• This ASX 300 share could keep delivering ‘strong performance’: fund manager

    Happy woman and man looking at an iPad.Happy woman and man looking at an iPad.

    Data#3 Limited (ASX: DTL) shares represent a leading opportunity, according to a fund manager. The S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) technology share has jumped over the last few months, but it could keep going strong.

    Like many businesses, the share price suffered in the middle of 2022, with a hefty drop during June. But, despite being a technology business, the Data#3 share price is up more than 10% in 2022 to date.

    It describes itself as a leading Australian IT services and solutions provider. Its offering spans cloud, the ‘modern workplace’, security, data, analytics and connectivity.

    In a recent presentation, the business outlined that it’s in a good position because, according to Gartner, Australian IT spending is growing at 6.5% per annum, with cloud computing continuing to grow at an accelerated rate.

    Data#3 says it’s aligned with market-leading vendors such as Microsoft, Cisco, HP and Dell. It’s continuing to gain market share and the company said “there is still plenty of opportunity”.

    So, that’s what the ASX 300 share does. Let’s have a look at what a fund manager thinks about the business.

    Bullish opinion on the Data#3 share price

    In the latest monthly update for the listed investment company (LIC) WAM Research Limited (ASX: WAX), the investment team revealed why they think that Data#3 can outperform expectations of the market.

    Wilson Asset Management noted that in the 2022 annual general meeting (AGM) held in October, Data#3 said that it has seen a strong start to the financial year with “solid” FY23 first quarter performance thanks to an order backlog from FY22 and new contracts and projects.

    Data#3 warned it’s expecting the global supply constraints to keep going throughout the rest of FY23. But it is expecting that the constraints will “ease” in the coming months.

    WAM highlighted that the ASX 300 share is expecting the FY23 first-half pre-tax profit will be between $21 million and $25 million. This would be an improvement on last year’s $18.5 million figure.

    There is an expectation that the backlog of orders will not be “materially different” to the backlog at the start of FY23.

    The fund manager concluded:

    As a leading provider of digital transformation products and services, Data#3 is well-positioned to outperform market expectations over the medium-term.

    Foolish takeaway

    The Data#3 share price has gone up around 7% over the last month. With the ASX 300 business steadily growing the dividend for investors, it could be an interesting one to consider for total shareholder returns.

    The post This ASX 300 share could keep delivering ‘strong performance’: fund manager appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Renowned futurist claims this could be… “The last invention that humanity will ever need to make”?

    Shark Tank billionaire Mark Cuban built his fortune on understanding technology. So when he says this one development is already taking over the business world, you may need to sit up and pay close attention.

    He predicts it will soon become as essential to businesses as personal laptops and smartphones.

    And it’s so revolutionary he’s even admitted “It’s the foundation of how I invest in stocks these days…”

    So if you’re looking to get in front of a groundbreaking innovation … You’ll need to see this…

    Learn more about our AI Boom report
    *Returns as of November 10 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Cisco Systems and Microsoft. 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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  • 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares having a cracker session on Thursday

    Man sits smiling at a computer showing graphsMan sits smiling at a computer showing graphs

    Three All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) shares are setting a brisk pace today.

    Heading into the lunch hour, the All Ordinaries is up 0.3%.

    Meanwhile, the Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share price is up 4.5%, the Cettire Ltd (ASX: CTT) share price has gained 3.9%, and Argosy Minerals Limited (ASX: AGY) shares are up 6.1%.

    Here’s what’s spurring investor interest in these All Ordinaries shares on Thursday.

    Why is the Zip share price leaping higher?

    With today’s intraday gains factored in, the Zip share price is up 17% since Tuesday’s closing bell and up a whopping 36% over the past month.

    There’s no fresh price-sensitive news out from the All Ordinaries buy now, pay later (BNPL) share. So, it looks like investors are continuing to bid up the share price on hopes the company is indeed back on the road towards profitability.

    BNPL shares have also broadly benefited in recent weeks following the lower-than-expected inflation data out of the United States. That data has raised hoped of fewer rate hikes from the US Fed. And, as you’re likely aware, BNPL shares have been walloped this year as the Fed, the Reserve Bank of Australia, and central banks the world over began to ratchet rates higher for the first time in a decade.

    Which brings us to our second All Ordinaries share having a cracker of a day today, online luxury goods retailer Cettire.

    Cettire share price lifts on strong growth trajectory

    The Cettire share price is outperforming the All Ordinaries after the company confirmed at today’s annual general meeting that it’s continuing to experience strong trading momentum.

    In October, the company reported that its sales revenue grew 82% compared to the prior corresponding period.

    Commenting on the company’s performance, Cettire CEO Dean Mintz said:

    Our business has started Q2 very strongly driven by a seasonal upswing in traffic and AOV and effective marketing execution. It is pleasing to see continued robust profit performance as we leverage our lean operating cost structure with revenue growth and attractive unit economics.

    This All Ordinaries share is riding the lithium wave

    Our third outperforming All Ordinaries share is ASX lithium explorer Argosy Minerals.

    There have been no new price-sensitive releases from the company since 1 November, but the miner has some good buying momentum going.

    Over the past month, the All Ordinaries share has soared 41%, and it’s up 110% year to date.

    Argosy has been a clear beneficiary of the soaring demand for lithium. The battery-critical metal is trading near all-time highs amid booming growth in global electric vehicle production. And today’s trading action indicates investors believe lithium demand isn’t about to dry up anytime soon.

    The post 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares having a cracker session on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    FREE Investing Guide for Beginners

    Despite what some people may say – we believe investing in shares doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated…

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    And to help even more people cut through some of the confusion “experts” seem to want to perpetuate – we’ve created a brand-new “how to” guide.

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    *Returns as of November 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cettire Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why is Rio Tinto share price rolling downhill today?

    A male investor wearing a blue shirt looks off to the side with a miffed look on his face as the share price declines.

    A male investor wearing a blue shirt looks off to the side with a miffed look on his face as the share price declines.

    The Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price is out of form on Thursday.

    In afternoon trade, the mining giant’s shares are down almost 2% to $106.28.

    This compares unfavourably to the ASX 200 index, which is up 0.3% at the time of writing.

    What’s going on with the Rio Tinto share price?

    The Rio Tinto share price is falling today following a poor night of trade for base metals.

    This has put pressure on the entire materials sector, which has led to the S&P/ASX 200 Materials index falling 0.8% this afternoon.

    This makes the sector the worst performer on the Australian share market on Thursday.

    What’s happening?

    According to CommSec, base metal prices tumbled after data revealed that Chinese new home prices have fallen sharply. It explained:

    Base metal prices were weaker on Wednesday with nickel recording a 9.1% decline. Copper also fell in response to data showing that Chinese new home prices recorded the biggest decline in more than seven years. But supporting copper is an upcoming strike announced by workers at Chile’s Escondida, the world’s largest copper mine.

    Is this a buying opportunity?

    A recent note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have a buy rating and $112.60 price target on the mining giant’s shares.

    Based on the current Rio Tinto share price, this implies modest potential upside of 6% for investors.

    However, let’s not forget dividends. Goldman is expecting the miner to pay a US$4.20 (A$6.23) per share dividend in FY 2023. This represents a 5.9% fully franked dividend yield, which stretches the total potential return to almost 12% for investors over the next 12 months.

    The post Why is Rio Tinto share price rolling downhill today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    FREE Beginners Investing Guide

    Despite what some people may say – we believe investing in shares doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated…

    For over a decade, we’ve been helping everyday Aussies get started on their journey.

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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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  • ASX lithium shareholders rejoice! Expert tips lithium price to hit $100K

    Two women jumping into the air.Two women jumping into the air.

    An international lithium market analyst has predicted the lithium hydroxide price could reach $100,000 per tonne.

    ASX lithium shares include:

    Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) – up 48% in a year

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) – lifted 109% in a year

    Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) – up 160% in a year

    Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) – risen 58% in a year

    Lake Resources N.L. (ASX: LKE) – climbed 14% in a year

    What’s ahead?

    Speaking on 3AW, Global Lithium LLC founder and president Joe Lowry said he “absolutely” believes high lithium prices can be sustained. He said:

    It’s all supply and demand, and the EV [electric vehicle] market is taking off, driving demand.

    There’s really nothing in the cards in the few years to bring the price back to the old level.

    Asked if he believes prices as high as US$80,000 a tonne for lithium hydroxide can be retained, Lowry said:

    There’s nothing really to keep it at the level it is today if the pressure on supply continues. I think it could touch 100, in that range.

    Lithium hydroxide on the London Metals Exchange (LME Lithium Hydroxide CIF Fastmarkets MB) is fetching US$83,500 a tonne at last look.

    Allkem this week advised of maiden lithium hydroxide production from the Naraha Lithium Hydroxide plant in Japan. Allkem has a 75% interest in this project, which is a joint venture with Toyota Tsusho Corporation.

    Meanwhile, Pilbara Minerals is in a joint venture with Korean steel giant POSCO to develop a 43ktpa lithium hydroxide chemical processing facility.

    Sayona is planning to develop a spodumene conversion facility at its North American Lithium (NAL) operation to produce lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate.

    What about Western Australia?

    Lowry also tipped big things for Western Australia. He said in the last five years it has become “the most significant lithium province in the world”. He added:

    I think WA will continue to dominate for the foreseeable future.

    What else?

    ASX lithium shareholders have had a turbulent week, with lithium shares falling dramatically on Tuesday after lifting on Monday.

    Today, lithium shares are a mixed bag. For example, Pilbara Minerals shares are climbing 1.22% and Allkem shares are rising 1.51%. However, Core Lithium shares are down 2.86%, Sayona Mining shares are falling 2.13% and the Lake Resources shares are descending 0.47%. Pilbara reported positive news from its spodumene concentrate auction on the Battery Material Exchange (BMX) today.

    Macquarie analysts this week said they remain optimistic on the lithium price despite major falls earlier this week. Analysts, quoted by the Australian Financial Review, said:

    Despite near-term future price volatility, we believe buoyant lithium prices present potential for valuation upside to all lithium names under our coverage universe.

    The post ASX lithium shareholders rejoice! Expert tips lithium price to hit $100K appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    FREE Guide for New Investors

    Despite what some people may say – we believe investing in shares doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated…

    For over a decade, we’ve been helping everyday Aussies get started on their journey.

    And to help even more people cut through some of the confusion “experts” seem to want to perpetuate – we’ve created a brand-new “how to” guide.

    Yes, Claim my FREE copy!
    *Returns as of November 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Here’s how much dividend income $20,000 worth of Telstra shares will get you today

    Young boy wearing suit and glasses counts his money using a calculator.Young boy wearing suit and glasses counts his money using a calculator.

    Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) is one of those ASX 200 shares that is famous for its dividends. The ASX telco is an ASX dividend stalwart and can be found in many a dividend investor’s portfolio.

    That comes from the relatively large and consistent dividend payments Telstra shares have made ever since they first listed on the ASX back in the 1990s. But Telstra hasn’t gotten through its three decades and counting on the ASX without some hiccups along the way.

    Investors were mightily unimpressed back in 2018 and 2019 when Telstra delivered sharp cuts to its annual dividend. In fact, 2022 has been the first year since 2019 that Telstra has raised its annual dividend.

    Saying that, it did manage to keep its dividends steady throughout 2020 and 2021. Both were COVID-affected years which saw many other ASX blue-chip shares slash their dividend payouts.

    So with all of this in mind, let’s check out what kind of dividend income an investor would enjoy from Telstra shares today.

    How much dividend income would $20,000 worth of Telstra shares bag you?

    Let’s start by assuming an investor owns $20,000 worth of Telstra shares. At today’s price of $3.92, a $20,000 investment would get an investor 5,102 Telstra shares, with a little change left over.

    Over the past 12 months, Telstra has given its investors the typical two dividend payments. The first was the fully franked interim dividend of 8 cents per share that we saw back in April. Our investor’s 5,102 shares would have yielded a payment of $408.16 for this dividend.

    The second was the 8.5 cents per share final dividend, also fully franked, that was paid out in September. This would have resulted in $433.67 in dividend income.

    So if an investor owned $20,000 worth of Telstra shares right now, they would have enjoyed a total of $841.83 in dividend income from their shares this year. That equates to a dividend yield of 4.21% on the current Telstra share price.

    If we factor in the value of Telstra’s full franking credits, this yield grosses up to 6.01%.

    The post Here’s how much dividend income $20,000 worth of Telstra shares will get you today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Where should you invest $1,000 right now? 3 Dividend Stocks To Help Beat Inflation

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    *Returns as of November 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Telstra Corporation 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 positions in and has recommended Telstra Corporation Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why is Wilsons selling down its ASX 200 bank shares?

    Friends at an ATM looking sad.

    Friends at an ATM looking sad.

    S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank shares have gotten a lot of attention in 2022 as interest rates began to rise.

    Faced with soaring inflation, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) hiked the official cash rate for the first time in more than a decade on 4 May, taking the rate from the historic low of 0.10% to the still quite low 0.35%.

    The RBA has hiked rates at every monthly meeting since then, taking the cash rate to today’s 2.85%. Several more hikes are expected over the coming months.

    This casts particular light on ASX 200 banks, as they operate in one of the few sectors where rising interest rates can help their performance. That’s because moderately higher rates enable banks to increase their net interest margins.

    On the flip side, if rates rise too high it could negatively impact ASX 200 banks by increasing their levels of non-performing loans and decreasing the number of new home loans.

    Which brings us to Wilsons latest portfolio reshuffle.

    Why is Wilsons selling down its ASX 200 bank shares?

    Wilsons is lightening its holdings of three ASX 200 banks. Namely Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC).

    The broker’s analysts said (courtesy of The Australian), “After the banks’ reporting season over the past few weeks, we have become increasingly cautious on the banks.”

    The analysts believe the banks have likely reached a peak in net interest margins. They also pointed to a slowdown in the Aussie economy and housing credit amid rapidly rising interest rates. All up they said this means the earnings estimates for the banks are “too optimistic”.

    Wilsons’ Focus Portfolio exposure to the ASX 200 banks was reduced to 16.5% as it added a 3% exposure to Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN).

    How have the big banks performed in 2022?

    Of the three ASX 200 banks Wilsons is trimming, only ANZ has underperformed in 2022, with the share price down 12%. NAB shares meanwhile have gained 4.7% while the Westpac share price is up 7.6% this calendar year.

    For some context, the ASX 200 is down 6% year to date.

    The post Why is Wilsons selling down its ASX 200 bank shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of November 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • 3 reasons to buy Apple stock in 2023 — and never sell

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

    A woman in business attire sits at a desk in an office situation holding a red apple in her hand and smiling.

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

    Even while being down over 18% year to date (as of Nov. 15), Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is the world’s most valuable public company, with a market cap of over $2.3 trillion. For perspective, that’s more than Alphabet and Amazon combined. Apple didn’t reach this size by luck, either — it’s well-deserved.

    Between its world-class products and brand loyalty that’s second to none, Apple is a force to be reckoned with. Here are three reasons you should buy Apple stock in 2023 and never sell.

    1. Apple is becoming a player in the financial industry

    Apple’s first time dipping its toes in the financial services space was in 2014, when it announced Apple Pay. Apple Pay gave people the convenience of paying with a phone, but not many looked at it as Apple making a serious entrance into the industry. Fast forward to 2019, with the announcement of the Apple Card, and it became a bit more apparent that Apple was getting serious.

    With the Apple Card, Apple partnered with Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) to approve applications and fund the loans. This is why, when they announced Apple Pay Later, it was a clear message that other financial companies should plan accordingly. Apple Pay Later is the company’s move into the buy now, pay later industry. But, more importantly, it’s the first time Apple is underwriting and funding loans by itself 

    With Apple able to provide financial services without any middleman, it’s in a prime position to use its vast tech power to take the ever-growing financial technology (fintech) space by storm. The global fintech market was just over $115 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach over $936 billion by 2030. I’d bet Apple wants a decent-sized slice of that pie.

    2. Streaming is moving in a positive direction

    Apple’s streaming service, Apple TV+, undoubtedly lags behind other platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, but there should be brighter days ahead as the company puts more resources behind the platform. In June, Apple and Major League Soccer (MLS) — the world’s fastest-growing soccer league — announced they had struck a deal to show all MLS matches worldwide for 10 years beginning in 2023.

    The MLS deal, worth at least $2.5 billion, is the first time a major American sports league has moved all of its games to a streaming platform. It’s also the first time in major professional sports history that the games won’t have any restrictions or local blackouts. It’s a step that shows Apple is becoming more serious about making investments to become more competitive in the streaming space.

    Will Apple TV+ ever grow to become a top three streaming service? It’s not likely in the foreseeable future. But you can bet it will continue to grow and slowly but surely begin to gain some market share.

    3. It’s an undisputed cash cow

    In a year defined by high inflation and economic anxiety, Apple managed to bring in $394.3 billion in revenue in its 2022 fiscal year (up 8% year over year) and a record $90.1 billion in the fourth quarter alone (up 8% year over year). For perspective, Visa, the 10th largest U.S. company by market cap, brought in $29.3 billion in its fiscal year.

    There’s no denying that Apple is a cash cow, and there’s no reason to believe it’ll slow down in the future. Apple has more cash on hand than a lot of companies in the S&P 500 are worth. Although holding on to too much cash and not investing in other areas can slow a company’s growth, I don’t see this being a problem for Apple.

    With a bank account that size and a commitment to innovation, Apple still has room for noticeable growth — which is what matters as an investor. It’s one thing to have a great history; it’s another thing to be primed for future success. The latter is why I’m a strong believer in Apple. 

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

    The post 3 reasons to buy Apple stock in 2023 — and never sell appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of November 1 2022

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    Stefon Walters has positions in Apple. John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon, Apple, Goldman Sachs, Netflix, Visa, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2024 $145 calls on Walt Disney, long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple, short January 2024 $155 calls on Walt Disney, and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.    

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

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  • Why did these ASX 200 shares just crack new, multi-year highs?

    A man and a woman sitting in a technology-related work environment high five each other while the man wears headphones around his heck and the woman sits in front of a laptop.A man and a woman sitting in a technology-related work environment high five each other while the man wears headphones around his heck and the woman sits in front of a laptop.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having a decent day, but these ASX 200 shares are having a better one. They’ve each soared to their highest points in years. Or even, ever.

    Right now, the ASX 200 has lifted 0.13%. Meanwhile, two stocks that call the index home are leaping as much as 11%.

    So, what’s sending them sky-high on Thursday? Keep reading to find out.

    ASX 200 shares trading at long-forgotten highs

    There’s big news driving the share price of ASX 200 travel giant Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) today.

    The company has officially returned to profitability following the disastrous impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The online travel agent posted its earnings for the first half of financial year 2023 this morning, detailing a $32 million underlying profit – up from a $29.2 million loss.

    The company’s revenue also lifted 217% to $175.7 million, while its bookings were up 137% to 3.4 billion. However, it hasn’t returned to paying dividends yet.

    The results sent the Webjet share price soaring to a new post-pandemic high of $6.24 earlier today. That marks an 11% gain on its previous close.

    The ASX 200 travel share has since dropped slightly to trade at $6.08, 8.2% higher, at the time of writing.

    It’s joined in the green today by shares in ASX 200 jewellery retailer Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV).

    They hit a high of $25.80 earlier today – a 3.7% gain ­– despite no news having been released by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) stock. That marked a new all-time high for the retailer’s shares.

    At the time of writing, the Lovisa share price has slipped slightly to trade at $25.39, a 2% gain.

    Interestingly, there’s been no price-sensitive news from the retailer in more than two months.

    Though, its stock has gained 27% since the start of 2022 – outperforming the ASX 200 by 33% in that time.

    The post Why did these ASX 200 shares just crack new, multi-year highs? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Lovisa Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Lovisa Holdings Ltd and Webjet Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Allkem share price up on broker upgrade: Analyst says it’s too soon ‘to underweight the sector’

    Two brokers pointing and analysing a share price.

    Two brokers pointing and analysing a share price.The Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) share price is rising on Thursday.

    In morning trade, the lithium miner’s shares are up 1.5% to $14.79.

    Why is the Allkem share price rising?

    Today’s gain by the Allkem share price may have been driven by a broker note out of Morgans.

    According to the note, the broker has upgraded the company’s shares to an add rating with an improved price target of $15.70.

    Based on the current Allkem share price, this implies potential upside of 6.1% for investors from current levels.

    What did the broker say?

    Morgans notes that lithium shares sank this week “on news that some lithium carbonate futures contracts traded in China had fallen in price by 7%.” It also highlights that some “Chinese battery producers have also reportedly reduced their inventories potentially indicating softening demand.”

    However, despite this, it points out that spot prices reported by AsianMetal fell by only a modest 0.5%.

    In light of this, the broker appears to believe investors should block out the noise and focus on spot prices instead. It commented:

    We think that spot prices are a better guide for AKE’s contract reference price and we expect demand to remain strong for the next 12 months.

    As a result, the broker believes it is too soon to “underweight the sector.” It concludes:

    We think it’s quite possible that AKE’s share price regains some of its lost ground if spot prices remain steady into the new year. We think the market has moved too early as it did in May when fears of oversupply circulated despite lithium pricing remaining robust. There will be a time to underweight the sector but we don’t think that time has arrived yet. We upgrade our rating to ADD on valuation upside but we do note the sector remains highly volatile.

    The post Allkem share price up on broker upgrade: Analyst says it’s too soon ‘to underweight the sector’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Allkem 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 Scott Phillips.

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  • The Bank of Queensland upsized dividend is being paid out today. Here’s the lowdown

    A businessman on a road raises his arms as dollar notes rain down on him.A businessman on a road raises his arms as dollar notes rain down on him.

    If you’re a Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ) shareholder, then today is a great day. It’s dividend payday for BOQ shares, meaning a dividend cheque is about to hit your bank account, if it hasn’t already.

    As an ASX bank share, investors obviously pay attention to the dividends coming their way from BOQ. So let’s dive into what’s in store.

    So Bank of Queensland will be doling out its final dividend for FY2022. It will be a payment worth 24 cents per share, fully franked. This represents a pleasing 9% hike over both last year’s final dividend and this year’s interim dividend, which was paid out back in May.

    Both dividend payments were worth 22 cents per share.

    But if you wish to receive this latest Bank of Queensland dividend, you would have had to own the shares before the ex-dividend date of 27 October. Any new shareholders who bought in on or after that date are ineligible.

    Bank of Queensland shares pay out final dividend

    So this latest dividend will bring BOQ’s total dividend payments over the past 12 months to 26 cents per share. That gives Bank of Queensland a dividend yield of 6.35%, based on the current (at the time of writing) share price of $7.28.

    Including the value of the full franking credits, this yield grosses up to 9.07%, putting it in the top echelon of ASX bank shares right now.

    The Bank of Queensland share price has had a fairly rough time of it lately. The bank remains down by close to 13% year to date in 2022 thus far, and down by 14.4% over the past 12 months. Over the past five years, BOQ has lost a depressing 41.6% of its value.

    At the current Bank of Queensland share price, this ASX 200 bank share has a market capitalisation of $4.71 billion, with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 12.3.

    The post The Bank of Queensland upsized dividend is being paid out today. Here’s the lowdown appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Bank of Queensland. 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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