Author: therawinformant

  • Wirecard’s $2.1 Billion Hole Deepens After Forgery Claim

    Wirecard’s $2.1 Billion Hole Deepens After Forgery Claim(Bloomberg) — Wirecard AG shares continued their free-fall after the two Asian banks that were supposed to be holding 1.9 billion euros ($2.1 billion) of missing cash denied any business relationship with the German payments company.Wirecard now faces a potential cash crunch. The company warned Thursday that loans up to 2 billion euros could be terminated if its audited annual report was not published on Friday. Analysts at Morgan Stanley estimated that Wirecard has available cash of around 220 million euros, if it cannot locate the missing $2.1 billion.BDO Unibank Inc., the Philippines’ largest bank by assets, and the Bank of the Philippine Islands said in separate statements on Friday that Wirecard isn’t a client.“It was a rogue employee who falsified documents and forged the signatures of our officers,” BDO Unibank Chief Executive Officer Nestor Tan said in a mobile phone message. “Wirecard is not even a depositor — we have no relationship with them”.The Bank of the Philippine Islands said in a separate statement that Wirecard isn’t a client and it continues to investigate the issue.Wirecard shares plunged 24% at 9:11 a.m. in Frankfurt on Friday, taking the stock’s losses to 71% since Wednesday’s close. The company that was worth 24.6 billion euros in September 2018 when it entered Germany’s Dax index is currently valued at about 3.4 billion euros.The denials from BDO and BPI follow a statement on Thursday from Wirecard, which claimed that auditor Ernst & Young couldn’t confirm the location of the missing cash that was supposed to be held in Asian banks and reported that “spurious balance confirmations” had been provided.BDO has reported the Wirecard issue to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Philippines central bank, Tan said.The crisis has engulfed Wirecard in recent days. The payments company suffered one of the worst stock slumps in the history of Germany’s benchmark index after warning that as much as 2 billion euros in loans could be called due if its audited annual report, delayed for the fourth time, was not published by June 19.Wirecard spokespeople did not immediately return calls and emails for comment.Read More: Wirecard Suspends Executive After $2.1 Billion Goes MissingWirecard Chief Executive Officer Markus Braun has painted the company as a potential victim. The CEO has been resisting calls to resign and aggressively defending the company against accusations of accounting fraud, led by a series of articles in the Financial Times.“It cannot be ruled out that Wirecard has been the victim in a substantial case of fraud,” Braun said in a statement published overnight. The company temporarily suspended its outgoing Chief Operating Officer Jan Marsalek, it said in a statement late Thursday. Marsalek — who has been suspended on a revocable basis until June 30 — had tried to get in touch with the two Asian banks and trustees over the past two days to recover the missing money, but wasn’t successful, a person familiar with the matter said Thursday. It’s unclear if the funds can be recovered, the person added.“Given the magnitude of the cash balances in question, new creditor risks and severity of the share price drop, we believe these board changes are unlikely to be enough to restore market confidence in the near-term,” said Robert Lamb, analyst at Citigroup, in a note Friday. (Updates with context throughout, analyst comment in final paragraph.)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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  • Oil Ship Cluster Off China Grows With Swelling Onshore Tanks

    Oil Ship Cluster Off China Grows With Swelling Onshore Tanks(Bloomberg) — The cluster of oil tankers off China’s coast is growing and the vessels are waiting longer to offload their cargoes amid a lack of onshore storage space after a buying spree earlier this year.The number of oil-laden tankers parked in Chinese waters has swelled since the start of the month with almost 200 ships expected over the course of June, according to vessel-tracking information compiled by Bloomberg and data intelligence firm Kpler. Crude imports surged to a record in May as demand rebounded after the easing of lockdown restrictions.The congestion illustrates the explosion in purchases by Chinese refiners as the country re-opened after shutting down to contain the coronavirus. The rush for cheap crude is overwhelming port infrastructure and storage amid an influx of cargoes from the Middle East, Latin America, Russia and West Africa.China’s oil demand rebounded rapidly from the demand destruction wrought by the outbreak, but there are concerns about a possible second wave of infections after new cases emerged in Beijing. However, Chinese crude imports are expected to expand further this month, with Kpler estimating overseas shipments could reach more than 14 million barrels a day. That would be a jump of over 20% from the record set in May.At least 32 vessels are sitting off the coast, up from around two dozen earlier in the month, with one ship that arrived in May set to take more than four weeks to discharge its full cargo due to limited tank space. That compares with a typical pre-virus wait time of around five days for a ship to offload.Almost half of the waiting tankers are Very-Large Crude Carriers, while the rest are smaller Aframaxes and Suezmaxes. Vessels have arrived at ports including Qingdao, Rizhao, Yantai, Tianjin and Yingkou, according to ship-tracking data and broker reports.The VLCC New Journey, which loaded Angolan oil in mid-April, arrived around May 19 off Shandong, the home to most of China’s independent refiners. It could only discharge about half of its 1.9-million barrel cargo at Rizhao on June 2 because of limited storage space before heading back to its anchorage, according to refinery officials with direct knowledge of the matter. The rest of the crude will be offloaded at a different terminal later this month, they said.Swelling InventoriesStockpiles at seven ports in Shandong province were at almost 48 million barrels as of June 12, the highest level in four months. Inventories fell about 10% through the week ended June 19.Processing rates by Shandong’s independent refiners, known as teapots, surged to a record earlier this month, rising strongly after hitting a low in February due to virus-driven lockdowns. China’s crude inventories are expected to gain by 440 million barrels during the first half of this year, the most ever for any country during a six-month period, according IHS Markit.While most of the inbound crude is for refiners, a portion has been purchased by traders which last month sought to take advantage of the premium of Chinese crude futures to the global benchmark Brent, according to commodities researcher ICIS. The oil is delivered into storage monitored by the Shanghai International Energy Exchange, allowing traders to offset their short positions and bank a profit, said Li Li, an analyst at ICIS.At its peak, the mark-to-market profit was $7 a barrel in May, but the spread has since flipped to a loss of $2, making the trade no longer attractive, said Li, adding that less buying from traders will help to ease congestion next month.(Updates Shandong stockpiles in eighth paragraph.)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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  • COVID-19: why hard-hit dividend shares could make you a fortune in 10 years

    dividend shares

    Many dividend shares have experienced difficult trading conditions over recent months. COVID-19 is an unprecedented crisis that has produced a challenging outlook for a wide range of businesses. This may dissuade many investors from buying high-quality companies at the present time.

    However, rising demand for income shares due to low-interest rates suggest that now could be the right time to purchase a diverse range of dividend shares. They could produce high returns that make you a fortune over the next 10 years.

    Rising demand for dividend shares

    Demand for dividend shares may not be especially high at the present time. After all, risks such as trade tensions between the US and China, and the prospect of a second wave of coronavirus, could cause difficult trading conditions for many.

    However, companies that maintain shareholder payouts in the medium term may experience high demand from income-seeking investors. They are unlikely to have plenty of alternative options available in an era where low-interest rates are set to remain in place. For example, investors who had relied on bonds or cash in the past to generate an income may now focus their capital on dividend shares.

    Rising demand for income shares could mean that their prices rise. As such, they may produce high capital returns that boost your portfolio’s prospects in the next decade.

    Economic recovery

    Buying dividend shares while an economic recovery is uncertain could be a sound move. At the present time, weak GDP growth could cause many investors to doubt the capacity of the global economy to bounce back from recent difficulties. This is an understandable view, often present during bear markets and recessions.

    However, past performance of the economy shows it has always recovered to produce improving growth after even severe difficulties. This time, major stimulus packages have been announced across many large economies. They could catalyse the trading conditions for a wide range of companies. This could then lead to rising profitability and a greater capacity to pay improving dividends.

    Capitalising on a recovery

    It’s difficult to ascertain which industries will produce the quickest and strongest recovery from present economic challenges. Therefore, buying a diverse range of dividend shares could be a shrewd move. By spreading the risk across a number of companies, you can limit your exposure to a concentrated few businesses and benefit from the likely growth of the wider economy. This strategy could boost your portfolio’s performance and improve your financial position over the next decade.

    Looking for shares to consider? Have a read of our below report.

    3 “Double Down” stocks to ride the bull market higher

    Motley Fool resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has identified three stocks he thinks can ride the bull market even higher, potentially supercharging your wealth in 2020 and beyond.

    Doc Mahanti likes them so much he has issued “double down” buy alerts on all three stocks to members of his Motley Fool Extreme Opportunities stock picking service.

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Peter Stephens 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 COVID-19: why hard-hit dividend shares could make you a fortune in 10 years appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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  • 3 ASX growth shares that could be future market beaters

    tech growth shares

    If you’re a fan of growth shares then you might want to check out the shares listed below.

    I believe that all three are well-placed to grow their earnings at a rapid rate over the coming years. Here’s why I think they could be future market-beaters:

    Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

    The first growth share to consider buying is this gaming technology company. Its shares have fallen heavily this year due to the negative impact of the pandemic on its poker machine business. While this is disappointing, it is worth remembering that this is only a short term headwind and demand for its poker machines will soon rebound. When it does, this should complement the fast-growing digital business which has been benefiting greatly by casino closures and lockdowns.

    Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

    Another growth share to consider buying is Megaport. It is an elasticity connectivity and network services company which offers a service which allows its customers to increase and decrease their available bandwidth in response to their own demand requirements. This is proving very popular because it means a user no longer has to be tied to a fixed service level on long-term and expensive contracts. Demand for its service has been growing very strongly, leading to stellar recurring revenue growth. I expect this trend to continue for some time to come thanks to the cloud computing boom.

    Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN)

    Another ASX growth share to consider buying is Nanosonics. It is an infection prevention company which I believe has the potential to grow materially in the future. This is due to the large market opportunity of its industry-leading trophon EPR disinfection system for ultrasound probes and the upcoming release of secret new products targeting other unmet needs. Nanosonics is remaining tight-lipped on these products, but has mentioned that its first new product has a similar market opportunity to the trophon EPR system.

    And here are more growth shares which could be stars of the future…

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

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  • Wirecard’s $2.1 Billion Hole Deepens After Forgery Claim

    Wirecard’s $2.1 Billion Hole Deepens After Forgery Claim(Bloomberg) — Wirecard AG shares continued their free-fall after the two Asian banks that were supposed to be holding 1.9 billion euros ($2.1 billion) of missing cash denied any business relationship with the German payments company.Wirecard now faces a potential cash crunch. The company warned Thursday that loans up to 2 billion euros could be terminated if its audited annual report was not published on Friday. Analysts at Morgan Stanley estimated that Wirecard has available cash of around 220 million euros, if it cannot locate the missing $2.1 billion.BDO Unibank Inc., the Philippines’ largest bank by assets, and the Bank of the Philippine Islands said in separate statements on Friday that Wirecard isn’t a client.“It was a rogue employee who falsified documents and forged the signatures of our officers,” BDO Unibank Chief Executive Officer Nestor Tan said in a mobile phone message. “Wirecard is not even a depositor — we have no relationship with them”.The Bank of the Philippine Islands said in a separate statement that Wirecard isn’t a client and it continues to investigate the issue.Wirecard shares plunged 24% at 9:11 a.m. in Frankfurt on Friday, taking the stock’s losses to 71% since Wednesday’s close. The company that was worth 24.6 billion euros in September 2018 when it entered Germany’s Dax index is currently valued at about 3.4 billion euros.The denials from BDO and BPI follow a statement on Thursday from Wirecard, which claimed that auditor Ernst & Young couldn’t confirm the location of the missing cash that was supposed to be held in Asian banks and reported that “spurious balance confirmations” had been provided.BDO has reported the Wirecard issue to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Philippines central bank, Tan said.The crisis has engulfed Wirecard in recent days. The payments company suffered one of the worst stock slumps in the history of Germany’s benchmark index after warning that as much as 2 billion euros in loans could be called due if its audited annual report, delayed for the fourth time, was not published by June 19.Wirecard spokespeople did not immediately return calls and emails for comment.Read More: Wirecard Suspends Executive After $2.1 Billion Goes MissingWirecard Chief Executive Officer Markus Braun said the trustee involved is in “constant contact” with EY and the company has promised to clear up the issue quickly with two Asian banks.The company temporarily suspended its outgoing Chief Operating Officer Jan Marsalek, it said in a statement late Thursday. Marsalek — who has been suspended on a revocable basis until June 30 — had tried to get in touch with the two Asian banks and trustees over the past two days to recover the missing money, but wasn’t successful, a person familiar with the matter said Thursday. It’s unclear if the funds can be recovered, the person added.(Updates with background starting in the fourth paragraph, statements from BPI.)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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  • Short-sellers are stepping up their attack against these popular ASX shares

    Short-sellers have pared their bearish bets as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) recovered from its COVID-19 meltdown. But these traders have stepped up their attack against a number of popular stocks this month!

    The number of shares that are shorted dropped by 4.4% since the market bounced from its bear market low on 23 March.

    Short-sellers are those who borrow stock to sell on-market with the aim of buying it back at a lower price later to profit from the difference.

    It’s useful to keep an eye on what this group does. While they don’t always get their trades right, they tend to be more sophisticated than the average investor.

    ASX stock with largest increase in shorts

    One stock that caught their eye is the Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (ASX: SXL) share price after its big surge in May.

    The regional broadcaster experienced the largest increase in shorts of any ASX stock this month, according to the latest ASIC data which is always a week behind.

    The number of shares in the regional broadcaster that have been short-sold increased a whopping 362 basis points to 7.2% since the start of this month to 15 June.

    It seems Southern Cross isn’t a recent favourite. Short-interest in the company jumped 543 basis points (or 5.43 percentage points) since 23 March.

    Losing appetite

    In second place is Freedom Foods Group Ltd (ASX: FNP). Shares in the nutritional food and drink supplier saw the second biggest increase in shorts this month.

    Short interest in the company jumped 185 basis points to 4.8%, and that’s probably something to do with its dismal trading update as it was hit by the coronavirus shutdown.

    Management said it was seeing green shoots of recovery but short-sellers don’t seem to share that view.

    Looking tarnished

    In third spot is the Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) share price with short-interest in the jewellery chain increasing 164 basis points to 6.3% in the first two weeks of June.

    The performance of the retailer stands in contrast to some of its peers who have benefited from the COVID-19 restrictions. These lucky retailers like Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW) and Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV), which have seen online sales spike.

    But as I reported last week, Lovisa isn’t as well placed due to its weak online presence and expected weak demand as weddings and other social events are unlikely to return to normal anytime soon.

    Other notable stocks that have seen big increases in short-interest include fund manager Perpetual Limited (ASX: PPT), consumer finance company FlexiGroup Limited (ASX: FXL) and travel agent Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT).

    3 “Double Down” stocks to ride the bull market higher

    Motley Fool resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has identified three stocks he thinks can ride the bull market even higher, potentially supercharging your wealth in 2020 and beyond.

    Doc Mahanti likes them so much he has issued “double down” buy alerts on all three stocks to members of his Motley Fool Extreme Opportunities stock picking service.

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

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    Brendon Lau has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Connect with me on Twitter @brenlau.

    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Temple & Webster Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Premier Investments Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended FlexiGroup Limited, Flight Centre Travel Group Limited, Freedom Foods Group Limited, and Temple & Webster Group 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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  • Why I’m desperate to add CSL and 2 other ASX shares to my portfolio in 2020

    hand holding red briefcase stuffed with cash

    Today, I’m going to discuss 3 ASX shares that I’m absolutely desperate to add to my portfolio in 2020.

    I’m not the kind of investor who buys a share just because I like (or love) the company. For me, the price also has to make sense, and preferably offer some kind of margin of safety as well.

    So here are the 3 ASX shares that I’m desperate to own by the end of this year, but for which the stars have not yet aligned.

    An ASX blue chip staple

    Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW) is a solid ASX blue chip that is primarily in the business of making building materials (yes, including bricks). It’s been around since 1934 and has managed to survive everything thrown at it since – including the Great Depression, World War II and the global financial crisis. Building materials are a cyclical game to be in, but Brickworks tempers this by also leasing out tracts of land it owns for rent. This gives the company a stable and reliable source of income on the side, which helps buttress its finances when things get tough. As such, I would love to own this company for a long-term, buy-and-hold investment in 2020.

    An ASX healthcare giant

    CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) is another ASX share I would love to see join my portfolio in 2020. It’s that rare combination of an ASX blue chip as well as a growth company, which I find highly desirous to have in a portfolio. Due to its world-class R&D programs, I think CSL will continue to be in the vanguard of the blood and plasma medicine space for the foreseeable future. I also feel confident the Aussie giant will continue to reward its shareholders with strong capital growth as well as growing dividends. As such, CSL is on the top of my 2020 wishlist.

    A defensive ASX growth share

    How can a company be defensive and a growth share? Well, Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd (ASX: CWY) answers that question, with a highly successful growth strategy to expand in the defensive waste collections/management business. Waste is something we all produce, through thick and thin, in good times and bad times. I don’t see this changing anytime soon either – such is human nature.

    Cleanaway has been a high growth share for a while – rising from 75 cents per share in 2015 to $2.12 today. Due to waste being an evergreen and growing industry (from population increases if nothing else), I think Cleanaway is a great, long-term buy. I would love to see an entry point in the Cleanaway share price this year that matches the lows we saw in March. I might have to wait a while, but here’s to holding out hope!

    For some more shares you should take a look at for next week, don’t miss the report below!

    3 “Double Down” Stocks To Ride The Bull Market

    Motley Fool resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has stumbled upon three under-the-radar stock picks he believes could be some of the greatest discoveries of his investing career.

    He’s so confident in their future prospects that he has issued “double down” buy alerts on each of these three stocks to members of his Motley Fool Extreme Opportunities stock picking service.

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

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    Sebastian Bowen 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 Brickworks. 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’m desperate to add CSL and 2 other ASX shares to my portfolio in 2020 appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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  • ASX 200 up again, ASX retailers make big gains

    ASX 200

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rose by 0.1% to 5,943 points today.

    It was retail that dominated the headlines. According to the stats produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Australian retail sales surged 16.3% in May to $4.03 billion. This is the largest month-on-month rise in 38 years.

    On the ASX it was also retailers that had some of the best share price performances:

    Nick Scali Limited (ASX: NCK)

    The Nick Scali share price climbed by around 20% today, making it one the leading businesses.

    The company said that it’s now expecting second half net profit to be up 15% to 20% compared to the second half of FY19, which will help achieve FY20 underlying net profit of between $39 million to $40 million. The underlying profit excludes the impact of the gain of the sale of property and the impact of the adoption of AASB 16.

    FY20 revenue is expected to be in the range of $260 million to $263 million. The fourth quarter of FY20 to 14 June 2020 saw written sales order growth of 20.4%.

    Nick Scali responded to showroom closures by launching its digital offering, allowing customers to purchase the entire range of Nick Scali products through digital channels. Management see further scope to invest into its digital capabilities, though it’s early days.

    Nick Scali estimated that store closures meant $9 million to $11 million of sales were unable to be recorded. However, the range of actions taken by management, plus government support, meant the second half profit should be solid.

    The company expects sales revenue for the first quarter of FY21 will be up approximately 30%. This should underwrite profit growth for the first half of FY21.

    The Nick Scali board has decided to bring forward the payment of the deferred interim dividend. The deferred 25c per share dividend will be paid on 29 June 2020.

    Adairs Ltd (ASX: ADH)

    The Adairs share price rose by 10.5% after giving a trading update.

    Adairs said that in the 24 weeks to 14 June 2020, like-for-like (LFL) online sales rose by 92.6%. LFL total sales increased by 27.4%.

    In the year-to-date numbers, which is for the 50 weeks to 14 June 2020, LFL online sales were up 64% and total LFL sales were up 15.7%.

    The managing director and CEO of Adairs, Mark Ronan, said: “Since Adairs stores re-opened we have seen strong sales across both the store network and online channel as customers return for the in-store service and experience they expect from Adairs. Pleasingly, Mocka’s online sales growth has continued at high levels. Both businesses have also remained disciplined on inventory and margin management.

    “Our omni channel strategy and focus on the home decorating and furnishing category has served us well during this period where our customers have spent significantly more time at home.”

    In terms of final FY20 guidance, the company is now expecting the Adairs division to generate between $358 million to $362 million of revenue (with around 27% of this total being online). Mocka is expected to contribute $27 million to $28 million of sales. Overall, the company is expecting to report $385 million to $390 million of revenue in FY20.

    Other noteworthy movements of the day

    The ASX 200 gold miner Evolution Mining Limited (ASX: EVN) share price dropped around 1% after giving a Mt Carlton update.

    Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD) suffered a share price drop of 2% after releasing another monthly update of a huge decline of passenger numbers.

    Buy now, pay later business Splitit Ltd (ASX: SPT) saw its share price end 6.9% higher at $1.47, though it reached $1.88 in early trading. Yesterday the company announced it had made an agreement with Mastercard.

    The Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA) share price dropped 15.7% today after going ex-dividend.

    There were some impressive gains today at the top end of the ASX 200. The AP Eagers Ltd (ASX: APE) share price went up almost 10%, the Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL) share price rose 9% and the Avita Medical Ltd (ASX: AVH) share price climbed 8.3%.

    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

    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 Avita Medical Limited and Netwealth. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Avita Medical 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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  • The ASX big bank stock with the best forecast dividend yield for the new year

    stack of coins spelling yield, asx dividend shares

    ASX big bank dividends are a write-off in FY20 but are set to rebound as we head into the new financial year.

    The question is which of the big four dividend favourites will generate the best yield for income seeking investors in FY21?

    The answer isn’t quite as straightforward to work out. While we are very likely to see a dividend recovery in the near-term, the payouts are unlikely to match pre-COVID-19 levels for at least a few years.

    How to value the big banks

    But trying to work out what the dividend is going to be is important as dividends are the primary driver for the sector, in my opinion.

    Morgan Stanley throws in credit quality and capital on top of dividends as key considerations for the sector as it calculates what is a sustainable payout for the sector.

    The risk of loan defaults and capital adequacy are important in so much as how they relate to dividends though, but that’s just my opinion.

    Key things you should know about ASX bank dividends

    On that note, there are some interesting findings from Morgan Stanley. Firstly, the broker doesn’t believe dividends will return to FY19 levels until sometime after FY22 as dividends forecast for that year will still be around 25% lower than last financial year.

    However, it believes that dividends will trough in FY20 before staging a gradual recovery. This means dividends are set to rise over the next few years.

    Further, the average dividend payout ratio in FY22 is estimated to be 64%. That’s well below the 80% plus range that the big four were coughing up during in their heydays.

    But the 64% is still high by global standards as US and UK banks are only expected to pay out 32% and 47% of their profits as dividends, respectively, according to Morgan Stanley’s estimates.

    The ASX big bank with the best yield

    Coming to the main event, the ASX big bank with the best forecast dividend for FY21 is Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC).

    The broker is tipping a $1.05 a share distribution for the next financial year, and that increases to $1.20 in FY22.

    This gives Westpac a net yield of 5.8% in FY21 and 6.6% the following year. Throw in the franking and the gross yield shoots up to 8%-9%.

    How the other banks’ dividends compare

    Next on the dividend leader board is Australia and New Zealand Banking GrpLtd (ASX: ANZ). The stock is sitting on an expected net yield of 5.6% in FY21 and 6.7% in FY22.  

    National Australia Bank Ltd. (ASX: NAB) is in third place with a net yield of 5.1% next year and 5.9% in FY22, while Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is sitting on an expected yield of 4.9% and 5.4% for the two years, respectively.

    Foolish takeaway

    I won’t necessarily say that the big bank with the best yield right now is the top buy. The yields can change as bank share prices fluctuate, so WBC may not hold on to its crown next week.

    What I will say is that even CBA’s gross yield (lowest of the lot) of 7% is looking quite appealing in this record low interest rate environment.

    CBA has the strongest balance sheet and is arguably the best placed big bank. So, while it’s the most expensive of the big four and has the skinniest yield, it remains my top pick in the sector given the uncertain times we live in.

    5 ASX stocks under $5

    One trick to potentially generating life-changing wealth from the stock market is to buy early-stage growth companies when their share prices still look dirt cheap.

    Motley Fool’s resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has identified 5 stocks he thinks 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

    Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau owns shares of Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank Limited, and Westpac Banking. 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 The ASX big bank stock with the best forecast dividend yield for the new year appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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  • These 3 ASX ETFs are yet to recover from the market crash

    Wooden blocks depicting letters ETF, ASX ETF

    How different the world of investing is today than it was back in March… At the time of writing, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is motoring along at 5,942 points. At these levels, we are now up more than 30% from the lows we saw in March, although still aways from the all-time highs we were seeing in February.

    But some investments have done one better. Just this week, the BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ) made a new all-time high. This ASX exchange-traded fund (ETF) tracks the US Nasdaq exchange and counts some of the biggest tech companies in the world (like Microsoft and Amazon.com) as constituents.

    But not all ETFs are flying so high.

    Here are 3 that are still substantially below their early 2020 highs, and that might make good investments today for long-term returns:

    A top global shares ASX ETF

    The iShares Global 100 ETF (ASX: IOO) is an ETF that tracks the 100-largest global companies across the advanced economies of the world. These are largely made up of American shares like Apple, Microsoft, Facebook and Alphabet, but the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan and even Australia get exposure, too.

    Despite the recovery in global markets since March, this ETF is still trading around $77 a unit – a fair distance from the $85+ price tag it was asking back in February. Thus, it might be a good time to consider this blue chip bastion today.

    Consumer staples shares

    The iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF (ASX: IXI) is another ASX fund that hasn’t yet fully recovered from the shellacking it saw in March. This ETF houses a basket of globally-listed companies that dwell in the consumer staples space. This includes makers of packaged foods, drinks, household essentials and cleaning products, as well as ‘sin stocks’ like alcohol and tobacco companies. You’ll find our own Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) here, as well as global giants like Procter & Gamble, Nestle and Unilever.

    Ishares’ Global 100 units have recovered well since March. Coincidently, these shares also hover around $77, below their $85 February range. For one of the safest ETFs around (in my opinion), today could also be a good day to add this ETF to your portfolio.

    Emerging markets opportunity?

    The Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets Shares ETF (ASX: VGE) is our final ETF to consider today. It tracks shares from those economies that are deemed to be ’emerging’. You’ll find shares from China, Taiwan, India and Brazil here, amongst others. These markets are riskier, but also offer potentially higher long-run returns in my opinion if demographics are anything to go by.

    VGE units were asking close to $75 earlier in the year, but today are going for around $64.80. If you want to add some exotic spice to your portfolio with this ETF, today is as good a time as any in my view.

    For some more shares that I think are looking cheap today, make sure to check out the 5 named below!

    5 ASX stocks under $5

    One trick to potentially generating life-changing wealth from the stock market is to buy early-stage growth companies when their share prices still look dirt cheap.

    Motley Fool’s resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has identified 5 stocks he thinks 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

    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of COLESGROUP DEF SET, iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF, 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.

    The post These 3 ASX ETFs are yet to recover from the market crash appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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