Reporting season is usually when ASX dividend shares show off. Unfortunately, this August a few of them did the opposite.

Three well-known companies reduced or removed their payouts entirely.

Why these ASX dividend shares reduced their payouts

A dividend cut is not always a distress signal.

Sometimes it reflects a commodity cycle turning over, and sometimes it reflects a board choosing to spend money on the business instead.

However, occasionally it reflects a company that simply has nothing left to pay out with.

All three ASX dividend shares below fall into a different one of those buckets.

1. ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX)

ASX Ltd is the odd one out on this list.

The exchange operator had a strong year, growing operating revenue by 13.3% to $1.25 billion in FY26. Underlying net profit after tax rose 5.2% to $536.4 million.

Shareholders still received less, with the fully franked full-year dividend coming in at 206.5 cents per share, down 7.5% on the prior year.

The explanation is due to the cost line.

Total expenses climbed 21.1% to $557.4 million as the company funded its technology rebuild, the ongoing Accelerate program and one-off costs arising from the ASIC Inquiry.

Guidance points to more of the same, with FY27 expense growth of 18% to 21% and capital expenditure between $180 million and $200 million.

Interim chief executive Darren Yip, said the following:

It has been a highly consequential year for ASX in FY26. In the past 12 months we navigated significant external scrutiny, while continuing to operate critical market infrastructure through an exceptionally active and volatile period for markets. Against that backdrop, we continued to modernise our technology, introduce new products and serve our customers.

2. Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

Whitehaven Coal made the most straightforward dividend cut of the three.

The company’s full-year dividend fell to 10.0 cents fully franked, from 15.0 cents the year before.

That is a reduction of exactly one third.

Underlying net profit after tax dropped to $227 million from $319 million, while revenue slipped 7% to $5.4 billion on an average achieved coal price of A$202 a tonne.

The operations themselves performed well.

Managed run-of-mine production rose 3% to 40.3 million tonnes, at the top end of guidance.

Unit costs fell to $132 a tonne from $139, which makes this a coal price problem.

Chief executive Paul Flynn had the following to say about the dividend cut:

Whitehaven will return up to $159 million of capital to shareholders in respect of FY26, including a fully franked final dividend of 6 cents per share to take the full-year dividend to 10 cents, together with an equivalent amount of capital returned through Whitehaven’s on market share buy-back program.

3. Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

Corporate Travel Management did not cut its dividend; rather, it abandoned it.

Payments remain suspended after thirteen months of trading suspension.

The company resumed trading on 3 September and promptly lost around 80% of its value.

FY26 itself was not the problem, with revenue and other income rising 4% to $669.9 million while underlying EBITDA climbed 36% to $113.6 million.

The obstacle is a customer remediation liability forecast near $234 million alongside a modified audit opinion.

Foolish takeaway

A dividend cut tells you what a board thinks about the next twelve months.

On that basis I find Whitehaven the least worrying of these ASX dividend shares, because the cash is still being returned through buybacks.

ASX Ltd is the harder call, since the spending is material but the revenue growth has not yet reached shareholders.

Corporate Travel is not an income stock at all right now.

Income investors should not necessarily panic when one of their holdings cuts their dividends: sometimes there are very good reasons for such an action, other times, it can reveal troubling underlying issues with the company.

The post 3 ASX shares that cut their dividend this reporting season appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Warning: Corporate Travel shares have crashed 80%. What on earth just happened?
• Corporate Travel Management shares resume trading after FY26 report
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Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven 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 Corporate Travel Management. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Corporate Travel Management. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Aiming to earn $50,000 a year in passive income from your superannuation savings in your retirement years?

If you’re a single homeowner, it’s a decent figure to shoot for to provide a comfortable lifestyle in your golden years.

Now, there are a number of ways you can go about investing your superannuation to build that passive income stream.

Investing in ASX dividend shares

In my opinion, investing in quality ASX dividend shares is the best way to secure a reliable passive income. Ideally these dividends will come with franking credits. Those give you credit for the taxes the companies you invest in have already paid on their profits.

Below we look at three S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) dividend shares that fit the bill.

Of course, a properly diversified passive income portfolio will hold more than just three ASX dividend stocks. While there’s no right number for everyone, somewhere in the range of 15 is a decent figure to aim for.

Ideally you want to own companies that operate across a range of sectors and locations. This helps to reduce the risk that your passive income stream takes a big hit if a single sector or company runs into a rough patch.

So just how big a super balance do I need for a $50,000 annual passive income without drawing down that balance?

How much superannuation will I need?

The exact level of super savings you’ll need will depend on the yield you get.

I believe the three ASX dividend stocks below provide a reasonable example of the dividend yield you could expect to achieve over the longer-term. And, of course, we’ll be hoping the share prices of the companies we invest in go up as well.

So, without further ado, the first ASX 200 dividend share I’d invest some of my superannuation in is Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS).

Over the past 12 months, the ASX 200 oil and gas stock has paid (or will shortly pay) two fully franked dividends totalling $1.63 per share.

At the recent Woodside share price of $32.13, Woodside trades on a fully franked dividend yield of 5.1%. The Woodside share price has gained around 24% over the full year.

The second ASX 200 dividend stock I’d buy is rail freight operator Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ).

Over the past 12 months, Aurizon has paid (or will shortly pay) two dividends, 90% franked, totalling 23 cents a share. At the recent Aurizon share price of $3.72, the stock trades on a dividend yield of 6.2%. The Aurizon share price is up around 17% over the past 12 months.

And the third dividend stock I’d buy with my superannuation savings is ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ).

Over the past 12 months, the ASX 200 bank stock has paid two partly franked dividends totalling $1.66 a share. At the recent ANZ share price of $38.00, ANZ trades on a partly franked dividend yield of 4.4%. The ANZ share price is up around 16% over a year.

So, if I were to invest a similar amount in each of the above ASX 200 dividend stocks, I could expect to earn a yield of 5.2%, with tax benefits from those franking credits.

For my $50,000 annual passive income, I’d need around $956,000 in superannuation savings.

The post How much superannuation do I need to retire with a $50,000 annual passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX 200 bank shares led a financial sector rebound last week
• What’s driving the ASX 200 higher today?
• Here’s what brokers tip next for APA, Transurban, Aurizon shares
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Own BHP, Woodside or Coles shares? Here’s what investors should know

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 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.

What if the biggest dividend yield on the ASX is actually a trap? For investors chasing income for decades, I’d rather own quality ASX shares with resilient cash flows, sustainable payouts and room to grow their dividends.

A strong ASX dividend portfolio should also avoid relying too heavily on any single industry. The goal is to build several income streams that can keep flowing through different economic conditions.

A defensive foundation

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) is one example. Supermarkets may not be glamorous, but Australians need groceries and household essentials in good times and bad.

Coles still faces competition, rising costs and changing consumer behaviour, but its defensive business model and recurring customer demand can provide the earnings stability income investors seek.

Consensus forecasts point to fully franked dividends per share of 83.5 cents in FY27, 88.8 cents in FY28 and 97.4 cents in FY29. That equates to estimated dividend yields of around 3.5% to 4%.

Add essential infrastructure

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) could provide another income stream. The toll-road operator owns and operates infrastructure across Australia and North America, collecting revenue from millions of journeys.

That can produce relatively predictable cash flows, although investors need to consider its debt, capital requirements and regulatory risks.

For a dividend portfolio, toll roads offer exposure to essential infrastructure without relying directly on consumer spending or commodity prices. Transurban also has major projects that could support future growth.

The ASX shares currently offer a forward FY2027 dividend yield of around 5.2%.

Diversify beyond banks and miners

APA Group (ASX: APA) could add another layer of diversification. The company owns and operates energy infrastructure, including gas pipelines and renewable energy assets. Its revenues are therefore tied more closely to infrastructure than the underlying commodity price itself.

Based on current estimates, this ASX share offers an FY2027 dividend yield of approximately 5.4%.

Property can also have a place in an income-focused portfolio. Digico Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT) provides exposure to global data centres through their ownership, operation and development.

Bell Potter forecasts dividend yields of 5.9% in FY2027, 7.3% in FY2028 and 8.3% in FY2029.

Don’t overlook dividend growth

A high yield today doesn’t necessarily mean higher income tomorrow.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) has a long history of rewarding shareholders through dividends and capital growth. Its scale, balance sheet and strong market position make it a major ASX income stock, although banks remain exposed to economic cycles.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) is another ASX share I’d consider. Its dividend yield isn’t usually among the highest on the ASX, but that isn’t necessarily a weakness.

By reinvesting in its businesses and pursuing attractive growth opportunities, Wesfarmers has the potential to grow earnings and, over time, increase shareholder distributions.

Foolish takeaway

Building an ASX dividend portfolio for life isn’t about finding the biggest yield.

I’d rather combine defensive companies, essential infrastructure, property and dividend growers to create multiple income streams.

The objective isn’t simply to collect big dividends today. It’s to own quality ASX shares that can keep paying — and ideally increasing — those dividends for many years to come.

The post Looking for income for life? These are the ASX shares I’d consider appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These are the 10 richest people in the world in September
• How to build a winning ASX share portfolio and create wealth
• ASX 200 bank shares led a financial sector rebound last week
• If I invest $15,000 in CBA shares, how much passive income will I receive in 2027?
• Is Coles still one of the best defensive ASX shares to own?

Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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 Transurban Group and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group and Transurban Group. 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.