Trending On Livewire: Weekend Edition - Saturday 22nd February

MinRes had a shocker, falling 20% on results and putting an exclamation point on a downtrend that has seen it fall from near $80 to below $30 in less than a year. Much was made of BHP paying the lowest interim dividend in eight years, but we must remember it’s a cyclical stock, and it appears to be keeping its balance sheet healthy for future projects – which is what investors should really want from a mining company.

Having a better time of things were HUB24 and Netwealth, with both platform businesses rallying on strong fund flows and bullish market conditions. Then we arrive at the banks. While only CBA (which reported last week) and BEN (which had a stinker, down 14%) reported in cycle, a combination of soft results and/or stretched valuations has seen the sector peak, with all the big four down between ~5-15% recently. Have we seen the top for a while? Quite possibly. But then again, many a fool has been made betting against them.

So far, reporting season could best be described as ‘mixed’, and that’s probably being generous. With the two major planks of our market – the banks and miners – sputtering and rolling off the top respectively, we’re on track for one of the worst earnings seasons in the last couple of years.

Chris Conway, Managing Editor, Livewire Markets

BHP's latest numbers belie a strong growth pipeline

BHP’s latest dividend announcement—just $0.50 per share—has raised eyebrows, especially after years of blockbuster payouts. But is this a cause for concern, or a smart play for the future? In this exclusive interview, BHP CFO Vandita Pant unpacks the company’s strategy, balancing shareholder returns with long-term investments in copper, potash, and iron ore. With $83 billion returned to investors since 2016, BHP remains committed to rewarding shareholders—but as Pant explains, future-proofing the business is just as crucial. Don’t miss this deep dive into BHP’s vision and what it means for investors.

READ | WATCH

FNArena reporting season monitor: February 2025 - Week 3 (155 stocks covered)

Welcome to the third weekly report for the February 2025 results season. The FNArena Reporting Season Monitor reports ratings, consensus price target changes, and brief summaries of the collective responses from FNArena's database of brokers for each of the stocks covered. The latest update is now available for download, with coverage of the 155 stocks that have reported results in February. You can access the full PDF in the attachment at the bottom of this wire. Readers should be aware that it doesn't matter what profit or loss has resulted from a company. What's important is how the stock fared against consensus forecasts – whether management delivered a "miss" or a "beat".

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Top 3 Wires this Week

Here are the weeks top viewed or liked wires by our subscribers:

Education

Do you really need $1 million to retire?

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Morgan Stanley says this key factor pushing gold to record highs is now the single biggest risk

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Equities

One of the best times to buy infrastructure stocks in the last 30 years is happening right now

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Our Experts

Some of the best wires from our Contributors this week

Equities

Operational excellence the key for BHP: now and into the future

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Equities

Goodman’s AI ambitions: Can it deliver long-term returns? Michael Wayne weighs in

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Equities

Mineral Resources still a sell on debt burden, iron ore and lithium prices - Datt Capital

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Equities

HUB24's phenomenal growth showing no signs of slowing down

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Chart of the Week: Staying awake has just cost a little more

As the Livewire team prepared for Pro Medicus’s results, one angle stood out - valuation. While PE ratios don’t tell the whole story, they remain a fundamental tool for assessing how richly a stock is priced and whether its growth potential justifies the premium.

Chris Conway , Senior Editor, Livewire Markets

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LAST WEEKS POLL RESULTS

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