Let's now see whether it is bullish, bearish, or something in between on the shares of Australia's three major listed players.

Here's what the broker is saying:

Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF)

Bell Potter has initiated coverage on this KFC-focused quick service restaurant operator's shares with a buy rating and $10.80 price target.

The broker thinks that Collins Foods shares are the best value based on its forward multiples and its positive growth outlook. It explains:

We view CKF as the best-positioned QSR name due to its mix of 1) leading unit economics, 2) strong value offering at ~30% lower than its 2 key ASX-listed competitors (crucial in a consumer tightening cycle), and 3) exposure to diverse economies with a continued development pipeline in key markets, with BPe FY26e 7 new restaurants in Australia and 11 in Germany (vs. company ambition of Australia 7- 10 restaurants per annum and Germany 45-90 new restaurants over four years).

We note CKF is trading at a multiple (~14x FY27e) that we deem as cheap in comparison to its peers, when considering its recent positive SSSG and NPAT growth reiteration in March. Our confidence lies with management's strong track record of execution in domestic and international markets historically resulting in acquisitive and organic earnings growth.

Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

The broker has started with a hold rating and $18.00 price target on Domino's shares.

Although it acknowledges that its shares are trading on low multiples, it feels that this is justified based on its modest earnings growth outlook. It adds:

DMP is resetting its pricing strategy toward more profitable discounting, after a period of intense discounting to win back a customer that was lost due to previous aggressive price increases.

We note DMP is trading at a P/E multiple (~13x BPe FY27e) that we deem as appropriate in comparison to its peers, when considering our forecasted 3- year EPS CAGR of ~3%, (CKF ~11%, GYG ~53%) paired with ongoing risk within its Asia business, particularly given its overall contribution to network sales.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

Bell Potter has initiated coverage on Guzman Y Gomez shares with a hold rating and $22.10 price target.

While the broker believes the burrito seller deserves a premium valuation, it is just a little too much at present to justify a buy rating. It explains:

Within Australia, GYG has the highest set of unit economics compared to CKF and DMP, due to a mix of premium menu pricing and a skew towards higher margin drive thru restaurants (~53% of total restaurant network). Moving forward, this is intended to be the strategy to boost profitability, with >85% of its 108 restaurant pipeline targeted at being drive thru format.

Since IPO, GYG has traded at ~37x trailing EV/EBITDA, a significant premium to its peers that we viewed as excessive and led by lofty expectations of US expansion. We do, however, still see a premium as warranted, underpinned by GYG's differentiated concept and growth profile that extends well beyond its domestic peers. On a forward looking basis, GYG now trades at ~24x BPe FY26e EBITDA, a level we view as still relatively elevated given future growth expectations are driven by the Australian segment.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Collins Foods, Domino's, and Guzman Y Gomez shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

• Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) remains the most shorted ASX share after its short interest rose to 15.4%. This pizza chain operator is undertaking a turnaround strategy and short sellers don't appear confident it will succeed.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) has short interest of 13.9%, which is down since last week. Short sellers may be betting against this radiopharmaceuticals company successfully getting its products approved by the US FDA.
• Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) has short interest of 13.8%, which is up week on week. Short sellers aren't giving up on this quick service restaurant operator despite its shares rocketing this month after reporting a big improvement in its performance.
• Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has 13.7% of its shares held short, which is down since last week. Short sellers seem to think this medical device company's shares are overvalued. However, both Bell Potter and Morgans believe they could rise approximately 80%.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest rise to 13%. This is likely to have been driven by concerns that the wine giant will continue to struggle with consumer spending pressures and distributor disruption.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has short interest of 12.9%, which is up week on week. Short sellers appear to believe that travel demand could be impacted by the Middle East conflict.
• DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) has 12.7% of its shares held short, which is up since last week. This counter drone technology company recently announced the sudden exit of its CEO and chair. This disruption and valuation concerns could be weighing on sentiment.
• Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) has short interest of 12.5%. Unfortunately for short sellers, this buy now pay later provider impressed the market with its quarterly update last week.
• Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) has short interest of 11.5%, which is down since last week. This uranium miner's production outlook is uncertain beyond 2026. Short sellers appear to be betting on production falling more than the market is predicting.
• Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX: LOT) has entered the top ten with short interest of 11%. It is another uranium producer that short sellers are targeting.

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

This has been consistent across both ASX and global shares. 

After falling 9% over the first three weeks of March, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has since rebounded 7%.

Geopolitical shocks and volatility are inevitable during the life of an investor. 

However, this recent recovery shows just how quickly markets can recover. 

Despite the recovery, there are still ASX 200 stocks that haven't enjoyed the same rebound. 

Here are three still sitting well below fair value according to brokers. 

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

For a long time, Life360 shares enjoyed a strong and almost uninterrupted rise.

The company's core product is a private family and friends social networking app that allows users to communicate and share their locations. 

After peaking at more than $55 per share in October last year, they have since fallen significantly. 

At the time of writing, they are down 66% since hitting all-time highs and closed yesterday at $18.58. 

However, this could now be an opportunity for investors to buy low on a quality company, as the business continues to grow its user base and monetisation.

The team at Bell Potter agrees.

The broker has a buy rating on this ASX 200 stock, with a price target of $35.50. 

From yesterday's closing price, this indicates an upside of more than 90%. 

Guzman y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

It has been a turbulent start to life as an ASX 200 stock for GYG. 

After first listing on the ASX in June last year, it quickly rode positive momentum to more than $43 per share. 

However, since then, the fast casual Mexican-inspired food chain has seen its share price fall more than 50%. 

It closed yesterday at $19.96 per share. 

However, the company recently posted a positive third-quarter update, prompting a positive response from Morgans.

The broker has retained their buy rating on this ASX 200 stock with an improved price target of $26.70.

From yesterday's closing price, this indicates a potential upside of almost 34%. 

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN)

Harvey Norman shares have suffered along with many consumer discretionary shares this year. 

The Australian-based retailer has seen its share price dip 34% year to date. 

It now appears to be another ASX 200 stock trading below fair value. 

Bell Potter currently has a buy rating with a price target of $6.70.

From yesterday's closing share price of $4.61, that indicates an upside potential of just over 45%. 

The post 3 discounted ASX 200 shares to buy before they rebound  appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

• Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) continues to be the most shorted ASX share after its short interest remained flat at 15.3%. Short sellers appear to have doubts that the pizza chain operator's turnaround strategy will succeed.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) has short interest of 14.6%, which is up since last week. Unfortunately for short sellers, this radiopharmaceuticals company's shares stormed higher last week after the US FDA accepted its NDA for Pixclara
• Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has 14% of its shares held short, which is down since last week. This high level of short interest may be due to valuation concerns. The medical device company's shares are trading on high earnings multiples.
• Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) has short interest of 13.7%, which is down week on week. Unfortunately for short sellers, this quick service restaurant operator's shares rocketed last week after it reported a big improvement in its performance.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest rise to 12.5%. This wine giant is struggling due to consumer spending pressures and distributor disruption.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has short interest of 12%, which is up slightly week on week. Short sellers may believe that travel demand could be impacted by the Middle East conflict.
• Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) has short interest of 11.7%, which is down since last week. This uranium miner's production outlook beyond 2026 is uncertain and attracting short sellers.
• Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) has short interest of 11.6%, which is down slightly since last week. This infection prevention technology company's recent performance has been disappointing. Short sellers don't appear confident a change is coming.
• DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) has 11.5% of its shares held short, which is up since last week. Last week, this counter drone technology company announced the sudden exit of its CEO and chair.
• Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) has entered the top ten with short interest of 11.2%. Later this week, the buy now pay later provider will be releasing its third-quarter update. Short sellers appear to believe it could disappoint.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares 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:

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

According to a note out of Morgans, its analysts have retained their buy rating on this burrito seller's shares with an improved price target of $26.70. Morgans was pleased with the company's third-quarter update last week. It highlights that Guzman Y Gomez delivered a meaningful acceleration in Australian comparable store sales growth. It believes this provides tangible evidence that the business is executing well against a challenging consumer backdrop. In addition, Morgans points out that transaction growth continued to outpace comparable store sales growth. This maintains the company's growth strategy to be volume and frequency-led rather than price-driven. The Guzman Y Gomez share price ended the week at $20.68.

Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

A note out of UBS reveals that its analysts have upgraded this fashion jewellery retailer's shares to a buy rating with a $26.00 price target. UBS points out that Lovisa's shares have fallen heavily this year. This has been driven by concerns over slower store growth, softer like-for-like sales in the Australian market, and ongoing losses from the new Jewells store brand. However, the broker believes much of this is now priced in. Furthermore, it believes the resilience of Lovisa's youth-focused, low price point offering is underappreciated by the market, and expects management to prevent sustained losses from Jewells. This will be by either fixing the business or considering a closure. The Lovisa share price was fetching $23.32 at Friday's close.

Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG)

Analysts at Morgans have upgraded this pharmacy chain operator and wholesale distributor's shares to a buy rating with a $3.36 price target. According to the note, the broker is forecasting Sigma to deliver strong earnings growth over the medium term. This is expected to be supported by same store sales growth, store rollouts, and synergies from the Chemist Warehouse merger. In light of this and recent share price weakness, Morgans sees now as a good time to invest. The Sigma Healthcare share price ended the week at $2.69.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

One of the top-performing stocks on our list for this week is a major Aussie bank, the second provides buy now, pay later (BNPL) services, and the third earns its keep in the fast food sector.

So, which ASX 200 stocks are leading the charge higher this week?

Read on!

ASX 200 stocks storming higher

First up, we have Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN).

Bendigo Bank shares closed last Thursday (ahead of the Good Friday holiday) trading for $10.12. At the time of writing, shares are changing hands for $11.51 each.

That sees this ASX 200 stock up 13.4% over the four-day trading week. A lot of those gains were delivered on Thursday.

Bendigo Bank shares closed up 8.4% yesterday after the company released its March-quarter trading update (Q3 FY 2026).

Highlights for the three months included unaudited cash earnings of $137.9 million. That represents an increase of 7.6% from the quarterly average the bank reported in the first half of FY 2026.

Bendigo Bank reported a quarterly statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $109.4 million.

Which brings us to the second ASX 200 stock shooting the lights out this week, Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP).

Zip shares closed last Thursday trading for $1.58, and are currently trading for $1.84. This sees the Zip share price up an impressive 16.5% for the week.

There was no fresh news out from the company this week. But BNPL stocks like Zip have proven to be highly sensitive to interest rate moves and expectations.

With negotiations underway to end the Iran war this week, energy prices came down, which lowered the outlook for inflation. This, in turn, has lowered expectations for future interest rate hikes from central banks like the RBA and the US Federal Reserve.

Leading the charge

The top performing ASX 200 stock on our list for this four-day trading week is Guzman Y Gomez (ASX: GYG).

Shares in the Mexican fast food restaurant chain closed last Thursday trading for $15.20. At the time of writing, shares are changing hands for $20.67 apiece. This sees the embattled Guzman Y Gomez share price up a sizzling 36% for the week.

The ASX 200 stock closed up 18.6% on Tuesday following the release of its third-quarter trading update.

Investors responded favourably to the company's 19.5% year-on-year increase in sales to $345.9 million.

The quarter also saw Guzman Y Gomez open five new restaurants in Australia, bringing its global network to 278 outlets.

The post 3 ASX 200 stocks surging 13% to 36% in this shortened trading week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) Mexican fast food restaurant chain closed last Thursday, ahead of the Easter holiday break, trading for $15.20.

Despite slipping 0.7% in intraday trade to $20.10 a share today, that sees the stock up a whopping 32.2% in less than three trading days.

While this will undoubtedly come as welcome news to recent investors, most longer-term shareholders will still be underwater.

Guzman Y Gomez shares were first available to select investors during the initial public offering (IPO) on 20 June 2024 for $22 each. The fast food stock ended that first day of trade at $30 a share, eventually peaking at $43.35 a share at market close on 6 December 2024.

What sent Guzman Y Gomez shares flying this week?

Investors reacted very positively to the company's third-quarter (Q3 FY 2026) sales update, released on Tuesday.

Guzman Y Gomez shares closed up a blistering 18.6% on the day after the company reported a 19.5% year-on-year increase in sales to $345.9 million.

The Mexican fast food chain opened five new Australian restaurants during the quarter. And its Australian segment delivered the bulk of its sales, at $320.4 million.

The Australian business showed significantly stronger growth than its US market. Comparable sales growth in Australia came in at 6.6% compared to 2.2% in the US, where the company opened only two new stores during the quarter.

In the US, the company pointed to headwinds from the cessation of DoorDash deliveries in early March.

Looking ahead, management confirmed that the company is on track to open 32 new restaurants in Australia in FY 2026.

Which brings us back to our headline question…

Should you buy the ASX 200 fast food stock today?

Morgans Financial's Mitch Belichovski ran his slide rule over the company on 2 April, prior to GYG's quarterly update release (courtesy of The Bull).

"Guzman Y Gomez owns, operates and franchises Mexican inspired quick service restaurants in Australia, Singapore, Japan and the United States," he noted.

"The company's premium valuation is predicated on expectations it will deliver material earnings per share growth over many years," he added.

Explaining his sell recommendation on Guzman Y Gomez shares, Belichovski said:

In our view, the company is exposed to execution risk as it aggressively continues to open new restaurants in Australia. Australian earnings were up strongly in the first half of 2026. However, segment underlying EBITDA in the United States posted a loss of $8.3 million.

Belichovski concluded, "Management will need to narrow its losses in the US and increase the pace of US expansion to ultimately deliver value for shareholders."

The post Up 32% this week, are Guzman Y Gomez shares a good buy today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

I'm bullish about the two businesses I'm about to talk about. I've bought shares for my own portfolio because of what they could achieve between now and 2030.

When it comes to investing in ASX growth shares, I think it's a good idea to think at least three to five years ahead. This allows ample time for businesses to execute their plans and initiatives.

Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

Breville is one of the world's leading coffee machine businesses – it has multiple brands including Breville, Sage, Lelit and Baratza, as well as a coffee bean business called Beanz.

There are few Australian businesses that have had as much global success as Breville, which continues to deliver excellent double-digit revenue growth.

In the FY26 half-year result, total global product revenue grew by 10.9% to $973.6 million, with Americas revenue growing 11.6% to $549.5 million, Asia Pacific revenue rising 5.9% to $190.3 million and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Asia) revenue rising 13.7% to $233.8 million.

That growth was achieved despite a challenging operating environment, including US tariffs.

I think the ASX 200 share can continue growing its global presence, particularly in some of its newer markets like South Korea, China and the Middle East. I also think it will continue to invest in development to create new products to unlock more growth in its existing markets.

According to the projection on CMC Invest, the ASX share is valued at 26x FY27's estimated earnings. If the business can grow its net profit by more than 10% per year after FY26, I think it will have a very promising future.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

GYG is one of the fastest-growing quick service restaurant (QSR) businesses in Australia.

I think it's an excellent ASX 200 share to own because both the ongoing sales growth for its existing network, as well as its restaurant rollout plans.

Its recent FY26 third-quarter update included numerous positive figures, which I think bodes well for the foreseeable future.

In the three months to 31 March 2026, the business reported that its total network sales grew by 19.5% to $345.9 million, with Australian network sales increasing 19.7% to $320.4 million.

For me, the success of the Australian division is essential because it's where a vast majority of the global network is located. Australia is also the market where the company expects its network to grow from 242 to 1,000 over the next 20 years. The 242 locations represented a rise of 14.7% year-over-year.

Asia is also an exciting market because it's gaining traction across Singapore and Japan. The combined network of those two countries increased three locations year-over-year to 13 at 31 March 2026, while Asian network sales rose 15% to $21.5 million.

If the business can continue growing its Australia and Asian network sales by between 15% to 20% per year, I think the ASX 200 share could be a great long-term performer.

The post 2 ASX 200 shares I rate as top buys for growth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three ASX shares that brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here's why their analysts are feeling bullish on them right now:

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

According to a note out of Morgans, its analysts have retained their buy rating on this burrito seller's shares with an improved price target of $26.70. This follows the release of a third-quarter update that impressed the broker. It highlights that Guzman Y Gomez delivered a meaningful acceleration in Australian comparable store sales growth, providing tangible evidence that the business is executing well against a challenging consumer backdrop. It also points out that transaction growth continued to outpace comparable store sales growth. This maintains its strategy to be volume and frequency-led rather than price-driven. The Guzman Y Gomez share price is fetching $19.50 at the time of writing.

Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

A note out of UBS reveals that its analysts have upgraded this fashion jewellery retailer's shares to a buy rating with a $26.00 price target. UBS highlights that Lovisa's shares have fallen heavily this year amid concerns over slower store growth, softer like-for-like sales in the local market, and ongoing losses from the new Jewells store brand. However, the broker believes much of this risk is now priced in. Furthermore, it thinks the resilience of Lovisa's youth-focused, low price point offering is underappreciated by the market, and expects management to prevent sustained losses from Jewells either by fixing the business or considering a closure. The Lovisa share price is trading at $23.96 this afternoon.

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

A note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $19.00 price target on this radiopharmaceuticals company's shares. This follows the release of a solid first-quarter sales update this week. Bell Potter was pleased with Telix's update and believes it leaves the company well-placed to achieve its guidance in FY 2026. In addition, it highlights that Telix continues to make good progress on multiple pipeline products. It also sees major short term share price catalysts on the horizon. This includes the potential acceptance by the FDA of the resubmitted NDA for Pixclara and the amendment to the IND for TLX591. The Telix share price is fetching $13.83 at the time of writing.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The price rally continues from yesterday's bumper session, where the shares rebounded 18.55% in a day. It means the fast food retailer's shares have soared 32.7% this week alone.

It's a very welcome reprieve for investors after the Mexican-themed fast food retailer's shares hit a historic low of just $15.20 a piece at the close of the ASX last Thursday, ahead of the long Easter weekend. 

The share price recovery means GYG shares are now down just 6.5% year to date and 35.1% over the past 12 months.

What caused the reversal in GYG's share price this week?

GYG posted its Q3 FY26 results ahead of the ASX market open yesterday morning, and investors were clearly thrilled with the result, with many falling over themselves to buy the shares.

The company announced that its network sales grew 19.5% over the quarter and comparable sales grew 6.6% in Australia and 2.2% in the US. GYG also confirmed that five new Australian restaurants bring the company's total number of global locations to 278.

GYG also reaffirmed its full-year guidance, expecting the Australia Segment underlying EBITDA as a percentage of network sales to climb to 6.0 to 6.2% in FY26, versus 5.7% the prior year. 

The company said it is on track to open 32 new Australian restaurants in FY26, with a focus on drive-thrus making up the bulk of planned launches.

Is this the recovery we've all been waiting for?

It most certainly looks like it.

The beaten-down shares have steadily tumbled since late 2024, and this is the first time we've seen a meaningful share price recovery.

I'm confident that the rally can continue going forward, too, with its huge ambitions for business expansion already underway. GYG plans to reach 1,000 restaurants within 20 years.

While its expansion success in Australia so far has been exceptional, the company has fallen short of its overseas expansion goals, particularly in the US. However, the latest results suggest global growth is finally kicking into gear.

How high can GYG shares go?

If analyst sentiment is anything to go by, we can expect to see a lot more upside from GYG shares.

TradingView data shows that analyst sentiment on the outlook for Guzman Y Gomez shares is now mostly bullish. Out of 13 analysts, eight have a buy or strong buy rating, and another four have a hold rating. One has a strong sell rating.

The average target price is $23.03, which implies a potential 14.7% upside at the time of writing. But some think the stock has the potential to soar another 60% to $32 each over the next 12 months.

The post GYG shares skyrocket 33% this week: Is this the recovery we've been waiting for? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Well, the team at Morgans has narrowed things down by naming two shares to buy and one to sell, courtesy of The Bull.

Here's what it is recommending:

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL)

Morgans thinks that this gaming technology company could be an ASX 200 share to buy now.

With Aristocrat's shares trading on lower than normal multiples, the broker believes an attractive buying opportunity has opened up. It said:

Aristocrat Leisure designs, develops and distributes gaming content, platforms and systems. It offers high quality recurring earnings from generating real money online gaming opportunities. An under geared balance sheet provides options for acquisitions, and ALL is a capital light business with strong cash conversion. The company is trading well below historical levels. The stock is attractively valued given its track record of proven earnings growth.

Capstone Copper Corp (ASX: CSC)

Another ASX share that Morgans has named as a buy this week is copper miner Capstone Copper.

Once again, it believes the company's shares are trading at an attractive level for investors. It explains:

This copper miner and developer has five long-life assets strategically located in the Americas. CSC is one of a limited number of pure play copper names listed on the ASX. Copper production growth differentiates CSC from its peers. Growth is driven by a combination of near term and longer dated brownfield and greenfield projects, alongside a declining cost profile. CSC was recently trading on a modest price-earnings ratio in 2026 and offers good value at these price levels.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

Morgans has named this ASX 200 share as a sell this week according to The Bull. It highlights that the Mexican fast food company's US business is underperforming and will need to improve to deliver value for shareholders. It said:

Guzman Y Gomez owns, operates and franchises Mexican inspired quick service restaurants in Australia, Singapore, Japan and the United States. The company's premium valuation is predicated on expectations it will deliver material earnings per share growth over many years. In our view, the company is exposed to execution risk as it aggressively continues to open new restaurants in Australia. Australian earnings were up strongly in the first half of 2026.

However, segment underlying EBITDA in the United States posted a loss of $8.3 million. Management will need to narrow its losses in the US and increase the pace of US expansion to ultimately deliver value for shareholders. GYG shares have fallen from $31 on March 31, 2025 to trade at $15.735 on April 2, 2026.

The post Morgans names two ASX 200 shares to buy and one to sell this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ)

The Bank of Queensland share price is up 6% to $7.23. This follows news that the regional bank has signed a strategic capital partnership with Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF). It notes that this marks a further step in its transformation to a simpler, specialist bank. The Challenger partnership includes a whole-of-loan sale and a forward flow arrangement for equipment finance assets that will further optimise its funding base and support the acceleration of its ambition to service more equipment finance customers, particularly in the small to medium business sector.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

The Guzman Y Gomez share price is up 19% to $18.06. Investors have been buying the burrito seller's shares following the release of a trading update. Guzman Y Gomez reported a 19.5% increase in network sales to $345.9 million. Comparable sales grew 6.6% in Australia and 2.2% in the United States. Looking ahead, the company has reaffirmed its full-year guidance. It is expecting Australia segment underlying EBITDA as a percentage of network sales to climb to 6% to 6.2% in FY2026, compared with 5.7% the prior year. It also remains on track to open 32 new Australian restaurants.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT)

The NextDC share price is up 12% to $12.65. The catalyst for this has been news that the data centre operator has launched a $1 billion wholesale offer of subordinated hybrid securities to fund growth initiatives. NextDC's CEO and managing director, Craig Scroggie, said: "The announcement of the Hybrid Securities Offer and the La Caisse commitment represent another step toward NEXTDC delivering on a material step-change in the scale of our business as we deliver on the Company's contracted forward order book across the period to FY29 and make further investments across the portfolio of new projects. We are delighted with this binding commitment from La Caisse, a long‑term investor with deep experience in infrastructure, as further validation of our growth strategy."

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

The Telix Pharmaceuticals share price is up 5% to $13.61. This morning, this radiopharmaceuticals company released a first-quarter sales update and revealed a 24% increase in group revenue to US$230 million. A key driver was its Precision Medicine division, which delivered a 23% increase in revenue to US$186 million. Telix's managing director and CEO, Dr Christian Behrenbruch, said: "This performance reflects the growing uptake of Gozellix alongside Illuccix, contributing to market share gains underpinned by disciplined sales execution and pricing, and high-quality service delivery despite extreme North American weather conditions, an advantage of the pharmacy distribution model."

The post Why Bank of Queensland, Guzman Y Gomez, NextDC, and Telix shares are racing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Guzman y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) shares are now hovering near 52-week lows, down a hefty 52% over the past year at the time of writing. That's a sharp reversal for a company that debuted with serious hype.

In fact, even IPO investors are now underwater.

Shares were issued at $22 in the June 2024 listing and surged 36.4% on day one to close at $30. Momentum continued, with the ASX stock climbing to $43.35 by December 2024.

Since then? It's been largely downhill.

So, what's gone wrong and could this be a buying opportunity?

Clean ingredients, fast service

Let's start with the strengths.

Guzman y Gomez has built a strong brand in the fast-casual dining space, focusing on fresh, high-quality Mexican-inspired food. Its emphasis on clean ingredients and fast service has resonated with customers, particularly in Australia and expanding international markets.

Growth remains a key attraction for the $1.5 billion ASX stock.

The company continues to roll out new stores and scale its network, which could drive revenue higher over time. If execution is strong, store expansion alone could underpin long-term earnings growth.

Rising labour costs, food inflation

But there are real risks investors can't ignore.

Profitability is a big one. Like many fast-growing restaurant chains, Guzman y Gomez is still balancing expansion with margins. Rising labour costs, food inflation, and operational expenses can eat into profits, especially in a competitive industry.

There's also execution risk. Rapid expansion sounds great in theory, but if new stores underperform or costs blow out, returns can disappoint quickly. That's likely one reason the market has cooled on the ASX stock after its early surge.

And let's not forget sentiment.

High-growth consumer stocks can fall hard when expectations reset and that's exactly what we've seen here.

So, what do the experts think?

According to TradingView data, sentiment is mixed but improving. Out of 13 analysts, seven rate the ASX stock as a buy or strong buy, five have hold ratings, and one has a strong sell.

The average price target sits at $22.67, implying potential upside of around 49% from current levels.

And the bulls are even more optimistic. Some forecasts suggest the stock could climb as high as $31 over the next 12 months. That points to a potential gain of 104%.

Morgans is one broker to back the recovery story. It has a buy rating and a $24 price target on the shares.

Foolish Takeaway

Guzman y Gomez has been hammered, but the growth story isn't dead.

If the company can execute on expansion while improving profitability, this ASX fast food stock could be staging a comeback.

For investors willing to take on some risk, this could be a classic high-risk, high-reward setup.

The post Down 52%, is this ASX fast food stock a screaming buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

What did Guzman y Gomez report?

• Network sales rose 19.5% to $345.9 million, up from $289.5 million in Q3 FY25
• Australia Segment delivered $320.4 million in sales, up from $267.6 million
• Comparable sales growth: 6.6% in Australia and 2.2% in the US
• Five new Australian restaurants opened; global total now at 278 locations
• New strategic partnership with Uber Eats launched, strengthening delivery sales

What else do investors need to know?

GYG's growth in Australia was supported by ongoing demand for clean, fresh food and strong operational performance. The company expanded a pilot of its proprietary order management system in Australian drive-thru restaurants, with positive results leading to plans for a full rollout.

In the US, network sales increased compared to last year, driven by two new restaurant openings. While comparable sales improved over the previous quarter, the end of DoorDash deliveries in March slightly tempered growth. Brand awareness and execution also saw ongoing improvements overseas.

What's next for Guzman y Gomez?

GYG has reaffirmed its full-year guidance, expecting Australia Segment underlying EBITDA as a percentage of network sales to climb to 6.0–6.2% in FY26, versus 5.7% the prior year. The group remains on track to open 32 new Australian restaurants in FY26, with a focus on drive-thrus making up the bulk of planned launches.

Management is also planning a full rollout of its new order management system and will continue building brand awareness and operational excellence, especially in the growing US market.

Guzman y Gomez share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Guzman Y Gomez shares have declined 49%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 17% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Guzman y Gomez posts 20% Q3 FY26 sales growth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

• Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) continues its run as the most shorted ASX share after its short interest rose slightly to 15.3%. It seems that short sellers are betting against the pizza chain operator's turnaround strategy.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) has short interest of 14.3%, which is down slightly since last week. This radiopharmaceuticals company failed to gain FDA approval for a couple of its therapies last year. Short sellers don't appear confident that 2026 will be any better despite a recent resubmission.
• Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has short interest of 14.2%, which is flat since last week. This may be due to valuation concerns with the medical device company's shares trading on high earnings multiples.
• Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) has short interest of 14.1%, which is up week on week. This quick service restaurant operator's shares have fallen heavily over the past 12 months due to their premium valuation and concerns that its US expansion could be a failure. The US was supposed to be its largest growth opportunity.
• Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) has short interest of 12.1%, which is up again since last week. There are major concerns over this uranium miner's production outlook beyond 2026.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest fall again to 11.6%. This wine giant is battling consumer spending pressures and distributor disruption. Short sellers appear to believe it will get worse before it gets better.
• Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) has entered the top ten with short interest of 11.8%. This infection prevention technology company's performance has underwhelmed in recent times. It seems that short sellers aren't confident a change is coming.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has short interest of 11.8%, which is up week on week again. Short sellers have been loading up on the travel agent's shares since the Middle East conflict. There are concerns it could have a negative impact on travel markets.
• DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) has 11.4% of its shares held short, which is up since last week. Short sellers appear to think this counter drone technology company's shares are overvalued after surging over the past 12 months.
• Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX: LOT) has short interest of 10.2%. This uranium producer is one of a number of stocks in the industry being targeted by short sellers, with several sitting just outside the top ten.

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

Today, 307 ASX shares are rising, 48 are steady, and 145 are falling.

Among the fallers are these four companies that have hit 52-week low share prices today.

Are they a buy, hold, or sell?

Let's ask the experts.

Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX: FBU)

The Fletcher Building share price fell to a 52-week low of $2.42 on Tuesday.

This ASX industrials share is down 21% in the year to date (YTD), and down 17% over the past 12 months.

On The Bull this week, Blake Halligan from Catapult Wealth revealed a sell rating on the building materials and services provider.

He said the 1H FY26 report "highlighted ongoing pressure", with net debt remaining elevated and the company cutting capital expenditure.

Halligan said:

Earnings before interest and tax from continuing operations before significant items was $NZ145 million, which was marginally below expectations. The company has announced the sale of its construction division for $NZ315.6 million.

However, broader conditions in New Zealand remain subdued, and a meaningful earnings recovery isn't expected until calendar year 2027. With limited catalysts and no dividend support, better opportunities present elsewhere.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) 

The Guzman Y Gomez share price sank to a record low of $15.48 in earlier trading.

The ASX consumer discretionary share has fallen 26% YTD and tumbled 50% over 12 months.

Morgans has a buy rating on the stock but recently slashed its 12-month price target from $32.30 to $24.

The broker said:

If it was just about Australia, GYG would be doing just fine right now. But it's not just about Australia.

Unfortunately, the pace of network expansion in the US so far has been pedestrian and the restaurants it has opened have lost more money than expected.

GYG has a bit to prove, but we can be certain it is going to give it all it's got to ultimately realise its growth ambitions.

Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV)

The Endeavour share price fell to a record low of $3.28 today.

Endeavour shares have declined 10% YTD and have fallen 14% over the past 12 months.

Last week, Citi downgraded the ASX consumer staples share to a hold rating.

The broker also reduced its 12-month price target from $4.30 to $3.70.

Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS)

The Healius share price dropped to a record low of 52 cents today.

This ASX healthcare share has crashed 42% in the YTD and 63% over 12 months.

Healius is one of many ASX healthcare shares trading at multi-year lows today.

The sector is facing multiple headwinds due to currency shifts, US tariffs, and higher labour costs and other expenses.

Healius, a pathology services provider, reported improved financial metrics but continuing losses overall in its 1H FY26 report.

The company reported an underlying loss of $11 million for 1H FY26, which was an improvement on its $20.2 million loss for 1H FY25.

Morgans has a hold rating on Healius shares with a 12-month target of 80 cents.

The broker commented:

While management maintained FY26 earnings in line with consensus and operational discipline is improving, sustainable earnings leverage remains an open question and dependent on execution.

The post 4 ASX shares at 52-week lows: Buy, hold, or sell? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) Mexican fast food restaurant chain closed yesterday trading for $16.00. In early afternoon trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for $15.86 apiece, down 0.9%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.6% at this same time.

Today's underperformance is par for the course for the struggling restaurant owner and operator.

Indeed, now down 50.8% in 12 months, Guzman Y Gomez shares just fell to new all-time lows (should the price at time of writing be maintained until close).

Even stockholders who managed to take part in the initial public offering (IPO) on 20 June 2024 are in the red now. IPO investors were able to buy shares for $22.00 each. This saw them book a one-day gain of 36.4%, with the ASX 200 stock ending its first day of trading at $30.00 a share.

But after then rising to $43.35 a share by 6 December 2024, it's been mostly a downhill ride for stockholders since then.

Taking just a little bit of the sting from those losses, the ASX 200 stock paid two fully franked dividends over the past year, totalling 20 cents a share.

So, with shares having halved in a year, and down by 63.4% since the December 2024 record closing high, is the Mexican restaurant chain finally selling for a bargain?

Are Guzman Y Gomez shares now on sale?

Catapult Wealth's Blake Halligan recently ran his slide rule over the company (courtesy of The Bull).

"GYG is a Mexican themed restaurant chain," Halligan said.

Pointing to the past year's painful share price decline, he noted, "GYG shares have fallen from $31 on March 31, 2025 to trade at $16.81 on March 26, 2026."

Despite that big retrace, and the company's relatively strong H1 FY 2026 performance in its Australian market, Halligan has a sell recommendation on Guzman Y Gomez shares.

"Although network sales grew 18% to $682 million in the first half of fiscal year 2026, several metrics signal caution," he said.

According to Halligan:

Segment underlying EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation] in the United States posted a loss of $8.3 million. The stock continues to trade on high price/earnings multiples.

The ASX 200 fast food stock released its half year results on 20 February. And with investors apparently more concerned over potential headwinds in the US markets than the growth posted in Australia, Guzman Y Gomez shares closed down 13.9% on the day the results were posted.

Summing up his sell recommendation, Halligan concluded, "In our view, execution risks are rising and margins are under pressure. Investors may find better opportunities by re-allocating funds to alternative investments."

The post Guzman Y Gomez shares just sank to new all-time lows. Time to buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It's during times like these that investors can find opportunities that are more likely to produce strong returns. The lower the price we pay for a good business, the stronger the return can be.

For example, a great business may be able to grow its share price from $10 to $20 over a five-year period – a return of 100%. But, if it fell to $8 (a 20% drop from $10) during that five-year period, the rise to $20 would be a gain of 150% (in a shorter timeframe) if someone managed to buy at $8.

Let's look at two businesses that have compelling futures and look good value today.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

Guzman Y Gomez is a Mexican food business with restaurants in Australia, Singapore, Japan and the US.

At the end of the FY26 half-year period, the business had 237 locations in Australia (with 87 of those being company-owned and 150 being franchised). It also had 27 franchise locations in Asia (22 in Singapore and five in Japan), as well as eight company-owned locations in the US.

The ASX share is looking to grow to 1,000 Guzman Y Gomez locations in Australia over the next two decades, which would mean a quadrupling of its current network.

Network sales are growing rapidly in Australia, which I think is a great sign of how the company's financials could progress in the coming years because of how popular it is with consumers.

In HY26, Australian total network sales jumped 17.4% to $632.1 million and the Asian network sales increased 19.25% year-over-year.

While the US segment is currently struggling with profitability, the ongoing scaling of the business can help with certain profit measures. In HY26, US network sales jumped 67% to $8.2 million, while general and administrative expenses as a percentage of network sales improved from 78.1% in HY25 to 48.2% to HY26.

Despite investment in growth in the US, Guzman Y Gomez is seeing pleasing growth of its profit levels. Overall operating profit (EBITDA) grew by 29.6% to $40.9 million and net profit rose 44.9% to $10.6 million.

The ASX share is demonstrating operating leverage, strong double-digit revenue growth and it has big growth plans.

As long as the company's comparable sales growth remains solid, I think the business has very exciting prospects, particularly at this lower price – it's cheaper by around 25% in the year to date.   

Rivco Australia Ltd (ASX: RIV)

This business is a company that purely owns water entitlements in Australia and leases them out to agricultural operators on both long-term and short-term leases.

Rivco regularly agrees leases with farmers. For example, its February update included a 1,000 ML lease, taking its forward-committed position from 1 July 26 to around 66% of the portfolio.

The ASX share is seeing strong demand from irrigators and some dam storage levels have reduced.

In the long-term, I'm expecting water entitlement values to increase as a result of the Australian and global populations increasing, as well as more water-hungry crops being planted (such as almonds).

With the ASX share recently placing greater emphasis on paying a dividend based on its core operating earnings, I think it will be able to deliver stronger capital growth over the long term if it reinvests more of its capital gains in additional water entitlements or other shareholder-boosting initiatives, such as debt repayment or on-market share buybacks.

At February 2026, the ASX share reported a pre-tax net asset value (NAV) of $1.79 and post-tax NAV of $1.62. That means the current Rivco share price is at a discount of more than 10%, which looks appealing to me.

The post 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

To narrow things down, let's see what analysts are saying about three popular shares, courtesy of The Bull. Here's what they are recommending:

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

The team at Sanlam Private Wealth is positive on mining giant BHP and has named it as a buy this week.

It believes recent share market volatility has created an opportunity for investors to snap up the Big Australian's shares at an attractive price. It explains:

The current volatility presents investors with an opportunity to buy this global miner at attractive prices. The recent BHP announcement of Brandon Craig replacing the retiring Mike Henry as chief executive is a good appointment. Craig was responsible for the company's Americas business, and that's where the growth is likely to come from in the medium term. Group revenue in the first half of 2026 was up 11 per cent on the prior corresponding period and profit from operations was up 34 per cent.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

Over at Catapult Wealth, its analysts aren't positive on this quick service restaurant operator. Despite its shares falling heavily from recent highs, they have named Guzman Y Gomez as a sell this week.

Catapult Wealth highlights that the company's shares are still trading on a high price to earnings ratio despite recent weakness. It feels there are better options out there for investors, saying:

GYG is a Mexican themed restaurant chain. Although network sales grew 18 per cent to $682 million in the first half of fiscal year 2026, several metrics signal caution. Segment underlying EBITDA in the United States posted a loss of $8.3 million. The stock continues to trade on high price/earnings multiples. In our view, execution risks are rising and margins are under pressure. Investors may find better opportunities by re-allocating funds to alternative investments. GYG shares have fallen from $31 on March 31, 2025 to trade at $16.81 on March 26, 2026.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

One ASX share that Catapult Wealth is positive on is Pro Medicus. It has named the health imaging technology company as a buy.

Due to its strong long-term growth outlook, it believes Pro Medicus shares would be an attractive addition to a portfolio this week. It said:

Pro Medicus develops advanced medical imaging software used by major hospitals and radiology groups globally. The company reported a strong first half result in fiscal year 2026, with revenue up 28.4 per cent to $124.8 million and underlying profit before tax rising 29.7 per cent to $90.7 million. In March, PME secured two important contract renewals worth a minimum of $40 million, both at higher transaction fees, signalling strengthening pricing power. With an underlying earnings before interest and tax margin at 73 per cent and cash of $222 million, PME remains financially robust. Growing US market share supports a positive long term growth outlook, making PME an attractive portfolio addition.

The post Buy, hold, sell: BHP, Guzman Y Gomez, and Pro Medicus shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

• Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) remains the most shorted ASX share despite its short interest easing to 15.2%. Short sellers appear to be doubting that the struggling pizza chain operator's turnaround strategy will succeed.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) has short interest of 14.5%, which is down since last week. This radiopharmaceuticals company has faced delays gaining FDA approval for a couple of its therapies recently. Short sellers don't appear to believe a change is coming in 2026.
• Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has short interest of 14.2%, which is up again since last week. This may have been driven by valuation concerns with the medical device company's shares trading on high multiples.
• Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) has short interest of 13.8%, which is up week on week. This burrito seller's shares have been under significant pressure since the release of its results last month which revealed that it is struggling in the United States market. This was supposed to be its largest growth opportunity.
• Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) has short interest of 12%, which is up since last week. There are concerns over this uranium miner's production outlook beyond 2026.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest fall meaningfully to 11.9%. It has been a tough period for this wine giant, which is battling consumer spending pressures and distributor disruption.
• Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX: LOT) has entered the top ten with short interest of 11.1%. It is one of a number of ASX uranium stocks being targeted by short sellers.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has short interest of 10.9%, which is up week on week again. Short sellers may believe the Middle East conflict will impact travel markets.
• DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) has entered the top ten with 10.8% of its shares held short. Short sellers may believe this counter-drone technology company's shares are overvalued after surging over the past 12 months.
• IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) has 10.2% of its shares held short, which is down week on week once again. Short sellers have been targeting this student placement and language testing company due to changes to visa rules in key markets.

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