Category: Stock Market

  • Analysts name 2 ASX dividend shares to buy with 5%+ yields

    Australian notes and coins mixed together.

    Australian notes and coins mixed together.

    Are you looking for dividend shares to add to your income portfolio? If you are, then the two listed below could be worth considering.

    Not only have these dividend shares been rated as buys, but they have also been tipped to provide investors with attractive yields.

    Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ASX: ANZ)

    The first dividend share for investors to look at is ANZ. It could be a good option for investors that don’t already have exposure to the banking sector. Particularly given recent volatility, which has dragged the ANZ share price lower. This means its shares are currently trading far closer to their 52-week lows than their 52-week highs.

    One broker that appears to see this as a buying opportunity is Citi. It currently has a buy rating and lofty $30.75 price target on the bank’s shares.

    Its analysts are also expecting some big dividend yields from ANZ’s shares in the coming years following the aforementioned decline. It has has pencilled in fully franked dividends per share of 147 cents in FY 2022 and then 170 cents in FY 2023. Based on the current ANZ share price of $21.93, this implies yields of 6.7% and 7.75%, respectively.

    Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

    Another ASX dividend share that has been rated as a buy is industrial REIT, Centuria Industrial.

    It could be a top option for investors thanks to the robust demand for industrial properties. In fact, demand has been so strong that during the first half Centuria Industrial reported an ~9-year weighted average lease expiry with a 99.2% portfolio occupancy. This underpinned strong funds from operation (FFO) and allowed management to upgrade its guidance.

    Macquarie remains very positive on Centuria Industrial. Last month it put an outperform rating and $3.94 price target on its shares. This suggests major upside potential for the company’s shares over the next 12 months.

    As for dividends, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 17.3 cents in FY 2022 and 16.8 cents FY 2023. Based on the current Centuria Industrial share price of $2.93, this equates to yields of 5.9% and 5.7%, respectively.

    The post Analysts name 2 ASX dividend shares to buy with 5%+ yields 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 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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  • Sayona shares sail 8% ahead amid government’s call to secure energy supply

    three young children weariing business suits, helmets and old fashioned aviator goggles wear aeroplane wings on their backs and jump with one arm outstretched into the air in an arid, sandy landscape.three young children weariing business suits, helmets and old fashioned aviator goggles wear aeroplane wings on their backs and jump with one arm outstretched into the air in an arid, sandy landscape.

    The Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) share price finished well in the green today.

    Sayona shares closed at 14 cents today, a 7.69% gain. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) climbed 0.44%.

    Let’s take a look at what’s been happening with Sayona shares.

    Sayona shares on the rise

    Sayona shares soared today but they were not the only ASX lithium shares to jump. Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares leapt 3.81%, the Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) share price rose 2.86%, and the Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) share price climbed 2.7%. Further, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) closed 1.56% higher.

    Sayona is a lithium producer exploring projects in Western Australia and Quebec, Canada.

    The company has recently revealed plans to restart lithium production at the North American Lithium Operation.

    Sayona, along with Piedmont Lithium Inc (ASX: PLL), has agreed to speed up production at the project. The first spodumene concentrate production is earmarked for the first quarter of 2023. The Sayona share price soared on the back of the news late last month,

    Meanwhile, the government is calling for more secure clean energy supply chains as the world moves towards net zero, the Australian Financial Review reported. In a speech to a global energy forum in Sydney this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

    It is essential that the unprecedented levels of investment in clean energy technologies required over the coming decades unlocks more diverse and secure supply chains than we have today.

    Greater diversity and security of critical minerals extraction and processing, greater diversity of clean technology manufacturing, and security of clean energy supply are essential for managing supply and strategic risks.

    Meanwhile, in quotes cited by the Sydney Morning Herald, US energy secretary Jennifer Granholm raised concerns China is “big-footing” energy supply chains. She said:

    From an energy security point of view, it is imperative that nations that share the same values to develop our own supply chains, not just for the climate, which of course is very important, but for our own energy security.

    Share price snapshot

    Sayona shares have soared 65% over the past 12 months and risen 7.69% year to date.

    In the past week, the company’s share price has lost 6.67%.

    For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has fallen nearly 10% in the past year.

    Sayona has a market capitalisation of about $1.2 billion based on today’s share price.

    The post Sayona shares sail 8% ahead amid government’s call to secure energy supply 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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  • Why might ASX-listed ANZ want to snap up MYOB?

    a man holds his hand under his chin as he concentrates on his laptop screen and makes a concerned face.a man holds his hand under his chin as he concentrates on his laptop screen and makes a concerned face.

    The acquisition trail continues into the new financial year. Another publicly-listed company has its sights set on a private entity.

    Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) is understood to be in talks to acquire accounting software firm MYOB Group from its parent company.

    At market close on Thursday, ANZ shares are down 2.23% to $21.93.

    ANZ said to be acquiring MYOB

    The banking giant confirmed it was in talks with MYOB’s parent, private equity juggernaut KKR & Co., to acquire the accounting software firm.

    It’s understood the transaction could reach a settlement of $4.5 billion, according to Reuters.

    If this were so, it would represent an incredible $2.9 billion gain on investment for KKR, who bought MYOB private back in 2019.

    Still, ANZ has total assets of $2.4 billion in March, made up of $404 million in cash.

    MYOB’s public competitor, Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) has an enterprise value of $12.83 billion after adjusting its market cap for cash and debt, valuing MYOB at 35% of this amount.

    ANZ’s potential decision comes at a time when ASX banks have been freeing up capital to offset pressures bought on by the Reserve Bank (RBA)’s tightening policy.

    Analysts at investment bank Jefferies were quick onto the update and said there wasn’t necessarily a need for ANZ to own an accounting platform seeing as it has plenty of internal, comparable software.

    However, the rationale behind the investment is probably to gain more customer data in order to sell more business banking products, The Australian writes.

    Despite the pair being in talks on the transaction, there’s been no guarantee anything will proceed, and it looks like just confirmation of interests at this stage.

    ANZ shares are down more than 20% in the past 12 months, and 20% this year to date, as seen on the chart below.

    TradingView Chart

    The post Why might ASX-listed ANZ want to snap up MYOB? 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 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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  • EML Payments share price rebounds 12% after former CEO sheds more light

    Group of people cheer around tablets in officeGroup of people cheer around tablets in office

    The EML Payments Ltd (ASX: EML) share price recovered some lost ground today.

    This comes after the company’s former managing director and CEO posted a message on his LinkedIn profile regarding his departure from the company.

    At Thursday’s close, the payments company’s shares were swapping hands at $1.05, up 12.3%.

    What did the former CEO say?

    The EML Payments share price finally enjoyed some relief today having fallen in the three previous sessions, including a drop of almost 25% on Monday following the shock news of CEO Tom Cregan’s exit.

    Cregan bid the company farewell today after 10 and half years at the helm. He noted the “incredible journey” of building the business with a dedicated team that brought “their A-game”.

    Cregan mentioned how EML Payments turned its fortunes around from being a small-time player to a global behemoth.

    However, he delved into the reason for the abrupt exit that left shareholders stunned on Monday.

    Cregan said:

    After more work hours, air miles and nights away from home that I care to remember, I was happy to move on to the next journey and was happy that I controlled that outcome.

    I will miss the people and customers, but not the 6am starts and 10-11pm finishes most days of the week!

    Furthermore, Cregan went on to congratulate Emma Shand on her appointment as the new managing director and CEO.

    He mentioned that she has an ideal set of attributes to lead the company while spending considerable time in Europe to run its operations. That was something Cregan said he was no longer willing to do “from a personal and family standpoint”.

    EML Payments share price snapshot

    Today’s EMP Payments share price gains will no doubt being some relief to shareholders.

    The company’s shares have suffered setbacks after continuously being targeted by short-sellers following a disappointing third-quarter trading update in April.

    In the past 12 months, its shares are down 72%.

    EML Payments has a market capitalisation of roughly $478.03 million.

    The post EML Payments share price rebounds 12% after former CEO sheds more light appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    “The worst thing you can do is nothing”

    Motley Fool Chief Investment Officer says right now is not the time to sit on your hands…
    As inflation eats away at cash balances Scott Phillips reveals three stocks for investors to consider that could help fight rising prices…
    … And Eml Payments Ltd isn’t one of them.

    Learn More
    *Returns as of July 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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 EML Payments. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended EML Payments. 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 the yield you’re getting on ASX dividend shares may not be as advertised

    Older woman looks concerned as she counts cash notes

    Older woman looks concerned as she counts cash notesASX dividend shares have been rising on investor radars in 2022 as increasing interest rates threaten to cut into capital gains in the year ahead.

    If you’re on the hunt for income stocks just take note, that the 12-month yield you’re getting on ASX dividend shares in your portfolio is likely to be higher – or lower – than what you’ll find posted today. It’s also likely to vary from the yield other investors are earning.

    That’s based on the original amount of your investment, not the current share value.

    Here’s what we mean.

    Calculating the yield from ASX dividend shares

    To be clear we’re talking about trailing dividend yields here, which you can work out by dividing a company’s past 12-month dividend payouts by its current share price. That’s as opposed to a forward dividend yield, which relies on earnings forecasts.

    To keep it simple, we’ll assume you’re buying all the shares in one swoop, rather than incrementally, via dollar cost averaging.

    We’ll take two popular ASX dividend shares as our example, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB).

    Both companies’ dividends come with full franking credits, meaning you get credit from the ATO for the 30% tax the company has already paid on its profits in Australia. This avoids double taxation.

    So, why are the 12-month yields you’re getting from an ASX dividend share going to be markedly different from many other investors?

    BHP and NAB

    The answer to that question lies when you buy the shares.

    Starting with BHP, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) listed miner made two dividend payments in the past 12 months, totalling $4.80.

    At the current share price of $37.92, this works out to a dividend yield of 12.8%.

    To have received both payments you would have had to buy BHP shares on or before 2 September 2021.

    Now here’s how yields for this ASX dividend share can vary significantly between investors.

    On 4 August BHP shares were trading for $54.06. If you bought shares then, your 12-month yield on those shares is 8.9%.

    On the other hand, if you’d bought BHP shares on 20 August, when the miner was trading for $44.34, your 12-month yield would be 10.8%.

    In other words, a two-week variance in buying this ASX dividend share resulted in a 1.9% difference in the yield.

    And neither figure is as impressive as the 12.8% yield you’ll find currently listed under today’s lower BHP share price.

    Taking NAB as our second example, the big four bank also made two dividend payments over the past 12 months, totalling $1.40

    At NAB’s current share price of $28.29, that’s a dividend yield of 5%.

    To have received both payments you would have had to buy NAB shares on or before 15 November 2021.

    But far from every investor who bought shares between 14 July and 15 November 2021 is receiving a 5% yield.

    On 20 July, for example, the NAB share price stood at $25.47. Had you bought shares on that date, the yield from this ASX dividend share would be 5.5%.

    But if you’d waited until 10 November to invest in NAB, you would have paid $30.15 per share. That would see your 12-month yield reduced to 4.6%.

    In the first instance, your personal investment yield is higher than what you’d find posted based on today’s share price, and in the second case, it’s lower.

    Foolish takeaway

    Timing the market is no easy feat. And no one, to our knowledge, has demonstrated an ability to do so consistently.

    Nonetheless, when you’re able to buy ASX dividend shares during a pullback rather than a bounce, your yields will benefit.

    The post Why the yield you’re getting on ASX dividend shares may not be as advertised 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 Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Here are the top 10 ASX shares today

    group of traders cheering at stock marketgroup of traders cheering at stock market

    S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares spent most of Thursday in the green despite a rocky start to the session. The index closed 0.44% higher at 6,650.60 points.

    The ASX 200’s day in the green came despite Wall Street struggling through Wednesday’s session. The S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) slipped 0.45% overnight while the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) fell 0.67% and the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQ: .IXIC) slumped 0.15%.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) was among the Australian market’s top performers today, lifting by 1.56% and driven higher by some of its biggest constituents.

    It was likely also helped along by iron ore futures. They rose 1.9% to US$110.26 a tonne overnight.

    ASX 200 energy stocks also outperformed after oil prices lifted slightly and the price of thermal coal shot up again, gaining 0.9% to reach US$430 per tonne.

    Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) and S&P/ASX 200 Financial Index (ASX: XFJ) both slumped around 1%, potentially impacted by a major surge in US inflation.

    So, with all that in mind, which stocks outperformed all others on Thursday? Keep reading to find out.

    Top 10 ASX shares countdown

    And the top-performing share of the ASX’s 200 biggest companies by market capitalisation on Thursday was – perhaps unsurprisingly – Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL).

    The coal producer’s stock closed 10.29% higher at $5.68. Read more about Yancoal here.

    Today’s top 10 biggest gains were made by these ASX shares:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL) $5.68 10.29%
    Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN) $3.99 8.42%
    Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN) $1.74 8.07%
    Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) $5.74 6.49%
    Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) $8.12 6.01%
    New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC) $4.25 5.72%
    Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN) $46.91 5.68%
    GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG) $1.33 4.74%
    Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL) $13.05 4.74%
    Latitude Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: LFS) $1.56 4.35%

    Data as at 4.40pm AEST.

    Our top 10 ASX shares today countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to ensure you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the market has closed during weekdays to see which stocks make the countdown.

    The post Here are the top 10 ASX shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    3 Stocks for Runaway Inflation

    As the world suffers price shocks… and the cost of everything seems to be ticking higher…
    These 3 ASX stocks could be the answer to runaway inflation. Boasting key qualities companies need to not only survive but actively thrive when costs surge.
    Act fast – because in times of inflation, the worst thing you can do is… nothing.

    Learn More
    *Returns as of July 1 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 positions in and has recommended Netwealth. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Netwealth. 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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  • Here’s Bitcoin’s only path to $300,000

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

    Man sitting at a desk facing his computer screen and holding a coin representing discussion by the RBA Governor about cryptocurrency and digital tokens

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

    As the S&P 500 just had its worst first-half performance of any year since 1970, the cryptocurrency market has also fallen off a cliff. After approaching a total value of nearly $3 trillion last November, the entire market is now worth just $888 billion as of this writing. Amid the bear market, investors are fearing a recession is on the horizon, causing them to sell off risky assets. 

    The world’s most valuable cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), has also cratered. However, I think there’s a good chance that it eventually bounces back. Its price (on the afternoon of July 12) was $19,907 down from an all-time high of $68,790, but there’s a clear path for it to one day reach $300,000. And that would equate to a monster 15-fold return. 

    Bitcoin as a medium of exchange 

    Launched in January 2009, Bitcoin’s creation was truly revolutionary. A borderless, peer-to-peer internet-based currency completely upends the traditional monetary and financial system, one that is controlled by governments. While the idea was sound and made sense, Bitcoin’s actual adoption in commerce has been unimpressive. 

    According to Cryptwerk, Bitcoin today is directly accepted as a method of payment at 7,879 different merchants. And although there are a number of different financial services that allow users to spend with Bitcoin, like Coinbase‘s Visa debit card and PayPal‘s Checkout with Crypto feature, consumers aren’t really incentivized to do this. 

    Why use Bitcoin, an appreciating asset that triggers a tax liability when sold, to pay for things? You’re much better off buying and holding this digital asset. Spending fiat, or government-issued currency, on the other hand, is what has worked because it is constantly being inflated by massive stimulative measures. Maybe this situation changes in the future, but right now, I don’t see how Bitcoin can become an effective medium of exchange. 

    Bitcoin as digital gold 

    Many Bitcoin bulls want the top cryptocurrency to become a true medium of exchange, but in its 13-year history, this use case hasn’t caught on. Instead, Bitcoin’s most promising use case is that it continues to become more popular as a legitimate store of value, or digital gold. 

    Despite the recent market drawdown, both individual and institutional investors are increasingly allocating small portions of their portfolios to Bitcoin. Whether it is viewed as an inflation hedge or simply as a way to diversify holdings, I believe that as familiarity and understanding of Bitcoin continue to rise over time, more people will own it. 

    Compared to gold, Bitcoin has some key advantages. Bitcoin is absolutely finite, as there will ever only be 21 million coins created. The supply of gold, on the other hand, can increase if the price of the precious metal rises enough to justify finding and opening new mines. As mentioned, Bitcoin can be used in transactions, a characteristic gold doesn’t have. Furthermore, Bitcoin is divisible and a lot easier to store. 

    Bitcoin’s market cap today of $380 billion is roughly 3% of the $12.5 trillion of gold in the world. Even if Bitcoin one day represents 50% of the gold market, which isn’t a huge stretch of the imagination, its market cap would be $6.3 trillion. And the price of one Bitcoin at that point easily eclipses $300,000. I have no clue as to the timeframe of this happening, but it appears to be Bitcoin’s most likely path to significant price appreciation. 

    Bitcoin in the remittance market 

    There is another exciting use case that Bitcoin could positively impact, and that’s the market for global remittances. Workers in the U.S. sent $74.6 billion back home to family in other countries, with an average fee of 6% on a $200 transaction. With Bitcoin, the fee is essentially nonexistent. Furthermore, remittances seem to fit perfectly with Bitcoin’s narrative of being a borderless global currency. 

    This is a major possibility of unlocking real economic value. The World Bank estimates that this year, $630 billion will be sent as remittances from economic powerhouse nations to low- and middle-income countries. Six percent of that massive amount equals $37.8 billion, a material sum that can immediately go from paying for fees to having a positive economic impact for those involved. 

    But as things stand today, Bitcoin’s biggest hope is to find a place in a greater number of investment portfolios. And if it can become a reasonable substitute for owning gold, a $300,000 price target is an honest possibility over the long term. 

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

    The post Here’s Bitcoin’s only path to $300,000 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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    Neil Patel has positions in Bitcoin and Coinbase Global, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin, Coinbase Global, Inc., PayPal Holdings, and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Bitcoin. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended PayPal Holdings. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. 

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

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  • Why did the Pointsbet share price leap 7% on Thursday?

    a group of three young men sit on a sofa in a home environment with a bowl of popcorn and beer bottls in front of them cheering on one of their group as he looks excitedly at his phone as though he's just had some success on an online gambling app.a group of three young men sit on a sofa in a home environment with a bowl of popcorn and beer bottls in front of them cheering on one of their group as he looks excitedly at his phone as though he's just had some success on an online gambling app.

    It’s been a positive day for ASX shares on Thursday. At the close of trading, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was up a healthy 0.44% to more than 6,650 points. But speaking of points, it’s been an even better day for the Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) share price.

    Pointsbet shares closed 7.06% higher at $2.73 a share.

    So what sparked such an enthusiastic reaction from investors over the sports betting company’s shares today?

    Why did Pointsbet shares rocket 7% today?

    Well, it’s not clear, unfortunately. There has been no major news or announcements out of the company for a while now.

    However, we saw a clear trend on the ASX boards today that could explain the Pointsbet share price’s impressive performance. ASX tech shares were one of the best performing sectors on the ASX 200 today. The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) put on an eye-catching 2.15% today, with many ASX tech shares doing even better than that.

    EML Payments Ltd (ASX: EML) shares rose 12.3% today, while Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX) was up 3.4%, the Computershare Limited (ASX: CPU) share price lifted 2.7% and WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares climbed 2.47%.

    Pointsbet is also one of the ASX’s most shorted shares at the moment. This means the company’s share price is vulnerable to a short squeeze, which could also help explain its healthy outperformance today.

    Even so, today’s move isn’t nearly enough to make up for what has been an especially tough year for the Pointsbet share price. The company remains down more than 60% year to date in 2022, as well as down more than 75% over the past 12 months.

    At the current Pintsbet share price, this ASX tech share has a market capitalisation of $830 million.

    The post Why did the Pointsbet share price leap 7% on Thursday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Our #1 Strategy for today’s inflation drenched markets

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    Meanwhile the Reserve Bank believes that by the end of the year inflation in Australia will climb to levels not seen since 1990.
    As prices surge we’ve uncovered 3 “inflation fighting” stocks we think could hand investors outsized returns as the market recalibrates.
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    *Returns as of July 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended EML Payments, Pointsbet Holdings Ltd, and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended EML Payments and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pointsbet Holdings 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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  • Why this leading broker is bullish on the Aristocrat share price

    Man sitting at poker machine celebrates a win by raising his arms straight up in the air.

    Man sitting at poker machine celebrates a win by raising his arms straight up in the air.

    The Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) share price was on form again on Thursday.

    The gaming technology company’s shares have just ended the day with a gain of almost 2% to $36.70.

    This stretches its one-month return to a decent 11%.

    Can the Aristocrat share price keep rising?

    The good news is that the team at Citi believe there’s still plenty of room for the Aristocrat share price to climb.

    According to a note from this morning, the broker has retained its buy rating and $41.00 price target on the company’s shares.

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

    What did the broker say?

    Citi has been looking at the company’s digital operations, which are now called Pixel United.

    While the broker concedes that the mobile gaming market is posting declines on an annual basis, its research indicates that Aristocrat’s games are outperforming the market.

    In light of this, the broker remains positive on Aristocrat’s outlook and continues to forecast solid earnings growth over the coming years. It expects earnings per share of $1.78 in FY 2022 (up from $1.36 per share a year earlier), then $1.95 in FY 2023, and $2.11 in FY 2024.

    Citi commented:

    Overall, mobile game bookings for the industry look to be on a clear downward trend after having peaked in mid-2021. Bookings for the June 2022 quarter are down 19% on pcp and 28% from the peak. The decline has been broad-based across most genres, with game bookings for titles in the strategy and action genres falling the most, while casino and RPG games have fared better. While industry-wide trends present a risk to Aristocrat’s digital bookings outlook, the company’s key social casino titles and RAID had outperformed within their respective genres. We remain Buy rated on Aristocrat with an A$41.00 target price.

    The post Why this leading broker is bullish on the Aristocrat share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Three inflation fighting stocks no ones’ talking about

    Savvy Motley Fool investors may have already found three stock moves to help fight inflation.
    Three ASX stocks that could be hiding right under your nose.

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    *Returns as of July 1 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 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 dividend shares I’d buy with $2,000 right now

    A trendy woman wearing sunglasses is making it rain, spraying cash on that bargain.A trendy woman wearing sunglasses is making it rain, spraying cash on that bargain.

    ASX dividend shares could be good ideas for income and total returns at the current valuations.

    There has been a lot of volatility in recent months. While volatility is unpredictable, it should be expected — there have been significant sell-offs on many previous occasions, including the COVID-19 crash and the global financial crisis.

    For me, stock markets falling are a good time to be looking to buy shares. I’d rather buy shares when they’re priced lower than when they are more expensive.

    A bonus effect of lower share prices is that dividend yields are pushed up. So, not only can we buy companies at better value, but the cash returns of dividends are also bigger for new investors.

    With that in mind, these are two ASX dividend shares I think look good value for attractive prospective income:

    Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

    This real estate investment trust (REIT) owns properties in various industries such as pubs and bottle shops, government office buildings, telecommunications properties, grocery and distribution, fuel and convenience, food manufacturing, waste and recycling, and ‘other’.

    Tenants include Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV), Australian federal government and state government entities, Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS), BP, Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING) and Metcash Limited (ASX: MTS).

    As the name suggests, its property portfolio has tenants signed up for long-term leases. The weighted average lease expiry (WALE) is around 12 years. I think that gives good rental security and visibility about future rental income.

    The REIT notes that income growth is driven by annual rental increases in all its leases. It disclosed that 46% of leases are linked to CPI, while 54% are fixed with an average fixed increase of 3.1%. This can help drive rental profit and grow the ASX dividend share’s distribution.

    CMC markets has an estimated distribution of 28.6 cents per unit for FY23, translating into a forward distribution yield of 6.5%.

    Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW)

    Brickworks has a number of quality divisions. So, the fact the Brickworks share price has dropped more than 20% since the start of 2022 makes it seem much more attractive to me.

    It is the leading brickmaker in Australia with a number of brands including Austral Bricks. Brickworks also owns other building product brands including Bristle Roofing, Austral Precast, and Austral Masonry.

    Another area of the business that’s interesting is its US brickmaking division. After making a few acquisitions, it’s the market leader in the country’s northeast. The US is a huge market, so there is compelling potential growth there if it can grow its brickmaking business geographically and also add other building products.

    But, for me, two divisions are key for paying the Brickworks dividend, which hasn’t been cut for more than 40 years. The ASX dividend share has an investments division, which pays growing dividends to Brickworks. There’s also an industrial property trust, of which it owns half.

    The industrial property trust is building high-quality properties like high-tech warehouses for clients such as Amazon and Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL).

    There is reportedly strong demand for well-located logistics properties, which has helped increase the value of the properties and can help drive the rent higher in the coming years. In the FY22 half-year result, the net trust income rose 7% to $17 million.

    The industrial property trust has several years of projects planned, including the Oakdale East estate.

    Based on the CMC Markets estimated dividend per share of 63 cents, Brickworks offers a potential grossed-up dividend yield of 4.75% in FY22.

    The post 2 ASX dividend shares I’d buy with $2,000 right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Amazon and Brickworks. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Brickworks, COLESGROUP DEF SET, and Telstra Corporation Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon. 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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