Broker Watch

ASX Broker Moves: Upgrades for Fortescue, Wesfarmers, Aristocrat Leisure vs Downgrades for Goodman Group, Stockland, Sigma Healthcare

Wed 29 Jan 25, 3:29pm (AEDT)
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Key Points

  • Upgrades: AGL Energy (AGL), Ampol (ALD), Aristocrat Leisure (ALL), Ansell (ANN), Core Lithium (CXO), Dexus (DXS), Flight Centre (FLT), Fortescue (FMG), HMC Capital (HMC), Lendlease (LLC), Liontown Resources (LTR), Monadelphous (MND), Wesfarmers (WES).
  • Downgrades: ASX (ASX), Accent Group (AX1), Charter Hall Group (CHC), Dropsuite (DSE), Goodman Group (GMG), Nanosonics (NAN), Regis Resources (RRL), Stockland (SGP), Sigma Healthcare (SIG).
  • Target price biggest increases: Premier Investments (PMV), Dropsuite (DSE), Praemium (PPS), HMC Capital (HMC), Breville Group (BRG), Synlait Milk (SM1), Dexus (DXS), Netwealth Group (NWL).
  • Target price biggest cuts: Carnarvon Energy (CVN), Healthco Healthcare and Wellness Reit (HCW), Coronado Global Resources (CRN), Nuix (NXL), Pilbara Minerals (PLS), Iluka Resources (ILU), Treasury Wine Estates (TWE).

Welcome to today’s ASX Broker Moves – your most comprehensive source for recent changes in major broker ratings and price targets for the Australian stock market.

The tables below contain data on ratings upgrades, downgrades, and initiations, as well as the biggest price target changes among the broker research reports we’ve received in the last 24-hours.

You will find the full list of broker moves in tonight's edition of Evening Wrap.


Broker Views Snippets

  • Macquarie on AGL Energy (ASX: AGL) ⬆️: “Electricity prices are staying higher for longer in NSW, reducing the earnings pressure. Leverage remains as Vic better connects to the other states. Review of NEM ("National Electricity Market") structure likely to benefit incumbents as capacity markets emerge.” UPGRADE TO OUTPERFORM.

  • Goldman Sachs on Aristocrat Leisure (ASX: ALL) ⬆️: “Our positive view is predicated on our preference for high quality companies that have a track record of delivering strong and certain earnings growth...Although having traded strongly since its FY24 result, we see further upside noting that its PER discount to ‘high growth’ ASX names is below its 10Y average.” UPGRADE TO BUY.

  • Bell Potter on Fortescue (ASX: FMG) ⬆️: Broker notes solid operational performance in December quarter with shipments in line with expectations and unit costs below expectations. Additionally, notes tailwinds from weaker Australian dollar but concerns persist with respect to the company's energy transition spending. Dividends may increase if market conditions improve" UPGRADE TO HOLD.

  • Macquarie on Monadelphous Group (ASX: MND) ⬆️: “MND [is] now showing evidence of more meaningful margin improvement which supports a robust earnings outlook. MND remains a high quality contractor from risk mgt standpoint along with a strong balalnce sheet.” UPGRADE TO OUTPERFORM.

  • Goldman Sachs on Wesfarmers (ASX: WES) ⬆️: “After a strong year of stock performance in CY24, we continue to see new drivers of growth in WES to drive both earnings and valuation upside...s, WES will have the highest F24-27 EPS CAGR of 10% in our top 5 consumer coverage (vs WOW, COL, EDV, JBH) while ROIC will expand by 6pts to 25% vs peers flat.” UPGRADE TO BUY.

  • UBS on DigiCo REIT (ASX: DGT) 🆕: “DigiCo is a diversified owner, operator and developer of data centres...In our view, DGT is well positioned to leverage existing assets and new sites - particularly SYD1, where current available capacity and the densification of existing space and expansion, together with new ownership and upcoming government certification has the ability to materially increase both the earnings and valuation.” INITIATED AT BUY.


Rating UPGRADED

Company

Broker

New Rating

Old Rating

Price Target

PT Upside%

Abacus Group (ABG)

Macquarie

Outperform

Neutral

$1.26

8.6%

AGL Energy (AGL)

Macquarie

Outperform

Neutral

$12.08

5.7%

Ampol (ALD)

Goldman Sachs

Buy

Neutral

$32.00

13.0%

Aristocrat Leisure (ALL)

Goldman Sachs

Buy

Neutral

$78.00

8.6%

Ansell (ANN)

CLSA

Outperform

Hold

$38.00

8.5%

Centuria Industrial Reit (CIP)

Macquarie

Outperform

Neutral

$3.32

13.7%

Centuria Capital Group (CNI)

Ord Minnett

Accumulate

Hold

$2.00

10.2%

Charter Hall Retail Reit (CQR)

Macquarie

Outperform

Neutral

$3.45

7.5%

Core Lithium (CXO)

Wilsons

Market-Weight

 

$0.10

12.4%

Dexus (DXS)

Macquarie

Outperform

Neutral

$7.74

10.4%

Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT)

JP Morgan

Overweight

Neutral

$20.00

13.8%

Fortescue (FMG)

Bell Potter

Hold

Sell

$17.53

-7.2%

Growthpoint Properties Australia (GOZ)

Macquarie

Outperform

Neutral

$2.61

10.1%

HMC Capital (HMC)

Ord Minnett

Hold

Sell

$9.15

0.5%

Lendlease Group (LLC)

Ord Minnett

Hold

Lighten

$6.40

-0.8%

Lendlease Group (LLC)

Macquarie

Outperform

Neutral

$6.98

8.2%

Liontown Resources (LTR)

Jarden

Neutral

Underweight

$0.63

-4.5%

Monadelphous Group (MND)

Macquarie

Outperform

Neutral

$15.93

3.7%

National Storage Reit (NSR)

Ord Minnett

Accumulate

Hold

$2.40

7.6%

Nuix (NXL)

Moelis Australia

Buy

Hold

$6.09

41.3%

Premier Investments (PMV)

Ord Minnett

Buy

Sell

$33.00

52.4%

Praemium (PPS)

Ord Minnett

Accumulate

Hold

$0.90

7.8%

Wesfarmers (WES)

Goldman Sachs

Buy

Neutral

$78.70

4.3%

Biggest broker price target changes since last update. Price Target Upside/Downside (“PT Upside%”) values in the last column are based on closing prices on most recent session's close.

Rating DOWNGRADED

Company

Broker

New Rating

Old Rating

Price Target

PT Upside%

Ampol (ALD)

Macquarie

Neutral

Outperform

$31.00

9.5%

Arena Reit. (ARF)

Macquarie

Neutral

Outperform

$3.99

3.1%

ASX (ASX)

Morgan Stanley

Underweight

Equal-Weight

$55.05

-9.2%

Accent Group (AX1)

Citi

Neutral

Buy

$2.43

2.1%

Charter Hall Group (CHC)

Macquarie

Neutral

Outperform

$15.71

3.6%

Centuria Capital Group (CNI)

Macquarie

Neutral

Outperform

$1.85

1.9%

Dropsuite (DSE)

Ord Minnett

Hold

Buy

$5.90

2.8%

Goodman Group (GMG)

Ord Minnett

Hold

Accumulate

$39.50

12.9%

Nanosonics (NAN)

Morgans

Hold

Add

$3.75

7.4%

Region Group (RGN)

Macquarie

Underperform

Outperform

$2.03

-5.6%

Regis Resources (RRL)

Argonaut Securities

Hold

Buy

$3.50

18.6%

Regis Resources (RRL)

Canaccord Genuity

Hold

Buy

$3.10

5.1%

Scentre Group (SCG)

Macquarie

Neutral

Outperform

$3.37

-6.6%

Stockland (SGP)

Ord Minnett

Hold

Accumulate

$4.95

-3.5%

Stockland (SGP)

Macquarie

Underperform

Neutral

$5.15

0.4%

Sigma Healthcare (SIG)

Ord Minnett

Hold

Accumulate

$2.70

-10.9%

Biggest broker price target changes since last update. Price Target Upside/Downside (“PT Upside%”) values in the last column are based on closing prices on most recent session's close.

Rating INITIATED

Company

Broker

New Rating

Old Rating

Price Target

PT Upside%

Bubs Australia (BUB)

Ord Minnett

Buy

 

$0.20

60.0%

DigiCo REIT (DGT)

UBS

Buy

 

$5.60

32.7%

Biggest broker price target changes since last update. Price Target Upside/Downside (“PT Upside%”) values in the last column are based on closing prices on most recent session's close.

Price Target BIGGEST CHANGE

Company

Broker

Rating

New PT

Old PT

PT Change%

PT Upside%

Premier Investments (PMV)

Ord Minnett

Buy

$33.00

$20.50

61.0%

52.4%

Dropsuite (DSE)

Ord Minnett

Hold

$5.90

$4.09

44.3%

2.8%

Praemium (PPS)

Ord Minnett

Accumulate

$0.90

$0.63

42.9%

7.8%

HMC Capital (HMC)

Ord Minnett

Hold

$9.15

$6.50

40.8%

0.5%

Sigma Healthcare (SIG)

Ord Minnett

Hold

$2.70

$2.15

25.6%

-10.9%

Insignia Financial (IFL)

Ord Minnett

Hold

$4.60

$3.70

24.3%

1.8%

Breville Group (BRG)

Goldman Sachs

Buy

$40.90

$34.20

19.6%

7.1%

Regis Resources (RRL)

Morgans

Add

$3.83

$3.22

18.9%

29.8%

Synlait Milk (SM1)

Macquarie

Underperform

$0.44

$0.37

18.9%

-20.0%

Dexus (DXS)

Macquarie

Outperform

$7.74

$6.52

18.7%

10.4%

Sigma Healthcare (SIG)

Jefferies

Underperform

$2.05

$1.75

17.1%

-32.3%

Netwealth Group (NWL)

Ord Minnett

Hold

$31.00

$27.00

14.8%

0.6%

Regis Resources (RRL)

UBS

Sell

$2.40

$2.10

14.3%

-18.6%

Wesfarmers (WES)

Goldman Sachs

Buy

$78.70

$69.50

13.2%

4.3%

JB HI-FI (JBH)

Goldman Sachs

Sell

$75.50

$66.90

12.9%

-23.3%

Ansell (ANN)

CLSA

Outperform

$38.00

$33.75

12.6%

8.5%

Ansell (ANN)

UBS

Neutral

$36.00

$32.00

12.5%

2.8%

EBR Systems (EBR)

Bell Potter

Buy

$2.26

$2.01

12.4%

28.0%

Regis Resources (RRL)

Bell Potter

Buy

$3.75

$3.35

11.9%

27.1%

AMP (AMP)

Morgan Stanley

Overweight

$1.90

$1.70

11.8%

8.0%

Aristocrat Leisure (ALL)

Goldman Sachs

Buy

$78.00

$70.00

11.4%

8.6%

Regis Resources (RRL)

Morgan Stanley

Equal-Weight

$2.95

$2.65

11.3%

0.0%

Growthpoint Properties Australia (GOZ)

Macquarie

Outperform

$2.61

$2.35

11.1%

10.1%

Netwealth Group (NWL)

UBS

Neutral

$30.75

$28.00

9.8%

-0.2%

Abacus Group (ABG)

Macquarie

Outperform

$1.26

$1.15

9.6%

8.6%

Ampol (ALD)

Macquarie

Neutral

$31.00

$33.75

-8.1%

9.5%

Gold Road Resources (GOR)

RBC Capital Markets

Sector Perform

$2.10

$2.30

-8.7%

-12.5%

Domain Australia (DHG)

Goldman Sachs

Neutral

$2.90

$3.20

-9.4%

7.8%

Coronado Global Resources (CRN)

UBS

Buy

$1.35

$1.50

-10.0%

104.5%

OOH!Media (OML)

Goldman Sachs

Neutral

$1.35

$1.50

-10.0%

15.9%

Viva Energy Group (VEA)

Macquarie

Outperform

$3.60

$4.00

-10.0%

36.9%

Region Group (RGN)

Macquarie

Underperform

$2.03

$2.28

-11.0%

-5.6%

Abacus Group (ABG)

Ord Minnett

Accumulate

$1.20

$1.35

-11.1%

3.4%

Mirvac Group (MGR)

Macquarie

Outperform

$2.17

$2.46

-11.8%

11.3%

Coronado Global Resources (CRN)

Goldman Sachs

Buy

$1.05

$1.20

-12.5%

59.1%

Coventry Group (CYG)

Bell Potter

Buy

$1.40

$1.60

-12.5%

32.7%

Growthpoint Properties Australia (GOZ)

Ord Minnett

Buy

$2.60

$3.00

-13.3%

9.7%

Coronado Global Resources (CRN)

Bell Potter

Buy

$1.20

$1.40

-14.3%

81.8%

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE)

Goldman Sachs

Buy

$13.00

$15.20

-14.5%

23.8%

Iluka Resources (ILU)

Morgan Stanley

Equal-Weight

$4.90

$5.80

-15.5%

6.8%

Pilbara Minerals (PLS)

Ord Minnett

Hold

$2.50

$3.00

-16.7%

9.6%

Nuix (NXL)

Shaw and Partners

Buy

$5.70

$7.00

-18.6%

32.3%

Coronado Global Resources (CRN)

Morgans

Buy

$1.10

$1.40

-21.4%

66.7%

Coronado Global Resources (CRN)

Ord Minnett

Hold

$0.90

$1.15

-21.7%

36.4%

Healthco Healthcare and Wellness Reit (HCW)

Macquarie

Outperform

$1.02

$1.32

-22.7%

11.5%

Carnarvon Energy (CVN)

Macquarie

Outperform

$0.22

$0.29

-24.1%

76.0%

Burgundy Diamond Mines (BDM)

Bell Potter

Buy

$0.10

$0.18

-44.4%

104.1%

Biggest broker price target changes since last update. Price Target Upside/Downside (“PT Upside%”) values in the last column are based on closing prices as on most recent session's close.

How to read broker recommendations 🔎

Typically, there are two major components of a broker’s view:

Rating: A call to action, usually along the lines of buy, hold, or sell, but depending on the broker’s ratings system, can be somewhere in between (e.g., accumulate or add is typically between a hold and a buy).

Price target (PT): The price at which the broker expects the stock will be trading at some point in the future, generally within the next 12 months.

Written By

Carl Capolingua

Content Editor

Carl has over 30-year's investing experience, helping investors navigate several bull and bear markets over this time. He is a well respected markets commentator who specialises in how the global macro impacts Australian and US equities. Carl has a passion for technical analysis and has taught his unique brand of price-action trend following to thousands of Aussie investors.

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