ClearView Wealth (ASX:CVW) and Zurich got the ACCC’s approval to join forces, leaving APRA, the shareholder vote and Court approval as the final hurdles.
Financials
QBE Insurance Shares Slip Despite Strong Q1 Premium Growth
QBE Insurance (ASX:QBE) gave a quarterly update on Friday that looked good on paper. Total premium income grew 11% year-on-year to US$9.2bn, full-year guidance was reaffirmed, disaster claims remained within budget, and exposure to the Middle East conflict was small at around US$60m. The market still…
HMC Capital (ASX:HMC) reaffirmed FY26 guidance while simplifying its platform around recurring earnings and high ROE growth.
Magellan Shares Fall After Fee Cut and Vinva Deal
Magellan Financial Group (ASX:MFG) fell 6.87% to A$9.63 on Tuesday after announcing it will hand its two flagship global equities funds to Vinva Investment Management and slash management fees by more than a third. On paper, this looks like a sensible restructure. Clients pay lower fees,…
The 50% CGT discount on shares is one of the key mechanisms that helps investors keep as much of their cash as they have earned on their investments. We felt that it was time to write a stand-alone article about this in light of the inflation crisis and how it could lead to investors seeking…
American Express (NYSE:AXP) remains one of the most structurally differentiated businesses in global payments. Its premium cardholder base, closed‑loop network, and multi‑layered revenue model continue to give it an economic profile that Visa and Mastercard simply do not share. Berkshire Hathaway's long-standing conviction in the stock is well known, and the company’s recent performance suggests…
Challenger Life Sales Jump Despite FUM Hit
Challenger (ASX:CGF) shares closed 3.1% lower at A$8.13 on Tuesday after a Q3 update that pulled investors in two directions. The good news was big: life sales jumped 19%, driven by strong demand for retirement income products. The bad news was also big: funds under management fell A$11.7…
Knowing how to read a balance sheet is a key skill investors need to know, because the balance sheet is the most underrated document in an annual report. Most new investors skip straight to earnings - perhaps not knowing how importance the balance sheet is or having an appreciate but not knowing how to read…
Big Four Bank Investors may think they've seen the 'Mortgage Wars' all before and they're no big deal. After all: Aren't the banks always competing hard for borrowers whatever interest rates do? Yes, but the mortgage wars of 2022-23 were not called 'wars' for no reason. ANZ's resurrection of cashback retention payments, Westpac's latest fixed-rate…
Zip Co's Record Profit Drives FY26 Guidance Upgrade
Zip Co (ASX:ZIP) shares jumped as much as 24% on Friday before closing 13.66% higher at A$2.33. The move came after the buy now, pay later (BNPL) company delivered a record third quarter and raised its full-year profit outlook. Management now expects FY26 group cash EBTDA of…
