CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) has given investors another reason to take a closer look at the healthcare giant.

This week, the biotech company announced a new drug development partnership, adding another potential growth opportunity to its pipeline.

With CSL shares trading around $177 on Tuesday, would I buy? Let’s dig deeper into things.

What is the big news?

CSL has entered an exclusive global partnership with Alentis Therapeutics to develop and commercialise lixudebart.

The investigational treatment targets claudin-1 and is currently in a Phase 2 trial for a rare autoimmune disease that can cause rapid and irreversible kidney damage. CSL and Alentis also plan to explore its potential in other kidney and liver diseases.

CSL stated that it will pay Alentis US$355 million upfront and fund the planned development program. If the treatment eventually reaches the market, CSL would receive 55% of global profits, with Alentis receiving the remaining 45%.

There is clearly a long way to go. Lixudebart still needs to progress through clinical trials, so I would not attach too much value to it today.

But I like what the deal says about CSL’s ambitions. The company already has a presence in nephrology through CSL Vifor, and this agreement gives it another potential treatment that could strengthen that part of the portfolio if development is successful.

Another reason to like CSL

Importantly, this partnership is not the main reason I would buy CSL shares.

I am much more interested in the recovery potential across the existing business.

Underlying demand for immunoglobulin therapies remains healthy, and CSL expects that market to continue supporting long-term growth. The company is also working to improve plasma collection productivity and increase the amount of finished product it can produce from each litre of plasma.

Those improvements could help CSL rebuild margins while meeting rising demand.

There are also newer products such as Andembry and Hemgenix that can contribute more over time, giving the company additional growth avenues alongside its established plasma therapies.

For me, the Alentis Therapeutics deal simply adds another potential future winner to that mix.

What about the valuation?

At around $177, I think CSL shares are reasonably priced for the recovery I expect.

Consensus forecasts point to earnings per share of $8.99 in FY27, $9.48 in FY28, and $10.08 in FY29. That means the shares are trading on a PE ratio of less than 20 times forecast FY27 earnings, falling to around 17.5 times the FY29 estimate.

If immunoglobulin demand remains strong, plasma economics improve, and newer products continue gaining traction, I think CSL can deliver on the market’s expectations.

The new partnership adds some longer-term upside, but I would regard any eventual success from lixudebart as a bonus rather than something today’s investment case depends on.

Foolish takeaway

The Alentis Therapeutics agreement gives me another reason to feel positive about CSL, particularly as the company builds out its nephrology pipeline.

But my buy case still comes back to the existing business and its ability to recover.

At around $177, I think investors are getting CSL’s established global healthcare operations at a reasonable valuation, with opportunities such as lixudebart adding something extra for the years ahead.

The post Are CSL shares a buy after its big news? 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. 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.

There are a few ASX shares that I’ve heavily invested in that now make up a significant portion of my portfolio.

Ultimately, I want to grow my wealth. But, a key part of my investment objectives is growing the flow of dividends hitting my bank account.

With those dividends, I can pay for expenses, whether that’s discretionary spending or having the peace of mind that essential bills are covered by passive income.

With that outlined, let’s look at two businesses that make up around 40% of my portfolio.

MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF)

MFF is predominantly a listed investment company (LIC) that focuses on international shares. It also has a small funds management segment after acquiring Montaka.

MFF likes to target competitively advantaged businesses with above-average prospects for strong economic growth in the long-term.

This investment strategy has led to the ASX share owning stocks like Mastercard, Visa, Alphabet and Amazon.

It’s the portfolio diversification that gives me confidence to invest a significant portion of my portfolio in it. It’s not just a single ASX share.

I also like how it has the flexibility to invest in opportunities big or small, anywhere in the world. This can help deliver good returns by having a wide hunting ground. It has a great track record of delivering returns.

In terms of the dividend, the business has been growing the payout by 1 cent per share every six months for a while. This resulted in the FY26 annual dividend per share rising by 4 cents per share to 21 cents, an increase of 23.5%.

I expect the business will increase its dividend by another 4 cents per share to 25 cents per share, a rise of 19%.

That estimated FY27 payout translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 6.6%, including franking credits.

Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL)

Another ASX share that I’ve significantly invested in my portfolio is Soul Patts.

This business is one of the oldest on the ASX, it’s been listed for over 120 years. That longevity is one of the reasons for my confidence in the business, it has already proved it can thrive for many decades.

The company has built its portfolio to include a number of different types of assets including fixed income, private credit, swimming schools, agriculture, telecommunications, resources, energy, electrification, building products, retirement living, financial services and so on.

As I’ve said before, I love investments that can provide exposure to a whole portfolio.

I think it’s really attractive that Soul Patts invests in a wide variety of assets, including a significant portion of the portfolio being unlisted investments.

The investment team at Soul Patts continue to add additional ideas to the portfolio. Recently, fixed income and international investments have become larger focuses.

It regularly adds to its portfolio, which is a useful driver of the net asset value (NAV) of the company, which then helps the share price.

Impressively, it has grown its dividend every year since 1998, which is the sort of consistency I like to invest in. Its latest annual dividend was the FY26 payout of $1.11 per share.

That translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 3.5%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

The post These 2 ASX shares make up around 40% of my portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 10 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week
• 2 great ASX dividend share buys for passive income in October
• How much do I need to retire on $110,000 a year at 65?
• Is this the ASX’s perfect dividend stock?

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Mff Capital Investments and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Mastercard, Visa, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Mff Capital Investments and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Mastercard, and Visa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Technology has been one of the biggest drivers of share market growth over the past decade.

And with artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, automation, and digital services continuing to expand, there could still be plenty of opportunities ahead.

For investors who want exposure without picking individual tech stocks, these three ASX exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be worth considering.

Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC)

The Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF could be a good option for investors who want to back the local technology sector.

It is fair to say that Australia does not have the same depth of technology companies as the United States. However, it has still produced some excellent businesses across software, online marketplaces, payments, and digital services. This includes WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) and TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE).

The Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF brings many of them together in one easy investment.

As a result, for investors who want exposure to home-grown technology companies, it could be worth a closer look.

Global X Artificial Intelligence ETF (ASX: GXAI)

Another ASX ETF to look at is the Global X Artificial Intelligence ETF.

It provides investors with exposure to the leading companies involved in artificial intelligence and the infrastructure needed to support it.

That can include semiconductors, software, cloud computing, data infrastructure, and automation.

The good thing about this fund is that investors do not have to decide exactly where the biggest winners will emerge. Some companies may dominate AI software, while others could make more money supplying chips, computing power, or the tools needed to build and run AI systems.

The Global X Artificial Intelligence ETF provides exposure across that wider opportunity, potentially making it a great long-term pick.

Global X FANG+ ETF (ASX: FANG)

A final ASX ETF for investors to consider is the Global X FANG+ ETF.

This fund takes a much more concentrated approach by investing in a relatively small group of major global growth companies.

Its portfolio is tilted towards businesses operating across artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital advertising, ecommerce, social media, electric vehicles, and other fast-growing areas of the economy.

Holdings include Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX).

For investors looking for a focused way to gain exposure to some of the world’s most influential technology and growth companies, the Global X FANG+ ETF could be worth a look this month.

The post 3 amazing ASX tech ETFs for growth investors appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 excellent ASX ETFs to buy in October
• Want to invest in AI? Here are the best ASX ETFs for 2027
• How to target the different layers of the artificial intelligence buildout
• Do these ASX technology shares have too much upside to ignore?
• 3 ASX ETFs for easy artificial intelligence (AI) exposure

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Technology One and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Microsoft, Netflix, Palantir Technologies, and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Microsoft and Netflix. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.