Key highlights

  • ASX Ltd (ASX:ASX) shares touched a 52-week high during the 19 October 2026 session and closed at $63.53, up 1.68%.
  • The 13 August 2026 FY26 results announcement reports Operating Revenue of $1.25 billion and underlying net profit after tax of $536.4 million.
  • A fully franked final Dividend of 104.7 cents was declared, and total expense growth of 18% to 21% is guided for FY27.

ASX Ltd (ASX:ASX) operates Australia’s main securities exchange, along with clearing, settlement, data and technology services. The stock touched a 52-week high during the 19 October 2026 session and closed the day at $63.53, a gain of 1.68%. In a market announcement dated 13 August 2026, ASX released its results for the year ended 30 June 2026 (FY26), including Business unit revenue, dividend details and guidance for FY27 and FY28.

FY26 headline results

Operating revenue was $1.25 billion, up 13.3%, with all four business units growing. Total expenses were $557.4 million, up 21.1%, below the mid-point of the updated 20% to 23% guidance range. The announcement cites the Accelerate program, additional capability for technology platforms moving into operation, higher Depreciation and Amortisation and one-off costs from the ASIC Inquiry.

Underlying net profit after tax was $536.4 million, up 5.2%. Statutory net profit after tax was $484.9 million, down 3.5%, reflecting $51.5 million (after tax) of significant items, which include penalty and legal costs on settlement of the ASIC legal proceedings, CHESS Replacement Partnership program payments and the loss on the sale of the Sympli interest. Net interest income fell 15.7% to $73.2 million. Underlying Return on Equity was 13.7%.

Business unit revenue

Markets revenue rose 18.6% to $414.1 million, with futures and OTC revenue up 18.4% and cash market trading revenue up 24.2%. Securities & Payments rose 19.4% to $327.7 million. Technology & Data rose 8.0% to $297.6 million, and Listings rose 3.5% to $215.2 million. ASX recorded 100 new listings, up 45%, adding $32.6 billion in quoted market capitalisation, and a record 72 new ETFs.

Dividend and operational items

The final dividend is 104.7 cents per share, fully franked, up 2.8% on the first-half dividend, at a 75% Payout Ratio of underlying net profit after tax. The total FY26 dividend is 206.5 cents, down 7.5%. A Dividend reinvestment plan applies at a 2.5% discount based on a nine-day VWAP starting 26 August 2026. Operationally, ASX delivered CHESS Release 1, launched TradeAccept in June and began modernising its ASX Trade platform.

FY27 and FY28 guidance

ASX reaffirmed FY27 total expense growth of 18% to 21%, with Operating Expense growth excluding depreciation and amortisation of 13% to 16%. FY27 Capital Expenditure is expected at $180 million to $200 million, and FY28 at $170 million to $190 million. The underlying ROE target range was adjusted to 12.0% to 14.0% for future periods, as announced on 26 May 2026.

Sector backdrop

The S&P/ASX 200 (ASX: XJO) stood at 8,845.70 at 4:25 pm (GMT+11) on 19 October 2026, up 0.44%, or 39.00 points, for the day. On the sector map, Financials rose 0.85%. On the sector map for the session, Energy rose 2.16%, Industrials 0.93%, Financials 0.85%, Utilities 0.38% and Consumer Staples 0.25%, while Information Technology fell 1.35%, A-REIT 0.34%, Consumer Discretionary 0.18%, Telecommunication Services 0.16% and Health Care 0.13%. One further segment, left unlabelled on the map, rose 0.11%.

The ASX results announcement is dated 13 August 2026, more than two months before the 19 October session, and it does not discuss that day’s trading.

Risks shareholders should weigh

The announcement says ASX faced significant reputational challenges in FY26, including the ASIC Inquiry, whose final report identified historical underinvestment compared with global peers. Expenses are rising faster than revenue, with total expense growth of 21.1% in FY26 against revenue growth of 13.3%, and further expense growth of 18% to 21% is guided for FY27.

The announcement notes that capital expenditure is mainly for technology modernisation and that inherent delivery risks in the program may affect guidance. FY26 revenue benefited from global market volatility, which can change. Statutory profit and the total dividend were both lower than the prior year.

What’s next

The announcement points to continued technology modernisation, including ASX Trade, the FY27 expense and capex guidance, a listings pipeline it describes as its largest in several years and progress on a secured overnight repo-based benchmark. Interim Leadership is in place, and further updates will follow on the usual reporting timetable.