The Contact Energy Ltd (ASX: CEN) share price is in focus today after the company reported a lift in both mass market electricity and gas sales to 319 GWh in November 2025, up from 290 GWh a year ago. Wholesale contracted electricity sales also rose to 845 GWh from 733 GWh, showing growth across both its Customer and Wholesale businesses.

What did Contact Energy report?

• Mass market electricity and gas sales reached 319 GWh (up from 290 GWh in November 2024)
• Wholesale contracted electricity sales jumped to 845 GWh (733 GWh in November 2024)
• Average electricity sales price was $353.82/MWh (previously $307.43/MWh)
• Unit generation cost rose to $39.62/MWh (from $34.43/MWh a year earlier)
• Customer netback improved to $138.75/MWh (up from $134.39/MWh)
• Total customer connections grew to 667,000 (from 635,000)

What else do investors need to know?

Contact Energy has several renewable energy projects underway, including the Glenbrook-Ohurua battery project (expected online Q1 2026), Kowhai Park Solar (expected Q2 2026), and Te Mihi Stage 2 geothermal project (expected Q3 2027). These investments total over $1 billion and reflect the company’s focus on low-carbon energy solutions and future growth.

Hydro storage levels remained strong, with South Island and North Island controlled storage well above long-term averages as of December 2025. Nationwide electricity demand was up 4.1% versus November 2024, signalling a generally positive market environment for the company.

What’s next for Contact Energy?

Contact Energy is pressing ahead with its major development projects, which are expected to bolster renewable output and further diversify its generation mix. The company continues to manage gas contracts and energy storage closely, positioning itself to meet rising demand and future-proof its operations.

ESG remains a priority, with ongoing investment in emissions reduction, water management, biodiversity, and community initiatives. Investors should watch for further project updates and operational data in the coming quarters.

Contact Energy share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Contact Energy shares have declined 1%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 5% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Contact Energy reports lift in November sales and renewable projects progress appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Meridian Energy lifts hydro storage and sales in November 2025 update
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Lynas shares: After a year of outperformance, is it still a buy?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Westgold unveils spin-out of non-core Reedy and Comet gold assets

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.

Most ASX investors would turn their heads at a stock or exchange-traded fund (ETF) that returned close to 20% over more than nine years.

Investing in ASX shares has always generated inflation-beating, wealth-building returns for long-term investors. But those that invest in ASX index funds are used to an average return of something like 8.5% per annum over the past few decades. Those are get-rich-slow kinds of returns, not get-rich-quick.

But at 17.8% per annum, those lines begin to blur.

Yes, that’s the return that the BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK) has generated for its investors since this ASX ETF’s inception in August of 2016 (as of 28 November). Yep, HACK units have gone from the ~$5 per unit level they floated at back then to the $14.84 the fund commanded on 28 November. Adding in the divided distributions that HACK had paid out along the way, and we get to that magic 17.8% figure.

More recent years have been even more lucrative for owners of the Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF. HACK units have returned an average of 22.84% per annum over the three years to 28 November.

As the name implies, this ASX ETF invests in a global portfolio of the leading companies in the cybersecurity space. Most of its holdings (about 79%) are US stocks, but countries like India, Israel, France and Canada are also represented. Some of its major holdings include Broadcom, Cisco Systems, Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet.

The risks and rewards of this ASX ETF

Past performance is never a guarantee of future success. But let’s talk about one reason investors might wish to buy this ETF, and one reason they might wish to avoid it.

First, the good. Cybersecurity is obviously a growth industry. Every year, more and more of our personal lives, business, government interactions and commerce move to the internet. This is a trend that is unlikely to abate anytime soon. Individuals, governments, and businesses are thus arguably going to be willing to spend more and more money on protecting their customers’ and clients’ personal information, not to mention their own reputations, from threats going forward.

We know how much a company’s reputation can be damaged by a cybersecurity breach. Just ask Optus.

These trends should benefit the companies in the Betasahres Global Cybersecurity ETF immensely if so. And that bodes well for this ETF’s continuing prosperity.

But what of the downsides? Well, this ETF represents one very narrow and concentrated corner of the global economy, with no real diversification.

If some kind of crisis or black swan event engulfs one or more of HACK’s major holdings, it could result in a permanent loss of capital for investors. Unlike broad-market index funds, there are no companies from other corners of the economy to dilute this risk and provide the strength of diversification.

Of course, it’s impossible to know what that risk might be. But we do know that only investing in one corner of the economy comes with inherent risk. That’s why, if I bought this ETF, I would keep it as a small slice of a diversified stock portfolio.

The post Meet the ASX ETF that has returned 17.8% for 9 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 excellent ASX ETFs to buy with $3,000 in December
• How to build a $100,000 ASX share portfolio starting at zero
• 3 ASX ETFs I’d buy right now to build wealth
• 3 exciting ASX ETFs to buy and hold for 20 years
• 2 ASX stocks I’m very bullish about for the next decade

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 BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, Cisco Systems, and Fortinet. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Broadcom and Palo Alto Networks. 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.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are a popular option for income investors, but with a trailing dividend yield of just 3.1%, they may not be the best.

Especially when most analysts believe that the big four bank’s shares are overvalued and destined to fall from current levels.

But don’t worry, because there are plenty of quality alternatives for investors to choose from with bigger dividend yields and potential for plenty of upside.

Here’s what analysts are recommending to income investors:

Harvey Norman Holdings (ASX: HVN)

The first ASX dividend share that could be worth considering is Harvey Norman.

It is of course one of Australia’s largest retailers with a growing network of superstores across Australia and the world. It also owns one of the largest retail property portfolios, which provides both stability and an additional layer of asset backing for shareholders.

Bell Potter is bullish on the retailer and believes it is positioned to pay fully franked dividends of 30.9 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 35.3 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $7.06, this would mean dividend yields of 4.4% and 5%, respectively.

The broker has a buy rating and $8.30 price target on the company’s shares.

Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL)

Another ASX dividend share that Bell Potter rates highly is Sonic Healthcare.

It is a medical diagnostics company with laboratories and collection centres across Australia, Europe, and the United States.

After a tough period following the end of COVID testing, Bell Potter thinks the company is ready for a return to consistent growth.

It is expecting this to support partially franked dividends of 109 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 111 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $22.98, this equates to dividend yields of 4.75% and 4.8%, respectively.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $33.30 price target on its shares.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

A third ASX dividend share that could be a good alternative to CBA shares is Transurban.

It is a toll road giant that operates a network of important roads across Australia and North America. This includes the newly opened West Gate Tunnel in Melbourne, the Eastern Distributor in Sydney, and AirportlinkM7 in Brisbane.

The team at Citi believes the company’s portfolio is positioned to pay dividends per share of 69.5 cents in FY 2026 and then 73.7 cents in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $14.42, this equates to dividend yields of 4.8% and 5.1%, respectively.

Citi has a buy rating and $16.10 price target on its shares.

The post These shares have bigger dividend yields (and more upside) than CBA shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Want to know how much CBA is expected to grow profit in FY26?
• What could keep Harvey Norman shares climbing in 2026?
• What a rising Aussie dollar means for your ASX shares
• Want passive income? These ASX dividend stocks could help
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. 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 positions in and has recommended Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Harvey Norman and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sonic Healthcare. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Owning Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN) shares usually comes with a decent dividend yield. But, the more important question may be whether shareholders will see dividend raises or cuts in the coming years.

Following the divestment of Suncorp Bank to ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), Suncorp is now focused on being one of the largest insurers in Australia.

Insurance is not exactly known for being a consistent industry, so investors may need to be aware that dividends can bounce around. Let’s see what analysts think could happen with the payments in the next few years.

FY26

We’re currently in the 2026 financial year, and the broker UBS expects Suncorp’s FY26 net profit and dividend per share to fall significantly due to catastrophe costs that were higher than expected.

UBS expects Suncorp to overrun its FY26 catastrophe budget by around $580 million, despite previously adding additional conservatism to its FY26 catastrophe budget.

But, on a positive note, UBS suggest that recent weather events could “extend the positive home/motor pricing cycle”.

Despite cutting its FY26 forecast earnings per share (EPS) for Suncorp by 31%, UBS still thinks Suncorp is a buy, with a price target of $22. The forecast profit for the year is $934 million.

UBS projects that Suncorp could pay an annual dividend per share of 66 cents. That translates into a potential grossed-up dividend yield of 5.5%, including franking credits.

FY27

The broker thinks the greater potential positive outlook for motor and home premiums can roll over to the 2027 financial year.

In FY27, UBS is expecting Suncorp to hike its annual dividend per share to 92 cents per share.

FY28

The 2028 financial year could see the business decide to hike the dividend again.

UBS has predicted that Suncorp could increase its payout to 97 cents per share in FY28.

FY29

UBS is forecasting that the insurance giant could hike its payout again for owners of Suncorp shares in the 2029 financial year.

In FY29, investors are predicted to see an annual dividend per share of $1.03.

FY30

The final year of this series of projections could see the business deliver investors an annual dividend per share of $1.09 in the 2030 financial year.

That translates into a possible grossed-up dividend yield of 9%, including franking credits.

Suncorp share price valuation

At the time of writing, Suncorp is valued at 20x FY26’s estimated earnings. UBS says Suncorp shares are attractive because it’s at a discount to its historical average, excluding the bank segment.

The post Here’s the dividend forecast out to 2030 for Suncorp shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 buy-rated ASX 300 shares at 52-week lows
• Macquarie names best and worst ASX stocks to buy in a rising interest rate environment
• Experts say buy: 2 ASX All Ords shares at 52-week lows
• Why Harvey Norman, Mirvac, Qube, and Suncorp shares are falling today
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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 ASX is packed with small and mid cap stocks that are quietly building world-class businesses behind the scenes.

They may not be household names yet, but they have the growth engines, competitive advantages, and scalability to potentially become major players by the end of the decade.

If you’re looking for ASX stocks with the kind of long-term upside that could transform a portfolio, analysts think these three mid-caps stand out.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

DroneShield is one of the most exciting defensive technology players on the ASX. As drones become increasingly prevalent in both commercial and military settings, demand for counter-drone and electronic warfare systems has surged worldwide.

The company’s cutting-edge technology is now deployed by military customers, government agencies, and critical infrastructure operators across multiple continents. Its product suite has expanded rapidly, margins are improving as scale increases, and recent contract wins highlight growing credibility with tier-1 customers.

Defence spending globally is rising and counter-drone systems are becoming a standard requirement rather than a niche specialty. And with a growing pipeline and a technology advantage over many competitors, DroneShield could easily become a globally recognised name by 2030.

Bell Potter is bullish on its outlook and has a buy rating and $5.30 price target on its shares.

Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK)

Another mid cap ASX stock that could be a top buy is Gentrack. It provides software used by utilities, airports, and energy retailers to manage billing, customer information, compliance, and operations. These systems are mission-critical and once they are installed, they are deeply embedded and extremely difficult to replace.

In recent years, Gentrack has undergone a major transformation, modernising its product suite and winning significant new contracts across the world. The energy transition, with its rising number of green retailers, decentralised grids, and complex billing requirements, is creating long-term structural demand for the kind of software Gentrack specialises in.

If the company continues to secure global market share and deepen relationships with major utilities, it could grow very strongly over the remainder of the decade.

Bell Potter is also a fan of Gentrack. It has a buy rating and $11.00 price target on its shares.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

Finally, Temple & Webster has spent the past few years cementing itself as the go-to destination for furniture and homewares online. While its category has traditionally been dominated by large physical retailers, the structural shift toward online shopping shows no sign of slowing and it is capturing that trend better than anyone else.

With online penetration in homewares still far below levels seen in the US and Europe, Temple & Webster could be multiple times larger by 2030 if industry adoption continues.

Macquarie is a fan of the company and recently put an outperform rating and $24.15 price target on its shares.

The post 3 ASX mid-cap rockets that could become future blue chips appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Will the Droneshield share price double in 2026?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 10 most-traded ASX shares last week

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield, Gentrack Group, and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Gentrack Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) stock Generation Development Group Limited (ASX: GDG) is on a tear.

Shares in the diversified financial services business closed up 0.5% on Monday, ending the day trading for $5.65 apiece.

While that’s down more than 25% from the stock’s all-time closing high of $7.60 a share, posted on 15 October, the Generation Development share price remains up 63% in 2025.

And investors who bought the ASX 200 stock five years ago will now be sitting on gains of 813% today.

If you don’t own shares yet, the good news is that, according to the team at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), Generation Development is well-placed to keep outperforming in 2026.

With “leading market positions in investment bonds, managed accounts, and research & ratings, GDG is delivering high growth rates across its three segments”, Macquarie said.

Indeed, at its full year FY 2025 results (for the 12 months to 30 June), the company reported a 191% year-on-year increase in revenue to $141.3 million. And on the bottom line, underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) of $30.2 million was up 170% from FY 2024.

ASX 200 stock tipped to deliver more outsized gains

Macquarie initiated coverage on Generation Development last Friday with an outperform rating.

Commenting on its bullish outlook for the ASX 200 stock, the broker said:

GDG has expanded to become a market leader in the high-growth managed account sector, through its acquisition of Evidentia and increased 100% ownership of Lonsec.

The managed account segment is set to drive the next stage of growth for GDG, with a TAM of $200bn+ and forecast FUM CAGR of 15% from 2024-30E. By consolidating Evidentia and Lonsec managed accounts, GDG has strengthened it market leading position in this highly fragmented market, with unparalleled distribution capability and further synergistic benefits to come as it increases scale.

Macquarie also expects further growth from Generation Development’s Generation Life segment.

According to the broker:

GDG’s Generation Life segment, providing investment bonds and annuities, benefits from tax reform and superannuation changes. We expect legislative tailwinds will drive structural growth in the industry. GenLife is well-positioned to capture a high share of inflows.

And there’s nothing like recurring revenue to give investors some peace of mind.

On that front, Macquarie noted:

GDG has a recurring revenue model across each of its segments with Evidentia and GenLife operating an asset based fee model with predictable recurring revenue streams from mgmt and admin fees. Lonsec research house also has ~96% recurring revenue derived from contracted research and subscription fees.

Concluding that the ASX 200 stock “is well positioned to rapidly grow earnings”, Macquarie said, “We believe there is further upside as GDG continues to invest for growth and execute well.”

The broker has a 12-month price target on Generation Development of $6.70 a share. That represents a potential upside of more than 18% above Monday’s closing price.

The post Up 813% in 5 years, why Macquarie expects this surging ASX 200 stock to keep outperforming in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Flight Centre shares could return 22% in just one year
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Why did Macquarie just downgrade CSL shares?
• 3 excellent Australian dividend shares to buy with $1,000
• 3 of the best ASX 200 stocks to buy in December

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 positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Generation Development Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Some forces are simply too powerful to ignore. Digital transformation, automation, and electrification are reshaping the global economy, regardless of short-term market cycles or economic slowdowns.

For long-term investors, one way to harness these forces is through exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that provide diversified exposure to the stocks driving them.

Here are three ASX ETFs that tap directly into megatrends that look set to run for decades.

Betashares Cloud Computing ETF (ASX: CLDD)

The shift to the cloud is no longer a future trend, it is now core infrastructure for the global economy. Businesses are increasingly moving data storage, software, and computing power away from offline systems and into scalable, cloud-based platforms.

The Betashares Cloud Computing ETF provides exposure to companies enabling this transformation. Its holdings include cloud software and infrastructure leaders such as Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT), ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW), and Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP). These businesses sit at the centre of enterprise digitisation, e-commerce, and workflow automation.

As data usage grows and artificial intelligence (AI) workloads expand, demand for cloud services is likely to keep compounding over time, making the Betashares Cloud Computing ETF a pure-play way to access that structural shift. It was recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

Betashares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF (ASX: RBTZ)

Automation and artificial intelligence are rapidly becoming essential productivity tools. Labour shortages, rising costs, and the need for efficiency are pushing companies to invest heavily in robotics and AI-driven systems.

The Betashares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF targets businesses leading this transformation. Its portfolio includes Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA), a key supplier of AI computing hardware, Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG), a pioneer in robotic-assisted surgery, and ABB Ltd (SWX: ABBN), a global leader in industrial automation.

This is a megatrend driven by necessity rather than hype. As economies digitise and industries modernise, robotics and AI adoption is likely to accelerate across healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and services. It was also recently recommended by the team at Betashares.

Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF (ASX: ACDC)

Electrification is transforming transport, energy storage, and power generation, and batteries sit at the heart of that transition. The Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF provides exposure to the stocks building the supply chain behind electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.

Its holdings span miners, battery manufacturers, and technology leaders such as Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA), Albemarle Corp (NYSE: ALB), and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL). Together, they reflect the end-to-end ecosystem required to support the global shift away from fossil fuels.

With governments and consumers pushing toward cleaner energy solutions, and battery costs continue to fall, demand for battery technology and lithium materials could grow strongly for many years. This bodes well for the companies held by this fund.

The post 3 ASX ETFs that benefit from unavoidable megatrends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Better Artificial Intelligence (AI) stock for 2026: Nvidia or AMD?
• 3 stocks that in 20 years have turned $5,000 into more than $1 million
• Will Nvidia crush the market again in 2026?
• The 3 smartest quantum computing stocks to buy with $1,000 in 2026
• Ranking the best “Magnificent Seven” stocks to buy for 2026. Here’s my No. 1 pick.

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 positions in and has recommended Abb, Intuitive Surgical, Microsoft, Nvidia, ServiceNow, Shopify, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Microsoft, Nvidia, ServiceNow, and Shopify. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.