Turning $100,000 into a million bucks might sound like magic.

But no one needs supernatural powers if they use ASX shares and compounding to their advantage.

Allow me to introduce you to three stocks that I reckon could do the trick:

Temporary glitch, with long-term tailwinds still there

Johns Lyng Group Ltd (ASX: JLG) is an insurance claims repairer that has been a favourite of professional investors for years now.

And why not? The stock price has gained an astounding 366% over the past five years for an incredible compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 36%.

With the world unfortunately seeing more extreme weather events due to global warming, building repair demand from insurers is on an upward trend.

The great news for those who haven't bought Johns Lyng yet is that the stock is in a bit of a dip right now.

The company put out a half-year result in February that didn't quite meet expectations, so the stock tumbled more than 13% in a single day.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA)  were up, but sales revenue and net profit after tax (NPAT) both dipped.

Professional investors aren't panicking, though. They have their eyes on the prize in the long run.

Nine out of 11 analysts currently surveyed on the broking platform CMC Invest still reckon Johns Lyng is a buy. Eight of those recommend it as a strong add.

Look past the fear for these ASX shares

Similar to Johns Lyng, healthcare stock Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU) is also in a funk of late.

After snatching the crown as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)'s best performer in 2023, the stock has dived more than 16% to start 2024.

Much of that market fear has been driven by a short seller report that criticised the effectiveness of its Daybue drug.

But again, similar to Johns Lyng, the professional community is ignoring the noise. In fact, many analysts say the claims in the short report are just plain incorrect.

For example, the team at Blackwattle told its clients that the fear-mongering was "at odds with trial data and the real-life experience of medical specialists, patients, and their carers".

The analysts at Elvest Fund have also told its clients that their "thesis for Neuren Pharmaceuticals is unchanged".

"New CY24 Daybue sales guidance of US$370 to US$420 million (+120%) underpins another solid year of royalty and milestone revenue for Neuren."

Neuren shares are roughly an 18-bagger over the past half-decade, equating to a crazy CAGR of 78%.

The ASX shares riding high on AI

The investment case for data centre operator Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT) is straightforward.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is in hot demand. AI requires huge computing power. Those computers need to be housed somewhere.

This tailwind has already been recognised, with NextDC shares rocketing 75% over the past 12 months.

But many experts believe the world is at the start of its AI journey.

Fifteen analysts out of 18 currently surveyed on CMC Invest recommend buying NextDC shares.

Over the past five years, the stock has realised a 23% CAGR.

Of course, not all shares you buy will do as well as the above trio. 

But with proper diversification, it's not out of the question that your portfolio could achieve an average of 15% CAGR with the help of such massive winners.

So if you start with a $100,000 portfolio and then keep adding $1,000 to it each month, after 13 years, the nest egg will have expanded to $1,027,501.

And there it is, a million to your name.

Best wishes for your investments.

The post 3 ASX shares to help turn $100,000 into $1 million appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• NextDC shares rocket 27% higher: Buy, hold or sell?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Why are NextDC shares storming higher today?
• NEXTDC completes $1bn institutional entitlement offer to fund growth

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Johns Lyng Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Johns Lyng Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Johns Lyng Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you always buy the same ASX growth stocks as everyone else, your portfolio will never do better than the market.

Yet some people wait to see others piling onto a stock before buying it themselves.

If you want to branch out a bit, I have one buy suggestion that has struggled in recent times, but could be in for a bull run in the years to come:

Why this ETF is an ASX growth stock

Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF (ASX: ACDC) may be an exchange-traded fund (ETF), but it displays growth stock characteristics.

Firstly, its investment theme is very much a forward-looking one. 

Electric cars, renewable energy and mobile devices all require high-powered batteries to store power. The demand for such hardware will be enormous in the coming years as the globe battles to reduce carbon emissions.

Secondly, while the fund includes some miners, which can be notoriously cyclical, many of its holdings are growth companies further down the supply chain.

For example, at the time of writing the Global X Battery Tech's largest investments were:

• HD Hyundai Electric Co Ltd (KRX: 267260)
• Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd (TYO: 5802)
• Renault SA (EPA: RNO)
• ABB Ltd (SWX: ABBN)

And thirdly, the fund has shown itself to be less volatile than the commodity market. 

For example, the lithium carbonate price tumbled from almost 600,000 CNY per tonne in November 2022 to now just over 100,000 CNY. In the same period, the ETF has only fallen 0.78%.

Buy it then lock it away

This is why I feel ACDC is an under-the-radar stock to buy right now.

Growth investors aren't necessarily looking at it because of the depressed lithium market, and is trading at around a 10% discount from June last year.

But long-term visionaries could pounce on this with a goal to hold it for five to ten years. The economic cycle will have played itself out by then and the world will be scrambling even more for sorely needed batteries.

Moreover, you are not having to pick the winners of the battery revolution. The automatic diversification of an ETF renders that dilemma irrelevant.

Despite the 18-month lithium market malaise, the ACDC share price has doubled over the last half-decade.

This ETF has much going for it.

The post 1 under-the-radar ASX growth stock to consider buying now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Where to invest $20,000 in ASX ETFs right now
• Global X says it's time to target this electric vehicle ASX ETF that has doubled in a year

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

After two years of underperformance, ASX small-cap shares are ready to roar again.

Datt Capital chief investment officer Emanuel Datt reckons Australian small caps are even more attractive than their US counterparts.

"The inefficiencies and relative under-coverage of the Australian market create fertile ground for identifying overlooked gems and undervalued assets," he said.

"The Australian market is considerably cheaper than the US market on a relative basis. Valuation differentials between the two markets are quite apparent, with Australian equities trading at more attractive multiples compared to their US counterparts."

Not only are the local stocks cheaper, they have an excellent outlook, he added.

"Australian small caps present opportunities for growth, particularly in emerging industries like technology, healthcare, and renewable energy."

With this in mind, here are three top ASX shares I would be tempted to buy this month from small-cap land:

Top ASX shares to invest in mining without investing in mining

My first two picks have similar customers.

RPMGlobal Holdings Ltd (ASX: RUL) provides technology and related services, while Mader Group Ltd (ASX: MAD) is a maintenance contractor for mining companies.

They are both growth shares but a handy way to gain investment exposure to the cyclical resources industry.

With both western and Chinese economies set to pick up in the coming years after battling inflation and deflation in recent times, commodity prices could be on the way up.

And when minerals are in hot demand, mining businesses will be calling on contractors like RPMGlobal and Mader Group to ramp up their activities.

Both small caps have strong support in the professional investor community.

The team at Forager, in a memo to clients, forecast that RPMGlobal would keep growing its revenue and profits "for a long while yet".

"The company now has a $500 million market capitalisation and trading volumes in its shares have increased markedly over the past month, making it potentially appealing to a wider range of institutional investors."

Broking platform CMC Invest shows Moelis and Veritas Securities also rating RPMGlobal as a strong buy at the moment.

Mader Group shares are recommended as a buy by five out of six analysts.

Small-cap software maker taking on the world

Playside Studios Ltd (ASX: PLY) shares are already going gangbusters.

It has rocketed 52% so far this year, and is close to tripling over the past 12 months.

Incredibly, more than one expert reckons there is more growth to come for the Melbourne video games maker.

The Cyan Fund has been a longtime supporter of Playside Studios.

"All parts of the business are performing well and the company is enjoying strong investor support as it looks to execute its multi-layered growth plan over the next 24 months," the team said in its memo to clients.

The company posted excellent numbers in the February reporting season, more than doubling its revenue and boasting strong cash flow.

All three analysts covering the $377 million company rate the stock as a strong buy, according to CMC Invest.

The post My 3 top small-cap ASX shares to buy in April appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• This ASX tech firm presents a "unique" opportunity, Shaw and Partners says

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Mader Group and RPMGlobal. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Mader Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended RPMGlobal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Even though it has been a staple for many mum-and-dad portfolios over the decades, historically Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) stock has been frustrating to own.

However, investors started getting excited last year as the telco shares rose more than 15% in about six months, all while paying a healthy dividend yield above 4%.

But now Telstra shares are 13% down again.

So is this time to pounce on this iconic Australian brand?

Ready to rock

Firstly, the business is looking healthy.

Telstra still enjoys a dominant position in the Australian telecommunications landscape, while its nearest rival Optus has struggled with scandal after scandal in recent years.

It has now completed its T22 strategy for profit growth in the post-NBN era.

And perhaps this is why professional investors are tipping that the share price is due for a revival.

Broking platform CMC Invest shows that 15 out of 18 analysts currently rate Telstra shares as a buy. Twelve of those think it's a strong buy.

One of those enamoured with the stock is Bell Potter, upgrading its rating to buy just last month.

"Bell Potter made the move on valuation grounds following a period of underperformance from Telstra's shares," said The Motley Fool's James Mickleboro.

"It highlights that this has left them looking for reasonable value trading on an FY 2025 price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of under 20x. Bell Potter notes that this is lower than the average multiples of other comparable companies."

Healthy dividends expected from Telstra stock

The team at Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS) is also a fan, due to Telstra's "low-risk earnings and dividend growth".

"It is expecting this to lead to Telstra paying fully franked dividends of 18 cents per share in FY 2024, 19 cents per share in FY 2025, and then 20 cents per share in FY 2026," reported Mickleboro last month.

"Based on the current Telstra share price of $3.78, this equates to yields of 4.75%, 5%, and 5.3%, respectively."

Telstra shares closed before the Easter weekend 1.85% higher at $3.85.

So the answer is that investors may be well advised to buy Telstra stock during the current dip. The professionals are certainly getting onto it.

The post Should ASX investors buy the dip in Telstra stock? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 reasons I'd buy Telstra shares today
• Where I'd invest $5,000 in ASX blue-chip shares
• Stagflation: How to position an ASX stock portfolio
• Why I don't own Telstra shares (yet)
• How to build a second income from ASX shares without taking big risks

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Australia is blessed with a range of quality dividend shares that pay out dividend yields that are the envy of other nations.

This is no accident, though.

The situation arose because of the tax laws in this country allowing investors to not be double-taxed.

Companies that have already paid corporate tax on their profits, which then pay some of that out as dividends, are eligible to give out franking credits to shareholders.

Those credits then allow the investors to avoid paying income tax on that income.

This means that for all concerned, dividends are the most attractive way to return capital from a business to an investor.

$2,400 annual income from just an $18,000 outlay

It's all excellent news for punters who have some cash to invest.

If you play your cards right, just a small batch of shares in the right dividend stock could instantly pay you thousands in annual passive income.

Check this out as an example.

Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL), which at $7 billion in market capitalisation is no cowboy microcap, currently pays out a sensational yield of 13.2%. This is fully franked, as well.

And with the energy market expected to be buoyant, all four analysts covering Yancoal surveyed on CMC Invest rate the miner as a buy.

Buy just 3,500 Yancoal shares and see what happens.

That's roughly an $18,000 investment at the current stock price, which is not a massive outlay.

If the company can maintain the yield, that's $2,376 in your pocket each year immediately. 

No waiting for the pot to grow for years. That's thousands of dollars of income from the get-go.

Of course, in a real portfolio you want to diversify your holdings so that if Yancoal or any of the other stocks go pear-shaped, you are not left devastated.

But this example shows you how fortunate we are Down Under to have reliable high-yield dividend stocks immediately ready to generate cash for you.

Sure beats a term deposit in a bank.

The post Buy 3,500 shares of this super ASX dividend stock for $2,400 per year in passive income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
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• Why Boss Energy, Telix, Woodside, and Yancoal shares are falling today
• ASX 200 coal stock higher on US$2.4 billion deal
• Yancoal Australia announces $2.4bn Kestrel Coal Mine acquisition

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It may surprise the average punter, but only $12,000 can send you on your way to receiving thousands of dollars of annual passive income.

Allow me to use reliable ASX dividend stock Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) as an example.

Put a little bit on Woodside stock

Assume that you use your $12,000 to buy a batch of Woodside shares.

Currently 10 out of 17 analysts surveyed on broking platform CMC Invest reckons the ASX energy giant is a buy.

We all know past performance is never an indicator of the future. But just to demonstrate the power of compounding, let's use the numbers we have.

Woodside shares currently hand out an excellent 7.1% fully franked dividend yield.

Then conservatively assume there will be zero capital gain in the coming years, and that the distributions are the only source of returns.

If you can keep those shares growing at 7.1% per year while adding in $400 monthly, chunky passive income is not too far away.

Then reinvest for 9 years

Nine years of that investment regime will see the nest egg grow to $79,981.

After that, instead of reinvesting the dividends, just put the cash in your bank account.

That means from that point you pocket an average of $5,678 of passive income each year.

How good is that!

The point of this hypothetical was to show how starting with just a small amount to invest can quickly grow to an income generating machine.

In reality, you will want to diversify your portfolio, rather than buy only Woodside shares.

Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent shares out there that can deliver you a 7% yield, or 7% growth — or even more.

And don't forget, the above scenario was based on your shares not seeing any capital gains over those nine years.

If you manage the portfolio properly, that will also be unlikely.

Good luck out there.

The post Invest $12,000 in Woodside stock and get $5,700 in passive income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Forget Woodside shares, this ASX energy stock could rise over 70%
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• Why Boss Energy, Telix, Woodside, and Yancoal shares are falling today

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

When an S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) stock outperforms all and sundry one year but then suddenly dips, you need to at least check out what's happening.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU) was the highest climber in the ASX 200 last year, gaining an insane 214% over the calendar year.

But a reality check has been delivered for investors this year, with an 18.6% tumble so far.

So what's doing? Is this a bargain just waiting to be bought?

Why has Neuren become a cheap ASX stock?

Neuren develops treatments for rare neurological conditions. 

While it's developing and testing future products, it already has a drug called Daybue on sale through its US licensee Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: ACAD).

The analysts at Blackwattle explained in a memo that the main reason why Neuren shares have plunged in 2024 lies in this relationship.

"The underperformance resulted from a 'short report' released on Neuren's US distributor, questioning the efficacy of NEU's therapy and the retention rate of patients."

The author of the report, Culper Research, claimed that Daybue has been "a total flop".

"The sell-side sell calls for over $800 million in peak Daybue revenues, but our research suggests that Daybue new patient starts already topped this past summer, peak revenues will be a mere fraction of sell-side estimates, and Daybue's flop will have knock-on effects as ACADIA remains a cash-burning machine."

Ouch.

Should you buy Neuren Pharmaceuticals?

So is this a value trap or a golden opportunity to buy into a fast-growing company for dirt cheap?

Multiple Australian investment houses disagree with the short report.

The Blackwattle memo admitted the damaging claims have "impacted sentiment towards the stock" in the near term, but the short report is "at odds with trial data and the real-life experience of medical specialists, patients, and their carers".

The team at the Elvest Fund is also keeping the faith.

"Our thesis for Neuren Pharmaceuticals is unchanged," it said in its memo to clients.

"New CY24 Daybue sales guidance of US$370 to US$420 million (+120%) underpins another solid year of royalty and milestone revenue for Neuren."

Broking platform CMC Invest shows unanimous agreement, with all six analysts surveyed there still rating the stock as a buy.

So it seems this "cheap" ASX stock could be a genuine bargain for those willing to hold on for the long run.

The post 1 secretly cheap ASX 200 stock I'm buying for the long run appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Is this battered ASX biotech stock ready to rocket higher?
• Why Neuren shares are rebounding on Wednesday after a brutal 2026 sell-off

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

In the face of 13 interest rate rises in 18 months over 2022 and 2023, many ASX retail stocks struggled with the expectation that their earnings would drop.

However, there is one direct-to-consumer online retailer that's managed to buck the trend.

Let's check out the phenomenon that's Step One Clothing Ltd (ASX: STP).

Everything that could go wrong

Step One sells men's underwear and rapidly developed a cult following for its bamboo and anti-chafing materials.

Its low-budget television ads also caught the eye of curious consumers and allowed the brand to compete against much larger rivals.

The popularity encouraged the business to float on the ASX in late 2021, in a bull market hungry for initial public offerings (IPOs).

Shares were sold for $1.53 during the IPO, then exploded on the first day of trading, ending up at $2.70.

Unfortunately for all involved, it all came crashing down soon afterwards.

A combination of underwhelming business performance and a market that lost interest in high-growth shares due to rising interest rates meant Step One shares plunged.

By the start of 2023, they were languishing at just 26 cents.

Let's assume you had the foresight to buy $20,000 worth of Step One shares at this point.

A comeback for the ages

As early as January 2023, the experts at Morgans declared that consumer discretionary shares had been oversold.

The team explicitly named Step One as one of the retail stocks to buy.

To the credit of those analysts, Step One shares have gone ballistic ever since.

Over just 14 months, the stock has risen a crazy 569%.

That $20,000 you invested last year? It's now worth $133,846.

Amazingly, Morgans is still backing the $320 million market capitalisation to increase even further, currently maintaining the add rating for Step One.

The moral of this story isn't to speculate all your money into one stock for quick riches.

It's that buying ASX shares when everyone else has fled is not a bad idea, as long as you have faith that the business is capable of recovering in the long run.

If you keep grabbing stocks that are already popular, you will never do better than average. In fact, statistically you would probably do worse than the market.

Good luck out there.

The post If you'd put $20,000 in this ASX retail stock at the start of 2023, you'd have $134,000 now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX small-cap shares are enjoying a nice run at the moment.

No doubt the prospect of interest rates peaking and even coming down this year has helped the cause.

This week DNR Capital portfolio manager Sam Twidale named three small-cap stocks that his team is loving right now:

Sales, cash and expansion. What more could you want?

In a DNR video, Twidale said that a big takeaway from last month's reporting season was the bullishness for some consumer discretionary stocks.

"That's an area we've been adding to in our emerging companies fund. It's been a core overweight.

"We've seen some great opportunities to buy some good quality businesses where the market's got some short-term concerns around the outlook."

And the pick of the lot, which his team has been buying regularly over the past year, is Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV).

"I think the result really sort of put to bed some concerns there that the market had [with] sales more resilient than the market was expecting. 

"Also the margins came in better than expected, showing very good cost control, strong cash flow, strong balance sheet, and really brought the focus back onto the store rollout potential."

The small cap on the comeback trail

After a pretty ordinary couple of years, 4WD accessories merchant ARB Corporation Ltd (ASX: ARB) had a turnaround reporting season.

"Again, that business is really benefiting from its strong market leadership," said Twidale.

"The company now has sales better than expected [and] a very strong order backlog."

Similar to Lovisa, Twidale felt margins reported better than expected, and ARB exercised decent pricing power and cost control.

"The company's really benefiting from that fixed cost leverage, benefiting from the economies of scale and the efficiencies that they're getting."

Small-cap disruptors shining bright

Technology was another boom area to come out of earnings season, according to Twidale.

"We're seeing what's happening overseas with the impact of AI and there's some great companies here for investors to get exposure to with a lot of disruption happening."

A great example of businesses cashing in on this structural change is Audinate Group Ltd (ASX: AD8).

"That company's really disrupting the professional AV industry, helping them convert from analog to digital based signals over networks.

"And that company really is consolidating that market leadership position that they have. The result really highlighted that."

Twidale noted that Audinate now has almost 7 million devices in the real world with its networking protocol embedded.

"There's an opportunity to leverage that install base with a software opportunity on top," he said.

"We continue to like these businesses, which have a long runway for growth. They're reinvesting a high return on invested capital, and we think that puts them in an attractive position, long-term, to deliver that capital growth for investors."

The post 3 small-cap ASX shares with 'long runways for growth' appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 stellar ASX growth shares to buy now with 30% to 70% upside
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• Where to invest $10,000 in ASX shares in April

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Audinate Group and Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended ARB Corporation, Audinate Group, and Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Audinate Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Corporation and Lovisa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

There's not much argument that the world's hottest stock in the past year or so has been Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA).

The shares for the US company have rocketed 539% since early January 2023, on the back of the hype around artificial intelligence (AI).

Funnily enough, Nvidia itself doesn't produce any AI.

The Californian business makes computer chips that its customers need to power all the intensive computing needed to run intelligent algorithms.

In other words, Nvidia is selling the "picks and shovels" — or the tools — needed to make the coolest tech that everyone wants.

Now, if you feel like you missed the boat on Nvidia shares, you need not worry.

There are plenty of other companies that could benefit from the AI revolution in a similar way, even here in Australia.

The tech stock in 'outstanding position' to cash in on AI hype

One example looking like an excellent buy right now is NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT).

As a data centre provider, the Australian company is even further up the supply chain than Nvidia. It's providing the facilities to house the computers.

The NextDC share price has already doubled since the start of last year, but many professionals are predicting there is plenty more where that came from.

The recent half-year results were warmly received, with the stock hitting all-time highs.

Chief executive Craig Scroggie acknowledged the contribution artificial intelligence was making to the booming business.

"As demand continues to be bolstered by the broad adoption of new technologies such as generative AI, the business remains in an outstanding position to support customer growth requirements across the enterprise, government and hyperscale verticals."

NextDC also has a second long-term tailwind that it's riding on, in cloud computing.

All this has led to a remarkable 14 of 17 analysts naming the stock as a buy, according to broking platform CMC Invest.

Moomoo market strategist Jessica Amir last month named NextDC as one of the stocks she would buy and hold onto until the next leap year.

"Positioned to capture [and] generate AI opportunities," she said.

"Half of its revenue is from NSW and ACT — huge potential to expanding capacity and geographically — and it's doing that."

The post Missed out on Nvidia? My best ASX tech stock to buy and hold appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• NextDC shares rocket 27% higher: Buy, hold or sell?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Why are NextDC shares storming higher today?
• NEXTDC completes $1bn institutional entitlement offer to fund growth

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has now risen more than 15% since the start of November.

This means it's getting harder to find bargains among the overpriced traps.

To assist in your hunt, here's a couple of suggestions from Catapult Wealth general manager Dylan Evans:

'Appealing valuation' for this ASX 200 stock

The Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK) stock price is still almost 28% down from its peak before the inflation sell-off of growth shares over 2022.

Evans feels like the international online jobs classifieds operator is ready to break out in the coming period.

"Seek has invested in technology improvements during the past few years, so the benefits should flow through in the next two to three years," Evans told The Bull.

This is despite the first-half results failing to impress the market last month.

Australia and New Zealand paid job listings were down 20% and consequently adjusted net profits after tax (NPAT) from continuing operations plunged 24%.

Seek chief executive Ian Narev, however, also pointed out that its tech upgrade spend was now behind it.

"The highlight of this period was the delivery, ahead of time, of the unified product and technology platform that will provide the foundation of our future growth," he said.

"We can now turn our focus from… project management to realisation of the significant benefits that the platform can deliver: faster innovation and economies of scale."

Seek now has nine out of 15 analysts surveyed on CMC Invest rating it as a buy.

The stock looks cheap to Evans.

"We're attracted by potentially strong growth and an appealing valuation compared to peers."

Recycling and acquisitions

As a waste management company, Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd (ASX: CWY) is in an industry that will never want for demand.

Evans admits it's unlikely to display any explosive growth, but in return offers stability in a diversified portfolio.

"Cleanaway is a leader in the waste and recycling industry, which offers defensive cash flows and reasonable growth."

The big opportunity in the future is recycling.

"It should generate growth as it expands into resource recovery, supported by a national goal to increase recycling rates from 60% to 80% by 2030."

As a dominant player in the sector, there is also potential for mergers and acquisitions.

"We see an opportunity for Cleanaway to improve profitability on the back of industry consolidation."

Seven of 13 analysts rate Cleanaway shares as a buy, according to CMC Invest.

The post 2 ASX 200 shares to buy for 'strong growth' at decent prices right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Buy, hold, sell: Cleanaway, Hub24, and MAAS shares
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• UBS names 3 ASX 200 shares to buy right now
• New strategy sparks rebound in this $5bn ASX stock – what's next?
• Why Artrya, Cleanaway, DroneShield, and Nuix shares are pushing higher today

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Seek. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Against the grain of a bullish market, there are some quality companies that have dropped out of favour recently.

They might be fighting through a one-off difficulty or adverse external conditions that are out of their control.

Regardless, I think these three cheap ASX shares deserve a fair go because their long-term business prospects remain solid:

Reporting season blues

Johns Lyng Group Ltd (ASX: JLG) shares plunged 20% in a single morning late last month after its half-year results were revealed.

That was despite an upgrade guidance for the current financial year.

Sales revenue and net profit after tax (NPAT) for the first half were both down year-on-year, which may have triggered the disappointment.

Five investment houses did cut their share price expectations over the next year, but CMC Invest shows 9 out of 11 analysts still rating Johns Lyng as a buy.

I think it's an excellent opportunity to pick up a quality company for cheap.

Nothing doing here

Regenerative medicine producer Avita Medical Inc (ASX: AVH) has seen its share price drop more than 12.3% since market close on 1 March.

No significant news has come out of the company, so one can only assume the valuation is changing from general market movement for biotechs.

If anything, Avita shares should be seeing increased demand because of its addition to the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) on 18 March.

The professional community is sticking firm on these cheap ASX shares. 

Nine out of 10 analysts covering the stock rate it as a buy, according to CMC Invest, with eight of those considering Avita a strong buy.

These cheap ASX shares are still a value buy

Like Johns Lyng, Camplify Holdings Ltd (ASX: CHL) shares were also burnt during reporting season.

"The stock closed down ~17% on result day, which we largely attribute to some seasonality in Camplify's key headline metrics (future bookings, gross margins, etc)," said the analysts at Morgans.

With the seasonal nature of the numbers, there has not been much movement in the opinions of fund managers in it for the long haul.

"Our price target remains unchanged and we maintain an add recommendation on the stock," said the Morgans team.

Indeed all three analysts covering Camplify still rate it as a strong buy, as shown on CMC Invest.

The post 3 struggling ASX shares to buy at a discount appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why this ASX healthcare stock is surging while the market sinks on Middle East fears

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Avita Medical, Camplify, and Johns Lyng Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Avita Medical and Johns Lyng Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Camplify. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Avita Medical, Camplify, and Johns Lyng Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It was not even on the agenda three years ago, but now there is much talk about nuclear power.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, plus the imperative to reduce carbon emissions are all combining to force nations to reconsider their energy security.

Even in Australia, where by law nuclear power plants are banned, one side of politics is pushing hard for the solution.

Former chief scientist Alan Finkel last week explained some of the advantages of nuclear power.

"The volume of fuel is small, with only one tonne of uranium needed to produce the same amount of electricity as 100,000 tonnes of black coal," Finkel said in the The Sydney Morning Herald.

"The land footprint is only about three square kilometres for a one-gigawatt nuclear plant versus about 60 square kilometres for a three-gigawatt solar plant that would generate the same annual output."

Shaw and Partners senior investment advisor Jed Richards is bullish on the ASX uranium sector for this precise reason.

"Australia is closer to accepting nuclear power than ever before. China's demand for uranium is enough to drive profitability," Richards told The Bull.

And there is one uranium stock that he would buy right now.

The uranium shares that are 'our preferred exposure'

Richards calls Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) the "premium and most liquid stock in the uranium sector". 

"It remains our preferred exposure to an improving uranium market." 

The stock has risen a spectacular 149% over the past 12 months, which is an even steeper climb than the global uranium price.

"The shares have performed strongly in the past year, and we expect this favourable momentum to continue."

The analysts at Blackwattle are also bullish on Paladin, as they said in a memo to clients earlier this year.

"The market for uranium remains in a significant deficit and is expected to remain that way for the rest of the decade.

"This places restart projects like Paladin in a great position to capitalise on the high prices that are needed to incentivise additional supply to enter the market."

The support is unanimous in the professional community.

Broking platform CMC Invest currently shows all eight analysts covering Paladin stock rating it as a strong buy.

The post Uranium is set to boom, and this is the 'premium' ASX stock to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Paladin shares are falling again. Here's what investors might be overlooking
• Paladin Energy boosts uranium production and lifts FY26 guidance
• Why Eden Innovation, Elsight, Paladin Energy, and Zip shares are racing higher today

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Can lightning hit twice in the same spot?

The old cliche suggests it doesn't, but scientifically lightning certainly can and does strike twice in the same place.

If you're on the scientists' side, it might be time to consider buying Santos Ltd (ASX: STO).

Curious? Read on.

The ASX 200 marriage that never was

Late last year, the oil and gas giant explored whether it would merge with its larger S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rival Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS).

The Santos share price had been stagnant for the past half-decade, and this deal was meant to be the light at the end of the tunnel for its long-suffering shareholders.

The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio sits at half of Woodside's.

Unfortunately, last month the merger talks were terminated. Neither side has publicly revealed the reasons the deal fell over.

The Santos share price immediately sank 8% when that news came.

Then just to rub salt into the wound, the shares plunged again after its 2023 full year result failed to impress investors.

Both underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) and free cash flow from operations headed 42% for the year.

Ouch.

Could the romance be rekindled?

Despite these events, Shaw and Partners senior investment advisor Jed Richards right now thinks Santos is the far stronger buy than Woodside.

"The future growth prospects pipeline is far stronger for Santos than Woodside Energy, in my view," Richards told The Bull.

And he reckons the Woodside marriage story is not over yet.

"Santos has positioned itself well over the past few years to be an attractive addition for Woodside.

"Although the last round of negotiations hasn't resulted in a merger, I expect this strategy will be addressed again in the future."

It seems Richards is not the only professional keen on Santos right now.

According to broking platform CMC Invest, 13 out of 17 analysts currently rate the energy stock as a buy.

The post The ASX 200 stock that could get second time lucky appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why Deep Yellow, Develop Global, Resolute Mining, and Santos shares are pushing higher today
• Why is everyone talking about Core Lithium, Ampol and Santos shares on Thursday?
• Santos is back in focus. Here's why the shares are pushing higher today
• Santos Q1 2026: Higher revenue, project ramp-up, steady guidance
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Oh my God, how much are we all looking forward to some interest rate relief?

COVID-19 disrupted our lives in many ways that may never be repeated again, and 12 rate rises in 13 months was one of the consequences.

It was 13 hikes in 18 months, if you include the last increase in November.

The Reserve Bank had no choice, as inflation was out of control after the pandemic fattened up people's savings and disrupted supply chains.

But now that part of the cycle seems to be nearing the end, mortgage holders, businesses and stock investors alike are pumped for the next interest rate movement to be downward.

And whenever that happens, I reckon these four ASX growth shares will cash in:

Institutional investors could be jumping onto this ASX growth stock

The fortunes of the mining industry is closely tied to how well the economy is doing. 

That's because the demand for raw materials heads up as consumers spend more, then that pushes up commodity prices and the valuations of miners.

An excellent way to gain exposure to that upside is RPMGlobal Holdings Ltd (ASX: RUL), which provides technology and related services to mining businesses.

The tech stock is the Forager Australian Shares Fund's largest holding, with the team pleased with how reporting season went.

"Revenue was up 21% and earnings before interest and tax more than tripled, thanks to a relatively fixed cost base," it stated in a report to clients.

"We expect revenue to continue growing for a long while yet and profit to keep growing faster."

A bonus up the sleeve is that the small cap is now approaching critical mass.

"The company now has a $500 million market capitalisation and trading volumes in its shares have increased markedly over the past month, making it potentially appealing to a wider range of institutional investors."

The prototypical ASX growth stock

Fintech Block Inc CDI (ASX: SQ2) is very much a stereotype of a stock that is heavily dependent on interest rates for its outlook.

It's a high-growth US tech company, it services the rate-sensitive industry of consumer finance, and it has investments in cryptocurrency, especially Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC).

Not only will it enjoy a huge boost when interest rates come down, it will benefit from being a more efficient business after its efforts to cut costs over the past couple of years.

And Jay-Z owns Block Inc shares. How can you go wrong?

Three of five analysts currently surveyed on CMC Invest rate this ASX growth stock as a strong buy.

Another Yankee on the ASX looking good

GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG) is an American investment outfit that manages active stock portfolios.

So it's no surprise that these ASX growth shares move up and down roughly corresponding to the fortunes of the general share market.

Therefore, when interest rates are brought down it could be in for a surge push upwards.

ECP is one of many investment houses that are bullish on the outlook for GQG Partners shares.

"GQG's business continues to perform to expectations, with consistent positive monthly net flows from higher fee channels and strong fund performance across all products on a rolling three-year time-frame," ECP analysts said in a recent memo to clients.

"This consistent alpha generation gives us confidence GQG can continue to sustain flows as it moves toward utilising its significant fund capacity."

Incredibly, the GQG share price has rocketed more than 52% over the past six months.

Cheaper than its peers

I mentioned earlier that commodity prices are correlated to the health of the economy.

Even among minerals, this is the most true of iron ore.

It is a basic raw material needed for construction, which is one of the primary industries that rise or sink with consumer demand.

And among iron ore miners, Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA) is looking bullish.

CMC Invest currently shows six out of seven analysts rating the stock as a buy.

"We remain bullish regarding the outlook for iron ore in 2024," said Fairmont Equities managing director Michael Gable a few weeks ago.

"This Canadian based producer is trading on valuations which compare favourably to its peers."

The post 4 ASX growth shares I think will benefit from interest rate cuts in 2024 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Where I'd invest $3,000 in ASX growth shares now
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Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Bitcoin and Block. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin, Block, and RPMGlobal. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin and Block. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended RPMGlobal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Reserve Bank interest rate decision might be behind us, but there are still plenty of developments coming this week that are worth watching for the sake of your ASX shares.

eToro market analyst Josh Gilbert has picked out the three most important ones for our convenience:

1. Australia monthly inflation

Wednesday will see the latest monthly consumer price index numbers released, which will be crucial in helping the RBA decide what to do with interest rates.

According to Gilbert, it's a given now that a rate cut will be coming this year.

"The market now sees an 80% chance the RBA will cut rates in August. However, the higher-for-longer take from the board can't be ignored by investors."

Inflation is the most important metric for all central banks around the world now, not just the Reserve Bank.

"Investors are looking at the rotation to come as we get nearer rate cuts, moving away from the US dollar and tech into cheaper and more cyclical assets."

2. Australia consumer confidence

Last month the consumer confidence index headed upwards to 86, according to Gilbert, which is the highest seen in two years.

"It's reasonable to anticipate a similar trend in March, considering the monthly CPI for January saw consumer prices rise 3.4%, going against economists' expectations of a slight increase from December."

The resilience and confidence shown by Australian consumers could be working against them though.

"The market is pushing back on the number of rate cuts this year," said Gilbert.

"In early February, the market was expecting more than two cuts, which has since been pushed to under two cuts."

3. BYD financial report

The world's biggest selling electric car maker, BYD (SHE: 002594), is reporting its latest results on Tuesday.

"Investors are eagerly anticipating the automotive company's earnings, which BYD expects to have risen by up to 85.6% year-on-year for 2023," said Gilbert.

"However, the company's preliminary income figures fell short of market expectations, which could create an interesting dynamic around the earnings announcement this week."

Gilbert pointed out that Australians may have noticed many more BYD cars driving around this year.

"BYD is set to deliver more than 3 million cars for the full year 2023.

"Whether BYD can leverage its growth potential to carve out a larger market share remains to be seen. The upcoming earnings report will likely shed more light on this subject, providing key insights into BYD's strategic direction and financial health."

The post 3 things ASX investors should watch this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Will global defence ASX ETFs keep climbing? Expert
• Why Deep Yellow, Develop Global, Resolute Mining, and Santos shares are pushing higher today
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• Why Black Cat, Mirvac, Qantas, and Temple & Webster shares are falling today

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Everyone remembers their first time.

If you have never done it before, buying ASX shares can be a scary experience.

You don't know whether you will lose money. You feel like you don't have as much knowledge as the veterans. You're concerned about being "fleeced".

However, it's a lot easier to get started now than it used to be.

Back in the days when you had to buy stocks through a human broker on the telephone, investors often needed to put in a decent whack of money to make the brokerage fees worthwhile.

These days, with the advent of online broking platforms, just $1,000 can get your portfolio started.

So if I were starting now, what would I buy?

An easy way to begin for a new investor

A great place to start is index exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Buying an ETF stock provides the beginner with instant diversification and all the risk management benefits that comes with it.

And in modern times there are indices for every investment angle, so it's not hard to find something that suits your tastes and judgments.

ETF shares also save a lot of time and effort for novices, as they don't need to be constantly following the news on particular companies to decide whether to buy or sell. The index, and therefore the fund, will automatically do that on their behalf.

But — and you know it was coming — there is a catch.

What index ETFs can't give you

The limitation of index funds is that it will never perform better than the market. That's the trade-off one makes for the convenience it brings.

Actively picking ASX shares is the only way an investor has a chance to do better than the average.

And while that might be daunting to the first-timer, there are plenty of quality choices on the ASX to choose from.

They need not be speculative. If you are convinced that the business will be in better shape in five years' time than how it is now, you have a buy candidate.

Take three of my current favourites at the moment — Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO), Johns Lyng Group Ltd (ASX: JLG) and Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX).

They are in vastly different industries — software, construction and healthcare — but are all quality companies with an excellent track record of growing value for shareholders.

The past five years has seen their share prices return 171%, 386%, and 1,900% respectively.

No index fund could even come close to that sort of performance.

Of course, not every stock you pick will do that well. But if the portfolio is properly diversified, these types of winners can make up for the losers, plus more.

The post New to investing? I'd invest my first $1,000 in ASX shares today! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Are Xero shares a buy after rebounding 17% from three-year low
• What's driving the wild swings in Telix shares?
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Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Johns Lyng Group, Telix Pharmaceuticals, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Johns Lyng Group, Telix Pharmaceuticals, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Johns Lyng Group and Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Many Australians don't realise that the power of compounding means that with just $15,000 worth of ASX shares it's possible to generate thousands of dollars of passive income.

Let's take a look at how this can be achieved, using the popular dividend stock Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1).

An excellent dividend payer

Accent Group shares currently pay out a dividend yield of around 7% at the moment, which is fully franked.

Imagine that you bought $15,000 worth of the stock.

While past performance is never an indicator of the future, we'll use history to demonstrate hypothetically what could happen.

Assume there will be no capital gain and that a 7% yield will be the only source of returns.

That is a conservative estimate as the footwear and fashion retailer has shown a decent capability to increase its share price over the long run. 

For example, the Accent stock price has risen 146% over the past decade.

Anyway, if that $15,000 grows at 7% while you're able to save and add $300 to it each month, you're on your way.

After 10 years with Accent stock

After 10 years of that investment regime, your Accent shares will be worth $79,246.

From the 11th year, stop investing the dividend and try pocketing it.

That's an average passive income of $5,547 each year!

That's an overseas holiday each year paid for without lifting a finger.

Now, in real life you would want to diversify your portfolio and not just put it all on Accent Group.

That way, if anything goes horribly wrong for the retailer, you could be saved by other investments that have done a lot better.

Also, realistically, the Accent Group share price could rise over the long run, providing annual returns higher than 7%.

In that case, you could reach $5,500 of passive income much faster.

That's a lot of numbers to think about, I know. But if it means you start investing and make your money work for you, it's worth thinking about.

The post Invest $15,000 in Accent stock and get $5,500 in passive income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why I'd buy dirt-cheap ASX shares now and aim to hold them for a decade

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Federal Court has approved a travel order against the suspended chief of an ASX-listed technology company to prevent him from leaving the country.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission this week submitted an application to stop Dubber Corporation Limited (ASX: DUB) chief executive and managing director Stephen McGovern exiting Australia while it conducts an investigation.

The order also prevents Christopher William Legal solicitor and principal Mark Madafferi from leaving the country.

ASIC investigating ASX CEO over missing funds

Dubber shares were placed in a trading halt on 27 February, and have been frozen ever since.

The company then reported to ASIC that McGovern was suspended as managing director and chief executive and the reasons why it took that action.

On March 1, the corporate watchdog started investigating the suspicions that funds in a term deposit belonging to Dubber and one of its subsidiaries had been misused.

The deposits were allegedly held in trust by Madafferi.

According to ASIC, $26.6 million remains unaccounted for and it has "concerns" that McGovern and Madafferi may have breached the Corporations Act.

The travel order hearing was held with both men absent.

McGovern is a UK national while Madafferi is an Australian citizen.

The matter will be heard again in court on Wednesday.

What has Dubber been doing?

Dubber operates a cloud telecommunications platform for corporate clients.

In 2021, the share price flew above the $4 mark, but at the time of the trading halt last month it was languishing at 22 cents.

Despite the term deposit scandal, Dubber announced last week that it had secured a $5 million loan from Thorney Investment Group.

"Unquestionably we were shocked by Dubber's recent announcement," Thorney Investment Group executive chair Alex Waislitz said.

"Notwithstanding, Thorney continues to believe Dubber has sound prospects having built a substantial global client base that includes many Tier 1 communications service providers."

The post ASX tech CEO blocked from leaving Australia as $26.6 million goes missing appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Will global defence ASX ETFs keep climbing? Expert
• Why Deep Yellow, Develop Global, Resolute Mining, and Santos shares are pushing higher today
• Why Resolute shares are on watch after this major quarterly update
• Cochlear stock down 40%: How much has this cost ASX investors?
• Why Black Cat, Mirvac, Qantas, and Temple & Webster shares are falling today

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Dubber. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Are S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) board members paid too much?

It's a debate that never stops.

On one hand, directorships are only part-time positions. You meet a few times a year, make some high-level decisions, have a glass of brandy, then go home.

Board members are usually not involved in the day-to-day running of the company, which is the job of the chief executive.

And many directors are on the boards of multiple ASX companies, collecting fees like they're going out of fashion.

The opposite argument is that these (mostly) men make decisions that affect the welfare of thousands of employees and investors.

If your judgments affect so many livelihoods, you need to attract the smartest people as directors. Therefore, you need to pay a premium.

So, who are the ASX 200 directors with the largest pay packets?

Top 5 highest paid ASX 200 board members

The Australian Financial Review, using data from OpenDirector and YellowFolder, this week revealed the highest paid ASX 200 board members.

Here are the top five:

The remuneration is calculated just from the base fee for serving on the board, excluding any performance-related options and shares.

Despite some progress in installing women onto ASX boards, there are still no female directors earning above the $1 million mark.

The only woman director in the top 20 highest paid ladder is Dr Nora Scheinkestel, who is on the board of Westpac, Origin Energy and Brambles.

Paid a lot of money to do a job

On Thursday, Australian Securities and Investments Commission chair Joe Longo responded to complaints from some company directors that the regulatory burden was becoming too much to bear.

According to The Australian, he acknowledged the "challenges" involved in carrying out board member duties — but told directors that it's not meant to be an easy job.

"If it were [easy], anyone could do it," he said at a AICD event in Melbourne.

"Good directors run successful, profitable businesses. That's not going to happen unless every director takes an active stance of curiosity and starts asking the right questions – to understand their business, and how that business makes money."

The post $2.1 million! Who are the highest paid ASX 200 directors? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why is everyone talking about Core Lithium, Ampol and Santos shares on Thursday?
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Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Lottery. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.