Knowing how much superannuation you have, and how much you should have, is crucial to ensuring you have sufficient retirement savings for a comfortable lifestyle after you stop working.

Retirement savings falling short

While comparisons with others might not be helpful in themselves, what is interesting is that, on average, 45-year-olds do not have enough in their superannuation to be on track for a comfortable retirement.

Figures from the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) show that for men aged 45-49 the average superannuation balance is $193,501, while for women it is $147,146.

But ASFA also has a useful calculator called Super Detective, which will show you how much superannuation you need for your age to be on track for what they deem a comfortable retirement.

That figure for a 45-year-old is $239,000 – well above the average.

ASFA’s Retirement Standard, or what they deem necessary for a comfortable retirement, envisages a superannuation balance which generates $55,923 per year for singles or $78,566 for couples.

It envisages retirees being able to afford top level health cover, a reasonable car, leisure activities and occasional travel as well as home maintenance.

Keep in mind it also assumes you own your own home and draw a part pension once you hit the pension age of 67.

How to boost your superannuation?

-If your superannuation is coming up short, there are various strategies to boost it, with some of them also being tax-effective.

The first step is to confirm that you have only one superannuation account. As simple as it sounds, this can save you from a double-up on fees charged by your superannuation provider.

Extra contributions can also be made to superannuation in the form of concessional and non-concessional contributions.

Concessional contributions are taxed at just 15% and include money contributed by your employer, salary sacrifice contributions, and extra contributions you make up to a cap of $32,500.

If funds permit and your superannuation balance is less than $500,000 in the last financial year, you can also carry forward any unused concessional contribution cap amounts from the previous five financial years.

The amount you are able to contribute in this way can be found in your myGov account.

A notice of intent to claim must be lodged with your super fund for concessional contributions so they know to deduct the 15% tax from the amount.

It is also possible to make non-concessional contributions up to $130,000 and to contribute more than this amount using the bring-forward rule.  

The post The average superannuation balance for 45-year-olds in Australia in FY26. How does yours compare? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much is needed in superannuation for $1,000 in weekly passive income?
• Why is the ASX 200 having its worst day in 3 months?
• Why these ASX shares are worth watching closely today
• The average superannuation balance for 64 year olds in Australia in FY27
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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 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 make it much easier to invest in markets and industries that are difficult to access through individual ASX shares.

There are several Betashares funds I like, but these three stand out to me as long-term investments I would be happy to own.

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important as businesses move more of their operations online.

Companies now store enormous amounts of sensitive information digitally, while cloud computing, remote work, artificial intelligence, and connected devices are creating more potential points of attack.

That means cybersecurity spending is becoming harder for businesses and governments to avoid.

The HACK ETF provides exposure to a collection of global stocks involved in areas such as network security, cloud protection, identity management, and threat detection.

I think it makes sense to use an ETF for this industry because technology changes quickly. Today’s strongest cybersecurity company may not necessarily remain the leader a decade from now. The HACK ETF allows investors to back the broader growth in cybersecurity spending without relying on one company to get everything right.

Betashares Global Healthcare ETF (ASX: DRUG)

Healthcare is another area I would be comfortable investing in for decades.

The DRUG ETF provides exposure to major global healthcare businesses across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and other parts of the sector.

I think there are several reasons demand could keep growing. Populations are ageing in many developed countries, new treatments continue being developed, and medical technology is improving what doctors can diagnose and treat.

For me, this ETF offers a simple way to gain exposure to healthcare innovation without needing to predict which individual drug or medical technology becomes the biggest success.

Betashares Global Shares ETF (ASX: BGBL)

My final choice would be much broader than the others.

The BGBL ETF provides exposure to a large collection of companies across developed markets outside Australia.

I like it because an investor can gain access to many of the world’s leading businesses through one relatively simple holding.

It also fills some gaps that naturally exist in the Australian share market. Global markets offer much greater exposure to industries such as technology, healthcare, consumer brands, and industrial businesses.

For someone building wealth over many years, I think having part of a portfolio invested beyond Australia makes a lot of sense. The BGBL ETF could therefore serve as a long-term core holding.

Foolish takeaway

I would be comfortable owning all three of these Betashares ETFs for the long term.

What I like most is that they give me access to opportunities that are difficult to capture through the ASX alone, while still keeping the investment process straightforward.

For investors prepared to stay patient, I think the HACK, DRUG, and BGBL ETFs are three funds worth considering.

The post 3 Betashares ETFs I want to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much passive income can I earn off a $630,000 superannuation balance
• 3 ASX ETFs to buy for simple investing
• The best ASX ETFs to buy with $50,000
• Here are 3 top Betashares ETFs I’d buy now
• 3 strong ASX ETFs for smart investors to buy and hold

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 positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF. 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.

Cybersecurity company Infotrust Ltd (ASX: ITS) hasn’t been a winner for shareholders over the past year, with its shares falling by slightly more than 50%.

But according to the team at Bell Potter, the company is now well-positioned and could deliver significant upside.

I’ll get to their price target on the company shortly. First, let’s look at Infotrust’s recent full-year results.

Revenue growing strongly, but profit flagging

The company reported revenue of $64.1 million in FY26, up 9.8%; however, underlying EBITDA fell 20.3% to $2.7 million.

Including the loss the company booked on the sale of its cloud and communications division, Infotrust booked a net loss of $23.1 million.

The company said following that divestment, it was solely focused on cybersecurity.

The company said in its results report:

Following the divestment of the Cloud and Communications segment during FY26, the Company’s operations are exclusively focused on cyber security, digital resilience and associated technology services under the “Infotrust” brand. The Australian cyber security market continues to benefit from structural demand for cyber security and digital resilience, secure cloud adoption, data protection, identity security, AI governance and regulatory assurance. The market is also becoming more competitive and more consolidated, with customers seeking fewer, deeper technology partners that can provide trusted expertise, local accountability and outcome-based services.

Infotrust said acquisitions were expected to remain a “disciplined accelerator” for the business, which was now better focused.

The company added:

Infotrust’s strategy is to grow as a focused, trusted cyber-first technology services provider by deepening customer relationships, expanding cross-sell opportunities across the Company’s existing customer base, packaging services into clearer market-facing offers and investing in high-growth cyber capabilities, including identity, data security, AI security and cloud security.

Shares looking cheap, broker says

Bell Potter said in its research note to clients that the company’s financial results were close to its forecasts, while cash flow was better than forecast.

They said that Infotrust’s FY27 guidance for $80 million in revenue was better than their $73 million forecast, while the forecast EBITDA of more than $6 million was in line.

Bell Potter added:

We have upgraded our FY27 and FY28 revenue forecasts by 8% and now forecast $78.5 million and $88.3 million. That is, we are slightly under the budgeted revenue forecast of $80 million in FY27 for conservatism. We have, however, downgraded our underlying EBITDA forecasts by 4% and 9% due to a reduction in our margin assumptions.

Bell Potter has reduced its price target on Infotrust to 48 cents from 58 cents; however, this remains well above the share price of 25 cents at the time of writing.

Infotrust is valued at $44.5 million.

The post Bell Potter says this ASX small cap could rise 92% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 Betashares ETFs I want to buy
• 3 ASX ETFs that are a perfect compliment to your superannuation
• How much is needed in superannuation for $1,000 in weekly passive income?
• 2 ASX shares with dividend yields above 11%
• How to earn $2,000 a month in passive income with this simple portfolio

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 Infotrust. 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.

For investors looking to supplement their superannuation with sound investments, there are a few factors to consider. 

Three main priorities for retirees to focus on are: 

• Reliable income
• Diversification
• Enough growth to keep pace with inflation.

A common mistake is simply targeting the three highest-yielding ETFs, since high distributions often come with substantially higher risk.

This simple three-ASX ETF portfolio can provide a balanced allocation across these priorities. 

Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY)

This ASX ETF provides exposure to Australian companies that tend to pay relatively high dividends. This creates a reliable stream of investment income without needing to sell investments regularly. 

For Australian investors, the dividends can also come with franking credits. This may improve the after-tax income depending on individual circumstances. 

Importantly, VHY still provides exposure to shares, so it offers the potential for long-term capital growth that can help protect against inflation.

However, VHY’s role isn’t simply “high dividends” alongside superannuation.

In a retirement portfolio, its main attraction is that it can turn a portion of an Australian equity allocation into a relatively strong cash-flow-producing asset while retaining exposure to businesses that can grow over time.

Vanguard Australian Fixed Interest Index ETF (ASX: VAF)

This ASX ETF can play a vital role in a retiree’s portfolio by providing exposure to Australian government and investment-grade corporate bonds. 

This asset class is often considered less volatile than shares. 

Its primary purpose is to provide stability and regular income. This can help to reduce the overall risk of a portfolio that also contains equity ETFs. 

Having a defensive allocation like VAF can be particularly valuable in retirement because it provides an asset that can potentially be drawn on during periods of share-market weakness, reducing the need to sell shares when prices are depressed. 

While VAF is unlikely to deliver the same long-term growth as shares, it is a useful counterbalance to the higher risk and growth potential of equity investments.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

The final complement to superannuation is the VGS fund. 

It provides broad exposure to international shares, particularly companies across major developed markets outside Australia. 

Its main purpose is to provide long-term growth and diversification, reducing reliance on the Australian share market, which is relatively concentrated in sectors such as banks and resources. 

This fund gives retirees exposure to a much wider range of global businesses and industries, helping spread investment risk across different economies and markets. 

While its value can fluctuate significantly and it does not provide the same focus on dividend income, it can provide valuable capital growth over the long term. 

This is vital to helping a retirement portfolio keep pace with inflation and supporting income needs further into retirement.

The post 3 ASX ETFs that are a perfect compliment to your superannuation appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How to earn $10,000 in passive income a month with these ASX dividend shares
• Term deposits are paying more than ever. Are ASX dividend shares still worth it?
• Could a September rate hike hurt your superannuation returns?
• Why I think the VGS ETF is a strong buy and hold pick
• Are these 2 top Vanguard ETFs still worth buying today?

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell has positions in Vanguard Msci Index International Shares 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 Australian Shares High Yield ETF and 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.

Superannuation is a popular and tax-effective way of building wealth for retirement.

Many Australians realise the importance of accumulating a big enough nest egg that compounds over time. 

But did you know you can also use your superannuation to invest in ASX shares and generate a consistent passive income once you transition to the pension phase?

But exactly how much super do you need to earn your ideal passive income?

Let’s take a look, using $1,000 per week as an example.

How much do I need in my superannuation to earn $1,000 per week in passive income?

First, you need to calculate what $1,000 in passive income every week totals over the entire year.

So, $1,000 x 52 = $52,000.

Then you need to divide your annual passive income ($52,000) by the dividend yield of your overall investment portfolio.

For example, $52,000 ÷ 2% = $2.6 million (that’s the portfolio size you’d need).

Of course, the answer varies significantly depending on the dividend yield you’ll be using. As your yield increases, the superannuation balance you’d need to earn your $1,000 weekly passive income, goes down.

Remember, most ASX dividend shares pay dividends on a semi-annual or annual basis. This means that while you could target the equivalent of $1,000 per week in passive income, you won’t actually receive the money on a month-by-month basis, but instead in a lump sum every six or 12 months.

What superannuation balance would I need for a 3-5% yielding portfolio?

Say your overall portfolio has a yield of around 3%, you’ll need a balance of around $1.73 million to earn your $1,000 per week ($52,000 per year) of passive income.

Then, if your portfolio yields closer to 4%, you’d need around $1.3 million.

And if your portfolio yields a little higher, around 5%, you’d need more like $1.04 million to earn the same amount.

What if I wanted to go for a higher yielding portfolio, around 6% or 7%?

At 6%, you’d need a superannuation balance of around $867,000 to earn the same $1,000 weekly passive income amount.

Increase that to a 7% yield, and you’re looking at closer to $743,000.

And is it possible to go for an even higher yield, around 10%?

Yes, it’s still possible to earn from a 10% yielding portfolio, but there are significantly fewer options available. 

The higher yield also comes with a higher element of risk, which translates to a lower balance for the same income.

If your portfolio yielded 10% and you wanted to earn $1,000 per week, you’d need a superannuation balance of around $520,000.

When it comes to ASX dividend shares, high-yielding shares could be cyclical businesses that fluctuate significantly with market cycles, niche companies with strong cash conversion, or they have discounted share prices. 

It doesn’t mean high-yield shares should be avoided, but rather, they should be part of a diversified portfolio rather than account for the entire portfolio.

Ok, how could I create a diversified portfolio?

If you plan to earn $1,000 per week off a 5% yielding portfolio, you’d need a balance of around $1.04 million.

That doesn’t mean that every investment in that superannuation portfolio has to be 5%. It can be a variation which equates to a combined 5% yield overall.

You don’t need to invest the whole sum in one go either. Start with a monthly investment and let compounding do some of the hard work for you.

For a diversified portfolio, my tip would be to consider splitting your portfolio between different sectors and yielding shares.

You could look to divide your portfolio equally between 3%, 4%, 5% and 6% yielding shares. Overall, this would give a total overall portfolio yield of around 5%.

Alternatively, you could invest around half of your portfolio into 6% yielding shares, another 40% into 4% yielding ASX shares, and invest the remaining 15% in 5% yielding shares. Again, this would total around a 5% portfolio overall.

The post How much is needed in superannuation for $1,000 in weekly passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why is the ASX 200 having its worst day in 3 months?
• Why these ASX shares are worth watching closely today
• The average superannuation balance for 64 year olds in Australia in FY27
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• The ASX 200 is falling again. What’s behind the sell-off?

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.

ASX dividend shares are a popular way for Aussie investors to earn an easy passive income on the side of their monthly wage. 

There is a huge variety of reliable dividend-paying ASX shares available. But the problem is that their yields vary wildly, and therefore so will their payouts. This makes it very difficult to work out which is the best fit for your portfolio.

On one hand you have major Australian blue-chip businesses, defensive assets like energy infrastructure or utility operators, and popular bank stocks. These typically yield somewhere between 3% and 6%.

And on the other hand you have your much riskier high-yield shares. These could be cyclical businesses that fluctuate significantly with market cycles, niche companies with strong cash conversion, or they have discounted share prices. 

But if you have the stomach for this type of risk, these shares also pay out a much higher dividend to their shareholders. And some offer over 11%. 

Here are two of them.

GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG)

GQG is a boutique asset management company focused on active equity portfolios. It offers investment advisory and portfolio management services for investors. Clients include pension funds, sovereign funds, wealth management companies, and individual investors. 

The company is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but GQG also has operations in New York, Seattle, London, Sydney, and other locations. 

Despite its global reach, the company is exclusively listed on the ASX.

The company is able to pay a high yield to its shareholders because it has a high payout ratio (of around 50% to 95% of distributable earnings). The business model is also capital-light and cash-generative, and its share price has fallen steeply (by around 31%) over the past year after clients withdrew funds earlier this year.

GQG also pays more regularly than a lot of other ASX dividend shares. The company has historically paid four unfranked shareholder dividends a year in March, June, September, and December.

The asset management business currently pays approximately 90% of its distributable profit to shareholders. The ASX shares are due to pay an interim dividend of 3.5 cents per unit later this month, unfranked. At the time of writing, this translates into an annualised dividend yield of around 16%.

IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH)

IPH is an intellectual property (IP) services provider. Because IP protection is a legal necessity regardless of economic cycles, the company benefits from consistent cash flow and solid earnings visibility, even when share markets are volatile.

Again, the company is able to pay a high yield to its shareholders for the same reasons: a capital-light business model, a high payout ratio, and a falling share price.

As an IP services provider, it essentially owns a group of patented and trademarked firms. This means it can generate substantial revenue without requiring physical capital.

IPH shares performed well in the first half of 2026, before declining in August amid investor concerns about weaker revenue growth. 

The company also changed its dividend policy to target 70% to 90% of statutory EPS from FY27 onwards, down from the previous 80% to 90% range. The move is expected to give the company more flexibility, but investors were a little spooked.

The good news is that IPH has a long history of consistent dividend payments. The ASX dividend shares have paid regular semi-annual dividends to shareholders since 2006, increasing the payout nearly every year.

IPH is due to pay its shareholders a final dividend of 19.5 cents per share, 30% franked, later this month. At the time of writing, that implies an annualised dividend yield of around 12%.

The post 2 ASX shares with dividend yields above 11% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much passive income can I earn off a $630,000 superannuation balance
• 3 high-yield ASX dividend shares to buy with $10,000
• How much superannuation is needed to target a $50,000 annual passive income?
• Buy, hold, sell: Deterra Royalties, GQG Partners, and TPG Telecom shares
• GQG Partners: 2026 half-year earnings

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 recommended Gqg Partners and IPH Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Income investing involves targeting strong dividend shares to generate passive income. 

Having a reliable passive income stream can be a pathway to early retirement, provide funding for holidays or big purchases, or to supplement your superannuation.  

What kind of investor should be targeting passive income?

Passive income is often a key priority for retirees, particularly those looking to supplement their superannuation and create a more reliable income stream. 

However, income-focused investing isn’t just for retirees.

Investors at other stages of life may also benefit from building a portfolio that generates regular dividends and distributions, whether to help fund living expenses, reinvest and compound returns, or create greater financial flexibility over time. 

For ASX investors, companies with a track record of paying sustainable dividends can therefore appeal to a broad range of investors – not just those already relying on their investments for income.

With that in mind, here is a hypothetical pathway to generating $2,000 a month in passive income with just two trades.

The portfolio 

Generating $2,000 a month in passive income will require some significant capital investment. 

However, it is certainly achievable with a combination of two ASX ETFs. 

The strategy is to target high-yield ASX ETFs that pay monthly distributions. 

The two that stand out are BetaShares Australian Top 20 Equities Yield Maximiser Complex ETF (ASX: YMAX) and Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Fund (ASX: HVST). 

The YMAX fund aims to generate attractive monthly income and reduce the volatility of portfolio returns by implementing an equity income investment strategy over a portfolio of the 20 largest blue-chip shares listed on the ASX. 

Meanwhile, the HVST fund follows a rules-based ‘dividend harvest’ strategy that seeks to maximise its exposure to dividend-paying Australian shares.

The YMAX fund currently offers a 12 month gross distribution yield of 8.6%. 

The HVST fund currently offers a 12 month gross distribution yield info 7.1%. 

How much do you need to invest?

For a simple hypothetical calculation, we can assume the portfolio is split equally between the two ETFs. 

A split allows some breathing room should one fund reduce its distribution.

With an average gross distribution yield of 7.85%, an investor would need around $305,700 invested to generate $24,000 a year, or $2,000 a month, in gross income. 

Put simply, $152,850 invested in each fund would generate approximately $12,000 per year from each fund, assuming the stated yields were maintained. 

Of course, distributions can change over time, and this example doesn’t account for tax, franking credits, brokerage or changes in the ETFs’ market prices.

Foolish takeaway 

Most investors won’t have $300,000 or more sitting around ready to invest, and that’s okay. 

Building a meaningful passive income stream is typically a long-term process rather than something that happens overnight. 

By making consistent contributions to income-generating investments and reinvesting distributions, investors can gradually build their capital base and move closer to their passive income goals.

The post How to earn $2,000 a month in passive income with this simple portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much passive income can I earn off a $630,000 superannuation balance
• 2 ASX dividend shares I’d buy right now for passive income
• 2 ASX dividend shares yielding 8% (or higher)
• How much is needed in superannuation for $2,500 in weekly passive income?
• How much superannuation is needed to target a $50,000 annual passive income?

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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 back under pressure, falling 5% to $37.65 on Wednesday and wiping out a large chunk of August’s gains.

For much of August, it looked like WiseTech shares couldn’t be stopped. During the first three weeks, the technology stock surged 25%, reaching $45.47 on 25 August.

Then came the FY26 result and the rally quickly lost momentum. Since that result, WiseTech shares have fallen around 17%, leaving them a long way from the $100 level reached a year ago.

The ASX tech stock is now down 45% year to date and 62% over the past 12 months. So, has the rally run out of road?

WiseTech’s numbers weren’t disastrous

WiseTech reported a 46% increase in EBITDA to US$558.4 million for the year to 30 June. That landed within management’s US$550 million to US$585 million guidance range, although it fell slightly short of the US$569.5 million market forecast.

For FY27, management of WiseTech shares expects total revenue growth of 6% to 10%, reaching US$1.48 billion to US$1.54 billion. Underlying EBITDA is forecast to grow 12% to 21%, with margins improving to 49% to 51%.

Global leader with big issues

That outlook is important because the collapse in WiseTech shares hasn’t simply been about deteriorating demand.

WiseTech’s CargoWise platform remains a major logistics software system used by the world’s top 25 freight forwarders, including Toll and DHL. It helps freight forwarders, customs brokers and supply-chain operators manage increasingly complex global trade.

That gives WiseTech exposure to powerful long-term trends, particularly the digitalisation of global trade and growing demand for sophisticated logistics technology.

The bigger issues for WiseTech shares have been investor confidence, governance concerns and regulatory matters.

What do brokers think about WiseTech shares?

Several brokers remain firmly bullish. Morgans retained its buy rating with a trimmed $62.50 price target, while Morgan Stanley maintained its buy rating and $70 target. The latter implies potential upside of around 86% from Wednesday’s share price.

Bell Potter also remains bullish, despite cutting its target from $71.75 to $65. Citi lifted its target from $55.05 to $58.75, while UBS reduced its target from $65 to $56 but retained its buy recommendation.

But there is plenty of scepticism. Jefferies downgraded WiseTech shares to hold with a $45 target, while JP Morgan also has a hold rating, with a $40 target.

At $37.65, the huge gap between those valuations tells investors something important: the market remains deeply divided over WiseTech’s recovery.

Foolish takeaway

Is the WiseTech rally over? It’s too early to say, but Wednesday’s decline shows just how fragile the recovery remains.

The underlying business continues to generate strong earnings growth, and management is forecasting further EBITDA growth in FY27. But investors are clearly demanding more than good financial numbers.

WiseTech needs to rebuild confidence around its strategy, governance and long-term growth prospects. Until that happens, the shares could remain volatile.

For investors willing to look beyond the recent weakness, the bullish broker targets suggest significant upside if WiseTech can deliver. But the wide valuation gap also highlights the risk: the market is far from convinced that the company’s comeback is complete.

The post WiseTech shares are turning red again. Is the rally over? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why I think Zip and WiseTech shares could be buys in September
• WiseTech shares had their best month in a year. Is this a buying opportunity?
• 5 things reporting season taught ASX investors about FY27
• WiseTech shares enjoy best month in over a year. More to come?
• 5 ASX 200 shares with 33% to 61% upside post-results: experts

Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has positions in WiseTech Global. 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.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares have been among the best-performing blue-chip stocks in the last year. 

However, after hitting yearly highs last week, they have started to fall, leaving investors scratching their heads at what to do next. 

A stellar run

BHP shares have risen strongly over the past 12 months. 

Since September last year, BHP shares are up an impressive 50%. 

A major driver of BHP’s rise has been its re-rating around copper, which has become an increasingly important and profitable part of the business. 

Copper prices have surged, supported by constrained global supply and strong structural demand from electrification, power infrastructure and AI data centres. 

BHP has also delivered record iron-ore production, roughly 2 Mt of copper production and strong cost control, allowing higher commodity prices to flow through to earnings.

BHP shares also received a boost following its earnings results.

The company reported a record US$32.9 billion underlying EBITDA (up 27%) and US$8.7 billion in dividends for shareholders.

In short, the market is increasingly viewing BHP not simply as an iron-ore miner but as a high-quality, cash-generative copper growth story, which has driven both stronger earnings expectations and a higher valuation.

These tailwinds took BHP shares to a record high of over $68 per share in late August. 

However, its share price has fallen roughly 5% since then.

Shareholders might now be wondering whether it’s time to take profits or hold for the long term. 

Here is what experts are saying. 

Mixed outlook 

Looking across the investment landscape, it appears most experts see BHP shares as fully rated. 

Of 17 forecasts from experts via TradingView, the average one year price target sits at $60.80. 

This would suggest BHP shares could dip a further 6% from current levels. 

On the bullish side, the highest one year target sits at just over $67 per share, while the lowest target sits at $43. 

Recent targets from notable brokers include: 

• Morgan Stanley has a one year target of $67.50
• Morgans sits at $55.30
• Deutsche Bank at $51.

Long-term upside 

While there appears to be little upside in the mid-term, blue-chip stocks like BHP hold long term value.

The company continues to generate substantial cash flow from its diversified portfolio, while its growing exposure to copper provides a potential structural tailwind as demand rises from electrification, data centres and the energy transition. 

In FY2026, copper contributed more than half of BHP’s underlying EBITDA for the first time, highlighting the commodity’s growing importance to the business.

BHP is also investing heavily in future growth, with a pipeline of copper projects expected to lift production significantly through to 2035, alongside the Jansen potash project, which is scheduled to begin production in 2027. 

At the same time, the company continues to return significant amounts of cash to shareholders, with FY26 dividends reaching their highest level in 4 years. 

The post BHP shares are falling – is it time to take profits? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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.

August was a rocky month for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). 

Some key ASX 200 players, including PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) rebounded strongly throughout the month while others, such as National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) came crashing down.

Let’s recap how the shares have tracked over the past month, and whether brokers rate them a buy, sell or hold now.

Hold NAB shares

August was a rough month for ASX bank shares, with many reversing much of their gains made earlier this year.

Key headwinds were concerns were higher-than-expected inflation data, renewed interest rate hike forecasts, falling mortgage demand, a weaker housing market, and tight competition squeezing margins.

NAB shares weren’t immune from the downturn. The major bank’s shares fell around 8% though the course of August and continued tumbling into September.

At the time of writing, NAB shares are $38.50 a piece, down around 9% for the year-to-date and nearly 10% lower than a year ago.

Brokers aren’t too sure where the bank stock could go next. Market Index data shows the majority have a hold rating on NAB shares. And the $39.88 average target price implies a potential 4% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

Buy PLS shares

NAB may have had a difficult month, but PLS shares have travelled in the opposite direction.

The lithium stock flew over 32% in August, rebounding strongly from a low in late July. And they kept climbing higher in early September too. At the time of writing, PLS shares are trading at $5.48. That’s a 27% increase year-to-date and a huge 126% hike from 12 months ago.

Investors have rushed to buy into the stock amid growing investor optimism that the lithium price recovery is improving, and this was rocketed higher again when the miner posted a strong FY26 result in mid-August.

PLS posted a 152% increase in revenue, a 59% increase in underlying EBITDA, and a swing into profit in NPAT (from a loss in the prior corresponding period).

The company has also announced a 5-cent-per-share, fully franked final dividend for FY26. This is great news for investors after PLS suspended its dividend payouts in 2024 amid crashing global lithium prices. 

It looks like the experts are also bullish that PLS shares could climb even higher. Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a buy rating on the shares.

Although after the recent rally, the $5.47 average target price now implies a minor 0.2% upside at the time of writing.

Sell Wesfarmers shares

Wesfarmers shares were also pushed lower in August amid broad pressure on consumer and retail stocks, as well as concerns about inflation and interest rate increases.

The sell-off picked up pace after the conglomerate posted its FY26 results later in the month.

The company reported a 3.4% increase in revenue to $47.3 million and a 7.3% increase in EBIT. But statutory NPAT fell 1.8% to $2.8 million, including significant items, or was up 8.3% excluding them. 

Wesfarmers’ result came in slightly ahead of the market’s $47.1 billion forecasted revenue, and was in line with expectations for NPAT.

Going forward, Wesfarmers said it expects higher capital expenditure in FY27, of $1.3 to $1.5 billion. 

But investors were spooked, potentially because although the result was robust, it raises questions about how the business can continue growing in a weakening market.

Wesfarmers shares fell around 12% in August, and fell another 1.5% in the first day of trading in September, to $77.08 each. The shares are now down 6% for the year-to-date and are 15% lower than 12 months ago.

Brokers are bearish too. Market Index data shows the majority now have a strong sell rating on Wesfarmers shares. After the latest price crash, the $76.70 average target price now implies just 0.2% upside at the time of writing.

The post Buy, hold, sell: NAB, PLS Group, Wesfarmers shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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