When the BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF (ASX: CRYP) launched on the ASX last year, it caused quite the stir. This exchange-traded fund (ETF) took only eight minutes on the ASX to surpass $8 million worth of trades. By the end of its first day, investors had exchanged $39.7 million worth of the ETF’s units, smashing an ASX record.

This ETF from provider BetaShares doesn’t invest in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) directly. Instead, it invests in companies that provide “‘picks and shovels’ exposure to the companies building crypto mining equipment, crypto trading venues, and other key services that allow the crypto economy to thrive”.

Some of its current top holdings include Silvergate Capital Corp, Microstrategy Inc, and Coinbase Global Inc.

But unfortunately for the BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF’s early investors, there hasn’t been much in the way of good news since its launch. On its first day of ASX life, CRYP closed at $11.28 per unit. But as it stands at end of trading on Tuesday, this ETF is asking just $4.89. That’s a fall of almost 57%.

Of that fall, 23.35% has come during the past month alone. But now that we have seen such savage falls, many investors might be wondering if this ETF is in the bargain bin.

Is the BetaShares Crypto ETF a buy or a sell today?

Well, let’s check out what two ASX expert investors reckon. Felicity Thomas from Shaw and Partners and Ben Nash from Pivot Wealth both joined a Livewire podcast recently where they shared their views on this ASX ETF.

Here’s some of what Nash had to say:

This one’s a buy from me. I think crypto is a really interesting space, the blockchain technology has so many applications that I think we’re only just starting to see that. I think it will just grow and continue to grow. Also, the house always wins, so a lot of the companies that this particular ETF is investing in, they’re companies that are not necessarily tied to the price or value of cryptocurrency or other digital assets but instead that make money when they’re more and more popular. So I think that it’s a huge growth area.

So that’s pretty unequivocal there. Fortunately, Thomas agreed that CRYP units were a buy. Here’s some of what she added:

It’s another buy from me. It’s off 45% from its original initiation price. I really like what Ben said, in that it’s the picks and shovels of cryptocurrency in different companies, rather than direct cryptocurrency. You make money on the buyers and sales. So with ANZ and NAB and all the majors getting into cryptocurrency, I think it’s here to stay.

So that’s how these two ASX experts view CRYP right now. Although this ETF’s first few months of life haven’t been easy, who knows what the future of cryptocurrency might bring to the companies that enable this technology.

The BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF charges a management fee of 0.67% per annum.

The post The Betashares Crypto Innovators ETF has dumped 23% in a month. Is it now a bargain? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 exciting ETFs for ASX investors this month
• 3 of the best ETFs for ASX investors to buy this month
• 3 exciting ETFs for ASX investors to buy today
• Here are the 5 worst-performing ASX ETFs over the March quarter
• 3 very exciting ETFs for ASX investors this month

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns Bitcoin and Coinbase Global, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Betashares Crypto Innovators ETF, Bitcoin, and Coinbase Global, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended MicroStrategy and Silvergate Capital Corporation. 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 Bruce Jackson.

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Believe it or not, it’s nearly May 2022 already. Could there be some compelling ASX tech shares to look for next month?

The ASX share market has seen elevated volatility so far this year with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) closing more than 2% lower on Tuesday.

Could these two ASX tech shares be top contenders to consider in the current climate?

Airtasker Ltd (ASX: ART)

Airtasker describes itself as “Australia’s leading online marketplace for local services, connecting people and businesses that need work done with people who want to work”.

The latest quarterly update from the company showed ongoing business progress.

For the three months to 31 March 2022, the ASX tech share’s gross marketplace volume (GMV) increased 24.9% to $51.5 million, while revenue jumped 21.2% to $8.6 million.

Despite investing for growth, the company said that it generated a positive operating cash flow of $1 million. It also has $32.8 million of cash in the bank.

International growth continues for the business at a very fast pace. UK GMV growth was 138% year on year. Meanwhile, US-posted task growth was up 90% quarter on quarter. The UK and US markets represent large market opportunities, according to Airtasker. However, these segments are starting from much smaller bases for Airtasker.

The company also noted that it achieved these growth numbers, and the positive operating cash flow, despite COVID impacts and severe weather events, including flooding.

The ASX tech share said in its FY22 half-year result that it had a gross profit margin of 93%, which is one of the highest on the ASX.

The broker Morgans rates the share as a buy.

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

This exchange-traded fund (ETF) is all about the global cybersecurity sector.

BetaShares says that with cybercrime on the rise, “the demand for cybersecurity services is expected to grow strongly for the foreseeable future.” Indeed, the ETF provider points to projections by Statista that the cybersecurity market could grow from US$137.63 billion in 2017 to US$248.26 billion in 2023.

There are a number of different businesses in the HACK ETF’s portfolio. The ASX tech share has around 40 positions at the moment.

These are some of the largest positions in the portfolio: Crowdstrike, Palo Alto Networks, Cisco Systems, Zscaler, Cloudflare, Akamai Technologies, Booz Allen Hamilton, Juniper Networks, Leidos, and Mandiant.

The fund has an annual management fee of 0.67%. Of course, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. However, in the five years to February 2022, the average annual net return has been an average of 20.5%.

The post Are these 2 ASX tech shares top ideas for May 2022? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Own ASX 200 energy shares? Here’s why Morgan Stanley says the oil price is set to surge
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Tuesday
• Is the Zip share price set to sink below the $1 mark for the first time since 2018?
• ‘Super pleased’: Why the Airtasker share price is rocketing 12% today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

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. owns and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS, Cisco Systems, Cloudflare, Inc., and CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Airtasker Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns 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 Bruce Jackson.

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The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price is ratcheting up in 2022 and is now 13.5% higher since trading resumed in January.

It continues to surge in April and rests near 52-week highs at its closing price of $32.74 on Tuesday.

What tailwinds are behind the NAB share price?

There have been a number of catalysts that appear to have helped the banking and financial sector in Australia this year.

The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) has thrust hard off a low in early March. It has since gained 11% after trading as much as 14% higher in that time. It’s now up over 3% this year to date.

JP Morgan analysts are tipping NAB to outpace other banks in revenue growth and profitability this coming year, backed by “sound cost control”.

Despite some possible headwinds to cost targets, the broker sees “NAB’s pre-provision profit growth outstripping peers” in both FY22 and FY23.

Further, experts are almost certain the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is set to hike base rates this year, slightly ahead of its previously outlined forecasts.

Until this point, the RBA has been reluctant to raise interest rates. However, soaring inflation, rising food costs, and a tumultuous property market have forced the RBA’s hand, experts say.

Meanwhile, the Australian Financial Review‘s survey of 36 economists revealed the RBA is tipped to lift rates three times by the end of 2022 — if the economists are correct.

The question is what this will mean for Australian banks like NAB, taking into account the heavy competition in an already saturated mortgage market. The other consideration is what it means for homeowners paying a mortgage.

According to analysts at UBS, Aussie mortgage holders appear to be well equipped to absorb any shock from a shift in interest rates.

In a note to clients, UBS analyst John Storey cited results of a recent Australian Mortgage Survey the investment bank conducted. Findings indicate that around half of respondents were at least three months ahead in their monthly mortgage payments.

That’s a positive sign for the sector, Storey says, as the macroeconomic climate begins to shift.

A total of 65% of analysts covering NAB rate it as a buy right now, according to Bloomberg data. The consensus price target is $32.50, meaning the stock is fairly valued using this metric.

The post Why is the NAB share price beating the other ASX 200 banks in April? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• If you’d invested $5,000 in NAB shares just after the COVID crash, here’s what you’d have now
• Should investors buy the NAB share price at its 52-week highs?
• NAB share price lifts again to hit new 4-year high
• Do CBA shares offer the highest big bank dividend yield?
• Why are ASX 200 bank shares having such a stellar start to the week?

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 Bruce Jackson.

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Looking for some small cap shares to buy? Then have a look at the ones listed below.

Here’s why they could be worth getting better acquainted with:

Adore Beauty Group Limited (ASX: ABY)

The first small cap for investors to look at is Adore Beauty. It is a leading online retailer in the Australian beauty and personal care (BPC) market. It currently has almost 1 million active customers and generated revenue of $113.1 million from them during the first half of FY 2022, which was up 18% year on year. And while this is a large number, even if you annualise it, it is still only a 2% share of the $11.2 billion Australian BPC market. This gives Adore Beauty a significant runway for growth over the next decade.

UBS is a fan of the company and currently has a buy rating and $4.70 price target on its shares.

Hipages Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: HPG)

Another small cap share that could be in the buy zone is Hipages. It is a leading Australian-based online platform and software as a service (SaaS) provider connecting consumers with trusted tradies. At the last count, there were over 30,000 tradies using the platform, underpinning strong revenue growth.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs are confident that this strong growth will continue over the long term as it grows into its huge market. The broker has a buy rating and $3.60 price target on its shares.

Nitro Software Ltd (ASX: NTO)

A final small cap ASX share for investors to look at is fast-growing document productivity software company, Nitro. It is the company behind the increasingly popular Nitro Productivity Suite. It provides integrated PDF productivity and electronic signature tools to customers through a horizontal, software-as-a-service, and desktop-based software solution. And while Nitro has been growing rapidly in recent years, it is still only scratching at the surface of a total addressable market estimated to be $28 billion per year.

The team at Goldman Sachs is also very bullish on Nitro. The broker currently has a buy rating and $4.50 price target on its shares.

The post Analysts name 3 small cap ASX shares to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Goldman Sachs says these small cap ASX shares can double in value
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• 3 factors that could make the Adore Beauty share price too good to miss

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. owns and has recommended Hipages Group Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Adore Beauty Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Hipages Group Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Adore Beauty Group Limited and Nitro Software Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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Own any energy shares on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)? No doubt you’ve got at least some whiplash from the wild ride this sector has endured so far in 2022. Oil prices have spent this year on a rollercoaster, assisted significantly by the disruptions to the world’s energy markets that the war in Ukraine has brought.

This has seen the value of ASX energy shares — oil shares as well as those involved with gas and coal — seesaw in value over the last few months. But the trend has unambiguously been to the upside. Just take some of the ASX 200’s largest energy shares.

Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) was a $22.67 share at the start of the year. Today, it is going for $30.60 a share, up 35% year to date. Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) has done even better, rising almost 58% in 2022 so far.

So as most investors would know, the prices of ASX energy shares largely rise or die on the price of energy itself. Namely the oil price. As it stands today, Brent crude is currently at US$103.56 a barrel, according to Bloomberg. But where will it head from here?

MS: Oil heading to US$130 a barrel

Well, we don’t know for sure. But let’s see what one of the ASX’s expert investors reckons. According to reporting in The Australian, investment bank and broker Morgan Stanley has lifted its oil price forecast for the second half of 2022. The broker now sees Brent crude oil at US$130 a barrel by the third quarter of the year, and at US$120 by the fourth. That’s a US$10 per barrel hike on Morgan Stanley’s previous estimates.

In penning these predictions, Morgan Stanley reportedly is assuming a “high risk” that the European Union will impose an oil embargo on Russian energy exports. It is also assuming that stalled negotiations with Iran will not result in significant Iranian oil coming online by the end of the year. Its earlier analysis assumed one million barrels a day of Iranian oil hitting the markets by the end of 2022, but it is now only forecasting 500,000 barrels a day.

So if Morgan Stanley’s analysis proves accurate, it will arguably be very good news for ASX 200 energy shares like Woodside. But we shall have to wait and see what happens with the global oil markets to be sure.

The post Own ASX 200 energy shares? Here’s why Morgan Stanley says the oil price is set to surge appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Tuesday
• Is the Zip share price set to sink below the $1 mark for the first time since 2018?
• Woodside share price plunges 6% following up-and-down quarter
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares last week

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 Bruce Jackson.

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If you’re looking to bolster your portfolio with some blue chip shares, you may want to look at the two listed below.

Here’s why these blue chip ASX 200 shares are highly rated right now:

Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS)

The first blue chip ASX 200 share to look at is Healius. It is one of Australia’s largest pathology and diagnostic imaging providers.

Healius has been growing at a rapid rate over the last couple of financial years thanks to huge demand for COVID testing. Despite testing volumes inevitably declining now as Australia moves on from the pandemic, analysts at Morgans remain positive on the company and have an add rating and $5.26 price target on its shares.

The broker is expecting Healius’ base business to rebound as COVID headwinds ease.

It commented: “We continue to believe HLS is attractively valued and well placed, benefiting from the likely continuance of COVID PCR testing (at some level) and from the inevitable rebound in demand from a backlog in diagnosis and surgery.”

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Another ASX 200 share that is rated highly is Wesfarmers. It is the conglomerate behind the Bunnings, Kmart, Officework, Priceline, and Target businesses. In addition, the company owns a collection of industrial businesses and even lithium mining operations.

The Wesfarmers share price is having a tough year and has pulled back materially from its highs. While this is disappointing, the team at Morgans believes it has created a buying opportunity for investors. Its analysts currently have an add rating and $58.50 price target on its shares.

Morgans commented: “WES possesses one of the highest quality retail portfolios in Australia with strong brands including Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks. The company is run by a highly regarded management team and the balance sheet is healthy. While COVID-related staff shortages are a challenge, the core Bunnings division (>60% of group EBIT) remains a solid performer as consumers continue to invest in their homes. We see the recent pullback in the share price as a good entry point for longer term investors.”

The post 2 blue chip ASX 200 shares to buy according to experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 high-quality ASX 200 shares experts rate as buys
• Why is the Wesfarmers share price having such a rough trot in April?
• Down 20% in 2022, is the Wesfarmers share price a clear opportunity?
• Why has the Woolworths share price outperformed Wesfarmers so far in 2022?
• Here are the ASX retail share winners and losers of the last quarter

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 owns and has recommended Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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A new month is approaching, so what better time to consider making some portfolio changes.

If you’re interested in ETFs, then you may want to consider the three listed below.  Here’s why they could be top options for investors next month:

BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

If you’re wanting to gain exposure to the beaten down US tech sector, then the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF could be the way to do it. This ETF provides investors with access to the 100 largest non-financial shares on the NASDAQ index. Among the 100 shares included in the fund are some of the highest quality companies in the world. This includes giants such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Netflix, and Tesla.

iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF (ASX: IXI)

Another ETF to look is the iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF. This fund provides investors with exposure to a large number of global consumer staples companies that produce essential products. These include food, tobacco, and household items. Because demand for these types of products is relatively consistent whatever happens in the economy, this ETF could be suitable for investors that are looking for low risk options. Among its largest holdings are giants such as Coca-Cola, Nestle, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and Walmart.

VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ASX: ESPO)

A final ETF to look at is the VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF. This ETF gives investors exposure to the growing video gaming market. Among the companies included in the fund are hardware giant Nvidia and game developers Take-Two and Electronic Arts. VanEck highlights that these companies are in a position to benefit from the increasing popularity of video games and eSports.

The post 3 ETFs for ASX investors in May appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX shares to consider amid the share market sell-off
• 3 of the best ETFs for ASX investors to buy this month
• Here are 2 excellent ASX tech ETFs to buy
• Here are 2 fantastic ETFs for ASX investors to buy
• Are these 2 leading ETFs good buys in April 2022?

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. owns and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS and iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VanEck Vectors ETF Trust – VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The ASX share market has seen significant volatility since the start of 2022.

While some investors may be looking to swoop on companies with lower share prices, a company isn’t necessarily better value just because its share price drops.

Sometimes the decline may reflect an issue with the company itself rather than the prevailing market conditions.

However, these two ASX shares could be ones to consider in the current environment:

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

This is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) focused on the 100 largest businesses on the NASDAQ, which is a stock exchange in North America.

The fund owns a number of the world’s largest technology businesses like Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta (Facebook), Tesla, and Nvidia.

The NDQ ETF price has fallen almost 20% since the start of 2022. An ETF simply tracks the progress of the underlying businesses so, on average, the ASX share’s underlying holdings have dropped by almost 20% in value in Australian dollar terms.

There are a number of other businesses in the portfolio, not just the biggest tech names. These include Adobe, PayPal, Booking, Moderna, Costco, Starbucks, Intuitive Surgical, and Advanced Micro Devices.

The fund has an annual management fee of 0.48%.

Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN)

Kogan is one of the largest e-commerce businesses in Australia and New Zealand.

However, its market capitalisation is now a lot lower after this year’s volatility. Since the beginning of 2022, the Kogan share price has fallen by 44%.

Yet, despite that, the company has continued to deliver scale growth. In the first six months of FY22, gross sales increased by 9.4% to $698 million. The number of active customers also increased by 9.4% to more than four million.

Kogan First subscribers are growing quickly – between the first half of FY21 and February 2022, subscribers grew 213% to over 310,000. Kogan members demonstrate “stronger loyalty and repeat purchase behaviour than non-subscribers”, according to the company.

While the company’s operations and profitability are facing issues, the ASX share points out that it’s increasing market share in a rapidly growing market. In FY21, the company’s market share grew from 2.4% to 2.7%.

In the second half of FY22, it’s expecting further growth in Kogan First subscribers, heading towards its FY26 goal of one million subscribers. It’s also expecting continued growth in the Kogan marketplace as well as improved operating leverage, which the company says is consistent with its long-term track record.

Another FY26 goal for the ASX share is $3 billion of gross sales. To reach that, Kogan aims to achieve a gross sales compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of at least 20% per annum.

The post 2 ASX shares to consider amid the share market sell-off appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ETFs for ASX investors in May
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Here are 2 fantastic ETFs for ASX investors to buy
• Why is the Kogan share price slipping to a 4-week low on Tuesday?

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. 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. owns and has recommended Adobe Inc., Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet (A shares), Amazon, Apple, BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS, Booking Holdings, Costco Wholesale, Kogan.com ltd, Meta Platforms, Inc., Microsoft, Nvidia, PayPal Holdings, Starbucks, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Alphabet (C shares) and Moderna Inc. and has recommended the following options: long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple, short April 2022 $100 calls on Starbucks, and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS and Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Adobe Inc., Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon, Apple, Booking Holdings, Meta Platforms, Inc., Nvidia, PayPal Holdings, and Starbucks. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) share price closed lower on Tuesday following the company’s latest quarterly results.

The uranium producer’s shares finished the day at $2.67 apiece, down 2.91%.

Boss Energy share price backtracks on quarterly result

Here are some of the key highlights for the three months ending 31 March 2022:

• Net cash used for operating activities: $1.2 million (cash used for the nine months of FY to date: $3.48 million);
• Net cash used for investing activities: $0.8 million (cash used for the nine months of FY to date $1.07: million);
• Net cash used for financing activities: $89.71 million (cash used for the nine months of FY to date: $89.71 million); and
• Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents at the end of the quarter of $106.01 million, up from $18.31 million in the previous quarter.

What happened in the March quarter for Boss Energy?

According to its statement, Boss Energy advised it will make a final investment decision (FID) early next month on the flagship Honeymoon uranium mine in South Australia.

During the quarter, the company completed its pivotal front-end engineering design (FEED) study.

It also secured $125 million through a capital raise to fund the development of its Honeymoon project. This includes $113 million of estimated capital development costs for re-starting Honeymoon.

The FID is expected after completion of the tranche two placement on or around 5 May 2022. Thereafter, the company will immediately begin with detailed engineering, procurement, and construction works.

Management is looking to produce the first uranium at Honeymoon within 12 to 18 months of FID.

What did management say?

Boss Energy managing director Duncan Craib commented on the company’s progress, saying:

We are moving even more rapidly than we expected towards achieving our goal of becoming Australia’s next uranium producer.

During the quarter, we completed the FEED study, which confirmed that the cost estimates in the Enhanced Feasibility Study remain accurate

This was followed by the $125m equity raising, which was heavily over-subscribed.

In parallel with these major achievements, the uranium price continued to increase sharply. As a result, the value of our 1.25M-pound stockpile of U308 has nearly doubled to A$95M since we acquired it a year prior in March 2021.

The combination of our highly successful raising and the valuable stockpile means we are fully funded through to production and cashflow at Honeymoon.

As a result of this rapid progress on numerous fronts, we have entered the June quarter in a highly enviable position with preparation underway to make a FID and begin negotiations on offtake contracts.

Despite today’s drop, the Boss Energy share price has gained almost 150% in the past 12 months.

The post Boss Energy share price dips despite quarter ending in ‘highly enviable position’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why are ASX uranium shares getting so much attention right now?
• Why have ASX uranium shares bolted out of the gate today?
• How did ASX uranium shares perform last quarter?
• Here’s why the Boss Energy share price is rocketing 8% on Friday
• Why Boss Energy, GrainCorp, Pro Medicus, and Select Harvests are pushing higher

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 Bruce Jackson.

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The Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN) share price slipped 8% on Tuesday. Investors sold off or reduced their positions in Chalice today following the release of the company’s quarterly activities report.

The Chalice Mining share price closed at $6.50, after gliding down from a high of $6.85 early this morning.

The graph below shows the company’s share price has been on a downward trajectory since it spiked in November 2021.

Chalice share price slides on quarterly results

Highlights from the quarter include:

• Wide spaced step-out drilling is continuing at Gonneville with another Mineral Resource update targeted for June 2022.
• Eight of 70 planned sites have been drilled at Hartog to date, with final approvals imminent on access restrictions
• A new magnetic feature identified at the Flinders target at Gonneville
• Scoping Study for initial mine development at Gonneville targeted for Q3 2022
• Ended the quarter with approximately $54.5 million in cash.

What else happened this quarter for Chalice Mining?

The company says that resource definition and extensional drilling at the Gonneville deposit continued on company-owned farmland during the quarter.

Additional drilling outside of the deposit has revealed further mineralisations and “extend[ed] the high-grade zones up to 400m beyond the limit of the current Resource pit shell,” Chalice notes.

The release notes that Chalice is also in ongoing “access discussions” to obtain what it calls “the Julimar State Forest, Bindoon Training Area and private farming properties”.

Otherwise, Chalice gave an in-depth presentation of each of its resource estimates and updates on each of its respective assets.

What’s next for Chalice?

Chalice says that it is continuing baseline environmental surveys at its Julimar site. These include ground water, surface water, flora, fauna, and dieback studies, according to the company.

“The intention is to compile sufficient baseline environmental data to support a potential project referral, expected in early 2023,” it mentioned.

With respect to exploration drilling at its Hartog target, a total of 70 drill sites are planned across the target area. This will extend from Hartog to Dampier.

Chalice notes that high-priority targets will be drilled and tested once final permitting approvals have been received.

Chalice Mining share price snapshot

In the last 12 months, the Chalice Mining share price has remained even.

This year to date, though, it has fallen 32% into the red after a 12% loss this past month.

The post Here’s why the Chalice Mining share price slid 8% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Chalice Mining, EML Payments, Mineral Resources, and South32 shares are tumbling
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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 Bruce Jackson.

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