BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares could be on the move in the coming days following a potential bidding war. This comes as mining tycoon Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest’s Wyloo Metals placed a superior offer for an overseas nickel miner.

At Tuesday’s closing bell, the BHP share price finished down 2.04% to $38.39.

Battery competition intensifies

As demand for electric battery raw materials accelerates, a raft of companies is lobbying to get a piece of the action.

According to The Age, Wyloo Metals has put forward a proposal to acquire Canadian-listed nickel miner Noront Resources (TSXV:NOT). The latter has accepted the $391 million takeover but is giving BHP just 5 days to match or outbid Wyloo.

As such, Wyloo has indicated it will pay C$0.70 (A$0.76) per Noront share, outbidding BHP’s C$0.55 (A$0.59) offer made in July. It’s worth noting that Wyloo is already Noront’s biggest shareholder with a 37.25% stake as of last month.

The ongoing tussle between both companies for Noront’s assets highlights the pursuit among miners to secure key battery making ingredients. Particularly, demand for nickel and lithium is expected to surge by the strong uptake of electric vehicles.

Noront has ownership or a controlling interest in all the major discoveries in the so-called “Ring of Fire”. This is located in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario.

In addition, the company’s Eagle’s Nest deposit is considered to be the largest high-grade nickel discovery in Canada. The site is projected to begin commercial production of nickel in 2026 with a mine life of 11 years.

If the current deal goes ahead, Wyloo Metals will provide a loan of up to C$23 million (A$24.88 million) to Noront. This will involve financing the termination payment to BHP along with other transaction-related costs.

About the BHP share price

Over the past 12 months, BHP shares have climbed 5% higher but have lost almost 10% in 2021. The company’s share price trekked upwards until August before plummeting to November 2020 lows.

BHP commands a market capitalisation of roughly $113.26 million, making it the third most valuable company on the ASX.

The post Own BHP (ASX:BHP) shares? Here’s how Twiggy is heating up competition for battery minerals appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• BHP (ASX:BHP) share price tumbles on Q1 update
• Why BHP, Propel, Silver Lake, and Tabcorp shares are falling
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: BHP’s Q1 update, CSL’S R&D update
• BHP (ASX:BHP) share price on watch after Q1 update and reaffirming guidance
• BHP (ASX:BHP) share price lifts amid mine extension news

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2YZXaTU

There is an ASX stock that’s risen more than 111% this year, but one fund reckons it’s not too late to hop on for a ride.

According to the latest monthly memo from Firetrail Small Companies Fund, shares for fun park operator Ardent Leisure Group Ltd (ASX: ALG) are still trading cheaply.

“We continue to see significant room for consensus earnings upgrades and valuation re-rating,” the Firetrail team told its clients.

“Ardent Leisure is a turnaround story, but it is still in the very early days of the turnaround.”

The team explained why Ardent is one of its top 3 overweight holdings currently.

Dreamworld is great, but Main Event is a money-printer

In Australia, Ardent is best known for the theme park Dreamworld on the Gold Coast.

But it actually rakes in most of its revenue from the other side of the world.

“Over 90% of the value of the business is derived from a US based chain of family entertainment centres called Main Event,” the Firetrail memo read.

“Ardent currently operates 45 Main Event centres across the US and plans to continue expanding its footprint.”

The closest rival for Ardent in the US is Dave & Buster’s Entertainment Inc (NASDAQ: PLAY), which runs a similar network of amusement centres.

Four years ago, Main Event was only averaging $7 million of revenue per outlet while Dave & Buster’s was taking in about $10 million per centre.

“Given the similarities between the two businesses, there was no reason for such a large difference,” the memo read.

“In September 2017, Gary Weiss took the chairman role at Ardent and since then the focus has been on restructuring and rebranding Main Event. Today, Main Event is returning ~$10 million revenue per centre.”

Obvious post-COVID winner

As coronavirus restrictions are stripped away in the US, amusement centres are understandably a big beneficiary.

“Main Event same centre revenue has increased almost 40% compared to pre-COVID 2019 levels, highlighting the strong earnings that can be generated as economies reopen,” stated the Firetrail team.

“Looking ahead, Ardent Leisure [stock] continues to trade at a material discount to its closest peer Dave & Buster’s.”

Wilson Asset Management portfolio manager Tobias Yao has been a fan of Ardent shares for some time. Back in June, he told anyone who would listen to back the entertainment company at $1 a share.

Then even after the ASX share appreciated to $1.45, he warned there was plenty more to come.

“I think there’s another 40% upside to the current share price,” Yao said on 10 September.

“In terms of catalysts, we think this business can continue to eke out earnings upgrades over time. We think the sum of the parts continues to be very appealing.”

The Ardent share price was at $1.51 on Tuesday afternoon.

The post This ASX share has doubled this year but it’s still ‘early days’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Own BHP (ASX:BHP) shares? Here’s how Twiggy is heating up competition for battery minerals
• Why the Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price could be dirt cheap
• Up 11% in a month: Can the Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price keep rising?
• Post-COVID baby boom? That could supercharge this ASX share
• Why has the Cochlear (ASX:COH) share price lost 7% in a month?

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo 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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3pmIPvR

The Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) share price has been a very disappointing performer in recent months.

So much so, the iron ore producer’s shares are now trading 45% lower than their July highs.

Is the Fortescue share price in the buy zone now?

The good news for shareholders is that one leading broker sees a lot of value in the Fortescue share price at the current level.

According to a recent note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have a buy rating and $20.87 price target on the mining giant’s shares.

Based on the current Fortescue share price of $14.56, this implies potential upside of 43% for investors before dividends.

In addition, its analysts are forecasting a $3.33 per share fully franked dividend in FY 2022. This represents a massive 23% yield at current prices, which brings the total potential return to 66%.

What did the broker say?

The note reveals that Bell Potter has been running a range of iron ore price scenarios and concludes that the sharp pullback by the Fortescue share price looks overdone.

It commented: “Undoubtedly a brutal move that has done serious technical damage to FMG’s share price and sentiment, it should be taken in the context of a business that is making industry leading margins, has an excellent operational track record, costs among the lowest in the industry, is funded for its ongoing capital requirements for replacement and growth and has an exceptionally strong balance sheet.”

“FMG is in a completely different position than in 2015, the last occasion on which we had a major iron ore price correction. While the share price currently looks like a falling knife, we are of the view that it remains a robust and attractive long-term investment and the current market valuation is an opportunity to build exposure,” it added.

The post Why the Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price could be dirt cheap appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price in focus as Twiggy raises the stakes for battery materials
• Why is the Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price stalling on Monday?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• How fast is green hydrogen growing and which ASX shares could benefit?
• Own Fortescue (ASX:FMG) shares? Here’s the latest on China’s steel demand

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3vqfWjz

The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price has gone up by 11% over the last month.

Could the buy now, pay later company be an opportunity for investors to consider? Can Zip shares keep rising?

Zip recently released its update for the first three months of FY22 to 30 September 2022.

Zip FY22 first quarter

The company said that its quarterly revenue had increased by 89% year on year to $136.8 million. This came from quarterly transaction volume growth of 101% to $1.9 billion. Transaction numbers grew even faster, rising by 177% to 14.7 million.

Looking at the US, it was responsible for around half of the overall revenue, generating $67.1 million of revenue. In US dollar terms, Zip US revenue increased 182% to US$49.3 million and 6% quarter on quarter. Transaction volume rose 204% to US$702.1 million.

Customer and merchant numbers both continue to grow at a high double digit rate. The number of customers increased 82% to 8 million. Merchants using Zip increased 71% to 55,200.

The company said that it had maintained “market-leading” buy now, pay later margins with revenue as a percentage of total transaction value (TTV) at 7%.

However, in terms of arrears, Zip ANZ saw an increase. At 30 September 2020, it had arears of 0.91%. This had risen to 1.87% as at 30 September 2021.

Other highlights

Zip said that it successfully completed a global rebrand to the new look Zip in six countries with the US changing from Quadpay to Zip. A brand launch campaign is underway in the US from the middle of October.

The buy now, pay later business also recently announced that it has entered into an agreement with Microsoft to integrate Zip’s instalment payment technology natively into the shopping experience within the Microsoft Edge web browser.

Setting the scene for international growth is another area of focus for Zip. It described its move into India as a exciting, with an investment in the business called ZestMoney, one of the largest and fastest-growing BNPL platforms in India with over 11 million registered users, more than 10,000 online merchants and a presence in more than 75,000 physical stores.

Zip managing director and CEO Larry Diamond said:

Q2 has started strong led by the resurgence in-store. Zip’s ubiquitous payments technology and the lead up to the strongest seasonal quarter of the year, with Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas promotional sales in November and December.

Is the Zip share price worth pursuing?

It’s a bit of a mixed bag. Morgans thinks Zip shares are worth buying, with a price target of $8.56. Citi is neutral on the business, with a price target of $7.40.

However, the brokers at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) and UBS both feel that Zip shares are overvalued, with both of them having sell ratings.

Macquarie notes the lower growth and UBS thinks that its active customer growth could slow down over the coming quarters.

Macquarie has a price target of $5.70, whilst UBS has a price target of $5.40.

The post Up 11% in a month: Can the Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price keep rising? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price rallies 5% on Tuesday
• Why Bapcor, Cochlear, Novonix, and Zip shares are rising
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell today
• What these brokers think of the Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price after its update
• Can the Macquarie (ASX:MQG) share price hit $240 by Christmas?

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 shares of and has recommended ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Macquarie Group Limited. 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/3vrIsBa

History shows that shortly after catastrophic events end, the world experiences a baby boom.

“When large mortality events occur including diseases, earthquakes, and wars, birth rates decline and on average, reach a trough some 9 months later,” stated Firetrail Small Companies Fund’s latest monthly memo.

“Following an initial drop, fertility tends to rebound. Birth rates begin to recover [about] 11 months after an epidemic and then increase in the subsequent 1 to 5 years.”

That fertility boost happened after World War I ended and the Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918.

And of course, the term “Baby Boomers” is a direct description of the phenomena witnessed in the aftermath of World War II.

So will we see birth rates climb in Australia after the COVID-19 pandemic?

The Firetrail team reckons it’s already under way.

“Australians are having more babies and they are swapping out their city lifestyle for the beach and bush,” their memo read.

“In contrast to short term phenomena such as the hoarding of toilet paper, these shifts have potential long-lasting implications for the economy and listed companies.”

So are there ASX shares that could take advantage?

Signs are pointing to a post-COVID baby boom

The Firetrail team acknowledged that the Institute for Family Studies’ current estimate of a 0.3% to 40% boost in birth rates is a wild range.

But recent Australian numbers and “anecdotal” evidence suggest a baby boom could be on the way.

“The number of babies born in NSW public hospitals during the June quarter was the largest on record,” stated the Firetrail team.

“A total of 19,113 births were reported, an increase of 9% on the prior year. This is a significant upswing compared with the declining fertility rate over the last 10 years.”

And this leads to Monash IVF Group Ltd (ASX: MVF).

As an assisted reproductive services provider, Monash is in the box seat to cash in on increased interest in fertility.

The signs are already looking good, according to the Firetrail team.

“Prior to the pandemic, IVF volumes had been increasing gradually over time. But in FY21, 98,290 IVF cycles were recorded, up 29.3% compared to FY20 and the highest figure on record.”

The Firetrail Small Companies Fund is therefore now holding Monash shares.

“While it is still early days to call it a baby boom, recent birth rates and IVF trends indicate we are at the onset of a baby bump!”

According to the Firetrail memo, Monash saw a 40% increase in new patient stimulated cycles.

“There are no signs of a slowdown. New patient registrations in 2H21 were up 8% compared to 1H21, and up 35% on 2H20,” the team stated.

“[About] 70% of patient registrations are converted into patient treatments within 3 to 6 months.”

Monash shares were trading at 94 cents on Tuesday afternoon, which is about 18% up for the year so far.

The post Post-COVID baby boom? That could supercharge this ASX share appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX shares that are rated as buys by multiple brokers

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo 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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2YY0Pl7

The Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH) share price started off the week’s trading in the red but clawed back 1.88% yesterday to finish at $219.29.

That ends a difficult month for the manufacturer of the revolutionary cochlear hearing implant. The company’s share price has slipped a further 7.6% out of the money in the last month, well ahead of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s loss of just 0.39% in that time.

Whilst there’s been no market sensitive information for the company as of late, it’s worthwhile taking a look at what’s driving Cochlear shares lately.

Why has the Cochlear share price dropped 10% this past month?

If we take a step back and look at what’s happened even earlier than September, it’s clear Cochlear shares have been stuck in a descending channel since the company released its FY21 earnings results on 20 August.

In its report for FY21, Cochlear recognised a series of positive growth levers that translated directly to its financial performance. For instance, implant unit sales grew 15% year on year to 36,546 while sales revenue came in 10% higher from last year.

This carried through to Cochlear’s bottom line. The company recorded a 54% year on year increase in underlying net profit – ahead of company guidance – and a corresponding 60% increase in its full year dividend to $2.55 per share.

These are undoubtedly positive results. However, at the time, the market was left searching for more. It seemed the company’s earnings figures – whilst favourable on an absolute basis – where well behind consensus forecasts.

Failing to meet the forecasts of analysts at research and investment firms at earnings time generally spells bad news for a company’s share price.

Numerous studies have shown companies who ‘miss’ analyst’s published forecasts during earnings season tend not to perform too well after the fact. That’s because investors tend to reward companies who post stronger than expected earnings, anticipating these to carry higher valuations into the future.

By the time September arrived, the Cochlear share price had already given back around 10% since its earnings results roughly two weeks earlier.

A regain in confidence, and perhaps some investors seeing a bargain in the cheaper Cochlear share price, helped prop the company’s shares back towards the August highs. However, an announcement late last month regarding a potential patent infringement sent prices marching back down.

According to the University of Pittsburgh, it believes Cochlear has infringed on one of its patents, although the company claims the patent in question is invalid.

Nonetheless, investors were quick to punish Cochlear again, sending its shares a further 9% further into the red. That’s a $22 per share loss in a matter of weeks, just to show the rate of decline.

It’s also worth noting that the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care index (XHJ) is also 5.61% into the red over the past month as well, indicating weakness in the broader ASX healthcare sector lately.

It appears these factors are weighing on the Cochlear share price over the past few weeks.

Cochlear share price snapshot

The Cochlear share price has climbed almost 16.5% into the green this year to date.

However, over the last 12 months, it is just 1% ahead, well behind the benchmark index’s return of around 19% in that time.

The post Why has the Cochlear (ASX:COH) share price lost 7% in a month? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Bapcor, Cochlear, Novonix, and Zip shares are rising
• Cochlear (ASX:COH) share price charges higher on AGM update
• Could the Cochlear (ASX:COH) share price hit $260 by the end of 2021?
• Top broker sees 19% upside in the Cochlear (ASX:COH) share price
• Analysts name 3 stellar ASX growth shares to buy

The author Zach Bristow has no positions in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Cochlear Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear Ltd. 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/3aQ1mIw

If you’re looking to add some exchange traded funds (ETFs) to your portfolio, then you may want to read on.

Listed below are two popular ETFs that are very popular with investors right now. Here’s what you need to know about them:

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

The first ETF to look at is the VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF. This ETF gives investors exposure to many of the largest companies involved in video game development, eSports, and related hardware and software globally.

Among its major holdings are graphics processing units (GPU) giant Nvidia and games developers Take-Two Interactive (GTA and Red Dead series), Electronic Arts (FIFA, Sims, Apex Legends), Activision Blizzard (Call of Duty series), and Roblox (the company behind the hugely popular Roblox global platform)

The fund manager, VanEck, notes that these companies are in a position to benefit from the increasing popularity of video games and eSports. It also highlights that the fund gives investors the opportunity to diversify their portfolio by providing opportunities outside of tech giants Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google and Microsoft.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

Another ETF to look at is the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF. This ETF could be a good option for investors looking to diversify their portfolio. This is because this ETF is arguably as diverse as it gets.

It provides Australian investors with exposure to a massive 1504 of the world’s largest companies listed in major developed countries. Among its holdings are the likes of Apple, Johnson & Johnson, JP Morgan, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, and Visa.

Another positive is that the ETF offers investors a source of income. At the last count, its units were providing investors with a 1.65% yield.

The post 2 excellent ETFs for ASX investors appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why is the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX:VGS) underperforming the ASX 200 lately?
• 2 fantastic tech ETFs for ASX investors
• Own ASX ETFs? Why the ATO might be focusing on you
• 2 high quality ETFs for investors in October
• 3 ASX shares to buy this week

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 shares of and has recommended Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VanEck Vectors ETF Trust – VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF and Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF. 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/3aVMHM1

On Tuesday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gave back its earlier gains to end the day with a small decline. The benchmark index fell slightly to 7,374.9 points.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 poised to rise

The Australian share market looks set to bounce back on Wednesday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 41 points or 0.55% higher this morning. This follows a solid night on Wall Street, which in late trade sees the Dow Jones up 0.45%, the S&P 500 up 0.7%, and the Nasdaq trading 0.7% higher.

Aristocrat Leisure to return

The Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) share price will be on watch today when it returns from its trading halt. The gaming technology company has been raising funds to acquire London-listed leading global online gambling software and content supplier, Playtech, for $5 billion. This represents a valuation multiple of 11.4x Playtech’s adjusted EBITDA for the twelve months ended 30 June 2021.

Oil prices rise

Energy producers such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) will be on watch after a positive night for oil prices. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.5% to US$82.83 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price has risen 0.7% to US$84.94 a barrel. Oil prices are trading near multi-year high amid the global energy crunch.

Gold price rises

Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a decent day after the gold price edged higher. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.2% to US$1,769.3 an ounce. The gold price gained despite bond yields widening.

Flight Centre AGM

The Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price could be one to watch today. This morning the travel agent giant is scheduled to hold its annual general meeting and could provide investors with a trading update at the event.

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why is the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX:VGS) underperforming the ASX 200 lately?
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts on Tuesday
• Why is the AFIC (ASX:AFI) share price underperforming the ASX 200 over the past month?
• Why is the VAS (ASX:VAS) share price underperforming the ASX 200 over the past month?

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 Flight Centre Travel Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2Z2h9l0

The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price was out of form on Tuesday and dropped into the red.

The mining giant’s shares ended the day 2% lower at $38.39.

Why did the BHP share price tumble?

Investors were selling down the BHP share price today following the release of its first quarter update.

For the three months ended 30 September, the Big Australian recorded production declines across the majority of its operations.

For example, the company’s iron ore production was down 3% quarter on quarter and 4% year on year to 63.3Mt. Management blamed this on planned major maintenance and the COVID-induced impacts of temporary rail labour shortages.

Also recording a decline was its copper production, which was down 7% quarter on quarter and 9% year on year to 376.5kt. This was the result of lower volumes at Olympic Dam from planned (but delayed) smelter maintenance.

One highlight, which failed to lift the BHP share price, was its petroleum production. BHP’s petroleum production grew 2% quarter on quarter and 3% year on year to 27.5 MMboe. This was driven by increased production from Ruby and higher seasonal gas demand at Bass Strait.

The company also revealed that the proposed merger of its petroleum business with Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) is progressing to plan. But once again, this had little impact on the BHP share price.

FY 2022 guidance

Not even management reaffirming its guidance for FY 2022 could save the BHP share price from sliding lower today. This could be an indication that the market has doubts that it will deliver on its guidance after this subdued quarter.

BHP is guiding to iron ore production of 249Mt to 259Mt, copper production of 1,590kt to 1,760kt, and petroleum production of 99MMboe to 106MMboe.

The team at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) felt the update was soft but was to see its guidance remain unchanged.

It commented: “Importantly, guidance for all key commodities is unchanged with maintenance programs the key driver behind the metallurgical coal weakness.”

Macquarie currently has an outperform rating and $56.00 price target on the company’s shares.

The post BHP (ASX:BHP) share price tumbles on Q1 update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why BHP, Propel, Silver Lake, and Tabcorp shares are falling
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: BHP’s Q1 update, CSL’S R&D update
• BHP (ASX:BHP) share price on watch after Q1 update and reaffirming guidance
• Can the Macquarie (ASX:MQG) share price hit $240 by Christmas?
• BHP (ASX:BHP) share price lifts amid mine extension news

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 shares of and has recommended Macquarie Group Limited. 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/3jhRlbA

The Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ) share price edged lower today to finish at $9.28, a 0.54% dip from the previous close.

In fact, Bank of Queensland shares have been sliding this past week, after kissing their 52-week closing high last Monday.

Why have Bank of Queensland shares slipped lately?

The Bank of Queensand share price has been on a one-way ticket south in the last week, having shaved 5% off its gains in that time.

It seems investors have been selling off Bank of Queensland shares following the release of the company’s FY21 results last week.

The regional bank recognised an 83% year on year increase in cash net profit to $412 million in FY21. It also increased its full year dividend by more than 200% from FY20 to 39 cents per share.

These results came in ahead of the consensus earnings figures published by analysts for its FY21 results.

However, this momentum wasn’t enough to deter investors from concentrating on the bank’s earnings outlook in FY22.

Management anticipates its net interest margin to contract by around 5-7 basis points next year as interest rates continue to be bottom heavy into the foreseeable future.

As such, it appears Bank of Queensland forecasts a step down in its FY22 earnings guidance which may have spooked the investing herd.

Why is this important? First and foremost, the market prices a company’s individual shares based on a combination of past earnings performance and future earnings expectations.

Investors will either bid up the price of a share or drive it down based on the mechanics of this relationship.

In Bank of Queensland’s case, when looking in the rearview mirror, everything seems fine. It’s looking at the road ahead that seems to make investors nervous.

Given the company expects a substantial decrease in its earnings grade for the upcoming financial year, it comes as no surprise that the market – being relatively efficient in its pricing mechanisms – was quick to factor this into the bank’s share price.

As such, it appears investors have been selling off Bank of Queensland shares on the back of its FY22 earnings guidance, in the absence of any other price sensitive information.

Bank of Queensland share price snapshot

Bank of Queensland shares have posted a 23.5% return since the beginning of this year, extending their run over the last 12 months to 39%.

This is ahead of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of around 19% in that time.

The post Why have investors been selling off Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) shares lately? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Can the BOQ (ASX:BOQ) share price hit $11 by the end of 2021?
• Which ASX 300 shares are leading the way mid-week?
• Why Bank of Queensland, Fortescue, Liontown, & Pact shares are dropping
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: BOQ results, A2 Milk shares jump

The author Zach Bristow has no positions 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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3lS2K3x