Author: openjargon

Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH) shares are up around 1% and changing hands at $141.96 a piece, at the time of writing on Wednesday morning.

The latest increase comes off the back of a 8% share price hike on Tuesday, following the company’s latest FY26 results announcement.

Cochlear posted a 2% increase in sales revenue and a 22% decrease in its underlying net profit, which came in right at the top end of guidance.

There were some significant positives though. Cochlear’s operating cash flow surged $130 million to $368 million, while free cash flow also improved substantially. The company also continued to invest aggressively in research and development, lifting R&D spending 15% as it accelerated work on its product pipeline.

Clearly investors were pleased with the results and its shares have kept climbing higher.

It’s great news for the stock after Cochlear shares suffered a huge 41% one-day crash in late-April after the company downgraded its guidance figures. 

Since hitting a 10-year low of just $90 cents per share in late-April, Cochlear shares have now rebounded 52%. There is still a long way to go, however. The shares are now down around 46% for the year-to-date and are roughly 52% lower than this time last year.

The question now is, can Cochlear shares keep climbing higher?

What do analysts tip next for Cochlear shares?

It’s possible that brokers and analysts could revise their stance on Cochlear shares in coming days, following the company’s FY26 update yesterday.

But at the time of writing, it looks like the experts are still on the fence about the outlook for the hearing implant company’s shares over the next 12 months.

Many are now uncertain that Cochlear shares can stage a meaningful recovery over the next 12 months. And some believe the shares are now above fair value.

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a hold rating on Cochlear shares. The $116.08 average target price now implies a potential 18% downside from the current trading price, at the time of writing.

TradingView data shows something similar, although the figures are a little less pessimistic. Again, the majority of analysts have a hold rating on the shares. The $139.21 average target price implies a potential 2% downside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

So, if I invest $5,000 into Cochlear shares today, what could it be worth in 12 months?

These forecasts suggest that a $5,000 investment into Cochlear shares today, could fall to somewhere around $4,100 to $4,900 by this time next year. That implies a loss of up to $900.

What could drive Cochlear shares higher?

It’s been a difficult year for the medical hearing implant device company. Cochlear has suffered from a number of strong headwinds, including a sector-wide rotation away from ASX healthcare shares this year. 

Looking ahead, I still see Cochlear as a strong, globally dominant business with its long-term outlook intact. I think the steep sell-offs this year were overdone and that the share price could quietly keep climbing higher.

The post Buy $5,000 of Cochlear shares today and it could be worth this much in 12 months appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why are Cochlear shares flying 7% higher today?
• Cochlear posts FY26 profit at top end of guidance with new product momentum
• Down 50% – Are these the best value ASX 200 shares right now?
• Reporting season half-time report: 5 lessons from August so far

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

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN), Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC), and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares are turning heads today.

Two of the big-name ASX shares are charging higher today, while one is trailing the 0.4% losses posted by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) as we head into the Wednesday lunch hour.

Here’s what’s catching investor interest.

Santos shares lift on growth outlook

Santos shares are jumping higher today.

At the time of writing, shares in the ASX 200 oil and gas stock are trading for $8.37 apiece, up 3.2%.

This follows the release of Santos half year results (H1 2026).

On the positive side of the ledger, the company reported a 2% year-on-year boost in sales revenue to US$2.62 billion.

Production volumes were up as well, with sales volumes increasing by 1.7% to 48 million barrels of oil equivalent (mboe).

And investors appear to be eyeing the forecast future growth and shrugging off the 19% decline in Santos’ half-year statutory net profit after tax (NPAT), which fell to US$355 million.

As for that growth that could support Santos shares longer-term, the company revealed that Barossa has reached 97% of planned rates since the end of June. And in Alaska, the company’s Pikka Phase 1 project achieved first oil. Management expects the project to hit plateau production in the third quarter of 2026.

Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher noted:

The first half marked an important step forward for Santos. We brought the Pikka project online safely and continued to progress Barossa through commissioning towards steady-state production, while the base business continued to perform strongly.

Whitehaven Coal shares slide on revenue decline

Unlike Santos shares, Whitehaven shares are slipping following the release of the ASX 200 coal stock’s full-year FY 2026 results.

At time of writing, the Whitehaven share price is down 1.8% at $7.62.

For the 12 months the company reported revenue of $5.40 billion, down 7% from FY 2025.

And underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $1.25 billion were down 8%.

On the bottom line, Whitehaven’s full year NPAT declined by 29% to $227 million, impacted in part by lower coal prices.

Still, management declared a fully franked final dividend of 6 cents per share, in line with last year’s payout.

Which brings us to…

Evolution Mining shares jump on record profits

Joining Whitehaven and Santos shares in making waves today, we find ASX 200 gold stock Evolution Mining.

Evolution Mining shares are up 1.1% at time of writing, changing hands for $13.80 apiece.

Investors are bidding up the gold stock following the release of Evolution’s own FY 2026 results.

Amid a rising gold price environment and its own operational successes, the miner reported a 44% year-on-year increase in underlying EBITDA to $3.17 billion. And cash flow surged 76% to a record high of $1.39 billion.

Evolution Mining also achieved an all-time high statutory profit after tax of $1.48 billion, up 59% from FY 2025.

This saw management boost the final fully franked dividend to 21 cents per share, up 62% from last year’s payout.

The post Why Evolution Mining, Whitehaven and Santos shares are creating a buzz on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Santos posts lower first-half profit as new LNG projects ramp up
• Whitehaven Coal FY26 earnings: profit dips but cost control and dividend highlight result
• Evolution Mining smashes records with FY26 profit and dividend surge
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Evolution Mining shares are up 76%. Could results spark another surge?

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) has been one of the stronger performers in the mining sector over the past year.

After a run like that, it is reasonable to wonder whether much of the opportunity has already been captured.

So, would I still put $5,000 into Rio Tinto shares this week?

The valuation still looks reasonable

Rio Tinto shares are currently trading around $168.84.

According to CommSec, consensus earnings per share estimates stand at $12.07 in FY26 and $12.04 in FY27.

That puts the miner on a forward price-to-earnings multiple of around 14 times in both years.

I think that looks reasonable for a global mining company with substantial exposure to iron ore, aluminium and, increasingly, copper.

There is passive income to consider as well. CommSec expects fully franked dividends of $6.63 per share in FY26 and $6.62 in FY27, which would represent a forecast yield of roughly 3.9% at the current share price.

That gives investors something back while waiting for the longer-term growth story to develop.

Copper is where I get more excited

The copper side of Rio Tinto is becoming increasingly important to my investment case.

Demand for the metal should benefit from spending on electricity networks, renewable energy, electric vehicles, data centres and other infrastructure needed as the global economy becomes more electrified.

Rio Tinto already has major copper operations, and Oyu Tolgoi in Mongolia is giving it a meaningful source of production growth.

Copper production from Oyu Tolgoi increased by 31% to 198,000 tonnes during the first half of 2026 as the underground operation continued ramping up.

I think the longer-term opportunity is even more interesting. Rio Tinto expects Oyu Tolgoi to produce around 500,000 tonnes of copper per year on average between 2028 and 2036 from its open pit and underground operations. At that scale, it is expected to become one of the world’s largest copper mines.

That gives Rio Tinto a growth project already moving towards much higher production at a time when I expect copper to become increasingly valuable.

What would make me cautious?

Rio Tinto shares have risen by around 50% over the past 12 months, so expectations are certainly higher than they were a year ago.

Mining earnings can also change quickly when commodity prices move. Iron ore remains an important contributor, while a weaker copper price could reduce some of the excitement around the company’s expanding production.

The relatively flat consensus earnings forecasts for FY26 and FY27 are a reminder of that cyclicality.

But I think Rio Tinto is becoming a more interesting business for the years ahead. Its copper production is growing, Oyu Tolgoi still has a long ramp-up ahead, and the wider portfolio gives the company several major commodities to work with.

Foolish takeaway

I would invest $5,000 into Rio Tinto shares this week.

The strong share price performance over the past year has made the entry point less attractive than it once was, but I still think around 14 times forecast earnings represents good value.

More importantly, I like where the business could be heading over the next several years as copper becomes a larger part of the story.

For investors prepared to accept the ups and downs that come with mining shares, I think Rio Tinto remains a strong long-term buy.

The post Would I invest $5,000 into Rio Tinto shares this week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why I’d buy these 2 ASX ETFs for $10,000 a year in passive income
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• ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week

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.

PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares are pushing higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lithium stock– formerly known as Pilbara Minerals – closed yesterday trading for $4.93. In late morning trade on Wednesday, shares are swapping hands for $4.96 each, up 0.6%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.4% amid renewed concerns over the enduring conflict in the Middle East.

Today’s outperformance is par for the course for the Aussie lithium producer, with PLS shares up 117.7% since this time last year, smashing the 1.6% one-year gains posted by the benchmark index.

Some of that strong performance has been fuelled by the 79% increase in global spodumene (a lithium bearing ore) prices. Though the miner has hardly been sitting idle.

So, with PLS having turned $10,000 into $21,770 in the last 12 months, is the ASX lithium stock still a good buy today?

PLS shares: Buy, hold, or sell?

Dolphin Partners Financial Services’ Arthur Garipoli recently ran his slide rule over the lithium miner (courtesy of The Bull).

“This high-quality pure play lithium producer recently delivered a solid June quarter report in fiscal year 2026,” he said.

“Sales were up 28% compared to the March quarter and group revenue was up 31%,” Garipoli noted.

PLS released those results on 30 July, with shares closing up 2.7% on the day. The revenue boost Garipoli mentioned saw the company report $743 million in revenue for the three months, with sales volumes of 249,900 tonnes.

While Garipoli sounded a positive note on the miner, including renewed dividend potential, he issued a hold recommendation on PLS shares for now.

According to Garipoli:

The company has benefited from rising spodumene prices and sustains a solid balance sheet. Restarting the Ngungaju processing plant is expected to materially lift sales into full year 2027. Speculation exists that PLS may resume paying dividends following stronger than expected cash generation in full year 2026.

In 2023, PLS paid two fully-franked dividends, totalling 25 cents per share. Those passive income payouts were suspended in 2024 amid slumping lithium prices.

What’s ahead for the ASX 200 lithium stock?

Looking to what could impact PLS shares in the months ahead, the company provided FY 2027 spodumene production guidance in the range of 1.03 million to 1.10 million tonnes, with growth spurred by the ramp up at the miner’s Ngungaju plant.

Costs are also expected to rise, with PLS forecasting FY 2027 unit operating costs (FOB) between $575 to $625 per tonne.

PLS also plans to increase its investment spend, forecasting full-year capital expenditure between $620 million to $685 million.

The post Up 118%! Are PLS shares now a buy, hold or sell? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
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• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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 retail stock Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW) is getting hammered, plunging 17% to a new 52-week low of $4.18 on Wednesday.

The stock is down 70% in 2026 and 82% over 12 months, vastly underperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

And yet, the online retailer just delivered record revenue and stronger profitability. So, what’s going on?

Temple & Webster keeps growing

This $600 million ASX retail stock is one of Australia’s leading online retailers, selling hundreds of thousands of homewares, furniture, and home improvement products.

And here’s a key part of the model: most products are shipped directly from suppliers. That gives Temple & Webster a remarkably capital-light model for the sheer volume of products flowing through its platform.

Today’s numbers show the business is still moving forward. Revenue climbed 10.6% to $664.6 million, while EBITDA rose 16.6% to $21.9 million. Strip out foreign exchange effects, and underlying EBITDA jumped an impressive 28% to $25.9 million.

Delivered margin improved 5.5% to $201 million, while the company ended FY26 with $122.7 million in cash after spending $30 million on share buybacks.

Customer metrics were encouraging, too. Market share increased to 2.9%, active customers rose 5% to about 1.3 million, and repeat customers generated 62% of all orders, up from 59%.

There are growth engines beyond the core business, too. Exclusive product lines and adjacent businesses are now generating more than $100 million in annual revenue. The New Zealand operation contributed $3 million since launching in October 2025, while home improvement revenue surged 39%.

Temple & Webster also generated $24 million in operating cash flow, while fixed costs fell as a percentage of revenue.

What did management say?

Executive Chair Mark Coulter said:

Despite a challenging environment, we have been able to deliver record annual revenue of $665 million, while materially improving the underlying profitability of the business through several margin optimisation initiatives. These initiatives, combined with the flexibility of our operating model, resulted in our Underlying EBITDA (excluding unrealised foreign exchange losses) increasing by 28% vs pcp to $26 million.

What’s next for Temple & Webster?

Here’s where things get interesting for the ASX retail stock. Temple & Webster is targeting FY27 EBITDA of $33 million to $40 million, implying roughly 50% to 80% growth from FY26.

Management wants to return to double-digit revenue growth by leaning harder into digital and AI innovation, strengthening its core online offering, and scaling home improvement and New Zealand.

New CEO Susie Sugden is also expected to outline the next phase of the strategy at the AGM and first-half results, with the company targeting further growth in Australia’s $40 billion-plus homewares and furniture market.

Foolish takeaway

The market appears to be demanding faster growth from the ASX retail stock, despite the strong FY26 result.

That disconnect between solid execution and lofty expectations could be the key to understanding this brutal sell-off.

The post Why is this ASX retail stock crashing to new lows today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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 Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares have been hammered, falling 19% over the past month, 39% year to date, and 54% over 12 months.

But after disappointing 2026 guidance, could the sell-off of the ASX tech stock have gone too far?

Counter-drone spending leads to orders

DroneShield’s technology is designed to detect, identify, and defeat drone threats, with customers across military, government, law enforcement, and critical infrastructure.

The demand story is already becoming tangible. By late July, the company had secured $206 million of committed FY26 revenue, almost matching its entire FY25 revenue with five months of the year still remaining.

It’s promising and crucial for DroneShield shares that counter-drone spending is translating into real orders, rather than simply representing an attractive future market.

The next challenge is delivering as demand grows

The company is expanding its global production footprint, including establishing manufacturing operations in Europe, and expects combined annual production capacity to reach around $2.4 billion by the end of 2026.

DroneShield is also continuing to invest in its technology. Management has described its current product rollout as the most significant product cycle in the company’s history, with further releases expected through 2027.

Its existing hardware can also gain additional capabilities through software subscriptions as the company’s radio-frequency intelligence dataset grows.

If the counter-drone market continues expanding, the combination of technology, manufacturing scale, and an established customer base could put DroneShield in a strong position to capture that demand.

There’s a big catch: valuation

DroneShield shares trade on high P/E multiples, meaning investors are already pricing in substantial future growth. That can be justified if the company becomes considerably larger over the long term. However, it also leaves little room for disappointment.

Investors got a reminder of that on 28 July. DroneShield released a calendar 2026 trading update alongside a new contract announcement. While the operational numbers were strong, management’s guidance disappointed the market.

The company expects FY26 revenue of $250 million to $270 million, representing growth of 15% to 25% on FY25. The problem? Consensus expectations had been closer to $323 million.

The result was a sharp DroneShield share price decline, with profit-taking adding to the pressure.

Short sellers are also taking aim. DroneShield is currently the most shorted ASX share, with short interest of 15.7%.

What do brokers think?

No wonder analysts are divided on DroneShield shares.

TradingView data shows two of four brokers at strong buy and two at sell or strong sell. The average price target is $2.13, implying about 12% upside, while the most bullish target of $2.80 implies roughly 47% upside. The bearish target of $1.60 suggests another 16% downside.

Canaccord Genuity is among the bulls, retaining a buy rating and $2.80 price target.

So, is there upside left? There could be, but DroneShield now needs to prove it can convert its enormous opportunity into sustained earnings growth.

The post Is the DroneShield share price now too cheap to ignore? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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 DroneShield. 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.

Shares in Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO) are deeply in the red over a 12-month period, but after the release of the company’s results this week, brokers are tipping a rebound.

The shares fell sharply in late June after the company announced a downgrade in expected pre-tax earnings from $180-$190 million down to $163-$169 million.

Over a 12-month period the company’s shares are 39.6% lower.

But after the company’s results this week, the analyst teams at both Morgans and Macquarie are tipping some serious share price upside for the stock.

Judo looking forward after solid profit result

Let’s have a quick look at what Judo reported this week.

The company reported a pre-tax profit of $168.1 million, up 34%, with Judo saying this reflected strong revenue growth.

Judo enjoyed above system lending growth, with gross loans and advances of $14.7 billion, up 18% year on year, at the top end of guidance.

Deposit balances also grew 24% to $12.2 billion.

Judo is expecting pre-tax profit to come in at $210-$220 million for the current year.

Chief Executive Officer Chris Bayliss said regarding the result:

FY26 has been another year of genuine momentum for Judo. While the increase in specific provisions late in the year was disappointing, the underlying performance of the Bank has remained strong, with record revenue, continued operating leverage, strong deposit growth and lending at the top end of guidance. We have continued to deliver above-system growth, underpinned by our customer value proposition of smarter judgement, faster decisions, and stronger relationships. With major investments in our core technology platforms behind us, we are now focused on delivering operating leverage and driving our return on equity. As we continue to scale the loan book, we are seeing more of our revenue growth translate to profit growth. Our cost to income ratio has improved significantly to now be the lowest in the sector3, and will keep improving as we scale.

Judo Capital shares looking cheap

Macquarie said in a note to its clients that the question is, “whether Judo is able to achieve that balance between margins, growth, and credit quality to achieve returns at scale”.

The analysts said while it was difficult to be certain, “we think the valuation discount adequately compensates the risks”.

Macquarie has a price target of $1.65 on Judo shares compared to $1.06 currently.

Morgans meanwhile said they expected earnings growth to be in the strong double digits from FY28-FY28.

They said:

Short-term target price is $1.42/share, but we think by the end of this decade JDO could be worth close to $2/share. JDO is higher risk and more cyclically exposed than the major banks, but investors are compensated by higher potential returns at current prices.  

The post How high will Judo Capital shares go? Brokers have their say 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.

Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL) has quietly built a powerful position in Australia’s growing wealth management industry.

I think the next decade could give this tech stock, which is part of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), an even bigger opportunity as more money flows into superannuation and financial advisers continue embracing modern investment platforms.

Here is why I would be happy to own Netwealth shares for the long term.

More money can keep moving onto the platform

Netwealth provides the technology and administration that financial advisers use to manage investments and superannuation for their clients.

I like this business model because growth can build on itself.

An adviser who chooses Netwealth can gradually move more clients onto the platform. Existing clients can contribute more money over time, while rising investment markets can increase the value of assets already sitting there.

Netwealth finished June with $135.7 billion of funds under administration after attracting $15.4 billion of net flows during FY26.

The net flows are the figure that catches my eye. They show investors and advisers are actively choosing to place more money with Netwealth rather than growth simply coming from rising share markets.

Australia’s superannuation system should also continue creating an expanding pool of assets for platforms to compete over. If Netwealth keeps winning more than its current share, I think the business could become substantially larger by 2036.

It can become more valuable to advisers

There is another part of the story I find interesting.

Netwealth does not have to rely solely on attracting more funds. It can also give advisers more reasons to use its technology.

Managed accounts are a good example. These allow advisers to manage client portfolios more efficiently while making changes across many accounts at once. Netwealth’s managed account funds under management reached $30.5 billion at the end of June, almost 30% higher than a year earlier.

I think that growth says something important about the relationship Netwealth is building with advisers.

The more of their work that can be completed through the platform, the more embedded Netwealth can become in how an advice practice operates.

The company is continuing to broaden its offering as well. It recently launched Netwealth Private for sophisticated investors and an Individual HIN solution that allows advisers and clients to hold Australian securities directly while still using Netwealth’s technology and administration.

That gives Netwealth more ways to serve clients whose needs become increasingly complex as their wealth grows.

There is still plenty to compete for

Netwealth has already become a major platform provider, but Australia’s wealth management market is enormous.

That leaves room for the ASX 200 tech stock to keep winning advisers from older platforms and deepen relationships with the advisers already using it.

Competition will remain strong, particularly from HUB24 Ltd (ASX: HUB) and established financial institutions investing in their own platforms.

For me, that makes continued net inflows an important sign to watch. Netwealth expects FY27 net flows of between $18 billion and $20 billion, which would represent another step up from FY26 if management delivers on that outlook.

I think sustained inflows at that level could transform the scale of the business over a decade.

Foolish takeaway

Netwealth is the type of ASX 200 tech stock where I would be happy to give the investment plenty of time.

Every year of strong inflows adds more assets to the platform, while new technology can make the relationship with advisers deeper.

If that continues through to the 2030s, I think today’s Netwealth could eventually look like an early chapter in a much larger story.

The post Could this ASX 200 tech stock be one of the best to own for the next decade? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Hub24. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Hub24 and Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Hub24. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

After posting strong returns so far in August, the median growth-oriented superannuation fund is up an impressive 1.3% already this financial year, according to research company Chant West.

A weak start bolstered by a strong August

Returns in July for the median growth fund, with 61% to 80% growth assets, were a modest 0.3%, however with share markets performing well in August so far, Chant West estimates the median growth fund is up 1.3% over the first seven weeks of the new financial year.

Chant West Head of Superannuation Investment Research, Mano Mohankumar, said that share markets were mixed during July with significant variation in returns across regions.

He said:

Over the month, developed market international shares returned 0.2% in hedged terms, largely due to a flat month from US shares, as the technology sector came under pressure amid concerns about the scale of AI investment and uncertainty surrounding future revenue growth. Due to the appreciation of the Australian dollar over the month, the return in unhedged terms was in the red at -0.9%. On average, super funds have about 70% of international shares unhedged. Emerging markets declined 4.4% where the previously strong performance from the tech sector in South Korea and Taiwan reversed sharply. Australian shares, on the other hand, were up a healthy 2.1% over the month supported by the financials and resources sectors, as well as the markets’ relatively low tech and AI-related exposure. Bonds weakened with Australian and international bonds falling 0.4% and 0.9%, respectively, as bond yields rose on renewed inflation concerns.

For July, all growth funds led returns among all superannuation products with 0.5%, while conservative funds were steady at 0% gains.

Superannuation a good long-term bet

Mr Mohankumar said over the longer term, superannuation funds had outperformed their objectives.

He said:

Since the introduction of compulsory super in July 1992, the median growth fund has returned 8% p.a. The annual CPI increase over the same period is 2.7%, giving a real return of 5.3% p.a. – well above the typical 3.5% target. Even looking at the past 20 years, which includes three major share market downturns – the GFC in 2007-2009, COVID-19 in 2020, and the high inflation and rising interest rates in 2022 – super funds have returned 6.9% p.a., which is still ahead of the typical objective.

Over the past 10 years, all growth superannuation products have outperformed all other funds, returning a compound 9.3%.

This compares to growth funds with 7.6% and conservative funds with 4.5%.

Chant West said all risk categories have generally met their typical long-term return objectives, which generally range from inflation plus 1.5% for conservative funds to inflation plus 4.25% for all growth.

The post Superannuation funds have started the financial year well. See how much they’re up 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 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.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares have been on a tear this year.

In morning trade today, shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy stock are up 0.5%, changing hands for $33.33 apiece. That sees the share price up an impressive 40.2% in 2026.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.4% today and up 3.5% year to date.

Atop the strong Woodside share price gains this year, the company also paid out a fully-franked 83.5 cent per share final dividend on 27 March.

But with the share price having surged more than 40% already this year, is the ASX 200 energy stock still a good buy for passive income?

Should I buy Woodside shares for passive income?

It goes without saying that investors who bought Woodside shares at the 2 January close of $23.66 will be enjoying a higher dividend yield than investors who buy the stock today.

Taking a look at the trailing yield, atop the 83.5 cent per share dividend the company paid in March, Woodside also paid out a fully-franked 81.8 cent per share dividend on 24 September.

That works out to a full-year passive income payout of $1.653 per share.

So, if you’d bought the stock at the beginning of the year, you’d be earning a fully-franked 7% trailing dividend yield on that investment. Or a 10% grossed-up yield, taking those franking credits into account.

At today’s $33.33, the dividend yield from Woodside shares is a more modest, but still attractive, 5%. Or 7.1% grossed up.

Based on the trailing yield, then, if you invested $10,000 in Woodside shares today, you could expect to earn $496 a year in passive income. And, of course, we’ll be hoping for more capital gains as well.

Could the ASX 200 energy stock’s passive income payouts increase?

2022 and 2023 saw Woodside shares delivering record dividend payments, and attracting strong interest from passive income investors, amid soaring global oil and gas prices.

While oil prices haven’t quite matched those levels yet in 2026, they’ve come close amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. Brent crude oil is currently trading just north of US$91 per barrel, according to data from Bloomberg.

Indeed, at Woodside’s June quarter report, the company reported that despite a 9% quarter-on-quarter production slip (primarily related to planned maintenance and inclement weather), operating revenue for the quarter surged 28% to US$4.19 billion.

That revenue boost was largely thanks to the 35% increase in the average realised price to US$85 per barrel of oil equivalent the company received over the three months.

While there are no guarantees, I suspect that higher oil prices, and forecast full-year production in the range of 174 MMboe to 185 MMboe, will result in a higher interim dividend being declared when Woodside reports on its half-year results next week, 25 August.

The post Up 40%! Are Woodside shares still a good buy for passive income now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.