Category: Stock Market

As the effects of soaring inflation and rising interest rates reach far and wide, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has been left in a tizzy.

The ASX All Ords index has shed nearly 9% this year. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) has slid 28%.

Amidst the volatility, I’m on the hunt for high-quality ASX shares to add to my portfolio.

In my eyes, a high-quality company is a proven performer with sustainable competitive advantages, a healthy balance sheet, and the ability to generate large amounts of free cash flow.

Competitive advantages come in different shapes and sizes. But it’s likely that a high-quality company benefits from a combination of the following traits:

• Market leader
• Brand power
• Pricing power
• Network effects
• Scale
• High barriers to entry
• Mission-critical products/services

These advantages allow businesses to form a competitive moat to not only shield themselves from competition but also continue to grow.

With that in mind, here are two ASX All Ords shares I think fit the quality bill. 

PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA)

PEXA is a cloud-based system that digitally facilitates a range of essential functions in the conveyancing process. Think documents, the transfer of funds and dealings with the relevant land titles office.

Through its roots in government, PEXA has a monopoly in the Australian market. More than 80% of all property transfers in Australia are completed on the PEXA platform, with the balance still going through the traditional, paper-based process. 

PEXA’s competitive moat lies in its first-mover advantage along with various integrations, strategic relationships, and licences, which have taken many years to develop. 

Support from governments, regulatory bodies, and unique founding partners has gotten PEXA to where it is today: a supremely dominant position in the Australian market. 

With the local market all but gobbled up, PEXA is turning its attention abroad to the UK, a country with more than double the population of Australia. 

It’s secured key agreements with the Bank of England and Her Majesty’s Land Royalty. And after successfully completing testing with several lenders, the platform is preparing to go live at the end of the year. 

PEXA’s UK efforts will first start with refinancing transactions. The company hopes this will serve as a springboard into the lucrative property transfer segment.

As was the case in Australia, PEXA will be breaking new ground in the nascent UK digital property landscape.

According to our Foolish ASX reporting season calendar, PEXA will reveal its FY22 results tomorrow. 

Some of the things I’ll be watching are the company’s topline growth, market penetration, gross margins, and cost base.

Going forward, I think it’s also worth keeping an eye on interoperability and competition in Australia, as well as movements from regulators both here and in the UK.

Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME)

Pro Medicus is a global leader in radiology imaging software through its Visage technology.

The company’s flagship Visage 7 solution lets radiologists and other doctors send and receive medical images (with very large file sizes) to a variety of devices.

Legacy systems would store these images locally in the hospital and the images would take seemingly forever to send from one place to the next.

Instead, Pro Medicus streams the pixels rather than moving the file. What was formerly a clunky, time-consuming and inefficient process can be done in seconds. Radiologists can then view and manipulate these files with ease, helping them make a diagnosis.

Pro Medicus’ software is great for patients. But it could be even better for doctors. Hospitals have reported spending less on IT overheads, increased radiologist productivity, increased accuracy, and the benefit of being able to scale their services.

Pro Medicus’ impressive results

The ASX 200 healthcare share released its FY22 report last week, and its quality was on full display.

Yet again, net profit after tax (NPAT) grew faster than revenue as the company’s tremendous operating leverage continues to shine.

As a software-only business, Pro Medicus reaps the benefits of ultra-high gross margins. But even better is how this gross profit flows through to the bottom line. 

Pro Medicus boasts extremely wide profit margins, with two-thirds of every sales dollar turning into profit before tax. What’s more, these margins have only been heading higher over time.

The company continues to sign marquee customers on long-term contracts and bring new products to market.

Yet it estimates it has just a 5% market share of exam volume in the US. In other words, there’s still a long runway for growth ahead.

The company also boasts extremely high customer retention rates and a strong base of forward revenue. 

For me, the sticking point with Pro Medicus shares is valuation. The company currently trades on a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 121x, implying very high growth expectations going forward. 

As the great Charlie Munger says, no matter how wonderful a business is, it’s not worth an infinite price. So despite its quality, I’ll continue to watch Pro Medicus shares from the sidelines for now.

The post Why I’m watching these ASX All Ordinaries shares like a hawk appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Guess which ASX share is soaring 11% after dividends doubled?
• 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares trading ex-dividend today
• Here are 2 All Ords ASX dividend shares with yields above 6%
• Pro Medicus share price tipped to rise amid ‘strong long-term growth story’
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

Motley Fool contributor Cathryn Goh 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 PEXA Group Limited and Pro Medicus Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Pro Medicus Ltd. 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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If you’re a shareholder of biotherapeutics giant CSL Limited (ASX: CSL), you may be wondering where its dividend is heading in the coming years.

Especially now that its outlook has improved greatly following a recovery in plasma collections, strong demand for immunoglobulins, and its acquisition of Vifor Pharma.

Let’s take a look to see what analysts are forecasting for the CSL dividend.

Where is the CSL dividend heading through to 2025?

Firstly, let’s start with the current CSL dividend. Last week the company released its full year results and declared a partially franked US$1.18 (A$1.68) per share final dividend.

This meant the company’s full year dividend was flat year over year at US$2.22 (A$3.11) per share.

Looking ahead, according to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts are expecting the company’s dividend to return to growth again in FY 2023. Its analysts have pencilled in a US$2.52 (A$3.66) per share dividend. This represents a 13.5% increase over FY 2022’s payout. And with the CSL share price currently fetching $288.63, this will mean a modest yield of 1.3%.

In FY 2024, Goldman expects another increase to the CSL dividend. It is forecasting a dividend of US$3.21 (A$4.66) per share for this financial year. This will be a 27% increase and represents a 1.6% yield at today’s prices.

Finally, the following year in FY 2025, the broker is expecting another increase. It is estimating a US$3.47 (A$5.04) per share dividend that year. This is an increase of 8.1% and equates to a yield of 1.75%.

While these are admittedly not the biggest yields you’ll find today, if CSL carries on this trend over the next decade and beyond, they could grow to be very attractive for income investors in the future.

The post Here’s the CSL dividend forecast through to 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• How have ASX dividend shares been performing this earnings season?
• The ASX had its worst day in 6 weeks, but the CSL share price gained. Why?
• Is the CSL share price in the buy zone?
• Why I would invest $10,000 into these ASX shares for 10 years
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

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

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When investing in times of economic uncertainty like now, it can help to think of the brands you use on a day-to-day basis.

If you and millions of Australians are already regularly using the products and services, that demand may well remain resilient even as consumers have less to spend.

Spotee chief executive Chris Batchelor this week nominated two ASX shares he would buy that fit this description:

You’ve likely watched, read or listened to this company 

Yes, we know many people don’t watch linear television anymore.

But Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) has so many tentacles, the chances are most Australians have run into their services each day in some way or another.

“Nine’s diversified media business comprises television, newspapers, radio and streaming services,” Batchelor told The Bull.

“It also owns 55% of real estate advertising business Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG).”

Those non-TV assets include big names like The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, 2GB and 3AW.

Any company that relies on advertising for revenue is exposed to the whims of the economic cycle. However, Batchelor feels like Nine is partially insured against that.

“The company’s diversity leaves it cushioned to the volatile advertising industry,” he said.

“The company appeals, as it’s trading on an undemanding price-earnings ratio and an attractive dividend yield.”

Indeed Nine Entertainment shares are currently paying out a yield of 6.27% while trading at a PE multiple of 17.

The stock has fallen by about one-third so far this year, although it is up 10% since mid-June.

You’ve likely submitted a throat swab to this company

While Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL) may not be a name that rolls off the tongue for every Australian, its services have been keenly used in the background in recent years.

“The pathology services provider benefited from providing testing services during the pandemic,” said Batchelor.

“COVID-19 revenue grew by 205% in fiscal year 2022, while non-COVID-19 revenue grew by 8%.”

The analyst admitted the coronavirus boom would not last, but that didn’t affect his positive view on the stock.

“The forward price/earnings ratio and dividend yield paint a bright outlook,” he said.

“COVID-19 revenue is expected to decline from here, but this has been factored into expectations.”

Similar to Nine, ACL shares have also dropped by about a third year-to-date. It’s paying out a stunning dividend yield of 12.56%, while trading at a 4.77 PE ratio.

The wider professional community is somewhat polarised on Australian Clinical labs.

According to CMC Markets, six analysts are divided into three groups of two rating the stock as strong buy, hold and strong sell respectively.

The post ‘Bright outlook’: Expert picks 2 ASX shares that touch Aussies everyday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares trading ex-dividend today

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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The Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV) share price has taken a tumble this week.

Since this time last week, the drinks company’s shares have lost 10% of their value.

Investors have been selling down the Endeavour share price after the company’s full year results disappointed.

Is the weakness in the Endeavour share price a buying opportunity?

According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts believe investors should take advantage of this weakness to pick up shares.

In response to its results, the broker has reiterated its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $8.10. This implies potential upside of 9% for investors over the next 12 months.

And with Goldman forecasting a 21 cents per share dividend in FY 2023, which equates to a 2.8% yield, the total potential return on offer stretches to approximately 12%.

What did the broker say?

Goldman acknowledges that Endeavour’s result was a bit of a mixed bag. It said:

EDV reported 2H22/FY22 results largely in-line with market expectations at the group level, but missed Retail EBIT margin (2H22 4.6%, in line with GSe, -1pt vs Factset Consensus) and FY23 first 7 weeks comp sales trend was weaker than expected (Retail: -6.7% YoY vs GSe -0.6%). On the other hand, Hotels was above expectations with EBIT margin (2H22 23.3% vs GSe 18.5%) and first 7 weeks comp trend was strong at +75% YoY.

This has led to the broker downgrading its earnings estimates slightly for the coming years.

‘Value entry point’

Nevertheless, it remains positive on the long term and sees the Endeavour share price pullback as a “value entry point.”

Despite the stock sell down on the back of results, our longer-term investment thesis for EDV does not change. We continue to see that EDV has one of the most loyal consumer bases in Retail (unique annual active users +15% YoY to 4.5mn in FY22) and improving VOC NPS. As the company continues to invest in consumer loyalty and digitalization, we expect that this will continue to drive mid-single digit sales growth in mix improvement together with cost efficiencies for margin expansion. We hence view the pull back in share price as a value entry point into a high quality and defensive player in AU Consumer.

The post Broker says Endeavour share price weakness is a ‘value entry point’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why Credit Corp, Endeavour, Kogan, and Service Stream shares are dropping
• Wall Street Slumps | Pilbara Minerals stunning profits | Kogan shares look cheap, Altium shares less so…
• Endeavour share price drops 9% despite $495 million profit
• Earnings preview: Here’s which ASX shares are reporting today
• These ASX 200 shares just cracked new highs today

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 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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We are almost at the official end of the August earnings season. However, today is slated to be massive, with some of the most popular names on the ASX releasing their results.

Here’s a quick summary of what to expect today so you have a jump on the market.

ASX shares set to report today (smallest to largest)

Appen Ltd (ASX: APX), $514.8 million

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP), $667.3 million

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC), $3.41 billion

Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE), $3.42 billion

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT), $3.47 billion

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC), $7.55 billion

Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN), $8.56 billion

Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE), $8.85 billion

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32), $19.58 billion

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), $45.4 billion

(Market capitalisations as of 22 August 2022)

To see the complete list of ASX shares, visit our reporting season calendar here.

What to expect

Will it be a day of redemption or damnation for ASX tech share, Appen? Earlier this month, a time some refer to as confession season, Appen informed shareholders of further weakening in its expectations for the first half.

Furthermore, management guided for a grim US$9.5 million after tax loss, cratering from a US$6.7 million profit in the prior corresponding period. The important questions for shareholders will be: is the pain set to continue, and for how long?

On a more positive note, ASX lithium share Allkem is set to release its full-year results for FY22 today. Keen commodity investors will be hopeful of an impressive bottom-line number after seeing what Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) produced for FY22. According to Citi analysts, Allkem is expected to post a net profit after tax (NPAT) of $311 million.

Finally, the elephant in the room — buy now, pay later provider Zip. This high-flying ASX share has more than doubled from where it was at the beginning of July. So, will it deliver on the high hopes of investors today? My colleague, Cathryn Goh, put together a list of items she will be looking at in the company’s FY22 results today — unit economics is one of them.

Don’t forget to check back in throughout the day to see all the latest results from your favourite ASX shares.

The post Earnings preview: Here are the ASX shares reporting today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why is the Allkem share price charging 6% higher?
• How did the Zip share price respond last time the company reported?
• Looking to buy Zip shares? Here’s what to look for in tomorrow’s results
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why is the Allkem share price acing it on Tuesday?

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler has positions in Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Appen Ltd and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel Group 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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As we continue to wade through ASX reporting season, companies in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) are giving investors plenty to think about.

Tomorrow promises to be busy with the likes of Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) and Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC) expected to pull back the curtain on their FY22 results.

But for ASX 200 companies that have already unveiled their reports, their shares are starting to turn ex-dividend.

This is the date that a company’s shares no longer trade with the upcoming dividend payment attached to them.

Shares typically drop in value the day they turn ex-dividend. After all, these dividends are being paid out of the company’s coffers. 

With the money being taken out of the company’s cash reserves to line the pockets of shareholders, the value of the company decreases. 

What’s more, some one-eyed investors focused on dividends may look to offload shares once they trade ex-dividend. This puts further downwards pressure on the share price.

Without further ado, here are the ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend tomorrow.

Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM)

As its shares turn ex-dividend, this ASX 200 gold miner could end the week on a negative note.

Newcrest recently declared a fully franked final dividend of 20 US cents.

Today is the last day investors will be able to lock in this final dividend. 

Shareholders on the company’s registry by the time the market closes today should see this payment arrive on 29 September. 

Alternatively, investors could elect to participate in the company’s dividend reinvestment plan (DRP).

Newcrest’s total FY22 dividends come in at 27.5 US cents, down from 55 US cents in the prior year.

Newcrest shares are currently trading on a trailing dividend yield of 2.2%. This dials up to 3.1% including franking credits.

Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC)

Lendlease is another ASX 200 share turning ex-dividend tomorrow.

The construction and infrastructure company recently announced a partially franked final distribution of 11 cents.

The payment date for this final distribution has been pencilled in for 21 September.

Combined with its interim distribution, Lendlease’s total distributions for FY22 come to 16 cents. 

This represents a dividend payout ratio of 40% of earnings, which is at the lower end of the company’s target range.

Lendlease shares are currently stamped with a trailing dividend yield of 1.6%.

GUD Holdings Limited (ASX: GUD)

Last but not least, ASX 200 share GUD will also be going ex-dividend on Friday.

For those unfamiliar, GUD owns a portfolio of companies in the automotive aftermarket and water products sectors. The company’s stable of brands includes Ryco, Narva, Projecta, and Davey.

GUD recently declared a fully franked final dividend of 22 cents per share. This represents a dividend payout ratio of 62% of underlying net profit after tax (NPAT).

Investors who own GUD shares by the time the market closes today should see this dividend payment land in their accounts on 13 September.

Although GUD achieved underlying NPAT growth of 39% in FY22, its total dividends were down 32%. This is because the company had a higher payout ratio in FY21, returning 84% of underlying NPAT to shareholders in the form of dividends.

The company previously flagged this reduction in its payout ratio, deciding to prioritise reducing its gearing levels following the acquisition of AutoPacific Group.

Even still, GUD shares are currently sporting a trailing dividend yield of 4.6%. Throwing in franking credits boosts this yield to 6.5%.

The post These ASX 200 shares will trade ex-dividend tomorrow appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• The Qantas factor: Rex shares hold steady despite deepening loss
• Could ASX 200 tech share Altium be in for another takeover approach?
• What’s been happening with the Nuix share price of late?
• Which 3 ASX mining shares are soaring more than 15% today?

Motley Fool contributor Cathryn Goh 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 Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ramsay Health Care 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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The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price has had a tough 12 months.

Since this time last year, the banking giant’s shares have lost 18% of their value.

This leaves the Westpac share price trading at $21.38, which is well short of its 52-week high of $26.44.

Will the Westpac share price recover?

While the Westpac share price performance has been disappointing, one leading broker continues to believe that it can recover.

In fact, the team at Goldman Sachs believe the bank’s shares can reach a new 52-week high over the next 12 months.

According to a recent note, the broker has a conviction buy rating and $26.55 price target on Australia’s oldest bank’s shares. This implies potential upside of 24% for investors over the next 12 months.

Why is Goldman so bullish?

Goldman named four key reasons why it thinks the Westpac share price is undervalued right now.

The first reason is the bank’s strong leverage to rising rates. It expects rate hikes to boost Westpac’s net interest margin quicker than peers. It explained:

WBC provides strong leverage to rising rates and will particularly benefit from the relative lack of domestic deposit repricing that we have seen to date post recent rates cash rate rises. Furthermore, its shorter-dated replicating portfolio (three-years for deposits versus five-years for peers), will also see the benefit of higher rates play through its NIM quicker than peers.

Another reason is its cost cutting plans. Although the broker feels that management is aiming for the stars with its targets, it suspects it could still hit the moon and make a meaningful reduction. Goldman said:

While we now expect the inflationary environment will make WBC’s A$8 bn expense target by FY24E unachievable, our like-for-like FY24E expense forecast of c. A$8.9 bn still implies an 18% reduction in reported expenses versus 1H22A annualised, and a 7% reduction in expenses, excluding large/notable items and the impact of potential asset sales, with some ground already made since the strategy’s launch in May-21.

Goldman also sees positives in the bank’s plans to offer rapid digital mortgage approvals. It said:

Importantly, WBC’s 27-Jul-22 market update highlighted that despite its focus on expenses, the business is still investing in its franchise, with the imminent launch of its “10-minutes to unconditional approval” digital mortgage, which we think will ultimately be leveraged into its broader mortgage processing capability, which currently appears inferior to peers, particularly as it relates to brokers. Initiatives like WBC being the first Australian bank to offer a payments “terminal-like” solution on Android mobiles also supports this view.

Finally, the valuation of the Westpac share price is just too cheap to ignore for Goldman Sachs. Its analysts believe the bank’s shares offer the most upside over the next 12 months. It concludes:

On our revised forecasts and target prices, WBC now offers the most upside of the banks over the next 12 months. Beyond this, we note the stock is trading at a 20% discount to peers, versus the historic average 2% discount.

The post Goldman Sachs names 4 reasons the Westpac share price is cheap appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 2 excellent ASX 200 dividend shares that brokers love
• Is the Westpac share price a buy for the bank’s ‘surplus capital’?
• Unemployment falls, oil rises, and we’re back on the roads. Scott Phillips on Nine’s Late News
• Up 10%, why has the Westpac share price smashed other ASX banks this past month?
• Brokers say BHP and this ASX 200 share are buys

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Westpac Banking Corporation. 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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On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) ended its losing streak and pushed higher. The benchmark index rose 0.5% to 6,998.1 points.

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

ASX 200 expected to rise

The Australian share market looks set to rise again on Thursday after Wall Street snapped a three-day losing streak. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 31 points or 0.45% higher this morning. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones rose 0.2%, the S&P 500 was up 0.3%, and the NASDAQ pushed 0.4% higher.

Travel results

A couple of ASX 200 travel shares will be handing down their results on Thursday. Travel agent Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) and airline operator Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) are both scheduled to release their full year results and are expected to report sizeable losses. Consensus estimates are for net losses of $264 million and $1.2 billion, respectively. The market will no doubt be looking for signals that a return to profit is now on the cards.

Oil prices continue to rise

Energy shares including Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have another decent day on Thursday after oil prices rose again on Wednesday night. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1.6% to US$95.21 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 1.3% to US$101.54 a barrel. Oil prices lifted amid concerns that the United States will not consider additional concessions to Iran.

Woolworths results

The Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) share price will be one to watch on Thursday when the retail giant releases its full year results. According to a note out of Citi, its analysts are expecting a net profit after tax of $1,523 million. The broker is also expecting a stronger outlook than the market is forecasting. It recently said: “We are ~4% above consensus for FY23e sales and ~5% above consensus for EBIT.“

Gold price edges higher

Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) will be on watch following a mildly positive night for the gold price. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.2% to US$1,765.1 an ounce. Gold rose ahead of the Jackson Hole symposium.

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

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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 Flight Centre Travel Group 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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Are you looking for dividends shares to buy? If you are, then take a look at the two listed below which are rated as buys.

Here’s what you need to know about these growing dividend shares:

Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR)

The first ASX dividend share that has been rated as a buy is leading technology hardware, software, and cloud distributor, Dicker Data.

It has been growing at a consistently solid rate for a decade and shows little sign of stopping any time soon. For example, during the first half of FY 2022, the company expects to report a 36% increase in revenue to $1,459 million and an 11% lift in operating profit before tax to a record of $51 million (excluding acquisition costs).

In response to this news, the team at Morgan Stanley retained their overweight rating with a trimmed price target of $14.00.

As for dividends, Morgan Stanley is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 36.2 cents in FY 2022 and 42.2 cents in FY 2023. Based on the current Dicker Data share price of $11.68, this will mean yields of 3.1% and 3.6%, respectively.

Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD)

Another ASX dividend share that has been rated as a buy is Elders. It is a leading agribusiness company offering a range of services to rural and regional customers across the ANZ region.

After going through a very difficult period, the company has bounced back incredibly strongly in the last couple of years. This has seen the company report stellar earnings growth. This includes an 80% increase in first-half EBIT to $132.8 million last month.

The good news is that Goldman Sachs doesn’t believe that Elders’ growth is over and expects further growth in the near term. In addition, the broker likes the company due to its “strong track record; good industry structure; potential for positive earnings surprise; and an attractive valuation.”

Goldman Sachs currently has a buy rating and $21.00 price target on its shares.

In addition, it is forecasting dividends per share of 50 cents in FY 2022 and 53 cents in FY 2023. Based on the current Elders share price of $11.54, this implies attractive yields of 4.3% and 4.6%, respectively.

The post Analysts say these ASX dividend shares are buys now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Experts name 2 ASX dividend shares to buy next week
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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 Dicker Data Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Dicker Data Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Elders 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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The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has been in a pendulum swing over the ASX reporting season. Here are three ASX healthcare companies that have gone under the radar.

Regis Healthcare Ltd (ASX: REG)

The Regis share price only lifted 0.32% to close at $1.59 after the company released its FY22 results today.

The ASX-listed residential care provider recorded a net loss after tax of $38.8 million. This is a major reversal of its net profit after tax (NPAT) of $19.9 million in FY21. It didn’t help that revenue only grew 3.4%.

One reason for the drop in Regis’ bottom line is likely the Australian government’s 2021-22 budget decision to remove Aged Care Approval Rounds. This means from 1 July 2024, consumers can choose an approved provider that best suits their needs. Consequently, the government will discontinue operational places/bed licenses from this date.

Given this discontinuation, the depreciation of the operational places needs to be adjusted from an indefinite period to the date of expiry, being 1 July 2024. The change brought about a $61 million negative impact on net profit.

However, this does not affect cash flow as Regis still declared a final dividend of 2.32 cents per share.

The dividend is 50% franked and payable on 30 September.

EBOS Group Limited (ASX: EBO)

The EBOS share price only increased 1.59% to close at $34.54 per share on Wednesday despite a strong set of FY22 results.

EBOS is a wholesaler and distributor of healthcare, medical and pharmaceutical products.

Revenue surged 16.6% to a record high of $10.7 billion due to strong performances from both the healthcare and animal care segments. Net profit after tax also rose from $202.6 million in FY21 to $228.2 million.

The healthcare distributor also declared a final dividend of NZ 49 cents per share, resulting in total dividends declared for FY22 to NZ 96 cents per share.

Despite the inflationary environment, the adverse impact of supply chain issues, and staff shortage, EBOS still managed to increase earnings before interest and taxation margin slightly in FY22.

Management emphasised the resilience of the business and expect another year of profitable growth in FY23. They believe the balance sheet is in sound shape to support expenditure needs as well as future growth opportunities.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

The Neuren share price went down slightly by 2.14% to $5.48 at the close of trade today on the back of company results for HY22.

Total revenue moved slightly from $234,000 to $283,000. Neuren’s net loss improved ever so slightly by 11% to $7 million.

Neuren is a biopharmaceutical company that engages in the development of new therapies for brain injury, neurodevelopment, and neurodegenerative disorders. So, it’s still spending money to develop commercial solutions.

The most notable development was in July when Neuren’s US partner Acadia Pharmaceuticals submitted an application to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for trofinetide, a drug that could treat Rett syndrome in adults and pediatric patients aged two years and older.

While an application is promising, it’s still too early to know whether this will be a success or not. Such is the unpredictable nature of biotech companies.

The post Here are 3 ASX healthcare share results you might have missed appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares hitting new 52-week highs on Wednesday

Motley Fool contributor Raymond Jang 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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