Earnings season is well underway, and ASX companies are preparing to pay out millions in dividends to investors soon.

Next week, a bunch of ASX shares will go ex-dividend.

That means they will commence trading without the upcoming dividend attached from a specified date.

If you're interested in buying any of these ASX shares and picking up that next payment, you'll need to do it before the 'ex-div' date.

Of course, here at The Fool we do not recommend buying ASX shares just to get the next dividend payment.

Our market experts say the decision to buy should be more thoughtful than that, and based on fundamental analysis.

It's important to know that a stock's share price will typically fall on the ex-dividend date.

That's simply because the dividend is no longer attached, which makes the stock less valuable.

Here are a number of ASX shares going ex-dividend next week, and how much these companies intend to pay to investors and when.

8 ASX shares about to go ex-dividend

Are dividends lower than usual?

If you're getting the feeling that dividend yields are lower than usual, your instincts are right.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is one of the highest-yielding share markets in the world, with long-run average annual dividends of 4% to 4.5% per annum.

As we reported earlier today, this has changed.

Betashares says the trailing cash dividend yield of the ASX 200 has dropped to 3.34% per year.

This is largely because the miners are paying lower dividend yields due to weakened commodity prices.

Additionally, the banks are paying lower dividend yields following strong share price growth between late 2023 and 2025.

Betashares senior investment strategist, Cameron Gleeson, says:

Australia's reputation as a high dividend-market rests heavily on the shoulders of the big banks and miners.

Recently, this dependence has started to threaten the sustainability of the overall market dividend yield.

Over the last two years, dividends at an index level have been falling as the earnings yield has taken a hit.

The post 8 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

National dwelling values rose by 0.6% in July, with the rate of growth holding firm relative to the prior two months, according to Cotality's latest Home Value Index.

This is the sixth straight month of gains, aligning with the first rate cut in February.

Cotality's research director, Tim Lawless pointed out the rise from mid-sized capitals. 

While the Darwin trend doesn't have much influence on the headline numbers, the Top End capital has moved into a solid upswing, posting a 9.7% gain through the first seven months of the year.

The mid-sized capitals are also once again standing out, especially Perth, where the monthly pace of gains has accelerated to the fastest rate of growth since September last year.

What does this mean for investors?

While this marks good news for property investors and home owners, how do investors get exposure to these gains?

One option is to invest in real estate shares such as REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA) and Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG). 

Both companies operate leading online real estate platforms – realestate.com.au and domain.com.au, respectively. 

Rising dwelling values typically translate into more property market activity, which boosts their core business in several ways. 

Firstly, when house and apartment prices rise, more homeowners are incentivised to sell their properties to capitalise on higher prices.

This usually leads to a higher volume of listings, which in turn increases demand for premium listing services and advertising packages – a key revenue stream for REA and Domain.

Additionally, rising property values often reflect strong demand and buyer confidence, which drives more traffic to property platforms.

This higher engagement boosts value for advertisers (e.g., mortgage providers, home services), increasing ad revenues for both REA and DHG.

Finally, interest rates are expected to fall further which means borrowing becomes cheaper. This boosts buyer demand and can help increase property prices, which typically leads to more listings and greater activity on real estate platforms like REA and Domain. 

What are brokers saying?

Broker Bell Potter seems optimistic about these real estate shares. 

The broker has a price target of $261.00 on REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA) shares. 

From yesterday's closing price of $237.98, this indicates an upside of almost 10%. 

The broker currently believes Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG) are trading close to fair value. 

The broker's price target from earlier this year of $4.43 is just above its current share price of $4.41. 

It's important to note Domain Holdings Australia (ASX:DHG) is currently under a trading halt on the ASX.

Back in February, US real estate company CoStar Group Inc (NASDAQ: CSGP) announced its intention to wholly acquire Domain, buying up almost 17% of Domain's shares on market.

Nearly 100% of eligible shareholders voted in favour of CoStar's $3 billion acquisition of Domain yesterday, with final court approval expected this week.

CoStar has proposed to buy all shares it does not own in Domain for $4.43 cash per share.

The post Are these real estate shares a buy as dwelling prices rise? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Like Warren Buffett, my favourite holding period is forever.

Additionally, I prefer to hold a small portfolio of less than 10 stocks.

For me, such a mindset helps to encourage a focused approach.

By placing those conditions on myself, I'm forced to be particularly selective.

I need to make sure my research is thorough before I can back a company for the long run.

And while I must be convinced that I'm investing in a great business before I hand over my cash, my research doesn't end after purchasing the stocks.

I learnt the hard way that it pays to keep an eye on the companies I'm investing in.

That's another reason why I tried to keep my holdings to less than 10 stocks.

I don't have the capacity to monitor any more than that.

But sometimes things change.

And when the fundamentals of a business change, we need to reevaluate our position.

That's why I'm looking at selling my Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG) shares.

Back in February, US real estate company CoStar Group Inc (NASDAQ: CSGP) announced its intention to wholly acquire Domain, buying up almost 17% of Domain's shares on market.

Domain's share price jumped by more than 40% on the back of the news.

Clearly, that was a big win for shareholders, particularly Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) with its commanding stake in the real estate platform.

What next?

Domain's shareholders are set to vote on the offer in August.

It's likely the deal will go through, as Domain's board and largest shareholder have indicated their support for the CoStar takeover.

If the deal does go through, CoStar will pay $4.43 each for Domain's remaining shares.

With Domain shares currently trading at around $4.37, there is still some potential upside for investors.

Domain also announced it may pay shareholders a fully franked dividend of up to $0.10 per share.

Still, I didn't sign up for this.

I saw more potential in Domain and, like CoStar, I still do.

But the way things are heading, it looks like my time as a Domain shareholder is coming to an end.

I need to ask myself: Do I want to wait around until August to see if the deal goes through and collect a little bit more on top of the current share price?

Or could I put those funds to better work?

Opportunity cost

The CoStar deal negates my original investment thesis on Domain.

Clearly, the fundamentals have changed.

I see better opportunities on the market.

That's why I'm selling my Domain shares.

The post When is the best time to sell ASX shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) edged 0.21% higher to close at 8,360.9 points on Friday.

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

Let's recap.

Communications shares led the ASX market sectors last week

The big news last week was the Reserve Bank of Australia cutting interest rates by 25 basis points for the second time this year.

All four of the big ASX 200 banks followed suit.

RBA Governor Michele Bullock said she expects underlying inflation to remain at about 2.5% for the next year or so.

Bullock commented:

So price increases have slowed and it's fairly broadly based, and this is very good news.

The Board's strategy over quite some time has been to bring inflation down while avoiding a sharp rise in unemployment.

I know this period of relatively high interest rates has been, and continues to be, challenging for many households and businesses, but it was essential we brought inflation down because inflation hurts everyone. 

Broker Macquarie is tipping three further interest rate cuts this year in July, August, and November.

Check out 13 ASX stocks that Macquarie considers rate-cut winners.

The ASX 200 communications sector was pulled higher by its largest company, Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), last week.

The Telstra share price jumped 4.86% over the week to close at an eight-year high of $4.75 per share on Friday.

There were no announcements from Telstra last week.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: X) shares lifted 1.73% to close at $252.33.

The CAR Group Limited (ASX: CAR) share price fell 1.66% to $36.16.

TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG) shares lifted 1.18% to $5.16.

The Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK) share price rose by 4.96% to $23.70.

The ASX 200 online job classifieds provider delivered a presentation at its investor day last Wednesday.

Spark New Zealand Ltd (ASX: SPK) shares rose by 1.97% to close at $2.07 on Friday.

Spark announced a new strategic network partnership with Nokia Oyj (NYSE: NOK) on Monday.

The Chorus Ltd (ASX: CNU) share price fell 0.93% to $7.49.

Last Monday, Chorus announced a delay with its $170 million capital notes offer to New Zealand investors.

Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG) shares dropped 0.91% to close at $4.36 on Friday.

The Tuas Ltd (ASX: TUA) share price fell 2.07% to $5.68.

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 Telstra share price hits 8-year high amid a lacklustre trading week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Domain is an Australian digital property portal, best known for its website domain.com.au. It is the biggest competitor to REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA).

CoStar already owns 17% of Domain, which it acquired in February 2025 for $4.20. It will pay $4.43 for the remaining 83% of the business, valuing Domain at $3 billion. 

This offer represents a 42% premium to Domain's stock price when CoStar first approached Domain on 21 February. CoStar initially offered $4.20 per share before lifting its bid to the current price on 27 March. 

What is CoStar?

CoStar Group is a US real estate analytics provider founded in 1987 with a market capitalisation of $31 billion. In 2023, CoStar bid to acquire News Corporation's (ASX: NWS) Move business. News Corporation is the majority owner of REA Group.

Will the deal go through?

Domain shareholders are expected to vote on the offer in August. However, with the backing of both the company's board and its largest shareholder, Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC), the deal is very likely to go through. 

Commenting on the transaction, Domain Chair and Non-Executive Director Nick Falloon said:

The Domain Board has carefully considered the CoStar proposal and believes it represents compelling value and a high degree of certainty for Domain shareholders, through the cash offer and limited conditionality.

This proposal is an endorsement of the strong fundamentals of Domain, and we are confident this position will be further strengthened with CoStar's support.

Nine Entertainment owns 60.1% of the ordinary Domain shares outstanding. It intends to vote all of the Domain shares it holds in favour of the Scheme. 

To get over the line, the Scheme requires the approval of more than 75% of votes cast by eligible shareholders and a majority of shareholders voting.

Has Domain been a good investment for shareholders?

Domain has been a very lucrative investment for Domain shareholders who invested at the beginning of the year. Domain shares are up 72% in 2025, significantly outpacing the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which is flat for the year. 

However, zooming out, Domain shares are up 48% over the past 5 years. This trails the All Ordinaries Index, which has risen 52% over the same period.

The post Domain shareholders rejoice after CoStar snaps it up for a large premium appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Domain shareholders have enjoyed a surge in the company's stock value due to news of a looming takeover deal.

In February, US real estate company CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP) made an offer to acquire Domain valued at $4.20 per share.

Following news of the deal, the Domain share price jumped to $4.42 in early March, up around 70% from its price at the start of the year.

CoStar has since come back to the negotiating table with an offer of $4.43 per share.

CoStar told Domain that the offer represented its best and final price.

And Domain's board voted unanimously to engage with CoStar to facilitate due diligence.

Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC), Domain's majority shareholder, supports Domain's decision to proceed with the deal.

The media company, which owns about 60% of Domain, would collect about $1.4 billion if CoStar acquired Domain.

As CoStar conducts its due diligence, the Domain share price continues to recover after being swept up in recent market turbulence.

Domain shares are currently trading at around $4.06, having sunk to $3.82 as Trump's tariffs announcements took a toll on markets.

As such, CoStar's current offer price sits around 9% above Domain's market value.

Are Domain shares cheap?

Essentially, Domain's share price will be determined by what another party is willing to pay.

Taking this fundamental factor into account, and looking at CoStar's offer price of $4.43, Domain shares are currently cheap.

But I think Domain, with a market cap sitting around $2.6 billion, has looked cheap for a while now.

Back in late 2021, Domain shares were trading at around $6.

As such, CoStar's offer falls short of the highs the digital real estate company was achieving a few years ago.

And with REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), Domain's key competitor and dominant player in the space, currently valued at around $31 billion, clearly there is scope for Domain to close that gap.

CoStar is well-equipped to shake up Australia's online real estate advertising market.

The US company, valued at around US$30 billion, has the funds and experience to do so.

It seems clear CoStar recognises the value in Domain and sees its potential to eat into REA Group's market share.

The post Are Domain Holdings shares undervalued? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) property listings company closed on Friday trading for $4.32. In morning trade on Monday, shares are changing hands for $4.30 apiece, down 0.2% at the time of writing.

For some context, the All Ords is down 1.3% at this same time.

What's been happening with the Domain share price?

As you're likely aware, the Domain share price has been on a tear since February.

Indeed, at $4.30 a share, the stock is up 70% so far in 2025.

Domain first got a sizeable boost when the company reported its half-year half-year results on 13 February. Highlights included a 7.4% year-on-year increase in revenue to $217.2 million. And net profit after tax (NPAT) was up 28.3% to $33.1 million.

But the Domain share price really got moving on 21 February, closing up 40.1% on the day.

This followed news of a takeover proposal the property listing company received from CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP). CoStar made an unsolicited, non-binding indicative offer of $4.20 cash per share, 35% above Domain's closing price on the prior trading day.

While that's well above the recent trading price, it's still well below the near $6 a share Domain was trading for in late 2021.

CoStar – a US$32 billion provider of online real estate marketplaces – also told Domain that it had acquired 16.9% of its shares for $4.20 apiece.

Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) has around a 60% holding in Domain.

What's going on with CoStar's Domain takeover offer?

In an update this morning that's yet to boost the Domain share price today, the company said that it has entered into an exclusivity and process deed with CoStar for a cash consideration of $4.43.

CoStar lobbed the improved bid on 27 February.

Domain's directors confirmed that they intend to unanimously recommend Domain shareholders vote in favour of the offer.

Domain also said that CoStar will be granted access to a virtual data room to conduct due diligence, with an exclusivity period of four weeks, which may be extended by an additional two weeks.

Management stressed that CoStar's proposal remains subject to a number of conditions.

"There is no guarantee that a binding agreement will be reached and therefore no certainty that the CoStar Proposal will result in a transaction," they stated.

Should the takeover not go through, we could see a sizeable retrace in the Domain share price.

The post Up 70% this year, Domain share price wobbles on CoStar takeover update 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:

Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG)

The Domain share price is down almost 5% to $4.26. This morning, the property listings company revealed that CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP) has improved its takeover offer. Domain revealed that CoStar has lifted its offer from $4.20 cash per share to $4.43 cash per share. However, this is lower than yesterday's close price of $4.47, which appears to indicate that the market was expecting a much better offer. The Domain board has unanimously determined to engage with CoStar to facilitate due diligence.

Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB)

The Mesoblast share price is down almost 3% to $2.14. This is despite the allogeneic cellular medicine developer making a positive announcement this morning. Mesoblast revealed that its Ryoncil (remestemcel-L) product has gone on sale in the United States. The release notes that Ryoncil is the first mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for any indication. It is now available for approved for treatment of paediatric patients two months and older with steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease.

Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME)

The Pro Medicus share price is down 7% to $211.06. This has been driven by a selloff of tech stocks on Thursday following a poor night on Wall Street. In addition, this morning Macquarie retained its neutral rating on the health imaging technology company's shares but with a slightly trimmed price target of $257.40. Though, it is worth noting that this still implies potential upside of approximately 22% for investors over the next 12 months. Not bad for a neutral rating.

Tuas Ltd (ASX: TUA)

The Tuas share price is down 9% to $5.27. This Singapore based telco company's shares have been under pressure this week after it released its half year results. Tuas reported revenue of $73.2 million and a maiden net profit after tax of $3 million. While both were up sharply on the prior corresponding period, that hasn't stopped investors from hitting the sell button. The team at Citi believes this is a buying opportunity for investors. This morning, the broker retained its buy rating and $7.10 price target. This suggests that upside of almost 35% is possible from current levels.

The post Why Domain, Mesoblast, Pro Medicus, and Tuas shares are tumbling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's usually defined as a market pullback of more than 10% from recent highs.

But with the All Ords down 9.2% over the past month, a 2025 market correction could still be on the cards.

Now, that's nothing to panic about. Stock market falls of 10%, or more, aren't uncommon. And every time in the history, markets have eventually come roaring back.

In the United States, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) entered its own 2025 market correction yesterday (overnight Aussie time). After closing down 1.9%, the S&P 500 is down 10.1% in a month. And the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) is down 13.8% since 19 February.

There are numerous reasons for the pullback. These include the recent earnings reports that didn't always live up to lofty expectations. Expectations that have seen US and Aussie stock markets recently trading at all-time highs.

Over the past month, US President Donald Trump has stoked investor angst with sweeping tariffs, creating significant uncertainty.

After the past month's sell-off, the All Ords is down 5.5% year to date.

But a sizeable group of ASX All Ords stocks has leapt higher, defying fears of a 2025 market correction.

Did you say a 2025 market correction?

One of the best-performing ASX All Ords shares in 2025 is Aussie gold miner Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN).

Evolution shares have gained a whopping 39.0% year to date, trading for $6.73 apiece.

Evolution has been an obvious beneficiary of the soaring gold price, which set a new record high of just over US$2,989 per ounce this morning. This puts the gold price up almost 14% in 2025.

Evolution shares also grabbed investor interest following the release of the miner's record-breaking half-year results. That included a 144% year-on-year increase in underlying net profit to $385 million and record group cash flow of $273 million.

Also racing ahead of any potential 2025 market correction is A2 Milk Co Ltd (ASX: A2M).

Shares in the ASX All Ords dairy company are up 40.7% year to date.

A2 Milk also got a big boost from its half-year results. Highlights included a 10.1% year-on-year increase in revenue to NZ$893.8 million. And management declared the first-ever A2 Milk dividend of 8.5 NZ cents per share.

Then we have Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN).

Shares in the infection prevention company have rocketed 42.9% in 2025. Nanosonics also grabbed investor interest with its half-year results release. The company reported an 18% year-on-year increase in revenue to $93.6 million. Operating profit before tax increased by more than 100% to $10.9 million.

Rounding off our list of ASX All Ords stocks shrugging off fears of a 2025 market correction, we have Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG). The Domain share price is up 71.7% year to date.

The property listings company owes much of its outperformance to the takeover proposal it received from CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP) in February. CoStar Group made an offer of $4.20 cash per share, 35% above Domain's closing price the prior trading day.

The post 4 ASX All Ords stocks shrugging off the looming 2025 market correction and charging higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The media company's financials were given a timely boost last week when the US real estate company CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP) announced its intention to wholly acquire Domain, buying up almost 17% of Domain's shares on the market.

The move saw Domain's share price jump by more than 40% in early trade last Friday.

With its 60% holding in Domain, Nine's financials were given a significant boost on the back of CoStar's takeover bid, with its share price climbing more than 10% since last week.

Domain's recent run has given Nine a welcome talking point to share with investors amid a barrage of less exciting news.

Nine posted a net profit after tax of $112.2 million for H1 FY25, down 25% on the prior corresponding period.

More encouragingly, the media company reported revenue for the same period of just under $1.4 billion, up 1% from H1 FY24.

As such, the 15% growth in Domain's EBITDA contribution to Nine added value beyond the media company's market cap.

It seems Nine is well aware of Domain's potential to keep delivering to the media group.

The company stated: "Domain continues to be a key part of Nine's media ecosystem and long-term growth strategy."

Clearly, as well as the potential to realise synergies with Domain and the wider group, Nine would be a far weaker entity without its real estate platform, particularly when pitted against its key competitor, News Corporation (ASX: NWS).

With a majority holding in REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), which owns realestate.com, News Corp enjoys a commanding position in Australia's real estate advertising space.

Domain reported revenue of $217.2 million for H1 FY25, up 7.4% from the previous year, while REA Group posted revenues of $873 million over the same period, up 20% from the previous year. 

While those figures may suggest the gap is widening between the competitors, another metric tells a different story.

Domain stated it achieved a 7% uplift in site visits versus a 2% uplift for its major competitor when comparing the period from July to December 2024 (H1 FY2025) to January to June 2024 (H2 FY2024).

It appears CoStar founder and CEO Andy Florence, who built the $US30 billion real estate tech company, believes he can replicate his previous successes and further close that gap if his company gains control of Domain.

Will the deal go ahead?

That's the $2.7 billion dollar question.  

The Nine and Domain boards will be weighing up CoStar's $4.20 cash per-share offer.

Still, that does seem a bit cheap, particularly with Domain shares currently trading at around $4.40 and remaining a long way off the highs seen in 2021, when they were changing hands for more than $5.80.

So, is it too early to part ways with the golden goose?

It's looking that way.

The post Nine Entertainment's half year results buoyed by golden goose Domain Holdings appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) experienced a significant decline, falling 3.03% to close at 8,296.2 points on Friday.

The positives from the highly-anticipated interest rate cut announced by the Reserve Bank last week were offset by disappointing earnings results from some of the major ASX companies.

They included three of the 'Big Four' ASX 200 banks, which dragged the financials sector 7.49% lower.

Only four of the 11 market sectors finished the week in the green.

Let's recap.

Communication shares led the ASX market sectors last week

A strong 1H FY25 report from the sector's largest company by market cap, Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), on Thursday, was partly responsible for the sector's lead this week.

The Telstra share price lifted 7.65% over the week to close at $4.15 per share on Friday. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $4.16 on Friday.

Telstra reported a 6% rise in underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) to $4.25 billion and a 7.1% bump in net profit after tax (NPAT) to $1.1 billion for 1H FY25.

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) and Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG) shares were also major movers last week.

Nine owns Domain, which runs the online property classifieds site, domain.com.au.

Last week, both stocks surged when they announced that Domain had received a takeover offer from US property data company CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP).

CoStar has offered to buy Domain for $4.20 cash per share, which was a 34.6% premium on the last closing price.

The Domain share price skyrocketed 49.7% on Friday to a three-year high of $4.67 before closing at $4.37. Nine shares soared by 20.14% on Friday and closed at $1.73.

Among other ASX 200 communication shares last week, the Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK) share price lifted 3.25% to close at $25.44 on Friday.

Seek reported its 1H FY25 results on Tuesday. Despite reporting a 28% decline in adjusted profit to $77 million, Seek increased its interim dividend by 26% to 24 cents per share.

TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG) shares lifted 2.99% to $4.48 despite no news from the telco.

Shares in New Zealand's largest telecommunications infrastructure company, Chorus Ltd (ASX: CNU), rose by 2.17% over the week to $8 per share.

The worst performing sector last week was the ASX 200 financials, largely due to the market's disappointment with the 1Q FY25 reports from three of the 'Big Four' banks.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares were the hardest hit, tumbling 12.89% over the week to finish at $35.08 on Friday.

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares fell 6.27% to close at $28.79 on Friday.

The Westpac share price declined 5.91% to $31.03.

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 Bank stocks tanked and telcos rose amid the ASX 200 losing 3% last week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Meantime, several companies are celebrating multi-year-high share prices on Friday.

Let's check them out.

ASX shares lifting to new price highs on Friday

Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG)

This ASX 300 communications share has shot the lights out today, rising 49.7% to a 3-year high of $4.67.

Investors are in a lather after Domain announced it had received a $2.7 billion takeover offer from CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP) for $4.20 cash per share.

Domain's board is assessing the proposal.

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

This ASX 200 healthcare share leapt 15.3% to a new all-time high of $30.50 today.

The biopharmaceutical company released its FY24 full-year results after yesterday's close.

Telix revealed a 56% increase in revenue to $783.2 million and a magnificent 860% increase in net profit after tax (NPAT) to $49.9 million.

In the year ahead, management is guiding revenue of between $1.18 billion to $1.23 billion. This would represent an increase of between 51% and 57%, respectively.

QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE)

This ASX 200 financial share soared 8.9% to a 15-year high of $21.85 per share on Friday.

The multi-year high follows the release of the insurer's full-year FY24 results today.

QBE reported a 31.3% year-over-year increase in statutory NPAT to US$1.78 billion.

This was primarily due to a 3% growth in gross written premiums and a combined operating ratio of 93.1%.

QBE shares will pay a final dividend of 63 cents per share, which is 31% higher than last year.

A2 Milk Company Limited (ASX: A2M)

This ASX 200 consumer staple share hit a new 52-week high of $7.65 on Friday.

A2 Milk shares have had a great week, rising by 28% since Monday when the company revealed its 1H FY25 results and announced its maiden dividend.

BSP Financial Group Ltd (ASX: BFL)

Stock in the South-Pacific financial services provider lifted 5.3% to a record high of $8 today.

This ASX All Ords financial share has been heading higher since the company released its full-year FY24 results on Wednesday.

BSP Financial reported a statutory NPAT of K$1.038 billion (A$408m) for FY24, up 17% year-over-year. BSP Financial shares will pay a final dividend of $K1.21 (AU 47 cents) per share.

Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS)

ASX 200 gold share Ramelius Resources lifted 3% to hit a new record high of $2.71 on Friday.

The miner released its 1H FY25 results today. The company revealed a record NPAT of $170.4 million, up 313% year over year.

Ramelius also announced a maiden fully franked interim dividend of 3 cents per share.

Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

Corporate Travel Management shares rose by 3.1% to a 52-week high of $17.86.

The ASX 200 travel share has been on an upward trajectory since the company released its 1H FY25 results and profit guidance on Wednesday.

Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB)

This ASX 300 industrials stock ripped 17.1% higher to a five-year peak of $4.18 per share.

This followed the defence and commercial shipbuilder releasing its 1H FY25 report today.

Austal revealed a 108.9% increase in NPAT to $25.1 million and a substantial improvement in its net cash position, lifting from $3.9 million on 30 June to $212.6 million on 31 December.

The post ASX shares lifting to 52-week highs on Friday 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 jumping:

Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG)

The Domain share price is up 38% to $4.30. Investors have been fighting to get hold of the property listings company's shares after it received a $2.7 billion takeover offer from CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP). CoStar has made a non-binding offer of $4.20 cash per share, which represents a sizeable 34.6% premium to its last close price. The Domain board advised that it has commenced an assessment of CoStar's proposal.

Mayne Pharma Group Ltd (ASX: MYX)

The Mayne Pharma share price is up 33% to $7.20. This morning, this pharmaceutical company revealed that it has accepted a takeover offer from Cosette Pharmaceuticals. The two parties have agreed a price of $7.40 per share, which represents a 36.8% premium to where the ASX 300 pharma stock last traded. Cosette Pharmaceuticals is a US based pharmaceutical company with a portfolio of products in women's health and dermatology. Management is recommending shareholders vote in favour of the transaction. This is in the absence of a superior offer and subject to the independent expert's report.

QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE)

The QBE share price is up 7.5% to $21.59. Investors have been buying this insurance giant's shares following the release of its full year results. QBE posted a 31.3% year on year increase in statutory net profit after tax to US$1.78 billion. This was driven by gross written premium growth of 3% and a combined operating ratio of 93.1%. In light of this strong result, the QBE board elected to boost its final dividend by 31% to 63 cents per share.

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

The Telix Pharmaceuticals share price is up 14% to $30.18. This has been driven by the release of the pharmaceutical company's full year results following the market close on Thursday. Telix posted an impressive 56% increase in revenue to $783.2 million and a whopping 860% jump in profit after tax of $49.9 million. More strong growth is expected in FY 2025. Management is guiding to revenue of $1.18 billion to $1.23 billion for the year. This represents an increase of approximately 51% to 57%, respectively, year on year.

The post Why Domain, Mayne Pharma, QBE, and Telix shares are jumping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In early trade, the property listings company's shares were up over 50% to $4.76.

Why are Domain shares roaring higher?

Investors have been bidding the company's shares higher today after it confirmed that it has received a takeover approach.

According to the release, the company has received an unsolicited, non-binding indicative proposal from CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP) to acquire 100% of its issued capital by way of scheme of arrangement.

CoStar is US$32 billion Nasdaq-listed provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics. It owns and operates residential and commercial marketplaces in the United States.

The release reveals that CoStar Group has made an offer of $4.20 cash per share, which represents a sizeable 34.6% premium to its last close price.

Though, as with most transactions, the proposed price will be adjusted for any dividends declared or paid by Domain prior to completion of the proposed transaction. However, this does not include the 2 cents per share dividend that was announced with its half year results last week.

While this offer values Domain at a cool $2.7 billion, it is still well short of the market capitalisation when its shares were trading at around $6.00 back in 2021.

CoStar has advised Domain that it acquired 16.9% of its ordinary shares on 20 February 2025 at $4.20 per share. Clearly it is very serious with its offer.

What's next?

The release notes that implementation of CoStar's proposal is conditional on the two parties entering into an agreed scheme implementation agreement (SIA) on customary terms.

CoStar has stated that its entry into an SIA is subject to the following conditions:

there being no material adverse change to the business, assets (including any material asset acquisition or divestment), capital structure, affairs, prospects or financial performance of Domain; the satisfactory completion of confirmatory due diligence in respect of which it has requested exclusivity; unanimous approval of the Board of Directors of Domain; final internal Co-Star approvals to enter into the SIA; and execution of satisfactory binding transaction documents.

In addition, CoStar's expectation is that the agreement would be conditional on approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), but it does not need a financing condition.

Domain response

The Domain board advised that it has commenced an assessment of CoStar's proposal.

For now, shareholders do not need to take any action in relation to the proposal. It also warned that there is no certainty that the proposal will result in a transaction.

The REA Group (ASX: REA) share price is sinking on the news. It was down over 13% to $230.96 at one stage. There may be concerns that CoStar could fund an aggressive growth strategy for Domain and threaten REA's domination of the market.

The post Domain shares shoot 50% higher on big takeover news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here's why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone right now:

Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG)

According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have upgraded this property listings company's shares to a buy rating with an improved price target of $3.30. This follows the release of a half year result which revealed a 27% increase in earnings per share. This was ahead of the market's expectations. The broker believes that this shows that Domain is repairing the damage to its audience and listings. It feels this could mean it is approaching the start of a potential consensus earnings upgrade cycle. The Domain share price is trading at $3.07 on Friday afternoon.

Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME)

Another note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have upgraded this health imaging technology company's shares to a buy rating with an vastly improved price target of $330.00. This follows the release of another strong result from Pro Medicus this week. Bell Potter highlights that its full stack solution continues to wipe the floor with competitors. It notes that there have been 10 contract announcements in the last 12 months, including two new academic medical centres clients. The broker also notes that it expects further growth in the cardiology space with the first small scale implementation to take place in April. The Pro Medicus share price is fetching $284.80 at the time of writing.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

Analysts at Goldman Sachs have retained their buy rating on this wine giant's shares with a slightly trimmed price target of $12.90. According to the note, the broker has reduced its sales and earnings forecasts slightly through to FY 2027 to reflect stronger Penfolds and Americas sales, offset by weaker Premium Brands sales. Outside this, Goldman points out that Treasury Wine's shares are trading on an FY 2026 P/E of just ~15x, which is inexpensive relative to its consumer coverage. And if it is able to demonstrate added comfort to the market on its Penfolds channel sell-through and sustained US luxury portfolio growth, it expects the stock to re-rate positively. The Treasury Wine share price is trading at $10.86 this afternoon.

The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today 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:

ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX)

The ASX share price is up 6% to $67.05. Investors have been buying the stock exchange operator's shares following the release of its half year results. ASX reported a 5.9% increase in operating revenue to $541.9 million. Things were even better for its earnings, with the company reporting a 10.1% increase in EBIT to $253.7 million. This allowed its board to lift its interim dividend by 9.9% to 111.2 cents per share.

Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG)

The Domain share price is up 11% to $3.03. This has been driven by the release of a strong half year result from the property listings company. Domain posted a 7.4% increase in revenue to $217.2 million and a 13.8% jump in EBITDA to $77.8 million. And on the very bottom line, the company's net profit after tax jumped 28.3% to $33.1 million. Domain CEO, Jason Pellegrino, said: "During the first half, Domain made pleasing progress with our Marketplace strategy, delivering positive metrics across the business."

Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM)

The Ora Banda Mining share price is up almost 5% to 97 cents. This morning, this gold miner released an update on drilling activities at Riverina. According to the release, Riverina Underground drilling confirms the continuity of high-grade gold mineralisation over 300m below the current mine plan. Ora Banda's managing director, Luke Creagh, said: "The significant results that are flowing from deeper drilling at Riverina Underground are nothing short of remarkable and point to a future step change for the business as we can now see through to a multi-year expansion in mine life."

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

The Temple & Webster share price is up 14% to $16.25. The catalyst for this has been the release of an impressive half year result from the online furniture and homewares retailer. Temple & Webster reported a 23.6% increase in revenue to $313.7 million and a 118% jump in net profit after tax to $9 million. The company's CEO, Mark Coulter, said: "Temple & Webster has again delivered a record half, with strong performance against all key metrics, against a challenging macro and consumer backdrop."

The post Why ASX, Domain, Ora Banda, and Temple & Webster's shares are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Those two ASX 300 shares are Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG) and none other than the ASX itself – ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX).

At present, Domain shares are up a healthy 6.23% at $2.90 each. That's after closing at $2.73 yesterday and opening at $2.98 this morning.

Meanwhile, ASX stock is doing even better. ASX shares are currently up 7.82% at $68.14 each after closing at $63.20 yesterday and opening at $64.80 this morning.

So, what's going on with these ASX 300 shares this Thursday?

Why are these two ASX 300 shares up 6% or more today?

Well, it's an answer you're going to see a lot of this month – these two ASX 300 shares have just reported their latest half-year earnings to the market.

Let's start with Domain.

This morning, Domain unveiled its latest report card, covering the six months to 31 December 2024.

The ASX 300 property classifieds share revealed that it enjoyed $217.2 million in revenues over the period, a 7.4% rise over the same period in 2023.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 13.8% to $77.8 million, while earnings per share (EPS) rocketed 28.3% to 5.2 cents. This helped net profits after tax (NPAT) to jump 28.3% to $33.1 million.

Investors will enjoy an interim dividend worth 2 cents per share, fully franked, from these results, which is in line with last year's interim payout.

Clearly, ASX 300 investors have given their tick of approval to these results.

But what about ASX?

Well, the stock market operator and ASX 300 share also revealed earnings for the half-year ended 31 December.

In this case, ASX's operating revenues for the period came in at $541.9 million, a 5.9% rise over the same period last year.

Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) were $253.7 million, a 10.1% year-on-year rise. On an EPS basis, ASX brought in an underlying 130.9 cents per share, and 125.6 cents on a statutory basis.

That helped the company report an underlying NPAT of $253.7 million for the period, a rise worth 10.1%. That translates to a statutory NPAT of $243.5 million, up 5.6%.

ASX 300 investors were also treated to a dividend hike. Last year's interim dividend from this company was 101.2 cents per share. This year, investors will get a 9.9% boost with an interim dividend worth 111.2 cents per share, fully franked.

Foolish takeaway

So investors clearly approve of the earnings results that these two ASX 300 shares have dropped today, judging by their strong share price reactions. Another two stocks down, countless more earnings reports to go.

The post 2 ASX 300 shares rocketing 6% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) is up less than half a percent from the open on Thursday morning, extending this year's gains to above 8%.

However, not all stocks in the index behave in the same way, and brokers have changed their ratings on several ASX 300 stocks.

And not all ratings are made equal. Brokers have made downgrades to Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN) and Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG), but upgraded James Hardie Industries (ASX: JHX) in the same stroke of the pen.

Let's take stock of the latest changes.

ASX 300 shares downgraded

ASX 300 stock Harvey Norman was cut to a sell from Goldman Sachs in a note to clients yesterday. Previously, it rated the share a hold.

Goldman has concerns over Harvey Norman's potential market share loss in a "challenged" retail environment. For this same reason, retail stocks were hammered in H2 of 2024.

The broker has also lowered its target price by 11%, now valuing the ASX 300 share at $4 apiece.

It also noted that Harvey Norman's competitors appear to be capitalising on market share gains, especially in electronics and tech, thereby eating the company's lunch.

Goldman also revised its FY25 forecasts for the retail giant, anticipating sales of $4.13 billion and pre-tax earnings of $628 million – both of which are below consensus.

The broker also reduced valuation multiples on its Australian and New Zealand franchises, along with an increase in the property cap rate.

Domain sliced to hold

Bell Potter also downgraded Domain Holdings to a hold, trimming its target price to $3.20 in the process.

Bell joins colleagues at Goldman Sachs, who reiterated their rating on the ASX 300 stock as a hold in a note to clients overnight.

The broker's outlook hinges on concerns over Domain's growth despite the company projecting 3-5% listings growth for FY25.

Domain's Q1 performance also saw an 8% rise in listing volumes, surpassing competitor REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA).

But Goldman warns this growth may wane in the second half.

It sees downside risks due to increased free listings, which could potentially dilute future yield growth for the company. It values the ASX 300 stock at $2.87, below Bell Potter's valuation.

The Bright Spot: James Hardie

In contrast, James Hardie received an upgrade from JP Morgan, which raised its rating to overweight – analogous to a buy call.

According to The Australian, it raised the stock to a buy with a price target of $55, about 13% above where the ASX 300 stock currently trades.

Goldman Sachs also confirmed James Hardie as a buy in an October note.

The broker revised its earnings estimates slightly lower but remains confident in James Hardie's long-term prospects, largely due to its focus on premium products within the building materials sector.

We revise our estimates ahead of JHX's 2Q25 results in November to reflect recent input cost data. We lower our FY25e Adj NPAT -2% to US$653m towards the lower end of management's US$630-700m guidance range.

We lower our 12m [price target] to A$55.00 from A$55.85. We do not view these changes as material, and there is no change to our investment view. Retain Buy

ASX 300 stock takeaway

While Harvey Norman and Domain Holdings are facing headwinds, brokers are bullish on James Hardie's potential.

However, the fate of these ASX 300 stocks ultimately comes down to the returns of the underlying companies.

Time will tell what eventuates from here.

The post 1 ASX 300 stock just upgraded by brokers (and 2 downgraded) 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:

Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL)

The Bellevue Gold share price is down 2% to $1.50. This is despite there being no news out of the gold developer today. However, it is worth noting that Bellevue Gold's shares have been on fire in recent weeks. So much so, they remain up 32% since this time two months ago. This could mean that some investors are taking a bit of profit off the table today.

Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG)

The Domain share price is down almost 7% to $2.84. Investors have been selling this property listings company's shares following the release of an update at its annual general meeting. Domain revealed that it delivered solid depth revenue growth of 15% year-on-year during the first quarter. This underpinned total residential revenue growth of 12%. Whereas Digital revenue was up around 9% year-on-year. This ultimately led to total revenue increasing around 8% year-on-year according to management. Pleasingly, October new listings growth has continued to accelerate, underpinning year-on-year depth revenue growth of 19% on a like-for-like basis. Margin guidance has also been reiterated. Despite all this, it seems that some investors wanted more from Domain.

Skycity Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SKC)

The Skycity share price is down 5% to $1.22. This casino and resorts operator's shares are falling today despite there being no news out of it. Though, it is worth noting that its shares have been under pressure for some time. So much so, they are now trading within a whisker of a multi-year low. This means they are now down by a disappointing 30% over the past 12 months.

Wildcat Resources Ltd (ASX: WC8)

The Wildcat Resources share price is down 2.5% to 31.2 cents. This is also despite there being no news out of the lithium developer. However, quite a lot of lithium shares are missing out on the market rally today. This appears to have been driven by a relatively subdued session on Wall Street for miners of the battery making ingredient. Following today's decline, Wildcat shares are now down by over 50% since the start of 2024.

The post Why Bellevue, Domain, Skycity, and Wildcat shares are tumbling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to rebound

The Australian share market looks set to rebound on Wednesday following a great session in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 47 points or 0.6% higher. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is up 0.9%, the S&P 500 is up 1.1%, and the Nasdaq is pushing 1.3% higher.

Oil prices edge higher

ASX 200 energy shares such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a decent session after oil prices edged higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.2% to US$71.62 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 0.2% to US$75.25 a barrel. Oil prices have risen this week amid news that OPEC+ is planning to push back production hikes to combat high supply and low prices.

NAB full year results

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares will be one to watch closely on Wednesday. That's because later this morning the banking giant will become the second bank to report its results this month. As we covered here last week, the team at UBS is expecting NAB to deliver revenue of $20.3 billion, a pre-tax profit of $9.87 billion, and a net profit of $6.9 billion for FY 2024. The market is expecting total dividends of $1.68 per share for the year.

Gold price pushes higher

ASX 200 gold shares including Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a decent session after the gold price edged higher again overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 0.1% to US$2,749.6 an ounce. US election uncertainty helped driven the precious metal higher.

Annual general meetings

A number of ASX 200 shares are holding their annual general meetings on Wednesday and could provide updates at their respective events. This includes iron ore giant Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG), battery materials miner IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO), pizza chain operator Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP), and property listings company Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG).

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