Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) has posted a 6% drop in iron ore shipments for the September 2026 quarter, with net debt rising after the payment of a final dividend.

What did Fortescue report?

• Total iron ore shipments of 46.8 million tonnes (Mt), down 6% on the prior corresponding period
• Hematite realised price averaged US$80 per dry metric tonne (82% of Platts 61% CFR Index)
• Cash of US$3.2 billion and net debt climbed to US$2.8 billion at 30 September 2026
• Final FY26 dividend payment of US$1.0 billion made during the quarter
• Quarterly capital expenditure was US$0.9 billion

What else do investors need to know?

Iron ore shipments were affected by scheduled maintenance, including port shutdowns, although supply chain stock levels remained healthy at the end of the quarter. Operating cash flow was impacted by increased working capital and rising product inventory.

Iron ore sales volumes (42.9Mt) were lower than total shipments, reflecting ongoing contract negotiations with China Mineral Resources Group (CMRG). Importantly, Fortescue has kept its full-year 2027 guidance for shipments, C1 unit cost, and capital expenditure unchanged, though these remain subject to reaching an agreement with CMRG.

What’s next for Fortescue?

Investors should keep an eye on negotiations with CMRG, as these remain key to Fortescue’s sales volumes and overall guidance for FY27. With inventories up and guidance unchanged, management appears confident of navigating the current challenges while maintaining healthy supply levels.

Looking ahead, the company’s focus will likely remain on operational efficiency and the resolution of customer negotiations. The full September quarter Production Report, due 22 October, may provide further detail.

Fortescue share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Fortescue shares have declined 17%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has declined 2% over the same period.

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The post Fortescue posts September 2026 quarterly earnings update 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.

The Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) share price is in focus today after the miner reported September quarter gold production of 48,839 ounces and underlying free cash flow of A$60.2 million.

What did Ramelius Resources report?

• Gold production: 48,839 ounces
• FY27 production guidance: 205,000 – 225,000 ounces
• Underlying free cash flow: A$60.2 million
• Cash and gold balance: A$768 million (up from A$649.6 million at 30 June 2026)
• Ore stockpile: 27,680 tonnes at 4.78 g/t (4,254 contained ounces)
• Ongoing A$250 million share buyback, with A$18 million completed in the quarter

What else do investors need to know?

Production was slightly impacted by wet weather in September, delaying haulage from the high-grade Penny mine, but haulage has now recommenced. The company remains confident in achieving its full-year gold production guidance.

Ramelius continues to advance its growth projects, including the Mt Magnet mill expansion, with installation underway on a new crusher and gravity tower. The Rebecca-Roe project received a key environmental Works Approval during the quarter, moving it closer to full approval.

The sale of Edna May was completed for A$300 million, boosting the company’s financial position and enabling continued investment in expansion and exploration.

What did Ramelius Resources management say?

Managing Director Mark Zeptner said:

We continue to build on the strong momentum from last financial year particularly with Dalgaranga ramping up tonnages, commissioning the new paste plant and continuing to out-perform on grade and recovery expectations. We are excited to see construction activities taking place on the Mt Magnet mill expansion and are bringing forward some capital expenditure at Rebecca-Roe as we near finalisation of all required approvals.

What’s next for Ramelius Resources?

Ramelius is set to progress its 4-year growth strategy targeting more than 600,000 ounces of gold production by FY30. The recent resource upgrades and project approvals back its plan for sustained output through to the late 2030s.

With a strong balance sheet, ongoing buybacks, and an active exploration program, Ramelius aims to displace lower-grade material and maximise output at key sites, focusing on discovery and development opportunities.

Ramelius Resources share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Ramelius Resources shares have declined 8%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has declined 2% over the same period.

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The post Ramelius Resources September quarter earnings: Gold production update and 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.

ASX passive income shares are some of my favourite stocks to buy because they pay real cash flow into our bank accounts. Some of them have incredibly high dividend yields.

Uncertainty in the wider economy and higher interest rates have pushed share prices lower and, in turn, sent dividend yields higher.

With that in mind, there are a few high-yield names that come to mind, and the two below are among the most attractive.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

The first business I want to highlight is this real estate investment trust (REIT), which has a highly diversified portfolio spanning sectors such as service stations, hotels, office buildings, Bunnings properties, and distribution centres.

Higher interest rates are particularly a headwind for REITs because they increase the cost of debt (which REITs tend to have), and it’s a headwind for property valuations. But I don’t expect interest rates to stay this high forever, meaning that this is a useful time to invest.

The Charter Hall Long WALE REIT unit price has dropped 24% in the past year (at the time of writing), but I don’t think the underlying business is worth 24% less than it was before.

It has several positive factors, including a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of around 9 years, which provides long-term rental income security. That rent is regularly growing thanks to a mixture of fixed annual increases and inflation-linked increases.

The business plans to maintain its annual distribution at 25.5 cents per unit in FY27, which translates into a forward distribution yield of 8.4%.

WAM Microcap Ltd (ASX: WMI)

This listed investment company (LIC) is the other ASX passive income share idea that I want to highlight with a huge dividend yield.

LICs are a great structure because they allow investors to gain exposure to a portfolio of shares and can turn some of the generated investment profits into a steady (or growing) dividend.

WAM Microcap looks to invest in the smallest businesses on the ASX, ones with a market capitalisation under $300 million at the time of investment.

The LIC grew its regular annual dividend each year between FY18 and FY23, maintained it in FY24, and grew it slightly in FY25 and FY26.

Its FY26 annual dividend per share of 10.7 cents translates into a huge grossed-up dividend yield of 11.75%, including franking credits, at the time of writing. While the business only grew its annual dividend by 1% in FY26, any increase is useful when you’re talking about a double-digit yield.

WAM Microcap needs to keep delivering investment returns to grow its dividend, but its current profit reserve covers more than four years of payments at the current level.

$600 of passive income per month

Between the two stocks above, the average dividend yield is around 10%, including franking credits.

To reach $600 per month in income, we should set an annual goal, since they don’t pay monthly. The target is $7,200 per year. For that level of income, an investor would need around $72,000 invested in the two names above.

But I’d suggest spreading investment dollars across additional ASX share ideas that can generate returns, rather than putting too much in just two names.

The post 2 ASX passive income share ideas I’d use to generate $600 a month in 2027 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Wam Microcap. 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.