Author: openjargon

If you are looking for a way to gain exposure to gold and copper and have a high tolerance for risk, then read on.

That’s because Bell Potter is tipping one up and coming ASX gold-copper stock to explode over the next 12 months.

Which ASX gold-copper stock?

The stock that has caught the eye of Bell Potter is Waratah Minerals Ltd (ASX: WTM).

It is a New South Wales based, gold-copper exploration and development company. 

Its flagship project is the 100%-owned Spur gold-copper project, which is an advanced stage, pre-resource exploration project in the Lachlan Fold Belt. This is located ~33km southwest of Orange and just ~5km from the Cadia gold-copper operation owned by Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM). 

Bell Potter notes that more drilling results have been announced for the Spur Project, which have been positive. It said:

WTM has announced further results from the Consols Zone, part of the 80,000m growth and extensional drilling program at its 100%-owned Spur Project in NSW. Holes returned include SPD074, a major step-out hole which successfully intersected multiple mineralised zones, confirming a significant eastward and down-plunge extension of Consols. The hole also intersected a previously unrecognised shallow high-grade zone, opening up a new area of exploration potential. 

Drilling also progressed at the Spur Zone, extending mineralisation north along the Tywi Fault. Results included SPD081, which intersected Consols-style mineralisation at Spur, extending mineralisation 65m north, further building the case for continuity between the zones. It also intersected potassic alteration in another hint of the porphyry potential at depth, which has not yet been seriously tested. Multiple rigs remain active, indicating a steady news flow through the rest of CY26.

Should you invest?

According to the note, Bell Potter has retained its speculative buy on the ASX gold-copper stock with an improved price target of $1.15.

Based on its current share price of 60.5 cents, this implies potential upside of 90% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, the broker said:

The Spur Project is showing strong indications of delivering a gold-copper deposit of substantial scale and grade in a strategic setting. We see potential for the delineation of a regionally significant gold Resource of +3.0Moz at competitive gold grades between 0.8-1.0g/t Au. This informs our valuation, which is based on a 50:50 blended EV/Resource ounce multiple and risk-adjusted notional mining scenario. We lift our Valuation to $1.15/sh and retain our Speculative Buy recommendation.

The post Why this ASX gold-copper stock could rocket 90% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX 200 mining shares outperform in final week of earnings season
• Why gold stocks have regained their shine: Expert
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• 37 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

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 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.

Once a week, I like to look at ASIC’s short position report to find out which ASX shares are being targeted by short sellers.

That’s because I believe it is worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn’t quite right with a company.

With that in mind, listed below are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC.

The top 10 most shorted ASX shares

• DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) has returned to the top of the table with short interest of 14.9%, which is down slightly week on week. The counter-drone technology company remains a popular target for short sellers. This could be partly due to the ongoing uncertainty created by ASIC’s investigation.
• Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX: LOT) has seen its short interest fall sharply to 13.6%, but it remains the second most shorted ASX share. The uranium developer’s recent capital raising may have eased some pressure, though short sellers still appear to be questioning development timelines and uranium demand.
• 4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) has short interest of 12.4%, which is broadly unchanged since last week. The medical imaging technology company continues to divide the market. While some investors see a large commercial opportunity, short sellers may be focusing on the gap between its market valuation and its current revenue base.
• Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) has seen its short interest ease to 12.3%. The pizza chain operator is trying to reset the business after a difficult period of store closures, impairments, and weaker trading. Short sellers may be waiting for clearer evidence that the turnaround will succeed.
• CAR Group Limited (ASX: CAR) has short interest of 12.1%, which is flat since last week. This may reflect concerns over the auto listings company’s outlook in a difficult operating environment.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest rise to 12%. Short sellers may have concerns over weak wine demand and the pace of the Penfolds owner’s recovery.
• Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) has 11.2% of its shares held short, which is down slightly week on week. Short sellers appear to believe the market is too optimistic on production, costs, and uranium prices.
• PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) has seen its short interest rise to 11.1%. Short sellers may be betting that prices for the battery-making ingredient remain under pressure, which would be bad news for margins.
• Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) has entered the top ten with short interest of 10.9%. Its strong share price recovery may have led some short sellers to question whether expectations have run too far, especially given weak consumer spending.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has seen its short interest ease to 10.8%. Short sellers may still have concerns over Middle East disruption, margins, and travel demand.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Rio Tinto, PLS Group, BHP shares
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• ASX 200 mining shares outperform in final week of earnings season
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Domino’s Pizza Enterprises and Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, DroneShield, and Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CAR Group Ltd, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, and Flight Centre Travel Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) mining and materials shares outperformed last week, rising 2.5% vs. an 0.4% bump for the index.

As earnings season comes to a close today, let’s review new ratings on three popular ASX 200 mining shares.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

BHP is a major iron ore producer and also the world’s largest copper producer.

Last week, the BHP share price hit a new record of $68.77 per share.

Morgans has a buy rating on the market’s largest ASX 200 mining share. 

On The Bull this week, analyst Damien Nguyen said: 

BHP offers exposure to a portfolio of high quality mining assets and remains well positioned to benefit from long term demand for copper and other critical minerals.

A strong operating performance, healthy cash generation and a disciplined approach to capital allocation continue to support the investment case.

While iron ore remains important, increasing copper exposure provides leverage to electrification and decarbonisation trends.

BHP appeals for potential capital growth, income and for diversified resources exposure.

The company posted an attributable profit of $US9.8 billion in full year 2026, up 9 per cent on the prior corresponding period.

Revenue of $US58.8 billion was up 15 per cent.

BHP is among 37 ASX shares going ex-dividend this week.

The miner declared a final fully franked dividend of 99 US cents per share for FY26.

BHP shares will trade ex-dividend on Thursday.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO)

Rio Tinto is a diversified miner with significant iron ore, copper, and lithium operations.

Morgans has a hold rating on this ASX 200 mining share.

Nguyen explained:

Rio Tinto continues to generate strong cash flow from its world class iron ore operations, while building exposure to copper and lithium.

The company maintains a robust balance sheet and offers attractive shareholder returns, supported by low cost assets.

However, iron ore remains the primary earnings driver, leaving profits exposed to movements in commodity prices and Chinese demand.

Given this balance of quality and cyclical risk, we see Rio Tinto as fairly valued at recent levels.

PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS)

PLS Group is the ASX 200’s most valuable lithium share by market capitalisation.

Morgans has a sell recommendation on PLS Group shares.

Analyst Annabelle Sleeman commented:

PLS delivered an in-line FY26 Underlying EBITDA result and surprised with a maiden 5cps fully franked final dividend (22% FCF payout).

We view PLS as fairly valued at current levels, with its premium to peers already reflecting the company’s best-in-class execution, balance sheet and growth optionality.

Depleted lithium inventories leave scope for short-term upside, though we see the medium-term outlook as more volatile given uncertainty around supply and demand drivers.

PLS Group shares will trade ex-dividend on Wednesday.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Rio Tinto, PLS Group, BHP shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Experts name 2 ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy this week
• By September 2027, BHP shares could turn $10,000 into…
• Are these 2 top Vanguard ETFs still worth buying today?
• ASX 200 mining shares outperform in final week of earnings season
• Could ASX shares crash? 5 questions every investor should ask now

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 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.

I think quality ASX 200 blue-chip shares can be a great foundation for a portfolio.

But which ones could be buys right now?

Well, to narrow things down, let’s look at two that analysts at Morgans are recommending to investors this week, courtesy of The Bull.

Here’s what you need to know:

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

Morgans is positive on BHP and has named it as an ASX 200 blue-chip share to buy this week.

The broker likes the mining giant due to its portfolio of high quality mining assets, which leave it well-positioned to benefit from the long-term demand for copper and other critical minerals.

It expects the former to provide leverage to the electrification and decarbonisation megatrends. Morgans said:

BHP offers exposure to a portfolio of high quality mining assets and remains well positioned to benefit from long term demand for copper and other critical minerals. A strong operating performance, healthy cash generation and a disciplined approach to capital allocation continue to support the investment case. While iron ore remains important, increasing copper exposure provides leverage to electrification and decarbonisation trends. 

BHP appeals for potential capital growth, income and for diversified resources exposure. The company posted an attributable profit of $US9.8 billion in full year 2026, up 9 per cent on the prior corresponding period. Revenue of $US58.8 billion was up 15 per cent. BHP recently declared a final fully franked dividend of US99 cents a share.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

The team at Morgans is also feeling positive about biotechnology giant CSL and has named it as an ASX 200 blue-chip share to buy now.

It likes CSL due to its strong competitive advantage in plasma therapies.

And while its performance has been disappointing in recent years, Morgans believes that its FY 2026 results could mark the bottom of the cycle.

The broker also likes CSL shares due to their defensive qualities and long-term growth outlook. It explains:

CSL is a global healthcare leader with strong competitive advantages across plasma therapies, vaccines and specialty medicines. Demand for its products remain largely independent of economic conditions. In our view, the latest full year result in 2026 is generating confidence that repeated earnings downgrades are behind CSL. With defensive earnings, global market leadership and attractive long term growth prospects, we view CSL as an appealing investment opportunity.

The post Experts name 2 ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Rio Tinto, PLS Group, BHP shares
• By September 2027, BHP shares could turn $10,000 into…
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• ASX 200 mining shares outperform in final week of earnings season

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

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares may be one of the more popular options for passive income on the ASX due to its scale, perceived stability and sizeable dividend yield.

Banks such as Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) are also recognised for their payouts.

Banks can offer a good dividend yield thanks to a mixture of a generous dividend payout ratio and a relatively low price/earnings ratio (P/E) ratio.

Let’s take a look at what ANZ could deliver for shareholders in the coming year.

Dividend projection

The ASX bank share could be a source of appealing dividends in the near-term based on what analysts think the bank could deliver.

According to the projection on Commsec, analysts predict that the business could pay an annual dividend per share of $1.66 in 2026. That would be an extremely similar dividend payout as the FY25 payment.

The dividend in the 2027 financial year could be another similar payout, according to the forecast on Commsec.

The prediction currently suggests the ASX bank share could pay an annual dividend per share of $1.66 in 2027. At the time of writing, that translates into a dividend yield of 4.5% excluding franking credits and potentially 6% including franking credits.

I reckon plenty of passive income investors would be happy with that level of dividend yield.

What would it take to unlock that passive income from ANZ shares?

If an investor wanted $1,000 of passive income in 2027 from the ASX bank share, it would require a sizeable investment.

Excluding the franking credits, an investor would need 603 ANZ shares to generate $1,000 of passive income if the payout is $1.66 per share in 2027.

If we include the franking credits as part of the income goal, then an investor may only need to buy 456 ANZ shares.

Is this a good time to invest in ANZ?

Experts are currently mixed on the business, with different recommendations. According to CMC Invest, there are currently eight ratings on the business, with three buy ratings, four hold ratings and one sell rating.

However, the average price target of those eight ratings is $35.29. That means those analysts collectively suggest the ANZ share price could decline by around 4% over the next year. Therefore, ANZ may not be one of the best investments to buy for total returns today.

The post How much must I invest in ANZ shares to earn $1,000 in passive income in 2027? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• How much do you need invested in ASX dividend shares to replace a $90,000 salary?

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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.

The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price is an interesting investment proposition to consider, given how much it has risen in recent times. In the last year, the ASX mining share has risen by a whopping 55%.

There are some great reasons why the company has gone up so much. Its operational performance has been strong, and commodity prices have been supportive of the company’s earnings performance.

Not only does the business continue to produce pleasing levels of resources, but it’s possible the company could continue to deliver for shareholders.

Let’s look at how good the latest result was from the business and what could happen next with a $10,000 investment.

Strong FY26 result

The ASX mining share recently reported its result for the 12 months to 30 June 2026.

It revealed that revenue grew by 15% to US$58.8 billion. This helped the company’s underlying operating profit (EBITDA) grow by 27% to $32.9 billion. Underlying attributable net profit increased by 30% to US$13.2 billion, while attributable profit rose by 9% US$9.8 billion.

All of this allowed the business to increase its final dividend to US 99 cents per share and the annual dividend per share was hiked to US$1.72. This full-year dividend comes to US$8.7 billion.

Copper was the key driver of its earnings growth. The average realised price rose 35% to US$5.74 per pound, helping underlying operating profit (EBITDA) rise 48% to US$18.2 billion. Global copper demand is expected to grow by 2.8% in the 2026 calendar year.

BHP expects global copper demand to grow from around 34mt per annum today to more than 50mt per annum by the 2050 calendar year.

There are multiple growth drivers for copper, including traditional economic growth (home building, electrical equipment and household appliances), the energy transition (renewables and electric vehicles) and digital (artificial intelligence and data centres).

BHP said current expectations are that copper demand associated with investment in data centres could grow around “sixfold” between 2024 and 2050, up to around 3mt per annum.

What could happen with a $10,000 investment in BHP shares?

Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, particularly when it comes to a volatile/cyclical business like an ASX mining share.

According to CMC Invest, there have been 14 ratings on the business within the last three months, with the FY26 result giving investors a significant reason to update their views on the business.

The average price target of those ratings is $58.56, suggesting a possible decline of 13% over the next year. Even the most positive price target suggests the BHP share price will be flat in a year from now.

Given that projected decline, a $10,000 investment could drop in value to $8,700.

Therefore, experts are suggesting the BHP share price isn’t the best place to invest. Instead, investors should look for more compelling opportunities.

The post By September 2027, BHP shares could turn $10,000 into… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Rio Tinto, PLS Group, BHP shares
• Experts name 2 ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy this week
• Are these 2 top Vanguard ETFs still worth buying today?
• ASX 200 mining shares outperform in final week of earnings season
• Could ASX shares crash? 5 questions every investor should ask now

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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.

On Friday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) finished the week in a positive fashion. The benchmark index rose 0.6% to 9,092.3 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Monday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to fall

The Australian share market looks set for a poor start to the week following a subdued session on Wall Street on Friday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 37 points or 0.4% lower. In the United States, the Dow Jones edged slightly lower, the S&P 500 fell 0.25%, and the Nasdaq dropped 0.5%.

Oil prices ease

It could be a subdued start to the week for ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) after oil prices eased on Friday night. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price was down 0.15% to US$83.40 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price was down 0.45% to US$88.10 a barrel. This was driven by news of some crude flows ​through the Strait of Hormuz.

Buy 4DMedical shares

4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) shares could be in the buy zone according to Bell Potter. This morning, in response to the healthcare technology company’s results, the broker has retained its speculative buy rating and $6.00 price target. It said: “4DX enters FY27 with good momentum at large hospital groups in the US. We expect on going revenue traction throughout the course of the year. Maintain Buy (Speculative) rating.”

Gold price sinks

It looks likely to be a poor start to the week for ASX 200 gold shares Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) after the gold price sank on Friday night. According to CNBC, the gold futures price was down 2.9% to US$4,529.9 an ounce. Traders were selling gold in response to increasing US rate hike bets.

ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend

A number of ASX 200 shares are going ex-dividend this morning and could trade lower. Among them are health and safety products company Ansell Ltd (ASX: ANN), mineral sands company Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX: ILU), investment management company Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI), and rail freight company Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ). The latter will be paying a 10.5 cents per share dividend to shareholders next month on 23 September.

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woodside Energy Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Pinnacle Investment Management Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Pinnacle Investment Management Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ansell. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) share price has been one of the stronger performers over the last six months, rising by 44%. It’s a valid question to ask whether Pro Medicus can rise much further.

Pro Medicus describes itself as a leading healthcare informatics company. It provides a full range of medical imaging software and services to hospitals, imaging centres and healthcare groups worldwide.

It offers a leading suite of radiology information systems (RIS), picture archiving and communication system (PACS), artificial intelligence and e-health solutions.

Strong recovery

Pro Medicus suffered a huge decline last year and early this year as the market worried about what AI could mean for the company’s future. However, the market seems to be a bit more positive about the situation.

It helps that the business continues to report an impressive set of numbers with its financials.

In the FY26 result, revenue grew 22.9% to $261.7 million, underlying operating profit (EBIT) grew 24.4% to $196.1 million and underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) rose 24.1% to $144.7 million.

The company has a significant presence in the US, so changes in foreign exchange rates can impact what it reports in Australian dollars. FY26 changes in currency hurt the financials.

If currency rates hadn’t changed, revenue would have increased 28.4% to $273.5 million, underlying EBIT would have gone up 30.6% to $206 million and underlying NPAT would have risen 32.5% to $154.5 million.

The impressive profit growth allowed the company to hike its payout by 25.5% to 37 cents per Pro Medicus share.

The future looks promising considering the underlying EBIT margin rose again to 74.9% in FY26, up from 74% in FY25. It continues to win sizeable contracts at an impressive pace, which is helping drive revenue.

Its latest contract win was a seven-year A$25 million contract with Valley Health, which includes the relatively new cardiology imaging offering. In that announcement, Pro Medicus said its pipeline is strong and spans all market segments.

How much could the Pro Medicus share price rise in the next year?

According to CMC Invest, there have been 10 analyst ratings on the business within the last three months.

A price target tells us where an analyst thinks a share price could go in the next 12 months. The average price target of those 10 ratings is $220.14, according to CMC Invest, suggesting a possible rise of 21% over the next year.

The most optimistic price target is $240, suggesting a possible rise of 32%.

So, analysts are excited about the future of the business and it could still be one to watch.

The post How much could the Pro Medicus share price rise in the next year? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

There are not many ASX dividend stocks that I’d prefer to own rather than receive the cash flow of the Age Pension. WCM Quality Global Growth Fund (ASX: WCMQ) is one of the passive income choices I’d pick.

The exchange-traded fund (ETF) may not be as famous as names like Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) or Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO). But, for various reasons, I think the WCMQ ETF offers investors more positives and potentially stronger long-term returns.

For me, there are three reasons to like the investment so much.

Excellent and diversified portfolio

WCM is a fund manager that’s based in Laguna Beach, California. That’s deliberately a long way from the culture of Wall Street in New York.

The investment strategy of the fund is to invest in a portfolio of high-quality shares from across the world.

There are two main factors that go into deciding whether the business is high-quality for this ASX dividend stock’s portfolio.

First, WCM wants to see that the business has an expanding economic moat (improving competitive advantages). For WCM, the direction of the moat is more important than the actual size of the moat.

One of the main ways that WCM judges whether a business is seeing a strengthening economic moat is with a rising return on invested capital (ROIC). This shows that the company’s economics are getting stronger.

Second, WCM analyses whether the business has a corporate culture that supports improvement of the economic moat.

The portfolio is truly global – it’s not massively focused on the US share market. Its portfolio is invested across the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and elsewhere.

Its holdings regularly change, but its sector exposure typically focuses on IT, industrials and healthcare names. It also has positions in financials, consumer discretionary and others.

Great passive income

The WCMQ ETF offers investors a solid distribution yield, which is based on its net asset value (NAV).

The fund targets a distribution yield of 5%, which I’d say is a solid starting yield and I think the payments will rise over time thanks to WCMQ ETF’s pleasing investment track record.

A rising NAV over time should lead to growing payouts for investors.

Capital growth

In its July 2026 update, the ASX dividend stock revealed that its portfolio had returned an average of 15.2% per year since the ETF’s inception in August 2018.

With that level of return, the fund has been able to deliver both its pleasing dividend yield and the retained returns have helped grow the WCMQ ETF unit price over the long-term – it has approximately doubled in the last eight years.

Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, of course, but I’m optimistic the fund can deliver pleasing returns, including capital growth. That’s why I think the ASX dividend stock is so appealing.

How to match the Age Pension with the ASX dividend stock

Currently the Age Pension is paying a maximum of approximately $1,200 per fortnight, though this will increase in the coming weeks. That translates into annualised income of $31,200.

The ETF expects to pay an annual distribution of 53.6 cents per security in FY27. That translates into needing 58,209 WCMQ ETF units to unlock the same level of cash payment. I’m also optimistic the ETF’s payout can grow at a faster pace than the Age Pension in the coming years. However, I’d also want to diversify my portfolio, rather than relying on one idea.

The post 58,209 shares of this high-yield ASX dividend stock pays an income equal to the Age Pension appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX passive income ideas I’d use to generate $300 a month in 2027
• How much do I need to retire on $120,000 a year at 55?
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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Wcm Quality Global Growth Fund. 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.

Serious money continues to flow into two of the ASX’s most popular Vanguard exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) and Vanguard MSCI International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) now collectively manage rougly $40 billion in funds under management.

These two ASX ETFs form the backbone of countless long-term portfolios, offering broad exposure to Australia, global markets and the world’s largest economy.

But after gains and shifting global conditions, investors may be asking whether they still deserve a place in a modern portfolio.

Aussie classic

The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF remains the core domestic building block for many investors, tracking the performance of the 300 ASX’s largest companies.

The popular Vanguard ETF has delivered around 5% in 2026 and 2% over the past 12 months, reflecting steady but modest growth compared to global markets.

Two of its largest holdings include Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), giving investors exposure to both financials and resources.

The strength of VAS lies in its diversification across Australia’s leading companies and its consistent dividend income stream. Many Australian shares pay dividends, and the VAS ETF passes those distributions on to its investors.

However, risks remain, particularly its heavy concentration in banks and resources, which can make returns heavily dependent on domestic economic conditions and commodity cycles.

True global reach

The Vanguard MSCI International Shares ETF provides broad global diversification outside Australia and has returned around 8% over the past year.

This Vanguard ETF invests across developed markets, reducing reliance on the Australian economy and offering exposure to a wide range of industries and geographies.

Two of its largest holdings are Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) and NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA), giving investors exposure to both established tech leaders and the high-growth semiconductor sector.

VGS is often viewed as a long-term portfolio stabiliser due to its global reach. However, it still carries risks associated with international market cycles, geopolitical uncertainty, and currency movements, all of which can affect returns for Australian investors.

Foolish takeaway

Despite decent recent performance across the two funds, these Vanguard ETFs continue to play distinct and complementary roles in long-term portfolios. VAS offers domestic stability and dividends and VGS delivers global diversification.

For many investors, the combination remains a powerful foundation for building wealth over time. With a single purchase, an investor can gain exposure to a broad portfolio of established Australian and international businesses, then keep investing and let those companies compound over time.

But understanding each ETF’s risks and exposures is essential in deciding whether they still deserve a place in your portfolio today.

The post Are these 2 top Vanguard ETFs still worth buying today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has positions in BHP Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Apple and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple, BHP Group, Nvidia, 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.