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

ASX 200 to rise

The Australian share market looks set to rise again on Wednesday following a mixed night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 18 points or 0.2% higher. In the United States, the Dow Jones dropped 0.2%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.1% and the Nasdaq climbed 0.1%.

Buy Telix shares

The team at Bell Potter thinks investors should be buying Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) shares following its first-quarter sales update. In response to the update, the broker has retained its buy rating and $19.00 price target on Telix's shares. It said: "The company continues to make good progress on multiple pipeline products. Short term news flow includes acceptance by the FDA of the resubmitted NDA for Pixclara and the amendment to the IND for TLX591 (prostate cancer Tx). We maintain our Buy rating. FY26 EBITDA is increased by ~US$21m to US$55.3m."

Oil prices fall

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a subdued session after oil prices pulled back overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 1.7% to US$110.41 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 3.8% to US$105.27 a barrel. This was driven by optimism that a US-Iran peace deal could be on the way.

Gold price rises

ASX 200 gold shares including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a good session on Wednesday after the gold price pushed higher overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 1.1% to US$4,734.4 an ounce. Traders have been buying gold in response to Donald Trump's comments on Iran.

Dividend payday

A number of ASX 200 shares will be rewarding their shareholders with their latest dividends on Wednesday. This includes financial technology company Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE), gold miners Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) and Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU), media giant News Corporation (ASX: NWS), and private health insurer NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF). The latter is paying a fully franked 13 cents per share interim dividend today.

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

The broker highlights that the Bell Potter Australian Equity Core Portfolio aims to highlight attractive investment opportunities within the Australian share market.

It has a focus on paying the right price for high-quality ASX shares that can deliver long-term growth.

Let's see which ASX 200 shares are among its biggest holdings in the portfolio.

Which ASX 200 shares feature in the core portfolio?

Bell Potter's top five holdings in its core portfolio (in order) are ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), News Corporation (ASX: NWS), Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL), and Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM).

Commenting on its largest holding, ANZ, the broker said:

ANZ is our key pick amongst the banks and rises to 7.5% from 5.0%. CBA (6.0%), NAB (3.0%) and WBC (3.0%) remain underweight relative to index, but the aggregate bank exposure is now higher than it was. We are not calling for a wholesale rotation into banks, but we are recognising that in a firmer rate backdrop the earnings path is supported by higher-for-longer rates deserve more capital than we were giving them.

While the earnings backdrop is more positive, it still does not justify the valuations across the majors and this drives our underweight call. […] ANZ offers the best value in the majors, with cost control and a strong capital position.

The broker also revealed that it is sticking with WiseTech Global despite the selloff caused by AI disruption concerns. Bell Potter believes it is an adapter to AI and will not be displaced. It said:

We remain actively exposed to stocks we think will continue to do well, but we are reducing static weights as the AI trade has driven the benchmark weighting of these companies lower, and AI fears will continue to cap valuation multiples in the short-term.

The stocks we hold are (relative to other tech peers) defensible, have embedded workflows, proprietary data or measurable productivity benefits supporting the earnings path. We keep WiseTech at a lower weight of 3.5% from 4.5% (remains one of our key active positions in the portfolio), reflecting that while valuation and market sensitivity matter, the company remains on the right side of the adapter versus displaced divide.

The post Bell Potter's top ASX 200 holdings revealed appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Tuesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 set for massive rebound

The Australian share market looks set for a very strong session on Tuesday following a solid start to the week in the US. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 200 points or 2.3% higher. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is up 0.5%, the S&P 500 is up 0.8%, and the Nasdaq is 1.4% higher.

Oil prices tumble

It could be a poor session for ASX 200 energy shares Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) after oil prices pulled back overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 5.25% to US$86.13 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 3.2% to US$89.71 a barrel. This was driven by comments from President Trump, suggesting that the US could take control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Buy Nickel Industries shares

Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC) shares could be in the buy zone according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating and $1.45 price target on the nickel producer's shares. It said: "While the conflict in the Middle East is resulting in an immediate market impact to key input costs and the duration is uncertain, we form the view that while margins may be impacted, NIC is insulated due to its diversified nickel product suite. There is also a potential offset from higher nickel prices to which NIC has strong leverage. We retain our Buy recommendation and leave our $1.45/sh Target Price unchanged."

Gold price slips

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) could have a subdued session on Tuesday after the gold price slipped overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 0.25% to US$5,146.5 an ounce. A stronger US dollar and higher rate expectations put pressure on the precious metal.

ASX 200 shares going ex-div

A number of ASX 200 shares are going ex-dividend today and could trade lower. This includes CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE), News Corporation (ASX: NWS), and Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN). With respect to the latter, the airline operator is paying shareholders a fully franked 19.8 cents per share interim dividend next month on 15 April.

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

For you to be entitled to a stock's next dividend, you must own it before its ex-dividend date.

Here are some of the ASX shares going ex-dividend next week.

ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week

The post 32 ASX shares about to go ex-dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This horrendous day for the Australian markets follows a rough morning on Wall Street for American investors.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) ended its session 0.83% lower after tanking more than 2% at one point.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) fared even worse, losing 1.02% of its value after a near-3% loss during intra-day trading.

But let's grit our teeth and return to the local markets now for a checkup on how today's tough trading conditions affected the different ASX sectors.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Both News Corporation (ASX: NWS) and Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) shares have lost about 30% of their value in the past 6 months.

With the ASX media shares well below their highs, is this a buying opportunity, or are tougher times still ahead?

News Corp

News Corp remains one of the world's most influential media companies. The heavyweight ASX media share owns mastheads such as The Wall Street Journal and The Australian, alongside book publisher HarperCollins and digital platforms like Dow Jones.

The company's strength lies in its premium content and subscription-led model. Paid digital news and data services have helped insulate News Corp from the worst of the advertising downturn.

Last week, the company reported net income of US$242 million, down 21% on the prior corresponding quarter, which had been boosted by a one-off gain from REA Group's sale of PropertyGuru.

Total segment EBITDA rose 9% to US$521 million, though this included a US$16 million one-off inventory write-down at HarperCollins.

But weaknesses persist. Traditional print remains in structural decline, and the business is still exposed to cyclical advertising markets. News Corp also faces ongoing reputational, regulatory scrutiny, and past political and governance controversies.

The ASX media share trades at $37.26 apiece at the time of writing, having lost 27% of its value in the past 6 months. Most analysts see this as a good entry level and rate News Corp as a buy. Their average 12-month price target is $54.07, which implies a 43% upside.  

Analysts at Macquarie said News Corp's latest results beat expectations across revenue, EBITDA, and net profit, while profitability had continued to improve. The broker has a price target of $44.40 on the shares. Factoring in the company's modest dividend yield, Macquarie is expecting a total shareholder return of 16.4% over 12 months.

UBS is more bullish on News Corp shares, with a price target of $65.50, pointing to a 75% upside.

Nine Entertainment

The ASX media share has been under heavy pressure for much of the past year, sliding around 32% in the past 6 months. Slowing TV advertising, structural shifts in media consumption, and capital management concerns have weighed on the sentiment of the Nine Entertainment share.

Despite cost discipline and occasional earnings resilience, Nine's share price remained anchored well below its highs. It reflects deep caution toward traditional broadcasters. The business remains heavily exposed to free-to-air television, a segment under pressure from softer advertising markets.

That caution cracked when the ASX media stock unveiled plans to acquire QMS Media for roughly $850 million while exiting radio and reshaping its regional television footprint.

QMS is expected to generate about $105 million in EBITDA in calendar year 2026, which would be a double-digit increase over the previous year, Nine said. The merger should also deliver about $20 million in annual cost savings by FY29, according to the board of Nine Entertainment.

The market responded swiftly, pushing the ASX share higher as investors reassessed the company's direction. The share price recovered slightly and is now up 4% for the year, hovering just above the 52-week low at $1.15 at the time of writing.

The focus now shifts to execution. Nine must stabilise earnings from traditional media while accelerating growth across digital assets such as Stan.

Most brokers continue to rate the ASX media stock a buy following its sharp decline. The average 12-month price target sits at $1.29, suggesting potential upside of about 11%.

The post Near 52-week lows: Which ASX media share is the smarter buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

So why did the stock go down, you might ask?

That is likely explained by the fact that the company owns a 61% stake in REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), whose shares plummeted on Friday, despite what were once again reasonable results.

So given that News Corp shares are trading near their 12-month lows – they've recovered very slightly today – it's worth having a look at whether they now represent good value.

Brokers like what they see

We've had a look at new broker reports from both UBS and Macquarie Group, and both say the shares are trading at a discount at the moment.

Starting with Macquarie, the team there have a price target of $44.40 on Macquarie shares, and factoring in the company's modest dividend yield, they're expecting a total shareholder return of 16.4% over 12 months.

The Macquarie team said the News Corp result last week beat expectations across revenue, EBITDA, and net profit, while profitability had continued to improve.

In the company's US real estate business, they noted that Move, which operates Realtor.com, was "generating modestly break-even EBITDA, and with an improving backdrop, we are becoming more constructive on the earnings recovery''.

They added that the Dow Jones division posted its highest quarterly revenue growth in nearly three years, which also came in above expectations.

However, they noted:

News Corp's valuation is reliant on REA (61% stake) and its share price has dropped 34% in the past six-months, broadly tracking the de-rating in global peers given AI uncertainties.

The Macquarie team also said the company's news media division had headwinds with ad trends, "likely to continue to be difficult''.

Over at UBS, they were more bullish on News Corp shares, with a price target of $65.50 and a buy recommendation.

While they said AI displacement concerns "remain a key overhang" for the media sector, "we remain comforted by News' extension of its Bloomberg partnership to incorporate AI licenses and achieving a range of enterprise deals within its Dow Jones segment''.

They added:

We believe News looks best placed across our media coverage to benefit from gradual content monetisation and AI developments with exposure to proprietary data from Dow Jones, defensive moat from REA and existing large language model (LLM) partnerships as proof cases. We see scope for a re-rate in the stock as more partnerships potentially come to the table in the short to medium term, as LLMs and AI platforms continue to demand reliable data and content for model training.

News Corp shares were 1.2% higher at $38.77 on Monday.

The post This News Corp share price target might surprise you appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in the media giant traded as low as $37.46, down 7.5%, before recovering to be 1.7% lower at $39.80.

The shares have traded as high as $57.16 over the past year; however, they are now at their lowest level for the period.

Solid operating result

The company said in a statement released to the ASX that net income was US$242 million, 21% down on the same quarter last year, which was inflated by a one-off favourable gain on REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)'s sale of PropertyGuru.

Total segment EBITDA was up 9% to US$521 million, including a one-off $16 million write-down related to inventory at HarperCollins.

Dow Jones revenues were US$648 million, up 8% compared to the previous corresponding period, "driven by 20% growth at Risk & Compliance, higher digital circulation revenues and record digital advertising revenues".

Book publishing revenues grew 6% for the quarter to US$633 million, while digital real estate services grew 8% to US$511 million.

News Media revenues were steady at $570 million.

Chief Executive Robert Thomson said it was a solid result.

We are delighted to report excellent second quarter results with both revenue and profitability growth accelerating from the prior quarter, and we see favourable signs for the second half of our fiscal year. Revenues increased 6 percent to $2.4 billion for the quarter and profitability improved by a robust 9%. The second quarter results were driven by sustained growth at Dow Jones and Digital Real Estate Services, which both achieved double-digit profit growth and have started the calendar year strongly. Given the current trajectory of our core drivers, we believe prospects for the third quarter are auspicious.

AI not a threat

Mr Thomson reiterated the value of assets such as Dow Jones in the face of the increase in the use of AI in the information space, saying expertise would continue to be paramount.

It is clear that expectations of AI's impact are continuing to evolve and that the more perceptive players have come to realize that provenance is paramount. What is the point of acquiring cutting-edge semiconductors if they are being deployed to repurpose gormless, factless, feckless content sets? We do believe an increasing number of insightful companies understand this content contradiction and will indeed pay a premium for our premium content. This quarter we expanded our partnership with Bloomberg to include AI rights for our unique Dow Jones content and are progressing with other negotiations.  

Mr Thomson said the company had also continued its share buyback, "reflecting our confidence in News Corp's strong cash position and belief in the intrinsic value of the company''.

The post News Corp shares plunge to a fresh 12-month low on earnings results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

What did News Corp report?

• Second quarter revenue: $2.36 billion, up 6% from $2.24 billion last year
• Net income from continuing operations: $242 million, down 21% (prior year included an $87 million gain)
• Total Segment EBITDA: $521 million, up 9%
• Reported EPS: $0.34; Adjusted EPS: $0.40 (up from $0.33 in prior year)
• Dow Jones revenue grew 8% to $648 million; Record digital advertising revenue
• Interim dividend: $0.10 per share, payable 8 April 2026

What else do investors need to know?

News Corp's results were powered by strong growth in its Dow Jones, Digital Real Estate Services, and Book Publishing businesses. Dow Jones saw an 8% boost in revenue, driven by double-digit growth at its Risk & Compliance division and a big jump in digital advertising.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), which is majority-owned by News Corp, helped lift real estate services revenue by 8%, while Move (operator of Realtor.com) added 10% growth amid increased focus on premium products. Book Publishing revenue rose 6%, helped by new acquisitions and popular titles, although segment profits dipped due to a one-off $16 million inventory write-off primarily related to inventory at HarperCollins's international operations.

What did News Corp management say?

Chief Executive Robert Thomson said:

We are delighted to report excellent second quarter results with both revenue and profitability growth accelerating from the prior quarter, and we see favorable signs for the second half of our fiscal year. Revenues increased 6 percent to $2.4 billion for the quarter and profitability improved by a robust 9%. The second quarter results were driven by sustained growth at Dow Jones and Digital Real Estate Services, which both achieved double-digit profit growth and have started the calendar year strongly. Given the current trajectory of our core drivers, we believe prospects for the third quarter are auspicious…We also continued to actively execute on our expanded buyback program, which has been running at over four times the prior rate, reflecting our confidence in News Corp's strong cash position and belief in the intrinsic value of the Company.

What's next for News Corp?

The company will host a Dow Jones investor briefing in March 2026, highlighting the momentum in its information services division. Management says it remains confident in News Corp's prospects for the upcoming quarter, looking to further leverage digital subscriptions, advertising, and real estate services.

News Corp is also broadening partnerships, including expanding its AI agreement with Bloomberg for Dow Jones content. The board has reinforced its positive view of future performance by maintaining its share buyback program at an accelerated pace and declaring another interim dividend.

News Corporation share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, News Corporation shares have declined 28%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 4% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post News Corp reports robust Q2 FY26 earnings growth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Analysts are always on the lookout for businesses that seem undervalued relative to their prospects, which could happen to be the case with any company in the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO).

While the ASX shares below may not be the most popular investment ideas, analysts think they're buys and could rise from here.

News Corp (ASX: NWS)

News Corp is the business behind a number of newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal, The Australian, Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, and The Sun. It also owns News.com.au, HarperCollinsPublishers, MarketWatch, and Dow Jones, as well as stakes in REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA) and Realtor.com.

Broker UBS currently has a buy rating on News Corp, with a price target of $64.50, implying a solid rise over the next 12 months. The broker said the ASX share's FY26 first quarter was "good" with revenue and operating profit (EBITDA) slightly ahead of expectations, with "notable outperformance from Move and News Media", reflecting healthy operating conditions going into FY26.

In UBS' view, Dow Jones remains "the key to a meaningful NWS stub re-rate, more so than other segments like Move". The broker explained:

Key catalysts we are waiting for include: 1) acceleration in both rev and EBITDA growth at Move as we start to see first signs of green shoots, with further US rate cuts likely to support adjacency products and leads uptake; and 2) announcement of further AI deals.

We reiterate our Buy rating; with short- and medium-term drivers intact, we view NWS's fwd EBITDA of 12x and PE of 28x as attractive vs the past five-year average.

UBS predicts the company could generate US$1.08 of earnings per share (EPS) in FY26 and then $1.29 in FY27.

Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG)

IAG is one of Australia's largest insurance businesses with brands like NRMA, SGIO, SGIC, ROLLiN', and NZI.

UBS has a buy rating on the business, with a price target of $9.10. That also implies a rise of more than 10% in the next 12 months.

The broker noted that the ASX share has fully integrated its recently acquired RACQ Insurance business into its group reinsurance cover, confirming this will support targeted reinsurance synergies.

IAG's whole of account quota share has been expanded by 2.5% to 35% of gross earned premium (GEP) – IAG expects this to further reduce earnings volatility by sharing premiums and losses with reinsurers.

UBS predicts that the business could generate $1 billion of net profit in FY26.

Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO)

Judo is a financial institution focused on providing loans to small and medium businesses. It also offers term deposits as a form of funding its loans.

UBS rates Judo as a buy, with a price target of $2.20, implying a strong return over the next year if the market agrees with the broker's optimism.

The broker thinks the ASX share is well placed to meet FY26 targets.

Judo's net interest margin (NIM) – the profit it makes on its lending in percentage terms – guidance of over 3% is based on funding mix improvements, mainly relating to its deposit offering. The business is offering more term deposit durations, including five, seven, and eight-month terms.

UBS also noted that new business origination "looks strong" for the company, with agriculture and regional lending doing a lot of the heavy lifting for its growth.

Judo is expecting operating leverage to be a "multiplier" as it continues to scale with capacity.

The broker forecasts that the ASX share could make a net profit of $131 million in FY26 and $166 million in FY27.

The post Brokers rate these 3 ASX shares as buys in January appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Over the past six months, the prices of the three ASX 200 media shares have tumbled between 15% and 30%. The sell-off reflects a mix of structural pressures, regulatory scrutiny, and shifting sentiment, rather than a single common trigger.

However, most analysts see upside for the media stocks. Let's find out who they see as the winner.

News Corp

News Corp remains one of the world's most influential media companies. The heavyweight ASX media share owns mastheads such as The Wall Street Journal and The Australian, alongside book publisher HarperCollins and digital platforms like Dow Jones.

The company's strength lies in its premium content and subscription-led model. Paid digital news and data services have helped insulate News Corp from the worst of the advertising downturn. Its global reach and political influence also give it a unique position in public debate and policymaking.

But weaknesses persist. Traditional print remains in structural decline, and the business is still exposed to cyclical advertising markets. News Corp also faces ongoing reputational, regulatory scrutiny, and past political and governance controversies.

Strategically, News Corp is betting that trusted journalism, data-driven services, and digital marketplaces can offset legacy declines. In a fragmented media landscape, scale and trust remain News Corp's biggest assets and its biggest tests.

The ASX media share trades at $45.77 per share at the time of writing, having lost 15% of its value in the past 6 months. Most analysts see News Corp as a buy. Their average 12-month price target is $57.38, which implies a 25% upside.   

REA Group

REA Group's decline in 2025 has been driven more by growth concerns than by any clear deterioration in its business. The ASX media share continues to dominate Australia's online property market through realestate.com.au, retaining strong pricing power and delivering earnings growth.

Even though the share price has fallen, REA's latest results show the business continues to grow. In the first quarter of FY26, revenue rose about 4% year on year, while profit increased roughly 5%, supported by resilient demand across its core markets.

However, caution has crept in. A fall in new national property listings has raised questions about near-term momentum, while an ACCC investigation into REA's pricing practices, launched in May, has added regulatory uncertainty.

Even so, analysts remain largely constructive. Macquarie rates the stock neutral with a $220 price target, while UBS sees stronger upside with a $255 target. On average, broker forecasts still point to 32% upside over the next 12 months.

Nine Entertainment

Nine's share price fall has been steeper, and not entirely for operational reasons. In May, the company sold its 60% stake in Domain and returned capital via a special dividend. When the stock went ex-dividend in September, the share price dropped 34% to reflect that payout.

Beyond the technical impact, the ASX 200 media share faces genuine challenges. The business remains heavily exposed to free-to-air television, a segment under pressure from softer advertising markets. Brokers have responded by trimming 2026 revenue forecasts from about $2.7 billion to closer to $2.3 billion.

The focus now shifts to execution. Nine must stabilise earnings from traditional media while accelerating growth across digital assets such as Stan.

Most brokers continue to rate the media stock a buy following its sharp decline. The average 12-month price target sits at $1.31, suggesting potential upside of about 16%.

The post Which ASX media share to buy: News Corp, Nine or REA Group? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But as we turn the page on a new year, do either of these media companies offer upside for investors?

Here's what analysts are saying. 

Nine Entertainment

Nine Entertainment is the company behind the 9Network on free to air TV. 

However it also owns newspaper mastheads like Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and the Australian Financial Review. 

Additionally, its digital assets include the Stan streaming service. 

Its share price is down about 13.8% in the last 12 months. 

For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX:XTJ) is up roughly 4% in the same period. 

Its stock price may be catching the attention of those looking to scoop up an undervalued company, as its share price sits close to a 5-year low. 

The outlook for Nine Entertainment shares might be risky due to the challenges faced by traditional, advertisement reliant, free-to-air media. 

However it is worth noting that the company's ownership of streaming services Stan and 9Now shows the company is adapting to the new media landscape.

Management said in its 2025 AGM, it expects EBITDA growth in H1 FY26 over H1 FY25, with further cost efficiencies. 

So are Nine Entertainment shares a buy?

It appears that while expectations should be realistic, it has now fallen below fair value. 

The average analyst rating courtesy of TradingView projects a 16% rise in the next 12 months. 

News Corp

While many Australians would be familiar with News Corp's media ownership here in Australia, it also has a significant presence in the US, and the UK.

The company's key newspaper mastheads include The Wall Street Journal, The Times, and the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun.

News Corp shares have also fallen significantly in the last year. 

The share price has fallen by approximately 7% in the last 12 months and currently sits close to it 52-week low.

This is despite the company reporting modest growth in Q1FY25.

The company reported a 2% increase in revenue, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased 5%. 

It seems buying low on News Corp shares could bring upside in the coming year. 

Last November, Jarden adjusted its price target to $51.70 on News Corp shares. 

Additionally, TradingView has an average one year price target of $57.38. 

From yesterday's closing price of $45.22, this indicates an upside between 14% and 27% for News Corp shares. 

The post Are Nine Entertainment or News Corp shares a better buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here's what's happening.

ASX 200 stocks sinking to 52-week-plus lows

The first company trading at one-year lows today is News Corp (ASX: NWS).

Shares in the diversified media conglomerate are down 0.3% at the time of writing, trading for $44.10. That's the lowest price since early November last year, with News Corp shares having closed in the red for the previous six trading days.

That selling follows a positive response to the ASX 200 stock's first-quarter (Q1 FY 2025) update, released on 7 November.

News Corp shares closed up 3% on the day, with the company reporting a 2% increase in revenue for the quarter to US$2.14 billion. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were up 5% to US$340 million.

Moving on to the second ASX 200 stock plumbing to one-year lows, we have Guzman Y Gomez (ASX: GYG).

Shares in the Mexican fast-food restaurant chain are down 4.2% at the time of writing, changing hands for $22 apiece. That's certainly unwelcome news to shareholders. Though not to the raft of short-sellers betting against the stock. Guzman Y Gomez shares are the sixth most shorted on the ASX this week, with a short interest of 11.8%.

Guzman Y Gomez began trading on the ASX on 20 June 2024, and shares are now at the lowest level since the company listed.

Which brings us to…

Also plunging to new all-time lows

The third ASX 200 stock marking new 52-week plus lows is TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG).

Shares in Australia's third-largest telecommunications company are down 4% in afternoon trade today, at $3.65 each, after exiting Monday's trading halt. That marks a new all-time low for the stock.

TPG Telecom shares are under pressure today after the company announced it had raised $300 million through an Institutional Reinvestment Plan. TPG issued about 83 million new shares for $3.61 each. That's a 5% discount to last Friday's closing price of $3.81.

Speaking of last Friday, the ASX 200 stock closed down a precipitous 31.1% on the day.

However, as the Motley Fool's James Mickleboro noted on the day, the sell-down wasn't nearly as tough for existing shareholders as you might think.

That's because TPG Telecom traded ex-dividend on Friday for an outsized capital return. That was comprised of a $1.52 per share capital reduction and a 9-cent per share unfranked dividend.

That saw investors achieve a whopping 28.8% yield relative to the previous day's closing price.

The post 3 ASX 200 stocks plumbing 52-week lows today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

The Wisetech share price tumbled 5.14% to a 52-week low of $62.28 in earlier trading.

On The Bull this week, Jed Richards from Shaw and Partners revealed a buy rating on the ASX 200's biggest tech share.

The stock appears oversold, presenting a strong entry point.

While management issues and investigations involving the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission have contributed to a plunging share price, the company's world class logistics software and proven global growth trajectory remain intact.

Long term fundamentals and market leadership support a compelling buying opportunity for patient investors.

Richards notes a near halving in the Wisetech share price since 28 July.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

The Xero share price declined 4.14% today to a 52-week low of $117.16.

Morgans has an accumulate rating on Xero shares but slashed its 12-month price target after the company's 1H FY26 update.

For the six months ended 30 September, Xero reported a 42% increase in net profit after tax (NPAT) to NZ$134.8 million.

Operating revenue rose 20% to NZ$1,194 million, and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) lifted 21% to NZ$377.9 million.

This was driven by Australia/New Zealand revenue growth of 17% to NZ$663.7 million and a 24% jump in international segment revenue to NZ$530.5 million.

Morgans commented:

XRO's 1H26 result was largely in line with expectations but higher investment expenses in the 2H and the inclusion of Melio into our forecasts lowers our EBITDA and FCF forecasts.

Our prior XRO research presented our first take on XRO including Melio numbers and now, following its 1H26 result and greater clarity on costs, we reduce our short-term forecasts and formally publish our combined XRO and Melio forecasts.

The broker cut its price target on Xero by 30% to $141 per share.

News Corporation Class B Voting CDI (ASX: NWS)

The News Corporation share price fell 2.5% to a 52-week low of $44.11 on Tuesday.

As my colleague Cameron reported, Jarden maintained its overweight rating on News Corp following the company's 1Q FY26 update.

News Corp announced revenue of US$2.1 billion, up 2% on the same period last year, and EBITDA of US$340 million, up 5%.

Jarden praised the "solid result", noting earnings from REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA) – which News Corp has a majority stake in – were in line with expectations.

The analysts see REA shares as overvalued, but they "believe the market is undervaluing the remainder of News".

The analysts tip a total return of 12% over the next 12 months for investors in this ASX 200 communications share.

Jarden decreased its 12-month price target on News Corp shares slightly from $53 to $51.70.

The broker has an underweight rating on REA shares and a price target of $207.

The REA share price is $196.53, down 1.59%, today.

The post Brokers say buy: 3 ASX 200 shares at 52-week lows today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Jarden team have run the ruler over News Corp's books, and they don't mind what they see.

Trading well

News was announced last week that News Corp's first-quarter revenue had come in at US$2.1 billion, a 2% increase over the same period last year, and EBITDA had come in at US$340 million, up 5%.

Chief Executive Officer Robert Thomson was particularly effusive about the result.

As he said in a statement to the ASX:

Following a sterling performance in fiscal 2025 – one that market a record year for profitability on a continuing operations basis – News Corp continued to increase both revenue and profitability in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, led by strength at Dow Jones and Digital Real Estate Services, and bolstered by digital and AI-related revenues.

Mr Thomson said the positive results came despite an "uncharacteristically weak" performance from the company's book publishing division, although that segment had shown signs of recent improvement.

Mr Thomson said the company was also leaning into its share buyback.

Clearly our cash position is robust, and we expect to generate strong free cash flow this fiscal year, and have thus materially increased the rate of our share buybacks. We believe our shares are undervalued, given the sum of our valuable parts and our profit trajectory, and we will continue to focus on ways and means to maximise shareholder value.

Share valuation looking slightly cheap

So the boss likes the shares, but what about the team at Jarden?

For a start, they agreed it was a "solid result", with good momentum from Dow Jones and the news media division, and earnings from realestate.com.au owner REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA) – which News Corp owns a majority stake in – in line with expectations.

Jarden decreased its price target on News Corp stock following last week's report from $53 to $51.70; however, this still remains higher than the current price of $46.46.

Factoring in the modest dividend News Corp pays, the Jarden team believes shareholders would be looking at a combined total return of 12% over a year.

While they believe that REA Group – which accounts for a large part of News Corp's value – is overvalued, they "believe the market is undervaluing the remainder of News''.

Jarden has an underweight rating on REA Group and a price target of $207, compared with $208.91 as of Tuesday morning.

The post Where to from here for News Corporation shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Notably, the stock price is down 9% since October 1. 

The company is a diversified global media conglomerate with a significant presence in the US, the UK, and Australian markets. 

Its key newspaper mastheads include The Wall Street Journal, The Times, and the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun.

Last week, the News Corp share price jumped 4% on positive Q1 news. 

The Motley Fool's Kevin Gandiya reported that revenue rose 2% to US$2.14 billion, and Total Segment EBITDA increased 5% to US$340 million, driven by gains at Dow Jones and Digital Real Estate Services. 

Adjusted earnings per share climbed to US$0.22, up 10% year-on-year.

This week, the team at Macquarie issued a new report covering the Q1 results.

Neutral rating for News Corp shares

Macquarie has a neutral rating on News Corp shares. 

It also has a 12 month price target of $50.50. 

From last week's closing price of approximately $46.66, this indicates a modest upside of 8.23%. 

The broker was optimistic about the reported first-quarter FY26 segment EBITDA of US$340 million, up 5% year-on-year and 3% above consensus. 

The broker said the result was driven by stronger-than-expected margins in the News Media division and lower corporate costs, partially offset by a weaker book publishing performance, which included a US$13 million write-off of a customer receivable.

The News Media division delivered a 5.5% margin, an improvement of 2.2 percentage points year-on-year and around 2 percentage points above estimates. 

Management attributed the strength to cost efficiencies and price increases in both Australia and the UK.

However, the broker also noted that News Corp's valuation is reliant on REA (61% stake) and its share price has dropped around 17% since August. 

It said some key concerns are Domain and AI and the potential impacts are unclear. 

Overall, we see the underlying business trading 4x EV/EBITDA (MQe = 6x valuation).

We cut TPs of NWSA US/NWS AU by 12%/13% to US$28.80/ A$50.50, with the marking of the 61% stake in REA at spot the main contributor (10%pts).

The post Does Macquarie rate News Corp shares a buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The media conglomerate is controlled by Rupert Murdoch and is best known for its ownership stakes in media brands such as The Wall Street Journal, Harper Collins Publishers, and REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA).

Revenue rose 2% to US$2.14 billion, and Total Segment EBITDA increased 5% to US$340 million, driven by gains at Dow Jones and Digital Real Estate Services. Adjusted earnings per share climbed to US$0.22, up 10% year on year.

Ongoing digital shift

While some investors still see News Corp through the lens of newspapers and book publishing, the business mix tells a different story. Digital now dominates the company's core profit engines.

For example, the company's Dow Jones segment, which houses The Wall Street Journal and Barron's, had 84% of its sales coming from digital channels, and EBITDA in the Digital Real Estate Services segment increased by 13%.

News Corp CFO Lavanya Chandrashekar said the company recently raised digital subscription prices for The Wall Street Journal and is reviewing its pricing strategy going forward with the goal of reflecting the value of its premium journalism.

If the company can raise its prices without experiencing a corresponding drop in subscriber numbers, that would be a significant boost to its profitability and would be a powerful demonstration of its pricing power.

Is the stock cheap?

Management clearly believes the stock is cheap. During the quarter, News Corp accelerated its share buyback program, repurchasing stock at more than four times last year's pace.

Chief Executive Robert Thomson said the company's strong balance sheet and cash generation give it room to return capital to shareholders. He said:

We believe our shares are undervalued, given the sum of our valuable parts and our profit trajectory, and we will continue to focus on ways and means to maximize shareholder value.

Could there be an AI opportunity?

Thomson also highlighted how the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) could unlock new opportunities for News Corp's vast portfolio of premium journalism, data, and digital content.

He said AI models rely on trusted information, not scraped or unverified material and that this is a dynamic that strengthens News Corp's position.

"The value of IP in the age of AI is misconceived," Thomson said. "Information and sophisticated data are the essence of AI, and without these essential ingredients, AI is but empty, ignorant infrastructure."

Foolish bottom line

News Corp's first-quarter update shows a business that's quietly transforming from an old-world media empire into a digitally powered content and data company. With buybacks ramping up and management calling the shares undervalued, the company clearly sees hidden value that the market hasn't yet priced in. If its pricing strategy and AI partnerships can translate that digital strength into higher margins, this could be an underappreciated large-cap opportunity on the ASX.

The post News Corp shares rise 4% on Q1 trading update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.