It certainly hasn’t been a fun time for the Zip Co Ltd(ASX: Z1P) share price in 2022 so far. Zip shares closed at $1.47 today, down a nasty 3.3% for the day’s trading. That puts this buy now, pay later (BNPL) company rather close to its 52-week low of $1.40 a share.
Over 2022 so far, Zip is now down just over 66%. Over the past 12 months, those losses currently sit at a painful 80%.
So it’s not like Zip shares haven’t seen volatility before. It was only a little over a year ago that this BNPL share was asking over $14 a share. But most of Zip’s losses have occurred since October last year. What is striking though is to see how much investors have marked Zip down.
Remember the 2020 COVID-induced crash? That saw many ASX shares briefly descend to levels that would seem ridiculous today. Zip was one. It saw a low of $1.18 on 19 March 2020.
So the pricing we see today puts Zip at only 29 cents above those COVID lows of 2020. Striking stuff indeed.
What’s behind the Zip share price’s woes?
Several things seem to have played a role here. For one, investors have lost a lot of faith in growth-y, tech shares like Zip over the past few months. Most of the shares that could be categorised as growth shares have seen big losses in recent months. That includes Block Inc(ASX: SQ2), Xero Limited(ASX: XRO) and Brainchip Holdings Ltd(ASX: BRN).
But investors have responded negatively to some of the company’s specific news as well. The most dramatic was the announcement that Zip intends to acquire its fellow ASX BNPL share Sezzle Inc(ASX: SZL). Late last month Zip gazetted the potential tie up, outlining Sezzle’s acceptance of what was then a $491 million all-scrip deal. Investors will receive 0.98 Zip shares for every Sezzle share owned under the arrangement.
But things have changed dramatically since that news came out. Investors seem to have given these plans a stamp of disapproval, judging by how the Zip share price has now fallen by more than 33% since the announcement.
So Zip shares have certainly had a year to forget. No doubt investors will be hoping it can’t get any worse from here.
Before you consider Zip , 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 Zip wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.
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. owns and has recommended Block, Inc., Xero, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Block, Inc. and Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.
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It is no secret now that growth, and especially technology, stocks have had the guts ripped out of them the past few months.
It’s bad enough that the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) has lost almost 20% for the year. Many of the smaller players now have market capitalisations that are just half of what they used to be.
With such heavy discounting, it’s no wonder some experts are calling on investors to get back into tech shares.
If you pick sound businesses, they are bound to head back up in the long run, they say.
Here are a couple of examples picked out this week:
Get your half-price bargain here
There’s no getting around it. The Nitro Software Ltd(ASX: NTO) share price has made investors go grey.
The stock has lost an eye-watering 66% since mid-November. This year alone it has plummeted more than 45%.
“The company has guided to continuing growth this year,” he told The Bull.
“The company has enjoyed strong demand for its products, with revenue increasing 27% to US$51 million in fiscal year 2021.”
He’s not the only one thinking Nitro is a bargain right now.
According to CMC Markets, all 8 analysts surveyed rate the stock for the PDF handler as a “buy”, with everyone but one marking it as a “strong buy”.
Customers ‘stick with the product’
Medallion Financial Group private client advisor Stuart Bromley’s pick at the moment is accounting software maker Xero Limited (ASX: XRO).
“This accounting software provider has continued to build momentum, with more than 3 million subscribers,” he said.
“Users tend to stick with the product.”
Xero shares have not quite been hammered as much as Nitro, but nevertheless have lost almost 32% this year so far.
But Bromley notes the business is “capital light and scalable”.
“The price discount is attractive,” he said.
“Annualised monthly recurring revenues have exceeded NZ$1 billion ($920 million). Management is focused on expansion – organically and via acquisitions of complementary offerings, which should increase average spend per customer.”
Xero shares are more polarising among analysts, with 6 of 11 surveyed on CMC Markets rating it as a “buy”. Three say hold, while 2 are advising clients to strongly sell.
Should you invest $1,000 in Nitro Software right now?
Before you consider Nitro Software, 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 Nitro Software wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.
Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo owns Nitro Software Limited and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nitro Software Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.
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The first three months of 2022 has not been kind to some ASX growth shares. But this could be opening up some opportunities, according to leading analysts.
While the ASX may not be known for having many global leaders, there are a few small caps that are quickly expanding their international footprint.
The experts reckon these two companies — after significant price declines year-to-date — could now be opportunities:
BWX is a natural beauty business with “market-leading” brands including Sukin, the number one natural skincare brand in Australian pharmacies, according to the company.
BWX also claims top pole positions on the US natural channel for Andalou Naturals, the number one facial skincare brand; and Mineral Fusion, the number one cosmetics brand. In addition, the company said Flora & Fauna was Australia’s largest eco store and one of Australia’s first B Corp businesses.
The ASX share thinks that the Go-To acquisition is financially compelling and allows BWX to collaborate with one of Australia’s leading skincare entrepreneurs and support its ongoing growth.
BWX continues to report overall growth. In the first six months of FY22, underlying revenue went up 26.5% to $106.9 million, while underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) rose 22.1% to $4.7 million.
It’s currently rated as a buy by at least three brokers, including Citi, which has a lofty price target of $4.90. The broker thinks that the outlook is still promising for BWX.
City Chic is a rapidly-growing retailer of clothing, footwear and accessories for plus-size women. It has different operations in different countries. City Chic is focused on Australia and New Zealand but has a growing presence globally. International operations include Evans, a UK-based company; Avenue, based in the United States; and Navabi, which is an EU-based company. It’s expanding in several regions.
The ASX share is experiencing a lot of growth. In the first half of FY22, sales increased by 49.8% to $178.3 million. The company said revenue growth was supported by a strategic investment in inventory to proactively manage risks associated with global supply chain volatility and deliver continued growth.
It has launched new marketplace partnerships and expanded its brands and ranges across all geographies as part of its “world of curves” growth strategies.
In the first eight weeks of the second half of FY22, City Chic said it had continued to deliver revenue growth in the US, with UK and EU operations showing signs of recovery and getting closer to pre-acquisition levels.
In addition, the partner businesses across multiple geographies have continued to show growth. The company said it would launch new programs and new ranges with existing partners, as well as new partnerships over the rest of 2022.
City Chic is currently rated as a buy by at least five brokers, including UBS, which has a price target of $5. UBS thinks the ASX share can keep capturing more of the market.
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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.
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 BWX Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.
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ASX dividend shares could be good targets to pursue in April 2022.
Investment income can be very valuable during a time when interest rates remain very low.
Businesses that are expected to grow their shareholder payouts in the coming years may be attractive to some investors. Here are two quality examples:
Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL)
Soul Pattinson may be one of the more well-known ASX dividend shares. It has a market capitalisation of close to $10 billion, according to the ASX.
It’s an investment conglomerate with a portfolio of a number of different ASX shares and private businesses. Some examples of those holdings include TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG), Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW), New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC), Pengana International Equities Ltd(ASX: PIA), Pengana Capital Group Ltd(ASX: PCG), and Tuas Ltd (ASX: TUA).
Private investments include electrical engineering company Ampcontrol, swimming schools, Round Oak Minerals, financial services, and agriculture.
It has grown its dividend every year since 2000, which is the longest-running growth streak on the ASX. The ASX dividend share has also paid a dividend every year since it was listed in 1903.
The business continues to look for opportunities that can provide growth and reliable cash flow.
In its recent FY22 half-year result, the company reported that cash flow per share increased by 42%, while the dividend increased by 11.5% to 29 cents per share.
Sonic is one of the larger healthcare businesses on the ASX.
Its primary operations relate to pathology in Australia, the USA, Germany, and several other countries. Sonic also has a growing imaging division.
The ASX dividend share has carried out significant COVID-19 PCR testing over the past two years in the countries where Sonic operates. This led to a significant rise in revenue and operating leverage, helping the bottom line.
The company has been using its increased cash flow to make acquisitions, such as the Dallas-based ProPath and the Australian-based Canberra Imaging Group.
Sonic Healthcare is working on a pathology AI joint venture, which it thinks will be a powerful force in developing best-in-class AI diagnostic tools for pathology.
The ASX dividend share decided to increase its interim dividend by 11% to 40 cents per share. It says that it has a progressive dividend strategy.
While COVID-19 testing rules have changed, Sonic expects a sustainable level of COVID testing into the future, including routine COVID testing, screening programs, variant testing, whole genome sequencing, and antibody tests.
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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.
Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison owns Pengana International Equities Limited and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Brickworks and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Brickworks and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sonic Healthcare Limited and TPG Telecom Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.
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The Motley Fool chats with fund managers so that you can get an insight into how the professionals think. In this edition, Marcus Today portfolio manager Ben O’Leary reveals the two ASX shares investors can lean on during chaotic times.
Investment style
The Motley Fool: How would you describe your fund to a potential client?
Ben O’Leary: My name’s Ben O’Leary, I’m a fund manager here at Marcus Today. I’ve been in the role for about 12 months. Started with the income fund, and then I’ve taken over our growth fund as well, in combination with Chris Conway, who’s the co-manager here. I’ve been at the company for around four years now.
We’ve got two SMA [separately managed account] funds. They’re essentially a managed fund, except the clients hold the ownership of the shares. We’ve got a growth and an income [product] — they’re both active with a top-down investment style. The growth has a focus on companies with growing operations and revenues, and we use a proprietary factor model that we’ve developed to narrow our focus there and the stocks that we’re looking at. Looking to beat the broader market, inclusive of dividends over a three- to five-year period on that one. In the income [product], we’ve got a primary focus of building a portfolio of reliable dividend payers with a yield above the market average.
MF: In terms of this interview, are we talking more the growth or the income product?
BO: The growth [product] is the main event. It’s got the larger amount of funds, and it’s also probably a little bit more exciting to talk about than income. Income is income. It’s got many of the same names that you hear about, so growth is what I’ll refer to.
Biggest convictions
MF: What are your two biggest holdings?
BO: It’s nothing too exotic here because we’re all retail money — we are servicing mostly super money.
Appropriately, we’ve got holdings in the big end of the market. So the two biggest holdings we have are BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), which are the two biggest stocks in the market. And they’ve held us in pretty good stead over the last six to 12 months. It’s been a good time to be in materials and financials with the kind of macro environment that we’ve seen.
MF: Do you foresee those two sectors leading the way for the rest of the year as well?
BO: Yeah. The market is ultimately pushed around by inflation, GDP numbers, and interest rates. And interest rate is the big focal point at the moment. We know they’re going higher, it’s just a matter of how fast. But we know materials and financials are both areas that do benefit from higher rates, so we’ve got no real concerns around being in those two.
Obviously there’s some little things that can come along with the specifics of the companies — the iron ore price and CBA has results coming up in a couple months. But I would foresee that we would continue to have some pretty large holdings in those two.
MF: With the current uncertain times, one camp of experts reckon the bull market will resume and by the end of this year, we’ll end up higher than where we started. And then there’s the other camp who says this year is a bit of a write-off.
How do you feel?
BO: I feel cautiously optimistic. I think we’re still in an environment where, even with the interest rates moving up, which obviously puts pressure on equities, we’re still talking about a cash rate that’s below 2% or a tiny bit above zero, which means that there is a lot of money in the world that needs to find a return greater than that. And equities is the main place to do that.
It’s a lot more accessible than going and buying property and trying to get yield from rental or whatnot. So I think there’s going to continue to be money in there. You’re going to have to be careful where you play — but I’m cautiously optimistic.
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.
Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo 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 Bruce Jackson.
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On Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the week in a subdued but positive fashion. The benchmark index rose 0.1% to 7,412.4 points.
Will the market be able to build on this on Tuesday? Here are five things to watch:
ASX 200 expected to rise
The Australian share market looks set to rise today despite a mixed night in the US. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 25 points or 0.35% higher. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is down 0.15%, the S&P 500 is up 0.3%, and the Nasdaq is up 0.9%.
Oil prices smashed
Energy producers such as Beach Energy Ltd(ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd(ASX: STO) could have a bad day after oil prices sank overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 7.9% to US$104.89 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price has fallen 7.9% to US$111.10 a barrel. Lockdowns in Shanghai sparked demand fears.
Premier Investments rated as a sell
The Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV) share price could be overvalued according to Goldman Sachs. This morning the broker responded to the Peter Alexander and Smiggle owner’s half year results by reiterating its sell rating with a $24.30 price target. It said: “PMV continues to trade at elevated 1-year forward P/E on an associates adjusted basis (17.4x vs. peer group median of 9.4x).”
Gold price falls
Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) could have a tough day after the gold price dropped overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 1.4% to US$1,925.90 an ounce. A strong US dollar and higher bond yields put pressure on the safe haven asset..
Dividends being paid
A number of ASX 200 shares will be paying their latest dividends to shareholders this week. On Tuesday, this will include steel manufacturer BlueScope Steel Limited(ASX: BSL) and gold mining giant Northern Star Resources Ltd(ASX: NST).
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.
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 Premier Investments Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.
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The first ASX 200 share to look at is QBE. Morgans believes the insurance giant’s shares are trading at a very attractive level, particularly given its improving outlook.
The broker currently has an add rating and $13.50 price target on the company’s shares.
Morgans explained: “With strong rate increases still flowing through QBE’s insurance book, and further cost-out benefits to come, we expect QBE’s earnings profile to improve strongly over the next few years. The stock also has a robust balance sheet and remains relatively inexpensive overall trading on ~12x FY22F PE.”
Another ASX 200 share that could be in the buy zone right now according to Morgans is Treasury Wine. The broker likes the wine giant due to the quality of its Penfolds business, favourable tailwinds, and its highly regarded management team.
Its analysts have an add rating and $13.93 price target on the company’s shares.
The broker commented: “TWE owns much loved iconic wine brands, the jewel in the crown being Penfolds. We rate its management team highly. The company recently reported an impressive 1H22 result despite facing a number of material headwinds. The foundations are now in place for TWE to deliver strong double digit growth from the 2H22 over the next few years. Trading at a material discount to our valuation and other luxury brand owners, TWE is a key pick for us.”
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.
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 Treasury Wine Estates Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.
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Early adopters of the electric vehicle (EV) and lithium-ion (li-ion) battery trend a few years ago are likely to have seen their holdings lunge forward exponentially in that time.
Just about every player along the li-ion value chain has seen lithium shares explode over the past 12 to 24 months. All while the battery metal itself has soared more than 265% in the last year.
For instance, miners like Pilbara Minerals Ltd(ASX: PLS), Mineral Resources Limited(ASX: MIN) and Allkem Ltd(ASX: AKE) are up 211%, 34% and 138% in that time respectively.
Meanwhile, battery materials and technology company Novonix Ltd(ASX: NVX) has soared over 120% in the last year. Novonix shares now trade at $5.29 apiece. However, that’s after touching a closing high of $12.15 back in December 2021.
All of the talk around EVs and batteries includes the presumption that it is a ‘cleaner’ source of energy.
However, is that really the case? Are EVs and batteries really ’emissions free’, as the term goes?
Not everyone agrees with that statement. A quick check of the facts suggests our electrical and/or renewable alternatives for energy mightn’t be as ‘green’ as they appear on face value.
Are batteries ‘zero-emissions power sources’?
Not all those familiar with the subject totally agree that li-ion battery production is the key to a zero-emissions future.
However, the recent surge in oil and gas prices has sent shockwaves through global energy markets. A fact that “should only spur the renewables evolution as it becomes evident that Europe cannot rely on Russian supply,” according to the Australian Financial Review.
Brent crude has soared to near-record highs in the last few weeks. Brent now trades at US$117 per barrel on last check. Whilst United Kingdom gas futures thrust more than 1,300% higher in the 12 months to 7 March. They have now spiked 520% in the past year.
Not to mention, the price of lithium has set a series of consistently new all-time highs over the last year. Lithium now trades at 497,500 Chinese yuan (AU$103,700) per tonne. Trading of nickel futures, another battery metal, was suspended on the London Metal Exchange two weeks ago as traders went into meltdown from tensions in Ukraine.
All of these factors are certainly relevant for the cost of li-ion batteries to the end market. However, what about the makeup of these batteries? What are the other costs involved?
Experts weigh in
Says Michael Vail, principal of Tre Ponte Corporate:
To manufacture each EV auto battery, you must process 25,000 pounds [11.3 tonnes] of brine for the lithium, 30,000 pounds [13.6 tonnes] of ore for the cobalt, 5,000 pounds [2.27 tonnes] of ore for the nickel, and 25,000 pounds [11.3 tonnes] of ore for copper.
All told, you dig up 500,000 pounds [226.8 tonnes] of the earth’s crust for one battery.
A typical EV battery weighs one thousand pounds [450kg], about the size of a travel trunk. It contains twenty-five pounds [11.3kgs] of lithium, sixty pounds [27kgs] of nickel, 44 pounds [20kgs] of manganese, 30 pounds [13.6kgs] cobalt, 200 [90kgs] pounds of copper, and 400 [180kgs] pounds of aluminum, steel, and plastic. Inside are over 6,000 individual lithium-ion cells.
One other point the author highlights is that batteries don’t actually make electricity. They store electricity that is produced somewhere else.
At the moment, the primary means of energy production on a global scale (Australia included) is by coal, uranium, natural gas or diesel-fuelled generators.
Since a good portion of global energy produced is from fossil fuels, this could mean that a good portion of the EVs on the road are also “indirectly powered by fossil fuels” he postulates.
“Einstein’s formula, E=MC2, tells us it takes the same amount of energy to move a five-thousand-pound gasoline-driven automobile a mile as it does an electric one,” Haedrich writes.
The only question again is what produces the power? To reiterate, it does not come from the battery; the battery is only the storage device, like a gas tank in a car.
Not-so-clean clean energy
In his essay Haedrich also extends critique to both solar and windpower. He encourages readers to think more deeply about the embedded and operational costs involved with each.
“Windmills are the ultimate in embedded costs and environmental destruction,” he writes.
Each weighs 1,688 tonnes (the equivalent of 23 houses) and contains 1,300 tonnes of concrete, 295 tonnes of steel, 48 tonnes of iron, 24 tonnes of fibreglass, and the hard to extract rare earths neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium. Each blade weighs 81,000 pounds and will last 15 to 20 years, at which time it must be replaced. We cannot recycle used blades. Sadly, both solar arrays and windmills kill birds, bats, sea life, and migratory insects.
According to the United States Geological Survey, “depending on make and model, wind turbines are predominantly made of steel (66%–79% of total turbine mass); fiberglass, resin or plastic (11%–16%); iron or cast iron (5%–17%); copper (1%); and aluminium (0%–2%).”
There are also extra carbon-costs associated with the transportation and processing of each of these metals and/or chemicals as well.
Contrasting this to output, statistics shared in the Statistical Review of World Energy 69th Edition show that wind power supplied over 5% of electricity generation globally in 2020. Having said that, it accounted for around 2% of global consumption.
Renewable energy floating in the breeze
This year, renewable energy indices are struggling. There’s been an approximate 7% decrease in the Wind Energy Index since the beginning of 2022. In the same time, there has been a 6% drop in the Solar Energy Index, per Trading Economics data.
Both indices have collapsed around 14% and 15% in the past 12 months, respectively.
More than meets the eye
There is a generally-held consensus that climate change is happening. What’s more, humanity has a role in ensuring that we look after the planet as best as we can.
A debate has emerged surrounding the best way to go about this. Renewable energy is often at the forefront of the argument.
Most of the debate centres around direct costs, mileage/wattage and the indirect costs associated with mining and producing these products.
The analysis highlights that many vendors are using 100% renewable energy in the production of their batteries, and recycling waste products, further reducing emissions.
There is also increasingly available data that shows electric vehicles are cheaper to run on average than internal combustion engines. What’s more, purchase costs are reducing substantially.
Noteworthy is that electric vehicle pioneer Tesla Inc(NASDAQ: TSLA) opened its first European gigafactory in Germany last week, with the hope of driving new car costs down further.
The point is that everything comes with a cost. Even with the push into renewable energies, it appears we aren’t there yet in regard to completely offsetting emissions.
In other words, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to renewable energy.
Whilst the transition is ongoing, there are still plenty of kinks to be ironed out. As that occurs, there should be plenty of opportunities for Australian investors to join the race.
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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.
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. owns and has recommended 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 Bruce Jackson.
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The CSL Limited(ASX: CSL) share price could return to its glory days if experts are on the mark.
The biopharmaceutical company’s share price finished the day at $261.86, a 1.11% fall. On 21 February 2020, the company’s shares were trading at $336.40.
Let’s take a look at what analysts think could happen to the CSL share price.
Positive broker coverage
CSL will “find its mojo again”, expert FNArena founder Rudi Filapek-Vandyck has predicted. In fact, Filapek-Vandyck has recently bought more CSL shares himself, as my Foolish colleague Tony reported. He said:
The business model was disrupted because of COVID… If I look forward to the next two to three years, I see an environment where CSL will again come to the fore.
If we’re getting an environment where earnings forecasts are falling and companies are issuing profit warnings,… you want to go to the reliability and the safety of CSL
Citi analysts have also recently kept a buy rating on the CSL share price and a $335 price target. That’s 28% more than the current share price. As my Foolish colleague James reported, Citi expects plasma collection improvements to have the most significant impact on the company’s shares.
Morgans is also positive on the company. The broker has put an add rating and $327.60 price target on CSL shares. This broker also cited plasma collections, saying:
Promisingly, plasma collections continue to improve, although remain slightly below pre-pandemic levels, and while industry wide issues remain (eg Omicron; staffing; increase costs), the worst appears behind us.
While near term challenges remain, the ongoing recovery in plasma collections, coupled with management’s confidence, paints a favourable earnings picture.
Before you consider CSL, 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 CSL wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.
The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended CSL Ltd. 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 Bruce Jackson.
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The first small cap ASX share to look at is sports betting company, Bluebet.
It’s fair to say that 2022 has not been kind to the Bluebet share price. A selloff of sports betting shares globally has led to its shares losing almost 50% of their value since the turn of the year.
While this is disappointing, the team at Morgans remains positive and appears to see this a buying opportunity for long term focused investors. It currently has an add rating and $1.60 price target on its shares.
It commented: “BBT has materially de-rated (FY22 EV/Revenue of 1.6x) in recent months as online sports betting (OSB) peers have come under significant valuation pressure. We remain confident that BBT will retain a disciplined approach in its dual track growth strategy and think this differentiated model will support a re-rating as a track record is established.”
Another small cap ASX share to look at is Nitro Software. It is a global document productivity software company behind the Nitro Productivity Suite. Nitro’s core solution provides integrated PDF productivity and eSignature tools to customers through a horizontal, software as a service and desktop-based software suite.
As with Bluebet, its shares have fallen heavily in recent months and have lost 45% of their value in 2022.
Goldman Sachs sees this as a buying opportunity. It is positive on Nitro and believes the market is underestimating its growth potential as a challenger in a US$34 billion total addressable market across PDF, e-signing and workflows.
It commented: “Nitro is down ~50% since November with the market currently pricing in long-term growth and margin assumptions that understate Nitro’s potential, in our view. We are positive on Nitro’s structural growth opportunity, reflected in our DCF scenario analysis implying an attractive asymmetric risk/reward skew.”
Goldman Sachs has a buy rating and $2.60 price target on its shares.
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.
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 BlueBet Holdings Ltd and Nitro Software Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.
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