How I’d invest $2,000 in high-yield ASX 300 shares

A few high-yield S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) shares could prove to be exceptionally resilient investments in the coming years at share prices.

There are a number of risks facing the Australia economy at the moment, such as a danger of recession (with fuel worries, elevated inflation and higher interest rates).

So, with that in mind, below are two compelling ASX shares worth owning with a $2,000 investment.

Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

I’m positive on the prospects of some real estate investment trusts (REITs) that have supportive rental income tailwinds.

Industrial properties in metropolitan locations are in high demand, with very low vacancy rates. There are numerous supportive tailwinds such as Australia’s growing population, increasing adoption of online shopping, refrigerated space requirements for food and medicine, the on-shoring and improvements of supply chains, and data centres.

The combination of a low vacancy rate and solid demand is helping drive the high-yield ASX 300 share’s rental income higher. In the first half of FY26, its net operating income (NOI) grew by 5.1% on a like-for-like basis.

With a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of around seven years, it’s clear the business has locked in a lot of rental income for the next several years.

It looks undervalued to me because its latest net tangible assets (NTA) was $3.95 – it’s trading at a discount of close to 75% to this, at the time of writing. It seems to be trading at a big discount, even allowing for the headwind of higher interest rates.

In terms of the yield, the business is expecting to grow its FY26 distribution by 3% to 16.8 cents per unit, which translates into a distribution yield of 5.6%.

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

Rural Funds is anther high-yield ASX 300 share that is a solid option for passive income.

It’s a REIT that owns various farmland across Australia, including cattle, almonds, macadamias, vineyards and cropping. I like the diversification of this strategy and how it has lowered the risk of being too exposed to one sector.

This business has an incredibly long WALE for the REIT sector, with that metric currently sitting at around 13 years.

The REIT’s rental income is steadily organically growing thanks to rental indexation that either has fixed increases or the rises are linked to inflation, plus market reviews.

Rural Funds looks cheap to me. It reported an adjusted net asset value (NAV) of $3.10 as at 31 December 2025, meaning it’s trading at discount of approximately 35% to that value. Again, higher interest rates are a headwind, but I think there’s a major valuation discount here.

The business expects to pay an annual distribution per unit of 11.73 cents in FY26. This translates into a forward distribution yield of 5.8%, at the time of writing.

The post How I’d invest $2,000 in high-yield ASX 300 shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 3 ASX dividend shares to buy with 5%+ yields
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• 2 ASX shares I’d much rather buy than an investment property
• 5 ASX dividend shares I’d buy for a second income

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Rural Funds Group. 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 Rural Funds Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.