There are some ASX dividend stocks I’d rather own for income than rely on the Age Pension.

The Age Pension is wonderful and generous, and it’s steadily growing over time. But there are ASX passive income ideas that are growing their payouts faster and offer a compelling dividend yield.

L1 Long Short Fund Ltd (ASX: LSF) is a listed investment company (LIC) that’s offering investors numerous benefits. Let’s dig into those positives.

Dividend yield and payout growth

We’ll start with the passive income, seeing as that’s the focus of this article.

The LIC recently started paying investors a quarterly dividend, which is very pleasingly regular.

I expect the business to pay dividends that total 15.8 cents per share over the next 12 months, which equates to a future grossed-up dividend yield of 5.1%, including franking credits.

The business started paying an annual dividend in FY21 and has increased its dividend every year since then. Since switching to quarterly payouts, it has grown its quarterly dividend every quarter.

The dividend is increasing at a pleasing pace, I expect the combined last two quarterly dividends of FY26 will be 15% higher than the FY25 second half dividend. That’s a very pleasing rate of annual growth, in my view – far stronger than today’s elevated inflation.

Diversification

Another benefit to owning the L1 Long Short Fund is that the LIC owns a diversified portfolio which usually gives investors exposure to a number of sectors such as materials, industrials, communication services, financials and utilities.

Currently, some of the ASX dividend stock’s key areas of focus include gold, copper, construction materials, infrastructure and select financials.

L1 does a great job at investing in unloved shares and sectors that look undervalued but can still deliver good returns.

Its portfolio is tilted towards quality value stocks, with its average long position trading on a price/earnings (P/E) ratio of 10, with double-digit earnings per share (EPS) growth and modest debt levels.

Capital growth

Another benefit of ASX shares is that they can deliver long-term capital growth as they increase their underlying value.

L1 Long Short Fund has delivered strong investment returns, allowing it to hike its payouts and deliver share price growth as its portfolio increases in value.

The portfolio returned an average of 16.9% per year over the five years to 30 June 2026, driving a 70% rise in the L1 Long Short Fund’s share price over the period.

Of course, past performance is not a guarantee of future returns.

How many shares it takes to equal the Age Pension

The maximum level of income that an Australian can get from the Age Pension equates to around $1,200 per fortnight or around $31,200 annually.

Based on that, excluding franking credits, an investor would need 197,469 L1 Long Short Fund shares. But, with a growing dividend and rising share price, it makes me think the ASX dividend stock would be an excellent long-term investment.

It wouldn’t be the only investment I have in a dividend portfolio, but I’m happy it’s one of the largest positions in my own portfolio.

The post 197,469 shares of this high-yield ASX dividend stock pays an income equal to the Age Pension appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in L1 Long Short Fund. 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.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares have already enjoyed a strong run, which can make buying today feel less attractive.

But even at the current price, I think the mining giant still has plenty going for it.

Here are three reasons I would buy BHP shares today.

The valuation still looks good

BHP shares are trading around $59.76.

According to CommSec consensus estimates, the company is expected to generate earnings per share of $3.51 in FY26 and $3.63 in FY27.

That puts the shares on a price-to-earnings ratio of approximately 17 times FY26 earnings and 16.5 times FY27 earnings.

BHP is no longer the bargain it was when commodity sentiment was weaker and the shares were trading much lower. At current levels, I still think investors are paying a fair price for a business with high-quality assets and a positive long-term outlook.

The dividend adds another reason to consider the shares.

CommSec forecasts dividends per share of $2.18 in FY26 and $1.95 in FY27. Based on the current price, that represents forward dividend yields of around 3.6% and 3.3%.

Those dividends will move with commodity prices and earnings, so I would not treat them as guaranteed. Even so, they could provide a solid income contribution while investors wait for BHP’s growth investments to deliver.

The outlook is increasingly tied to copper

BHP’s earnings mix is changing.

Copper contributed more than half of the company’s underlying earnings during the first half of FY26, showing how important the commodity has already become to the group.

I think that exposure could become even more valuable over the next decade.

Copper is needed for electricity networks, renewable energy, data centres, transport, manufacturing, and the continued digitalisation of the global economy. Developing new mines can take many years, which gives established producers with large, low-cost operations a strong starting position.

BHP produced around 2 million tonnes of copper for the second consecutive year in FY26 and continues to progress growth options across Escondida, Spence, South Australia, and other regions.

Iron ore should remain a major source of cash flow, supported by BHP’s large Western Australian operations. That cash can help fund future copper developments and the company’s move into potash.

The Jansen project in Canada is expected to begin potash production in 2027. Costs and project execution will require close attention, although the commodity could eventually give BHP exposure to rising food demand and agricultural productivity.

BHP can improve portfolio diversification

I think owning some resources exposure can strengthen a long-term ASX portfolio.

Mining shares respond to commodity prices, global industrial activity, currency movements, and infrastructure investment. Those forces can produce returns that look very different from banks, supermarkets, healthcare companies, or technology shares.

That does not mean BHP will perform well during every market downturn. Commodity cycles can be brutal, and earnings can change quickly when prices fall.

However, a measured resources allocation can give a portfolio another source of growth and income.

If I were choosing one ASX mining share for that role, BHP would be my first choice. Its scale, asset quality, balance sheet, and growing copper exposure make it a stronger all-round option than relying on a smaller producer tied to one project or commodity.

Foolish takeaway

At $59.76, BHP shares are no longer priced like an overlooked bargain, although I still think the valuation provides room for attractive long-term returns.

The company’s earnings base is gradually shifting towards copper, while iron ore continues generating cash and potash could open another substantial source of growth.

For investors wanting resources exposure as part of a diversified portfolio, I think BHP shares are worth buying today and holding through the commodity cycle.

The post 3 key reasons to buy BHP shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How many BHP shares do I need to buy for $10,000 of passive income?
• BHP shares have tripled in the past 10 years. Could history repeat itself over the next decade?
• Is the BHP share price a buy for its 5% dividend yield?
• BHP shares soared 62% in FY26. Can they keep climbing?
• Why I think BHP is the best ASX mining share

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 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.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) and WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) sit behind parts of the global economy that are becoming increasingly complex.

Both companies have substantial room to grow if they can keep turning that complexity into demand for their technology.

But are their shares top buys today?

Megaport shares

Megaport helps businesses connect their data, cloud services, and digital infrastructure through a software-controlled global network.

That role could become increasingly valuable as companies spread their technology across multiple cloud providers, data centres, countries, and computing environments.

Setting up traditional network connections can be slow and inflexible. Megaport allows customers to establish and adjust connections through its platform, giving them greater control over where data moves and how quickly capacity can change.

The company had more than 4,000 customers and was enabled in over 1,100 data centres at the end of the first half of FY26. Annual recurring revenue had also grown to more than $338 million.

I think that existing network creates a strong platform for further expansion. Every new location, cloud partner, and customer can give other businesses another reason to use Megaport.

Artificial intelligence (AI) could open another stage of growth. AI workloads may need to move between data centres, cloud platforms, storage systems, and specialised computing capacity. Megaport is expanding beyond connectivity into areas such as compute and storage, which could allow it to capture more spending from customers building modern digital infrastructure.

That expansion will require careful execution. The company is reinvesting for growth and integrating acquisitions, so investors will need to watch costs, margins, and whether new products gain traction.

Even with those uncertainties, I think Megaport has a bright future. Its global reach and recurring revenue make the shares a buy for me.

WiseTech shares

WiseTech provides software that helps logistics companies manage the movement of goods around the world.

CargoWise brings customs, freight forwarding, warehousing, transport, compliance, and other logistics processes into a single platform. It is used by 46 of the world’s 50 largest third-party logistics providers and 23 of the 25 largest global freight forwarders.

That level of adoption tells me the software has become much more than a convenient tool for many customers. It can sit at the centre of daily operations across countries, teams, and supply chains.

Replacing a system with that reach could be expensive and disruptive, which can support long customer relationships and recurring revenue.

The e2open acquisition could widen the opportunity considerably. It brings technology and connections covering a broader part of the supply chain, giving WiseTech the chance to link logistics execution with manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and other participants in global trade.

Artificial intelligence could also improve the investment case. Logistics still involves a huge amount of paperwork, manual data entry, compliance work, and decision-making. Automating more of those tasks could help customers reduce costs while increasing the value they receive from WiseTech’s platforms.

Integration, leadership, and governance still need close attention. In addition, the company is attempting an ambitious transformation, and I would keep my position measured while management proves it can deliver.

However, I think the long-term potential remains substantial. WiseTech has built a deep position in global logistics software, and the shares are a buy for me.

Foolish takeaway

I think Megaport and WiseTech are both top buys for investors willing to accept the volatility that can come with ambitious technology companies.

The strongest part of each investment case is the chance to become more deeply embedded as customers deal with growing digital and operational complexity.

That should give both companies several ways to increase revenue over the next decade, provided management continues executing well.

I would buy the shares with a long holding period and give their growth strategies enough time to develop.

The post Are Megaport and WiseTech shares top buys? 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 Megaport and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.