• Why is the Woodside share price in the red today?

    Close up of a miner wearing a hard hat with a solemn look on his face, with an oil drill in the background.Close up of a miner wearing a hard hat with a solemn look on his face, with an oil drill in the background.

    The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price finished in the red today.

    The energy giant’s shares fell 3.09% to close at $31.97 each. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) descended 1.27% today.

    So why did the Woodside Energy share price have such a tough day?

    Energy shares slide

    Woodside shares dropped today but they were not alone among oil producers. The Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price slumped 3.13% while Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares slipped nearly 1%. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) also fell 2.41% today.

    Oil prices in the US slumped overnight amid fears of a US Federal Reserve interest rate hike.

    In comments cited by Reuters, Again Capital LLC partner John Kilduff suggested these interest rate fears are impacting oil prices. He said:

    This fear of an even greater basis point hike is driving down equities and oil.

    The US Senate Finance Committee chair Ron Wyden is also planning to introduce a law targeting a 21% tax on excess profits of oil and gas companies earning more than $1 billion of revenue per year, the publication reported.

    Brent crude oil futures dropped 0.9% to $1.21.17 a barrel in US markets overnight. However, oil prices have since recovered, with Brent crude oil up 0.29% to $121.52 a barrel. However, Tokyo crude oil is still down 2.11%.

    In recent news, Woodside has worked with industry associates to develop a new offshore caisson cleaning and inspection tool (CCAIT system). This enables remote inspection of pivotal equipment on offshore platforms. Executive vice president technical services Daniel Kalms said:

    The CCAIT system removes the costs of mobilising tools from international locations, including the cost of delay in fractured supply chains. These can represent up to 50% of the total cost of an inspection campaign.

    Woodside share price snapshot

    The Woodside share price has risen more than 35% in the past year, while it is up more than 46% year to date.

    For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) has returned around 20% in the past year.

    The post Why is the Woodside share price in the red today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    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 January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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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  • Sezzle share price fizzles again, now down 55% in a month

    a man with a moustache sits at his computer with his hands over his eyes making a gap between his fingers so he can peek through to his computer screen.a man with a moustache sits at his computer with his hands over his eyes making a gap between his fingers so he can peek through to his computer screen.

    The Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL) share price has sunk further on Wednesday, closing 13.5% down at 32 cents apiece.

    The drop marks a horrendous performance from Sezzle with the company’s share price collapsing more than 96% over the past 12 months and 89% this year to date.

    It’s lost 55.6% in the last month alone.

    In broader sector moves, the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) slipped a further 3.58% into the red on Wednesday.

    What’s up with the Sezzle share price?

    Investors have punished Sezzle this year to date amid a wave of macroeconomic pressures that directly impact the buy now pay later (BNPL) space.

    The combination of surging inflation and spiking interest rates is indeed a bitter dish for the sector. It can push bad debts higher and companies have to make provisions for these, hurting their income.

    These factors also impact consumer demand. Surging inflation pushes prices higher, whilst interest rates drive interest payments in the same direction.

    Both have a destructive effect on disposable income and, potentially, aggregate demand.

    One fund manager summed it up, saying “The bad debt experience is horrendous.” East72 Fund Manager Andrew Brown told The Age:

    The simple fact of life is this: BNPL business as a stand-alone means that you are going to attract a large number of people who are incapable of paying their money back, particularly if you don’t have robust credit checks.

    In a world where the cost of debt is rising, these are imminent signs for the sector.

    Competition is also rising in the sector after Apple announced it might embed a BNPL update into its store.

    The broader market sell-off is undoubtedly punishing Sezzle’s share price this week as well.

    The post Sezzle share price fizzles again, now down 55% in a month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow 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 JB Hi-Fi share price has tumbled 19% in a month. What’s next?

    Woman checking out new laptops.

    Woman checking out new laptops.The JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH) share price has been suffering in recent weeks, just like most of the rest of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    In just one month, JB Hi-Fi shares have fallen almost 20%. That means the JB Hi-Fi market capitalisation has lost an entire fifth of its value – the entire business is now valued at $4.3 billion according to the ASX.

    What happens next?

    I wish I knew. It would make investing a lot easier! Sadly, my time machine isn’t working yet.

    There has been a lot of volatility. With the ongoing strength of inflation, there could be more volatility to come.

    But, specifically on the JB Hi-Fi share price, market sentiment has declined. Is this lower price an opportunity? Let’s look at what some of the leading brokers are thinking.

    Ratings on the JB Hi-Fi share price

    Macquarie recently downgraded its rating on the business to underperform from outperform, citing the negative outlook regarding the consumer because of the high level of inflation and rising interest rates, as well as a redirection of household spending to other categories. Macquarie’s price target is $40.90.

    The broker points out that a lot of households bought new gadgets and appliances over the last two years, so the shorter-term spending on those categories is likely to be lower. While Macquarie thinks JB Hi-Fi is a great ASX retail share, it believes the economic conditions will be challenging.

    Citi is more optimistic about things for the JB Hi-Fi share price, with a price target of $53. However, the current rating is neutral. But that does imply a possible rise of more than 30%. While acknowledging the worsening economic conditions, the broker thinks things still look reasonable for the retail sector.

    Another broker, UBS, is also neutral on the business. It noted the latest trading update, showing growth for the business.

    Latest trading update

    The company announced last month the performance for the three months to 31 March 2022.

    For that quarter, JB Hi-Fi Australia sales went up 11.9% year on year, JB Hi-Fi New Zealand sales were up 4.8% year on year and The Good Guys sales went up 5.5% year on year.

    JB Hi-Fi share price valuation

    Macquarie thinks that JB Hi-Fi shares are valued at under 10 times FY22’s estimated earnings and 11 times FY23’s estimated earnings.

    Citi has estimates for a bigger profit by the ASX retail share. This broker’s projections put the JB Hi-Fi share price at 9 times FY22’s estimated earnings and 10 times FY23’s estimated earnings.

    The post The JB Hi-Fi share price has tumbled 19% in a month. What’s next? 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 January 12th 2022

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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 recommended Macquarie 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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  • The Novonix share price is the worst of the ASX 200 losers today. What’s going on?

    A man in a suit face palms at the downturn happening with shares today.

    A man in a suit face palms at the downturn happening with shares today.

    It was yet another day to forget for the Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX) share price on Wednesday.

    The battery technology company’s shares were the worst performers on the ASX 200 index with a 14% decline to $2.47.

    This means the Novonix share price is now down 76% in 2022.

    What’s going on with the Novonix share price?

    The most recent weakness in the Novonix share price appears to have been driven by news that a major shareholder has been selling down its stake.

    According to a change of interests of substantial shareholder notice, St Baker Energy has offloaded 7.6 million shares.

    St Baker Energy, which was founded by Trevor St Baker, sold these shares on 10 June via an off-market transfer for a total of just over $24 million. This equates to an average of $2.90 per share.

    Despite this sale, the investment company still retains a sizeable 11.7% stake in Novonix.

    Why was it selling?

    No explanation was given in respect to why St Baker Energy sold the shares. However, given that Trevor St Baker retired from the Novonix Board last month to devote more time to the establishment of a second St Baker Energy Innovation Fund, it’s possible that he was raising funds for this new venture.

    Nevertheless, the selling appears to have spooked investors and put further pressure on the Novonix share price at a difficult time for higher risk assets.

    The post The Novonix share price is the worst of the ASX 200 losers today. What’s going on? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    *Returns as of January 12th 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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  • Despite recent volatility, brokers are predicting big things for the Telstra share price. Here’s why

    person on old-fashion telephone, surprised person

    person on old-fashion telephone, surprised person

    Like many ASX shares of late, the Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price has been through the washer. Telstra shares closed today’s session at $3.83, up a pleasing 2.13% for the day. But over the past five trading days, Telstra has been as high as $3.90 a share and as low as $3.67.

    Despite this volatility, the Telstra share price is actually flat if we just take the bookend prices of this period.

    But perhaps investors should have taken advantage of this volatility. That’s certainly what some ASX brokers are implying at the moment.

    Brokers name Telstra shares as a buy, despite recent volatility

    One is Morgans. As my Fool colleague James covered this week, Morgans is currently bullish on Telstra shares. This ASX broker recently rated Telstra as an “add”, replete with a 12-month share price target of $4.56.

    With Telstra’s T25 cost-cutting program now underway, Morgans is pleased with the company’s progress in this area. The broker is also predicting that the telco will be able to keep its annual 16 cents per share dividend flowing across FY2022 and into FY2023, further boosting returns.

    For argument’s sake, let’s assume Morgans is accurate with its share price prediction (by no means guaranteed). That means this week’s volatility has presented a compelling buying opportunity.

    At the current Telstra share price of $3.83, investors will enjoy an upside of 19% over the next 12 months if Telstra does indeed rise to $4.56 a share. But if an investor who took advantage of the recent volatility and bought in at $3.67 a share, the potential upside would stretch to more than 24%.

    Morgans’ fellow broker Ord Minnet is even more bullish on Telstra. As my Fool colleague Tristan also covered recently, Ord Minnet has a buy rating on Telstra, complete with a price target of $4.85. If that played out, investors would be looking at an upside of 26.6% on current prices. That extends to 32% for our hypothetical ‘buy-the dip‘ buyer this week.

    So despite the recent share price volatility, that’s what two of the ASX’s top brokers are anticipating for the Telstra share price going forward. But only time will tell if these brokers are proven right.

    At the current Telstra share price, this ASX 200 telco has a market capitalisation of $44.3 billion, with a dividend yield of 4.17%.

    The post Despite recent volatility, brokers are predicting big things for the Telstra share price. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Telstra Corporation 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 positions in and has recommended Telstra Corporation 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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  • Falling ASX share prices = bigger dividend yields. Here’s what you need to know

    a man clasps his hands together while he looks upwards and sideways with his eyes as though he is contemplating a question amid a background of mathematical calculations on a blackboard and books.

    a man clasps his hands together while he looks upwards and sideways with his eyes as though he is contemplating a question amid a background of mathematical calculations on a blackboard and books.

    By now, chances are you’ve heard that the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has had a rough couple of days. The ASX 200 has lost more than 1% on Wednesday, putting its five-day losses at a painful 6.8% or so. Not many investors enjoy a red market like the one we’ve seen this week. But it does carry a fairly significant silver lining: higher dividend yields.

    Every ASX dividend share has a dividend yield. This is the number (expressed as a percentage) that is usually quoted when one enquires about a company’s dividend. For example, on current pricing, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares have a dividend yield of 4.15%.

    But this metric is not a static one. It uses two different numbers to get there. The first is the dividends per share that a company pays out. In CBA’s case, this ASX bank has paid out $3.75 in dividends per share over the past 12 months.

    But the second is the company’s share price itself. By dividing $90.46 (CBA’s current share price at the time of writing) by $3.75, we get to a dividend yield of 4.15%. That means that if CBA pays out the same dividend over the next 12 months as the previous, an investor putting $100 into CBA shares right now can expect a dividend return of $4.15, or 4.15% of that $100.

    Why do lower share prices bring higher dividend yields?

    So getting a dividend from an ASX share is influenced by these two factors. Thus, if a company’s share price falls, but its dividends remain consistent, the dividend yield that investors can expect from buying additional shares rises.

    As a case in point, CBA shares have fallen from $102.40 last Wednesday to the $90.45 we see right now. This means that if an investor bought CBA last week, their shares would have offered a yield of 3.66%. Today, those same shares offer a yield of 4.15%.

    If CBA maintains or raises its dividend next year, an investor who bought in at $90.46 can expect a higher dividend yield (and income) than the investor who bought at $102.40.

    So falling share prices aren’t always bad for long-term investors. Sure, it’s never fun watching the value of your shares drop in value. But it also shows that these occasions can be a potent buying opportunity for the brave of heart.

    The post Falling ASX share prices = bigger dividend yields. Here’s what you need to know 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 January 12th 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 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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  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    ASX shares Business man marking buy on board and underlining it

    ASX shares Business man marking buy on board and underlining it

    Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models again, leading to the release of a large number of broker notes this week.

    Three ASX shares brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

    Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ)

    According to a note out of Credit Suisse, its analysts have retained their outperform rating and $30.80 price target on this banking giant’s shares. Credit Suisse continues to rate ANZ as its preferred pick among the big four banks. This is due to its preference for banks with exposure to business banking, which it expects to fare better in the current environment. The ANZ share price is trading at $21.58 on Wednesday.

    Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)

    A note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating and $12.80 price target on this rare earths producer’s shares. This follows news that the company has been awarded a US$120 million contract from the US government to build a heavy rare earths facility. Macquarie was pleased with the news and expects it to lead to the commencement of production in FY 2025. This is a year earlier than previously anticipated. The Lynas share price is fetching $8.88 today.

    Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

    Analysts at Ord Minnett have retained their buy rating and $97.00 price target on this cloud accounting platform provider’s shares. Ord Minnett notes that Xero has announced that it is increasing subscription prices in the ANZ and UK markets. Its analysts expect this to boost the company’s average revenue per user metric. The Xero share price is trading at $77.58 this afternoon.

    The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    *Returns as of January 12th 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 positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. 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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  • Guess which ASX 200 share is trading for the last time today?

    Young man sitting at a table in front of a row of pokie machines staring intently at a laptop. looking at the Crown Resorts share priceYoung man sitting at a table in front of a row of pokie machines staring intently at a laptop. looking at the Crown Resorts share price

    In case you were wondering, the Crown Resorts Ltd (ASX: CWN) share price is exchanging hands for the last time on the ASX today.

    At the time of writing, the casino operator’s shares are up 0.23% to $13.08.

    Why is Crown shares ceasing to exist from tomorrow?

    The Crown share price will be suspended from close of trading today following the company’s latest update on its takeover.

    In its statement, Crown advised that the Federal Court of Australia made orders approving the proposed $8.89 billion acquisition.

    By way of a scheme of arrangement, Blackstone entity, SS Silver II Pty Ltd will become the new Crown owners after being green-lit.

    Based in the United States, Blackstone is the world’s largest investment firm with approximately $915 billion in assets under management.

    Crown is expected to lodge an office copy of the court orders with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) today. This means that the scheme will become legally effective.

    While the company’s shares will be suspended, its subordinated notes under the code “CWNHB” will continue to be traded.

    Blackstone will pay out $13.10 in cash per share to Crown shareholders which they will receive on 24 June.

    Crown share price summary

    A disastrous 2020/21 for Crown led its shares to record heavy falls over the past couple of years.

    An AUSTRAC investigation along with issues regarding renewal of its gambling licence in Victoria plagued Crown shares.

    However, its shares picked up steam in 2022 on the back of the proposed takeover offer.

    Year-to-date, Crown shares are up almost 10%

    On valuation grounds, Crown presides a market capitalisation of about $8.84 billion, with a tad over 677 million shares outstanding.

    The post Guess which ASX 200 share is trading for the last time today? 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 January 12th 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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  • Why has the REA share price crashed by 40% in 2022?

    An older man wearing glasses and a pink shirt sits back on his lounge with his hands behind his head and blowing air out of his cheeks as he reads about the Crown share price and anticipated AUSTRAC fines on his laptopAn older man wearing glasses and a pink shirt sits back on his lounge with his hands behind his head and blowing air out of his cheeks as he reads about the Crown share price and anticipated AUSTRAC fines on his laptop

    REA Group Limited (ASX: REA) is having a tough time in the market in 2022. The REA share price is down 6.18% at the time of writing and has fallen below the $100 mark for the first time since the COVID-19 crash in February 2020. Year to date, REA shares are down 42%.

    The question is, why?

    Let’s look at the headwinds for the real estate classifieds giant that could be affecting its share price.

    The ASX tech share sell-off

    REA is an ASX tech share and the second-largest constituent in the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) by market capitalisation. And we all know what has happened to tech shares in 2022.

    The tech sell-off in 2022 is the first headwind for the REA share price. The All Tech index is down 39.6% year to date. Ouch! But consider what this means, given REA is down by almost the same amount.

    You know the saying, ‘Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater’? Well, that’s what some ASX investors may be doing with REA.

    Tech shares are getting hammered and REA appears to be going down with its sector compatriots.

    Tech shares are out of favour right now because of economic conditions. Many ASX tech companies are young and not yet profitable. Many also have large debts required to fund their growth. So, rising inflation and interest rates aren’t good for them.

    But REA isn’t a young company. It’s certainly both an ASX tech share and a growth share, but it’s also an established and profitable business. In its Q3 update for FY22 released last month, REA reported 27% year-on-year (YoY) growth in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to $523 million for the first nine months of FY22.

    Missing the mark as house prices decline

    That third-quarter report is actually the second headwind, though. The results missed some analysts’ estimates and the REA share price lost 8% in value on the day they were released.

    The third headwind is cooling conditions in Australia’s two biggest property markets, Sydney and Melbourne. Any negative news about property prices tends to put ASX investors off REA.

    If we look at recent historical price movements, there’s a clear correlation between the REA share price and Australian property prices.

    For example, the REA share price began rising in 2019 at the same time as the property market began its recovery from the 2017/2018 downturn.

    The company’s shares also skyrocketed during the pandemic to an all-time high of $180.67 in November 2021 — just as CoreLogic was reporting the fastest annual growth in national home values since 1989.

    In the three months to May 31, the median house price has fallen 1.3% in both Sydney and Melbourne, according to the latest CoreLogic data.

    Is this a buying opportunity?

    REA is a market darling stock that has delivered incredible share price gains over the long term.

    Over 10 years, the REA share price has ascended 645%. Let’s compare that performance to a couple of other darlings.

    Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) shares have grown by 940% over the same time frame. CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) shares are up 672%, Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) shares are up 106%, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are up 80%.

    So, it’s certainly fair to say REA has one of the most outstanding histories for share price growth among the ASX 200 blue chips.

    A few brokers see the current weakness in the REA share price as an opportunity to buy the dip.

    What the experts think of the REA share price

    REA recently released an investor presentation outlining its evolution from a residential listing portal to a property, financial services, and data business.

    Morgans liked what it heard and retained its add rating on REA shares with a slightly reduced price target of $144.

    Goldman Sachs is more bullish. It has a buy rating on REA and a $167 price target on the shares.

    The broker likes that REA management “remains confident it can achieve double digit revenue/EBITDA growth through the cycle with positive jaws”.

    Furthermore, Goldman said:

    Overall, we believe these commitments illustrate the pricing power of REA, pipeline of value-add products, and its ability to offset any potential macro weakness, and now forecast FY22-24E Sales growth of 10% despite challenging volume listings.

    A recent Market Matters report also suggested REA could be worth buying.

    As we reported, the Market Matters team said: “[Tax loss-selling] can often send already depressed stocks down into oversold/deep value areas, which can be attractive for the well-informed investor. The key is determining the difference between value and a company simply in trouble.”

    Market Matters said REA was among three examples of “quality” ASX shares that might be in this boat.

    The report said REA is an “almost monopolistic-style business” with “useful pricing power”.

    Market Matters said REA would be “compelling” when its share price fell below $100 — which it has today.

    The post Why has the REA share price crashed by 40% in 2022? 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 January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in CSL Ltd., Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Macquarie Group Limited, and REA Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL Ltd. and Goldman Sachs. 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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  • ‘Resilient growth profile’: Why this broker is tipping Santos shares to outperform

    An oil refinery worker stands in front of an oil rig with his arms crossed and a smile on his face as the Woodside share price climbs today

    An oil refinery worker stands in front of an oil rig with his arms crossed and a smile on his face as the Woodside share price climbs todaySantos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares haven’t been immune to the past week’s selling action.

    But despite dropping 8% over the past five days, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy company remains up 22% year-to-date.

    At the current price of $8.03 per share, Santos has a market cap of $27.1 billion.

    But according to analysts at Morgans, those numbers are likely to head higher over the next 12 months.

    Diversified earnings base to drive outperformance

    Santos shares make it on the top 12 ASX 200 shares that Morgans believes “offer the highest risk-adjusted returns over a 12-month timeframe supported by a higher-than-average level of confidence”.

    With its focus on oil and gas production and exploration, Santos also lists among the broker’s most preferred sector exposures over the coming year.

    Andrew Tang, equity strategy analyst at Morgans, explained why Santos shares made the top 12 list on Livewire.

    According to Tang:

    We expect the resilience of Santos’ growth profile and diversified earnings base see it best placed to outperform against a backdrop of a broader sector recovery. While pre-FEED, we see Dorado as likely to provide attractive growth for Santos, while its recent acquisition increasing its stake in Darwin LNG has increased our confidence in Barossa’s development.

    One area Tang recommends keeping a close eye on is its operations in Papua New Guinea.

    “PNG growth meanwhile remains a riskier proposition, with the government adamant it will keep a larger share of economic rents while operator Exxon has significantly deferred growth plans across its global portfolio,” he said.

    How have Santos shares performed longer term?

    Santos shares have not only outperformed year-to-date, but they’ve also smashed the benchmark returns over the past five years, gaining 164%. By comparison, the ASX 200 is up 15% over that same period.

    At current prices, Santos shares pay a 2.3% trailing dividend yield, 70% franked.

    The post ‘Resilient growth profile’: Why this broker is tipping Santos shares to outperform 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 January 12th 2022

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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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