Latest Financial Services News

Argo Investments delivered an 8.7% portfolio return and record fully franked dividends in FY2026, while flagging a shift to quarterly distributions from January. The listed investment company intends to pay 40 cents per share across its first four quarterly dividends, subject to Board declarations.

Perpetual Diversified Income Fund lifted operating profit 38% to $169.9 million and grew net assets to $3.255 billion in the year to 30 June 2026. The fund also launched its Class E Active ETF, ASX:DIFF, while KPMG issued an unqualified audit opinion.

Cadence Opportunities Fund Limited (ASX:CDO) delivered a record $5.66 million after-tax profit and a 30.3% fund return in FY2026. The listed investment company is entering the new year with elevated cash, reduced gold exposure and a discounted share purchase plan underway.

WAM Global’s portfolio earnings grew 18% in FY2026, but valuation compression and currency losses left the investment portfolio down about 4.2% in Australian-dollar terms. The listed investment company declared a 13.2 cents per share fully franked full-year dividend, backed by a stated 5.2 years of dividend coverage.

Pengana International Equities has settled Supreme Court proceedings and agreed steps aimed at ending a related Takeovers Panel application, clearing a path for its buy-back and strategic reset. Antipodes will manage the portfolio under a new Board led by interim chairman Frank Gooch after the transaction.

Infratil has raised FY27 earnings guidance as data-centre demand accelerates across CDC and Longroad, with AI infrastructure now representing 73% of its NZ$22 billion asset base. The company is also sharpening its strategy around scaled growth platforms, contracted cash flows and selective new investments.

Franklin Templeton Australia is reshaping the FRGG Active ETF, replacing its concentrated global growth strategy with Putnam’s broader core equity approach and cutting management fees by one-third. The fund is expected to adopt the ticker FTPG in October, subject to approval, but the transition may bring tax and distribution consequences for investors.

JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF reported a sharp fall in operating profit as fair-value losses overwhelmed higher distribution income. The fund will also switch its underlying ETF from NYSE Arca to a London-listed vehicle, while keeping its stated investment objective and total management fees and costs unchanged.

Netwealth will acquire AI advice platform Paradino for up to $29 million and invest a further $10 million to scale the business. The deal extends Netwealth beyond platform administration into advice production, while Paradino remains loss-making and separately reported.

Regal Asian Investments delivered a 3.2% net portfolio return in August, lifting its 12-month performance to 36.4% despite continued volatility across Asian equities. The listed investment company’s shares ended the month at a 14.3% discount to post-tax NTA, while its buy-back and fully franked dividend continued.

JPMorgan US 100Q Equity Premium Income ETF (ASX:JPH) lifted operating profit to A$15.678 million for the year ended 30 June 2026, while net assets rose to A$106.991 million. The fund is also preparing to move its underlying exposure from a Nasdaq-listed ETF to an Irish UCITS vehicle traded in London, with total management fees and costs unchanged at 0.40% a year.

JPMorgan Global Select Equity Fund (ASX:JHL) reported an operating profit of A$39.058 million for the year ended 30 June 2026, while net assets attributable to unitholders rose 37% to A$578.268 million. Distributions increased sharply, although the fund remains almost entirely exposed to one underlying global equity ETF and significant currency movements.