• 2 ASX dividend shares analysts rate as buys for April

    An older couple dance in their living room as they enjoy their retirement funded by ASX dividends

    An older couple dance in their living room as they enjoy their retirement funded by ASX dividends

    If you’re looking to boost your income portfolio in April, then you may want to look at the shares listed below.

    Here’s why these ASX dividend shares could be worth considering right now:

    Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXI)

    The first ASX dividend share for income investors to look at is Dexus Industria. It is an industrial and office focused property company that was formerly known as APN Industria.

    Dexus Industria owns interests in office and industrial properties that provide functional and affordable workspaces for businesses.

    As per its latest update, the fund’s portfolio was last valued at $1.78 billion and was spread across a number of major Australian cities. From this portfolio, management has set itself a target of providing sustainable income and capital growth prospects for shareholders over the long term.

    Morgans appears to believe management will deliver on its targets. It recently put an add rating and $3.65 price target on the company’s shares. The broker is also forecasting dividends per share of 17.3 cents in FY 2022 and 17.6 cents in FY 2023. Based on the current Dexus Industria share price of $3.44, this will mean yields of 5% and 5.1%, respectively.

    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

    Another ASX dividend share that has been rated as a buy is Telstra.

    This is due to optimism over the telco giant’s outlook thanks to the successful execution of its transformative T22 strategy and the impending growth-focused T25 strategy. The latter will see Telstra aim for sustained growth and value by targeting mid-single digit underlying EBITDA and high-teens underlying earnings per share compound annual growth rates (CAGR) from FY21 to FY25.

    Morgans is also a fan of Telstra and currently has an add rating and $4.55 price target on the company’s shares. The broker feels the market is undervaluing its shares on a sum of the parts basis.

    As for dividends, Morgans continues to expect fully franked dividends per share of 16 cents for FY 2022 and FY 2023. Based on the current Telstra share price of $3.93, this implies yields of 4.1%.

    The post 2 ASX dividend shares analysts rate as buys for April appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *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 owns 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • 2 ASX shares cashing in on irresistible global trends: expert

    Two people work with a digital map of the world, planning their logistics on a global scale.Two people work with a digital map of the world, planning their logistics on a global scale.

    Ask A Fund Manager

    The Motley Fool chats with fund managers so that you can get an insight into how the professionals think. In this edition, Marcus Today portfolio manager Ben O’Leary picks two ASX shares in pole position to take advantage of how the world is changing.

    Hottest ASX shares

    The Motley Fool: What are the two best stock buys right now?

    Ben O’Leary: I’ve got a couple of genuine growth stocks here with some structural long-term tailwinds.

    The first one is WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC). They had results in February — their revenue operating earnings were up 18% and 54%, their EBITDA [earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation] underlying profit blew consensus expectations out of the water, and they upgraded their growth items as well. They showed that their numbers are going really well. 

    They are a genuine growth company with wins that are about benefiting from the longer term structural changes in the shipping industry. And they are really revolutionising that. 

    The big thing with their numbers is they’ve got recurring revenues. Last year, 90% of their revenue was recurring, which is very impressive. We know customers are a really important thing in the long-term success of any business. That’s why things like Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Netflix Inc (NASDAQ: NFLX) and whatnot have done so well, because of their customer retention, and [WiseTech’s] customer loss was below 1% for nine years in a row last year. So they really do get people on board and keep them on board.

    Obviously they are a high-growth tech company, so they are going to be pushed on the valuation grounds when the market gets worried about that, which they have recently. It’s a little bit at the whims of what the central banks decide to do, but we’ve recently got a little bit more clarity there and the market is factoring in something like seven [US Federal Reserve] raises by the end of the year. So even though that will be a factor on pressure and valuations, I think from our perspective, it’s mostly priced in and the tailwinds behind it will hopefully outweigh that. It’s culled 15% from the top with that little pressure, so seeing a bit of an opportunity for a good long-term investment that’ll push years into the future.

    MF: It hasn’t discounted quite as much as many other ASX tech shares, has it?

    BO: No, it’s held up probably because of those numbers they reported. Because it reported so well, it did show that there is a reason you’re buying it. It’s not just a story, there’s numbers behind it that are serious. 

    The second one there I’ll jump to is Johns Lyng Group Ltd (ASX: JLG). It’s one we’ve liked here for quite a while. It’s done really well for us. It’s a building services company that specialises in emergency construction work. So they have a lot of contracts with insurers. Its core business is centred around the restoration of properties that have been damaged in external events like floods and fires. And we know that there’s the trend, which is a really unfortunate trend, of climate change, extreme weather events. We’ve seen some really unfortunate ones recently, but the numbers show that growing year to year.

    That means that Johns Lyng Group is going to be in demand, and companies like that are going to be in demand. There’s going to be a lot of restoration work needing to be done and continuing to be done. 

    They’ve shown an ability to get those contracts and get the work and grow with that demand. So they’ve performed really well. We see there’s a lot of scope for them to continue to perform well. And they’re what we call here a bottom left to top right stock. So when you look at [the share price] chart, it goes pretty much bottom left to top right, so it’s a really nice trend there. 

    They’re a similar story as WiseTech, where it is on a high P/E [price-to-earnings ratio]. So when the whole market tips on valuation grounds, it does come under a bit of pressure. But again, we think there are a lot of tailwinds going into the future that could see it still form an opportunity to lock in a long-term position.

    MF: You’ve already touched on this a bit, but you’re not too worried about the fact that it has gone up quite a bit in the last couple of years — that the valuation isn’t too high?

    BO: Obviously it’s a factor, but we are talking about a genuine growth company here. I think it’s definitely one, you won’t find it being one of our biggest holdings. We’re taking a tactical risk here, but we see the upside is there. 

    They had quite a bit of consolidation within the industry. They’ve been quite aggressive in their own expansion. So I think they’re there. They’re ready to take their slice of the pie and keep getting those contracts and sending vests out to grow with that increased demand in years to come.

    MF: As you say, we saw from the floods in eastern Australia a couple of weeks ago, demand for its services is not going to fall, is it?

    BO: Yeah, exactly. Every year the things we’re seeing tell us there have been more extreme weather events, which is really unfortunate. But … people are going to need their homes rebuilt. Also, the infrastructure needs to be maintained and rebuilt after these disasters, so someone’s got to do it.

    The post 2 ASX shares cashing in on irresistible global trends: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

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    John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo owns Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Amazon, Netflix, and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon and Netflix. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Finally! 4 travel ASX shares ready to take off

    Family going to an aeroplane.Family going to an aeroplane.

    Is travel finally back?

    Who knows. But we now have the best chance we’ve had in more than two years.

    The world is a different place from early 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic first started.

    The medical experts now know a lot more about how to treat the deadly disease. The majority of Australians are vaccinated. Governments are no longer resorting to lockdowns, regardless of daily infection numbers.

    Even unrestricted international travel is back on the cards, according to Montgomery Small Companies Fund portfolio manager Dominic Rose.

    “Both the UK and the European Union have scrapped COVID-19 testing requirements for fully vaccinated travellers,” he said on the Montgomery blog.

    “While recent commentary from numerous US airlines suggests that North American leisure activity is back at or near pre-pandemic levels with corporate improving to 25% to 30% behind.”

    With this in mind, Rose’s team has picked 4 ASX travel shares they love the look of right now:

    Acquisition spree takes earnings higher than pre-COVID

    Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD) took advantage of lockdown disruptions by raising fresh equity to acquire other businesses.

    This ASX share bought out US corporate travel agent Travel & Transport, and the Helloworld Corporate arm of fellow ASX-listed player Helloworld Travel Ltd (ASX: HLO).

    “While competitors were scrambling to cut operating costs during the depths of the downturn, mainly headcount which negatively impacts customer service levels and therefore client retention, Corporate Travel Management was strategically expanding through opportunistic M&A,” said Rose.

    “The company is now estimated to be the fourth largest global corporate travel manager worldwide with fully recovered EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation. and amortisation] of around $265 million, some 77% higher than pre-COVID levels.”

    While Rose acknowledged that post-pandemic work habits may be more home-based, he feels Corporate Travel Management is well-placed to outperform the competition.

    “Being predominantly a northern hemisphere business, the trans-Atlantic route remains a key catalyst for the company, along with workers returning to offices — at least partially.”

    Corporate Travel Management shares have actually risen more than 4% for the year so far.

    This airline is 3.5 times bigger now than before COVID

    Alliance Aviation Services Ltd (ASX: AQZ), remarkably, was a rare company in the travel sector that profited from the pandemic.

    “Alliance Aviation Services seized the moment when global airline fleets were grounded and airlines offloaded assets at distressed prices to stay liquid,” said Rose.

    “In June 2020, the company raised $122 million in equity to purchase a fleet of 32 Embraer E190 aircraft from various vendors, paying just cents in the dollar.”

    Then it just waited for other airlines to lease those planes. Indeed, Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) has taken options on 18 of them already.

    The new fleet has increased Alliance’s capacity by a whopping 3.5 times compared to the pre-COVID era.

    “In addition to being a much larger business once the expansion assets are fully deployed, we view the company as more diversified with expanded leisure exposure (complementing the FIFO business),” Rose said.

    “And we also expect improved unit economics given the higher asset utilisation of the new E190s compared to the older Fokker aircraft.”

    The Alliance share price has dipped 10% this year.

    Tale of two travel agents 

    Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) and Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) might have different strengths in physical stores and online sales respectively, but both these ASX travel shares raised huge money during the pandemic just to “keep the lights on”.

    “Flight Centre is arguably the most levered play to a rebound in travel activity,” said Rose.

    “Management’s response to the initial demand shock was to stand down staff and raise equity capital at deeply discounted prices ($700 million equity raise in April 2020 plus a number of subsequent convertible bond issues) to strengthen the balance sheet and fund the significant working capital unwind (ticket refunds).”

    Rose’s team sees a brighter post-COVID era for this ASX share though, as smaller competitors have died out or shrunk even further over the past two years.

    “Despite having half the number of shop fronts, management still expects to retain 95% customer reach,” said Rose.

    “As such, Flight Centre should retain its dominant market position in the Australian leisure travel market with potential to take further share from weakened competitors as conditions improve.”

    Flight Centre shares have gained more than 6% so far in 2022, although they are still 19% down from their October high. 

    Meanwhile, Webjet turned its focus to its wholesale WebBeds division during the pandemic.

    “WebBeds is looking to take advantage of the changed competitive landscape and become the No. 1 travel wholesaler globally (currently No. 2),” said Rose.

    “Additionally, Webjet, which commanded a 50% share of domestic online bookings pre-pandemic, is aiming to outperform the market recovery by 1.5x as the structural migration towards online accelerates and underpinned by superior technology.”

    The Webjet share price has headed up almost 4% for the year, although it’s still almost 15% below its November peak.

    The post Finally! 4 travel ASX shares ready to take off appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo owns Corporate Travel Management Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Alliance Aviation Services Ltd. and Helloworld Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Alliance Aviation Services Ltd. and Helloworld Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Corporate Travel Management Limited, Flight Centre Travel Group Limited, and Webjet Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

    Smiling man with phone in wheelchair watching stocks and trends on computer

    Smiling man with phone in wheelchair watching stocks and trends on computer

    On Tuesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a great day and stormed higher. The benchmark index rose 0.7% to 7,464.3 points.

    Will the market be able to build on this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to rise

    It looks set to be another good day for the Australian share market on Wednesday following a positive night in the US. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 33 points or 0.45% higher this morning. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is up 0.8%, the S&P 500 is up 1.2%, and the Nasdaq is up a sizeable 1.9%.

    Oil prices fall

    Energy producers such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a difficult day after oil prices dropped again. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 1.5% to US$104.37 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price has fallen 1.9% to US$110.28 a barrel. Promising signals from Russia-Ukraine peace talks weighed on prices.

    Federal Budget

    Last night the Federal Government delivered its pre-election budget with a focus on two key themes: the cost of living and national security. Some ASX 200 shares that look set to benefit include JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH) and Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) from a “go digital” incentive and toll road operator Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) from a 22 cents per litre fuel excise reduction for six months.

    Gold price down again

    Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a poor day after the gold price continued to fall. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 1.1% to US$1,921.5 an ounce. This has been driven by Russia-Ukraine peace talks reducing safe haven asset demand.

    Dividends being paid

    It’s a very big day for dividend payments on Wednesday with a number of popular ASX 200 dividend shares rewarding their shareholders today. This includes energy company AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL), banking giant Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG), and conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday 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.

    *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. owns and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Wesfarmers Limited and Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Analysts name 3 ASX 200 shares that could generate strong returns

    Two women hold up their biceps in a show of strength.

    Two women hold up their biceps in a show of strength.

    If you’re interested in adding some S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares to your portfolio in April, then the three listed below could be worth considering.

    These ASX 200 shares have been named as buys and tipped to generate strong returns for investors. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

    The first ASX 200 share to look at is NextDC. It is a leading data centre operator with a collection of world class centres across key capital city locations throughout Australia. The company is also aiming to grow its network with edge centres in regional areas and expand overseas. All in all, this appears to have positioned NextDC perfectly to capture the increasing demand for data centre capacity thanks to the structural shift to the cloud.

    Citi is bullish on the company’s outlook. It has a buy rating and $14.55 price target on NextDC’s shares. This compares to the latest NextDC share price of $11.44.

    SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK)

    Another ASX 200 share to look at is this leading job listings company. It appears well-positioned for growth in the coming years thanks to its leadership position, pricing power, and exposure to Australia’s recovery from the pandemic.

    The team at Morgan Stanley is positive on SEEK. Its analysts currently have an overweight rating and $36.00 price target on its shares. This compares to the most recent SEEK share price of $29.33.

    TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

    A final ASX 200 share to look at is enterprise software provider TechnologyOne. It is currently transitioning to become a software-as-a-service (SaaS) focused business and is delivering strong results. Pleasingly, management expects this to continue and is targeting annual recurring revenue (ARR) of over $500 million by FY 2026. This is almost double its current base ARR of $257.5 million.

    The team at Bell Potter is a very positive on the company’s growth outlook. The broker has a buy rating and $15.00 price target on its shares at present. This compares to the latest TechnologyOne share price of $11.48.

    The post Analysts name 3 ASX 200 shares that could generate strong returns 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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

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  • 3 top ETFs for ASX investors in April

    ETF in written in different colours with different colour arrows pointing to it.

    ETF in written in different colours with different colour arrows pointing to it.

    Are you looking for some exchange traded funds (ETFs) to add to your portfolio next month? If you are, it could be worth taking a closer look at the three ETFs listed below.

    Here’s what you need to know about these top ETFs:

    BetaShares Global Energy Companies ETF (ASX: FUEL)

    The first ETF to look at for April is the BetaShares Global Energy Companies ETF. It provides investors with access to a number of the largest energy companies outside Australia. BetaShares notes that these are larger, more geographically diversified, and more vertically integrated than their Australian peers. Among its holdings are energy giants including BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Royal Dutch Shell.

    iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

    Another ETF for investors to consider in April is the iShares S&P 500 ETF. This popular ETF gives investors access to the top 500 listed U.S. companies. BlackRock, which operates iShares, believes this ETF is a good way for investors to diversify internationally. The fund manager also notes that it offers long-term growth opportunities for a portfolio. Among the companies included in the fund are Amazon, Apple, Disney, Facebook, JP Morgan, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Tesla, and Visa.

    VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

    A final ETF for investors to look at for next month is the VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. This Warren Buffett inspired ETF gives investors access to a group of companies with sustainable competitive advantages or moats. The fund is currently invested across almost 50 attractively priced shares boasting these qualities. This includes the likes of Alphabet, Altria, Boeing, Coca Cola, Kellogg Co, Walt Disney, and even Warren Buffet’s own Berkshire Hathaway. Given how successful Buffett’s style of investing has been over multiple decades, this ETF could be a top option for long term focused investors.

    The post 3 top ETFs for ASX investors in April 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.

    *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. owns and has recommended BetaShares Global Energy Companies ETF – Currency Hedged. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF and iShares Trust – iShares Core S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • What’s the outlook for the CSL share price in April?

    A doctor looks unsure, indicating share price uncertainty for ASX medical companiesA doctor looks unsure, indicating share price uncertainty for ASX medical companies

    The CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) share price may have suffered since early 2020, but can it recover in the near future?

    CSL shares have dropped 21% since 21 February 2020, close to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In today’s trade, the company’s shares climbed 1.43% to $265.60 apiece.

    So what is the outlook for the CSL share price?

    Where is the CSL share price heading?

    Citi analysts have recently upgraded CSL to a buy with a $335 price target. That’s 27% higher than its current value. Citi’s price would take the share very close to its five year high of $336.40 on 21 February 2020. The broker is optimistic plasma collection improvements will have a positive impact on the company’s shares.

    FNArena founder Rudi Filapek-Vandyck also predicts the CSL share price will rise again soon. The analyst believes CSL “will find its mojo again”. Filapek-Vandyck added:

    I recently bought some extra shares in CSL. The business model was disrupted because of COVID… If I look forward to the next two to three years, I see an environment where CSL will again come to the fore.

    Looking to the near future, CSL could also be one of the companies to benefit from onshore manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, announced in the lead up to the federal budget. My Foolish colleague Zach reported today Bloomberg’s Jackie Edwards believes this manufacturing push could put CSL in the spotlight. The federal budget will be delivered this evening at 7.30 pm.

    JP Morgan analysts have also put an overweight rating on CSL, valuing the company at $295 per share. This is 11% more than the current share price.

    CSL recently made the cut for a list of one of the greatest ASX listed companies of all time. QVG Capital included CSL in a list of its ASX “hall of famers”.

    Share price snapshot

    The CSL share price has dropped nearly 9% year to date while it is up a slim 0.08% in the past year.

    For perspective, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained nearly 10% in the past 12 months.

    CSL has a market capitalisation of around $128 billion based on its current share price.

    The post What’s the outlook for the CSL share price in April? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in CSL right now?

    Before you consider CSL, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and CSL wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Top broker gives its verdict on the Coles (ASX:COL) share price

    Happy couple doing grocery shopping together.

    Happy couple doing grocery shopping together.

    The Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price has been a positive performer over the last 12 months.

    Since this time last year, the supermarket giant’s shares are up 14%.

    Can the Coles share price keep rising?

    Unfortunately, one leading broker believes the Coles share price has peaked for the time being.

    According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts have initiated coverage on the company’s shares with a neutral rating and $16.40 price target.

    Based on the current Coles share price of $17.93, this implies potential downside of approximately 8.5% for investors over the next 12 months.

    What did the broker say?

    Goldman has been looking at the food & beverage (F&B) sector and given its verdict on the major players.

    While it rates Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV) and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) as buys (here and here), it can only muster up a neutral rating for Coles due to its lagging digital and data capabilities and valuation.

    Goldman said:

    “Coles Group is the 2nd largest supermarket in Australia. We view Coles as being less advanced in digital and data capabilities than Woolworths. In the short term, we expect Coles to be more defensive in an inflationary environment and see it as more protected from global supply chain disruptions given higher local sourcing for fresh. We initiate on Coles group with a Neutral rating.”

    In respect to its data capabilities, the broker fears that Coles’ lower quality consumer data assets could result in further market share gap.

    It explained:

    “COL’s primary sources of consumer data are its own sales transaction records and Flybuys loyalty program. Contrasting with WOW’s Everyday Rewards, Flybuys is ~8mn members vs Everyday Rewards [EDR] ~13mn members and while EDR is wholly owned by WOW, Flybuys is an independent JV, 50/50 owned with Wesfarmers. This implies that WOW is able to access a larger pool of consumer insights in EDR more freely, whereas the terms of COL’s access would need to be negotiated with Flybuys and Wesfarmers – i.e. they potentially may have less and more costly access.

    The direct relationship with consumers also lies with Flybuys and not COL. We acknowledge that Flybuys does have a broader coverage of businesses including most recently Bunnings and Officeworks but these are shared on a grouped, attribution basis only (i.e. 3rd party data) where the exact impact on business remains to be proven. Net net, we expect an opening of market share leadership between WOW and COL, which we forecast to expand from 8.8pts in 2022 to 10.3pts by 2024.”

    All in all, the broker believes investors should be buying Woolworths shares and waiting for a better entry point with the Coles share price.

    The post Top broker gives its verdict on the Coles (ASX:COL) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Coles right now?

    Before you consider Coles, you’ll want to hear this.

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    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

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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 owns and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Buy or sell? ASX experts rate the CBA share price for April

    busy trader on the phone in front of board depicting asx share price risers and fallersbusy trader on the phone in front of board depicting asx share price risers and fallers

    Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares have proven to be one of the better ASX 200 blue chips to have owned in recent times. While the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is still down around 1.65% year to date in 2022 so far, the CBA share price has put on a market-beating 3.8%. That includes today’s gain of 0.22% to $106.37.

    Over the past 12 months, CBA shares are also up a very pleasing 24.6%, again comparing favourably to the ASX 200’s far more modest 10.8%.

    But now that Commonwealth Bank shares have got those gains under the belt, and are now only a few dollars off the ASX banking giant’s all-time high of $110.19 a share, could it be time to reconsider owning CBA? Or are CBA shares still a buy today? Let’s see what some ASX investing experts reckon.

    Is the CBA share price a buy or a sell for April 2022?

    Citi is an ASX broker that, perhaps unfortunately for CBA investors, lies in the latter camp. Earlier this week, we covered how Citi retained a sell rating on CBA shares. This came with a 12-month share price target of $90.75. If that turned out to be accurate, it would result in the CBA share price losing close to 15% over the next 12 months.

    Citi reckons CBA’s chances of continuing to outperform the other ASX big four banks into the future are remote due to the lack of potential growth opportunities. It also sees the current CBA share price as a little overvalued, especially compared to the other big four ASX banks.

    But Citi isn’t the only broker who doesn’t see much in the current CBA share price. Earlier this month, we also looked at fellow ASX broker Morgan Stanley’s views on CBA. Like Citi, Morgan Stanley is sell rated on CBA shares. It has a not too dissimilar 12-month share price target of $92 for the bank. It also sees the CBA share price as overvalued right now.

    So the view is widespread among the ASX broker community on CBA, it seems. Perhaps not what investors are looking to here right now. But only time will tell if buying or selling CBA shares today will turn out to be a good idea.

    At the current CBA share price, this ASX 200 bank has a market capitalisation of $181.1 billion, with a dividend yield of 3.52%.

    The post Buy or sell? ASX experts rate the CBA share price for April appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in CBA right now?

    Before you consider CBA, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and CBA wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell today

    Business man marking Sell on board and underlining it

    Business man marking Sell on board and underlining itYesterday we looked at three ASX shares brokers have given buy ratings to this week.

    Unfortunately, not all shares are in favour with them right now. Three that have just been given sell ratings are listed below. Here’s why these brokers are bearish on these ASX shares:

    Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)

    According to a note out of UBS, its analysts have downgraded this gold miner’s shares to a sell rating with an improved price target of $4.23. Although the broker has bumped its gold price forecasts higher and lifted its valuation for Evolution accordingly, it isn’t enough for a more positive rating. The broker has downgraded the miner’s shares on valuation grounds. The Evolution share price was trading at $4.41 on Tuesday.

    Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)

    A note out of Morgan Stanley reveals that its analysts have retained their underweight rating but lifted their price target on this iron ore giant’s shares to $15.95. Although the broker expects Fortescue to benefit from stronger than previously expected iron ore prices, it can’t look beyond the company’s valuation. It feels Fortescue’s shares are overvalued and also has concerns with costs relating to its Fortescue Future Industries business. The Fortescue share price was fetching $19.49 today.

    Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV)

    Analysts at Goldman Sachs have retained their sell rating but lifted their price target on this retail conglomerate’s shares to $24.30. While Goldman acknowledges that Premier Investments’ first half result was solid and its gross margin was strong, it suspects the consumer environment will soften over the next year. In light of this and the significant premium that it trades on compared to its peers, the broker believes its shares are expensive at current levels. The Premier Investments share price was trading at $28.32 on Tuesday.

    The post Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell today 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 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 Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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