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

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

What happened

Many cryptocurrencies surged sharply higher on Tuesday morning as the government of India proposed a 30% tax on capital gains from buying and selling digital coins. Let’s take a look at three of the largest cryptocurrencies by market cap:

Cryptocurrency	24-hour Move	7-day Move	30-day Move	Market Cap
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC)	2%	4.9%	(17%)	$739 billion
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH)	4.8%	13%	(26%)	$333 billion
Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA)	2%	1.9%	(22%)	$48 billion

Data from Coinmarketcap.com, as of 12:20 p.m. ET on Feb. 1, 2022.

So what

India has a rocky history of cryptocurrency regulations. Last November, the Modi government wanted to ban digital coins as a payment method, treating them more like stock-like securities. Cryptocurrency firms were not allowed to market their products and services at all.

At the Davos-based World Economic Forum conference in mid-January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi compared the crypto market to system problems such as inflation, climate change, and disrupted supply chains. He called on world leaders at the gathering to come together and face the shared enemy of digital finance systems.

“Cryptocurrency is an example of the kind of challenges we are facing as a global family with a changing global order,” Modi said. “To fight this, every nation, every global agency needs to have collective and synchronized action.”

That bearish attitude from the second-largest country in the world weighed heavily on the crypto market. Bitcoin prices fell 17% in the next three days after Modi’s speech. Ethereum prices dropped 21% over the same period while Cardano took a 24% haircut. Many investors feared that India might follow in the footsteps of China, which banned cryptocurrency operations outright in September.

So when India’s budget for 2022 included a proposed 30% tax rate on crypto-based capital gains, it’s easy to see that as a modest step forward. If India is willing to participate in the global cryptocurrency economy while pocketing a generous slice of the profits its citizens reap from it, that’s much better news than an outright refusal. Furthermore, India is planning to launch a national digital currency of its own. Modi’s ruling party did not strike that plan from the budgeting agenda, so India’s central bank may launch that coin as early as this year.

Now what

As you can see in the table above, this jump does not mean that the cryptocurrency market is out of the woods. Most tokens are still down by double-digit percentages over the last 30 days and even further away from the sector-wide highs of November.

Still, Modi’s budget is unequivocally good news for cryptocurrency investors and businesses with Indian connections. Bitcoin miners are on a global hunt for facilities with low costs for electric power and data-center floor space where they can run their mining chips without breaking the bank. Cardano’s backers don’t share that interest since their preferred blockchain network relies on a proof-of-stake architecture that doesn’t require massive computing efforts. Ethereum falls between those extremes. This cryptocurrency still depends on a proof-of-work system similar to Bitcoin’s but is in the process of switching over to proof-of-stake later this year.

On an even wider scale, India’s potential ability to provide the right assets for crypto-mining operations at the right price arguably matters less than the fact that it’s a major world economy that can steer the global crypto conversation along a friendlier route than China’s chosen path. That discussion is quite active as governments around the world grapple with these newfangled digital assets.

So a 30% tax on cryptocurrency profits may sound draconian, but it’s actually a small step in a productive direction. 

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

The post Here’s why the leading cryptocurrencies are ticking higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Bitcoin has crashed 45%: but its fundamentals remain the same
• Why investing in Bitcoin today is a much trickier environment: expert
• ASX shares have had a shaky start to 2022. Here’s what investors are planning: survey
• Bitcoin price sinks again. Here’s where it could find support: expert
• Has the case for Bitcoin as an inflation hedge crumbled?

Anders Bylund owns Bitcoin, Cardano, and Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and recommends Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia owns and recommends Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/WxR6Ofd8V

Key points

• Some Santos shareholders might be seeing red this week after the company’s CEO was appointed to another ASX 200 board
• Kevin Gallagher’s new spot at the board table of Mineral Resources was announced after Monday’s close
• An investor group has spoken out in disapproval of the appointment. It believes the CEO should be focusing on its recent merger and the energy transition

---

Owners of Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares might have been irked this week by news the company’s boss is taking a seat on another S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) board.

That’s led an activist investor group to question if the Santos board is “out of touch”, saying the company’s CEO should be focused on its recent $22 billion merger and the energy transition.

At the time of writing, the Santos share price is $7.18.

Let’s take a closer look at Gallagher’s new role and why some investors are riled up about it.

Could this have Santos shareholders up in arms?

Santos shareholders might be seeing red after the company’s CEO was appointed to the board of iron ore and lithium producer Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN).

Mineral Resources announced Gallagher’s new position on Monday night.

It sparked comments from Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility’s director of climate and environment, Dan Gocher. Gocher said that it’s unusual for ASX CEOs to sit on the board of another company:

The appointment of Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher to the board of ASX-listed Minerals Resources will not be received well by shareholders in either company.

Santos shareholders expect Gallagher to be entirely focused on the integration with Oil Search, and the acute risks posed by the energy transition… The Santos board’s approval of this appointment suggests the board is out of touch and has failed to comprehend investors’ expectations of modern CEOs.

Additionally, analysts are reportedly concerned about an overlap between the two companies, potentially creating conflicts for the energy giant’s boss.

The apparent red flag is Mineral Resources’ subsidiary, Energy Resources, which is drilling for gas in the Perth Basin.

Mineral Resources chair, Peter Wade commented on Gallagher’s appointment as a non-executive director, saying:

[Gallagher’s] extensive corporate background and knowledge of the Australian energy market will be of great value to [Mineral Resources].

Gallagher has reiterated his intent to continue his tenure at Santos. That’s despite the new appointment having sparked concerns he might be eyeing an exit.

Santos provided Gallagher with a $6 million incentive pay scheme early last year for his delivery of projects and transitions to 2025.

The Australian Financial Review quoted the CEO as saying:

I remain fully committed to leading Santos successfully out until the end of 2025…

I have very few external commitments outside my Santos role, and I am confident there will be no conflict on my time through taking up this non-executive role

Santos share price snapshot

The Santos share price has had a great start to 2022.

It has gained 13% since the final close of last year. Though, it’s only 6% higher than it was at this point in 2021.

The post Here’s why Santos (ASX:STO) is attracting some investor ire this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX 200 shares offer 12% upside after sell-off: JP Morgan
• ASX lithium shares in focus amid potential supply squeeze
• Why have ASX energy shares become such hot property in 2022?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/aZPBSbhj6

The BrainChip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN) share price has been a strong performer on Wednesday.

In morning trade, the artificial intelligence chip company’s shares are up 14% to $1.89.

This latest gain means the BrainChip share price is now up ~180% in 2022.

Why is the BrainChip share price pushing higher?

Investors have been bidding the BrainChip share price higher again today after it announced the receipt of another patent in the United States.

According to the release, the US Patents and Trademarks Office (USPTO) has issued a patent for “Method and a System for Creating Dynamic Neural Function Libraries.” The patent protects the basic structure and function of a digital neuron consisting of multiple synapse circuits connected to a soma circuit. This mirrors a biological neuron where a soma cell receives its inputs via multiple synapses.

BrainChip’s portfolio now comprises 8 US and 1 Chinese granted patents. But it may not end there. The company has recently expanded international patent filings with a total of 21 patent applications currently pending in the US, Europe, Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia, Brazil, Mexico and Israel.

Management commentary

BrainChip’s Chief Technology Officer and Founder, Peter van der Made, was pleased with the news.

He said: “Patents are a hallmark of a company, symbolizing the innovation and advantages that differentiate its products and solutions from competitors in the marketplace. By being granted another patent from the USPTO, we are able to signify to our customers and partners that the technology we have developed is at the forefront of revolutionizing AI at the edge in ways that previous attempts have not been able to achieve.”

“Additionally, this recognition further protects us from others developing similar offerings that would otherwise infringe on our work. We will continue to work towards increasing our patent awards globally as we continue to advance the field of neuromorphic artificial intelligence,” he concluded.

The post What’s driving the BrainChip (ASX:BRN) share price 14% higher today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Own BrainChip (ASX:BRN) shares? Here’s some of the institutional investors which have also bought up big
• Why is the BrainChip (ASX:BRN) share price storming 12% higher?
• What happened to ASX tech shares today?
• Why Accent, BrainChip, Fortescue, and Novonix shares are sinking
• Is BrainChip (ASX:BRN) the real deal?

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/jkFEnMNd2

Key points

• AMP shares are the in spotlight as the company reports full year results on 10 February
• Earnings per share will be carefully watched
• AMP did not pay an interim dividend and may not pay a final dividend

---

AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) shares are in the spotlight as investors await the diversified financial services company’s 2021 full year financial results. Those are scheduled for release on Thursday 10 February.

Last year, AMP shares took an 11% tumble on the day the company released its 2020 results. That came on the back of a 33% year-on-year decline in underlying net profit after tax (NPAT).

So what will investors be looking for this year?

Earnings results will impact AMP shares

Investors will be keeping a close eye on earnings.

And earnings may well be down from last year, which could put pressure on AMP shares.

Macquarie has reduced its earnings per share (EPS) forecast for 2021 by 4.1% to 8.40 cents.

If AMP does see a fall in EPS, it will run contrary to the wider blue-chip market.

As the Australian Financial Review notes:

Australian blue-chips capped off the 2021 financial year with a 26 per cent surge in earnings per share, which is expected to slow to growth of 13.6 per cent in 2021-22, and 4.5 per cent in 2022-23, according to consensus estimates measured by Morgan Stanley.

Macquarie highlighted some key points from AMP’s strategy update, reported by FNArena.

Among those, AMP announced an additional $115 million of cost-out through 2024.

The company also reported a “10 basis-point fee compression in Australian Wealth Management, a 10% decline in net interest margins from the bank over an indefinite timeframe and 50% loan growth by 2024”.

Demerger ahead

AMP expects its 2 post-demerger businesses – AMP Limited and AMP Capital’s Private Markets business – to emerge independently by mid-year.

Macquarie forecasts it will be effective in June 2022.

According to AMP:

The rationale for the demerger is to enable the two businesses to increase focus on their respective markets and growth opportunities – AMP Limited as a retail wealth manager in Australia and New Zealand, and PrivateMarketsCo as a global manager of infrastructure and real estate investments with a growing focus on international institutional clients.

Macquarie still expects “multiple headwinds” in the leadup to the completion of the demerger.

Dividends unlikely

Income investors awaiting a return to AMP’s historical dividends may be disappointed.

AMP last paid an interim dividend of 10 cents per share on 1 October 2020, fully franked.

The company did not pay an interim dividend in 2021. In explaining its decision, management said:

The board continues to maintain a conservative approach to capital management to support the transformation of the business. In line with this approach, the board has resolved to not declare an interim 2021 dividend. The capital management strategy and payment of dividends will be reviewed following the completion of the demerger in 1H 22.

Analysts at both Citi and Macquarie are not expecting AMP to pay a final dividend.

How have AMP shares been performing?

The AMP share price fell 39% over the past 12 months, compared to a gain of 4% posted by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

So far in 2022, AMP shares are down 8%.

The post Own AMP (ASX:AMP) shares? Here’s what to look for in next week’s earnings update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Own AMP (ASX:AMP) shares? The company is rumoured to be on the hunt for assets
• Why Westpac (ASX:WBC) and these other ASX shares are trading at 52-week lows
• Is value finally emerging in the AMP (ASX:AMP) share price?
• AMP (ASX:AMP) latest to join call for RBA interest rate hike in August 2022
• Own AMP (ASX:AMP) shares? Here’s why this expert downgraded some of its funds

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/pAfQwh1zJ

The Amcor (ASX: AMC) share price is falling following the release of its half year update.

At the time of writing, the packaging company’s shares are down 1.5% to $16.75.

Amcor share price falls despite reporting solid growth

• Net sales up 12% to US$6,927 million
• Adjusted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) up 5% to US$769 million
• Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) up 9% to 35.8 US cents
• Quarterly dividend of 12 US cents declared
• Additional US$200 million share buyback announced, bringing total to US$600 million in FY 2022
• Full year guidance for adjusted EPS growth of 7% to 11% in constant currency reaffirmed

What happened during the first half?

For the six months ended 31 December, Amcor delivered a 12% increase in sales to US$6,927 million. This reflects Flexibles sales growth of 10% to US$5,347 million and Rigid Packaging sales growth of 17% to US$1,580 million. Management advised that the majority of its sales growth was driven by price increases, which related to the pass through of higher raw material costs.

As for its earnings, Amcor’s EBIT rose 5% to US$769 million. This reflects Flexibles EBIT growth of 6% to US$691 million, which offset a 13% decline in Rigid Packaging EBIT to US$117 million. The latter was caused by supply chain disruptions and raw material shortages.

In light of its positive form, management has increased its FY 2022 share buyback by US$200 million to US$600 million. However, it advised that the additional share repurchases are not expected to benefit EPS growth until FY 2023 as there will be no material impact on the weighted average number of shares outstanding in FY 2022.

Management commentary

Amcor’s CEO, Ron Delia, was pleased with the company’s performance given the challenging operating environment.

He said: “Amcor delivered a solid first half result as our teams continue to successfully navigate a persistently challenging and dynamic operating environment. Across the business we continued to prioritize our customers and our scale and operational agility enabled us to service demand in key segments, driving growth and sales mix improvements.”

“At the same time, we implemented a broad range of actions to recover higher input costs and manage through general inflation. As a result, sales grew 12% and we delivered 9 percent adjusted EPS growth year to date. We remain confident in the outlook for fiscal year 2022, enabling us to reaffirm guidance and increase cash returns to shareholders.”

Outlook

Although Mr Delia acknowledges that operating conditions remain volatile, he remains confident on the future.

He said: “While the external environment will continue to evolve, we remain focused on executing our strategy for long-term value creation from the strong foundation established over the last several years. The Amcor investment case has never been stronger and we are increasing investments in premium segments like healthcare and protein, in emerging markets and in our innovation capabilities to drive growth and margin expansion.”

The company has reaffirmed its FY 2022 guidance for earnings per share growth in the range of 7% to 11% and adjusted free cash flow of US$1.1 billion to US$1.2 billion.

The post Amcor (ASX:AMC) share price falls despite reaffirming earnings guidance and US$200m buyback expansion appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Analysts name 2 ASX 200 blue chip shares with 30% upside
• Broker names 2 ASX 200 dividend shares to buy in February
• These 2 impressive ASX shares are buys in February 2022: experts
• 2 great value ASX dividend shares that brokers love
• 3 buy-rated ASX growth shares

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 Amcor Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/cSE0Q4R9X

If you want to build a strong portfolio, then owning a few blue chips could be a good starting point.

Blue chips are generally large companies that have been operating for a long period, have stable cash flows, and experienced management teams. This makes blue chips lower risk options and a good foundation to build a portfolio from.

But which blue chip shares should you consider buying? Two that analysts rate highly are listed below:

CSL Limited (ASX: CSL)

The first blue chip ASX 200 share to look at is CSL. It is one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, comprising the CSL Behring plasma therapies business and the Seqirus vaccine business. The company is also in the process of acquiring Vifor Pharma for $7 billion. Vifor Pharma has a focus on iron deficiency, nephrology, and cardio-renal therapies. It also has a burgeoning research and development (R&D) pipeline that complements CSL’s existing R&D activities and should be supportive of long term growth.

Citi is bullish on the company and has a buy rating and $340.00 price target on its shares. This implies 30% upside from the current CSL share price of $261.55.

It was a fan of the Vifor Pharma acquisition. Citi recently commented: “The key positive from the transaction is that it expands the CSL late stage R&D pipeline, which we have noted for some time was limited for a company the size of CSL.”

Treasury Wine Estates (ASX: TWE)

Another blue chip ASX 200 share to consider is Treasury Wine. It is one of the world’s largest wine companies and the owner of a number of popular brands such as 19 Crimes and Penfolds. While times have been hard over the last couple of years due to being effectively kicked out of China, Treasury Wine is bouncing back thanks largely to growing demand in the US.

Morgans is positive on Treasury Wine’s long term outlook. So much so, it has an add rating and lofty $14.06 price target on its shares. This suggests the Treasury Wine share price could rise 30% from its current level of $10.81.

The broker commented: “The new business units centred around the brands, are now fully in place and we are excited to see what they can earn with TWE effectively creating the benefits of a demerger without the extra costs. It also demonstrates that the SOTP is worth materially more than the whole.”

The post Analysts name 2 ASX 200 blue chip shares with 30% upside appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Treasury Wine (ASX:TWE) share price lifts amid latest tariff battle
• Top broker says latest CSL (ASX:CSL) acquisition will boost more than its bottom line. Here’s why
• The Treasury Wine (ASX:TWE) share price has plunged 25% from its 2021 highs. What’s next?
• 3 ‘champion stocks’ for ASX investors in 2022
• 3 blue chip ASX 200 shares to buy after the selloff

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 recommended Treasury Wine Estates Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/SfD3JkrcT

If you’re wanting to add some ASX dividend shares to your portfolio, then it could be worth considering the two listed below.

Here’s why analysts at Morgans think they could be top options for income investors in February:

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

The first ASX dividend share to look at is Telstra. It could be a dividend share to buy due to its outlook being the best it has been in over a decade. This is being underpinned by the successful execution of its transformative T22 strategy and the growth targets included in its new T25 strategy.

Morgans is very positive on the company and sees a lot of value in its shares at the current level. It has an add rating and $4.55 price target on them.

The broker commented: “The SOTP [sum of the part] for TLS is worth more than the current share price (and steps to release this value are underway; albeit timing is unclear).”

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 $3.94, this implies yields of 4% for investors.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Another ASX dividend share that the broker is positive on is toll road operator Transurban. It has an add rating and $14.57 price target on its shares.

Morgans notes that Transurban’s performance has been improving, with traffic volumes recovering nicely from the pandemic.

It commented: “A recovery trend is evident in Melbourne (TCL’s single largest asset), Sydney is exceeding 2019, while Brisbane remains broadly in-line with 2019. TCL expects traffic to return to long-term trend by 2023.”

In addition, the broker is positive on the future due to its exposure to a number of growth drivers.

Morgans explained: “We view TCL as a high quality pure-play toll road infrastructure portfolio benefitting from employment and population growth, urbanisation, and the value of time, with particular exposure to the east coast capital cities in Australia.”

As for dividends, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 35 cents in FY 2022 and then 55.3 cents in FY 2023. Based on the current Transurban share price of $12.72, this implies yields of 2.75% and 4.35%, respectively.

The post Broker names 2 ASX 200 dividend shares to buy in February appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares this Tuesday
• These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts on Monday
• Telstra (ASX:TLS) boosts IoT cred with new acquisitions
• Here’s why the Telstra (ASX:TLS) share price could be an opportunity: analysts
• 2 ASX dividend shares with 4%+ yields

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/JUS0gW7IM

Key points

• Brokers have outlined that the two ASX shares in this article look like attractive opportunities
• Retailer Baby Bunting is growing profit margins, increasing its store count, improving its e-commerce offering and expanding into New Zealand
• ASX tech share Xero is still winning accounting subscribers at a fast pace, whilst growing its gross profit margin

---

Last month was a very volatile start to the year. Lower share prices could mean that February 2022 is a great time to go bargain shopping for some of the most impressive ASX shares.

The businesses that the experts rate as buys in this article are ones that have been growing for a number of years and plans to add even more value for shareholders into the future, including international growth.

These two ASX shares are ones to take a look at:

Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX: BBN)

Baby Bunting is by far the largest baby and infant product retailer in Australia and New Zealand.

Its main growth strategy is to grow its market share. Baby Bunting is investing in its digital store and capabilities to deliver the best possible customer experience across the channels. For example, in FY21 it opened a new 22,000 sqm distribution centre.

It’s also looking to grow its market share by expanding its store network. In FY21 it grew its store network by four stores. In FY22 it is expecting to open six to eight new stores in Australia, open two new stores in New Zealand and ‘localise’ the NZ digital experience.

The company has been managing to grow its profit margins with improvements in its retail store efficiencies and increasing the amount of private label and exclusive product sales (which made up 41.4% of total sales and comes with a higher gross profit margin).

The ASX share’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin was 9.3% in FY21 – the goal is 10% and this was achieved in the second half of FY21.

Morgan Stanley rates it as a buy with a price target of $6.90 – that’s more than 30% higher than today. It noted that in FY22 to 3 October 2021, sales had done well. Total sales managed to grow another 1.5%.

Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

Xero is one of the largest cloud accounting providers in the world. It has a significant presence in countries like Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Australia. At the last count, it had reached 3 million subscribers as at 30 September 2021, which was a 23% increase from the prior corresponding period.

Since the start of the year, the Xero share price has dropped 22%.

The ASX share has renewed its investment into customer growth opportunities again after temporarily slowing the growth spending due to the COVID pandemic. The increased re-investment includes growing spending on subscriber addition initiatives and ‘innovative’ brand awareness campaigns in a number of markets.

Xero’s goal is to be the world’s most insightful and trusted small business platform to make life better for people in small businesses, their advisors and communities.

Management says that there are multiple drivers for cloud-based software adoption, including digitisation of tax compliance, innovation of financial services and an imperative for small businesses to prepare for the future.

Xero has a very high gross profit margin, but it continues to grow. In HY22, the gross profit margin increased from 85.7% to 87.1%.

Morgan Stanley also rates Xero as a buy, with a price target of $137 – that implies a potential upside of around 20% at the current Xero share price. The broker is encouraged by a number of metrics doing well like the average revenue per user (ARPU) rising and customer retention staying high.

The post These 2 impressive ASX shares are buys in February 2022: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 fantastic ASX shares to buy this month
• Are these beaten down ASX 200 shares now too cheap to ignore?
• From hero to Xero (ASX:XRO): share price tumbles 8% to hit 52-week low
• 2 ASX growth shares analysts love
• Are these 2 high-growth ASX shares now beaten-up opportunities?

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

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/E0fxjYgVT

Key points

• The two ASX dividend shares in this article have attractive prospective dividend yields and potential share price growth on the cards
• Healius continues to offer essential healthcare services and COVID testing, whilst adding to its business operations with acquisitions
• JB Hi-Fi continues to see elevated sales and profitability, helping the bottom line and underpin solid dividend expectations

---

Brokers are always on the lookout for ASX shares that they think look good value. Sometimes, they find ASX dividend shares that may also offer attractive share price upside.

Businesses that are good value and have solid dividend yields may be able to provide investors with attractive total returns over the next 12 months and beyond.

With that in mind, here are two potential options:

Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS)

Healius is one of the larger healthcare businesses on the ASX with a market capitalisation of $2.8 billion according to the ASX.

What does Healius do? It has three divisions – pathology, imaging and day hospitals.

It’s currently rated as a buy by at least four different brokers including Macquarie. The broker has a price rating on the business of $5.45. That implies a potential rise of the Healius share price of more than 20% over the next year.

The broker thinks that Healius can continue to benefit from COVID-19 testing for a couple of years.

In terms of the dividend, Macquarie thinks that Healius could pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 9.5% in FY22 and 5.1% in FY23 (as earnings normalise).

Healius recently announced a sizeable acquisition to bolster its earnings. It’s buying leading bioanalytical laboratory, Agilex Biolabs for an enterprise value of $301.3 million. This business provides bioanalysis to meet the clinical trial needs of biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

The ASX dividend share thinks of this as a long-term acquisition, giving it a platform for growth into the global clinical trials sector and a structurally attractive, higher growth, higher margin healthcare sector.

JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH)

JB Hi-Fi is one of the largest retailers in Australia (and New Zealand) specialising in the sale of electronics and home appliances.

It’s currently rated as a buy by at least four brokers including Credit Suisse, which has a price target of $58.80 on the business. That suggests a potential upside of more than 20% over the next year, if the broker is right.

In terms of dividend expectations, Credit Suisse reckons that the ASX dividend share is going to pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.8% in FY22 and 6.2% in FY23.

The broker reckons that JB Hi-Fi’s sales are going to be stronger for longer.

The business recently revealed its FY22 half-year update, showing that sales were only down by 1.6% to $4.86 billion year on year. There was continued heightened demand for both consumer electronics and home appliance products. Online sales were $1.1 billion, up 62.6% on last year, representing 22.7% of total sales.

However, net profit after tax (NPAT) was down 9.4% year on year to $287.9 million. But compared to the first half of FY20, net profit was up 68.8% thanks to significant operating leverage driven by the elevated sales growth, management of gross margins and disciplined cost control.

The post 2 great value ASX dividend shares that brokers love appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX shares set to conquer the carnage: expert
• 3 ASX shares to buy right now that are famous Aussie brands
• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares last week
• These 3 ASX retail shares have grossed-up dividend yields over 8% right now
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

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

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/Eq5CVDsxH

If you have room for some new portfolio additions, then it could be worth considering the three ASX growth shares listed below.

Here’s what you need to know about these buy-rated shares:

Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

The first ASX growth share to look at is Aristocrat Leisure. It is one of the world’s leading gaming technology companies. Aristocrat has bounced back strongly from the pandemic and its pokie machines appears to be winning market share again. Furthermore, its digital business continues to grow strongly and is generating significant recurring revenues thanks to the success of games such as RAID. In addition, the company is in the process of acquiring real money gaming giant Playtech for $5 billion. If this deal gets over the line it could give its growth an extra boost.

Morgans is a fan of the company. It has an add rating and $52.00 price target on its shares.

Lovisa Holdings Limited (ASX: LOV)

Another ASX growth share to look at is Lovisa. It is a fast-fashion jewellery retailer with a growing store network. It could be a top long term option due to its bold global expansion plans, which will be overseen by its new CEO, Victor Herrero. He previously led Inditex (Zara, Pull & Bear and Massimo Dutti) in China, which could be a key market for the company in the future.

It is largely for this reason that the team at Macquarie currently has an outperform rating and $25.00 price target on its shares.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

A final growth share to look at is this global leading provider of elastic interconnection services. Using software defined networking (SDN), Megaport’s global platform allows users to rapidly connect their network to other services across the Megaport Network. Services can then be directly controlled by customers via mobile devices, their computer, or its open API.

Goldman Sachs is very bullish on Megaport and estimates that it has an “immense” $129 billion market opportunity. The broker recently initiated coverage on the company with a buy rating and $20.00 price target on its shares.

The post 3 buy-rated ASX growth shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares in January
• 2 compelling ASX growth shares that are now great value: brokers
• 2 exciting ASX growth shares tipped as buys
• 2 strong blue chip ASX shares rated as buys
• What happened to ASX tech shares today?

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 MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Lovisa Holdings Ltd and MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/rvq3QXzCT