing, pulling further away from the record high of $68.77 reached last week.

That still leaves the mining giant up around 11% over the past month and 44% since the start of 2026.

So, after such a huge run, is now the time to sell BHP shares?

Brokers aren’t convinced

One thing that stands out is how far BHP has moved above most broker price targets.

According to the latest TipRanks figures, the average 12-month target across 14 analysts is $58.68. This is roughly 10.5% below the current share price.

The consensus is cautious, with just one buy rating, 12 holds, and one sell.

Morgan Stanley has a buy rating and $67.50 target. Berenberg has a hold rating and $64.22 target, while UBS sits at $59.

JPMorgan has a $56.66 target, Morgans has a sell rating and $55.30 target, and Deutsche Bank is at $51.

BHP is also trading on a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of just over 24 and a dividend yield of about 3%.

Why investors have been buying

It is not hard to see why BHP shares have had such a strong year.

The miner recently reported underlying EBITDA of around US$33 billion in FY26, helped by stronger commodity prices and record iron ore production in Western Australia.

Copper is becoming a much bigger part of the business. It contributed more than half of the underlying EBITDA for the first time, while BHP produced around 2 million tonnes for a second straight year.

The company is also targeting around 40% growth in copper production by FY35 through projects across Australia, Chile, and Argentina.

Net debt fell below US$9 billion, while BHP declared a final dividend of 99 US cents per share.

What about the September effect?

There’s another reason investors may be a little cautious heading into September.

Historically, it has been a tough month for the Australian share market. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has averaged a 0.94% fall in September since 1992 and finished the month higher just 32% of the time.

Of course, that doesn’t mean BHP shares are guaranteed to fall next month.

But after such a stellar year, September’s poor track record may be something investors keep in the back of their minds.

Foolish takeaway

After a 44% rise this year, I can understand why some investors might be tempted to take some money off the table.

The broker targets suggest BHP is no longer cheap, and another pullback wouldn’t be surprising.

But I would be careful about selling a high-quality business simply because the shares have performed well or September has a poor historical record.

BHP still owns world-class iron ore and copper assets, and generates plenty of cash.

The valuation may look a little stretched today, but over the long term, I think the quality of the business matters far more than what happens over the next month.

The post BHP shares are pulling back from their record high. Is it time to sell? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• Experts name 2 ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy this week
• By September 2027, BHP shares could turn $10,000 into…

JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. 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 positions in and has recommended JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Reporting season is finishing and investors have received a great insight into the performance of ASX shares.

Following the FY26 numbers and comments on the outlook, share prices moved, and now investors have to decide whether these businesses are opportunities.

Let’s look at two ASX shares that are heavily backed by multiple analysts, suggesting they could be opportunities.

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN)

Qantas is the largest Australian airline business. It also operates Jetstar, a freight business, and Qantas loyalty.

Despite difficult trading conditions amid the negative effects of the Middle East conflict, fuel cost impacts, and so on, Qantas was still able to generate a good level of earnings.

Its FY26 underlying profit before tax declined $330 million to $2.06 billion. The statutory net profit dropped $316 million to $1.29 billion. Qantas said the net impact of the Middle East was reportedly $420 million during FY27.

Despite the challenges, Qantas’ customer net promoter score (NPS) improved by 7 points, and Jetstar’s NPS rose by 1 point.

In terms of the outlook, Qantas said that travel demand remains resilient as customers continue to prioritise travel. Airfares are expected to increase, though jet fuel prices are also expected to remain elevated.

Qantas loyalty is expected to grow underlying operating profit (EBIT) by between 5% to 7% in FY27. By FY30, it’s aiming for between $800 million and $1 billion of underlying EBIT.

Qantas is looking to reduce costs by approximately $475 million to help offset inflation.

According to CMC Invest, there have been 11 ratings on the ASX share in the last three months, all of which were buy ratings. Analysts are very positive on the airline right now.

Generation Development Group Ltd (ASX: GDG)

The financial business is involved in a number of areas. Generation Life is a market leader in investment bonds and lifetime annuities. Lonsec Research and Ratings is one of Australia’s leading qualitative financial research houses. Evidentia is one of Australia’s leading companies in the managed account sector.

Generation Development saw strong growth in FY26. Group funds under management (FUM) rose 37% to $46.5 billion, with net inflows of $9.7 billion (up 19%).

Within FUM, investment bonds FUM rose 35% to $5.95 billion and managed accounts FUM increased 37% to $40.5 billion.

Total revenue grew 23% to $178.7 million, and underlying net profit rose 21% to $40.7 million.

Generation Development said that its FY27 is supported by favourable long-term growth trends and remains “well positioned to benefit from ongoing adviser adoption and structural growth across retirement, managed accounts, independent investment research and investment governance solutions”.

It expects strong growth in FUM, supported by ongoing adviser adoption and market penetration.

According to CommSec, there are currently nine analyst buy ratings on the business.

These two ASX shares could be appealing opportunities, among other potential buys.

The post 2 ASX shares highly recommended to buy: Experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 ASX 200 shares with 33% to 61% upside post-results: experts
• Would I buy Qantas shares today?
• 9 ASX 200 shares with strengthened buy ratings this week
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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 recommended Generation Development Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are having a rough start to the week after the gold miner announced another change to its senior leadership team.

At the time of writing, the Northern Star share price is down 5.45% to $23.43.

The stock opened at $23.71 and has fallen as low as $23.37 during the session, after closing at $24.78 on Friday.

The S&P/ASX 200 Resources Index (ASX: XJR) is also having a weak day, falling around 2%.

So, what has changed at Northern Star?

Another executive is leaving

According to the release, Northern Star chief financial officer Ryan Gurner will leave the company on 30 November after more than 11 years with the gold miner.

Gurner was appointed deputy CEO in July and only stepped into the interim CEO role on 29 August following the departure of long-time boss Stuart Tonkin.

He will stay in the top job until Suresh Vadnagra starts as managing director and CEO on 5 October.

After that, Gurner will return to his CFO role and help with the leadership handover before leaving Northern Star at the end of November.

General manager of finance, Philip Coetzer, has been appointed acting CFO while Gurner is serving as interim CEO.

The company will also begin looking for a permanent replacement in the CFO role.

Chairman Michael Chaney thanked Gurner for his contribution, saying his “financial acumen, integrity and leadership” had played a significant role in Northern Star’s growth.

Plenty of changes at the top

The latest announcement adds to what has already been a busy few months across Northern Star’s leadership team.

Tonkin finished up last week after more than a decade with the company, while Vadnagra is preparing to take over in October.

Chaney is also due to retire at the annual general meeting in November, with Michael Ashforth set to become chairman.

All of this is happening while activist investor Elliott Management continues to push for changes at the gold miner.

Elliott has criticised Northern Star over operational issues, cost overruns, and its strategic direction, while calling for changes to the board and a wider review of the business.

Earlier this month, it also released a list of potential directors it would like to see considered, including former Anglo American chief executive, Mark Cutifani.

Foolish takeaway

Today’s fall comes after a strong run through August.

Northern Star shares are still almost 18% higher over the past month, although they remain down roughly 12% since the start of 2026.

The stock is also well below its 52-week high of $31.96.

The post Northern Star shares slide 5% as investors digest another surprise appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Liontown, Northern Star and Telstra shares are turning heads on Monday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• ASX 200 mining shares outperform in final week of earnings season
• Why gold stocks have regained their shine: Expert
• Northern Star shares are closing in on $25. Can the rally keep going?

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.

Leading ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) could be the best way to invest in this period of uncertainty. I believe high-quality stocks are more likely to deliver satisfactory returns.

The two ASX ETFs I’m going to highlight have among the highest quality portfolios due to how they choose their holdings.

Over the long-term, I think the two funds below are extremely attractive.

VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

This ASX ETF aims to give investors exposure to a portfolio of high-quality US companies, which is where many of the leading global companies are listed.

The MOAT ETF uses a two-step process to ensure it maintains a high-quality portfolio that can perform over the long term.

Firstly, the fund wants to invest in businesses that have wide economic moats (competitive advantages). To achieve a wide economic rating, Morningstar analysts need to think that the company’s economic moat will almost certainly endure for the next decade and more likely than not for the next two decades.

In other words, these are some of the best, long-term companies that we can find in the US.

Competitive advantages can come in a variety of forms, such as cost advantages, intangible assets (patents, brands, regulatory licenses), switching costs, network effect, and efficient scale.

The second factor that the MOAT ETF looks for is a compelling valuation. Target companies must be trading at attractive prices relative to Morningstar’s estimate of fair value.

Over the long term, this ASX ETF has performed strongly for investors. Over the past 10 years, the MOAT ETF has returned an average of 14.3% per year. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, of course.

Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY)

The other fund I want to highlight is the QLTY ETF, which uses multiple factors to decide which are the highest-quality stocks in the world and invests in the top ones.

The four factors that go into choosing stocks for the portfolio include a high return on equity (ROE), low debt levels, earnings stability, and cash flow generation.

A high ROE says that the business earns a high level of profit for how much shareholder money is retained within the business. It may also suggest the business can generate strong returns on future additional retained earnings.

Having low levels of debt is likely a great sign of business health and helps it weather economic uncertainty.

Earnings stability helps protect the business during downturns (and perhaps it means less volatility for the share price, too). Plus, if earnings don’t fall, then that likely means profit is rising, which can help power shareholder returns.

Finally, cash flow is the best sign that a company’s profit generation is turning into real money that’s flowing into the bank account.

With 150 holdings from across the world, I think the ASX ETF offers pleasing diversification with good potential returns. Since inception in November 2018, the QLTY ETF has returned an average of 13.6% per year.  

The post 2 incredible ASX ETFs I’d buy for long-term returns appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 strong ASX ETFs I’d buy to try and beat the market
• Why these ASX ETFs are on my watchlist
• Here are 3 top Betashares ETFs I’d buy now
• 3 strong ASX ETFs for smart investors to buy and hold
• 2 amazing ASX ETFs I’d buy and hold for the next decade

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. 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 VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. 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 trading close to flat on Monday.

At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.03% to 9,089 points after closing Friday at 9,092.3 points.

The ASX 200 climbed as high as 9,122 points earlier in the session before dropping to 9,055 points.

It also remains around 2% below the record high reached earlier this month.

So, what is keeping the ASX 200 close to flat today?

The banks are having a strong day

The ‘big four’ banks are doing plenty of the work keeping the ASX 200 around the flat line.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are up 2.22% to $160.74, while Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares have climbed 2.63% to $34.79.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares are 2.17% higher at $39.12, and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares have gained 2.31% to $37.58.

However, with the banks carrying such large weightings in the index, those gains are helping offset weakness across a number of other sectors.

At the latest check, 101 stocks were lower, 91 were higher, and 8 were unchanged.

Gold miners are getting hit

The other side of the market looks very different, with gold and mining shares among the biggest losers.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are down 5.27% to $23.48, while Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares have fallen 5.90% to $14.75.

Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) shares are also down 4.99% to $16.37, and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares have dropped 2.30% to $65.75.

Gold tanked late last week after Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh warned that price pressures remained a concern and interest rates may need to rise again.

Warsh said inflation still needs to return to the Fed’s 2% target, which sent bond yields higher and lifted expectations for another rate hike.

More pressure from overseas

The lead from overseas is not helping much either.

US futures are pointing lower ahead of Monday’s session, with S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) futures down around 0.5% and Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) futures around 0.7% lower.

Oil prices have also moved higher after US forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers in the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about another escalation in the region.

Brent crude futures are trading around US$89 a barrel.

That is helping energy shares hold up better.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares are up 1.05% to $8.21, and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are 0.93% higher at $32.57.

The post Why the ASX 200 is struggling today despite a bank share rally appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• 5 superannuation mistakes that could shrink your nest egg
• Are ASX bank shares a buy in September?
• ASX 200 mining shares outperform in final week of earnings season
• Could ASX shares crash? 5 questions every investor should ask now

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