With so many blue chip ASX 200 shares for investors to choose from, it can be hard to decide which ones to buy.

To help narrow things down, I have picked out two that analysts rate as buys right now. They are as follows:

CSL Limited (ASX: CSL)

The first blue chip ASX 200 share that is highly rated is CSL.

CSL is one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, comprising the CSL Behring business, newly formed CSL Vifor business, and the Seqirus business.

Thanks to a combination of strong demand for its products and its material investment in research and development (R&D) each year, CSL has been growing at a solid rate for well over a decade. The good news is that these same factors are expected to support further growth in the coming years.

This will be supported by improvements in plasma collections and the company’s new collection technology. The latter is designed to collect plasma more efficiently and deliver stronger yields, which could be a meaningful boost to margins.

Citi is positive on CSL and currently has a buy rating and $340.00 price target on its shares.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

Another blue chip ASX 200 share to look at is Goodman Group.

This leading integrated commercial and industrial property company currently has $77.8 billion of total assets under management and over 1,700 customers globally. This includes blue chip customers such as Amazon, Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), DHL, and Walmart.

But it isn’t settling for that. Goodman continues to build new properties and has $13.8 billion of development work in progress across 85 projects. With a yield on cost of 6.1%, these properties look likely to support solid growth in the future.

Goldman Sachs is a big fan of Goodman. It is expecting Goodman to continue its strong earnings growth in the coming years. For example, it has forecast a compound annual growth rate of ~14% between FY 2022 and FY 2024.

Goldman has a buy rating and $24.20 price target on the company’s shares.

The post Here’s why analysts rate these blue chip ASX 200 shares as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Experts say these strong blue chip ASX 200 shares are buys for 2023
• Bell Potter says these are some of the best ASX shares to buy for 2023
• Stock market millionaire: I’d put $500 a month into the ASX 200 to aim for 7 figures
• CSL share price slumps as new CEO appointed
• CSL share price on watch as CEO announces retirement

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 CSL Ltd. 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/8UwkzES

The ASX 200 big four bank shares have always had a reputation as strong dividend income payers. And Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares are no different.

As it currently stands after Monday’s close, Westpac shares have a trailing dividend yield of 5.38% on the table. This yield, as is typical with Westpac, also comes fully franked. That means it grosses-up to an impressive 7.69% with the value of those franking credits.

But a high yield, even a full-franked one, doesn’t always translate into a good investment. Dividend income is never guaranteed from an ASX share. And plenty of investors have been burned by the dreaded ‘dividend trap’ – buying a share for a high yield that never materialises – before.

Westpac shares have had a decent 2022 though, as you can see below:

This ASX 200 bank share is up more than 7.6% year to date this year, which looks pretty good against the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s loss of 6%.

So that begs the question: Are Westpac shares worth buying now for dividend income in 2023 and beyond? Well, let’s see what some ASX brokers reckon.

ASX brokers name Westpac shares as a buy for dividend income

An ASX broker who thinks Westpac shares are a compelling buy right now is Goldman Sachs. As my Fool colleague James recently covered, Goldman currently rates Westpac shares as a conviction buy, with a 12-month share price target of $27.60 on the bank.

If realised, that would result in an upside of more than 18.7% from the current share price.

A big part of Goldman’s bullishness comes from its dividend projections. The broker reckons Westpac shares will pay out 148.4 cents per share in income over FY2023, rising to 160 cents per share in FY2024. No doubt income investors would be delighted if that came to pass.

But Goldman isn’t the only broker rating Westpac shares right now. As we looked at earlier this month, another broker in Morgans is also eyeing Westpac off as a ‘best idea’ right now.

Morgans has a lower share price target of $25.80 on Westpac shares. But this broker is also expecting Westpac to keep its dividends growing. It has a projection of 153 cents per share from Westpac in FY2023, rising to 159 cents per share in FY2024.

So no to one, but two ASX brokers reckon Westpac shares are a buy today for dividend income in 2023 and beyond. Time will tell if they are on the money.

The post Are Westpac shares worth buying now for dividend income in 2023? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Start generating extra income by investing $5 a day in ASX shares. Here’s how
• Why is the Westpac share price wilting on Wednesday?
• Analysts expect 6% yields from these ASX dividend shares in 2023
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Tyro share price rebounds 14% as rumours swirl over next moves

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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. 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/ciyZvr5

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has started the week in the red. The index slumped 0.21% on Monday to close at 7,133.6 points.

Fortunately, that was a relatively tame tumble compared to that posted by New York indices on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) fell 0.8%, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) slumped 1.1%, and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) dumped 1% amid recession concerns seemingly spurred by hawkish comments from US Federal Reserve officials.

Today also saw the ASX 200’s latest quarterly rebalance take effect. Only two stocks were involved in the December shakeup. St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) was booted from the iconic index, and replaced by Monadelphous Group Limited (ASX: MND).

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) were today’s top-performing sectors. They gained 0.5% and 0.4% respectively.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ), the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX:  XHJ), and the S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) were among the worst performers. They dropped 0.8%, 0.8%, and 1.1% respectively.

But which ASX 200 share dodged today’s carnage to post the strongest start to the week? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today’s top performer was none other than Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC). Its stock rose around 5% despite the company’s silence.

Today’s biggest gains were made by these shares:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC)	$0.99	4.76%
United Malt Group Ltd (ASX: UMG)	$3.48	4.5%
Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)	$2.90	4.32%
New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC)	$6.49	4.01%
Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)	$0.735	3.52%
Silver Lake Resources Limited (ASX: SLR)	$1.21	3.42%
Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)	$11.02	3.38%
De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG)	$1.235	3.35%
Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)	$10.60	3.11%
Chorus Ltd (ASX: CNU)	$7.85	3.02%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Monday
• Guess which ASX 200 gold CEO just sold $2 million worth of shares
• Why Core Lithium, MMA, Northern Star, and Warrego Energy are charging higher
• Invest, or not to invest in ASX shares: Why I think the pessimists are wrong again
• Is the Pinnacle share price the ASX 200’s biggest bargain right now?

Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper 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/v6KqYOo

It has been a hellacious year for investors seeking inflation-beating returns. Those with exposure to certain commodities have generally performed stronger than other pockets of the market. Yet, 2022 probably won’t go down as a triumphant one for copper.

Unlike lithium, the price of copper has descended throughout the year rather than strengthen. In quantifiable terms, lithium has skyrocketed by more than 100%. Meanwhile, a chunk of copper is going for 15% less. The stark contrast has played out despite both materials being expected to benefit from the electrification trend.

Although, the script might be flipped next year, according to some experts.

Supply won’t cope with demand

All commodity prices are determined by the balance of supply and demand. That’s why Goldman Sachs is expecting big things from the highly conductive metal in 2023.

The broker believes copper could reach a new record high price of US$11,000 per tonne. Its bullish forecast doesn’t come without reason. Goldman is estimating a 178,000-tonne copper deficit next year. Whereas, the broker previously forecast a 169,000-tonne surplus, betting on new supply coming online.

However, forecasts are suggesting that additional supply may not materialise. Any such slump in supply could boost prices if demand for the material holds steady or increases — a scenario that copper investors would be glad to witness in light of the poor performance in 2022 as shown below.

Data presented by the International Energy Agency (IEA) similarly portrays a roadmap for increased copper demand in the future. In a report titled The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions, the IEA estimate that 45% of copper will be consumed by the energy sector in 2040 under its ‘sustainable development scenario’.

Under these conditions, current (operating) and future (under construction) supply will fall short of demand by 2025. As depicted in the chart below, this gap is only expected to widen for the foreseeable future.

Biggest ASX copper shares in the hot seat

If copper enjoys a rise that is anything like lithium this year, the returns from ASX copper shares could be considerable. After all, some of the best-performing investments on the Aussie market this year have been in lithium shares.

At the largest end of the market, here’s how the biggest lithium names have performed in 2022:

• Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) up 18%
• Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) up 65%
• Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) up 47%
• Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) up 36%

For those interested, some of the largest ASX-listed companies with exposure to copper include BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO), Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM), and IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO).

The post Could copper become ‘the lithium’ of 2023? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Why is BHP’s dividend yield so high?
• Own Rio Tinto shares? Here are the key dates to watch in 2023
• Why did the iron ore price just hit a 6-month high?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Why Bank of Queensland, Block, Fletcher Building, and Newcrest are dropping today

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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/mJLiFWa