Sydney, Feb 25, 2026, 17:18 (AEDT) — The market has closed.
- Woodside (ASX:WDS) finished Wednesday’s session 1.8% higher, ending at A$28.24.
- Shares are up roughly 4% across the past two sessions, following the release of full-year results and a fresh dividend update.
- The CEO search remains in focus for investors, along with how things are moving on Scarborough and Louisiana LNG.
Woodside Energy Group Ltd jumped 1.8% to close at A$28.24 on Wednesday, building on the previous session’s push after its full-year earnings and dividend announcement. That puts the shares up roughly 4% across two days.
Woodside’s balancing act is in focus, grappling with two major LNG projects—gas chilled for export—on top of a CEO search. Investors are watching both the promised cash returns and whether the company keeps a lid on spending.
Oil’s been a factor as well. Brent lingered just under $71 per barrel, not far from a seven-month peak before U.S.-Iran talks, boosting sentiment across the energy sector.
Woodside turned in record output on Tuesday, with production hitting 198.8 million barrels of oil equivalent—a combination of oil and gas volumes. Still, net profit after tax slipped 24% to $2.718 billion. The company set its fully franked final dividend at 59 U.S. cents a share, which includes Australian tax credits. That brings the total full-year payout to 112 cents, holding the payout ratio steady at 80%. Acting CEO Liz Westcott pointed out, “unit production cost decreased 4% from 2024 to $7.8 per barrel of oil equivalent, demonstrating cost discipline.” ASX filing/PDF
Woodside is looking at 2026 output landing between 172 million and 186 million barrels of oil equivalent, with capex pegged in the $4.0 billion to $4.5 billion range. A significant five-week maintenance stretch at Pluto LNG Train 1 is on deck for Q2. The company also noted it filed its annual Form 20‑F report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Tuesday.
Woodside told reporters at the briefing the board plans to announce its CEO decision in the first quarter of 2026, following Meg O’Neill’s move to BP. The company also confirmed it’s negotiating to offload another 20% stake in its Louisiana LNG project.
Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade, described the possible Louisiana stake sale as “a smart way to monetise a high-quality asset, while at the same time, de-risking the balance sheet”. Woodside reported Scarborough was 94% complete, with first LNG still on track for the fourth quarter of 2026.
Plenty of cash, if not clarity: operating cash flow climbed to $7.2 billion. Free cash flow flipped positive, reaching $1.9 billion. Revenue, however, edged down 1% as realised prices slipped.
The market remains focused on delivery for ongoing projects—not just barrels from last year. Scarborough or Louisiana LNG facing delays or climbing costs could put that dividend narrative to the test. And if the geopolitical risk premium fades, oil prices can drop in a hurry.
Woodside stands as Australia’s largest listed energy player, with Santos and Beach Energy usually sharing the watchlists of traders following the sector. The company’s portfolio—crude combined with LNG-tied gas sales—creates a double-edged sword as price moves hit both sides of the business.
Next up for investors: Woodside’s sustainability briefing lands March 16, followed by the annual general meeting April 23 and the first-quarter report coming April 29. Before any of that, though, eyes are on the CEO call and a firmer word on the Louisiana sell-down.
