Category: Stock Market

  • Why did the Total Brain (ASX:TTB) share price jump 20% higher today?

    stylised image of exploding cloud coming out of top of a man's head representing exploding share price

    The Total Brain Ltd (ASX: TTB) share price shot up 20% this morning, after the company told the market its annual recurring revenue (ARR) has increased 67% since December 2019.

    At the time of writing, the Total Brain share price has retreated slightly, trading up 13.5% at 33.5 cents.

    What’s moving the Total Brain share price today?

    In addition to the ARR increase, Total Brain says the number of potential new clients in its sales funnel has also increased since December 2019, up 58%.

    The company attributes this to its launch of the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, which generated 10 new clients in the last 5 months.

    By comparison, 5 companies were in the pipeline a year ago, which resulted in 2 paying clients for a total of $510,000 in ARR.

    However, Total Brain reported that COVID-19 had caused significant setbacks with those sales already in the pipeline, including one with IBM (NYSE: IBM).

    The contract with IBM – which was for the deployment of its Mental Fitness 360 and GRIT platforms – is now in the final stages of the contract process, after being delayed since December 2020. The initial contract rollout is for approximately 25,000 users, representing $570,00 in ARR.

    The company also says that it has spent significant resources throughout 2020 on improving its products, which is a prerequisite for scaling user numbers and ARR.

    Priorities in 2021

    Total Brain also updated the market on its 2021 priorities. The company said in the coming months it will focus on aligning its sales team against client pipelines that can lead to immediate revenue conversion.

    Total Brain also plans to double down on the momentum made through its Mental Health Index. This will include digital marketing, as well as events such as speaking opportunities and 1-1 prospect meetings.

    How has the Total Brain share price performed

    Total Brain describes itself as a “mental health and brain performance self-monitoring and self-care platform”. It was founded in 2002 in San Francisco, California by neuroscientist Dr Evian Gordon. 

    The Total Brain share price has lost around 48% of its value over the past 12 months. This is despite the company reporting a 20% increase in revenue on the prior quarter in its last update in October.

    Total Brain commands market valuation of $32 million.

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

    *Returns as of June 30th

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Eddy Sunarto 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.

    The post Why did the Total Brain (ASX:TTB) share price jump 20% higher today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2LjsLtf

  • ASX 200 down 0.4%: Afterpay tumbles, bank shares lower, gold miners crash

    Worried young male investor watches financial charts on computer screen

    At lunch on Monday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the week on a disappointing note. The benchmark index is currently down 0.4% to 6,732.2 points.

    Here’s what has been happening on the market today:

    Tech shares tumble.

    Tech shares such as Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) and Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) have failed to follow their US counterparts higher on Monday and are acting as a drag on the ASX 200. The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) is down a disappointing 1.5% at the time of writing. This compares to a 1% gain by the tech-focused Nasdaq index on Friday night.

    Bank shares lower.

    The big four banks are out of form on Monday. At lunch, three of the big four banks are in the red and are weighing on the performance of the benchmark index. The only bank in positive territory is Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC). Though, the Westpac share price is only up by a single cent to $20.29.

    Gold miners crash.

    It has been a disappointing day for gold miners such as Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST). At lunch, all of the major gold miners are trading notably lower after the gold price sank 4.1% lower to US$1,835.40 an ounce on Friday night. Traders were selling safe haven assets after US political risks faded. The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index is down 4.8% at the time of writing.

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers.

    The best performer on the ASX 200 on Monday has been the Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price with a 4.5% gain. Investors have been buying the company’s shares after oil prices rose strongly on Friday. The worst performer has been the Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) share price with an 8% decline. This follows the aforementioned decline in the gold price on Friday.

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

    *Returns as of June 30th

    More reading

    James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Xero. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post ASX 200 down 0.4%: Afterpay tumbles, bank shares lower, gold miners crash appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/39hWN8B

  • The latest ASX “buy” recommendations from top brokers

    Hand writing Time to Buy concept clock with blue marker on transparent wipe board.

    Our share market may be on a backfoot today, but this didn’t stop leading brokers from throwing up their latest ASX buy ideas for the year.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) steadily lost ground through the morning and slumped 0.5% at the time of writing.

    SYD share price target gets a lift

    If you are looking to buy the dip, Morgans is recommending you put the Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD) share price on your shopping list.

    The broker upgraded its price target on the SYD share price to $6.95 from $6.56 a share ahead of the airport operators profit results on 24 February.

    “SYD’s intrinsic value is not driven by month-to-month pax volatility, but where earnings stabilise upon recovery from COVID-19 (and theirlong-term growth thereafter) as well as the interest rate environment,” said Morgans.

    However, the broker only expects Sydney Airport to restart paying a dividend in 2022 and doesn’t think earnings will significantly exceed FY19 levels until FY24.

    But for those willing to overlook the nearer-term volatility, Morgans is recommending the stock as “add”.

    Pivotal point prompts BGA share price upgrade

    Meanwhile, one of the latest ASX stocks to get upgraded by Bell Potter is the Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA) share price.

    The broker upped its rating on the dairy producer to “buy” from “hold” after it noted two significant industry changes in the past two months that favour the BGA share price.

    The first is Bega’s recent $764 million acquisition of Lion Dairy and Drinks with Bega forecasting synergies of around $41 million.

    The second is the accounting problems at rival Freedom Foods. Bell Potter thinks these two events could prove to be a “pivotal point” in the competitive landscape and isn’t fully appreciated by the market.

    Bell Potter’s 12-month price target on the BGA share price is $6.20 a share.

    On a stronger platform

    One of Citigroup’s buys for the year is the Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB) share price as the investment platform is benefiting from a number of tailwinds.

    One tailwind is the exodus of advisers away from vertically integrated platforms and towards smaller operators like Hub24.

    Turmoil that’s rocking key rivals, including the AMP Limited (ASX: AMP) share price, is also benefitting the ASX small cap stock.

    Citi also highlighted the end of grandfathered commissions as the third driver for the HUB24 share price.

    While the broker is worried about the execution risks following Hub24’s three recent acquisitions, it believes these assets (if bedded down right) can give it an edge over rivals.

    Citi is recommending the HUB24 share price as a “buy” with a 12-month price target of $25.85 a share.

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

    *Returns as of June 30th

    More reading

    Brendon Lau owns shares of AMP Limited. Connect with me on Twitter @brenlau.

    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Hub24 Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Hub24 Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post The latest ASX “buy” recommendations from top brokers appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3oBJx5o

  • 7 ASX shares to buy for 2021

    hand holding wooden blocks spelling the word buy

    A top portfolio manager has revealed 7 ASX shares that he would go for this year as the world starts the post-COVID era.

    Shaw and Partners portfolio manager James Gerrish is concerned the massive gains seen in 2020 have made investors complacent.

    “The market’s up 40%. [Individual] stocks are up 50%, 100% in some cases. So that’s a concern that I have — that people think it’s all too easy,” he said in a Livewire video.

    “It’s hard in the market to consistently deliver results. So delivering consistently is a really important key for investors out there. That probably will be the area I think you should be careful of going into 2021.”

    Gerrish will be targeting companies that have scored from a structural change during the pandemic, as they will be more resistant to market volatility.

    “The macro backdrop is starting to feed into higher inflationary expectations. From a portfolio positioning point of view, you need to be conscious of that,” he said.

    “There’s areas in the market that really benefit as longer-term interest rates rise, inflationary expectations rise, and the like.”

    Resistant to ‘market noise’

    ASX stocks that meet that criteria, and that Gerrish tips for the coming year, are:

    Gerrish said he ideally would like a company to not be impacted by “external factors happening in the market” or “market noise”. 

    “I want management to be running their companies the best they can, given the conditions they’re operating in. 2020 has seen a lot of uncertainty around that, and those companies that have really dug in and… have come through COVID in pretty good shape I think.”

    Fruit and vegetable producer Costa Group is an example of a business that’s managed the pandemic period competently.

    “The business has now got some really strong tailwinds,” said Gerrish.

    “For a lot of years, it had some really strong headwinds.”

    He likes the miners South 32 and BHP, but mining services is an industry that intrigues him for 2021.

    “I think these are more volatile areas in the market. If you look back — have they handled COVID? Have they been defensive, etc? Probably not,” said Gerrish.

    “But if I think about the companies that I want to be in going forward, and that’s what as investors we’ve got to do, we’ve got to make decisions today on our outlook for tomorrow.”

    Monadelphous and NRW Holdings are his 2 favourite mining services stocks for this year.

    “The infrastructure space, that’s going to be a growth area going into next year as well. So we’ve got LendLease in the portfolio, and we’re looking at Downer EDI to add to the portfolio.”

    Forget what just happened. We think this stock could be Australia’s next MONSTER IPO…

    One little-known Australian IPO has doubled in value since January, and renowned Australian Moonshot stock picker Anirban Mahanti sees a potential millionaire-maker in waiting…

    Because ‘Doc’ Mahanti believes this fast-growing company has all the hallmarks of genuine Moonshot potential, forget ‘buy now pay later’, this stock could be the next hot stock on the ASX.

    Returns as of 6th October 2020

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended COSTA GRP FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post 7 ASX shares to buy for 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/39kH0G7

  • Why Costa, Monash IVF, Newcrest, & Xero shares are dropping lower

    shares lower

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has failed to follow the lead of US markets and is sinking lower on Monday. In late morning trade the benchmark index is down 0.5% to 6,725.6 points.

    Four shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are dropping lower:

    Costa Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: CGC)

    The Costa share price has dropped 4% to $4.11. This decline appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Citi this morning. According to the note, the broker has downgraded the horticulture company’s shares to a neutral rating with a $4.30 price target. Citi made the move largely on valuation grounds after a strong gain over the last few months.

    Monash IVF Group Ltd (ASX: MVF)

    The Monash IVF share price is down over 2.5% to 73.5 cents. This leading fertility company’s shares have been sold off in recent weeks after it was hit with a class action. These proceedings are in relation to the company’s non-invasive preimplantation genetic screening technology. As things stand, no details have been provided in respect to the amount of damages sought.

    Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM)

    The Newcrest share price has tumbled almost 4.5% lower to $26.10. Investors have been selling Newcrest and other gold miner shares after the price of the precious metal sank lower on Friday. The gold price fell a sizeable 4.1% to US$1,835.40 an ounce. Analysts believe this weakness is attributable to traders giving up on their safe haven trade now that political risks are subsiding in the United States. The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index is down 4.8% at the time of writing.

    Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

    The Xero share price is down 3% to $138.30. Investors have been selling Xero and other tech shares on Monday despite US tech shares surging to new highs on Friday night. At the time of writing, the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) is down by around 1.5%. This compares to a 2% gain by the tech-focused Nasdaq index on Friday night.

    This Tiny ASX Stock Could Be the Next Afterpay

    One little-known Australian IPO has doubled in value since January, and renowned Australian Moonshot stock picker Anirban Mahanti sees a potential millionaire-maker in waiting…

    Because ‘Doc’ Mahanti believes this fast-growing company has all the hallmarks of genuine Moonshot potential, forget ‘buy now pay later’, this stock could be the next hot stock on the ASX.

    Doc and his team have published a detailed report on this tiny ASX stock. Find out how you can access what could be the NEXT Afterpay today!

    Returns as of 6th October 2020

    More reading

    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 Xero. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended COSTA GRP FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post Why Costa, Monash IVF, Newcrest, & Xero shares are dropping lower appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/39eBc0U

  • Why the Lucapa Diamond (ASX: LOM) share price is sparkling

    falling diamonds representing falling Michael Hill share price

    The Lucapa Diamond Co Ltd (ASX: LOM) share price has had a shiny week, up nearly 3% today and more than 25% in the past 5 days of trading.

    Last week the company discovered the first diamond of over 100 carats at its Lulo alluvial mine in Angola.

    Today, Lucapa announced its first 2021 sale of rough diamonds. Lucapa and its partner, the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho, sold 4.676 carats of rough diamonds for a total of US$5.6 million.

    At the time of writing, the Lucapa share price is up 2.78% for the day, trading hands at 7.4 cents per share.

    How did the Lucapa share price fare in 2020?

    The Lucapa share price had a disappointing 12-month period, diving over 42%. It took a serious tumble from March 2020 to April 2020 falling from .15 cents at the start of March to closing at 0.4 cents by the end of April. That’s a roughly 73% crash.

    Copping its share of the worldwide business impacts brought on by coronavirus, Lucapa announced on 1 April that a National State of Emergency was declared in the Republic of Angola. The share price dip that ensued didn’t lift back up until July and has continued to hike a bumpy trail since then.

    Acknowledging this blow to the business, Lucapa Managing Director Stephen Wetherall commented today:

    Following a tough 2020, where both of our mines were impacted by the pandemic, our valued teams have shown their resilience and operations have bounced back strongly. The good recoveries at both mines and growing demand leading to strengthening diamond prices has seen a strong start to 2021.

    A roaring one-month come back

    Although the past year was a tough time for the Lucapa share price, Lucapa shares have now jumped over 23% in the past month.

    After announcing the unearthing of the 113-carat white diamond recovered at Lulo last week, the share price popped around 12% in 24-hours and has continued to creep up since.  

    What’s ahead for Lucapa Diamond in 2021?

    Lucapa has secured funding to commission an approximately 45% expansion in the processing capacity of the company’s Mothae kimberlite mine. The expansion is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2021.

    In the November 2020 announcement, Lucapa stated that it expects the expansion to “materially increase production, revenues and due to economies of scale, improve unit operation costs and deliver improvements to earnings.”

    The Lucapa share price is currently up 2.78% in morning trade.

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

    *Returns as of June 30th

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Gretchen Kennedy 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.

    The post Why the Lucapa Diamond (ASX: LOM) share price is sparkling appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/35w9U5c

  • Why PointsBet, Santos, Sayona, & Splitit shares are charging higher today

    ASX shares higher

    In late morning trade the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the week with a decline. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.3% to 6,737.7 points.

    Four shares that have not let that hold them back are listed below. Here’s why they are charging higher:

    PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH)

    The PointsBet share price is up 3% to $12.37. This may have been driven by a note out of Bell Potter recently which named the sports betting company as a share to buy in 2021. According to the note, Bell Potter has placed a speculative buy and $15.10 price target on its shares. It notes that the company has a significant opportunity in the United States market, where it currently has partnerships in 12 US states with a combined population of 94 million.

    Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)

    The Santos share price is up 4% to $7.25. Investors have been buying the energy producer’s shares after oil prices jumped to their highest levels since February of last year. On Friday Brent crude oil climbed 1.8% to US$55.35 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate crude futures settled 2.8% higher at US$52.24 per barrel. Both benchmarks recorded weekly gains of more than 6%.

    Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)

    The Sayona Mining share price has rocketed 61% to 2.25 cents. Investors have been fighting to buy the Canada-based lithium miner’s shares after it signed an agreement with Piedmont Lithium Ltd (ASX: PLL). That agreement sees Piedmont Lithium buy a stake in the company and sign up for at least 50% of Sayona Québec’s future spodumene concentrate production.

    Splitit Ltd (ASX: SPT)

    The Splitit share price has jumped 9% to $1.41 after announcing an agreement with tech giant Google in Japan. In the coming weeks, customers purchasing Google’s new 5G phone, the Pixel 5, or Nest devices from the Google Store, will be able to split their payments into equal monthly instalments through Splitit.

    This Tiny ASX Stock Could Be the Next Afterpay

    One little-known Australian IPO has doubled in value since January, and renowned Australian Moonshot stock picker Anirban Mahanti sees a potential millionaire-maker in waiting…

    Because ‘Doc’ Mahanti believes this fast-growing company has all the hallmarks of genuine Moonshot potential, forget ‘buy now pay later’, this stock could be the next hot stock on the ASX.

    Doc and his team have published a detailed report on this tiny ASX stock. Find out how you can access what could be the NEXT Afterpay today!

    Returns as of 6th October 2020

    More reading

    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 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.

    The post Why PointsBet, Santos, Sayona, & Splitit shares are charging higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2MNUNgN

  • Are ASX lithium shares staging a comeback in 2021?

    asx share price increase represented by golden dollar sign rocketing out from white domes

    ASX lithium shares have truly tested the resolve of long-term shareholders after more than two years of negative returns.

    The industry has been in survival mode since lithium prices spiralled lower after spot prices peaked in 2018. This was driven by an influx of producers and supply, on dwindling demand. 

    In recent months, the Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX: GXY), Orocobre Limited (ASX: ORE) and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share prices have staged epic recoveries, delivering triple digit returns from their lows late last year. 

    But taking a look at the bigger picture, the Orocobre and Galaxy share prices are still down a respective 30% and 27% from their 2018 highs. Pilbara is the only player to be eyeing a record all-time high after surging more than 250% since October. 

    Lithium prices hit a 14-month high

    Fastmarkets cites that China’s battery-grade lithium carbonate prices have hit a 14-month high due to continued tight supply and producers hiking up prices further. 

    The turning point for lithium prices is significant following more than two years of tumbling prices. Since 2018, lithium carbonate and hydroxide prices slumped by more than 50%, slashing the once highly profitable ASX lithium shares. 

    In the case of Galaxy, the company has previously traded at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of just 10. But in the company’s half-year ended 30 June 2020 results, it delivered a net loss of US$22 million. 

    Back in FY18, the company was selling lithium concentrate for an average of US$927 per dry metric tonne (dmt). These prices fell to an average of US$502/dmt in FY19. And US$398/dmt in the most recent 30 June 2020 results. 

    Pilbara is the latest ASX lithium share to update the market about improving prices. Its December quarter shipments update cited improved spodumene concentrate demand conditions, with lithium carbonate pricing up 35% to date from its lows in August 2020. 

    ASX lithium shares positioned for the future 

    ASX lithium shares have wasted no time in gearing up for higher lithium prices in the medium-long term. 

    Galaxy holds three lithium assets. Two of which are aimed to start construction and commissioning in 2022. Galaxy moderated production settings on its flagship resource, Mt Cattlin, to 50-55% of capacity to adapt to market conditions. However, the miner is examining the potential to ramp up Mt Cattlin production to full capacity, subject to inventory levels and prices.

    Similarly, Pilbara also has the ability to rapidly increase production in response to rising prices. 

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

    *Returns as of June 30th

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Lina Lim 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.

    The post Are ASX lithium shares staging a comeback in 2021? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3q6ZNvl

  • Leading broker names the ASX retail shares to buy in 2021

    A happy shopper with lots of bright shopping bags, indicating a positive surge for ASX retail share price

    Analysts at Bell Potter have been busy finding ASX shares from several industries that they believe are best placed to have a strong 2021.

    On this occasion, I’m going to look at the tech sector. Here are a couple of shares they rate highly:

    Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

    The first retail share that Bell Potter is a fan of is Accent. It is the owner and operator of a number of footwear businesses in the performance and lifestyle side of the market. The broker has been very pleased with the company’s performance during the pandemic and appears confident in its growth trajectory.

    Bell Potter commented: “We believe management has steered the company exceptionally through the pandemic, underpinned by a quick adoption to online as top priority, successful negotiations with landlords/suppliers, effective cost management and the successful unwind of excess inventory.”

    The broker also notes that its valuation is undemanding given its strong position in the market.

    “We believe AX1 has emerged as a stronger retailer across online capability, vertical product presence, rental terms, balance sheet strength, as well as levers to drive growth (store network and online). Based on these factors, we believe AX1’s valuation is undemanding with FY21 PE of ~16x. AX1 also offers an attractive FY21 fully franked yield,” it concluded.

    Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

    Another discretionary retailer that Bell Potter is fond of its Domino’s. It is the largest franchisee outside of the USA and holds the Master Franchise licence to the pizza chain brand for Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Denmark and Luxembourg.

    The broker notes that management has plans to double its store network organically over the next decade or so to 5,550 stores. In addition to this, it believes the company could accelerate its growth inorganically through acquisitions.

    Bell Potter sees a lot of promise internationally for the company. It commented: “Amongst DMP’s current territories, Germany and Japan are key large growth markets which continue to go from strength-to-strength. Germany is now leveraging off TV advertising under one brand, with rising brand awareness driving market share growth in a highly fragmented market. In Japan, DMP is successfully changing consumer habits towards more frequent pizza consumption rather than just seasonally.

    “Overall, we believe DMP has significant long-term growth prospects with Europe, Japan and acquisitions the major drivers,” it added.

    Bell Potter has a buy rating and $99.30 price target on its shares.

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

    *Returns as of June 30th

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group and Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post Leading broker names the ASX retail shares to buy in 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3s6jPIa

  • Why the SelfWealth (ASX:SWF) share price has popped 3.8% higher this morning

    man jumps up a chart, indicating share price going up on the ASX

    The SelfWealth Ltd (ASX: SWF) share price has jumped 3.8% at the open following a strong quarterly update from the Aussie online brokerage group.

    What’s in the update?

    There were a number of highlights from SelfWealth for the second quarter of FY21 ending 31 December 2021.

    The brokerage group reported record quarterly operating revenue of $4.46 million, up 298% year-on-year (YoY). The number of active traders on the platform surged 17% from the prior quarter and 208% YoY to 67,394.

    Quarterly trade volume jumped 377% YoY to 378,430 trades with client cash up 220% YoY to $435 million.

    Securities held on HIN surged 153% YoY to $4.30 billion as SelfWealth’s strong growth trajectory continued through to the end of 2020.

    Why is the SelfWealth share price surging?

    The SelfWealth share price has reacted today, with investors pushing the group’s shares up 3.8% to $0.55 per share in early trade. At the time of writing, the share price is trading at 54.5 cents, up 2.8%.

    SelfWealth said it is continuing to grow its market share by attracting both new market entrants and clients from competitors.

    SelfWealth managing director Rob Edgely described 2020 as a “transformational year” with an “encouraging” take up by existing clients on its US trading platform.

    US stock trading began on 14 December with 13% of existing clients applying for US trading to be added to their existing ASX portfolios. 

    Seasonally adjusted trade volumes continued to grow despite trade volume edging lower from the September quarter on an absolute basis. The Aussie brokerage group also recorded its largest-ever trading day on 10 November with 11,421 trades placed.

    The SelfWealth share price had a year that reflected the group’s strong performance in calendar year 2020. Shares in the Aussie financials group are now up 243.8% for the year after climbing higher in early trade.

    Foolish takeaway

    Shares in the Aussie brokerage group are on the move this morning after a strong quarterly trading update. This as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) edges 0.3% lower at 6736 points.

    This Tiny ASX Stock Could Be the Next Afterpay

    One little-known Australian IPO has doubled in value since January, and renowned Australian Moonshot stock picker Anirban Mahanti sees a potential millionaire-maker in waiting…

    Because ‘Doc’ Mahanti believes this fast-growing company has all the hallmarks of genuine Moonshot potential, forget ‘buy now pay later’, this stock could be the next hot stock on the ASX.

    Doc and his team have published a detailed report on this tiny ASX stock. Find out how you can access what could be the NEXT Afterpay today!

    Returns as of 6th October 2020

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall 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.

    The post Why the SelfWealth (ASX:SWF) share price has popped 3.8% higher this morning appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2LaTxUJ