May 26 - Australian stock exchange operator ASX told investors on Tuesday that it expects substantially higher spending in 2027 as it pursues technology upgrades and new product development, triggering a steep sell-off in its shares.
The company said total expenses could climb by as much as 21% in 2027 compared with the prior year. It also lifted its capital expenditure guidance for 2027 to a range of A$180 million to A$200 million, up from its previous A$160 million to A$180 million estimate. For 2028, ASX expects capital expenditure to lie between A$170 million and A$190 million.
ASX said costs will rise sharply as it upgrades core technology, makes investments in artificial intelligence, enhances internal systems and automation, and supports the simultaneous operation of older and newer systems. The company added that spending is also increasing to meet regulatory requirements.
In April, the country’s securities regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, reported a series of operational problems at the exchange operator. The ASIC report cited blunders, cost overruns and missed timetables for technology upgrades, saying the company had prioritised delivering higher shareholder returns and had adopted short-term "tactical solutions" to solving problems rather than addressing the cause of its issues.
Responding to the regulator’s findings, ASX said in its statement on Tuesday: "Final ASIC Inquiry Panel Report identified historical underinvestment compared to global peers, which ASX has committed to address with a faster pace and greater ambition." The company also said its 2026 total expense growth forecast of up to 23% includes costs associated with the regulatory inquiry.
The market reaction was sharp. ASX shares tumbled as much as 12.6% to A$51.40, marking their worst intraday session since early August 2012, while the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index fell only marginally by about 0.4% as of 0315 GMT.
The exchange operator reiterated its already trimmed dividend payout ratio of 75% to 85% of underlying net profit after tax. It also reported unaudited revenue for the 10 months to April 30 was up 12.5% to A$1.03 billion. (Exchange rate disclosed by the company: $1 = 1.3957 Australian dollars.)
The combination of accelerated technology investment, regulatory-driven spending and the need to run legacy and new systems in parallel underpinned the company’s decision to raise spending forecasts and capital commitments for the next two fiscal years.
Investors and market participants will be watching how ASX executes on its upgrade program and whether the higher near-term costs translate into improved operational resilience and product capability over time.