Sydney, Feb 26, 2026, 17:30 (AEDT) — Market closed.
- WiseTech shares rose for a second session, extending a sharp rebound
- Company flagged a major AI-led restructure alongside half-year results and kept FY26 outlook
- Focus now turns to execution risk, costs and the March dividend timetable
WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX:WTC) ended Thursday up 2.6% at A$49.00, adding to Wednesday’s 11.1% jump. The stock traded between A$48.08 and A$50.99 in the session, according to Investing.com data.
The back-to-back move matters because it snaps attention back to what drives this name: product momentum, cost discipline and whether software firms can use artificial intelligence rather than get sideswiped by it. Investors have been jumpy on anything that looks like a margin reset, up or down.
The other part is speed. Markets have been re-pricing “AI transformation” stories in hours, not quarters, and WiseTech sits right in that cross-current with a big development spend and a global customer base that expects the lights to stay on.
WiseTech has said it will cut about 2,000 jobs — roughly 29% of its workforce — as it bakes AI deeper into customer software and internal operations. Marc Jocum, a senior product and investment strategist at Global X ETFs, said recent weakness in the stock was “more governance-driven than fundamental” and that the underlying trajectory looked sustainable “despite near-term disruption.” Reuters
In its half-year update (figures in U.S. dollars), WiseTech reported total revenue of $672.0 million, up 76%, and underlying NPAT — net profit after tax — of $114.5 million, up 2%, while statutory NPAT fell 36% to $68.1 million. It reaffirmed FY26 revenue guidance of $1.39 billion to $1.44 billion and EBITDA of $550 million to $585 million; EBITDA is earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation — a common yardstick for operating performance. Chief executive Zubin Appoo said “the era of manually writing code as the core act of engineering is over.” WiseTech Global
But the upbeat tape can turn quickly if the job cuts bite into delivery, or if restructuring costs swamp savings in the near term. AI tools can lift productivity, but they can also create new failure points — in customer support, in compliance-heavy software, and in the pace of product releases.
For the next session and into next week, traders will be watching for any fresh detail on the timing of the workforce changes and how quickly costs actually come out, not just get re-labelled. They will also keep one eye on demand signals tied to global trade and shipping volumes, which can swing guidance without warning.
The next hard date on the calendar is the interim dividend: shareholders on the register on March 16 are due to be paid on April 10, with dividend reinvestment plan election notices due by 5 p.m. Sydney time on March 17.
