2308 GMT - Beach Energy's below-consensus dividend is a big signal that it's deal-hunting, says Euroz Hartleys. Beach declared an interim dividend of A$0.01/share. That was half what the market expected and below the A$0.03/share paid out a year earlier. "The cut dividend (and policy), increased balance sheet strength and quoted 'Total shareholder returns focus' in Beach's 1H wrap-up slide, in our mind, indicates that material M&A could be close," says analyst Declan Bonnick. It thinks investors would welcome deal news. Euroz Hartleys had a hold call and A$1.18/share price target on Beach ahead of the 1H result. Beach is down 1.6% at A$1.235 at the open. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2244 GMT - Autosports Group is Macquarie's pick of Australian vehicle dealers, helped by its ongoing adaptation to the growth of Chinese brands in the local market. Macquarie's analysts point out that Chinese imports accounted for 22% of new vehicle sales in January, up from 13% a year earlier. They see adapting to this rise as an important growth driver for local dealers. The analysts tell clients in a note that Autosports is well-placed for organic and inorganic growth, underpinned by solid trading conditions for the luxury brands in which it specializes. Macquarie has an outperform rating on the stock. ([email protected])

2227 GMT - Centuria Office REIT lacks near-term catalysts that could drive outperformance, says Bell Potter. Still, it sees a reduced risk of a guidance miss after making progress in leasing out space in 1H. Analyst Connor Eldridge says market conditions aren't favorable. Centuria Office REIT's 818 Bourke Street property is currently 25% vacant and 201 Pacific Highway is 33% empty. "We believe a top-of-the-range funds from operations print would be reliant upon leases being struck at these assets, which we think is unlikely and hence think the upside is capped here," Bell Potter says. Also, Centuria Office REIT still has 3.9% of its portfolio expiring in 2H. Bell Potter upgrades the stock to hold, from sell. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2217 GMT - DSV's faster-than-expected integration of DBSchenker is viewed at Citi as presenting both positive and negative risks to logistics software developer WiseTech Global. Analyst Siraj Ahmed tells clients in a note that the integration two years ahead of schedule looks like a revenue tailwind for the Australian company over the next 18 months. However, he points out that DSV's greater scale means it is looking at developing its own logistics solution over time. He estimates that DSV could represent 15% of WiseTech's fiscal 2029 Ebitda. Citi has a last-published buy rating and A$109.15 target price on the stock, which is at A$51.25 ahead of the open. ([email protected])

2215 GMT - The briefing by Santos's management will be an important feature of its Feb. 18 result, says Macquarie. That's because it's the first chance for Santos to lay out strategic plans following the failed takeover campaign by the XRG-led consortium. "Santos's growth is now de-risking rapidly," says Macquarie. Santos's Barossa natural-gas project is online and it will soon produce oil at its Pikka Phase 1 project in Alaska. What's next? "Papua and Moomba Central both add value," Macquarie says. It expects the Beetaloo basin is becoming a strategic priority as this can fill a second processing unit at the GLNG export plant. "We would like to see more active trading of certain assets where they are more highly valued by others (eg. Beach/SGH)," Macquarie adds. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2156 GMT - Centuria Office REIT should prioritize efforts to repair its balance sheet, Jefferies says. That's because its gearing rose to 44.9% at the end of December, from 44.4% six months earlier. Analyst Andrew Dodds also points to increasing vacancy in its office portfolio. "We don't align with management's view that FY26 will be a trough year for earnings and sit at the bottom end of the reaffirmed guidance range," Jefferies says. It thinks Centuria Office REIT should consider asset sales or a dividend cut, even though gearing should fall to 42.5% once the sale of a property in Chatswood settles in June. It retains an underperform call and A$0.94/share price target on Centuria Office REIT, which ended Wednesday at A$1.07. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2126 GMT - Packaging company Amcor had a tough 2025. But Jefferies sees a number of positive indicators that suggest earnings could finally recover. It says 2H should benefit from a bigger step up in cost savings. Analyst Ramoun Lazar also points to an improvement in non-core Beverages businesses and an easier bar to clear when measuring volumes against a year ago. "The low-end of EPS appears 'worst case' if 1H volume trends (down low-single digit percent) continue into 2H," says Jefferies. "However, scanner data has inflected positive, providing upside to consensus EPS for a stock not pricing-in much success and on 10x near-term PE." Jefferies retains a buy call on Amcor. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires