Technology was the strongest of the 11 ASX 200 market sectors following a commanding lead from Wall Street.

The NASDAQ Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) has been on a tear in April and hit a new record high last week.

As of Friday's market close (Australian time), the NASDAQ had recorded 12 consecutive days of gains — its best run since 2009.

ASX 200 tech shares have followed suit, but not in a straight line. The sector has lifted 18.47% since the rebound began on 31 March.

It appears investors may have overcome their fears about artificial intelligence (AI).

Investors have fretted over large AI spending and the potential for AI tools like Claude to wipe out software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers.

These fears drove a near halving in the value of the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) in just seven months.

You read that right — the tech index experienced an extraordinary 48% sell-off between 29 August and 30 March.

No other sector recorded significant gains last week amid the ongoing war in Iran and a major fire at one of Australia's two oil refineries.

Only five ASX 200 sectors finished the week in the green.

Let's recap.

ASX 200 tech shares led the market last week

The ASX 200's largest tech company, WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), skyrocketed 22.72% to finish the week at $46.18 per share.

The Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price leapt 14.72% to $81.98, while TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) jumped 11.34% to $30.83.

NextDC Limited (ASX: NXT) shares rose 10.14% to $14.12 and Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) increased 9.6% to $21.35.

The Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) share price screamed 26.53% to $8.49.

Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN) shares soared 9.37% to $5.02.

ASX 200 hotel booking platform provider, Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR), ripped 13.27% to $3.33 per share.

Nuix Ltd (ASX: NXL) shares stormed 10.96% higher to $1.26 apiece, while Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) rose 12.77% to $1.59.

The Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT) share price lifted 7.41% to $4.06.

Objective Corporation Ltd (ASX: OCL) shares lifted 6.97% to $11.82.

The Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) share price ascended 4.19% to $8.95.

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

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

Over the five trading days:

The post ASX 200 tech shares rocket 13% as long-awaited sector rebound accelerates appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

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

Let's recap.

ASX tech shares led the market last week

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

And boy, is it ugly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

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

Over the five trading days:

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

ASX All Ords shares have risen 1.7% over the week as more companies revealed strong earnings results and dividends.

Next week, a large group of ASX shares go ex-dividend. We provide a sample of these stocks below.

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

ASX shares about to go ex-dividend

Here are 16 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week.

Which companies are reporting next week?

According to the calendar, we will hear from Adairs Ltd (ASX: ADH), Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD), and Nib Holdings Ltd (ASX: NHF) on Monday.

On Tuesday, ARB Corporation Ltd (ASX: ARB), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), and Monadelphous Group Ltd (ASX: MND) are up.

On Wednesday, we'll get reports from Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP), Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP), and Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG).

Light & Wonder Inc (ASX: LNW), Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) will also report on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR), Monash IVF Group Ltd (ASX: MVF), and Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) will release their earnings.

Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX: RHC), Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL), and Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR) will also be in the spotlight.

On Friday, we'll see reports from Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR), and TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG).

The post 16 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In a research note to clients this week, RBC said the Australian market had been caught up in the "AI euphoria risk trade, with the market seeing materially lower barriers to entry and disintermediation risks potentially impacting sales/margins over the medium long/term''

This had led to sharp down-ratings for some technology stocks over recent months, with some share prices halving over the past half year, RBC said.

They added:

We believe certain names have higher moats and are better protected, however marrying up an attractive entry point is difficult in the midst of negative macro tech sentiment and the tide running out fast.

The companies singled out as having a decent moat were Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME), Technology One Ltd (ASX: TNE), REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), and Wisetech Ltd (ASX: WTC).

On the risk front, some companies were facing increasing earnings risks from the higher Australian dollar, including Pro Medicus, Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN), and Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1).

Good value stocks abound

While RBC has flagged plenty of risks in the sector, they also have outperform ratings and solid price targets on eight stocks.

For Technology One, RBC says their UK growth narrative is continuing, and the company "has demonstrated the best AI capabilities we've seen to date amongst our coverage with its new PLUS Ai platform being released in market this year with monetisation into 2027''.

RBC has a price target of $32 on Technology One shares compared with $25.62 currently.

For Wisetech, they have a price target of $100 against $59.01 currently, saying the take-up of the company's new commercial model "should see positive tailwinds in 2H26".

RBC has a price target of $155 for Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shares, compared with $94.37 currently, saying the demand environment was "healthy" and that there could be a catalyst for a rerating in February, when the company demonstrates its Melio product offering.

On the data centre front, RBC says NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) is benefiting from the AI and cloud computing boom, adding that "hyperscalers continue to materially increase their capex on data centre-related investments, evidence of a healthy demand environment''.

RBC has a price target of $20 on NextDC shares compared with $13.21 currently.

And on much the same theme relating to data centre demand, it has a price target of $90 on Macquarie Technology Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ) compared with $69.60 currently.

For Hansen Technologies, RBC has a price target of $6.25, while on the speculative side, they have a price target for Megaport of $18 compared with $11.81 currently.

And last but not least, for Fineos Corporation Holdings Plc (ASX: FCL), RBC has a price target of $3 versus $2.30 currently.

The post Eight stocks to buy in the bruised tech sector according to RBC appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

A little-known business is just as capable of producing good returns as a high-profile name. In-fact, companies flying under the radar may be trading on a more appealing valuation because of the little amount of investor attention they receive.

We're going to take a look at two names that a lot more Australians should to know about.

Redox Pty Ltd (ASX: RDX)

Broker UBS describes Redox as a leading supplier of chemicals, ingredients and raw materials in ANZ, as well as operations in Malaysia and a growing presence in the US.

UBS was impressed by the company's FY25 result, which showed a resilient gross profit margin and lower costs through a period of moderating like for like (LFL) volume growth.

At the time of that result, management reiterated it expects to deliver long-term growth of around 10% per year, with some years leaner than that and others stronger. FY25 was a year of headwinds including price deflation, margin normalisation and more subdued demand.

UBS noted the ASX share reported a solid start to FY26, with July top-line growth of 13% year-over-year.

While there is uncertainty in FY26, the broker suggests conditions will improve towards longer-term trends in FY26 with price deflation in the rear-view mirror.

UBS also notes that acquisitions remain "on the agenda" and the broke has seen a shift in tone towards the US as a focus after completing three bolt-on acquisitions in Australia. The broker suggested that the balance sheet is well-funded for more deals and the long-term story remains "positive".

The broker forecasts that the business could generate $82 million of net profit in FY26, putting the ASX share at 19x FY26's estimated earnings. It's projected to grow its earnings by 55% between FY26 and FY30.

UBS has a buy rating on Redox, with a price target of $3.40.

Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN)

Another ASX share that UBS rates as a buy is Hansen Technologies. The broker describes the business as a global software provider mainly to the energy, telecommunications, pay-TV and water verticals.

UBS said that the company's billing and customer care software allows clients to "efficiently manage and automate key business functions, such as customer billing, processing, collections, general revenue management, customer acquisition, and customer service."

It has hundreds of customers globally, with dozens of offices across the continents.

The most recent note from UBS discussed the company's acquisition called Digitalk, giving new exposure to the growing mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) segment of the telecommunications market.

This acquisition came with an enterprise value price tag of $66 million. It's a billing, cloud-based software provider to the MVNO segment of the telco market.

UBS noted that MVNOs have been taking market share globally thanks to lower price points and more convenient type plan offerings, so this sector "should be viewed as a growth market". Digitalk has delivered revenue growth of at least 10% per year consistently over the last three years, driven by a range of telco wins supporting increased MNVO market share gains in the UK and Europe.

The broker then said about the ASX share:

Given its cloud/SaaS based nature, the revenue growth has come alongside consistent margin expansion to current FY25 levels of 31.4%. Quite simply we believe this is a small albeit very impressive founder led business that Hansen has acquired.

…For core Hansen, we remain constructive on its ability to deliver top line and earnings growth in FY26, acknowledging this remains an area of market debate. We forecast FY26 revenue growth of 5% to A$408mn. Within this, we expect (1) 12% growth in recurring Saas / Support & Maintenance revenue as recently won / renewed Licence revenues go live, (2) +8% growth in predictable Application or Services revenue, offset by (3) an expected 35% decline in up-front Licence sales to A$32mn after a very strong FY25 (A$50mn).

The solid top-line growth will, in our view, more importantly be also met with another year of operating leverage as the company continues to realise recent efficiency benefits and Powercloud cost outs.

UBS has a buy rating on Hansen shares, with a price target of $7.50 on the ASX share.

The post Brokers rate these 2 top ASX shares as buys in January appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, Hansen shares are down 0.54% to $5.55.

What did Hansen announce?

Hansen has agreed to buy 100% of Digitalk for £33.1 million (around A$66 million), funded through a mix of cash and debt.

Digitalk provides software used by mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which are essentially telco brands that rent capacity from larger carriers. Digitalk has around 150 customers in 30 countries. Its products handle everything from billing to fraud prevention and are used by mobile carriers around the world.

The acquisition is valued at approximately 10 times Digitalk's cash EBITDA.

The deal is expected to close by the end of the year, and management expects it to be immediately earnings accretive, thanks to Digitalk's strong recurring revenue base (over 90% of sales) and profitability.

What's the rationale for the deal?

Hansen said the acquisition aligns perfectly with its strategy to expand its communications software footprint.

Digitalk's MVNO technology complements Hansen's existing Global Communications Suite, opening up opportunities to cross-sell into its existing client base

The company also highlighted a few benefits, including:

• Immediate earnings accretion through high-margin SaaS revenue.
• Exposure to high-growth digital telco segments.
• Diversified global footprint and blue-chip customer base.

CEO Andrew Hansen said the deal expands the company's recurring revenue and "unlocks new growth avenues in MVNOs and wholesale voice," adding that Hansen is "very excited to welcome the Digitalk team".

So why is the share price down?

Despite announcing what seems to be a solid acquisition, Hansen shares are down in line with broader weakness in the ASX All Ordinaries, with the index down 0.69% at the time of writing.

Foolish bottom line

Digitalk looks like a smart, bolt-on acquisition that fits neatly into Hansen's global communications strategy. It deepens Hansen's reach into the fast-growing telco software space and adds a profitable, recurring revenue stream.

The short-term share price dip may simply reflect broader market softness — not a vote of no confidence.

The post Hansen just announced a new UK acquisition. So why is the share price falling? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

On Friday, several ASX tech stocks ripped to new highs after the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) hit a record the previous night.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fell 1.03% over the week to close at 8,773.5 points on Friday.

The energy sector was the biggest drag last week, falling 4%, after the foreign takeover bid for Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) was withdrawn.

Just three of the 11 market sectors finished the week in the green.

Let's recap.

ASX 200 technology shares led the market last week

Tech sector darling Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) was among 9 ASX 200 shares that reached multi-year high share prices on Friday.

The Life360 share price rose 5.3% over the week to close at $51.96, after reaching a record $52.40 during intraday trade on Friday.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares set a new 52-week high of $18.22 on Friday, and rose 2.8% over the week to finish at $17.81.

The Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR) share price reached a four-year high of $7.20 on Friday before closing at $7.14, up 3% over the week.

The Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC) also reached a new record of $33.42 per unit on Friday.

ATEC, which seeks to track the S&P/ASX All Technology Index before fees, was among 68 ASX ETFs that smashed records on Friday.

Several ASX small-cap tech shares also hit new highs on Friday.

The Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN) share price closed at a four-year high of $6.22 on Friday, up 7.4% for the week.

Energy One Ltd (ASX: EOL) shares reached an all-time high of $18 on Friday before closing at $17.95, up 11.8% over the week.

Infomedia Ltd (ASX: IFM) shares closed at a 52-week high of $1.72, up 2.4% over the week.

Eroad Ltd (ASX: ERD) shares reached a three-year high of $2.63 on Friday before finishing the session at $2.55, up 8.1% last week.

Other tech sector price changes

Turning our attention to large-cap ASX 200 tech shares, WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) lifted 1.4% over the week to close at $96.30.

The Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price inched up 0.3% to $162.59.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares rose 0.8% to $38.35.

Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) shares fell 3.1% to $29.98.

The Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) share price lifted 0.8% to $15.01.

The Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT) share price increased 4.4% to close at $7.09.

The Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE) share price rose 2.4% to $9.34.

Macquarie Technology Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ) shares rose 5.5% to $65.07 ahead of their departure from the ASX 200.

Macquarie Tech is among 9 shares leaving the ASX 200 in the next index rebalance, effective tomorrow.

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

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

Over the five trading days:

The post Life360, NextDC, and Siteminder shares reach new highs amid tech sector lead last week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

When one analyst is bullish on a business it's intriguing, but when there are numerous buy ratings it could be a clear opportunity, if they're all correct.

I'm going to look at two of the most well-liked businesses on the ASX right now, with both the number of buy ratings and the small percentage of overall ratings that aren't buys.

Let's dive in.

Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR)

According to Commsec's collation of analyst recommendations, there are currently seven buy ratings, two hold ratings and zero sell ratings on the business.

Broker UBS is one that rates Dicker Data as a buy, with a price target of $10.20. A price target tells investors where the analyst thinks the share price will be in 12 months after the investment call.

UBS said Dicker Data is a distributor of hardware and software products in Australia – it's reportedly the number one player in Australia with a market share of more than one-third and the number two player in New Zealand with a market share of around 30%.

In a note, UBS pointed out the ASX share achieved 17% sales growth in the four months to April 2025, which continued in May and June with 14% growth in those two months, thanks to large enterprise deals. This led to FY25 first half profit before tax (PBT) growth being 5% ahead of what market analysts were expecting.

The broker noted Dicker Data said on a call that new enterprise work should not fall away once the small business sector rebounds, indicating "potential materially upside" to gross profit into 2026 and 2027 as smaller customer demand returns.

UBS believes the company has a strong pipeline of AI deals (infrastructure and Copilot), while cyber software is "booming", with major new vendor Crowdstrike still ramping up.

On top of all that, the broker thinks this ASX share is well-positioned to benefit from the RBA rate-cut cycle.  

Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN)

According to Commsec's collation of analyst recommendations, there are currently seven buy ratings on the ASX share and one sell rating. The technology business provides software for utility companies.

UBS is one of the brokers that rates Hansen shares as a buy, with a price target of $7.20.

The broker noted that the company changed its guidance from a 12-month view to a three-to-five-year outlook. UBS noted the outlook said "a target organic revenue growth of 5-7% over the medium term and a medium term underlying EBITDA margin target of 30% or above (FY25 28.5%)". UBS noted bearish investors may say that guidance implies FY26 will be weak and underperform market expectations.

But, UBS is encouraged by this guidance because it suggests management have enough confidence in the telco and energy billing sector tailwinds to suggest revenue can grow organically at a rate of between 5% to 7% on a consistent basis over the next five years.

Hansen has delivered revenue growth over the last three years of a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5%, according to UBS.

UBS is forecasting 5% revenue growth in FY26 to $408 million for the ASX share, with 12% growth of recurring software as a service revenue (SaaS) and maintenance revenue and 8% growth in predictable application or service revenue. However, upfront licence sales are forecast to decline 35% after a very strong FY25.

The broker finished its commentary on the ASX share with the following:

We retain our positive view on the Hansen stock and consider the sell off from outlook comments related confusion as a good buying opportunity.

It has an attractive combination of predictable and growing revenues alongside the recent introduction of operating leverage driving cash earnings margin expansion which overall underpins a 3yr Cash EBITDA CAGR of 12%. The group's Return on Capital continues to increase c.200bps p.a. and is now at 18% and with a balance sheet that is net cash will provide eventual inorganic growth upside opportunities.

The post 2 ASX shares highly recommended to buy: Experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

And the ASX tech share is continuing to add to the gains, notching up another 5% during morning trade on Tuesday.

What happened?

Hansen's share price surged on Monday following an upbeat update regarding the company's FY25 earnings expectations.

Hansen is now forecasting underlying EBITDA of between $110 million and $112 million for FY25.

That's up around 10% on its previous guidance range of $92 million to $101 million.

Founded in 1971, Hansen provides software solutions for energy and communications companies with customers in 80 countries.

It includes Powercloud among its products, a billing platform used by energy providers.

And Hansen's CIS platform enables utility providers to manage the entire customer service and revenue life cycle.

The company also offers artificial intelligence solutions, such as Hansen's AI Virtual Agent, as part of its product suite.

And a series of new customer wins has helped to push forecasted earnings higher.

New deals

Hansen stated it had signed a four-year contract with Finland's Vattenfall to implement the Hansen CIS system in a deal worth $5.5 million.

The ASX tech company also announced an agreement with a Nordic B2B energy retailer, Å Entelios, to deploy Hansen CIS in support of its expansion into the Danish market.

The recent wins follow a major contract announced by Hansen earlier this year.

Hansen stated in February it had signed a $50 million five-year agreement with VMO2, a JV between Telefónica and Liberty Global.

Additionally, Hansen announced a five-year agreement with one of the largest renewable energy portfolios in the US, estimated at $16 million.

Momentum appears to be building for Hansen, with more new customers and contracts worth millions of dollars announced.

Hansen stated that new customers include Aneo, Modity, World Kinect, Ingrid Capacity, and Å Entelios.

And the company's global footprint continues to expand in Finland and Sweden, while the company marks its first-ever deployments of Hansen Trade into Norway, Denmark, and The Netherlands.  

Where to from here?

Things appear to be turning around for the ASX tech share.

Back in 2021, Hansen shares were trading at around $6.32 before sinking to $4.30 in August 2024.

A series of strategic initiatives, such as the acquisition of assets from Germany's CONUTI GmbH, have helped the company accelerate its European expansion plans.

And, despite the recent gains, with Hansen shares changing hands for about $5.60, at least one broker sees more upside in the ASX tech share.

Broker Bell Potter has a price target of $6.28 on Hansen shares. 

Based on its current valuation, that implies an upside of about 12% over the next 12 months.

The post Up 10% in a day, why this ASX tech share is exciting investors 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 racing higher:

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is up 2% to $3.30. Investors have been buying this counter drone technology company's this week after it announced a major increase to its research and development capabilities. DroneShield plans to make a $13 million+ initial investment via a multi-year lease and fitout commitment into a brand new 3,000sqm production facility in Sydney's Alexandria. This will expand its own annual production capacity to $900 million by mid-2026 and a combined total annual manufacturing capacity to $2.4 billion by the end of 2026.

Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN)

The Hansen Technologies share price is up almost 6% to $5.61. This software company's shares have been on fire this week after it upgraded its earnings guidance for FY 2025. Due to a quicker than expected turnaround in its Powercloud business, as well as improved operating efficiencies and disciplined cost management, Hansen Technologies' underlying EBITDA is forecast to be between $110 million and $112 million. This is up from its previous guidance range of $92 million to $101 million.

Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

The Hub24 share price is up 5.5% to $99.77. This morning, this investment platform provider released another strong quarterly update. Hub24 reported Platform funds under administration (FUA) of $112.7 billion. This represents an increase of 10% over the quarter and 34% year on year. Management advised that this was driven by net inflows of $5.3 billion (up 7% on the prior corresponding period) and positive market movements of $4.9 billion. This reflects its continued market leadership, strong customer relationships, and proven ability to execute large, complex migrations.

Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)

The Paladin Energy share price is up 5% to $7.50. The catalyst for this may have been a broker note out of Bell Potter this morning. According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating on the uranium producer's shares with an improved price target of $9.20. It said: "We have upgraded our price target to A$9.20/sh (previously $6.50) and maintain our Buy recommendation. We believe PDN will re-rate over the coming quarters, as the business shakes off negative earnings sentiment over FY25, predicated on fresh ore processing outperforming the stockpile issues which plagued FY25."

The post Why DroneShield, Hansen, Hub24, and Paladin Energy shares are racing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Abacus Storage King (ASX: ASK)

The Abacus Storage King share price is up almost 6% to $1.56. This has been driven by news that the self-storage operator has received an improved takeover offer from the Ki Corporation and Public Storage (NYSE: PSA) consortium. A revised non-binding and indicative proposal of $1.65 cash per share has been tabled. This represents a 15% increase on its initial proposal. The company also notes that the offer would not be subject to a deduction for any declared ordinary course distributions.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is up over 5% to $2.92. This morning, this high-flying counter drone technology company announced a major increase to its research and development capabilities. DroneShield will make a $13 million+ initial investment via a multi-year lease and fitout commitment into a brand new 3,000sqm production facility in Sydney's Alexandria. DroneShield's CEO, Oleg Vornik, said: "In response to rising threats and multiple wars taking place across the globe, Australia's allies are increasing investment in modern defence capabilities. We are stepping up to meet this demand by investing in state-of-the-art facilities here and abroad, and in sovereign Australian skills development to provide the most modern and effective counterdrone capabilities in the world. Our new facility in Alexandria will epitomise the value Australian engineering can bring to a changing geopolitical landscape."

Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN)

The Hansen Technologies share price is up 12% to $5.34. This software company's shares are taking off today after it upgraded its earnings guidance for FY 2025. According to the release, thanks to a quicker than expected turnaround in the Powercloud business, as well as improved operating efficiencies and disciplined cost management, underlying EBITDA is forecast to be between $110 million and $112 million for the year. This is up from its previous guidance range of $92 million to $101 million.

Macquarie Technology Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ)

The Macquarie Technology share price is up 8% to $66.72. The catalyst for this has been news that the technology company has entered into a put and call option with a large, long established property investment and development company based in Sydney to purchase a large parcel of land for a new data centre campus. If everything goes to plan, Macquarie Technology intends to construct a new Sydney data centre campus in stages that is expected to deliver more than 150 MW of IT load.

The post Why Abacus Storage King, DroneShield, Hansen, and Macquarie Technology shares are charging higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Thanks to the release of an update on its guidance today, this stock is up significantly in early trade.

Which ASX 300 stock?

The stock in question is Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN).

It describes itself as a leading global provider of software and services to the energy & utilities and communications & media industries.

The ASX 300 stock notes that its software helps customers create, sell, and deliver new products and services, manage and analyse customer data, and control critical revenue management and customer support processes.

At the time of writing, Hansen's shares are up over 13% to $5.43.

Why is it jumping?

Investors have been fighting to get hold of the company's shares this morning after it upgraded its earnings guidance for FY 2025.

According to the release, the ASX 300 stock's operating revenue is actually expected to come in lower than guided to at $391 million to $393 million (from $398 million to $405 million).

But thanks to a quicker than expected turnaround in the Powercloud business, together with improved operating efficiencies and disciplined cost management, underlying EBITDA is forecast to be between $110 million and $112 million for the year.

This is a big improvement on its previous guidance range of $92 million to $101 million.

Also ahead of expectations will be its cash EBITDA, which is now forecast at $92 million to $94 million (from $76 million to $85 million).

What about the revenue miss?

The good news is that its revenue miss is due largely to project timings and should show up in FY 2026. The ASX 300 stock explains:

Industry tailwinds from both Hansen verticals are driving increased demand for the Group's products and services globally. However, due to project timing and customer-driven factors, some revenue will shift to FY26, resulting in a modest adjustment to the previous revenue guidance as outlined below.

Notwithstanding this adjustment, FY25 is still expected to deliver solid operating revenue growth of approximately 11% compared with FY24, and growth of approximately 5% excluding the impact of the powercloud acquisition. The Company has a solid pipeline of committed business and remains optimistic about its growth potential beyond FY25.

Following today's strong gain, the Hansen Technologies share price is now up over 20% since this time last year.

The post Guess which ASX 300 stock is jumping 13% on guidance upgrade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

While that is true, it doesn't mean there is no opportunity for technology shares. In fact, there are many growth shares in these sectors. 

While these companies come with more risk than established blue-chip companies, a healthy diversified portfolio can also include small and mid-cap companies. 

Let's look at two in the technology sector that broker Bell Potter has identified as having upside. 

Data3 Ltd (ASX: DTL)

Data#3 Ltd (ASX: DTL) is an information technology services and solutions provider. Its technology solutions are broadly categorised into cloud,  workplace, security, data and analytics, and connectivity.

The company also provides consulting, procurement, project services, managed services, and resourcing solutions.

It has been one of the best performing ASX technology shares this year, rising 20.70% since the start of 2025. 

Broker Bell Potter currently has an "overweight" rating and $8.30 price target on these technology shares. 

This indicates there is still further room for growth based on its current price of $7.64. 

If its share price were to reach the target set by Bell Potter, it would be a 8.64% rise. 

The broker pointed towards strong revenue growth so far this year as a key factor in the company's performance. 

Data#3 reported a record gross sales of $1.4 billion for the first half of FY '25, up 7.4% compared to the same period last year. Gross profit increased by 10% to $143.6 million, with an average gross margin of 10.2%.

Data#3 expects ongoing growth in its services business, driven by demand for AI solutions and an uptick in multi-cloud and end-user device investments.

The broker also expects continued growth in the Australian tech industry as a whole. 

Gartner forecasts the Australian technology industry will grow by 8.7% in 2025, with software spending expected to rise by 13.4%. Data#3 expects its services growth to exceed the industry rate.

Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN)

This tech company delivers customer care and billing software to the energy, utilities, and telecommunications industries globally.

Hansen's products assist its clients with customer engagement, managing and analysing customer data, and billing and revenue management. 

Although the share price has experienced volatility, this tech share is up 10.36% over the past year. 

At the time of writing, these technology shares are trading at $4.90 each. 

Broker Bell Potter appears to see value in the company's share price, with a current "overweight" recommendation and target price of $6.28. 

This indicates an upside of 28.16%. 

Positive earnings from earlier this year has also driven confidence from the broker in these technology shares. 

The broker highlighted tailwinds in the energy sector and a pressing need for communication service providers to upgrade legacy systems as positives for future growth. 

The post Tech takeover – two Aussie technology shares to watch appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Earnings season is underway, and with dividend announcements on investors' minds, let's check out the forecasts for ASX 200 technology dividends this year.

Dividend forecasts for ASX 200 technology stocks

Let's take a look at the forecast 2025 dividend yields for the 15 largest ASX 200 technology stocks by market capitalisation.

The following chart shows the consensus analysts' forecasts for 2025 dividends, as published on the CommSec trading platform.

We've calculated the dividend yields based on stock prices at the time of writing.

We've also included the dividend amounts paid in 2024 so you can compare them to the 2025 forecasts.

These ASX 200 technology stocks are listed in order of market cap from largest to smallest.

As you can see, not too many of the top 15 ASX 200 technology stocks pay dividends.

And those that do, don't pay much compared to stocks in other sectors.

Nonetheless, Iress shares are expected to pay the highest dividend yield of this group in 2025.

The software provider will announce its 1H FY25 results and interim dividend on 24 February.

Why are dividend yields so low?

The ASX 200 tech sector generally does not pay high dividend yields.

In 2024, dividends made up just 0.36% of the technology sector's total return of 49.9%.

One reason ASX 200 technology companies do not pay high dividends is that they prefer to reinvest earnings for future growth.

Some tech companies are not yet profitable, relying on debt to fund their growth. So, dividends are obviously out of the question for them.

Tech companies also can't rest on their laurels.

Advancements in technology occur daily, and every tech company has to keep up with change to ensure their products and services do not become inferior.

This requires constant new investment and innovation.

While they may not pay great dividends, ASX 200 technology stocks delivered the best capital growth of the 11 market sectors last year, rising 49.54%.

Its nearest rival was the financials sector, up 33.72%.

The post Which ASX 200 technology stock will pay the best dividend yield in 2025? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Then Lucas Goode, a portfolio manager for the IML Australian Smaller Companies Fund, has three companies you may wish to run your slide rule over. The fund delivered an annual return of 20.0% after fees as at 31 December.

Goode said the three ASX small-cap shares, which are each top 10 holdings in his fund, are all well positioned to continue to perform well in 2025.

"They have strong competitive positions, are capably run and have a solid growth outlook. All are relatively resilient to changes in the economic cycle and leveraged to long term structural tailwinds. And crucially, all are reasonably priced," he said.

Which stocks is he talking about?

Read on!

ASX small-cap share accelerating organic growth

First, we have global billing software provider Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN).

The Hansen Technologies share price is up 6% in a year, with shares having surged 32% over the past six months. And 2025 could see the ASX small-cap share continue to charge higher.

According to Goode:

Hansen Technologies is a global provider of billing and customer care software to the energy and communications sectors. The increasingly dynamic nature of energy markets is driving higher demand for Hansen's energy products.

Organic revenue growth in Hansen's Energy & Utilities business was 15% in FY24, well above its historic mid-single digit growth rate as customer uptake of Hansen's newer cloud native solutions accelerates.

Hansen Technologies' growth outlook could also benefit from its recent strategic acquisition.

"The company recently entered Europe's largest energy market with the acquisition of German business Powercloud," Goode noted.

Goode added:

Hansen is well positioned to demonstrate accelerating organic growth and expanding margins in the next two years, driven by improving profitability at Powercloud, growing energy utility technology requirements and potential success in large tenders within its Communications segment. Trading on 15x FY26 free cash flow with a strong balance sheet, we see ample scope for a re-rating.

Supplying growing naval demands

The second ASX small-cap share Goode has a bullish outlook on is naval shipbuilder Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB). The Austal share price is up 92% since this time last year, with more potential gains ahead.

Noting the surge in global military spending over the past three years, Goode said, "A clear beneficiary of increased military expenditure is naval shipbuilder Austal."

In its United States business, Goode said:

Austal's modern and low-cost shipyard in Alabama is a crucial part of the United States' military industrial base, something that was highlighted last year when the company was granted US$450 million to build dedicated facilities for the construction of nuclear submarine modules under the AUKUS program.

As for its Australian business, Goode added:

Austal has effectively been appointed as the Australian Navy's single source shipbuilder under the Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement (SSA).

Combined with its record AU$13 billion order book (excluding the SSA), Austal's shipyards in both Alabama and Western Australia (as well as its San Diego support facility) are likely to be fully utilised well into the 2030s.

But Goode said the market is not yet pricing this growth outlook in for the ASX small-cap share. He noted:

Despite its strong outlook, Austal is currently trading at a material discount to net tangible assets. We believe that the market vastly underestimates both Austal's strategic importance to the US and Australian governments, and its earnings power as its record order book is converted into revenue.

ASX small-cap share tapping into Medicare growth

Rounding off with the third ASX small-cap share Goode believes has a solid growth outlook for 2025, we have radiology provider Integral Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: IDX). The Integral Diagnostics share price has soared 52% over the last 12 months.

With Australia's ageing population in mind, Goode said, "Integral Diagnostics, after its recent merger with Capitol Health, is the second largest radiology provider in Australia. "Medicare funded radiology volumes have grown at a +4% compound annual growth rate over the past 15 years, a rate well ahead of population growth."

Adding that Medicare benefits in radiology have increased by almost 150% over the past 14 years, Goode concluded:

IDX's investment in technology and strategic M&A sees it well placed to benefit from growth in the sector. The company's merger with Capitol should yield significant operational benefits, while a strong balance sheet provides scope for further accretive acquisitions.

The post 3 ASX small-cap shares with a 'solid growth outlook' for 2025 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:

Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL)

The Catalyst Metals share price is up 1% to $3.57. Investors have been buying the gold miner's shares today after it released an exploration update. Management advised that it has 10 rigs on site at the Plutonic Belt, drilling 320,000 metres at a cost of $40 million over the next 12 months. This could be worth it. It notes that the belt has a very large mineral endowment and a history of high quality deposits. Investors appear optimistic that the company could be sitting on top of something very lucrative.

Hansen Technologies Limited (ASX: HSN)

The Hansen Technologies share price is up over 1% to $5.55. This has been driven by the release of a trading update from the billing technology company this morning. Management has reaffirmed its guidance for revenue of $398 million to $405 million and underlying EBITDA of $92 million to $101 million. In addition, it revealed that it has signed a master agreement with VMO2 to licence Hansen's cloud-native Suite for Communications, Technology & Media. The agreement has an initial term of five years with associated revenue of approximately $50 million.

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)

The Lynas Rare Earths share price is up 3% to $6.52. This is despite there being no news out of the rare earths producer on Monday. Though, it is worth noting that Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting has been increasing its stake in the company in recent sessions. On Friday. a change of interests of substantial holder notice showed that Hancock Prospecting has lifted its shareholding from 7.14% to 8.21%. The last purchase was made on 28 January when Hancock bought 764,700 shares at $6.45 per share.

Selfwealth Ltd (ASX: SWF)

The Selfwealth share price is up 5.5% to 28 cents. This morning, the company revealed that it has received a non-binding indicative proposal from Svava to acquire it for $0.28 cash per share by way of a scheme of arrangement. Svava has also notified Selfwealth that it has acquired beneficial ownership of approximately 43.4 million Selfwealth shares, representing approximately 18.8% of shares on issue. Svava, through its Syfe brand, operates wealth management platforms in Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong. This offer is ahead of one that is already on the table.

The post Why Catalyst Metals, Hansen, Lynas, and Selfwealth shares are rising today 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 almost 6% to 70.2 cents. Investors have been selling off this counterdrone technology company's shares since Donald Trump was elected US President. The market appears to believe that Trump's victory could pave the way for the end of the war in the Ukraine. In addition, a ceasefire in the Middle East was announced in recent days. This is good for humankind but not necessarily for the sale of defence products.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

The Goodman Group share price is down 3.5% to $36.86. This is despite there being no news out of the industrial property giant today. However, there was a major sale of Goodman shares at the market open. Two block trades with a combined value of over $2.7 billion were made at a discount to yesterday's close price. It seems that a large investor was looking to lock in some gains. Goodman shares remain up over 55% since this time last year despite today's weakness.

Hansen Technologies Limited (ASX: HSN)

The Hansen Technologies share price is down over 2% to $5.58. This morning, this billing technology company revealed that its CEO has sold a large number of shares through a family trust. Hansen's CEO and managing director, Andrew Hansen, sold 7 million shares (3.4% of shares on issue) by an aftermarket block trade. This followed an unsolicited approach after the close of trade on 3 December 2024. The release notes that Andrew Hansen sold the shares to enhance liquidity and free float and enable the Hansen family to diversify a portion of their overall investment. He also advised that he remains committed to the company and has no intention of selling further shares.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

The Pilbara Minerals share price is down almost 3.5% to $2.42. This is despite there being no news out of the lithium giant on Wednesday. Though, it is worth noting that a number of lithium shares are falling yet again today. This latest decline means that Pilbara Minerals' shares are now down 40% since the start of the year. They are also just a whisker away from their 52-week low.

The post Why DroneShield, Goodman, Hansen, and Pilbara Minerals shares are dropping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) is currently up 57.78% in the year to date. By comparison, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 11.5% (excluding dividends).

ASX tech shares are a long way ahead of other sectors this year. The second-best sector for price growth in 2024 is ASX financial shares, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) up 33.8%.

So, what's driving ASX tech shares higher in 2024?

Technology on course to be No. 1 sector of 2024

Of course, a rising Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) has undoubtedly pulled ASX tech shares higher this year.

Interest rate cuts in the US and Republican Donald Trump's election victory have boosted the NASDAQ this year, and ASX tech shares have followed suit.

US tech stock investors see Trump's policies of lower corporate taxes, import tariffs, and tech sector deregulation as beneficial for their investments.

Interestingly, ASX tech shares are actually outperforming the world's biggest tech index in 2024. The NASDAQ is up 31.4% in the year to date, whereas our growth rate is almost double that.

Here is the year-to-date share price growth of the eight biggest ASX tech shares by market capitalisation:

• WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares are up 68%
• Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shares have lifted 56%
• Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares are up 20%
• TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares are 103% higher
• Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) shares have increased 253%
• Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) shares are up 90%
• Macquarie Technology Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ) shares have risen 30%
• Nuix Limited (ASX: NXL) shares are up 240%

Which ASX tech shares should you buy for 2025?

Despite significant share price rises in 2024, brokers say some of the top-performing ASX tech stocks of 2024 are still a buy today.

Goldman Sachs is backing cloud accounting software-as-a-service provider Xero for further share price growth in 2025. The broker has a conviction buy rating on Xero with a 12-month price target of $201.

Xero shares are trading at $177.09 on Tuesday, up 1.45%.

Goldman also likes Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) shares due to accelerating cloud growth and migration trends. It has a buy rating on the interconnection services provider with a share price target of $10.40.

The Megaport share price is currently $7.71, up 1.18%.

An ASX 300 tech share catching Goldman's eye is Hansen Technologies Limited (ASX: HSN). It has a buy rating on the stock and recently raised its price target to $6.35.

Hansen shares are $5.72 apiece on Tuesday, down 0.17%.

Macquarie has an outperform rating on the biggest ASX tech share, WiseTech, with a 12-month price target of $152.70.

The broker thinks recent share price weakness due to downgraded revenue guidance and the CEO stepping down has created a buying opportunity.

Morgans has an add rating on Wisetech and recently increased its 12-month share price target from $114.20 to $135.30.

The Wisetech share price is $127.75, down 1.38% at the time of writing.

Bell Potter is bullish on Life360 due to its "significant growth potential as it continues to rapidly monetise its customer base". The broker has a buy rating and a $26.75 price target on Life360 shares.

Goldman Sachs also likes this ASX tech share. It has a conviction buy rating and a $25 price target on LIfe360 shares.

The Life360 share price is higher on Tuesday at $26.44, up 3.77%.

The post ASX tech shares are up 58% in 2024. Brokers say buy these stocks for the new year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But that doesn't mean that this ASX 300 tech stock isn't a high-quality option with a bright future.

Just ask the team at Goldman Sachs, which is tipping the billing and customer care solution provider's shares as a buy right now.

What is the broker saying about the ASX 300 tech stock?

Goldman was pleased with Hansen's annual general meeting update, which saw management reiterate its belief that it can continue to grow its revenue organically by 5% to 7% each year for the foreseeable future. It said:

HSN's AGM update highlighted mgmt's view that +5-7% organic revenue growth is sustainable, driven by structural digital transformation tailwinds across both verticals. Per our analysis, HSN's FY25E guidance implies that sales in the core business (ex Powercloud) are accelerating to ~8% y/y in FY25E, following a trend that started in FY20A of consistent improvements in organic growth. HSN is in late-stage discussions for several large-sized contracts (some >A$30mn in TCV), which may be incremental to the +5-7% range in FY25E (and/or support an increase to the revenue growth guidance in future years).

The broker also sees the recently acquired Powercloud business as a significant driver of growth in the future. Goldman believes that once its cost outs are complete, it will hit an earnings inflection. Goldman adds:

Bringing forward profitability to 2H25E (vs 4Q25E) and providing detail around cost-out execution (incl. reducing headcount from 390 to 140) increases our confidence in HSN's ability to bring Powercloud's margins toward ~30% (FY27 GSe), particularly given headcount was ~50 before Powercloud's global expansion (i.e. further room to cut costs). HSN's stated ~A$27mn of annualised cost-out to date is almost 50% of Powercloud's pre-acquisition cost base and in our view implies Powercloud should be entering FY26E generating ~A$10-15mn of annualised EBITDA – a key pillar of HSN inflecting from +7% EBITDA growth in FY25E to +24% in FY26E (we sit +6% vs FY26E VA Cons.).

Big returns

Goldman thinks that the ASX 300 tech stock is being undervalued by the market. It explains:

We believe FY26E is the appropriate year to capitalise into valuation as Powercloud moves into profitability. On this basis, HSN is trading on 9.4x EV/EBITDA (vs ~11x historical average), and is on 0.7x growth-adjusted vs 1.5x AU Tech peers.

In light of this, the broker has retained its buy rating with an improved price target of $6.35. Based on its current share price of $5.57, this implies potential upside of 14% for investors. In addition, a 1.8% dividend yield is expected in FY 2025.

The post Is this buy-rated ASX 300 tech stock a future star? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But not all growth is created equally. Nor are expert views on all stocks.

Brokers have changed their ratings on several companies this week, with NIB Holdings Ltd (ASX: NHF), Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), and Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN) all experiencing updates.

Here's what you need to know about each of these companies' latest outlooks and what these changes might mean for investors.

ASX shares rates as buys

ASX shares have done well this year, but tech stocks have done even better. Hansen, on the other hand, has been heavily sold for most of the year.

However, shares in the software services provider have surged from $4.30 in mid-September to $5.45 apiece before the open on Wednesday, lifting 10% in the past month alone.

RBC Capital Markets raised its rating on the ASX share to a buy and assigned a $6 price target, according to The Australian.

The company joins the consensus of broker estimates in rating Hansen a buy, according to CommSec.

Goldman Sachs also has a bullish view of Hansen.

The broker points to Hansen's high margins, stable earnings, and its strong position in essential industries like energy, water, and telecommunications as key strengths.

It sees the ASX share's defensive characteristics and strong growth outlook as justification for its confidence in the stock.

Not all sunshine and rainbows

On the flip side, health insurer NIB has been under sustained pressure this year, with its share price dropping roughly 20%.

As a result, brokers have delivered mixed ratings on the ASX share, reflecting a range of expectations.

Jefferies downgraded NIB to a hold this week and set a target price of $6.60.

Meanwhile, Macquarie offered a more bearish outlook, moving NIB to an underperform rating and setting a price target of $5.45, analogous to a 'sell' rating.

Despite these downgrades, consensus still rates the stock a buy, per CommSec data.

Goldman Sachs, again, is on the bullish side of the fence. It remains positive on the stock, maintaining its buy rating with a target of $6.75.

Meanwhile, who could glance over the recent downsides in Woolworths shares? Investors have booked a 20% loss this year to date, with shares sliding 10% this past month alone.

The ASX share's recent challenges, including a $1.5 billion writedown of its New Zealand business and a half-year net loss of $781 million, have weighed heavily on investor sentiment.

Furthermore, competition with Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) has intensified, adding pressure on Woolworths' market position.

Bell Potter initiated coverage on Woolworths this week with a hold rating and a target price of $31.75.

Shares in the supermarket finished the session on Tuesday at $29.57 apiece, within a small margin of Bell Potter's valuation, justifying the neutral view.

The broker joins the consensus view on Woolworths, which, according to CommSec, rates it a hold.

Foolish outlook

These broker adjustments may give investors value in understanding what the expert views are.

With Christmas just around the corner, it is paramount to think of the year ahead, including investment positioning.

Woolworths is down 17% in the last year, whereas NIB and Hansen are down 21% and up 6% respectively.

The post Don't miss these changes to broker ratings on ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.