Luckily for Australian income investors, the local share market is one of the most generous in the world when it comes to dividends.

Year in, year out, countless listed companies share a portion of their profits with their loyal shareholders.

But which ASX dividend shares could be top buys for income investors when the market reopens? Let’s take a look at five that could be buys.

Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

The first ASX dividend share to look at is footwear-focused retailer Accent. Bell Potter is a big fan of the HypeDC and The Athlete’s Foot owner and has a buy rating and $2.50 price target on its shares.

As for income, the broker is expecting some very attractive dividend yields from its shares in the near term. It is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 13 cents in FY 2024 and then 14.6 cents in FY 2025. Based on the latest Accent share price of $2.03, this represents dividend yields of 6.4% and 7.2%, respectively.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

Another ASX dividend share that has been named as a buy is the world’s largest miner, BHP. Goldman Sachs thinks the Big Australian’s shares are in the buy zone right now and has a buy rating and $49.40 price target on them.

In respect to dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of approximately ~$2.22 per share in FY 2024 and then $1.96 per share in FY 2025. Based on the current BHP share price of $44.27, this equates to yields of 5% and 4.4%, respectively.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Goldman Sachs also sees telco giant Telstra as an ASX dividend share to buy. The broker currently has a buy rating and $4.55 price target on its shares.

Goldman likes the company’s low risk earnings and dividend growth over the coming years. It is forecasting fully franked dividends of 18 cents per share in FY 2024 and then 19 cents per share in FY 2025. Based on the current Telstra share price of $3.86, this equates to fully franked yields of 4.65% and 4.9%, respectively.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Analysts at Citi are tipping toll road operator Transurban as an ASX dividend share to buy. The broker has a buy rating and $15.60 price target on its shares.

Citi believes the company is positioned to pay a dividend ahead of guidance in FY 2024. It is forecasting dividends per share of 63 cents this year and then 65 cents in FY 2025. Based on the current Transurban share price of $13.32, this will mean yields of 4.7% and 4.9%, respectively.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

Finally, analysts at Morgans are tipping energy giant Woodside as an ASX dividend share to buy. It has an add rating and $34.20 price target on its shares.

As for dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of $1.36 per share in FY 2024 and $1.12 per share in FY 2025. Based on the current Woodside share price of $30.50, this equates to 4.4% and 3.7% dividend yields, respectively.

The post 5 top ASX dividend shares to buy right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• 2 of my top ASX 200 shares to consider buying before April
• I’d spend $8k on these ASX 200 shares today to target a $6,102 annual passive income
• Investing for passive income? Keep any eye out for that boosted Telstra dividend today!
• Why it’s a great day to own BHP shares
• Is Telstra stock a buy, sell, or hold?

Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woodside Energy Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/Hrl5b9t

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was in fine form in March, delivering a 2.6% gain and ending the period at a record high close of 7,896.9 points.

While this was an impressive gain, it wasn’t as strong as some that were recorded on the ASX 200 index.

For example, the best-performing ASX 200 shares last month are named below. Here’s how they performed:

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price was the best performer on the ASX 200 in March with a 65% gain. Investors were fighting to get hold of the location technology company’s shares following the release of its FY 2023 results. Life360 posted a 52% jump in subscription revenue to US$200 million and smashed its earnings guidance with adjusted EBITDA US$20.6 million. The latter compares to its guidance of US$12 million to US$16 million. In addition, the company announced plans to monetise its 60 million monthly active users with the launch of an advertising business.

West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF)

The West African Resources share price was the next best performer with a 38% gain last month. Investors were buying West African Resources and other ASX gold miners after the price of the precious metal surged. This was driven by optimism that inflation is now cooling and interest rates are going to fall. In addition, the company was granted a mining permit for the Toega gold deposit in Burkina Faso. For similar reasons, Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares were on fire and rose 31% in March.

Virgin Money UK (ASX: VUK)

The Virgin Money UK share price caught the eye with a monthly gain of 33%. Investors were snapping up the UK-based bank’s shares after it received a takeover offer. Nationwide Building Society tabled an offer of 220 British pence per share, which equates to $4.26 per share based on current exchange rates. This values the bank at approximately $5.7 billion. Virgin Money UK has since accepted the offer.

Alumina Ltd (ASX: AWC)

The Alumina share price was on form and raced 29% higher in March. This was also driven by a takeover approach. In the middle of the month, Alumina entered into a scheme implementation deed with Alcoa Corporation. This will see Alcoa acquire 100% of Alumina by way of a scheme of arrangement for 0.02854 Alcoa shares for each Alumina share held. Alcoa shares were trading at US$33.21 on Thursday, valuing the offer at US$0.948 per share (A$1.45 per share).

The post These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in March appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• This ASX tech stock rocketed 60% in March! Can it keep on delivering?
• Why ASX 200 gold stocks dazzled shareholders in March
• Boom! ASX 200 blasts to new record highs
• 13 ASX 200 shares at 52-week highs

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 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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/Tl6DrO8

Prior to the pandemic, Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) was a regular dividend payer and generally offered investors an attractive yield.

This made the Flying Kangaroo a good option for investors that were looking for a source of income from their investments.

However, as you might have expected, the pandemic put an end to dividend payments, and they have remained suspended ever since.

That’s despite the company delivering a profit before tax of $2.47 billion in FY 2023 and then following that up with a FY 2024 first-half profit before tax of $1.25 billion in February.

But could a change be coming for the airline operator? Will Qantas shares offer a dividend later this year?

Let’s take a look and see what the market is expecting from Australia’s flag carrier airline.

Will Qantas shares pay a dividend in 2024?

Unfortunately, it appears unlikely that the company will resume dividend payments in 2024.

Though, it is not impossible that Qantas will share some of its profits with its shareholders.

At present, just one of the major brokers believes that a dividend will be paid this year. A recent note out of UBS shows that its analysts expect a 10 cents per share dividend in August.

This equates to a 1.8% dividend yield based on where Qantas shares currently trade.

The good news is that most brokers agree that there will be a dividend payment made in 2025.

And while the amount of the estimated dividend varies across analysts, they are forecasting a payout in the range of 15 cents per share to 34 cents per share. If this is accurate, it would mean a dividend yield of 2.7% to 6.2% for investors.

All in all, it could be worth holding onto Qantas shares if you’re an income investors.

The post Will Qantas shares pay a dividend in 2024? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Is Qantas a bargain ASX 200 stock today?
• Where to invest $8,000 in April 2024
• Qantas or Telstra share price: Which will climb higher in 2024?
• A ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity for Qantas shares?
• Buy these ASX 200 blue chip shares for big returns

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/GUhFE27

The S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) has risen at almost triple the pace of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months.

For the record, US stocks are up 32% compared to the ASX 200, which is up 12%.

If you’re keen to invest in US shares, you can buy them directly online if your brokerage platform has access to them. Or you can buy them via ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

ETFs are a great way to access US stocks because they typically hold large baskets of shares, thereby providing instant diversification in one trade, and you can buy them right here on the ASX.

Easy peasy.

And since US shares have been tearing up the charts, the ASX ETFs holding them are doing great, too.

In fact, a bunch of them hit new 52-week highs just last week.

Which ASX ETFs provide exposure to US shares?

Well, that’s not a simple question to answer.

In short, there are heaps of them, and they all have varying degrees of exposure to US stocks.

The simplest types are ASX ETFs seeking to match the performance of indexes like the S&P 500 or the NASDAQ. Examples include iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) and BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ).

Then there are ETFs that have a particular strategy, as well as only investing in US stocks. But you wouldn’t know it from the ETF’s name — you have to read the ETF fact sheet to find out the geography spread.

An example is VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT), which holds a small basket of 54 US stocks that have sustainable competitive advantages (i.e., moats).

Then there are ASX ETFs with international strategies. They hold baskets of stocks that are listed in several different countries, but in most cases, the bulk of them are in the United States. So, that’s your primary geographical exposure.

An example is iShares Global 100 ETF (ASX: IOO), which comprises 77.39% US stocks.

If these types of ETFs are appealing, here are a few options for you to consider.

Click on the ETF name to gain access to its fact sheet or webpage.

ASX ETFs offering access to US stocks

US index fund ETFs

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

The iShares S&P 500 ETF closed ahead of the Easter weekend at $53.49 and has risen 34% over the past 12 months.

This ETF allows you to adopt the simplest investment strategy ever spruiked by Warren Buffett. Its biggest position is Microsoft Corp, with a 7.17% weighting.

Management expense ratio (MER): 0.04%.

BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

The NASDAQ 100 ETF was trading at $44.98 at the close on Thursday. The ASX tech ETF has lifted 45% over the past 12 months.

The ETF holds the top 100 non-financial companies on the US tech-focused NASDAQ. Its biggest position is Microsoft, with an 8.7% weighting.

MER: 0.48%.

Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF (ASX: VTS)

The Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF closed on Thursday at $397.71. It has risen 34% over the past year.

This ETF represents 3,731 American companies, including large-caps, small-caps, and micro-caps. Its largest holding is Microsoft with an unspecified weighting.

MER: 0.03%.

100% US strategy ETFs

VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

The VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF was trading at $129.81 at the close on Thursday, having risen almost 21% over the past 12 months.

The ETF holds a small basket of 54 US stocks that are considered to have moats or sustainable competitive advantages.

Its biggest positions are Alphabet Inc and Veeva Systems, each with a 2.73% weighting.

MER: 0.49%.

International strategy ETFs (predominately US stocks)

Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY)

The BetaShares Global Quality Leaders ETF was $29.83 at yesterday’s close. It has risen 35% over the past year.

This ASX ETF invests in 150 companies that meet certain criteria based on metrics such as a strong return on equity (ROE), debt to capital, cash flow generation, and earnings stability.

About 67.6% of holdings are US shares. Its biggest position is Alphabet, with a 2.2% weighting.

MER: 0.35%.

iShares Global 100 ETF (ASX: IOO)

Closing at $135.61 on Thursday, the iShares Global 100 ETF has risen 34% over the past year.

IOO holds shares in 102 of the largest global companies in developed and emerging markets, with 77.39% of the portfolio being US shares. Its biggest position is Microsoft, with a 12.42% weighting.

MER 0.41%.

BetaShares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: ETHI)

The Global Sustainability Leaders ETF closed $15.15 on Thursday. It has lifted 31% higher over the past 12 months.

ETHI holds shares in 300 global companies considered to be climate leaders. Its portfolio excludes industries like tobacco, weapons, alcohol, and gambling on ethical grounds.

The ETF comprises 71.5% US stocks. Its biggest position is Nvidia, with a 10.1% weighting.

MER: 0.59%.

BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

The Global Cybersecurity ETF was trading at $11.78 at the close of trade yesterday. This ETF has risen 39% higher over the past 12 months.

HACK provides exposure to global companies in the rapidly growing cybersecurity sector.

The ETF comprises 79.8% US stocks. Its biggest position is Cisco, with a 6.3% weighting.

MER: 0.67%.

The post Which ASX ETFs give Aussie investors access to US stocks? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• 3 top ASX index funds to buy now
• 3 star ASX shares to buy for the rest of 2024
• The pros and cons of buying the iShares S&P 500 ETF (IVV) right now
• How much would I have now if I’d invested $10,000 in the BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF (NDQ) a year ago?
• Invest $500 in these outstanding ASX ETFs

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BetaShares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF and Vanguard Us Total Market Shares Index ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Cisco Systems, Microsoft, Nvidia, Veeva Systems, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF and BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Nvidia, VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF, Veeva Systems, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a <a href=”https://www.fool.com.au/fool-com-au-disclosure-policy/”>disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/xIbiTpN

The last few months have been a busy period of investing for my ASX share portfolio. I’m going to talk about two names I decided to recently buy.

We can’t control what the overall S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is going to do – sometimes it will reach an all-time high. I believe we can always find value on the stock market if we look in the right places.

Duxton Water Ltd (ASX: D2O)

Duxton Water is a company that owns water entitlements and leases them out on short-term or long-term contracts to agricultural operators that want additional water.

Water is obviously a key component of farming, I view Duxton Water as an indirect investment in the Australian agricultural industry. In my opinion, Australia is one of the world leaders in farming.

In my eyes, water entitlements are a commodity that can be impacted by supply and demand. When there’s a lot of rainfall, it reduces the demand and impacts water values. Less rainfall should translate into more demand for water entitlements. It also helps that, over time, more water-hungry plants are being planted such as almonds.

The recent La Nina weather pattern pushed down water prices and bumped up water storage levels. But water storage levels are now reducing.  

In the ASX share’s latest monthly update for February, Duxton Water revealed Murray Darling Basin storage levels were at 81%, down from 92% compared to last year. Northern basin storages were at 66%, and southern basin storages were at 84%. Both of these levels are lower when compared to the previous year of 90% and 93% respectively.

I used the recent weakness of the Duxton Water share price to buy more shares. The ASX share has been paying an appealing dividend for several years, though that’s not guaranteed to continue. It currently has a guided grossed-up dividend yield of 6.7%.

The Duxton Water share price is at a discount of roughly 10% to its pre-tax net asset value (NAV) of February 2024.

Johns Lyng Group Ltd (ASX: JLG)

I have invested multiple times this year in Johns Lyng shares – I recently decided to invest once more after seeing the FY24 first-half result and the subsequent decline of the Johns Lyng share price.

The ASX share’s main offering is restoring building and contents after an insurable event, such as storms, flooding or fire.

It also has a sizeable catastrophe division which made $120.4 million in revenue in HY24, but this was 35% lower than last year. Work in this area is likely to be lumpy – catastrophes don’t arrive like clockwork.

Johns Lyng reiterated that catastrophe events are “growing in size and duration”. It’s expecting this segment to continue to expand in future periods. The $120.4 million figure already represents more than 87% of the company’s original FY24 forecast.

The ASX share reported its normalised business as usual (BAU) net profit after tax (NPAT) grew by 15.8% to $25 million. That’s a good growth rate for its underlying business, in my opinion.

The company has also been making acquisitions in the strata services and essential home services space, which adds defensive earnings and can create synergies, according to the company.

I think the profit and dividend can keep growing for a long time to come, particularly if it can keep expanding in the US and other international markets.

The post 2 ASX shares I have been buying in 2024! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 3 star ASX shares to buy for the rest of 2024
• 3 struggling ASX shares to buy at a discount
• New to investing? I’d invest my first $1,000 in ASX shares today!
• I just invested $3,000 into this top ASX 200 stock

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Duxton Water and Johns Lyng Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Johns Lyng Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Johns Lyng Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/P54JlWN

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

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy now
• ASX mining in April 2024: The best stock to buy right now
• Boom! ASX 200 blasts to new record highs
• 13 ASX 200 shares at 52-week highs
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

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 recommended Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/680HNdm

The Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price is ending the week strongly.

In afternoon trade, the energy producer’s shares are up 4% to $1.84.

Why is the Beach Energy share price charging higher?

Investors have been fighting to get hold of the company’s shares this afternoon following the release of a positive announcement.

That announcement relates to the comprehensive strategic review that Beach Energy is undertaking which aims to re-set the base business, deliver increasing returns to shareholders, drive efficiency, and earn the right to grow.

According to the release, the first stage of the strategic review has been completed and a new asset-based organisational structure will be implemented by 8 April 2024. This will see several of the current executive team leave Beach over the coming months.

Beach advised that new executive leadership appointments are underway and will be announced once all positions have been confirmed.

Furthermore, to achieve efficiency and operational cost improvements, a targeted headcount reduction of 30% will be delivered across the business.

But Beach Energy isn’t stopping there. It advised that further outcomes from the strategic review will be announced over the coming months.

Beach Energy’s managing director and CEO, Brett Woods, appears optimistic over the changes. He said:

Our new organisational structure will bring sharpened focus on our core assets as we strive to become a dominant supplier of gas into Australia’s East Coast and West Coast markets. It is imperative that Beach regains its status as a safe and efficient, low-cost operator by achieving structural reductions in operating costs and sustaining capital expenditure, including the announced reduction in headcount.

Decisions about headcount reductions are not made lightly as we are highly cognisant of the personal impact organisational change can have on individuals and their families. To minimise the personal impact we are committed to implementing the new structure as soon as possible.

The Beach Energy share price is now up 32% over the last 12 months.

The post Why is the Beach Energy share price racing higher on Thursday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• $19 billion in ASX dividends is being paid out this week. Are you getting your share?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• These 5 ASX 200 shares just hit new 52-week highs

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/RuVLJmP

ASX tech stock Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) made shareholders very happy in March.

How happy?

With less than an hour of trading left in the month, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) technology share has gained a whopping 60.2% since the closing bell rang on 29 February.

That sees Life360 shares up 75% so far in 2024 and up an eye-popping 169% since this time last year.

If you’re not familiar with Life360, the United States-based company develops software primarily focused on location sharing.

Its smartphone app has been gaining popularity among families wishing to track their children’s locations or to assist with keeping older people and those with special needs safe.

Here’s what helped drive the ASX tech stock to 60% gains in March.

Life360 shares in growth phase

Life360 reported its 2023 calendar year results on 1 March.

Highlights included a 33% year on year increase in revenue to US$305 million. And subscription revenue was up by 52% compared to 2022 to US$200 million, with adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) coming in at US$20.6 million.

The ASX tech stock did still operate at a net loss of US$28.2 million in 2023. But that was a huge step up from the US$91.7 million net loss the previous year.

And the company’s balance sheet was solid, with cash and equivalents of US$70.7 million.

ASX 200 investors reacted to the full-year results by sending the Life360 share price up 38.5% on the day, closing at $11.30 a share.

Can the ASX tech stock keep on giving?

After a phenomenal month, the question now is, can Life360 continue to outperform in the year ahead?

For some greater insight into that question, we turn to two top brokers.

Earlier this month, Goldman Sachs came out with a bullish outlook for this ASX tech stock.

According to Goldman’s analysts, “360’s re-rate is only beginning, in our view, as it delivers solid subscription and EBITDA growth from the core business while opening up significant upside optionality via advertising monetisation.”

Goldman has a buy rating on the stock with a $14.20 price target for Life360 shares. That represents a potential 8.6% upside from the recent price of $13.07 per share.

Morgan Stanley believes Life360 can charge even higher. Its analysts are optimistic about future earnings amid the company’s plans to sell advertisers access to its user base.

Morgan Stanley retained its overweight rating with a $14.40 price target for the ASX tech stock. That implies a 10.2% potential upside from recent levels.

The post This ASX tech stock rocketed 60% in March! Can it keep on delivering? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• 3 ASX All Ords shares up 50%+ in March
• Why are these ASX tech shares getting smashed today?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• This ASX tech stock has turned a $10k investment into almost $16,000 in March!

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 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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/bNqYvhd

It has been another busy week for Australia’s top brokers. This has led to the release of a number of broker notes.

Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN)

According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have retained their outperform rating and 60 cents price target on this lithium developer’s shares. The broker highlights that the company has recently raised funds, strengthening its balance sheet. It believes these funds will be sufficient while the company completes its financing facility negotiations with mining giant Glencore. The Galan Lithium share price is trading at 41 cents today.

Platinum Asset Management Ltd (ASX: PTM)

A note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have upgraded this fund manager’s shares to a buy rating with an improved price target of $1.20. The broker has been updating its estimates to reflect fund outflows and reductions in its cost base from its turnaround program. Bell Potter expects the latter to have a very positive impact on its earnings and has upgraded its estimates materially in FY 2025 and FY 2026. Overall, the broker believes the turnaround program means that the risk/reward has now shifted to the upside. The Platinum share price is fetching $1.08 this afternoon.

Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV)

Analysts at Citi have retained their buy rating and lifted their price target on this retail giant’s shares to $36.00. This follows the release of a solid half-year result earlier this week which was ahead of guidance. Citi is also feeling positive about the outlook of Smiggle, noting plans for a store rollout in Indonesia. In addition, it sees the Peter Alexander expansion into the UK market as the first of many such expansions. The Premier Investments share price is trading at $32.40 on Thursday.

The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Why Mesoblast, Newmont, Pilbara Minerals, and Platinum shares are jumping
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Why 29Metals, Brainchip, Platinum, and Premier Investments shares are falling today
• Why is this ASX 300 stock crashing 23% today?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. 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 Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/hVmC12L

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold stocks dazzled their shareholders in March.

As we head into the final hours of trading for the month, the ASX 200 is up 2.5% since the closing bell sounded on 29 February.

As for ASX gold shares, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) – which also contains some smaller gold stocks outside of the ASX 200 – leapt a whopping 15.9%.

Here’s how these top ASX 200 gold stocks performed in March (through to early afternoon today):

• Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares gained 12.3%
• Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM) shares gained 14.0%%
• De Grey Mining Ltd (ASX: DEG) shares gained 0.8%
• Ramelius Resources Ltd(ASX: RMS) shares gained 30.0%
• Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) shares gained 6.9%
• Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares gained 22.2%
• Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) shares gained 25.7%

That’s quite a month!

Here’s what sent the gold miners soaring.

ASX 200 gold stocks shining bright in March

A lot of stars aligned in March to help ASX 200 gold stocks deliver this outstanding result.

First, as you’d expect, we have a rising gold price.

Bullion ended February already trading near historic highs of US$2,044 per ounce, according to data from Bloomberg.

Today that same ounce is trading near record highs at US$2,190 per ounce, up 7.1% over the month.

Commenting on the strong performance of the yellow metal, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) analysts said, “A rising gold price suggests the market expects further falls in inflation should support the central banks move to cut rates later this year. Safe haven demand also remains strong.”

Declining inflation and the prospect of falling interest rates have offered tailwinds to the gold price as gold, which pays no yield itself, generally performs better in low or falling rate scenarios.

Central banks are also helping support the yellow metal in another key way. Namely, by continuing to buy near-record amounts of bullion themselves.

And, as ANZ’s analysts pointed out, ASX 200 gold stocks are benefiting from gold’s haven status as geopolitical turmoil continues to brew in hotspots around the world.

As always, whether you’re looking to buy gold shares or any other ASX stocks, be sure to do your own research first. If you’re not comfortable with that, or are simply time-poor, reach out for some expert advice.

The post Why ASX 200 gold stocks dazzled shareholders in March appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• 13 ASX 200 shares at 52-week highs
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• $19 billion in ASX dividends is being paid out this week. Are you getting your share?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/7ki6Wqn