As February earnings season nears the finish line, there have been plenty of individual winners and losers.
Zooming out a little further, we can see which sectors generally beat expectations and performed well.
Investors can then target these sectors through individual shares or thematic ASX ETFs.
Here are some key sectors that performed well over earnings season, and funds that offer exposure to that sector.
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Big four bank recovery
It's well known that the big four banks are a cornerstone of Australia's economic landscape.
But the performance of the big four banks surprised many this earnings season.
In the past month:
- National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) have risen 12.8%
- Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) are up nearly 19%
- Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) have climbed 9.4%
- ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) are up 7.9%
Key earnings season highlights included:
- NAB posted a 15% hike in its cash earnings for the first quarter of FY26 and a 6% increase in revenue.
- CBA reported a 6% increase in cash net profit to $5,445 million. The bank also lifted its interim dividend by 4%.
- Westpac reported a 5% increase in unaudited statutory net profit and a 6% increase in net profit excluding notable items.
- ANZ reported a first-quarter cash profit of $1.94 billion, up 75% from the second-half average of FY25.
It's worth noting, some brokers ratings indicate valuations on the big four banks now look inflated.
However, this earnings season has already proven investors are more than happy to buy big four bank shares regardless.
Which ASX ETFs include the big four?
If you are looking to target these companies through an ASX ETF, there are a couple of options.
Firstly, investors might consider VanEck Vectors Australian Banks ETF (ASX: MVB).
80% of the fund is allocated to the big four, in addition to three other ASX bank shares that make up the rest.
It has risen 8.7% in the last month.
Another option is the BetaShares S&P/ASX 200 Financials Sector ETF (ASX: QFN).
While it doesn't only include banks, the big four make up 75% of the total fund.
The other 25% is made up of other ASX-listed companies in the financial sector.
It has risen almost 9% in the last month.
Miners climb
Broadly speaking, blue-chip energy and materials/miners also performed well this earnings season.
The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) and S&P/ASX 200 Resources Index (ASX: XJR) are up roughly 7% in February.
This has included steady gains from some of Australia's biggest companies:
- BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are up 10% in a month.
- Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares have lifted 14%.
- Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares are up over 5%.
For exposure to these companies, some ASX ETFs to consider include:
