Tag: Motley Fool

  • Own Zip shares? Here’s an earnings preview

    A young man sits at his desk working on his laptop with a big smile on his face due to his ASX shares going up and in particular the Computershare share price

    A young man sits at his desk working on his laptop with a big smile on his face due to his ASX shares going up and in particular the Computershare share price

    Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) shares will be in focus later this week when the buy now pay later (BNPL) provider releases its half year results.

    Ahead of the release, let’s take a look at what we should be looking out for from its results on Thursday 23 February.

    Zip results

    Given that Zip released its second quarter update last month, there won’t be too many surprises from its results.

    As a reminder, the company ended the period with 7.4 million active customers. This comprises 4 million in the United States, 2.3 million in the ANZ market, and 1.1 million across its Rest of the World segment.

    From these customers, Zip delivered transaction volume of approximately $4.9 billion across the first half. This was up 8.9% over the prior corresponding period.

    And with the company’s revenue margin improving year over year despite the tough operating conditions, Zip’s first half revenue came in 16.2% higher at $351.2 million.

    The big question for investors, though, is what will this top line growth and its quest to accelerate its path to profitability mean for its bottom line.

    A year earlier, Zip reported a loss of $214.3 million or an adjusted loss of $153.6 million. The former includes impairments of goodwill allocated to Zip UK and global rebranding costs.

    Clearly, the market is expecting much better this time around. And with management revealing that it is making “great progress” to deliver sustainable growth and accelerate its “path to profitability”, the market will undoubtedly be looking for signs that this is the case.

    What else?

    Analysts at Citi also suggested investors look out for commentary on asset divestments with its update. Last month it commented:

    The key highlight of Zip’s 2Q trading update was the sharp reduction in loss rates in the US that resulted in US becoming cash flow positive in Nov/Dec. With ~$80 million in available cash and further proceeds expected from the sale of RoW businesses (CitiE: $25 million in 2H23e), we see Zip as having ample cash to reach its cashflow breakeven target.

    However, we believe Zip will need further capital when the focus shifts to growth, especially when considering that it lacks scale in the US. While the company has made strong progress in reducing losses, we remain Sell/High Risk rated as we continue to see risks to customer losses given slowing macro. We open a positive catalyst watch as we expect an update on the proceeds from selling RoW businesses which could boost balance sheet.

    The post Own Zip shares? Here’s an earnings preview appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Zip Co right now?

    Before you consider Zip Co, 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 Zip Co 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 February 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 Zip Co. 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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  • Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

    A man sits on a bench atop a mountain with a laptop, making investments with a green ESG mind.A man sits on a bench atop a mountain with a laptop, making investments with a green ESG mind.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a decent start to the week, gaining 0.06% to close at 7,351.5 points.

    It was driven higher by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) which rose 0.9% today amid earnings from Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) and NIB Holdings Ltd (ASX: NHF).

    The former stock rose 1.9% after posting a 49% just in a half-year profit while the latter tumbled 11.6% despite growing its interim dividend by 18%.

    Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) fell 1% despite a strong performance from the Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) share price. Shares in the fuel refiner and distributor lifted 1.7% after it posted record 2022 earnings.

    The sector’s suffering followed a rough Friday for oil prices. After the Aussie market shut for the week, the Brent crude oil price fell 2.5% to US$83 a barrel while the US Nymex crude oil price dropped 2.7% to US$76.34 a barrel.

    But which ASX 200 share posted the biggest gain on the index today? Let’s take a look.

    Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

    Today’s top-performing ASX 200 share was none other than Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING). It gained 11.7% to close at $3.06 after a number of brokers upgraded the stock.

    These shares made today’s biggest gains:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING) $3.06 11.68%
    QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) $14.92 3.68%
    Kelsian Group Ltd (ASX: KLS) $6.39 3.4%
    Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL) $13.24 2.64%
    Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF) $7.57 2.44%
    Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA) $7.67 2.4%
    Link Administration Holdings Ltd (ASX: LNK) $2.14 2.39%
    Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA) $3.50 2.04%
    Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC) $3.55 2.01%
    Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) $9.79 1.87%

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

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

    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 February 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Link Administration, Reliance Worldwide, and Super Retail Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank and Super Retail Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Challenger, NIB Holdings, Orora, and Reliance Worldwide. 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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  • Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Monday

    Arrows pointing upwards with a man pointing his finger at one.

    Arrows pointing upwards with a man pointing his finger at one.

    It’s been a rather volatile day of trading so far this Monday for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    At the time of writing, the Index is in the green, but only just, currently sitting at 7,352 points, up 0.07% for the day. But that comes after the ASX 200 spent much of the day in red territory, with several jumps over the breakeven line throughout the session thus far.

    But rather than trying to figure all of that out, let’s instead check out the ASX 200 shares that are topping the share market’s trading volume charts at present, according to investing.com.

    The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Monday

    Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

    ASX 200 lithium share Core Lithium is our first stock worth checking out this Monday. So far today, a notable 13.1 million Core shares have been exchanged on the ASX today.

    There’s been no fresh news out of Core itself. But that hasn’t stopped this company’s shares from copping quite a beating. Right now, Core is down a nasty 4.48% at 92 cents per share, the likely catalyst of the high volumes we see.

    My Fool colleague James went through some of the reasons ASX lithium stocks like Core Lithium are having such a painful day earlier this afternoon.

    One such reason appears to be “reports that the world’s largest battery maker, CATL, is offering discounts to some of the Chinese automakers it supplies batteries”. This could be an indication that lithium prices might be heading down soon.

    Pilbara Mienrals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    Another ASX 200 lithium share in Pilbara Minerals is next up today. This leading lithium producer has watched as 25.62 million of its shares have changed hands so far this Monday. Pilbara did announce some new lithium pricing arrangements this morning.

    But it appears that these haven’t been enough to stop investors from punishing the company alongside Core Lithium. In Pilbara’s case, the company is down almost 5% at $4.22 a share, so no further questions are needed about this volume on display.

    Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)

    Finally today, we have the trifecta of ASX 200 lithium stocks with Sayona Mining. A whopping 32.25 million Sayona shares have found a new ASX home on the markets at this point of today’s session.

    At the risk of sounding like a broken record, another nasty selloff seems to be the culprit for Sayona’s elevated trading volumes. In this share’s case, we have seen a 4.65% slide in price, which puts Sayona stock down to 20 cents a share.

    The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Monday 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 February 1 2023

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

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  • One top ASX 200 stock on my best shares to buy now list

    A young man wearing glasses writes down his stock picks in his living room.

    A young man wearing glasses writes down his stock picks in his living room.

    The current Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) share price on offer makes it look like a very attractive S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) stock. I think it could be one of the best to buy today.

    There aren’t that many ASX shares that have fallen as much as Xero since November 2021 – it’s down around 50%. That’s despite it rising by just over 10% since the start of the year.

    As one of the world’s largest cloud accounting businesses, it is indirectly connected to millions of the world’s small and medium businesses. An economic downturn could have an impact on Xero’s financials.

    However, while the Xero share price has sunk 50%, it’s not as though revenue has sunk 50%. Or 40%. Or 10%. In fact, the business has continued to grow.

    That’s one of the key elements to my bullish thoughts on the investment. It has continued to develop, meaning we’re simply getting the ASX 200 stock at half the price of what it used to be – the business hasn’t suffered a significant decrease in performance.

    Growth continues

    In the six months to 30 September 2022, total subscribers grew 16% to 3.5 million, average revenue per user (ARPU) rose 13% to $35.30. This helped operating revenue jump 30% to $658.5 million.

    The gross profit margin was stable at 87% and free cash flow soared 145% to $15.6 million, despite Xero investing for growth globally. The northern hemisphere is a key focus for growth, with the UK and Canada being two of the markets that Xero is trying to win in.

    In the half-year result, we saw the ASX 200 stock’s UK revenue rise 32% to $175 million. The company said it expects momentum in subscriber additions in the UK to improve over the rest of FY23.

    North America saw revenue increase by 44% to $44 million. It’s also expecting momentum in subscriber additions in North America to improve over the rest of FY23.

    A long-term focus on growing the ASX 200 stock’s scale

    When Xero talked about its outlook, it said:

    Xero will continue to focus on growing its global small business platform and maintain a preference for reinvesting cash generated, subject to investment criteria and market conditions, to drive long-term shareholder value.

    Outgoing CEO Steve Vamos said:

    We’re focused on delivering the world’s most insightful and trusted small business platform by driving cloud accounting adoption, growing the small business platform and building for global scale and innovation. We remain committed to investing for the short and long term opportunity and supporting customer needs while maintaining a disciplined cost focus.

    The ASX 200 tech stock is expecting its operating expenses as a percentage of revenue to decline in the longer term, which should lead to higher profit margins for the business.

    I think Xero is a very profitable business underneath the expansion expenditure. If it halved its marketing and product development spending then it would make quite a lot of profit. But, it doesn’t need to do that.

    In my opinion, the business still has a significant growth runway. The world is a big place. I think that’s why it’s still pursuing growth so heavily.

    Over the next five years, I can see the Xero share price doubling thanks to a combination of revenue growth and improving margins, making it a smart investment at the current level.

    The post One top ASX 200 stock on my best shares to buy now list appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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  • 2 excellent ASX 200 mining shares to buy now: experts

    a man with a hard hat and high visibility vest stands with a clipboard and pen in front of a large pile of rock at a mining site.

    a man with a hard hat and high visibility vest stands with a clipboard and pen in front of a large pile of rock at a mining site.

    If you’re looking to diversify your portfolio with some mining sector exposure, then read on.

    Listed below are two ASX 200 mining shares that experts are tipping as buys with material upside potential.

    Here’s why these could be the mining shares to buy right now:

    Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE)

    The first ASX 200 mining share to consider is Allkem.

    It is one of the world’s largest lithium miners and the result of the merger between Galaxy Resources and Orocobre in 2021.

    From its projects in Argentina, Australia, and North America, the company is aiming to grow its production in a way that allows it to maintain a 10% share of global lithium supply over the long term. This leaves it well-placed to benefit from the insatiable demand for lithium from the electric vehicle market.

    And while lithium prices have been tipped to fall materially over the next 18 months, its production growth and downstream opportunity are expected to keep its earnings strong. This has many tipping the company to start paying dividends in the not too distant future.

    Bell Potter is bullish and has a buy rating and $19.36 price target on its shares. It also expects a maiden dividend to be paid in 2023.

    South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

    Another ASX 200 mining share that has been named as a buy is South32.

    It is a diversified mining and metals company producing bauxite, alumina, aluminium, energy and metallurgical coal, manganese, nickel, silver, lead and zinc at our operations in Australia, Southern Africa and South America.

    Through its operations, the miner notes that it is supporting the transition to a low-carbon world by producing the commodities essential for this transition.

    Morgans is positive on South32 due to the successful transformation of its portfolio and its positive long term outlook.

    Last week, the broker retained its add rating and $5.40 price target on its shares.

    The post 2 excellent ASX 200 mining shares to buy now: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    And to help even more people cut through some of the confusion “experts’” seem to want to perpetuate – we’ve created a brand-new “how to” guide.

    Yes, Claim my FREE copy!
    *Returns as of February 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Allkem. 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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  • 2 ASX tech shares making big moves on results announcements

    two computer geeks sit across from each other with their laptop computers touching as they look confused and confounded by what they are seeing on their screens.

    two computer geeks sit across from each other with their laptop computers touching as they look confused and confounded by what they are seeing on their screens.

    There has been a couple of results in the tech sector on Monday that have received very different responses from investors on Monday.

    The two ASX tech shares listed below are making big moves in opposite directions following the release of their respective results. Here’s what they reported and how investors have responded:

    Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

    The Iress share price is down 3% after the financial technology company’s full year results disappointed the market.

    Iress reported a 3.7% increase in revenue to $617.9 million, but a 0.7% decline in segment profit to $165.1 million and a 28.6% decline in reported net profit after tax to $52.7 million. This was at the low end of the company’s guidance range.

    Looking ahead, management has stated that it expects FY 2023 segment profit “to be at or above the levels of 2022.” However, the company also intends to provide a full update on its medium term guidance at its investor day in April. Investors appear to be concerned that this could mean that management retracts its 2025 targets.

    Symbio Holdings Ltd (ASX: SYM)

    The Symbio share price is up 4% to $1.90. This morning, this voice communications software provider reported a 5% increase in half year recurring revenue to $57.2 million.

    And while the ASX tech share posted a 33% decline in EBITDA to $11.6 million, it has reiterated its full year EBITDA guidance of $26 million to $30 million. Management also revealed that it then expects to return to EBITDA growth in FY 2024.

    Looking further ahead, the company remains “confident that the global megatrends of enterprise cloud adoption and new ways of working, including hybrid working, will prevail through the current period of uncertainty.”

    The post 2 ASX tech shares making big moves on results announcements appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Renowned futurist claims this could be… “The last invention that humanity will ever need to make”?

    Tech billionaire Mark Cuban believes the world’s first trillionaires are going to come from it…

    And just like the internet and smartphones before it, this technology is set to transform the world as we know it. It’s already changing the way you work, how you shop… and it’s even helping to save lives — Perhaps that’s why experts predict it could grow to a market defying US$17 trillion dollar opportunity?

    If you’re wondering what could be the engine room of the next bull market… You’ll need to see this…

    Learn more about our AI Boom report
    *Returns as of February 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 Symbio. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Symbio. 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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  • Investing in Lynas shares? Here’s why Malaysia may reconsider its licence restrictions

    Female miner in hard hat and safety vest on laptop with mining drill in background.Female miner in hard hat and safety vest on laptop with mining drill in background.

    Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) shares are down 1% in afternoon trading on Monday.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rare earths miner closed on Friday trading for $8.29 per share and are currently trading for $8.21 apiece.

    That’s today’s price action for you.

    Now, what’s this about Lynas’ Malaysian operating licence?

    Why might Malaysia reconsider the operating licence restrictions?

    More than $11.5 million worth of Lynas shares traded hands last Tuesday after the ASX 200 miner updated the market on the operating licence for its 100% owned subsidiary, Lynas Malaysia.

    Malaysia’s Atomic Energy Licensing Board granted a three-year licence renewal, but with a catch.

    The regulator said it was sticking to a clause applied to Lynas’ renewed licence in March 2020. That clause prohibits the ASX 200 rare earths miner from importing and processing lanthanide concentrate after 1 July due to concerns over radioactive waste.

    “No party has the right to continuously produce radioactive waste in our homeland,” minister Chang Lih Kang said on Wednesday.

    Lynas shares remained fairly resilient, despite the company saying the prohibition would lead to the closure of the cracking and leaching component at the Lynas Malaysia plant, the world’s largest single rare earths processing facility.

    After market close on Thursday, Lynas followed through with its promise to appeal the ruling.

    Lynas said it is “seeking administrative review of the decision of the Atomic Energy Licencing Board in failing to consider Lynas’ application for the removal of the licence conditions prohibiting the import and processing of lanthanide concentrate”.

    Yesterday, word emerged, via Twitter, that there might yet be grounds for negotiation.

    “If someone is willing to ship the ‘low risk radioactive waste’ (as claimed) out of our country, the government can consider retaining C & L plant in Gebeng,” Chang wrote in a tweet.

    Stay tuned…

    How have Lynas shares been tracking?

    As you can see in the chart below, Lynas shares are up 5% so far in 2023.

    Longer-term, the ASX 200 rare earths miner has seen its stock soar 319% over five years.

    The post Investing in Lynas shares? Here’s why Malaysia may reconsider its licence restrictions appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Lynas Corporation Limited right now?

    Before you consider Lynas Corporation 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 Lynas Corporation 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 February 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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  • 2 exciting ASX shares that are on course for ‘robust growth’: expert

    a young boy dressed up in a business suit and tie has a cute grin and holds two fingers up.

    a young boy dressed up in a business suit and tie has a cute grin and holds two fingers up.

    Fund manager Wilson Asset Management (WAM) has identified two top small-cap ASX shares in one of the portfolios it manages that could be investment ideas.

    WAM operates several listed investment companies (LICs). Some, such as WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) and WAM Capital Limited (ASX: WAM), focus on larger companies.

    There’s also one called WAM Microcap Limited (ASX: WMI) which focuses on small-cap ASX shares with a market capitalisation of under $300 million at the time of acquisition.

    WAM says WAM Microcap targets “the most exciting undervalued growth opportunities in the Australian microcap market”.

    These are the two small-cap ASX shares the fund manager outlines in its recent monthly update.

    Austin Engineering Ltd (ASX: ANG)

    WAM described Austin Engineering as a designer and manufacturer of customised dump truck bodies, buckets, water tanks, tyre handlers and other ancillary products that are used in the mining industry.

    The fund manager pointed out that in January, Austin Engineering reported a surge in global truck-tray orders from December 2022 to January 2023, increasing its order book and improving the revenue outlook for the second half of FY23.

    WAM noted that the ASX share is now expecting its revenue for the second half of FY23 to be around $250 million as the pipeline is expected to “remain strong for at least the next 18 months.”

    The investment team like this because of the “robust outlook for growth and a strong balance sheet”. WAM thinks that the Austin Engineering share price is still undervalued.

    Healthia Ltd (ASX: HLA)

    Healthia has more than 300 clinics, according to WAM, describing it as “one of the leading diversified allied healthcare providers across Australia and New Zealand.”

    The fund manager noted that at the end of January, Healthia provided guidance for the FY23 half-year result, revealing total sales are expected to be between $122.5 million to $127.5 million, which would be growth of 5.4% on the prior corresponding period.

    Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) is expected to be between $17.7 million to $18.3 million, which would be a growth of 4% and higher than analyst expectations.

    WAM was positive about the fact that the company confirmed its guidance. The fund manager also suggested that the “strong balance sheet” will allow the ASX share to make acquisitions that can add to earnings in the future.

    The post 2 exciting ASX shares that are on course for ‘robust growth’: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    FREE Beginners Investing Guide

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Wam Microcap. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Healthia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Healthia. 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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  • Why is the Wesfarmers share price dipping on Monday?

    A happy investor sits at his desk in front of his laptop and does the mexican wave with his arms to celebrate the returns from his ASX dividend sharesA happy investor sits at his desk in front of his laptop and does the mexican wave with his arms to celebrate the returns from his ASX dividend shares

    It’s been a fairly disappointing start to the trading week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) so far this Monday. The ASX 200 has slipped by around 0.03%, albeit having broken even more than once throughout the trading day thus far. But the Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) share price is seemingly doing far worse.

    Wesfrmers shares look like they are having a shocker today. The industrial and retail ASX 200 conglomerate closed at $51.09 a share last Friday. But at present, Wesfarmers shares are going for $50.46 each, down a hefty 1.23% from last week’s close.

    But shareholders need not despair at this apparent underperformance of the ASX 200 today. That’s because Wesfarmers shares are falling for what is probably the best reason to have a sharp drop in value – the company has traded ex-dividend today.

    Wesfarmers share price drops after trading ex-dividend

    When an ASX dividend share declares a dividend payment, it also must include an ex-dividend date. This is the date that cuts off eligibility for the new dividend. If investors hold the shares before the ex-div date, they get the dividend. If investors buy the shares on or after the ex-div date, they don’t. It’s as simple as that.

    Because a company’s shares become nominally less valuable after going ex-dividend, it is normal to see a big share price fall when the shares do trade ex-div. This is what is happening with Wesfarmers shares today.

    Thus, if an investor buys Wesfarmers shares right now, they would not be eligible for this round of dividends and will have to wait for Wesfarmers’ next dividend for their first paycheque.

    So how much are Wesfarmers investors in line to receive from the company’s latest dividend payment?

    Well, it was only last Wednesday that Wesfarmers reported its latest earnings, covering the six months to 31 December 2022.

    Amid rises in revenue, earnings and profits, Wesfarmers also declared an interim dividend of 88 cents per share, fully franked, for the first half of FY2023. That was a pleasing 10% rise in the interim dividend of 80 cents per share from last year.

    This payment will be arriving in eligible investors’ bank accounts next month on 28 March.

    Combined with Wesfarmers’ last final and fully franked dividend of $1 per share, Wesfarmers now has an annual dividend of $1.88. On today’s pricing, that gives the company a dividend yield of 3.73%, or 5.33% grossed-up with that full franking.

    The post Why is the Wesfarmers share price dipping on Monday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Wesfarmers 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 Wesfarmers 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.

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns Wesfarmers shares. 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 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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  • Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    a man sits at his desk wearing a business shirt and tie and has a hearty laugh at something on his mobile phone.

    a man sits at his desk wearing a business shirt and tie and has a hearty laugh at something on his mobile phone.With so many shares to choose from on the ASX, it can be hard to decide which ones to buy. The good news is that brokers across the country are doing a lot of the hard work for you.

    Three top ASX shares that leading brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

    Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

    According to a note out of Morgan Stanley, its analysts have retained their overweight rating and $43.00 price target on this gaming technology company’s shares. This follows news that Aristocrat’s real money gaming (RMG) business has signed a deal with BetMGM for digital slot content. BetMGM believes the deal will makes its online casino the best destination for players. Morgan Stanley believes this is a big positive for Aristocrat and its fledgling RMG business. The Aristocrat share price is trading at $35.70 on Monday.

    Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT (ASX: HCW)

    A note out of Morgans reveals that its analysts have retained their add rating on this property company’s shares with an improved price target of $2.06. This follows the release of the company’s half year results, which revealed a solid operational performance. Morgans appears positive on the future, highlighting its active development pipeline (Springfield and Proxima) and the uncommitted developments which include strategic partners. The Healthco share price is fetching $1.55 today.

    Objective Corporation Limited (ASX: OCL)

    Analysts at Goldman Sachs have retained their buy rating but trimmed their price target on this software company’s shares to $14.80. Although Objective Corp’s half year results came in below expectations on both ARR growth and costs/margins, Goldman believes the company has reached an earnings trough after making the decision to reduce its one-off revenue sources and reinvest into growth initiatives. The Objective Corp share price is trading at $12.48 this afternoon.

    The post Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today 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 positions in and has recommended Objective. 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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