When it comes to earning a passive income, ASX dividend shares are at the top of my list.

There are plenty of options available, too. From major Australian blue-chip companies, to defensive stocks, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and energy infrastructure or utility operators, many ASX-listed companies have a long history of paying their shareholders a regular and reliable dividend payment.

Here are two ASX dividend shares I’d buy right now, both of which I believe are positioned to pay attractive passive income for years.

Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG)

Origin is an ASX dividend share favourite of mine.

The leading ASX energy company provides Australian homes and businesses with electricity, natural gas, solar and LPG. 

Given energy is an essential service, the stock is classically defensive. This means its shares are generally resilient to sharemarket volatility, global uncertainty and fluctuating sentiment. After all, people won’t stop powering their homes and businesses because the purse strings have tightened.

Origin’s assets operate under long-term contracts, often with rising income, which gives it another defensive quality.

Its defensive nature makes the company’s shares a great option for passive income, as they can generate substantial cash flows even when energy prices are elevated. 

And this directly benefits its shareholders. 

Origin has historically paid its shareholders every six months, consisting of an interim dividend in March and a final dividend in September.

In the first half of FY26, Origin Energy paid its investors 30 cents per share, fully franked. 

Brokers forecast that the energy business will increase its annual payout to 61 cents in FY26, translating to a forward yield of around 5.05%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Fund (ASX: HVST)

The Betshares HVST is another ASX dividend share to consider. HVST is an ASX-listed exchange-traded fund (ETF) that invests in 40 to 60 dividend-paying companies. These are selected from the top 100 largest ASX-listed companies based on their dividend forecasts, franking credits, and expected future gross dividend payments.

The ETF does not track an index; instead, it targets exposure to high-dividend stocks.

The fund is structured to own a dividend-paying share until it trades ex-dividend. At this point, the fund sells the shares and reinvests the proceeds into its next opportunity.

YMAX is mostly weighted into the financial sector, which accounts for 26.9% of its allocation at the time of writing. The materials sector is second, accounting for 10.1% of its allocation.

The fund also invests into diversified metals & mining, consumer discretionary, energy, industrials, real estate, communications, and healthcare sectors. 

HVST ETF pays investors a regular, franked dividend income that is significantly higher than the annual income yield of the broader ASX. 

As of the 31st of July, its 12-month gross distribution (dividend) yield is 7.1%, and the net yield is 5.6%. The franking level is 63.3%. The fund’s annual management fee and costs are 0.72%.

The fund paid out $0.06 per share to investors earlier this month. In fact, the fund has paid around $0.06 per share each month since January 2024.

The post 2 ASX dividend shares I’d buy right now for passive income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies 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 Civmec Ltd (ASX: CVL) share price is in focus after the company announced full-year FY26 revenue of A$903.0 million, up 11.4%, and a net profit after tax of A$52.1 million, a 22.5% increase on last year.

What did Civmec report?

• Revenue of A$903.0 million, up 11.4% on FY25
• EBITDA of A$107.3 million, up 17.0% (EBITDA margin 11.9%)
• NPAT of A$52.1 million, up 22.5% (net profit margin 5.8%)
• Final dividend of 3.5 Australian cents, fully franked (total 6.0 cents for FY26)
• Order book of A$1.4 billion at 31 July 2026
• Net assets increased to A$591.2 million

What else do investors need to know?

Civmec reported strong operating cash flow before working capital movements of A$107.2 million, up 20% year on year, with increased investment in working capital supporting higher activity levels and order growth. The company’s secured order book stands at A$1.4 billion, thanks to significant new contract wins, including major SMPE&I packages for Iluka Resources and the Perth Sporting and Entertainment Precinct.

The business continues to expand through early contractor involvement and pre-FEED processes, particularly across the resources, energy, and infrastructure sectors. Civmec also promoted Mark Clay as Executive General Manager, Defence, to drive growth in its defence business—now newly established as a prime contractor to the Commonwealth.

What did Civmec management say?

Chief Executive Officer Patrick Tallon said:

Our FY26 result reflects the strength of our people, our proven execution capability, and the consistent delivery we bring to every project. The establishment of Civmec Defence Industries, together with the expansion of our regional facilities in Port Hedland and Gladstone, has further broadened our capabilities and market reach. With strong contributions across all sectors, we enter FY27 with a substantial order book, strong market demand, and a robust pipeline of opportunities.

What’s next for Civmec?

Civmec is entering FY27 with a sizeable order book and an active tendering pipeline across its key sectors. The business is well positioned to benefit from strong demand, with ongoing projects for major resources and energy clients and growth in public infrastructure and defence.

Management is focused on disciplined growth, pursuing opportunities across resources, energy, infrastructure, and expanding capabilities in defence and shipbuilding. Recent leadership appointments and investment in facilities are expected to support execution and further diversification.

Civmec Limited share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Civmec shares have risen 61%, outpacing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

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The post Civmec lifts FY26 profit, order book reaches $1.4bn 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 Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd (ASX: VGN) share price is in focus today after the airline posted a 13.4% rise in underlying EBIT to $753 million for FY26, alongside its first fully-franked dividend of 7.6 cents per share since re-listing.

What did Virgin Australia report?

• Underlying EBIT of $753 million, up 13.4% on FY25
• Underlying NPAT $404 million, up 21.9% year on year
• Statutory NPAT $501 million, up 4.7% on FY25
• Underlying EBIT margin expanded 60bps to 12.0%
• Fully-franked dividend of 7.6 cents per share declared
• ROIC increased to 20.1%, up 140bps

What else do investors need to know?

Virgin Australia says strong customer demand, effective fuel hedging, and benefits from its Transformation Program supported its earnings growth and helped offset rising costs, particularly in labour and airport charges. The airline finished FY26 with a conservative balance sheet: net debt at $1.2 billion represents a leverage ratio below its target range and available liquidity is $1.6 billion.

Operational performance also improved, with on-time rates up to 77.1% and completion rates at 98.7%. The Velocity Frequent Flyer program continued to grow, with external billings up 12.4% and more than 800,000 new members joining during FY26.

What did Virgin Australia management say?

Commenting on the results, Virgin Australia’s CEO, Dave Emerson, said:

Our FY26 results demonstrate that Virgin Australia has become a stronger and more resilient airline… Our strategy is working. We have built a simpler, more focused business with a primarily domestic network, targeted short-haul international services and global connectivity through our airline partners. That strategy, together with the continued benefits of our Transformation Program, has strengthened the quality of our earnings and positioned us well for the future…. The declaration of our inaugural dividend since re-listing reflects confidence in the strength of the business, while maintaining the disciplined approach to investment and capital allocation that will support sustainable long-term growth.

What’s next for Virgin Australia?

Looking ahead, Virgin Australia expects continued strong travel demand to support earnings. For 1H FY27, underlying EBIT is forecast to be broadly in line with the prior period, with disciplined capacity reductions, ongoing Transformation Program benefits, and planned investments in newer, more efficient aircraft.

The company aims to grow its owned fleet and maintain financial discipline, targeting capex of $0.9–1.0 billion in FY27. Velocity earnings are expected to hold steady next year, with investment in loyalty transformation aiming to drive double-digit earnings growth from FY28 onwards.

Virgin Australia share price snapshot

The Virgin Australia share price has underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months with a decline of almost 20%.

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The post Virgin Australia posts robust FY26 results and first dividend since re-listing appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.