Category: Stock Market

  • Up 13% in July, can the AMP share price maintain its momentum?

    A man sits at a desk with a phone in one hand, his other hand on his chin and studies a computer screen in front of him with what appears to be cryptocurrency data on both screens.A man sits at a desk with a phone in one hand, his other hand on his chin and studies a computer screen in front of him with what appears to be cryptocurrency data on both screens.

    The AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) share price has pushed its way over the past month of trade as financial shares retain their position as one of the best performing sectors in H1 FY23.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Financials (ASX: XFJ) index has ticked more than 9% higher in the past month of trade, ahead of the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of around 6% in the same time.

    Can the AMP share price keep up the pace?

    After a string of capital budgeting moves that saw AMP sell off underperforming business segments, AMP has reshuffled its operations.

    Consequently, AMP is now focused on growing its numbers and in the 2022 first quarter, it reported a total loan book increase of $500 million to $22.6 billion.

    In addition, Inflows from external financial advisers increased by more than 50% to 342 million, prompting CEO Alexis George to remark on the company’s “strong and sustainable future”.

    The other fact to consider is the effect of rising policy rates on the ASX financial shares bucket.

    Rising interest rates are typically a net positive for companies within the financial services sector, seeing as a portion of income is tied to net interest income (NII). An industry benchmark is also the net interest margin (NIM) to compare between companies.

    In other words, with the increase in interest rates comes the prospects of increasing NII and lifting NIMs to potentially increase profits. That’s the thinking anyway.

    As seen in the chart below, along with a surge in the Australian cash rate and the yields on the Australian Government 10-year note, the AMP share price has pushed its way north as well.

    TradingView Chart

    The question now becomes if AMP can sustain the pace of growth on the chart.

    Brokers are positioned such to say this might be a challenge. According to Refinitiv Eikon data, there is just 1 buy call on the share, with the remaining coverage split evenly between sell and hold.

    The consensus price target from this list is $1.06 per share, suggesting the AMP share price could pull back to this level if the brokers are correct.

    The post Up 13% in July, can the AMP share price maintain its momentum? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Amp Ltd, 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 Amp 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 are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow 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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  • How to buy ASX shares exposed to the metaverse

    a group of five people lie on the floor with their heads touching, each wearing hi tech goggles over their eyes as if in a metaverse workplace collaboration.a group of five people lie on the floor with their heads touching, each wearing hi tech goggles over their eyes as if in a metaverse workplace collaboration.

    The metaverse is a term that’s marched into the zeitgeist the last couple of years, helped by Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg’s constant references to it.

    The term describes what used to be referred to as ‘virtual reality’. The metaverse concept elevates that old idea to a broader base that, in the future, might represent the entire internet as a massive unified virtual world.

    Zuckerberg is so sure the world is destined for the metaverse that in October last year he renamed Facebook Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: META).

    “The metaverse is the next frontier in connecting people, just like social networking was when we got started,” he wrote in a letter at the time.

    “Our hope is that within the next decade, the metaverse will reach a billion people, host hundreds of billions of dollars of digital commerce, and support jobs for millions of creators and developers.”

    So how can investors buy ASX shares for exposure to this trend?

    A new ETF to take advantage of the theme

    The answer to this question became a whole lot easier this week as BetaShares launched a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) that represents a global basket of Metaverse stocks.

    The BetaShares Metaverse ETF (ASX: MTAV) will start trading on the ASX on Thursday.

    BetaShares chief executive Alex Vynokur said the metaverse is “a powerful megatrend” forecast to “shake up” how the world communicates.

    “This secular trend is expected to revolutionise the way we engage with sport, live music and other ways of staying connected.”

    He added that the industry is still “in the early stages of evolution”.

    “We are proud to provide investors with access to this investment opportunity,” he said. 

    “This innovative new fund will form part of our leading suite of thematic funds that offer investors exposure to the megatrends that are changing the world around us.”

    Which stocks will be in the MTAV ETF?

    The BetaShares Metaverse ETF will track the Bloomberg Metaverse Select Index, which currently contains 32 stocks from around the world.

    The contributing companies are from a variety of industries — not just software. Examples include NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), Roblox Corp (NYSE: RBLX), and Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL).

    BetaShares stated the fund exposes investors to “both large, profitable technology and entertainment companies, as well as more specialised companies”.

    The fund is the “the first exchange traded fund of its kind in Australia”, it added.

    The ETF will charge investors 0.69% per year of its net asset value.

    The post How to buy ASX shares exposed to the metaverse 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 July 7 2022

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    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. Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Roblox Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Apple, Meta Platforms, Inc., Nvidia, and Roblox Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple, Meta Platforms, Inc., and Nvidia. 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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  • Why was the AGL share price undercooked in July?

    A woman holds her finger to the side of her lips in contemplation as she looks upwards to an array of graphic images of light bulbs above her head, one of which is on and glowing.A woman holds her finger to the side of her lips in contemplation as she looks upwards to an array of graphic images of light bulbs above her head, one of which is on and glowing.

    The AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) share price lifted slightly last month, but not enough to mirror the gains posted by the broader market.

    The energy producer and retailer’s stock rose from $8.25 at the end of June to close July trading at $8.38, representing a 1.58% gain over the course of the month.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), on the other hand, surged 5.74% while the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) rose 3.13% in that time.

    So, why did the AGL share price lag the ASX 200 and its sector in July? Let’s take a look.

    What drove the AGL share price last month?

    The reason behind the AGL share price’s underperformance last month is tough to pinpoint. Particularly as the company has been notably quiet lately.

    In fact, the last time the market heard price-sensitive news from AGL was on 30 June.

    Then, the energy giant revealed its former suitor Brookfield Asset Management sneakily snapped up a 2.5% stake in the company’s shares.

    Off the market, the company announced it will be investing $40 million over five years into the Clover hydro power station, part of the Kiewa Hydro Scheme, last month.

    The money will go towards upgrading the station – a move that will see the scheme’s output increase by 14 megawatts, the equivalent of powering Victoria’s Alpine region.

    Finally, a notable broker revealed its expecting big things from the AGL share price last month.

    JP Morgan is said to be bullish on wholesale electricity prices and, as a result, it believes AGL could be a winner.

    The broker slapped AGL’s shares with an overweight rating and a $10.60 price target, as my Fool colleague Bronwyn reports.

    Morgans also has an add rating and a $9.67 price target on the stock.   

    The post Why was the AGL share price undercooked in July? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Agl Energy 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 Agl Energy 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 July 7 2022

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    JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper 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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  • Is the NAB share price a buy ahead of next week’s quarterly update?

    a woman sits in her home with chin resting on her hand and looking at her laptop computer with some reflection with an assortment of books and documents on her table.a woman sits in her home with chin resting on her hand and looking at her laptop computer with some reflection with an assortment of books and documents on her table.

    The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price has lifted in the last month, but could it go higher?

    The major bank’s share price has jumped 12% in the past month. In Wednesday’s trade, NAB’s shares fell 0.58%.

    Let’s examine the outlook for the NAB share price.

    What is ahead?

    The ASX bank share will report important financial results next week, but what are analysts predicting?

    Morgan Stanley analyst Richard Wiles is forecasting a “sweet spot” for the bank with “robust volume growth, margins tracking ahead of consensus, strong credit quality and healthy capital”.

    He is predicting an underlying cash profit of $1.8 billion with 5% revenue growth and 4% expense growth.

    In comments cited by The Australian, he added:

    Any commentary on the impact of higher rates and the margin outlook should be positive.

    Sharing his thoughts on his outlook for the NAB share price in light of these forecast results, Wiles said:

    The current share price reflects this and factors in a 15 per cent probability of recession in 2023, so we stay equal weight.

    The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) boosted the official cash rate by 0.5% on Tuesday, as my Foolish colleague Bernd reported. Australia’s official cash rate is now 1.85%.

    NAB is due to provide its third-quarter trading update on 9 August.

    Share price snapshot

    The NAB share price has lifted 17% in the past year and nearly 7% year to date.

    For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) has descended more than 3% in the past year.

    NAB has a market capitalisation of nearly $98 billion based on its current share price.

    The post Is the NAB share price a buy ahead of next week’s quarterly update? 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 July 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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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  • ‘Free lunch’: Forget growth or value, Wilsons is hunting these ASX shares

    woman about to eat a burgerwoman about to eat a burger

    Growth shares have been hammered this year after investors turned their backs on them due to rising interest rates.

    But for a decade before that, growth ruled over value stocks.

    So what style of ASX shares are the best going forward from now?

    Perhaps fittingly for unprecedented conditions like we’re seeing in 2022, Wilsons head of investment strategy David Cassidy has nominated a third way to go.

    “Quality-focussed investment strategies arguably receive less attention than growth and value investing, yet the quality factor has an impressive long-term track record,” he said in a memo to clients.

    “The outlook for quality is particularly attractive at the current juncture in the global business cycle.”

    What is quality?

    Cassidy expects the global economy and earnings growth to “slow significantly” over the next 12 months.

    “As a result, companies with high quality, resilient earnings streams should be increasingly sought after by the market.”

    But what exactly makes a stock or a company “quality”?

    There is no universal definition of what a quality stock is, but Cassidy mentioned a few quantifiable attributes that most investors would find hard to argue against:

    • High return on equity or return on invested capital
    • Resilient earnings streams
    • Strong balance sheets with modest level of debt

    On top of this, he added, more active investors can consider these more subjective qualities:

    • Management quality
    • Industry positioning

    Cassidy said a high quality business typically has a wide moat, which is a measure of competitive advantage.

    “These competitive strengths can include: superior product or service quality, a strong brand, superior scalability, distribution strength, or proprietary technology.”

    How does quality investing work in real life?

    “Highly active” investors with a quality strategy will often exclude entire sectors. For example, mining and financials might be completely ignored due to the earnings volatility.

    Quality shares often display a “risk asymmetry”, as Cassidy calls it.

    “This risk asymmetry, with decent performance in rising markets but superior performance in falling or sluggish markets, that gives quality its outperformance trend over the long-term.”

    He added that there is “a large body” of academic research that shows low volatility and high quality portfolios outperform their high volatility and low quality rivals. 

    “This perhaps flies in the face of traditional portfolio theory, which holds that higher risk portfolios will generate higher returns in the long run.”

    ‘Free lunch’ for investors

    So with so much going for it, Cassidy said buying up quality shares might be considered a “free lunch” for investors of ASX shares.

    But the catch is that the outperformance only comes over a long duration.

    In fact, quality has actually underperformed over the past two years.

    “The growth stock rally entered a speculative phase last year with many high-growth (pre-earnings) stocks being bid up aggressively. More recently, a big first quarter commodity rally, led by energy in particular, saw quality indices lag again.”

    But in 2022 high-growth stocks have definitely been humbled and commodity prices are starting to cool.

    “Quality has begun to show signs of outperformance. With earnings slower and downgrades increasing, resilient high-quality companies look set to outperform in our view.”

    The post ‘Free lunch’: Forget growth or value, Wilsons is hunting these 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 July 7 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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  • Looking to buy BHP shares? Here’s how the miner is gearing up to secure its share of booming EV demand

    A woman smiles as she powers up her electric car using a Tritium fast charger

    A woman smiles as she powers up her electric car using a Tritium fast charger

    The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price has historically been influenced by the price for iron ore. But another commodity could soon have an important role to play.

    BHP may be best known as an iron ore miner, however, it has exposure to other commodities such as copper and nickel.

    According to reporting by the Australian Financial Review, BHP Nickel West (owned by BHP) is going to spend more on exploration than it has in the past 15 years.

    The reason for the ramp-up is the strong demand for electric vehicles. This could mean good things for nickel.

    Untapped resource

    The asset president of BHP Nickel West, Jessica Farrell, made some promising comments at the Diggers and Dealers mining conference this week.

    Farrell said:

    We have a large nickel sulphide resource with in excess of 7.4 million tonnes of nickel in the Agnew-Wiluna belt that still remains largely unexplored.

    That’s exciting. We have budgeted a significant uplift in exploration spend over the next two years, which we expect will advance many of our targets. To underscore this point, this year will be the highest annual spend for exploration in Nickel West since BHP acquired the WMC assets in 2005, a testament to the focus and commitment BHP has to its nickel business right now.

    According to reporting by the AFR, BHP has 120,000 hectares of tenements within the Agnew-Wiluna belt in WA. Farrell continued:

    This is a highly prospective strip, approximately 150 kilometres long … and has a number of deposits that we are looking to understand further and potentially mine.

    Our acquisition of the Honeymoon Well and Albion Downs tenements in 2020 continues to drive our growth plans and drilling to inform our mine studies.

    Global outlook

    Some of the major car companies like Tesla and Ford have reportedly signed agreements with some Australian miners, including BHP. The company has also signed agreements with Toyota.

    The AFR reported that Russia supplies around a fifth of battery-grade nickel globally, with its supply disrupted due to the invasion of Ukraine.

    Yet, the demand for nickel is expected to keep rising. This could be helpful for the BHP share price.

    Farrell said:

    Electrification of autos is gathering pace, and we expect that by 2030, around 60 per cent of all car sales will be electric. We expect that by 2040, 90% of car sales will be electric. The dominant battery chemistry powering this global fleet is expected to rely on nickel.

    Latest nickel update

    BHP said that in the three months to 30 June 2022, nickel production was up 1% to 18.8kt. There was higher volume due to reduced COVID-19 labour impacts.

    The resources giant also said that the nickel price in FY22 was 43% higher than FY21.

    Production in FY23 is expected to be between 80kt to 90kt, weighted to the second half of the year due to planned smelter maintenance in the first half.

    BHP share price snapshot

    Over the last month, the BHP share price has fallen around 3%.

    The post Looking to buy BHP shares? Here’s how the miner is gearing up to secure its share of booming EV demand 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 July 7 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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  • Brokers name 2 top ASX dividend shares to buy

    Happy man holding Australian dollar notes, representing dividends.

    Happy man holding Australian dollar notes, representing dividends.

    If you’re looking for ASX dividend shares to buy, then the two listed below could be worth considering.

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

    Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

    The first ASX dividend share to look at is this footwear focused retailer.

    Accent, which owns a growing collection of store brands such as Athlete’s Foot, HYPEDC, Platypus, Sneaker Lab, and Stylerunner, is having a tough time in FY 2022. This has led to its shares being hammered since the start of the year.

    While this is disappointing, the team at Bell Potter appear to believe this could be a buying opportunity. They recently put a buy rating and $1.90 price target on the retailer’s shares. The broker commented:

    We rate AX1 Buy with a PT of $1.90. AX1’s strategic focus has moved from acquisition and integration, to innovation in its core business and expansion through new concepts. AX1 has a leading omni-channel capability with TAF, Platypus, Skechers, Hype, The Trybe, Stylerunner and Glue Store as its key retail footwear or youth apparel platforms. Through a “high service & more tailored” market position, AX1 seeks to achieve greater differentiation vs peers as well as create perceived value across its retail platforms.

    As for dividends, Bell Potter is forecasting fully franked dividends of 5.7 cents per share in FY 2022 and then 9 cents per share in FY 2023. Based on the current Accent share price of $1.33, this will mean yields of 4.3% and 6.8%, respectively.

    QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE)

    Another ASX dividend share that could be in the buy zone is QBE.

    After a difficult period, this insurance giant’s outlook is starting to look very positive again, This is thanks to rising rates, premium increases, and its cost cutting plans.

    Morgans is very positive on QBE and recently retained its add rating and $14.76 price target on the company’s shares. It commented:

    With strong rate increases still flowing through QBE’s insurance book, and further cost-out benefits to come, we expect QBE’s earnings profile to improve strongly over the next few years. The stock also has a robust balance sheet and remains relatively inexpensive overall trading on ~9.1x FY23F PE.

    In respect to dividends, the broker is forecasting 41.6 cents per share in FY 2022 and 66.6 cents per share in FY 2023. Based on the current QBE share price of $11.76, this will mean yields of 3.5% and 5.7%, respectively.

    The post Brokers name 2 top ASX dividend 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 July 7 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 Accent Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Winner winner chicken dinner: Expert names 2 ASX shares to buy now

    Group of people sitting around table outdoors and toasting glasses.Group of people sitting around table outdoors and toasting glasses.

    So interest rates have spiked up for the fourth consecutive month this week.

    This means Australians will be locking up their wallets and cutting out any unnecessary spending.

    In such times, investors understandably turn to ASX shares of companies that produce consumer staples.

    And the very prototypes of necessities are food and drinks.

    But Shaw and Partners portfolio manager James Gerrish warns that one can’t just blindly buy all consumer staple ASX shares and expect success.

    You still need to look at the company’s performance and prospects.

    Firstly, the stock to stay away from

    Gerrish took United Malt Group Ltd (ASX: UMG) as an example.

    “As an investor it’s easy to use the old throwaway line ‘people have to eat’ when considering some defensive positions within a portfolio,” he said in a Market Matters newsletter.

    “But like all stocks a company needs to grow earnings to deliver results to shareholders.”

    United Malt has been a bitter disappointment to shareholders in recent times.

    “UMG has failed to deliver, resulting in its shares trading well below its panic COVID lows whilst the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has rallied ~60% over the same period.”

    The malt maker put out an earnings upgrade on Monday that saw its share price plunge a painful 13% that morning.

    “The company has struggled with poor quality/high-cost North American barley which is flowing down into higher production costs and falling margins — never a good combination,” said Gerrish.

    “The business is optimistic about an improvement in H2. But hope doesn’t pay the bills!”

    The Market Matters team would avoid United Malt shares like the plague.

    So which are the consumer staple stocks that they would go for?

    Chicken dinners for everyone

    Shares for chicken producer Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING) haven’t performed that much better recently than United Malt.

    The stock has plunged more than 20% year to date, and has lost 14.5% over the past five years.

    But it’s a winner winner for Australians about to tighten their belts, according to Gerrish.

    “Poultry business Inghams fell to fresh all-time lows in June courtesy of rising fuel and feed costs plus labour shortages have also weighed on the cost and scale of production,” he said.

    “We like the company’s position into tougher economic times with chicken providing a cheaper protein alternative to say steak. Plus a forecasted yield in excess of 5% fully franked over the next 12-months is attractive in most interest rate environments.”

    His team suggests accumulating Ingham shares on dips.

    Some drinks to forget tough times

    Gerrish went cold on winemaker Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) earlier this year, but his team is having second thoughts.

    “In hindsight this move is starting to feel average to wrong especially as the alcohol industry usually enjoys tough economic times.”

    Treasury Wine went through a difficult period in 2020 as Australia’s request for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 triggered a diplomatic spat with China.

    “China has been the thorn in the company’s side courtesy of heavy-handed tariffs out of Beijing but this has forced the company to reposition itself which we feel leaves it well-structured for the coming years.”

    The share price remains well below its pre-pandemic high, but Gerrish feels this could attract some merger interest.

    “The stock is not overly cheap but solid year-on-year growth looks achievable to justify an FY23 PE of 22x,” he said.

    “We like Treasury Wine Estates plus it remains a potential takeover target although tight money markets may delay any action out of Europe.”

    Gerrish’s team suggests buying into Treasury Wines at around the $12 mark. The stock closed Wednesday at $12.27.

    The post Winner winner chicken dinner: Expert names 2 ASX shares to buy now 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 July 7 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 recommended Treasury Wine Estates 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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  • Own A2 Milk shares? Here’s how the company is battling to rebuild lost daigou sales

    Young girl drinking milk showing off musclesYoung girl drinking milk showing off muscles

    A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) shares climbed last month, despite one major daigou customer reportedly cutting ties.

    The baby infant formula company’s share price lifted nearly 12% since market close on 1 July to end the month at $4.90. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gained 7% in the same time frame.

    Let’s take a look at what is going on with A2 Milk.

    What’s going on at A2 Milk

    A2 Milk has lost one major corporate daigou customer, however, this is not stopping the company exploring other avenues to export its product.

    ‘Daigou’ refers to people or groups who export luxury goods, including infant formulas, from outside China to customers in China.

    Wenjun Zhang was previously A2 Milk’s top customer, according to the Australian Financial Review, but has not bought any product since March.

    However, A2 Milk CEO David Bortolussi outlined how the company is rebuilding. In comments cited by the publication, he said:

    During the past year, we have increased our direct engagement with the daigou community, provided more marketing support and seen an increasing number of daigou representing our a2 Platinum brand.

    Consistent with our growth strategy communicated to the market last year, we are simplifying and delayering our English Label infant milk formula distribution network.

    On Tuesday, A2 Milk shares shot up more than 7% amid speculation the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would approve A2 Milk to sell infant formula products in the US. However, in an announcement to the market, A2 Milk said:

    The company wishes to confirm that while we have been informed by the FDA that our application is under active review, at this stage there is no certainty as to the outcome of the application or the timing of any approval.

    Share price snapshot

    A2 Milk shares have lost almost 17% in the past year and more than 9% year to date.

    For perspective, the ASX 200 Index has dropped around 6% so far in 2022.

    A2 Milk has a market capitalisation of about $3.6 billion based on the current share price.

    The post Own A2 Milk shares? Here’s how the company is battling to rebuild lost daigou sales appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in A2 Milk Company Ltd right now?

    Before you consider A2 Milk Company Ltd, 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 A2 Milk Company 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 are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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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  • Guess how much ANZ shares have paid in dividends over the last 5 years

    A young girl child empties coins out of her piggy bank with mum smiling over her shoulder.A young girl child empties coins out of her piggy bank with mum smiling over her shoulder.

    The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price has disappointed over the last five years.

    The ASX bank share has slipped from $29.26 five years ago to trade at $22.71 — a 22.4% reduction in value.

    For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained 21.94% in that time, while the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) has slumped 2.48%.

    The only big four bank to have put in a worse performance over the last half decade was Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC). The Westpac share price has fallen 31% in five years.

    But ASX 200 bank shares are often viewed as strong dividend payers. So, could ANZ’s dividends have made up for its share price’s weak performance over the last five years? Let’s take a look.

    How much have ANZ shares paid in dividends since 2017?

    Here’s a recap of all the dividends ANZ has offered its shareholders over the half decade just been:

    ANZ Dividend Amount offered Franking
    November 2017 $0.80 100%
    May 2018 $0.80 100%
    November 2018 $0.80 100%
    May 2019 $0.80 100%
    November 2019 $0.80 70%
    August 2020 $0.25 100%
    November 2020 $0.35 100%
    May 2021 $0.70 100%
    November 2021 $0.72 100%
    May 2022 $0.72 100%

    All those relatively consistent dividends add up to a total of $6.74.

    That means those invested in ANZ shares have just broken even over the last five years, in which the company’s share price has slipped $6.55.

    Of course, as most of ANZ’s dividends in that time were fully franked, some investors might have realised even more benefits from the bank’s payouts.

    And to end on another positive note, ANZ is currently boasting a 6.35% dividend yield. That’s certainly nothing to scoff at.

    The post Guess how much ANZ shares have paid in dividends over the last 5 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Australia And New Zealand Banking Group Ltd right now?

    Before you consider Australia And New Zealand Banking Group Ltd, 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 Australia And New Zealand Banking Group 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 are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper 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 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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