Best Australian Stocks — July 2026
The ASX pairs the developed world's most generous dividend culture with a resource sector that sits at the front of every commodity cycle. Between the banks-and-miners core lies a strong tail of healthcare, software and industrial franchises that compound quietly. MoatMap scores 750+ ASX names; the list below is where the factors align.
MoatMap scored 766 Australian stocks on 2026-07-18; 428 cleared the $250M market-cap floor this list applies. The market's average StockRank is 40. Basic Materials is the most represented sector in the top 10 (6 names).
July 2026 edition · data as of ·How we score stocks·All Australia stocks, refreshed daily
Top 25 Australian Stocks by StockRank
| # | Ticker | Company | Score | Q | V | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FMG.AX | Fortescue Ltd | 96 | 79 | 75 | 49 |
| 2 | HLI.AX | Helia Group Limited | 96 | 84 | 76 | 41 |
| 3 | WAF.AX | West African Resources Limited | 95 | 84 | 69 | 46 |
| 4 | BHP.AX | BHP Group Limited | 95 | 77 | 50 | 71 |
| 5 | RRL.AX | Regis Resources Limited | 94 | 87 | 68 | 42 |
| 6 | MLX.AX | Metals X Limited | 93 | 87 | 57 | 50 |
| 7 | NEM.AX | Newmont Corporation | 93 | 89 | 63 | 41 |
| 8 | CWP.AX | Cedar Woods Properties Limited | 93 | 81 | 76 | 37 |
| 9 | IPH.AX | IPH Limited | 93 | 66 | 72 | 55 |
| 10 | RG1.AX | Regal Partners Global Investments Limited | 93 | 67 | 51 | 74 |
| 11 | FGX.AX | Future Generation Australia Limited | 93 | 78 | 51 | 64 |
| 12 | DPM.AX | DPMMETALS CDI 1:1 [DPM] | 93 | 85 | 51 | 57 |
| 13 | ORE.AX | OREZONE CDI 1:1 [ORE] | 92 | 73 | 54 | 65 |
| 14 | ACL.AX | Australian Clinical Labs Limited | 92 | 71 | 78 | 42 |
| 15 | CCL.AX | CUSCAL LTD FPO [CCL] | 91 | 51 | 78 | 60 |
| 16 | MAH.AX | Macmahon Holdings Limited | 91 | 68 | 61 | 61 |
| 17 | CGS.AX | Cogstate Limited | 90 | 88 | 26 | 75 |
| 18 | RMD.AX | ResMed Inc. | 90 | 88 | 64 | 36 |
| 19 | FML.AX | Focus Minerals Limited | 90 | 90 | 77 | 22 |
| 20 | ANN.AX | Ansell Limited | 89 | 65 | 62 | 60 |
| 21 | GNE.AX | Genesis Energy Limited | 89 | 52 | 66 | 69 |
| 22 | NMG.AX | New Murchison Gold Limited | 89 | 84 | 74 | 29 |
| 23 | RDX.AX | Redox Limited | 89 | 81 | 44 | 62 |
| 24 | SHA.AX | SHAPE Australia Corporation Limited | 89 | 77 | 54 | 55 |
| 25 | TYR.AX | Tyro Payments Limited | 89 | 63 | 77 | 46 |
Ranked by StockRank (Quality + Value + Momentum composite) at a minimum market cap of $250M. A new edition is generated on the first scoring run of each month.
Active share buybacks in the 180 days to : IPH.AX, RG1.AX, ACL.AX, CGS.AX, ANN.AX
Dividends, Dirt and the Quiet Compounders
Australia's franking system makes it structurally the most dividend-oriented developed market: companies attach tax credits to dividends paid from taxed profits, so domestic investors are paid to demand payouts, and boards oblige. For foreign investors the franking credit itself isn't claimable, but the culture it creates (high payout ratios, capital discipline, regular capital returns) benefits everyone on the register. Fully-franked dividends also carry no Australian withholding tax for foreign holders.
The index core is a bank oligopoly plus the world's lowest-cost iron-ore producers: businesses whose earnings swing with China's construction cycle and the domestic housing market. The screen's more interesting output usually comes from the next tier down: ASX-listed healthcare and biotech (a genuine national strength), infrastructure-like industrials, and a software cohort that emerged in the 2010s. These are the names that score on Quality while the miners rotate through Value and Momentum.
Disclosure is granular and fast: director dealings file as Appendix 3Y notices within five business days, substantial shareholders at the 5% threshold, and on-market buybacks as daily Appendix 3C notices, all of which MoatMap ingests. When an ASX name below shows recent director buying, the paper trail is public and specific.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the best Australian stocks to buy right now?
- The table above ranks MoatMap's top 25 ASX-listed stocks by StockRank, a composite of Quality, Value and Momentum percentiles across 750+ names. It refreshes monthly with a stated data date, and each ticker links to a full breakdown including ASX filing history.
- What are franking credits and do foreigners get them?
- Franking credits pass company tax paid through to shareholders as a credit against their own tax, the engine of Australia's dividend culture. Foreign investors can't use the credits, but fully-franked dividends carry no Australian withholding tax, so the cash yield still arrives intact. Unfranked dividends withhold at up to 30% (often 15% by treaty).
- Is the ASX too dependent on iron ore and banks?
- The index is concentrated, which is exactly why a screen helps: outside the top 20 sit globally competitive healthcare names, software businesses and specialised industrials whose fortunes don't track Chinese steel demand. The sector column above shows how the current list splits between the resource cycle and the compounders.
- When do Australian companies pay dividends?
- Most ASX companies report semi-annually and pay two dividends a year (interim and final), rather than the quarterly rhythm US investors expect. Resource companies flex the payout with the cycle; special dividends in fat years are common.
- How often does this Australia ranking refresh?
- A new edition forms on the first scoring run of each calendar month and the page states its data-as-of date. For a daily view, use the ranked-stocks screener filtered to Australia.