Category: Stock Market

  • ‘Important period’: Here’s why the Magellan share price is shedding today

    A silhouette shot of two business man shake hands in a boardroom setting with light coming from full length glass windows beyond them.A silhouette shot of two business man shake hands in a boardroom setting with light coming from full length glass windows beyond them.

    The Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) share price is in the red in early trading on Tuesday following a company announcement.

    At the time of writing, the fund manager’s shares are down 0.9% to $12.05 apiece.

    In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is also edging lower by 0.35% to 6,663 points.

    What did Magellan announce?

    In a statement to the ASX, Magellan advised that David George will join the board of the company. George was previously announced as Magellan’s CEO and managing director.

    George’s addition to the board, as well as the board of Magellan Asset Management (the main operating subsidiary), will take effect today.

    This comes as Magellan co-founder Hamish Douglass will resume working with the business in a new consultancy role.

    In that function, Douglass will be tasked with providing valuable investment insights, including geopolitical and macroeconomic views, to Magellan.

    He is expected to commence the position on 1 October 2022.

    Magellan chair Hamish McLennan said:

    We welcome David to the Board of Magellan in his role as CEO and Managing Director of the Company. His investment management experience brings deep expertise and a fresh perspective to the Board.

    Magellan’s new CEO David George added:

    I am excited to join Magellan as CEO. This is an important period for Magellan to demonstrate value to clients and shareholders, and I am confident we will deliver the strategy and strong investment performance to support this.

    I look forward to working with the Magellan Board as we restore growth to the business.

    It appears the broader market may be dragging down the Magellan share price today after overnight losses were recorded on Wall Street.

    About the Magellan share price

    Tough trading conditions mixed with wider market volatility have led the Magellan share price to sink 43% in 2022.

    The company’s shares are also down 77% over the past 12 months.

    The Magellan share price reached a multi-year low of $11.38 last Friday – a level not seen since August 2014.

    Magellan commands a market capitalisation of around $2.22 billion.

    The post ‘Important period’: Here’s why the Magellan share price is shedding today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Our #1 Strategy for today’s inflation drenched markets

    The ABC recently reported that inflation in the UK has hit an eye watering 40 year high.
    Meanwhile the Reserve Bank believes that by the end of the year inflation in Australia will climb to levels not seen since 1990.
    As prices surge we’ve uncovered 3 “inflation fighting” stocks we think could hand investors outsized returns as the market recalibrates.
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    *Returns as of July 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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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  • What’s in store for the Megaport share price this earnings season?

    A man sits in deep thought with a pen held to his lips as he ponders his computer screen with a laptop open next to him on his desk in a home office environment.A man sits in deep thought with a pen held to his lips as he ponders his computer screen with a laptop open next to him on his desk in a home office environment.

    The Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) share price has struggled year to date, but could this earnings season be a turning point?

    The technology company’s share price has slid 66% since the beginning of the year. In early trade on Tuesday, the Megaport share price is down 7.4% to $6.26.

    Let’s check the outlook for the Megaport share price.

    What could be ahead for Megaport?

    Megaport is among multiple shares Goldman Sachs equity strategist Matthew Ross believes are cycling “very strong revenue comparisons” this earnings season, according to a report in The Australian.

    Other companies he named included NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT), City Chic Collective Ltd (ASX: CCX), Reliance Worldwide Corp Ltd (ASX: RWC), Carsales.com Ltd (ASX: CAR), and Altium Ltd (ASX: ALU).

    Ross expects these companies to report strong revenue in the second half of the financial year despite margin pressures, according to the publication.

    Commenting on the outlook for the earnings season at a broader level, Ross said:

    Coming out of the pandemic many firms have seen margins expand given the combination of strong demand and short supply, but as disposable income comes under more pressure and supply returns, we expect margins will start to normalise.

    Megaport is due to release its quarterly report prior to market open on Wednesday.

    Meanwhile, Firetrail analysts are optimistic about the outlook for Megaport and have added the company’s shares to their fund. A recent change to the Megaport’s sales model could add “significant value”, according to the analysts.

    In a memo, the Firetrail team said:

    The fund has added capital to the Megaport position on the back of the share price weakness and our conviction in the medium-term outlook for the company.

    Megaport share price

    The Megaport share price has fallen more than 60% in the past year. However, in the past month, it has jumped 21%.

    For perspective, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has lost 9% in the past year.

    Megaport has a market capitalisation of just under $1 billion based on the current share price.

    The post What’s in store for the Megaport share price this earnings season? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Inflation pressures and bear market opportunities

    According to The Motley Fool’s Chief Investment Officer Scott Phillips, how investors handle their investments right now could have a massive impact on their wealth in years to come.
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    *Returns as of July 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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 Altium, MEGAPORT FPO, and Reliance Worldwide Corporation Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MEGAPORT FPO, Reliance Worldwide Corporation Limited, and carsales.com 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’s what’s moving the QBE share price on Tuesday

    A male sharemarket analyst sits at his desk looking intently at his laptop with two other monitors next to him showing stock price movements

    A male sharemarket analyst sits at his desk looking intently at his laptop with two other monitors next to him showing stock price movementsThe QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) share price is seeking direction in early trade.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) insurer closed yesterday at $11.68 and are currently trading for $1.73, down 0.3% after earlier posting small gains.

    This comes as investors digest the latest news on the company’s remediation plans.

    What remediation update was announced?

    The QBE share price is in the green after the company reported on the results of its ongoing review of policy pricing promises dating back several years.

    The appraisal is part of a wider industry review by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and covers a number of different policy administration systems and products.

    While the insurer said work is continuing, it’s reported the initial finding to ASIC and will continue to work with the regulatory body to make sure impacted customers are remediated “as quickly as possible”.

    QBE said it will record a US$75 million (AU$110 million) pre-tax provision in the second half of the 2022 financial year (1H22) to cover the remediation along with interest and administration costs for the program. This amount will not be included in the management basis underwriting result.

    Commenting on the review, QBE CEO, Andrew Horton, said:

    We are disappointed by the findings of the review and apologise to those of our customers who have been impacted. We are working promptly to close out our process, and remediate impacted customers.

    The ASX 200 insurer is due to deliver its 1H22 results on 11 August. The company said it will update the market with further details at that time.

    QBE share price snapshot

    The QBE share price has seen its share of ups and downs over the past 12 months, but overall has come out as a strong performer, up 11% since this time last year.

    By comparison, the ASX 200 is down 8% over the full year.

    At the current share price, QBE pays a trailing dividend yield of 2.6%, 10% franked.

    The post Here’s what’s moving the QBE share price on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    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.

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  • Why is the Mesoblast share price jumping 14%?

    Young doctor raising arms in air with hands in fists celebrating a new development

    Young doctor raising arms in air with hands in fists celebrating a new developmentThe Mesoblast limited (ASX: MSB) share price is racing higher on Tuesday morning.

    At the time of writing, the biotech company’s shares are up 14% to 97.5 cents.

    Why is the Mesoblast share price racing higher?

    Investors have been bidding the Mesoblast share price higher on Tuesday following the release of a positive update on the biotech company’s rexlemestrocel-L product candidate.

    According to the release, rexlemestrocel-L delivered an improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at 12 months after a single intervention in the 565-patient randomised controlled trial in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II/III chronic heart failure (CHF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

    The release highlights that the improvement in LVEF was most pronounced in the setting of inflammation and preceded a long-term reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and associated recurrent hospitalisations for non-fatal heart attack or stroke.

    In respect to the latter, the trial reported a 68% reduction in the rate of recurrent hospitalisations from non-fatal heart attacks or strokes compared with controls.

    Management also notes that the effects on LVEF and MACE outcomes were even more pronounced in 301 HFrEF patients with high baseline levels of inflammation.

    Another positive was that the results confirmed the observed reduction in major gastrointestinal bleeding events seen in an earlier 30-patient randomised study.

    This is good news for Mesoblast, as the US FDA has previously indicated that a reduction in life-threatening mucosal bleeding events is an important clinical outcome in patients implanted with a left ventricular assist device.

    What’s next?

    Mesoblast intends to meet with US FDA under the regenerative medicine advanced therapy framework.

    It will discuss the totality of the data, the evidence of a common mechanism of action across the broad HFrEF spectrum, and how the outcomes from each trial may support the regulatory approval pathway for rexlemestrocel-L.

    The post Why is the Mesoblast share price jumping 14%? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Mesoblast Limited right now?

    Before you consider Mesoblast Limited, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Mesoblast Limited wasn’t one of them.

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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 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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  • Is the Transurban share price a buy ahead of earnings season?

    a car driver sits up and looks alert with wide eyes and an expression of concentration while he holds the wheel of a car.

    a car driver sits up and looks alert with wide eyes and an expression of concentration while he holds the wheel of a car.

    The Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) share price has gone through much volatility over the last two and a half years.

    Despite inflation and interest rates roiling the market, Transurban shares are actually up in 2022. At the time of writing, since the beginning of 2022, the company’s share price has risen by 3.55%.

    There may be a couple of key reasons for the improvement in investor sentiment about the toll road operator.

    Let’s look at each of them briefly.

    COVID-19 recovery

    When COVID-19 hit, the amount of traffic on Transurban’s toll roads took a huge hit. People were working and learning at home. During the first week of April 2020, the average daily traffic was down more than 50% year on year.

    But since then, there has been a progressive traffic recovery, partly as government restrictions eased. In a recent Macquarie conference in May 2022, it was revealed traffic volumes in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane were up in the second week of Easter compared to the same period in 2019. By comparison, North American traffic was down, but only by a relatively small amount.

    Transurban said that workday traffic trends across the Australian markets showed a return to CBDs. The business also said that private road transport usage has recovered closer to pre-COVID levels compared to public transport modes.

    The toll road business believes that a permanent and total shift away from the workplace is “unlikely”. It listed a few reasons such as a survey of employees showing 87% of respondents expected to do most of their work back in the workplace and increased collaboration in workplaces.

    Finally, Transurban noted a continuing preference for private transport over public transport.

    Transurban is expecting near and long-term traffic growth.

    Inflation

    Transurban says that the “inflation benefit” can provide “near-term interest rate protection”.

    The business has inflation-linked toll price increases. In other words, as inflation increases, so will the price of tolls. With inflation rising in the Australian economy, this can boost Transurban’s revenue, as long as drivers continue to use Transurban roads.

    Is the Transurban share price a buy?

    It’s an interesting investment question because of what’s going on in the wider economy.

    Transurban itself points out that freight is pivotal to the Australian economy, with four billion tonnes of goods carried across Australia each year. There was 3.2% growth in road freight movement across Australia in 2021. Large vehicle traffic is up 7.5% compared to pre-COVID levels. This could be helpful for the Transurban share price over time.

    Another factor that Transurban prides itself on is delivering distribution growth. It thinks this can continue with the inflation-linked toll escalations, anticipated traffic growth, and balance sheet capacity to pursue growth opportunities.

    It is currently working on seven projects. In the near term, the pipeline is focused on ‘enhancement’ opportunities.

    One of the biggest projects is the West Gate Tunnel Project (WGTP) in Melbourne which aims to create a “vital alternative” to the West Gate Bridge. WGTP will deliver around 70km of new traffic lanes, as well as more than 14km of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths. This is set to open in 2025 and is specifically designed to move heavy vehicle traffic away from local roads.

    Macquarie analysts think Transurban is a buy, with a price target of $14.97, implying a possible rise of around 5%. While recognising interest rate and bond changes would typically hurt asset investment plays, the broker noted that Transurban does benefit from inflation. One advantage is that the company’s revenue can rise faster than interest rate rises. In fact, Transurban noted that a 1% increase in CPI is likely to increase revenue more than the impact of a 1% increase in interest rates in the near term.

    Macquarie thinks the Transurban share price is valued at 23 times FY23’s estimated earnings with a forecast FY23 distribution yield of 4.4%.

    The post Is the Transurban share price a buy ahead of earnings season? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    “The worst thing you can do is nothing”

    Motley Fool Chief Investment Officer says right now is not the time to sit on your hands…
    As inflation eats away at cash balances Scott Phillips reveals three stocks for investors to consider that could help fight rising prices…
    … And Transurban Group isn’t one of them.

    Learn More
    *Returns as of July 1 2022

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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 recommended 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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  • Why Tesla stock popped today

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

    woman happy while charging her Tesla

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

    What happened 

    Shares of several electric vehicle stocks rose Monday morning as the broader market climbed higher.

    Two reports indicated that the Federal Reserve may not hike its benchmark interest rate as sharply as had been previously anticipated. That sparked some optimism in the market. Meanwhile, two analysts offered positive comments about Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), which not only gave its stock a lift, but by association likely helped push Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ: RIVN) and Nio (NYSE: NIO) higher as well. 

    As of 12:15 p.m. ET, Tesla was up by 3.5%, Rivian had gained 4.8%, and Nio was up by 4.5%.

    So what 

    Over the weekend, a Wall Street Journal article and Goldman Sachs‘ chief economist both said that it’s likely that the Fed will deliver a 75-basis-point hike to the federal funds rate later this month, rather than the 100-basis-point hike that some economists have been expecting.  

    While a 75-basis-point increase would still be significant, investors are currently looking for any positive news they can find. Those bits of news were likely what drove both the S&P 500  and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite higher Monday morning. 

    With these indices making gains, it’s not surprising that Tesla, Rivian, and Nio are climbing. But they also got a lift because a Barclays analyst raised his price target for Tesla’s stock from $370 to $380 and Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Rosner added the EV maker to the institution’s “short-term Catalyst Call Buy List.”

    Tesla will report its latest quarterly financial results on July 20 and Rosner believes the automaker’s margins will be better than analysts’ consensus expectation. He also thinks that Tesla will be able to maintain its goal of increasing vehicle deliveries by 50% in 2022 as production ramps up in the second half of the year. 

    With Tesla’s share price down significantly this year, Rosner said that there’s “a compelling opportunity to accumulate the stock” right now.

    Tesla’s stock rose on all of this news, and Rivian and Nio likely got swept upward in the momentum. Additionally, Rivian investors may have been optimistic after Rosner kept his buy rating for that stock, though he lowered its price target from $69 to $46 — still about 45% higher than where it closed Friday.

    Now what 

    Investors will get a clearer picture of how Tesla is doing when the company reports its second-quarter earnings in just a couple of days, and they’ll see how Rivian and Nio are doing when they report their results, likely on Aug. 11. Until then, investors are latching onto the positive sentiment in the market and the fact that two analysts are bullish on Tesla right now.

    But with the market still volatile and the U.S. continuing to grapple with high inflation and concerns about a slowing economy, long-term investors should anticipate more share price swings in the near term. 

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

    The post Why Tesla stock popped today 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 July 7 2022

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    Chris Neiger 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, Nio Inc., and Tesla. 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.

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  • Hub24 share price sinks 7% despite record year

    A man sits in deep thought with a pen held to his lips as he ponders his computer screen with a laptop open next to him on his desk in a home office environment.

    A man sits in deep thought with a pen held to his lips as he ponders his computer screen with a laptop open next to him on his desk in a home office environment.

    The Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB) share price is sinking on Tuesday morning.

    At the time of writing, the investment platform provider’s shares are down 7% to $22.06.

    Why is the Hub24 share price sinking?

    Investors have been selling down the Hub24 share price following the release of the company’s fourth quarter update. Although that update revealed a record year of inflows, a sudden slowdown in the final three months appears to have spooked investors.

    For the three months ended 30 June, Hub24 delivered platform net inflows of $2.5 billion. This was broadly flat on the prior corresponding period excluding large transitions.

    Nevertheless, this couldn’t stop the company from reporting a 31.7% increase in annual platform net inflows to a record of $11.7 billion. And despite negative market movements of $3.5 billion, Hub24’s full year platform funds under administration (FUA) rose 19.9% in FY 2022 to $49.7 billion.

    Together with its Portfolio, Administration and Reporting Services (PARS) FUA of $15.9 billion, Hub24 ended the period with total FUA of $65.6 billion.

    While this was an increase of 11.8% year on year, it was a disappointing 4% reduction quarter on quarter.

    What else happened?

    The release notes that the latest Strategic Insights data shows that Hub24 has maintained second place for annual net inflows. Furthermore, at the end of March, its market share had increased to 5.1% from 3.9% a year earlier.

    Management advised that a key driver of its growth has been its flexible approach to supporting advisers to create efficiencies in their business. This led to a strong pipeline of new opportunities across all customer segments including large licensee clients, brokers, boutique advice practices and self-licensed advisers. During the quarter, the total number of advisers using the platform grew 13.8% to 3,486.

    Another positive was that the recently acquired Class business completed the year with its strongest June quarter since 2019. Management advised that Class Super, Class Portfolio and Class Trust products reported growth in total net accounts.

    In addition, Class’ Nowinfinity offering performed well, finishing the quarter with document orders up 4% on the prior corresponding period. Momentum in the Class business is expected to continue into FY 2023.

    The post Hub24 share price sinks 7% despite record year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    3 Stocks for Runaway Inflation

    As the world suffers price shocks… and the cost of everything seems to be ticking higher…
    These 3 ASX stocks could be the answer to runaway inflation. Boasting key qualities companies need to not only survive but actively thrive when costs surge.
    Act fast – because in times of inflation, the worst thing you can do is… nothing.

    Learn More
    *Returns as of July 1 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 Hub24 Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Hub24 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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  • JB Hi-Fi share price up 5% following record full year results

    Woman checking out new iPads.

    Woman checking out new iPads.

    The JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH) share price is pushing higher on Tuesday morning.

    At the time of writing, the retail giant’s shares are up 5% to $43.08.

    Why is the JB Hi-Fi share price rising today?

    Investors have been bidding the JB Hi-Fi share price higher today after the retailer released an update on its performance in FY 2022.

    According to the release, JB Hi-Fi had a strong fourth quarter despite concerns about inflation and rising living costs. This ultimately led to the company’s sales and earnings reaching record levels for the full-year.

    Based on unaudited results, it expects to report the following for FY 2022:

    • Sales up 3.5% to $9,232 million
    • EBIT up 6.9% to $794.6 million
    • Net profit after tax up 7.7% to $544.9 million

    What happened in the fourth quarter?

    The retail giant finished the year in style with strong comparable store sales achieved across all its brands during the fourth quarter.

    JB Hi-Fi Australia reported comparable store sales of 10.9% and total sales of 11.6% during the quarter. This underpinned a 4% increase in sales for FY 2022.

    It was a similar story for the JB Hi-Fi Zealand business, which delivered comparable store and total sales growth of 7.7% for the fourth quarter. This took its full year sales into positive territory at 0.3%.

    Finally, The Good Guys business was on form and reported a 7.3% lift in comparable store sales and a 7.8% increase in total sales during the three months. As a result, The Good Guys delivered total full year sales growth of 2.7%.

    Another positive was the company’s online sales. Across the company, online sales were up 52.8% to $1.6 billion in FY 2022. This means that they now represent 17.6% of total sales.

    Management commentary

    JB Hi-Fi’s Group CEO, Terry Smart, was pleased with the 12 months. He said:

    We are pleased to report record sales and earnings for FY22. The benefits of having a strong multichannel strategy were especially evident in the second half as Covid-19 restrictions eased and customers returned to shopping in-store, whilst continuing to shop with us online.

    It is a credit to our over 13,000 team members who continue to remain focused on providing outstanding customer service and worked tirelessly to deliver this record result.

    The post JB Hi-Fi share price up 5% following record full year results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    “The worst thing you can do is nothing”

    Motley Fool Chief Investment Officer says right now is not the time to sit on your hands…
    As inflation eats away at cash balances Scott Phillips reveals three stocks for investors to consider that could help fight rising prices…
    … And Jb Hi-fi Limited isn’t one of them.

    Learn More
    *Returns as of July 1 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 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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  • Own WAM Alternative Assets shares? Here’s what you’re invested in

    An attractive woman sits at her computer with her chin resting on her hand as she contemplates the WAM Alternative Assets listed investment company as a potential investmentAn attractive woman sits at her computer with her chin resting on her hand as she contemplates the WAM Alternative Assets listed investment company as a potential investment

    WAM Alternative Assets Ltd (ASX: WMA) is a listed investment company (LIC) that invests in alternative assets.

    Most LICs on the ASX invest in ASX shares or global shares. But WAM Alternative typically invests in unlisted businesses and assets.

    The tagline of the LIC is that it invests in “unique opportunities beyond traditional assets”.

    At the end of June 2022, WAM Alternative Assets had gross assets of $243.4 million.

    What investments are in the portfolio?

    Looking firstly at the asset class exposure, there are four areas where the LIC has money allocated.

    At 30 June 2022, it had 41.4% of the portfolio in ‘real’ assets, 25.7% in private equity, 5.5% in real estate, and 27.4% in cash.

    The LIC provides a little colour on what each of these segments actually mean.

    Real assets are a “diversified portfolio combining agricultural assets and investments in perpetual water entitlements which can be sold or leased to irrigators to generate income”.

    The water rights in the ‘real assets’ segment made up 35.4% of the total assets.

    Private equity is a “diversified portfolio of unlisted companies with long-term and accelerated growth potential.”

    Real estate refers to a portfolio of domestic and international industrial office assets.

    Talking to Livewire, the WAM Alternative Assets portfolio manager Dania Zinurova said that it has been hard for ordinary investors to get access to these sorts of assets, but an investment vehicle like this LIC is “democratising alternative investing for retail investors”.

    The LIC’s strategy is to invest ‘thematically’ and focus on four key megatrend areas. These are essentially just trends but are strong and/or long term in nature.

    Those four areas of focus are: a growing ageing population, climate change, digitalisation, and increasing demand for food.

    Zinurova explained to Livewire what the investment team are looking for with these trends:

    Within those megatrends, we look for strategies that are supported by strong long-term tailwinds and apply a holistic portfolio construction approach rather than follow rigid strategic asset allocation targets.

    Top holdings

    Let’s look at some of the biggest holdings in the WAM Alternative Assets portfolio.

    WAM describes the Argyle Water Fund as the leading non-irrigator water investor in Australia.

    Another ‘real asset’ is the Strategic Australian Agriculture Fund, which invests in Australian water entitlements, Australian farmland and associated businesses, and Australian agricultural infrastructure.

    Discussing the Argyle Water Fund, Zinurova told Livewire:

    As the returns in this asset class are driven by a risk premium (i.e. climatic conditions) that differs from the equity risk premium of public equities, it provides valuable diversification to an investment portfolio.

    However, the goal is to reduce the water allocation down to between 15% to 20% of the portfolio over time.

    Turning to private equity next.

    One investment is Birch Waite, a manufacturer of premium condiments, desserts, and beverages. Another example is aCommerce, a provider of outsourced e-commerce solutions in South-East Asia.

    Shopper is another investment, which is the “fastest offline media business” in Australia. Next is esVolta, a developer of utility-scale battery energy storage projects in the US.

    The last example is GMHotels, which owns and operates a portfolio of hotel assets in Australia.

    Finally, looking at a couple of real estate examples, there is the Revesby Industrial Income Fund in NSW, and a property in Manhatten, New York, at 2 Rector Street.

    WAM Alternative Assets share price snapshot

    Over the past month, WAM Alternative Assets shares have risen by around 4%.

    The post Own WAM Alternative Assets shares? Here’s what you’re invested in appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    “The worst thing you can do is nothing”

    Motley Fool Chief Investment Officer says right now is not the time to sit on your hands…
    As inflation eats away at cash balances Scott Phillips reveals three stocks for investors to consider that could help fight rising prices…
    … And Wam Alternative Assets Ltd isn’t one of them.

    Learn More
    *Returns as of July 1 2022

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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.

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  • Brokers: Buy these 2 leading ASX 200 shares in July

    a young boy dressed up in a business suit and tie has a cute grin and holds two fingers up.

    a young boy dressed up in a business suit and tie has a cute grin and holds two fingers up.Analysts are always scouring the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) for potential ASX 200 share opportunities.

    Share prices are changing all the time. As we’ve seen in recent times, business valuations can rapidly fall when investors become fearful.

    Sometimes these declines can open up opportunities for investors to buy at a good price. Brokers have named two of the latest compelling ASX shares to look at, with the lower prices now representing good buying potential.

    Keep in mind, a price target is just a guess of where analysts think a share price will be in 12 months.

    Let’s have a look.

    Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

    The broker Morgan Stanley recently re-iterated its ‘overweight’ rating on appliance maker Breville. ‘Overweight’ is similar to a buy rating. The price target is $25, which suggests a potential rise of around 26% over the next year.

    Since the beginning of 2022, the Breville share price has fallen by almost 40%. One of the key reasons the broker currently thinks Breville is attractive is because of the potential global growth in the next few years.

    Breville thinks there’s a global $9.7 billion revenue opportunity. There are a number of new markets that the business is focused on including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Mexico, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

    The ASX 200 share also recently completed the acquisition of Italian-based business LELIT. It designs, manufactures, and markets premium prosumer home coffee equipment in Europe and throughout the world.

    Breville described the company as a rapidly growing disruptor in the premium Italian-made espresso machine and grinder market. The total cost was $140 million.

    DEXUS Property Group (ASX: DXS)

    The broker Macquarie rates Dexus, the property business, as a buy. It has a price target of $10.41 on the business, implying a potential rise of just over 10%.

    Macquarie likes the look of the Dexus share price, which is down 17% in the 2022 year to date.

    Prices of various assets have been falling in recent months amid rampant inflation and rising interest rates.

    Macquarie is not that confident on office properties, though the outlook for industrial properties is still compelling with stronger demand for industrial real estate.

    The ASX 200 share recently announced that 177 of 186 assets had been externally valued at 30 June 2022 – that comprises 34 office properties, 142 industrial properties, and one healthcare property.

    The external independent valuations have resulted in a total estimated increase of around $374 million, or 2.2%, on prior book values for the six months to 30 June 2022.

    Dexus said that it has continued to see growth in asset values for well-located industrial and logistics facilities supported by market rent growth.

    The value of the office portfolio increased by around 1.7% on prior book values on the back of recent leasing success. The industrial portfolio increased by around 3.8% on prior book values due to “market evidence supporting an increase in market rents and continued tightening of capitalisation rates”.

    The post Brokers: Buy these 2 leading ASX 200 shares in July 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 July 7 2022

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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 recommended 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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