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After starting off deep in the red, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) regained some ground to close 0.08% lower at 7,316.3 points.

Its wobbly performance came amid the release of the latest Australian consumer price index (CPI) data, compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). It found inflation rose 7% over the 12 months to the March quarter – a notable drop on the 7.8% read on the prior period.

That’s likely good news for interest rates. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) board will meet on Tuesday to consider what’s next for the cash rate.

Leading the Aussie bourse on Wednesday was the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ). It jumped 0.9% despite oil prices having dumped more than 2% overnight.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Financial Index (ASX: XFJ) slipped slightly, falling 0.05%. It followed a 49% tumble posted by stock in New York-listed peer First Republic Bank. Investors dumped the stock after it reported US$105 billion of deposit outflows for the first quarter.

So, with all that in mind, let’s dive into the 10 ASX 200 shares that outperformed all others in today’s session.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today’s top-performing stock in the index was Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR). There’s been no news from the company today.

However, gold stocks have been receiving plenty of attention lately amid a weaker US Dollar, as my Fool colleague Bronwyn reports.

These shares made today’s biggest gains:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR)	$1.88	4.74%
West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF)	$1.015	3.57%
Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)	$3.56	3.49%
Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP)	$4.38	2.58%
Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)	$0.20	2.56%
Seven Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: SVW)	$23.78	2.37%
Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)	$10.39	2.26%
Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD)	$31.07	2.07%
Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)	$0.995	2.05%
Silver Lake Resources Ltd (ASX: SLR)	$1.25	2.04%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Wednesday
• Why are ASX 200 gold shares leading the market today?
• ASX 200 trims losses on latest inflation news
• Why Core Lithium, Kogan, Northern Star, and Pointsbet shares are storming higher
• First Republic Bank shares just crashed 50%. Here’s how ASX 200 bank stocks are responding

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 Scott Phillips.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has come back from its mid-week break in a bit of a strange mood so far this Wednesday. After what has been a bouncy trading day for most of the session, the ASX 200 has taken a turn for the better this afternoon. At the time of writing, the index is barely in the red at just over 7,320 points, just a 0.01% loss. 

But rather than trying to figure all of that out, let’s now take a look at the ASX 200 shares that are right now topping the share market’s trading volume charts, according to investing.com. 

The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Wednesday

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

First up for an examination today is the ASX 200 telco Telstra. This session has had a decent 20.77 million Telstra shares change hands as it currently stands. This doesn’t seem to be related to any news out of Telstra itself, seeing as there is none. So let’s check out what is happening with the Telstra share price today.

Telstra has indeed had a top day thus far. It’s currently bucking the market with a healthy gain of 0.58%, putting the telco at $4.32 a share. What’s more, the company touched its 52-week high of $4.33 this morning as well. This is probably what is placing Telstra at our third-highest traded stock right now.

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

Next up, we have the ASX 200 mining company South32. A chunky 22.2 million South32 shares have swapped owners so far this Wednesday. We haven’t heard any news out of South32 today either. But this company has been on a bit of a rollercoaster this week, thanks to the guidance downgrade management released on Monday.

Back then, South32 shares fell a nasty 9% or so. Today, the company has recovered somewhat and is currently up by a vigorous 1.33% at $4.175 a share after reaching as high as $4.20 this morning. It’s this recovery that seems like it is driving the elevated volumes on display here.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

Last up today is the ASX 200 lithium stock Pilbara Minerals. So far this session, a notable 35.1 million Pilbara shares have been bought and sold. All has been quiet on the official Pilbara news front today as well.

But that hasn’t stopped the Pilbara share price from cratering by a nasty 5.08% in late afternoon trading to $4.015 a share. Pilbara even descended as low as $3.94 a share earlier this afternoon too — representing a loss of 6.86%. This significant share price loss is almost certainly behind the high volumes we see with this ASX 200 share on Wednesday.

The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 5 dividend shares I think are among the safest on the ASX
• ASX 200 trims losses on latest inflation news
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• First Republic Bank shares just crashed 50%. Here’s how ASX 200 bank stocks are responding
• Mineral Resources share price tumbles 9% despite record quarterly lithium shipments

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Telstra Group. 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 positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares not only smashed the benchmark index over the past 12 months, but they’ve also delivered some outsized passive income.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) oil and gas stock has gained 10.6% over the full year. That compares to a 0.3% loss posted by the ASX 200.

So what about that handy passive income?

Fuelled by surging crude oil prices in the first half of 2022, Woodside paid out both a record interim dividend and a record final dividend, both fully franked.

The interim dividend of $1.60 per share was paid out on 6 October.

Woodside shares delivered the final dividend of $2.15 per share into investors’ bank accounts on 5 April.

That works out to a full-year dividend payout of $3.75 per share.

At the current share price of $33.88, this equates to a trailing yield of 11.1%. Or $111 in annual passive income from a $1,000 investment.

Now you won’t hear many investors complaining about that kind of yield. Especially not with the potential franking tax benefits.

Yet, some ASX 200 investors will be banking a significantly higher yield from their Woodside shares than that.

Buying the dip

It’s not easy to take the plunge and buy shares in a company that’s seeing its share price slide.

And it’s certainly not always a good idea.

But sometimes, whether via sound investment advice or simply good luck, buying the dip can deliver some outsized share price gains. And it can also boost the passive income you receive from the stock.

That’s particularly with cyclical stocks, like resource shares, that tend to rise or fall in line with the commodities they produce.

Mid-May 2022 offered up one such opportunity with Woodside shares.

On 20 May, the company’s share price had dropped 10% over two weeks, closing the day at $28.77 per share.

If you’d bought shares near market close on 20 May, you’d be earning a fully franked yield of 13.0%.

Or $130 in passive income from your $1,000 investment, and in only 11 months.

Topping that off, Woodside shares have gained 17.8% over that time, adding another $178 to your initial investment.

How have Woodside shares been performing?

As you can see in the below chart, Woodside shares are up 11% over the past full year. And that doesn’t include the two record dividend payments.

The post Invested in Woodside shares during the May 2022 dip? Here’s the dividend yield you’re earning today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Could the bountiful dividends from Woodside shares be at risk?
• Passive income plan: I’d invest $100 a week in ASX 200 shares to earn $7,500 of annual dividends
• The Woodside share price is sliding today. Here’s why
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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 Scott Phillips.

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The S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) is slipping 0.05% in late afternoon trading, but these two ASX 300 shares are outperforming the index.

Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) and Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) shares are rocketing ahead, both gaining more than 12% at their intraday highs today.

So why are these two ASX 300 shares having such a stellar run on Wednesday?

Kogan.com

Kogan shares are currently trading at $3.91 apiece, up 8.61%. Earlier in the session, they hit the $4.11 mark, 12.4% higher than yesterday’s closing price.

Investors appear to be reacting positively to the company’s third-quarter business update and share buyback. The company reported three consecutive months of positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) and advised of an on-market share buyback of up to 10% of total shares. Kogan ended the quarter with $49.1 million of net cash.

Commenting on today’s results, CEO and founder Rusian Kogan said he is “proud” that Kogan.com has returned to sustained underlying profitability. He added:

The journey to get here has been one of the toughest in our 17 year history, but also one of our most rewarding. It goes without saying – we are a far stronger company today than ever.

Kogan shares have descended about 20% in the last year.

Pointsbet Holdings

Pointsbet shares soared 12.7% to an intraday high of $1.595 apiece. In late afternoon trading, they’ve settled at $1.485 a share, or 4.95% higher. That’s despite no news out of the company today.

However, as my Foolish colleague James noted today, the company is reportedly looking to sell its US operations. The United States delivered 81% in net win growth for the company in the first half of FY23. This may unlock value for shareholders. Pointsbet is due to release its FY2023 quarterly results this Friday.

News also emerged this week that New South Wales gamblers lost $.4.3 billion to poker machines in the second half of last calendar year. This may also be boosting investor sentiment for the gambling industry.

Pointsbet shares have shed almost 50% in the last 12 months.

The post 2 ASX 300 shares going gangbusters on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why Core Lithium, Kogan, Northern Star, and Pointsbet shares are storming higher
• Kogan share price jumps 10% amid plans for share buyback cash splash
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares this week
• Are short sellers wrong about Pointsbet shares?
• Kogan shares: Bull vs. bear

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Attention S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) investors: These three stocks could be worth checking out right now. They’ve each caught the eye of brokers, who have tipped them as buys. Let’s take a squiz at the trio of potential winners.

3 ASX 200 stocks upgraded to ‘buy‘ ratings

First out of the gate is the Aussie bourse’s biggest participant.

Morgans believes stock in $221 billion iron ore miner BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) could have a bright future, slapping the company with an add rating, my Fool colleague James reports.

It comes on the back of the company’s update on the March quarter, wherein its production came in lower than consensus expectations. Though, its full-year guidance remained largely unchanged.

The broker has a $50.40 price target on the BHP share price – a potential 15% upside.

Stock in accounting platform provider Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) has also been the target of a broker upgrade today.

UBS has raised its rating to a buy and slapped it with an improved $109 price target. That represents a potential 17% upside.

The broker is said to have big expectations for the company’s free cash flow and growth.

The final share making the list is also the smallest, with a market capitalisation of just $1.7 billion.

Stock in ASX 200 infection prevention company Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) could be worth looking at, according to William O’Neil. The broker rates the share a new buy, the Australian Financial Review reports.

The Nanosonics share price has been on a roll lately, rising 30% so far this year. That was likely helped by the 167% jump in net profit after tax (NPAT) the company posted for the first half of financial year 2023, coming in at $10.4 million.

The post 3 ASX 200 stocks brokers just upgraded to ‘buy’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Down 8% in a week, is the BHP share price facing more headwinds in 2023?
• Investing in ASX 200 mining stocks? Here’s Citi’s latest iron ore price forecast
• Pro Medicus shares: Bull vs. Bear
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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 positions in and has recommended Nanosonics and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Nanosonics and Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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A common refrain I often hear from ASX investors when asked what ASX shares they are buying next is this: ‘I’m waiting for the next stock market crash to buy’.

One of the first things we are all told about successful investing is ‘buy low, sell high’. So a natural instinct for the budding investor is to attempt to pay this out. The idea seems beautifully simple: buy shares when they are cheap, and sell them when the markets are overvalued- repeat and make money.

When I first started my own investing journey, I too tried this approach And was woefully unsuccessful.

So since then, my approach has evolved. I’m not waiting for a stock market crash to buy shares. That’s not the same as saying that there won’t be a stock market crash in 2023. For all I know, there could be.

But I’m not basing my decisions on what the markets may or may not do going forward. Mostly because the markets are impossible to predict.

Let’s turn to the advice of the legendary investor Warren Buffett for some clarification.

Buffett isn’t waiting for the next stock market crash

Warren Buffett doesn’t buy shares with the intention of selling them. He once said this:

I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years.

Another great Buffett quote to keep in mind is this one:

All there is to investing is picking good stocks at good times and staying with them as long as they remain good companies.

As Buffett implies, it is a dangerous idea to base your investment decisions on what the markets may or may not do next. It is far more important to find a top-quality investment and identify a good price to buy it at. Sure, if a company is overvalued, perhaps you should wait and look somewhere else for your next investment in the meantime.

But if you wish to stockpile your money for that next market crash, you might be waiting years. Those missed years will have you missing out on compounding earnings and dividend income. And buying at the right point of a market crash is difficult anyway.

So I’m not waiting for the next stock market crash to invest. I’m looking for bargains on the share market today that I can take advantage of. I would humbly suggest that all investors look to Buffett’s teachings for investing wisdom, and not for the next market crash to invest.

The post I’m not waiting for a 2023 stock market crash! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Morgans says these are some of the best ASX dividend shares to buy
• Why are ASX 200 gold shares leading the market today?
• 5 dividend shares I think are among the safest on the ASX
• 2 ASX 200 shares I’d buy for global long-term returns
• Why has the Rio Tinto share price dived 9% in 5 days?

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

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If you’re an income investor looking for dividends to boost your income, then you may want to look at the ASX shares listed below that currently feature on Morgans‘ best ideas list.

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

Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXI)

The first ASX dividend share that Morgans has on its best ideas list is Dexus Industria. It is an industrial and office property company that owns a collection of high quality assets.

Morgans feels that Dexus Industria is well-placed for growth thanks to strong demand in the industrial market and its development pipeline. It said:

DXI’s key industrial markets remain robust with the outlook for solid rental growth backed by strong tenant demand. The development pipeline also provides near and medium term upside potential. A key focus will be the leasing up of the business park assets and a potential divestment could be a positive catalyst. While the portfolio remains well positioned we acknowledge there will be near-term uncertainty around interest rates.

As for dividends, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 16.4 cents in FY 2023 and 16.9 cents in FY 2024. Based on the current Dexus Industria share price of $2.82, this will mean yields of 5.8% and 5.9%, respectively.

Morgans currently has an add rating and $3.25 price target on the company’s shares.

GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG)

Another ASX dividend share that Morgans is a fan of is fund manager GQG Partners.

The broker has GQG’s shares on its best ideas list right now due to their attractive valuation, strong fund performance, and diversified earnings. It explained:

GQG’s strong relative investment outperformance through the current market weakness should solidify the near-term flows outflow. GQG has diversified earnings (by strategy and clients); solid performance track-record; and ongoing growth prospects. In our view, the current ~12x PE (versus a sector med-term average of ~16x) is attractive.

Morgans is also forecasting some very big yields in the near term. It expects dividends per share of 11.4 cents in FY 2023 and then 12.6 cents in FY 2024. Based on the current GQG share price of $1.40, this will mean 8.1% and 9% yields, respectively.

The broker has an add rating and $1.93 price target on its shares.

The post Morgans says these are some of the best ASX dividend shares to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Broker names 2 high yield ASX dividend shares to buy
• Need passive income? Turn $5,000 into $25 every month with these ASX shares
• ‘Attractively priced’: 2 ASX shares perfect for bargain hunters
• ‘Meaningful growth’: 2 ASX shares to buy for cheap after a terrible month
• 3 big dividend-paying ASX shares for 2023

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 Scott Phillips.

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ASX 200 gold shares are leading the market on Wednesday as investors plough more funds into the traditional safe-haven assets of the share market.

A softer United States currency is one factor behind renewed interest in gold stocks this month.

Let’s see which ASX 200 gold shares are leading the pack today.

Which ASX 200 gold shares are outperforming?

The top 5 ASX 200 shares today (in order of share price growth) are as follows:

• The Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) share price is up 5.15% to $1.89
• The Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price is up 3.92% to $3.58
• The West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF) share price is up 3.32% to $1.01
• The Silver Lake Resources (ASX: SLR) share price is up 3.27% to $1.27
• The Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) share price is up 2.61% to $13.95

Only one of these ASX 200 gold shares has company news today. That’s West African Resources.

What news is driving West African Resources shares?

West African Resources is a gold miner and developer with operations in Burkina Faso in West Africa.

Its flagship mine is the Sanbrado Gold Project. It also has other gold and copper-gold exploration permits in the same area.

West African Resources released its activities report and cash flow report for the March quarter today.

The company reported a 13% increase in gold production compared to the December quarter and reduced all-in sustaining costs.

It achieved unhedged gold sales of 48,208 ounces at an average price of US$1,878 per ounce. It generated $29 million of operating cash flow during the period.

As of 31 March, the company had $160 million cash on hand and $32 million in unsold gold bullion.

Executive Chairman and CEO Richard Hyde said:

We continue to benefit from rising gold prices as an unhedged gold producer, bolstering our cash
and bullion on hand, while investing in our growth.

WAF’s 100% unhedged Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves now stand at 12.6 million ounces and 6.4 million ounces of gold, respectively, following successful exploration drilling and feasibility programs in 2022.

Why is the gold price rising?

An improving gold price is benefitting all ASX 200 gold shares at the moment.

The commodity price breached the US$2,000 per ounce mark earlier this month. It hadn’t traded that high since March 2020 when it hit an all-time peak of US$2,069.40.

Today, the gold price is currently trading at US$1,997.85, down 0.1% at the time of writing.

The market is awaiting a series of economic data sets in the US this week on inflation, consumer sentiment, and Q1 gross domestic product (GDP).

The market is expecting another 0.25% increase in US interest rates when the Federal Reserve meets next week. However, Fed Fund futures indicate a more than 60% chance of a mid-year pause.

This is because of fears the US economy may be heading for recession.

We are yet to see whether the Fed’s monetary policy tightening has arrested inflation without causing an economic meltdown.

The Dallas Fed reports a continuing reduction in factory operations in Texas this month, and the highest monthly fall in nine months.

According to Trading Economics analysis, this is “highlighting the toll elevated borrowing costs took on the economy”.

Investors are also concerned that the US Treasury Department could reach its debt limits in the coming months. This is “prompt[ing] investors to avoid certain Treasury bills and pour into other assets”.

Gold typically receives more investor support during times of economic uncertainty.

The yellow metal is up 2.28% for the month and 5% year over year, according to Trading Economics.

What do the experts think?

Argonaut Resources portfolio manager David Franklyn believes gold will continue to outperform, boding well for ASX 200 gold shares.

Franklyn says:

We think there’s good dynamics around gold and gold companies. The margins will be improving with costs and gold price going up.

The post Why are ASX 200 gold shares leading the market today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why Core Lithium, Kogan, Northern Star, and Pointsbet shares are storming higher
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Better ASX gold share to buy now: Newcrest vs. Northern Star
• How has ASX 200 gold share Evolution Mining managed to surge 89% in 6 months?

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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 Scott Phillips.

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Finding a ‘safe’ ASX dividend share is certainly easier said than done. Unlike a term deposit, a dividend-paying company has no ongoing obligation to maintain its shareholder payments every year. Only the best dividend shares manage to keep their dividends stable and rising over a long period of time.

Often, this is only obvious in hindsight. But we can still make an educated guess about which ASX divided shares may be the safest based on a number of factors. These include a company’s business model, its dividend payout policy, and of course its history of paying its shareholders passive income.

So with that in mind, let’s go through five ASX shares that I think offer the safest dividends on the market today.

5 ASX dividend shares that I think offer the market’s safest yields

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

Coles is a company we all know, probably use, and may or may not love. But there is certainly a lot to love when it comes to Coles’ dividends. This ASX 200 share only joined the ASX in its own right in 2018. But since then, Coles has built up an admirable dividend track record.

Every single year since 2019, Coles has given its investors a decent dividend pay rise. In 2020, the company was paying out 57.5 cents per share in dividends, but raised this to 61 cents per share in 2021 and 63 cents per share in 2022. 2023 is also off to a good start, with Coles paying out an interim dividend of 36 cents per share, up from 33 cents in 2022.

Given Coles’ business is consumer staples goods, this is one ASX share that I have a lot of confidence in for sustainable dividends going forward. Coles offers a trailing, fully franked dividend yield of 3.58% right now.

Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW)

ASX 200 construction materials company Brickworks is next up. Brickworks has one of the best dividend track records of any share on the ASX. It hasn’t given investors a dividend miss or cut since the 1970s.

Brickworks is a company with a few diversified earnings bases. Its construction materials business is its crown jewel, but the company also uses other investments in property and shares to smooth out its cyclical earnings. It has been so successful at this that the company hasn’t missed an annual dividend pay rise since 2013.

History speaks volumes, so I’m happy to include Brickworks on this list today given its unrivalled commitment to paying out regular, uninterrupted shareholder income. Today, Brickworks shares offer a fully franked dividend yield of 2.56%.

Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL)

Soul Patts comes in at the number three spot today. This company is another ASX share that can boast of dividend royalty. This investment house is one of the oldest companies in Australia, with a history that predates even the ASX.

Today, Soul Patts functions as a giant managed fund of sorts, investing in other ASX shares and investments on behalf of its shareholders. This company is one of the favourite companies on the ASX, period. It has an incredible history of delivering stellar investing performance for its investors over many decades. One of the aspects of this performance is dividends.

Like Brickworks, Soul Patts can boast of having one of the ASX’s best track records. In this case, Soul Patts is the only ASX share that has given investors an annual dividend pay rise every single year since 2000. That alone is enough to give me the confidence to call this company one of the ASX’s safest dividend shares. Right now, Soul Patts offers a yield of 2.49%, fully franked.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

When it comes to dividends, Telstra has a far spottier record than most ASX blue chip shares. Many investors with a long memory might remember the dark days of 2017-2018 when Telstra slashed its dividends by almost half. But since then, I think Telstra has repaired its ‘steady income’ image with aplomb.

The company is no longer facing the destructive headwinds of the NBN rollout. Telstra continues to dominate the Australian telecommunications market, which in itself is a highly defensive and inelastic market. As such, I regard Telstra’s dividend today as rock solid and would be happy to own it for long-term dividend income.

Even better, Telstra has recently delivered its first dividend hike in years, with the company paying out 16.5 cents per share in dividends in 2022. Its most recent interim dividend of 8.5 cents per share was also a nice increase over last year’s payout of 8 cents.

Telstra is offering a trailing and fully franked dividend yield of 3.95% at present.

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS)

Finally, let’s talk about this exchange-traded fund (ETF) from Vanguard. This one is a little different because the income an index fund like this provides can be quite cyclical. But I’ve included it for this reason: whatever income the ASX share market pays out as a whole, you will get a slice of it.

This index fund holds every company on the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO), in proportional weighting. So you get everything from BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) to Coles, Telstra, and Brickworks.

If dividends from all ASX shares as a whole are strong, the dividends of this ETF should be strong as well. In weaker years, income might fall. But I still think it’s a great source of dividend income for any investor seeking it. This ETF currently offers a trailing distribution yield of 5.43% today.

 

The post 5 dividend shares I think are among the safest on the ASX appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Telstra Group, Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Brickworks and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Brickworks, Coles Group, Telstra Group, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) can be a very good place to look for investment opportunities because some of the ASX 200 shares in the index are delivering global growth.

I think Australia is a great country for companies to do business in, however, it has a population of less than 30 million. But, if a company is growing overseas then it has opened up a much larger addressable market to grow into over time.

Having more room to grow means that the business could theoretically grow its profit more, which could also mean stronger share price growth and dividend growth. With that in mind, I think the below two ASX 200 shares have long growth runways.

Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

Breville describes itself as an iconic global brand that designs and sells kitchen appliances in over 70 countries. It sells things like coffee machines, juicers, blenders, ovens, air fryers, microwaves, cookers, kettles and ice cream makers.

The Breville share price is down close to 20% over the past year, giving investors a much cheaper potential entry price. It continued to report growth in the FY23 first half, with revenue growth of 1.1% and net profit after tax (NPAT) growth of 1.3%. That was despite all of the economic impacts of inflation and higher interest rates during the period.

Breville is expecting a “healthy” cash inflow in the second half as receivables are collected and a more predictable supply chain allows for a return to a more normal inventory flow model.

The ASX 200 share is doing its best to achieve growth over the long term, with new product launches, a growing direct-to-customer channel, new geographies maturing and cost improvements.

In FY23, the business is expecting to achieve earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of between $165 million to $172 million, which would be 5% to 10% growth from the previous year.

According to Commsec, Breville is valued at 21 times FY25’s estimated earnings.

Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV)

Premier Investments is a retail business with a number of apparel brands including Just Jeans, Portmans, Dotti, Jacqui E, Jay Jays and Peter Alexander. The ASX 200 share also owns Smiggle, a business that sells stationery and other useful products (such as bags, lunch boxes and drink bottles) where Smiggle has partnered with brands to put imagery from movies (like Harry Potter), games (like Minecraft) and sports (such as the AFL).

The ASX 200 share also owns a substantial stake in the retailers Breville and Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR).

While the apparel brands are largely based in Australia, Peter Alexander is currently “planning for future offshore market opportunities”, including a partnership agreement being finalised with a global cross-border e-commerce provider to “grow the brand internationally across 35 countries.”

Smiggle is already in a number of countries. The business believes there are door growth opportunities with its wholesale channel where it can gain more market share in existing markets, such as the Middle East, Indonesia and Thailand. It’s also exploring opportunities in both “existing and potential new markets.”

Smiggle believes that it can grow the proprietary business in existing regions by at least a further 30 stores, increasing the store count by between 10% to 15%, which “leverages the existing team and infrastructure and enables a faster rollout.”

Premier Investments is valued at 16 times FY25’s estimated earnings.

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

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