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Author: openjargon

  • Google Photos: How to access, find, download, or delete pictures in Google’s photo storage app

    A smartphone displaying the Google Photos logo is held in front of a blurred background.
    You can access Google Photos on an iPhone, Android, or desktop computer to store, view, and edit your photos.

    Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    • Learning how Google Photos works can go a long way towards optimizing your photo storage.
    • Google Photos lets you store, share, view, and edit photos and videos, and has additional AI tools.
    • Google Photos users have access to 15GB of free storage, but can pay to upgrade their accounts.

    Launched in 2015, Google Photos is Google's service for storing and sharing photos and videos.

    It's a solid media backup system to have at your disposal. And, because it's a cloud-based tool, it can free up space on your phone. Plus, it works on both Android and iOS devices, as well as on your desktop computer.

    Here's what to know about how Google Photos works, and how to get started:

    How does Google Photos work?

    Google Photos users can upload new photos and videos, and they can view, edit, save and create new videos, animations, collages, albums and photos books. Users can also download everything, meaning your cloud-based backup can itself be easily backed up onto your computer or external hard drive.

    Google Photos is completely private, and the pictures you upload are visible only to you. Once you share your photos with others, however, they will also have access.

    How do I access my Google Photos on iPhone and Android?

    It's easy to access Google Photos on any device. Here's how: 

    1. Download Google Photos from the Google Play Store or iOS App Store.
    2. Open the app and log in with your Google account.
    3. Provide the permissions necessary to access your files and media in your phone's settings.

    You can access all your stored photos in the Google Photos app. Open the Google Photos app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android and tap the photos icon in the lower-left corner on your screen. Here you will find all your memories.

    Two side-by-side images show the "Continue" button on the Google Photos access permissions page emphasized with a red arrow and box, and a screenshot of a Google Photos gallery with the "Photos" tab emphasized with a red box and arrow.
    Grant permission to back up your photos and videos to Google Photos, then tap the "Photos" icon to access all your photos.

    Michelle Mark/Business Insider

    How do I download all my photos from Google photos? 

    Downloading every photo from Google Drive is simple, but the option isn't accessible in Google photos. 

    Google Takeout lets you download data from any Google's services. You can do this on your mobile as well as your computer. 

    Here's how: 

    1. Go to Google Takeout 
    2. Click Deselect all. This ensures you're not downloading data from your entire Google account. 
    A screenshot of Google Takeout shows the "Deselect all" button emphasized with a red box and arrow.
    By default, all of your data will be selected to be exported. Click "Deselect all" and target just your photos.

    Michelle Mark/Business Insider

    1. Check the box next to Google Photos, and click into "All photo albums included" if you want to choose which specific albums to download. Otherwise, Google Takeout will download everything in Google Photos.
    A screenshot of Google Takeout shows the checkbox next to Google Photos emphasized with a red box and arrow.
    You can choose whether to export all photo albums or just specific ones.

    Michelle Mark/Business Insider

    1. Once you are happy with your selection, select Next step to export. 

    Quick tip: in your export settings, you can choose how often you want to download your Google photos. 

    1. Next, choose how you wish to download your photos. 
    A screenshot of Google Takeout shows a dropdown menu with download options emphasized with a red box.
    Download your photos to Google Drive, Dropbox, or whichever service you prefer.

    Michelle Mark/Business Insider

    1. Next, confirm the file type and size of your exported file, and click Create export when you're ready.

    Why can't I see all my Google Photos?

    If you are unable to access all your photos, you may not have enabled the permissions for Google Photos to back up your photos automatically. 

    Here's how you can check and fix the issue:

    1. Open up the Google Photos app and tap on your profile picture in the top right corner.
    2. Select Google Photo settings, then select Backup. 
    Two side-by-side screenshots of the Google Photos app settings menus show the buttons "Google Photos settings" and "Backup" emphasized with red boxes and arrows.
    Enable backup permissions on Google Photos to access all your photos.

    Michelle Mark/Business Insider

    1. Toggle the Backup button on to keep your photos backed up. 
    A screenshot of the settings page of Google Photos shows the toggle in the "on" position for "Backup," and emphasized with a red box and arrow.
    Make sure your "Backup" setting is turned on.

    Michelle Mark/Business Insider

    Is Google Photos still free?

    Google Photos has unfortunately ended its unlimited free storage policy.

    Every Google account comes with 15GB of free cloud storage shared across Google Drives, Google Photos, and Gmail — so any new photos and videos you upload to Google Photos will count toward the free 15GB of storage. 

    To add more storage and save your high-quality images, users can upgrade using the Google One subscription plan, starting at $1.99 per month for 100GB.

    Quick tip: If your device is running low on storage, Google Photos may not display all your photos so ensure you have sufficient space for all your images. 

    Google Photos features an AI-powered assistant

    Like many of Google's products, Google Photos has begun enhancing its services with new AI tools. 

    In May 2024, Google announced it would upgrade Google Photos to incorporate its Gemini AI model to make it even easier for users to search through their galleries for memories or details. A new feature called Ask Photos will let users ask broad queries like, "Show me the best photo from every city I've visited," and the tool will instantly pull together a series of relevant images from their galleries.

    Google CEO Sundar Pichai demonstrated the feature at the Google I/O 2024 conference, asking the app, "What's my license plate number again?" The Ask Photos feature immediately provided a text response with the license plate number and a corresponding image.

    Sundar Pichai, in a grey jumper and jeans, stands on a stage with a rainbow-colored adornment in the center, as a screen displays "Making AI helpful for everyone"
    CEO Sundar Pichai discussed Google's new AI features at the Google I/O conference.

    Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

    Google Photos provides users with a lot of auto-generated extras, and additional AI editing tools will be available to all users without a subscription. 

    Magic Eraser, PhotoUnblur, and Portrait light will allow users to make complex edits with simple actions, previously native to Android users. 

    Historical features will remain. With Google Photos, you can also create photo-book collections, grouping together pictures based on factors like the date, people, and places featured. Users are given the option to print and ship those books (for a fee, of course).

    The Assistant will also take photos that were captured in rapid succession and turn them into GIFs (referred to as "animations"), while individual photos can be saved as motion photos — meaning they record video of a few seconds before and after you've taken the shot. These may also be known as Live Photos to iPhone users.

    Google Photos has other smart features

    Like Google Images, Google's search engine for photos, Google Photos has a robust search option that serves as a major draw for the platform. It lets you search for generic subjects, like "dogs" or "beach" to narrow your options, which is especially useful if you haven't yet sorted your pictures into albums.

    A screenshot of the Google Photos app shows the word "dog" in the search bar, emphasized with a red box and arrow, with images of a dog below.
    Type a query like "dog" into the search bar and watch Google Photos pull up relevant images.

    Michelle Mark/Business Insider

    It also gives you the option to identify different people in your photos by manually putting a name to the face. After that, pictures with those people are automatically sorted so you can later search for pictures featuring specific people.

    Similarly, you can also set it to create "live albums," which automatically populate with photos of friends and family members.

    For those looking to backup their physical photo prints, you can quickly 'scan' those to have them uploaded by taking a quick pic using your phone or other Photos-friendly device. And for those who photograph paper documents, Google Photos also lets you highlight desired sections of text, and even crop out backgrounds to make it easier to do things like upload and expense a receipt from a work trip.

    Google Photos is a powerful and versatile tool that requires little effort to use to its fullest. And, given the fact that it provides free, unlimited storage without sacrificing too much on photo and video quality, it can be a solid option for backing up your media files.

    How to delete all photos from Google Photos

    If you're frustrated by Google Photos' frequent reminders about purchasing more storage, you're not alone. Deleting mass quantities of photos from Google Photos — or even deleting your entire Google Photos account — is a hotly discussed topic on tech forums.

    If you opt to delete Google Photos, proceed with caution: deleting batches of photos from the Google Photos mobile app will also delete them off your phone entirely — even in external storage applications like iCloud. Before you try deleting anything, make sure you remove Google Photos' access to your mobile device and native photo gallery.

    On an iPhone, that process will look like this:

    1. Go to Settings, and scroll down to Google Photos.
    2. Under the menu that says "ALLOW GOOGLE PHOTOS TO ACCESS," tap Photos, then select None.
    Two side-by-side iPhone screenshots show access options, with the "Photos" selection and "None" selection emphasized with red boxes and arrows.
    Remove Google Photos' access to your iPhone photos before deleting any files.

    Michelle Mark/Business Insider

    1. Then, open up your Google Photos app on your iPhone, and turn off Backup by going into Google Photos settings, then toggling Backup off.
    Two side-by-side screenshots show the Google Photos settings menu, with "Google Photos settings" and "Backup" emphasized with red arrows and boxes.
    Make sure backups are turned off.

    Michelle Mark/Business Insider

    Now, to actually delete your photos from Google Photos, you'll have to get a little creative. Google Photos doesn't make it easy to delete all your photos at once; there's no "select all" option to click.

    Instead, you'll have to use a workaround — the easiest way is to open up Google Photos on your web browser:

    1. In your Google Photos gallery, click on the grey checkmark at the top left-hand corner of your most recent batch of photos. The checkmark will automatically select all the photos from that date.
    A screenshot of Google Photos shows a blue checkmark next to several photos taken on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022.
    You can only select one day's worth of photos at a time, but holding down the "Shift" key will let you grab large batches of photos.

    Michelle Mark/Business Insider

    1. Scroll down to the very bottom of the gallery until you reach your very first photo. Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard, and click that first photo. You should now see all your photos selected (if you have a lot of photos, you may need to work with smaller batches, rather than deleting your whole photo gallery all at once).
    2. Click the trash can icon in the top right-hand corner of the window, which will open up a pop-up warning. Click Move to trash.
    A screenshot shows Google Photos' pop-up warning before deleting photos, with the "Move to trash" button emphasized with a red box and arrow.
    Make sure backups to any devices are turned off before deleting photos.

    Michelle Mark/Business Insider

    1. You can always test this method out on a smaller batch before deleting your full Google Photos gallery.
    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • The trendy prebiotic soda touted by A-listers is misleading consumers, according to a new lawsuit

    A bartender pours Poppi soda into a glass with ice.
    A new class action lawsuit alleges that the marketing for Poppi, a trendy soda for health-conscious consumers, makes misleading claims about its gut health benefits.

    Eugene Gologursky via Getty Images

    • Poppi, a trendy soda touted by A-listers, contains prebiotics for gut health and low sugar content.
    • A new class action lawsuit alleges the marketing for the viral drink is misleading consumers.
    • The suit claims consumers would need to drink four sodas a day to experience health benefits.

    If you tried Poppi prebiotic sodas in hopes that the trendy drinks — touted by A-listers like Kylie Jenner and J-Lo in social media posts — would help your gut health, you may have been misled, according to a new class action lawsuit.

    "Prebiotics are a special type of fiber that can act as food for healthy bacteria in your gut," Poppi's website claims of its products. "Each can of poppi includes agave inulin, a prebiotic (and natural sweetener!) extracted from the agave tequilana plant."

    However, the lawsuit, filed Wednesday, alleges the low-sugar, "gut-healthy" sodas contain such small amounts of prebiotic fiber (just 2 grams per serving) that the average consumer wouldn't experience any health benefits from drinking them.

    "A consumer would need to drink more than four Poppi sodas in a day to realize any potential health benefits from its prebiotic fiber," the suit, which seeks $5,000,000 in financial damages, says. "However, even if a consumer were to do this, Poppi's high sugar content would offset most, if not all, of these purported gut health benefits."

    The complaint goes on to say that an inulin-based diet could cause "inflammation and even liver damage" with doses as low as 10 grams per day and demands a jury trial to determine whether Poppi has broken the law with its advertisements.

    Poppi's sodas, which have gone viral in the years since their 2018 appearance on "Shark Tank," sell for $2.49 a can through the manufacturer's website.

    The colorful cans of apple cider vinegar-infused sodas have become so popular that the suit noted Forbes reporting from March that the brand sits at a 19% market share — more than 1.5x that of Coke products — and is the 11th-fastest growing beverage brand, beating out companies like Gatorade and Liquid Death.

    Representatives for Poppi did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Will ASX REITS be boosted by Australian workers returning to the office?

    a man with hands in pockets and a serious look on his face stares out of an office window onto a landscape of highrise office buildings in an urban landscape

    Several ASX real estate investment trusts (REITs) manage large portfolios of offices and are likely to benefit from the return to the workplace occurring across Australia’s CBDs today.

    Among them is the No. 7 ASX REIT by market capitalisation Dexus (ASX: DXS).

    Dexus manages $24.3 billion worth of office blocks out of $48 billion in total real estate assets (as of FY23). It owns 62 office blocks.

    Dexus shares are currently $6.78, up 0.44% at market close on Friday and down 17.42% over the past 12 months.

    Another is the No. 8 ASX REIT by market cap Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC).

    Of Charter Hall’s $71.9 billion property funds under management (FUM) as of FY23, $29.3 billion of it was office space. The ASX REIT owns 96 office towers and blocks.

    Charter Hall shares finished Friday at $12.12, up 1%, and are up 8.21% over the past 12 months.

    The largest pure-play office REIT is Centuria Office REIT (ASX: COF). It manages $2.2 billion in office space and owns 23 office blocks (as of FY23).

    The Centuria Office REIT share price is $1.21, down 2.03% as of Friday’s market close and 16.32% over the past year.

    CBD office occupancy rises to 76% of pre-pandemic levels

    The post-pandemic return to the office is continuing, although many workers are operating under hybrid arrangements where they work from home a few days per week.

    In a recent report, CBRE, a global leader in commercial real estate services and investment, said Australia’s average office occupancy rate rose to 76% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2024.

    This is up from 70% in the December 2023 quarter and 67% in the March 2023 quarter.

    While occupancy rates rose in all capital cities during the quarter, Perth and Adelaide maintained the highest occupancy rates of 93% and 88%, respectively.

    CBRE said a shorter average commute from home to work in these smaller capital cities may be contributing to higher occupancies.

    Across the rest of the country, occupancy rates were 86% in Brisbane, 77% in Sydney, 66% in Canberra, and 62% in Melbourne.

    Aussies are bowing to their employers’ requests to return to the office much more than workers in the United States, where CBRE says occupancy rates have stalled at the 50% mark for more than a year.

    Why do companies want employees back in the office?

    Many companies are asking their employees to return to the office at least part of the time to leverage the benefits of teamwork, innovation, and collaboration.

    They are concerned that working from home in the long term may reduce overall productivity.

    One related issue is ensuring new employees have enough interaction with senior staff so they can learn faster and more easily integrate into the company’s culture.

    When the ASX REIT Centuria Office released its FY23 results, Grant Nichols, Centuria’s Head of Office, commented:

    With productivity falling in both Australia and overseas, we have seen an increase in mandated return to office policies that aim to address productivity, increased loneliness and diminished corporate culture.

    While hybrid working arrangements and increased workplace flexibility are likely to become more prevalent, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the office will remain an important and focal point in many workplace operations.

    In fact, Centuria’s 2023 annual Australian office tenant customer survey reinforced this view, with approximately 75% of respondents stating they expect to retain or increase their office space requirements in the medium term.

    But workers aren’t being as cooperative as many companies would like.

    So, some companies have begun to offer incentives, including linking salary and promotions to how much time an employee spends in the office.

    Companies move into premium offices to lure workers back

    Another trend is companies moving their corporate headquarters into more attractive office buildings. They appear happy to pay a higher rent in exchange for attracting workers back on-site.

    CBRE reports that two-thirds of organisations that have relocated since COVID have upgraded to premium office blocks featuring retail, restaurants, and other amenities on the lower floors.

    Charter Hall Office CEO Carmel Hourigan said Charter Hall was carefully curating its portfolio “to meet demand for premium offices that are rich with amenity”.

    Upon the release of the company’s FY23 results, she said:

    This is reflected in our strategic investments and development pipeline, including our recently submitted application for Chifley South in Sydney which will realise the development potential of the site.

    Dexus Executive General Manager, Office, Andy Collins said more than half of new office leases in FY23 represented companies upgrading to better office suites:

    The average terms of new leases and renewals was circa 6.2 years, and 57% of new leases were represented by customers upgrading to higher quality space.

    The post Will ASX REITS be boosted by Australian workers returning to the office? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Charter Hall Group right now?

    Before you buy Charter Hall Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Charter Hall Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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.

  • 3 of the best ASX ETFs to buy in June

    If you are looking for an easy way to invest your hard-earned money, then it could be worth looking at the exchange traded funds (ETFs) in this article.

    Here’s why they could be high quality options for investors in June:

    Betashares Energy Transition Metals ETF (ASX: XMET)

    The first ASX ETF for investors to look at in June is the Betashares Energy Transition Metals ETF.

    It provides investors with easy exposure to global producers of copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, manganese, silver, and rare earth elements. These are all metals that will be pivotal to the decarbonisation of the planet.

    Betashares has named it on its list of 12 ASX ETFs ideas for 2024. It appears to believe the companies included in the fund are well-positioned to benefit from increasing demand for these metals.

    It notes that “both electric cars and clean energy use notably more metals than their conventional counterparts, and many of these minerals have highly concentrated and insecure supply chains.”

    Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY)

    Another ASX ETF for investors to consider buying in June is the Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF.

    This ETF has a focus on investing in the highest quality companies that the world has to offer. This is of course never a bad thing.

    At present, there are approximately 150 companies included in the fund. These companies rank highly on four key metrics: return on equity, debt-to-capital, cash flow generation, and earnings stability. Betashares’ chief economist, David Bassanese, recommended this ETF last year.

    VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

    A third ASX ETF that could be a great option for investors in June is the VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF.

    This fund has a focus on companies with sustainable competitive advantages (or wide moats) and fair valuations. These are the qualities that Warren Buffett looks for when he makes investments for his Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) business.

    Buffett certainly is a good role model when it comes to investing. His investment focus has helped Berkshire Hathaway double the market return since all the way back in 1965.

    The companies that the ETF invests in will change periodically to reflect valuations and changes to competitive advantages. But at present it includes tobacco leader Altria Group Inc (NYSE: MO), food company Campbell Soup (NYSE: CPB), beauty products company Estee Lauder (NYSE: EL), sportswear giant Nike (NYSE: NKE), and entertainment behemoth Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS).

    The post 3 of the best ASX ETFs to buy in June appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Vaneck Investments Limited – Vaneck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat Etf right now?

    Before you buy Vaneck Investments Limited – Vaneck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat Etf shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Vaneck Investments Limited – Vaneck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat Etf wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    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 Berkshire Hathaway, Nike, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2025 $47.50 calls on Nike. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Berkshire Hathaway, Nike, VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Is Macquarie the best ASX bank stock for you?

    A woman looks questioning as she puts a coin into a piggy bank.

    Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) is one of the largest ASX bank stocks and may be one of the best to consider, in my opinion.

    ASX investors have numerous banks and lenders to choose from including Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ), Pepper Money Ltd (ASX: PPM), Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN), Mystate Ltd (ASX: MYS) and AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP).

    With all of that choice, there are a couple of crucial reasons why I’d buy Macquarie shares over the others.

    Geographic diversification

    One of my major misgivings about the above ASX bank shares I mentioned is that almost all of their earnings come from Australia and New Zealand.

    Banks are seeing an uptick in their arrears amid the inflation and high cost-of-living environment. For example, in the CBA FY24 third-quarter update, it said its arrears of home loans that were overdue for more than 90 days had increased to 0.61% at 31 March 20, up from 0.44% at March 2023.

    With ASX bank stock loans heavily concentrated on the Australian loan system, most of their eggs are in one local economic basket. I don’t think that provides enough diversification.

    Macquarie, on the other hand, generates around two-thirds of its earnings internationally. The global investment bank can invest in whichever region it sees the best chance of making long-term returns.

    Earnings diversification

    As I’ve mentioned, the domestic ASX bank stocks are predominately focused on providing loans to households and businesses in Australia and New Zealand.

    Macquarie has very diversified operations, with an asset management division, a banking and financial services (BFS) segment, an investment banking division (Macquarie Capital) and the commodities and global markets (CGM) division.

    Macquarie has deliberately grown its Australian banking division, capturing market share from the other ASX bank stocks. However, pleasingly, the company’s other segments can provide significantly differentiated earnings compared to banks like CBA and Westpac.

    The Macquarie Asset Management (MAM) division delivers broadly consistent base management fees, providing the parent company with annuity-style revenue and earnings.

    Macquarie is able to capitalise on market or energy volatility with CGM when prices move significantly.

    The investment banking side of the business is adept at making good returns during most normal (or buoyant) economic conditions.

    Macquarie has utilised this multi-divisional approach to great use over the past decade. It has grown significantly in the Americas, Europe and Asia, unlocking earnings growth. Despite FY24 being a tough year, it made $6.7 billion in net profit across the four main divisions.

    The Macquarie annual dividend has been hiked by approximately 150% in the past decade, demonstrating its ability to grow and deliver for shareholders. Meanwhile, the Westpac annual dividend is currently smaller than it was a decade ago.

    Is the Macquarie share price a buy?

    I wouldn’t call Macquarie shares cheap after gaining more than 10% in the past six months. But, I believe its earnings can compound at a stronger rate than the domestic ASX bank stocks thanks to its global operations. I’d much rather own Macquarie than any of the other banks for a long-term investment.

    It’s valued at 17x FY27’s projected earnings, according to estimates by broker UBS.

    The post Is Macquarie the best ASX bank stock for you? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Macquarie Group Limited right now?

    Before you buy Macquarie Group Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Macquarie Group Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    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 positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • $20,000 invested in these ASX 200 shares 10 years ago is now worth… (a lot!)

    I’m a fan of buy and hold investing and believe it is one of the best ways to grow your wealth.

    To demonstrate just how successful this investment strategy can be with ASX 200 shares, I often like to see how much a single $20,000 investment in certain ASX 200 shares 10 years ago would be worth today.

    Let’s see how investments in these shares have fared during the past decade:

    Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

    The first ASX 200 share that has smashed the market over the last decade is Breville. It is one of the world’s leading kitchen appliance manufacturers.

    It has been growing its sales and earnings at a consistently solid rate since 2014. One of the drivers of this has been its ongoing investment in research and development, which ensures that its portfolio is filled to the brim with innovative products.

    In addition, its global expansion and earnings accretive acquisitions, particularly in the coffee market, have helped support its growth.

    This has allowed Breville’s shares to achieve an average total return of 13.8% per annum over the decade. This would have turned a $20,000 investment 10 years ago into almost $73,000 today.

    Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

    Another market beater has been Northern Star. Over the last 10 years, this gold miner has developed from a reasonably small player into one of the largest in the world.

    In addition, with the gold price trading at lofty levels, this has supported its margins as its production increases.

    Unsurprisingly, this has done wonders for its shares. So much so, Northern Star is one of the best performing ASX 200 shares over the last decade. During this time, its shares have generated an average total return of 30% per annum. This incredible return means that a $20,000 investment back in 2014 would now be worth a sizeable $275,000.

    ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD)

    Another ASX 200 share that has delivered the goods for investors over the past decade is ResMed. It is a leading medical device company with a focus on the growing (and huge) sleep disorder treatment market.

    Thanks to the growing awareness of sleep disorders like sleep apnoea and its industry-leading masks and software, ResMed has reported consistently strong sales and earnings growth since 2014.

    This has led to its shares providing investors with an average total return of 19.8% per annum over the period. This means that a $20,000 investment in ResMed’s shares 10 years ago would have grown to be worth approximately $122,000 now.

    Overall, I believe this shows just how rewarding it can be to invest with a long term view.

    The post $20,000 invested in these ASX 200 shares 10 years ago is now worth… (a lot!) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Breville Group Limited right now?

    Before you buy Breville Group Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Breville Group Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week

    A female ASX investor looks through a magnifying glass that enlarges her eye and holds her hand to her face with her mouth open as if looking at something of great interest or surprise.

    It has been another busy week for Australia’s top brokers. This has led to the release of a number of broker notes.

    Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

    Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

    According to a note out of Citi, analysts have retained their buy rating and $19.00 price target on this supermarket giant’s shares. Citi has been visiting stores to get a better idea of how the big two supermarket operators are performing with their respective strategies. It believes that Coles’ pricing strategy is resonating more with consumers and will result in stronger sales growth during the fourth quarter of FY 2024. This is based on its belief that Coles’ strategy is being executed better and has a stronger value perception. And while Citi rates both supermarket giants as buys, its preference at this point is Coles. The Coles share price ended the week at $16.42.

    Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME)

    A note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have reiterated their buy rating on this health imaging technology company’s shares with an improved price target of $136.00. This follows news that Pro Medicus has won five new contracts with a minimum contract value of $45 million. Goldman highlights that this brings the company’s minimum total contract value (TCV) for new sales this financial year to $245 million. And there’s still potential for more contract wins given its sizeable sales pipeline. Goldman believes this supports its view that the company’s Visage 7 software is an industry-leading solution and that the company is the incumbent technology leader in radiology and well-placed to take market share. The Pro Medicus share price was fetching $120.12 at Friday’s close.

    Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN)

    Another note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $8.05 price target on this airline operator’s shares. Goldman believes that the market is severely undervaluing Qantas’ shares. It suspects that this could be due to investors pricing in a trade off between investment (fleet and customer) and capital returns (dividends and buybacks). However, the broker believes that Qantas can return significant capital to shareholders and invest in its fleet while still maintaining a strong balance sheet. As a result, its analysts see the Flying Kangaroo’s cheap valuation as a buying opportunity. It is also worth noting that Goldman is expecting the Qantas dividend to return in 2025. The Qantas share price ended the week at $6.15.

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

    Should you invest $1,000 in Coles Group Limited right now?

    Before you buy Coles Group Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Coles Group Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Coles Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • What are 3 of the safest ASX consumer discretionary shares in Australia right now?

    A young boy reaches up to touch the raindrops on his umbrella, as the sun comes out in the sky behind him.

    Picking out ‘safe’ ASX shares in the consumer discretionary sector is a tough ask. For one thing, there is really no such thing as a ‘safe’ ASX share, no matter what sector of the market you are looking in.

    If you want absolute certainty that you won’t lose money on an investment, the share market is the wrong place to look.

    No one can predict how the market will price any asset. You might think a share is worth a certain amount for whatever reason. But if the market doesn’t agree with you, there’s not much you can do about it.

    But even if we do assume you can get pretty close to a safe ASX share, the consumer discretionary sector is a fraught place to search anyway – it’s all in the name. Consumer discretionary stocks tend to sell goods or services that consumers may or may not purchase depending on their economic circumstances.

    When a downturn or recession hits, these consumers tend to cut back on discretionary items such as new clothes, cars or electrical appliances.

    That makes the companies that sell them inherently cyclical.

    But this doesn’t mean there aren’t some deals to be found in this space right now. So today, let’s discuss three consumer discretionary shares that I think you can call ‘safe’ relative to their peers for a long-term investment today.

    3 ‘safe’ ASX consumer discretionary stocks today

    Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL)

    Super Retail Group is the ASX retail share behind popular chains like Super Cheap Auto, Macpac, Rebel and BCF.

    I like this retailer because it is resistant to the typical economic cycle that affects other consumer discretionary shares. Australians tend to keep shopping at stores like Super Cheap and BCF regardless of the economic weather.

    To illustrate this defensiveness, Super Retail posted a robust half-year earnings report in February. This report showed the company increasing half-year revenues by 3.2% despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

    Super Retail shares also offer a 5.75% fully franked dividend yield today.

    JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH)

    JB is another ASX consumer discretionary stock that I think makes for a great investment in any economic climate.

    This company has shown a remarkable ability to move with the times. Two decades ago, it mainly stocked hi-fi, DVDs, music, and video games. But today, JB is more known as a destination for electronics, home appliances, and office equipment. That’s for both its eponymous chain of JB Hi-Fi stores and its Good Guys side hustle.

    JB Hi-Fi has been struggling with a downturn in consumer demand over the past year.

    However, I think the 10% drop in the JB share price that we’ve seen over the past couple of months has left this consumer discretionary stock looking pretty cheap today on a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of under 14. That comes with a fully franked dividend yield of 4.7%. It could be a great entry point for long-term investors.

    Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV)

    A final stock that you might name amongst the ‘safe shares’ of the consumer discretionary sector is Premier Investments. Like Super Retail Group, this company owns a large portfolio of successful Australian stores, including Peter Alexander, Smiggle, JayJays, Dotti, and Just Jeans.

    As with Super Retail’s businesses, these stores seem to be more resistant to adverse economic circumstances than most. Over the first half of FY2024, Premier Investments posted a 1.65% rise in statutory net profits after tax, as well as a hike to its interim dividend.

    Premier’s $209.8 million in earnings before interest and tax during the half was a 66.4% increase over the company’s earnings during the first half of FY2020.

    I also think that Premier’s plans to spin off its profitable Smiggle and Peter Alexander divisions will be beneficial to long-term investors.

    Right now, Premier shares are trading on a fully franked dividend yield of just over 4%.

    The post What are 3 of the safest ASX consumer discretionary shares in Australia right now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Jb Hi-fi Limited right now?

    Before you buy Jb Hi-fi Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Jb Hi-fi Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    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 positions in and has recommended Super Retail Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Super Retail Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Jb Hi-Fi and Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Here’s how the ASX 200 market sectors stacked up last week

    a woman ponders products on a supermarket shelf while holding a tin in one hand and holding her chin with the other.

    Consumer staple shares led the ASX 200 market sectors last week with a 1.02% gain over the five trading days.

    Meantime, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lost 0.91% to finish the week at 7,701.7 points.

    Six of the 11 market sectors finished the week in the green.

    Let’s recap.

    Consumer staple shares led the ASX sectors last week

    The biggest ASX consumer staple stock Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) moved 0.57% higher last week. Woolworths shares closed at $31.60 on Friday.

    Among the other large sector players, Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) shares lifted 1.48% to $16.42 apiece.

    ASX 200 wine share Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) lost 1.95% to finish the week at $11.33 apiece.

    Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV) shares lost 0.6% over the week to finish at $4.96 on Friday.

    Among the big movers in the staples sector this week was Australian Agricultural Company Ltd (ASX: AAC). The stock rose 7.8% despite no price-sensitive news to finish at $1.52 per share on Friday.

    ASX 200 agricultural share Select Harvests Ltd (ASX: SHV) lifted 4.47% to $3.27. Most of those gains came on Friday after the company released its 1H FY24 results.

    The almond farmer and processor reported a net profit after tax (NPAT) loss of $2.1 million. But this was an improvement on the prior corresponding period of 1H FY23 when a $96.2 million loss was recorded.

    Select Harvests managing director David Surveyor said:

    The operating environment for the almond industry remains challenging. In the US, almond prices have been below the cost of production since the 2020/21 season.

    Through this period, Select has made strong progress on its transformational program and is ready to benefit from the cyclical upturn.

    The Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA) share price increased 2.76% over the five days to $4.46 on Friday.

    There was no news from Bega this week. However, my colleague Bernd says the price surge could relate to speculation that milk prices may fall over the months ahead, thereby reducing Bega’s input costs.

    Ridley Corporation Ltd (ASX: RIC) rose 1.94% to $2.10. There was no news from the company this week.

    Top broker Goldman Sachs says its key buy calls among ASX retail shares are now skewed towards consumer staples over discretionary stocks.

    Goldman has buy ratings on three of the top four consumer staple shares by market capitalisation.

    They are Woolworths shares with a 12-month price target of $39.40, Treasury Wine shares with a 12-month price target of $13, and Endeavour shares with a 12-month price target of $6.30.

    ASX 200 market sector snapshot

    Here’s how the 11 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.

    Over the five trading days:

    S&P/ASX 200 market sector Change last week
    Consumer Staples (ASX: XSJ) 1.02%
    Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ) 0.83%
    Communication (ASX: XTJ) 0.59%
    Information Technology (ASX: XIJ) 0.26%
    Healthcare (ASX: XHJ) 0.15%
    A-REIT (ASX: XPJ) 0.09%
    Financials (ASX: XFJ) (0.26%)
    Industrials (ASX: XNJ) (0.35%)
    Energy (ASX: XEJ) (0.6%)
    Materials (ASX: XMJ) (1.35%)
    Utilities (ASX: XUJ) (2.73%)

    The post Here’s how the ASX 200 market sectors stacked up last week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Australian Agricultural Company Limited right now?

    Before you buy Australian Agricultural Company Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Australian Agricultural Company Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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 Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Coles Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Swing-district Republicans in New York decried Trump’s conviction. It could cost them politically.

    Trump spread
    Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, former President Donald Trump, and Rep. Marc Molinaro.

    AP Photo/Alex Brandon; Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP, Pool; AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

    • Key Republicans in NY swing districts are standing behind Trump after his hush-money conviction.
    • The lawmakers have parroted Trump's argument that the conviction undermines the judicial system.
    • But that support could hurt them politically among suburban moderates and independents.

    For GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill, former President Donald Trump continues to wield immense power over their political futures.

    Since 2016, Trump has effectively maintained a stranglehold over the party by molding its ideological direction, keeping Republican lawmakers in line, and cultivating a political base that has remained unflinchingly loyal to him for nearly a decade.

    After Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a 2016 hush-money payment to the adult film star Stormy Daniels, that dynamic has only strengthened.

    But to the surprise of many, Trump's conviction elicited vocal outrage from a contingent of House Republicans in New York, including Reps. Marc Molinaro and Anthony D'Esposito, who represent some of the most competitive districts in the country. In these districts — concentrated in suburban areas outside of New York City — the upcoming House majority could be decided by swaths of moderates and independents.

    Intense reactions

    Molinaro, a first-term Republican representing the swing Catskill-and- Hudson Valley-anchored 19th district that Biden carried by nearly 5 points in 2020, blasted the Manhattan verdict.

    "This is how we're going to do politics now?" he said in a statement on X. "Not through spirited debates, but by weaponizing the justice and court system to attack a political rival right before the election."

    D'Esposito — a retired New York Police Department detective who flipped the Long Island-anchored 4th district in 2022 — said this week that the "best revenge" for Trump's conviction would be winning the November general election.

    "It is clear to me that Democrats are so afraid of engaging in a fair fight against President Trump that they continue to weaponize the justice system in an attempt to stop him," the congressman wrote.

    Former President Donald Trump at his criminal hush-money trial in New York.
    Former President Donald Trump at his criminal hush-money trial in New York.

    Steven Hirsch – Pool/Getty Images

    In 2020, Biden won D'Esposito's district — filled with the sort of affluent, college-educated voters who have been trending toward Democrats in recent cycles — by nearly 15 points.

    Mike Lawler, who narrowly won the purple 17th district north of New York City, said Trump's conviction "undermines our electoral process and our judicial system" and deemed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, state Attorney General Letitia James, and Gov. Kathy Hochul as "hyperpartisan New York Democrats."

    Long Island GOP congressman Nick LaLota suggested that Hochul should pardon Trump and "pre-emptively commute any sentence" that the ex-president might receive on his July sentencing date.

    The sharp reactions from the House lawmakers, which are akin to Republican politicians from safely red seats in more conservative states, underlies one of the party's biggest challenges headed into November: corralling suburban voters around the GOP.

    The suburban dilemma

    While Biden isn't all that popular in New York State at the moment — with the latest Emerson College survey showing him with a 39% approval rating and polling ahead of Trump by only 7 points in a state that he won by 23 points in 2020 — many voters remain unplugged from the race or have indicated that they'd consider a third-party option like independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

    But in a decidedly Democratic state like New York, Biden is likely to gain some ground ahead of the election.

    While suburban voters on Long Island trended Republican in the 2022 midterms — a trend which could continue in 2024, especially given Trump's support among many active and retired law enforcement officials — lawmakers like LaLota and D'Esposito are still running in districts where the former president remains a polarizing figure.

    In a presidential year, it's become more difficult for many down-ballot candidates from an opposing party to win as ticket-splitting has waned. And the vulnerable GOP lawmakers will be tasked with defending their records while explaining their stance on Trump, which could be a tall order for voters who believe that the former president committed a crime.

    Across the country, suburban voters were already turning away from Trump even before his conviction — as former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has continued to win significant blocs of GOP voters even after suspending her presidential campaign in March.

    The decision by vulnerable New York House Republicans to tie themselves to Trump's crusade against his hush-money case is an incredibly risky one — but one that is emblematic of a GOP that remains firmly under the former president's grasp.

    Read the original article on Business Insider