The Holista CollTech Limited (ASX: HCT) share price is bucking the wider market sell-off today after the company announced the acquisition of an advanced skin ingredient.

Holista CollTech is a natural wellness company that operates across 3 main divisions: dietary supplements and personal care, food ingredients, and ovine (sheep) collagen.

In the recent COVID-19 environment, the company’s personal care division has been in the spotlight.

Holista has a global collaboration with Path-Away, a plant-based solution that has been proven to kill a broad spectrum of microbes. The solution is an active ingredient in Holista’s proprietary sanitiser, NatShield, which is also being developed as a nasal balm.

Back in April, Holista announced that Path-Away had been tested in the UK and was found to be more than 99.99% effective against the feline coronavirus, a surrogate of COVID-19. 

Why is the Holista CollTech share price climbing today?

This morning, Holista announced it has fully acquired the technology of Protectene from Global Infection Control Consultants (GICC), the same company that develops Path-Away.

Protectene is a skin stabiliser for cosmetic applications that maintains all the basic features of Path-Away. However, it is a special formulation that reportedly lasts longer and is more gentle on the skin.

Additionally, Protectene has been developed to sanitise the human skin, including nasal membranes. This makes it relevant for Holista’s nasal balm which is currently under development.

As such, Protectene will be included in all future formulations of NatShield for personal use, including the nasal sanitising balm.

Under the agreement, Holista will now own the trademark Protectene and all the rights to use it, including the domains. In terms of production, however, Protectene will still be manufactured by GICC at its exclusive facility in South Carolina.

As part of the deal, Holista intends to grant GICC two million options with an exercise price of 20 cents each, expiring 31 December 2020. However, this is subject to shareholder approval at Holista’s upcoming AGM which is likely to be held in the last week of July.

Management commentary

Speaking to the differences between Path-Away and Protectene, Dr Arthur Martin, president of GICC, said:

“While Path-Away has applications for a myriad of uses – human, veterinary, agricultural and environmental – and spans many industries, Protectene is designed specifically for human skin, making it ideal for those with sensitive skin or part of the human body such as nasal membranes.”

And as for Holista’s plans for Protectene, CEO Dr Rajen Manicka said:

“We intend to offer ProtecteneTM as a more specialised ingredient that uses it exclusively for the NatShieldTM brand . We are confident that Protectene will be a unique differentiator.” 

At the time of writing, the Holista CollTech share price has jumped 3.70% to 14 cents per share. This rise takes the company’s current market capitalisation to around $38 million, while year-to-date gains are sitting at 77.22%.

More reading

• 2 outstanding ASX shares to buy after the market crash
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy right now
• Orcoda share price rockets 40% on long-term contract win
• Should you buy CSL shares before it’s too late?
• Westpac share price lower on AUSTRAC update

Motley Fool contributor Cathryn Goh has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Why the Holista CollTech share price is climbing higher today appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3cRg00R

While the market weakness we have experienced this week is disappointing, I believe it is an opportunity for investors to buy shares at more attractive prices.

Two ASX shares which have pulled back notably this week are listed below. Here’s why I would buy them:

Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS)

The Bravura Solutions share price has fallen over 8% this week. This means its shares are now trading almost 27% below their 52-week high. I think this is a buying opportunity for long-term focused investors. Especially given Bravura’s strong growth potential and attractive valuation.

Bravura is provider of software products and services to financial institutions. These include major institutions such as BNP Paribas, Fidelity, and Mercer. Arguably the key product in its portfolio is the Sonata wealth management platform. This high quality platform allows its users to connect and engage with their clients anytime, anywhere, through computers, tablets, or smartphones. It also simplifies legacy client systems into one unified customer-centric solution.

Combined with recent acquisitions, which have opened it up to new and lucrative markets, I believe the future is very bright for this growing company.

Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN)

The Nanosonics share price is down over 11% since this time last week. I think this is an opportunity for investors to buy the shares of one of the most promising healthcare companies at a fairer price.

I’m a big fan of the infection prevention company due to the strong growth potential of its trophon EPR product and the upcoming launch of new products targeting unmet needs. In respect to the former, the trophon EPR disinfection system for ultrasound probes is regarded as the best in its class. At the end of the first half its installed base stood at 22,500. This represents just under 19% of its global market opportunity. I believe this footprint can grow materially in the future and drive strong unit sales and recurring revenues from the consumables it requires.

Furthermore, the company has revealed that the secretive new products it has under development have similar market opportunities. In light of this, I think Nanosonics is in a fantastic position to deliver strong sales and earnings growth over the next decade.

More reading

• 2 red hot ASX growth shares
• Where to invest $500 into ASX shares right now
• 3 ASX 200 shares to protect your portfolio from recession
• Why I’d buy Appen and these ASX growth shares for the 2020s
• Could these ASX shares be the future dividend stars that make you rich?

James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Bravura Solutions Ltd and Nanosonics Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Bravura Solutions Ltd and Nanosonics Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post 2 outstanding ASX shares to buy after the market crash appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3fhBEgm

Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their estimates and recommendations again, leading to the release of a large number of broker notes this week.

Three broker buy ratings that have caught my eye are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN)

According to a note out of Citi, its analysts have retained their buy rating and lifted the price target on this retailer’s shares to $4.50. The broker was pleasantly surprised with Harvey Norman’s sales growth during April and May. And while it isn’t clear whether its bottom line is growing as strongly, Citi appears confident that the company will deliver a solid full year result in August. I agree with Citi and feel Harvey Norman could be a decent option.

Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM)

Analysts at UBS have retained their buy rating and $35.00 price target on this gold miner’s shares. This follows the release of drilling results from Red Chris and Havieron this week. UBS was pleased with the results from Havieron and believes they are strong enough for management to seriously consider mining the orebody. It doesn’t feel this potential has been priced into its shares. I think UBS makes some good points and Newcrest could be worth considering if you’re looking for exposure to gold.

Opthea Ltd (ASX: OPT)

A note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their conviction buy rating and $5.20 price target on this biotech company’s shares. This follows the release of data from its study evaluating OPT-302 in the treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema. Goldman notes that the data was unconvincing and has raised more questions than answers. Nevertheless, the broker believes the near-term story remains broadly unchanged. This is because OPT-302 has already demonstrated a statistically significant benefit in a larger trial for Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration. This has a significant market opportunity. I agree with Goldman Sachs and think Opthea could be a top long term option.

More reading

• Keep a watch on these 3 ASX trends next week
• 3 gold mining shares that may be a buy today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Top brokers name 3 ASX 200 shares to buy today
• Why the Newcrest share price is up today

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy right now appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2XRLxvk