The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has shaken off yesterday's sluggish performance with another day of tentative gains so far this Wednesday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 has added another 0.1%, putting the index up to just under 7,400 points. But it's been even better for some ASX 200 shares.

So let's discuss three such shares that have just cleared new 52-week highs.

3 ASX 200 shares hitting new 52-week highs on Wednesday

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

ASX 200 resources engineering company Worley is first up. Worley shares are on fire today, with the company recording a solid 1.55% gain so far today to $15.71 a share at the time of writing. But earlier this morning, Worley rose as high as $15.75, which is the stock's new 52-week high.

Worley has been at these kinds of levels before, but this is the highest the stock has climbed since the company touched over $16 back in early 2020. Despite no ASX announcements out in 2023 so far, Worley shares have risen by more than 6% since the start of the year.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

Another ASX 200 share making new highs today is wine producer Treasury Wine Estates. Treasury shares are up a decent 0.56% so far this session to $14.36 each.

But Treasury rose as high as $14.38 around midday today, which is the company's new 52-week high. This is also a new post-COVID high for the company, which hasn't gotten above the $15 mark since January 2020.

The Treasury share price might be benefitting from the reopening of China, a key market for the company. Treasury shares are also up big in 2023 so far, having risen nearly 10% since New Year's Day.

Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN)

Finally today, we have ASX 200 travel share and national icon, Qantas. Like Treasury, investors seem to be seeing Qantas in a new light following the announcement that China is opening back up.

Since hitting a 52-week low of $4.21 back in August last year, Qantas shares have taken to the skies. The company is now up close to 60% from that August low, including the 2.2% it has added today.

Qantas shares are currently going for $6.69 each, which is the airline's new 52-week (and post-COVID) high. The Qantas share price is now up a pleasing 12.5% in the 2023 year to date.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) followed Wall Street into the red on Monday. The index closed 1.4% lower at 6,667.8 points.

Its tumble appeared to follow similar suffering on US markets on Friday after strong employment data stoked expectations of further rate hikes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) fell 2.1% on Friday, as the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) plunged 2.8%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) plummeted 3.8%.

Unsurprisingly, then, the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) was one of the market's worst-performing sectors today, dumping 2.6%.

Interestingly, the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: CSJ) led the way, falling just 0.3%.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) fell 0.9% and the S&/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) dumped 1.1% despite rising oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price lifted 3.7% to US$97.92 a barrel on Friday, while the US Nymex crude oil price gained 4.7% to US$92.64 a barrel.

But which ASX 200 share outperformed all others on Friday? Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The Sims Ltd (ASX: SGM) share price topped the lot on Monday, gaining 2.2%. That's despite no news having been released by the metal recycling company.

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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) posted a partial recovery today, led by energy shares. The index closed 0.21% higher at 6,842.90 points.

The market's day in the green came on the back of its worst session in three months which saw the ASX 200 tumble 2.58% yesterday.

Wall Street – which weighed heavily on the Aussie bourse yesterday – lifted overnight. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) rose 0.1% and the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) increased 0.3%.  The Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC), meanwhile, gained 0.7%.

Today, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) rallied, posting a 3.7% increase, with coal miners leading the way.

The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) also gained 1.1% and 0.3% respectively.

Sadly, all other sectors closed lower, with the S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) weighing heaviest, falling 0.9%.

But which share outperformed all others on Thursday? Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The index's top performer on Wednesday was coal producer Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN).

It's been on a roll lately amid rising coal prices and bullish brokers. Find out more about the company and what it's been up to here.

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.

The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is having a rough start to the week.

Following a negative lead from US markets, the All Ords index is down 1.7% at the time of writing.

But some ASX All Ords shares are falling more than most.

Here are three All Ords shares going ex-dividend today. 

Shares in these companies are no longer trading with an entitlement to the latest dividend payment. 

So, on top of the broader market decline, this is putting even more downwards pressure on their share prices today.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

Worley shares are trading today without an unfranked final dividend of 25 cents.

At the time of writing, Worley shares have tumbled by 5.5% or 85 cents.

The industrial engineering solutions company recently reported its FY22 results, keeping dividends steady as revenue climbed 2% to $9.7 billion.

Investors holding Worley shares at the closing bell on Friday should see the payment come through on 28 September.

Worley declared total FY22 dividends of 50 cents, in line with the prior period. This spun up a trailing dividend yield of 3.2% when the market closed on Friday. 

Ingenia Communities Group (ASX: INA)

Ingenia is another ASX All Ords share going ex-dividend today, with shares down 4.9% or 22 cents at the time of writing.

The ASX property group released its FY22 results last week, declaring an unfranked final dividend of 5.8 cents.

This takes the company's full-year payout to 11 cents, up 5% compared to the dividends seen in FY21.

If you held Ingenia shares when the market closed on Friday, keep your eyes peeled for the payment to land in your account on 22 September.

Ingenia shares closed on Friday with a trailing dividend yield of 2.4%.

Hansen Technologies Limited (ASX: HSN)

Finally, ASX All Ords share Hansen is also trading without its partially franked final dividend today.

At the time of writing, Hansen shares have dropped 3.6% or 18 cents.

Hansen handed in its FY22 results last week, maintaining a final dividend of 5 cents, 30% franked.

The company has pencilled in the payment date for 21 September.

Across the financial year, Hansen declared record total dividends of 12 cents. This put Hansen shares on a trailing dividend yield of 2.4% at Friday's close.

The post 3 ASX All Ords shares going ex-dividend today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) broke a two-session losing streak on Wednesday as energy shares bolstered the market. The index closed 0.52% higher at 6,998.10 points.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) led the way on Wednesday, gaining 2.8% amid earnings from Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR) and rising oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price rose 3.9% to US$100.22 a barrel overnight while the US Nymex crude oil price rose 3.9% to US$93.74 a barrel.

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) also surged 2.2% today despite a weak Tuesday session on Wall Street. WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) was its top performer. The company's stock was driven by an 80% increase in full-year profits.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XCJ) fell 1.3% and 1% respectively.

At the end of Wednesday's session, seven of the ASX 200's 11 sectors were in the green. But which share will be crowned today's best performer? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's best-performing ASX 200 share was none other than WiseTech. Find out more about the tech giant's earnings and what it's been up to here.

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 Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR) share price is well in the green after the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy engineering giant released its full-year earnings.

The stock is currently trading 5.9% higher at $14.90 a share, after opening 0.9% higher at $14.20 this morning.

Worley share price gains as after-tax profit reaches $172m

Here are the key takeaways from Worley's statutory financial year 2022 (FY22) earnings:

• Aggregated revenue came to $9 billion – a 3% increase on that of the prior corresponding period (pcp)
• Meanwhile, revenue and other income lifted 2% to $9.7 billion
• Earnings before interest, tax, and amortisation (EBITA) lifted 41% to $449 million
• Net profit after tax (NPAT) and amortisation rose 55% to $243 million
• Basic earnings per share (EPS) surged 109% to 32.8 cents
• Declared 25 cent, unfranked final dividend, bringing its full year payout to 50 cents – flat with that of FY21

Looking to the company's underlying earnings, it reported underlying EBITA of $547 million – an 18% improvement – and an underlying after-tax profit of $329 million – a 19% increase.

Its underlying basis EPS came to 62.8 cents – an 18% year-on-year increase.

The company also improved the quality of its earnings, with 35% of its total revenue – $3.2 billion worth – coming from sustainability activities.

Worley's operating cash flow, however, fell 41% to $316 million

What else happened in FY22?

The major news from Worley in FY22 was its withdrawal from Russia. The company announced its plan to remove its services from the nation after Russian forces invaded Ukraine.

The Worley share price gained 25.6% over the course of FY22, closing the fiscal year at $14.37.

What did management say?

In a letter to shareholders, Worley CEO and managing director Chris Ashton said:

These results are indicative of continued market expansion in both our traditional and sustainability related work. We have delivered an improved result against a backdrop of geopolitical and economic challenges. This is a direct result of the changes we've made to our business. We've set up a scalable business, and we're delivering ongoing benefits from our cost‑saving programs.

What's next?

The company expects its average FY22 underlying EBITA margin – 6% – to be sustained in FY23. Meanwhile, it's seeing indicators that point to improving revenue.

Sustainability-related work now accounts for 50% of its factored sales pipeline, placing it in a leadership position for the energy transition. It's also investing $100 million in organic growth over three years to boost its sustainability solutions, digital enablement, and process technology.

Worley also boasts a $15.4 billion backlog.

Worley share price snapshot

It's been a good year so far for the Worley share price.

The stock has lifted 37% since the start of 2022. It's also trading 29% higher than it was this time last year.

For comparison, the ASX 200 has slipped 6% year to date and 7% over the last 12 months.

The post Worley share price surges as FY22 revenue reaches $9.7b appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR) share price is backtracking today, taking a breather from its recent 52-week high.

This comes after the engineering group announced it has been awarded a contract from energy giant, Santos Ltd (ASX: STO).

At the time of writing, Worley shares are swapping hands at $13.47, down 2.18%.

Worley expands partnership with Santos

Investors are selling off Worley shares despite the company announcing positive news to the ASX.

In its release, Worley advised it has won a professional services contract to support Santos' Bayu-Undan carbon capture and storage (CCS) project.

Under the deal, Worley will provide front-end engineering and design (FEED) services for the Bayu-Undan offshore facilities and pipeline.

The scope of work includes re-purposing the Bayu-Undan facility along with other offshore sections from hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide service.

Furthermore, Worley will also provide FEED services for the life extension of the facility and pipeline to ensure safe operation.

The Bayu-Undan CCS project is expected to store up to 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum. To put that into perspective, that's about 1.5% of Australia's total carbon emissions for the year.

The CCS project could be one of the largest in the world and help Australia transition to a low-carbon future.

Worley stated it will use its Perth team to execute the work, whilst receiving support from its global branches.

Worley CEO, Chris Ashton commented:

We are excited to strengthen our relationship with Santos and support this important carbon capture and storage project. This project is one of the ways we are helping our customers to decarbonize and re-purpose existing assets as we deliver a more sustainable world.

Worley share price recap

Over the past 12 months, the Worley share price has gained close to 20% following a rally in energy prices.

The company's shares reached a 52-week high of $15.69 in early June before treading lower in the weeks after.

Worley presides a market capitalisation of roughly $7.21 billion with 523.7 million shares outstanding.

The post Worley shares dip despite deal with Santos appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is in the green despite a notably poor performance from energy shares on Friday.

Right now, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) is down a whopping 1.38%.

For context, the ASX 200 is recording a gain of 0.35% at the time of writing.

Interestingly, the energy sector's downfall is being led by some of its most renowned names.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, much of the turnaround is seemingly being driven by falling oil prices. Let's take a look.

Energy shares dragging on ASX 200

The ASX 200 energy sector is in the red on Friday after oil prices tumbled despite continuous supply concerns overnight.

The price of Brent crude oil fell 1.2% to reach US$114.81 a barrel in Thursday's session overseas while the West Texas Intermediate oil price tumbled 3.7% to US$105.76 a barrel.

It marks the first time in 2022 that oil prices recorded a month-on-month fall. WTI oil futures slumped 7.8% in June, according to Trading Economics.

The fall came after OPEC+ nations announced they would only increase August output by as much as was previously flagged, reports Reuters. That will see an additional 648,000 barrels per day hit the market.

That's despite expectations that supply of the black liquid could tighten in the face of export halts, political disruptions, and strikes in Libya, Ecuador, and Norway.  

The commodity's fall is likely weighing on the share prices of oil-producing companies including Santos Ltd (ASX: STO), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), and Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR). They're currently down 1.4%, 2.2%, and 2.4% respectively. That of Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) is also down 0.6%.

Coal producing shares of New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC) and Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) are also falling 3.1% and 1.6% respectively right now.

The post Why are ASX 200 energy shares dragging on the market today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

June brought a mixed performance for ASX energy shares. Some of the market's biggest energy producers posted notable gains while others suffered.

Here's how some of the market's most renowned energy stocks have performed this month:

• Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) – up 7.3%
• Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) – down 8.6%
• Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) – up 0.3%
• Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR) – down 1.7%
• Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA) – up 2.1%
• Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) – down 7.7%

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) has traded relatively flat this month, gaining just 0.5%. For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has slumped nearly 8%.

Let's take a look at what moved ASX energy shares in June.

Energy was the talk of the town…

ASX energy shares have put out a mixed performance this month amid fluctuating oil prices, the falling value of coal, and an energy crisis.

After closing May at US$115.60 a barrel, Brent crude oil futures are currently slipping lower to US$116.01. It's been a similar story for West Texas Intermediate oil price futures, which moved from US$111.91 per barrel to reach US$110.20 a barrel today.

Trading Economics notes oil prices are on a trajectory to record their first monthly declines since November despite recent supply concerns.

Meanwhile, the price of coal has tumbled around 11% this month to reach US$380 a tonne.

But the biggest news of the sector this month was arguably the energy crisis that took hold across Australia.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (NEMO) suspended the National Energy Market (NEM) wholesale market in mid-June in an effort to dodge rolling blackouts.

NEMO CEO Daniel Westerman said price caps, unplanned outages at power plants, and coal and gas supply chain disruptions had driven generators to remove capacity from the market.

The market was returned to normal operation last week.

What else drove ASX energy shares this month?

Energy commodities and shortages had plenty talking this month. Interestingly, however, there wasn't much news from ASX energy giants.

Of course, Woodside completed its massive merger with BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)'s petroleum assets early in the peace. Additionally, the company's $17 billion Scarborough Project faced court action last week.

The post How did ASX energy shares perform in June? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Leading fund manager Wilson Asset Management (WAM) has picked a few S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares as opportunities.

There has been a lot of volatility on the ASX share market in recent weeks and months amid the focus on inflation and interest rate rises. No one can truly know when conditions will die down. But experts think that the lower valuations represent good prices for many businesses.

WAM manages a selection of listed investment companies (LICs). These include WAM Capital Limited (ASX: WAM), WAM Research Limited (ASX: WAX) and WAM Active Limited (ASX: WAA).

Moreover, a key focus of the WAM LICs is to find "undervalued growth companies" where there is a catalyst that could send the share price higher.

These are two of the ASX 200 shares WAM identifies in its recent update.

ARB Corporation Limited (ASX: ARB)

ARB designs, manufactures, distributes and sells motor vehicle accessories.

In May 2022, the company gave investors a market update citing "numerous" challenges to its business operations. These include an increase in commodity prices, a global shortage of new vehicles, and global logistics and pricing issues. Further to this is a labour and skills shortage and exchange rate volatility.

WAM notes that ARB pointed out it expects an increase in total capital expenditure to $57 million in FY22. That would be up from $33 million in FY21. The company attributes this to costs associated with its factories and upgrades to its retail stores and manufacturing equipment.

The fund manager is "upbeat" that the ASX 200 share will "likely" achieve its projected FY22 revenue of $700 million, supported by its 18% year-on-year increase in sales revenue over the nine months to 31 March 2022.

Wilson Asset Management is positive on the outlook for ARB as it delivers on growth opportunities in Australia and in export markets, development of new products, and fostering of partnerships with major customers.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

Another business named as an opportunity by WAM is Worley.

Worley provides engineering, procurement and construction expertise to the upstream, midstream, chemicals, power, energy and minerals sectors.

Last month, the ASX 200 share was given three new contracts. It also signed an agreement with Avantium Renewable Polymers to provide engineering, procurement and construction services.

WAM said that the services Worley will provide to these companies aims to support the growth of their assets and their sustainability targets.

With new contracts in the pipeline and FY22 costs expected to be less than half of FY21, the fund manager thinks the revenue and earnings target for the second half of FY22 is "well supported".

The post This expert thinks these 2 ASX 200 shares are great buys right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

June has been a rough month so far for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), but not all the shares that call it home have suffered.

While the index has crashed 2.18% since the end of May, these ASX 200 shares have enjoyed upwards momentum.

Let's take a look at what's driving them to 52-week highs on Thursday.

3 ASX 200 shares hitting 12-month highs today

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

The Woodside share price is in the green once more on Thursday, gaining 2.6% at its highest point. That saw the ASX 200 share trading at a new post-pandemic high of $35.66.

Its surge is likely due to rising oil prices. The Brent crude oil price lifted 2.5% overnight to reach US$123.58 a barrel. Meanwhile, the US West Texas Intermediate crude price gained 2.3% to hit US$122.11 per barrel. Their gains represent a new 13-week high for the commodity.

Oil prices gained amid demand for petrol in the US and concerns that China's demand for oil could increase, reports Reuters.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

Woodside's fellow ASX 200 energy share Worley is likely in the green for the same reason.

The Worley share price rose 1.9% to its new 52-week high of $15.69 today. That's its highest point since January 2020.

Crown Resorts Ltd (ASX: CWN)

Finally, the ASX 200's Crown saw its share price lift to a new 52-week high of $13.02 on Thursday. That represents a 2.1% gain on Wednesday's close.

Its gains come on the back of news of Blackrock's takeover of the casino giant.

Today, Crown announced that both the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission and the New South Wales Independent Gaming and Liquor Authority have given the $8.9 billion takeover the tick of approval.

The ASX 200 staple's acquisition now only needs the 'okay' of the Western Australian gaming regulator and the Federal Court before it can be passed.

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

In these volatile times, you may be nursing a portfolio of ASX shares that are looking pretty sick at the moment.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 5.4% so far this year, while it's been even worse in the United States with the S&P 500 Index (INDEXSP: .INX) losing 13.3%.

And those index drops don't even tell the story of individual stocks, many of which have fared far worse.

The combination of persistent inflation, rising interest rates, supply constraints, and a war in Europe is killing the market's morale.

So it's no wonder the experts can't agree whether Australia and the US will end up in recession.

Can the central banks engineer a 'soft landing' or will everyone feel the cabin rocking?

Given this scary environment, three veteran fund managers were asked to name one stock each they would buy now to put in their bottom drawer.

Here's what they said at the Future Generation Live event in Sydney last week:

Set to grow double-digits even without reopening recovery

Tribeca portfolio manager Jun Bei Liu picked ear implant maker Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH) as a "quality company that's been sold off".

"Earnings have been hurt by the pandemic. They couldn't operate on new instalments around the world."

Indeed, the Cochlear share price is still well below its pre-COVID highs, when it reached the $240s. The stock closed Monday at $224.77.

But Liu sees much hope in the medium term.

"Now with the world reopening, the earnings are looking incredibly strong," she said.

"This company was going to grow double-digits [even] without the recovery earnings, regardless of whether there's a recession happening."

Demerger the best thing for everyone

Regal Funds chief investment officer Phil King likes the look of chemicals provider Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL).

The company recently announced that it would separate its explosives and fertiliser divisions.

"The demerger's very positive for both stocks in the long term," said King.

"Better capital allocation and the management's a lot more focused."

Due to the unstable global security situation, he noted fertiliser prices are sky-high. Explosives prices are also rising due to a mining boom.

Creating two smaller companies could also make both more palatable for an opportunistic deal.

"In this environment, we think private equity could be very active," King said.

"Splitting the company into two, both parts are very bite-sized."

The Incitec Pivot share price has gained 7% so far this year.

Can this ASX share beat expectations for the first time?

Wilson Asset Management chief investment officer Geoff Wilson favours a stock that's long been neglected by the market.

But Wilson predicted that, for the first time, engineering firm Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR) would beat analyst forecasts.

"In theory [the share price is] re-rating when it beats market expectations."

Long-suffering Worley investors will be hoping Wilson is right.

The stock has risen a spectacular 34.5% for the year so far. But over the past five years, it has not performed, gaining only just over 30%.

Earlier this year, Worley's own shareholders won a legal case against the company, after the full Federal Court agreed that a financial forecast in 2013 was inflated with no "reasonable grounds".

The post 3 ASX shares to buy in troubled times: expert panel appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

ASX 200 shares that are seen to be high emitters tend to be left off the investment lists of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) focused retail investors and funds.

But this year Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the resulting boycotts of Russian oil, gas and coal, have demonstrated how reliant the world still is on fossil fuels.

While European nations have led the global charge in championing renewable energy, many are finding it could take several years to wean themselves off Russia's fossil fuels.

Meanwhile, here in Australia, the newly elected Labor government has more ambitious emissions reduction targets than the outgoing Coalition, putting additional pressure on ASX 200 shares to do more on the environmental front.

A big opportunity for ASX 200 shares

Addressing the Labor government's more ambitious 2030 emissions targets, David Gilmour, portfolio analyst & ESG specialist at Yarra Capital Management, said that this presents "the largest opportunity on our pathway to net zero emissions: making dirty cleaner".

"For too long, sustainability investment has centred on future facing industries, like renewables, and blatantly ignored the dirtiest industries," he said. "The focus has been on the cure to emissions, with no consideration to prevention. Divestment has been the weapon of choice."

With the electricity sector in the United States only accounting for about a third of emissions, Goldman Sachs believes the biggest cuts by 2030 will be delivered by oil and gas producers, diversified metals and mining, and aluminium, where you'll find few ESG investors holding shares.

According to Gilmour:

Domestically it's a similar story. Like the US, Australia's electricity sector only accounts for around 30% of total emissions. Labor's new target for a 43% reduction on emissions to 2030 (based on 2005 levels) will require substantive efforts from industry and transport.

He added that "the electricity sector is already stretched to its limit with a forecast 49% reduction by 2030 from today's levels."

Without additional cuts from the electricity sector, Labor will need to achieve a 22% reduction in emissions from other sources to achieve its target. That compares to the Coalition's former forecast for a 1% increase.

The case for investing in these 'dirty' shares

Which brings us to 3 'dirty' ASX 200 shares Yarra holds positions in.

Noting that Yarra supports Labor's proposal to strengthen the existing Safeguard Mechanism, Gilmour said, "Investors must also play an important role. We believe strongly in company engagement over exclusion; the former can lead to outperformance, while the latter shifts ownership to parts of the market with less oversight and deprives companies of capital when they need it most."

He said this was the reason Yarra was invested in ASX 200 shares unlikely to top the list of ESG investors, like Alumina Limited (ASX: AWC) and Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR).

According to Gilmour:

That's why we are shareholders in high emitters such as Alumina, a company with a harder pathway to net zero but has the capability to benefit from the transition. AWC is already among the lowest emitters among major alumina producers, is pursuing early-stage technologies and is a clear beneficiary of green capex given the expected growth in demand for aluminium (39% demand growth to 2030).

We are also overweight on Worley, which is well positioned to capture higher structural demand from energy transition work over and above its traditional work for the oil & gas industry.

The recently rebranded ASX 200 energy share, Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), also makes the cut.

"Early this year we established a position in Woodside Petroleum (WPL), a company which predominantly produces gas and has a new strategy to invest $US5bn in new energy opportunities by 2030," Gilmour said.

"Our focus remains on working with management to strengthen its 2030 interim target and lower its reliance on offsets," he added.

Some food for thought for ESG investors running their slide rules across potential ASX 200 shares.

The post Why we're still buying ASX 200 shares that are 'high emitters': fundie appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are charging higher:

ALS Ltd (ASX: ALQ)

The ALS share price is up over 2.5% to $12.08. This follows the release of the testing solutions company's full year results this morning. ALS revealed a 23.9% increase in revenue to $2,182.3 million and a 42.1% jump in underlying net profit after tax of $264.2 million. The latter was at the top end of its $260 million to $265 million guidance range.

Costa Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: CGC)

The Costa share price is up 7.5% to $3.13. This morning the horticulture company released a trading update at its annual general meeting. That update was relatively positive throughout and revealed that Costa remains on track to deliver on its previous guidance for calendar year 2022.

Superloop Ltd (ASX: SLC)

The Superloop share price is up 4% to 82 cents. Investors have been buying this telco's shares after it announced the acquisition of white label broadband provider Acurus for $15 million. The acquisition is expected to allow Superloop to expand white label broadband relationships and deliver profitable growth in its subscriber base. Acurus' white label platform supports the internet offerings behind major brands such as Energy Australia and Officeworks.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

The Worley share price is up 2% to $15.04. The catalyst for this was the announcement of two new contract wins. The first is the award of a contract for the fourth expansion of an integrated polyolefins complex in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates. The other is a contract by Heartwell Renewables for field engineering services for a greenfield renewable diesel plant in Hastings, Nebraska.

The post Why ALS, Costa, Superloop, and Worley shares are charging higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here's what is happening on the ASX 200 today:

BHP share price sinks

The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price has taken a big tumble on Wednesday. This has been driven by the Big Australian's shares trading ex-dividend for its in-specie dividend. Eligible BHP shareholders can now look forward to receiving one new Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share for every 5.534 BHP shares they own when the demerger of BHP's petroleum assets completes on June 1.

Pilbara Minerals shares fall following BMX auction

The Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share price is dropping today. This is despite the lithium miner releasing the results of the fifth Battery Material Exchange (BMX) auction. A cargo of 5,000 dmt at a target grade of ~5.5% lithia received a winning bid of US$5,955 per dry metric tonne. This was up from US$5,650 per tonne last month. While this came in 9% ahead of what Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) was expecting, some investors appear to have been betting on even stronger pricing.

Worley wins two new contracts

The Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR) share price is charging higher today. This follows the announcement of two new contract wins. The first is the award of a contract for the fourth expansion of an integrated polyolefins complex in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates. The other is a contract by Heartwell Renewables for field engineering services for a greenfield renewable diesel plant in Hastings, Nebraska.

Best and worst ASX 200 performers

The best performer on the ASX 200 on Wednesday has been the Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF) share price with a 5% gain. Bargain hunters appear to be swooping after recent weakness. Going the other way, the worst performer has been the BHP share price with an 8.5% decline. This has been driven by its shares trading ex-dividend this morning.

The post ASX 200 midday update: BHP and Pilbara Minerals shares tumble appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is trading down on Tuesday, currently 5 basis points in the red at 7,394.

The All Ordinaries has crept down in recent weeks, having fallen from a high of 7,887 on 21 April and cooling off to its current level.

Meanwhile, these 3 shares have spiked past their multi-year highs in Tuesday's session.

Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL)

Shares of Yancoal have surged 130% higher in 2022 amid a bullish run for the price of coal.

The price of coal has surged another 27% in the past month of trade and has now eclipsed a 296% gain over the last 12 months.

This price action has inflected positively for Yancoal, seeing its share price cruise past its highest mark since 2018.

At the time of writing, Yancoal shares are fetching $6 apiece, meaning very patient investors have now been rewarded with a 200% gain in the last 12 months.

New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC)

Shares of New Hope have charged more than 3% higher on Tuesday and now rest at $4.09 apiece.

The $3 billion company by market cap has seen its share price rally on the back of the coal price's hefty run as well.

Not only that, but New Hope's exposure to other energy resources such as oil and gas have helped lock in a 83% gain this year to date.

Each of natural gas and Brent Crude oil have surged 130% and 64% in the last 12 months respectively.

Given that New Hope is a price taker on these commodities, the market appears to have looked favourably on the miner amid this commodity boom.

Much of the upside in these segments has stemmed from the conflict in Europe, sending concerns of a supply shock throughout global markets.

After its gain today New Hope now trades at its highest level in around 3 years.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

Shares of Worley nudged past their highest mark since 2020 in early trade today, eclipsing the $14.96 mark just after the open.

They have since trended down across the day and now rest at $14.74.

Curiously, news of a strategic partnership with Avantium Renewable Polymers progressing to the next phase received a muted reaction from the market on 18 May.

Nevertheless, Worley had already clipped a 39% total return from the 12 months to that point anyway.

At the time of writing, it had risen 38% this year to date as well.

The post 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares smashing multi-year highs on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is continuing its green streak on Wednesday, helped along by shares in the companies below.

They have surged to their highest point in years today, with some reaching record highs.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is up 0.83%. That brings its gains for this week so far to 1.37%.

Let's take a look at what's sending these stocks to new multi-year highs.

3 ASX 200 shares trading at their highest in years

Amcor (ASX: AMC)

The Amcor share price is pushing higher again after the stock's US counterpart surged overnight.

Amcor's stock reached a record high of $18.98 on Wednesday. That represents a 2.37% increase on its previous closing price.

The packaging provider is dual-listed on both the ASX and the New York Stock Exchange.

While Australia slept, its New York listing – Amcor (NYSE: AMCR) – lifted 3% to close Tuesday's session overseas at US$13.33 a share.

As both listings refer to the same company, it makes sense that the overnight movement in New York might have equated to a gain on the ASX today.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

The Worley share price is also in the green on Wednesday. It pushed upwards to reach $14.87 earlier today ­– a new post-pandemic high.

Today's gains come after the ASX 200 energy share announced two pieces of exciting news.

Worley has won a three-year engineering and procurement services contract. The contract will see the engineering company supporting five Shell (LON: SHEL) assets in the Gulf of Mexico.

On top of that, the company announced it has signed a new agreement with its partner Avantium. The pair have agreed to develop a world-first, commercial-scale renewable plastics facility. The facility will produce up to 5,000 kilotonnes of furandicarboxylic acid – a recyclable building block for many chemicals and plastics – each year.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

Finally, ASX 200 coal producer Whitehaven Coal has seen its share price hit a new multi-year high of $5.35 today. That's the highest it's traded since 2018.

There's been no news from the company today. However, the price of thermal coal rose 2.8% overnight to reach US$413.65 a tonne, according to CommSec.

That could go some way to explaining the stock's gains today.

The post 3 ASX 200 shares smashing multiyear highs on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Monday is a good day on the market for many S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares, and these three are really making the most of it.

Right now, the ASX 200 is up 0.13%. Meanwhile, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has gained 0.07%.

So, which ASX 200 shares are roaring to new heights on Monday? Let's take a look.

3 ASX 200 shares inking new 52-week highs today

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB)

The NAB share price is pushing ahead again on Monday, gaining 1.11% to trade at its new 52-week high of $32.86 in intraday trade.

There's been no news from the second largest of the 'big four' banks to explain its gain. However, it's been pushing new 52-week highs for a few weeks now.

The NAB share price has gained 13% so far this year.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

The Worley share price is also launching upwards to reach long-forgotten heights on Monday.

The oil and gas engineering group's stock hit $14.05 this morning. That's the highest it's traded since the onset of COVID-19 and 2.48% higher than its previous close.

Today's boost comes amid news the company will be appealing a Federal Court decision handed down last month.

Then, the court ruled in favour of shareholders claiming Worley misled the market way back in 2013.

Right now, the ASX 200 share is trading for 30% more than it was at the start of 2022.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

The final ASX 200 share hitting new 52-week highs on Monday is Whitehaven Coal.

The coal producer's stock rose 1.5% to a new 12-month high point of $4.63 this morning.

Today's movement follows on from Friday's 3.9% gain, potentially spurred by the European Union's impending ban on Russian coal imports.

As The Motley Fool Australia reported last week, that decision could see Europe turning to Australia for coal.

The coal producer's stock has gained 71% in 2022 so far.

The post 3 ASX 200 shares starting the week with new 52-week highs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It might be a red day for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) on Thursday, but that hasn't stopped a handful of shares from reaching 52-week highs today.

In afternoon trade, the Aussie benchmark index is 0.5% worse for wear, treading around 7,450 points. Yet, a select few ASX 200 constituents are being embraced amongst the sour session.

These ASX 200 shares are being celebrated today

Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV)

Following on from hitting a new all-time high yesterday, the Dan Murphy's and BWS owner is setting new records again today. Shares in Endeavour Group have lifted more than 1% during trade to reach $7.66.

However, there's not a whole lot of new information out from the company today. Insinuating the company's shares might still be revelling in an improved outlook from Goldman Sachs. The broker set its price target for Endeavour Group at $8 per share.

New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC)

The next ASX 200 share leaving the market green with envy is coal producer New Hope Corporation. Shares are making the trek upwards today despite there not being any announcements from the $3.1 billion energy giant. At the time of writing, the New Hope share price is up 2.2% to $3.79 — with an intraday high of $3.80.

For reference, this stampede into positive territory has continued after non-exec director and non-exec chair Thomas Millner and Robert Millner acquired more shares. According to the filings, the two board members added more than $1.68 million worth of New Hope shares across 4 April and 5 April.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

Finally, Worley is another new 52-week high candidate today. Although, the engineering services company has slipped into the negative as the day has gone on. Regardless, Worley shares climbed to $13.89 shortly after the market opened. Now that price is closer to $13.50 as we head into the afternoon.

This ASX 200 share is another name hitting the new high milestone without much substance today. Despite Worley shares charging 10% higher in the last month, the company hasn't released a price-sensitive announcement since 23 February, which was its half-year results.

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

Shareholders had a rare victory over an ASX-listed company in the Federal Court this week.

The full Federal Court sided with investors in their appeal against Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR).

The Federal Court had dismissed the class action initially, but the shareholders successfully appealed before the full bench.

The class action, represented by Shine Lawyers, is seeking compensation for investors who claim the engineering services company misled the markets in its financial forecasts back in 2013.

"Between August and November of 2013, WOR announced an FY 2012 profit of $322 million and provided the market with inflated earnings forecasts showing earnings growth in FY 2013," said Shine Lawyers class actions leader Craig Allsopp.

"The company announced its inflated and erroneous earnings forecast in August 2013 and repeated it in October 2013, only to issue a downgraded forecast in November 2013."

The shareholders allege that Worley had no "reasonable grounds" to make the initial forecast and that this resulted in a 26% drop in the stock price.

The Motley Fool has contacted Worley for comment.

All ASX-listed companies now 'on notice'

The class action represents investors who bought Worley shares between 14 August 2013 and 19 November 2013.

Allsopp said this case focused on listed companies' obligation for "accountability and the importance of implementing proper processes to ensure price sensitive information is disclosed to the market in a timely way".

"This puts all corporations on notice and provides a timely warning to those companies that do not prioritise transparency in their disclosures to shareholders."

The court will now return to a single judge who will rule on the compensation and legal cost orders.

The Worley share price has never really recovered from that period in question, closing Friday at $12.70. It was trading as high as $21.59 during that time in 2013.

The company revealed in the February reporting season that its net profit rocketed 259% upwards, while last week it announced a withdrawal from all business in Russia.

The post $7 billion ASX company loses court case vs shareholders appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.