Category: Stock Market

  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

    Business man watching stocks while thinking

    On Thursday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) ended its winning run and dropped lower. The benchmark index fell 0.55% to 7,491.2 points.

    Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Friday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to fall

    The Australian share market looks set to end the week in the red. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 8 points or 0.1% lower. This follows a poor night on Wall Street, which saw the Dow Jones fall 0.55%, the S&P 500 drop 0.6%, and the Nasdaq tumble 0.65%.

    Wesfarmers full year results

    The Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) share price will be one to watch today when it hands in its full year results. According to Morgans, its analysts are expecting the conglomerate to report a full year earnings before interest tax (EBIT) growth of 18% to $3,481 million. This compares to the analyst consensus EBIT estimate is $3,632 million. Morgans’ expects Wesfarmers result to be driven largely by Bunnings EBIT growth of 20% and Kmart Group growth of 62%.

    Oil prices fall

    Energy producers such as Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) could end the week in the red after oil prices dropped overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 0.75% to US$67.85 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 1% to US$71.57 a barrel. COVID concerns were weighing on prices.

    Ramsay rated as buy

    The Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC) share price is in the buy zone according to analysts at Goldman Sachs. This morning the broker responded to the private healthcare company’s full year results by retaining its buy rating and $74.00 price target on its shares. It commented: “In our view, valuation of 8.5x NTM EV/EBITDA is not demanding for a defensive asset leveraged to improving vaccine rates, with a favourable growth profile (+8% EBITDA CAGR FY21-24E GSe) and material balance sheet optionality.”

    Gold price rises

    Gold miners Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) and St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) will be on watch after the gold price edged higher overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.15% to US$1,793.90 an ounce. The price of the precious metal has been volatile this week due to the ongoing US Federal Reserve event at Jackson Hole. Fed Chair Jerome Powell will be making a speech tonight.

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday 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 more than eight 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.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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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 owns shares of and has recommended Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ramsay Health Care 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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  • Broker says Bravura (ASX:BVS) share price selloff is a buying opportunity

    young woman reviewing financial reports at desk with multiple computer screens

    It certainly has been a disappointing week for the Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS) share price.

    Since this time last week, the financial technology company’s shares have lost 19% of their value.

    This means the Bravura share price has given back all its 2021 gains and a touch more.

    Why is the Bravura share price falling heavily this week?

    Investors have been selling down the Bravura share price this week following the release of its full year results.

    Although the company delivered a result largely in line with expectations, its guidance was modestly lower than consensus estimates.

    Though, perhaps the biggest drag on the Bravura share price was the surprise and sudden (next week) departure of its CEO, Tony Klim, after a decade at the helm.

    Is this a buying opportunity for investors?

    According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts believe the weakness in the Bravura share price is a buying opportunity.

    This morning the broker retained its buy rating but trimmed its price target slightly to $3.70.

    Based on the latest Bravura share price of $3.10, this implies potential upside of 19% over the next 12 months.

    What did the broker say?

    Goldman believes the post-results selloff has been overdone and feels it has left the Bravura share price trading at a very attractive level. The broker also has confidence in the company’s new CEO, Nick Parsons, who has been with the company for 14 years.

    Goldman said: “BVS has guided to solid mid-teen FY22 NPAT growth; seasonality should be slightly 2H weighted but far less pronounced than FY21. In our view the share price reaction today (-16%) may be overdone. The mid-point of guidance implies only 2% downgrade to consensus NPAT (Bloomberg); we downgrade our FY22/FY23E EPS by -1.9%/-5.5%.”

    “The departure of CEO Mr. Tony Klim may have come as a surprise; he has been CEO for 10 years and has been replaced by Mr. Nick Parsons. Mr. Parsons has been with BVS since 2007, appointed as CTO. He has undertaken a range of senior leadership roles in the business, most recently as Global COO.”

    “Our updated forecasts imply +12% 3-yr EPS CAGR. The stock is trading at a 29% discount to the FY22 Small Industrials Index, which we think makes the stock a compelling investment in the current environment,” it concluded.

    Overall, this could make it worth considering when the market reopens on Friday.

    The post Broker says Bravura (ASX:BVS) share price selloff is a buying opportunity appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bravura right now?

    Before you consider Bravura, 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 Bravura wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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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. owns shares of and has recommended Bravura Solutions Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Bravura Solutions Ltd. 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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  • Ainsworth (ASX:AGI) share price slips on FY21 results

    4 teenagers playing mobile game

    The Ainsworth Game Technology Ltd (ASX: AGI) share price closed in the red today after the company released its FY21 results.

    At the closing bell, Ainsworth shares were trading at $1.02, down 1.45%.

    Let’s take a closer look to see how the gaming technology company performed during the period.

    Ainsworth share price slides despite solid revenue growth

    Here are some of the company’s key highlights for the 12 months ending 30 June 2021:

    What happened in FY21 for Ainsworth?

    During the year, Ainsworth progressed its game development, software and hardware activities.

    International revenue brought in $120.5 million due to the progression of vaccination programs which saw most customer venues gradually reopen. In domestic markets, Australia recorded revenues of $39 million with increase sales due to improved product performance on A-STAR hardware.

    Online revenue came in at $5.9 million, up 28% following the launch of Real Money Gaming in New Jersey in April 2020. The company progressively went live with its innovative content amongst seven major operators during the period.

    The company’s bottom line suffered a loss, which related to currency impacts and other one-off non-recurring items. This included a non-cash impairment charge of $41.7 million.

    Ainsworth ended the 2021 financial year with a cash balance of $42.7 million.

    What’s the outlook for Ainsworth in FY22?

    Looking ahead, Ainsworth advised that it has laid the foundations for a solid FY22 year. The company has strengthened its balance sheet to develop superior games and hardware and maintain its distribution network.

    Furthermore, online revenue is forecasted to surge following the execution of the United States exclusivity agreement deal with GAN Ltd.

    While positive, no revenue or profit guidance was given by the company.

    Ainsworth share price snapshot

    The Ainsworth share price has accelerated more than 150% over the past 12 months, with year-to-date gains above 110%.

    Based on today’s prices, Ainsworth has a market capitalisation of around $343.5 million, with 336 million shares on issue.

    The post Ainsworth (ASX:AGI) share price slips on FY21 results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Ainsworth right now?

    Before you consider Ainsworth, 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 Ainsworth wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • 3 exciting ASX growth shares for smart investors

    thinking ASX buy idea

    If you’re looking for growth shares to add to your portfolio, then you may want to get better acquainted with the ASX shares listed below.

    Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Altium Limited (ASX: ALU)

    The first growth share to look at is Altium. Its electronic design software platforms, Altium Designer and Altium 365, are leaders in their field. In fact, they are so far ahead of the competition that management is targeting market domination later this decade. At that point, it expects to be generating annual revenue of US$500 million. This will be more than double what it is achieving at present. This growth is expected to be underpinned by strong demand for this type of software due partly to the growing Internet of Things and artificial intelligence industries.

    Pushpay Holdings Group Ltd (ASX: PPH)

    Another ASX growth share to look closely at is Pushpay. It is a leading donor management and community engagement platform provider in the faith sector. It has been growing its operating revenue at a rapid rate in recent years thanks to a combination of organic growth and the benefits of acquisitions. Pleasingly, the latter has continued in FY 2022 with Pushpay announcing the US$150 million acquisition of Resi Media earlier this week. Management expects the strategically compelling acquisition of a market-leading faith-focused streaming platform to broaden Pushpay’s core product offering.

    Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

    A final ASX growth share to look at is this online furniture and homewares retailer. As with the others, Temple & Webster has been growing at a very quick rate in recent years. This has been driven by the structural shift to online shopping and its strong market position. For example, Temple & Webster recently released its full year results and revealed an 85% increase in revenue to $326.3 million and a 141% jump in EBITDA to $20.5 million. Positively, the shift online is still only in its infancy, particularly for this category in Australia. This bodes well for the future.

    The post 3 exciting ASX growth shares for smart investors 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 more than eight 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.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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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. owns shares of and has recommended Altium, PUSHPAY FPO NZX, and Temple & Webster Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Altium and PUSHPAY FPO NZX. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group Ltd. 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 4DS Memory (ASX:4DS) share price sinks 6% on widened operating loss in FY21

    dissapointed man at falling share price

    The 4DS Memory Ltd (ASX: 4DS) share price has slipped into the red on Thursday as the memory technology company reported its FY21 earnings.

    4DS Memory shares were exchanging hands at 16 cents apiece at market close, a 5.88% drop.

    What’s sinking the 4DS Memory share price today?

    Major points from the company’s FY21 results today included:

    • Operating loss ballooned to $6.64 million from $5.45 million the year prior
    • Loss before income tax (LBIT) of $6.66 million, a 20% increase into the red from FY20
    • Total comprehensive loss for the year increase 22% year on year to $6.63 million after foreign currency effect
    • Research and development (R&D) costs increased to $4.2 million from $3.78 million last year
    • Other income came in at $213,000, up from $33,511 a year ago.

    What happened in FY21 for 4DS Memory?

    4DS Memory made “significant progress” in the development of its Interface Switching ReRam technology this year. It also extended two collaborations between Imec and Western Digital Corporation for another 12 months.

    In addition, the company was granted 8 more US patents, bringing the total to 31, specific to the company’s interface switching ReRam technology.

    4DS Memory’s second “non-platform lot” was manufactured by Imec and testing was completed by February this year. The data showed that the device was functional and “does what it says on the tin” to an effect.

    Furthermore, the company reported that produced second platform lots had arrived at 4DS Memory’s facility in Fremont for testing.

    4DS Memory recognised other income of $213,000 in FY21, whilst R&D costs increased by about 11% to $4.2 million.

    The company’s operating loss ballooned from $5.45 million to $6.64 million over the year, which ultimately blew the LBIT out by 20% from FY20 to $6.66 million.

    Consequently, 4DS Memory recognised a total comprehensive loss for the year of $6.63 million, a 22% year on year increase in its after-tax loss.

    What did management say?

    Regarding the impacts of COVID-19 on its business, 4DS Memory noted in the release:

    COVID-19 related restrictions did not significantly affect the company’s operations. However, for the safety of all employees, only a limited number of employees were allowed be at the Fremont facilities at the same time. Productivity was maintained by scheduling on-site tasks over longer days including weekends and holidays.

    Touching on the company’s second platform lot, it added:

    The results of the analysis of the second platform lot and the third non-platform lot bring 4DS and its partners closer to realising their strategic objective of commercialising the company’s technology.

    What’s next for 4DS Memory?

    4Ds Memory advised it was finalising the production date of its third platform lot. This is expected to start late in the third quarter of 2021.

    The company is set on advancing its third platform lot while strengthening its joint collaboration with Western Digital’s subsidiary HGST, which is a “global storage leader”.

    Also, 4DS now will continue building its development agreement with Imec, to continue pioneering its “non-volatile memory technology”.

    The 4DS Memory share price is up 28% year to date, thereby beating the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO)’s gain of 14% since January 1.

    The post The 4DS Memory (ASX:4DS) share price sinks 6% on widened operating loss in FY21 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    These 5 Cheap Shares Could Be Set For Huge Gains (FREE REPORT)

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can find out the names of these stocks in the FREE stock report.

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of February 15th 2021

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    The author Zach Bristow has no positions 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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  • Huon (ASX:HOU) share price edges lower after $128 million loss

    a fisherman with a long beard makes a crazy widemouthed face at a large salmon held by the tail in one of his hands.

    The Huon Aquaculture Group Ltd (ASX: HUO) share price has closed lower on Thursday after the Aussie salmon farmer’s latest full-year results release.

    Huon share price edges lower after $128 million loss

    For those who missed it, Huon announced its results for the year ended 30 June 2021 (FY21). Some of the key takeaways include:

    The Huon share price closed down 0.26% following the result, having slumped as low as 2.34% throughout the day.

    What happened for Huon in FY20?

    It’s been a big few months for Huon. Australia’s second-largest salmon producer reported a drop in global salmon prices due to COVID-19 and noted the impact of surging freight costs on its finances.

    There were also the November 2020 fires in one of its fish pens that saw the company lose 50,000 fish, followed by a December 2020 fire. Adding insult to injury, Huon lost a further 130,000 fish in a mass escape after a cage was damaged during cleaning.

    Lower salmon prices and disruptions throughout the year ultimately combined to weigh on the FY21 earnings result.

    The Huon share price has still managed to climb 44% higher in 2021 but the bulk of those gains have come in the last month following a takeover bid by Brazil-based meat processer, JBS.

    Huon shares surged on August 6 after the company announced it had entered into a Scheme Implementation Deed with JBS to acquire 100% of Huon shares.

    What’s next for Huon and its share price?

    Huon’s outlook for revenue is “more positive compared to this time last year”. The company is targeting a greater balance in its sales mix with expected growth from international market sales as a proportion of overall revenue.

    Despite the significant losses in FY21, the Huon share price remained largely unchanged with the JBS takeover being the main driver of value at the moment.

    The post Huon (ASX:HOU) share price edges lower after $128 million loss appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Huon Aquaculture right now?

    Before you consider Huon Aquaculture, 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 Huon Aquaculture wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall 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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  • IDP Education (ASX:IEL) share price tipped by broker to jump 17%

    Hand holds up a lightbulb with a small graduates cap on top of it to symbolise wisdom and ideas

    The IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) share price was on form on Thursday.

    The language testing and student placement company’s shares rose 2% to $29.00.

    This leaves the IDP Education share price trading within sight of its record high of $30.34.

    Can the IDP Education share price keep rising?

    The good news is that one leading broker still see a lot of value in the IDP Education share price even though it is close to a record high.

    According to a note out of Goldman Sachs this morning, the broker has retained its buy rating but slightly trimmed its price target on the company’s shares to $34.00.

    Based on the current IDP Education share price, this implies potential upside of 17% over the next 12 months.

    Why is Goldman bullish on IDP Education?

    Goldman Sachs was pleased with IDP Education’s performance in FY 2021. Particularly given the headwinds it was facing because of COVID-19.

    Pleasingly, with these headwinds easing, the broker is confident that the coming years will be even stronger. The note reveals that its analysts are expecting its Northern Hemisphere operations to underpin a strong result in FY 2022. After which, it expects its ANZ operations to support further strong growth in FY 2023. It is partly for this reason why it feels the IDP Education share price is such good value now.

    Goldman said: “IEL’s business has proven resilient during the pandemic so far and is poised to deliver strong growth in FY22 driven by Northern Hemisphere demand. Qualified SP [student placement] leads in the Northern Hemisphere in 2H21 were above pre-COVID levels. IELTS volumes have shown a similar recovery.”

    “We believe this sets the business up for a very strong FY22 in its Northern Hemisphere IELTS testing markets and multi-destination SP. The pending reopening of ANZ to international students is likely commence in late FY22, driving FY23 growth.”

    Post-FY 2023, the broker believes “compelling long-term structural growth in international student volumes and IELTS testing demand should drive earnings in FY24 and beyond.”

    Overall, Goldman is forecasting a 69% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for its earnings over the next three years. It also sees opportunities for this growth rate to increase through acquisitions.

    Its analysts explained: “Our 3-yr EPS CAGR of 69% justifies our Buy rating in our view. The growth profile is likely to be enhanced by potential future acquisitions, which are not included in our earnings forecasts. These may include further consolidation of the IELTS market.”

    The post IDP Education (ASX:IEL) share price tipped by broker to jump 17% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in IDP Education right now?

    Before you consider IDP Education, 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 IDP Education wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    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. owns shares of and has recommended Idp Education Pty 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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  • Own Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) shares? Here’s what the company has planned for FY22

    Brokers favorite ASX share COVID reopening trade buyA woman standing on a tarmac celebrates a plane lifting off, indicating rising share price in ASX travel companies

    The Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price climbed 4% today after the business released its FY21 result to the market.

    But the travel business also told investors about its plans for FY22, which included a targeted return to profitability.

    FY21 result

    If you didn’t catch the Flight Centre result, it said that it saw a $507.1 million underlying loss before tax in FY21, which was similar to the result in FY20 and in line with its guidance.

    The underlying loss after tax improved from $378 million to $364 million. The statutory loss after tax improved from $662 million to $433 million.

    Flight Centre said that operational performance has improved significantly during the pandemic.

    Although the FY21 second half revenue increased by 48% compared to the FY21 first half, this growth was offset by the $41 million reduction in retained employee government subsidies, mainly relating to jobkeeper, and a $42 million increase in underlying costs.

    Flight Centre experienced month on month sales revenue growth despite COVID-19 impacts, with a COVID-era record in June 2021.

    Corporate total transaction value (TTV) was tracking at 30% of pre-COVID levels by the end of the financial year. It also said there was a rapid recovery in the US late in the fourth quarter for leisure and corporate.

    Travel restrictions are being relaxed or removed in several key markets, although ongoing lockdowns are impacting the ANZ recovery. It noted strong and immediate rebounds after travel restrictions are lifted.

    Could the FY22 plans influence the Flight Centre share price?

    Flight Centre management outlined a number of observations and plans for FY22.

    It said that it’s investing to win market share and gain further competitive advantages by enhancing its platforms and products to capitalise on market share opportunities.

    The ASX travel share also said that it’s looking to increase its leisure market share and/or profitability in key markets through enhanced multi-channel offerings, alongside network rebalancing.

    Flight Centre is targeting a return to monthly profitability in both corporate and leisure during FY22. However, this relies on vaccination efficacy (against the Delta variant and other possible strains), governments reopening domestic borders and keeping them open.

    The company is also focused on the resumption of further international travel, with a potential material benefit from trans-Atlantic flights reopening.

    Management said the company has earnings leverage to markets with positive short-term outlooks. Before COVID-19, 54% of its underlying segment earnings came from the Americas and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa).

    However, the business is not yet in a position to provide FY22 guidance because of the lack of clarity around government timeframes for border re-openings and removal of other travel restrictions.

    To reach breakeven, the company needs to generate around 50% of its pre-COVID TTV in corporate and around 40% in leisure. This is based on the company’s current level of expenditure.

    Flight Centre warned it could be some years before the sector returns to pre-COVID levels.

    The post Own Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) shares? Here’s what the company has planned for FY22 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Flight Centre right now?

    Before you consider Flight Centre, 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 Flight Centre wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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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 Flight Centre Travel Group 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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  • Whitehaven (ASX:WHC) share price rebounds 5% on earnings

    Share price recovery chart

    The Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) share price has closed 4.95% higher on Thursday having pared back early losses from its results for the year ended 30 June 2021 (FY21).

    Whitehaven share price rebounds 5% on earnings result

    In case you missed it, here are some of the key takeaways from this morning’s full-year result:

    The Whitehaven share price initially crashed following the softer earnings result before slingshotting higher on Thursday afternoon. Shares in the Aussie coal miner closed the day up 4.95% in a stunning turnaround.

    Investors may be wondering what caused the lower revenues and earnings figures. The obvious place to start with any commodity-based company is with commodity prices themselves.

    Whitehaven’s EBITDA margin slipped from $21 per tonne in FY20 to just $14 per tonne in FY21. That was largely as a result of the company’s average realised price falling 8.7% to $95 per tonne.

    The Aussie coal miner reported 14.4 million tonnes in sales during the year which was broadly in line with FY20 numbers but fell short of what the market was expecting.

    Despite a weak result this morning, it’s actually been a strong year for shareholders. The Whitehaven share price has rocketed 150% higher in the past 12 months and 41% in 2021 alone.

    Whitehaven CEO Paul Flynn reflected on the FY21 result:

    FY21 was very much a year of highs and lows both operationally and in terms of factors outside our control.

    Investors saw those highs and lows mirrored in the Whitehaven share price move on Thursday, recovering from a 3.4% drop at the open to finish the day up 4.95% at $2.33 per share.

    That’s just shy of the company’s high of $2.44 per share and gives the company a market capitalisation of $2.4 billion.

    The post Whitehaven (ASX:WHC) share price rebounds 5% on earnings appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Whitehaven Coal right now?

    Before you consider Whitehaven Coal, 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 Whitehaven Coal wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall 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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  • The ASX reporting wrap-up: A2 Milk, Woolworths, Appen

    woman studying ASX 200 stats on computer while writing reports

    Well, what a mammoth day for reporting on the ASX. Investors were inundated with full-year report after full-year report — we don’t blame you if you’re still working your way through some of those announcements.

    Unfortunately, the higher number of earnings released did not coincide with a better outcome for the broader market.

    Out of the companies listed in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), only 72 rose or remained flat — the remaining 128 slipped lower.

    We’ll quickly unpack today’s results and then wrap things back up for tomorrow:

    Those that reported on the ASX today

    A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

    Shares in A2 Milk took the elevator downwards after the company reported its FY21 full-year results. As border closures continue to impact the daigou sales channel, the infant formula maker incurred significant damage to its revenue and earnings.

    The takeaway points:

    The A2 Milk Company share price finished the day down 12.32% trading at $6.01.

    Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)

    The Woolworths share price was a more positive performer following its reporting of full-year results for FY21.

    Shares in the supermarket giant inched 0.42% higher to $40.99 on the back of a major jump in earnings. The company also announced a $2 billion buyback and a bumper dividend to boot.

    The takeaway points:

    • Group sales rose 5.7% to $67,278 million
    • e-Commerce sales surged 58.1% to $5,602 million
    • Group earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) increased 13.7% to $3,663 million
    • Group net profit after tax up 22.9% to $1,972 million
    • Final dividend of 55 cents per share

    Appen Ltd (ASX: APX)

    Lastly, the Appen share price plummeted on the ASX today after reporting its earnings fell more than 50% in its FY21 result. Investors were clearly rattled by the decrease, resulting in the tech company’s shares falling 21.4% to $10.86 by the end of the session.

    The takeaway points:

    • Group revenue down 2% to US$196.6 million
    • Annual contract value increased 16% to US$119.6 million
    • Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) down 14.3% to US$27.7 million
    • Interim dividend of AUD4.5 cents per share 50% franked declared, flat on 1H20 dividend.
    • Net profit after tax down 55.1% to US$6.7 million
    • Appen to acquire location data provider Quandrant for US$25 million upfront
    • Outlook: higher confidence in the pipeline supported by a stronger order book

    ASX shares reporting next week

    We might have reached the peak of the ASX reporting mountain today. However, tomorrow we embark on the journey back down with a handful of companies dispensing their results.

    Some of the big-name companies set to release their financials tomorrow include BWX Limited (ASX: BWX), Freedom Foods Group Ltd (ASX: FNP), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA), and Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH).

    To see the full line-up, check out our ASX Reporting Season Calendar.

    The post The ASX reporting wrap-up: A2 Milk, Woolworths, Appen appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns shares of Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended A2 Milk. 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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