Category: Stock Market

On Wednesday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) followed Wall Street’s lead and dropped notably lower. The benchmark index fell 0.7% to 7,379.3 points.

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

ASX 200 expected to rebound

The Australian share market looks set to bounce back on Thursday. 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 mixed night of trade on Wall Street which saw the Dow Jones fall 0.35%, the S&P 500 trade flat, and the Nasdaq jump 0.7%.

Oil prices rise

Energy producers such as Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) could have a positive day after oil prices pushed higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.8% to US$72.20 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price has risen 0.1% to US$74.55 a barrel. Oil prices pushed higher after US inventories declined.

Rio Tinto half year update

The Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price will be on watch following the release of its half year results. The mining giant reported a 156% increase in underlying earnings to US$12.2 million. Rio Tinto also revealed a 262% jump in its free cash flow to US$10,181 million, allowing it to declare a massive US$5.61 per share interim dividend. While this fell short of Citi’s estimates, it was ahead of what Goldman Sachs was expecting. Fellow iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) is due to release its Q4 update today.

Gold price rises

It could be a good day for gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) after the gold price rose overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.35% to US$1,806.3 an ounce. The gold price rose after the US Federal Reserve kept rates on hold at near zero.

NEXTDC expansion

Investors may want to keep an eye on the NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) share price today. This follows an after-hours announcement which reveals plans to expand further in Sydney. The data centre operator has secured a new data centre site in Western Sydney for $124 million. The company notes that this is a significant long-term expansion opportunity that will provide data centre services to Hyperscale Cloud Providers in a new Availability Zone within the Sydney market not currently serviced by its existing data centres.

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price on watch after declaring US$9.1bn dividend
• ASX 200 drops, Spark jumps, Nickel Mines sinks
• These ASX 200 shares were flying around the share market today
• Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price slipping amid rumoured job cuts
• 5 small-cap ASX shares on their way up

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of NEXTDC 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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If you’re planning to add some growth shares to your portfolio in July, then you might want to look at the shares listed below.

All three of these ASX growth shares have been tipped as buys recently. Here’s what you need to know about them:

Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

The first ASX growth share to look at is Breville. It is the leading appliance manufacturer behind brands including Breville, Kambrook, and Sage. Breville has been a very positive performer in recent years and particularly in FY 2021. This has been driven by the success of its international expansion, its investment in research and development, and the growing popularity of its product range. The company has also been given an extra boost by the work from home trend. Positively, all these factors remain in place, which bodes well for Breville’s growth in the coming years.

UBS currently has a buy rating and $35.70 price target on its shares. This compares to the latest Breville share price of $31.88.

Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

Another ASX growth share to consider is Domino’s. This pizza chain operator has been growing at a solid rate for a long time. This has been driven by its expansion at home and overseas, acquisitions, and its focus on technology. Pleasingly, although the company has a significant store network across several regions, it still sees scope to double its footprint over the 2020s. Combined with its same store sales targets, this looks set to underpin further strong growth in the coming years.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $122.00 price target on its shares. The Domino’s share price is currently fetching $118.23.

PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH)

A final growth share to look at is PointsBet. It is a sports wagering operator and iGaming provider with operations in the ANZ and US markets. It has been growing at a rapid rate thanks to the increasing popularity of mobile sports betting and its US expansion. For example, during the third quarter of FY 2021, PointsBet reported a 236% increase in turnover to $905.2 million. This was driven by a 137% increase in Australian turnover to $423.2 million and a 431% jump in US turnover to $482 million. This is still only a fraction of its addressable market in both regions.

Goldman Sachs has a buy rating and $17.20 price target on its shares. This compares to the latest PointsBet share price of $11.29.

The post 3 stellar ASX growth shares rated as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 stellar ASX growth shares that could be buys in August
• ASX 200 edges higher, Crown falls, Pointsbet rises
• Here’s why the PointsBet (ASX:PBH) share price is on the rise
• 3 excellent ASX growth shares analysts love
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell today

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 Hipages Group Holdings Ltd. and 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 Aurora Labs Ltd (ASX: A3D) share price stormed higher on Wednesday following a significant engagement with a global shipbuilding company.

At the closing bell, Aurora shares ended the day up 23.66% to 11.5 cents.

Aurora engages BAE Systems Maritime Australia

Investors appear upbeat about the company’s future prospects, sending Aurora shares to a 3-month high.

According to its release, Aurora has been selected by BAE Systems Maritime Australia for a trial print project. This involves printing trial marine components for commercial evaluation for the Hunter Class Frigate Program (HCFP).

BAE Systems Maritime Australia’s research and technology group is currently investigating a 3D process known as Additive Manufacturing (AM) for future large scale metal applications.

A specialist in 3D metal printing, Aurora has been identified as a possible supplier of Powder Bed Fusion technology for the HCFP. As such, the company is aiming to prove its technical and commercial know-how in producing 3D stainless steel printed parts.

Investigative test printing will be conducted by both parties to identify locally available AM processes and their benefits. While the component required is traditionally manufactured, Aurora is aiming to optimise the design using its Powder Bed Fusion technology.

BAE Systems Maritime Australia is tasked with delivering 9 frigates to the Royal Australian Navy within the next decade.

Aurora CEO Peter Snowsill was upbeat: 

We are very pleased to be offered the chance to perform test printing for the Hunt Class Frigate Program. Technical validation of its kind is crucial to our communication strategy and allows us to develop and position our technology to satisfy customer specifications.

About the Aurora Labs share price

Over the last 12 months, Aurora shares have travelled around 16% higher. However, year-to-date, the company’s share price is up more than 57%.

Based on today’s price, Aurora has a market capitalisation of roughly $17.5 million, with approximately 152 million shares outstanding.

The post Why the Aurora Labs (ASX:A3D) share price soared 23% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price on watch after declaring US$9.1bn dividend
• Zoono (ASX:ZNO) share price slumps 16% on quarterly update
• ASX 200 drops, Spark jumps, Nickel Mines sinks
• Macquarie (ASX:MQG) share price edges lower despite $7b US fund raise
• CBA (ASX:CBA) share price closes lower as bank warns of shrinking GDP

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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The Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price will be one to watch closely on Thursday.

This follows the release of the mining giant’s half year results this afternoon.

How did Rio Tinto perform in the first half?

As was widely expected, Rio Tinto was a very positive performer during the six months ended 30 June thanks to strong commodity prices.

According to the release, the company reported consolidated sales revenue of US$33,083 million for the half. This was up 71% on the prior corresponding period.

Things were even better for its earnings thanks to margin improvements. Rio Tinto revealed a 156% increase in underlying earnings to US$12.2 million. This equates to earnings per share of 751.9 US cents.

Also more than doubling during the half was the company’s free cash flow. It increased a massive 262% to US$10,181 million. And given the strength of Rio Tinto’s balance sheet, the company will be returning a significant amount of its free cash flow to shareholders.

The release explains that the Rio Tinto Board has declared a fully franked ordinary interim dividend of $3.76 per share. This is up 143% from the same period last year. But it isn’t stopping there. A fully franked special dividend of US$1.85 per share has also been declared.

This brings the total dividend for the period to US$5.61 (A$7.62) per share, representing 75% of earnings. Based on the current Rio Tinto share price of $132.22 and current exchange rates, this equates to a 5.75% yield.

How will the Rio Tinto share price react?

According to a note out of Citi, its analysts were expecting an underlying profit of US$12,290 million and an interim dividend of US$7.22 per share.

Rio Tinto has fallen short of Citi’s expectations on both its earnings and dividend, which could potentially weigh on the Rio Tinto share price tomorrow.

Management commentary

Rio Tinto’s new Chief Executive, Jakob Stausholm, was pleased with the half. He notes that it was underpinned by strong demand for its products.

He said: “Government stimulus in response to ongoing COVID-19 pressures has driven strong demand for our products at a time of constrained supply resulting in a significant spike in most prices. We focused on safely running our world-class assets and supplying products to our customers. This enabled us, despite operational challenges, to deliver record financial results with free cash flow of $10.2 billion and underlying earnings of $12.2 billion, after taxes and government royalties of $7.3 billion.”

“We are further strengthening the portfolio with our commitment to fund the high-quality Jadar lithium project, which signals our large-scale entry into the fast-growing battery materials market,” he added.

The Rio Tinto share price is up 15% in 2021.

The post Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price on watch after declaring US$9.1bn dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price lower after major investment into lithium
• Is the Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price a good dividend opportunity?
• Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price within arms’ reach of all-time highs
• Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price rises despite aluminium production cuts
• Lynas share price soars, BHP and Rio on watch, A2 on the naughty list. Scott Phillips on Nine’s Late News

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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The Zoono Group Ltd (ASX: ZNO) share price slipped into the red in today’s session. The dip arrives as Zoono announced its progress for the quarter.

Let’s comb over the company’s results and highlights in finer detail.

Quick refresher on Zoono

Zoono is a biotechnology company that specialises in environmentally-friendly antimicrobial products.

Its mission statement centres on providing non-toxic and sustainable germ protection to individuals across the globe.

Zoono has a market capitalisation of $108 million.

Zoono’s quarterly results

The company has realised $28.8 million in cash receipts for the full year. This includes unaudited sales revenue of $6.6 million for the quarter.

Zoono also announced a suite of new sales and distribution agreements that are now in place. These include sales and distribution agreements in France, Russia, China and India.

For instance, Zoono is now selling to “several French multinational customers,” and it has signed three new distribution agreements in China.

Furthermore, a new distributor in India placed a large 100,000-litre order, and “sales have been particularly strong in the public sector” in Russia.

Zoono exited the quarter with $7.4 million in cash and receivables. All positive signs for the Zoono share price.

Additional takeouts driving the Zoono share price

In addition to these agreements, Zoono announced a selection of “new business opportunities” in the report.

To illustrate, Zoono described advancements in “mould remediation” with a partner in South Africa. This activity aims to “prevent black mould growing on cardboard packaging”.

Moreover, Zoono UK has started a strategic partnership with a third party in order to develop “a unique delivery system” for its Zoono Z-71 microbe shield.

The company is testing this system using “existing air conditioning infrastructure” in large buildings.

The proprietary process, which is owned by the third party, converts Zoono’s solution into a gas.

As per the company, the gas “is then pumped throughout the building” via the air con. Because the “gasified Zoono is heavier than air, it settles on (and treats) the surface” it lands on.

Again on the the Z-71 shield, it displayed a “99.99% efficacy against [preventing] Coronavirus MHV-3 after 30 days” in trials conducted on the product in Brazil.

Despite these advancements, shareholders continued the selling pressure on Zoono shares today.

Zoono shares closed the day at 66 cents apiece, a 15.92% drop into the red from the market open.

Zoono share price snapshot

The Zoono share price has posted a year-to-date loss of nearly 50%, extending the previous 12 month’s loss of 70%.

Both of these returns have lagged the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) return of ~23% over the past year.

The post Zoono (ASX:ZNO) share price slumps 16% on quarterly update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price on watch after declaring US$9.1bn dividend
• ASX 200 drops, Spark jumps, Nickel Mines sinks
• Macquarie (ASX:MQG) share price edges lower despite $7b US fund raise
• CBA (ASX:CBA) share price closes lower as bank warns of shrinking GDP
• These ASX 200 shares were flying around the share market today

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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fell by around 0.7% today to 7,379 points.

Here are some of the highlights from the ASX today:

Spark Infrastructure Group (ASX: SKI)

The Spark share price rose by over 5% today after there was a higher bid on the table for the business from a consortium that included the private equity business KKR.

Spark said that it has received an all-cash bid of $2.95 per share (less distributions paid). Following the announcement of the Spark distribution of $0.0625 per share, the implied consideration is $2.8875 per share.

This revised proposal represents a 26% premium to the ‘undisturbed’ price of $2.30 per share.

This offer came after Spark gave the consortium limited information about its business and prospects.

The board has decided it’s in the interests of Spark shareholders to engage further with the consortium. The consortium has been granted due diligence on a non-exclusive basis.

But, the board noted there is no certainty that this will result in a takeover. The board also pointed out the positive outlook for the business.

It was one of the top performers in the ASX 200 today.

Nickel Mines Ltd (ASX: NIC)

The Nickel Mines share price fell 11% today after the business provided a quarterly update.

Nickel Mines said that there was RKEF (rotary kiln electric furnace) production of 10,143 tonnes of nickel metal (100% basis), up 0.7% from the quarter ending 31 March 2021. The company’s attributable nickel production was 8,114 tonnes.

On a 100% basis, there was 10,736 nickel tonnes sold, up 4.7% from what was sold in the last quarter.

RKEF quarterly sales amounted to US$150.2 million, up 8.7% from the quarter ended 31 March 2021. The RKEF quarterly earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was US$50.8 million, up 0.2% from the last quarter.

Nickel Mines said that the underlying free cash flow from operations was US$57.7 million, up 15.4% from US$50 million.

The business said that its cash, receivables and inventory at the end of the quarter was a combined US$363.5 million – up 31%.

The ASX 200 share also said that the Angel Nickel project construction is on schedule for commissioning in the second half of 2022, which will more than double nameplate nickel production.

Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE)

The Eagers Automotive share price went up around 2% today after the car dealership business gave a trading update.

It said it expects to record an underlying operating profit before tax from continuing operations for the six months to 30 June 2021 of approximately $218.6 million. This compares to $40.3 million for the first six months of 2020 (which was impacted by COVID-19).

Statutory profit before tax from continuing operations is expected to be $267.4 million.

Eagers Automotive said that the new car market continues to rebound from the initial onset of COVID-19 with a 28.3% increase in the new car market compared to the prior corresponding period. The ASX 200 company said that these market dynamics are further buoyed by demand continuing to materially outstrip supply.

The post ASX 200 drops, Spark jumps, Nickel Mines sinks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These ASX 200 shares were flying around the share market today
• Why Afterpay, Nickel Mines, Nitro, & St Barbara shares are sinking
• Why Eagers Automotive, Life360, Spark, & Virgin Money UK are pushing higher
• 5 small-cap ASX shares on their way up
• Why the Nickel Mines (ASX:NIC) share price is the worst performer on the ASX 200 today

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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The Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price has finished the trading day in the red on Wednesday. This follows news of the company’s asset management division raising $6.9 billion for its freshest fund.

At market close, shares in the global financial group are down 0.70%, trading at $156.68.

Riding infrastructure tailwinds

While shareholders might be left with less money at the end of trade today, Macquarie is finishing up with more. According to Reuters, the company has raised nearly $7 billion for a fund that will be dedicated to United States infrastructure.

The Macquarie Infrastructure Partners (MIP) V fund plans on investing in companies with exposure to waste management, utilities, energy, transportation, and communication sectors.

Why specifically United States infrastructure you may ask? It appears the fund is aligned with the US government’s plans to spend $1.2 trillion over the next five years.

Generally speaking, the spending would be soaked up by developments in the country’s roads, ports, bridges, and other public projects. In the meantime, US lawmakers continue to negotiate the specifics of the spending package.

With such a large sum of money being poured into the country, some of the financings are set to come from private investors such as Macquarie. Hence, Macquarie is seeking out this opportunity which might help push its share price higher longer term.

Macquarie had no issues raising the capital for its latest fund. This might be due in part to its track record of infrastructure funds. For reference, the Macquarie Infrastructure Partners IV fund had notched up a return of 9.4% as of September last year.

Macquarie Infrastructure Partners Chief Executive, Karl Kuchel said:

MIP V is meant to be a continuation of the strategy of the previous MIP vintages. The MIP funds now span 18 years and multiple economic cycles – we really think this is our sweet spot, focusing on similar risk-profile assets and sectors

Macquarie share price reflection

The Macquarie share price has delivered solid returns for investors over the years. In the last year alone, the company’s 25.9% return outpaced the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

However, the financial group doesn’t even make the top 10 of best-performing shares in the financial sector in 2021. On the other hand, Macquarie has left shareholders grinning from ear to ear on longer time frames. For instance, the Macquarie share price has returned 111% over 5 years, and 167% including dividends.

The post Macquarie (ASX:MQG) share price edges lower despite $7b US fund raise appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Is the Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price a buy or a sell?
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• ASX 200 Weekly Wrap: Just like that… ASX back to record highs
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Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns shares of Macquarie Group 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 Macquarie 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 Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price closed the day down 1.4%, to $99.30 per share.

Today’s loss sent CBA shares back below the psychological $100 mark, which they’d once again breached just yesterday.

CBA made headline news today after it announced major changes to its regional branch operations.

CommBank also sounded the alarm in a note released this morning, warning of the hit Australia’s economy is likely to get from the extended COVID-19 lockdown measures in the Greater Sydney area.

CBA sounds alarm on economic slowdown

According to CBA researchers, New South Wales extended lockdowns will result in some 300,000 job losses in the coming months.

“A deep contraction in GDP over third quarter of 2021 is now a fait accompli. It is the inevitable consequence of shutting down large parts of the economy,” CBA’s head of economics Gareth Aird said (quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald).

CommBank now expects the unemployment rate will top out at 5.6% in October.

Aird also expects the federal government will be rebooting its stimulus efforts:

Substantial policy support will once again be needed to ensure that the economic rebound is swift when restrictions are eased… The recently announced fiscal support is significant, but we suspect that policymakers will once again err on the side of doing too much rather than not enough and further stimulus is likely.

New South Wales remains at the epicentre of Australia’s new COVID wave. While South Australia and Victoria have tentatively eased their respective lockdowns, NSW reported 177 new cases over a 24-hour period.

With lockdowns in the state now extended for at least 4 weeks, Aird forecasts economic demand in NSW will shrink by 9% in Q3 while GDP will fall by 2.7%. He expects the rest of Australia will grow modestly during the quarter, while NSW, the most populous state, contracts.

CommBank share price snapshot

Despite today’s move lower, the CBA share price remains up by around 38% over the past 12 months, compared to a 23% gain posted by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

CBA shares hit all-time highs on 17 June, closing at $105.91 per share. Since the record high, shares are down 6.2%.

The post CBA (ASX:CBA) share price closes lower as bank warns of shrinking GDP appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• CBA (ASX:CBA) share price lower following major regional branch changes
• CBA and Zip were among the most traded ASX shares last week
• Commonwealth Bank (ASX:CBA) has beef with Apple. Here’s why
• Is it a good time to buy Commonwealth Bank (ASX:CBA) shares?
• Plumbing, health, tech: 3 ASX shares to buy for instant diversification

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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a rather negative day on the share markets today. The ASX 200 finished the day down 0.7% to 7,379 points. But that aside, let’s now take a look at some of the ASX 200 shares that moved around the markets today in terms of trading volume.

3 ASX 200 shares flying around the markets today

A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

Our first ASX 200 share to examine today is the embattled dairy company A2 Milk. A hefty 9.97 million A2 shares traded today. There has been no major news or announcements out of the company. But that hasn’t stopped the A2 share price from shedding another 0.67%, meaning the A2 share price is back under $6 a share.

Government crackdowns in the lucrative Chinese market, as well as a recent corporate reshuffle, all seem to have combined to dampen sentiment for this company, which is probably behind the large number of A2 shares on the markets today.

Scentre Group (ASX: SCG)

ASX 200 Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Scentre Group is our second share that flew around the markets today, with 17.68 million shares having traded hands this Wednesday. Unlike A2 and the broader market, Scentre had a very healthy day today, with its share price finishing up 2%.

As my Fool colleague Bernd covered earlier today, Scentre and other ASX REITs all seem to be enjoying some optimism over coronavirus lockdowns being lifted across Victoria and South Australia this week. Seeing as Scentre will actually be able to reopen its shopping centres in those states, this is probably the reason why we are seeing the shares climb, which in turn may be resulting in more shares trading.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Telstra is our third and final ASX 200 share to check out today. This ASX telco is topping the table today, with a whopping 21.81 million shares traded.

Telstra has been on a bit of a roller coaster today. It made a new 52-week high of $3.82 this morning after opening at $3.80. But it wasn’t to last, with Telstra finishing down 0.53% for the day to $3.78 a share. It’s likely that this volatility, together with Telstra’s sheer size, is behind the large number of shares that flew around this Wednesday.

The post These ASX 200 shares were flying around the share market today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here’s why the Telstra (ASX:TLS) share price just hit a new 52-week high
• When will the Telstra (ASX:TLS) dividend increase again?
• ASX 200 real estate shares are lifting today – here’s why
• 5 small-cap ASX shares on their way up
• ASX 200 midday update: Spark takeover, Virgin Money update

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of A2 Milk and 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 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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“There are two types of people…” are the first six words for many a quip.

My favourite one, by the way, is:

“There are two types of people. Those who can infer…”

(Think about it.)

Such shorthand is great for a gag.

It can sometimes even be helpful.

But only sometimes.

Maybe even rarely.

Are there really ever just two types of people?

Can we really be that easily boxed in, outside the joke version?

“There are two types of people. Those who think I’m funny, and those who are wrong.”

I guess some things in life are binary.

But not many.

And even then, the value comes not from the blanket characterisation, but in understanding the nuance, the differences, and the grey areas.

The exception might often prove the rule, but those exceptions are where the real interest lies.

It’s true, too, in investing.

Is there anything more tired than the ‘value versus growth’ debate?

It’s useless on so many levels.

Firstly, each defies definition, so you end up debating the semantics of that definition, rather than the worth of each approach.

I mean, what is value? Buying businesses for less than they’re worth?

Maybe.

But you reckon any ‘growth’ investors intend to only buy businesses for more than they’re worth?

And what’s growth?

Businesses that are growing?

There aren’t too many value investors filling their boots only with businesses in decline.

And, yes, already you’re thinking ‘yes, but…’

Which is the point.

Such grand characterisations (stereotypes? caricatures?) are about as helpful as modern politics: you can argue for hours, but the whole charade is a waste of my time, and yours.

Most people reading this will consider themselves part of one camp or the other.

And that’s fine.

But, again to invoke my political analogy, once you’ve done that, you stop trying to find the truth, and spend your time defending your turf, no matter what.

Indeed there’s actually a basis for the phenomenon in behavioural psychology: as soon as you question someone else’s view, you are more likely to make them dig in, rather than rationally consider it.

Explains a lot of Australian politics recently, doesn’t it?

And even more of social media.

But — and I need you to stay with me, here — it’s not just ‘them’.

It’s ‘us’, too.

I have a mathematical brain. It’s just how I think. So, when presented with the opportunity to calculate growth rates, ratios and — the holy grail of value investors — discounted cash flows, I was there.

I’m that old that my first efforts in that field were numbers typed into Excel, from hard copy annual reports mailed to me. Yes, this was pre-internet — or at least before companies offered copies of their reports in pdf format.

I had rates, ratios and valuations everywhere.

I knew every number and every calculation for every company I watched.

Until I realised that the result was that, in the words of the famous phrase ‘I knew the price of everything and the value of nothing’.

So I became a growth guy, right?

Not really.

At least not in the way the word is usually applied.

Forced to choose, I eschew both labels, usually considering myself a ‘quality’ guy.

Sometimes, I buy ‘expensive’ quality — Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) when it wasn’t profitable.

Other times, I buy ‘cheaper’ quality — Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL), when it was trading at a big discount to net tangible assets.

Both have done well, since I bought them.

I still own shares of both companies.

Would a value investor have bought Amazon? Maybe. But not many.

Would a growth investor have bought Soul Patts? Maybe. But not likely.

Now, I’m not trying to say I’m some special case, twice as clever as someone who identifies with one camp or the other.

I’m sure there are growth investors with better track records than mine.

And I’m sure there are value investors with better track records than mine.

My point is that the labels, in and of themselves, are all but useless.

And worse than useless are the arguments over which is better.

The value guys almost always want growth in their investments.

The growth guys almost always believe the companies they buy are undervalued by the market.

Yep… it’s an artificial distinction.

(By the way, this is probably the dumbest article to write. At least if I was bagging one camp or the other, I’d have full-throated support of my ‘team’. Criticising both — or at least the extreme ends of both — just doubles the number of people I annoy!)

To be clear, if you’re happily in one of those camps, that’s great.

And it’s just as hard to turn a value investor into a growth one as it is to turn a growth investor into a value one.

My aim isn’t to tell any of you that you’re wrong.

It’s to remind you that, despite the labels, you share more in common than you may like to admit.

And to tell those of you who haven’t yet picked a team, that you really don’t need to.

See, at the end of the day, artificial labels don’t hurt anyone except you.

Instead of wasting time picking, then defending, your turf, I reckon you’re better off understanding how both groups differ — and what they have in common.

Then, apply what you’ve learned, your own way.

And don’t get stuck.

Remember, even Warren Buffett’s style evolved as he learned more, and as his situation evolved.

And, as I said earlier, if you want to pick one word, I’d choose ‘quality’.

As Buffett says. “Time is the friend of the wonderful business, the enemy of the mediocre”.

Because even if you get the price slightly wrong, you’ll still own a great business. Getting the price wrong on a poor business can be kryptonite for your portfolio.

Fool on!

The post The least productive argument in investing… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips owns shares of Amazon and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. 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 owns shares of and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon. 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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