Starting your investing journey can be exciting, but deciding what to buy first isn’t always easy when there are hundreds of shares and exchange traded funds (ETFs) to choose from.

Thankfully, you don’t need to identify the next star stock to start building wealth.

Here are three ASX ETFs that could be worth considering for beginners now and in 2027.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

One of the biggest challenges for new investors is working out which companies will be successful over the next decade.

And let’s face it, even professional investors regularly get that wrong.

That’s why the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF could be a great place to start.

Instead of trying to pick a handful of winning stocks, this fund gives investors a stake in more than 1,000 companies across developed markets outside Australia.

That includes some of the biggest names in technology, healthcare, financial services, and consumer goods.

It also means you’re not relying on the Australian economy to deliver all your returns.

For beginners who want to start investing and gradually build their wealth over many years, that’s a strong proposition.

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

Another ASX ETF that could be worth considering is the Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF.

Think about how much of your everyday life now takes place online. Banking, shopping, working, communicating, and even accessing healthcare increasingly involve digital services.

All that activity creates opportunities for cybercriminals, which is why businesses and governments are spending heavily on protecting their systems and data.

The Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF allows investors to gain exposure to companies providing that protection. These businesses help prevent cyberattacks, secure networks, protect cloud systems, and detect threats before they cause serious damage.

This is a more specialised investment than a broad market ETF, so its performance could be more volatile. Nevertheless, for beginners interested in technology and its future, it could be an exciting fund to consider.

Betashares Australian Quality ETF (ASX: AQLT)

A final ASX ETF for beginners to look at is the Betashares Australian Quality ETF.

When people first start investing, it can be tempting to buy shares in companies they recognise. But being a household name doesn’t necessarily mean a business is a great investment.

That’s where this ETF takes an interesting approach. It looks beyond company size and focuses on Australian businesses with strong profitability, healthy balance sheets, and relatively stable earnings.

The idea is to favour financially stronger companies that may be better placed to handle difficult economic conditions and continue growing over time.

It also offers something different from a traditional Australian index fund, where the biggest banks and mining companies can dominate the portfolio.

For beginners who want exposure to local shares but prefer an investment strategy built around business quality, the Betashares Australian Quality ETF could be worth a closer look.

The post 3 excellent ASX ETFs for beginners in 2027 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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 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.

West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF) released its quarterly gold production figures this week, prompting the analyst team at Macquarie to run the ruler over the numbers.

The broker has maintained its outperform rating on West African shares and is predicting more share price upside, along with a healthy dividend yield.

I’ll get to the specifics of those later. First, let’s look at the company’s September quarter production.

Record quarter of gold production

West African Resources said in a statement to the ASX that it had produced 127,950 ounces of gold from its Sanbrado and Kiaka gold mines in Burkina Faso during the quarter, and had sold 135,245 ounces at US$4240 per ounce.

The company also confirmed it was on track to achieve its annual guidance of 430,000 to 490,000 ounces of gold.

West African Resources said it had received approval from the Burkina Faso Government for the M5 South underground extension at Sanbrado.

The company added:

M5 South underground development activities have commenced, and stoping activities are now scheduled to start in early H2 2027. There is flexibility within the overall Sanbrado mine plan and this delayed start is therefore expected to have minimal impact on 2027 gold production.

West African Executive Chair Richard Hyde said the record quarter maintained the company’s production run rate at more than 500,000 ounces per year.

Shares still looking like good value

Macquarie said in its new research note on the company that the third-quarter production was 11% higher than consensus estimates.

This was driven by a 15% lift in tonnage processed at Kiaka, with mined material also up 13% quarter on quarter.

Sanbrado, on the other hand, missed production expectations by a small amount, Macquarie said.

The broker added:

Barring any material disruptions, WAF should comfortably meet its production targets, particularly if improved access to explosives continues. We are likely to see improved all-in sustaining costs this quarter, given stronger sales (135koz, +22% quarter on quarter) offsetting the increase in mined and milled tonnage.

Macquarie increased its earnings per share estimates for West African Resources by 7% for this year, and upgraded its forecasts from CY27 to CY30 by 1%.

The broker added:

We maintain our Outperform recommendation for WAF, with lowered risk to CY27 production from receipt of the Sanbrado underground mine plan.

Macquarie maintained its $4 price target for West African Resources shares, compared with $3.61 at the time of writing.

If achieved, this would constitute a 10.8% return.

Macquarie is forecasting a 7.4% dividend yield this calendar year, falling to 4.9% next year, then rising to 5.4%.

West African Resources is valued at $4.01 billion.

The post Up nearly 20% over a year, can West African Resources shares go even higher? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England 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 Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) has long been a favourite among Australian dividend investors.

And with its enormous mining operations, strong cash generation, and history of returning billions of dollars to shareholders, it isn’t difficult to see why.

But how much would you need invested in the mining giant to generate $10,000 in annual passive income? Let’s take a look.

Why BHP remains popular

One of the main reasons BHP is so popular is the scale and quality of its mining operations.

The company owns some of the world’s most important mineral resources, including operations that have been producing for decades and still have substantial reserves remaining.

This gives BHP opportunities to keep generating cash and investing in production for many years.

Its financial strength is another reason. BHP has generally been able to maintain a strong balance sheet while funding major projects and returning substantial amounts of money to shareholders.

Of course, mining is a cyclical business, and even BHP cannot escape fluctuations in commodity prices.

When prices are high, profits and dividends can be enormous. When they weaken, shareholder returns can fall significantly.

However, BHP’s size, asset quality, and financial resources arguably make it one of the better options for investors seeking dividend income from the resources sector.

So, what could its shares deliver over the coming years?

How many BHP shares would you need?

According to CommSec, BHP is forecast to pay fully franked dividends of $2.07 per share in FY 2027.

Based on its current share price of $60.94, this represents a forecast dividend yield of approximately 3.4%.

To generate $10,000 in annual passive income at that rate, an investor would need to own approximately 4,831 BHP shares.

Buying that many shares today would require an investment of around $294,400.

That’s certainly a substantial amount of money to have invested in one company, which is why I would generally favour building a diversified income portfolio rather than relying entirely on BHP.

However, eligible Australian investors could also benefit from franking credits attached to those dividends.

What about future passive income?

The good news for investors is that CommSec expects BHP’s dividends to increase over the following two years.

Despite an expected earnings dip in FY 2028, dividends are forecast to edge higher to $2.10 per share.

For someone holding 4,831 shares, that would mean approximately $10,145 in annual passive income.

By FY 2029, CommSec expects dividends to increase to $2.38 per share, potentially lifting annual passive income from the same holding to almost $11,500.

It is worth remembering that these are only forecasts and actual dividends will depend heavily on commodity prices and BHP’s earnings.

Nevertheless, they demonstrate why the mining giant remains a popular option for Australian income investors.

The post How many BHP shares do I need to buy for $10,000 of passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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