Category: Stock Market

If you’re an income investor in search of dividend shares to buy, then you may want to look at the two listed below.

Both are being recommended as buys by the team at Morgans. Here’s what they are saying about these ASX 200 dividend shares:

QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE)

Morgans believes this insurance giant’s shares are in the buy zone at the current level. This is due to them trading on very attractive multiples at a time when QBE’s outlook is improving.

It said: “We see QBE as likely having positive underlying momentum into next year. QBE has been putting through top-line rate increases of around 9%, which should assist margin expansion into FY22. With QBE’s balance sheet recently reset, pricing tailwinds evident and the stock relatively inexpensive trading on ~12.8x FY22F PE [now ~14x].”

Morgans expects QBE to pay a 64.8 cents per share dividend in FY 2022. Based on the current QBE share price of $12.19, this will mean a yield of 5.3%. The broker has an add rating and $13.70 price target on its shares.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

Another ASX 200 dividend share that Morgans likes is Westpac. It believes the banking giant’s shares are cheap at the current level and expects them to provide a generous yield for investors.

Morgans commented: “WBC shares have been sold off heavily following the FY21 result announcement, such that out of the major banks, WBC is now trading on the lowest FY22F P/NTA multiple, the lowest FY22F P/E multiple and the highest FY22F dividend yield. Such multiples or yields could only be justified if WBC is a value trap, which we think it is not.”

The broker expects fully franked dividends per share of $1.23 in FY 2022 and then $1.62 in FY 2023. Based on the current Westpac share price of $21.75, this will mean yields of 5.7% and 7.45%, respectively. Morgans has an add rating and $29.50 price target on the bank’s shares.

The post Top broker names 2 ASX 200 dividend shares to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Westpac’s (ASX:WBC) $400m superannuation sale could be nearing the pointy end
• Here’s why CBA (ASX:CBA) shares have the lowest big four bank dividend right now
• Does the prospect of higher rates make ASX 200 bank shares more attractive?
• Here’s why the QBE (ASX:QBE) share price surged 30% in 2021
• Own Westpac (ASX:WBC) shares? Top broker says ‘there is still a lot of work to be done’

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns 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 Bruce Jackson.

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Could the Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price count as a buy right now, with a large projected dividend yield for FY22?

Rio Tinto is one of the world’s largest iron ore miners, with only the likes of BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) and Brazil’s Vale as major competitors.

The iron ore price helped make 2021 a very profitable year for the ASX mining share. But will 2022 be another good year for profit and dividends?

Dividend expectations

Each analyst has different expectations for what Rio Tinto may pay in 2022.

Using the Commsec forecast, the current Rio Tinto share price suggests a grossed-up dividend yield of 10.5% for FY22.

However, the broker Citi believes that Rio Tinto is going to pay an even bigger dividend in FY22. At today’s valuation, the projected FY22 grossed-up dividend yield is 12.75%.

Is the Rio Tinto share price a buy?

Citi does currently rate Rio Tinto a buy. Aluminium is one factor for the broker.

Both the broker and company have noted that Rio Tinto is changing its Australian aluminium smelters to have lower carbon usage.

With the introduction of carbon pricing, Rio Tinto expects that new coal-powered smelting will be challenged as they will need to pay a carbon price. It is that thought that the development of the ELYSIS technology – net zero aluminium smelting which produces oxygen – could lead to 15% lower operating costs, it can be applied to existing smelters and obviously reduces emissions.

Citi thinks that aluminium is going to have a good year in 2022.

Another factor playing into the broker’s thoughts on the Rio Tinto share price is the recent acquisition of the Rincon lithium project.

Lithium acquisition

Rio Tinto is buying the Argentine lithium project from Rincon Mining for $825 million.

The ASX mining company said that this acquisition demonstrates its commitment to build its battery minerals business and strengthen its portfolio for the global energy transition.

Rincon is a large, undeveloped lithium brine project in the heart of the lithium triangle in the Salta Province of Argentina. Management said that the project has a long life, is a scalable resource and could have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the industry.

Rio Tinto is prioritising projects and capital into commodities that support decarbonisation but can also make good returns for shareholders.

The ASX mining share thinks the market fundamentals for battery grade lithium carbonate are strong, with lithium demand forecast to grow by 25% to 35% per annum over the next decade with a significant supply demand deficit expected from the second half of this decade.

At the moment, Rio Tinto is also trying to get its European Jadar project approved, which is currently facing intense local scrutiny on environmental impact concerns.

Citi thinks that the outlook for lithium remains strong.

What is the Rio Tinto share price target?

Citi’s price target on Rio Tinto is $115, which is around 10% higher than where it is today.

The post Is the Rio Tinto Limited (ASX:RIO) share price a buy for its 13% dividend yield? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• 6 ASX shares involved with green metals
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Afterpay sinks again, BHP and Rio rise
• Why did the Rio Tinto share price (ASX:RIO) have such a lousy 2021?
• 2 ASX dividend shares with yields of more than 8%

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison owns Fortescue Metals Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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 Bruce Jackson.

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2021 was a good year for ASX shares.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) finished the year up 13%. The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) closed even higher, gaining 13.6% year-on-year.

But that’s all water under the bridge now.

Looking ahead to 2022, The Motley Fool asked Brendan Doggett, country manager at investing platform Sharesies AU, which sectors look strong for ASX shares and which ones may wobble.

Volatility and inflation

Doggett told The Motley Fool that he’d witnessed “a huge influx of new retail investors in the aftermath of the COVID-19 market crash of early 2020″.

Since then, investors have enjoyed 2 years of outsized growth, with the ASX 200 now up 55% from its 20 March 2020 closing low.

However, Doggett cautions that 2022 could look quite different for ASX shares. “This growth isn’t necessarily stable over the long-term. So, we can expect to see more market volatility heading in 2022. This is why the education piece is so important for us at Sharesies.”

One of the tangential impacts of the pandemic has been the extraordinary measures that governments and central banks have taken to keep their economies humming along. From near zero interest rates to record levels of quantitative easing (QE), all the monetary and fiscal levers have been pulled hard.

This, Doggett told us “combined with global supply chain constraints, created a perfect storm for inflation. Too much money, chasing too few goods and services”.

“Several asset classes are known to perform well in inflationary environments,” he added. “Tangible assets, like real estate and commodities, have historically been seen as inflation hedges.”

In line with ASX shares involved in the commodities space, Doggett said that with the worst of the pandemic hopefully behind us, the climate crisis is back on retail investors’ agendas:

Investors on the Sharesies platform continue to back companies building a future that they believe in, in growing numbers. Renewable energy and electric vehicles have been the main beneficiaries of this investor interest in past years, a trend that we expect to continue into 2022.

While investors will struggle to find any ASX shares directly working on EVs, there are plenty of listed companies that provide the base materials to power the renewable energy shift.

Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX), for example, is involved in graphite exploration and mining, battery technology, and battery materials to supply the booming lithium-ion battery industry. Novonix also happens to be the best performing of the ASX shares in 2021, gaining 660% last year.

Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG), as another example, isn’t solely an iron ore miner. The company is also developing green hydrogen production through its subsidiary green energy company, Fortescue Future Industries (FFI).

ASX shares in the BNPL space to remain popular

The once soaring buy now, pay later (BNPL) sector came under serious pressure in 2021.

Shares in industry heavyweight, Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT), dropped by 30% over the course of the year.

BNPL newcomer, Laybuy Holdings Ltd (ASX: LBY), fared even worse. With the share price losing 82% last year, Laybuy Holdings was the worst performing of the ASX shares listed on the All Ords.

Despite those struggles, Doggett said BNPL stocks look to remain popular with retail investors in 2022.

“After falling in and out of the top 10 most bought stocks at the close of 2021, we see this up and down ride continuing into 2022,” he told us.

Doggett added:

Whether you see these [BNPL] companies as overvalued and due for a correction or as growth machines with more to give, we expect these companies to remain a popular buy for investors in the year ahead as the companies continue to expand and secure partnerships in Australia and abroad with established players in the financial and retail sectors.

What about the great reopening?

As for ASX shares involved in the travel industry, like Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) and Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN), Doggett has a more pessimistic outlook for the year ahead.

“Beaten-down travel stocks have been a retail favourite with many purchasing shares in their favourite companies with a ‘pandemic discount’,” he said.

However, according to Doggett:

Travel stocks have not been quick to recover to pre-pandemic stock prices as new variants and uncertain future lockdowns weigh down investor confidence. As we head into a third year of airlines and other travel companies facing significant disruptions and ongoing loss of revenue, this is one sector which may have passed its window for a quick and strong bounce back to financial health.

Taking the All Ords as our benchmark, ASX shares have gained a combined 7.5% since 21 February 2020, just before the pandemic selloff commenced.

By comparison, the Qantas share price remains down 23% over that same period while the Flight Centre share price is still down 50%.

The post Buying ASX shares in 2022? Here’s what you need to know: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week
• Why Afterpay, BrainChip, Medibank, and WiseTech shares are racing higher
• Can you guess the best and worst All Ordinaries performers of 2021?
• ASX says Block listing is ‘most important since BHP’. Here’s why
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO): Woolworths withdraws API proposal, tech shares rebound

The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Afterpay Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Afterpay Limited. 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 Bruce Jackson.

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The Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) share price failed to generate positive returns for shareholders in 2021. The stuttering price of gold continued to weigh down on investor sentiment, causing a sell-off in the gold miner’s shares.

Over the course of 2021, Northern Star shares lost around 26%, making it one of the worst performers across the sector. In comparison, the share price of fellow miner Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) lost just 5% across the same time frame.

At yesterday’s market close, Northern Star shares were up 0.66% to $9.10 apiece. It’s worth noting its shares have been on a sharp decline since early November, down 14%.

Why did the Northern Star share price stumble?

The Northern Star share price has fallen drastically since the deterioration of the spot price of gold last year.

Investors traditionally flock to the yellow metal as a safe-haven asset when there is uncertainty in the market. However, with the world moving past COVID-19 along with renewed investor confidence in the US dollar, gold has lost its value.

In the past year, the price of gold soared close to the US$2,000 barrier but has since fallen away. Currently, an ounce of gold is fetching around US$1,792.00. That’s 8% down on the US$1,951.34 it was fetching at the start of last year.

The United States Federal Reserve indicated its intent to raise interest rates at least 3 times in 2022. That was because inflation had accelerated to 6.9%, the highest rate in nearly four decades, and unemployment levels were down.

Rising interest rates inversely drag down the price of precious metals, particularly gold, and it appears investors are bracing for the worst.

Nonetheless, Northern Star managing director and CEO Stuart Tonkin recently made an on-market transaction, buying more of the company’s shares.

The head honcho picked up 50,000 Northern Star shares at an average price of $8.86 per share or $443,000 worth.

The sale increases Tonkin’s existing holding by 4.2%, taking advantage of the recent share price weakness.

What do the brokers think?

A number of brokers believe the Northern Star share price is currently trading at a bargain price.

Last month, multinational investment firm Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) improved its outlook on Northern Star shares by 15% to $15 per share. Based on Friday’s closing price, this implies an upside of a sizeable 65% for investors.

On the other hand, Swiss investment firm UBS lowered its outlook on the company’s shares by 21% to $11.20. While the broker reduced its assessment on Northern Star, it still sees value in the gold miner. The price target represents a potential upside of 23% from where it trades today.

The post What happened to the Northern Star (ASX:NST) share price in 2021? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These were the 5 worst ASX 200 mining shares to hold in 2021
• Why is the Northern Star (ASX:NST) share price having such an unhappy new year?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Why has the Northern Star (ASX:NST) share price been heading south over the past month?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras owns Northern Star Resources Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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It certainly was an eventful week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). A selloff on Thursday led to the benchmark index giving back its earlier gains to rise just 0.1% over the four days to 7,453.3 points.

While a number of shares rose with the market, some climbed more than most. Here’s why these were the best performing ASX 200 shares last week:

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield CDI (ASX: URW)

The Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield share price was the best performer on the ASX 200 last week with a 10.3% gain. Other than revealing the termination of a debt facility, there wasn’t any news out of this shopping centre operator. However, its ASX listed shares tend to follow the lead of its European shares, which performed very positively.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

The Pilbara Minerals share price continued its meteoric rise and climbed a further 9.4% over the four days. Investors have been buying Pilbara Minerals and other lithium miners in recent weeks thanks partly to a bullish broker note out of Macquarie. Its analysts believe lithium prices could stay at record levels for the next four years. In light of this, it put an outperform rating and $3.70 price target on its shares.

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)

The Lynas share price wasn’t far behind with a gain of 8.8%. This may have been driven by an announcement at the end of the previous week which revealed that its Malaysian permanent disposal facility (PDF) for Water Leach Purification (WLP) residue has finally received environmental approval from the relevant Malaysian regulatory authorities.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)

The Santos share price was on form and charged 7.6% over the period. A decent rise in oil prices appears to have been behind this rise. Oil prices pushed higher amid unrest in Kazakhstan and an outage in Libya. This was enough to offset concerns over rising COVID cases and OPEC’s plan to increase production next month.

The post These were the best performing ASX 200 shares last week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO): Woolworths withdraws API proposal, tech shares rebound
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

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 Bruce Jackson.

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Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be an effective way to invest in a share market or in a particular sector. January 2022 could be a good month to find some ETF opportunities.

Investors can get useful diversification or a targeted allocation from the array of different options out there.

These two could be ideas to consider this month:

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

This ETF is focused, as the name suggests, on cybersecurity businesses around the world. Around 92% of the businesses are listed in the US, so it’s mostly an American-focused investment. However, those underlying businesses do typically earn profit globally.

As BetaShares says, with cybercrime on the rise, the demand for cybersecurity services is expected to “grow strongly for the foreseeable future”.

Looking at numbers provided by Statista, the global cybersecurity market is expected to grow from $137.6 billion in 2017 to $248.3 billion by 2023.

So what businesses are actually in the Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF? At the moment, the biggest positions are: Accenture, Cisco Systems, Palo Alto Networks, Crowdstrike, Cloudflare, Juniper Networks, Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, VMware and Akamai Technologies.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. However, after accounting for the annual management costs of 0.67%, the net returns over the past five years has been an average of 22.4% per annum.

BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

This is another ETF from BetaShares. It’s both geographic and sector focused. This investment is about the 50 biggest technology businesses in Asia, outside of Japan.

The three main places that are represented here are China (46.2%), Taiwan (24.6%) and South Korea (17.3%). India, with a 6.6% weighting, is the fourth biggest.

Many of Asia’s biggest tech names are in this portfolio. There are three positions that have a weighting of more than 10%: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (12.7%), Samsung Electronics (11.8%) and Tencent (10.2%).

Other businesses that have an allocation of at least 4% includes Alibaba (8.6%), Meituan (5.7%), Infosys (5.2%) and JD.com (4%).

The three sectors with the biggest weighting within this tech ETF are benefiting from growth tailwinds. Those three sector allocations are internet and direct marketing retail (25.9%), semiconductors (20.6%) and interactive media and services (17.1%).

BetaShares says that due to its younger, tech-savvy population, Asia is surpassing the West in terms of technological adoption and the sector is anticipated to remain a growth sector.

This potential investment has a 0.67% annual fee. Since inception in September 2018, the BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF has returned an average of 16.4% per annum.

The post 2 top ETFs that could be buys in January 2022 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here’s how the BetaShares Cybersecurity ETF (ASX:HACK) beat the ASX 200 in 2021
• 3 ASX ETFs for smart investors in 2022
• 3 high quality ETFs for ASX investors in January
• Here are 2 fantastic ETFs for ASX investors in 2022
• 2 exciting tech ETFs for ASX investors in 2022

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. owns and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL) share price had a modest run over the past 12 months. The company managed to navigate itself through tough market conditions caused by COVID-19.

In 2021, Medibank shares gained 11%, which was almost in line with the broader S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). The latter rose around 13.5% across the same timeframe.

At yesterday’s market close, the private health insurance company’s shares closed 0.3% higher to $3.40 apiece. A sharp contrast compared to the benchmark index which fell heavily by 2.74% to 7,358.3 points.

What happened to the Medibank share price in 2021?

The Medibank share price rose strongly during the first half of the year, underpinned by solid growth across key financial metrics.

Management noted that more people are continuing to prioritise their health and wellbeing through private health insurance. This is due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and heightened pressure on the public system.

Notably, the company experienced its biggest growth in more than 10 years, with market share up 37 basis points. 

In addition, ongoing focus on Medibank customers led to improved retention, and record customer advocacy levels.

Undoubtedly, this helped push the company’s shares to near record highs during the months of August and September.

Fast-forward to November, Medibank shares slightly backtracked due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. Rules regarding density limits as well as ongoing restrictions in Victoria and New South Wales have impacted the health system.

The uncertainty of when the post-COVID era will actually happen has driven the company’s shares momentarily lower.

Is this a buying opportunity?

A couple of brokers weighed in on the Medibank share price during the final months of 2021.

Multinational investment bank, Macquarie raised its 12-month price target by 2.9% to $3.55 for Medibank shares. This implies an upside of around 4.4% based on the current share price.

Following suit, Australian investment firm, Morgans also lifted its assessment on Medibank shares by 8.2% to also $3.55. Its analysts believe that there is still some value left in the private health insurance company.

The post How did the Medibank (ASX:MPL) share price perform in 2021? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• Why Afterpay, BrainChip, Medibank, and WiseTech shares are racing higher
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO): Woolworths withdraws API proposal, tech shares rebound
• What’s happening to the Medibank (ASX:MPL) share price today?
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Medibank and NIB rise, Bega sinks

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 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 Bruce Jackson.

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Last week was a volatile one for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). A couple of very strong days were offset by a shockingly bad day to leave the benchmark index just 0.1% higher than where it started it at 7,453.3 points.

Among the worst performers on the ASX 200 last week were the shares listed below. Here’s why they tumbled lower:

Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME)

The Pro Medicus share price was the worst performer on the ASX 200 with a 13.3% decline. This was driven partly by a broker note out of Morgans. Its analysts downgraded the health imaging company’s shares to a reduce rating on valuation grounds. The broker believes investors should sit tight and wait for buying opportunities around the $50 mark.

Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH)

The PointsBet share price wasn’t far behind with a decline of 12.2%. This follows a selloff in the tech sector after the release of hawkish minutes out of the US Federal Reserve. On Wall Street’s Nasdaq index, PointsBet’s rival Draftkings also saw its shares fall heavily over the period.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P)

The Zip share price was a poor performer and tumbled 11.8% over the four days. As well as being caught up in the tech selloff, Morgans reduced its price target on Zip’s shares to $7.54 from $8.56. It notes that the “[BNPL] sector is suddenly unloved by investors, so solid 1H22 results are required to change sentiment.” However, it highlights that Zip’s “earnings visibility remains poor” going into February’s earnings season.

Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT)

The Afterpay share price was out of form and tumbled 10.9% last week. While Morgans also reduced its price target on Afterpay’s shares to $91.49 from $132.00, the main drag was of course the weakness in the Block (Square) share price. As shareholders have approved the all-scrip takeover proposal from Block, the value of the transaction rises and falls with the Block share price. Unfortunately for shareholders, it has been falling a lot recently.

The post These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• Why Afterpay, BrainChip, Medibank, and WiseTech shares are racing higher
• ASX says Block listing is ‘most important since BHP’. Here’s why
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO): Woolworths withdraws API proposal, tech shares rebound
• How did the S&P/ASX All Technologies Index (XTX) perform in 2021?

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. owns and has recommended Afterpay Limited, Pointsbet Holdings Ltd, Pro Medicus Ltd., and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Afterpay Limited and Pro Medicus Ltd. 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 Bruce Jackson.

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Today, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) regained its footing to finish the week higher. At the end of the session, the benchmark index climbed 1.29% to 7,453.3 points.

Investors returned to the market with a more optimistic perspective today compared to yesterday’s brutal session. As a consequence, all sectors were showing up green at the final bell. Leading the index higher were energy and financial shares. Another positive move in oil prices overnight provided a positive injection for oil and gas companies.

However, the question is: which shares delivered the biggest returns to investors on the ASX today? Here are the top ten stocks that came through for investors:

Top 10 ASX shares countdown today

Looking at the top 200 listed companies, Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL) was the biggest gainer today. Shares in the private health insurer rallied 5.88% to a new 52-week high despite there being no announcements out on Friday. Find out more about Medibank Private here.

The next biggest gaining ASX share today was Latitude Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: LFS). The financial services company gained another 4.00% today after a solid session yesterday amid its plans to acquire the consumer services business of Humm Group Ltd (ASX: HUM). Uncover the latest Latitude Group details here.

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

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)	$3.60	5.88%
Latitude Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: LFS)	$2.08	4.00%
NIB Holdings Ltd (ASX: NHF)	$7.23	3.73%
New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC)	$2.30	3.60%
Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL)	$2.90	3.57%
Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)	$55.95	3.44%
Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)	$2.75	3.38%
Virgin Money UK PLC (ASX: VUK)	$3.44	3.30%
Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG)	$20.37	3.14%
Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT)	$74.00	2.99%

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.

More reading

• Why Afterpay, BrainChip, Medibank, and WiseTech shares are racing higher
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO): Woolworths withdraws API proposal, tech shares rebound
• The only 2 profitable ASX BNPL players are merging. Now what?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns Afterpay Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Afterpay Limited and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Afterpay Limited and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Humm Group Limited and NIB Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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A more environmentally conscious society has offered ASX renewable shares a prevalent tailwind in recent years. While some companies received a boost in 2021, the year was dominated by deals.

In other words, investors were competing with private equity when it came to renewable energy shares last year. Many of the companies that delivered shareholders with positive returns ended up being acquired in 2021. To provide a clear picture of the sector we’ve included acquired companies in this list.

Here are the ASX renewable shares that powered investor portfolios throughout 2021.

Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG)

Although it’s hard to argue Origin Energy is a renewable energy company, it does hold a significant renewable footprint.

During FY21, Origin installed 74 megawatts of solar on Australian homes and businesses. Additionally, the energy company progressed its assessment of renewable hydrogen and renewable ammonia opportunities in Bell Bay, Tasmania.

Alongside this, Origin holds a 20% equity interest in UK-based renewable energy provider Octopus Energy.

Shares in Origin climbed 10% higher by the end of 2021. Accompanying this gain was a respectable 20 cents per share in dividends for shareholders.

Infratil Ltd (ASX: IFT)

The next company making the top 5 best performing ASX renewables shares is Infratil. This infrastructure company used to own a substantial chunk of Tilt Renewables before it was acquired during the year. However, Infratil’s portfolio of investments still maintains a 21% allocation across renewables.

At the end of September 2021, renewable investments in the Infratil portfolio included Trust Power, Longroad Energy, Gurin Energy, and Galileo Green Energy.

The Infratil share price was pushed higher, boosted by achieving a record net surplus for its shareholders in 2021. Investors who stuck with this ASX renewable share enjoyed a 12.2% gain by the end of the year.

Tilt Renewables Ltd (ASX: TLT)

As I alluded to earlier, Tilt Renewables was one ASX renewables share that was gobbled up before the year was over.

The New Zealand-based electricity producer was essentially as much of a pure-play renewables company as one could get — with a number of wind and solar assets across Australia. This attracted interest from Mercury NZ Ltd (ASX: MCY) and Powering Australian Renewables (PowAR), which ended up acquirer the company’s assets.

When the final deal was done, Tilt shareholders walked away with NZ$8.10 per share, reflecting a gain of ~27% in 2021.

Spark Infrastructure Group (ASX: SKI)

Spark Infrastructure is another ASX renewable share that wasn’t able to see in 2022 as a public company. Unlike some of the other companies, Spark operates in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity — operating throughout New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.

Unfortunately for would-be renewable investors, Spark is now off the table after being acquired by a consortium of investors late last year. For a total consideration of $2.95 per security, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, and Public Sector Pension Investors acquired the previously listed energy company.

In turn, shareholders bagged an astounding return of 39.8% during the year. That reflects a ~27% outperformance of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

Redflow Ltd (ASX:RFX)

Finally, the last ASX renewable share on the list is more on the speculative end of the scale. Redflow is a small-cap battery storage company.

As renewable energy sources rise to prominence methods for adding security and storing the energy produced are becoming more important. While some renewable methods, such as hydropower, naturally incorporate energy storage, other options, such as wind and solar, require another way of managing the supply and demand of the network. As such, grid-tier batteries provide a way for renewable electricity generation to be managed.

The Redflow share price travelled from 2 cents per share to 5 cents per share by the end of the year — representing an increase of 150%.

The post In the green: the 5 best ASX renewable shares of 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How did the Origin (ASX:ORG) share price perform in 2021?
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Afterpay hits 52-week low, energy shares rise
• These were the 5 worst performing ASX hydrogen shares of 2021
• What’s happened to Spark Infrastructure (ASX:SKI) shares?
• Origin (ASX:ORG) share price slips on $42 million acquisition

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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 Bruce Jackson.

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