McMillan Shakespeare (ASX: MMS) delivered strong FY2025 growth, driven by record customer retention, expanding EV leasing, and disciplined balance sheet management. Positioned for long-term demand in sustainable mobility, MMS offers recurring revenue, robust cash flow, and significant dividends.
Zip closed FY25 with what we consider a genuine inflection point: a record A$13.1bn in TTV and A$170.3m of group cash EBTDA — a level of profitability that would’ve sounded fanciful 18 months ago. The US arm is now the locomotive of the group, while ANZ has quietly rebuilt its margin spine. Momentum spilled straight into 1Q FY26, with TTV of A$3.9bn and cash EBTDA of A$62.8m, prompting management to hike US TTV guidance and expand the buyback to A$100m.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) remains the undisputed heavyweight of the Australian financial system, dominant in retail banking, advantaged by scale, and well-positioned to monetise the next phase of household re-leveraging as rates peak and credit growth stabilises. Our view is simple: CBA’s franchise resilience is undervalued. While the macro backdrop remains mixed and competition in mortgages remains intense, the bank continues to deliver sector-leading returns, defend margin leadership, and maintain one of the strongest balance sheets globally.
We believe National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB) is entering a structurally more attractive phase of its earnings cycle, one that the market is only partially pricing. FY25 confirms that NAB has completed a difficult multi-year transition from remediation-heavy execution towards balance-sheet-led growth, operational leverage, and disciplined capital deployment. In our view, National Australia Bank is no longer just a “solid major bank.” It is increasingly a business-banking-centric compounder, with improving margin resilience, strengthening deposit mix, stabilising asset quality, and credible technology-driven productivity optionality.
CBA is trading near all-time highs, reflecting its dominant market share, strong 13.8% ROE, resilient earnings growth and fully franked dividends. While 1H26 results showed solid lending and deposit growth ahead of the broader economy, the stock’s ~30x earnings multiple leaves limited margin for error. At current levels, much of the good news appears priced in, with valuation risk emerging if margins compress or growth moderates.
Westpac Banking Corporation is a systemically important bank with a strong mortgage franchise, solid capital buffers and a fully franked dividend. With modest 3–4% earnings growth expected, current valuations look full, making it more suited to income investors than deep-value buyers.
