If I told you there was a simple ASX exchange-traded fund (ETF) out there, one that charges a paltry fee and has returned 15% per annum for the past decade, would you rush out to buy it without a second thought? I wouldn’t blame anyone who was tempted.

That’s exactly what the iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) seems to be offering investors right now.

This ETF and index fund is indeed a simple one. It holds the largest 500 companies listed on the American markets, weighted by market capitalisation. In this way, it can be thought of as an American equivalent to the uber-popular Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS).

Buying the world’s best stocks with this ASX ETF

But instead of investing in the likes of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), IVV is far more impressive in terms of scope and scale. The ASX is home to some fine companies. But very few are heavyweights beyond our shores. Not so with IVV. This ASX ETF literally contains dozens, if not hundreds, of companies that sell goods and services right around the world.

These companies include many names you might be familiar with. General Motors, Coca-Cola, Deere & Co, PepsiCo, Walmart, Procter & Gamble, Netflix, Colgate-Palmolive, IBM, Mastercard, Texas Instruments, Costco… the list goes on. And we haven’t even got to this ASX ETE’s heavyweights. Like most US-based index funds, the iShares S&P 500 ETF is dominated by tech stocks. Its top holdings are also the most powerful companies in the world right now. They include NVIDIA, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Tesla.

It’s these companies that investors largely have to thank for IVV’s incredible performance over the past decade. As we mentioned earlier, this ASXE TF has delivered a 15% return every year for the past ten years. Specifically, it is 15.72% per annum over the ten years to 31 July 2026.

That’s real wealth-building stuff. Helped in no small part by IVV’s minuscule management fee of 0.04% per annum. That’s $4 a year for every $10,000 invested.

So is IVV a no-brainer buy?

Given that the US is home to the vast majority of the world’s best companies, I think it is prudent for most ASX investors to have some exposure to US stocks in their portfolios. They are just a cut above what the ASX has to offer, at least in my view. IVV is a great way to get that US exposure. It is a simple, cheap ETF that provides a lot of diversification. What more could one want?

Saying that, I do think investors need to temper their expectations, though. I would be shocked if the iShares S&P 500 ETF kept returning 15% per annum over the coming ten years. Many of its holdings have reached critical mass, and, at multi-trillion-dollar valuations, will find it difficult to keep growing at the rates they have enjoyed in the past.

Saying that, there is plenty of innovation still happening within IVV’s portfolio. Either way, I think this ASX ETF is indeed a no-brainer buy for any ASX investor with a long time horizon.

The post 15% for 10 years: Is this ASX ETF a no-brainer buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Coca-Cola, Costco Wholesale, Mastercard, Microsoft, Netflix, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Colgate-Palmolive, Costco Wholesale, Deere & Company , International Business Machines, Mastercard, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, Tesla, Texas Instruments, Walmart, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended General Motors. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Mastercard, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

For many years, income investors have looked to specific sectors to find strong dividend stocks. 

Income investors have long looked to energy, banks and insurance because these industries tend to generate substantial, recurring cash flows that can support attractive dividend payouts. 

Energy companies can benefit from strong cash generation when commodity prices are favourable, while banks and insurers typically return a meaningful share of their earnings to shareholders once capital requirements are met. 

Their established business models, mature markets and history of shareholder distributions have made all three sectors longstanding sources of dividend income.

Right now, there are three dividend stocks from these industries providing strong yields. 

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN)

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has been making headlines this week after releasing its FY26 results. 

The bank delivered cash earnings of $530.2 million for FY26, up 3.0%, with a fully franked final dividend of 33 cents per share.

This means Bendigo Bank shares are currently trading on a trailing dividend yield of roughly 6%. 

This is outpacing the big four banks, as well as much of the ASX financials sector. 

For prospective investors, the shares are scheduled to trade ex-dividend on 1 September. 

This means you will need to own shares by the end of August to be eligible to receive this payout.

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD)

Ampol is the largest, and only Australian-listed, petroleum refiner and distributor in the country, with around 2,000 branded Ampol service stations across all states and territories.

It has also been turning heads this week after delivering a strong first half for 2026, with a 245% jump in RCOP EBIT to $1,392 million. 

Even more exciting for income investors was the announcement that the interim dividend more than quadrupled to 185 cents per share.

This significantly increased new dividend now gives the company a much-improved forward yield of 6%.

Medibank Pvt Ltd (ASX: MPL)

Turning attention to Australia’s largest health insurance provider, MediBank. Last week, the dividend stock announced that its full-year dividend will increase by 6.7% to 19.2 cents per share, fully franked.

While the yield is enticing, the most attractive aspect of this dividend stock may be its consistency. 

It has increased its dividend every financial year (except for FY20) since its listing in FY15.

Based on the current share price, it has a FY26 grossed-up dividend yield of 6%, including franking credits. 

The post 3 great dividend stocks with 6% yields to boost passive income in FY27 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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 positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Acrow Ltd (ASX: ACF) share price is in focus today after the company reported record FY26 revenue of $336 million, up 27%, and upgraded its FY27 revenue and EBITDA guidance.

What did Acrow report?

• FY26 revenue climbed 27% to $336.0 million
• Underlying EBITDA was steady at $80.3 million
• Underlying NPAT fell 20% to $27.6 million
• Final dividend of 1.42 cents per share, fully franked (down from 2.95cps in FY25)
• Industrial Access division revenue surpassed $200 million, up 53% year-on-year
• Upgraded FY27 guidance: revenue growth of 30% and EBITDA growth of 37% on FY26

What else do investors need to know?

Acrow completed the acquisitions of Preston’s SuperDeck and Ausgroup Industrial Services for a combined $54.5 million, strengthening its service offering and growth opportunities, particularly in Queensland. To fund acquisitions and maintain a healthy balance sheet, the company raised $70 million via placement and an additional $16 million through a Share Purchase Plan.

Industrial Access remains the company’s largest division, now making up 60% of group revenue, driven by organic growth and gains from major projects such as Perdaman Urea and Snowy 2.0. Construction Services rebounded strongly in the second half, underpinned by renewed momentum in Queensland and solid growth in key states.

What did Acrow management say?

Managing Director Steven Boland said:

The Company has experienced a period over the past two to three years of stagnated profits, primarily due to the downturn in construction activity across the Queensland construction market. During this period, we have invested strategically to expand our national Jumpform, Screens and, most notably, our Industrial Access businesses. Today, Industrial Access generates more than $200m in revenue and has significantly enhanced the quality, stability and resilience of our earnings base.

Our Construction Services division has now turned the corner with the second half revenue reaching a record level for any half yearly period, with most of the growth experienced in Q4. This momentum has continued into FY27.

Looking ahead, we see significant opportunities across both our Industrial Access and Construction Services businesses. … In closing, I believe FY27 will mark a turning point for the business. Over the past several years, we have worked hard to reposition Acrow as a leading player in the national industrial access market, while preparing for the recovery in the construction sector, particularly in Queensland. That recovery is now well underway, and we expect to reap the benefits in the coming years.

What’s next for Acrow?

Looking forward, Acrow has lifted its FY27 revenue and EBITDA targets by 2% and 4%, now guiding for 30% and 37% year-on-year growth respectively. The integration of recent acquisitions, organic growth from newly secured contracts, and a strong pipeline of infrastructure projects—including opportunities tied to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics—are set to drive performance.

In Construction Services, a recovery is underway, especially in Queensland and across civil infrastructure. Management sees cross-selling opportunities and the chance to capitalise on national infrastructure investment and new product innovation.

Acrow share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Acrow shares have declined 8%, trailing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Acrow: Record revenue drives upgraded outlook appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. 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.