Category: Stock Market

The Droneshield Ltd (ASX: DRO) share price is leaping higher today.

Again.

Shares in the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) drone defence company closed yesterday trading for 89 cents. In morning trade on Wednesday, shares are changing hands for 97 cents apiece, up 9.0%.

That sees the Droneshield share price up an eye-watering 246% since this time last year, when you could have bought shares for 28 cents.

For some context, the All Ords is up 0.2% today and up 8% over 12 months.

Here’s what’s got ASX investors excited about the drone defence stock today.

Droneshield share price soars on US government contract

The Droneshield share price is flying high today after the company reported it has received a $5.7 million repeat order from a United States government customer.

The order involves Droneshield’s Counter-UxS systems. This is a counter-drone system capable of targeting multi-domain aerial, ground and maritime surface drones.

Management expects the repeat US government order, which covers multiple Droneshield product lines, to be completed in several stages throughout the remainder of 2024.

Commenting on the new order sending the Droneshield share price soaring today, US CEO Matt McCrann said:

As the drone threat continues to evolve and proliferate across domains in modern conflicts, we are honoured to support the US Government and our allies as they look to meet the growing need for advanced Counter-UxS solutions.

We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to support our troops and partners wherever possible.

Tom Branstetter, Droneshield’s director of business development, added:

Our comprehensive product portfolio paired with high-level manufacturing affords us the ability to rapidly outfit U.S. and partner nations with lifesaving technology, while also addressing a wide range of operational requirements.

It’s a privilege to assist the US government and our allies in strengthening security both at home and abroad.

What’s been happening with the ASX tech stock?

The stellar performance of the Droneshield share price over the past year has been supported by some equally strong growth figures.

At its most recent quarterly results, released on 15 April, the company reported $16.4 million in revenue for the three months. That’s 900% more than the $1.6 million of revenue in the prior corresponding period.

And the company’s balance sheet is strong. As at 31 March, Droneshield held $56.4 million in a cash with no debt.

As for what could impact Droneshield moving forward, the company reported a $27 million contracted backlog along with an impressive sales pipeline of more than $519 million.

The post Up 246% in a year, here’s why the Droneshield share price is racing higher again today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Two high-flying ASX shares: One upgraded, one downgraded
• Why Amcor, Boss Energy, DroneShield, and Woolworths shares are rising today
• Up 120% in 2024, is it too late to buy DroneShield shares?
• Why Clarity Pharmaceuticals, DroneShield, IGO, and Serko shares are surging
• Why the Droneshield share price is flying higher on Tuesday

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield. 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.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This year is shaping up to be a record-breaking one for Nvidia (NVDA 0.64%) investors as shares of the semiconductor giant have already shot up more than 91%, and there is a good chance that the stock’s rally could get a nice shot in the arm once Nvidia reports its first-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings on Wednesday, May 22.

Nvidia is heading into its next quarterly report riding on favorable developments within the artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor market, which can help it crush Wall Street’s expectations. KeyBanc analyst John Vinh predicts Nvidia will deliver $5.81 per share in Q1 earnings on revenue of $25.6 billion. That’s higher than the consensus expectations of $5.57 per share in earnings and $24.6 billion in revenue.

Vinh’s forecast also exceeds Nvidia’s revenue guidance of $24 billion, and it won’t be surprising to see the company match the KeyBanc analyst’s expectations considering its immense pricing power and dominant share in the AI chip market. Those are precisely the reasons why Vinh forecasts a serious acceleration in Nvidia’s growth in the current quarter and the second half of the year.

Nvidia’s new AI chips could push data center revenue to $200 billion by next year

While Vinh points out that the solid demand for the company’s current-generation Hopper AI chips will allow it to beat Wall Street’s fiscal first-quarter expectations and also deliver better-than-expected guidance, he also claims that the next-generation AI chips from Nvidia are set to drive some serious growth for the company.

Nvidia’s new Blackwell chips are expected to hit the market in the third quarter of 2024. Vinh estimates that the new B100 and B200 processors, which will replace Nvidia’s current top-of-the-line offerings, could command 40% higher average selling prices (ASPs) than their predecessors.

As Nvidia ramps up the production of its Blackwell chips in 2025 and starts shipping the GB200 Superchip — which combines two Nvidia B200 GPUs (graphics processing units) with its Grace server CPU (central processing unit) — the company could pull in a massive $200 billion in data center revenue in 2025 (which will coincide with its fiscal 2026).

That would be a huge jump from the $47.5 billion in revenue that Nvidia generated in fiscal 2024 and the $87 billion it is expected to generate from AI chip sales this year (fiscal 2025). The company’s terrific pricing power in AI chips could drive such massive acceleration in Nvidia’s data center sales. According to HSBC, the company is expected to price its entry-level B100 GPU between $30,000 and $35,000. However, the GB200 Superchip could command a price in the range of $60,000 to $70,000.

What’s more, Nvidia’s server systems equipped with multiple CPUs and GPUs are estimated to command prices between $1.8 million and $3 million on average. It is worth noting that Nvidia management pointed out on the company’s February earnings conference call that it expects its “next-generation products to be supply constrained as demand far exceeds supply.”

So, despite a potential increase in pricing, the demand for Nvidia’s new chips is likely to remain robust. That is a testament to the company’s solid pricing power, as well as its ability to continue maintaining a solid share of the AI chip market. TechInsights estimates that Nvidia’s market share of the AI GPU market increased to 97% in 2023 from 96% in 2022.

Therefore, the company seems set to benefit from a combination of higher AI chip sales and improved pricing over the next couple of years, which is probably the reason why analysts have been raising their growth expectations for the company.

Why it would be a good idea to buy the stock

A closer look at the chart below tells us that Nvidia’s earnings estimates have been heading higher of late.

NVDA EPS ESTIMATES FOR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR DATA BY YCHARTS

More specifically, the company’s bottom line could jump 52% in a couple of fiscal years from this year’s projected $25.27 per share to $38.30 per share in fiscal 2027. However, if Nvidia’s next-generation AI chips indeed hit gold, the company could end up delivering much stronger earnings growth.

The stock is currently trading at 38 times forward earnings, just below its five-year average. Investors, therefore, are getting a relatively good deal on Nvidia stock right now, and they should consider buying it since its red-hot rally seems here to stay thanks to the catalysts discussed above.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post Here’s why Nvidia stock could sustain its stunning bull run after May 22 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• History says an Nvidia stock-split announcement might be coming on May 22
• Nvidia stock’s next big catalysts could come on May 22. Should you buy shares before then?
• 3 reasons to buy Nvidia stock before May 22 (and 1 reason to sell)
• What exactly does Nvidia do?

HSBC Holdings is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Harsh Chauhan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends HSBC Holdings. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Global share markets have been on a tear lately. Bloomberg reported last week that 14 of the world’s largest stock markets were currently “at or near their peaks” — Australia included. In fact, the S&P/ASX 300 index (ASX: XKO) hit an all-time high in March and has climbed 10% since January last year.

The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) tracks the performance of the 300 companies listed on the ASX 300. And Aussie investors have long been drawn to the VAS ETF as a low-fuss investment option for growing their wealth.

Winding back the clock, here’s a look at how a $10,000 investment in the VAS ETF at the start of January 2023 has fared up until the close on Monday.

The ASX VAS ETF at a glance

The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) launched in 2009. It provides exposure to the top 300 companies listed on the ASX, offering a combination of long-term capital growth potential and regular income through dividends.

When you buy this fund, you are backing the long-term outlook of Australia.

At the latest count, the VAS ETF has $14.7 billion in funds under management – more than the market capitalisation of some ASX large-cap companies.

And what does it cost to own a piece of Australia’s largest 300 listed companies in one share? Well, the VAS ETF charges just 0.07% per annum on all funds invested. That’s more attractive than the performance fee charged by some active managers.

$10,000 investment in VAS ETF in 2023

If you had invested $10,000 in the VAS ETF at the start of 2023, you would have purchased units at $85.80 each on 3rd January. This investment would have secured you approximately 117 units of the ETF.

Fast-forward to today. With VAS trading at $97.92 apiece, your initial investment would now be worth $11,452. That’s a reasonable capital gain of about $1,450, or 14.5%, excluding dividends.

What about dividend income?

But the story doesn’t end with capital appreciation. VAS also provides regular income through dividends. Since January 2023, VAS has paid total dividends of $4.31 per share. Given the original unit price, this means you would have received a dividend yield of 5% to date when including all distributions paid.

This amounts to an additional $502.55 in dividend income for your 116.53 units. Combined with your capital gains, the total return on your $10,000 investment would be around $1,952.55, or 19.5%.

This return excludes the 74.97 cents per share dividend received on 8 January, as the ex-entitlement date fell on 3 January. Including this, total dividends are $5.07 per share.

Why consider the ASX VAS ETF?

VAS offers diversified exposure to the Australian market, featuring major players like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), CSL Limited (ASX: CSL), and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), just naming a select few.

In my opinion, this diversification can help mitigate risk while providing access to the growth potential of these top Australian companies.

Plus, as you saw earlier, the dividend income adds another source of return to consider. Who doesn’t like passive income?

Foolish takeaway

Investing in the ASX VAS ETF has proven rewarding over the past year, delivering both capital growth and steady income.

Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just starting out, the fund offers a balanced way to participate in the Australian share market.

The post Here’s what $10,000 invested in the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (VAS) at the start of 2023 is worth now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• How I plan to invest my tax cuts
• How much money should I put in one ASX ETF?
• 3 things about Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (VAS) every smart investor knows
• Why did the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (VAS) fall 4% in April?

Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL. 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.

The Webjet Ltd (ASX: WEB) share price is surging higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) travel stock closed yesterday trading for $8.44. In morning trade on Wednesday, shares are swapping hands for $9.58 apiece, up 13.5%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.2% at this same time.

This comes following the release of Webjet’s full-year results for the 12 months to 31 March (FY 2024), alongside a potential demerger announcement.

First, to the full-year results.

Webjet share price rockets on surging revenue

• Revenue of $472 million, up 29% year on year
• Underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $188 million, up 40% from FY 2023
• Underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) of $128 million, up from $70 million in FY 2023
• 7 million bookings, up 21% year on year
• Total transaction volume of $5.6 billion, up 29% from last year

What else happened with Webjet during the year?

The Webjet share price also looks to be catching tailwinds with all the key financial metrics at its WebBeds hotel distribution solutions businesses well ahead of FY 2023. That includes TTV for the full year of $4.0 billion.

Booking volumes at WebBeds were up 26% year on year. That drove a 39% increase in EBITDA to $162 million, with an EBITDA margin of 49.5%.

And Webjet OTA, the company’s online travel agency, reported an ongoing material increase in international market share. That saw this segment deliver a 25% year on year increase in EBITDA of $54 million, with the EBITDA margin at a record 44.7%.

Across the businesses, Webjet generated $116 million of cash over the year. The company held $630 million in cash as at 31 March.

Passive income investors will need to wait a while yet for the return of the Webjet dividend.

No dividend was declared for FY 2024, with management saying dividends will be revisited following the five-year term of the company’s convertible note in April 2026

Webjet last declared a dividend in early 2020, shortly before the global pandemic brought the travel sector to a grinding halt.

What did management say?

Commenting on the results sending the Webjet share price rocketing today, managing director John Guscic said, “FY 2024 was a fantastic year for the Company with record earnings that were well ahead of last year.”

Gusic added:

In transforming WebBeds and increasing Webjet OTA’s market share we have delivered what we set out to do in the post pandemic recovery. We are confident that demand for travel will continue to grow and are excited for the opportunities ahead for both businesses.

What’s next for Webjet?

Looking at what could impact the Webjet share price in the year ahead, Gusic said:

Our key focus going forward is on delivering our $10 billion TTV target in FY30.

We have a strong track record of delivering organic growth and believe we can grow at least twice the underlying market by focusing on our three pillars of growth – growing our existing portfolio of travel buyers, hotel partners and suppliers; targeting new customers, securing new supply and entering new markets; and continuing to improve conversion rate in order to sell more of what we have to everyone.

What’s all this about a demerger?

Also likely impacting the Webjet share price today was the company’s announcement that it may separate its two travel divisions, WebBeds and Webjet B2C, which encompasses Webjet OTA as well as GoSee and its tech platform Trip Ninja.

Should the demerger go ahead, the company expects both new entities will be listed on the ASX.

Commenting on the potential demerger, Webjet chairman Roger Sharp said:

Having carefully weighed up the arguments for and against a demerger, the board sees significant value enhancement through a potential separation of our two industry leading businesses and brands.

Our B2C businesses will continue to deliver organic growth through the shift to online, while separation will support our WebBeds business in its relentless focus on achieving scale in all markets, in a post pandemic landscape characterised by a reduced number of smaller competitors.

Webjet share price snapshot

With today’s big boost factored in the Webjet share price is up 29% so far in 2024.

The post Webjet share price rockets 14% on record earnings and demerger announcement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• 5 stellar ASX growth shares to buy for strong returns
• Goldman says these 6 ASX retail shares are a buying opportunity
• 4 top ASX growth shares to buy and hold
• Are Webjet shares a good buy in April?

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

I’ve invested in two S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares that add a particular quality to the balance of my portfolio.

Australia is a wonderful country, but if a company can successfully expand overseas, it can significantly increase its addressable market.

That’s why I believe both of the companies below will make a lot more profit in the next three to five years. Let’s take a look.

Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

Lovisa is a retailer of affordable jewellery aimed at younger shoppers. The ASX retail share has successfully expanded its store network beyond Australia.

Its two most significant markets are Australia, with 175 stores, and the United States, with 207 stores. Lovisa has opened at least 10 stores in many other countries, including New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, and Belgium.

Excitingly, the ASX share has just entered some large markets like China and Vietnam. Lovisa can expand its store network in whichever existing (or new) market it sees opportunities in.

In the 12 months to 31 December 2023, the business reported its store network grew by 139 stores, helping the HY24 earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) increase by 16.3% to $81.6 million.

As the company grows internationally, I think its store count can double in the next five years, which could lead to roughly doubling of net profit, too, because of the scale benefits of more stores in countries where it’s already operating.

According to Commsec’s earnings forecast, the Lovisa share price is valued at 27x FY26’s estimated earnings.

Johns Lyng Group Ltd (ASX: JLG)

Johns Lyng provides building and restoration services across Australia and the US. Its core offering is rebuilding and restoring various properties and contents after damage by insured events, including impact, weather, and fire events.

It also has a division involved in catastrophe work in Australia and the US.

The FY24 first-half result saw the ASX share’s insurance building and restoration services (IB & RS) division revenue rise 13.7% to $426.1 million, and the business as usual (BAU) IB & RS earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) climbed 28.1% to $55 million.

Double-digit growth for the core segment makes me optimistic the company can compound its earnings for several years ahead.

I think the company’s geographic expansion is compelling. The US is a vast market, and the ASX share was recently appointed to the Allstate emergency response and mitigation panel. Allstate is one of the largest insurance companies in the US.

Johns Lyng has also recently expanded into the New Zealand market, opening up another growth avenue. I’m not relying on this, but it’s possible the ASX share could expand to additional countries in the future.

I also like the company’s move to expand into the strata management sector through acquisitions to diversify and grow earnings — it could unlock beneficial synergies between its business segments.

According to the estimate on Commsec, the Johns Lyng share price is valued at 23x FY26’s estimated earnings.

The post These 2 ASX shares could win big time in the long term appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• The ASX 200 was almost hit by an RBA interest rate hike in May. Now what?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Johns Lyng Group and Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Johns Lyng Group and Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Johns Lyng Group and Lovisa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you are lucky enough to have $10,000 burning a hole in your pocket and no immediate use for it, then it could be worth putting it to work in the share market.

After all, with an average annual return of 10% per annum, the share market has historically been a great place to put excess cash and grow your wealth.

A popular option for investors in the past has been Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) shares.

And while the last 12 months have been underwhelming, could the next 12 months be better for investors? Let’s see what a $10,000 investment in the airline operator’s shares could become if you were to buy at current levels.

Investing $10,000 into Qantas shares

With the Qantas share price currently trading at $6.27, with $10,000 (and an extra 65 cents) you would be able to pick up 1,595 units.

Let’s see what they could be worth this time next year.

According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts have a buy rating and $8.05 price target on the Flying Kangaroo’s shares.

This means that if the company’s shares were to rise to that level, your 1,595 shares would have a market value of $12,839.75. That’s a return of greater than 28% or $2,800 on your original investment.

Will there be any dividends? Goldman doesn’t believe that there will be any payouts to shareholders in FY 2024, but it is expecting them to resume in FY 2025. This means that between now and this time next year there will be an interim dividend paid out.

Goldman is currently forecasting a 30 cents per share dividend for the full year. If we imagine this means an interim dividend of 15 cents per share, then a $10,000 investment would generate dividends of $239.25. This boosts the total 12-month return to $3,079 or almost 31%.

That’s triple the historical annual return of the market. Not bad!

Why should you invest?

Goldman thinks that Qantas shares are undervalued at current levels. This is particularly the case given its positive outlook and the transformation of its business. It explains:

Qantas Airways is the flagship carrier of Australia and is the largest airline in Australia by capacity share, serving destinations domestically and internationally. As a key beneficiary of the re-opening of the world post-COVID, we expect the airline’s traffic capacity to return to 95% of pre-COVID levels by FY24e, with the airline’s earnings capacity (EPS) expected to exceed that of pre-COVID levels by ~52%. We forecast a ~24% FY19-24e cumulative uplift in unit revenues (c. 4.4%pa), and ~50% drop-through of QAN’s A$1bn+ structural cost-out program. QAN’s current market capitalisation and enterprise value are 10% below and 11% below pre-COVID levels. As such, we believe QAN is not priced for a generic recovery, let alone prospects for improved earnings capacity. We continue to see upside associated with substantially improved MT earnings capacity.

The post How much could a $10,000 investment in Qantas shares be worth in 12 months? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Is this why Qantas shares are racing ahead of the ASX 200 on Tuesday?
• 2 cheap ASX 200 shares I’d buy in May
• Here’s the Qantas dividend forecast through to 2026
• Buy one, sell the other: Goldman’s verdict on these 2 ASX 200 travel shares

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

One of the leading brokers in Australia has forecast that the Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share price will fall more than 30% over the next 12 months.

This negative outlook comes after the ASX lithium share‘s valuation recently recovered some of its losses, rising 13% in the past two months, as the chart below shows.

However, UBS believes the ASX mining share is priced too highly in the current environment.

Negative Pilbara Minerals share price target

A price target is where a broker thinks the share price will be in 12 months from the date of the broker’s note.

UBS’ price target, given in April, on the ASX lithium share is just $2.70. That implies a possible fall of 35% over the next year, which would be a substantial decline.

The broker only expects Pilbara Minerals to generate net profit after tax (NPAT) of $353 million in FY24 and $366 million in FY25, compared to the $2.39 billion NPAT it generated in FY23.

UBS also suggested the business will see negative free cash flow in FY24 and FY25 as the company invests heavily in initiatives to lift production, including the P1000 project.

Why is the broker pessimistic?

UBS believes the current Pilbara Minerals share price implies a lithium price far above the current spot price and the longer-term forecast.

The broker’s estimate for spodumene concentrate for FY25 is US$1,125 per tonne and believes the market is pricing in around US$1,710 per tonne. UBS’ long-term lithium price forecast from 2030 is US$1,400 per tonne. Therefore, UBS is implying there is a disconnect between Pilbara Minerals’ actual profit potential and how much profit the market is implying the miner can generate.

However, the broker noted the ASX lithium share is on track to reach the high end of its FY24 guidance of between 660kt and 690kt, and that the miner “continues to execute well on production and growth plans.”

UBS believes Pilbara Minerals’ balance sheet is “still strong and a competitive strength”, though the cash balance is declining. The broker expects the cash balance to finish FY25 at $1.25 billion, down from $1.78 billion at 31 March 2024.

Pilbara Minerals share price valuation snapshot

According to UBS’ forecasts, the ASX lithium share is priced at more than 34x FY25’s estimated earnings at its current level. The valuation then improves to 23x FY26’s estimated earnings, which is still quite high for a large miner.

The post This top broker says the Pilbara Minerals share price is going to crash 35% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• What the federal budget means for interest rates and ASX shares
• How much could a $10,000 investment in Pilbara Minerals shares be worth in 12 months?
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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.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares were in fine form on Tuesday.

The ASX 200 tech stock ended the day almost 5% higher at $16.75.

Investors were fighting to get hold of the company’s shares following the release of its half year results.

In case you missed it, TechnologyOne reported a 16% increase in revenue to $244.8 million, a 21% lift in annual recurring revenue (ARR) to $423.6 million, and a 17% jump in profit before tax to $61.5 million.

This went down well with the market and put a rocket under its shares. But is it now too late to invest? Let’s find out.

Can this ASX 200 tech stock keep rising?

The team at Bell Potter was impressed with this result. It commented:

1HFY24 revenue excluding interest grew 15% to $241.0m and was 1% above our top-of-the-market forecast of $238.1m. PBT grew 17% to $61.5m but was close to in line with our forecast of $61.2m as the beat at revenue was effectively offset by a lower PBT margin of 25.1% versus our forecast of 25.5%.

But the real highlight was management’s guidance upgrade. The broker explains:

The positive surprise of the result was the full year guidance of 12-16% PBT growth whereas Technology One historically has typically provided guidance of 10-15% growth. The company also said the full year PBT margin would increase by c.100bps which suggests a figure of 30.7%.

In light of this, its analysts believe there’s still room for TechnologyOne’s shares to keep rising from current levels.

According to the note, the broker has reaffirmed its buy rating with an improved price target of $19.00 (from $18.50).

Based on its current share price, this implies potential upside of just over 13% for investors over the next 12 months. And if you include dividends, the total potential return stretches to almost 15%.

Commenting on its bullish view on the ASX 200 tech stock, the broker concludes:

We have increased the multiples we apply in the PE ratio and EV/EBITDA from 42.5x and 22.5x to 45x and 23.75x given an increase in the average multiple of the comps and the likelihood that Technology One will beat its FY24 guidance. There is, however, no change in the WACC of 9.1% we apply in the DCF. The net result is a 3% increase in our PT to $19.00 which is a 13% premium to the share price and we maintain our BUY recommendation.

The post Is this ASX 200 tech stock in the buy zone following its results? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why ALS, OFX, Skycity, and TechnologyOne shares are surging today
• ASX 200 tech stock lifts off on another record-setting half-year profit
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Technology One. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Technology One. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Technology One. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price was under pressure on Tuesday.

So much so, the telco giant’s shares ended the day almost 3% lower at a new multi-year low of $3.57.

Why did the Telstra share price tumble?

Investors were hitting the sell button after the company released an update on its earnings guidance for FY 2024 and introduced its guidance for next year.

In respect to the former, the broker has reaffirmed its guidance for FY 2024. It continues to expect underlying EBITDA in the range to $8.2 billion to $8.3 billion.

And looking to FY 2025, Telstra has advised that it is expecting its underlying EBITDA to increase to $8.4 billion to $8.7 billion. A key driver of this growth will be a $350 million cost reduction plan.

Broker reaction

Goldman Sachs has been running the rule over the update and has seen positives and negatives.

Let’s start with the negatives. The main one relates to the company’s decision to pull back on its inflation-linked price increases. It said:

Key negatives: (1) Removal of CPI linked-pricing mechanism is a negative for industry rationality in mobiles, with Telstra no longer clearly signaling its intent to lead market pricing higher each year (albeit, we do acknowledge Optus has not followed this lead in recent years); (2) It removes the contracted expectation from TLS customers that their mobile pricing will increase each year; (3) Although not having a CPI link provides the theoretical potential to do greater price rises, we believe in practice this is extremely unlikely; (4) We believe TLS mobile pricing decision in FY25 will now be significantly impacted by Optus pricing decisions- but unless announced around the FY24 result on 23rd May, we believe this is unlikely until after the new CEO commences in November; (5) Given franking constraints on our revised EBITDA estimate, alongside announced restructuring costs, we lower our FY25 dividend to 18.5c (from 19c).

There are positives, though. For example, Goldman Sachs highlights that the cost reductions are better than it was expecting. It said:

Key positives: (1) The 2/3 reduction in NAS products and the 10% headcount reduction are more significant than we had expected, benefiting both FY25 & FY26 earnings (c.$225mn/c.$100mn incremental earnings), allowing the mid-point of TLS EBITDA guidance to be broadly in-line with expectations, despite the deferred price rise; (2) The announced restructure should support a more favorable EBA outcome, ahead of the current deal expiring Sept-24; (3) 2H24 mobile sub growth of c.4% remains strong and ahead of GSe, suggesting limited competitive impacts.

Is this a buying opportunity?

The sum of the above has been the broker trimming its valuation for the Telstra share price to $4.25 (from $4.55) but retaining its buy recommendation.

Based on its current share price, this implies potential upside of 19% for investors over the next 12 months. It commented:

Overall we revise TLS FY24-26 EBITDA -1% and EPS by -1% to -3%, reflecting the revised mobile outlook and broader restructure. Our 12m TP is -7% to A$4.25, given earnings and reduction in mobile EBITDA multiple to 6.0X (was 6.5X) on increased mobile uncertainty. Buy.

It has also reduced its dividend forecast for next year. It now expects 18 cents per share this year and then 18.5 cents per share in FY 2025.

The post What are brokers saying about the Telstra share price after this week’s update? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

When it comes to dividends, the Australian share market is among the most generous in the world.

Traditionally, the ASX offers income investors a dividend yield of approximately 4%.

However, this is the average. There are shares offering smaller yields and others offering larger yields.

Two such examples of the latter are named in this article. Here’s what sort of dividend income they could provide investors with in the coming years:

Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

Accent Group is a retailer and distributor of performance and lifestyle footwear.

Across its growing brand portfolio, it has over 800 stores in Australia and New Zealand and multiple online stores. These brands include HypeDC, Sneaker Lab, Platypus, Stylerunner, Subtype, and The Athlete’s Foot. It also owns the Nude Lucy and Glue Store brands.

Bell Potter thinks that it could be a good ASX share to buy right now. Particularly given how its shares are down 21% over the past 12 months. The broker feels this has left its shares trading at a very attractive level. It has put a buy rating and $2.50 price target on them.

This share price weakness also means that the potential dividend yields on offer with its shares have now ballooned. Bell Potter is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 13 cents in FY 2024 and then 14.6 cents in FY 2025. Based on the latest Accent share price of $1.80, this represents dividend yields of 7.2% and 8.1%, respectively.

This means that a $10,000 investment would result in dividends of approximately $720 and then $810 if Bell Potter is on the money with its recommendation.

APA Group (ASX: APA)

Another ASX share that could provide big dividend yields is APA Group. It is an energy infrastructure business that owns, manages, and operates a diverse portfolio of assets. This includes gas transmission, gas storage and processing, and gas-fired and renewable energy power generation businesses located across Australia.

Macquarie is a fan of the company and believes its long run of dividend increases can continue. The broker currently has an outperform rating and $9.40 price target on its shares.

As for income, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 56 cents in FY 2024 and 57.5 cents in FY 2025. Based on the current APA Group share price of $8.72, this equates to 6.4% and 6.6% dividend yields, respectively.

If Macquarie’s estimates prove accurate, this would mean that a $10,000 investment results in dividends of approximately $640 and then $660.

The post Buy these ASX shares and get 6% and 7% dividend yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.