• ‘Significant’ COVID-19-related disruptions: Adairs (ASX:ADH) share price sinks 5% following horror first-half results

    a young woman props her hand under the face as she pokes her head out from under a luxurious doona in a bedroom decorated with flowers and a stylish lamp.a young woman props her hand under the face as she pokes her head out from under a luxurious doona in a bedroom decorated with flowers and a stylish lamp.a young woman props her hand under the face as she pokes her head out from under a luxurious doona in a bedroom decorated with flowers and a stylish lamp.

    The Adairs Ltd (ASX: ADH) share price is deep in the red on Monday afternoon. This comes after the company released its first-half results for the 2022 financial year before market open.

    At the time of writing, the homewares and furniture retailer’s shares are swapping hands for $2.95, down 5.14%.

    Adairs delivers disappointing result for H1 FY22

    The Adairs share price is heading south following the company’s performance for the 26 weeks ending 26 December 2021. Here are some of the key highlights:

    What happened in H1 FY22 for Adairs?

    The Adairs result was significantly impacted by government-mandated store closures, with store sales down 13.8% to $131.7 million.

    Gross margin fell 380 basis points against the prior comparable period. This was due to global supply chain cost increases, higher delivery costs, and an increase in promotional activity.

    In the Mocka business, sales jumped 22.8% to $34.3 million, attributed to strong growth in website traffic and search activity.

    However, operations in Australia in the second quarter were significantly impacted by COVID-19-related customer delivery challenges. Although the company said this issue has now been resolved with a new delivery partner onboard.

    Higher import freight costs, courier delays, and promotional activity resulted in a decline in delivered gross profit margin to 38.3%.

    What did management say?

    Adairs managing director and CEO Mark Ronan commented:

    The first half of FY22 brought significant one-off operational disruptions related to COVID-19 which impacted our portfolio of brands and our overall financial results. Despite this we continued to progress our strategic priorities with Adairs’ National Distribution Centre commencing operations, two new stores opened, four stores upsized, continuing range expansion with pleasing results and continued investment in digital capabilities.

    The finalisation of the Mocka earn-out allowed us to build out our team to support our growth strategies and we added to our portfolio of vertical omni-channel retail brands by acquiring Focus on Furniture. With all brands having strong opportunities for growth, and all benefiting from good in-country inventory levels, we are confident about the prospects for the Group in 2H FY22 and beyond.

    What’s next for Adairs?

    Looking ahead, Adairs noted forecasted ‘clear opportunities for growth through 2H FY22’. This is based on the macro-economic environment which is supportive of strong employment and higher wages growth.

    Whilst the COVID-19 operating environment can be unpredictable, the company refrained from providing guidance for the FY22 full year.

    The post ‘Significant’ COVID-19-related disruptions: Adairs (ASX:ADH) share price sinks 5% following horror first-half results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Adairs, 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 Adairs 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. owns and has recommended ADAIRS FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended ADAIRS FPO. 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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  • Could this really end the party for ASX 200 mining shares in 2022?

    Fortescue employee wearing a hard hat at a mine looks into the distance as he checks a folder.

    Fortescue employee wearing a hard hat at a mine looks into the distance as he checks a folder.Fortescue employee wearing a hard hat at a mine looks into the distance as he checks a folder.

    S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) mining shares have broadly had a good run in 2022.

    While the ASX 200 is down 5% year-to-date, mining giant BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) has seen its shares gain 14%.

    Rival iron ore giant, Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO), meanwhile, has gained a whopping 21% since the opening bell of 4 January.

    The ASX 200 miners, and others, have received a healthy tailwind from rising inflation figures. More so as many analysts have been reporting that in times of rising prices, commodities are the place where investors want to be.

    But Damien Klassen, head of investment at Nucleus Wealth, believes much of the hype surrounding a new commodity super cycle is overdone.

    Why China’s numbers look bearish for ASX 200 mining shares

    If the heat comes off commodity prices like iron ore, it will throw up some unwelcome headwinds for the ASX 200 miners who have benefited from resurgent prices.

    In analysing the outlook for commodities, Klassen, as reported by Live Wire, took a close look at Chinese inflation figures.

    According to Klassen, Chinese inflation indexes released last week were once again weak. “Consumer price inflation has been weak for more than a year now,” he said. Adding that last week’s data ” merely confirmed December’s downtrend”.

    Investors need to keep an eye on Chinese producer price inflation, which has been stoking inflation concerns around the world. Digging into that data, he said, “All of the annual growth is in energy and commodities. But, even in those categories, the last three months have seen reversals.”

    Does Wall Street have an agenda?

    We’ve certainly heard plenty of bullish commodity analysis coming out of some major US brokerages.

    And Klassen believes Wall Street may be spinning its own story.

    “The Wall Street narrative is that the only thing that will save your portfolio from inflation is commodities,” he said.

    Before investing in commodities or ASX 200 mining shares, there are some things to consider, atop the fact that Chinese inflation numbers point to a reversal of the global inflation story.

    According to Klassen, “Most commodities are close to their all-time highs. So you are not starting from a good place. Effectively, you are buying high and expecting prices will go higher.”

    Then there’s the supply and demand imbalance.

    As the world has reopened from COVID closures, demand for commodities has outpaced the industry’s ability to ramp up supply. Particularly as there are still many hurdles in place from the ongoing pandemic.

    “It may be a price super-cycle. It is not a volume super-cycle,” Klassen said. He added (quoted by Live Wire):

    Supply volumes struggle to keep up with booming demand in a real commodity super-cycle. But that is not the case now. Prices for most commodities haven’t risen on the back of booming volumes. They have increased because of supply shortages and disruptions. If supply disruptions end and higher prices spark increased supply, prices will reverse quickly.

    He also expects increased knock-on effects to impact commodity prices from a major slowdown in China’s property sector. “Housing starts are down 30% over the last few months. But slowing starts take some time to filter through to commodity demand. The effects are only just beginning.”

    As for investors in ASX 200 mining shares banking on US inflation driving the commodity super cycles, Klassen cautioned, “US wage inflation is the most important factor for continuing inflation. That story is not yet determined. But higher US wages do not automatically mean higher commodity prices.”

    The post Could this really end the party for ASX 200 mining shares in 2022? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    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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  • A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price jumps 12% on ‘improved’ outlook

    rising asx share price represented by happy woman dancing excitedly

    rising asx share price represented by happy woman dancing excitedlyrising asx share price represented by happy woman dancing excitedly

    The A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price is having an excellent start to the week.

    In afternoon trade, the embattled infant formula company’s shares are up 12% to $5.95.

    Why is the A2 Milk share price racing higher?

    Investors have been bidding the A2 Milk share price higher today following the release of its half year results.

    In case you missed it, A2 Milk reported a 2.5% increase in revenue over the prior corresponding period to NZ$661 million. Though, this was driven by the inclusion of the Mataura Valley Milk (MVM) business, which wasn’t part of the company in the prior corresponding period.

    A better reflection on its performance during the half was that of its core infant nutrition business, which reported a 10.5% reduction in revenue to NZ$471 million. This was driven by the lower birth rate and rapidly changing market dynamics in China.

    On the bottom line, things were even worse. A2 Milk reported a 53.3% decline in net profit after tax to NZ$56 million. This compares unfavourably to the market consensus estimate, which according to Commsec was NZ$60 million.

    So why are its shares rising?

    The catalyst for the rise in the A2 Milk share price today appears to have been its outlook.

    Some upbeat commentary from management seems to have offset the profit miss and got investors excited.

    A2 Milk’s CEO, David Bortolussi, commented: “The Company’s outlook for 2H22 revenue has improved. It is still expected to be significantly higher than 2H21, and with growth now expected on 1H22 and for FY22, ahead of initial expectations due mainly to growth in China label and English label IMF.”

    Mr Bortolussi also revealed that the company has seen an improvement in trajectory in the ANZ reseller/daigou channel and that he is “confident in the long-term China infant milk formula market.”

    All in all, this appears to have sparked hopes that the company is now over the worst of its issues. Time will tell if that is the case.

    The post A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price jumps 12% on ‘improved’ outlook appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in A2 Milk right now?

    Before you consider A2 Milk, 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 A2 Milk 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 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 recommended A2 Milk. 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 ASX investors simply have to get used to volatility?

    a man drives a car wearing a seat belt with a startled, almost frightened look on his face as he clutches the steering wheel as though he is having a wild ride in his car.

    a man drives a car wearing a seat belt with a startled, almost frightened look on his face as he clutches the steering wheel as though he is having a wild ride in his car.a man drives a car wearing a seat belt with a startled, almost frightened look on his face as he clutches the steering wheel as though he is having a wild ride in his car.

    As most ASX investors would be painfully aware of, the past few months have seen share market volatility spike to levels we haven’t seen since the initial COVID-induced crash of 2020.

    As of today’s pricing, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) remains down by close to 5% over 2022 thus far, and hasn’t gone anywhere since June last year. Yes, the ASX 200 has traded sideways for roughly 8 months.

    Not that we haven’t seen some dramatic moves in that time though. To illustrate, here is a graph of the S&P/ASX 200 VIX Index, which measures market volatility, over the past 12 months:

    TradingView Chart
    Volatility measured by the ASX 200 VIX | 12-month chart

    So as you can see, volatility has indeed been on the rise over the past few months. Many investors link this rise in volatility to a number of factors, including the Russia-Ukraine Crisis, higher inflation, and the prospect of higher interest rates, and oil prices.

    Is ASX 200 share market volatility here to stay?

    No one really likes volatility and the large fluctuations it inflicts upon our share portfolios. So is this something ASX investors will just have to live with now? Is volatility here to stay?

    Writing for Livewire, Chief Investment Officer at Jamieson Coote Bonds, Charlie Jamieson, argues it is.

    Jamieson points to the actions of central banks around the world in recent years. These banks responded to the initial outbreak of the pandemic by pumping unprecedented amounts of liquidity into financial markets around the world. We saw that in the United States, as well as here in Australia. Indeed, our own Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) initiated a quantitative easing (QE) program for the first time in our history in 2020.

    But what goes up must come down, and central banks around the world are today working to unwind much of this stimulus. New Zealand and the United Kingdom have already started hiking interest rates. And most commentators are expecting the RBA and the US Federal Reserve to follow suit very soon.

    Are central banks fuelling a wild market?

    So, we had large levels of capital enter the global financial system, which is still “sloshing around”, according to Jamieson. It’s the ongoing withdrawal of this stimulus that has Jamieson convinced volatility is here to stay:

    But I think that the one thing that we’ve got to remember is that interest rates are the locomotive on the front of a huge train of assets. Where they go ultimately really matters…

    There have been episodes in the last few months where that train right at the front has derailed… And yet a lot of the train has still been broadly travelling straight ahead. But in January, [central banks are] starting to realise that there are some twists and turns coming up.

    So think about that. Clearly, if central bankers continue to deliver aggressive withdrawal of accommodation, we have to expect that volatility is going to be very pronounced.

    If Jamieson is to be believed, volatility is certainly here to stay. It seems we had better strap on our seatbelts if he proves to be correct.

    The post Do ASX investors simply have to get used to volatility? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

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    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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  • Tyro (ASX:TYR) share price plummets 25% as COVID takes its toll

    Upset woman with her hand on her forehead, holding a credit card.Upset woman with her hand on her forehead, holding a credit card.Upset woman with her hand on her forehead, holding a credit card.

    The Tyro Payments Ltd (ASX: TYR) share price is tumbling after the company released its earnings for the first half of financial year 2022.

    At the time of writing, the Tyro share price is $1.64, 24.77% lower than its previous close.

    Tyro share price plunges as EBITDA falls 67%

    • Processed $15.8 billion in transactions ­– a 31% increase on the first half of financial year 2021
    • Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of $2.8 million – down 67%
    • Payments business’ statutory gross profits reached a record $68.1 million – up 25%
    • Banking business’ gross profits came to $2.4 million ­– up 35%
    • Normalised gross profit – post Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd‘s (ASX: BEN) share – rose 11% to $68.1 million
    • A record 61,554 merchants using Tyro – up 68%

    Tyro has recorded increased profits, transactions, and merchants despite many of its users suffering through outbreaks of COVID-19‘s Omicron variant.

    Over the half, the company provided terminal rental relief to impacted merchants and deferred its annual pricing adjustments.

    However, that, as well as investments in growth initiatives, wage inflation, the removal of JobKeeper, and costs associated with its acquisition of Medipass, saw the company’s EBITDA tumble.  

    Tyro ended the period with $157 million in cash and financial investments – down from $173 million at the end of the previous half.

    The company is now Australia’s fifth largest merchant acquiring bank by terminal count, with 103,935 terminals handed out – an increase of 52.1%.

    Additionally, merchant deposits grew to $100.8 million over the half and merchant and transaction value churn rates fell to 10.1% and 9% respectively.

    Finally, merchant loan originations rebounded to $36.2 million – a 1,279% increase.

    What else happened in the half?

    Last half marked the first time the company reported an entire half’s earnings inclusive of its deal with Bendigo Bank.

    The alliance between the financial institutions was completed on 1 June 2021 and saw all Bendigo Bank merchants novated across to Tyro. Bendigo Bank merchants brought Tyro $2.5 billion of transactions last half – consistent with expectations.

    Additionally, Tyro generated $22.4 million in payments from Medipass health providers in the period and $77 million in claims. It acquired Medipass in May 2021.

    The company’s merchants in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory saw their transaction values fall a combined 9.4% over the first half.

    Though, excluding those regions, Tyro’s payments business reported transaction value growth of 23.2%.

    Additionally, Tyro’s banking business saw lending income from its Merchant Cash Advance product increase 25.4% to $2.6 million.

    Tyro’s Bank Account also saw greater uptake. It had 4,964 active accounts as of 31 December, representing a 19.6% increase on the prior comparable period.

    Finally, during the half the company made a deal with Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) that saw the telco’s business customers offered Tyro’s merchant acquiring solutions.

    What did management say?

    Tyro CEO and managing director Robbie Cooke commented on the company’s first half results, saying:

    Booking a 31% lift in transactions processed to set a new record of $15.8 billion is something as a team we are really proud of. We worked alongside our 61,500 merchants as they continued to navigate the impact of lockdowns and provided all the assistance we could including terminal rental relief, loan repayment relief and we did not pass on scheme and interchange fee increases we incurred in the half.

    While lower than first half last year, our positive EBITDA result of $2.8 million reflected our continuing investment in growth initiatives, the absence of any JobKeeper benefits, wage inflation and first time costs associated with our newly acquired Medipass operation.

    What’s next?

    The company didn’t provide any guidance for financial year 2022.

    However, it said it’s expecting a return of workers to Australia’s CBDs which will likely help boost card transitions in retail and hospitality in the second half.

    Additionally, the company is looking to roll out its new card reader shortly and is working on its android-based terminal.

    Tyro also provided a trading update for the start of the second half.

    The company’s transaction values for January increased 35% on the previous year’s to $2.7 billion.

    For the first 3 weeks of February, its transaction values were 50% higher, reaching $1.8 billion.

    Its eCommerce transactions grew to a new record of $36.5 million in January – up 836% on the same month of 2021.

    Its payments business – post Bendigo Bank’s share of the profits and on a normalised basis – saw $11.1 million of profit for January, a 24% increase.  

    Finally, for the first 7 weeks of the calendar year, Tyro’s banking business saw loan originations total $5.8 million – a 1,099% increase.

    The bank business’ deposit balance also remained relatively stable at $96.1 million at the end of January.

    Tyro share price snapshot

    It’s been a rough start to the year for the payments provider’s stock.

    Right now, the Tyro share price is 43% lower than it was at the start of 2022.

    It’s also 45% lower than it was this time last year.

    The post Tyro (ASX:TYR) share price plummets 25% as COVID takes its toll appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Tyro, 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 Tyro 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. owns and has recommended Tyro Payments. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited and Telstra Corporation Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Tyro Payments. 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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  • Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price sinks to new 52-week low after revealing rising debts and big loss

    BNPL written on a laptop.

    BNPL written on a laptop.BNPL written on a laptop.

    The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price has tumbled to a new 52-week low on Monday.

    The buy now pay later (BNPL) provider’s shares dropped as much as 6.5% to $2.40 in morning trade.

    Why is the Zip share price falling?

    Investors have been selling down the Zip share price today after it released an update ahead of the release of its half year results later this week.

    According to the release, the company expects to report record revenue of $302.2 million for the first half. This will be an increase of 89% over the prior corresponding period. This was driven by record transaction volumes and transaction numbers. These were up 93% to $4.5 billion and 147% to 36.3 million, respectively.

    Management notes that these record numbers have been underpinned by customers continuing to benefit from products such as Tap and Zip, and deepening engagement through initiatives such as Zip’s personalised rewards offering.

    Also growing at a solid clip were its customer and merchant numbers. They have increased 74% to 9.9 million and 113% to 81,800, respectively.

    Bad debts and losses

    One slight disappointment that may be weighing on the Zip share price is its bad debts. Zip’s net bad debts have risen to 2.6% of transaction volumes (excluding the movement in provisions). This reflects the inclusion of less mature expansion markets and a change in the external environment in the US impacting the industry. The latter includes the easing of government stimulus affecting consumer portfolios generally.

    In response to this, management has adjusted its risk settings to drive down future losses. This is in line with similar actions successfully implemented in 2020 at the onset of COVID-19, which were effective in bringing losses back to levels in line with medium term targets (<2%).

    Also potentially putting pressure on the Zip share price today is its expectation to post a cash EBTDA loss of $108.1 million. This was driven by the company’s investment in growth, geographic expansion, and the pathway to becoming a global company.

    Sezzle talks ongoing

    Zip also revealed that its acquisition talks with Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL) are ongoing.

    However, once again, it warned that there is no certainty that the discussions will result in a transaction of any kind and intends to keep the market updated in accordance with its continuous disclosure obligations.

    The post Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price sinks to new 52-week low after revealing rising debts and big loss appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Zip, 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 Zip 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. owns and has recommended ZIPCOLTD FPO. 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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  • Ethereum price down again today as founder touts benefits of ‘crypto winter’

    A young boy enjoys the snow with his beanie pulled down over his eyes as he sticks his tongue out to catch snowflakesA young boy enjoys the snow with his beanie pulled down over his eyes as he sticks his tongue out to catch snowflakesA young boy enjoys the snow with his beanie pulled down over his eyes as he sticks his tongue out to catch snowflakes

    The Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) price is down 4% over the past 24 hours, currently trading for US$2,631 (AU$3,682).

    That sees the world’s number 2 crypto by market cap, shed 31% of its value so far in the new year. 

    And it gets worse. The Ethereum price is now down 46% from its all-time 16 November highs of US$4,892, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

    But it’s not just Ether that’s fallen hard this year and plummeted from 2021’s record highs.

    Year-to-date, all 20 of the top cryptos by market valuation are deep in the red, in an event being dubbed a new ‘crypto winter’.

    Is the crypto winter good for the Ethereum price longer term?

    For investors who bought Ether in recent months, watching the Ethereum price spiral lower is unlikely to be perceived as a good thing.

    Yet Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of the Ethereum blockchain, points to the longer-term benefits of the big pull back in cryptos.

    According to Buterin (quoted by Bloomberg):

    The people who are deep into crypto, and especially building things, a lot of them welcome a bear market. They welcome the bear market because when there are these long periods of prices moving up by huge amounts like it does – it does obviously make a lot of people happy – but it does also tend to invite a lot of very short-term speculative attention.

    With the Ethereum price down by almost half since November, and in a case of what could be the crypto cream rising to the top, Buterin said, “The winters are the time when a lot of those applications fall away and you can see which projects are actually long-term sustainable, like both in their models and in their teams and their people.”

    Cryptos moving in step with risk assets

    The falling Ethereum price and losses among other cryptos are in line with the selloff witnessed among tech shares and other high risk assets. 

    According to Buterin:

    It does feel like the crypto markets kind of flip the switch from being this niche group that’s controlled by a very niche group of participants and it’s fairly disconnected to traditional markets into something that behaves more and more like it is part of the mainstream financial markets

    The post Ethereum price down again today as founder touts benefits of ‘crypto winter’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    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 Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended 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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  • Why is the Dicker Data (ASX:DDR) share price frozen today?

    A person stands still with a virtual reality technology headset on and arms outstretched, surrounded by frozen ice and snow.A person stands still with a virtual reality technology headset on and arms outstretched, surrounded by frozen ice and snow.A person stands still with a virtual reality technology headset on and arms outstretched, surrounded by frozen ice and snow.

    The Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) share price won’t be going anywhere on Monday.

    This morning the IT distributor requested that its shares be placed in a trading halt.

    As such, Dicker Data shares are frozen at $14.40. It’s worth noting the company’s shares have gained more than 8% in value in the past month.

    Why is the Dicker Data share price halted?

    Prior to the market opening, the company requested the Dicker Data share price be halted while it prepares an announcement.

    According to the release, the company is planning to make an announcement regarding an acquisition.

    Dicker Data has requested that the trading halt remains in place until the release of the announcement or the commencement of trade on Wednesday 23 February, whichever comes first.

    What happened?

    At this stage, details remain unconfirmed about the company’s latest takeover.

    A report from the Australian Financial Review indicates that Dicker Data is set to purchase the security and information technology (SIT) business division from ASX-listed Hills Ltd (ASX: HIL).

    Founded in 1945, Hills is a distributor that sources security and network solutions to provide end-to-end solutions for its clients.

    While Dicker Data will buy just the Australian business unit, the estimated sale figure is rumoured to be around $20 million.

    In FY21, Hills’ SIT division generated $133.7 million in revenue. This comprises security and IT products such as video systems, surveillance, access control, intrusion protection, Wi-Fi, and firewalls.

    The latest buy will see Dicker Data become the largest distributor in the segment, acquiring over 50 new vendors.

    About the Dicker Data share price

    Since this time last year, Dicker Data shares have gained more than 26% in value.

    However, in 2022 the company’s shares are down by about 3% following heavy losses on the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX). The latter has fallen 21% year to date.

    Based on valuation grounds, Dicker Data has a market capitalisation of roughly $2.48 billion, with approximately 172 million shares on issue.

    The post Why is the Dicker Data (ASX:DDR) share price frozen today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Dicker Data right now?

    Before you consider Dicker Data, 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 Dicker Data 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 Aaron Teboneras owns Dicker Data Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Dicker Data Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Dicker Data 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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  • ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: AGL rejects takeover offer, A2 Milk shoots higher

    A woman looks quizzical as she looks at a graph of the share market.

    A woman looks quizzical as she looks at a graph of the share market.A woman looks quizzical as she looks at a graph of the share market.

    At lunch on Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the week with a decline. The benchmark index is currently down 0.6% to 7,180.6 points.

    Here’s what is happening on the ASX 200 today:

    AGL takeover offer rejected

    The AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) share price is jumping today after it received and rejected a takeover approach. AGL received an unsolicited, preliminary, non-binding indication of interest from a consortium led by Brookfield Asset Management and Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes’ private investment firm, Grok Ventures. However, at $7.50 per share, AGL believes the offer undervalues the company. It intends to push ahead with its demerger plans instead.

    Altium shares sink on half year results

    The Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) share price is sinking today after the release of its half year results. The electronic design software provider reported a 28% increase in revenue to US$102 million and a 38% lift in net profit after tax to US$23 million. It appears to be the company’s guidance that has disappointed. While management now expects to hit the high end of its revenue guidance, it only expects to achieve the low end of its margin guidance.

    A2 Milk half year update

    The A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price is charging higher today following the release of its half year results. Although the infant formula company reported a 53.3% decline in its net profit to NZ$56 million, management’s upbeat commentary appears to have offset this. It commented: “The Company’s outlook for 2H22 revenue has improved. It is still expected to be significantly higher than 2H21, and with growth now expected on 1H22 and for FY22, ahead of initial expectations due mainly to growth in China label and English label IMF.”

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers

    The best performer on the ASX 200 on Monday has been the AGL share price with an 11% gain following its takeover approach. Going the other way, the worst performer has been the Altium share price with a 10% decline following its half year update.

    The post ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: AGL rejects takeover offer, A2 Milk shoots higher 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 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 Altium. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended A2 Milk. 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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  • Time to fix your mortgage? And has Bunnings got the blues? Scott Phillips on Weekend Sunrise

    Motley Fool Australia Chief Investment Officer Scott Phillips joined Weekend Sunrise on Sunday to discuss the outlook for interest rates and whether it might be time to fix your mortgage. Plus, he talks about Bunnings’ unusually flat results.

    The post Time to fix your mortgage? And has Bunnings got the blues? Scott Phillips on Weekend Sunrise 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 Scott Phillips 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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