Daily Roundup

Southern Cross Electrical Engineering is making a bold move to reshape its business, announcing the acquisition of Entire Operations for up to $112.1 million. The deal brings together SCEE's electrical engineering expertise with Entire's fire protection and HVAC capabilities, creating a more diversified service provider. The structure includes $70 million upfront and up to $42.1 million in deferred payments tied to future performance. What makes this particularly attractive is the revenue boost—Entire is expected to contribute over $60 million in recurring maintenance and services revenue annually, the kind of predictable income streams that investors love. The transaction should wrap up by November 1, 2026, and SCEE is already raising its FY27 EBITDA guidance to at least $110 million, with the deal expected to deliver at least 18% earnings per share accretion on a pro forma basis.

Across the Tasman, GenusPlus is expanding its telecommunications footprint with the acquisition of UCG Holdings for NZ$38.25 million upfront. UCG operates as a leading construction and maintenance service provider in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, with a particularly strong relationship—a 10+ year contract with Chorus, the country's largest telecommunications infrastructure company. The deal includes potential earn-out payments of up to NZ$25 million based on FY27 and FY28 performance, and GenusPlus expects it to be immediately earnings accretive. Completion is targeted for the end of October.

In the education sector, Crimson Australia has sweetened its offer for Kip McGrath Education Centres, bumping the price to $0.75 per share—a 66.7% premium to the stock's last closing price. The offer is now unconditional, and Kip McGrath's board has unanimously recommended shareholders accept it. The offer closes on October 19, giving shareholders a clear deadline to decide.

Meanwhile, Stakk is firing on all cylinders. The software and services company reported Q1 FY2027 revenue of A$16.1 million, representing a 16.5% surge. More impressively, that annualised revenue pace of A$64.3 million already exceeds the company's FY2027 target of A$55.2 million—and here's the kicker: 100% of that target is already locked in through recurring revenue from existing customer contracts. Growth has been remarkable, with revenue jumping 151% since March 2025, driven by major customer wins and cross-selling opportunities following the ParaScript acquisition. The outlook for FY2028 is equally promising, with a substantial and expanding pipeline.

Finally, Cobre Ltd has taken control of the Sierra Atacama copper project in Chile by exercising its Control Call Option for approximately US$12 million. The move increases Cobre's ownership stake to 62.86%, making it the majority shareholder with enhanced board representation. This consolidation gives Cobre economic and governance control as the project moves into its next expansion and exploration phase.