It was a shockingly painful day for investors, with the ASX 200 opening sharply lower and staying that way all session. By the time trading wrapped up, the index had plunged by a painful 1.65% down to 8,497.8 points.

This horrid Thursday session for Australian investors comes after a similarly dire morning on Wall Street.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was slammed, dropping 1.63%.

Things were only slightly better for the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC), which fell 1.46%.

But let's grit our teeth and return to the local markets now for an autopsy of today's trading, so we can see which of the various ASX sectors were hardest hit today.

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

Let's see what they are saying about these shares, courtesy of The Bull. Here's what you need to know:

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

The team at Red Leaf Securities is bearish on this Mexican quick service restaurant operator and has named it as a sell this week.

It feels that the company's shares are expensive, especially given how much value the market is placing on its ambitious global expansion. It explains:

GYG is a Mexican themed restaurant chain. We retain a sell rating despite Australian brand strength. Expansion in the United States is in its early stages and carries execution risk. Challenges include increasing labour costs, operating costs and competition.

Revenue and profit growth were overshadowed by share price weakness after the company released its first half result in fiscal year 2026 on February 20. In our view, investors are paying a premium for ambitious long term store targets. In a higher cost-of-capital environment, the valuation leaves little margin for error.

Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN)

Another ASX share that Red Leaf Securities has been looking at is insurance giant Suncorp.

It has concerns that the company's margins have peaked and believes it could be vulnerable to competitive pricing pressure. As a result, it has named Suncorp shares as a sell. It explains:

Suncorp provides insurance products and services. While premium rate increases have helped, we believe margin expansion is peaking. Earnings are exposed to claims inflation, natural catastrophe volatility and regulatory scrutiny. Half year results to December 31, 2025 highlighted these risks. Profit after tax of $263 million was down from $1.1 billion in the prior corresponding period.

Cash earnings were hit by higher natural hazard costs and the interim dividend was reduced. Much of the recent improvement reflects cyclical conditions rather than structural change. In our view, the valuation is vulnerable given competitive pricing pressure and rising affordability concerns.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

Over at EnviroInvest, its analysts think that Worley shares are a buy.

They like the engineering services company due to its exposure to sustainability and energy transition work. EnviroInvest said:

Worley provides engineering and project services across energy, chemicals and resources. Aggregated revenue of $6.3 billion in the first half of fiscal year 2026 was up 5.4 per cent on the prior corresponding period. Underlying earnings before interest, tax and amortisation of $377 million was up 0.3 per cent. More than half of new awards were linked to sustainability and energy transition work. Legacy hydrocarbons exposure remains, but capital is increasingly directed to low carbon infrastructure.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Guzman Y Gomez, Worley, and Suncorp shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Cettire Ltd (ASX: CTT)

The Cettire share price is down 24% to 34 cents. Investors have been selling this online fashion retailer's shares amid concerns that it could go bust. This morning, Cettire reported a modest decline in sales revenue to $382.8 million and a net loss of $1.1 million. The company also included a going concern statement in its financial accounts, acknowledging a major net current asset deficiency. It said: "The net current asset deficiency and the net loss after tax for the current period gives rise to a material uncertainty in relation to going concern that may cast significant doubt on the Group's ability to continue as a going concern and to realise its assets and settle its liabilities in the ordinary course of business. Despite these material uncertainties, the directors have considered the performance and position of the Group and consider that the going concern basis is appropriate."

Objective Corporation Ltd (ASX: OCL)

The Objective Corporation share price is down 7% to $12.91. This follows the release of the information technology software and services provider's half-year results. Objective Corp posted a 9% lift in revenue to $66.7 million and a 10% increase in net profit after tax to $18.7 million. The company also revealed annualised recurring revenue (ARR) growth of 12% to $120 million. However, this is short of its 15% ARR target.

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN)

The Qantas share price is down 9% to $9.71. This is despite the airline operator releasing its half-year results and revealing a profit before tax ahead of consensus expectations. Thanks to growth across the business, Qantas delivered a 6.3% increase in revenue to $12.9 billion. This underpinned a 5.1% increase in underlying profit before tax to $1,456 million, which was around 2% ahead of consensus estimates. A fully franked interim dividend of 19.8 cents per share was declared. This is up 20% on the prior corresponding period.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

The Worley share price is down 10% to $11.77. This morning, the professional services company reported aggregated half-year revenue of $6,312 million, up 5.4% on the prior corresponding period. However, underlying NPATA was down 4.2% to $207 million and statutory NPATA was down 29.6% to $152 million.

The post Why Cettire, Objective Corp, Qantas, and Worley shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

What did Worley report?

• Aggregated revenue of $6,312 million, up 5.4% on the prior corresponding period
• Underlying EBITA rose 0.3% to $377 million; underlying EBITA margin excluding procurement increased to 8.8%
• Underlying NPATA of $207 million, down 4.2%; statutory NPATA of $152 million, down 29.6%
• Interim dividend of 25 cents per share declared (unfranked)
• Normalised cash conversion ratio of 95.5%
• Backlog of $16.7 billion with bookings of $9.8 billion, up 63% on previous half

What else do investors need to know?

Worley continues to benefit from its global reach and growing presence across energy, resources, and chemicals, with energy now contributing half of aggregated revenue and resources showing the strongest growth. The company is actively managing its cost base, incurring $82 million in transformation expenses this half, and expects annual cost savings of over $100 million from FY27.

A $324 million on-market share buy-back has been completed since March 2025, reflecting strong capital management and confidence in future prospects. The Board also reaffirmed its commitment to returning capital to shareholders via the interim dividend.

Bookings for major projects reached a record $9.8 billion, supported by recent wins across LNG, carbon capture, mining, and energy infrastructure. Worley's healthy $16.7 billion backlog and a robust pipeline of future opportunities underpin management's confidence in delivering stable earnings.

What did Worley management say?

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Chris Ashton commented:

Solid revenue growth and resilient earnings define this result. Worley continues to win the confidence of our customers as their capital investments adjust to global conditions. These results show once again our adaptability in the face of dynamic markets.

What's next for Worley?

Looking to FY26, management is targeting moderate growth in both aggregated revenue and underlying EBITA, with a focus on higher-margin work and expanding end-to-end project delivery. The company expects its transformation and restructuring initiatives to yield material cost savings from FY27, further strengthening earnings resilience.

Worley is also set to pursue opportunities in growth markets beyond its traditional energy, chemicals, and resources base—supported by digital innovation and the scale of its integrated global operations.

Worley share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Worley shares have declined 17%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 11% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Worley posts HY26 results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the Worley share price is up 1.90% to $13.39. That extends a solid start to the year, with the stock now up around 7% in 2026 as investors respond to fresh contract momentum.

By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up a modest 2% this year.

Let's take a closer look at what management updated the market with.

What Worley announced today

In an ASX release, Worley said it has been selected by Samsung C&T Corporation to deliver detailed engineering services. The work relates to the QatarEnergy LNG Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Project in Qatar.

The project is designed to permanently store around 4.3 million metric tonnes of CO2 per year. Once operational, it will form a key part of Qatar's broader push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions linked to LNG production.

Under the agreement, Worley will provide detailed engineering services, building on its earlier front end engineering design work for the project. Execution will be led out of Worley's Qatar office, supported by its Global Integrated Delivery centre in India and additional teams in Australia.

Management described the award as a significant milestone and highlighted its growing credentials in carbon capture and storage.

Why Worley shares moved today

While no contract value was disclosed, the project is still an important win.

Carbon capture and sequestration is one of the fastest-growing areas of the energy transition. It is particularly important for LNG exporting nations looking to decarbonise existing assets without replacing them.

Securing follow-on work after front end engineering is also vital. It increases the likelihood of additional scopes as the project moves into later stages.

How this fits into Worley's long-term strategy

Worley continues to operate across both traditional energy and decarbonisation markets.

The group remains heavily exposed to LNG, oil and gas, and chemicals, while steadily increasing its footprint in carbon capture, hydrogen, and sustainability-related projects. This mix has supported earnings through volatile capital spending cycles across the resources sector.

What investors should watch next

Focus now shifts to the pace of revenue and cash flow conversion from new and existing projects.

Backlog trends, margin performance, and capital management will remain the key variables to monitor through the remainder of the year. Any updates around project execution or further contract awards will help shape expectations heading into upcoming results.

The post Worley shares climb after Middle East contract win appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

What did Argo Investments Limited report?

• Half-year profit: $130.8 million, up from $121.2 million last year
• Earnings per share: 17.2 cents, up from 15.9 cents
• Interim dividend: 18.5 cents per share (fully franked), up 8.8%
• Management expense ratio: 0.14%, improved from 0.15%
• Grossed-up annual yield: 6.1% based on the last closing share price

What else do investors need to know?

Argo's investment revenue from its portfolio was flat over the half, but profit was lifted by trading and options income. The company has boosted its fully franked dividend by 37.5% over the past five years, maintaining 100% franking even throughout volatile market conditions.

During the period, Argo made some notable investment changes, adding CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Amcor (ASX: AMC), Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR), Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) , Generation Development Group Ltd (ASX: GDG), and Clarity Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: CU6), while selling all shares in Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS) and GPT Group (ASX: GPT). The total number of portfolio stocks decreased slightly from 85 to 83.

What did Argo Investments management say?

Managing Director Jason Beddow said:

We considered it appropriate to meaningfully increase the interim dividend. The Board is committed to sustainably growing Argo's fully franked dividends.

What's next for Argo Investments?

Looking ahead, Argo noted the outlook remains highly uncertain given ongoing geopolitical risks and shifting monetary policy, including higher Australian interest rates. The team highlighted Australia's structural advantages, particularly in resources and critical minerals.

Argo plans to keep its diversified approach, spanning more than 80 ASX-listed companies. The company says it aims to provide shareholders with reliable income and long-term capital growth, even through volatile markets.

Argo Investments share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Argo Investments shares have risen 1%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 3% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Argo Investments reports record profit and dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, Worley shares are down 1.12% to $13.23, with investors appearing cautious as they digest the announcement. By comparison, the broader S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is currently down 0.2%.

Let's take a closer look.

What Worley announced today

In an ASX release, Worley confirmed it has signed a reimbursable engineering, procurement, and construction contract for Phase 2 of Venture Global's CP2 project.

CP2 is a large-scale liquefied natural gas development in Louisiana and is regarded as strategically important to global energy supply.

Worley said the Phase 2 scope supports Venture Global's progression toward final investment decision (FID) and eventual project execution. The work builds on Worley's existing involvement in CP2 following earlier engineering activities.

Execution will be led out of Worley's Houston, Baton Rouge, and Reading offices, supported by its global integrated delivery team.

Chief Executive Chris Ashton said the project highlights Worley's ability to deliver complex, large-scale energy infrastructure and reinforces its long-standing relationship with Venture Global.

Why the share price moved lower

New contract wins are usually a positive, but the market response this time has been more restrained.

That caution likely reflects the nature of the work involved. Reimbursable EPC contracts can add revenue, but margin uplift is usually limited.

There was also no contract value disclosed. Without a dollar figure attached, it is difficult to assess the near-term impact.

Timing may be another factor. With Worley due to report its half-year results on Thursday, 26 February, some investors may be choosing to wait. A broader update on margins, cash flow, and backlog could provide clearer direction.

The bigger picture for Worley

Despite today's pullback, Worley remains well-positioned across energy, chemicals, and resources markets.

The company continues to secure work across LNG, hydrogen, and decarbonisation, giving it exposure to both traditional energy and the energy transition. Its global delivery model and diversified client base have helped smooth earnings through recent volatility.

Investors will be particularly focused on how backlog converts to cash and whether margins continue to hold up as project activity lifts.

What to watch next

The next key catalyst is Worley's half-year results later this month. Any update on margin trends, cash flow, or backlog quality could have a bigger influence on the share price than today's announcement.

Progress at CP2 toward final investment decision will also be closely watched, as that could unlock further work scopes over time.

The post This ASX 200 stock is dipping lower despite positive news. Here's what's behind it 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 post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Speaking at the company's annual general meeting held on Thursday this week, chief executive officer Chris Ashton said Worley had delivered a strong result in FY25, "in a complex global environment marked by economic and political shifts which impacted our customers' investment decisions''.

He went on to say:

Our result reflects the fourth year of consistent growth in revenue, earnings and margin through the disciplined execution of our strategy.

Steady growth the target

The company's strategy going forward, he said was defined by the three pillars of strengthen, expand and innovate.

Worley, Mr Ashton said, was also not seeking to chase large "lump-sum" projects, preferring to secure longer-term, sustainable work.

Our overall mix of work is anchored in lower-risk reimbursable contract models. This is deliberate. It supports our quality of earnings, protects downside and aligns our incentives with our customers' success.

On the outlook for the current year, Mr Ashton said, as previously announced in August, the company was expecting "moderate growth", with more work weighted to the second half of the year than was usual.

We're targeting higher growth in revenue than FY25 and growth in underlying EBITA. Whilst we continue to operate in a challenging environment, we remain confident in the strength of our diversified business model, global scale and capability, and market trends which continue to support medium to long-term growth.

Shares looking cheap

The Macquarie team have had a look at Worley's projections, and believe the shares look like good value buying at the moment.

The Macquarie analysts said it was encouraging that there were buoyant conditions flagged in the areas of resources and liquefied natural gas, and said "we think (the) US power sector is prospective and AI adoption could provide market upside".

Macquarie now has a $15.75 price target for Worley shares (reduced from $16), compared with the close of $13.22 on Thursday.

Factoring in dividends this would equate to a total shareholder return of 22.8% if that share price were achieved.

Worley narrowly avoided recording a first strike vote against its remuneration report at Thursday's AGM, with 20.3% of votes cast going against its adoption, where 25% equates to a first strike under Australia corporations law.

The post Macquarie tips 23% upside for this ASX 200 stock appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is down a further 4% to $1.90. This morning, the counter drone technology company responded to an ASX Aware Letter. The company was asked to explain recent share sales and the accidental release of announcement. With respect to the latter, DroneShield revealed that it is working on implementing new ERP and CRM platforms, due to go live in early 2026, to strengthen operational controls and reporting quality.

GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG)

The GQG Partners share price is down over 4% to $1.55. Investors have been selling this fund manager's shares despite there being no news out of it today. However, it is worth noting that GQG Partners has been avoiding certain areas of the market due to concerns over an AI bubble. So, with Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) delivering a stronger than expected update this morning, the market may believe that GQG Partners' underperformance will continue in the near term.

Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG)

The Origin Energy share price is down almost 3% to $11.47. This may have been driven by improving investor sentiment, which has led to investors flooding back into higher risk areas of the market like the tech sector. Given that Origin Energy is seen as a safe haven option by many investors, they could be rotating out of it during today's session.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

The Worley share price is down 4% to $13.11. This follows the release of the engineering services company's annual general meeting update this morning. While management has reaffirmed its guidance for FY 2026, it warned that it would be weighted more than normal to the second half of the year. Its CEO, Chris Ashton, said: "For this financial year, we expect earnings to be weighted more heavily to the second half. We typically experience seasonality in our revenue and earnings profile, but in FY2026 this weighting to the second half for earnings is expected to be more pronounced than in prior years. This reflects the impact of non-material project cancellations, but primarily the significant work that we're doing to re-position capability in areas of higher demand, transform the way we work and to reset our cost base."

The post Why DroneShield, GQG Partners, Origin Energy, and Worley shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

What did Worley report in FY25?

• Aggregated revenue rose 4% to $12,050 million for FY2025
• Underlying EBITA increased 10% to $823 million
• EBITA margin (excluding procurement) improved to 9.2%
• NPATA reached $475 million
• Normalized cash conversion stood at 94.9%
• Final dividend maintained at 50 cents per share, unchanged on prior years

What else do investors need to know?

Worley's diversification—with around 50% of revenue from Energy, 24% from Chemicals, and 26% from Resources—helped soften the impact of challenging global conditions. The company continued its disciplined capital management, spending $269 million so far in an on-market share buy-back program of up to $500 million, reflecting ongoing Board confidence in Worley's financial health.

Sustainability remained core to Worley's strategy, with 60% of aggregated FY2025 revenue linked to sustainability-related projects. The business also delivered major projects across LNG, critical minerals, and renewable fuels, and used technology and AI to improve delivery on complex, global contracts. Leadership changes included a new CFO and board renewals to support the company's next phase of growth.

What did Worley management say?

Chris Ashton, CEO and Managing Director said:

We delivered another strong result in FY2025, in a complex global operating environment marked by economic and political shifts which impacted our customers' investment decisions. Our result reflects the fourth year of consistent growth in revenue, earnings and margin through the disciplined execution of our strategy.

What's next for Worley?

Looking ahead, Worley expects moderate growth for FY2026, with a focus on higher revenue and underlying EBITA. The company's earnings are anticipated to be weighted more towards the second half, reflecting seasonality, targeted restructuring, and continued repositioning for areas of high demand and technology-driven growth. Management has revealed plans to unveil a refreshed strategy, targeting new adjacencies and further AI adoption, at its next Investor Day in May 2026.

Worley says it remains guided by disciplined contract selection, a commitment to sustainability, and ongoing improvement in diversity and inclusion. The leadership team is working to ensure strong foundations for long-term growth while continuing to support customers as the energy, chemicals, and resources landscape evolves.

Worley share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Worley shares have declined 4%, underperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Worley holds AGM after growing revenue and maintaining its dividend in FY25 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This was widely anticipated, with the markets pricing just a 7% chance of a rate cut today after inflation spiked in the September quarter.

In a statement, the RBA said:

The recent data on inflation suggest that some inflationary pressure may remain in the economy.

With private demand recovering and labour market conditions still appearing a little tight, the Board decided that it was appropriate to maintain the cash rate at its current level at this meeting.

Financial conditions have eased since the beginning of the year, but it will take some time to see the full effects of earlier cash rate reductions.

At the time of writing, ASX 200 shares are down 0.63% at 8,839.3 points.

Newly upgraded ASX 200 shares to buy

The following ASX 200 shares were upgraded to a 'strong buy' consensus rating on the CommSec platform in October.

A consensus rating is the average rating based on a number of analysts' opinions.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP)

The Zip share price is $3.88, down 1.65% on Tuesday.

The ASX 200 financials share is up 30% in the year to date.

Macquarie has just initiated coverage on the buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider with a buy rating.

The broker has a 12-month share price target of $4.85 on Zip.

Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX)

The Westgold Resources share price is currently $5.34, up 0.47%.

The ASX gold share is up 85% in the year to date.

Like all ASX 200 gold shares, Westgold has benefitted from the soaring gold price over the past two years.

Macquarie has an outperform rating on Westgold Resources shares with a 12-month price target of $7.40.

French bank Societe Generale SA predicts the gold price will reach US$5,000 per ounce by the end of next year.

NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

The NEXTDC share price is $16.51, up 4.4% today.

The ASX technology share is up 10% in the year to date.

Macquarie is among the brokers recommending that investors buy NEXTDC shares.

The broker has a price target of $20.90 on NEXTDC shares.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

The Worley share price is $14.10, down 0.95%.

The ASX 200 industrials share is up 3.2% in the year to date.

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

The Telix Pharmaceuticals share price is currently $15.78, down 0.2% on Tuesday.

The ASX 200 healthcare share is down 34% in the year to date.

Bell Potter has a buy rating on the radiopharmaceuticals company with a price target of $23.

Orica Ltd (ASX: ORI)

The Orica share price is $22.34, up 0.9% on Tuesday.

The ASX 200 materials share is up 35% in the year to date.

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL)

The Aristocrat share price is $63.37, down 1.1% on Tuesday.

The ASX consumer discretionary share is down 8% in the year to date.

Macquarie has an outperform rating on Aristocrat with a share price target of $75.

The post 7 ASX 200 shares upgraded to strong buy ratings appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Worley is a diversified contractor with its work spread across the energy, chemicals, and resources sectors. It's also diversified geographically, with about 44% of revenue coming from the Americas, plus plenty of work for the major miners back home here in Australia.

The company in August delivered underlying earnings growth of 10% to $823 million, and managing director Chris Ashton said at the time that the macroeconomic trends "driving medium to long-term demand in end markets remain strong and underpin a healthy pipeline of future opportunities''.

He also said more than half of the company's revenue came from lower-risk professional services contracts, and that Worley would not seek to bid on major, competitively-bid projects.  

Pipeline of work strong

More recently, the company announced two major contract wins this month, with the latest a project with Rio Tinto at its Australian iron ore operations, building on the two companies' 25-year relationship.

Earlier in the month, Worley announced it had been awarded a contract by ExxonMobil for a major reconfiguration of its Baytown complex in Texas.

Valuation looking cheap

The team at Macquarie recently ran the ruler over Worley, and said the company's share price "continues to lag traditional valuation measures'', with the company trading at a discount to its peers.

This reflected a mixed macroeconomic environment, the Macquarie team said, with tariffs and their cost impacts having an impact on project investment decisions, as well as oil price weakness factoring in.

But they said contract awards should start to pick up over the next six to 12 months as the market adjusted to the tariff settings in the US, "and with buoyant end market conditions in LNG & resource markets".

The Macquarie team said Worley has a good depth of experience in the US energy market, which puts it in a good position as data centre builds continue to increase.

As they write:

Worley has a long history in the US power sector including via its 2004 Parsons acquisition and is well placed to provide power solutions to data centres and more broadly.  

Macqaurie has a price target of $16 on Worley shares, compared with Wednesday's close of $14.30.

Once dividends are factored in, they are expecting a total shareholder return from Worley shares over the next year of 15.3%.

The post Macquarie tips 15% upside for this ASX 200 stock appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Of course, returns are not guaranteed. But, with the right business, a good valuation with a well-liked business could be an exciting investment.

While the two businesses below are not the biggest or the fastest-growing names, there are numerous buy ratings on them. Let's take a look.

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)

According to a CommSec collation of analyst ratings, there are currently ten buy ratings on this business. Aussie Broadband says it has more than 1 million services, operates two tier 1 voice providers in Australia, and owns fibre infrastructure. In FY25, it had a market share of 8.4% of NBN services.

In its recent AGM trading update, it said that it's seeing encouraging net new connections growth of approximately 22,600 in the financial year to date, after a round of annual price changes and increased market activity around the NBN speed upgrades.

Aussie Broadband has seen a significant acceleration in net connections growth since mid-September. The company has recently signed five-year deals with both Accor Hotels and Bakers Delight.

The ASX share is expecting operating profit (EBITDA) of between $55 million and $60 million, reflecting growth of between 14% to 21%, demonstrating positive momentum.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

According to CommSec's collation of analyst ratings, there are currently 11 buy ratings on the business. Worley describes itself as a leading global professional services company of energy, chemicals, and resources experts.

It partners with customers to deliver projects and create value over the life of their assets. It's helping some customers move towards more sustainable energy sources, while helping to provide the energy, chemicals, and resources needed now.

In FY25, the business delivered aggregated revenue of $12 billion (up 4%), underlying operating profit (EBITA – up 10%), and underlying net profit (NPATA) of $475 million (up 14%).

The company is expecting moderate growth in FY26, reflecting the "dynamic macro-economic environment".

For the 2026 financial year, it's targeting revenue growth that's stronger in FY26 than FY25, with growth in underlying EBITA. The underlying EBITA margin (excluding procurement) is expected to be within a range of 9% to 9.5%.

Beyond FY26, the business is "encouraged by a stronger growth trajectory emerging", supported by the quality of its backlog and pipeline, as well as favourable long-term market trends.

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

If you do, then it could be worth considering the ASX shares named below that have been tipped as buys by analysts, courtesy of The Bull. Here's what the broker is saying about them:

Develop Global Ltd (ASX: DVP)

The team at MPC Markets thinks this mining and mining services company could be a buy this week.

It was very pleased with a recent update on the Sulphur Springs project and believes that recent share price weakness has created an attractive entry point. It said:

DVP is actively advancing its copper-zinc projects in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. An updated definitive feasibility study (DFS) at the Sulphur Springs project demonstrated a strong growth outlook, delivering a substantial uplift in value. The DFS results painted a bright outlook in response to low cash operating costs, robust margins and impressive returns based on an updated 1.5 million tonne per annum underground mine. The shares rose from $3.49 on September 11 to close at $4.57 on October 9. The shares have since retreated to trade at $4.095 on October 23, which we consider an appealing entry point.

Steadfast Group Ltd (ASX: SDF)

Over at Sequoia Wealth Management. Its analysts are positive on general insurance broker network operator Steadfast and have named its shares as a buy.

The wealth manager appears to see its expansion into the United States as a reason to be positive on the future. It explains:

Steadfast operates a large general insurance broker network. It has growing operations in Asia and Europe. It's also expanding into the United States. The ability to maximise returns on a US roll-out is key to SDF's long term value. The company delivered a strong result in fiscal year 2025. Underlying revenue of $1.825 billion was up 8.9 per cent on the prior corresponding period. Underlying net profit after tax of $295.5 million was up 17.2 per cent. The final fully franked dividend of 11.7 cents a share was up 14 per cent. The company has guided for underlying net profit after tax to range between $315 million and $325 million in fiscal year 2026. At current valuations, we retain our outperform recommendation.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

Analysts at Bell Potter have named this engineering and professional services company as an ASX share to buy this week.

The broker believes that Worley is well-positioned to benefit greatly on the global decarbonisation megatrends. It explains:

Worley is a global engineering and professional services company. Its exposure to the energy transition is appealing, so the business is well placed to capitalise on global decarbonisation. Margin uplift in professional services amid traction in hydrogen, carbon capture and circular economy contracts highlight operating leverage. The stock offers value considering its growth options amid a favourable macro tailwind from government and corporate net zero commitments.

The post Analysts name 3 ASX shares to buy this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Having hit some headwinds in April, shares in the engineering and professional services company are down 2.13% since this time last year. Though that doesn't include the 50 cents a share in unfranked dividends Worley paid out over this time.

At yesterday's closing price, Worley trades on an unfranked dividend yield of 3.5%.

And the ASX 200 stock has been on the rebound trail since plumbing to one-year closing lows of $11.42 a share on 9 April, with shares now up 25% from those lows.

Looking ahead, Fairmont Equities' Michael Gable forecasts more share price gains from here (courtesy of The Bull).

Here's why.

Should you buy the resurgent ASX 200 stock today?

"Worley is a provider of global engineering, advisory and project management services to the oil, gas, mining, power and infrastructure sectors," Gable noted.

Citing the first reason the ASX 200 stock is a buy, he pointed to the company's strong FY 2025 results.

"Statutory net profit after tax of $475 million in full year 2025 was up 29% on the prior corresponding period. Aggregated revenue of $12.05 billion was up 4%," he said.

As for the second reason, Worley is guiding further growth in FY 2026.

"The company is targeting higher growth in revenue and underlying earnings before interest and tax in fiscal year 2026," Gable said.

And the third reason you may want to add Worley to your investment portfolio today is the stock's share price resilience after trading ex-dividend.

"After trading ex-dividend on September 2, the share price managed to find further buying support, which is a bullish sign the stock price should move higher from here," Gable concluded.

What is Worley forecasting for FY 2026?

Worley reported its FY 2025 results on 28 August.

Among the potential tailwinds for the ASX 200 stock in the year ahead is the ongoing on-market share buyback of up to $500 million worth of shares. The buyback program kicked off on 17 March, with $168 million worth of shares having been repurchased as at 28 August.

Worley said it will continue to progress the buyback program on an accelerated basis up to that $500 million.

Looking to FY 2026, Worley CEO Chris Ashton said:

For the current financial year, we are targeting higher growth in revenue than FY25, growth in underlying EBITA [earnings before interest tax and amortisation] and expect the underlying EBITA margin, excluding procurement, to be within a range of 9.0 to 9.5%.

The post 3 reasons to buy this $7 billion ASX 200 stock today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Key themes across the sector include strong iron ore activity and renewables demand, with companies generally forecasting ongoing profit growth in the year ahead.

Macquarie also said balance sheets were in good shape, with a number of buybacks on foot, and Downer EDI Limited (ASX: DOW) announcing a new buyback.

Macquarie has upgraded Downer EDI to outperform from neutral and is predicting a total shareholder return of 14% over the next 12 months.

The analysts at Macquarie say there are a number of potential near-term catalysts for the stock, including defence estate renewals, with decisions on that expected by the end of this month, and power and transmission contract wins.

At MAAS Group Holdings (ASX: MGH), Macquarie says the outlook is improving, with growth expected in civil construction and hire, while there would also be tailwinds from residential land sales.

Macquarie is expecting 17% total shareholder returns from MAAS.

Meanwhile, Macquarie is expecting 15% returns from the $7.3 billion Worley Limited (ASX: WOR), where analysts said the growth guidance was "better than feared and (the) stock is screening well on a valuation basis, trading at double digit discount on price/earnings basis''.

Top pick in the sector

Macquarie's most bullish forecast was for a 26% total shareholder return over the next year from the $1.2 billion Service Stream Limited (ASX: SSM).

"Strategic M&A remains a focus, and outcome of Defence tender expected by end of September,'' Macquarie said.  

The post Macquarie predicts 17% and 26% upside for these ASX All Ords professional services stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In determining which sector did best last week, the measure of success was simply which one fell the least.

That was industrials, which slipped 0.53%. The industrials sector is considered a defensive play for investors.

The materials sector was the second-best performer, down 0.73%.

ASX 200 materials stocks were supported by the gold price surging to a new record high of US$3,593.20 per ounce during the week.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lost 1.14% of its value over the five trading days. It closed out the week at 8,871.2 points.

IG market analyst Tony Sycamore blamed surging bond yields for the ASX 200's decline.

Sycamore said (courtesy news.com.au):

The decline is primarily driven by surging bond yields and the return of the bond vigilantes, fuelled by concerns over large fiscal deficits, central banks cutting rates into persistent inflation and President Trump's dovish reshaping of the US Federal Reserve.

Better-than-expected Australian GDP growth in the June quarter likely also contributed to the sell-off, as it reduced the case for a rate cut.

Let's look at how the ASX 200 industrial sector's biggest companies performed last week.

Industrials led the ASX 200 sectors last week

The industrials sector's largest stock, Transurban Group Ltd (ASX: TCL), fell 1.58% to finish at $14.37 per share on Friday.

The Brambles Ltd (ASX: BXB) share price lifted 2.35% to close at $26.56.

Computershare Ltd (ASX: CPU) shares fell 1.86% to $37.46.

SGH Ltd (ASX: SGH) shares lost 2.18% to close at $49.41 on Friday.

ASX 200 airline share Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) rose 0.85% to $11.85.

Auckland International Airport Limited (ASX: AIA) shares lost 0.15% to $6.82.

The ALS Ltd (ASX: ALQ) share price rose 1.18% to $18.81.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR) shares lost 0.2% to close at $14.66 on Friday.

Qube Holdings Ltd (ASX: QUB) shares tumbled 2.38% to $4.10.

The Reece Ltd (ASX: REH) share price fell 6.63% to close out the week at $10.42.

Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd (ASX: CWY) shares declined 0.72% to $2.76 per share.

Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ) shares fell 1.85% to $3.18.

Downer EDI Ltd (ASX: DOW) shares fell 3.73% to $6.96 apiece.

The Ventia Services Group Ltd (ASX: VNT) share price dropped 4.41% to $5.20.

The Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB) share price lifted 5.28% to $8.18.

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

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

Over the five trading days:

Looking for investment inspiration?

Check out Macquarie's top ASX 200 share picks in each of the 11 market sectors post-earnings season.

The post Every ASX 200 sector closed in the red last week. Here's why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

First, you have to get through the lamenting of not buying the stock before its latest surge.

Then, you need to overcome the fear that you might buy it right before an inconvenient correction.

What's an investor to do?

Updated broker ratings post-earnings season

One thing we can do is look to the experts to see whether they think a recent ASX riser is a buy, hold, or sell.

So, that's what we've done here.

The following ASX shares received some of the biggest share price boosts after their results were released last month.

Here's how some of the top brokerage houses are rating these ASX shares now.

4 ASX shares that had major price jumps in earnings season

IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

IDP Education reported a 14% revenue dive to $882.2 million for FY25.

The company also revealed a 48% plunge in its adjusted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to $119 million.

Despite this, the ASX consumer discretionary share lifted 23.8% within two days of its report.

IDP Education shares closed at $5.55 on Thursday, down 3.14% for the day, and up 22.2% since its report was released.

Morgans has a hold rating and $6.30 price target on IDP Education shares.

The broker described FY25 as "a challenged year" for IDP Education, given continued government policy tightening on immigration.

Morgans said:

IEL's 2H cash flow conversion was strong and the balance sheet position is sound.

Earnings guidance assisted in providing market confidence that earnings have likely found a cyclical base.

FY27 sets up to be a potentially meaningful recovery year for IEL if volumes improve …

Macquarie has an outperform rating on IDP Education shares with a 12-month price target of $5.55.

The broker said:

Despite disappointing operating performance in FY25, the cost-out, underlying improvement in FY26e and cash generation remain
attractive.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

Worley reported a 4% increase in revenue to $12,050 million and a 14% jump in underlying NPATA to $475 million for FY25.

The ASX industrial share lifted 16.1% within two days of its report.

The Worley share price closed at $14.58 on Thursday, down 0.34% for the day and up 15.7% since its report was released.

Morgans has retained its buy rating with a price target of $16.80.

The broker said:

WOR's outlook for FY26 remains positive with the group flagging that they are not seeing any material project cancellations, across end markets, providing confidence in moderate revenue growth & stable EBITA margins in FY26.

AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP)

AMP reported a 1.8% rise in revenue to $632 million and a 9.2% lift in underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) to $131 million for 1H FY25.

The ASX financial share lifted 12.6% within two days of its financial report.

AMP shares closed at $1.67 on Thursday, up 2.45% for the day and up 0.6% since its report was released.

Top broker Macquarie says AMP shares are now trading on a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14.9x.

While that's lower than the current market average P/E, it's 0.7 standard deviations higher than AMP's historical norm.

So, Macquarie has a neutral rating on AMP shares with a 12-month price target of $1.70.

The broker said:

Valuation fair: Pre-result, AMP traded at a ~14.3x 12-month forward P/E, ~2% above the 3-yr average of ~14.1x.

This translated to a ~28% discount vs the ASX100 (compared with the 3-year average discount of ~11%).

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

Coles reported a 3.6% lift in reported sales revenue to $44.35 billion and an underlying NPAT of $1.18 billion, up 3.1%, for FY25.

The ASX consumer staples share lifted 12% within two days of its report.

The Coles share price closed at $24.09 today, up 0.75%, and up 16.2% since its report was released.

Macquarie has an outperform rating and $25.40 price target on Coles shares.

Morgans retained its hold rating and increased its price target from $20.95 to $23.45.

The broker said:

We continue to view COL as a quality business with defensive attributes and structural tailwinds from population growth.

We would consider adopting a more positive stance on the stock should the share price weaken.

The post These 4 ASX shares had big price jumps in earnings season. Should you buy, hold, or sell? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.