Why these 3 top ASX 200 stocks grabbed the Motley Fool’s headlines this week

It was a memorable week for a number of S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) stocks as reporting season picked up speed.

Here’s why these three companies led the Motley Fool’s headline news this week.

Three ASX 200 stocks leaping into the Motley Fool’s headlines

First up, we have mining giant BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP).

The biggest of the ASX 200 stocks grabbed the Motley Fool’s headlines on Thursday after the miner got caught up in the fallout from plunging nickel prices.

This saw BHP announce an impairment of the carrying value of Nickel West along with West Musgrave (Western Australia Nickel).

The impairment for its Western Australia Nickel assets saw the carrying value drop by US$2.5 billion.

BHP also recognised an income statement charge of US$3.2 billion relating to the 2015 Samarco dam failure in Brazil.

The BHP share price closed down 1.7% on the day.

The second ASX 200 stock leading the Motley Fool’s headlines this week is Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS).

Australia’s biggest telco company reported its half-year results on Thursday.

Highlights included a 1.2% year-on-year increase in total income to $11.7 billion, and net profit after tax (NPAT) was up 11.5% to $1 billion. This saw Telstra declare a fully franked interim dividend of 9 cents per share, up 5.9% from the prior interim dividend.

While these are some solid results, they fell short of consensus expectations.

The Telstra share price closed down 2.3% on the day.

Which brings us to the third ASX 200 stock leaping into the Motley Fool’s headlines this week: our nation’s biggest bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

CBA announced its half-year results on Wednesday.

Among the highlights, CBA saw it operating income edge up 0.2% year on year to $13.65 billion. But with operating expenses ticking up by 4%, the big four bank’s cash net profit after tax slipped 3% year on year to $5.02 billion.

And CBA pleased passive income investors with a fully franked interim dividend of $2.15 a share, up 2.4% from last year.

But with investors apparently concerned about falling net interest margins (NIMs), the CBA share price closed down 1.7% on Wednesday.

As of Friday’s close, shares in the ASX 200 bank stock remain up around 14% over 12 months, not including the two dividend payouts.

The post Why these 3 top ASX 200 stocks grabbed the Motley Fool’s headlines this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 5 steps to becoming a milionaire with ASX shares
• Why ASX nickel shares are ending the week with a spring in their step
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy now
• ASX mining shares up amid Labor plan to spend multibillions on renewables revolution
• 7 ASX 200 shares with ex-dividend dates next week

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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 positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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