Buy Hold Sell, by Livewire Markets

Buy Hold Sell: 4 ASX stocks for playing defence (and 1 to leave on the bench)

This episode was filmed Wednesday, 24th September 2025.

The siren might have sounded on another AFL season, but when it comes to markets, the game next stops. 

With the ASX trading near record highs and valuations stretching common sense, investors are asking the big question: how do you protect the scoreboard when conditions turn tough?

As the saying goes, attack wins you games, but defence wins you titles. And while growth stocks often grab the spotlight, low-volatility names and reliable portfolio ballast can be just as crucial for staying in the match when momentum shifts.

So in this episode, we’re drawing up our own starting lineup of ASX defenders. Which stocks deserve a place in your portfolio’s backline, and which ones should be left warming the bench?

Joining Livewire's Tom Stelzer to make the calls are  from Blackwattle and Brenton Saunders from Pendal, who put three ASX names under the spotlight. They also share their best defensive stock picks for when markets get choppy.

Buy Hold Sell: 5 ASX growth stocks kicking goals right now

Growth stocks by definition are going to run hot from time to time, but as the old saying goes: form is temporary, class is permanent.

In a year that's seen a surprisingly resilient stock market, some names have taken the ball and run with it. But it's where they go next that matters.

In this episode of Buy Hold Sell, Livewire's Tom Stelzer is joined by Tim Riordan from Blackwattle and Brenton Saunders from Pendal to analyse some of the ASX's current star performers and see whether they can maintain that form going forward.

They also throw up the ASX growth stock they think can continue to kick goals over the next 12 months.

Please note this episode was filmed on 24 September 2025.

Buy Hold Sell: 3 ASX names moving from promise to profitability (and 2 that might not make it)

Facebook (now Meta) founder Mark Zuckerberg coined the phrase “move fast and break things” – a catchy motto designed to celebrate speed and experimentation. But as investors know, speed counts for little if a company can’t cross the Rubicon from potential to profitability.

That’s the real test: turning hype into hard dollars. Profitability is the finish line, and plenty of flashy contenders never make it across.

In this episode of Buy Hold Sell, Livewire’s Chris Conway is joined by Martin Hickson (1851 Capital) and Steve Johnson (Forager) to zero in on a clutch of ASX names either approaching that threshold or already beyond it.

Which businesses are set to graduate from promise to performance – and which are still running on fumes, with more buzz than balance sheet? For good measure, both guests also reveal one stock they believe is presently offering more hype than substance.

Please note this episode was filmed on 10 September 2025.

Innovation or illusion? How to spot the real disruptors (and 4 ASX ideas for your trouble)

We all love a compelling growth story, but how do you tell whether you're buying substance or sizzle?

In this episode, we’re diving into one of the most exciting - and sometimes most dangerous - areas of the market: innovation. 

It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot, but how do you tell the difference between a company with a slick marketing pitch and one that’s genuinely building something transformative? 

To unpack this, Livewire's Chris Conway is joined by Steve Johnson from Forager and Martin Hickson from 1851 Capital.

Johnson and Hickson share what innovation means to them, the traits that set true disruptors apart, and the red flags that suggest hype over substance. They also cover how to assess competitive moats, and what metrics matter when profitability hasn't quite yet arrived. 

Of course, it wouldn't be an episode of Buy Hold Sell without some stock ideas, so the guests each share an ASX innovator that is underrated and the market might be missing, as well as the best innovator across any market cap segment.

Please note this episode was filmed on 10 September 2025.

Buy Hold Sell: 5 ASX innovators with massive potential

It's September, and that means football finals - time to separate the contenders from the pretenders, as they say. 

It's no different when hunting for opportunities on the ASX, particularly when it comes to the innovators - those companies pushing boundaries, reshaping industries, and trying to become the market leaders of tomorrow. 

But as every investor knows, backing innovation isn’t as simple as spotting a good idea. For every success story like Pro Medicus or Life360, there are countless others that never quite make the leap, leaving investors nursing losses. 

So how do you tell the difference between a genuine innovator and a pretender? And what signals should investors look for when trying to back the next big thing? 

To answer those questions, Lvewire's Chris Conway is joined by Martin Hickson from 1851 Capital and Steve Johnson from Forager. Together, they run the ruler over a handful of ASX innovators. 

For good measure, each guest shares a disruptor they are backing that has massive upside potential - provided they can nail it. 

Please note this episode was filmed on 27 August 2025.

Buy Hold Sell: 3 painful results and 2 standout winners

Reporting season already feels like a lifetime ago, given how fast markets are moving these days, but some results - both good and bad - will have a lasting impact.

A great set of results and positive share price reaction can reset a company's trajectory, both operationally and in the minds of investors.

Suddenly, a middling company with a middling share price can look like a world-beater - though with that comes greater expectations. On the other hand, market darlings can turn into pumpkins almost in an instant, with momentum and share prices derailed in equal measure.

In this episode of Buy Hold Sell, Livewire's Anna Dadic speaks with Ben Rundle (Hayborough) and Joe McCarthy (Elston) to unpack some of the most painful results from the season.

For balance, they also each highlight a standout winner that they believe can kick on over the next 12 months.

This episode of Buy Hold Sell was filmed 27th August, 2025.

Buy Hold Sell: Reporting season winners, losers and 2 ASX stocks to watch

Reporting season is always full of surprises, and this one didn’t disappoint. 

Some companies smashed expectations, sending share prices soaring, while others stumbled badly and left investors wondering what went wrong. And then, of course, there were the quiet achievers, delivering solid results without making much noise.

To help us cut through the chaos, Livewire's Anna Dadic is joined by Ben Rundle from Hayborough Investment Partners and Joe McCarthy from Elston Asset Management.

Together, they examine the key themes from the season, including some of the best, worst, and under-the-radar results, and - perhaps most importantly - whether they are making any portfolio adjustments. 

Strap in, there's plenty to cover.

Please note this episode was filmed on 27 August 2025.

Buy Hold Sell: 5 solid ASX earnings that slipped past the headlines

While the aggregate numbers suggest this August reporting season hasn’t been as volatile as previous ones—at least when looking at average share price moves on beats and misses—several big-name stocks have experienced outsized reactions.

CSL, Woolworths and James Hardie were punished, while Coles, Brambles, and REA Group fared far better. Such sharp swings among large-cap “reliable” names have made the season feel more unpredictable than usual, particularly since these are the stocks investors typically buy for stability.

They are also companies that dominate headlines and, understandably, get a lot of coverage. However, that also means that there are likely many companies beyond the headlines that delivered solid results, which the market might have overlooked.

In this episode, Livewire’s Anna Dadic is joined by Ben Rundle from Hayborough Investment Partners and Joe McCarthy from Elston Asset Management to run the ruler over three ASX names that quietly delivered strong results.

For good measure, they each nominate another stock that may have flown under the radar —one they believe offers a compelling buying opportunity.

Please note this episode was recorded on 27 August 2025.

Buy Hold Sell: 5 ASX healthcare names to fix what ails you

Despite having a world-class healthcare industry and some equally impressive companies, the ASX healthcare sector has been code blue over the last 12 months and is in dire need of a defibrillator. 

The sector has been the third-worst performer over the period, down around 2%. So, what gives? Well, COVID didn't help, and healthcare companies have never been 'cheap' historically, but it does beg the question - is the sector due for a turnaround?

And, far more importantly, as it concerns Buy Hold Sell, which stocks could lead the charge?

 

To help answer those questions, Livewire's Chris Conway was joined by David Wilson from First Sentier Investors, and Matt Williams from Airlie Funds Management. 

Not only do the guests run the ruler over a handful of healthcare names, but they also each identify one healthcare company they believe is set for a big year ahead. 

Please note this episode was recorded on 30 July 2025.

Buy Hold Sell: 3 ASX names set to benefit from rate cuts, hot property

There’s something stirring in the ASX property sector.

With interest rates finally trending lower, the landscape for real estate investment is beginning to shift. Cheaper financing, improving asset valuations, and a potential tailwind for yield-focused investors all mean that property stocks are starting to look a lot more compelling.

While they’ve been out of favour in recent times, could we now be witnessing the early signs of a comeback?

In this episode of Buy Hold Sell, we’re diving into the world of listed property - from retail to residential, industrial to office - to uncover where the best opportunities might lie.

To help make sense of it all, host Chris Conway is joined by two top investors who’ve seen more cycles than most: Matt Williams from Airlie Funds Management and David Wilson from First Sentier Investors.

Together, they run the ruler over three ASX-listed property stocks and discuss the macro forces driving the sector. 

For good measure, Matt and David also name a property play (or two) they like right now.

Please note this episode was filmed on 30 July 2025.