Category: Stock Market

  • Analysts name 3 ASX growth shares to buy next week

    a man sits at his desk wearing a business shirt and tie and has a hearty laugh at something on his mobile phone.

    a man sits at his desk wearing a business shirt and tie and has a hearty laugh at something on his mobile phone.

    Are you looking to add some growth shares to your portfolio when the market reopens?

    If you are, three ASX growth shares that could be worth considering are listed below. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Altium Limited (ASX: ALU)

    The first ASX growth share to look at is Altium. It is an an industry-leading printed circuit board (PCB) design software provider. Thanks to its dominant position in the market, management is very confident in its outlook. So much so, it is aiming to more than double its revenue to US$500 million by 2026.

    Jefferies is positive on the company. It currently has a buy rating and $38.13 price target on its shares. However, with Altium’s shares trading within sight of this target, investors may want to wait for a pullback before considering an investment.

    Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

    Another ASX growth share to consider is Aristocrat Leisure. It is one of the world’s leading gaming technology companies with a portfolio filled to the brim with popular pokie machine and digital games. The latter, which includes games such as Cashman Casino, Gummy Drop, and RAID, have ~20 million monthly active users. This is underpinning significant recurring revenues. The company is also undertaking a major share buyback and looking to expand into the real money gaming market.

    Citi is a fan of the company. It has a buy rating and $41.00 price target on its shares.

    NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

    A final growth share to look at is NextDC. It is a leading data centre operator with a collection of world class centres across key locations throughout Australia. But NextDc isn’t settling for that. It is also building more centres in key locations, growing its network with edge centres in regional areas, and looking to expand overseas. Overall, this appears to have positioned NextDC perfectly in a market benefiting from the structural shift to the cloud.

    Goldman Sachs is bullish on the company’s outlook. The broker has a buy rating and $14.20 price target on its shares.

    The post Analysts name 3 ASX growth shares to buy next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in NEXTDC Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Altium. 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.

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  • 2 of the best ASX shares to buy now according to Morgans

    A woman is excited as she reads the latest rumour on her phone.

    A woman is excited as she reads the latest rumour on her phone.

    Wanting to make some new additions to your portfolio? Then you may want to check out the two shares listed below that analysts at Morgans have on their best ideas list.

    Here’s why its analysts are bullish on these ASX shares:

    Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

    If you’re wanting exposure to the travel sector, then Morgans thinks that this corporate travel specialist is the way to do it. The broker believes it is well-placed for growth over the medium term thanks to acquisitions, its lower cost base, and technology development.

    Its analysts currently have an add rating and $25.65 price target on Corporate Travel Management’s shares. Morgans commented:

    CTD is our key pick of the travel sector. For investors that can take a medium-term view, we see substantial upside in its share price as the company recovers from the COVID-affected travel downturn. In fact, CTD should be a materially larger business post COVID given it has made two highly accretive acquisitions during the downturn. The company has also won a lot of new business, implemented structural cost-out opportunities and continued to develop its market-leading technology offering which means it will require less staff in the future. CTD is well managed and has a strong balance sheet (no debt).

    Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

    Another ASX share that the broker is bullish on is pizza chain operator Domino’s. Morgans is positive on the company due largely to its store rollout plans. It notes that these plans will see the company double its network in existing markets over the next decade. It is worth highlighting also that the company has recently acquired its way into new markets that are not reflected in this forecast.

    Morgans has an add rating and $90.00 price target on Domino’s shares. It said:

    DMP is the largest Domino’s franchisee outside the US and one of the largest quick-service restaurant companies in the world. It is an affordable option that has performed well historically even in times of inflation or slower economic growth. The engine of DMP’s growth is its ability to roll out new stores all over the world. It added 438 stores to its global network in the year to June 2022, a pace of expansion that we forecast to accelerate to nearly 600 in FY23. This will take the total to almost 4,000 stores, up fourfold over a ten-year period. Over the next ten years, DMP expects to grow organically to 7,250 stores in the 13 countries in which it currently operates. This means DMP expects to more than double in size again by 2033, not including any future acquisitions.

    The post 2 of the best ASX shares to buy now according to Morgans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Corporate Travel Management Limited and Dominos Pizza Enterprises Limited. 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 excellent ETFs for beginner investors to buy

    ETF in written in different colours with different colour arrows pointing to it.

    ETF in written in different colours with different colour arrows pointing to it.

    If you’re just starting out with investing and aren’t sure which shares to buy, then you could consider exchange traded funds (ETFs).

    ETFs are an easy way to invest because they allow you to buy large groups of shares through a single investment. This means that you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket, so to speak.

    But which ETFs would be good for beginners? Three to consider are listed below. Here’s what you need to know about these top ETFs:

    BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

    The first ETF that could be a good option for beginners is the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF. This ETF provides investors with access to 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the famous exchange. This means you’ll be buying household names such as Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, Starbucks, and Tesla. BetaShares notes that the ETF’s strong focus on technology provides investors with diversified exposure to a high-growth potential sector that is under-represented in the Australian share market.

    iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

    Another ETF for beginners to look at is the the iShares S&P 500 ETF. This ETF holds all of the shares included in the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF and a further 400. All in all, this gives investors easy access to the top 500 listed companies on Wall Street. The fund manager, iShares, believes this ETF is a good way for investors to diversify internationally and provides long-term growth opportunities for a portfolio. Among the companies included in the fund are Amazon, Apple, Disney, Facebook, JP Morgan, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Tesla, and Visa.

    VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

    Finally, if you’re a beginner aspiring to be like Warren Buffett, then you may want to look at the VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. This Warren Buffett inspired ETF gives investors access to a group of companies that have sustainable competitive advantages or moats. Moats are something Buffett looks for when finding investments. The fund is currently invested across ~50 attractively priced shares boasting these qualities. This includes the likes of Adobe, Alphabet, Boeing, Etsy, Kellogg Co, Walt Disney, and Warren Buffet’s own Berkshire Hathaway.

    The post 3 excellent ETFs for beginner investors to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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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 BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF and iShares Trust – iShares Core S&P 500 ETF. 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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  • Brokers name 3 ASX lithium shares to buy

    a woman smiles as she checks her phone in one hand with a takeaway coffee in the other as she charges her electric vehicle at a charging station.

    a woman smiles as she checks her phone in one hand with a takeaway coffee in the other as she charges her electric vehicle at a charging station.

    The lithium industry has been on fire again recently, with a number of ASX lithium shares recording very strong gains.

    The good news for investors is that it may not be too late to join the party, with analysts still seeing plenty of upside ahead for some of these shares.

    Three ASX lithium shares that brokers continue to rate as buys are listed below. Here’s what you need to know:

    Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE)

    The first ASX lithium share to consider is Allkem. It is one of the world’s largest lithium miners with projects in Argentina, Australia, and North America. From these projects, the company is aiming to maintain a 10% share of global lithium supply over the long term.

    According to a recent note out of Macquarie, its analysts are bullish on Allkem and have an outperform rating and $21.00 price target on its shares. Based on the current Allkem share price of $15.95, this implies potential upside of 32% for investors over the next 12 months.

    Liontown Resources Limited (ASX: LTR)

    Another ASX lithium share that is rated highly is Liontown Resources. It is the lithium developer which owns the Kathleen Valley and Buldania projects in Western Australia. However, unlike the others, Liontown isn’t producing lithium yet. The Kathleen Valley project is scheduled to commence production in 2024.

    A note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have a speculative buy rating and $2.87 price target on the company’s shares. Based on the current Liontown share price of $1.81, this suggests potential upside of 59% for investors.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    Finally, this lithium giant has been named as a buy. It is the owner of the Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project, which is located approximately 120kms from Port Hedland in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It produced 377,902 dmt of spodumene concentrate in FY 2022. Management is now looking at growing this to 1 million dmt per annum in the coming years.

    Macquarie is also a fan of Pilbara Minerals. It currently has an outperform rating and $5.60 price target on the company’s shares. Based on the current Pilbara Minerals share price, this implies potential upside of 24% for investors over the next 12 months.

    The post Brokers name 3 ASX lithium shares to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Allkem Limited. 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.

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  • I shouldn’t have sold this ASX share two years ago: fund

    Two women shoppers smile as they look at a pair of earrings in a costume jewellery store with a selection of large, colourful necklaces made of beads lined up on a display shelf next to them.Two women shoppers smile as they look at a pair of earrings in a costume jewellery store with a selection of large, colourful necklaces made of beads lined up on a display shelf next to them.

    Regrets, I’ve had a few.

    Amateurs and professionals alike sometimes make investment decisions that they wish they could take back.

    Did you sell Afterpay at $20, only to see it rise to $150 a couple of years later? Perhaps you didn’t buy Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) shares when it plunged to the teens and twenties during the global financial crisis?

    These are the stories you don’t hear at the barbecues or at fund manager presentations.

    People naturally want to talk about their successes, not their regrets.

    But remarkably, the team at QVG Capital broke the convention this week.

    ‘We made a costly error’

    In a year when most non-mining ASX shares have gone down the gurgler, Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) has fared very well.

    The share price for the low-cost jewellery retailer is up more than 15% year to date, and has rocketed up an eye-popping 78% since mid-June.

    QVG capital analysts, in a memo to clients, admitted losing faith in the business a couple of years ago.

    “We made a costly error in selling Lovisa in the first COVID lockdown in February and March 2020 on a view that, with almost no online presence, and costume jewellery not being of strategic importance, Lovisa might go broke.”

    If you can believe it, the Lovisa share price has risen a whopping 470% since the depths of the COVID market crash in March 2020.

    Ouch.

    ‘Next few years will be worth watching’

    It’s not that QVG Capital’s worries about the business were not justified.

    But after that first wave of the pandemic broke out, unexpected assistance came to avoid calamity for Lovisa.

    “With JobKeeper to the rescue, it turns out we were wrong.”

    The Australian federal government’s COVID-19 wage subsidies allowed the retailer to retain many of its staff and took them through the dark months of the 2020 lockdowns.

    Now, only two years later, Lovisa is flying high on the back of overseas expansion and a belief that its low-cost offerings will see resilient demand from cash-strapped consumers.

    The Motley Fool reported this week that Morgans rates the stock as a buy.

    “Lovisa has a substantial multi-year global rollout opportunity across four continents,” the team reportedly stated.

    “We think Lovisa’s products fill an underserved niche, offering good quality fashion jewellery at prices that are attainable to the target demographic.”

    The team at Morgans also likes the new leadership at the company.

    “The recent appointment of Victor Herrero as CEO, replacing Shane Fallscheer, provides a clue as to the extent of Lovisa’s global ambition and its impatience to realise that ambition,” 

    “The next few years will be worth watching.”

    The good news keeps coming for Lovisa

    Another boost for Lovisa this month is that it will be added to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    That will see a nice boost in demand for the stock, as funds that follow the index are forced to buy Lovisa.

    So all this must be eating away at the portfolio manager at QVG Capital after cutting the ASX share loose two years ago.

    But it’s not all bad news for the fund and its clients.

    “Fortunately, we reversed the error and now own Lovisa again,” read the QVG memo.

    “Its result was glittering and the global roll-out of high returning stores appears to be accelerating.”

    The post I shouldn’t have sold this ASX share two years ago: fund appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Macquarie Group Limited. 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 recommended Lovisa Holdings Ltd and Macquarie Group Limited. 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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  • Here are 3 exciting small cap ASX shares analysts are tipping for big things

    A beautiful woman holds up one finger with one hand and has her hand on her waist with the other as she smiles widely as though she is very pleased about something.

    A beautiful woman holds up one finger with one hand and has her hand on her waist with the other as she smiles widely as though she is very pleased about something.

    Looking for some small cap shares to buy? Then have a look at the three listed below.

    Here’s why they could be worth considering:

    Airtasker Ltd (ASX: ART)

    The first small cap ASX share that has been tipped as a buy is Airtasker. It is Australia’s leading online marketplace for local services, connecting people and businesses who need work done with people who want to work. Since launching in 2012, Airtasker highlights that it has enabled more than $2 billion in working opportunities and served more than 1.3 million unique paying customers across the world. But the company is only getting started. It estimates that it has a total addressable market of $600 billion across Australia, the UK, and the US.

    Morgans is a fan and sees huge upside for Airtasker’s shares. It currently has an add rating and $1.05 price target on them.

    PlaySide Studios Limited (ASX: PLY)

    Another small cap ASX share to look at is PlaySide Studios. It is one of the largest video game developers in Australia. It has a growing portfolio of its own titles and a number of work for hire deals with major publishers such as 2K Games and Activision Blizzard. The latter appears to demonstrate its growing reputation in the industry.

    Ord Minnett currently has a speculative buy rating and 85 cents price target on its shares.

    Serko Ltd (ASX: SKO)

    A final small cap that could be a buy is online travel booking and expense management provider, Serko. It is the company behind the Zeno Travel and Zeno Expense platforms. The Zeno Travel platform provides AI-powered end-to-end travel itineraries, cost control, and travel policy compliance to corporate customers. Whereas the Zeno Expense platform allows businesses to automate and streamline their expense administration function, identify out-of-policy expense claims, and prevent fraud. The company also has a deal with travel giant Booking.com which is expected to drive significant growth in the coming years.

    Citi is a fan of Serko and has a buy rating and $5.10 price target on the company’s shares.

    The post Here are 3 exciting small cap ASX shares analysts are tipping for big things appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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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 Serko Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Airtasker Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Serko Ltd. 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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  • These ASX 200 directors have been buying up shares in their companies

    Smiling man sits in front of a graph on computer while using his mobile phone.Smiling man sits in front of a graph on computer while using his mobile phone.

    When a company engages in a share buyback, it’s often seen as a bullish sign that the company believes its shares are undervalued. When company directors personally buy back shares, this signal is amplified.

    Directors using their money to buy back shares also gives them skin in the game and an additional incentive to make better decisions on behalf of other shareholders.

    Here are two ASX 200 companies whose directors have recently bought up a significant sum of shares.

    Kelsian Group Ltd (ASX: KLS)

    Kelsian Group provides public transport utilities in Australia. It owns brands such as SeaLink Marine & Tourism and bus operator Transit Systems Group.

    Shares of the ASX 200 company have taken a beating over the past year, as they’re down around 38%.

    But this hasn’t deterred Kelsian Group’s non-executive director Neil Smith from buying copious amounts of shares. Smith purchased 300,000 shares on Monday for a weighted average price of $5.47 per share. His investment on the day totalled roughly $1.64 million.

    Some clues as to why Smith bought Kelsian shares could be found in its full-year results for FY22.

    The company’s top and bottom lines surged during this reporting period, with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) up 9.3% year over year (yoy) to $183.1 million and total revenue up 12.9% yoy to $1.32 billion.

    Kelsian CEO Clint Feuerherdt commented on the ASX 200 share’s trajectory for the future, stating:

    Kelsian is well placed to continue to grow both domestically and internationally with a continued focus on delivering against our growth initiatives and environmental factors continuing to ease, primarily migration and international mobility. Further, domestic tourism is expected to continue the positive trajectory seen since the 2022 Easter period and we anticipate a gradual return of international travel demand.

    Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

    Iress develops software for the financial services industry. Its main operating segment lies in the Asia Pacific region.

    Iress’s shares are down around 16% over the past year.

    One director from Iress has seemingly seen an opportunity in the sell-off of the ASX 200 company’s shares. Yesterday, Iress non-executive director Marcus Price bought 27,272 shares for a total consideration of $300,321.

    Iress reported a lift in its underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) as part of its results for 1HFY22, which was announced on 18 August.

    NPAT increased 29% to $31.8 million, while revenue also saw a slight bump of 6% to $306.4 million.

    Looking ahead, the company expects its profit to be between $177 million and $183 million, representing an increase of 7% to 10%.

    The post These ASX 200 directors have been buying up shares in their companies appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Matthew Farley 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.

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  • Vulcan Energy share price is one of the worst ASX lithium performers so far this year. Why?

    Female worker sitting desk with head in hand and looking fed upFemale worker sitting desk with head in hand and looking fed up

    The Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL) share price is down 20.53% this year to date, making it one of the worst performers in its ASX lithium peer group.

    In comparison, Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) is up a massive 155.56% over the same period. Other lithium shares are up even more, including Latin Resources Ltd (ASX: LRS), up 300%, and Anson Resources Ltd (ASX: ASN), up 178% in 2022.

    On a broader level, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) is down 7.20% year to date.

    So why is Vulcan Energy struggling while others are surging upwards? Let’s investigate.

    Why is Vulcan Energy struggling?

    One explanation for why Vulcan Energy is being left behind could be down to a lack of positive news and developments from the company. This is despite its zero-carbon lithium potentially trading at a ‘green premium’ in the future.

    Other ASX lithium shares reported high-grade findings of lithium at their extraction sites, which led their share prices to soar.

    For example, on Wednesday, Latin Resources announced it had discovered lithium at its Colina prospect in Brazil. Previous drilling attempts also found a lithium corridor of a total distance of 4km.

    And as for Anson Resources, the company reported “outstanding economics” from its Paradox Lithium project on Thursday. When the Fool reported the news, shares were up 35%.

    But although Vulcan Energy’s share price has been less buoyant than others from a lack of announcements from the company, this doesn’t mean its prospects are bleak.

    In fact, Alster Research gave Vulcan shares a price target of $20 apiece in early August, thus giving it a 131.74% potential upside at the time of writing.

    The leading broker in Europe expects Vulcan Energy to reach this target within the next 12 months, so it may catch up to its peers sooner than we expect.

    Vulcan Energy share price snapshot

    The Vulcan Energy share price was up 3.97%, trading at $8.65 at the market close on Friday.

    The company’s market capitalisation is $1.24 billion based on this figure.

    The post Vulcan Energy share price is one of the worst ASX lithium performers so far this year. Why? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Matthew Farley 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.

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  • Why is top broker Citi tipping 17% upside for the Coles share price?

    Happy man on a supermarket trolley full of groceries with a woman standing beside him.Happy man on a supermarket trolley full of groceries with a woman standing beside him.

    The Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price has been a steady performer on the ASX for many years now. Just take its performance recently.

    At present, Coles shares have recorded a year-to-date loss of around 4% over 2022 thus far. In contrast, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has lost a far more painful 9% over the same period.

    This is despite the company delivering an earnings report last month that was less-than-enthusiastically embraced by investors, one could say.

    Although Coles reported a 2% rise in total sales, and a 4.3% rise in net profits after tax (NPAT) to $1.05 billion, the company also recorded a 0.2% slip in earnings before interest and tax (EBIT). This was mainly due to increased costs, particularly those associated with COVID.

    As my Fool colleague reported at the time, the Coles share price slipped by almost 10% between the release of these earnings on 22 August and the end of the month.

    But even so, Coles shares have been a strong performer over a longer period of time.

    The ASX 200 has recorded a loss of 6.5% over the past 12 months, while Coles shares have lost a much-improved 0.6%. Indeed, Coles shares have outperformed the ASX 200 ever since the company listed on the ASX in its own right back in November 2018.

    Since that day, Coles shares have appreciated by a pleasing 34%, while the ASX 200 has put on 20% over the same period.

    But, as any investor worth their salt knows, past performance is no guarantee of future success. So what might lie in store for Coles shares going forward?

    Is the Coles share price a buy right now?

    Well, one ASX broker still reckons this company is a red hot buy.

    Earlier this week, my Fool colleague James covered the views of broker Citi. Citi currently rates the Coles share price as a buy. It has a 12-month share price target of $20.10 on the grocer at present. If realised, this would see a pleasing upside of around 17% from today’s pricing.

    Citi is eyeing off Coles thanks to a perceived advantage the company has in these times of elevated inflation. The broker reckons that “food inflation will benefit supermarkets significantly while operating costs should remain less than top line inflation, benefiting margins”.

    In addition, Citi is also expecting Coles’ recent run of dividend increases to continue. It is pencilling in a fully franked 74 cents per share in dividends from Coles for FY23, and 79 cents per share for FY24.

    No doubt Coles shareholders will be pleased to receive such a bullish outlook on the company’s immediate future. But, as always, we shall have to wait and see what comes to pass.

    At the current Coles share price, this ASX 200 blue chip share has a market capitalisation of $23 billion, with a dividend yield of 3.61%.

    The post Why is top broker Citi tipping 17% upside for the Coles share price? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 positions in and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. 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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  • Brokers rate these ASX dividend shares as buys

    Two brokers pointing and analysing a share price.

    Two brokers pointing and analysing a share price.

    Looking for dividend shares to buy? Then read on! Listed below are two ASX dividend shares that brokers rate as buys.

    Here’s why they are bullish on these dividend shares:

    Adairs Ltd (ASX: ADH)

    Goldman Sachs is a fan of this furniture and homewares retailer. It believes the company is well-placed for growth thanks to its highly loyal customer base, strong social media presence, and ongoing store roll-out opportunity.

    The broker has just initiated coverage on Adairs’ shares with a buy rating and $3.05 price target. It commented:

    The core Adairs business has a highly loyal customer base, and ongoing store roll-out opportunity: ADH is has a strong brand presence across Australia, a highly engaged and loyal customer base (>1mn Linen Lover members), and ongoing opportunity to roll out new and upsized stores (targeting 5% GLA p.a.). ADH has among the largest social media presences of its peers, which we believe the business can leverage to drive ongoing sales growth.

    As for dividends, Goldman is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 18 cents in FY 2023 and 20 cents in FY 2024. Based on the latest Adairs share price of $2.08, this will mean huge yields of 8.6% and 9.6%, respectively.

    Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

    Analysts at Morgans are positive on this conglomerate. They like the company due to its strong brands and highly regarded management team. The broker also highlights that the key Bunnings business continues to perform strongly.

    Morgans has an add rating and $55.60 price target on the company’s shares. It commented:

    WES possesses one of the highest quality retail portfolios in Australia with strong brands including Bunnings, Kmart and Wesfarmers Consumer Officeworks. The company is run by a highly regarded management team and the balance sheet is healthy. While COVID-related staff shortages are proving to be a challenge, the core Bunnings division (>60% of group EBIT) remains a solid performer as consumers continue to invest in their homes. We see the pullback in the share price as a good entry point for longer term investors.

    In respect to dividends, Morgans is expecting fully franked dividend per share of $1.82 in FY 2023 and $1.89 in FY 2024. Based on the current Wesfarmers share price of $47.28, this will mean yields of 3.8% and 4%, respectively.

    The post Brokers rate these ASX dividend shares as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

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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 ADAIRS FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ADAIRS FPO and Wesfarmers Limited. 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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