Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here's why they are falling:

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)

The Aussie Broadband share price is down 5% to $5.27. Investors have been selling the broadband provider's shares following the release of a trading update this morning. Aussie Broadband revealed that it expects to report earnings in the middle of the previously announced underlying EBITDA FY 2026 guidance range of $162 million to $167 million. In addition, capital expenditure is expected to be at the upper end of the previously provided guidance range of $55 million to $60 million. This may have fallen short of the market's expectations for the financial year.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The Coles Group share price is down 2% to $23.51. This may have been driven by investors switching out of defensive assets and into risk-on assets. A number of defensive ASX shares are falling on Monday while the market charges higher.

Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS)

The EOS share price is down 2.5% to $9.10. This follows the release of a revenue update from the defence and space company this morning. EOS revealed that it expects to generate between $240 million and $270 million of revenue in 2026, excluding the recently acquired MARSS business. The high end of this guidance range is over double the $128.5 million it reported from continuing operations in FY 2025. This may have been overshadowed by news that the US and Iran have signed a peace deal, which could potentially mean softer than expected demand for defence products in the near term.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)

The Santos share price is down a sizeable 7.5% to $7.46. Investors have been selling Santos and other ASX energy stocks on Monday after oil prices pulled back meaningfully. Traders were selling oil in response to news that the US and Iran have signed a peace deal. Upon the announcement, US President Donald Trump said: "Let the oil flow!" This is great news for the world, but less so oil producers. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy index is down 5% at the time of writing.

The post Why Aussie Broadband, Coles, EOS, and Santos shares are falling on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade, the ASX 200 share is down over 4% to $5.30.

This compares unfavourably to a 1.3% gain by the ASX 200 Index early on Monday.

Why is this ASX 200 share falling?

Investors have been selling the broadband provider's shares following the release of an update on its performance and transactions.

According to the release, the ASX 200 share has completed the acquisition of the telecommunications business of AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL). Management believes this adds significant scale to its customer base and provides material earnings growth potential through its long-term strategic partnership with AGL.

In exchange, AGL has been issued $115 million in Aussie Broadband shares under a share subscription agreement. This represents approximately 22 million fully paid ordinary shares, which is approximately 7% of the issued capital.

The migration of AGL's combined 350,000 NBN services and mobile connections will complete in the second quarter of FY 2027. Management expects this to deliver a step change in connections on the Aussie Broadband network.

The AGL telco business is expected to deliver $21 million in underlying EBITDA in the first 12 months post migration. However, it notes that there is upside potential from further growth in connections through AGL's existing marketing channels and bundled energy offerings, as well as from margin expansion through scale and efficiency gains.

Management is ultimately targeting 500,000 subscribers from AGL's 4.5 million customer base.

Elsewhere, the More and Tangerine Telecom customer migrations are on track, the acquisition of Nexgen has completed, and the divestment of Digital Sense Hosting has settled.

Trading update

The ASX 200 share also provided the market with a trading update this morning.

It revealed that it surpassed 1 million broadband connections in mid-May and is on track to become the third largest NBN service provider with more than 1.3 million NBN connections at the completion of the large-scale connection migrations and AGL telco acquisition.

In light of this, management expects to report earnings for FY 2026 in the middle of the previously announced underlying EBITDA guidance range of $162 million to $167 million. However, capital expenditure is expected to be at the upper end of the previously provided guidance range of $55 million to $60 million.

It is possible that this performance is softer than the market was expecting, putting pressure on the Aussie Broadband share price today.

The company's chief executive, Brian Maher, commented:

I'm immensely proud of the effort delivered by the team. Completing one transaction is significant but completing four transactions within six months, while delivering the largest migration of connections on the NBN network to date and continuing to grow the business organically, is exceptional. These transactions are central to our upgraded Look‑to‑28 ambitions, repositioning the Company to deliver higher‑quality and more sustainable earnings streams.

While competition remains strong, our FY27 pricing plans, continued focus on Australian‑based customer service, and high-quality network performance position us well to continue winning new customers, particularly those migrating from legacy technologies and lower‑speed services. The operational leverage from increased scale is expected to improve capital efficiency and support stronger returns over time.

The post Which ASX 200 share is sinking 4% on Monday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

After starting the week's trading at an opening loss this morning, the ASX 200 spent most of the day bouncing around, but ended up closing down 0.026%. That leaves the index at 8,729.4 points.

This cold-shower start to the trading week for Australian investors follows a rosier finish to the American week on Friday night (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in decent form, rising a confident 0.72%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) wasn't quite as enthusiastic, but still managed a 0.2% gain.

But let's get back to this week and the local markets now, and check out how the various ASX sectors traversed today's tough trading conditions.

Winners and losers

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

After kicking off the trading week on a positive note yesterday, investors couldn't keep up the momentum, with the index opening in the red this morning and staying that way all session. By the time the markets closed up shop, the ASX 200 had lost 0.39% and finished up at 8,657.8 points.

The US markets were closed for the Memorial Day public holiday last night, so the small gains we saw 'Stateside last Friday are still holding.

So, without further ado, it's now time to take stock of how the various ASX sectors fared amid today's frosty trading conditions.

Winners and losers

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

It's interesting when one expert rates a business as a buy, but when multiple investment professionals say a company is worth owning, it's a very interesting situation to look at.

Let's look at two businesses that have extremely positive ratings.

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)

Aussie Broadband describes itself as the fifth largest provider of broadband services in Australia, with long-term growth in the residential segment. The business provides other offerings like data, voice and managed solutions to business, enterprise and government customers. It also provides wholesale services to other telcos and managed service providers.

According to CMC Invest, there have been eight recent analyst ratings on the business, with seven of those being buys. The average price target of all of those ratings is $6.16, which suggests a possible rise of 14% over the next year from where it is at the time of writing.

The ASX share is delivering good growth, which is helping it deliver pleasing financial performance.

In the FY26 half-year result, it reported 13.7% year-over-year growth of broadband connections to 827,683. This helped it deliver revenue growth of 8.4% to $637.8 million, underlying operating profit (EBITDA) grew 13.5% to $74.7 million and underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) rose 40.9% to $22.3 million.

The business is expecting to grow its FY26 EBITDA to grow by between 17% to 21%, to between $162 million to $167 million, which is an excellent growth rate, in my view.

According to the projection on CMC Invest, the business is valued at 18x FY27's estimated earnings.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

Universal Store owns a portfolio of premium youth fashion brands. Its main business is Universal Store (trading under the Universal Store and Perfect Stranger retail banners) and CTC (trading under the THRILLS and Worship brands). It has close to 120 stores across Australia.

According to CMC Invest, there have been seven recent analyst ratings on the ASX share, with all of those being buys.

The average price target on Universal Store is $10.45, suggesting a possible rise of more than 40% over the next 12 months.

This business is growing at a rapid pace – in the FY26 half-year result, group sales increased by 14.2% to $209.6 million. Universal Store sales rose 11.9% to $174.8 million and Perfect Stranger sales soared 41.5% to $17.8 million.

Universal Store is expecting to open up to 17 stores in FY26 and it's pursuing "additional new store opportunities" while "being prudent to ensure long-term profitability."

According to the projection on CMC Invest, the ASX share is valued at just 12x FY27's estimated earnings.  

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

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)

Aussie Broadband shares jumped 20% higher in early February after the company announced it had signed an agreement to acquire AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL)'s Telco business. As part of the arrangement, the two companies have also agreed to an exclusive long-term partnership. Aussie Broadband already benefits from a sticky customer base, and now it has the opportunity to grow even more. Analysts tip an upside as high as 47% to $7.14 a piece, at the time of writing.

Web Travel Group Ltd (ASX: WEB)

The ASX travel company's shares have crashed 43% for the year to date after news of an audit of its Spanish subsidiary spooked worried investors. The audit will review direct taxes paid (and owed) between April 2021 and March 2024, as well as indirect taxes for the period between January 2022 and December 2025. But Web Travel Group said it does not expect any material earnings impact from the Spanish tax review, and its FY26 earnings guidance is unchanged at 22% to 29% higher than in FY25. It looks like the investor sell-off was overdone. Analysts are tipping an upside as high as 170% to $7.40 at the time of writing.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

Goodman Group shares have also tumbled 18% so far in 2026, amid concerns about Australia's interest rate direction, high borrowing costs, and overall investor uncertainty. There is broad weakness across the property sector, and the dent in confidence has flowed through to the latest earnings results. But I don't think the downturn is here to stay. Analysts tip an upside as high as 60% to $40 over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

AUB Group Ltd (ASX: AUB)

Again, AUB shares are down 22% for the year so far after investors exited their positions following news that the company completed a $400 million institutional placement to help fund its acquisition of UK insurer Prestige and support growth. The placement was priced below the share price at the time. The move signalled expectations that the share price would decline. It looks like the ASX shares have now hit rock bottom. Analysts tip an upside as high as 63% to $38.90 for the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL)

Super Retail Group shares have also been through the wringer in 2026. The share price shot to an all-time high after a record sales result in late February, but has slumped 20% since then amid market-wide volatility. As a retail company, Super Retail Group is heavily reliant on discretionary spending, but this is the first thing to retract when concerns about interest rates, cost of living, or economic volatility surface. Despite investor sentiment, the business remains strong and steady, so over the long term, we can expect the cyclical downturn to rebound. Analysts tip an upside of up to 50% to $19 at the time of writing for the ASX company's shares.

The post 5 ASX shares I'd buy with $5,000 today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

To narrow things down, let's see what analysts at Investor Pulse are saying about three, courtesy of The Bull.

Are they bullish, bearish, or something in between?

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)

The expert is tipping this broadband provider as an ASX 200 share to buy now.

It was pleased to see operational leverage starting to emerge and appears to support management's recent M&A deals. It said:

This telecommunications company continues to build a credible long term growth case as it pushes further into scale and diversification. First half group revenue of $637.8 million in fiscal year 2026 was up 8.4 per cent compared to the prior corresponding period. Underlying EBITDA of $74.7 million grew 13.5 per cent. We're impressed with the operational leverage beginning to emerge.

ABB recently acquired AGL Energy's telecommunications business, adding an estimated 350,000 broadband services and mobile connections to ABB's customer base. It recently entered into a binding agreement to acquire 100 per cent of Nexgen Investment Group, a provider of advanced business communication solutions. The deals strengthen ABB's small-to-medium sized enterprise business offering.

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN)

This ASX share has been rated as a sell by the expert. While it concedes that Harvey Norman's dividend yield remains appealing, it believes its shares are now fully valued after a material re-rating over the past 12 months. It said:

Much of the operational recovery now appears reflected in the retail giant's share price. Fiscal year 2025 results and early fiscal year 2026 trading updates confirmed solid aggregated sales growth, aided by an improving UK performance and continuing strength in Europe.

Yet after a material re-rating over the past year, we see limited room for positive surprises. Competition in the consumer electronics category is intense. While the dividend yield remains appealing, consumer discretionary sector headwinds leave valuation multiples looking extended, in our view.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Finally, Wesfarmers has been named as a hold by the expert. It likes the resilience of the ASX 200 share, but not its valuation. It said:

Despite the recent market turbulence, we continue to hold this industrial conglomerate, reflecting group resilience amid consistency among its core retail divisions. The recent first half result for fiscal year 2026 reinforced our view, with statutory net profit after tax of $1.603 billion up 9.3 per cent on the prior corresponding period. Bunnings and Kmart Group sustained sales momentum by leaning into their low price positioning at a time when household budgets remain under pressure.

Wesfarmers chemicals, energy and fertiliser division has also become a more meaningful contributor, helped by firmer lithium prices and the ramp up of the Covalent Lithium refinery, which is now producing battery grade lithium hydroxide.

The post Expert gives its verdict on 3 popular ASX 200 shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Will the market be able to build on this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to sink

The Australian share market looks set to sink on Friday following a poor night in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 162 points or 1.8% lower this morning. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is down 2.2%, the S&P 500 is down 1.2% and the Nasdaq is down 1.1%.

Oil prices jump

It could be a good finish to the week for ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) after a strong night for oil prices. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 8.4% to US$80.93 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 4.85% to US$85.34 a barrel. Concerns over global fuel supply disruption were behind this rise.

ASX shares going ex-dividend

A number of ASX shares will be going ex-dividend this morning and could trade lower. This includes fuel retailer Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD), broadband provider Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB), and tech company Objective Corporation Ltd (ASX: OCL). Last month, Ampol declared a fully franked dividend of 60 cents per share. This will be paid to eligible shareholders at the start of next month on 2 April.

Gold price tumbles

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) could have a poor finish to the week after the gold price tumbled overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 1.25% to US$5,070.6 an ounce. A stronger US dollar weighed on the precious metal.

Buy Catapult shares

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT) shares are good value according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, the broker retained its buy rating on the sports technology company's shares with a trimmed price target of $4.85. It said: "Catapult remains one of our preferred tech stocks amongst the mid caps (along with Gentrack). We note Catapult is likely to come out of the S&P/ASX 200 at the next rebalance later this month but remain in the S&P/ASX 300. This could be viewed as a negative catalyst but in our view is already largely expected so should not come as a surprise."

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) is a smaller and more speculative investment, but I think what it lacks in size, it makes up for in potential.

So, which is the better investment?

Telstra: A reliable investment with limited room for growth 

Let me couch what I am about to say ­­– Telstra is, by almost all metrics, a high-quality business and a relatively safe bet. It dominates the Australian telecommunications market, owns critical infrastructure, generates strong cash flows, and offers an attractive, fully franked dividend. All of this stability makes it a highly dependable investment.

But where it lacks appeal for me is growth potential. Telstra's core markets are mature. And while its management has shown a disciplined approach to cost control, revenue growth from ordinary activities remains on the modest side – 0.9% uplift in FY25 on the prior corresponding period. That's not necessarily a deal breaker in and of itself, but it does limit the potential upside for investors.

At current prices, you're paying for stability and income certainty rather than earnings growth. If you're a defensive investor, it's going to win hands down. For growth investors, I think there's more value to be had elsewhere in the sector.

Aussie Broadband: Strong fundamentals and well positioned to grow  

Aussie Broadband plays in the same markets as Telstra. But unlike Telstra, which is defending an established base, Aussie Broadband is carving new pathways for itself, particularly in government and corporate contracts. These contracts tend to offer good margins and customer stickiness, positioning Aussie Broadband for accelerated growth. In FY25, it saw an 18.7% revenue uplift to $1.19 billion.

And as it scales its customer base, its operating leverage has room to grow. Fixed networks and systems will spread across a growing revenue base, allowing margins to expand. Telstra, on the other hand, may have already exhausted much of this margin expansion potential.

But it is important to note that risks can be heightened for a smaller player like Aussie Broadband. Across the telco sector, competition is fierce, and pricing pressure can be intense. Of course, these risks still apply to Telstra. However, as a well-established player with significant brand equity and scale, they are less likely to bother investors in any meaningful way.

That said, Aussie Broadband doesn't carry the legacy cost base of its much bigger competitor. And its disciplined approach to growth, prioritising return on invested capital rather than expansion at all costs, adds to its appeal for me.

The bottom line

Both are solid telco stocks, so you probably can't go wrong. If your strategy is defensive, then Telstra remains the safest bet. But if you are looking for exposure to earnings growth and are comfortable with some share price volatility, Aussie Broadband is my pick. At current prices, I think it's an opportunity to get in on a quality business that has the hallmarks of further impressive growth to come.  

The post Aussie Broadband vs Telstra: Which telco stock deserves your dollar? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

We don't necessarily need to look at the technology sector to deliver big returns – there are some great candidates that could outperform the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the longer-term.

The following businesses have strong growth potential, in the eyes of experts.

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)

Aussie Broadband is an Australian telco that it's growing its market share of NBN connections across residential, businesses, government and wholesale.

Broker UBS rates Aussie Broadband as a buy, with a price target of $6.20.

The business generated solid growth in the HY26 result, its on-net broadband connections reached 827,700, up 13.7% year-over-year. Revenue grew 8.4% to $637.8 million, underlying operating profit (EBITDA) increased 13.5% to $74.7 million and underlying net profit (NPATA) grew 24.5% to $31.3 million.

The company highlighted "strong growth outlook for business, enterprise and government with higher value contract wins, strong sales pipeline and enhanced SME [small and medium enterprise] capability with [the] acquisition of Nexgen".

UBS thinks that Australia Broadband's earnings per share (EPS) is going to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33% over the next three years.

The broker said:

The earnings growth is largely underpinned by the structural growth opportunity we see as Australian broadband market share shifts from the incumbents to challenger brands. Challenger market share is currently at 22%, with our analysis pointing to this reaching at least 35% presenting a still to be won A$3.0bn revenue opportunity.

UBS projects that the ASX growth share could make a net profit of $72 million in FY26 and $176 million in FY30, a forecast rise of 140% over that period.

Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

Breville designs and develops small kitchen appliances, particularly coffee machines, which includes a number of brands including Breville, Sage, Lelit and Baratza. It also has a coffee bean business called Beanz.

Despite the impacts of US tariffs, the company was able to deliver net profit growth of 0.7% in the first half of FY26, along with 10.1% revenue growth. The board of directors decided to increase the interim dividend per share of 5.6% to 19 cents.

Tariffs have been a key issue for the ASX growth share and market to navigate. Broker UBS said that the company has handled it well so far:

US tariffs have been the key concern for BRG. Gross margin (GM) compression in 1H26 (-151bps in Global Product) a function of some China sourced products sold in 1H26 & no price rises in core US range, but this has been well managed:

(1) execution of production shift of 80% of 120v product from China to lower tariff markets (Cambodia, Indonesia, Mexico) at pace handled well;

(2) distribution/retailer mix has been optimised; and

(3) price raises for tail products has had a neutral $ gross profit outcome (assisted by competitor pricing & range decisions).

Looking to FY27E, gross margin upside exists due to the shift for a full 12mths to lower US tariff countries although uncertainty is likely to continue. Longer term, AI adoption at BRG is expected to assist CODB [cost of doing business] management & operating leverage tailwinds.

The Australian stock is rated as a buy by UBS with a price target of $39.

UBS projects the ASX growth share could generate net profit of $139 million in FY26 and $160 million in FY27. That means, at the time of writing, the Breville share price is valued at 29x FY27's estimated earnings.

The post Experts rate these 2 ASX growth shares as buys this month! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In order to receive a dividend, you must own the ASX share before its ex-dividend date.

Here is a sample of the large number of ASX All Ords shares with ex-dividend dates next week.

ASX All Ords shares about to go ex-dividend

Which companies will we hear from today?

The big one today is the half-yearly report from supermarket network Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL).

Woolworths shares ripped this week after the ASX All Ords consumer staples giant reported a 16% profit lift to $859 million for 1H FY26.

We'll also hear from TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG), Michael Hill International Ltd (ASX: MHJ), and Pexa Group Ltd (ASX: PXA).

The latest report from The Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR) will also be interesting, as investors seek further news on the turnaround plan for the beleaguered casino operator.

Yesterday, Star Entertainment shares bounced on news of a debt refinancing deal, including extra liquidity to fund the turnaround plan.

The post 35 ASX All Ords shares with ex-dividend dates next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here are three new opinions published on The Bull this week.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

The Charter Hall Long WALE REIT has fallen 4.6% over the past 12 months.

The ASX REIT reported operating earnings of $90.6 million, up 2%, for 1H FY26.

Dylan Evans from Catapult Wealth has a buy rating on this ASX real estate investment trust (REIT).

Evans said:

This Australian real estate investment trust reported solid first half results in fiscal year 2026, which were in line with expectations.

Statutory earnings of $153.6 million increased 209 per cent compared to the prior corresponding period.

Net tangible assets of $4.68 per security were up 2 per cent from June 30, 2025.

CLW's share price has declined due to the re-emergence of inflation and its impact on interest rates and bond yields.

CLW appeals for its reliable income stream. It was recently trading on a dividend yield above 6.5 per cent, supported by a high quality property portfolio with occupancy of 99.9 per cent and a weighted average lease length of more than nine years.

ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX)

The ASX share price has fallen 21.1% over the past 12 months.

The company reported an 11.2% increase in revenue to $602.8 million for 1H FY26.

Statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) was $263.6 million, up 8.3%, and total expenses were $264.3 million, up 20%.

Evans has a hold rating on this ASX financial share.

He explains:

The financial markets operator has struggled for several years. It continues to face regulatory scrutiny after technology issues.

Total expenses of $264.4 million in the first half of 2026 were up 20 per cent, partly as a result of costs associated with the inquiry by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, which cited ASX operational and governance issues in its interim report.

However, Evans thinks the outlook for ASX Ltd is improving.

It has consistently grown its revenues, courtesy of a near monopoly position.

If the company can reduce costs and sustain revenue growth, earnings should benefit moving forward.

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)

The Aussie Broadband share price has increased 28.4% over the past 12 months.

Aussie Broadband reported a 13.5% increase in underlying EBITDA to $74.7 million for 1H FY26.

Earlier this month, the telco announced it intends to buy the telecommunications business of AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL).

Aussie Broadband will pay AGL $115 million worth of scrip upfront, with a further $10 million in scrip to be paid in tranches.

Jonathan Tacadena from MPC Markets has a sell rating on the ASX telecommunications share.

He says:

ABB's acquisition of AGL Energy's telecommunications business looks like a genuinely good deal.

It adds an estimated 350,000 broadband services and mobile connections to ABB's customer base.

The acquisition is expected to be completed in June 2026. Migration is expected to be completed in the first half of fiscal year 2027.

ABB shares soared sharply on the news, but then retreated. Technically, that's a bearish sign.

We believe good news from the AGL deal is priced into the stock, so we would be inclined to cash in some gains.

The Aussie Broadband share price has fallen from $6.09 on 22 October to $5.11 at yesterday's close.   

The post Buy, hold, sell: Charter Hall Long WALE, ASX, Aussie Broadband shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

In late morning trade, the Aussie Broadband share price is up 13.25% to $5.13, making it one of the strongest performers on the ASX today.

Here is what investors need to know.

What was announced today

According to the release, Aussie Broadband has signed an agreement to acquire the AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) Telco business. The transaction includes AGL's broadband, mobile, and voice customer base, along with supporting systems and assets.

At completion, the deal is expected to add approximately 350,000 broadband and mobile connections to Aussie Broadband, along with approximately 46,000 voice services. The acquisition is expected to be completed in June 2026, with customer migration to follow during the first half of FY27.

As part of the arrangement, the 2 companies have also agreed to an exclusive long-term partnership. Under this structure, AGL will continue to market telecommunications services under the AGL brand, while Aussie Broadband will provide the network, services, and customer experience.

How the deal is being paid for

AGL will receive $115 million worth of Aussie Broadband shares on completion, based on the volume-weighted average price (VWAP) prior to the announcement.

A further up to $10 million in shares may be issued over time, subject to meeting agreed connection growth targets. These additional shares would be issued in tranches and are linked to performance outcomes.

Aussie Broadband said the acquisition is expected to be earnings per share (EPS) accretive in the first year after migration of customers.

Expected financial contribution

In the first full year after customer migration, the agreement is expected to deliver around $235 million in revenue and around $21 million in underlying EBITDA.

Over time, Aussie Broadband expects the number of AGL Telco connections, excluding voice services, to grow to more than 500,000 over 5 years. Management believes the transaction will strengthen its position as one of Australia's largest NBN service providers.

About the business

Aussie Broadband provides broadband, mobile, and voice services to residential, business, and wholesale customers across Australia. The company is known for its Australian-based customer support and focus on service quality.

Following this transaction, Aussie Broadband expects to service close to 400,000 mobile connections across its segments once migration is complete.

What investors are watching next

Aussie Broadband is due to report its half-year results on Monday, 23 February 2026.

The update will be closely watched for earnings performance, guidance, and further details on integration plans.

The post Why Aussie Broadband shares are soaring 13% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

What did AGL Energy report?

• Statutory profit after tax: $94 million (includes $143 million loss in the fair value of financial instruments and $116 million significant items)
• Underlying EBITDA: $1,092 million (flat compared to 1H25)
• Underlying net profit after tax: $353 million, down 6% on 1H25
• Interim fully franked dividend: 24 cents per share
• 4.7 million total customer services, up 108,000 since FY25
• FY26 earnings guidance narrowed: underlying EBITDA of $2,020–$2,180 million; underlying NPAT of $580–$680 million

What else do investors need to know?

AGL's retail transformation program is progressing, with key capabilities deployed and committed benefits on track. The company also grew its development pipeline to 11.3 GW, signing new long-term power purchase agreements for wind farms in South Australia and Western Australia.

The 500 MW Tomago Battery project in New South Wales has begun construction, while the Liddell Battery's first 250 MW is targeted to be operational in the third quarter. AGL has also struck a deal to divest its telecommunications business to Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) , with migration of customers planned for FY27 and an expected $115 million investment in ABB shares.

What did AGL Energy management say?

AGL Managing Director and CEO Damien Nicks, said:

The strength of our first half result was delivered by our excellent operational performance. In Customer Markets we saw an improvement in customer margins, driven by growth in our customer base and a return to more sustainable margins.

What's next for AGL Energy?

AGL has narrowed FY26 earnings guidance and is targeting $50 million in sustainable net operating cost reductions in FY27. Focus areas for the remainder of the year include continued delivery of the retail transformation, advancing renewable and storage projects, and careful cost management.

The company expects second-half earnings to be seasonally lower due to customer demand patterns and legacy contract changes. All guidance remains subject to regulatory and operational factors.

AGL Energy share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, AGL Energy shares have declined 24%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

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Both Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) and Superloop Ltd (ASX: SLC) will face increasing competitive pressure from Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), the Jarden team says, with Telstra "unbundling modems and collapsing visible price premiums, though we see asymmetric risk/reward profiles between the two challengers''.

Tough market conditions

The Jarden team said in their research note to clients this week that there has been a contraction in the telco market since the end of FY25, and this "reflects implicit negative earnings expectations that we believe create potential for significant volatility on result day''.

They went on to say:

We expect Superloop is better positioned to beat these lowered market expectations. Reflecting this view, we are downgrading Aussie Broadband to neutral from overweight with a reduced target price of $5.25 (from $5.80), while maintaining our buy rating on Superloop with an adjusted target price of $3.25 (from $3.40).

Should Superloop achieve that price target, it would be a 33.2% return from current levels.

Jarden has reduced its earnings per share expectations for Superloop by 10% for FY26, but says "this reflects the law of small numbers rather than fundamental deterioration''.

They went on to say:

We expect consumer gross margins to outperform expectations despite competitive intensity, with pricing discipline remaining intact.

In Superloop's wholesale business, Jarden said Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG), which on-sells Superloop products under its own brand, materially increased promotional activity late in the first half, "positioning the company for stronger second half 2026 subscriber growth as marketing spend is deployed''.

The Jarden team said Superloop's Smart Communities business also remained underappreciated by the market.

Challenges ahead for Aussie

Should the Aussie Broadband share price hit the Jarden price target, it would constitute an 8.3% return from current levels.

The Jarden team said their main concern for this business going forward was residential growth challenges.

More broadly, we see mounting structural headwinds as larger base management effects combine with direct exposure to Telstra's entry into the BYO segment, likely limiting Aussie Broadband's growth runway.  Additionally (now confirmed by Aussie broadband), Symbio faces significant margin pressure from ACCC mandated voice interconnection rate cuts that will see a 70% reduction from 86c/min to 26c/min, creating approximately $9m in EBITDA headwinds by FY29.

Symbio is a division of Aussie Broadband that specialises in hosting phone services for large businesses.

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That was comprised of 6.8% capital growth and 3.52% dividends.

That dividend yield is below the benchmark index's historical average of 4.5% per annum since 2000.

The reduction in yield was largely due to mining shares paying smaller dividend amounts after lower iron ore prices impacted earnings.

Additionally, we saw lower dividend yields from the ASX 200 bank stocks last year due to elevated share prices.

Ryan Felsman, Chief Economist at CommSec said:

S&P/ASX 200 index dividend payout ratios have been under pressure in recent years amid weaker earnings growth, with ASX-listed companies paying out less of those earnings as dividends to shareholders.

That has resulted in a declining dividend yield for Aussie shares. 

Let's take a look at the dividend yields of each of the 11 market sectors in 2025.

Which ASX sectors delivered the best dividend yields?

The sectors are listed in order of highest dividend yield for 2025.

As you can see, ASX 200 utilities shares and energy stocks delivered the best dividend yields.

The worst payers were the technology and healthcare sectors.

Utilities

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) last year was 13.22%.

Dividends made up 6.3% of the ASX 200 utilities sector's total return.

APA Group (ASX: APA) shares were the sector's No. 1 performer, rising 29% in value.

Energy

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) was 3.21%.

The index lost 2.25% of its market cap last year, but dividends of 5.46% brought the sector into the green.

ASX 200 uranium explorer Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL) delivered the strongest share price growth, up 63%.

Materials

The No. 1 sector for total returns in 2025 was materials, largely due to strongly rising ASX 200 mining shares.

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) was a whopping 36.21%.

Dividends made up 4.5% of the sector's total return.

ASX gold miner Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR) was the materials sector's strongest riser, up 220%.

Financials

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) was 12.05%.

Dividends made up 4.08% of the ASX 200 financials sector's total return.

Generation Development Group Ltd (ASX: GDG) shares performed best, rising 66%.

Industrials

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) was 13.98%.

Dividends made up 3.78% of the ASX 200 industrials sector's total return.

Defence stock DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) was the No.1 riser, up almost 300%.

Communications

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Communications Index (ASX: XTJ) was 10.56%.

Dividends made up 3.56% of the ASX 200 communications sector's total return.

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) shares outperformed, rising 41% in value last year.

Real estate & REITs

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XPJ) was 8.38%.

Dividends made up 3.35% of the ASX 200 real estate sector's total return.

Property fund manager Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC) was the strongest share, up 70%.

Consumer discretionary

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) last year was 4.09%.

Dividends made up 2.32% of the consumer discretionary sector's total return.

Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE) was the sector's highest riser, up 113%.

Consumer Staples

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) was 2.01%.

The index fell by 1.43% last year, but a dividend yield of 3.44% put the sector into the green for the year.

A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) was the consumer staples sector's strongest riser, up 59%.

Healthcare

The S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) was the worst performer of the 11 market sectors last year.

The index fell 24.91%, with a small dividend yield of 1.25% only slightly offsetting the decline.

The total return for the ASX 200 healthcare sector in 2025 was (23.66%).

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU) shares had the best price growth, up 49%.

Technology

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) tanked in 2025. The total return was (20.8%).

ASX tech stocks typically pay low or no dividends because they are much younger companies than their global counterparts.

The tech index fell 21.04% and an 0.24% dividend yield only slightly mitigated the decline.

Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) shares were the standout performers of the sector, rising 77%.

The post Which ASX 200 market sectors delivered the best dividend yields in 2025? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The benchmark index hit a record 9,115.2 points in October before finishing the year at 8,714.31 points.

There are 11 market sectors within the ASX 200.

Here are the ASX 200 shares that experienced the highest capital growth in each sector last year.

2025 stars of each ASX 200 market sector

These were the No.1 shares of each market sector in 2025 based on 12-month share price growth (excluding dividends).

We have ranked the sectors from the strongest to the weakest performers. Four of the 11 sectors lost value last year.

Materials

The ASX 200 materials sector was the best performer of the 11 sectors in 2025.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) rose by 31.71% and delivered total returns, including dividends, of 36.21%.

Rising commodity prices, particularly gold, silver, copper, and lithium, pushed the sector higher and significantly boosted the miners.

The best performing share within the ASX 200 materials sector was Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR).

Pantoro Gold only joined the benchmark index in the December quarter rebalance.

The Pantoro share price rose 220% to close at $4.89 on 31 December.

Industrials

The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) rose 10.2% and delivered total returns of 13.98%.

ASX 200 defence share DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) was the No.1 stock in the industrials space.

The Droneshield share price ripped 300% to close at $3.08 on 31 December.

Financials

The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) rose 7.97% and delivered total returns of 12.05% in 2025.

Retirement and investment solutions provider Generation Development Group Ltd (ASX: GDG) was the star of the financials sector.

The Generation Development Group share price rose 65.92% to finish the year at $5.89.

Communications

The S&P/ASX 200 Communications Index (ASX: XTJ) rose 7% and delivered total returns of 10.56% in 2025.

Telecommunications share Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) was the best performer, rising 40.78% to $5.04 per share.

Aussie Broadband shares ascended into the ASX 200 index in the December rebalance.

Utilities

The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) lifted 6.92% and delivered a total return of 13.22%.

Energy infrastructure company APA Group (ASX: APA) was the No.1 ASX 200 utilities share of 2025.

APA Group shares increased 28.69% to close out the year at $8.97 apiece.

Real estate & REITs

The S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XPJ) rose 5.03% and delivered total gross returns of 8.38% in 2025.

Property fund manager Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC) outperformed its property sector peers.

The ASX 200 real estate investment trust (REIT) closed the year 70.38% higher at $24.45 per share.

Consumer discretionary

The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) increased 1.77% and produced total returns of 4.09%.

Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE) outperformed its ASX 200 consumer discretionary peers with 112.78% share price growth.

The Eagers Automotive share price closed at $24.64 on 31 December.

Consumer Staples

The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) weakened 1.43% in 2025.

Dividends mitigated the capital loss, producing a positive total return of 2.01%.

A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) was the top-performing consumer staples share of the year.

The A2 Milk share price lifted 59.34% over the 12 months to finish the year at $9.21.

Energy

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) fell 2.25% and delivered total gross returns of 3.21%.

ASX 200 uranium explorer Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL) experienced the strongest share price growth.

Deep Yellow shares rose by 62.83% to finish the year at $1.84 per share.

Technology

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) crumbled 21.04%, with a total negative return of 20.08% in 2025.

Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) was the best share in the technology sector last year.

Shares in the electronics solutions provider rose 76.58% to finish the year at $28.43.

Healthcare

Healthcare was the worst-performing sector of 2025.

The S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) tumbled 24.91% and delivered a negative total return of 23.66%.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU) was the No. 1 stock for capital growth in the ASX 200 healthcare sector.

The Neuren Pharmaceuticals share price gained 48.88% to close at $18.61 on 31 December.

The post Fastest rising ASX 200 share of each market sector in 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Will the market be able to build on this on Monday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to rise again

The Australian share market looks set for a good start to the week following a strong finish to the last one on Wall Street on Friday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 41 points or 0.45% higher. In the United States, the Dow Jones was up 0.4%, the S&P 500 rose 0.9%, and the Nasdaq stormed 1.3% higher.

Oil prices charge higher

It could be a decent start to the week for ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) after oil prices charged higher on Friday night. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price was up 0.9% to US$56.52 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price was up 1.1% to US$60.47 a barrel. Traders were bidding oil prices higher after Donald Trump wouldn't rule out a war with Venezuela.

Quarterly rebalance

This morning, a number of ASX 200 shares will leave the benchmark index after being kicked out at the quarterly rebalance. Leaving the index this morning are the likes of Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP), HMC Capital Ltd (ASX: HMC) and Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD). Joining the index this morning are stocks including Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB), Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG), and Silex Systems Ltd (ASX: SLX).

Gold price rises

ASX 200 gold shares Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a good start to the week after the gold price pushed higher on Friday night. According to CNBC, the gold futures price was up 0.5% to US$4,387.3 an ounce. Rate cut optimism gave the gold price a boost.

Buy Boss Energy shares

Bell Potter thinks that investors should be buying Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) shares after their sell off. This morning, the broker has reaffirmed their buy rating on the uranium producer's shares with a reduced price target of $2.00 (from $2.90). It said: "Our valuation assumes production at Honeymoon over the short 10Y mine life is limited to ~1.6Mlbs pa and costs remain elevated, until such a time that management have completed the work to guide otherwise."

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The ruling is expected to result in a small reduction of the company's EBITDA in the coming years.

What do investors need to know?

The ACCC's ruling covers the key "terminating" and "originating" access services that allow voice calls to be connected between different carriers. These regulated rates determine what telcos pay each other to complete calls, meaning they directly affect the economics of networks such as Aussie Broadband's voice platforms, NetSIP, and Symbio.

According to the company, the new rate schedule will result in a reduction of charges from 1 July 2026, with further step-downs occurring from 2027–2029.

For Aussie Broadband, the impact will not be immediate, as FY26 remains unaffected; however, management estimates an EBITDA reduction of approximately $3 million in FY27 and $6 million in FY28, after applying planned market-facing mitigation strategies.

There has been no determination on rates after 30 June 2029.

FY27's impact represents less than 2% of the company's FY26 EBITDA guidance, but investors nonetheless marked the stock lower as the long-term regulatory headwind became clearer.

In its announcement, the company signalled disappointment with the ACCC's position, arguing that the decision risks undermining investment in fixed-line voice networks. CEO Brian Maher said:

While we acknowledge the delayed implementation date and the additional time this gives us to work through these changes with our partners and their customers, we are disappointed that ultimately the ACCC has disregarded the impact the reductions in regulated rates will likely have on challenger fixed-only providers that enable an essential infrastructure and service to the broader community. We also strongly disagree with their definition of a modern efficient operator and believe the ACCC has not fully considered or valued the resiliency and redundancy benefits of operating fixed voice networks.

These networks remain essential infrastructure for 000 emergency access, business operations, and network redundancy during mobile outages. Aussie Broadband also noted that it had provided significant input during the consultation phase, particularly regarding the impact on challenger providers.

Despite the setback, Aussie Broadband emphasised that it will pursue a range of mitigation initiatives to protect margins and support ongoing network investment. The company reiterated its Look-to-28 goals and maintained its commitment to keeping EBITDA margins at a minimum of 12.5%.

Foolish bottom line

While today's share price decline reflects investor reaction to an unwelcome regulatory outcome, the long lead time before the changes take effect gives Aussie Broadband room to adjust its pricing, cost structures, and product mix. For now, the market is digesting the implications, but the company remains confident it can navigate the transition while continuing to grow its broader broadband and enterprise services footprint.

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