• 2 blue chip ASX 200 shares analysts are urging investors to buy

    A woman in a red jacket whispers in the ear of a man who has a surprised look on his face as she explains that one top broker thinks the Appen share price is a buy

    A woman in a red jacket whispers in the ear of a man who has a surprised look on his face as she explains that one top broker thinks the Appen share price is a buy

    If you’re looking to bolster your portfolio with some blue chip shares, you may want to look at the two listed below.

    Here’s why these blue chip ASX 200 shares are highly rated right now:

    CSL Limited (ASX: CSL)

    The first ASX 200 blue chip share that could be in the buy zone is CSL. It is the biotherapeutics giant behind the CSL Behring business, which has developed a range of lifesaving and lucrative plasma therapies. In addition, the company has a growing Seqirus vaccine business and is on the brink of acquiring Vifor Pharma, which is focused on iron deficiency, nephrology and cardio-renal therapies.

    The team at Morgans is positive on the company, particularly given the recovery in plasma collections. It recently put an add rating and $327.60 price target on its shares. Morgans commented:

    “Promisingly, plasma collections continue to improve, although remain slightly below pre-pandemic levels, and while industry wide issues remain (eg Omicron; staffing; increase costs), the worst appears behind us.”

    “While near term challenges remain, the ongoing recovery in plasma collections, coupled with management’s confidence, paints a favourable earnings picture.”

    Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

    Another ASX 200 blue chip share to consider is Goodman. It is an integrated property company with operations throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, North America and Brazil.

    The company notes that its global property expertise, integrated own+develop+manage customer service offering and significant investment management platform ensures that it creates innovative property solutions that meet the individual requirements of its customers, such as Amazon, while seeking to deliver long-term returns for investors.

    Citi is very positive on Goodman and currently has a buy rating and $29.50 price target on its shares. Its analysts believe Goodman could outperform its upgraded guidance in FY 2022. It commented:

    “GMG’s 1H22 EPS of 41.9c was 12% ahead of Visible Alpha consensus (37.3c) and 6% ahead of Citi (39.5c). FY22 EPS guidance was upgraded for the 2nd time in 6 months to 20% growth, or EPS of 78.7c, +1.5% ahead of ingoing consensus of 77.5c. FY22 DPS guidance was retained at 30c.”

    “We continue to see guidance as conservative, with our EPS estimates rising 5% in FY22 and c. 6% thereafter. We now forecast c. 23% EPS growth in FY22 and c. 19% EPS CAGR from FY21-FY24. Our TP increases 5% on higher asset values and higher earnings. GMG remains OUR top pick in the sector.”

    The post 2 blue chip ASX 200 shares analysts are urging investors to buy 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 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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  • The IGO (ASX:IGO) share price hit a new all-time high today. Could this be why?

    A young female ASX investor sits at her desk with her fists raised in excitement as she reads about rising ASX share prices on her laptop.A young female ASX investor sits at her desk with her fists raised in excitement as she reads about rising ASX share prices on her laptop.

    The IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) share price is soaring to new heights today as nickel prices take off once more.

    The commodity, which was the subject of a major short squeeze just weeks ago, saw its value surge by its enforced maximum of 15% for the second session in a row on the London Metal Exchange (LME) overnight, reports Bloomberg.

    That might have helped boost the IGO share price to a new record high of $13.85 during Friday’s session.

    At the time of writing, the IGO share price has retreated slightly to trade at $13.66. Though, that’s still 3.33% higher than its previous close.

    Let’s take a closer look at what’s been going on with the nickel, copper, cobalt, and lithium producer’s stock lately.

    IGO share price takes off alongside nickel prices

    IGO’s shares are rising on Friday, as did nickel prices overnight. Today’s gains see the company’s stock trading for 13.6% more than it was at the end of last week.

    Meanwhile, the price of nickel launched during Wednesday and Thursday’s trade. It reached a high of US$37,325 per ton overnight (AEST time).

    Meanwhile, according to Reuters, the price of nickel was also driven 17% higher on the Shanghai Futures Exchange in Thursday’s session.

    The boost was likely driven by concerns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could bring about a supply shortage.

    The metal’s value’s increase follows a short squeeze that forced the LME to halt trading and cancel orders after the commodity’s price surged to a record US$101,365 earlier this month, reports Bloomberg.

    IGO owns the nickel, copper, and cobalt producing Nova Operation, located in Western Australia.

    The IGO share price might have been driven higher today on expectations rising nickel prices could increase its profitability.

    Right now, the company’s stock is 14% higher than it was at the start of 2022. It has also gained 119% since this time last year.

    The post The IGO (ASX:IGO) share price hit a new all-time high today. Could this be why? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider IGO, 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 IGO 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 Brooke Cooper 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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  • JB Hi-Fi (ASX:JBH) share price leaps 4% to all-time high

    Woman checking out new TVs.

    Woman checking out new TVs.

    The JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH) share price is up 4%. It just reached an all-time high.

    Despite experiencing booming sales during the first two years of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, sales have continued to grow for the business.

    The company just released a FY22 trading update for the third quarter to date.

    What was in the JB Hi-Fi sales update?

    For the period of 1 January 2022 to 23 March 022, the company said that all three of its divisions experienced sales growth.

    JB Hi-Fi Australia’s total sales were up 11.3%, with comparable sales growth of 10.5%.

    In New Zealand dollar terms, JB Hi-Fi New Zealand’s total and comparable sales were up 2.9%.

    The Good Guys total sales increased by 5.7%, while comparable sales grew by 5.1%.

    Profit margin growth

    Not only did the ASX retail share reveal sales growth, but it also talked of improved operating leverage.

    Management said that the sales growth, combined with disciplined cost control, stock availability, sales mix benefits and gross profit margin improvement, led to strong operating leverage across the group.

    The company said that it was “pleased” with the start to the second half.

    More growth to come for the JB Hi-Fi share price?

    Multiple brokers like JB Hi-Fi at the moment.

    Ord Minnett is one of the brokers that rates the business as a buy, with a price target of $62, implying a further upside of at least 10%. The broker thinks that sales and margins can keep rising.

    At the current JB Hi-Fi share price, Ord Minnett thinks it’s valued at 13x FY22’s estimated earnings with a potential grossed-up dividend yield of 6.8%.

    The post JB Hi-Fi (ASX:JBH) share price leaps 4% to all-time high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in JB Hi-Fi right now?

    Before you consider JB Hi-Fi, 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 JB Hi-Fi 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 Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts this Friday

    Two male ASX investors and executives wearing dark coloured suits sit at a table holding their mobile phones discussing the highest trading ASX 200 shares todayTwo male ASX investors and executives wearing dark coloured suits sit at a table holding their mobile phones discussing the highest trading ASX 200 shares today

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is looking likely to end the week on a high thus far during this Friday’s trading session. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is up by a solid 0.37% at just over 7,410 points.

    But let’s dig somewhat deeper into these gains and examine the ASX 200 shares with the highest trading volumes today, according to investing.com.

    The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume on Friday

    Nickel Mines Ltd (ASX: NIC)

    Nickel Mines is our first ASX 200 share to take a look at today. So far, a sizeable 12.84 million Nickel Mines shares have found their way around the share market. There have been no major announcements out of the company today, although yesterday we did get a notice that one of the company’s directors had picked up a large tranche of Nickel Mines shares.

    However, today’s volume is more likely to have been caused by the wild price swings we have seen in the company’s shares today. Nickel Mines is currently down 0.77% at $1.29 a share. But the miner has had multiple stints in both positive and negative territories over the trading day.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    An ASX 200 lithium share is up next in Pilbara Minerals. Pilbara has had a notable 14.29 million shares bought and sold on the markets thus far this Friday. Again, this seems to be a consequence of some dramatic share price movements, rather than any news out of the company itself.

    In Pilbara’s case, today’s high volume is good news for shareholders. Pilbara is currently up by a robust 3.05% at $3.21 a share, which puts this company’s five-day gains at a strong 10.9%.

    AVZ Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ)

    Another ASX 200 lithium share rounds out our list today. AVZ is currently the top trading ASX 200 company, with a hefty 30 million shares having found a new home thus far this Friday.

    This miner also appears to be enjoying the benefits of a strong share price performance today. In this case, the AVZ share price is presently up a pleasing 3.62% to $1.15. What’s more, AVZ hit a new all-time high of $1.17 in earlier trading today. It’s this combination that is almost certainly behind the elevated trading volumes we are seeing.

    The post These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts this Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in AVZ Minerals right now?

    Before you consider AVZ Minerals, 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 AVZ Minerals 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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  • Why Atlas Arteria, Core Lithium, Premier, and Telix shares are dropping

    Red arrow going down on a stock market table which symbolises a falling share price.

    Red arrow going down on a stock market table which symbolises a falling share price.

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to finish the week on a high. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is currently up 0.4% to 7,414.6 points.

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

    Atlas Arteria Group (ASX: ALX)

    The Atlas Arteria share price is down 2% to $6.60. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Macquarie this morning. According to the note, the broker has downgraded this toll road operator’s shares to a neutral rating and cut the price target on them to $6.66. The broker suspects that higher fuel costs could have a negative impact on traffic volumes.

    Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

    The Core Lithium share price is down 3% to $1.20. This follows news that the lithium developer’s founding managing director and CEO, Stephen Biggins, is resigning and will step down from the role by the end of the year. The release notes that Mr Biggins is resigning from the company for personal reasons.

    Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV)

    The Premier Investments share price is down over 1% to $28.61. This is despite the release of the retail giant’s half year results, which revealed earnings before interest and tax ahead of guidance at $212 million. The Smiggle and Peter Alexander owner also declared a record fully franked interim dividend of 46 cents per share. Some investors appear to have been betting on a stronger result.

    Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

    The Telix share price is down 9.5% to $4.29. This is despite there being no news out of the radiopharmaceuticals company. Earlier this week, Telix revealed that the buildout of its Belgian production facility has begun. To fund the development, the company has secured an $18.2 million loan and applied for $3 million of grants.

    The post Why Atlas Arteria, Core Lithium, Premier, and Telix shares are dropping 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

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns TELIXPHARM DEF SET. 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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  • Why is the Flight Centre share price soaring today?

    A smiling woman in a hat holding a ticket takes selfie inside a Qantas plane next to the window.A smiling woman in a hat holding a ticket takes selfie inside a Qantas plane next to the window.

    The Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price is back in the green again today amid plenty of positive news.

    The company released a positive update on its COVID-19 recovery only minutes before the market closed yesterday.

    Additionally, there’s set to be a major change to Australia’s border entry requirements.

    Finally, the stock’s movements come as Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) launches its latest ‘I Still Call Australia Home’ campaign.

    At the time of writing, the Flight Centre share price is $19.38, 3.47% higher than its previous close.

    For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is also up today, having gained 0.38%.

    Let’s take a look at the news that could be boosting Flight Centre shares today.

    What’s sending the Flight Centre share price sky high on Friday?

    The Flight Centre share price is taking off today amid news the company’s corporate travel segment is expected to blast back into the green soon.

    The segment is predicted to return to profitability in March or April 2022, The Motley Fool Australia’s Tristan Harrison reports.

    The company expects to see between 60% and 75% of pre-pandemic corporate travel return next financial year. Additionally, it hasn’t recorded any notable disruptions due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    On top of the latest news from Flight Centre, there’s been big news regarding Australia’s entry requirements.

    International arrivals to Australia will soon be able to skip currently mandated COVID-19 testing prior to their departure.

    Health Minister Greg Hunt announced the change at a press conference today. Hunt said Australia is “ready to move on from the emergency declaration” that’s impacted the travel sector for more than two years.

    The change will come into effect on 17 April.

    Arrivals to Australia will still need to be ‘double-jabbed’ with a COVID-19 vaccine and wear masks on flights.

    Nearly simultaneously, Qantas announced it had launched its latest ad campaign to attract visitors to Australia.

    The airline also stated demand for domestic travel has been increasing since February. It’s expecting its capacity over Easter to reach 110% of pre-COVID levels.

    For comparison, the second half of 2021 saw the company reporting capacity of 40% of pre-pandemic levels.

    That’s good news for Qantas ­– its shares are up 1.58%. It also likely provides some positive sentiment for the travel sector.

    The share prices of Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD) and Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) are also higher today. They’ve gained 1.55% and 0.72% respectively at the time of writing.

    The post Why is the Flight Centre share price soaring today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Flight Centre right now?

    Before you consider Flight Centre, 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 Flight Centre 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

    More reading

    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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 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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  • The Premier Investments (ASX:PMV) dividend just jumped 35%. Here’s what you need to know

    Happy woman holding $50 Australian notes.Happy woman holding $50 Australian notes.

    The Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV) share price is edging lower following the release of the company’s FY22 half-year results today.

    This comes despite the board declaring a record interim dividend after posting record sales from its Peter Alexander business.

    At the time of writing, the retail conglomerate’s shares are swapping hands for $28.645, down 1.02%.

    It’s worth noting that earlier this month, Premier shares hit a 10-month low of $25.47 before quickly rebounding higher.

    Below we take a look at the company’s latest financial performance and its huge interim dividend for investors.

    What’s the go on the Premier Investments dividend?

    In the half-year report for the 2022 financial year, Premier reported a mostly sound performance across key metrics.

    In summary, retail global sales lifted by 0.6% to $769.9 million driven by strong online growth. The latter achieved a 27.3% increase in sales to $195.4 million despite the long-endured lockdowns across Sydney and Melbourne.

    In total, more than 42,000 trading days were lost in H1 FY21 due to government-mandated restrictions.

    However, most notably, sales in Peter Alexander were up 11.4% to $227.4 million as people remained at home more often.

    This led to the group registering a net profit after tax (NPAT) of $163.6 million for the six-month period ending 29 January.

    While the company’s bottom line reflected a decrease of 13%, the board opted to amplify the interim dividend. A fully franked dividend of 46 cents per share, which represents a 35.3% jump on the previous H1 FY21 dividend.

    When can Premier shareholders expect payment?

    The Premier Investments interim dividend will be paid to eligible shareholders on 27 July.

    However, to be eligible, you’ll need to own Premier shares before the ex-dividend date which falls on 21 June. This means if you want to secure the dividend, you will need to purchase Premier shares on Monday 20 June at the latest.

    It is worth noting that on the ex-dividend day, the share price traditionally falls in proportion to the dividend amount.

    The post The Premier Investments (ASX:PMV) dividend just jumped 35%. Here’s what you need to know appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Premier Investments right now?

    Before you consider Premier Investments, 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 Premier Investments 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

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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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  • 3 small-cap ASX shares that pay big dividends? Please tell me more

    three children wearing athletic short and singlets stand side by side on a running track wearing medals around their necks and standing with their hands on their hips.three children wearing athletic short and singlets stand side by side on a running track wearing medals around their necks and standing with their hands on their hips.

    Australian small caps are pushing higher in 2022 after a shaky start to the year. The large end of the market in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has climbed 41 basis points today and sits at 7,417, having rallied 6% in the past month.

    ASX small caps have followed suit and are only lagging by a small amount, also up by almost 6% during the last month of trade.

    The S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index (ASX: XSO) spiked 2% in the past week, not enough to erase a 6% loss that investors have penalised the segment with so far in 2022.

    Interestingly, with all the talk of inflation, investors can look to the smaller end of town in search of some juicy dividends at more than respectable yields. Take a look.

    Small cap dividends? Please tell me more

    ASX small caps have often lent investors an uncorrelated return to add into their portfolios. So hearing that some of these names also pay dividends is music to our ears.

    One interesting name is Beacon Lighting Ltd (ASX: BLX). Two experts are also constructive on the stock and rate it as a buy right now. Beacon paid a fully franked 4.3 cents per share dividend in March.

    Both Martin Hickson of 1851 Capital and portfolio manager at Hayborough Investment Partners, Ben Rundle, agree that Beacon is worth its weight at present.

    “We think Beacon’s a buy. We’re going through a renovation boom at the moment that’s supportive of their earnings,” Hickson said during an episode of Buy Hold Sell on Livewire. Rundle agreed.

    “We also think the market is underestimating the growth in their trade and international businesses. So, Beacon’s a buy,” he added.

    Hickson also advocates to buy Capitol Health Ltd (ASX: CAJ), noting the new CEO’s turnaround and a respectable valuation.

    “They’ve [Capitol] got $100 million in firepower to deploy into acquisitions, trades on an EV/EBITDA multiple of 8x, versus private transactions being done at 12x. So, we think it’s a buy,” he remarked.

    Meanwhile, Rundle is supportive of Money3 Corporation Ltd (ASX: MNY). He likes the company’s recent earnings strength, plus its growth vision appears more visible from recent funding.

    “I think it’s a buy,” he noted, agreeing with Hickson, who said the same thing about Money3.

    “As he [Hickson] pointed out, they upgraded earnings the other day and they probably will upgrade again. They’ve just got more funding as well, which can support their growth plans. So, I think it’s a buy,” Rundle concluded.

    Money3 has paid a 13 cents per share cumulative dividend since 8 April 2021.

    The returns for each of these names is charted below. In that time, Beacon lighting has surged over 29%, beating the other recommendations.

    TradingView Chart

    The post 3 small-cap ASX shares that pay big dividends? Please tell me more 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

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow 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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  • Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    ASX 200 shares to buy A clockface with the word 'Time to Buy'

    ASX 200 shares to buy A clockface with the word 'Time to Buy'It has been another busy week for Australia’s top brokers. This has led to the release of a large number of broker notes.

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

    Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW)

    According to a note out of Citi, its analysts have retained their buy rating and lifted their price target on this building products company’s shares to $26.00. This follows the release of a first half result which came in well ahead of the broker’s expectations. Looking ahead, Citi remains positive on Brickworks’ outlook. This is largely due to its strong performing property joint venture. The Brickworks share price is trading at $23.82 on Friday.

    Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

    A note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating and $19.70 price target on this supermarket giant’s shares. The broker believes Coles is benefiting from rising food inflation and doesn’t expect the trend to stop in the near term. All in all, Macquarie continues to see a lot of value in the company’s shares at the current level and retains it as one of top picks in the retail sector. The Coles share price is fetching $17.81 this afternoon.

    Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC)

    Analysts at Goldman Sachs have retained their buy rating and $3.40 price target on the media company’s shares. According to the note, the broker was pleased with Nine’s strategy update for its Stan business. Goldman believes the update highlighted both the quality and the quantum of original content that Stan is producing. The broker feels this and its Stan Sport offering remain a key differentiator in a competitive market and will allow continued subscriber and earnings growth. The Nine share price is trading at $2.93 on Friday afternoon.

    The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today 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

    More reading

    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 Brickworks. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Brickworks and 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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  • Why is the Sayona (ASX:SYA) share price getting so much love on Friday?

    A businessman hugs his computer.A businessman hugs his computer.

    The Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) share price is on the move once more, gaining an impressive 7% on Friday.

    The Canada and Australia-focused lithium producer has been on a green run lately, having gained 33% so far this week.

    At the time of writing, the Sayona Mining share price is trading at 23 cents. That’s just slightly off the company’s shiny new 52-week high of approximately 24 cents, which it hit in intraday trade yesterday.

    For context, the broader market is also in the green today. The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XJO) is currently up 0.33%, as is the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    So, what’s boosting the company’s stock higher again? Let’s take a look.

    Why is the Sayona Mining share price surging today?

    While there’s been no news from Sayona Mining to explain its share price’s movements, the company’s stock might be reacting to rising lithium prices.

    The battery-making material’s value has been on many minds lately. Today, Bloomberg is reporting the Chinese price of lithium carbonate has increased 5 times over the past 12 months as demand continues to increase.

    While this could be bad news for those looking to buy batteries – the online service states electric vehicle manufacturers could be forced to increase prices by as much as 15% due to the commodity’s rising price – it’s likely good news for lithium producers.

    Of course, when the price of lithium goes up, it generally means producers’ profits rise in turn.

    Additionally, trading of Sayona Mining’s shares has seemingly increased over the last few weeks, potentially helping to drive its stock higher.

    That might have something to do with the company’s recent inclusion in both the All Ords and the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO).

    Of course, its addition to the indexes mean funds tracking them had to buy into the company. Additionally, it’s likely allowed fund managers mandated to trade within certain indexes to look into the company’s stock.

    Today’s gains see the Sayona Mining share price 73% higher than it was this time last month. It has also gained 541% since this time last year.

    The post Why is the Sayona (ASX:SYA) share price getting so much love on Friday? 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 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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