October is here, and investors looking to put fresh money to work have plenty of Vanguard exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to choose from.

For me, the best choices do not all need to play the same role.

These are three Vanguard ETFs I would be happy to buy this month, each for a different reason.

Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF (ASX: VDHG)

The VDHG ETF is probably the simplest choice of the three. Rather than giving investors exposure to one country or sector, it bundles together Australian shares, international shares, emerging markets, small caps, and bonds in one investment.

Vanguard currently targets 90% of the portfolio towards growth assets and 10% towards defensive assets. The fund ultimately provides exposure to more than 16,000 securities.

I like the Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF for investors who want broad diversification without having to decide how much money should go into Australia, overseas markets, or fixed income themselves.

Vanguard also manages the rebalancing, so the ETF is designed to keep returning towards its target allocation over time.

For me, that makes the VDHG ETF a strong option for someone who wants a long-term investment that can largely look after itself.

Vanguard S&P 500 US Shares Index ETF (ASX: V500)

The V500 ETF gives investors exposure to around 500 of the largest Wall Street-listed companies, representing roughly 80% of the value of the American share market.

That means investors are putting money behind many of the businesses leading some of the biggest areas of global growth.

NVIDIA, for example, sits at the heart of the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boom, while Microsoft has exposure to cloud computing, software, and AI. Both are among the ETF’s largest holdings.

Importantly, the fund extends well beyond technology. The S&P 500 also includes large healthcare, financial, industrial, and consumer businesses.

Vanguard FTSE Asia ex Japan Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAE)

The VAE ETF is the more targeted pick on my October list. It invests across Asian markets while excluding Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

What I like is that this gives investors exposure to a part of the world that can look quite different from the US-heavy portfolios many Australians already own.

Technology is still an important part of the story. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix are currently the fund’s three largest holdings. Together, they give the VAE ETF meaningful exposure to the semiconductor industry that underpins AI, smartphones, data centres, and other areas of technology.

The ETF also reaches into other parts of the Asian economy, including Chinese internet and consumer businesses.

I think that makes the Vanguard FTSE Asia ex Japan Shares Index ETF a great way to add another source of long-term growth without simply buying more US shares.

Foolish takeaway

If I were adding to my ETF holdings in October, I would be looking for something that genuinely adds to what I already own.

That is why these three stand out to me. Each offers a different route to long-term growth, and I would be happy to own any of them for many years.

The post My top 3 Vanguard ETFs for October 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 positions in and has recommended Microsoft, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Microsoft and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Codan Ltd vs Xero shares: Which tech stock looks better this month?

Sometimes, investors have to choose between two very different tech shares that both sit at the heart of the Aussie market’s innovation scene. Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) and Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) are two leaders in very different technology niches—one focused on essential communications, mining and defence electronics, the other a cloud-based accounting software platform with global ambitions. Here’s how they stack up in October if you’re weighing Codan vs Xero shares.

The case for Codan

Codan is a homegrown electronic technology company that’s been around for decades but has seen a huge surge in attention lately. Its operations cover advanced communications, gold and metal detection equipment (Minelab), mining technology solutions, and defence electronics. Codan’s customer base includes governments, the mining sector and private consumers, and, according to its most recent public description, it draws a significant chunk of its sales from North America. The company is truly global, with manufacturing in Adelaide and Malaysia, and a network of business and engineering sites across several continents.

Several key numbers jump out from Codan’s current snapshot. Its market cap sits at $11.75 billion, making it a substantial ASX tech presence. Year to date, its share price has rocketed up 84.6%, which is phenomenal momentum even by tech sector standards. Codan delivers a fully franked dividend, with a current yield of 0.93%—not huge, but backed by a long record of paying and steadily increasing dividends over time (and always fully franked). The P/E ratio is 54.21, and its latest reported earnings per share is $0.959.

The case for Xero

Over in the cloud, Xero has grown from a New Zealand-scale disruptor to a global force in small-business accounting software. The company is all about delivering its platform via monthly subscription, targeting small and medium businesses everywhere. The sticky, recurring nature of this business is a big attraction for fans of ‘SaaS’ (Software as a Service) models in tech investing.

By the latest figures, Xero’s market cap is $9.90 billion—a sizeable company, but a touch smaller than Codan. However, 2026 to date has been rough for Xero; the shares are down 49.4%. Despite a P/E ratio of 49.87 being assigned in the headline metrics, Xero shows a negative earnings per share (-$0.158), which doesn’t mathematically match (see the note below). It does not pay a dividend and has no franking. For investors looking for aggressive growth, though, Xero remains a business with a global media profile, a strong market position, and a product that has become mission-critical for thousands of businesses.

Valuation comparison

Let’s line up both companies’ key numbers:

Metric	Codan	Xero
Market Cap	$11.75 billion	$9.90 billion
P/E Ratio	54.21	49.87
Dividend Yield	0.93% (fully franked)	0.00%
EPS	$0.959	-$0.158
Year to Date Return	84.6%	-49.4%

Note: Xero’s reported P/E ratio may be based on a different earnings measure (e.g. underlying or forward earnings) than the EPS figure shown, which is why they may appear inconsistent.

Codan trades on a high P/E—but that is similar to Xero’s, and both are at the end of the tech sector’s usual range. The key difference? Codan is profitable (and growing fast), while Xero currently shows a negative EPS.

Codan provides a modest, fully franked dividend, while Xero pays none.

Price-to-book or other balance sheet valuation metrics weren’t available in the data supplied for this article.

Recent share price performance

Comparing recent share price activity up to 29 September:

• Codan closed at $64.43, soaring almost 24% on the day and up 84.6% for the year to date.
• Xero finished at $58.04, up 0.57% for the session but down a striking 49.4% for the year to date.

That’s as stark a contrast as you’ll see. Codan has enjoyed surging investor confidence and some major catalysts in September, while Xero is still in the doghouse for 2026, at least by share price action.

Which is the better buy?

If I had to pick between Codan and Xero, my vote right now goes to Codan. While both are quality tech stories and both trade at punchy multiples, Codan is not just profitable but thriving—and that’s reflected in its cracking 84.6% share price surge this year. Xero, meanwhile, remains a fantastic business but is still struggling on the profit front, and its share price has been absolutely hammered in 2026.

Codan’s fully franked dividend, even if small, is a cherry on top. Xero’s lack of yield and negative EPS add another strike for now. For anyone seeking profitable growth today, my pick would be Codan.

The post Codan vs Xero: Which ASX tech stock is the better buy in October? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 leading ASX shares I’d buy and hold until 2040
• Buy, hold, sell: Premier Investments, New Hope, Xero shares
• Up 120%, is it too late to buy Codan shares?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Can the Xero share price climb back to $100?

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 positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. 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.

ASX passive income shares could be a great pick right now because of the large dividend yields they can provide investors.

It’s true that interest rates are higher these days, and that means savings accounts, term deposits and bonds are paying more income from ‘safe’ assets. But some stocks are paying much more than term deposits, and the payouts are proving to be resilient.

Let’s look at two stocks I expect to pay high dividends in the coming years.

Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXI)

This real estate investment trust (REIT) owns a portfolio of industrial real estate across Australia. It’s invested in high-quality warehouses in Australia’s major cities. At 30 June 2026, the property portfolio was valued at $1.5 billion and it aims to provide sustainable income and capital growth prospects for investors.

There are a number of drivers of rental demand, including e-commerce and data centres. I think this helps support rental earnings, income distribution to investors, and property valuations.

During FY26, it achieved strong like-for-like portfolio income growth of 5.3%, supported by rental escalations, strong re-leasing spreads of 21.4% and a high occupancy rate of 98.8%.

The business plans to maintain its annual distribution per share at 16.6 cents per share in FY27. That translates into a forward distribution yield of 7%, which I’d describe as an excellent starting yield.

Shaver Shop Group Ltd (ASX: SSG)

The other ASX share I want to highlight is Shave Shop, a retail chain with stores across Australia and New Zealand.

Its position in the market means it has been able to negotiate exclusive products with certain brands, unlocking impressive items that shoppers enjoy. This can come with a higher gross profit margin.

Another pleasing element of Shaver Shop’s strategy is the fact that it has launched its own brand called Transform-U. The ASX share has filled in certain gaps in its guidance range and price point range, while achieving a higher gross profit margin.

The company can also grow its earnings in a number of other ways including more stores, growth of online sales, new high-quality brands, and selling more non-shaving health and beauty items.

It has been impressively consistent with its payout – it hiked each year between FY17 and FY23, maintained it in FY24, grew it in FY25 and then maintained it FY26. As you can see, there have been no dividend cuts in that time.

Using the FY26 payout, it has a grossed-up dividend yield of 11%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

$300 per month of passive income

Between those two ASX passive income shares, the average dividend yield is 9%, which is impressive.

They don’t pay dividends monthly, so investors need to think about an annual target of $3,600. At an average dividend yield of 9%, it would take $40,000 to make that income money.

Of course, I wouldn’t just invest in two stocks for dividends, I’d spread the money around other ASX shares for diversification to generate returns.

The post 2 ASX passive income share ideas I’d use to generate $300 a month in 2027 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Shaver Shop Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.