While past performance is no indicator of future potential, it is often comforting to know that a particular business has a culture of building success and a knowledgeable management team.

And this assurance has never been more critical than right now, when all sorts of economic headwinds are buffeting all ASX shares.

Ord Minnett senior investment advisor Tony Paterno picked out a couple of such examples to buy this week:

A potential market-breaking product

Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) briefly became one of the four biggest banks in Australia last year when the share price sailed above $200.

But after the close of market on Monday, it sat at $161.50 after falling 21.3% year-to-date.

For Paterno this is a nice buy-the-dip opportunity, as the banking giant has a potentially massive product release coming.

“This diversified financial services group plans to increase the interest rate it pays on everyday transaction accounts to 1.50%, a premium of 145 basis points to the average market rate,” he told The Bull.

“After disrupting the home loan market in recent years, this could have an impact on the deposit market if it gains traction.”

Another tailwind is that this month the bank may need to reportedly buy some of its own shares to fulfil its employee bonus commitments.

The professional community is mostly bullish on Macquarie shares, with CMC Markets showing nine out of 15 analysts rating them as a strong buy.

Macquarie, dubbed “the Millionaires’ Factory” for the way it rewards its staff, has also made many investors rich over the years. The stock is up almost 80% over the past five years and about 540% over the last decade.

Ready to get rich with these guys again?

Another ASX share that’s handsomely rewarded investors over the long term is real estate classifieds site REA Group Limited (ASX: REA).

The stock price is up a stunning 629% over the past 10 years, despite almost halving this year.

According to Paterno, it’s time to take a look at REA shares again as the company is targeting double-digit revenue and earnings growth.

“This will require higher investment spending,” he said.

“Capital expenditure guidance was increased to between 7% and 9% of sales. The historical average is between 6% and 8%.”

With property prices falling in Australia, he admitted it does face challenges in the short term.

“In our view, listing headwinds are likely to persist, although double-digit yield growth should act as a key offset.”

A Market Matters report earlier this month identified REA as one of the stocks to pick up for cheap after end-of-financial-year tax-loss selling.

“This is a quality, almost monopolistic-style business with some useful pricing power, but it currently is in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

The post 2 powerhouse ASX shares going for dirt cheap right now: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Top broker tips 30% upside for the Macquarie share price
• Why has the REA share price crashed by 40% in 2022?
• Why Macquarie shares could be set for a $570m tailwind
• 2 blue chip ASX 200 shares that Goldman Sachs rates as buys
• 3 ASX shares to pounce on after tax-loss selling: report

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited and REA Group 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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Are you looking for dividend shares to add to your income portfolio this week? If you are, then the two listed below could be worth considering.

Here’s what you need to know about these buy-rated dividend shares:

Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN)

The first ASX dividend share to look at is Mineral Resources. It is a mining and mining services company with exposure to two in-demand commodities – iron ore and lithium.

It is because of this exposure and its production growth plans that Goldman Sachs is very bullish on Mineral Resources. It currently has a buy rating and $73.00 price target.

Goldman is forecasting the “more than doubling of group EBITDA to over A$2bn in FY23 driven by higher lithium and low grade iron ore prices, and a 5% increase to mining services volumes to ~300Mt.”

In respect to dividends, Goldman expects this to lead to fully franked dividends of 64 cents per share in FY 2022 and then 244 cents per share in FY 2023. Based on the latest Mineral Resources share price of $48.31, this will mean yields of 1.3% and 5%, respectively.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Another ASX dividend share that could be in the buy zone is Wesfarmers. It is the conglomerate behind businesses including Bunnings, Catch, Covalent Lithium, Kmart, Officeworks, and Priceline.

Its shares have been hit hard this year amid concerns that rising inflation and interest rates could impact consumer spending. However, the team at Morgans aren’t concerned and recently reiterated their add rating and $58.40 price target on its shares.

Its analysts believe Wesfarmers’ Kmart business is well-placed in the current environment. They explained:

With value expected to become increasingly important, we think Kmart is well-placed to benefit with the average price of an item at around $6-7.

As for dividends, the broker is forecasting a fully franked dividend of $1.65 per share in FY 2022 and then a $1.81 per share dividend in FY 2023. Based on the current Wesfarmers share price of $42.40, this equates to yields of 3.9% and 4.25%, respectively, over the next two financial years.

The post Here are 2 ASX dividend shares that analysts rate as buys this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why is the Wesfarmers share price having such a stellar start to the week?
• Mineral Monday: What you need to know about lithium and which ASX shares are cashing in on it
• Morgans tips 40% upside for the Wesfarmers share price
• Why I think these 2 ASX 200 dividend shares offer great buying right now
• 2 ASX companies busted for sneaky facial recognition on customers

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 positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers 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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In uncertain times with interest rates rising, rampant inflation and a recession threatening, it might be a prudent idea to turn to quality ASX shares.

Quality can be defined in different ways though.

It could mean that the company is a leader in its field. It could be that the business is profitable and runs with plenty of cash.

Baker Young managed portfolio analyst Toby Grimm this week nominated a couple of examples of these quality ASX stocks that are worth buying:

‘Oversold’ stock that’s a ‘global leader’

Shareholders for construction materials supplier James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX) have watched in horror as the stock price halved this year.

“The stock has materially underperformed in 2022 compared to domestic peers that have been favoured on a relatively stronger outlook,” Grimm told The Bull.

But considering the company’s strong position in its industry, he reckons this presents a golden buying opportunity.

“We believe the shares have been oversold, and price weakness provides an opportunity to gain exposure to a global leader at relatively attractive prices.”

Grimm is not the only one thinking James Hardie shares are a bargain.

According to CMC Markets, a stunning 10 out of 14 analysts rate the stock as a strong buy. Two of the remaining four reckon James Hardie’s a moderate buy.

“It’s fallen far enough now that, particularly in that growth part of the market for a business of that quality, it looks good value,” Sage Capital portfolio manager Sean Fenton told Livewire last week.

‘Appealing value at current levels’

Despite worries about an economic downturn, gaming manufacturer Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) seems to be a favourite among analysts at the moment.

And Grimm is no exception, saying its interim result was “above expectations”.

“Operating revenue of $2.745 billion for the six months to March 31, 2022, was up 23.1% on the prior corresponding period,” he said.

“Net profit after tax [NPAT] of $530.7 million was up 46.5%.”

The stock has discounted almost 28% since the start of the year, which adds to the appeal for Grimm.

“A strong balance sheet underpins share buy-backs in a company we believe offers appealing value at current levels.”

Among those who agree with Grimm are T Rowe Price Group Inc (NASDAQ: TROW) head of Australian equities Randal Jenneke and Morgans advisor Jabin Hallihan.

“We’re forecasting 16% growth in earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation in the coming year,” said Hallihan.

“The slot machine maker remains a high-quality growth business with long-term opportunities.”

The post ‘Global leader at attractive prices’: expert names 2 ASX shares to buy now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Experts name 3 ASX growth shares to buy with enormous upside potential
• 2 ASX shares to benefit from strong US dollar: expert
• 2 ASX tech shares brokers rate as buys this month
• Why the James Hardie share price has ‘fallen far enough’: fundie
• 3 ASX shares to buy for scary times: experts

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo 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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Ask A Fund Manager

The Motley Fool chats with the best in the industry so that you can get an insight into how the professionals think. In this edition, U Ethical chief investment officer Jon Fernie picks three ASX shares that will play great defence and are ethical to boot.

Investment style

The Motley Fool: How would you describe your fund to a potential client?

Jon Fernie: We’ve got the U Ethical Australian Equity Trust — they’re style agnostic funds and managed to provide investors with capital growth and income. And we integrate ESG and ethical considerations and fundamental analysis. 

We’re mainly invested in large-cap stocks and believe that investing in quality ethical companies with reasonable valuations will deliver competitive returns over the longer term. 

Probably the other thing to add is, as an ethical fund manager, we screen out stocks which we view as harmful to society in the environment. Then we also look to hold stocks that have a positive impact and also take an active stewardship approach through proxy voting engagement with companies and also industry collaborations.

MF: Do you think the recent power crisis in eastern Australia has acted as a bit of a wake-up call for the underinvestment in renewables?

JF: Yeah, definitely. You can see that there’s not just what’s happened within Australia, but obviously more broadly on a global scale with the conflict in the Ukraine, and you can see the dependency on fossil fuels in Europe. That probably highlighted the need for energy independence, but also that transition to renewable assets.

Hottest ASX shares

MF: What are the three best ASX share buys right now?

JF: The first one that we highlight is Brambles Limited (ASX: BXB). We see this logistics business as well managed with relatively defensive earnings. They’ve got a leading market position globally and trade on reasonable multiples. 

I think the market’s a bit concerned about a plastic pallets trial that they’re doing with Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST), and we think that’s a bit overdone. 

Positively, we’ve seen a significant drop in lumber prices, which is a key input for them, and the stock’s also potentially a takeover target and has had some preliminary discussions with a suitor.

MF: It’s held its value pretty well this year, hasn’t it?

JF: It has, partly because of the rumours, and it’s not as down as significantly as some other stocks in the market, but it’s still, over the last 12 months, down circa 10%. 

MF: I didn’t realise until you mentioned it just now that lumber prices are actually down. It must be the only commodity that’s down this year.

JF: Yeah. They’ve come off significantly.

MF: Why is that? Is there an oversupply?

JF: Yeah. I think that there’s… concerns with housing in the US, and that’s a key driver of lumber prices.

MF: And the second-best buy?

JF: Second one is Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN). We continue to like the general insurers at the moment. We’ve obviously seen a big spike in terms of longer term bond yields, and they’re going to be key beneficiaries of that, given their investment portfolios. 

While claims inflation is likely to remain high, they’ve also seen really strong premium rate increases across most categories. And if you take a stock such as Suncorp, they’re now trading on a forward dividend yield of close to 6%.

MF: 6%? Wow, that’s not bad. The insurance sector loves it when interest rates go up, doesn’t it?

JF: Yeah, they’re pretty leveraged to the rise in interest rates, given their investment portfolios.

MF: Your third pick?

JF: The third one is Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL). So a well-run business with diverse global operations and it hasn’t been sold off as dramatically as some other stocks in the market — off [about] 10% in the last month.

And we’re going to see their earnings normalised [after the company] benefited a lot from the COVID PCR testing, and that’s going to drop off. But we’re also going to see an improvement in their core business volumes and think that, generally, their earnings are going to be pretty resilient if we see a weaker global economy.

MF: I see that one’s also a dividend payer as well.

JF: Yeah. But they’re not quite as attractive as Suncorp’s — their dividend yield is just below 4% at the moment.

The post 3 dividend-paying and ethical ASX shares to buy now: fund manager appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Why this top broker tips 20% upside for the Sonic Healthcare share price
• Buy these 2 quality ASX 200 shares: broker
• Why I think the Sonic Healthcare share price is a buy
• I’d invest $5,000 into these excellent ASX shares for the long term

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo 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 Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sonic Healthcare 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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On Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the week with a day in the red. The benchmark index fell 0.65% to 6,433.4 points.

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

ASX 200 expected to rebound

The Australian share market looks set for a better day on Tuesday following a strong start to the week in Europe. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 48 points or 0.75% higher. Wall Street was closed for the Juneteenth public holiday, but the DAX rose 1.05% and London’s FTSE climbed 1.5%.

Altium rated as a buy

The Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) share price could be good value according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning the broker retained its buy rating but trimmed its price target down to $34.00. Bell Potter has suggested that Altium would know by now if it were going to miss its guidance for the full year. Therefore, its analysts believe that “no new is good news” for investors.

Oil prices push higher

Energy producers such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a decent day after oil prices pushed higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.65% to US$110.27 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price has risen 1% to US$114.21 a barrel. Traders were buying oil again after a sharp decline over recent sessions amid demand concerns.

Gold price flat

Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) could have a subdued day after the gold price traded broadly flat overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.05% to US$1,840.7 an ounce. A strong US dollar is weighing on the safe haven asset.

Premier Investments goes ex-dividend

The Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV) share price could trade lower on Tuesday. This is because the retail conglomerate’s shares are due to trade ex-dividend for its upcoming interim dividend. Shareholders can now look forward to receiving the Smiggle owner’s 46 cents per share fully franked dividend on 27 July.

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

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• Why did the Santos share price sink 6% today?
• Will Westpac shares really pay a 9.6% dividend yield next year?
• Why Bega, Fortescue, Santos, and Silver Lake shares are tumbling lower
• Why are ASX 200 bank shares having such a cracking start to the week?
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Monday

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 Altium. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Premier Investments 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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If you’re looking to take advantage of the weakness in the tech sector in 2022, then you may want to look at the two ASX tech shares listed below.

These shares have been given buy ratings by the team at Goldman Sachs. Here’s why it rates them highly:

Nitro Software Ltd (ASX: NTO)

The first ASX tech share to look at is Nitro Software. It is aiming to drive digital transformation in organisations around the world with its Nitro Productivity Suite.

Nitro’s suite provides integrated PDF productivity and electronic signature tools to customers through a horizontal, software-as-a-service, and desktop-based software solution.

Goldman Sachs is a big fan of Nitro. It currently has a buy rating and $2.35 price target on its shares. This is based on the broker’s belief that it can grow materially over the next couple of decades.

It commented: “We estimate Nitro can increase its TAM penetration from 0.15% to 1.4% by FY40 implying 9x uplift to Nitro’s current revenue base.”

Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

Another ASX tech share that Goldman Sachs is very bullish on is Xero.

Xero is a provider of a cloud-based business and accounting solution to small and medium sized businesses. It has a strong position in the ANZ and UK markets and a growing presence in other markets including the United States.

The company has been growing strongly over the last few years and has been tipped to continue this trend in the coming years by Goldman. This is being supported by its international expansion, acquisitions, the transition to the cloud, price increases, and its burgeoning app ecosystem.

Goldman currently has a buy rating and $118.00 price target on Xero’s shares.

Its analysts are forecasting a 26% increase in revenue to NZ1,387.1 million in FY 2023. After which, it expects revenue to grow to NZ$1,680.2 million in FY 2024 and then NZ$1,975.8 million in FY 2025.

The post 2 ASX tech shares Goldman Sachs rates as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Is it time to go bargain hunting for ASX shares?
• 2 ASX tech shares brokers rate as buys this month
• ASX 200 midday update: GUD crashes, tech shares tumble
• Why I think the Xero share price is now too compelling to ignore
• Brokers name 2 exciting small cap ASX shares to buy with 80%+ 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 Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nitro Software 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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This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The stock market’s recent rout has distracted investors from taking note of some of the big cultural and technological megatrends. But those trends are still underway, translating into opportunities for investors who can look past all the noise.

One compelling megatrend to plug into is the metaverse. It’s a market that Bloomberg Intelligence estimates will grow at an average annual pace of 13% through 2024, when it will be worth nearly $800 billion.

Let’s take a closer look at three beaten-down names with at least a small stake in the metaverse arena. These small stakes, of course, can evolve into major profit centers as the metaverse market matures.

1. Nvidia

You most likely know Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) as a maker of graphics processors used to connect a computer to a computer screen. The same tech also powers a bunch of artificial intelligence initiatives. But the metaverse? What can this company do to help build the world’s virtual meeting places?

It’s actually a pretty intuitive fit. A functioning virtual world doesn’t just require a network of computers — the metaverse is first and foremost a visual connection among metaverse users. To be effective, this world must be able to instantaneously deliver computer-based imagery to a set of goggles worn by a user. Nvidia’s graphics card expertise is perfectly suited for the task.

In fact, it already has a program for it. It’s called Omniverse. Introduced in late 2020 and well supported with additional tools aimed at engineers released in the meantime, the company calls Omniverse an “easily extensible platform for 3D design collaboration and scalable multi-GPU, real-time, true-to-reality simulation.”

In other words, if you want to build virtual world, you can use Omniverse to do it.

Omniverse is meant to be more collaborative than fun, and work more as a training and/or prototyping tool. Its earliest adopters being companies looking to design a virtual product or process rather than risk valuable resources only to end up with a not-quite-right outcome. There’s nothing to say, however, the tech can’t be expanded on and serve more entertainment-oriented uses.

It’s a minimal part of Nvidia’s revenue mix right now — so small the company doesn’t even break the numbers out, instead lumping it into its data center results. In this light, Nvidia doesn’t fully qualify as a metaverse stock. 

That’s changing pretty quickly though. In January, Nvidia announced Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) — the company formerly known as Facebook as well as the company arguably leading the metaverse charge — is buying 16,000 Nvidia-made A100 processors designed from the ground up to handle artificial intelligence workloads. Much of Meta’s intended workload will be building its own metaverse platform, underscoring the idea that Nvidia is becoming a serious metaverse name. In the meantime, reliable revenue from all of its other established businesses like data centers, video gaming, and professional visualizations means the company’s metaverse efforts don’t have to be rushed. It’s these other businesses, in fact, that are apt to help Nvidia shares reverse their current downtrend sooner than later.

2. Microsoft

Nvidia isn’t the only metaverse stock on the defensive here. Microsoft‘s (NASDAQ: MSFT) stock price is down 27% year to date, ushered lower by the broad market’s bearish tide. Once investors realize this company’s sales are still expected to grow 18% this year and 14% next year (because the world’s not ready to give up its computers or the software they run), however, the pullback could be mentally reframed as a buying opportunity. 

Microsoft’s entry into the metaverse race is similar to Nvidia’s, although not identical. Whereas Nvidia’s Omniverse is largely a developmental platform, Microsoft Mesh is a turn-key product meant to let users of Microsoft Teams meet with one another virtually. Mesh can help co-workers collaborate on product design, but the company says its chief goal is facilitating “eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures so your personality shines.” The company is building the user tech needed to make the most of Mesh as well. Its HoloLens is a pair of augmented reality glasses rather than full-blown immersive goggles, meant to help team members simultaneously see and discuss manufacturing, engineering, and even healthcare matters. 

Mesh and HoloLens are currently aimed at businesses rather than individual consumers, although it’s not inconceivable this underlying tech could eventually make its way into consumers’ hands so as to expand its use case. Microsoft’s newer Xbox gaming consoles are already capable of delivering a virtual reality experience with third-party VR goggles. Connecting the two different platforms into a metaverse-minded offering would be a relatively short leap.

Like Nvidia, Microsoft’s current metaverse revenue is so modest that it’s not even detailed within its quarterly reports. Also like Nvidia, however, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The company’s software and cloud computing profits are poised to spark a rebound rally well before Microsoft’s metaverse initiatives start to bear meaningful fruit.

3. Matterport

Finally, add Matterport (NASDAQ: MTTR) to your list of metaverse stocks primed for a bull run after a sizable setback.

Matterport isn’t a household name. Indeed, with a market cap of only around $1 billion, it’s likely many consumers haven’t even heard of it. Of the three names in focus here, however, it’s by far the purest metaverse play.

In simplest terms, Matterport makes 3D cameras and related equipment, including the software and online storage needed to get the most out of its hardware. Its strong suit is turning real indoor spaces into digital rooms that can be virtually, remotely explored. That’s why the real estate industry has wholeheartedly embraced the technology — would-be homebuyers can look at a home without actually being there. The potential uses of its solutions, however, are almost limitless. Retailers, insurers, and even architects and engineers are finding that its know-how can make tasks much easier to complete remotely.

While it’s one of the few pure metaverse plays out there, know that it’s also a riskier prospect than Microsoft or Nvidia. Namely, Matterport is still unprofitable. It’s improving in this regard: Revenue is expected to grow by 15% this year before accelerating to the tune of 41%, which should improve this year’s loss of $0.49 to a lesser loss of $0.37 in 2023. Any company still suffering losses 10 years into its existence, however, is a name to keep on a short leash; this may be a big reason shares were so easily upended when stocks as a whole started to tank early this year.

It’s just got too much upside potential to ignore after its recent pullback, though, with analysts collectively more bullish than not on it, and saying on average that it’s worth $9 per share. That’s more than twice the stock’s current price of $3.85. 

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post 3 top Metaverse stocks ready for a bull run appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why this ASX small-cap share is rocketing 107% higher today
• How to increase your dividend income without lifting a finger

James Brumley 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 Microsoft and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. 

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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The Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) share price broke to its lowest level since August 2021 on Monday.

At the closing bell, shares in the uranium producer finished at 57 cents apiece, cascading 13% from their previous close. In turn, the Langer Heinrich mine owner has etched a path to the downside to the magnitude of 40% since the start of the year.

Yet, the astute investor would have noticed there wasn’t any news out from Paladin Energy today. So, what could have drained the mining company of its enthusiasm today?

Paladin Energy share price tailwinds settle

Over the last few weeks, uranium has come into the spotlight as Australia faced off against its own energy crisis. The collapse of gas retailers and the U-turning of customers by some electricity retailers were the indicators of a failing energy market.

During this time, the old debate over whether Australia should consider nuclear energy as an alternative energy source reignited. Around the same time, the Biden administration advocated for lawmakers to follow through with a US$4.3 billion plan to do away with its uranium imports from Russia.

Ultimately, ASX-listed uranium shares picked up steam as the market began to bake in the chances of developed countries turning to an Australian supply of energy-rich uranium. However, today, those chances appear to have evaporated somewhat.

In an address today, Energy Minister Chris Bowen hinted that the worst of the situation is behind us, stating:

This is the system working. We have some way to go on; there’s no complacency. We’re very alive to the risks that remain in the system. […] we stood at a situation where load shedding was indeed looking likely, that blackouts were possible and we’ve managed to avoid all the above and there has been no impact on the reliability for consumers […]

As such, the Paladin Energy share price was not the only uranium share to be tempered today. Other names in the space, including Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) and Deep Yellow Limited (ASX: DYL) both fell more than 7%.

The post Why did the Paladin Energy share price tumble 13% on Monday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the 3 most traded ASX 200 shares on Wednesday
• Why are ASX 200 energy shares jumping today?
• Why Atlas Arteria, Boral, Fonterra, and Paladin Energy shares are pushing higher
• Why are ASX uranium shares having such a cracker run on Wednesday?
• ASX 200 midday update: Boral rockets, big four banks tumble

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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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Are you interested in adding some more ASX shares to your portfolio?

Three ASX growth shares that could be worth considering are listed below. Here’s what you need to know about them:

Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

The first ASX growth share to look at is Aristocrat Leisure. It is one of the world’s leading gaming technology companies with a collection of world class poker machines and mobile games that continue to win market share from rivals. But management isn’t resting on its laurels. It is planning an expansion into the lucrative real money gaming market. Combined with its major share buyback, this all bodes well for its earnings per share growth in the coming years.

Morgans is a fan of the company and has an add rating and $43.00 price target on its shares. This implies over 28% upside from the current Aristocrat share price of $33.47.

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

Another ASX growth share to look at is NextDC. It is a leading data centre operator which has been benefiting greatly from the shift to the cloud, which accelerated during the pandemic. The good news is that this shift still has a long way to go, which bodes well for demand for NextDC’s existing centres. It is also constructing new centres to capture increasing demand and looking at expansions into other markets.

Goldman Sachs is positive on the company and has a buy rating and $14.20 price target on its shares. This compares to the latest NextDC share price of $10.09, implying over 40% upside for investors.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

A final ASX growth share to look at is enterprise software provider TechnologyOne. It has been around for decades but has only recently decided to follow the lead of Microsoft et al in transitioning to a software-as-a-service (SaaS) focused business. Pleasingly, this transition is going very well and management believes it is on course to almost double its annual recurring revenue (ARR) to $500 million by FY 2026.

The team at Goldman Sachs is also very positive on Technology One. The broker currently has a buy rating and $13.30 price target on its shares. This suggests potential upside of 30% for investors from the current TechnologyOne share price of $10.25.

The post Experts name 3 ASX growth shares to buy with enormous upside potential appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 2 ASX shares to benefit from strong US dollar: expert
• 2 ASX tech shares brokers rate as buys this month
• TechnologyOne share price is a buy ahead of profit growth acceleration: broker
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

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 Altium. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended TechnologyOne 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 Adairs Ltd (ASX: ADH) share price leapt higher on Monday despite no news having been released by the company.

Shares in the home furnishing business rose alongside those of many of its retail peers.

As of Monday’s close, the Adairs share price is $1.785, 4.69% higher than its previous close.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) slipped 0.64% today while the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) slumped 0.81%.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) outperformed today. It came in as the ASX 200’s second best performing sector.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s been going on with the retailer’s stock and those of its peers lately.

Adairs share price gains 4% on Monday

Adairs has been particularly quiet over the last few months. In fact, the company hasn’t uttered a word of price-sensitive news since February. That makes the Adairs share price gain today more interesting.

Though, the retailer’s stock wasn’t alone in the green. It rose alongside many of its ASX retail peers.

The share prices of Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1), City Chic Collective Ltd (ASX: CCX), and Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN) lifted 3.77%, 5.26%, and 4.51% respectively today.

Meanwhile, the consumer discretionary sector gained 2.77%, led by the PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) share price’s 18.6% surge. The whopping gain followed news of a major strategic investment in the company.

Today marks the first time in two weeks that the Adairs share price has closed in the green. In fact, the stock has dumped 24% over the last 30 days.

It’s also 55% lower than it was at the start of 2022 and 61% lower than it was this time last year.

Thus, today’s gain was likely a welcome relief for some embattled investors.

The post Why did the Adairs share price surge 5% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Is Adairs really going to pay a dividend yield of 21%?
• Down 20% in a month: Top broker tips 75% upside for the Adairs share price
• What’s on the horizon for the Adairs share price in June?
• 2 ASX dividend shares that experts are tipping as buys right now
• Why was May such a shocker for the Adairs share price?

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 ADAIRS FPO, Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd., and Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ADAIRS FPO and Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group and 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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