Author: openjargon

Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL) shares were stationary at $19.54 during Tuesday trading, but the ASX healthcare share has had a rough run. Sonic is down 11% over the past month, 14% year to date and 18% over the past 12 months.

That weakness could be catching the attention of passive income investors. But can this healthcare giant also deliver meaningful earnings growth?

Growth remains a key attraction

Sonic Healthcare is the largest private medical laboratory and pathology services operator in Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland. It is also a major provider of diagnostic imaging in Australia and the country’s largest medical centre operator.

The company’s FY26 result was impressive despite ongoing economic uncertainty. Revenue rose 13% to $10.9 billion, underlying EBITDA climbed 11% to $1.9 billion, while underlying earnings per share (EPS) increased 14% to $1.256.

There are reasons to believe demand can continue growing. Sonic operates in markets with ageing and growing populations, potentially supporting long-term demand for pathology, diagnostics and medical services.

Acquisitions provide another avenue for growth. The $10 billion ASX healthcare share has focused on expanding its European operations, with acquisitions helping increase its scale and potentially improve profit margins.

For investors, sustained profit growth is particularly important because earnings ultimately fund dividends.

A compelling dividend history

There aren’t many ASX companies with a dividend track record quite like Sonic Healthcare’s.

The ASX healthcare share has paid dividends since 1994 and has increased its payout almost every year since then. The only exceptions were 2011 and 2012, when Sonic maintained its dividend.

In FY26, Sonic continued its progressive dividend policy, increasing the payout by 1 cent per share to $1.08. Based on the current share price, that represents a dividend yield of approximately 5.4% before franking credits, or around 7% including franking credits.

That’s an attractive income proposition if Sonic can continue growing earnings and supporting its progressive dividend policy.

What do brokers think?

Sonic isn’t universally viewed as a buy. TradingView data shows 10 of 18 brokers rate the ASX healthcare share a hold, while four rate it a buy or strong buy and four have a sell or strong sell recommendation.

The average 12-month price target is $22.11, implying potential upside of roughly 13% from the current share price.

Bell Potter is more bullish. The broker maintained its buy rating after reviewing Sonic’s FY26 results, although it reduced its 12-month price target from $28.75 to $27.50.

Even after that downgrade, the target implies potential upside of around 40%.

Is Sonic Healthcare a buy?

At roughly 16 times earnings, Sonic Healthcare doesn’t appear excessively valued given its defensive operations, impressive dividend history and potential for long-term earnings growth.

The combination of a 7% fully franked-equivalent yield and potential earnings growth makes Sonic an ASX healthcare share income-focused investors may want to consider.

The post Could this 7%-yielding ASX healthcare share be a growth winner? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why this ASX healthcare share is a retiree’s dream for FY27
• Why I think these boring ASX shares could build serious wealth
• 37 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week
• How much superannuation is needed to target a $50,000 annual passive income?
• 3 top Australian shares to buy for passive income

Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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 Sonic Healthcare. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

September could be a good time to look at the income side of your portfolio.

But which ASX dividend shares could be worth considering this month?

Three shares that I think could be strong picks for passive income are listed below. Here’s what you need to know about them:

APA Group (ASX: APA)

APA Group could be an ASX dividend share to consider in September. It owns and operates a large portfolio of energy infrastructure assets across Australia.

This includes gas pipelines, processing assets, storage facilities, electricity transmission assets, and other infrastructure that helps move energy from where it is produced to where it is needed.

That gives APA Group a different profile to many other income shares. Its assets are tied to the movement of energy, which remains essential for households, businesses, and industry.

A large portion of APA Group’s earnings is supported by long-term contracts and regulated assets. This can provide a level of income visibility that is attractive for dividend investors.

Energy markets are changing, but Australia will still need reliable infrastructure for a long time.

Based on current estimates, APA Group offers a FY 2027 dividend yield of approximately 5.4%.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

A second ASX dividend share for income investors to look at is Charter Hall Long WALE REIT.

This real estate investment trust (REIT) owns a portfolio of properties leased to government, corporate, and major tenant customers.

As its name suggests, a key feature is its long weighted average lease expiry. That means many of its properties are leased for long periods, which can provide better visibility over future rental income.

The portfolio includes assets across areas such as government, social infrastructure, industrial, convenience retail, and other essential or mission-critical properties.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT has not been immune to higher interest rates and property market pressure. But its long leases and quality tenant base remain attractive features for income investors.

For FY 2027, the market is expecting Charter Hall Long WALE REIT to offer a dividend yield of roughly 7.3%.

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN)

Finally, HomeCo Daily Needs REIT is an ASX dividend share to consider.

The property company owns convenience-focused assets across neighbourhood retail, large-format retail, health, and services.

These are properties linked to things people keep using. Its tenants include supermarkets, pharmacies, healthcare providers, pet stores, childcare operators, and other daily-needs businesses.

That does not make the REIT risk-free, but it does give its portfolio a practical defensive quality.

People may delay big purchases when household budgets are tight, but groceries, healthcare, medicines, and essential services remain part of everyday life.

This can help support rental income and dividends through different market conditions.

At current levels, HomeCo Daily Needs REIT is expected to offer a FY 2027 dividend yield of around 7.7%.

The post 3 strong ASX dividend shares with yields up to 7.7% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Buy, hold, sell: Challenger, APA Group, Mesoblast shares
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• 3 ASX dividend shares raising dividends like clockwork

At age 64, you’re approaching the final few years before you can retire and enjoy the superannuation you’ve worked hard to accumulate.

But do you know if you actually have enough money in your account to live the retirement lifestyle you’ve planned?

Or how your super compares to others the same age?

Here’s a breakdown of the average superannuation balance for Australians aged 64, and how much you actually need to retire well.

How does yours stack up?

The average superannuation balance for Australian men aged 64 in FY27

There aren’t exact figures for the average balance at age 64, but the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) provides a bracket which can be used as a starting point.

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

But as age 64 is right at the top of that age bracket, it can be helpful to look at the one above too.

ASFA’s data shows that the average superannuation balance for Australian men aged 65-69 is $448,518.

And the average superannuation balance for Australian women at age 64

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.

For the age bracket above, the gap is a little lower. The average superannuation balance for women aged 65 to 69 is $392,274. That represents a gap of around $56,000 when compared to men in the same age bracket.

The gap is mostly due to women taking extended periods out of the workforce, during which time they receive little to no compulsory employer superannuation. 

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

And most importantly, how does your balance compare with what you actually need to retire comfortably?

How much super do I actually need to retire comfortably?

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.

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 64, all Australians should aim to have around $581,000 stashed away in their superannuation.

As you can see, the amount you need to retire comfortably is significantly higher than the average superannuation balances for either age bracket.

Help! I’ve fallen behind. What can I do to boost my balance before it’s too late?

At age 64, it’s not too late to boost your superannuation balance before you decide to stop working.

My first tip is to ensure that your super fund is performing well and that your investment strategy and risk profit are appropriate for your circumstances. 

Then you’ll need to add extra contributions wherever you can. Take advantage of concessional and non-concessional limits and any potential tax reduction that may come with it.

Also take advantage of any applicable government contributions that might help your personal circumstances. There is a downsizer contributions rule, a bring-forward rule, a government co-contribution rule, and many others.

Anything you do today can help boost your compound growth.

The post The average superannuation balance for 64 year olds in Australia in FY27 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Don’t panic if these 9 ASX 200 shares fall today
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• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

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.

On Tuesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a subdued session and edged lower. The benchmark index fell 0.1% to 9,066.7 points.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 to sink

The Australian share market looks set for a disappointing session on Wednesday following a poor night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 78 points or 0.85% lower. In the United States, the Dow Jones fell 0.8%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.7%, and the Nasdaq sank 1%.

Oil prices jump

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a good session on Wednesday after oil prices jumped overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 5.7% to US$90.65 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 5.1% to US$95.13 a barrel. This was driven by an escalation in US-Iran tensions.

Buy Catalyst Metals shares

Bell Potter thinks that Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL) shares could be worth considering. This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating on the gold miner’s shares with a trimmed price target of $12.80 (from $13.25). It said: “FY26 was a significant year for CYL, building operationally and financially YoY, achieving guidance. Our FY27 outlook remains unchanged (128koz for $2,833/oz AISC), subject to the September 2026 guidance and strategy release. We lower our TP to $12.80/sh and retain Buy.”

Gold price tumbles

ASX 200 gold shares Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a poor session on Wednesday after the gold price tumbled. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 2.4% to US$4,375 an ounce. A stronger US dollar and US treasury yields weighed on the precious metal.

Buy GrainCorp shares

Bell Potter is also tipping Graincorp Ltd (ASX: GNC) shares as a buy this week with an improved price target of $7.15 (from $5.90). Commenting on its recommendation, the broker said: “The ABARE crop report is positive and likely to lead to consensus upgrades. However, the margin backdrop at this point, in terms of both grain basis and oilseed crush margins, looks possibly the strongest it has for three years. To us this is key, as consensus FY27e expectations (which this crop estimate underwrites) looks to be carrying forward the margin environment of FY25-26e, which was materially weaker. This implies that there is both volume and margin upside potential within consensus FY27e expectations.”

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• The average superannuation balance for 64 year olds in Australia in FY27
• This exciting ASX 300 stock has 89% upside: Broker
• Santos shares rebound 8% in a month: Buy, sell or hold?
• ASX gold shares have surged 34% in a month. Morgan Stanley says this could come next
• The ASX 200 is falling again. What’s behind the sell-off?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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.

A good investment portfolio should do more than just look good on the day it is created.

I think it should also be something an investor can comfortably hold when markets fall, individual shares disappoint, and the latest hot investment starts grabbing attention.

Here is how I would build one with a decade in mind.

Start with businesses I genuinely understand

I would begin with ASX shares where I can explain the investment case without needing a complicated spreadsheet.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), for example, sells products Aussies buy regularly. ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD) provides treatment for sleep apnoea, while Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) has built expertise across banking, asset management, commodities, and investment markets.

The businesses themselves can be complex, but I want the reason for owning them to remain clear.

That makes it easier to judge whether something has genuinely changed when the share price falls.

Give the ASX portfolio several ways to succeed

I would also spread my investments across ASX shares that make money in different parts of the economy.

A portfolio dominated by one industry can perform brilliantly when conditions are favourable, but it can become uncomfortable very quickly when that sector struggles.

I would want exposure to areas such as healthcare, financial services, consumer spending, technology, infrastructure, and resources.

An exchange-traded fund (ETF) could make this easier. The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS), for example, provides exposure to hundreds of Australian shares through one investment.

I could then add individual shares where I have particularly strong conviction.

Leave room for growth

I think a 10-year portfolio should contain businesses that have somewhere to go.

That does not necessarily mean choosing the fastest-growing companies today.

I would look for businesses that can keep entering new markets, adding products, improving their operations, or becoming more important to customers. This might include ASX shares like Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG) or TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE).

A company that can repeatedly find sensible places to reinvest its money has a much better chance of being worth considerably more a decade from now.

I would also be careful not to fill the portfolio entirely with businesses that already depend on everything going right. Some balance between established companies and higher-growth opportunities can make the journey easier to tolerate.

Avoid constantly rebuilding it

There will always be reasons to change an ASX portfolio.

I would certainly sell if the investment case genuinely deteriorated. But I would not want ordinary volatility to turn a 10-year strategy into a series of short-term decisions.

Regularly adding money, reinvesting dividends, and allowing strong businesses to develop would be far more important to me than continually searching for something better.

Foolish takeaway

I think the best long-term ASX portfolio is one that gives an investor enough confidence to remain patient.

For me, that means understandable businesses, sensible diversification, room for growth, and a strategy simple enough that I do not feel compelled to keep changing it.

If I can build that portfolio and still feel comfortable owning it through difficult markets, I think I have given myself a strong chance of being pleased with the result 10 years from now.

The post How to build an ASX portfolio you can stick with for 10 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Could a September rate hike hurt your superannuation returns?
• By September 2027, $5,000 invested in Macquarie shares could turn into…
• How much superannuation do I need to earn $90,000 per year in passive income?
• Why I think the VAS ETF is a top pick for beginners and experienced investors
• Up 12%: Is there still value in Coles shares?

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares rose 1% during the August earnings season and are up 4% in the calendar year to date (YTD).

Brokers have been updating their ratings and 12-month share price targets after reviewing the FY26 results of hundreds of companies.

Let’s see what Bell Potter and Morgans thinks of these 3 ASX shares.

Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR)

The Liontown share price leapt 27% during earnings season and is down 22% YTD.

Bell Potter has a buy rating on this ASX 200 lithium share after reviewing Liontown’s FY26 report.

The broker maintained its 12-month share price target at $1.90.

This implies a potential near-50% upside from here.

Analysts Stuart Howe and Ritesh Varma said:

We still believe that LTR’s EV is lagging the recent recovery in lithium markets and expected tight fundamentals.

The last time LTR was trading at its current EV (early December 2025), SC6 prices were US$1,150/t and net debt was $274m.

Since then, the Kathleen Valley underground ramp-up has been further derisked and spot SC6 prices are above US$2,300/t.

While we expect lithium markets will be volatile, market fundamentals remain strong.

Over FY27, LTR will continue to ramp up and de-risk Kathleen Valley, a highly strategic asset in terms of scale, long project life and location in a tier-one mining jurisdiction.

Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB)

The Austal share price ascended 15% during earnings season and is down 38% YTD.

Bell Potter has a hold rating on this ASX 200 industrials share following Austal’s FY26 results.

The broker reduced its 12-month share price target from $5 to $4.70.

This suggests a potential 11% upside from here.

Analyst Baxter Kirk said: 

ASB pre-reported an EBIT loss of -$113m earlier this month, however, FY26 EBIT came in below this pre-report at -$125m.

ASB reported +11% YoY revenue growth to $2,029m 8% below BPe of $2,197m and consensus of $2,213m.

ASB typically does not provide guidance this early in the year…

The Board and management are committed to delivering a return to profitability in FY27e.

Management expects the operational and financial performance of the Australasia

Support segment to fall to some extent in the near term due to scheduled end of current contracts and closure of Austal Darwin.

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

The Boss Energy share price jumped 16% during earnings season and is down 8% YTD.

Morgans downgraded this ASX 300 energy share from an accumulate to sell rating after its FY26 results.

The broker reduced its 12-month share price target from $1.40 to $1.30.

This implies a potential 10% downside from here.

Morgans said: 

Guidance rest and expectations move lower — FY27 guidance implies a ~15% production downgrade versus consensus even at the top end of the range, while C1 costs and AISC are ~15-18% above market expectations.

While FY26 was broadly in line, FY27 guidance is likely to drive a reset in earnings expectations.

Honeymoon new feasibility study — The updated feasibility study outlines a more achievable development pathway with improved unit economics and lower sustaining capital intensity; however, the 13.8Mlb production profile sits below the ~15.1Mlb assumed by consensus, shifting the debate towards whether improved margins can offset lower volumes.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Boss Energy, Austal, Liontown shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Liontown enters Argentina lithium brine farm-in, diversifying future growth
• Down 28% to 46%: Are these beaten-down ASX shares cheap buys?
• Why Liontown shares could be dirt cheap
• Buy, hold, sell: Boss Energy, Magellan, and NextDC shares
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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.

Investors often focus on ASX 200 shares for the perceived security compared to ASX small-cap stocks. 

But even extending a lens to just the ASX 300 can lead to more growth-focused opportunities.

That is exactly the case with ASX 300 stock Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL). 

Company overview 

Catalyst Metals is a mid-tier Australian gold producer and developer. It holds 100% ownership of two key projects.

The first is the Plutonic Gold Operation in Western Australia, an operating, multi-mine gold production centre targeting 100,000 to 110,000 ounces of gold in FY26.

The second is the Bendigo Gold Project in Victoria, an advanced exploration project.

Its share price has hovered between $4.40 and $9.80 over the past 12 months. Right now, it sits in between these yearly highs and lows. 

However the team at Bell Potter is bullish this ASX 300 stock could explode over the next 12 months.

The broker provided updated guidance on the company following its FY26 results. 

Solid results 

According to Bell Potter, this ASX 300 stock delivered a solid FY26 operational result. It reported revenue of A$632m, EBITDA of A$303m and NPAT of A$171m. 

While these earnings were below Bell Potter’s expectations, the EBITDA shortfall was largely due to a A$49m legal settlement; excluding this, underlying EBITDA of A$352m was only about 5% below forecast.

The company also made good progress on growth projects and exploration. 

The Trident underground resource increased to 1.1Moz at 5.4g/t, while the Cinnamon discovery provides additional exploration upside. Cash and bullion increased by A$101m to A$331m, with no debt, and liquidity was subsequently strengthened to A$531m after the revolving credit facility was doubled to A$200m.

Overall, Bell Potter’s message is that FY26 was a building year: operational performance was broadly on track, the balance sheet strengthened, and significant investment was made in future production growth. 

The key upcoming catalyst is the September FY27 guidance and 10-year plan, which should provide greater clarity on how quickly Catalyst can move toward its ~200kozpa production ambition.

89% upside for this ASX 300 stock

Based on this guidance, Bell Potter has retained its buy recommendation along with an updated price target of $12.80. 

From current levels, this indicates an upside potential of 89%. 

FY26 was a significant year for CYL, building operationally and financially YoY, achieving guidance. Our FY27 outlook remains unchanged (128koz for $2,833/oz AISC), subject to the September 2026 guidance and strategy release.

The post This exciting ASX 300 stock has 89% upside: Broker 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.

With earnings season now over, brokers have updated their ratings on hundreds of S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares.

Let’s take a look at three new ratings from experts this week (courtesy The Bull).

Greatland Resources Ltd (ASX: GGP)

The Greatland Resources share price rose 19.1% over the August earnings season, and is up 94% over 12 months. 

Jonathan Tacadena from MPC Markets has a buy rating on this ASX 200 gold share. 

Tacadena said:

GGP is a gold and copper producer. The company produced 329,000 ounces of gold in full year 2026, comfortably beating guidance.

All in sustaining costs were also below guidance. It held cash of $1.289 billion at June 30 and had no debt.

It has full upside exposure to the gold price via put options.

A reserve upgrade at the Telfer mine in Western Australia is also encouraging. The company is enjoying favourable momentum.

The gold price has increased 9% over the past month and 3% in the calendar year to date.

Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG)

The Origin Energy share price increased 8% during August, and is down 9% over 12 months. 

Remo Greco from Sanlam Private Wealth has a hold rating on this ASX 200 utilities share. 

Greco said: 

This major electricity retailer posted a statutory profit of $1.574 billion in full year 2026, up from $1.481 billion in the prior corresponding period.

Adjusted free cash flow increased by $867 million to $2.074 billion, driven by strong cash flow from energy markets and Australia Pacific LNG.

The company is supported by a strong balance sheet, enabling it to deliver consistent returns to share holders.

The company was recently trading on an appealing dividend yield above 5 per cent.

PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA)

The PEXA share price fell 1.5% during earnings season, and is down 53% over 12 months. 

Tacadena has a sell call on this ASX 200 real estate share following PEXA’s FY26 report. 

He explained: 

PEXA operates a leading digital property platform and settles most transactions in Australia. It also operates in the UK.

A concern is a weaker housing market in Australia impacting PXA’s performance moving forward.

In Australia, a draft report proposes about a 20 per cent reduction in PXA’s regulated revenue requirement via reductions to certain transfer transaction fees over a year.

The independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) in New South Wales is reviewing electronic lodgement network operator (ELNO) service fees. PEXA has submitted formal objections to the IPART draft proposal.

The shares have fallen significantly since March and still remain under pressure.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Greatland Resources, PEXA Group, Origin shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Top 3 ASX dividend shares to buy before they go ex-dividend
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Chasing dividends? 11 ASX shares in top-paying sectors going ex-dividend this week
• PEXA Group jumps to FY26 profit as revenue and EBITDA lift
• 2 ASX dividend shares I’d buy right now for passive income

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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.

AI shares are among the hardest things to buy on the Australian market, because the obvious names are all listed somewhere else.

For example, there is no ASX-listed Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA)

That does not mean Australian investors are locked out.

How to buy AI shares on the ASX

There are three sensible routes.

You can own the infrastructure that artificial intelligence runs on, you can own a business using the technology to widen its own moat, or you can buy a global fund listed here.

Each carries a different risk, and the mistake most investors make is treating them as interchangeable.

The infrastructure AI shares

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) is the purest local play on computing demand.

The company’s FY26 result delivered net revenue of $405.0 million, up 16%, and underlying EBITDA of $248.8 million.

The number that really matters is contracted utilisation, which more than tripled to 740.1 megawatts against built capacity of just 288 megawatts.

Hyperscale and artificial intelligence workloads now account for 95% of contracted megawatts.

FY27 guidance is for revenue of $615 million to $640 million.

The risk is written into the same document.

Capital expenditure guidance for FY27 was between $5.25 billion to $5.75 billion, against a market capitalisation of $10.49 billion.

NextDC shares closed Monday at $13.23 and have fallen 19.66% over twelve months.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) is the larger and steadier version of the same theme.

Its FY26 operating profit rose 15.7% to $2,675 million, with operating earnings per security up 10.1% to 129.9 cents.

Data centres are now roughly $15.4 billion of work in progress, or 78% of the total.

The group controls a global power bank of 6.4 gigawatts across 16 cities, with management guiding to 9% operating earnings per security growth in FY27.

The AI shares that use the technology

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) is not usually filed under artificial intelligence, but it probably should be.

Its Visage platform is where radiology algorithms have to run, and FY26 revenue grew 28.4% to $261.7 million on an underlying EBIT margin of 74.9%.

The company signed $407 million of new contracts across ten deals and retained 100% of renewals at higher fees.

Forward contracted revenue now stands at $1.34 billion over five years.

The stock’s valuation is the primary argument against it.

Pro Medicus trades on a price-to-earnings ratio of 72 at $176.42, and the shares have still fallen 40.99% over the past year.

That fall tells you how brutally the market punishes any wobble in a stock priced this way.

The simplest option of all

Global X Artificial Intelligence ETF (ASX: GXAI) solves the geography problem in a single trade, and is the fastest way to add AI shares exposure to an Australian portfolio.

The ETF tracks the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index across more than 100 companies, with Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: PLTR), Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) among its largest weights.

The ETF’s management fee is 0.57% a year, and the fund held roughly $271 million in assets as at 28 August 2026.

Foolish takeaway

I would not build a portfolio out of only one of these shares and ETFs.

NextDC gives you the cleanest exposure and carries the heaviest capital risk.

Goodman offers the same theme inside an ASX 200 business that actually pays a distribution.

Pro Medicus is the highest quality of the three and comfortably the most expensive.

For most investors, a global ETF alongside one or two local names is the best way to own AI shares while limiting downside risk.

The post Want to invest in AI shares? Here’s how to do it on the ASX appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven 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 Goodman Group, Microsoft, Nvidia, Oracle, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Goodman Group, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX dividend shares have spent a decade winning the argument that they could yield more than cash. But that is no longer quite true.

Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA) is advertising a 12-month term deposit special of 5.15%, whilst Australia’s 10-year government bond yield reached around 5.19% on Tuesday, its highest level in 15 years.

The Reserve Bank has held the cash rate at 4.35% since May.

Suddenly, doing nothing pays something.

What cash actually pays right now

CommBank’s standard 12-month rate is 4.75%, with a 5.15% special offer available for a limited time.

Shorter terms pay considerably less, at 3.30% for three months and 3.45% for six.

In contrast, Betashares Australian High Interest Cash ETF (ASX: AAA) is the listed alternative.

The ETF holds nothing but deposits with banks, including National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB), Bank of Queensland (ASX: BOQ) and Rabobank, charges 0.18% a year, and currently offers a cash yield net of fees of 4.43%.

Income is paid monthly, and the fund holds roughly $4.9 billion.

The trade-off is a slightly lower rate in exchange for never locking your money away.

What ASX dividend shares pay after tax

This is where the comparison gets interesting.

Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY) holds 92 companies led by the major banks and BHP.

Vanguard forecasts a yield of 4.2%, rising to 5.5% once franking credits are counted.

Units closed Monday at $85.61.

On the headline number, the term deposit wins comfortably.

A rate of 5.15% beats 4.2%, and it does so without any chance of losing your capital.

Franking is the thing that changes the maths.

Consider an investor on a 39% marginal rate including the Medicare levy.

The term deposit returns roughly 3.14% after tax.

VHY delivers about 3.36%, because franking credits offset most of the tax on the grossed-up income.

In pension phase, where those credits are fully refundable, VHY returns 5.5% against the term deposit’s 5.15%.

Why the margin is thinner than it looks

Two or three tenths of a percentage point is not much reward for taking equity risk.

A term deposit cannot fall in value, but VHY certainly can.

The fund is also heavily concentrated in banks and resources, which are the sectors most exposed to a rate rise.

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) now expects the Reserve Bank to lift the cash rate to 4.60% in November, and a higher cash rate would push term deposit offers higher again.

The real case for ASX dividend shares

Yield is the wrong reason to own ASX dividend shares at these rates.

Instead, growth is the right reason.

A term deposit pays 5.15% this year and an unknown number next year, but it will never pay you more than the rate you agreed to on the day you signed.

A dividend from a growing business rises over time, and the capital behind it can rise with it.

APA Group (ASX: APA) has now raised its distribution for 22 consecutive years, which no deposit product on earth can match.

Foolish takeaway

If you need the money within two years, take the term deposit.

The certainty is worth more than two tenths of a percentage point.

If you are investing for a decade or more, ASX dividend shares still make more sense, though for reasons that have nothing to do with beating cash this year.

The underlying truth is that cash has become a genuine competitor again.

The post Term deposits are paying more than ever. Are ASX dividend shares still worth it? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven 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 Apa Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.