One of the most appealing things about superannuation is that it has a lower tax rate than the company tax rate and the individual tax rate of a full-time worker. Superannuation may have a lower tax rate than trusts as well.

Another positive of investing through superannuation is its structure, which supports long-term investing. For people in the accumulation phase, they could make investments for decades before they can access that money.

The money available to use for passive income is the after-tax amount. This is why superannuation is so advantageous: less of the income is lost to tax compared to most tax brackets for individuals. I'd prefer not to lose a third of my passive income return to tax each year.

Not only is the tax rate lower in the accumulation phase of superannuation, but the tax rate could be as low as 0% in retirement, depending on the superannuation balance.

Of course, the taxation conditions for each household are different, so we'll just consider income goals from here.

How much is needed in superannuation for $12,000 of monthly passive income?

Receiving $12,000 in dividends each month amounts to an annual goal of $144,000. I'd love to receive that level of dividend income.

The question of how much money would need to be invested to generate that much income comes down to the investment's yield. But investors should consider more than just the yield – reliability and growth are also important aspects.

Plenty of ASX shares also attach franking credits to their dividends, boosting the after-tax dividend yield on offer.

Different portfolios can have different dividend yields. A portfolio with a 3.5% dividend yield would need to be double the size of a portfolio with a dividend yield of 7% to generate the same level of passive income.

For example, if a portfolio were $2.06 million in size, it would generate approximately $144,000 of annual passive income with a 7% dividend yield. If the portfolio had a 3.5% dividend yield, it would need to be $4.11 million in size to achieve the same level of annual payments.

Each dividend yield would require a different portfolio size to generate $144,000 annually. For example, a 5% dividend yield would require a $2.88 million portfolio and a 6% dividend yield would require a $2.4 million portfolio.

The types of ASX dividend shares I'd choose to buy

As I said before, if I'm investing for passive income in superannuation, I'd also want to take reliability and growth into account. I believe all of the businesses I'm about to name have better-than-average payout reliability.

If investors want to generate higher dividend yields, I'd look at reliable real estate investment trusts (REITs) and quality companies with franking credits, particularly listed investment companies (LICs).

Some of the businesses with a higher dividend yield I'd look at include MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF), WCM Global Growth Ltd (ASX: WQG), WAM Microcap Ltd (ASX: WMI), Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXS), WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE), Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW), WAM Microcap Ltd (ASX: WMI) and Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI).

Some of the businesses with a lower dividend yield, but deliver strong growth and/or reliability, include Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL), Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF), Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP), L1 Long Short Fund Ltd (ASX: LSF) and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS).

These aren't the only ASX shares I'd want to add into my passive income portfolio, though.

The post How much is needed in superannuation to target a $12,000 monthly passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

What did WAM Leaders Limited report?

• Declared a fully franked interim dividend of 4.8 cents per share
• Dividend relates to the half-year period ending 30 June 2026
• Ex-dividend date set for 17 November 2026
• Record date scheduled for 18 November 2026
• Dividend payment date is 30 November 2026
• Dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) available with zero discount

What else do investors need to know?

WAM Leaders Limited's latest dividend will be paid fully franked at 30%, which may benefit eligible shareholders at tax time. Investors can choose to participate in the Dividend Reinvestment Plan or receive their dividend as a cash payment.

The DRP price will be calculated using the volume-weighted average price across four trading days starting from the ex-dividend date.

What's next for WAM Leaders?

Investors should note the key dividend timetable: the last day to buy shares and receive the dividend is 16 November 2026, with the ex-dividend date on 17 November. Shareholders wanting to reinvest need to lodge their election by 5pm AEDT on 20 November 2026.

WAM Leaders continues its focus on providing income through regular fully franked dividends, with the DRP providing a flexible option for investors looking to grow their holdings.

WAM Leaders share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, WAM Leaders shares have risen 6%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 3% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post WAM Leaders declares fully franked interim dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) is one idea that could be particularly attractive for dividends in the short-term and the long-term. It may not be as famous as names like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) or Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), but I think it could be a more effective option.

Let's dive into the appeal of the listed investment company (LIC).

Large and rising dividend

One of the best things about the LIC structure is that it can use profits from prior-year investment returns to pay a consistently growing dividend, even when the share market is volatile.

WAM Leaders has grown its annual dividend per share each year since FY17. Not many ASX shares can claim that sort of growth consistency.

The ASX dividend stock expects to pay an annual dividend per share of 9.6 cents in FY26, so the business now has a grossed-up dividend yield of 9.9%, including franking credits, which is an extremely high yield, of course.

WAM Leaders manages to deliver this income return thanks to its investment performance – its portfolio returned an average of 12% per year since inception in May 2016, before fees, expenses and taxes. That's almost 3% per year better than the S&P/ASX 200 Accumulation Index (ASX: XJOA) over the same time period.

I believe the business is capable of continuing that dividend record because of its strategy to be active with its portfolio focused on larger ASX shares.

Currently, some of its larger investments include Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD), Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL), Amcor (ASX: AMC), Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC), Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), GPT Group (ASX: GPT), James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX), Mirvac Group (ASX: MGR), Nexgen Energy (Canada) CDI (ASX: NXG), Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN), Scentre Group (ASX: SCG) and Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP).

As you can see, the portfolio is diversified across various names. That's more appealing to me than owning a singular large stock.

I'm sure the portfolio will change over time as different opportunities become more or less attractive.

Even if the ASX dividend stock doesn't generate any positive investment returns in the near-term, the dividend looks quite secure because it has a profit reserve of 26.9 cents – that's close to three years of dividend funding at the current level.

How many shares of the ASX dividend stock would $1,000 buy?

I think this is a fine time to buy a slice of the ASX dividend stock because it's trading close to its net tangible assets (NTA) – its underlying value.

If someone were to invest $1,000 today, they'd be able to buy 720 WAM Leaders shares. With that, they'd likely be able to unlock $98.74 of grossed-up dividend income (including franking credits), with $69.12 of that being the cash dividend and the rest being franking credits.

Overall, I think the business has a number of positives and is one of the attractive ASX dividend stocks to consider, along with other options.

The post $1,000 buys 720 shares in an incredibly reliable ASX dividend stock appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

One of the best things about superannuation is the fact that it has a lower tax rate than the individual tax rate and company tax rate. It may have a lower tax rate than trusts too.

Another advantage of superannuation investing is its structure, which promotes long-term investing. For people in the accumulation phase, they may make investments for decades before they can access that money.

When it comes to investing in passive income, the money we can use is the after tax amount. That's why it's more fruitful to invest for passive income in superannuation because less of the income is being lost to tax than most of the tax brackets for individuals. I'd prefer not to lose a third of my passive income to tax each year.

Pleasingly, not only is the tax rate lower in the superannuation accumulation phase, it could be as low as 0% in retirement, depending on the superannuation balance.

The taxation circumstances of each household is different, so we'll just look at the income goals from now on.

How much is needed in superannuation for $7,000 of monthly passive income?

Receiving $7,000 in dividends each month equates to an annual goal of $84,000 per year. I'd love to receive that level of dividend income.

The question of how much it would take to generate that much income comes down to the yield of the investment. Of course, there's more to investing than just the yield. Reliability and growth are also important factors.

Many ASX shares offer the great bonus of franking credits, boosting the dividend yield on offer.

I'll point out that a portfolio with an average dividend yield of 3% would need to be double the size of a portfolio with a dividend yield of 6% to generate the same level of passive income.

For example, if a portfolio were $1.4 million in size, it would generate $84,000 of annual passive income with a 6% dividend yield. If the portfolio had a 3% dividend yield, it would need to be $2.8 million in size to achieve the same level of annual payments.

Every dividend yield would require a different portfolio size to achieve $84,000 annually. For example, a 4% dividend yield would require a $2.1 million portfolio and a 5% dividend yield would require a $1.68 million portfolio.

The types of ASX dividend shares I'd choose to buy

As stated earlier, if I'm investing for passive income in superannuation, I'd also want to consider reliability and growth. I rate all the investments I'm about to highlight as above-average for payout reliability.

If investors want to unlock mid-to-higher dividend yields, I'd look at quality companies with franking credits, good value and reliable real estate investment trusts (REITs), and listed investment companies (LICs).

Some of the businesses with a dividend yield of between 5% to 7% that I'd look at include Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), WCM Global Growth Ltd (ASX: WQG), Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP), Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXI), Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF), Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW), MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF) and L1 Long Short Fund Ltd (ASX: LSF).

Then there's ASX dividend shares with a larger dividend yield. Some of my favourites with bigger yields include WAM Microcap Ltd (ASX: WMI), Future Generation Global Ltd (ASX: FGG), Future Generation Australia Ltd (ASX: FGX), WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE), Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI) and Hearts and Minds Investments Ltd (ASX: HM1).

The post How much is needed in superannuation to target a $7,000 monthly passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

And ASX dividend shares are a fantastic way to get you there.

The problem is that it can be difficult to work out exactly which shares to buy and how much to invest to get the passive income you want. 

To help, here's a rundown of how to earn a passive income through ASX dividend shares, using $12,000 per year in passive income as an example.

What portfolio size do I need to get $12,000 per year in passive income from ASX shares?

To calculate the portfolio size you'd need to earn $12,000 per year in passive income, you'd need to divide your annual passive income figure by the dividend yield of your overall portfolio. 

So in this case, for example, $12,000 divided by a dividend yield of 3% is $400,000. This $400,000 figure is the portfolio size you'd need to earn this level of passive income each year.

The tricky part is that the answer varies widely depending on the dividend yield of the ASX shares you'd have in your portfolio. 

For example, a portfolio with a dividend yield of around 6% only needs to be half the size of one with a dividend yield of around 3% to generate the same level of dividend income. 

How much do I need if my portfolio yields 4% to 8%?

We've already calculated (above) the balance you'd need to earn $12,000 off a 3% yielding portfolio.

To earn the same passive income off a 4% yielding portfolio, you'd need around $300,000.

Then, to earn $12,000 from a 5% yielding portfolio, it would need to be closer to $240,000.

If your portfolio has an overall dividend yield of around 6%, you'd need to invest closer to $200,000 to receive your $12,000 per year in passive income.

Your portfolio would only need to be around $171,500 to earn $12,000 if it had an overall yield of 7%.

Portfolios yielding 8% would need to be around $150,000 to earn the same $12,000 per year.

And so on. As your dividend yield increases, the portfolio size needed to earn the same level of passive income goes down.

These figures are based on cash dividends before any tax or franking credit benefits.

Can't I just invest in the highest-yielding stocks so I don't need to put up as much money up front?

Technically, yes, but it would be a bad investment decision.

Generally, the higher yielding the ASX shares, the more risk they carry.

Instead, you'll want to focus on creating a diversified portfolio. For example, you could split your portfolio so that around 70% is invested in mid-range yielding ASX shares, and the remaining 30% is invested in high-yield stocks or riskier shares.

I'd also look to buy ASX shares across multiple sectors to further diversify my portfolio.

It's important to note that your passive income will likely fluctuate with the company's profits and dividend decisions.

Give me some examples of passive-income earning ASX shares that yield around 3% to 6%

There is a huge range of ASX dividend shares available to buy, but here are a few of my favourites, currently yielding between 3% and 6%.

Investment banking business Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) pays a dividend yield of around 2.7%.

Meanwhile, mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) pays its shareholders a yield of around 3.6%, and Brambles Ltd (ASX: BXB) yields a little lower at around 3.4%. 

QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) pays a yield around 4.4%, at the time of writing. ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) yields close to 4.6%.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) pays around a 5.4% dividend yield to shareholders. Meanwhile, packaging giant Amcor Ltd (ASX: AMC) pays closer to 6%.

… and some high-yield options around 7% or more

For higher yields, real estate investment trusts (REITs) are a great option because they still offer diversity across a range of assets or shares. Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW) yields around 6.8% at the time of writing. 

Elsewhere, Wam Leaders (ASX: WLE) yields just shy of 7%, and Lendlease Group Ltd (ASX: LLC) yields around 7.8%.

The post These ASX shares could generate $12,000 per year in passive income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

I want to consider businesses that I am confident can deliver resilient payouts. Plus, I prefer ASX blue-chip shares with tailwinds that can enable them to increase their payouts over time.

The below two businesses offer pleasing diversification, a high level of passive income and potential growth. Let's dive in.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

This business is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns a diversified portfolio of commercial properties across Australia.

Its portfolio spans government-related buildings (such as Geosciences Australia in Canberra), pubs and hotels, grocery and distribution, telecommunication exchanges, service stations, food manufacturing, waste and recycling, Bunnings properties and plenty more.

I think this ASX blue-chip share's $6 billion portfolio is very attractive and offers more diversification than any other ASX-listed property investment.

But it's not just diversification that makes this a good investment – the business also has built-in rental indexation with its tenants. The rent is either growing in line with inflation or at a fixed annual rate.

In the first half of FY26, the business saw 3% growth of like-for-like property income. This allows the business to hike its FY26 annual distribution by 2% to 25.5 cents per unit. That translates into a dividend yield of 7%. That's a great yield in my book.

It looks great value to me considering it's trading at a 22% discount to the net tangible assets (NTA) of $4.68 at 31 December 2026.

WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE)

The other idea I want to tell you about is this listed investment company (LIC) which largely focuses on ASX blue-chip shares with an active management strategy.

That strategy of buying when prices are lower and selling when prices are higher has helped the team at WAM Leaders portfolio outperform the S&P/ASX 200 Accumulation Index (ASX: XJO) by an average of close to 3% more per year since the LIC's inception in 2016, before fees, expenses and taxes.

By focusing on high-quality businesses, WAM Leaders can produce good returns in most economic conditions.

At the end of June 2026, some of its largest positions included Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP), Scentre Group (ASX: SCG), Nexgen Energy (Canada) CDI (ASX: NXG), Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC), Amcor CDI (ASX: AMC) and Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD).

As you can see, it's a portfolio full of ASX blue-chip shares.

The business has increased its annual payout each year since FY17, showing it has a great track record of providing rising dividends for investors.

It expects to pay an annual dividend per share of 9.6 cents in FY26, which translates into a forward grossed-up dividend yield of 9.8%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

These aren't the only ASX shares I'd buy for income, but they are among the ones I'd be very happy to buy for my portfolio.

The post 2 ASX blue-chip shares offering big dividend yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

There are a number of quality businesses on the ASX that have a record of delivering compounding earnings over time, which is a powerful support for sending the share price higher over the coming years.

Experts from Wilson Asset Management (WAM) have explained why they own two stocks in the WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) portfolio, which is a listed investment company (LIC) that generally invests in large caps.

Let's dive into those two ideas.

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL)

The first ASX share WAM highlighted is Aristocrat Leisure, a global casino-machine manufacturer.

The fund manager noted that the share price has performed strongly since releasing its FY26 half-year result in May 2026, which highlighted sustained momentum in gaming operations and a sharpened focus on driving operating leverage.

WAM also highlighted that the company recently held an investor day recently, reiterating its longer-term targets and providing a segment-level pathway to US$1 billion in 'interactive' revenue by FY29.

The company's management outlined plans to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to drive creativity and efficiency in new product launches.

The WAM investment team revealed that this ASX blue-chip share remains a core holding in the investment portfolio and they see "further upside as management executes its strategy".

Amcor (ASX: AMC)

Amcor, one of the world's leading packaging companies in both soft and rigid packaging, was the other large business that was highlighted.

WAM noted that Amcor has faced one of its most difficult input cost environments in recent months, following the rise in oil prices driven by the conflict in the Middle East earlier in the year.

Resin, which is a key input derived from oil, has seen prices fall. WAM believes this should provide working capital relief going into the second half of the calendar year.

The investment team also noted that volumes are recovering from 'trough' levels and synergies from the Berry Global acquisition continue to build.

WAM expects these initiatives to drive earnings and free cash flow and help reduce leverage on the company's balance sheet.

Wilson Asset Management thinks there is a "clear path" to valuation upside from the current Amcor share price, with earnings growth underpinned by the synergy program.

The post 2 leading ASX blue-chip shares experts think are buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Businesses with extremely high dividend yields aren't necessarily the best choices because they could be less reliable or not grow the payout as much as a business with a lower payout, simply because they're keeping more money to invest for growth.

I'm not expecting significant growth of the following two names, but they have demonstrated a track record of dividend stability and long-term payout growth.

WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE)

WAM Leaders is a listed investment company (LIC) operated by Wilson Asset Management.

The portfolio is focused towards S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares, which are the biggest, strongest and most resilient businesses that have strong market positions and good margins. It's important to note that this is not a passive, index-following portfolio but an active one that buys and sells shares as valuation appeal changes.

Between its inception in May 2016 to May 2026, the WAM Leaders portfolio has returned an average of 12% (before fees, expenses and taxes), outperforming the 9.1% average annual return of the S&P/ASX 200 Accumulation Index (ASX: XJOA).

That level of investment return – which is not guaranteed to continue – has helped the business increase its annual payout every year since FY17. The increases have been small in the last few years because the yield is already so large.

The guided dividend amount for FY26 is 9.6 cents per share, which translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 10.4%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

I think the business has a good profit reserve to continue paying the current dividend for the foreseeable future.

Hearts and Minds Investments Ltd (ASX: HM1)

Hearts and Minds is another ASX share with a large dividend yield.

It's a LIC that aims to provide a concentrated portfolio of between 25 and 35 global shares based on the highest-conviction ideas from well-regarded fund managers. There are no management fees, and instead, money is donated to leading Australian medical research organisations.

Close to a third of the portfolio is decided by picks from investment professionals from an annual investment conference. Core, ongoing, portfolio managers decide a greater share of the portfolio.

Since its inception in November 2018, the LIC's portfolio has returned an average of 10.25% after expenses and before Australian taxes.

Its dividend has steadily increased since FY23, and it plans to continue to increase its half-year payout by 0.5 cents every six months.

It plans to pay an annual dividend per share of 19.5 cents in FY26, which translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 9.8%, though the next 12 months of payments are likely to be a yield of 10.4%, including franking credits.

The business is trading at a discount of around 20% to its pre-tax net tangible assets (NTA), so it looks like great value to me right now.

The post 2 ASX shares with dividend yields above 9% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

While much of the ASX 200 has been flat this year, these two mining giants have soared 28% and 42% respectively. 

This trend continued yesterday when both Rio Tinto and BHP shares climbed significantly. 

Why are Rio Tinto and BHP shares rising?

Rio Tinto and BHP have long been held by investors due to their market dominance in production of iron ore and coal. 

However the main reason both BHP and Rio Tinto have been strong performers in 2026 is that investors are increasingly valuing them as copper growth companies, not just iron ore miners.

Copper has been one of the best-performing major commodities in 2026, supported by demand from AI infrastructure, data centres, electric vehicles, power grids and the energy transition. 

Copper prices are near record levels and have risen roughly 40% over the past year.

This has pushed BHP and Rio Tinto shares to new record highs. 

Holders will be pleased with positive returns, however those watching the stocks closely may be concerned about how much further they can grow. 

Here is the latest analysis from experts on Rio Tinto and BHP shares. 

Rio Tinto outlook 

Rio Tinto shares closed yesterday trading just under $190 each. 

The miner recently posted solid results for the three months to March 2026.

Experts' opinions on the blue-chip stock appear to be mixed. 

The team at WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) are optimistic about Rio Tinto shares.

Meanwhile, JP Morgan renewed its buy rating on Rio Tinto shares earlier this month. 

The broker lifted its 12-month price target from $203 to $207.

This indicates roughly 9% upside. 

However, the team at Morgans see the stock as a hold. 

The broker said the near term earnings outlook appears "balanced" rather than clearly positive. 

BHP shares outlook 

Meanwhile, BHP shares closed trading yesterday at just over $65 per share, close to an all-time high. 

Some experts are leaning towards taking profits after this year's gains. 

Alto Capital's Tony Locantro (via The Bull) believes investors would do well to take profits

Elsewhere, EnviroInvest's Elio D'Amato has a hold rating on the BHP shares. 

Meanwhile, Morgan's most recent analysis also included a hold rating, seeing the mining giant's shares as close to fully valued. 

The broker said:

The global miner offers broad diversification across iron ore, copper and potash, underpinned by a fortress balance sheet and a disciplined approach to capital returns. Copper provides meaningful long term exposure to the global electrification and energy transition theme, while iron ore remains the dominant near term earnings driver.

However, the macro backdrop remains uncertain, with Chinese steel demand facing structural headwinds and global growth indicators sending mixed signals. The valuation at current levels appears broadly fair, with commodity price assumptions already reflecting a reasonable medium term outlook. BHP remains a core holding for resource oriented portfolios, but with limited near term re-rating catalysts, we retain a hold recommendation.

The post Are Rio Tinto or BHP shares a better buy right now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The larger businesses on the ASX aren't usually priced for a lot of growth, meaning they have a relatively lower price-earnings (P/E) ratio and this boosts the dividend yield.

Additionally, large businesses tend to have less reason to hang onto as much cash for growth as smaller, growing companies. A more generous dividend payout ratio can also lead to a higher dividend yield.

So, let's dive into two businesses that offer investors significantly higher dividend yields than the market.

Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)

Medibank is the largest private health insurer in Australia, with the Medibank and ahm brands. It also has an expanding Medibank Health division, which includes primary care following acquisitions. Medibank Health also includes community-based services and acute home health.

Healthcare is a defensive sector that can provide investors with resilient earnings and that means it can provide a reliable dividend. The business noted in a recent update that it has proven growth through cycles, delivered customer and shareholder value, while navigating headwinds.

Medibank also noted that APRA's quarterly private health insurance statistics showed industry growth of 2.1% in the 12 months to 31 December 2025. Increasing participation in younger cohorts is supporting ongoing affordability and long-term industry sustainability.

The ASX blue-chip share may also benefit from Australia's ageing demographic and growing population.

Between the FY15 and FY26 half-year results, it increased its annual payout every year aside from FY20, which was impacted by COVID-19. It has a great track record of regular dividend growth.

According to the projection on CMC Invest, the business is forecast to pay an annual dividend per share of 19 cents for FY26. That translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 5.6%. including franking credits, at the time of writing.

WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE)

This is a listed investment company (LIC) run by Wilson Asset Management (WAM). It aims to invest in the most attractive, larger businesses on the ASX.

By investing in ASX blue-chip shares, its portfolio can be more resilient than ASX growth shares.

Some of the largest 20 positions in the WAM Leaders portfolio includes ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

As you can see, the LIC's portfolio has a significant focus on ASX blue-chip shares.

Its portfolio outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Accumulation Index (ASX: XJOA) since inception in May 2016, with a gross return of 11.9% per year (before fees, expenses and taxes) compared to the index return of 9% per year. Of course, past outperformance is not a guarantee of future performance.

WAM Leaders has increased its annual dividend every year between FY17 and FY25. It expects to increase its FY26 annual payout by 2.1% to 9.6 cents per share. That translates into a potential grossed-up dividend yield of 10.4%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

The post 2 ASX blue-chip shares offering big dividend yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Superannuation has a low tax rate compared to individuals, trusts and companies. Plus, it's easy to invest for the long-term through the investment vehicle.

It's important to remember that the net income is an after-tax figure. An Australian working full-time could lose approximately a third of their passive income return to tax.

Therefore, investing in superannuation is a much more appealing prospect compared to other options. Superannuation has a lower tax rate in the accumulation phase than the standard individual tax rates for a full-time earner. In retirement, the tax rate could be 0%.

However, every Australian's tax position is different, so we're going to look at targeting a particular income level without mentioning tax any further.

How much is needed in superannuation for $7,500 of monthly passive income

Receiving $7,500 in dividends per month translates into $90,000 per year. I reckon many Australians would love to receive that level of dividends each year without having to do any ongoing work for it.

Australian investors need to decide what investments they want to own and the dividend yield that comes with that.

A portfolio with a dividend yield of 7% can be half the size of a portfolio with a dividend yield of 3.5% and earn the same level of passive income.

For example, if a portfolio were $1.3 million in size, it would generate $91,000 of annual passive income with a 7% dividend yield. If a portfolio had a dividend yield of 3.5%, the portfolio would need to be $2.6 million in size to generate the same level of cash payments.

To generate almost exactly $90,000 of annual passive income with a 7% dividend yield, an investor would need a portfolio size of $1.286 million.

A 5% dividend yield would require a portfolio size of $1.8 million to make $90,000 annually.

A 4% dividend yield would require a portfolio size of $2.25 million.

The types of ASX dividend shares I'd want to buy

If a superannuation investor is targeting mid-to-higher dividend yields, then I'd look at reliable and discounted real estate investment trusts (REITs), growing companies with a generous dividend payout ratio and listed investment companies (LICs) with a good track record of dividends.

Appealing businesses with a dividend yield of around 5% to 6%, in my view, include WCM Quality Global Growth Fund (ASX: WCMQ), Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF), Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP), Australian Foundation Investment Co Ltd (ASX: AFI) and Argo Investments Ltd (ASX: ARG).

Businesses with a higher dividend yield include Future Generation Global Ltd (ASX: FGG), Future Generation Australia Ltd (ASX: FGX), Hearts and Minds Investments Ltd (ASX: HM1), WCM Global Growth Ltd (ASX: WQG), WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE), WAM Microcap Ltd (ASX: WMI) and Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW).

The post How much is needed in superannuation to target a $7,500 monthly passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Businesses can offer a good dividend yield, but it's the potential for organic capital and dividend growth that puts them ahead of a term deposit, in my view.

There are plenty of great ASX dividend shares with yields below 8%, so we don't necessarily need to choose only high-yielding ideas, but this article is about those with exceptionally high yields, like the two below.

WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE)

WAM Leaders is one of the largest listed investment companies (LICs) on the ASX. Its goal is to actively invest in large, high-quality businesses on the ASX.

At the end of April, some of its largest positions were names like Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), and Alcoa Corporation (ASX: AAI).

As a LIC, the business is able to turn profits from investment returns generated into paying dividends.

Its solid investment returns have enabled the business to steadily increase its dividend each year since FY17, a pleasing record of consistency.

Its investment returns, before fees, expenses, and taxes, have averaged 11.9% per year since inception in May 2016. That's almost 3% per year better than its benchmark, though past outperformance is not a guarantee it will continue to deliver future outperformance.

It expects to pay an annual dividend per share of 9.6 cents in FY26, translating into a grossed-up dividend yield of 10.5%, including franking credits. It's one of the few ASX dividend shares with a double-digit yield that I'd be willing to buy, and I expect it can continue to slightly increase the dividend each year.

Shaver Shop Group Ltd (ASX: SSG)

Shaver Shop is an ASX retail share that sells a variety of hair removal products, including a number of exclusive products from high-quality brands. It also has its own brand called Transform-U.

Impressively, the business started paying a dividend in 2017 and hasn't cut its payout since, despite various wider financial impacts during that period.

It has increased its dividend every year, except FY24, when it maintained the dividend. We'll see what it pays in FY26.

The ASX dividend share's latest two half-year dividends come to 10.3 cents per share. That translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 11.3%, including franking credits.

Shaver Shop is doing its best to continue growing profits and hiking its dividend. Its plans include opening more stores across Australia and New Zealand, expanding its Transform-U product range, selling more online, and perhaps working with additional shaver brands.

According to the forecast on CMC Invest, the Shaver Shop share price is valued at 11 times FY26's estimated earnings.

The post 2 ASX shares with dividend yields above 8% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Ideally, I'd want to find dividend options that have a high starting dividend yield, and a good chance of maintaining their payout.

Of course, those businesses need to be able to sustainably grow their dividends too. I don't think a high dividend yield is worth much if it's very likely to be reduced soon. That's a big reason why I'm highlighting the following ideas.

WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE)

WAM Leaders is a listed investment company (LIC) offered by Wilson Asset Management (WAM).

It mostly targets large ASX blue-chip shares to generate its returns, though it's significantly more active than an exchange-traded fund (ETF) like the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS). It's very willing to buy and sell shares in a position to take advantage when the market is being too pessimistic or optimistic.

At the end of March 2026, some of its largest positions included Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) and Nexgen Energy (Canada) CDI (ASX: NXG).

Between inception in May 2016 and March 2026, its portfolio produced an average return per year of 11.6%, outperforming its benchmark by an average of more than 2.5% per year, before fees, expenses and taxes.

The LIC's board is expecting to pay an annual dividend per share of 9.6 cents in FY26. That translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 10.4%, including franking credits. It has increased its annual dividend each year since FY17.

Hearts and Minds Investments Ltd (ASX: HM1)

Hearts & Minds is another LIC, though it operates quite differently.

It's invested in a concentrated portfolio if between 25 to 35 global shares based on the best ideas from respected fund managers. There are no management fees involved, which allows it to donate to leading Australian medical research.

Some of its positions include TSMC, Zillow, Nvidia, Amazon and Brookdale Senior Living.

Due to how its portfolio is constructed, it has a diversified list of holdings that could perform over the longer-term and generate good investment returns over time.

In terms of the dividend, the business is looking to increase its payout by 0.5 cents per share every six months for the foreseeable future. That means the next two dividends are likely to be 20.5 cents per share. This translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 10%, including franking credits.

The post 2 ASX shares with dividend yields above 8% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

There are some businesses that may well see their earnings increase because of the flow-on effects of the inflation. Even excluding these shorter-term effects, both of the businesses I'm going to talk about have an attractive long-term future, according to experts.

Experts from the fund manager Wilson Asset Management have picked out two leading ASX 200 blue-chip shares worth owning that are in the WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) portfolio, which is a listed investment company (LIC) that targets the "highest quality Australian companies".

Let's take a look at what the experts like about the two businesses and what they're seeing right now.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

The Woodside share price rose in March as it benefited from the higher oil and LNG prices amid the events in the Middle East and the disruption to the shipping flows in the Strait of Hormuz.

WAM notes that Woodside has no operations in the affected area, leaving it well positioned to benefit from the supply shock.

Last month, the ASX energy share also confirmed the permanent appointment of Liz Westcott as managing director and CEO, who reaffirmed the growth strategy, with a focus on project execution and shareholder value creation.

On top of that, an investor site visit to the Louisiana LNG project affirmed that the development remains "on schedule and on budget", with de-bottlenecking opportunities identified.

The fund manager concluded its thoughts on the ASX 200 blue-chip share:

The company continues to be a key holding in the WAM Leaders investment portfolio with its geographical diversification and pipeline of growth projections positioning the company well in the current environment.

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD)

The other business that WAM Leaders highlighted is Ampol, which also saw its share price rise during March following higher oil prices and "materially stronger refining margins following the disruption to Middle Eastern oil supply".

Refining economics are, according to WAM, "highly sensitive to margin movement", therefore the near-term refining environment is "expected to improve as global supply tightens and as China restricts diesel and gasoline export contracts from major state refiners".

The fund manager also noted that the Australian Government has lifted the fuel security services payment thresholds, providing greater downside protection for the ASX 200 blue chip's refining business through the cycle.

The ACCC's phase 2 review of Ampol's proposed acquisition of EG Australia's fuel and convenience retail network also progressed, with sites under review narrowing from 115 to 54. A determination is due by 5 June 2026.

The post 2 ASX 200 blue-chip shares worth owning in April 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Each state has a different school holiday period, with NSW, Queensland, and Victoria among the states commencing holidays today.

Tasmania has the latest school holiday schedule this Easter season. The school break in our smallest state runs from 18 April to 3 May.

So, here's a list of all the ASX shares due to go ex-dividend over the coming weeks through to 3 May.

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

Ex-dividend dates give ASX investors two opportunities.

Either buy before the date to receive the dividend, or wait until ex-dividend day, when the share price will likely drop, to buy then.

ASX shares with ex-dividend dates this month

The post 21 ASX shares going ex-dividend over the school holidays appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

What did WAM Leaders report?

• Interim fully franked dividend of 4.8 cents per share
• Dividend relates to the period ending 31 December 2025
• Record date: 16 April 2026; Ex-dividend date: 15 April 2026
• Payment date: 30 April 2026
• Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) available with no discount

What else do investors need to know?

The declared dividend will be paid entirely in Australian dollars, with a franking credit of 30% attached. Shareholders who wish to participate in the company's DRP must submit their election by 5pm on 20 April 2026. Those who do not elect to reinvest will receive their dividend as a cash payment.

The DRP price will be based on the volume weighted average market price (VWAP) of WAM Leaders shares traded on the ASX over the four trading days commencing on the ex-dividend date.

What's next for WAM Leaders?

Shareholders can look forward to receiving their dividend at the end of April 2026. Eligible investors may choose between cash dividends or reinvesting via the DRP, depending on their individual investment strategies and goals.

WAM Leaders Limited's continued commitment to fully franked dividends may appeal to income-focused investors, particularly those seeking reliable distributions in the listed investment company sector.

WAM Leaders share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, WAM Leaders shares have risen 6%, which is in line with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

View Original Announcement

The post WAM Leaders announces fully franked interim dividend for 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

These picks are companies currently in the portfolio of the listed investment company (LIC) WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE), which aims to actively invest in the highest-quality ASX shares. These picks are usually larger businesses.

One of the ASX 300 shares is a large steel producer, while the other is a uranium business.

BlueScope Steel Ltd (ASX: BSL)

WAM describes BlueScope as a global supplier and manufacturer of steel products for the building and construction industries.

In January, the business announced it had received a non-binding indicative takeover proposal of $30 per share from a consortium that included SGH Ltd (ASX: SGH) and Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ: STLD). This helped the BlueScope share price rise around 25% during January 2026.

The BlueScope Steel board decided to reject the proposal, saying that it materially undervalued the company, particularly when taking into account the company's $2.8 billion property portfolio.

After that, the board decided to declare a $1 per share unfranked special dividend. The new CEO, Tania Archibald, pointed out additional cost-reduction opportunities totalling an additional $150 million for the ASX 300 share.

The fund manager noted that BlueScope Steel has been a core holding in the WAM Leaders investment portfolio, and it continues to see "upside not yet reflected in the current share price, underpinned by strong US spreads and an improving outlook for the demand amongst the North American market."

Nexgen Energy (Canada) CDI (ASX: NXG)

The fund manager describes Nexgen Energy as a Canadian uranium explorer and developer, with its key asset being the Rook I project in the southwestern Athabasca Basin.

Uranium prices rose 25% in January 2026, supported by an ongoing supply-and-demand imbalance and increased focus on data centres and the materials required to outfit and expand construction.

In January, the business announced a further expansion of the Patterson Corridor East uranium deposit, located 3.5km from the Rook I project, which may provide an extension of high-grade uranium ore and meaningfully extend the mine life at Rook I.

WAM said:

We remain positive towards NexGen Energy given the favourable near-term uranium market outlook and a pipeline of catalysts, including the receipt of final federal permits for Rook I, which would enable construction activities ahead of targeted commercial production in 2030.

All of that bodes well for the ASX 300 share, it seems.

The post Experts think these 2 ASX 300 shares are great buys in February appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The businesses I'm going to talk about can provide the stability that investors are after.

I'm also expecting both of the following ASX blue-chip shares to provide investors with good passive income in FY26 and beyond.

WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE)

WAM Leaders is a listed investment company (LIC) that targets large businesses to generate investment returns for the portfolio. It aims to actively invest in the highest-quality Australian companies.

So, instead of just being one ASX blue-chip share, it owns a portfolio of shares.

Some of the businesses that it owns a larger position in compared to the ASX share market's position sizing include Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG), Alcoa Corporation (ASX: AAI), James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX) and Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL).

As a company, the board of directors can declare the size of the dividend they want to pay, as long as there is a profit reserve to support the payout. WAM Leaders' portfolio has delivered an average return of 12.1% per year since inception in May 2016 (before fees, expenses and taxes), outperforming its ASX share benchmark by close to an average of 3% per year, which is an impressive record, in my view.

At 31 December 2025, the LIC had built up its profit reserve to 27.4 cents per share, which is enough to pay a dividend close to three years at the size of the FY25 payout. It has increased its annual dividend every year between FY17 and FY25, which is a pleasing record of consistency.

Its FY25 annual dividend translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of approximately 10%, including franking credits. I'm optimistic about slight dividend increases in the coming years.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Transurban is one of the largest toll road businesses in the world, with roads in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and North America.

Growing populations in cities are a good tailwind for Transurban's ASX blue-chip share, increasing average daily traffic (ADT) on its roads. In the first quarter of FY26, group ADT rose 2.7% year-over-year, with Sydney ADT up 1.7%, Melbourne ADT up 3.2% year-over-year, Brisbane ADT up 2.6% and North America ADT up 6.8%.

Additionally, the business occasionally completes a new road (such as WestConnex or the West Gate Tunnel project) that can increase its potential to serve traffic and increase the volume of tolls.

The business is also benefiting from rising tolls over time, which is a promising outlook for revenue and earnings growth. The ASX blue-chip share is planning to increase its distribution per security by 6% in FY26 to 69 cents. That translates into a forward distribution yield of approximately 5%.

The post 2 ASX blue-chip shares offering big dividend yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Portfolio managers of listed investment company (LIC) WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) revealed their purchase in an update this month.

Whitehaven is a thermal and metallurgical coal producer with six mines in the Gunnedah Basin of NSW and Bowen Basin of Queensland.

Wilson described Whitehaven Coal as a leading Australian producer with high quality assets and a robust balance sheet.

Why this fundie bought more Whitehaven shares

The portfolio managers explained their decision:

We increased our holding in Whitehaven Coal as coal prices began to firm after bottoming earlier in the year.

The company continues to deliver sound operational results despite a challenging backdrop and is executing cost out initiatives, with increased volumes at Blackwater and Daunia mines expected to drive unit cost reductions from FY2027.

Whitehaven Coal also maintains strong capital management flexibility, supporting shareholder returns through buybacks and dividends.

Recovering coal prices are a tailwind for Whitehaven shares.

Demand from China is ramping up, with the government intending to open more than 100 coal-fired power generators this year to supply electricity domestically and via export.

China is the world's largest coal producer, importer, and consumer.

Despite China's moves to adopt nuclear power as part of the green energy transition, coal continues to provide more than 50% of the nation's energy requirements.

China's coal production reached a record last year at 4.83 billion tonnes, but they still needed imported coal to keep the lights on.

Analysts at Trading Economics said:

China, by far the world's largest coal consumer, producer, and importer, continues to rely on the fuel to power its economy alongside the ongoing expansion of renewable energy.

However, Beijing has pledged to begin phasing down coal use before 2030.

What's happening with coal prices?

The coking (metallurgical) coal price is US$240.75 per tonne, up 1.5% over the past month and up 26% year over year.

Met coal has risen from a 12-month low of about US$169.70 per tonne in March.

The thermal coal price is US$109.35 per tonne, up 1% for the month and down 6% over 12 months.

It has risen from a 12-month low of US$93.70 per tonne in April.

This chart shows that Whitehaven shares have risen over the same period, rebounding strongly after the US tariff-inspired rout.

Should you buy this ASX 200 coal share, too?

The Whitehaven share price is $9.01 on Thursday, down 0.39%.

On the CommSec trading platform, 15 professional analysts offer a rating on Whitehaven shares.

The consensus rating is a hold. Four analysts say the ASX 200 coal share is a buy, and two say it's a moderate buy.

Six say hold, and three think Whitehaven shares are a strong sell following a 42% rally over 12 months.

This week, UBS reiterated its sell rating on Whitehaven and raised its 12-month share price target from $7.15 to $8.45.

Bell Potter kept its hold rating but also increased its price target from $7 to $8.40.

Ord Minnett reiterated its buy rating with a price target of $9.50.

The post Which ASX 200 coal share is this fundie buying more of? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

One business is from the WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) portfolio, which is a listed investment company (LIC) that focuses on the larger companies on the ASX. The other company is from the WAM Microcap Ltd (ASX: WMI) portfolio.

Let's get into those ideas. While they may not be some of the most well-known businesses on the ASX, they may be just as capable of delivering good returns for investors, if not more because the market isn't paying them a lot of attention.  

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

WAM described Whitehaven Coal as a leading Australian coal producer with "high-quality assets and a robust balance sheet".

The investment team in charge of WAM Leaders revealed that the LIC recently increased its holding of Whitehaven Coal shares as coal prices began to "firm" after bottoming earlier in the year.

The ASX blue-chip share continues to deliver sound operational results despite a challenging backdrop and is executing cost-reducing initiatives with increased volumes at Blackwater and Daunia mines expected to "drive unit cost reductions from FY27".

The fund manager also noted that Whitehaven Coal maintains strong capital management flexibility, supporting shareholder returns through share buybacks and dividends.

Artrya Ltd (ASX: AYA)

WAM said that Artrya is a medical technology company focused on the detection and management of coronary artery disease and utilises artificial intelligence (A) to deliver accurate and non-invasive diagnoses in emergency and primary care settings.

The fund manager noted that the Artrya share price increased in December after Artrya announced it had secured its second US commercial customer, signing a three-year agreement with Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS), one of its US foundation partners.

The agreement has a minimum value of US$0.3 million for the Salix Coronary Anatomy platform, with additional upside from per-scan fees for add-on modules.

It also supports Artrya's US growth strategy by moving a foundation partner into a paying customer and creating a reference site for further hospital contract wins.

Importantly, the Salix platform is expected to be rolled out across NGHS' five hospitals and broader network, signalling scope for wider adoption beyond an initial implementation.

WAM said Artrya also pointed to its Atlanta-based customer success team as a key enabler of smooth deployment and scalable customer onboarding as it grows in the US. The approval of Artrya's Heartflow Analysis module and additional customer contract wins are key near-term catalysts.

Both of these ASX shares could be pleasing opportunities at the current share prices.

The post 1 ASX blue-chip share and one small-cap share to buy in 2026: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.