Category: Stock Market

I think it is well worth keeping a close eye on what substantial shareholders are doing.

Substantial shareholders are shareholders that hold 5% or more of a company’s shares. These tend to be large investors, asset managers, and investment funds. These shareholders are obliged to update the market when they make meaningful changes to their holdings.

I feel investors should look to use these notices to their advantage. After all, they give investors an idea of where the smart money is going.

Two notices that have caught my eye are summarised below:

ARB Corporation Limited (ASX: ARB)

According to a change of interests of substantial holder notice, Bennelong Australian Equity Partners has been topping up its position in this four-wheel drive vehicle accessories company. The notice reveals that Bennelong has bought 1,052,952 shares on-market over the last couple of months.

The fund manager clearly took advantage of its share price weakness during the market crash (to good effect) and was able to buy as low as $13.26. The company’s shares are now trading above $17.00. These purchases took Bennelong’s holding to a total of 6,821,451 shares, which equates to an 8.55% stake.

Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC)

A change of interests of substantial holder notice reveals that Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) has increased its stake in this property company. According to the notice, the banking giant has lifted its holding in Charter Hall by ~4.7 million shares to a total of 37,363,414 shares. This means the bank now has an 8% interest in the company.

It appears as though Commonwealth Bank believes that Charter Hall’s shares have been oversold during the market crash. Even after a strong recovery over the last couple of months, the property developer’s shares are still down by almost a third from their 52-week high.

More reading

• 2 high yield ASX dividend shares to buy right now
• ASX 200 rises again, ASX banks push higher
• Are ASX bank shares finally back in the buy zone?
• ASX 200 up 2.4%: Blackmores raises $92m, big four banks jump, Nearmap rockets
• ASX 200 edges down, bank share prices fly

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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Once a week I like to take a look to see which shares have experienced meaningful insider buying.

This is because insider buying is often regarded as a bullish indicator, as few people know a company and its intrinsic value better than its own directors.

A number of shares have reported meaningful insider buying this week. Here are a couple which have caught my eye:

Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR)

According to a change of director’s interest notice, this distributor of computer software and hardware has experienced more insider buying this month. The company’s Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director, Vladimir Mitnovetski, has added to his considerable holding. Mr Mitnovetski picked up 5,000 shares through an on-market trade on May 27. The director paid an average of $7.40 per share, which equates to a total consideration of $37,000.

Mr Mitnovetski has made several purchases over the last 12 months and now owns a total of 831,961 Dicker Data shares.This has proven to be an astute move.  The company’s shares have rallied over 50% higher since this time last year. And judging by his latest purchase of shares, this director sees further gains ahead.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

The directors of this enterprise software company have been busy buying and selling its shares this month. Masterbah Pty Ltd, of which Non-Executive Director John Mactaggart and Chairman Adrian Di Marco have a beneficial interest in, offloaded 4 million shares for a total of $36.8 million through an on-market trade on May 26. Fellow Non-Executive Director Ronald McLean sold 41,263 shares for $394,450.06 the same day through an on-market trade.

However, one director was still buying. The following day Peter Ball picked up 5,000 shares for a total of $47,715.36. This director appears to believe TechnologyOne’s shares are in the buy zone following a pullback after the release of its full year results.

More reading

• Build wealth for life with these 2 ASX 200 shares
• 3 top ASX dividend shares to buy in June
• ASX 200 up 1.7%: Flight Centre and Webjet rocket, Afterpay hits record high
• Why Leigh Creek, Lynas, Monadelphous, & TechnologyOne are dropping lower
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell next week

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Dicker Data Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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How connected are the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and the broader ASX share market to the Australian economy as a whole?

If the ASX 200 is having a good year, it’s often cited as a barometer of the economy as a whole. And if there’s an economic recession on the horizon, you’ll usually find the share market isn’t doing so well.

So case closed, right?

Well, not quite.

See, the economy is just another name for the commercial network that connects every consumer and business within our society. The government forms a major part of the economy, as does overseas investment.

In contrast, the share market represents the value of every public company in the country. Nothing more, nothing less.

And the health of the economy is only one factor that influences how much investors are willing to pay for each company (represented by each company’s share price).

Mixed messages

Just take last year. In 2019, the ASX 200 had one of its best years in recent times, banking a 20.8% gain over the year. That was in stark contrast to the broader economy, the growth of which was so slow it prompted the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to cut interest rates 3 times in 2019.

These interest rate cuts were a large driving force behind the share market gains. Lower interest rates lead to higher values being placed in riskier assets like shares. This in itself proves that the ASX 200 doesn’t always move in tandem with the economy.

Another point to note is that the share market is a forward-looking mechanism. This means it is always trying to price in the most likely future scenario of economic growth. As such, the share market is not necessarily a reflection of where an economy is at the present.

This is why we’ve seen a massive rally in the ASX 200 since mid-March. And this growth hasn’t corresponded to our economy improving over the same period. Rather, it’s the signs that the economy is likely to improve over the rest of 2020 that is causing the ASX 200 to surge.

The same thing occurred back in 2009 when the world was just starting to recover from the global financial crisis. The ASX 200 had one of its best years ever in 2009 – rising over 30%. In contrast, it took a few more years for the economy to bounce back fully.

Foolish takeaway

The share market is heavily influenced by the economy, but not in ways that are always obvious or easy to predict. It’s probably better to think of the ASX 200 as being shaped by what investors think the economy of tomorrow is going to look like. Of course this sentiment should also be considered in combination with other macro-factors like interest rates, unemployment and geopolitical tensions on the world stage.

All in all, I believe success with investing depends on finding long-term, winning companies. This means investing in companies that have the ability to weather the economy’s ups and downs rather than trying to predict what the ASX 200 will do over the short term.

More reading

• Is the Fortescue share price under threat from a potential multi-million dollar earnings hit?
• Brokers name 3 ASX 200 shares to buy right now
• Ready to invest your first $1,000? Try these 2 ASX shares
• 3 cheap ASX 200 shares I’d buy today
• ASX 200 down 1.2%: Westpac tumbles, Appen reaffirms guidance, Costa CEO to retire

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The Austal Limited (ASX: ASB) share price is up 8.91% at the time of writing after updating its full year guidance today. The company reported that full year revenue would likely increase by $100 million to $2 billion. Accordingly, earnings before interest and taxes would increase by $15 million.

This, along with many other positive announcements, sets the company up for an explosive growth spurt.

An undervalued gem

The Austal share price plummeted earlier in the month after news that it had lost a major contract to a lower priced competitor. But I think the market has oversold this company significantly, creating a fantastic buying opportunity. 

In fact, on the same day that Austal announced its lost contract, it also announced an additional $324 million contract for the Royal Australian Navy. 

Its location is also noteworthy. Recently, I visited the US town where Austal’s US production facilities are located – Mobile, Alabama. It is hard to overstate the impact of the company there. The town of Mobile runs on the Austal operations. Aside from strategic and tactical military goals, US defence spending is designed to create jobs. In my opinion, there is no way Austal could have won any US defence work from an Australian manufacturing location – it just wouldn’t happen.

Why Austal shares are ready for explosive growth

Austal revealed an order book worth $4.3 billion in its FY20 H1 report. It has also announced considerable contract wins since that time. Over the past 5 years, the Austal share price has grown by about 12% per year on average. Its current price-to-earnings ratio is 14.9 (at the time of writing), and over the past 9 years its average P/E has been closer to 17.

This company is right in my sweet spot as an investor in manufacturing companies. It has already spent the money to build the infrastructure, has impressive relationships, and is built on a track record of honesty and quality products. I think Austal shares are likely to see explosive growth over the next 1–2 months. 

More reading

• Why Afterpay, Austal, Kogan, & Northern Star shares are charging higher
• ASX 200 down 1.2%: Westpac tumbles, Appen reaffirms guidance, Costa CEO to retire
• The best performing ASX 200 stock today may have more room to climb
• ASX 200 Weekly Wrap: ASX rallies on mining highs
• 5 ASX 200 winners and 4 losers of last week

Daryl Mather owns shares of Austal Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Austal Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The Volpara Health Technologies Ltd (ASX: VHT) share price is edging higher today after reporting its full-year results for the year ended 31 March 2020.

Volpara is a New Zealand-based, small-cap ASX share that develops and sells software solutions. It facilitates the early detection of breast cancer by improving the quality of mammogram-based screening programs. 

What did Volpara announce?

For the 12 months to 31 March 2020, the company reported total revenue of NZ$12.6 million, up 153% from NZ$5 million in FY19. Within this, growth in subscription revenue continued its upward trajectory, up 106% on the prior corresponding period to NZ$9.1 million.

Volpara expects growth in subscription revenue to continue in FY21 as it pivots MRS Systems – a provider of breast clinic management software acquired in mid-2019 – away from a capital sales model to an almost solely software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. Additionally, the full end-to-end platform will be available for sales.

Despite an improvement in gross margins, which was up from 83% in FY19 to 86%, the company recorded a net loss for the year before tax of NZ$22.3 million. This compares to a loss of NZ$11.8 million in the prior year.

This was primarily the result of an increase in operating costs due to organic growth and the additional costs incurred after the MRS acquisition. Operating costs increased 110% from NZ$17.1 million in FY19 to NZ$36 million in FY20.

Nonetheless, as revenue continues to grow faster than operating expenses, the company improved its net margin from -235% in FY19 to -176% in the current period.

Given the uncertainty on business activity resulting from COVID-19, the company has undertaken various cost-saving initiatives. Volpara expects these initiatives will yield reductions of between 10% and 15% on annualised operating costs.

Looking to cash flow, Volpara increased its cash receipts from customers during the year by 193% to NZ$16.3 million. Its cash balance as at 31 March 2020 stood at NZ$31.4 million, which has now expanded to NZ$69 million following a recent capital raising. Importantly, the company remains debt-free.

Outlook and management commentary

Looking forward, the company recognises the world has changed with COVID-19 but highlights the critical nature of breast screening. 

Volpara will focus on long-term SaaS contracts which appear resilient despite COVID-19. Most of its contract are 5-year annual rolling contracts, paid annually in advance. The company noted that cash collection continues to be strong, with no obvious signs of any significant churn risks.

Commenting on the full-year results, CEO Dr Ralph Highnam said:

“FY2020 was an excellent year for Volpara. We successfully conducted our first acquisition, medical software company MRS Systems in the United States, and built an installed software base covering over 27% of US women screened for breast cancer.”

“Despite the current Coronavirus pandemic, we ended the year with our strongest Q4 to date and Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of over NZ$18M. This has set up the strong accounting revenue numbers we’re presenting today, showing very significant growth year-on-year,” he added.

At the time of writing, the Volpara share price is trading 0.35% higher for the day after being up by nearly 4% in morning trade.

More reading

• Why didn’t Warren Buffett buy more shares in the recent bear market?
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• These small cap ASX shares could be stars of the future

Motley Fool contributor Cathryn Goh owns shares of VOLPARA FPO NZ. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended VOLPARA FPO NZ. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA) share price has been a strong performer over the last couple of months.

Since March 29, the aerial imagery technology and location data company’s shares have zoomed a remarkable 123% higher to $2.23.

Is it too late to buy Nearmap shares?

Despite Nearmap’s impressive gain over the last couple of months, it is worth noting that they are still trading almost 50% lower than their 52-week high of $4.29.

I believe this leaves the company’s shares trading at a very attractive level for a long term investment. Especially given its high quality software and the fragmented and lucrative market it operates in.

I’m not the only one that thinks that the Nearmap share price is in the buy zone. This morning analysts at Goldman Sachs retained their buy rating and lifted their price target on its shares to $2.55.

Why is Goldman Sachs bullish on Nearmap?

Goldman Sachs was pleased with Nearmap’s better than expected market update on Thursday and named three key reasons why its shares are a buy.

The first is its large and growing market. The broker notes that Nearmap estimates the market opportunity in its four countries of operation (Australia, New Zealand, United States, and Canada) to be worth $2.9 billion per year.

This means that the annualised contract value (ACV) that it expects to achieve in FY 2020 of $103 million to $107 million is just a ~3.6% share of its overall market. This gives it a significant runway for growth over the next decade.

Another reason it is positive on the company is the fragmented nature of the aerial imagery market. Goldman believes this gives providers such as Nearmap an opportunity “to scale across a broad range of industry segments (i.e. such as architecture, insurance, government, utilities, solar panel providers).”

A third reason is the company’s technology. The broker believes it is very competitive versus its domestic and global peers. It notes that its strengths include high quality image capture and market leading frequency of capture. It also notes that a substantial investment has been made to provide oblique and 3D imagery and artificial intelligence/machine learning driven analytical capability at scale.

Combined, the broker believes Nearmap is capable of growing its ACV by a compound annual growth rate of 18% between FY 2019 and FY 2022.

I think Goldman is spot on with its buy rating, but is potentially being a little conservative with its estimates. I expect the company to deliver on its target of at least 20% growth over the period.

Overall, I think Nearmap is a great buy and hold option along with the likes of Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) and Appen Ltd (ASX: APX).

More reading

• Brokers name 3 ASX 200 shares to buy right now
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• ASX 200 rises again, ASX banks push higher
• These ASX tech shares could take your portfolio to the next level
• Why ANZ, Blackmores, IDP Education, & Nearmap shares are racing higher

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Altium and Appen Ltd. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post The Nearmap share price is up 123% in 2 months: Why I think it can go higher appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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The Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) share price is showing little signs of stress even as the miner faces compensation claims that could cost it hundreds of millions.

But investors aren’t perturbed by the news that the High Court denied the company special leave to appeal a Federal Court ruling.

The Fortescue share price is a rare riser on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO). The stock inched up 0.5% to $13.59 during lunch time trade while the top 200 benchmark shed 0.9% of its value.

The performance of the other major miners was mixed. The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price slipped 0.3% to $35.05 while the Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price added 0.6% to $94.16 at the time of writing.

What the court ruling means

The High Court defeat means that the earlier ruling that found Fortescue had built the Solomon iron ore mining hub without the permission of traditional owners will stick.

The traditional owners are represented by the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YAC) and the YAC is now expected to launch a multi-million-dollar compensation claim against Fortescue, reported the Australian Financial Review.

Big compensation bill

The court gave YAC exclusive native title rights over 2,700 square kilometres of iron ore-rich land in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

The AFR reported that some in the community believe the size of claim should be based on a percentage of Fortescue’s total revenue of about $70 billion over the past decade.

You can see how even a small percentage can work out to be a big number.

Why investors aren’t worried

However, investors may be brushing this new development aside as it’s too early to quantify the impact of YAC’s claim.

The process might also take years to resolve if it’s dragged through the court system again.

In any case, the market may have already factored in some level of compensation that Fortescue has to cough up. The miner was backing the breakaway Wirlu-murra Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation.

Further, the miner has previously downplayed the significance of any payout and said that the case does not affect its mining tenure rights or current operations.

Foolish takeaway

The Fortescue share price outperformed right through the COVID-19 market meltdown as its earnings and generous dividend handouts are resilient to the deep recession.

Such defensive qualities are hard to find in the current environment. This explains why the stock jumped 28% since the start of the year when the ASX 200 fell 13%.

More reading

• Brokers name 3 ASX 200 shares to buy right now
• Ready to invest your first $1,000? Try these 2 ASX shares
• 3 cheap ASX 200 shares I’d buy today
• ASX 200 down 1.2%: Westpac tumbles, Appen reaffirms guidance, Costa CEO to retire
• Will the Wesfarmers share price climb higher in 2020?

Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau owns shares of BHP Billiton Limited and Rio Tinto Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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This month I’ve been looking at how investments in the IPOs of a number of popular ASX shares have fared.

This includes the likes of Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) and CSL Limited (ASX: CSL). You can read about those IPOs here and here.

Today I thought I would turn my attention to New Zealand-based infant formula and fresh milk company A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M).

How has a2 Milk Company performed since its ASX listing?

Technically speaking, a2 Milk Company didn’t list on the Australian share market through an IPO.

It first listed on the New Zealand stock exchange all the way back in 2004. The company then sought a dual listing on the Australian share market in March 2015.

The ASX listing didn’t impact its New Zealand listing, nor did it involve the raising of any new capital.

Once its shares were listed on the ASX, you could have picked them up for 56 cents apiece. This means that a $10,000 investment in its shares would have given you a total of 17,857 shares.

Since then a lot has changed. For a long time the company was playing catch up with rival Bellamy’s and seen as just a small time player in the industry. It’s also interesting to note that its operations were loss-making, much like those of Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB) today.

Today it is the largest ANZ infant formula brand and has a growing fresh milk footprint both here and in the United States.

It has also transformed from being a loss-making entity into one of the most profitable companies on the Australian share market.

The upper end of the company’s guidance for FY 2020 implies revenue of NZ$1,750 million and earnings before interest tax, depreciation, and amortisation of NZ$560 million. This represents a sizeable 34.1% and 35.4% increase, respectively, on the prior year.

Unsurprisingly, given this explosive growth in its earnings since 2015, its shares have been exceptionally strong performers.

Today’s the a2 Milk Company share price is changing hands for $17.64. Which means that the 17,857 shares you picked up in 2015 would now be worth a total of $315,000.

I think that is a pretty incredible return over a period of just over five years. But perhaps what is even better is that a2 Milk Company’s growth is far from over.

Given the modest market share its infant formula has in the China market and its expanding fresh milk footprint, I believe it is well-positioned to continue its strong earnings growth for a long time to come.

More reading

• Brokers name 3 ASX 200 shares to buy right now
• 10 quality ASX shares to buy in June
• 1 key trait to look for with most top ASX growth shares
• Is the A2 Milk Company share price in the buy zone?
• 3 outstanding ASX growth shares to invest $3,000 into today

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 BUBS AUST FPO and CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of A2 Milk and AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BUBS AUST FPO. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) shares haven’t been having a good time of late.

Since 19 March 2020, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: JXO) has risen an extraordinary 21%. Over the same period, the Coles share price has fallen more than 12% from above $17 to where they sit today (at the time of writing) at $15.02.

Of course, from a year-to-date perspective, it’s a bit of a different story. Since the dawn of 2020 (which feels like a lifetime ago), the ASX 200 is still down 13.4%, whilst Coles shares have essentially been flat.

So what’s going on here? And more importantly, for investors, is the Coles share price a buy today?

Hot Coles or not?

The first thing to note is that Coles’ former parent company has been selling Coles shares like there’s no tomorrow. At the start of 2020, Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) owned a 15% stake in Coles – leftover from the demerger that occurred back in November 2018 (at around $12.80 a share).

Fast forward to today, and Wesfarmers has trimmed back its remaining stake in Coles to around 5%. Yes, Wesfarmers sold a ~5% chunk of its Coles stake in February this year, followed by another ~5% tranche in late March.

With Wesfarmers seeing no value in Coles, should investors take the hint?

These transactions don’t merit too much thought, in my view. Yes, Wesfarmers probably doesn’t see too much meaningful growth in Coles’ future. But that’s understandable, seeing as Coles is a very mature business with almost complete market saturation.

It was also an easy avenue for Wesfarmers to raise cash, seeing as the Coles share price held up extraordinarily well in the market crash we saw in March. And Wesfarmers is the kind of company that’s always looking for new pathways to invest down.

Are Coles shares a buy right now?

So here’s how I see Coles shares today: a defensive, mature company with a reasonably safe dividend. Nothing more, nothing less.

For investors who prioritise ASX dividend income, Coles remains a great option in my view. On current prices, Coles shares are offering a 2.78% dividend yield, which comes with full franking credits (giving it a grossed-up yield of 3.97%). If you identify with these goals, the Coles share price is in the buy zone right now, in my view.

But if you’re looking to substantially grow your wealth over years or even decades, Coles is probably not the best bet to make. There are a plethora of ASX shares out there that offer better growth prospects, so perhaps your cash is better served in something else.

More reading

• Will the Wesfarmers share price climb higher in 2020?
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• 1 key trait to look for with most top ASX growth shares
• 3 quality ASX dividend shares for income investors to buy today

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of COLESGROUP DEF SET and Wesfarmers Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The Over the Wire Holdings Ltd (ASX: OTW) share price is charging higher today on the back of a business update and new strategic partnership.

Over the Wire is a telecommunications, cloud and IT solutions provider that specialises in converged voice and data networks, data centres, and hosted infrastructure solutions for corporate clients.

The company owns a carrier-level network with points of presence in all major Australian capital cities and Auckland, New Zealand.

What did Over the Wire announce?

This morning, the company revealed that the current pandemic and associated restrictions have generated strong demand for its voice offering, resulting in higher volumes. This increase in voice volumes has positively offset the delay in some data services due to customer site access restrictions during lockdown.

What’s more, Over the Wire’s exposure to customers in the hardest-hit industries of retail, hospitality and travel is limited, with those most affected representing less than 3% of its recurring base.

While COVID-19 has affected its non-recurring business, recent orders from customers indicate the company is now likely to deliver more than 70% of its non-recurring revenue forecast.

On the whole, Over the Wire noted that it continues to generate positive operational cash flow, maintains a strong balance sheet, and its recurring business is in line with expectations.

The company remains confident of being within 3% of consensus, which comprises revenue of $90.4 million and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $17.4 million.

Commenting on business performance, managing director Michael Omeros said:

“Although the COVID-19 pandemic has created uncertainty and challenging market conditions our team has shown focus and resilience which should be commended. We are satisfied with how the business is currently tracking and confident about achieving positive growth into next financial year.”

Partnership with NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

On top of the business update, Over the Wire also announced a strategic partnership with S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) share NEXTDC. Over the Wire will migrate core elements of its network and private cloud infrastructure into NEXTDC’s tier 4 facilities.

Over the Wire described this partnership as a “foundational building block” that will bring its network closer to many of the world’s leading cloud providers and cloud on-ramp services. Additionally, the partnership will allow Over the Wire to further develop its multi-cloud strategy in conjunction with its current private cloud offering.

“NEXTDC forms an integral part of our multi-cloud strategy and we are excited to be on the journey with NEXTDC, as they continue to build out next generation data centres that are enabling the growth of the digital economy,” said Mr Omeros.

At the time of writing, the Over the Wire share price is sitting 6.35% higher at $3.18 after soaring as much as 10.7% at around midday. Like most small-cap ASX growth shares, Over the Wire shares took a tumble in the wake of COVID-19 and are currently down 30% year to date.

More reading

• 3 fantastic ASX growth shares I would buy and hold for decades
• New to investing? Put $500 into these top ASX 200 shares
• Where to invest $5,000 in ASX growth shares today
• Where to invest $20,000 into ASX shares right now
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Cathryn Goh has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Over The Wire Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Over The Wire Holdings Ltd. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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