There is a school of thought that the entertainment industry is one that can remain resilient through economic downturns.

The idea is that consumers will stay home more and watch television or streaming services, or gamble as a distraction from a troubled world.

After ten consecutive months of interest rate rises, this theory is about to get a sore workout in Australia.

Here are two ASX shares that fit the bill that one expert is recommending as buys:

'Fundamentals are strong'

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) operates a free-to-air television network, streaming service Stan, as well as a national stable of newspapers and radio stations.

Ord Minnett senior investment advisor Tony Paterno was impressed with what the company presented during the reporting season.

"The diversified media giant posted group revenue of $1.403 billion in the first half of fiscal year 2023," Paterno told The Bull.

"This represented a 5% increase on the prior corresponding period."

Paterno was not too worried about net profit after tax, which was down 16%. 

"Group fundamentals are strong, backed by a solid balance sheet," he said.

"In our view, the shares were trading at a discount at $1.91 on March 2. We retain our $2.80 fair value estimate."

The television network also scored a coup last month when it secured the broadcast rights to the next five Olympic games.

The Nine share price is down more than 27% over the past 12 months.

'The offer is appealing'

Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR) has seen its share price halve over the past year as multiple government enquiries questioned its fitness to hold its casino licences.

But with new management installed, perhaps it can't get any worse.

Paterno noted the company raised some much-needed cash with a $595 million institutional issue at $1.20 per share.

"Star Entertainment expects to raise about $205 million from its retail entitlement offer. The offer will close on March 13," he said.

"The capital initiatives will dilute our fair value estimate, but we believe the offer is appealing on valuation grounds."

The money will be used to pay off debt and provide "liquidity headroom", according to Paterno. 

"New South Wales and Queensland regulators have imposed fines totalling $200 million on Star Entertainment," he said.

"Shareholders should examine the retail entitlement offer before investing."

The post 47% upside: Expert names 2 entertainment ASX 200 shares to buy for cheap appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

However, these shares are not falling because something bad has happened. Rather, they are falling because they are trading ex-dividend today.

When a share trades ex-dividend, it means the rights to an upcoming dividend payment remain with the seller and don't transfer to the buyer. In light of this, a share price will often drop in line with the dividend to reflect this.

Three ASX 200 shares that are trading ex-dividend today are named below. Here's what you need to know about them and their dividends:

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD)

This fuel retailer's shares are down 6% after trading ex-dividend for its fully franked $1.55 per share final dividend for FY 2022. Eligible shareholders can now look forward to receiving this dividend in their bank accounts at the end of the month on 30 March.

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC)

This media company's shares have dropped 3% on Friday after going ex-dividend for its interim dividend. Last month, Nine released its half-year results and declared a fully franked interim dividend of 6 cents per share. This will be paid to eligible shareholders next month on 24 April.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

Finally, this wine giant's shares have slipped into the red in early trade. This morning, the Penfolds owner traded ex-dividend for its fully franked 18 cents per share interim dividend. It plans to pay this to eligible shareholders at the start of next month on 4 April.

The post 3 ASX 200 shares trading ex-dividend on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Will the market be able to build on this on Friday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to rise

The Australian share market looks set to end the week on a positive note. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 26 points or 0.35% higher this morning. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 0.9%, the S&P 500 is up 0.5%, and the NASDAQ index is up 0.5%.

Oil prices climb

Energy producers Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a good finish to the week after oil prices pushed higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.5% to US$78.07 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 0.4% to US$84.63 a barrel. Chinese demand optimism has lifted prices this week.

Miners lift

It could be a decent finish to the week for mining giants BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO). In late trade on the NYSE, the miners' shares are pushing higher again. The BHP share price is up 3% and the Rio Tinto share price is up 1.5%.

Gold price edges higher

Gold miners Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) and St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) could have a subdued finish to the week after the gold price edged lower overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.2% to US$1,842.2 an ounce. US dollar and bond yields strengthened and put pressure on gold.

Shares going ex-dividend

A number of ASX 200 shares are trading ex-dividend this morning and could drop into the red. This includes fuel retailer Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD), retirement village company Lifestyle Communities Ltd (ASX: LIC), media company Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC), and wine giant Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE).

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

It's a rough earnings season day for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and these three stocks aren't helping it regain ground.

The ASX 200 is down 0.32% at 7,291.1 points at the time of writing.

But that's nothing compared to the following companies which are falling as much as 5.8% right now on the release of earnings updates.

Let's take a closer look at what's got the market bidding them lower.

3 ASX 200 stocks tumbling on half-year results

First up, stock in Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) is struggling on Thursday after the ASX 200 company posted its first-half earnings. Its stock is down 3.4% right now, trading at $1.99 a share.

The entertainment giant revealed a 5% lift in revenue, increasing to $1.4 billion, but sinking profits. Its net profit after tax (NPAT) dropped 16% to $190 million.  

The company also slashed its interim dividend by 14% to 6 cents per share, fully franked.

That was despite its subscription revenues lifting around 9%, excluding its 60%-owned Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG).

The real estate-focused business posted a 19% fall in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA), coming in at $49.3 million, amid a weaker property market.

Joining the ASX 200 entertainment company in the red is dairy product producer Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA). Its share price is falling 5.83% right now to trade at $3.39.

While the company's statutory revenue lifted 11% last half to $1.67 billion, its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) more than halved, coming in at $20 million. It declared a 4.5 cent per share fully franked dividend for the period – marking an 18% drop.

The company's branded segment saw 13% growth reflecting price increases and volume growth while revenue in its bulk dairy leg lifted 2% on the back of high dairy commodity prices, but was limited by lower milk availability.

It expects price and mix initiatives will offset cost inflation on a monthly run basis by the end of this fiscal year, with benefits realised in financial year 2024.

Finally, ASX 200 financials stock Insignia Financial Ltd (ASX: IFL) is plunging 4.76% right now to trade at $3.305 apiece.

The financial services provider posted $94.4 million of underlying NPAT for the first half this morning. That marked a 17.1% fall on that of the pcp.

Its funds under management and administration fell $5.5 billion to $285.1 billion as negative market performance took its toll.

Insignia Financial declared a 10.5 cent per share interim dividend – down from 11.8 cents per share in the pcp. CEO Renato Mota commented:

We continue to progress our integration and simplification priorities, delivering ahead of a three-year timeline and accelerating synergy benefits alongside prudent cost control. Our ongoing commitment to simplification and improved focus across the business has been demonstrated through various milestones.

The post 3 ASX 200 stocks being punished on their results announcements appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The ASX February reporting season has started in earnest, and it's a critical one.

With consumers and businesses starting to reel from nine months of interest rate rises, all eyes will be on whether ASX companies can survive the downturn in one piece.

The team at Wilsons is upbeat.

"We believe the reporting season will be relatively positive," equity strategist Rob Crookston said in a memo to clients.

"The cyclical sectors may provide more positive results than the market expects after continued strength in the global and domestic economies in the last half."

However, investors will need to be selective about the ASX shares they buy, with every word of outlook statements pored over.

Fortunately, Crookston's team has done the hard yards to come up with four stocks that they believe have the best prospects heading into their February updates:

Advertising businesses could surprise 

Late on Wednesday, Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) announced it had grabbed the Olympics off incumbent Seven West Media Ltd (ASX: SWM).

The $315 million agreement gives Nine the broadcast and digital rights for the next five games, consisting of three summer and two winter events.

Nine, due to report on 23 February, is one of Wilsons' picks.

"We may see upgrades in the sector over reporting season as higher-than-expected consumer spend corresponds to higher-than-expected ad spend," said Crookston.

"Nine should be a key beneficiary of this opportunity, especially as the stock derated over 2022 and currently sits on a relatively modest PE of ~11x."

Jobs classified site Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK) has stunningly rallied 23.5% year-to-date, but Crookston reckons "there is still room" for its 21 February report to positively surprise.

"We expect a strong showing from Seek as it benefits from a resilient jobs market."

The Wilsons team is looking for a confirmation of its previously stated full-year guidance and "continued strength in the ANZ labour market". 

"A strong interim result could lead to consensus earnings upgrades for FY23/FY24," said Crookston.

"We also like the structural story for Seek — significant upside from dynamic pricing model, strategic initiatives and growth fund — that should mitigate any fallout in a cyclical peak in the job market."

'Start of an earnings upgrade cycle'

After years of underperformance, the share price for biotech giant CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) is finally starting to approach its pre-COVID highs.

The post-pandemic era could not come fast enough for healthcare stocks, according to Crookston.

"We expect CSL's earnings recovery to be a beat, driven by better-than-expected plasma collections," he said.

"This, coupled with new product approvals, could lead to a possible guidance upgrade."

The signs point to a potential "start of an earnings upgrade cycle for CSL", he added, revealing that his team is overweight on the stock.

CSL will report Tuesday.

The Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price is up 50% since June, but Wilsons reckons the party will continue into its 23 February results announcement. 

"Qantas is set for a bumper earnings season. After being forced to postpone travel plans due to the pandemic, consumers are shrugging off 15-year high ticket prices," said Crookston.

"The business has the capacity to surprise the market positively, and we do not think the valuation is pricing a further upgrade."

Wilsons analysts suspect China's post-COVID reopening could give the airline another tailwind to take off on.

"We think the market underestimates the recovery in Chinese tourists as it did for domestic travel over the last 12 months. This could be discussed in trading updates of travel or international education stocks."

The post 4 top ASX 200 shares to pounce on for reporting season: Wilsons appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) roared into the weekend today, surging 0.62% to finish at 7,558.1 points. That sees it within 1% of its all-time high and marks a 0.86% week-on-week gain.

Its gains came despite a poor performance from mining shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) tumbled 1.4% on Friday after iron ore futures slumped 0.9% overnight and gold futures dropped 0.6%.

Fortunately, it was the only sector to trade in the red today.

Leading the market's gains was the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) – rising 2.5% and 2.4% respectively.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) followed the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) higher, lifting 0.6% following the Wall Street index's 3.2% overnight gain.

But with nearly all sectors trading higher today, which ASX 200 shares outperformed all others? Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The biggest gainer on the ASX 200 today was Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI).

There was no news from the investment management company today. However, its stock tumbled 2.7% on the back of its first half earnings yesterday.

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.

A dividend trap is a company that is under financial stress, with little prospect of being able to maintain previous dividend levels. As such, it could draw unwary investors in based on its previous dividend payments, but investors quickly lose capital when the company goes ahead and slashes its dividends.

Some dividend traps are only obvious in hindsight. But equally, there are plenty of ASX shares that have offered sustainably high dividend yields before.

So today, let's discuss some ASX 200 dividend shares that are predicted to give investors a dividend yield of more than 7% in the 2024 financial year. If any of these shares don't live up to expectations, they could well become dividend traps. But let's hope not.

This data comes from CommSec projections on the dividend payouts expected in FY2024.

7 ASX 200 dividend shares that could give investors a 7%-plus yield

New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC)

ASX 200 coal miner New Hope really upped its dividend game in 2022 thanks to record high energy prices. CommSec expects the gravy train to keep on chugging next financial year, with an estimated dividend payout of $1.30 per share.

If that came to pass, it would give investors a yield of just over 20%. No doubt shareholders will be salivating at that prospect.

Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN)

Coronado is another ASX 200 coal share that really upped its dividend ante in 2022, which leaves the company with a trailing yield of over 11% today.

But CommSec thinks Coronado will remain an income powerhouse, with 24.2 cents per share expected in FY2024. That would result in a forward yield of 11.81% on today's pricing.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

Yet another ASX 200 coal share, Whitehaven also showered investors with cash last year.

Shareholders bagged 48 cents per share in payouts in 2022, but projections show this rising to a whopping 91 cents by FY2024. That would bring Whitehaven's yield to more than 10%.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

It wasn't just ASX 200 coal shares that turned up the income dial last year. Oil giant Woodside was also the beneficiary of rising prices, with shareholders netting a record $4.66 per share in dividend payments last year.

CommSec has this dropping to $2.76 by Fy2024. But even so, that would result in a yield of 7.5% at current prices.

Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ)

Moving away from miners and drillers, we have an ASX 200 bank share up next. Bank of Queensland shares, like the other ASX banks, have always been dividend heavyweights.

Projections point to this continuing well into the future, with BoQ shares predicted to shell out 52 cents per share over FY2024. That would be a pleasing increase over the 42 cents Bank of Queensland doled out in 2022. This would give the company a yield of 7.34%.

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC)

Nine, the media conglomerate best known for its eponymous television channel, is another ASX 200 dividend beast.

Investors were treated to 14 cents per share in payouts last year, but CommSec reckons this will hold pretty steady at 13.7 cents per share by FY2024. That would give investors a forward yield of 7.06% at today's levels.

AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL)

ASX 200 energy utility share AGL has had a rough couple of years, which were unfortunately accompanied by dividend cuts. The company paid out its lowest dividend in almost a decade last year, with 26 cents per share going to investors.

But projections indicate that the worst might be over for investors, with dividends estimated at 56 cents per share by FY2024. That would result in a forward yield of 7.18% at the current share price.

The post Attention income investors! These 7 ASX 200 dividend shares are projecting yields of 7%+ in FY24 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Last year was a crazy one for S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares. The index slumped 7% over the 12 months ended Friday despite soaring energy and mining shares.

Meanwhile, stocks in other sectors – like retail and tech – suffered. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) tumbled 24% last year while the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) plunged 36%.

But I think the downturn may have provided an opportunity to build passive income. Here's how I would invest $5,000 in ASX 200 dividend stocks if I were aiming for a second income stream.

Is now a good time to buy ASX 200 shares for dividend income?

Inflation, interest rate hikes, and major global events boosted some ASX 200 shares in 2022 while dragging others lower.

Fortunately, the market's long-term performance may sow hope in the hearts of investors. The ASX 200 has historically always returned to and surpassed its previous highs following a downturn.

That means many of the market's embattled sectors likely house some bargain shares right now.

And there's a further silver lining for investors hunting a second income. Falling share prices tend to drive dividend yields higher.

Many companies' dividends remained stable through 2022's downturn, thereby potentially letting investors get a slice of the pie for less than they might've otherwise paid.

Thus, I believe now could be a good time to shift through the rubble in search of quality ASX 200 dividend shares trading for cheap prices. By doing so, I believe I could turn $5,000 into a passive income stream through the power of compounding.

Compounding returns

There's no shortage of ASX 200 shares currently trading with dividend yields of around 8% following a disastrous 2022.

They include JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH), Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC), and Fletcher Building Limited (ASX: FBU), to name a few.

An 8% dividend yield would see a $5,000 investment returning $400 over the next 12 months.

That's not exactly life-changing. However, I would aim to compound my dividends by reinvesting them in ASX 200 shares.

By doing so, and assuming my yield stays the same, I could turn my initial investment into $10,795 in 10 years' time. At that point, it would be capable of paying out around $864 each year.

But the true magic comes later. In 30 years' time, my figurative $5,000 investment – reinvested time and time again – could be worth $50,313. That, with an 8% yield, could return $4,025 annually.

And that's without considering share price growth or a consistent investment strategy.

Choosing wisely

The ultimate challenge I face in putting my strategy to work is to identify oversold buys in the current environment.

While a high dividend yield might herald an oversold stock, it might also suggest a company isn't spending its cash wisely, making its offerings unsustainable.

Thus, I would pay particular attention to a company's cash flow and balance sheet to help determine if it's a buy right now.

The post Here's how I'd invest $5,000 in ASX 200 shares to earn a second income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

One of the great silver linings of a bear market is that it's sometimes possible to snap up great companies at a bargain price.

Shares on the following list have fallen 30% or greater year to date and have strong business outlooks ahead of them.

However, these companies are unlikely to stay cheap forever.

So to lock in some potential gains, let's cover which shares could be worth buying before the curtain falls on 2023.

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC)

The Nine Entertainment share price is down 30.7% so far this year but could be poised to recover strongly. One reason to be bullish is that the company's revenues are scaling upwards.

Nine Entertainment's advertising revenue growth is primarily driven by the company's strong presence in the Australian media market. Nine Entertainment is the leading commercial free-to-air broadcaster in Australia and is home to some of the country's most popular television shows.

In August, the company reported its revenues increased 15% YOY (year over year) to $2.7 billion in FY2021. Meanwhile, its bottom line also saw a lift, with its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) growing 24% to $700.7 million.

Some analysts agree the share could be undervalued. These include Shaw and Partners portfolio manager James Gerrish, who noted:

At just 11 times expected FY23 PE, Nine is undervalued and recent numbers suggest the underlying business is holding up better than expected.

Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

Xero, which provides a software-as-a-service (SaaS) accounting solution to businesses, has also had a rough year, with its shares losing almost 50% of their value year to date.

Some reasons to be bullish about Xero include its total addressable market, recent financial performance, and discounted share price.

When the company reported its results for FY2021 in May, Xero stated it had grown its user base in all of its key regional operating segments including Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Looking ahead, there could be a strong opportunity for Xero to continue adding users in its North American segment where it reported a relatively low user penetration of 339,000 subscribers. With approximately 33.2 million small businesses in the United States alone, it suggests substantial room for growth.

In terms of Xero's financials and key metrics, its total subscribers grew 19% YOY in FY2021 to 3.3 million, while its annualised monthly recurring revenue (AMRR) grew 28% to NZ$1.2 billion. It should be noted Xero recorded a net loss after tax of NZ$9.1 million during this period.

As for its share price, Morgans gave it a price target of $77 earlier this month. That represents an upside of 5.5% at the time of writing.

ARB Corporation Limited (ASX: ARB)

ARB designs and manufactures automotive accessories for four-wheel-drive (4WD) and light commercial vehicles. The company has seen its share price drop 47% so far this year.

But its recent top and bottom line performances, as well as its robust balance sheet may pique investors' interest.

As part of its full-year results for FY2022, ARB stated its revenues grew 11.4% YOY to $697.3 million while net profit after tax (NPAT) grew 8.1% YOY to $122 million. At the time, ARB said it had no debt on its books along with a healthy cash reserve balance of $52.7 million.

Although it declined to give revenue and earnings guidance as part of its results, ARB did paint a bullish picture of where it will be headed in 2023 and beyond.

ARB Corporation's managing director Andrew Brown said:

The board remains positive and expects that the company should benefit by the end of calendar 2022 from recent new vehicle models, a strong customer order book sitting well above historical levels, a number of all-new products due for imminent release, healthy demand for the company's products around the world and the prospect of increasing supply of new vehicles to the market.

Citi analysts gave ARB Corporation's share a price target of $39.25 in November. That represents almost a 40% upside at the time of writing.

The post Looking for bear market bargains? 3 ASX shares to buy before 2023 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

With many economic clouds still looming over Australia, it is still critical to buy the right stocks.

So it may help to see what the professionals have recently bought and why.

Shaw and Partners portfolio manager James Gerrish, in a Market Matters Q&A, this week let slip two stocks that his team has picked up recently:

'Undervalued' while the business is doing fine

The market has been unkind to media conglomerate Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) this year.

The share price has tumbled 30% since its April high, even though the business is not doing too badly.

Gerrish's team bought Nine shares last month for its emerging companies portfolio.

"Market Matters likes Nine Entertainment here," he said.

"In our view, the market is too bearish on its broadcasting division — plus we also see further upside in their Stan investment with rising average revenue per user (ARPU), as well as strong momentum in sales."

There is a possibility that its streaming service Stan could be offloaded.

"Nine have also flagged the potential to divest some of its interest here which could further unlock value for shareholders."

With this year's plunge in stock price, Gerrish reckons it's a value buy at the moment.

"At just 11x expected FY23 PE, Nine is undervalued and recent numbers suggest the underlying business is holding up better than expected."

Other professionals largely agree. According to CMC Markets, nine out of 11 analysts that cover Nine recommend it as a buy. Eight of them even say it's a strong buy.

Two gold shares, we bought one

The gold price has been rising, so Gerrish was asked whether he favours Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) or Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) for buying now.

It was then he revealed his team had purchased one of them just recently.

"We like both gold stocks, although we now hold Evolution in our flagship growth portfolio after purchasing it on Thursday," he said.

"With the main difference between the two being their theoretical risk profile, or beta."

Gerrish explained that there is not much between the two ASX shares. 

"Following gold's bullish move after Jerome Powell's relatively dovish comments last week, both stocks immediately rallied strongly with Evolution +6.3% and Regis +3.6%," he said.

"Through November they surged higher almost in tandem i.e. Regis +27% and Evolution +29%." 

The Evolution Mining share price is down 31% year to date, even after a stunning 55% climb since mid-October.

The post Gold and TV: Check out the 2 ASX shares this expert just bought appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) posted a gain for a second consecutive day on Tuesday. The index closed 0.28% higher at 6,798.6 points.

That was despite the market's major sectors posting a daily loss.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) fell 1.6% amid lower oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price slipped 0.3% to US$93.26 a barrel overnight while the US Nymex crude oil price dropped 0.6% to US$84.58 a barrel.

It was also a rough day for the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ), which slumped 1.2% following yesterday's 2.5% gain.

However, their falls were offset by the ASX 200's remaining nine sectors, which all gained as the federal government prepared to hand down its budget tonight.

The S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) and the S&P/ASX 200 Communications Index (ASX: XTJ) led the way, lifting 1.7% and 1.6% respectively.

But which ASX 200 share outperformed all others on Tuesday? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top performing stock was Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA). Shares in the lithium favourite lifted nearly 11% despite no news having been released by the company.

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.

Businesses that are both undervalued and could pay a good dividend may be able to give investors an attractive total return, with a mix of both income and capital growth.

Keep in mind that just because an expert thinks a share price will rise doesn't mean the market will push it higher over the next 12 months. But I think it's interesting to look at businesses that are seen as significantly cheaper than their fair value.

With that in mind, let's look at some of the dividend opportunities that brokers think are attractive.

Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX: BBN)

The Baby Bunting share price recently got walloped. It's down around 35% since 6 October 2022. While the baby product retailing business reported total sales growth of 12% to 7 October 2022, it said the first quarter gross profit margin was down 230 basis points year over year. At the same time, pro forma net profit after tax (NPAT) in the first quarter was down $3 million year over year.

After seeing the update, the brokers at Macquarie still rate the company as an outperform, with a price target of $4.95. That implies a possible rise of around 80% over the next year. It thinks the gross profit margin can somewhat recover during the year.

The ASX dividend share plans to open eight new stores in FY23, with six in Australia and the other two in New Zealand.

Macquarie puts the Baby Bunting share price valuation at 15 times FY23's estimated earnings with a projected grossed-up dividend yield of 6.1%.

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC)

Nine is the business behind a number of media names including the Nine free-to-air television network, digital streaming business Stan, and newspapers like the Australian Financial Review, The Age, and the Sydney Morning Herald.

Since the beginning of the year, the Nine share price has dropped around 33%. That's despite the business achieving a strong level of growth in FY22. The last financial year saw revenue growth of 15% to $2.69 billion and NPAT growth of 35% to $373.5 million.

The company also said the new financial year had "started on a positive note in terms of audiences" across all of its platforms. The advertising market, to August, had also "remained resilient", Nine said. It's also expecting its advertising revenue to grow more strongly than the markets where it operates in FY23.

The ASX dividend share is currently rated as a buy by the broker Credit Suisse, with a price target of $3.30. That implies a possible rise of more than 60%. The broker predicts the FY23 grossed-up dividend yield to be 10.1%.

PeopleIn Ltd (ASX: PPE)

The business provides staff, business services, and operational services, including workforce management, recruiting, onboarding, contracting, rostering, timesheet management, payroll, and workplace health and safety management.

The PeopleIn share price is another that has suffered heavily in 2022. It is down by 33% year to date.

Broker Morgans thinks that FY23 looks good for the company, rating it as add. It has a price target of $4.90, implying a possible rise of more than 60% over the next year. The potential grossed-up dividend yield for the 2023 financial year is 7.2%.

In FY22, the ASX dividend share generated $47.2 million of normalised earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA). In FY23, it guided that it could generate normalised EBITDA of between $62 million to $66 million. However, management said at the time this was "based on the continuation of current economic conditions".

However, management also said the core business is "resilient even in the event of economic uncertainty". It plans to focus on growing in sectors that are defensive and have long-term demand for talent.

The post Dividend beasts: Experts name 3 ASX dividend shares that could deliver 50% returns next year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) slumped lower on Friday, marking the end to what was likely a disappointing week for Australian investors. The index closed 1.4% lower at 6,747 points today.

That leaves the ASX 200 2.14% lower than it was at the end of last week, mostly due to Wednesday's disastrous session.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) weighed heaviest today, falling 3%. The sector's suffering likely came on the back of falling oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price fell 3.5% to US$90.84 a barrel overnight while the US Nymex crude oil price dropped 3.8% to US$85.10 a barrel.

Mining giants also dragged on the market, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) dumping 2.3%.

Gold futures slumped 1.9% to US$1,677.30 an ounce overnight while iron ore futures lifted 0.1% to US$100.58 a tonne. Meanwhile, the price of nickel fell 4.5% and that of copper slipped 0.6%.

Today's top performing sectors were the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ). They fell 0.4% and 0.6% respectively.

But which ASX 200 share outperformed all others? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top performing ASX 200 share was Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR).

The company's interim chair Ben Heap responded to the findings of a review into its suitability to operate its Sydney casino, released earlier this week, yesterday afternoon.

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.

Something about human psychology induces most people to invest in just one stock in a particular industry.

There is nothing stopping us from investing in runner A, runner B, and runner C in a race, but most ASX investors will back one and stick with it.

The phenomenon isn't just limited to amateur investors. Professionals do it too.

Wilsons associate analyst Rob Crookston, for example, explained why his team recently sold out of one media ASX share to pick up its rival:

Two almost identical companies

Wilsons' focus portfolio this week announced that it is exiting its position in News Corporation (ASX: NWS) in order to buy into Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC).

"Both News Corporation and Nine Entertainment are media stocks, and we think this is a like-for-like switch in terms of portfolio characteristics, but we have a preference for NEC at its current price and current fundamentals," Crookston said in a memo to clients.

News is best known for its tabloid newspapers and Foxtel pay television service, while Nine is famous for its broadsheet newspapers and free-to-air television network.

But that's not where the similarities end. News has significant ownership of ASX-listed online real estate classifieds provider REA Group Limited (ASX: REA) while Nine has a big stake in REA's rival Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG).

The Wilsons team cited seven reasons why it changed channels:

• Nine's fundamental metrics appear more favourable relative to News
• Nine has a higher quality earnings base (excluding real estate)
• Nine is less cyclical and more resilient than the market is implying
• Domain looks to be at a better valuation point than REA Group
• Nine has a proven history of organic growth
• Nine has higher expected returns to shareholders
• Nine has valuation appeal

Crookston admitted Nine's earnings could be lower than News, but it was a positive trade-off.

"We think the risk is to the upside while Nine transitions to digital and subscription-based revenue," he said. 

"NEC adds a quality cyclical to the focus portfolio, at a lower multiple and a higher dividend yield than the portfolio."

News Corp shares are down 21.8% year to date while Nine is down about 30%. Nine pays out a juicy dividend yield of 6.8%, compared to News' 1%.

The post Changing channels: Expert just dumped this ASX 200 share to buy its competitor 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:

A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

The A2 Milk share price is down almost 1% to $5.54. Investors have been selling the infant formula company's shares following the release of a broker note out of Goldman Sachs. This morning the broker initiated coverage on the company with a sell rating and $5.80 price target. Goldman said: "Despite solid operational execution in 2H22, we believe this result will be challenging to replicate in FY23."

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price is down over 3% to $5.50. This appears to have been driven by profit taking after some strong gains earlier this week. For example, even after this decline, the location technology company's shares are still up over 7% since the start of the week. A positive update at an investor event gave its shares a boost.

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC)

The Nine share price is down 3.5% to $2.14. This has been driven almost entirely by the entertainment company's shares trading ex-dividend this morning for its final dividend of FY 2022. Eligible shareholders can now look forward to receiving Nine's fully franked 7 cents per share dividend next month on 20 October.

Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC)

The Ramsay share price is down 1.5% to $70.11. This morning the private hospital operator revealed that the proposed sale of Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care to IHH Healthcare Berhad has terminated. Discussions between the parties concluded and have not resulted in a binding agreement for the sale of Ramsay Sime Darby.

The post Why A2 Milk, Life360, Nine, and Ramsay shares are dropping appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Will the market be able to build on this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to storm higher

The Australian share market looks set to end the week with a very strong gain. This follows another solid night of trade on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open a massive 121 points or 1.8% higher this morning. In the United States, the Dow Jones was up 0.6%, the S&P 500 climbed 0.65%, and the Nasdaq pushed 0.6% higher.

Oil prices rebound

Energy producers such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a decent finish to the week after oil prices rebounded overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1% to US$82.75 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 0.6% to US$88.53 a barrel. Oil prices rebounded after almost hitting an 8-month low.

A2 Milk rated as a sell

The A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price is fully valued after its recent run according to analysts at Goldman Sachs. This morning the broker initiated coverage on the infant formula company with a sell rating and $5.80 price target. Goldman said: "Despite solid operational execution in 2H22, we believe this result will be challenging to replicate in FY23."

Gold price falls

Gold miners including Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) and St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) could have a subdued finish to the week after the gold price dropped overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.5% to US$1,718.70 an ounce. US Federal Reserve comments about taming inflation weighed on the safe haven asset.

Shares going ex-dividend

Another group of shares will be going ex-dividend on Friday. This includes media company Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) for its 7 cents per share dividend and logistics solution technology company WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) for its 6.4 cents per share dividend. Elsewhere, today is payday for JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH) shareholders.

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

So far this month, we've seen a swarm of companies in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) turn ex-dividend.

Compared to other days this week, tomorrow will be a rather quiet affair with only two ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend. 

In other words, as of tomorrow, these shares will no longer be trading with entitlements to their respective upcoming dividend payments.

Let's check them out.

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC)

Today will be the last day to snap up Nine Entertainment's fully franked final dividend of 7 cents. It will be paid on 20 October.

FY22 was another year of growth for Nine. Starting at the top line of the income statement, double-digit growth in each of its divisions contributed to 15% revenue growth, which came in at $2.7 billion.

Stan was Nine's fastest-growing business, with growth in active subscribers and average revenue per user (ARPU) leading to a 22% jump in revenue, which reached $381 million. However, Stan's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 28% to $29 million, primarily reflecting increased investment in Stan Sport.

Across the group, EBITDA climbed 24% to $701 million as the all-important broadcast division delivered EBITDA of $401 million, up 21% from the prior year.

Notably, Nine's digital earnings grew by 47% in FY22 and now account for more than half of the group's EBITDA.

This earnings growth helped Nine to declare record total dividends of 14 cents in FY22, up 33% from the prior year.

Nine shares are currently sporting a trailing dividend yield of 6.4%, which grosses up to 9.2% including franking credits.

Speaking of sport, Nine made a play for the AFL broadcasting rights that were up for grabs from 2025 onwards. But ultimately, the AFL decided to stick with current partners Seven West Media Ltd (ASX: SWM), Foxtel, and Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS); signing a seven-year deal worth $4.5 billion.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

WiseTech is the other ASX 200 share turning ex-dividend tomorrow.

Unlike Nine, WiseTech is more of an ASX growth share that offers shareholders token dividends.

The company recently announced a fully franked final dividend of 6.4 cents, which is dwarfed by WiseTech's current share price of $57.53.

WiseTech posted revenue of $632 million in FY22, up 25% on the prior year and at the top end of guidance.

Revenue from the company's flagship CargoWise solution grew by 35% to $448 million. This was underpinned by large global freight forwarder rollouts, new customer wins, and increased usage from existing customers.

Impressively, the ASX 200 tech share improved its EBITDA margin by nine percentage points to 50%. The company said this reflected enhanced operating leverage, the benefits of exceeding its cost reduction program targets, and pricing offsetting inflation.

As a result, EBITDA jumped by 54% to $319 million while underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) surged 72% to $182 million.

The company expects this momentum to roll into FY23. It's guiding for revenue growth in the range of 20% to 23% and EBITDA growth in the range of 21% to 30%.

In terms of dividends, WiseTech declared total dividends of 11.15 cents in FY22, up 72% from the prior year. 

This represents a dividend payout ratio of 20% of underlying NPAT and puts WiseTech shares on a meagre trailing dividend yield of 0.2%.

The post 2 ASX 200 shares turning ex-dividend tomorrow appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lifted once more on Thursday as earnings season heated for many of the market's favourite shares. The index closed 0.71% higher at 7,048.10 points on Thursday.

S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) shares took off today, driving the sector 2.2% higher.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) surged 1.6% with Paladin Energy in the lead, lifting 11.5% alongside many of its uranium-focused peers.

Woolworths Group Limited (ASX: WOW) shares drove the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ)'s tumble. The sector slumped 1.6% today as Woolies fell 3.2% on a $1.5 billion full-year profit.

Other market favourites to move on reporting today included:

• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) – fell 4.6% as the company returned to profit in the final quarter
• Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) – gained 7% as losses deepened, and the company announced a $400 million buyback
• Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) – slipped 2% after posting a $1 billion loss

At the end of Thursday's session, nine of the ASX 200's 11 sectors were trading higher. But which stock outperformed all others? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Thursday's top performing ASX 200 share was none other than Paladin Energy. Find out why the uranium company was rocketing today here.

It was followed by Insignia Financial Ltd after the financial services provider posted its earnings for financial year 2022.

Today's biggest gains were made by these ASX 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.

The Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) share price is up 9% to $2.18 in Thursday trading after the media company reported full-year revenue up 15% to $2.69 billion and net profits after tax up 35% to $373.5 million.

The company declared a fully franked final dividend of 7 cents per share, taking total FY22 dividends to 14 cents per share, an increase of 33% compared to FY21.

The Nine Entertainment final dividend will be paid to eligible shareholders on 20 October 2022. Nine Entertainment shares go ex-dividend on 9 September 2022. 

Based on the Nine Entertainment share price today, the stock trades at more than 10.6 times earnings and on a fully franked dividend yield of 6.4%.

Looking ahead, Nine Entertainment said: "The new year has started on a positive note in terms of audiences, across all platforms, and while broader economic conditions have become more uncertain, the advertising market to date, has remained resilient."

Over the past 12 months, Nine Entertainment shares have lost 19%, compared to a fall of 6% in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). By contrast, fellow media company Seven West Media Ltd (ASX: SWM) shares have gained 5% in the last year.

The post Nine Entertainment hikes full-year dividend by 33% as profits surge higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) shares have surged higher in early trade Thursday after the company announced a "record" result and dividend payout, as well as a $341 million buyback.

At the time of writing the stock is up 5.5% to go for $2.11.

What did the company report?

• Revenue up 15% to $2.7 billion
• Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) up 24% to $700.7 million
• Statutory net profit including specific items up 71% to $315.3 million
• Dividend per share up from 10.5 cents to 14 cents
• On-market buyback of up to 10% of shares, which is about $341 million. 

What else happened in FY22?

With Australia's two largest cities in lockdown for much of the first half of the financial year, Nine Entertainment's television business thrived with a captured audience.

That arm was also boosted in December with a new broadcast deal with the NRL worth $650 million for the 2023 to 2027 seasons.

What did management say?

Nine chair Peter Costello said: 

2022 has been a record year for Nine, on many levels. From a profit perspective, we have reported the highest ever group EBITDA as well as total TV and publishing EBITDA and margin. At the same time, our ambition to accelerate profitable growth from our digital businesses is being realised, with more than 50% of EBITDA now attributed to our digital expansion, tracking ahead of the long-term targets we have previously communicated.

For our shareholders, from our FY22 profit, we have also paid or announced a record, fully franked dividend of 14 cents per share.

Chief executive Mike Sneesby said:

Whilst broader economic factors are beginning to impact some areas of the market, Nine's strong competitive position and balance sheet stands us in good stead. We have successfully diversified our earnings base, with more than 30% of our revenue now from subscription and licensing.

What's next?

Nine Entertainment forecasts EBITDA between $380 million and $400 million for the first half of financial year 2023.

Sneesby said:

Across all of our advertising-based businesses, we are confident that we will continue to grow our share, reflecting our content and distribution capabilities, as well as our focused approach to sales and the associated use of our extensive data pool. We expect any market softness will create opportunities for Nine to further strengthen its position as Australia's media company.

Nine Entertainment share price snapshot

Nine shares have lost about one-third of their value since April as fears about the economy repelled investors from advertising-driven businesses.

The stock has recovered somewhat in recent weeks, with a 10.5% gain since mid-June.

The dividend yield, after the 14 cent payout was announced, is now at a juicy 7%.

The post Nine Entertainment share price takes off after 71% profit boost and 'record' dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.