Category: Stock Market

  • The Telstra (ASX:TLS) share price just hit another new 52-week high

    a woman smiles widely while using an old fashioned hand set telephone with dial.

    The Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price is once again on the climb today. Telstra shares are currently trading for $3.84 apiece at the time of writing.

    However, this ASX 200 telco was trading even higher after market open this morning, climbing all the way to $3.88 a share – the company’s new 52-week high. In fact, it’s the highest the Telstra share price has climbed since before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic early last year.

    Telstra, one of the ASX 200’s most prominent blue chip shares, has been on quite the run over the past year or two. Year to date in 2021, Telstra is now up a healthy 28.69% on the current pricing. Over the past 12 months, it’s up 13.13%. But it has still been a poor long-term performer, losing its investors close to 30% over the past 5 years.

    Even so, its more recent gains have been hard to ignore. So what’s propelling the telco to these new highs?

    Why is the Telstra share price at a new 52-week high?

    Well, a number of developments seem to be giving investors reason to dive into Telstra shares. It’s fairly safe to say the sale of half of Telstra’s InfraCo Towers business back in June really lit the rocket under the telco.

    Back on 30 June, Telstra announced that a consortium of investors had agreed to purchase a 49% stake in InfraCo Towers for a price of $2.8 billion. This gave this business an earnings multiple of 28x, which was the part that really got chins a’wagging.

    If Telstra could command such a robust earnings multiple for this sale, perhaps its remaining assets (such as Telstra’s fixed-line division InfraCo Fixed) are worth more than the market previously estimated? As a case in point, since the announcement of this sale, the Telstra share price has risen almost 7%.

    But that’s not all that Telstra has pulled out of its hat in recent months.

    The federal government’s recent maneuvers to help Telstra potentially acquire the Pacific telco Digicel Pacific has been piquing investors’ attention. As has Telstra’s recent $350 million acquisition of MedialDirector.

    Telstra also got some good news yesterday regarding the regional radio frequency limits. The government sets these limit and Telstra had requested that a 43% limit for telcos be established. The government came back with a 45% limit, which is good news for the company.

    All in all, the Telstra share price seems to be responding to a combination of these catalysts and, perhaps as a result, is now exploring the new 52-week highs we are seeing today.

    At the current Telstra share price, the telco has a market capitalisation of $45.43 billion, a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 25.77 and a trailing dividend yield of 4.17%. Telstra reports its FY2021 earnings this Thursday.

    The post The Telstra (ASX:TLS) share price just hit another new 52-week high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Telstra, 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 Telstra 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 May 24th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Telstra Corporation Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Corporation 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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  • Why the St Barbara (ASX:SBM) share price is sliding 4%

    Miner standing at quarry looking upset

    The St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) share price has crept out of the money in early trade. St Barbara shares are now exchanging hands at $1.63 apiece, a 4.66% drop on the day.

    Although there is no market sensitive news today, we examine what’s behind St Barbara shares of late.

    A bit more on St Barbara

    St Barbara is a gold mining company with interests in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

    The bulk of St Barbara’s revenue is obtained from its Leonora site in WA, through the Gwalia underground mine.

    At the time of writing, St Barbara has a market capitalisation of $1.21 billion.

    Broker downgrades

    St Barbara shares have faced downward pressures since investment bank Citigroup revised its recommendation on the St Barbara share price.

    Citi revised its recommendation from “buy/high risk” to “neutral/high risk” in a note to investors, citing headwinds to St Barbara’s production forecasts.

    For instance, Citi estimates its Gwalia site must “consistently replicate June quarter to achieve bottom guidance of 180koz”.

    In addition, costs will “remain high” for the company, implying “$1,710 – $1,880/oz vs FY21 (actual) $1,616/oz” as per Citi.

    Moreover, the broker’s stance on gold also folds into its narrative on St Barbara. As such, it has cut its price target to $1.75 per share, implying a 6.3% upside potential at the time of writing.

    St Barbara’s quarterly results

    St Barbara reported a 24% year-on-year decrease in fourth-quarter gold production to 82,698 ounces.

    However, the company also halted operations at its Simberi site after the death of a worker. Issues were also found with a waste disposal pipeline throughout the quarter, which also contributed to the shut-down at Simberi.

    In addition, St Barbara acquired an approximate 20% stake in Kin Mining NL (ASX: KIN), and announced its Leonara Province plan. This plan adds around 1.4 million ounces on top of the 5 million ounces of gold in mineral resources, as per the company.

    Moreover, St Barbara estimates “lower than expected” ore grades at its Atlantic site in FY22, and that forecasts are “marginally weighted to H2 FY22”. Note this coincides with Simberi’s restart in December, as per the company.

    Investors have punished the St Barbara share price over the past few weeks after these two events in the final week of July.

    To illustrate, St Barbara shares have slipped around 12% into the red over the past week. Even in the last month, the St Barbara share price is down 12.7%.

    St Barbara share price snapshot

    The St Barbara share price has posted a loss of 30% this year to date, extending the last 12 month’s loss of 54%.

    These results have lagged the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of around 25% over the past year.

    The post Why the St Barbara (ASX:SBM) share price is sliding 4% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in St Barbara right now?

    Before you consider St Barbara , 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 St Barbara 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 May 24th 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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  • The Bubs (ASX:BUB) share price has fallen 17% in a month. Here’s why

    person holding hand to head in despair while holding a glass of milk with the other hand.

    The Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB) share price is slipping today despite no news having been released by the company.

    Right now, the Bubs share price is 42 cents, 1.19% lower than its previous close.

    Today’s dip marks the most recent of Bubs’ ASX woes. The Bubs share price has now fallen 17% in a month.

    Let’s take a look at what’s been weighing on Bubs’ shares lately.

    The month that’s been for Bubs

    Bubs has only released a single piece of price-sensitive news to the market over the past month.

    That news came in the form of a trading update, to which the Bubs share price reacted poorly.

    The update stated the company’s financial year 2021 gross revenue was $46.8 million – 24% lower than the previous financial year.

    However, its revenue over the fourth quarter was 8% higher than that of the third quarter. Additionally, the second half brought 10% more revenue than the first half did. Yet they both saw less revenue than their respective previous comparable periods.

    The company stated the revenue slump was due to COVID-19.

    Bubs has been hit particularly hard throughout the pandemic, largely due to the impact it’s had on daigou channels.

    It wasn’t all bad news though. The company announced it has shipped the first batch of its Aussie Bubs formula to its new US retailers. The formula is destined to be stocked by Amazon.com and Walmart‘s online store next month.

    Bubs also reported it had $27.9 million in cash reserves – enough to fund its operations for another 11 quarters.

    Despite the company’s optimistic spin, the Bubs share price fell 8.7% over the 3 sessions following the trading update’s release.

    The company also announced a new addition to its board last month.

    Intellectual property, brand, and consumer lawyer Katrina Rathie has been appointed to Bubs’ board. Rathie’s appointment means the board is now gender-balanced.

    Bubs share price snapshot

    It’s not only been a bad month on the ASX for Bubs.

    Bubs’ shares have fallen 31% year to date. They’re also trading for 54% less than they were this time last year.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $257 million, with approximately 612 million shares outstanding.

    The post The Bubs (ASX:BUB) share price has fallen 17% in a month. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bubs Australia right now?

    Before you consider Bubs Australia, 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 Bubs Australia 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 May 24th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 

    John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2022 $1,920 calls on Amazon and short January 2022 $1,940 calls on Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon and BUBS AUST FPO. 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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  • Why BlueBet, James Hardie, Megaport, & Novonix shares are racing higher

    happy child jumping for joy

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is fighting hard to stay in positive territory. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up slightly to 7,541.9 points.

    Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are racing higher:

    BlueBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: BBT)

    The BlueBet share price is up 6.5% to $2.03. Investors have been buying the sports betting company’s shares after it signed an exclusive agreement with the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, BlueWater Resort and Casino. The agreement will see the parties pursue online sports betting market access in the state of Arizona.

    James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX)

    The James Hardie share price is up 4% to $49.87. The catalyst for this was the release of a strong first quarter result from the building materials company. According to the release, James Hardie delivered a 35% increase in quarter sales over the prior corresponding period to US$843.3 million. And thanks to margin expansion, its net income was up 50% to US$134.2 million. This strong start to the year led to management upgrading full year net income guidance.

    Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

    The Megaport share price has climbed almost 4% to $18.02. This follows the release of the network as a service (NaaS) solutions provider’s full year results. For the 12 months ended 30 June, Megaport reported a 35% increase in revenue to $78.28 million. Also growing strongly was its monthly recurring revenue (MRR), which increased 32% year on year to $7.5 million. This annualises to $90 million. Megaport also announced the US$15 million acquisition of InnovoEdge. It is an AI-powered multi-cloud and edge application orchestration company.

    Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX)

    The Novonix share price has jumped 16.5% to $3.52. Investors have been fighting to get hold of the lithium-ion battery tech company’s shares after United States energy giant Phillips 66 made a strategic investment in the company. Phillips 66 will have a 16% stake in the company following the transaction.

    The post Why BlueBet, James Hardie, Megaport, & Novonix shares are racing higher 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 May 24th 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 MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. 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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  • EMvision (ASX:EMV) share price leaps 14% on product update

    Jumping asx share price represented by young girl smiling and jumping up

    The EMvision Medical Devices Ltd (ASX: EMV) share price is charging higher today. This follows the company providing an update in regard to its portable medical imaging technology.

    At the time of writing, shares in the medical device company are 14.07% higher to $3 apiece. However, earlier in trade the EMvision share price had been as high as $3.10.

    Milestone achievement

    Investors are excited about the potential for EMvision today after the company announced the latest development of its brain scanner. After working on prototyping and development of its portable medical technology, today EMvision has notched up an achievement.

    According to the release, the company has successfully fabricated and assembled its alpha unit of its first-generation portable brain scanner. These units are intended for commercialisation, giving shareholders hopes for future sales.

    However, before we get ahead of ourselves… the first-gen units will be the subjects of a range of tests for assessing compliance with regulatory standards. These include:

    • Functional compliance,
    • Reliability compliance,
    • Integration (software and hardware) compliance,
    • Safety compliance, and
    • Performance compliance

    In addition to the above-noted compliance tests, the units will also be assessed on suitability for manufacturing, assembly, shipment, environmental impact, use, service, and repair.

    Furthermore, the intended use of portable brain scanners is in applications where conventional neuroimaging machines are not accessible or practical.

    For example, co-chair of the Australian Stoke Alliance, Professor Stephen Davis AO mentioned the possibility of such technology being incorporated into standard ambulances and aircraft. This potential has fed into the excitement surrounding the EMvision share price.

    Management commentary

    Speaking on the monumental step, EMvision CEO Dr Ron Weinberger said:

    This is an important milestone for the Company. Our product represents a game-changing opportunity to provide accessible point-of-care neuroimaging for stroke patients, wherever they are. The value proposition for our scanner is simple – portable, accessible, fast, safe, and affordable.

    We are tackling the immense health burden that is stroke, with potential future adjacencies in traumatic brain injury and other neurological disorders. We see an enormous market opportunity ahead in neuroimaging that is poised for disruption. Our device will undergo various tests as we prepare for our next stage of expanded clinical studies.

    EMvision share price recap

    The EMvision share price has delivered an exceptional return to shareholders over the past year. This is despite bottom-line losses deepening as it continues to invest heavily in research and development. Specifically, over the course of the year, shares in the company have surged nearly 60%. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has returned 23.4% during that time.

    Finally, based on the current EMvision share price, the company holds a $216 million market capitalisation.

    The post EMvision (ASX:EMV) share price leaps 14% on product update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider EMvision, 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 EMvision 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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 EMvision Medical Devices Limited. 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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  • Is now a good time to buy Bendigo and Adelaide Bank (ASX:BEN) shares?

    a woman holds her finger to the side of her face and looks upwards as she thinks about something.

    The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) share price is having a pretty decent start to this Tuesday’s trading today. At the time of writing, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank shares are up a healthy 0.56% to $10.76 a share.

    That puts this ASX bank’s 2021 gains so far at 13.86% year to date. It’s also up by a very pleasing 56.85% over the past 12 months, but a far more modest 2.57% over the past 5 years.

    Wondering how that compares to the other ASX banks? Well, not quite as well as some. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is presently up 26.3% year to date in 2021 so far, 43% over the past 12 months and 39% over the past 5 years.

    But Bendigo Bank has certainly outperformed others. National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) is up 17.77% year to date, 54.67% over the past 12 months and just 0.2% over the past 5 years.

    Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) is up 30% year to date, 47.4% over the past year and has actually gone backwards by a hefty 13.8% over the past 5 years.

    So with Bendigo Bank reporting its FY2021 earnings next Monday, many ASX investors might be wondering today if now is a good time to buy Bendigo and Adelaide Bank shares?

    Are Bendigo Bank shares a buy today?

    Well, one broker who thinks it might be a good time to keep one’s powder dry with Bendigo Bank right now is investment bank Goldman Sachs. Goldman currently rates Bendigo Bank shares as ‘neutral’ with a 12-month share price target of $10.75 a share.

    You might notice that this is very similar to Bendigo Bank’s current share price — implying not too much in the way of potential upside (aside from dividend returns) over the next 12 months.

    Goldman is lukewarm on Bendigo partly because the bank “has historically underperformed on costs” which, Goldman points out, have grown at a much faster rate than other ASX banks over the past few years.

    Goldman also expects Bendigo to grow its earnings per share (EPS) at a modest rate over the next few years, forecasting EPS to rise from 71 cents per share in FY21 to 80 cents per share by FY2023.

    It also expects Bendigo’s annual dividend to rise from 50 cents per share for FY21 to 60 cents per share by FY2023.

    At the current Bendigo and Adelaide Bank share price, the company has a market capitalisation of $5.88 billion, a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 22.9 and a trailing dividend yield of 2.6%.

    The post Is now a good time to buy Bendigo and Adelaide Bank (ASX:BEN) shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bendigo Bank right now?

    Before you consider Bendigo Bank, 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 Bendigo Bank 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of National Australia Bank Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why is this fund holding onto its Afterpay (ASX:APT) shares?

    man hitting digital screen saying buy now pay later

    Investment fund Hyperion initially worried about the $39 billion takeover offer posed to Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT), but its concerns over the future of its shares have since eased. The fund’s now forecasting a bright future for the Afterpay share price.

    The ASX-listed buy now, pay later (BNPL) giant is Hyperion’s largest investment in its Australian fund.

    Fortunately, it also has a hold on shares in NYSE-listed Square Inc (NYSE: SQ), Afterpay’s likely future buyer.

    Here’s why Hyperion is still excited about the future of Afterpay.

    Why Hyperion’s still hyped over Afterpay

    Hyperion still sees value in Afterpay shares despite the company’s plans to merge with Square.

    Hyperion’s deputy chief investment officer and portfolio manager Jason Orthman spoke to Livewire, saying he expects Square’s takeover will derisk Afterpay shares.

    Orthman commented that when he first heard wind of Square’s takeover, he was disappointed. But upon reading the terms of the takeover, he now believes the businesses will work well together and produce strong returns.

    Additionally, Orthman said he is excited about the possibility of a secondary listing on the ASX, or an ASX-listed CHESS Depositary Interest for Square.

    Livewire quoted Orthman as saying:

    Afterpay shareholders shouldn’t be nervous about rolling into Square. It’s a huge win and a big deal for the Australian Stock Market to get a business of the calibre of Square onto the Exchange.

    Orthman told the publication the two companies look likely to disrupt the traditional financial sector, particularly as Generation Z begins to enter the system. Therefore, he believes, the merger will likely future-proof both businesses.

    He is also bullish on Afterpay shares because of the synergies between Afterpay and Square. Both are disrupting the financial industry and were beginning to lean into each other’s space.

    Square’s interest in Afterpay stems from its desire to get into the BNPL sector. At the same time, Afterpay planned to wriggle into Square’s non-traditional banking space by launching Afterpay Money in October.

    Orthman’s belief is the two companies will work better together, each filling gaps in the other’s business model.

    Additionally, he said Square’s growth rate is higher than Afterpay’s. He thinks the takeover is a great opportunity to get a holding in Square.

    Afterpay share price snapshot

    The Afterpay share price is having another good day on the ASX today.

    Right now, shares in the BNPL giant are swapping hands for $133.91 apiece. That’s almost 3% higher than their previous close.

    The Afterpay share price has gained 13% so far this year. It is also 84% higher than it was this time last year.

    The post Why is this fund holding onto its Afterpay (ASX:APT) shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Afterpay, 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 Afterpay 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    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. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and Square. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. 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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  • Why the Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) share price is edging higher on Tuesday

    Hands grabbing for high rung on a ladder pointing to the sky

    The Mesoblast limited (ASX: MSB) share price is pushing ahead today following a change in the company’s leadership team.

    At the time of writing, the allogeneic cellular medicines developer’s shares are up 2.58% to $1.99. In comparison, the All Ordinaires Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.1% to 7,811 points.

    What did Mesoblast announce?

    Investors appear to be unfazed by the change in senior management, sending Mesoblast shares higher.

    According to its release, Mesoblast advised that its chief financial officer (CFO), Josh Muntner will be leaving the company. This will take effect on 30 August 2021 following Mesoblast’s release of its full-year financial results.

    Prior to the departure, Mr Muntner will work closely with the board and management to complete the FY21 financial statements. In addition, Mr Muntner will smooth the transition process in which Andrew Chaponnel will take over as interim CFO.

    Management stated that Mr Chaponnel brings strong leadership skills over his past 9 years with Mesoblast. Initially, he served as group financial controller, with the last 3 years taking the helm as head of finance. Most notably, Mr Chaponnel has been involved with various corporate transactions and provided oversight of finance functions.

    Mesoblast CEO, Silviu Itescu commented:

    Josh has been a valuable member of our leadership team; we thank him for his contribution to Mesoblast and wish him well for the future. We are confident that Andrew’s experience in financial oversight and various corporate transactions will be of great benefit as he transitions to his new role.

    About the Mesoblast share price

    Over the last 12 months, Mesoblast shares have plummeted in value, sinking almost 60%. Year-to-date has fared better but still in negative territory, down 10%. The company’s share price is near its 52-week low of $1.70 reached in June.

    At today’s price, Mesoblast has a market capitalisation of roughly $1.2 billion, with approximately 648 million shares on issue.

    The post Why the Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) share price is edging higher on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Mesoblast 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    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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  • Reckon (ASX:RKN) share price jumps 8% after strong first half profit growth

    a happy investor with a wide smile points to a graph that shows an upward trending share price

    The Reckon Limited (ASX: RKN) share price has been a strong performer on Tuesday following the release of its half year results.

    In afternoon trade, the software company’s shares are up 8% to a 52-week high of $1.05.

    Reckon share price jumps on half year update

    • Normalised revenue increased 2.4% on the prior corresponding period to $37.5 million
    • 88% of revenue is recurring and from subscriptions
    • Normalised earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) up 7.1% to $16.7 million
    • Normalised net profit after tax jumped 18.6% to $5.4 million
    • Fully franked interim dividend per share of 3 cents

    What happened in the first half for Reckon?

    Investors have been bidding the Reckon share price higher today after management revealed that its transition to a cloud software business continued to gather pace during the half.

    It advised that the company’s revenue and earnings growth was driven by the continuing uptake of its cloud-based products, particularly through the Business segment. This is supporting strong ongoing profitability.

    Another positive supporting the Reckon share price was its improving balance sheet. During the period, the company reduced its debt by $17 million to $13 million through the sale of the ReckonDocs business and a continued focus on capital management.

    What did management say?

    Reckon’s CEO, Sam Allert, was pleased with the first half. And while no guidance was given for the second half, Mr Allert appears optimistic that the positive form will continue.

    He said: “Our transition from a desktop software business to a cloud software business continues at pace. It is pleasing to see cloud adoption across all business divisions, with growth achieved through both APS clients and our small business clients.”

    “We have returned the overall business to revenue growth and with our expansive client bases, our talented team, and new cloud product launches across all groups, we are very well positioned to continue this trend,” he added.

    Reckon share price continues to outperform

    Following today’s gain, the Reckon share price is now up 35% since the start of the year.

    This compares very favourably to the ASX 200’s gain of 13% year to date.

    The post Reckon (ASX:RKN) share price jumps 8% after strong first half profit growth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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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  • Why the Aussie Broadband (ASX:ABB) share price just hit a new all-time high

    a man sits on a rocket propelled office chair and flies high above a city

    The Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) share price has a hit a new all-time high since listing on the ASX in October 2020. Shares are currently trading for the record price of $3.41 – up 3.96%. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is 0.3% higher.

    While the company hasn’t made any price-sensitive announcements in over a week, there has been several stories throughout its ASX existence that have pushed its shares higher.

    Let’s take a closer look.

    Company profile

    Aussie Broadband Ltd is a telecommunications company. It provides NBN subscription plans and bundles to residential homes, small businesses, not-for-profits, corporate/enterprise and managed service providers. The company services all states and territories in Australia.

    Since listing on the ASX in October 2020, its share price has lifted 75%. It is a competitor to major ASX players such as Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) and TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG).

    Aussie Broadband share price is at record heights

    In its most recent update, as Motley Fool has previously reported, Aussie Broadband said its revenue continued to grow strongly in the last quarter. It jumped 8% on the previous quarter to $100 million.

    This was driven by a 7.4% or 27,790 quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) increase in overall broadband connections to 400,848. A 12% or 3,825 increase in business broadband connections is included in this figure. As well, the company said there was a 20% QoQ increase in mobile service plans to 22,454.

    In its update, Aussie Broadband said it expects to achieve earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) at the upper end of its guidance range of $17 million to $20 million. The Aussie Broadband share price increased over 3% on the day of the announcement.

    Aussie Broadband share price snapshot

    Year-to-date, the Aussie Broadband share price has increased 68.8%. It’s outperformed the ASX 200 by 56 percentage points in that time and the Telstra share price by about 41.5 percentage points.

    Aussie Broadband has a market capitalisation of around $624 million.

    The post Why the Aussie Broadband (ASX:ABB) share price just hit a new all-time high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Aussie Broadband right now?

    Before you consider Aussie Broadband, 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 Aussie Broadband 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.

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    Motley Fool contributor Marc Sidarous 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 Aussie Broadband Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Corporation Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Aussie Broadband 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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