0443 GMT - The risk that central banks cut interest rates more aggressively than expected helps lure a new bear to share-registry provider Computershare.Goldman Sachs analyst Julian Braganza cuts his recommendation on the stock to sell from neutral, telling clients in a note that market pricing and probability-weighted outcomes are skewed toward steeper cuts than those forecast by GS economists. The Australia-listed company is sensitive to yields, with so-called margin income--cash held for dividends--a significant contributor to earnings. GS cuts its target price by 1.3% to A$37.50. Shares are down 1.9% at A$38.20. ([email protected])

0428 GMT - WiseTech's delay in releasing its Container Transport Optimisation product could ultimately be positive for earnings despite the near-term hit, Goldman Sachs analysts say. They acknowledge in a note to clients that the logistics-software provider's removal of prior comments indicating a June-half release has negative implications for fiscal 2026 organic revenue growth. However, they think the focus on building in additional functionality that the company is now referring to could be a driver of more material earnings upside over a five-year period. GS has a buy rating and A$128.00 target price on the stock, which is down 0.1% at A$92.01. ([email protected])

0042 GMT - Computershare's bears at UBS think that the share-registry provider's outlook is starting to look compositionally weaker despite its reiteration at a headline level. The investment bank's analysts tell clients in a note that, while the Australia-listed company has maintained guidance for annual EPS growth of 15%, the outlook for margin income is softer due to lower balances. They think that this could compound margin-income headwinds from lower interest rates into 2026. Transactional revenues supporting near-term earnings look hard to rely upon amid volatile global markets, they add. UBS cuts its target price by 0.8% to A$38.70 and keeps a sell rating on the stock, which is down 2.3% at A$38.06. ([email protected])

0022 GMT - Temple & Webster's bull at Citi thinks that the furniture retailer is on course to meet the market's expectations for June-half sales. Analyst Sam Teeger sees an acceleration in on-year sales growth from 16% at the start of the period to 23% for March 1-May 5 as positive, and tells clients in a note that consensus forecasts for 22% on year growth for the full six months are reasonable. Teeger is a little more conservative, and is looking for 20%. The sales momentum is particularly pleasing given that housing market indicators have yet to materially improve, he adds. Citi has a buy rating and A$21.10 target price on the stock, which is down 2.4% at A$16.81. ([email protected])

0012 GMT - National Australia Bank's bear at Citi says the lender's first-half earnings performance was better than that of rival Westpac. Analyst Thomas Strong tells clients in a note that core earnings for the six months through March were 1.2% softer than he had expected, but still 2% higher than six months earlier and flat on year. Westpac's core earnings were lower compared with both periods, he observes. However, Strong points out that NAB's relative outperformance stemmed from stronger-than-usual treasury income, which analysts will not incorporate into their forward numbers. Citi has a sell rating and A$30.50 target price on the stock, which is up 3.3% at A$36.45. ([email protected])

0001 GMT - Temple & Webster's second-half sales growth looks slightly softer than the market had expected, but not by so much that analysts need to materially downgrade forecasts, according to its bull at RBC. Analyst Wei-Weng Chen tells clients in a note that, while the 18% revenue growth so far in the period falls short, the 23% exit rate, combined by a strong performance through June, could be enough to get the furniture retailer close to the 22% analysts are looking for. With tailwinds from tariffs and an improved fiscal 2026 outlook, Chen doesn't think things look too bad. RBC has an outperform rating and A$19.00 target price on the stock, which is at A$17.23 ahead of the open.([email protected])

2301 GMT -- Electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi's stock could underperform Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index today after its 3Q sales update pointed to softer trading in recent weeks, suggests Barrenjoey. Like-for-like sales growth at its JB Hi-Fi Australia business slowed from 7.1% in January to 5.4% in February and March. It was a similar trend at The Good Guys. Analyst Tom Kierath says it's unclear how the later timing of Easter impacted sales growth. "All told 3Q like-for-like sales growth of 6.0% and 4.1% for JB Hi-Fi Australia and The Good Guys is solid in a value focused consumer environment," Barrenjoey says. "Given the premium rating and 3Q sales growth 50-100bps lower versus consensus we see weakness today." JB Hi-Fi ended Tuesday at A$103.61. ([email protected])

2254 GMT - Falling oil prices and a lower U.S. dollar from tariffs has improved the earnings and cash flow outlook for Aussie airline Qantas, say Jefferies analysts Anthony Moulder and Amit Kanwatia. They add that demand levels for Qantas and its budget unit Jetstar have remained solid in the domestic travel market, and though there could be weakness in international, that isn't yet evident. They say profit warnings from companies like Flight Centre and Corporate Travel suggest there's a weaker environment for travel, but they think there could be company-specific margin issues in those cases. The analysts retain their "buy" rating on Qantas shares, and increase their target price to A$11.97/share from A$11.42/share. ([email protected]; @Mike_Cherney)

2251 GMT - Australian oil producers have collectively only been this cheap once, says Barrenjoey. "However, the oil price was lower (US$40/bbl), as was LNG (US$2-4/mmBtu), and balance sheets were both higher geared and structured for higher oil prices, while growth portfolios were less diverse and carried greater execution risk," analyst Dale Koenders says. Barrenjoey upgrades Woodside to "overweight," from "neutral." That means the bank is now bullish on all three global producers: Woodside, Santos and Karoon Energy. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2249 GMT - Australia's third largest bank sees heightened global trade tensions as the key risk to its expectation of domestic economic growth and higher household incomes. National Australia Bank says it is maintaining strong balance sheet settings as a safeguard against further geopolitical risk. Announcing a 3.5% fall in 1H net profit, NAB says the sound starting position of the Australian economy at least provides scope for the country's central bank to adopt more stimulatory monetary policy response to potential headwinds. Its economists see the country's cash rate, currently at 4.1%, falling to 2.6% by February 2026. ([email protected])

2213 GMT - Bega Cheese's decision to consolidate its Strathmerton cheese processing and packaging operations into its existing site in Bega could help it to beat a big earnings goal, suggests Barrenjoey. Bega says the move will generate some A$30 million of annual cost savings. The company aims to have at least A$250 million of Ebitda by FY 2028. "It is our view that this project both de-risks and drives upside to this target," analyst Josh Kannourakis says. Barrenjoey now expects Bega to generate A$246 million and A$265 million of Ebitda in FY 2027 and FY 2028, respectively. That's up from its prior forecast of A$238 million and A$260 million. Barrenjoey rates Bega at overweight. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires