Wakeling Automotive is a large multi-franchised dealer network operating across Macarthur, Wollongong, Shellharbour, and Moss Vale in NSW. It represents 16 popular car brands, including Hyundai, Kia, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Honda, Suzuki, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and Isuzu Ute.

The acquisition materially increases Peter Warren's presence in one of Australia's fastest-growing automotive regions.

The purchase price of approximately $28 million is funded through existing debt facilities and includes a significant goodwill component ($21.7 million of goodwill) as well as net assets at completion.

Why investors like this deal

This acquisition adds scale for Peter Warren, and management expects the deal to be immediately EPS accretive, even after funding costs. Wakeling Automotive generates roughly $500 million in annual turnover and employs around 370 staff. Peter Warren itself had revenue of $2,483 million in FY25.

It also complements Peter Warren's existing Western Sydney operations. With the senior Wakeling team joining Peter Warren to continue running day-to-day operations, it reduces execution risk and preserves the culture of the 40-year-old family business.

Peter Warren CEO Andrew Doyle highlighted that the acquisition strengthens Peter Warren's growing network and aligns with the group's long-term consolidation strategy across the eastern seaboard. For investors, it reinforces the narrative that Peter Warren is emerging as a serious consolidator in the dealership landscape.

ASX All Ords share bottom line

Peter Warren is gaining scale in a key region, and while the transaction is still subject to ACCC and OEM approvals, today's share price move suggests the market sees it as a smart, earnings-enhancing step forward.

Peter Warren shares are up 21% year to date and have a dividend yield of approximately 3%.

The post Here's why a major NSW acquisition just sent Peter Warren shares higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The fast-rising company in question is Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Limited (ASX: PWR).

Shares in the automotive dealership group closed flat on Monday, trading for $1.875 apiece.

Investors who bought the ASX All Ords stock for $1.27 a share at market close on 9 April will be sitting on gains of 47.6% today.

Taking a step back, Peter Warren shares are up 7.76% over 12 months. The stock also trades on a fully franked 3% trailing dividend yield.

Looking ahead, Matthew Nicholas, deputy portfolio manager of 1851 Capital's emerging companies fund, believes the company is well-placed to outperform in the year ahead (courtesy of The Australian Financial Review).

Here's why.

ASX All Ords stock in the sweet spot

"Car dealers have been great to invest in over the past 12 months," Nicholas said.

He pointed to Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE), whose share price has rocketed 159.66% since this time last year. Eagers Automotive shares also trade on a 2.5% fully franked trailing dividend yield.

But following on that stellar run, Nicholas expressed concerns over Eagers' elevated price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, unlike ASX All Ords stock Peter Warren.

According to Nicholas:

AP Eagers has been the poster child, with the stock more than doubling yet is now trading on a lofty 25 times PE and confirming its status as the most expensive car dealer in the globe. On the flipside, Peter Warren Auto has been somewhat stranded and trades at 13 times.

Commenting on why he's bullish on Peter Warren Auto, he noted:

Since listing in 2021, Peter Warren has faced a series of headwinds as the economy slowed as the central bank hiked interest rates. With a customer base firmly entrenched in the "mortgage belt", those headwinds are now tailwinds which is why the company is a later-cycle beneficiary than the rest of the listed dealers.

Then there's the rapid growth of Chinese EVs.

"Furthermore, it's beefing up its presence in the Chinese electronic vehicle brands, which will continue to take market share," Nicholas concluded.

What's ahead for Peter Warren shares?

When the ASX All Ords stock released its FY 2025 results on 21 August, management noted, "Our business foundations include $229 million in owned property, low net debt of $46.7 million and a great team of professionals with deep automotive experience."

Looking to the year ahead, management said:

In FY26 we will execute our strategy, focusing on innovation as a key enabler of our long-term competitiveness, living our customer-centric culture, driving best in class operational performance, while continuing to pursue opportunistic acquisitions.

The new car market is expected to remain highly competitive with new brands competing for market share. However, we expect to grow higher margin service lines in parts, service, finance, insurance and aftermarket. As we continue to manage our costs and inventory, we expect to grow our earnings in FY26.

The post Up 48% since April, why this rebounding ASX All Ords stock could keep racing higher in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

To receive an ASX share's dividend, you must buy or already own the stock before its ex-dividend day.

Next week, a large number of ASX shares will go ex-dividend.

We provide a sample of those ASX shares below.

If you want to buy any of these ASX shares while they are still trading cum dividend, time is running out!

30 ASX shares about to go ex-dividend

The post 30 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The consumer discretionary sector was the second-best performer among the 11 market sectors on Thursday, behind technology.

The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) rose 1.11% while the S&P/ASX 200 Info Tech Index (ASX: XIJ) rose 1.34%.

Meanwhile, the ASX All Ords finished the session down 0.18% to 8,999 points.

Retail sales 'surge' last month: ABS

Today, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported a 'retail sales surge' last month.

The ABS said Australian retail turnover rose 1.2% in June 2025, according to seasonally adjusted figures.

This follows a 0.5% rise in May after a flat April 2025. 

Robert Ewing, ABS head of business statistics, said:

The strong June month rise in retail turnover was driven by discounts linked to sales and new product releases.

After steady growth throughout the year, mid-year sales events increased spending on discretionary items like furniture, electrical goods and clothing items.

The ABS said non-food related spending across all industries drove most of the rise in retail turnover.

Spending increased the most in household goods retailing (+2.3%) and other retailing (+1.9%).

Ewing said:

Consumers are targeting sales events with a focus on value for big ticket items like household furniture, bedding, electronic devices and TVs.

Turnover for electrical and gaming retailers was lifted further by the much-anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, which delivered record sales.

Spending increased in department stores (+1.9%) and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (+1.5%) due to end-of-financial-year sales and winter clothing sales. 

ASX retail shares perform strongly on Thursday

Among the best-performing ASX retail shares on Thursday were several sector heavyweights.

Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE) shares rose 2.45%, Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL) shares lifted 2.35%, JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) shares rose 1.3%, Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares ascended 1.19%, and Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN) shares increased 1.05%.

Other strong performers included Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR) shares, up 3.26%, and Mexican restaurant network Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) shares, up 3.11%.

ASX jewellery retail shares Michael Hill International Ltd (ASX: MHJ) and Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) rose 2.5% and 2.15%, respectively.

The new retail figures follow better-than-expected inflation data for the June quarter released yesterday.

The data suggested the inflation beast is now contained in Australia.

This may have contributed to the surge in retail sales last month.

The post ASX retail shares outperform on Thursday amid a 'sales surge' in June appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Two of these shares have been named as buys and two have been named as holds. Let's see what the broker is saying about them now:

Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP)

This auto parts company's shares have been hammered this month following a disappointing update and it isn't hard to see why. Morgans commented:

BAP delivered an especially weak update: FY25 NPAT of A$81-82m (-14% pcp; 2H25 NPAT -21% hoh); A$48-50m in significant items; A$24m in overstatements in past profit; and the immediate resignation of three Board members. The group's exit rate into FY26 weakened materially post the April 25 Investor Day. Implied 2H25 NPAT was 30% below consensus expectations, all divisions delivered negative 2H25 sales growth (vs 1H25), and trading in May-June was noticeably soft (specifically within Trade).

In light of this, it may not come as a big surprise to learn that Morgans isn't recommending Bapcor as an ASX share to buy right now. It has put a hold rating and $3.70 price target on its shares.

The broker appears to believe that investors should wait to see if its latest turnaround is successful before picking up shares. It said:

BAP is pursuing another turnaround under a refreshed leadership team. While we see meaningful value in the core business, the sharp deterioration in trading performance since the April 25 update has materially reduced confidence in near term earnings. Execution risk remains high given BAP's size and the complexity of its operations, and we prefer to see clear evidence of progress before revisiting the investment case.

Regal Partners Ltd (ASX: RPL)

This fund manager could be an ASX share to buy according to analysts at Morgans.

They were impressed with the company's performance during the first half of 2025. And given its attractive valuation, the broker thinks now could be a good time to invest and has put a buy rating and $3.55 price target on its shares. It said:

[W]e update our earnings estimates to reflect updated 1HCY25 performance fees, 1HCY25 NPAT guidance of $40m and continued FUM growth through the Jun-25 quarter. Trading at a PER of 13x (CY26), with a strong balance sheet and capacity to continue growing FUM, we retain our BUY rating with a price target of $3.55/sh.

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)

Another ASX share that Morgans has been looking at is auto retailer Peter Warren Automotive.

While it was pleased with its recent update and believes its margins have hit a cyclical bottom, it isn't enough for a buy rating just yet. The broker has retained its hold rating with an improved price target of $1.75. It said:

PWR provided FY25 underlying PBT guidance of ~A$22m, with 2H25 PBT of ~A$15m up from A$7.1m in 1H25. Guidance was above the company's previous statements pointing to a flat 2H25 earnings outcome. PWR noted the 2H25 uplift was delivered via an improved seasonality outcome (June end-of-year marketing campaigns) and actions to optimise inventory and costs.

Whilst margins have likely bottomed and a solid earnings recovery should be delivered into FY26/27, the business looks to lack meaningful structural growth drivers until consolidation can recommence.

Step One Clothing Ltd (ASX: STP)

A final ASX share that Morgans has been looking at is online underwear retailer Step One.

While its recent trading update was weaker than expected, Morgans remains positive and has reaffirmed its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $1.50. It also expects a very big dividend yield in the near term.

Commenting on the company, the broker said:

STP has provided a weaker than expected trading update, with EBITDA expected to be down (4)% yoy for FY25, driven by a challenging consumer environment. […] We think this implies a larger portion of total revenue has been generated during discount periods, and as such placing pressure on gross margins. We expect STP will have pulled back on marketing spend to offset some margin pressure.

We have downgraded our FY25/26 NPAT forecasts by 14% and 17% respectively driven by lower sales growth and lower gross margins. Our target price reduces to $1.50 driven by earnings revisions and lower peer multiples. We retain our Buy recommendation, STP is trading at <10x FY26 PE, offering a ~10% dividend yield.

The post Morgans names 2 ASX shares to buy and 2 to hold 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 rising:

Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT)

The Beach Energy share price is up 1% to $1.35. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Ord Minnett on Thursday. Its analysts believe that risks at the company's Waitsia project have been significantly reduced. In addition, the broker is positive on the energy producer's free cash flow outlook. It expects that Beach Energy's free cash flow will support the payment of significantly larger than expected dividends in FY 2025 and FY 2026.

Insignia Financial Ltd (ASX: IFL)

The Insignia Financial share price is up 7% to $3.64. This morning, this financial services company revealed that it has received a non-binding takeover offer from Bain Capital. The private equity firm has tabled a $4.00 cash per share proposal. This represents a 17.6% premium to where its shares closed yesterday's session and values the company at approximately $2.68 billion. Management is considering the offer and has yet to make a decision.

Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

The Iress share price is up 5% to $9.12. This morning, this financial technology company released an update on its earnings guidance for FY 2024. The company advised that it expects its adjusted EBITDA to be at the top end of its guidance range of $126 million to $132 million. In addition, the ASX 200 tech stock's CEO and managing director, Marcus Price, revealed that the company is "well placed to enter 2025 as a financially and strategically stronger, more streamlined business with dividends to be reinstated."

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)

The Peter Warren share price is up 2% to $1.53. This automotive retailer's shares were sold off on Thursday following the release of a trading update. Peter Warren advised that growing industry headwinds have resulted in a recent deterioration in trading conditions. As a result, it now expects underlying profit before tax for the first half of FY 2025 to be in the range of $6 million to $8 million. This is down from $34.4 million in the prior corresponding period. Some investors appear to believe that the selloff has created a buying opportunity.

The post Why Beach Energy, Insignia, Iress, and Peter Warren shares are pushing higher today 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:

Downer EDI Ltd (ASX: DOW)

The Downer share price is down 6.5% to $5.33. Investors have been selling this integrated services provider's shares after it was hit with legal proceedings by the ACCC. This relates to the company's Spotless business. The competition regulator stated: "The ACCC alleges that on three occasions between April 2019 and August 2022, Ventia and/or Spotless made or attempted to make arrangements or understandings containing provisions which had the purpose, effect or likely effect of fixing, controlling or maintaining the prices at which these services would be supplied to Defence under specific programs of works. The ACCC alleges this is a breach of the cartel provisions in the Competition and Consumer Act."

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)

The Peter Warren share price is down 13% to $1.46. This morning, the automotive retailer released a disappointing trading update. It advised that growing industry headwinds have resulted in a recent deterioration in trading conditions. As a result, it now expects underlying profit before tax for the first half of FY 2025 to be in the range of $6 million to $8 million. This is down from $34.4 million in the prior corresponding period.

Platinum Asset Management Ltd (ASX: PTM)

The Platinum share price is down 20% to 68.2 cents. This has been driven by the struggling fund manager's shares going ex-dividend this morning for a special dividend. Earlier this week, the company announced a fully franked special dividend of 20 cents per share. This represented a 23.5% dividend yield at yesterday's close price. Platinum is paying this dividend to eligible shareholders at the end of the month on 31 December.

Syrah Resources Ltd (ASX: SYR)

The Syrah Resources share price is down 28% to 19 cents. Investors have been selling this graphite producer's shares after it declared a force majeure at its Balama project in Mozambique. It said: "With conditions continuing to deteriorate across Mozambique and further National Government opposition protest actions recently announced, Syrah is unable to undertake a production campaign at Balama in the December 2024 quarter that is required to replenish finished product inventory, and for customer sales." Unfortunately, Syrah also revealed that protest actions have triggered events of default in its loans with the US government.

The post Why Downer, Peter Warren, Platinum, and Syrah shares are sinking today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, spending on discretionary goods and services rose only by 0.6% in April 2024, while non-discretionary spending rose by 5.8%.

Amid this backdrop, it's not surprising that the automobile dealership sector faces significant challenges. Many potential buyers are delaying vehicle purchases, raising questions about the current value of retail stocks in this industry.

This bleak industry outlook has driven Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR) to a five-year low in its share price.

This consumer discretionary stock is trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of below 8 times and offers an 11% dividend yield. Is this the right time to buy Peter Warren shares, or is it merely a value trap?

Automotive dealership business

Peter Warren is an automotive dealership group with a rich heritage, having operated in Australia for over 60 years. The company runs 85 franchise operations and represents 27 brands across volume, prestige, and luxury segments.

Peter Warren operates along the eastern seaboard under various banners, including Peter Warren Automotive, Mercedes-Benz North Shore, Macarthur Automotive, Penfold Motor Group, Bathurst Toyota, Volkswagen, and Euro Collision Centre.

Understandably, it is not an easy time to run any consumer discretionary business, let alone auto dealerships.

In 1H FY24, the company reported a 1% growth in its underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA). Its underlying profit before tax was down 20% to $34.4 million as the higher interest rates weighed on.

The share price has halved over the past five years, reducing the company's market value by approximately $300 million.

Profit guidance downgrades

The weak profits and rising debt costs led the company to downgrade its FY24 profit guidance.

As indicated in its May update, the company anticipates an underlying profit before tax of $52 million to $57 million for FY24, which is below market expectations.

The business is hit by weak customer demand and intensifying competition. The company noted:

A significant increase in vehicle supply by OEM's has led to greater competition between dealerships and lower gross profit margins on new vehicles. The contraction in new vehicle margins has occurred across the industry and is the most acute in brands and models where supply levels and inventory holdings are highest.

The level of customer demand for new vehicles has reduced as a result of cost-of-living pressures.

Are Peter Warren shares cheap enough?

At such a low share price, Peter Warren shares appear undervalued based on many valuation metrics. Using estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ, Peter Warren shares are currently trading at:

• 8 times FY24 earnings estimates
• 9 times FY25 earnings estimates
• 0.6 times its book value
• fully-franked dividend yield of 11%

However, the higher P/E ratios for FY25 imply analysts' forecast earnings will continue falling in the coming years.

While it's difficult to argue that these numbers are expensive, whether they are cheap enough will depend on when the earnings will reach their bottom from here.

Is it time to buy Peter Warren?

Peter Warren shares look cheap using many commonly used valuation metrics, although it is difficult to pinpoint when exactly consumers will return to buy more cars.

The post Is this ASX All Ords retail stock too cheap to ignore? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This is because insider buying is often regarded as a bullish indicator, as few people know a company and its intrinsic value better than its directors. If they are buying, it could be a sign that they are confident in the direction the company is heading and see value in its shares.

With that in mind, listed below are a few ASX All Ords shares that have reported insider buying recently. They are as follows:

AUB Group Ltd (ASX: AUB)

An insider has been buying this insurance broker's shares in recent sessions. According to a change of director's interests notice, Melanie Laing picked up 1,714 shares through an on-market trade on 31 May. Laing paid a total consideration of $49,980.65, which equates to an average of $29.16 per share.

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

This uranium producer has reported some meaningful insider buying. Its non-executive director, Jan Honeyman, bought 21,739 shares through an on-market trade on 30 May. Ms Honeyman paid an average of $4.60 per share, which equates to a total consideration of $99,999.40. This almost doubled the director's stake in the company.

Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE)

This auto retailer's director, Nick Politis, has been making large investments in its shares in recent months. This continued last week on 30 May when Politis snapped up a further 100,000 shares in the ASX All Ords share for an average of $10.11 per share. This equates to a total consideration of just over $1 million. A day earlier, fellow director David Blackhall bought 45,000 shares through an on-market trade.

Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC)

The CEO of this beaten-down property development company has been buying shares. A notice shows that Anthony Lombardo snapped up 15,000 shares through an on-market trade on 30 May. He paid an average of $6.0196 per share, which represents a total consideration of approximately $90,000.

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)

Another beaten-down ASX All Ords share that has reported insider buying is Peter Warren Automotive. Its executive director Paul Warren made a series of trades between 28 May and 30 May. This saw him snap up a total of 541,000 shares for a total consideration in the region of $1 million.

Smartgroup Corporation Ltd (ASX: SIQ)

This salary packaging and fleet management company's non-executive director, Ian Watt, has been buying its shares. Watt bought 10,000 shares through an on-market trade on 30 May for a total consideration of $79,900. This represents an average price of $7.99 per share.

The post Insiders are buying these 6 ASX All Ords shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

The Core Lithium share price is down 3.5% to 13 cents. This is despite there being no news out of the struggling lithium miner on Friday. However, it is worth noting that Goldman Sachs recently tipped the company's shares to sink a further 15% from where they currently trade to 11 cents. This is despite the Core Lithium share price already losing almost 90% of its value since this time last year.

Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG)

The Fortescue share price is down 2% to $24.28. This may have been driven by weakness in the iron ore price overnight. According to CommSec, the iron ore price fell in response to "fears of falling demand in China over the remainder of the year after Beijing reiterated its stance on continuing to control crude steel output in 2024." In addition, as highlighted in this article, a large number of brokers believe that this mining giant's shares are severely overvalued at current levels. This could also be weighing on its shares today.

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)

The Peter Warren Automotive share price is down a further 2.5% to $1.75. This automotive retailer's shares have been sold off this week after it released disappointing earnings guidance. Although revenue has continued to grow, the company now expects its underlying profit before tax for FY 2024 to be in the range of $52 million to $57 million. This was lower than market expectations and driven by a significant increase in vehicle supply, which has led to greater competition between dealerships and lower gross profit margins on new vehicles. Its shares are now down 17% since this time last week.

Talga Group Ltd (ASX: TLG)

The Talga share price is down over 6% to 61 cents. This follows the completion of a mining study into the expansion options for its Vittangi Graphite Project in Sweden. While the mining study laid out some reasonably big plans for Vittangi, it came with a number of warnings. One was that it will require estimated capital funding in the order of €520 million to €1,100 million (A$848 million to A$1.8 billion) plus contingencies. Management warned investors "that there is no certainty that the Company will be able to raise that amount of funding when needed."

The post Why Core Lithium, Fortescue, Peter Warren, and Talga shares are falling today 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:

Cettire Ltd (ASX: CTT)

The Cettire share price is down 5% to $2.31. Short sellers have been targeting this online luxury products retailer amid concerns over the authenticity of products on its website. However, Cettire has refuted these allegations and stated: "Since commercial launch in 2017, Cettire has handled more than 2 million individual orders. There is not a single confirmed case of a non-genuine item being sold on Cettire's platform."

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

The Neuren Pharmaceuticals share price is down 10% to $20.73. This may have been driven by profit-taking from some investors after a very strong gain. For example, prior to today's decline, the pharmaceutical company's shares were up 20% since the start of the month. Investors have been buying Neuren's shares following the release of top-line results from its phase 2 clinical trial of NNZ-2591 in children with Pitt Hopkins syndrome (PTHS). That study delivered a "statistically significant improvement" across all four efficacy measures.

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)

The Peter Warren Automotive Holdings share price is down a further 3.5% to $1.80. Investors have been selling the automotive retailer's shares this week after it released disappointing earnings guidance. Peter Warren advised that while revenue has continued to grow, it now expects its underlying profit before tax for FY 2024 to be in the range of $52 million to $57 million. Management notes that this is lower than market expectations and has been driven by a significant increase in vehicle supply, which has led to greater competition between dealerships and lower gross profit margins on new vehicles. In response, Citi downgraded its shares to a sell rating with a reduced price target of $1.70.

Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN)

The Qantas share price is down 3% to $5.88. This may have been driven by concerns that higher-than-expected inflation will either lead to further rate increases or interest rates staying higher for longer. Both could have meaningful implications for consumer spending on travel. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the headline CPI indicator rose 3.6% in the 12 months to April. This was notably higher than the market was expecting.

The post Why Cettire, Neuren, Peter Warren, and Qantas shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

A trading update has prompted the Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR) share price to shift into reverse. A 0.2% retreat across the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is less than ideal… but how about an 11% drop? That's the punishment being administered to shareholders of this automotive dealership operator.

Shares in this company have now set a new record low, hitting $1.85 apiece. The undesirable milestone means the Peter Warren Automotive share price has cascaded 38% since its 2021 ASX listing.

So, what's the exact cause of this deep laceration?

Expected profits lose some horsepower

Peter Warren Automotive may not achieve the earnings mileage expected by the market in FY24.

Revenue is apparently not an issue, continuing to grow. However, underlying profit before tax is a different story. Several impactful factors have forced the company to adjust the market's view of how the full-year results should look.

The company's full-year FY24 underlying profit before tax is now anticipated to be between $52 million and $57 million. For context, estimates already had down Peter Warren Automotive to generate $68.8 million in before-tax earnings.

At the midpoint, the new guidance reflects a 20.8% downgrade from consensus expectations. Evidently, this is not doing any favours for this All Ords share today.

Three key contributors were referenced as causes for the reduction, as follows:

• More competition between dealerships due to increased supply from car manufacturers, weighing down on new vehicle gross margins
• Subdued demand among customers for new vehicles in light of cost-of-living pressures
• Higher interest rates producing increased interest costs compared to the prior year

Despite the knock to earnings expectations, Peter Warren noted some positive items. These include growth in the number of vehicles sold and an increase in service and parts revenue.

Finally, Peter Warren Automotive highlighted initiatives to reduce the pain of pressured margins. For example, the company is limiting its inventory levels, leaning on growth in its service, parts, and used car segments, and controlling costs.

This All Ords share is not alone

While the Peter Warren Automotive share price is copping the brunt of selling pressure today, other consumer discretionary shares are also feeling the pinch.

In afternoon trading, the consumer discretionary sector is faring the worst on the ASX, down 0.79%. It might have a little to do with April retail trade data hitting the headlines.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics showed a 0.1% month-on-month increase in retail trade last month. Unfortunately, the market expected a 0.2% strengthening after a shocking 0.4% slump in March.

Investors may have interpreted it as another tough month for ASX retailers, including for our All Ords share, Peter Warren Automotive.

The post Guess which ASX All Ords share is diving 11% to record lows today 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:

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

The Boss Energy share price is down almost 10% to $4.82. This follows news that the uranium miner's CEO and managing director Duncan Craib, chair Wyatt Buck, and director Bryn Jones have sold a significant portion of their personal holdings. In respect to its CEO, Duncan Craib sold 3.75 million shares at an average price of $5.63 per share between Tuesday and Friday last week. The company's leader received a total consideration of over $21 million for the shares. Insider selling rarely goes down well with investors and is considered to be a bearish indicator by many.

Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD)

The Elders share price is down 3% to $8.21. This has been driven by the agribusiness company's shares going ex-dividend on Tuesday. Last week, Elders released its half-year results and reported a sharp profit decline. This led to the Elders board cutting its interim dividend by 22% to 18 cents per share. Eligible shareholders can now look forward to receiving this partially franked dividend in their bank accounts next month on 26 June.

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)

The Peter Warren Automotive Holdings share price is down 12% to $1.88. This follows the release of a trading update from the automotive retailer this morning. Peter Warren advised that while revenue has continued to grow, it now expects its underlying profit before tax for FY 2024 to be in the range of $52 million to $57 million. Management notes that this is lower than market expectations and has been driven by a significant increase in vehicle supply, which has led to greater competition between dealerships and lower gross profit margins on new vehicles. In addition, customer demand for new vehicles has fallen due to cost-of-living pressures.

Serko Ltd (ASX: SKO)

The Serko share price is down 5.5% to $2.87. Investors have been selling this travel technology company's shares following the release of its full-year results. This was despite Serko reporting a 48% jump in total income to NZ$71.2 million and a 48% improvement in its net loss to NZ$15.9 million. Looking ahead, management is guiding to revenue of NZ$85 million to NZ$92 million in FY 2025. It also expects to become cash flow positive during the year.

The post Why Boss Energy, Elders, Peter Warren, and Serko shares are sinking today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But one mustn't forget the current reporting season has been revealing crucial information about the businesses themselves.

Lucky for us, experts like Morgans analyst Andrew Tang have been keeping tabs on all the company reports.

In his regular "call to action" blog post, he picked out five ASX shares this week that are the best buys on the back of their February updates:

'Industry leading' with growth runway intact

Investment platform provider Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB) reported "above expectations", with underlying earnings and net profit both up.

"Hub24 looks to be delivering 'cleaner' financials," Tang wrote on the Morgans blog.

"The product offering is industry leading — along with Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL) — and the runway to secure more clients looks intact."

Average funds under management and platform revenue also grew significantly.

The only bone to pick with Hub24 shares is that they have already risen 16.8% over the past year and a phenomenal 326% since the COVID-19 market crash.

They're still an add for Tang's team though.

"Whilst upside to our valuation is reasonably low, the potential for larger 'transitions' wins is a realistic catalyst within CY23."

Industry halves but this player is standing strong

Monash IVF Group Ltd (ASX: MVF) is going from strength to strength, according to Tang.

"Despite industry volumes declining in the half, Monash IVF continues to gain market share in its key markets through both organic growth and through acquisitions."

The February report was solid, with net profit after tax (NPAT) of $12.6 million coming in marginally higher than guidance.

"A strong increase in new patient registrations for the 2Q gives us confidence in the pipeline for 2H23," said Tang.

"Management has upgraded underlying NPAT guidance to 15% growth to A$25.5m for FY23 (up from guidance provided at its AGM of 10%+ growth)."

The Monash share price is flat from a year ago.

Potential clouds coming, but this one's still a buy

Tang called online jobs classifieds Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK)'s update "broadly a positive result".

However, forward guidance was biased towards the lower end of expectations with a slowing economy dampening job ad growth in Australia and New Zealand.

Morgans has subsequently downgraded its earning forecast, but the stock remains a buy.

"We adjust our FY23F to FY25F EPS by -5% to +1% factoring in the revised guidance, lower topline estimates across our forecast period on additional conservatism and improved EBITDA margins in SEEK Asia."

The Seek share price is down 9.75% over the past 12 months.

'Potential short-term catalyst' coming for these dealers

Car dealership network Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR) enjoyed a surge in vehicle sales at the height of the pandemic.

Despite that fervour subsiding over the past year, its share price has managed to rise 4.4%.

Tang is buying the stock after a result that was "broadly in-line".

"Peter Warren is trading on ~11x our assumed more 'normalised' conditions (FY24/25)," he said.

"Industry consolidation will continue — we expect PWR to be a participant which adds to structural earnings capacity."

He added that the onboarding of Toyota Motor Corp (TYO: 7203) to its network would be "a potential short-term catalyst".

Excellent result and new CEO

Supermarket giant Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) hogged the limelight in the financial media earlier this week with excellent results and the transition to a new chief executive.

According to Tang, Coles is expecting consumer habits to change in 2023.

"Management said supermarkets volume growth returned to modestly positive from mid-January and is expecting more customers to be value conscious as cost-of-living pressures increase."

The company's booming supermarkets arm is somewhat cancelled out by reduced earnings in its liquor division.

Coles is also selling off its petrol station network to Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA), which will impact short-term earnings.

The Coles share price is up 5.4% over the past 12 months while paying out a 3.5% dividend yield.

Tang's team is maintaining its add rating.

The post Wake up! Buy 5 ASX shares that are reporting season gems: Morgans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

There are two key ways investors can make money from the share market: capital growth (i.e., share price rises), and dividends.

So, with capital growth taking a back seat amidst the volatility, ASX dividend shares are well and truly in the spotlight.

We know Aussies love their dividends, especially when they are fully franked.

With this in mind, I've rounded up the five highest-yielding ASX retail shares right now with a market capitalisation above $250 million.

Let's check them out.

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)

To kick things off, ASX car dealership group Peter Warren is currently sitting in fifth place.

After hitting the ASX boards last year, Peter Warren declared maiden dividends in FY22.

The group declared total dividends of 22 cents across the financial year, fully franked, with the final dividend of 13 cents set to be paid on 7 October.

Based on these dividends, Peter Warren shares are flashing a trailing dividend yield of 7.7%. Including franking credits, this yield jacks up to 11%.

JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH)

Just edging out Peter Warren for fourth place is the nation's largest entertainment retailer, JB Hi-Fi.

JB Hi-Fi grew its net profit after tax (NPAT) by 8% in FY22, which helped the ASX 200 retail share hike its annual dividends by 10% to $3.16, fully franked.

As a result, JB Hi-Fi shares are currently printing a trailing dividend yield of 7.7%. Throwing in franking credits dials up this yield to 11.1%.

Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN)

JB Hi-Fi's biggest rival Harvey Norman has pipped it at the post, starting off our podium finishers.

Harvey Norman delivered a marginal dip in profits in FY22. However, this didn't stop the ASX 200 retail share from raising its annual dividends by 7% to 37.5 cents, fully franked.

At current levels, this puts Harvey Norman shares on a chunky trailing dividend yield of 8.9%, which grosses up to 12.7%.

Harvey Norman is the only ASX retailer on this list that is yet to trade ex-dividend. Its fully franked final dividend of 17.5 cents will be on offer until 13 October, before shares turn ex-dividend the following day.

This final dividend alone equates to a dividend yield of 4.1%.

Adairs Ltd (ASX: ADH)

Taking out the silver medal is homewares and furnishings retailer, Adairs.

In FY22, the company struggled to match its record results from the prior year. Cycling strong comparisons, NPAT slid by 30% to $45 million.

While Adairs kept its final dividend steady, it slashed total FY22 dividends by 22% to 18 cents, fully franked.

Nonetheless, Adairs shares are spinning up an eye-catching trailing dividend yield of 9.9%, which is boosted to 14.1% with the addition of franking credits.

Best & Less Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: BST)

Topping this list as the highest-yielding ASX retail share right now is value apparel business Best & Less.

It was a tale of two halves for Best & Less in FY22, battling COVID-19 restrictions and reduced foot traffic in the first half.

Overall, the company's sales backtracked by 6% to $622 million, while NPAT dropped by 13% to $41 million.

In its first year as a listed company, Best & Less declared annual dividends of 23 cents, fully franked.

This means that Best & Less shares are currently trading on a meaty trailing dividend yield of 10.3%. Including franking credits, this yield cranks up to an even meatier 14.8%.

A word of caution

It's important to note these are trailing dividend yields. As such, they reflect what's happened in the past. 

And as we're often reminded, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. 

This can be especially true in industries such as retail, which are often overly susceptible to the peaks and troughs of the economic cycle.

ASX shares can cut their dividend payments with little to no warning.

So, heed caution on taking trailing dividend yields at face value. It's also important to assess the sustainability of these yields into the future.

The post 5 ASX retail shares spruiking the highest dividend yields right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that have managed to avoid the selloff and push higher today are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

Leo Lithium Ltd (ASX: LLL)

The Leo Lithium share price is up over 8% to 73.2 cents. This is despite there being no news out of the lithium explorer. Today's gain means that Leo Lithium's shares are now up a massive 35% since this time last month.

Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR)

The Myer share price is up 7.5% to 64.5 cents. Once again, this is despite there being no news out of the department store operator. Myer's shares are also on a very positive run and are now up by 23% since this time last month. Investors appear optimistic that the company will release a strong full year result in the coming days.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

The Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd share price is up a further 4.5% to $6.79. Investors have been buying this biotech company's shares this week after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted for review the New Drug Application (NDA) of trofinetide for the treatment of Rett syndrome. In response, this morning Bell Potter retained its speculative buy rating with an improved price target of $8.60.

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)

The Peter Warren share price is up almost 15% to $2.89. This follows news that SMA Motors has picked up ~15.7 million shares from Quadrant Private Equity for $50 million on Tuesday. SMA Motors paid an average of approximately $3.19 per share for the stake. This represents a massive 25.6% premium to where the Peter Warren Automotive share price was trading at yesterday's close. SMA Motors is the name behind Sutton Motors, which is one of Sydney's largest dealer groups.

The post Why Leo Lithium, Myer, Neuren, and Peter Warren shares are rising today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the All Ords index has slipped 2.6% to 7,065 points. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is mirroring this fall, also sliding 2.6% to 6,825 points.

But amongst the sea of red, some ASX All Ords shares are shining brightly. Let's take a look.

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)

The Peter Warren share price is racing higher today after the car dealership company revealed it has a new major shareholder.

At the time of writing, Peter Warren shares have zoomed 13.9% higher to $2.87.

According to an initial substantial holder notice, SMA Motors splashed $50 million yesterday to pick up a 9% stake in PWR.

In a separate notice, the seller is revealed to be Quadrant Private Equity, offloading 15.7 million PWR shares off-market to SMA at an average price of roughly $3.19 per share. 

This represents a sizeable 26% premium to PWR's closing price yesterday of $2.52.

As my Fool colleague James reported this morning, SMA Motors is the name behind Suttons Motors, one of Sydney's largest car dealership groups.

Clover Corporation Limited (ASX: CLV)

Food technology business Clover is also defying the market sell-off today, surging 11.1% at the time of writing to $1.10.

The ASX All Ords share handed in its FY22 results this morning, reporting double-digit sales and profit growth.

Clover delivered net revenue of $70.7 million, up 17% from the prior year and at the top end of guidance.

In the second half of the year, sales rebounded across all of Clover's regions as key infant formula manufacturer order volumes lifted and international borders opened.

However, Clover hasn't been spared from rising inflation. It experienced pressure on milk proteins, freight costs, and other ingredients throughout the year, which impacted margins.

On the bottom line, the company reported a net profit after tax (NPAT) of $7.1 million, growing 19% from FY21.

Clover also doubled its final dividend to 1 cent per share, fully franked. This puts Clover shares on a trailing dividend yield of 1.4%.

Avita Medical Inc (ASX: AVH) 

Last but not least, regenerative medicine company Avita is staging a comeback today. 

The Avita share price was crunched when the company released its FY22 results in mid-August.

But its fortunes have turned today as Avita shares are currently printing a 3.9% gain to sit at $2.

The ASX All Ords share hasn't come out with any news today. But yesterday, it announced positive topline trial results.

These results relate to a pivotal, randomised, controlled trial evaluating the safety and effectiveness of Avita's Recell System for the repigmentation of stable vitiligo lesions.

Results showed that 56% of Recell treatments led to repigmentation of more than 50% of the treated area. The control group managed only 12% using the typical first-line treatment for vitiligo.

Meanwhile, 36% of Recell treatments resulted in repigmentation of at least 80% of the treated area compared to 0% for the control treatment.

The post 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares defying today's rout to surge higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade, the car dealership company's shares are up 12% to $2.82.

This compares very favourably to the All Ordinaries index, which is down a disappointing 2.7% this morning.

Why is the Peter Warren Automotive share price defying the selloff?

Investors have been bidding the Peter Warren Automotive share price higher today after the company revealed that it has a new major shareholder.

According to an initial substantial holder notice, SMA Motors picked up ~15.7 million Peter Warren Automotive shares from Quadrant Private Equity for $50 million on Tuesday.

SMA Motors paid an average of approximately $3.19 per share for the stake, which represents a sizeable 25.6% premium to where the Peter Warren Automotive share price was trading at yesterday's close.

Someone was clearly very keen to get a slice of Peter Warren Automotive!

What is SMA Motors?

SMA Motors is the name behind Sutton Motors, which is one of Sydney's largest dealer groups. It operates 24 franchised motor vehicle dealership sites, covering 27 different franchises.

Why it bought the 15.7 million stake from Quadrant Private Equity remains unclear. But investors may be hoping that this leads to a full takeover approach in the near future. Time will tell if that is the case.

Following today's gain, the Peter Warren Automotive share price is trading largely flat year to date.

The post In a sea of red, guess which ASX All Ords share is booming 12% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

When a company's shares turn ex-dividend, they no longer trade with the recent dividend payment attached to it.

The highest-profile ASX All Ords share turning ex-dividend tomorrow is Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS). You'll find everything you need to know about the latest Woodside dividend in our recent coverage here.

But there are some other ASX All Ords shares with notable dividend yields that are also going ex-dividend tomorrow. Let's check them out.

Perpetual Limited (ASX: PPT)

ASX financials share Perpetual recently announced a fully franked final dividend of 97 cents, which will be paid on 30 September. A dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) is also available.

Perpetual delivered 20% revenue growth in FY22, benefitting from both organic and acquisitive growth. Underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) grew by a similar amount, helping Perpetual to lift its full-year dividends by 16% over the prior year.

This puts Perpetual shares on a sizeable trailing dividend yield of 7.9%, which grosses up to 11.3%, including franking credits.

In other news, after months of negotiations, the company looks set to acquire rival fund manager Pendal Group Ltd (ASX: PDL). Pendal's board is unanimously supporting Perpetual's $2.5 billion takeover bid.

Smartgroup Corporation Ltd (ASX: SIQ)

Today will be the final day for investors to bag Smartgroup's fully franked interim dividend of 17 cents. The company has pencilled in the payment date for 23 September.

This interim dividend is 3% lower than the interim dividend declared in 2021.

In the first half of FY22, Smartgroup's revenue climbed by 4%, while adjusted NPAT swung the other way, dropping by 4%.

Smartgroup shares are currently flashing a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 11.1%. However, the company's final dividend earlier in the year included a special dividend of 30 cents.

But even excluding this special dividend, Smartgroup shares are still sporting a notable trailing dividend yield of 6.1%. With the benefit of franking credits, this grosses up to 8.7%.

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)

Peter Warren shares will be trading tomorrow without a fully franked final dividend of 13 cents, which will be paid on 7 October.

The ASX car dealership group delivered 6% revenue growth and 37% underlying NPAT growth in FY22. This growth was primarily driven by the acquisition of Penfold Motor Group, which was completed in December 2021.

After listing last year, Peter Warren declared maiden dividends in FY22, with the total coming in at 22 cents. This represents a dividend payout ratio of 67% of NPAT.

Peter Warren shares are currently trading on a trailing dividend yield of 8.1% or 11.6% grossed up. 

Resimac Group Ltd (ASX: RMC)

Shares in mortgage business Resimac will be trading tomorrow without a fully franked final dividend of 4 cents. The company has set the payment date for 23 September.

The mortgage lending business posted double-digit growth in home loan assets under management in FY22. But NPAT growth couldn't follow suit, dropping 5% on the prior year.

Nonetheless, the ASX All Ords share lifted its full-year dividends by 25% after bumping up its dividend payout ratio from 24% of NPAT in FY21 to 32% in FY22. 

Resimac shares are printing a trailing dividend yield of 6.7%. Throwing in franking credits, this yield cranks up to 9.6%. 

Monash IVF Group Ltd (ASX: MVF)

Finally, Monash IVF is another ASX All Ords share turning ex-dividend tomorrow. Shares will be trading without a fully franked final dividend of 2.2 cents, which will be paid on 7 October.

Monash IVF delivered 5% revenue growth in FY22, driven by price increases in the domestic assisted reproductive services (ARS) segment. 

Despite underlying NPAT slightly retreating in FY22, the company still raised its total dividends by 5% to 4.4 cents.

This puts Monash IVF shares on a trailing dividend yield of 4.4%, which grosses up to 6.3%.

The post 5 ASX All Ords shares trading ex-dividend on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Morgans analyst Andrew Tang cast his eyes over the company results and has nominated six ASX stocks as his "best calls to action":

• Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)
• Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC)
• Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)
• Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR)
• Jumbo Interactive Ltd (ASX: JIN)
• Monash IVF Group Ltd (ASX: MVF)

A core holding for long-term investors

Tang liked ASX share Wesfarmers' second-half "bounce back".

"We continue to view Wesfarmers as a core portfolio holding for long-term investors," he said on the Morgans blog.

"Kmart Group earnings recovered strongly in 2H22 after being heavily impacted by lockdowns in 1H22."

In fact, the latest dividend exceeded all expectations.

"FY22 dividend per share of 180 cents was above our 164.8 cents per share forecast and Bloomberg consensus (169.5cps)," said Tang.

"Group return-on-equity rose 330 basis points to 29.4%."

The takeover story isn't done yet

Notwithstanding the KKR consortium's takeover proposal falling over last week, the team at Morgans now rates Ramsay Health as a buy.

"Despite lingering volatility and FY24 a 'normal' trading year, it takes a back seat to KKR's now revised offer, which we believe is likely to get up in some form," said Tang.

"We have adjusted our FY23-24 earnings, rolled forward our valuation multiples, and maintained a takeout premium."

Meanwhile Peter Warren's enjoying an industry-wide sweet spot.

"Demand/supply imbalance continues to drive strong margin outcomes for the sector," said Tang.

"Industry consolidation will continue — we expect Peter Warren to be a participant (primary growth driver), or even a potential target in time."

The stock price remains cheap, the Morgans team reckons.

"Peter Warren is trading on ~7x FY23 PE and ~10x our assumed 'more normalised' conditions (FY24/25)."

Growth-a-thon for these two ASX shares

Lotteries resellers Jumbo Interactive reported a year of "solid growth", according to Tang.

"The business continued to diversify its earnings base, with SaaS now making up nearly half of group EBITDA," he said.

"We expect Jumbo Interactive to continue to achieve steady growth in the years ahead through a combination of organic contract wins, M&A and diversification."

Tang has a positive outlook on clothing retailer Universal Store.

"We believe Universal will deliver double-digit growth in sales and earnings in FY23 as an expanded store network plays into the resilience of demand for fashion apparel from a young customer cohort experiencing high levels of employment, higher wages and more and more opportunities to go out and socialise."

As such, the Universal share price is just too cheap to resist at the moment.

"The FY24F P/E is 10x, which we believe is far too low for a business with the quality and growth potential of Universal."

The post 6 ASX shares Morgans would buy right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.