Author: openjargon

Owning Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares could be an underrated choice for passive income in the coming years. As one of the largest oil and gas businesses in the Asia Pacific region, the business is able to give useful exposure to energy markets.

Woodside has energy projects around the world, including Australia, Africa and North America.

Given the ongoing situation in the Middle East, I think Woodside is an interesting one to consider in the current environment. The ASX energy share could pay large dividend income in the coming reporting periods, so let’s look at the passive income projections.

Upcoming dividends

Higher energy prices could significantly boost the company’s earnings and dividends.

According to the projection on Commsec, the business could deliver pleasing passive income for the next few financial years. Woodside’s annual dividend per share is forecast to be $1.76 in 2026 – the company’s FY26 finishes in December 2026.

That forecast for the 2026 financial year translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.6%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

The 2027 financial year payout could be even better. According to the estimate on Commsec, Woodside is projected to pay an annual dividend per share of $2.14 in the 2027 financial year. That would be a grossed-up dividend yield of 9.3%, including franking credits.

Not many businesses inside the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) are projected to pay passive income that large in FY27. It looks like a particularly large dividend yield when compared to the yields of other ASX blue-chip shares of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP).

A $4,000 investment in Woodside shares

With a large dividend yield, it’s clear that investors can unlock significant dividend income. We’re going to look at what a $4,000 investment could unlock for investors.

By investing in $4,000 in the ASX energy share today, an investor may be able to buy 121 Woodside shares, which could unlock around $260 dividend cash and $361.91 dividend income overall (including franking credits).

That’s an impressive level of investment income, in my view.

Is this a good time to invest in the ASX energy share?

Analysts have given their view on the business amid the events in the Middle East.

According to CMC Invest, there have been nine analyst ratings on the business within the last three months. The average price target from those experts is $31.34, implying a possible decline of 4% over the next year.

So, while it may provide significant passive income, the experts seem to think it’s fully priced. Therefore, there could be better ASX share opportunities out there to buy.

The post If I buy $4,000 of Woodside shares, how much dividend income will I receive? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Energy shares rose while the ASX 200 slumped last week. Here’s why
• 2 ASX dividend gems I’d buy today for $10,000 a year in passive income
• $10,000 invested in Santos and Woodside shares 3 years ago is now worth…
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

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.

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

• Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX: LOT) has moved back to the top of the table with short interest of 15.9%, up from 15% last week. Short sellers may still have doubts over the uranium developer’s path to production and whether stronger uranium demand will arrive quickly enough to support its plans.
• DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) has short interest of 15.4%, which is broadly unchanged week on week. The counter-drone technology company remains a favourite with short sellers, possibly due to its valuation and uncertainty surrounding the ASIC investigation.
• 4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) has seen its short interest ease to 12.2%. Its valuation remains very high relative to its current revenue base, which appears to be keeping short sellers interested despite its significant commercial potential.
• Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) has short interest of 11.8%, which is down again week on week. Short sellers may still need convincing that its restructuring efforts can deliver the earnings recovery investors are hoping for.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest ease slightly to 11.7%. Weakness in luxury wine demand and uncertainty around the pace of improvement in the Americas could be keeping short sellers interested.
• Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) has seen its short interest rise to 11.6%. The buy now pay later company’s strong recovery may have prompted some short sellers to question whether its valuation now leaves enough room for disappointment.
• PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) has 11.2% of its shares held short, which is up slightly week on week. Short sellers may be betting that the lithium market remains difficult for longer, delaying a meaningful recovery in margins and cash flow.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has seen its short interest rise to 11.1%. This may reflect concerns over the strength of consumer travel spending and how quickly the company can improve margins.
• Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) has short interest of 11%, which is up from 10.7% last week. Short sellers may remain cautious over production expectations and whether the uranium price can stay strong enough to support the current outlook.
• IperionX Ltd (ASX: IPX) has entered the top ten with short interest of 10.6%. Short sellers may be questioning the company’s valuation and the execution required as it works to scale up its US titanium operations.

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

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• $10,000 invested in DroneShield and Core Lithium shares 3 years ago is now worth…
• Energy shares rose while the ASX 200 slumped last week. Here’s why
• DroneShield shares are down 75%. Could this huge short bet backfire?
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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 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.

It seems to be going from bad to worse for WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares.

The ASX tech stock has fallen 10% in five trading days, 20% over the past month, 52% year to date and 65% over 12 months. At $32.69, it is edging back towards its June low of $28.76 and sits miles below its 52-week high of $99.53.

So, after such a brutal sell-off, do brokers think WiseTech shares have fallen too far?

WiseTech still has something to prove

For much of August, it looked like WiseTech shares might finally be turning a corner.

The stock jumped 25% during the first three weeks of the month, reaching $45.47 on 25 August. Then came the FY26 result, and the recovery quickly ran out of steam.

Since reporting, shares have plunged around 20%, taking them a long way from the $100-plus levels seen just a year ago.

Yet the numbers weren’t exactly disastrous.

WiseTech delivered a 46% increase in EBITDA to US$558.4 million for FY26. While that landed within management’s US$550 million to US$585 million guidance range, it came slightly below the market’s US$569.5 million forecast.

Looking ahead, management expects FY27 revenue to grow 6% to 10%, reaching US$1.48 billion to US$1.54 billion. Underlying EBITDA is forecast to increase 12% to 21%, with margins expanding to between 49% and 51%.

A global leader with a credibility problem

The collapse in WiseTech shares isn’t simply a story about deteriorating demand.

Its CargoWise platform remains a major logistics software system used by the world’s top 25 freight forwarders, including Toll and DHL.

That gives WiseTech exposure to powerful long-term trends, including the digitalisation of global trade and the increasing complexity of international supply chains.

The bigger problems have been investor confidence, governance concerns and regulatory issues.

That’s why FY27 execution could be crucial. If WiseTech can deliver stronger growth and expanding margins while rebuilding investor trust, the current share price could eventually look like an opportunity.

What do brokers think?

Several brokers remain firmly bullish.

Morgans has retained its buy rating with a $62.50 price target, while Morgan Stanley has maintained its buy rating and $70 target. From $32.69, those targets imply potential upside of around 91% and 114%, respectively.

Bell Potter also retains a buy rating, 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.

Macquarie is also positive, with an outperform rating and $48.20 target.

However, not everyone is convinced. Jefferies has downgraded WiseTech shares to hold with a $45 target, while JPMorgan also has a hold rating and $40 target.

At $32.69, that enormous spread tells investors something important: the market remains deeply divided.

The bull case is that WiseTech can turn its strong competitive position into faster growth and expanding margins. The bear case is that investor concerns and slower near-term growth warrant a permanently lower valuation.

For now, brokers appear considerably more optimistic than the share price suggests. But WiseTech will need to execute in FY27 before the bulls can claim victory.

The post WiseTech shares are down 65%. Have brokers finally spotted a bargain? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. 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 JPMorgan Chase and 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.

The ASX dividend stock Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF) could be one of the leading stocks to buy right now for passive income.

I like to buy businesses for less than they’re worth and to receive solid dividends from my investments, with the prospect of longer-term growth.

For me, Rural Funds ticks all of those boxes after the farmland real estate investment trust (REIT) reported a compelling set of numbers in the FY26 result.

Let’s get into why it seems so appealing.

Very undervalued

A REIT makes it quite easy to judge its value by regularly telling investors about its net asset value (NAV) or net tangible assets (NTA).

The NAV and NTA metrics tell investors what the net value is when you include the property valuations, the loans, cash and other assets and liabilities. If the business were to be shut down, the NAV should be what remains for distribution to shareholders.

REITs regularly independently value their assets to ensure that the NAV figure is realistic.

Rural Funds reports an adjusted NAV to the market, with the adjustment being to include the market value of the water entitlements. Rural Funds owns significant water entitlements, which can be used by farming tenants for their operations.

Other key assets in the Rural Funds portfolio include almond farms, cattle farms, macadamia farms, vineyards and cropping farms.

It recently reported that at 30 June 2026, it had an adjusted NAV of $3.22 – this was an increase of 4.5% year-over-year. At the time of writing, the Rural Funds unit price is trading at an approximate 40% discount to that adjusted NAV, which I’d describe as a significant discount.

The ASX dividend stock offers a good yield

The large discount means that Rural Funds offers a much larger distribution yield than it would if it were trading at the same value as its adjusted NAV.

Rural Funds has provided investors with an annual distribution per unit of 11.73 cents in the last few financial years. I think maintaining the payout has been impressive during these periods of higher interest rates.

It has provided guidance that it will pay an annual distribution of 11.73 cents per unit in FY27. That translates into a forward distribution yield of 6%.

Rental income is growing

I think one of the most important factors in deciding whether a REIT is attractive is its potential for rental income growth. That’s the best way to increase property value and fund higher future distributions.

The ASX dividend stock has a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of more than 14 years, meaning that rental income is locked in for a long time.

A significant portion of the REIT’s rental income is growing with fixed annual increases, while another large chunk of the revenue is growing because it’s linked to inflation.

I believe the ASX dividend stock is very undervalued, particularly for when interest rates start coming down again, whenever that is.

The post 1 ASX dividend stock down 39% I’d buy right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Rural Funds 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 positions in and has recommended Rural Funds 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 deep in the red. The benchmark index fell 0.9% to 8,741.2 points.

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

ASX 200 expected to rise

The Australian share market looks set for a decent start to the week following a good session on Wall Street on Friday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 18 points or 0.2% higher. In the United States, the Dow Jones was up 1%, the S&P 500 rose 0.85%, and the Nasdaq stormed 0.95% higher.

Oil prices fall

ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) will be on watch on Monday after oil prices pulled back on Friday night. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price was down 2.4% to US$100.05 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price was down 2.8% to US$104.61 a barrel. However, an escalation in the Middle East over the weekend could send oil prices higher when Asian markets open.

Buy NextDC shares

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares could be worth a look according to Shaw and Partners. This morning, according to The Bull, its team has named the data centre operator as a buy. It said: “While investment spending remains elevated, management continues to secure long term customer contracts that provide earnings visibility. With structural growth tailwinds expected to persist for many years, NXT remains well positioned to deliver attractive long term shareholder returns.”

Gold price edges higher

It could be a mildly positive 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 edged higher on Friday night. According to CNBC, the gold futures price was up slightly to US$4,408.9 an ounce. Traders were buying the dip despite increasing US rate hike bets.

ASX shares going ex-dividend

Another group of ASX shares are going ex-dividend this morning and could trade lower. Among them are debt collector Credit Corp Group Ltd (ASX: CCP), telco Chorus Ltd (ASX: CNU), travel and transport company Kelsian Group Ltd (ASX: KLS), and airline operator Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd (ASX: VGN). The latter is paying a fully franked 7.6 cents per share dividend next month on 15 October.

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 Nextdc and Woodside Energy Group Ltd. 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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) dropped 3% to a 10-week low amid a 12% jump in the Brent crude oil price last week.

Oil prices surged as Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen moved closer to shutting down Saudi Arabia’s alternative oil export route.

Over the weekend, Iran said it would meet Gulf states in Oman to discuss the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked since March.

This led to an easing in the Brent crude oil price, down from nearly US$110 per barrel on Friday to US$104 per barrel on Sunday.

Let’s check out some new ratings on ASX 200 shares for the week (courtesy The Bull).  

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

The NextDC share price fell 6.22% to $12.06 on Friday.

The ASX 200 tech share is down 29% over 12 months. 

James Bills from Shaw and Partners has a buy rating on NextDC shares.

Bills said: 

The company continues to benefit from strong demand for data centre infrastructure, driven by cloud computing, artificial intelligence and increasing digitalisation across the economy.

NXT is expanding capacity across key Australian markets and maintains a strong development pipeline to support future growth.

While investment spending remains elevated, management continues to secure long term customer contracts that provide earnings visibility.

With structural growth tailwinds expected to persist for many years, NXT remains well positioned to deliver attractive long term shareholder returns.

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

The South32 share price declined 3.82% to $5.02 on Friday.

The ASX 200 mining share is up 92% over 12 months. 

Joshua Baker from RaaS Group has a hold rating on South32 shares.

Baker said: 

South32 is a diversified miner with exposure to copper, aluminium, manganese, zinc, silver and lead. It recently announced the sale of its aluminium value chain assets to Alcoa for up to $US5.6 billion.

The company continues to invest in the Hermosa development to grow its future base metals production. A hold recommendation is driven by stronger commodity price outlooks in key metals, including zinc.

Consequently, this can support underlying earnings and operating cash flow growth to offset the expectation of higher investment levels to support a longer term strategic plan. Underlying EBITDA grew by 28 per cent in fiscal year 2026.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

The CBA share price fell 3.88% to $154.19 on Friday.

The ASX 200 bank share has fallen 9% over 12 months.

Bills has a sell rating on CBA shares.

He explained: 

In our view, the stock trades at a significant premium to domestic peers and on historical valuations.

While the bank maintains a high quality franchise and strong market position, earnings growth is expected to remain modest amid competitive lending conditions and regulatory pressures.

Recent Federal Government initiatives aimed at increasing housing supply and improving affordability is likely to lead to intensifying competition across the mortgage market and place pressure on lending margins.

Current valuations leave limited scope for further earnings driven upside. Investors may wish to take profits and re-deploy capital into opportunities offering stronger risk-adjusted return potential.

The post Buy, hold, sell: NextDC, South32, CBA shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 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.

After what felt like an endless slide, CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares are finally giving investors something to smile about.

The biotech giant has surged almost 85% from its multi-year low of $90 in June. But the rebound hit a speed bump last week, with the CSL share price falling 5% to $167.10. Even so, it remains 21% higher over the past month, although it’s still down 21% over 12 months.

So, after such a dramatic turnaround, where could CSL shares head next?

Why have CSL shares rallied?

To understand the recovery, it helps to remember just how beaten down CSL shares had become.

At $90, its shares were trading at levels not seen in more than a decade. Even during the COVID-19 market crash, investors didn’t push CSL anywhere near that low.

The market appeared to be pricing in a very bleak future. Then came CSL’s FY26 result and a reset that investors seemed willing to embrace.

On the surface, the numbers looked disastrous. CSL reported a US$2.6 billion net loss, dragged down by US$7.1 billion of pre-tax impairments and US$799 million in restructuring costs. Much of this was non-cash, with significant impairments tied to CSL Vifor’s intangibles and under-utilised assets.

But investors looked beyond the headline loss.

Underlying NPATA fell just 2% to US$3.1 billion, while revenue slipped 1% to US$15.8 billion, beating expectations.

More importantly, the result gave the market a cleaner starting point and a clearer path forward.

Why FY27 could make or break the recovery

The bull case now rests heavily on FY27. CSL expects underlying NPAT to grow about 5%, ahead of consensus expectations for roughly 2% growth.

Behring is expected to deliver mid-single-digit growth, with immunoglobulin sales forecast to rise at a mid-to-high single-digit rate.

Vifor remains the major headache, however, with revenue expected to plunge around 25% as iron generics enter the market. Vifor itself was the source of most of the impairments, and it is now shrinking by a quarter a year.

The bulls argue Behring is large enough to absorb that. Consensus forecasts put earnings per CSL share at approximately $9.00 in FY27, $9.50 in FY28 and $10.10 in FY29.

At $167.10, CSL trades at roughly 19 times forecast FY27 earnings. That’s hardly bargain territory, but it could look reasonable if the earnings recovery plays out.

Are CSL shares heading higher?

Several major brokers remain bullish on CSL shares despite the recent rally.

UBS has a buy rating and $181 price target, implying around 8% upside. Morgan Stanley is overweight with a $182 target, while Morgans has a buy rating and $187.71 target, representing roughly 12% potential upside.

So, while CSL shares have bounced sharply, the broker view suggests there may still be some upside, provided the anticipated earnings recovery materialises.

However, the team at Macquarie is considerably more cautious, with a neutral rating and target of just over $133.

For investors, the key question may no longer be whether CSL can recover, but whether its improving outlook can justify the much higher share price.

The post CSL shares just fell 5% after a strong rally. Is the recovery losing steam? 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 CSL. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

For a long time, property has been Australians’ go-to way to build wealth.

But with house prices getting further out of reach, more people are turning to the stock market.

And new CommSec data gives us a pretty good idea of how Australians are investing across different generations.

The figures cover more than 2 million customers, and there are some pretty big differences depending on age.

I think they’re worth looking at, particularly if you’ve ever wondered whether your own portfolio is ahead or behind.

So, how do you compare?

How much does each generation have invested?

According to CommSec, Gen Z investors have an average portfolio of around $20,000.

That might not sound like much, but many of these investors are only just getting started.

Millennials are quite a bit further ahead, with an average portfolio of around $66,000.

Then we get to Gen X.

The average Gen X investor has around $233,000 in the market, while Baby Boomers are sitting on an average portfolio of roughly $541,000.

But I don’t think investors should look at those numbers and get worried if they’re behind.

Everyone is in a different position.

Some people might have more money tied up in property or superannuation, while others may have only started investing recently.

Still, I think these figures are a pretty good reminder of what can happen when you keep investing for a long time.

Where should you be?

I don’t believe there’s one magic number to look at here.

If you’re in your 20s, I think getting started matters more than worrying about whether you have $10,000 or $30,000 invested.

In your 30s and 40s, regularly adding to your portfolio can really start to make a difference.

And once you reach your 50s and 60s, the amount you have invested can become much bigger after decades of contributions and compounding.

Keep in mind, the average Baby Boomer portfolio of $541,000 wasn’t built overnight.

That balance likely took many, many years to reach.

And that’s probably the biggest lesson here.

What’s the best way to invest?

The share market doesn’t need to be as complicated as many investors make it.

You don’t need to find the next stock that doubles in six months or try to perfectly time every move in the market.

For most investors, building a diversified mix of quality ASX shares, international shares or low-cost ETF’s is a good place to start.

The key is being consistent.

For example, investing $500 each week works out to $26,000 a year.

Do that for 10 years, and you’ve put $260,000 into the market before even including any investment returns or dividends.

Of course, not everyone can invest $500 a week.

But whatever the amount is, I think the important thing is to keep adding to your portfolio and give your investments time to grow.

The post Australians are investing earlier than ever. How does your portfolio stack up? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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.

If you’re hoping to grab the final Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) dividend, and you don’t own the stock yet, then time is running short.

As you’re likely aware, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) airline suspended its twice-yearly passive income payments in 2020. That came as the global travel bans initiated during the COVID pandemic saw the company’s revenues dry up and profits turn to losses.

But as the pandemic faded into history and global travel resumed, so too did the Qantas dividend in April 2025.

As for the upcoming passive income payout…

What’s happening with the final Qantas dividend?

Qantas reported its full year FY 2026 results on 27 August.

Impacted in part by soaring jet fuel costs following the onset of the Iran war, the airline reported a 13.8% year-on-year decline in underlying profit before tax to $2.06 billion.

With profits slipping, management declared a fully franked final Qantas dividend of 19.8 cents per share.

While that’s down 25% from last year’s final dividend payout, the Qantas share price has also slumped 23.7% in 12 months, recently trading for $8.96.

So, the fully franked 2.2% instant yield you’ll be getting from the upcoming final dividend will be broadly in line with what investors received last year. And adding in the benefits of those franking credits, this equates to a grossed-up yield of 3.2%.

Not bad.

Now, if you want to bank that final Qantas dividend, you’ll need to own shares at market close today. Qantas trades ex-dividend tomorrow, 15 September. You can then expect to receive that passive income payout on 14 October.

How has the Iran war impacted the Qantas shares?

Qantas shares have caught headwinds from the Middle East conflict on two fronts.

First, the Iran war has negatively impacted the demand for international business and tourist travel.

Second, the virtual closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz oil shipping route has sent jet fuel costs soaring.

Commenting on the impact of the Iran war, which was partly responsible for the lower final Qantas dividend, CEO Vanessa Hudson said:

The final four months of the year saw business and consumer confidence fall as the conflict and economic headwinds created uncertainty, and some large corporates and government responded by managing their costs more tightly, reducing demand for travel.

In response to the surge in fuel prices, we quickly adjusted fares and capacity, and redeployed aircraft to give customers more options to fly to Europe. These actions, along with other mitigations, limited the net impact on earnings to $420 million, despite a $610 million increase in our fuel bill.

The post Looking to bank the final Qantas dividend? You’d better hurry! 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.

Last week served up a timely reminder that ASX shares can turn lower quickly. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) began the week above the psychologically important 9,000-point mark, a level it had comfortably held for more than a month.

By the end of the week, however, the benchmark had fallen more than 3% to around 8,741 points.

That sharp move may have investors asking an uncomfortable question: are we watching the beginning of a broader stock market crash?

The truth is that nobody knows when the next crash will happen. What history does tell us is that severe market declines are an unavoidable part of investing.

Rather than attempting to predict the next sell-off, I prefer to prepare for one. That means stress-testing my portfolio and asking whether I could remain rational if ASX shares suffered a much steeper decline.

Could you survive a 30% downturn?

Market crashes can seem like distant possibilities when share prices are rising. But investors only need to look back to early 2020 for a reminder of how quickly conditions can change. During the COVID-19 panic, the ASX 200 plunged roughly 30% between January and March.

The next downturn could have an entirely different trigger. Its timing and severity are impossible to know.

So I ask myself a simple question: what would I do if my portfolio, with ASX shares fell 30% tomorrow? Would I panic and sell? Or would I be comfortable holding?

I also consider an even more extreme scenario. How would I react if my portfolio lost 50%?

These aren’t merely hypothetical exercises. Investors who haven’t considered their tolerance for substantial losses beforehand may be tempted to sell at precisely the wrong moment.

If a 30% or 50% decline would make you sell, it could be worth reassessing your portfolio’s risk profile now.

Is your portfolio too concentrated?

Diversification can provide an important buffer against company-specific and sector-wide shocks.

For example, owning several ASX shares doesn’t necessarily mean you’re well diversified if most of your money is concentrated in a few companies, sectors or economic themes. Investors should consider how much exposure they have to major names such as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), among others.

Holding businesses across different industries and, where appropriate, different asset classes can help reduce concentration risk.

Do you have an emergency cash buffer?

A market crash becomes much more painful when you need to sell shares to cover an unexpected expense.

Keeping an emergency fund outside your investment portfolio can provide breathing room. It means you’re less likely to be forced into selling quality ASX shares simply because you suddenly need cash.

Will you be ready to buy?

A crash isn’t necessarily just a threat. It can also create opportunities.

When fear dominates the market, excellent businesses can sometimes become available at substantially lower prices. But taking advantage of those opportunities requires capital.

If every dollar is already invested, investors may have little flexibility when attractive ASX shares go on sale.

Foolish takeaway

Nobody knows when the next crash will arrive or how severe it will be.

That’s why I don’t think predicting it is the most productive goal. Instead, I’m focusing on knowing my risk tolerance, maintaining sensible diversification, keeping an emergency cash buffer and having a plan for deploying capital.

The goal isn’t to predict the crash. It’s to make sure you’re ready when it comes.

The post Are ASX shares heading for a crash? Here’s how I’m preparing 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 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.