I've selected three of those which UBS believes will perform particularly well from a share price perspective, which I'll run through now.

Let's have a look.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP)

Zip on Thursday announced record cash EBTDA of $268.9 million, up 57.9% on the previous year.

The buy now, pay later provider said total transaction volume (TTV) grew to $16.7 billion, up 27.2%, while the number of merchants on its platforms increased 13.8%.  

On the outlook, Chief Executive Officer Cynthia Scott said the company was targeting cash earnings of $340 million in FY27, which would be a 26% increase.

UBS said in a note to clients that the outlook for the current year was better than expected, providing comfort around the defensive qualities of the buy now, pay later business model through slowing economic times.

UBS said:

Whilst macro remains key uncertainty into FY27, we have increased confidence around Zip's defensive quality and ability to drive customer growth and transaction frequency. Our US TTV growth forecast of +30% in FY27 is comprised of 9% customer growth and 19% TTV/customer growth, which we view achievable.

UBS has a price target on ZIP shares of $4.70 compared to $2.76 currently.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

This cloud computing company this week announced FY26 revenue of $312.2 million, up 37%, while EBITDA was up 24% to $77.1 million.

Megaport Chief Executive Officer Michael Reid said:

Our team delivered an exceptional result in FY26. The Network business produced its strongest commercial performance to date, Latitude.sh expanded rapidly following acquisition, and our combined capabilities secured major long-term customer contracts across Compute, Network, and Storage. We have materially increased the scale of the business, broadened the markets we can serve, and created a much larger opportunity. Now our job is to execute against it.

UBS said the net outcome of the results report was "firmly in the positive", and they are estimating EBITDA of $624 million for Megaport in FY28.

The broker has a price target of $26.40 on Megaport shares, up from $24.20, compared to the current share price of $18.60.

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF)

UBS said MA Financial Group delivered an in-line FY26 result, "though we think the share price reaction (+18%) reflects material potential for upside towards new FY29 targets, and a stronger 2H outlook''.

UBS has a price target on MA Financial Group of $10.10 compared to $7.07 currently.

The post 3 ASX shares UBS says will return better than 36% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

What did MA Financial report?

• Underlying revenue rose 41% to $230.1 million (up 31% to $214.6 million excluding large notable items)
• Underlying NPAT (ex LNI) increased 59% to $35.9 million
• Underlying EBITDA (ex LNI) jumped 43% to $68.2 million
• Assets under management surged 44% to $15.5 billion
• Fully franked interim dividend lifted to 8 cents per share, up from 6 cents per share in 1H25
• Finsure managed loans climbed 25% to $193 billion and MA Money loan book soared 127% to $7.5 billion

What else do investors need to know?

MA Financial's results showcased strong momentum across all divisions, with particular strength in Asset Management and Lending & Technology. Recurring revenue reached a record 72% of underlying revenue (ex LNI), improving the quality and predictability of earnings.

The company has already made a strong start to the second half, with accelerating fund inflows, new real estate and hospitality transactions, and MA Money's loan book surpassing $8 billion post-balance date. Strategic investment in extending the platform into New Zealand has yielded early results, with New Zealand AUM crossing NZ$100 million.

What did MA Financial management say?

Joint CEOs Julian Biggins and Christopher Wyke said:

The Group's performance in 1H26 demonstrates the scalability of our diversified business model. Delivering 45% underlying earnings growth during a period of significant market volatility and macroeconomic headwinds is a strong result. Our Assets under Management and Loan books continue to demonstrate good growth and transactional activity is rebounding from cyclical lows to benefit the business. We've had a very strong start to 2H26 and believe that the Group is in great shape to deliver strong earnings growth into the future. This is demonstrated by the release today of our new three-year strategic targets which we believe are achievable given the scalable business platform we now have in place.

What's next for MA Financial?

Looking ahead, MA Financial is targeting further growth across all business segments, underpinned by its updated three-year strategic targets to December 2029. Management expects underlying EPS excluding notable items to be materially higher in FY26 compared to FY25, with earnings skewed to the second half.

The group is aiming for continued growth in funds under management, lending, and corporate advisory fees, with plans to expand distribution capabilities in the US and New Zealand and build further brand awareness. Management notes its EBITDA margin initiatives are on track, and the business is well positioned to create value for shareholders.

MA Financial share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, MA Financial shares have declined 27%, trailing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

View Original Announcement

The post MA Financial delivers record 1H26 earnings and lifts dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Of course, there's a reason, or reasons, why the business has fallen that far. The business, industry or entire ASX share market may be suffering.

I think the below two ASX shares could be great buys at cheap valuations.

AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL)

AGL is one of the largest energy retailers and energy generators in Australia with a large customer base and a significant portfolio of energy-related assets.

Australia will always need energy, and the energy transition will make it even more important that customers can access the power they need. AGL is investing in batteries and other areas that can help it sell energy at times of the day when it's not competing with solar power.

There are also significant drivers of demand for electricity energy from electric vehicles and data centres. At a recent investment conference, AGL said:

Today, operational data centres account for approximately five terawatt hours of energy demand in the NEM – this is expected to double once projects under construction are operational and ramp up to full capacity, with a further 25 terawatt hours of forecast demand should all projects currently in development in the NEM come to fruition – a combined forecast of 34 terawatt hours which is enormous.

Sometimes share prices are volatile, but I don't think it makes a lot of sense for the AGL share price to be down 18% in the past year. According to the projection on Commsec, the AGL share price is valued at less than 9x FY26's estimates earnings, which I'd describe as very cheap.

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF)

This ASX share describes itself as a global alternative asset manager specialising in private credit, real estate and hospitality.

The company is reporting pleasing growth. In its most recent quarterly update, the business reported assets under management (AUM) of $14.8 billion, an increase of 44% year-over-year.

However, total AUM was down 3% over the quarter largely due to the previously flagged sale process of the Marion shopping centre.

It also noted a strong first quarter of transactional activity in asset management, benefiting performance and transaction fees.

2026 first quarter gross and net flows into unlisted funds from high net worth and retail investors were slightly ahead of the 2025 first quarter.

It also said that Finsure managed loans were up 27% to $179 million, with record gross monthly loan applications of $11 billion.

Finally, the MA Money loan book was up 138% year on year to $6.2 billion in the first quarter of 2026.

Overall, the ASX share's core metrics are performing well, and the sell-off could be a buy-the-dip opportunity.

Therefore, the 46% decline this year could be a long-term buying opportunity.

According to Commsec's projections, the MA Financial share price is valued at 13x FY26's estimated earnings and less than 11x FY27's estimated earnings.

The post 2 ASX shares near 52-week lows I'd buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Both companies hit fresh 52-week lows after falling roughly 1.5% each. 

Bank of Queensland shares are now down 22% over the past year. Meanwhile MA Financial Group is down more than 14%. 

These falls have far exceeded the minor fall from the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) in the same period. 

While both have been impacted by sector headwinds, it appears they have now been oversold, creating an exciting buy low opportunity. 

Here is what brokers are saying about these ASX financials stocks moving forward. 

Can BOQ shake off poor results?

Bank of Queensland shares have suffered mightily since reporting disappointing half-year results last month. 

Investors were disappointed when the bank reported a 4% increase in revenue to $835 million, but a 20% drop in statutory net profit after tax to $136 million.

On the positive side, BOQ's business mix continued to shift towards commercial lending, which grew by 16% over the half, while housing loan balances contracted.

There's no doubt there are short term headwinds for ASX bank and financial stocks in the short term. 

Bank of Queensland remains heavily exposed to Australian housing lending. Competition for mortgages is intense, particularly from the major banks, forcing lenders to offer sharper pricing. 

This creates short term mortgage margin pressure, and Band of Queensland lacks the scale and low-cost deposit franchise of the Big Four banks. To attract and retain deposits, it often has to pay more competitive rates, which can squeeze profitability.

However the case for this ASX financials stock lies more in the value opportunity after being heavily sold off in the last year. 

It now sits at a yearly low of $6.11 per share. 

Morgans recently upgraded the stock to an accumulate rating largely on valuation grounds. 

Band of Queensland now sits 21% below the share price target from the broker of $7.39, making it an attractive buy-low option.

MA Financial Group has 50% upside

Meanwhile, it's a similar story for MA Financial Group, which also appears to be undervalued. 

This ASX financials stock has continued to drop since its quarterly trading update in late April. 

But now sitting at yearly lows, brokers see plenty of rebound potential. 

It has recently attracted a buy rating by Ord Minnett, along with a target price of $9.20. 

This is almost 50% higher than the current share price, as the broker sees multiple growth drivers across its business lines. 

We see an attractive value proposition in MA Financial, with the stock trading on a one-year forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 14.7x, along with a forecast EPS compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23% over the FY25–28 horizon.

The post These 2 undervalued ASX financials stocks could be a once in a lifetime buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Well, it could pay to listen to what analysts at Ord Minnett are saying about two ASX 300 shares.

Here's why it rates them as buys:

Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

The first ASX 300 share backed by Ord Minnett is Breville Group.

Breville designs and sells premium kitchen appliances across global markets, with its products sold under brands such as Breville, Sage, and Baratza.

A key focus for the broker is the company's recent expansion in the United States. Breville rolled out store-in-store formats across 300 locations within Best Buy, as part of a broader shift by the retailer to streamline its supplier base.

Ord Minnett highlights that this change could have long-term implications for the competitive landscape. It said:

Breville executed a major US retail expansion in late 2025 where it installed 'store-in-store' formats in 300 of the more than 1,000 stores operated by US big-box consumer electronics retailer Best Buy. This was part of a deliberate consolidation of vendors by Best Buy.

The broker points out that Best Buy has reduced its appliance offering to a small group of preferred brands, including Breville. This effectively gives those partners greater visibility and shelf space.

Breville management has described the shift as a "material change" to the retail channel, with selected brands benefiting from stronger positioning while others lose access to physical stores.

As a result, Ord Minnett believes this could create a meaningful advantage for Breville in a key growth market.

This has seen the broker put a buy rating and $37.20 price target on its shares.

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF)

Another ASX 300 share rated as a buy by Ord Minnett is MA Financial Group.

It operates across asset management, lending, and advisory services, with its asset management division making up the majority of earnings.

Ord Minnett sees strong growth ahead, supported by increasing funds under management and expanding lending operations. It said:

Its asset management business is seeing continuing momentum in net flows and the launch of new investment vehicles in FY25 leads us to expect strong growth in assets under management (AUM) in the near term.

The broker also highlights that MA Financial's exposure differs from some overseas peers, particularly in areas such as software, which reduces certain risks. In addition, the residential lending business is beginning to contribute more meaningfully. It has recently achieved positive EBITDA and continues to grow its loan book.

Ord Minnett expects this to support profit growth in the coming years, noting:

We see an attractive value proposition in MA Financial, with the stock trading on a one-year forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 14.7x, along with a forecast EPS compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23% over the FY25–28 horizon.

With multiple growth drivers across its business lines, it thinks MA Financial offers exposure to both asset growth and expanding earnings streams.

Ord Minnett has a buy rating and $9.20 price target on the ASX 300 share.

The post Ord Minnett says these ASX 300 shares are buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here's what the broker had to say. 

Gemlife Communities Group (ASX: GLF)

GemLife Communities Group is a developer, builder, owner, and operator within Australia's Land Lease Community (LLC) sector.

This All Ords stock has fallen almost 10% year to date, however, fresh analysis from Morgans indicates it could rebound. 

The recent share price weakness looks overdone in our view. We have used the pullback as an opportunity to reassess key assumptions (ASP, settlement volumes, home build margins and gearing) in the context of the Iran conflict, a higher rate outlook, softer auction clearance rates and renewed cost inflation concerns.

The broker remains confident in the company's near-term and long-term earnings growth prospects. It has upgraded the stock to a buy (previously accumulate).

Firstly, the demand thematic remains favourable, supported by a lack of downsizing options for an aging population and a customer cohort less exposed to financing and affordability pressures than other residential segments. Second, GLF's pipeline and current level of development activity leave the business well placed to capitalise on this demand and drive meaningful volume growth over the next few years.

Lastly management has built a robust business model, characterised by low inventory risk, a vertically integrated platform and a demonstrated track record of managing home build margins through varying cost environments which we believe position GLF well to navigate the current operating landscape.

The broker has a target price of $5.66 on this ASX All Ords stock, which indicates an upside potential of 23% from yesterday's closing price. 

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF)

This ASX All Ords stock is a diversified financial services company, specialising in managing alternative assets, lending, corporate advisory, and equities.

Its share price has fallen significantly in 2026, by more than 30%.

Yesterday, it released its 1Q26 Operating Update.

This included an increase in assets under management (AUM) of 44% on 1Q25 to $14.8 billion. 

Management noted total AUM was down 3% over the quarter, largely due to the previously flagged sale process of Marion shopping centre. 

It said this will have an immaterial impact on FY26 revenue owing to the nature of this single client mandate.

Following the release, the team at Morgans said the key takeaway from the quarterly, in its view, was a softer Asset Management performance. 

The broker said this was impacted by market volatility, which overshadowed continuing robust MA Money loan book growth. 

As a result, the broker downgraded earnings per share (EPS) by 6% to 7% for FY26 and FY27. 

Our price target is revised to A$10.93 (from A$11.69). MAF has demonstrated consistent delivery in recent periods and, in our view, is well placed to deliver strong long-term growth. With >20% upside to our price target following recent share price weakness, we maintain our BUY call.

Despite the lowered price target, there remains an estimated 45% upside for this All Ords stock from yesterday's closing price of $7.53. 

The post Two ASX All Ords shares with 20% to 45% upside according to Morgans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The stock is up 3.58% to $7.52 in afternoon trade, while the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) is down 0.3% to 8,859 points.

That gain comes against a weaker backdrop, with the shares still down around 31% this year.

The bounce follows an extended period of selling pressure.

Here's what was released.

A mixed quarter, but momentum in key areas

MA Financial's first-quarter update points to a business still growing, but not without some offsets.

Assets under management (AUM) rose 44% year on year to $14.8 billion, driven by inflows and recent acquisitions.

However, total AUM slipped 3% over the quarter. That was largely tied to the removal of the Marion Shopping Centre mandate, which reduced fee revenue.

That aside, AUM held relatively steady.

The company also flagged strong transactional activity within its asset management division, supporting performance fees during the period.

Flows into unlisted funds remained steady, coming from both high-net-worth and retail investors.

Lending and platform growth continues

The lending and technology side of the business is still expanding quickly.

MA Money's loan book increased 138% year on year to $6.2 billion, including a $1 billion increase over the quarter.

Finsure, its mortgage aggregation platform, continues to scale. Managed loans reached $179 billion, up 27% over the year.

Broker numbers also climbed, with more than 4,200 now on the platform.

That growth is translating into higher loan volumes. March alone delivered $11 billion in gross applications.

The group's Middle platform is also processing more than $1 billion in home loan applications each week, pointing to rising usage across the network.

Transaction activity adds another layer

Corporate advisory and capital markets activity remained active through the quarter.

The business worked across a number of deals, including advisory roles and capital raisings tied to resource and financial assets.

Within asset management, several transactions stood out.

The MA Redcape Hotel Fund is progressing acquisitions, while the Marina Fund added the Gold Coast City Marina, expanding its portfolio.

There was also progress within the aged care strategy, with a sale agreement expected to deliver a pre-tax gain and return capital to investors.

What I think about the share price

This looks more like selling easing than a clear turnaround.

There is still a gap between how the business is performing and how the market is pricing it.

Growth across lending and platform assets is clear, and AUM has stepped up over the year. But the quarter also shows how earnings can shift when mandates change, or deal activity slows.

That likely helped drive the sell-off earlier this year.

At current levels, the stock is trading well below where it sat only a few months ago.

If the company can keep scaling its lending book and maintain consistent inflows, earnings should continue to build.

The next step is seeing that come through in a more consistent run of results.

The post After a brutal 2026, this $1.5 billion ASX financial stock is pushing higher again appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

To narrow things down, let's see what analysts are saying about the three in this article.

Are they buys, holds, or sells? Here's what the broker is recommending:

Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

Ord Minnett is very positive on this appliance manufacturer and is recommending it to clients. The broker recently upgraded its shares to a buy rating with a $37.20 price target.

It highlights that Breville is well-placed to benefit from a consolidation of vendors by Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) in the United States. It explains:

The consolidation of vendors by Best Buy is described by Breville management as a "material change" to the retail channel structure in the US. The brands chosen benefit from additional shelf space and a structural lock-in, while the brands that have been de-ranged lose access to more than 1,000 retail locations. This dynamic is also playing out across other Best Buy categories, not just small domestic appliances.

As a primary partner in Best Buy's consolidated vendor strategy, this should provide Breville with a significant competitive advantage in the giant US market. Following recent weakness in the Breville share price, we upgrade to Buy from Accumulate with an unchanged price target of $37.20.

Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF)

The broker has also been looking at quick service restaurant operator Collins Foods.

It highlights that the company is expanding its footprint in Germany with an acquisition.

However, while it sees positives, it isn't enough for anything more than a hold rating with a $12.00 price target. It explains:

Collins noted same-store sales (SSS) growth in its dominant Australian division was 2.7% in FY26-to-date but had accelerated in the second half of FY26 to 3.2%. Post the trading update, Ord Minnet trimmed its FY26 EPS estimate by 0.7%, while our forecasts for FY27 and FY28 increased by 7.2% and 8.4%, respectively, which led us to raise our target price to $12.00 from $10.50.

There is value apparent in Collins, but the company needs to exhibit a sustained period of performance in the German market, which the company is touting as its next 'growth pillar', before we can become more constructive on the stock.

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF)

Ord Minnett is feeling bullish about this global alternative asset manager and has named it as a buy with a $10.05 price target.

It highlights that the asset management business is experiencing strong momentum and believes it is well-placed to grow its assets under management. It commented:

‍Ord Minnett has resumed coverage of MA Financial with a Buy recommendation and a target price of $10.05. Its asset management business is seeing continuing momentum in net flows and the launch of new investment vehicles in FY25 leads us to expect strong growth in assets under management (AUM) in the near term.

Further, the residential lending business is hitting its straps and will deliver a more material profit contribution in FY26. We see an attractive value proposition in MA Financial, with the stock trading on a one-year forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 14.7x, along with a forecast EPS compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23% over the FY25–28 horizon.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Breville, Collins Foods, and MA Financial shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The analyst team at Jarden believes this presents an opportunity to get in on the action and has a bullish share price target on the company, which we'll get to later.

Firstly, what does MA Financial Group do?

Diversified financial offering

MA Financial Group has three key pillars of the business: alternative asset management, lending and technology, and corporate advisory and equities.

Jarden is predicting strong earnings growth, which they believe has been sold down partly in response to bad news in the US private credit space.

As they said in a research note to clients:

Following 31% earnings per share growth in FY25, we forecast 38%/22% growth in FY26/27, driven by continued double-digit assets under management growth in asset management focussed in real estate and private credit, strong operating leverage in MA Money business (FY26E loan book growth forecast 62%), and a moderating drag from the US business.

Jarden said there were few signs of stress locally around private credit, with the issues in the US driven in large part by loans to unlisted software companies, which are being caught up in the AI revolution.

Strong historical performance

Jarden said MA Financial Group had a strong track record of lending to corporates, with a 0% loss history and no loans in arrears.

They said they were overweight on the shares for several reasons.

Fundamentally, we like the story. There are multiple earnings drivers, and management have executed well. MA Money is easily surpassing MAF's expectations with book growth in excess of 100%. From a rating standpoint, we initiate at Overweight (as opposed to Buy) due to risks including: 1) we are about 9% below FY26 NPAT consensus, driven primarily by a more conservative Transaction Revenue forecast of $34m. Consensus looks achievable but in our view most things need to go right including comping strong non-recurring revenue in asset management; 2) the macro environment (including private credit concerns) and rising interest rates present a degree of near-term uncertainty; and 3) competition more broadly across commercial real estate credit, asset backed securities markets and mortgages.

Jarden says MA Financial Group shares are trading at their lowest price-to-earnings ratio in almost 2 years, and it has a price target of $9.45, compared with $7.15 at the time of writing, which would represent 32.2% upside if achieved.

MA Financial Group was valued at $1.37 billion at the close of trade on Monday.

The post Which ASX financial stock could deliver 30% upside? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) slightly outperformed the ASX 200. 

It rose by just over 7%. 

There were a few ASX financials shares that had stellar years, bringing happy investors strong returns. 

Let's look at three and investigate if they are likely to repeat their strong performance in 2026. 

Consolidated Operations Group Limited (ASX: COG)

Consolidated Operations Group shares were among the best performing in the entire sector over the last year. 

The company is Australia's leading finance broker aggregator and equipment leasing company for small to medium-sized businesses. 

The company has two segments, its finance broker & aggregation business and its lending business.

Its share price is up almost 100% across the last year. 

Is it time to buy, hold, or sell after this impressive gain?

Estimates from brokers indicate it still has more room to run. 

Late last year, Morgans placed a price target of $2.63 on these financials shares and Bell Potter, a buy rating and $2.70 price target. 

These targets indicate a further upside from yesterday's closing price of around 29% to 33%. 

The cherry on top is the expected 3.8% to 4.5% dividend yield over the next two years. 

Ma Financial Group (ASX: MAF)

This financials stock has enjoyed a rise of 85% over the last 12 months. 

It is a diversified financial services company, specialising in managing alternative assets, lending, corporate advisory, and equities.

This has been driven by strong growth in assets under management (AUM).

Investors also reacted positively to the acquisition in late November of Hyperdome Town Centre shopping centre for $678.7 million.

Estimates from analysts indicate these ASX financials shares are now trading close to fair value. 

TradingView has a 12 month price target of $11.27, which is roughly 25% higher than its current share price. 

Navigator Global Investments (ASX: NGI)

Navigator Global Investments shares were another stock market winner in 2025. 

Its share price is up 86% from this time last year. 

The company believes its strong financial performance can continue, with management targeting to double its EBITDA to over US$200 million by 2030.

Estimates from the team at Morgan reinforce that these ASX financials shares can keep rising. 

In December last year, the broker initiated coverage with a buy rating and $3.45 price target.

This indicates a further 15% upside. 

The post Can these high flying financials shares from last year do it again? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The index closed before Santa's arrival, falling approximately 0.4%. 

However there were a few ASX 200 stocks that had strong performances, building on big gains over the month of December. 

Zimplats Holdings Ltd (ASX: ZIM)

This ASX 200 materials stock engages in the production of platinum group and associated metals. The firm's metals include platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, nickel, gold, copper, cobalt and silver.

It operates four underground mines, an open-pit mine, and various processing facilities, all located in Zimbabwe.

Its stock price rose an impressive 8.24% on Christmas eve. 

Its stock price is now up 40% over the last month, and roughly 83% year to date. 

The company has benefited from an increase in metal prices this year. 

In FY25, the company reported steady growth: 

• Revenue (+8%)
• Gross profit margins improved to 13% (FY2024: 11%) on higher metal prices. 
• Profit after tax increased to US$40.5 million (FY2024: US$8.2 million). 

IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO)

On Christmas eve, IGO shares gained more than 2.27%. 

The company owns and operates the Nova nickel-copper-cobalt operation, as well as the Forestania and Cosmos nickel operations – all of which are in Western Australia.

After last weeks' gain, this ASX 200 stock is now up an impressive 21.8% in the last month. 

It's been one of the many lithium shares enjoying a bull run in the back half of the year. 

Global lithium prices have lifted to the highest levels in 18 months, while spodumene (a lithium bearing mineral) is trading at its highest levels in two years.

Year to date, IGO shares have now risen more than 66%. 

MA Financial Group (ASX: MAF)

MA Financial Group is a diversified financial services company, specialising in managing alternative assets, lending, corporate advisory, and equities.

After tumbling in the back half of the year, ASX financials stocks are now slowly rebounding in December. 

The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) is up 4.88% in the month of December. 

MA Financial Group has been among the stocks that has performed the best. 

It is up 13.22% in the month of December. 

This rise has come on the back of the acquisition in late November of Hyperdome Town Centre shopping centre for $678.7 million.

Year to date it is now up approximately 88%. 

The post Finishing strong – 3 ASX 200 stocks soaring in December appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL)

The Australian Clinical Labs share price is up 6% to $2.69. Investors have been buying this pathology diagnostics company's shares following the announcement of an on-market share buyback ahead of its annual general meeting. Australian Clinical Labs will buy back up to 19.5 million shares, representing approximately 10% of its outstanding share capital. It stated: "The Board believes that a share buy-back program provides an opportunity to enhance value for ACL shareholders, without compromising the company's strong balance sheet, whilst also delivering accretive investment opportunities."

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

The Karoon Energy share price is up 6% to $1.52. This morning, this energy producer released its third quarter update and revealed production of 2.59MMboe. This was down 12% quarter on quarter due to issues with two Bauna Project wells and a scheduled shutdown of the Who Dat facility. Nevertheless, sales revenue increased 3% quarter on quarter to $164.1 million. Karoon Energy's CEO, Dr Julian Fowles, said: "Despite 12% lower production, sales volumes declined just 3%, reflecting Bauna cargo timings in 2Q25 and 3Q25, while 3Q25 sales revenue rose 3% to US$164.1 million, largely due to higher average Baúna realised oil prices."

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF)

The MA Financial share price is up 9% to $9.83. This has been driven by the release of the asset manager's third quarter update. MA Financial revealed that its assets under management (AUM) grew to $13.3 billion at the end of September. This is up from $9.9 billion a year earlier. This reflects record gross fund inflows of $2.2 billion (ex. institutional) for the nine months to 30 September 2025.

Silex Systems Ltd (ASX: SLX)

The Silex Systems share price is up 12% to $8.69. This morning, this uranium enrichment technology company revealed that an independent review confirmed that its technology has achieved Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL-6). Silex's CEO, Michael Goldsworthy, said: "We are thrilled to receive the independent assessment and validation that the SILEX laser-based uranium enrichment technology has achieved TRL-6, marking a major de-risking milestone in the commercialisation program for the SILEX technology."

The post Why Australian Clinical Labs, Karoon Energy, MA Financial, and Silex shares are roaring higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

MA Financial Group is a diversified financial services company, specialising in managing alternative assets, lending, corporate advisory, and equities.

It currently has more than $8.6 billion in assets under management.

At the start of the year, its shares were trading at approximately $5.83. 

Fast forward to this week, shares are hovering around $9.41. 

This is more than a 60% rise. 

Despite this rapid rise, guidance out of Morgans suggests the stock still has plenty of room to run. 

Here's what the broker had to say. 

Emerging MA Money (MAM) business

The team out of Morgans provided guidance with a specific focus on MAF's emerging MA Money (MAM) business. 

MA Money is the non-bank residential mortgage lending business of MA Financial Group.

The broker believes whilst this business is still somewhat in its infancy, strong progress has been made building out the franchise thus far, punctuated by rapid loan growth and MAM now being profitable.

Morgans also sees FY26 MAM financial targets as readily achievable, with potential for significant further growth (noting MQG has shown the pathway for challengers to grow in the large Australian mortgage market). 

We make nominal changes to our FY26/FY27 EPS forecasts of +1%-+2%.

With strong operating momentum and >10% TSR upside on a 12-month view, we maintain our ACCUMULATE recommendation.

Still plenty of upside 

Based on these adjustments, the broker has increased the price target to A$10.63 (from A$10.23) for this ASX financials stock.

With the broker's upgraded price target, there is an approximate upside of 13% from yesterday's closing price of $9.41. 

Looking at guidance elsewhere, online brokerage platform Selfwealth lists the stock as "undervalued" by more than 14%. 

TradingView has a one year price target of $11.03, which indicates more than 17% upside. 

The post Up 60% this year! This sizzling ASX financials stock isn't done yet appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

To receive an ASX share's dividend, you must buy or already own the stock before its ex-dividend day.

Next week, a large number of ASX shares will go ex-dividend.

We provide a sample of those ASX shares below.

If you want to buy any of these ASX shares while they are still trading cum dividend, time is running out!

30 ASX shares about to go ex-dividend

The post 30 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The fast-rising company in question is MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF).

On August 8, you could have bought shares in the ASX financial services company for $3.95. In late afternoon trade on Friday, shares are changing hands for $5.56 apiece.

While that's down 1.4% in intraday trade today and down 0.4% year to date, the ASX All Ords stock has surged 40.8% since early August.

And according to David Poppenbeek, lead portfolio manager of K2 Asset Management's Australian small-cap fund, MA Financial shares look well-placed to deliver more outperformance in 2025 (courtesy of The Australian Financial Review).

ASX All Ords stock tipped for strong near-term potential gains

Asked which stock in his fund has the most near-term upside potential, Poppenbeek tipped MA Financial.

"MA Financial is an alternative asset manager that listed on the ASX in 2017, and today has a market capitalisation of $1 billion," he said.

Explaining his bullishness on the ASX All Ords stock, Poppenbeek said:

Over the past five years, the company has taken advantage of growth prospects available in the non-bank lending sector. Since 2019, its asset management arm has created more than $4 billion of private credit and fixed-income funds.

Then in 2022, MA Financial acquired the Finsure lending platform and has built that up to $128 billion of managed loans. It also announced recently that its residential mortgage business, MA Money, had grown the loan book out to $1.7 billion and, after several years of losses, was now break-even.

MA Financial reported its half-year results on 22 August. The company is scheduled to release its full 2024 calendar year results in February.

And Poppenbeek expects those numbers could provide more tailwinds for the ASX All Ords stock in 2025.

"The strength of the company's operational momentum should be evident at the release of the 2024 full-year profit result in two months' time and a higher level of investor interest may well follow," he said.

Atop potential share price gains, MA Financial trades on a 3.6% fully franked trailing dividend yield.

What's the latest from MA Financial?

For its third quarter results (Q3 2024), the financial services company reported record gross fund inflows of $1.6 billion for the nine months to 30 September, up 25% from the prior corresponding period.

Assets under management (AUM) for the ASX All Ords stock were up 11% from Q3 2023 to $9.9 billion.

And the $1.7 billion reported for the MA Money loan book for Q3 2024, which Poppenbeek referred to, represented a year on year increase of 180%.

The post Up 41% since August, why this ASX All Ords stock could attract more interest in 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

These are the ASX stocks that the broker thinks offer investors the highest risk-adjusted returns over a 12-month timeframe. Morgans also highlights that they are supported by a higher-than-average level of confidence.

Among its best ideas for October are the two ASX shares listed below. Here's what the broker is saying about these top stocks this month:

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF)

The first ASX share that has been given the thumbs up by the broker is MA Financial.

It is a diversified financial services company that specialises in managing alternative assets, lending, corporate advisory, and equities. Morgans notes that it has a strong focus on growth.

The broker feels that its valuation is still reasonable despite rising strongly since early August. Particularly given its belief that its earnings are at a cyclical low and could improve markedly in the near future. It said:

Despite some recent share price strength MAF is still on 15.0x 12mf PE. Importantly, we believe that earnings number is a cyclically depressed number given the weakness in transactional business. The key drivers here being: an expected higher revenue margin and the benefit of recent flows in Asset Management, a halving of investment spend, MA Money becoming earnings break-even, and an uplift in corporate advisory.

Management noted that MA Money remains on track to achieve break-even profitability by October, and the company is about hitting its A$4bn loan book target by FY26. While all this has been going on, the company has built up an impressive and more recurring funds management and lending businesses.

Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC)

Another ASX share that Morgans has on its best ideas list is Lottery Corporation. It is the company behind lotteries such as Powerball and Keno, as well as online lottery platform, The Lott.

The broker highlights Lottery Corporation's strong free cash flow generation, attractive valuation, and stable business model as reasons to be positive. It said:

TLC's FY24 result was impressive, driven by a favourable year for Lotteries and strong active customer growth. Despite lapping a record period of growth in Lotteries, we remain positive on the stock as current lottery volumes continue to perform well. The company mentioned that Saturday Lotto will be the next game to receive an update, which should benefit the base game divisions significantly and likely come with a price increase, offsetting some recent softness.

Additionally, TLC reported a leverage ratio of 2.5x, below the guided range of 3-4x, and has expressed interest in renewing the VIC licence. Based on our estimates, TLC is set to deliver a 4.5% FCF yield and a 4% dividend yield in FY25. The stock trades in line with its historical valuation ranges and we view it as a solid option for investors seeking stability.

The post Morgans names its best ASX share ideas for October appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

So that might mean that a golden opportunity has opened up to buy some cheap ASX shares.

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF) provides a wide range of financial services such as asset management, corporate advisory, and lending.

The share price, unfortunately, dived more than 20% on the day that its full-year results were revealed last month.

The stock still remains well below what it was most summer.

Let's explore what's going on here:

Spending money now to make money later

Glenmore portfolio manager Robert Gregory explained that the 2023 financial year numbers were about 8% below market expectations.

"FY23 EBITDA was $81.6 million (down -24%), whilst NPAT was $41.6 million (down -32%)," he said in a memo to clients.

"The result was impacted by MAF investing for growth in areas such as MA Money, the expansion of the Private Credit business in the US, and new distribution channels in Singapore."

Despite the savage market reaction to the result, there were bright spots.

"Management fees (which are largely recurring), increased +22% to $153 million.

"MAF said investments in various growth initiatives will continue into 2024 (which surprised the market), which will impact EPS by ~6 cents per share, albeit should benefit earnings from FY25 onwards."

And this is why so many professionals are, with a long-term horizon, bullish on MA Financial shares.

The 4% fully franked dividend yield also helps the argument that these are cheap ASX shares.

The analysts at Celeste Funds pointed out it's already pretty close to heading into the black and the year ahead looks positive.

"MA Money is forecast to breakeven in 2H24," they said in a memo to their clients.

"The Corporate Advisory & Equities business endured a difficult year but should rebound as capital markets reopen."

Broking platform CMC Invest is currently showing all three analysts surveyed as recommending MA Financial as a strong buy.

The post 1 top ASX bargain stock that's ready for a bull run! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Let's take a look at three examples of top ASX stocks going for cheap:

Heading in one direction: up

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) is a Californian software maker that's listed in the Australian share market.

The share price is around the high $11s at the moment, so meets our sub-$20 cheaper criteria.

Its smartphone app, which is one of the most popular in both the iPhone and Android app stores, is used by families to keep track of the locations of children and assist with emergencies.

Since the business decided a couple of years ago to reform from a profligate startup to a cash-generating machine, it hasn't looked back.

The Life360 share price is up an astounding 370% since June 2022, and almost 60% just this year.

And I reckon this trajectory can continue in the years to come.

This top ASX stock proved me wrong

I am not too proud to admit that I wrote off Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) a year ago.

Since that article, the shares have rocketed 43% as it's made some savvy corporate moves.

My concern back then was that taking market share off larger telcos with far deeper pockets could only get so far in a highly commoditised market like the NBN.

But in the past six months Aussie Broadband has shown a hunger to boost this organic growth with accretive acquisitions.

At the moment, it's trying to buy fellow small NBN provider Superloop Ltd (ASX: SLC).

Each bolt-on like this enhances Aussie's economies of scale, allowing it to take the fight to the likes of Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) and TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG).

The analysts at QVG Capital are bullish on Aussie Broadband, and loved what it had to say during last month's reporting season.

"What was unexpected was the strength of the outlook," they said in a memo to clients.

"Upgraded guidance, rapid customer growth and a positive margin outlook meant FY25 earnings expectations needed to be raised."

Look past the immediate cost blowout

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF) is not one that I've historically been interested in, but I have noticed recently that many fund managers are hot for it.

The share price took a 26% tumble last month after it reported its results, which is not encouraging.

But multiple analysts say the business is heading in the right direction.

"Pleasingly, net flows into the asset management business remained robust, and the Finsure business continues to take market share," the Celeste Funds team said in a memo to clients.

"MA Money is forecast to break even in 2H24 while the Corporate Advisory & Equities business endured a difficult year but should rebound as capital markets reopen."

The cost blowout seen in the latest report was the result of investment into their technology platform, the Celeste analysts added.

This could be a dark horse as a top ASX stock for the coming years. 

CMC Invest currently shows all three analysts covering MA Financial rating it as a strong buy.

The post Long-term investing: 3 top ASX stocks you can buy for under $20 a share appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The MA Financial share price is down 17.26% to $4.65 at the time of writing. It hit an intraday low of $4.60 in earlier trading, representing an 18.14% fall.

Let's check out the numbers.

ASX All Ords financial stock crashes as EPS declines 32%

Here are the key numbers for the 12 months to 31 December 2023:

• Underlying revenue down 11% on FY22 to $270 million
• Underlying earnings per share (EPS) down 32% to 26 cents per share
• Record annual gross fund inflows of $1.94 billion, up 27%
• Assets under management (AUM) up 18% to $9.2 billion
• Annual recurring revenue (ARR) up 23% to $178 million
• Fully franked final dividend of 14 cents per share payable on 20 March

What else happened in FY23?

MA Financial explained that its boosted ARR helped to partially offset the results of a "challenging macroeconomic environment".

There was lower corporate advisory transactional activity and revenue, weaker performance fee revenue due to lower asset valuations, and a five cents-per-share negative earnings impact from strategic growth initiatives.

MA Financial highlighted the 23% boost to ARR, record fund inflows, ongoing growth in Finsure and accelerating loan volume growth for MA Money.

The company said Finsure managed loans were up 21% on FY22 to $110 billion. The loan book grew by 150% to $983 million due to the accelerating and "extremely pleasing" growth of MA Money.

What did MA Financial management say?

Co-CEOs Julian Biggins and Chris Wyke issued a joint statement, commenting:

We are very pleased with the strong underlying momentum being experienced across the business that sees the Group very much on track to deliver on its FY26 business targets.

Despite the challenging economic backdrop, we continue to see the benefits of our diversified business model, and our intentional strategy to build a business that can deliver for investors through the economic cycle.

What's next for this ASX All Ords stock?

MA Financial released its annual report alongside its FY23 results today.

Looking ahead, MA Financial said it expected continued growth in asset management fund inflows.

However, the recurring revenue margin was expected to be lower in FY24 due to the impact of interest rates on real estate, the sale of approximately $180 million of hospitality assets, and the FY23 margin being elevated due to the strong performance of private credit funds.

The company is targeting a break-even run rate for MA Money in 2H FY24 and ongoing growth in Finsure's revenue.

MA Financial will continue investing in strategic initiatives, including the US Private Credit platform, MA Brand, and MA Money. This is expected to impact FY24 earnings by six cents per share.

MA Financial share price snapshot

This ASX All Ords financial stock has fallen 7.4% over the past 12 months.

Over the same period, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has risen by 4.6%.

Meantime, another ASX All Ords financial stock is flying today

Insignia Financial Ltd (ASX: IFL) shares have soared on news of the company's 1H FY24 results.

The Insignia share price is currently $2.57, up 13.5%. It hit an intraday high of $2.63 in earlier trading.

The company reported a 1.2% increase in net profit after tax (NPAT) to $95.5 million and a statutory NPAT loss of ($49.9 million) compared to $45.1 million in 1H FY23.

Funds under management increased by 5.4% to $300.6 billion.

The ASX All Ords financial stock will pay an unfranked interim dividend of 9.3 cents per share on 3 April.

The post Which ASX All Ords stock is diving 18% on FY23 results? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Eleven interest rate rises in the space of a year has forced consumers to close their wallets. This means that the larger businesses with more pricing power and economies of scale have an advantage.

But this year the market has seen some green shoots from the small cap garden bed.

The Celeste Australian Small Companies Fund is a specialist in that field.

The team there noticed three particular ASX shares that had an excellent April, which it is holding onto for further returns:

Political anxiety dissipating

MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF) shares rallied a whopping 16.7% last month, and have pushed up another 4.8% so far in May.

The finance stock had suffered in the past year due to concerns that Canberra would clamp down on Significant Investors Visa (SIV) entries into Australia. 

The Celeste team noted those worries seem to be passing after a government review.

"Investors' concerns regarding the future of Significant Investment Visa inflows eased," read its memo to clients.

"The review noted the relative strength of outcomes of the SIV program relative to the broader Business Innovation and Investment Program."

MA Financial also pulled off a major takeover deal.

"MAF also announced the acquisition of the d'Albora marina portfolio for $225 million as part of the launch of their new MA Marina Fund," read the memo.

"The sellers, Balmain Corp, chose to remain invested via the new fund, underwriting the attractiveness of the proposal."

Cyberattack wasn't as bad as first thought

Shares for intellectual property services provider IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH) enjoyed a 9.7% climb in April.

A cybersecurity incident had understandably struck fear into investors in March, but the company has since provided "better-than-expected updates" about the intrusion.

"IPH's investigation found downloaded data was limited to a small number of Spruson & Ferguson clients with most IPH member firms unaffected," read the Celeste memo.

"Further to this, IPH was able to quickly return to normal operations with key system functionality restored on new network infrastructure."

Management quantified the financial impact of the security breach at $4.4 million for March and $2 to $2.5 million one-off costs for the current financial year.

A past acquisition has also borne fruit.

"IPH also confirmed Smart & Biggar achieved the full earn-out payment of C$66 million, reflecting strong performance post-acquisition."

New business is great for the stock price and country

Private health insurer ​​NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF) saw its shares rise 9.5% in April then another 5.7% this month.

Investors are bullish about its recent foray into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) industry.

"NIB Holdings purchased Brisbane-based Connect Plan Management and entered into an agreement to purchase All Disability Plan Management," the Celeste team stated. 

"The company expects to be the plan manager of approximately 50,000 participants by FY25 under their nib Thrive banner."

NDIS has been under fire in recent months due to media reports of rorting by service providers.

The Celeste analysts believe entry into the industry by a well-established business like NIB is beneficial for disabled Australians.

"Given the increased scrutiny of the NDIS, NIB's entry into the space should provide a welcome improvement in oversight, controls, and the overall quality of outcomes for participants."

The post 'Welcome improvement': 3 ASX small-cap shares to grab right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.