• Neometals (ASX:NMT) share price shoots to new 52-week high

    a man sits on a rocket propelled office chair and flies high above a citya man sits on a rocket propelled office chair and flies high above a city

    The Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT) share price is shooting skywards this afternoon despite no news out of the sustainable minerals explorer today.

    At the time of writing, Neometals shares are up 10.8% to $1.95. In earlier trade, they reached a new 52-week high of $1.97.

    What’s been happening lately?

    The last time we heard any news from Neometals was on Tuesday. The company announced that its battery recycling joint venture Primobius has opened a commercial lithium-ion battery recycling plant in Germany.

    Operations are expected to start this quarter. It appears ASX investors loved the news, with the Neometals share price advancing 19% to date on Monday’s closing price of $1.63.

    Growth in the Neometals share price has impressed ASX investors in recent times. In March alone, shares in the lithium, vanadium, and nickel miner moved 25% higher as my Fool colleague Aaron reported.

    During the month, Neometals also announced it was in advanced discussions about a possible partnership between Primobius and Licular, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz Group AG (FRA: MBG).

    As part of a global strategy for recycling car battery systems, Mercedes-Benz wants to build a recycling plant at its Kuppenheim operations in southern Germany.

    In a statement on 11 March, Neometals said Licular “plans to cooperate with … Primobius, as its technology partner, for the design and construction of the proposed recycling plant”.

    Neometals share price snapshot

    The Neometals share price is up 447% over the past 12 months.

    Neometals has a market capitalisation of $1.07 billion based on the current share price.

    The post Neometals (ASX:NMT) share price shoots to new 52-week high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Neometals right now?

    Before you consider Neometals, you’ll want to hear this.

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

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

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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 Treasury Wine (ASX:TWE) dividend is being paid today. Here’s the lowdown

    A group of people clink wine glasses in an outdoor, late afternoon setting to celebrate the latest dividend paid by Treasury sharesA group of people clink wine glasses in an outdoor, late afternoon setting to celebrate the latest dividend paid by Treasury shares

    Owners of Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) shares might be about to get a little extra spending (or investing) money in the form of a dividend.

    That’s right, today is payment day for the winemaker and distributor’s interim dividend.

    At the time of writing, the Treasury Wine share price is $11.61, 0.26% higher than its previous close.

    For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) are currently up 0.06% and 0.07% respectively.

    So, what should investors know about their latest payment? Here are all the details.

    Treasury Wine pays out interim dividend

    The Treasury Wine interim dividend is being paid today, with many shareholders set to receive a fully franked 15 cent dividend for every share they own in the company.

    Taking into account the share price’s previous close, today’s 15 cent dividend, and the company’s latest final dividend – valued at 13 cents per share – the company is currently trading at a trailing dividend yield of 2.4%.

    But not all investors will be receiving the company’s interim dividend today. Treasury Wine traded ex-dividend on 2 March.

    That means only shareholders who invested before that date are eligible to receive the payout. Thus, a share’s value generally drops in line with the value of the company’s dividend on its ex-dividend date.

    The Treasury Wine share price was no exception, plunging 2.74% lower on its ex-dividend date.

    The dividend being paid today was first announced in Treasury Wine’s half-year results, posted in February.

    For the six months ended 31 December, the company’s sales revenue, earnings before interest and tax, and net profit after tax (NPAT) fell 10.1%, 6.7%, and 7.5% respectively.

    However, it chose to maintain its previous 15 cents interim dividend. That represents a 66% payout ratio of the company’s first-half NPAT.  

    It’s also 5 cents lower than the company’s highest dividend ever.

    Treasury Wine has previously paid two 20 cent dividends. The first was its final dividend of financial year 2019. The second was its interim dividend of financial year 2020.

    Despite being in the green today, the Treasury Wine share price is currently 7% lower than it was at the start of 2022.

    Though, it has gained 12% since this time last year.

    The post The Treasury Wine (ASX:TWE) dividend is being paid today. Here’s the lowdown appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Treasury Wine right now?

    Before you consider Treasury Wine, you’ll want to hear this.

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

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

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Treasury Wine Estates 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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  • Tabcorp (ASX:TAH) share price jumps as possible legal action threatens $11b demerger

    Two company executives split a piece of paer down the middle, indicating a company demergerTwo company executives split a piece of paer down the middle, indicating a company demerger

    The Tabcorp Holdings Limited (ASX: TAH) share price is climbing today despite Racing NSW threatening to block its upcoming $11 billion demerger.

    The New South Wales racing body is slamming the plan for Tabcorp to separate its lucrative lottery arm and its struggling wagering business, reported The Australian.

    But investors appear to be unfazed. At the time of writing, the Tabcorp share price is up 2.62% to $5.48. For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is currently flat.

    Tabcorp demerger angers Racing NSW

    Racing NSW wants Tabcorp to provide guarantees to protect the income the ASX company pays to the agency.

    Otherwise, Racing NSW is warning it could look to the courts to stop the break-up.

    “I have to protect the interests of the 50,000 participants in the racing industry in NSW and unless (Tabcorp) negotiate with us we will be left with no other option,” Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys was quoted in The Australian as saying.

    “It’s no secret that Tabcorp’s wagering division is running poorly and that they are trying to offload a sinking ship.”

    Racing NSW has a history of using the courts to get its way. This includes famously winning its case against corporate bookmakers in the High Court a decade ago that delivered hundreds of millions to racing.

    How big is the legal threat to the Tabcorp share price?

    However, investors may have been reassured by Tabcorp saying it doesn’t need the blessing of racing bodies. This includes Racing NSW, although it does require other regulatory clearances before the spin-off.

    Tabcorp’s outgoing chief executive David Attenborough has also played down the risk of Racing NSW’s legal threats, saying management was “focused on ensuring both businesses (lotteries and wagering) perform at their best”.

    No surprise to shareholders

    Investors also won’t be surprised by the sabre rattling by Racing NSW. This risk was clearly laid out in Tabcorp’s demerger scheme booklet.

    The company revealed it received correspondence from the body in the past year alleging the transaction would “adversely impact” the racing industry.

    It also asserted that the deal would reduce the financial returns to Racing NSW and would be in breach of the agreement it has with Tabcorp.

    Why the breakup could be good for the Tabcorp share price

    However, shareholders are looking forward to the spin-off. History has shown that corporate break-ups often deliver superior returns to shareholders.

    This includes the BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) separation and the Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) and Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) break up – just to name a few.

    The Tabcorp share price has gained around 16% over the past year, while the ASX 200 is up around 10%.

    The post Tabcorp (ASX:TAH) share price jumps as possible legal action threatens $11b demerger 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau owns BHP Billiton Limited and South32 Ltd. 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 COLESGROUP DEF SET and 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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  • Here’s what moved the Bitcoin price 20% higher in March

    Bitcoin coin with a rising arrow.

    Bitcoin coin with a rising arrow.

    The Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price kicked off March trading for US$39,632.

    Yesterday, just before we ticked the calendars over into April, Bitcoin was worth US$47,397, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

    That’s a gain of 19.5% over the course of the month.

    Why the Bitcoin price made headlines in March

    The Bitcoin price made plenty of headlines in March.

    And for good reason.

    Early in March, and less than 2 weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reports emerged that cryptos were being sent to help support Ukraine’s defence efforts. Among those reports, it emerged that Bitcoin had surpassed Russia’s plummeting rouble in terms of total value.

    A bit later in the month, the Bitcoin price surged on the day that United States President Joe Biden signed an executive order imposing greater oversight on crypto markets. Crypto investors look to have applauded that regulatory move.

    Mid-month, Bitcoin received another leg up when a potential crypto mining ban failed to gain traction among European Union parliamentarians.

    The token also held up well following the first interest rate rise from the US Federal Reserve in many years, with numerous more rate hikes flagged over the coming months.

    Earlier this week, on 29 March, the Bitcoin price hit a new 2022 high, erasing sizeable losses it had suffered in the first 2 months of the new year.

    That new 2022 high came following news that the Luna Foundation, the organisation behind stablecoin TerraUSD (CRYPTO: UST), had bought almost 25,000 Bitcoin worth roughly US$1.1 billion.

    Crypto markets resilient in March

    Commenting on the recent performance of the Bitcoin price and crypto markets more broadly, Josh Gilbert, crypto analyst at multi-asset investment platform eToro, said:

    Despite geopolitical tensions emerging and interest rates rising across the globe, crypto markets have demonstrated a high level of resilience. The tumultuous start of 2022 has highlighted the multitude of use cases that cryptoassets possess. Investors are now starting to see crypto as more than just an investable asset, but instead, as something that can completely shift financial systems and provide support to those in need.

    On the first trading in April, the Bitcoin price is down 3.5% to US$45,598.

    The post Here’s what moved the Bitcoin price 20% higher in March appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bitcoin right now?

    Before you consider Bitcoin, you’ll want to hear this.

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

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

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Bitcoin. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Bitcoin. 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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  • Allkem (ASX:AKE) share price leaps 6% following lithium pricing update

    man jumping along increasing bar graph signifying jump in alumina share priceman jumping along increasing bar graph signifying jump in alumina share price

    The Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) share price is powering ahead on Friday morning following a company update regarding lithium pricing.

    At the time of writing, the lithium mining company’s shares are swapping hands for $12.19, up 6.65%.

    ‘Strong market conditions’ support lithium carbonate and spodumene prices

    In today’s statement, Allkem provided an update on expected June quarter pricing for lithium carbonate and spodumene products.

    The company stated that strong market conditions have positively impacted the price received for lithium carbonate spodumene concentrate.

    As such, the June quarter (FY22) average price received for lithium carbonate is expected to be approximately US$35,000 per tonne. This includes free on board (FOB) on sales of approximately 3,500 tonnes of lithium carbonate.

    FOB is a shipping term used to indicate who is responsible in the case of damaged or destroyed goods.

    This means Allkem retains ownership and responsibility for the goods until they are loaded ‘onboard’ a shipping vessel. Once on the ship, all liability transfers to the customer/buyer of the lithium carbonate product.

    It’s worth noting that the preliminary March quarter (FY22) sales price was approximately US$27,236 per tonne. This is 9% higher than the previous guidance given by Allkem.

    In addition, spodumene concentrate pricing in the June quarter is forecasted to be approximately US$5,000 per tonne based on sales of around 50,000 tonnes.

    Allkem noted that March quarter sales were completed at a price of about US$2,218 per dry metric tonne (dmt). This included the spodumene concentrate that was delayed from the December quarter.

    Allkem will further update the market with the final prices in the March quarterly report released on 14 April 2022.

    About the Allkem share price

    Over the past 12 months, the Allkem share price has surged 150% on the back of the lithium hype.

    When looking at year to date, the company’s shares are up around 18%.

    Based on today’s price, Allkem commands a market capitalisation of roughly $7.85 billion.

    The post Allkem (ASX:AKE) share price leaps 6% following lithium pricing update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Allkem right now?

    Before you consider Allkem, you’ll want to hear this.

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

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

    *Returns as of January 13th 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s what ESG investors should know about cryptos like Bitcoin

    A tree in the shape of the Bitcoin symbol with leaves flying off the top, indicating ESG impacts of crypto mining

    A tree in the shape of the Bitcoin symbol with leaves flying off the top, indicating ESG impacts of crypto mining

    Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) and the wider world of cryptos have been put under the microscope by Morgan Stanley’s Cryptocurrency and Sustainability Research team.

    Specifically, the team delved into the various facets investors placing a premium on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues should consider before investing in cryptos.

    The social and governance angles

    By and large, the social and governance aspects of cryptos shouldn’t be of much concern for ESG-focused investors.

    With Bitcoin run under a decentralised blockchain system, the governance falls on its supporters and users.

    Socially ESG investors shouldn’t have any major roadblocks with cryptos either.

    While there are various estimates as to how much crypto is used in illegal transactions, the same issues are also in play for cash.

    Investors should be aware that there are still scams in the crypto markets, but they do open the door for people to transact outside of traditional financial institutions.

    According to Jessica Alsford, global head of sustainability research at Morgan Stanley:

    Cryptocurrencies could be one way to increase access to financial systems for the unbanked. Anyone with a smartphone or laptop and internet connection can access cryptocurrencies, which arguably is a lower requirement than that of traditional bank accounts.

    The environmental concerns for investing in cryptos like Bitcoin

    It really boils down to the environmental part that ESG investors will need to consider before investing in cryptos like Bitcoin, the world’s first digital token and largest by market cap.

    “Every $1 of Bitcoin mined is materially more carbon-intensive than every $1 of gold mined,” says Alsford.

    She estimates that Bitcoin’s carbon footprint is some 14.2 million times more than Visa Credit Card transactions. In fact, Bitcoin uses as much energy every year as all of the Netherlands, a nation of 17 million people.

    Bitcoin relies on something called proof of work (PoW). That requires a massive network of computers to verify transactions, sucking up a heck of a lot of energy.

    Ethereum has also been operating on a PoW system, but the world’s number 2 crypto is planning to transition to proof of stake (PoS) later this year. That’s meant not only to speed up transactions but to greatly reduce its energy use and carbon emissions.

    Some analysts are also predicting the switch to PoS will see the Ethereum price head skyward.

    Can’t crypto miners just use renewables?

    There are a growing number of miners tapping into hydro and solar to run their Bitcoin networks.

    But according to Alsford, the sheer quantity of energy required simply isn’t available via renewable sources like solar.

    “We estimate that powering Bitcoin’s yearly energy requirement via green energy would require the equivalent infrastructure of the entire US solar fleet,” she said.

    The post Here’s what ESG investors should know about cryptos like Bitcoin 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum. 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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  • Vanguard Australian Shares ETF (ASX:VAS) plummets! What’s going on?

    A surprised man sits at his desk in his study staring at his computer screen with his hands up while he watched the Sezzle share price fall despite the company accepting a takeover offer from Zip CoA surprised man sits at his desk in his study staring at his computer screen with his hands up while he watched the Sezzle share price fall despite the company accepting a takeover offer from Zip Co

    The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) unit price is seemingly plummeting today. VAS units closed at $97.21 each yesterday. But upon market open this morning, this popular ASX exchange-traded fund (ETF) opened at just $94.91 a unit. It’s currently asking $95.08, down a nasty 2.2%.

    And yet the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) – the benchmark index that VAS tracks – is actually up by 0.1% today thus far. So what on earth is going on? Isn’t VAS an index fund, designed to almost exactly mirror the ASX 300?

    Well, yes. But today is an exception. The Vanguard Australian Shares ETF is not falling due to some strange decoupling from its index. Rather, it is falling because this ASX ETF has just traded ex-dividend distribution for its upcoming investor payment.

    VAS price falls, but thank the dividend distribution

    Yes, VAS pays dividends, although they come in the form of dividend distributions due to its ETF nature. The ASX 300 is an index comprised of the 300 largest companies on the ASX by market capitalisation. That means everything from Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) to Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN) and Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD).

    Since this ETF holds all 300 or so companies in the ASX 300 Index in its underlying portfolio, it receives dividends from any companies in the index that pay them. In the ASX 300’s case, that is most of them, at least when it comes to the larger holdings.

    So VAS is obligated to pass these dividends on to its investors. Vanguard does this every quarter, so investors can expect a dividend distribution every three months or so.

    This is what is occurring today. VAS’s upcoming distribution, covering the quarter ended 31 March 2021, has just traded ex-distribution, meaning that any new investors from today won’t receive the next payment. This is due to be doled out on 20 April. This payment will be worth 199.8517 cents per unit.

    This payment brings VAS’s trailing 12-month distributions to $4.66 per unit. On current pricing, that gives the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF a trailing yield of 4.9%.

    The post Vanguard Australian Shares ETF (ASX:VAS) plummets! What’s going on? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in VAS right now?

    Before you consider VAS, you’ll want to hear this.

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

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

    *Returns as of January 13th 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. owns and has recommended Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. 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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  • Federal budget: Goldman Sachs names 4 ASX shares to buy

    A female stockbroker reviews share price performance in her office with the city shown in the background through her windows

    A female stockbroker reviews share price performance in her office with the city shown in the background through her windowsThe team at Goldman Sachs has been looking over the federal budget and has given its verdict on how it expects consumer spending to be impacted.

    What did the broker say?

    Goldman expects the budget to be supportive of consumer spending in the coming years. Though, it suspects that the spending may not be equal across the economy.

    It commented:

    “Within the robust consumption spend (~6.7% FY22-24e), we believe that a larger portion will return to services spending, with a catch up on lifestyle services (travel, entertainment etc, ~10.8% FY22-24e) post COVID, while Essential Services (~7.3% FY22-24e) and Staples Retail Goods (~4.4% FY22-24e) will remain a relatively stable share of spend. We expect Discretionary Retail Goods (Household equipment, clothing), which benefited most during COVID lock-downs, will see challenged growth (~-2.4% FY22-24e).”

    With this in mind, the broker has named four ASX shares to buy:

    Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV)

    Goldman Sachs is positive on this drinks company and has a conviction buy rating and $8.00 price target on its shares.

    It explained why it is positive, saying: “For the breadth of its consumer assets and depth of loyalty as well as more advanced digital transformation driving market share gain and faster sales growth and margin expansion. F&B retailers are also more defensive vs cost inflation and China supply chain disruptions given better bargaining power and more localized supply chain.”

    Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN)

    The broker prefers Harvey Norman over rival JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH). It has a buy rating and $5.80 price target on the former’s shares, whereas it has a sell rating and $39.00 price target on the latter.

    Goldman explained: “We are cautious on home retailers due to exposure to China supply chain disruption and cost inflation risks, while competition from online pureplays such as Amazon are picking up speed. Between JBH and HVN, we prefer HVN due to more protection from online competition given higher regional and boomer exposure as well as lower valuation.”

    Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB)

    Goldman believes this online travel agent could be well-positioned for growth post-COVID. So much so, it has a buy rating and $6.90 price target on its shares.

    The broker commented: “We expect WEB to benefit from the tailwind of travel recovery, offering structurally improved profitability and a strong outlook on the Bedbanks business, which we expect to resume the strong growth journey that it embarked on prior to COVID.”

    Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)

    Its analysts are also bullish on retail giant Woolworths for the same reason as Endeavour. The broker likes the company due to the breadth of its consumer assets and wide-reaching loyalty program.

    Goldman has a buy rating and $40.50 price target on the company’s shares.

    The post Federal budget: Goldman Sachs names 4 ASX shares to buy 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.

    *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. owns and has recommended Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Webjet Ltd. 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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  • Do Flight Centre shares have a dividend reinvestment plan?

    two older men wearing colourful tropical patterned shirts and hats like tourists puzzle over a map one is holding while he other holds up a hand as if indicating he doesn't know where they are going.two older men wearing colourful tropical patterned shirts and hats like tourists puzzle over a map one is holding while he other holds up a hand as if indicating he doesn't know where they are going.

    Does the Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price have a dividend reinvestment plan? Good question.

    Dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) are often a popular option for investors if a company does offer one. A DRIP allows investors to automatically reinvest a dividend payment back into the company that pays it. This is done by election, and means that instead of receiving a dividend in the form of a cash payment, the investor is issued new shares of the company instead.

    Many ASX shares, particularly blue-chip shares, offer dividend reinvestment plans. Some even come with a discount, meaning that if an investor chooses a DRIP, they will get a small bonus — the new shares issued will be worth slightly more than if the investor opted to receive the dividend in cash.

    Remember, there’s no free lunch here though. If you reinvest your dividend through a DRIP, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) usually still treats this situation as though you had received the cash. So a DRIP is certainly not some kind of legal tax dodge — your dividends are taxed the same way, whether they are received as cash or reinvested.

    What about the Flight Centre dividend?

    So that takes us to Flight Centre. Do Flight Centre shares offer a DRIP? Well, the answer is a definitive no.

    For one, a company needs to actually pay out dividends if investors want to utilise a DRIP. And Flight Centre hasn’t paid a dividend for years now. Its last shareholder payment came back in October 2019. Flight Centre had actually announced a 2020 interim dividend, but the company was forced to cancel it due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    But Flight Centre did not even offer a DRIP when it was paying a dividend anyway. Investors had no option but to receive their Flight Centre dividend in cash. If the company ever returns to paying out dividends, investors might well have the option of a DRIP when that does occur. But we shall have to wait for that day to come to see.

    The Flight Centre share price has taken a tumble so far today. This ASX travel share is currently down by 1.07% at $19.47 a share. That still puts it up around 4.3% in 2022 so far though. At this share price, Flight Centre has a market capitalisation of $4.02 billion.

    The post Do Flight Centre shares have a dividend reinvestment plan? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Flight Centre right now?

    Before you consider Flight Centre, you’ll want to hear this.

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

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

    *Returns as of January 13th 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 recommended Flight Centre Travel Group 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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  • Here’s why the Starpharma (ASX:SPL) share price is having such a stellar end to the week

    Medical professionals cheering good news. pro medicusMedical professionals cheering good news. pro medicus

    The Starpharma Holdings Limited (ASX: SPL) share price is up 6% following a company announcement to the market this morning.

    Starpharma has announced it will relaunch its VIRALEZE antiviral nasal spray in the UK after resolving issues raised by the regulator in June last year. Supply preparations are already underway and the product will be back online and in pharmacies over the next few weeks.

    Starpharma share price spikes after regulator’s tick of approval

    ASX investors have reacted strongly to the news today. The Starpharma share price is heading northwards for a fourth consecutive day. It is currently up 6% on Monday’s closing price, trading at 96 cents.

    Starpharma paused the sale and promotion of VIRALEZE in the UK after the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) wrote to its UK retail partner, LloydsPharmacy querying promotional claims about VIRALEZE and its impact on COVID-19.

    As my Fool colleague Kerry Sun wrote at the time, the correspondence related to “references to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, and the interrelationship between these product claims and its categorisation”.

    MHRA was not questioning the safety or quality of VIRALEZE. It was querying “allowable promotional claims” under the product’s categorisation as a medical device.

    On the day of that announcement, the Starpharma share price nosedived by 9.4% to $1.54.

    In laboratory studies, VIRALEZE has proven effective in deactivating many respiratory viruses, including influenza and multiple strains of COVID-19.

    In its statement today, Starpharma told ASX investors that it had provided MHRA with “extensive technical
    information” on VIRALEZE and its anti-viral agent, SPL7013. Overnight, the regulator gave the green light for Starpharma to recommence sales in the UK.

    What did management say?

    Starpharma CEO Dr Jackie Fairley said:

    We are delighted to be relaunching VIRALEZE in the UK. We look forward to making VIRALEZE available to UK consumers again very soon. VIRALEZE is registered in more than 30 countries, and we look forward to rolling the product out into further markets this year.

    VIRALEZE is registered as a medical device in the UK and countries across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. It is not approved for sale in Australia.

    Starpharma share price recap

    The Starpharma share price hit a 52-week low of 79 cents in the middle of March. ASX investors who picked up Starpharma shares at this price have seen a 21% return on their investment in just over two weeks.

    The post Here’s why the Starpharma (ASX:SPL) share price is having such a stellar end to the week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Starpharma right now?

    Before you consider Starpharma, you’ll want to hear this.

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

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

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Starpharma Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Starpharma Holdings 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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