It's been a wobbly first half of 2026, with Australian sharemarkets swinging sharply between highs and lows.
During periods of uncertainty, defensive ASX shares are typically thrust into the spotlight as investors rotate towards stable assets.
But after recent price gains, are these major ASX blue chips still a buy?
Here's what the experts think.
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Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)
Coles shares have suffered peaks and troughs throughout the first few months of 2026. The shares have traded anywhere between a low of $20.35 a piece and an all-time high of $24.41 in late-June. Overall though, the shares are up around 6% for the year-to-date.
It looks like Coles shares hit a couple of headwinds this month. After spiking to a historic high, the shares weakened over the past couple of weeks, thanks to a combination of company-specific setbacks.
These include concerns about a potential acquisition of Petbarn owner Greencross, and news that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has ruled against the supermarket giant's proposed acquisition of a leasehold interest in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia.
But brokers are still bullish about the outlook for Coles shares. TradingView data shows that the majority (nine out of 16) of analysts have a buy or strong buy rating. Another five rate the supermarket stock as a hold and another two have a sell or strong sell rating.
The average $23.65 target price implies a potential 5% upside at the time of writing.
Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)
Coles' direct rival, Woolworths has fared much better this year. For the year-to-date the supermarket giant's share price is over 33% higher, and it has mostly trended upwards rather than suffering a series of sharp peaks and falls.
It looks like the steady increase has mostly been driven by investor confidence that the retailer's earnings are recovering after a difficult period in late-2025.
Woolworths posted a stronger-than-expected first half result in February and is actively pursuing cost cutting initiatives to help support margins and earnings over time.
But after the incredible run, it looks like Woolworths shares have now reached their peak and are trading around fair value.
TradingView data shows that eight out of 17 analysts have a hold rating on the supermarket stock. Another five rate the shares as a buy or strong buy, and four rate Woolworths shares as a strong sell.
The average $36.33 target price now implies a potential 8% downside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.
Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)
Wesfarmers shares had a difficult start to the year and slumped to an annual low in mid-May. But the retail conglomerate's shares quickly rebounded and have now recovered around 29% from that point to the close of the ASX on Thursday afternoon. For the year-to-date, Wesfarmers shares are now up around 12%.
The business benefited from an uptick in consumer spending and news that interest rates could start falling. Wesfarmers' sheer scale and market dominance across several retail sectors has also helped reinforce the company's competitive advantage.
The company has also been actively expanding. The company has opened five Anko stores in the Philippines and plans to launch another five by the end of FY27. Locally, its Bunnings brand continues to expand into new categories, including pet products and automotive accessories. And also its Kmart segment is testing larger K Home stores in an attempt to break into the furniture retail market.
But the concern now is that after a huge rebound, Wesfarmers shares have become too expensive.
TradingView data shows half (seven out of 14) of analysts have a hold rating on the stock. Another six rate Wesfarmers shares as a strong sell. Only one broker now holds a buy rating.
The average $77.39 target price implies a potential 16% downside, at the time of writing.
