BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares tumbled lower in September.

The mining giant’s shares are $59.80 at the time of writing. That’s around an 11% decline over the past month, but it is still roughly 31% higher year-to-date.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down around 5% over the past month and 1% higher year-to-date, at the time of writing.

What happened to BHP shares in September?

BHP was pushed into the spotlight in early September after news that China’s biggest steelmaker, China Baowu Steel Group, is reportedly considering buying into one of BHP’s largest iron ore mines. 

Australia’s Federal opposition has already objected. The Coalition has said that Labor must not allow foreign entities to buy one of Western Australia’s top iron ore mines.

Just last week, mining activities at BHP’s Escondida copper mine in Chile were suspended after a fatal accident. There is no indication when production might resume. 

Under Chilean mining regulations, operations cannot restart following a fatal accident until safety inspectors have confirmed that conditions are safe. 

The halt raised concerns about the miner’s output, and also raised safety concerns, which has contributed to the latest share price slide.

And all this has happened amid a broad market downturn, driven by rising oil prices and interest rate concerns, which have also dampened investor sentiment. 

So, what’s ahead for BHP shares in October? 

Is the ASX mining stock primed for a rebound? Or are there more headwinds coming?

Here’s what the experts think.

Broker forecasts for BHP shares

It looks like the experts are reserved about the outlook for the miner’s shares over the next 12 months.

Market Index data shows that most analysts rate BHP shares as a hold. The $61 average target price suggests a hold rating for BHP shares, with about 2% upside at the time of writing.

TradingView data shows something similar. Again, the majority have a hold rating on the shares. The average target price is a little higher, at $62.13 a piece, which implies a potential 4% upside at the time of writing.

Morgan Stanley has a buy rating and a $68 target price on BHP shares.

Red Leaf Securities has a hold rating on the mining shares. The broker warns that a softer global growth outlook and uncertainty surrounding Chinese commodity demand limits the case for aggressively buying the stock right now.

Dylan Evans from Catapult Wealth also has a hold rating on the shares. He said that the miner’s full-year results were impressive. But added that future earnings will be influenced by the copper price.

The post Should I buy BHP shares in October? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has positions in BHP Group. 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 recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The notion of the ASX’s perfect dividend stock is obviously subjective and a little unrealistic. No ASX stock can be absolutely perfect, offer guaranteed returns, or carry no risk.

However, I think that possessing the ASX’s best streak of dividend growth, boasting a track record of market-crushing gains, and offering a diversified portfolio of high-quality underlying investments gets a stock pretty close.

That’s exactly what Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL) has on the table today.

Soul Patts is a company I have owned for many years, and have written about (in gushing terms) before. My enthusiasm for this top ASX dividend stock has not waned, particularly in light of its latest earnings report.

Last week, Soul Patts dropped its full-year earnings for FY2026, and they were very pleasant indeed to go through. The company reported a 96% spike in revenues from continuing operations to $1.87 billion, as well as a 12% hike in net cash flow from investments to $572 million. Much of that can be attributed to Soul Patts’ recent takeover of Brickworks. But even so, it was an impressive report.

Another record tumbles for this ASX dividend stock

Saving the best until last, the star metric was the final dividend of 63 cents per share. Yes, this represented a 6.8% rise over 2025’s final dividend, and made sure that the company’s 2026 dividend total would come in at a record $1.11 per share (up 7.8% on 2025’s total). Like all Soul Patts dividends, these came with full franking credits attached.

All hearty numbers, but not exactly an ASX record. But what makes this very special, and a record to boot, is the fact that 2026 marks Soul Patts’ 27th annual dividend hike in a row.

Yep, this company has now delivered an annual dividend pay rise to shareholders every single year since 1998 – a record unmatched by any other ASX dividend stock.

Additionally, Soul Patts also confirmed in those earnings that its shareholders enjoyed a total return of 16.8% over the 12 months to 31 July 2026, easily beating the broader S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) by 6%. Over the 25 years to 31 July, shareholders have bagged an average of 12.8% per annum, again well above the 8.4% that the broader market delivered.

No ASX dividend stock is perfect. But adding all of this up for Soul Patts, I think this company is about as close as we can get.

The post Is this the ASX’s perfect dividend stock? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

PEXA vs REA Group shares: Which stands out?

Investors eyeing the property technology space might find themselves comparing PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA) and REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA) shares. Both companies are key players behind the digital platforms transforming Australian real estate, but they approach the market in starkly different ways. Let’s break down each case and see which business shines brightest based on the latest available numbers.

The case for PEXA

PEXA Group leads Australia’s digital conveyancing market, enabling property settlement electronically—making transactions faster, more reliable, and less error-prone. The company’s core strength lies in its world-first technology that allows almost real-time settlement and fund clearance. It earns revenue predominantly from transaction fees as lawyers, conveyancers, and banks process properties on its network. According to its company profile, PEXA is dominant in Australia and pushing into the UK and other international markets.

Looking at the fundamentals, PEXA has a market cap of $1.17 billion, placing it well below giants like REA but still substantial in the local tech sector. Its recent numbers reveal:

• P/E Ratio: 60.86 — reflecting a hefty valuation relative to reported earnings, typical for a tech platform in expansion mode.
• Earnings per share (EPS): $0.109
• Dividend yield: 0.00% — it isn’t currently paying dividends, choosing instead to reinvest and grow.
• Year-to-date return: -50.6%, a dramatic drop suggesting recent heavy selling or market disappointment.

PEXA’s ambition and early mover advantage can be exciting, but there’s clear risk attached to momentum and profitability at this stage.

The case for REA Group

REA Group is best known as the operator of Australia’s leading property portals, realestate.com.au and realcommercial.com.au. These platforms dominate online real estate advertising, making REA essential for property sellers and advertisers nationwide. The group also owns mortgage broking and property data businesses, giving it a broad footprint across digital property services in Australia and select global markets.

REA’s scale is on another level:

• Market cap: $19.32 billion — this is a blue-chip business with massive reach and entrenched network effects.
• P/E ratio: 28.92, less lofty than PEXA’s and reflecting far higher profit generation at this maturity stage.
• EPS: $5.106 — showing strong earnings power compared to PEXA.
• Dividend yield: 2.01% (fully franked at 100%) — with a reliable record of dividend growth, as seen in its consistent payment history.
• Year-to-date return: -17.9%, which is a notable decline but less severe than PEXA’s drop.

For those seeking established profitability, scale, and regular income, REA Group clearly ticks the boxes.

Valuation comparison

With both companies trading in the property tech space, let’s stack up three key metrics side-by-side:

	PEXA	REA Group
Market Cap	$1.17 billion	$19.32 billion
P/E Ratio	60.86	28.92
Dividend Yield	0.00%	2.01% (100% franked)
EPS	0.109	5.106

Note: PEXA Group Ltd’s reported P/E ratio may be based on a different earnings measure (e.g. underlying or forward earnings) than the EPS figure shown, which is why they may appear inconsistent.

The contrast is stark — REA Group trades on a much lower earnings multiple for the sector, pays a growing dividend, and generates stronger profits. PEXA carries a higher valuation multiple, reflecting big growth expectations rather than current earnings. For income-focused investors, REA also delivers with franked dividends.

Recent share price performance

Looking at recent share price history until 25 September 2026 — here’s how the two stack up:

• PEXA: Closed at $6.64, down 2.2% on the day. Year-to-date, shares are down 50.6%.
• REA Group: Closed at $147.66, down 2.9% on the day. Year-to-date, shares are down 17.9%.

While both have suffered in 2026, PEXA’s sell-off has been much heavier, suggesting the market’s patience for its growth story is wearing thin—or that risk levels look substantially higher right now.

Which is the better buy?

If I had to choose between PEXA and REA Group based on the numbers above, my pick would be REA Group. Here’s why: it’s a clear industry leader with far stronger earnings, an attractive dividend that’s fully franked, and more reasonable valuation for its scale and recurring profit streams. REA is down in 2026, but not nearly as battered as PEXA, whose shares have been cut in half this year.

PEXA does have an exciting platform and international ambitions, but the lack of dividend, a very high P/E ratio, and ongoing heavy share price declines make it a riskier bet. Unless I was explicitly seeking high-risk, early-stage tech exposure, I wouldn’t look past REA’s combination of stability, income, and dominant market share in the Australian property sector.

The post PEXA vs REA shares: Which property tech company is the better buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.