BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares surged to a new all-time record $68.22 on Tuesday, taking their 2026 gain to 48% and 12-month return to 58%.

That’s great news for BHP shareholders — myself included.

More than five years ago, I made one of my first Australian share purchases: BHP shares. So, how has that early bet worked out?

Let’s run the numbers.

$25,000 in BHP shares

At the end of 2020, I backed the $330 billion ASX mining giant at $36.63 per share. I invested $24,987 to buy 682 BHP shares.

What followed was an extraordinarily volatile five years. The investment began amid pandemic uncertainty, with commodity prices swinging wildly and BHP shares briefly falling into the low $30s.

Then came the commodity boom. Iron ore prices surged, BHP’s profits ballooned and the stocks climbed above $50 during 2021 and 2022.

The cycle eventually turned. China’s property slowdown weighed on iron ore and mining stocks, pushing BHP back towards the high $30s before the shares recovered.

The income and capital gains

With BHP shares now around $67, my original 682 stocks would be worth approximately $45,694. That represents a capital gain of about $20,707 before dividends.

But BHP isn’t just a capital-growth story. Its dividends have been a major part of the investment return. Over the five-year period, the miner paid approximately $19 per share in dividends. Across 682 shares, that equates to around $12,958 in income.

Add that to the capital value and the investment has generated roughly $58,650 in total value if dividends were taken as cash. That’s more than double the original investment.

Reinvesting the dividends

However, I opted to participate in BHP’s dividend reinvestment plan (DRP).

Assuming the dividends were reinvested at an average share price of around $51, the original 682 BHP shares could have grown to approximately 806 shares. At $67 per share, that holding would now be worth roughly $54,002.

Compared with the original $24,987 investment, that’s a gain of more than $29,000.

And the benefit doesn’t stop there. Owning more shares means future dividends are calculated on a larger holding.

The DRP effectively turned volatility into an opportunity. When BHP shares traded in the $30s and $40s, reinvested dividends bought more shares. When the mining cycle recovered, those additional shares amplified the gains.

Was the BHP investment worth it?

The past five years demonstrate two important things about BHP shares.

First, the mining giant remains highly cyclical. Investors need to stomach significant swings driven by commodity prices and global demand.

Second, when the commodity cycle works in BHP’s favour, its combination of earnings growth and substantial dividends can be powerful.

For a patient investor willing to ride out the volatility, my $25,000 BHP investment has turned into a holding worth more than $54,000.

Not bad for one of my first ASX share purchases.

The post I put $25,000 into BHP shares 5 years ago. Here’s what it’s worth now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has positions in BHP Group. 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.&amp;amp;amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;</p>

As earnings season continues, one ASX 300 stock that is drawing significant broker attention is Regal Partners Ltd (ASX: RPL). 

Regal Partners provides investment management services. It offers access to a diverse range of strategies covering hedge funds, private markets and real assets.

Over the last 12 months, it has experienced some volatility, and is down 3% in that span. 

However, following the release of full-year results, the team at Morgans have an improved outlook on the ASX 300 stock moving forward. 

What did this ASX 300 stock report?

In strong news out of the company, Regal Partners reported normalised NPAT of $93.3 million for the half, more than doubling the previous year. Funds under management rose to $21.4 billion, supported by record net inflows.

Other results included: 

• Normalised fully diluted earnings per share of 21.4 cents, up 104%
• Fully franked interim dividend of 12 cents per share declared for 1H26
• Balance sheet with approximately $290 million in capital post-dividend. 

The stock price has climbed more than 6% since Monday when these results were announced. 

The team at Morgans believe this is a sign of what’s to come over the next 12 months. 

What did Morgans have to say?

The team at Morgans said this ASX 300 stock has delivered another solid result. 

It was moderately above prior guidance (NPAT of “at least $90m” in July-26), resulting in Normalised NPAT increasing 108% (vs pcp) to $93.3m, supported by performance fees which increased 180% (vs pcp) to $119m. 

Importantly, the largely recurring management fees increased 14% (vs pcp), while the business trades on <10x PER. Phil King’s intended retirement is likely to continue weighing on the market, something we believe investors will overcome as the deep bench gains in profile (and presumably performance persists). On this basis, we retain our Buy recommendation with a $4.25/sh price target (previously $4.00).

Based on this updated price target, the broker sees approximately 50% upside from current levels. 

Elsewhere, Bell Potter has retained its buy rating and $4.80 price target on the company, suggesting 70% upside. 

Don’t forget the dividend 

If 50% upside isn’t enough, this ASX 300 stock also offers a very attractive dividend yield. 

Bell Potter is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 19 cents in FY 2026, 20 cents in FY 2027, and then 22 cents in FY 2028. 

This represents yields of 6.7%, 7.1%, and 7.8%, respectively.

The post Attention! This ASX 300 stock could be set to rise 50% and has a 7% yield 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 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.

Your early-60s are a turning point for your superannuation, as this is when your focus shifts from wealth accumulation to preservation.

By age 63, you’ve passed your preservation age (60 years old), which means you can access your superannuation if you’ve quit working. 

And you’re just four years away from potentially receiving the Age Pension.

The question is: How does your super compare to others your age?

And is it enough to retire on?

Let’s take a look.

The average superannuation balance for Australian men aged 63 in FY27

There aren’t exact figures for the average balance at age 63, but the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) provides a good starting point.

The data shows that the average Australian male aged 60 to 64 has around $395,852 in their superannuation.

And the average superannuation balance for Australian women the same age

Women in the same age bracket have a lot less. The average balance for Australian women aged 60 to 64 is around $313,360. That’s a gap of around $83,000 compared to men the same age.

That’s because women are more likely to take extended periods out of the workforce. Whether that’s for a career break, to have children, or to care for family. Overall, women are more likely to have periods where they receive little to no compulsory employer superannuation.

Time out of the workforce or reduced hours means women don’t get the same benefit from compounding, which overall contributes to a lower super balance. 

How does your super balance stack up with men and women the same age as you?

And most importantly, have you got enough to retire on?

How much does it cost to retire?

ASFA estimates that it’ll cost single Australians around $55,923 per year to retire comfortably. Couples living together will need to have closer to $78,566 per year combined to finance a comfortable retirement.

These figures also assume you’ll start your retirement at age 67. It also assumes that you’ll receive a part Age Pension around this time and that you own your home outright.

How do I know if I’m on the right track?

In order to fund a comfortable retirement, ASFA calculates that single Australians will need around $630,000 in their superannuation at age 67. Meanwhile, couples will need around $730,000 combined at the same age.

To reach this goal, at 63, all Australians should aim to have around $562,000 stashed away in their superannuation.

As you can see, the amount you need to retire comfortably is significantly higher than the $395,852 or $313,360 average superannuation balances at the same age.

Why is the gap so large?

A quick calculation shows that the average Australian is behind by up to $249,000 at age 63.

Part of the reason is that Australia’s compulsory Superannuation Guarantee only began in 1992. That means many people aged around 63 probably didn’t earn any super through their early working lives. 

There is also a common misconception that accumulating superannuation alone is enough to be able to fund retirement. The reality is, while superannuation is a great tool to help, you need to contribute extra if you want to reach your goal. 

The power of compounding returns means the more money you can invest when you’re younger, the more impact it will have on your final balance.

The post The average superannuation balance at age 63 in Australia. How does yours compare? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies 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.