0315 GMT - Regis Resources' FY 2025 result is close to expectations, and comes with a surprise franked dividend, says Citi analyst Kate McCutcheon. Franked dividends are payout with tax credits, allowing investors to offset tax liabilities. "We were not expecting a franked dividend given RRL noted they had no franking credits on the July call," she says. Regis has been able to pull forward franking credits as it expects to start paying cash tax from 3Q, McCutcheon says. Regis has no formal dividend policy but notes current market conditions are supportive of dividends. Citi reiterates a sell rating and a A$3.80 target on Regis. The stock is down 8.1% at A$4.11.([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

0131 GMT - Whitehaven Coal's FY 2026 guidance disappoints Macquarie, which says it is a miss on most metrics. The bank trims its target on the stock by 4% to A$6.25 a share. It reiterates a neutral recommendation. The miner's run-of-mine coal output projection is 7% below market expectations, while forecast coal sales are 10% below and unit costs are 5% higher. Macquarie says the adverse weather conditions Whitehaven is facing are also a negative. That said, Whitehaven's FY 2025 earnings per share and dividend beat market estimates, the bank says. Whitehaven is down 1.5% at A$6.53. ([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

0128 GMT - Sonic Healthcare is finding earnings growth from its existing stable of businesses elusive, says Barrenjoey. Sonic has spent some A$3.3 billion on acquisitions since FY 2019. Yet analyst Saul Hadassin points out that Sonic's EPS is likely to be A$1.17 in FY 2026, essentially in line with the A$1.15 achieved in FY 2019. "While we don't dismiss the synergy potential from transactions, it appears that other factors (price cuts, quotas, labor cost inflation, rents) have limited the overall earnings growth of the company and return-on-invested-capital expansion," Barrenjoey says. Its FY 2026-FY 2028 EPS forecasts fall by 10% on average. Barrenjoey retains an underweight call on Sonic.([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

0049 GMT - Brambles' increased tracking capabilities could lift the pallet provider's valuation if the company can successfully execute on the strategy, Citi analyst Samuel Seow reckons. He tells clients in a note that the composition of Brambles' fiscal 2025 result was stronger than he had anticipated, and likes the company's confidence that it can deliver strong earnings leverage despite a tough macroeconomic backdrop. The stock's valuation looks elevated to Seow, but a further step change is possible given the efficiency and revenue gains that management anticipate from the so-called serialization program. Citi raises the stock's target price by 13% to A$26.75 and remains neutral. Shares are down 0.6% at A$26.14. ([email protected])

0036 GMT - Brambles loses its bull at Macquarie on the share-price surge that followed the pallet provider's annual profit announcement. The investment bank lowers its recommendation to neutral from outperform, with analysts telling clients that the company is executing well on strategy but that the stock looks fully valued. Writing in a note, they say that an uncertain macroeconomic backdrop highlights Brambles' defensive qualities but point out that their target price implies an enterprise value of 15.2 times fiscal 2027 EBIT. This is above the stock's 10-year average of 14.3 times EBIT. Target price rises 2.4% to A$25.20. Shares are down 0.9% at A$26.06. ([email protected])

0029 GMT - Zip's bull at RBC thinks that the Australian buy-now-pay-later provider's earnings-margin guidance could be conservative. Analyst Jack Lynch points out that Zip's guidance for cash earnings to represent more than 1.3% of total transaction volume compared with a 1.6% margin in its most recent fiscal quarter. He tells clients in a note that 11% on-year growth in U.S. customers was a key highlight of the last fiscal year, helping group cash earnings beat both his and consensus forecasts. RBC has a last-published outperform rating and A$3.12 target price on the stock, which is up 22% at A$3.81. ([email protected])

2305 GMT -- Real-estate manager Charter Hall has typically been conservative with its maiden earnings guidance and this year looks no different to Citi. Charter Hall has signaled FY 2026 EPS of A$0.90. Analyst Suraj Nebhani highlights that equity inflows have strengthened since the end of June. Also, Charter Hall states that performance fees aren't included in its guidance. "We do see potential for some performance fees to be collected, especially from Charter Hall's Long WALE Hardware partnership," Citi says. It forecasts EPS of A$0.91c, ahead of guidance, and retains a buy call on Charter Hall. The stock is up some 58% over the past year. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2251 GMT -- Wealth-management platform provider Netwealth's share price can shine over the next three months, suggests Citi. The bank opens a 90-day catalyst watch on Netwealth heading into its 1Q trading update, highlighting potential upside. "We see potential for strong flows to result in upgrades to FY 2026 net flows," analyst Siraj Ahmed says. Netwealth's share price is up 61% since hitting a low in early April, although that rally has stalled in recent days. Netwealth plans to issue its 1Q update on Oct. 9. ([email protected])

1836 ET - Ord Minnett's big takeaway from Peter Warren Automotive's FY 2025 result: business is on the way up. It points to robust sales of new cars toward the end of 2H. Analyst Phillip Chippindale highlights that Australian new car volumes were a tailwind that has continued into FY 2026, and also views Peter Warren's inventory management as impressive. Inventory has declined 7% in the past six months, building on a 3% fall in 1H. Meanwhile, further reductions in operating expenses helped 2H pretax profit margins to double on 1H levels. "We now expect pretax profit to increase from A$22.3 million in FY 2025 to A$30.0 million in FY 2026," Ord Minnett says. It retains a hold call on Peter Warren and raises its price target by 18% to A$2.00/share. Peter Warren ended Thursday at A$2.00. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2213 GMT - The share-price surge that followed Brambles' profit announcement is probably an indication of how much more comfortable investors are with its guidance relative to other Australian large-caps, Jefferies analyst Anthony Moulder says. He tells clients in a note that the pallet provider's FY 2025 Ebit was in line with expectations, but that its earnings stability marks out the stock given volatility elsewhere. He says guidance is lower than he had anticipated and worries that the stock's re-rate might be unsustainable, but also sees flexibility on costs. Jefferies raises its target price 20% to A$21.60 and stays neutral. Shares are at A$26.30 ahead of the open. ([email protected])

2202 GMT - There's a chance that engineering contractor NRW Holdings can upgrade its guidance during FY 2026, suggests Euroz Hartleys. NRW says it expects at least A$3.4 billion of annual revenue. Analyst Gavin Allen says NRW can already see its way to A$3.0 billion of this target. That is an unusually strong position. In addition, NRW is actively tendering on A$5.6 billion of works that will likely be awarded over the next 12 months. "The idea NRW can win and bill more than A$400 million over the course of 2026 is very defendable," Euroz Hartleys says. "The idea it can win and bill A$600 million or even A$800 million is certainly not ludicrous." It retains a buy call on NRW. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2149 GMT - Super Retail's downplaying of the potential for more special dividends surprises Jefferies. That's because the company appears on track to remain below its leverage target. Super Retail declared a special dividend of A$0.30/share to round off FY 2025, below Jefferies's A$0.50/share forecast. Jefferies quibbles with management's view about its current debt position and why it reduces the chances of additional special dividends in the medium-to-long term. "This ignores the free cash flow the business generates and we believe the group will be net cash again in 1H of FY 2026, leaving headroom for further capital management or M&A," analyst Michael Simotas says. Jefferies has a hold call on Super Retail. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

0509 GMT - No new buyback from Northern Star may be somewhat surprising, given its recent share-price performance versus the strength in gold prices, Jarden analysts say in a note. Overall, the miner's FY result is slightly weaker than expectations, albeit with a dividend beat, they say. The analysts continue to view Northern Star as having a high-quality portfolio and reckon its valuation metrics are supportive after a period of share-price underperformance versus its peers. Jarden has a neutral rating and a target of A$15.10 on the stock. Northern Star is up 0.8% at A$18.36. ([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires