ASX shares benefiting from growth trends can be smart buys if their earnings are being driven by an undeniable tailwind. The growth theme that I’m going to highlight in this article is cybersecurity.

The world is becoming increasingly digital as the years go by, with almost every sector seeing changes. Think about work, learning, communication, education, shopping, banking, filing tax returns, and more – many of these areas have changed significantly.

The more these activities occur online, the more important it is to protect users and core systems from cybercrime. Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing sector that can help tackle this problem.

Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that global spending on cybersecurity over the five-year period of 2021 to 2025 will be a cumulative total of US$1.75 trillion, representing year-over-year growth of 15%. I’d imagine almost every ASX share would love to say its industry is growing at 15% per year.

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

This is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that aims to give investors access to the world’s leading cybersecurity companies. That includes both global cybersecurity giants as well as emerging players from different countries.

There are currently 32 businesses in the portfolio, which include names like Cisco Systems, CrowdStrike, Fortinet, and Okta. These companies are from a variety of countries, including the US, India, France, Israel, and Canada.

We don’t necessarily need to pick which of these businesses will be the biggest winners – it’s a diversified bet on the sector.

The HACK ETF has done well for investors over the long term – since August 2016, it has delivered an average annual return of 15.9%, which is a fantastic level of performance. But, past performance is not a guarantee of future returns, of course.

While management fees shouldn’t necessarily have a significant impact on net returns, it’s useful to know that management costs are an annual 0.67%.

Qoria Ltd (ASX: QOR)

Wilson Asset Management recently provided its monthly update about the listed investment company (LIC) WAM Microcap Ltd (ASX: WMI), which included ASX share Qoria.

WAM described Qoria as a business that develops cloud-based cybersecurity and child protection software for schools and families worldwide.

The fund manager noted that the Qoria share price fell in January as the market focused on profitability and diminishing cash reserves, despite promising growth metrics, such as annual recurring revenue (ARR) surpassing US$100 million and continued growth.

But the Qoria share price has since bounced back sharply after the ASX share received a takeover offer from Aura, which has agreed to acquire the ASX share at 72 cents per share.

But, gaining investment access to Qoria will not be disappearing from the ASX – Aura will give Qoria shareholders 1 Aura CHESS depositary interest (CDI) for every 17.2 ordinary Qoria shares they own. Qoria’s shares represent, in aggregate, 35% of Aura.

The ASX share has a promising future of revenue growth, whether it’s as a separate entity or part of a merged business.

The post 2 exciting ASX shares to buy to take advantage of this huge theme rising at 15% per year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 ASX ETFs to buy with $20,000 in February
• 3 exciting ASX ETFs with strong long-term growth potential
• 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade
• Where to invest $5,000 in ASX ETFs this month
• Why Appen, Imricor, Qoria, and Xero shares are storming higher today

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Wam Microcap. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, Cisco Systems, CrowdStrike, Fortinet, and Okta. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CrowdStrike and Okta. 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 have been a very effective ASX dividend share to invest for passive income at certain times over the last few years. When the ASX mining share declines in value, it can boost the potential future dividend yield.

The business is exposed to a number of different commodities including iron ore, copper and coal. The BHP share price has risen by more than 20% in the past six months, which has been a headwind for a high dividend yield.

However, I’m not sure this is the best time to invest because of how strongly the ASX mining share has performed in recent times. Instead, I think the following ASX dividend shares could be a better buy.

L1 Long Short Fund Ltd (ASX: LSF)

This is a listed investment company (LIC). Its purpose is to invest in a mixture of ASX and global shares. It can utilise short selling as part of its strategy.

It likes to look at areas of the share market with a lower price/earnings (P/E) ratio for opportunities. It thinks “low P/E stocks will strongly outperform high P/E stocks (in general) over the coming 1-2 years”.

Since the strategy’s inception, materials (mining) has been the best-performing sector for the portfolio. So, over time, the LIC has been an effective way to make investment returns from the mining sector with diversified exposure, not just by owning BHP shares.

Since the LIC’s beginning in April 2018, its overall portfolio has returned an average of 15.1% per year. This has helped the ASX dividend share deliver investors a growing dividend since it started paying one in 2021.

It has started paying a quarterly dividend, giving investors more regular cash flow. The annualised dividend of 14 cents per share translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.6%, including franking credits.

The business is rapidly building its profit reserve, which can help fund even larger payouts.

APA Group (ASX: APA)

BHP is increasingly putting its focus on copper, and that’s useful for the diversification of its earnings. But, it’s still quite reliant on its iron ore earnings to deliver good passive income for investors. This means it needs China to continue buying vast quantities of the commodity (and paying a good price for it).

APA’s earnings are much more consistent – it owns a vast portfolio of energy assets, including a massive national network of gas pipelines. It reportedly transports half of the country’s usage.

The business also owns solar farms, wind farms, large batteries and electricity transmission assets connecting different states’ energy grids. As APA continues to invest in its growing portfolio of various energy assets, it is building its cash flow potential to fund larger payouts.

Pleasingly, a significant majority of APA’s revenue is linked to inflation, so the business has benefited from the period of higher inflation.

On the distribution side of things, the business has grown its annual payout every year since 2004 and it’s expecting to grow the passive income again in FY26 to 58 cents per security. At the time of writing, that translates into a forward distribution yield of 6.6%.

The post Forget BHP shares! Buy these ASX dividend shares instead for passive income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in L1 Long Short Fund. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) has confirmed its next dividend, giving income investors clarity on what to expect over the coming months. The update comes alongside a sharp market reaction, with the CSL share price down 9.32% to $155.42 following the release of its latest results.

The decline has pushed CSL shares to a new multi-year low, not seen since January 2018.

While CSL is not known as a high-yield stock, its dividend remains an important part of overall shareholder returns. The company has long prioritised reinvesting for growth while keeping dividends ticking along in the background, even during periods of share price volatility.

Here are the key details and what they mean for investors.

CSL’s latest dividend at a glance

CSL has declared an interim dividend of US$1.30 per share following the release of its HY26 results.

Here are the important dates to note:

• Ex-dividend date: 10 March 2026
• Record date: 11 March 2026
• Payment date: 9 April 2026

To receive the dividend, investors must own CSL shares before the ex-dividend date.

Is the dividend franked?

This is where CSL differs from many large ASX companies.

CSL’s dividend is 100% unfranked. That means there are no franking credits attached for Australian investors. This reflects the fact that most of CSL’s earnings are generated offshore, particularly in the US and Europe.

The dividend is declared in US dollars, which also introduces a currency element for Australian shareholders. The final amount received in Australian dollars will depend on the exchange rate set closer to the payment date.

What does this mean for the dividend yield?

At current share prices, including today’s sharp pullback, CSL’s dividend yield remains relatively modest compared to banks and supermarkets.

This reflects the company’s ongoing focus on reinvesting in growth, research, and manufacturing capacity, rather than directing a larger share of profits toward income.

A quick look at the financial backdrop

CSL reported HY26 NPATA of US$1.9 billion, with management noting that its transformation program is progressing well. While the result triggered a sell-off in the share price, cash flow remains strong.

That financial strength supports ongoing dividends, an expanded share buyback program, and the company’s maintained full-year guidance, which points to a stronger second half.

What investors should take away

CSL’s dividend is well covered by cash flow, but is unlikely to appeal to investors chasing high income.

The company’s global leadership in plasma therapies, vaccines, and biologics keeps the focus on long-term earnings growth, with dividends playing a supporting role.

The post Here’s everything you need to know about CSL’s upcoming dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• CSL half-year earnings: profit drops but guidance reaffirmed
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• CSL names Gordon Naylor interim CEO as Dr Paul McKenzie retires

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

There has been a broad-based sell-off in Australian technology stocks, driven by the notion that artificial intelligence (AI) will rapidly erode the business models of some of our most successful large businesses.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA) and CAR Group Ltd (ASX: CAR) have not been immune from the sell-off, with shares in both trending sharply lower over the past three months.

AI the great unknown

So, on what basis are they being sold off?

Wilsons Advisory has looked at what they called “The AI fear trade”, and believes the doom and gloom around these particular stocks might be overdone.

Firstly, they explain that recent developments in AI models, such as Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.6, “have shown growing capability in automating coding, workflows, and enterprise tasks”.

They go on to explain:

For software companies, this has sparked concerns that incumbent software providers could be displaced by in-house AI-driven solutions, as well as by new AI-powered entrants. In the online classifieds space, there are mounting fears that AI chatbots could allow users to bypass traditional platforms as gatekeepers to their respective marketplaces.

Broadly speaking, the Wilsons team said, while they are strong believers in the transformative power of AI, “the recent indiscriminate sell-off across tech and tech-adjacent stocks has overly discounted the wide moats of some of the ASX 100’s highest-quality companies, in our view”.

In the case of REA Group and CAR Group, they write, the fear is that AI can aggregate listings across different platforms and become the first port of call for either real estate or vehicle buyers.

They note that currently 80% of site traffic for these businesses is direct to site rather than via search.

The Wilsons team adds:

In a ‘worst-case’ scenario where direct traffic to REA Group and CAR Group declines, and they are pushed downstream from this gatekeeper position, their value propositions to agents and dealers – as the best source of quality leads – could weaken. While listings would likely remain on the platforms, reduced buyer attention would erode network effects and pricing power, particularly undermining ‘pay-for-prominence’ and depth-based advertising models.

If this were to happen, it would weaken yield growth over time, while costs would increase due to referral fees paid to AI platforms and also due to increased marketing spend to win back customers.

The Wilsons team added:

With these concerns front of mind, both stocks have de-rated and now trade below their historical averages, as the market applies a higher discount rate to reflect elevated structural uncertainty.

Solid businesses will be resilient

However, the Wilsons team argues that the AI disruption thesis underappreciates the wide moats of both platforms, underpinned by brand strength, deep proprietary datasets, and integrated ecosystems.

As they go on to say:

As the dominant players in their respective markets, REA Group and CAR Group have built significant brand recognition and trust – critical in high-value purchase decisions (particularly property). This advantage becomes increasingly important in an AI-driven world where search, content, and discovery are becoming more fragmented, favouring trusted incumbents over generic aggregators.

In terms of their datasets, both businesses actually look likely to benefit from using AI, “to deepen the value of their marketplaces, supported by data that third-party models cannot easily replicate”.

REA Group, for example, has decades’ worth of property data that can be used to power its own AI-driven features, such as conversational search, Wilsons says.

And in terms of the business ecosystem, Wilsons argues that both platforms have moved “well beyond” being simple listings platforms, and are tightly integrated into the business of agents and dealers.

Wilsons said further:

Overall, we expect AI investment to support continued yield and depth growth for both REA Group and CAR Group over the medium to long term by enhancing their value propositions. As these benefits flow through to revenue and profitability metrics, AI-related investor concerns around disruption and longer-term pricing power should gradually ease.

The post Does AI spell doom for REA Group and Car Group? 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 recommended CAR Group Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP) share price was in focus today after its half-year 2026 results showed funds from operations of $57.3 million, 5.1% net operating income growth, and reaffirmed guidance for FY26.

What did Centuria Industrial REIT report?

• Funds from Operations (FFO): $57.3 million, or 9.1 cents per unit (cpu), up from 8.9 cpu in HY25
• Distribution per Unit: 8.4 cpu, increased from 8.1 cpu a year earlier
• Net Tangible Assets (NTA): $3.95 per unit
• Like-for-like Net Operating Income (NOI) growth: 5.1%
• Portfolio occupancy: 95.7%, with a 7.1-year weighted average lease expiry
• Portfolio valuation gain: $75 million, the fourth consecutive period of gain

What else do investors need to know?

Centuria Industrial REIT completed a $36 million buy-back of its units, with the share price still trading at around a 20% discount to its net tangible assets. The trust also refinanced $775 million of debt, extending its average debt maturity to four years and locked in a new $325 million Exchangeable Note at a 3.5% coupon.

Leasing activity was robust, with about 144,000 square metres of lease terms agreed—covering 12% of the portfolio—and data centre exposure increased with recent acquisitions and ongoing development applications. The REIT maintained a Baa2 stable Moody’s rating, and gearing remains conservative at 35.9%.

What did Centuria Industrial REIT management say?

Grant Nichols, CIP Fund Manager and Head of Listed Funds, said:

During the period, CIP reinforced its earnings growth profile through prudent capital management and significant leasing activity, capturing robust rental reversion. The REIT benefits from continued tenant demand for urban infill assets with CIP’s portfolio 85% weighted to these markets… Further earnings growth potential is evident across CIP’s portfolio with 60% of leases expiring over the next three years being under-rented, providing an opportunity to execute positive rent reversions.

What’s next for Centuria Industrial REIT?

CIP reaffirmed its upgraded full-year funds from operations guidance, expecting 18.2 to 18.5 cpu, with distributions set at 16.8 cpu, paid quarterly. The trust continues to focus on unlocking rental upside from under-rented properties and value-add development, including more exposure to the growing data centre sector.

Management’s outlook remains positive on the back of strong tenant demand, low national vacancy, and ongoing momentum in industrial asset values. Completion of development and leasing initiatives is expected to underpin future earnings and asset growth.

Centuria Industrial REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Centuria Industrial REIT shares have risen 11%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Centuria Industrial REIT grows earnings and holds guidance for HY26 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 Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is in focus after the company reported a 13 mmboe increase in proved plus probable (2P) reserves before production, and a 17-year 2P reserves life at the end of 2025.

What did Santos report?

• Proved plus probable (2P) reserves: 1,484 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe), up 13 mmboe before production
• Annual proved reserves replacement ratio: 95%
• Developed reserves now 62% of total 2P reserves
• 2P reserves life: 17 years
• 2P reserves mix: 83% gas, 17% liquids
• Estimated revenue from product sales for 2025: ~$4,939 million

What else do investors need to know?

Santos saw its 2P reserves replacement driven by additions in the Cooper Basin and Papua New Guinea assets. Around 40% of total 2P reserves are held in Santos’ international assets.

Contingent resources (2C) decreased to 3,212 mmboe, largely due to divestments in the Petrel and Tern fields. On the climate front, Santos has injected 1 million tonnes of CO₂ into storage and increased its contingent CO₂ storage resources by 24 million tonnes to 202 million tonnes in the Cooper Basin.

What did Santos management say?

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Gallagher said:

Today’s statement is the result of Santos’ disciplined annual reserves review and accounting processes, which include external audit of approximately 97 per cent of total 2P reserves. It’s also pleasing to add another 24 million tonnes of 2C CO₂ storage, which is an important asset to underpin Santos’ decarbonisation strategy and commercial expansion of the successful Moomba CCS project to meet customer demand for CO₂ storage in the future.

What’s next for Santos?

Santos says its focus remains on disciplined capital allocation while supporting the long-term growth of energy demand in Australia and Asia. The continued rise in CO₂ storage capacity, especially at the Moomba CCS project, is seen as a key pillar in meeting both commercial and decarbonisation goals.

Investors can expect further updates when Santos finalises its audited 2025 financial statements. For now, guidance figures including revenue, costs, and other financial metrics remain preliminary.

Santos share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Santos shares have remained flat, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (AS: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Santos 2025 Annual Reserves statement: higher reserves and long-life assets 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 National Storage REIT (ASX: NSR) share price is in focus today after the company delivered a first-half FY26 IFRS profit after tax of $73.7 million and declared a fully-franked interim dividend of 6.0 cents per security.

What did National Storage REIT report?

• IFRS profit after tax: $73.7 million (Earnings per stapled security 5.27 cps)
• Underlying earnings: $84.3 million (Underlying EPS 6.0 cps, up 8.2%)
• Group revenue per available metre (REVPAM): $286/m², up 5.3%
• Operating margin: 68%
• Net tangible assets (NTA): $2.61 per stapled security, up 1.2%
• Interim fully-franked dividend: 6.0 cps, payable 20 February 2026

What else do investors need to know?

National Storage REIT settled 18 acquisitions worth $200 million during the half, expanding its portfolio with 13 operational centres and five sites for future development. Alongside this, 11 new developments were completed in 1H FY26, adding 99,000 square metres of net lettable area.

The company also released its 2025 Sustainability Report, highlighting further progress on environmental goals, including efforts to reduce and offset Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 through solar installations, LED upgrades, and other energy efficiency measures.

In December 2025, NSR entered into a scheme implementation deed with a consortium led by Brookfield Asset Management and GIC. If approved, securityholders are set to receive $2.86 per stapled security at an implied equity value of $4.0 billion.

What did National Storage REIT management say?

Managing Director Andrew Catsoulis said:

Our strong 1H FY26 earnings result has demonstrated both the resilience and embedded capacity for growth of NSR’s business. Underlying earnings for the period increased by 8.2% to $84.3 million, or 6.0 cps, operating margin was 68% and NTA increased to $2.61 per stapled security. NSR’s total assets increased from 30 June 2025 by 7.4% to $6.1 billion, as the total asset value of NSR’s property portfolio rose by 6.2% to $5.65 billion, with valuation uplift again driven predominantly by improved operational performance, with the weighted average capitalisation rate remaining steady at 5.87%.

What’s next for National Storage REIT?

Looking ahead, National Storage REIT continues to focus on portfolio expansion, with 43 active development projects and a pipeline of about 401,000m² of new space. The acquisitions and development pipeline give management clear visibility over medium-term growth.

The proposed acquisition by the Brookfield-GIC consortium remains subject to shareholder, court, and regulatory approvals, with completion targeted for the second quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, management maintains its strategy of maximising occupancy and rental rates while progressing its sustainability commitments.

National Storage REIT share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, National Storage REIT shares have risen 23%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post National Storage REIT grows profit and portfolio in 1H FY26 results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Santos 2025 Annual Reserves statement: higher reserves and long-life assets
• Evolution Mining unlocks $120m Northparkes deal with Triple Flag
• Evolution Mining half-year results: record profit and higher dividend
• GQG Partners lifts FUM to US$165.7b in January update

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.

If you’re currently scouring the ASX boards for your next dividend share, you might stumble across a famous stock in Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) shares.

It’s worth remembering that Qantas was, understandably, one of the hardest-hit ASX shares during the COVID crash of 2020 and its aftermath. Months of virtually no domestic or international air travel wreaked havoc on the airline, which was forced to ground planes and furlough thousands of employees.

As such, this ASX 200 travel stock lost the ability to fund dividends for a number of years as it rebuilt its battered ledgers. But last year, Qantas exploded back onto the ASX dividend scene, unveiling two large ordinary dividends after years of dry income taps from the airline.

It funded an ordinary dividend of 16.5 cents per share in April, followed by a final dividend worth 16.5 cents per share in October. Both of these dividends were also accompanied by special dividends, which added another 9.9 cents per share each to investors’ total payouts. All of these dividends came fully franked as well.

This was significant for Qantas investors. The last time the airline paid out a dividend was in 2019. And that saw investors receive a total of 25 cents per share in payouts over the entire year.

So Qantas’ ordinary dividend total of 33 cents per share represented a significant comeback alone. Particularly so if we consider those special divisions too.

As a result of these payouts, Qantas shares trade on a respectable trailing dividend yield of 3.18% today (at the time of writing). That bumps up to 5.1% if we include the airline’s special dividends.

Is Qantas a share to buy for dividend income in 2026?

Given these figures, as well as Qantas’ reputation as one of the most famous blue-chip stocks on the ASX, many investors might be wondering whether Qantas is a worthy dividend stock to add to an income portfolio in 2026. Let’s discuss that proposition today.

Unfortunately for fans of the Flying Kangaroo, I don’t see much to like in Qantas shares as an income investment. Sure, 2025 was a bumper year, at least by Qantas’ standards, when it came to income. If it weren’t for the airline’s near-100% share price jump between 2024 and 2026, its current yield would be far higher too.

However, investors who run income-focused portfolios usually want their dividends to come from companies that are financially sound and can offer some semblance of income safety (at least by the share market’s standard). Whilst Qantas is looking healthy today, I have never liked the underlying economics of an airline.

These businesses are some of the most difficult to manage successfully. They are capital-heavy (aeroplanes don’t come cheap) and highly vulnerable to a range of factors outside their control. These include fuel costs, currency movements, and the underlying health of the global economy. If a recession hits, that next international holiday is one of the things that are first in line for the chopping block.

So while everything looks rosy at Qantas right now, I would worry that this would be one of the first ASX stocks to pare back its dividends if economic storm clouds appear on the horizon. That’s not something I would look for in a dividend share, and, as such, I think there are better stocks out there for investors seeking income today.

The post Should you add Qantas shares to an ASX dividend portfolio in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Prediction: In 12 months the Qantas share price and dividend could turn $10,000 into…

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 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 Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price is in focus today after the gold miner announced an amended metal purchase and sale agreement for its Northparkes operation, unlocking a $120 million upfront contribution and opening the way for further gold-rich developments.

What did Evolution Mining report?

• Secured an additional A$120 million upfront capital from Triple Flag, payable December 2026
• Reduced gold streaming rate over E44 deposit from 67.5% to 25% of payable gold
• Reduced silver streaming rate over E44 deposit from 100% to 37.5% of payable silver
• Binding minimum cumulative delivery obligation: 45,000oz gold and 446,000oz silver between FY31 and FY38
• Agreement creates a pathway to develop future gold-rich deposits at Northparkes

What else do investors need to know?

The agreement with Triple Flag revises a 2020 streaming deal, now tailored to Evolution’s ownership and development plans at Northparkes. The fresh terms not only secure additional capital aligned with the development of the E22 block cave, but also facilitate the potential development of the gold-rich E44 deposit—previously studied but not part of the current life-of-mine plan.

Evolution now has flexibility to either advance E44 by 2029 or repay the upfront deposit with a compensation payment. There is also room for both parties to discuss development opportunities for other gold-dominant prospects at Northparkes, highlighting Evolution’s strategy to leverage its broader tenement package.

What did Evolution Mining management say?

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Lawrie Conway said:

Today marks a major milestone for our Northparkes operation, where we have now established a pathway to unlock even more value. To achieve this, we needed to have full alignment with Triple Flag on how this value can be realised. Triple Flag has demonstrated throughout our discussions, a commitment to jointly work on unlocking this potential. I thank Sheldon and the team for their collaboration and support of Northparkes.

What’s next for Evolution Mining?

Evolution has approved a study to update the feasibility work on the E44 deposit, with aims to meet the December 2029 final investment decision date. This positions the company for further growth through targeted development of gold-rich resources within its Northparkes portfolio.

Production guidance for FY26 remains at 710,000 to 780,000 ounces of gold and 70,000 to 80,000 tonnes of copper, at an all-in sustaining cost of $1,640 to $1,760 per ounce. The agreement provides financial flexibility and supports Evolution’s focus on growing gold output while controlling costs.

Evolution Mining share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Evolution ming shares have soared 141%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

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The post Evolution Mining unlocks $120m Northparkes deal with Triple Flag 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.

There has been a significant rise in ASX ETF investing in the last few years. 

In fact, the Australian ETF market grew 34.1% in 2025.

This growth was driven by over $53 billion in net inflows over the past year. This shattered the prior record of $31 billion set in 2024.

With so much money being pushed into this asset class, ETF providers are developing and offering new funds almost every month. 

Due to the steep competition, these funds often aim to target a sector that is not yet offered in an ASX ETF. 

What does this look like?

This means these thematic funds often target a specific sector, country, or utilise a unique methodology. 

It can be hard for investors to keep up not only with how many funds are now available (roughly 390), but also with how these funds are actually performing. 

Here is how four of the newest funds have performed since inception. 

Winners: Gold and AI 

Two of the biggest headlines in the last year have been the growth of AI and the rise in ASX gold shares.

ETF providers have been all over these trends with plenty of ETFs now targeting these specific markets. 

One of the most successful, relatively new ASX ETFs has been the Global X Gold Bullion (Currency Hedged) ETF (ASX: GHLD). 

It was first listed in March 2025. 

In less than 12 months on the ASX, it has risen almost 60%. 

This fund is very simple. Rather than offering a combination of gold mining companies, it seeks to provide investment results that generally correspond to the spot price of gold bullion. 

Switching focus to another sector that has drawn plenty of investor attention, the Global X AI Infrastructure ETF (ASX: AINF) has also been a winner since inception. 

It has been available since just May of last year and is already up 58% in that span. 

The fund tracks the performance of companies involved in supporting the data centre infrastructure requirements arising from artificial intelligence operations.

This includes companies involved in electric utilities and infrastructure, energy management and optimisation, data centre equipment manufacturing, and more. 

Geographic focus 

There have also been several new ASX ETFs listed recently that target a specific country or geographic region. 

One example is the Global X China Tech ETF (ASX: DRGN)

It offers access to 20 leading Chinese technology companies listed in Hong Kong and Mainland.

Since inception in May last year, it has risen 16%. 

Even newer is the Global X Japan TOPIX 100 ETF (ASX: J100), focusing on Japan’s largest and most liquid companies. 

It has risen 5.4% since November 2025. 

Foolish Takeaway 

It is exciting that almost every sector, theme, and strategy has a corresponding ASX ETF. 

But it is also important for investors to weigh up whether they are investing in a short-term trend or a sector with real long-term upside. 

ASX ETFs also come with fees, which can eat into potential gains more than many investors realise, particularly if the funds require significant ongoing management. 

The post How are these newly listed ASX ETFs performing? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Investment themes investors should be watching closely – Expert
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• Why Aussies are pouring into ASX ETFs at a record pace
• Which AI themes should investors be targeting in 2026?

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.