The company itself has been around for almost 170 years. It has changed significantly over this period, morphing from its roots as a sugar refiner into its current role as a manufacturer of building and construction supplies.

But June 2024 will go down as one of the most significant months in CSR's long history. That's because its shares are set to depart from the ASX for the first time in a generation.

As we've been covering here at the Motley Fool, CSR has been in the middle of an acquisition courtship over the past few months. Back in February, we learned that the French company Saint-Gobain was interested in acquiring CSR in full.

What will happen to CSR shares when the company is acquired?

Saint-Gobain made a bid of $9 per share in cash for CSR. The merger proposal was cleared through the usual legal and regulatory motions. Then just yesterday, shareholders accepted the offer at a meeting with a 'yes' vote of 98.55%. This means that ownership of CSR will transfer to Saint-Gobain. And CSR shares will disappear from both the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and the Australian share market.

It will be quick too. CSR's last day on the ASX has been set for next Wednesday, 19 June. After that date, the shares will be suspended from trading.

On 1 July, existing CSR shareholders will then receive the 12 cents per share fully franked dividend that CSR revealed earlier this month. Those shareholders will then receive their $8.88 per share ($9 minus the value of the dividend) in cash from Saint-Gobain on 9 July in exchange for their shares. At this point, CSR will become the sole property, and a division of Saint-Gobain.

In terms of the ASX 200 Index, CSR's spot in this exclusive club will be taken up by financial stock Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO) prior to the commencement of trading on Thursday, 20 June.

So CSR's long ASX history is set to come to an end in under a week. Maybe the company will return to the Australian stock market one day. But for better or worse, come next week, there will be one less share for ASX investors to buy on our local markets.

The post What will happen to CSR shares next week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back today are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

The Boss Energy share price is up 3% to $4.21. This morning, this uranium miner announced that production has started at its US-based Alta Mesa In-Situ Recovery (ISR) Central Processing Uranium Plant and Wellfields. Boss Energy's managing director, Duncan Craib, said: "The start of production at the Alta Mesa Project is another key milestone in the implementation of our strategy to be a global uranium supplier with a diversified production base in tier-one locations."

Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO)

The Judo Capital share price is up 4% to $1.36. Investors have been buying this small business lender's shares this week after S&P Dow Jones Indices announced that it will be added to the ASX 200 index next week. Judo Capital will replace building materials company CSR Ltd (ASX: CSR) when it is removed from the index. Though, this remains subject to shareholder and final court approval of the scheme of arrangement which will see CSR acquired by Compagnie de Saint-Gobain.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price is up 5% to $15.01. This follows a strong night of trade for the location technology company's Nasdaq listed shares. After a reasonably lukewarm start to life on Wall Street, the company's shares finally took off overnight and rose by 6%. The good news is that there could still be plenty more gains to come. Earlier this week, Bell Potter put a buy rating and $17.00 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of 13% for investors from current levels.

Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)

The Paladin Energy share price is up over 1% to $14.30. This appears to have been driven by the release of a broker note out of Citi. According to the note, the broker feels that recent share price weakness due to a pullback in uranium prices has created an attractive entry point for investors. As a result, its analysts have reaffirmed their buy rating and $17.00 price target on the uranium miner's shares. This suggests that Paladin Energy's shares could rise by approximately 19% over the next 12 months.

The post Why Boss Energy, Judo Capital, Life360, and Paladin Energy shares are pushing higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But whenever a company trades ex-dividend, we also tend to see a big share price drop for the company in question. This drop reflects the loss of that dividend's value for any ASX 200 investor who buys shares from that day onwards.

So ex-dividend dates are clearly events of note on our share market. And next week, we'll see not one, but two ASX 200 shares go through this process.

2 ASX 200 shares scheduled to trade ex-dividend next week

First up, we have ASX 200 building products company CSR Ltd (ASX: CSR). CSR has been making waves in 2024 after the company agreed to a $9 per share takeover offer from the French company Saint-Gobain earlier this year.

Earlier this month, CSR confirmed that its shares would be removed from the ASX 200 Index (and the Australian share market) next Thursday, 20 June, as a result of this takeover. However, before the stage exit, CSR shares have one more trick up their sleeves.

The company will be forking out a swansong dividend on 1 July next month. This passive income payment will be worth a fully franked 12 cents per share and will come out of that $9 per share takeover offer. So eligible shareholders will now receive $8.88 in cash for every CSR share owned. That's in addition to this 12 cents per share dividend payment.

However, if you want this cash in your bank account, you'll have to own CSR shares before the company trades ex-dividend for this payment next Friday, 21 June.

CSR shares are currently trading on a dividend yield of 3.9%.

A retail share with a 4% dividend yield

Next, let's talk about ASX 200 retail share Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV). Premier is the company behind famous Australian retail brands like Smiggle, Dotti and Peter Alexander.

Premier delivered its last earnings report back in March. As we covered at the time, this report was well-received, thanks in part to the ASX 200 share's decision to pay an interim dividend of 63 cents per share, fully franked. That was a 16.7% increase over the ordinary interim dividend of 54 cents per share that investors enjoyed in 2023.

However, this dividend was only set to be paid out on 27 July next month. If ASX 200 investors wish to see this dividend in their bank accounts, they will need to own Premier shares before the ex-dividend date. This has been set for next Tuesday, 18 June.

Premier Investments stock is currently trading on a dividend yield of 4.24%.

The post 2 ASX 200 shares with ex-dividend dates next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Let's take a look at a few that are rising even as the market tumbles. They are as follows:

Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

The Accent share price is up 2.5% to $2.00. This is despite there being no news out of the footwear retailer. Though, it is worth noting that Bell Potter reiterated its buy rating and $2.50 price target on the company's shares this week.

Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP)

The Bapcor share price is up 1.5% to $5.14. This is likely to be due to investors buying the auto parts retailer's shares in response to the receipt of an unsolicited, indicative, conditional and non-binding takeover proposal from Bain Capital this week. If the deal goes through, Bapcor shareholders would receive $5.40 cash per share from the private equity giant. Though, it is worth noting that the offer price is well short of Bapcor's 52-week high of $7.09.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is up a further 4% to $1.36. This counter drone technology company's shares have been on fire this year. So much so, this ASX All Ords share is now up approximately 260% since the start of the year. Strong demand for its technology has been getting investors excited.

Emerald Resources NL (ASX: EMR)

The Emerald Resources share price is up 6% to $3.65. This is despite there being no news out of the Western Australian gold explorer and developer.

Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO)

The Judo Capital share price is up 4% to $1.36. This has been driven by news that the business lender will be added to the ASX 200 index next week. S&P Dow Jones Indices has announced that ASX All Ords share Judo Capital will replace building materials company CSR Ltd (ASX: CSR) when it is removed from the index week. This remains subject to shareholder and final court approval of the scheme of arrangement which will see CSR acquired by Compagnie de Saint-Gobain.

Kelly Partners Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: KPG)

The Kelly Partners share price is up 4.5% to $7.73. Today's strong gain is a mystery given that there has been no meaningful news out of the accounting company for some time. Though, its shares have been flying recently and now sit just short of a record high.

Tuas Ltd (ASX: TUA)

The Tuas share price is up 3% to $4.13. Once again, there has been no news out of this Singapore based telco. However, this ASX All Ords share is just a few cents off a record high. This has been driven by a strong performance in FY 2024.

The post 7 ASX All Ords shares rocketing higher while the market sinks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to fall again

It looks set to be another red day for the Australian share market on Wednesday despite a reasonably positive session in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 43 points or 0.55% lower. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones fell 0.3%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.3% and the Nasdaq stormed 0.9% higher. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs. This was thanks largely to Apple shares, which rose 7% due to its AI news.

Oil prices rise

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) will be on watch after oil prices edged higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.2% to US$77.87 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 0.3% to US$81.85 a barrel. Optimism over summer fuel demand has boosted oil prices this week.

Collins Foods CEO resigns

The Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF) share price will be on watch today after the KFC restaurant operator announced the exit of its CEO. According to the release, the Drew O'Malley has informed the board of his intention to step down effective 1 July. Kevin Perkins will remain in the role of interim managing director and CEO as the board undertakes a local and international CEO search. Perkins has been in charge on an interim basis while Mr O'Malley was on an extended leave of absence.

Gold price rises

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a better day after the gold price rose overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.2% to US$2,331.3 an ounce. Traders were bidding the precious metal higher ahead of the release of US inflation data and the US Federal Reserve meeting.

Judo Capital joins the ASX 200

The ASX 200 index has a new member. After the market close on Tuesday, S&P Dow Jones Indices announced that building materials company CSR Ltd (ASX: CSR) will be removed from the ASX 200 index next week. This is subject to shareholder and final court approval of the scheme of arrangement which will see the company acquired by Compagnie de Saint-Gobain. Replacing CSR in the illustrious index will be business lender Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO).

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

Yep, seven!

Their strong performance is helping lift the benchmark index 0.3% in early afternoon trade.

Any guesses?

Keep those in mind and read on.

ASX 200 shares charging to 52-week highs or more

The first ASX 200 share reaching new 52-week highs on Wednesday is Technology One Ltd (ASX: TNE).

The Technology One share price is up 6.3% at $17.80 a share. That's not just a new 52-week high for this tech stock but would also mark a new all-time closing high.

Technology One shares closed up 4.6% yesterday after the company reported some strong half-year results. Those included a 16% year on year increase in profit after tax to $48 million.

The second ASX 200 share hitting fresh one-year highs is Webjet Ltd (ASX: WEB).

The Webjet share price is up 9.1% at $9.21 a share. That represents a new post-pandemic high.

Webjet shares are soaring today following the company's full year results. Highlights included a 29% year on year revenue boost to $472 million. Webjet also announced a potential demerger of its two travel divisions, which would each be listed separately on the ASX.

The third ASX 200 share hitting new 52-week highs today is Emerald Resources (ASX: EMR).

The Emerald Resources share price is up 1.6% at $3.94 a share. This also marks a new all-time high for the gold mining stock, which is now up 103% over 12 months.

With no recent price sensitive news out from the company, the share price looks to be benefiting from the soaring gold price.

The fourth ASX 200 share reaching new 52-weel highs today is A2 Milk Co Ltd (ASX: A2M). A2 Milk shares are up 1.9% trading for $6.92 apiece.

That sees the A2 Milk share price up 63% in 2024.

There's no recent news out from the company. Investor excitement was roused by management's forecast of low to mid-single digit revenue growth for FY 2024 when the company released its half-year results in February.

The fifth ASX 200 share notching fresh 52-week highs today is Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX).

The Telix Pharmaceuticals share price is up 6.2% at $16.34 a share. That's also a new all-time high for the ASX healthcare stock. Investors have been buying the stock amid a series of strategic acquisitions and rising revenues.

Shares are getting a boost today on the back of the company's AGM.

Which brings us to the sixth ASX 200 share hitting new 52-week highs on Wednesday, Alumina Ltd (ASX: AWC).

The Alumina share price is up 5.0% at $1.83 a share, the highest level in two years.

Investor enthusiasm was kindled yesterday when the company released an update on Alcoa's proposed acquisition of all of its shares.

Rounding off the list, the seventh ASX 200 share smashing new 52-week highs today is CSR Ltd (ASX: CSR).

Shares in the building products company are up 0.3%, trading for $8.93 apiece. If CSR shares can hold onto this slender gain by market close this will also mark a new five-year high.

CSR is also an acquisition target. The company provided its last update on the proposed acquisition by Saint-Gobain for $9.00 a share in cash a week ago, on 15 May.

So, did you guess all seven ASX 200 shares hitting new 52-week highs or more?

Give yourself a virtual gold star!

The post Guess which 7 ASX 200 shares are smashing new 52-week highs today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But there are plenty of ASX All Ords shares that are doing even better than that. In fact, no fewer than seven of these stocks have clocked a new 52-week high this session. Let's check them out.

ASX All Ords shares at new 52-week highs today

First up we have RPMGlobal Holdings Ltd (ASX: RPM). RPM shares opened at $2.28 each this morning, and are currently up 2.6% at $2.33. But earlier this morning, this mining services company rose as high as $2.38 a share, RPM's new 52-week and all-time high.

There's been no fresh news out of the company today that might explain why investors are pushing this stock higher though.

Next, we have Monash IVF Group Ltd (ASX: MVF) to discuss. Monash shares opened at $1.49 each this morning and are currently up 201% at $1.52 each. But Monash hit $1.53 a share soon after market open – the company's new 52-week high.

Again, there are no fresh developments out of this company either that might easily explain this new benchmark for Monash.

Link Administration Holdings Ltd (ASX: LNK) is another ASX All Ords share smashing out a new high today. Link shares are currently trading at $2.24 apiece, up 0.22% for the day thus far. But Link opened at $2.25 this morning, which is the financial services stock's new 52-week high.

Yesterday, Link released an update regarding the acquisition offer from Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corporation, which told investors that "all regulatory approvals which are Conditions Precedent to the Scheme have been satisfied, waived or will not be required". Perhaps this is still feeding into positive sentiment for Link stock today.

Then we have ASX All Ords building products stock CSR Ltd (ASX: CSR). CSR shares are currently flat at $8.87 each. But earlier this morning, those shares climbed as high as $8.89 – CSR's new 52-week high – after opening at $8.86 each.

With CSR, there has also been no news or announcements out of the company that might conceivably explain this new high watermark.

More stocks at new highs

ASX All Ords real estate investment trust (REIT) Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (ASX: URW) is next. This REIT's units opened at $6.31 each this morning and are currently up 2.1% at $6.35. But this comes after Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield hit a new high of $6.37 earlier in the session today.

Investors seem to have been taking another look at this REIT ever since the 11 April update on the Westfield Hamburg project.

Another ASX All Ords stock hitting new highs today is Steamships Trading Company Ltd (ASX: SST). Steamships stock is currently enjoying a 1.23% boost at $16.50 a share.

However, this morning, those same shares opened at $17, which was, and is the company's new 52-week high. But this is another benchmark that has occurred today without any obvious catalyst.

Finally, let's discuss ASX All Ords chemical and explosives manufacturer Orica Ltd (ASX: ORI). Orica shares opened at $18.30 each this morning and are presently trading at $18.39, up 0.6% for the day thus far. But Orica explored as high as $18.45 a share earlier today, which is the company's new 52-week high.

There haven't been any fresh developments or announcements out of Orica in recent weeks. But investors have been flocking to this stock all year, with Orica shares now up a rosy 15.4% in 2024 to date.

The post 7 ASX All Ords shares smashing new 52-week highs on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The index measures the entire housing market, including houses, townhouses, and apartments.

If we break down the latest data from CoreLogic further, we see that the median Australian house price increased by 0.6% in February to $825,923. The median apartment price rose by 0.2% to $628,980.

CoreLogic research director Tim Lawless said property values were "more than resilient" amid high interest rates and cost-of-living pressures. The key driver of this resilience is a persistent imbalance between supply and demand, which Lawless says varies in size across the capital cities and regions.

Perth was once again the standout capital city last month with a very strong 1.8% rise in median home values. Next came Adelaide at 1.1% and Brisbane at 0.9%. Among the regional markets, South Australia was on top with 1.1% growth, followed by Western Australia and Queensland with 1% growth each.

Lawless said:

These regions are generally benefiting from a combination of comparatively lower housing prices and positive demographic factors that continue to support housing demand.

Melbourne pivoted from three months of negative growth to 0.1% growth in February. Sydney property values recorded a second month of price rises after booking subtle falls in November and December.

Lawless added:

Potentially we are seeing some early signs of a boost to housing confidence as inflation eases and expectations for a rate cut, or cuts, later this year firm up.

Shares vs. property price growth in February

Here is how shares vs. property performed in terms of price growth in the month of February.

Source: CoreLogic

Top 5 risers of the ASX 200 in February

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) appreciated by 0.23% in February.

According to CommSec data, these ASX 200 shares below were the top risers of the month.

Source: CommSec

The February earnings season produced winners and losers, and most of the top 5 ASX 200 shares rose due to outstanding financial reports.

Budget fashion jewellery chain Lovisa soared following the company's strong 1H FY24 report.

Despite today's cost-of-living crisis, Lovisa delivered an 18.2% increase in revenue to $373 million and a 12% bump in net profit after tax (NPAT) to $53.5 million.

Lovisa shares will pay an interim dividend of 50 cents per share with 30% franking.

That's a more than 30% increase on the 1H FY23 dividend of 38 cents.

The post How ASX shares vs. property performed in February 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.

Takeover offer confirmed

CSR noted the media speculation about interest from Saint-Gobain about acquiring the ASX building products business.

The offer is a conditional, non-binding, indicative proposal from the large French business.

How big is the offer? It's $9 per share, which is 7.8% higher than the current CSR share price and 25% higher than a week ago.

Under the offer, CSR would be entitled to pay a final dividend of up to 25 cents per share for its financial year ending 31 March 2024, which would be deducted from the cash offer price.

As mentioned, the offer is still subject to a number of conditions including satisfactory due diligence, unanimous recommendation from the CSR board to vote in favour of the proposed transaction, regulatory approvals and CSR shareholder approval.

This large offer from Saint-Gobain came after an earlier indicative offer and a period of negotiation. After having reviewed the proposal, CSR's board unanimously resolved to pursue the proposal. CSR is currently providing Saint-Gobain with confirmatory due diligence so that it can put forward a binding offer at an agreed CSR share price of $9.

No certainty of a deal

The CSR board noted that there is no certainty that the proposal will result in a binding offer and it will keep the market informed as necessary.

The board also noted shareholders don't need to take any action about this proposal at this time.

What next?

Due diligence can sometimes take a number of weeks, so it could take a while before anything concrete happens.

Even if an offer is binding, it can require months for all of the different steps to occur. The CSR share price has risen by 44% in the last six months, so shareholders have seen a big rise in the value of their shares.

The post CSR share price jumps again as blockbuster bid confirmed 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.

CSR is one of Australia's biggest building product companies, with products like Gyprock plasterboard, Bradford insulation, Cemintel fibre cement, Hebel autoclaved aerated concrete panels, PGH Bricks, Monier roof tiles and AFS walling systems.

Takeover talk

According to reporting by The Australian, CSR shares have entered a trading halt following reports by Bloomberg that French business Saint-Gobain is thinking about a possible deal to buy CSR. They have reportedly held initial talks.

CSR shares climbed 17.4% to $7.95 before the trading was paused.

The French business is a giant in the industry and has the scale to afford the deal. It made €51.2 billion in revenue in 2022 and has 168,000 employees across 75 countries. It can trace its history back to 1665 from the creation of the Manufactory of Mirror Glass – it has been operating for over 350 years.

Is CSR a tempting target?

It's an interesting time to be considering an acquisition considering the CSR share price was, before today, close to its multi-year high. It hasn't been at this current level since the GFC.

CSR is looking at uncertainty in the short term amid all of the inflation, interest rate rises and increased insolvencies in the construction industry.

Nonetheless, the FY24 half-year result showed solid profitability, with underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) of $94 million, down 15% year over year. Strong growth in the building products division was offset by a lower contribution from property and aluminium.

For its outlook, it said there was still a good pipeline of work for the building products division. However, the aluminium business is forecast to see a loss in the range of between $15 million to $30 million. It also recently announced settlement of stages 3A and 3B of Horsley Park, the location of its former brick plant.

CSR share price snapshot

In the past year, the CSR share price has climbed over 60%, including today's gain.

The post CSR shares rocketed 17% before trading halt on acquisition speculation 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.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market's lead are listed below. Here's why they are falling:

CSR Ltd (ASX: CSR)

The CSR share price is down 5% to $6.52. Investors have been selling this building products company's shares after it was downgraded by analysts at UBS. The broker has downgraded CSR's shares all the way from a buy to a sell with a $6.60 price target. It believes the risks are to the downside now following a strong gain over the last 12 months.

Janison Education Group Ltd (ASX: JAN)

The Janison share price is down 6.5% to 35 cents. This may have been driven by profit taking from some investors. After all, the education technology company's shares jumped 47% on Tuesday in response to a major contract win from the NSW Department of Education and Cambridge University Press.

Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR)

The Myer share price is down 4.5% to 72.5 cents. This also could have been caused by profit taking from some investors. The department store operator's shares jumped on Tuesday after delivering a better than feared trading update. This morning, Ord Minnett responded by retaining its hold rating and 75 cents price target.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)

The Santos share price is down 6% to $7.37. Investors have been hitting the sell button today after takeover talks with Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) concluded without a deal. Woodside's CEO, Meg O'Neill, advised that for every opportunity it assesses, it conducts thorough due diligence, and will only pursue a transaction that is value accretive for its shareholders. Santos doesn't appear to have ticked this box.

The post Why CSR, Janison, Myer, and Santos shares are tumbling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But not all ASX 200 shares are having a bad day this Thursday. In fact, some have even just hit new 52-week highs. Let's discuss.

3 ASX 200 shares that have hit new 52 week highs today

Helia Group Ltd (ASX: HLI)

ASX 200 financial stock Helia is first up. Yesterday, Helia shares closed at $4.45 each. But the lenders' mortgage insurance provider is currently up a rosy 1.01% at $4.50 a share, which happens to be Helia's new 52-week high.

There's not much in the way of news out from the company today that explains this new high. Saying that, Helia shares have been an exceptional investment in recent times, with the company up a whopping 62.9% over the past 12 months.

CSR Ltd (ASX: CSR)

ASX 200 construction materials manufacturer CSR is next up today. CSR shares tapped out at $6.69 apiece yesterday afternoon. But the company overcame a sluggish start this morning to push even higher.

At present, CSR is sitting at $6.70 a share but reached as high as $6.72 earlier today, the company's new 52-week high.

There's been no fresh news out of CSR either that might explain this new high. However, the company has been on a tear over the past month, ever since we discussed some insider buying from management actually. CSR shares are now up a rosy 30.3% over the past 21 months.

Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL)

Finally, let's check out ASX 200 fund management company Netwealth. Netwealth shares finished up yesterday's trading at $16.52 each. But the company has vaulted higher today, currently up a robust 1.03% at $16.69. Earlier this morning, Netwealth climbed up to $16.73 a share, which is the new 52-week high.

All has been quiet on the Netwealth news front as well. However, that hasn't stopped the Netwealth share price from climbing more than 30% since October. The company is now up 19.9% over the past 12 months.

The post These ASX 200 shares just hit new 52-week highs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

As the old saying goes, 'money talks'. And there is arguably no vote of confidence more encouraging in an insider's own company than seeing said insider using their own money to buy shares.

So today, let's discuss a few ASX All Ords shares that have experienced this very thing over the past week or so.

4 ASX All Ords shares that have seen insider buying

Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS)

First up is ASX All Ords healthcare stock Healius. We have not one, but two directors of Healius buying up shares in recent days. An ASX filing from 4 December shows that a Mrs. Sally Stanford, presumably the wife of Healius non-executive director Dr. Michael Stanford, has initiated a position in the company. Mrs. Stanford previously held no shares of Healius.

But the filing shows that she picked up 32,468 shares on 1 December in an on-market trade, averaging $1.535 per share. That would have set her back by approximately $49,838.

But we also had a trade executed by Dr. Stanford's fellow non-executive director and interim chair, Kathryn McKenzie. On 4 December, McKenzie more than doubled her stake in Healius, acquiring 53,000 ordinary shares at an average price of $1.52 (worth $80,560). That brings her total shareholding to just over 90,000 shares.

CSR Ltd (ASX: CSR)

ASX All Ords building products share CSR is next. CSR has recently seen non-executive director Christy Boyce acquire an additional 10,000 CSR shares indirectly, doubling the stake in a family trust she is a beneficiary of to 20,000 shares.

Boyce acquired these shares on 30 November, paying $5.85 each for them on average. That would have set her back $58,500.

Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

Then we have footwear retailer Accent Group to discuss. An ASX filing from 1 December shows new independent non-executive director Anne Loveridge initiated a position in Accent Group, buying up 30,000 shares in the company on 30 November.

Loveridge paid an average of $1.741 per share for this on-market purchase, totalling $52,230.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

Finally, let's talk about oil stock Karoon Energy. None other than Karoon's chair, Peter Botten, has just picked up 50,000 Karoon shares, initiating a position in the company he steers.

Botten bought the shares on 1 December indirectly for a trust he has an interest in. He paid an average of $2.04 per share, implying a total spend of $102,000. Perhaps Botten is taking advantage of Karoon's recent share price slump.

The post Meet the ASX All Ords shares that management is buying up appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But when a share goes 'ex-div', it's also notable due to the typical share price fall we see.

An ex-dividend date effectively rules out new investors from receiving the upcoming dividend. Put simply, if you own the shares before the ex-dividend date, you get the dividend paycheque. But if you buy them on or after the date, you miss out.

As such, we usually see a big fall in the company's share price, reflecting this loss of value for investors going forward. So today, let's discuss three ASX 200 shares that will experience this very phenomenon next week.

3 ASX 200 shares that will trade ex-dividend next week

Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA)

First up is ASX 200 mining share Champion Iron. It was only late last month that Champion Iron released its latest results covering the six months to 30 September 2023. This included a notice that its upcoming interim dividend would come in at 10 Canadian cents per share.

While we don't yet have a final amount in Australian dollars, this would roughly equate to a payment worth 11 Australian cents at current exchange rates.

Champion Iron shares are scheduled to trade ex-dividend for this payment next Monday, 6 November, meaning today is the last day one could buy shares and receive this latest dividend. Payday will then occur on 28 November later this month.

Champion Iron shares currently trade with a dividend yield of 2.08%

ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD)

Next up is ASX 200 healthcare share Resmed. Resmed is a rare ASX share that pays out quarterly dividends. This is a result of the company's primary listing being in the United States, where quarterly dividend payments are the norm.

The latest dividend from this stock will arrive on 14 December next month. However, the ex-dividend date has been set for next Wednesday 8 November. This latest dividend will be worth 4.8 US cents per share, the same as the previous quarter.

Again, we don't have a final amount as of yet in Australian dollar terms. But at today's rates, investors can expect a payment that comes to approximately 7.5 Australian cents per share.

Resmed shares currently have a dividend yield of 1.19%.

CSR Ltd (ASX: CSR)

Finally, a bonafide Australian share to conclude with. ASX 200 building products share CSR is our last share up for discussion today. CSR only revealed its latest half-year earnings yesterday. As we covered at the time, this saw CSR reveal a 5% rise in revenues, but an 11.5% slump in net profits after tax (NPAT).

This led to an interim dividend of 15 cents per share, fully franked, being declared. That was down from the 16.5 cents per share investors enjoyed for the same period last year.

CSR shares will trade ex-dividend for this upcoming paycheque next Tuesday, 7 November. The payment day is set for 7 December next month.

Right now, CSR shares are sporting a dividend yield of 6.17%.

The post 3 ASX 200 shares trading ex-dividend next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Will the market be able to build on this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to jump

The Australian share market looks set to end the week on a very positive note following another strong session on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 78 points or 1.1% higher this morning. In late trade on the United States, the Dow Jones is up 1.6%, the S&P 500 is up 1.85%, and the NASDAQ is 1.8% higher. Falling treasury yields boosted investor sentiment.

Oil prices storm higher

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could end the week on a high following a strong night for oil prices. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 2.6% to US$82.49 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 2.6% to US$86.59 a barrel. Traders have been buying oil since the Fed and Bank of England held firm with rates.

Macquarie half-year results

The Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price will be on watch today when the investment bank releases its half-year results. Goldman Sachs is expecting the company to report a cash net profit after tax of $1,632 million, which will be down 29% on the prior corresponding period. The consensus estimate is $1,774 million, which implies a 23% reduction on last year's numbers.

Gold price rises

ASX 200 gold shares such as Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a decent finish to the week after the gold price edged higher overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.3% to US$1,992.9 an ounce. Traders appear to be betting that we have seen peak interest rates in the US.

CSR shares named as buy

Goldman Sachs believes CSR Limited (ASX: CSR) shares are good value at current levels. This morning, the broker has put a buy rating and $6.50 price target on the building products company's shares. It said: "The near term remains supported by the large backlog of houses under construction, with CSR's products supplied primarily towards the back end of a house build."

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

At the time of writing, shares in the materials manufacturer are down 1.2% to $5.55. Surprisingly, the share price rallied in the first moments of trading, reaching $5.98 before reversing into a nosedive.

Let's take a closer look at what was reported.

Energy costs cut into earnings

The latest first-half result from CSR is a mixed bag for investors to digest. Upfront, the headline figures posted by the owner of Gyprock, Bradford, and Himmel brands include:

• Group revenue up 5% year on year to $1.4 billion
• Group earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) down 27% to $126 million
• Statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) down 11.5% to $92 million
• Interim fully franked dividend of 15 cents per share, down from 16.5 cents per share

CSR operates across three segments: building products, property, and aluminium. Based on the half-year figures, it appears building products performed solidly during the period.

The segment responsible for various interior systems, masonry and insulation, and construction systems achieved a record EBIT of $165 million — increasing 18% on the prior corresponding period. Notably, the smallest part of this division (construction systems) recorded the highest increase in revenue at 17%.

According to the release, the robust performance in building products was driven by price increases and volume growth across Gyprock, Hebel and Bradford offerings. Pleasingly, the top-line growth was accompanied by continued improvement in EBIT margins, as shown below.

In contrast, the picture wasn't as pleasant for CSR's property and aluminium arms, potentially weighing on the CSR share price today. Both segments delivered negative EBIT in the half — property recording negative $1.5 million and negative $24 million for aluminium.

The substantial negative earnings under the aluminium smelter roof were attributed to "elevated material costs and increased energy production costs".

Expert thoughts as CSR share price slips

A couple of analysts have already chimed in on the CSR result today. The analysts at UBS and Citi shared varying views on the report.

Firstly, Citi analyst Samuel Seow provided some insight into CSR's EBIT not living up to expectations. According to Seow, once you allow for a "timing issue" in the property segment, the before-tax earnings appear roughly in line.

Meanwhile, UBS analyst Lee Power took it a step further, stating:

We think the result should be seen as a small beat even including an Aluminium miss.

UBS currently holds a target of $6.50 on the CSR share price. Whereas Citi has a much more conservative $5.45 goalpost.

What's the outlook?

CSR provided some light on what investors can expect for FY2024 in its release today.

Notably, $44 million in contracted earnings will be included under the property segment. This will flow from the next tranche at Horsley Park, New South Wales. Conversely, the company is pencilling in a possible $15 million to $30 million EBIT loss for its aluminium business for the 12-month period.

No financial figures were provided for the building products segment. However, the pipeline of detached housing under construction remains roughly 50% above historical averages.

The CSR share price is up 19.3% over the past year.

The post CSR share price shudders as profits slump 15% in first half appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.