Tag: Motley Fool

  • ASX 200 bank shares are deep in the red on Thursday. Here’s why

    A man sits uncomfortably at his laptop computer in an outdoor location at a table with trees in the background as he clutches the back of his neck with a wincing look on his face.

    A man sits uncomfortably at his laptop computer in an outdoor location at a table with trees in the background as he clutches the back of his neck with a wincing look on his face.

    S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank shares are taking a tumble today.

    Here’s how the big four bank stocks are tracking during lunch hour on Thursday:

    • Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares are down 1.72%
    • National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares are down 0.76%
    • The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price is down 1.43%
    • And Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are even after an earlier plunge

    Now, it’s not just ASX 200 bank shares under pressure today.

    The benchmark index is also down 1.41% at the time of writing, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) dipping 0.75%.

    So, what’s going on?

    Why are ASX 200 bank shares out of favour today?

    Financial shares the world over are catching turbulence as some of their international peers struggle with rapidly rising interest rates following a decade-long era of easy money.

    Modest increases in interest rates can improve banks’ profitability by increasing their net interest margins.

    But rapid rates can see their private and business customers struggle to make loan payments, increasing the level of defaults.

    ASX 200 bank shares came under pressure earlier this week in the wake of the collapse of United States-based SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ: SIVB), or Silicon Valley Bank.

    As depositors began to fear SVB was facing liquidity issues, the dreaded bank run ensued, and the bank was unable to meet the demand for withdrawals. The government stepped in to assure depositors will be fully covered, but shareholders were left holding the bag.

    Shares in the now-defunct bank last traded on 9 March, a day they tanked by a gut-wrenching 60%.

    Banking crisis leaps across the pond

    In the latest development putting new pressure on ASX 200 bank shares, the contagion from SVB’s collapse appears to have spread to Europe.

    Investors are now worried about the viability of Credit Suisse Group (SWX: CSGN). Fears were stoked after the Swiss-based bank’s largest investor, Saudi National Bank, said regulatory issues prevented it from providing additional funds.

    Shares in Credit Suisse plummeted 24% on the SIX Swiss Exchange, hitting new record lows.

    Commenting on the development, the head of institutional clients at Banca Ifigest in Milan, Carlo Franchini, said (quoted by Reuters), “Markets are wild. We move from the problems of American banks to those of European banks, first of all Credit Suisse. This is dragging lower the whole banking sector in Europe.”

    As for what investors in ASX 200 bank shares can expect from the global banking sector over the coming weeks, we’ll likely just have to wait and see.

    “It’s too early to know how widespread the damage is,” BlackRock chief executive Laurence Fink said (courtesy of The Australian Financial Review).

    “The regulatory response has so far been swift, and decisive actions have helped stave off contagion risks. But markets remain on edge,” Fink added.

    Indeed!

    The post ASX 200 bank shares are deep in the red on Thursday. Here’s why 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…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    SVB Financial provides credit and banking services to The Motley Fool. 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 positions in and has recommended SVB Financial. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended SVB Financial and Westpac Banking. 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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  • 2 ASX gold ETFs cracking new record highs today

    a woman in a business suit holds a large solid gold bar in both hands with a superimposed image of a gagged gold line tracking upwards and featuring a swooping curved arrow pointing upwards.a woman in a business suit holds a large solid gold bar in both hands with a superimposed image of a gagged gold line tracking upwards and featuring a swooping curved arrow pointing upwards.

    Well, gold seems to be the only asset climbing in value this week – fulfilling its traditional role as a defensive asset, one could argue. On Monday, we covered how a few ASX gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were benefitting from higher prices and cracked new record highs. Well, the highs have continued to flow today. 

    Let’s take a look at the gold price itself for a moment though. On Monday, gold was fetching around US$1,876 per ounce, up from US$1,867 the previous week. This jump is what spurred the new highs we saw on Monday.

    Today, the precious metal is asking US$1,923 per ounce – another 2.5% above where it was on Monday.

    So it’s no secret that these sharp rises in gold are being fuelled by the turmoil we are seeing in the global financial system right now. On Monday, we have the news that US bank SVB Financial Group had gone belly up. Today, everyone is talking about Credit Suisse‘s implosion.

    Failing banks is one of the most disruptive events for a financial system to deal with. So it’s perhaps no surprise to see investors panicking and heading into the ‘safe haven’ of gold.

    But let’s see where the rubber is hitting the road.

    These ASX gold ETFs are at new record highs

    So the ASX has seen not one, but two ASX gold ETFs hit new record highs today.

    The first is the Global X Physical Gold ETF (ASX: GOLD). On Monday, we covered how this ETF had hit a new high of $26.49. Well today, that same ETF has climbed even higher and hit a new record of $26.94 per unit this morning.

    It’s not the only ETF at new heights either. The Perth Mint Gold (ASX: PMGOLD) ETF has also seen a new high today. Perth Mint Gold units hit their new record of $29.02 just after market open this morning as well:

    Both of these ETFs allow investors to indirectly buy gold by holding physical gold bars on their behalf. Thus, the value of this gold and the ETF is directly affected by higher gold prices. So it’s no surprise to see these two gold ETFs at new high watermarks this Thursday. 

    The post 2 ASX gold ETFs cracking new record highs today 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…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    SVB Financial provides credit and banking services to The Motley Fool. 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 positions in and has recommended SVB Financial. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended SVB Financial. 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 Core Lithium share price just hit a 52-week low. Time to pounce?

    A man slumps crankily over his morning coffee as it pours with rain outside.

    A man slumps crankily over his morning coffee as it pours with rain outside.

    It has been another difficult session for the Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) share price.

    In morning trade, the lithium miner’s shares dropped over 6% to a 52-week low of 80.5 cents.

    The Core Lithium share price has recovered a touch since then but currently remains down 3.5% at 83 cents.

    Should you take advantage of the weakness in the Core Lithium share price?

    Regular readers may be aware that I’ve been warning about the potential for the Core Lithium share price to fall materially in recent months. This was due to its valuation in comparison to peers.

    Since the release of the aforementioned article, the lithium miner’s shares have crashed 35%. So, is now the time to invest?

    The good news is that the company’s shares are now trading lower than the valuations of even the most bearish of brokers.

    For example, both Citi and Goldman Sachs currently have sell ratings and 90 cents price targets on the company’s shares. This implies almost 8.5% upside from current levels, which isn’t bad for a sell rating!

    In addition, Macquarie continues to see significantly more value in the Core Lithium’s shares. As recently as last week, its analysts retained their outperform rating and $1.30 price target on them.

    While seeing the Core Lithium share price rise to this level seems unlikely in the current environment, if it were to do so, it would mean a massive 57% return for investors buying in at today’s price.

    What could get its shares rising again?

    Given how lithium shares are high up on the risk curve, recent market volatility has hit them hard.

    If things calm down and global economic growth and banking system concerns ease, then it would likely give its shares a boost. In addition, a reversal in recent lithium price weakness would be very welcome for the industry and could give its shares a lift.

    The post The Core Lithium share price just hit a 52-week low. Time to pounce? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Core Lithium Ltd right now?

    Before you consider Core Lithium Ltd, 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 Core Lithium Ltd 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.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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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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  • Is now the time to be bold and snap up cheap ASX 200 dividend shares?

    A small child dressed in a business suit and a superhero mask and cape holds a hand aloft in a superhero pose against the background of a barren, dusty landscape.

    A small child dressed in a business suit and a superhero mask and cape holds a hand aloft in a superhero pose against the background of a barren, dusty landscape.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is once again in freefall today. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 has lost another 1.46%, which brings its losses to more than 6% over just the past month.

    This is an awful thing for investors to deal with – no one likes seeing the value of their shares fall this rapidly. But it can also be an opportunity to pick up cheap ASX 200 dividend shares, if you let it.

    The global financial system is going through a rough time, no doubt about it. Collapsing banks are never a good thing. But consider the context: ASX 200 shares have been through far worse before.

    There was COVID, of course.  But think about all the wars, recessions, depressions, and calamities that the Australian economy has faced over the past 100 years. After every single crisis, ASX shares have always recovered and hit new heights.

    Sure, this time might be different. But I doubt it. And if it is, we’ve all got bigger things to worry about anyway.

    In times like these, I always ask myself: ‘What would Warren Buffett do?’

    Would Buffett be buying cheap ASX 200 dividend shares today?

    The legendary Warren Buffett is one of, if not the, greatest investor of all time. And he has very explicit advice for what to do when markets are in panic mode.

    We all know about Buffett’s most famous quote – the one about being greedy when others are fearful. But here are another two quotes that augment this simple but powerful idea:

    The first is from Buffett’s 2016 letter to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway:

    Charlie and I have no magic plan to add earnings except to dream big and to be prepared mentally and financially to act fast when opportunities present themselves.

    Every decade or so, dark clouds will fill the economic skies, and they will briefly rain gold. When downpours of that sort occur, it’s imperative that we rush outdoors carrying washtubs, not teaspoons. And that we will do.

    The second is from Buffett’s 2013 letter:

    A ‘flash crash’ or some other extreme market fluctuation can’t hurt an investor any more than an erratic and mouthy neighbor can hurt my farm investment.

    Indeed, tumbling markets can be helpful to the true investor if he has cash available when prices get far out of line with values. A climate of fear is your friend when investing; a euphoric world is your enemy.

    So with this wisdom in mind, I think it’s a perfect time to be buying ASX 200 dividend shares.

    Remember, falling share prices can be especially lucrative for dividend investors. That’s because a dividend share’s yield rises for new investors when its share price falls. To illustrate, let’s look at the Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price.

    A month ago, Westpac shares were going for $22.76 each. Today, the bank is almost 7% below that share price, at its current going rate of $21.25 a share. Now, Westpac shares have paid out two dividends over the past 12 months, for a total of $1.25 in dividends per share.

    At the share price of $22.76 that NAB recorded a month ago, these dividends would have given this ASX 200 bank share a dividend yield of 5.49%. But at today’s share price of $27.77, we instead have a higher yield of 5.88%.

    Repeat this process with any ASX 200 divided share that’s fallen in value over the past month, and you will get a similar result.

    So the current market could be a great time to follow Buffett’s advice and load up on ASX dividend shares. I know I am.

    The post Is now the time to be bold and snap up cheap ASX 200 dividend shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Where should you invest $1,000 right now? 3 dividend stocks to help beat inflation

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    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Berkshire Hathaway. 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 and Westpac Banking. 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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  • Macquarie share price slides amid banking rout, broker tips 24% upside

    Woman looking at her smartphone and analysing share price.Woman looking at her smartphone and analysing share price.

    The Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price opened 4% lower today at $170.96 amid the S&P/ASX 200 (ASX: XJO) tumbling by more than 130 points.

    This follows tumultuous trading sessions overnight across Europe and in the United States after shares in Credit Suisse Group AG (SWX: CSGN) plummeted 24%, prompting a halt in trading.

    Credit Suisse is Switzerland’s second-biggest bank.

    Investors fear a contagion in the global banking system stemming from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank in the US over the past week.

    All this drama is having a flow-on effect on ASX bank shares.

    Today, they are once again in the red, with the Macquarie share price faring worst.

    Let’s take a look.

    What’s happening with the Macquarie share price today?

    The Macquarie share price is down 3.2% to $172.38 at the time of writing.

    Here’s what’s happening with the other ASX bank shares today:

    • The ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price is down 2.4%
    • The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price is down 2.33%
    • The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price is down 2%
    • The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price is down 1.8%.

    The banking majors have all taken a hit following the collapse of SVB last week.

    The Macquarie share price has fallen by 7.85% over the past five trading days.

    Is the Macquarie share price a buy after a near 8% fall?

    So, is this a buy-the-dip opportunity on ASX bank shares — and particularly Macquarie at this price?

    As my Fool colleague James reported this week, Morgans is backing the Macquarie share price for significant growth over the next 12 months.

    The broker has an add rating on the ASX bank share with a 12-month price target of $214.51.

    This implies a potential upside of 24.5% for investors who buy Macquarie shares today.

    Morgans likes how Macquarie is travelling in FY23 and cites structural growth opportunities.

    Morgans says:

    MQG is a quality franchise, exposed to structural growth areas, and the company has performed exceptionally well in a more difficult FY23 environment.

    MQG has also consistently delivered attractive returns over time (~15% average ROE) and with >10% share price upside to our price target (A$214), we maintain our ADD recommendation.

    Macquarie’s FY23 Q3 trading update on 7 February shocked analysts, with fellow broker Goldman Sachs noting it implied that Macquarie has already achieved about 97% of the broker’s FY23 profit forecast.

    Morgans tips Macquarie to pay a partly franked dividend of $7.41 per share in FY23 and $7.13 in FY24.

    Based on today’s fallen Macquarie share price, this means dividend yields of 4.3% and 4.1% respectively.

    What’s the story with Credit Suisse?

    As we reported earlier, Credit Suisse stock plunged after its major shareholder, Saudi National Bank (SNB) confirmed overnight that it would not increase its position in the bank.

    SNB holds a 9.88% stake in Credit Suisse. It can’t buy more because of regulatory restrictions.

    Credit Suisse shares had already fallen by 30% since early February before the comments last night.

    The 24% freefall that followed prompted an automatic pause in the trading of Credit Suisse shares. The stock has now lost more than 50% of its value since early February.

    Credit Suisse also dragged down other European banking stocks and US banking shares overnight.

    French banking stock Societe Generale SA fell 12.2% and German bank Commerzbank AG fell 8.7%.

    The US Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 0.87% while the United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 Index fell 3.8%, the biggest single-day loss since Russia invaded Ukraine.

    Credit Suisse has been beset with problems for some time now.

    The Swiss central bank has pledged to provide Credit Suisse with extra liquidity if required.

    The post Macquarie share price slides amid banking rout, broker tips 24% upside appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Macquarie Group Limited right now?

    Before you consider Macquarie Group Limited, 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 Macquarie Group Limited 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.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Anz Group, Commonwealth Bank Of Australia, Macquarie Group, and Westpac Banking. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Westpac Banking. 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 stock IPH sinks 12% following cyber attack update

    Computer hacker stealing data from a laptopComputer hacker stealing data from a laptop

    ASX 200 stock IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH) is tumbling today amid an update on the company’s latest cybersecurity attack.

    Shares in the intellectual property services provider are sinking 11.92% at the time of writing to $7.39 apiece. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 is down 1.52% today.

    Let’s take a look at what is weighing on this ASX 200 stock today.

    Cyber attack

    IPH shares are plunging after the company provided more details on a cybersecurity incident.

    As my Foolish colleague James reported on Tuesday, the company entered a trading halt on Tuesday after news first emerged of the attack.

    IPH is a global intellectual property services company with clients including multinationals in 25 countries around the world.

    In today’s release, IPH advised it detected “unauthorised access” to a portion of its IT environment on 13 March.

    IPH said the investigation may take “some time to complete”. Since discovering the cyber incident, IPH has been working to “secure its IT environment”.

    The company is conducting a forensic investigation with leading cybersecurity and forensic IT advisors.

    The company’s head office and two of its member companies in Australia — Spruson and Ferguson and Griffith Hack — have been impacted.

    The incident, based on preliminary findings, is mainly limited to the document management systems (DMS) of head office and the practice management systems (PMS) and DMS of its member companies. Commenting further, IPH said:

    The information contained in the DMSs includes documents relating to the administration of these entities and, in the case of the two IPH member firms, client documents and correspondence.

    The PMSs contain IP case management information (such as filing timelines) relating to the practice of the two IPH member firms.

    The investigation underway is focussed on determining whether the information stored in these systems has been accessed by the unauthorised third-party.

    IPH apologised to clients and the community and said it will continue to update shareholders, clients, and stakeholders.

    Share price snapshot

    The IPH share price slid 8% in the past year, while it has descended 11% in just the past month.

    This ASX 200 stock has a market capitalisation of about $1.7 billion based on the current share price.

    The post ASX 200 stock IPH sinks 12% following cyber attack update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Iph, 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 Iph 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.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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 IPH. 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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  • Another ASX All Ords stock has just been halted amid a ‘malicious’ cyber attack. Here’s the latest

    Cybersecurity professional man inspects server room and works on ipad

    Cybersecurity professional man inspects server room and works on ipad

    Hot on the heels of news that IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH) has been hit by a cyber-attack, another ASX All Ords stock has requested a trading halt today after becoming the latest victim of hackers.

    That ASX All Ords stock is Latitude Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: LFS), which is one of Australia’s largest instalments and lending businesses.

    What’s happening to this ASX All Ords stock?

    According to the release, Latitude detected unusual activity on its systems over the last few days that appears to be a sophisticated and malicious cyber-attack.

    The company believes that the activity has originated from a major (unnamed) vendor used by Latitude.

    And although the company took immediate action, the attacker was able to obtain Latitude employee login credentials before the incident was isolated. This has allowed the hacker to use the employee login credentials to steal personal information that was held by two other service providers.

    What’s the damage?

    The release notes that, as things stand, Latitude understands that approximately 103,000 identification documents were stolen from the first service provider and approximately 225,000 customer records were stolen from the second service provider.

    In respect to the identification documents, more than 97% of these documents are copies of drivers’ licences. This means approximately 100,000 people have had their drivers’ licences stolen.

    What now?

    Latitude has apologised for the breach and is taking immediate steps to contact impact customers.

    Management advised that it is continuing to respond to the attack and is doing everything in its power to contain the incident and prevent the theft of further customer data. This includes isolating and removing access to some customer-facing and internal systems.

    It is also working with the Australian Cyber Security Centre and has alerted relevant law enforcement agencies and engaged several cyber security specialists to assist with Latitude’s response.

    Sadly, it seems that some companies have not learned from the Optus and Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL) attacks from last year.

    The post Another ASX All Ords stock has just been halted amid a ‘malicious’ cyber attack. Here’s the latest appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Latitude Group Holdings Limited right now?

    Before you consider Latitude Group Holdings Limited, 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 Latitude Group Holdings Limited 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.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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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 recommended IPH. 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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  • What’s happening with the IGO share price on Thursday?

    A young woman looks at something on her laptop, wondering what will come next.A young woman looks at something on her laptop, wondering what will come next.

    The IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) share price is down 4% in morning trade to $11.94 per share.

    Shares closed yesterday trading for $12.30 apiece.

    Now investors could have expected the IGO share price to edge lower today. But not by 4%.

    Why are ASX 200 investors hitting the sell button?

    The reason the IGO share price was most likely to slip this morning is that the stock is trading ex-dividend today.

    On 31 January, the ASX 200 lithium stock reported some stellar half-year results, fuelled by all-time high lithium prices in late 2022.

    With profits up a whopping 549% year on year, the board declared a fully franked interim dividend of 14 cents per share. That’s a new record-high payout from the company.

    As of this morning, shares are trading without rights to that dividend. And you’ll commonly see stocks slide by the amount of their dividend payout.

    But the IGO share price is down 36 cents per share, not 14 cents

    The ex-dividend day explains some of the price fall, but not all.

    IGO also is being impacted by broader falls across the market.

    With the banking crisis looking to have spread from the United States-based SVB collapse to Europe, with some serious concerns about the well-being of Credit Suisse. The bank’s shares crashed 24% on the SIX Swiss Exchange overnight.

    Investor angst has sent the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) down 1.9% at the time of writing, with all of the ASX 200 lithium shares strongly underperforming the benchmark. In fact, IGO’s shares are holding up better than its rivals.

    IGO share price snapshot

    As you can see in the chart below, the IGO share price is now down 12% in 2023. Shares are flat over the full year, though investors who held shares over the 12 months will have received two fully franked dividends.

    The post What’s happening with the IGO share price on Thursday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Igo Ltd right now?

    Before you consider Igo Ltd, 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 Igo Ltd 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.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    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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  • How much would I need to invest in ASX income shares to earn $500 a month?

    A couple sits in their lounge room with a large piggy bank on the coffee table. They smile while the male partner feeds some money into the slot while the female partner looks on with an iPad style device in her hands as though they are budgeting.

    A couple sits in their lounge room with a large piggy bank on the coffee table. They smile while the male partner feeds some money into the slot while the female partner looks on with an iPad style device in her hands as though they are budgeting.ASX income shares can be the way for investors to achieve wonderful passive income. Dividends could be the way to unlock $500 per month, or even more.

    Banks are now offering investors a higher interest rate on their savings. Finally. But, one of the drawbacks of bank interest compared to dividends is that if investors want growth of the passive income, they need to re-invest the interest. But, businesses can both pay dividends and grow profit, enabling a bigger dividend payment next year, so the investor can keep spending the dividends and yet get pay rises.

    However, while most competitive savings accounts offer a fairly similar interest rate, the dividend yields of ASX income shares can be very different.

    Dividend yields can range from under 1% to over 10%.

    Dividend goals

    Achieving a monthly passive dividend income of $500 is an admirable goal. That’s a real cash flow boost to someone’s personal finances.

    Getting $500 per month is the equivalent of getting $6,000 per year. Someone can do quite a lot with $6,000, though not as much as before all of the inflation occurred.

    How much someone needs to make $500 per month or $6,000 per year, entirely depends on the average dividend yield of the ASX income share portfolio.

    If the portfolio had a 5% dividend yield, then an investor would need to have a $120,000 portfolio.

    With a 7.5% dividend yield, to make $6,000 per year we’d be talking about an $80,000 portfolio.

    A 10% dividend yield would mean investors would only need a $60,000 portfolio, though businesses paying that high of a yield may not be the most reliable.

    However, a 2.5% dividend yield would require a portfolio worth $240,000.

    With a dividend yield of just 1%, a portfolio would need to be $600,000 in size.

    Which ASX income shares to buy?

    It’s up to investors to decide how much dividend income they’re aiming for.

    Each business comes with its own risks and growth plans.

    The company’s price/earnings (P/E) ratio can have an important impact on the dividend yield. The higher the P/E ratio, the lower the dividend yield. A company’s dividend payout ratio from the profit can also have a major impact on what the dividend yield is.

    For example, in FY23, ASX income shares like Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) could pay grossed-up dividend yields of around 6%, while a bank like National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) could pay a grossed-up dividend yield of over 8%.

    However, I think it’s integral that investors look for businesses that can grow profit. Growing profit means it’s much more likely that the business can maintain and grow its dividend. I think it’s also more likely that share price growth will occur over time.

    That’s why I prefer to look at ASX income shares with mid-to-lower-single-digit yields because I think, generally, they’re more likely to be re-investing and growing. I regularly write about some of the names I own in my portfolio.

    The post How much would I need to invest in ASX income shares to earn $500 a month? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Looking to buy dividend shares to help fight inflation?

    If you’re looking to buy dividend shares to help fight inflation then you’ll need to get your hands on this… Our FREE report revealing 3 stocks not only boasting inflation-fighting dividends…

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    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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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 positions in and has recommended Telstra Group and Wesfarmers. 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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  • Amid the carnage, this ASX tech stock is rocketing 15%. Here’s why

    A young male ASX investor raises his clenched fists in excitement because of rising ASX share prices today

    A young male ASX investor raises his clenched fists in excitement because of rising ASX share prices today

    The market may be a sea of red on Thursday, but that hasn’t stopped one ASX tech stock from rocketing higher.

    In morning trade, the Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH) share price is up 15% to $1.30.

    Why is this tech stock rocketing?

    The catalyst for this rise has been news that Pegasus BidCo has returned with an improved takeover offer. This comes after shareholders rejected a previous offer at a scheme meeting earlier this month.

    According to the release, Pegasus has lifted its offer by 6% from NZ$1.34 cash per share to NZ$1.42 per share.

    Based on current exchange rates, this represents an offer of A$1.32 per share, which is just a touch above where this tech stock is trading today.

    This values Pushpay’s equity at NZ$1.63 billion or A$1.52 billion.

    Will it happen this time?

    It is looking more likely that this ASX tech stock will be successfully taken private this time.

    That’s because a number of large investors that rejected the previous offer are now on board and intend to vote in favour of the scheme.

    In addition, some shareholders have agreed to accept a lower amount in order to get the deal over the line. The release notes that a small number of sophisticated, professional offshore event-driven shareholders have agreed to accept the original cash consideration of NZ$1.34 per share.

    Combined, shareholders holding a total of 28.9% of Pushpay’s issued capital intend to vote in favour of the scheme.

    What’s next?

    Pushpay’s non-conflicted directors unanimously recommend that shareholders vote in favour of the scheme and plan to vote all of their own shares in its favour. This is in the absence of a superior proposal.

    Management advised that a new scheme meeting will be held as soon as practically possible. And for the scheme to proceed, it is necessary that two voting thresholds are met. These are:

    75% or more of the votes of shareholders in each interest class who are entitled to vote and who actually vote must be voted in favour of the Scheme; and more than 50% of the total number of Pushpay shares on issue must be voted in favour of the Scheme.

    The scheme remains subject to Pushpay shareholder and New Zealand High Court approvals and is also subject to other customary conditions.

    The post Amid the carnage, this ASX tech stock is rocketing 15%. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Pushpay Holdings Limited right now?

    Before you consider Pushpay Holdings Limited, 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 Pushpay Holdings Limited 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.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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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 positions in and has recommended Pushpay. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Pushpay. 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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