The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having a mildly positive session on Thursday. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.15% to 8,915.1 points.

Four ASX shares that are acting as a drag on the market today are listed below. Here’s why they are falling:

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

The BHP share price is down almost 2% to $54.73. This has been driven by the mining giant’s shares going ex-dividend this morning for its interim dividend. When a share goes ex-dividend, it means the rights to the payout are now locked in and new buyers won’t be able to receive the dividend. Last month, BHP released its half-year results and declared a fully franked interim dividend of 73 US cents per share. This will be paid to eligible shareholders later this month on 26 March.

EQ Resources Ltd (ASX: EQR)

The EQ Resources share price is down 3% to 33 cents. The catalyst for this may have been a broker note out of Morgans. According to the note, the broker has downgraded the miner’s shares to a trim rating with a price target of 23 cents. It said: “Our valuation and target price have lifted from A$0.16 per share to A$0.23ps. Continued strength in the tungsten price, a most critical metal, could lead to a further increase in our target price. With the share price above our target price, we lower our rating to TRIM from Speculative Buy. Tungsten concentrate production at the start of this current March Quarter may have been affected by the Wet Season in north Queensland at Mt Carbine, and to some extent at Barruecopardo, Salamanca Province, Spain.”

Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC)

The Lottery Corporation share price is down almost 2% to $5.30. This morning, this lottery company released an update on operational changes. Under the new model, Lottery Corporation will create three customer-facing business units. These are Lotteries, Digital, and Keno. The company’s CEO, Wayne Pickup, said: “We have a strong foundation and our strategy has served the Company well, but we can unlock more value. This new structure gives us the clarity and accountability to accelerate our evolution as a digital entertainment company, concentrate on local market growth and make faster, better decisions.”

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

The Woodside share price is down 2.5% to $30.01. This has also been driven by the energy giant’s shares going ex-dividend this morning for its latest dividend. Last month, Woodside released its full-year results and declared a final dividend of 59 US cents per share. This brought its full-year fully franked dividend to US$1.12 per share or US$2.1 billion. Eligible shareholders can look forward to receiving the final dividend later this month on 27 March.

The post Why BHP, EQ Resources, Lottery Corp, and Woodside shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Experts rate these 2 ASX blue-chip shares as strong buys this month
• Why Woodside and Santos shares are in focus as oil prices surge
• 3 reasons to buy Woodside shares today
• Why is BHP share price sinking today?
• Guess which ASX 200 stock is pushing higher on big news

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

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares are holding steady today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) telco provider closed yesterday trading for $5.18. During the Thursday lunch hour, with more than $31 million worth of trades already transacted today, shares are changing hands for $5.18 apiece. (I’ll let you do the maths!)

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.4% at this same time.

Today’s modest underperformance isn’t what stockholders are accustomed to. Over the past 12 months, Telstra shares have gained 23%, or more than twice the 9.8% one-year gains posted by the ASX 200.

And that’s not including the passive income the company has paid out to eligible stockholders over the year.

Telstra paid a final fully-franked dividend of 9.5 cents a share on 25 September. The company will pay the 10.5 cents a share interim dividend, 90% franked, on 27 March. (It’s a bit too late to grab that one, as Telstra stock traded ex-dividend on 25 February.)

At the current share price, this sees the ASX 200 stock trading on a partly-franked trailing dividend yield of 3.9%.

Which brings us back to our headline question.

Are Telstra shares a good passive income buy?

Morgans’ Damien Nguyen recently ran his slide rule over the ASX 200 telco (courtesy of The Bull).

“This telecommunications giant offers stable earnings, a strong mobile network and dependable dividends, making it a defensive holding in a volatile market,” Nguyen said.

Explaining his hold recommendation on Telstra shares, he added, “However, while its core mobile business continues to perform well, the growth outlook is steady rather than exciting.”

On the passive income front, Nguyen concluded:

The stock appears fairly valued at recent levels, reflecting its predictable cash flows and limited near term catalysts. For now, Telstra remains suitable as an income‑focused hold due to its defensive earnings stream, but we don’t see a compelling reason to materially increase exposure.

What’s the latest from the ASX 200 telco?

Telstra reported its half-year results (H1 FY 2026) on 19 February.

Highlights included a 9.2% year-on-year increase in earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to $2 billion. Amid the ongoing share buyback, earnings per share (EPS) were up 11% to 9.9 cents.

And on the bottom line, profit for the period was up 8.1% to $1.2 billion.

The interim Telstra dividend of 10.5 cents per share was up 10.5% from last year’s interim passive income payout.

“We delivered ongoing growth in earnings, reflecting momentum across our business, strong cost control and disciplined capital management,” Telstra CEO Vicki Brady said.

Telstra shares closed up 3.6% on the day of the results release.

The post Are Telstra shares a buy for their ‘dependable dividends’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Aussie Broadband vs Telstra: Which telco stock deserves your dollar?
• Here’s the latest earnings forecast out to 2030 for Telstra shares
• Buy, hold, sell: Bannerman, CBA, and Telstra shares
• 3 must-own ASX blue-chip dividend stocks for Aussie investors
• 3 reasons to buy Telstra shares right now

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

Experts are always on the lookout for investment opportunities that could deliver good performance. Outperformance of the stock market can come from resilient performance from ASX blue-chip shares during negative times as much as growth stocks can produce returns at other times.

We’re going to look at two S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares that has been highlighted from the investment team in charge in the listed investment company (LIC) WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE).

Let’s dive into why the following two businesses have been identified as ideas.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)

The Wilson Asset Management team described Woolworths as a leading Australian supermarket and retail group. It also owns businesses involved in supplying commercial customers with food – PFD is the main business, with customers like hotels, restaurants, cafes and so on. Other businesses include BIG W, Petstock and New Zealand supermarket retailing.

WAM noted that Woolworths delivered a “high-quality” FY26 half-year result, with strong sales growth continuing into the early weeks of the 2026 calendar year.

The fund manager suggested that early signs from the first seven weeks of trading of the second half of FY26 show the company “may have regained its sales leadership, building on early signs of recovery first evident in October 2025.”

WAM said that this revenue strength was achieved without compromising margins, supported by disciplined cost management, which resulted in the consensus of market analysts revising their earnings expectations higher (helping send the Woolworths share price higher).

The company’s Woolworths ‘living’ division also performed well, according to the fund manager, driven by Petstock, along with a recovery of trading at BIG W.

WAM Leaders revealed that the ASX blue-chip share remains a “core holding”, underpinned by its scale, supply chain and data capabilities, while being supported by an improving trading performance in its core business.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

The other company that the fund manager wanted to highlight in the WAM Leaders portfolio was Woodside, which is a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter.

WAM said that the Woodside share price benefited from a tightening in the LNG market following the suspension of operations at QatarEnergy’s Ras Laffan facility, which is the world’s largest LNG facility.

The fund manager noted that compared to Australian peers, Woodside Energy Group has greater exposure to global gas market pricing, which positions the business to benefit from higher oil and gas prices.

The investment team also highlighted that the business reported a strong result during February, with its dividend coming in ahead of expectations.

WAM also said that the ASX blue-chip share’s key growth project, Scarborough, is approaching completion and remains on track and on budget.

The fund manager concluded:            

We remain constructive on the outlook for Woodside Energy Group given its earnings sensitivity to commodity prices, near-term production growth, and the potential partial sale of Woodside Energy Group’s stake in the Louisiana LNG project.

The post Experts rate these 2 ASX blue-chip shares as strong buys this month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Woodside and Santos shares are in focus as oil prices surge
• 3 reasons to buy Woodside shares today
• Deep Yellow share price paused ahead of pending announcement
• Lottery Corporation shakes up leadership with digital-first strategy
• A once-in-a-decade chance to get a 10%+ yield from ASX 200 income shares?

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 positions in and has recommended Woolworths Group. 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) is having a better day on Thursday. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.35% to 8,932.6 points.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are storming higher:

Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV)

The Endeavour share price is up 3% to $3.95. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Bell Potter this morning. According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating on the drinks giant’s shares with an improved price target of $4.15. It said: “We retain our Buy rating and raise TP on lower net debt. Although the outlook for consumer spending has weakened, we believe market expectations are low for the company’s strategic refresh, leaving greater room for upside potential. We see opportunity for consensus upgrades: a reenforcing in Dan Murphy’s lowest price perception; and cost-out opportunities.”

Lindian Resources Ltd (ASX: LIN)

The Lindian Resources share price is up a further 14% to 74.7 cents. Investors have been buying the company’s shares this week after it made a big announcement. Lindian revealed plans to acquire 100% of an existing mixed rare earths carbonate (MREC) processing facility previously operated by a joint venture between Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation and Kazatomprom. Executive Chairman, Robert Martin, commented: “The acquisition of the SARECO Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate facility is a defining step for Lindian. It fast-tracks our transition from a concentrate producer to an integrated rare earths company with downstream capability, materially enhancing margins, commercial flexibility and long-term strategic value.” The acquisition price was materially cheaper than the cost of developing a new one.

Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG)

The Magellan share price is up a further 9% to $10.42. This fund manager’s shares have rallied strongly this week in response to its plan to merge with Barrenjoey. Magellan’s chair, Andrew Formica, said: “The merger with Barrenjoey marks a transformative step in MFG’s evolution, bringing together two highly complementary businesses to create an Australian financial services group with meaningful scale and breadth.”

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

The WiseTech share price is up 6% to $47.12. This is despite there being no news out of the logistics software provider. However, it is worth noting that tech stocks are having a strong session on Thursday. So much so, at the time of writing, the S&P/ASX All Technology Index is up by almost 3.5%.

The post Why Endeavour, Lindian, Magellan, and WiseTech shares are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Endeavour, Life360, and Lynas shares
• 3 excellent Australian tech stocks to buy before they rebound
• A once-in-a-decade chance to get a 10%+ yield from ASX 200 income shares?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Are Endeavour Group shares a buy after its earnings results crash?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Endeavour Group and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended 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 team at Bell Potter has been busy updating its financial models for a number of popular ASX 200 shares.

Let’s see whether the broker rates them as buys, holds, or sells. Here’s what you need to know:

Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV)

This drinks giant released its half-year results this week and Bell Potter responded positively.

And while the broker acknowledges that consumer spending is weak, it believes market expectations are too low. As a result, it has put a buy rating on Endeavour’s shares with an improved price target of $4.15. It said:

We retain our Buy rating and raise TP on lower net debt. Although the outlook for consumer spending has weakened, we believe market expectations are low for the company’s strategic refresh, leaving greater room for upside potential. We see opportunity for consensus upgrades: a reenforcing in Dan Murphy’s lowest price perception; and cost-out opportunities.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

Another ASX 200 share that released its results this week was family safety technology company Life360.

Bell Potter was pleased with these results, highlighting that its performance was stronger than expected. In light of this, it has retained its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $40.00.

The broker appears to believe that FY 2026 could be another year of guidance outperformance. It said:

We are at a loss to explain the share price reaction today other than the flagged greater skew in earnings this year to H2. But Life360 has a very good history of achieving and often exceeding its guidance so while we expect potentially only modest adjusted EBITDA growth in 1H2026, we do expect a return to very strong growth in 2H2026. We note for comparison purposes that Technology One has also flagged a similar greater earnings skew in FY26.

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)

Finally, Lynas shares have been strong performers over the past 12 months. And while some of this is justified, Bell Potter believes its shares have rallied too far and are pricing in unrealistic long-term rare earths prices.

As a result, it is urging investors to sell Lynas shares and has put an $11.60 price target on them. It explains:

Fundamentals are improving, however we continue to see a significant premium applied to the stock. NdPr has risen more recently (+US$100/kg), we estimate the stock is factoring in ~US$175/kg into perpetuity. Our TP increases slightly and we maintain the Sell recommendation, EPS changes in this report are FY26: -8% FY27 – 10% FY28 -11%.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Endeavour, Life360, and Lynas shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Endeavour, Lindian, Magellan, and WiseTech shares are storming higher today
• 2 of the best Aussie ASX 200 shares to buy and hold for 10 years
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Life360 shares crashed 18% this week: Is this a once-in-a-lifetime buying opportunity?
• Are Endeavour Group shares a buy after its earnings results crash?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Endeavour Group and Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Most people think building wealth requires a big starting balance. It doesn’t.

Sometimes it starts with something as small as $10 a day. That is roughly the cost of lunch or a couple of coffees. Redirected into quality ASX shares or exchange-traded funds (ETFs), it can become something far more powerful over time.

Small amounts add up

Ten dollars a day works out to about $300 a month.

Invested consistently and earning an average annual return of 9%, that $300 a month could grow to almost $60,000 after 10 years.

After 20 years, it could be worth roughly $195,000.

Stretch that to 30 years, and you are looking at approximately $515,000.

The biggest driver in that equation is not stock picking skill. It is time and compounding.

What would you invest in?

The habit works best when paired with quality.

That might mean companies with lasting competitive advantages such as ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD), which benefits from long-term healthcare demand, or REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), which has entrenched dominance in online property advertising.

It could also mean global diversification through ETFs like iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) or quality-focused strategies such as VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT).

The exact mix matters less than consistency and discipline.

The secret most people miss

Many investors wait for the perfect time to start.

They wait for a correction. They wait for clarity. They wait for more money.

Meanwhile, months and years pass.

The habit of investing small amounts regularly forces you to participate in the market through ups and downs. You buy when prices are high and when they are low. Over time, that smooths out volatility and builds momentum.

Wealth is usually boring

There is nothing dramatic about investing $10 a day.

There are no exciting headlines or overnight success stories attached to it. But that is often how real wealth is built. Quietly, steadily, and over long periods of time.

While some investors spend years trying to find the next big winner, others simply focus on building the habit of investing consistently. They add money to the market month after month and allow time to do the heavy lifting.

Over decades, that consistency can become incredibly powerful. Earnings grow, dividends are reinvested, and compounding begins to accelerate.

Of course, markets will not rise in a straight line. There will be corrections, bear markets, and periods of volatility. But investors who stick with the habit through those periods are often the ones who benefit the most when the next cycle of growth begins.

The key takeaway is simple. You do not need to start with a fortune to build meaningful wealth on the ASX. Sometimes all you need is $10 a day. 

The post The $10-a-day ASX share investing habit that could change your financial future appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 2 of the best Aussie ASX 200 shares to buy and hold for 10 years
• 5 simple ASX ETFs to build a long-term portfolio around
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• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 2 ASX 200 shares that turned a $5,000 investment into $10 million

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 ResMed and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) share price is 2% higher at $145.71 a piece in Thursday morning trade. At the time of writing, the beaten-down biotech stock is down 15.24% year to date and 44.85% over the year.

It’s no secret that the CSL share price has taken a beating over the past six months. The biotech stock has been subdued since it crashed 15% following its half-year results and shock CEO exit in early February. 

And the drop is just one of many headwinds the company has faced over the past 6 months.

The company’s shares suffered a brutal sell-off in mid-August after its FY25 result and surprise restructure announcement. Two and a half months later, the share price dropped another 19.2% to a new low when it downgraded its FY26 revenue and profit growth guidance in October. 

But right now, I think the CSL share price is a screaming buy. Here are three reasons that I think we could see CSL shares leap another 88% to $274 a piece.

1. There is strong global demand for plasma therapies

CSL is an Australian-based global biotechnology company that develops and delivers biotherapies and vaccines to protect public health and help people with life-threatening medical conditions live full lives. At the core of its business are its plasma-derived medicines, including immunoglobulins, albumin, and clotting factors.

The company experiences high and consistent demand for its plasma. This is driven by surging global demand for the therapies, and it’s expected to keep building.

Reports show that demand for blood plasma derivatives was at 145 million litres in 2025, indicating strong growth driven by increasing immunoglobulin therapies, which are used to treat rare and chronic diseases. By 2033, the market is expected to reach $104.30 billion.

CSL operates in over 40 countries, predominantly in Australia, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, making it well positioned to benefit from and absorb some of the booming demand for its products.

2. CSL is growing its pipeline

Not only is demand for plasma therapies booming, but CSL is also actively growing its pipeline to absorb as much of the demand as possible.

The company invests heavily in research and development, manufacturing capacity, and plasma collection infrastructure. 

If CSL secures regulatory approvals and its trials are successful, it will boost the pipeline of its products. And that will boost future earnings expectations, and in turn, its share price.

3. Analysts tip a huge potential upside for the CSL share price

With strong business fundamentals, rocketing global demand for plasma, and a robust growth pipeline, analysts have been consistently positive about the CSL share price for some time now. In fact, many think the investor selling over the past six months is way overdone.

TradingView data shows that 12 out of 18 analysts currently have a buy or strong buy rating on the stock. The average target price is $212.1, which implies a 44.46% upside at the time of writing. However, some think the share price could storm even higher, by 87.04% to $274.57 a piece.

The post 3 reasons why the CSL share price could leap 87% to $274! 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 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.

The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share prices are attracting attention this week as oil prices jump sharply.

At the time of writing, the Woodside share price is down 3.19% to $29.77, while the Santos share price is down 0.69% to $7.20.

Despite the modest declines today, both energy producers have been trending higher recently. Woodside shares are up around 5.5% over the past week, while Santos has gained almost 6% over the same period.

A key reason behind the renewed interest in the sector is the rapid rise in global oil prices.

Oil prices surge over the past week

Oil markets have moved sharply higher in recent days.

West Texas Intermediate crude is currently trading around US$75.66 per barrel, while Brent crude is sitting near US$82 per barrel.

That represents an increase of roughly 16% over the past week for both major benchmarks.

Oil markets can often move quickly when geopolitical risks rise, particularly when the Middle East is involved. The region remains one of the most important oil producing areas in the world.

Investors are now watching developments closely to see whether supply risks become more serious.

Woodside is highly leveraged to oil prices

The recent move in oil prices is particularly relevant for Woodside.

The company is Australia’s largest listed oil and LNG producer, with major operations spanning Western Australia, the Gulf of Mexico, and other international regions.

Because Woodside sells its production into global energy markets, stronger crude prices generally translate into higher realised prices for its output. In turn, this typically leads to higher revenue, stronger operating cash flow, and improved returns for shareholders.

With a market capitalisation of roughly $56 billion, Woodside remains the largest energy company on the ASX.

Santos also benefits from stronger crude prices

Santos is another major Australian oil and gas producer that is closely tied to movements in global energy markets.

The company operates oil and gas assets across Australia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Alaska, supplying energy into both domestic and international markets.

With a market capitalisation of about $23 billion, Santos is the ASX’s second largest oil and gas producer.

Can the oil rally continue?

The key question now is whether crude prices can hold onto their recent gains.

Oil markets can be highly volatile, particularly when geopolitical tensions are involved. This is especially true in the Middle East, one of the world’s most important oil producing regions.

If supply concerns continue to build, higher crude prices could keep supporting the outlook for energy producers.

The next few weeks may prove important in determining whether the latest oil rally has further room to run.

The post Why Woodside and Santos shares are in focus as oil prices surge appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Experts rate these 2 ASX blue-chip shares as strong buys this month
• 3 reasons to buy Woodside shares today
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• Can these red hot ASX 200 stocks keep rising?
• Want to receive the BHP, Rio Tinto, and Woodside dividends? Here’s what you need to do

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.

Whether they know it or not, many Australians own Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares via their super funds.

That’s because the two S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) stocks both count amongst the top ten listed Australian companies in terms of market cap.

The stocks are also popular among passive income retail investors for their reliable, fully-franked dividend payouts.

Wesfarmers shares trade on a fully-franked dividend yield of 3.3%. And CBA shares trade on a fully-franked dividend yield of 2.9%.

But at their current valuations, Morgans’ Damien Nguyen believes investors would do well to sell their shareholdings and look elsewhere for better opportunities (courtesy of The Bull).

Here’s why.

CBA shares trading at premium to peers

“CBA is a high-quality company,” said Nguyen. “But the bank’s valuation has stretched well beyond peers, reflecting investor preference for safety and consistency.”

Commenting on his sell recommendation on CBA shares, Nguyen said:

Much of the good news, including strong deposit margins and sector leading returns, is already priced in, leaving limited scope for upside from here. We see better value elsewhere in the sector and believe the current premium leaves the stock vulnerable to even modest disappointment, which supports our sell rating at these levels.

CBA trades on a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of around 26 times.

Which brings us to…

Should you sell your Wesfarmers shares today?

Atop his bearish medium-term outlook for CBA shares, Nguyen also foresees potential headwinds building for Wesfarmers shares.

“This industrial conglomerate is a well-managed and diversified group, but market pricing has become demanding after a strong run,” Nguyen said. “Bunnings and Kmart continue to perform well, but the retail environment is softening.”

He noted:

The current valuation appears to assume sustained strength across all divisions, leaving little margin for error should consumer spending weaken or emerging businesses take longer to deliver meaningful returns.

Commenting on his sell recommendation, Nguyen concluded, “While Wesfarmers remains a high-quality operator, its risk‑reward profile looks unfavourable relative to other opportunities, supporting a cautious sell for now.”

Wesfarmers shares trade on a P/E ratio of around 28 times.

How have Wesfarmers and CBA shares been tracking?

Down 0.6% in late morning trade today at $75.64 a share, Wesfarmers shares are up 2% over 12 months. The ASX 200 stock has slumped 15.3% since reporting its half-year results on 19 February.

CBA shares are up 1.1% at the time of writing, changing hands for $173.82 each. This sees CommBank stock up 11.1% over 12 months. Shares are up 9.4% since CBA reported its half-year results on 11 February.

The post Sell alert! Why this expert is calling time on Wesfarmers and CBA shares 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 positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Do you have space in your income portfolio for some ASX dividend stocks? If you do, then it could be worth checking out the three in this article.

They have recently been recommended as buys by brokers in March. Here’s why they could be top picks for income investors with $3,000 to put to work in the share market:

Cedar Woods Properties Limited (ASX: CWP)

Bell Potter thinks Cedar Woods could be an ASX dividend stock to buy this month.

It is one of Australia’s leading property companies, owning a high-quality portfolio that is diversified by geography, price point, and product type. The broker believes that this leaves it well-positioned to be a big winner from Australia’s chronic housing shortage.

Bell Potter expects this to support dividends per share of 39 cents in FY 2026 and then 41 cents in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $8.73, this equates to 4.5% and 4.7% dividend yields, respectively.

The broker has a buy rating and $10.20 price target on its shares.

Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV)

Another ASX dividend stock to consider for income is Premier Investments.

It is the owner of popular retail brands Smiggle and Peter Alexander, as well as a sizeable stake in appliance manufacturer Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG). These assets are consistently generating strong free cash flow, which is usually returned to shareholders in the form of dividends.

Macquarie is positive on this one, especially given its belief that the Peter Alexander brand is being significantly undervalued.

As for income, it expects fully franked dividends of 79 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 90.3 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $12.87, this equates to dividend yields of 6.1% and 7%, respectively.

The broker currently has an outperform rating and $16.20 price target on the shares.

Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL)

A final ASX dividend stock to consider according to analysts is Sonic Healthcare.

It is a global medical diagnostics company, operating laboratories and collection centres across Australia, Europe, and the United States. Its services are tied to healthcare demand rather than economic cycles, which can provide a degree of earnings resilience.

Macquarie is also positive on this one and is recommending Sonic Healthcare to clients.

The broker recently put an outperform rating and $27.50 price target on its shares.

In terms of income, Macquarie is forecasting partially franked dividends of 104 cents per share in FY 2026 and 100 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on the current share price of $23.01, this implies dividend yields of 4.5% and 4.35%, respectively.

The post 3 ASX dividend stocks to buy with $3,000 in March appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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