Small-cap investors have been going grey over the first 80 days of the year, with the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries (ASX: XSO) index down 8% so far in 2022.

Resources stocks held up that index, so most non-mining small-cap ASX shares have, in fact, been far more devastated than 8%.

But some experts argue the sell-off has been excessive for certain companies.

After all, the businesses themselves are no different to the end of last year. Much of the downturn in share price has been due to external factors, such as rising interest rates and war in Europe.

As such, Firetrail small companies portfolio manager Matthew Fist recently picked out 2 ASX shares — one growth and one value — that he would buy right now.

Aussie company going gangbusters in the US

Ardent Leisure Group Ltd (ASX: ALG) has been a favourite among small-cap fund managers in the past year, and it remains so for Fist.

While the company is best known to Australians for operating big theme parks like Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, its big money spinner is actually in the US.

“Over 90% of the value of Ardent Leisure is now contained within its US chain of family entertainment centres, called Main Event,” he told a Pinnacle webinar.

Main Event centres are huge warehouse-style indoor entertainment venues, with facilities like arcade games, ten-pin bowling and family restaurants all sitting under the same roof.

“They’re far higher-returning and far better investments than traditional theme park assets.”

Fist explained that when his team researched Main Event’s biggest rival Dave & Buster’s Entertainment Inc (NASDAQ: PLAY), they were shocked to find, for an equivalent site, the latter was reaping 40% more profit. 

Fortunately for Ardent, prominent executive Gary Weiss realised this disparity three years before Firetrail and had bought a major stake in the company. He subsequently became chair and proceeded to restructure the Main Event business.

“Today these Main Event sites are actually outperforming Dave & Buster’s.”

Ardent shares closed down 1.51% on Tuesday at $1.305. They have lost about 3% since the start of the year.

ASX tech share its customers are addicted to

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) shares have painfully lost 40% of their value since November.

As a virtual network provider, the company has been caught up in the general sell-off of growth and technology shares.

But it’s gone too far, reckons Fist.

“There are some growth stocks that are high quality, and they’ve been unfairly sold off… Megaport is one such opportunity.”

Fist explained how so much of computing in recent years has moved to the cloud, but the pipes between homes, businesses and data centres have not kept pace with the massive growth in traffic.

This is where Megaport comes in, enabling business clients to dial up or down their network capacity.

“Megaport is a global leader in what it does, and is a future-focused business,” he said.

“If you become a Megaport customer, in the first year you’re going to spend $1. Every single year after that, you increase the amount you spend with Megaport by 45%.”

This metric told Fist’s team that Megaport’s services are invaluable to its customers.

“This makes Megaport, in our view, one of the highest quality companies on the ASX.”

Megaport shares finished Tuesday 0.08% lower at $13.05.

The post 2 small-cap ASX shares ready to take you on a ride appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are 3 ASX growth shares analysts are tipping as buys
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Energy shares rise on oil price jump, Megaport sinks
• Megaport (ASX:MP1) share price sinks 7% after $39m founder share sale
• Top fund manager reveals 2 smart ASX shares to buy
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo owns MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. 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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With interest rates at such low levels, at least for now, income investors may want to look at the dividend shares listed below for a source of income.

Here’s why these two ASX dividend shares have been rated as buys:

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

The first ASX dividend share to look at is BHP. With commodity prices booming and tipped to remain at favourable levels for some time to come, this mining giant is well-placed to generate significant free cash flow.

This positions the Big Australian to reward shareholders with big dividends again in FY 2022 and FY 2023.

And although the BHP share price has rallied strongly on the back of rising commodity prices, the team at Macquarie still see plenty of value here. Last week the broker retained its outperform rating and lifted its price target to $61.00.

As for dividends, Macquarie is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of ~$5.22 in FY 2022 and then ~$3.61 in FY 2023. Based on the current BHP share price of $48.82, this implies yields of 10.7% and 7.4%, respectively.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

Another dividend share for income investors to look at is the Charter Hall Long Wale REIT. This REIT manages a wide range of listed and unlisted property funds for institutional and retail investors with a focus on office, industrial, and retail sectors.

The company recently added to its portfolio with the acquisition of ALE Property with Hostplus for ~$1.7 billion. This added ~78 hotel properties across the five mainland states that are all leased to Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV).

Analysts at Citi are positive on the Charter Hall Long Wale REIT. The broker currently has a buy rating and $5.71 price target on its shares. It was pleased with its first half performance and sees upside risk to guidance.

In respect to dividends, Citi is forecasting dividends per share of 30.8 cents in FY 2022 and 30.9 cents in FY 2023. Based on the current Charter Hall Long Wale REIT share price of $5.31, this will mean yields of ~5.8%.

The post Analysts expect big yields from these ASX dividend shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why is the Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price underperforming BHP today?
• Why Beach, BHP, New Hope, and ResApp shares are charging higher
• The BHP share price is up 5% today. What’s going on?
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: BHP and New Hope storm higher, Boral slumps
• Why has the BHP share price dropped 7% in 2 weeks?

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 Bruce Jackson.

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If you’re looking for tech shares, then look no further. Listed below are two ASX shares which have been tipped for strong growth in the future.

Here’s why analysts have rated them as buys:

Hipages Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: HPG)

The first ASX tech share to look at is Hipages. This leading Australian-based online platform and software as a service (SaaS) provider connects consumers with over 30,000 trusted tradies (and growing). It also provides tradies with the Tradiecore app, which is designed to ease the burden of everyday admin for trade businesses.

And while the first half of FY 2022 was disappointing due to the impact of lockdowns on its tradie subscriptions, Goldman Sachs remains positive and expects a big improvement in the second half.

It commented: “Despite near term volatility, nothing in this result changes our positive view on HPG: we believe HPG presents a compelling long term growth opportunity as it scales to become the leading trade services marketplace in Australia.”

The broker currently has a buy rating and $3.60 price target on its shares.

NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

Another tech share that could be a buy is NEXTDC. It is a leading data centre operator which appears well-placed to benefit from the structural shift to the cloud thanks to its world class network of centres and expansion into Asia and edge centres. Citi certainly expects this to be the case and is forecasting strong growth over the coming years.

The broker said: “NXT delivered a strong result with increasing utilisation of Gen 2 assets driving solid revenue growth and margin expansion, while revenue metrics improved HoH (revenue per MW up 7% HoH). While the current backlog underpins FY23e earnings, we have lowered our forecasts to reflect a slower ramp and conversion of the pipeline. We maintain our Buy call and see the conversion of Hyperscale customer commitments in Sydney and Melbourne as the next key catalyst.”

Citi has a buy rating and $14.55 price target on NEXTDC’s shares.

The post 2 fantastic ASX tech shares analysts rate as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 2 ASX shares to buy now that are NOT mining stocks

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns NEXTDC Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Hipages Group Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Hipages Group Holdings 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 Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price has had a good week on the back of rising oil prices.

The energy company’s shares have climbed 6.5% since market close on March 15. In today’s trade, the Beach Energy share price finished 3.17% ahead at $1.63.

Let’s take a look at what might be impacting the Beach Energy share price.

Oil prices

Beach Energy shares have likely jumped amid rising oil prices in the past week. International benchmark Brent crude oil prices have risen from US$99.91 per barrel to US$118.61 per barrel since 15 March, Trading Economics data shows. This is a nearly 19% lift in the oil price.

Oil prices jumped 7% in overseas markets overnight, as my Foolish colleague James reported today. Tightening supply is continuing to impact oil prices.

Global oil prices surged after reports European Union nations were considering a Russian oil embargo, Aljazeera reported. The US President Joe Biden has been holding talks with EU governments aimed at hardening the West’s response to Moscow for invading Ukraine.

This rise in prices is likely to have impacted the Beach Energy share price, given its position as an oil and gas exploration and development company.

Similarly, Beach Energy is not the only ASX energy share to rise in the past week. The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price has climbed 7.6% since market close on 15 March, while Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) has climbed 3.7%. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) has risen nearly 5% in the same time frame.

Mizuho Bank has named two factors pushing oil prices higher, CNBC noted — the continuing Russia and Ukraine uncertainty along with hope China’s COVID impact could be less severe than expected.

In recent news, Beach Energy announced on 2 March it would sell off some of its assets in the Cooper Basin. Bass Oil Ltd (ASX: BAS) has entered a sale and purchase agreement with a subsidiary of Beach Energy.

Beach Energy share price snapshot

The Beach Energy share price has descended nearly 7% in the past 12 months but is exploding 29% year to date. For comparison, the  S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has returned nearly 9% over the past year.

In the past month alone, Beach Energy shares have soared by 10%.

Beach Energy has a market capitalisation of about $3.7 billion.

The post Why has the Beach Energy (ASX:BPT) share price leapt 6% in a week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Beach, BHP, New Hope, and ResApp shares are charging higher
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Why ASX 200 energy shares are trouncing the index today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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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When Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) first hit the ASX boards as its own company back in late 2018, it wasted little time establishing its dividend credentials. The famous Australian grocer had been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) for around a decade before it was pushed out of the Wesfarmers nest at roughly $12.50 a share. Wesfarmers shareholders were entitled to receive one new Coles share for every Wesfarmers share already owned.

Today, we can say with the benefit of hindsight that the spinoff has been of great reward to both parties. Coles shares closed at $17.67 this afternoon, a good 37.6% above the price they first commanded on the ASX back in 2018. And Wesfarmers shares have gone on to add close to 50% to their value since the spinoff too.

But now Coles has had a few years under its belt as a standalone company, let’s take a look at how its dividend chops have developed.

So Coles’ first full year of paying dividends came in 2020. That was after some messy financial untangling from Wesfarmers, which included a special dividend, was undertaken over 2019. In 2020, the grocer paid out two fully franked dividends – an interim payment of 30 cents per share, and a final dividend of 27.5 cents per share. 2021 saw Coles build on that record. It doled out an increased interim dividend of 33 cents per share, as well as the final dividend of 28 cents. Again, both payments were fully franked.

Can Coles keep the dividend train coming?

Kicking off 2022, the company kept its interim dividend steady at a fully franked 33 cents per share. And that brings us to the present.

But what does the future hold for Coles? Can it keep its dividends rising every year?

Well, of course, we can’t know for sure. But one ASX expert investor thinks Coles can rise to the challenge.

As my Fool colleague James covered on Sunday, broker Citi is expecting big things from Coles’ dividend department. The broker reckons Coles will fork out a total of 65 cents per share in dividends over FY2022. Since we’ve already covered Coles’ interim 33 cents per share dividend for FY22, that would imply a final dividend of 32 cents per share. That, if enacted, would be a hefty increase on Coles’ final dividend from FY21.

But it gets better for Coles investors. Citi is also pencilling in dividends worth 72 cents per share for FY2023. So that would be another sizeable jump. That might explain why this broker has a 12-month share price target of $19.30 in place for Coles shares right now. That would imply an upside of just over 9% on current pricing.

At the current Coles share price, the ASX 200 blue chip share has a market capitalisation of $23.5 billion, with a dividend yield of 3.45%.

The post Broker: The Coles (ASX:COL) dividend will keep rising appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 owns and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET and Wesfarmers 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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If you’re a fan of growth shares, then you may want to look closely at the three shares listed below.

Here’s why these could be growth shares to buy:

Altium Limited (ASX: ALU)

The first growth share for investors to look at is Altium. It is the electronic design software provider behind the Altium 365 and Altium Designer platforms. In addition, the company owns the Nexus collaboration platform and the Octopart search engine for electronic parts. All of Altium’s platforms have exposure to the printed circuit board (PCB) market, which is growing strongly thanks to favourable industry trends such as Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence.

The team at Bell Potter is bullish on Altium and is forecasting strong growth in the coming years. It currently has a buy rating and $38.75 price target on the company’s shares.

Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

Another ASX growth share to look at is Breville. It is the leading appliance manufacturer behind the Baratza, Kambrook, Sage, and eponymous Breville brands. Thanks to its ongoing investment in product development, these brands have been resonating well with consumers for many years. Combined with its international expansion, this has supported solid sales and earnings growth over the last decade. Pleasingly, the team at Morgans expect this to continue and is forecasting double-digit sales growth over the next few years.

Morgans currently has an add rating and $32.00 price target on its shares.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

A final ASX growth share that could be a buy is Megaport. It is a leading cloud connectivity and networking solutions provider with operations across a large number of data centres globally. Megaport has been tipped to grow rapidly in the coming years by Goldman Sachs thanks to the long-term structural tailwinds of public cloud adoption (and multi-cloud usage) and the transition towards Networking as a Service (NaaS). Goldman estimates that these tailwinds currently provide it with a $129 billion per annum opportunity across its current geographies.

The broker has a buy rating and $19.90 price target on its shares.

The post Here are 3 ASX growth shares analysts are tipping as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These 2 ASX shares are growing rapidly, are they unstoppable?
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Energy shares rise on oil price jump, Megaport sinks
• Megaport (ASX:MP1) share price sinks 7% after $39m founder share sale
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Is the Altium (ASX:ALU) share price too cheap to ignore?

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 Altium and MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. 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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AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) shares closed up 0.14% on Tuesday at $7.28.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) listed energy provider trailed the benchmark today, with the ASX 200 closing up 0.86% at 7,341.1 points.

That’s today’s price action.

Now here’s why AGL has been making headlines this week.

200 smart EV charges in pilot plan

AGL is working to increase the attractiveness of owning an electric vehicle (EV) Down Under.

Here’s what the company posted on Twitter yesterday:

We’ve partnered with @ARENA_aus in an #ElectricVehicle trial that will see us install 200 #EV smart chargers in homes across #AUS. As more Aussies choose #EVs, we want to understand how they are charged, and how we can use them to charge other things – like our homes!

The smart chargers in question will help determine when most Aussies opt to charge their EVs at their homes, as well as moving charging times during periods of peak demand.

According to AGL chief customer officer Christine Corbett (quoted by Canstar Blue):

Accelerating the uptake of EVs will be an integral technology pathway for decarbonising Australia’s economy but without careful management we risk overloading the grid at peak times…

In the lead up to the trial, our customer research revealed customers were happy to have their charging controlled as long as they are able to override that control when they require their vehicle.

Corbett said AGL will monitor the results of several different charging scenarios over the next year and receive feedback from its customers.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller added:

The installation of 200 smart chargers across Australian homes is an important milestone for AGL’s project, which will be used to identify how we can best integrate EVs into the grid that benefits both the customer and the electricity system as a whole.

If you own AGL shares you’ll soon own part of this mega battery

If you own AGL shares you’re also looking at being a part-owner of a 500-megawatt (MW) battery. That’s among the largest batteries in Australia.

As The Australian Financial Review reported, New South Wales regulators granted planning permission for the battery project on 8 March. It’s intended to be located at AGL’s Liddell coal power plant, which is slated for closure in mid-2023. That site will enable the battery to connect directly into the existing transmission infrastructure.

The estimated cost of the project comes in at $763 million.

How have AGL shares been tracking?

AGL shares have handily outperformed the benchmark in 2022, gaining more than 15% compared to a loss of 3% posted by the ASX 200.

However, the AGL share price is down around 30% over the past year.

The post Own AGL shares? Here’s why the company has been making news this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Soul Patts urges AGL (ASX:AGL) board to give ‘more thought’ to takeover bid

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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The Webjet Ltd (ASX: WEB) share price has been taking flight in the past couple of weeks.

The company’s shares have soared 9% between market close on 8 March to today.

Let’s take a look at what could be helping Webjet lately?

Travel restrictions ease

The Webjet share price has lifted amid positive travel recovery sentiment and some travel restrictions easing in world markets.

New Zealand recently announced it would lift travel restrictions on Australians travelling across the ditch. Australians will be able to travel to NZ from 12 April, free from quarantine requirements. The United Kingdom also lifted testing requirements for international arrivals last week.

Webjet is a digital travel business with a presence in Australia, New Zealand, and destinations around the world.

Positive broker sentiment could also be helping the Webjet share price. As my Foolish colleague James reported, Goldman Sachs recommends the share as a buy with a $6.90 price target. This is 24% more than the current share price.

Retreating oil prices over the past two weeks could also have helped Webjet. Since 8 March, international benchmark Brent Crude Oil has dropped nearly 5% from US$124.8 per barrel to $118.81, Trading Economics data reveals. Jet fuel is one of the largest costs for airlines.

In today’s news, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced the federal government is investing $60 million to bring international visitors back to Australia. Morrison said:

Our Government is backing Australia’s tourism industry with a $60 million plan to bring back international visitors, especially to the regions that have been hardest hit.

As the world reopens, and travellers get out and see the world again, we want to ensure that at the top of every must-see-list is Australia.

Webjet share price snapshot

The Webjet share price has ascended 8% year to date but is almost 10% lower than it was a year ago.

In the past month, the travel company’s shares have dropped 6.75% but are up around 1% in a week.

Webjet has a market capitalisation of about $2.1 billion based on the current share price.

The post Why has the Webjet (ASX:WEB) share price surged 9% in two weeks? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Goldman Sachs tips Webjet (ASX:WEB) share price to rise over 20%
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• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

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 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 Incannex Healthcare Ltd (ASX: IHL) share price won’t be going anywhere on Tuesday.

This comes as the company requested that its shares be placed in a trading halt.

At the time of writing, the medicinal cannabis company’s shares are frozen at 70 cents apiece.

Why is the Incannex share price halted?

At market open, the company requested trading in its shares be halted while it prepared an announcement.

According to the release, the company is planning to make an announcement regarding a potential business acquisition transaction.

At this stage, the details remain unknown as to which company is subject to a possible takeover.

Incannex has requested that the trading halt remains in place until Thursday 24 March or following the release of the announcement, whichever comes first.

What does Incannex do?

Founded in 2001, Incannex is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing novel medicinal cannabinoid compounds and psychedelic therapies for unmet needs.

This includes treatment of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), traumatic brain injury (TBI)/concussion, lung inflammation (ARDS, COPD, asthma, bronchitis), rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Currently, the company is pursuing United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of all its drug candidates.

Once approved, Incannex is seeking to expand its products in other regions such as Europe, Japan, Australia, and Israel.

Incannex share price summary

Over the past 12 months, the Incannex share price has surged by more than 230% following its IHL-42X positive phase 2 clinical trial results.

Although, since the start of the year, its shares have recorded wild swings of more than 40% in either direction.

The company’s shares are up 12% in 2022.

Based on valuation grounds, Incannex has a market capitalisation of roughly $847 million, with approximately 1.2 billion shares outstanding.

The post Here’s why the Incannex (ASX:IHL) share price is on ice today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• The Incannex (ASX:IHX) share price is up a whopping 50% in a week. What’s the deal?
• What’s going on with the Incannex (ASX:IHL) share price today?

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 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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Global oil and energy stocks are staging a comeback rally today as the price of oil crept back up above US$100 per barrel overnight. Shares in Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) have latched onto the momentum and are now trading 2.5% higher at $32.44 apiece today.

After retreating over the past few weeks, oil prices are again soaring amid reports the Kremlin has cast doubt on achieving peace talks with Ukraine.

The move caused investors to chase product in an already thinning market, Bloomberg reports.

What’s going on with oil and Woodside?

Brent crude futures had already surged more than 7% by Monday as news surfaced that some EU countries would back an import ban on Russian oil, according to Trading Economics.

Meanwhile, other nations, such as Germany and Italy, are more hesitant to immediately shut supply, due to already-increasing energy costs.

Brent futures are now sitting at US$118 per barrel after bouncing hard off a low of US$98 per barrel not even a week ago.

Bloomberg also reports that the Brent contract – also the global oil benchmark – had consecutive price swings of more than $5 during the day for 16 consecutive sessions, an all-time record.

Woodside shares appear to be benefitting from those prices today. The current price represents a 15% gain over the past month and a 48% gain since trading restarted back in January.

The move in oil has been a net positive for ASX hydrocarbons producers, and the gains have been realised across the board.

Woodside shares have rallied hard these past few weeks amid the volatility in oil and energy markets, and some experts are predicting these trends to inflect well on the company.

“Stronger commodity prices have resulted in vastly different sentiment towards the [energy] sector relative to last year,” JP Morgan analysts wrote in a recent note.

Natural gas prices have also skyrocketed this year, and are back in an uptrend, currently trading at US$4.93/MMBtu.

Meanwhile, 73% of analysts covering Woodside have it as a buy right now. That’s versus just 6% as a sell, and 20% holding a neutral stance, per Bloomberg data.

This number has crept up from just 56% urging clients to buy this time last year, and the consensus price target has increased from around $26 to $32.34 in that time.

A bit more on Woodside shares

In the last 12 months, Woodside shares have climbed more than 31%. They are also up almost 50% in the past six months and are in fact trading up across all major time frames.

The post Woodside (ASX:WPL) shares spike as oil rises back above $100/barrel appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 leading ASX 200 shares to watch as fundies rebalance portfolios
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Oil price could hit US$200 per barrel this year: expert
• Here’s why the Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price is having a stellar end to the week
• Why ASX 200 energy shares are trouncing the index today

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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