The listed investment company (LIC) Australian Foundation Investment Co Ltd (ASX: AFI) (AFIC) has been investing in some particular ASX blue-chip shares.
The old and largest LIC owns a portfolio of many of the most-recognised ASX shares, such as Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).
AFIC revealed its latest thoughts on the ASX share market and the broader economic picture to investors at its annual general meeting (AGM).
Many of AFIC's largest ASX blue-chip positions are long-held, though it revealed it had lightened its positions in CBA, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), and Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX: RHC).
The LIC told investors which ASX 200 shares it has been buying.
Recent ASX blue-chip investments
AFIC revealed that it has been investing across a range of industries recently.
Two new names to enter the portfolio have been the energy and service station business Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) and the energy and professional services business Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR).
The LIC has also made investments in a number of existing ASX blue-chip holdings, including:
- Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), an industrial property owner and developer
- Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), Australia's largest telecommunications business
- BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), one of the world's biggest resource companies
- James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX), a major building products manufacturer
- Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), one of the region's largest oil and gas businesses
- Idp Education Ltd (ASX: IEL), a large student placement and English testing business
- Resmed CDI (ASX: RMD), a sleep apnea treatment-focused company
These are interesting moves by the company and suggest AFIC sees/saw long-term value in these names. Time will tell whether these investment calls were right.
AFIC's thoughts on the wider ASX share market
The LIC said at the AGM that slowing economic growth is providing an increasingly challenging environment for companies to deliver earnings growth.
It noted that the market has been prepared to pay for high valuations where there is a high degree of confidence in earnings growth.
AFIC said drivers of market performance are expected to broaden and it remains focused on companies that are "well-positioned to create long term shareholder value."
The investment team at AFIC remain confident in the long-term, they said:
The portfolio is invested in well managed companies with proven track records of financial discipline capturing value-accretive opportunities as they arise.
AFIC share price snapshot
Over the last 12 months, the AFIC share price has risen by 9%.
