Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares have been on a tear this year.

In morning trade today, shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy stock are up 0.5%, changing hands for $33.33 apiece. That sees the share price up an impressive 40.2% in 2026.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.4% today and up 3.5% year to date.

Atop the strong Woodside share price gains this year, the company also paid out a fully-franked 83.5 cent per share final dividend on 27 March.

But with the share price having surged more than 40% already this year, is the ASX 200 energy stock still a good buy for passive income?

Should I buy Woodside shares for passive income?

It goes without saying that investors who bought Woodside shares at the 2 January close of $23.66 will be enjoying a higher dividend yield than investors who buy the stock today.

Taking a look at the trailing yield, atop the 83.5 cent per share dividend the company paid in March, Woodside also paid out a fully-franked 81.8 cent per share dividend on 24 September.

That works out to a full-year passive income payout of $1.653 per share.

So, if you’d bought the stock at the beginning of the year, you’d be earning a fully-franked 7% trailing dividend yield on that investment. Or a 10% grossed-up yield, taking those franking credits into account.

At today’s $33.33, the dividend yield from Woodside shares is a more modest, but still attractive, 5%. Or 7.1% grossed up.

Based on the trailing yield, then, if you invested $10,000 in Woodside shares today, you could expect to earn $496 a year in passive income. And, of course, we’ll be hoping for more capital gains as well.

Could the ASX 200 energy stock’s passive income payouts increase?

2022 and 2023 saw Woodside shares delivering record dividend payments, and attracting strong interest from passive income investors, amid soaring global oil and gas prices.

While oil prices haven’t quite matched those levels yet in 2026, they’ve come close amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. Brent crude oil is currently trading just north of US$91 per barrel, according to data from Bloomberg.

Indeed, at Woodside’s June quarter report, the company reported that despite a 9% quarter-on-quarter production slip (primarily related to planned maintenance and inclement weather), operating revenue for the quarter surged 28% to US$4.19 billion.

That revenue boost was largely thanks to the 35% increase in the average realised price to US$85 per barrel of oil equivalent the company received over the three months.

While there are no guarantees, I suspect that higher oil prices, and forecast full-year production in the range of 174 MMboe to 185 MMboe, will result in a higher interim dividend being declared when Woodside reports on its half-year results next week, 25 August.

The post Up 40%! Are Woodside shares still a good buy for passive income now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Up 41%: How much higher can Woodside shares go?
• How much passive income could I earn from a $630,000 superannuation balance?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• How many Woodside shares do I need to buy for $10,000 of passive income?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are climbing higher again in Wednesday morning trade.

At the time of writing, the shares are up around 0.5% and changing hands at $33.30 a piece. Today’s increase means the shares are now up around 41% for the year-to-date. They’re also roughly 27% higher than this time last year.

What drove Woodside shares higher this year?

So far in 2026, the oil and gas giant has benefited from major oil supply concerns and volatility around conflict in the Middle East.

The US-Iran war shows renewed signs of cooling. But each time it looks like conflict is calming down, it quickly returns. The region is highly volatile, and the movement of oil from the area will continue to be uncertain until a resolution is reached. 

Shipping disruptions and production cuts pushed crude oil prices to a multi-year high of around US$111 per barrel in April, according to Trading Economics data. While the price of oil softened in June and early July, it is now trading back up at around US$85 per barrel.

And it’s not just volatile oil prices and market demand driving the company’s shares higher.

Woodside grabbed headlines in late April after it posted its first-quarter FY26 update. The oil and gas producer reported a 7% quarter-on-quarter increase in operating revenue and an 8% hike in revenue. The company’s production figures were lower thanks to weather events, but this was offset by an 11% increase in the average realised price of oil. 

Late last month the company made waves again after it posted its second-quarter update. Woodside announced a 28% increase in quarterly operating revenue and confirmed that its major growth projects are on track. The Scarborough Energy Project is now 98% complete and remains on budget, targeting first LNG cargo in the December quarter of 2026.

Woodside is expected to release its first-half results for 2026 next week on the 25th of August. Its full FY26 results will be announced in February next year.

Can Woodside shares keep climbing higher?

It looks like brokers now think the oil major’s shares are now trading around fair value. In fact, some are tipping a downside over the next 12 months.

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a hold rating on Woodside shares. The $28.52 average target price implies a potential 14% downside ahead.

Experts on TradingView are a little more positive. Sentiment is split between a hold rating and a buy/strong buy rating. Although the average $32.31 now implies a potential 3% downside, at the time of writing. 

The team at Morgans have a hold rating and $32.50 target price on the energy shares. The broker said it was pleased with the company’s latest quarterly update, with the figures coming in ahead of expectations.

Michael Gable from Fairmont Equities recently reduced his rating on Woodside shares to a hold. He said that the US strategic petroleum reserve was recently at a 43-year low, and he is concerned it will be difficult to keep a lid on crude oil prices.

The post Up 41%: How much higher can Woodside shares go? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much passive income could I earn from a $630,000 superannuation balance?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• How many Woodside shares do I need to buy for $10,000 of passive income?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies 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.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares are jumping higher again on Wednesday morning.

At the time of writing, the shares are up around 1.5% and changing hands for $43.92 a piece.

The latest increase means the ASX tech shares have now rebounded around 52% from a five-year low of just $28.76 a piece, recorded in late-June. 

But there is still a long way to go until WiseTech shares have regained the huge losses shed over the past 12 months. For the year-to-date and tech shares are still down around 36% and they’re roughly 62% lower than this time last year.

But, while it’s important to consider how the company’s shares have performed over the past 12 months, investors should also keep an eye on what lies ahead.

So, if I buy $8,000 of WiseTech shares today, what could that be worth in 12 months time?

The experts are incredibly bullish about the outlook for WiseTech shares over the next 12 months, with the majority forecasting a strong upside ahead.

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a strong buy rating on the shares. The $54.71 average target price implies a potential 27% upside, at the time of writing.

Analysts are even more bullish on TradingView. The data shows that the majority have a strong buy rating on WiseTech shares, but they have a higher average target price of $60.61. That implies the shares could increase another 38%, at the time of writing.

But some are even more optimistic. The $114.11 maximum target price implies a potential 160% upside over the next 12 months.

Assuming the average target price comes to fruition, that means your $8,000 investment today could be worth around $10,160 to $11,040 by August 2027.

But if the more bullish expert forecasts are correct, an $8,000 investment today does have the potential to climb as high as $20,800 over the next 12 months.

What‘s ahead for the ASX tech shares?

WiseTech is due to announce its FY26 results on the 26th of August.

The company reaffirmed its FY26 guidance earlier this year, expecting full-year revenue of US$1.39 billion to US$1.44 billion (representing a 79% to 85% increase) and EBITDA in the range of US$550 million to US$585 million, up 44% to 53% from FY25.

WiseTech has a strong competitive advantage in the global logistics industry. I think the company’s future hinges primarily on its FY26 results. If the company manages to reach or exceed its upgraded guidance, I think we’ll see a turnaround in investor sentiment.

The post By August 2027, $8,000 invested in WiseTech shares could turn into… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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