Author: therawinformant

  • Swiss government signs agreement with Moderna for COVID-19 vaccine

    Swiss government signs agreement with Moderna for COVID-19 vaccineSwitzerland has signed an agreement with Moderna to secure early access to the COVID-19 vaccine the U.S. biotech company is developing, the government said on Friday. Switzerland will get 4.5 million doses of the vaccine, enough to vaccinate 2.25 million people if as expected two doses are needed per patient. The government is also talking to other vaccine companies and has allocated 300 million Swiss francs ($329 million) to the project.

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  • ASX 200 falls 0.6%, REA Group reports

    ASX 200

    ASX 200ASX 200

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) went down 0.6% to 6,005 points.

    The federal government announced today that jobkeeper would be extended to a wider group of businesses which may have just started getting into financial trouble. It will largely support Victorian businesses which are now facing difficulties due to the heavier lockdowns.

    REA Group Limited (ASX: REA) reports its FY20 result

    REA Group announced its FY20 result today. Revenue went down 6% to $820.3 million. The revenue decline was less than the listing declines – during FY20 national listings were down 12% with Sydney listings down 6% and Melbourne listings down 8%.

    Listings rebounded strongly in July 2020 for the ASX 200 share, which is now into FY21. July national listings were up 16% with Sydney listings up 47% and Melbourne listings up 13%.

    Core earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was down 5% to $492.1 million and net profit after tax (NPAT) dropped 9% to $268.9 million. Earnings per share (EPS) was also down 9% to $2.04.

    During FY20 the company saw Australian residential decline by 4%, with lower national listing volumes partially by price changes that took effect from 1 July 2019. Commercial and developer revenue declined 7% with new project commencements down 27%.

    Media data and other revenue declined by 19% primarily due to lower developer display advertising in line with new project commencement volumes. Financial services operating revenue increased due to higher settlements and improved broker productivity.

    REA Group announced a full year dividend $1.10 per share, a 7% cut.

    REA Group CEO Owen Wilson said: “The property market has shown great resilience, bouncing back from the lows of COVID-19, however, the extent of this recovery is still dependent on the efforts to contain the virus and the outlook for the underlying economy. We have a strong balance sheet, a talented workforce and a loyal audience which will see us emerge an even stronger business once more normal conditions return.”

    The REA Group share price rose 1.9% today.

    Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG)

    The ASX 200 insurance giant announced its FY20 result today.

    IAG’s gross written premium (GWP) rose by 1.1% to $12 billion. Insurance profit dropped 39.5% to $741 million. The underlying insurance margin dropped 60 basis points to 16% and the reported insurance margin decreased 680 basis points to 10.1%.

    The net profit after tax (NPAT) dropped 59.6% to $435 million.

    The reported margin fell below the guided range of 12.5% to 14.5% due to the higher than expected level of natural peril events, a strengthening of reserves (mainly relating in the liability), professional risks and workers’ compensation areas, and credit spread effects. COVID-19 impacts on the underwriting profit largely offset each other.

    The underlying margin declined because of higher reinsurance costs, the lower interest rates are continuing to impact investment income, and there was a poorer performance from the commercial long tail classes in Australia.

    IAG didn’t declare a final dividend. The total year dividend was 10 cents per share, amounting to a 68.8% reduction.

    The IAG share price dropped 0.8% today.

    News Corp (ASX: NWS)

    The ASX 200 news business reported its FY20 result when it released its fourth quarter numbers.

    Revenue dropped 22% to $1.92 billion due to the negative impacts of COVID-19 and the sale of News America Marketing.

    The company saw a net loss of $401 million which included impairment charges of $292 million and higher restructuring costs due to COVID-19 compared to a $42 million loss in the previous year.

    However, one highlight was the Dow Jones segment which achieved record average subscriptions of 3.8 million to its consumer products, with 28% growth in digital-only subscriptions, including 23% growth of its digital-only subscriptions at The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones segment EBITDA rose by 13% in the fourth quarter.

    The News Corp share price went up 5.7% today, it was one of the day’s top ASX 200 performers. 

    These 3 stocks could be the next big movers in 2020

    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 more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    In this FREE STOCK REPORT, Scott just revealed what he believes are the 3 ASX stocks for the post COVID world that investors should buy right now while they still can. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks these could really go gangbusters as we move into ‘the new normal’.

    *Returns as of 6/8/2020

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

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  • Inflation Is Coming, and Big Tech Won’t Protect You

    Inflation Is Coming, and Big Tech Won't Protect You(Bloomberg Opinion) — Over the past decade, it’s almost been too easy for Americans to manage their wealth. A textbook 60/40 portfolio — in its simplest incarnation, exposure to the S&P 500 Index and Treasury bonds — was an effortless winner. The U.S. boasted the world’s best stock market, and bonds, apart from offering interest income, provided a nice hedge against equity risks.Now we live in extraordinary times that demand a reshuffle. Swapping out some bonds for gold and some U.S. technology stocks for Chinese ones could offer a better hedge: Both can be considered credit default swaps against President Donald Trump’s chaotic policymaking. You could argue that the wreckage left by Covid-19, combined with what’s quickly shaping up to be a cold war between the world’s two largest economies, is the closest we’ve come to World War III. And just like wartime episodes of the past, we’re seeing disrupted global supply chains, border lockdowns and restricted movements in labor. War is inflationary. The cheap car parts made in China’s inland city of Wuhan can no longer land in the U.S., and your French wine could cost more as transportation logistics get trickier. Moreover, the Federal Reserve has been flooding its financial system with cash. In just three months, assets held by the central bank ballooned by two-thirds, to almost $7 trillion. To make matters worse, the Fed is mulling a more relaxed stance toward inflation, ready to abandon preemptive rate hikes — even though  consumer expectations have been  ticking up since May. As I’ve argued in a recent piece for Bloomberg Businessweek, bonds are no longer effective equity hedges in an ultra-low-rate world that faces inflationary pressure; gold can do a better job. But after a neck-breaking rally, it’s natural to ask if we’re already too late to the game. History can be our guide. After the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, gold broke out and continued marching higher until September 2011, even as Tea Party belt-tighteners took control of the national narrative in the 2010 midterm election. A decade on, the Republican Party’s libertarian wing has all but disappeared, and is replaced by a cross-the-aisle nod to modern monetary theorists, who brush aside fiscal austerity. The Tea Party is no longer here to sour the gold rally. Meanwhile, since we’re at war, might it be smart to hedge against the possibility of losing? This cold war isn’t over a plot of land or sea, but domination over next-generation technology. The U.S. has the absolute advantage now, with chip and robotic designs far ahead of China’s, but that edge is slipping away. While Washington is wrangling over trillions of dollars of stimulus to fend off a recession caused by waves of coronavirus outbreaks, China, which has the pandemic relatively under control, is only strengthening its tech resolve. For Beijing, it’s killing two birds with one stone. The $1.4 trillion hard tech invesment is the nation’s new fiscal stimulus package. Instead of building more roads to nowhere, China is installing 5G base stations.It’s high time to consider diversifying from U.S. stocks, anyhow. There have been nagging worries about the market being on a tear even with the economy in the dumps. Meanwhile, Big Tech has become too dominant, with the top five mega-cap names now accounting for more than 20% of the S&P 500 and its entire gain this year. This might help explain why mainland firms that recently went public in New York are outperforming their U.S. counterparts, despite the Trump administration’s attempt to delist China Inc. Now, I am not advocating that investors plow their money into China’s big tech companies, because they face the exact same problems that U.S. Big Tech has — overbought stocks and impossible expectations. This year’s passive flows only worsened the concentration risk of benchmark indexes. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. account for a third of the MSCI China Index and about 14% of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.  Rather, investors should do their homework on smaller hard-tech companies. The truth is, once you identify a promising tech seedling, it doesn’t take a venture capitalist’s patience to watch it blossom. India’s Reliance Industries Ltd. joined the Century Club — stocks with over $100 billion market cap — in just three months. Tencent is another example of a melt-up. Good wealth management is all about diversification. If you’re unsure of Trump’s wartime strategies, add some of gold and China exposure to your portfolio. (Adds details on concentration risk of China’s big tech companies in the 11th paragraph.)This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Shuli Ren is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asian markets. She previously wrote on markets for Barron's, following a career as an investment banker, and is a CFA charterholder.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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  • 2 of the best ASX shares to buy right now

    If you have money to invest into the Australian share market in August, then I think it could be worth splitting these funds evenly across the two ASX shares listed below.

    Here’s why I think they would be great options this month:

    BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

    I think that investing into this exchange traded fund could be a great idea. Given its growing middle class, I believe the Asian economy will grow very strongly over the next decade. This could make the BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF a long term market beater. This is because this fund tracks the performance of the 50 largest technology and ecommerce companies that have their main area of business in Asia (excluding Japan). Among its holdings you’ll find the likes of Alibaba, Samsung, and Tencent Holdings. The latter is the owner of the hugely popular WeChat app. It also recently became a major shareholder in buy now pay later juggernaut Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT).

    CSL Limited (ASX: CSL)

    Due to a recent pullback in this biotherapeutics giant’s shares, they are currently trading at a material discount to their 52-week high. The CSL share price weakness has been caused by concerns over its performance in FY 2021 due to difficulties collecting plasma during the pandemic. These collections are important as they are used to create some of its leading therapies. A shortage of plasma could drive prices higher and lead to margin compression. While this is certainly a risk, I’m optimistic the damage won’t be anywhere near as bad as the market believes. In addition to this, I expect demand for flu vaccines to offset some or even all of any potential weakness. In light of this, I think investors ought to focus on its long term future, which I believe is remarkably positive. This is thanks to its leading therapies, recent acquisitions, and its high level of investment in research and development. The latter is underpinning a pipeline of very lucrative potential future therapies.

    Legendary stock picker names 5 cheap stocks to buy right now

    Motley Fool resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has stumbled upon five stocks he believes could be some of the greatest discoveries of his investing career.

    These little-known ASX stocks are growing like gangbusters, yet you can buy them today for less than $5 a share. Click here to learn more.

    See these 5 cheap stocks

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

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  • 3 ASX shares poised for huge growth over the next year

    Rocket soaring through sky

    Rocket soaring through skyRocket soaring through sky

    I believe that ASX growth shares are the best way to invest in 2020.

    There is a lot of uncertainty at the moment due to COVID-19, so I think it makes sense to go for businesses that can deliver good growth in the short-term and the long-term.

    They need to be businesses that could be resilient even in the face of COVID-19 impacts:

    Share 1: Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH)

    Pushpay is one of the best ASX growth shares in my opinion. It facilitates digital giving to not for profits. At this stage its biggest client base and its largest opportunity is the US large and medium sector.

    FY20 was a very strong year for the company with revenue growth of 32% to US$129.8 million. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and foreign currency (EBITDAF) rose by 1,506% from US$1.6 million to US$25.1 million.

    In FY21 the ASX growth share is expecting EBITDAF to at least double to between US$50 million to US$54 million. The company has regularly achieved its goals for each year. Over the long-term it’s aiming for US$1 billion of revenue from the US church sector.

    Pushpay continues to see an increase in demand for Pushpay’s services. I think COVID-19 is causing Pushpay’s adoption curve to accelerate and its revenue will benefit.

    The ASX growth share increased its guidance a number of times during FY20. I wouldn’t expect the same to happen again, but I think could Pushpay could keep impressing.

    Pushpay is trading at 32x FY22’s estimated earnings.

    Share 2: A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

    A2 Milk has been one of the best ASX growth shares over the past five years. But I don’t think its growth is suddenly going to stop. I believe A2 Milk is one of the best opportunities within the ASX 100.

    In FY20 the company is expecting revenue growth of at least 30.3%, which is impressive considering the business has been growing strongly for many years already.

    It was good to read that the ASX share is expecting revenue growth in FY20 to be so strong that its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin to be between 31% to 32% rather than the medium-term target of 30%.

    I like the 30% EBITDA margin target because it’s a good balance between profitability and investing for future growth.

    It seems like COVID-19 isn’t going away any time soon, so I think A2 Milk could see elevated revenue over FY21 as well.

    The ASX share is slowly but steadily growing its market share in China and the growth of its distribution footprint in the US is also very promising.

    At the current A2 Milk share price it’s trading at 29x FY22’s estimated earnings.

    Share 3: Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN)

    The online retailer has been one of the ASX shares to rebound the strongest after the initial COVID-19 crash.

    But a lot of the resurgent share price performance has been justified with how much its revenue and operating profit has grown over the past few months.

    In its FY20 fourth quarter it said that compared to the prior corresponding period its gross sales rose by more than 95%, its gross profit increased by more than 115% and its adjusted EBITDA grew by 149%. In June 2020 alone Kogan added 109,000 customers.

    This type of growth isn’t likely to suddenly come to a stop. Australians are being urged to avoid crowded places and the shift to online shopping seems like an accelerated shift to ecommerce.

    The Kogan.com share price has risen 281% over the past six months and if it keeps growing at a fast pace then its share price could keep going higher.

    Foolish takeaway

    I think each of these ASX shares will report solid double digit revenue growth in FY21 which will hopefully equate to good profit growth as well. At the current share prices I think Pushpay and A2 Milk could be really good picks today. 

    Where to 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 more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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

    *Returns as of June 30th

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    Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Kogan.com ltd and PUSHPAY FPO NZX. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of A2 Milk. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Kogan.com ltd and PUSHPAY FPO NZX. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why the Coca-Cola share price and these ASX stocks just got upgraded by brokers to “buy”

    Coca Cola shares

    Coca Cola sharesCoca Cola shares

    Don’t be discouraged by the market sell-off today as there’s still value to be found judging by the latest broker upgrades.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) is on track to close the week with a 0.7% loss as it struggles to decisively break above 6,000.

    But the Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (ASX: CCL) share price is bucking the downtrend on Friday. Shares in the beverage maker jumped 1.8% to $8.49 as we enter the last hour of trade.

    Looking more appetising

    The Coca-Cola share price got a boost after Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock to “buy” from “neutral”.

    The broker turned positive on the underperformer after management posted its latest trading update. Coca-Cola is starting to look compelling after it shed a quarter of its value in 2020 while Goldman became more confident in its outlook.

    “Although there remains risk that earnings momentum stays under downward pressure in the short term due to shutdowns, we are becoming increasingly compelled by the asymmetric opportunity that CCL’s longer-term earnings potential underpins,” said the broker.

    “The line of sight to these future earnings is also underpinned by CCL’s BBB+/A3 credit rating and balance sheet liquidity.”

    Trading at discount to the sector

    Further, Goldman noted that the stock is trading on a CY2022 forecast price-earnings multiple of around 14.5 times.

    This represents a significant discount to the Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) share price. The supermarkets are on multiples that are well over 20 times each.

    Room to boom

    Another stock that Goldman thinks is too cheap to ignore is the Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL) share price.

    The explosives and fertiliser supplier shed a third of its value since January, but things are starting to turn for Incitec.

    For one, poor demand for its explosives from global miners may be about to reverse in the next few months. The broker is expecting the industry to return to growth in FY21 and FY22, particularly for coal miners.

    Free fertiliser

    “While we remain below consensus (FY21E EBITDA -3%) on expectations for muted phosphate pricing, we see compelling risk-reward for IPL shares even in the absence of a sustained DAP recovery,” said Goldman.

    “The stock’s current valuation implies minimal value for the Fertilizers segment on a SOTP basis as well, which we view as overly punitive.”

    Goldman upgraded Incitec to “buy” and lifted its price target on the stock to $2.62 from $2.50 a share.

    Low hanging fruit

    Finally, the Vitalharvest Freehold Trust (ASX: VTH) share price got lifted to “buy” from “hold” by Bell Potter.

    The broker pointed to improving prices for corps that are grown on its properties and its better dividend outlook for the upgrade.

    Costa Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: CGC) rents farms from Vitalharvest to grow citrus fruits like oranges and blueberries.

    Rents to get a boost

    Strong overseas demand for these fruits is helping to push prices higher and Vitalharvest gets paid extra rent if prices of the soft commodities are strong.

    “In addition, while early in the water year, we note that allocation prices in the southern MDB are down 33% YOY in Jul’20, which would imply a lower cost for unowned water for the 2020/21 citrus season,” said Bell Potter.

    The broker’s 12-month price target on the stock is $0.84 a share.

    These 3 stocks could be the next big movers in 2020

    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 more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    In this FREE STOCK REPORT, Scott just revealed what he believes are the 3 ASX stocks for the post COVID world that investors should buy right now while they still can. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks these could really go gangbusters as we move into ‘the new normal’.

    *Returns as of 6/8/2020

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    Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau owns shares of Woolworths Limited and COSTA GRP FPO. Connect with me on Twitter @brenlau.

    The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended COSTA GRP FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of COLESGROUP DEF SET and Woolworths Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why the Senex Energy share price climbed 17% in July

    Oil & Gas stocks

    Oil & Gas stocksOil & Gas stocks

    Australian oil and gas explorer and producer Senex Energy Ltd‘s (ASX: SXY) share price gained 17.4% in July, closing the month at 27 cents per share. That far outpaced the gains of the broader All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which ended last month up 0.9%.

    It’s been rocky

    The Senex Energy share price sank by 63% from 21 February through 23 March when oil prices tumbled because of the global COVID-19 outbreak, although the company rebounded well before crude hit its own low. Brent crude oil plummeted 68% from 20 February before hitting a low of US$19.33 (AU$26.85) per barrel on 21 April.

    Since its 23 March low, Senex Energy’s share price rebounded a whopping 108% by 31 July.

    Despite that phenomenal surge, year-to-date, the company is still down 22% in trading.

    What does Senex Energy do?

    Senex (formerly known as Victoria Petroleum NL) is an Australian oil and natural gas explorer and producer. It operates in leading onshore energy regions in the Surat and Cooper Basins. The company is based in Brisbane and also has office locations in Roma, Wandoan and Adelaide.

    Senex listed on the ASX in 1984.

    Why did the Senex Energy share price rise again in July?

    There’s no way around it. When you’re an oil and gas producer, your share price is closely tied to the price of energy.

    The Senex Energy share price almost certainly benefited from the 4.3% gain in Brent crude prices in July. More importantly, Brent crude prices rebounded 133% since the 21 April low, which continued to offer major tailwinds to energy stocks.

    Senex also reported a major Surat Basin gas reserves upgrade on 14 July. The following day, the company released a positive quarterly report for the period ended June 2020.

    The report indicated total production increased 20% compared to the previous quarter. Senex’s total sales volume also increased 4% while revenue climbed 1%.

    The report highlighted how Senex’s diversified revenue streams and low-cost model enabled the company to deliver operational cash flows despite the low oil prices. Pre-existing agreements and a hedging program helped offset some of the burden from the falling crude prices.

    Senex forecast its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) would come in on the higher end of its $45–$55 million guidance range for the 2020 financial year.

    Senex Energy’s share price gained 15% in the five trading days following the release of the quarterly report.

    Where to 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 more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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

    *Returns as of June 30th

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

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  • 3 outstanding ASX shares to buy in August

    hands holding 5 stars

    hands holding 5 starshands holding 5 stars

    If you’re looking at investing in the share market in August, but you’re not sure where to put your money, I would suggest you consider the high quality shares listed below.

    I believe these companies are well-positioned to generate strong returns for investors over the next decade. Here’s why I would invest in their shares:

    a2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

    The first share to consider buying in August is a2 Milk Company. I think the New Zealand-based fresh milk and infant formula company could be a great long term option. After growing its earnings at an explosive rate over the last few years, I‘m confident its strong form can continue for some time to come. This is thanks to the increasing demand for its infant formula products in the massive China market (and its relatively modest market share), its expanding fresh milk footprint in the United States, and its sizeable cash balance. The latter gives a2 Milk Company the option to look to accelerate its growth in the coming years through potential earnings accretive acquisitions.

    Appen Ltd (ASX: APX)

    Another option to consider is Appen. It is a leading developer of high-quality, human annotated datasets for the machine learning and artificial intelligence markets. It provides the data required to create or improve artificial intelligence machine learning models. This is a vital part of the process, because without quality data a model will never reach its potential. Given the growing importance of machine learning, the increasing amount of money been spent by businesses on it, and Appen’s leading position in the industry, I believe it is well-placed for strong long term growth over the next decade.

    Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH)

    A final share to consider buying in August is Cochlear. I believe the hearing solutions company is well-positioned for strong long term growth thanks to the ageing populations tailwind. By 2050 there are forecast to be 1.5 billion people over the aged of 65. This will be almost triple the number of over 65s in 2010. As hearing tends to fade as we age, I expect this tailwind to drive a sustained increase in demand for its cochlear implantable devices over the next couple of decades.

    5 stocks under $5

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $5 a share!

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

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    James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Cochlear Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of A2 Milk and Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear Ltd. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Kazia Therapeutics share price soars 46% on new drug grant

    Biotechnology graphics

    Biotechnology graphicsBiotechnology graphics

    The Kazia Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: KZA) share price has today smashed its 52-week high on news that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has awarded a grant for Kazia’s flagship drug. The oncology-focused biotech company has gained 46.83% and is currently trading at 82 cents.

    What does Kazia do?

    Kazia is an Australian oncology company that develops innovative, high impact drugs for cancer. Its lead program is paxalisib, which is being developed to treat glioblastoma, the most common and most aggressive form of primary brain cancer in adults.

    The company is dual listed and also trades on the Nasdaq, with its headquarters in Sydney, Australia. Kazia collaborates with leading scientists, clinicians, and investors around the world to further its products.

    Kazia has stated that while there is some early stage evidence that one of its drugs may have a role to play in coronavirus infections, they do not intend to divert focus away from their core work in oncology. Kazia has advised that COVID-19 has not had an impact on any of its operations, including ongoing clinical trials.

    New grant

    It was announced this morning that the FDA has awarded rare pediatric disease designation (RPDD) to Kazia’s flagship drug paxalisib. It will be used for the treatment of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a rare and highly-aggressive childhood brain cancer. This is a great step forward for the company as with RDPP granted, Kazia may now be eligible to receive a rare pediatric disease priority review voucher (PRV), which bodes well for the Kazia Therapeutics share price.

    A PRV grants the holder an expedited 6-month review of a new drug application by the FDA. PRVs can be sold to other companies and have historically commanded prices between US$68 million and US$350 million. The designation was awarded following positive emerging preclinical data in patients with the disease.

    Shareholders will be eagerly awaiting the initial clinical efficacy data that is expected in the first half of FY21. Positive clinical data may substantially enhance the likelihood of a potential future PRV.

    Foolish takeaway

    The news is excellent for Kazia shareholders, with the Kazia Therapeutics share price today smashing its 52-week high to hit $1 in intraday trade. 

    Nevertheless, while this is good news there is still a lot of work before the drug is market ready and can generate meaningful profits.

    The Kazia Therapeutics share price currently sits at 82 cents, giving the company a market capitalisation of $77.57 million.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

    The post Kazia Therapeutics share price soars 46% on new drug grant appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Why I would buy Megaport and this exciting mid cap ASX share

    Buy Shares

    Buy SharesBuy Shares

    If you’re looking for investment ideas, then I think the mid cap side of the market is a great place to start. This is because I believe there are a number of companies that have the potential to grow at a strong rate over the next decade and provide market-beating returns for investors.

    Two top mid cap ASX shares to consider are listed below. Here’s why I like them:

    Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

    The first mid cap ASX share to look at is Megaport. It is an elasticity connectivity and network services company. This service allows its customers to increase and decrease their available bandwidth in response to their own demand requirements. This means that users can consume the bandwidth they need when they need it, rather than be tied to fixed service levels on long-term and expensive contracts. Demand has been exceptionally strong for Megaport’s services this year, thanks to the accelerating shift to the cloud. The good news is that more and more computer infrastructure is expected to go from local servers to cloud providers like Microsoft’s Azure, Amazon’s AWS, and Google Cloud in the future. I believe Megaport is well-placed to benefit from this trend.

    Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME)

    Another mid cap ASX share that I think investors should consider is Pro Medicus. It is a leading provider of a full range of radiology IT software and services to hospitals, imaging centres, and healthcare groups worldwide. One key product in its portfolio is the Visage 7 Enterprise Imaging Platform. Management notes that it enables imaging organisations to do things they have always wanted to do, but never could. It offers immediate differentiation for imaging organisations seeking to leapfrog the status quo of commoditised legacy PACS. Given the quality of its products and its sizeable market opportunity, I believe Pro Medicus is capable of growing its earnings at an above average rate over the next decade.

    5 stocks under $5

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $5 a share!

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

    More reading

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

    The post Why I would buy Megaport and this exciting mid cap ASX share appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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