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

Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM)

The Newmont share price is down 3% to $75.51. Investors have been selling this gold miner's shares following a pullback in the gold price overnight. Traders were selling the precious metal after risk appetite improved and safe haven demand reduced. It isn't just the Newmont share price that is dropping today. A number of other gold miners are in the red on Thursday. So much so, this has led to the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index dropping 1.6% today.

NRW Holdings Limited (ASX: NWH)

The NRW Holdings share price is down almost 9% to $2.65. The catalyst for this is news that the South Australian government's proposal to nullify a lease agreement relating to the Whyalla Port would leave its subsidiary Golding Contractors with a $113.3 million impairment. It said: "NRW is extremely disappointed and concerned that the proposed and unprecedented intervention by the South Australian government will seriously impair and undermine Golding's security over Whyalla Ports."

Peet Ltd (ASX: PPC)

The Peet share price is down 4% to $1.56. This has been driven by news that the residential real estate developer's long-serving CEO is stepping down. Brendan Gore is leaving after 20 years with the company. He said: "After two decades at Peet and with the company being in such a strong position, the time is right for me to pursue other interests. To ensure an orderly transition and business continuity, the Board and I have agreed that it is in the best interests of the Company that I continue through to the end of the current financial year, and step down from my roles on 1 July 2025."

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

The Treasury Wine share price is down 5% to $8.69. This has also been driven by news of a CEO exit. The wine giant's CEO, Tim Ford, plans to exit in September after five years as its leader. The Penfolds owner has found a new leader, though. It revealed that Sam Fischer will leave his role as the CEO of Lion and replace Ford from late October. Treasury Wine's chairman, John Mullen, said: "Having assessed a highly competitive field of candidates, the Board and I firmly believe that Sam is the right person to lead TWE into its next era of growth and performance."

The post Why Newmont, NRW, Peet, and Treasury Wine shares are dropping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The definition of a market correction is a major index falling 10% from the most recent peak.

The ASX All Ords' most recent closing high was 8,825.1 points on 14 February.

Today, the All Ords is at 8,005.4 points, up 0.49% for the day and down 9.31% since the peak just one month ago.

The fall can be largely attributed to market uncertainty over how the US tariffs will impact global trade, economic growth, and inflation.

So, with capital growth prospects looking pretty grim right now, dividends may be at the forefront of investors' minds.

Following last month's earning season, a bunch of ASX shares will begin trading ex-dividend next week.

If you want to catch any of these dividend payments, you have to buy the relevant stock before it goes ex-dividend.

The Fool does not advocate buying ASX shares purely for their next dividend.

But if you've been watching any of these stocks for a while, and they pass your fundamental analysis test, then perhaps you might like to take advantage of market weakness and pick them up for a bit less while also qualifying for the next dividend payment.

So, here is a sample of ASX shares going ex-dividend next week.

21 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week

The post 21 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In Allan Gray's June quarterly report, managing director and chief investment officer Simon Mawhinney says this trend has been evident for several months.

ASX small-cap shares at 'lowest point since April 2000'

The chart below shows the 12-month performance of the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index (ASX: XSO) compared to the S&P/ASX 100 Index (ASX: XTO).

Mawhinney says:

Over recent months, equity investors have gravitated to the perceived safety of large companies at the expense of 'riskier' smaller companies.

The Small Ordinaries Index is now at its lowest point relative to the ASX 100 Index since April 2000 when the Small Ordinaries Index first launched.

ASX small-cap shares typically have market capitalisations of a few hundred million up to $2 billion.

The Small Ordinaries Index represents 200 companies ranked 101-300 in the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO).

They are generally younger companies with greater growth prospects than the large caps.

However, their share prices tend to be much more volatile.

Mawhinney says:

While the Allan Gray Australia Equity strategy does own some large companies, it has a significant skew towards medium-sized and smaller companies.

It is here that we think the greatest upside potential exists.

In which small-caps is Allan Gray invested?

Among the top holdings (1% of the fund or more) of Allan Gray's Australia Equity Fund (Class A and B units) are ASX small-cap shares G8 Education Ltd (ASX: GEM) at $1.06 per share, Peet Ltd (ASX: PPC) at $1.21 per share, and Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF) at $5.33 per share.

The fund manager is also invested in several mid-cap shares, including Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC).

Allan Gray is a contrarian investment manager, which means it goes against 'the herd'.

It looks for opportunities that the market is missing or ignoring due to fear, complacency, or simply a terrible performance in recent years.

That's the case with Lendlease, and Mawhinney puts it pretty plainly:

Lendlease's share price performance has been woeful and makes the performance of the Small Ordinaries Index look like that of an artificial intelligence chip designer.

Allan Gray analyst Tim Morrison says Lendlease's returns to shareholders have been "spectacularly
poor". But the fund manager sees reasons for optimism, as my Fool colleague Tony reports.

The five biggest positions in the fund are large-cap shares Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), Alumina Limited (ASX: AWC), QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE), and Ansell Limited (ASX: ANN).

The post Why are investors abandoning ASX small-cap shares in droves? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four All Ordinaries shares that have just achieved this milestone are listed below. Here's why they are on a high today:

AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL)

The AGL share price has climbed to a 52-week high of $11.16 today. Investors have been scrambling to buy this energy company's shares since the release of an update on its earnings guidance last month. AGL has revised its guidance higher for FY 2023 and revealed that it expects its FY 2024 underlying profit after tax to more than double year over year.

Cettire Ltd (ASX: CTT)

The Cettire share price hit a new 52-week high of $3.47 on Wednesday. Investors have been buying the online luxury products retailer's shares this year after it defied the consumer spending downturn and delivered exceptionally strong sales growth. For example, for the four months ending 30 April, Cettire's sales revenue was up 122% over the prior corresponding period to $141.3 million. Judging by its share price performance, investors appear to believe more of the same is coming from this All Ordinaries share over the remainder of the year.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price has continued its positive run and hit a 52-week high of $8 this morning. This location technology company's shares have been racing higher over the last three months thanks to a strong quarterly update. That update revealed that Life360 achieved positive adjusted EBITDA one quarter ahead of expectations. This shift from unprofitable tech to profitable tech appears to have underpinned a swift re-rating.

Peet Ltd (ASX: PPC)

The Peet share price has reached a 52-week high of $1.36 on Wednesday. This is despite there being no news out of the real estate company for a number of months. Though, it is worth noting that Peet is undertaking an on-market share buyback at the moment, which could be boosting its shares. It also released a strong half-year result in February, revealing a 70% increase in operating profit. Investors may be expecting more of the same in August when its full-year results are released.

The post 4 ASX All Ordinaries shares rocking new 52-week highs today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In fact, two such shares have defied the broader market to crack both new 52-week and multi-year highs. Let's check 'em out.

2 ASX All Ords shares that just hit new multi-year highs today

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

All Ords engineering services share Worley is first up today. Worley shares closed at $16.01 each yesterday, but have climbed as high as $16.26 during this trading session. The company is currently sitting at $16.21 a share, up a healthy 1.25%. 

Not only is $16.26 a new 52-week high for Worley, but it is also the highest the company has been since early 2020. Yes, we have a new, post-COVID high here folks. The Worley share price has had a fairly decent year in 2023 so far, now up around 9.5%. 

Today's new hires might be a consequence of the business update the company provided this morning as part of an investor day presentation. This informed investors that Worley's sales pipeline was up 36% year to date, as of 31 March, while bookings were sitting at $9.6 billion. That's up from $7.5 billion at the same time last year.

Peet Limited (ASX: PPC)

Next, let's talk about ASX All Ords real estate development company Peet. The Peet share price is also on fire today, currently up an eye-watering 7.63% at $1.27 a share. That's bang on the company's new 52-week high, which is also the highest level Peet shares have been at since early 2021:

It puts this All Ords share up an impressive 15.45% in 2023 so far, as well as 17.6% higher over the past 12 months.

This sharp rise today (as well as the new multi-year high) is a bit of a mystery though. There hasn't been any ASX news out of this All Ords share for almost a month. Yet investors seem to be in new, unconditional love, with the Peet share price appreciating more than 14% over the past month, despite the lack of news.

The post 2 ASX All Ords shares defying Tuesday's slump to crack multi-year highs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Tomorrow, three more ASX All Ords shares will be going ex-dividend.

In other words, in order to be eligible to receive these dividends, investors will need to hold shares by the time the market closes today. Let's take a closer look.

Carsales.com Ltd (ASX: CAR)

ASX All Ords share Carsales is the highest-profile name going ex-dividend on Friday.

Today will be the last day to snare Carsales' fully franked final dividend of 24.5 cents per share, which will be paid on 17 October.

Alternatively, investors will have until 20 September to opt-in to the company's dividend reinvestment plan (DRP).

Carsales recently handed in its FY22 report, delivering adjusted revenue of $510 million, up 16% from the prior year, and adjusted EBITDA of $272 million, up 7%.

This performance was driven by strong domestic results in Carsales' private and media segments, along with contributions from recent acquisitions. 

Across the financial year, Carsales declared total dividends of 50 cents, up 5% compared to FY21. 

Carsales shares are currently flashing a trailing dividend yield of 2.3%. With the benefit of franking credits, this yield drives up to 3.3%.

Peet Limited (ASX: PPC)

Property developer Peet is another ASX All Ords share turning ex-dividend tomorrow.

As of tomorrow, Peet shares will be trading without a fully franked final dividend of 4 cents per share.

Despite Peet settling 16% fewer lots in FY22, revenue came in relatively flat at $3.2 billion.

But below the revenue line is where the company shined, delivering record earnings as net profit after tax (NPAT) surged 84% to $52 million.

Peet attributed this to price growth across its developing and selling projects, combined with its ongoing focus on cost management and the changing product mix.

On the back of this performance, Peet hiked its total FY22 dividends by 79% to 6.25 cents, fully franked. This puts Peet shares on a trailing dividend yield of 5.2%, which grosses up to 7.5%.

Supply Network Limited (ASX: SNL)

Last but not least, Supply Network will be trading tomorrow without a fully franked final dividend of 20 cents per share. The company has locked in a payment date of 3 October.

Shareholders will also have until 22 September to decide to participate in the company's DRP. Those who opt-in will receive a 2.5% discount for their troubles.

The commercial aftermarket parts business punched in 22% top-line growth in FY22 as revenue came in at $199 million. The company said this result was underpinned by strong economic growth, positive industry trends, and solid business performance.

NPAT jumped by 45% to $20 million, outstripping revenue growth, helped by steady gross margins and further gains in operating efficiency.

Across the financial year, Supply Network declared total dividends of 32 cents, up 60% from the annual dividends of 20 cents in FY21.

As a result, Supply Network shares are currently sporting a trailing dividend yield of 3%, which grosses up to 4.3%.

The post 3 ASX All Ords shares turning ex-dividend tomorrow appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Earnings season is upon us and some companies have rallied strongly today after posting their results.

Let's examine three ASX companies in the All Ordinaries index that had a great day today.

Silex Systems Ltd (ASX: SLX)

The Silex Systems share price finished up 11.75% today at $3.71. The shares reached an intraday high of $3.78 early this afternoon — a new 52-week high.

The tech company reported its results for the full year of FY22 this morning. Silex System's revenue increased 112.5% year over year (yoy) to $4.39 million. Meanwhile, its net loss for the year was $9.46 million, up 36.6% yoy.

Silex Systems noted that it made progress in its global laser enrichment commercialisation project for uranium and utilising nuclear energy.

Among the highlights, the company responded to a request from the United States Department of Energy (DoE) for information on its high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) project in February.

The US Government has supported the HALEU project to the tune of $700 million as part of its Inflation Reduction Act that was passed this month.

No dividend was declared with the results.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

The Karoon Energy share price closed 8.4% higher today at $2.07. Earlier, the shares fetched a high of $2.09.

The global energy company reported growth in its top and bottom lines in its FY22 results posted this morning. Sales revenue increased 125.46% yoy to US$385.1 million. Its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) totalled a (US$28.4 million) loss, down from the US$11.4 million gain in the prior corresponding period.

Net profit after tax (NPAT) also took a large hit in FY22. It totalled a loss of (US$64.5 million), down from a profit of US$4.4 million recorded in FY21.

Product volumes were also higher than in FY21, with 4.64 million barrels produced.

In terms of guidance for FY23, Karoon Energy expects its unit production costs to fall, while its other operating costs will see a rise.

Production costs are expected to fall to US$15/bbl to US$20/bbl, down from US$25.36/bbl in FY22.

Other operating costs will rise to between US$23 million and US$25 million. This is an increase from US$16 million in FY22.

Karoon Energy said it would consider returning value back to shareholders in the form of dividends and share buybacks after completing its investments in Baúna interventions and the Patola development.

Peet Limited (ASX: PPC)

The Peet share price closed up 2.75% today to $1.12. Earlier, they traded for $1.13.

The real estate development company announced its full-year earnings for FY22 this morning.

The company reported a statutory net profit after tax of $52.3 million, up 84% yoy. Sales had a gross value of $1.06 billion, up 23% yoy. EBITDA was $86 million, up 48.02% yoy and statutory profit after tax was up 84% yoy to $52.3 million.

A final fully franked dividend of 4 cents per share was declared. The record date is 19 September and the dividends will be paid on 14 October.

For the mid and near-term outlook, the company stated that its growth is supported by strong labour market conditions and constrained land supply.

On the other hand, the rise in interest rates is expected to be a headwind moving forward, leading to a tapering off of demand in FY23.

Other forces cited as impacting its fundamentals include increased overseas migration and population growth that will drive sales.

The post 3 ASX All Ords shares that leapt higher on FY22 results 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 they are pushing higher:

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

The BHP share price is up 1.5% to $43.30. This appears to have been driven by another decent rise in the benchmark iron ore price. According to CommSec, the spot iron ore price rose by US$2.45 or 2% to US$125.35 a tonne during Wednesday night trade.

Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: CUV)

The Clinuvel share price is up 1.5% to $27.12. This is despite there being no news out of the biopharmaceutical company. However, it is worth noting that its shares have been under significant pressure recently. Concerns over the launch of a competing product led to its shares losing a third of their value over the last couple of months. Some investors may believe they have bottomed now.

Latitude Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: LFS)

The Latitude share price is up 2.5% to $2.02. This morning the lender announced an agreement to acquire the consumer business of Humm Group Ltd (ASX: HUM). This business comprises Humm's buy now pay later (BNPL), instalments and cards operations. The two parties have agreed a price of $335 million. However, the consideration will be paid largely in Latitude shares, with just $35 million being paid in cash.

Peet Limited (ASX: PPC)

The Peet share price is up 4% to $1.14. Investors have been buying this property company's shares after it announced the sale of 250 hectares of broadacre land in New Beith, Queensland for ~$80 million. Management advised that the property was not part of its short to medium term development program and has been sold at a price which represents an 83% premium to book value.

The post Why BHP, Clinuvel, Latitude, and Peet shares are pushing higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Just because a business is smaller doesn't mean that it can't pay a large dividend. The yield is dictated by the payout ratio and the valuation.

Plenty of the businesses in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) were smaller companies on the ASX at some point. Starting from a smaller base may give them a longer growth runway with their earnings as well.

Here are two small ASX dividend shares with large yields:

360 Capital REIT (ASX: TOT)

This is a diversified real estate investment trust (REIT). It's one of the positions in the Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL) financial services portfolio.

It has the ability to invest across most assets in the real estate world. At the moment it has two large strategic holdings in Australian REITs. One holding is 9.2% of Irongate Group (ASX: IAP). Another holding is Peet Limited (ASX: PPC).

Peet is a residential developer that delivers master planned communities, medium density housing and apartments.

Irongate is a diversified real estate investors with real estate assets and a third-party funds management platform. Irongate owns office and industrial assets across Australia and New Zealand.

Another of the small ASX dividend share's recent investments include buying half of PMG Group, a New Zealand based diversified commercial real estate funds management business. At the time of the acquisition, PMG managed five unlisted funds, three single-property syndicates, with 42 properties and NZ$665.7 million of funds under management (FUM).

360 Capital says PMG gives the business an investment in a growing funds management platform with a long track record and diversification through exposure to the New Zealand real estate market. It provides fee income from funds management and underwriting activities.

Its longer-term objective is owning direct assets and value-add opportunities on the balance sheet. Initially, it's getting exposure to this through strategic investments in real estate funds management platforms.

The small ASX dividend share's annual distribution for FY21 is 6 cents per share. That trailing payment reflects a yield of 6.25%.

Pengana Capital Group Ltd (ASX: PCG)

Pengana is another business in the Soul Patts financial services portfolio.

It's a fund manager with a diverse array of funds that it manages. Pengana has strategies relating to international shares, ASX shares, private equity, property and ethical shares.

At 30 June 2021, its FUM had grown to almost $4 billion (the exact number was $3.974 billion). At 31 December 2020, the FUM was $3.6 billion. So the FUM had grown by 10.6% over the prior six months. FUM is an important part of generating revenue for Pengana in the form of management fees.

In the six months to 30 June 2021, the small ASX dividend share generated gross performance fees of $17.3 million. That brought total gross performance fees earned for FY21 to $27.6 million. However, those numbers are before payments to the fund manager teams and bonuses.

The FY21 half-year result saw FUM increase by 15% in the first six months of the financial year. This helped underlying profit before tax increase by 17.1% to $9.2 million.

Pengana declared an interim dividend of 5 cents per share, an increase of 25%. The current trailing dividend is 9 cents per share, meaning it has a trailing grossed-up dividend yield of 7.6%.

The post 2 small ASX shares with big dividend yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The below businesses have yields that are higher than the market average:

360 Capital REIT (ASX: TOT)

360 Capital is a real estate investment trust (REIT) which invests in a wide range of property-related assets.

It has invested in a few different ASX shares in recent times. Peet Limited (ASX: PPC) is a residential developer that delivers master planned communities, medium density housing and apartments. Another investment was Irongate Group (ASX: IAP), which is a diversified real estate investor and it also has a third-party funds management platform.

360 Capital has also bought half of PMG Group, a New Zealand commercial real estate funds management business.

The forecast distribution guidance for FY21 is 6 cents per security, which translates to a forecast yield of 6.25%.

Pengana Capital Group Ltd (ASX: PCG)

Pengana is a fund manager that runs a number of different strategies including ASX shares, international shares and private equity. The company said that it's looking to diversify over time by adding new strategies.

In the six months to December 2020, the ASX share said that funds under management (FUM) increased by 15% thanks to both investment performance and net inflows. All of its strategies outperformed their respective benchmarks for the period. The fund manager said that it's growing FUM on higher margin products.

The Pengana Property Securities Fund was one of the latest products to be launched.

In the half-year result, Pengana grew its interim dividend by 25% to 5 cents per share. That brought the trailing annual payment to 9 cents per share, translating to a grossed-up dividend yield of 8%.

In the latest monthly FUM update, Pengana said its FUM had increased from $3.7 billion to $3.8 billion.

Pacific Current Group Ltd (ASX: PAC)

Pacific is an asset management ASX share that aims to partner with exceptional investment managers. It combines capital (offered through different economic structures) with strategic business development to help those investment managers grow.

Some of its investments include GQG, ROC, Carlisle, Proterra and Victory Park. Those were the ones that saw elevated inflows in the three months to 31 March 2021. It also acquired a stake in Astarte Capital Partners. In that same quarter, it experienced 8.9% organic FUM growth.

Over the last 12 months, Pacific Current has paid an annual dividend of $0.35 per share. That equates to a grossed-up dividend yield of 8.9%.

The post 3 small ASX shares with big dividend yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Let's take a look at how the residential land developer has been performing. 

What did Peet report?

The Peet share price is slipping despite the company reporting a 101% increase in statutory profits over the prior corresponding half, up to $10.1 million. Revenue of $106 million was also up 11% year on year.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 65% to $20.9 million, compared to $12.7 million in H1 FY20. Earnings per share (EPS) were up 100% to 2.1 cents.

The Peet share price is failing to respond despite the company reporting a 50% increase in the number of lots sold compared to the prior corresponding half, and a 62% increase in lots settled.

Peet had cash and debt facility of roughly $122 million as at 31 December 2020, with a weighted average debt maturity of close to two years.

Commenting on the results, Peet CEO Brendan Gore said:

Our performance during 1H21 was achieved on the back of improved market conditions and accommodative government stimulus in response to COVID-19. The margin increase [increased EBITDA margin of 21%, compared to 14% in H1 FY20] represents a combination of a significantly improved performance across the Funds Management and Joint Venture businesses and a reduction in expenses as the Group progresses its cost-outs.

Peet will pay an interim dividend of 1.0 cents per share (cps), fully franked. That's up from 0.5 cps in H1 FY20.

Looking ahead, the company expects residential market conditions to remain positive over the coming half year, with "low interest rates, accommodating credit conditions and an improving employment outlook resulting from the impacts of governments' stimulus".

Peet share price snapshot

Having tumbled more than 59% during the pandemic market crash last February and March, the Peet share price remains down 14% over the past 12 months. By comparison, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up just over 2% in that same time.

Year to date, Peet shares have jumped by around 1%.

The post Peet (ASX:PPC) share price slips despite doubling profits appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This is largely due to the number of West Australian expats who have returned home during the lockdowns. This is another area where WA differs from the rest of Australia. The very high mining content of its economy creates an international pull for WA business professionals across the world. Therefore the market was caught off guard when everyone came home at once and decided to stay.

Moreover, in the west, there is plenty of room, so people tend to want houses more than apartments. So the demand for properties to rent or buy is focused largely on detached or semi detached housing.

How big is the housing boom?

Despite all of the factors contributing to the WA housing boom, it is still a small market. I believe the boom is likely to have an impact on housing developers like Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP), and Mirvac Group (ASX: MGR). However, these companies only have a portion of their portfolios in WA. Another housing company Ingenia Communities Group (ASX: INA) also holds a lot of rental stock in WA.

On the financial side, non-bank lender Resimac Group Ltd (ASX: RMC) has a corporate office in Perth. In addition, this company's West Australian loan book stood at just under $1 billion in its FY20 annual report.

An effortless way to profit?

Peet Limited (ASX: PPC) develops properties nationally, but has 37.3% of its ongoing projects in Perth. Of all ASX shares, I believe Peet is probably the best positioned to capitalise on the WA housing boom. In addition, this small cap ASX share is also the largest, pure-play residential developer in Australia. The company had a difficult year due to COVID-19, yet still managed to increase sales by 43%. Along with a high 42% growth in the number of contracts in hand, the company also stands to gain from changes to lending laws. 

In a sign of increased productivity, Peet has approximately 70% of its entire land bank currently in development. Moreover, there is a continued focus on overhead management and other operational efficiencies.

The post 1 ASX share to buy for the WA housing boom appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here are 6 cheap small-cap companies, with very low P/E ratios, that appear to have been completely missed by the market – or perhaps there's a very good reason that the shares appear cheap.

TFS Corporation Limited (ASX: TFC)

The Indian sandalwood plantation manager and sandalwood producer has a P/E ratio of just 5.7% at the current price of $1.44. In the 2016 financial year, TFS Corp produced a net profit of over $90 million, compared to its current market cap of $559 million, but as I noted two weeks ago, the company's actual cash profit was just $14.1 million, with most of the profit coming from accounting gains. That places TFC Corp on a P/E ratio of 39x – not exactly cheap by any standards.

Cedar Woods Properties Limited (ASX: CWP)

The property developer's shares are currently trading on a P/E of 8.8x, after producing a profit of $43.6 million in the 2016 financial year. Additionally, shareholders are getting a fully franked dividend of 5.8% and the bonus is that the company expects to report a similar profit in 2017 as it did in 2016. I've written about Cedar Woods numerous times before and how it appears attractive, and the market has yet to catch on.

United Overseas Australia Limited (ASX: UOS)

United Overseas is a neglected stock on the ASX – most likely because the majority of its assets are holdings in property companies located in Malaysia. The shares almost always trade at a discount to its net tangible assets (84 cents at the end of June 2016 compared to a share price of 61 cents) and UOS reported a half-year net profit of $55 million. Yet its market cap is just $334 million. Add in a decent 4.9% dividend (unfranked) and UOS looks very attractive.

Peet Limited (ASX: PPC)

Another property developer, Peet's shares are trading on a P/E ratio of 11.5x – not as cheap as the 3 companies above, but still cheap compared to the market. With a market cap of $487 million and a net profit of $42.6 million, Peet's shares look cheap, particularly with the company forecasting earnings growth in FY2017 supported by the economic environment. A fully franked 4.5% dividend is also on offer.

Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD)

The rural services company is trying to attract investors back to it after a number of years in the wilderness. Elders had turned itself into a jack-of-all-trades and its business into a mess and has taken the better part of 3 years to sort itself out. But a revived business, clearer strategy and cleaner focus still see the company's shares trade on a P/E ratio of just 8x, despite a net profit of $19.4 million for the six months to end of March 2016 – up 20% over the previous year. A stronger second half is also forecast.

Donaco International Ltd (ASX: DNA)

The operator of two small casinos in Asia, Star Vegas in Cambodia and the Aristo International Hotel in Vietnam, Donaco has a market cap of $395 million and recently announced its first-ever dividend for shareholders. That came on the back of an underlying net profit of $54.4 million, placing the company on a P/E of 7.3x. The company says it expects to continue growing earnings in the year ahead with a number of new initiatives in place. Perhaps the market thinks the shares are too risky – hence the low P/E ratio.

The post 6 dirt cheap small caps appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It's not because they want to, but because they don't really have much choice.

When you have many billions to invest, a company with a $500 million or lower market cap is not going to substantially increase your performance – and that's if the fund manager can find enough shares to buy. There's also the problem that the more of these smaller to mid-cap stocks you have, the more research and work is required.

When it comes to the property sector in Australia, most fund managers and analysts will focus on the big end of town – the likes of Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP), Mirvac Group (ASX: MGR) and GPT Group (ASX: GPT). 9 analysts cover GPT, while 11 cover both Stockland and Mirvac.

These three property companies are under-followed, and it appears that the market is also missing them – an opportunity for investors looking for income.

Cedar Woods Properties Limited (ASX: CWP)

• Market Capital: $344m
• Dividend Yield: 6.4% (fully franked)
• Share price: 92 cents
• P/E Ratio: 8x

3 analysts cover Cedar Woods – all have a buy rating on the company. Cedar Woods is forecasting a record profit for this financial year and sees the strong performance continuing next year. The company develops housing estates around Australia and has expanded to the east coast and into South Australia from its home base in Perth in recent years.

Peet Limited (ASX: PPC)

• Market Capital: $450m
• Dividend Yield: 5.2% (fully franked)
• Share price: 92 cents
• P/E Ratio: 11x

6 analysts cover Peet, with 5 out of the 6 rating the company as a buy. Peet is a similar business to Cedar Woods, developing residential building estates around Australia. At the end of December, book net tangible assets per share stood at $1.05, suggesting at the current price investors are buying shares at a big discount.

GDI Property Group Ltd (ASX: GDI)

• Market Capital: $479m
• Dividend Yield: 8.7% (Unfranked)
• Share Price: 89 cents
• P/E Ratio: 10x

A recent listing on the ASX, GDI is a traditional A-REIT, managing properties as well as a property trust and a funds management business. Just 2 analysts cover GDI Property, both rate the company a buy. Another bonus is that the company's net tangible assets per share are 99 cents – with the share price being an 11% discount. Significant upside if GDI can increase its occupancy levels beyond the current 84%.

The post 3 overlooked and cheap companies with big dividends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

They spend their days talking, researching and living the sharemarket and therefore have an insight into company quality and future performance that average investors simply don't have time to acquire.

I attempt to keep abreast of the latest broker recommendations as a method of either validating my own research or identifying companies that are a little out of favour and present a turnaround opportunity.

Here are 5 companies that analysts love, and one that our own Motley Fool team thinks is even better!

TV company Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC)

Gold miner Beadell Resources Ltd (ASX: BDR)

Cloud application and data centre service provider Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT)

Property developer Peet Limited (ASX: PPC)

Global insurance company QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE)

Should you buy them?

With the exception of gold miner Beadell Resources, all of the companies above have had an excellent start to 2015 and returned investors over 10%. Analysts are essentially aligned in their belief that these are five of the best buys on the ASX, however after such a good start to 2015 more and more investors are aware of the prospect of a near-term correction!

The post Should you buy these 5 top ASX stocks? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Conflicting Opinions

One of the more perplexing issues that retail investors have to deal with is when analysts offer completely opposite opinions. A great example of recent times has been Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd. (ASX: DMP). Dominos' share price has fluctuated wildly but the current price of $24.50 lies a long way from the highest analyst fair value estimate of $31 but still well above the $17 value by the lowest estimate.

Investors are rightly confused when situations like this occur and may be wise to consider only buying companies that are widely viewed as being 'good' buys. This can be done by signing up with all Australian brokers, or alternatively by signing up to a service that combines their research.

Confident Buys

There are a number of companies that are rated by all of the major Australian analysts as 'buys', but four stand out to me as particularly good long-term investments:

Rio Tinto Limited's (ASX: RIO) share price hasn't gone anywhere for nearly 6 years despite revenue increasing by nearly 25% and net profit before abnormals doubling. The recent weakness in the iron ore price may provide long-term investors with an opportunity to buy at a good price, however as we've mentioned in the past, mining companies are price-takers and therefore cannot be relied on to provide stable or predictable earnings.

Spotless Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: SPO) is loved by analysts after re-listing on the ASX earlier this year. It provides catering and cleaning services to stadiums, schools, individuals, hospitals and aged-care facilities in Australia and New Zealand. Strong demand for outsourcing these types of services should allow spotless to grow strongly in coming years.

Analysts also love Peet Limited (ASX: PPC), one of Australia's largest listed specialist residential land developers. Peet is well-placed in some of the fastest growing housing markets in the country with offices in Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. Exposed to strong house prices and low interest rates, Peet has a bright future.

Finance group FlexiGroup Limited (ASX: FXL) has also received the praise of Australian brokers. Leveraged to an improving economy and stronger consumer confidence in Australia and the UK, Flexigroup is well placed to grow strongly over the next 5 years.

Should You Listen?

Analysts have an interesting record. Research has found that they're good at identifying the worst companies but aren't always the best at finding the best companies.

The post Prepare for 2015 with these top 4 stocks picked by Australian analysts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

ThinkSmart Limited (ASX: TSM) yesterday reported its results for the six-month period to June 2014. Following the sale of its operations in Australia and New Zealand during 2013, the company reported $1.55 million NPAT from continuing operations, up 14.9% year-on-year, this on $11.461 million of revenue. Impressively, the group had available cash assets of $38.5 million, up 422% from a year earlier and was able to declare a special fully franked dividend of 3.67 cents per share.

Ship building company, Austral Limited (ASX: ASB) capped off a strong year of share price appreciation, rewarding shareholders with $39 million in underlying profit for the year, up from $27.8 million a year earlier. It also exceeded revenue guidance to notch-up a $1.122 billion result. Net debt fell to just $68.5 million but so did earnings per share, falling 3 cents, to 9 cents per share.

Gold, copper, zinc and nickel miner Independence Group NL (ASX: IGO) released one of the more impressive results to the ASX today. It notched up 77% revenue growth for the year – a majority of the gains stem from its new Tropicana Gold mine – and diluted earnings per share were 19.78 cents, up from just 7.79 cents last year. NPAT grew to $46.6 million, up from $18.3 million last year. As expected, it declared a final dividend of 5 cents per share. Keep an eye on this one.

Lastly, property developer Peet Limited (ASX: PPC) also announced a strong set of full-year results with an operating profit of $31.6 million, up 73% year-on-year. Revenue climbed 23% higher to $296.7 million and earnings per share grew to 7 cents (up from just 0.3 cents), and enabled the company to declare a dividend of 3.5 cents per share (unfranked). CEO and MD, Brenden Gore said: "The Group has moved into FY15 well positioned for future growth."

OUR #1 dividend stock idea – Yours FREE! 

The post ThinkSmart Limited, Austral Limited, Independence Group NL and Peet Limited report: Here's what you need to know appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The market's long-term upwards trend is the reason we enter into it in the first place and is the reason we can have more than one winner from a single transaction. Depending on your personal goals, you'll perceive value in different ways.

For example, those who invest inside of their self-managed superannuation accounts may opt for big name dividend stocks like National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) and Woolworths Limited (ASX: WOW) because of the generous advantages of doing so, which include low tax rates and franking credits.

Whatever your goals, it's almost certain you'd prefer making a capital gain rather than a loss. With that in mind, here are three growth stocks which will appeal to value, income and growth investors alike.

1.  Peet Limited (ASX: PPC) is Australia's largest specialist residential housing developer with properties stretching from Western Australia around to Queensland. It's fair to say the macroeconomic tailwinds of low interest rates, demand for credit and rising house prices are reasons to get excited about this company. However it's trading on only 17 times FY14 forecast earnings and has modest gearing levels and a market cap of only $581 million.

2. Bentham IMF Ltd (ASX: IMF) is a litigation funder for cases which exceed $5 million. It has an impeccable record for success here in Australia and only chooses the cases likely to succeed at court. It has recently opened an office in Los Angeles but has established partnerships throughout the US and all over the world. Although some investors are concerned over the "lumpiness" of its earnings, the company, its business model and management are all of the highest quality. Currently its trades on forecast FY14 earnings of only 9.8 with a strong dividend yield to match.

3. Cash Converters International Ltd (ASX: CCV) shares are trading cheap. After suffering a heavy setback in earnings throughout 2013 following changes to government legislation regarding fees charged on small loans, Cashies' management has been busy pursuing other growth initiatives. The company's Carboodle business is taking off and a number of key Joint Ventures have recently been formed overseas. Trading on 13 times FY14 forecast earnings, this stock should not be overlooked for long.

Foolish takeaway

At current prices each of these stocks could be considered a buy. Peet appears to be riskiest, particularly if house prices suffer a sudden fall. However Bentham IMF and Cash Converters are small-caps stocks with huge potential and won't last long at their current prices.

The post 3 bargain growth ideas appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Peter Lynch – a legendary fund manager with an even better track record – said: "Owning stocks is like having children – don't get involved with more than you can handle." With that in mind, let's take a look at the following four stocks to determine which are worthy of further research with the possibility of adding to your portfolio and which aren't.

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ASX: ANZ) is the third biggest bank in Australia but has the largest exposure to Asia through its 'Super Regional Strategy'. The strategy will differentiate it from its peers, such as Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) in coming years, particularly if it manages to draw 25% to 30% of group revenue from its Asia, Pacific, Europe and Americas division by 2017. However, in recent times, all bank share prices have rallied beyond a reasonable 'buy' price. As such investors would be advised to adopt a "wait-and-see" approach with ANZ.

Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR) is a retail stock which many (including myself) had hoped would buck the trend of downwards like-for-like sales posted by many retail chains. It didn't and now it seems investors are holding out more faith for a merger with rival David Jones Limited (ASX: DJS), rather than a turnaround in its own operations. I too have lost faith in the company and don't believe it's worth holding onto despite the prospect of a potentially lucrative merger.

Peet Limited (ASX: PPC) is a property developer with key assets in Western Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. Like most developers, Peet's results are heavily leveraged to improving confidence in residential housing which, for the most part, is being spurred on by record low interest rates. It operates on healthy levels of gearing and EBITDA margins. Trading on a forward price-earnings ratio of 17, Peet could be at fair value but still deserves a spot on your watchlist.

Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF) is a small-cap stock with large-cap brands under its control. It owns and manages KFC and Sizzler restaurants throughout Australia and Asia. In recent times, earnings from the Sizzler chain have come under pressure, masking the growth in its KFC businesses. Trading on 10 times earnings with a 5.1% dividend fully franked, Collins Foods could represent good long-term value at current prices.

Foolish takeaway

Each of these four companies boast established brand names with long-term potential. However no worthwhile investment is without risk, especially with these four companies. ANZ deserves a spot on your watchlist but is expensive at current prices and doesn't warrant a 'buy' rating. Myer is facing stronger headwinds and appears to be fairly valued around $2.30. Peet and Collins Foods are two companies worthy of further investigation.

The post ANZ Banking Group, Myer Holdings Ltd, Peet Limited and Collins Foods Ltd: Should you buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

As soon as the central bank made public its decision, the Aussie dollar jumped up to $0.895 to the US$, and the bank had spent time before trying to talk it down, because a weaker currency will take some of the heat off it about moving the cash target rate lower than 2.50%.

We can see that housing construction is still expanding from the latest Performance of Construction Index (PCI) release put out by the Australian Industry Group and the Housing Industry Association. Houses are performing better than units, which slipped into contraction after spending a number of months above the 50 index level dividing expansion and contraction.

This is in line with earlier data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing building approvals were still on the rise compared to the previous year's December quarterly figures.

Then, too, the quarterly pace compared to the previous period had come down, so watching the trend over this next quarter will give a clearer idea of how construction volumes may change.

Investors will want to keep an eye on builders and developers like Australand Property Group (ASX: ALZ), Mirvac Group (ASX: MGR) and Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP) for updates on the number of contracts signed and settled sales for houses to gauge construction.

Stockland reported in its September quarter that it had its strongest net deposit result in three years for residential housing. Initial deposits upon signing a building contract can give us an indication of the pipeline of work coming ahead.

Another developer is Peet Limited (ASX: PPC), the $607 million WA-based company which also operates in NSW, VIC and QLD. In 2013, NPAT before abnormals recovered to $15.5 million after going through a low of $5.2 million in 2012.

The share price also recovered during that time, rising from as low as $0.64 in mid-July 2012 to $1.40 currently. The company said at its November AGM that it saw 2013 as a cyclical low point for earnings. It is taking advantage of the stronger revenue by paying down debt by $100 million.

It expects to see higher earnings in FY2014, weighted more so to the second half. Also, it intends to reinstate its dividend for FY2014 and beyond, targeting a 50% payout ratio.

Foolish takeaway

Just as the seasons change, and there is not one day when suddenly it feels like the previous season is over, the updates and trade data will see-saw back and forth as the economy moves into a higher gear.

Investors in the know will start staking their positions since housing and its related construction is cyclically driven. Starting at what seems the trough is sometimes difficult to gauge, but property markets always have to start out with low interest rates to get things going and easier credit maintains the pace.

The post 4 stocks to watch with housing construction still expanding appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.