Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL) has quietly built a powerful position in Australia’s growing wealth management industry.

I think the next decade could give this tech stock, which is part of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), an even bigger opportunity as more money flows into superannuation and financial advisers continue embracing modern investment platforms.

Here is why I would be happy to own Netwealth shares for the long term.

More money can keep moving onto the platform

Netwealth provides the technology and administration that financial advisers use to manage investments and superannuation for their clients.

I like this business model because growth can build on itself.

An adviser who chooses Netwealth can gradually move more clients onto the platform. Existing clients can contribute more money over time, while rising investment markets can increase the value of assets already sitting there.

Netwealth finished June with $135.7 billion of funds under administration after attracting $15.4 billion of net flows during FY26.

The net flows are the figure that catches my eye. They show investors and advisers are actively choosing to place more money with Netwealth rather than growth simply coming from rising share markets.

Australia’s superannuation system should also continue creating an expanding pool of assets for platforms to compete over. If Netwealth keeps winning more than its current share, I think the business could become substantially larger by 2036.

It can become more valuable to advisers

There is another part of the story I find interesting.

Netwealth does not have to rely solely on attracting more funds. It can also give advisers more reasons to use its technology.

Managed accounts are a good example. These allow advisers to manage client portfolios more efficiently while making changes across many accounts at once. Netwealth’s managed account funds under management reached $30.5 billion at the end of June, almost 30% higher than a year earlier.

I think that growth says something important about the relationship Netwealth is building with advisers.

The more of their work that can be completed through the platform, the more embedded Netwealth can become in how an advice practice operates.

The company is continuing to broaden its offering as well. It recently launched Netwealth Private for sophisticated investors and an Individual HIN solution that allows advisers and clients to hold Australian securities directly while still using Netwealth’s technology and administration.

That gives Netwealth more ways to serve clients whose needs become increasingly complex as their wealth grows.

There is still plenty to compete for

Netwealth has already become a major platform provider, but Australia’s wealth management market is enormous.

That leaves room for the ASX 200 tech stock to keep winning advisers from older platforms and deepen relationships with the advisers already using it.

Competition will remain strong, particularly from HUB24 Ltd (ASX: HUB) and established financial institutions investing in their own platforms.

For me, that makes continued net inflows an important sign to watch. Netwealth expects FY27 net flows of between $18 billion and $20 billion, which would represent another step up from FY26 if management delivers on that outlook.

I think sustained inflows at that level could transform the scale of the business over a decade.

Foolish takeaway

Netwealth is the type of ASX 200 tech stock where I would be happy to give the investment plenty of time.

Every year of strong inflows adds more assets to the platform, while new technology can make the relationship with advisers deeper.

If that continues through to the 2030s, I think today’s Netwealth could eventually look like an early chapter in a much larger story.

The post Could this ASX 200 tech stock be one of the best to own for the next decade? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Hub24. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Hub24 and Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Hub24. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

After posting strong returns so far in August, the median growth-oriented superannuation fund is up an impressive 1.3% already this financial year, according to research company Chant West.

A weak start bolstered by a strong August

Returns in July for the median growth fund, with 61% to 80% growth assets, were a modest 0.3%, however with share markets performing well in August so far, Chant West estimates the median growth fund is up 1.3% over the first seven weeks of the new financial year.

Chant West Head of Superannuation Investment Research, Mano Mohankumar, said that share markets were mixed during July with significant variation in returns across regions.

He said:

Over the month, developed market international shares returned 0.2% in hedged terms, largely due to a flat month from US shares, as the technology sector came under pressure amid concerns about the scale of AI investment and uncertainty surrounding future revenue growth. Due to the appreciation of the Australian dollar over the month, the return in unhedged terms was in the red at -0.9%. On average, super funds have about 70% of international shares unhedged. Emerging markets declined 4.4% where the previously strong performance from the tech sector in South Korea and Taiwan reversed sharply. Australian shares, on the other hand, were up a healthy 2.1% over the month supported by the financials and resources sectors, as well as the markets’ relatively low tech and AI-related exposure. Bonds weakened with Australian and international bonds falling 0.4% and 0.9%, respectively, as bond yields rose on renewed inflation concerns.

For July, all growth funds led returns among all superannuation products with 0.5%, while conservative funds were steady at 0% gains.

Superannuation a good long-term bet

Mr Mohankumar said over the longer term, superannuation funds had outperformed their objectives.

He said:

Since the introduction of compulsory super in July 1992, the median growth fund has returned 8% p.a. The annual CPI increase over the same period is 2.7%, giving a real return of 5.3% p.a. – well above the typical 3.5% target. Even looking at the past 20 years, which includes three major share market downturns – the GFC in 2007-2009, COVID-19 in 2020, and the high inflation and rising interest rates in 2022 – super funds have returned 6.9% p.a., which is still ahead of the typical objective.

Over the past 10 years, all growth superannuation products have outperformed all other funds, returning a compound 9.3%.

This compares to growth funds with 7.6% and conservative funds with 4.5%.

Chant West said all risk categories have generally met their typical long-term return objectives, which generally range from inflation plus 1.5% for conservative funds to inflation plus 4.25% for all growth.

The post Superannuation funds have started the financial year well. See how much they’re up appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England 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.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares have been on a tear this year.

In morning trade today, shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy stock are up 0.5%, changing hands for $33.33 apiece. That sees the share price up an impressive 40.2% in 2026.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.4% today and up 3.5% year to date.

Atop the strong Woodside share price gains this year, the company also paid out a fully-franked 83.5 cent per share final dividend on 27 March.

But with the share price having surged more than 40% already this year, is the ASX 200 energy stock still a good buy for passive income?

Should I buy Woodside shares for passive income?

It goes without saying that investors who bought Woodside shares at the 2 January close of $23.66 will be enjoying a higher dividend yield than investors who buy the stock today.

Taking a look at the trailing yield, atop the 83.5 cent per share dividend the company paid in March, Woodside also paid out a fully-franked 81.8 cent per share dividend on 24 September.

That works out to a full-year passive income payout of $1.653 per share.

So, if you’d bought the stock at the beginning of the year, you’d be earning a fully-franked 7% trailing dividend yield on that investment. Or a 10% grossed-up yield, taking those franking credits into account.

At today’s $33.33, the dividend yield from Woodside shares is a more modest, but still attractive, 5%. Or 7.1% grossed up.

Based on the trailing yield, then, if you invested $10,000 in Woodside shares today, you could expect to earn $496 a year in passive income. And, of course, we’ll be hoping for more capital gains as well.

Could the ASX 200 energy stock’s passive income payouts increase?

2022 and 2023 saw Woodside shares delivering record dividend payments, and attracting strong interest from passive income investors, amid soaring global oil and gas prices.

While oil prices haven’t quite matched those levels yet in 2026, they’ve come close amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. Brent crude oil is currently trading just north of US$91 per barrel, according to data from Bloomberg.

Indeed, at Woodside’s June quarter report, the company reported that despite a 9% quarter-on-quarter production slip (primarily related to planned maintenance and inclement weather), operating revenue for the quarter surged 28% to US$4.19 billion.

That revenue boost was largely thanks to the 35% increase in the average realised price to US$85 per barrel of oil equivalent the company received over the three months.

While there are no guarantees, I suspect that higher oil prices, and forecast full-year production in the range of 174 MMboe to 185 MMboe, will result in a higher interim dividend being declared when Woodside reports on its half-year results next week, 25 August.

The post Up 40%! Are Woodside shares still a good buy for passive income now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.