As the name suggests, it's a funeral operator – the second biggest in Australia and New Zealand. It also operates cremation facilities.

While it's a morbid idea, it does provide an important service for the Australian community.

As the chart below shows, the Propel share price is down 33% since the start of the year. I think this is a great time to consider the business.

Let's take a look at what makes it such an appealing option right now.

Long-term tailwinds

One of the main reasons why I think it's one of Australia's top shares is that the business has some of the clearest, long-term tailwinds on the ASX.

Sadly, the business is required to perform a certain number of funerals each year, giving the business very defensive earnings. As the saying goes, it's one of the certain things in life.

The number of funerals is predicted to grow in the coming years because of Australia's ageing and growing population.

Propel says that Australian death volumes are expected to increase by 2.9% per year from 2026 to 2035 and 2.4% per year from 2036 to 2045. In other words, there's at least 20 years of an expanding addressable market for the funeral sector.

That may not sound like a strong growth rate by itself, but we should remember that the revenue growth from higher volumes can be combined with a rising funeral price over the long-term.

Between FY15 and the first half of FY26, its average revenue per funeral grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.8%. When you combine mid-single-digit revenue growth, with the potential for rising profit margins from increased scale and solid dividend payments, I think that can translate into a pleasing average total shareholder return (TSR) annually over the long-term.

Valuation

Using the forecast on CMC Invest, the business is trading at 21x FY27's estimated earnings with a possible grossed-up dividend yield of 5.7%, including franking credits.

The business is expected to grow earnings by another 7% in FY28 and pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 6.1%, including franking credits, at the time of writing. Those are pleasing statistics, in my view, for one of Australia's top shares.

For a business that could continue to grow over time, I think the current valuation for such a defensive business is fair. Plus, whilst we own it over the long term, it can pay a pleasing level of passive income during the period and deliver 'real returns'.

The post A rare buying opportunity in 1 of Australia's top shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The sector relies heavily on consumer confidence and everyday Australians having the disposable income to buy non-essential goods and services. 

High inflation and rising interest rates have put pressure on these purchases, subsequently hurting consumer discretionary spending. 

However, this downward pressure has also created value opportunities in the sector. 

Two consumer discretionary shares have received buy ratings from the team at Bell Potter. 

Here's what the broker is tipping for the next 12 months. 

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel Funeral Partners is an Australian-based company that provides death care services in Australia and New Zealand. The company owns funeral homes, cremation facilities, cemeteries, and related infrastructure in almost every Australian state and New Zealand.

Its share price has fallen almost 35% year to date. 

However, it now presents as a value play.

The company just released updated FY26 guidance.

Propel Funeral Partners expects FY26 revenue of $225 to $230 million and operating EBITDA of $54.5 to $56.5 million.

The guidance was slightly weaker than the market expected. Revenue is 3% to 4% below analyst and market forecasts.

Profit (EBITDA) is approximately 7% below market expectations and 4% below Bell Potter's own forecast.

The main issue is lower funeral volumes (fewer funerals than expected).

Bell Potter had expected funeral volumes to grow in the second half of FY26, but the guidance implies volumes could actually fall by around 1%.

On the positive side, the amount of revenue earned per funeral (ARPF) is still increasing, up about 2% on a comparable basis.

Based on this guidance, Bell Potter retained its buy recommendation on the consumer discretionary stock, but lowered its price target to $3.80 (previously $5.90). 

Despite lowering its price target, the broker still projects 12% upside in the next 12 months. 

Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE)

Eagers Automotive is the largest automotive retailing group in the Australian market.

Its share price has fallen 15% year to date. 

However, Bell Potter recently placed a $28 price target on this ASX consumer discretionary stock, indicating 34% upside from current levels. 

The broker said the stock looks reasonably valued on its P/E ratio. 

Back in early May, Eagers Automotive announced the completion of its strategic investment in CanadaOne Auto, one of Canada's largest dealership groups, through the acquisition of 65% of the shares in its holding company.

Bell Potter's view on the CanadaOne deal appears to be cautiously positive long term, but more conservative on near-term profitability than before.

We also see the recent trading update at the AGM as effectively "cleansing" the market as the H1 result has now been largely flagged – so there should be no surprises – and the sell-side has downgraded 2026 forecasts for higher bailment charges and the negative forex impact from CanadaOne.

The post Bell Potter just tipped 12% to 34% upside for these consumer discretionary stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

I've had a look at the broker reports published this week and selected three that make a good case for potentially lucrative upside in the shares covered.

Let's look at what they're saying.

Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK)

Shares in the employment website and technology company have struggled over the past 12 months, shedding about 45% of their value over the period.

The analyst team at Jarden thinks the shares are oversold and bases this opinion on a "proprietary tracker" it has built to assess how Seek is faring.

In short, they think the company is well-positioned.

As they said:

We believe Seek can easily achieve its 'low double digit' yield growth guidance for FY26 … 2H26's strong momentum gives us confidence that Seek can achieve its 'high single digit' % yield growth ambition in ANZ, with upside risk. Our proprietary tracker indicates that Seek has maintained its year-on-year pricing growth from 1H26 into 2H26.

Jarden notes that it believes the Australian labour market is past its peak, which will be a headwind for the company.

Jarden has a price target of $23.25 on Seek shares, down from $23.50, but still well above the current price of $13.07. If achieved, the price target would constitute a 77.8% gain.

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel just announced three acquisitions in New Zealand, which will cost it $9.1 million and expand its network into regional markets.

Together, the companies being acquired generate about $4 million in revenue from more than 700 funerals annually and operate from four locations.

The company also gave guidance on its expected performance this year, saying revenue would be in the range of $225 to $230 million compared to last year's $225.8 million, while EBITDA would be in the range of $54.5 to $56.5 million, compared to last year's $56.2 million.

Macquarie downgraded its outlook for the company across the next three years, but still has a share price target of $5.50, well above current levels of $3.24. If achieved, the price target would constitute a 69.8% gain.

IperionX Ltd (ASX: IPX)

This company this week published a definitive feasibility study for its Titan critical minerals project in the US, which said the project could be developed over two stages for US$381.3 million.

The mine, which would produce titanium, zircon, and heavy rare earth concentrate, was expected to have a mine life of 14 years and to earn US$2.8 billion in EBITDA over that period.

Bell Potter, in a report issued this week, has a speculative buy rating on the shares, with a price target of $8.25 compared to the current price of $5.43.

If achieved, the price target would constitute a 51.9% return.

Bell Potter said the company now had the opportunity to forge ahead with funding and partnership discussions.

The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares poised for 52% to 78% gains appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Propel Funeral shares closed yesterday trading for $3.54. In early-morning trade on Thursday, shares are changing hands at $3.06 apiece, down 13.6%.

For some context, the ASX 300 is down 0.9% at this same time amid investor concerns over renewed fighting in the Middle East.

This underperformance follows a trading update released before market open this morning.

Here's what's happening.

ASX 300 stock tumbles on guidance update

Propel Funeral shares are getting walloped after the company, which counts as the second largest provider of death care services in Australia and New Zealand, reported on three new acquisitions as well as its full-year FY 2026 revenue and earnings guidance.

Turning to guidance first, the ASX 300 stock is forecasting FY 2026 revenue in the range of $225 million to $230 million. Should revenue come in at the low end of that range, that would represent a decline from the $225.8 million in revenue Propel Funeral Partners reported in FY 2025.

On the earnings front, the company expects FY 2026 operating earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to be in the range of $54.5 million to $56.5 million. As with revenue, should full-year earnings come in towards the lower end of that range, it will be well below the $56.2 million in operating EBITDA the company reported in FY 2025.

Management noted this guidance is based on a number of assumptions.

Those include the ASX 300 stock seeing a roughly 1% year-on-year increase in the number of funerals it performs, or roughly 22,850 for the full year.

The company also expects the average revenue per funeral it receives to increase by around 2% from last year.

As for those acquisitions…

Propel Funeral Partners expands in New Zealand

In news that could support the ASX 300 stock longer term, the company reported that it has inked binding agreements to acquire three funeral services providers as well as the related assets, including one cremation facility.

Propel Funerals said it will pay $9.1 million for the acquisitions, which are all located in regional markets in New Zealand.

The three businesses together were reported to generate $4 million in revenue. Operating from four locations, all of which Propel will acquire on settlement, they conduct more than 700 funerals a year.

Subject to meeting customary conditions, management expects the acquisitions to be completed in Q4 FY 2026 and/or Q1 FY 2027.

The new assets are expected to be earnings accretive in year one.

The post Why is this ASX 300 stock crashing 14% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

We don't necessarily need to look at the biggest businesses for ideas that can deliver good performance – I'd prefer to look at businesses further down the market capitalisation list because they are earlier on with their growth plans than major ASX blue-chip shares.

I believe there's plenty of growth to come for the following two businesses.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

It owns a portfolio of premium youth fashion brands, with both retail and wholesale businesses. Universal Store's main businesses are Universal Store and Perfect Stranger. It also has CTC (trading as THRILLS and Worship brands).

This business currently operates 121 physical stores across Australia as well as online channels.

The company says its strategy is to grow and develop its premium fashion apparel brands and retail formats targeting fashion-focused customers.

It's still growing revenue at a strong pace – it gave an update that said that retail sales for the first 43 weeks of FY26 showed 14% growth, with Universal Store growth of 11.8%, Perfect Stranger growth of 39.8% and CTC growth of 14.5%.

The company's mid-point of its FY26 guidance suggests the business could grow sales by 11.5% and operating profit (underlying EBITA) is expected to grow by 15.4%. It's a great sign for a business when profit is rising faster than sales, as it's usually the net profit that investors value a business on, rather than its revenue growth.

The ASX share has grown its annual dividend each year since 2021 when it first started paying a dividend. According to the forecast on CMC Invest, it's projected to pay an annual dividend per share of 41.7 cents in FY26, which translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 8.8%, including franking credits.  

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel is the second-largest funeral provider in Australia and New Zealand. It operates from 208 locations, including 41 cremation facilities and nine cemeteries.

While morbid, the business is exposed to long-term growth tailwinds because of Australia's ageing and growing populations.

According to Propel, the number of deaths in Australia is expected to rise by an average of 2.9% per year between 2026 to 2035, and then another 2.4% per year between 2036 and 2045. That's not the biggest growth rate, but the steady progression could lead to solid compounding over time.

Propel can benefit from both the rising number of funerals, as well as growth of the average revenue per funeral, which is roughly in line with inflation.

Additionally, the business is steadily growing its geographic presence through acquisitions – helping grow its top line and scale.

According to the forecast on CMC Invest, the Propel dividend per share could climb to 16.6 cents by FY28. That translates into a possible grossed-up dividend yield of 6.5%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

The post 2 ASX shares that I rate as buys today for both growth and dividends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Passive income received in superannuation during the retirement phase has a good chance of being tax-free. How great is that?

So, the question is, how much would it take to receive a sizeable amount of dividends each year? Let's take a look.

$3,000 of passive income each month from superannuation

Receiving $3,000 equates to $36,000 per year. That's not a gigantic amount, but it could be enough to be an essential part of a retiree's finances.

How large the nest egg needs to be to receive $36,000 per year is largely related to what the portfolio yield is.

For example, if someone's portfolio had an average dividend yield of 3.6%, then they'd need a $1 million portfolio to receive $36,000.

But, if the portfolio average dividend yield was actually 7.2%, then an investor would only need a $500,000 portfolio.

If the portfolio had a 4.8% dividend yield then an invest would need a portfolio value of $750,000.

There are plenty of options when it comes to aiming for these sorts of yields, so I'll highlight a few names below. For my own portfolio, I have invested in a mix of names to create a strong dividend portfolio.

Which ASX dividend shares I'd buy

If an investor is targeting a relatively low (3.6%) passive income yield in superannuation, or outside of superannuation, then I'd consider names like investment conglomerate Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL), Kmart and Bunnings owner Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), global jewellery business Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) and funeral provider Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP).

Among the mid-range yield (around 5%) names, I appreciate listed investment company (LIC) L1 Long Short Fund Ltd (ASX: LSF), industrial property owner Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP), farmland landlord Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF), telco Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) and quality global shares-focused exchange-traded fund (ETF) WCM Quality Global Growth Fund (ASX: WCMQ).

Some of the higher-yield (more than 7%) names that I like include LICs WCM Global Growth Ltd (ASX: WQG), MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF), WAM Microcap Ltd (ASX: WMI), and diversified property landlord Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW).  

The post How much is needed in superannuation to target a $3,000 monthly passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

While the recently announced tax changes are not ideal for share investors, capital gains tax changes may not necessarily have a major negative impact if we don't sell any investments on a short-term holding basis, and instead allow the inflation indexation to become meaningful.

Let's dive into why I view the two ASX share investments below as appealing options for an ultra-long-term holding.

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel is one of the largest funeral providers in Australia and New Zealand. It also has 41 cremation facilities and nine cemeteries. The business can deliver long-term revenue growth thanks to three key tailwinds.

Firstly, Australia's long-term ageing demographics are, morbidly, leading to increasing demand for the business and industry as a whole.

According to Propel, death volumes are expected to rise by an average of 2.9% per year between 2026 to 2035 and then 2.4% per annum from 2036 to 2045. This can help the company's revenue for the next two decades.

Another tailwind for revenue is rising funeral costs. While this isn't likely to help profit rocket higher, it can help offset rising costs over time. Since FY15, the average revenue per funeral has increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 2.8%.

The third way the company is expanding its market share is through acquisitions. In the first-half of FY26, it made two acquisitions that come with a combined revenue of $4 million across six locations.

Over time, I expect the ASX share's profit margins to rise thanks to its larger scale.

iShares Global 100 ETF (ASX: IOO)

The other investment I want to tell you about is this exchange-traded fund (ETF), which invests in 100 of the largest global businesses. These are multinational, blue-chip companies that are very important to the global share market.

They can come from whichever country they're listed in – it's not a market-specific ETF. Countries with an allocation of more than 1% of the fund include the US (80.1%), the UK (4.2%), Switzerland (3%), Germany (2.6%), France (2.2%), South Korea (2%), Japan (1.8%) and the Netherlands (1.6%).

Unsurprisingly, some of the largest positions include Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon.com, Alphabet and Broadcom.

The 100 largest businesses in the world are likely to become more profitable as time goes on thanks to their scale benefits and market power, so I think this is an attractive group of businesses to own. Some businesses in the fund may change over time as new names rise and older names fade. This isn't an ASX share exactly, but it is listed on the ASX so that we can buy exposure to shares.

Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, but the IOO ETF has returned an average of 17.4% per year over the five years to April 2026. I believe the global growth of the companies inside the portfolio are very compelling for further long-term returns.

The post 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the Soul Patts share price is up 1.38% to $42.48.

The move adds to a solid year for the diversified investment house. Soul Patts shares are now up around 14% in 2026, although they remain down almost 4% over the past week.

The latest interest comes after reports that the company has built a substantial stake in Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP).

Let's take a closer look.

A new substantial stake

According to The Australian, Soul Patts has used a 30% fall in the Propel share price to build its position in the funeral services operator.

The report said Soul Patts now owns a 5.03% stake in Propel, equal to about 6.9 million shares, after a buy-in worth about $5.9 million.

The largest recent trade was a $2.5 million on-market purchase of 738,311 Propel shares.

The initial substantial holder notice shows Soul Patts became a substantial holder on 14 May 2026. It lists 6,944,482 ordinary shares and voting power of 5.03%.

Soul Patts already held 5,377,356 Propel shares before becoming a substantial holder. The notice shows it kept building the stake over March, April, and May, taking advantage of Propel's weaker share price.

What Soul Patts may see in Propel

Propel is not a huge company, with a market capitalisation of about $468 million. But it sits in a sector that often attracts long-term interest.

The company provides death care services across Australia and New Zealand. Its brands include Ross Funerals, Alfred James Funerals, Berry Funeral Directors, Millingtons, and Gympie Funerals.

The Australian noted that Propel previously rejected multiple takeover proposals in 2023, when TPG Capital bought InvoCare for $1.8 billion.

Investors may be asking whether Soul Patts sees longer-term value after a rough period for Propel shares.

Propel shares are currently up 1.19% to $3.39. However, the stock is still down about 31% in 2026 and almost 30% over the past year.

A typical Soul Patts move

This looks like the sort of investment Soul Patts shareholders are used to seeing.

The company has a long history of backing listed businesses across different parts of the market. Its portfolio has included names such as Brickworks, New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC), TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG), Apex Healthcare, and many more.

The Propel stake is not huge for a company the size of Soul Patts. But it is not hard to see why it has taken a look. Propel shares have fallen hard, and the business operates in a relatively defensive sector.

The post Soul Patts shares rise after taking stake in struggling ASX stock appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Small businesses can be just as good of an investment as a large business, perhaps an even better one, mainly due to their long-term earnings growth potential.

I'm optimistic that the following businesses have a very positive future.

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel is one of the largest operators of funerals and crematoria in Australia and New Zealand.

It's a morbid industry, but it's an important one for society. Sadly, the sector does see a certain level of demand each year. As the saying goes, there are two things certain in life – death and taxes.

Due to Australia's growing and ageing population, the number of deaths per year is expected to grow in the coming years, which gives the business ultra-long-term tailwinds.

Death volumes are expected to increase by an average of 2.9% between 2026 to 2035 and then grow by a further 2.4% from 2036 to 2045. New Zealand is also expected to long-term growth, though not quite as strong.

Inflation is another useful boost for the ASX All Ords stock's revenue because it helps boost the average revenue per funeral. Propel Funeral Partners reported that its compound annual growth rate (CAGR) has been 2.8% since FY15, though it was faster during the inflationary period earlier this decade.

I think this company's net profit can steadily grow over the long-term, making the recent decline an appealing time to buy, in my view.

Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR)

Siteminder is another ASX All Ords stock that I'm bullish about over the long-term because of its growth rate and plans for the future.

The business provides software to hotels around the world to help them run their operations and generate more revenue for their rooms over the course of a year.

The ASX All Ords stock has a goal of growing its revenue by 30% per year, which is a tremendous rate of compounding if it can achieve that goal. The business is offering new modules to clients to help them be even better at generating revenue from the software (such as analysis of data), including an offering that enables Siteminder to automatically adjust room prices for the hotel.

The company is currently growing revenue at a growth rate that's in mid-20% range and I think the market is underestimating at how much it could grow in the next few years.

Additionally, the company's operating profit (EBITDA) margins and cash flow margins are growing, particularly as it is now generating positive figures in those two areas (it has been in the minus but improving in previous years).

With the Siteminder share price down more than 60% in the past six months, I think this is a great time to invest.

The post 2 excellent ASX All Ords stocks I'd buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's the view of analysts at Bell Potter, who are tipping market-beating returns over the next 12 months.

Which ASX 300 stock?

The stock that Bell Potter is recommending to clients is Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP).

It is the second largest provider of funeral, cemetery, crematoria, and related services in the ANZ market.

Bell Potter notes that the company has a strong presence in regional areas and an emerging metropolitan presence.

While the ASX 300 stock underperformed expectations during the first half, the broker believes that better times are coming, especially given the weaker comparable period it is about to cycle. It explains:

PFP's recent 1H26 result from saw revenue led misses given the weaker than expected average revenue per funeral (ARPF) vs market expectations and BPe. However good cost control saw broadly similar EBITDA margins vs pcp. While no guidance was provided for FY26, a -3% in comparable volumes in the pcp (2H25) including a material contraction in 3Q26 and upcoming favourable demographics arising from the ageing of the baby boomer population were reiterated as catalysts for 2H26 and ahead.

The M&A pipeline was noted as conducive, in addition to PFP's ~10% collective ANZ market share, while the funding facility of $275m was refinanced ahead of expiry on more attractive terms (maturity in Oct-29).

Should you invest?

According to the note, Bell Potter sees plenty of value on offer here despite trimming its valuation.

This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating on the ASX 300 stock with a lowered price target of $5.00 (from $5.90).

Based on its current share price of $4.14, this implies potential upside of 21% for investors over the next 12 months.

In addition, Bell Potter is expecting an attractive 3.4% fully franked dividend yield over the 12 months, which boosts the total potential return to almost 25%.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, the broker said:

Our Price Target decreases ~15% to $5.00/share given our earnings changes and as we factor in a higher risk-free rate within our DCF valuation. With ~$135m debt capacity together with long maturity, we expect M&A activity to be supported by a healthy pipeline. As a less discretionary exposure within our Consumer Discretionary sector coverage, we remain optimistic on both PFP's underlying business & acquisition opportunity and see M&A as driving overall revenue growth above midsingle digit organic revenue growth.

Within the underlying business, we see relatively less challenging comps in 2H26 as PFP cycles organic volume declines (particularly in Feb-Apr), while we expect the demographic tailwinds from an ageing baby boomer population to be a sizable catalyst from 2026 onwards. We see the trading update in May as a potential catalyst. We also view the freehold property portfolio valued at cost less depreciation of ~$246m as a strong hedge to the net gearing level of 2.3x.

The post This ASX 300 stock could deliver a 25% return appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to edge lower

The Australian share market looks set to edge lower on Friday following a relatively poor night in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 1 point lower this morning. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is down 0.45%, the S&P 500 is down 0.3% and the Nasdaq is down 0.3%.

Oil prices fall

It could be a subdued finish to the week for ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) after oil prices fell overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 1.9% to US$94.52 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 0.8% to US$106.53 a barrel. Oil prices fell after Israel revealed plans to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Premier Investments results

Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV) shares will be on watch today when the retailer releases its half-year results. The team at UBS believes the Smiggle and Peter Alexander owner will report Premier Retail sales of $460 million and net profit after tax of $99.3 million for the half. This is expected to be driven largely by a strong performance from the Peter Alexander brand, offsetting a weak performance from Smiggle.

Gold price sinks

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) could have a poor finish to the week after the gold price sank overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 5.15% to US$4,642.8 an ounce. Inflation and higher interest rate concerns weighed on the precious metal.

Buy Propel shares

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP) shares could be in the buy zone according to Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has reaffirmed its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $5.00. It said: "Within the underlying business, we see relatively less challenging comps in 2H26 as PFP cycles organic volume declines (particularly in Feb-Apr), while we expect the demographic tailwinds from an ageing baby boomer population to be a sizable catalyst from 2026 onwards. We see the trading update in May as a potential catalyst. We also view the freehold property portfolio valued at cost less depreciation of ~$246m as a strong hedge to the net gearing level of 2.3x."

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Inflation and interest rates seem to be on the rise in 2026, meaning that the market has sent the share prices of some businesses down quite noticeably.

Being able to buy an investment at a lower price means getting a higher dividend yield and increasing the potential long-term capital gains.

With the lower share prices in mind, I'm calling out the following names as attractive buys.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

This is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns a wide range of properties including government properties (such as Geoscience Australia), pubs, grocery and distribution, data centres and telecommunications, service stations, food manufacturing, waste and recycling, and plenty more.

The ASX dividend share has seen its share price decline by around 20% in the past year, despite ongoing rental income growth. Around half of the property portfolio has CPI-linked rental increases with the rest having fixed annual increases.

It reported having net tangible assets (NTA) of $4.68 at 31 December 2025, suggesting there's a significant valuation discount for investors, which is partly why the ASX dividend share's yield is so high.

The business is expecting to pay an annual distribution per unit of 25.5 cents in FY26, which translates into a distribution yield of approximately 7%, at the time of writing.

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel is the second largest funeral provider in Australia. It also has 41 cremation facilities and nine cemeteries.

The business is a beneficiary of Australia's ageing and growing population, giving the business ultra-long-term morbid tailwinds. Unfortunately, the number of deaths in Australia is expected to increase by an average of 2.9% per year from 2026 to 2035 and then increase 2.4% per year from 2026 to 2045.

It's steadily making acquisitions over the years to boost its scale and geographic presence, while also benefiting from organic growth of the average revenue per funeral. I'm expecting these tailwinds to boost its bottom line in the coming years, allowing the ASX dividend share to hike its dividend.

Its last two declared payments come to a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.9%, including franking credits, at the time of writing. The Propel share price has dropped 14% in the past month at the time of writing.

JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH)

JB Hi-Fi is Australia's leading electronics retailer and it also has a growing position in appliance and other house-related items. It has three other businesses – JB Hi-Fi New Zealand, The Good Guys and E&S.

The ASX dividend share has increased its payout almost every year over the last 15 years, which is an impressive record for an ASX retail share. I'd describe the business as one of the best retailers on the ASX and I expect this performance to continue.

However, the JB Hi-Fi share price has fallen around 30% in the past six months, despite a good FY26 half-year result and ongoing sales growth in the second half of FY26. The HY26 dividend was hiked by 23.5%.

The last two declared dividends from the business come to a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.4%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

The post 3 top ASX dividend share buys for passive income in March appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In order to receive a dividend, you must own the ASX share before its ex-dividend date.

Here is a sample of the large number of ASX All Ords shares with ex-dividend dates next week.

ASX All Ords shares about to go ex-dividend

Which companies will we hear from today?

The big one today is the half-yearly report from supermarket network Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL).

Woolworths shares ripped this week after the ASX All Ords consumer staples giant reported a 16% profit lift to $859 million for 1H FY26.

We'll also hear from TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG), Michael Hill International Ltd (ASX: MHJ), and Pexa Group Ltd (ASX: PXA).

The latest report from The Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR) will also be interesting, as investors seek further news on the turnaround plan for the beleaguered casino operator.

Yesterday, Star Entertainment shares bounced on news of a debt refinancing deal, including extra liquidity to fund the turnaround plan.

The post 35 ASX All Ords shares with ex-dividend dates next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It's usually a lot easier growing a $500 million business into a $1 billion business than going from $50 billion to $100 billion.

The two businesses I want to highlight are both among the leaders in Australia at what they do and have plans for more long-term earnings growth.

Beacon Lighting Group Ltd (ASX: BLX)

Beacon Lighting has a national store network that sells lighting to consumers. It also has a commercial segment and an international segment.

There were a few positives from the recent FY26 half-year result. Total sales rose by 3.2%, company store comparative sales increased by 0.4%, international sales increased 13.5% and trade sales grew 12.6%.

However, operating expenses increased by 4.3% and this meant operating profit (EBIT) declined 5.5% and net profit dropped 6%.

I think there is a strong outlook for the company, with a possible increase from 130 stores at the end of HY26 to up to 217 stores over the long-term. The ASX All Ords stock continues to grow its commercial sales and market share.

If international sales continue to grow faster than total sales, then that segment will become a larger and more influential segment of the business. The rest of the world is a large addressable market, so there is a long growth runway here.

In five years, I'm expecting the business to be a materially large and more profitable business. It could be smart to invest while economic conditions and investor confidence are low.

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel is the second-largest funeral operator in Australia. It has a very defensive set of earnings because, sadly, there is a certain level of demand for its services each year. It's a morbid idea, but it provides an essential service.

Death volumes are expected to slowly but steadily rise over the next decade because of Australia's ageing and growing population, giving the ASX All Ords stock a useful tailwind.

Additionally, its average revenue per funeral is growing at roughly the speed of inflation over the years. Again, that's not an incredibly strong growth rate but it provides a decent growth boost for revenue.

A growing number of funerals combined with the average funeral delivering more revenue, should lead to a rising top line. Added to that, the business is occasionally making bolt-on acquisitions to boost its market share, geographic spread and scale.

In five years, I believe the business will be making more revenue, have a larger market share, generate more profit and pay a larger dividend. After dropping 10% in the last year, at the time of writing, I think this could be the right time to invest at the current Propel share price.

The post 2 excellent ASX All Ords stocks I'd buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Ideally, we don't want to trigger any capital gains tax (CGT) events if we don't need to, because that can mean handing over money to the ATO unnecessarily, disrupting the compounding potential of the portfolio.

I'm going to talk about two ASX shares that I've long-admired. I'm expecting rising profits and dividends from them over the long-term.

Australian Ethical Investment Ltd (ASX: AEF)

Australian Ethical describes itself as one of Australia's leading ethical investment managers. It aims to provide investors with investment management products that align with their values and provide long-term, risk-adjusted returns.

One of the main reasons why I think this business is such a compelling fund manager is because it provides customers with a superannuation option. This is compelling due to the consistent contributions that Aussies make to their superannuation, giving the company regular net inflows.

In the update to 31 December 2025, the company reported that it finished the period with funds under management (FUM) of $14.1 billion, with the business experiencing $0.11 billion of net inflows in its superannuation segment.

The company has been working on delivering efficiencies and scalability, which will hopefully help its margins in the coming years.

The ASX share has also pointed out that it continues to be recognised for its leadership in ethical investing, winning Money Magazine's 2026 best of the best awards for the best ESG superannuation product and best ESG pension product.

The forecast on CMC Invest suggests the business could pay an annual dividend per share in FY26, which would be a grossed-up dividend yield of 5.9%, including franking credits (at the time of writing).

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel is the second-largest funeral operator in New Zealand and Australia. At the last count, it has 208 locations, including 41 cremation facilities and nine cemeteries.

One of the main tailwinds for the business is that death volumes are expected to increase in the coming years because of a growing and ageing population.

According to Propel, Australian death volumes are expected to increase by an average of 2.8% per year between 2025 to 2035 and 2.4% per year between 2036 to 2045. In New Zealand, death volumes are expected to increase by 2% per year between 2026 to 2035 and then 1.8% between 2036 to 2045.

The ASX share had a market share of 9% in 2024, compared to InvoCare's 21% market share. There is room for the company to expand its position in ANZ with both organic growth and acquisitions.

In the first quarter of FY26, the company delivered 3% growth of both revenue and operating profit (EBITDA) year-over-year. It benefited from a 2.7% rise of the average revenue per funeral and a 1% increase in funeral volumes.

According to the forecast on CMC Invest, it's expected to pay an annual dividend per share of 15.5 cents in FY27, which would be a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.5%, including franking credits (at the time of writing).

The post 2 ASX shares that I rate as buys for both growth and dividends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Large declines don't happen without a reason. They are usually sparked because the market thinks the company's future earnings power is being reduced.

In this case, it seems that many investors believe future earnings may not be as strong as previously expected.

In this case, there are heightened fears that artificial intelligence (AI) may be able to challenge existing business models, particularly ones that utilise technology to deliver their service.

So, in this circumstance, it could be an idea to look at ASX defensive shares.

Why ASX defensive shares could make sense right now

If fast-growing businesses aren't expected to see as much profit generation, then perhaps it could be a good idea to look at names that could deliver reliable earnings. If profit can grow as expected, then this could help provide support for the share price and perhaps even enable a higher share price if investors are looking for a safe haven.

Additionally, some ASX defensive shares may be viewed as ideas for passive income. The stable earnings can also help provide stable and growing dividends from those sorts of businesses.

Which reliable businesses I'd look at

There are a few different areas of the market that I think could provide investors with underlying earnings stability over the long-term. Of course, there can be no guarantee share prices won't be volatile in the short-term – that is just what happens with the share market occasionally.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are a good sector because of how they can generate resilient defensive rental income and pay distributions to investors. I'd invest in businesses like Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP), Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW) and Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF).

Businesses involved in providing essential services to their customers could be useful ASX defensive share buys. I'm thinking of names like Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), APA Group (ASX: APA) and Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP).

Defensive food businesses could be smart buys – we all need to eat. I'm thinking of names like Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) and Rivco Australia Ltd (ASX: RIV).

Finally, diversified businesses with defensive cash flow generation could also be smart long-term choices, such as Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

I think most, if not all, of the above businesses are capable of growing their earnings over the long-term, even if AI affects the tech sector.

The post Is this the right time to invest in ASX defensive shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Some of the ASX tech shares are trading much cheaper than they were at the start of 2025. But, I'm going to highlight other investments today.

I'm optimistic that over ten years, both of the below ideas can outperform the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

This a morbid idea, but it's one that comes with ultra-long-term tailwinds.

Sadly, there are a certain number of funerals required each year, giving the business a very defensive set of earnings. As the saying goes, there are only two things certain in life – death and taxes.

Due to Australia's growing and ageing population, the business has significant tailwinds for demand in the coming decade or two.

According to Propel, the number of deaths is expected to increase in Australia by an average of 2.8% per year between 2025 to 2035 and then grow by 2.4% between 2036 to 2045. In other words, the company is expected to benefit from that tailwind for at least the next 20 years.

On top of that, the business is seeing its average revenue per funeral increase, which is helping offset inflation impacts. Between FY15 and FY25, the company saw its average revenue per funeral increase at an average of 3.1% per year. It has also made the occasional acquisition to boost its geographic presence.

Overall, I think the ASX share is likely to see rising earnings over time, which should provide a compelling tailwind for a higher Propel Funeral Partners share price.

Global X S&P World EX Australia Garp ETF (ASX: GARP)

This leading exchange-traded fund (ETF) gives investors exposure to some of the best businesses in the world, in my view.

The fund goes through a selection process to find businesses that could generate growth at a reasonable price (GARP). There are three different core factors it uses to identify great companies.

First, growth. It looks at the three-year sales per share growth and earnings per share (EPS) growth.

Second, value. The GARP ETF considers the earnings to price ratio, which is another way of calculating the price to earnings (P/E) ratio.

Third, quality. The fund looks at how much debt these businesses have (meaning debt levels) as well as the return on equity (ROE).

Overall, it has 250 companies spread across multiple countries and sectors, giving it good diversification. I'm calling this an ASX share because we can buy it on the ASX and it's invested in shares.

Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, but the index this fund tracks has outperformed the global share market return over the past year, three years and five years.

It seems like a fund of great businesses trading at reasonable prices.

The post 2 compelling ASX shares I'd buy in a heartbeat appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

When businesses have a strong revenue growth outlook, they could deliver a lot of earnings expansion.

Both of the businesses have good tailwinds and I'm optimistic they can deliver good returns for long-term shareholders. I'd happily buy them with $5,000 (or more).

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel is the second-largest provider of 'death care services' in Australia and New Zealand. It currently has 208 locations, including 41 cremation facilities and nine cemeteries.

Australia's growing and ageing tailwinds are likely to help deliver revenue growth for the business. Death volumes are expected to increase by 2.8% per year from 2025 to 2035 and then grow by 2.4% per year between 2036 to 2045.

That's not the strongest growth rate around, but there are two other things that can help drive the Australian stock's long-term success. Inflation is a powerful force to help drive its top line too – average revenue per funeral grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between FY15 and FY25.

The final tactic that Propel is utilising is acquisitions, which is helping expand its geographic presence and boost its scale.

According to the forecast on CMC Markets, the Propel share price is valued at 28x FY26's estimated earnings.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

Temple & Webster is one of the most compelling retail Australian stocks, in my view.

Its business model is impressive – the company sells a huge number of furniture and homeware products through a drop shipping model where products are sent directly to customers by suppliers, reducing the need to hold inventory, allowing for a larger product range. It's also capital-light, unlocking strong cash flow generation.

It also has a growing range of home improvement products, as well as trade and commercials 'solutions'.

The Australian stock's recent trade update showed growth was slower than expected, but I think this is the right time to invest at a much lower valuation. It's down 26% in the last month.

In FY26 to 20 November 2025, revenue grew by 18% year-over-year, with continuing market share growth. Home improvement revenue rose 40%, which bodes well for the future as it becomes a larger slice of the pie.

The company is steadily growing toward $1 billion of annual sales, which could bring benefits such as operating leverage and a larger marketing budget.

Temple & Webster is seeing fixed costs as a percentage of revenue decline over time – it reached 10.6% in FY25, down from 11.3% in FY24. Profit margins are also being boosted by AI and tech tools.

With ongoing adoption of online shopping and the recent expansion to New Zealand, the Australian stock still has a very promising future, in my opinion.

The post 2 strong Australian stocks to buy now with $5,000! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

I'm a fan of receiving a solid dividend yield from an investment, but I'd also want to know that they can provide growth for investors over time as well.

Rising dividend payments are a good sign that the company is growing its underlying value, which is typically demonstrated through rising earnings.

Plus, larger payouts mean our finances benefit from higher profits. With that in mind, the two businesses below look compelling for both defensive earnings and rising dividends.

Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

This ASX 300 share describes itself as Australia's largest domestic pure play industrial real estate investment trust (REIT). It owns industrial assets across Australian cities, with a quality and diverse tenant base.

Rental earnings are typically defensive and I think industrial properties are even more defensive than sectors like office buildings or shopping centres. Plus, the Centuria Industrial REIT's tenants are signed on for relatively long leases, with a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of around seven years.

The business is benefiting from solid rental growth – in FY25, it delivered like-for-like net operating income (NOI) growth of 5.8%. It's benefiting from low vacancy rates across Australian cities thanks to Australia's rising population, increasing e-commerce adoption, data centre requirements and other areas of demand.

The ASX 300 share is expecting to grow its operating earnings (FFO) per unit by up to 6% in FY26, helping fund distribution growth of 3% to 16.8 cents per unit. That translates into a potential distribution yield of 4.75%.

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel is the second largest funeral provider in Australia and New Zealand. At the last count, it had 205 locations, including 41 cremation facilities and nine cemeteries.

As the saying goes, there are only two things certain in life – death and taxes. And we can't invest in the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Sadly, as morbid as it is, there are a number of funerals required each year and that's expected to increase in the coming years.

According to Propel, death volumes are expected to increase by 2.8% per annum from 2025 to 2035 and 2.4% per annum between 2036 to 2045. In New Zealand, death volumes are expected to increase 1.9% per annum between 2025 to 2035 and then rise 1.8% per annum between 2036 to 2045.

Combined with a rising average revenue per funeral (which has increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.1% since FY15), I think Propel's operating earnings and dividend are likely to rise in the coming years.

In FY25, the business paid an annual dividend per share of 14.4 cents, so its trailing grossed-up dividend yield is 4.1%, including franking credits. That's a solid starting point, in my view, and the ASX 300 share could deliver much more growth in the coming years.

The post Want to build up income? I believe these 2 ASX 300 shares are a buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

I'm not going to talk about the biggest businesses in Australia like Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) or National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) because they're already huge businesses and have relatively slow growth prospects.

Instead, I'll highlight businesses I believe have the potential to grow earnings faster than the major banks or miners over the longer-term. Let's get into it.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

Universal Store says it owns a portfolio of premium youth fashion brands. Its businesses include Universal Store, Perfect Stranger and CTC (under the THRILLS and Worship brands). It has more than 112 physical stores across Australia, as well as its online channels.

The company's strategy is to grow and develop its brands and retail formats to deliver a "carefully curated selection of on-trend apparel products to a target 16-to-35 year-old fashion focused customer."

Universal Store delivered pleasing growth in FY25, with group sales of $333.3 million (up 15.5%) year-over-year. The Universal Store sales rose 15% to $280.9 million with like-for-like sales growth of 13%. Perfect Stranger sales increased by 83.1% to $25.5 million and like-for-like sales increased by 25.5%.

Its product range is clearly resonating with customers, with strong growth last financial year, and group sales were up 17.2% in the seven weeks to 17 August 2025. The company has good momentum and plans to open between 11 to 17 new stores across the business.

In FY25, its underlying net profit after tax grew by 15.2% year-over-year and this helped fund an 8.5% higher dividend per share of 35.5 cents. At the time of writing, the business offers a grossed-up dividend yield of 6%, including franking credits.

I'm expecting Perfect Stranger to help drive the company to higher, strong earnings growth and dividends.  

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

Propel is the second-largest funeral provider in Australia and New Zealand. It has just over 200 locations, including 41 cremation facilities and nine cemeteries.

The business is exposed to unfortunate but strong tailwinds because there is an increasing number of deaths. The number of deaths is the most significant driver of revenue for the industry.

Propel notes that Australian death volumes are forecast to increase by 2.8% per year between 2025 to 2035 and then rise at a pace of 2.4% between 2036 to 2045.

On top of that, Propel is experiencing a rising average revenue per funeral, which saw comparable growth of 2.3% in FY25, in line with inflation.

I think both the funeral volumes and the average revenue per funeral are likely to rise in the coming years, helping the dividends and growth.

It currently has a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.1%, including franking credits.

The post 2 ASX shares that I think are buys for both growth and dividends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.