0404 GMT - Treasury Wine Estates' bulls at Jarden would like to see the Australian producer take action to help shift investors' focus onto the opportunities for its luxury brands. They tell clients in a note that the stock is fundamentally undervalued and that decisive action on the company's lower-priced products would act as a catalyst to change that. Treasury Wine has already failed to find a buyer for the brands. However, the Jarden analysts point out that these brands account for just 6% of earnings and that Treasury Wine is positioned to outperform peers in the U.S. and is leveraged to China's improving consumer backdrop. Jarden maintains a buy rating and a target price of A$13.90 on the stock, which is down 0.9% at A$8.225. ([email protected])

0341 GMT - Eagers Automotive's exclusive distribution agreement with China's BYD looks like a game changer for the Australian vehicle retailer, Jefferies analysts say. They tell clients in a note that BYD has doubled its share of Australia's car market over the three months through March, growth that they say offsets the downside of Eagers not earning service revenues. Annualizing BYD's March sales indicates 58,000 annual sales, compared with Jefferies' prior estimate of 31,000. Eagers is the only dealer that can provide instant national access to manufacturers and could have large global opportunities, they add. Jefferies raises its target price by 15% to A$15.50 and keeps a hold rating on the stock, which is down 1.1% at A$17.54. ([email protected])

0237 GMT - Rio Tinto bull Jefferies says it is a buyer of the miner's stock at current prices, despite a clearly challenging 1Q operationally and risks from Trump's trade war. It says Rio's Australia-listed stock trades at an EV/Ebitda of 5.0X based on Jefferies's 2026 estimates and a free cash flow yield of 6.4%. "We would expect Rio shares to be defensive as market volatility likely persists in the near term," Jefferies analysts say in a note. "These shares also offer leverage to an eventual cyclical recovery, although that probably doesn't happen until 2026." Rio Tinto is down 1.7% in Sydney at A$109.51 after reporting a fall in 1Q iron-ore shipments. ([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

0134 GMT - Barrenjoey analyst Peter Marks wonders why Collins Foods thinks that it has a better chance of success in Germany than in the Netherlands, where the fast-food franchiser has written down the value of its business. Marks points out in a note to clients that the Australian company had previously championed the Netherlands as the key growth engine of its European segment. Instead, it has ceased its store roll-out and impaired some restaurants. Collins has teamed with KFC brand owner Yum! Brands to grow in Germany, but the only difference Marks can see between the countries is that Germany has a more lenient development approvals regime. Barrenjoey cuts its target price on the stock by 5.5% to A$8.50 and stays neutral. Shares are up 1% at A$8.08. ([email protected])

0129 GMT - Sports Direct's expansion into Australia looks like a bigger threat to Super Retail Group than local hardware giant Bunnings' efforts to take a slice of its auto-accessory sales, Jefferies analyst Michael Simotas reckons. Sports Direct's owner has partnered with locally listed Accent Group to roll out the chain Down Under, which Simotas warns could lead to both a sales headwind and margin pressure for Super Retail's Rebel Sport chain could face. Rebel has a dominant 27% share of Australia and New Zealand's fitness and athletic retail market, he adds in a note. Jefferies cuts its target price by 13% to A$13.00 and maintains a hold rating on the stock, which is down 2.6% at A$12.39. ([email protected])

0121 GMT - Super Retail Group's margins could take a hit from the entry of the U.K.-owned Sports Direct chain to Australia, Barrenjoey analyst Peter Marks says. He suggests that greater competition may drive lower gross margins across the entire sportswear category, not least because Frasers Group-owned Sports Direct typically offers lower prices. Marks acknowledges that it is hard pre-launch to assess Sports Direct's range and pricing, but tells clients in a note that he can see a scenario in which it hands Super Retail's Rebel Sport a 12% hit to fiscal 2031 EBIT. Barrenjoey has a neutral rating and A$16.00 target price on Super Retail, which is down 2.0% at A$12.46. ([email protected])

0103 GMT - Rio Tinto's 1Q Pilbara iron-ore shipments were impacted by cyclones more than Citi expected, says analyst Paul McTaggart. Shipments of 70.7 million metric tons are down 17% on the quarter immediately prior, while the lower-grade SP10 product represents "a high" 32% of shipments, he says. Iron ore contributes most of Rio Tinto's profits. Production of other commodities is broadly in line, "but noting Escondida refined copper production was impacted by the Chile-wide power outage," McTaggart says. He adds that "lithium was a one-liner for Rio in this report," following its recent acquisition of Arcadium Lithium. Citi has a neutral rating and A$130.00 target on Rio Tinto, which is down 1.3% at A$109.94. ([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

2336 GMT - Australia's S&P/ASX 200 is poised for a flat open after U.S. stocks edged lower amid continued confusion about the Trump administration's tariff plans. ASX futures are barely moved ahead of Wednesday's session, suggesting that investors in Australia are also waiting for clarity on tariffs. Ahead of the open, mining giant Rio Tinto said it expects iron-ore shipments from its Australian mining operations to be at the lower end of annual guidance. Mineral-sands miner Iluka reported lower 1Q revenue on softer prices. In the U.S., the DJIA lost 0.4%, the S&P 500 fell 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite declined by less than 0.1%. ([email protected])

0500 GMT - Margins at Australia-listed defense-tech provider Droneshield are unlikely to be compressed by U.S. tariffs, according to its bull at Shaw & Partners. Analyst Abraham Akra tells clients in a note that price is not a primary driver in procurement decisions for Droneshield customers, who are focused on tech leadership and operational performance. As such, he reckons that Droneshield can pass on the 10% U.S. tariff on Australian imports to its end customers. Droneshield's latest contracts highlight the company's growing commercialization and earnings visibility, he adds. Shaw & Partners raises its target price 33% to A$1.20 and keeps a buy rating on the stock, which is up 11% at A$1.15. ([email protected])

(END) Dow Jones Newswires