Well, it has not been a pleasant hump day for ASX 200 shares, to say the least. At the time of writing, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has slumped by another 0.38%, dragging the index down to around 8,220 points.
We've had a bruising earnings report from Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) to boot, which has seen that company dive more than 3% today.
And yet, we've seen a handful of ASX 200 shares buck the market comprehensively this Wednesday to push to new 52-week highs. Let's check out these market oddballs.
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Four ASX 200 shares at new 52-week highs this Wednesday
First up, we have ASX 200 share and packaging company Brambles Ltd (ASX: BXB). Brambles shares are currently (at the time of writing) up a healthy 2.4% at $20.86 each after rising to a new 52-week (and all-time) high of $20.87 this afternoon.
There's been no fresh news out of Brambles today that might explain this new high. However, this company reported its latest earnings last week on 20 February. Its shares have been trending higher ever since. Clearly, investors loved the 4% revenue growth, 10% rise in underlying profits, and 27% dividend hike that Brambles delivered.
Next, there's ASX 200 mortgage insurance share Helia Group Ltd (ASX: HLI) to discuss. Helia shares have shot up 3.9% at present to $5.89 each. That's after hitting a new all-time high of $5.92 earlier today.
This ASX 200 share is in a similar situation to Brambles. Helia reported its own earnings just yesterday. As we covered at the time, this involved the company announcing an increase to its share buyback program, as well as a big 53 cents per share special dividend.
Investors clearly approve.
Our third ASX 200 share at a new high today is A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M). Continuing the earnings theme of today, A2 Milk stock has been moving higher for more than a week now, ever since its own report card hit the markets on 17 February.
As we covered at the time, investors celebrated A2 Milk's maiden dividend, as well as its increased guidance for FY2025.
Today, A2 Milk shares have added another 0.44% at present to $7.96 a share after rising as high as $8.03 around lunchtime. That's a new 52-week high for A2 Milk, and puts the company up more than 33% since its earnings came out.
Last but not least
Finally, let's talk about Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL). This ASX 200 blue-chip share is currently in red territory, down 0.18% at the time of writing to $19.62 a share. However, earlier this morning, Coles stock jumped, rising as high as $19.98. That's a new 52-week high, as well as a new record, for the grocer.
There hasn't been some fresh news out of Coles for a while now, with this company's earnings due out tomorrow. But perhaps there was some schadenfreude happening amongst Coles investors, with arch-rival Woolworths reporting those sobering numbers of its own today.
