Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK) shares are a popular option for Aussie investors and feature in countless portfolios and self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs).

But are they a good option at present? Let’s see what Bell Potter is saying about the ASX 200 share after it declined almost 60% over the past 12 months.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter highlights that there was a decline in job ads in August. And with the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) suggesting that unemployment needs to rise to combat inflation, the broker has concerns over Seek’s outlook. It said:

SEK’s job ad volume index for August has outlined a -5.3% decline YoY, which compares against the counted stock from the ANZIndeed Index increase of +7.8%. The Internet Vacancy Index (IVI) August print, which is a direct comparison of job ads to SEK’s index as a measure of volume flow, is released Wednesday 23 rd Sep; NAB’s Economics and Markets Research team is anticipating a slight rise in employment by +20k and a fall in unemployment to 4.4% at the ABS August labour force release on Thursday 24th Sep, which appears in-line with RBA governor Michelle Bullock’s recent commentary around higher unemployment as a lever to reduce inflation, targeting between 4.5% to 5.0%, having previously attempted to protect job gains.

After looking through recent job ad data, Bell Potter has reduced its estimates for volumes and earnings per share. It explains:

A significant divergence is opening between industry job ad flow YoY; the largest decline was Government & Defence (-20.3%), likely a response to recent political and budget pressures, followed by -14.1% for Education and Training and -13.7% for Real Estate and Property. These are being somewhat offset by +14.3% in Engineering, 11.6% in Mining, Resources & Energy, and +10.7% in Construction, understandably driven by the commodities cycle and data centre/AI build out. 

AI-related skill demand grew 3.9% MoM and 66.2% YoY; jobs with a higher automation risk declined -12.3% YoY in August compared with medium at -6.1% and low -1.8%. We reduce our volumes expectations to -2% (prev. flat) in both ANZ and Asia for FY28, reflecting the increasingly global hawkish backdrop and in-line with extending expectations to bring inflation back to target ranges. Net impact to EPS is downgrades of -7% in FY28e and -7% in FY29e.

Should you buy this ASX 200 share?

According to the note, the broker has retained its hold rating on the ASX 200 share with a trimmed price target of $13.00 (from $13.80).

Based on its current share price of $12.11, this implies potential upside of approximately 7%.

Commenting on its recommendation, Bell Potter said:

We await a positive shift in sentiment or visibility on jobs volumes recovery; potential near term Growth Fund monetisation remains an asymmetric upside risk, though the rising interest rate backdrop may also be an additional headwind in seeking a desired exit price for nominated assets. SEK appears to be improving operations to sustainably target 10% yield growth on top of strong cost controls, however, despite trading at deep value ex. Growth Fund, macro-based headwinds suggest difficult sentiment near-term for the stock. Maintain Hold.

The post Is this ASX 200 share a bargain after crashing to $12? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Imagine receiving $50,000 a year without having to work for it.

That could make a huge difference to your lifestyle, particularly if you are approaching retirement or hoping to work fewer hours.

And while building a portfolio capable of producing this much income will take time, ASX shares could help you get there.

Here’s how it could be done.

Start by building wealth

The first thing to understand is that a $50,000 passive income requires a substantial investment portfolio.

If the goal is to generate this income from dividends with an average dividend yield of 5%, you would need approximately $1 million invested.

That might sound intimidating, but nobody needs to start with $1 million.

In fact, the early years should probably be focused on growing the portfolio rather than generating income.

This could mean investing in quality ASX growth shares such as Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD), and Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO).

Blue chip shares and exchange traded funds (ETFs) could also help build wealth over time.

The aim would be to own investments capable of increasing in value over many years, while reinvesting any dividends received.

Let compounding do its work

Regular investing can make a significant difference to the journey.

For example, investing $500 a month and achieving an average annual return of 10% could grow a portfolio to approximately $1 million in 30 years.

Increase that to $1,000 a month and the same target could be reached in around 23 years.

These returns are not guaranteed, and actual returns will vary from year to year, but they demonstrate how powerful regular investing and compounding can be.

Over time, an increasing portion of the portfolio’s growth can come from investment returns rather than new contributions.

Turn the portfolio into an income generator

Once the portfolio approaches $1 million, investors could start shifting their focus towards ASX dividend shares.

That could include infrastructure companies such as APA Group (ASX: APA) and Transurban Group (ASX: TCL), which own assets capable of generating cash flow over long periods.

Property investments such as HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN) and Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW) could provide another source of income.

Established businesses such as Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) could also have a place in the portfolio.

And for investors who would rather not select every dividend share themselves, an income-focused ETF such as the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY) could be worth considering.

Final word

Overall, I think this demonstrates that the share market can be a great place to generate a passive income.

Investors just need a combination of patience, capital, and good investments. The rest will happen in time.

The post How to build a $50,000 passive income from ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Goodman Group, ResMed, Woolworths Group, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goodman Group, ResMed, Transurban Group, Wesfarmers, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group, ResMed, Transurban Group, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Goodman Group, HomeCo Daily Needs REIT, Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

With the Australian markets, and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) specifically, being on quite the roller coaster of 2026 to date, ASX investors have arguably never valued the security of receiving dividend income more. Share prices have risen and fallen this year, minting on-paper gains and losses respectively. But dividends represent locked-in returns, making them a valuable cushion for all the volatility that this year has brought thus far. With that in mind, let’s talk about three ASX dividend shares that I would buy for income in September 2026.

Three ASX dividend shares to buy for income today

First up, we’ll start with a favourite of dividend investors. Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) has long been a top pick for those seeking income on our share market. This venerable telco has been a hefty dividend payer for decades. This company’s dominant mobile infrastructure and superlative network coverage make it the first choice for millions of Australians seeking reliable mobile or fixed-line internet and telephony.

This makes Telstra’s earnings base, and thus dividend capacity, highly resilient. At recent prices, Telstra shares were trading on a decent dividend yield of 4.35%.

Next, let’s talk Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL). Coles is an ASX dividend share that offers many of the desirable defensive characteristics that make Telstra a top income pick. It is a dominant supermarket operator, with stores within reach of the vast majority of the population. As a provider of consumer staples (life’s essentials like food, drinks and household supplies), Coles is a company that is well-placed to weather any kind of bad economic weather, including inflation and recessions. That makes it a formidable dividend stock for those seeking income certainty.

Coles is currently trading with a dividend yield of 3.41%, which comes with full franking credits attached too.

Last but not least…

A final stock to consider for income is the listed investment company (LIC) MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF). Like most LICs, MFF holds an underlying portfolio of investments that it manages on behalf of its shareholders. In this case, that underlying portfolio is mostly made up of US stocks. These include many household names, such as Alphabet, Amazon, Mastercard, and Visa.

MFF is one of the ASX’s most impressive dividend growth stocks. The company has increased its annual payout every year for almost a decade now, and at breakneck speed too. To illustrate, the company has gone from paying 6.5 cents per share in 2021 to a planned 21 cents in 2026. Those dividends all come fully franked as well. Today, MFF shares trade on a trailing dividend yield of 3.83%

The post 3 for income: I’d buy these ASX shares for dividends today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Mastercard, Mff Capital Investments, and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Mastercard, and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Mff Capital Investments and Telstra Group. 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.