• Eagers Automotive (ASX:APE) share price races higher after 440% profit jump

    carsales share price

    The Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE) share price is racing higher on Wednesday morning.

    At the time of writing, the automotive retailer’s shares are up a sizeable 5.5% to $16.59.

    This means the Eagers Automotive share price is now up an impressive 23% since the start of the year.

    Why is the Eagers Automotive share price charging higher?

    The catalyst for the rise in the Eagers Automotive share price on Wednesday has been the release of a first half trading update.

    According to the release, for the six months ended 30 June, Eagers Automotive expects to record an underlying operating profit before tax from continuing operations of approximately $218.6 million.

    This will be a massive 442% increase on the prior corresponding period. Though, management acknowledges that FY 2020’s first half performance was materially impacted by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    On a statutory basis, the company expects to report a net profit before tax from continuing operations of $267.4 million.

    What is driving this strong performance?

    The release explains that the Australian new car market continues to rebound from the pandemic. So much so, during the first half, the new car market grew 28.3% compared to the first six months of 2020.

    Management advised that these market dynamics are further buoyed by demand continuing to materially outstrip supply.

    In addition to this, Eagers Automotive’s underlying profit continues to be supported by the ongoing benefits of its material cost out program completed over the last 12 months and the ongoing synergies resulting from its transformative merger with AHG.

    Nevertheless, the company continues to monitor the evolving COVID-19 situation and the associated effects of lockdowns in key markets nationally. As a result, it will manage the business with a balanced approach towards optimising all key stakeholder outcomes.

    The post Eagers Automotive (ASX:APE) share price races higher after 440% profit jump appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Eagers Automotive right now?

    Before you consider Eagers Automotive, 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 Eagers Automotive wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 May 24th 2021

    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. 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/2WuxVrB

  • Why the ALS (ASX:ALQ) share price is charging higher today

    boy in celebration pose with pointed fingers raised high

    The ALS Ltd (ASX: ALQ) share price is on the move on Wednesday morning.

    At the time of writing, the testing services company’s shares are up 3% to $12.94.

    Why is the ALS share price rising?

    Investors have been bidding the ALS share price higher today after the release of its annual general meeting presentation and the announcement of an acquisition.

    In respect to the former, the presentation took investors through the company’s performance in FY 2021 and provided an update on trading so far in FY 2022.

    ALS has started FY 2022 strongly and is expecting this to lead to solid first half profit growth. Management has provided guidance of first half underlying net profit after tax of between $115 million and $125 million. The midpoint of this guidance range represents a sizeable 49% increase on the prior corresponding period.

    It advised that this reflects the strong start that it is seeing across its Life Sciences and Commodities divisions as volumes continue to improve as global activity increases.

    Acquisition news

    Not included in its first half guidance is the proposed acquisition of an initial 49% interest in NUVISAN, a pharmaceutical testing business with operations in Germany and France.

    Management believes the acquisition provides it with the platform to expand its offering from quality control testing into ‘upstream’ services in research and development.

    Growth in this area of the market is driven by major pharmaceutical companies outsourcing drug development research and testing due to increasing pricing pressure, lack of internal capability, and expertise from external providers.

    ALS will initially acquire 49% of the equity in NUVISAN for a consideration of ~EUR145 million. It also has an exclusive call option to acquire the remaining equity from 1 January 2024. This option expires by 30 September 2026 at the latest.

    Should this option be exercised, the remaining 51% equity in NUVISAN will be acquired at 13x adjusted EBITDA based on the 12 months preceding the purchase.

    ALS’ Managing Director and CEO, Raj Naran, commented “This is a significant expansion of our Life Sciences capability as we grow our presence in the strategically important Pharmaceutical market. This will allow us to move our service offering up the supply chain into drug development and research testing, which significantly expands our addressable markets. NUVISAN offers us a platform in the key markets of Germany and France which has long been an aspiration for our Life Sciences division.”

    The post Why the ALS (ASX:ALQ) share price is charging higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider ALS, 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 ALS wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 May 24th 2021

    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. 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/2UN1tQT

  • Here’s why the Crown Resorts (ASX:CWN) share price is in focus today

    Young man sitting at a table in front of a row of pokie machines staring intently at a laptop.

    The Crown Resorts Ltd (ASX: CWN) share price will be in the spotlight on Wednesday morning following a Victorian casino tax update.

    At yesterday’s market close, the casino operator’s shares finished the day down a sizeable 5.47% to $8.98.

    Victorian casino tax update

    In Tuesday’s late market release, Crown Resorts provided an update to the ongoing review of potential casino tax underpayments by Crown Melbourne.

    The group stated that it has resolved to make payment to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR). From the 2012 financial year until yesterday’s date, Crown Resorts underpaid approximately $37 million in casino tax. This is in relation to Crown Melbourne incorrectly deducting certain bonus rewards given to customers from its electronic gaming machines.

    As a result of the underpayment, Crown Resorts incurred $24 million in penalty interest for the nine-year period. Combined with the principal amount, Crown has paid a total of $61 million to the state of Victoria. The VCGLR has been notified of the above outcome.

    In addition, Crown went on to note that it is continuing to assess other aspects of casino tax payments. This includes the company’s review of its loyalty promotion, Matchplay. Using Matchplay, Crown Rewards Points are redeemed for credits to use in electronic gaming machines.

    Once the Victorian Royal Commission delivers its final report, the VCGLR advised it will finalise Crown’s potential casino tax underpayments.

    Crown share price snapshot

    Since mid-May, Crown shares have recorded heavy losses of more than 30% for investors. These levels have not been seen since November 2020 where an AUSTRAC investigation took place.

    However, when looking over a longer period, the company’s share price is relatively flat. Year to date the Crown Resorts share price is down 6.75%. While over a 12-month period Crown shares are down just 0.22%.

    Based on valuation grounds, Crown Resorts commands a market capitalisation of roughly $6 billion, with around 677 million shares outstanding.

    The post Here’s why the Crown Resorts (ASX:CWN) share price is in focus today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Crown Resorts right now?

    Before you consider Crown Resorts, 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 Crown Resorts wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 May 24th 2021

    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 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/2ViyALZ

  • 3 long-term trends ASX share investors can buy into

    long term and short term on white cubes

    Investors need to keep 3 big picture trends in mind when picking ASX shares, an expert has warned.

    According to AXA IM core investments chief investment officer Chris Iggo, the issues perplexing stock markets earlier this year seem to be irrelevant now.

    “Worries about the economy overheating appear to have been overdone as the Delta variant [of COVID-19] reminds us that the battle with the pandemic is far from over,” he said.

    “Bond yields have responded accordingly and investors should prepare for the possibility that the US 10-year yield hits 1% again soon.” 

    But while the coronavirus still occupies everyone in the short term, there is still a massive long-term worry that needs to be addressed.

    “The planet is overheating and climate disorder is very evident,” said Iggo.

    “Carbon reduction will become one of the most important investment strategies as investors respond to the urgency of combating climate change.”

    With these forces in mind, Iggo suggested investors consider 3 major themes for the future when picking shares in the present.

    We’ve hit peak air travel 

    The pandemic might have brought forward an inevitability, according to Iggo.

    “Some of the things that spring to mind include the notion that peak air travel is well and truly behind us until an economically scalable sustainable alternative to jet fuel is developed.”

    This could mean trouble for ASX shares such as Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) and Air New Zealand Limited (ASX: AIZ).

    Work-from-home is here to stay

    A trend that may have never entered the mainstream if not for COVID-19 is working from home.

    And Iggo reckons life will never be the same again.

    “The ‘working from home’ genie is not going back in the bottle,” he said. 

    “The machismo displayed by some financial institutions insisting on full time back in the office is unlikely to be the norm across the private sector.” 

    This means that investors must look for ASX shares that’ll benefit from lifestyle changes.

    “There are long-term implications for urban planning and infrastructure spending, on the demand for smart-housing and on how much households spend on leisure relative to commuting.”

    Blockchain technology will shake up ASX shares

    The database technology called blockchain isn’t just about speculative cryptocurrencies.

    Iggo thinks the system, which allows decentralisation of centuries-old financial processes, is set to shake up every part of the sector.

    “On the financial side, blockchain technology is likely to lead to changes in bank operating models, on payments systems and potentially even on financial instruments like equity and mutual funds,” he said.

    “Decentralising all kinds of activity has become desirable and achievable which has huge organisational implications.”

    The post 3 long-term trends ASX share investors can buy into 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 more than eight 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo owns shares of Qantas Airways Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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/3BMUQym

  • The Westpac share price is down 20% in 5 years. But have the dividends paid off?

    A young entrepreneur boy catching money at his desk, indicating growth in the ASX share price or dividends

    The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price has had a tough run over the last 5 years but some shareholders of the ASX 200 blue chip stock believe its dividends have covered its losses.

    On 27 July 2016, the Westpac share price finished the day’s trade at $30.92. Yesterday, it was sitting at $24.76 when the ASX closed.

    That represents a fall of 19.92% over the last 5 years and means an investor who bought into the bank 5 years ago today would be out of pocket $6.16 apiece.

    In that same time, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained 34.14%.

    While the Westpac share price’s performance has been drab, many of the bank’s shareholders keep it in their portfolio because of its dividends.

    But have Westpac’s dividends made up for its tumble?

    A quick note:

    At this point, it’s worth noting that some investors likely see value in dividends despite a shares’ performance.

    That’s because shares like Westpac give out franked dividends, which can help some investors reduce the amount of tax they pay.

    All Westpac’s dividends have been fully franked at 30% since 2000.

    Have Westpac’s dividends made up for its share price tumble?

    The Westpac share price has dropped by nearly a fifth over the last half-decade.

    However, Westpac routinely hands out strong dividends.

    So, would an investor with a 5-year-old holding in Westpac have made back their money, or even gained some, from Westpac’s dividends?

    Here’s a list of all dividends presented to Westpac shareholders over the last 5 years:

    Westpac’s dividends

    • December 2016 – 94 cents
    • July 2017 – 94 cents
    • December 2017 – 94 cents
    • July 2018 – 94 cents
    • December 2018 – 94 cents
    • June 2019 – 94 cents
    • December 2019 – 80 cents
    • June 2020 – none
    • December 2020 – 31 cents
    • June 2021 – 58 cents

    The maths:

    An investor who bought $10,000 worth of Westpac shares exactly 5 years ago would currently have a holding worth approximately $8007.75.

    So far, this investor isn’t doing too well.

    However, they’ve received around $2370.63 worth of dividends in that time ($7.33 per share).

    This means this pretend investor is approximately $378.38 better off having invested in Westpac 5 years ago.

    At the end of the day, that signifies a 3.78% return. Not a bad result, and a better one than if they’d invested in Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) 5 years ago.

    Westpac share price snapshot

    While the last 5 years haven’t been great for the Westpac share price, it has performed well recently.

    Right now, it’s 26% higher than it was at the start of 2021 and has lifted 41% since this time last year.

    The post The Westpac share price is down 20% in 5 years. But have the dividends paid off? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Westpac, 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 Westpac wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 May 24th 2021

    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 owns shares of 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/3rBCXOB

  • BHP (ASX:BHP) share price on watch after announcing Ring of Fire acquisition

    Looking down on two African workers shaking hands over an agreement in an open pit mine.

    The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price could be on the move on Wednesday.

    This follows the announcement of a potential acquisition this morning.

    What did BHP announce?

    The Big Australian has announced that it has made a recommended all-cash offer to acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of Noront Resources for C$0.55 per share. This values Noront Resources’ equity at C$325 million.

    The offer is also a significant premium to one which Noront Resources received in May from Wyloo Metals of C$0.315 per share.

    Positively, BHP and Noront have entered into a definitive support agreement, whereby Noront has agreed to support the takeover bid.

    What is Noront Resources?

    Noront Resources is a Canadian based mining company, listed on the TSX Venture Exchange.

    The release explains that it is focused on the development of its high-grade Eagle’s Nest nickel, copper, platinum and palladium deposit and chromite deposits. This includes Blackbird, Black Thor, and Big Daddy, all of which are located in the James Bay Lowlands of Ontario in an emerging metals district known as the Ring of Fire.

    BHP’s Chief Development Officer, Johan van Jaarsveld, commented: “We are pleased that the Noront board has seen the value in our offer and has recommended it to its shareholders. This is a win-win for both BHP and Noront shareholders.”

    “For BHP, the acquisition of Noront presents a world-class growth option, in a key future-facing commodity. The highly prospective Eagle’s Nest nickel project provides an excellent platform from which to develop further opportunities in Ontario’s Ring of Fire,” he added.

    “We are excited to bring our mining expertise and capabilities to develop these long-term opportunities. We look forward to working in constructive partnerships with First Nations peoples, government and communities to realize the untapped potential of these important resources,” van Jaarsveld concluded.

    The BHP share price is up 24% in 2021.

    The post BHP (ASX:BHP) share price on watch after announcing Ring of Fire acquisition appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider BHP, 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 BHP wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 May 24th 2021

    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. 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/3BMbM8g

  • Own Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) shares? Here’s what to look for during reporting season

    Young man with laptop watching stocks and trends while thinking

    Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares have been a very strong performers in 2021.

    Since the start of the year, the conglomerate’s shares have risen a sizeable 20%. This means Wesfarmers shares are now up 34% over the last 12 months.

    Unsurprisingly, given these strong gains, expectations are high for Wesfarmers next month when it hands in its full year results.

    In light of this, I thought I would take a look to see what the market is expecting from the retail giant.

    Here’s what to look for during reporting season

    The market is expecting favourable trading conditions to lead to solid revenue and profit growth in FY 2021.

    For example, according to a recent note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts are expecting Wesfarmers to report full year revenue of $34,132.1 million. This will be a 10.6% increase on FY 2020’s revenue.

    In respect to earnings, the broker is forecasting a 9.6% increase in earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to $3,508 million. This is expected to be driven largely by a 16.7% increase in Bunnings earnings to $2,268 million and a 30% jump in Department store earnings to $678 million.

    Goldman expects this to lead to Wesfarmers declaring a full year dividend of $1.84 per share. Based on where Wesfarmers shares trade today, this will mean a 3% fully franked dividend yield.

    Another thing that could be worth watching out for is commentary around its plan to acquire Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ASX: API). If successful, management plans to create a new healthcare division.

    Are Wesfarmers shares good value?

    While Goldman Sachs currently has a buy rating on Wesfarmers shares, its price target of $59.70 has recently been surpassed. Based on this, it appears as though the market is expecting the company to outperform expectations in FY 2021.

    Time will tell if that is the case, but all will be revealed in late August when Wesfarmers releases its results.

    The post Own Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) shares? Here’s what to look for during reporting season appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Wesfarmers, 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 Wesfarmers wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 May 24th 2021

    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. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Wesfarmers 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/3zLgEIP

  • What is the outlook for the Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price?

    Red and blue paper planes

    The Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) share price has spent the last three months range-bound, struggling to break above $5 while finding buying support around $4.50.

    Why the Qantas share price remains grounded

    According to an article featured on Livewire, Montgomery Investment Management chief investment officer Roger Montgomery isn’t too optimistic about the near-term prospects of the travel industry.

    “Victorian and New South Wales lockdowns, and the spread of the virus through other states, has resulted in less enthusiasm for forward booking travel,” he said on the blog.

    “While leading indicators from Similarweb and Google trends remained strong into May, both trended lower into June, and are likely to have fallen further in July following the lockdowns of Australia’s two most populous states.”

    In stark contrast to Montgomery’s observations, Qantas previously forecast domestic capacity to reach 95 per cent of its pre-COVID levels in the fourth quarter of FY21.

    It also believed that “Qantas and Jetstar expect to average 107 and 120 per cent respectively of their pre-COVID domestic capacity in FY22”.

    This announcement was made back on 20 May, where the Qantas share price rallied 3.54% to $4.68.

    Expectations vs. reality

    Qantas’ optimistic forecasts have been hit by a rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation across Australia.

    This week, the ABC revealed an email sent to Qantas staff. The broadcaster reported:

    … the airline said it was running around 90 per cent of pre-COVID capacity before Sydney’s lockdown took that to around 60 per cent.

    Now, adding in the Victorian and South Australian lockdowns, the Qantas boss said the airline had reduced domestic capacity to less than 40 per cent of what it was pre-COVID.

    Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce was hopeful that lockdowns might end soon, “allowing the airline to get back up to 60 per cent of pre-COVID domestic capacity by August and 80 to 90 per cent by spring”.

    Why the Qantas share price is higher this week

    The Qantas share price is up 3.3% this week to $4.69 but remains around November 2020 levels.

    NSW reported an additional 172 locally acquired cases on Tuesday, the highest daily figure since the beginning of the Sydney outbreak.

    Despite the grim figures from NSW, there is a glimpse of hope for other major cities.

    Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced that the state is officially out of lockdown from 11:59 pm on Tuesday, with some restrictions still in place.

    The post What is the outlook for the Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Qantas, 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 Qantas wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Kerry Sun 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/3zESeRm

  • 2 ASX 200 shares that keep growing their dividends

    A money jar filled with coins, indicating an investment return from an ASX dividend share

    There are a group of S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares that continue to increase their dividend every year for investors.

    Plenty of businesses previously known for paying dividends have reduced their payment during the last 18 months. Businesses like Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD) and Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) all implemented reductions.

    But these two continued the increases:

    Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL)

    Sonic is one of the largest pathology healthcare businesses in the world with operations in ANZ, North America and Europe.

    It is playing a very important part in the COVID-19 pandemic where it has performed millions of tests. That work continues, particularly in locations where COVID-19 infections are rising (with the Delta variant).

    Sonic has increased its dividend most years in the last two decades, including a current growth streak that goes back several years.

    That record continued in the FY21 half-year result where the board decided to maintain its progressive dividend policy with a 6% rise to 36 cents. That was a modest increase compared to the earnings growth with revenue rising 33% and net profit going up 166% to $678 million.

    At the time of the profit announcement, management said that the ASX 200 share was looking for further growth opportunities, including acquisitions.

    Last month the business announced that it was going to acquire Canberra Imaging Group (CIG). This business comes with annual revenue of around $60 million and is the leading radiology practice in Canberra. It is a “significant and positive step” in developing Sonic Imaging’s division in Australia, broadening its footprint, deepening the talent pool, increasing the division’s revenue by around 10% and offering potential synergy benefits.

    At the current Sonic share price, it offers a partially franked dividend yield of 2.2%.

    Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW)

    Brickworks is another ASX 200 share that also has a long dividend record going. Not only has it increased its dividend every year for the past several financial years in a row, but it also hasn’t cut its dividend in over forty years.

    Whilst the business is best known for being the largest brickmaker in Australia (and now the northeast of the US), it’s the other assets that Brickworks relies on to pay its dividends each year.

    A significant part of the cashflow to pay the dividend comes from its Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL) investment that it owns around 40% of. Soul Patts’ diversified portfolio is defensively positioned in businesses like TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG) and Bki Investment Co Ltd (ASX: BKI), swimming schools and agriculture. Soul Patts has been steadily increasing its dividend to shareholders, like Brickworks, for two decades.

    Brickworks also has a large and growing industrial property joint venture alongside Goodman Group (ASX: GMG). At the FY21 half-year result, Brickworks said this business has significant land for further development at each of its estates.

    There is a total of 171,000 sqm of lease pre-commitments already secured. The completion of these facilities over the next two years will result in gross rent within the trust increasing by around $38 million, representing a 40% uplift from the current level.

    Brickworks said that there has been an evolution towards more sophisticated and specialised facilities, incorporating things like robotics, automation and multi-storey warehousing.

    In addition to the pre-committed developments, a further 336,900 sqm of gross lettable area (GLA) is available for development within the trust, providing further opportunity for growth.

    At the current Brickworks share price, it has a grossed-up dividend yield of 3.5%.

    The post 2 ASX 200 shares that keep growing their dividends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    These Dividend Stocks Could Be Your Next Cash Kings (FREE REPORT)

    Motley Fool Australia’s Dividend experts recently released a brand-new FREE report revealing 3 dividend stocks with JUICY franked dividends that could keep paying you meaty dividends for years to come.

    Our team of investors think these 3 dividend stocks should be a ‘must consider’ for any savvy dividend investor. But more importantly, could potentially make Australian investors a heap of passive income.

    Don’t miss out! Simply click the link below to grab your free copy and discover these 3 high conviction stocks now.

    Returns As of 15th February 2021

    More reading

    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 owns shares of and has recommended Brickworks. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sonic Healthcare 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/3eYpwDd

  • Why the Virgin Money UK (ASX:VUK) share price will be on watch today

    Young male investor smiling looking at laptop

    The Virgin Money UK CDI (ASX: VUK) share price will be one to watch on Wednesday morning. This comes after the United Kingdom-based bank released its third-quarter trading update for the 2021 financial year yesterday afternoon.

    During Tuesday’s market close, Virgin Money shares ended the day up 4.30% trading at $3.64.

    Let’s take a closer look at how the company performed over the last 3 months.

    How did Virgin Money perform for the third quarter?

    Virgin Money shares may be on the move today as investors had the night to digest the company’s latest results.

    For the period ending 30 June 2021, Virgin Money reported overall customer deposits fell to £68 billion (A$128.3 billion). This represents a decline of 0.8% compared to the prior quarter as the group continued to drive down costs. The more expensive term deposits balances dropped in line with expectations as management focused on repricing the portfolio lower.

    Virgin Money highlighted a strong relationship deposit balance growth with stable lending balances. Relationship deposit balance grew to £29.8 billion (A$56.23 billion), a 3.7% increase on Q2 FY21.

    Mortgage balances came to £58.7 billion (A$110.71 billion), a 0.7% lift compared to the last 3 months. This reflected higher volumes of new lending and upbeat market conditions ahead of stamp duty land tax (SDLT) changes.

    Business lending sunk to £8.7 billion (A$16.41 billion), down 2.4%, while personal lending jumped to £5.2 billion (A$9.81 billion). The latter came from a surge in credit cards as spending levels picked up.

    Group net interest margin (NIM) accelerated to 168 basis points (bps) for the third quarter, up from 160bps in Q2. The company stated that it benefitted from a lower cost of funds as well as higher hedge contributions.

    FY21 NIM is expected to be slightly ahead of 160bps, stabilising in the fourth quarter. This is a result of wholesale funding costs and increased competition offsetting the ongoing improvement in deposit repricing.

    What did the CEO say?

    Virgin Money CEO David Duffy welcomed the strong result, saying:

    Virgin Money performed well as our strategy continued to translate into improved financial delivery in a strengthening environment.

    We carried our momentum of relationship deposit growth into the second half, reducing our cost of funds. Our asset quality remained robust, while capital ratios improved further.

    Mr Duffy went on to discuss the company’s outlook, adding:

    We have increased full-year NIM guidance and, while COVID continues to impact the near-term, we have a strong capital position and robust provisions. We see great opportunities from further developing our digital capabilities to deliver an improved customer experience and greater efficiencies.

    Virgin Money share price snapshot

    Virgin Money has a market capitalisation of roughly $3.2 billion, cementing its place within the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). The company’s share price has more than doubled in the past 12 months and is up 50% year-to-date.

    The post Why the Virgin Money UK (ASX:VUK) share price will be on watch today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Virgin Money UK right now?

    Before you consider Virgin Money UK, 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 Virgin Money UK wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 May 24th 2021

    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 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/3BJgMux