Category: Stock Market

  • Why Alphabet stock popped on earnings

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

    share price gaining

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

    What happened

    Shares of Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) are rising today, up by 3.1% as of 1:30 p.m. EDT, after the internet search giant reported Q2 2021 results last night.

    Alphabet crushed earnings estimates. Instead of the $19.21 per share in profit on $56 billion in revenue that Wall Street had forecast, Alphabet earned $27.26 per share on sales of $61.9 billion.

    So what

    “In Q2, there was a rising tide of online activity in many parts of the world,” commented CEO Sundar Pichai, allowing Alphabet to cash in on “elevated consumer online activity and broad-based strength in advertiser spend.”

    Sales climbed 61.6% year over year in the quarter, operating profit margin on those sales nearly doubled to 31%, and Alphabet’s earnings of $27.26 per share grew 169% over last year’s bottom-line haul. Literally every Alphabet division gained strength in Q2, with Google Cloud (sales up 53%), Search (up 68%), and YouTube ads (up 84%) being particular standouts.

    (Notably, however, Google Cloud remains a money-losing business for Alphabet, with operating losses of $591 million.)

    Now what

    Wall Street was just about unanimous in its approval of Alphabet’s quarter. At last count, TheFly.com had recorded no fewer than 17 separate analysts raising their price targets on the stock, with Susquehanna going as high as high as $3,600 a share.

    If they’re right about that, then even after today’s gains, Alphabet stock still has another 32% profit left in it for new investors.

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

    The post Why Alphabet stock popped on earnings appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Alphabet, 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 Alphabet 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

    Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, 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 Alphabet (A shares) and Alphabet (C shares). The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares) and Alphabet (C shares). The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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

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  • PointsBet (ASX:PBH) share price halted after Q4 update

    Young man in shirt and tie staring at his laptop screen in anticipation.

    The PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) share price won’t be going anywhere on Thursday.

    This morning the sports betting company requested a trading halt.

    Why is the PointsBet share price halted?

    The PointsBet share price was placed in a trading halt this morning while it undertakes a capital raising via an institutional placement and entitlement offer.

    At this point, no details have been provided in relation to how much the company is aiming to raise.

    The PointsBet share price is expected to remain halted until Wednesday of next week.

    Fourth quarter update

    In addition to the capital raising, this morning the company has released its fourth quarter update.

    According to the release, for the three months ended 30 June, PointsBet recorded a 182% increase in turnover to $986.1 million. This was driven by a 63% increase in Australian turnover to $494.8 million and a 956% jump in US turnover to $491.3 million.

    This brought PointsBet’s full year turnover to $3,781.4 million, which was up an impressive 228% on FY 2020.

    Driving this strong growth was a 117% annual increase in Australian active clients to 196,585 and a 661% increase in US active clients to 159,321.

    Gross and net win growth

    Also potentially giving the PointsBet share price a boost when it returns to trade was further strong growth in its gross and net win metrics.

    PointsBet’s fourth quarter gross win increased 128% to $98.7 million and its net win rose 77% to $59.3 million. The latter was impacted by a 3.6 percentage point reduction in its net win margin to 6%. Nevertheless, its FY 2021 net win still increased 152% year on year to $207 million.

    At the end of the period, the company’s corporate cash balance stood at $245.5 million, with no borrowings. Though, this looks set to be boosted by PointsBet’s aforementioned capital raising.

    The PointsBet share price is up 116% over the last 12 months.

    The post PointsBet (ASX:PBH) share price halted after Q4 update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider PointsBet, 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 PointsBet 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 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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  • The NAB (ASX:NAB) share price is flat 5 years on. But have the dividends paid off?

    man laying on his couch with bundles of money and extremely ecstatic about high dividend returns

    The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price is relatively flat when compared to its performance 5 years ago. This is despite the general investment belief that blue chip companies deliver reasonable returns over the long term.

    Looking back at 29 July 2016, the bank’s shares were trading at $26.54 apiece. Today, you can pick up the same shares for $25.91 – that’s 2% cheaper than they were 5 years ago.

    Many investors assume the company’s strong bi-annual dividend payout makes up for any potential loss in share price growth. Further strengthening the argument, NAB traditionally pays full-franked dividends, even during COVID-19.

    Franking credits (otherwise known as imputation credits) are highly regarded in the investing world. This is a type of tax credit that is passed onto shareholders when dividend payments are made by a company. Essentially, the company is paying the tax on the dividends received by the shareholders.

    So, has the NAB share price provided value over the last 5 years? Below, we take a closer look to see if it has been worth investing in the company’s shares solely for its dividends.

    Have NAB’s dividends paid off in the long run?

    The NAB share price has been mostly stable over the past 5 years, excluding a significant drop during 2020 caused by COVID-19.

    Here’s a list below of NAB’s historical dividends paid out to shareholders in the past 5 years.

    • December 2016 – 99 cents (100% franked)
    • July 2017 – 99 cents (100% franked)
    • December 2017 – 99 cents (100% franked)
    • July 2018 – 99 cents (100% franked)
    • December 2018 – 99 cents (100% franked)
    • July 2019 – 83 cents (100% franked)
    • December 2019 – 83 cents (100% franked)
    • July 2020 – 30 cents (100% franked)
    • December 2020 – 30 cents (100% franked)
    • July 2021 – 60 cents (100% franked)

    Calculating the difference

    Let’s say an investor bought $10,000 worth of NAB shares this time 5 years ago. They would have a total of 376 shares ($10,000 / $26.54). If we multiply that with the current NAB share price, this investor would be sitting at $9,742.16 (376 shares x $25.91).

    While this appears to be a loss of $257.84 from the original investment made, the games changes when dividend payments are factored in.

    Over the past 5 years, our investor would have picked up $7.81 worth of dividends (addition of all historical dividend payments above). With this amount, we multiply it with the current shareholding (376 NAB shares), which gives us a figure of $2,936.56.

    Add this to the $9,742.16 that is the present value of the 376 shares, and investors would be an extra $2,678.72 ahead sitting on $12,678.72 ($9,742.16 + $2,936.56).

    This means that if you invested in NAB 5 years ago, you would be better off now, thanks to the dividends. Although, it is worth noting that this does not include the franking credits that offset tax to be paid. So, in hindsight, NAB shareholders would have made the right choice in keeping their shares for the long term.

    NAB share price summary

    Glancing at a shorter time frame, NAB shares have accelerated in the past 12 months, up 44%. In 2021, the company’s share price is also in the green, up 14%.

    NAB commands a market capitalisation of roughly $85.48 billion, with almost 3.3 billion shares on hand.

    The post The NAB (ASX:NAB) share price is flat 5 years on. But have the dividends paid off? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider NAB, 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 NAB 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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  • BHP (ASX:BHP) share price on watch amid news all petroleum assets to go

    industrial asx share price on watch represented by builder looking through magnifying glass

    The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price could be a mover on Thursday after reports the company is progressing the sale of its petroleum business.

    What’s happening?

    According to reporting last night by The Australian regarding the likely purchaser, Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL), “sources in the market [are] now suggesting that a planned deal by the $22bn listed energy producer has considerably progressed and is on track to be announced in about three weeks.”

    With August reporting season right around the corner, The Australian reported that “a number of sources are betting that the announcement will be made at Woodside and BHP’s upcoming results presentation”.

    The BHP share price tipped 1.86% higher last Tuesday when Reuters reported the initial speculation that Woodside could be the one stepping in to buy BHP’s oil and gas assets.

    What does this mean for BHP?

    The Australian reported, “suggestions in the market are that Woodside would pay for the BHP assets through its own scrip that would then be distributed to BHP’s shareholders”.

    From a revenue perspective, BHP’s petroleum earnings pale in comparison to its big earners, such as iron ore and copper.

    According to BHP’s 1H21 results, petroleum delivered US$1,619 million in revenue compared to iron ore and copper revenues of US$14,058 million and US$7,067 million, respectively.

    Overall, petroleum accounted for approximately 6.3% of the group’s 1H21 revenue.

    BHP enters nickel supply agreement

    Other recent headlines impacting the BHP share price have included its nickel supply agreement with Tesla Inc.

    BHP chief commercial officer, Vandita Pant commented on the agreement saying, “We are delighted to sign this agreement with Tesla Inc., and to collaborate with them on ways to make the battery supply chain more sustainable through our shared focus on technology and innovation”.

    But it isn’t just BHP making its move into battery and renewable-related materials.

    On Wednesday, Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) confirmed a $2.4 billion investment into its Jadar lithium-borates project in Serbia.

    According to Rio Tinto, the mine is expected to begin production in 2026 and ramp up to full production by 2029.

    BHP share price hits record high this week

    Oil and gas assets aside, the BHP share price continues to find success, cruising to a new record high of $53.65 on Tuesday.

    The post BHP (ASX:BHP) share price on watch amid news all petroleum assets to go appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider BHP, 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 BHP 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 Kerry Sun 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 Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Own Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) shares? Here’s what to look for during reporting season

    Happy girl with luggage at airport

    The August reporting season is almost upon us. That means owners of Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD) shares have a few things to keep an eye on next month.

    What to watch if you own Sydney Airport shares

    August can be somewhat overwhelming if you own lots of ASX shares. I always find that it’s easier to narrow in on a few key factors in order to stay focused on what matters.

    I think it pays to think about what is impacting Sydney Airport shares right now. COVID-19 lockdowns, state and national border closures and the recent failed takeover bid are a few that spring to mind.

    Sydney Airport generates revenue from aviation, retail, property and car rentals, as well parking and ground transport. That means anything that influences these revenue streams will impact future earnings expectations, and therefore the value of Sydney Airport shares.

    Clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted the status quo for Sydney Airport. Revenue across all sources plummeted in FY2020 with widespread lockdowns and borders remaining shut. So, what can investors look out for in August?

    Outlook for the travel industry

    I personally think it pays to look across a broad range of the industry. For instance, keeping an eye on results from travel agents like Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) can help to paint a picture of expectations for FY2022 traffic numbers.

    It follows for a company like Sydney Airport that more travellers are likely to lead to more demand for retail, property and car rentals, as well as parking and ground transport. More traffic means higher earnings and that’s good news for Sydney Airport shares.

    The key for Sydney Airport is really how quickly restrictions ease and borders open. That’s tough to determine right now, but management commentary from the company itself and other travel industry stakeholders could be useful.

    I’d keep an eye on results from the major airlines right now. That means watching out for Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) and Regional Express Holdings Ltd (ASX: REX) results in August. Any notable commentary on expectations for FY2022 could drive Sydney Airport shares in either direction next month.

    Acquisition updates

    The other looming factor is Sydney Airport’s status as an acquisition target. Sydney Airport shares surged by 34% in early July after a $22 billion takeover bid by an IFM Investors-led consortium.

    Any news, positive or negative, or further takeover offers, look like a major factor in moving Sydney Airport’s value. We saw from the early July surge that this is likely to cause the biggest value swing. I’d be watching closely to see who is circling Sydney Airport and whether any bids will move the company’s share price in August.

    The post Own Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) shares? Here’s what to look for during reporting season appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Sydney Airport right now?

    Before you consider Sydney Airport, 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 Sydney Airport 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 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 owns shares of and has recommended Webjet 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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  • These ASX 200 shares have just hit 52-week highs

    happy woman throws arms in the air

    With the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) in such strong form, it will come as no surprise to learn that several ASX 200 shares are scaling new heights.

    Three ASX 200 shares that have just hit 52-week highs or better are listed below. Here’s why they are flying high:

    Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS)

    The Healius share price hit a multi-year high of $4.88 yesterday. Investors have been buying this leading healthcare company’s shares this year due to its strong performance in FY 2021. This is being driven largely by its pathology business, which continues to benefit greatly from the strong demand for COVID-19 testing. And while the vaccine rollout is gathering pace, the emergence of the Delta strain is expected to support strong testing volumes for at least the remainder of the year. The Healius share price is up 29% in 2021.

    ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD)

    The ResMed share price continued its impressive run and reached a new record high of $36.00 on Wednesday. Investors have been fighting to get hold of this sleep treatment focused medical device company’s shares recently following a major product recall by rival Philips. Analysts are tipping ResMed to win market share while Philips is sorting out the recall and replacement of millions of sleep apnoea devices. The ResMed share price is up 29% in 2021.

    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

    The Telstra share price climbed to a 52-week high of $3.83 yesterday. This telco giant’s shares have been in fine form this year thanks to its improving outlook. This is being underpinned by its 5G leadership, rational competition, and cost reductions. In addition, Telstra has announced a major asset sale, plans to return funds to shareholders, and its belief that a return to growth is on the horizon. The Telstra share price is up 26% in 2021.

    The post These ASX 200 shares have just hit 52-week highs 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

    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. has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Corporation Limited. 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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  • Is the Coles (ASX:COL) share price a buy?

    Man racing shopping trolley through supermarket likes coles or woolworths

    Could the Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price be worth looking at considering it has been rising in recent months?

    Over the last five months, Coles shares have risen by around 15%. It has been recovering since the decline in February 2021.

    The stronger performance in recent weeks coincides with the lockdowns that have been happening around the country in the last month or two, particularly in NSW.

    What has Coles been working on in recent times?

    One of the key elements of Coles’ plan over the next few years is its Witron automated distribution centres (DCs). Management believe this will create a powerful advantage.

    The new DCs will provide safer working environments with improved service at a lower cost. It will result in reduced lead time for better availability, with both sites providing a ‘full ambient range’ in each state. The new DCs will double the volume on half the footprint. It will have approximately two thirds of the operating costs of a standard site. Coles says the integration of the Witron automated DCs and Ocado’s customer fulfilment centres will create a powerful advantage.

    The Coles share price could also be helped by the other supply chain improvements which is leading to a major transformation and cost saving program. Its initiatives have led to a 35% increase in pallets moved, increased product life (by reducing store order lead time by a total of 20 million days) and training for drivers moved to an online platform.

    One area of future focus is embedding a fully integrated transport management system to improve efficiency and service.

    The business has also been improving its supplier relationships and procurement process which is delivering an improvement in perceptions from suppliers whilst also improving its cost of goods sold (COGS).

    Trading update

    In the third quarter, the business saw that its total sales were down 5.1% year on year with the prior period experiencing that huge panic buying during the initial global disruption from COVID-19.

    However, compared to the third quarter of FY19, total sales were up 7.2%.

    But compared to both 2019 and 2020, liquor and express sales had increased.

    At the time, Coles said that consumer behaviour had started to normalise, including a return to shopping centres and CBD stores. There were also increased shopping trips and improved transaction growth. But, on a national level, that was before these latest lockdowns. So investors will have to see what Coles says about the fourth quarter and the start of FY22.

    But the supermarket business did say in the quarterly update that e-commerce sales to consumers were up 57% and its smarter selling was on track to deliver cost savings of more than $250 million in FY21.

    Is the Coles share price worth looking at?

    Morgan Stanley currently rates Coles shares as a buy, with a price target of $19.

    The broker realises that the supermarket business is investing a lot into different initiatives at the moment, which will reduce profit, but thinks the valuation is/was attractive compared to Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW).

    One of the things that Morgan Stanley notes is the prospect of a large dividend. In FY22, Coles is expected to pay a grossed-up dividend of 4.8%.

    The post Is the Coles (ASX:COL) share price a buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Coles, 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 Coles 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 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 owns shares of and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. 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 Webjet (ASX:WEB) shares? Here’s what to look at during reporting season

    hand holding miniature plane suspended by face mask representing asx travel share price

    It’s been a tough 18 months for investors in Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) shares. The Aussie travel group’s value has halved since 21 February 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic really kicked in here. Here are a few things Webjet investors will be watching in August.

    What to watch in August if you own Webjet shares

    August means the ASX reporting season is upon us. For many Aussie companies with a 30 June financial year-end, that means full-year earnings results.

    Webjet investors will be understandably keen to see COVID-19 restrictions ease both domestically and internationally. Webjet generates revenue through customer bookings, so if traffic is reduced, that’s not good news for earnings.

    Shareholders will likely be keeping an eye on the major travel players for commentary around the FY2022 outlook. The Aussie travel market, particularly regarding air travel, is concentrated. That means insights from the likes of Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) and Regional Express Holdings Ltd (ASX: REX) could be valuable.

    Webjet shares have recovered 66.1% in the last 12 months after being smashed in the March 2020 bear market. However, it’s still a long way back to pre-COVID share price levels.

    Clearly, the key to Webjet’s value increasing is for booking numbers and travel to pick back up. Current COVID-19 restrictions haven’t helped, but investing is a long-term game. That means any indication in August of increasing discretionary consumer spending could be good news for the likelihood of a travel rebound.

    Apart from the airlines, investors might also be keeping an eye on rivals’ results in the August reporting season. That means watching Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD) and Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT). This might provide an indication of how Webjet is travelling compared to its peers and the broader industry.

    There’s also the Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD) result to watch. Sydney Airport is Australia’s busiest airport which means traffic updates and FY2022 commentary is a useful barometer.

    Foolish takeaway

    Webjet shares remain under pressure heading into the August reporting season. Shareholders will likely be watching for any signs of COVID-19 restrictions easing, how Webjet’s performance stacks up against its peers and the FY2022 outlook from major travel industry stakeholders.

    The post Own Webjet (ASX:WEB) shares? Here’s what to look at during reporting season appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Webjet, 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 Webjet 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 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 owns shares of and has recommended Corporate Travel Management Limited and Webjet Ltd. 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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  • Own Westpac (ASX:WBC) shares? What to look for during reporting season

    questioning whether asx share price is a buy represented by man in red shirt scratching his head

    As July draws to a close, many investors will turn their attention to the August reporting season. If you own Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares, here are a few things to keeping an eye on next month.

    What to watch in August for investors in Westpac shares

    Westpac shares have been performing strongly in 2021. The bank’s share price has climbed 25.1% higher this year which is more than both National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ).

    The banks are naturally leveraged towards a post-COVID economic recovery. That’s because the vast majority of their risk-weighted assets are commercial or residential mortgages. For Westpac, as at 31 March 2021, that’s $138.0 billion (32.2%) in residential mortgages and $101.8 billion in corporate and business lending (23.7%).

    Stability and growth mean more people doing well in the economy and, therefore, a higher likelihood of repayment for the bank. That means any signs of economic stability and/or growth in August should be good news for Westpac. The same is also true if we see signs in various ASX results that economic growth is waning — that may see Westpac shares slide lower.

    There are a few key metrics that owners of Westpac shares should be watching. For one thing, the net interest margin (NIM) of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) when it releases its full-year results on 11 August 2021. The NIM is a measure of bank profitability, being the spread between interest earned and funding costs paid.

    CBA is Australia’s largest bank, and any NIM compression would be looked at unfavourably by investors. It follows that if one big-four bank is reporting lower NIM, Westpac may be likely to do the same at its full-year result in November.

    Westpac shareholders may also be keeping an eye on impairment levels across not only CBA but regional banks like Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN). Higher impairments are never good news for a bank, but low impairment levels could put investors’ minds at ease over economic distress.

    Foolish takeaway

    Owners of Westpac shares have a lot to watch in August. Even outside of the banks, other ASX results can provide a barometer for current spending habits and future expectations. The CBA result is one worth watching as well as Westpac’s own third-quarter update on 17 August.

    The post Own Westpac (ASX:WBC) shares? What to look for during reporting season appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Westpac, 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 Westpac 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 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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  • Why the Pfizer share price shot higher on Wednesday

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

    Bottle of tablets spilling over onto piles of US dollars

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

    What happened

    Inoculating the world can be quite beneficial for a big pharmaceutical company’s finances. Such is the case with Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE), the shares of which closed Wednesday more than 3% higher on the back of top- and bottom-line beats in its latest quarter.

    So what

    Wednesday morning, Pfizer unveiled its Q2 figures. They revealed that the pharmaceutical sector giant earned revenue of $19 billion, a robust 86% higher than in the same quarter of 2020. Much of this was, of course, due to the BNT162b2 coronavirus vaccine it’s developed with Germany-based BioNTech. But even stripping out the vaccine’s sales from the top line, the company still managed to grow revenue by 10% to $11.1 billion. On average, analysts tracking Pfizer stock were modeling $18.45 billion.

    The company notched a more convincing beat with net profit. This also saw quite a leap, as on a non-GAAP (adjusted) basis it increased by 75% to $6.08 billion ($1.07 per share). Those analysts were anticipating $0.96 per share.

    Quoted by the company as saying the quarter was “remarkable,” CEO Albert Bourla signaled optimism for the coming years. He and his troops believe Pfizer will be able to hit a 6% compound annual revenue growth rate through 2025. 

    Now what

    With that powerful quarter behind it, the confident Pfizer has upped its full-year guidance. It now expects $78 billion to $80 billion in revenue (previous estimate: $70.5 billion to $72.5 billion), and adjusted diluted per-share earnings of $3.95 to $4.05 (up from $3.55 to $3.65).

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

    The post Why the Pfizer share price shot higher on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Pfizer, 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 Pfizer 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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    Eric Volkman 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.

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



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