Author: openjargon

  • Bell Potter says these ASX shares are strong buys

    a woman holds a facebook like thumbs up sign high above her head. She has a very happy smile on her face.

    There are a lot of great ASX shares for investors to choose from on the local market.

    To narrow things down for readers, let’s now take a look at two shares that analysts at Bell Potter rate very highly.

    These shares feature on its favoured list for June, which the broker believes offer attractive risk-adjusted returns over the long term. They are as follows:

    Regal Partners Ltd (ASX: RPL)

    Bell Potter believes that this growing fund manager is being undervalued by the market.

    Its analysts highlight that the company has strong organic and inorganic growth potential, strong performing investment funds, and accelerating inflows. The broker commented:

    In recent years, Regal has expanded rapidly through strong investment performance, net flows into its funds, launches of new funds, and the acquisition or merger with VGI Partners, PM Capital and Taurus, which have expanded funds under management from $1.1bn in 2017, to over $12.1bn (March 2025). We continue to favour RPL, given its strong organic & inorganic growth potential, and entrepreneurial culture. In the last six months, and following the recent acquisition of PM Capital and Taurus (50%), the firm has shown an acceleration of inflows, strong investment performance (which will give rise to performance fees) and success in marketing new funds. We feel this strong performance is not reflected in the share price and see considerable upside.

    Bell Potter has a buy rating and $4.02 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of 11% for investors from current levels. A ~5.6% dividend yield is forecast over the next 12 months.

    Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

    Another ASX share that Bell Potter is a big fan of is Universal Store. It is a youth focused apparel, footwear and accessories retailer in Australia.

    It has a large number of stores under its flagship Universal Store brand. In addition, it is expanding private label brands by growing the stand-alone format of Perfect Stranger and Thrills.

    Bell Potter thinks that it has a good growth trajectory thanks to its store rollout and sees scope for margin improvements. It said:

    Management execution remains a key strength for UNI and we see good growth trajectory for the name given the building of core brands while growing its store rollout. In our view, the higher margin sales from the majority of private label sales should become a major driver of margin improvement and earnings growth, in an expanded store footprint. While we remain cautious on the overall consumer sentiment, given the return to positive comps while cycling elevated pcp through Jan-Feb, we think UNI is well placed as comps become supportive through the 2H.

    The broker has a buy rating and $6.15 price target on its shares. This suggests that upside of 23% is possible over the next 12 months. A ~5% dividend yield is also expected over the period.

    The post Bell Potter says these ASX shares are strong buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Regal Funds Management Pty right now?

    Before you buy Regal Funds Management Pty 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 Regal Funds Management Pty 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 positions in Universal Store. 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.

  • Buy these ASX shares for a winning retirement portfolio

    Four senior friends laugh together with arms around each other

    If you are searching for retirement portfolio options this month, then you may want to look at the ASX shares listed below that have been named as buys.

    Here’s why these shares could be top options for this portfolio:

    CSL Limited (ASX: CSL)

    When you are building a retirement portfolio, it is always a smart idea to focus on high quality companies.

    Well, there are arguably few higher quality businesses out there than biotechnology giant CSL. It is the company behind the CSL Behring, CSL Seqirus and CSL Vifor businesses, which provide lifesaving therapies and vaccines to patients in more than 100 countries.

    And with management always reinvesting heavily in its research and development (R&D) activities, CSL consistently has an R&D pipeline filled with potentially lucrative products.

    Macquarie is a fan of the company and believes its outlook is very positive thanks to its key CSL Behring business. It currently has an outperform rating and $330.00 price target on its shares. In addition, it sees scope for them to rise to $500 within the next three years.

    APA Group (ASX: APA)

    Another ASX share to consider buying for a retirement portfolio is APA Group. It owns and operates energy infrastructure assets and businesses.

    This includes energy infrastructure, comprising gas transmission, gas storage and processing, and gas-fired and renewable energy power generation businesses.

    It could be a great option for retirees due to its defensive earnings, long track record of growth (almost 20 years of dividend increase), and big dividend yield.

    In respect to the latter, analysts at Macquarie are forecasting dividends of 56 cents per share in FY 2024 and 57.5 cents per share in FY 2025. Based on the current APA Group share price of $8.33, this equates to 6.7% and 6.9% dividend yields, respectively.

    Macquarie currently has an outperform rating and $9.40 price target on its shares.

    Woolworths Limited (ASX: WOW)

    A final ASX retirement share to consider buying is supermarket giant, Woolworths. This is due to its positive growth outlook and defensive earnings.

    In respect to the former, Goldman Sachs’ analysts “forecast WOW 2-yr sales CAGR FY24-26e of +3.2% and EBIT growth of +4.8%.” This is expected to support the payment of fully franked dividends of $1.08 per share in FY 2024 and $1.14 per share in FY 2025. Based on the current Woolworths share price of $32.85, this implies yields of 3.3% and 3.5%, respectively.

    Goldman also sees plenty of upside for investors. It currently has a buy rating and $39.40 price target on its shares.

    The post Buy these ASX shares for a winning retirement portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Maximise Your Super before June 30: Uncover 5 Strategies Most Aussies Overlook!

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in CSL. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL, Goldman Sachs Group, and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • My son’s video game habit worried me but it fueled his interest in coding, robots, and AI. At age 16, he won $55,000 at a science fair.

    teenage boy in red shirt working on tiny computer and three smartphones on a white card table with small plants growing under a grow light an a white cat sitting on an armchair beside him
    John Benedict Estrada works on infrared images for his science fair project.

    • Maria Estrada's children have collectively won over $67,000 in science fair awards.
    • Her son John's video games sparked his interest in AI, robotics, and electronics.
    • Estrada worried about his video game habit at first, but now she sees some advantages to it.

    This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Maria Estrada, 51, who is a plant-science lecturer at Fresno State and the mother of two teenagers. It's been edited for length and clarity.

    Both of my kids love to compete in science fairs. Combined, they've won more than $67,000 in awards for their projects.

    Being immigrant parents, my husband and I are a little bit strict. We make sure that our kids follow the rules.

    You need to be respectful and compassionate — that's part of our Filipino culture. We tried to emphasize to them that academics are important, but you need to also be a well-rounded person.

    But screen time is one thing that I am probably not good at. My son John loves video games, especially Mario and Pokemon.

    He started playing games in fifth or sixth grade on his handheld Nintendo, I think it was. Then he had a PlayStation. He could play for hours.

    I did try to control my son's video game use a bit to make sure he would not be addicted to it. I didn't want him to hate me, and I believe in moderation, so I tried to be reasonable. On most school nights, we would ask him to do his assignments first.

    Any technology has a positive and a negative aspect. At first, I was just looking at the negative. You don't want your kids to be on the computer a lot.

    I saw a lot of articles about kids starting on computers, smartphones, and iPads early. I felt like it could do him harm.

    Then I saw how gaming piqued his interest in computers. It helped him, especially in his science fair projects.

    four people standing in front of a stage wearing lanyards two young people in the middle holding up round brown medals
    Left to right: Maria Estrada, her kids Pauline and John, and her husband Dexter.

    After a while, I saw a lot of advantages to his video game habits.

    Games introduced both of my kids to coding

    It started with the consoles, but soon John was also playing games on the computer. That's when he began researching how the game was made, which piqued his curiosity about coding.

    So I put him and my daughter, Pauline, into an after-school program where they learned to code.

    They both used their coding skills later when they developed AI models for their science fair projects.

    Video game controllers helped him excel at robotics

    John is into electronics — not just the PlayStation 5 console. He programmed a Lego robot in fifth grade.

    But video games might have taken my son a step further. John could already use controllers really well, so he got interested in building remote-controlled cars and drones.

    In middle school, he built his own drone and flew it around. I don't think he would have been able to do this if he had not been really good at playing with a joystick from his video games.

    teenage boy standing in a crop field holding the controller for a drone on the dirt path next to him
    Estrada's son John likes to tinker with robotics, including drones and rovers.

    Soon John was building drones and rovers for his science fair projects.

    My kids' electronics projects won awards

    Eventually, the kids needed a workshop for their science projects, so we converted a big informal living room into one big table with chairs.

    They built their drone there, they built their rover, they built their camera. It was so messy. I would just close the door so I wouldn't see the mess, all the wires and cables. They had so much electronics in there.

    In 2021, when he was 16, John won the $50,000 Gordon E. Moore Award for a project he presented at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), as well as $5,000 for first place in the plant sciences category. He had developed an AI model to detect drought stress in bell pepper plants, using a robotic infrared camera he built.

    John and Pauline did their next science fair project together, expanding on the concept with tomato plants and a rover.

    two teens in business clothes stand in front of a science fair project presentation board
    John Benedict Estrada and Pauline Estrada stand in front of their science fair project at Regeneron ISEF.

    Their project went to ISEF in 2022 and won first place in the plant sciences category.

    Now John is studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. Ultimately, his gaming helped him get there.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Wells Fargo may have underestimated just how savvy Bilt credit card holders are

    Bilt CEO Ankur Jain
    Bilt CEO Ankur Jain

    • Bilt Rewards, a Wells Fargo co-branded credit card, allows people to earn rewards by paying rent.
    • Bilt's core demographic are high-earning young professionals.
    • The company may have miscalculated how its customer base would use its card. 

    Wells Fargo may have underestimated just how savvy young professionals could be with a credit card that rewards renters.

    In 2022, Wells Fargo, the San Francisco-based bank, partnered with Bilt Technologies, a fintech startup, to offer a rewards program that incentivizes customers to pay rent with a credit card.

    For many young renters, the allure was clear: Bilt offered a zero-annual-fee card that allowed its users to earn a point for every dollar spent on rent without incurring transaction fees. The only requirement was that customers make five transactions each statement period to earn the points.

    Customers could also receive points for travel and dining. Those points could then be used for purchases with any of Bilt's partners, such as Alaska Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Hyatt, and Soul Cycle.

    According to The Wall Street Journal, Bilt opened more than one million accounts within the first 18 months.

    But the return for the bank has yet to materialize.

    A 'generation of young, affluent new customers'

    Bilt's demographic is decidedly different from the average American — who has a median salary of just less than $60,000, with 49% of them holding onto a credit card balance month-to-month.

    But a report on Bilt prepared by investment banking firm Financial Technology Partners said the company was reaching out to a "generation of young, affluent new customers."

    In a February interview with The Wise Marketer, Dave Canty, Bilt's head of loyalty and partnerships, said the company's core demographics are between 24 and 34, with a median age of about 29.

    "The average income," he said in the interview, "is about $147,000, so these are high-achieving young professionals."

    Bilt CEO and founder Ankur Jain said on X that his company was attracting "highly valuable customers" for Wells Fargo at low costs. The average customer is 31 years old and has a 760 FICO score, he said.

    Kevin and Amanda Smidt, a Miami-based couple, told Business Insider they've been Bilt cardmembers for about a year after they heard about the program on a financial podcast.

    "I've never heard of it, and I was like, 'Wow, that's so smart,' because — especially if you live in a major city like New York or Miami — you're spending a lot of money on rent," Amanda, a 32-year-old business owner and registered nurse anesthetist, said. "I was like, 'This makes so much sense because I have this huge payment every month, but now I'll get points.'"

    The two described themselves as financially responsible, telling BI they never carry a balance on their multiple personal credit cards, including Bilt.

    "I heard about it on a financial podcast about investing. I'm a responsible person who invests, you know what I mean?" Amanda said.

    Kevin, who is 33 and working on his fellowship as an orthopedic surgeon, told BI that the card has been fruitful.

    The couple said they racked up 56,000 points in about six months and transferred them through one of Bilt's programs to turn their earnings into 126,000 points with Virgin Atlantic. Kevin said they used the reward to pay for three flights, two in business class and one on Virgin's new plane.

    The husband told BI that he could see the card being beneficial for general use, given the rewards a customer could gain from travel and dining. But for the Smidts, most of the other purchases they made with Bilt were to meet the minimum five-transaction requirement.

    "A lot of the times, that's like a latte," Amanda said. "I just do small purchases to be able to get the points from the rent."

    Kevin said he hopes Wells Fargo doesn't get rid of Bilt, but Amanda chimed in: "Well, actually, we just bought a house."

    "Oh yeah," Kevin added, "so we won't be able to use it anymore."

    A costly program

    The Journal reported on Sunday that Wells Fargo was losing up to $10 million monthly to sustain the Bilt program, citing anonymous current and former employees.

    According to the report, part of the problem is that Wells Fargo may have miscalculated how Bilt customers would use the card.

    The Journal reported that only 15% to 25% of the dollars people spent on the card were carried over month-to-month, which is crucial for Wells Fargo to generate interest-fee revenue. The bank projected that the carry-over would be between half and three-quarters of the dollars spent.

    Wells Fargo also anticipated that 65% of the credit card purchase volume would be for expenses other than rent. Instead, according to The Journal, most purchases are for rent payments despite Bilt's requirement for five transactions per statement to score points.

    Wells Fargo and Bilt declined to comment on the reported numbers. A Bilt spokesperson told Business Insider that Wells Fargo does not make the numbers publicly available.

    In an email, a Wells Fargo spokesperson told Business Insider that co-branded credit cards are "one modest piece of the company's overall credit card business strategy, and the BILT credit card is one component of that."

    "As with all new card launches, it takes multiple years for the initial launch to pay off and while we are in the early stages of our partnership, we look forward to continuing to work together to deliver a great value for our customers and make sure it's a win for both BILT and Wells Fargo," the spokesperson said.

    According to The Journal, the losses have pushed Wells Fargo to rethink its partnership with Bilt, and the bank won't renew its contract, which is set to expire in 2029.

    The Wells Fargo spokesperson said that "there has been no conversation among decision-makers to exit the BILT agreement. To suggest otherwise is false."

    A Bilt spokesperson said the Journal's story is an "inaccurate representation of our strategic partnership with Wells Fargo."

    On X, Bilt CEO Jain did not address the reported losses but repeated Wells Fargo's statement denying the bank's plan to end the partnership once the contract expires.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Guess which ASX 300 share could rise over 50%

    A young man talks tech on his phone while looking at a laptop. A financial graph is superimposed across the image.

    Now could be the time to pounce on Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: CUV) shares now if you want big returns for your portfolio.

    That’s the view of analysts at Bell Potter, which are feeling very positive about the ASX 300 share.

    Why is it an ASX 300 share to buy?

    In case you’re not familiar with Clinuvel, it is a global specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercialising treatments for patients with genetic, metabolic, systemic, and life-threatening, acute disorders.

    Its lead therapy is Scenesse, which is approved for commercial distribution in Europe, the USA, Israel, and Australia as the world’s first systemic photoprotective drug for the prevention of phototoxicity (anaphylactoid reactions and burns) in adult patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP).

    The ASX 300 share is also seeking to expand Scenesse’s use into other treatment areas. It is this that is getting Bell Potter excited. It commented:

    CUV are conducting two Phase 3 trials to expand the label of Scenesse to include patients with vitiligo. Following recent company announcements, we have revisited vitiligo development expectations and market forecasts. The first Phase 3 trial primary readout is expected in 2H CY25 and represents one of the next major catalysts for the company excluding financial results. Assuming the Phase 3 trials proceed smoothly, we expect submission to the FDA in late CY26 for potential approval by end-CY27.

    Bell Potter notes that if successful, this expansion has the potential to be a huge boost to its sales. It adds:

    With ~1% of the US population affected by vitiligo, the market size is far greater than the single rare disease for which Scenesse is currently approved. We estimate a directly addressable vitiligo market in the US of ~65-70k patients (vs. ~2k patients for EPP). This translates into legitimate potential for Scenesse to increase its annual sales several fold if the Phase 3 trials succeed and regulatory approval is granted.

    Big return potential

    In light of the above, the broker has reaffirmed its buy rating and $22.25 price target on the ASX 300 share. Based on its current share price of $14.60, this implies potential upside of 52% for investors over the next 12 months.

    The broker concludes:

    We view the first vitiligo Phase 3 readout in CY25 as a significant catalyst for the company and see the current CUV price as a good entry point for those willing to take on clinical risk with downside mitigated to a degree by the existing, profitable EPP franchise.

    The post Guess which ASX 300 share could rise over 50% 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. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    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 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.

  • Can owners of NAB shares bank on a good outlook for FY25?

    A man holds his hand under his chin as he concentrates on his laptop screen and reads about the ANZ share price

    The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price has increased by more than 35% in the last 12 months, as shown on the chart below. Shareholders and other investors may wonder whether the good streak can continue in FY25.

    NAB has a different reporting schedule than many other ASX shares. Its full-year ends on 30 September, while June is the last month of the financial year for Australian individuals and many businesses.

    There are still three and a half months left of the ASX bank share‘s FY24, so commentary about the outlook could apply to both the end of FY24 as well as FY25.

    Worsening arrears

    At the beginning of May 2024, NAB reported its FY24 first-half result, which showed cash earnings of $3.55 billion (down 12.8% year over year).

    One of the negatives within the result was that the percentage of its loans that were overdue by at least 90 days or impaired is increasing – it was 0.66% in the FY23 first half, 0.75% in the FY23 second half and 0.79% in the first half of FY24. This represented “higher arrears across the Australian home lending and business lending portfolios, partially offset by lower impaired assets.”

    NAB said:

    The Australian economy is proving resilient and most customers are faring well in the current more challenging environment. However, there remains continued uncertainty in the outlook including the impacts of global instability and the ability of customers to manage the full extent of higher interest rates and elevated cost of living pressures.

    Strong competition

    NAB reported in the HY24 result that revenue decreased by 3.7%, mainly reflecting “lower margins”.

    The net interest margin (NIM) decreased by 5 basis points (0.05%) to 1.72%, while the underlying NIM declined 10 basis points. This reflected “lending margin competitive pressures primarily relating to housing lending, along with higher term deposit costs and deposit mix impacts.”

    NAB said the benefits of a higher interest rate environment have been more than offset by competition while cost pressures remain elevated.

    NAB shares its outlook

    With the FY24 first-half result, the ASX bank share said the following:

    With our new executive leadership team in place, we are considering how we evolve our strategic priorities. We start in a great place with strong, safe balance sheet settings and attractive growth options. While no major strategic pivots are needed, we are excited about opportunities to leverage the good work of the past several years to allow us to become even simpler and drive better outcomes for customers and colleagues while maintaining a disciplined approach. This will remain at the core of everything we do and underpin our ability to deliver sustainable growth and returns.

    Forecasts

    Analysts at broker UBS expect stronger results in FY25 than in FY24.

    The broker currently forecasts that NAB could generate net profit after tax (NPAT) of $7 billion in FY24 and $7.15 billion in FY25. This would translate into earnings per share (EPS) of $2.21 in FY24 and $2.27 in FY25. While higher, this does not imply much growth in FY25.

    UBS expects NAB shares to offer a fully franked dividend yield of around 5% over the next two financial years.

    The broker currently has a sell on NAB shares because of a “fully valued” NAB share price. The price target is $30, implying a fall of 15% from where it is today.

    The post Can owners of NAB shares bank on a good outlook for FY25? 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. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

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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.

  • 5 top ASX growth shares to buy in June

    The great news for growth investors is that there are plenty of quality options to choose from on the Australian share market.

    But which ones could be buys in June?

    Let’s take a look at five ASX growth shares that brokers rate highly:

    Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

    This pizza chain operator has been struggling in recent years due to operational mishaps and inflationary pressures. While this is disappointing, there are signs that the worst could now be over and its fortunes could improve from FY 2025.

    Morgan Stanley appears to believe this makes it a good time to make a patient investment in Domino’s. Last month, it put an overweight rating and $52.00 price target on its shares.

    IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

    Analysts at Bell Potter think that this distributor of electrical equipment and industrial digital technologies could be an ASX growth share to buy in June.

    Its analysts expect the company to benefit from the electrification megatrend. They note that IPG is “a high quality play on the electrification growth trend which is emerging as a dominant market narrative.”

    Bell Potter has the company on its preferred list with a buy rating and $5.60 price target.

    Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

    The team at Morgans is feeling very positive about Lovisa and sees it as an ASX growth share to buy this month.

    It believes the growing fashion jewellery retailer is well-positioned to continue its strong form long into the future thanks to its large global expansion opportunity. It has previously noted that its plan to “enter mainland China in FY24, [is] paving the way for significant longer-term growth.” This expansion has since taken place and has started positively according to industry date.

    Morgans currently has an add rating and $35.00 price target on its shares.

    Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

    Morgans also thinks that Treasury Wine could be an ASX growth share to buy right now. This is partly due to its recent acquisition of DAOU Vineyards (DAOU) for US$900 million (A$1.4 billion).

    The broker notes that “if TWE delivers on its investment case, there is material upside to our valuation.”

    Morgans has an add rating and $14.03 price target on its shares.

    Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB)

    Finally, the team at Morgans is also bullish on online travel booking company Webjet.

    It thinks Webjet could be an ASX growth share to buy thanks largely to its dominant WebBeds B2B business and the “significant market share still up for grabs.” Morgans believes this positions the company well for the future.

    The broker has an add rating and price target of $11.20 on Webjet’s shares.

    The post 5 top ASX growth shares to buy in June 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. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, Lovisa, and Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, Ipd Group, and Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Ipd Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, Lovisa, and Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • A guide to every pop song that gets a classical cover on season 3 of ‘Bridgerton’

    Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington and Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton in season three, episode seven of "Bridgerton."
    Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington and Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton in season three, episode seven of "Bridgerton."

    • "Bridgerton" season three focuses on Colin and Penelope's love story.
    • The latest batch of episodes of the Regency-era show includes several instrumental pop covers.
    • Season three features covers of Taylor Swift's "Snow on the Beach," Ariana Grande's "POV," and more.

    Warning: There are major spoilers ahead for season three of "Bridgerton."

    "Bridgerton" is back with more romance, drama, and, of course, classical covers of the biggest pop songs.

    Season three, which focuses on Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington's (Nicola Coughlan) friends-to-lovers relationship, features recognizable tracks revamped to fit into the Regency era.

    Here's a guide to every cover that's part of the season three soundtrack.

    "Abcdefu" by Gayle
    Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington on season three, episode one of "Bridgerton."
    Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington on season three, episode one of "Bridgerton."

    During the season three premiere "Out of the Shadows," Penelope Featherington gets frustrated by living at home with her sisters and becomes determined to find a husband this year. So, she ditches her signature citrus-colored gowns and tries out a new hairstyle for Lady Danbury's (Adjoa Andoh) ball.

    A classical rendition of Gayle's "abcdefu" plays when Penelope arrives at the ball and reveals a dazzling, sophisticated dark green dress paired with sheer gloves. She catches the attention of fellow attendees — including her longtime crush and future husband, Colin Bridgerton.

    "Dynamite" by BTS
    Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton on season three, episode two of "Bridgerton."
    Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton on season three, episode two of "Bridgerton."

    During episode two ("How Bright the Moon"), the Vitamin String Quartet's cover of the BTS track briefly plays at a ball as Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) observes pairs on the dance floor, including Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Miss Stowell.

    "Jealous" by Nick Jonas
    Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton on season three, episode two of "Bridgerton."
    Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton on season three, episode two of "Bridgerton."

    After taking notes from Colin's charm lessons, Penelope is finally able to speak more naturally with potential suitors during episode two. A cover of Jonas' solo track "Jealous," performed by Shimmer, plays as Colin watches with slight envy as Penelope converses with Lord Remington.

    "Cheap Thrills" by Sia featuring Sean Paul
    Ruth Gemmell as Violet Bridgerton on season three, episode two of "Bridgerton."
    Ruth Gemmell as Violet Bridgerton on season three, episode two of "Bridgerton."

    The Vitamin String Quartet's cover of "Cheap Thrills" can be heard during episode three ("Forces of Nature") as members of the Ton arrive at the Innovations Ball of 1815.

    Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) watches as her kids Benedict, Francesa (Hannah Dodd), Colin, and Eloise (Claudia Jessie) head inside. Then a handsome stranger, later revealed to be Lady Danbury's brother Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), helps Violet pick her glove up off the ground.

    "Happier Than Ever" by Billie Eilish
    Sam Phillips as Lord Debling and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington on season three, episode three of "Bridgerton."
    Sam Phillips as Lord Debling and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington on season three, episode three of "Bridgerton."

    Just as Colin is about to finally ask Penelope if she feels the same way about him during episode three, he's interrupted by Lord Debling (Sam Phillips) whisking her away to dance. As the pair dance to the Vitamin String Quartet's cover of "Happier Than Ever," Colin watches on with jealousy.

    "Snow on the Beach" by Taylor Swift featuring Lana Del Rey
    Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington, Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton, and Sam Phillips as Lord Debling on season three, episode four of "Bridgerton."
    Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington, Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton, and Sam Phillips as Lord Debling on season three, episode four of "Bridgerton."

    Another Taylor Swift cover appears this season — this time from her "Midnights" album — during episode four ("Old Friends").

    The song, recorded by Atwood Quartet, can be heard during a pivotal part in the episode, as Penelope asks Lord Debling if love could develop between them over time. Lord Debling admits that his work takes up much of his passion, but he's glad that she has such a full life already.

    Colin, who arrived late, interrupts them on the dance floor to talk to Penelope. As Colin and Penelope talk and dance, he tells her that she can't marry Lord Debling because he'll be away for three years. But Penelope is already aware of Lord Debling's plans and is going to accept his proposal.

    While dancing with Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), Lord Debling realizes that Penelope sits at her drawing-room window so frequently to catch glimpses of Colin. He ends his courtship with Penelope because he needs to be with someone who isn't preoccupied with feelings for another person.

    "Give Me Everything" by Pitbull, Afrojack, and Ne-Yo featuring Nayer
    Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington on season three, episode four of "Bridgerton."
    Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington on season three, episode four of "Bridgerton."

    Episode four culminates in Polin finally getting together, to the tune of a stripped-down version of "Give Me Everything" by Archer Marsh.

    After Lord Debling rejects Penelope, she promptly leaves the ball distraught. Colin runs after her carriage and finally admits that he has feelings for her, too.

    Then, Penelope tells Colin that she'd like to be more than friends and they have a heated makeout session in the carriage. When the carriage arrives at the Bridgerton home, Colin asks Penelope to marry her.

    "POV" by Ariana Grande
    Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington and Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton in season three, episode five of "Bridgerton."
    Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington and Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton in season three, episode five of "Bridgerton."

    Penelope and Colin share a lengthy, intimate moment — dubbed the mirror scene by fans — during episode five.

    The entire sequence, which is the show's longest sex scene ever, is set to a dreamy cover of Grande's "POV" by Strings from Paris.

    "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons
    Victor Alli as John Stirling and Hannah Dodd as Francesca Bridgerton in season three, episode six of "Bridgerton."
    Victor Alli as John Stirling and Hannah Dodd as Francesca Bridgerton in season three, episode six of "Bridgerton."

    In episode six, Thomas Mercier's cover of "Thunder" plays in part during an interaction between Violet and Marcus, and continues when Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) and John Stirling (Victor Alli) announce that they plan on getting married.

    "Confident" by Demi Lovato
    Jessica Madsen as Cressida Cowper in season three, episode six of "Bridgerton."
    Jessica Madsen as Cressida Cowper in season three, episode six of "Bridgerton."

    Demi Lovato's "Confident," covered by Archer Marsh, plays during episode six at the Mondrichs' ball as Cressida crashes the festivities wearing a bright red outfit with impossibly large sleeves.

    After publicly claiming to be Lady Whistledown, everyone at the ball stares at Cressida and whispers about her.

    "Yellow" by Coldplay
    Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in season three, episode seven of "Bridgerton."
    Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in season three, episode seven of "Bridgerton."

    Vitamin String Quartet's cover of Coldplay's hit song "Yellow" plays as Penelope walks down the aisle at her wedding.

    The song is a fitting, spot-on choice, considering that the citrus shade was most associated with Penelope before her season three transformation.

    "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift
    Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in season three, episode seven of "Bridgerton."
    Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in season three, episode seven of "Bridgerton."

    Colin and Penelope have their first dance as a married couple to Duomo's cover of "You Belong With Me" at their wedding breakfast during episode seven.

    "Lights" by Ellie Goulding
    Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury during the season three finale of "Bridgerton."
    Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury during the season three finale of "Bridgerton."

    A stripped-down cover of "Lights," performed by Archer Marsh, plays during the Dankworth-Finch ball in the season three finale.

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  • People say you’ll regret not having kids. I don’t, but I wish I had done something special to honor my decision.

    Older couple standing on the beach from behind.
    Louisa Rogers (not pictured) and her husband decided not to have kids together.

    • People often say that women will regret the choice not to have kids, but I don't.
    • I'm fine with the decision I made.
    • However, it was an important one, and I wish my husband and I had marked it with a ritual. 

    "You'll regret it if you don't have kids," my friend's mom warned her in her 20s. Back then, in the 50s and 60s, it was assumed that everyone would have kids after they got married. Marriage itself was a foregone conclusion.

    Surprisingly for that era, my parents didn't pressure me. The closest either of them came was my mother once saying, "I hope you have children, because it's one of life's most beautiful experiences." She never brought it up again.

    In the end, I didn't have kids. I'm sure having children can indeed be one of life's most beautiful experiences, but I have no regrets.

    The decision we made was an important one

    Looking back, 45 years later, on the decision that my husband Barry and I made, I think what happens after a woman decides not to have kids is crucial. In my case, despite the fact that I never experienced any pressure to have children, it took me a while to fully inhabit my new identity as a woman without biological kids.

    This was partly because I never experienced a clear, decisive moment when I woke up and said to myself, "I don't want children." Unlike me, Barry did experience such a moment of clarity. Lucky him! Even after 15 years of marriage, I hesitated to finalize the decision.

    Looking back, I'm puzzled that I never really honored my decision. While I wasn't remorseful or even ambivalent, neither did I rejoice. I don't mean we should've thrown a party, but rather, I wish now that we had done something simple to mark the transition. After all, this was a huge decision — the biggest in our married life.

    I wish we had marked it with a ritual

    When we got home from the hospital after Barry's vasectomy, we lay together on a futon on our patio tiles, looking up at the clouds and not saying much. That was a good start, but in my ideal world, I would have lit a candle or looked at each other and "gassho"ed, a Buddhist term meaning to bow with hands in a prayer position to acknowledge closure, gratitude, or regret. Performing a ritual has always been a profound way for me to acknowledge a transition and move forward.

    On the other hand, something that did help enormously was the unexpected gift I received from my younger sister, who loves children and already had two at the time. After I told her our news, without a moment's hesitation, she cried, "Oh, great!" Later, she explained that it wasn't that she didn't want us to have kids but rather that she was delighted we'd made the decision so we could embrace the next chapter in our lives. What a difference her affirmation made.

    I know several women today who are on the fence about having a child, and I can imagine how tough the decision is, especially in the complex world we're in nowadays. If I were to give them advice, I'd say this: whatever choice you make, pay close attention to what happens before and after. Consider creating a ritual, and find someone you trust outside your relationship to help you affirm the decision you made, so you can claim it with all your heart.

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  • Israeli military knew how Hamas planned to take hostages weeks before October 7: report

    Israeli soldiers inspect burnt cars
    Israel soldiers inspect burnt cars at the site of the Hamas attacks on the Nova music festival in southern Israel.

    • The IDF knew about Hamas' plans to attack just weeks before October 7, Israeli broadcaster Kan reported.
    • The IDF's Gaza Division had intel on Hamas' training and hostage-taking strategies, Kan reported.
    • According to Kan, IDF intelligence officials even predicted Hamas would take 200-250 hostages.

    The Israeli military knew about Hamas' plans to attack southern Israel weeks before October 7 — even how many hostages the militant group planned to capture, according to a report from Israeli public broadcaster Kan.

    The Israel Defense Force's Gaza Division reportedly distributed an internal intelligence document on September 19, 2023, outlining the details of Hamas' planned raid, according to Kan.

    The document, which Kan reportedly saw, states that the IDF had observed Hamas conducting a series of trainings where militant fighters practiced attacking both Israeli military stations and civilian kibbutzim communities.

    The IDF also knew, according to the document viewed by Kan, that Hamas trained its units on how to capture hostages and how to guard them once they were taken back to the Gaza Strip.

    The IDF's Southern Command and Gaza Division also wrote in the document, according to Kan, that they expected Hamas to take between 200 and 250 hostages. The officials even had intel on how Hamas intended to treat the hostages in certain extreme circumstances and what rules Hamas set for executing hostages, Kan reported.

    Israel mistakenly believed, the Times of Israel reported, that Hamas would never be able to get past its high-tech border security — an "Iron Wall" composed of concrete, tunnels, and razor wire, complete with remote-controlled machine guns, that was installed two years before the attack.

    That oversight prevented top Israeli intelligence leaders from doing anything about the internal report detailing Hamas' plans, Kan News reported.

    And it wasn't just a few weeks before October 7 that Israel reportedly knew about Hamas' plans.

    More than a year before the attack, Israel had a 40-page document detailing, play-by-play, exactly how Hamas would attack the southern border, The New York Times reported last year. But, Israel never took Hamas' plans seriously, assuming the militant group would never get past Israel's defenses, the Times reported.

    Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking hundreds hostage, many of whom are still being held in captivity.

    The exact number of hostages Hamas took is unclear, but Israel has estimated it was around 240, with about 116 still in Gaza, the Wall Street Journal reported.

    Israel's subsequent airstrikes and war against Hamas in Gaza have killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, many of whom are women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities.

    Read the original article on Business Insider