If you have $7,000 to invest in 2026, it could be a good idea to add a handful of high-quality Australian shares with long-term growth potential.
Rather than spreading that money too thinly, focusing on a small number of businesses with clear expansion runways can make it easier to stay invested and confident in your decisions.
Here are three Australian shares that analysts think could be worth considering this year.
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NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)
The first Australian share to buy could be NextDC. It is one of the Asia-Pacific region's largest data centre operators.
As businesses and AI platforms generate more data, demand for secure, high-performance data centres continues to rise, largely independent of consumer sentiment.
You only need to look at recent updates from NextDC to see this. On 22 December, the company revealed that its pro forma contracted utilisation increased by 96MW or 30% to 412MW since its previous update on 1 December.
In light of this strong demand and its attractive valuation, Macquarie recently put an outperform rating and $22.30 price target on its shares.
Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)
Another Australian share to consider with the $7,000 is Pro Medicus. It provides advanced medical imaging software used by hospitals and healthcare networks. Its technology is deeply embedded in clinical workflows, which makes switching providers costly and disruptive for customers.
Not that they would want to switch. Pro Medicus' Visage platform is widely regarded to be the clear market leader. And with radiologists in short supply, it is important for healthcare organisations to have the best platform they can get their hands on. Especially as imaging volumes increase and datasets become more complex.
Overall, this is a business that can scale earnings materially over time, arguably making Pro Medicus a standout growth option within the healthcare sector.
This week, Macquarie upgraded its shares to an outperform rating with a $291.30 price target.
Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)
A final Australian share to buy with $7,000 could be online furniture leader Temple & Webster.
What often gets overlooked with this ASX share is how much of its growth is being driven by customer behaviour rather than market expansion. Repeat customers account for a growing share of sales (58% at the last count), and average order values tend to increase as shoppers become more familiar with the platform.
That dynamic supports growth even in periods when overall furniture demand is subdued.
In addition, with the shift to online shopping still in its early days for furniture, Temple & Webster appears well-placed for long-term growth given its leadership position, strong brand, and extensive offering.
The team at Morgan Stanley is bullish on the company's outlook. So much so, last week it put an overweight rating and $28.00 price target on its shares.
