• Will Westpac shares really pay a 9.6% dividend yield next year?

    Happy man holding Australian dollar notes, representing dividends.

    Happy man holding Australian dollar notes, representing dividends.

    After a positive start to the trading week this morning, the Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price slumped in afternoon trading, closing the day even. Westpac shares finished at $19.19 each, the same as Friday’s closing price. That’s slightly better than the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) though, which closed 0.64% lower today.

    But even so, investors might be a little disappointed with how things have gone for this ASX 200 bank share today, particularly as Westpac was in green territory this morning, rising as high as $19.44 a share. But, as we discussed last week, falling share prices give investors a silver lining in rising dividend yields. And Westpac’s current dividend yield of 6.32% is certainly enough to draw attention.

    Westpac’s dividends come fully franked too, which is pretty typical for ASX 200 bank shares. If we include the value of these full franking credits, this dividend yield grosses up to 9.03%.

    But that is a trailing dividend yield, based on the payouts Westpac has doled out over the past 12 months. So what does the future hold for Westpac’s dividend?

    Will Westpac shares pay a 9.6% dividend next year?

    Well, as my Fool colleague James covered last week, investment bank and ASX broker Goldman Sachs reckons there is a lot of good news in store for dividend investors when it comes to Westpac shares. Goldman is expecting the bank to continue to increase its dividend per share all the way to FY2024.

    Over FY2021, Westpac paid out $1.18 in dividends per share. For FY2022, the bank has already paid a 61 cents per share interim dividend, which was a healthy increase on FY2021’s interim payment of 58 cents per share. Goldman is expecting Westpac’s final dividend for FY2022 to come in at 62 cents per share.

    But, going forward, the broker is expecting Westpac to fund a total of $1.29 in dividends per share over FY2023. FY2024 will also see an increase, this time to $1.46 per share.

    So if Westpac pays $1.29 in dividends per share in FY2023, what would it mean for investors?

    Well, on Westpac’s current share price of $19.19, an annual dividend total of $1.29 would equate to a forward dividend yield of 6.3%. If we factor in those full franking credits, that would gross up to an eye-catching 9.61%.

    It gets even better for FY2024, assuming Goldman is accurate with its predictions. If Westpac does indeed pay out $1.43 in dividends per share over FY202, investors would be looking at a forward yield of 7.62% (or 10.89% grossed-up).

    Of course, none of this is guaranteed and is just one opinion. But if Westpac does end up following the dividend trajectory Goldman has laid out, it could mean a healthy stream of dividend income for investors over the next few years.

    The post Will Westpac shares really pay a 9.6% dividend yield next year? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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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  • Why is the Wesfarmers share price having such a stellar start to the week?

    Woman on the phone at a hardware storeWoman on the phone at a hardware store

    The Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) share price outperformed on Monday, despite the company’s silence.

    In fact, there’s been no price-sensitive news from the conglomerate since 2 June.

    At close of trade, the Wesfarmers share price finished $42.40, 3% higher than its previous close.

    For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) struggled today, slipping 0.64%.

    Let’s take a closer look at what might be going right for the ASX 200 giant.

    What’s going on with the Wesfarmers share price?

    The Wesfarmers share price took off on Monday alongside the company’s home sector.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) closed 2.77% higher, led by the PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) share price – which finished up 18.14% – and those of many ASX 200 retailers.

    On Monday, stock in ARB Corporation Limited (ASX: ARB), City Chic Collective Ltd (ASX: CCX), and Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN) closed higher by 6.5%, 5.56%, and 4.23%, respectively.

    One of only a few ASX 200 consumer discretionary stocks trading in the red today is InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC). It’s closed the day down 0.68%.

    Making Wesfarmers’ Monday gain even more notable is its recent rarity. Today is the first time the stock has gained in close to a fortnight. In fact, it’s fallen 10% since the end of May.

    Right now, the Wesfarmers share price is 28% lower than it was at the start of 2022. It has also slipped 26% since this time last year.

    The post Why is the Wesfarmers share price having such a stellar start to the week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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

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  • Could be ‘one of the biggest success stories’: Top broker tips 87% upside for Lovisa shares

    A woman wearing a top of gold coins and large gold hoop earrings and a heavy gold bracelet stands amid a shower of gold coins with her mouth open wide and an excited look on her face.A woman wearing a top of gold coins and large gold hoop earrings and a heavy gold bracelet stands amid a shower of gold coins with her mouth open wide and an excited look on her face.

    Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) shares have tumbled in the past month, but could the company’s fortunes turn around?

    The jewellery retailer’s shares closed at $13.10 each on Monday, 1.63% higher. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fell 0.62% today.

    Let’s check the outlook for Lovisa shares.

    Significant upside

    Lovisa shares have plunged nearly 17% since market close on 20 May. However, analysts at Morgans are tipping the company’s shares could skyrocket in the future.

    The broker has placed an add rating on Lovisa with a $24 price target. That’s an 87% upside on the current share price.

    It seems Morgans is optimistic about Lovisa’s prospects due to the company’s global expansion plans.

    Analysts said the company could “prove to be one of the biggest success stories in Australian retail”.

    In a recent market update, Lovisa revealed it has opened a net total of 59 stores year to date. While 14 stores have closed, 73 new stores have opened.

    Since 2020, Lovisa has increased its presence by 168 stores. This includes 87 in Europe, acquired via its Beeline takeover.

    In Europe overall, Lovisa has 163 stores while the company is also trading in 31 US states.

    The company’s revenue in the first half of FY22 boomed 48.3% to $217.8 million, while gross profit surged 50.5% to $170.7 million.

    Monash investors co-founder Simon Shields recently tipped Lovisa’s retail share network could grow from 550 stores to 2000 in the next seven to eight years. Commenting on this outlook, Shields said:

    The earnings numbers will go up and the share price will follow.

    Share price snapshot

    The Lovisa share price has descended 13% in the past year. In the year to date, it has plummeted 36%.

    For perspective, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has also lost nearly 13% in the past 12 months.

    Lovisa has a market capitalisation of nearly $1.4 billion based on the current share price.

    The post Could be ‘one of the biggest success stories’: Top broker tips 87% upside for Lovisa 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

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    *Returns as of January 12th 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 recommended Lovisa Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why Bega, Fortescue, Santos, and Silver Lake shares are tumbling lower

    Red arrow going down, symbolising a falling share price.

    Red arrow going down, symbolising a falling share price.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the week with another decline. In late trade, the benchmark index is down 0.6% to 6,435 points.

    Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are tumbling:

    Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA)

    The Bega share price is down 8% to $4.00. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of UBS this morning. According to the note, the broker has downgraded the diversified food company’s shares to a neutral rating and cut the price target on them to $4.75. UBS believes that higher input costs are going to stifle Bega’s recovery.

    Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)

    The Fortescue share price is down 8.5% to $17.03. Investors have been selling Fortescue and other mining shares today following a pullback in commodity prices. This saw the iron ore price drop a sizeable 7% on Friday night. The S&P/ASX 200 Resources index is down 5.1% this afternoon.

    Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)

    The Santos share price has dropped 6% to $7.34. Investors have been selling Santos and other energy shares after oil prices sank on Friday night. Traders were selling down oil prices amid concerns that rising rates could cause a global recession and weigh on demand. This has led to the S&P/ASX 200 Energy index falling 5.3% on Monday.

    Silver Lake Resources Limited (ASX: SLR)

    The Silver Lake share price is down 9% to $1.48. This follows weakness in the gold sector today which has seen the S&P/ASX All Ords Gold index tumble over 5% on Monday. The precious metal pulled back on Friday amid strength in the US dollar.

    The post Why Bega, Fortescue, Santos, and Silver Lake shares are tumbling lower appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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

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  • Why are ASX 200 bank shares having such a cracking start to the week?

    Confident male Macquarie Group executive dressed in a dark blue suit leans against a doorway with his arms crossed in the corporate office

    Confident male Macquarie Group executive dressed in a dark blue suit leans against a doorway with his arms crossed in the corporate office

    The big four ASX bank shares are outperforming the broader share market today.

    Where the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has been deep in the doldrums today and is currently down almost 0.7% to 6,431 points, the ASX’s biggest banks are doing noticeably better.

    At the time of writing, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price is up 0.54% while shares in the National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) are trading around 0.4% higher.

    The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price is the best performer of the ASX 200 bank shares, up by 1.18%.

    Meanwhile, the Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price is slightly lower in late afternoon trading down just 0.16% at the time of writing.

    However, there’s no official news out of any of the big four banks and today’s share price movements reverse only a bit of the damage that the banks have seen in recent weeks.

    Pain for the ASX 200 bank shares

    In just the last month, there have been some double-digit declines for the major banks.

    They have all fallen roughly the same amount in percentage terms, with the Westpac share price falling 18.6% over the past month, and shares in NAB, ANZ and CBA down a respective 16.25%, 15.9% and 16%.

    Why such significant share price declines over a short period of time?

    Inflation and interest rates

    While most experts and investors blame inflation and rising interest rates for the share price falls in the ASX banking sector, it’s not that simple.

    For example, analysts at Morgans recognise that higher interest rates could be a benefit for the net interest margins (NIMs) of banks.

    If you haven’t heard of the NIM before, it’s the profitability metric showing how much a bank makes on its lending compared to the cost of the funding.

    This is a very simplified example, but if the bank had $100,000 in customer savings accounts paying a 1% interest rate, and it had lent out $100,000 at an interest rate of 3%, the NIM would be 2%. Experts are expecting bank NIMs to rise in this environment.

    However, one warning from the broker Morgans is that higher interest rates could lead to a worsening situation for the loan books and thereby lead to higher arrears.

    Bank dividend yields could also appear less attractive to income-focused investors, which may hurt the valuations of ASX 200 bank shares.

    RBA review

    However, there was one new piece of financial news that appeared today.

    According to reporting by the Australian Financial Review, the Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers is going to appoint a panel of independent experts to review the central bank.

    The newspaper reported that the review wais “likely to consider the composition of the RBA board members, the appointment processes, the 2% to 3% inflation target and the joint statement on the conduct of monetary policy between the treasurer and governor”.

    The AFR reported that some experts believed the RBA board should have “more professional economists to challenge the governor and deputy governor on technical monetary policy issues”.

    The post Why are ASX 200 bank shares having such a cracking start to the week? 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 January 12th 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 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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  • Ethereum price collapses 35% in a week. Are crypto sharks to blame?

    A man lays his head down on his arms at his desk in front of an array of computer screens and a laptop computer.

    A man lays his head down on his arms at his desk in front of an array of computer screens and a laptop computer.

    The Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) price has come charging back from yesterday’s lows of US$943. At that price, the world’s number two token by market cap had shed more than 35% in just one week.

    Having gained 13% since this time yesterday to trade at US$1,084, the Ethereum price still remains down 22% over the past seven days. And it’s down a painful 78% from its 16 November record high.

    So, what’s going on?

    Why is the Ethereum price falling sharply?

    Ethereum has come under pressure, along with the vast majority of cryptos, as investors adjust their weightings of risk assets amid fast-rising interest rates.

    But it’s not just rising rates battering cryptos and the Ethereum price.

    The spectacular failure of the TerraUSD stablecoin and its supporting token Luna last month shook confidence in the entire industry. And last week news emerged that crypto lender Celsius, which offered exceptionally high yields, might not be able to meet its obligations. Celsius has halted withdrawals.

    Crypto sharks circle the weakest, leveraged hands

    If you’ve invested in Ethereum, you likely have little to fear from crypto sharks, though their actions may in the medium term depress the broader market and the Ethereum price.

    Shark traders, as they’re known, use their own computer networks to search blockchains for traders who are holding highly-leveraged and potentially weak positions.

    According to Omakase, an anonymous contributor to the Sushi decentralised exchange (as quoted by Bloomberg):

    In a downtrend environment, where yields are harder to access, what we are going to see is some actors utilise some more aggressive strategies, and that may not be necessarily good for the community… The environment has become more player versus player…

    Most protocols offer a 10-15% liquidation fee. Triggering enough liquidations would cause a liquidation cascade where a motivated actor could simply hold a short position in order to profit for the subsequent secondary decrease.

    If you bought Ethereum outright, the sharks won’t be circling your holdings.

    Instead, they’re looking for leveraged traders in the decentralised finance (DeFi) space. That’s where people can borrow and lend cryptos from other traders without going through traditional banks.

    The collateral used is other cryptos, like Ethereum. That means if the Ethereum price falls, so too does the value of their collateral. Should their collateral value fall enough, this triggers a liquidation, for which the successful shark trader receives a fee.

    Blockchain analytics firm Nansen said that similar shark trading behaviour may have “contributed to the collapse of the TerraUSD stablecoin”.

    However, Nathan Worsley, who searches for crypto traders on the verge of liquidation to earn the commission for liquidating them, defends the practice.

    According to Worsley (courtesy of Bloomberg):

    I would push back on classifying this as an attack. The reason is because without liquidations, you can’t have a lending market. So even though no one enjoys being liquidated, it’s essential that people do get liquidated in order to make the market and protect the protocol from insolvency.

    The post Ethereum price collapses 35% in a week. Are crypto sharks to blame? 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 January 12th 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 Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Ethereum. 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 Appen, Infomedia, PointsBet, and Vicinity shares are storming higher

    A man clenches his fists in excitement as gold coins fall from the sky.

    A man clenches his fists in excitement as gold coins fall from the sky.

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the week with another decline. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.75% to 6,426.8 points.

    Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back today are listed below. Here’s why they are storming higher:

    Appen Ltd ASX: APX)

    The Appen share price is up 8.5% to $5.72. Investors have been buying this artificial intelligence data services company’s shares amid speculation that takeover interest may not be over. In addition, the tech sector is performing positively today following a strong night of trade for the Nasdaq on Friday.

    Infomedia Limited (ASX: IFM)

    The Infomedia share price is up 8% to $1.61. This morning the automotive industry-focused software company revealed that it has received a third non-binding takeover proposal. Infomedia has granted all three suitors with due diligence access. But it may not end at just three approaches. The company revealed that it is in ongoing talks with other parties.

    PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH)

    The PointsBet share price is up 20% to $2.57. This follows news that the sports betting company has received a major strategic investment from SIG Sports Investment Corp. It has invested $94.16 million into PointsBet via a placement of shares at a 13% premium to its last close price. This makes SIG Sports Investment Corp the company’s largest shareholder with a 12.8% stake.

    Vicinity Centres (ASX: VCX)

    The Vicinity share price is up 6% to $1.85. This morning this shopping centre operator upgraded its guidance for FY 2022. Vicinity now expects funds from operations to be at or above 12.6 cents per security in FY 2022. This compares to its previous guidance of 11.8 cents to 12.6 cents. Management stated that this “reflects the sustained strength of retail sales and improved negotiation outcomes with retailers.”

    The post Why Appen, Infomedia, PointsBet, and Vicinity shares are storming higher 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 January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Appen Ltd, Infomedia and Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. . The Motley Fool Australia owns Infomedia and Pointsbet Holdings Ltd shares. 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 cracking Monday

    Three businesspeople leap high with the CBD in the background.Three businesspeople leap high with the CBD in the background.

    The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is having a rough start to the week, but these shares are bucking the trend.

    While the index is slumping 0.9% at the time of writing, they’re shooting up to 8.5% higher.

    Let’s take a closer look at what’s going on with the shares outperforming their All Ordinaries peers on Monday.

    3 ASX All Ordinaries shares leaping higher today

    Appen Ltd (ASX: APX)

    The Appen share price is taking off on Monday despite its removal from the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). The tech stock was kicked out of the index as part of June’s quarterly rebalance which took effect this morning.

    The news doesn’t appear to have damped the ASX All Ordinaries share price, though. Right now, it’s trading 8.54% higher at $5.72.

    It’s also a good day for the broader technology sector. The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) is currently up 0.5% while the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) has gained 0.73%.

    Infomedia Limited (ASX: IFM)

    Another ASX All Ordinaries share partying on Monday is Infomedia. It’s been propelled into the green on the back of a third takeover offer.

    Right now, the Infomedia share price is $1.605, 7.72% higher than its previous close.

    The automotive industry-focused software-as-a-service provider has been handed a $1.70 per share takeover offer from Solera Holdings.

    It has received two other bids in the last few weeks. The first was also worth $1.70 per share while the second was higher at $1.75 per share.

    Whether competition for Infomedia breaks into a full-blown bidding war is yet to be seen.

    BetMakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET)

    The last of today’s ASX All Ordinaries overachievers is the BetMakers share price. The stock has surged 5.31% to trade at 34 cents each on Monday.

    While there’s been no news from the bookmaker today, its peer PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) is heading upwards on news of a strategic investment.

    The interest in a fellow ASX betting company may have bolstered sentiment surrounding BetMakers.

    The post 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares having a cracking Monday 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 January 12th 2022

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

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  • These 2 ASX shares are ‘compelling opportunities’: fund manager

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

    The leading investors from Wilson Asset Management (WAM) have told investors about two compelling All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) ASX shares on their radar.

    WAM operates several listed investment companies (LICs). Some, like WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE), focus on larger companies.

    WAM Capital Limited (ASX: WAM) targets “the most compelling undervalued growth opportunities in the Australian market”.

    Does WAM have a claim of stock-picking pedigree? The WAM Capital portfolio has delivered an investment return of 15.3% per annum since its inception in August 1999. That’s before fees, expenses, and taxes. This gross return outperformed the All Ordinaries Total Accumulation Index (ASX: XAOA) return of 8.5% per annum over the same timeframe.

    Here are the two ASX shares WAM Capital has outlined in its recent monthly update.

    Codan Limited (ASX: CDA)

    WAM describes Codan as a technology company that develops a range of radio and detection products.

    The fund manager pointed out that in May 2022, the company provided a “positive” market update. The update showed that it’s expecting to generate a record full-year profit in FY22, thanks to its strategy to diversify revenue.

    The ASX share also says that the increase in profitability of its communications division contributed to the potential for Codan to match its record FY22 first-half profit of $50 million in the second half of the financial year.

    WAM says that the company noted the expanding opportunity pipeline for Domo Tactical Communications and Zetron businesses are tracking “ahead of schedule”. Codan acquired the two businesses in 2021. The expectation is that both companies will deliver a strong result for the six months to June 2022.

    The fund manager is positive about the upcoming Codan FY22 report and believes in management’s ability to sustain profits.

    Johns Lyng Group Ltd (ASX: JLG)

    This business continues to be one of the preferred picks by WAM.

    Johns Lyng is an integrated building services group delivering building and restoration services across Australia and the United States.

    WAM points out that last month, the ASX share announced its managing director and CEO Scott Didier and executive director and chief operating officer Lindsay Barber each sold 1 million shares in the company. The reason provided was to “manage their personal asset portfolios”.

    As the fund manager noted, the share sales represented a small percentage of their holdings in the company, but this still led to a decline in the Johns Lyng share price after the update.

    But, the ASX share did say that it’s on track to reach its FY22 guidance. Those targets are sales revenue of $802.4 million and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $78.7 million.

    The fund manager calls Johns Lyng a quality business with an “important role” in managing ongoing catastrophes. As an example, WAM referred to the appointment to lead New South Wales’ flood recovery response earlier this year. WAM thinks that further projects will increase its profits in the future.

    The post These 2 ASX shares are ‘compelling opportunities’: fund manager 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 January 12th 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 Johns Lyng Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Johns Lyng Group 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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  • Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Monday

    An office worker and his desk covered in yellow post-it notes

    An office worker and his desk covered in yellow post-it notes

    It’s been an unhappy start to the trading week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) this Monday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 has gotten out on the wrong side of the bed and is presently down by 0.62%.

    But let’s not let that get us down. So instead, let’s take a look at the shares that are currently at the top of the ASX 200’s share trading volume charts, according to investing.com.

    The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Monday

    Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

    ASX 200 coal miner Whitehaven is first up this Monday. So far today, a sizeable 17.02 million Whitehaven shares have found their way around the ASX boards. There’s been no major news out from Whitehaven today, save for a share buyback notice (which could be boosting volumes itself).

    However, it’s far more likely that this coal company’s near-6% plunge today is the culprit behind this elevated trading volume. Whitehaven shares have shed 5.8% today and are now going for $4.71 each.

    Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

    It’s lithium stock Core Lithium’s first day as an ASX share today after the company made the cut on the index’s latest rebalancing. And the company is today the ASX 200’s second most traded share by volume, with 20.77 million shares having swapped hands as it currently stands.

    Unfortunately, this seems to be in response to Core Lithium’s nasty share price plunge (talk about baptism by fire) today. The company has shed a depressing 6.5% today and is now at $1.08 a share.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    Our final and most traded company today is another ASX 200 lithium stock in Pilbara Minerals. So far this Monday, a whopping 25.9 million Pilbara shares have been bought and sold on the ASX. And once again, it seems share price volatility is behind this volume.

    Pilbara shares haven’t been hit quite as hard as Core Lithium. But this lithium heavyweight is still down a displeasing 3.1% just above $2 a share after trading between $2 and $2.14 over the day thus far.

    The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Monday 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 January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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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