The Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV) share price is in focus after the company reported H1 FY26 group sales rose 1% to $6.68 billion, with Dan Murphy’s and BWS Q2 sales up 2.2% and Hotels Q2 sales climbing 4.4%.

What did Endeavour Group report?

• Group sales grew 1.0% to $6.68 billion for the half year ended 4 January 2026.
• Dan Murphy’s and BWS Q2 sales rose 2.2%; H1 sales for both brands up 0.7% to $5.4 billion.
• Hotels revenue increased 4.4% to $1.17 billion, with record results in December.
• Preliminary group profit before tax (pre significant items) expected between $400 million and $411 million (vs $437 million last year).
• A net significant item expense of $45 million pre-tax flagged for H1, mainly related to supply chain changes.

What else do investors need to know?

The retail business saw improved sales momentum throughout the half as customers responded well to price reductions and targeted promotions, especially at Dan Murphy’s. However, this focus on sharper pricing led to an expected 85 basis point decline in retail gross profit margin compared to last year.

On the hotels side, strong holiday trading and refurbished venues boosted sales, with hotels delivering their best-ever monthly results in December. The group also incurred significant one-off costs for the planned closure of the Melbourne Liquor Distribution Centre and is transitioning to a new supply chain provider from 2027.

What did Endeavour Group management say?

Endeavour Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said:

The pricing and promotional decisions we have made in our Retail business have generated positive sales results, delivering on our aim to better align the customer propositions for each of our brands to re-ignite top line growth. In a competitive market landscape, we have focused on reinforcing customer confidence in the value we offer across all channels, particularly in Dan Murphyʼs unbeatable price and customer experience.

A key step to realising the potential of our Retail brands is improving sales momentum, and as the first half progressed we made a number of decisions to improve customer engagement and generate higher sales velocity, including investment in lower shelf prices. We are very pleased with the speed of customer reaction to our shelf price and targeted promotional activity, highlighting the strength in both retail brands.

What’s next for Endeavour Group?

Management says the second half will focus on executing its refreshed strategy for both retail and hotels, targeting better in-store price execution and continued investment in customer experience. The transition to a new Victorian distribution centre aims to deliver supply chain benefits over time, despite the short-term costs.

Endeavour Group plans to provide further detail at its H1 FY26 results in March and at its next Investor Day. The company says it remains committed to offering strong value to customers while progressing efficiency and cost-reduction initiatives across its brands.

Endeavour Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Endeavour Group shares have declined 8%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 7% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Endeavour Group: H1 FY26 sales rise, retail margin narrows appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Forget term deposits! I’d buy these two ASX 200 shares instead
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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 GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG) share price is in focus as the global fund manager reported Funds Under Management (FUM) of US$163.9 billion at 31 December 2025, up from US$153.0 billion a year ago. Annual net inflows were negative, but investment performance delivered a strong boost.

What did GQG Partners report?

• Funds Under Management (FUM) ended at US$163.9 billion (up from US$153.0 billion in 2024)
• December 2025 net outflows of US$2.1 billion
• Full-year 2025 net outflows totalled US$3.9 billion
• Investment performance added US$14.8 billion for the year
• Management fees remain the main source of net revenue

What else do investors need to know?

GQG Partners continues to navigate challenging markets, including extended valuations and increased macroeconomic uncertainty. The company maintained a defensive portfolio positioning through the end of 2025, aiming to protect client assets.

As a result, GQG reported relative underperformance compared to its benchmarks across all its major investment strategies for the year. The firm’s management remains highly aligned with shareholders and clients.

What’s next for GQG Partners?

Looking ahead, the company has noted its upcoming FUM announcement dates in February, March, and April 2026. GQG says its management team remains committed to both shareholders and clients, with a clear focus on the business’s long-term resilience and growth.

Investors may wish to watch for further updates on fund flows and any adjustments to the manager’s defensive positioning in a changing global environment.

GQG Partners share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, GQG Partners shares have risen 1%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 7% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post GQG Partners reports US$163.9bn FUM for 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Endeavour Group: H1 FY26 sales rise, retail margin narrows
• Fletcher Building Q2 volume update: Key results and outlook
• Forget term deposits! I’d buy these two ASX 200 shares instead
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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 recommended Gqg Partners. 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 team at Morgans has been busy running the rule over a number of popular ASX 200 shares recently.

Are they buys, holds, or sells? Let’s see what the broker is saying about the three listed below.

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ)

Morgans wasn’t overly impressed with this big four bank’s performance during the second half of FY 2025. It highlights that credit impairment charges were up and profits were down.

In light of this, the broker has a trim rating (between sell and hold) and a $33.09 price target on ANZ shares. It said:

Ex $1.1bn of significant items, 2H25 profit declined 7% vs 1H25, with a -3% decline in pre-provision profit (revenue +2%, costs +6%) and a doubling of credit impairment charges. Earnings were materially below market expectations, albeit consensus may not have fully adjusted for the significant items.

We have downgraded our FY26-28F cash earnings by 1-2%. However, 12 month target price lifts 29 cps to $33.09/sh due to CET1 capital outperformance in 2H25. We recommend clients TRIM into share price strength, with the share price and implied valuation multiples trading at or around all-time highs.

Monadelphous Group Ltd (ASX: MND)

This engineering company has caught the eye of Morgans. It was pleased with its recent update and believes there is more to come in the near future thanks partly to a multi-year Pilbara replacement cycle.

In response to its update, the broker retained its buy rating with an improved price target of $29.00. It commented:

Today’s update was exceptionally strong, and our view is that the good times are poised to continue. Though 1H revenue is expected to grow +40% YoY, management has tempered expectations for the full year by providing early guidance (FY26 revenue +20-25%). This leaves capacity for further beats if demand surprises. Our view is that demand in E&C will accelerate due to Rio’s multi-year Pilbara replacement cycle (which gathers pace in CY26 and CY27), and a resurgence in rare earths projects (MND was heavily involved in ARU’s US$1.2bn Nolans project previously).

Additionally, volume strength in Maintenance should continue as project scheduling indicates further oil & gas turnarounds into FY27, although FY26 contains a few one-offs so we fade growth expectations into FY27. Target price moves to $29.00 (from $24.40). BUY maintained.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

Finally, this ASX 200 gold miner disappointed the market (and Morgans) recently with a soft quarterly update and guidance downgrade.

Unfortunately, Morgans isn’t convinced that the worst is over yet and is cautious on its short to mid-term production outlook. As a result, it has put a hold rating and $26.00 price target on its shares.

Commenting on the gold miner, the broker said:

NST has revised FY26 guidance lower after another soft sales quarter, cutting the midpoint ~8% to 1,650koz (from 1,775koz). The downgrade reflects ongoing operational challenges across all hubs, including grade, throughput and utilisation constraints. This marks the second guidance miss in as many years. While we remain constructive on NST’s long-term growth pathway, we are adopting a more cautious (previously bullish) short-to-midterm production outlook, maintained until delivery consistency improves.

We now forecast FY26 sales of 1,589koz (-9%), marginally below updated guidance (1,600–1,700koz). We lift our AISC to A$2,770/oz, reducing forecast EBITDA and EPS by 16% and 22% respectively. Rating revised to HOLD, price target A$26.00ps (previously A$27.41ps). The downgrade partly offset by our higher spot scenario of US$3,500/oz (from US$3,250/oz).

The post Buy, hold, sell: ANZ Bank, Monadelphous, and Northern Star shares 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.

Are you looking for some ASX dividend stocks to buy in January?

If you are, then it could be worth checking out the three below which have been named as buys by brokers.

Here’s what they are recommending to clients:

Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD)

The first ASX dividend stock that analysts rate as a buy is Elders. This agribusiness company provides rural and livestock services, agricultural inputs, and real estate services to Australia’s farming sector.

While its earnings can fluctuate with seasonal conditions, Elders has built a diversified national footprint that helps smooth performance across cycles. This includes the recent acquisition of Delta Agribusiness, which provides greater exposure to key local retail markets as well as a leading agronomy and farm advisory team.

With respect to payouts, Macquarie believes the company is positioned to pay fully franked dividends of 36 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 37 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $7.37, this would mean dividend yields of 4.9% and 5%, respectively.

Macquarie currently has an outperform rating and $8.25 price target on its shares.

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN)

The team at Bell Potter thinks that Harvey Norman could be an ASX dividend share to buy and it isn’t hard to see why.

The retail giant benefits from a unique franchise model that generates robust cash flows and provides flexibility during challenging retail environments.

In addition to its core electronics and furniture operations, Harvey Norman owns a substantial property portfolio. This adds another layer of income stability and has supported generous dividend payments over time.

Bell Potter expects fully franked dividends per share of 30.9 cents in FY 2026 and 35.3 cents in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $6.78, this represents dividend yields of 4.6% and 5.2%, respectively.

The broker has a buy rating and $8.30 price target on its shares,

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Finally, Telstra Group could be a great option for Australian income investors.

As the country’s largest telecommunications provider, it generates recurring revenue from mobile, broadband, and network services that customers rely on every day.

The company’s scale, infrastructure ownership, and pricing power give it a strong competitive position, which has supported a growing stream of dividends in recent years.

Macquarie expects this to continue. It is forecasting fully franked dividends of 20 cents per share in FY 2026 and 21 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $4.85, this equates to dividend yields of approximately 4.1% and 4.3%, respectively.

The broker has an outperform rating and $5.04 price target on its shares.

The post Brokers say buy Telstra and these ASX dividend stocks this month 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 positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Harvey Norman, Macquarie Group, and Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Elders. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX All Ords gold share Aurum Resources Ltd (ASX: AUE) raced ahead of the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) in 2025. Indeed, the gold stock has already more than doubled investors’ money over the past 12 months.

And, according to the analysts at Canaccord Genuity, the gold miner is well-positioned to do so again in 2026.

One year ago, you could have picked up Aurum Resources shares for 34 cents apiece. On Monday, the ASX All Ords gold share closed the day trading for 70 cents.

That sees Aurum shares up 106% over 12 months, smashing the 7.84% returns delivered by the All Ords over this same period.

Part of that meteoric rise has been driven by the surging gold price. Gold was trading near record highs on Monday, at US$4,579 per ounce. That puts the yellow metal up more than 68% in a year.

Investors have also taken note of the string of regulatory and exploratory successes Aurum has achieved at its flagship Boundiali Gold Project, located in Côte d’Ivoire (formerly Ivory Coast).

What’s the latest from the Boundiali Gold Project?

Last week, Aurum Resources reported on “a significant regulatory milestone” at Boundiali.

The ASX All Ords gold share said that, following its recent lodgement of two applications in December, it now has three mining exploitation licence applications on foot with the Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Energy.

With 10 drill rigs currently active at Boundiali, the miner is planning 100,000 metres of diamond drilling in 2026. And with an unaudited cash balance of $40 million as at 31 December, the company looks well-funded for its development and exploration plans.

Commenting on the company’s latest mining application last week, Aurum Resources managing director Caigen Wang said, “The rapid transition from exploration to mining licence applications across our entire Boundiali footprint is a testament to the quality of our assets and the efficiency of our team.”

Wang added:

In 2025, we grew our resource from 1.59Moz to 2.41Moz and completed over 108,000m of drilling at Boundiali. With $40M in the bank and a clear pathway to a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) in late 2026, we are perfectly positioned to deliver significant value this year.

And Canaccord Genuity appear to agree with Wang’s bullish assessment.

ASX All Ords gold share tipped to more than double again

Aurum Resources caught the attention of Canaccord Genuity in December, with the broker initiating coverage on the ASX All Ords gold share with a speculative buy rating.

In a new report, following last week’s third mining exploitation licence application at Boundiali, Canaccord noted, “This expanded licensing footprint highlights AUE’s confidence in Boundiali’s potential to become a large-scale, modern open-pit gold operation.”

According to the broker:

The regulatory progress aligns with a strong near-term catalyst pipeline, including updated resources for Boundiali (currently 2.41Moz) and Napié (currently 0.87Moz), alongside delivery of the Boundiali PFS; all targeted for the current MarQ’26.

For the PFS, we envisage a 5-6Mtpa open-pit operation that could produce up to 180kozpa. If strip ratios average ~5:1 and processing costs are ~US$20/t, we believe AISC could be in the region of US$1,450/oz.

Canaccord added, “We see potential for the broader Boundiali Gold Project to host ~3.1Moz over time, inclusive of the 2.4Moz defined to date.”

Connecting the dots, the broker maintained its speculative buy rating and price target of $1.50 for the ASX All Ords gold share.

That represents a potential upside of 114.3% from Monday’s closing price.

The post Broker tips another 114% upside for this surging ASX All Ords gold share appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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.

Growth investors are usually looking for one thing above all else. Exposure to parts of the market that have the potential to grow faster than the broader economy over time.

The good news is that exchange traded funds (ETFs) make this easier by providing diversified access to long-term growth themes, without relying on the success of a single company.

With that in mind, here are three ASX ETFs that could be a good fit for growth investors looking to position for the years ahead.

Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

The Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF provides investors with easy access to some of the most influential technology stocks across Asia.

This ASX ETF focuses on major Asian tech leaders involved in ecommerce, digital payments, gaming, and online services. These businesses are often deeply embedded in the daily lives of hundreds of millions of consumers and benefit from long-term trends such as rising digital adoption and growing middle classes.

Holdings currently include stocks like Tencent Holdings (SEHK: 700), Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA), and PDD Holdings (NASDAQ: PDD). Tencent, for example, operates dominant platforms (WeChat and QQ) across social media, gaming, and digital payments, giving it multiple growth levers as online engagement continues to expand across Asia.

For growth investors, the Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF offers a way to tap into regions where technology adoption is still accelerating rather than maturing.

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

Another ASX ETF for growth investors to look at is the Betashares Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF. It is designed to capture the rise of automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence across the global economy.

Rather than focusing on consumer-facing tech alone, this fund invests in stocks that are developing the hardware, software, and systems that enable automation in manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and data processing.

Its current holdings include names such as NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA), Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG), and Keyence. NVIDIA is a good example of how foundational technologies can benefit from multiple growth waves, from gaming and data centres to AI and machine learning.

As efficiency demands and AI adoption continue to rise, the technologies owned by the Betashares Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF are becoming increasingly central to how businesses operate. This fund was recently recommended by the team at Betashares.

Betashares Cloud Computing ETF (ASX: CLDD)

Finally, the Betashares Cloud Computing ETF could be a good option for growth investors. It gives investors exposure to the global shift toward cloud-based software and infrastructure.

This ASX ETF invests in stocks that provide the cloud platforms, software-as-a-service, and digital infrastructure that businesses rely on to operate and scale. Major holdings include Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP). Microsoft, through its Azure cloud platform and enterprise software ecosystem, is a clear example of how cloud adoption can drive long-term, high-margin growth.

For growth investors, the Betashares Cloud Computing ETF offers exposure to a trend that is still expanding as more workloads move online and businesses prioritise digital flexibility. It was also recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

The post 3 fantastic ASX ETFs for growth investors to buy before it’s too late appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Betashares Capital – Asia Technology Tigers Etf. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Amazon, Intuitive Surgical, Microsoft, Nvidia, Shopify, and Tencent. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Alibaba Group and 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 Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Shopify. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX: FBU) share price is in focus after the company posted a quarterly volume update for Q2 FY26, highlighting modest improvement in product sales over the first quarter, but ongoing market challenges, especially in the Heavy Building Materials and Distribution divisions.

What did Fletcher Building report?

• Light Building Products volumes mostly flat or higher than Q1 and prior corresponding period (pcp); Waipapa up 4.0% on Q1 and 23.4% on pcp
• Iplex NZ volumes rose 3.7% versus Q1 and 15.1% on pcp
• Heavy Building Materials volumes contracted: Winstone Aggregates down 2.7% on Q1 and 8.4% lower on pcp
• Distribution’s PlaceMakers Frame & Truss volumes 3.1% up on Q1 and 4.8% higher than pcp, but margins under pressure
• Residential division took 135 units to profit, down 24.1% compared to Q2 FY25

What else do investors need to know?

Fletcher Building noted some encouraging signs, with Light Building Products showing improvement and margins remaining generally stable across that division. However, margin compression continued to challenge the Group, particularly in Distribution and Steel businesses, as trading conditions stayed highly competitive.

Heavy Building Materials divisions, such as Winstone Aggregates and Humes, delivered further volume declines due to weak demand in roading and larger projects, offset slightly by more stable volumes in Firth and Golden Bay. In Australia, sales trends were generally positive within Light Building Products.

What did Fletcher Building management say?

Andrew Reding, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, commented:

Quarterly volumes showed modest improvement compared with Q1 FY26, with some encouraging signs emerging across the portfolio. That said, these gains are yet to be sustained and, on their own, are not enough to offset the impact of the earlier declines.

What’s next for Fletcher Building?

Fletcher Building remains cautious about the near-term outlook, flagging continued margin pressures from competitive conditions and only partial recovery in sales volumes so far. Management expects that any significant recovery in demand will take time, with the company not counting on a meaningful volume recovery until calendar year 2027.

The Group plans to continue navigating tough market settings by maintaining discipline on cost and margin management, while looking for opportunities to benefit from broader economic improvements as they emerge.

Fletcher Building share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Fletcher Building shares have risen 29%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 7% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Fletcher Building Q2 volume update: Key results and outlook 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.

Two of the most recognisable names in the consumer discretionary sector are JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman. 

This sector relies heavily on economic conditions and consumer sentiment. 

Some of these factors have led to the sector staying relatively flat over the last 12 months.

The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ) is up just 1.6% in that span. 

But is there any opportunity in the new year for two of Australia’s biggest electronics and white goods companies?

Here’s what experts are tipping for JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman shares. 

JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH)

The group’s products focus on consumer electronics, electrical goods, and white goods through its JB Hi-Fi, JB Hi-Fi Home, and The Good Guys stores.

JB Hi-Fi shares have fallen by roughly 18% since late last year, and are overall down 3.3% in the last 6 months. 

Most of this decline came amidst changing inflation and cash rate news last October, which pushed consumer sentiment lower. 

This was despite the company reporting quarterly sales growth across all its businesses.

So are they worth a buy?

It’s important to first point out JB Hi-Fi offers a solid dividend yield of just over 3%. 

As for the share price, RBC Capital Markets placed a $101 price target on JB Hi-Fi shares late last year. 

Meanwhile, TradingView has an average one year price target of $102.89. 

These targets indicate an upside between 8-11% from its current share price. 

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN)

It’s been a very different story for Harvey Norman shares over the last 12 months. 

Its share price has risen by more than 46% in that span, making it among the best retail shares to have owned in 2025.

This largely came on the back of impressive FY25 results. 

At the time of writing, Harvey Norman shares are trading at $6.78 each. 

So is there more growth to come in 2026? Or should investors take profits?

Much like its competitor JB Hi-Fi, it also offers a strong yield. 

It’s forecast to pay fully franked dividend yields of 4.5% in FY 2026.

Secondly, brokers still see share price growth for Harvey Norman shares in 2026. 

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $8.30 price target on its shares. 

From current prices, that indicates an upside of more than 22%.

The post Are JB Hi-Fi or Harvey Norman shares a better buy right now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Thankfully for Australian income investors, the local market is home to countless ASX dividend shares.

But with so much choice, it can be hard to decide which ones to buy over others.

To narrow things down, let’s take a look at three that are highly rated and expected to offer great dividend yields. They are as follows:

APA Group (ASX: APA)

The first ASX dividend share to look at is APA Group.

It is a leading owner and operator of energy infrastructure, generating stable, regulated cash flows that are largely insulated from economic ups and downs.

APA Group’s portfolio spans gas pipelines, electricity transmission assets, and power generation, with long-term contracts that provide excellent visibility over future earnings. This stability has allowed APA to steadily grow its distributions over time. So much so, it has gone almost two decades with consecutive annual dividend increases.

And this trend is expected to continue in FY 2026, with management guiding to an increase to 58 cents per share. Based on its current share price of $8.58, this would mean a dividend yield of 6.8%.

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN)

Another ASX dividend share for income investors to consider is HomeCo Daily Needs REIT.

It is a REIT built around owning properties people rely on regardless of economic conditions.

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT’s portfolio is focused on convenience-based retail and essential services, including neighbourhood shopping centres, large-format retail, health services, and government buildings. Its major tenants include Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

Because the REIT’s assets are leased on long-term agreements, management has good visibility on its earnings and is able to provide dividend guidance each year.

Speaking of which, it is guiding to a dividend of 8.6 cents per share in FY 2026. Based on its current share price of $1.36, this represents a 6.3% dividend yield at current prices.

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

Finally, Rural Funds Group could be a top pick for income investors.

It offers exposure to Australian agricultural properties through a diversified portfolio of farms across cattle, cropping, almonds, vineyards, and macadamias. These are leased to high-quality operators on long-term contracts.

Many include inflation-linked rental increases, which can help protect real income over time. And with demand for food production a long-term structural tailwind, this makes farmland a scarce and valuable asset class.

The company plans to pay an 11.73 cents per share dividend in FY 2026. Based on its current share price of $2.02, this represents an attractive 5.8% dividend yield.

The post These amazing ASX dividend shares offer 5.8% to 6.8% yields in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group, Rural Funds Group, and Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended HomeCo Daily Needs REIT and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

There are a wide range of potential ASX share investments that Australians can make when starting out with $500.

One of the tricky things is that a beginner portfolio can be quite unbalanced. If one’s first investment was a business like Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) or Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), then 100% of the portfolio is invested in just one name.

It would be good to invest in an option that provides everything a beginner investor may want. I think the philanthropic investment business Future Generation Australia Ltd (ASX: FGX) could meet a beginner’s criteria.

Diversification

Future Generation Australia is a listed investment company (LIC) which is different to most other LICs on the ASX. It is invested in the funds of a number of Australia’s leading fund managers.

However, these fund managers don’t charge Future Generation Australia with management fees of 1% (or more) as a typical fund might. Instead, they work for free so that the LIC can donate 1% of the value of its net assets each year to youth charities.

By having exposure to numerous funds, investors can benefit from owning a lot of underlying stocks, just by owning this ASX share. At the end of November 2025, its portfolio contained more than 400 underlying securities.

Some of the fund managers it’s invested in include Paradice, Bennelong, L1 Group Ltd (ASX: L1G), Wilson Asset Management, Cooper Investors, Vinva, Eley Griffiths, Firetrail and QVG Capital.

These fund managers provide better diversification than the overall ASX share market, in my view, because their portfolios are much less focused on the ASX banking sector. Instead, more is allocated to industrials, discretionary retailers, communication services, IT and cash.

Returns

Diversification is helpful for lowering risks and overall portfolio volatility. But, ultimately, we want to see positive returns. Market-beating returns would be preferable.

Future Generation Australia’s portfolio has been very satisfactory.

At the end of November, the ASX share’s portfolio return was 11.8% per annum over three years, 10% per annum over five years and 10.9% over seven years. These figures compare favourably to the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO).

The funds are focused on smaller businesses than the ASX 300 is focused on, giving investors the chance to buy in faster-growing companies.

Philanthropy

As a shareholder myself, I’m very pleased to know that Future Generation Australia is donating millions of dollars each year to a number of youth charities.

Some of the charities that the ASX share supports are Australian Children’s Music Foundation, Brave, Yiliyapinya, The Mirabel Foundation, Raise, Giant Steps, Karinyahouse, KidsXpress, Yawarda and Lighthouse Foundation.

According to Future Generation Australia, the donations to date have totalled $49 million.

Dividends

Some beginner investors may be looking for passive income from their investments. Plenty of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) don’t have a good dividend yield.

Future Generation Australia aims to deliver investors a mixture of capital growth and dividends over time. Pleasingly, the business has increased its dividend every year over the past decade.

The ASX share’s FY25 dividend yield translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.8%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

For investors who don’t want cash payments, they can utilise the LIC’s dividend re-investment plan (DRP) and see the value of the holding increase over time.

Overall, this ASX share offers everything a beginner investor could want.

The post Is this the perfect place to start investing in ASX shares with $500? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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