The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the week out on the wrong foot, falling 1.12% to close at 7,224.8 points.

And it was the giant S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) that weighed heaviest. It fell 3.15% following a rough Friday session for commodity prices.

Gold futures price dropped 0.5% to US$1,817.10 an ounce on Friday and iron ore futures dumped 0.1% to US$125.85 a tonne. At the same time, copper futures dumped 2.7% and aluminium futures tumbled 2%.

But not all commodities suffered. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) jumped 0.25% on the back of stronger oil prices.

Brent crude oil and US Nymex crude oil each lifted 1.2% to US$83.16 a barrel and US$76.32 a barrel respectively on Friday.

Looking at today's earnings releases, the Downer EDI Ltd (ASX: DOW) share price plummeted 24% on lower profits and a guidance downgrade, while today's top performer also posted earnings this morning. Let's take a look at how it performed in 2022.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG) shares outperformed all other ASX 200 stocks today after the company revealed a 354% increase in full-year profits, coming in at $513 million.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

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

These shares made today's biggest gains:

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) ended the week in the red, falling 0.86% on Friday to close at 7,346.8 points. That leaves it down 1.17% week-on-week.

Today's tumble followed an equally disappointing overnight session on Wall Street. Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) slumped 1.3%, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) slipped 1.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) dumped 1.8%.

Back home, it was a bloodbath across much of the market today.

Tech was hit hardest, with the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) tumbling 2.3%. Its worst performer was the Block Inc (ASX: SQ2) share price, which fell 7.8%.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) also suffered, falling 1.8% as coal producers spent a second day deep in the red after tumbling amid news of the NSW government's coal price cap policy yesterday.

There was a bright spot on the ASX 200 today, however. That was the S&P/ASX Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ), which rose 1%, driven by the Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) share price's 1.7% gain.

So, with all that in mind, which ASX 200 shares outperformed all others today? Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The biggest gainer on the ASX 200 today was the QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) share price. It rose 7.4% to close at $14.39.

The insurer posted its full-year earnings this morning, detailing a 2.7% jump in net profit after tax (NPAT) and a 30-cent final dividend­ up 57% year-on-year.

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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bounced back with a bang on Thursday, rising 0.79% to close at 7,410.3 points.

It came amid the release of the Australian Bureau of Statistics' latest employment data, finding unemployment rose to 3.7% in January. That's likely good news for those wishing inflation to ease.  

Leading the market higher today was the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ). The sector leapt 2.7% today.

It was also a good day for S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) stocks – the tech sector rose 2.7%.

However, fans of ASX 200 energy shares were likely left disappointed. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) slumped 0.7% as coal shares weighed amid earnings from Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) and New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC).

The coal producers also responded to the NSW Government's price cap and coal reservation policy today.

So, with all that in mind, let's take a look at the 10 shares that outperformed all others on Thursday.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's biggest gain on the ASX 200 came from Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA) shares. They surged 15% to close at $3.33 on the back of the company's first-half earnings.

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.

Three cheers for these S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares! They're rocketing more than 9% on Thursday on the release of half-year earnings (and news of a potential spin-off).

Right now, the ASX 200 is up 0.92% at 7,419.5 points.

Let's take a look at what's boosting these two ASX 200 shares sky-high.

2 ASX 200 shares roaring more than 9% on earnings

The Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA) share price is rocketing 14.7% right now to trade at $3.325 after the company announced a 13.9% jump in revenue.

The sustainable packaging producer posted $2.26 billion of sales revenue and a $108 million statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) – a 7.8% improvement on that of the prior comparable period.

That was despite the business facing inflationary pressures and supply chain issues.

It also declared an 8.5 cents per share interim dividend – a 6.3% lift increase on that of the prior year.

And that's not all.

Orora expects its North America business to continue growing in the second half, while its Australasia leg's full-year earnings are tipped to be broadly in line with those of financial year 2022.

The Abacus Property Group (ASX: ABP) share price is joining its ASX 200 peer in posting a whopping gain right now. It's share price is up 9.1%, trading at $3.11.

The property group revealed an $84.5 million statutory profit this morning – marking a 73% year-on-year fall.

However, its funds from operations lifted 0.4% to $81.4 million. Meanwhile, its interim dividend was boosted 2.9% to 9 cents per share.

Excitingly, the company also flagged a potential spin-off of its Storage King brand.

The proposed Abacus Storage King REIT would hold 127 assets with more than 568,000 square metres of lettable area and 19 developments.

Commenting on the proposed change, managing director Steven Sewell said:

Abacus has deployed over $1.2 billion into self storage assets over the last five years and has determined that the portfolio has reached a scale where it makes most sense to be separately listed with its own capital structure.

The post 2 ASX 200 shares soaring over 9% on strong results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Thursday was a rough one on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). It fell 0.53% to close at 7,490.3 points.

The index's slump followed an equally disappointing day on Wall Street, wherein the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) fell 0.6%, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) slid 1.1%, and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) dumped 1.7%.

Back home, the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) was the worst-performing sector, dumping 2.7% after energy provider AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) posted disappointing earnings.

The AGL share price fell 10.3% after the company revealed a $1.1 billion statutory loss for the first half.

The S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) and the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) also suffered, falling 1.6% and 1.1% respectively.

But some ASX 200 shares defied today's downturn to post notable gains. Let's take a look at 10 that managed to dodge the carnage.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The index's biggest gain today was posted by the De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG) share price. It rose 3% on news of the Mallina Gold Project's financing process.  

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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) traded in the red for just the fourth time this year today, falling 0.3% to close at 7,468.3 points.

And no prizes to those who can guess why. Market experts were shocked by the latest Australian inflation data, released late this morning.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) found the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.9% in the December quarter and  7.8% over the course of 2022. Those figures were notably higher than consensus forecasts of 1.6% and 7.6%, respectively.

The likelihood the Reserve Bank of Australia could begin easing rates next month likely diminished on the findings, thereby disappointing investors.

On a more positive note, the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) outperformed despite the inflation read today. It gained 0.3%.

Interestingly, the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) also gained, rising 0.4%, while the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) led the market, lifting 0.5%.

Meanwhile, the rates-sensitive S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) fell 1.2% and the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) dropped 1.2%.

But enough of that. Let's take a look at the 10 shares that posted the ASX 200's biggest gains on Wednesday.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top performing share on the index was News Corp (ASX: NWS).

The stock jumped 6% to close at $29.93 after the company revealed it won't be merging with Fox Corporation and confirmed it's in talks to sell its Move, Inc business.

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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fell on Tuesday, posting its third – albeit small – decline of 2023. The index ended the day 0.03% lower at 7,386.3 points.

It was a mixed session across the market, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) leading the way.

The sector gained 1.8%, led by shares in supermarket operators Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), and Metcash Limited (ASX: MTS).

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) weighed heaviest, falling 1.2% as the Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) share price dumped 2.1%.

The company announced the consortium looking to snap it up has requested more time to complete due diligence.

Mining shares also suffered today, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) falling 1.1%.

So, after considering all that, let's take a look at the 10 shares taking out the top spots on the ASX 200 on Tuesday.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top-performing ASX 200 share was battery materials and technology provider Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX). The stock leapt 5.5% to close at $1.92 despite the company's silence.

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.

With hundreds of shares to choose from on the ASX share market, building an ASX share portfolio with confidence is a hard thing for many investors to do. We can do our own research until the cows come home, but it sure helps to get a headstart by considering ASX 200 shares named by other experts to get started.

So with this in mind, it's time to check out five ASX 200 shares that brokers at Macquarie have just recommended to their clients as buys.

Brokers like Macquarie can run 'model portfolios' of shares to help guide clients in building a portfolio. According to reporting in The Australian this week, Macquarie has just dramatically rejigged its model portfolios in light of the broker's belief that next year will see the US economy go into recession.

As such, Macquarie's team has "swung to backing defensive stocks, arguing risks are too high for a range of stocks that did well from the first phase of the rate rises this year".

The ASX 200 shares that Macquarie has decided to ditch in this light include Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ), Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN), Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT), and Tabcorp Holdings Ltd (ASX: TAH).

The broker has also put a few more shares on its 'reduction' list. These include National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS).

So which ASX 200 shares does Macquarie actually like right now?

Macquarie names 5 ASX 200 shares for clients' portfolios

Well, the broker names five.

There is Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), for starters. Macquarie likes CBA as a "quality choice within the banking sector" and a better alternative to ANZ.

Then there's ASX 200 toll road operator Transurban Group (ASX: TCL), viewed as a defensive share and 'bond proxy' with a reliable income stream.

APA Group (ASX: APA), an owner of gas pipelines, is the third ASX 200 share, selected for similar reasons to Transurban.

Next, we have ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX), the operator of the Australian Securities Exchange. This is despite the recent woes with the company's failed blockchain alternative to the CHESS system.

Finally, Macquarie has named Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA), an ASX 200 packaging company that specialises in bottling and canning.

So those are the ASX 200 shares that Macquarie is currently recommending its clients build an ASX share portfolio around. Make of them what you will.

The post 5 ASX 200 shares Macquarie just recommended its clients buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 0.67% today but remains down 5.3% over the year to date.

That's better than where it was in mid-June — down 15% — when the market appeared to turn.

So, where to from here? Are we at, or close to, the bottom for ASX 200 shares?

Are ASX 200 shares close to the bottom?

According to The Australian, top broker Macquarie thinks the bottom is at least six months away.

Macquarie's Matthew Brooks says ASX shares are more likely near the end of a bear market rally. That's very different to being at the start of a bull market rally.

Standing in the way of an ASX 200 shares comeback is a forecasted United States recession in 2023.

Brooks said:

We may emerge from the shadow of a boom in 2023 but a lot of water needs to flow under the
bridge before then — our best guess is a market bottom around July 2023.

To this end, the broker has kicked a bunch of high-profile ASX 200 shares out of its model portfolios.

Which ASX 200 shares is Macquarie dumping?

Brokers publish model portfolios to help their clients keep their ASX shares portfolios up-to-date and growing.

However, changes to the model portfolios do not indicate an official buy, sell or hold recommendation.

The companies kicked out of Macquarie's model portfolios include ASX travel shares Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) and Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN).

Also dismissed: Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ), Tabcorp Holdings Ltd (ASX: TAH), South32 Ltd (ASX: S32), James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX), and Seven Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: SVW).

Macquarie has also reduced its model portfolio holdings in Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) and Computershare Limited (ASX: CPU).

Which ASX 200 shares is Macquarie backing?

On the other side of the coin, the ASX 200 shares Macquarie is adding to its model portfolios are Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Transurban Group (ASX: TCL), APA Group (ASX: APA), Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA), and ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX).

The broker has also increased its holdings in CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) and Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC).

Brooks explains:

The portfolio changes we have made are done to reduce exposure to earnings risks, while still trying to minimise exposure to highly valued stocks.

We also reduce exposure to stocks that benefit from higher bond yields and rotate to 'bond proxies'. Our changes are also informed by what worked in past recessions.

What happens in America follows in Australia

The Australian Financial Review (AFR) reports that two other brokers think the key to a market pivot for the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) lies in the US Federal Reserve ceasing its interest rate rises.

These comments are relevant to ASX 200 shares because the Australian stock market tends to follow US market trends.

LPL Financial's Adam Turnquist and Marc Zabicki said:

If you factor in the fed funds futures timeline of a May or June peak in the terminal rate, you could see around an 11 per cent second half rally on the S&P 500 (based on six-month average returns).

Will growth stage a comeback? History shows growth and value trading higher but largely in line during the six-month period after a Fed pivot.

However … growth outperformance typically becomes more pronounced after the six-month post-pivot window. One of the catalysts driving growth's relative strength likely stems from falling interest rates and inflation during this period.

With a potential peak in interest rates occurring near a Fed pivot, we suspect growth could make a comeback during the back half of 2023.

Mike Wilson, a US equity strategist at Morgan Stanley, said his team expects the S&P 500 to continue rallying for a short while.

Wilson said:

We still expect higher highs for this tactical rally before the deteriorating fundamentals take us to lower bear market lows next year.

The post Will ASX 200 shares bottom before the year is out? Here's Macquarie's 'best guess' appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) battled through a horror session on Wednesday, dumping tens of billions of dollars in value after US inflation figures weighed on Wall Street.

The ASX 200 closed 2.58% lower at 6,828.60 points – marking its worst session since mid-June.

The index's downturn came after Wall Street recorded its biggest single-session fall in more than two years overnight.

While most of Australia slept, the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) dumped 3.94% and the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) plunged 4.32%. The Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) recorded the worst fall, tumbling 5.16%.

Their suffering came on the back of the latest US inflation data. The nation's consumer price index lifted 0.1% in August and 8.3% over the 12 months prior despite falling gasoline and food prices. That marks a fall on the 12 months to July, which came in at 8.5%.

The S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) led the fall today, tumbling 4.2%.

Just behind it was the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ), each dumping 3.1%.

Indeed, none of the ASX 200's 11 sectors posted a gain today while only five of the index's constituents' shares ended in the green.

Keep reading to find out which shares dodged the worst of Wednesday's downturn.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Wednesday's top performing ASX 200 share was Computershare Ltd (ASX: CPU), gaining 1.2%.

While there was no news from the tech company, it has been heralded as an inflation hedge by experts, as my colleague Tony Yoo reports.

These 10 shares were today's top performers:

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.

Next week promises to be busy for ASX dividend investors as a hoard of companies in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) pass the cut-off date for their respective, upcoming dividends.

This cut-off date is also known as the ex-dividend date. It's the date that shares no longer trade with the upcoming dividend payment attached to it.

Monday could be the busiest day of all, with a grand total of 9 ASX 200 shares set to turn ex-dividend. This means that today will be the last day to bag the latest dividend payments from these companies.

Here are the 9 ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend on Monday, in descending order of their respective trailing dividend yields.

Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)

Trailing dividend yield: 11.7%
Upcoming dividend: $1.21 
Franking: 100%
Payment date: 29 September
DRP: Yes

Fortescue's dividends continue to be a hot topic given their sheer size. The ASX 200 iron ore company recently slashed its final dividend by 43%, but Fortescue shares are still trading on an eye-watering dividend yield of nearly 12%. That said, the sustainability of this yield is coming into question.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN)

Trailing dividend yield: 5.9%
Upcoming dividend: 26.5 cents 
Franking: 100%
Payment date: 29 September
DRP: Yes

Despite profits trickling lower in FY22, the ASX 200 bank held its final dividend steady. But across the full year, total dividends edged 3% lower compared to FY21.

Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA)

Trailing dividend yield: 5.0%
Upcoming dividend: 8.5 cents 
Franking: 0%
Payment date: 10 October
DRP: Yes

The ASX 200 packaging company recently raised its final dividend by 13% as FY22 profit grew by 18% over the prior year. Orora has also reinstated its DRP after it was suspended for the interim dividend earlier in the year.

Iluka Resources Limited (ASX: ILU)

Trailing dividend yield: 3.7%
Upcoming dividend: 25 cents 
Franking: 100%
Payment date: 30 September
DRP: Yes

Last week, Iluka more than doubled its interim dividend, declaring its largest dividend payout in four years. The ASX mineral explorer has been benefitting from high prices, which drove a 185% uplift in first-half net profit after tax (NPAT).

NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF)

Trailing dividend yield: 2.7%
Upcoming dividend: 11 cents 
Franking: 100%
Payment date: 4 October
DRP: Yes

The ASX 200 health insurer recently reported a 17% drop in NPAT in FY22, citing investment losses as the primary driver. As a result, NIB cut its final dividend by 21% while full-year dividends were down 8%.

Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC)

Trailing dividend yield: 1.4%
Upcoming dividend: 48.5 cents
Franking: 100%
Payment date: 29 September
DRP: No

Ramsay experienced a COVID-interrupted FY22, cutting its final dividend in half as statutory profit tumbled by 39%. The ASX 200 healthcare company was fielding a takeover offer at $88 per share, but its suitors have since walked away.

Altium Limited (ASX: ALU)

Trailing dividend yield: 1.3%
Upcoming dividend: 26 cents
Franking: 100%
Payment date: 27 September
DRP: No

Altium recently delivered a better-than-expected FY22 result, lifting its total dividends by 18%. The ASX 200 tech share has raised its full-year dividends every year since it started paying consistent dividends in 2013.

Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR)

Trailing dividend yield: 1.2%
Upcoming dividend: 1 cents
Franking: 100%
Payment date: 4 October
DRP: Yes

Gold Road doubled its interim dividend after first-half NPAT soared by 109%. The ASX 200 gold share has been busy, acquiring formerly ASX-listed DGO Gold and topping up its stake in De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG).

Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

Trailing dividend yield: 0.3%
Upcoming dividend: 5 cents
Franking: 0%
Payment date: 5 October
DRP: No

Last but not least, Corporate Travel is back in the dividend books after a turbulent few years. The ASX 200 travel share tipped back into profitability in FY22, allowing the company to declare a modest final dividend.

The post These ASX 200 shares are going ex-dividend on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA) share price closed lower today after the company announced its results for FY22. 

Shares of the global packaging manufacturer and distributor ended the day trading for $3.50 apiece, a fall of 0.85% from Wednesday's closing price.

Let's go over the key facts from the report.

What did Orora report?

• Revenue up 15.6% year-on-year (YoY) to $4 billion
• Net profit after tax (NPAT) up 36% YoY to $184.7 million
• Underlying NPAT of $187.1 million, up 19.4% YoY
• Underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) up 14.6% YoY to $285.5 million
• Underlying earnings per share (EPS) of 21.7 cents per share (cps), up 28.2% YoY
• Operating cash flow up 10.8% YoY to $272.6 million
• A final unfranked dividend of 8.5 cents per share, representing 76.2% of the group's NPAT

Orora's results were stimulated by growth primarily in its North American segment. The company said it achieved this through optimising its business processes and managing the cost of its inputs amid inflation and supply chain disruptions.

The North American segment grew its revenues 14.3% YoY to $2.3 billion and its EBIT 32.6% YoY to $97.9 million.

Meanwhile, the Australasian operating segment grew revenues 9% YoY to $909.1 million, and its EBIT grew 0.2% to $150.6 million.

A final unfranked dividend of 8.5 cents was declared, to be paid to shareholders on 10 October. Orora said the dividend was unfranked due to the company's "near-term capital investment programs and the tax benefits associated with Australia's instant asset write-off legislation for capital expenditure, plus other timing differences",

What else happened in FY22?

Orora bought 30.7 million shares as part of its share buyback program for a total of $109 million.

The company also said it's on track to deliver on its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies, including using recycled content in its glass packaging and reducing emissions.

Orora used 38% recycled content for its glass packaging, up 31% YoY. Headway was made in reducing emissions through the use of its oxyfuel technology, reportedly the first company to do so in Australia. Orora intends to reduce 40% of its emissions by 2035.

What did management say?

Commenting on the FY22 results, Orora managing director and chief executive officer Brian Lowe said:

I am incredibly proud of the entire team's performance — we have delivered against our corporate strategy while remaining agile in response to external challenges as they have emerged. With a strong balance sheet and operating cash flow we are making significant investments in initiatives that will continue to sustainably grow our business and deliver for shareholders in FY23.

What's next?

Orora gave guidance for FY23, and notes that it expects to be a "challenging year of economic conditions".

For the Australasia operating segment, EBIT is expected to be similar to the result observed for FY23. The first half of FY23 is expected to be more difficult than the last, with the company citing pressures from inflation and the recovery in prices it charges its customers.

The outlook for the North American segment is more positive, with growth in EBIT expected due to the price increases of its products due to its profit enhancement initiative.

Orora share price snapshot

The Orora share price is down by around 1% year to date and by a similar amount over the 12 months.

For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has fallen by around 6% so far in 2022 and by almost 5% since this time last year.

Orora has a market capitalisation of $2.98 billion.

The post Orora share price slips despite $187 million profit appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Ask A Fund Manager

The Motley Fool chats with the best in the industry so that you can get an insight into how the professionals think. In this edition, Redpoint Australian Equity Income Fund portfolio manager Max Cappetta names three ASX shares he'd buy right now, which all pay out dividends.

Hottest ASX shares

The Motley Fool: What are the three best stock buys right now?

Max Cappetta: First one is Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA) — a packaging company. 

They operate in about 70 countries. Key markets are, obviously Australia, but also North America. Now, for people that may not know the company name, there's every chance that you interact with Orora many times every day, because they provide bottling and caps, aluminium beverage cans, soft packaging boxes, and cartons. They're really the dominant player in Australia. 

They're less dominant in North America. And I think this is the interesting part of their business because being able to grow their market share in North America really gives them an interesting growth runway over the next couple of years.

Now the company has a stated payout ratio of around 60% to 80% of their net profit after tax (NPAT). So at the moment, with the share price having fallen down recently, it's at a pretty attractive yield of 4.5%. That's unfranked, so you do get that cash dividend yield and look, it's about 30% below its pre-COVID price of $4. We think that this looks pretty attractive for a globally diversified business that is quite defensively positioned overall, in providing all of this packaging across a range of markets and products.

MF: It's fallen about 8% just in the last couple of trading days. No concerns there?

MC: It really wasn't about the company. It was more that really one of the brokers downgraded their view to hold. I actually think … there's probably a little bit of an overreaction, and that this probably presents a really good buying opportunity for a business of this quality, given their cash flow and their profitability.

MF: And the second one?

MC: The other one is sort of related, Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV). 

Again, people may not recognise the company name — but you've probably done business with them many times, particularly if you've been to a Dan Murphy's, or to a BWS, or if you've actually gone into one of their 340-odd hotels that they own around the country. 

Endeavour was spun out of Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) last year, and, at the moment they have 75% of their revenues derived from beverage distribution and 25% comes from their hotel portfolio. We think that it has this real interesting balance of operating within public venues, as well as beverage supply to venues and retailers.

It's not as strong [as Orora] in terms of its gross yield. So again, for income-focused investors, as we are in our Equity Income Fund, the gross yield is 3.2%. That does include franking credits. 

The other thing is it has been a standout performer so far in 2022. While the market has gone backwards, it has actually risen to $7.80 from around $6.80 at the start of the year. We still find it attractive. We think that the benefits of it now being a standalone entity enables management to clearly focus on converting really what is their absolute market-leading position into profit margin improvement in the years ahead.

MF: Does the market like it because it expects the hotel side of the business to grow now that people are more out and about in the post-lockdown era?

MC: Yeah, absolutely. And I think this was one of the real interesting standouts for this business over the last couple of years, whereby when public venues were obviously constrained through COVID, they actually picked up more in terms of their retail and distribution of beverages through the retailers of those beverages. 

So what we see is that there is this nice diversity, and as we're starting to see people obviously get back out and about in hopefully a post-COVID world, then they do actually pick up that incremental uplift through having that portfolio of around 350 venues around the country.

MF: Your third pick?

MC: The next one is WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC). This is one in the IT sector. Yes, it has actually fallen along with the broader IT sector over the last few months. But, for those that don't know WiseTech, it is a global logistics software business. 

I think one of the real things that we like is their very impressive history of being able to grow revenue and to actually improve their profit margins year on year. 

Even today, it's not the kind of company that you would call a valuation pick — it trades at around 80 times next year's earnings or FY22, which will be reported shortly. But it does have a global dominant position. 

The thing that we like is that it has been able to grow its profits faster than the growth in its revenue, and that's a really nice metric that you want to have behind some of these growth stocks, because that's what the market really wants.

Now, in terms of the fallback in its price, it is now probably back in line with its pre-COVID highs. However, its profit expectations for financial year 2022 is actually about three times what it earned in the financial year ended 2019.

MF: Wow.

MC: It has had this really great profit expansion, but as I said, even today it does trade at a forward PE of 80 times. There obviously still [are] massive growth expectations for the company. But if you think about it, if they can triple earnings again, over the next three to five years, we don't actually expect that it'll be trading at 25 times earnings in three years' time because just those profits have multiplied. 

So, yes, there is risk in terms of interest rates in the broader IT sector, continuing to weigh on that valuation. But obviously the one thing that we like is that it is a profitable business. We see that there's profit growth through a market-leading position. As I said, their ability to grow profit faster than revenue, if they can maintain that, then for people that are looking for that IT growth thematic within their portfolio. 

It also pays a dividend, albeit very low yield.

We think it could be one to keep an eye on, given how far it's fallen back to date.

MF: For these tech businesses, once they get to that maturity stage where they do make a profit, it's much easier going than earlier stages, isn't it? Because they've got their product already made and it's just scalable at the press of a button?

MC: Absolutely. That's exactly right. And that's one of the key things that we do like about the business, that software is very scalable. And if we do start to see supply chains, cargo movements, et cetera, returning back to normal, I know we're still talking about higher inflation, which means higher interest rates and maybe lower global growth, but if you are taking a longer-term view, then it's a stock that you'd say in that industry would be worthwhile having exposure to.

The post 'Pretty attractive': Expert reveals 3 ASX shares to buy right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Interest rates have now jumped an astounding 125 basis points in just nine weeks.

In May, many homeowners had never ever seen their home loan repayments rise. But after the Reserve Bank of Australia increased rates on Tuesday for the third consecutive month, there are now plenty of Australians feeling acute financial pain.

The RBA has a job to do in bringing inflation under control. Otherwise the country could find itself in irreparable long-term trouble.

But will the Australian people become collateral damage, with rising rates degrading consumer morale so much that the country slips into recession?

Shaw and Partners portfolio manager James Gerrish said it's certainly not out of the question.

"Arguably the main issue facing everyone today is never before in history has the RBA started hiking rates when consumer confidence was already so depressed."

In normal times, just a slight pullback in real estate prices is enough to curb Australians' enthusiasm.

But 2022 ain't normal.

"This year there's a multitude of factors weighing on us all — including soaring fuel, food and everyday living costs before we even consider lingering COVID & geopolitical tensions," said Gerrish in his Market Matters newsletter.

"Leading economic indicators are already suggesting that the US has entered a recession… Australia feels likely to follow suit, although our strong labour market and commodities exports should help the downturn."

Gerrish's team suspects the RBA will start cutting rates in "late 2023" to give the economy a breath of life. But clearly there's a long way to go before that can happen.

Meanwhile, everyone may have to deal with a recession. And there are certainly some ASX shares to buy that could fare much better than others during such times.

The ASX shares best placed to withstand an economic downturn

According to Gerrish, the sectors that best survive a recession are utilities, consumer staples, telecommunications, health, and gold.

The areas to avoid are industrials, diversified financials, resources, and real estate.

Packaging supplier Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA) is one that Gerrish likes at current prices.

"We believe Orora is reasonable value trading on an estimated PE [price to earnings ratio] of 17.7x for 2022 while its 4.2% unfranked yield is a useful top-up for performance."

The Orora share price has risen more than 3% year-to-date during a period when most stocks have taken a tumble.

"The company is growing in North America while inflation has been navigated by timely price increases — i.e. the business has pricing power," said Gerrish.

"For good measure, sustainability trends are aiding demand for Orora's cans and fibre packaging solutions. While it stays ahead of the curve in this department things look solid for Orora."

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) shares are more expensive, but the supermarket giant is another reliable name to get through tough times, according to Gerrish.

"The stock is not particularly cheap trading on an estimated PE of 23.9x for 2022 but a sustainable 3.4% fully franked yield makes it relatively easy to be patient if concerns are growing towards much of the ASX."

Gerrish added that Coles "delivered a solid result" last quarter with "sales growth driven by accelerating inflation".

"Everything looks solid over the next year or two with Coles but it will need population growth to expand meaningfully moving forward."

His third pick, and perhaps with the least conviction of the three, is alcohol and hospitality provider Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV).

"Our main concern [is] whether the stock's close to being fully priced," said Gerrish.

"The stock's not cheap, trading on an estimated PE for 2022 of 27.8x — richer than Coles for a similar amount of revenue growth. However, margins are better and profitability is growing at a higher clip which could justify the premium multiple." 

The idea here is that demand for alcoholic drinks, whether bought for home or at a pub, is maintained through economic downturns.

"People are partial to a drink during tough times and the owners of Dan Murphy's and BWS are clearly well-positioned for this trend," Gerrish said.

"The group [enjoys] online sales In excess of $1 billion with 40% of its sales now digitally influenced."

One caveat with recession busters

When picking recession-busting defensive ASX shares to purchase, Gerrish cautioned investors to watch the price they pay.

"We must be mindful that investors have been migrating their portfolios towards defensives for many months," he said.

"Hence don't expect any bargains… For example, so far in 2022 the utility stocks are all up while retail is all down."

The post 3 ASX shares that could survive a recession: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) may have fallen today but three ASX shares defied the trend.

The index dropped 0.3% today to 7,564.80 points. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) also fell 0.16% today, to 7,304.70 points.

Let's take a look at which shares outperformed the ASX All Ordinaries Index today.

Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG)

The Origin Energy share price reached a multiple-year high of $7.075 in today's trade. This is the highest price since February 2020. The company's share price retreated to finish at $7.00, a 1.3% gain on yesterday's close. Brent Crude oil has climbed 1.12% to US$106.15 per barrel, according to Bloomberg, while natural gas fell 1.19%. Meantime, coal surged more than 8% on global markets, Trading Economics data reveals. Origin intends to close its coal-fired plant, the Eraring Power Station in New South Wales by 2025.

Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN)

The Coronado Global Resources share price hit a yearly high of $2.43 in earlier trade today before closing at $2.38. Coronado is a metallurgical (met) coal producer, an essential element for steel. Coronado recently reported record coal sales in the March quarter, up 1.4% on the December quarter. The realised met coal price was also up 24.4% in the December quarter. Coronado is involved in projects in Queensland and the United States. The company claims it is one of the largest met coal producers globally.

Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA)

The Orora share price reached a yearly high of $4.02 in earlier trade today before retreating to $3.99 at the close of trade. Orora is a global packaging, products, and visual communications solutions company. Orora shares have been rising since the company's investor day presentation on 28 April. The Orora share price has climbed 5% between market close on 27 April and 4 May. On 28 April, the company revealed operating and earnings momentum has exceeded its H122 results. Orora expects EBIT growth for FY22 to be higher than FY21. The total FY22 dividend is predicted to be at the top end of the 60 to 80% payout range.

The post 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares that smashed new 52-week highs today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Today, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) planted its third consecutive day of losses, albeit smaller than the previous two. At the end of the session, the benchmark index finished 0.16% lower at 7,304.7 points.

Despite some green returning to US shares last night, the Australian share market set its own pace today. Performances were mixed across sectors as investors try to establish where they should be positioned amid a potentially higher interest rate environment.

The real estate sector carried over its disappointing showing from yesterday into today's session, falling 1.5%. In contrast, energy and financial shares provided a supportive floor for the Aussie index on Wednesday.

However, the question is: which shares delivered the biggest returns to investors on the ASX today? Here are the top ten stocks that came through for investors:

Top 10 ASX shares countdown today

Looking at the top 200 listed companies, Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB) was the biggest gainer today. Shares in the wealth management solutions provider received the backing of investors as the share price climbed 3.89%. Although, this move was made in the absence of any news shared by the company. Find out more about Hub24 here.

The next best performing ASX share across the market today was Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA). The packaging products and solutions company rallied 3.37% despite there being nothing noteworthy released to shareholders. Uncover the latest Orora details here.

Today's top 10 biggest gains were made in these ASX shares:

Our top 10 ASX shares today countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to ensure you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the market has closed during weekdays to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is bouncing back from a multi-day slump on Thursday. These shares are helping to drive it upwards with each one hitting a new 52-week high.

Right now, the index is recording a 1.07% gain.

Here's what is driving these ASX 200 shares to trade at their highest point in more than a year.

3 ASX 200 shares climbing to long-forgotten highs

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD)

The share price of ASX 200 fuel and convenience retailer, Ampol, surged 4% to an intraday high of $33.55 on Thursday – a new post-COVID high.

The company has been quiet today. Though, it provided an update on its acquisition of Z Energy Ltd (ASX: ZEL) earlier this week.

The takeover was given the green light by the New Zealand High Court on Tuesday.

On the back of the thumbs up, trading of Z Energy shares will cease when the market closes tonight. The company will be delisted from the ASX on 10 May. Ampol is expected to take the reins that same day.

Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA)

ASX 200 materials share, Orora is also reaching for the stars on Thursday. It rose 4.5% to trade at $3.96 in intraday trade. That's the highest the stock has been in more than two years.

The packaging company's investor day presentation appears to be the catalyst for today's gains. In it, the company revealed its outlook for financial year 2022. It noted its operating and earnings momentum has continued beyond the release of its half-year results. It's still expecting its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) for this financial year to increase on that of financial year 2021.

The company also believes its upcoming final dividend will be at the top end of its targeted 60% to 80% payout range. Its recent eight-cent interim dividend was the highest ever offered by Orora.

Finally, Orora noted it is well placed to explore strategic acquisitions in the near-term.

Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA)

Another ASX 200 energy share joins today's list. The Viva Energy share price reached an intraday high of $2.79 on Thursday – the highest it's been since 2019.

There's been no news out of the fuel provider to explain its share price gains today.

Right now, it's the third-best performing S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) stock, trailing Ampol and Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC).

The post 3 ASX 200 shares smashing new 52-week highs today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

ASX 200 shares are showing signs of a V-shaped recovery with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) climbing 57 basis points this past week.

To further illustrate, the Ishares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ) has climbed more than 1% during this time, as investors throw support behind the large end of the market once more.

In amongst the noise, there is a little-covered ASX 200 share that released its half-yearly results today and investors are piling in as a result.

At the time of writing, the Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA) share price is up 7.7% to fetch $3.57 on the back of its results for the half year ended 31 December 2021.

Orora touts itself as a leading sustainable packaging and visual solutions provider. It has a foothold in the design and manufacture of packaging products such as glass bottles, beverage cans, corrugated boxes, recycled paper, multi-walled paper bags, and point of purchase displays.

But this ASX 200 share isn't a small enterprise. At last check, it had a market cap of more than $3 billion and trades on a 4.2% trailing dividend yield.

Orora share price jumps as NPAT, EPS spike in 1H FY22

The company announced several investment highlights in its earnings release today, including:

• Underlying earnings per share (EPS) came in at 11.8 cents per share, up 22.9% year on year
• Underlying net profit after tax (NPAT), before significant items, was $102.7 million, up 12.9% year on year (13.6% on a constant currency basis)
• Sales revenue was $1.98 billion, up 9.6% on the previous year (10.6% on a constant currency basis).
• Underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) was $154.5 million, up 10.4%
• Operating cash flow came in at $145.5 million with cash conversion at 75%
• Return on average funds employed (RoAFE) was 24.8%, up from 21.4% year on year.

What else happened for Orora this period?

The Group reported an increase in underlying NPAT and EBIT with the bottom line growing by 23% from the same time last year.

Orora says this demonstrates the "continued strength of the Group's diversified packaging assets and sustainable earnings".

Investors might recall that back in October 2021, Orora announced a $150 million on-market buyback. Today's release notes, as at 31 December 2021, the buyback is approximately 20% complete.

As a result, 9.3 million shares were bought at an average price of $3.37 per share for total consideration of $31.5 million, the company notes. According to the announcement, the buyback is forecast to be completed during 2022.

The company was also pleased with its Australasian business during the half. It says it largely avoided the impacts of Chinese wine tariffs, noting that "100% of this capacity [is] now redeployed to new product categories".

Orora also claims it is on track to achieve its "2025 goal of 60% recycled content in the glass packaging it manufactures".

It also says it is "well on track to achieving a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for Scope 1 and 2 by 2035 through a range of initiatives which include alternative furnace technologies".

Management commentary

Speaking on the announcement, Orora Managing Director and CEO Brian Lowe said:

I am pleased to report that Orora delivered a strong result for the first half of the fiscal year 2022. Our performance reflects the unwavering focus of our team on executing our strategic priorities in the context of a global pandemic. The Group reported an increase in underlying net profit after tax and underlying EBIT on the prior corresponding period, demonstrating the continued strength of the Group's diversified packaging assets and sustainable earnings. Our North American business produced another outstanding result in the first half, continuing to drive improvements in operating and financial performance, exercising pricing discipline in a higher inflation operating environment and delivering strong earnings growth in both the manufacturing and distribution OPS businesses.

What's next for Orora?

The company is forecasting FY22 EBIT to be higher than the full-year result of FY21. In its Australasia business, "EBIT growth is expected for the Beverage business in 2H22, with FY22 EBIT to be broadly in line with FY21".

Whereas in North America, "with sustained improvement in the performance of both OPS and OV, we expect 2H22 EBIT to be up on the [prior year] with continued strong earnings growth for the full year", it said.

Orora share price snapshot

Orora shares have climbed almost 28% in the last 12 months and are up another 2% this year to date.

In fact, the company's shares are in the green across all time frames, unlike the benchmark indices.

The post This under-the-radar ASX 200 share just jumped 8% following solid half-year results. And it pays dividends! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Many investors want massive returns without the rollercoaster ride along the way. Although, sometimes we succumb to the enticement of fast-moving shares — often on the more speculative side — in an attempt to outperform the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

For some people, volatility is part of the allure of investing in shares. For others, it's a nightmare that keeps them up at night.

Fortunately, for the latter category of investors, there are a number of quiet-achieving companies, allowing shareholders to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Here's a look at a handful of companies inside the ASX 200 that have demonstrated it is possible to make exceptional returns with less of the gut-wrenching, sleep-robbing, heart-throbbing volatility along the way.

More money and less stress inside the ASX 200

Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)

It may not be a rapidly growing tech company, but Medibank Private has managed to deliver solid returns for its shareholders over the years. Most notably, the past 12 months have seen the private health insurance provider exceed the returns from the broader index.

Furthermore, Medibank Private shareholders have enjoyed relatively low volatility over the past year. The average weekly volatility during this time is 3.6%. Comparatively, the average movement of the broader market has been 8.8%.

Medibank Private currently offers a dividend yield of 3.98%.

APA Group (ASX: APA)

Another company avoiding nasty surprises for shareholders over the years is APA Group. The energy infrastructure operator has steadily grown its revenue and rewarded investors in the process. As shown below, this ASX 200 share has outperformed the index on a one-year and five-year comparison.

Impressively, APA Group's average weekly volatility is 3.1% over the last year — making it less than half as volatile as the broader market. As such, investors have likely had no trouble getting some shuteye while hanging onto the utility company.

APA Group is boasting a 5.2% dividend yield based on its current share price.

Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA)

Last, but not least, is a company that has provided solid returns without much fuss over the years. Packaging product and solutions specialist, Orora, is an ASX 200 company that has far surpassed the returns of the index in the last year while making little noise in doing so.

For those playing at home, Orora has provided the largest returns — from those on this list — in the last year. Additionally, the company is the least volatile, moving only 2.4% each week on average.

Based on the current share price, Orora is offering a dividend yield of 4%.

The post Sweet dreams: ASX 200 shares that have provided big returns without the worry appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.