July could be a good time to revisit your income portfolio.

But which ASX dividend shares could be worth considering?

Let’s take a look at five top options for this month.

APA Group (ASX: APA)

APA could be an ASX dividend share to look at in July.

It owns energy infrastructure, including gas pipelines, processing assets, storage, and electricity transmission interests.

These assets play an important role in moving energy around the country. Households, manufacturers, power stations, and major industrial customers all need reliable infrastructure, regardless of whether the economic backdrop is strong or weak.

That gives APA a defensive position in an income portfolio.

The energy transition will continue to change the sector over time, but reliability, storage, firming, and transmission are likely to remain important. This could support the company’s cash flows and distributions over the long term.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

Another ASX dividend share to look at is Charter Hall Long WALE REIT.

It offers exposure to property income with long lease structures. The company’s portfolio includes properties leased to government tenants, major corporates, and operators across sectors such as convenience retail, industrial, office, and social infrastructure.

Given that tenants are locked into long-term leases, this can give investors more visibility over future earnings and dividends. That can be valuable when markets are uncertain.

Interest rates and property valuations remain key risks, but a long lease portfolio can be a good option for investors who want income backed by contracted rental streams.

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN)

Harvey Norman is more than a retailer selling televisions, couches, computers, and appliances.

It also owns a significant property portfolio, which gives the business a different shape from many other consumer-facing companies.

Retail earnings can move with household spending, housing activity, and consumer confidence. But the property backing gives Harvey Norman an extra layer of asset support and flexibility.

Things may be tough for retailers at the moment, but when the retail cycle improves, the company will be positioned to generate strong cash flow and pay attractive fully franked dividends.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Transurban could be a top ASX dividend share for income investors in July.

The company owns and operates toll roads across major cities in Australia and North America.

Its roads help commuters, freight operators, airport travellers, and businesses move around major cities more efficiently. This ties the company to urban population growth, congestion, and the value people place on saving time.

Traffic volumes can soften during weak periods, but major road networks are hard to replicate. Once built, they can remain important infrastructure for decades.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

Universal Store is a youth-focused fashion retailer. This means it doesn’t have the defensive profile of infrastructure or property. But it does have a clear customer niche, a curated store format, and exposure to brands and trends that resonate with younger shoppers.

When retailers get this right, cash generation can be strong.

Universal Store also has growth options through new stores, online sales, and its owned brands.

Its dividend may not be as predictable as some larger defensive names, but its growth profile could make it an interesting option for investors who want more than a traditional slow-moving ASX dividend share.

The post 5 top ASX dividend shares to buy in July appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Universal Store. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group, Harvey Norman, and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Universal Store. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) is an ASX bank share that can divide opinion.

It is a major bank with a large customer base, an attractive dividend profile, and a strong position in business banking.

But investors also need to think about the economy, bad debts, mortgage competition, and whether bank valuations leave enough room for upside.

So, are NAB shares a buy, hold, or sell this month?

The NAB share price looks reasonable

The NAB share price is currently around $39.59.

That compares with a 52-week range of $35.48 to $49.45, meaning the shares are still trading well below their recent high.

That does not automatically make NAB a bargain. But I do think the pullback has made the valuation more appealing for investors looking at the big banks.

Using CommSec consensus estimates, NAB is expected to generate earnings per share of $2.43 in FY26 and $2.53 in FY27.

Based on the current share price, that puts the bank on a price-to-earnings ratio of around 16.3 times FY26 earnings and 15.7 times FY27 earnings.

I think that looks reasonable for a major Australian bank with NAB’s market position.

The dividend case is solid

NAB also offers an attractive income profile.

Consensus dividend forecasts are $1.70 per share in FY26 and $1.72 per share in FY27.

At the current share price, that implies forward dividend yields of roughly 4.3% and 4.35%.

That is not the highest yield investors can find on the ASX, but I think it is attractive when paired with the scale and profitability of a major bank.

Dividends are never guaranteed, especially in banking. Credit quality, regulation, capital requirements, and economic conditions all matter. But for investors wanting passive income from ASX shares, I think NAB’s forecast yield is strong enough to deserve attention.

Why I’d call NAB a buy

My verdict is that NAB shares are a buy this month.

The main reason is the bank’s business banking strength.

Retail banking is a challenging market. Mortgage competition remains intense, deposits are valuable, and households are still dealing with cost-of-living pressure.

NAB’s business banking exposure gives it a different angle. Businesses need loans, deposits, payment services, transaction accounts, and working capital support. Those relationships can be deeper and more valuable than a single home loan.

That does not remove economic risk. If conditions weaken, business confidence and credit quality could come under pressure.

But I like NAB’s position in a part of banking where relationships, scale, and service still count.

Foolish takeaway

I think NAB shares are a buy this month.

The share price remains well below its 52-week high, the valuation looks reasonable on consensus earnings forecasts, and the dividend yield is attractive.

The banking sector still has risks, so I would not expect a perfectly smooth ride. But I think NAB’s business banking strength gives it a useful edge in the current environment.

For investors looking for ASX bank exposure, I would be happy to buy NAB shares at current levels.

The post Are NAB shares a buy, hold, or sell this month? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino 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.

The BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ) is one of the most popular exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the ASX. In fact, it is currently the third-largest ETF covering international shares on our market, with more than $9 billion in assets under management.

However, thanks to its rather opaque name, many investors might not actually know what this ETF is offering up to them. 

This is important for any ASX ETF, but arguably particularly so for NDQ units. This ETF is one of the most concentrated funds when it comes to the US stocks it is exposing ASX investors to. Some investors who don’t yet own the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF might wish to buy some after hearing about these stocks. Others may want to stay away from the heavy exposure to tech stocks that this index fund offers up.

If you wish to find out which side of this ledger you might fall on, you’re in the right place.

NDQ: What’s in this ASX ETF?

Let’s start at the top. The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF is technically an index fund that tracks the NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX). This index contains the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the NASDAQ, one of the two major stock exchanges in the United States of America.

The NASDAQ, together with the New York Stock Exchange, houses almost all of the publicly listed stocks in America. However, the NASDAQ is the more modern exchange that tends to attract newer companies, particularly of the tech persuasion. As a result, the Betahsares Nasdaq 100 ETF is heavily exposed to America’s largest tech companies.

In fact, its current top ten holdings are all tech stocks. Here’s a look at them, including how much weight they take up in the NDQ ETF’s portfolio:

1. Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA) at 7.5% of NDQ’s portfolio
2. Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) at 7.2%
3. Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ: MU) at 4.8%
4. Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) at 4.5%
5. Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) at 4.1%
6. Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ: AMD) at 3.9%
7. Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ: GOOGL) at 3.4%
8. Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) at 3.3%
9. Alphabet Inc Class C (NASDAQ: GOOG) at 3.1%
10. Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: META) at 2.8%

As you can see, NDQ’s top ten reads as a who’s who of the tech world. Of course, this isn’t a tech-only ETF. Some other names in this fund that you might recognise that hail from other sectors include Walmart Inc (NASDAQ: WMT), PepsiCo Inc (NASDAQ: PEP), and Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ: COST).

But drilling down, a whopping 61.4% of NDQ’s weighted portfolio is in tech stocks. The next-most dominant sector in this ASX ETF is communications, at a mere 12.1%.

Tech lifts the BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF

Of course, NDQ’s fans will tell you (and they aren’t wrong) that it is this tech exposure that is responsible for this ETF’s breathtaking returns over many years.

Since its inception in 2015, the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF has returned an average of 20.37% per annum. That’s as of 30 June. That extends to 22.45% per annum over the past ten years.

Over the past five years, investors have enjoyed 17.86% per annum, 24.4% over three years, and 26.37% over the past 12 months.

Let’s see how NDQ fares going forward.

The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF charges a management fee of 0.48% per annum.

The post Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF: What stocks are actually in NDQ? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Costco Wholesale, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and PepsiCo. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Costco Wholesale, Meta Platforms, Micron Technology, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla, and Walmart. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.