The Well-Heeled Are Headed to Puglia, the End of Italy’s Boot

The heel of Italy’s boot is its hospitable heartland, at least to a growing contingent of savvy travellers who find themselves turning to Puglia time and again, perhaps at first for its rusticity, but now for its lavish resorts. It’s been a long time coming for the historically overlooked region and its 500 miles of coastline, most of which is devoid of the crowds overstuffing other parts of the country.

“Puglia is authentic but contemporary, relaxing but full of vibrant energy,” says Aldo Melpignano, owner of Borgo Egnazia, a luxury resort that has helped put the region on the map for international travellers. “It’s becoming more and more an international travel destination, but you can still discover hidden gems and unspoiled places.”

Charming towns line the Adriatic coastline like whitewashed pearls on a string, from Lecce to Brindisi, onward to Ostuni and Monopoli, continuing north to Bari and Trani. The countryside in between showcases the remnants of conical trulli, traditional stone-hut residences, found amid endless olive groves. Its every facet has a distinct Puglian feel, an inimitable aura of charm and hospitality that cannot be replicated.

The Growth of Puglia’s Luxury Scene

“Sometimes when you are in a luxury resort in the Côte d’Azur or Sardinia or Mexico, you feel like you could be anywhere, you don’t have a sense of place” says Vito Palumbo, CEO of Tormaresca winery. “When you are in Borgo Egnazia or Torre Coccaro, though, you know you are in Puglia, you know that you’re in a masseria that has been revamped into a beautiful resort with a very strong Puglian identity.”

At Tenuta Bocco di Lupo, the long, sandy white road that serves as its entrance beckons travelers to its grand estate and cellar.
Jake Emen

It’s been a quarter century since Tormaresca was acquired by wine conglomerate Antinori, whose financial backing and know-how helped modernize its efforts, transforming its distinctive terroir and native grapes—such as Primitivo, Negroamaro, Aglianco, and Fiano—into sought-after varieties. In more recent years, Palumbo has grown into a role as the face of Tormaresca, but also as the de facto ambassador for Puglia on the whole, dedicated to touting the appeal of his home region.

Puglia’s beloved masserias, or farm estates constructed in village-like fashion, replete with small walkways and central gathering plazas, offer a different spin on Italian luxury and hospitality, versus the villas of Tuscany, the cliff top properties along the Amalfi coast, or the grand dames of Venice and Florence.

One of the initial masserias to make a splash was Masseria Il Melograno, whose grounds are studded with gnarled and wizened 600-year-old olive trees and purple bougainvillea flowers. But when Borgo Egnazia opened in 2010, following a six-year, reported €150 million project, it set the region on a luxurious new path, gaining recognition as one of the top properties in Italy and across continental Europe.

With that kind of success, it was perhaps inevitable that large, international brands would follow course. Rocco Forte added Masseria Torre Maizza to its portfolio in 2018, and in early 2021, Four Seasons announced an Ostuni project, signalling it would be a new construction with direct beach access and 150 villa-style guest rooms. Around the same time, Belmond purchased Masseria Le Taverne, a 17th-century farm estate, and is amid extensive renovations while aiming to maintain the property’s heritage and character.

The best of both worlds can be found at a restaurant such as Osteria del Tempo Perso in Ostuni,
Jake Emen

“Puglia’s popularity has grown significantly for those looking to explore a different part of Italy and to discover the region’s spectacular coastlines and beautiful beaches, rich history, and exceptional culinary offerings,” says Bart Carnahan, Four Seasons president of global business development and portfolio management.

The Roots Are in the Vineyards and the Olive Groves

At the heart of Puglia’s culinary movement is an appreciation for its local ingredients, from burrata to olive oil and a wealth of fresh seafood.

“Puglia is Italy’s most important region for extra-virgin olive oil production,” Palumbo says, citing overall output and a breadth of styles, with at least 60 types of olives found on millions of trees. Yet, as with the region’s wine, the quality of its olive oil was long overlooked, with the majority being sold in bulk. “Puglian olive oil is going places, and it’s the same story as the wine. There are more strong Puglian olive oil brands than Tuscan ones now.”

Travellers can spend a day on a farm or dairy learning how to make cheese or pressing their own olive oil, perhaps in between visits to its emergent wineries. At Tenuta Bocco di Lupo, the long, sandy white road that serves as its entrance beckons travelers to its grand estate and cellar. There, they can taste wines under its eponymous label, such as an Aglianico from Castel del Monte; Pietrabianca, made with Chardonnay and Fiano from Castel del Monte; and Fiano di Bocca Di Lupo.

Then there’s Tormaresca’s Calafuria, the best-selling rose wine in, and from, Italy. But it’s through the aforementioned offerings, along with bottles such as Torcicoda, a Primitivo from Salento, as well as the Masseria Maime Negroamaro, that Palumbo plans to establish the bonafides of his two estates in the region. What he and his winemakers have found is that Puglian wines made with intention, and reflective of their home place, are more than capable of great ageing potential, with rich character that consumers can expect to develop and unfold in the decade or two to come, while still being able to be poured today and enjoyed. “We want the Puglian influence,” Palumbo says.

Puglia’s restaurant scene has soared as well, with 10 Michelin-starred outposts in the region and scores of other fine-dining establishments. A prestige institution such as Quintessenza, in Trani, is helmed by the four Di Gennaro brothers, each of whom has a different role in the operation of a space devoted in full to showcasing and elevating Puglia’s bounty.

The best eating though may be in casual, local spots with seaside views or beachfront settings, from the Coccaro beach club and restaurant, to the Trabucco Tormaresca in Trani, a sceney waterfront bar stylised as an old fisherman shack. The best of both worlds can be found at a restaurant such as Osteria del Tempo Perso in Ostuni, where classic Puglian dishes are showcased with the best ingredients, but without unneeded adornment or reinvention, with the service and setting that elevates food with humble origins into a destination dining experience.

Travellers to Puglia can indulge in it all: the excellent food and wine that will satiate the most discerning of palates and the luxurious accommodations that need not play second fiddle to anywhere else in the country, offered with the trademark embrace of the region’s hospitality.

“The ancient traditions of this region represent a unique heritage,” Melpignano says. “What really makes the difference in Puglia is the people: Always heart-warming, they have the sense of welcome in their blood.”

Reporting season has once again reminded investors that a strong profit does not guarantee a rising share price, and a large loss does not always trigger a sell-off. What matters most is how each result compares with expectations and, increasingly, what management says about the year ahead. During the August 2026 season, companies offering credible turnarounds or unexpectedly strong guidance were rewarded handsomely, while those flagging weaker margins, slowing demand or greater uncertainty were punished.

The following ranking draws on Morningstar’s review of 164 ASX-listed companies and measures each company’s share-price movement on the day it reported. This captures the market’s immediate response to the earnings announcement, before subsequent economic developments, dividends and company-specific news cloud the picture. Here are the five biggest winners, and the five hardest-hit losers, of the season so far.

The five winners

1. Bapcor (ASX:BAP): +41.0%

Bapcor delivered reporting season’s largest relief rally after presenting early evidence that its troubled automotive-parts business was stabilising. Although underlying revenue fell 1.8% to $1.92 billion and underlying NPAT collapsed 85% to $10.8 million, underlying EBITDA of $152.5 million exceeded guidance.

More importantly, working-capital initiatives released $68.5 million in the second half, lifting cash conversion to 109.4% and reducing net debt by 63% to $135 million. The statutory loss was $431.6 million, largely because of non-cash impairments. Investors focused on improving operational momentum, stronger liquidity and management’s expectation of modest FY27 revenue growth.

2. Zip Co (ASX:ZIP): +18.2%

Zip comfortably surpassed its FY26 targets, sending the buy-now-pay-later provider’s shares sharply higher. Transaction volume rose 23% to $16.7 billion, while cash earnings before tax, depreciation and amortisation jumped 58% to a record $268.9 million. Statutory profit climbed 46% to $116.4 million, and the cash operating margin expanded by 4.2 percentage points to 20%.

The strongest signal was guidance for FY27 cash earnings of $340 million—around 26% growth and above analysts’ forecasts. US transaction volume increased 42.5% and now represents three-quarters of group volume, offsetting weaker customer activity in Australia.

3. CSL (ASX:CSL): +17.3%

CSL’s result was hardly spectacular in isolation, but it cleared a market bar that had fallen dramatically following earlier downgrades and restructuring announcements. Underlying NPATA was US$3.1 billion, down 2% in constant-currency terms, while operating cash flow reached US$3.51 billion.

CSL maintained its full-year dividend at US$2.92 per share and completed a A$1 billion buyback. The real catalyst was FY27 guidance for approximately 5% underlying profit growth, compared with market expectations closer to 2%. After an extended period of earnings disappointments, investors interpreted the outlook as evidence that CSL’s core plasma business was approaching a sustainable recovery.

4. Judo Capital (ASX:JDO): +16.9%

Judo Capital demonstrated strong operating leverage as its specialist business-lending franchise expanded. Full-year profit before tax rose 34% to $168.1 million, while pre-provision profit increased 42%. Gross loans and advances grew 18% to $14.7 billion, reaching the top of the bank’s guidance range and comfortably exceeding broader system growth.

Deposits increased 24% to $12.2 billion, return on equity improved by 1.1 percentage points to 6.4%, and earnings per share rose 29% to 9.9 cents. Reaffirmation of the FY27 outlook gave investors confidence that loan growth could continue without sacrificing margins or credit quality.

5. Super Retail Group (ASX:SUL): +15.8%

The owner of Supercheap Auto, rebel, BCF and Macpac reported record sales of $4.2 billion, up 3.2%, despite cautious discretionary spending. Profitability went backwards: normalised profit before tax fell 7% to $306 million and normalised NPAT declined 2.8% to $226 million as transformation spending weighed on margins. Nevertheless, the result exceeded subdued expectations, online sales grew 5.3% and membership across the group’s loyalty programs reached 13.1 million. Investors were also encouraged by positive early FY27 trading, stable gross margins and continued market-share gains. A fully franked 33-cent final dividend added to the appeal.

The five losers

1. Hansen Technologies (ASX:HSN): –21.2%

Hansen’s historic result met expectations, but investors recoiled from its outlook. The utility and communications software provider achieved an underlying EBITDA margin of 31%, exceeding its 30% target, while generating strong cash flow. However, management designated FY27 an “investment and transition year”, signalling a roughly five-percentage-point margin contraction as spending on products, sales capabilities and organisational changes increased.

Revenue had already been broadly flat, leaving investors concerned that the investment program would depress earnings before new growth appeared. Leadership changes, including the chief executive’s departure, added uncertainty. Management expects revenue growth and margins above 30% to return in FY28, but the market was unwilling to wait.

2. Life360 (ASX:360): –19.4%

Life360’s headline growth was impressive: quarterly revenue rose 38% to US$159 million, subscription revenue increased 31%, and adjusted EBITDA climbed 53% to US$31.1 million. Monthly active users reached 102.4 million and paying circles grew 27% to 3.2 million. The sell-off reflected expectations rather than a collapsing business.

Net income fell 18%, the net margin contracted from 6% to 3%, hardware shipments dropped 18%, and full-year EBITDA guidance was merely maintained. After a strong valuation run, investors wanted a larger upgrade and clearer evidence that heavy investment in advertising, international expansion and artificial intelligence would generate additional earnings.

3. PEXA Group (ASX:PXA): –17.0%

PEXA reported a 7% increase in continuing-operations revenue and 12% EBITDA growth to $152 million, accompanied by a two-percentage-point margin expansion. Free cash flow increased 39%, suggesting the core Australian electronic-conveyancing platform remained highly profitable. Investors instead concentrated on management’s warning that property-transfer volumes could decline, alongside regulatory uncertainty surrounding the fees PEXA can charge.

The company is also continuing to invest heavily in its loss-making international expansion. Morningstar considered the market reaction excessive, arguing that structural transfer-volume assumptions had not materially changed, but the combination of softer near-term activity and regulatory risk overwhelmed the respectable headline numbers.

4. SEEK (ASX:SEK): –14.3%

SEEK produced solid FY26 figures, including 10% revenue growth to $1.20 billion, a 15% rise in EBITDA and 28% growth in adjusted earnings per share. It also lifted its fully franked annual dividend by 13% to a record 52 cents. Those achievements were overshadowed by falling paid job-ad volumes and cautious FY27 assumptions.

The statutory accounts included a $201 million loss from the SEEK Growth Fund and $377 million of significant items, making the headline result considerably less attractive. Investors were particularly concerned that economic weakness could limit volumes while the company continued investing in platform integration and artificial-intelligence products.

5. JB Hi-Fi (ASX:JBH): –12.3%

JB Hi-Fi’s full-year result was broadly respectable, with group sales rising 5% to $11.1 billion and underlying earnings per share increasing 6% to $4.48. The damage came from its current-trading update. Australian sales were almost flat during the June quarter and deteriorated further in July, while earnings in the core Australian electronics business fell 3.6%.

Housing-related categories were particularly weak as higher living costs and interest rates constrained household budgets. With JB Hi-Fi entering the season on a demanding valuation, an in-line historic result was not sufficient: the loss of sales momentum prompted investors to rapidly reduce their expectations for FY27.

Overall, the season showed that share prices react less to whether profits rose or fell than to the gap between results and expectations. Bapcor was rewarded for being less troubled than feared, while several fundamentally profitable companies were punished because their outlooks failed to justify elevated valuations.