Bell Potter has done just this and has issued new research reports on two companies its team believes could deliver substantial share price gains.

Let's see who they like.

LinQ Minerals Ltd (ASX: LNQ)

Shares in LinQ Minerals are already up more than 150% over the past 12 months, but the Bell Potter team think they have a way to go yet.

The company recently reported that copper-gold exploration drilling at its Gidginbung South target in New South Wales had encountered a potentially large mineralised system based on visual assessments.

LinQ said it viewed this initial assessment as highly significant.

The hole was drilled about 1km south of the Gidginbung Pit at the company's Gilmore Project.

LinQ said the new discovery was open in all directions, "as there are no similarly deep drill holes in the whole Gidginbung South prospect area''.

The company's Technical Director, John Holliday, said it could be a "significant breakthrough" for the company.

He added:

It is possible that LinQ has discovered the core part of a large high-sulphide epithermal-porphyry system for which Gidginbung and the Dam are smaller components. In geologic terms, this is potentially a big mineralised system.

Bell Potter said while assays would be needed to fully assess the discovery, the visual logging was highly encouraging.

The broker has a price target of 90 cents on LinQ shares compared to 53 cents currently.

If achieved, this would constitute a 69.8% increase.

Frontier Energy Ltd (ASX: FHE)

Frontier Energy shares have not performed well over the past year, down 38% over the period.

But the Bell Potter team said recent changes to how the Australian Energy Market Operator had assessed the company's Stage One Waroona Renewable Energy Precinct were a positive.

AEMO has increased the project's Reserve Capacity Credits from 88MW to 99MW.

Bell Potter said the uplift increased the expected revenue from the renewables project, with the company now projecting $76 million in revenue in 2032, up from $72 million.

The broker said the company now needed to finalise its debt, ramp up Stage One site works with the first solar equipment expected to arrive in December this year, and finalise the build, expected to be in February 2027.  

Bell Potter has increased its price target for Frontier Energy shares from 30 cents to 34 cents, compared to 17.75 cents currently.

If achieved, this would constitute a 91.5% increase.

The post These speculative ASX small caps could rise 70% to 91%: Bell Potter appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Meanwhile, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rose 0.4% to close at 8,716.6 points.

Defensive market sectors represent industries that sell essential goods and services.

They offer stability to investors during tough economic times because consumers continue to buy those goods and services.

Utilities is one example, healthcare and consumer staples are others.

ASX 200 healthcare shares also performed well last week, rising 3.53%.

Consumer staples shares, which incorporate Australia's supermarkets and food producers, rose 2.31%.

ASX 200 REITs, which are considered somewhat defensive due to their relatively reliable property income, rose 3.58%.

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

Let's review.

Utilities shares led the ASX sectors last week

There are only 21 companies in the ASX 200 utilities sector.

Let's review the performance of individual stocks in order of market capitalisation last week.

The Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) share price increased 4.31% to $11.37 last week.

The APA Group (ASX: APA) share price rose 2.81% to close at $10.97 on Friday.

Mercury NZ Ltd (ASX: MCY) shares lifted 0.72% to $5.60 per share.

The Meridian Energy Ltd (ASX: MEZ) share price fell 1.14% to $4.34 over the week.

The AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) share price ascended 3.44% to close the week at $8.43.

New Zealand electricity supplier Contact Energy Ltd (ASX: CEN) rose 1.91% to $6.93 per share.

Genesis Energy Ltd (ASX: GNE) shares fell 3.45% to $1.96 per share.

The LGI Ltd (ASX: LGI) share price ripped 23.16% to $2.34 on news of a $22 million acquisition of solar power assets.

Frontier Energy Ltd (ASX: FHE) shares tumbled 13.04% to 20 cents despite no company announcements last week.

The Rivco Australia Ltd (ASX: RIV) share price increased 0.83% to $1.21 per share.

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:

Check out the 17 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week.

The post ASX 200 defensive sectors outperform amid volatile trading appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's because Bell Potter is very positive on its outlook and believes it could be a top option for investors with a high tolerance for risk.

Which ASX renewable energy share?

The share that Bell Potter is recommending to clients is Frontier Energy Ltd (ASX: FHE).

It is developing the Waroona Renewable Energy Project on 830ha of freehold land that is 120km south of Perth.

Bell Potter notes that a key strategic advantage is the project's proximity (500 metres) to the Landwehr terminal, which is a 330kV grid connection point on one of the strongest transmission corridors in the SWIS.

All major approvals, permits, and access to network connections are in place.

Commenting on the ASX renewable energy share, the broker said:

Stage One, consisting of a 132MWdc solar farm with an integrated 81.5MW 6.9-hour battery, will begin construction in 2H 2026. The hybrid facility will take advantage of higher intraday prices during peak demand periods. WA's unique Reserve Capacity Mechanism provides guaranteed revenue of $32m pa till 2032 (before moving to a floating price per MW) and the Federal Government's Capacity Investment Scheme mitigates any downside revenue risk.

Major expansion plans would see overall solar generation lift to ~1GW paired with a ~650MW battery. With ~1.7GW of thermal generation expected to exit the Wholesale Electricity Market over the next 5 years, WA is forecasted to be in a shortfall during peak demand periods.

Should you invest?

According to the note, Bell Potter has put a speculative buy rating and 35 cents price target on Frontier Energy's shares.

Based on its current share price of 24 cents, this implies potential upside of 46% for investors over the next 12 months.

Speaking about its recommendation, Bell Potter said:

We transfer coverage on FHE and maintain our Buy (Speculative) recommendation. Our Valuation is reduced to $0.35/sh as we incorporate dilution from a $110m equity raise. FHE owns a strategically important site crucial to WA's energy transition. Significant investment in generation and storage are required to offset power station retirements and demand growth in WA.

As supply exits the market, we expect peak prices to rise noting that ~70% of peak period generation is still supplied by thermal energy. FHE's operating model benefits from these higher pricing outcomes whilst also receiving State and Federal Government revenue support.

The post Is this ASX renewable energy share a buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

However, they can also provide investors with increased upside. 

Yesterday, the team at Bell Potter released two reports that included buy recommendations and attractive price targets for two ASX penny stocks. 

Here is what the broker had to say. 

Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX: AIS)

Aeris Resources is a mid-tier base and precious metals explorer and producer. 

Its copper-dominant portfolio comprises four operating assets, including its cornerstone 100%-owned Tritton copper operations near Cobar in central New South Wales.

This ASX penny stock has seen its share price rocket 127.78% higher year to date. 

At the time of writing, shares are trading for roughly $0.41. 

The team at Bell Potter believes there is more room for growth. The broker has upgraded its rating to a buy and placed a price target of $0.65 (previously $0.52) on AIS shares. 

This indicates an upside of 58.54%. 

The broker said the company has delivered a trio of positive catalysts: 

• A key $80m equity raising
• A maiden Ore Reserve for its Constellation deposit at Tritton
• And the sale of the small-scale North Queensland copper assets.

In yesterday's report, the broker said this placement removes an overhang on the stock.

It has also bolstered AIS' ability to fund its key growth project, Constellation, which underpins copper production growth, lower unit costs, and margin expansion at Tritton. This will further leverage AIS' exposure to a rising copper price.

AIS is a copper-dominant producer with its near-term outlook highly leveraged to the copper price and increasing production at Tritton, which is now the largest copper mine in Australia not owned by a major mining company and is an attractive corporate target, in our view.

Frontier Energy Ltd (ASX: FHE)

FHE is a renewable energy developer based in Perth. 

Its Stage 1 project aims to build a 120MW solar generation facility along with an 81.5MW (6hr) battery to supply electricity into the grid with further expansion potential. This aims to take advantage of higher prices during peak demand and payments from the Reserve Capacity Mechanism (RCM).

Its stock price has also risen significantly in 2025, increasing 123% since January. 

Bell Potter is optimistic that the growth can continue. 

In yesterday's report, the broker stated that it could benefit from Western Australia's growing peak demand for electricity, driven by a rising population and increased electrification. 

Once operational, we expect that FHE's Stage 1 project will generate $55m/yr of EBITDA from October 2027, with a long life of assets, low operating costs and a low cost of equity.

The broker has a speculative buy recommendation on this ASX penny stock. 

Its price target of $0.50 indicates an upside of 72.41% from today's opening price of $0.29. 

The post Bell Potter tips big upside for two ASX penny stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gained 1.02% over the week to finish at 7,796 points on Friday.

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

Let's review.

Utilities shares led the ASX sectors last week

Among the largest of the 22 ASX 200 utilities companies, the outperformer for price growth this week was Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG).

Origin shares rose by 5.85% to finish at $10.76 on Friday. There was no price-sensitive news from Origin this week.

The AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) share price lifted 3.03% to $10.55 this week, also on no price-sensitive news.

APA Group (ASX: APA) shares rose 0.12% over the five trading days to finish at $8.40.

On Friday, the energy infrastructure business announced an estimated final distribution of 29.5 cents per share. The record date is 28 June and the payment date is 18 September.

Utilities small-caps Frontier Energy Ltd (ASX: FHE) and Duxton Water Ltd (ASX: D2O) had a great week.

Frontier Energy shares gained 7.95% to finish at 48 cents on Friday.

Last week the company announced it had signed contracts with Western Power to begin detailed design and procurement work for stage one of its Waroona Renewable Energy Project.

Duxton Water shares lifted 6.55% to close at $1.47 on Friday. The company did not release any news last week.

The second strongest sector last week was financials, up 2.08%.

The ASX 200 bank stocks continued to test multi-year high prices last week.

On Friday, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares reset their record high yet again. The biggest ASX 200 bank stock peaked at $128.25 per share on Friday but closed the week at $127.68.

Also last week, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares reached a nine-year high of $36.42.

Also, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) hit its highest price in almost five years at $11.42.

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 Here's how the ASX 200 market sectors stacked up last week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

As some jumped close to 70%, others dumped a quarter of their value.

And while all that was happening, the broader market stayed relatively flat. The benchmark All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) fell just 1% over the three months ended 30 September.

So, what went on with some of the market's most notable ASX hydrogen shares in the September quarter? Let's take a look.

Peaks and troughs for ASX hydrogen shares in Q1

ASX hydrogen shares put on a mixed performance over the first quarter, with some, like Frontier Energy Ltd (ASX: FHE), posting major gains.

The Frontier Energy share price lifted 68% over the period, closing September at 37 cents.

The company worked to secure a water supply needed to produce green hydrogen using energy from its Western Australia-based Bristol Springs Solar Project.

Its agreement with Water Corporation – announced on Thursday – will save the company from kicking off its back-up plan – building a desalination facility.

The Province Resources Ltd (ASX: PRL) share price also had a great quarter, gaining 54% to trade at 8 cents.

The big news from the company behind the HyEnergy Project last quarter came in August when it announced it had secured an additional 2,217 square kilometres of land for the project.

The Pure Hydrogen Corporation Ltd (ASX: PH2) share price also had a good run in the September quarter, gaining 23% to close the period at 27 cents.

However, the quarter wasn't a good one for every major ASX hydrogen share.

The Hazer Group Ltd (ASX: HZR) share price dumped 25% over the period, slumping to trade at 57 cents.

The major drag on the stock was news a critical part of its demonstration plant had failed, delaying the company's planned hydrogen production until 2023. The stock fell 17% on the back of the news.

And while most of its income comes from non-hydrogen sources, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) iron ore giant behind hydrogen-focused Fortescue Future Industries, Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG), saw its share price fall 4% last quarter.

The post There were big winners and losers among ASX hydrogen shares in Q1. Here's the lowdown appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Last quarter was a rough one for many ASX shares, with the broader market tracking relatively flat over the period.

In fact, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) gained just 0.7% and 0.1% respectively over the 3 months ended 31 March.

Luckily, these 5 ASX shares – each somehow involved in hydrogen – bucked the trend.

Let's take a look at the 5 top performing ASX hydrogen stocks of the quarter just been.

Last quarter's best performing ASX hydrogen shares

A quick note before we start: This list doesn't include ASX hydrogen shares with market capitalisations of less than $50 million.

Frontier Energy Ltd (ASX: FHE) – up 96%

This dark horse swooped in at the last minute to take out the crown of the top performing ASX hydrogen share of the March quarter.

Frontier Energy, formerly known as Superior Lake Resources, relisted on the ASX in early March with a new focus – the Bristol Springs Solar Project.

Recently, the company announced a study into producing green hydrogen at the project.

On 11 August, the Superior Lakes share price closed trading at 13 cents. Additionally, the company raised $8 million through a prospectus earlier this year, wherein it offered shares in the company for 13 cents apiece.

The rebranded Frontier Energy was instated to the ASX on 3 March. Its share price surged to 16.5 cents at its first close.

As of the final close of March, it was trading at 25.5 cents.

That represents a 96% gain on its final close of 2021 and its prospectus' offer price. It's also 54% higher than the company's first close of 2022.  

Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) – up 46%

While the ASX petroleum giant might not be the first stock that comes to mind when discussing hydrogen shares, Woodside is wrapped up in a $1 billion Western Australian hydrogen project.

The company is working with the state's government to build H2Perth – a "world-scale" hydrogen and ammonia production facility that could produce 1,500 tonnes of hydrogen each day.

Construction on the project is estimated to begin in 2024.

Additionally, Woodside entered an agreement to look into shipping hydrogen from the project to Singapore and Japan in late 2021

It's also working towards building a liquid hydrogen production facility in the United States. It's hoping production at the facility will begin in 2025.

The Woodside share price closed the final session of the March quarter at $31.20.

AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) – up 25%

AGL is another traditional energy giant tangled up in hydrogen.

The company entered the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain project way back in 2018. The project aims to produce hydrogen at AGL's Loy Yang coal-fired power plant and transport it to Japan.

AGL also entered an agreement with Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)'s green energy leg, Fortescue Future Industries late last year. The pair are looking into developing a green hydrogen facility at AGL's envisioned 'Hunter Energy Hub'.

The hub is currently home to the energy producer and retailer's Liddell and Bayswater power stations.

The AGL share price gained 25% over the March quarter, ending it trading at $7.72.

Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) – up 19%

Another strong performance from a big name ASX energy share with activities in the hydrogen sphere – the Origin share price is the fourth best performing hydrogen stock of the March quarter.

Origin has a number of hydrogen initiatives.

In 2020 it announced a feasibility study into producing hydrogen and ammonia for export in Tasmania.

Last year, it partnered with major shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines to explore the transportation of the energy commodity.

It also announced that it's exploring a potential export-scale liquid hydrogen project in Townsville and a green hydrogen hub in Newcastle.

The Origin share price ended the March quarter trading at $6.23 – up from $5.24 at the final close of 2021. That represents an 18.89% gain.

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL) – up 17%

Finally, Incitec Pivot has come in as the fifth best performing ASX hydrogen share of the March quarter.

The explosives, industrial chemicals, fertiliser producer and exporter has a few interests in hydrogen.

Mainly, its partnership with Fortescue Future Industries. The pair announced their collaboration –exploring green ammonia production at Incitec Pivot's Gibson Island fertiliser facility – in 2021.

The entities believe the site could produce around 50,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen each year, which would be converted to green ammonia and sold to markets.

The company is also involved in a partnership investigating green ammonia supply from hydrogen hubs in Queensland and NSW.

The ammonia could be used as a direct fuel for electricity. Or, it could be repurposed to produce green hydrogen to be used as a fuel feedstock.

The Incitec Pivot share price grew 16.98% last quarter, ending the period trading at $3.78.

The post These were the 5 best performing ASX hydrogen shares of the March quarter appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.