Are you wanting to add some dividend shares to your portfolio this week? If you are, then the two listed below could be worth checking out.

Both have recently been named as buys by analysts and tipped to provide good yields.

Here's what you need to know about these dividend shares:

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The first ASX dividend share that has been named as a buy is supermarket giant Coles.

The team at Citi was pleased with its half-year results, which came in well ahead of its estimates. In light of this positive form and its attractive valuation, the broker believes Coles is a great option right now. It commented:

Trading on 22.5x FY24F PE and 3.6% yield, we continue to see COL as offering good value with the Coles reported 1H23 EBIT from continuing operations of $1,058 million, ~6% ahead of Citi and consensus. Steven Cain leaves the business in good shape and we see Leah Weckert as the natural successor. Sales momentum has improved, owing somewhat to easier comps. Considering the historical 1H/2H skew of earnings, there appears to be upside to FY23e consensus EBIT.

As for dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 69 cents in FY 2023 and 71 cents FY 2024. Based on the current Coles share price of $17.68, this represents yields of 3.9% and 4%, respectively.

Citi has a buy rating and $20.20 price target on its shares.

Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXI)

Another ASX dividend share that has been named as a buy is Dexus Industria.

Morgans is a big fan of this industrial and office property company. This is due to its belief that the company is well-placed for growth thanks to strong demand in the industrial market. It commented:

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

As for dividends, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 16.5 cents in FY 2023 and 16.8 cents in FY 2024. Based on the current Dexus Industria share price of $2.88, this will mean yields of 5.7% and 5.8%, respectively.

Morgans currently has an add rating and $3.37 price target on the company's shares.

The post Analysts name 2 ASX dividend shares to buy with 4%+ yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) stock could deliver attractive total returns through a combination of share price growth and dividends.

The supermarket business has done very well since the start of COVID-19, but with pandemic effects now disappearing, the company is still managing to achieve good financial growth.

Experts think that the good times could continue for Coles shares.

Margins are rising amid inflation

It would be understandable that inflation would lead to higher revenue and profit for the business.

If Coles made a 5% profit margin, then it'd make a $5 profit on $100 of sales. If the same basket of products were sold for $105, then a profit margin of 5% would result in a $5.25 profit.

But, Coles' continuing operations sales grew 3.9% to $20.8 billion and the earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) grew 9.9% to $1.06 billion. Earnings per share (EPS) grew 11.6% to 46.3 cents. Clearly, margins have increased during this period.

The ABC reported on comments from Coles' government and industry relations manager, Vittoria Bon, about the increased profit margins when talking to the Senate Committee who commented that the supermarket had cut produces on some products:

That's why we've got the campaigns that we have, [such as] Dropped and Locked.

We've got 5,000 products at any point in time that represent value for our customers because they're on special…and we have a whole range of products that customers can buy that are less than $1, for example canned tuna, canned vegetables.

We're very conscious of the cost of living pressures faced by our customers, and that's why we're responding with those sorts of value campaigns.

The ABC also reported that Coles denied it was "profiteering from inflation", saying that it was because of a fall in COVID costs.

However, Coles did report that its gross profit margin improved by 43 basis points (0.43%) to 26.5% over the period. The EBIT margin increased by 28 basis points to 5.3%.

The Betashares chief economist David Bassanese said:

We need to eat, and that doesn't change all that much, and so we're not that price sensitive.

We hate paying more for Vegemite and peanut butter, but ultimately we're still going to buy it even at higher prices.

So what we've seen is businesses in those cases have been able to pass on the cost increase to prices, and sales in the main have been maintained.

Expert views on Coles stock and the dividend

As noted by my colleague James Mickleboro, Citi thinks Coles stock is a buy, with a price target of $20.20. That suggests that the Coles share price could rise by more than 10%.

The broker suggests that the FY23 first-half EBIT was better than expected and there is "upside" to the FY23 estimated consensus for EBIT.

Citi expects Coles to pay an annual dividend per share of 69 cents in FY23, which is a grossed-up dividend yield of 5.5%. The FY24 dividend per share could be 71 cents, which would be a grossed-up dividend yield of 5.7%.

The post Coles stock can deliver golden combo of share price growth plus dividends: Citi appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The share market can be both a help and a hindrance when it comes to building wealth. But it's only ever a hindrance when investors let it be. 

The market is a funny thing. We all love the liquidity that comes from having shares fluctuate in value on a daily basis. But having the quoted prices of our assets changing constantly can also be very unnerving. Particularly in a market crash or similar event.

Market crashes aren't common. But they do come around sooner or later. And they can have an extremely negative impact on investors' mindsets. Imagine if you had 80-90% of your net worth invested in the share market during the global financial crisis of 2007-2009. At one point, you would have seen the value of your portfolio decline by more than 50%.

So how can one hope to retire rich if the market falls like that? After all, it took several years for the ASX 200 to recover from the global financial crisis. That's a lot of years to live off a reduced asset base.

Well, the answer is dividends.

Most investors are familiar with dividend payments. In fact, many would probably think the passive income you can get from a dividend share is one of the best things about investing in the stock market.

But what most investors might not realise is how much dividends contribute to investors' overall returns here on the ASX.

Dividends are the key to retiring rich – especially in a stock market crash

To illustrate, let's examine one of ASX's oldest index funds. The SPDR S&P/ASX 200 Fund (ASX: STW) has been listed on the share market since 2001, As such, it has a very enlightening history we can look back on.

So according to this ETF's provider, this ASX 200 index fund has returned an average performance of 7.86% per annum since it first listed in 2001, assuming dividends are reinvested.

But of that 7.86%, only 3.19% per annum comes from capital growth. The remaining 4.67% per annum hails from dividend income. That's not even close to a 50-50 split.

During a market crash, it's capital returns that get hit hard. But many ASX dividend shares keep their income taps open. During the COVID crash of 2020, the ASX 200 fell by roughly 32.5% top to bottom:

But many ASX dividend shares kept paying dividends.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) supported investors with a solid $1.75 in dividends per share. Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) did the same, paying out one of the larger annual dividend payments in its history at $1.76 per share.

It was a similar story with Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS).

During market downturns, the dividend payments from ASX shares can still keep you happily retired. You might not feel rich, with the value of shares fluctuating wildly. But the returns from dividends can certainly help you to stay afloat until the markets can recover.

The post How can I hope to retire rich when the share market is falling? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Looking to invest in S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares to secure a second income?

In the new era of high inflation, ever-higher interest rates, and lagging wage growth, you're not alone.

Fortunately, as Aussie investors, we have a large selection of ASX 200 dividend shares to potentially deliver that much-desired passive income stream.

And with Australia's rather unique franking system, the dividend payouts you receive can come with some helpful tax benefits.

With that said, here's how I'd invest $20,000 in ASX 200 shares for a supercharged second income.

What I'd look for in ASX 200 dividend shares

First, in building my passive income stream, I'd likely restrict myself to ASX 200 shares.

Sure, there are some high-yielding small-cap stocks. And some of them may well continue to deliver big dividend payouts. But there's no getting around the fact that investing in the smaller end of the market carries more risk.

Second, I'd spread my $20,000 across a number of different stocks (at least 10) involved in very different sectors. That kind of diversity will help reduce my risk of depending on one sector (or company) to perform well in order to bank my second income.

Third, I'd look for well-managed companies with a solid growth outlook, keeping in mind that a trailing yield is backwards looking. I want to do my best to invest my $20,000 in companies that will maintain or, ideally, increase that yield over time.

Now with that also said, here are three ASX 200 dividend shares I'd put at the top of my list for that supercharged second income.

Three stocks to consider for a second income

First up we have Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS).

The blue-chip lithium producer recently announced its inaugural dividend after reporting a 989% increase in half-year net profit after tax (NPAT) compared to the prior corresponding period. While the fully franked dividend of 11 cents per share was the company's first, I don't expect it to be the last.

The analysts at Goldman Sachs agree. Goldman forecasts Pilbara will pay a final dividend of some 20 cents per share. That would see a full-year payout of 31 cents per share, which works out to a trailing yield of 7.6% at yesterday's closing price.

Atop the dividend payouts, there's the potential for more capital growth as well.

As you can see in the chart below, the Pilbara Minerals share price has gained 53% over the past 12 months.

The second ASX 200 share I'd buy with part of that $20,000 is Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC).

Westpac paid out a final, fully franked dividend of 64 cents per share on 20 December and an interim dividend of 61 cents per share on 24 June. At yesterday's closing price, that works out to a trailing yield of 5.6%.

And Goldman Sachs has a bullish outlook for the big bank's future payouts. Goldman forecasts Westpac will pay fully franked dividends of $1.47 per share in FY 2023 and $1.56 per share in FY 2024. That's a forecast yield of 6.6% for this financial year and 7% for the next.

The Westpac share price, shown below, is up 2% over the past 12 months.

Which brings us to the third ASX 200 share I'd buy for a supercharged second income, Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL).

The supermarket giant recently reported a 17.1% year-on-year increase in its half-year NPAT, to $643 million. That saw management boost the fully franked, interim dividend by 9.1% to 36 cents per share.

Atop the 30-cent final dividend, paid out on 28 September, Coles trades on a trailing yield of 3.7%.

The Coles share price is up 3% over the past full year.

If I invested in each ASX 200 share equally, I'd earn a dividend yield of 5.6% (running with Goldman Sachs' estimate for Pilbara's final dividend payout).

If yields remain at this level (they may go higher or lower), that would earn me a passive income stream of $1,120 per year, along with the franking tax credits.

With a long-term, supercharged second income in mind, I would reinvest those dividends and let compounding interest work its magic over time.

The post Here's how I'd invest $20,000 in ASX 200 shares for a supercharged second income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

If you are, then experts think the two listed below could be top options this month. Here's what you need to know about them:

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The first ASX 200 dividend share that has been tipped as a buy is Coles.

It is one of Australia's largest retailers with a portfolio of over 800 supermarkets and over 900 liquor retail stores.

Citi was pleased with the company's first-half performance and remains positive on the company's outlook. It said:

Coles reported 1H23 EBIT from continuing operations of $1,058 million, ~6% ahead of Citi and consensus. Steven Cain leaves the business in good shape and we see Leah Weckert as the natural successor. Sales momentum has improved, owing somewhat to easier comps. Considering the historical 1H/2H skew of earnings, there appears to be upside to FY23e consensus EBIT.

The broker currently has a buy rating and $20.20 price target on its shares.

As for dividends, Citi is expecting fully franked dividends per share of 69 cents in FY 2023 and 71 cents in FY 2024. Based on the current Coles share price of $17.76, this implies yields of 3.9% and 4%, respectively.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

This conglomerate could also be an ASX 200 dividend share to buy.

It may not own Coles anymore, but it still has a range of high quality businesses such as Bunnings, Covalent Lithium, Kmart, Officeworks, and Priceline.

Analysts at Morgans note that the company's recent half-year result "was marginally below our forecasts but well above consensus." Nevertheless, the broker sees plenty of value in its shares at the current level. It said:

Trading on 21.9x FY24F PE and 3.9% yield, we continue to see WES's valuation as attractive for a high-quality business with a diversified group of retail and industrial brands, a solid balance sheet, and an experienced leadership team that will continue delivering long-term value for shareholders.

Morgans has an add rating and $55.60 price target on Wesfarmers' shares.

In respect to dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of $1.82 in FY 2023 and $1.89 in FY 2023. Based on the current Wesfarmers share price of $49.94, this will mean yields of 3.6% and 3.8%, respectively.

The post Experts name 2 ASX 200 dividend shares for a passive income boost appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This week, Westpac predicted the Reserve Bank will roll out no less than seven interest rate cuts throughout 2024 and 2025. If these eventuate, they will certainly bring some welcome relief for Aussie homeowners, who have been grappling with the rising cost of living and surging mortgage repayments since May 2022.

But we still have 2023 to get through. And unfortunately, on that front, the news is slightly less rosy.

Westpac is tipping two more rises this year and expects the cash rate to peak at 4.1% in June. Australia's oldest bank says that's where rates will stay for the remainder of the year, with the first cut not expected until March next year. 

One way to help ease the sting of inflation is with some additional income. But if you're already working as hard as you can, and don't have time for a side hustle, what then?

ASX dividend shares could be the answer. 

So, we asked our Foolish writers which ASX dividend stocks they think are worth buying in March for a passive income boost. Here is what they said:      

7 best ASX dividend shares for March 2023 (smallest to largest)

• Bailador Technology Investments Ltd (ASX: BTI), $177.68 million
• Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL), $2.93 billion
• Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW), $3.29 billion
• Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS), $12.62 billion
• Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), $24.08 billion
• Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), $44.73 billion
• Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) $77.45 billion

(Market capitalisation as of 2 March 2023)

Why our Foolish writers love these ASX passive-income stocks

Bailador Technology Investments Ltd

What it does: Bailador is a growth capital fund focused on the IT sector. It looks to invest between $5 million and $20 million into tech companies seeking growth-stage investment.

Bailador prefers relatively young businesses with proven business models and "attractive unit economics". It also likes founder-led companies with international revenue generation, a significant market opportunity, and the ability to generate repeat revenue.

By Tristan Harrison: I like the investment style of Bailador, which has enabled its portfolio to perform well over the last three years, delivering an average annual return of 13.9%.

The company's dividend policy is to pay a fully-franked dividend yield of 4% per annum of pre-tax net tangible assets (NTA), paid semi-annually.

Its pre-tax NTA was $1.79 at 31 January 2023. But, because the latest Bailador share price at the time of writing was $1.22 – a 32% discount to the latest stated NTA – the yield on the actual share price is around 5.9%, or 8.4% grossed-up for franking credits.

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison owns shares in Bailador Technology Investments Ltd.

Super Retail Group Ltd

What it does: You might know this company by its unmistakable red, yellow, and white automotive brand, Supercheap Auto. However, Super Retail Group is much bigger than its revving roots.

Today, it houses some of the strongest brands in Australian retail, including Rebel, BCF, and Macpac, in addition to Supercheap Auto.

By Mitchell Lawler: The latest half-year results from Super Retail Group were remarkably good, demonstrating the resiliency and diversity that Anthony Heraghty (CEO) and the team have built in the group.

Normalised earnings increased 36% on the prior corresponding year, adding to a commendable history of growth. Yet, the company trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of around 11 times. While this is roughly in line with the industry average, I believe it underappreciates the quality of the four individual brands.

In my opinion, the sum of the parts should skew the P/E ratio more toward 15 – placing the valuation closer to $4.1 billion than its current $2.9 billion.

Super Retail shares are currently offering a dividend yield of 5.3%. Remember, the stock's ex-dividend date is just around the corner, 8 March.

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler does not own shares in Super Retail Group Ltd.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

What it does: Charter Hall Long WALE REIT is just that – a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on properties with long-weighted average lease expiries (WALE). As of the end of the first half, the REIT boasted 99.9% occupancy and an average WALE of nearly 12 years.

By Brooke Cooper: The Charter Hall Long WALE REIT share price has struggled lately, falling nearly 12% over the last 12 months, alongside the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) real estate sector.

But soaring inflation and rising interest rates weighing on the sector don't pose such a threat to this REIT.

Its tenants undergo annual rent increases, with half linked to CPI and the other half fixed at average increases of 3.1%.

And it's also tipped to grow its dividends. Citi forecasts the REIT to pay 28 cents per share this financial year. At that rate, Charter Hall Long WALE could boast a 6.2% dividend yield at its current share price.

Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper does not own units in the Charter Hall Long WALE REIT.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd

What it does: Pilbara Minerals' primary focus is its 100%-owned Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project, located in Western Australia. The project is the world's largest independent hard-rock lithium operation.

By Bernd Struben: Pilbara Minerals is capitalising on the massive growth in electric vehicles (EVs) and grid storage batteries, which is likely to see global lithium demand continue to increase.

Last week, the company reported a 989% year-on-year increase in half-year net profit after tax (NPAT). Management also declared Pilbara's inaugural dividend of 11 cents per share (cps), fully franked.

CEO Dale Henderson called it "a huge milestone". He said with "massive growth steps in the months and years ahead, this is just the beginning".

Indeed, analysts at Goldman Sachs forecast Pilbara will pay a final dividend of around 20 cps, bringing the full-year payout to 31 cps. That equates to a 7.7% yield at the current share price.

Pilbara Minerals shares have gained 45% in 12 months.

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben does not own shares in Pilbara Minerals Ltd.

Coles Group Ltd

What it does: Coles Group is an ASX dividend share that needs little introduction. It is Australia's second-largest grocer and also has a significant presence in the takeaway alcohol market.

By Sebastian Bowen: This ASX 200 dividend heavyweight's income chops seem to go from strength to strength. Just last month, Coles delivered its latest earnings report.

Aside from announcing healthy rises in revenue and profits, Coles also increased its interim dividend yet again by 9.1% to 36 cents per share, fully franked.

This continues the pleasing pattern we have seen from this blue-chip share, which has ratcheted up its dividend every six months since floating on the ASX in its own right.

With inflation and interest rates still on the boil, I think Coles is a great place to look for dividend income this March.

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen does not own shares in Coles Group Ltd.

Woolworths Group Ltd

What it does: Woolworths is Australia's biggest supermarket retailer and also owns Big W.

By Bronwyn Allen: I like the defensive nature of this ASX dividend share. Woolworths is a mature, long-established business that will, arguably, continue to pay dividends no matter what the economy is doing.

In fact, in tough economic times, it may just pay you more. Case in point: This year's Woolworths interim dividend of 46 cents per share fully franked is almost 20% higher than last year's, thanks to strong 1H FY23 earnings.

In a clear demonstration that ASX consumer staples companies can tolerate inflationary impacts better than most, Woolworths raised its food prices by 7.7% in Q2 FY23, which is almost exactly in line with Australia's annual inflation rate of 7.8%.

The supermarket giant booked a 14% increase in net profit after tax (NPAT) to $907 million over 1H FY23, with the value of sales up 4%.

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen does not own shares in Woolworths Group Ltd.

Westpac Banking Corp

What it does: Westpac is one of Australia's largest banks. It operates under several brands, including St George, Bank of Melbourne, Bank SA, and of course, Westpac.

By James Mickleboro: If you don't already have exposure to the banking sector, then I think Australia's oldest bank could be a great option for income investors in March. That's because I believe it has the strongest earnings outlook relative to the rest of the big four.

This is due to the combination of rising interest rates and the bank's bold cost-reduction plans. The latter sees Westpac aiming to reduce its cost base to $8.6 billion by FY 2024, compared to $13.3 billion in FY 2021.

Goldman Sachs is expecting Westpac to pay fully-franked dividends of $1.47 per share in FY 2023 and then $1.56 per share in FY 2024. Based on the Westpac share price of $21.64 as at Thursday's close, this will mean generous yields of 6.8% and 7.2%, respectively.

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares in Westpac Banking Corp.

The post Top ASX dividend shares to buy in March 2023 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here's why they are dropping:

Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN)

The Brainchip share price is down 3% to 51.5 cents. Investors have continued to sell this semiconductor company's shares after it reported just US$250k of revenue during the second half of FY 2022. Brainchip remains one of the most shorted shares on the Australian share market. It appears that the smart money believes this the company is all hype and no substance.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The Coles share price is down over 3% to $17.40. The catalyst for this has been the supermarket giant's shares trading ex-dividend this morning for its upcoming interim dividend. Eligible shareholders can now look forward to receiving this fully franked 36 cents per share dividend at the end of the month on 30 March.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

The Karoon Energy share price is down 5% to $2.12. This has been driven by news that the energy producer has been hit with a new tax in Brazil. It revealed that the Brazilian government is putting a 9.2% tax on oil exports for the next four months. Karoon Energy estimates that it will result in a potential payment of US$22 million to US$35 million.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

The Pilbara Minerals share price is down 4% to $4.04. As with Coles, this has been caused by the lithium miner's shares going ex-dividend. Last month, Pilbara Minerals declared its maiden 11 cents per share fully franked interim dividend. This will be paid to eligible shareholders later this month on 24 March.

The post Why Brainchip, Coles, Karoon Energy, and Pilbara Minerals shares are tumbling appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the supermarket giant's shares are down 3% to $17.46.

What's going on with the Coles share price?

The good news for investors is that the Coles share price decline today isn't due to a bad update or a broker downgrade.

Rather, it is due to the company's shares trading ex-dividend this morning for its upcoming interim dividend.

When a share trades ex-dividend, it means the rights to the impending dividend payment remain with the seller and don't transfer to the buyer.

As a result, a share price will often drop in line with the dividend to reflect this. After all, you wouldn't want to pay for something you won't receive.

The Coles dividend

Last month, Coles released its half-year results for FY 2023 and reported a 3.9% increase in sales from continuing operations to $20.8 billion.

And thanks to significant margin expansion from Smarter Selling benefits and lower COVID costs, the company delivered a 17.1% jump in net profit after tax to $643 million.

This ultimately allowed the Coles board to declare a fully franked interim dividend of 36 cents per share, which was an increase of 9.1% over the prior corresponding period.

Coles shares have now gone ex-dividend for this today and eligible shareholders can look forward to receiving it in their bank accounts later this month on 30 March.

What's next?

Looking ahead, the team at Morgans is expecting a 30 cents per share fully franked final dividend in August, bringing its full-year dividend to a total of 66 cents per share.

After which, the broker is expecting the supermarket operator to maintain its dividend at this level in FY 2024.

The post Why is the Coles share price sinking today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Thursday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to fall again

The Australian share market is expected to fall gain on Thursday following a poor night of trade on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 6 points or 0.1% lower this morning. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is down 0.2%, the S&P 500 has fallen 0.6% and the NASDAQ is down 0.8%.

Nickel Industries shares named as a buy

The Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC) share price could have major upside potential according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning the broker has retained its buy rating with a slightly improved price target of $1.87. Bell Potter commented: "Its aggressive growth outlook and undemanding valuation metrics make it one of our top picks."

Oil prices rise again

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a decent session after oil prices rose again on Wednesday night. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.7% to US$77.61 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 0.9% to US$84.18 a barrel. Traders have been bidding oil higher over the last couple of days thanks to strong economic data out of China.

Shares going ex-dividend

A number of ASX 200 shares are going ex-dividend on Thursday and could drop into the red. This includes supermarket giant Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), private health insurers Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL) and NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF), and lithium miner Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS).

Gold price climbs

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) could have a good session after the gold price rose overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.5% to US$1,845.5 an ounce. The precious metal rose after the US dollar softened in response to China's strong economic data.

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

Well, the shortest month of the year has just wrapped up, and the changing of the guard, so to speak, gives us investors a good chance to reflect upon the month that was. So today, let's examine the Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price. 

February ended up being a fairly rough month for ASX 200 shares and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). Between the end of January and yesterday's market close, the ASX 200 lost 2.9% of its value, falling from 7,476.7 points down to 7,258.4 points. 

But let's talk about the Coles share price. So it was an entirely different story when it came to Coles shares over February. The ASX 200 supermarket blue chip started last month at $17.76 a share.

But by the end of yesterday's trading session, Coles was going for $18.18 a share. That means that the Coles share price rose by 2.36% over February. That's more than a 5% beat of the broader market.

So what went so right for Coles shares last month?

Up, up: Why did the Coles share price dunk the ASX 200 in February?

Well, investors can thank the well-received earnings report that Coles delivered back on 21 February for one.

As we covered at the time, these earnings, covering the six months to 31 December 2022, contained almost no bad news for investors.

Total sales revenue from continuing operations was up 3.9% to $20.8 billion. Net profit after tax (NPAT) rose by 17.1% to $643 million, while basic earnings per share (EPS) lifted by a healthy 17.2% to 48.3 cents per share.

All of this allowed Coles to jack up its interim dividend again to 36 cents per share, fully franked. That's a 9.1% rise over 2022's interim dividend. Coles has continued its pattern of increasing both its interim dividend and final dividend in every earnings report since it first floated in 2018.

So it seems that these earnings contributed to the company's impressive share price performance over February.

But Coles shares have been firing on all cylinders for most of the year. As of yesterday's close, the company is up a pleasing 10.45% in 2022 thus far:

But it's also possible investors just see Coles as a strong, sturdy investment in these times of high inflation, rising interest rates and an uncertain economic future.

Coles is viewed by many investors as a very defensive place to park cash. Its business of providing food, drinks, household goods and other life essentials is highly inelastic and it is well placed to weather most economic conditions, as the pandemic proved in 2020 and 2021.

Thus, we can't discount this kind of goodwill from investors either.

So no doubt Coles investors would be chuffed with the month their company has just enjoyed. Let's now see how the Coles share price fares in March.

The post Why did the Coles share price smash the ASX 200 in February? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Coles has been paying dividends for investors each year since it listed. It recently revealed its biggest-ever dividend payment to shareholders.

But, if investors aren't quick they'll miss out.

Coles dividend entitlement

The ex-dividend date for the Coles dividend is 2 March 2023. That means that buying shares on that date won't come with the dividend entitlement. Therefore, 1 March 2023 is the last day to invest – that's today.

If investors do own shares by the end of today's trading, they'll be entitled to the interim dividend of 36 cents per share. This payment represented a dividend increase of 9.1%.

This dividend is going to be fully franked, giving the investor the full tax benefit of franking credits.

In the Coles half-year result, it announced that the continuing earnings per share (EPS) had increased by 11.6% to 46.3 cents. This means that the profit grew quicker than the dividend, leading to a small decrease in the dividend payout ratio – Coles can re-invest more of its profit back into the business.

How was profit growth achieved?

Coles said that its continuing sales revenue increased by 3.9% to $20.8 billion. Some of this increase was driven by inflation, with Coles supermarkets seeing inflation of 7.4% for the half.

The reason there is a 'continuing operations' clarification is that Coles is selling the Coles Express business to Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA).

Coles has been working on reducing its costs with its 'smarter selling' strategy. This has helped improve margins over the past 12 months.

Outlook

The Coles share price may have received a boost from the trading update for the first few weeks of the second half of FY23.

It said that Coles supermarket sales had returned to "modestly positive" volume growth from mid-January, while the liquor earnings are expected to return to growth in the second half as cycling against COVID-19 periods ends.

Coles also said that the smarter selling program will "continue to help partially offset inflationary cost pressures, headwinds in mark downs and stock loss, as a result of increasing theft." It's also working on large, automated warehouses to improve efficiencies in its supply chain.

Coles share price snapshot

Since the start of 2023, Coles shares have gone up by around 10%.

The post Hoping to pocket the biggest-ever Coles dividend? Here's what you need to do appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

According to a note out of Citi, its analysts have retained their buy rating on this supermarket giant's shares with an improved price target of $20.20. Citi was impressed with Coles' first-half result, noting that it came in comfortably ahead of its expectations. Looking ahead, the broker believes shopping trends are favourable for Coles. It also feels the market is being too negative on the Ocado partnership. The Coles share price ended the week at $18.08.

IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

A note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating on this language testing and student placement company's shares with a trimmed price target of $35.70. Although IDP's half-year earnings were a touch below expectations, Goldman was impressed with its revenue growth and operating leverage. The broker expects this trend to continue and is forecasting double-digit revenue growth and further margin expansion through to at least FY 2025. The IDP share price was fetching $29.11 at Friday's close.

Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN)

Analysts at Morgans have retained their add rating on this airline operator's shares with a slightly reduced price target of $8.35. This follows the release of a strong half-year result which revealed earnings at the top end of its guidance range. Morgans was perplexed by the market's poor reaction to the result, particularly given the prospect of strong travel demand continuing well into FY 2024. In light of this, it believes a buying opportunity has arrived for investors. The Qantas share price ended the week at $6.16.

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

Many ASX 200 shares like to pay out their dividends fairly soon after reporting their most recent numbers. But before a company can pay out a dividend, it must first choose an ex-dividend date, cutting off new investors from receiving the said dividend.

Loads of ASX 200 shares have already traded ex-dividend for their latest dividend payments. But there are quite a few that are scheduled for next week.

So let's discuss seven such shares that are about to cut investors off from their latest shareholder payments and trade ex-dividend for their next dividend.

7 ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend next week

Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)

ASX 200 iron ore miner Fortescue is first up. Fortescue shares will go ex-dividend on Monday, 27 February, for the upcoming interim dividend. Investors will receive a reduced 75 cents per share, fully franked dividend payment on 29 March next month.

Santos Ltd (ASX :STO)

ASX 200 energy share Santos is next up. Santos will cut investors off from eligibility for its next interim dividend on Monday as well. Investors will then receive the 21.9 cents per share fully franked dividend on 29 March as well.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Telstra delighted its investors with a dividend hike earlier this month. Investors will be bagging an 8.5 cents per share dividend, fully franked of course, on 31 March. But Telstra is going ex-dividend for this payment on Wednesday 1 March.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)

Next up is ASX 200 blue chip Woolworths. Woolies was another share that gave investors a dividend pay rise this earnings season. Shareholders can circle 13 April as payday for Woolworths' interim dividend of 46 cents per share, fully franked.

But investors will need to own the company's shares before the ex-dividend date of 2 March if they wish to receive it.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

Not to be outdone by its arch-rival, Coles is also trading ex-div next week. Coles upped its own interim dividend as well this earnings season.

Coles owners will receive their payout a bit earlier than Woolies too, with 30 March as the date set for dividend payment of Coles' 36 cents per share, fully franked dividend. But the companies are sharing 2 March as their ex-dividend date.

AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP)

Much to the delight of investors, AMP is returning to paying dividends in 2023 after a four-year drought. 1 March is the ex-dividend date for AMP's next dividend payment.

Investors will then have to wait until 3 April to bag the 2.5 cents per share payment. This dividend will be only partially franked at 20%.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

Finally, let's talk about Treasury Wine. Treasury will give investors its next payment on 4 April – a fully franked interim dividend of 18 cents per share. But new shareholders will be cut off from this dividend when the company goes ex-dividend on 3 March.

Foolish takeaway

These aren't the only major ASX 200 shares going ex-div next week though.

Watch out for Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN), Amcor plc (ASX: AMC), Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP), Ampol Limited (ASX: ALD), Platinum Asset Management Ltd (ASX: PTM), Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) and NIB Holdings Ltd (ASX: NHF) as well.

The post 7 ASX 200 shares with ex-dividend dates next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) share price has been on quite a pleasing run of late. In 2023 so far, Wesfarmers shares have risen by a healthy 7.4%. Over the past 12 months, the gains have been more muted, with Wesfarmers rising by just 2.3%.

But since the company reached its most recent 52-week low of just over $40 in June last year, Wesfarmers shares have appreciated by a significant 22%.

Long-term investors have done especially well out of Wesfarmers shares. Over the past five years, the Wesfarmers share price has risen by more than 65%. And since Wesfarmers' spin-off of Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) in November 2018, the company is up by around 55%:

Back in 2018, Wesfarmers announced that Coles would be flying the nest and listing on the ASX 200 in its own right. At the time, Wesfarmers investors received one share of Coles for every share of Wesfarmers share they owned.

This has proven to be a lucrative move for investors. Not only have Wesfarmers shares shot up in value since Coles left the building, but the Coles share price has also rocketed by more than 40% since the spin-off too:

That means investors who held on to both their Coles and Wesfarmers shares since then have done exceptionally well.

Not only have they enjoyed bumper capital gains on both companies, but Wesfarmers and Coles have also both upped their dividends substantially since the divorce.

At the time of the Coles spin-off, Wesfarmers actually retained around 15% of the company, listing the other 85% on the ASX. But over the last few years, Wesfarmers has pared back this stake.

Today, the company only retains a fraction of this original 15%, holding a stake that is worth roughly 2.8% of the entire market capitalisation of Coles.

Is Wesfarmers about to firesale its last Coles shares?

So could Wesfarmers offload this remaining stake in Coles and give its balance sheet a cash injection? Some investors might want the company to go down this path. Wesfarmers could use the funds for a new acquisition, or else bankroll a special dividend or share buyback program, after all.

Well, it's certainly a possibility. But one that won't be happening anytime soon, if new reporting is to be believed.

According to a report in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) this week, investment bankers regard the sale of this last remaining Coles stake as a done deal. It's just a matter of "when, not if, [the] former parent Wesfarmers will exit the supermarkets giant" completely, they say.

According to the report:

A couple of brokers were sniffing around the stake on Tuesday night, post Coles' interim result, to no avail. They reckon Wesfarmers doesn't need the cash, and is happy to sit and collect its Coles dividends until it finds a use of sale proceeds.

So it doesn't look like Wesfarmers is ready to part with its Coles shares just yet. But watch this space because there are apparently quite a few experts who think it's a done deal. Just not yet.

The post Is Wesfarmers looking to sell off its remaining Coles shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The ears of those invested in S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) supermarket shares may have pricked this morning as giants Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) and Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) revealed their plan to cooperate on a multi-million-dollar recycling blitz.

The pair have made a public offer to take on stockpiles of soft plastic waste left in limbo after the collapse of REDcycle.

The recycling outfit's soft plastics recycling scheme, employed by both supermarkets and over 270 consumer brands, was suspended in November. It came after REDcycle was revealed to have stockpiled thousands of tonnes of the material due to insufficient processing capacity.

The Woolworths share price is $37.05 right now, 0.3% higher than its previous close. Meanwhile, that of Coles is lifting 0.28%, trading at $17.95. For comparison, the ASX 200 is up 0.04% at the time of writing.

Woolworths and Coles team up on recycling offer

If you own shares in Woolworths or Coles (or both) you might be interested to learn of their pact to take responsibility for stockpiles of recyclable material that might otherwise end up in a landfill.

They intend to implement a strategy to safely store the mountain of soft plastics until they can be processed.

Woolworths and Coles have each vowed to make a multi-million-dollar contribution towards the effort. They will also welcome contributions from other outfits previously involved with REDcycle.

Coles chief operations and sustainability officer Matt Swindells said the supermarkets have paid a combined $20 million to REDcycle over the last decade and are "deeply disappointed by the unrecycled stockpiles".

REDcycle is yet to accept nor deny the offer. Its cooperation is needed to access the stockpiled material. The outfit's founder and CEO Liz Kasell commented:

REDcycle is and will always be dedicated to seeing recovered soft plastics successfully recycled, and we welcome the supportive and collaborative approach by the Coles and Woolworths.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Victoria previously fined REDcycles' operator after it failed to disclose the locations and amount of soft plastic piled in the state. The agency had uncovered 14 warehouses as of 3 February.

Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci said Australians were "let down" by REDcycles' failure to recycle soft plastics, continuing:

We hope REDcycle will allow us to help get the best outcome for the environment, and restore community trust in our recycling systems.

The offer doesn't extend to taking on any of REDcycle's liabilities or acquiring the business.

Soft Plastics Taskforce to hand down roadmap

News of the supermarket operators' offer comes ahead of the release of a roadmap prepared by the Soft Plastics Taskforce.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission authorised the task force shortly after the suspension of REDcycle's program. Woolworths, Coles, and Aldi were able to engage in meetings as the task force considered a solution for soft plastics recycling.

Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek commented on the release from Woolworths and Coles, saying:

This is the kind of positive action and leadership I hoped to see from the supermarkets when I brought them together through the Soft Plastics Taskforce.

The Soft Plastics Taskforce is due to release a public roadmap next week that will provide information about the steps to reinstate collection systems around the country.

The post Own Woolworths shares? Supermarket giant moves to team up with Coles on recycling blitz appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Not only does a dividend give an insight into the financial health of a company, but investors just like to see that passive income in their hands.

Some ASX 200 shares have given investors a dividend pay cut this season, such as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL). But let's discuss four ASX 200 shares that have gone the other way and ramped up their dividend payments for investors.

4 ASX 200 dividend shares upping their payouts in 2023

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)

ASX 200 blue chip Woolworths is first up. Woolies delighted its investors with its latest dividend announcement on Wednesday. The grocery giant will be forking out a fully-franked 46 cents per share in April.

That's a good 17.9% higher than the interim dividend of 39 cents that investors received last year. But it comes in at the same level as Woolies' interim dividend from 2021. At yesterday's close, Woolworths stores now have a dividend yield of 2.49%.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

And that brings us to Woolworths' arch-rival Coles. Coles also upped its dividend game this earnings season. The supermarket operator announced its own earnings on Tuesday this week, and these also included a dividend boost for investors.

Coles paid out an interim dividend of 33 cents per share in 2022, but announced a hike of its own this week, with investors now in line to bag a fully-franked 36 cents per share interim dividend in 2023. That's the largest dividend Coles has paid out since listing on the ASX in 2018.

That's a 9.1% boost though, which isn't quite as large of an increase as Woolies managed. Coles now trades on a dividend yield of 3.69%.

Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC)

Another ASX 200 share giving investors a pay rise this earnings cycle is the healthcare heavyweight Ramsay. This company used to have one of the best dividend streaks on the ASX, raising its payouts every single year between 2000 and 2019. Alas, the pandemic sadly brought this to an end in 2020.

But Ramsay seems to be getting back on that horse, and just yesterday announced a fully-franked interim dividend of 50 cents per share for 2023. That's a 3% increase over 2022's corresponding dividend of 48.5 cents per share. Ramsay shares are yielding 1.43% right now.

Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)

Our final ASX 200 share worth checking out today is another healthcare share in Medibank Private. Medibank was another ASX stock that reported yesterday. In these earnings, the insurer revealed an interim dividend of 6.3 cents per share, fully franked.

That's a rise of 3.28% over 2022's interim dividend of 6.1 cents per share. Medibank is another ASX 200 share that is building up a solid dividend streak. It paid out 12 cents per share in total in 2020, 12.7 cents per share in 2021 and 13.4 cents in 2022.

With this latest dividend, it is on track to raise its annual total in 2023 as well. Medbank shares have a dividend yield of 4.09% today.

The post Passive income watch: 4 ASX 200 shares that announced boosted dividends this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Choosing your first ASX stock to invest in can be a big deal. Whilst hopefully it will represent the start of a long and prosperous journey of building wealth, we also have to consider that choosing a share that ends up faring poorly can have disastrous consequences for beginner investors' morale.

As such, I think an investor's first stock is an important choice and one with a big impact on how said investor can move forward with the share market.

So here's why I think a perfect candidate for a beginner investor's first $500 investment is Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL).

Why I'd choose ASX 200 blue chip Coles for a first ASX stock

There are two reasons why I would go with Coles as a starter ASX stock.

The first is Coles' position in its industry. Here we have a strong, mature and dominant company that is the established duopolistic player in the Australian supermarket and grocery space.

To start with, supermarkets are a consumer staples industry that is highly resistant to recessions, inflation and other economic shocks. We all have to eat, after all.

As such, Coles' position in this industry makes it a very resilient business that will be making profits, regardless of the economic weather. No ASX share is 'safe'. But there's very little chance this company will ever go broke, in my opinion. I think these are important traits for an ASX investor's first share to have.

The second is Coles' dividend chops. Coles shares have only been on the ASX in their own right since 2018:

But in the years since its ASX debut, it has been steadily building up its fully-franked dividends. In 2019, investors received a total of 35.5 cents per share in dividend income.

This rose to 57.5 cents per share in 2020, 61 cents per share in 2021 and 63 cents per share in 2022. Coles' first dividend of 2023 is set to be an increase over 2022's corresponding payment as well. Today, Coels has a dividend yield of around 3.7%, which grosses up to a high-yielding 5.29% with the value of those franking credits. 

So all in all, I think these two reasons make Coles an ideal candidate for a first ASX share to buy with $500. It's a strong and stable company with a high dividend yield. What better way to begin an ASX share portfolio?

The post I'd invest my first $500 in this high-dividend-yield ASX stock today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Both have been named as buys by analysts at Morgans this week and have been tipped to provide very attractive yields. Here's what you need to know about these dividend shares:

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The first ASX dividend share that Morgans thinks is a buy is supermarket giant Coles.

its analysts were pleased with the company's half-year results and particularly the stronger than expected performance from its supermarkets segment.

In light of this positive form and its defensive qualities, the broker believes Coles is a great option right now. It commented:

Trading on 22.5x FY24F PE and 3.6% yield, we continue to see COL as offering good value with the company's healthy balance sheet and defensive characteristics putting it in a good position to navigate through a weaker economic environment. In our view, the unwinding of local shopping trends should continue to be a tailwind and further trading down from consumers will also be positive given COL's strong Own Brand offering.

As for dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 66 cents in both FY 2023 and FY 2024. This represents yields of 3.6% for both years.

Morgans has an add rating and $19.60 price target on its shares.

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN)

Another ASX dividend share that has been named as a buy is HomeCo Daily Needs.

It is a property investment company that offers investors exposure to a portfolio of daily needs assets. These include convenience-based assets across neighbourhood retail, large format retail, and health and services.

Morgans is very positive on the company due to the resilience of its cashflows and its huge development pipeline. Earlier this week, the broker commented:

HDN's portfolio remains well positioned with resilient cashflows and continues to be a beneficiary of accelerating click & collect trends. +80% of tenants are national and 73% of tenants offer click & collect reinforcing the importance of assets being able to support 'last mile logistics'. Sites are also in strategic locations with strong population growth (79% metro). HDN offers investors an attractive yield of +6% underpinned by contracted rental income and has a large development pipeline.

In respect to dividends, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 8.3 cents in FY 2023 and 8.4 cents in FY 2024. Based on the current HomeCo Daily Needs share price of $1.26, this will mean dividend yields of 6.6% and 6.7%, respectively.

Morgans has an add rating and $1.50 price target on HomeCo Daily Needs' shares.

The post These excellent ASX dividend shares are buys: Morgans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

There is much macroeconomic and geopolitical manoeuvring that's distracting investors of ASX shares.

But one mustn't forget the current reporting season has been revealing crucial information about the businesses themselves.

Lucky for us, experts like Morgans analyst Andrew Tang have been keeping tabs on all the company reports.

In his regular "call to action" blog post, he picked out five ASX shares this week that are the best buys on the back of their February updates:

'Industry leading' with growth runway intact

Investment platform provider Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB) reported "above expectations", with underlying earnings and net profit both up.

"Hub24 looks to be delivering 'cleaner' financials," Tang wrote on the Morgans blog.

"The product offering is industry leading — along with Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL) — and the runway to secure more clients looks intact."

Average funds under management and platform revenue also grew significantly.

The only bone to pick with Hub24 shares is that they have already risen 16.8% over the past year and a phenomenal 326% since the COVID-19 market crash.

They're still an add for Tang's team though.

"Whilst upside to our valuation is reasonably low, the potential for larger 'transitions' wins is a realistic catalyst within CY23."

Industry halves but this player is standing strong

Monash IVF Group Ltd (ASX: MVF) is going from strength to strength, according to Tang.

"Despite industry volumes declining in the half, Monash IVF continues to gain market share in its key markets through both organic growth and through acquisitions."

The February report was solid, with net profit after tax (NPAT) of $12.6 million coming in marginally higher than guidance.

"A strong increase in new patient registrations for the 2Q gives us confidence in the pipeline for 2H23," said Tang.

"Management has upgraded underlying NPAT guidance to 15% growth to A$25.5m for FY23 (up from guidance provided at its AGM of 10%+ growth)."

The Monash share price is flat from a year ago.

Potential clouds coming, but this one's still a buy

Tang called online jobs classifieds Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK)'s update "broadly a positive result".

However, forward guidance was biased towards the lower end of expectations with a slowing economy dampening job ad growth in Australia and New Zealand.

Morgans has subsequently downgraded its earning forecast, but the stock remains a buy.

"We adjust our FY23F to FY25F EPS by -5% to +1% factoring in the revised guidance, lower topline estimates across our forecast period on additional conservatism and improved EBITDA margins in SEEK Asia."

The Seek share price is down 9.75% over the past 12 months.

'Potential short-term catalyst' coming for these dealers

Car dealership network Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR) enjoyed a surge in vehicle sales at the height of the pandemic.

Despite that fervour subsiding over the past year, its share price has managed to rise 4.4%.

Tang is buying the stock after a result that was "broadly in-line".

"Peter Warren is trading on ~11x our assumed more 'normalised' conditions (FY24/25)," he said.

"Industry consolidation will continue — we expect PWR to be a participant which adds to structural earnings capacity."

He added that the onboarding of Toyota Motor Corp (TYO: 7203) to its network would be "a potential short-term catalyst".

Excellent result and new CEO

Supermarket giant Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) hogged the limelight in the financial media earlier this week with excellent results and the transition to a new chief executive.

According to Tang, Coles is expecting consumer habits to change in 2023.

"Management said supermarkets volume growth returned to modestly positive from mid-January and is expecting more customers to be value conscious as cost-of-living pressures increase."

The company's booming supermarkets arm is somewhat cancelled out by reduced earnings in its liquor division.

Coles is also selling off its petrol station network to Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA), which will impact short-term earnings.

The Coles share price is up 5.4% over the past 12 months while paying out a 3.5% dividend yield.

Tang's team is maintaining its add rating.

The post Wake up! Buy 5 ASX shares that are reporting season gems: Morgans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE)

According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have retained their outperform rating on this lithium miner's shares with a trimmed price target of $19.00. While the broker was disappointed that Allkem has downgraded its Mt Cattlin production guidance, it expects the Sal de Vida and Olaroz operations to be supportive of its medium term production growth. The Allkem share price is trading at $11.45 on Wednesday.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

A note out of Citi reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating on this supermarket giant's shares with an improved price target of $20.20. This follows the release of a first-half result that came in comfortably ahead of Citi's expectations. Looking ahead, the broker believes shopping trends are favourable for Coles and feels the market is being too negative on the Ocado partnership. The Coles share price is fetching $18.18 this afternoon.

Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

Analysts at Morgans have retained their add rating on this investment platform provider's shares with an improved price target of $31.90. Morgans notes that Hub24's first-half underlying EBITDA came in well ahead of its forecasts thanks to higher earnings on pooled cash. The broker remains confident on the future, particularly given the potential for larger transition wins and the runway to secure more clients being intact. The Hub24 share price is trading at $28.83 today.

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