2319 GMT - Barrenjoey takes a more bullish view of coal miner New Hope's long-term dividend payout ratio. New Hope had A$620 million in cash and managed investment funds at the end of January. It also holds some A$300 million of convertible notes on its balance sheet. Barrenjoey says its cash pile should be enough to fund capex and debt repayments. "Once the capex program is complete and the put option is behind it, we suspect New Hope will look to reduce its cash balance, implying a step-up in returns," says analyst Glyn Lawcock. "As such we increase our long-term payout ratio to 80% (from 50%)." It expects New Hope will prioritize dividends over share buybacks. (david.winning@wsj.com; @dwinningWSJ)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 18, 2026 19:19 ET (23:19 GMT)

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