• Here are 2 ASX shares that Morgans rates as buys

    A male investor sits at his desk looking at his laptop screen holding his hand to his chin pondering whether to buy Macquarie shares

    A male investor sits at his desk looking at his laptop screen holding his hand to his chin pondering whether to buy Macquarie sharesIf you’re looking for some new portfolio additions, then read on.

    Listed below are two ASX shares that analysts at Morgans are bullish on. Here’s what the broker is saying about them:

    PWR Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWH)

    Analysts at Morgans remain bullish on this automotive products and solutions provider’s shares.

    Its analysts highlight that PWR delivered a result ahead of estimates in FY 2022. And with the company sitting on an ample cash balance, it feels management can invest further to support its future growth.

    In response to its results, the broker retained its add rating and lifted its price target to $10.50. Based on the current PWR share price of $9.11, this implies potential upside of 15% for investors.

    The broker commented:

    PWH’s FY22 result was comfortably ahead of expectations with revenue surpassing $100m for the first time. Key positives: All segments delivered revenue growth – Motorsports +11%, OEM +53%, Aftermarket +4%, Emerging Tech +124%; Balance sheet remains very healthy with cash of $21.5m and no debt leaving plenty of capacity for further investment for growth.

    Our target price rises to $10.50 and we maintain our Add rating. We believe the outlook remains strong with PWH’s ongoing investment in people, capability and capacity giving us confidence in the pipeline of future opportunities.

    SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK)

    Morgans is a fan of this job listings company following the release of its full year results.

    In response to the release, the broker upgraded Seek’s shares to an add rating with a $29.40 price target. Based on the current Seek share price of $21.65, this implies potential upside of over 35%.

    It believes the company is well-placed for growth thanks partly to its pricing power. It commented:

    It was a strong FY22 result overall in our view, however additional IT project spend (platform unification) was a surprise to a degree. We lower our FY23-FY25 EPS estimates by ~7-14% factoring in the provided guidance, additional incremental IT investment spend, and further conservatism around opex normalisation/spend over our forecast period. Our price target is lowered $29.40 on the above changes. Whilst we expect job ad volume growth to normalise, we believe SEEK has levers to pull (i.e. price) to continue to drive yield. We move to an ADD recommendation.

    The post Here are 2 ASX shares that Morgans rates as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in SEEK Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended PWR Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended PWR Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended SEEK Limited. 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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  • 3 ASX mining shares that soared over 25% on Thursday

    A man in a hard hat and high visibility vest speaks on his mobile phone in front of a digging machine with a heavy dump truck vehicle also visible in the background.A man in a hard hat and high visibility vest speaks on his mobile phone in front of a digging machine with a heavy dump truck vehicle also visible in the background.

    It was another encouraging day for ASX shares this Thursday. At the market close, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) had gained a robust 0.71% to 7,290 points. But some ASX shares did even better.

    So let’s look at not one, not two, but three ASX mining shares that put on at least 25% today.

    3 ASX mining shares that gained 25% or more this Thursday

    Anson Resources Ltd (ASX: ASN)

    First up is Anson Resources. This ASX mining share is an ASX lithium hopeful, conducting lithium mining operations in the United States and Australia. Anson shares rocketed an impressive 26.2% today to finish at 26.5 cents a share. They closed at 21 cents yesterday and opened at 25.5 cents this morning.

    As my Fool colleague Aaron covered this afternoon, this powering share price rise seems to be a result of an ASX announcement this morning. The company revealed it has signed an agreement with Sunresin New Materials Co. Ltd. This will see Sunresin provide equipment, supplies, and technical support to Anson.

    Variscan Mines Ltd (ASX: VAR)

    Next up is Variscan Mines. Variscan has a portfolio that includes two zinc projects in Spain, as well as other interests in Australia and Chile. The Variscan share price was on fire today, finishing up a whopping 40.6% to 4.5 cents a share. It closed at 3.2 cents yesterday and opened at 4.4 cents this morning.

    This follows an ASX announcement today that gazetted some positive drilling results. The company confirmed it has discovered “significant zinc-lead mineralisation” at its San Jose Mine in Spain.

    Ragusa Minerals Ltd (ASX: RAS)

    Finally today, let’s take a gander at the ASX mining share Ragusa Minerals. Ragusa is exploring gold and lithium in the Northern Territory, Alaska, and Zimbabwe. There wasn’t any news out of Ragusa today. But that hasn’t stopped the company from gaining an impressive 26.4% to 33.5 cents a share.

    As my Fool colleague Monica reported earlier this week, Ragusa shares have been on a highway for the past month, gaining more than 370% since late July. On 10 August, the company confirmed “high grade lithium perspectivity at the NT project”, which seems to have ignited these frenzied gains in recent weeks.

    The post 3 ASX mining shares that soared over 25% on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 Scott Phillips.

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  • Charter Hall share price storms 6% higher on record FY22 result

    Woman looks amazed and shocked as she looks at her laptop.

    Woman looks amazed and shocked as she looks at her laptop.The Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC) share price was a strong performer on Thursday.

    The property company’s shares have just closed the session up over 6% to $13.36 following the release of its full year results.

    Charter Hall share price higher on strong FY 2022 results

    • Record operating earnings of $542.8 million
    • Operating earnings per share (OEPS) up 89.5% to 115.6 cents per share
    • Statutory profit after tax of $911.1 million
    • Distributions up 4.1% to 40.1 cents per share
    • Outlook: Distribution guidance of 6% growth in FY 2023

    What happened in FY 2022?

    For the 12 months ended 30 June, Charter Hall reported record operating earnings of $542.8 million. This was an increase of 90.2% over the prior corresponding period.

    While this strong profit was driven by growth across the business, the key driver was its fund management operations.

    Fund management EBITDA grew a whopping 170.1% to $552.2 million in FY 2022 thanks to a 456.9% in transaction and performance revenue. This reflects fund outperformance and transaction activity.

    Management commentary

    Charter Hall’s managing director and CEO, David Harrison, was pleased with the record result. He said:

    FY22 delivered a record year of earnings for Charter Hall and earnings growth. The business continues to execute on its strategy of partnering with tenants and investors to drive mutually beneficial outcomes. Our strong investor and tenant customer feedback evidences the customer centric approach to partnering we continue to prosecute.

    Further, our ability to execute complex privatisations provides additional deployment opportunities that are not readily replicated. Our development pipeline has grown to $16 billion, with strong growth in pre-leased projects continuing to provide develop to core enhanced returns for our investors. Our focus on partnering, execution, deployment and co-investment alongside fund investors drives growth for securityholders.

    Outlook

    Also potentially boosting the Charter Hall share price today was the company’s outlook.

    While the company is guiding to a softer OEPS result, it still expects one that is materially higher than what was recorded in FY 2021.

    Based on no material adverse change in current market conditions, Charter Hall’s FY 2023 earnings guidance is for post-tax OEPS of no less than 90 cent per share.

    This is expected to underpin distribution per share growth of 6% over FY 2022.

    The post Charter Hall share price storms 6% higher on record FY22 result appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why is the Province Resources share price leaping 8% on Thursday?

    A graphic showing a businessman running up a white upwards rising arrow symbolising the soaring Magellan share price todayA graphic showing a businessman running up a white upwards rising arrow symbolising the soaring Magellan share price today

    The Province Resources Ltd (ASX: PRL) share price is gaining ground on Thursday following a positive company update.

    At the time of writing, the minerals producer’s shares are up 12.50% to 13.5 cents apiece.

    Let’s take a look at what the company announced to the ASX earlier today.

    Why are Province Resources shares surging today?

    Investors are rallying up the Province Resources share price as the company announced it has secured additional land.

    According to the release, Province Resources advised it has been issued another section 91 licence from the Western Australian government.

    This will see over 2,217 square kilometres of additional land granted to develop the Green Hydrogen project.

    Province Resources and its joint development partner, Total Eren are pursuing to conduct studies to support feasibility activities.

    In total, the area under licence now amounts to more than 3,000 square kilometres of land in the region.

    Province Resources stated that negotiations are underway with the state government for enduring tenure over the project area.

    Province CEO and managing director, David Frances commented:

    The issue of these licences was only possible with the support of the Gascoyne community and we are delighted with the way stakeholders have embraced the HyEnergy Project.

    Securing land tenure is a critical element of this project and it is pleasing to have the support of Traditional Owners, pastoralists and the Local and State Government in this process.

    We are excited to pursue the next steps of the HyEnergy Project together with our partner Total Eren, a global renewable energy leader with whom we share a strong commitment to take part in Australia’s green hydrogen strategy.

    Province Resources share price recap

    The Province Resources share price hit a 52-week low of 5 cents in June before rocketing thereafter.

    Despite the strong gains made today, its shares are down 8.6% in 2022.

    Province Resources commands a market capitalisation of approximately $129.83 million.

    The post Why is the Province Resources share price leaping 8% on Thursday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

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    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    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 Scott Phillips.

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  • How did the Polynovo share price respond last time the company reported?

    Two happy scientists analysing test results in a labTwo happy scientists analysing test results in a lab

    The Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) share price is having a pretty pleasing day of trade this Thursday. At present, Polynovo shares are up an encouraging 2% at $2.04 each.

    That compares well against the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which is also in the green, but by 0.76% at about 7,051 points. So a market-beating kind of day for Polynovo shares.

    But today is just a warm-up act. Because all eyes will be on this ASX healthcare company tomorrow when it reports its full-year earnings for the 2022 financial year.

    Now, we obviously can’t predict what is going to happen to Polynovo shares tomorrow from where we stand today. They could go up, go down, or stay flat. But what we can do is take a look at what happened to the Polynovo share price the last time this company reported earnings.

    What happened to the Polynovo share price last earnings season?

    So Polynovo’s last reporting date with ASX investors was back on 25 February of this year. That was when the company dropped its half-year results for FY2022, which covered the six months to 31 December 2021.

    As we covered at the time, the company reported a 41.9% surge in revenue to $18.15 million. That led to Polynovo announcing an underlying profit after tax of $1.618 million. That was up from the previous year’s loss of $3.57 million.

    However, the company still reported a net loss after tax of $1.7 million when non-cash items were excluded.

    So how did Polynovo shares react to these earnings? Well, it was an interesting tale.

    Upon the release of this report on Friday 25 February, the Polynovo share price ended the trading day with a loss of 3.77%. The following Monday saw the company lose another 1.96%, but the next day the company gained an impressive 10%.

    Now this experience in no way tells us what exactly will happen with the Polynovo share price tomorrow. If the results are above the market’s expectations, the shares will, in all likelihood, go up. If they are below expectations, the shares might fall. But it’s still an interesting insight into what can happen during earnings season.

    At the current Polynovo share price, this ASX 200 healthcare share has a market capitalisation of $1.35 billion.

    The post How did the Polynovo share price respond last time the company reported? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended POLYNOVO FPO. 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 Scott Phillips.

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  • Why did this ASX All Ords gold share just surge 11%?

    a woman in a business suit holds a large solid gold bar in both hands with a superimposed image of a gagged gold line tracking upwards and featuring a swooping curved arrow pointing upwards.

    a woman in a business suit holds a large solid gold bar in both hands with a superimposed image of a gagged gold line tracking upwards and featuring a swooping curved arrow pointing upwards.

    The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is enjoying a solid day, up 0.6% in afternoon trading.

    But this All Ords gold share is leaving those gains in the dust.

    The Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX: PDI) share price is up 10.5% to 21 cents per share.

    At that price, the All Ords gold share has a market cap of $359 million.

    Here’s what’s piquing ASX investor interest today.

    What are ASX investors considering?

    Predictive Discovery shares are soaring after the company announced another round of “impressive gold hits”.

    The results come from continuing resource drilling at its Bankan Gold Project, located in Guinea.

    The All Ords gold share reported that it had completed eight new infill and resource expansion diamond drill holes totalling 4,064 metres of the NE Bankan Gold Deposit.

    Among the top results, one diamond drill hole returned 43 metres at 4.88 grams of gold per tonne from 304 metres, including 20m at 7.54g/t Au from 326 metres, including 4m at 16.53g/t Au from 342 metres.

    Predictive Discovery also reported on the results of 73 reverse circulation (RC) drill holes, with one returning 12m at 1.08/t Au from 7 metres.

    Commenting on the drill results sending the All Ords gold share rocketing today, Predictive Discovery managing director Andrew Pardey said:

    Predictive’s next phase of drilling, which is focused on further defining the quality and extending the fast-growth resource of the NE Bankan gold deposit, continues to prove up the significance of what is the largest gold discovery in West Africa for over a decade.

    As we continue to drill out our assets and move towards the development phase of the project, we are also highly encouraged by the consistency and quality of the resource through our initial grade control drilling at NE Bankan.

    Bankan currently has an inferred Resource of 79.5 million tonnes at 1.63g/t Au for 4.2 million ounces of gold.

    The gold miner reported it has ten rigs continuing Resource expansion and infill drilling at NE Bankan, Bankan Creek and near-mine exploration programs.

    How has this All Ords gold share been tracking?

    Although the Predictive Discovery share price is down 24% in 2022, the All Ords gold share remains up 46% over the past 12 months. That compares to a full-year loss of 7% posted by the All Ordinaries.

    Comparing apples to apples, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) has lost 20% over the past 12 months.

    The post Why did this ASX All Ords gold share just surge 11%? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Predictive Discovery Ltd right now?

    Before you consider Predictive Discovery Ltd, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Predictive Discovery Ltd wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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 Scott Phillips.

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  • Which crypto is ASX 300 tech company Appen holding and why?

    A young woman sits with her hand to her chin staring off to the side thinking about her investments.A young woman sits with her hand to her chin staring off to the side thinking about her investments.

    Most investors would be soaking up the core operational details of Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) today. However, an unexpected mention of ‘crypto’ during the data annotation company’s earnings call might have caught some off guard.

    In afternoon trade, shares in the beleaguered S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) constituent are fetching $4.19 apiece, up 0.48%. Although, the market was looking upon Appen even more fondly in early trading, reaching an intraday high of $4.57.

    So, has Appen’s management taken a leaf out of Elon Musk’s playbook — investing in crypto? Or is there another explanation for why Appen and crypto were mentioned in the same sentence?

    Is Appen an ASX-listed crypto investor?

    During Appen’s earnings call today, one analyst asked a very interesting question. Instead of it being about profits, revenue growth, or even guidance… it probed for an explanation as to why Appen was talking about crypto in its financial statements.

    Posing the question was Bell Potter senior analyst Chris Savage, who asked:

    In the notes, there was a loss on revaluation of inventory and you called out cryptocurrency. Have you actually invested in crypto, or are you getting paid in crypto, what’s the story there?

    Savage was referring to a line item in Appen’s financials labelled ‘losses on inventory’. The expense made for accounting purposes amounted to $275,000. Considering there hasn’t really been much mention of Appen being involved with crypto before, the appearance is puzzling.

    Yet, Appen chief financial officer Kevin Levine quickly explained, saying:

    First, it’s a very small part of the business and it came alongside the Quadrant acquisition. So, actually one of the key strengths that Quadrant has in terms of how they manage their crowd is they actually pay their crowd in crypto.

    From there, Levine went on to explain the benefits of operating with crypto, stating:

    There are two benefits of that: the first is near real-time settlement. The second one is micropayments — because a lot of the tasks that geolancers perform are very small, [involving] very small amounts; and so it can handle kind of micropayments without necessarily imposing fees, etc. on to the recipients.

    Finally, the CFO of ASX-listed Appen revealed that the crypto asset it mainly holds for this activity is Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH). According to the company’s filing, the stablecoin USD Coin (CRYPTO: USDC) is also in its arsenal.

    Foolish takeaway

    In conclusion, Appen in a way is an ASX-listed investor of Ethereum. However, by the comments made during the earnings call, it doesn’t seem to be for the sake of an alternative investment.

    Both Appen and crypto hold a commonality, though. Both are down massively compared to a year ago. Undoubtedly, shareholders and crypto holders alike will be hoping for better days to come.

    The post Which crypto is ASX 300 tech company Appen holding and why? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler has positions in Appen Ltd and Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Appen Ltd and Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Ethereum. 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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  • Allkem share price higher following massive FY22 profit growth

    a man raises his fists to the air in joyous celebration while learning some exciting good news via his computer screen in an office setting.

    a man raises his fists to the air in joyous celebration while learning some exciting good news via his computer screen in an office setting.In afternoon trade, the Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) share price is edging higher.

    At the time of writing, the lithium miner’s shares are up almost 1% to $14.00.

    This means the Allkem share price is now up almost 14% this week.

    Why is the Allkem share price rising?

    The Allkem share price is rising today after investors responded positively to the company’s full year results for FY 2022.

    For the 12 months ended 30 June, Allkem reported revenue of US$770 million and a gross profit of US$605 million. This represents a 9x and 13x increase, respectively, over the prior corresponding period.

    This was driven by a combination of factors including sky high prices and the merger with Galaxy Resources.

    In respect to the former, Allkem averaged US$2,221 per tonne for its spodumene and US$23,398 per tonne for its lithium carbonate. This represents a 435% and 370% increase, respectively, over the same period last year.

    Mt Cattlin production guidance downgrade

    One slight disappointment that could be holding back the Allkem share price a touch today was its production outlook for the Mt Cattllin operation.

    It has downgraded its Mt Cattlin lithium spodumene production guidance for FY 2023 from the range of 160,000 to 170,000 tonnes to 140,000 to 150,000 tonnes. This reflects recent results from the operation, as well impacts from on-going labour shortages in Western Australia.

    The post Allkem share price higher following massive FY22 profit growth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Allkem 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 Scott Phillips.

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  • Is the Coles share price a buy following the company’s latest results?

    A couple in a supermarket laugh as they discuss which fruits and vegetables to buyA couple in a supermarket laugh as they discuss which fruits and vegetables to buy

    The Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price has dropped 6% since investors had a good look at the company’s FY22 results released yesterday.

    For investors who didn’t catch it, the business reported ongoing growth in revenue and profit.

    Let’s have a quick reminder of how Coles performed in the last financial year.

    Coles earnings recap

    Coles said its total revenue increased 2% to $39.4 billion. Its net profit after tax (NPAT) went up 4.3% to $1.05 billion and the earnings per share (EPS) increased 4.6% to 78.8 cents.

    However, it also revealed that earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) went up 0.2% to $3.44 billion. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) fell 0.2%.

    Part of the update included the progress made on its ‘smarter selling’ benefits. It noted it achieved $230 million of benefits in FY22 and it’s on track to deliver its four-year program of $1 billion in benefits by FY23.

    There was a bit of a difference in performance between the three core divisions.

    In terms of year-over-year sales growth, supermarkets saw 2.2% growth to $34.6 billion, liquor saw 2.5% growth to $3.6 billion, and Coles Express saw a sales decline of 5% to $1.1 billion.

    However, in EBIT terms, supermarket EBIT rose by 0.8% to $1.71 billion, liquor EBIT fell 1.2% to $163 million, and Coles Express EBIT dropped 37.3% to $42 million.

    What do experts make of the results and the Coles share price?

    Ratings agency S&P thinks Coles’ profit margin will hurt due to rising food costs, labour costs, and supply chain and energy prices combining to cause difficulties, according to reporting by The Australian.

    S&P is expecting Coles’ adjusted EBITDA to be “broadly flat” in FY23.

    S&P analysts Sam Playfair and Craig Parker said:

    The company’s ability to pass on supplier calls for price increases, and higher food and operating costs, to inflation-hit consumers will determine whether it can maintain stable EBIT margins.

    We expect discretionary spending to be spread thin during fiscal 2023 as consumers opt for more affordable items. As a result, we expect the challenge to remain competitive on price will rise.

    Cost-conscious consumers will hunt cheaper products; and this competition may cause promotional activity to rise, affecting EBIT margins and free cash flow. Under this scenario, we believe Coles would likely prioritise maintaining market share above profitability.

    However, other experts are positive on the business.

    For example, the broker Morgans rates Coles as add, with a share price target of $20. It likes that Coles’ earnings are pretty defensive, which means it should be able to do well even if the economy goes through some difficulties.

    The broker Citi also rates Coles shares a buy, with a price target of $20.10. It noted that Coles has been gaining market share recently.

    Don’t forget the dividend

    I think that one of the most underrated parts about Coles shares is the dividend.

    The dividend has been steadily growing since 2020. The FY22 full-year dividend was increased by 3.3% to 63 cents after a 7.1% rise in the final dividend to 30 cents per share.

    At the current Coles share price, that translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 5.1%. I think that’s a solid starting yield, with broker expectations of dividend growth in the coming years.

    The post Is the Coles share price a buy following the company’s latest results? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* Scott just revealed what he believes could be the “five best ASX stocks” for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

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    Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. 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 positions in and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday

    a line of buyers form a queue holding their phones to tap on a payment machine.

    a line of buyers form a queue holding their phones to tap on a payment machine.It’s been another pleasing day of green ink for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) so far this Thursday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 has gained a healthy 0.74% to around 7,050 points. No doubt that will be welcomed by investors who have watched the markets dip heavily this week.

    But let’s dig deeper into these market moves and check out the ASX 200 shares currently topping the market’s trading volume charts, according to investing.com.

    The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Thursday

    Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN)

    First up today is ASX 200 airline and national aviation icon Qantas. So far today, a decent 19.14 million Qantas shares have departed for a new destination. This one is fairly easy to figure out.

    It’s almost certain that the high volumes we are seeing are a consequence of the company’s pleasing 5.73% rise to $4.80 a share so far. Qantas dropped its full-year earnings report for FY2022 this morning, which investors have clearly taken a shine to.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    Next up this Thursday, we have ASX 200 lithium share Pilbara Minerals. So far today, a weighty 29.95 million Pilbara shares have been bought and sold on the markets. There’s been no new news out of the company today.

    However, Pilbara shares have been in the spotlight ever since its own earnings announcement was released on Tuesday this week, which might still be influencing volumes today. The company enjoyed two days of solid gains until now, but Pilbara shares are flat at present after some bouncing around and are now going for $3.47 each.

    Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)

    Finally this Thursday we have ASX 200 uranium share Paladin Energy. An eye-catching 38.81 million Paladin shares have swapped hands as it currently stands on the ASX today. This one is a rather strange case. There hasn’t been any news out of Paladin recently.

    But, as my Fool colleague Bernd covered this afternoon, that hasn’t stopped most ASX uranium shares from catching fire. Paladin itself is up a pleasing 10.88% at 82 cents each. This could be related to the recent announcement that the Japanese government is looking at restarting several nuclear reactors to shore up its power supplies.

    The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 Scott Phillips.

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