Trump's declaration that the war with Iran would go on for another "two to three weeks" was enough to start the selling. By the time the markets closed up for the Easter break, the ASX 200 had slumped by a nasty 1.06%. That fall leaves the index at 8,579.5 points as we head into the long weekend.

This volatile session for Australian investors follows a far more optimistic morning up on the American markets (let's see what happens tomorrow over there).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had a comfortable time of it, rising by 0.48%.

Meanwhile, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was even more enthusiastic, gaining 1.16%.

But let's return to the local markets now and check out how the various ASX sectors dealt with today's whipsawing trading conditions.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In order to receive a dividend, you must own the ASX share before its ex-dividend date.

Here at The Fool, our analysts do not recommend buying ASX shares simply just to get the next dividend payment.

Our market experts say the decision to buy should be more thoughtful than that, and based on fundamental analysis.

But if you already intend to buy any of these ASX shares, you might like to consider the best timing for you.

For example, you could buy before the ex-dividend date and receive entitlement to the next dividend payment.

Or you might prefer to wait until the ex-dividend date itself, when the share price usually falls, to snap up your stock.

Here are some ex-dividend dates next week

The post 20 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Arena REIT (ASX: ARF) shares are up 0.86% to $3.53, Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXI) is 0.40% higher at $2.54, while Dexus Convenience Retail REIT (ASX: DXC) is flat at $2.82.

Arena REIT and Dexus Industria REIT reported today, while Dexus Convenience Retail REIT released its numbers on Monday.

Here is what investors are digesting.

Arena REIT stands out with earnings and distribution growth

Arena REIT reported a strong result for the six months to 31 December 2025, underpinned by contracted rental growth and development completions.

Net operating profit increased 9% to $39 million, while operating earnings rose to 9.70 cents per security, up 5.4% on the prior corresponding period. Statutory net profit came in at $110 million, reflecting valuation gains across the portfolio.

Arena declared an interim distribution of 9.625 cents per security, up 5.5% year on year, and reaffirmed full-year distribution guidance of 19.25 cents per security.

Portfolio fundamentals remain a key strength. Occupancy was 100%, with a weighted average lease expiry of 17.9 years. The trust recorded a portfolio valuation uplift of $61.2 million, taking total assets to $1.98 billion and net asset value per security to $3.64.

Dexus Industria REIT holds up as costs rise

Dexus Industria REIT delivered a resilient half-year result despite higher interest costs weighing on earnings.

Funds from operations declined slightly to $28.2 million, or 8.9 cents per security. Statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) fell to $43.4 million, reflecting lower valuation gains compared with the prior half.

The trust declared an interim distribution of 8.3 cents per security and reaffirmed full-year guidance of 16.6 cents per security. FY26 funds from operations guidance was slightly upgraded to between 17.3 and 17.4 cents per security.

Portfolio metrics remained solid, with occupancy at 99.7% and a weighted average lease expiry of 5.3 years. Net tangible assets increased 5.1% to $3.39 per security, supported by a $14.8 million uplift in portfolio valuations.

Dexus Convenience Retail REIT focuses on steady income

Dexus Convenience Retail REIT reported a steady result for the half-year to 31 December 2025, reflecting the defensive nature of its convenience-based retail portfolio.

Funds from operations came in at $14.5 million, or 10.5 cents per security, supported by like for like income growth of 2.9% and average rent reviews of 3.1%. The trust declared an interim distribution of 10.45 cents per security.

Statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) rose to $35.8 million, up from $14.7 million in the prior corresponding period, driven by a $19.8 million valuation uplift. Net tangible assets increased 4.4% to $3.80 per security.

Portfolio occupancy remained high at 99.9%, with gearing of 29.8% at the lower end of the target range.

Foolish Takeaway

All 3 REITs delivered solid results that met expectations, but none provided a strong reason to be re-rated.

Arena continues to offer visible earnings and distribution growth, while Dexus Industria and Dexus Convenience Retail remain focused on stability.

The post Income investors are watching these 3 ASX REIT results. Here's the details appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 expected to rise

The Australian share market looks set for a good start to the week following a positive finish to the last one on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 21 points or 0.25% lower. In the United States, the Dow Jones was up 0.65%, the S&P 500 rose 0.6%, and the Nasdaq pushed 0.45% higher.

Oil prices rise

It could be a decent start to the week for ASX 200 energy shares such as Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) after oil prices pushed higher on Friday night. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price was up 1.1% to US$65.72 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price was up 1% to US$70.13 a barrel. This was driven by news of drone attacks hitting Russian supply.

ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend

A number of ASX 200 shares are going ex-dividend this morning and could trade lower. This includes a range of REITs such as Arena REIT (ASX: ARF), Centuria Industrial Reit (ASX: CIP), Charter Hall Social Infrastructure REIT (ASX: CQE), HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN). In addition, gold miner Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) is going ex-dividend for a payout relating to its takeover.

Gold price rises again

ASX 200 gold shares including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could start the week positively after the gold price pushed higher again on Friday night. According to CNBC, the gold futures price was up 1% to US$3,809 an ounce. This was driven by the release of US inflation data which was supportive of further rate cuts.

Buy Premier shares

Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV) shares are good value according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating and $26.50 price target on the Smiggle and Peter Alexander owner's shares. The broker said: "We view PMV as trading at a discount to our coverage, considering the Premier Retail division with two global roll-out worthy brands offering ~7% EBIT growth in FY26e and a P/E of ~12x excluding equity investments, land bank/cash while retaining a strong balance sheet supportive of M&A as attractive. Maintain BUY."

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

Among the payers this week were BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), which paid a fully franked dividend of 91.9 cents per share yesterday.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) also paid out a fully franked final dividend of 9.5 cents per share yesterday.

Some companies that reported their financial results late in the August earnings season are yet to go ex-dividend.

That means you still have time to strategise how to make their ex-div dates work for you.

Make the ex-dividend date work for you!

Ex-dividend dates provide two opportunities for investors.

After a company announces its next dividend, investors have a small window of opportunity to buy the ASX share with the payment attached.

If you do this, you can generate a quick return via short-term income.

Alternatively, you might like to wait until the ex-dividend date to buy, because the price will likely fall, creating a buy-the-dip opportunity.

Share prices typically fall on ex-dividend dates because the stocks are fundamentally less valuable without the next dividend attached.

As usual, there have been many examples of ASX shares falling on their ex-dividend dates this year.

On Monday, New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) shares fell 7.35% after the coal mining stock went ex-dividend.

Next week, a slew of real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other ASX shares will go ex-dividend.

19 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week

Here is a sample of the ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week.

The post 19 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The ASX REIT enjoyed a 4.02% jump in its share price at the close of the ASX on Thursday. This followed the release of its robust FY25 earnings result.

Arena announced a 17% increase in its net operating profit. It also revealed a 42% increase in its statutory net profit and a 15% rise in total assets.

Arena REIT's net operating profit reached $73 million for the full year ended 30 June 2025. This result equated to earnings per share (EPS) of 18.55 cents, an increase of 5.1% on the prior period. Arena has paid a dividend per share of 18.25 cents for the full year, an increase of 4.9% year-on-year. 

According to the announcement, key contributors to the result were income growth from contracted annual and market rent reviews, acquisitions, and development projects completed in FY 2024 and FY 2025. 

Here's the latest stance that Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) has on the ASX REIT.

Macquarie updates its 12-month outlook

In a recent note to investors, the broker confirmed the outperform rating on Arena REIT. It also raised the target price to $4.01, up from $3.96 previously.

At the time of writing on early Friday morning, this represents a potential 3.6% upside for investors over the next 12 months.

"Valuation: TP +1.3% to $4.01 reflecting roll-forward of the valuation and minor assumption adjustments," Macquarie said.

"Maintain Outperform. ARF 12-month forward DPS yield is 5.2% while also offering an attractive and defensive DPSg profile (above asset heavy AREITs) of +4.5% 3-year CAGR FY25-28."

What else did Macquarie have to say?

The broker notes that the REIT's income growth has been boosted by rent reviews.

Arena REIT completed 30 market rent reviews in FY25 at an average increase of 6.8%. Of those reviews, 25 were capped at 7.5%, with the reviews hitting the cap on 21 properties. In FY26, ARF has 43 market rent reviews representing 10% of the portfolio's income. Of the reviews, 31 are capped at 7.5% and 12 are uncapped. 

Macquarie believes the company has scope to push rents, given that net rent to gross ELC operator revenue dropped to 9.9%. The broker assumes a 6.0% growth of income, subject to market review in FY26.

"ARF long-term total return has outperformed the AREIT sector and closest peer CQE. ELC outperformance can be attributed to strong underlying rent growth, limited cash leakage (to incentive and maintenance capital expenditure) and capitalisation rate compression," the broker said in its note.

It also noted that returns have been enhanced by an enlarged and accelerating development pipeline. 

"ARF's 29 project development pipeline is the largest on record. ARF has increased resources to take advantage of the opportunity now given the phase of the cycle. The $176m of capex outstanding (total $227m) will be spread evenly over FY26/27 with a target yield on cost of 6.0% vs. the passing yield for the ELC portfolio of 5.41%."

On another note, Macquarie also comments about Arena REIT CEO Rob De Vos' plans to step down after the company's AGM in November. He'll be replaced by CIO Justin Bailey. 

"We expect a continuation of ARF's strong strategy execution and financial discipline that has driven outperformance of A-REIT peers over the last 6.5 years (facilitated by generating an underlying business compound annual total return of 14.9% based on change in NTA plus distributions)," Macquarie said.

The post Macquarie tips 13% upside for this ASX REIT appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) shares also set a new record at 9,173.2 points, up 0.77%.

The local bourse is trading higher due to a strong session on Wall Street overnight and lower Aussie unemployment data released today.

Australian unemployment falls in July

The Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported a 0.1% fall in unemployment amid record-high female participation in the labour force in July.

The unemployment rate fell to 4.2% in seasonally adjusted terms last month.

Sean Crick, ABS head of labour statistics, said:

With employment rising by 25,000 people and the number of unemployed decreasing by 10,000 people, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 4.2 per cent in July.

ASX 200 shares are rising, given that lower unemployment will add to the case for another interest rate cut from the Reserve Bank (RBA).

The RBA cut interest rates by 0.25% on Tuesday.

Jobs growth was driven by full-time employment. Female full-time workers rose by 40,000, while male full-time workers rose by 20,000.

The female employment-to-population ratio and participation rate reached new historical highs of 60.9% and 63.5%, respectively.

The ABS also reported that average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults had surpassed $2,000 per week for the first time.

What happened on Wall Street overnight?

The S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) reached a new record high of 6,480.28 points before closing at 6,466.58 points, up 0.32%.

Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) shares also hit a new peak of 21,803.75 points before closing at 21,713.14 points, up 0.14%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI), which is different to other indexes, rose 1.04% to 44,922.27 points.

Wall Street surged after July inflation data showed a 0.2%, which Reuters reported was broadly in line with expectations.

This has raised expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next month.

Katherine Bordlemay, co-head of client portfolio management, fundamental equities at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, said:

The CPI data is supportive for equities overall, getting some good news with the Fed looking more on track to cut in September and potentially more transitory inflation.

Which ASX 200 shares are leading the market on Thursday?

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares are leading the ASX 200 today after the bank released its 3Q FY25 update.

Westpac reported an unaudited quarterly statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $1.9 billion, up 14% on the 1H FY25 average.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW) shares are lifting after the company released its full-year FY25 results and a trading update.

The online furniture retailer revealed a staggering 533% lift in net profit to $11.3 million for the financial year, up from $1.8 million in FY24.

The Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) share price is also higher after the company released its full-year FY25 results and FY26 guidance.

Origin delivered a statutory profit of $1,481 million, up from $1,397 million last year, with underlying profit rising to $1,490 million.

Top 5 risers of the day

Source: asx.com.au at time of writing

The post ASX 200 lifts to new record high as unemployment falls appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Macquarie's latest review of 24 listed REITs identifies a handful of names where FY26 earnings forecasts may still be too low. In other words, these are companies that analysts at Macquarie believe could guide higher or outperform current consensus expectations in the coming months.

While this is largely a short-term view, it gives a useful read on where earnings momentum may be building.

For long-term investors however, it is not just about who beats this season. It is also about identifying which companies or REITs have durable earnings potential and valuation upside, even if they are not yet in the spotlight.

So here are five REITs Macquarie believes may surprise this earnings season.

Arena REIT (ASX: ARF)

Arena specialises primarily in early learning centres. Macquarie sees it as a steady operator that continues to deliver. It expects FY26 guidance for earnings per share to come in at 19.6 cents, slightly ahead of consensus. This forecast is based on around $95 million in development completions, and no acquisitions.

Interestingly, earnings expectations for Arena have already moved higher, with consensus estimates up 4.6% in the past three months and Macquarie thinks this will continue to rise.

Macquarie's price target sits at $3.96, which is roughly 7% above the current share price of $3.68 at the time of writing.

National Storage REIT (ASX: NSR)

Macquarie expects FY26 guidance of 13 cents per share, which would be an increase of almost 10% year-on-year.

The key driver of this expected growth is an increase in revenue per available metre (REVPAM) and the rollout of an additional 200,000 square metres of net lettable area. If leased effectively, that pipeline could add $38 million in incremental revenue.

Macquarie has a target price of $2.44 and sees the potential for 5% of further upside.

Scentre Group (ASX: SCG)

When Scentre Group reports its FY25 results, Macquarie expects management will guide for higher than expected FY26 earnings. The firm is forecasting funds from operations (FFO) per security of 24.3 cents for FY26, around 2.5% above current consensus. While that might sound incremental, in the context of a large-cap REIT where expectations are subdued, it represents a meaningful beat.

Consensus earnings forecasts have already edged slightly higher in recent months, indicating that some in the market are beginning to recognise the upside risk. Macquarie believes the positive surprise will be driven by three key factors: better than expected portfolio income growth, disciplined cost control, and a modest improvement in funding costs.

Although Macquarie maintains an Underperform rating based on valuation, it acknowledges that near-term earnings momentum could challenge the prevailing cautious view, particularly if the company's FY26 guidance confirms the fundamentals are firmer than widely assumed.

A Long-Term Opportunity: DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT)

DigiCo, which focuses on digital infrastructure assets, did not make Macquarie's earnings momentum list, but Macquarie thinks it has the most compelling valuation upside.

Macquarie has an outperform rating and a price target of $4.35, compared to a current share price of just $3.25 at the time of writing. That implies over 30% upside.

Unlike more traditional REITs, DigiCo plays in a structurally growing market driven by demand for data, connectivity, and digital assets. While earnings surprises may be less likely in the next quarter, long-term cash flow visibility and capital deployment optionality make it one to watch.

The one to be cautious about: Lendlease (ASX: LLC)

On the flip side, Lendlease was flagged by Macquarie for its downside risk. Macquarie forecasts FY26 earnings guidance of 27.5 cents per share, which is 16% below consensus.

The issues are partly timing related. Last year included capital recycling gains that will not repeat, and several key development milestones, including the One Circular Quay project, which will not contribute to earnings until FY27.

Concensus forecasts have already been cut by 17.5% in recent months and may not be done yet.

Foolish takeaway

Earnings season often creates noise, but underneath it are useful signals. Analysts are slowly revising their expectations higher for several REITs and when the market realises that expectations are too low, prices can adjust quickly.

But as long-term investors, the bigger question is where sustainable growth and valuation upside intersect. That is why stocks like DigiCo, even if not flagged for short-term surprises, deserve close attention (although the risks too deserve closer inspection!).

Surprises can move the market, but long-term returns are built on businesses with real tailwinds and room to grow. Keep an eye on both.

The post ASX REITs: Macquarie's highest conviction earnings calls appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The broker has predicted a 75BP cut in the near future. 

Macquarie forecasts a further 75bps of RBA cash rate cuts by Feb-2026, which should stimulate improved residential sales for developers and equity flows for fund managers, albeit skewed to 2H26.

ASX REITs can perform better when interest rates fall, as cheaper borrowing, more competitive yields, higher property valuations, and a stronger economy all boost their profitability and investor attractiveness.

REITs, put simply, are companies that own and operate property assets that typically produce income.

Here are three small and mid-cap ASX REITs Macquarie tips to outperform. 

DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT)

DigiCo is a data center REIT and developer operating across Australia and North America.

It has had a rough past 12 months, seeing its share price fall more than 35% in that span. 

However, Macquarie sees upside in the struggling ASX REIT. 

Macquarie sees upside potential in the company despite its capital-intensive nature, highlighting several near-term positive catalysts.

DGT is capital intensive with moving variables, although our scenario analysis suggests risk is skewed to the upside, with a number of positive catalysts in the near term. We believe a ~4% DPS yield (fully covered by FFO from FY26) with FY26E-30E EBITDA CAGR of ~18% is attractive.

The broker has an outperform rating on DGT shares and a target price of $4.35. This indicates a 34.26% upside. 

Arena REIT (ASX: ARF)

ARF is one of the largest childcare centre-focused real estate investment trusts, or REITs, in Australia. The trust owns a portfolio of 260 long day care centres for children aged under five in Australia.

Its stock price is down approximately 5% from a year ago. 

Macquarie has an outperform rating and target price of $3.96 on this ASX REIT, largely thanks to its defensive profile. 

This indicates 10% upside from its current share price of $3.60. 

ARF's defensive income profile remains attractive, with growth supplemented by development projects at superior yields to the existing portfolio. Upside exists from accretive acquisitions. ARF continues to offer an attractive yield and growth return profile.

Qualitas Ltd (ASX: QAL)

This REIT is an alternative real estate investment manager focused on private credit and equity across commercial real estate sectors.

It has been a share market winner over the last year, rising by almost 50% in that span. 

Despite such a big return in the last year, Macquarie still believes there is upside thanks to the company's successful growth of its funds under management (FUM).

The broker has placed an outperform rating and target price of $3.73, indicating 6.27% upside. 

QAL is progressing on its strategy to grow committed FUM and deploy proceeds, benefiting from capital interest in private commercial real estate credit, with its best-in-class platform. We believe our forecast 18% EPS growth in FY26 is attractive, even on 24x earnings following the recent re-rate.

The post Macquarie names 3 small and mid-cap ASX REITs to buy this month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's because they have just revealed the ASX REITs that they think investors should be buying right now. Let's see what the broker is recommending to clients:

Which ASX REITs are being tipped as buys?

There are no less than 14 ASX REITs that Macquarie thinks are in the buy zone this month.

The first is Arena REIT No 1 (ASX: ARF), which it has an outperform rating and $3.96 price target on. However, with its shares trading at $3.77, the upside is somewhat limited from here.

It is a similar story for Centuria Capital Group (ASX: CNI). The broker has an outperform rating and $1.78 price target on its shares.

More upside is expected from Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP) shares. Macquarie has an outperform rating and $3.34 price target on this ASX REIT.

Fellow industrial property company Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXI) is also in favour with the broker. It has an outperform rating and $3.18 price target on its shares.

Data centres and more

For big returns, investors might want to check out data centre focused property company DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT). Macquarie has an outperform rating and $5.33 price target on its shares, which implies potential upside of 56% for investors from current levels.

Fellow data centre (and industrial property) developer Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) is rated as outperform with a $36.06 price target.

Another REIT with potential to rise strongly is Dexus (ASX: DXS). The broker has an outperform rating and $8.08 price target. This suggests that upside of 15% is possible from current levels.

Limited upside is expected for Growthpoint Properties Australia Ltd (ASX: GOZ), with Macquarie holding an outperform rating and $2.57 price target on its shares.

The broker has outperform ratings on GPT Group (ASX: GPT) and Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT (ASX: HCW) shares with price targets of $5.38 and $1.05, respectively.

Elsewhere, Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC) could be another ASX REIT with major upside. Macquarie has an outperform rating and $7.79 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of 36% over the next 12 months.

The final three are Mirvac Group (ASX: MGR), National Storage REIT (ASX: NSR) and Qualitas Ltd (ASX: QAL). Macquarie has outperform ratings on them with price targets of $2.56, $2.42, and $3.10, respectively.

Based on the above, the three to buy are arguably DigiCo Infrastructure REIT, Lendlease, and Goodman Group.

The post Thinking of buying an ASX REIT? Check out Macquarie's top picks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

I'd want to choose ideas that have already demonstrated a pleasing level of predictability and offer a good starting dividend yield. I'd also like to see a history of regular dividend increases.

With that in mind, a couple of underrated names could make an excellent choice.

Brickworks Ltd (ASX: BKW)

Brickworks is Australia's leading brickmaker – it has been a major player for decades. Impressively, the business hasn't cut its dividend for almost 50 years.

One of the most important attributes that has helped the business deliver that consistency is its long-term cross-holding of Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL) shares, a diversified investment conglomerate that has operated for over a century. Soul Patts has steadily grown its dividend for shareholders, which has helped Brickworks.

Brickworks also has significant exposure to a portfolio of industrial properties, which are benefiting from strong economic tailwinds such as e-commerce growth. Those properties are experiencing pleasing rental growth, helping fund solid cash flow for Brickworks to utilise for its dividend.

Both Soul Patts shares and industrial properties are helping Brickworks grow its dividend, which has increased every year since 2014. For retirees looking for income from ASX shares, Brickworks has a grossed-up dividend yield of 3.5%, including franking credits.

Arena REIT No 1 (ASX: ARF)

This is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on owning and leasing childcare centres. I think it'd be a great pick for retirees.

Its portfolio includes 289 properties, with a long-term weighted average expiry (WALE) of 18 years. This means the rental income is locked in for the long term.

It has a portfolio occupancy rate of more than 99%. It also delivered an average like-for-like rental increase of 3.2% in the first half of FY25, which is a pleasing pace of growth.

The business has also been able to boost its rental earnings through developments and acquisitions.

Arena REIT notes it has a tailwind from rising female workforce participation, which continues to drive demand for services and increases in long day care participation rates.

The federal government has regularly improved funding for childcare, which is helping the sector's economic health.

The ASX share also has a relatively small portfolio of healthcare properties. Its latest acquisition was a health worker accommodation property in Bendigo for $35 million.

The business is expecting to grow its FY25 distribution by 4.9% to 18.25 cents per unit, which equates to a distribution yield of 4.75%. 

Add in the potential boost of interest rate cuts, I think both Arena REIT No 1 and Brickworks shares are set to have a good 2025 compared to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which may appeal to retirees.

The post If I were a retiree, I'd buy these 2 ASX shares straightaway appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It's been a mixed period these past few weeks for the sector, with the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) down more than 8% in the past month, when the broader market is down nearly 7%.

Let's take a deeper dive.

ASX REITs catch the bid

The sell-off in ASX REITs has seen Macquarie lift its ratings on four names in the sector this week.

As The Australian reports today, the broker has slapped buy ratings on Centuria Capital Group (ASX: CNI), Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), and Arena REIT (ASX: ARF).

Meanwhile, Scentre Group (ASX: SCG) was raised to a hold rating.

Collectively, these stocks have taken a hit in recent weeks. Their performance for 2025 so far is seen in the chart below.

But the outlook for ASX REITs might be turning more positive, judging by other upgrades brokers have made in recent weeks.

As my colleague James reported, Bell Potter added the company to its Australian equities panel for March.

Bell said Goodman is "an attractive opportunity", more so after the recent weakness in its share price.

Meanwhile, Citi also rates the stock a buy at a price target of $40 apiece. Goodman was last at $30.53.

Macquarie also upgraded Centuria Capital Group, which manages two additional ASX REITs, the Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP) and the Centuria Office REIT (ASX: COF).

According to Tradingview, the consensus price target on the Group from brokers is $1.88 apiece, around 18% upside at the time of writing.

Note, this excludes any dividend forecasts.

Meanwhile, the consensus of broker estimates has a price target of $4.19 apiece on Arena REIT's share price.

The stock closed trading last week at $3.60 apiece, which implies around a 35% upside currently.

In its H1 FY25 results, the company also booked a 16% increase in operating profit and an 87% growth in net profit.

Arena is also aiming to pay a distribution of 18.25 cents per share in FY25, a 5% increase on last year.

Despite Macquarie's upgrade today, the stock is rated a hold from the consensus of analyst estimates, according to CommSec.

Foolish takeaway

Analysts at Macquarie have upgraded these ASX REITs this week after a sharp sell-off in the sector.

Does this suggest that the sector may have bottomed out? Or that Macquarie has some form of crystal ball? Not necessarily.

As a sector, Aussie REITs have held onto a 1% gain over the past year.

The post Upgrades: Macquarie turns bullish on these ASX REITs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the smaller end of the market are the ASX 300 REITs listed below, which have just released their results. Here's what they reported:

Arena REIT No 1 (ASX: ARF)

The Arena REIT share price is up slightly to $3.96 today after it delivered strong profit growth during the first half.

The social infrastructure property company reported a 16% increase in net operating profit to $36 million and an 87% jump in statutory net profit to $36 million. The latter includes investment property and derivative valuation gains.

Management director, Rob de Vos, said:

Arena's investment activity accelerated during half year 2025 as the trajectory of debt costs became clearer and we utilised our competitive cost of capital and deal sourcing expertise to execute on emerging opportunities. With an expanded and experienced management team, Arena remains well positioned to capitalise on further growth opportunities that are consistent with our well-defined strategy and investment objective.

Looking ahead, the ASX 300 REIT has reaffirmed its FY 2025 distribution guidance of 18.25 cents per share, which represents growth of 4.9% over FY 2024.

Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXI)

The Dexus Industria share price is down slightly to $2.72 after the company released a half year result in line with expectations.

The industrial warehouse focused property company reported a statutory net profit after tax of $53.7 million for the six months. This compares favourably to a loss of $10.2 million in the prior corresponding period.

Management notes that this primarily reflects property valuation gains recorded this half compared to valuation losses in the prior corresponding period.

The ASX 300 REIT's funds from operations (FFO) increased 5.7% to $28.8 million or 9.1 cents per share. This was driven by strong portfolio like-for-like growth of 4.7%, which was offset by reduced property income from divestments.

The company's fund manager, Gordon Korkie, said:

Our portfolio continues to deliver a resilient income stream with embedded growth, and solid leasing outcomes underpinning future growth. Valuation growth has resumed for the first time since FY22, with industrial assets continuing to attract significant interest from a diverse range of investors, as evidenced by transaction volumes above pre covid levels. We remain focused on leveraging our strong balance sheet to invest in attractive investment opportunities to enhance portfolio quality and deliver strong returns.

Looking ahead, management has reiterated its FY 2025 guidance for FFO per share of 17.8 cents and distributions per share of 16.4 cents. This represents FFO per share growth of 2.3% and a dividend yield of 6%.

The post 2 ASX 300 REITs reporting strong first-half profit growth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

With around four hours of trade left before the closing bell, the benchmark Aussie index is down 2.6% since last Friday's close.

So, which ASX 200 stocks have shrugged off the broader sell-off to march higher?

Read on!

Five ASX 200 stocks gaining in this week's falling market

The first ASX 200 stock that looks set to finish the week well in the green is Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA).

Shares in the dairy processor and food manufacturer closed last Friday trading for $5.30. At the time of writing, shares are changing hands for $5.48 apiece. That brings the Bega Cheese share price up 3.4% over the week.

This week's outperformance is in line with the strong upward trend in 2024. Year to date, the Bega Cheese share price is up 56%. And that's not including the 8 cents a share in fully franked dividends eligible stockholders will have received over the year.

Arena REIT (ASX: ARF) is the second ASX 200 stock to shrug off the sinking market this week.

Shares in the real estate investment trust closed last week at $3.79 and are currently at $3.89 each. That puts the Arena share price up 2.6% over the week. Shares are up 5.3% in 2024, not including the 17.5 cents a share in unfranked dividends Arena has doled out over the past 12 months. The REIT pays quarterly dividends.

Moving on to our third outperformer of the week, we have Transurban Group (ASX: TCL).

Shares in the toll road developer and operator closed last Friday at $12.73. At the time of writing today, those same shares are trading for $13.34, up 4.8%.

The Transurban share price remains down 3.3% year to date, not including the 62 cents in unfranked dividends the company paid out over the year.

ASX 200 stock PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA) also posted gains this week despite the sinking market.

Shares in the online property exchange network operator closed out last week at $12.39. Shares are currently changing hands for $13.00 apiece, up 4.9%.

PEXA shares are now up 20.4% this year. The company does not pay dividends at this time. The stock gained 8.2% on Tuesday after PEXA announced the appointment of Russell Cohen as its new CEO commencing on 31 March 2025.

Rounding off our list of five ASX 200 stocks marching higher this week even as the market sinks is SiteMinder Ltd (ASX: SDR).

Shares in the hotel management technology provider closed last week trading for $5.82. At the time of writing today, shares are swapping hands for $6.30 each, up 8.2%.

SiteMinder shares are now up 22.8% in 2024. The company does not pay dividends at this time.

After two weeks of losses, the ASX 200 remains up 6.1% this year.

The post 5 ASX 200 stocks marching higher this week even as the market sinks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Two names that reported today are Centuria Office REIT (ASX: COF) and Arena REIT (ASX: ARF), and based on the share price movement today – the market has spoken.

Centuria trades more than 3% lower on the day, fetching $1.20 per share at the time of writing.

Meanwhile, Arena is 3% in the green, swapping hands at $4.03 apiece.

Let's take a look.

One ASX REIT down…

First of the ASX REITs is Centuria, the office REIT. It reported mixed results for FY24. Centuria delivered funds from operations (FFO) of $82.2 million, equating to 13.8 cents per unit.

This was in line with its guidance. Distributions also met expectations at 12 cents per security.

Despite these steady numbers, the REIT's net tangible assets (NTA) stood at $1.80 per unit, down from $2.20 per unit last year.

Meanwhile, its weighted average debt expiry (WADE) expanded to 4.1 years, providing it with some financial breathing room. It now has no debt expiring until FY28.

COF Fund Manager Belinda Cheung highlighted the efforts to strengthen the balance sheet through asset divestments and refinancing but acknowledged the tough macroeconomic environment.

During the period, COF continued to execute significant leasing activity and capital management, against a backdrop of challenging macroeconomic headwinds including a high inflationary and interest rate environment coupled with slow GDP growth.

Centuria's inhouse management team remained focused on addressing vacancies and near-term expiries to provide reliable income streams for the benefit of unitholders.

Looking ahead, the ASX REIT has set its FY25 FFO guidance at 11.8 cents per unit. This equates to a distribution yield of around 7% at the time of writing.

…One ASX REIT up

In contrast, Arena REIT, which focuses on healthcare and education properties, reported a stronger set of results. This likely explains why its share price is drifting higher post-announcement.

Arena's net operating profit rose by 4.7% to $62 million, driven by income growth from rent reviews and completed development projects.

This translated to earnings per security (EPS) of 17.65 cents, up 3.2% on FY23.

The ASX REIT also announced a distribution per security (DPS) of 17.4 cents for the full year, a 3.6% increase from the previous year.

Meanwhile, management reaffirmed its FY25 distribution guidance of 18.25 cents per security, targeting year on year growth of 4.9%.

Despite a statutory net profit decline of 22.5% due to lower revaluation gains on some of its properties, Arena's total assets grew by 3% to $1.62 billion.

CEO Rob de Vos highlighted these points in his comments:

Strong macroeconomic drivers continue to support growth in the demand for essential community services across Australia.

These themes, combined with Arena's disciplined origination, capital management and asset management expertise have positioned the business well to sustainably deliver on its purpose and investment objective of delivering predictable distributions to securityholders with the prospect for growth.

Takeout

While Centuria Office REIT faced headwinds in a challenging environment, Arena REIT managed to post steady growth. This shows how ASX REITs can post differing opportunities despite being in the same sector of real estate.

Arena is up 9% this past year, while Centuria is down more than 15%.

The post One up, one down: ASX REITs vary after FY24 results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Luckily, next week is an example of the former.

Whenever an ASX share announces a dividend payment, it must also nominate an ex-dividend date for that payment. This 'ex-div' date is when a line is drawn in the sand between those shareholders who are eligible to receive the payment, and those who will miss out.

Put simply, if you wish to receive a company's latest dividend, you need to own the shares at least one day before the ex-dividend date. If you buy those shares on or after that date, you will miss out on the payment, with the seller retaining the rights to the cash.

As we noted above, there are quite a few ASX shares set to trade ex-dividend on the stock market next week. But today, let's go through no fewer than nine popular real estate investment trusts (REITs) that are in line to fork out their latest dividends (dividend distributions, to be precise).

Before we get right into it, it's worth remembering that dividend distributions from REITs rarely come with any franking credits attached. That's due to their unique composition, which prevents them from paying corporate taxes (from which franking credits are generated) like companies do.

With that out of the way, here are the nine popular ASX REITs with ex-dividend dates set for next week:

Nine ASX income stocks set to trade ex-dividend next week

 *Dividend yield as of Thursday's close

Foolish takeaway

Those are the nine popular REITs scheduled to trade ex-dividend next week.

All of these REITs currently have relatively large trailing dividend distribution yields. As such, we might see some fairly large share price drops when each of them goes 'ex-div'. That will reflect the hefty loss of value for new investors when this eligibility window closes.

So if you see any of these ASX REITs drop like a rock next week, you'll probably know why.

The post 9 popular ASX REITs with ex-dividend dates next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.