S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are down 0.3% to 8,753.5 points on Tuesday.

Meanwhile on The Bull this week, two experts share their views on three ASX 200 shares.

Let’s take a look.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

The Xero share price is $59.98, down 2.5% today and down 61% over 12 months. 

Philippe Bui from Medallion Financial Group has a buy rating on this ASX 200 tech share. 

Bui said: 

Operating revenue grew 31 per cent in full year 2026 when compared to the prior corresponding period. Adjusted EBITDA rose 18 per cent, demonstrating continuing growth alongside investment in its US expansion.

The Melio acquisition in the US broadens its offering across accounting and payments, creating opportunities to deepen customer relationships.

We believe its recurring revenue model, established accounting network and growing product suite support an attractive long term investment case.

Integration costs and competition remain risks, but we favour buying for sustained international growth.

Ansell Ltd (ASX: ANN)

The Ansell share price is $45.49, up 0.7% today and up 40% over 12 months. 

Tom Fairchild from Lazarus Capital Partners has a hold rating on this ASX 200 healthcare share. 

Fairchild said: 

Ansell is a global leader in safety solutions, making protective gloves and clothing for industrial and health care customers.

Its premium brands give it genuine pricing power. In full year 2026, price increases fully offset higher US tariffs and Middle East-driven cost pressures without derailing volumes.

Global sales of $US2.14 billion in full year 2026 were up 5 per cent on an organic constant currency basis.

Adjusted earnings per share of $US1.486 were up 18.5 per cent.

With full year 2027 guidance pointing to further growth on top of a strong balance sheet and an ongoing share buy-back, Ansell looks well placed for inflationary times.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

The Wesfarmers share price is $77.27, down 0.1% today and down 13% over 12 months. 

Bui has a sell rating on this ASX 200 consumer discretionary share. 

He explained: 

Wesfarmers owns retail giants Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks among other businesses. Bunnings and Kmart remain strong businesses. However, we regard the valuation of Wesfarmers as demanding.

Fiscal year 2026 underlying earnings per share increased by 8.3 per cent, while the shares were recently trading around 30 times reported earnings. Consequently, this leaves limited room for potentially weaker consumer spending or execution setbacks.

An earnings decline at Officeworks and the ongoing lithium investment add uncertainty outside the core retailers.

We favour reducing exposure and re-allocating capital to opportunities offering a more attractive balance between valuation and growth.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Xero, Ansell, Wesfarmers shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Down 11% in a month: Is it time to buy Xero shares?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 9,627 shares of Wesfarmers pay an income equal to the Age Pension
• Xero vs Megaport: Which ASX tech stock suits young investors better?
• Are Xero shares a must-buy for investors?

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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 Wesfarmers and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ansell and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shares have tumbled into the red in Tuesday morning trade. At the time of writing, the ASX tech shares are down around 2% to $60.27 a piece.

The shares have now fallen 11% over the past month. They’re also down around 46% for the year to date and are a huge 61% lower than 12 months ago.

Why are Xero shares still falling?

There hasn’t been any price-sensitive news out of Xero over the past couple of months. The latest decline is mostly a continuation of existing headwinds.

Xero shares rallied to a six-month high in late August after the company attracted investor interest and rolled out new AI-powered tools. In mid-August, the company announced significant product updates across its payments, payroll, and bookkeeping offerings in the US.

At the time, many investors were impressed that the company had successfully turned the threat of AI into an enterprise growth driver. 

Much of the tech-sector-wide sell-off this year was driven by concerns that AI could replace the core services of companies like Xero.

But as quickly as the shares spiked, they tumbled again. There isn’t any clear indication why, so it’s most likely a combination of renewed macroeconomic pressures and investors taking their gains off the table after a strong rally.

Over the past month, a fresh round of macroeconomic shocks, including an interest rate hike in late September and sky-high Australian bond yields, has also created strong headwinds for an already dampened Xero share price.

Xero also recently locked in the 12th of November as the date for its upcoming half-year FY27 financial results, for the six months ending 30th of September.

It’s not uncommon for investors to sell up shares in companies that have the potential for risk in upcoming financial updates.

This is particularly true for Xero, as investors are still focused on its Melio acquisition in the US. There are ongoing concerns about how the acquisition will affect the company’s near-term margins.

Are Xero shares a buy, sell, or hold?

Investors may be spooked, but the experts are much more confident that we’ll see a rebound ahead for Xero.

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a buy rating on the stock. The $112 average target price implies an upside of around 84%, at the time of writing.

Data is also very positive on TradingView. All nine analysts have a buy/strong buy rating on Xero shares. The $119.13 average target price implies an upside of around 97%. But some think the shares have the potential to jump 181% higher to $169.71 each, at the time of writing.

If analyst forecasts are anything to go by, now is a good time to buy Xero shares in the dip.

The post Down 11% in a month: Is it time to buy Xero shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Xero, Ansell, Wesfarmers shares
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Xero vs Megaport: Which ASX tech stock suits young investors better?
• Are Xero shares a must-buy for investors?
• 6 ASX shares to buy in today’s weak market: experts

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.

Getting started with investing can feel a little scary.

There are thousands of shares to choose from, and knowing which companies to buy is not always easy.

That is why I think exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a great place for beginners to start.

Here are three Vanguard ETFs I would consider for someone looking to build their wealth over the long term.

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS)

I think one of the easiest ways to start investing is by owning a selection of Australia’s leading businesses.

That is what the VAS ETF offers. The fund tracks the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO), giving investors exposure to 300 companies listed on the Australian share market.

This includes businesses across banking, mining, healthcare, retail, and other industries.

For a beginner, I like the simplicity of that approach. Rather than trying to work out which Australian bank or mining share will perform best, investors can own a broad collection of businesses through one investment.

The fund also offers the potential for regular dividend income, including franking credits, which could be valuable as an investment portfolio grows.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

Once investors have exposure to Australia, I think the next step worth considering is looking overseas. After all, Australia represents only a small part of the global share market.

The VGS ETF makes international investing straightforward by providing exposure to around 1,300 stocks across developed markets.

That includes businesses operating in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Europe.

I particularly like the access this provides to industries that are less prominent on the ASX.

For example, many of the world’s leading software, semiconductor, and technology businesses are listed overseas. Through the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF, beginners can participate in long-term growth without having to identify individual winners.

There is also the benefit of spreading investments across multiple economies, although the fund still has significant exposure to the United States.

Overall, I think this Vanguard ETF could be an excellent long-term holding, particularly alongside an Australian shares ETF.

Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF (ASX: VDHG)

My final pick is for beginners who want to keep things simple. The VDHG ETF effectively provides a ready-made investment portfolio.

It combines Australian shares, international shares, emerging markets, smaller companies, and bonds in a single fund.

That means investors can get broad diversification without needing to choose several ETFs and work out how much money to put into each.

Vanguard also handles the rebalancing, helping maintain the fund’s intended investment mix over time. I think that convenience could be valuable for someone who is just starting out.

The VDHG ETF targets approximately 90% in growth assets and 10% in defensive assets. It is therefore designed for investors with a long investment horizon who can tolerate substantial share market movements.

For a beginner who wants to invest regularly and spend less time managing their portfolio, I think this Vanguard ETF is well worth considering.

Foolish takeaway

I think getting started is often the hardest part of investing.

These Vanguard ETFs offer relatively straightforward ways to build a diversified portfolio without needing to become an expert at picking individual shares.

For beginners who are prepared to invest regularly and think long term, I believe any of these could be a great place to start.

The post Why these Vanguard ETFs could be buys for beginners appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• The 3 factors that have helped me build a six-figure ASX share portfolio at 35
• 3 excellent ASX ETFs for beginners in 2027
• VGS vs V500: Which Vanguard ETF would I buy?
• Own Betashares ASX ETFs? Here’s your next dividend
• My top 3 Vanguard ETFs for October

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF. 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 Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.