Having $3,000 ready to invest opens up plenty of possibilities on the ASX.

For me, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) would be worth considering because they can put that money to work across a large number of businesses straight away.

These three Vanguard ETFs would all be on my shortlist.

Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF (ASX: VDHG)

For someone wanting to keep things simple, the VDHG ETF could be a strong option.

The fund is effectively a ready-made investment portfolio. Around 90% is allocated to growth assets such as Australian and international shares, with the remainder invested in defensive assets such as bonds.

That gives investors exposure to thousands of securities across numerous markets without having to decide how much money to allocate to each one.

Vanguard also takes care of rebalancing the portfolio over time.

I think that makes the Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF particularly interesting for an investor who wants to buy one ETF, keep adding to it, and largely leave the portfolio management to Vanguard.

Vanguard Global Technology Index ETF (ASX: VTEK)

Investors looking for stronger growth exposure might prefer the VTEK ETF.

This fund invests in hundreds of technology stocks from developed and emerging markets.

Its holdings include businesses such as Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, and ASML Holding.

That gives investors exposure to several areas I expect to keep attracting significant investment over the coming decade, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cloud computing, and software.

Of course, concentrating in one sector would bring more risk than choosing a broadly diversified ETF.

But for someone comfortable with a higher level of volatility and looking for long-term growth, I think this Vanguard ETF is a top option.

Vanguard S&P 500 US Shares Index ETF (ASX: V500)

The V500 ETF is another Vanguard fund that I would buy.

It tracks the S&P 500 Index, providing exposure to around 500 of the largest companies listed in the United States.

That includes technology businesses, but also major companies across healthcare, financial services, consumer products, industrials, and many other industries.

I like this because investors can participate in the growth of corporate America without relying on a handful of individual stock picks.

The ETF also has a low management fee, which can become increasingly valuable over a long holding period.

For someone wanting to put money behind US shares, I think the Vanguard S&P 500 US Shares Index ETF could make a lot of sense.

Foolish takeaway

I think all three Vanguard ETFs offer something worth considering for a long-term investor.

Which one I chose would depend on what I already owned and where I wanted more exposure.

With $3,000 available, I would be comfortable putting the money into one of these ETFs or spreading it across more than one. The important thing for me would be choosing the opportunity that best complemented the rest of my investments.

The post 3 top Vanguard ETFs I’d buy with $3,000 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why these ASX ETFs could be strong long-term picks
• 2 Vanguard ETFs I’d buy and hold for a decade
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• Why I think this Vanguard ETF could be one of the best to buy and hold forever
• How I’d make investing easy with Vanguard ETFs

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended ASML, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ASML, Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

One small-cap ASX stock is giving shareholders something to smile about on Monday.

Titomic Ltd (ASX: TTT) shares are up 10.87% to 12.8 cents after the company announced a new defence contract before the market opened.

That puts Titomic’s market value at around $228 million.

It comes after a difficult stretch for shareholders, with the stock still down around 47% in 2026 and 50% over the past 12 months.

So, what was in this morning’s release?

A US$5 million contract

Titomic revealed that its US subsidiary has been awarded a US$5 million contract by the US Air Force.

The company will supply, integrate and commission one of its TKF 1000 cold spray systems at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

The system can be used for things such as component repair, restoring worn parts, corrosion protection and additive manufacturing.

Titomic said the contract places its technology inside one of the largest US Air Force maintenance and repair facilities in the country.

Delivery is scheduled for the third quarter of 2027, with revenue to be recognised as the company completes different stages of the contract.

More orders are starting to come through

It’s not like this deal hasn’t arrived completely out of the blue.

Titomic has been spending the past few years trying to turn trials and qualification work into commercial orders.

Just recently, it announced a number of US orders worth more than $750,000 across the aerospace, defence, space, energy and oil and gas industries.

The company has also expanded its Huntsville facility as it builds manufacturing capacity in the United States.

However, there’s still plenty of work ahead.

Titomic is still a loss-making company, and earlier this month it raised $16.5 million through a share placement at 13 cents apiece.

Interestingly, even after today’s rally, the shares are still trading just below that placement price.

How high could the shares go?

There is certainly a big gap between the current share price and some broker targets.

TipRanks shows two recent analyst ratings.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and 46 cent price target, while Ord Minnett has a hold rating and 18 cent target.

That gives an average target of 32 cents, or about 150% above where the stock stands today.

On the other hand, Morningstar is far more conservative, with a fair value estimate of 14.8 cents.

This just shows how divided analysts remain on the stock.

Nonetheless, if Titomic can keep winning big defence contracts, those higher targets could become a little more realistic.

The post Guess which ASX stock is rocketing 10% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price is trading around $38.48 on Monday.

For investors looking at the major banks, NAB offers a combination of earnings, dividends, and exposure to Australian business banking.

At this price, I think the shares deserve a closer look.

Why I like NAB

One of the main reasons I am positive on NAB is its strong position in business banking.

The bank has deep relationships with Australian small and medium-sized businesses, giving it exposure to lending, deposits, payments, and other financial services.

I like that because it gives NAB another avenue for growth alongside its large consumer banking operations.

Australian banking is still highly competitive, particularly in mortgages, and I would not expect earnings to race higher every year.

But NAB has a sizeable customer base, strong market positions, and a business banking franchise that I think can continue supporting earnings over the long term.

What does the valuation look like?

The next question is whether investors are paying a sensible price.

According to CommSec, consensus estimates are for earnings per share of $2.38 in FY26, increasing to $2.54 in FY27.

At $38.48, that puts NAB on a PE ratio of approximately 16 times forecast FY26 earnings and around 15 times FY27 earnings.

I would not describe that as bargain territory. But I also do not think the valuation is excessive for a major Australian bank with a strong franchise and the prospect of modest earnings growth.

If NAB delivers something close to current expectations, I think today’s price leaves room for reasonable capital growth over time.

The dividend remains a big attraction

For many investors, NAB is just as much an income stock as it is a capital growth investment.

That is an important part of the case for me.

CommSec’s consensus forecasts point to fully franked dividends of $1.70 per share in FY26 and $1.72 in FY27.

At the current share price, those payments would represent dividend yields of approximately 4.4% and 4.5%, respectively, before taking any potential benefit from franking credits into account.

I think that is a solid level of income from a business I would also be comfortable owning for the long term.

What would make me cautious?

NAB still faces the same pressures as the rest of the banking sector.

Competition for customers can put pressure on margins, while weaker economic conditions could increase bad debts and slow credit growth.

The shares also would not look nearly as interesting if earnings failed to grow as expected.

Those are risks I would keep in mind, particularly after the strong performance Australian bank shares have delivered over recent years.

Foolish takeaway

At $38.48, I think the NAB share price is a buy.

The valuation looks reasonable rather than cheap, but I like the bank’s business banking position and the prospect of earnings moving higher in FY27.

Add a fully franked prospective dividend yield of around 4.4% to 4.5%, and I think investors are being offered a good balance of income and potential capital growth at today’s price.

The post Is the NAB share price a buy at $38.48? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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