• Own Pilbara Minerals shares? Here’s your third-quarter update preview

    A female miner wearing a high vis vest and hard hard smiles and holds a clipboard while inspecting a mine site with a colleague.

    All eyes will be on Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares next week when the lithium miner releases its eagerly anticipated third quarter update.

    Ahead of the release on Friday of next week, let’s now take a look at what the market is expecting from the company’s report.

    Quarterly update preview

    According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts are expecting Pilbara Minerals to report spodumene production of 173,000 tonnes. This will be down 1.7% quarter on quarter.

    It is also a touch short of the consensus estimate of 177,000 tonnes of spodumene for the three months ended 31 March.

    Goldman expects Pilbara Minerals to report spodumene sales volumes of 174,000 tonnes for the period, up 6.1% quarter on quarter. Once again, this is slightly lower than the consensus estimate of 180,000 tonnes.

    What about lithium prices?

    While production and sales volumes are important, the biggest impact on Pilbara Minerals shares from this report is likely to come from the price it commands for its lithium.

    Unfortunately, Goldman Sachs believes that the company will report another sharp decline in the average realised spodumene price.

    For the three months, it is expecting an average price of US$869 per tonne. This is down 21.9% quarter on quarter and 82% year on year.

    As with the other metrics, the broker’s estimate is lower than consensus expectations. The market currently expects an average realised spodumene price of US$891 per tonne for the quarter.

    One positive is that Goldman believes Pilbara Minerals will report a small reduction in its cash costs to A$630 per tonne. This is actually lower than the consensus estimate of A$666 per tonne.

    Should you buy Pilbara Minerals shares?

    As you might have guessed from its bearish view on both lithium prices and the company’s operating performance, Goldman Sachs doesn’t think investors should be buying Pilbara Minerals shares right now.

    This week the broker has reiterated its sell rating with a lowly $2.90 price target. This implies potential down of over 25% for investors. It explains:

    We are Sell rated on: (1) Valuation: where PLS remains at a premium to peers (1.2x NAV & pricing ~US$1,265/t LT spodumene; peer average ~1.1x & ~US$1,250/t), with near-term FCF continuing to decline on lithium prices and increasing growth spend (c.-10% FCF yield in FY24E, and c.0% in FY25-27E) and a significant premium out to FY30E vs. peers on both EV/EBITDA and EV/Production on broadly normalised production/lithium prices; (2) Doubling production over 5 years with further optionality, though more than priced in, where we continue to see risk that a Beyond P1000 expansion disappoints vs. market expectations on a combination of capex, size, or timing (study expected Jun-24 Q), with a P1400 spend of ~A$0.85bn taking total capex spend over FY24-28E to ~A$3bn, ~A$0.9bn ahead of consensus which already prices further expansion; (3) Funded for further growth opportunities and ongoing capital management, though on more modest cash balance.

    The post Own Pilbara Minerals shares? Here’s your third-quarter update preview appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. 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 200 shares today

    A man holding a cup of coffee puts his thumb up and smiles while at laptop.

    It’s been the third day in a row of gains for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), as of this Wednesday’s close.

    After recording rises over both Monday and Tuesday’s sessions, the ASX 200 tripled up with a lift of 0.31% today. That puts the index at 7,848.5 points.

    This happy hump day display follows a more tentative Tuesday up on the US markets overnight.

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) recovered from a sharp dip to post a small loss of 0.023%.

    However, things were happier on the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC), which managed to climb 0.32%.

    But returning to the ASX now, and it’s time for a checkup on how the various ASX sectors were moving today.

    Winners and losers

    Despite the market’s good mood, there were still a few corners that weren’t feeling the love this Wednesday.

    The most obvious of those was the tech sector. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) had a horrible time of it, sinking by 1.2% by the closing bell.

    Gold stocks also had a day to forget. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) retreated by a meaningful 0.73% today.

    Another losing group were financial shares, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) recording a 0.39% loss.

    Energy stocks copped it as well, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ)’s 0.37% drop.

    But that’s it for the losers. Turning now to the winners, and it was real estate investment trusts (REITs) that came out on top. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) led the charge higher, surging by 1.17%.

    Healthcare stocks got the silver medal, though. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) bounced 1.03% this Wednesday.

    Mining shares fared well, too, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ)’s 0.85% pop.

    As did industrial stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) ended up soaring 0.76%.

    Utilities shares were right behind that, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) lifting by 0.69%.

    Communications stocks enjoyed a strong day, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) got a 0.58% bump by the end of the day.

    Consumer discretionary shares got an invite to the party as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) received a 0.39% upgrade.

    Last up, we have consumer staples stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) still got a decent rise today, inching 0.1% higher.

    Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

    Taking out today’s pole position was miner Stanmore Resources Ltd (ASX: SMR).

    Stanmore shares shot up by a pleasing 6.31% today to $3.0 each. That was despite any fresh news or announcements out of the company.

    Here’s a look at the rest of today’s winners:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Stanmore Resources Ltd (ASX: SMR) $3.20 6.31%
    Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) $2.83 4.81%
    Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) $1.35 4.25%
    Ansell Ltd (ASX: ANN) $26.46 4.05%
    Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR) $0.56 3.70%
    Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN) $1.185 3.49%
    Smartgroup Corporation Ltd (ASX: SIQ) $10.09 3.28%
    Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) $7.58 2.99%
    Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: LYC) $6.96 2.65%
    Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd (ASX: FPH) $24.22 2.50%

    Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

    The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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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 Nanosonics. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Nanosonics and Smartgroup. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ansell. 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 are BOQ shares falling on a rumoured sale?

    A man thinks very carefully about his money and investments.

    The Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ) share price closed 1.15% lower today at $6.04 amid rumours the ASX bank share may be planning to sell one of its divisions.

    But it was not the only bank share to dip on Wednesday. Shares in the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) were down almost 1% at the close of trade, while the ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) and National Australia Bank Ltd (ANZ: NAB) share prices also slipped into the red.

    The chart below shows that the BOQ share price has dropped by around 30% over the last three years.

    Is the way forward for the bank to divest and simplify so that it can focus on its core offering of lending and term deposits? Time will tell.

    Potential sale of auxiliary business unit

    According to reporting by The Australian, speculation has been mounting that the Bank of Queensland is moving toward the sale of a business it bought from Investec almost 10 years ago. The business came with $2.4 billion in loans and $2.7 billion in deposits.

    The acquisition — offering Australian professional finance, asset finance and leasing, and mostly servicing dentists and doctors — reportedly cost $440 million.

    The Australian reported that analysts believed regional banks were under pressure to simplify their businesses, noting that Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) recently sold its stake in Homesafe and planned to sell out of Cuscal when it floats.

    Upcoming report

    BOQ will report its FY24 half-year results and dividend next week (17 April).

    As my colleague James Mickleboro reported recently, broker Goldman Sachs expects cash earnings of $154 million from BOQ. That net profit is 6.1% lower than the consensus of analyst expectations of $164 million.

    Goldman Sachs also tipped an interim dividend of 16 cents per share. This is 7.5% lower than the market’s expectation (17.3 cents per share) and would represent a 20% decrease year over year.

    The broker thinks the net interest margin (NIM) could disappoint, as well as a smaller-than-expected loan book.

    Broker UBS is also negative on the ASX bank share. It has a sell rating on the bank, with a price target of $5 – that implies the BOQ share price could fall this year by around 17% from where it is today.

    UBS suggested BOQ could generate earnings per share (EPS) of 44 cents, which would imply the current BOQ share price is valued at 14x FY24’s estimated earnings. However, the bank could then achieve EPS growth each year between FY25 and FY28 until it reached an EPS of 66 cents in the 2028 financial year.

    Of course, these broker forecasts about profit and share price are educated guesses — BOQ could perform much better or worse than expected.

    The post Why are BOQ shares falling on a rumoured sale? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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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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  • Buy these ASX 300 dividend stocks for a passive income boost

    Man holding out Australian dollar notes, symbolising dividends.

    The good news for income investors is that there are a great number of dividend-paying ASX stocks to pick from on the Australian share market.

    To narrow things down, let’s now take a look at three ASX 300 dividend stocks that analysts have recently tipped as buys.

    Here’s what sort of upside and dividend yields you can expect from them in the near term:

    Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT (ASX: HCW)

    The first ASX 300 dividend stock that could be a buy is the Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT. It is a leading health and wellness focused real estate investment trust with exposure to attractive megatrends.

    Morgans is feeling positive about the company and its outlook. So much so, it recently put a buy rating and $1.61 price target on its shares.

    As for dividends, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 8 cents in both FY 2024 and FY 2025. Based on the current Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT unit price of $1.22, this will mean yields of 6.5% for investors.

    Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC)

    Lottery Corporation could be another ASX 300 dividend stock to buy. It is the lottery company responsible for the OZ Lotto, Powerball, and Keno brands.

    UBS is a fan of Lottery Corporation. It has been pleased with the company’s performance so far in FY 2024, highlighting that its revenue and earnings came in ahead of expectations during the first half.

    In response, the broker retained its buy rating and lifted its price target to $5.75.

    In respect to income, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 17 cents in FY 2024 and 20 cents in FY 2025. Based on the latest Lottery Corporation share price of $5.10, this will mean fully franked yields 3.3% and 3.9%, respectively.

    Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA)

    Goldman Sachs remains positive on this packaging company and sees it as an ASX 300 dividend stock to buy. This is despite the release of a disappointing trading last week which led to earnings estimates downgrades and a trimmed valuation.

    Goldman now has a buy rating and $3.00 price target on its shares.

    Positively, the broker is also expecting the company’s beaten down shares to provide investors with some generous yields. It is now forecasting dividends per share of 12 cents in FY 2024 and 13 cents in FY 2025. Based on the current Orora share price of $2.23, this will mean yields of 5.4% and 5.8%, respectively.

    The post Buy these ASX 300 dividend stocks for a passive income boost appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group and Lottery. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Orora. 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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  • 4 ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy now

    A group of people in suits watch as a man puts his hand up to take the opportunity.

    If you are wanting to add some ASX 200 blue chip shares to your portfolio this month, then the four shares listed below could be worth a closer look.

    These ASX 200 shares have all been named as buys recently by analysts and tipped to rise from current levels. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Brambles Limited (ASX: BXB)

    The first ASX 200 blue chip share that could be a buy according to analysts is Brambles. It is a supply chain solutions company that specialises in reusable pallets, crates, and containers for shared use.

    UBS is feeling positive about the company. In response to its stronger than expected first-half results in February, the broker put a buy rating on its shares with an improved price target of $17.10.

    Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

    Over at Bell Potter, its analysts think that this toll road operator could be a top blue chip option for investors to buy.

    The broker believes “the current inflationary environment is favourable for Transurban given its inflation-linked revenue stream with annual escalators.” In addition, it highlights its current pipeline of growth projects is valued at $3.3 billion.

    Bell Potter currently has a buy rating $15.90 price target on the company’s shares.

    Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

    A third ASX 200 blue chip share for investors to look at is Treasury Wine. It is the wine company behind popular brands including Penfolds, Wolf Blass, 19 Crimes, and Blossom Hill. It also recently added to its portfolio with the blockbuster U.S. acquisition of DAOU Vineyards for a sizeable $1.4 billion.

    UBS is also a big fan of Treasury Wine and sees a lot of value in its shares at current levels. In response to news that Chinese tariffs have been removed, last week the broker retained its buy rating with an improved price target of $15.25.

    Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

    Finally, the team at Goldman Sachs believes that cloud accounting platform provider Xero could be a top ASX 200 blue chip share to buy right now.

    The broker is very positive on the company due to its long-term market opportunity. It highlights that this comprises “100mn SMBs worldwide representing a >NZ$76bn TAM.” It also states that it is “positive on the company’s outlook given accelerating product pipeline and strong management team to capture overseas market share while balancing profitability.”

    Goldman Sachs currently has a buy rating and $152.00 price target on its shares.

    The post 4 ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Treasury Wine Estates and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group, Transurban Group, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Treasury Wine Estates. 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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  • Can the CSL share price really reach $500 in just 3 years?

    woman in lab coat conducting testing representing biotech

    The CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) share price is up 1.3% in afternoon trade today.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) biotech stock closed yesterday trading for $280.08. At time of writing on Wednesday, shares are swapping hands for $283.60 apiece.

    As you can see on the chart below, that leaves the biotech stock down around 6% since this time last year.

    As you can also see, CSL enjoyed a big rebound at the end of October, with shares up more than 22% since 31 October.

    But for the CSL share price to hit $500 it would need to gain another 79% from current levels.

    Is that achievable in just three years?

    According to the analysts at Macquarie, it most certainly is.

    Why the CSL share price could soar from here

    As a bit of background, CSL has three operating arms: CSL Behring (the company’s blood plasma segment), CSL Vifor, and its Seqirus businesses.

    The company acquired CSL Vifor, a global leader in iron deficiency therapies, in 2022 for US$11.7 billion.

    While Vifor has been struggling to achieve growth since that acquisition, it’s the Behring division that Macquarie believes could help propel the CSL share price to new heights.

    As The Australian Financial Review reports, Macquarie’s analysts believe the biotech giant is trading significantly below its 10-year average price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. Macquarie expects CSL to trade back at historic P/E ratios amid annual earnings growth of some 15%.

    That’s based expectations that CSL Behring will make up 90% of that earnings growth over the next five years.

    As for the CSL share price hitting $500 in three years, the analysts said, “We see this as both attractive and achievable.”

    Indeed, when CSL reported its half-year results on 13 February, CEO Paul McKenzie said:

    For FY 2024, I am pleased to reaffirm our previous guidance. CSL’s underlying profit, NPATA is expected to be in the range of approximately $2.9 billion to $3.0 billion at constant currency, representing growth over FY23 of approximately 13% to 17%.

    Scott Olsson, a portfolio manager at Firetrail Investments’ Australian high conviction fund, which owns CSL stock, is also bullish on the outlook for the CSL share price, citing a pullback in the high costs encountered during the pandemic alongside an improved outlook for the company’s plasma collections.

    According to Olsson (quoted by the AFR):

    We think CSL presents a buying opportunity now because the market is more sceptical on management than it has been in the past, and the Vifor acquisition is turning out to not be a great buy so far, but that’s a very small part of the business. I think the market is quite distracted on a few things.”

    What are other experts saying?

    Atop Macquarie and Firetrail, a number of other investment experts are bullish on the outlook for the CSL share price.

    As the Motley Fool reported yesterday, Morgans has an ‘add’ rating and $315.40 price target on the ASX 200 biotech stock’s shares.

    The analysts at UBS recently gave CSL the equivalent of a ‘buy’ rating, with a $330.00 price target.

    Now, these are 12-month price targets, mind you, while Macquarie’s $500 a share forecast for CSL is a three-year prediction.

    The post Can the CSL share price really reach $500 in just 3 years? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    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. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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

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  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    A businessman looking at his digital tablet or strategy planning in hotel conference lobby. He is happy at achieving financial goals.

    Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models again. This has led to the release of a number of broker notes this week.

    Three ASX shares brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

    Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

    According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have retained their buy rating on this location technology company’s shares with an improved price target of $16.25. The broker made the move in response to a positive and unexpected market update which revealed that Life360 had a record first quarter. It notes that the company’s global monthly active users and global paying circles materially exceeded both its own and the market’s expectations. This has led to Bell Potter lifting its revenue and earnings forecasts through to FY 2026. Together with improving sentiment thanks to the successful tech IPO of Reddit Inc (NYSE: RDDT), the broker has lifted the valuation metrics it uses for the company. The Life360 share price is currently trading at $13.74 on Wednesday.

    Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN)

    A note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $8.05 price target on this airline operator’s shares. This follows the announcement of a major upgrade to its Frequent Flyer program. This includes the launch of Classic Plus rewards. This will provide customers with 20 million+ more reward seats for redemption by the end of 2024. While the broker has trimmed its earnings estimates slightly in FY 2024 to reflect the change, this is offset by increases to medium term earnings estimates. As a result, it holds firm with its valuation and continues to believe that its shares are significantly undervalued. The Qantas share price is fetching $5.95 this afternoon.

    Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL)

    Analysts at Bell Potter have retained their buy rating and $2.60 price target on this gold miner’s shares. This follows the release of an update on the McPhillamys Gold project. According to the note, the broker acknowledges that the miner has increased its cost estimates materially for the gold project. However, while this is disappointing, the higher costs are expected to be offset by the stronger gold price. As a result, the broker remains positive on the company. It also sees plenty of value in its shares at the current level. The Regis Resources share price is trading at $2.10 on Wednesday afternoon.

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

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

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    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group and Life360. 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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  • If I had to buy only one top 20 stock for dividends, this is it!

    Businessman smiles with arms outstretched after receiving good news.

    Whether by preference or circumstance, investors are often drawn to the big dogs of the ASX. The sheer size of companies in the S&P/ASX 20 Index (ASX: XTL) offers a level of security and dependability that is seldom found elsewhere — making it a popular fishing hole for top dividend stocks.

    Some of the biggest dividend payers are housed within the 20 largest companies by market capitalisation. We’re talking about the likes of BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS).

    There are plenty of solid options. However, if I wanted to invest a decent sum of money in only one, I know exactly which company I’d select.

    Process of elimination

    I like to keep it simple when searching for a source of passive flows. The criteria I’ll first inspect are the current dividend yield and net income margin.

    The company’s net margin is key. The way I see it, the more money the business is making, the more it can afford to pay me as a shareholder. Low margins require management to run a tight ship; if choppy waters were to hit, those dividends might be the first to go overboard.

    As such, Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) and QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) are scrapped due to their low margins.

    Additionally, commodity-linked businesses are susceptible to years of unprofitable prices. I’m not interested in that level of unpredictability in dividend income, excluding companies like Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO).

    The cherry on top of a dividend stock is a catalyst for growth.

    Tailwinds for this top dividend stock

    As I discussed in another article today, The Big Short star Steve Eisman believes infrastructure is poised for massive expansion over the next decade. I tend to agree. So, it stands to reason a business in this domain could grow its dividends over the coming years.

    Despite its more modest dividend yield of 3.7%, I figure Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) is the top dog for the job.

    Data by Trading View

    The investment bank has routinely posted net margins above 20%. Moreover, dividends per share have grown significantly in the last decade. In 2023, Macquarie delivered $7.50 in annual dividends, compared to $2.12 in 2013, as shown above.

    Lastly, Macquarie is arguably at the epicentre of infrastructure development. Through its Macquarie Asset Management arm, the company already manages $882.5 billion in assets.

    As more infrastructure is developed, Macquarie is well-placed to engage in public-private partnerships (PPPs) with governments to obtain the necessary funding.

    The post If I had to buy only one top 20 stock for dividends, this is it! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler has positions in Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and Telstra 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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  • How has the Liontown share price rocketed 15% in a week?

    Two happy excited friends in euphoria mood after winning in a bet with a smartphone in hand.

    It’s been a decent week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). Since last Thursday, the ASX 200 has gained a healthy 1.05%. But that’s nothing compared to the gains of the Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) share price.

    Liontown shares have rocketed over the past five trading days. This ASX 200 lithium stock opened at $1.17 a share last Thursday. But today, Liontown is swapping hands for $1.34 a share at the time of writing, up a rosy 3.47% for the day thus far. This means that Liontown shares have gained an impressive 14.53% over the past week or so.

    Even the mathematically challenged would recognise what a significant move this is for Liontown’s investors.

    But how has this lithium stock pulled such an eye-watering gain out of its proverbial hat?

    Unfortunately, it’s not immediately obvious why Liontown shares have exploded so dramatically in value over the past week. There have been no significant pieces of news or ASX announcements out of the company whatsoever over this period.

    In fact, there hasn’t been a price-sensitive ASX filing from Liontown since 13 March last month.

    How have Liontown shares put on 15% in just one week?

    However, there is something we can point to that might have been influencing the Liontown share price of late.

    Earlier this month, my Fool colleague James covered a very positive outlook on Liontown shares indeed, coming from ASX broker Bell Potter.

    Bell Potter was so impressed with Liontown’s securement of a $550 million funding facility last month that it reaffirmed a ‘speculative buy’ rating on the company. That came with a drastically increased 12-month share price target of $1.90 for the Liontown share price.

    If realised, this would see investors enjoy even more gains from Liontown shares – worth almost 42% over the coming year.

    Bell Potter cited Liontown’s funding arrangement as the catalyst for its improved share price target. The broker stated that “the new facility provides funding headroom of around A$150m above [Liontown’s Kathleen Valley Lithium Project]’s remaining capex and working capital requirements”.

    In addition, Bell Potter described the Kathleen Valley project as “highly strategic in terms of its stage of development, long mine life and location”. It also cited the significant involvement of Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting as a positive. Hancock currently has a 19.9% in Liontown.

    However, the broker noted that its “speculative risk rating recognises this higher level of risk” involved in investing in an “asset development company” like Liontown.

    Even so, this bullish outlook from one of the ASX’s major brokers could well be what has caused this notable uptick in the Liontown share price over the past week. Let’s see if this momentum continues.

    The post How has the Liontown share price rocketed 15% in a week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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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 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 Cardno, Mesoblast, Perseus, and Somnomed shares are dropping today

    A young woman holds an open book over her head with a round mouthed expression as if to say oops as she looks at her computer screen in a home office setting with a plant on the desk and shelves of books in the background.

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record another gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.5% to 7,863.6 points.

    Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here’s why they are falling:

    Cardno Ltd (ASX: CDD)

    The Cardno share price is down 46% to 33 cents. This has been driven by the professional infrastructure and environmental services company’s shares going ex-dividend this morning. Last week, the company announced plans to distribute an unfranked dividend of 27.6 cents per share to shareholders. This equates to a total return of $10.8 million. This reflects the repatriation of US$5.9 million of collections related to three positive legal claims and $1.5 million from the sale of Cardno International Development to DT Global Australia. This dividend will be paid to eligible shareholders later this month on 29 April.

    Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB)

    The Mesoblast share price is down 2.5% to 88.7 cents. This is despite there being no news from the allogeneic cellular medicines developer. However, it is worth noting that its shares have been on fire in recent weeks, so profit-taking could be happening today. For example, Mesoblast’s shares remain up approximately 175% since this time last month. This has been driven by excitement over recent correspondence from the US Food and Drug Administration. Investors appear optimistic that one of the company’s stem cell therapies could be approved at long last in the near future.

    Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU)

    The Perseus Mining share price is down 2.5% to $2.27. This morning, the gold miner announced that its takeover offer for Orecorp Ltd (ASX: ORR) has been given a boost. Perseus revealed that Silvercorp Metals has accepted the company’s offer. This is a big win as Silvercorp’s holding represents 15.61% of OreCorp shares on issue. This means that Perseus now has a relevant interest of 74.98% of OreCorp shares on issue. However, it seems that investors don’t appear overly keen on the proposed takeover.

    Somnomed Ltd (ASX: SOM)

    The Somnomed share price is down 47% to 20.5 cents. Investors have been hitting the sell button in response to an earnings downgrade and capital raising. Somnomed downgraded its revenue guidance to 6%-9% growth and EBITDA guidance to negative $1 million to $0 million. This compares to previous revenue guidance of 12%+ and EBITDA guidance of $3 million+ for FY 2024. Management blamed manufacturing constraints and delayed implementation of cost initiatives. It also raised approximately $5.8 million at a deep discount of 21 cents per new share.

    The post Why Cardno, Mesoblast, Perseus, and Somnomed shares are dropping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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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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