Tag: Motley Fool

  • Have you seen these exciting ETFs that are listed on the ASX?

    ETF written in white with a blackish background.

    ETF written in white with a blackish background.

    If you don’t have the funds to build a diverse portfolio, then exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be a good option. This is because ETFs allows you to invest in a large number of shares through just a single investment.

    With that in mind, I have picked out three ETFs that trade on the ASX that could be good options for investors to look at right now. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

    The BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF could be a top option for investors wanting to gain exposure to the growing Asian economy. This ETF gives investors access to the biggest and best tech shares the region has to offer. This means you’ll be owning a slice of companies such as ecommerce giants Alibaba and JD.com, search engine company Baidu, and WeChat owner Tencent.

    BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

    The BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF could be a great way to invest in the the global cybersecurity sector. This is because the fund is invested in many of the highest quality companies in the sector such as Accenture, Cisco, Cloudflare, Fortinet, Okta, Splunk, Zscaler, Crowdstrike, and Palo Alto Networks. Given how demand for cybersecurity services is expected to rise strongly over the coming years, these companies appear well-placed for growth over the 2020s.

    ETFS Battery Tech & Lithium ETF (ASX: ACDC)

    A final ETF for investors to check out is the ETFS Battery Tech & Lithium ETF. This ETF offers investors exposure to the energy storage, battery production, and electrification megatrends. This is through investments in companies involved in the supply chain and production for battery technology. This includes companies such as AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group, Lockheed Martin, and Australian lithium miner Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS).

    The post Have you seen these exciting ETFs that are listed on the ASX? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF. 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/1tXCnYS

  • Analysts name 2 ASX 200 dividend shares to buy now

    A man and woman sit next to each other looking at each other and feeling excited and surprised after reading good news about their ASX shares on the laptop in front of them

    A man and woman sit next to each other looking at each other and feeling excited and surprised after reading good news about their ASX shares on the laptop in front of them

    Are you looking for some dividend options for your portfolio? If you are, check out the two ASX shares listed below.

    Here’s why these ASX dividend shares have been tipped to as buys:

    Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

    The first ASX 200 dividend share for investors to consider is this retail giant. As well as being one of the big two supermarket operators with over 800 stores, Coles operates over 900 liquor retail stores, and over 700 Coles express stores.

    But management isn’t settling for this. It continues to expand its network and invest in its online business. The latter includes the construction of new smart distribution centres with automation giant Ocado. All in all, analysts expect this to underpin solid earnings and dividend growth over the 2020s.

    The team at Citi expect this to be the case. The broker is positive on Coles and currently has a buy rating and $19.30 price target on its shares. As for dividends, Citi has pencilled in fully franked dividends per share of 65 cents in FY 2022 and 72 cents in FY 2023.

    Based on the current Coles share price of $17.74, this will mean yields of 3.7% and 4.1%, respectively.

    Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL)

    Another ASX 200 dividend share that could be in the buy zone is Super Retail. It is the company behind the BCF, Macpac, Rebel, and Supercheap Auto businesses.

    Super Retail’s shares have fallen heavily this year due to a disappointing half year result caused by COVID headwinds. However, the team at Morgans believe this recent weakness is a buying opportunity for investors and recently upgraded its shares to an add rating with a $13.80 price target.

    The broker highlights that Super Retail’s shares were trading at just 12x estimated FY 2023 earnings at that point. They have since fallen even further.

    Morgans appears confident that Super Retail will bounce back as COVID headwinds ease. This is expected to support fully franked dividends of 59 cents per share in FY 2022 and 61 cents per share in FY 2023. Based on the current Super Retail share price of $10.24, this will mean yields of 5.75% and 6%, respectively.

    The post Analysts name 2 ASX 200 dividend shares to buy now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Super Retail Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET and Super Retail 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/favspVA

  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell next week

    Once again, a large number of broker notes hit the wires last week. Some of these notes were positive and some were bearish.

    Three sell ratings that investors might want to hear about are summarised below. Here’s why top brokers think investors ought to sell these shares next week:

    Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

    According to a note out of Morgan Stanley, its analysts have retained their underweight rating but lifted their price target on this banking giant’s shares to $92.00. Morgan Stanley has increased its earnings estimates for the sector to reflect higher than previously expected cash rate forecasts. The broker expects the cash rate to increase by 65 basis points this year and then by a further 1% in 2023. However, it still feels CBA’s shares are overvalued at the current level and retains its underweight rating. The CBA share price ended the week at $106.29.

    Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR)

    A note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have downgraded this gold miner’s shares to an underperform rating with a $1.70 price target. Although the broker has increased its gold price forecasts for the near term, it isn’t enough to prevent a downgrade to underperform. Macquarie made the move on valuation grounds following recent share price strength. The Gold Road share price ended the week below this target at $1.66.

    Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG)

    Another note out of Morgan Stanley reveals that its analysts have retained their underweight rating and $3.90 price target on this insurance giant’s shares. After taking the recent floods into account, Morgan Stanley has concerns that IAG is at risk of elevated catastrophe budget increases in FY 2023. It suspects that this could lead to an increase in the insurer’s cost of capital. The IAG share price was fetching $4.61 at Friday’s close.

    The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Insurance Australia 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/w7QhkYI

  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week

    Broker looking at the share price.

    Broker looking at the share price.

    Last week saw a number of broker notes hitting the wires once again. Three buy ratings that investors might want to be aware of are summarised below.

    Here’s why brokers think investors ought to buy them next week:

    Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

    According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have retained their outperform rating and $26.70 price target on this corporate travel specialist’s shares. The broker notes that industry data is pointing to improving trading conditions in the United States, which is big positive given the company’s significant exposure to this market. All in all, the broker is very positive on Corporate Travel Management’s outlook and continues to rate it as its top pick in the sector. The Corporate Travel Management share price was trading at $23.28 at the end of the week.

    Seek Limited (ASX: SEK)

    A note out of Morgan Stanley reveals that its analysts have retained their overweight rating and lifted their price target on this job listings company’s shares to $36.00. Morgan Stanley was pleased with Seek’s performance during the first half and expects more of the same in the future. Particularly given the tight jobs market and higher than normal rates of job switching. The Seek share price was fetching $31.03 at Friday’s close.

    Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

    Analysts at Citi have retained their buy rating and $13.78 price target on this wine company’s shares. Citi notes that industry data appears to be showing that sales are shifting from the retail channel to the on-premise channel. This could be a big positive given that this channel is higher margin. So much so, the broker suspects that Treasury Wine could outperform its expectations in the second half. The Treasury Wine share price ended the week at $11.84.

    The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns SEEK Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Corporate Travel Management Limited, SEEK Limited, and 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/6Bhk4IJ

  • 2 ASX shares with compelling futures: fund manager

    A man and woman sit next to each other looking at each other and feeling excited and surprised after reading good news about their ASX shares on the laptop in front of them

    A man and woman sit next to each other looking at each other and feeling excited and surprised after reading good news about their ASX shares on the laptop in front of them

    Wilson Asset Management (WAM) is a fund manager that likes to search the stock market to find ASX shares that look like opportunities.

    Typically, WAM likes to hunt for businesses where a catalyst could drive the company’s valuation higher.

    One of the funds that it operates is the listed investment company (LIC) WAM Active Limited (ASX: WAA).

    The idea behind WAM Active is to find market mispricing opportunities on the Australian market.

    Since its inception in January 2008, this LIC has delivered a gross return of 11% per annum, that’s before expenses, taxes and fees.

    These are the two ASX shares outlined in the most recent WAM Active update:

    Steadfast Group Ltd (ASX: SDF)

    Wilson Asset Management described Steadfast Group as the largest general insurance broking network and group of underwriting agencies in Australasia, with growing operations in Asia and Europe.

    Last month, the insurance ASX share announced its FY22 half-year result, which beat expectations, according to WAM. The fund manager noted that Steadfast’s underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) grew by 26.4% to $76.3 million.

    WAM explained that a positive environment for the pricing of commercial insurance policies and the successful integration of previous acquisitions contributed to the company beating forecasts. Explaining why Steadfast is in the WAM Active portfolio, the fund manager said:

    We remain positive on the outlook for Steadfast Group and believe that a strong balance sheet can give the company the ability to continue to make earnings accretive acquisitions.

    Uniti Group Ltd (ASX: UWL)

    Wilson Asset Management said that this company is focused on the construction of core telecommunications infrastructure. It’s also the owner and operator of fibre cable networks across Australia.

    In February 2022, the company announced its FY22 half-year result, showing a 98.4% rise in revenue to $109.5 million and a 130.3% increase in operating cash flow to $65.4 million. Uniti’s half-year earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew 140.3% to $70.5 million.

    WAM noted that the result was in line with market expectations, yet the report disappointed the market – the Uniti share price fell following the announcement.

    The fund manager thinks that Uniti has the ability to make earnings accretive acquisitions because of its “strong” balance sheet. The ASX share also recently commenced an on-market share buyback.

    WAM isn’t the only investor that thought Uniti looked good value.

    Uniti has entered into exclusive discussions with HRL Morrison & Co, a New Zealand asset manager. There is a non-bonding, conditional indicative proposal for an indicative price of $4.50 per share.

    There is also speculation that Macquarie Group Ltd’s (ASX: MQG) Vocus Group could be interested in making a bid for Uniti.

    The post 2 ASX shares with compelling futures: fund manager appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor 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 Steadfast Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited, Steadfast Group Ltd, and Uniti 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/FEUsZjX

  • If you invested $10,000 in CBA shares a decade ago, here’s what it would be worth now

    Young boy wearing suit and glasses adds up on calculator with coins on tableYoung boy wearing suit and glasses adds up on calculator with coins on table

    The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price has recorded strong gains over the past year, up 24%. This comes as Australia’s largest bank navigates its way around inflationary movements and geopolitical tensions.

    Below, we calculate how much a shareholder would have made if they had made an investment in CBA 10 years ago.

    What if you had invested $10,000 in CBA shares 10 years ago?

    If you had invested $10,000 in CBA shares on this day 10 years ago, you would have bought them for around $48.76 each. This would have given you approximately 205 shares without factoring in any dividend reinvestments over the years.

    Fast-forward to today, the current CBA share price is $106.29. This means those 205 shares would now be worth around $21,789.45. When considering percentage terms, this implies an upside of 118%.

    Not a bad effort, picking a blue-chip ASX share winner and more than doubling your initial investment.

    How does CBA shares compare against the ASX 200?

    On average, the ASX 200 has returned a yearly average of 5.42% to shareholders in the past decade. The most significant gain was achieved in 2019 when the index grew by 23.02%.

    On the other hand, the biggest fall came in 2011, down by 10.84%. You might be thinking that 2020 would be on the list due to major COVID-19 disruptions, but the ASX 200 rebounded sharply during that year.

    The bank’s shares have outperformed the benchmark ASX 200, despite moving in circles in the past two years.

    Overall, the company has delivered a yearly average return of 8.06% since 2012.

    And the dividends?

    Over the course of the last decade, CBA has made a total of 20 bi-annual dividend payments from 2012 to 2022.

    Adding those 20 dividends payments gives us an amount of $39.16 per share. Calculating the number of shares owned against the total dividend payment gives us a figure of $8,027.80.

    When putting both the initial investment gains and dividend distribution, an investor would have roughly $29,817.25.

    In comparison, investing the same amount in the ASX 200 would have netted you a total figure of $16,959.77.

    As you can see, investing in CBA would have almost doubled what you would have gotten from investing in the benchmark index. Although, placing your money in an exchange-traded fund (ETF) is considered to be a much safer alternative with less risk but less reward.

    CBA share price snapshot

    In 2022, the CBA share price has nudged up around 5% in value. However, when looking at this time last year, its shares have posted a 24% gain.

    CBA has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 22.44 and commands a market capitalisation of roughly $180.67 billion.

    The post If you invested $10,000 in CBA shares a decade ago, here’s what it would be worth now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

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

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    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/kCo1KMi

  • Own Blackmores (ASX:BKL) shares? Here’s how the company is aiming for 1 billion consumers

    Business executive aiming bow and arrow at target.Business executive aiming bow and arrow at target.

    Blackmores Limited (ASX: BKL) shares closed down 1.63% on Friday at $75.40.

    With those losses factored in, Blackmores shares are now down 18.6% since the closing bell on 23 February. That was the day before the company released its half-year financial results for the six months ending 31 December.

    That fall has come despite Blackmores reporting a 14.3% year-on-year lift in revenue, to $346 million, and upping its interim dividend by 117% to 63 cents per share.

    ASX investors may have been selling Blackmores shares after the company declined to provide earnings guidance for the six months ahead, citing “ongoing uncertainty” caused by COVID-19.

    But that’s not holding the company back from its ambitious growth plans.

    How to reach out to a billion consumers

    Blackmores is aiming to expand its reach to one billion unique consumers within five years. That’s up from 500 million today.

    This doesn’t mean it’s expecting a billion customers, mind you. But rather a billion people who recognise it as a leading Aussie health product provider.

    “If 1% of that billion converts into a sale for Blackmores, then that enables us to achieve our financial goals. If we can reach a billion consumers, we can be one of the biggest health natural health companies in Asia Pacific,” Blackmores CEO Alastair Symington said quoted by The Australian Financial Review.

    So, how is the company planning to double its reach?

    First, it’s targeting expansion in China, a core existing market, as well as its other high-growth international markets in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and India.

    While Chinese sanctions have hampered some Australian exporters, like those involved in the wine or coal industries, Symington doesn’t believe his company will become a target:

    We don’t expect that there’ll be any of these tougher sanctions that would come on international health products that the Chinese people would be looking for. I think the only time that that could come is if there was a legitimate alternative locally that the consumers were as comfortable with, and we don’t see that yet.

    Another growth pillar that could help propel Blackmores shares higher is pet health supplements, sold under the company’s Paw brand.

    As COVID-19 restrictions are rolled back people are returning to onsite work, often for the first time in two years. That may come as a relief to some workers. But many of their pets, now accustomed to fulltime stay-at-home carers, won’t agree.

    Enter Blackmores’ Complete Calm, intended, as the name implies, to calm your anxious dog down.

    According to Symington (quoted by the AFR):

    Just in the last month or so, everybody’s changed their habits and are moving back into commuting. These pet parents have been looking after their animals for two years. The new pets have not had a situation where the pet owners have been separated from them.

    Symington said online inquiries regarding anxious pets have increased by 50% since the end of January.

    How have Blackmores shares been tracking?

    Blackmores shares have struggled in 2022, down 17.5% since the opening bell on 4 January.

    By comparison the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down by around 4% year-to-date.

    The post Own Blackmores (ASX:BKL) shares? Here’s how the company is aiming for 1 billion consumers appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    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 Blackmores 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/egNRPub

  • We stopped buying tech, but just picked up these 2 ASX shares

    Happy woman and man looking at an iPad.Happy woman and man looking at an iPad.

    Many professional investors have avoided technology shares in recent months.

    And it’s no wonder, with the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) losing a quarter of its value since November.

    But with such depressed valuations now, some fund managers are dipping their toes back in.

    One such investor is WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) portfolio manager John Ayoub.

    “We have been fairly resolute in not owning any overvalued tech stocks. [But] what we have seen recently is a slight change to that outlook,” he said in a conference call to clients this month.

    “The sell-off has provided some opportunities within those sectors where we think individual stocks who have the ability to demonstrate superior earnings can grow into their multiples, and it presented opportunities over the recent past.”

    Ayoub named 2 examples of such ASX shares that he’s added to the fund in recent weeks.

    ‘Market-leading’ tech shares

    Saying that they are “market-leading franchises” and “extremely well positioned”, Ayoub revealed his team had started buying shares in REA Group Limited (ASX: REA) and Seek Limited (ASX: SEK).

    “No matter what the macro backdrop provides, …there is somewhat more valuation support today,” he said.

    “We think these stocks can also be drivers of the portfolio. So we have put positions within the portfolio with those — some larger than others — and we will continue to build on those positions over the next 6 to 12 months.”

    REA shares have dropped almost 18% this year. But with a price-to-earnings ratio close to 50, the valuation of REA is still polarising.

    According to CMC Markets, 8 of 16 analysts rate the tech stock as a “buy” but 7 of them rate it as a “hold”.

    The Seek share price has shaved more than 9% off this year, and 13.6% since November.

    The jobs classifieds site also divides the professionals, with 8 of 15 analysts surveyed in CMC Markets rating it as a “buy” while 7 reckon investors should hold or sell it.

    ‘A game of 3D chess’

    Ayoub likened the current state of the portfolio as “a game of 3D chess”.

    “We are juggling rate movements, we are juggling coronavirus and now we are juggling more on the Ukraine and Russia,” he said.

    “It makes it awfully difficult to get a clear and confident path as to the shape of the portfolio for the next month, let alone for the next 6 to 12 months.”

    The portfolio manager emphasised the importance of investors’ ability to be nimble.

    “We have to adapt and we have to be ready to change as new information comes. That is really our focal point today.”

    The post We stopped buying tech, but just picked up these 2 ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo 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 REA Group Limited and SEEK 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/GVb4BF0

  • Oil price could hit US$200 per barrel this year: expert

    Oil written on a chart with two people shaking hands.Oil written on a chart with two people shaking hands.

    A message from our CIO, Scott Phillips:

    “G’day Fools. If you’re like us, you’re dismayed by the events taking place in Ukraine. It is an unnecessary humanitarian tragedy. Times like these remind us that money is important, but other things are far more valuable. And yet the financial markets remain open, shares are trading, and our readers and members are looking to us for guidance. So we’ll do our best to continue to serve you, while also hoping for a swift and peaceful end to war in Ukraine.”


    The oil price could go as high as US$200 per barrel, according to a resources expert.

    There has already been a surge in the oil price this year after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

    Oil companies have seen their valuations soar. The Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price has gone up around 40% in 2022, the Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price has risen 15% and the Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price has surged 20%.

    But what could happen next?

    Oil price expected to remain high

    The oil price had been steadily declining up until Thursday. But then Brent crude oil jumped 8.8% to US$106.64 per barrel.

    The Australian Financial Review reported that the recent fall in the oil price was because there were signs that Russia and Ukraine may be able to agree to a ceasefire. But then, on Thursday, Russia said that reports of significant progress were wrong.

    One broker, Morgan Stanley, thinks that oil prices could go higher. That’s because global oil inventories are being utilised, but inventories are already at multi-year lows, so Morgan Stanley believes this will continue to put “upwards pressure on oil prices”. The third quarter Brent crude oil price is now expected to average US$120 per barrel in the third quarter.

    The AFR reported that Morgan Stanley believes Russian oil production will decline by 1 million barrels a day.

    Could the oil price reach US$200 per barrel?

    A French fund manager believes that it’s possible that the oil price could go to US$200 per barrel by the end of the year.

    This resources expert has been performing strongly with his commodity strategies in recent years.

    That fund manager is Pierre Andurand. According to the AFR, last week the Financial Times reported that one of his hedge funds, the Andurand Commodities Discretionary Enhanced Fund, had made returns of 154% in 2020, 87% in 2021 and 109% in the 2022 year to date. He said to Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast:

    I was expecting prices to go above $US150 before the Russian invasion. I think, like [it could go] close to US$200 a barrel, so much higher than today. I feel like there’s no demand destruction at US$110 a barrel, and we’ll have to go significantly higher before demand can go down by enough.

    Are petroleum ASX shares attractive opportunities?

    Brokers do currently have buy ratings on Woodside. However, the price targets are above where Woodside is currently trading.

    UBS has a buy rating on Woodside with a price target of $29. Credit Suisse also rates Woodside as a buy, with a price target of $30.50. However, it’s possible these price targets could change with ongoing volatility with the oil price.

    Brokers are much more optimistic about the prospects of the Santos share price.

    Morgan Stanley rates Santos as a buy, with a price target of $10.40. That’s more than 30% higher than today’s Santos share price.

    UBS rates Santos as a buy, with a price target of $8.90. That’s close to 20% potential upside.

    The post Oil price could hit US$200 per barrel this year: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

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

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/Qzu6sp7

  • 3 growth shares analysts are tipping to rocket higher

    Rocket powering up and symbolising a rising share price.

    Rocket powering up and symbolising a rising share price.

    Are you interested in adding some ASX growth shares to your portfolio? If you are, you may want to look at the ones listed below.

    Here’s what you need to know about these growth shares:

    IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

    The first ASX growth share to look at is IDP Education. It is a provider of English language testing and international student placement services. IDP was hit hard during the pandemic but has bounced back strongly in FY 2022. For example, last month, the company delivered a 47% increase in revenue to a record of $397 million and a 70% lift in net profit after tax to $52.9 million. This was despite parts of the company still suffering from COVID restrictions. Morgan Stanley was pleased with its performance. In response the result, the broker put an overweight rating and $40.20 price target on its shares.

    NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

    Another growth 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. This is thanks to its world class network of centres across Australia and its expansion into edge centres and the Asian market. Citi is a fan and currently has a buy rating and $14.55 price target on NEXTDC’s shares. It believes the conversion of Hyperscale customer commitments in Sydney and Melbourne will be the next key growth catalyst. It commented: “We maintain our Buy call and see the conversion of Hyperscale customer commitments in Sydney and Melbourne as the next key catalyst (likely in 1H23e).”

    Nitro Software Ltd (ASX: NTO)

    A final ASX growth share to look at is Nitro Software. It is aiming to drive digital transformation in organisations around the world with its Nitro Productivity Suite. This provides integrated PDF productivity and electronic signature tools to customers through a software-as-a-service solution. Goldman Sachs is very positive on its long term outlook. It commented: “We estimate Nitro can increase its TAM penetration from 0.15% to 1.4% by FY40 implying 9x uplift to Nitro’s current revenue base.” The broker has a buy rating and $2.60 price target on its shares.

    The post 3 growth shares analysts are tipping to rocket higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns NEXTDC Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Idp Education Pty Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nitro Software 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/s3T6rZk