Despite the buoyant stock market so far in 2023, it's confusing to investors to know which ASX shares to pick up right now.

That's because much uncertainty still abounds. 

Regardless of the opinions you hear, no one truly knows how the economy, inflation, interest rates, geopolitics, and earnings will turn out this year.

In this environment, it might help to see where professional investors have their money parked.

The Firetrail Small Companies Fund this week revealed three S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares that it's "overweight" in, and the rationale behind the investments:

Outlook remains strong for this hammered stock

The Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL) share price has started the year poorly, dropping more than 6% so far.

Firetrail analysts put this down to the "falling European gas price and rising Australian dollar". 

"An unusually warm European winter resulted in lower gas demand than expected," read their memo to clients.

"With the price of ammonia largely driven by the cost of marginal European production, the warm winter has been negative for global fertiliser companies."

But the team is happy to buy up Incitec shares while they're cheap, as "energy-exposed" businesses are a favoured theme at the moment.

"We view these [headwinds] as temporary. The medium-term outlook for Incitec Pivot's fertiliser business remains strong."

Demand for EV materials will continue

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) shares have risen more than 6% to kick off 2023, although they're still 12% down from a year ago.

The post-COVID reopening of the Chinese economy plus a positive performance update helped.

Businesses that produce materials that go towards electric vehicles are winners for the Firetrail team. As such, it will stick with its Lynas shares. 

"December quarter production of Lynas' main rare earth product NdPr [neodymium and praseodymium] improved 44% on the September quarter, as water outages in Malaysia were successfully rectified."

US housing downturn not as bad as first thought

Another theme Firetrail analysts currently like is "globally exposed cyclicals".

This rationale is behind its backing of plumbing equipment supplier Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC).

The stock has rocketed 17.5% up so far this year.

"Reliance Worldwide outperformed in January. US market sentiment improved following [US] Fed chair Jerome Powell's less hawkish comments at the January FOMC meeting."

The great tailwind for Reliance is that the duration and severity of a housing downturn in the US could be "less pronounced than expected". 

"Reliance Worldwide has 20% of revenue linked to new housing construction, and 80% linked to repair & replace (R&R) activity."

The post 3 ASX 200 shares Firetrail Small Companies fund is overweight in right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three that investors have responded positively to are summarised below. Here's what they reported:

Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG)

The Domain share price is up 2% to $3.12 after the release of the ASX 200 property listings company's half year results. While Domain reported a solid 6.5% increase in revenue to $186.6 million, its expenses grew by a massive 20% and weighed heavily on its margins. This led to the company reporting a 38.9% decline in net profit to $15.9 million. Goldman Sachs notes that Domain's revenue was 2% higher than its estimates but its profits fell 15% short.

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL)

The Incitec Pivot share price is up 1% to $3.54. This morning, this agricultural chemicals company released an upbeat annual general meeting update. Management revealed that FY 2023 "promises to be another strong year for IPL." Overall, its business is performing materially in line with the outlook provided in November.

IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH)

The IPH share price is up 3% to $8.64. This ASX 200 intellectual property services company reported a 19% increase in half year revenue to $226.9 million and a 16% lift in net profit after tax to $28.5 million. This allowed IPH to increase its interim dividend by 7% to 15.5 cents per share. Management advised that this result was driven by organic growth in Asia and the acquisition of Smart & Biggar. Favourable currency movements also gave its earnings a boost.

The post 3 ASX 200 stocks marching higher following earnings updates appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

After coming tantalisingly close to its all-time high on Friday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) likely disappointed many market watchers by starting the week in the red. The index fell 0.25% today to close at 7,539 points.

Its biggest weight? The S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE).

The sector fell 1.95% on the eve of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA's) February meeting where it's expected to hike rates once more following last month's unexpectedly stubborn inflation data.

Interestingly, however, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) was today's best-performing sector, rising 0.9% despite lower oil prices.

The price of Brent crude dropped 2.7% on Friday to close the week 7.8% lower at US$79.94 a barrel, while US Nymex crude oil fell 3.3% on Friday, marking a 7.9% week-on-week fall that saw it end at US$73.39 a barrel.

But it wasn't an energy stock that topped the lot today. Let's take a look at the 10 ASX 200 shares posting the biggest gains on Monday.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Starting the week out on the best foot was gold mining giant Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM).

Its share price soared 9% to close at $24.53 amid a takeover offer from world leader Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM).

These shares made today's biggest gains:

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.

Unfortunately, not all ASX 200 shares were able to follow the market's lead. Here's why these shares were smashed last month:

Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN)

The Brainchip share price was the worst performer on the ASX 200 index by some distance with a 15.5% decline. Investors were selling this semiconductor company's shares after it raised capital and released yet another poor quarterly update. Investors finally appear to be questioning whether the meme stock is deserving of a $1.1 billion market capitalisation given its performance and the incredible competition it faces.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

The Whitehaven Coal share price was out of form and dropped 10.8% last month. Easing thermal coal prices appear to be the reason for the weakness in this coal miner's shares in January. This offset the release of a solid quarterly production update. Longer term shareholders won't be too disappointed, though. The Whitehaven Coal share price is still up 200% since this time last year despite this decline.

Computershare Limited (ASX: CPU)

The Computershare share price wasn't far behind with a 9.4% decline in January. This was despite there being no news out of the administration services company during the month. However, it is worth noting that easing inflation led to the market revising its interest rate expectations lower. Computershare looks set to benefit greatly from higher rates.

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL)

The Incitec Pivot share price had a disappointing month and dropped 8.5% over the period. While there were no announcements out of Incitec Pivot in January, softening ammonia prices may have been the reason for the weakness in the industrial chemicals company's shares.

The post These ASX 200 shares were smashed in January appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) broke a four-session winning streak on Tuesday, falling 0.28% to close at 7,131 points.

Most of the ASX 200's 11 sectors closed lower today, with only the S&P/ASX 200 Communications Index (ASX: XTJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) posting notable gains. They each rose around 0.2%.

The latter may have been bolstered by new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, finding Aussie households' discretionary spending was 6.3% higher in November 2022 than in the same month of 2021.

Spending on consumer staples also lifted 17.1%, while spending on goods and services lifted 1.2% and 24% respectively.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XJO) fell 0.3% today despite oil prices rising around 1.3% overnight.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) also fell 0.5%, weighed down by lithium and gold shares.

Still, there were plenty of gains on the ASX 200 on Tuesday. Let's look at the top 10.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top-performing ASX 200 share was Boral Limited (ASX: BLD).

It posted a 2.6% gain despite no news having been released by the building products and construction materials provider.

These shares made today's biggest gains:

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.

The new year has dawned and with it has come new opportunities. What better time is there to revisit your investing goals? There are thousands of reasons to invest, but the major intensive is to build passive income.

Perhaps kicking back over the holiday period reminded you how much you enjoy living life and relaxing without having to worry about pay slips, meetings, or emails.

Fortunately, I have a $5 a day plan to build a secondary income in 2023. Here's how I might aim to put my money to work this year.

How I'd aim to turn $5 a day into a passive income this year

$5 a day might not sound like much. Indeed, it probably won't get you a strong latte in most Aussie cities.

However, such a small amount can add up over the weeks, months, and years to come. Particularly when we consider compounding.

$5 a day adds up to around $152 a month, or $1,825 a year.

Over 10 years, investing my daily pocket change could see me boasting an $18,250 portfolio – enough to provide $861.40 of annual dividend income, considering the SPDR S&P/ASX 200 (ASX: STW)'s current 4.72% dividend yield. ­The SPDR ASX 200 Fund is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) tracking the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

However, 2022's downturn has likely left some ASX 200 shares trading for bargain prices and, thereby, boasting decent dividend yields.

Thus, I might aim to build a portfolio boasting an average dividend yield of around 7% this year and compound my payouts into the future.

Taking advantage of 2022's downturn

But first, I'd pick a diverse handful of stocks I believe offer reliable dividends, advantages over their peers, and future earnings potential.

The latter is important as dividends are derived from a company's earnings. Therefore, I'll be keeping my eye out for consistent cash flows and a strong balance sheet.

Some stocks that might be on my radar include Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL), Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO), Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL), and JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH).

The four ASX 200 shares currently offer an average dividend yield of around 7.3%.

At such levels, the figurative $1,825 portfolio I could boast at the end of this year after investing $5 a day could offer $133.20 of passive income.

But if I compounded my dividends…

However, I wouldn't take those dividends as cash. Instead, I would reinvest them into my passive income portfolio, thereby compounding my dividends.

Assuming I can continue to receive a 7.3% yield and my shares' value doesn't move, my portfolio could be worth $25,571 in 10 years thanks to the power of compounding. At that point, it would be capable of paying out $1,866 of dividend income each year.

Looking further into the future, in 20 years' time my portfolio could be worth $77,292 – which could pay out $5,642 annually at a 7.3% dividend yield.

That's certainly worth $5 a day, in my opinion.

The post My plan to turn $5 a day into a passive income in 2023 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here's a round-up of companies in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) turning ex-dividend next week.

The ex-dividend date is the cut-off to determine which investors are eligible for a company's upcoming dividend payment.

If you buy shares on or after the ex-dividend date, you won't be able to bag the upcoming payment. Instead, the dividend will remain with the seller on the other side of the transaction.

However, a company's shares typically drop on the day they turn ex-dividend as the value of the dividend payment leaves the share price.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the trio of ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend next week.

Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF)

First up, shares in fast food franchisee Collins Foods will be trading ex-dividend on Monday.

This means that today will be the last day to lock in the company's latest fully franked dividend of 12 cents per share.

Investors on Collins Foods' share registry by the closing bell today can pencil in a payment date of 29 December.

Alternatively, the ASX 200 share has a dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) available. Shareholders will have until Wednesday, 7 December to elect to participate in the DRP.

Collins Foods handed in its first-half FY23 results earlier this week, much to the dismay of the market.

The Collins Foods share price ended the day 20% lower as investors digested a set of results impacted by cost inflation.

The company delivered 15% top-line growth, with revenue coming in at $614 million. But inflation and wage increases squeezed Collins Foods' earnings margins.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) climbed by just 1% to $93.4 million. Meanwhile, net profit after tax (NPAT) slumped 58% to $11 million, weighed down by an $11.9 million non-cash impairment of eight Taco Bell restaurants.

Nonetheless, Collins Foods kept its interim dividend steady at 12 cents per share. This puts Collins Foods shares on a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 3.5%. Throwing in the benefit of franking credits dials up this yield to 4.9%. 

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL)

Like Collins Foods, Incitec Pivot is another ASX 200 share turning ex-dividend on Monday.

Today will be the last day that Incitec Pivot shares will trade with rights to the company's FY22 final dividend of 17 cents per share.

This fully franked dividend is set to land in shareholders' bank accounts on 21 December.

Last month, the explosives and fertilisers company released its full-year results. FY22 was a bumper year for Incitec Pivot, underpinned by volume growth and higher prices.

Revenue jumped by 45% to $6.3 billion, while normalised NPAT rocketed by 186% to $1.0 billion.

This tremendous growth allowed the company to more than triple its annual dividends to 27 cents, fully franked. This is on top of a $400 million on-market share buyback that will be conducted over the next 12 months.

Based on current prices, Incitec Pivot shares are spinning up an eye-catching trailing dividend yield of 6.8%. Including franking credits, this yield cranks up to 9.6%.

The company is still planning to separate its fertilisers and explosives businesses to create two separately-listed companies on the ASX.

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp Ltd (ASX: FPH)

Rounding out this trio of ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend next week is Fisher & Paykel, the dual-listed ASX healthcare share.

Fisher & Paykel shares will be turning ex-dividend on Thursday, trading without claims to the company's latest unfranked interim dividend of 17.5 NZ cents.

As part of a Kiwi tax regime, the company will also be paying a supplementary dividend of roughly 3 NZ cents per share to shareholders who aren't New Zealand residents.

Fisher & Paykel has locked in a payment date of 21 December. Alternatively, the company has reactivated its DRP for shareholders residing in New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. These shareholders will have until 12 December to opt in. Those who do will receive a 3% discount for their troubles.

Earlier this week, Fisher & Paykel posted its first-half FY23 results. These results were headlined by total operating revenue of NZ$690.6 million, which came in ahead of guidance of NZ$670 million.

Despite beating guidance, revenue was down 23% compared to the prior corresponding period as the company lapped significant COVID-driven demand. 

However, it's settled on a higher base, with revenue sitting 21% above the comparable pre-pandemic period.

Profits took an even bigger tumble but Fisher & Paykel still increased its interim dividend by 3% to 17.5 NZ cents. 

At current levels, Fisher & Paykel shares are flashing a trailing 12-month dividend yield of around 1.9%.

The post Here are 3 ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) spent a second day in the green today. The index closed 0.7% higher at 7,231.8 points – a five-month high.

Among its top performers were coal stocks, which led the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ). The sector was, in turn, among those leading the ASX 200, gaining 1.3% today amid rising oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price lifted 1% to US$88.36 a barrel and the US Nymex crude oil price gained 1.1% to trade at US$80.95 a barrel.

The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) also outperformed, lifting 1.3% on the back of a trading update from Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN).

Other winning sectors included the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ and the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ). They gained 1% and 1.6% respectively.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) weighed on the market, falling 1%.

All in all, nine of the index's 11 sectors closed Wednesday in the green. But which share outperformed all others to take today's top spot? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The top-performing stock on the index on Wednesday was tech favourite BrainChip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN). Its share price gained nearly 7% despite the company's silence.

Today's biggest gains were made by these shares:

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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) slipped on Tuesday as lithium stocks weighed on the market. The index closed 0.07% lower at 7,141.6 points.

It followed a weak session on Wall Street overnight in which the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) fell 0.6%, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) slumped 0.9%, and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) dropped 1.1%.

Today's worst-performing ASX 200 sector was the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ), recording a 1% fall. Its worst performers were, in turn, lithium shares. Many stocks involved with the battery-making material tumbled following their broadly brilliant day on Monday.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) also had a challenging day, falling 0.9% amid lower oil prices. The Brent crude oil price fell 3% to US$93.14 a barrel overnight while the US Nymex crude oil price dropped 3.5% to trade at US$85.87 a barrel.

But it wasn't all dire on the market. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) posted a 1.7% gain while the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) lifted 1.4%.

All in all, seven of the ASX 200's sectors closed higher on Tuesday. But which share came out on top? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top-performing ASX 200 stock was Imugene Limited (ASX: IMU). It posted a 7.7% gain.

Interestingly, the only word released by the biopharmaceutical company today was a non-price-sensitive investor presentation. However, it did drop news of its onCARlytics oncolytic virus yesterday.

Today's biggest gains were made by these shares:

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.

The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) fell again on Tuesday, ending the session down 0.07% to 7,345.40 points.

It wasn't bad news across the board though, with four sector indices finishing in the red and seven glowing green.

The S&P/ASX Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) was the biggest weight, falling 1.30%. The S&P/ASX Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) saw the biggest gains, up 1.68%

Let's take a look at some of the ASX All Ords that defied the drop to post big gains.

DGL Group Ltd (ASX: DGL)

The DGL Group share price closed 16.67% higher to $1.72.

The specialist chemicals company held its annual general meeting today and announced the results this afternoon.

DGL confirmed it expects to report underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) in the range of $70 million to $72 million in FY23. This will be up from $65.6 million in FY22.

The guidance seems to have gone well with investors, who pushed the DGL share price up from the open.

Among the issues voted on and passed at the meeting included re-electing DGL chairman Peter Lowe and non-executive director Robert Mckinnon.

Lark Distilling Co Ltd (ASX: LRK)

The Lark Distilling share price was another winner on Tuesday, soaring 13.95% to $2.45.

Unlike DGL Group, there was no news from the ASX All Ords share today to make sense of the surge in its share price.

The last announcement the craft spirits company made was on 4 November, appointing Satya Sharma as its CEO. Sharma will take the lead role of the company in May next year and will help lead Lark Distilling into a new phase of growth for the company, the release said. The Lark share price jumped 9% on that news.

Back in July, the business reported its Q4 results for FY22. Highlights included revenue surging 72% from the previous corresponding period to a record $6.8 million and generating a positive cash flow of $1.3 million.

Maas Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: MGH)

The Maas Group share price surged 9.73% to end the day at $2.48.

It might be surprising to see the provider of construction materials and equipment on this list because the company downgraded its earnings guidance for FY23 yesterday.

It now expects its pro forma EBITDA to be in the range of $150 million to $180 million.

That's a significant reduction from the previous guidance it issued for FY23, which came in between $180 million and $200 million.

The reasons for the downgrade were said to be heavy rainfall disrupting its operations and a shunted real estate market from the Reserve Bank of Australia hiking interest rates.

The Maas share price fell 5.44% yesterday but has bounced back strongly today.

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL)

The final ASX All Ords share to look at today is Incitec Pivot, which closed 5.88% higher to $3.96.

The jump came after the chemicals giant posted its full-year results for FY22 this morning.

Highlights from the report included its net profit after tax (NPAT), excluding individually material items (IMIs), growing 186% to $1.02 billion.

A fully franked final dividend of 17 cents per share was also announced, along with a share buyback program of $400 million that will be rolled out over the next 12 months.

The post It's not all bad news for ASX All Ords shares on Tuesday. Here are some major winners appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here's why they are pushing higher:

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

The CBA share price is up 1.5% to $106.47. This follows the release of the banking giant's first quarter update this morning. For the three months, CBA reported a 2% increase in cash earnings over the second half average to $2.5 billion. Goldman Sachs commented: "Cash profit from continuing operations in 1Q23 of c.A$2.5 bn was up 13% vs 1Q22 and run-rating c.5% ahead of what is implied by our 1H23E forecasts."

DGL Group Ltd (ASX: DGL)

The DGL share price is up 17% to $1.72. Investors have been buying this industrial chemicals company's shares following the release of its annual general meeting update. DGL confirmed that it expects to report underlying EBITDA of $70 million to $72 million in FY 2023. This will be up from $65.6 million in FY 2022.

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL)

The Incitec Pivot share price has jumped 7% to $4.00. This morning this agricultural chemicals company released its full year results and revealed a 186% increase in net profit after tax excluding individually material items to a record $1,027 million. Incitec Pivot also announced a $400 million share buyback.

Readytech Holdings Ltd (ASX: RDY)

The Readytech share price is up 2.5% to $3.98. This has been driven by an update on its potential takeover by Pacific Equity Partners. According to the release, following recent meetings and the due diligence undertaken to date, Pacific Equity Partners has reconfirmed that it remains willing, on a conditional, non-binding indicative basis, to pursue an acquisition of ReadyTech at an offer price of $4.50 per share.

The post Why CBA, DGL, Incitec Pivot, and Readytech shares are pushing higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In afternoon trade, the agricultural chemicals company's shares are up 8% to $4.04.

This compares very favourably to the ASX 200 index, which is down 0.45% at the time of writing.

Why is the Incitec Pivot share price storming higher?

Investors have been buying the company's shares after responding positively to its full year results release this morning.

For the 12 months ended 30 September, Incitec Pivot reported a 186% increase in net profit after tax excluding individually material items (IMIs) to a record $1,027 million.

The Dyno Nobel Americas business was the star of the show, reporting EBIT of US$533 million, which was up from US$141 million a year earlier. Management advised that this was driven by continued uptake of premium technology underpinning excellent volume growth in Q&C, as well as a strong second half manufacturing performance capturing favourable commodity markets

Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific business delivered EBIT of $162 million, up from $140 million in FY 2021. This reflects customer growth and solid take up of Dyno's premium technology solutions

Finally, Fertilisers EBIT more than doubled to $614 million. Management notes that this was underpinned by its unrivalled distribution platform and manufacturing footprint, which provided customers security of supply.

Big shareholder returns

In light of this strong form, the company's board has declared a fully franked final dividend of 17 cents per share. This brings the total dividends to 27 cents per share for FY 2022.

But it gets better. An on-market share buyback of up to $400 million has been approved to be conducted over the next 12 months.

In other news, the aforementioned fertilisers business demerger has been delayed for up to a year following the receipt of "unsolicited approaches in relation to the potential acquisition of its ammonia manufacturing facility located in Waggaman, Louisiana."

Management is now undertaking a review of the strategic options for Waggaman.

Broker reaction

Goldman Sachs has reacted positively to Incitec Pivot's full year results. It said:

FY22 Adj NPAT of $1,027m was up 8% vs GSe and up 3% vs Visible Alpha Consensus (A$948m/A$993m). […] The biggest variance was in North America where lower than expected explosives earnings were more than offset but higher WALA and Ag & IC earnings.

IPL announced a $400m on market buyback. While we had anticipated strong cash generation (providing scope for capital management), this announcement was sooner than expected given the proposed demerger.

Goldman currently has a buy rating and $4.40 price target on Incitec Pivot's shares. Though, that could change once it has adjusted its financial model.

The post ASX 200 chemicals giant Incitec Pivot leaps 8% on record year and share buyback news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here's what you need to know about them:

Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXI)

Morgans is tipping this industrial and office property company as a dividend share to buy.

That's because it believes Dexus Industria is well-placed for growth thanks to strong demand in the industrial market.

The broker currently has an add rating and $3.25 price target on the company's shares. 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 16.4 cents in FY 2023 and 16.9 cents in FY 2024. Based on the current Dexus Industria share price of $2.85, this will mean yields of 5.8% and 5.9%, respectively.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)

Another ASX dividend share that Morgans rates as a buy is Santos.

It is of course one of the region's largest energy producers and the owner of a collection of high quality operations thanks to its recent merger with Oil Search. From these operations, it is aiming to deliver production of 103-106 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) this calendar year.

Morgans is positive on the company due to its growth prospects and diversified earnings base. It has an add rating and $9.00 price target on its shares. The broker commented:

The resilience of STO's growth profile and diversified earnings base see it well placed to outperform against a backdrop of a broader sector recovery. While pre-FEED, we see Dorado as likely to provide attractive growth for STO, while its recent acquisition increasing its stake in Darwin LNG has increased our confidence in Barossa's development.

In respect to dividends, Morgans is expecting dividends per share of 22.8 cents in FY 2022 and 24.2 cents in FY 2023. Based on the current Santos share price of $7.50, this will mean yields of 3% and 3.2%, respectively.

The post Broker names 2 ASX dividend shares to buy next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Both have been named as buys by analysts at Morgans and tipped to provide big yields. Here's what you need to know:

Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXI)

The first ASX dividend share that Morgans rates as a buy is Dexus Industria. It is an industrial and office property company.

The broker believes that Dexus Industria is well-placed for growth thanks to strong demand in the industrial market.

Morgans currently has an add rating and $3.25 price target on the company's shares. 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.

In respect to dividends, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 16.4 cents in FY 2023 and 16.9 cents in FY 2024. Based on the current Dexus Industria share price of $2.63, this will mean yields of 6.2% and 6.4%, respectively.

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL)

Another ASX dividend share that Morgans rates as a buy is Incitec Pivot. It is a manufacturer and distributor of industrial explosives, industrial chemicals, and fertilisers to the agriculture and mining industries.

Morgans believes the company is positioned to benefit from high fertiliser prices and the economic recovery. It also sees positives from its demerger plans.

The broker has an add rating and $4.45 price target on the company's shares. It said:

With fertiliser prices holding at historically high levels and possibly moving higher over coming months given Russia's invasion of the Ukraine, which is increasing gas prices, soft commodity prices and impacting fertiliser supply chains, the fundamentals for IPL are very positive. It is also benefiting from favourable seasonal conditions in Australia. It also has strong exposure to an economic recovery through its explosives business (solid demand for resources and Q&C will benefit from US stimulus packages). IPL believes that its demerger plans of its Fertilisers (Incitec Pivot Fertilisers) and Explosives (Dyno Nobel) businesses to create two separately listed companies on the ASX will create further value for shareholders.

As for dividends, Morgans is expecting fully franked dividends per share of 25 cents in FY 2022 and 19 cents in FY 2023. Based on the current Incitec Pivot share price of $3.64, this will mean yields of 6.9% and 5.2%, respectively.

The post Morgans names 2 ASX dividend shares to buy with big yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

After a promising start to Wednesday's trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) handed back its gains to slump lower. The index closed 0.53% lower at 6,462 points.

It followed another rough session on Wall Street. After falling into a bear market on Monday (Tuesday AEDT), the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) posted a 0.4% fall overnight. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) slumped 0.2% to its lowest close since November 2020.

Interestingly, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) dodged the suffering to gain 0.2%.

But that wasn't enough to save the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) from posting the biggest fall today. The tech sector slipped 1.6% on Wednesday.

Meanwhile the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) slumped 0.4% and the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) dumped 1% amid the latest Australian retail figures.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics found Aussies upped their spending another 0.6% in August, as food retailing climbed and most other retailing fell.

At the end of the day, only two ASX 200 sectors were trading in the green. But which shares outperformed? Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top performer was none other than coal stock Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN). It joined many of its ASX 200 coal producing peers in the green.

Today's biggest gains were made by these shares:

Our top 10 ASX 200 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.

So let's dive deeper into these pleasing market moves and check out the shares currently topping the ASX 200's share trading volume charts, according to investing.com.

The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Tuesday

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL)

ASX 200 chemical, fertiliser and explosives manufacturer Incitec Pivot is our first share to take a look at this Tuesday. So far today, a notable 20.52 million Incitec shares have pivoted to a new owner. There's been no news out of the company itself that could explain this volume.

However, the Incite Pivot share price has taken a heavy beating today. It's currently down 1.8% at $3.76 a share. That comes despite some recent love from ASX brokers too. It seems this dip is responsible for the high volumes we are witnessing.

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

Core Lithium is our next share worth a look at today. This ASX 200 lithium share has seen a chunky 22 million shares traded on the markets so far. Again, it looks like the share price movement is the culprit for these elevated volumes, seeing as there isn't any news out of Core Lithium either.

Continuing its recent run of gains, Core Lithium shares are up another pleasing 5.16% today at $1.67 a share. The company is up almost 20% over this month so far.

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

Our final and most traded share of the day is the ASX 200 diversified mining company South32. This Tuesday has seen a significant 32.26 South32 shares change hands as it currently stands. South32's healthy share price gains could explain this volume.

The company has put on a decent 1.53% so far today to $4.32 a share. South32 has also been doing regular on-market share buybacks lately, which could also be influencing this share's trading volume.

The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Two that are among this list are named below. Here's why these ASX shares are rated as buys:

IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

Morgans is a fan of this student placement and language testing company. After a stellar performance in FY 2022, the broker is expecting more of the same in FY 2023 and in the years to come. This is being underpinned by structural demand and acquisitions.

The broker currently has an add rating and $28.16 price target on IDP Education's shares. It commented:

IEL's recovery (Australia Student Placement) and momentum (other divisions) support the strong growth expected in FY23. Structural demand, market share gains, technology-led client retention, operating leverage and acquisitions (especially IELTs distribution) can see IEL compound growth long-term. Value has emerged, however IEL's near-term multiples see the stock susceptible to short-term volatility.

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL)

Another ASX share that Morgans is urging investors to buy is Incitec Pivot. It is a manufacturer and distributor of industrial explosives, industrial chemicals, and fertilisers to the agriculture and mining industries.

Morgans believes the company is well-placed to benefit from high fertiliser prices and the economic recovery. It also sees potential value creation from its demerger plans.

The broker has an add rating and $3.78 price target on the company's shares. It said:

With fertiliser prices holding at historically high levels and possibly moving higher over coming months given Russia's invasion of the Ukraine, which is increasing gas prices, soft commodity prices and impacting fertiliser supply chains, the fundamentals for IPL are very positive. It is also benefiting from favourable seasonal conditions in Australia. It also has strong exposure to an economic recovery through its explosives business (solid demand for resources and Q&C will benefit from US stimulus packages). IPL believes that its demerger plans of its Fertilisers (Incitec Pivot Fertilisers) and Explosives (Dyno Nobel) businesses to create two separately listed companies on the ASX will create further value for shareholders.

The post 2 ASX 200 shares named as buys by a top broker appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL) share price has had a rough trot over the past week, deflating by 6.8%. Although, the bulk of the downward ride followed the release of Incitec's investor day presentation yesterday.

Heading into Wednesday afternoon, shares in the explosives and fertiliser company are a touch away from trading flat. However, that means the Incitec Pivot share price is actually faring better than the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). At last glance, the benchmark is 1.3% into a deep red display today.

Nevertheless, the looming question is: will Incitec Pivot split into two?

If management has their way

Yesterday, fund managers and investors were treated to Incitec Pivot's investor day. The event foreshadows the unveiling of the company's full-year results on 15 November. Though, looking at the presentation, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a sales pitch for the separation of Incitec's two businesses.

At 121 pages long, the presentation was an in-depth unpacking of the benefits of pulling apart the explosives division from the fertiliser segment. Of those 121 pages, 95 of them were dedicated to detailing future growth strategies and value unlocking opportunities for each separate component.

I'll save you the arduous task of thumbing through all of those slides. The main point made by managing director Jeanne Johns and the team was that a separately spun-off explosives company — Dyno Nobel — would be able to relish in a more premium price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio.

Slide 22, as shown above, hits home this point from the Incitec Pivot management team. They believe that the market values the entire company on the more conservative multiple, irrespective of where each segment is in the cycle.

For this reason, management is adamant that a split would benefit shareholders. Speaking of which, shareholders will have the final say next year if the scheme receives board and regulatory approval.

How has the Incitec Pivot share price performed?

Despite management's discontent with the earnings multiple, the Incitec Pivot share price has performed strongly so far this year.

In 2022, shares in the company have appreciated by 14.2% during a challenging period for most companies. However, the real question will be whether this impressive performance can hold up post-earnings in November.

The post Are Incitec Pivot shares set for a demerger? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are dropping:

Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

The Breville share price is down over 4% to $20.97. Investors have been selling this appliance manufacturer's shares after it was hit by a broker downgrade. According to a note out of Macquarie, it has downgraded Breville's shares to a neutral rating with a trimmed price target of $23.10. This followed a cautious update from one of its rivals.

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL)

The Incitec Pivot share price is down 3.5% to $3.69. This follows the release of the industrial explosives, chemicals, and fertilisers company's investor update this morning. Incitec Pivot revealed that its performance has been mixed in FY 2022. For example, its fertiliser business has seen volumes fall due to lower demand. It also warned that its explosives business is experiencing supply chain and inflationary pressures.

Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG)

The Magellan share price is down 2% to $12.19. Investors have been selling this fund manager's shares following the release of another disappointing funds under management (FUM) update. Magellan revealed that its FUM fell $2.6 billion during August. This comprises $1.3 billion of net outflows and the same amount due to unfavourable market movements.

Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL)

The Super Retail share price is down 6% to $9.68. This decline has been driven largely by the retail conglomerate's shares trading ex-dividend this morning. Last month, Super Retail declared a 43 cents per share fully franked final dividend of FY 2022. This will now be paid to eligible shareholders next month on 17 October.

The post Why Breville, Incitec Pivot, Magellan, and Super Retail shares are dropping appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

So let's delve a little deeper into these market gyrations and examine the ASX 200 shares currently topping the market's trading volume charts, according to investing.com.

The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Tuesday

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL)

ASX 200 fertiliser and chemical manufacturer Incitec Pivot is our first share worth checking out this Tuesday. So far today, a sizeable 14.01 million Incitec shares have been bought and sold on the share market. This could be related to the investor presentation the company released to the markets this morning.

Investors don't seem to approve of what was discussed though. The Incitec Pivot share price has tanked a chunky 2.74% today to $3.725 a share. It's probably this selloff that has prompted the elevated volumes we are seeing.

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

Next up is ASX 200 lithium stock Core Lithium. As it currently stands, a notable 20.22 million Core Lithium shares have traded on the markets. There hasn't been much in the way of news out from Core Lithium today.

However, as my Fool colleague Brooke looked at this afternoon, several positive developments in recent months have proven very lucrative for the Core Lithium share price.

The company is up a whopping 8.82% today so far to $1.48 a share, which puts Core's gains at almost 10% over the past five trading days. It's almost certainly this gain today that has resulted in the volumes we see.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

Finally today, we have another ASX 200 lithium share in Pilbara Minerals. This Tuesday has seen a hefty 25.28 million Pilbara shares fly around the ASX. There hasn't been any news out of Pilbara either.

However, as we also looked at this afternoon, ASX broker JP Morgan has come out with an upgrade for Pilbara shares. The broker gave the company an outperform rating and boosted its 12-month share price target by 17% to $4.10.

Investors could have taken this to heart, given the Pilbara share price has gained a robust 6.49% to $3.94 a share. It could be a combination of these events that has led to the high volumes we are witnessing.

The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.