Shares looking cheap

Shaw and Partners has published a new research note on the company, with a bullish share price target for IPD, valued at just shy of half a billion dollars.

They note that there was a surge in web searches for electric vehicles in March, coinciding with the increase in fuel prices resulting from the US' war with Iran.

The Shaw team went on to say:

EV‑related web searches in Australia rose sharply in March 2026, with several platforms reporting week‑on‑week increases of 60–80% at peak moments. The surge is abrupt rather than gradual, indicating an external trigger rather than slow organic growth. Search interest is now at its highest level since mid‑2024 on several consumer platforms. Carsales reported EV searches almost tripling from February to March 2026, with a 76.7% week‑on‑week jump in early March alone.

Unsurprisingly, Shaw said the dominant catalyst behind the spike was fuel price volatility caused by global instability.

Oil prices surged above USD 100/bbl during March 2026 due to Middle East supply concerns. Media coverage explicitly linked rising petrol prices to increased consumer EV research and consideration. ABC News documented a clear correlation between fuel price spikes and increased EV interest across metropolitan and regional Australia. Carsales confirmed the timing: EV search growth accelerated after fuel prices rose, not before. Bloomberg coverage shows similar search interest increases in energy‑importing economies globally during the same period.

This is good news for IPD, Shaw says, as their business providing grid-connected infrastructure and services would be well-placed to benefit from an increased take-up of electric vehicles.

Shaw went on to say:

Management often frames IPG's role as enabling sustainable electrical infrastructure, with EV charging and grid‑related upgrades a key growth vector. EV adoption cannot scale without switchgear, power distribution, protection & control systems, and substations and capacity upgrades. Those are exactly IPG's product and services stack.

Gains to be made

Shaw has a buy rating on IPD Group shares and a price target of $5.35, compared with the current price of $4.65.

If achieved, that would represent a 15.1% return, and the company is also expected to pay a dividend yield of 3.3% this year.

IPD shares have traded as low as $2.75 over the past year and as high as $5.22.

The post Why web searches for electric vehicles make this stock a buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In order to receive a dividend, you must own the ASX share before its ex-dividend date.

If you've had your eye on an ASX share for a while, and you're ready to buy, the ex-dividend date can provide a deadline to act.

Might as well buy and pick up the next dividend payment if the stock is trading at an acceptable price, right?

Alternatively, you could play a longer game, and wait for the ex-dividend date to arrive before buying the stock.

This can be a good strategy because share prices tend to fall on the ex-dividend date.

This happens because the stock is fundamentally worth less without the next dividend payment attached.

Many companies offer dividend reinvestment plans (DRPs).

DRPs allow investors to instruct the company to use their dividends to buy more shares on their behalf, instead of paying cash.

After lodging your DRP form, this process becomes automatic.

It's an easy, passive way for investors increase their shareholdings in a company over time.

And every now and then, a company will offer a discount to shareholders participating in the DRP.

Bonus!

ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week

The post 14 ASX shares about to go ex-dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's because Bell Potter is bullish and is predicting strong returns for investors over the next 12 months.

Which ASX All Ords stock?

The stock in question is IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG). It is a leading Australian distributor of electrical equipment and industrial digital technologies operating nine distribution centres and servicing 4,200+ customers nationally.

Bell Potter notes that the company supplies products used in buildings, infrastructure, and process sectors that help to reduce energy use and reliance on the transmission network.

Bell Potter notes that the ASX All Ords stock delivered a half-year result that was slightly ahead of expectations. It said:

Revenue of $193m (BPe $188m), up 9% YoY, with 11% YoY growth delivered at the core IPD business, 2% YoY at CMI and 55% at Ex Engineering. Pleasingly, Data Centre revenue was 16% higher YoY to $32.8m (growth would have been 25% if a large order did not slip into early CY26). GM of 33.3% was broadly in line with our estimate, down from 35.2% in the PcP, as a greater volume of competitively won projects were delivered.

Opex as a % of revenue of 20.2% declined on the PcP (22.1%) and was in line with our estimate. As a result, EBITDA margin of 13.2% was consistent with our forecast and the PcP. Underlying EBITDA of $25.4m and EBIT of $21.7m were 2% ahead of expectations and were above the top-end of the company's 1H FY26 guidance ranges. Underlying NPAT of $14.4m (BPe $14.3m) grew 8% YoY. A fully franked interim dividend of 6.8cps was declared (BPe 6.7cps).

The even better news is that its outlook commentary was positive and the second half has started strongly. The broker adds:

FY26 outlook comments include: 1) The strong momentum observed across the Group in 1H continued through to Feb'26, including at the recently acquired Platinum Cables business; and 2) IPG enters 2H with a healthy orderbook and a strong qualified opportunity pipeline to support sustainable earnings growth in the short-term.

Potential market-beating returns

According to the note, Bell Potter has reaffirmed its buy rating and $5.30 price target on the ASX All Ords stock.

Based on its current share price of $4.65, this implies potential upside of 14% for investors over the next 12 months.

In addition, the broker is expecting a 3.2% dividend yield over the period, which boosts the total potential return beyond 17%.

Commenting on its positive view of the stock, the broker said:

IPG is well positioned to capitalise on the Commercial construction market recovery currently underway and ongoing positive momentum in Data Centre and Infrastructure construction activity. IPG represents a relatively undervalued Industrials investment compared with the ASX300 Industrials index. Our $5.30/sh Target Price implies a NTM PE of 16.1x, a 22% discount to the Industrial Services peer group despite sharing a consistent NTM EPS growth outlook (16.6% IPG vs 17.5% peer group).

The post Why Bell Potter is bullish on this ASX All Ords stock appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

On Wednesday, shares in the electrical equipment and industrial digital technologies provider closed up 0.2% at $4.54 apiece. For some context, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) closed down 0.5% on Wednesday.

This now sees the IPD share price up a healthy 22.0% over the past 12 months.

But if you'd followed Warren Buffett's advice to be greedy when others are fearful and bought the ASX All Ords share at its multi-year lows on 23 June, you could have picked it up for just $2.80.

That would see you sitting on a gain of 62.1% as of Wednesday's close.

While those gains have come and gone, the analysts at Taylor Collison expect more outperformance from IPD shares in the year ahead.

Here's why.

Should you buy the ASX All Ords share today?

IPD shares grabbed plenty of investor attention, and closed up 4.3%, on 30 December after the company announced it was acquiring Platinum Cables. Platinum Cables provides cable solutions for the Australian mining and resources sector.

As we reported on the day, the ASX All Ords share will pay $37.5 million to acquire Platinum Cables. IPD said this equates to 5.2 times Platinum Cables' FY 2025 earnings before interest and tax (EBIT).

"The acquisition of Platinum Cables is a continuation of our growth strategy that reinforces our leadership in the mining sector and delivers immediate earnings accretion for shareholders," IPD CEO Michael Sainsbury said on the day.

And the team at Taylor Collison agree.

According to the broker:

We really like this deal. We think IPD are paying a fair price for a growing, niche operation with a reputation and record that insulates it from the price-based competition. Platinum extends the product portfolio, diversifies end markets, and offers a leg-up into emerging growth segments.

Taylor Collison also highlighted the ongoing revenue potential from repair and maintenance.

"Platinum's cables must withstand harsh environments, are essential to production and require replacement due to wear and tear," the broker said. "Maintenance and repair can approach two-thirds of revenue in years without major project supply."

And Taylor Collison expects the ASX All Ords share will benefit from plenty of sales synergies.

The broker noted:

Platinum's cables connect to plugs, switchgear, VSDs and control systems in IPD's catalogue. Engineering capabilities can potentially engage IPD earlier in the specification phase for projects, increasing the potential for other IPD products to be specified into tenders.

With this picture in mind, Taylor Collison increased it FY 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimate for IPD by 6%, while lifting its FY 2027 EPS estimate by 12.5%.

"We are also modelling accelerating sales growth in FY 2028 as sales synergies start to translate into project wins," the broker said.

Connecting the dots, Taylor Collison maintained its buy rating on the ASX All Ords share with an increased price target of $5.40.

That represents a potential upside of 18.9% from Wednesday's closing price.

The post Up 63% since June, why this ASX All Ords share is tipped to keep outperforming in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Power networks are being upgraded, data centres are expanding, electric vehicles are becoming more common, and commercial buildings are getting smarter and more energy-intensive.

All of this requires one thing Australia cannot avoid: more electrical infrastructure. That creates demand for the businesses that supply equipment and deliver the work on the ground.

Here are two ASX-listed companies exposed to that trend from different angles.

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

IPD Group sits in the supply chain for electrical and automation equipment. It distributes products used in power distribution, industrial systems, data centres, renewables, and mining operations.

In December, IPD Group announced the acquisition of Platinum Cables for $37.5 million upfront, with potential earn-out payments of up to $7.5 million tied to profit growth through to December 2026. Platinum Cables reported FY2025 revenue of $44.8 million and operating earnings (EBITDA) of over $8 million. IPD Group management also said the acquisition is expected to be earnings accretive by around 11.5% on a pro forma FY 2025 basis, before any synergies.

The acquisition expands IPD Group's footprint in specialist electrical cabling, particularly in mining, infrastructure, and large-scale projects. Platinum Cables will continue operating as a standalone business, with its management team retained.

Beyond the deal itself, IPD Group has highlighted improving conditions across commercial construction and engineering work. Management recently pointed to growth in non-residential building activity and stronger momentum in engineering construction, alongside demand linked to data centres, EV charging infrastructure, and broader grid upgrades.

In simple terms, IPD Group benefits when Australia builds or upgrades the systems that move electricity safely and efficiently.

SKS Technologies Group Ltd (ASX: SKS)

SKS Technologies focuses on delivering the infrastructure rather than supplying the components.

The company provides electrical, IT, communications, and audio-visual services, handling everything from design and installation through to integration and ongoing maintenance. Much of its work is project-based, and management reports that around 94% of revenue comes from repeat customers.

In recent years, data centres have become a major part of the business. SKS Technologies has said data centre-related work made up more than half of FY2025 revenue, driven by large-scale investments from global technology companies. Revenue from data centre projects rose sharply, from $31 million in FY 2024 to over $140 million in FY 2025, according to company materials.

In May 2025, SKS Technologies secured a $100 million contract to deliver a third data centre facility in Melbourne for an international hyperscale operator, following earlier stages of the same development.

Most recently, SKS provided an update at its annual general meeting, where management outlined expectations for the year ahead. The company said it is estimating revenue of around $320 million, supported by a healthy project pipeline.

Why this tailwind matters for Australia

Australia cannot afford to stand still on energy and digital infrastructure.

Electricity demand is rising as transport, industry, and buildings become more electrified. At the same time, data usage continues to grow rapidly, driven by cloud computing, artificial intelligence, streaming, and enterprise digital systems. These trends place increasing pressure on power grids, backup systems, cooling, and network reliability.

Unlike discretionary spending, this infrastructure is essential. Businesses, households, hospitals, and governments all rely on it functioning smoothly. Delaying upgrades only increases future costs and risks.

What's driving this long term

Several forces are at work:

• Electrification of transport and industry, including EV charging networks and electric machinery
  
• Data centre expansion, as Australia builds capacity to support digital services and AI
  
• Grid modernisation, to handle renewable energy, higher loads, and reliability requirements
  
• Urban growth and commercial construction, which increase baseline power needs
  

These are multi-decade trends rather than short-term cycles.

Foolish Takeaway

IPD Group and SKS Technologies operate in different parts of the same system, but both are linked to Australia's need to build, upgrade, and maintain critical electrical infrastructure.

For investors interested in long-term national trends rather than short-term market themes, these types of businesses highlight how electrification shows up in the real economy.

The post 2 under-the-radar ASX small caps engineering Australia's electrification push appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

With $1,000 to invest in 2026, I'd focus on ASX shares that combine easy-to-understand business models with long-term growth tailwinds, without venturing into speculative territory. Here are three ASX shares I think fit that brief particularly well for beginners.

CAR Group Ltd (ASX: CAR)

CAR Group operates online automotive marketplaces across Australia and internationally, including the dominant Carsales platform.

This is a business that's easy to understand. Dealers and consumers need an efficient way to connect, and CAR provides the leading digital marketplace to do exactly that. Its scale creates strong network effects, making it difficult for competitors to replicate.

For beginners, what stands out is the quality of earnings. Revenue is largely subscription-based and high margin, which provides resilience even when vehicle sales slow. CAR Group offers exposure to a proven digital business model without relying on untested technology or hype-driven growth.

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

IPD Group is a provider of electrical solutions focused on energy management, automation, and secure connectivity. These are areas that sit at the heart of Australia's electrification and decarbonisation journey.

While the business is less well known than some large-cap names, its role is straightforward. It supplies the infrastructure and components required to make modern energy systems work safely and efficiently. Demand for these solutions is being driven by long-term trends, not short-term cycles.

A recent acquisition of Platinum Cables strengthens IPD's exposure to the mining and resources sector and expands its product offering in a highly specialised niche. Importantly for beginners, this growth has been achieved with limited shareholder dilution and is expected to be earnings accretive.

IPD offers newer investors exposure to industrial growth linked to electrification, without the volatility often associated with early-stage companies.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

Pro Medicus provides enterprise medical imaging software to hospitals and healthcare systems globally through its Visage platform.

For beginners, I think this is a high-quality example of a technology business with real-world applications. Hospitals rely on imaging software every day, and once installed, Pro Medicus' systems become deeply embedded in clinical workflows. That creates long-term contracts, high switching costs, and recurring revenue.

While Pro Medicus trades on a premium valuation, it also operates with very high margins, strong cash generation, and minimal capital requirements. In my opinion, owning a position in a business like this could be a smart move for a new investor.

The post 3 ASX shares for beginners to buy with $1,000 in 2026 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:

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is up 4% to $3.25. This follows the announcement of its third contract win in as many weeks. This morning, DroneShield announced that it has received a contract for $8.2 million from an in-country reseller for delivery to a western military end-customer. The contract is for handheld counter-drone systems, associated accessories and spare kits, and software updates. DroneShield advised that it has this stock on the shelf. As a result, it expects to complete the delivery prior to end of 2025 or early in the first quarter of 2026.

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

The IPD Group share price is up 5% to $4.42. Investors have been buying the electrical solutions provider's shares after it signed an agreement to acquire Platinum Cables for $37.5 million upfront. It is a leading Australian provider of high-performance cable solutions for the mining and resources sector. IPD's CEO, Michael Sainsbury, commented: "The acquisition of Platinum Cables is a continuation of our growth strategy that reinforces our leadership in the mining sector and delivers immediate earnings accretion for shareholders."

Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB)

The Mesoblast share price is up almost 2% to $2.86. This morning, the allogeneic cellular medicines developer revealed that it has repaid in full its existing senior secured loan from Oaktree Capital Management and in part its subordinated royalty facility from NovaQuest Capital Management. This was achieved by drawing down US$75 million from a new five-year facility provided by existing Mesoblast shareholder and director, Dr Gregory George. The new credit line has a fixed interest rate of 8% per annum, which is a substantial reduction from Mesoblast's current debt facilities, with a five-year interest only period.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

The Woodside Energy share price is up 1.5% to $23.46. Investors have been buying this energy producer's shares following a rise in oil prices overnight. Traders were bidding oil prices higher in response to tensions in Yemen. It isn't just Woodside shares that are rising today. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy index is up approximately 1.2% at the time of writing.

The post Why DroneShield, IPD, Mesoblast, and Woodside shares are charging higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The fast-rising stock in question is IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG).

Shares in the distributor of electrical equipment and industrial digital technologies closed yesterday trading for $4.20. At the time of writing today, shares are swapping hands for $4.43 apiece, up 5.5%.

This now sees IPD shares up an impressive 58% since plumbing one-year closing lows on 23 June.

Here's what's catching ASX investor interest.

ASX All Ords share jumps on strategic acquisition

Investors are piling into IPD shares after the company announced that it has agreed to the terms of a binding agreement to acquire Platinum Cables.

Platinum Cables provides high-performance cable solutions for the Aussie mining and resources sector. In FY 2025, Platinum reported revenue of $44.8 million. The company achieved FY 2025 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $8.2 million, with a margin of 18.2%.

The ASX All Ords share will pay $37.5 million upfront for the acquisition, which it said equates to 5.2 times Platinum Cables' FY 2025 earnings before interest and tax (EBIT).

The payment consists of $37 million cash and $500,000 in newly issued IPD shares. There's also a contingent cash consideration of up to $7.5 million. That's based on EBIT growth through to 31 December 2026 (5 times multiple on EBIT growth).

IPD reported it will fund the acquisition with both cash and debt. The ASX All Ords share said it has agreed to an expanded core debt facility with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) with a $56.1 million limit. It's also agreed to a new $10 million working capital facility.

Investors are also responding enthusiastically to news that Platinum's current management team will stay aboard and operate the business as a stand-alone entity.

What did management say?

Commenting on the acquisition that's boosting the ASX All Ords share today, IPD CEO Michael Sainsbury said, "The acquisition of Platinum Cables is a continuation of our growth strategy that reinforces our leadership in the mining sector and delivers immediate earnings accretion for shareholders."

The company anticipates pro forma FY 2025 earnings per share (EPS) accretion of around 11.5%, excluding synergies and one-off transaction costs.

Sainsbury continued:

The Platinum Cables business is highly complementary to our combined IPD and CMI business units and is leveraged to the same tailwinds, including the electrification of the Australian economy.

With their strong track record of organic growth and the potential for significant revenue synergies, we look forward to the Platinum Cables team joining IPD Group.

Platinum Cables founder David Bambach added, "We look forward to further growing the Platinum Cables business within the broader IPD Group".

The ASX All Ords share expects to complete the acquisition tomorrow, 31 December.

The post Guess which ASX All Ords share is leaping higher today on acquisition news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The analyst team at Bell Potter has said in its end-of-year wrap-up to clients that iron ore and gold production is set to rise over the next three years, "benefiting services companies leveraged to mining volumes".

They went on to say:

In exploration markets, the cycle has clearly demonstrated an inflection, with exploration facing companies reporting increased activity and demand for their services. Junior equity raisings have recently trended above the 2021 and 2011 peaks; as a leading indicator, we expect junior exploration activity to lift meaningfully over CY26.

The analyst team says while East Coast infrastructure looks "patchy" going forward, key sub-sectors such as energy generation, storage, transmission, and water utilities are looking good.

The rapidly expanding data centre sector would also provide tailwinds for companies in the infrastructure game.

So who do they like in the sector?

Develop Global Ltd (ASX: DVP)

This company is a bit different to a straight mining services company, given it is an underground mining contractor as well as the operator of two mining projects – the Woodlawn Zinc-Copper Mine in New South Wales and the Sulphur Springs Zinc-Copper Project in Western Australia.

The company also just last week announced it had won a $200 million contract at OceanaGold's Waihi North Project in the North Island of New Zealand.

Bell Potter said in its note to clients that the company is expected to ramp up to commercial production at Woodlawn in the March quarter of 2026, "representing a major re-rate catalyst''.

Bell Potter has a $5.20 price target on Develop Global shares, compared with the price of $4.36 currently.

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

IPD, the Bell Potter team said, delivered better than expected first-half guidance at its recent annual general meeting, and was well-leveraged to the strong spend around data centres and infrastructure.

They said IPD had a "current strong order book and pipeline opportunities", and strong free cash flow over the next two financial years "should support de-leveraging and balance sheet flexibility to target multiple accretive bolt-on acquisitions''.

Bell Potter has a $5 price target on IPD shares compared with $4.07 currently.

Duratec Ltd (ASX: DUR)

This company wins a high level of repeat business in the Western Australian engineering field, due to its reputation and quality of completed projects, Bell Potter said.

Its track record of growth is aided by bringing specialist contractors into the group, adding new customers and markets. The FY25 results saw growth in energy and emerging sectors, with revenue up by 77% to $82.5m and 175.5% to $60.6m respectively, nearly all delivered organically.

The company also has exposure to the defence sector, which should benefit from the AUKUS work to begin soon.

Bell Potter has a $1.90 price target on Duratec shares compared with $1.79 currently.

The post Bell Potter names three engineering companies to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's because analysts at Bell Potter believe this small cap ASX share could rise over 30% from current levels.

What is the broker saying about this small cap ASX share?

Bell Potter was pleased with the electrical solutions provider's trading update at its annual general meeting. It notes that its guidance for the first half was ahead of the market's expectations. It said:

IPG has provided 1H FY26 EBITDA and EBIT guidance based on its unaudited accounts for the first 4 months of FY26 and management expectations for November and December, and commentary on CMI.

1H FY26 earnings guidance: EBITDA to be within the range of $24.8-25.3m (+6.1% YoY growth at the mid-point; BPe $24.9m; VA $24.4m). EBIT to be within the range of $21.1-21.6m (+5.7% YoY growth at the mid-point; BPe $21.2m; VA $20.6m).

Another positive was that management spoke positively about current trading conditions, which Bell Potter believes will be supportive of growth in FY 2026. It adds:

IPG is observing strong demand for its integrated electrical solutions across Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure and Data Centre construction markets. In FY26, we are forecasting revenue growth of +5.7% for Commercial (-12.5% in FY25) and +15.0% for Data Centres (+35.0% in FY25).

Big potential returns

According to the note, the broker has reaffirmed its buy rating and $5.00 price target on the small cap ASX share.

Based on its current share price of $3.68, this implies potential upside of 36% for investors over the next 12 months.

But the returns won't stop there. Bell Potter is expecting a fully franked dividend of 14.7 cents per share in FY 2026. This equates to a 4% dividend yield, which boosts the total potential return to approximately 40%.

Commenting on the update and its buy recommendation, the broker said:

IPG's AGM Trading Update outlined operating resilience, with 1H FY26 EBITDA and EBIT guidance exceeding consensus expectations. Pleasingly, following a weak FY25, CMI financials appear to be recovering, with an expanding orderbook and opportunity pipeline indicating growth over FY26.

IPG is well positioned to capitalise on the Commercial construction market recovery currently underway as well as continued strong momentum in Data Centre and Infrastructure construction activity. IPG represents a relatively undervalued Industrials business compared with the ASX300 Industrials index with strong re-rate potential, in our view.

The post Why this small cap ASX share could deliver a 40% return appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 expected to rise again

The Australian share market looks set to rise again on Wednesday following a positive night of trade on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 81 points or 0.95% higher this morning. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 1.25%, the S&P 500 is up 0.6%, and the Nasdaq is 0.2% higher.

Oil prices tumble

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a poor session after oil prices tumbled overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 1.55% to US$57.93 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 1.5% to US$62.44 a barrel. This was driven by reports that Ukraine is ready to accept a Russian peace deal.

Annual general meetings

A number of ASX 200 shares will be on watch today when they hold their annual general meetings. Among the companies holding events are retail giant Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN), lithium miner Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR), and rare earths producer Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC). It is possible that they will release trading updates before the market opens.

Gold price rises

It could be a good session for ASX 200 gold shares Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) on Wednesday after the gold price stormed higher overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 1% to US$4,134.7 an ounce. US interest rate cut optimism has given the gold price a lift.

Buy IPD shares

The team at Bell Potter thinks investors should be buying IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG) shares. This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating and $5.00 price target on this electrical solutions company's shares. It said: "IPG is well positioned to capitalise on the Commercial construction market recovery currently underway as well as continued strong momentum in Data Centre and Infrastructure construction activity. IPG represents a relatively undervalued Industrials business compared with the ASX300 Industrials index with strong re-rate potential, in our view."

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

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

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

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

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

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

SRG Global Ltd (ASX: SRG)

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

Web Travel Group Ltd (ASX: WEB)

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

The post Why Gentrack, IPD, SRG, and Web Travel shares are racing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

With reporting season over, ASX companies are slowly winding their way through the ex-dividend process.

After a company announces its financial results and dividend, ASX investors have a short window to buy the share with the payment attached.

On the ex-dividend date, the stock begins trading without the next dividend payment attached.

We typically see share prices fall on ex-div dates because the shares are inherently less valuable without the dividend included.

Ex-dividend dates provide two opportunities for investors.

You can buy an ASX share before its ex-dividend date, which gives you immediate entitlement to the next dividend payment.

Or, you can buy an ASX share on its ex-div date, when the share price typically falls, and take advantage of that dip.

As usual, we've seen plenty of examples of ASX shares falling on their ex-dividend dates this year.

Yesterday, South 32 Ltd (ASX: S32) shares closed 1.5% down after going ex-dividend.

The Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL) share price fell 4.2% on its ex-div date this month.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares dropped 2.15% on their ex-dividend date.

The Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) share price fell 1.3% on its ex-dividend date.

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) shares provide an extraordinary example, plummeting 36% on ex-div day.

However, this was more a reflection of the special dividend paid to Nine shareholders this time around after the sale of Domain.

Nine Entertainment is one of several companies that announced special dividends during the August earnings season.

9 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week

Here is a sample of the ASX shares going ex-dividend next week.

Further reading

If you own ASX shares and would like to review the earnings reports of your companies, please see our comprehensive calendar page.

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The broker currently has "buy" recommendations on IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG) and IVE Group Ltd (ASX: IGL). 

Let's see what it had to say following earnings season results.

IPD Group

The company is a national distributor and service provider to the Australian electrical market.

Its core focus is power distribution, power monitoring, industrial control, renewables, test and measurement, and services, across power generation, commercial, hospitality, infrastructure, and sports and leisure facilities.

The share price for this small-cap company has fallen approximately 19% over the last year. 

However Bell Potter's analysis indicates it may now be a value. 

After delivering FY25 results largely in line with expectations, the broker believes it is well positioned to capitalise on improving commercial market opportunities and increasing product demand from the data centre market.

The company's FY25 results outlined resilient performance considering the challenging commercial construction market backdrop according to Bell Potter

Data Centre sales grew 33%, comprising 16% of Group revenue in FY25 (up from 12% in FY24), offsetting weakening sales across CMI Cables (down 10.2% on the pro-forma PcP). Strengthening sales across the Mining, Infrastructure and Water / Waste Water end-markets provided additional support to deliver Group pro-forma revenue growth of 1.2%.

We believe the Commercial construction market has passed an inflection point, with growing opportunities to complement strong momentum in other, growing end-markets like Data Centres. IPG represents a relatively undervalued Industrial exposure with further re-rate potential.

The broker upgraded its target price to $5.00 (previously $4.30). 

This indicates an estimated upside of 16.28% from yesterday's closing price of $4.15. 

IVE Group

Ive Group Ltd is a diversified print and marketing communications company. 

The principal activities of the company include conceptual and creative design across print, mobile and interactive media; catalogues, the printing of magazines, marketing, and corporate communications materials and stationery and multi-channel solutions.

It has risen 28.08% in the last 12 months. 

Bell Potter noted the company's FY25 results were in line or slightly below expectations. 

Based on this, the broker downgraded its guidance. 

We have downgraded our FY26 and FY27 revenue forecasts by 1% in both periods but importantly we still forecast a return to growth in FY26. We have also downgraded our underlying NPAT forecasts by 3% and 1% and in FY26 now forecast $53.4m which is in the guidance range but near the upper end. The downgrades are driven by the adverse timing difference from new leases which is still included in underlying NPAT.

Despite this, the broker still has a "buy" recommendation and price target of $3.10. 

This indicates an upside of 19.23% from yesterday's closing price of $2.60.

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

ALS Ltd (ASX: ALQ)

The ALS share price is down 6% to $16.52. This has been driven by the testing services company completing a fully underwritten $350 million institutional placement this morning. According to the release, the placement was well supported and completed at a price of $16.70 per new share. This represents a 5.3% discount to its last close price. Management advised that the proceeds from the placement will be used to fund organic investment in the laboratory network. Excess funds will be used to maintain balance sheet flexibility, support future growth initiatives, and fund transaction costs.

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd (ASX: FPH)

The Fisher & Paykel Healthcare share price is down 4% to $32.67. This morning, this medical device company released its full year results. It reported a 16% increase in total operating revenue to a record of NZ$2.02 billion. This was driven by broad-based growth in hospital consumables and double-digit growth in masks for treating obstructive sleep apnoea. Net profit after tax came in 43% higher year on year at NZ$377.2 million. While this was ahead of consensus estimates, its guidance for FY 2026 fell short of expectations.

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

The IPD Group share price is down 8% to $3.19. This has been driven by the release of the electrical solutions provider's earnings guidance for FY 2025. IPD revealed that it expects to report EBITDA of $45.7 million to $46.3 million. This is down from its FY 2024 pro forma EBITDA of $49.8 million. IPD Group's EBIT is forecast to come in at $38.6 million to $39.2 million, which is down from $42.8 million in FY 2024.

Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX: PDI)

The Predictive Discovery share price is down 18% to 35.5 cents. This gold miner's shares have been sold off today after it was dealt a major blow in Guinea. The company revealed that Guinea's Ministry of Mines and Geology (MMG) has announced the revocation of over 100 exploration permits. Unfortunately for Predictive Discovery, this includes the Argo and Bokoro exploration permits that it holds. It now intends to work diligently to appeal the revocations in accordance with the Mining Code.

The post Why ALS, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, IPD, and Predictive Discovery shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's because they have been named on Bell Potter's Australian equities panel. These are its top picks which it expects to generate strong returns over the medium term.

Here are the small caps the broker is recommending right now:

Aspen Group Ltd (ASX: APZ)

The first small cap ASX stock that Bell Potter has on its Australian equities panel this month is Aspen Group.

It describes itself as Australia's leading provider of quality accommodation on competitive terms. It notes that its mission is to offer affordable accommodation options to approximately 40% of Australian households with an annual income of less than $90,000.

The broker believes that it stands to benefit greatly from an undersupply in the Australian housing market. It said:

Aspen Group specialises in providing affordable accommodation and is one of Bell Potter's top picks in the real estate space, with a positive runway supported by undersupply in the Australian housing market. Valued at a small discount to NTA and trading at a lower PE compared to the sector average, Aspen is well-positioned for potential upside as it targets ASX 300 inclusion.

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

If you're not averse to investing in the mining sector, then Boss Energy could be a small cap ASX stock to buy according to the broker.

It is the uranium miner that operates the Honeymoon project in South Australia. The broker feels that the market is seriously undervaluing its shares right now. It said:

We continue to see significant value in BOE, with optionality around expansion at Honeymoon via low-risk and cost regional resources at Jasons and Goulds Dam. With the inclusion of Alta Mesa, BOE boasts a geographically diversified multi-asset portfolio with several growth levers yet to be pulled, heading into a uranium bull market.

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

A third small cap ASX stock that has been given the thumbs up by Bell Potter is IPD Group.

It is a growing provider of electrical solutions in energy management and automation that is aiming to enhance electrical infrastructure.

Bell Potter believes IPD Group could be a great way to play the electrification megatrend. It explains:

IPD Group distributes electrical equipment and technologies that support energy efficiency in building, infrastructure, and process sectors. Demand for upgrades in existing infrastructure and the scaling of IPG's EV charging business should drive future revenue and market share expansion. The group is well-positioned to capitalise on electrification trends in energy and transportation to support earnings growth.

The post 3 of the best small cap ASX stocks to buy in March appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the ASX All Ords stock is up 4% to $4.40.

This follows the release of the electrical infrastructure products distributor's half year results before the market open this morning.

ASX All Ords stock charges higher on results day

• Revenue up 46.6% to $176.9 million
• EBITDA up 46.6% to $23.6 million
• Net profit after tax up 40% to $13.3 million
• Fully franked interim dividend up 39.1% to 6.4 cents per share

What happened during the half?

For the six months ended 31 December, IPD Group reported record revenue of $176.9 million. This is up 46.6% on a statutory basis and 2.3% on a pro forma basis.

This was despite macroeconomic challenges impacting the commercial construction sector. Management notes that IPD's diverse product range has enabled the core business to benefit from growth in industries such as Data Centres and Water & Waste Water.

Data Centre revenue continues to grow strongly and was up 25% as a percentage of revenue on FY 2024.

The ASX All Ords stock's earnings per share came in at 12.9 cents for the half, which is up 19.4% on the prior corresponding period. This was above the top end of its guidance range for the half.

Management believes this growth demonstrates the strength of its ongoing strategic focus on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), as well as the success of accretive acquisitions made in FY 2024.

Also growing during the half was its operating free cash flow, which increased to $25.3 million. This represents operating free cash flow conversion of 107.6% and underpinned a 39.1% jump in its fully franked interim dividend to 6.4 cents per share.

Its shares will trade ex-dividend for this payout next month on 27 March. After which, it will be paid to eligible shareholders the following month on 10 April 2025.

Outlook

No guidance was given for the full year, but the ASX All Ords stock was cautiously optimistic on its outlook thanks to its exposure to emerging megatrends. It said:

Whilst some of our end markets are challenging, IPD continues to capitalize on emerging opportunities driven by the transition to renewable energy, increasing demand from data centres and associated energy requirements, the expansion of EV chargers and demand for public transport electrification, and a supportive legislative environment. Management remain focused on executing strategic priorities, long-term value creation, adapting to market conditions, and continuing to deliver sustainable growth.

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That's because these shares have been named as best buys for the year ahead. Here's what its analysts are saying about them:

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

The first ASX stock that Bell Potter is tipping as a buy is Gentrack.

It provides billing, CRM, and utilities software. An example of its software in action that some readers may have seen is the arrivals/departures boards at Sydney Airport.

Bell Potter thinks that Gentrack is positioned to deliver strong earnings growth in the coming years for a number of reasons. It explains:

Gentrack develops, provisions, and integrates its billing/CRM platform into energy and water utilities, generating up-front project revenue (from deployments/integrations) that transitions into SaaS-type recurring revenue and embeds GTK within utility tech stacks long-term due to high switching costs. Demand for modern-day utilities billing solutions is growing rapidly due to dual tailwinds in (1) an evolving energy grid generating significant amounts of data and complexity in billing and customer management, and (2) legacy tech debt incurred from historical underinvestment in the utility billing stack.

The broker also highlights that Gentrack has a habit of upgrading and/or beating its guidance. It suspects this could happen again in 2025. It said:

GTK has a track record of upgrading and beating guidance, with the interim result in May likely to be the next catalyst potentially from lumpy, large contract wins in Southeast Asia. GTK appears expensive at ~90x/~56x FY25e/26e P/E however the valuation reflects high earnings leverage emerging, noting PEG ratios of ~1.2x and ~0.9x respectively.

Bell Potter currently has a buy rating and $13.90 price target on its shares.

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

Another ASX stock that gets the seal of approval from Bell Potter is IPD Group.

It is a national distributor and service provider to the Australian electrical market.

Bel Potter sees IPD Group as a great way to play the electrification megatrend. It explains:

We view IPD Group as a high-quality play on electrification which has emerged as a dominant market narrative. The group mainly supplies electrical equipment designed to reduce the energy use of buildings, infrastructure, and transport sectors. 1H25e has seen IPD continue to grow and win market share, despite a soft commercial construction end market (IPD's core exposure) and recent project delays – in our view, highlighting the resilience and quality of the service proposition. IPD continues to investment ahead of the curve to capitalise on the potential of markets such as data centres and electric vehicle charging, with order and backlog growth (+50% in 1H25) early success factors.

And while a strong second half will be required to meet expectations, the broker highlights that the risk-reward is very attractive given its current valuation. It adds:

While we acknowledge IPD needs to pull-through a greater level of backlog in 2H25e to meet consensus estimates, on a P/E of ~15x we think risk-reward is compelling given the long-term growth potential.

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

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Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here's why they are falling:

Bell Financial Group Ltd (ASX: BFG)

The Bell Financial Group share price is down 2.5% to $1.28. This follows news that the financial services company has signed a deal to acquire SelfWealth Ltd (ASX: SWF). The two parties have agreed a price of 25 cents per share. Bell Financial Group's chair, Brian Wilson AO, said: "We look forward to working with Selfwealth to ensure a smooth integration of our two businesses with minimal client disruption. Our intention is to maintain the Selfwealth brand and to further develop the client value proposition which we expect will result in ongoing growth."

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

The IPD Group share price is down 12.5% to $3.66. Investors have been selling the shares of this electrical solutions provider in energy management and automation after its guidance for the first half of FY 2025 fell well short of expectations. First half EBITDA is expected to be $22.5 million to $23.1 million, which is down from $24.8 million a year ago. Bell Potter was forecasting EBITDA growth of 33% for the full year. IPD will need a significantly stronger second half if it is going to achieve this.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

The Megaport share price is down a further 3% to $7.33. Investors have been selling this network as a service provider's shares since it released its annual general meeting update last week. Management advised that it continues to expect FY 2025 revenue of $214 million to $222 million, which represents a 9.6% to 13.7% year-on-year increase. It also advised that it expects a similar level of revenue growth in FY 2026, which was short of what the market was forecasting. This is disappointing given that Megaport has been investing heavily in its growth. Nevertheless, Goldman Sachs remains bullish and has put a buy rating and $10.40 price target on its shares.

Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG)

The Resolute Mining share price is down 5% to 38.5 cents. This gold miner's shares have come under significant pressure this month after a number of executives were detained by the Mali government. Following today's decline, its shares are now down approximately 55% since this time last month.

The post Why Bell Financial, IPD, Megaport, and Resolute Mining shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But the same cannot be said for the IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG) share price, which is having a disappointing start to the week.

In morning trade, the ASX share has crashed 13% to a 52-week low of $3.63.

Why are investors selling this ASX share?

The shares of this electrical solutions provider in energy management and automation have been sold off today after it released softer than expected earnings guidance.

According to the release, based on unaudited results for the four months ended October 2024, and management forecasts for November and December, the ASX share expects the following:

• First half revenue to exceed the prior corresponding period
• First half EBITDA of $22.5 million to $23.1 million
• First half EBIT of $19.2 million to $19.8 million
• Order Backlog up 50% to $93.1 million

As a comparison, pro forma EBITDA was $24.8 million and pro forma EBIT was $21.4 million in the prior corresponding period.

It is also worth noting that Bell Potter was forecasting EBITDA of $53.5 million for the full year, representing annual growth of 33%. IPD Group clearly has an uphill battle to deliver on this over the 12 months.

What's going on?

The ASX share's CEO, Michael Sainsbury, was pleased with the company's revenue growth in a "challenging environment."

However, he acknowledges that it would have been much stronger had it not been for longer lead times. Combined with investments in its operating cost base, this has weighed on its earnings. The CEO explains:

We are pleased to remain on track to deliver another half of revenue growth in a challenging environment. Amidst the wider macroeconomic challenges in the commercial construction sector, we have seen our order book transition from daily trade to larger and more complex orders, which typically have longer lead times and less certainty around delivery timing. This has resulted in a proportion of orders that would previously have already become invoiced Revenue now sitting in our Order Backlog.

We have made additional investments into our operating cost base to generate and deliver these additional orders, which will impact margins for 1HFY25. Our operating cost base however is well placed to service future growth. We remain excited by IPD's ongoing evolution and the continued improvements to our overall value proposition and look forward to providing more details around today's update at the Company's AGM on Tuesday, 26 November 2024.

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