Category: Stock Market

  • If you invested $1,000 in IAG (ASX:IAG) shares a decade ago, here’s what it would be worth now

    man thinking about whether to invest in bitcoin

    The Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG) share price has moved sideways over the past year. No doubt, COVID-19 has thrown some serious challenges to the insurance giant, impacted by significant one-off corporate expenses.

    However, management remains focused on correcting these issues and delivering bottom-line growth.

    At Tuesday’s market close, IAG shares finished the day up 1.31% trading at $5.42.

    How is the IAG share price tracking in 2021?

    In 2021, IAG has posted share price gains of 15%. This comes off the back of its strong surge in August, rising 10% in the past month alone.

    Investors were clearly buying the company’s shares ahead of its full-year results, expecting good things to come out of IAG.

    IAG chief executive Nick Hawkins commented:

    Our fiscal 2021 business performance is sound and reflects the strength of our core insurance business and its market leading brands.

    Our Australian and New Zealand direct businesses have generated solid growth, and we’ve enhanced our focus on our intermediated business in Australia to resolve the challenges we’ve seen with some of its portfolios, and to drive greater profitability.

    Since then, its share price has levelled around $5.40 after August’s steep rise.

    Only time will tell if IAG shares can regain pre-pandemic highs of around the $8 mark.

    What if you had invested $1,000 into IAG shares 10 years ago?

    If you had invested $1,000 in IAG shares in 2011, you would have bought them for around $3.02 apiece. The purchase would deliver approximately 331 shares without reinvesting the dividends.

    Fast-forward to today, the IAG share price last closed at $5.42. This means that those 331 shares would be worth $1,794.02 (331 shares x $5.42).

    When looking at percentage terms, this is a 79.4% increase or an average yearly return of 6.02%. In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has given back the exact same amount over the 10-year period (6.02%).

    While it may appear that either investment would deliver the same returns, IAG has paid dividends to its shareholders.

    Are IAG shares a buy?

    A number of brokers have rated the company with comparable price points since the release of its full-year results on 11 August.

    Citi raised its 12-month price target by 2.7% to $5.75 for IAG shares. Following suit, Morgans changed its rating, adding 5.2% to $5.65. And lastly, JPMorgan lifted its outlook by 5.9% to $5.35.

    IAG presides a market capitalisation of roughly $13.3 billion, with more than 2.4 billion shares on its books.

    The post If you invested $1,000 in IAG (ASX:IAG) shares a decade ago, here’s what it would be worth now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider IAG, 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 IAG 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 owns shares of and has recommended Insurance Australia 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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  • The Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price fell 6% last time the company reported

    Travel bags sit by an airport lounge window overlooking a grounded plane on the tarmac

    The Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) share price is relatively flat since the beginning of 2021. The airline operator continues to battle COVID-19 which has severely affected its operations and the wider travel market.

    At Tuesday’s market close, Qantas shares finished the day up 5.48% to $4.62.

    What happened to Qantas shares last earnings season?

    When Qantas reported its half-year scorecard for FY21, its shares tanked 6% within a matter of days. This was short-lived however, with the company’s share price rebounding to touch a 52-week high of $5.79 the following month.

    Looking back at the results, Qantas delivered revenue of $2.33 billion, a mammoth 75% drop compared to the prior corresponding period. The stark fall came predominately from Victoria’s extended lockdown and nationwide border closures.

    However, the company achieved underlying earnings, before, interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $86 million. Management noted that this reflected the fundamental resilience of Qantas’ portfolio.

    Nonetheless, the group posted an underlying loss before tax of $1.03 billion. This compares to a net profit before tax of $771 million in H1 FY20.

    Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce commented at the time:

    These figures are stark but not surprising.

    Despite the huge challenges, these results show the group’s underlying strength.

    Our priorities remain the safety of everyone who travels with us, getting as many of our people back to work as possible and generating positive cash flow to repair our balance sheet.

    Is the Qantas share price a buy?

    A recent report released by Goldman Sachs slapped a buy rating on Qantas shares, indicating a 12-month price target of $6.38.

    While this represents an upside of 38% based on the current Qantas share price, the broker noted some downside risks. They included rising competition, poor passenger volumes, higher fuel prices, loss of cost benefits, delayed border openings, and slower demand recovery.

    Qantas has a market capitalisation of roughly $8.7 billion, with more than 1.8 billion shares on its registry.

    The post The Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price fell 6% last time the company reported appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Qantas, 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 Qantas 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 ASX growth shares that analysts love

    3 asx shares represented by investor holding up 3 fingers

    There are a lot of growth shares for investors to choose from on the Australian share market.

    To narrow things down, I have picked out three ASX growth shares that are highly rated. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Appen Ltd (ASX: APX)

    The first ASX growth share to look at is Appen. Its vast team of crowd sourced experts prepare the data that goes into artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning models. Appen does this for some of the biggest tech companies in the world such as Google and Facebook. And while demand has softened during the pandemic, it is expected to rebound once the crisis passes. Especially given how spending on AI is forecast to grow materially over the next decade.

    The team at Citi remain positive on Appen. Even though they expect the company to fall short of expectations during the first half of FY 2021, they are holding firm with their buy rating and $18.80 price target.

    ELMO Software Ltd (ASX: ELO)

    Another ASX growth share to look at is ELMO. It is a HR and payroll platform provider that has been growing at a rapid rate over the last few years and even during the pandemic. Its popular software platform allows businesses to simplify and streamline a wide range of tasks. Demand has been strong, leading to strong recurring revenue growth. This was certainly the case in FY 2021, with its annualised recurring revenue (ARR) jumping 52.1% to $83.8 million. More strong growth is expected in FY 2022, with management providing ARR guidance of $105 million to $111 million

    Earlier this month analysts at Morgan Stanley retained their overweight rating and $7.80 price target.

    ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD)

    A final ASX growth share to look at is ResMed. It is a medical device company with a focus on the sleep treatment market. Thanks to its industry-leading products, wide distribution, and successful acquisitions, ResMed has been growing at a solid rate for over a decade. Pleasingly, this positive form looks set to continue over the long term. This is thanks to its significant market opportunity and the growing prevalence of sleep disorders.

    Morgans is a big fan of ResMed. Earlier this month the broker put an add rating and $41.34 price target on its shares. It believes the company is well-placed to benefit from market share gains following a rival device recall.

    The post 3 ASX growth shares that analysts love 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 Appen Ltd and Elmo Software. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Appen Ltd and Elmo Software. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ResMed Inc. 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 reasons why the Redbubble (ASX:RBL) share price could be a buy

    amazon shares represented by illustration of hands touching buttons on mobile phone surrounded by online shopping icons

    The Redbubble Ltd (ASX: RBL) share price may be worth considering after the e-commerce company released its FY21 result.

    That’s what the analysts at broker Morgans think anyway. Redbubble is back as a buy rated business with a price target of $4.83.

    What was in Redbubble’s result?

    Redbubble reported that it grew marketplace revenue by 58% to $553 million. Gross profit increased by 66% to $223 million. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased 930% to $53 million. Net profit after tax (NPAT) was $31 million, up from a loss of $9 million.

    The e-commerce business generated $55 million of operating cashflow, an increase from $47 million in FY20.  

    Why might the Redbubble share price be a buy?

    There are a few different factors to consider with Redbubble.

    Scalable business model

    Morgans says that it is a believer in Redbubble’s potential earnings and growth with its platform.

    Redbubble operates an e-commerce model where artists are paid for their designs that are printed on various products like clothing, stationery, bags, phone cases and so on. Customers can buy products at Redbubble.com or TeePublic.com with these cool or interesting designs on them.

    E-commerce business models can have a lot of operating leverage. Once the digital (and physical) infrastructure has been built, it can lead to rising margins as the business processes more volume and gets bigger.

    This scalable model hasn’t helped things as Redbubble goes through a slowdown of demand. But if it grows revenue then Redbubble benefits. However, Morgans thinks it will be difficult for Redbubble to beat the prior corresponding months of sales in FY21 over the next few months. The broker thinks there could still be short-term potential weakness for the Redbubble share price.

    Large addressable market

    Redbubble believes that it’s uniquely positioned to be a significant winner in a market that’s worth around US$300 billion in core geographies. That’s expected to rise to $400 billion by 2024.

    The ASX share points to several trends where it can benefit.

    Structural shifts to e-commerce are expected to endure, according to the company.

    There is increasing consumer demand for unique and meaningful products.

    Redbubble also points to a growing creator economy which enables a scalable and dynamic source of unique designs.

    The company believes it can reach marketplace revenue of $1.25 billion in the 2024 calendar year. That compares to $553 million of marketplace revenue in FY21.

    Investing to capture the opportunity

    Redbubble plans to invest in various parts of the business to try to capture more market share of that large opportunity.

    It wants to invest in artist activation and engagement, meaning recruitment and account management. Redbubble also wants to improve the artist experience to optimise content.

    Redbubble will also invest in user acquisition and transaction optimisation with improved digital experiences, marketing and geographic expansion.

    Another target area will be customer understanding, loyalty and brand building.

    Finally, Redbubble wants to invest in its product range and third party fulfilment network. This will help it realise fulfilment scale efficiencies.

    Current Redbubble share price valuation

    Redbubble shares may rise around 20% over the next 12 months, if Morgans is right.

    Despite Redbubble’s expectation of heavy investing, the e-commerce business is predicted by the broker to generate $0.19 of earnings per share (EPS) in FY23. That translates to Redbubble shares currently being at 21x FY23’s estimated earnings.

    The post 3 reasons why the Redbubble (ASX:RBL) share price could be a buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for 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 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s why the A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price is down 42% so far in 2021

    sad baby with bottle, infant formula price drop,

    The A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price has slid 43% since the start of 2021.

    After opening the year at $11.65, its shares have since dropped to swap hands for $6.64 apiece.

    Unsurprisingly, the milk and milk-based products producer’s shares have performed significantly worse than the broader market.

    In 2021, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained 12.2%, while the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has increased by 11.7%.

    Let’s take a look at what’s been impacting the A2 Milk share price through 2021.

    What’s driving the A2 Milk share price down?

    While the A2 Milk share price has been sliding, the company has remained relatively quiet. In fact, the market hasn’t heard any news from it since May.  

    However, A2 Milk’s most recent announcement highlighted the company’s struggles against the COVID-19 pandemic.

    In May, A2 Milk reported it was changing tack on how it’s addressing the fall of the daigou network and cross-border e-commerce channels that it once relied on. It also downgraded its guidance for financial year 2021 for the fourth time.

    The A2 Milk share price crashed 13% on the back of the new plan. Unfortunately, the market seemingly hasn’t changed its view on the company since.

    Perhaps it was because A2 Milk was restating the same message it had been for many months prior. Without an international reseller network and Chinese demand for its infant formula products, the company’s revenue had slowed significantly.

    In May, A2 Milk downgraded its financial year 2021 guidance. It stated it expected to report revenue of between $1.15 billion and $1.2 billion (converted from New Zealand Dollars at the exchange rate of the time of writing).

    For comparison, the company reported $1.65 billion in revenue for the 2019 financial year (once again, converted from New Zealand Dollars).

    Whether A2 Milk’s guidance came to fruition will be answered tomorrow. The company is expected to report its results for financial year 2021 on Thursday.

    All eyes will be on the A2 Milk share price to see if the company’s outlook for financial year 2022 is more optimistic.

    The post Here’s why the A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price is down 42% so far in 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in A2 Milk Company right now?

    Before you consider A2 Milk Company, 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 A2 Milk Company 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 Brooke Cooper 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 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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  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

    Smiling man with phone in wheelchair watching stocks and trends on computer

    On Tuesday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form again and pushed higher. The benchmark index ended the day up 0.2% at 7,503 points.

    Will the market be able to build on this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 futures pointing higher

    The Australian share market is expected to continue its positive run on Wednesday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 18 points or 0.25% higher this morning. This follows a decent night of trade on Wall Street, which saw the Dow Jones rise 0.1%, the S&P 500 climb 0.15%, and the Nasdaq push 0.5% higher.

    Afterpay and Zip full year results

    The Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price and the Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price will be on watch today when the two buy now pay later (BNPL) providers hand in their full year results. While both companies have pre-released much of their numbers, there will still be a lot to look out for. This includes their losses for the year and their expansion plans for FY 2022.

    Oil prices rise gain

    It could be a good day for energy producers such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) after oil prices rose again. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 3.1% to US$67.68 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 3.5% to US$71.20 a barrel. Oil prices pushed higher in response to U.S. regulators issuing their first full approval for a COVID-19 vaccine.

    WiseTech Global full year results

    The WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) share price could be on the move today when it releases its full year results. In February, the logistics solutions platform provider provided guidance for full year revenue of $470 million to $510 million and EBITDA of $165 million to $190 million. This represents year on year growth of 9% to 19% and 30% to 50%, respectively.

    Gold price edges lower

    Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) could have a subdued day on Wednesday after the gold price edged lower. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down slightly to US$1,806.1 an ounce. Traders appear undecided whether a spike in COVID cases globally will delay the Federal Reserve’s tapering plans.

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday 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 AFTERPAY T FPO, WiseTech Global, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and WiseTech Global. 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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  • 2 excellent blue chip ASX 200 shares named as buys

    Two men cheering at laptop

    Are you looking for blue chip ASX 200 shares to add to your portfolio? If you are, the two ASX shares listed below could be worth a closer look.

    Here’s what analysts think of these shares:

    Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

    The first blue chip ASX 200 share to look at is Goodman Group. It is a leading integrated commercial and industrial property company with a world class portfolio comprising warehouses, large scale logistics facilities, and business and office parks.

    These properties are in demand and count some of biggest companies in the world as tenants. This led to Goodman reporting a 98.1% occupancy rate at the end of FY 2021. This ultimately underpinned a solid 15% increase in operating profit to $1.22 billion for the 12 months.

    Positively, more of the same is expected in the future. Thanks to strong customer demand in its markets, which is translating into high occupancy, rental growth, and strong investment returns, management is guiding to 10% growth in operating earnings per share in FY 2022.

    Goodman’s FY 2021 result went down well with analysts at Citi. In response, the broker retained its buy rating and $26.00 price target on the company’s shares. This compares to the latest Goodman share price of $22.99.

    REA Group Limited (ASX: REA)

    Another blue chip ASX 200 share to consider is REA. This property listings company has been a strong performer in recent years despite battling a housing market downturn and the COVID-19 pandemic. This demonstrates the resilience of REA’s business model and its exceptionally strong position in the ANZ market.

    Pleasingly, its strong business model was on display for all to see in FY 2021. REA delivered a 13% increase in revenue to $928 million and a 19% jump in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to $565 million. The latter was ahead of expectations.

    Positively, with the housing market rebounding strongly, REA’s outlook is looking increasingly positive. This should be boosted by price increases, new revenue streams, acquisitions, and its excellent cost control.

    Goldman Sachs is very positive on the company. It has a buy rating and $190.00 price target on its shares. This compares to the latest REA share price of $154.38.

    The post 2 excellent blue chip ASX 200 shares named as buys 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 has recommended REA 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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  • 2 rapidly growing ASX shares rated as buys

    chart showing an increasing share price

    If you have room for a growth share or two in your portfolio, you might want to consider the shares listed below.

    Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

    The first ASX growth share to look at is Breville. The appliance manufacturer has been growing at a solid rate in recent years thanks to strong demand and its international expansion.

    This positive form continued in FY 2021, with Breville delivering one of the stronger full year results this month. For example, for the 12 months ended 30 June, Breville reported a 24.7% increase in revenue to $1,187.7 million and a 39.6% jump in EBIT to $136.6 million. The latter was ahead of its upgraded guidance.

    This result was supported by favourable tailwinds brought about by COVID-19 such as more cooking and working at home, which underpinned an increase in demand for whitegoods such as cooking equipment and coffee machines.

    UBS was pleased with its result and in response retained its buy rating and $35.70 price target. It likes the company due to its attractive long term growth potential.

    PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH)

    Another ASX growth share to look at is PointsBet. It is a leading sports betting company with operations in both the ANZ and US markets.

    It recently released its fourth quarter update and revealed that it achieved full year turnover of $3,781.4 million in FY 2021. This was up an impressive 228% on FY 2020’s turnover.

    Management advised that this was driven by a 117% annual increase in Australian active clients to 196,585 and a 661% increase in US active clients to 159,321.

    Goldman Sachs is very positive on the company and has a buy rating and $14.90 price target on its shares.

    Its analysts note that PointsBet has a strong position in the US and a huge market opportunity ahead of it. It expects the US sports betting market to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 40% out to 2033. It estimates that it will be worth US$39 billion a year at that point.

    The post 2 rapidly growing ASX shares rated as buys 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 Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pointsbet Holdings 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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  • Top broker names Appen (ASX:APX) share price as a buy

    man on phone researching Fintech reports

    The Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) share price certainly has been out of form in 2021.

    Since the start of the year, the artificial intelligence data services company’s shares are down 50%.

    This compares to a 12% gain by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the same period.

    Why is the Appen share price under pressure on 2021?

    Investors have been selling down the Appen share price this year due to the impact that COVID-19 was having on demand for its services.

    In May Appen’s CEO, Mark Brayan, commented: “COVID interrupted many businesses last year and that in turn reduced their digital ad spend for a period. This impacted our major customers’ sources of revenue, and although digital ad spend has bounced back nicely, that experience is driving them to invest in new AI products that are less reliant on advertising.”

    Also weighing on the Appen share price were comments about data privacy and anti-trust concerns that were impacting developments.

    Mr Brayan said: “Our customers are developing new AI products in response to COVID’s impact on online advertising last year and regulatory pressures such as anti-trust and data privacy. This dictates the data they need for product development and impacts their engineering resource allocations and the volumes and types of data they need from us.”

    “As stated before, machine learning is an iterative process, and our customers are switching resources between development projects as they pursue new break-out products. This in turn has impacted a handful of our larger programs,” he added.

    Is this a buying opportunity?

    One leading broker that believes the weakness in the Appen share price could be a buying opportunity is Citi.

    A note from this month reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $18.80 price target on the company’s shares.

    This is despite the broker suspecting that a slower recovery in demand could lead to Appen falling short of the market’s first half EBITDA estimates this month due to lower margins.

    Citi is expecting EBITDA of US$27 million for the half, which is ~20% lower than consensus estimates.

    Based on the current Appen share price of $12.71, Citi’s price target implies potential upside of 48% over the next 12 months.

    Citi is more positive on its longer term prospects. It believes Appen is well placed to benefit from the higher spending on artificial intelligence in the future. It also expects the company to leverage its increased capabilities and expand its addressable market.

    The post Top broker names Appen (ASX:APX) share price as a buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Appen, 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 Appen 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 Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Appen 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 ASX reporting wrap-up: Ansell, Kogan, Nanosonics

    Doctor performing an ultrasound on pregnant woman

    Another day of reporting on the ASX has drawn to a close. That means it is time for us to summarise some of the big-name results that you might have missed on the ASX today.

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

    Those that reported on the ASX today

    Ansell Limited (ASX: ANN)

    Shares in Ansell sank 9.2% after the personal protection equipment seller reported its FY21 full-year results. Despite reporting impressive metrics for FY21, the market focused on the forward guidance — with medical PPE expected to taper off.

    The takeaway points:

    • Sales of approx. US$2 billion – up 25.6% on the prior corresponding period (pcp).
    • Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) jumped 56% to US$338 million.
    • Net profit after tax (NPAT) surged 57% on the pcp to US$248 million.
    • Basic earnings per share (EPS) of US$1.922 – up 60% on the pcp.
    • Full-year dividend of US76.8 cents per share (US43.6 cents final + US33.2 cents interim). This is 54% higher than the pcp and represents a dividend yield of 2.63%.

    Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN)

    The Kogan share price went off the edge of an ASX cliff following its reporting of full-year results for FY21. Shares in the online retailer plummeted 15.8% lower following a significant reduction in earnings due to an increase in costs associated with logistics, acquisition, and management payments.

    The takeaway points:

    • Gross sales increased 52.7% to $1,179 million
    • Revenue jumped 56.8% to $780.7 million
    • Gross profit rose 61% to $203.7 million
    • Adjusted net profit after tax up 43.2% to $42.9 million
    • Reported net profit after tax down 86.8% to $3.5 million
    • Kogan.com active customer base up 46.9% to 3,207,000, Mighty Ape up to 764,000
    • Cash balance of $12.8 million and no final dividend
    • Outlook: No guidance but poor start to FY 2022

    Nanosonics Ltd. (ASX: NAN)

    To end things on a positive note, the Nanosonics share price soared on the ASX today after the ultrasound probe disinfector manufacturer reported a rebound in performance in its full-year earnings for FY21. The news was met with euphoria, with the share price increasing 21.9%.

    The takeaway points:

    • Revenue up 3% against the prior corresponding period (pcp) to $103.1 million.
    • Significant recovery in the FY21 second half, with revenue up 39% compared to the first half.
    • The global installed base rose 13% to 26,750 units.
    • Earnings before interest and tax was down 7% to $10.8 million.
    • Profit after income tax fell 15% to $8.6 million.

    ASX shares reporting next week

    It was another busy day on the ASX for reporting. However, tomorrow can lay claim to its own set of exciting companies that are slated to release full-year results.

    Some of the big-name companies set to release their financials tomorrow include Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT), Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P), Whispir Ltd (ASX: WSP), Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR), WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), and Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV).

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

    The post The ASX reporting wrap-up: Ansell, Kogan, Nanosonics appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns shares in Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Kogan.com ltd and Nanosonics Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Kogan.com ltd and Nanosonics Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ansell 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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