Daily Roundup

Aussie Broadband caps off transformational year with bumper dividend hike

Aussie Broadband has delivered a standout performance in FY26, with the company reporting a 9.2% jump in revenue to almost $1.3 billion. The real story, though, is what's happening behind the scenes. The telco completed the largest NBN migration in history while simultaneously pulling off strategic acquisitions including AGL Telco and More & Tangerine. That's a lot to juggle in one year.

The financial numbers back up the operational hustle. Underlying EBITDA hit $165.3 million, and management clearly felt confident enough to increase dividends by a hefty 50% to 6 cents per share. On top of that, the company announced an on-market share buyback of up to $115 million.

Looking ahead, Aussie Broadband is guiding for FY27 underlying EBITDA between $205 million and $215 million, with capital expenditure between $60 million and $65 million. The company reckons it's well positioned to deliver its upgraded Look-to-28 ambitions, with a diversified platform and multiple earnings growth drivers in the pipeline.

Road safety tech company Acusensus lands massive ACT contract

Acusensus has secured a significant win in the traffic enforcement space, landing a multi-year contract with the ACT Government worth approximately $63 million over the initial five years. But here's where it gets interesting—the deal includes options to extend for up to another decade, potentially pushing the total value to $210 million.

The contract covers the full suite of modern traffic enforcement: red-light detection, speed cameras, and average speed enforcement solutions. It's the kind of territory-wide deal that could open doors to similar contracts in other jurisdictions, positioning Acusensus as a go-to player in AI-enabled road safety solutions.

Steadfast shareholders to vote on Dragoneer and KKR takeover

The Supreme Court of New South Wales has given the green light for Steadfast Group to hold a Scheme Meeting, where shareholders will vote on the proposed acquisition by Starboard BidCo—an entity backed by Dragoneer Investment Group and KKR. The Scheme Booklet, complete with an Independent Expert's Report, will be distributed to shareholders by 26 October 2026.

The Steadfast Board is recommending shareholders vote in favor of the deal, assuming no better offer materializes and the Independent Expert maintains their view that the scheme is in shareholders' best interests.

Kip McGrath extends takeover offer deadline

Crimson Consulting has extended its offer period for Kip McGrath Education Centres until 7:00 pm on 4 November 2026. The offer price stays locked at $0.75 per share—described as the last and final offer—but Crimson has sweetened the deal slightly by accelerating payment terms to just 10 business days. Shareholders are being encouraged to accept without delay.

Alkane Resources posts solid first quarter, pays maiden dividend

Gold producer Alkane Resources delivered a respectable start to FY27, churning out 40,740 ounces of gold equivalent at an all-in sustaining cost of $2,805 per ounce. The company generated $102 million in mine operating cash flow during the quarter and closed with $440 million in cash and bullion on the balance sheet.

The highlight for shareholders was the maiden fully franked dividend of 2 cents per share. Gold equivalent sales hit 38,348 ounces, generating $206 million in revenue at an average gold price of $5,128 per ounce. Looking at the full year, Alkane is guiding for FY27 production of 163-177 koz gold equivalent at an AISC of $2,900 to $3,200 per ounce, with ongoing growth projects and exploration activities expected to support future production.