Category: Stock Market

For many years, income investors have looked to specific sectors to find strong dividend stocks. 

Income investors have long looked to energy, banks and insurance because these industries tend to generate substantial, recurring cash flows that can support attractive dividend payouts. 

Energy companies can benefit from strong cash generation when commodity prices are favourable, while banks and insurers typically return a meaningful share of their earnings to shareholders once capital requirements are met. 

Their established business models, mature markets and history of shareholder distributions have made all three sectors longstanding sources of dividend income.

Right now, there are three dividend stocks from these industries providing strong yields. 

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN)

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has been making headlines this week after releasing its FY26 results. 

The bank delivered cash earnings of $530.2 million for FY26, up 3.0%, with a fully franked final dividend of 33 cents per share.

This means Bendigo Bank shares are currently trading on a trailing dividend yield of roughly 6%. 

This is outpacing the big four banks, as well as much of the ASX financials sector. 

For prospective investors, the shares are scheduled to trade ex-dividend on 1 September. 

This means you will need to own shares by the end of August to be eligible to receive this payout.

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD)

Ampol is the largest, and only Australian-listed, petroleum refiner and distributor in the country, with around 2,000 branded Ampol service stations across all states and territories.

It has also been turning heads this week after delivering a strong first half for 2026, with a 245% jump in RCOP EBIT to $1,392 million. 

Even more exciting for income investors was the announcement that the interim dividend more than quadrupled to 185 cents per share.

This significantly increased new dividend now gives the company a much-improved forward yield of 6%.

Medibank Pvt Ltd (ASX: MPL)

Turning attention to Australia’s largest health insurance provider, MediBank. Last week, the dividend stock announced that its full-year dividend will increase by 6.7% to 19.2 cents per share, fully franked.

While the yield is enticing, the most attractive aspect of this dividend stock may be its consistency. 

It has increased its dividend every financial year (except for FY20) since its listing in FY15.

Based on the current share price, it has a FY26 grossed-up dividend yield of 6%, including franking credits. 

The post 3 great dividend stocks with 6% yields to boost passive income in FY27 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much superannuation do I need to earn $4,000 a month in passive income?
• 6%: Bendigo Bank just unveiled its latest dividend
• By August 2027, $5,000 invested in Ampol shares could turn into…
• Everything you need to know about the monster Ampol dividend
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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 positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Acrow Ltd (ASX: ACF) share price is in focus today after the company reported record FY26 revenue of $336 million, up 27%, and upgraded its FY27 revenue and EBITDA guidance.

What did Acrow report?

• FY26 revenue climbed 27% to $336.0 million
• Underlying EBITDA was steady at $80.3 million
• Underlying NPAT fell 20% to $27.6 million
• Final dividend of 1.42 cents per share, fully franked (down from 2.95cps in FY25)
• Industrial Access division revenue surpassed $200 million, up 53% year-on-year
• Upgraded FY27 guidance: revenue growth of 30% and EBITDA growth of 37% on FY26

What else do investors need to know?

Acrow completed the acquisitions of Preston’s SuperDeck and Ausgroup Industrial Services for a combined $54.5 million, strengthening its service offering and growth opportunities, particularly in Queensland. To fund acquisitions and maintain a healthy balance sheet, the company raised $70 million via placement and an additional $16 million through a Share Purchase Plan.

Industrial Access remains the company’s largest division, now making up 60% of group revenue, driven by organic growth and gains from major projects such as Perdaman Urea and Snowy 2.0. Construction Services rebounded strongly in the second half, underpinned by renewed momentum in Queensland and solid growth in key states.

What did Acrow management say?

Managing Director Steven Boland said:

The Company has experienced a period over the past two to three years of stagnated profits, primarily due to the downturn in construction activity across the Queensland construction market. During this period, we have invested strategically to expand our national Jumpform, Screens and, most notably, our Industrial Access businesses. Today, Industrial Access generates more than $200m in revenue and has significantly enhanced the quality, stability and resilience of our earnings base.

Our Construction Services division has now turned the corner with the second half revenue reaching a record level for any half yearly period, with most of the growth experienced in Q4. This momentum has continued into FY27.

Looking ahead, we see significant opportunities across both our Industrial Access and Construction Services businesses. … In closing, I believe FY27 will mark a turning point for the business. Over the past several years, we have worked hard to reposition Acrow as a leading player in the national industrial access market, while preparing for the recovery in the construction sector, particularly in Queensland. That recovery is now well underway, and we expect to reap the benefits in the coming years.

What’s next for Acrow?

Looking forward, Acrow has lifted its FY27 revenue and EBITDA targets by 2% and 4%, now guiding for 30% and 37% year-on-year growth respectively. The integration of recent acquisitions, organic growth from newly secured contracts, and a strong pipeline of infrastructure projects—including opportunities tied to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics—are set to drive performance.

In Construction Services, a recovery is underway, especially in Queensland and across civil infrastructure. Management sees cross-selling opportunities and the chance to capitalise on national infrastructure investment and new product innovation.

Acrow share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Acrow shares have declined 8%, trailing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Acrow: Record revenue drives upgraded outlook appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 2 ASX shares to buy for returns better than 33%

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.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares can be a solid source of passive income thanks to its dividend being more reliable than its ASX bank share peers.

CBA may have a lower dividend yield than names like National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC).

Some investors may prefer to be more confident in receiving a reliable dividend than receiving the largest level of payout possible.

There’s no guarantee of dividends of course, but CBA has built a reputation as the most stable and resilient domestic bank. Reliable profits are what pays for a reliable dividend when a company like Commonwealth Bank of Australia links its dividend payments to a dividend payout ratio.

To consider how many CBA shares it would take to unlock $8,000 of annual passive income, we must first consider what the dividend could be in FY27 on a per-share basis.

Commonwealth Bank dividend projection

Using the independent forecast on Commsec, owners of the ASX bank share are projected to see a bit of dividend growth in the 2027 financial year.

In FY26, the business delivered an annual dividend per share of $5.05 (representing a 4% rise year-over-year). This came amid 8% growth in statutory net profit to $10.9 billion and 7% growth in cash profit to $11 billion.

According to the estimate on Commsec, investors could experience a 2% rise of the payout to $5.15 per share.

If the business does pay that level of dividend, it would translate into a dividend yield of 3.25% excluding franking credits and 4.6% including franking credits.

How many CBA shares would it take to unlock $8,000 of passive income?

As I’ve noted, Commonwealth Bank is not expected to pay a large dividend in the 2027 financial year, so it’ll take quite a few CBA shares to unlock that much passive income.

The required amount also depends on whether we want to include the franking credits or not as part of the dividend total.

If CBA does pay an annual dividend per share of $5.15 in FY27, then it would require 1,554 CBA shares, excluding the franking credits.

If we include the franking credits as part of the passive income, then an investor would only need 1,088 CBA shares to generate the targeted amount.

But, investors may want to look at other ASX shares that offer better return potential than one of Australia’s largest businesses.

The post How many CBA shares do I need to buy for $8,000 of passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 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.

If you are an income investor on the lookout for new ASX dividend shares to buy, then read on.

That’s because the team at Bell Potter has just named one high-yield option with huge upside potential to buy now.

Which ASX dividend share?

The dividend share that Bell Potter is recommending to clients is Regal Partners Ltd (ASX: RPL).

It is a boutique asset manager responsible for a number of alternative investment strategies, investing across hedge funds, growth equity, credit & royalties, and real & natural assets. 

Bell Potter notes that Regal Partners has around $21 billion in funds under management that is invested on behalf of institutions, family offices, charitable groups and private investors. 

The company has also undertaken an aggressive acquisition strategy in recent years. This includes acquiring VGI Partners, PM Capital, Taurus, Merricks and Argyle.

Bell Potter was pleased with the company’s half-year results, noting that its profit was ahead of expectations. It said:

RPL delivered 1H26 Normalised NPAT of $93.3m, ahead of market expectations and above the $90m floor pre-reported ahead of the result. Guidance was predicated on management fees of $110m and performance fees of $115m. 

Operating results: RPL provided a more comprehensive presentation of its financial results, with performance fee contributions separated and waterfalled through to the pre-tax profit line. Both demonstrated an improvement. Fund management fees of $91.0m were up +23% YOY and loan management fees of $22.9m were down -12% YOY. Average take-rate was down -7bps to 1.08%, reflecting lower loan activity, with an improved pricing outcome on 2H25.Performance fees of $118.7m were up +180% YOY, driven by different contributions to the record result in 2H25. Normalised NPAT of $93.3m was up +108% YOY vs. headline NPAT of $94.1m.

Big potential returns

According to the note, in response to the results, Bell Potter has retained its buy rating and $4.80 price target on the ASX dividend share.

Based on its current share price of $2.82, this implies potential upside of 70% for investors over the next 12 months.

In addition, Bell Potter is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 19 cents in FY 2026, 20 cents in FY 2027, and then 22 cents in FY 2028. This represents dividend yields of 6.7%, 7.1%, and 7.8%, respectively.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, the broker said:

Our Buy thesis is unchanged. RPL has already met our quarterly flow forecast and is seeing offshore credit demand while strengthening the balance sheet. Trading on 9x earnings, these aspects are underappreciated vs. 13x for global long only managers. EPS -3%/-3%/-2% factoring in visibility on non-performance employee cash expense.

The post One super ASX dividend share to buy with a 7% yield appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

On Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the week in a positive fashion. The benchmark index rose 0.5% to 9,103.1 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Tuesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 to rise

The Australian share market looks set for a decent session on Tuesday despite a poor night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 13 points or 0.15% higher. In the United States, the Dow Jones rose 0.25%, but the S&P 500 dropped 0.3% and the Nasdaq fell 0.75%.

ASX 200 results

A number of popular ASX 200 shares will be releasing their respective results. Among the big names releasing results are supermarket giant Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), engineering company Monadelphous Group Ltd (ASX: MND), and energy giant Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS). 

Oil prices decline

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a poor session on Tuesday after oil prices tumbled overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 2.4% to US$84.95 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 2.55% to US$91.98 a barrel. Oil prices declined even after the U.S. rolled out its toughest-ever sanctions campaign against Iran.

Gold price rises

ASX 200 gold shares including Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) and Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) could have a good session after the gold price rose overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 0.6% to US$4,709.2 an ounce. The precious metal’s rally continues ahead of the release of US inflation data.

Hold PLS shares

PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares jumped on Monday following the release of the lithium miner’s FY 2026 results. The team at Bell Potter thinks that its shares may have now peaked. This morning, the broker has retained its hold rating with an improved price target of $5.20 (from $4.70). It said: “We maintain our Hold recommendation. At current lithium market prices, PLS will generate substantial earnings and cash flow with the restart of the 200ktpa Ngungaju processing plant. P2000 and Colina development studies are being progressed, providing substantial organic growth optionality in markets with strong underlying EV and BESS-led long term demand fundamentals.”

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

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woodside Energy Group Ltd. 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.

As earnings season rolls on, brokers are adjusting their outlooks on numerous ASX shares. 

Two that have just received renewed buy ratings are Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) and DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT). 

Genesis Minerals is an Australian gold mining, project development, and exploration company.

Meanwhile, DigiCo is a data center REIT and developer operating across Australia and North America.

These ASX shares have performed very differently over the past 12 months. Genesis has risen over 100%, while DigiCo has fallen by 21% over the same span. 

Despite this varying performance, brokers see upside for both ASX shares. 

DigiCo a bounceback candidate

The team at Morgans provided updated guidance on this REIT following the release of its full-year results late last week. 

The company reported FY26 underlying EBITDA of $127 million, surpassing its $125 million guidance, and declared a 12.0 cent per security distribution, in line with its forecast.

The broker said the reported signed Letters of Intent (LOIs) would take the Australian portfolio to full capacity – a strong demand signal that de-risks management’s pathway to $250m of EBITDA. 

However the ramp-up in earnings is back-ended, hence FY27 guidance was ~8% below MorgansF and ~13% below Consensus. Liquidity of ~$1.2bn funds the ~$1.2bn capex bill, with management calling out no need for additional equity. We still see clear value, but the cashflows are pushed out – this is now an FY28-into-FY29 story. Target price unchanged at A$3.60; reaffirm BUY.

From yesterday’s closing price of $2.48, this price target indicates more than 45% upside. 

Genesis Minerals had a “transformative” year

Following the release of FY26 results last week, the team at Bell Potter retained its buy recommendation on these ASX shares. 

Genesis doubled EBITDA and paid its maiden dividend in FY26, as profit and cash soared on the back of stronger gold production.

According to Bell Potter, the company delivered FY26 revenue of A$1.74bn and NPAT of A$602m, broadly ahead of expectations, although EBITDA of A$803m was 20% below estimates due to higher costs and lower realised gold prices. 

Production was solid, while the company maintained a strong net cash position of A$217m and declared its maiden fully franked dividend of 5.0cps. 

FY26 was a transformative year for GMD, acquiring Magnetic and Vault (pending) that will transition GMD to a top 3 gold producer capable of producing 600-700kozpa. We view FY27 as the build year with standalone guidance as a placeholder for the Strategic Plan in 1H2027, where the long-term production and costs figures will be released.

Bell Potter has an updated price target of $9.00 on these ASX shares, which is 5% higher than current levels. 

The post 2 ASX shares that could rise up to 45% following earnings results  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.

Shares in ASX financial stock Moneyme Ltd (ASX: MME) are down more than 40% over a 12-month period, but after solid growth in lending numbers, Morgans is predicting some serious upside.

Company closing in on profitability

Last week, Moneyme released its full-year financial results, which showed that the company’s loan book increased by 34% to $2.08 billion, with record originations during the year, up 34% to $1.23 billion.

The company’s normalised net loss narrowed to $4.1 million from $15.5 million the previous year. Pleasingly, the company actually made money in the second half, booking a $500,000 profit.

Moneyme said its proprietary AI product was now delivering benefits across credit decision-making, customer service, finance, marketing and creative production.

Moneyme Managing Director Clayton Howes said of the result:

FY26 marked an important inflection point for Moneyme. We demonstrated that our strategy is delivering, growing the loan book to more than $2bn while improving credit quality, strengthening margins and returning to positive Normalised NPAT in the second half. These results show the operating leverage in our business is beginning to emerge. The investments we’ve made over recent years in technology, AI, funding, and risk management are now translating into stronger earnings quality and improved returns as the business continues to scale.

Mr Howes said the company entered FY27 with multiple growth levers and a larger, higher quality loan book.

The company said on the outlook:

We provide guidance for FY27 on an average loan portfolio of ~$2.2bn, our Normalised NPAT is expected to result in a positive range between breakeven and $7m. The Group will continue to invest in AI, brand and marketing, product expansion and direct channel growth to increase scale and operating leverage. Credit cards and white-label partnerships are expected to contribute to the returns profile of the business when these portfolios scale.

Moneyme shares looking cheap broker says

In a note to clients, Morgans suggested Moneyme was well-positioned.

The broker said:

MME has delivered consistent book growth over the medium term and we believe its innovative product suite, targeting niche under-serviced markets, has the potential to further drive topline growth. Whilst now cash profitable, given the pivot of the business to a more normalised book growth rate, we note some near-term risks. We also note that the stock trades at a discount versus our valuation of $0.21 and hence we retain a SPECULATIVE BUY recommendation but flag some continued risks such as: 1) ongoing macro uncertainty/volatility; and 2) softening consumer demand and interest rate pressures more generally. As such, we note this is an investment for the more risk tolerant investor.

Moneyme shares are currently changing hands for 7.2 cents. The company is valued at $57.7 million.

The post This ASX financial stock could more than double: Morgans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England 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.

If you’re ready to tap into your superannuation, and aiming to maintain your super balance by living off the passive income it can provide, then you’ve come to the right place.

Below we’ll look at three quality S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) dividend stocks I’d buy today to form the bedrock of a $4,000 monthly passive income portfolio.

And we’ll see how much superannuation you’d need to invest in these ASX shares to earn that income without drawing down your super balance over time.

Do be aware that a properly diversified passive income portfolio will hold more than just three ASX dividend stocks. There’s no magic number. But somewhere in the range of 10 to 15 is a decent ballpark figure.

Ideally these companies will operate across a range of sectors and locations. This will reduce the risk of your passive income stream taking a big hit if a single sector or company runs into a rough patch.

With that said…

Three ASX 200 income shares to buy

The first stock I’d buy with my superannuation for $4,000 a month in retirement income is Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD).

Ampol just reported its half-year (H1 2026) results on Monday. The Aussie fuel supplier swung from a $25 million loss in H1 2025 to a statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $1.36 billion this year.

With profits surging, Ampol declared a fully franked interim dividend of $1.85 per share. If you want to bank that payout, you’ll need to own shares at market close on 3 September.

Now, if we add in the 60 cents per share final dividend, Ampol has paid, or shortly will, pay $2.45 a share in dividends over 12 months. At the recent Ampol share price of $41.46, this ASX 200 stock trades on a fully franked 5.9% dividend yield.

The second ASX 200 stock I’d target for passive income in retirement is Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN).

Bendigo Bank paid a fully franked interim dividend of 30 cents per share and on Monday declared a final dividend of 30 cents per share. To bank that passive income, you’ll need to own Bendigo Bank shares at market close on 31 August.

At the recent share price of $10.58, Bendigo Bank shares trade on a 5.7% dividend yield.

And the third ASX dividend share I’d buy with my superannuation for reliable passive income is Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS).

Telstra paid an interim dividend of 10.5 cents per share and will shortly pay a final dividend of 10.5 cents per share, both franked at 90%. If you want to grab the final dividend, you’ll need to own shares at market close today.

At the recent Telstra share price of $4.70, the ASX 200 telco trades on a dividend yield of 4.5%.

Which brings us back to our headline question.

How much superannuation do I need for a $4,000 monthly passive income?

Based on the recent yields, and assuming you invest the same amount in each stock, you could expect to earn an average yield of 5.4%.

So, for $4,000 a month – or $48,000 a year – in passive income, you’d need $888,889 in superannuation today in order not to draw down that super balance over time.

The post How much superannuation do I need to earn $4,000 a month in passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 6%: Bendigo Bank just unveiled its latest dividend
• By August 2027, $5,000 invested in Ampol shares could turn into…
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• Looking to bank the boosted Telstra dividend? You better hurry!

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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 Bendigo And Adelaide Bank and Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Passive income investors have plenty of Australian shares to choose from outside the major banks.

I like companies that can generate enough cash to reward shareholders while still investing in their businesses.

Here are three I think are worth considering.

Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ)

Aurizon plays an important role in moving Australia’s commodities from where they are produced to where they need to go.

It is Australia’s largest rail-based transport business, carrying more than 250 million tonnes of commodities each year for miners, primary producers, and industrial customers.

I think that infrastructure makes Aurizon an attractive passive income candidate.

Rail networks are expensive and difficult to replicate, while customers need reliable transport to move enormous volumes of products such as coal, iron ore, and agricultural commodities. Aurizon also owns and operates regulated rail infrastructure in Queensland alongside its freight operations.

The company has made returning capital to shareholders an important part of its approach.

Aurizon paid an interim dividend of 12.5 cents per share for FY26 and has declared a final dividend of 10.5 cents. Both are 90% franked, taking the full-year payment to 23 cents per share.

Based on its recent share price, those payouts equate to a dividend yield of roughly 6.3%.

Commodity volumes and regulatory decisions can affect the business, so I would not assume that dividend remains unchanged every year. Still, I think Aurizon’s infrastructure and focus on shareholder returns make it worth considering for income.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

Universal Store could be another top passive income pick.

The retailer sells youth fashion through its Universal Store, Perfect Stranger, and THRILLS businesses, and it has been gradually expanding its physical store network.

What catches my eye from an income perspective is the cash the business has been able to return while still funding that expansion.

In FY26, Universal Store paid a fully franked interim dividend of 26 cents per share before declaring a fully franked final dividend of 17 cents. That takes FY26 dividends to 43 cents per share.

With Universal Store shares recently trading around $8.45, that represents a dividend yield of approximately 5.1%.

I would expect more variation from the dividend of a fashion retailer than from some traditional income businesses. Consumer spending and fashion trends can change quickly.

But I like that Universal Store can continue expanding while also sending a meaningful amount of cash back to shareholders.

Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL)

Sonic Healthcare provides pathology and medical diagnostic services across major healthcare markets around the world.

These are services that doctors and patients need regardless of what is happening in financial markets, giving Sonic exposure to healthcare demand rather than discretionary spending.

Its scale also stands out to me. Sonic operates across nine countries and 11 markets and provides medical services to more than 140 million patients each year.

I think that makes it an interesting share for investors seeking both income and long-term exposure to healthcare.

Sonic has also built an impressive record of gradually increasing its dividend. Its total dividends rose to $1.08 per share for FY26, comprising a 45 cent interim dividend and 63 cent final dividend. Those FY26 dividends are 60% franked.

At a share price of around $21.41, that works out to a yield of roughly 5%.

I like the possibility of receiving income while Sonic continues building its diagnostics operations around the world.

Foolish takeaway

A high dividend yield alone would never be enough to convince me that a share is a good income investment.

I would also want a business capable of generating the cash needed to support those payments over time.

I think Aurizon, Universal Store, and Sonic Healthcare each give passive income investors a credible reason to look beyond the usual dividend names.

The post 3 top Australian shares to buy for passive income 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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sonic Healthcare and Universal Store. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Yesterday, Forrestania Resources Ltd (ASX: FRS) announced a fifth extension to its takeover offer for Zenith Minerals Ltd (ASX: ZNC) The offer period has now been pushed out until 5:00pm (AWST) on 7 September 2026, allowing shareholders more time to consider their options.

What did Forrestania Resources report?

• Offer to acquire all ordinary shares in Zenith Minerals remains open until 7 September 2026.
• This is the fifth extension of the bid period since the original offer was made in June 2026.
• Zenith shareholders who accepted previously now have new withdrawal rights if they wish to reconsider.
• The offer remains subject to certain defeating conditions, as detailed in Forrestania’s latest notice.

What else do investors need to know?

Forrestania’s bid for Zenith Minerals has experienced several extensions, reflecting an ongoing process subject to regulatory orders and unresolved conditions. ASIC has granted Forrestania relief under two ASIC Instruments specific to this bid, and the Takeovers Panel has issued interim orders currently restricting Forrestania from declaring the offers unconditional.

Shareholders who have already accepted the offer can withdraw their acceptance within a one-month window, following the announcement of the extended bid period. Withdrawal is available by written notice and further details are provided by Forrestania for shareholders seeking guidance.

What’s next for Forrestania Resources?

Forrestania Resources intends to keep the offer for Zenith Minerals open until 7 September 2026, unless it is withdrawn or extended further. The company continues to encourage Zenith shareholders to review the latest terms and, if needed, seek professional advice before acting.

With the status of certain bid conditions still pending, Forrestania’s approach remains cautious as it awaits developments from ASIC and the Takeovers Panel. Investors should watch for any further updates on both the offer itself and regulatory responses.

Forrestania Resources share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Forrestania Resources shares have risen 136%, significantly outperforming the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

View Original Announcement

The post Forrestania Resources extends Zenith Minerals takeover offer again 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.