Author: openjargon

  • 2 high-yield ASX dividend shares to buy as they bounce

    Two happy shoppers finding bargains amongst clothes on a store rack

    The ASX dividend shares we’ll explore in this article look cheap to me. They offer big dividend yields, and they’re starting to rise again.

    When dividend stocks are trading lower, they can boost their dividend yield. For example, if a business has a 5% dividend yield and its share price falls 10%, then the dividend yield becomes 5.5%. However, if a business has a 5% yield and its share price rises 10%, then the yield drops to 4.55%.

    Therefore, it can be a smart strategy to buy quality undervalued dividend stocks before they rise too far in a recovery. With that in mind, here are two ASX dividend shares that I think are passive income opportunities.

    Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

    This is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns commercial property. What I particularly like about this ASX share is that its property portfolio is diversified, and it has a long weighted average lease expiry (WALE).

    Its portfolio includes buildings across industrial and logistics, social infrastructure, office, service stations, pubs, agri-logistics and retail.

    The WALE of more than 10 years means the business has strong rental income visibility and resilience. Almost all (99%) of the tenants are blue-chip players, including the Australian Government, Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) and BP.

    The ASX dividend share’s rental income is steadily growing, with some leases on fixed annual increases and other contracts linked to inflation.

    As we can see on the chart below, the Charter Hall Long WALE REIT share price has climbed around 5% since 26 April. I think this could be a good time to buy while it offers a guided FY24 distribution yield of 7.4%.

    APA Group (ASX: APA)

    APA owns and operates Australian energy infrastructure worth billions of dollars, including huge gas pipelines, electricity transmission assets, renewable energy generation and gas storage, processing and energy generation.

    Impressively, the business has grown its distribution every year for 20 years, meaning it has one of the best records for long-term passive income growth on the ASX, though that’s not guaranteed to continue forever.

    APA keeps growing its asset base – it’s working on new pipelines right now. It also recently acquired Alinta Energy Pilbara. This means APA can be a leading provider of renewable energy infrastructure solutions for remote regions in Australia (with miners as major customers).

    The ASX dividend share expects to pay a distribution per security of 56 cents in FY24, which is a forward distribution yield of more than 6.2%.

    The chart below shows that the APA share price has risen more than 7% in the last month, so now could be a good time to invest.

    The post 2 high-yield ASX dividend shares to buy as they bounce appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

  • 3 reasons to buy Nvidia stock before May 22 (and 1 reason to sell)

    A woman holds a soldering tool as she sits in front of a computer screen while working on the manufacturing of technology equipment in a laboratory environment.

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    If you’re an Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) or any type of artificial intelligence (AI) investor, then May 22 is a day you must have circled on your calendar. That’s when Nvidia reports Q1 FY 2025 results, which will give investors some clues as to how strong the market is for Nvidia’s class-leading GPUs (graphics processing units).

    With how big of a move Nvidia’s stock has made after previous earnings releases, it may be wise to consider buying (or selling) some shares before then. I’ve analyzed Nvidia and come up with three reasons to buy and one to sell. So what should you do before May 22?

    1. Reason to buy: Other companies are still talking about AI infrastructure demand

    Nvidia’s primary product, the GPU, is vital for AI model development and training. GPUs allow parallel processing, giving them the ability to do multiple tasks at the same time. This is crucial for training AI models, as multiple iterations must occur before an AI model is usable.

    Nvidia’s GPUs are the best on the market for AI training, and its customers are buying thousands of them at a time to outfit their servers with the best technology possible.

    This caused Nvidia’s initial boom last year, but some investors (including myself) were worried that there would be little demand for more capacity once initial demand is satisfied. However, that isn’t the case.

    Meta Platforms raised its long-term capital expenditure guidance to build more computing power to capture the massive AI opportunity it sees. On its conference call, Tesla CEO Elon Musk mentioned that they have about 35,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs active, with another 85,000 slated to be up and running by the end of this year.

    The demand for Nvidia’s products is still there, which should bode well for it this quarter.

    2. Reason to buy: The stock isn’t as expensive as investors might think

    One gripe about Nvidia’s stock has been how expensive it is. That’s true if you look at the trailing-price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. At 76 times earnings, it could be considered outrageously expensive. But that doesn’t do the stock justice. Nvidia is undergoing a massive transformation and is expected to post another massive quarter of growth (Wall Street projects 250% growth in Q1).

    As a result, looking at trailing earnings does investors no good. Instead, they should utilize the forward P/E to value Nvidia.

    NVDA PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts

    At 36 times forward earnings estimates, Nvidia is far from cheap. However, it’s undergoing a massive shift, and this figure could be incredibly off the mark if Nvidia’s growth continues. Furthermore, it’s not far off from Microsoft, which trades at 35 times forward earnings despite growing much slower.

    If valuation is a top reason to avoid Nvidia’s stock, you may need to rethink that, as many other stocks trade in a similar range as Nvidia despite not having the growth.

    3. Reason to buy: New product launches could drive another demand wave

    Although Nvidia may have some of the best products on the market, it isn’t resting on its laurels. Nvidia has launched a few new upgraded GPUs, like the Blackwell GPU. But what investors (and many companies) are waiting for is the H200.

    This system is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2024 and is a massive upgrade over the already popular H100. Some companies may be holding out until the H200 is launched to future-proof their servers, as they don’t want to upgrade in a couple of years when the H100s become obsolete.

    Although that’s speculation, the H200 will undoubtedly drive new demand, especially from companies willing to pay top dollar to have the best products available.

    These are great reasons to buy Nvidia’s stock before its Q1 earnings date, but there’s also a reason to sell.

    Reason to sell: Anything short of perfection could ignite a sell-off

    While I mentioned that Nvidia’s stock isn’t as expensive as many think, it’s still priced for perfection. If Nvidia misses the mark in any way this quarter, there will likely be a heavy sell-off.

    I think that’s unlikely because the heavy demand for Nvidia’s GPUs is still present. However, the company’s execution is unknown until investors see the financials.

    Should Nvidia report a less-than-perfect quarter, investors must examine the situation more closely to determine whether the sell-off is warranted or a buying opportunity.

    Although the odds of this happening are pretty low, something as simple as a slip-up or a tone on a conference call can make or break a stock.

    With how the industry currently looks, I see no problem with buying Nvidia’s stock before Q1 results, as it’s slated to be another quarter of incredibly strong growth. 

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    The post 3 reasons to buy Nvidia stock before May 22 (and 1 reason to sell) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?

    Before you buy Nvidia 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 Nvidia 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

    Keithen Drury has positions in Meta Platforms and Tesla. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 3 excellent ASX ETFs I think are a buy right now

    ETF written on cubes sitting on piles of coins.

    The ASX-listed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) I’m going to talk about all have very compelling futures.

    There are plenty of good businesses on the ASX, but not to the same size and growth potential that we can find overseas. We can’t directly buy these global companies on the ASX, but there are plenty of different ways to get exposure to quality businesses through diversified funds.

    With that in mind, these are three of my favourites.

    Global X Fang+ ETF (ASX: FANG)

    For investors wanting exposure to the big US tech companies like Alphabet, Apple, Amazon.com, Nvidia, Microsoft and Meta Platforms, this could be the best way to do it. These businesses are some of the strongest in the world, with strong balance sheets and incredibly strong market positions.

    There are only 10 positions in this ASX ETF portfolio, with the weightings currently ranging between 9.09% to 11.63%, so the allocations are largely even.

    Not only are the weightings to those businesses huge, but the FANG ETF actually has a fairly low management fee of 0.35%, compared to an annual fee of 0.48% for the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ).

    Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance with the FANG ETF, but it has returned an average of 23.7% per annum over the past three years. The underlying businesses are doing well.

    With the ongoing technology developments, I think the FANG ETF portfolio holdings could continue growing profit for the long term.  

    Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY)

    I like owning businesses that meet quality metrics because, over time, I believe those metrics can help a business keep reinvesting profit at a good rate of return. Growing profits can push share prices higher, as that’s normally what investors focus on.

    Companies only make it into the QLTY ETF portfolio if they rank well on four metrics: return on equity (ROE), debt-to-capital, cash flow generation ability and earnings stability. Putting those metrics together, it results in a list of very strong investments for the ASX ETF.

    At the moment, the biggest positions of the 150-name portfolio are Alphabet, Texas Instruments, Unitedhealth, Coca Cola and Microsoft.

    Considering the diversification across different industries (not just technology), I think the QLTY ETF has done very well since inception, with an average return per annum of 14.7%. Again, it’s not guaranteed to keep doing that well, but the quality metrics are compelling.

    Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

    Cybersecurity is one of the most compelling industries because of the ongoing digitalisation around the world and the rise of cybercrime.

    Businesses, governments and households need to protect themselves from the bad guys, even in a downturn, so the earnings of the businesses in the portfolio are quite defensive.

    The ASX ETF’s portfolio of 30 names includes global leaders and smaller players, including Broadcom, Crowdstrike, Cisco Systems, Palo Alto Networks, Infosys, Darktrace, Cloudflare, Okta, and Zscaler.

    Over the past five years, the HACK ETF has delivered an average return per annum of 15.2%, which is impressive in my opinion. If earnings keep growing, then I think this ASX ETF can keep performing.

    The post 3 excellent ASX ETFs I think are a buy right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Etfs Fang+ Etf right now?

    Before you buy Etfs Fang+ 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 Etfs Fang+ 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

    Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. 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 Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Cisco Systems, Cloudflare, CrowdStrike, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Okta, Palo Alto Networks, Texas Instruments, and Zscaler. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Broadcom and UnitedHealth Group and has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF and BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, CrowdStrike, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Okta. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • How Fortescue shares could gain from the Federal budget

    happy mining worker fortescue share price

    Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares closed up 0.5% yesterday, trading for $25.94 apiece.

    That was roughly in line with the 0.4% gains posted by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    This came amid an overall positive reaction from investors to the new Federal budget.

    And while Fortescue shares didn’t widely outperform the benchmark index yesterday, the ASX 200 miner could catch sustained tailwinds from some of the spending measures unveiled by Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

    Among those measures, the budget contains $6.7 billion in tax incentives for green hydrogen production and an additional $1.7 billion to spur innovation in producing green iron production along with low emissions fuels.

    And Andrew Forest’s Fortescue is leading its rivals in these sustainable ventures.

    As the miner states on its website:

    Fortescue is leading the green industrial revolution by developing the technologies to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors (like our iron ore operations) while building a global portfolio of renewable energy projects.

    We’ll help our planet step beyond fossil fuels by harnessing the world’s renewable energy resources to produce renewable electricity, green hydrogen, green ammonia and other green industrial products such as green iron.

    How Fortescue shares are embracing green hydrogen

    Green hydrogen, if you’re not familiar, is produced by splitting the oxygen atoms from hydrogen atoms in water using sustainable energy sources like solar, wind or thermal.

    Gray hydrogen, on the other hand, makes use of gas to split up water molecules.

    Green iron, then, is iron produced using green hydrogen as an energy source.

    And Fortescue shares already have a sizeable footprint in the green hydrogen space.

    In November, the company reported it had approved a Final Investment Decision (FID) on its Phoenix Hydrogen Hub, located in the United States; its Gladstone PEM50 Project, located in Queensland; and its Green Iron Trial Commercial Plant, located in Western Australia.

    Commenting on the FID decision and Fortescue’s green iron ambitions at the time, CEO Dino Otranto said, “Fortescue is taking a proactive approach to green iron, including embracing innovative technologies that will help us step away from the use of fossil fuels.”

    When the ASX 200 miner reported its half-year results, Fortescue Energy CEO Mark Hutchinson said:

    Over the half we also continued to make important progress across the four verticals now established within our Energy business – green energy production, battery technology development, hydrogen systems and capital.

    And in April, Fortescue shares got a lift after the miner announced a joint venture with OCP Group.

    Hutchinson noted:

    The pipeline of green energy projects continues to develop, and Fortescue entered a landmark joint venture with OCP Group in Morocco which aims to supply green hydrogen and ammonia for use as sources of green energy and in the manufacture of carbon-neutral and customised fertilisers.

    With Fortescue shares having gotten a head start over much of the competition in this space, the ASX 200 miner looks well-placed to benefit from the Federal budget’s multi-billion-dollar green hydrogen and green iron tax incentives.

    The post How Fortescue shares could gain from the Federal budget appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Fortescue Metals Group right now?

    Before you buy Fortescue Metals 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 Fortescue Metals 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 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 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.

  • Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Google’s parent, Alphabet: How to ride, cost, accident record

    A white, self-driving Waymo car sits parked in a San Francisco street.
    Waymo is Alphabet's robotaxi service currently operating in multiple US cities, with plans to launch in more.

    • Waymo is Alphabet's robotaxi service formerly known as the Google Self-Driving Car Project.
    • Waymo's driverless taxis are currently operating in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
    • Like its main competitor, Cruise, Waymo's autonomous vehicles have been involved in accidents.

    Waymo is a robotaxi service owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc. It was initially formed by Google and known as the Google Self-Driving Car Project, following seven years of research and development before eventually being spun out to its own company.

    Google started developing Waymo and its self-driving technology in 2009 at the Google X lab, which was led by Google co-founder Sergey Brin. After almost two years of testing the technology, Google and The New York Times revealed its existence in 2010.

    US lawmakers raised concerns at the time about the lack of regulations for this new technological front. Google was a prominent supporter, lobbying for regulation. By 2012, Nevada's Department of Motor Vehicles had licensed a self-driving Prius running Google's software. This was the first time that a self-driving vehicle was licensed in the United States.

    In 2022, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai distanced Waymo and Alphabet's other subsidiaries from Google by granting them more autonomy to design job structures and compensations outside of Google's job architecture.

    Waymo has been impacted by Google layoffs in recent years: The company cut roughly 8% of Waymo's staff in 2023. 

    Despite the restructuring, Waymo's offices are still located in Mountain View, California, just a short drive from the Googleplex, Google's global headquarters.

    What does Waymo do?

    The interior of a Waymo driverless taxi is shown navigating down a Los Angeles street.
    Waymo first began publicly operating in Phoenix in 2020. Its services are waitlisted in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

    Waymo provides driverless taxi services in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, using its fleet of autonomous vehicles. 

    In 2014, Google was granted a patent for a transportation service involving automated vehicles that would be funded by advertising fees. That May, Google unveiled a prototype autonomous vehicle that did not contain a gas pedal, brake pedal, or steering wheel.

    In 2015, they gave their first fully autonomous ride to a legally blind friend of principal engineer Nathaniel Fairfield; unlike earlier tests, there was no police escort, no test driver, and it was not on a closed course.

    In 2016, this self-driving car project was spun out of Google and made a subsidiary of Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc. At this time, the company also ordered 100 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans to test the technology. The next year, they were able to reduce manufacturing costs by 90% and partnered with other auto manufacturers and the ridesharing service Lyft.

    Waymo started its public operations in Phoenix in 2020.

    Who can take a Waymo?

    So far, Waymo only operates in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, but is set to launch in Austin by the end of 2024.

    Prospective riders can sign up to the company's Waymo One service by downloading the Waymo One app from either Google Play or the iOS App Store. Waymo is currently widely available to the public in Phoenix, but services are waitlisted for San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. Like major competitors, prospective riders are quoted the fare while booking.

    Waymo ride prices are based on the distance and time of a trip, in addition to a minimum price charged for all trips. In April of 2023, when a Business Insider reporter tested the technology in Phoenix, a five-mile, 20-minute Waymo ride cost $11, the same price as an Uber trip to the same location. 

    Waymo has had multiple accidents

    As with any new technology — or, indeed, any motor vehicles — mishaps can be expected. In February 2024, Waymo voluntarily recalled and updated its robotaxi software after two of its autonomous vehicles crashed into the same towed pickup truck in Phoenix. 

    This was the latest in a string of incidents over the prior weeks, affecting more than one company. A couple of weeks earlier, a Waymo vehicle non-fatally struck a cyclist in San Francisco and rival Cruise suspended operations following an October crash that struck and dragged a pedestrian.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Guess which ASX dividends stocks analysts think are top buys

    Man holding out Australian dollar notes, symbolising dividends.

    Income investors have a lot of options on the Australian share market.

    So much so, it can be hard to decide which ASX dividend stocks to buy above others.

    But don’t worry, to narrow things down I have picked out three options that are rated highly by brokers right now. They are as follows:

    Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE)

    Bell Potter thinks that this automotive retailer could be a top ASX dividend stock to buy this month.

    According to a note from this week, the broker has reiterated its buy rating on its shares with a slightly trimmed price target of $14.75. This is notably higher than its current share price, which means market-beating returns could be on the cards.

    In addition, Bell Potter expects Eagers Automotive to pay 74 cents per share fully franked dividends in FY 2024, FY 2025, and FY 2026. Based on its current share price of $12.50, this represents 5.9% dividend yields each years.

    Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING)

    Over at Morgans, its analysts think that Inghams could be an ASX dividend stock to buy. It is Australia’s leading poultry producer.

    The broker believes that its shares are cheap at current levels. Especially for a company that has a market leadership position and looks set to provide investors with big dividend yields in the near term.

    Morgans currently has an add rating and $4.40 price target on the company’s shares.

    As for dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of 22 cents per share in FY 2024 and then 23 cents per share in FY 2025. Based on the current Inghams share price of $3.87, this equates to dividend yields of 5.7% and 5.95%, respectively.

    Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL)

    Another ASX dividend stock that Morgans is positive on is Sonic Healthcare. It is a leading medical diagnostics company with operations across the world.

    The broker believes that now could be a good time to pounce on the company’s shares after a tough period. It highlights that “management remains confident in a turnaround, outlining numerous near/medium term drivers supporting underlying profitability and reflected in guidance, which we view as achievable.”

    Morgans has an add rating and $34.94 price target on its shares.

    As for income, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of $1.04 in FY 2024 and then $1.16 in FY 2025. Based on the current Sonic share price of $26.69, this will mean yields of 3.9% and 4.3%, respectively.

    The post Guess which ASX dividends stocks analysts think are top buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Eagers Automotive Ltd right now?

    Before you buy Eagers Automotive Ltd 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 Eagers Automotive Ltd 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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Eagers Automotive Ltd and Sonic Healthcare. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • How much passive income would I make from 300 BHP shares?

    A female miner wearing a high vis vest and hard hard smiles and holds a clipboard while inspecting a mine site with a colleague.

    BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are a popular option for passive income investors.

    That’s because the mining giant returns a good portion of its bumper profits each year to its shareholders. This often sees tens of billions of dollars lining shareholders’ pockets.

    But what sort of passive income could be coming your way if you were to buy BHP shares today? Let’s have a look and see what could be on the cards for investors.

    Passive income from BHP shares

    Let’s imagine that you were to pick up 300 shares in the Big Australian.

    With BHP shares currently changing hands for $44.09, this would mean an investment of $13,227 is needed.

    This is a fairly large investment, but would it be worth it?

    Goldman Sachs appears to believe it could be. Firstly, the broker currently has a buy rating and $49.00 price target on its shares.

    This means that if the mining giant’s shares were to rise to that level, your 300 units would have a market value of $14,700. That’s approximately 11% or $1,473 greater than your original investment, which means you are off to a great start.

    Now let’s look at what passive income BHP shares could provide for investors.

    According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts are forecasting a fully franked US$1.45 (A$2.17) per share dividend in FY 2024. This means that those 300 units would generate passive income of A$651.

    But the dividends won’t stop there, so let’s keep going and see what future years could bring.

    As I covered here recently, Goldman then expects a fully franked US$1.26 (A$1.88) per share dividend in FY 2025. This will mean passive income of A$564 for that year.

    Moving on, in FY 2026 the broker expects another small cut to US$1.22 (A$1.82) per share, fully franked. If this proves accurate, it will lead to passive income of A$546 for investors.

    Goldman then expects fully franked dividends per share of US$1.12 (A$1.67) in FY 2027 and US$1.07 (A$1.60) in FY 2028. This would generate income of A$501 and A$480, respectively.

    Commenting on its buy recommendation, the broker said:

    BHP is currently trading at ~6.0x NTM EBITDA, (25-yr average EV/EBITDA of ~6-7x) vs. RIO on ~5.5x. BHP is trading at 0.9x NAV (A$49.2/sh), vs. RIO at ~0.9x NAV. That said, we believe this premium vs. peers can be partly maintained due to ongoing superior margins and operating performance (particularly in Pilbara iron ore where BHP maintains superior FCF/t vs. peers), high returning copper growth, and lower iron ore replacement & decarbonisation capex.

    The post How much passive income would I make from 300 BHP shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Bhp 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 Bhp 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 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 Goldman Sachs Group. 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.

  • Warren Buffett’s company reveals its mystery bet is a nearly $7 billion stake in insurance giant Chubb

    warren buffett
    Warren Buffett.

    • Warren Buffett's secret stock is Chubb, an insurance giant.
    • Berkshire Hathaway quietly built a 6.4% stake in under nine months, worth $6.7 billion as of March.
    • Buffett and his team also slashed their biggest stock bet, Apple, by 13% last quarter.

    Warren Buffett has finally revealed his company's mystery stock: Chubb.

    The famed investor's Berkshire Hathaway first bought into the insurance giant in the third quarter of 2023, but secured regulatory permission to keep the holding confidential until it finished building its stake.

    Buffett's company initially purchased 8.1 million Chubb shares worth $1.7 billion at the end of September, then boosted the position to 20.1 million shares valued at $4.5 billion at December's close. It raised the bet to 25.9 million shares worth $6.7 billion at the end of March, SEC filings revealed on Wednesday.

    Assuming Berkshire hasn't touched its stake since then, it owns about 6.4% of Chubb — a company with a roughly $100 billion market capitalization.

    Chubb operates in 54 countries and provides everything from property and casualty insurance to health insurance, reinsurance, and life insurance.

    It's a stock that Buffett will feel comfortable owning, given Berkshire has a large insurance business with subsidiaries like Geico and Alleghany.

    Buffett and his team also slashed their biggest holding, Apple, by 13% to 789 million shares last quarter. The sales fueled a $39 billion decline in the position's value to $135 billion at March's close.

    The Apple disposals won't surprise Buffett's close followers as they were clearly telegraphed in Berkshire's recent annual report. The sales of the iPhone maker's stock accounted for virtually all of Berkshire's $20 billion of stock sales in the period.

    Berkshire investors will likely welcome the Chubb reveal, as Buffett has struggled to find assets worth buying in recent years. The bargain drought reflects the stock market trading at record highs, and fierce competition for acquisitions from private equity firms.

    The upshot has been an increase in Berkshire's hoard of cash and Treasury bills to a record $189 billion at the end of March. Buffett also predicted during Berkshire's recent annual meeting that it would surpass $200 billion by the end of June.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Reopen the NYC-Dublin livestreaming portal, you cowards! It was an example of tech bringing humans together.

    Livestream portal in New York
    Viewers in New York City could look through the portal and see a live stream of viewers in Dublin — and vice versa.

    • A video portal between New York City and Dublin was shut down this week after "inappropriate" behavior and chaos.
    • The portal was a rare and pure instance of technology bringing joy and connection. 
    • We should have portals all over the globe.

    The portal between New York City and Dublin — a giant video installation livestreaming between the two locations — has been shut down due to bad behavior.

    This is terrible. The portal should reopen! In fact, we should have portals all over the country, all over the world — connecting two random places. We should have a portal between Miami and Tokyo, Florence and Dubai, Delhi and Stockholm. Currently, there's a portal between cities in Lithuania and Poland, but let's dream even bigger.

    We live in a world where technology can feel menacing. We worry about what AI is doing to the information we consume, the art we see — and how it might degrade both. This week, OpenAI and Google debuted new ways to interact with AI. OpenAI's voice assistant drew comparisons to the movie "Her" in ways that were both flattering and dystopian.

    But the portal is a case of technology that's just pure joy.

    It's simple, there's nothing too deep to think about. It's not even "new" tech — video streaming between two locations is not exactly novel, although I suppose "it's really big" differentiates it from, say, FaceTime. The situation is what makes it different — video chatting technology is usually personal, used at home or in your office conference room. Putting it in a public space, with other strangers — that makes it fun and special.

    It is pure and human to be curious about strangers in another country, to be excited about the idea of seeing someone else across the screen, knowing they can see you, too. It's fun. It's delightful.

    Unfortunately, there was some bad behavior during the NYC-Dublin link-up. New Yorkers taunted the Dubliners with potatoes; a Dubliner held up a photo of 9/11. Someone in Dublin mooned the New Yorkers, and then there was the woman who flashed her breasts to the Dubliners. Not ideal (although not even necessarily illegal in NYC).

    Besides, the flasher was a really specific case — she is a TikTok and OnlyFans influencer named Ava Louise who has also been involved in some other headline-grabbing scenarios, like licking a plane toilet seat during Covid, being involved with Addison Rae's father, spending a night with Antonio Brown before his mid-game retirement, and admitting to starting a rumor about Ye (formerly Kanye) West and Jeffree Starr dating, and appearing on the Dr. Phil show. Whew. Let's chalk this up to a highly unique case of one individual with a particular knack for spectacle rather than the portal being a temptation for constant flashings.

    The portal was a magical thing — a rare public artwork with fun utility that reminded us of how technology can bring the world together in the simplest way. Sure, there was a little mayhem, but it's not worth shutting down the whole thing over.

    We can't let a few potatoes or boobs take that joy from us!

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Google’s former CEO Eric Schmidt found a buyer for his $24.5 million Atherton mansion in just 2 weeks. See inside the stunning estate.

    Eric Schmidt side-by-side Atherton home
    Eric Schmidt bought his mansion for around $2 million in 1990, according to Zillow, and is now trying to sell it for $24.5 million.

    • Eric Schmidt, Google's ex-CEO, found a buyer for his Atherton mansion, listed for $24.5 million.
    • The property, located in the most expensive US zip code, includes a main home and a guest house.
    • Schmidt, who served as Google and Alphabet chairman, has a net worth of around $23.9 billion.

    Google's former CEO, Eric Schmidt, and his wife, Wendy, found a buyer for their mansion in Atherton, California two weeks after listing it for $24.5 million, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

    The 5,265 square-foot listing includes a main home and a guest house in the most expensive zip code in the US. Schmidt's current net worth is estimated at around $23.9 billion, according to Forbes' ranking.

    Schmidt, 69, served as CEO of Google from 2001 to 2011. He later served as chairman of Google and its parent company, Alphabet, until 2018.

    Since leaving his role as CEO, Schmidt turned his focus to tech investments and philanthropy.

    Scroll on to see inside the mansion.

    The five-bedroom home at the top of a cul-de-sac in Atherton was Schmidt's primary residence for the last several decades.
    Former Google CEO Eric Shmidt
    Schmidt purchased the Atherton home for $2 million in 1990.

    The former CEO purchased the Atherton home for around $2 million in 1990, according to estimates by Zillow. The home was built in 1969, according to the listing.

    Atherton, a small town in San Mateo County, is known to be a hotspot for tech moguls, like former Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, and former HP CEO Meg Whitman.
    Eric Shmidt Atherton home
    Other tech titans like Sheryl Sandberg and Paul Allen also purchased Atherton homes.

    Tech investors Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen, as well as early Tesla investor Alan Salzman, have also bought properties in Atherton.
    Eric Schmidt Atherton home staircase
    The home has dark hardwood flooring and traditional nodes of design.

    The prestigious town is about a 45-minute drive to San Francisco and less than 20 minutes from the headquarters of Google, Meta, and Tesla. The average household income in Atherton is over $450,000.

    It isn't the only home Schmidt bought in California. He bought Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi's 7,000-square-foot Montecito mansion in 2007.
    Google former CEO Eric Schmidt
    Schmidt's portfolio includes multiple properties on the East and West Coast.

    He bought the home for $20 million and used to rent it out for weddings. However, he reportedly struggled to keep renting it after Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries used the home as their wedding venue and divorced soon after.

    The billionaire also bought a Southern California "French chateau" in Los Angeles in 2014, about five minutes from the Playboy Mansion.

    He also bought homes on the East Coast. In 2013, he purchased a $15 million penthouse in New York City and reportedly spent millions soundproofing it.
    Eric Schmidt Atherton home kitchen
    The Atherton kitchen has marble counters, white wooden cabinets, and a steel stove area.

    Schmidt and his wife purchased a home in Nantucket in 1999, where she reportedly spent most of her time.

    The billionaire also reportedly paid $67.6 million for a 267-foot superyacht in 2023.

    The exterior of the guest house has an outdoor fireplace, an amphitheater on one side, and a cascading water feature on the other.
    Eric Schmidt Atherton home listed
    The home was designed by Schwanke architecture in 1969.

    Both the guest house and main home were designed by Schwanke Architecture.

    The home has multiple terraces and access to the outdoors in almost every room.
    Eric Schmidt Atherton backyard area
    The home has ample amounts of natural light.

    The home has ample access to natural light with large open doors and windows throughout the home.

    The estate has five bedrooms, eight total bathrooms, and a fireplace in the living room and family room.
    Eric Schmidt Atherton kitchen
    The estate has five bedrooms and eight total bathrooms.

    The two-story home also has a wet bar, according to the online listing by The reSolve Group.

    The sold mansion includes three acres of park-like grounds and an outdoor pool.
    Eric Shmidt pool backyard
    The property has an outdoor pool and three acres of park-like grounds.

    The property has a 3.36 acre lot and 5,265 square foot living area, according to the listing.

    Like many Atherton homes, landscaping surrounding the house creates a secluded feel to the property.
    Eric Schmidt Atherton home backyard
    Many Atherton homes are secluded by landscaping or fencing.

    Both the front and back of the house are shaded by large trees and greenery. The back of the house also has a fenced area to create privacy.

    The estate includes a diverse selection of mature plants and specimen trees from Amdega Conservatory imported from the UK.
    Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt greenhouse
    The home features a greenhouse.

    The greenhouse is equipped with wooden shelves, a sink, and black and white floor tiles.

    The home also has several areas for growing plants or produce.
    Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt greenhouse/garden
    The home has a greenhouse and outdoor garden area.

    In addition to the greenhouse, the outdoor area has several planting plots.

    The home embraces the California landscape of while incorporating European design.
    Eric Schmidt Atherton home living room
    The dining room has a traditional design with large windows and greenery.

    Dark wooden furniture and flooring contrast against bright green outdoor openings in the estate.

    Read the original article on Business Insider