But that's exactly what the market has handed investors this week.

A number of well-known ASX growth names have fallen sharply, with each of the five below hitting 52-week lows or worse in recent sessions. While that can feel uncomfortable in the moment, it's often where long-term opportunities start to appear.

Here are five I'd be happy to buy and hold from here.

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

Gentrack isn't a household name, but it operates in a niche that is becoming increasingly important.

The technology company provides billing and customer management software to utilities and airports, both of which are undergoing significant digital transformation.

What I like here is the structural tailwind. Energy markets are becoming more complex, and utilities need better systems to manage customers, pricing, and data.

This ASX growth share has been building momentum in recent years, and while the share price has pulled back, the long-term demand for its software looks intact despite artificial intelligence (AI) disruption fears.

SiteMinder Ltd (ASX: SDR)

SiteMinder sits at the heart of travel and technology.

Its platform helps hotels manage bookings across multiple channels, which is critical in an industry that relies heavily on online distribution.

The business has been growing strongly as global travel recovers and hotels continue shifting toward more automated, cloud-based systems.

Even after a sharp share price decline, the underlying story hasn't changed in my view. If anything, the long-term opportunity remains tied to increasing digitisation across the accommodation sector.

It is also worth highlighting that management appears confident AI will support rather than disrupt its platform. In fact, it is working on an AI agent function to leverage the technology.

Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH)

Cochlear is one of the highest-quality growth shares on the ASX.

It has a global leadership position in hearing implants, backed by decades of research, innovation, and a strong brand.

While the share price can be sensitive to short-term factors, the bigger picture is driven by demographics and healthcare demand. An ageing population and rising awareness of hearing solutions continue to support long-term growth.

For me, this is the type of business where short-term weakness can create long-term opportunity.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

Temple & Webster has had a volatile journey, but its long-term potential remains compelling.

It operates as an online furniture and homewares retailer, benefiting from the ongoing shift toward ecommerce in categories that were traditionally dominated by physical stores.

The business has been investing in its platform, logistics, and customer experience, which should help it capture more market share over time.

With the share price down heavily, I think the market may be underestimating how large the online opportunity could become in this space.

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL)

Lastly, Aristocrat is a global gaming and entertainment company with a strong track record.

Its core land-based gaming business generates solid cash flow, while its digital segment provides an additional growth engine.

What stands out is its ability to consistently develop successful game content, which supports both revenue and margins.

Despite its quality, the share price has come under pressure recently along with broader market weakness. For long-term investors, that could be a chance to pick up a high-quality business at a more attractive valuation.

Foolish takeaway

Gentrack, SiteMinder, Cochlear, Temple & Webster, and Aristocrat all have different drivers, but each offers exposure to long-term growth trends.

After their recent pullbacks, I think they're worth serious consideration for investors willing to take a longer-term view.

The post 5 great value ASX growth shares I'd buy and hold appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

These companies are often earlier in their growth journey, which means they can be more volatile in the short term. In return, successful execution can translate into outsized returns over time as markets expand, earnings scale, and business models mature.

With that in mind, here are three small cap ASX shares that could be worth a closer look.

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

Catapult Sports is a leader in elite sport wearables and data analytics.

The company provides wearable tracking technology and performance software used by professional sporting teams around the world. These tools help teams optimise performance, manage athlete workloads, and reduce injury risk, which are areas where marginal gains can make a meaningful difference.

What makes Catapult interesting as a small cap opportunity is its global footprint and recurring revenue model. As more sports adopt data-driven decision making, demand for Catapult's analytics platform continues to expand. With a growing customer base and improving operating leverage, the company appears well placed to benefit as adoption deepens over time.

Morgans is a fan and recently put a buy rating and $6.25 price target on its shares.

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

Another small cap ASX share that could be a top buy is Gentrack. It is a specialist software provider to the energy and utilities sector.

Its billing and customer management platforms are used by electricity, gas, and water companies as they modernise systems and adapt to increasingly complex energy markets. The global energy transition is adding further demand for flexible software capable of handling renewables, distributed generation, and dynamic pricing.

Gentrack's revenue is largely recurring, supported by long-term contracts and high switching costs. As utilities continue to invest in digital infrastructure, the company has the potential to steadily grow earnings while expanding its presence in international markets.

Bell Potter is positive on the company's outlook. It has a buy rating and $11.00 price target on its shares.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

Universal Store is a small cap ASX retail share with a strong track record of execution.

The company focuses on youth fashion, combining a curated product range with disciplined store expansion. Its emphasis on private label products and cost control has helped support margins, even during periods of softer consumer spending.

Bell Potter is also a big fan of the company. It has named it as a best buy with a price target of $10.50.

The post 3 growing small cap ASX shares with huge potential appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The trick isn't necessarily trying to predict the next big trend; it's backing companies that solve real problems, adapt as markets evolve, and keep finding ways to grow.

That said, here are five ASX tech shares I'd be happy to buy and hold for the long term.

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

Catapult sits in a niche that's only becoming more important: elite sports performance and athlete monitoring. Its wearable technology and analytics software are now embedded across many of the most popular professional teams worldwide. This includes Manchester United, Kansas City Chiefs, the NSW State of Origin team, Golden State Warriors, and the Brazil national soccer team. Once adopted, these systems are hard to replace, creating strong customer stickiness. This can be seen in its high retention rates. As sports continue to become more data-driven, Catapult is well-positioned to expand its footprint, not just in new teams, but also through deeper usage with existing customers.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

DroneShield is an ASX tech share I rate highly. It operates in a market that didn't exist a decade ago but is now mission-critical. Counter-drone technology is becoming essential for military, government, and critical infrastructure protection. DroneShield's mix of software, sensors, and electronic warfare solutions gives it exposure to a structural, not cyclical, growth trend. While its shares can definitely be volatile, the long-term relevance of its technology is difficult to ignore.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

Life360 is a family safety app provider that has 90 million+ monthly active users worldwide. What I like most about this ASX tech share is its ability to monetise engagement over time through subscriptions and upsells, without undermining the core user experience. As location-based services and digital safety become more important, Life360 stands to benefit as the clear market leader.

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

Gentrack may not be well-known, but it's exactly the kind of tech share long-term investors should be acquainted with. The company provides mission-critical billing and operational software to utilities and airports. These are the types of customers that value reliability over experimentation. With global energy systems becoming more complex and decentralised, demand for Gentrack's software should only increase. In addition, its recurring revenue and long customer contracts position it for robust long-term earnings growth.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

I think that TechnologyOne is one of the ASX's highest-quality companies. It focuses on enterprise software for government, education, and large organisations. These are customers who tend to be loyal and long-lived, as it can be hard for them to move to new providers. TechnologyOne's shift to a SaaS model has improved revenue visibility and quality, as well as margins, while its international expansion offers further growth. Its shares are not cheap, but businesses with its high level of consistency rarely are.

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They may not be household names yet, but they have the growth engines, competitive advantages, and scalability to potentially become major players by the end of the decade.

If you're looking for ASX stocks with the kind of long-term upside that could transform a portfolio, analysts think these three mid-caps stand out.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

DroneShield is one of the most exciting defensive technology players on the ASX. As drones become increasingly prevalent in both commercial and military settings, demand for counter-drone and electronic warfare systems has surged worldwide.

The company's cutting-edge technology is now deployed by military customers, government agencies, and critical infrastructure operators across multiple continents. Its product suite has expanded rapidly, margins are improving as scale increases, and recent contract wins highlight growing credibility with tier-1 customers.

Defence spending globally is rising and counter-drone systems are becoming a standard requirement rather than a niche specialty. And with a growing pipeline and a technology advantage over many competitors, DroneShield could easily become a globally recognised name by 2030.

Bell Potter is bullish on its outlook and has a buy rating and $5.30 price target on its shares.

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

Another mid cap ASX stock that could be a top buy is Gentrack. It provides software used by utilities, airports, and energy retailers to manage billing, customer information, compliance, and operations. These systems are mission-critical and once they are installed, they are deeply embedded and extremely difficult to replace.

In recent years, Gentrack has undergone a major transformation, modernising its product suite and winning significant new contracts across the world. The energy transition, with its rising number of green retailers, decentralised grids, and complex billing requirements, is creating long-term structural demand for the kind of software Gentrack specialises in.

If the company continues to secure global market share and deepen relationships with major utilities, it could grow very strongly over the remainder of the decade.

Bell Potter is also a fan of Gentrack. It has a buy rating and $11.00 price target on its shares.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

Finally, Temple & Webster has spent the past few years cementing itself as the go-to destination for furniture and homewares online. While its category has traditionally been dominated by large physical retailers, the structural shift toward online shopping shows no sign of slowing and it is capturing that trend better than anyone else.

With online penetration in homewares still far below levels seen in the US and Europe, Temple & Webster could be multiple times larger by 2030 if industry adoption continues.

Macquarie is a fan of the company and recently put an outperform rating and $24.15 price target on its shares.

The post 3 ASX mid-cap rockets that could become future blue chips appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The business provides utilities businesses and airport companies with enterprise software for billing, customer and operations management.

Some of its customers include EnergyAustralia, Red Energy, Hunter Water, Vocus, Amber, Utility Warehouse, Cleveland Airport, Brisbane Airport, London Gatwick, Manchester Airport, JFK Airport, Edinburgh Airport, Sydney Airport, Melbourne Airport, Seattle-Tacoma Airport and Launceston Airport.

Fund manager Wilson Asset Management is excited about the potential of Gentrack, with the ASX tech stock being a position in the portfolio of WAM Capital Ltd (ASX: WAM).

WAM Capital is a listed investment company (LIC) that targets "the most compelling undervalued growth opportunities in the Australian market". Let's take a look at why WAM is optimistic about the technology company.

WAM's bullish case on Gentrack shares

The fund manager pointed out that the Gentrack share price rose in November (by around 20%), after the release of the company's FY25 result, with revenue climbing 8% to NZ$230.2 million.

Profitability significantly improved at the ASX tech stock with operating profit (EBITDA) going up by approximately 18% and statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) increasing by 119% year-over-year.

Wilson Asset Management explained that this growth was underpinned by "solid demand" across both the utilities and airports segments.

Utilities total revenue grew 7% to $193.4 million with recurring revenue climbing by 12% thanks to wins and upgrades from prior periods turning into recurring revenue.

Veovo (airports) revenue jumped 15% to $36.8 million, driven by new customer wins in the prior year in the UK and the Middle East, as well as upgrades in the Asia Pacific region. Recurring revenue rose 18% year over year, while project work grew 13% compared to the prior corresponding period.

Strong outlook

The fund manager highlighted that the key focus for investors was new disclosure on the customer pipeline, providing "greater visibility on the number, scale and maturity of the opportunities being progressed."

WAM believes the above potential implies the ASX tech stock could more than double its existing recurring utilities revenue over time, setting a baseline for more than 8% revenue growth in FY26 (excluding new-logo wins) and an acceleration to more than 15% growth in FY27.

Wilson Asset Management also believes that operating leverage is expected to continue to drive profit margin expansion for the business.

Finally, the fund manager noted that the company recently hosted an investor day which highlighted "strong advances in the technology stack and importantly sees the g2.0 product suite now being available to new and existing customers."

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It offers software for both utility businesses and airports. Some of its clients include Engie, EON, Amber, Melbourne Airport, Sydney Airport, London Gatwick Airport, JFK Airport, Edinburgh Airport, Brisbane Airport, Seattle-Tacoma Airport and Launceston Airport.

As a software provider for essential businesses, I think it has a largely defensive earnings base, with good prospects for further growth. As long as it continues investing in its software to ensure it maintains and grows its customer base, then the future looks bright for the company.

Better valuation

While the Gentrack share price has jumped in the last few weeks, it's still down by around 30% over the past year, as the chart below shows.

I think the recent jump of the Gentrack share price is a good sign that the market is encouraged by what the business recently reported. But, it's still a lot cheaper than it was a year ago.

As the saying goes, it's better to 'buy low'. With Gentrack's share price still a lot lower, I think the ASX small-cap stock looks much more appealing, particularly with the company's outlook for earnings growth.

Strong earnings growth outlook

The company's FY25 result was solid, with 7.9% revenue growth (and 13% recurring revenue growth), 18% operating profit (EBITDA) growth and 119% net profit after tax (NPAT) growth. However, some of the net profit growth was due to a $3.2 million benefit from a positive change in foreign exchange rates.  

In the utilities segment, it's expecting its software and support revenue to grow around 10% in FY26 after several recent go-lives and others "are expected". It said it's moving towards its medium-term growth target of more than 15%. Gentrack said its pipeline has matured considerably.

On the airport side of things, for FY26 it has "high visibility" to match FY25's growth of 15% and a "strong pipeline that could see that accelerate".

In the ASX small-cap stock's outlook statement for FY26, the business wrote:

Based on the scale and maturity of our pipeline we are confident that revenue growth will be higher in FY26 than in FY25, but it is too early to provide further guidance.

With strong and growing engagement across EMEA and APAC, our proven track record and the market potential, we remain confident of our mid-term guidance of growing revenue more than 15% CAGR and an EBITDA margin of 15-20% after expensing all development costs.

I think the ASX small-cap stock is definitely one to watch for the foreseeable future.

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

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is up 8.5% to $2.17. This is despite there being no news out of the counter drone technology company. However, with its shares down heavily in recent weeks, it seems that some investors believe they are now a bargain buy. Bell Potter appears to agree. It recently put a buy rating and $5.30 price target on its shares.

Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS)

The EOS share price is up over 7% to $4.78. This follows news that the defence company has completed a key acquisition and settled ASIC's investigation in relation to certain disclosure matters in 2022. The settlement includes an agreed proposed penalty of $4 million. As for the acquisition, EOS has completed the deal to acquire the UK-based Interceptor business from MARSS Group for $10 million.

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

The Gentrack share price is up a further 5% to $8.93. This airport and utilities software provider's shares have been rocketing this week thanks to the release of its FY 2025 results. Gentrack posted an 8% increase in revenue to NZ$230.2 million and an 18% jump in EBITDA to NZ$27.8 million. Management also reiterated its mid-term target of more than 15% compound annual revenue growth and an EBITDA margin of 15%–20%. Bell Potter was pleased and retained its buy rating on its shares with an improved price target of $11.00. Gentrack's shares are now up 33% this week.

Web Travel Group Ltd (ASX: WEB)

The Web Travel share price is up a further 6% to $4.63. This travel technology company's shares have been flying this week following the release of its half year results on Tuesday. Web Travel posted a 22% lift in total transaction value (TTV) to a record of $3.17 billion and a 17% jump in underlying EBITDA to a record of $81.7 million. Commenting on its performance, Web Travel's managing director, John Guscic, said: "WebBeds continues to deliver world class TTV growth. We reported $3.2 billion TTV for the first 6 months of the financial year, 22% more than the same period last year, driven by the significant above-market growth coming through in our top 3 regions, particularly the Americas." This morning, Macquarie put an outperform rating and $6.85 price target on its shares.

The post Why DroneShield, EOS, Gentrack, and Web Travel shares are surging today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's because analysts at Bell Potter see potential for its shares to rise strongly from current levels.

Which ASX tech stock?

The stock in question is airports and utilities software provider Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK).

Bell Potter was pleased with the company's FY 2025 results, noting that they were largely in line with expectations. It said:

GTK's FY25 was largely in-line with consensus revenue/EBITDA at $230.2m/$27.8m respectively (-4% vs. BPe EBITDA). Positive pipeline commentary drove a strong share price reaction, which provided improved visibility on near-term project win/growth outlook.

Group revenue grew 8% to $230.2m, in-line with guidance/consensus (- 1% vs. BPe); Utility revenue increased 7% to $193.4m, which was underpinned by 12% recurring revenue growth somewhat offset by a -5% decline in project revenues (reflecting strong pcp); 2H25 was a record half for Utility project revs. Veovo revenue increased +15% to $36.8m on both ARR/NRR growth (+27% ex. Hardware sales)

Another positive for the broker was its outlook commentary. It highlights that the ASX tech stock's sales pipeline has improved significantly in recent months. Bell Potter adds:

GTK's pipeline has developed considerably since it's last update; it is currently a "preferred" vendor at 3 prospects, shortlisted at 3 others, and well placed at 4 others for 2026 counterparty decisions. These opportunities represent ~30m meter points in total; winning 3-4 would set up strong FY27 growth according to GTK. EPS changes in following the result are -1%/+2%/+8% through FY26e-28e respectively on a broad mix of mix shift across segments and increased amortisation.

Time to buy

According to the note, the broker has responded to the update by reiterating its buy rating with an improved price target of $11.00 (from $9.80).

Based on its current share price of $8.49, this implies potential upside of almost 30% for investors from current levels.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, Bell Potter said:

Our TP rebounds to A$11.00 on roll fwd of DCF and earnings upgrades following pipeline commentary which has provided greater visibility on potential project revenue growth as well as go-live proof-points for GTK to reference in g2.0 discussions. A positive growth outlook for GTK is underpinned by rapidly shifting energy consumption and production trends, driving increased complexity in energy grids which is meeting technical debt within legacy billing platforms.

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

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

The Gentrack share price is up a further 6% to $8.48. Investors have been buying the airport and utilities software provider's shares since the release of the FY 2025 results on Monday. Gentrack reported an 8% increase in revenue to NZ$230.2 million and an 18% jump in EBITDA to NZ$27.8 million. And while management gave no firm guidance, it has spoken positively about the future. It has reiterated its mid-term target of more than 15% compound annual revenue growth and an EBITDA margin of 15%–20%. In response to the update, this morning Bell Potter retained its buy rating on Gentrack's shares with an improved price target of $11.00.

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

The IPD share price is up 10% to $3.76. This follows the release of the electrical solutions provider's guidance for the first half of FY 2026. Management advised that it expects EBITDA growth of approximately 6.1% for that half. It said: "There are encouraging signs of recovery and resilience across our end markets, with sustained positive momentum observed across all business units. Earlier investments made into CMI's longer-term growth-oriented strategies are starting to generate tangible benefits, underpinned by strong order book growth. The Group's current opportunity pipeline is positioned well for continued growth through FY26."

SRG Global Ltd (ASX: SRG)

The SRG Global share price is up 4% to $2.78. This morning, this infrastructure services company revealed that it has won a number of lucrative contracts. It advised that it has secured $650 million of contracts with blue-chip clients across Australia and New Zealand. These contracts are across the water, defence, transport, energy, industrial, resources, health and education sectors. SRG Global's CEO, David Macgeorge, commented: "We continue to secure a diverse range of contracts across Australia and New Zealand in a broad range of sectors with both key repeat and new clients. These contract awards are a further demonstration of our market-leading capabilities as a truly diversified infrastructure services company."

Web Travel Group Ltd (ASX: WEB)

The Web Travel share price is up 10% to $4.40. Investors have been buying this travel technology company's shares following the release of its half year results. Web Travel reported an 18% increase in bookings to 5.1 million, a 22% lift in total transaction value (TTV) to a record of $3.17 billion, and a 17% jump in underlying EBITDA to a record of $81.7 million. Web Travel's managing director, John Guscic, was pleased with the half. He said: WebBeds continues to deliver world class TTV growth. We reported $3.2 billion TTV for the first 6 months of the financial year, 22% more than the same period last year, driven by the significant above-market growth coming through in our top 3 regions, particularly the Americas.

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

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

The Gentrack share price is up 22% to $8.10. This follows the release of the airport and utilities software provider's FY 2025 results this morning. Gentrack delivered an 8% increase in revenue to NZ$230.2 million and an 18% jump in EBITDA to NZ$27.8 million for the 12 months. And while no firm guidance was given, management reiterated its mid-term target of more than 15% compound annual revenue growth and an EBITDA margin of 15%–20%.

Monash IVF Group Ltd (ASX: MVF)

The Monash IVF share price is up 40% to 85.5 cents. Investors have been buying this fertility treatment company's shares after it received and rejected "an opportunistic, unsolicited, conditional and non- binding indicative proposal" from a consortium comprising Genesis Capital and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL). The indicative cash price offered to shareholders under the proposal was $0.80 per share. However, "the Board has considered the Proposal including with the assistance of its financial and legal advisers and unanimously determined that the Proposal materially undervalues Monash IVF and is not in the best interest of the Company's shareholders as a whole."

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

The Pro Medicus share price is up 3.5% to $260.59. This morning, the health imaging technology company revealed that it has signed three new contracts with a combined minimum contract value of $29 million. These contracts will be fully cloud-deployed and are planned to be completed within the next six months. Pro Medicus' founder and CEO, Dr Sam Hupert, said: "They comprise a children's hospital, a cancer center, and a physician-owned and run regional healthcare provider. This diversity reinforces our belief that our product is ideally suited to virtually all segments of the market, from smaller groups all the way through to some of the largest IDN's and academic medical centers in the US."

Qube Holdings Ltd (ASX: QUB)

The Qube share price is up almost 18% to $4.79. This has been driven by news that the logistics solutions company has received a takeover offer from Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG). The Macquarie Asset Management (MAM) business is offering $5.20 per share for Qube. The company's chair, John Bevan, said: "The proposal from Macquarie Asset Management is a reflection of the strength of Qube's business model and our assets, and the quality of our people and culture. We look forward to continuing to engage constructively in the best interests of our shareholders."

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In morning trade, the ASX 300 tech stock is up a massive 21% to $8.01.

This follows the release of the utilities and airport software company's full year results for FY 2025.

ASX 300 tech stock rockets on results day

For the 12 months ended 30 September, Gentrack posted an 8% increase in revenue over the prior corresponding period to NZ$230.2 million. This was in line with its guidance for the financial year.

Recurring revenue jumped 13% to NZ$155.4 million, with both its Airports (Veovo) and Utilities divisions contributing to the uplift.

The company's Utilities arm saw revenue increase 7% to $193.4 million. This was driven by a 12% rise in recurring revenue from new customer wins and platform upgrades.

The airports division, Veovo, also delivered a strong year, operating across more than 25 countries and 150 airports. Revenue rose 15% to NZ$36.8 million, with underlying revenue growth of 30% excluding hardware sales. Recurring revenue increased 18%, supported by new customer wins in the UK and Middle East and upgrade activity across the Asia–Pacific region.

EBITDA came in at NZ$27.8 million for the 12 months, which represents 18% growth over the prior year. Importantly, the company emphasised that this result was achieved despite expensing all R&D and g2.0 investment costs.

On the bottom line, the ASX 300 tech stock record a statutory net profit after tax of $20.9 million, marking a substantial 119% year-on-year increase. This result included a $2.2 million loss relating to Gentrack's 10% stake in Amber, as well as $3.2 million in foreign exchange gains from the appreciation of key currencies such as the British pound.

Cash generation remained strong in FY 2025, with year-end cash of $84.8 million. This is up $18.1 million from FY 2024.

However, the board has elected not to pay a dividend, noting that both the Utilities and Veovo businesses operate in high-growth and consolidating markets. It believes that capital is best directed toward expansion.

Outlook

The ASX 300 tech stock's management team is confident that its growth will continue in FY 2026.

It signalled further momentum ahead, stating that it is "confident that revenue growth will be higher in FY26 than in FY25." Though, it concedes that it is too early to provide detailed guidance.

Looking further out, Gentrack reiterated its mid-term target of more than 15% compound annual revenue growth and an EBITDA margin of 15%–20%, with all development costs continuing to be expensed.

Despite today's strong gain, the company's shares remain down by 30% since the start of the year.

The post Why is this ASX 300 tech stock rocketing 21% today? 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:

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

The Gentrack share price is up 7.5% to $6.82. This morning, this billing software company revealed that its new g2 platform has been selected to enhance operations and customer experience at Pennon Water Services. It is one of the UK's leading business water and wastewater retailers. This marks the first customer to adopt g2 in the UK, and the first g2 water implementation. In other news, Bell Potter reaffirmed its buy rating on Gentrack's shares with a reduced price target of $9.80. It said: "We are positive on secular tailwinds in decentralised energy driving utility billing stack transformations broadly."

Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN)

The Kogan share price is up over 1% to $3.03. Investors have been buying this online retailer's shares following the release of an update at its annual general meeting. Kogan revealed that in the first four months of FY 2026, adjusted EBITDA was $10.1 million with a margin of 6.5%. The latter is within its guidance range of 6% to 9%.

Webjet Group Ltd (ASX: WJL)

The Webjet share price is up over 2% to 91 cents. This has been driven by news that the online travel agent has received another takeover offer. Helloword Travel Ltd (ASX: HLO) made an offer of 90 cents per share earlier this week, but this morning BGH Capital has joined the bidding with a 91 cents per share proposal. In response, the company said: "After carefully considering the revised BGH proposal, the Webjet board has agreed with BGH's request to provide BGH with an opportunity to conduct due diligence, subject to the parties agreeing to a mutually acceptable non-disclosure agreement."

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

The WiseTech Global share price is up 4% to $66.82. This morning, this logistics solutions technology company released its annual general meeting update and reaffirmed its guidance for FY 2026. WiseTech's new CEO, Zubin Appoo, said: "Looking ahead, we reconfirm our guidance and expect revenue between $1.39 and $1.44 billion and EBITDA of $550 to $585 million. As outlined when we announced our FY25 Results in August, the e2open integration will temporarily impact margins – and that is exactly as planned. We have a clear execution roadmap, backed by more than three decades of successfully integrating strategic acquisitions and rebuilding margin strength. We know how to do this."

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That's because if Bell Potter is on the money with its recommendation, it could deliver massive returns for investors over the next 12 months.

Which ASX tech stock?

The stock that Bell Potter is tipping as a buy is Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK).

It is a specialist billing and CRM solutions and managed services provider to energy, water, and airport industries.

Bell Potter notes that the majority of its revenue is generated from energy retailers and leveraged to IT infrastructure transformation within utilities/retailers, as well as future-facing distributed energy resources and decentralised storage trends.

The broker points out that these are driving increasingly complex data sets to manage and general legacy platforms were not designed specifically for this.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter notes that macro tailwinds are strengthening for this ASX tech stock, which bodes well for its future growth. It said:

Solar-generated energy accounted for 83% of the increase in global electricity demand for the first half of CY25, according to energy think tank, Ember, which also saw it pass a milestone in generating more power than coal for the first time during the measured window. Utility-scale solar deployments and grid connections are underpinned by its position as the lowest cost for energy generation on a $/MWh basis, as well as the most cost-competitive form of new-build generation (unsubsidised basis) according to Lazard's annual Levelised Cost of Energy report.

Though, there is one area of concern for the broker. That is lost momentum with its next generation g2.0 platform. It adds:

Despite these positive macro tailwinds requiring updated/modern billing stacks, GTK seems to have lost g2.0 project momentum, which makes us cautious heading into the FY25 result.

Time to buy

Despite concerns over the g2.0 project, Bell Potter remains very positive and sees significant value in the ASX tech stock.

This morning, it has retained its buy rating on Gentrack's shares with a reduced price target of $9.80 (from $13.20). Based on its current share price of $6.34, this implies potential upside of 55% for investors between now and this time next year.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, the broker said:

Our A$ DCF valuation downwards due to the current ~decade-low in NZD against the AUD and introduced a 50:50 EV/EBITDA blend to our valuation methodology. We move to cautious on the growth outlook for GTK, which is predicated on winning transformation projects/front book revenues converting into recurring/back book revenue streams, amid a lack of positive utility project news in an increasingly competitive environment. We are positive on secular tailwinds in decentralised energy driving utility billing stack transformations broadly.

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

Beetaloo Energy Australia Ltd (ASX: BTL)

The Beetaloo Energy share price is down almost 4% to 26 cents. This follows the release of an operations update this morning. Beetaloo revealed that the commencement of the IP30 flow test will be later than previously anticipated. This is due to a delay in the arrival of the third-party equipment, which was in use for another operator for significantly longer than forecast. Management notes that this test will deliver important performance data to guide future well design and support the transition toward pilot production. Results from the IP30 flow test are expected in December.

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

The Gentrack share price is down 6% to $6.76. Investors have been selling this billing software company's shares following the release of broker note out of Morgan Stanley. According to the note, the broker has downgraded Gentrack's shares to an equal-weight rating with a heavily reduced price target of $7.70. The broker has concerns about increased competition from the Kraken platform in the Australia market.

Iperionx Ltd (ASX: IPX)

The Iperionx share price is down almost 9% to $5.12. This has been driven by the release of a short seller report from Spruce Point Management. Commenting on the titanium powder producer, Spruce said: "After conducting a forensic review of IperionX Ltd and its ambitions of becoming a vertically integrated producer (mining to production) of titanium powders and products, we believe that investor expectations are too high, and it faces significant challenges in commercial efforts that may not be fully reflected in its valuation. We also express concerns with the accuracy of its financial reporting."

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC)

The New Hope share price is down 3.5% to $4.13. This morning, this coal miner released its first quarter update and revealed a 15.5% increase in underlying EBITDA to $107.9 million. Looking ahead, management is guiding to saleable coal production between 10.2 million tonnes and 11.5 million tonnes in FY 2026. This would mean either a 4.7% decline or a 7.5% increase on the 10.7 million tonnes it produced in FY 2025.

The post Why Beetaloo, Gentrack, Iperionx, and New Hope shares are dropping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But which shares could have the potential to be the hidden gems of 2026? Let's take a look at two candidates that analysts are bullish on. They are as follows:

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

The first ASX growth share that could be a hidden gem of 2026 is Gentrack. It is a software company that provides mission-critical platforms to utilities and airports across the globe.

That might not sound as exciting as AI or biotech, but it is a business that sits at the heart of major structural changes.

The transition to renewable energy is reshaping the utilities sector, forcing companies to modernise their systems and better manage increasingly complex grids. Gentrack's software helps do exactly that, providing the infrastructure utilities need to bill customers, integrate renewable energy, and improve efficiency.

In addition, with global travel on the rise and many airports modernising, its solutions are likely to be in high demand in the coming years. This includes the flight information display systems that you may have relied on in the past if you've travelled through airports such as Queenstown Airport and Sydney Airport.

With recurring revenue streams and a product set that is embedded in customer operations, this ASX growth share looks well-placed for growth over the next decade.

Bell Potter is bullish on the stock and has a buy rating and $13.20 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of 45% from current levels.

Web Travel Group Ltd (ASX: WEB)

Another ASX growth share that could be a hidden gem of 2026 is Web Travel Group.

Travel is one of the most powerful structural growth themes globally, and this stock offers investors a way to play it. After spinning off the Webjet Ltd (ASX: WJL) online travel agency business last year into its own separate listing, Web Travel is now focused solely on its WebBeds division.

WebBeds is one of the world's largest B2B accommodation suppliers, connecting hotels with travel agencies, tour operators, and other partners. This position in the global travel ecosystem provides significant scale benefits and the opportunity to capture margin as volumes rise.

As international travel continues to recover and expand, the B2B market is well positioned for growth. By stripping away the consumer-facing Webjet brand, Web Travel gives investors direct exposure to a profitable, scalable segment of the travel industry that could surprise many over the next few years.

In fact, management is targeting total transaction value (TTV) of $10 billion by FY 2030. This is up from $4.9 billion in FY 2025 and is only a small slice of its total addressable market (TAM) of $96 billion.

Macquarie is bullish on Web Travel. It has an outperform rating and $6.74 price target on its shares. This suggests that upside of 65% is possible from current levels.

The post These ASX growth shares could be the hidden gems of 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three that stand out today are named below. Here's what you need to know about them:

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

Catapult Sports is a global leader in sports technology, providing wearable performance trackers and video analytics to professional teams. It already works with more than 4,600 teams across 40 sports in over 100 countries.

The ASX tech stock recently crossed a major milestone, with annual recurring revenue (ARR) topping US$100 million and free cash flow at a record US$8.6 million. Customer retention remains strong at 96%, and Catapult continues to add new clients across soccer, baseball, and basketball.

And with its Rule of 40 SaaS score rising to 31% and a strategy built on cross-selling new video solutions, Catapult looks increasingly like an Australian tech export to watch.

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

Another ASX tech stock to watch is Gentrack. It provides mission-critical software to utilities and airports, helping them manage billing, operations, and customer experience. Its solutions are in demand as industries undergo rapid digital and sustainability transformations.

In its latest half-year results, revenue climbed nearly 10% to NZ$112 million, with recurring revenues up almost 17%. Importantly, the company is expanding globally, winning contracts with Utility Warehouse in the UK and major airport operators in Europe and the Middle East.

Management remains bullish on its prospects, forecasting full-year revenue of at least $230 million and mid-term growth above 15% annually. With utilities racing toward net zero and airports investing in digital infrastructure, Gentrack appears to be in the right place at the right time.

4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX)

Finally, 4DMedical could be an ASX tech stock to keep an eye on. Its proprietary imaging technology provides doctors with a detailed, real-time view of lung function that traditional scans can't match.

The company has just secured U.S. FDA clearance for its CT-based ventilation-perfusion product (CT:VQ), marking a major step forward in commercialisation. This new tool offers a safer, faster, and more accurate way to assess pulmonary blood flow and airflow, with potential applications across conditions such as pulmonary embolism and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

And with lung disease a leading cause of death globally, the addressable market is huge, and 4DMedical is now positioned to build scale in the United States. This bodes well for its growth over the coming years.

The post Why these ASX tech stocks could be the next global success stories appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The investment team in charge of the listed investment company (LIC) WAM Research Ltd (ASX: WAX) is looking for the most compelling undervalued growth opportunities in the Australian market.

The WAM Research portfolio is invested across a variety of sectors including healthcare, telecommunications, travel, discretionary retail and so on.

Both businesses that WAM highlighted in the WAM Research portfolio have a heavy tech element and are delivering strong growth. Let's take a look at these names.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

WAM describes Temple & Webster as Australia's leading online homewares and furniture platform.

The fund manager said that during July, the Temple & Webster share price rose thanks to "rising online retail confidence, improved consumer discretionary spending and supply logistics normalisation market optimism alongside improving sector and macroeconomic conditions."

WAM points out that the high-growth ASX share is reliant on its drop-shipping e-commerce business model, which has benefited considerably from structural growth in online furniture and homewares retail sales alongside easing supply chain constraints.

The fund manager explained why the outlook is positive for the business:

With disposable income stability supporting discretionary retail spending, Temple & Webster Group stands to benefit from further interest rate cuts and eventual recovery in the housing market.

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

The other company that WAM highlighted was the utility and airport enterprise software business, Gentrack. It provides billing, customer and operations management software for businesses around the world.

WAM noted that the Gentrack share price declined in July (by 15%). This was mostly due to the loss of an Australian customer contract that the fund manager "understands was in part driven by management's decision to withdraw from the process given a deterioration in contract profitability."

While not important to the company's revenue in the coming financial years, the loss impacted the market's confidence about the company's competition and contract retention, according to WAM.

The fund manager pointed out Gentrack maintained its medium-term guidance, projecting revenue growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 15%. The operating profit (EBITDA) margin is expected to be between 15% to 20% after expensing all development costs.

WAM concluded:

We believe the company is well positioned to secure a number of contract opportunities in the near-term which has the capacity to drive a re-rating. In other words, the fund manager is expecting the high-growth ASX share to recover.

The post 2 high-growth ASX shares this fund manager is bullish about 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:

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is down 9% to $3.07. This appears to have been driven by profit taking from some investors. For example, even after factoring in today's and yesterday's declines, this counter drone technology company's shares remain up over 40% since this time last month and an incredible 300% year to date. The latter means that a $5,000 investment on 31 December would be worth approximately $20,000.

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

The Gentrack share price is down 5.5% to $9.57. This morning, this software company revealed that it has lost a contract. It advised that an Australian customer has told the company that it is no longer part of a process aimed at replacing their current platform. Management remains positive on the future, though. It said: "We do not expect this decision to negatively impact revenues either this financial year or next. We remain confident of delivering our medium-term guidance of growing revenue at more than 15% CAGR and a 15-20% EBITDA margin after expensing all development cost."

Metals X Ltd (ASX: MLX)

The Metals X share price is down 5% to 62.2 cents. This follows the release of the tin miner's second quarter update. Although the tin miner reported stronger production from the Renison operation during the three months, its tin-in-concentrate shipments were down significantly quarter on quarter from 3,230 tonnes to 2,202 tonnes. This ultimately led to the company's cash and cash equivalents balance decreasing from the first quarter to $230.5 million from $249.5 million.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

The Northern Star share price is down over 1.5% to $16.00. This may have been driven by the release of a broker note out of Citi this morning. In response to its quarterly update, the broker has downgraded this gold miner's shares to a neutral rating (from buy) with a reduced price target of $18.00 (from $21.00). Citi was disappointed with its update and the lack of colour in relation to its outlook in FY 2026.

The post Why DroneShield, Gentrack, Metals X, and Northern Star shares are tumbling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The good news is that analysts at Bell Potter still see opportunities in the sector in the new financial year. It said:

We have a positive or constructive view on the outlook for the technology sector given, firstly, the generally strong or above average forecast revenue and/or earnings growth and, secondly, the easing interest rate environment which has commenced and is expected to continue this year.

Let's take a look at three ASX tech stocks that the broker rates as buys for FY 2026. They are as follows:

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

Bell Potter thinks that Gentrack could be an ASX tech stock to buy. It is a software provider for utilities and airports.

The broker highlights that the company is benefiting from a couple of tailwinds right now, which bodes well for its growth outlook. It said:

Demand for modern-day utilities billing solutions is growing rapidly due to dual tailwinds in (1) an evolving energy grid generating significant amounts of data and complexity in billing and customer management, and (2) legacy tech debt incurred from historical underinvestment in the utility billing stack.

GTK has a track record of upgrading and beating guidance, with full year result in November potentially outlining strong guidance for FY26 ahead of medium-term targets.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $13.50 price target on its shares.

Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK)

Another ASX tech stock to buy in FY 2026 could be job listings giant Seek.

Bell Potter believes the company's outlook is positive thanks to interest rate cuts and its unified platform. It explains:

Job ad declines have been steadily improving in its largest market, Australia, driven by macro tailwinds and the commencement of an RBA cutting cycle, which looks to meet Group yield and margin improvements through its recently unified platform.

The unified platform is expected to be capable of delivering platform deployments at speed and scale throughout its markets; investment in SEK's AI capability looks to benefit yield through increased ability to drive placements efficiently to benefit both hirers and candidates.

The broker has a buy rating and $28.40 price target on its shares.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

Finally, logistics solutions company WiseTech Global could be an ASX tech stock to buy according to the broker.

It feels that the company is well-placed to continue its growth in the coming years. Particularly given the proposed acquisition of e2Open. It said:

There is also a boost to revenue and earnings to come from a recently announced acquisition – e2Open – and this neatly fills any gap from the delay in launch of new products. Lastly, the stock has underperformed peers like Technology One (TNE) and Xero (XRO) and we now expect relative outperformance as the [leadership and product launch] issues subside.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $122.50 price target on its shares.

The post Bell Potter names the best ASX tech stocks to buy in FY 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

While investors often flock to established blue chips for stability, it is worth remembering that today's giants were once ambitious small caps.

And if you could have identified them when they were small and held onto them until today, the returns would have been mouth-watering.

With that in mind, let's take a look at a couple of small cap ASX shares that are showing the kind of growth potential and industry leadership that could one day land them a spot among the market's elite.

Here's they are and why analysts are tipping them as buys:

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

Gentrack is a utilities and airports software company that is increasingly making waves with its cloud-native platform, g2.0.

This New Zealand-based company provides specialist billing, CRM, and analytics software to utility retailers and airport operators around the world. With the energy sector undergoing a rapid transformation — from decarbonisation to decentralised energy — demand for purpose-built digital infrastructure is surging.

Gentrack is stepping up to meet that challenge with its modernised platform, which replaces legacy systems with agile, cloud-native tools built for the complexity of modern utility grids.

While growth in the first half of FY 2025 was a touch softer than expected, management expects the second half to deliver strong levels of project revenue from both new and existing customers.

Analysts at Bell Potter remain bullish and is forecasting an earnings per share CAGR of 40% for FY 2024 to 2027. The broker currently has a buy rating and $13.20 price target on the small cap ASX share. It said:

We continue to be bullish on GTK's ability to maintain customer win momentum in Core and ROW markets, supporting high NRR revenues and flow on ARR; GTK anticipates a positive 2H25 for contract announcements and has been ramping up spend/headcount in sales, development and deployment roles, but likely won't impact until FY26.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

Another standout small cap with blue chip potential could be biotech company Neuren Pharmaceuticals.

The company's big breakthrough came with its drug DAYBUE — the first treatment approved in the United States for Rett syndrome. It is a rare and devastating neurodevelopmental disorder. Through its commercialisation deal with Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD), Neuren earns 10–15% royalties on DAYBUE sales in North America, as well as milestone payments — all without having to fund the commercial effort itself.

DAYBUE is off to a strong start, but this could be just the beginning. Acadia is now pushing for European approval, which could open up new royalty streams.

Meanwhile, Neuren's next-generation drug candidate, NNZ-2591, is advancing toward a phase three trial in the second half of 2025. If successful, it could unlock entirely new markets in other rare neurological disorders — with some indications representing patient populations five times larger than Rett syndrome.

It is for this reason that Macquarie recently initiated coverage on Neuren with an outperform rating and $18.60 price target. It said:

Current valuation offers favourable risk-reward. We believe DAYBUE in NA is driving most of current share price, with further upside from ROW/ pipeline. Its strong cash position enables pipeline acceleration, potentially providing significant long-term upside if approved.

The post These ASX small cap shares could be tomorrow's blue chips appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.