Author: openjargon

  • CBA, DroneShield, and these ASX stocks just hit 52-week highs

    A young woman wearing overalls and a yellow t-shirt kicks one leg in the air showing excitement over the latest ASX 200 shares to hit 52-week highs

    A number of ASX stocks are making their shareholders smile today by rising to 52-week highs or better.

    Among the names reaching these milestones are the stocks listed below. Here’s what you need know:

    Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

    The Aristocrat Leisure share price has hit a record high of $48.58 on Tuesday. This stretches its 12-month return to an impressive 24%. Investors have been buying the gaming technology company’s shares since the release of its half-year results.

    Aristocrat posted a 6.1% increase in revenue to $3,269.6 million and a 16.8% jump in net profit after tax to $723.3 million. The latter was significantly better than the market was expecting. Other positives were the ASX stock boosting its dividend, announcing an additional $350 million share buyback, and suggesting that it could look to divest its digital gaming operations.

    Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

    The CBA share price has risen to a new record high of $127.75. Investors appear to be piling into the banking sector on the belief that trading conditions are favourable thanks to the prospect of falling interest rates in the near term. Combined with the recent Federal Budget, the banks look unlikely to suffer from a spike in bad debts in the near future, which could have happened if rates continued to rise. For the same reasons, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) have also hit 52-week highs today.

    DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

    The DroneShield share price has continued its rampant run and hit a record high of $1.57 on Tuesday. This latest gain means the counter drone technology company’s shares are now up over 300% since the start of the year. Investors have been scrambling to buy this ASX stock recently thanks to its staggering performance in FY 2024. During the first quarter of FY 2024, the company’s revenue increased 10x over the prior corresponding period to $16.4 million.

    In addition, a number of big announcements have been made that could be supportive of further strong sales growth. One was that the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has approved the first counter-small UAS (CUAS) procurement framework agreement in NATO history. DroneShield’s CEO, Oleg Vornik, described it as one of the “most strategically noteworthy agreements since the company was founded.” The company also announced a major new contract win from a U.S. Government customer. Droneshield advised that it has received a repeat order of A$5.7 million for a number of its CUxS (Counter-UxS) systems.

    The post CBA, DroneShield, and these ASX stocks just hit 52-week highs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Aristocrat Leisure Limited right now?

    Before you buy Aristocrat Leisure Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Aristocrat Leisure Limited 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 may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    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 positions in and has recommended DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Macquarie shares have 10% upside: Morgan Stanley

    Man smiling at a laptop because of a rising share price.

    Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) shares have gathered steam lately, with a 3% rise in the past month of trade.

    Over the past year, however, Macquarie shares have underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Banks Index (ASX: XBK) by more than 15.5%

    The recent momentum hasn’t gone unnoticed. Analysts at leading broker Morgan Stanley have a promising outlook on the bank and see further upside potential for the ASX banking stock.

    Here’s a look at the broker’s insights.

    Macquarie shares could grow

    Morgan Stanley analyst Andrei Stadnik laid out the case for owning Macquarie shares in a recent note to clients.

    The analyst highlighted Macquarie has its fingers in many pies, ranging from mergers and acquisitions (M&A), alternative assets and private credit

    It’s worth noting Macquarie also holds equity stakes in seven data centres worldwide. Point is – these are all high-growth domains.

    “Macquarie is the overall standout beneficiary of private markets flywheel re-accelerating in our Australian coverage”, Stadnik said, according to The Australian.

    Stadnik project’s 22% earnings growth for the bank in FY 2025, driven by a stronger market for capital raising, and its various sources of revenue.

    At its full-year FY 2024 results in May, the company reported that earnings per share (EPS) were down 32% year over year to $9.17 apiece.

    Even with a dip in operating profits this year, the bank achieved a 13% return on equity (ROE) in H2 FY 2024, surpassing the industry’s five-year average of 11%. It paid shareholders a dividend of $6.40 per share.

    That means if the broker is right, Macquarie could produce $11.18 in EPS for FY 2025.

    Morgan Stanley set a buy rating on Macquarie shares with a price target of $215 per share. At the current share price of $196.30, this represents a potential 10% upside.

    According to CommSec, the consensus of broker ratings is a moderate buy on Macquarie shares. While 6 have it as a buy, 6 also have it as a hold, with 2 rating the stock as a sell at the time of writing.

    Potential competitive advantage

    Macquarie sets itself apart from other Australian banks through its diversified services. It operates in investment, asset management, commodities, and infrastructure.

    In my view, this broad exposure gives Macquarie more recession-proof earnings compared to banks solely reliant on their net interest margins (NIMs).

    The bank’s current price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 21 times, meaning investors are paying $21 for every $1 of its earnings. This does not include dividends.

    Meanwhile, they are paying around $18 for every $1 of the iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ). Perhaps investors are paying more because they expect more. We shall find out.

    The post Macquarie shares have 10% upside: Morgan Stanley appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Macquarie Group Limited right now?

    Before you buy Macquarie Group Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Macquarie Group Limited 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 may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow 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 Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Is the ANZ share price ‘the best value of the major banks’?

    A woman looks questioning as she puts a coin into a piggy bank.

    The ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price is up 0.76% to $29.02 at the time of writing.

    Meantime, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 0.86% to 7,766.8 points as the market awaits the next Reserve Bank interest rate decision later today.

    There is no official news from ANZ today.

    ANZ and the other big ASX 200 bank shares have had a remarkable run of price growth since the early Santa Rally began in November last year.

    The chart below shows what’s happened over the past seven months.

    The strong run-up in share prices has led to valuations being “overstretched“, according to Ray David from Blackwattle Partners.

    National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares hit a nine-year high last week, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares have once again reset their all-time high at $127.75 this morning.

    Goldman Sachs says most investors should consider locking in their gains and moving on.

    In a recent note, the broker said:

    … while the deterioration in earnings appears to now be finished, we see very limited upside risk, and therefore, with valuations skewed asymmetrically to the downside, we now think a more negative view on the banks is appropriate …

    The broker has sell ratings on CBA and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares.

    As my colleague Zach reports, Goldman is concerned about valuation and risks in technology disruption for both of these ASX 200 bank shares.

    In a note, the broker said: “We don’t think [CBA stock] justifies the extent of its valuation premium to peers”.

    It has a neutral rating on NAB due to its solid fundamentals but stretched share price.

    Meanwhile, ANZ shares get a buy rating.

    What do the experts say about the ANZ share price?

    Goldman analysts Andrew Lyons and John Li said the ANZ share price trades at a discount to the sector (ex-dividend adjusted).

    They explained other factors in their buy rating as follows:

    We are Buy-rated on ANZ given i) we are seeing evidence of ANZ’s ability to derive productivity benefits (A$201 mn in 1H24) and management noted there remains a large pipeline available which can be used to offset cost inflation.

    Furthermore, ii) the improving profitability of ANZ’s Institutional business remains a key driver of our positive investment thesis.

    We continue to see upside for Group returns due to accretive mix shifts in the Institutional business towards higher ROE Payments and Cash Management business.

    Dylan Evans from Catapult Wealth also notes ANZ’s more attractive price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. He says the ANZ share price represents the best value among the bank shares, but he rates it a hold for now.

    He explains on The Bull:

    The ANZ offers the best value of the major banks, in our view.

    The acquisition of Suncorp‘s banking division paints a brighter outlook, as it will add important retail exposure to the mix.

    The group was recently trading at a price/earnings discount to peers, and on an attractive fully franked dividend yield above 6 per cent.

    ANZ share price snapshot

    ANZ shares have soared by 22.95% over the past 12 months, while the ASX 200 has risen 6.52%.

    The post Is the ANZ share price ‘the best value of the major banks’? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Australia And New Zealand Banking Group right now?

    Before you buy Australia And New Zealand Banking Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Australia And New Zealand Banking Group 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 may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Anz Group and Commonwealth Bank Of Australia. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. 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.

  • ‘Attacked from all angles’: Why this fundie is betting against the momentous rally in CBA shares

    A man looking at his laptop and thinking.

    Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are storming higher today.

    Again.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank stock closed up 0.1% yesterday, trading for $125.49. During the Tuesday lunch hour, shares are swapping hands for $127.41 apiece, up 1.5%.

    For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.8% at this same time.

    As you can see on the chart below, today’s intraday gain sees Australia’s biggest bank stock up 12% in 2024 and up 27% over 12 months. And that doesn’t include the two fully franked dividend payments made over the full year.

    You may also notice that CBA shares are, once more, poised to close at a new all-time high.

    So, can this strong momentum continue? Or is the big four bank about to hit a wall?

    Have CBA shares flown too close to the sun?

    A large number of bearish analysts have been caught out to date amid the ongoing bull run in CommBank stock.

    Like the other big Aussie banks, CBA has benefited from a higher interest rate environment, which has supported its net interest margins (NIMs).

    But the new record high share prices are not stopping Philip King, chief investment officer at Regal Funds Management, from taking up a short position in CBA shares.

    Trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 22 times, King says the big four Aussie bank has some of the world’s highest valuations.

    According to King (quoted by Bloomberg):

    Australian banks are now getting attacked from all angles by competition. Buy now, pay later operators are taking share in consumer lending, non-bank lenders are taking share in business lending and private credit are making inroads across the entire loan book.

    King added that Australia’s strict capital requirements are making Aussie banks “increasingly uncompetitive”.

    And with King forecasting that CBA’s earnings per share (EPS), currently at $6.09, will decline in the coming years, he’s betting the ASX 200 bank stock’s recent rally is set to reverse.

    Explaining why he took up a short position in CBA shares earlier this year, King said, “For 20 years the share price was driven by strong EPS growth, but over the last 10 years EPS growth has stalled.

    He added that following the last year’s blistering rally, CBA now counts as “one of the most expensive banks in the world and could derate over the next 10 years if EPS falls as we expect it will.”

    The post ‘Attacked from all angles’: Why this fundie is betting against the momentous rally in CBA shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Commonwealth Bank Of Australia right now?

    Before you buy Commonwealth Bank Of Australia shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Commonwealth Bank Of Australia 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 may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.

  • 2 ASX small-cap shares I’d buy for massive growth potential

    Two kids in superhero capes.

    The ASX small-cap share sector can be a great place to find small, undervalued opportunities. I’m going to talk about two businesses that could become much bigger companies in the coming years.

    I believe good, smaller companies are able to deliver strong results over the long-term because it’s much easier to grow a business from $100 million to $200 million than it is to go from $10 billion to $20 billion.

    Of course, a small business isn’t guaranteed to grow. We need to find the right businesses which ideally have useful tailwinds. In my opinion, the below ASX small-cap shares are delivering on their promising potential.

    Playside Studios Ltd (ASX: PLY)

    Playside develops video games for mobile, PC, consoles, virtual reality and mixed reality, with a portfolio of approximately 60 titles.

    The company publishes its own games based on “original intellectual property”. It also provides end-to-end game development services in collaboration with game studies and major technology and entertainment companies, including Activision Blizzard, Meta Platform Technologies, Netflix Games and Take Two Interactive.

    The ASX small-cap share also has a publishing arm that provides funding, development support, marketing and publishing of third-party games from smaller independent studios.

    The video gaming sector is growing at a solid rate – according to VanEck, revenue has grown by an average of 12% per annum since 2015. Video games, and particularly e-sports, are seeing strong long-term growth thanks to a growing audience.

    Playside is expecting to report strong growth in FY24. Revenue is forecast by the company to be between $63 million to $65 million, which would represent growth of between 64% to 69%.

    FY24 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) is expected to be between $16 million to $18 million, up from previous guidance of $11 million to $13 million. It’s a positive indicator when a business is able to upgrade its guidance, showing good momentum. The company made a $1.7 million loss in the prior corresponding period.

    I think it’s a great sign when a business reaches the milestone of positive earnings, and it bodes well for what effect future revenue could have on the company’s bottom line.

    Close The Loop Ltd (ASX: CLG)

    This business collects and repurposes or recycles products through takeback programs, with locations in the US, Australia, South Africa and Europe. It also has a sustainable packaging division which “enables greater recoverability and recyclability”, according to the company.

    The world is aiming to become more sustainable, and Close The Loop is an ASX small-cap share that can enable that goal.

    One of Close The Loop’s key customers is HP, which wants to reach a ‘circularity’ target of 75% for its products and packaging by 2030. HP ships around 40 million PCs every year, including all of the printers and other products the company makes. There is a large opportunity for the company, which was recently awarded HP’s ‘Renew Solutions Launch Partner’ of the year.

    HP recently told the market its HP Renew Solutions margins are “at least as profitable as new PCs and printers, making this a win for HP and the environment”, according to Close The Loop.

    Close The Loop recently announced it was exploring expansion opportunities in the US, EU, and the Middle East. It also said a new plant in Mexico will be running by October 2024, the European print consumables program will be expanded into Spain and Portugal, and a second TonerPlas line will be constructed after the awarding of $2.2 million in government funding.   

    According to Commsec, the Close The Loop share price is valued at just 7x FY24’s estimated earnings. This looks cheap, in my opinion, for how promising the company’s future seems.

    The post 2 ASX small-cap shares I’d buy for massive growth potential appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Close The Loop Ltd right now?

    Before you buy Close The Loop Ltd shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Close The Loop Ltd 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 may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Close The Loop. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Close The Loop, HP, Meta Platforms, Netflix, and Take-Two Interactive Software. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Close The Loop, Meta Platforms, and Netflix. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Fortescue shares drop as $1.1 billion stake hits the market

    Miner looking at a tablet.

    The Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) share price is being pulverised today amid news of a mega sale.

    Shares in the Australian iron ore miner are down 4.6% to $21.93 as we approach the midpoint of today’s session. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is putting the pedal to the metal, bounding 0.66% higher to 7,751.4 points.

    The crimson-red performance of the Fortescue share price isn’t doing the materials sector any favours. Unlike the rest of the market, ASX materials are negative today, led by the bleeding out of optimism from the ASX iron ore giant.

    Who’s behind the sale?

    According to reports, $1.1 billion worth of Fortescue shares are up for sale.

    The jumbo-sized sale equates to approximately 1.6% of Andrew Forrest’s Pilbara wealth pit’s market capitalisation. And if today’s trading data is anything to go on, the hefty stake has likely already found a buyer.

    An average day would see roughly 5 million Fortescue shares trade hands. Today’s trading activity blows that figure right out of the water, surpassing 58 million shares traded before midday. But, who is the seller behind this outrageously large exit?

    It turns out it is cloaked in mystery.

    The seller is reportedly an institutional investor. Furthermore, the sale is said to be the last in a complete exit by a large fund manager. Given the position did not meet the conditions of a ‘substantial shareholding’ (more than 5% stake), there probably won’t be an accompanying change in holding notice.

    A quick look at the company’s last ownership details only shows two holdings around this size… a $1.1 billion stake held by the founder, Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, himself, and a $1.4 billion position held by BlackRock Inc. — the United States asset manager.

    However, the truth is that it is merely speculation as to who made the sale.

    The shares were offered at $21.60, a 6% discount on the previous trading price.

    Why sell Fortescue shares now?

    There are many reasons why someone might choose to sell, many of which can be completely unrelated to the company itself.

    However, we know the Fortescue share price is down 25% in 2024, as shown above. We’re also heading towards the end of the financial year. This time of year is renowned for tax-loss harvesting, which reduces the amount of capital gains tax due.

    On the other hand, Fortescue is facing a couple of challenges. Last week, the company was hit with yet another executive resignation. After 11 years at Fortescue, Julie Shuttleworth, head of global growth, waved goodbye to the iron ore miner.

    Secondly, the entire industry is dealing with a significant retraction in the price of the steelmaking commodity this year. In the first week of 2024, iron ore fetched over US$140 per tonne. Now, it is going for around US$107.

    The post Fortescue shares drop as $1.1 billion stake hits the market appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Fortescue Metals Group right now?

    Before you buy Fortescue Metals Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Fortescue Metals Group 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 may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    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 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.

  • What’s happening with the big 3 ASX 200 iron ore stocks today?

    S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) iron ore stocks are delivering some divergent results today.

    In morning trade on Tuesday, the ASX 200 is up 0.9%.

    Here’s how the big three ASX 200 iron ore stocks are faring at this same time:

    • Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares are down 4.4%
    • BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are up 0.7%
    • Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares are up 1.2%

    So, what’s going on?

    ASX 200 iron ore stocks shrug off Chinese headwinds

    Rio Tinto and BHP shares are shrugging off headwinds today thrown up by a retrace in the prices of their top earning metals.

    The Fortescue share price look to be coming under selling pressure amid news that 50.3 million shares were sold in a block trade at a price of $21.60 per share. That’s 6.0% below yesterday’s closing price of $22.98 a share.

    On the metals front, iron ore declined 2.1% overnight to trade for just over US$105 per tonne. Even hot-running copper slipped, with the red metal down 0.8% to US$9,666 per tonne.

    BHP and Rio Tinto shares saw their internationally listed stocks slide overnight. The BHP share price closed down 1.0% on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), while Rio Tinto shares fell 0.8%. But Aussie investors aren’t following their US counterparts in selling the ASX 200 iron ore stocks today.

    This week’s industrial metals’ price decline looks to be linked to ongoing weakness in China’s economic recovery.

    Yesterday, China’s National Bureau of Statistics released a trove of data, most of which fell short of analyst expectations.

    While industrial production in the world’s number two economy was up 5.6% year on year, it was down from April, coming in below the median forecast of a Bloomberg survey.

    And China’s steel-hungry property markets showed ongoing signs of weakness, with real estate investment and house prices falling again in April.

    What are the experts saying?

    Commenting on the disappointing Chinese data that could throw up headwinds for ASX 200 iron ore stocks down the road, Jacqueline Rong, chief China economist at BNP Paribas said (quoted by Bloomberg), “The most disappointing in May’s data is probably that property sales barely saw any improvements even after so many supportive measures.”

    Indeed, this has seen numerous economists call for more government stimulus measures to get the economy back up to speed.

    “We still need to see new stimulus coming in. Otherwise, the growth momentum could very much weaken,” Helen Qiao, chief Greater China economist at Bank of America Global Research said.

    More fiscal support may be in the pipeline. But ASX 200 iron ore stocks will likely be waiting a while for monetary easing with China’s government wary of further devaluing the yuan against the greenback.

    According to Bloomberg economists Chang Shu and David Qu:

    Policy support could make a significant difference. But the People’s Bank of China’s focus on currency stability appears to have tied its hands on cutting interest rates, at least until the Federal Reserve moves.

    Stay tuned!

    The post What’s happening with the big 3 ASX 200 iron ore stocks today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bhp Group right now?

    Before you buy Bhp Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Bhp Group 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 may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.

  • A surgeon general’s warning on social media wouldn’t be as powerful as good-old-fashioned parenting, experts say

    A young girl looks at her cell phone while her mom looks over her shoulder
    The US surgeon general suggested attaching warnings to social media platforms.

    • The US surgeon general wants to attach an official government warning to social media platforms.
    • But social media experts are mixed on how whether a warning could help curb kids' mental health woes.
    • Parents can and should play a massive role in teaching their kids how to stay safe online. 

    The US surgeon general on Monday proposed a bold new step in fighting social media's negative effects on children, suggesting the government affix social media platforms with a surgeon general's warning about the inherent risks of being too online.

    But social media experts and researchers are mixed on just how effective such a move would be.

    In a New York Times op-ed published this week, Dr. Vivek Murthy called for government warning labels on social media platforms, citing recent studies that point to kids' worsening mental health in an increasingly digital world.

    "Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the average daily use in this age group, as of the summer of 2023, was 4.8 hours," Murthy wrote, citing a 2019 American Medical Association study and a 2023 Gallup poll.

    While scientific researchers are still hashing out the exact impacts social media has on children, Titania Jordan, chief parent officer at parental controls company Bark Technologies, said parents need only look around to see the ways in which kids are suffering.

    "The rates at which young children are struggling with suicidal ideation, exposure to graphic sexual content, drug, and alcohol-related content — dying because of fentanyl-laced pills they've bought on Snapchat — the bullying, the depression, the disordered eating, the predators, the violence — all of those are way higher than anyone would imagine," Jordan told Business Insider.

    Last year, Murthy made a similar social media-related plea, issuing a surgeon general's advisory that urged Americans to pay attention to what he deemed a public health issue. Since then, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg has testified before Congress about the company's child safety policies, and legislation focused on online safety for kids continues to work its way through Congress.

    But little has actually changed, Jordan said. And kids themselves are increasingly aware of social media's potential harms. According to one August 2022 study, almost half of all adolescents said social media makes them feel bad about their bodies.

    "A warning label via a pop-up on an app isn't going to be the end-all-be-all to keeping kids safe online, but at least it starts the conversation and levels the playing field," Jordan said.

    A mixed-bag

    Karen North, a professor of digital and social media at the University of Southern California, is skeptical about whether a surgeon general's warning would do much of anything to curb kids' mental health woes.

    "It's far more complicated than putting a warning on something that is clearly dangerous, like cigarettes or alcohol, because social media is a real mixed bag," North said. "It's a true double-edged sword.

    While social media has, without question, negatively affected scores of children, many young people have also used the platforms to build community, befriending people they would never have had the chance to meet in "the real world," North said.

    She questioned which platforms would be subject to the surgeon general's warning. Instagram and TikTok, certainly. But what about something like Duolingo? And what exactly would the warning say, North wondered, noting that social media is rarely exclusively harmful.

    Still, a warning — which could only be implemented with Congress' approval — could have marginal benefits in keeping the conversation around mental health top of mind, North said.

    But there's something even more powerful in fighting social media's perils, online experts said: Parenting.

    Proactive parenting

    For most kids, social media use begins at home. Parents set the rules, purchase the smartphones, and model social media behavior.

    "We as parents and caregivers have to say no and delay," Jordan said, echoing Murthy's call to restrict kids' social media use until high school.

    Kids often point to feeling left out without smartphones or access to social media, said Jordan, who is a parent. She suggested parents resist the urge to bend to their children's will and instead encourage their kids to focus on spending time with their peers in the physical world.

    But what about when social media facilitates connection in the physical world? North, who is also a parent, said when her daughter was in middle school, the tween's peers exclusively used Snapchat to make plans and organize meetups. Without the app, her daughter would have been left in the dark on social gatherings.

    "Someone once said you have to give your kids the tools for success in the world that you've placed them in," she told BI.

    Instead of restricting kids' access to social media entirely, North suggested parents take an active role in teaching their children how to use social media as safely as possible.

    "We hand over social media to our kids at a young age, but we don't do the same thing with crossing the street," North said. "We take them, time after time, holding their hand and pointing to the stop sign. We tell them to look both ways. We go to great lengths to teach kids how to cross."

    The same should go for using social media, she argued.

    "Parents need to teach their kids how to cross the virtual street," North said.

    Are you a parent who has struggled with your children's social media use? Have you restricted your kids' access to social media or taken a proactive approach to teaching them how to navigate the digital world? Email the reporter at esnodgrass@businessinsider.com to share your social media stories.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Buy ’em now! Brokers name 3 ASX All Ords shares to add to your portfolio

    Red buy button on an apple keyboard with a finger on it representing asx tech shares to buy today

    The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.76% to 8,003.8 points in early trading on Tuesday.

    As reported in The Australian, 3 All Ords stocks have just gained buy ratings from top brokers.

    Let’s check them out.

    Capstone Copper Corp CDI (ASX: CSC)

    ASX All Ords copper shares are benefiting from the global focus on future decarbonisation. Copper is a key material required in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar energy systems.

    It’s also an essential building material for data centres, which is an explosive growth segment of the property market supporting today’s global artificial intelligence boom.

    Copper futures rose to a record high of US$5.20 per pound last month but have since retreated to US$4.45 per pound on fears that short-term demand in China may fall due to lower industrial output.

    The long-term outlook for copper is still very positive, though.

    Most experts say that gradually rising demand as decarbonisation grows, set against a looming lack of supply due to the high cost of starting new copper mines, will keep the commodity price rising over time.

    Copper futures remain 17.7% higher than this time last year, and top broker Goldman Sachs has a year-end price target of US$5.44 per pound.

    This all bodes well for the dual-listed Canadian-based Capstone Copper, which only began trading on the ASX in April.

    Macquarie has commenced coverage on the ASX All Ords copper share with an outperform rating and a 12-month price target of $9.80.

    At the time of writing, the Capstone Copper share price is already higher than the target at $10.02, up 2.24% for the day so far.

    Integral Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: IDX)

    Integral Diagnostics is an ASX All Ords healthcare share. The company provides medical imaging services.

    Yesterday, Integral Diagnostics announced it had made an offer to merge with competitor Capitol Health Ltd (ASX: CAJ).

    Investors weren’t too impressed with the all-scrip offer, and the ASX All Ords healthcare share fell 4.14% to close at $2.43 yesterday.

    A rebound is occurring today, with the Integral Diagnostics share price up 4.53% to $2.54 at the time of writing.

    Meantime, JP Morgan is backing the ASX All Ords healthcare share for growth.

    The broker has raised its rating on the stock to overweight, with a 12-month price target of $2.80.

    Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

    Canaccord has started coverage on this popular ASX All Ords technology share with a buy rating.

    The broker has a 12-month share price target of $40 on the stock.

    UBS has also started coverage on Life360, but it’s less ambitious about potential share price growth.

    The broker has a neutral rating on Life360 shares and a $32 share price target. Still, that’s more than double the current share price.

    The ASX All Ords tech share is changing hands for $15.30 apiece today, down 0.91% at the time of writing.

    Life360 is the location technology company behind the Life360 app, which millions of families worldwide use to keep track of each other.

    As my colleague James reports, Life360’s monthly active users increased by 4.9 million during the first quarter to 66.4 million.

    This is boosting revenue amid management’s efforts to increase average revenue per user and the number of paid subscribers.

    The post Buy ’em now! Brokers name 3 ASX All Ords shares to add to your portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Life360 right now?

    Before you buy Life360 shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Life360 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 may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group, JPMorgan Chase, Life360, and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Integral Diagnostics. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Insiders are buying these ASX shares after selloffs

    I think that it can be useful for investors to keep an eye on which shares are experiencing meaningful insider buying.

    This is because insider buying is often regarded as a bullish indicator, as few people know a company and its intrinsic value better than its directors.

    If they are buying, it could be a sign that they are confident in the direction the company is heading and/or see value in its shares.

    With that in mind, listed below are a few ASX shares that have reported meaningful insider buying recently.

    And as they are all down heavily year to date, it’s possible that these directors believe they have been oversold. Let’s see what has been happening:

    Chrysos Corporation Ltd (ASX: C79)

    This mining technology company’s shares are down a disappointing 40% since the start of the year.

    One director that is taking advantage of this weakness to buy their first shares in the PhotonAssay creator is Gregory Holt. According to change of director’s interest notice, Holt picked up 12,000 shares through an on-market trade on 12 June.

    The insider paid an average of $5.05 per share, which equates to a total consideration of $60,600.

    Shaw & Partners would likely be very supportive of this purchase. Last month, the broker put a buy rating and $7.50 price target on the company’s shares.

    IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

    This heavily shorted language testing and student placement company’s shares are down 23% in 2024 and 37% on a 12-month basis. This has been driven largely by disruption in key markets caused by changes to student visa rules, which is weighing heavily on its performance.

    Nevertheless, one of the company’s non-executive directors appears to remain positive on the future and sees this as a buying opportunity.

    A change of director’s interests notice shows that Tracey Horton bought 1,300 shares through an on-market trade on 7 June. Horton paid a total of $19,691.65 for the shares, which equates to a price of approximately $15.15 per share.

    Goldman Sachs currently has a buy rating and $21.75 price target on its shares. So, this insider could do very well if the broker is on the money with its recommendation.

    Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC)

    Finally, this property developer’s shares have lost 27% of their value this year.

    The company’s independent non-executive director, Elizabeth M. Proust, AO, has taken advantage of this weakness to top up her position.

    Ms Proust picked up 20,000 shares on 11 June through an on-market trade. The insider paid an average of $5.675 per share, which represents a total consideration of $113,500. This boosts her holding to a total of 123,061 Lendlease shares.

    While none of the major brokers rate Lendlease as a buy, they do see value in its shares. For example, UBS has a neutral rating and $7.10 price target. This is 30% higher than where its shares trade today.

    The post Insiders are buying these ASX shares after selloffs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Chrysos Corporation Limited right now?

    Before you buy Chrysos Corporation Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Chrysos Corporation Limited 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 may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    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 positions in and has recommended Chrysos, Goldman Sachs Group, and Idp Education. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Chrysos. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.