Once a week I like to look at ASIC’s short position report to find out which shares are being targeted by short sellers.

This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn’t quite right with a company.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) continues to be the most shorted ASX share with 16.8% of its shares held short. Short sellers may believe that rising living costs could impact consumer spending on leisure travel, slowing the travel market recovery.
• Betmakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET) has seen its short interest edge lower to 13.8%. Short sellers could be targeting this betting technology company due to its ongoing cash burn and the high multiples its shares trade on.
• Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) has short interest of 12.1%, which is down slightly week on week. This medical device company’s shares have come under pressure recently due to concerns over changes to its sales model in the United States. There are fears that taking things in-house could be disruptive and lead to higher costs.
• Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has seen its short interest ease to 11.1%. This medical device company’s poor performance over the last couple of years has been weighing on its shares.
• Block Inc (ASX: SQ2) has short interest of 9.7%, which is up week on week once again. Short sellers will have been pleased to see this payments company’s shares sink last week amid weakness in the tech sector.
• Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) has seen its short interest ease to 9.5%. Short sellers have been going after this artificial intelligence data services company due to its poor start to FY 2022.
• Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) has jumped back into the top ten with short interest of 9%. This ecommerce company’s shares have been sinking this year due to its poor inventory management, weak sales, Apple’s privacy changes, and rising competition from Amazon.
• Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING) has 9% of its shares held short, which is up week on week. This could have been caused by concerns that high input costs could impact margins.
• Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) has short interest of 9%, which is up week on week. This gold miner has been targeted due to concerns over labour shortages, cost pressures, and lower grades.
• EML Payments Ltd (ASX: EML) has short interest of 8.9%, which is flat week on week. This payments company’s surprisingly poor performance during the second half has hit investor sentiment hard.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week
• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares last week
• Why Block, Fortescue, GUD, and Humm shares are sinking today
• ASX 200 midday update: GUD crashes, tech shares tumble

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 positions in and has recommended Appen Ltd, Betmakers Technology Group Ltd, Block, Inc., EML Payments, Nanosonics Limited, and POLYNOVO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Block, Inc., EML Payments, and Nanosonics Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Betmakers Technology Group Ltd, Flight Centre Travel Group Limited, and Webjet Ltd. 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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Owners of AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) shares, rejoice. The company’s taking another step towards a green hydrogen-focused future.

It’s launching a study to consider transforming its Torrens Island site in South Australia into a renewable hydrogen hub.

The study – lead by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy giant – will consider input from a consortium of industry participants.

It’s just the latest potential green hydrogen hub to be flagged by the company. AGL is also considering producing the renewable commodity in the Hunter Valley.

At the time of writing, the AGL share price is $8.41, unchanged from Friday’s close. For context, the ASX 200 is slightly higher in early trading, gaining 0.18%.

AGL ramps up South Australian green hydrogen plan

AGL has flagged more green hydrogen plans, this time in South Australia. The company is looking into the feasibility of creating a renewable hydrogen hub and producing hydrogen-derived products at the site of its Torrens Island gas-fired power station.

The feasibility study will consider producing the energy commodity to serve both domestic and export markets. It will also map the project’s key operational and commercial plans and outline the development of a production timeline.  

AGL chief operating officer Markus Brokhof commented:

Whether it’s the early potential for co-firing hydrogen with our existing gas engines at Barker Inlet Power Station, the creation of 100% green gas networks for industry, or the development of low-carbon chemicals and future fuels right through to the production of green hydrogen for export, this feasibility study will explore it all.

The study will also benefit from input from key industry members across multiple sectors. They include the ASX 200’s Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW) and Adbri Ltd (ASX: ABC). Port operator Flinders Ports and other energy and renewables powerhouses such as Osaka Gas Australia and Spark Renewables will also be involved.

“With the strong support of large industry partners, AGL’s vision is to establish a clean hydrogen industry in Adelaide, and support the creation of an energy efficient, low-carbon ecosystem and circular economy,” Brokhof said.

“Torrens Island is perfectly positioned as a future energy hub with strong grid connectivity, access to South Australia’s growing renewable energy portfolio and firming technology, nearby industry and potential large green hydrogen users, a highly skilled local workforce, and connections to Port Adelaide with avenues for export.”

AGL share price snapshot

The AGL share price has outperformed the ASX 200 through 2022 so far.

The stock has gained 37% since the start of this year. Meanwhile, the index has slumped around 13%.

The AGL share price is also 9% lower than it was this time last year. In that time, the ASX 200 has dropped 12%.

The post Own AGL shares? Here’s what to know about the company’s latest green hydrogen push   appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Why is the AGL share price heading south on Friday?
• Energy crisis: Which is the better buy, AGL vs Origin?
• In the dark: ASX energy shares facing a perfect storm
• AGL share price unscathed by scrapped demerger. What’s going on?

Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper 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 Brickworks. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Brickworks. 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 PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) share price has started the week strongly.

In morning trade, the sports betting company’s shares are up 15% to $2.48.

Why is the PointsBet share price racing higher?

The catalyst for the rise in the PointsBet share price this morning has been news of a major strategic investment.

According to the release, SIG Sports Investment Corp (SIG) has invested $94.16 million into PointsBet via a placement of shares.

US-based SIG is one of the largest proprietary financial trading firms in the world, with additional business verticals encompassing derivatives market making, institutional brokerage, private equity, sports analytics and structured capital.

The release notes that SIG will receive 38,750,000 shares for its investment, which equates to a price of $2.43 per share. This represents a 13% premium to the PointsBet share price at Friday’s close or a 15% premium to its five-day VWAP.

This purchase makes SIG the company’s largest shareholder with a 12.8% stake.

In addition, PointsBet has signed an agreement with SIG’s Nellie Analytics business. This will see the two parties scope and develop the terms for Nellie Analytics to provide sports analytics and quantitative modelling services to complement PointsBet’s existing capabilities and accelerate its technology roadmap.

SIG co-founder and managing director Jeff Yass said: “After several years of thoroughly evaluating the North American sports betting market for the right partner, SIG Sports is pleased to have made what we consider to be a long-term investment in PointsBet.”

PointsBet Chairman Brett Paton echoed this sentiment. He said: “We are delighted to pair up with a visionary investor which has committed ongoing support and is eminently qualified in analytical trading in financial markets, and now in sports.”

Bonus options for shareholders

In other news, PointsBet has announced a pro-rata deferred bonus equity option (DBEO) issuance to eligible shareholders. This provides the company with the opportunity to raise up to approximately $150 million during the next two years.

According to the release, eligible shareholders will receive one DBEO for every 20.2 ordinary shares held at 7pm (AEST) on 5 July 2022 for nil consideration. Eligible shareholders do not need to take any action to be issued the bonus options.

After which, at any time up until 7 April 2024, PointsBet may elect, at its own discretion, to allow shareholders the right to exercise their DBEOs.

If this occurs, each DBEO will grant the shareholder the right to acquire $10 worth of PointsBet shares at a discount. That discount will be based on a rather convoluted process. The release explains:

Each DBEO will grant the holder the right to acquire A$10 worth of PointsBet ordinary shares at a 20% discount to the arithmetic average of the daily volume weighted average price per ordinary PointsBet share traded on the ASX during the ten (10) consecutive trading days commencing two (2) business days after the exercise period concludes.

The post PointsBet share price jumps 15% on SIG investment and bonus options news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Own Pointsbet shares? Here’s why the company rebuffed a Murdoch takeover approach
• Why BHP, Block, Harvey Norman, and PointsBet shares are sinking
• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week
• 9 ASX All Ords shares that could be stung by tax-loss selling
• Why these top brokers say the beaten-up PointsBet share price has 100% upside

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 positions in and has recommended Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price has fallen around 20% since the recent high in November 2021. One fund manager thinks that the healthcare business is an opportunity.

CSL is one of the biggest healthcare businesses in Australia, specialising in developing biotherapies and influenza vaccines.

Ben Clark from TMS Capital was talking with Livewire about the market volatility we’ve seen recently.

Clark suggests it’s a good time to be looking at higher-quality names that have been sold off.

Businesses with “pricing power, strong balance sheets and can grow despite what the economy will do” are the ones to focus on. Clark said to Livewire:

A lot of high-quality growth stocks are down at least 50% since 1 January. They’re, arguably, where you want to be in this uncertain environment, in companies that can grow between 10% and 30% regardless of what the economy does.

Focus on the long term

Clark has a portfolio of names, including CSL, that are viewed as high quality. They include ResMed (ASX: RMD), REA Group Limited (ASX: REA), SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

His advice for nervous investors is to invest for the longer term and not worry about what’s happening each week with the ASX share market.

If you’re in high-quality growth businesses, you can take a long-term view. If you’re in speculative stocks you do need to be worried, because there are a lot of businesses that might never come back.

But try not to react on a day-to-day basis, think truly five years ahead and stick to your plan.

Lower share prices hurt… but they could be opportunities

Understandably, some investors are finding this period a bit stressful. But for Clark, owning businesses like CSL makes it a bit easier to get through this period.

In his opinion, the CSL share price (and others) could recover nicely and grow from here.

Clark said, according to Livewire:

I’m not losing any sleep owning those businesses through this cycle – it’s not fun seeing the share prices lower than where they should be, but those companies will be significantly bigger from this point.

CSL expectations

While the company can’t make any commitments regarding the CSL share price, it has provided guidance about its expected FY22 net profit after tax (NPAT). The guidance is for NPAT of between US$2.15 billion to US$2.25 billion at constant currency. That includes $90 million to $110 million in transaction costs related to the agreement to acquire Vifor Pharma.

In mid-February, the ASX healthcare share noted that following initiatives it had implemented in its plasma collections network, collections had been improving and were expected to underpin “stronger sales” in its core plasma therapies. Strong influenza vaccine demand was helping Seqirus (which comes under the CSL group).

The acquisition of Vifor Pharma has been delayed. Vifor Pharma is a global specialty pharmaceutical company with “leadership in renal disease and iron deficiency”.

CSL share price valuation

According to CommSec, the CSL share price is valued at 36x FY22’s estimated earnings.

The post CSL share price ‘will be significantly bigger from this point’: fundie appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• Why I would invest $10,000 in these 3 ASX shares
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Down 5% so far this week, is the CSL share price a buying opportunity?
• Should you buy these top blue chip ASX 200 shares after the market selloff?

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 positions in and has recommended CSL Ltd. and ResMed Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed Inc. and Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited, REA Group Limited, and 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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I’m always on the hunt for ASX tech shares that look good for the long-term.

I think technology businesses in particular have advantages. For example, the intangible nature of what they offer can come with strong margins. It’s also easier for tech companies to expand because of how easy it is to replicate more software as opposed to what it takes to make and deliver a new car or table.

When ASX tech shares are a good value proposition, I think they are worthwhile pursuing.

With that in mind, I decided to invest in a parcel of shares of a tech business last week.

Bailador Technology Investments Ltd (ASX: BTI)

This is a listed company that invests in technology businesses — and it’s the one I invested in.

Bailador has a portfolio of around 10 names. The names in the portfolio can change over time as it divests some positions and invests in new positions.

It typically invests $5 million or more in businesses that are seeking growth state investment.

There are a few different areas it focuses on including software as a service (SaaS) and other subscription-based internet businesses, online marketplaces, software, e-commerce, high-value data, online education, telecommunication applications, and services.

What businesses is Bailador currently invested in?

These are the current names in the ASX tech share’s holdings: Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR), InstantScripts, Rezdy, Access Telehealth, Nosto, Straker Translations Ltd (ASX: STG), Mosh and Brosa.

Let’s take a quick look at what those businesses do.

Siteminder is described as a world leader in hotel management and distribution solutions for online accommodation bookings.

InstantScripts is a digital platform that enables “convenient” access to high-quality doctor care and routine prescription and medication.

Rezdy is described as a fast-growing online channel manager and booking software platform for tours and activities.

Access Telehealth is a specialist telehealth platform connecting Australian communities to high-quality healthcare.

Nosto is described as an AI-powered e-commerce personalisation platform.

Straker Translations is a digital language translation services provider.

Mosh is described as a digital healthcare brand making men’s health and wellness easily accessible through subscription treatment plans.

Finally, Brosa is a vertically integrated furniture brand and online retailer.

Investment strategy

There are a few different things that Bailador looks for.

Typically, the ASX tech share picks companies that:

• Are run by the founders
• Have been operating for two to six years
• Have “proven” business models with attractive unit economics
• Are demonstrating international revenue generation
• Have a huge market opportunity
• Have the ability to generate repeat revenue

When combining those factors, the businesses in question would seem very compelling.

Why I invested in Bailador

One of the key reasons that I decided to go for Bailador is the lower Bailador share price. It’s down materially despite the fact that the underlying businesses are growing nicely.

In 2021, the Bailador portfolio companies produced an average 43% revenue growth yet, since the start of November 2021, Bailador shares have declined 27%. However, the company is up slightly over the last month.

Another reason for the investment was the current valuation. The current Bailador share price is at a 22% discount to the post-tax net tangible assets (NTA) per share. I think that’s an attractive valuation, giving investors like me a margin of safety with the investment.

Also, the underlying value of Bailador’s NTA is not just in unlisted tech shares which could now be worth less after the volatility on share markets.

Bailador can point to a majority asset backing from cash (predominately after selling its stake in Instaclustr) and the listed shares of Siteminder and Straker. The value of those ASX shares and the cash is very easy to see and compare that value to the Bailador share price.

Finally, Bailador’s new dividend policy of 4% of the company’s pre-tax NTA, as well as a FY22 special dividend worth 2% of pre-tax NTA, is attractive to me as it unlocks the value of its assets for shareholders, providing cash returns.

The post This ASX tech share has been quietly gaining over the past month. Here’s why I just bought in appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why Bailador, Fortescue, Nufarm, and Telstra shares are rising
• 2 ASX shares I think are great long-term buys

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Bailador Technology Investments Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Bailador Technology Investments Limited and SiteMinder Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Bailador Technology Investments Limited and Straker Translations. 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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Shares in BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) have tumbled this month followed by sharp volatility across the ASX.

At Friday’s market close, the BHP share price dipped 3.39% to $42.52 apiece. This means its shares are now down 8% in the past week.

BHP decides to keep thermal coal asset

Senior management’s decision to retain BHP’s New South Wales Energy Coal (NSWEC) business could provide a short-term EBITDA boost.

Thermal coal prices have accelerated since the Russian war in Ukraine which is providing a fruitful cash injection.

As reported by the Australian Financial Review, Macquarie analysts sent a note out to its clients with a positive outlook.

As such, the broker believes that favourable commodity prices could spruce up another US$1.3 billion ($A1.85 billion) in EBITDA for BHP.

From August 2018 to August 2020, there was continued downward pressure on thermal coal prices, with consecutive falls month-on-month. This led NSWEC’s Mt Arthur coal mine in Hunter Valley to record an EBITDA loss during FY19 and FY20.

A perfect storm of port delays and increasing costs also weighed down the mine’s operating performance.

However, things have begun to turn around for BHP’s thermal coal asset as prices have reached record highs this year.

Last week, the company announced it will take the NSWEC Mt Arthur coal mine off the market. The decision was made after an unsuccessful 2-year search for a buyer as well as a change in trading conditions.

Macquarie assumes that NSWEC might contribute up to 6% of BHP’s estimated group EBITDA in FY23. And this could reach 8% if spot prices for thermal coal continue to accelerate.

Touching on the projections for BHP’s NSWEC, Macquarie analysts commented:

The material valuation change reflects our conservative long-term energy coal-price assumptions. At a flat thermal-coal price of US$100/t, the asset would have a NPV that is close to zero.

BHP noted that it will pursue obtaining mining permits to carry on its operations at Mt Arthur until 2030.

BHP share price summary

A choppy 12 months has caused the BHP share price to register nil gains for the period.

However, year-to-date, the company’s shares are up 15% on the back of the commodity boom.

BHP commands a market capitalisation of approximately $215.25 billion.

The post Own BHP shares? Here’s why the miner could be set for a $1.85 billion boost appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• BHP share price ends Friday’s session 8% lower for the week
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• ‘Force them to give us a discount’: ASX 200 mining shares lift despite China’s latest move to curb iron ore prices
• ASX 200 midday update: BHP’s NSW coal update, Link takeover on the rocks
• Why I think the BHP share price is a good buy for the long term

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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The Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) share price has been losing signal with market sentiment in the last couple of months.

Since mid-April, the Aussie Broadband share price has declined by almost 50%. In other words, the telco’s share price has halved.

However, some experts are viewing this as an opportunity to buy shares of the fast-growing telecommunications company.

How fast is the company growing?

The latest that investors have heard from the company was its FY22 third-quarter update.

At 31 March 2022, Aussie Broadband said that it had 548,911 active total broadband services. This was an increase of 11% quarter on quarter and a 47% increase year on year.

That total broadband number included 446,814 residential active services. This was a 6% rise quarter on quarter and a 32% rise year on year.

But the business has more services than just broadband. Another area is a small but growing mobile segment. Aussie Broadband had around 35,000 mobile services as at 31 March 2022. That was a 9% increase year on year and a 62% rise year on year.

The company reported that its total number of all active services was 697,083, up 10% quarter on quarter and up 42% year on year. Growth can have an important influence on the Aussie Broadband share price.

Over The Wire acquisition

Aussie Broadband acquired the diversified telecommunications business Over The Wire earlier this year. The business is a tier one voice provider, and offers a “range of tailored cloud, connect and collaborate solutions to business, government and enterprise customers”.

The ASX share is targeting annual cost synergies of between $8 million to $12 million within three years, ongoing replacement capital expenditure savings, and significant strategic benefits.

It has already achieved early synergy wins such as moving a significant portion of voice traffic onto the Over The Wire tier one voice network. This has resulted in around $3 million of annualised earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) synergies already being actioned.

For the three and a half months that Aussie Broadband will have owned Over The Wire in FY22, it’s expected to generate around $11 million of EBITDA. Including that figure, Aussie Broadband is expecting to make full-year EBITDA (before transaction costs) of between $38 million to $39 million.

Broker ratings on the Aussie Broadband share price

Ord Minnett currently rates the business as a buy, with a price target of $5.10. That implies a possible upside of more than 60%. The broker notes that the ASX telco share continues to capture market share.

Credit Suisse is another broker that rates the business as a buy, with a price target of $5, suggesting a possible upside of around 60%. It thinks the decline of the Aussie Broadband share price has been too hard.

The post Down 47% in 2 months, is the Aussie Broadband share price an opportunity calling? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Aussie Broadband share price dips despite telco named ‘Australia’s most trusted’
• Down 20% in 2022, is the Aussie Broadband share price a no-brainer buy?
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

JPMorgan Chase 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 positions in and has recommended Aussie Broadband Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Aussie Broadband 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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The Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) share price has been having a tough time of late.

Due to the market volatility, this lithium producer’s shares have lost 25% of their value since this time last month.

In light of this, some investors may be wondering if the Allkem share price weakness has created a buying opportunity.

Is the Allkem share price good value now?

According to a note out of Bell Potter this morning, its analysts have reiterated their buy rating with a trimmed price target of $17.53.

Based on the current Allkem share price of $9.85, this implies potential upside of 78% for investors over the next 12 months.

Why is the broker bullish?

Bell Potter is bullish on Allkem due to its equally bullish view on lithium prices.

Unlike some analysts, the team at Bell Potter is expecting lithium prices to remain strong for the foreseeable future thanks to market deficits caused by increasing demand for the battery making material.

Combined with its growing production, the broker expects this to boost Allkem’s cash generation and profits materially in the coming years.

Bell Potter explained:

We expect AKE’s near term cash generation to lift substantially into 2023 as strength in lithium commodity indices flows through to lagged realised prices. AKE is aiming to maintain 10% share of supply in a global lithium market experiencing unprecedented growth; it has a portfolio of growth projects, balance sheet strength and cash flow from existing projects to achieve this. On our estimates, lithium demand will lift from current levels of around 500ktpa to over 1.1Mtpa in 2025 and more than 3.2Mtpa by 2030, driving market deficits and strong lithium pricing.

As for its profits, the broker is forecasting a reported net profit of US$309 million in FY 2022. After which, it expects Allkem’s net profit to lift to US$680 million in FY 2023 and US$912 million in FY 2024.

All in all, this could make Allkem a share to consider if you’re looking for lithium exposure.

The post Top broker tips Allkem share price to jump 80% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Mineral Monday: What you need to know about lithium and which ASX shares are cashing in on it
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• The lithium and iron ore ASX shares that I like right now: expert
• 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares that leapt more than 10% on Thursday
• Why’s the Allkem share price flaring higher today?

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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The Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK) has fallen in value by more than 20% over the last couple of months. It has been a difficult time for the HACK exchange-traded fund (ETF), as it has for many businesses.

When companies fall in value, it is worth considering whether an investment is more attractive or not. The situation with inflation and interest rates is capturing many headlines.

Only time will tell when will inflation slow and how high interest rates have to go to help cool the economy.

The cybersecurity industry is seeing long-term growth as businesses, governments, and households look to protect themselves. In 2018, the global cybersecurity market was worth around US$152 billion. By 2023, it’s expected (according to Statista) to reach US$248.3 billion.

With that underlying growth in mind, is the HACK ETF now an attractive opportunity?

The HACK ETF was rated as a buy

In mid-April 2022, one expert said that the Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF is worth a spot in every investor’s portfolio.

Felicity Thomas from Shaw and Partners said in a Livewire interview that the HACK ETF was her pick:

The reason I’ve chosen this is because cybercrime is meant to cost the world $10.5 trillion by 2025, which is huge. It also has amazing names in it like CrowdStrike. In a connected world where everyone is attached to their devices, it’s becoming the biggest problem that we’re all facing.

The HACK ETF has dropped around 20% since the date of that positive commentary from Thomas.

What’s in the portfolio?

Thomas alluded to some “amazing names” in the portfolio, so let’s look at the biggest positions in the portfolio.

On 16 June 2022, these were the biggest holdings and their weightings:

• Crowdstrike (6.5%)
• Palo Alto Networks (6.4%)
• Cisco Systems (6.3%)
• Zscaler (4.6%)
• Booz Allen Hamilton (4%)
• VMware (4%)
• Leidos (3.8%)
• Sailpoint Technologies (3.6%)
• Juniper Networks (3.3%)
• Check Point Software (3.3%)

There are a total of 40 positions in the ETF.

How has it performed?

Past performance is certainly no guarantee of future performance. However, when including the annual management fee of 0.67%, investors can see that it returned an average of 15.9% per annum in the five years to 31 May 2022.

However, the six months to 31 May 2022 showed a drop of 18.3% for the Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF. HACK ETF shares are currently valued at $8.19.

The post Down 23% since mid-April, is the HACK ETF a golden opportunity? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 positions in and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS, Cisco Systems, and CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended VMware. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. 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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There are several dozen ASX shares that are on the hunt for lithium. A handful of others are in the pre-production stages.

But only three ASX shares are currently actually producing the metal.

We take a look at those below.

But first…

What is lithium?

Lithium is a lightweight, malleable alkali metal, silvery in colour.

Historically it’s been used to increase the heat resistance of glass and ceramics. Lithium salts are also used as antidepressants.

But it’s lithium’s high level of heat and electricity conductivity that has seen demand boom alongside the fast-growing lithium-ion battery market. Batteries that power most every electric vehicle (EV) on the road.

Lithium’s crucial role in the transition to renewables has seen the Australian government list the metal as a critical mineral.

The metal is primarily mined from ore and brines, with Australia, Chile, China and Argentina holding the largest deposits.

The government reports that Australia has high geological potential for lithium, with a 2020 Economic Demonstrated Resource of 6.17 million tonnes. In 2020, Australia produced 40,000 tonnes of lithium out of total global production of 82,000 tonnes.

So, which three ASX shares are producing lithium?

Three ASX shares cashing in on lithium

Taking them in alphabetical order, we start with Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE), former known as Orocobre.

Allkem has a market cap of just under $6.6 billion. Based in Brisbane, its projects are primarily located in Argentina. The company supplies lithium carbonate to a variety of industrial and technical sectors, supplying roughly 10% of the global lithium market.

Allkem claims to be among the lowest-cost lithium producers in the world. The company intends to ramp up production by three times its current levels by 2026.

The Allkem share price is up 72% over the past 12 months.

The second ASX share already producing lithium is Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN), with a market cap of $10.1 billion.

Though you may think of Mineral Resources as a mining services company, which it is, the company also has a large footprint in the lithium space. Its operations in Western Australia are Mt Marion, located in the Goldfields; and Wodgina, in the Pilbara region.

The company mines and produces both direct shipping ore lithium and spodumene concentrate.

The Mineral Resources share price is up 8% since this time last year.

Moving on to our third ASX share in the production stage for lithium, we have Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS), which has a market cap of $6.3 billion.

Pilbara’s flagship Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project is also located in the Pilbara region of WA.

Pilgangoora project counts amongst the largest hard-rock lithium-tantalum deposits in the world. Pilbara Minerals has big expansion plans for the project. It forecasts spodumene concentrate capacity at Pilgangoora to increase to 560,000 to 580,000 dry metric tonnes (dmt) this year.

The Pilbara share price is up 57% over the past 12 months.

The post Mineral Monday: What you need to know about lithium and which ASX shares are cashing in on it appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• The lithium and iron ore ASX shares that I like right now: expert
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday
• Why I think the Pilbara Minerals share price is currently undervalued
• 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares that leapt more than 10% on Thursday

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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