Is the Woodside share price a buy in July?

The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price has been through plenty of volatility in the last few months. So, after so much has happened, it’s good to ask whether this is a good time to invest.

As the above chart shows, there have been plenty of ups and downs this year. Despite the decline since April, it’s still up more than 18% since 2026.

The question now is whether the business is good value. Let’s see what experts think.

Expert recommendations

According to CMC Invest, there have been nine analyst ratings on the business within the last three months.

Of those nine ratings, two were buy ratings, five were hold ratings, and two were sell ratings.

These ratings average out to a hold rating, though there are both positive and negative views on the business.

However, the price target may be a better indicator of whether experts think a business could deliver good returns.

Woodside share price target

A price target tells investors where an expert thinks the Woodside share price will be in 12 months from the time of the investment call.

Of course, a price target is not a guaranteed return (or decline), it’s just what the expert thinks.

The average price target of those nine ratings is $31.39. At the time of writing, that translates into a possible rise of 12% over the next year.

But, the most optimistic price target is $36.50, implying a possible rise of 30% in the next 12 months. The lowest price target is $24.75, suggesting the Woodside share price could decline by more than 11% in the next year.

What to look at next

Woodside can’t really control energy prices, but the disruption in the Middle East could last longer than just the next few weeks – it may take a while for fuel supply and inventory to return to normal. Energy prices could rise from here, even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens.

It’ll be very interesting to see what happens with energy prices. In the first quarter of 2026, Woodside reported that the average realised price was $63 per barrel of oil equivalent (BOE), up 11% compared to the fourth quarter of 2025.

I think the energy price could remain stronger than previously expected amid global growth of energy demand, particularly because of the growth of AI and data centres. Only so much renewable energy can be installed each year, while nuclear power is expensive to build and takes a while to complete. LNG could be important for filling in that demand gap.

Woodside is investing in new projects that will help improve its scale advantages and unlock more cash flow for the business.

It’s one of the ASX shares to keep an eye on, though there are plenty of ideas that aren’t linked to the volatility of energy prices which could be better buys.

The post Is the Woodside share price a buy in July? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Up 23% this year, should I buy Woodside shares today?

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.