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.

It was a busy week for Australia’s top brokers. This has led to a number of broker notes being released. 

Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

According to a note out of Morgans, its analysts have resumed coverage on this corporate travel specialist’s shares with a buy rating and $3.06 price target. Morgans notes that after a long suspension, Corporate Travel Management has returned to trade after lodging its FY 2025 and FY 2026 audited accounts. This has seen material earnings restatements in response to years of overcharging clients and will result in refunds of $246m by September 2027. While this is clearly disappointing, Morgans remains positive. It believes earnings growth should resume from FY 2028 given new management’s strategy. This view is supported by the acceleration of new client wins in the first two months of FY 2027, which the broker sees as encouraging. Overall, the broker believes it is a turnaround story under new leadership with material upside potential if it executes. The Corporate Travel Management share price ended the week at $2.46.

Life360 Inc. (ASX: 360)

A note out of Citi reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $28.80 price target on this location technology company’s shares. Citi was pleased to see Life360’s app downloads accelerate to 8% growth year-on-year in August from flat growth in July. This was driven largely by its US business, which delivered a record month. Looking ahead, the broker believes Life360 is well-placed to deliver a marked improvement in its EBITDA margin in the fourth quarter. This is expected to be supported by seasonal advertising and hardware revenue. The Life360 share price was fetching $19.73 at Friday’s close.

Metcash Ltd (ASX: MTS)

Analysts at Macquarie have upgraded this wholesale distributor’s shares to an outperform rating with a $3.20 price target. According to the note, the broker was pleased with Metcash’s trading update, highlighting that food sales were better than expected. And while its growth in the liquor segment was softer, it believes that the company is winning market share. Cost pressures are weighing on margins, but overall, Macquarie remains positive on the investment opportunity here and is recommending it to clients. The Metcash share price ended the week at $2.83.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Corporate Travel Management recently resumed trading – Here’s why it could be a buy
• 9 ASX 200 shares earning strengthened buy ratings this week
• Top 3 ASX shares I’d buy after the most recent sell-off
• Life360 shares are 60% below broker targets. Here’s why
• Brokers rate these 5 ASX shares as a strong buy, and tip upsides of 28% to 62%

Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Corporate Travel Management, Life360, and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Corporate Travel Management and Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.