Sydney, February 16, 2026, 18:01 AEDT — Market closed
- SEEK closed up 7.95% at A$17.10 on Monday, after dipping early
- Half-year results are due Tuesday, with investors focused on the profit hit from a Zhaopin impairment
- Traders are watching guidance and any update on talks to reshape Zhaopin’s ownership
SEEK Limited (ASX:SEK) shares ended Monday up 7.95% at A$17.10, recovering from an early slide to A$15.81 and finishing at the day’s high. About 4 million shares traded, after the stock opened at A$15.91. (SEEK Australia)
The move matters because SEEK reports half-year earnings on Tuesday, when the company’s China exposure and the pace of hiring demand will be on the line. The stock has been whipping around as investors try to work out what is a one-off accounting hit and what is a deeper reset.
It also lands at an awkward moment in the reporting season, when investors have been punishing anything that looks like “earnings risk” in the small print. SEEK’s half-year results are due February 17. (SEEK Australia)
Last week, SEEK said it expects to recognise a A$356 million post-tax impairment charge — an accounting write-down — tied to its investment in China’s Zhaopin in the first-half results, subject to auditor review. It said the value of its total investment in Zhaopin as at Dec. 31 is expected to be A$182 million, down from A$529 million at June 30, and flagged talks on a proposed ownership simplification that could lift SEEK’s stake to about 30% with no cash outflow, though there are no binding commitments.
Impairments don’t necessarily mean cash has left the building. They do tell you what management thinks an asset is worth right now, and they tend to land badly when investors are already jumpy about growth and valuation.
Tuesday’s focus is likely to be less about the number — now pre-flagged — and more about the follow-through: how SEEK sees hiring conditions in its core Australia and New Zealand business, and whether the Zhaopin overhaul brings clearer economics or just drags out uncertainty.
SEEK has been tracking a softening in job ad volumes in its own labour market data. In its latest Employment Report, it said job ads fell 1.2% in December from the prior month and were down 3.5% on the year; senior economist Blair Chapman said “job ads continued trending down in December.” (SEEK Australia)
In the local market, SEEK often trades in the same conversation as online classifieds peers such as REA Group and CAR Group, even if the end markets differ. When results season gets choppy, that “growth stock” bucket can move as a pack.
But the downside case is still easy to sketch. Any sign the jobs market is weakening faster than expected, or that China stays a drag for longer, could put the stock back under pressure and keep volatility high.
