Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rose 1.84% to finish at 9,081.4 points on Friday.

As earnings season continued, strong results and higher oil prices pushed the ASX 200 to a new record of 9,118.3 points on Thursday.

That beat the previous record of 9,115.2 points set on 21 October.

Eight of the 11 market sectors finished the week in the green.

Let's recap.

ASX tech shares led the market last week

Last week was a welcome bright spot for ASX 200 tech shares, which are in the midst of a prolonged rout.

And boy, is it ugly.

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) has fallen by more than 40% over the past six months.

We took a deep dive into the issues plaguing the sector last week.

In a nutshell, there's fear in the market over artificial intelligence (AI).

Investors are worried about high tech stock valuations, extraordinary AI capex, and whether AI could white-ant SaaS companies.

Perhaps a rebound is now underway, given last week's 6.55% increase for the tech sector.

Let's take a look at what happened in the sector last week.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares lifted 10.51% to finish at $47.10 ahead of the company's earnings release on Wednesday.

The Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price rose 5.51% to $77.54.

NextDC Limited (ASX: NXT) shares slipped 0.71% to $13.92.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares soared 22.71% to $24.74, with investors reassured by upgraded FY26 guidance at last week's AGM.

Shares in electronics solutions provider Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) lifted 1.37% to $34.69.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) shares increased 8.27% to $23.84.

The Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) share price tumbled 9.98% after the company reported an underlying net loss of $3.3 million for 1H FY26.

The Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) share price rose 7.32% to $10.41 ahead of its earning report on Thursday.

Macquarie Technology Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ) shares rose 5.4% to $67.19.

The Data#3 Ltd (ASX: DTL) share price lifted 4.24% to $9.10 ahead of the IT solutions provider's earnings release on Monday.

Objective Corporation Ltd (ASX: OCL) shares increased 6.4% to $14.

The Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE) share price edged 0.43% higher to $7.05 ahead of the financial technology company's report on Wednesday.

The Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT) share price rose 5.72% to $3.51.

Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN) soared 16.29% to $5.14 after the company reported a 389.1% lift in net profit for 1H FY26.

Hansen is one of a large group of ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend next week. The tech stock will pay a dividend of 5 cents per share.

Shares in hotel bookings management platform provider, Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR) rose 4.62% to $3.62.

The Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT) share price fell 0.2% to $4.90.

Shares in wealth management software company Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS) fell 7.45% to $1.93.

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

Here's how the 11 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.

Over the five trading days:

The post ASX 200 tech shares lead market sectors with a 7% bounce back appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here are three new recommendations.

Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS)

The Bravura Solutions share price closed at $1.95 on Thursday, down 4.4%.

Last week, the wealth management software provider reported underlying revenue of $140 million, up 9.8% year-over-year, for 1H FY26.

About $81.3 million was recurring revenue.

Underlying cash earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) was $34.2 million, up $14.2 million on 1H FY25.

Underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) was $25.9 million, up $14.6 million on 1H FY25.

Bravura ended the half with $64.5 million in cash and no debt.

Shaw and Partners reiterated its buy rating on the ASX tech share after reviewing the report.

The broker said revenue and EBITDA were comfortably ahead of expectations, commenting:

BVS is now a leaner, more efficient and more focused organisation.

While u/lying recurring growth is a highlight, churn is still a headwind and shouldn't be ignored entirely.

However, Services is driving recent upgrades and BVS has good visibility into FY27.

Its cost base has now stabilized, which suggests future upgrades will be driven by revenue outperformance.

Shaw and Partners has a 12-month price target of $2.50 on Bravura Solutions shares.

Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC)

Lottery Corporation shares closed at $5.58 yesterday, up 1.1%.

On Wednesday, the lottery services provider reported a 2% lift in revenue to $1.82 billion for 1H FY26.

EBITDA slipped 0.7% to $367 million and NPAT fell 1.4% to $173.3 million.

Operating expenses increased 2.9% to $146 million. Net debt was $2.24 billion, with leverage at 3x EBITDA.

After surveying the numbers, Morgans retained its hold rating on this ASX retail share, commenting:

TLC delivered a resilient 1H26 result despite the leanest jackpot environment since demerger, with jackpot game outcomes (~50% of turnover) well below statistical norms.

Record Keno performance and strength in base games (incl. Saturday Lotto retention +103%) helped cushion the impact, while digital mix growth was muted by the absence of large jackpots.

New CEO Wayne Pickup's maiden result leaned into 'evolution not revolution', with messaging focused on portfolio optimisation and disciplined cost/capital allocation going forward.

TLC trades on forward EV/EBITDA and PER of ~16x and ~27x respectively, with the mid-year Investor Day the next key catalyst.

Morgans lifted its price target on Lottery Corporation shares from $5.40 to $5.70.

ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX)

The ASX Ltd share price closed at $54.92 on Thursday, up 0.2% amid the ASX 200 setting a new record high.

ASX is the predominant stock market operator in Australia.

Last week, ASX reported an 11.2% increase in revenue to $602.8 million for 1H FY26.

Statutory NPAT was $263.6 million, up 8.3%. However, total expenses rose 20% to $264.3 million.

On The Bull this week, Andrew Wielandt from DP Wealth Advisory put a sell rating on this ASX financial share.

He commented:

The business faces several challenges, including regulatory scrutiny after technology issues and heightened competition from Cboe Australia.

The rise of private equity and debt also generates competition for the ASX.

On February 12, 2026, the ASX announced a statutory net profit after tax of $263.6 million for the first half of 2026, an increase of 8.3 per cent on the prior corresponding period.

However, total expenses of $264.4 million 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. 

The post Buy, hold, sell: Bravura, ASX, Lottery Corporation shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The market is taking a breather after a strong week that saw the ASX All Ords rise to a 14-week high of 9,345.2 points.

Between Monday and Thursday, the ASX All Ords ascended 3.65% on the back of strong results from several major companies.

The stand-out was an unexpected 6% cash profit lift from Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) in 1H FY26.

The result saw the market's biggest ASX 200 bank share reassume the crown as the largest stock by market cap on the All Ords.

CBA declared a fully-franked interim dividend of $2.35 per share, up 4% from 1H FY25, with the ex-dividend date next Wednesday.

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) also surprised with a $1.94 billion cash profit in 1Q FY26, up 75% on the 2H FY25 quarterly average.

The news sent ANZ shares to a record high (surpassed today at $40.95), alongside several other ASX All Ords large-cap shares.

Meantime, earnings season continues on Friday.

Next week, a small group of ASX All Ords shares will go ex-dividend.

To pick up a dividend payment, you must own the stock before the ex-dividend date.

On the ex-dividend date, share prices tend to fall because the stocks are less valuable without their next dividends attached.

This also presents an opportunity to buy the stock or do some dollar-cost averaging if you're already a shareholder.

ASX shares with ex-dividend dates coming up

Which companies are reporting next week?

According to the calendar, we'll hear from JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) on Monday.

On Tuesday, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares will be on watch as the miner releases its 1H FY26 numbers.

On Wednesday, Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC) will report.

Thursday will be a huge day for the ASX All Ords.

We'll hear from Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC), Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), and ZIP Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP), as well as Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS), Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR), Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

On Friday, Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN), Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1), and QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) will be up.

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

In that context, today's move looks less like disappointment and more like consolidation after a sharp re-rating.

What did Bravura report?

For the half year ended 31 December 2025, Bravura announced a result that broadly validated the optimism in Monday's guidance upgrade.

Key highlights included:

• Underlying revenue from customers of $140.0m, up 9.8% year on year
• Underlying Cash EBITDA of $34.2m, up $14.2m versus 1H25, equating to a 24.4% margin
• Underlying NPAT of $25.9m, more than double the prior period
• Cash balance of $64.5m, with no debt

All figures exclude the impact of the FY25 license agreement with Fidelity International.

Revenue growth was driven by pricing improvements and increased professional services activity across its existing client base. Meanwhile, operating costs were well controlled, allowing more of that revenue growth to flow through to profit.

Recurring revenue, which includes maintenance, support, and hosting income, remained a significant contributor to the business. This provides a level of stability that investors have been looking for after a more volatile period in prior years.

Bravura also declared an interim dividend of 5.77 cents per share and a special dividend of 4.46 cents per share, bringing total dividends for the half to 10.23 cents per share. The ordinary dividend represents 100% of underlying NPAT for the period.

Importantly, management reaffirmed the recently upgraded FY26 guidance. The midpoint of that guidance implies stronger profitability in the second half compared to the first, suggesting confidence in continued momentum.

Foolish bottom line

After a 31% rally earlier in the week, the market may have already priced in much of the good news, and today's decline appears modest given the scale of the prior move.

The key takeaway is that Bravura's improved guidance is now backed by solid first-half numbers. Revenue is growing, margins are expanding, cash generation is strong, and the balance sheet remains debt-free.

The next test will be delivery in the second half. If management can meet its upgraded targets, this week's re-rating may prove justified.

The post Bravura shares ease after first-half result, but remain up 30% this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are storming higher:

Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS)

The Bravura Solutions share price is up 27% to $2.28. This wealth management software provider's shares are jumping today after it upgraded its guidance for FY 2026. Bravura now expects revenue to be between $280 million and $285 million (previously $265 million and $275 million) and cash EBITDA to be between $69 million and $73 million (previously $55 million and $65 million). This reflects increased project engagement across customers and business units, which is expected to continue into the second half.

CAR Group Limited (ASX: CAR)

The CAR Group share price is up 8% to $26.51. Investors have been buying the auto listings company's shares following the release of its half-year results. CAR Group reported an 8% increase in revenue to $626 million, an 11% lift in EBITDA to $324 million, and a 16% jump in net profit after tax to $143 million. The company's managing director and CEO, William Elliott, said: "CAR Group has delivered a strong first half, achieving excellent financial results with double-digit growth across our key financial metrics. This is a great outcome and reflects the strength of the business model and the continued execution of our strategy."

Pepper Money Ltd (ASX: PPM)

The Pepper Money share price is up 27% to $2.23. This follows news that annuities company Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF) is in advanced talks to jointly acquire Pepper Money with Pepper Group ANZ HoldCo. The proposal offers Pepper Money shareholders cash consideration equal to $2.60 per share, less any dividends. Management warned: "Discussions are ongoing, however there is no certainty that a more certain proposal will be forthcoming or that the Indicative Proposal will result in a definitive agreement."

Web Travel Group Ltd (ASX: WEB)

The Web Travel share price is up 18% to $3.49. Investors have been buying this travel technology company's shares on the cheap after they crashed deep into the red on Friday. It seems that some investors believe the market overreacted to news that Spanish authorities are auditing the company's operations in the country.

The post Why Bravura, CAR Group, Pepper Money, and Web Travel shares are storming higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The upgrade was to both the top line and profitability, exactly the kind of update that investors would have been hoping for.

What did Bravura announce?

Bravura announced a material uplift to its guidance for FY26 as follows:

• Revenue is expected to be between $280m and $285m (previously $265m and $275m)
• Cash EBITDA expected to be between $69m and $73m (previously $55m and $65m)
• PPE Capex expected to be circa $4m (previously $2m to $3m)

This guidance assumes an average British Pound GBP/AUD exchange rate of 1.95 for 2H26.

What's driving the turnaround?

According to Bravura, the upgrade is being driven by:

• increased project engagement across customers and business units, which is expected to continue into the second half
• well-managed cost levels, even as project services activity increases
• and ongoing investment in internal technology to support delivery and scalability

That combination matters. Bravura has historically struggled with project execution, cost overruns, and earnings volatility. The update suggests the company is executing well in converting its large installed client base into higher-quality, more profitable work.

Why the market reacted so strongly

A 23% move might look dramatic, but context matters. Bravura shares were caught in the recent tech rout, and its share price has been down about 48% since October 2025.

If Bravura is actually upgrading its guidance in an environment where the prevailing sentiment against tech shares is negative, it shows how confident management is in the company's performance and strong execution.

What to watch next

The next key event will be Bravura's 1H26 results, due on Wednesday, 11 February, where investors will look for further details to confirm the company's strong performance and outlook.

Foolish bottom line

Bravura's guidance upgrade wasn't subtle, and the market response reflects that. This guidance upgrade doesn't just improve near-term numbers; it challenges the bearish narrative. In other words, this wasn't just better-than-expected news. It was confidence-restoring news.

The post Bravura shares soar 23% on guidance upgrade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's because analysts have just named three ASX shares that they think investors should buy, courtesy of The Bull.

Here's what they are recommending to clients:

Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS)

The team at DP Wealth Advisory believes this wealth management software provider could be an ASX share to buy. That's despite its shares rising by almost 130% since this time last year.

Its analysts are positive on Bravura due to its high levels of recurring revenue, strong earnings growth outlook, and attractive return on equity. They said:

The company provides software solutions to the wealth management, life insurance and funds administration industries. Recurring revenue of more than 60 per cent adds to its appeal. In a recent update, management upgraded earnings due to a stronger British pound and from generating more work. Forecast earnings per share growth in 2026 and an attractive return on equity paints a bright outlook.

MyState Ltd (ASX: MYS)

Over at Ord Minnett, its analysts are feeling bullish about this diversified financial services company.

They believe the ASX share has a positive outlook thanks to its merger with Auswide and expect the synergies to start showing in 2027 and 2028.

In addition, the broker believes that MyState is positioned to provide income investors with a better dividend yield than peers for at least the next three years. It explains:

MYS is a national diversified financial services group. Brands include MyState Bank, Auswide Bank, Selfco and TPT Wealth. The company managed $12.9 billion in home loans at the time of reporting its full year results in August. It had 275,000 customers across Australia's eastern seaboard. MyState delivered an inline profit result and final dividend in fiscal year 2025. We expect MyState to extract increasing synergies from the Auswide merger in fiscal years 2027 and 2028. Also, integration costs should subside. MYS is an attractive income stock, and should deliver a fully franked dividend yield above its peer banks and the small capitalisation market during the next three years.

Qube Holdings Ltd (ASX: QUB)

Finally, Ord Minnett also rates this logistics solutions company as an ASX share to buy.

Its analysts think that recent share price weakness has given investors a buying opportunity. Particularly given its diversified earnings and strong balance sheet. They said:

Qube provides integrated import and export logistics services in Australia. Underlying revenue of $4.46 billion in fiscal year 2025 was up 27.3 per cent on the prior corresponding period. The dividend of 9.8 cents was up 7.1 per cent. Given recent share price weakness, we have upgraded Qube to a buy rating, noting the company's diversified earnings across segments and geographies assists in cushioning the impacts of specific customer contract losses. The strong balance sheet and elevated capital expenditure program supports earnings forecasts moving forward.

The post Why these 3 ASX shares are top buys this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It's decent growth for the past 12-month period, but there is one stock that has far outpaced the index and shot up significantly faster.

The Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS) share price has risen an impressive 125.26% year on year. The majority of growth (54.6%) has happened in the past month. For today alone, the share price has jumped 10.54% higher and is changing hands at $3.295 a piece. 

Why is the ASX 200 share storming higher?

Investors have been buying the shares of the wealth management software solutions provider this week following its latest guidance update. 

Bravura said it expects FY26 revenue to be between $265 million and $275 million, which is ahead of last year's $256.8 million result. The business cites the continued strength of the British pound, higher project revenue, and continued focus on operational efficiency for the uplift.

The company also upgraded its EBITDA guidance to between $55 million and $65 million. This is higher than its FY25 result of $50 million.

And now Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) has updated its guidance on the ASX 200 share.

Macquarie's outlook for Bravura shares

In a recent note to investors, the broker confirmed its neutral stance on Bravura shares. It also raised its target price to $3.02. Macquarie's latest guidance was for $2.03 in August.

At the time of writing, the new target price represents a potential downside of 8.3% over the next 12 months.

"Valuation: TP raised to $3.02 (from $2.03), reflecting upgrades. We have also removed the discount we applied to the terminal growth assumption, to reflect ongoing performance," Macquarie analysts said.

"Neutral. While we have upgraded earnings and our target price, the share price movement ahead of the update and in reaction to the release captures is in-line with our valuation."

What else did Macquarie have to say?

The broker said that the initial FY26 guidance noted that underlying revenue growth was expected to be driven by existing customers in EMEA and APAC and cross-sell opportunities in tandem with some new business wins. But added that no new customer wins were announced with the trading update.

Macquarie also said that the guidance upgrade comes despite a "drag from customer exits announced in 2022, that have remained clients". 

"One of three customer exits disclosed in Nov 2022 was expected to complete migration to a BPO by 1 Jan 2026. This customer generated A$10m revenue in FY25 and was not part of the reported FY25 attrition. This implies ~$5m FY26 revenue headwind. One of the other three customer exits from 2022 remains a client."

Also, exits or reductions in FY25 were expected to have a further 2.5% (or A$6.5m) revenue headwind in FY26.

Macquarie added: "While the upgrade calls out continued GBP strength, since guidance was issued at the result, the GBP has actually slightly weakened vs the AUD."

The post Up more than 125% in a year, can this ASX 200 stock rise further? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are climbing:

Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS)

The Bravura Solutions share price is up a further 11% to $3.33. Investors have been buying the wealth management software solutions provider's shares this week following the release of a guidance update. Bravura revealed that it now expects FY 2026 revenue to be between $265 million and $275 million. This is ahead of its previous guidance for revenue in line with last year's result of $256.8 million. Also upgraded was its EBITDA guidance, which is now expected to be between $55 million and $65 million. This compares favourably to its previous guidance of $50 million. Management advised that this upgrade was driven by continued strength in the British pound, higher levels of project revenue, and its continued focus on operational efficiency.

Dateline Resources Ltd (ASX: DTR)

The Dateline Resources share price is up 12% to 56 cents. This follows the release of a drilling update from the gold and rare earths explorer this morning. Managing director, Stephen Baghdadi, commented: "This is an exciting phase for Dateline as we ramp up a major drill program at Colosseum, which is instrumental in accelerating our bankable feasibility study and bringing us closer to production. By utilising our in-house diamond rig alongside Major Drilling's high-powered RC rig, we can significantly increase the pace and scope of drilling, allowing us to tackle mineral resource infill, geotechnical work, and new target testing all at once."

Orthocell Ltd (ASX: OCC)

The Orthocell share price is up 5% to $1.51. This has been driven by the release of a sales update from the regenerative medicine company. Orthocell delivered record quarterly revenue of $3 million for the quarter ended 30 September. This represents a 9.1% increase over the previous quarter, which marks the sixth consecutive quarter of record revenue. This was driven primarily by increasing market penetration of nerve repair product Remplir in Australia and Singapore.

Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC)

The Race Oncology share price is up 40% to $4.35. Investors have been fighting to get hold of this biopharmaceutical company's shares after it released positive cancer research data. Managing Director, Dr Daniel Tillett, said: "The discovery (E,E)-bisantrene acts primarily by binding to G4-DNA and RNA structures, and not like the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin, fundamentally changes our thinking on how to best use this drug in the clinic. Bisantrene continues to surprise, and we look forward to building on this mechanism of action discovery in our future clinical and commercial plans."

The post Why Bravura, Dateline, Orthocell, and Race Oncology shares are storming higher 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:

Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB)

The Austal share price is up over 3% to $8.00. This follows news that the shipbuilder has reached an agreement with the United States Navy to resolve its Request for Equitable Adjustment (REA). This is in relation to the Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ship (T-ATS) program under construction at Austal's Alabama shipyard in the USA. Austal revealed that the pause on construction of T-ATS 14 and T-ATS 15 will become permanent, and the construction contract is now limited to three vessels with only limited alteration on the overall original contract value.

Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS)

The Bravura Solutions share price is up 19% to $3.01. This has been driven by the release of a guidance update from the wealth management software solutions provider this morning. Bravura now expects FY 2026 revenue to be between $265 million and $275 million. This is ahead of its previous guidance for revenue in line with last year's result of $256.8 million. As a result, cash EBITDA is now expected to be between $55 million and $65 million, which is ahead of its previous guidance of $50 million. This has been driven by continued strength in the British pound, higher levels of project revenue, and its continued focus on operational efficiency.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is up a further 15% to $5.38. Investors have been fighting to get hold of the counter drone technology company's shares this week after the European Union's Defence Commissioner revealed that the bloc will build a drone wall along the eastern flank, integrating detection, tracking and interception to counter hostile UAVs. The European Union is making the move after recent airspace violations. Investors appear to believe that DroneShield could be positioned to benefit greatly from the plans.

Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX)

The Westgold Resources share price is up 11% to $4.97. This follows the release of the gold miner's three-year outlook this morning. Westgold is guiding to production of 365k ounces in FY 2026, 420k ounces in FY 2027, and 470k ounces in FY 2028. In addition, its all-in sustaining costs (AISC) are expected to come down to A$2,499 per ounce by the end of the period. This compares to production of 326k ounces at an AISC of A$2,666 per ounce in FY 2025.

The post Why Austal, Bravura, DroneShield, and Westgold shares are pushing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The financial services software firm said in a statement to the ASX that it expected FY26 revenue to be between $265 million and $275 million, where previously it was expected to be in line with last year's result of $256.8 million

This would translate into cash EBITDA of between $55 million and $65 million, where previously the company was projecting $50 million.

The stock hit an early high of $3.07, a 12-month high and more than 21% up for the day, before settling back slightly to be changing hands for $3.01.

Exchange rates and better revenue drive upgrade

The key drivers of the upgrade, Bravura said, were the continued strength of the British pound, a continued focus on efficiency, and a higher level of project revenues, "particularly with our Wealth customers in EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa)".

E&P Capital analysts, in a note to clients, said they understood the revenue upgrade "is driven mainly by stronger professional service revenue and to a lesser extent by better commercial outcomes on recurring revenue from contract renewals''.

Bravura shares were sold down following the company's release of its full-year results in August, falling to levels below $2, however, they have staged a strong return since then.

The company also earlier this week announced the appointment of a new London-based Chief Executive Officer, Colin Greenhill, who will start with the business from January 1 2026.

Mr Greenhill was recently Chief Executive Officer at SSP Worldwide, a global supplier of software to the insurance industry, and led an international portfolio of banking, wealth management, and insurance software businesses, Bravura told the ASX on Monday.

Mr Greenhill will be paid a base salary of £367,500 with the ability to earn incentives as a mixture of cash and shares on top of that.

Bravura provides software solutions for financial services companies in areas such as pensions, life insurance, and other wealth and retirement products.

The company's website says it runs back office solutions for more than 100 clients, and its software processes more than US$1 trillion in investment value each month.

Bravura reported full-year underlying revenue of $256.8 million, up 3.1%, in August, and an underlying net profit of $24.4 million, representing a $15.6 million increase from the previous year.

The company declared an unfranked final dividend of 2.92 cents per share and a special dividend of 1.79 cents per share.

Bravura was included in the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) on September 22. At the close of trade on Tuesday, the company was valued at $1.13 billion.

The post This billion dollar software firm's shares just jumped more than 20% on a profit upgrade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Bravura said on Monday that it had appointed experienced software executive Colin Greenhill as its group Chief Executive Officer, starting on January 1 2026.

Mr Greenhill has over 15 years' experience operating as a Chief Executive with wide-ranging experience leading software businesses serving the financial services and insurance sectors. He recently served as Chief Executive Officer at SSP Worldwide, a global supplier of software to the insurance industry, and led an international portfolio of banking, wealth management and insurance software businesses.

E&P Capital analyst Oliver Coulon said in a note to clients that Mr Greenhill appeared to be a well-credentialed executive "with extensive and relevant experience in long sales-cycle financial services software businesses''.

Mr Greenhill will be based in London, which Mr Coulon said was understandable given the company's exposure was larger in that region than locally.

The appointment of a permanent group CEO reduces uncertainty and in our view is a positive development. Given the solid recovery of the share price since the sell off at the FY25 result however we wouldn't expect a material share price reaction to this news.

Shares sold off on results

Bravura shares were sold down from around $2.40 to less than $2 after the company reported its full-year results on August 13. However, they have since recovered and are trading at $2.47.

E&P Capital predicts there is further upside for the stock, however, with a price target of $2.95.

Bravura reported full-year underlying revenue of $256.8 million, up 3.1%, in August and an underlying net profit of $24.4 million, up $15.6 million from the previous year.

The company declared an unfranked final dividend of 2.92 cents per share and a special dividend of 1.79 cents per share.

Bravura said at the time it expected underlying revenue for the current financial year to be in line with FY25 and EBITDA to be more than $50 million.  

The company ended the year with $58.7 million in cash and no debt.

Bravura was included in the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) on September 22.

The post Broker tips double-digit returns as ASX 300 software firm announces new boss appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But aside from that, what else do they have in common?

This week, in its Emerging Leaders Reporting season wrap & best picks report, Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) unveiled its top stock picks following earnings season.

It also singled out three popular stocks that had been downgraded from outperform to neutral. 

Those three were none other than Codan, Bravura Solutions, and Lovisa.

Why were they downgraded this week? Let's investigate.

Codan

Codan shares have been on a tear this year, rising 91% for the year to date. 

Macquarie was impressed by Codan's FY25 result, with the company beating the broker's expectations on both the top and bottom line. 

Revenue grew 23% from the prior year. Organic growth grew 19%, which was well ahead of management's target of between 10-15%. 

Macquarie has a price target of $27.15 on Codan shares. In light of its recent price surge to above this price target, Macquarie placed a neutral rating on the stock.

Bravura Solutions

In contrast to Codan, Bravura Solutions shares have underperformed this year. They have fallen around 10% for the year to date. 

Bravura shares recently tumbled 16% on the company's FY25 result.

When outlining the positives from its FY25 result, Macquarie noted that the company's recurring revenue (ex Professional Services) was approximately 60% of underlying revenue in FY25, unchanged from FY24.

On the negative side, Macquarie said:

The impact of the one of three customer exits Bravura disclosed in November 2022 will complete migration away from Bravura to a BPO by 1 Jan 2026. This customer generated A$10m revenue (professional services, support, maintenance and hosting) in FY25. This customer was not part of the reported FY25 attrition and implies ~$5m headwind to total FY26 revenue. One of the other three customer exits from 2022 remains a client.

Macquarie has placed a price target of $2.03 on Bravura shares, which is roughly where they are trading at the time of writing. Accordingly, Macquarie believes it is fairly valued today.

Lovisa

Lovisa shares have been among the best post-liberation day recovery stories. Since April 7, they are up an impressive 100%. 

Macquarie noted that Lovisa has delivered strong sales growth of 14.2% in FY25. This was driven by 1.7% like-for-like growth, as well as continued store network growth. 

Lovisa opened 131 net new stores in FY25, bringing its global total to 1,031. Interestingly, US store openings regained momentum, with 23 stores opened during the year. However, Europe was the largest contributor, with 86 new stores opened during the period. 

Macquarie has a price target of $40.90 on Lovisa shares. Following Lovisa's recent run rally, the share price at the time of writing currently sits above this at $41.93, justifying a neutral rating.

The post What do Codan, Bravura, and Lovisa shares have in common? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Unfortunately, the wealth management software solutions company's shares have continued to slide on Thursday and are down a further 5.5% to $1.91 at the time of writing.

This means that they have lost 22% of their value over the last two trading sessions.

Let's see if the team at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) believes that this could be a buying opportunity for investors.

Should you buy Bravura Solutions shares?

Before tackling that question, let's look at what the broker is saying about the result that caused the selloff.

Macquarie notes that Bravura Solutions delivered a result ahead of expectations in FY 2025, but its outlook commentary was a touch disappointing. Particularly given customer losses, which have led to a sharp revision in its long term growth forecasts.

Speaking about the year ahead, the broker said:

FY26 Underlying Revenue guidance of "in-line with FY25", is expected to be primarily driven by existing customers in EMEA and APAC, cross-sell opportunities and some new business wins offset by client exits/ reductions.

The client exits/ reductions impact includes: 1) ~$5.0m impact from one of three customer exits Bravura disclosed in Nov. 2022 (this customer was not part of the reported FY25 attrition, and one of the other three customer exits from 2022 currently remains a client); and 2) $6.5m impact of exits during FY25. On a combined basis the client exits/ reductions impact equates to a ~4.5% headwind against total revenue in FY26. FY26 guidance is for Cash EBITDA to be above $50m (vs FY25 $43.8m), and implies at least ~3% opex reduction. The Cash EBITDA guidance allows BVS some flexibility for investment in new opportunities as they emerge. BVS also continue to evaluate opportunities for broader cost out and further efficiencies.

Time to buy?

Despite falling heavily this week, Macquarie isn't in a rush to buy Bravura Solutions shares.

That's because its lowered long term growth assumptions have led to a significant reduction in its valuation.

According to the note, Macquarie has downgraded Bravura Solutions shares to a neutral rating with a price target of $2.03 (from $3.17). This is only modestly ahead of its current share price.

Commenting on its neutral rating, the broker said:

Downgrade to Neutral (from Outperform). While we have upgraded earnings, our cash flow forecasts not materially impacted. Client attrition risk and growth contribution from cost out has caused us to cut our longterm growth from 1.0% above the terminal rate to 1.5% below.

The post After crashing 22%, should investors buy Bravura Solutions shares in the dip? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The company is involved in the development, licensing, and maintenance of specialised administration and management software for the financial services sector.

After starting Wednesday's session at $2.42, the share price fell 40 cents, closing the day at just over $2. 

Despite yesterdays fall, Bravura shares remain up more than 78% over the past year.

FY25 report 

The share price fall came after the company released its full year earnings for FY 25. 

The company reported: 

• Underlying Revenue of $256.8m which was 3.1% year over year growth
• Underlying Cash EBITDA of $43.8m
• Underlying Net Profit after Tax (NPAT) of $24.4m which is up $15.6m vs FY24.
• Distribution of a final FY25 dividend of $13.1m (2.92c per share) and a special dividend of $8.0m (1.79c per share).
  
  

It seems this data did little to impress investors, despite the company delivering on FY25 guidance. 

Some of the negative reaction from investors could be from the company's soft projections for next year. 

The company said in FY26, it expects underlying revenues to be in-line with FY25 and Cash EBITDA to be above $50m.

No update on new CEO

Bravura Solutions is also in the process of searching for a new CEO. However, in its FY25 presentation, the company included no specific timeline. 

Interim CEO Shezad Okhai said:

The search for our next CEO continues at pace. We will take the time necessary to ensure a strong fit with our long-term vision.

We will continue to prioritise organic growth where it is underpinned by clear business cases, relevance to our specialist markets and where it supports lasting value for customers and Bravura alike.

Is it a buy low candidate?

After falling more than 16% yesterday, the Bravura share price may now be an attractive option for investors trying to swoop in. 

Price targets from brokers indicate it may be a value. 

Bell Potter has a price target of $2.78 on Bravura shares indicating a strong upside after Wednesday's sell-off. 

Similarly, online brokerage platform Selfwealth lists the share price as "undervalued" with an average price target of $3.04. 

Tradingview has a price target of $2.65. 

However, with flat revenue expected in FY26, it may not be a quick turnaround for Bravura shares. 

The post Bravura share price plummets on results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL)

The AGL Energy share price is down 12% to $8.94. Investors have been selling this energy retailer's shares following the release of its full year results. For the 12 months ended 30 June, AGL Energy posted a statutory loss of $98 million. This includes $596 million of significant items, including an increase in onerous contracts of $398 million. On an underlying basis, the company's EBITDA was down 9% to $2,010 million for the year. Looking ahead, management is guiding to underlying EBITDA of between $1,920 million and $2,220 million in FY 2026. Both its actual result and its guidance have fallen short of expectations.

Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT)

The Beach Energy share price is down over 6% to $1.24. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Macquarie. Its analysts have downgraded the energy producer's shares to an underperform rating with a significantly reduced price target of 95 cents. It said: "Underperform. FY26 guidance points to a weaker outlook, and we see BPT having less operational control over its valuation than it has historically (two thirds of value now in non-operated category; Mitsui in West, cet par ADNOC/Carlyle in East if STO takeover proceeds)."

Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS)

The Bravura Solutions share price is down 7% to $2.25. This morning, this wealth management software provider released its full year results and posted a 3.1% lift in underlying revenue to $256.8 million and the doubling of its underlying EBITDA to $50.5 million. However, its strong growth appears to be over for the time being, with management guiding to a relatively flat result in FY 2026.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia share price is down 5% to $170.10. The catalyst for this has been the release of the banking giant's full year results. It reported a 7% increase in statutory net profit after tax to $10,133 million and a 4% lift in cash net profit after tax to $10,252 million. The latter was broadly in line with the consensus estimate of $10,270 million. However, its higher than expected costs appear to have raised alarm bells.

The post Why AGL, Beach Energy, Bravura, and CBA shares are dropping today 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:

Brambles Ltd (ASX: BXB)

The Brambles share price is down 6% to $19.67. Investors have been selling this logistics solutions company's shares following the release of its third quarter update. Brambles revealed that its sales for the first nine months of FY 2025 are up 3% over the prior corresponding period. However, this is down from 4% growth during the first half, which indicates that sales declined year on year during the third quarter. It said: "3Q25 performance reflected ongoing price realisation and net new business growth, while like-for-like volumes declined due to adverse weather events in the US and macroeconomic uncertainty in all regions." Management also downgraded its sales growth guidance from 4%-6% to 4%-5%.

Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS)

The Bravura Solutions share price is down over 12% to $1.95. This morning, this wealth management software provider announced the exit of its CEO. According to the release, Andrew Russell has decided to step down after leading a successful turnaround. He said: "I joined Bravura at a very challenging and critical time requiring difficult decisions to be made and fast action to be taken to restore profitability and restructure the company, whilst at the same time improving engagement with our customers and employees. I am proud to have led Bravura through this period and to see the company achieve such a significant turnaround." Russell leaves with immediate effect but remains available until 30 June.

Pantoro Ltd (ASX: PNR)

The Pantoro share price is down 11.5% to $2.70. This follows the release of the gold miner's quarterly update this morning. Pantoro revealed that its production for the quarter was 18,334 ounces of gold. This was below its guidance range of 20,700 to 25,300 ounces. Management advised that the lower production resulted from the Scotia Underground Mine ramp up crossing over quarters into April 2025.

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

The Telix Pharmaceuticals share price is down 6% to $26.90. This morning, this radiopharmaceuticals company revealed that it has received a Complete Response Letter from the US FDA for its New Drug Application (NDA) for TLX101-CDx (Pixclara). It is an investigational agent for the imaging of glioma, a rare and life-threatening brain cancer. Unfortunately, the CRL states that the FDA has completed its review of the application and has ruled that the NDA cannot be approved in its current form.

The post Why Brambles, Bravura, Pantoro, and Telix shares are sinking today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The chart below shows the Bravura share price has declined by 20% since mid-February 2025, despite the market seemingly loving the company's recent FY25 half-year result.

Bravura describes itself as a leading provider of software solutions for the wealth management, life insurance, and funds administration industries. It aims to provide clients with "functionally rich" solutions that enable modernisation, consolidation, and simplification. Bravura has offices in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

In the recent result, the company reported operating profit (EBITDA) of $23.8 million (up $15.9 million) and underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) of $11.3 million (up $13 million).

The investment team at Forager believes the ASX small-cap share is an opportunity, so let's look at why.

Promising progress for the ASX small-cap share

After seeing the result, Forager said the tech company had shown its "continued ability to grow high-quality recurring revenue, once again upgraded guidance and locked in the return of more cash to shareholders."

Forager pointed out that while overall revenue was flat for the six-month period, recurring revenue rose 7% and now makes up more than 60% of total revenue. It's pleasing to the investment team that Bravura has been "steadily shifting toward a more predictable, higher-quality revenue and earnings base," which can help make the business more valuable.

Forager liked seeing that the 3% further upgrade to revenue expectations for FY25 led to a 14% improvement in cash operating profit (EBITDA) guidance. Sales in the Australian digital advice business, alongside UK clients' increasing demand, drove the revenue upgrade.

Some of Forager's final comments on the business included:

In the context of what has already been achieved on revenue and costs, second half expectations from management look imminently achievable, if not outright conservative.

So far, this improvement has been achieved without winning much new work. The next leg in Bravura's growth may well come from deploying its leading products into large new customers.

Bravura Solutions share price snapshot

Despite the recent decline, the ASX small-cap share has gone up by close to 60% over the past 12 months.

The post Why this ASX small-cap share could be a bargain buy at $2.23 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are climbing:

AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL)

The AGL Energy share price is up almost 2.5% to $11.98. Investors have been buying the energy retailer's shares after it reported an underlying half year net profit after tax of $373 million. While this was down 7% on the prior corresponding period, it was broadly in line with the market's expectations. Also falling was its dividend. The AGL board declared a fully franked interim dividend of 23 cents per share, which is down from 26 cents per share a year ago. Looking ahead, management believes it is well-placed to achieve its recently revised earnings guidance for FY 2025.

Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS)

The Bravura Solutions share price is up 20% to $2.77. This morning, this wealth management software solutions company released its half year results. Bravura posted a 0.4% increase in revenue to $127.5 million and a 200% jump in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) to $23.8 million. This allowed the company's board to declare an unfranked interim dividend of 1.6 cents per share and a special dividend of 8.92 cents per share.

Computershare Ltd (ASX: CPU)

The Computershare share price is up 13% to $40.75. This follows the release of the share registry company's half year results. Computershare posted a 6.4% increase in management revenue to US$1.5 billion and a 27.9% jump in management EBIT (excluding margin income) to $171.2 million. In light of this strong first half, the company has upgraded its management earnings per share guidance for FY 2025. It now expects 135 cents per share, which is up 15% from FY 2024 and represents a 7.5% increase from its prior guidance.

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)

The Evolution Mining share price is up almost 2% to $6.33. Investors have been buying this gold miner's shares after it delivered record earnings and record cash generation during the first half. Underlying net profit was up 144% to $385 million and group cash flow lifted $221 million to $273 million. CEO, Lawrie Conway, said: "We have seen the benefits of the foundations laid during FY24 resulting in consistent and reliable delivery in FY25, with record breaking financial results and significant cash flow generation achieved in the first half."

The post Why AGL, Bravura, Computershare, and Evolution Mining shares are roaring higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade, the ASX All Ords stock is up 20% to a 52-week high of $2.78.

This follows the release of the wealth management software company's half year results.

ASX All Ords stock jumps 20% on results release

• Revenue up 0.4% to $127.5 million
• Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) up 200% to $23.8 million
• Cash EBITDA of $20 million
• Underlying net profit after tax of $11.3 million
• Unfranked interim dividend of 1.6 cents per share and special dividend of 8.92 cents per share

What happened during the half?

For the six months ended 31 December, the ASX All Ords stock reported a modest 0.4% increase in revenue to $127.5 million. This reflects a 1.1% increase in EMEA revenue to $90.4 million, which offset a 1.3% decline in APAC revenue to $37.1 million.

Both businesses delivered strong earnings growth during the six months. EMEA segment EBITDA was up 24.9% to $31.6 million and APAC segment EBITDA surged 248.6% to $12.2 million.

And with corporate costs and operating expenses falling, this underpinned an underlying net profit after tax of $11.3 million. This compares to a loss of $1.7 million during the prior corresponding period.

In light of this return to profit, the Bravura board elected to resume dividend payments. This includes an ordinary interim dividend of 1.6 cents per share and a special dividend of 8.92 cents per share. The latter relates to the sale of a licence to Fidelity.

The dividends are unfranked and have a record date of 31 March 2025 and a payment date of 16 April 2025.

Guidance upgrade

Also giving the ASX All Ords stock a boost today is news that management has upgraded its revenue and earnings guidance for FY 2025.

It now expects:

• Revenue of $248 million to $252 million (prev. $241 million to $245 million)
• EBITDA of $46 million to $49 million (prev. $41 million to $44 million)
• Cash EBITDA of $38 million to $41 million (prev. $33 million to $36 million)

Commenting on the company's performance and outlook, group CEO and managing director, Andrew Russell, said:

We are successfully executing to the four strategic pillars of our Energise, Build and Grow strategy. Our operational business improvement execution is delivering CEBITDA margin expansion and profitability improvement through both revenue growth and cost reduction. Consequently, we are upgrading our guidance again for revenue, EBITDA and CEBITDA.

The post Guess which ASX All Ords stock just jumped 20% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.