Category: Stock Market

  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

    A couple sits on a sofa, each clutching their heads in horror and disbelief, while looking at a laptop screen.

    A couple sits on a sofa, each clutching their heads in horror and disbelief, while looking at a laptop screen.

    On Friday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) finished the week in a very positive fashion. The benchmark index rose by 0.7% to 7,104.1 points.

    Will the market be able to build on this on Monday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to crash

    It looks set to be a bloodbath on the Australian share market on Monday following a selloff on Wall Street on Friday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 104 points or 1.5% lower this morning. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones was down 3%, the S&P 500 dropped 3.4%, and the NASDAQ crashed 3.95%. This was driven by hawkish comments by the US Federal Reserve.

    Oil prices rise

    Energy producers Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a better than average start to the week after oil prices pushed higher on Friday. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.6% to US$93.06 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price rose 1.65% to US$100.99 a barrel. Traders were bidding oil higher amid signs that OPEC could cut its output.

    A2 Milk results

    The A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price will be one to watch on Monday when the struggling infant formula company releases its full year results. According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts are expecting the company to report a 34.5% increase in profit after tax to NZ$108.6 million. This is a touch lower than the market consensus estimate of NZ$113.9 million.

    Gold price tumbles

    Gold miners Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a tough start to the week after the gold price tumbled on Friday night. According to CNBC, the spot gold price was down 1.2% to US$1,750.80 an ounce. The prospect of the US Fed raising rates aggressively weighed on the precious metal.

    Fortescue FY 2022 results

    The Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) share price could be on the move today when the iron ore giant releases its full year results for FY 2022. Due to the iron ore price tumbling over the last 12 months, the market is expecting the miner to report a sizeable profit decline to US$6,200 million. This is expected to lead to a final dividend of 127 US cents per share being declared.

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    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 A2 Milk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

    stylised silhouette of a bear on financial graph background

    stylised silhouette of a bear on financial graph background

    Once a week I like to look at ASIC’s short position report to find out which shares are being targeted by short sellers.

    This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn’t quite right with a company.

    With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

    • Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) continues to be the most shorted share after its short interest rose to 15.2%. With living costs rising and squeezing budgets, short sellers appear to believe the travel market recovery could falter.
    • Betmakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET) has seen its short interest rise to 12.8%. Last week this betting technology company posted a 371% increase in revenue to $91.7 million but a whopping $89.2 million loss.
    • De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG) has leapt into the top ten out of nowhere after its short interest surged to 11%. Short sellers seem to believe the market is too optimistic on the development of the Mallina Gold Project.
    • Block Inc (ASX: SQ2) has short interest of 10.8%, which is down slightly week on week once again. However, the remaining short sellers will be pleased to learn that the payments company’s shares are expected to crash lower on Monday following a selloff on Wall Street.
    • Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) has short interest of 10.6%, which is down slightly week on week. This infection prevention company’s shares sank deep into the red last week after the release of a disappointing result. Rising costs and new product launch delays weighed on sentiment.
    • Lake Resources N.L. (ASX: LKE) has short interest of 10%, which is flat week on week. Short sellers aren’t giving up on this lithium developer despite a significant rally recently. There are doubt over the validity of its DLE technology.
    • Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) has seen its short interest rise to 9.6%. Short sellers will have been pleased to see this buy now pay later provider’s shares tumbled last week after it reported another large loss.
    • Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING) has short interest of 8.4%, which is up week on week. Short sellers have been loading up on this poultry company’s shares after the release of a disappointing result driven by higher input costs.
    • Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) has short interest of 8.3%, which is down week on week again. Production issues have been weighing on this gold miners shares this year.
    • Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) has seen its short interest fall to 7.7%. Concerns over this network as a service provider’s valuation could be behind this high level of short interest. Based on Macquarie’s estimates, Megaport’s shares trade at ~88x FY 2024 earnings.

    The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    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 Betmakers Technology Group Ltd, Block, Inc., EML Payments, MEGAPORT FPO, Nanosonics Limited, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Block, Inc., EML Payments, and Nanosonics Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Betmakers Technology Group Ltd, Flight Centre Travel Group Limited, and MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Morgans still sees ‘value upside’ upside in Allkem share price despite recent rally

    woman with coffee on phone with Tesla

    woman with coffee on phone with Tesla

    The Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) share price was a very strong performer last week.

    The lithium giant’s shares rallied an impressive 15% higher over the five days.

    This means that the Allkem share price is now up almost 60% since this time last year.

    Can the Allkem share price continue its ascent?

    The good news is that a number of brokers still believe the company’s shares can keep climbing from here.

    For example, according to a note out of Morgans, its analysts have retained their add rating with a slightly trimmed price target of $15.40.

    Based on the current Allkem share price, this implies potential upside of 11% for investors over the next 12 months.

    What did the broker say?

    Morgans was pleased with Allkem’s performance in FY 2022. It notes that the company’s “FY22 net profit beat was in-line with our forecast (+1%) despite a miss at the EBITDAIX level.”

    And while it acknowledges that the company’s outlook was a bit of a mixed bag, with production downgraded at Mt Cattlin but stronger prices for Olaroz, it saw enough to remain bullish.

    Looking ahead, the broker sees plenty of growth avenues and is forecasting strong cash flow generation again in FY 2023. Morgans concludes:

    We still see value upside at today’s closing price despite the recent rally. If AKE can provide more detail on its potential future expansion projects like Olaroz S3 and the potential downstream projects for James Bay then we think the market is likely to allow for further growth. We maintain our ADD rating with 12% [now 11%] upside to our target price. Despite the large increases in cash flow we don’t expect AKE to commence paying a dividend in FY23 while its capital expenditure is elevated.

    The post Morgans still sees ‘value upside’ upside in Allkem share price despite recent rally appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Allkem Limited, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Allkem 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 are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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  • How much income will Telstra shares pay for FY22 after this month’s dividend hike?

    Man holding different Australian dollar notes.

    Man holding different Australian dollar notes.

    Of all of the ASX 200 shares to report their full-year earnings so far this earnings season, few have arguably surprised as much as Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares.

    When the ASX 200 telco reported its full-year earnings on 11 August, Telstra revealed a 4.7% fall in revenues to $22.045 billion, but an 8.4% rise in underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to $7.256 billion.

    But perhaps the biggest surprise of them all was Telstra’s dividend announcement. The telco revealed that it would be increasing its final dividend for FY22 by 6.25% to 8.5 cents per share.

    This was the first time Telstra has raised its dividend since early 2015. At that time, the company dialled up its final dividend from 15 cents per share to 15.5. But that was a long time ago, and a very different Telstra.

    In more recent years, investors have become used to the telco cutting its dividend. That’s what happened repeatedly between 2017 and 2019. In fact, before this announcement, Telstra had paid an 8 cents per share dividend like clockwork.

    So this month’s announcement was certainly a big deal.

    Telstra’s first dividend hike in seven years

    So now we have Telstra paying out a fully franked final dividend of 8.5 cents per share, to be doled out on 22 September. That means that the company will have paid shareholders a total of 16.5 cents per share for FY2022. On the current Telstra share price, this will give the telco an FY22 dividend yield of 4.1%, or 5.86% grossed-up with the full franking.

    So if an investor had a hypothetical $10,000 invested in Telstra shares today, they can expect to receive a total of approximately $410 in dividend income for FY22.

    If Telstra follows this dividend up with another 8.5 cents per share payment for its next dividend (which is by no means guaranteed), the company would have a forward yield of 4.23% on current pricing.

    But one broker who reckons this could indeed play out is Morgans. As my Fool colleague James covered this week, Morgans was impressed with Telstra’s FY22 earnings report.

    The broker slapped an “add” rating on Telstra shares, complete with a 12-month share price target of $4.60. When it comes to dividends, Morgans is pencilling in 17 cents per share over FY23 for Telstra, and again in FY24.

    The post How much income will Telstra shares pay for FY22 after this month’s dividend hike? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Telstra Corporation Limited right now?

    Before you consider Telstra Corporation Limited, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Telstra Corporation 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 are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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

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  • What’s the outlook for the South32 share price following the miner’s latest results?

    A mining worker wearing a white hardhat stands on a platform overlooking a huge mine as brokers predict what's next for the South32 share price

    A mining worker wearing a white hardhat stands on a platform overlooking a huge mine as brokers predict what's next for the South32 share price

    The South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) share price has been rising strongly in recent weeks.

    South32 shares have climbed more than 15% over the last month and are up by around 25% since 19 July 2022.

    The ASX mining share reported its FY22 results earlier this week, revealing several interesting statistics.

    We’ll have a quick look at those numbers but remember – the share market moves on quickly. Investors and the market are generally forward-looking. In other words, what’s expected to happen for South32 in the future could be a more important influence on its valuation.

    FY22 earnings recap

    South32 reported its result for the 12 months to 30 June 2022.

    Revenue rose by 69% to US$9.27 billion, while underlying earnings soared 432% to US$2.6 billion. Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) went up 156% to US$4.76 billion.

    The statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) recovered from a US$195 million loss in FY21 to $2.67 billion in FY22.

    It grew its ordinary dividend by 363% to US 22.7 cents and it also grew its special dividend by 50% to 3 cents per share.

    South32 attributed the result to stable operating performance and recent portfolio improvements, which enabled it to capitalise on the strong tailwind of commodity prices.

    The ASX mining share pointed to record production at Worsley Alumina, while Hillside Aluminium and Mozal Aluminium continued to “test maximum technical capacity”.

    At Cannington, it exceeded production guidance as it transitioned to a new mine configuration, bringing forward higher-grade material. At Cerro Matoso, it achieved a 22% increase in nickel production.

    What about the future?

    South32 is making “significant progress” towards transforming its portfolio. The goal is to increase its exposure to the metals that are important for a low-carbon future.

    It added copper to its portfolio through the acquisition of a 45% interest in Sierra Gorda and doubled its low-carbon aluminium capacity with an additional shareholding in the hydro-powered Mozal Aluminium smelter and the restart of its 100% renewable-powered Brazil aluminium shelter.

    At Hermosa, it has completed a pre-feasibility study for the zinc-lead-silver Taylor deposit, which “demonstrated its potential to be a globally significant producer of base metals”, and advanced its study of options for the battery grade manganese Clark deposit.

    South32 CEO Graham Kerr said:

    Looking forward, we are well-positioned to navigate the current economic uncertainty. We have a strong balance sheet with net cash of US$538 million after funding our new investments during the year, while our ongoing focus on cost management and an expected 14% increase in production will mitigate industry-wide cost inflation.

    We have repositioned our portfolio toward metals critical for a low-carbon future, having already established a pipeline of high-quality development options.

    In terms of its production for FY23, South32 wanted to highlight that group copper equivalent production is expected to increase by 14% in FY23. The rest of its production is expected to be largely similar to FY22.

    Looking at costs, it said that it continues to pursue cost efficiencies, having successfully delivered more than US$50 million of annualised savings across the group.

    The savings, combined with an improvement in planned volumes and lower producer currencies, are expected to provide “partial relief” from further upward pressure on its operating unit costs despite continuing industry-wide inflation in raw material input prices, labour and energy.

    South32 share price snapshot

    While South32 shares are down 12% in the past six months, the miner’s share price is up 4% year-to-date and is tracking a healthy 45.8% higher over the past 12 months.

    The post What’s the outlook for the South32 share price following the miner’s latest results? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in South32 Limited right now?

    Before you consider South32 Limited, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and South32 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 are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    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 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.

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  • 2 ASX 200 dividend shares to buy now according to analysts

    An older couple dance in their living room as they enjoy their retirement funded by ASX dividends

    An older couple dance in their living room as they enjoy their retirement funded by ASX dividends

    If you’re looking for dividends shares to buy, then you may want to look at the two listed below.

    Here’s why analysts rate these ASX 200 dividend shares highly:

    BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

    The first ASX 200 dividend share to look at is mining giant BHP.

    Earlier this month, the Big Australian released its full year results and revealed record operating profits and free cash flow. This allowed the company to reward its shareholders with a bumper US$3.25 per share fully franked dividend in FY 2022.

    And while its dividends may not be as large in the coming years, they are still expected to be very generous.

    For example, the team at Morgans are forecasting fully franked dividends per share of A$3.95 in FY 2023 and A$2.98 per share in FY 2024. Based on the current BHP share price of $42.81, this will mean yields of 9.2% and 7%, respectively.

    Morgans has an add rating and $48.40 price target on the miner’s shares.

    Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

    Another ASX 200 dividend share that analysts rate as a buy is supermarket operator Coles.

    It released its full year results last week and revealed a 2% increase in sales revenue to $39,369 million and a 4.3% lift in net profit after tax to $1,048 million. This was driven by the successful execution of trade plans, as well as value campaigns focused on lowering the cost of living for customers.

    The team at Citi are expecting more of the same in the future. This is expected to underpin solid dividend growth, with the broker forecasting a 75 cents per share dividend in FY 2023 and a 79 cents per share dividend in FY 2024.

    Based on the current Coles share price of $17.65, this will mean yields of 4.2% and 4.5%, respectively, for investors.

    Citi also sees plenty of upside for its shares with its buy rating and $20.10 price target.

    The post 2 ASX 200 dividend shares to buy now according to analysts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    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 positions in and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week

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

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

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

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

    Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE)

    According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have retained their outperform rating and $21.00 price target on this lithium miner’s shares. This followed the release of a full year result that was materially ahead of the broker’s expectations. In addition, Macquarie highlights that management is guiding to even stronger than expected lithium prices from Olaroz for the first half of FY 2023. The only disappointment was a reduction to its Mt Cattlin production guidance, which has led to a slight revision to Macquarie’s earnings estimates. The Allkem share price ended the week at $13.91.

    Costa Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: CGC)

    A note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $3.60 price target on this horticulture company’s shares. Goldman was pleased with Costa’s first half performance, noting its solid cost absorption relative to peers in the agriculture sector. In addition, it was pleased with the performance of its Chinese joint venture and better than expected growth in high margin genetics licensing. Overall, with its shares changing hands well below historical multiples, the broker believes Costa is attractive in the context of its earnings growth. The Costa share price was fetching $2.79 at Friday’s close.

    South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

    Analysts at Morgans have retained their add rating but trimmed their price target on this mining giant’s shares to $5.50. According to the note, the broker felt South32 delivered a strong full year result, which was in line with consensus estimates. And while Morgans acknowledges that earnings multiples are regularly inconsistent value indicators in resources, it believes that in South32’s case, it shows the market is misjudging how much residual earnings power will remain in the business post cycle peak. The South32 share price was trading at $4.23 on Friday.

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

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Allkem Limited. 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 COSTA GRP FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • 2 leading ASX dividend shares I’d buy for long-term income

    A man wearing glasses sits back in his desk chair with his hands behind his head staring smiling at his computer screens as the ASX share prices keep rising

    A man wearing glasses sits back in his desk chair with his hands behind his head staring smiling at his computer screens as the ASX share prices keep rising

    I believe that the ASX dividend shares worth investing in are companies with good foundations to grow profit over time. It’s hardly worthwhile investing in a business for a yield of a few per cent if it’s a big risk that the share price could fall much more in value.

    This is why there aren’t too many ASX companies that I’d buy for dividend income. But, I believe the two ASX dividend shares details below are attractive for their underlying earnings growth, the starting dividend yield and dividend growth potential.

    With that in mind, here’s my pick of two leading candidates for defensive dividends.

    Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

    This real estate investment trust (REIT) invests in farmland around Australia.

    It has a portfolio across several different agricultural industries, including almonds, macadamias, cattle, vineyards and cropping (sugar and cotton).

    Rural Funds aims to grow its distribution for investors by 4% per annum. Inclusive of franking credits, Rural Funds expects to pay a distribution per unit of 12.2 cents in FY23, which translates into a forward distribution yield of 4.7%.

    More than 40% of Rural Funds’ rental revenue is linked to CPI inflation, so the higher rate of inflation can help its rental profit.

    The ASX dividend share recently revealed that 52% of its adjusted total assets had been revalued during the second half of FY22. This saw a rise in value of $118 million, or $0.31 per unit.

    Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL)

    Sonic is one of the ASX market’s largest healthcare shares. It has pathology operations in several countries, including Australia, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Belgium. Radiology and clinical services are two other areas of focus in Australia.

    The ASX dividend share has benefited from a lot of COVID-19 testing revenue. This has allowed it to make some acquisitions (for a total of $628 million in FY22) to boost its earnings profile for the long term. But COVID testing does continue. In July 2022, the first month of FY23, it saw $94 million of COVID-related revenue.

    Sonic is also seeing a return to stronger growth for its non-COVID revenue. In July 2022, the base business organic revenue rose by 3.9% year over year. The base business saw 2% revenue growth in FY22.

    The company has a “progressive dividend strategy” which is expected to continue in FY23 “and beyond”. It has grown its dividend in most years over the past three decades. FY22 saw the total dividend increase by 10% to $1.00 per share. That means the FY22 grossed-up dividend yield is 4%.

    In addition, Sonic Healthcare’s partnership with artificial intelligence business Harrison.ai could unlock the next generation of services for patients.

    FY23 could be a strong year for the base business due to a backlog of testing that was postponed during the pandemic.

    Over the longer term, it can benefit from other growth drivers such as “ageing and growing populations, preventative medicine and new tests.”

    I think these factors can help earnings and grow the dividend over time.

    The post 2 leading ASX dividend shares I’d buy for long-term income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in RURALFUNDS STAPLED. 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 RURALFUNDS STAPLED. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sonic Healthcare Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • 5 ASX shares that could rocket from a rare earths crisis: expert

    Female miner in hard hat and safety vest on laptop with mining drill in background.Female miner in hard hat and safety vest on laptop with mining drill in background.

    One fund manager has revealed that he’s recently increased his exposure to ASX shares involving the production of rare earth elements.

    Currently China is overwhelmingly the dominant global producer of the 15 elements that make up the group of rare earths.

    According to Datt Capital chief investment officer Emanuel Datt, the tense current and prospective geopolitical situation has lit a fire under the fortunes of companies that extract these valuable minerals.

    “Should the Taiwan situation worsen and/or should China use force to control Taiwan, it’s likely there will be sanctions on goods sold to China and restrictions of the supply of strategic materials exported by China.”

    Datt’s worries are underlined by this week’s visit of US senator Marsha Blackburn to Taipei. That marked the third visit to Taiwan by American legislators this month, which has infuriated Beijing.

    China considers the democratic island a part of its country and discourages other nations from recognising its sovereignty.

    “I will not be bullied by Communist China into turning my back on the island,” said Blackburn.

    “Taiwan is our strongest partner in the Indo-Pacific Region. Regular high-level visits to Taipei are long-standing US policy.” 

    If China caused a worldwide rare earths shortage…

    Datt fears that a cornered China could hold the world to ransom.

    “China produces around 80% of the rare earth elements globally,” he said.

    “And given their critical nature in the production of a wide range of modern technologies, a logical first step would be China restricting this supply to the rest of the world in which it is in disagreement.”

    As such, Datt has started piling into ASX shares that are involved with rare earths production.

    He named five stocks that fit the bill:

    Datt himself has bought Lynas, Dreadnought and Lanthanein shares.

    Lynas reported bumper annual results on Friday, sending its share up 1.46%.

    The company is globally “the gold standard” for rare earths producers, according to Datt.

    “It is an integrated producer with downstream processing facilities located in Malaysia and upstream operations in Western Australia,” he said.

    “Its customers are primarily Japanese and other nationalities who wish to diversify their supply from non-mainland Chinese sources.”

    The other two players are in an exploratory stage.

    “Dreadnought has made a new rare earth discovery with initial results demonstrating grades almost 3 times that of Hastings’ deposit which is situated a short distance to the north,” said Datt.

    “Lanthanein has defined similar early rock chip samples as Dreadnought, which sits in a similar geological context. However, with a superior heavy rare earth ratio.”

    The post 5 ASX shares that could rocket from a rare earths crisis: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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

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  • Experts name 2 blue chip ASX 200 shares to buy

    a man looks down at his phone with a look of happy surprise on his face as though he is thrilled with good news.

    a man looks down at his phone with a look of happy surprise on his face as though he is thrilled with good news.

    If you’re looking to add some high quality shares to your investment portfolio, then you might want to look at the blue chip ASX 200 shares listed below.

    Here’s why experts are tipping these blue chip ASX 200 shares as ones to buy right now:

    Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

    Goodman could be a blue chip ASX 200 share to buy. It is a global integrated commercial and industrial property company with a growing world class portfolio of in-demand properties.

    Goodman continued its strong growth in FY 2022, delivering a 25.3% increase in operating profit to $1,528 million. It also revealed that its development work in progress was up 28% to $13.6 billion.

    Goldman Sachs was impressed with its results and remains very positive on the future. In response to the release, the broker commented:

    GMG continues to demonstrate its strong platform and positioning as evident in today’s result, supported by our expectation of a strong outlook for the Industrial sector more broadly, with a number of favourable fundamentals underpinning future long-term demand for industrial space. We expect solid rental growth as demand for high quality logistics space continues to outpace available supply.

    Goldman has a buy rating and $25.40 price target on its shares.

    SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK)

    Another blue chip ASX 200 share that could be in the buy zone is Seek. It is of course the ANZ region’s leading job listings company.

    After a difficult time during the pandemic, Seek has bounced back incredibly strongly. For example, during FY 2022, the company delivered a 47% increase in revenue to $1,116.5 million and an 81% jump in net profit after tax to $245.5 million.

    This went down well with the team at Morgans, which upgraded its shares following the release. Morgans commented:

    It was a strong FY22 result overall in our view, however additional IT project spend (platform unification) was a surprise to a degree. We lower our FY23-FY25 EPS estimates by ~7-14% factoring in the provided guidance, additional incremental IT investment spend, and further conservatism around opex normalisation/spend over our forecast period. Our price target is lowered $29.40 on the above changes. Whilst we expect job ad volume growth to normalise, we believe SEEK has levers to pull (i.e. price) to continue to drive yield. We move to an ADD recommendation.

    Morgans has an add rating and $29.40 price target on its shares.

    The post Experts name 2 blue chip ASX 200 shares to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in SEEK Limited. 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 SEEK Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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