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I’m sure most Australians dream of a golden retirement.

Well, the good news is that anybody can have one if they plan for it. Even if you’re now in your 40s and have no savings.

That’s because history has shown that it is possible to build a golden nest egg even when starting at zero at this point in your life.

One way to achieve this is by following in the footsteps of Warren Buffett, who has generated the majority of his enormous wealth long after he turned 40.

A key to this could be following Warren Buffett’s “golden rule.”

Warren Buffett’s golden rule

The Oracle of Omaha’s golden rule actually comprises two rules. He explained:

Rule No. 1: Never lose money.

Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1.

While this might sound very simple, these words are actually a lot more insightful that you may first think.

The Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) leader is essentially telling investors to be careful when choosing investments and not try to get rich quickly by putting their money into speculative ASX shares.

This is very important because it can be very tempting to sink money into a hot tip you heard from a friend or a hyped-up ASX share that is promising the world from its amazing yet unproven technology.

More often than not, investors will lose all or most of their money. This then makes building wealth harder.

For example, imagine you invest $10,000 but lose 80%. You’d have $2,000 left. You will now need to generate a 400% return to get back square.

Whereas if you’d not gambled with your investments, earning a 400% return on your original investment would mean it grows to $40,000.

That’s a $30,000 difference because you broke Warren Buffett’s golden rule.

Which type of ASX shares should you buy?

Warren Buffett has delivered staggering returns over multiple decades by focusing on high-quality companies with fair valuations and sustainable competitive advantages.

Doing this, investors have a great chance of at least matching the market return, which has historically been approximately 10% per annum.

Now, if you’re in your 40s and can afford to put $1,000 into ASX shares each month, your portfolio would grow to become worth approximately $725,000 in 20 years if you average a total return of 10% per annum.

And if you can keep going for another five years, you would see your portfolio increase to be worth over $1.2 million, all else equal.

Overall, I believe this demonstrates why even starting at zero in your 40s, it isn’t too late to build your own golden retirement.

The post With no savings at 40, I’d use Warren Buffett’s golden rule to build wealth with ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 2 ASX shares that could help set you up for life
• Forget term deposits and listen to Warren Buffett’s advice with ASX shares
• How to become a multi-millionaire with ASX shares

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Berkshire Hathaway. 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 artificial intelligence shares are certainly on the radar of many investors these days.

The rise of ChatGPT and the skyrocketing gains of the US Magnificent Seven tech stocks have contributed to AI shares becoming the next big global investment theme.

So, which ASX shares are likely to benefit?

E&P Financial Group analysts provide the answer.

Which ASX artificial intelligence shares is E&P backing?

As reported in The Australian, E&P analysts have nominated four ASX shares that are likely to benefit from the coming artificial intelligence boom.

Specifically, they say the need for infrastructure like data centres and networking services will benefit NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT), Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1), and Macquarie Technology Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ) shares.

In a note to clients, E&P said:

… the size of demand for data centre space coming down the line is enormous.

In the last 12 months a lot of investors in the ASX were shocked by deals that arrived that were measured in the 30-plus megawatt range.

We believe this number will look quite small in a couple of years’ time.

Which ASX share among this trio offers a potential 30% upside?

The analysts say NextDC shares are worth $22.94 apiece, which is 31% above the current share price.

E&P said NextDC has an advantage in today’s supply-restricted market.

There isn’t really a modern data centre business that is a loser from the trend, however NextDC’s secured land and existing capacity is a valuable asset in an environment where supply is difficult.

Their network ecosystem will mean they will have certain business opportunities around inferencing that other operators may not be eligible for.

E&P is not alone in its conviction on these three ASX artificial intelligence shares.

RBC Capital Markets also believes these shares will be winners in the ASX artificial intelligence revolution.

The broker said:

The improvements should accelerate and stimulate demand for company/hyperscaler activity for AI workloads.

In turn, we believe likely future demand beneficiaries in the Australian listed technology space are NextDC, Macquarie Technologies and Megaport.

Macquarie says Megaport shares are a buy right now. Following the company’s half-year results, the top broker retained its outperform rating and upped its 12-month share price target to $18.

The Megaport share price is currently $15.08, so this implies a potential upside of almost 20% for investors.

Megaport reported a staggering 785% improvement in EBITDA and a 43% jump in gross profits for the half.

Goldman Sachs has a buy rating on Macquarie Technology with a 12-month share price target of $93.

Macquarie Technology shares are currently trading for $79.41, implying a potential 17% upside.

… and the fourth stock?

E&P says the fourth artificial intelligence share that should be on investors’ minds today is the ASX 200’s biggest tech stock, Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC).

The analysts say Wisetech is likely to benefit from the software side of the artificial intelligence boom.

E&P said:

[Wisetech is] extremely well positioned for this trend, with a decent swath of AI capabilities already, and a completely unique data capability to build from.

Fund manager Wilson Asset Management invests in Wisetech shares via its WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) listed investment company (LIC).

The fundie recently commented:

We remain positive on WiseTech as we see the company continuing to gain market share in a large industry, led by its technology platform and new product launches as the company continues to invest in its product and technology for future growth.

The post Experts name 4 top ASX artificial intelligence shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Goldman Sachs says these ASX tech stocks can rise 18% to 30%
• Here are the top five ASX 200 shares in Macquarie’s model growth portfolio
• Missed out on Nvidia? My best ASX tech stock to buy and hold
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 3 of the best ASX growth shares to buy now

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group, Macquarie Group, Megaport, and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Megaport. 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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It was slim pickings for initial public offerings (IPOs) across the ASX and abroad last year. According to S&P Global, the number of IPOs shrank 16% compared to the previous year, cratering 40% from 2021 levels.

However, a few highly successful public market debuts in the United States in recent weeks might signal a renewed spark. Social networking company Reddit Inc (NYSE: RDDT) made a major splash last week, jumping 48% upon its listed launch. Similarly, Donald Trump’s Truth Social rose after becoming a public entity.

At the same time, businesses are being taken over by the boatload.

Vessel demand could lure new ASX IPO

On Monday, a company named MMA Offshore Ltd (ASX: MRM) entered a binding scheme implementation deed with Cyan MMA Holdings (a subsidiary of Cyan Renewables).

The deal values the marine services provider at $1.03 billion.

MMA Offshore owns 20 vessels operating across six global locations. These gigantic, water-traversing platforms enable a range of offshore solutions, including servicing other vessels, subsea surveying, and specialist engineering.

For the 12 months ended 31 December 2023, MMA Offshore generated $352.6 million in revenue and $108.6 million in net profits after tax (NPAT).

Given the current industry dynamics, some are labelling the takeover as ‘opportunistic’. For instance, Lewis Edgley, Pendal portfolio manager, has said there is a demand-supply imbalance in the offshore servicing sector.

Companies like MMA Offshore were already popular with oil and gas clients. However, the growth in renewables, such as offshore wind power, has given rise to another need for service vessels — maintaining the increasing pool of offshore renewable assets.

Edgley describes it as a growth phase for offshore vessel operators. For most, it’s an unsuspected beneficiary of the renewable shift. However, the interest from private equity could ignite greater investor appetite for similar companies.

Rumours are surfacing about a possible ASX IPO by an MMA offshore look-a-like — Bhagwan Marine.

It is believed the 24-year-old vessel operator is getting a read on investor interest with a roadshow in February. According to The Australian, the 150-vessel-strong company is rumoured to seek a $100 million IPO before the end of this financial year.

IPOs on the horizon

The next expected IPO on the ASX is BlinkLab, a company using artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver early diagnosis of autism and ADHD in children.

Based on the ASX website, BlinkLab is slated to hit the public market on 4 April, a week from today.

The company’s executive chair is Brian Leedman, the person behind the formerly listed ResApp Health.

Those participating in the IPO hope Leedman will have the same success with BlinkLab as with ResApp, which left the Aussie boards after being acquired by Pfizer for $179 million.

The post Could this rumoured ASX IPO become a billion-dollar takeover target? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why Fortescue, Gold Hydrogen, MMA Offshore, and Sims shares are pushing higher
• Guess which ASX 300 stock is rocketing 10% on a $985 million cash bid!
• 4 Australian shares set to soar in 2024
• Which ASX shares delivered the biggest profit jumps of the earnings season?

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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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Is $500,000 in superannuation enough to retire comfortably in 2024? Good question.

Most Australians pay little attention to their superannuation funds and accounts until retirement and a life outside the workforce starts to beckon. But here at the Motley Fool, we believe that everyone with a super fund should nurture and cherish their super. Just as much as our savings outside our super fund.

After all, it’s our money, and no one else’s – not the government’s, and not our super fund’s. It also happens to represent our best shot at the comfortable retirement we all want.

The fact that we’re asking whether $500,000 in superannuation is enough to retire comfortably in 2024 uncovers another problem. As we looked at last month, the average superannuation balance for someone aged between 60 and 64 in Australia was recently clocked at $361,539. The mean figure was even more disturbing at $183,524.

So most Aussies aren’t even on track to reach $500,000 in superannuation by the time they reach retirement age at 67.

But do we really need $500 large in super to retire comfortably in 2024?

Is $500,000 in superannuation enough to comfortably retire in 2024?

Well, the latest research from the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) answers this question. AASFA has found that the superannuation balance for a single person retiring at age 67 and seeking a ‘comfortable’ lifestyle is currently $595,000. For couples, it’s a combined $690,000.

This is estimated to be enough to fund $72,148.19 in annual income for a couple or $51,278.30 for a single person until age 84.

For those content with a ‘modest’ retirement, both singles and couples should have a minimum of $100,000 in super. That’s $46,994.28 in annual income for couples and $32,665.66 for singles.

So $500,000 would arguably land you towards the upper area of the modest-comfortable spectrum.

ASFA has done extensive work to define what a comfortable and modest retirement looks like. In concise terms, this mainly highlights differences like the ability to take international holidays, hold private health insurance, enjoy more meals and trips out of the house, and pay for services like Netflix.

These figures assume a few things, too. These include full home ownership, drawing down super over time and an investment earning rate of 6%. They also assume that all participants receive either the full aged pension or at least a part pension. This explains why both singles and couples are assessed to need the same amount for a modest retirement.

So perhaps it’s time for a checkup of your own super fund. Hopefully, you’ll find your numbers point to something of a comfortable retirement ahead.

The post Is $500,000 in superannuation enough to retire comfortably in 2024? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• How to become a millionaire on a $70,000 salary
• 1 dirt-cheap ASX stock I’d buy as Aussie cash carrier looks for a lifeline
• 5 top ASX dividend shares to buy right now
• These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in March
• Will Qantas shares pay a dividend in 2024?

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Netflix. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Netflix. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Netflix. 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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I think it’s definitely possible for someone on a salary of $70,000 to reach millionaire status, it’s not just for people with large incomes or generational wealth.

Albert Einstein, who was one of the world’s greatest scientists, once supposedly said:

Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe. Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t pays it.

There are two important things to keep in mind for a normal Aussie worker to become a millionaire in less than 30 years. That’s not a guarantee of course, but I’ll show how compounding gives us a great chance of making that happen.

Superannuation

Australia has one of the most helpful retirement saving systems. Employees are meant to receive mandatory superannuation contributions, and it’s possible to make non-mandatory contributions as well. The contributions are taxed at a lower rate and earnings within superannuation also have a low tax rate.

There are supportive policies to help grow our nest egg, but ideally the superannuation fund has low fees. Higher fees can harm the superannuation balance over time like ants at a picnic.

I think superannuation can do a lot of the work to become a millionaire.

I’ll do a simple calculation to show what a future superannuation balance could be. I’m not going to adjust the salary for inflation and I will use the current superannuation guarantee rate of 11% (less the 15% tax) of around $6,550. This is just a rough example, not an extensive calculation.

Shares have returned an average of 10% over the ultra-long-term. So, let’s assume an average return of 8% over three decades – the superannuation balance could theoretically become worth $742,000. Almost three-quarters of the way to becoming a millionaire!

Remember, I haven’t adjusted for earnings inflation with this calculation.

Extra investing

Australia has a high cost of living, particularly after the last few years of inflation.

I’m not going to suggest that someone on a $70,000 salary would be able to invest lots of money every year while paying the bills and having a roof over your head – a household can cost a lot.

However, to reach $1 million we need to find that extra $260,000 of wealth.

It could be a good strategy to focus most, or even all, of the extra savings from the after-tax salary into buying a home and then paying off the debt. Hopefully the property would rise in value.

Some people may like to focus some of the saved money towards investing in ASX shares outside of superannuation (or add more money into superannuation).

Using the same timeframe of 30 years and 8% per year returns for the share market, that person would need to invest $2,300 per year, or save $192 per month, to create that extra $260,000 of wealth.

Foolish takeaway

I’ll point out that we can reach millionaire status faster than 30 years if we earn more than $70,000 per year, add more than $6,550 annually into super, earn better returns than 8% per annum and/or invest more than $2,300 per year into additional investments.

What ASX shares would be good to invest in? I think a great place to start is exchange-traded (ETFs) that can provide access to quality global shares with growth characteristics and low fees such as Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) and VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT).

I believe there are more exciting individual ASX shares that could make even better returns than 8% a year.

The post How to become a millionaire on a $70,000 salary appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Which ASX ETFs give Aussie investors access to US stocks?
• 3 star ASX shares to buy for the rest of 2024
• Where should I invest in ASX shares when the stock market is at an all-time high?
• Invest $500 in these outstanding ASX ETFs
• Here’s how the ASX 200 market sectors stacked up last week

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 VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF and Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. 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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One ASX stock looks especially buyable as physical money in Australia fights to stay alive.

The increasing adoption of digital and card-based payments has chipped away at cash over the years, but a lethal blow now looks possible. Fears of a collapse in the backbone of Australian money handling have sparked Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) to limit withdrawals.

Australian cash in need of life support

In an evolving situation, Armaguard — an Australian cash transporting company owned by Lindsay Fox — is struggling to keep the gears turning of an industry in decline.

Two weeks ago, reports began hitting the headlines that Armaguard was at risk of becoming insolvent. However, the impending issue was highlighted in December last year when the Australian Banking Association prompted Aussie banks to provide input into a sustainable solution for cash.

Lindsay Fox began rattling the can for a cash injection into Armaguard in November 2023.

Today, a $26 million rescue package was offered by the big banks, retail ASX stock Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Australia Post, and supermarkets. An offer to keep our plastic pineapples and granny smiths circulating came with an ‘end-of-today’ deadline.

The deal has since fallen over after Armaguard declined to open its books for due diligence.

Instead, the company is attempting to negotiate its options directly with customers.

Picking an ASX stock to capitalise on a cashless move

Regardless of how this matter works out for Armaguard, the use of cash is collapsing.

Cash payments made up only 8% of all transaction value in Australia in 2022, as shown below. In 15 years, the physical form of payment has gone from more than a quarter of transactions to less than a tenth.

It’s hard to see why the fall in cash use would discontinue. Instead, the odds are digital payment methods will handle more payments if Armaguard decides to make cash more costly for merchants to hold.

As such, I believe Tyro Payments Ltd (ASX: TYR) could be positioned for more growth.

The payment solutions provider continues to grow its revenue and gross profits at solid rates. Tyro clipped the ticket on $22.2 billion worth of transactions through its EFTPOS terminals in the first half, up 83% compared to three years ago.

Additionally, this ASX stock doesn’t seem expensive at all. Management is cutting back costs, leaving me to believe that $30 million in net earnings isn’t out of reach in a couple of years.

On that basis, I think Tyro Payments could be worth around $1 billion, nearly double its current $540 million market capitalisation. That’s if it doesn’t get lobbed a takeover bid before then.

The post 1 dirt-cheap ASX stock I’d buy as Aussie cash carrier looks for a lifeline appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 5 top ASX dividend shares to buy right now
• These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in March
• Will Qantas shares pay a dividend in 2024?
• Which ASX ETFs give Aussie investors access to US stocks?
• 2 ASX shares I have been buying in 2024!

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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 Tyro Payments and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Coles Group and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Tyro Payments. 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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Luckily for Australian income investors, the local share market is one of the most generous in the world when it comes to dividends.

Year in, year out, countless listed companies share a portion of their profits with their loyal shareholders.

But which ASX dividend shares could be top buys for income investors when the market reopens? Let’s take a look at five that could be buys.

Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

The first ASX dividend share to look at is footwear-focused retailer Accent. Bell Potter is a big fan of the HypeDC and The Athlete’s Foot owner and has a buy rating and $2.50 price target on its shares.

As for income, the broker is expecting some very attractive dividend yields from its shares in the near term. It is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 13 cents in FY 2024 and then 14.6 cents in FY 2025. Based on the latest Accent share price of $2.03, this represents dividend yields of 6.4% and 7.2%, respectively.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

Another ASX dividend share that has been named as a buy is the world’s largest miner, BHP. Goldman Sachs thinks the Big Australian’s shares are in the buy zone right now and has a buy rating and $49.40 price target on them.

In respect to dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of approximately ~$2.22 per share in FY 2024 and then $1.96 per share in FY 2025. Based on the current BHP share price of $44.27, this equates to yields of 5% and 4.4%, respectively.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Goldman Sachs also sees telco giant Telstra as an ASX dividend share to buy. The broker currently has a buy rating and $4.55 price target on its shares.

Goldman likes the company’s low risk earnings and dividend growth over the coming years. It is forecasting fully franked dividends of 18 cents per share in FY 2024 and then 19 cents per share in FY 2025. Based on the current Telstra share price of $3.86, this equates to fully franked yields of 4.65% and 4.9%, respectively.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Analysts at Citi are tipping toll road operator Transurban as an ASX dividend share to buy. The broker has a buy rating and $15.60 price target on its shares.

Citi believes the company is positioned to pay a dividend ahead of guidance in FY 2024. It is forecasting dividends per share of 63 cents this year and then 65 cents in FY 2025. Based on the current Transurban share price of $13.32, this will mean yields of 4.7% and 4.9%, respectively.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

Finally, analysts at Morgans are tipping energy giant Woodside as an ASX dividend share to buy. It has an add rating and $34.20 price target on its shares.

As for dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of $1.36 per share in FY 2024 and $1.12 per share in FY 2025. Based on the current Woodside share price of $30.50, this equates to 4.4% and 3.7% dividend yields, respectively.

The post 5 top ASX dividend shares to buy right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 2 of my top ASX 200 shares to consider buying before April
• I’d spend $8k on these ASX 200 shares today to target a $6,102 annual passive income
• Investing for passive income? Keep any eye out for that boosted Telstra dividend today!
• Why it’s a great day to own BHP shares
• Is Telstra stock a buy, sell, or hold?

Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woodside Energy Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent 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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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was in fine form in March, delivering a 2.6% gain and ending the period at a record high close of 7,896.9 points.

While this was an impressive gain, it wasn’t as strong as some that were recorded on the ASX 200 index.

For example, the best-performing ASX 200 shares last month are named below. Here’s how they performed:

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price was the best performer on the ASX 200 in March with a 65% gain. Investors were fighting to get hold of the location technology company’s shares following the release of its FY 2023 results. Life360 posted a 52% jump in subscription revenue to US$200 million and smashed its earnings guidance with adjusted EBITDA US$20.6 million. The latter compares to its guidance of US$12 million to US$16 million. In addition, the company announced plans to monetise its 60 million monthly active users with the launch of an advertising business.

West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF)

The West African Resources share price was the next best performer with a 38% gain last month. Investors were buying West African Resources and other ASX gold miners after the price of the precious metal surged. This was driven by optimism that inflation is now cooling and interest rates are going to fall. In addition, the company was granted a mining permit for the Toega gold deposit in Burkina Faso. For similar reasons, Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares were on fire and rose 31% in March.

Virgin Money UK (ASX: VUK)

The Virgin Money UK share price caught the eye with a monthly gain of 33%. Investors were snapping up the UK-based bank’s shares after it received a takeover offer. Nationwide Building Society tabled an offer of 220 British pence per share, which equates to $4.26 per share based on current exchange rates. This values the bank at approximately $5.7 billion. Virgin Money UK has since accepted the offer.

Alumina Ltd (ASX: AWC)

The Alumina share price was on form and raced 29% higher in March. This was also driven by a takeover approach. In the middle of the month, Alumina entered into a scheme implementation deed with Alcoa Corporation. This will see Alcoa acquire 100% of Alumina by way of a scheme of arrangement for 0.02854 Alcoa shares for each Alumina share held. Alcoa shares were trading at US$33.21 on Thursday, valuing the offer at US$0.948 per share (A$1.45 per share).

The post These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in March appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360. 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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Prior to the pandemic, Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) was a regular dividend payer and generally offered investors an attractive yield.

This made the Flying Kangaroo a good option for investors that were looking for a source of income from their investments.

However, as you might have expected, the pandemic put an end to dividend payments, and they have remained suspended ever since.

That’s despite the company delivering a profit before tax of $2.47 billion in FY 2023 and then following that up with a FY 2024 first-half profit before tax of $1.25 billion in February.

But could a change be coming for the airline operator? Will Qantas shares offer a dividend later this year?

Let’s take a look and see what the market is expecting from Australia’s flag carrier airline.

Will Qantas shares pay a dividend in 2024?

Unfortunately, it appears unlikely that the company will resume dividend payments in 2024.

Though, it is not impossible that Qantas will share some of its profits with its shareholders.

At present, just one of the major brokers believes that a dividend will be paid this year. A recent note out of UBS shows that its analysts expect a 10 cents per share dividend in August.

This equates to a 1.8% dividend yield based on where Qantas shares currently trade.

The good news is that most brokers agree that there will be a dividend payment made in 2025.

And while the amount of the estimated dividend varies across analysts, they are forecasting a payout in the range of 15 cents per share to 34 cents per share. If this is accurate, it would mean a dividend yield of 2.7% to 6.2% for investors.

All in all, it could be worth holding onto Qantas shares if you’re an income investors.

The post Will Qantas shares pay a dividend in 2024? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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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The S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) has risen at almost triple the pace of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months.

For the record, US stocks are up 32% compared to the ASX 200, which is up 12%.

If you’re keen to invest in US shares, you can buy them directly online if your brokerage platform has access to them. Or you can buy them via ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

ETFs are a great way to access US stocks because they typically hold large baskets of shares, thereby providing instant diversification in one trade, and you can buy them right here on the ASX.

Easy peasy.

And since US shares have been tearing up the charts, the ASX ETFs holding them are doing great, too.

In fact, a bunch of them hit new 52-week highs just last week.

Which ASX ETFs provide exposure to US shares?

Well, that’s not a simple question to answer.

In short, there are heaps of them, and they all have varying degrees of exposure to US stocks.

The simplest types are ASX ETFs seeking to match the performance of indexes like the S&P 500 or the NASDAQ. Examples include iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) and BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ).

Then there are ETFs that have a particular strategy, as well as only investing in US stocks. But you wouldn’t know it from the ETF’s name — you have to read the ETF fact sheet to find out the geography spread.

An example is VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT), which holds a small basket of 54 US stocks that have sustainable competitive advantages (i.e., moats).

Then there are ASX ETFs with international strategies. They hold baskets of stocks that are listed in several different countries, but in most cases, the bulk of them are in the United States. So, that’s your primary geographical exposure.

An example is iShares Global 100 ETF (ASX: IOO), which comprises 77.39% US stocks.

If these types of ETFs are appealing, here are a few options for you to consider.

Click on the ETF name to gain access to its fact sheet or webpage.

ASX ETFs offering access to US stocks

US index fund ETFs

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

The iShares S&P 500 ETF closed ahead of the Easter weekend at $53.49 and has risen 34% over the past 12 months.

This ETF allows you to adopt the simplest investment strategy ever spruiked by Warren Buffett. Its biggest position is Microsoft Corp, with a 7.17% weighting.

Management expense ratio (MER): 0.04%.

BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

The NASDAQ 100 ETF was trading at $44.98 at the close on Thursday. The ASX tech ETF has lifted 45% over the past 12 months.

The ETF holds the top 100 non-financial companies on the US tech-focused NASDAQ. Its biggest position is Microsoft, with an 8.7% weighting.

MER: 0.48%.

Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF (ASX: VTS)

The Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF closed on Thursday at $397.71. It has risen 34% over the past year.

This ETF represents 3,731 American companies, including large-caps, small-caps, and micro-caps. Its largest holding is Microsoft with an unspecified weighting.

MER: 0.03%.

100% US strategy ETFs

VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

The VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF was trading at $129.81 at the close on Thursday, having risen almost 21% over the past 12 months.

The ETF holds a small basket of 54 US stocks that are considered to have moats or sustainable competitive advantages.

Its biggest positions are Alphabet Inc and Veeva Systems, each with a 2.73% weighting.

MER: 0.49%.

International strategy ETFs (predominately US stocks)

Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY)

The BetaShares Global Quality Leaders ETF was $29.83 at yesterday’s close. It has risen 35% over the past year.

This ASX ETF invests in 150 companies that meet certain criteria based on metrics such as a strong return on equity (ROE), debt to capital, cash flow generation, and earnings stability.

About 67.6% of holdings are US shares. Its biggest position is Alphabet, with a 2.2% weighting.

MER: 0.35%.

iShares Global 100 ETF (ASX: IOO)

Closing at $135.61 on Thursday, the iShares Global 100 ETF has risen 34% over the past year.

IOO holds shares in 102 of the largest global companies in developed and emerging markets, with 77.39% of the portfolio being US shares. Its biggest position is Microsoft, with a 12.42% weighting.

MER 0.41%.

BetaShares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: ETHI)

The Global Sustainability Leaders ETF closed $15.15 on Thursday. It has lifted 31% higher over the past 12 months.

ETHI holds shares in 300 global companies considered to be climate leaders. Its portfolio excludes industries like tobacco, weapons, alcohol, and gambling on ethical grounds.

The ETF comprises 71.5% US stocks. Its biggest position is Nvidia, with a 10.1% weighting.

MER: 0.59%.

BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

The Global Cybersecurity ETF was trading at $11.78 at the close of trade yesterday. This ETF has risen 39% higher over the past 12 months.

HACK provides exposure to global companies in the rapidly growing cybersecurity sector.

The ETF comprises 79.8% US stocks. Its biggest position is Cisco, with a 6.3% weighting.

MER: 0.67%.

The post Which ASX ETFs give Aussie investors access to US stocks? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 3 top ASX index funds to buy now
• 3 star ASX shares to buy for the rest of 2024
• The pros and cons of buying the iShares S&P 500 ETF (IVV) right now
• How much would I have now if I’d invested $10,000 in the BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF (NDQ) a year ago?
• Invest $500 in these outstanding ASX ETFs

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BetaShares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF and Vanguard Us Total Market Shares Index ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Cisco Systems, Microsoft, Nvidia, Veeva Systems, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF and BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Nvidia, VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF, Veeva Systems, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a <a href=”https://www.fool.com.au/fool-com-au-disclosure-policy/”>disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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