Month: October 2022

  • Goldman Sachs says these small cap ASX shares are buys

    A young woman sits with her hand to her chin staring off to the side thinking about her investments.

    A young woman sits with her hand to her chin staring off to the side thinking about her investments.

    If you’re looking for new investment options at the small side of town, then Goldman Sachs has your back.

    Listed below are a couple of small cap ASX shares that it recently put buy ratings on. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Adairs Ltd (ASX: ADH)

    The first small cap ASX share that Goldman Sachs is tipping as a buy is Adairs.

    It is the leading furniture and homewares retailer behind the Adairs, Focus on Furniture, and Mocka brands.

    Goldman currently has a buy rating and $3.05 price target on its shares. It likes the company due to its loyal customer base and store expansion opportunity. It commented:

    The core Adairs business has a highly loyal customer base, and ongoing store roll-out opportunity: ADH is has a strong brand presence across Australia, a highly engaged and loyal customer base (>1mn Linen Lover members), and ongoing opportunity to roll out new and upsized stores. […] Attractive valuation and high dividend yield: we view valuation as undemanding with ADH trading on 6.9x FY23E P/E

    Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

    Another small cap ASX share that Goldman likes is Temple & Webster.

    Despite the company being an online rival to Adairs, the broker remains positive on both.

    It currently has a buy rating and $7.55 price target on its shares. Goldman likes Temple & Webster due to its leadership position in a market that is in the process of shifting online. Its analysts explained:

    We believe the business has a material runway for long-term growth, supported by a large and growing TAM driven by increasing e-commerce penetration which still lags other comparable markets (Aus 16% vs. UK/US 28%/25%), even after a large pull forward in online sales over the last 2-3 years. […] We believe TPW can deliver long term structural growth, despite a slowdown in the near term macro environment.

    The post Goldman Sachs says these small cap ASX shares are buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    .

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended ADAIRS FPO and Temple & Webster Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ADAIRS FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/t49hClO

  • Why did the Imugene share price implode 31% in September?

    A disappointed lab researcher sits in her lab looking at her clipboard with her hand to her face as she worries about the Imugene share price todayA disappointed lab researcher sits in her lab looking at her clipboard with her hand to her face as she worries about the Imugene share price today

    The Imugene Limited (ASX: IMU) share price had a rough month despite multiple clinical trial updates.

    Imugene shares have fallen 30.77% from 26 cents at market close on 31 August to 18 cents at market close on 30 September.

    Let’s take a look at how the Imugene share price performed in September.

    Imugene shares fall

    Imugene shares have fallen in the past month even with multiple clinical trial updates from the company. However, the company has also conducted a major capital raise.

    Imugene is not the only pharmaceutical industry share on the ASX to have fall in September. The Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) share price has descended 24% since market close on 31 August. Immutep Ltd (ASX: IMM) shares fell 13% in the same time frame. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) has dropped 5% in the month.

    On 13 September, Imugene shares dropped amid an $80 million capital raise. The placement involved the issue of 400 million new ordinary shares at 20 cents per share. Imugene also offered a total of 200 million new options to placement subscribers at an exercise price of 33 cents per share. The share allotment date and issue of new options was 19 September.

    On 21 September, Imugene advised the first patient had been dosed in intravenous cohort 1 in the VAXINIA phase one clinical trial. Imugene CEO Leslie Chong said she was “very proud” of team and partners on the Vaxinia study.

    Then on 26 September, news emerged that Imugene had formed a partnership with Arovella Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: ALA). Arovella’s CAR19-iNKT cell therapy will be tested with Imugene’s onCARlytics platform with the aim of destroying solid cancer tumours.

    On a positive note, the Imugene share price increased 9% on 8 September. The company advised it has dosed the first patient in the nextHERIZON phase two clinical trial. The trial is investigating the use of Imugene’s HER-Vaxx in patients with HER-2+ gastric cancer.

    Imugene share price snapshot

    The Imugene share price has lost 63% in the past year, while it has fallen 58% year to date.

    For perspective, the ASX 200 health care index has shed 11% in the year to date.

    Imugene has a market capitalisation of about $1.13 billion based on the current share price.

    The post Why did the Imugene share price implode 31% in September? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    .

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/NF7pRah

  • Another interest rate hike coming Tuesday: almost every expert

    Young man in shirt and tie staring at his laptop screen watching the Paladin Energy share price tank todayYoung man in shirt and tie staring at his laptop screen watching the Paladin Energy share price tank today

    With the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) down 7% over the past month and 15.5% lower than where it started this year, investors have enough to worry about.

    But many Australians will return from their October long weekends to a rude shock.

    On Tuesday, the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia will meet. Unfortunately, according to comparison website Finder, 97% of experts say the RBA will once again raise its cash rate.

    Australians have barely caught their breaths since the last hike, but the RBA is forecast to apply an incredible sixth consecutive month of interest rate increases for consumers and businesses.

    “The cash rate is still below the ‘neutral’ levels,” said Metropole Property Strategists director Michael Yardney.

    “If the RBA is genuinely keen to stomp on inflation, they must raise rates further.”

    Another 50 basis point hike expected 

    Finder’s study found the majority of finance experts, 56%, are expecting a 50 basis point increase to the rate on Tuesday.

    Finder consumer research head Graham Cooke estimated that from May to now, all the interest rate rises have added almost $8,000 to the annual cost of a typical $500,000 home loan.

    “Another 50 basis point hike will push that cost up to near $10,000,” he said.

    “With one-in-four (26%) Aussie homeowners already struggling to pay their mortgage in September, this could be the rate rise that pushes some borrowers to the limit.”

    With less money to spend, businesses will see reduced demand for their goods and services.

    This could potentially mean a continued downwards spiral for ASX shares.

    Cooke said mortgages are not the only point of pressure for Australian households.

    “With the fuel excise ending on 30 September, and the cost of groceries, energy and travel prices all skyrocketing, this housing blow will be especially painful for many.”

    According to loan comparison site Mozo, the last time the RBA made such a long series of rate hikes was between October 2009 to November 2010 in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.

    But those increases only came in increments of 25 basis points.

    What will happen after Tuesday?

    Cooke said that while the majority of economic experts expect the rate hikes to pause in November, RBA would “likely” resume early in the new year.

    “Despite a slight softening in August, we’ll likely see the inflation rate spike back up.”

    AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) chief economist Dr Shane Oliver is expecting a 25 basis point hike on Tuesday, but would not be surprised if it’s higher.

    “After five rate hikes in a row, the RBA should be slowing the pace of rate hikes to be able to assess the impact of rate hikes to date and allow for monetary policy lags,” he said.

    “But the risk is high that it will go with another 0.5% hike given the excessive focus on backward-looking inflation and jobs data and the hawkishness evident in other major global central banks. A 0.4% hike would be a nice compromise.”

    Ord Minnett head of institutional research Malcolm Wood thought the RBA might be done after Tuesday.

    “I expect the RBA to pause its tightening cycle in November,” he said.

    “With fiscal tightening from Chalmers first budget, Europe in recession and the US soon to follow, this should end the tightening cycle.”

    The post Another interest rate hike coming Tuesday: almost every expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    .

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/p5v6bFt

  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week

    Broker written in white with a man drawing a yellow underline.

    Broker written in white with a man drawing a yellow underline.

    Last week saw a number of broker notes hitting the wires once again. Three buy ratings that investors might want to be aware of are summarised below.

    Here’s why brokers think investors ought to buy them next week:

    AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL)

    According to a note out of Credit Suisse, its analysts have upgraded this energy company’s shares to an outperform rating with a $8.20 price target. This follows the announcement of the company’s plan to exit coal 10 years ahead of schedule in 2035. Credit Suisse appears supportive on the move. And while it expects this to lead to a decent increase in capital expenditures, the broker believes AGL’s free cash flow will remain strong. The AGL share price ended the week at $6.84.

    BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

    A note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating and lifted their price target on this mining giant’s shares to $44.00. Macquarie has increased its thermal coal price forecasts to reflect supply constraints and global energy security risks. This has led to the broker bumping its earnings estimates for BHP by approximately 5% per annum through to FY 2026. The BHP share price was fetching $38.52 at Friday’s close.

    Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW)

    Analysts at Morgans have retained their add rating and lifted their price target on this building products company’s shares to $24.00. According to the note, Morgans was impressed with Brickworks’ full year results, which came in ~10% ahead of consensus estimates. In addition, the broker highlights that its shares screen as cheap. This is based on the current discount to inferred NTA and the pipeline of value accretive projects that will potentially be realised over the coming years. The Brickworks share price ended the week at $21.54.

    The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    .

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Brickworks. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Brickworks. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/lPiTD2m

  • Brokers name 2 top ASX dividend shares to buy this month

    A female stockbroker reviews share price performance in her office with the city shown in the background through her windows

    A female stockbroker reviews share price performance in her office with the city shown in the background through her windows

    Are you looking for more dividend shares to buy? If you are, you may want to check out the two listed below that have been rated as buys by brokers.

    Here’s what you need to know about these top ASX dividend shares:

    Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT (ASX: HCW)

    According to a recent note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts have put a conviction buy rating and $2.08 price target on this real estate investment trust’s shares.

    Goldman likes Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT, which has a focus on hospitals, aged care, childcare, life sciences, and primary care properties, due to its robust balance sheet, favourable tenant mix, the resilience of healthcare and childcare assets, and the expected strong future demand for assets across the care spectrum.

    In addition, the broker is expecting some attractive yields from its shares in the coming years. It has pencilled in dividends per share of 7.5 cents in both FY 2023 and FY 2024. Based on the current Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT unit price of $1.39, this will mean yields of 5.4% for investors.

    Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL)

    A recent note out of Morgans reveals that its analysts have retained their add rating on this retail conglomerate’s shares with an improved price target of $13.00.

    Morgans remains positive on the company and is expecting a solid first half to FY 2023. Particularly given its “much more resilient earnings in FY22 than had been forecast” and the fact that there are “no signs yet that the consumer is pulling back in Australia.”

    The broker is expecting this to underpin further generous dividend payments for this financial year and beyond. It is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 56 cents in FY 2023 and 58 cents in FY 2024. Based on the latest Super Retail share price of $8.88, this will mean yields of 6.3% and 6.5%, respectively.

    The post Brokers name 2 top ASX dividend shares to buy this month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    .

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Super Retail Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Super Retail Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/LelgIVG

  • Will the RBA raise rates again next week? Here’s what Westpac thinks

    Three businesswomen collaborate around a table.

    Three businesswomen collaborate around a table.

    Next week the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will be gathering to decide on the cash rate once again.

    Unfortunately for borrowers, yet another rate hike is expected at the meeting in an attempt to combat rising inflation.

    How big will the RBA’s rate hike be in October?

    Last month, the RBA made another 0.5% increase to the cash rate, bringing it up to 2.35%.

    Well, it looks like the market will have to brace itself for another sizeable hike at Tuesday’s meeting. According to the latest cash rate futures, the market is pricing in a 79% probability of a hike to 2.85% next week.

    This is a view shared with the economics team of banking giant Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC).

    According to its latest weekly economic report, Westpac’s chief economist, Bill Evans, is expecting another 0.5% increase to the cash rate on Tuesday. This is higher than what the bank was expecting a month ago, when Evans was predicting smaller 0.25% increments from this month onwards. He commented:

    While we have argued strongly that the RBA Board should slow the pace of increases once it has reached a neutral setting there was always some uncertainty as to whether the current starting point for the meeting, 2.35%, was sufficiently close to neutral to justify the scale back.

    The Governor and Deputy Governor have opined on several occasions that real neutral is at least zero and using long run measures of inflationary expectations as a guide to the nominal component (2.5%) then neutral is at least 2.5%. Given this view and in light of the rise in global rates, it seems sensible to push the cash rate to 2.85% in October, taking it comfortably above the neutral benchmark before scaling back the pace of rate increases.

    The post Will the RBA raise rates again next week? Here’s what Westpac thinks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    .

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/xUrko87

  • The ANZ share price outperformed its ASX 200 bank share peers in September

    Man in an office celebrates at he crosses a finish line before his colleagues.

    Man in an office celebrates at he crosses a finish line before his colleagues.

    The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price performed relatively well in September.

    Last month, ANZ shares slipped into the green by a whisker, up 0.71%. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fell by 5.43%, so ANZ beat the index by some margin.

    It did better than its major ASX 200 bank share peers too. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price fell by 5.5%, the National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price declined 4.9% and the Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price dropped 2.78%.

    Does this return reflect longer-term trends?

    When looking over 2022 to date, however, the returns are a bit different for the banks.

    Since the start of 2022, the Westpac share price is down less than 5%, and NAB shares have fallen by around 2%.

    Shares in CBA are trading 11% lower over the period, while the ANZ share price is down a hefty 18%.

    The ASX 200 has also shown a significant drop but its 14.7% loss is still lower than the ANZ bank.

    So, it seems that ANZ shares may have treaded water in September, but other banks have dropped less in the broader year-to-date period.

    Have there been any positives for the ANZ share price this year?

    Share markets are typically forward-looking, so has there been anything positive announced by the big bank recently?

    The FY22 third quarter update had some positive aspects to it.

    ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott said the three months to June 2022 was a “pleasing quarter” where all of its businesses “performed”, particularly the home loan business in Australia.

    ANZ said that its quarterly revenue was up 5%. It explained that through adding operational capacity and “processing resilience”.

    The bank also advised that the overall net interest margin (NIM) increased 3 basis points for the quarter and the underlying NIM went up 6 basis points to 164 basis points. Margins improved across all businesses, according to ANZ.

    This was “largely driven by the impact of rising rates, partly offset by intense price competition in the home lending portfolios in Australia and New Zealand. With interest rates projected to increase further in coming months, this is expected to be supportive for margins in the fourth quarter.”

    ANZ also noted that costs across the ASX 200 bank share remain “tightly managed”, with run-the-bank costs expected to be “broadly flat” for the second half, despite inflation pressures.

    What next for the ANZ share price?

    ANZ is due to hand in its full-year result on 27 October 2022, so investors will get a good look at how the business performed for the 12 months to 30 September 2022.

    It will be interesting to see how investors react to ANZ shares as the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) continues to increase interest rates.

    The post The ANZ share price outperformed its ASX 200 bank share peers in September appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    .

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/vNKZJcw

  • These were the worst performers on the ASX 200 in September

    Man open mouthed looking shocked while holding betting slip

    Man open mouthed looking shocked while holding betting slip

    It certainly was a month to forget for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). The benchmark index lost a disappointing 7.3% of its value to close the month at 6,474.2 points.

    While a good number of ASX 200 shares tumbled with the market, some fell particularly hard. Here’s why these were the worst performers on the index last month:

    Link Administration Holdings Ltd (ASX: LNK)

    The Link share price was the worst performer on the ASX 200 last month with a decline of 33.5%. This was driven by the collapse of the administration services company’s takeover by Dye & Durham. Link is now looking at options to unlock value for shareholders. This could include distributing its stake in PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA).

    Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

    The Iress share price was out of form and sank 21.1% during September. The majority of this decline came in the final week of the month following the release of a trading update at its annual general meeting. Iress revealed that it is experiencing some timing delays in the conversion of new sales opportunities due to challenging market conditions. As a result, FY 2022 net profit after tax is now expected to be between $54 million and $58 million, down from its prior guidance of $63 million to $72 million.

    Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)

    The Flight Centre share price was sold off last month and dropped 20.5%. Investors were selling down travel shares in September amid concerns that rising living costs could impact the tourism market. Short sellers will have been pleased with this decline. Flight Centre has been the most shorted share on the Australian share market since the start of the year.

    Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC)

    The Ramsay Health Care share price wasn’t far behind with a 20.1% decline in September. This decline was driven by the termination of the private hospital operator’s takeover talks with a consortium led by private equity giant KKR. Talks ended after the consortium was unwilling to lift its offer, which Ramsay had described as “meaningfully inferior.”

    The post These were the worst performers on the ASX 200 in September appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    .

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Link Administration Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel Group Limited and Ramsay Health Care Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/SiuWeRp

  • These were the best performers on the ASX 200 in September

    A woman with strawberry blonde hair has a huge smile on her face and fist pumps the air having seen good news on her phone.

    A woman with strawberry blonde hair has a huge smile on her face and fist pumps the air having seen good news on her phone.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was well and truly out of form in September. The benchmark index shed a massive 7.3% of its value to close the month at 6,474.2 points.

    Surprisingly, some ASX 200 shares managed to record decent gains last month. Here’s why these were the best performers on the index:

    New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC)

    The New Hope share price was the best performer on the ASX 200 in September with a gain of 28.4%. Sky high coal prices and the release of a very strong full year result helped drive this coal miner’s shares higher. In respect to the latter, New Hope’s full year results release revealed a 143% increase in revenue to $2.55 billion and a massive 1,139% jump in net profit after tax to $983 million. This allowed the company to declare a fully franked 31 cents per share final dividend and a 25 cents per share special dividend.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    The Pilbara Minerals share price was on form and charged 24.9% higher last month. A key driver of this gain was the release of the lithium miner’s latest BMX digital auction results. After accepting bids of US$6,188 per dmt in July and US$6,350 per dmt in August, the company experienced another strong rise in prices. It accepted the highest bid of US$6,988 per dmt during September’s auction. In other news, a bullish broker note out of Macquarie last month gave Pilbara Minerals’ shares a boost. Macquarie retained its outperform rating and bumped its price target to a lofty $5.60.

    Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

    The Whitehaven Coal share price continued its ascent last month and rose a further 14.2%. Investors were buying this coal miner’s shares in response to New Hope’s strong result and the expectation that coal prices will remain higher for longer. The Whitehaven Coal share price is now up 225% since the start of the year.

    Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

    The Megaport share price defied the odds to rise 7.3% in September. That’s despite the S&P ASX All Technology index losing almost 10% of its value last month. This gain was a bit of a mystery. Though, it is worth noting that at the start of the month Macquarie put an outperform rating and $11.00 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of over 40%.

    The post These were the best performers on the ASX 200 in September appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    .

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/pchrnRq

  • 5 reasons why I invest in ASX ETFs

    A kid and his grandad high five after a fun game of basketball.A kid and his grandad high five after a fun game of basketball.

    ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have changed the game and only continue to garner popularity among older and newer investors alike.

    The most common ETFs invest in a basket of shares, usually according to a specific index such as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). But they can also provide exposure to other assets, such as bonds, commodities, and currencies.

    I’m personally a big advocate of ASX ETFs. Here are a handful of reasons why.

    ETFs make life easy

    As someone who was once very overwhelmed by the thought of trying to sift through 2,000+ ASX shares, ETFs were the perfect way to dip my toes into the world of investing.

    I knew that by sticking with an index-tracking ETF, I’d be taking on less risk than if I were to invest in individual shares (which, at the time, would have been akin to throwing darts in the dark). 

    It also narrowed down the potential options and considerations when deciding and researching what to invest in.

    Once I’d made my decision, all it took were a few clicks in my brokerage app and just like that, I was the proud owner of an ETF.

    Plus, unlike investing in ASX shares, I knew I wouldn’t have to monitor company news to keep up with the latest developments. I could sleep easy at night knowing my ETF was chugging along in the background, doing whatever it said on the tin.

    Diversification

    One of the very first lessons I learned in investing was the importance of diversification. As the old adage goes, it’s wise not to put all your eggs in one basket.

    By design, ETFs help investors do just that. Instead of picking and choosing which shares you think will outperform, you can get exposure to an entire market or sector in one simple investment.

    Building a strong core

    When it comes to portfolio construction, I follow the ‘core and satellite’ approach. I think it combines the best of both worlds of passive and active investing.

    The basic premise is that the core of a portfolio consists of proven, low-cost, and diversified investments, typically achieving market returns.

    After all, history tells us that the share market has always gone up over the long term.

    The smaller satellite part of a portfolio is reserved for higher-risk positions that can significantly outperform the market. 

    ETFs make the core and satellite approach easy. 

    My core consists of broad-based ETFs, such as the Vanguard Diversified High Growth ETF (ASX: VDHG).

    Meanwhile, my satellite positions primarily consist of individual ASX shares, such as Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) and Altium Limited (ASX: ALU). 

    But ETFs aren’t just reserved for the core. A few higher-risk, tactical ETFs, such as the BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK), have also carved out a spot in the satellite part of my portfolio.

    Distribution reinvestment plans

    Many ETFs pay out distributions to investors, which are similar to dividends

    Take the BetaShares Australia 200 Index ETF (ASX: A200), for example, which invests in a basket of the largest 200 companies on the ASX.

    Many of these companies pay dividends. So, the A200 ETF collects these dividends and passes them on to investors in the form of quarterly distributions.

    This form of passive income is great, but I especially like the ability to reinvest these distributions automatically.

    This is made possible by distribution reinvestment plans (DRPs), where you can choose to forego the cash payment and instead receive additional units in the ETF. Not all ETFs offer a DRP, but the larger, more established ones usually do.

    DRPs can help magnify the wonderful benefits of compound interest over time. And I like that I can invest in the market without having to lift a finger or make a conscious decision.

    All this for the price of a coffee?

    Simple, index-tracking ETFs should be low-cost, attracting less than 0.20% management fees. 

    The lowest-cost ASX ETF is currently the Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF (ASX: VTS). At just 0.03%, a $10,000 investment incurs annual fees of only $3… that’s less than the price of a coffee!

    Even at 0.20%, yearly fees would amount to just $20 based on a $10,000 balance.

    This is a sum I’m more than comfortable paying in return for the benefits I’ve mentioned above.

    These fees are also much lower than what you’d pay for a managed fund.

    So, which ETF should you invest in?

    Not all ETFs are equal, and it’s important to know what you’re investing in. 

    Understanding your investment objectives and risk tolerance before deciding where to allocate your money is essential.

    Personally, I’m a big fan of low-cost, index-tracking ETFs that make life simple for investors, especially those just starting out.

    As I explained recently, I’m also partial to the VDHG ETF, which just so happens to be my very first investment.

    The post 5 reasons why I invest in ASX ETFs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    .

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Cathryn Goh has positions in Altium, BETA CYBER ETF UNITS, BetaShares Australia 200 ETF, Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Altium, BETA CYBER ETF UNITS, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS and Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/BDPyhN1