Month: May 2022

  • AGL share price on watch as demerger scrapped

    A businesswoman angrily throws her papers into the air.A businesswoman angrily throws her papers into the air.

    The AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) share price could be in the firing line on Monday morning amid the latest developments in the demerger saga.

    Reports by The Australian late yesterday afternoon suggested the country’s largest energy retailer holds doubt on its prospects of receiving approval in the upcoming demerger vote. The energy giant has since confirmed the news ahead of the opening bell.

    The development follows last week’s news that Wilson Asset Management boss Geoff Wilson had also grown sceptical of the split.

    Cannon-Brookes has it his way

    While the Atlassian Corporation (NASDAQ: TEAM) co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes was not the only opponent of AGL’s intention to cut itself into two, he has certainly been the loudest.

    From partnering up with Brookfield in a rejected $8.25 billion takeover bid, to quietly accumulating an 11.28% stake in the energy company — Cannon-Brookes has been unrelenting in challenging the proposal.

    Yet, exactly 11 months on from the first mention of the radical AGL restructure, it appears the tech billionaire has prevailed. Shareholders will be watching intently to see how the AGL share price reacts to the news this morning.

    According to the latest release, AGL Energy is withdrawing its proposal to break the company into AGL Australia and Accel Energy. Though, the board’s decision appears to have been made begrudgingly. The announcement notes that the board still believes the demerger would have been “the best way forward”.

    However, with the strong opposition from the likes of Cannon-Brookes’ Grok Ventures, the board thinks it is unlikely to get over the required 75% approval mark. As such, the energy company is canning the proposal and opting for a strategic review.

    AGL share price in focus on board shake-up

    ASX-listed AGL will also be seeking a new CEO following the decision for Graeme Hunt to step down from the role. Though, the shake-up of the board doesn’t stop there.

    In addition, chair Peter Botten, non-exec director Jacqueline Hey, and Diane Smith-Gander will all resign from the board.

    It is believed that Mike Cannon-Brookes will seek to gain representation on the AGL board.

    The AGL share price is up 44.46% since the beginning of the year.

    The post AGL share price on watch as demerger scrapped appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in AGL Energy right now?

    Before you consider AGL Energy, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and AGL Energy wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Atlassian. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why has the Galileo Mining share price shot to the stars in May?

    rocket taking off indicating a share price riserocket taking off indicating a share price rise

    The Galileo Mining Ltd (ASX: GAL) share price has been on a tear during the month of May.

    The mineral exploration and development company recently released a couple of positive announcements which has excited investors.

    During Friday’s trading session, Galileo Mining shares touched an all-time high of $1.95 before slightly retracing.

    At market close on Friday, its shares finished 20.57% higher to $1.70.

    This means that Galileo Mining shares are now up by more than an incredible 660% in May.

    What’s driving Galileo Mining shares to record highs?

    The Galileo Mining share price has caught the attention of investors following the company’s latest drill results.

    The rare and precious metal, rhodium was intercepted from a drill hole at the Callisto discovery of the Norseman Project.

    Rhodium is an extremely valuable metal that is much pricier than gold or silver, around US$15,600 per ounce.

    The silvery-white, hard, corrosion-resistant transition metal is used in catalytic converters designed to clean vehicle emissions. It is also alloyed with platinum for aircraft turbine engines.

    The assay results showed rhodium values of up to 0.094 grams per tonne. Average values across the 33-metre interval intersected consisted of 0.05 grams per tonne.

    In addition, Galileo Mining announced a major discovery of palladium-platinum-copper-nickel-sulphide earlier in the month.

    Management is hopeful that the initial drill hole will translate into a high-quality resource for mining.

    A forward work program has been put into action which involves downhole EM surveying of selected drill holes. This will assist with next stage of targeting a 2,000 to 5,000 metre RC drilling campaign.

    Galileo Mining share price summary

    Over the last 12 months, Galileo Mining shares have travelled on a slow and gradual decline before rocketing this month.

    The company’s shares surged 470% since this time last year, but are up 655% in 2022.

    Based on valuation grounds, Galileo Mining presides a market capitalisation of roughly $286.30 million.

    The post Why has the Galileo Mining share price shot to the stars in May? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Galileo Mining right now?

    Before you consider Galileo Mining, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Galileo Mining wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • The corporate cop is suing ANZ: share price on watch

    a judge sitting in a blurred background reaches forward to strike his gavel on the strikeplate on his judge's bench.a judge sitting in a blurred background reaches forward to strike his gavel on the strikeplate on his judge's bench.

    The corporate regulator Australian Securities and Investments Commission has started civil legal action against Australia and New Zealand Banking GrpLtd (ASX: ANZ).

    ANZ shares will be carefully monitored Monday morning after the corporate regulator alleged the bank misled around 165,750 customers about their available funds and balances on their credit cards.

    The bank then allegedly charged fees and interest based on the incorrect information.

    For those customers, the false representations allegedly occurred for more than two years — between May 2016 and November 2018.

    ASIC deputy chair Sarah Court claimed the practice is still happening.

    “This alleged misconduct is the result of system errors within ANZ and a lack of effort to comprehensively fix these issues,” she said.

    “We say that ANZ has been aware of the unlawful charging since at least 2018.”

    ANZ acknowledged the legal action in a message to the ASX.

    “ANZ is considering the matters raised by ASIC in its concise statement,” the bank stated.

    “ANZ will not be providing further comment, given the matter is now before the court.”

    Some customers ‘charged thousands of dollars in fees’

    By allegedly overstating the funds available, customers spent money according to that information then ANZ was able to slug them fees and interest.

    “In some cases, single customers were charged thousands of dollars in fees,” she said.

    “The average cash advance fees and interest charged per affected account was $47.”

    The false balances were allegedly shown on the ANZ website, app, and at ATMs.

    Although ANZ has given back more than $10 million to customers affected until 17 November 2018, ASIC alleges current clients continue to be misled.

    The corporate watchdog is asking the Federal Court to apply declarations and monetary penalties on the bank.

    The court has yet to schedule the date for the first case management hearing.

    The ANZ share price is down 8.3% for the year so far. The last month has been especially tough for its investors, as the bank’s stock plummeted almost 6%.

    According to The Motley Fool’s Bernd Struben, ANZ shares trade at the lowest price-to-earnings ratio out of the big four banks.

    The post The corporate cop is suing ANZ: share price on watch appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why I’d buy these 2 ASX 200 shares

    A tattoed woman holds two fingers up in a peace sign.A tattoed woman holds two fingers up in a peace sign.

    There are a number of quality S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares that this writer thinks are worthwhile buys right now, particularly during this volatility.

    In my opinion, it’s times of market declines that can end up being the most attractive time to buy because of the lower prices.

    Who knows how long these prices will stay where they are? They could go lower, or higher, from here.

    But, at the current levels, I think these two ASX 200 shares look like good options.

    Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

    Goodman is one of the largest property businesses on the ASX. This ASX 200 share is a major developer, owner, and operator of industrial properties around the world.

    The company is benefitting from the high level of demand for logistics and e-commerce properties. That’s why it’s working on such a large pipeline of potential opportunities. As at 31 March 2022, Goodman had $13.4 billion of development work in progress across 89 projects.

    The customer demand is also helping the rental profit for the business. In the latest quarter it reported 3.7% like for like net property income (NPI) growth in its managed partnerships. As well as attractive rental income growth, it also has a high occupancy rate of 98.7% across its partnerships.

    In a rising interest environment, I think it’s good that Goodman has a low level of debt. At 31 December 2021 its gearing was 7.2%, and it has over $2 billion of liquidity.

    The ongoing work on projects and valuation gains of existing properties has helped its total assets under management (AUM) reach $68.7 billion. The company expects this to rise to above $70 billion by 30 June 2022.

    The ASX 200 share is expecting to achieve FY22 operating earnings per security (EPS) growth of 23%.

    I think the Goodman share price looks attractive after its 26% fall in 2022.

    BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

    I think that BHP is one of the highest-quality resource businesses on the ASX.

    The diversified nature of BHP’s portfolio of commodities is attractive to me. In the near future, it will divest its petroleum business to Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS). It will be left with the following commodities: iron, metallurgical (steel-making) coal, copper, nickel and potash.

    I’m particularly excited by the company’s plans for potash, which is a type of fertiliser. It’s an attractive growth area because it’s seen as “low emission, biosphere friendly and positively leveraged to decarbonisation”.

    BHP says that strong fundamentals and a mature existing asset base offer an attractive entry opportunity with its Jansen potash asset in Canada.

    The ASX 200 mining share says it will be able to achieve large-scale production at low cost, leading to an attractive profit margin with the commodity.

    I think that BHP can continue to benefit from good commodity prices, leading to strong cash flow, which can mean juicy dividends.

    As BHP becomes focused on greener commodities, like copper and potash, I think it will become more attractive to ESG-focused investors.

    The post Why I’d buy these 2 ASX 200 shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

    Model bear in front of falling line graph, cheap stocks, cheap ASX shares

    Model bear in front of falling line graph, cheap stocks, cheap ASX shares

    Once a week I like to look at ASIC’s short position report to find out which shares are being targeted by short sellers.

    This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn’t quite right with a company.

    With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

    • Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) continues to be the most shorted ASX share with short interest of 17%, which is down slightly week on week. There are concerns that the market may be expecting too much too soon from the travel market recovery.
    • Betmakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET) has seen its short interest remain flat at 13.5%. This betting technology company appears to have been targeted due to its lofty valuation.
    • Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) has short interest of 12.5%, which is up slightly week on week. Short sellers have been increasing their interest in this medical device company since it announced a major change to its sales model in the United States. Though, it is worth noting that last week management said the transition was going well.
    • Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has seen its short interest continue to rise to 11.3%. Short sellers have been topping up their positions despite the medical device company’s Chairman aggressively buying shares this month.
    • Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) has short interest of 10.1%, which is up week on week. Despite Webjet expecting a big improvement in its performance in FY 2023, short sellers don’t appear confident this will be the case.
    • Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) has seen its short interest rise to 9.9%. Short sellers will be breathing a sigh of relief after a crazy week. This AI services company’s shares rocketed higher after receiving a takeover approach from Telus International. However, it gave back those gains after Telus withdrew its offer just hours after it was revealed. Appen also released a trading update which revealed a very poor performance during the first half.
    • Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) has short interest of 9.2%, which is up slightly since last week. This gold miner appears to have been targeted amid concerns over labour shortages, cost pressures, and lower grades.
    • EML Payments Ltd (ASX: EML) has seen its short interest reduce to 9%. Short sellers have been going after this payments company since it revealed a deterioration in its performance during the third quarter.
    • Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) has seen its short interest reduce to 9%. Short sellers have been targeting this ecommerce company due to its poor inventory management, weakening margins, and rising competition from Amazon.
    • AMA Group Ltd (ASX: AMA) has 9% of its shares held short, which is down slightly week on week. This high level of short interest may be due to the crash repair company’s precarious balance sheet.

    The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Appen Ltd, Betmakers Technology Group Ltd, EML Payments, Kogan.com ltd, Nanosonics Limited, and POLYNOVO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended EML Payments, Kogan.com ltd, and Nanosonics Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Betmakers Technology Group Ltd, Flight Centre Travel Group Limited, and Webjet Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Mineral Monday: What you need to know about vanadium and which ASX shares are cashing in on it

    A male geologist wearing a white hardhat and orange high vis vest talks on a walkie-talkie while staring at a rock showing mineral deposits

    A male geologist wearing a white hardhat and orange high vis vest talks on a walkie-talkie while staring at a rock showing mineral deposits

    You’ll find no shortage of ASX shares operating in the resource space.

    That’s mostly because Australia has been blessed with an abundance of natural resources.

    When it comes to critical minerals like vanadium, however, the number of ASX shares exploring for and producing the element is much narrower.

    We’ll look at three of those below.

    But first…

    What is vanadium?

    If you recall your periodic table from your school days, vanadium is atomic number 23.

    It’s a ductile metal that’s resistant to corrosion from alkalis, acids and salt water.

    Vanadium is primarily used to produce stronger, more heat resistant steel. You’ll also find it in nuclear reactors and modern batteries.

    Currently China produces almost 60% of the global vanadium supply.

    And with the Western world working to secure supplies of crucial materials outside of China, vanadium has been listed as a critical mineral by the Australian government.

    So, which ASX shares are digging up vanadium?

    The ASX shares cashing in on vanadium

    First off, we have the aptly named Australian Vanadium Ltd (ASX: AVL).

    The company’s main focus is its Australian Vanadium Project, located in Western Australia, which has a globally significant vanadium resource.

    AVL has seen some big share price swings over the past 12 months on reports of various successes and setbacks. All up, investors have rewarded the company, with shares up 120% since this time last year.

    The small-cap ASX share has a market capitalisation of $157 million.

    Who else is focused on vanadium?

    Another ASX share involved with vanadium is Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT).

    Among its projects, Neometals is the 100% owner of the Barrambie vanadium-titanium project. The company is also working on vanadium recovery in Europe.

    Following a 158% share price surge over the past 12 months, Neometals has a current market cap of $705 million.

    Looking into the larger companies, there’s also Syrah Resources Ltd (ASX: SYR).

    While not the element is its primary focus, Syrah reported its Balama graphite project in Mozambique “contains a significant vanadium by-product resource which presents a potential value-accretive opportunity”.

    The company added:

    Vanadium, a by-product which is liberated during the graphite production process, could potentially be refined into a saleable product via processing of material currently reporting to tailings at Balama.

    The Syrah resources share price is up 79% since this time last year.

    That gives the ASX share a market cap of $1.2 billion.

    The post Mineral Monday: What you need to know about vanadium and which ASX shares are cashing in on it appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Neometals right now?

    Before you consider Neometals, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Neometals wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • 3 ASX lithium shares set to roar back: experts

    Three Argosy miners stand together at a mine site studying documents with equipment in the backgroundThree Argosy miners stand together at a mine site studying documents with equipment in the background

    As hot as they are, ASX lithium shares have not been immune to the selldown the last few weeks.

    However, the long-term global demand for the resource cannot be denied, according to resources sector columnist Barry Fitzgerald.

    “The thematic is alive and well. And it’s here to stay for decades to come, as governments and companies alike combine forces to rein in global carbon emissions,” he posted on Livewire.

    “It means decarbonisation is pushing through the current equity market concerns.”

    That doesn’t mean there won’t be some volatility in the short term. But eventually, China will abandon zero-COVID, inflation and rates will settle down, and the war in Ukraine will come to an end.

    “None of those recovery factors for the global economy are around the corner,” said Fitzgerald.

    “But they will pass, while all the time, the decarbonisation thematic will continue to gather pace, creating huge and decades-long supply challenges for the broad sweep of commodities plugged into the decarbonisation effort.”

    Taking advantage of low share prices

    Fitzgerald noted that already investors are returning to “take advantage” of low share prices.

    He specifically named three lithium producer ASX shares that have massive upside, citing figures from Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG).

    “The firm has a price target on Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) of $4 compared with its Thursday close of $2.81. Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE), trading at $13.49, was given a price target of $17.70 and Liontown Resources Limited (ASX: LTR), trading at $1.28, was given a target of $2.50.”

    Pilbara shares have lost almost 20% since 4 April. The Liontown share price has plunged 37.5% over the same period. 

    Allkem shares plummeted 20% until a fortnight ago but have rallied 30.75% since. 

    The sell-off was triggered by market worries about China’s latest COVID lockdowns and their impact on lithium demand.

    “While there has been a little bit of weakness, the resultant equities sell-off has clearly been overdone.”

    State of the lithium industry

    The big reform currently under way in the lithium industry is to switch customers from fixed-price contracts to a more variable agreement.

    Macquarie analysts calculated that Pilbara and Allkem were valued as if their “realised lithium carbonate equivalent price” was US$15,000/t.

    But the spot price for lithium is currently at a massive US$70,000/t, according to Fitzgerald.

    “There is an almighty scramble by the industry to capture a greater share of the bumper spot pricing by shifting their customers to more variable/index-based pricing contracts,” he said.

    “Early success in doing just that was why the big US lithium producer Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) was able to again upgrade profit expectations during the week.”

    In addition to contractual changes, Pilbara showed this month with its online auction of spodumene concentrates that investor worries about a Chinese slowdown were “overdone”.

    “The cargo of 5,000/t (grading 5.5% lithium oxide) popped off for a record $US5,955/t,” said Fitzgerald.

    “On a more standard 6% basis, it equates to $6,586/t, or 5% more than the last auction a month ago.”

    All eyes will be on the Resources Rising Stars conference on the Gold Coast to be held next week.

    “Pilbara boss Ken Brinsden will be giving investors an up-to-date assessment of the lithium market,” said Fitzgerald.

    “Liontown boss Tony Ottaviano will also be updating investors on the group’s Kathleen Valley development.”

    The post 3 ASX lithium shares set to roar back: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Pilbara Minerals right now?

    Before you consider Pilbara Minerals, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Pilbara Minerals wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Here’s why the AVZ Minerals share price caused such a stir in May

    A young woman lifts her glasses with one hand as if to take a closer look at something as she has a look of surprised interest on her face with her mouth in an O shape.

    A young woman lifts her glasses with one hand as if to take a closer look at something as she has a look of surprised interest on her face with her mouth in an O shape.

    AVZ Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ) has been among the headlines frequently in May.

    That’s despite the AVZ share price spending most of the month either in a trading halt or suspension.

    What’s going on with the AVZ share price this month?

    At the start of the month, the AVZ share price was paused pending the release of an announcement.

    That announcement came and revealed to much delight that the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Minister of Mines has signed the ministerial decree to award the mining licence for the Manono Lithium and Tin Project.

    However, at the bottom of this milestone announcement was a bombshell which rocked the AVZ share price and has resulted in its suspension.

    What was the bombshell?

    The aforementioned mining licence has been awarded, as expected, to Dathcom Mining. This is a joint venture of which AVZ is currently the majority owner with a 75% interest.

    The key word there is currently. There are concerns that the company could soon go from being the majority owner to just a minor owner of the project.

    This follows news that AVZ has been hit with arbitration proceedings by Jin Cheng Mining Company in the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris (ICC). It is seeking to be recognised as a shareholder of Dathcom Mining SA.

    This would have obvious consequences for the valuation of the AVZ share price, hence why it is suspended currently.

    What ownership outcomes exist?

    At best, AVZ will end up owning a 66% stake in the project. This would be the result of its agreement to sell 24% to Suzhou CATH Energy Technologies for a US$240 million investment and acquiring 15% from La Congolaise D’Exploitation Miniere SA (Cominiere), which it believes it is entitled to.

    At worst, AVZ will own only 36% of the project. This would reflect the sale to Suzhou CATH Energy Technologies, the potential failure to acquire 15% from Cominiere, and the potential loss of 15% to Jin Cheng.

    The AVZ share price is scheduled to return to trade on 1 June. However, given how long legal challenges can last, I wouldn’t be surprised to see its suspension extended further.

    The post Here’s why the AVZ Minerals share price caused such a stir in May appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in AVZ right now?

    Before you consider AVZ, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and AVZ wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • 2 ASX shares experts think have sold off too much

    A man in a business suit wearing boxing gloves slumps in the corner of a boxing ring representing the beaten-up Zip share price in recent timesA man in a business suit wearing boxing gloves slumps in the corner of a boxing ring representing the beaten-up Zip share price in recent times

    It’s shocking enough the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has sunk 5.8% so far this year.

    But with mining and financial shares dragging the index up, there are hundreds of ASX shares that have fallen far more than that.

    Some former market darlings, especially ASX growth stocks, have seen their valuations halve, if not worse.

    But are we now at a point where some of those businesses have been punished too much? Perhaps the stock price has lost all sense of the company’s outlook?  

    A couple of experts recently each picked out an ASX share they think are in that position and are ripe to buy right now:

    ‘Unjustly’ sold off

    To Montgomery Investment Management portfolio manager Gary Rollo, Symbio Holdings Ltd (ASX: SYM) looks way too cheap at the moment.

    The software maker has seen its share price plunge 38.7% this calendar year.

    “It’s been sold off so hard because the comparators, the overseas players that do what it does, they’re at a different stage in their life cycle than the Symbio is,” Rollo told a Livewire video.

    “So this business has had its valuation regime adjusted, I think unjustly, without reflecting on the fundamentals.”

    Rollo doesn’t detect any change to the business or its outlook compared to before the stock price fall.

    “It’s a $350 million market cap. It’s got $50 million of cash on the balance sheet, so we don’t have a capital structure question,” he said.

    “It’s on 8.5 to 9 times EBITDA [earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation]… so it doesn’t have a valuation question.”

    Symbio’s hot growth opportunity is in Asia and that hasn’t diminished.

    “But you’re not paying for it and so we like the look of that and that’s our tip for now.” 

    ‘Capital-light, high growth’ business

    QVG Capital portfolio manager Josh Clark picked Johns Lyng Group Ltd (ASX: JLG) as a current bargain.

    Johns Lyng shares have fallen a shocking 37.5% just this month.

    “Yeah, absolutely it’s been sold off, [from] the $9 range into the mid-$5s or thereabouts, so the valuation’s actually starting to look much more compelling.”

    As a service provider to insurance companies, Johns Lyng was recognised by the market as a star in recent years.

    Clark admits that did make the ASX share expensive before May started.

    “But they haven’t seen a change to their earnings. They’re still going to hit their earnings guidance,” he said.

    “I think part of the sell-off is the market’s having a bit of a hissy fit that there’s no upgrade near term… Also management has sold some stock.”

    Clark urged investors to look past the recent share price movements.

    “If you focus too much on that, you’re missing the forest for the trees,” he said.

    “It’s still a really capital-light, high growth services business. I’ve said this a lot, but owner, founder-led, which is really important and these guys have just got more irons in the fire than you can count.”

    The post 2 ASX shares experts think have sold off too much appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Johns Lyng Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Johns Lyng Group Limited and Symbio Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Symbio Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Johns Lyng Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Here are 2 top ASX dividend shares to buy according to analysts

    A woman in a bright yellow jumper looks happily at her yellow piggy bank representing bank dividends and in particular the CBA dividend

    A woman in a bright yellow jumper looks happily at her yellow piggy bank representing bank dividends and in particular the CBA dividend

    If you’re wanting to add some ASX dividend shares to your portfolio, then it could be worth considering the two listed below.

    Here’s why analysts think they could be top options for income investors:

    National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB)

    The first ASX dividend share to look at is banking giant, NAB.

    Analysts at Goldman Sachs are very positive on the bank and have named it their top big four pick. This is due partly to NAB’s balance sheet mix, which Goldman feels provides the best exposure to the domestic system growth. The broker also highlights that NAB’s franchise is performing strongly and growing at or above system growth in most segments.

    It is expecting this to underpin attractive dividends in the coming years. Goldman is forecasting fully franked dividends of $1.50 per share in FY 2022 and $1.65 per share in FY 2023. Based on the current NAB share price of $31.68, this implies yields of 4.7% and 5.1%, respectively.

    Goldman has a conviction buy rating and $34.17 price target on the bank’s shares.

    Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

    Another ASX dividend share to look at is Transurban. It is a leading toll road operator with a portfolio of important roads across Australia and North America. The company also has a number of projects under development that look set to support its long term growth.

    Analysts at Morgans are positive on Transurban due to its exposure to regional population and employment growth and urbanisation. The broker also believes that with traffic volumes recovering nicely from the pandemic, its dividends will make a quick recovery.

    As a result, its analysts are forecasting dividends per share of 37 cents in FY 2022 and then 60 cents in FY 2023. Based on the current Transurban share price of $14.39, this implies yields of 2.6% and 4.2%, respectively.

    Morgans has an add rating and $14.42 price target on its shares at present.

    The post Here are 2 top ASX dividend shares to buy according to analysts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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