For you to be entitled to a stock's next dividend, you must own it before its ex-dividend date.

Here are some of the ASX shares going ex-dividend next week.

ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week

The post 32 ASX shares about to go ex-dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Audinate Group Ltd (ASX: AD8)

The Audinate share price is down 8% to $3.37. This follows the release of the audio-visual networking solutions provider's half-year results. Audinate posted a 12% increase in revenue to US$21.1 million and a 12% lift in gross profit to US$17.4 million. Looking ahead, management is guiding to US-dollar gross profit growth of 13% to 15% over FY 2025. This is expected to be underpinned by strong forward orders secured in the first half. It seems the market was expecting stronger growth than this.

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL)

The Australian Clinical Labs share price is down 11% to $2.16. This pathology services provider's shares are under pressure today after it announced the exit of its CEO, Melinda McGrath. The company revealed that McGrath will not be renewing her contract following its conclusion on 30 August 2026. She said: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank our pathologists and scientists for their leadership, and the broader Clinical Labs team for their passionate commitment to the service of our patients and referring medical practitioners. In particular, I would like to recognise the Clinical Labs executive and broader leadership teams, whose drive and innovative approach to the development of the business has been outstanding."

Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN)

The Coronado Global share price is down 4.5% to 32.5 cents. This morning, this coal miner released a business update which revealed that sustained weakness in the U.S. High-Vol markets has caused realised pricing at its US-based Logan operation to remain below cash operating costs. As a result, the complex is now operating at a loss. In response, management said: "The Company is taking steps to preserve liquidity and protect shareholder value. Production is being immediately curtailed to cover contractual commitments carried over from 2025, which are expected to be fulfilled by March 2026."

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

The Treasury Wine share price is down 5% to $4.97. Investors have been selling this wine giant's shares following the release of its half-year results. As many had expected, the Penfolds owner has decided to suspend dividends while it battles through a challenging period. The company's CEO, Sam Fischer, said: "Today's results come at a time when we are already making meaningful progress with the decisive actions required to return TWE to a path of sustainable, profitable growth. Our focus is firmly on the future to strengthen execution and ensure we build a stronger, more resilient business for the long term."

The post Why Audinate, Australian Clinical Labs, Coronado, and Treasury Wine shares are sinking today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in the company hit a low of $2.08 before recovering slightly to be changing hands for $2.16, down 10.7%, on Monday.

The company, which also released its first half results on Monday, said that CEO Melinda McGrath, "has confirmed that she will not be renewing her contract following its conclusion on 30 August 2026''.

Ms McGrath, the announcement said, had been with the company for 10 years, including leading it through its listing on the ASX in 2021.

Ms McGrath said in a statement:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our pathologists and scientists for their leadership, and the broader Clinical Labs team for their passionate commitment to the service of our patients and referring medical practitioners. In particular, I would like to recognise the Clinical Labs executive and broader leadership teams, whose drive and innovative approach to the development of the business has been outstanding. It has been a privilege to work with them over the past ten years. I wish them and the Board the best in the future as they continue to grow the business.

The company said a recruitment process had started, and shareholders would be kept up to date.

Underlying result positive

In a separate announcement, the company said it had generated $365.4 million in revenue in the first half, down 1%, while net profit was 52.4% lower at $5.6 million.

On an underlying basi,s net profit was up 9.1% at $13.1 million.

The company said in its announcement to the market that revenue fell because of "subdued market conditions and … portfolio rationalisation''.

The company added:

While market growth was tempered, there was continued strength in Genetic and Reproductive Health testing, with above market expansion in carrier screening and improved performance in non-invasive prenatal testing and fertility related services. Oncology genomic testing volumes increased significantly, supported by the introduction of EndoPredict to the Medicare Benefits Schedule, resulting in strong uptake from oncologists. Specialist referral growth remained positive, particularly in outpatient settings.

Australian Clinical Labs said it was also in the final stages of testing for artificial intelligence-enabled back-office tools, which it said, "are expected to unlock meaningful cost savings in late FY26 and onward''.

The company will pay an interim dividend of 3.75 cents per share, in line with the same period last year.

Australian Clinical Labs was valued at $465.2 million at the close of trade on Friday.

The post Australian Clinical Labs shares hit record low as CEO to exit appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It's not unusual for smaller businesses to trade at a much lower valuation than they would if they were larger, because so few analysts and fund managers cover them, leading to undervaluation.

The valuations of the two businesses below make them appealing, in my view, as long-term buys.

Australian Ethical Investment Ltd (ASX: AEF)

Australian Ethical is a fund manager that aims to provide investors with exposure to investments that have a high level of 'ethics' by excluding certain sectors from its investment strategy.

A key reason why I believe the company has such a good outlook is that it has a superannuation offering, which is benefiting from the ongoing contributions from members.

The ASX All Ords share's superannuation segment, which is where the significant majority of funds under management (FUM) sits, saw net inflows of $0.11 billion in the three months to 31 December 2025. Its total FUM was $14.08 billion at the end of 2025.  

Australian Ethical notes that it "continues to be recognised for its leadership in ethical investing, winning Money Magazine's 2026 best of the best awards for best ESG superannuation product and best ESG pension product, reinforcing Australian Ethical's position at the forefront of sustainable investing and highlighting the organisation's ongoing commitment to positive impact and industry best practice."

The ASX All Ord stock's Managing Director, John McMurdo, recently said:

Despite challenging investment market conditions, it's been a pleasing first half of the year. On the superannuation side, we've seen changes to our digital marketing capability delivering an increase in new member joins in Q2, and with the completion of our transition to GROW, we are realising cost efficiencies and can focus on uplifting the member experience to support continued growth. The solid pipeline we've built in our newer channels, as well as upcoming product innovation also positions us well for ongoing success and continued growth into the second half of the year.

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL)

This business describes itself as Australia's leading private provider of pathology services. Its laboratories perform a range of tests each year for clients, including doctors, specialists, patients, hospitals, and corporate clients.

The Australian Clinical Labs share price is down by around 30% since February 2025, as the chart below shows, making it much better value. It was pleasing to see that management thought the ASX All Ords share was undervalued last year and launched a share buyback to buy up to 10% of its shares on issue.

Healthcare is a good, defensive sector to be invested in, yet the business is trading on such a low price-earnings (P/E) ratio. According to the forecast on CMC Markets, the business could generate earnings per share (EPS) of 18 cents in FY26.

That means it's trading at 14x FY26's estimated earnings. Analyst projections suggest the EPS could climb to 20.5 cents in FY27 and then 22 cents in FY28. That implies earnings could climb 22% between FY26 to FY28. The dividend is also expected to grow in the next few years to 15 cents per share in FY28.

The post 2 ASX All Ords shares I'd buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Integral Diagnostics provides diagnostic imaging services such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, and radiography at 145 sites across Australia and New Zealand. The Macquarie team says the company stands to benefit from programs such as the National Lung Cancer Screening Program, which the federal government is tipping $264 million into.

The company will also benefit from a boost to bulk-billing, according to Macquarie:

Success in CT lung cancer screening, supported by $264m in government funding and Integral Diagnostics' expected 20% market share, is partly offsetting a slower MRI ramp. The upcoming $7.9bn expansion of bulk billing from Nov-25 should boost GP volumes and imaging referrals, particularly in regional areas where Integral Diagnostics is strong. We forecast FY26 domestic organic revenue growth of 8%.

Several pillars to growth

The Macquarie team said synergies from the 2024 merger with Capitol Health, ongoing clinic investments and expansion of the GP bulk billing program would all be "fully realised" in the current financial year.

These factors, combined with procurement efficiencies and an expected shift of patients from public emergency departments to GP channels, position Integral Diagnostics for a step-up in margins in the second half.

The Macquarie team said the company could also increasingly shift work to radiologists working remotely, allowing for more flexibility in staffing, supporting EBITDA margin forecasts.

As the analysts said:

We see several significant tailwinds for Integral Diagnostics over FY26, with expected ongoing mix shift benefits to higher fee modalities supported by MRI deregulation, CT lung cancer screening programs. Higher annualised cost savings further supports our EBITDA margin expectations.   

The Macquarie team have a 12-month price target of $3.40 on Integral Diagnostics shares, and including dividends, are forecasting a total shareholder return of 32.2% over the next year.

Integral Diagnostics declared a fully franked final dividend of 4 cents per share in August, bringing the full year payout to 6.5 cents per share.

Integral Diagnostics shares were changing hands for $2.59 on Tuesday, up 0.7%.

Macquarie said in a separate research note to clients earlier this year that it preferred Integral Diagnostics to Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL), which it had a neutral rating on.

The post Macquarie predicts this ASX All Ords healthcare stock to surge past $1 billion over the next 12 months appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Australian Clinical Labs describes itself as a leading Australian private provider of pathology services. Its laboratories perform a diverse range of pathology tests each year for a range of clients including doctors, specialists, patients, hospitals and corporate clients. The ASX small-cap stock is one of the largest private hospital pathology businesses nationally.

The business delivered significant profits during the COVID-19 period when testing for the virus was significant. But, the company's financials are improving again.  

Improving position

The business reported a strong set of numbers in the FY25 result.

It showed that in the 12 months to 30 June 2025, total revenue grew by 6.4% to $741.3 million, underlying operating profit (EBITDA) climbed by 6.8% to $204 million and underlying net profit climbed 7.7% to $34 million.

On the statutory numbers, statutory earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) jumped 25% to $66.1 million and statutory net profit soared 35.4% to $32.8 million.

The business is unlikely to report that level of strong statutory growth in the 2025 financial year, but the pleasing progress was promising.

FY25 also saw the business pay an annual dividend per share of 12.5 cents per share, plus a share buyback, totalling $44 million. It also reported it repaid $13 million of debt, on top of the capital returns I just mentioned.

The ASX small-cap stock has a promising outlook

FY25 is now history, it's important to look ahead to what may happen in FY26.

The business has provided guidance for the 2026 financial year, which looks promising, in my view.

It's expecting to deliver total revenue of between $760 million to $780 million. The middle of that guidance range suggests a possible year over year increase of a further 4%.

Underlying EBIT is expected to be between $67 million to $73 million, with the middle of that range suggest growth of around 3%.

In FY27, the company is expecting to boost EBIT by at least $8 million through upfront episode billing, price increases, digitalisation and application of AI, other technology advancements and workforce alignment to activity that should improve the labour ratio.

Cheap valuation

After falling more than 20% this year, the ASX small-cap stock is trading at 14x FY26's estimated earnings and 12x FY27's estimated earnings.

With earnings forecast to grow in the coming years, the outlook looks positive for the ASX small-cap stock, in my opinion.

The post Why I think this ASX small-cap stock is a bargain at $2.70 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This hasn't gone unnoticed by the team at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG).

So much so, the broker has run its takeover screen to see if there are any takeover candidates in the current market.

Macquarie points out that after re-running its takeover screen from five years ago, it found that 46% of the 37 stocks it identified had some form of M&A. It feels that this gives its screening process some merit. It explains:

With the offer for AUB plus media reports of PE interest in DMP, we have re-run our takeover screen from 2020. Looking back at the original, there were 37 stocks on the list and 46% had some sort of M&A (9 completed takeovers, 6 failed or pending, and 2 strategic stakes acquired), so the screen has merit. In our view, we are in an environment conducive to deals as the market is near its highs, credit spreads are tight and confidence in the outlook is improving. Our FOMO Meter is back up to +0.98, marking the strength of equity sentiment.

Which ASX stocks could be takeover targets?

According to the note, Macquarie has identified 16 ASX stocks that it believes could be attractive options for private equity and other suitors.

And from these, there are 11 ASX stocks in particular that standout.

These are pizza chain operator Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP), pharmaceutical products distributor EBOS Group Ltd (ASX: EBO), Dan Murphy's owner Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV), language testing company IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL), poultry producer Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING), intellectual property services provider IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH), packaging company Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA), Smiggle owner Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV), hospital operator Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX: RHC), plumping parts company Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC), and healthcare company Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL).

Other candidates are Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL), James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX), Reece Ltd (ASX: REH), Spark New Zealand Ltd (ASX: SPK), and Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA).

Commenting on the stocks, the broker said:

The result is 16 stocks. Of these, the forward PE is >1 standard deviation below the 10-year average for 11 stocks. Ranked by how far they are below their highs, they are IEL, DMP, IPH, RHC, PMV, EDV, ING, ORA, EBO, SHL and RWC. Two (RHC, ORA) already had failed takeover offers in recent years, while others have been the subject of takeover speculation. Based on the performance of the takeover screen from 2020, we would be surprised if none of the stocks on the list is the subject of takeover interest in the next year.

The post Macquarie names 16 potential ASX takeover targets appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL)

The Australian Clinical Labs share price is up 6% to $2.69. Investors have been buying this pathology diagnostics company's shares following the announcement of an on-market share buyback ahead of its annual general meeting. Australian Clinical Labs will buy back up to 19.5 million shares, representing approximately 10% of its outstanding share capital. It stated: "The Board believes that a share buy-back program provides an opportunity to enhance value for ACL shareholders, without compromising the company's strong balance sheet, whilst also delivering accretive investment opportunities."

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

The Karoon Energy share price is up 6% to $1.52. This morning, this energy producer released its third quarter update and revealed production of 2.59MMboe. This was down 12% quarter on quarter due to issues with two Bauna Project wells and a scheduled shutdown of the Who Dat facility. Nevertheless, sales revenue increased 3% quarter on quarter to $164.1 million. Karoon Energy's CEO, Dr Julian Fowles, said: "Despite 12% lower production, sales volumes declined just 3%, reflecting Bauna cargo timings in 2Q25 and 3Q25, while 3Q25 sales revenue rose 3% to US$164.1 million, largely due to higher average Baúna realised oil prices."

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF)

The MA Financial share price is up 9% to $9.83. This has been driven by the release of the asset manager's third quarter update. MA Financial revealed that its assets under management (AUM) grew to $13.3 billion at the end of September. This is up from $9.9 billion a year earlier. This reflects record gross fund inflows of $2.2 billion (ex. institutional) for the nine months to 30 September 2025.

Silex Systems Ltd (ASX: SLX)

The Silex Systems share price is up 12% to $8.69. This morning, this uranium enrichment technology company revealed that an independent review confirmed that its technology has achieved Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL-6). Silex's CEO, Michael Goldsworthy, said: "We are thrilled to receive the independent assessment and validation that the SILEX laser-based uranium enrichment technology has achieved TRL-6, marking a major de-risking milestone in the commercialisation program for the SILEX technology."

The post Why Australian Clinical Labs, Karoon Energy, MA Financial, and Silex shares are roaring higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But the company's share price remains currently well down on where it was this time last year, closing at $2.53 per share on Wednesday before the buyback was announced.

This compares with $3.71 at this time last year, a full 31.8% higher than what the shares are changing hands for at the close on Wednesday.

The shares traded as high as $2.66 in early trade on Thursday, up 5.1%. The company was valued at $495.4 million at the close of trade on Wednesday.

Still looking for acquisitions

ACL, which was also holding its annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday, said the buyback was a disciplined way to deliver value back to shareholders.

The company said:

The board believes that a share buyback program provides an opportunity to enhance value for ACL shareholders, without compromising the company's strong balance sheet, whilst also delivering accretive investment opportunities.

The buyback is expected to start on about November 12 and run for 12 months, buying back up to 19.5 million shares.

Chair Stephen Roche said in his address to Thursday's AGM that the company was continuing to look at acquisition opportunities.

Chief executive Melinda McGrath said in her address to the meeting that the company delivered strong results last financial year in a challenging environment.

Going forward, the company reaffirmed its FY26 guidance of revenue of $760 million to $780 million and EBIT of $67 million to $73 million.

Ms McGrath added:

ACL re-confirms this guidance range, notwithstanding that market volume in the first three months of FY26 has been relatively flat year on year. It is important to note that this first quarter is in comparison to a very strong growth period in the same quarter in the prior year, so this is not entirely unexpected. Specific revenue and billing initiatives … have so far shown positive outcomes, which is partially offsetting the slower market growth.

Ms McGrath said the company continued to drive innovation in areas such as the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and "as a result, profitability for the first quarter is in line with our expectations''.

In the last financial year, ACL generated revenue of $741 million, up 6.4% on the previous year, and "ahead of market growth", Mr Roche said. Underlying EBIT came in at $68 million, which was 8.7% up on the previous period.

ACL bought back $19 million of its own shares last financial year and paid $25 million in dividends.

According to the ASX website, its dividend yield is 4.94% fully franked.

The post Major buyback at pathology provider has shares heading north appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

We've all sat there and thought, "If only I'd just invested X amount into this five years ago!"

For example, it feels like I've read more than 50 articles this year as the CBA share price has hit record high after record high.

Was I ever going to buy when it felt like it was overvalued? Probably not. 

Did I read them all anyway – of course! 

While it's always valuable to be up to date on share market winners, it can also be worthwhile to watch stocks trading close to all-time lows. 

While they might not look attractive, these often provide value and opportunity for long-term investors. 

Here are three that are close to 52-week lows worth keeping an eye on. 

Reece Ltd (ASX: REH)

This supplier of plumbing, bathroom, heating ventilation, and air-conditioning products has fallen more than 60% in the last 12 months. 

The company has dealt with a soft housing market, cost inflation, and increased competitive threats.

Most recently, it fell 22.6% within two days of its FY25 report.

The bathroom products retailer reported FY25 revenue of $8.98 billion, down 1% from the previous year, and NPAT of $317 million.

However, Ord Minnett has a buy rating and $14.50 price target on its shares. This indicates more than 36% upside. 

While the broker does say Reece's near-term outlook remains challenging, it suggests the share price is at a cyclical low. 

Morgans has a less optimistic view on this ASX share. 

Morgans downgraded Reece shares from a hold to a trim rating with a reduced price target of $11.10.

This still indicates an upside of 4.52%. 

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL)

This healthcare company operates pathology labs and services in Australia. 

Its share price has fallen 20% in the last 12 months. 

However, the company did post pleasing FY25 results last month. 

It posted a 6.4% increase in total revenue to $741.3 million and a 7.7% lift in underlying net profit after tax to $34 million.

However, Bell Potter's price target indicates an opportunity for this struggling ASX stock. 

The broker has an overweight recommendation and $3.50 price target. 

This indicates an upside of 37%. 

Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL)

Sonic Healthcare is another battered ASX healthcare stock. 

It is one of the world's largest medical diagnostics companies, with operations spanning Australia, Europe, and North America.

It has tumbled more than 20% since late August earnings results and is down roughly 15% over the last year. 

This was despite a reported revenue of $9,645 million, up 8% year over year, and an NPAT of $514 million, up 7% for FY25.

The price target from Bell Potter also indicates this could be undervalued. 

Sonic Healthcare shares closed yesterday at $22.70 each, which is 23% below the broker's price target of $27.96. 

The post 3 popular ASX shares trading close to 52 week lows appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL)

The Australian Clinical Labs share price is up 9% to $2.73. Investors have been buying this pathology services provider's shares following the release of its full year results. It posted a 6.4% increase in total revenue to $741.3 million and 7.7% lift in underlying net profit after tax to $34 million. Australian Clinical Labs CEO Melinda McGrath said: "Despite a challenging external environment, which saw slower market growth in the second half of FY 2025, the second half performance delivered our earnings guidance."

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The Coles Group share price is up over 8% to $22.49. This follows the release of the supermarket giant's FY 2025 results. Coles reported a 3.6% increase in group sales to $44,352 million and an 10.7% jump in normalised underlying EBITDA to $4,052 million. Management also revealed that FY 2026 has started strongly with supermarkets sales revenue increasing by 4.9% (7.0% ex-tobacco) during the first eight weeks. This is being "supported by continued strength in volumes as we continue to invest in customer value and experience."

Kelsian Group Ltd (ASX: KLS)

The Kelsian Group share price is up 15% to $4.64. This has been driven by the travel and transport company's full year results. The Sealink owner revealed a 9.5% increase in revenue to $2,208.9 million and a 7.4% lift in underlying EBITDA to $285 million. Looking ahead, management expects FY 2026 underlying EBITDA to be between $297 million and $310 million. This represents growth of 4.2% to 8.8%. Kelsian CEO, Graeme Legh, said: "We have a clearly defined capital management strategy, a clear plan for the potential divestment of our Tourism Portfolio, and a disciplined growth focus. Supported by a strengthened balance sheet, I am confident in our ability to deliver sustainable long term shareholder value."

Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN)

The Nanosonics share price is up 12% to $4.62. This morning, this infection prevention company released its FY 2025 results and posted a 17% increase in total revenue to $198.6 million and a 72% jump in profit before tax to $22.3 million. Nanosonics CEO, Michael Kavanagh, said: "FY25 reflects a strong financial performance and a year in which we continued to lay the foundations for our next growth horizon. Our business model continues to demonstrate its strength and scalability. With a large cumulative installed base of 37,000 units, up 6% year-on-year, we are seeing this foundation translate into significant recurring revenue growth."

The post Why Australian Clinical Labs, Coles, Kelsian, and Nanosonics shares are racing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Just because a business has fallen doesn't automatically mean it's going to rebound. However, I think the two businesses I'll discuss have been oversold and could be good buys.

In a falling interest rate environment, I think investors could do well with the following ASX shares.

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL)

This ASX share is one of Australia's largest private providers of pathology services. It provides pathology services for a range of clients, including doctors, specialists, patients, hospitals, and corporate clients. It's also one of the largest private hospital pathology businesses in Australia.

As the chart below shows, the Australian Clinical Labs share price has declined by approximately a quarter of its value since 25 February 2025.

In the company's FY25 half-year results, it reported total revenue growth of $31.9 million to $369.2 million. Statutory operating profit (EBIT) rose $11 million to $26.9 million, and statutory net profit increased $6.8 million to $11.8 million.

I think this could be a compelling option for investors looking for a relatively defensive business that can deliver growth.

The beaten-up ASX share is looking to drive top-line growth through sustainable and profitable collection centre network expansion and hospital services growth at "margin accretive rates". The company is trading at 13x FY26's estimated earnings according to Commsec, with a potential grossed-up dividend yield of 6.8% including franking credits.

Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR)

Siteminder is another ASX share that is now trading at a much cheaper price. It's down approximately 30% from its February 2025 high, as the chart below shows.

This company provides the Siteminder software, which is a hotel distribution and revenue platform. It also offers Little Hotelier, an all-in-one hotel management software that aims to provide pleasing usability and efficiencies for smaller hotels.

The company is growing revenue at a strong rate, so I believe Siteminder's share price decline is only temporary and is likely to recover in the medium term. In the FY25 half-year result, the business reported its annualised recurring revenue increased 18.4% to $216.2 million.

Its increasing scale is helping the company's profit margins increase. In the HY25 result, its underlying gross profit improved by 118 basis points (1.18%) to 66.9% thanks to its operating leverage. This helped the company achieve positive underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of $5.3 million, an improvement from the $1.2 million loss in the FY24 first half.

I'm expecting the company to be much more profitable in the next few years and continue winning more hotel customers, with a particular focus on larger ones.

The post Is it time to buy these 2 beaten-up ASX shares in 2025? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Healthcare can be an exciting sector of the market to be exposed to because many companies operating in this space are at the cutting edge of science and research.

Furthermore, healthcare shares remains a defensive investment due to the fact consumers will always need to access this sector regardless of economic conditions.

Let's look at what the broker has to say. 

AFT Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: AFP)

AFT Pharmaceuticals Ltd. develops, markets and distributes a broad portfolio of pharmaceutical products across a wide range of therapeutic categories. These are distributed across all major pharmaceutical distribution channels: over-the-counter, prescription and hospital. 

It has four operating segments based on geographical location being Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and the rest of the world. 

However, it generates the majority of the revenue from Australia. 

The healthcare company's share price has fallen more than 20% over the last year. However it seems Bell Potter believes it has dipped into the value range.

At the time of writing, these healthcare shares are trading at $2.27 each. 

Bell Potter currently has a "buy" recommendation and target price of $4.00. 

If shares were to reach this target price, that would mean a 76.21% rise. 

According to the broker, the company is estimated to see revenue increase from $189.36 million in 2025 to $224.97 million in 2026. 

Bell Potter's report also estimated EBITDA to grow from $17.81 million to $24.39 million during the same span. 

Trading View has a 12 month price target of $3.42, which, although lower, still indicates more than 50% upside. 

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL)

Australian Clinical Labs Limited (ASX: ACL) is an Australian private pathology provider. 

It offers a wide range of diagnostic and specialist testing services. This includes routine pathology, molecular genetics, histopathology, cardiac testing, and skin cancer care. 

The healthcare company's share price has fallen more than 20% since the beginning of the year. Based on Bell Potter's recommendation, it is now undervalued. 

Some of the drop could be attributed to a cybersecurity incident that exposed sensitive patient data in late February. 

Its shares are currently trading at $2.72 each. Bell Potter has placed an "overweight" rating and target price of $3.45 on the healthcare company's shares.

This would indicate a 26.84% upside. 

Last month, Macquarie placed a $3.15 target price on the healthcare stock, suggesting 15.81% upside.

The post 75% upside: Broker tips two ASX healthcare shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) opened 0.29% higher on Thursday.

In a recent note to investors, Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) has updated its position and target price on three ASX All Ords stocks in the healthcare sector. It expects some share prices could increase as much as 30-50%.

Integral Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: IDX)

Integral Diagnostics provides diagnostic imaging services to general practitioners, medical specialists, and allied professionals. It operates under three core brands: Lake Imaging, South Coast Radiology, and Global Diagnostics. 

Company shares crashed 30% in February this year when the business recorded a statutory loss of $0.4 million in its half-year results. Investors were strongly disappointed, and many offloaded their shares. 

Integral Diagnostics attributed the loss to higher-than-expected clinical staff cost inflation, particularly in two remote regional areas. 

Since its crash, the share price has slowly gained ground and is trading 15.02% higher today at $2.45 per share.

But Macquarie thinks there is room for a much stronger recovery. In its note, the broker revealed its outperform rating at a $3.20 target price on the stock. This indicates a potential 30.61% upside from today's price.

Although Macquarie also notes that key downsides to its thesis relate to weaker-than-expected volume growth and/or operating cost growth ahead of expectations. It also points to less-than-expected cost synergies from the potential merger as another downside.

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL)

Australian Clinical Labs is a leading private provider of pathology services in Australia. 

The company's share price suffered a similar fate to Integral Diagnostics when it plummeted 16.21% in late February. The drop followed a cybersecurity incident that exposed sensitive patient data. 

At the same time, the company's market value also declined as investors responded to the company skipping full-year guidance and potentially not paying a final dividend, despite strong first-half profits, the AFR reported.

Today, the shares are trading at $2.935 a piece, down 1.84% for the day. The share price is still up 33.41% for the year.

Macquarie is neutral on the stock. In its investor note, it has assigned a $3.15 target price, indicating a potential 7.32% upside.

"The key downside to our thesis and Neutral recommendation is slower-than-expected recovery in base pathology volumes, with upside being additional synergies providing cost out and a faster recovery in base pathology volume," Macquaire said.

Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS)

Healius is an Australian healthcare company that provides pathology, diagnostic imaging, and related services to consumers and healthcare professionals. It has a large network of laboratories, collection centres, and imaging centres across Australia.

The Healius share price remained steady throughout the first quarter of the year, thanks to strong H1 2025 results.

But its share price has spiraled in May. Shares are trading at $0.9125 today, down 42.96% since 7 May.

There has been no news out of the healthcare company, but it appears that investors are concerned about the state of Australia's healthcare sector.

Healthscope went into administration this week.

Macquarie is neutral on the stock, but expects a strong recovery as investors regain confidence. The broker has placed a $1.40 target price on shares, up from $1.38 previously, which would represent a potential 53.42% increase from today's trading price.

"The key risks to our earnings forecasts, target price and rating primarily relate to variation in base business activity (pathology, diagnostic imaging), operating expense growth relative to our expectations and the final outcomes associated with the divestment of Lumus Imaging," it said.

The post Why Macquarie forecasts 30-50% upside for these ASX All Ords healthcare stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

If so, you're not alone!

The good news for every Aussie investor, regardless of your current holdings, is that with the election all but done and dusted, we can look forward to far greater policy certainty over the next few years than we've had over the past few.

Because if there's one thing markets despise, it's uncertainty.

With the Federal election results in mind, Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) and MST Financial ran their slide rules over some of Labor's signature economic policies and what those foretell for ASX 200 stocks (courtesy of The Australian Financial Review).

ASX 200 stocks primed to catch Labor tailwinds

First up, Labor is aiming to increase Medicare to the tune of $8.5 billion, hoping that 90% of all GP visits can be bulk billed by 2030.

That massive expansion, as you'd expect, could well lift select ASX 200 stocks in the healthcare space.

If costs come down and more Aussies receive the primary care they require, Macquarie and MST said companies like Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS), Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL), Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL), and Integral Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: IDX) could benefit from an increase in patient referral volumes.

Then there's Labor's $690 million four-year plan to bring down the costs of medicine in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The analysts expect this should offer tailwinds for pharmacy stocks, including industry giant Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG).

Construction and mining stocks

Another big-ticket item Labor has pledged is a $10 billion spend to construct 100,000 new homes to ease the great Aussie housing crunch.

Macquarie and MST expect this could offer a boost to ASX 200 stocks like Mirvac Group (ASX: MGR) and Stockland Corp Ltd (ASX: SGP).

As the AFR reports, there could also be plenty of winners in the mining space. Labor's $7.3 billion energy plan includes $2 billion in credits for aluminium smelters that switch to renewable energy sources and $1 billion for green iron manufacturing.

Macquarie pointed to both Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) and South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) as ASX 200 stocks that are in the sweet spot to benefit from the $2 billion aluminium credits.

The broker added that BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), BlueScope Steel Ltd (ASX: BSL), and Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares could enjoy tailwinds from the $1 billion credits for green iron production.

The post How these ASX 200 stocks are primed to gain from Labor's resounding Federal election win appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In a recent note, fund manager IML identified three small-cap ASX healthcare shares that it rates a buy.

IML invests in quality companies offering good value now, with the potential for attractive long-term returns and lower volatility than the market average along the way.

Small-cap stocks have a market capitalisation of between a few hundred million dollars to $2 billion. They are smaller up-and-coming companies that are still in growth mode and typically don't pay dividends.

Let's check out the three small-cap ASX healthcare shares that IML has its eye on.

3 ASX healthcare shares tipped for growth

IML Portfolio Manager Marc Whittaker says there are attractive long-term investment opportunities in the small-cap healthcare space.

He has revealed three high-quality ASX stocks "with strong prospects trading at reasonable valuations".

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL)

This ASX healthcare share has risen 21% in the year to date and closed at $3.57 on Friday.

Whittaker expects a lift in the share price of this ASX healthcare stock as the pathology provider's performance continues to improve.

He says:

ACL, and many other healthcare stocks, have been suffering from low GP visitation since Covid. We have finally seen GP visitations recover, which has meant more referrals for pathology, but also radiology and other medical tests.

This has directly benefitted ACL which reported that its revenue grew 7 to 8% over the past year and it expects revenue to grow at a similar rate of 5 to 6% next year.

For a company like ACL revenue growth is particularly encouraging because around 70-80% of its costs are fixed, so a significant percentage of increased revenue flows through to profit.

Whittaker says the buyback over the next 12 months "should provide a further boost to its share price".

Regis Healthcare Ltd (ASX: REG)

This ASX healthcare share has risen 97% in the year to date and closed at $6.40 on Friday.

One of Australia's largest aged-care operators, Regis is set to benefit from the Federal Government's proposed new Aged Care Act.

Whittaker says Regis has remained profitable while many other aged care providers have not. Improved government funding and Australia's ageing population are significant tailwinds for the business.

He comments:

Current occupancy for Regis sits at 95%, a level last seen around 2015. Back then its operating margins were over 20%, whereas right now they are at 10.5%.

While it will be difficult for Regis to return to those margin levels – the sector now rightly bears significantly greater compliance, reporting and staffing requirements – we expect its margins to move from the current 10.5% to around 12% to 15% over the next couple of years.

It also has a strong balance sheet, which leaves it well placed to grow through acquisition as we saw recently with its purchase of two new aged care homes.

Integral Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: IDX)

This ASX healthcare share has risen 55% in the year to date and closed at $2.99 on Friday.

As one of Australia's largest diagnostic imaging providers, Integral Diagnostics has faced cost pressures and a lower rate of GP referrals over the past two years.

But Whittaker says things are changing, commenting:

Like ACL, the increase in GP radiology referrals is seeing higher volumes. Additionally, a continued mix shift in radiology work towards higher value and higher margin imaging such as CT and PET scans, as well as higher government indexation on Medicare radiology benefits, allowed IDX to report improved margins in its latest result.

IDX's balance sheet is also improving. Two years ago, it was close to three times net debt to EBITDA and now it is at around two and a half times.

Whittaker is confident the company can continue to grow its revenue at 5% to 8% and reduce its cost growth to about 4% to 5% to increase margins and reduce debt.

He also points out that Integral has a high percentage of fixed costs, so more of the revenue boost would flow through to profits.

The post 3 small-cap ASX healthcare shares 'with strong prospects' appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Meantime, Tamim Asset Management has issued a note on three ASX All Ords shares to buy.

The broker says these stocks offer ASX investors an opportunity to capitalise on sector trends as well as company-specific growth drivers.

In an article, Tamim says these three companies share common themes of "resilience and the potential for strong future performance".

Let's check them out.

3 ASX All Ords shares primed for growth

Humm Group (ASX: HUM)

The Humm share price is 82 cents on Thursday, down 1.20% for the day and up 82% over the past 12 months.

Tamim said Humm had a difficult year but was showing signs of recovery.

The broker said the financial services company had positioned itself for future growth through cost-cutting measures and expansion of its commercial portfolio.

Tamim noted that Humm reported a normalised annual cash profit of $60.6 million, reflecting a 19% decrease from the prior year. This was largely due to the impact of rising interest rates, economic uncertainty and increased competition in the buy now, pay later sector.

Humm is expanding its commercial portfolio, which Tamim says has strong growth potential:

Humm could present an intriguing opportunity for investors who are willing to look beyond its recent challenges and focus on its long-term growth potential.

Praemium Ltd (ASX: PPS)

The Praemium share price is currently trading at 56.5 cents, down 1.74% today and up almost 1% over the past 12 months.

Tamim says Praemium's scalable business model, strong revenue growth, and product innovation make it a compelling investment opportunity in the technology arena.

The broker said Praemium delivered solid financial results for the year, with EBITDA of $21.5 million. This was driven by a particularly strong second-half performance. Tamim commented:

This growth was underpinned by Praemium's investment in capability, resilience, and IT security during the first half, which laid the groundwork for its subsequent financial success.

Tamim regards Praemium's acquisition of the OneView business from Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE) as a great strategic decision. The broker says it has enhanced the company's revenue, as well as its market profile.

The asset manager commented:

Looking ahead, Praemium's growth prospects appear strong. The company has identified a gap in the market for next-generation IDPs (Investment Data Platforms), which it is poised to address with its new offerings. This product innovation is expected to drive further revenue growth and expand Praemium's customer base to address the non custodial market for high net worth investors.

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL)

This ASX All Ords health care share is trading at $3.69, down 0.27% on Thursday and up 34% over the past 12 months.

Tamim noted a solid start to FY25 for Australian Clinical Labs, including improving margins.

It says the ASX All Ords share is undervalued and an attractive opportunity in the health care sector.

The broker noted the pathology provider's solid financial results despite a significant decline in COVID-related revenue. Underlying EBIT came in at $62.6 million, in line with the company's FY24 guidance.

The second half of the year was especially strong, with underlying EBIT growing to $39.1 million, representing an 11% margin.

The company's ability to drive margin expansion in the second half of the year reflects the success of its cost control measures and its focus on operational efficiency.

ACL has carried this positive momentum into FY25, with strong growth already evident in the early months of the fiscal year.

Tamim said Australian Clinical Labs had a strong balance sheet, and the ASX All Ords share's dividend yield remained attractive.

Looking ahead, ACL appears poised for a re-rating, particularly if it continues to deliver strong financial results in FY25 where we estimate it is highly likely to upgrade guidance at the AGM or first half result.

The post 3 ASX All Ords shares with 'potential for strong future performance' appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The All Ords Index is also up 0.84% to 8,264.3 points at the time of writing.

It seems investors in this ASX All Ords healthcare share are unperturbed by news of a major sell-down.

Let's see what Australian Clinical Labs told the market today.

ASX All Ords share in the green despite sell-down

Australian Clinical Labs released an announcement before the market open on Thursday.

The company said that major shareholder Crescent Capital has sold its entire 30.12% holding.

The shareholding was sold in a block trade.

Crescent Capital has confirmed it no longer holds stock in the ASX All Ords healthcare share through its various investment vehicles.

No other information was released.

What else is happening with Australian Clinical Labs?

Last month, during earnings season, the private pathology services provider reported a 0.1% decline in total revenue to $696.4 million for FY24 despite a 59% decline in COVID-19 revenue.

The underlying EBIT of $62.6 million was in line with FY24 guidance.

The company reported a stronger improvement in performance in 2H FY24, with underlying EBIT of $39.1 million at an 11% margin compared to $23.4 million in 1H FY24 at a 7% margin.

The underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) was $31.6 million, down 12.5%. The profit attributable to members of Australian Clinical Laboratories fell 33.3% to $23.9 million.

Basic earnings per share (EPS) fell 32.8% to 12.03 cents per share.

On 27 September, the ASX All Ords share will pay a higher final dividend of 9 cents per share, up from 7 cents per share in FY23.

The total FY24 dividend was lower at 12 cents per share compared to 14 cents per share in FY23.

The company also announced an on-market share buyback of up to 20 million shares.

CEO Melinda McGrath said:

ACL has been able to hold margins constant on FY23. In H2, the business returned to double digit EBIT margins, despite a material decline in COVID-19 revenue in FY24, and significant industry cost pressures. The business expects to realise earnings growth in FY25 as the market starts to show signs of recovery, with strong volume growth year-to-date.

ACL has a clear strategy to drive top-line growth through disciplined network expansion, investment in strategic new business, as well as a range of billing enhancement initiatives over the next 12 months. As always, the business will remain focused on operational efficiencies with margins expected to continue strengthening over time.

The post ASX All Ords share higher despite major shareholder cashing out 30% stake appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn't quite right with a company.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

• Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) is still easily the most shorted ASX share with short interest of 20.6%, which is down week on week. This appears to be due to concerns that weak lithium prices will weigh heavily on its performance for some time to come.
• IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) has 12.9% of its shares held short, which is down slightly since last week. Short sellers have loaded up on this language testing and student placement company's shares after it confirmed that it is being impacted negatively by student visa changes in a number of key markets.
• Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL) has seen its short interest jump to 11.2%. This health imaging company is expecting to report another significant profit decline in FY 2024. Short sellers don't appear confident that FY 2025 will be much better.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has seen its short interest increase again to 11%. Concerns over weak consumer spending and revenue margin headwinds appear to be behind this. UBS doesn't seem to agree. Last week, the broker upgraded Flight Centre's shares to a buy rating with a lofty $27.80 price target.
• Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) has 10.4% of its share held short, which is down week on week. Liontown is another ASX lithium stock being targeted due to weak battery materials prices.
• Syrah Resources Ltd (ASX: SYR) has short interest of 10.4%, which is down a touch week on week. This graphite miner has been struggling with weak battery material prices. This has led to production suspensions and significant cash burn.
• Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN) has short interest of 9.9%, which is down week on week. This mineral exploration company is still years away from commencing production. As a result, some investors appear to believe the commodity forecasts it is using for its project studies are ambitious.
• Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) has short interest of 9.7%, which is up week on week again. This appears to be due to doubts over the gold miner's proposed merger with Canada-based Karoa Resources.
• Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) has short interest of 9.1%, which is down since last week. This lithium miner is currently selling its product for less than it costs to produce.
• Cettire Ltd (ASX: CTT) is a new entry in the top ten with 8.9% of its shares held short. The online luxury products retailer has been battling tough trading conditions and criticism of its business model and customer policies.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn't quite right with a company.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

• Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) remains the most shorted ASX share with flat short interest of 21.3%. With analysts forecasting lithium prices to remain under pressure for some time, short sellers appear to believe this will weigh on this lithium miner's profits.
• IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) has 13.1% of its shares held short, which is up slightly since last week. This language testing and student placement company is being impacted negatively by student visa changes in a number of key markets.
• Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) has 11.1% of its share held short, which is also flat week on week. Liontown will soon be adding more lithium supply to the market, with the Kathleen Valley Project commencing production in the coming weeks.
• Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN) has short interest of 11%, which is up significantly week on week. Short sellers aren't giving up on this mineral exploration company's shares despite them losing almost 80% of their value over the last 12 months.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has seen its short interest increase to 10.8%. Short sellers continue to target this travel agent giant's shares amid concerns over weak consumer spending and revenue margin headwinds.
• Syrah Resources Ltd (ASX: SYR) has short interest of 10.5%, which is up week on week. This graphite miner's shares have fallen heavily due to weak battery material prices, production suspensions, and ongoing cash burn.
• Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL) has short interest of 10%, which is up since last week again. This health imaging company has warned that is expecting to report another significant profit decline in FY 2024. Short sellers don't appear to believe improvements are coming any time soon.
• Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) has short interest of 9.5%, which is up week on week. Short sellers don't appear supportive of the gold miner's proposed merger with Canada-based Karoa Resources.
• Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) has short interest of 9.4%, which is up since last week. At present, Sayona Mining is burning through cash due to its unit costs being higher than its unit sale price.
• Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) has seen its short interest rise again to 9.1%. This appears to have been driven by ongoing rare earths price weakness.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.