The ASX 20 is home to many top-quality stocks. After all, you don't make it to the exclusive club that is the largest 20 public companies listed on our stock market without doing something right.
Saying that, it's fair to say that the ASX 20 is not cheap right now. Many of the stocks currently in the top 20 have seen significant share price appreciation in recent years, and today, don't offer a lot of value at current pricing (Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is a perfect example).
However, there are still a few stocks on the ASX 20 that I would be happy to recommend for purchase today for the right investors. Here are three, and why.
CSL has been a stalwart of the ASX 20 for years now. This leading healthcare company has been stuck in a rut for a while, though, hovering around the $250-$300 share price point ever since the COVID crash of 2020.
Despite this share price stagnation, CSL has continued to grow, cementing its dominance in blood plasma medicines and vaccines. The company's latest half-year results from February revealed that CSL recorded a 5% growth in revenues to US$8.48 billion and a 7% hike in net profits to US$2.04 billion. Shareholders were also treated to a 16% dividend hike.
CSL will continue to play a leading role in global healthcare, and its shares look pretty compelling at today's pricing.
Another ASX 20 stock that hasn't done a whole lot in recent years is toll road operator Transurban Group. Transurban is the name behind almost every major tolled road in Australia. If you regularly traverse Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, you would probably be familiar with at least one of Transurban's tolled arterial routes.
Transurban is well-known for its highly stable dividend. However, given the company's leveraged nature, it has been hurt hard by rising interest rates in recent years. Given that rates are predicted to come down even further in 2025, it might be a good time to take another look at Transurban. Particularly if you're an income investor who invests solely for dividends. At recent pricing, this company is offering up a dividend yield close to 4.5%.
As we mentioned above, ANZ's big four banking stablemate, CBA, has had a spectacular run in recent months. So too have the other banks, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB). But ANZ has missed out on much of this optimism, with its shares barely moving since 2021 compared to how they sit today.
Sure, ANZ has faced some structural challenges. Even so, we can't ignore that this ASX 20 bank is trading on a dividend yield of over 5.7% today. This bank has an enviable track record of paying out fat dividends. As such, I think this bank is also worth a deeper dive today, particularly for those investors who prioritise seeking income from their stocks.
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