Australian General Merchandise and Department Stores Stock News

The Australian market is experiencing a mixed bag of influences, with the ASX futures indicating modest gains despite recent volatility driven by geopolitical tensions and missed opportunities in the AI sector. In this context, penny stocks—often smaller or less-established companies—remain an intriguing area for investors seeking potential growth and value. While historically considered speculative, these stocks can offer promising opportunities when backed by strong financials and a clear...

Earlier this week, Macquarie upgraded Codan Limited from Neutral to Outperform, coinciding with increased trading activity and interest in its Communications and Metal Detection segments across more than 150 countries. This combination of analyst endorsement and operational focus appears to have reinforced market attention on Codan’s role in defense, public safety, and resource security technologies. With Macquarie’s rating upgrade highlighting Codan’s Communications and Metal Detection...

Why TPG Telecom’s recent sustainability and earnings updates matter TPG Telecom (ASX:TPG) has just hit 100% renewable electricity usage across its operations and reported FY25 mobile subscriber growth, improved earnings, lower debt, capital returns and a refreshed dividend policy. For investors, these combined sustainability and financial updates give fresh context for assessing TPG Telecom’s A$4.17 share price, its recent 3.5% decline over the past month and its 9.4% gain over the past 3...

American Rare Earths has moved forward with its planned Nasdaq listing by appointing BDO Audit Pty Ltd as its new auditor and engaging U.S. law firm Rimon, while also presenting at the Critical Minerals Institute Summit in Toronto in May 2026 through multiple senior executives. Together, these steps highlight the company’s efforts to align with U.S. capital markets and raise its profile among critical minerals stakeholders. We’ll now examine how American Rare Earths’ Nasdaq listing...

Earlier this month, BWP Trust completed filings for a follow-on equity offering and rights issue totalling A$228.35 million, covering roughly 60.57 million new ordinary shares at A$3.77 each with a small per‑security discount, alongside a special call to brief investors. The timing of the equity raising and rights issue, coinciding with an ex‑dividend date linked to the offer, highlights how BWP Trust is using its balance sheet and existing investor base to fund growth while directly...

In early May 2026, Ventia Services Group announced it had secured a nine-year maintenance services contract renewal with Yarra Valley Water valued at about A$405,000,000, consolidating several existing agreements into a single, broader partnership covering water and sewer network maintenance and mechanical and electrical works. This long-duration, consolidated contract highlights the resilience of Ventia’s role in essential infrastructure services and materially improves visibility of...

Healius trading update puts labour costs and funding pressures in focus Healius (ASX:HLS) has updated its FY26 guidance and flagged higher pathology labour costs following Fair Work Commission rulings, alongside no new federal funding for pathology in the recent budget. The company expects Group Underlying EBITDA of A$259 million to A$264 million and Group Underlying EBIT of A$30 million to A$35 million. It is also pointing to staff cuts and collection centre closures across its pathology...

WiseTech Global recently presented at the Macquarie Australia Conference 2026 in Sydney, providing investors with an update on its logistics software business and outlook. This comes after a reset in expectations triggered by cautious FY26 guidance, leadership changes and technology-sector headwinds, despite the company’s low debt, strong gross margins and continued focus on CargoWise’s long-term market opportunity. We’ll now examine how the cautious FY26 guidance and execution risks may...

Tamboran Resources (ASX:TBN) is approaching first gas delivery from its Beetaloo Basin pilot project. The company is progressing commissioning of its gas pipeline linked to the Beetaloo development. Tamboran has completed a farm out transaction with Daly Waters Energy. The company is preparing to close its acquisition of Falcon in the near term. Tamboran Resources (ASX:TBN) is focused on developing its Beetaloo Basin gas assets at a time when energy security and domestic supply remain...

Why Challenger’s recent trading spike matters for investors Challenger (ASX:CGF) has jumped onto investors’ radar after very large trading volumes, following strong annuity sales growth and fresh attention on its capital management, including the planned redemption of Challenger Capital Notes 3. See our latest analysis for Challenger. Beyond the volume spike, Challenger’s recent 1-month share price return of 8.9% and 90-day share price return of 8.4% sit against a year to date share price...

Xero’s recently released FY26 results showed revenue rising to NZ$2.75 billion from NZ$2.10 billion, while net income fell to NZ$167.42 million and basic earnings per share declined to NZ$1.02. Alongside the earnings, Xero advanced its AI agenda with the alpha launch of XeroForce and a live integration with Anthropic’s Claude, aiming to automate small-business financial workflows across Xero and third‑party apps. We’ll now examine how Xero’s push into AI-driven workflows, including XeroForce...

NRW Holdings has recently secured a major A$200,000,000 Tonkin Highway corridor upgrade contract, adding a sizeable infrastructure project to its existing operations across Australia. This win further broadens NRW’s mix of mining and civil work, which may influence how investors think about its future revenue profile and risk balance. We’ll now explore how this large Tonkin Highway contract win could influence NRW Holdings’ existing investment narrative and expectations. Uncover the next big...

GrainCorp (ASX:GNC) is back in focus after its first half 2026 earnings showed sharply weaker profit and EBITDA, a falling share price, and management still backing full year guidance and dividends. See our latest analysis for GrainCorp. The 1-day share price return of GrainCorp declined 3.16% to A$5.21 after the half year earnings release, extending a 7-day share price return decline of 14.59% and a year to date share price return decline of 27.74%. The 5 year total shareholder return of...

On May 14, 2026, Worley announced a fresh A$300.00 million on‑market share buyback, a A$70.00 million AI and digital investment program, and its appointment by Bruce Power to support technical requirements for the Bruce C nuclear project in Ontario. The combination of a new buyback, nuclear contract for Bruce C, and targeted AI spending marks a shift toward higher-tech, energy transition‑aligned workstreams that could reshape Worley’s earnings mix over time. We’ll now explore how Worley’s...

Some of the losses seen by insiders who purchased AU$138.4k worth of Radiopharm Theranostics Limited ( ASX:RAD ) shares...

Insiders who bought AU$280.8k worth of Kalgoorlie Gold Mining Limited's ( ASX:KAL ) stock at an average buy price of...

Some EVZ Limited ( ASX:EVZ ) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Non-Executive Chairman, Graham...

Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be...

Insiders who bought RocketDNA Ltd. ( ASX:RKT ) stock in the last 12 months were richly rewarded last week. The...

Earlier this week, Insurance Australia Group unveiled its refreshed Ambition 2030 plan, targeting more than 11 million customers, over A$25.00 billion in gross written premiums, and a return on equity above 15% by 2030, underpinned by four focus areas spanning customers, insurance, operations, and people. A particularly interesting element of the update is the emphasis on technology-enabled alliances such as RACQ and RAC, which are intended to add up to A$3.00 billion in premiums and...

Bega Cheese’s recent 1H FY2026 update reported higher normalised EBITDA, a very large increase in statutory profit after tax, and an upgrade to full-year EBITDA guidance, attributed to ongoing supply chain optimisation and cost-efficiency programs. An interesting angle for investors is management’s expectation that automation, manufacturing consolidation and logistics simplification could underpin further net margin improvements beyond the current reporting period. With Bega upgrading its...

In recent days, Treasury Wine Estates has drawn attention after French billionaire Olivier Goudet increased his stake ahead of the company’s past investor day, coinciding with improving operational trends and renewed global sales momentum. Investors appear to be treating Goudet’s larger holding as an important signal about confidence in Treasury Wine Estates’ premium wine strategy and regional expansion plans, particularly around the Penfolds brand. Now, we’ll examine how Goudet’s increased...

Santos recently approved the Agogo Production Facility Tie-In Project in Papua New Guinea, a brownfield development connecting the Agogo facility to the PNG LNG network via a new pipeline, two new wells, and facility modifications, with first gas targeted in the second quarter of 2028. The project is expected to convert 66 million barrels of oil equivalent of undeveloped reserves into developed reserves and, with an internal rate of return reportedly above 50% and a payback period under four...

Alkane Resources (ASX:ALK) has just posted Q3 2026 revenue of A$274.4 million with basic EPS of A$0.068, while trailing twelve month revenue sits at A$756.0 million and basic EPS at A$0.154, alongside very large year on year earnings growth. The company has seen quarterly revenue move from A$77.7 million in Q4 2025 to A$147.2 million in Q1 2026, A$256.7 million in Q2 2026 and A$274.4 million in Q3 2026, with basic EPS shifting from A$0.0197 to a small loss in Q1, then to A$0.0496 in Q2 and...