Tag: Motley Fool

When you first start out investing, you might seek market beating returns from high risk, high reward growth shares. After all, if things don’t go quite to plan, you have plenty of time to recover from your losses.

But as you approach or enter retirement, I think these types of investments should start to take a backseat and become just a small part of a portfolio. 

Instead I think investors at this stage in their investment journey should focus on those that offer both income and capital preservation.

With that in mind, I have picked out two ASX shares which I think would be great options for a retirement portfolio right now. They are as follows:

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The first ASX share I would consider buying for a retirement portfolio is Coles. In fact, I think the supermarket giant is arguably the best option on the Australian share market for retirees to buy. This is because it offers the winning combination of defensive earnings, solid growth prospects, and a decent yield. In respect to the latter, based on the current Coles share price, I estimate that it offers investors a fully franked forward 3.1% dividend. I think this is very attractive in the current low interest rate environment.

Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR)

Another top option for a retirement portfolio could be this wholesale distributor of computer hardware and software. I think Dicker Data would be a great option due to its robust business model, solid growth prospects, high levels of insider ownership, and its quarterly dividends. Business has been booming in FY 2020 and management intends to increase its dividend by around a third to 35.5 cents per share. With the Dicker Data share price currently fetching $7.36, this equates to a generous fully franked 4.8% dividend yield.

More reading

• ASX All Technology Index swells with new additions
• ASX 200 plunges 3.1%, Afterpay suffers
• The best dividend shares to buy today
• Quarterly rebalance: Coles and Fortescue added to ASX 20, Zip joins the ASX 200
• 2 solid ASX dividend shares for income in 2020

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Dicker Data Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of COLESGROUP DEF SET. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Why I would buy these quality ASX shares for a retirement portfolio appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3lYJ64e

At present, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) is offering 0.7% per annum yields on its 12-month term deposits. This is broadly in line with what other banks are offering.

This means that even if you invested $1 million into these term deposits, you’d only get $7,000 of income from them annually.

Fortunately, the Australian share market is home to a number of ASX dividend shares which offer vastly superior yields.

Three dividend shares which I think would be great as part of a balanced income portfolio are listed below. Here’s why I would buy them:

BWP Trust (ASX: BWP)

The first ASX dividend share to consider buying is BWP. It is a real estate investment trust with a focus on warehouses. The majority of its properties are leased to hardware giant Bunnings, which I believe is one of the highest quality retailers in the country. Bunnings has been a strong performer during the pandemic and looks well-positioned to continue this positive form over the long term. In light of this, I think BWP is well-positioned to grow its rental income and distribution at a solid rate over the next decade. Based on the current BWP share price, I estimate that it offers investors a forward 4.5% yield.

Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)

Another option for income investors to consider buying its Fortescue. I believe it is a great option due to the quality of its operations and the high prices that iron ore is commanding at present. With the iron ore price trading above US$120 a tonne, Fortescue is well-placed to generate high levels of free cash flow in FY 2021. The majority of this is likely to be returned to shareholders in the form of dividends. In light of this and the current Fortescue share price, I would expect a forward fully franked dividend of 5% to 6%.

Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY)

A final option to look at is the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF. It invests in a total of 66 high yielding dividend shares from a range of different sectors. This includes mining giants, the banks, and blue chip favourites. I like the fund because of the diversity it gives investors. Something which the pandemic has proven is very important to have. I estimate that its units offer a forward dividend yield of 4% to 5%.

More reading

• How to earn a passive income of $50,000 with ASX dividend shares
• ASX 200 plunges 3.1%, Afterpay suffers
• The best dividend shares to buy today
• Insiders have been buying Fortescue and this ASX share
• Fortescue share price drops lower despite positive update

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Forget Westpac’s term deposits and buy these ASX dividend shares appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/359lhAx

While some stocks have fully recovered from the 2020 market crash, others continue to trade at exceptionally low prices. Although there is scope for them to move even lower in the short run, over the long term a number of sectors appear to offer excellent recovery potential.

Therefore, buying a diverse range of undervalued stocks now could boost your portfolio returns over the coming years. They could prove to be among the most attractive buying opportunities of your lifetime.

Recovering from the market crash

The market crash caused a wide range of stocks to experience severe declines in their price levels in the first quarter of 2020. While some of them have recovered since then, many industries continue to be extremely unpopular among investors. Stocks trading within such sectors could, therefore, offer excellent value for money for long-term investors.

For example, low interest rates in many of the world’s major economies mean that banking stocks are generally viewed unfavourably by investors. Although they are set to experience lower profitability in the short run, over the long term they could deliver sound recoveries. Similarly, travel stocks, retail businesses and energy companies that have solid balance sheets may be able to adapt their business models to a changing economy. This may allow them to generate improving profitability that leads to rising share prices over the coming years.

Through focusing your capital on unpopular sectors after the market crash, you could enjoy market-beating returns over the long run. For many stocks in the aforementioned sectors, investor sentiment has very rarely been as weak as it is today. Therefore, now could be a rare buying opportunity.

Capitalising on undervalued stocks

Clearly, the market crash could be repeated in the near term. Risks such as the US election, Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic may cause investor sentiment to weaken further. Similarly, the weak prospects for sectors such as banking, travel and energy companies may lead to financial difficulties for their incumbents.

As such, it is important to buy a diverse range of businesses. Having a portfolio that is too concentrated on a small number of companies means you are reliant on them to deliver your returns. Should one or more of them disappoint in this regard, your portfolio’s performance could be severely impacted. This risk can be diversified away, which could produce higher returns in the long run.

Furthermore, buying the strongest and most dominant businesses in unpopular sectors after the market crash is a logical approach. They may not be among the cheapest stocks compared to some of their peers. But buying high-quality stocks at low prices may prove to be a better strategy than simply purchasing cheap stocks. Over time, strong businesses are likely to survive and prosper as their operating conditions improve, and investor sentiment does likewise. This could lead to higher returns for your portfolio.

More reading

• 3 ASX shares every retiree should own
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell next week
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• 4 exciting small cap ASX tech shares to watch
• Here’s how to make a $1 million portfolio by investing $1,000 a month

Motley Fool contributor Peter Stephens has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Market crash 2020: why this could be a once-in-a-lifetime investing opportunity appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3i4AhDw

I think there are some ASX shares that every retiree should own in their portfolio.

I’m not a fan of ‘old school’ ASX shares like Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) or Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS). I believe that good earnings growth needs to be likely over the medium-term-to-long-term for an investment to make sense. I don’t see that for Westpac or Telstra, but I do see it for these ASX shares:

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

Rural Funds is an agricultural real estate investment trust (REIT) which owns a variety of farms including cattle, cotton, macadamias, almonds and vineyards.

I like the diversification offered. Its farms are diversified by farm type, different climatic conditions and they are geographically diverse.

I believe that Rural Funds is an ASX share that would be a good choice for all retirees.

It aims to increase its distribution by 4% each year. It’s able to do this thanks to a few different factors. It has contracted rental growth which is either fixed at a 2.5% increase per annum or linked to CPI inflation, plus market reviews. Rural Funds also invests in its farms for productivity improvements, which increases rental income and the valuation of the farms. Rural Farms will occasionally make an accretive acquisition too.

I think Rural Funds is a very defensive business with a pleasing distribution. At the current Rural Funds share price it has a FY21 distribution yield of 5%.

Magellan Global Trust (ASX: MGG)

Magellan Global Trust is a listed investment trust (LIT) which invests in the highest-quality global shares that it can find.

Not many of the best global businesses are ASX shares. They are listed overseas, usually in the US. Some of its largest holdings are: Alibaba, Alphabet, Atmos Energy, Eversource Energy, Facebook, Microsoft, Reckitt Benckiser, Tencent, Visa and Excel Energy.

It offers good diversification both geographically and through the industries it’s invested in. Whilst many of the businesses it’s invested in are listed in the US, the underlying revenue is generated from across the world.

The biggest investment allocation is to internet and ecommerce businesses. These are the businesses with inherent operating advantages and they can also continue to perform during these difficult COVID-19 times.

Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) has performed strongly with its investment funds over the past decade and I think many Aussie investors need to expand their portfolio to non-ASX shares. This LIT is a good way to do it.

A bonus is that Magellan Global Trust targets a 4% distribution yield. At the current Magellan Global Trust share price it’s trading at a 5% discount to the net asset value (NAV) per unit.

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

Soul Patts could be one of the best ASX shares for retirees. It’s a great ASX dividend share.

It has grown its dividend every year since 2000. It has actually been listed since 1903 and paid a dividend every year since then. That’s a reliable track record. It’s good to know you’re likely to get a bigger dividend than last year.

The investment conglomerate owns a variety of investments. It’s invested in ASX shares like TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG), Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW), Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ASX: API), Clover Corporation Limited (ASX: CLV), Milton Corporation Limited (ASX: MLT) and Bki Investment Co Ltd (ASX: BKI).

Soul Patts also owns unlisted businesses like resources, agriculture and swimming schools.

It’s probably not going to generate huge returns like tech shares, but it’s a business you could invest in and hold for decades.

At the current Soul Patts share price it offers a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.1%.

Foolish takeaway

I think each of these ASX shares are good options for retirees for the long-term. I believe it’s important to get international exposure, so Magellan Global Trust could be a decent option. However, for long-term Australian business investing I think Soul Patts is the best option.

More reading

• Here’s how to make a $1 million portfolio by investing $1,000 a month
• How to earn a passive income of $50,000 with ASX dividend shares
• 3 ASX blue chip shares I’d buy with $3,000 right now
• 2 solid ASX dividend shares for income in 2020
• New to investing? 3 top ASX shares to kickstart your portfolio

Tristan Harrison owns shares of MAGLOBTRST UNITS, RURALFUNDS STAPLED, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Clover Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Brickworks, RURALFUNDS STAPLED, Telstra Limited, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post 3 ASX shares every retiree should own appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2QWUizI

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

Three sell ratings that caught my eye are summarised below. Here’s why top brokers think investors ought to sell these shares next week:

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

According to a note out of Citi, its analysts have retained their sell rating and 32 cents price target on this lithium miner’s shares. Pilbara Minerals’ full year result fell a touch short of Citi’s expectations in FY 2020. Unfortunately, it doesn’t think that there will be a meaningful improvement in its performance in the near term due to soft market conditions which are weighing on lithium prices. The Pilbara Minerals share price ended the week at 34 cents.

Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH)

Analysts at Credit Suisse have downgraded this sports betting company’s shares to an underperform rating with a $6.50 price target. This follows the announcement of a major deal with NBC Universal. The broker appears concerned that the committed marketing spend involved with the deal will mean it takes some time for the company to generate earnings in the United States. In addition to this, with its shares notably higher than the broker’s valuation following some very strong gains in recent months, a downgrade to its rating was inevitable. The PointsBet share price was changing hands for $13.69 on Friday.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P)

Another note out of Citi reveals that its analysts have downgraded this buy now pay later provider’s shares to a sell rating with a $6.70 price target. It made the move partly on valuation grounds and also on concerns over the entry of PayPal into the U.S. buy now pay later market with its Pay in 4 offering. It appears to believe that Zip’s QuadPay business could have a battle on its hands in the lucrative market due to the increasing competition. The Zip share price ended the week at $6.76.

More reading

• ASX 200 plunges 3.1%, Afterpay suffers
• Why ASX investors shouldn’t fear a market crash
• After the crash, is it time to buy this Nasdaq ETF?
• ASX 200 down 2.75%: Afterpay & Appen sink lower, SKYCITY pushes higher
• Quarterly rebalance: Coles and Fortescue added to ASX 20, Zip joins the ASX 200

James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Pointsbet Holdings Ltd and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3bsViVW

Last week saw a large number of broker notes hitting the wires once again. Three buy ratings that caught my eye are summarised below.

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

Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC)

According to a note out of Credit Suisse, its analysts have retained their outperform rating and $13.31 on this global construction, property, and infrastructure company’s shares. Credit Suisse was pleased with Lendlease’s new strategy and expects it to result in predictable earnings. It feels this could support a re-rating in the future. Outside this, the broker sees Lendlease as a company that should benefit from the global urbanisation theme. I agree with the broker on this one and feel now would be a good time to invest.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB)

Analysts at UBS have retained their buy rating and $20.50 price target on this banking giant’s shares. This follows the announcement of the sale of its wealth business. According to the note, the broker believes this is a good move and expects it to boost its capital position to a level that gives it more than enough flexibility to deal with any increase in provisioning due to the pandemic. I think UBS is spot on and NAB would be a top option for investors.

NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

A note out of Morgans reveals that its analysts have upgraded this data centre operator’s shares to an add rating with a $13.89 price target. It was pleased with NEXTDC’s full year results and believes they demonstrate the quality of its business model and earnings. Looking ahead, Morgans is forecasting strong earnings growth in the coming years thanks to the increasing demand for its services due to the cloud computing boom. I agree with Morgans and feel NEXTDC would be a great long term investment option.

More reading

• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares last week
• ASX 200 plunges 3.1%, Afterpay suffers
• 3 ASX growth shares to buy after the market selloff
• Are IOOF shares in the buy zone today after the MLC acquisition?
• Why I think the AMP share price is finally looking good enough to buy

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of NEXTDC Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2QXjc2v

At the small end of the Australian share market I believe there are a number of companies that have the potential to grow significantly in the future.

Four that I think are capable of this are listed below. Here’s why I think they should be on your watchlist:

Bigtincan Holdings Ltd (ASX: BTH)

Bigtincan is a $433 million provider of enterprise mobility software. This software allows sales and service organisations to increase sales win rates, reduce expenditures, and improve customer satisfaction through improved mobile worker productivity. It has been growing at a very strong rate, even during the pandemic. The good news is that it still has a long runway for growth. The company advised that the sales engagement platform market is expected to be worth $6 billion a year by 2021.

ELMO Software Ltd (ASX: ELO)

ELMO is a $465 million cloud-based human resources and payroll software company. It provides a unified platform to streamline processes such as employee administration, recruitment, on-boarding, remuneration, and payroll. It has a massive opportunity in both the ANZ and UK markets. Management estimates that the ANZ market is currently worth $2.4 billion per year and the UK market is worth $6.8 billion. The company also has $140 million on its balance sheet to deploy on acquisitions.

Mach7 Technologies Ltd (ASX: M7T)

Mach7 is a $232 million medical imaging data management solutions provider. Its enterprise imaging platform unlocks disparate archive silos, consolidates patient data, and simplifies sharing and access. This helps to inform diagnosis, reduce care delivery delays and costs, and improve patient outcomes. Mach7’s total addressable market is estimated to be worth US$2.75 billion per year.

Whispir (ASX: WSP)

Whispir is a $428 million software-as-a-service communications workflow platform provider. It provides an industry-leading software platform that allows governments and organisations to deliver actionable two-way interactions at scale using automated multi-channel communication workflows. Management estimates that the Workflow Communications platform as a Service market could reach US$8 billion per year by 2024.

More reading

• ASX All Technology Index swells with new additions
• 3 ASX growth shares to buy after the market selloff
• Why Brainchip and these ASX shares just surged to new highs
• 3 exciting ASX small caps to put on your watchlist
• Top ASX Stock Picks for September 2020

James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Elmo Software, MACH7 FPO, and Whispir Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends BIGTINCAN FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended BIGTINCAN FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Elmo Software, MACH7 FPO, and Whispir Ltd. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post 4 exciting small cap ASX tech shares to watch appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3gZHYJT

I think that almost anyone can build a $1 million portfolio by investing just $1,000 a month.

This isn’t a get-rick-quick idea. I’m not suggesting you’ll get a $1 million portfolio in two years by investing $500,000 a year. Time and compound interest are the main tools to make it happen.

With no compound interest it would take 20 years of saving $50,000 a year. That’s too much!

One of the quotes that sums up compound interest nicely is the one attributed to Albert Einstein: “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it… he who doesn’t… pays it.”

Are bank accounts the best way to benefit from compound interest?

There are many different ways to generate interest from your money. You can earn interest from bonds, term deposits and savings accounts. Those are safe options, but when you factor in inflation they can be detrimental to growing your wealth. The official RBA interest rate is now just 0.25%, which won’t grow your wealth much at all.

You’re not going to get to $1 million unless you’re saving tons of cash.

I believe the best two types of assets for growing long-term wealth is property and businesses. If you buy the right property at the right time then it can produce big returns when using leverage – just look at the last decade. However, I don’t think taking on a large amount of debt makes sense in this environment.

Plus, when you think about headline property return figures, it doesn’t include the cost of renovations, the running costs or other factors like an empty property, non-paying tenants or damage.

I think that the share market is a great way to build wealth. Long-term returns tell us that the Australian and US share market have returned around 10% per annum over the decades. You can access broad markets with picks like Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS), iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) or Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS).

Don’t forget that Australians benefit from the Australian taxation system with franking credits to ensure that Aussies aren’t taxed twice on business profits paid out as a dividend. Franking credits usually aren’t included in Australian share market returns. 

Share returns for a $1 million portfolio

Let’s get back to the $1 million target. If your portfolio compounds at 10% a year and you invest $1,000 a month then it would take less than 24 years to get to $1 million. If you’re 25 you could become a millionaire before the age of 50. That sounds good to me.

The scenario I outlined above assumes you stick to investing $1,000 a month for the whole duration. Imagine if you started investing more when you turn 30 or 35. Perhaps you could start by investing $1,500 or $2,000 a month instead of $1,000. What if your portfolio could return 12% a year? In that case it would only take about 22 years.

What can you do to increase your returns from 10% a year to 12% a year? Well if you have a time machine handy you could go back and invest in shares like REA Group Limited (ASX: ALU), Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME) and CSL Limited (ASX: CSL).

What are some names for the future? I currently like growth names like Citadel Group Ltd (ASX: CGL), Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH) and Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB). Dividend picks with a decent yield I like are Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL), MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF), and WAM Microcap Limited (ASX: WMI).

More reading

• 3 ASX shares every retiree should own
• How to earn a passive income of $50,000 with ASX dividend shares
• 3 ASX shares now trading at crazy cheap prices
• Why I would invest $100,000 across these fantastic ASX shares
• ASX All Technology Index swells with new additions

Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of BUBS AUST FPO and CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Pro Medicus Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Pro Medicus Ltd., PUSHPAY FPO NZX, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BUBS AUST FPO, Citadel Group Ltd, REA Group Limited, and Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Here’s how to make a $1 million portfolio by investing $1,000 a month appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3i9IHcU

Last week was a disappointing one for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). After a positive start, the benchmark index gave back all its gains and finished 2.4% lower than where it started at 5,925.5 points.

Another busy one is expected next week, but hopefully this time with a better outcome. Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 futures pointing lower.

The ASX 200 index looks set to start the week with a day in the red. According to the latest SPI futures, the benchmark index is expected to fall 36 points on Monday morning. This follows a disappointing end to the week on Wall Street. The Dow Jones fell 0.55%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.8%, and the Nasdaq index continued its slide and sank 1.3%.

Energy producers on watch.

Concerns over demand for oil could mean that energy producers have a tough week. On Friday night Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 3.2% to US$42.66 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate crude oil dropped 3.8% to US$39.77 per barrel. According to CNBC, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak believes global oil demand could fall by 9-10 million barrels per day this year due to the pandemic. This could be bad news for the likes of Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL).

Shares going ex-dividend.

A number of popular ASX shares are trading ex-dividend next week. On Monday stock exchange operator ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX) will go ex-dividend for its 122.5 cents per share dividend and healthcare company Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL) for its 51 cents per share dividend. Also going ex-dividend next week are Brambles Limited (ASX: BXB) on Wednesday and biotech giant CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) on Thursday.

Dividends being paid.

Some shares are ahead of the group above and are scheduled to pay their dividends next week. These include dividend favourites such as auto parts retailer Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP), pizza chain operator Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP), retail giant JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH), and self-storage operator National Storage REIT (ASX: NSR).

DEXUS interested in AMP property find.

The DEXUS Property Group (ASX: DXS) share price will be one to watch next week amid speculation the property company is looking to steal the rights to a big Australian investment fund operated by AMP Limited (ASX: AMP). According to the AFR, Dexus is seeking to merge one of its own funds with the AMP Capital Diversified Property Fund. The latter invests on behalf of wholesale clients and is understood to have $4.5 billion in assets under management. This includes stakes in the Gold Coast’s Pacific Fair shopping centre, Macquarie Centre in Sydney, and the Quay Quarter in Sydney Harbour.

More reading

• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares last week
• ASX 200 plunges 3.1%, Afterpay suffers
• Top brokers are urging you to buy these ASX stocks in this market meltdown
• I love volatile ASX share market days like today
• Why the Transurban share price is outperforming today

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Bapcor. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Limited and Sonic Healthcare Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 next week appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2R4ZxNP

Looking to bolster your portfolio with ASX dividend shares? Then I would suggest you look at the ones listed below.

I think their generous yields make them great options in this low interest rate environment. Here’s why:

Aventus Group (ASX: AVN)

The first ASX dividend share I would suggest investors buy is Aventus. While you might think that retail property isn’t a great place to invest right now, it is worth noting that certain areas are performing better than others. Fortunately, Aventus is one of the industry’s positive performers thanks to its focus on large format retail parks. It owns a total of 20 centres across Australia, which are home to many of the largest retailers the country has to offer.

And thanks to its relatively high weighting towards every day needs via tenancies with ALDI, Bunnings, Officeworks, and The Good Guys, the company has been relatively unaffected by the pandemic. It recently released its full year results and revealed a 4.2% increase in funds from operations (FFO) to $100 million. It also reported solid rent collections of 87% through the COVID-19 period and a high occupancy rate of 98%. I expect this positive form to continue over the coming years and believe it is well-positioned to deliver another solid result in FY 2021. Based on the current Aventus share price, I estimate that it offers a 5.1% FY 2021 dividend yield.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Another ASX dividend share to consider buying is this telco giant. I think Telstra is one of the best dividend shares to buy on the ASX right now. This is due to its defensive qualities, positive long term outlook (post-pandemic), and its very attractive valuation.

And while there is speculation it will have to trim its dividend down to 12 cents per share in FY 2021, I’m optimistic this won’t be the case. But if it is, it is worth noting that its shares will still provide an attractive dividend yield. Based on the current Telstra share price, a 12 cents per share dividend will provide a fully franked 4.2% yield. And if it shifts its dividend policy to allow it to maintain its 16 cents per share dividend, it will offer a forward 5.6% yield. I think both make it worth considering.

More reading

• 2 ASX dividend shares with yields over 5% today
• 2 fantastic ASX 50 shares I would buy today
• 3 top ASX shares I would love to buy this September
• UBS picks the best and worst ASX stocks from the reporting season
• Should you buy Telstra and these beaten down ASX shares?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended AVENTUS RE UNIT. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Why I would buy Telstra and this high yield ASX dividend share appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/321OkUJ