Northern Star Resources vs BHP shares: Income investor showdown

When Aussie investors hunt for steady income from ASX blue-chips, both Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) tend to land high on the shortlist. Both are resource heavyweights, but they operate in different leagues – one as a leading gold producer, the other a global mining titan with fingers in many commodities. For those looking to boost their income stream, is one a more compelling buy right now? Here’s how these shares stack up, side by side.

The case for Northern Star Resources

Northern Star Resources is a homegrown gold producer, operating major mining projects in Western Australia and Alaska. The company has grown through savvy acquisitions and still invests heavily in exploration. As a pure-play gold stock, Northern Star’s fortunes are closely tied to gold prices, making it a classic option for investors seeking precious metal exposure but with the scale and liquidity of an ASX top-20 company.

A couple of fundamentals stand out for income seekers:

• Dividend yield: 2.41%
• Franking: 100%, so qualified Australian investors can enjoy the full benefit of franking credits
• P/E ratio: 19.71, indicating a valuation that is a bit below BHP’s on this measure

Recent dividend history shows Northern Star lifting its annual payout to $0.55 per share, fully franked, as of the most recent year. According to its most recent public description, the group manages multiple established goldfields and has expanded via strategic deals.

The case for BHP Group

BHP Group is one of the biggest names on the ASX—and indeed, in global mining. With operations spanning iron ore, copper, coal, and other key commodities, BHP’s size brings fortress-like diversification and financial might. The company unified its listing structure in 2022, further streamlining its position as an Aussie share market leader.

Key factors for income-focused investors:

• Dividend yield: 3.90%, well above Northern Star’s current yield
• Dividend per share: $2.42 over the last year, with a long and consistent payout history
• Franking: 100%

BHP has a reputation for generous dividends, and the current figures back that up. Its market cap, at $310.24 billion, towers above most, cementing its role as a “core” holding for many income portfolios. As of its company profile, BHP’s global operations give it exposure to multiple commodity cycles, providing some ballast compared to more specialised miners.

Valuation comparison

Here are some head-to-head fundamentals:

	Northern Star Resources	BHP Group
P/E Ratio	19.71	22.87
Dividend Yield	2.41%	3.90%
Dividend per Share	$0.55	$2.42
Franking	100%	100%
Market Cap	$31.73 billion	$310.24 billion

BHP currently carries a higher P/E ratio than Northern Star. Since they operate across different resource sectors (diversified mining vs. pure gold), P/E ratios aren’t always directly comparable, but BHP does command a “blue-chip” premium. Notably, both offer fully franked dividends—a real plus for local income investors. The dividend yield, however, skews well in BHP’s favour.

Recent share price performance

Comparing recent share price action until 24 September 2026:

• Northern Star Resources: Closed at $22.27, down 2.3% on the day; YTD return is -12.6%
• BHP Group: Closed at $61.02, down 1.7% on the day; YTD return is a strong 41.8%

While Northern Star has tracked lower this year, BHP has enjoyed significant price momentum.

Which is the better buy?

For income seekers, BHP Group stands out in this match-up. Its dividend yield is considerably higher (3.90% vs 2.41%) and the payout itself is much larger in dollar terms. Both companies franking their payments at 100% makes those dividends especially attractive for Aussies in favourable tax brackets.

Northern Star Resources offers a fully franked yield and exposure to gold for diversification, but its lower yield and negative YTD return make it a less compelling choice on income grounds right now.

If I had to choose one share for an income-focused portfolio today, I’d lean towards BHP. The big miner offers stronger dividends, consistent franking, and much better recent momentum. Unless I was super keen on gold exposure above all, my pick would be BHP for income.

The post Northern Star vs BHP: Which ASX share is better for passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• Why I’d buy the dip in top ASX 200 gold stocks like Newmont, Northern Star and Evolution Mining shares today
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• How much superannuation do I need to earn $2,000 per week in passive income?
• 6 ASX 200 shares scoring renewed buy calls this week

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart 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 recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

Owning Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares has been a smart long-term move, but the valuation has recently dropped, which could make it a great time to buy for passive income.

When share prices fall, it boosts the dividend yield on offer for prospective investors.

Looking at the recent Wesfarmers share price, it’s down around 22% (at the time of writing) since 20 July 2026, as the chart below shows.

When such a high-quality business falls like that, I think investors can get excited about the opportunity on offer.

Let’s take a look at what a $15,000 investment into the owner of Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks could do for investors.

Wesfarmers dividend projection

The business has steadily grown its annual dividend payout since its demerger of Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) several years ago, and the dividend growth is expected to continue in FY27.

In FY26, the Wesfarmers board of directors increased the annual dividend per share by 7.8% to $2.22.

In FY27, the company is projected to hike its annual dividend per share by another 7.9% to $2.395.

If that happens, it would translate into a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.7%, including franking credits, at the time of writing. That’s not the biggest dividend yield on the ASX, but it’s a solid start, and I expect plenty more dividend hikes are coming over the rest of the decade.

What passive income would a $15,000 investment create?

At the time of writing, if someone were to invest $15,000 into Wesfarmers shares, they would be able to buy 206 Wesfarmers shares.

With 206 Wesfarmers shares, the projected FY27 annual dividend payout would translate into $493.37 in dividend cash and $704.81 in grossed-up dividend income, including franking credits.

Of course, that’d just be year one. I expect the dividend income to increase in FY28, FY29 and in the longer-term.

Is this a good time to invest?

I think it’s an appealing time to invest in Wesfarmers shares, particularly for a long-term investment. But interest rates and inflation could be a short-term headwind.

Analysts also seem to think the business is now offering decent value.

According to CMC Invest, 11 analysts have issued ratings on the business in the last three months. The average price target across those 11 ratings is $77.79, suggesting a possible 7% rise over the next year from where it is at the time of writing.

That’s not suggesting huge gains over the next 12 months, but with the dividend added in, it could beat the return of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

But other ASX shares could likely deliver returns greater than 7%.

The post If I invest $15,000 in Wesfarmers shares, how much passive income will I receive in 2027? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How I’d build a $50,000 ASX share portfolio today
• Fortescue vs Wesfarmers: Which ASX share is better for passive income in 2026?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 5 ASX 200 shares upgraded by experts this week
• Is the Coles share price a buy for its 5% dividend yield?

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 Wesfarmers. 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.

Sharp share price falls can sometimes distract from what is still happening inside the business.

That is how I currently see these two ASX tech shares.

Both have fallen heavily from their 52-week highs, but I think the market may be overlooking the longer-term growth still ahead.

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

Catapult shares are trading around $3.12 on Friday, roughly 60% below their 52-week high of $7.72.

The company provides performance technology used by professional sporting organisations to analyse athletes, training loads, video, and other performance data.

What I like is that Catapult operates in a relatively specialised market where its products can become part of the everyday workflow of coaches, analysts, and performance staff.

That creates an opportunity to grow alongside customers rather than relying entirely on constantly finding new ones.

I also think the ASX tech share has a long runway because professional sport is becoming increasingly data-driven. Teams are spending more on analytics, performance monitoring, and technology that can help improve decision-making.

If Catapult can continue to deepen its relationships with major sporting organisations, I think the business could look considerably larger several years from now.

At $3.12, I think the market may be underestimating that potential.

SiteMinder Ltd (ASX: SDR)

SiteMinder is an ASX tech share that has fallen even further, trading around $2.60 compared with a 52-week high of $7.96.

The company provides technology that helps hotels manage how their rooms are sold across different online channels.

I like the scale of the problem SiteMinder is trying to solve.

Hotels increasingly need to manage bookings across their own websites, online travel agencies, and other distribution channels. Doing that efficiently becomes more complicated as the number of channels grows.

SiteMinder sits in the middle of that process, giving hotels technology to manage distribution, pricing, and bookings more efficiently.

I think the market may be overlooking how much room there still is for hotel technology to modernise.

A large part of the accommodation industry remains fragmented, with independent hotels and smaller operators still moving more of their operations online. That creates a sizeable addressable market for a platform that can simplify those processes.

The recent share price performance has clearly been disappointing, but I would separate that from the longer-term opportunity.

If SiteMinder can keep expanding its customer base and generate more revenue from each hotel using its platform, I think today’s share price could prove to be a very attractive entry point.

Foolish takeaway

Catapult and SiteMinder are very different businesses, but I think the market may be making the same mistake with both.

Their share prices have fallen sharply, yet each still has exposure to an industry becoming more reliant on technology.

If both ASX tech shares keep executing and their markets continue moving in their favour, I think today’s prices could prove to be great value.

The post 2 ASX tech shares I think the market is underestimating appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Down over 50%: 2 ASX shares to buy for global growth
• 3 ASX shares down 40% to 80% I’d buy on the cheap
• 2 ASX shares down over 50% that I would buy
• Brokers say SiteMinder shares can rise 90%. Is the sell-off overdone?
• 2 ASX shares tipped by brokers to return 66% and 90%

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 positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports and SiteMinder. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports and SiteMinder. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.