Category: Stock Market

For dividend focussed investors, earnings season provides an important snapshot of how dividend stocks are performing. 

According to a new report from Bell Potter, there is one dividend stock in particular that investors should be aware of. 

Why earnings season matters for income investors

Earnings season is an especially important time for dividend investors because a company’s results can reveal far more than just whether it beat or missed analysts’ expectations. 

For income-focused investors, earnings reports provide a fresh look at the strength of the business, the sustainability of its cash flow, and, ultimately, its ability to keep paying and growing its dividend.

While dividend announcements often get the most attention, the numbers behind them matter just as much. 

Revenue and profit trends, free cash flow, debt levels, and management’s outlook can all provide clues about whether a company has the financial capacity to maintain its payout through different economic conditions. 

Why this dividend stock stands out

For investors looking to add a dividend stock to their portfolio, Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) is worth considering. 

Regis Resources is an established multi-mine gold producer and one of the largest ASX-listed gold producers with an all-Australian asset base. 

It released full-year results last Friday, which included a record net profit after tax of $715 million. 

This ASX gold stock has now risen more than 100% over the last year. 

Even more importantly for dividend investors, it declared fully franked final dividends of 20 cents per share, including a 5 cent special dividend.

According to Bell Potter, the record distributions reflect the implementation of Regis’ new dividend policy. 

The policy targets a payout between 25% and 50% of the “Group Cash Increase” over the preceding half-year (cash and bullion increase net of dividends and tax). For FY26, this ratio was 39%, equating to a fully franked 4.3% yield. 

Capital growth also a factor

While strong yields are great news for dividend stocks, some can provide the exciting combination of passive income and capital growth. 

That appears to be the case for Regis Resources. 

Bell Potter has upgraded its price target on this dividend stock to $9.35 (previously $8.45). 

The broker also has a buy recommendation. 

From yesterday’s closing price, this indicates an upside potential of 10% to go alongside the yield fetching over 4%. 

While this lifts operating costs it also increases gold price leverage and Resource value extraction. Free cash flows continue to support dividends and the capacity to pursue both organic and inorganic growth options. 

Overall, we remain positive towards RRL’s all-Australian, multi-mine asset portfolio, its leverage to the gold price and its fully unhedged, debt free balance sheet. Our NPV-based valuation lifts 11%, to $9.35/sh. We retain our Buy recommendation.

The post The fantastic dividend stock with upside investors should be targeting this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX 200 stocks, including CSL, leaping 15% to 23% in this week’s sliding market
• 3 ASX 200 gold stocks jumping higher on big news today
• Regis Resources delivers record FY26 profit and dividends
• Buy, hold, sell: Bega Cheese, Temple & Webster and Whitehaven Coal shares after results
• Why this ASX consumer discretionary stock could be the pick of the sector 

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.

Yesterday, WAM Income Maximiser Ltd (ASX: WMX) announced it raised $172.4 million via its Entitlement Offer, Top-Up Facility, Shortfall Offer and placement, growing assets to about $500 million – a 50% increase in less than 18 months since listing.

What did WAM Income Maximiser report?

• $172.4 million total raised through Entitlement Offer, Top-Up Facility, Shortfall Offer, and placement
• $78.5 million raised from Entitlement Offer and Top-Up Facility
• Approximate assets now at $500 million, up more than 50% since April 2025 listing
• 62% of capital raised taken up by existing shareholders
• Monthly fully franked dividends declared for September–December 2026, yielding 7.1% on average NTA

What else do investors need to know?

The bulk of the capital raising was strongly supported by existing WAM Income Maximiser shareholders, who took up more than half of the available offer. The remaining shares, including those from the Shortfall Offer, were placed primarily with investors participating in the bookbuild process, on the same terms as the Entitlement Offer.

The new shares issued under the various offers are expected to commence trading on the ASX from 31 August 2026. According to management, the increased scale should boost market relevance, improve liquidity, lower the company’s fixed expense ratio, and potentially lead to more broker and research coverage.

What did WAM Income Maximiser management say?

Chairman Geoff Wilson AO said:

The Board and I thank shareholders for their strong support of the Entitlement Offer with demand significantly exceeding capacity. Following completion of the Offer, WAM Income Maximiser’s assets will increase by more than 50% to approximately $500 million less than 18 months after listing. I am pleased to have taken up my full entitlement.

What’s next for WAM Income Maximiser?

WAM Income Maximiser plans to put the new funds to work by investing in high-quality Australian companies and corporate debt, aiming to deliver reliable monthly franked dividends with capital growth. Management believes the enlarged portfolio will help meet its ongoing goal of better income returns, with declared monthly dividends for the four months to December 2026.

The company’s increased size may also mean greater interest from brokers, research houses, and financial advisers, helping to further enhance market relevance.

WAM Income Maximiser share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, WAM Income Maximiser shares have risen 4%, outperforming the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which is flat over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post WAM Income Maximiser grows assets 50% after $172m raise, declares dividends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• These ASX dividend funds have been quietly increasing their payouts
• How much do I need in superannuation to receive $10,000 per month in passive income?
• WAM Income Maximiser enters trading halt pending fundraising move

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 age of 50 is a great time to check in on your superannuation balance, see if you’re on track for a comfortable retirement, and implement strategies to catch up if needed.

Unfortunately, the figures show that the average person has less superannuation at age 50 than they need to achieve a comfortable retirement by age 67.

The way this is calculated is by using figures supplied by the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA), which has calculated estimates of how much superannuation people have, and comparing them against the amounts which ASFA says is needed to be on track.

So how much superannuation do people generally have at age 50?

The ASFA figures indicate that men aged 50-54 have on average $254,071 in their superannuation, while women of the same age have $190,175.

So how much should people who are 50 have in their superannuation to be on track for a comfortable retirement?

ASFA also has a Super Detective calculator, where you can input your age and discover what your superannuation balance should ideally be.

For people aged 50 it comes out as $313,500, well above the average figures.

Keep in mind this is targeting a comfortable retirement as defined by ASFA, which involves retiring at 67, owning your own home and drawing a part pension.

It assumes singles will have $630,000 in their superannuation, which in combination with the part pension will deliver an income stream of $55,923 per year.

A comfortable retirement by ASFA’s definition includes the ability to afford top level private health cover, to own and maintain a reasonable car and to enjoy regular leisure activities and occasional travel.

What if your balance is coming up short?

Extra contributions can be made to superannuation in the form of concessional and non-concessional contributions.

Concessional contributions are taxed at just 15% and include money contributed by your employer, salary sacrifice contributions, and extra contributions you make up to a cap of $32,500.

If funds permit and your superannuation balance is less than $500,000 in the last financial year, you can also carry forward any unused concessional contribution cap amounts from the previous five financial years.

The amount you are able to contribute in this way can be found in your myGov account.

A notice of intent to claim must be lodged with your super fund for concessional contributions so they know to deduct the 15% tax from the amount.

It is also possible to make non-concessional contributions up to $130,000 and to contribute more than this amount using the bring-forward rule.  

The post The average superannuation balance for 50-year-olds in Australia in FY27. How does yours compare? 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.

Yesterday, Supply Network Ltd (ASX: SNL) reported that, for the year ended 30 June 2026, revenue had increased 15.4% to $403.7 million, while net profit after tax was 19.0% higher at $47.6 million.

What did Supply Network report?

• Revenue rose 15.4% to $403.7 million.
• Net profit after tax up 19.0% to $47.6 million.
• Basic earnings per share of 109.0 cents, up from 92.9 cents last year.
• Final fully franked dividend of 44.0 cents per share, taking total FY26 dividends to 80.0 cents (up 10.0 cents).
• Net tangible asset backing per share increased to $3.67 (from $3.18).
• EBITDA was $81.1 million (up 17.9%).

What else do investors need to know?

Supply Network, trading under the Multispares brand, saw strong growth across both Australia and New Zealand. Sales revenue in Australia grew by 17.2%, while New Zealand operations recorded a 12.2% uplift in local currency terms. Growth was “broadly based across geographies, customer segments, vehicle models and product groups.”

The group completed major IT upgrades, including a new ERP system and sales interface, aiming for future productivity improvements. Investments were also made in New Zealand, with a new North Auckland branch and expanded Hamilton distribution centre, bringing the country’s network closer in line with Australia.

On the safety front, the company reported tangible progress in reducing workplace risks, especially around manual handling and traffic management, supported by new warehouse systems and training.

What did Supply Network management say?

Managing Director Geoffrey David Huston Stewart commented:

Where there is disruption there is also opportunity and we are pleased to report that Multispares has continued adding new customers and expanding business with established customers throughout the second half. Furthermore, revenue growth remained broadly based across geographies, customer segments, vehicle models and product group.

What’s next for Supply Network?

Looking ahead to FY2027, Supply Network is targeting another $50 million in revenue growth, supported by ongoing network expansion and system improvements. Major projects include footprint expansions in key Australian cities such as Eagle Farm, Canberra, Toowoomba, and Kwinana, as well as the development of a new branch in Sydney’s Penrith region.

The company is also deepening integration between its Australian and New Zealand teams. With significant branch network growth in the pipeline and modernised IT systems, the board remains confident in the group’s ability to tap new opportunities and deliver for shareholders.

Supply Network share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Supply Network shares have declined 16%, trailing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Supply Network profit jumps 19% as dividend rises: FY26 results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 2 unglamorous ASX shares that could rerate sharply

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 positions in and has recommended Supply Network Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Supply Network Ltd. 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 Scentre Group (ASX: SCG) share price will be on watch on Tuesday after the company announced Australian Retirement Trust will become a joint venture partner at Westfield Mt Gravatt, selling a 50% interest for $882.5 million. The deal, at a premium to book value, strengthens Scentre Group’s capital position and strategic partnerships.

What did Scentre Group report?

• Sale of a 50% interest in Westfield Mt Gravatt, Brisbane, for $870.0 million at a 5.50% capitalisation rate
• Additional sale of a 50% stake in adjacent sundry land for $12.5 million
• Total gross proceeds of $882.5 million, representing a 3.5% premium to book values as at December 2025
• Scentre Group will retain 50% ownership and continue as property, leasing and development manager
• Over $3.1 billion of third party capital announced in the past 13 months via joint ventures

What else do investors need to know?

The transaction is subject to clearance by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, and will bring in new capital partners, furthering Scentre Group’s strategy of joint venturing assets. Westfield Mt Gravatt remains a significant asset, being one of the most-visited centres in southeast Queensland and generating over $1.0 billion in annual business partner sales.

Scentre Group has emphasised its ambition of creating long-term value for securityholders by introducing new capital and leveraging strategic partnerships. The Group continues to manage 42 Westfield destinations across Australia and New Zealand, positioning itself as a leader in retail property management and development.

What did Scentre Group management say?

Scentre Group CEO Elliott Rusanow said:

We are very pleased to extend our strategic partnership with Australian Retirement Trust. Westfield Mt Gravatt is one of the most popular centres in south-east Queensland, visited by more than 17 million customers last year and generating total business partner sales in excess of $1.0 billion. Introducing new capital, through joint venturing our assets, forms a key part of our long-term strategic plan.

In the last 13 months, we have announced approximately $3.1 billion of new third party capital coming into the Group through the joint venturing of our assets. Today’s announcement continues to demonstrate our ability to source capital to pursue the Group’s strategic objectives of creating long term value for securityholders.

What’s next for Scentre Group?

The joint venture with Australian Retirement Trust awaits ACCC approval, after which Scentre Group expects to utilise the capital inflow to further its strategic objectives. The Group plans to continue sourcing third-party capital and building partnerships, with a focus on maximising asset value and enhancing returns for securityholders.

Scentre Group will remain the property, leasing, and development manager at Westfield Mt Gravatt, emphasising its commitment to operational excellence and sustained growth across its network of Westfield centres.

Scentre Group share price snapshot

The Scentre Group share price has been out of form over the past 12 months, declining by around 8%.

View Original Announcement

The post Scentre Group sells 50% stake in Westfield Mt Gravatt to ART 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. 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.

It was a bouncy and optimistic start to the trading week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Monday.

After a sour trading week last week, investors seem to have come back from the weekend with a little extra pep in the proverbial step, with the ASX 200 opening higher and staying in positive territory all day today. By the time the markets closed, the index had gained 0.49% to 9,103.1 points.

This happy start to the week’s trading for the ASX followed a similarly buzzy end to the American trading week on Friday night (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in very fine form indeed, rising 0.98%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) wasn’t quite as bubbly, but still gained 0.43%.

But let’s return to this week and our local markets now for a closer look at what was happening amongst the various ASX sectors this session.

Winners and losers

Despite the market’s rise this Monday, there were still a few sectors that missed out on a gain.

Leading those losers were consumer staples shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) was left out in the cold today, shrinking 0.95%.

Financial stocks also had a rough one, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) sinking 0.72%.

Utilities shares were shunned too. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) slid 0.48% lower this session.

Our last losers were communications stocks, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)’s 0.44% slip.

Turning to the green sectors now, it was mining shares that fronted the winners. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) roared 2.43% higher this Monday.

Gold stocks ran hot as well, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) soaring up 1.71%.

Tech shares also had a day to remember. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) enjoyed a 0.96% surge.

Healthcare stocks were in demand as well, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ)’s 0.62% lift.

Energy shares were next. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) jumped 0.47% today.

Then came real estate investment trusts (REITs), with the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) adding 0.12% to its total.

Industrial stocks managed a win. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) put on another 0.1% this session.

Finally, consumer discretionary shares got over the line, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)’s 0.09% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Beating out some stiff competition to take out top spot on the index this Monday was tech stock Data#3 Ltd (ASX: DTL). Data#3 shares rocketed 17.85% higher today to finish at $11.09 each.

This huge gain followed the company releasing its latest earnings, which clearly had a lot going for them.

Here’s the rest of today’s best:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Data#3 Ltd (ASX: DTL)	$11.09	17.85%
Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL)	$1.69	11.55%
Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)	$11.70	10.59%
IperionX Ltd (ASX: IPX)	$3.18	10.03%
Ansell Ltd (ASX: ANN)	$38.24	9.57%
EVT Ltd (ASX: EVT)	$15.33	8.88%
PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS)	$5.47	7.89%
Silex Systems Ltd (ASX: SLX)	$5.50	7.63%
NexGen Energy (Canada) Ltd (ASX: NXG)	$15.36	6.15%
Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC)	$0.89	5.95%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 Ansell and Data#3. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

For me, one of the most exciting aspects of the ASX’s earnings seasons, held twice a year, is the dividend season. Whenever an ASX dividend-paying share reports its latest numbers, it also tends to reveal what its next dividend (if there is one) will look like.

Given we are, right now, in the middle of 2026’s second ASX earnings season, it’s an exciting time to be watching the stock market. Today, let’s go through two ASX dividend shares that have just announced that their investors are set to enjoy a dividend pay rise in 2026.

2 ASX income shares that just hiked their dividends

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)

First up, we have ASX telco Aussie Broadband. Telcos are well-known for their dividend potential, and Aussie Broadband seems to be trying to live up to that reputation.

Today, the company revealed a final dividend worth 3.6 cents per share. That’s a significant 50% increase over the final dividend of 2.4 cents per share that investors enjoyed last year. As well as an increase over 2026’s interim dividend, also worth 2.4 cents per share.

As with all of Aussie Broadband’s past payouts, this latest one will come with full franking credits attached.

Investors have not reacted well to this ASX share’s earnings today. At the time of writing, Aussie Broadband stock is down by 6.35% to $4.73. At this price, this S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) share is trading on a trailing dividend yield of 1.01%.

Argo Global Listed Infrastructure Ltd (ASX: ALI)

Next up, we have the listed investment company (LIC) Argo Global Listed Infrastructure. Argo Global Infrastructure is run by the same team behind Argo Investments Ltd (ASX: ARG), a veteran fund manager on the ASX.

It seems the infrastructure LIC shares its parents’ predilection for slow-but-steady dividend hikes. Its latest earnings were also released this morning. In these earnings, Argo Infrastructure announced that its final dividend for 2026 would be worth 5.5 cents per share. That’s fully franked. That matches 2025’s final dividend.

However, this ASX share’s interim dividend earlier this year was worth a fully franked 4.5 cents per share. This takes Argo’s full-year dividends to a record 10 cents per share. It also marks the fourth year in a row of annual dividend pay rises from the LIC.

Like Aussie Broadband, Argo Global Infrastructure shares have not reacted well to the latest earnings, and are currently down 1.5% at $2.61 each. At that price, this ASX share is trading on a trailing dividend yield of 3.83%.

The post These 2 ASX shares have given investors a 2026 dividend pay rise appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 Aussie Broadband. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Aussie Broadband. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are having another big day on Monday.

At the time of writing, the BHP share price is up 3.55% to $67.47 after reaching a new all-time high of $67.72 during midday trade.

The S&P/ASX 200 Resources Index (ASX: XJR) is also having a strong session, up more than 2.2%.

The mining giant has been on a strong run. BHP shares are up almost 10% over the past week, around 48% in 2026, and more than 60% over the past 12 months.

BHP has also comfortably outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the past year.

So, after hitting another record today, can BHP shares keep climbing?

Copper is doing the heavy lifting

BHP’s FY26 result last week gave investors plenty to like.

Revenue rose 15% to US$58.8 billion, while underlying EBITDA increased 27% to US$32.9 billion. Underlying attributable profit was also up 30% to US$13.2 billion, with net operating cash flow climbing 17% to US$21.8 billion.

Copper was a big part of that result.

It accounted for 54% of BHP’s underlying EBITDA during the year, surpassing iron ore as the company’s largest earnings contributor. Record copper production and higher metal prices helped drive the increase.

BHP also cut unit costs by 6% across its major assets, while net debt ended the year at US$8.7 billion.

Dividend gives shareholders more to celebrate

Shareholders also received a much bigger final dividend.

BHP declared a fully-franked final dividend of US 99 cents per share, up 65% from FY25. That took the full-year dividend to US$1.72 per share, with US$8.7 billion in dividends determined during the year.

At current exchange rates, the final dividend is worth around $1.39 per share. BHP shares are due to trade ex-dividend on 3 September, with the payment following on 23 September.

Looking further ahead, management is targeting annual copper-equivalent production growth of 3% to 4% through FY35.

Can the BHP share price keep rising?

There’s a lot working in BHP’s favour right now, particularly if copper prices remain strong.

The miner is producing record volumes, generating plenty of cash, and building its exposure to copper. Demand for the metal is expected to grow over the coming years as more copper is needed for power grids, renewable energy, electrification, and data centres.

But after such a strong run, the share price is starting to look expensive to some brokers.

Morgans recently downgraded BHP shares to a trim rating with a $55.30 price target. That sits around 18% below where the shares are trading today.

Red Leaf Securities has also placed a hold rating on BHP shares, suggesting investors looking to buy may be better off waiting for a cheaper entry point.

BHP’s earnings are heading in the right direction; however, after rising more than 60% in a year, a lot of good news is already being priced in.

The post BHP shares just hit a record high. Can the run continue? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

There are quite a few S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares that are reporting their latest earnings to investors this Monday. ASX health insurance stock NIB Holdings Ltd (ASX: NHF) is one of them. Unfortunately, investors did not like what they saw, with NIB shares currently down a nasty 10% to $6.66 each.

However, this represents a compelling buying opportunity for income investors.

Before we get into why, let’s go over what NIB had to say this morning.

As my Fool colleague covered earlier today, it was an interesting earnings report to go through. NIB reported group revenues of $3.8 billion for its 2026 financial year, up 6.2% on what the company brought in over FY 2025. Group underlying profits were up 9.1% to $260.9 million, but statutory net profits after tax fell 5.9% to $186.9 million.

It seems investors did not like what they saw, going off the steep drop in NIB shares that we are currently witnessing.

But let’s talk about income. NIB has always been a decent dividend stock. The company has substantially increased its income in recent years, going from paying out an annual 14 cents per share in fully franked dividends in 2020 to 29 cents per share in 2025.

2025’s payouts consisted of an April interim dividend of 13 cents per share and an October final dividend of 16 cents per share. Both payments came fully franked, as is NIB’s habit. The company’s first dividend of 2026 matched that of the 2025 interim dividend, with shareholders once again bagging 13 cents per share.

NIB shares drop despite new special dividend

Today, though, NIB threw some spice into the income soup. It declared a final dividend of 16 cents per share, once again matching 2025’s ordinary payout. But it also unveiled a special dividend alongside its ordinary payout. Yep, shareholders are set to enjoy a concurrent dividend worth another 5 cents per share. That will bring NIB’s dividend total for 2026 to 34 cents per share.

Right now, NIB shares are trading on a trailing dividend yield of 4.36% (boosted mightily by today’s steep share price sell-off). However, we can now assign the stock a forward yield of 5.12%.

So does that make NIB a buy for income? Well, investors shouldn’t take too much from this special dividend. It is entirely possible, even likely, that 2027’s total payouts don’t match what investors will receive in 2026. Special dividends by nature tend to be one-off events.

Saying that, this company occupies a defensive sector of the ASX and has a strong history of delivering dividend increases. As such, I would be happy to include it in a diversified income-focused portfolio.

The post Special dividend: Is now the time to buy NIB shares for income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 NIB Holdings. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA) shares are heading into one of their biggest weeks of 2026.

The Nvidia share price closed Friday at US$214.72, down 0.98% for the session. Despite the fall, the stock is still up around 15% since the beginning of the year and roughly 23% over the past 12 months.

It is also trading about 9% below its 52-week high of US$236.54.

Attention will now turn to the AI chip giant’s second-quarter results, due after the US market closes on Wednesday. This means Australian shareholders will get the numbers early Thursday morning.

So, what should investors be watching?

Wall Street is expecting another huge result

Let’s cut to the chase. Expectations are already extremely high.

According to Reuters, analysts are looking for quarterly revenue of around US$92 billion, nearly double what Nvidia reported a year earlier. Wall Street is also expecting adjusted earnings of around US$2.09 per share.

Nvidia itself guided to second-quarter revenue of around US$91 billion when it released its first-quarter numbers in May.

The company is coming off another huge quarter. Revenue jumped 85% year on year to a record US$81.6 billion, while Data Center revenue climbed 92% to US$75.2 billion.

Keep in mind, those numbers leave Nvidia with a very high bar to clear this week. A strong result may not be enough if management’s outlook even slightly disappoints the market.

AI server prices are heading higher

There’s also something else to watch before the result.

Reuters reported over the weekend that some of Nvidia’s largest customers have been told prices for servers containing its AI chips will rise by more than 15%.

The increases are expected to apply to systems shipped early next year, including those using Nvidia’s Vera Rubin and Grace Blackwell chips. More expensive memory is behind the move, as key components used in AI servers have become considerably more costly.

Passing some of that added expense on to customers could help Nvidia protect its margins. Thursday’s result should also give the market a better idea of whether buyers are starting to push back.

Another big AI bet

Furthermore, Nvidia has been busy away from its chip business.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the company plans to invest US$1 billion in AI startup, Poolside, and pay US$6 billion to license its technology. Nvidia is also expected to bring across most of Poolside’s engineers.

The deal would give Nvidia a bigger presence in open-weight AI models and put it more directly up against companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic.

What should investors watch on Thursday?

Revenue and earnings will attract plenty of attention, but the outlook is likely to have the biggest say in how Nvidia shares move.

The market will also be listening for any comments on Blackwell demand, the progress of Vera Rubin, and whether gross margins can remain around the mid-70% range.

With Nvidia already valued at US$5.2 trillion, there isn’t much room for disappointment.

The post Up 15% in 2026! Why Nvidia shares could be in for a huge week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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 Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.