BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are usually a solid choice for passive income and I expect that to continue to be the case. However, it's not one of the ASX dividend shares that I'd choose to buy today if I were picking a handful.
Part of the reasoning for that caution about the ASX mining share is that, at the time of writing, it has risen more than 50% in the last year. Normally, I like to consider investing in ASX mining shares when there's weakness surrounding resource demand. That's not looking like the case with the BHP share price today.
Instead, there are other ASX dividend shares that could be a more consistent and potentially provide more passive income.
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L1 Long Short Fund Ltd (ASX: LSF)
This business is a listed investment company (LIC) which usually invests in businesses that have relatively low price/earnings (P/E) ratios. Of all the sectors it has generated returns from, mining shares has been the sector that has generated the most return for the strategy, of around 200%. Industrials and communication services are the other two areas that have generated a return of more than 100%.
The ASX dividend share also has the ability to short-sell shares that it thinks are overvalued, so it can outperform the market even if a lot of shares are going down.
The LIC has a goal to deliver regular dividend growth for shareholders and it pays a dividend each quarter.
At the rate it's increasing its dividend, it seems likely that the FY26 annual dividend will be approximately 14.6 cents per share, which translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of around 5% at the time of writing, including franking credits.
I think the LIC is more likely than BHP to deliver regular dividend growth each year, compared to the cyclical nature of resource prices.
APA Group (ASX: APA)
APA is a large energy infrastructure business that has a number of compelling assets including a huge national gas pipeline network that supplies half of the country's gas usage.
The business also owns gas storage, gas processing, gas-powered energy generation, solar farms, wind farms and electricity transmission.
By having a diversified portfolio, it can search for the best opportunities in the energy sector to generate the strongest returns.
The ASX dividend share pays for its distribution from the cash flow of its energy portfolio, with underlying earnings steadily growing over the long-term.
APA has increased its annual distribution every year for the past 20 years, making it one of the most reliable ASX dividend shares around.
With how the business is regularly expanding its portfolio, I think the business still has plenty of growth years of ahead. Energy is an important aspect of Australian life, of course.
It's expecting to hike its FY26 annual distribution to 58 cents per security, translating into a distribution yield of 5.8%, at the time of writing.
