Category: Stock Market

I think that ASX shares are the best choice for high dividend yields. That’s due to a combination of a generous dividend payout ratio and franking credits.

There are some great ASX shares out there that pay high dividend yields, but I’d only want to buy stocks I’m confident can provide reliable (and even growing) payouts.

Of course, dividends aren’t guaranteed. But, I’m optimistic about the future payments from these businesses and I believe the payouts will be even larger in the years ahead.

Shaver Shop Group Ltd (ASX: SSG)

Shaver Shop is a small and compelling ASX share, in my view. It’s one of the leading retailers of male and female personal grooming products.

It had 126 Shaver Shop stores at the last count and sells items like electric shavers, clippers, trimmers and wet shave items. It also sells additional product ranges like oral care, hair care, massage, air treatment and beauty categories.

You may not expect a business like this to have a resilient dividend record going back several years, but it does. Its dividend increased each year between FY17 and FY23, it maintained it in FY24 and hiked the payout again slightly in FY25. I think its earnings are more defensive than some other retail sectors.

Impressively, the last two dividends declared by the business amount to a grossed-up dividend yield of 10.5%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

If the business continues to offer exclusive products from brands, expands its own brand (called Transform-U), and opens more stores, I think the ASX share has a very promising future.

WAM Microcap Ltd (ASX: WMI)

The other high-yielding ASX share I want to highlight is this listed investment company (LIC), which focuses on exciting, small businesses.

I think small ASX shares can be undervalued, and they’re usually earlier on with their growth journey, meaning they could outperform their larger counterparts.

I believe it’s the above dynamic that has helped the WAM Microcap deliver an average return per year of 14.4% since inception in June 2017, before fees, expenses and taxes.

LICs pay for their dividends from investment profits and profit reserves. This allowed the business to grow its annual ordinary dividend each year between FY18 and FY23, maintain it in FY24, then increase it again in FY25 and FY26.

The high-yielding ASX share expects to pay an annual dividend per share of 10.7 cents in the 2026 financial year. This projection translates into a forward grossed-up dividend yield of 10.4%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

These aren’t the only ASX shares I’d buy for dividends, but they have two of the highest yields.

The post 2 ASX shares with dividend yields above 8% 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 recommended Shaver Shop Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG) share price is in focus after the company announced the Mineral Resource Estimate at its ABC Project in Côte d’Ivoire has now reached over 3 million ounces of contained gold, up from 2.16Moz last year.

What did Resolute Mining report?

• Expanded Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate to 133 million tonnes at 0.71g/t gold for 3.0 million ounces (at 0.3g/t cut-off)
• Majority of resource within 250m of surface, with deposits open along strike and at depth
• Planned $15–25 million work programme for 80,000m of additional drilling and feasibility studies through 2027
• Currently seven rigs onsite, increasing to eleven in August to accelerate resource growth
• Focus on infill drilling, technical, environmental, social, and metallurgical studies

What else do investors need to know?

Resolute Mining’s ABC Project aims to become the company’s fourth operating mine, with ongoing drilling continuing to extend mineralisation beyond previously defined resource areas. The updated mineral resource is an important milestone, giving confidence in the long-term growth potential of the ABC deposits.

Exploration at the Moya prospect, 8km north of the main Kona deposits, has also delivered encouraging gold intercepts, suggesting possible additional future resources. Work is underway on further technical studies, environmental baseline work, and site infrastructure upgrades to support the next stage of project development.

What did Resolute Mining management say?

Chris Eger, Managing Director and CEO, said:

ABC continues to advance as a priority growth project for Resolute in Côte d’Ivoire. Since acquiring the asset last year, we have built strong momentum through exploration with the updated MRE representing a key milestone in the Project’s development pathway.

The updated MRE shows the potential scale of ABC. Importantly, mineralisation remains open along strike and at depth at both deposits, and we see clear opportunities for further resource growth through ongoing drilling.

Our focus has now shifted to the next phase of project de-risking and progressing feasibility studies. This will be achieved from the approved work programme which will include further drilling, metallurgical testwork, environmental and social baseline studies, permitting, geotechnical and infrastructure work.

ABC is being advanced with the objective of becoming Resolute’s fourth mine in West Africa and our second mine in Côte d’Ivoire. We believe ABC can be an important contributor to our strategy of building a diversified, multi-asset gold platform.

What’s next for Resolute Mining?

Resolute’s key objective is to progress the ABC Project through substantial infill and extension drilling, feasibility studies, and permitting over the next 12 to 18 months. The company aims to convert much of the resource to a higher-confidence Indicated category, moving closer to a future development decision.

The expanded work programme, including environmental and social impact assessments and site infrastructure upgrades, positions ABC as a strong growth opportunity within Resolute’s West African strategy. Investors can expect frequent updates as drilling continues and technical studies progress.

Resolute Mining share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Resolute Mining shares have risen 42%, outperforming the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which is flat over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Resolute Mining grows ABC Project gold resource to over 3Moz 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 Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) share price is in focus today after the company delivered record FY26 gold production of 387,354 ounces, exceeding its own guidance, and closed the year with $939 million in cash, bullion, and liquid investments.

What did Westgold Resources report?

• FY26 gold production: 387,354 ounces – above guidance range of 345,000–385,000oz
• Q4 FY26 gold production: 98,854 ounces at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $2,802 per ounce
• FY26 AISC: $2,841/oz, within cost guidance ($2,600–$2,900/oz)
• Q4 underlying cash build: $233 million (before investments and other items)
• FY26 closing cash, bullion & investments: $939 million, up $575 million year on year
• No debt; fully unhedged gold production

What else do investors need to know?

Westgold achieved record annual production from both its Meekatharra and Fortnum mining hubs. The company delivered a strong Q4 performance, with growth driven by higher-grade ore and expanded mining rates at key assets such as Bluebird-South Junction and Great Fingall.

During the quarter, Westgold completed divestments of the Peak Hill and Chalice Gold Projects, simplifying its portfolio and realising around $68 million in immediate value. It also executed a $27 million on-market share buyback and continued to invest in growth and infrastructure, with $142 million directed to key projects during the quarter.

What did Westgold Resources management say?

Managing Director & CEO Wayne Bramwell said:

FY26 was a defining year for Westgold and showed our strategy is delivering results. Over the past two years, we have simplified our portfolio, focused on our highest return assets and prudently allocated capital on key projects and infrastructure that enables future growth. In FY26, this strategy delivered record annual production of 387,354oz, above our guidance range, achieved our cost guidance, and placed Westgold in the strongest treasury position in its history.

What’s next for Westgold Resources?

Westgold will provide its full FY26 financial results, dividend update, and FY27 guidance in August 2026. The company intends to update its three-year outlook at the same time, incorporating new organic growth initiatives and its evolving production profile.

Management highlighted ongoing investments in resource development and infrastructure, including expanding processing capacity and progressing growth projects. Cost control, improved mill feed grades, and operational efficiency will remain a focus as Westgold seeks to offset sector-wide cost inflation and deliver sustainable shareholder returns.

Westgold Resources share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Westgold Resources shares have risen 60%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Westgold Resources exceeds guidance with record gold production in FY26 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.

Finding an ASX share capable of growing strongly for many years can lead to outsized returns.

The challenge is identifying businesses with plenty of room to expand and the ability to turn that opportunity into rising revenue and earnings.

I think the three ASX shares below have that sort of potential, which is why I would be happy to buy them and hold for the next decade.

SiteMinder Ltd (ASX: SDR)

In many respects, a hotel room is perishable inventory. When a room sits empty tonight, the hotel cannot sell that same night next week. Operators therefore need to reach the right guests, appear across multiple booking channels, and adjust prices as demand changes.

SiteMinder provides the technology behind those decisions. Its platform helps hotels distribute rooms, take direct bookings, manage pricing, process payments, and understand where demand is coming from. More than 53,000 hotels currently use the company’s technology across 150 countries.

The Smart Platform is also changing how the ASX share earns revenue. The company can make more money when hotels generate more bookings and use additional services, giving it room to grow revenue from existing customers.

In the first half of FY26, annual recurring revenue increased by 27.4%, while adjusted EBITDA more than doubled.

Travel will remain cyclical, and competition across hotel software is considerable. I still think SiteMinder has a long opportunity ahead as independent hotels replace disconnected systems with broader commerce platforms.

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

Professional sports organisations spend enormous amounts recruiting, training, and retaining athletes.

Catapult stands to benefit from this. It helps teams get more from that investment through wearable technology, video analysis, performance data, and tools used by coaches and support staff.

I think the next stage of Catapult’s growth can come from selling more solutions to each customer.

A football club that begins with athlete monitoring may later add video, tactical analysis, scouting, or strength-training products. Each additional product can make Catapult more closely embedded in the club’s operations.

That strategy gained momentum in FY26. Annualised contract value rose 28% to US$133.8 million, while the number of professional teams using multiple Catapult solutions increased by 62%.

Catapult still needs to turn its improving economics into sustained profits. But I think the combination of recurring revenue, high customer retention, and more spending per team gives it a strong chance over the next decade.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

TechnologyOne sells software that organisations cannot casually switch off.

Councils use it to manage property rates, finances, payroll, assets, and community services. Universities rely on it for student records and timetabling, while government agencies use its systems for critical administrative work.

Once that software is integrated across an organisation, the relationship can last for years.

TechnologyOne reported 17% annual recurring revenue growth to $598 million in the first half of FY26. Customer retention remains above 99%, and management is aiming for more than $1 billion of annual recurring revenue and AI revenue by FY30.

I also like how the company is approaching artificial intelligence. This could give its already positive long-term outlook an extra lift over the next decade.

The company’s valuation regularly reflects high expectations, so disappointing growth could produce sharp share price falls. Even so, its record of innovation, recurring revenue, and expansion into the UK makes it an ASX share I would happily hold for 10 years.

Foolish takeaway

A decade gives these companies time to deepen customer relationships and prove that their platforms can support much larger earnings.

I would expect volatility, particularly from SiteMinder and Catapult, while TechnologyOne’s premium valuation creates its own challenge.

What keeps me interested is the way these businesses are developing. Customers are using more products, recurring revenue is growing, and each company has room to expand beyond its current base.

I would buy all three with sensible position sizes and give their businesses time to shape the investment outcome.

The post 3 growing ASX shares I’d buy and hold for 10 years 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 Catapult Sports, SiteMinder, and Technology One. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Catapult Sports and SiteMinder. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If an income investor scours the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) today in the search for a dividend yield over 6%, they might be looking for quite a period. As it stands today, there aren’t too many ASX 200 dividend shares offering yields over 5%, let alone 6%.

Not the big four ASX banks, not Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), nor Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), and not Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

Fortunately, though, there are still some ASX 200 shares that have a 6% yield or greater on the table today. Let’s go through two of them.

2 ASX 200 shares with dividend yields over 5% right now

Metcash Ltd (ASX: MTS)

ASX 200 consumer staples stock Metcash is first up. You may not have heard of this company, which is perenially in the shadow of its larger and more famous rivals, Coles and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW). Even so, I’m sure you’d be familiar with many of the names that Metcash supplies to. These include the IGA and Mitre 10 store networks.

Like many consumer staples shares, Metcash has a decent history of paying reliable dividends. Its last two payments came to a total of 18 cents per share, with full franking credits attached to both. This gives Metcash a healthy trailing dividend yield of 6.08% at yesterday’s closing share price of $2.96. That hikes up to an impressive 8.69% with the value of those full franking credits.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

Next up, we have a real estate investment trust (REIT) to check out. Charter Hall Long WALE REIT is a fund that specialises in real estate investments with a long weighted average lease expiry (WALE). It lives up to that name, with this REIT’s portfolio currently holding an average WALE of 92 years.

Like most REITs, Charter Hall Long WALE collects rental income from its property assets (in this case, mostly offices, distribution centres, and industrial parks) and passes it on to its investors through dividend distributions.

This REIT’s last two dividend distributions have come in at 6.38 cents per unit each. That gives the Charter Hall Long WALE REIT a trailing dividend distribution yield of 6.89%. That’s at yesterday’s closing price of $3.70 per unit. Unfortunately, like the vast majority of its peers in the REIT space, Charter Hall Long WALE is not able to attach franking credits to its payouts, though.

The post 2 ASX 200 dividend shares with yields over 6% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) has become one of the clearest ASX ways to invest in the infrastructure behind artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

The opportunity is substantial, although investors are already paying a premium for it.

So, would I put $5,000 into Goodman shares today?

What would $5,000 buy?

Goodman shares are trading around $29.55. That means a $5,000 investment would buy approximately 169 shares before brokerage.

According to consensus estimates, Goodman is expected to generate earnings per share of $1.28 in FY26 and $1.37 in FY27.

That puts the shares on a price-to-earnings ratio of around 23.1 times FY26 earnings and 21.6 times FY27 earnings.

I would not call that cheap for a property group. However, Goodman has moved well beyond the traditional model of owning warehouses and collecting rent.

Its data centre pipeline gives the company a much stronger growth outlook than most ASX property shares.

Why the data centre opportunity stands out

Data centres are the physical foundation of the digital economy.

Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, streaming, cybersecurity, digital payments, and online services all depend on buildings filled with computing equipment.

Developing those facilities is far more complicated than putting up a warehouse.

A site needs access to enormous amounts of electricity, fibre connections, cooling, planning approvals, suitable land, and proximity to major customers. In large cities, assembling those pieces can take years.

Goodman has already spent a long time securing land and power in markets where technology companies want to operate. Its global power bank reached 6.4 gigawatts (GW) at the end of March, with 3.6 GW secured and 2.8 GW in advanced stages of procurement

Data centres also represented 73% of its $14.5 billion development work in progress.

That gives Goodman a strong position as demand for computing capacity continues growing.

Growth backed by financial strength

Large developments require substantial capital, particularly when Goodman is building facilities with complex electrical and cooling requirements.

I like that the company has several ways to fund its expansion.

Goodman works with major institutional investors through its capital partnerships, allowing it to pursue a larger development program than it could support alone. The group also finished the first half with low gearing and considerable liquidity.

That financial flexibility gives Goodman room to invest while keeping its balance sheet in good shape.

Investors still need to watch development costs, power delays, construction schedules, and customer commitments. The current valuation also assumes that management will continue executing well.

A slowdown in data centre demand or delays across major projects could weigh heavily on the share price.

Would I invest?

My answer is yes. Goodman shares are not a bargain, and I would be comfortable beginning with a measured position rather than investing aggressively at once.

However, the company has spent years building the land portfolio, power access, customer relationships, and development expertise needed to capture the data centre opportunity.

Those advantages cannot be recreated quickly.

Foolish takeaway

I would invest $5,000 into Goodman shares with the intention of holding them for many years.

The current valuation already reflects plenty of optimism, so I would expect periods when the share price becomes volatile.

Even so, I think Goodman has one of the strongest growth runways in the ASX property sector. Its logistics portfolio provides an established earnings base, while data centres could become a much larger part of the business over the decade ahead.

For investors who can accept a modest income yield and focus on long-term growth, I think Goodman shares remain worth buying.

The post Should I invest $5,000 into Goodman Group shares? 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 Goodman Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Goodman Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares have staged a strong comeback, rising around 10% over the past month.

This rally has firmly caught the market’s attention.

After a weak start to 2026, Australia’s largest bank is attracting buyers again.

The question now is whether that recovery has further to run.

As one of the largest companies on the ASX, every twist in CBA’s share price makes headlines.

Why CBA shares are rising again

CBA is one of the largest companies listed on the ASX.

The company dominates Australian retail banking, with a huge deposit base and a market-leading digital platform.

For much of early 2026, its shares were firmly out of favour with investors, and the stock hit a one-year-plus low of $147.22 back in January before the tide turned.

Since then, CBA shares have rebounded strongly to around $171.

Investors now appear willing to look past this year’s housing and budget worries, and cooling fears around mortgage growth and negative gearing changes have helped usher in renewed optimism.

Recent earnings and the road ahead

The rebound has been supported by a solid profit performance.

CBA posted third-quarter cash profit of $2.7 billion, up 4% on the prior year. Lending and deposits both continued to grow despite a softer economy, and home loan funding remained strong, with around $45 billion written in the quarter.

The bank’s capital position remains among the strongest in the sector.

CBA’s next major update is its FY26 full-year result, due in August, a report that will be watched very closely.

Investors want firm proof that earnings can keep growing from here.

Guidance on net interest margins and bad debts will likely be in as much focus as the headline profit number.

What do the numbers say?

Even after this rally, the debate over CBA shares comes down to price.

The stock trades on roughly 26 times forecast FY26 earnings, which is a remarkable multiple for a mature, slow-growing bank.

It is also far above the ratings applied to rivals like Westpac and ANZ.

CBA recently paid a fully franked interim dividend of $2.35, for a trailing yield of around 3.0%. That yield is modest next to several of its big-four peers.

As such, for value-focused investors, CBA’s valuation is the core of the problem.

Are CBA shares still a buy?

Brokers remain deeply cautious on the answer.

In one recent review, all eight analysts covering the stock rated it a sell, with an average price target implying downside of close to 30%.

The bull case rests on CBA’s unmatched quality and its defensive, dividend-paying nature. On the flipside, the bear case points squarely at the stretched valuation.

Both views have real merit at today’s price.

Much will depend on your own time horizon and your appetite for paying a premium.

Foolish takeaway

CBA shares have rallied hard, yet they remain expensive by almost any measure.

The business itself is arguably the highest-quality bank in the country, although the August FY26 result will be an important test for the company.

Income-focused investors can still find far higher yields elsewhere on the ASX, but quality-focused investors may appreciate CBA’s reputation and track record of earnings growth.

As always, it pays to focus on the long term rather than the last month’s move.

The post CBA shares have risen 10% in a month, are they still a buy? 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 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.

The Mercury NZ Ltd (ASX: MCY) share price is in focus after reporting a robust fourth quarter, with trading margin up 33% to $390 million and higher renewable generation volumes compared to the prior corresponding period.

What did Mercury NZ report?

• Trading margin for Q4 was $390 million, up 33% on the same quarter last year.
• Year-to-date (YTD) trading margin rose $269 million to $1,421 million.
• Q4 generation volume climbed 339GWh to 2,344GWh; YTD up 1,163GWh to 9,070GWh.
• Hydrological inflows for Q4 were at the 61st percentile, slightly lower than 79th percentile PCP (YTD: 83rd percentile, up from 12th PCP).
• All turbines at the Kaiwera Downs Stage 2 Wind Farm are now installed, with reliability testing underway.
• Fast-track consent was granted for Puke Kapo Hau Wind Farm, strengthening Mercury’s renewable pipeline.

What else do investors need to know?

Mercury highlighted continued momentum in renewable developments and asset renewals. Notably, the Kaiwaikawe Wind Farm remains on schedule, starting first generation from six installed turbines in July.

The company also launched Flex Rates, a new time-of-use electricity plan, giving retail customers more control over their energy bills. Mercury’s May Geothermal Investor Day showcased its geothermal platform, with more than 1 TWh entering feasibility and $75 million committed to appraisal drilling.

What’s next for Mercury NZ?

Looking ahead, Mercury expects all turbines at Kaiwera Downs Stage 2 Wind Farm to be handed over by the end of August, with the Kaiwaikawe Wind Farm fully operational in the first half of FY27. The company’s wind platform is designed to deliver projects at scale, on time and within budget.

Mercury also plans to continue investing in renewable generation projects and asset renewals, strengthening its position as a leader in 100% renewable energy production across hydro, geothermal, and wind.

Mercury NZ share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Mercury NZ shares have declined 2%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Mercury NZ trading margin jumps 33% as renewables drive Q4 result 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.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares have given investors a wild ride over the past year.

After reaching $6.71 in October, the counter-drone technology share is now trading around $2.17.

I think that reset has created a more appealing opportunity. Here are three reasons I would buy.

The valuation has become easier to justify

DroneShield remains a growth share, so investors should expect to pay more than they would for a mature industrial or defensive business.

According to CommSec consensus estimates, the company is expected to generate earnings per share of 2.6 cents in FY26, 4.3 cents in FY27, and 7.4 cents in FY28.

That puts the shares on price-to-earnings ratios of approximately 83 times FY26 earnings, 50 times FY27 earnings, and 29 times FY28 earnings.

The early multiples are high, but they fall quickly if DroneShield delivers the expected earnings growth. An FY28 multiple of around 29 times does not look excessive to me for a company whose earnings could almost triple between FY26 and FY28.

The share price could still fall if contract wins or earnings arrive more slowly than expected. Even so, investors are being asked to pay far less for the long-term opportunity than they were near the 52-week high.

Counter-drone demand could keep growing

DroneShield develops technology that helps military, government, law enforcement, and critical infrastructure customers detect, track, and respond to unwanted drones.

I think the need for those systems is becoming easier to understand.

Drones are now cheaper, more capable, and more widely available. They can be used for surveillance, smuggling, disruption, and attacks, creating security challenges across battlefields, airports, prisons, energy facilities, borders, and major public events.

DroneShield has spent years focusing on this market and offers portable, vehicle-mounted, and fixed-site systems. That specialist position could help it capture a growing share of customer spending as counter-drone protection becomes a more established part of defence and security budgets.

The company still competes with much larger defence groups, while government procurement can move slowly and produce uneven revenue. I would accept those uncertainties because I think the market itself has substantial room to expand.

Software could strengthen the business

Hardware currently generates most of DroneShield’s revenue, and I expect equipment sales to remain central to its growth.

However, the company also has a major opportunity to earn more from software.

Counter-drone equipment needs to keep recognising new drone models, frequencies, and tactics. Customers may therefore require software updates, threat libraries, support, and ongoing improvements after the original system has been delivered.

That can extend the relationship beyond a single hardware purchase.

As the installed base grows, DroneShield could have more opportunities to sell software and services to existing customers. A larger recurring revenue contribution could make earnings more dependable and increase the value of each customer relationship.

I think this part of the story deserves more attention because it gives the company another way to grow alongside rising hardware demand.

Foolish takeaway

DroneShield still carries more uncertainty than an established ASX blue chip share, and I would keep the position measured.

The company needs to convert market demand into contracts, deliver equipment on time, expand its operations carefully, and meet ambitious earnings expectations.

At around $2.17, I think the potential reward has become more attractive. The counter-drone market is expanding, DroneShield has built a strong specialist position, and growing software revenue could improve the business over time.

Those three factors make DroneShield shares a buy for me today.

The post 3 reasons to buy DroneShield shares now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Down 41%: Can DroneShield shares bounce back, or is the rally finally over?
• 3 ASX 200 shares down over 30% that I’d buy
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• Down 65%: Are DroneShield shares a buy, hold, or sell?
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield. 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 looking for ASX blue-chip shares are probably aiming for businesses that can provide stability, reliable earnings and a good dividend yield.

Share prices can go down and payouts are not guaranteed, but I believe some businesses are capable of being more resilient and consistent.

I think the two names below are leaders in their industry at what they do, offering pleasing passive income.

Scentre Group (ASX: SCG)

This business is the owner of large shopping centres – it owns 42 Westfield locations across Australia and New Zealand, which includes more than 12,000 outlets.

One of the main reasons why I think it’s such a stable investment is that rental income is contracted and reliable – it had a portfolio occupancy of 99.8% at 31 March 2026, showing it’s maximising its rental potential.

It has evolved from just a retail centre to being a core destination for other experiences uses such as entertainment, dining and so on. I don’t think it’s as vulnerable to e-commerce adoption as other retail real estate investment trusts (REITs).

The business continues to report growth across a number of rental metrics.

In the three months to 31 March 2026, total business partner (tenant) sales across the portfolio were $7 billion (up 5%), with specialty sales growth of 5.3%.

It also noted that average specialty rent escalations were 5.3% in the three months to 31 March 2026. This is good organic rental growth.

The ASX blue-chip share completed 636 leasing deals, achieving average specialty releasing spreads of 3.3%. In other words, the new rental contracts are (on average) 3.3% higher than the old ones. That’s also pleasing organic growth for the business.

Another way that Scentre can increase its rental potential is by investing in (re)developments at its locations. It’s currently progressing a $240 million redevelopment at Westfield Bondi as a “world-leading lifestyle, entertainment and dining destination”.

According to the forecast on Commsec, the business is projected to grow its annual payout to 19.1 cents per security in FY27. That translates into a forward distribution yield of 4.9%.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Another ASX blue-chip share I want to highlight is Telstra, the country’s largest telco business.

Its scale means it’s able to generate high profit margins and invest the most in its network, compared to other industries. Hopefully it continues investing in its resilience and reliability.

The company’s market position and network coverage mean it’s able to attract a lot of customers. Australia’s ongoing digitalisation is a tailwind for demand for Telstra’s services, with an increasing number of devices needing a connection.

Telstra’s revenue and underlying earnings have been steadily growing in the last few years, giving the company the financial room to pay a rising dividend. In its latest result, it grew its interim dividend per share by 10.5% to 10.5 cents.

The projection on Commsec suggests the ASX blue-chip share could pay an annual dividend per share of 21.5 cents in FY27. That could translate into a grossed-up dividend yield of 6.1%, including franking credits.

The post 2 ASX blue-chip shares offering big dividend yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How I would turn $200,000 into an ASX retirement income portfolio
• CSL vs Telstra shares, which should I buy?
• How to build an ASX dividend portfolio that keeps paying you for decades
• How much is needed in superannuation to target a $100,000 annual passive income?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.