• Why Apple stock looks tasty today

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

    a young woman lies on the floor propped on her elbows holding a green apple to her mouth amid a large scattering of green apples around her on the floor. She is smiling and holding her mouth wide open as she is about to take a big bite of the apple she holds in her hand near her mouth.

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

    What happened

    Shares of tech giant Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) were off to the races Wednesday afternoon, up 2% as of 1:40 p.m. ET, most likely thanks to an upbeat note from investment bank Wedbush this morning 

    So what

    In its note today, Wedbush cited “stellar iPhone 13 demand globally” as the basis for its optimism on the stock. iPhone 13 sales are strong in the U.S., and particularly strong in China, said Marketwatch, with Apple picking up another 3% of market share in the latter nation.

    What’s more, Wedbush said it believes Apple is in an “elongated product cycle” and that the iPhone 13’s success will turn into “the drumroll to iPhone 14 this Fall” (keeping today’s rally going all year long). And that’s on top of a prediction that the company will sell 30 million new 5G-capable iPhone SEs this year.

    For what it’s worth, investment bank J.P. Morgan seems to mostly agree. In a separate note, it points to “incremental datapoints [that] support our positive outlook for iPhone 13 demand into [calendar year 2022],” to back up its own overweight rating and $210 price target on Apple.

    Now what

    And 2022 could be only the start of the good news.

    Peering deeper than usual into its crystal ball (Wall Street analysts usually only forecast 12 months out), Wedbush predicts that Apple’s “monster” growth cycle will continue over the next 12 to 18 months. Thus, this rally could potentially extend all the way into late 2023, a likelihood that Wedbush does not believe has yet been “baked into shares at current levels.”

    I’m inclined to agree. At 25.6 times earnings, Apple stock doesn’t cost much more than the average company in the S&P 500, which costs 25.5 times earnings. Apple, however, is anything but an average company. Its stock price probably deserves to go higher. 

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

    The post Why Apple stock looks tasty today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Apple, 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 Apple 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

    Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Apple. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson. 

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

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  • Why has the Incitec Pivot (ASX:IPL) share price exploded 26% in a month?

    A woman's head literally explodes with goodness.A woman's head literally explodes with goodness.

    The Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL) share price has continued to climb and hit multi-year highs in the past month.

    Incitec shares have surged 26% since market close on 24 February and are currently trading at $3.85. In today’s trade, the company’s shares are up 1.3%.

    So why is the industrial chemicals and explosives manufacturer so popular with investors at the moment?

    Positive broker upgrades

    The Incitec Pivot share price is currently trading at its highest level since November 2018.

    The company’s shares surged almost 13% between market close on 4 March and 11 March alone. Investors appear to have reacted positively to a broker note from Credit Suisse. Analysts upgraded the company’s shares to an outperform rating. As my Foolish colleague James reported, Credit Suisse was optimistic Incitec Pivot would benefit from higher fertiliser prices.

    On March 11, Incitec appointed a new chief financial officer with significant global experience. Paul Victor, who will start on 1 July, is an executive director and chief financial officer of global chemicals and energy company Sasol Limited.

    Commenting on the appointment, CEO and managing director Jeanne Johns said:

    Paul is joining at an exciting time as we further develop our strategic agenda with two industry leading businesses in the mining and agricultural industries.

    This week, the Incitec Pivot share price is continuing to smash multi-year highs. My Foolish colleague Bernd noted rising fertiliser prices and a strategic acquisition earlier this year may be helping the company’s shares. The company entered an agreement to acquire 100% of French explosives manufacturer Explinvest. The company expects to complete this transaction in June 2022.

    In late February, Incitec Pivot updated shareholders on the impact of an incident at the company’s ammonia plant in Louisiana. The company confirmed a pipe rupture resulted in the release of hydrogen. Repairs on the plant were predicted to take between six and eight 8 weeks.

    Incitec Pivot share price snapshot

    The Incitec Pivot share price has surged 39% over the past year, while it is up 19% this year to date.

    For perspective, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained 9% in the past 12 months.

    Incitec has a market capitalisation of about $7.6 billion based on its current share price.

    The post Why has the Incitec Pivot (ASX:IPL) share price exploded 26% in a month? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Incitec, 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 Incitec 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

    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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  • ‘Conflict of interest’: Why the Noumi (ASX:NOU) share price is falling today

    a woman with a sad face looks to be receiving bad news on her phone as she holds it in her hands and looks down at it.a woman with a sad face looks to be receiving bad news on her phone as she holds it in her hands and looks down at it.

    The Noumi Ltd (ASX: NOU) share price has slipped into the red this afternoon and is currently down 0.88% at 22.5 cents.

    Noumi, formerly Freedom Foods, is embroiled in a saga with its auditor after Australian regulators pointed the finger at both parties late last year.

    Today, the company released an important update regarding the conclusion of its auditor’s appointment, following the auditor’s decision to open court proceedings against it.

    What did Noumi announce today?

    As a quick backdrop, back in December 2021, Noumi was served with two class action proceedings from the Victorian Supreme Court.

    The court alleged that both Noumi and its auditor, Deloitte Touche Tomatsu, had breached the Corporations Act 2001.

    Today, Noumi advised Deloitte has notified the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) that it believes “a conflict of interest situation exists in connection with the class action proceedings brought against it in relation to its role as auditor of the company”.

    As a result, Deloitte will finish up as Noumi’s auditor on 13 April 2022.

    Where the conflict of interest arises, Noumi says, is due to the arguments in Deloitte’s defence to the class action.

    Specifically, Deloitte will allege the company was “a concurrent wrongdoer” in its proportionate liability defence, while lodging a defensive cross-claim against Noumi.

    “Noumi intends to vigorously defend all claims made against it in the proceedings,” the company stated today.

    The company has begun the search to appoint a new auditor and will update the market when doing so, pending shareholder approval.

    Noumi’s defence is due at the court on 8 April 2022, and thus investors can expect further updates on the saga at that time.

    Noumi share price snapshot

    The Noumi share price has tracked lower in 2022 and is now down 45% this year to date. It is also down 24% in the past month.

    Its shares are down almost 60% over the past year, meaning Noumi must gain 150% before returning to its previous highs.

    TradingView Chart

    The post ‘Conflict of interest’: Why the Noumi (ASX:NOU) share price is falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Noumi, 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 Noumi 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 Zach Bristow  has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Freedom Foods 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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  • Why has Macquarie downgraded these 2 ASX shares?

    Person with thumbs down and a red sad face poster covering the face.Person with thumbs down and a red sad face poster covering the face.

    Many ASX shares have managed to claw their way back from morning losses but two entities have to contend with being hit by a broker downgrade.

    One in the firing line is online job ads group Seek Limited (ASX: SEK). The Seek share price has slumped 2.8% to $29.49 at the time of writing even as the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) rebounded 0.12% higher.

    The other is shipbuilder Austal Limited (ASX: ASB). Let’s take a closer look at the pair.

    Seek at risk of earnings disappointment

    What might be weighing on the Seek share price is broker Macquarie’s decision to cut its recommendation on the shares from outperform to neutral.

    This is despite Seek posting a solid set of results with strong revenue growth over the last 12 months.

    Australia’s severe labour shortage can likely be credited for the increase in revenue. Businesses that are desperate to hire are not only advertising more on the site, but they are paying for premium services to attract workers.

    Downgrade risk for this ASX share

    While the current environment provides a positive backdrop for the Seek share price, the good times may not last as long as the market may expect.

    Macquarie noted that the market had incorrectly assumed depth revenue (sales of its premium services) as a structural event. This in turn is elevating earnings through to FY23.

    But as the labour market normalises, the broker questions if this assumption is too bullish, saying:

    SEEK remains a high-quality business with a favourable labour market backdrop. The price-to-value strategy may offer upside in the longer term as well.

    However, this is offset by near term downside risk to earnings; limited valuation support; and longer-term upside already expected (price-to-value captured in forecasts).

    Macquarie’s 12-month price target on the Seek share price is $32 a share.

    Austal share price recovery offers little comfort

    Meanwhile, the broker has also hit the Austal share price with a downgrade. It cut its rating on the shipbuilder to neutral too, with a 12-month target of $1.91 a share.

    The bad news hasn’t seemed to sink the Austal share price today though. It’s up 1.24% to $1.80 in early afternoon trade.

    However, this comes off the back of an 11% plunge for Austal yesterday when the Philippines Navy decided not to award the ASX company with a contract.

    Fog of war clouds its ASX share price

    It appears the market was assuming that the contract to build offshore patrol vessels was a given. Austal management said it would look for new customers and pursue commercial ferry work for its Philippine shipyard.

    But the loss is making investors nervous and puts extra focus on Austal’s upcoming US contract. A decision is expected in late May or June this year.

    Austal needs the new US contract to replace its current LCS program, which will finish by FY24.

    The lack of visibility on its order book is the key reason why Macquarie decided to downgrade the Austal share price.

    The post Why has Macquarie downgraded these 2 ASX shares? 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

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau owns Austal Limited and Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Austal Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited and SEEK 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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  • ‘We are excited’: Why these 2 ASX lithium shares are popping today

    two men in hard hats and high visibility jackets look together at a laptop screen that one of the men in holding at a mine site.

    two men in hard hats and high visibility jackets look together at a laptop screen that one of the men in holding at a mine site.

    ASX lithium shares Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN) and Lithium Australia NL (ASX: LIT) are both marching higher today.

    The Lithium Australia share price is up 1.82% at time of writing, currently trading for 11.2 cents per share.

    Galan Lithium is running even hotter, with shares up 4.24% to $1.72.

    So, what’s driving investor interest in these ASX lithium shares today?

    Encouraging soil sampling and aerial mapping results

    This morning Gala reported that it’s recently completed its first exploration sampling and mapping work at its joint venture Greenbushes South Lithium project.

    The project, located in Western Australia, is a joint venture between Galan (80% interest) and Lithium Australia (20% interest).

    Gala said it has now received the results of its completed geochemical survey. Those show 425 soil samples and 14 rock chip samples.

    The samples were taken from the Donnybrook sheer zone, primarily associated with “syntectonic emplacement of the lithium-bearing pegmatites of the Greenbushes mine”.

    Gala reported that pathfinder element concentrations from those samples indicate prospective targets “near the trace of the mineralising zone”.

    According to the release, Greenbushes is the largest hard-rock lithium mine on the planet.

    On the mapping end, the ASX lithium shares have completed 7,622 kilometres of airborne magnetic and radiometric geophysics at low altitude, providing high resolution data. Thomson Airborne is processing the geophysical data, which will then be interpreted by Southern Geoscience Consultants.

    Commenting on the exploration progress, Galan’s managing director, JP Vargas de la Vega said:

    We are excited with the prospectivity at our Greenbushes South Lithium project and are encouraged with the new soil sample results that continue to indicate that the tracing elements that are found within the Donnybrook sheer zone may well host lithium pegmatites the same as in the Greenbushes mine bordering to the north of our tenements.

    Galan looks forward to further strengthening its geological data and knowledge within its tenements as soon as the report from our consultants is completed. The results will formulate our next exploration phase when we will be able to generate and prioritise specific exploration targets in the area.

    The ASX lithium share reported that it’s also submitted the final revision of its Conservation Management Plan for its future exploration programs on its pending applications.

    How have these ASX lithium shares been performing?

    While down 11% in 2022, the Galan share price is up an impressive 220% over the past 12 months.

    Fellow ASX lithium share, Lithium Australia, is down 7% in 2022 and down 14% over the past 12 months.

    For some context, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has gained 9% over 12 months.

    The post ‘We are excited’: Why these 2 ASX lithium shares are popping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Galan, 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 Galan 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

    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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  • These 2 Nasdaq stocks hit all-time highs on Wednesday

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

    a smiling woman holds up two fingers and winks.

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

    Investors have seen some respite early this week from the tough market conditions that have prevailed throughout much of 2022 thus far. However, the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) turned lower on Wednesday, trading down more than three-quarters of a percent as of 1:30 p.m. ET. Overall, the market community is still struggling with all the uncertainty prevailing across financial markets, including not only stocks but also bonds, commodities, and real estate.

    Yet even with all the potential headwinds facing the market, some Nasdaq stocks are still hitting all-time highs. Among the companies setting new stock-price highs throughout their histories, Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) and Amphastar Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AMPH) stood out from the relatively small crowd. Below, we’ll take a closer look at those stocks to see what’s happening with the companies. 

    Palo Alto rises on cybersecurity threats

    Shares of Palo Alto Networks were higher by 1.5% early Wednesday afternoon on a down day for Wall Street, bringing its gain over the past year to 87%. The cybersecurity specialist has gotten a lot of attention lately, due in large part to the specific geopolitical threats of cyberwarfare that the Russian invasion of Ukraine poses.

    Palo Alto has done a good job of publicizing the need for better cybersecurity. In a release earlier this week, the company highlighted the fact that even though the vast majority of state and local government entities understand that breaches from ransomware are a significant and ongoing threat, fewer than half have a ransomware incident response plan in place in the event of such an attack.

    Palo Alto has positioned itself to be the provider of choice for cybersecurity services, and it has seen significant adoption of its platform. Revenue has more than doubled since fiscal 2018, including a 30% rise year over year in its most recent quarterly report. Adjusted net income showed modest growth, and Palo Alto gave guidance for growth rates of 25% to 26% for sales along with earnings expectations of $7.23 to $7.30 per share for the full fiscal year.

    There’s plenty of competition in the cybersecurity stock space, and Palo Alto isn’t the only successful company providing these valuable services. Nevertheless, it’s done a better job than many of seeing its stock price hold up in the recent downturn, and it’s still in good position to benefit as cybersecurity returns to the spotlight. 

    Amphastar keeps looking healthier

    Amphastar has seen its stock rise 54% just since the beginning of 2022, and the shares added another 1% on Wednesday. The biopharmaceutical company has seen great success with its intranasal, inhalation, and injectable products, and investors are responding to solid results.

    The company’s fourth-quarter and full-year financial results released earlier this month show the tone of Amphastar’s business lately. Revenue was up 26% year over year for the quarter, finishing a year with 25% sales growth. Adjusted earnings more than doubled for both periods, coming in at $0.42 per share for the fourth quarter and $1.37 per share for 2021. 

    Amphastar’s biggest revenue bump came from sales of Primatene Mist and epinephrine, which posted 60% and 152% gains respectively. The company attributed Primatene’s surge to a strong advertising campaign, while a new multi-dose vial helped bolster epinephrine sales. In addition, the introduction of the injection emergency kit treatment Glucagon provided a valuable new source of sales for the company.

    Looking ahead, Amphastar has five abbreviated new drug applications before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to serve markets worth $4 billion, as well as a host of biosimilar and generic products in development targeting another $25 billion in market opportunities. Investors have high hopes that Amphastar can keep up its momentum, and the stock is reflecting that potential. 

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

    The post These 2 Nasdaq stocks hit all-time highs on Wednesday 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

    More reading

    Dan Caplinger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and recommends Amphastar Pharmaceuticals and Palo Alto Networks. 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.

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

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  • Buyback bonanza! Why the Southern Cross Media (ASX:SXL) share price is up 8% today

    A man in suit and tie is smug about his suitcase bursting with cash.A man in suit and tie is smug about his suitcase bursting with cash.

    The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is having a very choppy day so far in Thursday’s trading. At the time of writing, the All Ords is up, but only just, having clocked a 0.02% gain so far. That comes after the index spent most of the morning in red territory. But one All Ords share doesn’t seem to have got the memo. That would be the Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (ASX: SXL) share price.

    Southern Cross shares are currently up an impressive 8%, going for $1.76 at the time of writing. That comes after the media company closed at $1.62 a share yesterday and opened at $1.70 this morning.

    So why are Southern Cross shares having such a strong day today? It could be the result of the announcement the company made this morning.

    Before market open, Southern Cross released a market update to investors. This contained two new pieces of news. The first was an announcement that revealed the company has “received unsolicited approaches from several parties indicating potential interest in acquiring SCA’s regional television assets”.

    Southern Cross stressed that these offers were non-binding and incomplete, and did not include “details of timing, price or conditions”.

    The company is assessing its options and engaging with these interested parties, and told investors that it will “continue to update shareholders as appropriate”.

    Southern Cross share price gains amid new share buyback announcement

    The other piece of news that was revealed was a new on-market share buyback program worth up to $40 million. Here’s some of what the company had to say on this matter:

    With modest gearing and consistent free cash flow generation expected to continue, the Board has approved the buyback to enhance shareholder returns. SCA will fund the buyback from existing cash reserves and debt facilities, while continuing to invest in SCA’s digital audio strategy to grow audiences and revenue opportunities.

    It could be one or both of these announcements that are fuelling investor interest in Southern Cross today. Interest in buying a company’s assets from multiple parties usually bodes well for a company and its market valuation.

    Additionally, share buybacks have a direct benefit for existing shareholders. When a company purchases and retires its own shares on the open market, it reduces the company’s total share count, boosting existing earnings per share (EPS). It also usually comes with share price gains, since the supply of the shares is being constricted.

    So it’s this announcement that is likely providing the boost to the Southern Cross shares that we are currently seeing.

    At the current Southern Cross Media share price, this ASX All Ords share has a market capitalisation of $430.7 million, with a dividend yield of 5.11%.

    The post Buyback bonanza! Why the Southern Cross Media (ASX:SXL) share price is up 8% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Southern Cross Media right now?

    Before you consider Southern Cross Media, 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 Southern Cross Media 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 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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  • Top broker tips Nickel Mines (ASX:NIC) share price to rise 40%

    a miner wearing a hard hat smiles as he stands in front of heavy earth moving equipment on a barren mine site.

    a miner wearing a hard hat smiles as he stands in front of heavy earth moving equipment on a barren mine site.

    The Nickel Mines Ltd (ASX: NIC) share price has been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride in recent weeks.

    Since this time last month, the nickel producer’s shares have been as high as $1.79 and a low as $1.15.

    The Nickel Mines share price is currently trading close to the middle of this range at $1.34.

    Is the Nickel Mines share price good value?

    According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts see a lot of value in the Nickel Mines share price at the current level.

    The note reveals that the broker has retained its buy rating and lifted its price target to $1.88.

    This implies potential upside of 40% for investors over the next 12 months. And if you include the almost 5% dividend yield the broker expects in FY 2022, the total potential return stretches to 45%.

    What did the broker say?

    Bell Potter notes that PT Oracle Nickel Industry (ONI), the operating entity housing the Oracle Nickel RKEF project, has been granted material corporate tax relief.

    Based on the broker’s current modelled assumptions for the Oracle Nickel project, it expects the main tax concession to eliminate an expense of ~US$50m per annum for ten years. It notes that “this flows directly through to the bottom line and to free cash flow, boosting earnings and our NPV-based valuation.”

    Combined with a recent pullback in the Nickel Mines share price, the broker believes this is a buying opportunity for investors.

    It commented: “We view NIC’s steep price drop as an acquisition opportunity. The operating and development fundamentals of the business are unchanged and we view the perceived risk increase as tangential to NIC. We lower our CY22 and CY23 earnings forecasts by 15% and 9%, respectively, on higher costs, but continue to forecast aggressive EPS growth. Our target price increases by 7%, to $1.88/sh as we factor in the latest tax concessions. We retain our Buy recommendation.”

    The post Top broker tips Nickel Mines (ASX:NIC) share price to rise 40% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Nickel Mines right now?

    Before you consider Nickel Mines, 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 Nickel Mines 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 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why are ASX 200 bank shares underperforming on Thursday?

    A woman dressed in red and standing in front of a red background peers thoughtfully at a piggy bank in her hand.A woman dressed in red and standing in front of a red background peers thoughtfully at a piggy bank in her hand.

    It’s a rough day on the market for S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank shares.

    In fact, it’s proving to be a tough one for nearly all stocks on the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ). The sector has slumped 0.65% at the time of writing, with only a few financial bigwigs posting gains.

    Let’s take a closer look at what’s going on with the index and how the ASX 200 big four banks are tracking on Thursday.

    What’s weighing on ASX 200 bank shares today?

    The ASX 200 has been wobbling on Thursday. After spending much of this morning in the red, the broader market has regained its feet to record a 0.11% gain.

    Still, the market is being weighed down by its financial constituents’ struggles. The sector is one of its worst performers today.

    Though, the financial sector is doing better than the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ). It’s fallen 1.7% at the time of writing.

    Unfortunately, ASX 200 bank giants haven’t managed to avoid today’s downturn.

    The Australia New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price has slumped 0.93%.

    Meanwhile, shares in the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) have slipped 0.74% and 0.21% respectively.

    The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price is outperforming its big four peers to record a 0.03% slide.

    NAB’s slightly better performance might be due to news it’s completed its $2.5 billion buyback. Excitingly, the bank has announced it’s now embarking on another buyback that could prove to be the same size.

    Another banking giant, Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), is also suffering today, posting a 1.37% slip.

    Buy now, pay later provider Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) is the sector’s biggest weight, falling 6.38%.

    Finally, right now, there are only 2 ASX 200 financial stocks in the green today. Those are embattled Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) – posting a 0.41% gain – and AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) – up 1.06%.

    As market watchers might be aware, Magellan announced the departure of its co-founder and former chair, Hamish Douglass, this week.

    While there’s been no news from AMP, the battered company’s stock is 80.9% lower than it was 5 years ago.

    The post Why are ASX 200 bank shares underperforming on Thursday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Why is the oOh!Media (ASX:OML) share price slipping 6% today?

    The oOh!media Limited (ASX: OML) share price is backtracking during mid-morning trade following a board resignation.

    At the time of writing, the out of home media company’s shares are down 6.87% to $1.56.

    Another senior member departs

    Investors are reacting to the latest news from the company, sending the oOh!Media share price into negative territory.

    In a statement to the ASX, oOh!Media advised that non-executive director, Mick Hellman will resign from the company’s board.

    This is scheduled to occur before the April board meeting following the sale of HMI Capital’s shareholding in the company.

    It is worth noting that Mr Hellman is the managing partner of HMI Capital.

    The United States-based investment company provided strong support to oOh!Media’s capital raising during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Mr Hellman tenure will cease after spending around 2 years on the oOh!Media board.

    The departure follows yesterday’s announcement from the company that chief financial officer (CFO), Sheila Lines will also leave.

    After spending 4 years in the role, Ms Lines has decided to pursue other external opportunities.

    While no date was given, Ms Lines will temporarily stay on to assist oOh!Media with the transition to finding a new CFO.

    About the oOh!media share price

    Over the past 12 months, the oOh!media share price has moved in a sideways channel hovering around the $1.60 mark.

    The company’s shares are down 8% since this time last year, and are some way off the $3 level reached pre-COVID.

    Based on valuation grounds, oOh!media commands a market capitalisation of roughly 936.88 million.

    The post Why is the oOh!Media (ASX:OML) share price slipping 6% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in oOh!media right now?

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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 recommended oOh!Media 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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