0257 GMT - Collins Foods keeps its bull at Citi despite a likely hit to earnings from extreme weather in northeast Australia. Analyst Sam Teeger tells clients in a note that his estimate of a 1% hit to the fast-food franchiser's second-half Ebitda might be slightly conservative, but he stresses that any disruption was short-term and is now over. He acknowledges that his estimate is based on several assumptions but says he remains positive on the company's pathway to improved medium-term profitability at its Australian KFC stores. Citi has a buy rating and a A$9.38 target price on the stock, which is up 1.0% at A$8.685. ([email protected])

0240 GMT - Breville's investment in its direct-to-consumer coffee-bean subscription service seems to be paying off, Citi analyst Sam Teeger says. He tells clients in a note that the volume of coffee delivered to customers in Breville's fiscal first half rose 71%, and points out that the Australian small-appliance manufacturer appears optimistic. Teeger doesn't expect the Beanz business to be a meaningful near-term share-price driver without increased marketing or M&A, but likes the low-cost model of connecting third-party roasters to customers. Citi has a neutral rating and A$38.20 target price on the stock, which is up 0.8% at A$32.39. ([email protected])

0224 GMT - Capricorn Metals' hedge-book closure is welcomed by Macquarie. The miner is "leveraging the value of its scrip in a way that's not materially dilutive, while preserving cash for growth and improving exposure to spot gold prices," the bank's analysts say in a note. On their gold-price forecasts, the company's closed hedge book was A$89 million out of the money, they say. At spot prices, that figure is closer to A$132 million, they add. Macquarie has a neutral rating on the stock. Its target rises by 1% to A$8.20/share. Capricorn trades unchanged versus Thursday's close, at A$8.21. ([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

0203 GMT - A high-severity influenza season in the U.S. could benefit vaccine makers including Australia's CSL, Morgan Stanley analyst David L. Bailey says. He points out that the U.S. CDC has designated its first high-severity season since 2017-18, with hospitalization rates at the end of February sitting at their highest levels since 2010-11. Bailey doesn't speculate on the degree to which vaccine demand could rise or the extent to which CSL and others could benefit. However, he thinks that vaccination rates may rise. CSL's fiscal first-half influenza vaccine sales fell 15% amid lower U.S. vaccination rates for people aged 15-64, he adds. Morgan Stanley has an overweight rating and A$313.00 target price on the stock, which is down 0.8% at A$253.20. ([email protected])

0127 GMT - Brickworks' valuation continues to look full to Macquarie analysts amid soft demand for building products in the U.S. and Australia. While real-estate cap rates have stabilized and long-term growth in rents from Brickworks' industrial remains solid, the near-term outlook for construction keeps the Macquarie analysts cautious. They tell clients in a note that Brickworks' first-half loss in North America was larger than they had anticipated. Macquarie cuts its target price on the stock 3.3% to A$26.00 and maintains a neutral rating. Shares are up 0.2% at A$24.08. ([email protected])

0017 GMT - NRW Holdings might be on track to surpass FY25 revenue expectations, Citi analysts say after the company announced several contract awards. In a note, the analysts say contracts are now in place for more than 96% of expected FY25 revenue, based on consensus and the bank's own forecasts. "With ample opportunities particularly sustaining and replacement iron ore capex, we think NRW could be securing a myriad of smaller packages that falls short of disclosure thresholds meaning revenue coverage could be higher than 96%," they add. Citi has a buy recommendation on NRW, with a high risk rating. It has a target price of A$3.85/share. NRW is down 1.4% at A$2.84, following a 3.2% jump Thursday. ([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

2252 GMT - Any tailwinds that Brickworks experiences from industrial real-estate rents are likely to be offset by uncertainty in investment markets, Morgans analyst Liam Schofield says. He tells clients in a note that he struggles to see catalysts for the stock, which is exposed to investment-market uncertainty through its stake in Washington H. Soul Pattinson. He reckons that divisional earnings at Brickworks's building-products businesses in Australia and the U.S. are approaching a cyclical trough. The outlook in Australia is more positive than in the U.S., he adds. Morgans lifts its target price 6.0%, to A$26.50. Shares are at A$24.03 ahead of the open. ([email protected])

2221 GMT - Australia's S&P/ASX 200 looks poised to open lower, paring its recent rally following a soft lead by U.S. equities. ASX futures are down by about 0.2% ahead of Friday's session, suggesting that the benchmark index will give back some of the 1.7% rise compiled so far this week. It should still snap its run of four consecutive weekly losses. Ahead of the open, media conglomerate Nine said it was in talks with CoStar over the U.S. company's approach for its majority controlled property advertiser. Uranium producer Paladin said the Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia has been suspended following unusually heavy rains. ([email protected])

(END) Dow Jones Newswires