ASX shares are widely accepted to offer the highest level of income compared to other assets like bonds, residential investment properties, international shares or term deposits.
However, higher yields can be riskier because it means a business might be valued cheaply or because it’s paying out most of its earnings, leaving little left for re-investment.
Here are three high dividend yield ASX shares:
Naos Emerging Opportunities Company Ltd (ASX: NCC)
Sebastian Evans and his investment team at NAOS Asset Management run this listed investment company (LIC) to focus on ASX businesses with market capitalisations under $250 million.
One of the main objectives of the LIC is to pay a sustainable, growing fully franked dividend. Each of the last five financial years has seen a dividend increase and the dividend yield including franking credits sits at 10.3%. The Naos dividend is paid through both dividends received and capital gains made by the LIC.
Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)
Westpac is one of the largest businesses in Australia, but it is facing quite a few headwinds at the moment with the consequences of the Royal Commission and falling Australian dwelling prices.
The big ASX bank is valued at a low multiple to its earnings and it pays out most of its earnings, so the result is that it has a very high dividend yield. As long as people continue to pay their mortgage then Westpac’s dividend yield (including franking credits) of 10% could be attractive if the dividend isn’t cut in the medium term.
Vitalharvest Freehold Trust (ASX: VTH)
This is a lesser known real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in agricultural farmland. Unlike a lot of other Australian agricultural businesses, Vitalharvest will be aiming to expand with plant-based farms.
At the moment its farm properties include four berry properties and three citrus fruit properties, although this will hopefully become more diversified as time goes on.
Management of Vitalharvest are looking to pay at least an 8% distribution yield to shareholders in the short term.
Which one is best?
In terms of dividend income I would guess that Vitalharvest may have the most defensive income because its tenant(s) have to keep paying their rent. Its share price is priced close to the value of its assets, so it would seem to be fair value at the moment.
But high dividend income isn’t everything. It might be better to choose ASX shares that can offer a mixture of income and growth such as the businesses revealed in the free report below.
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