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I joined Jess Maguire on ABC Statewide Drive to discuss the latest ANZ Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Survey, which shows confidence is gradually recovering after falling to its lowest level in 53 years, while remaining fragile amid high household debt, rising rents and ongoing cost-of-living pressures. We also discussed the successful ASX debut of FDC Consolidated, highlighting its strong growth, specialist construction and fit-out business, attractive forecast yield and why its listing may signal renewed investor appetite for high-quality IPOs.

Listen from 1:46:00 here: ABC Statewide Drive  continue…

by David Buckland Posted in Economics, Insightful Insights, Market commentary, Market Valuation, Small Caps, Stocks We Like.

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I joined Juliette Saly on Ausbiz to discuss the ASX debut of FDC Consolidated (ASX), outlining why I believe the construction and fit-out business presents a compelling investment opportunity. I highlighted its 36-year track record, strong insider ownership, large work in progress, repeat client base and attractive forecast yield, while noting that quality businesses can still attract investor demand despite a subdued Initial Public Offering (IPO) market. We also discussed Australia’s fragile consumer confidence, with high household debt, rising rents and ongoing cost-of-living pressures continuing to weigh on sentiment, even as confidence gradually recovers from its 53-year low.

Watch here: FDC’s ASX debut – a builder with bite  continue…

by David Buckland Posted in Companies, Editor's Pick, Insightful Insights, Market commentary, Market Valuation, Small Caps, Stocks We Like, TV Appearances.

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Worley Limited (ASX: WOR) has spent much of the past decade trying to redefine itself. Once known primarily as a traditional engineering contractor tied to cyclical project work, the company expanded aggressively into energy services through the acquisition of Jacobs’ ECR division in 2019, just before the world turned against fossil fuels. What followed was a difficult period marked by integration challenges, weak energy markets and a sharp de-rating as investors questioned both the strategy and the sustainability of earnings. Today, that same business is being viewed through a very different lens as the importance of energy and infrastructure are being highlighted by headlines and capital allocation. continue…

by Sean Sequeira Posted in Companies, Editor's Pick, Energy / Resources, Market commentary, Market Valuation, Stocks We Like.

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ARB just dropped its half-year 2026 results, and if you only looked at the stock price as  – down 13 per cent by the close of 24 February 2026 – you’d think the wheels had fallen off the 4WD. But as any off-road enthusiast knows, sometimes you have to gear down to get through the mud. In fact, ARB is up by 14 per cent today (25 February 2026).

While the headline numbers from their report reflect some “short-term pain,” the underlying story suggests the “long-term gain” remains on track. continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Companies, Small Caps, Stocks We Like.

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Following the release of its Half-Year 2026 (HY26) results, the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) finds itself at a crossroads, balancing record-breaking volumes with significant regulatory and management hurdles.

Volumes and new models

Despite the noise, the ASX’s core business is thriving. The HY26 results showed a significant growth beat, driven primarily by cash volumes, clearing, and bonds, with daily trading volumes having surged above $8 billion. continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Market commentary, Market Valuation, Stocks We Like.

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Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA), under the guidance of CEO Matt Comyn, has once again proven why it’s considered the best Australian bank. Despite a muddy economic backdrop and fierce competition in the mortgage market, the bank’s half-year FY26 (1H26) results beat analyst expectations (again).

While the headline numbers were strong and will dominate today’s commentary, a more interesting story lies in the shifting dynamics of Australia’s largest lender. continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Companies, Editor's Pick, Financial Services, Market commentary, Market Valuation, Stocks We Like.

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2025 was a strong year for small companies and for the Montgomery Small Companies Fund. In this detailed video, I’m joined by Gary Rollo, Co-Portfolio Manager of the Montgomery Small Companies Fund to review the Fund’s performance, key market drivers, and the outlook for small caps and growth companies heading into 2026. continue…

by Scott Phillips Posted in Companies, Economics, Global markets, Investing Education, Market commentary, Market Valuation, Small Caps, Stocks We Like.

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I joined Sean Aylmer from Fear and Greed’s Summer Series to discuss the strengthening performance of Australian small caps, why quality matters, and where opportunities are emerging. I shared a number of small-cap examples across different sectors to illustrate these points, including ZIP (ASX:ZIP), a buy-now-pay-later business growing strongly in the United States; Megaport (ASX:MP1), a key technology provider connecting data centres where a recent acquisition is yet to be fully recognised by the market; Codan (ASX:CDA), which manufactures gold detectors and continues to benefit from solid demand supported by elevated gold prices; and MA Financial Group (ASX:MAF), a private credit manager seeing strong inflows as investors seek more reliable income.

The key takeaway from this episode was the importance of being selective and backing quality businesses.

continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Investing Education, Podcast Channel, Small Caps, Stocks We Like.

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I joined Juliette Saly on Ausbiz to reflect on how markets closed out in 2025 and what may lie ahead in 2026. Last year was again dominated by artificial intelligence (AI) and the Magnificent Seven (Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Nvidia and Tesla). However, with valuations now stretched amongst these technology leaders, there may be opportunities for investors beyond the headlines.  continue…

by David Buckland Posted in Companies, Market commentary, Small Caps, Stocks We Like, TV Appearances.

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At face value, Iluka Resources (ASX:ILU) is best known as a mineral sands producer. However, the market continues to undervalue the hidden strategic and financial assets embedded across its diversified portfolio. With a current market capitalisation of over A$3 billion, Iluka trades below the implied value of its tangible holdings alone  – ~A$1 billion in mineral sands inventory, ~A$1.3 billion in rare earths concentrate feedstock (potentially greater than A$2 billion Net Present Value (NPV)) and a A$450 million equity stake in Deterra Royalties (ASX:DRR) – therefore ascribing very little value to the core mineral sands business. continue…

by Sean Sequeira Posted in Companies, Stocks We Like.

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