Tag: Stock pick

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are trading in the green on Wednesday afternoon.

At the time of writing, the shares are up 0.53% to $32.45 each.

That means they’ve rocketed 37% for the year to date and are up a huge 51% versus this time last year. The oil and gas giant’s share price rally accelerated in early March, when conflict between the US and Iran ramped up.

So, if I bought $8,000 worth of Woodside shares in December, what are they worth now?

Woodside shares were trading at a low of $22.80 five months ago on the 18th of December. That’s 42.37% lower than the share price at the time of writing.

It means that any investor who bought $8,000 of Woodside shares in the dip would have $11,389.60 today.

And the shares keep on climbing…

Oil price and supply concerns have plagued the first few months of 2026, but volatility has been a strong tailwind for Woodside shares over the past few months. 

Even though conflict in the Middle East has cooled, it remains highly volatile, and the movement of oil in the region is still uncertain.

Shipping disruptions and production cuts caused oil prices to skyrocket to a multi-year high of around US$111 per barrel in April. While the price of oil has now softened slightly, Trading Economics data shows oil is still trading for well over US$100 per barrel. That’s a huge 70% higher than just one year ago.

It’s not just market demand driving the company’s shares higher, either.

Woodside grabbed headlines in late April after it posted its first-quarter FY26 update. The oil and gas producer reported a 7% quarter-on-quarter increase in operating revenue and a 8% hike in revenue. The company’s production figures were lower thanks to weather events, but this was offset by a 11% increase in the average realised price of oil.

The company also confirmed that its Woodside Scarborough Energy Project is nearing completion and its Trion oil project is 56% complete.

How high can Woodside shares go?

Analysts are pretty divided on Woodside shares over the next 12 months.

TradingView data shows that seven out of 17 have a hold rating on the shares. Another five have buy or strong buy ratings, and two rate the company a sell or strong sell.

The average $33.46 target price implies a potential 3% upside at the time of writing. However, others are more bullish and think the shares could jump as high as 36% to $43.96 over the next 12 months. 

My view? While oil supply is still under pressure and prices are close to multi-year highs, I think Woodside shares are a screaming buy right now.

The post $8,000 invested in Woodside shares in December is already worth… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX stocks that could benefit from oil prices hitting US$105 a barrel
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why Brazilian Rare Earths, Pro Medicus, Service Stream, and Woodside shares are charging higher
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• ASX 200 energy shares rise as global oil shock drags on

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.

Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models and recommendations. This has led to a number of broker notes being released this week.

Three ASX shares that brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why their analysts are feeling bullish on them right now:

Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)

According to a note out of Morgans, its analysts have put a buy rating and $13.05 price target on this uranium producer’s shares. Morgans is feeling bullish on the uranium industry, highlighting that low prices over the past couple of decades means that the chemical element is in short supply. So, with reactor demand increasing, it believes there is a structural supply deficit, which could be good news for uranium prices. It points out that China has a large number of reactors under construction and the US is targeting a significant increase in nuclear energy output over the next two decades. And given the quality of Paladin Energy’s assets, Morgans believes it is well-placed to benefit from these trends. The Paladin Energy share price is trading at $10.36 on Wednesday.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

A note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $32.25 price target on this enterprise software provider’s shares. This follows the release of a half-year result earlier this week. Bell Potter was pleased with the result, highlighting that its profits and annual recurring revenue were largely in line with expectations. And with management’s guidance also in line with its expectations, it remains very positive on the investment opportunity here. Overall, the broker believes the stock should continue to perform well given it is the best positioned tech stock on the ASX to benefit from rather than be disrupted by artificial intelligence. The TechnologyOne share price is fetching $30.03 at the time of writing.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

Another note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating on this online furniture retailer’s shares with a reduced price target of $7.00. The broker has been reviewing its estimates and valuation following a recent update. While this has seen Bell Potter trim both its earnings forecasts and price target, it remains very positive. It points out that due to the continuous decline in its share price, Temple & Webster’s shares are at the levels of the last profit optimisation cycle in 2022. However, importantly, they are trading at a more attractive EV/sales multiple. Overall, it sees long term valuation support in a high-quality ecommerce retailer with range, pricing/scale advantages, and an AI/data capability backed by a strong balance sheet to take up inorganic growth opportunities. The Temple & Webster share price is trading at $4.80 today.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Up about 80% this year, these ASX uranium stocks are still a buy
• Why Catapult, GenusPlus, Meeka Metals, and TechnologyOne shares are pushing higher today
• Does Bell Potter think TechnologyOne shares are a buy?
• A rare buying opportunity in 1 of Australia’s top shares?
• 3 reasons to sell this ASX tech stock

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

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares have climbed to a multi-year high in Wednesday afternoon trade. At the time of writing, the oil and gas producer’s shares are up 0.74% to $8.15.

The daily increase doesn’t sound like much, but it means the shares are now trading at the highest level seen since early June 2022. At one point this morning, Santos shares were trading as high as $8.19.

The stock is now 33% higher year to date and 28% above its trading price 12 months ago.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has fallen into the red today, down 1.17% at the time of writing.

Why are Santos shares storming higher?

Rising oil prices have acted as a strong tailwind for Santos shares over the past three months. War between the US and Iran severely restricted global oil supply and caused oil prices to become incredibly volatile. 

Even though the conflict has cooled, the region is still highly volatile, and the movement of oil is still unreliable.

Trading Economics data shows that the price of WTI crude oil is currently sitting at around US$104 per barrel. This is a decline from the US$111 spike we saw in late April, but it still represents a 69% increase from one year ago. It is also around double the trading price seen in late January this year.

Aside from geopolitical uncertainty and a tight oil market, there are also a few company-specific price drivers, including a rise in production and improved cash flow.

Late last month, Santos posted its March quarter update, where it revealed a 1% increase in production and 3% rise in sales revenue versus the prior quarter. Its free cash flow from operations of US$383 million was in line with Q4 2025, and management reaffirmed its full-year 2026 production and cost guidance.

The company also announced a major oil production milestone on Monday this week. It confirmed its first oil production from its Pikka phase 1 development on Alaska’s North Slope. The ramp-up is expected to continue over the coming weeks.

Has the buying opportunity passed for investors?

Absolutely not.

If analyst forecasts are anything to go by, we’ll see a lot more out of Santos shares over the next 12 months.

TradingView data shows that the majority of analysts are very bullish on the oil and gas company’s shares. Out of 14, 11 have a buy or strong buy rating. The remaining three rate the stock as a hold.

The average $8.60 target price implies a potential 6% upside at the time of writing. Although some think Santos shares could fly another 28% to $10.42 a piece.

The post Santos shares smash 4-year high. Is it too late to buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX stocks that could benefit from oil prices hitting US$105 a barrel
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why are Santos shares jumping higher today?

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.

The Aussie share market is struggling to find a floor on Wednesday, with another wave of selling pushing the benchmark index lower.

At the time of writing, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 1.2% to 8,499 points.

That move has taken the index back to a new 7-week low, with banks and miners doing much of the damage.

The ASX 200 is now down around 5% over the past month and 2.5% since the start of 2026.

Banks and miners drag the market lower

Today’s weakness is being led by two of the biggest sectors in the local market.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) are both down more than 2%, putting pressure on the S&P/ASX 200 Resources Index (ASX: XJR).

Gold miners are also weaker after the price of the yellow metal eased, with Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) tumbling 5.19%.

The major banks aren’t helping either. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) are all lower.

The weakness has also spread as the session has gone on. By early afternoon, 7 of the 11 sectors were lower, while 146 of the 200 stocks in the index were trading in the red.

There are still a few pockets of strength, with Technology One Ltd (ASX: TNE), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), and SGH Ltd (ASX: SGH) up 8.5%, 1.16%, and 2.1%, respectively.

Wall Street gives investors another reason to sell

The selling on the ASX follows another cautious session on Wall Street, where higher bond yields kept investors on edge.

Reuters reported that Asian shares fell for a fourth straight session on Wednesday, with markets still reacting to the move higher in US yields.

The US 10-year Treasury yield reached a 16-month high, while the 30-year yield touched its highest level since 2007.

Oil prices are also having a say. Brent crude remained above US$110 a barrel as investors watched tensions around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.

Foolish Takeaway

The ASX 200 has a lot working against it today.

With the banks and miners both lower, the index is having a hard time holding its ground.

Inflation risks are still hanging around as well, which means investors have the RBA outlook to think about before buying the dip.

Until that changes, the market will struggle to find much support.

The post ASX 200 drops to a new 7-week low as banks and miners sink appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure lifts distribution guidance and declares Q1 FY26 payout
• Catapult Sports reports record revenue in FY26
• James Hardie earnings: FY26 profit drops as sales lift 25%
• Here’s the average superannuation balance at age 51 in Australia. How does yours compare?
• 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 positions in and has recommended Technology One and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, Technology One, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Bank shares have been a reliable place for investors to hide this year, but the mood is starting to shift.

The ‘big four’ are under pressure again on Wednesday after Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) warned that conditions have turned against the sector faster than expected.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are down 0.71% to $161.73 at the time of writing.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) is down 1% to $36.02, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) is 1% lower at $36.73, and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) is down 1% to $35.31.

The falls add to a rough month for the banks. CBA has dropped 9%, Westpac is down 9%, NAB has lost 14%, and ANZ has fallen 7%.

Morgan Stanley sees more trouble ahead

According to The Australian, Morgan Stanley analyst Richard Wiles believes operating conditions for Australia’s major banks have “deteriorated rapidly”.

The broker is now expecting consensus earnings per share (EPS) forecasts to fall after a soft reporting season.

Wiles pointed to several pressures landing at once. These include the three RBA interest rate rises, proposed property tax changes in the federal budget, and the global energy shock.

Morgan Stanley had previously lifted its earnings forecasts for the ‘big four’ by about 4% in February. It has now cut them by a similar amount, with larger downgrades aimed at NAB and Westpac.

Margins and bad debts in focus

Bank investors usually pay close attention to margins, credit quality and capital strength. On those measures, the latest reporting season gave the market a few reasons to be careful.

The Australian reported that margin trends disappointed, while the four major banks set aside about $800 million in extra provisions for potential bad loans.

Capital levels at CBA and NAB also came in below expectations.

NAB has already moved to strengthen its position, raising about $1.8 billion through its dividend reinvestment plan (DRP).

Dividend growth expectations have also cooled. Management teams at CBA, NAB and Westpac have signalled that payout ratios are likely to move back toward the middle of their target ranges.

Valuations still look stretched

Furthermore, the major banks are trading on an average 12-month forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 18.5 times.

Wiles sees more room for that multiple to fall. His order of preference is ANZ first, followed by Westpac, NAB and CBA last.

CBA remains the standout premium stock in the sector, with a market capitalisation of about $270.65 billion. But its share price is now down 6% over the past year.

ANZ has held up better over 12 months, rising 22%, but it is still down 3% in 2026.

Foolish takeaway

The big four banks are still some of the most profitable businesses on the ASX. But after a strong run, investors are starting to question whether their share prices still leave much room for disappointment.

Lower margins, rising bad debt risks and slower dividend growth aren’t a great mix.

Morgan Stanley’s warning suggests the sector may need more than steady earnings to keep investors happy.

The post Are CBA, Westpac, NAB and ANZ shares heading for more pain? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here is what Westpac is paying shareholders in June 2026
• Is the CBA share price a buy for its 4.5% dividend yield?
• Which big four ASX bank stock is the best buy right now?
• Why is the ASX 200 starting at a 7-week low today?
• Buying Westpac shares? Here’s the yield you’ll get today

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.

Shares in ASX small-cap Vista Group International Ltd (ASX: VGL) are surging on Wednesday after the cinema software company announced a major new long-term agreement with Mexican cinema giant Cinépolis.

What did the company announce?

At the time of writing, Vista Group shares are up 8% after investors responded positively to news that Cinépolis will transition its huge Mexican cinema circuit onto Vista Cloud’s Operational Excellence platform.

Cinépolis is the largest cinema exhibitor in Mexico, with a circuit that includes more than 500 cinema sites and over 4,100 screens, making it one of Vista’s most significant customer wins announced in recent years.

The agreement runs for six years and includes all Vista Cloud capabilities, and the transition is expected to take place over the course of this year.

Why are investors excited by the deal?

Investors appear excited because the deal represents more than just another contract win.

Vista has been heavily pushing into cloud-based software solutions as part of a broader transition toward recurring, more predictable revenue streams. In the software sector, cloud agreements are often viewed favourably by the market because they tend to have higher margins, and they can improve customer retention and long-term scalability.

This latest deal also builds on an existing relationship between the two companies.

Vista previously worked with Cinépolis to migrate its Spanish cinema circuit, Cine Yelmo, onto Vista Cloud across 2024 and 2025.

What did management say?

Management said the success of that rollout helped secure this much larger deployment in Mexico.

Vista Group CEO Stuart Dickinson described Cinépolis as “a giant in the cinema market globally” and said the agreement demonstrates the “market fit” of Vista’s Operational Excellence capability for major exhibitors.

While the global cinema industry continues to face questions around post-pandemic attendance trends and the rise of streaming, Vista’s investment case is increasingly centred on becoming a mission-critical enterprise software provider to cinema operators around the world.

Today’s sharp share price reaction suggests investors believe this latest agreement could become an important milestone in that strategy.

The post Here’s why Vista Group shares are charging 8% higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Which 2 ASX tech companies could more than double according to Shaw and Partners?

Motley Fool contributor Kevin Gandiya has no positions in any of the stocks mentioned.  The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Vista Group International. 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.

In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a disappointing decline. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 1.25% to 8,497.7 points.

Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are tumbling:

Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS)

The EOS share price is down 10% to $7.95. Investors have been selling this defence and space company’s shares following the completion of an institutional placement. According to the release, EOS has raised $150 million via a fully underwritten institutional placement. These funds were raised at a price of $8.00 per new share, which represents a 9.3% discount to its last close price. In addition, the company has raised $40 million through a private placement to an entity related to Calidus, which is a major provider of defence equipment, technology, and services based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. These funds will be used to fund the acquisition of MARSS and increase balance sheet flexibility.

Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM)

The Newmont Corporation share price is down 4.5% to $146.23. Investors have been selling Newmont’s shares despite there being no news out of the gold miner. However, most ASX gold stocks are falling today after a spike in US treasury yields put pressure on the gold price. This has led to the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index falling 4.4% this afternoon.

Webjet Group Ltd (ASX: WJL)

The Webjet share price is down 10% to 44 cents. This follows the release of the online travel agent’s results and an update on its commercial arrangements with Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd (ASX: VGN). Webjet has been receiving commission payments from Virgin Australia for the sale of flights and ancillaries, along with specified performance targets. However, this agreement is now coming to an end on 1 July. Webjet advised that if the agreement had ended at the start of the year, it would have impacted FY 2026 revenue by $3 million. Speaking of which, Webjet posted a 1% increase in revenue to $136.4 million for FY 2026, but a 24% decline in underlying net profit to $13.6 million.

WIA Gold Ltd (ASX: WIA)

The WIA Gold share price is down 13% to 43.5 cents. This has been driven by the completion of a capital raising by the gold developer. WIA Gold has raised $92 million at 46 cents per new share. This represents an 8% discount to its last close price. The company’s CEO, Henk Diederichs, said: “We are very pleased with the strong demand for this Placement, particularly from high-quality offshore institutional investors who recognise Kokoseb’s potential to emerge as one of Africa’s next major gold mines. This Placement materially strengthens our balance sheet at a pivotal stage in the Project’s development and provides a clear pathway to advance key workstreams as we progress towards DFS completion and ultimately production.”

The post Why EOS, Newmont, Webjet, and WIA Gold shares are tumbling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why James Hardie, Flight Centre and Webjet shares are making waves on Wednesday
• Why are EOS shares sinking 10% today?
• Webjet shares crash 15% as Virgin Australia blow hits outlook
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Why this ASX travel stock is halted after crashing 44% in 2026

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

Morgans has released a research report into the uranium market, and the takeaway is that Australian-listed uranium miners are well placed to take advantage of a global shortage of the resource.

Morgans has a buy rating on Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) and NexGen Energy Ltd (ASX: NXG), and an accumulate rating on Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE), with bullish price targets on the first two companies. We’ll get to the specifics of those later.

Firstly, why do they think the market for uranium will perform well?

Demand exceeding supply

The Morgans team said uranium has moved to a “structurally constrained market”, with two decades of low uranium prices, “leaving an industry short of capital, development-ready projects and spare capacity just as reactor demand begins to accelerate”.

Morgans said the current bull market is different from previous cycles, which were driven by temporary supply distortions.

They said:

Today’s upswing is being driven by harder‑to‑reverse forces: a structural supply deficit, a geopolitical reshaping of nuclear fuel chains, and a demand surge with no credible non‑nuclear substitute.

The Morgans team noted that China currently has 38 nuclear reactors under construction, while the US is targeting 400 gigawatts of new nuclear by 2050.

They added:

More than 20 nations have pledged to triple global capacity by 2050, with China, France, India, Russia and the US alone underpinning close to 1,000 GW of forecast capacity by mid-century. Every one of those reactors requires uranium from tightening global supply. Over the past five years, utilities have contracted materially less uranium than reactors consumed, creating a large and growing unfunded supply gap. With reactor demand set to accelerate into 2040, amid decarbonisation pressures, energy security concerns and AI‑driven power growth, nuclear is emerging as the only scalable, zero‑carbon baseload option.

Shares looking cheap

On the company front, Morgans said Paladin offered both near-term production and a world-class development asset.

They noted that the company’s Langer Heinrich mine was ramping up towards its nameplate capacity of six million pounds per year.

They added:

Bolted onto that producing asset is Patterson Lake South in Canada, a fully-owned, bottom-quartile-cost development project backed by a completed feasibility study.

Morgans has a price target of $13.05 on Paladin shares compared with $10.44 currently. The shares are currently up 85.7% over 12 months.

Regarding NexGen Energy, Morgans said it was a single-asset company at the moment, “but that asset is Rook I, one of the most consequential undeveloped uranium deposits on the planet”.

Morgans said at peak production, Rook I would deliver 25 to 30 million pounds of uranium oxide per year.

They added:

The project is fully permitted, with construction imminent, and positioned in the bottom quartile of the global cost curve. In a market chronically short of Tier-1 supply, Rook I is the best answer in decades.

Morgans has a price target of $20.80 on Nexgen, compared to $14.96 currently. Nexgen is up 79.7% over the past year.

The post Up about 80% this year, these ASX uranium stocks are still a buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• These commodity ASX ETFs are leaving the market behind
• Why CBA, Paladin Energy and CSL shares crashed  9% to 17% this week
• Are Paladin Energy shares a buy after crashing 14% this week?
• Why CBA, Healius, Paladin Energy, and Temple & Webster shares are sinking today

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has followed Wall Street’s lead and dropped into the red. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is down 1.15% to 8,504.4 points.

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

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

The Catapult Sports share price is up 10% to $3.17. Investors have been buying the sports technology company’s shares today following the release of its FY 2026 results. Catapult delivered a result ahead of expectations across key metrics. For example, Bell Potter was forecasting management EBITDA of US$23 million, while noting consensus appeared to be closer to US$22.4 million. Catapult outperformed both with a 67% increase in management EBITDA to US$24.7 million. This was driven by a 28% increase in annualised contract value to US$133.8 million and an expanding contribution margin.

GenusPlus Group Ltd (ASX: GNP)

The GenusPlus share price is up 3% to $10.06. This follows the completion of the essential power and communications infrastructure provider’s $200 million placement. GenusPlus raised the funds at a 5% discount of $9.25 per new share. The proceeds will be used to partly fund the transformational and highly accretive acquisition of MPC Kinetic. It is a leading provider of gas gathering and well maintenance services to tier one customers in the Queensland onshore gas sector, as well as construction services for renewable energy and major pipeline projects in Australia. Genus’ managing director, David Riches, said: “I am very excited to announce the signing of this transformational transaction after a period of exclusive bilateral engagement with the vendors of MPK. The acquisition of MPK will be transformational for Genus.”

Meeka Metals Ltd (ASX: MEK)

The Meeka Metals share price is up 4% to 12 cents. This follows the release of positive drilling results from the gold miner. Meeka Metals revealed that its first pass exploration drilling continues to hit gold at Rosapenna within the Fairway shear zone at the Murchison Gold Project. Meeka’s managing director, Tim Davidson, said: “The strong gold results in this broad spaced, first pass exploration drilling highlights the broader growth opportunity available to us within a highly fertile but until now underexplored ~25km long belt of Archean greenstones.”

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

The TechnologyOne share price is up almost 8% to $29.99. Investors have been buying the enterprise software provider’s shares on Wednesday after brokers responded positively to yesterday’s half-year results. One of those is Bell Potter, which has retained its buy rating and $32.25 price target on its shares. It said: “There is perhaps a lack of short term catalysts for the stock but we believe the stock should continue to perform well given it is in our view the best positioned tech stock on the ASX to benefit from rather than be disrupted by AI. We also see very little if any downside risk to the guidance given the high level of SaaS and recurring revenue (c.93% of total revenue in H1), good visibility and strong pipeline.”

The post Why Catapult, GenusPlus, Meeka Metals, and TechnologyOne shares are pushing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Does Bell Potter think TechnologyOne shares are a buy?
• Why are Catapult Sport shares jumping 18% today?
• Catapult Sports reports record revenue in FY26
• 3 reasons to sell this ASX tech stock
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT), James Hardie Industries PLC (ASX: JHX), and Webjet Group (ASX: WJL) shares are grabbing headlines today.

One of the popular ASX stocks is outperforming the 1% losses posted by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) during the Wednesday lunch hour, while two are trailing those losses.

Here’s what’s catching investor interest.

Webjet shares trounced on Virgin Australia news

Webjet shares are taking a beating today.

Shares in the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) travel agency are down 11.2% at the time of writing, trading for 44 cents each.

Investors are overheating their sell buttons after the company announced that commencing on 1 July, Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd (ASX: VGN) will “substantially reduce” the current commission streams and commercial arrangements.

The company noted that if this change had been in place since the beginning of FY 2026, it would have impacted full-year revenue by around $3 million.

“Webjet remains focused on delivering value to customers and shareholders, notwithstanding the evolving commercial environment,” Webjet CEO Katrina Barry said.

“In response to these changes, Webjet will adjust its commercial and partnership strategy and focus to optimise outcomes.”

The company also released some mixed full-year FY 2026 results this morning.

Webjet shares are now down 50% in 12 months.

Flight Centre shares slip despite strategic $7 million investment

Flight Centre shares are also underperforming today.

Shares in the ASX 200 travel stock are down 2.7%, trading for $9.71 each.

The selling pressure comes despite Flight Centre announcing that it has invested US$5 million (AU$7 million) in United States-based corporate travel payments technology company, Blockskye.

Commenting on the strategic investment, Flight Centre CEO Chris Galanty said:

This investment provides FCM with access to emerging payment technology that solves some of the corporate card and expense management challenges that corporate travellers typically encounter.

Flight Centre shares are now down 28% in 12 months.

Which brings us to…

James Hardie shares supported by sales boost

Joining Flight Centre and Webjet shares in making waves today, we find James Hardie.

Shares in the ASX 200 building materials company have recovered from earlier losses to be up 0.2% at the time of writing, swapping hands for $26.84 apiece.

This follows the release of James Hardie’s full-year FY 2026 results.

It was a mixed report, with the company revealing a 25% year-on-year increase in net sales to US$4.84 billion. This was driven by additional sales from James Hardie’s AZEK acquisition, a US-based outdoor building products company.

Excluding that acquisition, organic net sales declined by 2% from FY 2025.

And on the bottom line, the company reported a 75% year-on-year decline in net profit after tax (NPAT) to US$104 million.

James Hardie shares are down 30% in 12 months.

The post Why James Hardie, Flight Centre and Webjet shares are making waves on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why EOS, Newmont, Webjet, and WIA Gold shares are tumbling today
• Down 36% in 2026, Flight Centre shares slip again on new fintech update
• Webjet shares crash 15% as Virgin Australia blow hits outlook
• James Hardie shares tumble on FY26 profit crunch
• James Hardie earnings: FY26 profit drops as sales lift 25%

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 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.