Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shares have fallen further into the red in Wednesday lunchtime trade.

At the time of writing, the ASX tech shares are down around 5% to a seven-year low of $58.28 a piece.

Today’s slide means the shares have now shed 34% of their value since spiking to a six-month high of $88.95 in August.

While it looked like the cloud-based accounting software company was finally rebounding from a huge share price crash in the second half of 2025, investor sentiment has reversed, and the shares have now dropped to a fresh multi-year low.

Xero shares are now down 48% year to date and 64% lower than 12 months ago.

What has happened to Xero shares over the past month?

Xero shares were caught up in a broad-based sell-off of technology shares earlier this year, when investors were spooked that AI could replace the core services of companies like Xero.

The shares rebounded strongly through July and most of August, driven by an investor rotation back into growth and technology stocks. It looks like investors started to become more confident that the company can keep growing revenue and become more profitable.

Xero’s most recent FY26 results, posted in May, confirmed that, too. The company reported a strong increase in its FY26 revenue, which it said was helped by subscriber growth and higher prices. 

There hasn’t been any price-sensitive news out of Xero to explain why the share price changed course over the past month.

It’s possibly the result of profit-taking investors taking their gains off the table after the July-August rally, combined with higher-than-expected inflation figures and news that the RBA could hike interest rates again next week. Investors have rotated away from growth stocks and into safer, more reliable assets amid fears of another spike in sharemarket volatility.

And this sentiment shift acts as a strong headwind for companies like Xero.

Is there any chance of a rebound?

According to the experts, yes, there’s a good chance that Xero shares will rebound over the next 12 months. And some expect the upside to be significant.

The company has sticky subscription revenue and huge potential for growth both into new markets and with new offerings.

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a buy rating on the shares. The $112 average target price implies that the shares could jump another 94%, at the time of writing.

Sentiment is just as positive on TradingView. Out of seven analysts, six have a buy/strong buy rating and one rates the shares as a hold. But they all agree there will be an upside ahead.

The average $111.25 target price implies a potential 92% upside, while the maximum $143.88 implies that Xero’s shares have the potential to rebound 149%, at the time of writing.

The post Down 5% today to a 7-year low: What is going on with Xero shares? 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 Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) has long been popular with income investors, much like the rest of the big four banks.

The combination of large profits and fully franked dividends has made the banking sector an obvious place to look for passive income.

So, with NAB shares well below their recent highs, is it one of the best ASX dividend shares to buy?

Why I like NAB for income

One reason I like NAB shares is the company’s strong position in business banking.

The bank has significant exposure to small and medium-sized businesses across Australia, giving it a slightly different earnings mix from some of its major rivals.

I think that is attractive over the long term. As Australian businesses grow, borrow, invest, and manage their finances, NAB has an opportunity to grow alongside them.

Of course, banking earnings can still be affected by interest rates, competition, bad debts, and economic conditions.

But NAB remains a highly profitable business, and that gives it the capacity to return a meaningful amount of cash to shareholders.

For an income investor, that is ultimately what I want to see.

What could the dividend look like?

The current dividend forecasts look good to me.

Consensus estimates point to fully franked dividends of $1.70 per share in FY26 and $1.72 per share in FY27.

With NAB shares trading around $38.47 on Wednesday, those forecasts translate into prospective dividend yields of approximately 4.4% and 4.5%, respectively.

Eligible Australian investors may also benefit from the attached franking credits.

Is the NAB share price attractive?

NAB shares are trading well below their 52-week high of $49.45 and are now closer to their 52-week low of $35.48.

Consensus forecasts suggest earnings per share of $2.38 in FY26, rising to $2.54 in FY27.

At today’s price, that puts NAB on a PE ratio of roughly 16 times forecast FY26 earnings and 15 times FY27 earnings.

I think that looks reasonable for a profitable major bank that is expected to grow earnings while continuing to pay substantial dividends.

The lower share price also means investors buying today are getting a better prospective yield than they would have received near the 52-week high.

What would I watch?

Competition remains one of the main risks.

Australian banks compete aggressively for both loans and deposits, which can put pressure on margins.

A weaker economy could also lead to higher bad debts, particularly if households and businesses come under more financial pressure.

Those are risks I would keep an eye on, but they do not change my overall view at the current price.

Foolish takeaway

I still think NAB is one of the better ASX dividend shares to buy.

At around $38.47, the valuation looks reasonable to me, while forecast fully franked dividends offer a dividend yield of roughly 4.4% to 4.5%.

For investors looking for income from the banking sector, NAB would remain high on my list.

The post Is NAB one of the best ASX dividend shares to buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino 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.

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be a simple way to start investing without having to choose individual shares.

Betashares has plenty of funds available on the ASX, but I think these three are among the best to consider for beginners.

Here is why.

Betashares Diversified All Growth ETF (ASX: DHHF)

The DHHF ETF would be one of my first choices for someone who wants to keep things simple.

Rather than focusing on one country or sector, the fund invests across Australian and international shares.

That means a single investment can provide exposure to thousands of growth companies around the world.

I think this can be helpful for beginners because diversification is built into the fund. An investor does not need to decide how much money to put into Australian shares, US shares, or emerging markets and then continually rebalance everything themselves.

For someone investing with a long timeframe, I think the Betashares Diversified All Growth ETF offers a straightforward way to own a broad collection of businesses and benefit if global share markets grow over time.

Betashares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200)

The A200 ETF is another fund I think beginners could consider.

It tracks 200 of the largest stocks listed on the ASX, providing exposure to a large part of the Australian share market through a single investment.

That includes businesses operating across areas such as banking, resources, healthcare, telecommunications, retail, and technology.

I like how simple this makes investing, which is good for beginners. Instead of trying to decide which Australian shares will perform best, investors can own a broad selection and participate in the overall performance of the local market.

There is also an income angle. Many large Australian shares pay dividends, which means the fund can provide distributions alongside potential capital growth.

Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY)

For investors wanting more international exposure, I think the QLTY ETF is worth a look.

Rather than simply buying the world’s largest stocks, the fund looks for businesses displaying characteristics such as strong profitability, relatively stable earnings, and healthy balance sheets.

I like that approach because it focuses on companies that have already demonstrated financial strength.

The portfolio also gives Australian investors access to businesses and industries that are not well represented on the ASX. That can provide another source of long-term growth while reducing reliance on the Australian market.

For a beginner looking internationally, I think the Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF provides an easy way to invest in a collection of established global businesses.

Foolish takeaway

I think all three of these Betashares ETFs make investing relatively easy.

The DHHF ETF provides broad diversification in one fund, the A200 ETF offers exposure to the Australian share market, and the QLTY ETF focuses on financially strong global businesses.

Overall, for a beginner, I think the most important thing is choosing an investment that makes sense to them and that they would be comfortable holding through the inevitable ups and downs of the share market.

The post 3 top Betashares ETFs for beginners to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Where to invest $20,000 in ASX ETFs today
• ASX ETF market just surpassed $7 billion in net inflows – Here’s where the money is going
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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino 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.