Some of these stocks are hitting new all-time high territory today, while others are setting new 52-week-plus highs.

Which outperforming companies are we talking about?

Read on!

Five ASX All Ords stocks notching new highwater marks

The first ASX All Ords share hitting new all-time highs today is biopharmaceutical company Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX).

Telix is primarily focused on developing diagnostic and therapeutic products to help treat different types of cancer. Following a series of successes that saw the company boost its first-half revenue in 2024 by 65% year over year to $364 million, investors have been piling into the stock.

Telix shares are up 1.7% at the time of writing, trading for $24.19 each after touching a new record high of $24.21 earlier today. That puts the share price up 149% in a year and up a blistering 1,321% in five years.

Moving onto the second outperforming ASX All Ords share, this one hitting six-year highs, we have fleet management and vehicle leasing company SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF).

SG Fleet shares are currently changing hands for $3.33 apiece after hitting a record $3.41 near the open. That's the highest level since October 2018. Shares are up 45% over the past year. The stock got a big boost earlier this week after reporting on takeover discussions with Pacific Equity Partners that value SG Fleet stock at $3.50 a share.

Which brings us to today's third ASX All Ords share gainer — this one also hitting an all-time high — specialist software provider Gentrack Group Ltd (ASX: GTK).

Gentrack shares are up 3.2% at the time of writing today, trading for $12.80 apiece, a slight drop from its record $12.92 price at lunch time. That sees the share price up 134% in a year.

The stock leapt 28.1% on Tuesday this week following some strong full-year results. That included a 25.5% year on year revenue leap to NZ$213.2 million.

Moving on to the fourth ASX All Ords share on our list, which is hitting eight-year highs, is global sports data and analytics company Catapult Group International Ltd (ASX: CAT).

The Catapult share price is up 1.7% at the time of writing, with shares swapping hands for $3.60 apiece. That sees Catapult shares up 188% in a year and trading at their highest levels since August 2016.

Catapult shares have also been drawing investor interest amid growing revenue. On 14 November, the company reported a half-year revenue of US$57.8 million, up 19% year-on-year.

Rounding off our list of outperforming ASX All Ords shares, posting 54-week highs today, is sports betting company Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH).

The Pointsbet share price is up 1.9% at the time of writing, at $1.05, after peaking at $1.07 in early trade. That sees Pointsbet shares up 38% in a year and trading at their highest level since last September.

The stock has been in a strong uptrend since early September amid improving profit margins and declining operating expenses.

The post 5 ASX All Ords shares smashing new highs while the market slides appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Liberty Group (ASX: LFG)

The Liberty Group share price is up 4% to $3.41. Investors have been buying this diversified finance company's shares following the announcement of interim and special dividends. Liberty advised that it will be paying a 12 cent per share unfranked interim dividend for the five-month period 1 July 2024 to 30 November 2024 and a 5 cent per share fully franked special dividend. The release notes that the record date for both dividends is 29 November 2024. After which, they will be paid to eligible shareholders next month on 13 December 2024.

Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

The Lovisa share price is up 3.5% to $28.14. This morning, Morgans reiterated its add (buy) rating on this fashion jewellery retailer's shares with a slightly trimmed price target of $36.00 (from $36.50). Elsewhere, analysts at Ord Minnett have upgraded the company's shares to a hold rating with a $29.20 price target. The latter made the move on valuation grounds following a recent pullback.

Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX)

The Novonix share price is up almost 17% to 86.5 cents. Investors have been buying this battery materials technology company after it announced its second offtake agreement of the month. Novonix has signed a binding offtake agreement for a minimum of 32,000 tonnes of high-performance synthetic graphite material with Volkswagen's PowerCo. This material will be supplied to PowerCo over a five-year term starting in 2027. PowerCo was established by auto giant Volkswagen in 2022 and is committed to ramp-up global battery cell production. Earlier this month, Novonix signed a similar deal with fellow car giant Stellantis.

SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF)

The SG Fleet share price is up 22% to $3.25. This has been driven by the receipt of a non-binding takeover offer from Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) and affiliates. The private equity firm has tabled a $3.50 per share indicative offer for the fleet management and salary packaging company. The SG Fleet board has "determined that it is in the interests of all SG Fleet Shareholders to engage with PEP on the Indicative Proposal and has granted PEP a period of exclusivity to facilitate PEP's due diligence and enable it to put forward a binding offer and for the parties to concurrently negotiate a scheme implementation deed."

The post Why Liberty, Lovisa, Novonix, and SG Fleet shares are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in the fleet management and vehicle leasing company closed on Friday, trading for $2.67. At the time of writing, shares are swapping hands for $3.29 apiece, up 23.2%.

This comes on the heels of a potential $1.2 billion takeover offer announcement released before market open today.

Any guesses which rocketing share we're talking about?

If you said SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF), go to the head of the virtual class.

Here's what's happening.

ASX All Ords stock in takeover discussions

Investors are sending the ASX All Ords stock soaring today after the company confirmed that it is in discussions with Pacific Equity Partners and some of its affiliates (PEP) relating to PEP's non-binding and indicative proposal to acquire all of SG Fleet's shares.

According to the release, PEP is offering $3.50 a share in the takeover deal. That's 31% above Friday's closing price and still 7% above the current share price.

The ASX All Ords stock has 341.98 million shares outstanding, which means the PEP's offer values the company at $1.197 billion.

The board noted that, along with its advisers and largest shareholder, it believes it's in the interests of all SG Fleet Shareholders to engage with PEP on the indicative proposal.

The board said it has granted PEP "a period of exclusivity to facilitate due diligence and enable it to put forward a binding offer and for the parties to concurrently negotiate a scheme implementation deed".

This period expires on Friday, 29 November 2024.

Management stressed that:

There is no certainty that the indicative proposal will result in a transaction. Any agreed transaction would require board approvals and negotiation of transaction documents. The implementation of any transaction would also be subject to various conditions including shareholder and regulatory approvals.

The ASX All Ords stock said it has engaged BofA Securities as its financial adviser and Gilbert + Tobin as its legal adviser for the takeover discussions.

What's been happening with SG Fleet shares?

With today's big intraday boost factored in, the SG Fleet share price is now up 40.1% over the past full year.

Atop those share price gains, the ASX All Ords stock trades on a juicy, fully franked 10.3% trailing dividend yield.

SG Fleet shareholders were told they'd be kept updated on the takeover negotiations with PEP, and they do not need to take any action today.

The post Guess which ASX All Ords stock just rocketed 23% on a $1.2 billion offer 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:

Dimerix Ltd (ASX: DXB)

The Dimerix share price is down 7.5% to 37.5 cents. This is despite the release of a positive announcement out of the biopharmaceutical company this morning. According to the release, the first patient has successfully completed the ACTION3 Phase 3 clinical trial and has chosen to enter the global open-label extension (OLE) study. The OLE study is optional for all qualifying patients who have completed the ACTION3 Phase 3 clinical trial. It offers a 2-year treatment with DMX-200, which is being trialled as a potential treatment to address the significant unmet need of patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price is down 6% to $17.45. This follows a sharp pullback in the location technology company's NASDAQ listed shares overnight. The catalyst for that decline appears to have been news of some heavy insider selling. According to the release, Life360's independent non-executive director, James Synge, sold a total of approximately 100,000 Life360 shares for an average of ~US$37.36. This equates to a total consideration of approximately US$3.7 million. Synge was a very early investor in Life360, having first invested more than 10 years ago in a private equity capacity.

S2 Resources Ltd (ASX: S2R)

The S2 Resources share price is down 7.5% to 8.6 cents. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Bell Potter this morning. According to the note, the broker has downgraded this gold explorer's shares to a speculative hold rating with a 10 cents price target (from 24 cents). In response to its drilling results, Bell Potter said: "The Greater Fosterville Project remains S2R's most advanced gold exploration project. Limited initial results at the first prospect drilled have returned economic grades and widths, but not sufficient data to define the scale of the opportunity."

SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF)

The SG Fleet share price is down 10% to $2.63. This has been caused by the fleet management company's shares going ex-dividend this morning for its final dividend of FY 2024. Last month, the company declared a mammoth fully franked final and special dividend totalling 24.3 cents per share. This was the equivalent of an 8.4% dividend yield based on yesterday's close price. Eligible shareholders can look forward to receiving this payout on 25 September.

The post Why Dimerix, Life360, S2 Resources, and SG Fleet shares are sinking today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

ASX small-cap shares are defined as companies with a market capitalisation of between a few hundred thousand and $2 billion.

Cheaper homes are defined by CoreLogic as the bottom 25% of homes by price in any market.

Shares vs. property: What are the changing trends?

Fund manager Allan Gray said investors abandoned ASX small-caps last year. They went for the perceived safety of ASX large-caps instead amid a volatile share market created by difficult macroeconomics.

But the tide may have turned.

Investors appear to have more appetite for risk in 2024. This is due to expectations of interest rates coming down and the battle against inflation easing, say the experts.

Under the right circumstances, investors like small-caps because they are typically younger companies offering better prospects for growth than the ASX 200 blue chips.

Morgans analysts say ASX small-caps have historically bounced hardest when it's clear the rates cycle is flattening out. Yesterday, the Reserve Bank held interest rates steady for a third consecutive month.

The broker said:

We think the tide is turning for small-caps, and now is an opportune time to build exposure to forgotten small-caps.

In the year to date, the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index (ASX: XSO) has risen 3.2%, while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has lifted 0.77% and the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has risen 0.91%.

What about shares vs. property?

Now to property…

In terms of property, cheaper homes are now growing in value faster than premium homes, according to new CoreLogic figures.

CoreLogic research director Tim Lawless said the lower price quartile of every capital city market booked a higher rate of growth than the upper quartile over the past three months ending 29 February.

Lower quartile homes (bottom 25% of homes by price) rose in value by 2.4%.

Middle quartile residences (middle 50% of market) grew 1.7%.

Upper quartile properties (top 25% of market) rose by 0.6%.

Source: CoreLogic

Lawless said this is a reversal of trends.

He explained that the upper price quartile typically leads every new market cycle, whether it be an upswing or downswing. That happened in early 2023 as the market rebounded from the 2022 slump.

But in the second half of 2023, the trend reversed and cheaper homes began rising faster in value.

Which ASX small-caps are favourites?

Morgans' favourite seven small-caps include ASX biotech Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: CUV) and debt collector Credit Corp Group Limited (ASX: CCP).

IML analysts are backing Kelsian Group Ltd (ASX: KLS), Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL), and SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF). 

Among the top movers of the Small Ords Index in 2024 so far are DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) up 81%, Step One Clothing Ltd (ASX: STP) up 71.5%, and Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS) up 69%.

In terms of shares vs. property, no one can argue this trio of shares is shooting the lights out!

Where are people buying cheaper homes?

Everywhere.

The fact that the lower quartile of every capital city market had the strongest rate of growth over the past three months reflects buyers' search for affordability amid high interest rates and cost of living pressures.

Buyers are seeking value not just because home prices keep rising, but also because high interest rates mean they are limited as to how much finance they can get to fund the purchase of their next home.

In these situations, we often see buyers in capital cities comprising on location by checking out the suburbs next door to where they would ideally love to live. These suburbs are sometimes referred to as the 'poor cousins' of the more desirable and expensive suburbs of an area.

It's also worth noting that property investors are no longer sticking to the areas they know and live in. They're increasingly scouring the country, looking for homes that suit their borrowing capacities better.

Where are investors buying cheaper investment property?

Perth is one of the hottest markets in the country with property investors today.

Here's the pitch to prospective investors:

1. Perth is cheaper to buy in, with a median house price of $718,560 vs. $1,395,804 in Sydney, $942,779 in Melbourne, and $899,474 in Brisbane
2. Perth offers today's best capital growth rate (5.2% over three months and 18.3% over 12 months)
3. Perth offers the second-best rental returns of all the cities at 4.4% for houses and 6.2% for apartments

I rest my case for investment.

Over the past three months, Perth's lower quartile market recorded the strongest growth of all the lower quartile capital city markets.

Investors typically target lower quartile properties because they are more affordable and provide stronger yields.

And right now, East Coast investors cannot buy investment properties fast enough out west.

This is adding more demand to the Perth market, which has not attracted this much interstate interest in years.

Real Estate Institute of Western Australia President Joe White said:

… WA and Perth have caught the eye of Eastern States investors. They're drawn by the value our market offers. Despite increases over the past few years, our property prices are much more affordable than the east coast and we've had significant rent price growth. This means properties have the potential for very good yields.

ASX small-cap shares vs. property over the past three months

Just to recap, let's put our two asset classes head to head amid these changing trends…

The S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index (ASX: XSO) has risen 3.2% in the year to date.

This compares to Australia's lower quartile property market rising 2.4% over the three months ending 29 February, partly due to more investors buying investment property in cheaper locations.

The middle market rose 1.7% and the upper quartile rose 0.6% over the three-month period.

The post Shares vs. property: Why cheaper homes and ASX small-cap shares are rising fastest in 2024 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

These stocks may not be the largest, but they have been called out as opportunities that could deliver good returns.

The biggest listed investment company (LIC) that WAM manages is WAM Capital Limited (ASX: WAM), which looks for undervalued growth companies where there's a catalyst that could send the share price higher.

These are two stocks that the investment team picked out.

Nick Scali Limited (ASX: NCK)

WAM described Nick Scali as one of Australia's largest furniture retailers.

The company recently reported its FY24 first-half result which supposedly beat market expectations. Nick Scali achieved a net profit after tax (NPAT) of $43 million for the six-month period, which was above the $40 million to $42 million guidance given in late 2023.

Nick Scali's trading update also pleased the investment team. The company reported a 3.6% increase in sales orders in January year over year, which was more than what analysts were expecting from the ASX All Ords share.

The WAM team said:

We are pleased to see a solid half-year result from Nick Scali and we are positive on its ability to execute its long-term target of establishment 86 Nick Scali stores and 90 to 100 Plush stores. We also see the potential for earnings accretive acquisitions outside Australia given the company's strong balance sheet.

SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF)

This business provides fleet management, vehicle leasing and salary packaging services,

ASX reporting season saw the company reveal its FY24 first-half result, which "materially beat" analyst estimates.

In the FY24 first-half result, the ASX All Ords share reported an 8.5% increase in its NPAT year over year. This growth was driven by record delivery volumes and improved supply of new vehicles.

Why is the WAM investment team positive on the business? They said:

We remain positive on SG Fleet Group's ability to maintain its positive momentum over the next 12 months as it finalises the completion of the Leaseplan acquisition made in 2021.            

The company is trading on an attractive price-to-earnings multiple valuation of 9 times compared to its peer which trades on 15 times, therefore we see the potential for a re-rating of the share price.

The post Fund manager rates these 2 undervalued ASX All Ords shares as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

"Despite the negativity that pervaded most of last year, the small cap market ultimately managed to deliver solid returns in 2023," said IML analysts in a blog post.

"A rally late in the year saw the ASX Small Ordinaries up +7.8% for the calendar year, with the Small Industrials up +11.4%."

Notwithstanding the recent run upwards, the IML team believes small caps are still playing catch-up.

"Small cap valuations remain attractive compared to large caps with superior earnings growth forecasts," read the memo. 

"On an individual stock level there remain plenty of quality small cap industrials trading at attractive valuations."

Here are three stocks in particular they're loving right now:

Reliability of transport contracts 

Kelsian Group Ltd (ASX: KLS) is a transport provider that operates in Australia and various other countries.

The IML team likes how much of its revenue is consistent and reliable.

"The Australian, Singapore and UK operations are underpinned by long-term government contracts. 

"Effectively the earnings under these contracts are inflation-protected, providing a defensive earnings stream with growth coming from new bus routes and generating efficiencies."

In the US, Kelsian's clientele is the private sector, but those earnings are also reliable with "no patronage risk borne by the company".

"With the revenue significantly contracted, recent tender wins in Sydney and the initial contribution of All Aboard America, Kelsian is well placed to deliver solid earnings growth in FY24.

"Further upside in FY25 is possible from further public bus contract wins in Australia and the UK, as well as bolt-on acquisitions in the USA."

The Kelsian share price has rocketed more than 21% since early October, but the IML team reckons it still has legs.

"Kelsian's valuation is conservative in our view, on 15 times FY25 earnings and a [dividend] yield of 4%."

Reliability of an ageing population

Pathology services provider Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL) had a busy time testing Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic, but since then the stock has been going sideways.

The demographic trends reassure IML analysts of its future though.

"Australia's ageing population ensures ongoing growth in testing volumes, as older people are more likely to have health issues requiring regular monitoring. 

"The number of conditions able to be assessed by pathology testing continues to grow, also underpinning growth in volumes."

In the short-term, business has been slower because of "doctor shortages and cost of living pressures". 

"History indicates that these growth rates are likely to return to trend over time."

ACL doesn't have much debt and is in a position to make acquisitions. An attempt to merge with Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS) last year was aborted due to a poor business update on the other side.

"The synergies from such a merger are significant, making a future transaction an attractive opportunity, subject to [regulatory] approval. 

"Trading on only 13.5 times FY25 earnings and a yield of over 5%, we believe ACL is attractively priced."

Reliability of outsourcing

SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF) is the dominant player in Australia in the fleet management industry, and also operates in the UK and New Zealand.

The business has benefitted from two trends, according to IML analysts.

"The company is effectively an asset manager of large corporate fleets and has benefitted from the gradual outsourcing of fleet management services across government and corporate.

"SG Fleet also operates a novated fleet-leasing operation in Australia, which is benefitting from recent government initiatives to promote electric vehicle (EV) take-up in Australia."

Its contracts are multi-year with a strong history of renewal.

The shortage in new cars arising from the pandemic and subsequent rise in trade-in values dented SG Fleet's earnings.

"These factors have overshadowed recent results, creating noise in the results and hence creating uncertainty for investors, weighing on the share price."

The downside, however, is now "excessively" priced in, the IML team added.

"SG Fleet is very attractively priced, trading on under 10 times FY25 earnings and a dividend yield of over 7%."

The post 3 'attractive' small-cap ASX shares ready to rocket in 2024 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:

Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW)

The Brickworks share price is down 3% to $25.44. This follows the release of a trading update at the building products company's annual general meeting. Management said: "Although macroeconomic conditions may cause some short-term challenges across our portfolio, each of our businesses have a strong long-term outlook."

Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD)

The Elders share price is down 3% to $7.13. This has been driven by the agribusiness company's shares going ex-dividend this morning for its final dividend for FY 2023. Eligible shareholders can now look forward to receiving this 23 cents per share dividend on 20 December.

SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF)

The SG Fleet share price is down 14% to $2.21. This morning, the fleet management company announced that Ayvens has partially sold down its stake via a placement. It appears that the sale was made at a 13% discount of $2.23 per share. Management advised that all referral and other commercial arrangements between the two parties remain in place and both companies intend to further pursue their ongoing close cooperation.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

The TechnologyOne share price is down 3% to $15.90. This follows the release of the enterprise software provider's FY 2023 results. While the result was ahead of guidance and management has brought its medium-term target forward, it seems that the market had already priced this in and maybe more.

The post Why Brickworks, Elders, SG Fleet, and TechnologyOne shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In afternoon trade on Wednesday, the All Ordinaries Index is down a sharp 1.4%.

Stocks are widely under pressure following a steep day of losses overnight in US and European markets and as the crisis enveloping China's struggling property markets only looks to be getting worse.

But none of that is holding back these three ASX All Ords stocks today, as they each notch new 52-week highs.

These ASX All Ords stocks are offering a silver lining today

The first company shaking off the market malaise today is property listings company REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA).

The ASX All Ords stock was up 2% in morning trade, at $162 a share. At the time of writing, shares are swapping hands for $158.96, up a slender 0.1%. Though this still marks a new 52-week high, with shares up 20% since this time last year.

Investors look to be bidding up the REA share price on the back of some positive broker coverage.

REA reported its FY 2023 results on 11 August. While net profits declined 9% year on year to $372 million, this exceeded consensus expectations.

Following on those results, Macquarie analysts lifted their rating on the ASX All Ords share to neutral. The broker has a 12-month share price target of $178 per share. That's some 12% above the current REA share price.

Goldman Sachs also sees potential share price growth ahead, with a buy rating on REA and a 12-month price target of $175 per share.

Which brings us to SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF).

Shares in the fleet management company are up 1.1% in afternoon trade, to $2.72.

The ASX All Ords share earlier posted gains of more than 2%, with shares trading at 52-week highs of $2.75 apiece.

The last price-sensitive news out from SG Fleet was way back on 14 February, when the company reported half-year results. Those included a 41% year on year increase in half-year profits, which came in at $42 million.

Investor interest may be piqued today after the company announced it will webcast its full-year FY 2023 results next Wednesday, 23 August.

Also setting new 52-week highs

Rounding off the list of ASX All Ords share notching new 52-week highs today despite the sliding market is Regis Healthcare Ltd (ASX: REG).

Shares in the elderly care provider were up 2% at $2.47 apiece in earlier trade. The share price has retreated since then, with the stock currently trading flat at $2.42 a share.

There's no fresh news out from Regis to support its outperformance today.

Though healthcare stocks are performing marginally better than the wider market. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) is down 1% at the time of writing, compared to a 1.4% loss posted by the All Ords.

The post 3 ASX All Ords stocks hitting new 52-week highs while the market sinks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

When that broke out in November 2021, the globe collectively gasped, "No, not again".

In the investment world, this was the beginning of a massive selloff of growth shares. 

People around the world were tiring of lockdowns, and inflation was already creeping up from pent-up consumer demand. Shrewd analysts were already betting that interest rates would have to head up.

That pivot also meant that ASX dividend shares were fashionable again after being ignored for a decade.

Australians are fortunate in this regard, with favourable tax laws leading to a plethora of stocks trading on the local bourse with high dividend yields.

So if you theoretically had $5,000 to invest, these are the dividend stocks I would be most tempted to buy at the moment:

Shareholder return is 'attractive'

Real estate might be reeling after 12 interest rate hikes over the last 14 months, but perhaps that's why HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN) looks like such a bargain.

The share price has fallen 14.2% over the past year and 5.4% since the start of 2023.

Although its tenants are retailers, Auscap analysts reckon HomeCo's fortunes aren't as cyclical as one might think.

"Its tenants are predominantly large, well-funded and highly profitable retailers who we think are low covenant risk, high-quality operators," they said in a memo to clients.

The Auscap team added that consumer spending on household goods was not as volatile as investors perceived.

"Total nominal retail sales in Australia have never grown at less than 2.2%. Expenditure on household goods has only rarely and briefly gone negative year on year."

The stock pays out a tidy dividend yield of 7%, but it also boasts capital growth potential.

"We view the total shareholder return as attractive, given the risk profile," read the Auscap memo.

"We are also enthused by management's growth initiatives and the potential for HDN to benefit from any future improvement in sentiment towards the listed real estate sector."

'Long and bullish'

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) has always been a reliable dividend producer for many Australian investors.

But it's looking especially attractive now, with Market Matters portfolio manager James Gerrish last week naming the Big Australian as his favourite ASX iron ore stock.

"Market Matters is long and bullish on BHP in our active income and flagship growth portfolios, with no plans to take profit in either."

The mining stock is handing out a whopping 8.8% dividend yield, which is fully franked, no less.

For a small-cap dark horse, SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF) offers both growth potential and a high income.

New rules to incentivise Australians to buy low-emissions vehicles have helped its fortunes greatly in 2023.

"Recent changes to the fringe benefits tax for electric and low-emission vehicles in Australia have made it more attractive to lease rather than buy these vehicles, benefiting SGFleet's business model," finance expert and accountant John-Louis Judges told The Bull last month.

"There is an expected increase in demand for SG Fleet's services following [the] global… shift towards environmentally friendly vehicles."

SG Fleet shares currently pay out a 7.1% dividend yield that's fully franked.

Check out what your $5,000 turned into

If you bought an equal dollar amount of shares in each of those three companies, your collective dividend yield would stand at 7.63%.

Let's say that after the initial $5,000 investment, each month you managed to save enough to buy $100 more of each stock. And you immediately reinvested the dividends.

That means after just 10 years, your nest egg will have grown to $61,674.

If you then stopped reinvesting the dividends, you will receive a passive income each year of $4,705.

After adding franking benefits, that's pretty much your entire initial investment amount given back to you every year in perpetuity.

Nice work.

The post Here's how I'd invest $5,000 in ASX dividend shares right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

However, a high yield does not necessarily make a great investment.

This is because a stock might offer outstanding dividend yields because its valuation has fallen. And a point-in-time yield percentage does not say anything about the future prospects of the business.

So in order to pick an income-producing stock that also has sound business fundamentals, the yield might need to come down a tad from the highest on offer.

8% dividend with excellent growth? Yes, please

SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF) is not a name often spoken about, but the company currently offers a chunky dividend yield of 8.15%.

The Sydney company, with a market capitalisation of around $660 million, provides fleet management services.

With a resurgence in private transport since the emergence of COVID-19, the company has posted an impressive performance in recent times.

In fact, during February's reporting season, SG Fleet shares rocketed 10% in just a couple of hours after posting a 41% leap in half-year profit.

"We have demonstrated the strength of our competitive position and our ability to turn the steady stream of new business opportunities into further customer wins and vehicle orders," the company announced at the time.

Add to that a 100% franked dividend stream, and you have yourself a handsome income stock in your portfolio.

Another bonus is that, currently, the share price is trading about 23% lower than it was a year ago, presenting a tempting buying opportunity.

On CMC Markets, all four analysts covering the fleet manager rate the stock as a buy.

Rules are changing for more efficient vehicles 

Earlier this month, finance expert and accountant John-Louis Judges named SG Fleet as a stock that's set to benefit from a changing Australian economy.

"Recent changes to the fringe benefits tax for electric and low-emission vehicles in Australia have made it more attractive to lease rather than buy these vehicles, benefiting SGF's business model," Judges said in The Bull.

"There is an expected increase in demand for SGF's services following [a] global… shift towards environmentally friendly vehicles."

He noted how the company operates in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

"SGF's global spread indicates a diversified revenue stream, and allows them to weather any economic downturns or market volatility," he said.

"SGF's ability to adapt to changing market conditions and strong financial performance make it a sound investment choice for investors who may be looking for long-term growth."

The post My top high-yield ASX dividend stock to buy in 2023 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF)

The Challenger share price is up 5% to $7.65. Investors have been buying this annuities company's shares following the release of its half year results. Challenger reported a 5% increase in normalised profit before tax to $250 million. This allowed the company to increase its interim dividend by 4% to 12 cents per share.

SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF)

The SG Fleet share price is up 10% to $2.29. This morning, this fleet management company reported a 16% lift in revenue to $178.4 million and a 41% jump in half year profit to $41.9 million. Management commented: "We have demonstrated the strength of our competitive position and our ability to turn the steady stream of new business opportunities into further customers wins and vehicle orders."

Sims Ltd (ASX: SGM)

The Sims share price is up 8% to $15.91. The catalyst for this has been the release of the scrap metal company's half year results. Sims reported a 10% decline in revenue and a whopping 80% decline in underlying net profit after tax. However, investors appear to have been expecting even worse.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

The Universal Store share price is up 5% to $5.69. This appears to have been driven by a bullish broker note out of Citi. According to the note, the broker has upgraded this retailer's shares to a buy rating with a $6.00 price target. Citi believes consensus estimates are too low.

The post Why Challenger, SG Fleet, Sims, and Universal Store shares are rising appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Right now, the All Ordinaries is up 0.35%, trading at just over 7,640 points.

Let's take a look at the stocks roaring higher on the back of earnings updates.

3 ASX All Ordinaries shares soaring on earnings updates

First up is All Ordinaries share Sims Ltd (ASX: SGM). It rocketed nearly 9% to trade at $15.95 earlier today despite the metal recycling company revealing tumbling profits.

However, reports UBS has upped its price target for Sims stock to $16 might also be bolstering it on Tuesday.

The company's underlying post-tax profit for the first half came in at $53 million. That marks an 80.3% fall on that of the prior comparable period (pcp).

Its sales revenue also dropped 10% to $3.8 billion. Meanwhile, its interim dividend was slashed by 66% to 14 cents per share.

CEO and managing director Alistair Field said the downturn was driven by lower steel prices and weakening customer demand, while high fuel prices and decelerating economic activity saw scrap volumes slump.

Meanwhile, investors in All Ordinaries fleet management solutions company SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF) will likely be happy with the news driving its share price higher. The stock leapt to a high of $2.36 earlier today, representing a 13% gain.

The company posted a $41.9 million post-tax profit for the first half – marking a 41% year-on-year improvement.

It also declared an 8.91 cents per share interim dividend – a 7.1% increase on last year's.

All that was despite continuous supply chain difficulties, which will likely push benefits forward to be realised in coming periods.

Finally, All Ordinaries retailer KMD Brands Ltd (ASX: KMD) technically didn't release earnings today. However, its share price is soaring on an update on its first-half trading, peaking at $1.03 – a 6% gain.

The company is behind brands Kathmandu, Rip Curl, and Oboz.

It announced record first-half sales of around $546 million today – a 34% increase on that of the pcp.

Its underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) for the half year is expected to come in at $45 million.

The company will post its audited results on 22 March.

The post 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares rocketing over 5% on strong earnings updates appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

As the August earnings season draws to a close, several ASX shares are trading ex-dividend this month.

The ex-dividend date is when investors must have purchased a company's shares beforehand to be eligible for the upcoming dividend. If you buy the shares on or after the ex-dividend date, the dividend will go to the seller.

Below, we take a look at the ASX All Ordinaries shares that are trading ex-dividend on Wednesday.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares will trade ex-dividend for the telco's 8.5 cents per share fully franked dividend. This will be paid to eligible shareholders on 22 September.

Pact Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: PGH) shares will also trade ex-dividend on Wednesday for the company's partially franked 1.5 cent per share final dividend. Shareholders will have to wait until 6 October to receive the packaging and recycling business's dividend payment.

SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF) shares are set to trade without the rights to the fleet management company's full franked 6.81 cents per share final dividend. SG Fleet shareholders will be paid this dividend on 8 September.

Foolish Takeaway

To qualify for any of the above dividends, you'll need to make sure you buy the company's shares before the close of trade today.

After that, you will still qualify for the dividend even if you sell the shares tomorrow or at a later date.

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

Shares in the vehicle fleet management provider are trading for $2.80 each at the time of writing, a gain of 2.19%. For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is 0.65% higher.

SG Fleet recorded significant top and bottom line growth across all its operating segments in Australia and overseas.

Let's check the highlights of the company's results.

What did SG Fleet report?

• Total net revenue up 58% on FY21 to $313 million
• Net profit after tax (NPAT) up 39% on FY21 to $60.7 million
• Underlying earnings per share (EPS) up 12.4% on FY21 to 21.50 cents
• Fully franked final dividend of 6.81 cents a share
• Total FY22 dividend up 20.2% on FY21 to 15.13 cents per share

Revenues and profitability increased following a surge in demand post-COVID. The company's order books are currently backlogged and it's expected to work through them in FY23.

SG Fleet also provided an update on its LeasePlan acquisition, noting that it was "on track," with the company exploring additional avenues to accelerate its incorporation. 58,857 vehicles were added to the company's fleet courtesy of LeasePlan, bringing its total to 145,351 vehicles in FY22.

It also noted an uptick in interest for its electric vehicles and decarbonisation efforts with continued enthusiasm from its clients.

What else happened in FY22?

SG Fleet reported top-line growth in all its operating segments across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and corporate. The largest increase was reported in the New Zealand operating segment, with revenues jumping from $13.26 million in FY21 to $122.26 million for an 821.37% boost in FY22.

The growth of the New Zealand operating segment was buoyed by a rebound in demand after COVID-19 and by adding and retaining new corporate and business accounts, particularly with small and medium-sized enterprises.

An increase in bottom line earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) was also consistent across the board. Australian earnings increased 22.93% to $72.39 million in FY22.

What did management say?

SG Fleet Chief Executive Officer Robbie Blau commented on the company's performance in FY22, stating:

All of our businesses have maintained the momentum built up early on in the COVID-19 period. While the Corporate channels have been performing well throughout, we are now also seeing further growth in enquiry levels in the Novated channel. Across all of the Company's geographies, the Corporate and the Novated channels continued to face the challenge of delivering what remained limited supply against a growing order pipeline.

What's next?

Global macro headwinds are expected to batter the company's stock for at least the next twelve months.

SG Fleet stated that a mix of inflation and cost trends "suggest a permanent lift" in the price of used vehicles, which the company relies on for its fleet.

Further headwinds include a difficult supply environment that is not expected to resolve in the next 12 months.

As a result, the delivery of orders is being pushed out. The company cited the war in Ukraine and high demand as causing delays and leading to a significant order backlog.

SG Fleet share price snapshot

The SG Fleet share price is currently up 12% year to date. That's a better performance than the benchmark index which is down 6% over the same period.

At the current share price, SG Fleet has a market capitalisation of around $957 million.

The post SG Fleet share price rises on FY22 earnings increase 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:

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

The Core Lithium share price has jumped 10% to $1.07. A number of lithium shares are among the best performers on the ASX today. This could potentially be due to comments out of EV maker Rivian. Overnight, it spoke about the difficulties in sourcing raw materials and revealed that it will be following Tesla's lead by switching to lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry for its standard-level vehicles.

Nickel Mines Ltd (ASX: NIC)

The Nickel Mines share price is up 2.5% to $1.25. This morning the nickel producer revealed that it has cancelled its share purchase plan at the last minute after its shares sank well below the impending issue price of $1.37. This could mean that some shareholders that were taking part in the share purchase plan have been buying shares on-market today instead.

SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF)

The SG Fleet share price is up 3% to $2.48. This morning the team at Morgan Stanley retained its overweight rating and $3.40 price target on the company's shares. It believes recent share price weakness has created a buying opportunity for investors. Especially given its impressive performance during the first half.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

The Whitehaven Coal share price is up 3% to $4.07. Yesterday Whitehaven Coal was named as one of three coal miners that Goldman Sachs rates as buys at present. Although the broker expects coal prices to pullback meaningfully from current levels, it has still made a notable upgrade to its price forecasts for the year. Goldman has a buy rating and $4.70 price target on its shares.

The post Why Core Lithium, Nickel Mines, SG Fleet, and Whitehaven Coal are pushing higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Fleet management company, SG Fleet Group Ltd (ASX: SGF) released its half-year results yesterday. To say ASX investors were pleased with the details might be an understatement given the 19% share price spike by the session's end.

Today, the SG Fleet share price is down 1.77% to $2.78 at the time of writing.

SG Fleet share price spikes on 16% profit surge

For the half-year ending 31 December 2021, SG Fleet highlighted:

• $29.7 million in profit, a 16.6% increase against the prior corresponding period (1H21)
• Underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) of $39.3 million, up 54.3%
• Underlying earnings per share (EPS) at 12.02 cents per share, up 23.5%
• Fully franked interim dividend of 8.318 cents a share, up 15.7%.

The company saw increases in both reported and underlying NPAT — including an "$8.1 million and $9 million four-month contribution respectively" from the LeasePlan Australia and New Zealand businesses.

After acquiring LeasePlan in September last year, SG Fleet expects to continue reaping the benefits.

SG Fleet announced that shareholders will be paid a fully franked interim dividend of 8.318 cents a share on 10 March.

What else happened in the half?

SG Fleet also gave an update on both its local and global operations.

The Australian segment of the business saw "a significant number of new accounts" and "several large contract extensions", the company said.

It also reported that customers were increasingly replacing their fleets with hybrid or electric vehicles.

Just across the water, the company's New Zealand business continued to be impacted by the country's COVID-19 lockdowns. However, it was buoyed by the renewal of "a large government contract", according to the announcement.

SG Fleet also saw a "number of new business opportunities" as the United Kingdom began to relax its COVID-19 restrictions.

Since 31 December 2021, the price of this ASX All Ordinaries share has increased by 6.9%.

Management commentary

Speaking on the results, CEO Robbie Blau said:

Our Corporate businesses in Australia, New Zealand and the UK continued the strong performance delivered during the COVID-19 period and Novated demand is growing steadily. Supply disruption still dominates our operating environment and this impacted our ability to deliver the increasing number of orders won in this and earlier periods. A significant proportion of this order pipeline will consequently be delivered in future periods.

SG Fleet shares underperform All Ordinaries index

Over the past 12 months, the SG Fleet share price has increased by just 1.4%. By comparison, ASX All Ordinaries shares increased collectively by 6.4%.

SG Fleet saw its 52-week high of $3.29 in June last year and hit its annual low of $2.21 in late January.

The company has a market capitalisation of $967 million.

The post Why this ASX All Ordinaries share has rocketed 16% in a week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Why is the SG Fleet share price worth watching?

SG Fleet this morning announced the successful completion of its retail capital raising. The company raised $15 million under the 1 for 7.44 pro rata, accelerated, non-renounceable offer announced on 31 March 2021.

That money was raised at $2.45 per share with a take-up rate of approximately 78%. The SG Fleet share price is steady at $3.02 right now despite the steep discount on the capital raise.

Including the institutional component, SG Fleet's capital raise netted the company $86 million. Approximately 6 million new shares will be issued and allotted on Friday under the Retail Entitlement Offer.

The SG Fleet share price has been steady in early trade and will be one to watch throughout the day.

How has the company performed recently?

Prior to the market open, SG Fleet had a market capitalisation of $880.1 million and boasted a 3.4% dividend yield.

Shares in the Aussie fleet manager have surged higher in 2021, climbing 26.4% through to yesterday's close. Those gains have come despite a disappointing half-year result which saw the company shed 7% of its market value in one day.

However, the company's planned acquisition of LeasePlan ANZ has helped turn things around in 2021. Funds from this capital raise will go towards the $387 million purchase of the company.

SG Fleet expects the acquisition to be earnings per share (EPS) accretive in FY2022 and FY2023.

The Aussie fleet manager is targeting an enterprise value of $1.5 billion following the LeasePlan ANZ acquisition.

The SG Fleet share price is one to watch throughout the year following the takeover which will increase its fleet to approximately 103,000 vehicles across 9 locations in Australia and New Zealand.

The post Why the SG Fleet (ASX:SGF) share price is worth watching appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Why is the SG Fleet share price rocketing?

It's been a big couple of weeks for the SG Fleet shareholders. Since entering a trading halt on Wednesday 24 March, the company has announced a $387 million acquisition and $86 million capital raising.

SG Fleet last week raised $72 million from its institutional entitlement offer. That offer was at $2.45 per New Share – a 5.0% discount to its last closing price of $2.58 on 23 March 2021.

That institutional offer achieved a 99.98% take-up rate from eligible shareholders. A further $14 million is expected to be raised from retail shareholders.

Those proceeds will go towards partially funding the group's planned acquisition of LeasePlan ANZ. The scrip-based consideration will cost the equivalent of $387 million for the fleet management, car leasing and salary packaging competitor.

The SG Fleet share price has this morning returned to trading in a big way. Shares in the Aussie company have rocketed higher at the time of writing to a new 52-week high of $2.85 per share.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has also enjoyed a strong start to the morning. The benchmark Aussie index was up nearly 1% at midday and approaching 6,900 points.

Foolish takeaway

The SG Fleet share price has rocketed higher in a strong start to the shortened trading week. Shares in the fleet management group have climbed after an acquisition announcement and capital raising, whilst the broader market has also lifted today.

The post Why the SG Fleet (ASX:SGF) share price surged 10% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Why is the SG Fleet share price on watch next week?

SG Fleet shares were voluntarily suspended on Wednesday 24 March 2021. That suspension is expected to be lifted on Tuesday when trading resumes after the Easter break.

SG Fleet this morning reported the successful completion of its institutional equity raising. The 1 for 7.44 pro-rata accelerated non-renounceable entitlement offer raised $72 million for the company.

Those proceeds will be used to partially fund the acquisition of LeasePlan ANZ for $387 million. The institutional offer was raised at $2.45 per New Share — a 4.5% discount to the $2.56 theoretical ex-rights price (TERP). That's also a 5.0% discount to the last closing price of $2.58 on Tuesday 23 March 2021.

The institutional offer raised approximately $72 million with a 99.98% take-up rate from eligible shareholders. A further $14 million is expected to be raised from the retail component of the equity raising.

The Aussie company's shares will be worth watching when it returns to the boards in Tuesday's trade. Following the scrip consideration as part of the LeasePlan ANZ transaction, SG Fleet's majority shareholder, Super Group Limited, will control 52.3% of issued share capital, down from 60.1% at present.

Shares in the Aussie leasing group had climbed 7.5% in 2021 prior to the acquisition update last Wednesday. In the last 12 months, the SG Fleet share price has climbed 106.4% to outperform the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) by nearly 70%.

Foolish takeaway

All eyes will be on the SG Fleet share price when the Aussie fleet management group returns to the ASX after Easter. Tuesday will represent the first day of trade since the major LeasePlan ANZ acquisition announced last Wednesday.

The post Why the SG Fleet (ASX:SGF) share price is one to watch next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.