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

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

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

The CBA share price is up 2.5% to $104.80. Investors have been buying the banking giant's shares after it released its full-year results and revealed earnings slightly ahead of expectations. Goldman Sachs said: "CBA's FY23 cash earnings (company basis) from continued operations grew by 6% on pcp to A$10,164 mn, and was 1% ahead of our and Visible Alpha consensus expectations."

Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN)

The Coronado share price is up 5% to $1.53. This morning, Goldman Sachs responded to the coal miner's half-year results by retaining its buy rating with a $2.20 price target. The broker commented: "We rate CRN a Buy on: (1) Strong FCF & Div yield, (2) a supportive met coal market in 2023 on supply risks & China reopening."

InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC)

The InvoCare share price is up almost 6% to $12.45. Investors have been buying the funerals company's shares after it entered into a scheme of arrangement with TPG Capital. InvoCare shareholders will receive $12.70 per share in cash, inclusive of a fully franked special dividend of up to $0.60 per share.

Syrah Resources Ltd (ASX: SYR)

The Syrah share price is up 4% to 66.7 cents. This follows news that the graphite producer has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with battery and electronic materials manufacturer Samsung DIA. The MOU will evaluate natural graphite active anode material (AAM) supply from Syrah's vertically integrated Vidalia AAM facility in Louisiana, USA.

The post Why CBA, Coronado, InvoCare, and Syrah shares are rising today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Investors are recognising the elevated importance of dividends given share price volatility in the market today, largely due to macroeconomic factors.

High interest rates (currently at 4.1%) and inflation (currently at 5.6% per annum) have changed the investment arena, according to some international and local experts.

They say dividends will form a greater share of investors' returns than capital growth in the years ahead.

The next earnings season is imminent, with lots of ASX companies set to announce their next round of dividend payments in August.

So, if you're looking for income shares to add to your portfolio for the long term, we'd like to help.

In this article, we take a look at which ASX All Ords shares are trading on the highest yields right now.

We recently reported the top 10 ASX 200 large-cap shares for dividends and the top 10 ASX 200 mid-cap shares for dividends.

In this article, we exclude the ASX 200 to give you more options. So, the ASX dividend shares listed below are all ranked between 201 to 500 in the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

Insignia Financial shares pay the highest ASX dividends

According to data provided by TradingView, the top five ASX All Ords shares offering the best trailing dividend yields are as follows.

As you can see, there are slim pickings in terms of stocks outside the ASX 200 that pay high yields.

And as you can see in our other articles, the top 10 ASX 200 large-cap stocks for dividends pay yields of between 5.4% and 10.6%.

The top 10 ASX 200 mid-cap stocks for dividends pay yields of between 7.9% and 26.3%.

What's a trailing dividend yield?

Trailing dividend yields are calculated by taking the most recent total annual dividend amount paid by a company and dividing it by today's share price.

So, you need to bear in mind that trailing yields are based on the previous year's income. That means next year's dividends could be higher or lower, depending on what happens with each company.

Further reading on ASX dividends

Ready for more research?

If ASX 200 bank shares are more your style, we can tell you the brokers' dividend forecasts for FY24.

Another dividend strategy that may be worth pursuing is investing in stocks with a strong history of raising dividends.

Check out these 5 ASX 200 shares that have raised payouts every year for 10+ years.

Once you've identified some dividend shares you're interested in, conduct a ticker code search on our website. You'll find a vast library of articles on each company as well as their recent announcements.

Also remember, you can take your dividends as cash or reinvest them automatically through companies' dividend reinvestment plans (DRPs). 

In FY23, investors who reinvested their ASX dividends got a 54% boost to their annual returns.

The post Which ASX All Ords shares offer the best dividend yields? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

As one might expect, a gain of this magnitude has resulted in some spectacular gains for many ASX shares. Let's discuss not one, not two, but eight ASX 300 shares that have seen new 52-week highs hit today.

8 ASX 300 shares at new 52-week highs today

First up is energy utility share AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL). AGL shares have continued their recent run this Thursday. The company has gained a decent 0.81% so far this session and hit a new high of $11.33 this morning. The AGL share price is now up 39.8% year to date.

Then we have ASX 300 furniture retailer Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW). Temple & Webster shares are up a stonking 4.30% today, and touched a new 52-week high of $6.34 this morning. Temple & Webster shares have now gained 35.8% in 2023 so far.

Next up, let's talk about Xero Limited (ASX: XRO). This ASX accounting software provider is a favourite of many growth investors. Its shares have gained a solid 2.82% today thus far, and hit its new 52-week high of $122.46 a share just before lunchtime today. This takes Xero's 2023 gains to nearly 74%.

Then there's REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA). This ASX 300 property share, and owner of realestate.com.au, has risen by a decent 1.51% so far today and hit its new 52-week high watermark of $149.29 a share soon after market open this morning. REA investors have now enjoyed a year-to-date gain of 35.5%.

ASX funeral operator InvoCare Ltd (ASX: IVC) is another lucky winner this session. Invocare shares have appreciated by a relatively slight 0.32% so far today. But that was enough to hit a new high for this share as well. Invocare's new high now stands at $12.75 a share. This company's shares have now risen by just over 15% this year.

4 more shares at new highs today

Turning now to ASX 300 car dealership share Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE) and we have another solid gainer. Eagers shares have risen 3.76% so far today and touched a new 52-week high of $14.92 around midday. This share has made investors very happy with its 2023 rise of almost 38%.

Next up, we have our penultimate ASX 300 share to hit a new 52-week high today in Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL). Netwealth shares are one of our top performers today, with a happy rise of 6.19%. This financial services provider now has a new 52-week high of $14.78. The Netwealth share price is up more than 20% this year.

Finally, let's check out ASX 300 online retail stock Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN). Kogan shares are our only example of a share hitting a new 52-week high but subsequently dipping into red territory. Kogan shares touched a new high of $5.40 apiece soon after market open this morning, but are now in the red with a 1.5% loss. But 'still counts', so Kogan is our final ASX 300 share that we can report a new high for today.

The post 8 ASX 300 shares rocking new 52-week highs on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 expected to rebound

The Australian share market looks set for a much better session on Tuesday following a positive start to the week in the US. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 46 points or 0.65% higher. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones was up 0.6%, the S&P 500 rose 0.25%, and the NASDAQ climbed 0.2%.

Oil prices fall

ASX 200 energy shares such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) could have a subdued session after oil prices fell overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 0.9% to US$73.20 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 0.75% to US$77.87 a barrel. Interest rate hike fears weighed on oil prices.

Janus Henderson rated as a hold

The Janus Henderson Group PLC (ASX: JHG) share price is about fair value now according to Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has retained its hold rating with an improved price target of $42.64. This compares to the latest Janus Henderson share price of $39.74. While the broker is expecting a much-improved performance from the company this year, it doesn't see enough value on offer to rate it as a buy.

Gold price edges lower

ASX 200 gold shares including Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) will be on watch after the gold price edged lower overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.1% to US$1,930.4 an ounce. Traders appear nervous ahead of the release of US inflation data.

InvoCare takeover

The InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC) share price will be on watch on Tuesday. That's because TPG Capital's due diligence period has now expired and no agreement has been announced. The private equity company has been looking to acquire the funerals company for $13.00 per share. The ASX 200 share closed yesterday's session at $12.39.

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

We all hope that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) can pull off its soft landing for our economy over the rest of 2023 and into 2024. But sometimes, it's best to hope for the best and plan for the worst.

In this spirit, today we're checking out three ASX shares that managed to grow their earnings through the last global recession that wasn't caused by a pandemic, the global financial crisis of 2007-2009.

3 ASX All Ords shares that grew earnings during the GFC

Computershare Ltd (ASX: CPU)

ASX tech stock Computershare is first up to check out. This provider of regulatory and financial services (including share registries) showed remarkable resilience to the nasty economic downturn that accompanied the global financial crisis, as you can see below:

You'll notice that Computershare grew its earnings by 62.55% in 2007, a reduced-but-still-positive 12.54 in 2008 and 11.68% in 2009. That solid performance is a great sign that Computershare has a stable and resilient earnings base.

InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC)

Next up is ASX All Ords funeral services share InvoCare. This one can be delicate to discuss — no one likes considering financial earnings when we are talking about funerals and the like.

But the fact remains that death is one of life's few certainties. And we all want to send off our loved ones with respect and dignity, regardless of the health of the global economy. Those services need to be provided, and InvoCare is one of the more popular choices with Australians, with its brands like White Lady Funerals and Simplicity.

As you can see below, the global financial crisis did little to dent InvoCare's earnings. The company recorded earnings growth of 11.74% in 2007, 1.45% in 2008 and a whopping 70.36% in 2009.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)

Now, onto a more everyday topic in groceries. Woolworths is often touted as one of the shares with the safest earnings base on the ASX. Looking at the data from the global financial crisis, we can see why:

The company recorded some healthy earning growth during the recession back in 2007-2009. 2007 saw Woolworths grow its earnings base by 19.69%, which was backed up by another 23.99% in 2008 and 11.75% in 2009.

Consumer staples shares like Woolworths are always going to fare better than most in dire economic times. That's simply thanks to the fact that we all need to eat, drink and stock our houses with life's essentials, regardless of the economic weather. This is quantified in the graph above and demonstrates why this All Ords share remains one of the ASX's most popular.

The post Recession-ready: 3 ASX All Ord shares that grew through the GFC appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 expected to open flat

The Australian share market looks set for a subdued session on Friday despite a strong night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open flat this morning. In the United States, the Dow Jones was down 0.1%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.9% and the NASDAQ jumped 1.7%. The latter was driven by an almighty rise from Nvidia, taking it to within a fraction of a US$1 trillion valuation.

Treasury Wine shares rated as a buy

The Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) share price was sold off on Thursday after the wine company released its guidance for FY 2023. In response to the update, the team at Goldman Sachs has reiterated its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $14.20. The broker said: "The current sell down represents a good opportunity to further accumulate a stock that has a long-term moat and global scalable upside."

Oil prices sink

It looks like ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a poor finish to the week after oil prices sank overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 3.4% to US$71.82 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 2.8% to US$76.14 a barrel. This follows news that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak has played down the prospect of further OPEC+ production cuts next week.

Gold price falls

ASX 200 gold shares Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) and St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) could have a poor session after the gold price tumbled overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 1.2% US$1,941.7 an ounce. Progress with US debt ceiling talks put pressure on the safe haven asset.

InvoCare AGM

The InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC) share price will be one to watch on Friday. Later today, the funeral company will be holding its annual general meeting and could release a trading update ahead of the event. This could have some bearing on how its shares fare on Friday.

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

Driving its gains was the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ). It jumped 0.8%, with gold stocks among its top performers. That was despite the price of the yellow metal closing last week slightly lower.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) also outperformed, rising 0.6%, while the S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) jumped 0.8%.

But it wasn't green across the boards today. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) struggled on Monday, slumping 0.8%. The ANZ Group Goldings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price was the sector's worst performer, falling 4% as the stock traded ex-dividend.

So, with all that covered, let's take a look at the ten ASX 200 shares outperforming all others in the first session of the new week.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The index's biggest gain on Monday was posted by shares in funeral services provider InvoCare Ltd (ASX: IVC).

The stock launched 12.1% to close at $12.43 after the company fielded a $13 per share takeover bid.

These shares made today's biggest gains:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

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

InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC)

The InvoCare share price is up 12% to $12.43. This follows news that the funerals company has received an improved non-binding takeover offer from TPG Global. The private equity firm has made a $13.00 cash per share offer to acquire the company. This is up from its previous offer of $12.65, which was rejected by InvoCare.

Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM)

The Newcrest share price is up 1.5% to $28.62. Investors have been buying this gold miner's shares after it announced that it has entered into a scheme of arrangement with fellow gold miner Newmont. The scheme will see Newmont take over the miner for the equivalent of $29.27 per share. This implies an enterprise value of $28.8 billion.

Silver Lake Resources Ltd (ASX: SLR)

The Silver Lake Resources share price is up over 7% to $1.09. Interestingly, this rise comes after Silver Lake was outbid for the Leonora assets of St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM). It seems as though the market was not convinced that the acquisition of these assets would add sufficient value.

Silver Mines Ltd (ASX: SVL)

The Silver Mines share price is up 4.5% to 22.5 cents. This morning, this silver miner revealed bonanza grade silver from the Aegean Zone at the Bowdens Silver Deposit. Management notes that this new drill intercept is situated at the northern edge of the recently announced mineral resource estimate. As a result, it provides further extensional exploration targets.

The post Why InvoCare, Newcrest, Silver Lake, and Silver Mines shares are rising today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) funeral services provider closed on Friday trading for $11.09 per share. Shares are currently changing hands for $12.29 apiece.

This comes on news that private equity firm TPG Capital Global has lobbed an improved takeover proposal for InvoCare. TPG's initial proposal was reported on 7 March. InvoCare shares closed up 35% on the day.

What is TPG's new takeover offer?

InvoCare shares are once more leaping higher on today's news of the revised proposal.

The conditional, non-binding, and indicative proposal would see TPG acquire all InvoCare shares for $13.00 per share in cash by way of a scheme of arrangement.

That's 35 cents per share more than the $12.65 offered under the initial proposal. That proposal was withdrawn on 24 April.

The revised proposal equates to an equity value of approximately $1.9 billion and an enterprise value of some $2.2 billion.

Management notes this is a 45.3% premium to InvoCare's undisturbed closing share price of $8.95 per share on 6 March 2023, the day before the initial takeover offer was reported.

And it's 17% higher than Friday's closing price.

Under the revised proposal, InvoCare will also be allowed to pay a fully franked special dividend before the takeover is completed. The company expects that to be around 60 cents per share.

The amount shareholders will receive will be reduced by the amount of the special dividend. However, thanks to the potential tax benefits, stockholders who can utilise the franking credits could see their shares worth around $13.25 apiece.

InvoCare's board has agreed to grant TPG the opportunity to conduct due diligence for five weeks on an exclusive basis.

Should TPG come back with a binding proposal of at least $13.00 per InvoCare share, the board said it intends to unanimously recommend shareholders vote in favour, barring a superior proposal.

Shareholders do not need to take any action at this point.

How have InvoCare shares been tracking?

With today's big intraday leap factored in, InvoCare shares are up a healthy 12% so far in 2023. That handily outpaces the 4.3% year-to-date gain posted by the ASX 200.

The post InvoCare shares rocket 11% today on sweetened $2.2 billion takeover offer appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are dropping:

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

The BHP share price is down 2% to $44.20. This follows a mixed reaction to the miner's quarterly update, broad weakness in the resources sector, and a poor night of trade for its NYSE listed shares on Friday.

InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC)

The InvoCare share price is down over 8% to $11.09. Investors have been hitting the sell button today after the funerals company revealed that private equity company TPG has withdrawn its takeover offer. TPG had tabled a non-binding $12.65 per share cash offer last month. And while management didn't feel this offer was acceptable, it granted it with access to limited non-public financial information. It seems that TPG doesn't believe an improved offer is possible given what it has seen.

Lake Resources N.L. (ASX: LKE)

The Lake Resources share price is down 4.5% to 42.5 cents. This appears to have been driven by investors being concerned by developments in Chile and fearing that the same could happen in neighbouring Argentina. The Chilean government has announced plans to effectively nationalise its lithium industry and take controlling stakes in its miners.

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

The South32 share price is down 7.5% to $4.12. This follows the release of a quarterly update that fell well short of expectations. This was driven partly by unfavourable weather conditions during the three months and has led to the miner downgrading its full-year production guidance accordingly.

The post Why BHP, InvoCare, Lake Resources, and South32 shares are dropping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But one ASX 200 share is doing far worse than the broader market today. That would be funeral services provider InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC).

InvoCare shares are having a shocker today. The company closed at $12.11 at the end of last week. But the company opened at $10.21 this morning and fell as low as $10.07 a share by mid-morning (down around 15%). At present, the InvoCare share price has recovered a little. But it is still down a meaty 9.33% at $10.98 a share.

So what on earth is going on with this company today that would elicit such a savage reaction from investors?

Why was this ASX 200 share down 15% today?

Well, it seems all of this is related to the takeover offer InvoCare received last month. As we covered at the time, InvoCare shares soared when news that the company had been approached by the Singaporean Blue Eternal, and private equity firm TPG Asia.

Under an indicative proposal, TPG offered to acquire 100% of the InvoCare shares on issue for a price of $12.65 in cash per share.

At the time this was made public, InvoCare shares soared by an impressive 37% to close to the offered pricing.

The company has stayed around that price level ever since. Well, until today.

This morning, just before the market open, InvoCare announced that TPG had withdrawn its proposed offer of $12.65 a share.

Investors clearly ramped up the price they were willing to pay for Incovare shares following the offer. In light of its dissolution, it makes sense that the company would be pulled back to the pricing levels it commanded before the offer was made public.

So this probably explains why the InvoCare share price is having such a disappointing start to the week today.

What's next for InvoCare shares?

In its announcement this morning, InvoCare stated that "the Board remains willing to consider any proposal that represents fair value in the interests of all shareholders".

It also revealed that TPG, despite withdrawing its offer, had requested that Genevieve Gregor be nominated to the InvoCare board. The company said it would "consider this request in due course". 

But regardless, it seems that this chapter in InvoCare's history has now come to a close. Investors seem disappointed, but who knows what the future may bring?

InvoCare shares have now lost all of the gains they have made in 2023 and are down by 0.36% year to date. At the current share price, Invocare has a trailing dividend yield of 2.23%.

The post ASX 200 takeover target dives 15% after its deal is laid to rest appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 expected to fall

The Australian share market is expected to have a subdued session on Thursday after a mixed night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 4 points or 1% lower this morning. In the United States, the Dow Jones rose 0.25%, but the S&P 500 fell 0.25% and the NASDAQ dropped 1.1%.

Seek rated as a buy

Analysts at Morgans are bullish on the Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK) share price. This morning, the broker has responded to the job listings company's investor day update by retaining its add rating and $28.40 price target. The broker notes that Seek is targeting $2 billion in revenue by FY 2028, which is well ahead of consensus estimate of $1.7 billion.

Oil prices ease

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a soft session after oil prices eased on Wednesday night. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 0.5% to US$80.33 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 0.25% to US$84.72 a barrel. Economic growth concerns weighed on prices. In other news, Santos is holding its AGM today.

Dividends, dividends, dividends

On Thursday, the Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW) share price is likely to trade lower after going ex-dividend. Last month, the building materials company declared an interim fully franked dividend of 23 cents per share. Elsewhere, it is payday for shareholders of a number of ASX 200 shares. This includes Atlas Arteria Group (ASX: ALX), InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC), South32 Ltd (ASX: S32), and WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC).

Gold price edges lower

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) could have a quiet session after the gold price edged lower overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.1% to US$2,036.7 an ounce. Gold hit a one-year high before easing back a touch.

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

But that couldn't stop some ASX 200 shares from delivering very strong returns last month.

For example, the four shares listed below were the strongest performers on the index over the period. Here's why they smashed the market:

Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR)

The Liontown share price was the best performer on the ASX 200 in March with a stunning gain of 89.7%. This was driven by news that the lithium developer received and rejected a non-binding takeover proposal from industry giant Albemarle. Management labelled the offer as "opportunistic." So, with Liontown's shares now trading beyond Albemarle's $2.50 per share offer, it seems that investors are betting on an improved proposal being made in the near future.

United Malt Group Ltd (ASX: UMG)

The United Malt share price was on form and raced 33% higher last month. This was also driven by a takeover approach. However, on this occasion, the maltster was receptive of the approach and revealed that it would accept the $5.00 per share offer from rival Malteries Soufflet if it became binding.

Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM)

The Capricorn Metals share price was a strong performer and rose 25.6% last month. Investors were buying the gold miner's shares after the price of the precious metal surged to almost US$2,000 an ounce. This was driven by increased demand for safe haven assets due to the banking crisis and optimism that interest rates won't rise as much as previously expected.

InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC)

The InvoCare share price wasn't far behind with a gain of 24.4% in March. This funerals company was another takeover target, receiving an unsolicited, preliminary, non-binding indicative offer from private equity giant TPG. It offered to acquire 100% of InvoCare's issued shares for $12.65 cash per share. However, the company's board was not biting and informed TPG that its offer "does not provide compelling value for InvoCare shareholders."

The post These were the best performing ASX 200 shares in March appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

After news came out that TPG Asia and the Singapore-based Blue Eternal had amassed a significant quantity of Invocare shares, the company revealed that it had received a preliminary, non-binding indicative offer to acquire Invocare in full at a share price of $12.65.

As a result, the Invocare share price has rocketed by close to 35% this week. Today, it is going for a flat $12 a share at the time of writing.

But Invocare has been listed on the ASX for a very long time – more than 20 years in fact. And it has been a well-known share for income investors for years, driven by the sobering fact that death, (and funerals), is one of life's only certainties.

So today, let's examine how much passive income in the form of dividend payments Invocare shares have spun out to investors over the past five years.

Passive income from Invocare shares? Here's this company's dividend history

Well, sadly for dividend investors, the income that Invocare shares have been paying out has been deteriorating in recent years. The company's dividend high watermark came back in 2018 when investors banked total annual dividend payments worth 45 cents per share.

But by 2021, this had fallen to just 16.5 cents per share. Last year, Invocare upped its game a little by sending out a total of 25 cents per share. But let's plot the whole course.

So here is Invocare's dividend history since 2018:

That's a total of 152.5 cents per share since 2018. On today's share price, that works out to be a cumulative yield of around 12.71%. Yet the Invocare share price has fallen by 15.4% over the past five years.

So although the dividends have put a big dent in these capital losses for investors, they haven't been enough to erase the losses investors have endured over this period.

Invocare has declared a final dividend of 11 cents per share to kick off 2023. The cash will be arriving in investors' bank accounts on 6 April next month. This dividend will be a 4.35% drop from the 11.5 cents per share payout shareholders received in 2022.

At the current Invocare share price, this ASX 200 funeral services company has a trailing dividend yield of 2.04%.

The post How much passive income have InvoCare shares provided over the last 5 years? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 expected to fall

The Australian share market looks set to give back yesterday's gains and more on Wednesday following a poor night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 67 points or 0.9% lower this morning. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is down 1.8%, the S&P 500 is down 1.7% and the Nasdaq is 1.4% lower. This follows comments by the US Federal Reserve that rates may go higher than previously expected.

Oil prices sink

Energy producers Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a difficult session after oil prices sank overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 3.7% to US$77.52 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price has dropped 3.4% to US$83.26 a barrel. Traders were selling oil on US rate hike concerns.

InvoCare downgraded

The team at Morgans has downgraded InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC) shares to a hold rating with an improved price target of $12.19. This follows news that TPG has tabled a non-binding takeover offer of $12.65 per share. The broker assigns a 70% probability that the deal completes and appears to believe investors should be locking in their gains.

Gold price tumbles

Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a tough session after the gold price tumbled overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 2% to US$1,818.5 an ounce. A hawkish US Fed put pressure on the precious metal,

ASX 200 shares going ex-div

A number of ASX 200 shares are going ex-dividend on Wednesday and could trade lower. This includes logistics solutions company Brambles Limited (ASX: BXB), retail group Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL), and energy giant Woodside. The latter will then be paying a massive 211.3 cents per share final dividend to shareholders in April.

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

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

InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC)

The InvoCare share price is up 35% to $12.11. Investors have been scrambling to buy this funerals company's shares after it received a takeover approach. InvoCare has received an unsolicited, preliminary, non-binding indicative offer from TPG to acquire 100% of its issued shares for $12.65 cash per share. This will be adjusted for any additional dividends or capital returns made prior to completion of the proposed transaction.

Pentanet Ltd (ASX: 5GG)

The Pentanet share price is up 48% to 24.5 cents. This morning, this cloud gaming provider announced a deal with telco giant Optus Mobile. The initial 12-month agreement will see Pentanet deliver the NVIDIA GeForce NOW cloud gaming service to Optus customers. Management believes this agreement marks a significant milestone towards its goal of commercialising GeForce NOW with the introduction of Pentanet's first large-scale wholesale partner.

Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)

The Sayona Mining share price is up 4% to 24.5 cents. This follows news that the lithium developer has entered into a subscription agreement with PearTree Securities. The agreement sees the issue of 174,459,177 flow-through shares at a price of 31.5 cents per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $54.9 million. This represents a 34% premium to the Sayona Mining share price at Friday's close.

Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT)

The Weebit Nano share price is up 5% to $7.43. This morning, this memory technologies company announced the availability of its resistive RAM (ReRAM) IP in SkyWater Technology's 130nm CMOS process. This essentially means that SkyWater customers can now easily integrate Weebit's non-volatile memory in their system-on-chip designs.

The post Why InvoCare, Pentanet, Sayona Mining, and Weebit Nano shares are storming higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the funeral company's shares are up 37% to $12.26.

Why is the InvoCare share price racing higher?

Investors have been bidding the InvoCare share price higher today after the company received a takeover approach.

This followed the release of notice of initial substantial holder which revealed that Singapore-based company Blue Eternal and private equity firm TPG Asia have snapped up a significant holding in the funerals company.

The two parties have acquired a combined relevant interest and economic interest of 17.81% in InvoCare shares.

Blue Eternal and TPG paid a total of $309,877,486.60 for the shares, which equates to an average of $12.65 per share. This represents a massive 41.3% premium to the InvoCare share price at the close of play on Monday.

InvoCare confirms offer

Just before the market open, InvoCare confirmed that it has received an unsolicited, preliminary, non-binding indicative offer from TPG to acquire 100% of the issued shares of InvoCare by way of scheme of arrangement.

Under the indicative proposal, InvoCare shareholders would receive $12.65 cash per InvoCare share, adjusted for any additional dividends or capital returns made prior to completion of the proposed transaction.

The offer is subject to conditions including the completion of satisfactory due diligence, final approval of TPG's Investment Review Committee, regulatory approval, and execution of binding transaction documents on mutually acceptable terms.

It also stipulates that the InvoCare board cannot have any engagement with third parties on an alternative change of control transaction during the due diligence period and negotiation of binding transaction documents.

The InvoCare board has now commenced an assessment of the indicative proposal. It has advised that shareholders do not need to take any action at this stage and warned there is no certainty that the proposal will result in a transaction.

While this offer is a significant premium to the current InvoCare share price, it is worth highlighting that it hit a 52-week low on Monday and was down 20% in the space of a month. The offer is also only a fraction above InvoCare's 52-week high, which arguably makes it somewhat opportunistic.

The post ASX 200 stock InvoCare rallies 37% on takeover approach appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

So let's check out two ASX shares that are crashing big time this session after reporting some lacklustre earnings this morning.

2 ASX shares copping a 7%-plus pounding today

Invocare Ltd (ASX: IVC)

ASX 200 funeral services provider Invocare is first up. Invocare reported its earnings this morning for the full 2022 financial year. It was a bit of a mixed bag for the company.

Invocare reported revenues of $591.97 million for the 12 months, up 11.2% from $532.5 million in 2021. But net profits collapsed, falling from an $80.3 million profit in FY2021 to a $1.71 million loss in FY2022.

The company's final dividend will take a haircut as a result, falling from 11.5 cents per share in 2022 to 11 cents per share.

Investors have not taken kindly to these earnings. The Invocare share price is currently down a nasty 10.4% to $9.91. That puts Invocare shares at a 28.45% loss over the past five years:

Airtasker Ltd (ASX: ART)

Next up we have ASX tech share Airtasker. Airtasker isn't too long into its life as an ASX-listed company, having only floated back in March 2021. The online gig-centric marketplace provider also reported its own numbers today, this time covering the first six months of FY2023.

It was a generally positive earnings report on the face of it. Airtasker reported a 57% jump in revenues to $21.8 million. Gross marketplace volumes also rose by 58% to $131.7 million, while gross profits spiked 58% to $20.3 million.

But Airtasker also revealed that its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) ballooned from a loss of $3.7 million in the prior period to a loss of $5.1 million for this half.

Investors were not impressed by any of this though, and have sent Airtasker shares down by a hefty 7.14% to 26 cents a share so far this session. The company is now down by a depressing 61.8% over the past 12 months:

The post 2 ASX shares crumbling over 7% on results announcements appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are sinking:

Appen Ltd (ASX: APX)

The Appen share price is down 13% to $2.39. This morning, the struggling artificial intelligence data services provider released its full-year results and reported a sizeable decline in sales. Things were even worse on the bottom line, with Appen swinging from a US$40.6 million profit in FY 2021 to a US$22.8 million underlying loss in FY 2022. Management also revealed that it has had a soft start to FY 2023.

Downer EDI Ltd (ASX: DOW)

The Downer EDI share price is down 23% to $3.06. Investors have been selling this integrated services company's shares after it released its half-year results. Downer reported a 2.9% increase in revenue to $6.1 billion but a 20.3% decline in profit to $68.1 million. Management blamed the latter on unprecedented weather, labour shortages, and contract and project losses in its utilities segment. Downer also downgraded its full-year guidance again.

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG)

The Fortescue share price is down 7% to $20.85. Some of this decline is due to the iron ore miner's shares trading ex-dividend this morning. Eligible shareholders can now look forward to receiving this dividend towards the end of next month.

InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC)

The InvoCare share price is down over 10% to $9.91. Investors have been selling this funerals company's shares after its full-year result disappointed the market. Invocare posted a 12% increase in revenue but a loss of $1.8 million. The latter was impacted by an unrealised mark-to-market revaluation of pre-paid funds under management and contract liabilities.

The post Why Appen, Downer, Fortescue, and Invocare shares are crashing today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.