I think long-term investing in ASX shares is the best approach because it gives our investments time to successfully execute business plans and lets the magic of compounding play out.
The investments I'm going to talk about have already demonstrated their strategies are working and I'm expecting plenty more success in the years ahead.
The first is one of the ASX's leading exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and the second is a business exposed to one of Australia's longest-term tailwinds.
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Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)
This investment gives investors exposure to 100 of the largest non-financial companies on the NASDAQ. The NASDAQ is home to many of the world's leading technology businesses, so investors are getting significant exposure to tech businesses that are changing the world.
On 24 September 2026, its biggest positions were Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, Micron Technology, Advanced Micro Devices, Amazon.com and Meta Platforms.
It's hard to say how the world will change from here, but I imagine technology will remain a key driver of change. New products and services can unlock earnings and expand existing revenue streams, like cloud computing and online shopping.
By the way, I'm calling this an ASX share because it's about investing in shares and we can buy it on the ASX.
The NDQ ETF holdings continue to see earnings growth, which can drive their share prices higher, which is a big tailwind for the returns of the NDQ ETF.
Impressively, the NDQ ETF has returned an average of 19.4% per year since inception in May 2025. In the past five years, it has returned an average of 14.2% per year. Of course, past performance is not a guarantee of future returns.
Over the next decade, I expect this collective group to continue delivering pleasing earnings growth, probably stronger than the overall global share market. Great businesses have a habit of continuing to deliver good performance.
Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)
Propel is the other ASX share I want to highlight. It is the second-largest funeral operator in Australia and New Zealand. Propel operates from 213 locations, including 42 cremation facilities and nine cemeteries.
Australia and New Zealand both have growing and ageing demographics, which means there's a tailwind for funeral volumes.
According to Propel and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the number of deaths in Australia is projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.8% between 2026 and 2035 and then rise at a CAGR of a further 2.3% between 2036 to 2045.
FY26 was thankfully a challenging year for funeral volumes, with funeral volumes contracting by around 2%. To me, that suggests that funeral volumes are likely to be stronger in the medium term.
Funeral prices are steadily rising over time, which is another tailwind for revenue. In FY26, the average revenue per funeral was $6,673 – a comparable rise of 2% year-over-year.
The company is steadily expanding its geographic presence and scale, which should provide advantages in the coming years. Since FY26, it has deployed around $12 million on five acquisitions in New Zealand.
In July 2026, the first month of FY27, comparable average revenue per funeral rose 3%, and funeral volumes remained resilient despite the lowest recorded winter flu season in five years.
With Propel Funeral Partners' share price down 45% over the past year, it looks like a great time to be brave and invest.
