Author: openjargon

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is back in positive territory on Thursday after a tough start to September.

At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.46% to 9,019 points, recovering part of Wednesday’s 0.97% fall.

The move is also fairly broad, with 116 ASX 200 shares trading higher, compared with 73 fallers and 11 unchanged.

If the gains hold through the afternoon, it would also end a 3-day losing run for the stock market.

So, what is helping the ASX 200 rebound today?

US markets back in the green

Investors had a much better lead to work with this morning after Wall Street snapped a 3-day losing streak overnight.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) rose 0.56%, while the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) gained 0.46%, and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) added 0.45%.

Bond yields also settled down a little after jumping earlier in the session. The US 10-year Treasury yield briefly moved above 4.8% before easing back.

Oil prices remain another thing investors are watching, with Brent crude around US$95.63 as tensions between the US and Iran continue to support prices.

Big gains in key sectors are helping

Most of the support is coming from two of the biggest sectors in the market.

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares are up 1.76% to $38.17, while Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) is 1.59% higher at $34.94.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares have gained 1.58% to $39.19, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is up 0.76% to $160.53.

And there’s plenty of strength among the miners.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares are up 1.63% to $177.73, while Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) has climbed 2.59% to $17.04.

Gold miners are also performing well, with Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) up 2.46% to $23.14 and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) gaining 2.09% to $14.94.

The ASX 200 could be even higher

The ASX 200 is higher despite several large stocks trading lower as they go ex-dividend today.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are down 0.85% to $64.10, Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) has fallen 2.78% to $32.16, while Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) is 1.82% lower at $23.46.

According to IG, those dividends are taking around 31 points off the ASX 200 today.

This means the ASX 200 would be up even more today without those ex-dividend falls.

Nonetheless, investors are still watching oil prices and the growing chance of another RBA rate hike.

Market pricing is now putting the chance of a September increase at around 72%.

The post What’s behind the ASX 200 rebound today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Own BHP, Woodside or Coles shares? Here’s what investors should know
• The average superannuation balance for 45-year-olds in Australia in FY26. How does yours compare?
• How much is needed in superannuation for $1,000 in weekly passive income?
• Why is the ASX 200 having its worst day in 3 months?
• Why these ASX shares are worth watching closely today

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 recommended BHP 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 shares are outperforming today, up 0.8%, while the broader index is up 0.5%.

Here are some new ratings and 12-month share price targets on 3 ASX 200 mining shares.

Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL)

The Catalyst Metals share price is $6.89, up 3.5% today and down 15% over 12 months. 

Morgans has a buy rating on this ASX 200 gold share following its June quarter report. 

The broker said: 

CYL reported record production at Plutonic in Q4 to close out FY26, but we expect a softer FY27 outlook when guidance is released in late Sep-26.

Permitting timelines, the ramp-up of multiple new mines and a better understanding of processing capability are likely to drive a rebase of the Sep-25 10-year plan, potentially delaying the pathway to ~200kozpa.

As a result, we have amended our production forecasts and cost assumptions.

Following an analyst change, we retain our BUY recommendation with a revised price target of A$11.33 per share.

Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR)

The Sandfire Resources share price is $22.49, up 0.5% today and up 84% over 12 months. 

Morgans downgraded the ASX 200 copper share from accumulate to hold after its FY26 results.

The broker said: 

SFR resumed dividends with a 35cps final dividend (+86% vs expectations) and we see scope for this to build further as its cash balance continues to grow with no drawn debt, supported by a favourable base metals price environment.

SFR’s asset quality, management quality and balance sheet strength, alongside emerging growth optionality, underpin its case as a core copper exposure for long-term investors, though the stock appears fully valued at current prices.

Move to HOLD (previously ACCUMULATE) with a $23ps target price.

PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS)

The PLS Group share price is $5.31, up 2.3% today and up 132% over 12 months.

Morgans has a sell call on this ASX 200 lithium share.

Analyst Annabelle Sleeman explained:

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 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.

The post Buy, hold, sell: PLS Group, Catalyst Metals, Sandfire Resources shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: NAB, PLS Group, Wesfarmers shares
• Why is the ASX 200 having its worst day in 3 months?
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• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• This exciting ASX 300 stock has 89% upside: Broker

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.

Orthocell Ltd (ASX: OCC) shares are down more than 35% over the past year, but the analysts at Bell Potter believe a recovery is on the cards.

They have a bullish share price target on the company, which I’ll get to shortly.

Biotech focused on bone and soft tissue repair

So what does the company actually do?

In their own words:

Orthocell is a regenerative medicine company focused on regenerating mobility for patients by developing products for the repair of a variety of bone and soft tissue injuries. Orthocell’s portfolio of products include a platform of collagen medical devices which facilitate tissue reconstruction and healing in a variety of dental and orthopaedic reconstructive applications.

Now let’s look at the company’s recent full-year results release.

Orthocell generated $13.2 million in revenue for FY26, up 45%, but its net loss also increased, jumping 59% to $13.6 million.

Chief Executive Officer Paul Anderson said:

FY26 was an important step in Orthocell’s evolution as a global regenerative medicine company, with record revenue and continued progress across established markets and selected international opportunities. We delivered record revenue of $13.2 million, up 45% on FY25, including a record June quarter of $3.8 million. Remplir and Striate were the principal drivers, supported by continued strength in Australia and growing contributions from the United States and other international markets.

Mr Anderson said Australia was the company’s most established market and was expected to continue growing, while FY26 was the first full year of Remplir’s availability in the US.

He said further re the US market:

We are very pleased with this first-year progress, while recognising that the path from surgeon interest to hospital approval, first use and repeat ordering can extend over several months. In FY27, our priority is to deepen adoption within the established footprint by investing in targeted sales, education and marketing initiatives that support distributors and surgeons as Remplir becomes part of routine clinical practice and repeat use grows.

Shares looking cheap according to broker

Bell Potter said in its note to clients that the US would be the market to watch.

They said:

US access expanded strongly in FY26, but revenue has yet to scale in line with the footprint. The key watchpoint now shifts to repeat utilisation and revenue conversion, which management has highlighted as a core FY27 priority. This is consistent with our prior view and leaves the broader thesis intact. We maintain our Buy (speculative) rating and reduce valuation to $1.13 from $1.19 following earnings adjustments.

Orthocell shares are currently changing hands for 72.5 cents. The company is valued at $196.1 million.

The post Bell Potter says this ASX biotech could rise 56% 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 recommended Orthocell. 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) shares are up 0.4% to 9,014.6 points on Thursday.

Let’s check out some new ratings on ASX shares today.  

Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG)

The Magellan Financial Group share price is $8.54, up 2.8% today and down 19% over 12 months. 

Morgans has an accumulate rating on this ASX 200 financial share after Magellan’s FY26 results.

The broker said: 

MFG’s group operating profit after tax (A$145m) was down 9% on the pcp (A$159m) and 2% above consensus (A$142m).

Guidance was the main factor weighing on the result, with management flagging numerous headwinds for FY27 — which shapes up as a consolidation year — alongside signs of a slowdown in Barrenjoey growth in 2H26 (despite otherwise impressive overall numbers).

Our price target falls from A$11.26 to A$10.25. While MFG faces some near-term pressures, we continue to believe the company is well positioned to drive medium-term growth.

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

The South32 share price is $5.19, up 0.7% today and up 97% over 12 months.

Morgans downgraded this ASX 200 mining share from accumulate to hold after South32’s FY26 report.

The broker said:

With S32’s share price outperforming even its pure-copper ASX peers year-to-date on larger cycle leverage, we downgrade our rating to HOLD (from Accumulate).

S32 delivered a broadly in line FY26 result, with FY27 guidance on unit cost and capex reflecting existing market expectations of continued cost pressure.

Don’t count on S32 returning a meaningful part of the Alcoa deal proceeds, with the company going as far as talking down its commitment to its ordinary dividend.

Similar to some of its peers, S32’s earnings have enjoyed a healthy upcycle, our concern is that it is starting to increasingly look factored in (while the company arguably swaps its earnings clout for a mid-cycle M&A war chest post Alcoa deal).

Australian Finance Group Ltd (ASX: AFG)

The Australian Finance Group share price is $1.52, up 2.2% today and down 43% over 12 months. 

Jonathan Tacadena from MPC Markets has a sell rating on this S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) financial share. 

On The Bull this week, Tacadena said:  

This mortgage broking group reported net profit after tax of $49 million in full year 2026, up 39 per cent on the prior corresponding period.

AFG grew its network to more than 4300 brokers. While profit growth looks good on paper, the company faces a difficult operating backdrop, in our view.

Australia’s property market is slumping, and the major banks recently confirmed residential mortgage applications had been significantly falling since the Federal Government’s budget in May. AFG’s earnings momentum appears difficult to sustain moving forward.

The valuation should be pricing in rising volume risk, not last year’s growth. We see more downside than upside.

The post Buy, hold, sell: South32, Australian Finance Group, Magellan shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Magellan Financial 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 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.

Wildcat Resources Ltd (ASX: WC8) shares are up by more than 120% over the past 12 months, but according to the analyst team at Shaw and Partners that could just be the start of something much bigger.

Shaw and Partners has released a new research note on the company in the wake of Wildcat releasing new drilling results from its Tabba Tabba project in Western Australia.

The broker has a very bullish share price target on the company which I’ll get to shortly.

First let’s look at what the company announced.

Strong drilling results across the board

Wildcat released new drilling results from its Bolt Cutter Central deposit, including both exploration and infill drilling.

The results included intersections such as 8m of 1.5% lithium oxide from a depth of 89m, and 16m at 1.5% from 116m.

Wildcat said Bolt Cutter extended over an area of 2.3km by 0.8km and the mineralisation remains open in most directions.

The company said:

Excellent results from infill drilling continue to demonstrate the strength and continuity of lithium mineralisation at Bolt Cutter Central, with broad, strongly mineralised pegmatites intersected from near surface and extending down dip through the system. Drill targeting and planning of drilling for potential value-add and extensional step-out areas will commence post completion of the maiden resource targeted for delivery in Q4 this year.

The company also reported “excellent” results from metallurgical and infill drilling at the Tabba Tabba deposit, with intersections including 25.1m at 1.2% lithium oxide.

Wildcat said regrading this drill campaign:

Drilling was designed to support ongoing technical studies for the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), including the collection of representative material from the Hutt and Chewy pegmatite groups for further metallurgical and resource characterisation. Infill drilling was also undertaken in areas where previous drill rig access constraints had resulted in comparatively wider drill spacing, providing additional geological information and increased confidence in the interpretation of these areas.

The company said that a definitive feasibility study for Tabba Tabba was on track for delivery in the second half of 2026.

Wildcat said it was well-funded, with $37.2 million in cash at the end of June.

Shares looking cheap, broker says

Shaw and Partners said the lithium market was tightening, boding well for Wildcat.

The broker said:

Lithium markets have moved from the oversupplied conditions of the past two years toward renewed tightness as EV demand re-accelerates and high-cost supply continues to be rationalised. Even a short disruption, or even the prospect of a prolonged one, will support spot pricing and reinforce the bullish narrative we have been building around the lithium price over the past 12mths. We see this combination: a tightening global supply picture out of Chile and a high quality, low-cost, expanding WA discovery pipeline at Wildcat, as a bullish setup for WC8 shareholders, and we reiterate our positive stance on lithium equities into the 4Q26 resource catalyst window.

Shaw and Partners has a price target of $1.60 on Wildcat shares compared to 39.5 cents currently.

The post This ASX lithium project developer could rise more than 300%: Broker 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.

ASX dividend shares had a very good August, with the largest payout increases in years.

Reporting season also produced dozens of dividend cuts.

Three S&P/ASX 200 (ASX: XJO) names stood out, and one of them goes ex-dividend today.

The best ASX dividend shares grow the payment year after year.

All three of these companies have an outstanding record of doing just this.

1. BHP Group

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) produced the standout raise of the season.

The final dividend came to US$0.99 per share, or roughly A$1.38, an increase of about 51.5% on last year.

The full-year payment reached US$1.72 per share fully franked, up 56% and the highest in four years.

The shares go ex-dividend today, with payment following on 23 September.

BHP explained the return clearly in its results:

This brings total cash returns to shareholders announced for the year to US$8.7 bn, which is US$1.72 per share fully franked, the highest in four years.

FY26 revenue rose 15% to US$58.8 billion and underlying profit jumped 30% to US$13.2 billion.

Copper prices rose 18% across the year, iron ore gained 7% and metallurgical coal climbed 39%.

2. Woolworths Group

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) delivered a strong combination of growth and payout of these stocks.

The final dividend rose 15.6% to 52 cents per share.

Impressively, FY26 sales reached $71.54 billion with EBITDA up 6.7% and net profit after tax rising 15.4%.

The company’s shares closed August at $40.31 and are up 33.7% so far this calendar year.

However, at such valuation levels, there is reason for caution.

A supermarket growing profit at 15% is doing well, and a supermarket rerating 33.7% in eight months is doing something else entirely.

The dividend growth is strong, though the yield has compressed as the shares have run.

3. Coles Group

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) raised its final dividend 15% to 37 cents per share.

FY26 sales rose 2.8% to $45.58 billion, EBIT grew 9.9% and net profit after tax increased 13.7%.

Coles is the cheaper of the two supermarkets, but also the slower grower.

The company’s sales growth of 2.8% trails Woolworths, though its earnings growth was close enough for this not to be a major concern.

For income investors, the more modest rerating leaves a better starting yield.

Why these ASX dividend shares could continue to raise payouts

The common thread is pricing power rather than cost cutting.

BHP benefited from commodity prices moving in its favour across every major division.

Both supermarkets passed inflation through to shoppers while volumes held up.

None of the three relied on a balance sheet decision to fund the increase, which is what separates a sustainable raise from a one-off.

Foolish takeaway for ASX dividend shares

Of the three, Coles offers the best value and the least excitement.

Woolworths has the stronger momentum and the harder valuation to justify after a 33.7% run.

BHP has the largest raise and the most cyclical earnings behind it.

Investors chasing ASX dividend shares should focus on whether the underlying business can repeat the payment.

On that test, the supermarkets look more dependable and BHP looks more rewarding.

The post Top 3 ASX 200 shares that lifted their dividend this reporting season appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Own BHP, Woodside or Coles shares? Here’s what investors should know
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• BHP shares are falling – is it time to take profits?
• Here’s how Fortescue, Rio Tinto and BHP shares stacked up in August
• Why is the ASX 200 having its worst day in 3 months?

Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven 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.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shares are in the green again in early morning trade on Thursday.

At the time of writing, the shares are up around 1% and changing hands at $81.49 a piece.

Today’s uptick means the shares have rebounded around 33% from a seven-year low, recouping some of the losses shed earlier this year.

The stock is still around 27% lower for the year-to-date.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is roughly flat in early morning trade, but around 3% higher than 12 months ago.

What is driving the rebound of Xero shares?

ASX 200 tech share was smashed by a sector-wide sell-off of technology stocks in late-2025. The sector came under renewed pressure in 2026 as investors continue to reassess valuations and risk appetite.

The rotation away from tech shares sent Xero’s share price crashing to a multi-year low of $61.58 a piece in late-July.

But investor sentiment quickly turned a corner, likely for a couple of reasons.

There has been an investor rotation back into growth and technology stocks over the past couple of months.

At the same time, it looks like investors are now becoming more confident that the company can keep growing revenue and become more profitable.

Improved confidence comes off the back of Xero’s most recent FY26 results, which it posted in May. The company reported a strong increase in its FY26 revenue which it said was helped by subscriber growth and higher prices. 

Now the question is, can the share price keep climbing higher?

What do brokers tip next for the ASX tech stock?

It looks like the market experts are still pretty confident that we’ll see a significant upside ahead.

TradingView data shows the majority of brokers (five out of six) have a buy rating on Xero shares. And all forecasts imply a potential upside ahead. The average $112.17 target price implies around a 38% upside at the time of writing. But some think the shares could jump as high as 83% to $148.51 over the next 12 months.

What could drive the shares higher?

I think there is plenty of potential left for Xero shares.

The company has a sticky subscription revenue, which means its customers are likely to keep paying for its services and products over a long time. This means the company’s revenue is relatively predictable.

Xero is also still a relatively small market player within a huge global market. There are several growth opportunities ahead, including expansion in the UK and US, as well as payroll and workflow automation offerings. Xero is also actively expanding its presence and its product suite. 

And as I mentioned above, the company’s latest FY26 result shows the company is growing, too. It posted a 31% hike in operating revenue in mid-May, and its adjusted EBITDA was up 18%.

The post Xero shares jump 33% from a 7-year low: Buy, sell or hold? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD) shares have finally returned to the ASX, and investors have not held back.

The Corporate Travel share price is down 80.40% to $3.15 in early Thursday trade after the company’s long suspension was lifted.

The stock last traded at $16.07 before it was suspended in August 2025, and a lot has gone wrong since then.

Investors are now showing exactly what they think of it.

Shares have traded as low as $2.81 this morning.

Why were Corporate Travel shares suspended?

The problems started in the company’s UK business, where some serious accounting issues were uncovered.

A KPMG review found revenue had been recognised incorrectly on large customer contracts completed between 2021 and 2023. That included around GBP 45.4 million sitting in a “Concluded Customer Contracts” account that should not have been recognised as revenue.

Corporate Travel later said it could restate as much as GBP 58.2 million across FY23 and FY24, with another GBP 19.4 million of adjustments flagged for FY25.

Since then, the company has spent much of the past year sorting through the mess, including refunding customers, restating its accounts and making changes to its financial controls.

There’s been some progress, with Corporate Travel saying this week that around 78% of customer refunds have either been agreed or are close to being finalised.

What did the FY26 result show?

Despite everything that has happened, there were some signs the underlying business moved in the right direction during FY26.

Revenue and other income rose 4% to $669.9 million, while underlying EBITDA jumped 36% to $113.6 million.

Corporate Travel also returned to profit, posting net profit after tax (NPAT) of $17.7 million. Keep in mind, that’s a big turnaround from the $348.5 million loss recorded a year earlier.

Activity also picked up, with transaction volumes rising 13% to 18.3 million and total transaction value (TTV) increasing 2% to $9.8 billion.

Europe was one of the better-performing regions. Revenue climbed 34% to $113.7 million, while underlying EBITDA improved to $24.7 million from a $1.2 million loss.

But the balance sheet is still one area investors are watching closely.

Corporate Travel ended FY26 with $106.9 million in cash and has since secured a $175 million funding package to help finish the remediation work and support the business.

What happens next?

Management said trading in the first month of FY27 was broadly in line with expectations, although the early numbers were mixed.

July transaction volumes rose to around 1.6 million from 1.5 million a year earlier, while revenue slipped to $53.3 million from $58.3 million.

Corporate Travel has also secured $178 million of new business on a TTV basis so far in FY27.

And there was also some good news from the Australian Government review, which found no signs of widespread or systemic overcharging.

Still, the company has a lot of work ahead of it after what has been a shocking period for shareholders.

The post Warning: Corporate Travel shares have crashed 80%. What on earth just happened? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Corporate Travel Management shares resume trading after FY26 report
• Corporate Travel Management swings to profit as earnings jump in FY26
• Corporate Travel Management reports FY25 and 1HY26 earnings
• Corporate Travel Management secures new funding and updates on FY25 and FY26 earnings
• Corporate Travel Management updates UK remediation progress and settlement terms

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 positions in and has recommended Corporate Travel Management. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Corporate Travel Management. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

A busy day is set to be underway on the stock market, with several well-known S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) companies trading ex-dividend today.

The list includes BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) and Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), along with another four other ASX 200 shares.

Combined, the dividends are worth around 31 points on the ASX 200, according to IG.

That could make some of the share price moves look worse than they really are on Thursday.

Let’s take a closer look.

BHP, Woodside and Coles lead the way

BHP is easily the largest company on today’s list.

The mining giant closed Wednesday at $64.65 and is trading ex-dividend for $1.39 per share, fully franked.

That means anyone buying BHP shares from today will not receive the payment, which is due to eligible shareholders on 23 September.

Woodside is another heavyweight going ex-dividend.

Its shares finished yesterday at $33.08 and are now trading without a 79.51-cent fully franked dividend attached. Woodside is due to pay shareholders on 25 September.

Coles closed Wednesday at $23.89 and has a 37-cent fully franked dividend coming off its share price today. The supermarket giant will make the payment on 22 September.

However, with all three carrying such huge index weightings, going ex-dividend is likely to put some pressure on the ASX 200 today.

4 more ASX 200 shares to watch

There are also several other payouts investors should be aware of.

Amcor Plc (ASX: AMC) closed at $64.15 and is trading ex-dividend for 92 cents per share. Unlike the other larger payouts today, the Amcor dividend is unfranked.

Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX: RHC) finished Wednesday at $52.38 and is going ex-dividend for 48.5 cents per share, fully franked.

Meanwhile, NIB Holdings Ltd (ASX: NHF) closed at $6.97 and is trading without its 21-cent fully franked dividend.

Rounding out the group is Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG), which closed at $2.71. Its latest dividend is 2 cents per share, also fully franked.

Sigma shareholders are due to receive their payment on 22 September, Ramsay on 24 September and NIB on 7 October.

What investors should keep in mind

There is a fair bit going on with the index today, so the headline move may not tell the full story.

BHP, Woodside and Coles are all large enough to have an impact, and having all 3 go ex-dividend on the same day adds some extra weight.

So, if the ASX 200 looks a bit weak, the dividend effect is worth factoring in.

The post Own BHP, Woodside or Coles shares? Here’s what investors should know appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• The average superannuation balance for 45-year-olds in Australia in FY26. How does yours compare?
• How much is needed in superannuation for $1,000 in weekly passive income?
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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 positions in and has recommended Amcor Plc and NIB Holdings. 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.

Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL) shares have slipped further into the red in Thursday morning trade.

At the time of writing, the shares are down around another 1%, and they’re trading close to a decade low, at $18.57 each.

Today’s slide means the shares have now crashed 21% over the past two weeks, and they’re now 17% lower for the year to date.

What has happened to Sonic Healthcare shares?

After a strong sell-off earlier this year, ASX healthcare shares came back into favour recently. 

Ahead of the share price crash two weeks ago, Sonic Healthcare shares had rebounded around 28% from a 10-year low in Mid-May. And its shares didn’t move in isolation, either. Australian healthcare stocks have staged a major recovery over the past month, with the healthcare index rising around 18% over the past month.

But amid the sector recovery, Sonic Healthcare reported its results on the 20th of August, and it sent investors into a tailspin.

For FY26, the company reported a 13% increase in revenue and a 11% increase in underlying EBITDA to $1.933 billion. It also reported a 17% increase in underlying NPAT and strong organic revenue growth of 5%.

The result looks good on face value and was broadly in line with expectations, but there were concerns about the strength of Sonic Healthcare’s outlook and about margin pressure overseas.

At the time of its results announcement, the company said it expects continued organic growth across its major markets. This is expected to be underpinned by demand for personalised and preventative healthcare. 

The company also provided EBITDA guidance in the range of $1.95 billion to $2.03 billion (in constant currency). This excludes costs from its IT transformation program. 

It also flagged some earnings headwinds from regulatory changes in Switzerland and a slower ramp-up of profit from its large UK NHS contract.

Ahead of the result, analysts had pinpointed margin recovery as the key part of the investment case. So it looks like Sonic Healthcare’s outlook spooked investors, and many quickly sold up their shares and fled the stock.

So, what do the experts think?

Are the ASX healthcare shares a buy, sell, or hold now?

According to TradingView data, the majority of analysts are neutral about the outlook for Sonic Healthcare shares going forward.

Out of 18 analysts, 10 now have a hold rating. The remaining eight ratings are split between buy/strong buy and sell/strong sell.

The average $22.11 target price, however, does imply a potential 19% upside after the latest sell-off. Even the minimum $19.60 target price suggests the shares could climb another 5%, at the time of writing.

Bell Potter confirmed its buy rating on Sonic Healthcare shares shortly following the results announcement, but shaved its target price to $27.50. The broker said the result was in guidance. But added that the rebounding share price is mostly the result of a broad sector rebound.

The post Sonic Healthcare shares crash 21%: What on earth is going on? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sonic Healthcare. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.