Analysts tell investors what they think a business' potential returns could be, along with a price target. The price target is the level analysts expect the share price to reach 12 months from the date of the investment rating.

Below are two ASX shares that experts think could deliver strong, potentially market-beating returns.

Regis Healthcare Ltd (ASX: REG)

Regis Healthcare is one of the largest aged care operators in Australia. It provides services to more than 10,000 older Australians through residential aged care homes, home care service hubs, day therapy, respite centres, and retirement villages.

According to CMC Invest, there have been six analyst ratings on the business within the last three months. The average price target is $6.08, implying that those six analysts collectively think the Regis Healthcare share price could rise by almost 40% over the next 12 months.

The Regis Healthcare share price has fallen around 30% since the end of August 2026 amid news that government funding is not going to rise as much as hoped in the year ahead, despite elevated inflation of costs.

To combat this, the ASX share is undertaking a range of initiatives to mitigate the margin pressures associated with government funding settings. Some of those ideas include increases to room prices, a rollout of higher everyday living fee (HELF) services, other revenue optimisation, and operational efficiency initiatives.

On top of that, there is the long-term tailwind of ageing demographics, which can increase the demand for aged care.

Based on the projection on CMC Invest, Regis Healthcare is currently priced at 18 times FY28's estimated earnings at the time of writing.

Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI)

The other ASX share I want to highlight is Pinnacle. It says that it's growing a diverse family of investment businesses (which Pinnacle calls affiliates).

While holding a stake in affiliates, it provides seed funding, global institutional and retail distribution, and industrial grade middle office and infrastructure services. By providing affiliates with quality non-investment services, Pinnacle enables them to focus on generating investment returns for clients.  

Some of the affiliates it's invested in include Hyperion, Plato, Palisade, Resolution Capital, Solaris, Antipodes, Spheria, Firetrail, Coolabah, Pacific Asset Management, Life Cycle, and so on.

According to CMC Invest, there have been six analyst ratings on the business within the last six months. The average price target from those six analysts is $21.76, implying a potential 55% rise in the year ahead.

Volatility in the ASX share market and private credit sector may have impacted investor confidence, so a potential recovery in investor bullishness could help deliver a lot of the return. Time will tell how the uncertainty with private credit plays out for Pinnacle's affiliate FUM.

According to CMC Invest, the business is valued at 16 times FY27's estimated earnings.

The post 2 ASX shares tipped to grow up to 55% or more in the next 12 months appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

However, the market has fallen into the red over 12 months, down 0.6%, amid rising oil prices and interest rates.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lifted the official cash rate from 4.35% to 4.6% yesterday.

Experts say another rate rise may be required in November to combat persistently high inflation.

Inflation rose from 3.5% over the 12 months to July to 4% last month, according to data released today.

Amid the market weakness, brokers have raised their ratings on several ASX shares this week.

Let's see a sample. 

Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM)

The Capricorn Metals share price is $15.22, up 1.9% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 gold share has fallen 8%.

Bell Potter upgraded Capricorn Metals shares to a buy rating this week.

The broker raised its 12-month price target from $18.05 to $18.10.

This implies a potential 19% upside ahead.

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)

The Evolution Mining share price is $13.40, up 1% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 mining share has fallen 10%.

UBS upgraded Evolution shares to a buy call this week.

The broker increased its 12-month price target from $15.20 to $16.

This suggests a potential 19% gain ahead.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

The REA share price is $156.16, up 4.9% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 communications share has dropped 12%.

Bell Potter upgraded REA to a hold recommendation with a price target of $148.

This suggests a potential 5% downside ahead.

Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS)

The Healius share price is 42 cents, up 1.7% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 healthcare share has fallen 2%.

RBC Capital upgraded Healius shares to a hold rating with a 12-month price target of 42 cents.

This implies the stock is fully valued.

Alliance Aviation Services Ltd (ASX: AQZ)

The Alliance Aviation Services share price is 54 cents, up 6.9% today.

Over the past month, this ASX industrials share has fallen 18%.

Morgans upgraded Alliance Aviation Services shares to a buy rating on Monday.

The broker has a 12-month price target of 85 cents.

This indicates potential capital gains of 57% over the next year. 

Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI)

Pinnacle Investment Management shares are $13.30 apiece, down 4.7% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 financial share has declined 21%.

UBS upgraded the stock to a buy rating but reduced its price target from $18 to $17.

This suggest a potential 28% upside ahead.

The post 6 ASX shares upgraded by experts amid a weak market  appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The markets weren't really sure what to do for much of the session, with the ASX 200 spending time in both positive and negative territory. The bulls ended up winning the day, though, with the index closing up 0.34% to 8,709.3 points.

This turbulent-but-positive Tuesday on the ASX came after a decidedly more negative start to the American trading week overnight.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had a Garfield-esque start to the trading week, dropping 0.67%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was hit even harder, falling 0.92%.

But let's get back to ASX shares now, though, and take stock of what the various ASX sectors were up to today.

Winners and losers

Despite the ASX's optimism, we still saw some sectors that couldn't hold water.

The most conspicuous of those were utilities shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) was hit hard, plunging 0.82%.

Energy stocks were also on the nose, with the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) slumping 0.72%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) weren't popular either. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) retreated 0.21% today.

Financial stocks couldn't break even, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)'s 0.13% dip.

Communications shares were next. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) sank by 0.13% this Tuesday.

Our last losers were consumer staples stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) sliding 0.06%.

Turning to the winners now, these were led by tech shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) enjoyed a resurgence this session, roaring 4.61% higher.

Mining stocks also ran hot, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ)'s 1.02% spike.

Consumer discretionary shares proved popular too. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) shot up 0.72% this session.

Gold stocks were in demand, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) adding 0.63% to its total.

We could say something similar about industrial shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) advanced 0.36% today.

Finally, healthcare stocks got in under the wire, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ)'s 0.22% improvement.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Coming in hottest on the index this Tuesday was Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA). Codan shares rocketed a massive 23.93% this session to close at $64.43 each.

This came after the company reported its first-half profits, which clearly delighted the market.

Here's how the other winners pulled up at the kerb:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

What did Pinnacle Investment Management report?

• Net profit after tax (NPAT) of $176.7 million for FY26
• Approximately $12.6 million contributed to NPAT from Metrics Credit Holdings
• Pinnacle holds a 35% equity interest in Metrics Credit Holdings Pty Limited
• The Metrics funds—MXT, MOT, and MRE—have paused trading temporarily

What else do investors need to know?

The three Metrics-managed funds—Metrics Master Income Trust (ASX: MXT), Metrics Income Opportunities Trust (ASX: MOT), and Metrics Real Estate Multi-Strategy Fund (ASX: MRE)—have temporarily paused trading on the ASX, pending further announcements. This move has placed a spotlight on both the funds and their manager, Metrics Credit Partners, an affiliate of Pinnacle.

Investors should note that Pinnacle's exposure to Metrics Credit Holdings represents a significant portion of its earnings, and any updates to the Metrics funds could impact Pinnacle's reported results or future distributions.

What's next for Pinnacle Investment Management Group?

Investors will be watching for further details on the reason for the trading pause in the Metrics funds and how any developments might affect Pinnacle's future income from Metrics. The company continues to benefit from its diversified investment management affiliates, and maintaining strong relationships with its managers may remain a strategic focus.

Looking forward, any resolutions related to the paused funds, and further growth in affiliated manager platforms, could shape Pinnacle's earnings profile for the coming year.

Pinnacle Investment Management share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Pinnacle Investment Management shares have declined 31%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has declined 2% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Pinnacle Investment Management reports FY26 profit and Metrics funds update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

As the chart below shows, it has dropped 30% from early August 2026 and it has fallen 47% from February 2025.

Pinnacle describes itself as a global multi-asset investment management platform. It's substantially domestic and expanding globally, as it compounds earnings and cash flow generation through cycles.

It makes investments in fund managers, called affiliates. It has a portfolio of 19 affiliates across public and private markets, spanning asset classes, investment styles and geographies.

I think it's a great time to invest in Pinnacle for a few different reasons, starting with the dividend yield on offer.

Strong passive income

The business decided to pay an annual dividend per share of 60 cents in FY26, the same as FY25.

At the time of writing, that dividend yield is 4.4% excluding franking credits and 5.7% including franking credits.

That's not the biggest dividend yield on the ASX, but it's a solid starting point for an ASX dividend stock, and I expect further growth as the company's funds under management (FUM) grow.

Strong funds under management performance

The company is performing strongly for shareholders, with total FY26 net inflows of $33.4 billion, up 44% year over year.

This enabled the business to report that aggregate affiliate FUM grew 28% to $229.4 billion. The rise in FUM helped aggregate affiliate base fees grow 35% to $1 billion.

Pinnacle also reported that net profit after tax (NPAT) grew 31% to $176.7 million and earnings per share (EPS) rose 25% to 78.1 cents.

Management believes that the business should be able to compound EPS at a high rate.

The company highlights that it's purposefully expanding into larger international markets, through a growing global affiliate presence, expanding its globally relevant product suite and increasing global distribution footprint.

I expect the business will be able to generate growth through ongoing performance of existing affiliate strategies, they can launch new strategies and the Pinnacle portfolio can expand with new names.

Pinnacle notes that 81% of affiliate strategies with a track record of five years or longer have outperformed over a five-year period.

Pinnacle share price valuation

The ASX dividend stock is now valued at less than 16x FY27's estimated earnings, according to forecast on Commsec.

The projection on Commsec then suggests the business could grow its EPS by 20% in FY28 and increase it by a further 21% in FY29. In other words, it's suggested that the business could deliver significant earnings compounding over the next few years, which is exactly what could drive the dividend higher.

The predictions suggest the business' dividend could grow by 70% between FY26 to FY29, which would be pleasing to see.

The post 1 ASX dividend stock down 47% I'd buy right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

After ending last week on a somewhat sour note, investors came back from the weekend with a bit of a spring in their steps this morning. That enthusiasm faded somewhat over the day, but the ASX 200 still managed to close 0.056% higher. That leaves the index at 9,010.9 points.

This lukewarm start to the Australian trading week followed a far more downbeat end to the American trading week on Friday night (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had a tough session, dropping 0.51%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) fared a little better, but still fell 0.29%.

But let's get back to this week and our local markets now for an examination of how the various ASX sectors performed this Monday.

Winners and losers

We had plenty of winners and losers today.

Leading the latter were tech shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) had an awful time of it today, plunging 2.6%.

Gold stocks were also out of favour, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) tanking 1.24%.

Utilities shares weren't much better. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) sank 0.99% this Monday.

Healthcare stocks weren't riding to the rescue either, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ)'s 0.81% dive.

Communications shares found themselves on the losing team as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) was clipped by 0.76%.

We could say something similar for consumer staples stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) drifting down 0.6%.

Its consumer discretionary counterpart was in a similar boat. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) lost 0.46% this session.

Our last red sector was real estate investment trusts (REITs), as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ)'s 0.06% slip.

Turning to the green sectors now, it was energy stocks that shone the brightest. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) surged 1.78% higher this Monday.

Mining shares were in demand too. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) enjoyed a 0.42% lift today.

Industrial stocks also fared well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) adding 0.2% to its total.

Finally, financial shares managed to close the day with a rise, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)'s 0.15% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Property stock Ingenia Communities Group (ASX: INA) was our top stock this Monday. Ingenia shares rocketed 14.79% higher today and closed at $4.19 each. This sharp surge was sparked by a takeover offer from a private equity firm.

Here's the rest of today's best:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

The Macquarie analysts have an outperform rating on Pinnacle and a bullish share price target, which I'll get to shortly.

First, let's have a look at what Pinnacle does.

Major investment manager

The investment manager owns substantial stakes in a number of funds, which themselves invest across a wide range of sectors.

For example, it owns a 49.9% stake in Hyperion Asset Management, which invests in global and Australian growth equities, and has a 35.9% stake in Palisade, which invests in private infrastructure.

The amount of funds under management in these so-called affiliates came in at $229.4 billion at the end of June this year, which was up 27.9% year on year.

Pinnacle has what it calls a Three Horizons growth strategy, which involves firstly growing the management side of the business, launching brand new affiliates, and also buying stakes in and growing other affiliates.

At the time of the company's FY26 financial report, Managing Director Ian Macoun said:

We continue to build Pinnacle to deliver sustained high rates of growth for many years into the future. Our distinct business model and Three Horizons growth strategy have built a highly diversified platform across asset classes, geographies and product formats. This platform has supported strong growth to date and provides multiple pathways for further growth, including in larger international markets where we have demonstrated that the Pinnacle model can operate successfully.

Mr Macoun said net inflows were robust across all three channels of the business.

Pinnacle's net profit for the year was $176.7 million, up from $134.4 million, and the company increased its dividend by 25% to 78.1 cents.

Broker says shares are looking cheap

Macquarie recently reviewed the quarterly performance of three of Pinnacle's affiliates, the Metrics Master Income Trust (ASX: MXT), the Metrics Income Opportunities Trust (ASX: MOT), and the Metrics Real Estate Multi-Strategy Fund (ASX: MRE).

The returns of these year on year came in at 8.21%, 7.38%, and 11.06% respectively, Macquarie said.

They said their outperform rating on Pinnacle shares reflects attractive organic growth supported by funds under management growth, net funds inflows, plus the potential for accretive mergers and acquisitions.

Macquarie has a price target of $23.95 for Pinnacle, compared with the current share price of $14.45.

Pinnacle is valued at $3.44 billion.

The post Macquarie says this ASX financial share could jump 65% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It's not often that one of the best businesses on the ASX trades a lot cheaper, but that's what has happened with Pinnacle.

What does Pinnacle do?

Pinnacle is involved in the investment sector – it takes stakes in investment managers and helps them grow.

It has an expanding portfolio of investment managers, with a recent focus on growth in the northern hemisphere.

Its portfolio includes Hyperion, Plato, Palisade, Resolution Capital, Solaris, Antipodes, Spheria, Firetrail, Metrics, LongWave, Riparian, Coolabah Capital, Aikya, Five V Capital, Langon, Life Cycle, Pacific Asset Management, VSS and Advantage Partners.

Aside from a track record of success, a key reason why independent fund managers would agree to a minority investment is that Pinnacle can take over certain services, allowing the fund manager to focus on investing rather than behind-the-scenes work.

Some of those services include seed funds under management (FUM), working capital, distribution and client services, fund administration, compliance, finance, legal, technology and so on.

In my view, this is the right time to invest in one of Australia's top shares amid a 40% decline since January 2025.

Strong underlying performance

With such a large decline, you'd think the business would not be reporting good growth numbers. However, it is still delivering solid underlying performance.

In its FY26 result, Pinnacle reported that aggregate affiliate FUM rose 13.3% to $229.4 billion, with net inflows of $33.4 billion for the year. Pleasingly, international FUM rose 45.6% year-over-year to $74.9 billion.

It also reported underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) rose 21% to $138 million and underlying earnings per share (EPS) grew 15% to 61 cents. The company's share of affiliate net profit rose by 5% to $136 million.

I think most of Australia's top shares would be happy with EPS growth of 15%, considering FY26 was a challenging year.

Solid dividend yield

Following the large decline of the Pinnacle share price, its dividend yield is now quite sizeable.

In FY26, it paid an annual dividend per share of 60 cents. That translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of around 5%, including franking credits. That's not the biggest dividend yield on the ASX, but it's a pleasing and consistent dividend.

I believe the payout can grow in the coming years as earnings increase.

Very appealing valuation as one of Australia's top shares

Following the significant decline of the Pinnacle share price, its valuation now looks very appealing to me considering its potential earnings growth outlook.

According to the projection on Commsec, the business could generate EPS of 87 cents in FY27. That means the business is trading at 17x FY27's estimated earnings. It's currently projected to see EPS growth of 20% in FY28 and 21% in FY29.

I think the business looks significantly undervalued, given its valuation and potential profit expansion.

The post A rare buying opportunity in 1 of Australia's top shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 expected to fall

The Australian share market looks set for a poor start to the week following a subdued session on Wall Street on Friday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 37 points or 0.4% lower. In the United States, the Dow Jones edged slightly lower, the S&P 500 fell 0.25%, and the Nasdaq dropped 0.5%.

Oil prices ease

It could be a subdued start to the week for ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) after oil prices eased on Friday night. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price was down 0.15% to US$83.40 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price was down 0.45% to US$88.10 a barrel. This was driven by news of some crude flows ​through the Strait of Hormuz.

Buy 4DMedical shares

4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) shares could be in the buy zone according to Bell Potter. This morning, in response to the healthcare technology company's results, the broker has retained its speculative buy rating and $6.00 price target. It said: "4DX enters FY27 with good momentum at large hospital groups in the US. We expect on going revenue traction throughout the course of the year. Maintain Buy (Speculative) rating."

Gold price sinks

It looks likely to be a poor start to the week for ASX 200 gold shares Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) after the gold price sank on Friday night. According to CNBC, the gold futures price was down 2.9% to US$4,529.9 an ounce. Traders were selling gold in response to increasing US rate hike bets.

ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend

A number of ASX 200 shares are going ex-dividend this morning and could trade lower. Among them are health and safety products company Ansell Ltd (ASX: ANN), mineral sands company Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX: ILU), investment management company Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI), and rail freight company Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ). The latter will be paying a 10.5 cents per share dividend to shareholders next month on 23 September.

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

Hundreds of S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) companies have announced their next dividends this month.

We're helping you keep track of ex-dividend dates with an article every Friday.

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

We've listed the dividend amounts investors will receive and when they'll receive them.

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

ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week

The post 37 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here's what's been piquing investor interest this week.

Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX)

At time of writing Westgold shares are changing hands for $5.59 apiece, putting this ASX 200 stock up 18.2% for the week.

The Aussie gold miner got a big boost on Wednesday, after announcing it was increasing the processing capacity at its Western Australian Cue processing hub from 1.4 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to 1.7 Mtpa by FY 2028, representing a 21% boost.

The miner expects this will enable it to increase gold production by some 15,000 ounces per year.

"Bigger mines need bigger mills," Westgold CEO Wayne Bramwell said.

He added:

This simple upgrade and modest capital investment at the Cue hub reflects a deliberate shift towards processing hub optimisation and expansion, with lower operating costs and higher cashflow the objective.

Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI)

The second ASX 200 stock storming higher on big news this week is financial services company Pinnacle Investment.

Pinnacle shares are currently trading for $18.74 each, up 17.3% since last Friday's close.

Investors bid up the Pinnacle share price following on the company's full year FY 2026 results release on Tuesday.

Highlights included a 28% year on year increase in aggregate funds under management (FUM) to $229.4 billion. That was supported by record net inflows of $33.4 billion, including retail and international inflows.

On the bottom line, Pinnacle shares got caught tailwinds with the company reporting FY 2026 underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) of $138.0 million, up 21%.

Commenting on the results, Pinnacle CEO Ian Macoun said:

We continue to build Pinnacle to deliver sustained high rates of growth for many years into the future. Our distinct business model and Three Horizons growth strategy have built a highly diversified platform across asset classes, geographies and product formats.

Which brings us to…

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

Neuren shares are currently trading at $22.39, which sees this ASX 200 stock up an impressive 24.2% for the week.

Shares in the ASX 200 biopharmaceutical company closed up 16.3% on Wednesday following the release of Neuren's second quarter (Q2 2026) update.

Investors were piling into the stock, with Neuren reporting a 24% quarter-on-quarter increase in net sales from its patented prescription drug DAYBUE to US$125 million.

This saw full calendar year 2026 DAYBUE net sales guidance increased to the range of US$480 to US$510 million.

"We are pleased to see an exceptional quarter for DAYBUE, with very strong sales volume growth reflecting the early success of [DAYBUE] STIX in the US," Neuren CEO Jon Pilcher said.

The post 3 ASX 200 stocks storming higher this week on big news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three that have received buy ratings are listed below. Here's why the broker is bullish on them:

Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX: AIS)

Morgans remains positive on this copper miner despite its capital expenditure guidance for FY 2027 coming in well ahead of expectations.

In response, the broker has retained its buy rating with an improved price target of 55 cents. It said:

FY27 guidance in line on production but capex of $280-343m was well above expectations on Constellation construction and stripping ahead of first ore in 3Q27. Elevated near-term Tritton capex funds the development of Constellation and Mallee Bull, underpinning higher-grade mill feed and a path to 30ktpa of copper production by FY30. Maintain BUY with a A$0.55ps target price (previously A$0.53ps).

Light & Wonder Inc (ASX: LNW)

Morgans was pleased with this gaming technology company's second-quarter update. It notes that earnings were ahead of expectations thanks to land-based gaming and iGaming.

As a result, its analysts have retained their buy rating on Light & Wonder's shares with an improved price target of $174.00. It commented:

Light & Wonder (LNW) delivered a better than feared 2Q26 result, beating expectations at the EPSA line, though a softer top line tempered the reaction with shares closing up 4% on the day. Growth in Land-based gaming and iGaming more than offset ongoing softness in SciPlay, but revenue still came in below expectations. The highlight was margin, where disciplined cost management and a favourable mix drove expansion across all three segments. 

We think most of that gain holds through the balance of the year, even as mix shifts toward lower-margin outright sales in a heavily fourth-quarter weighted finish. We forecast 6.3% growth in consolidated adjusted EBITDA in FY26, with 3Q and 4Q representing 26% and 28% of the full-year outcome, respectively. We maintain our BUY recommendation, with an increased target price of A$174.

Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI)

Finally, Morgans thinks that this investment management company could be an ASX share to buy despite its FY 2026 results falling short of expectations.

According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $23.41. It said:

PNI's FY26 underlying NPAT of A$138m (+21% on pcp) came in 7% below Factset consensus (A$148m) and 2% below MorgansF. Despite the headline result miss, we think PNI's FY26 underlying business performance was generally robust, with key business drivers like flows and AUM actually outperforming expectations.

Solid progress for PAM and Life Cycle also points to a positive trajectory for PNI's overseas expansion, in our view. Our FY27/FY28 NPAT forecasts are modestly revised down (-1% to -2%), although changes are slightly larger at EPS (-7%) due to a share count adjustment. Our price target falls to A$23.41 (previously A$23.94), with our earnings changes offset by a valuation roll-forward. Maintain BUY call with >20% upside to our price target.

The post Morgans names 3 ASX shares to buy now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

I've selected three new reports from Macquarie out this week, which identify stocks they think are undervalued at current levels.

Let's see who they like.

Pinnacle Investment Management Ltd (ASX: PNI)  

Pinnacle this week reported a net profit of $176.7 million, up 31% on the previous financial year, or $138 million, up 21%, if subtracting the impact of the company's acquisition of PAM.

The company declared a final dividend of 31 cents, bringing total dividends for the year to 60 cents, in line with FY25, and reported net inflows of funds under management of $33.4 billion for the year.

Pinnacle Managing Director Ian Macoun said:

We continue to build Pinnacle to deliver sustained high rates of growth for many years into the future. Our distinct business model and Three Horizons growth strategy have built a highly diversified platform across asset classes, geographies and product formats. This platform has supported strong growth to date and provides multiple pathways for further growth, including in larger international markets where we have demonstrated that the Pinnacle model can operate successfully.

Macquarie has an outperform rating on the stock, citing attractive organic growth and potential accretive M&A.

The broker has a price target of $23.95 for the stock, compared with $19.53 currently.

Pexa Ltd (ASX: PXA)

Pexa shares are down 52.3% over the past 12 months, begging the question: Is it time for a recovery?

Macquarie has done an analysis ahead of the property settlement technology company's results, and said that settlement activity in New South Wales was down sharply in July, falling 11.6% compared to the same month in 2025.

Macquarie is still forecasting that more Tier-1 lenders will take up the use of the platform however, and have left their share price target for Pexa unchanged at $14.85, compared to $7.66 currently.

Pexa is scheduled to report its full-year results on 28 August.

Light & Wonder Inc (ASX: LNW)

Light & Wonder shares are also down over the past 12 months, losing 12.8% in value.

The company recently reported that net profit had increased 26% to US$120 million, with revenue up 2% to US$828 million.

The company said:

We continue to enhance our quality of earnings through a deliberate strategy to improve revenue quality, focusing on growing recurring revenue. Gaming operations, Grover and iGaming represented the primary growth drivers, each delivering double-digit year-over-year revenue increases, supported by continued operational momentum and content strength.

Macquarie reduced its price target from $200 to $180 on the back of the results, but this is still well above the current level of $118.98.

The post Macquarie says these 3 ASX 200 stocks can return 38% to 93% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

After some mid-morning jitters, investors regained their confidence in afternoon trading and pushed the index up decisively to a new record high. Yep, the ASX 200 clocked a new record of 9,230 points this afternoon before closing at 9,227.8 points, up 0.9% for the day, by market close.

This exuberant hump day on our local markets comes after an equally excited night on the American bourse.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had another breakout session, gaining 1.71%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was even giddier, rising a massive 2.59%.

But let's return to ASX shares now and examine how today's jubilation on the markets cascaded down into the different ASX sectors.

Winners and losers

Despite today's new records, there were still some sectors that weren't invited to the party.

The most conspicuous of those were energy shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) was left out in the cold today, crashing 2.22% lower.

Utilities stocks weren't popular either, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) plunging 1.62%.

Communications shares missed out as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) took a 0.59% dive this session.

Financial stocks missed out too, evident by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)'s 0.44% slide.

Our last losers this Wednesday were consumer staples shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) ended up slipping 0.31%.

Let's turn to the winners now. Gold stocks shone the brightest, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) exploding 6.42% higher.

Broader mining shares weren't forgotten. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) soared up 3.56% today.

Tech stocks had a day to remember as well, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ)'s 2.51% spike.

Healthcare shares showed off their vitality, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) surged up 1.7%.

Industrial stocks didn't miss out either, with the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) leaping 1.01%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) got an invite to the ASX party. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) galloped 0.79% higher this hump day.

Finally, consumer discretionary shares found plenty of buyers, as you can tell from the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)'s 0.74% lift.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Healthcare stock Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU) was our best performer out of a long line of hefty winners this Wednesday. Neuren shares rocketed a whopping 16.28% higher today to finish at $21.64 each.

This came after the company released some pleasing quarterly numbers.

Here's how the other top stocks tied up at the dock: 

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

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

ASX 200 to rise again

The Australian share market looks set for another good session on Wednesday following a mixed night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 23 points or 0.25% higher. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 1.9%, the S&P 500 is up 1.9%, and the Nasdaq is 2.8% higher.

Oil prices sink again

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a tough session on Wednesday after oil prices sank again overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 5.7% to US$75.79 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 5.2% to US$79.42 a barrel. Traders were selling oil in response to reports that the US and Iran could sign a Strait of Hormuz deal this week.

Buy Life360 shares 

Bell Potter thinks Life360 Inc. (ASX: 360) shares are a top pick for Aussie investors right now. This morning, the broker retained its buy rating and $35.00 price target on this location technology company's shares. It said: "We see the stock as reasonable value trading on a 2027 EV/EBITDA multiple of c.25x which is a discount to the Technology One multiple of c.29x. We believe Life360 deserves to trade on a similar if not higher multiple than Technology One given it is global, a market leader and has higher forecast earnings growth over the next few years."

Gold price rises

ASX 200 gold shares including Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a good session on Wednesday after the gold price charged higher. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 1.15% to US$4,137.4 an ounce. Lower oil prices have reduced US interest rate hike expectations.

Pinnacle FY 2026 results

Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI) shares will be on watch on Wednesday after the investment management company released its FY 2026 results. The company reported underlying NPAT (before one-offs) of $138 million, which is up 21% on the prior corresponding period. This allowed Pinnacle to declare a 65% franked final dividend of 31 cents per share.

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

What did Pinnacle Investment Management Group report?

• Statutory NPAT attributable to shareholders of $176.7 million, up 31% on FY25
• Underlying NPAT (excluding one-offs) of $138.0 million, up 21%
• Diluted EPS of 78.1 cents, up 25%; underlying EPS of 61.0 cents, up 15%
• Final dividend of 31.0 cents per share, franked to 65%; full-year dividends steady at 60.0 cents a share, franked at 72%
• Aggregate funds under management (FUM) of $229.4 billion at 30 June 2026, up 28% over the past year
• Record net inflows of $33.4 billion in FY26, including strong retail and international flows

What else do investors need to know?

Pinnacle's year saw not just robust earnings, but major platform growth. The group increased its stake in Pacific Asset Management (PAM) to 100%, with consolidation strengthening international reach and operational scale. Affiliated managers continued their track record of investment outperformance, with 81% of affiliate strategies beating their benchmarks over five years.

The business also completed new strategic investments—including an initial stake in Japan's Advantage Partners—and PAM agreed to acquire UK specialist Asset Value Investors (AVI) to broaden its global offering. Investment in new people and listed product development remained a priority, especially to drive future opportunities offshore.

What did Pinnacle Investment Management Group management say?

Pinnacle's Managing Director and CEO, Ian Macoun, said:

We continue to build Pinnacle to deliver sustained high rates of growth for many years into the future. Our distinct business model and Three Horizons growth strategy have built a highly diversified platform across asset classes, geographies and product formats. This platform has supported strong growth to date and provides multiple pathways for further growth, including in larger international markets where we have demonstrated that the Pinnacle model can operate successfully. During FY26, we saw that deliberate diversification working both at the Pinnacle and Affiliate levels. Net inflows were robust across all three channels.

The performance fee outcome was meaningful despite significant shifts in performance across asset classes and styles, demonstrating that performance fees can contribute significantly each year across cycles. During FY26, we were delighted to deepen our partnership with PAM by moving to full ownership. PAM is strongly aligned with our 'supported independence' philosophy and shares our belief in quality active management. Its high-calibre leadership team has built an impressive platform, underpinned by advanced technology. Together, Pinnacle and PAM create a larger and more flexible global distribution capability which expands both the scale of our offshore opportunity and certainty of its execution.

What's next for Pinnacle Investment Management Group?

Looking ahead, Pinnacle intends to build further on its expanding affiliate base and distribution capability, particularly offshore. The newly consolidated relationship with PAM and the pending AVI acquisition are expected to enhance its international funds management platform and drive new flows.

Management flagged "cautious optimism," noting that the group enters FY27 with higher starting FUM and a distribution platform positioned for further growth. Ongoing investment in people, digital marketing, and product innovation are likely to remain front and centre of its strategy. The balance sheet retains flexibility to fund additional expansion as opportunities arise.

Pinnacle Investment Management Group share price snapshot

The Pinnacle Investment Management Group share price has underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months. During this time, Pinnacle shares have fallen by around 20%.

View Original Announcement

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That leaves the index at 9,145.8 points, its highest level since late February.

This delightful day on the Australian markets followed a euphoric start to the American trading week, up on Wall Street last night.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was on fire, banking a 1.32% rise.

Meanwhile, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) climbed even higher, gaining a happy 2.13%.

But let's get back to our local markets now and take stock of how today's optimism filtered down across the various ASX sectors.

Winners and losers

Today's gains were almost evenly distributed, with only one corner of the market missing out.

That unlucky sector was utilities stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) was left out in the cold, tumbling 0.42%.

But it was all gravy everywhere else.

Leading the winners were tech shares, with the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) rocketing 3.93%.

Healthcare stocks ran hot as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) recorded a 2.36% surge in value this Tuesday.

Financial shares were also in high demand, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)'s 1.93% pole vault.

Gold stocks didn't miss out. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) soared 1.88% higher today.

Nor did communications shares, with the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) galloping up 1.63%.

Next came real estate investment trusts (REITs). The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) saw a 1.39% spike this session.

Mining stocks overcame an early dip to finish comfortably higher, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ)'s 1.08% lift.

Industrial shares joined the party, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) finished the day 1.04% higher.

Energy stocks were at the party as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) adding 0.74% to its total.

Consumer discretionary shares managed to stay on investors' good side. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) advanced 0.21% this Tuesday.

Finally, we can say something similar for its consumer staples counterpart, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ)'s 0.15% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Defence stock DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) was our winner this Tuesday, beating out some stiff competition. DroneShield shares exploded 14.6% higher today, closing at $2.08 each.

This may have been a rebound move following the company's exceedingly rough July.

Here's how the other winners pulled up at the kerb: 

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

We're going to look at two businesses where experts expect the share price could rise by at least 40% in the next year.

A price target tells us where analysts think the share price will be in 12 months from the time of the investment rating.

Let's dive into the exciting potential of the two stocks below.

Centuria Capital Group (ASX: CNI)

Centuria is one of the leading property fund managers in Australia.

According to CMC Invest, there have been seven ratings on the business in the last three months, with three buy, three hold, and one sell.

The average price target of those seven ratings on Centuria Capital is $2.14. That translates into a projected rise of 44% over the next year.

The ASX share offers a wide range of strategies for clients to put their money towards, including industrial properties, office, real estate finance, large format retail, healthcare, agriculture, daily needs retail, investment bonds and data centres.

Centuria regularly wins new investment mandates, which can help attract new funds under management (FUM). For example, it recently launched the $454 million Sydney CBD Prime Office Fund.

According to the projection on CMC Invest, Centuria Capital is now valued at 11x FY26's estimated earnings. I think this could be a good time to invest while higher interest rates are a headwind on the business and the valuation.

Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI)

Pinnacle is another ASX share that has significant capital growth potential, according to analysts.

The business partners with leading fund managers to help them grow. Pinnacle takes a sizeable minority stake in the fund management business and lets them focus on investing by providing behind-the-scenes services such as seed FUM and working capital, distribution and client services, compliance, finance, legal, technology, and more.

According to CMC Invest, there have been six analyst ratings on the business in the last three months, with five buys and one hold. The average price target of those six ratings is $22.39, suggesting a possible rise of 47% over the next year.

The strong investment performance of the fund managers – such as Antipodes, Coolabah, Hyperion and Spheria – is a strong tailwind for the ASX share's aggregate FUM, while also helping attract additional FUM from clients.

Excluding acquired FUM, Pinnacle has seen FUM rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20% over the five years to 31 December 2025.

According to the projection on CMC Invest, the Pinnacle share price is valued at less than 18x FY27's estimated earnings.

The post 2 ASX shares tipped to grow 40% or more in the next 12 months appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) enjoyed its second positive trading day of the week so far this Tuesday, although it was a close call.

After yesterday's euphoric session, investors were far more downbeat this morning, with the ASX 200 opening sharply lower. However, the index recovered over the rest of the day, and eventually finished up 0.042% at 8,917.7 points.

This cautious day for Australian investors comes after an excited start to the American trading week on Wall Street last night.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in fine form, rising 0.92%.

But the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was off to the races, rocketing a hefty 3.07%.

Let's return to the local markets now and take stock of what the different ASX sectors were up to today amid our middling trading conditions.

Winners and losers

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

That's because the broker has named one dividend stock that it believes could be in the buy zone right now.

Which ASX 200 dividend stock?

The stock that could be a buy according to Ord Minnett is Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI).

It is a financial services company that provides distribution services, business support, and entity services to affiliates, and develops and operates investment management businesses.

Ord Minnett wasn't overly impressed with the ASX 200 dividend stock's performance during the third quarter. It said:

Pinnacle Investment Management's March-quarter FY26 update missed our forecasts, with portfolio underperformance the primary driver although this was largely expected by the market. Fund inflows were robust at $9.4 billion in the quarter, as momentum continued despite market wobbles, even if those wobbles had a negative impact of $8.6 billion, leaving growth in total funds under management (FUM) up just 0.4% in the quarter.

Of the $59.6 billion of FUM where performance fees can be earned, around 60% of these were at their high-water mark (HWM) threshold where fees can be charged, while another 22% of FUM is within 2% of their HWM.

But it wasn't all bad news. Ord Minnett picked out a few positives. It adds:

Flows into the highly attractive core global equities funds, including the Life Cycle and Plato offerings, and alternative fixed-income products, including the Coolabah offerings, were described as "robust". Pinnacle said there was "strong demand" for these products, including both fundamental core and systematic core portfolios, and also noted that AI was a "central theme" across all asset classes.

The fund manager has taken the opportunity to acquire a further 6.8% stake in Metrics for $100.5 million from a retiring co-founder of the business, a strong endorsement by Pinnacle management in the performance and growth outlook for the business. In addition, the Advantage Partners affiliate has raised a Japan Buyout fund, with an expected size of $2.5–3.0 billion, which closed in April.

Buy recommendation

According to the note, Ord Minnett has put a buy rating and $22.10 price target on the ASX 200 dividend stock.

Based on its current share price of $15.56, this implies potential upside of 42% for investors over the next 12 months.

In addition, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of 60 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 77 cents per share in FY 2027. This equates to dividend yields of 3.9% and 4.9%, respectively.

The post Why Ord Minnett rates this ASX 200 dividend stock as a buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.