2 beaten-down ASX dividend shares to buy right now

Both stocks tick the potential growth and income boxes.

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These 2 ASX dividend shares have both lost significant ground over the past 12 months. The share prices of Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL) and Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL) have fallen 23% and 12%, respectively.

Here are two very different ASX dividend shares that tick both the potential growth and income boxes. Let's go and check them out.

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Sonic Healthcare plays defence for a living

Sonic Healthcare isn't the flashy growth stock grabbing headlines. This ASX dividend share is the quiet achiever that just keeps compounding.

This healthcare company plays defence for a living. People don't stop getting blood tests or scans when the economy wobbles. Demand is steady, recurring, and largely immune to economic mood swings.

Sonic's pathology and imaging empire stretches across Australia, Europe, the US, and the UK. A global footprint few ASX healthcare shares can rival. That diversification gives it multiple earnings engines and a natural hedge when one region slows.

The real magic? Resilience. Ageing populations and the relentless shift toward preventative healthcare keep test volumes humming. Management has layered on disciplined acquisitions over the years, adding scale without blowing up margins.

Where Sonic Healthcare really earns its stripes is in dividends. It pays shareholders twice a year and has a long history of maintaining — and gradually lifting — payouts. Bell Potter forecasts partially franked dividends of 109 cents per share in FY26 and 111 cents in FY27.

At a share price of $21.78 at the time of writing, that's yields of roughly 4.8% and 4.9%. That's not bad for a defensive healthcare stock, especially when those dividends are backed by recurring cash flow rather than one-off sugar hits.

Analysts also see growth potential for the ASX dividend share. The consensus target is $25.65, suggesting about 17% upside. Add in a forecast 4.9% dividend yield, and total potential returns could exceed 20%.

Super Retail Group: resilient in a tough market

Super Retail Group has proven it can drive sales in a tough retail environment, but investors are still debating whether earnings can keep up.

The owner of Supercheap Auto, Rebel, BCF and Macpac recently posted solid revenue growth, supported by resilient demand across auto and leisure categories and continued online traction. The $3.3 billion ASX dividend share has also been disciplined on inventory, helping protect margins in a cautious consumer backdrop.

Even so, profit growth has been patchy. Cost pressures, discounting, and softer discretionary spending have weighed on earnings momentum at times. That's reflected in the price of the ASX dividend share, which has been volatile over the past year and has lagged the broader S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) during periods of consumer uncertainty.

Like Sonic Healthcare, Super Retail stands out for dividends. The retailer pays shareholders twice a year and has built a reputation for consistent, largely fully franked payouts. In stronger years, it has also delivered special dividends. The current yield is attractive at 4.5% compared to the market. It's supported by solid cash generation and a generally disciplined payout ratio.

Most analysts rate the ASX dividend share a buy. They have set the average 12-month price target at $16.32, implying a 13% upside, which could bring total earnings for the year to 17.5%.

Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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 Super Retail Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Super Retail 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.

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