October is underway, and I have been looking at which ASX shares I would be comfortable adding to a portfolio this month.
The three below are exposed to very different industries, but each has a growth story I think could have plenty further to run.
Here is why they make my October buy list.
NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)
NEXTDC is my pick for exposure to the rapid growth in digital infrastructure.
The company is benefiting from rising demand for data centre capacity as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and other digital services require more computing power.
That demand is already showing up in the business. In FY26, net revenue increased 16% and underlying EBITDA rose 15%. More importantly for the years ahead, contracted utilisation more than tripled as customers locked in substantial amounts of future capacity.
That gives NEXTDC a large pipeline of business that should progressively move into revenue as new capacity comes online.
There is still plenty to execute, particularly given the enormous investment required to build data centres. But I think NEXTDC has a much clearer growth runway today than it did a few years ago.
That puts this ASX share firmly on my October buy list.
CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)
CSL makes the list for a completely different reason.
FY26 was a difficult year, but I think the healthcare giant now has a clearer opportunity to rebuild growth.
Underlying demand for immunoglobulin therapies remains healthy, while CSL has been improving efficiency across its plasma collection network and investing in manufacturing technology designed to increase yields.
Newer products also give the company additional avenues for growth.
For me, the opportunity is not dependent on CSL suddenly returning to the growth rates investors once expected. A steady recovery in margins, improving plasma economics, and continued demand for its therapies could be enough to produce a much healthier earnings trajectory over the next few years.
I think that makes the current recovery story worth buying into.
Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL)
Netwealth rounds out my three October picks.
The wealth platform provider continues to attract substantial amounts of investor money, which gives the business a growing base from which to generate revenue.
I like the structural story here. Financial advisers and their clients are increasingly using modern investment platforms to manage portfolios, reporting, administration, and other parts of their wealth.
Netwealth has established itself as one of the major beneficiaries of that shift and continues to win new funds onto its platform.
That creates a relatively straightforward growth opportunity. If more advisers and investors choose Netwealth, the amount of money administered through the platform can keep expanding alongside earnings.
For me, that makes Netwealth a quality ASX growth share I would be happy to buy in October and hold for many years.
Foolish takeaway
I am looking beyond what these companies might deliver over the next few months and focusing on the long term.
NEXTDC already has a huge pipeline waiting to be built, CSL has an opportunity to restore momentum, and Netwealth continues taking a larger share of Australia’s wealth platform market.
Those are growth stories I think still have plenty of chapters left, which is why all three ASX shares would be on my buy list in October.
The post Top ASX shares to buy in October 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.
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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in CSL. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL and Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Netwealth Group. 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.