• IAG (ASX:IAG) share price on watch amid earnings miss but guidance upgrade

    Two brokers analysing stocks.

    Two brokers analysing stocks.Two brokers analysing stocks.

    The Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG) share price will be on watch on this morning.

    This follows the release of the insurance giant’s half year results.

    IAG share price on watch after earnings tumble

    • Revenue down 4.4% to $9,233 million
    • Gross written premium (GWP) up 6.2% to $6,570
    • Insurance profit down 57.8% to $282 million
    • Cash earnings down 62% to $176 million
    • Reported insurance margin down 10.8 percentage points to 7.1%
    • Interim dividend down 14.3% to 6 cents per share

    What happened during the half?

    For the six months ended 31 December, IAG reported a 4.4% increase in revenue to $9,233 million but a 62% decline in cash earnings to $176 million. The latter falls well short of the consensus estimate of $285 million, which may not bode well for the IAG share price on Friday.

    Management advised that this reflects the impact of a lower underlying insurance margin, higher net natural perils claims costs, a net strengthening of prior year reserves, and a lower gain from the narrowing of credit spreads.

    This offset a 6.2% improvement in its GWP to $6,570 million, which was driven by a range of factors. These include higher premium rates and volume growth across personal short-tail classes in Direct Insurance Australia (DIA), significant premium rate increases in Intermediated Insurance Australia (IIA), and a combination of higher premium rates and good retention levels across all key portfolios.

    In light of its softer performance, the IAG board has elected to cut its interim dividend to 6 cents per share. This represents the insurance company’s lowest interim dividend in a decade.

    Outlook

    One thing that could lend some support to the IAG share price today was management’s outlook for the full year.

    Following stronger than expected GWP growth in the first half and ongoing supportive economic conditions, IAG has upgraded its GWP guidance from low to mid single-digit growth and reaffirmed its reported insurance margin guidance of 10% to 12%.

    Management notes that the latter aligns to its aspirational goal to achieve a 15% to 17% insurance margin over the medium term.

    The post IAG (ASX:IAG) share price on watch amid earnings miss but guidance upgrade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider IAG, 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 IAG 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 owns and has recommended Insurance Australia 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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  • Is the Pushpay (ASX:PPH) share price a post-COVID buy?

    man holding mobile phone that says make donation

    man holding mobile phone that says make donationman holding mobile phone that says make donation

    Is the Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH) share price a post-COVID opportunity?

    Pushpay shares have actually dropped by 21% since the start of the year and 38% in the past six months.

    What is Pushpay?

    It’s an ASX tech share that provides a donor management system, including donor tools, finance tools and a custom community app, a church management system and video streaming solutions predominately to the faith sector in the US.

    Not only is there the Pushpay business, but it also owns Church Community Builder as well as Resi Media. Church Community Builder provides a software as a service (SaaS) church management system that churches use to connect and communicate with their community members, record member service history, track online giving and perform a range of administrative functions.

    Resi is a SaaS company that provides live video streaming solutions. It largely services the faith sector, but also services commercial, non-profit organisations as well as education providers.

    What has happened to the Pushpay share price?

    Pushpay was one of the beneficiaries of the changes from the COVID-19 pandemic. The ASX tech share provides donation capabilities for people to give money electronically. Social distancing and lockdowns resulted in more donations being sent electronically.

    But now the business is reporting that its growth rate in FY22 is slowing compared to 2021 and the affected months during 2020.

    Pushpay’s FY21 revenue rose 39% to US$181.1 million and the net profit rose by 95% to US$31.2 million. In the FY22 half-year result, revenue grew by 9% to US$93.5 million and net profit after tax went up 43%.

    Is life returning to normal hurting the company?

    In the HY22 result, Pushpay said that despite pressures that have been felt globally from the COVID-19 environment, the ASX share has not seen any material change in digital giving reverting to non-digital means.

    To management, this indicated that its customers in the US in the faith sector may have undergone a fundamental technological shift because of what’s happening. Indeed, customers are accelerating the option of technology because of the COVID environment.

    Is the Pushpay share price an opportunity?

    The company is continuing to focus on sustainable growth, refining its strategies that would enable the company to “realise its considerable potential over the long-term”.

    The ASX share expects to see continued growth through further expansion of its existing suite of solutions, providing bundled product offerings to existing customers, the products utilised by customers, while also attracting new customers and expanding its reach into new segments. Resi Media provides an opportunity for material synergy opportunities through product bundling and integration.

    It has plans to expand in the Catholic segment and also keep growing profit margins thanks to operating leverage. In HY22, the Pushpay gross profit margin increased from 68% to 69%.

    Commsec numbers put the Pushpay share price at 17x FY24’s estimated earnings.

    The post Is the Pushpay (ASX:PPH) share price a post-COVID buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Pushpay, 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 Pushpay 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 Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended PUSHPAY FPO NZX. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended PUSHPAY FPO NZX. 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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  • After a disastrous 2021, the Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price has tumbled another 30%. What’s going on?

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

    The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price has suffered through the start of 2022 despite only seemingly good news from the company hitting the market.

    As of Thursday’s close, the Zip share price is $3.07. That’s 0.65% lower than its previous close and 29% lower than its final close of 2021.

    That’s a rough trot on any day of the week. However, it might appear particularly devastating on the back of Zip’s stock’s 18% tumble in 2021.

    Let’s take a look at what the company’s been up to this year.

    What’s been driving the Zip share price in 2022?

    The buy now, pay later (BNPL) giant just can’t seem to get a break this year.

    It’s released record quarterly earnings, tantalised the market with major acquisition talks, and taken out the crown as the biggest pureplay BNPL stock.

    That’s right, when Afterpay delisted following its takeover by Block Inc (NYSE: SQ) – formerly named Square – Zip became the ASX top BNPL dog.

    Though, the shadow of the ASX’s former favourite was left on the exchange in the form of Block Inc CDI (ASX: SQ2).

    Additionally, in January Zip announced its transaction volumes increased 53% in the 3 months ended 31 December 2021 compared to the same period of 2020.

    All up, it saw $2.6 billion worth of transactions in the December quarter, with a 57% jump in customers driving the increase.

    Finally, Zip admitted it was pushing to acquire fellow ASX-listed BNPL company Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL) late last month.

    However, the company was careful not to get the market’s hopes up over another ASX BNPL takeover. It was clear there was no guarantee the companies would come to an agreement.

    But none of that has slowed the Zip share price’s tumble.

    What could be weighing on Zip in 2022?

    The Zip share price could be suffering on the sentiment of the BNPL market.

    Some experts are questioning the BNPL industry’s future while others question the outlook for the entire tech sector.  

    Speaking of the tech sector, the S&P/ASX 200 Info Tech Index (ASX: XIJ) and the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) are struggling in 2022. They’ve fallen 17% and 15% respectively year to date.

    Meanwhile, the stock remains one of the ASX’s most shorted. It had a 10% short interest as of The Motley Fool Australia’s most recent weekly update.

    Though, not all are bearish on the Zip share price. As The Motley Fool Australia’s Tristan Harrison recently reported, Ord Minnett has slapped it with a price target of $6.

    The post After a disastrous 2021, the Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price has tumbled another 30%. What’s going on? 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

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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 Block, Inc. and 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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  • NFTs will be standard in investment portfolios within 5 years: expert

    NFT tokenNFT tokenNFT token

    The hottest new asset class at the moment, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), is set to become a standard part of everyone’s investment portfolios within the next few years.

    That’s according to deVere Group chief Nigel Green, who noted big-name corporations have started to get in on the action.

    “Over the last year, the NFTs market has exploded, with a digital-only piece of art selling for US$69 million in 2021,” he said.

    “Since then, an ever-growing number of celebrities and artists, and fashion, music, tech and sports brands have been creating, buying and selling tokens.”

    What are NFTs?

    An NFT is a digital asset that represents ownership, or more accurately custodianship, of a real-world video, photo, artwork or even real estate.

    The NFT is recorded on the blockchain, which is the same technology involved in cryptocurrencies.

    The “non-fungible” part means that all NFTs are unique and have different values.

    Fungible assets like cash and cryptocurrencies are all exchangeable for one another — that is, one Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is always the same as another Bitcoin.

    But NFTs represent different items in the physical world, so no two are equivalent.

    NFTs, its proponents argue, democratise the exchange of art and real estate by cutting out the middleman. 

    It can also divide ownership of a real world item that can’t otherwise be fractionaised, such as a house.

    NFTs coming into the mainstream

    The extraordinary prices fetched by some artworks through NFTs have made plenty of headlines the past couple of years.

    Critics have argued that this is a fad that has turned into a bubble.

    But Green noted that big-brand corporations have now started protecting their assets in the NFT world.

    Both Nike and Hermès recently filed lawsuits against NFT dealers for appropriating their brands.

    According to Green, 3 reasons are driving the adoption of NFTs, especially among younger investors.

    “First, this new digital asset class has value due to the blistering pace of the digitalisation of our world,” he said.

    “Millennials and Gen Z especially have digital lives and it’s natural to want to take digital representations of, say, luxury brands, music, sport and art into these worlds.”

    Secondly, NFTs are providing an outlet for creative sectors to become more financially profitable.

    “Artists and musicians, for example, can provide enhanced virtual experiences for collectors and buyers, they can prove if their works are counterfeited, and they can include criteria to get royalties every time their works are re-sold in the future.”

    NFT prices have held firm while stocks and cryptos have plunged

    And finally, NFTs have proven to be a tool of diversification within investment portfolios.

    “NFTs have a very low correlation to other assets, such as stocks and bonds, and can, therefore, lower your portfolio’s overall risk and volatility levels.”

    Indeed, during the downward spiral of share and crypto markets in the past 6 weeks, NFTs have held their value.

    “I believe 2022 will be the breakout year for NFTs and, due [to] the diversifier factor, within 5 years the decade’s hottest emerging asset class will become a standard feature of investment portfolios.”

    The post NFTs will be standard in investment portfolios within 5 years: expert 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 Tony Yoo owns Bitcoin. 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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  • 2 ASX dividend shares giving investors steady payrises

    An older executive man dressed in suit trousers and a white shirt sits against a wall smiling with cash rains down over him representing dividend shares like BHP, FMG and Newcrest paying dividends in retirement

    An older executive man dressed in suit trousers and a white shirt sits against a wall smiling with cash rains down over him representing dividend shares like BHP, FMG and Newcrest paying dividends in retirementAn older executive man dressed in suit trousers and a white shirt sits against a wall smiling with cash rains down over him representing dividend shares like BHP, FMG and Newcrest paying dividends in retirement

    ASX dividend shares could be the answer to boosting income in this low interest rate environment.

    Interest rates are expected to rise. But even a 1% rise from where things are today would still end up being a low interest rate for people wanting to earn some money from cash in the bank.

    ASX dividend shares have the capability of producing a higher yield and also delivering growth.

    Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW)

    Brickworks is one of the ASX dividend shares with the longest-running streaks of reliability. It hasn’t cut its dividend for at least four decades. In-fact, that streak is getting pretty close to five decades.

    Using the last 12 months of dividends, the Brickworks grossed-up dividend yield is 3.9%. That yield has been boosted for prospective investors. The Brickworks share price dropped by around 8% over the last month.

    The business is well known for its building products divisions in Australia (and the US). It’s Australia’s biggest brickmaker and also has strong market positions in other areas like masonry and roofing.

    But other segments fund the dividend. One is its investment division, which has been providing earnings stability and growing dividends for decades.

    The other division is the industrial property trust which it owns 50% with partner Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) owning the other half.

    This property trust has a long pipeline of projects that it’s working on. It is expecting significant development profits. In the second half of FY22 it’s expecting to complete developments in Sydney and Brisbane which will add to its rental profit and boost the cashflow which funds dividends.

    The ASX dividend share has lengthened its development pipeline by announcing the release of 75 hectares of land at Oakdale East in Sydney. There is “unprecedented” demand for industrial development as more companies look for e-commerce and logistics facilities.

    Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

    Rural Funds is a growing real estate investment trust (REIT) in the agricultural landlord space.

    It owns a portfolio of different farm types including cattle, almonds, macadamias, vineyards and cropping (sugar and cotton).

    The business aims to grow its distribution by 4% per annum. It has been successful with this objective every year since it listed several years ago.

    Organic growth of distributions is funded by contracted rental increases (linked to CPI inflation or a fixed annual increase) as well as productivity improvement investments. Rural Funds puts some money towards improving its farms to make them more productive for the tenant, produce more rental income and theoretically increase the value of the land.

    It has a number of large tenants including Olam, JBS, Select Harvests Limited (ASX: SHV) and Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE).

    Rural Funds has provided distribution guidance of 11.73 cents per unit in FY22. That translates into a distribution yield of 3.9% from the ASX dividend share.

    The post 2 ASX dividend shares giving investors steady payrises appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Rural Funds right now?

    Before you consider Rural Funds, 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 Rural Funds 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 Tristan Harrison owns RURALFUNDS STAPLED. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Brickworks. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Brickworks and RURALFUNDS STAPLED. 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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  • Here are 3 highly rated ASX growth shares

    a business person in a suit and tie directs a pointed finger upwards with a graphic of a rising bar graph and an arrow heading upwards in line with the person's finger.

    a business person in a suit and tie directs a pointed finger upwards with a graphic of a rising bar graph and an arrow heading upwards in line with the person's finger.a business person in a suit and tie directs a pointed finger upwards with a graphic of a rising bar graph and an arrow heading upwards in line with the person's finger.

    Are you interested in adding some ASX growth shares to your portfolio today? If you are, you may want to look at the ones listed below.

    Here’s what you need to know about these growth shares:

    BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

    The first growth share to consider is an ETF that allows investors to buy many of the Asian region’s best growth shares. The BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF is home to ~50 companies such as Alibaba, JD.com, Netease, Pinduoduo, Samsung, Taiwan Semiconductor, and Tencent. BetaShares notes that due to the region’s younger, tech-savvy population, Asia is surpassing the West in terms of technological adoption and the sector is anticipated to remain a growth sector for some time.

    IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

    Another ASX growth share to look at is IDP Education. It is a provider of international student placement services and English language testing services. It was hit hard during the pandemic but has bounced back strongly in FY 2022. For example, earlier this week, IDP delivered a 47% increase in first half revenue to a record of $397 million and a 70% lift in net profit after tax to $52.9 million. This was despite parts of the company still suffering from COVID restrictions. Macquarie was pleased with its performance. In response, it put an outperform rating and $35.00 price target on its shares.

    Symbio Holdings Limited (ASX: SYM)

    A final ASX growth share to look at is Symbio. Formerly known as MNF Group, Symbio develops and operates a global communications network and software suite. This suite allows many of the world’s leading tech innovators to deliver new-generation communications solutions to their customers. This includes giants such as Google, Twilio, and Zoom. Overall, Symbio appears well-placed for growth over the long term thanks to favourable industry tailwinds and trends, its expansion across Asia, and M&A opportunities. Ord Minnett currently has a buy rating and $7.90 price target on its shares.

    The post Here are 3 highly rated ASX growth 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

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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 Idp Education Pty Ltd and Symbio Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Symbio Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

    Business woman watching stocks and trends while thinking

    Business woman watching stocks and trends while thinkingBusiness woman watching stocks and trends while thinking

    On Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form again and pushed higher. The benchmark index rose 0.3% to 7,288.5 points.

    Will the market be able to build on this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to sink

    The Australian share market looks set to end the week deep in the red after the US inflation reading of 7.5% spooked Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 33 points or 0.5% lower this morning. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is down 1.25%, the S&P 500 is down 1.4%, and the Nasdaq is down 1.5%.

    IAG half year results

    The Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG) share price will be one to watch on Friday. This morning the insurance giant is due to release its half year results. According to a note out of Morgans, it expects IAG to deliver a below consensus cash profit after tax of $210 million. The market is expecting $285 million for the half.

    Oil prices edge lower

    Energy producers including Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) could have a subdued day after oil prices edged lower. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 0.1% to US$89.55 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 0.4% to US$91.20 a barrel. Oil prices edged lower after US-Iran sanction talks progressed.

    Gold price softens

    Gold miners Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) and St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) could have a subdued finish to the week after the gold price dropped. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.15% to US$1,833.50 an ounce. US inflation data came in ahead of expectations, sparking fears that rates could increase quicker.

    Goldman retains buy rating on NAB

    The team at Goldman Sachs has responded to the National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) first quarter update by retaining its add rating and lifting its price target slightly to $31.33. Goldman commented: “NAB’s 1Q22 cash earnings from continuing operations were up 12% on the previous period average to A$1.80 bn, 6% ahead of what was implied by our previous 1H22E forecasts.”

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday 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. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Insurance Australia 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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  • 3 buy-rated ASX growth shares to make you smile

    Surge in ASX share price represented by happy woman pointing to her big smile

    Surge in ASX share price represented by happy woman pointing to her big smileSurge in ASX share price represented by happy woman pointing to her big smile

    If you’re a fan of growth shares, then you may want to look closely at the three shares listed below.

    Here’s why these growth shares have been rated as buys:

    Adore Beauty Group Limited (ASX: ABY)

    The first ASX growth share to look at is Adore Beauty. It is a leading online retailer in the $11.2 billion Australian beauty and personal care (BPC) market. It currently has almost 1 million active customers and generated revenue of $63.8 million during the first quarter. When annualised, this represents just a 2.3% share of a market that is still in the early days of its shift online. UBS is a fan of the company and currently has a buy rating and $6.00 price target on its shares.

    Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

    Another growth share to look at is Domino’s. It is one of the world’s largest pizza chain operators with stores across the ANZ, Asia-Pacific, and European regions. While it has a sprawling network across these regions, management still sees scope for significant expansion over the next decade. In fact, it is aiming to more than double its network to 6,650 stores in existing markets by 2033. Combined with its track record of same store sales growth, this bodes well for its growth over the next decade. Goldman Sachs is a fan of the company. It currently has a buy rating and $136.20 price target on the company’s shares.

    REA Group Limited (ASX: REA)

    A final ASX growth share to look at is REA Group. It is the dominant player in real estate listings in the Australian market. REA looks well-placed for growth in the coming years thanks to new revenue streams, cost cutting, price increases, and its international operations. The company has also been busy making acquisitions, which has strengthened its offering, particularly in mortgage broking. Goldman Sachs is also positive on REA. It has a buy rating and $167.00 price target on its shares.

    The post 3 buy-rated ASX growth shares to make you smile 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. has recommended Adore Beauty Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Adore Beauty Group Limited, Dominos Pizza Enterprises Limited, and REA 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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  • Telstra (ASX:TLS) targets government’s deep cyber-crime pockets

    a hooded person sits at a computer in front of a large map of the world, implying the person is involved in cyber hacking.a hooded person sits at a computer in front of a large map of the world, implying the person is involved in cyber hacking.a hooded person sits at a computer in front of a large map of the world, implying the person is involved in cyber hacking.

    The Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price finished in the red on Thursday. This came after the company unveiled two new cybersecurity offerings aimed at government customers.

    The company’s share price has gained nearly 3% since market open on 1 February. However, it finished down 0.74% at $4.05 today.

    Let’s take a look at what’s been happening with the telco lately.

    Cyber focus

    Telstra has released two new cybersecurity solutions aimed at local, state and federal government customers.

    The two new capabilities, named Sovereign SecureEdge and Cyber Detection and Response, will be made available to customers in coming months, CRN reported.

    The telco has a new specialist cybersecurity team that will help to implement the new initiatives, ARN reported.

    Telstra enterprise head of government government Nicole McMahon said Telstra’s technology and cyber team can provide federal, state and local government with secure, sovereign and intelligent networks to “keep Australia safe”.

    As we recover from the pandemic, reliance on digital services will remain critical. So it’s important that we secure and protect our digital environment, as disruptions due to cyber attacks could significantly impact the economy and its recovery.

    Telstra’s capability to protect, detect and respond to cyber threats, coupled with the unparalleled visibility of threats we have from operating the largest and most complex network in Australia, uniquely positions us to be able to act on cyber issues in real time.

    Meanwhile, Morgans now rates the Telstra share price as a “buy”, my Foolish colleague James reported today.

    Morgans has a price target of $4.56 on Telstra’s shares. The broker is also predicting fully franked dividends per share of 16 cents in both the 2022 and 2023 financial year.

    Meanwhile, earlier this week Telstra announced it had secured a new $100 million Internet of Things deal with the Intellihub group.

    Telstra share price snapshot

    The Telstra share price has gained nearly 28% over the past year but it has fallen 3% this year to date. It has gained 1.76% in the past week but has fallen 2.64% over the past month.

    For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has returned nearly 7% over the past year.

    Telstra has a market capitalisation of about $47.6 billion based on the current share price.

    The post Telstra (ASX:TLS) targets government’s deep cyber-crime pockets appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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  • 3 excellent ETFs you need to know about

    ETF with different images around it on top of a tablet.ETF with different images around it on top of a tablet.

    ETF with different images around it on top of a tablet.There are a lot of exchange traded funds (ETFs) funds out there for investors to choose from.

    Three top ETFs that you may want to look deeper into are listed below. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Betashares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: ETHI)

    The first ETF for ASX investors to get better acquainted with is the Betashares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF. This ETF aims to track the performance of an index that includes a portfolio of large global stocks identified as “Climate Leaders.” These companies have also passed screens to exclude ones with direct or significant exposure to fossil fuels or those that are engaged in activities deemed inconsistent with responsible investment considerations. Among the shares included in the fund are the likes of Apple, Nvidia, Toyota, and Visa.

    BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

    Another exchange traded fund which could be worth looking at is the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF. As you might have guessed from its name, this exchange traded fund gives investors exposure to the 100 largest businesses on Wall Street’s technology-focused NASDAQ index. This includes tech behemoths such as Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Facebook/Meta, Microsoft, and Netflix.

    iShares Global Healthcare ETF (ASX: IXJ)

    Another ETF to look at is the iShares Global Healthcare ETF. It offers investors easy exposure to the healthcare, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device sectors. This means you’ll be buying many of the world’s biggest and best healthcare companies such as CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, and Pfizer. Due to ageing populations globally and chronic disease burden increasing, demand for healthcare services is expected to increase markedly over the next couple of decades. This could bode well for the shares included in the fund.

    The post 3 excellent ETFs you need to know about 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 BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/4NgAY6c