Phillip Hudak, CFA and Matt Griffin unpack the key takeaways from this reporting season with Morningstar Australia’s Eva Cook.
In this 45-minute webinar, they cover:
- Market context: Positioning and expectations heading into reporting season.
- Earnings outcomes: Broad takeaways and key deviations from consensus.
Company-level insights: Standout large- and small-cap names and sector themes. - Forward view: Implications for portfolio positioning, sector allocation, and stock selection.
- Interactive Q&A: Opportunity to have your questions addressed by our speakers.
Watch here
Disclaimer
This presentation is prepared and issued by Maple-Brown Abbott Limited ABN 73 001 208 564, AFSL 237296 (‘MBA’) as the Responsible Entity of the MBA Australian Small Companies Fund (ARSN 658 552 688) (‘the Fund’). This presentation contains general information only, and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or specific needs. Before making any investment decision, you should seek independent financial advice. This presentation does not constitute an offer or solicitation by anyone in any jurisdiction. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Neither MBA, nor any of its related parties, directors or employees, make any representation or give any guarantee as to the return of capital, performance, any specific rate of return, or the taxation consequences of, any investment. Any views expressed on individual stocks or other investments, or any forecasts or estimates, are not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold, they are point in time views and may be based on certain assumptions and qualifications not set out in part or in full in this document. Individual stocks referred to may or may not be currently held by the Fund. Information derived from sources is believed to be accurate, however such information has not been independently verified and may be subject to assumptions and qualifications not described in this document. To the extent permitted by law, neither MBA, nor any of its related parties, directors or employees, make any representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, reasonableness or reliability of this information, or accept liability or responsibility for any losses, whether direct, indirect or consequential, relating to, or arising from, the use or reliance on this information. Before making a decision whether to acquire, or to continue to hold an investment in the Funds, investors should obtain and consider the current PDS and Target Market Determination (TMD) or any other relevant disclosure document. For the Fund, the PDS, AIB and TMD are available at maple-brownabbott.com/document-library or by calling 1300 097 995. This information is current as of 11 September 2025 and is subject to change at any time without notice. © 2025 Maple-Brown Abbott Limited.
© 2025 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither Morningstar, its affiliates, nor the content providers guarantee the data or content contained herein to be accurate, complete or timely nor will they have any liability for its use or distribution. This report has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892) and/or New Zealand wholesale clients of Morningstar Research Ltd, subsidiaries of Morningstar, Inc. Any general advice has been provided without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Our publications, ratings and products should be viewed as an additional investment resource, not as your sole source of information. Morningstar’s full research reports are the source of any Morningstar Ratings and are available from Morningstar or your adviser. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a financial adviser. Some material is copyright and published under licence from ASX Operations Pty Ltd ACN 004 523 782.
BBus, CFAPhillip Hudak joined Maple-Brown Abbott in April 2022 as Co-Portfolio Manager for Australian Small Companies, bringing over 24 years’ investment experience, with 15 years dedicated to Australian small cap equity portfolio management and fundamental stock research. In his current role, Phillip is responsible for leading the Australian small companies equity business, focusing on medium-term earnings delivery combined with a differentiated market-leading sustainability framework which is designed to outperform in most market environments.Before joining Maple-Brown Abbott, Phillip worked as Co-Portfolio Manager on the AMP Capital Australian Emerging Companies Fund for nine years. Prior to that, he was a small companies analyst at ING Investment Management, analyst at MIR Investment Management and an investment consultant with Russell Investment Group.
Phillip
BComMatt Griffin joined Maple-Brown Abbott in April 2022 as Co-Portfolio Manager for Australian Small Companies, bringing 17 years’ investment experience in Australian small cap equity portfolio management and fundamental stock research. In his current role, he is responsible for leading the Australian small companies equity business, focusing on medium-term earnings delivery combined with a differentiated market-leading sustainability framework which is designed to outperform in most market environments.Before joining Maple-Brown Abbott, Matt worked as Co-Portfolio Manager on the AMP Capital Australian Emerging Companies strategy for four years. Prior to that, he was Investment Director at IFM Investors, where he was integral to the launch of the IFM Australia small caps and micro caps strategy, and a small companies analyst at Macquarie Asset Management.
Matt
Interested in investing with us?
Investment Insights
8 min
Australian small caps: a coiled spring so far this AGM season
Australian small caps performance is trailing large caps on an annualised basis by one of the widest margins, a gap seen only three times since 2002, and each time small caps recovered sharply once pressure eased. Phillip Hudak, Co-Portfolio Manager, Australian Small Companies, shares 10 key investment insights from the Annual General Meeting (AGM) season so far. He also unpacks four investment themes shaping the Maple-Brown Abbott Australian Small Companies Fund and the five key catalysts he believes could release the coiled spring for Australian small caps.
1 hour min
Dougal Maple-Brown’s shocking prediction
At Livewire Live, Dougal Maple-Brown, Head of Australian Value Equities, made a two-part "shocking prediction": CSL would double from its lows and Commonwealth Bank (CBA) would halve from its highs. Before he even took the stage, CSL had all but doubled from its May low of ~$90. Find out why Dougal believes valuation is behind both calls, why CBA could fall to $100 a share, and why we are overweight healthcare for the first time in decades.
8 min
Data center growth in Iberia
In the current environment of strong and growing electricity demand, the nature of investment opportunities continue to evolve. On our September research trip to Portugal, Spain, the UK and the US, we found two opportunities we believe the market is under-appreciating. Europe’s data center growth is happening in Iberia; while battery storage investments are generating attractive returns for developers and addressing customer affordability for US regulated utilities. Read the full insights to see what we learned on the ground.
18 min
2026 Australian Small Companies ESG Report
The environment for responsible investment continues to evolve, and in certain markets the debate surrounding ESG has become increasingly polarised. Our position remains unchanged. We focus on the environmental, social and governance factors that are financially material to the companies held in the Fund, and on the management of those factors in the long-term interests of our investors. Where third-party coverage of the smaller end of the domestic market is thin, proprietary research and direct engagement with boards and management become the means by which that view is formed. Our ESG report for the Maple-Brown Abbott Australian Small Companies Fund records both over the 2026 financial year.
