• 2 ASX shares just had a shocking month but could be bargains now

    Two men sit in garden on chairs facing each other and fist bump while holding a beer.

    A fund manager had admitted 2 ASX shares in his portfolio tumbled terribly last month, but revealed why patient investors could potentially buy in cheaply right now.

    Cyan Investment Management portfolio manager Dean Fergie told clients in a memo that both Mighty Craft Ltd (ASX: MCL) and Vita Group Limited (ASX: VTG) had shockers in August.

    Vaccinations will lift spirits

    Shares for brewing company Mighty Craft lost 15% over the month.

    “Mighty Craft has come under reasonable operational and sharemarket pressure due to the extensive lockdowns in VIC and NSW which have severely impacted its venue businesses,” Fergie said.

    The Melbourne business is a craft-brewer, a spirits distiller, and owns some venues.

    “The company owns brands such as Jetty Road, Ballistic and Mismatch Brewers, Kangaroo Island Gin, 78 Whisky, and over a dozen associated venues in NSW, VIC, and SA.”

    Mighty Craft shares have shaved 35% off their value so far this year.

    Fergie told The Motley Fool it’s a victim of circumstances and believes fortunes are about to swing around for this ASX share.

    “MCL is currently in the eye of the COVID storm with its closed venue businesses but the present tight restrictions are only likely to ease and a strong rebound is likely before Christmas and patrons flood back into venues,” he said.

    “The timing of the recent capital raise and purchase of Adelaide Hills group, just before the latest COVID outbreak on June 21, was unfortunate timing.”

    One positive the very contagious Delta variant has brought is a sense of urgency for Australians to receive a coronavirus vaccine.

    The rising coverage will also help Mighty Craft, according to Fergie.

    “As vaccination rates roll forward it would appear likely that a gradual reopening will occur in the coming months which should see a rebound in the company’s operations and its share price.”

    Patience is a virtue for this ASX share

    Vita Group is best known for owning a network of Telstra shops.

    But in February, Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) announced it would shift all its franchised retail outlets in-house.

    But that’s now 6 months ago and Vita Group still has not struck a buyout agreement with the telco.

    Vita shares lost 10% over August.

    “Investors are getting somewhat impatient with Vita,” Fergie told The Motley Fool.

    “The market has been expecting a deal to be struck between the two companies to exit the franchise but COVID closures have likely lengthened this process.” 

    The company has turned to other ventures, one of which shone during the recent reporting season.

    “Vita Group reported great numbers from its growing beauty clinic division (Artisan) which saw revenue and gross profit rise over 40%.”

    The other reason for patient investors to hold onto Vita stock is that it’s bringing in a nice income.

    “VTG is paying a 9% fully franked yield, so investors are certainly being rewarded for their patience.”

    The post 2 ASX shares just had a shocking month but could be bargains now 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 more than eight 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 August 16th 2021

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    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 owns shares of 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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  • The Polynovo (ASX:PNV) share price is down 10% in a month to a 52-week low. Here’s why.

    falling healthcare asx share represented by doctor with head in hands

    The Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) share price has struggled over the last few weeks.

    Whereas the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) has slipped 2% into the red, Polynovo shares are 10% in the red and have reached a new 52-week low in afternoon trade today.

    Here are the details.

    What’s up with the Polynovo share price lately?

    Polynovo shares have been on the way down since the company released its FY21 earnings last month. This is despite the company posting fairly robust results.

    For instance, Polynovo recognised a 32% and 53% year on year increase in revenue and distributor sales, respectively.

    In addition to this, the company expects strong results in FY22 in all of its markets, including the US, Europe, UK, Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

    It expects strong sales growth in its NovoSorb segment as 70% of burns centres have now purchased the product, according to the company.

    This comes in addition to a number of clinical trials booked in for FY22 which could weigh in on the Polynovo share price.

    Polynovo’s shares made a quick gain in the days following its earnings report, but have been sold off since. After the previous high of $2.23 at the close on 31 August, the Polynovo share price has decreased 11% and is trading at $1.99.

    Not to mention, these selling pressures appear to be a continuation of a longer term downtrend on Polynovo’s share price chart, having come off highs of $3.18 on 23 April, and then $2.88 on 25 June.

    This would appear to be the more likely explanation for the selloff in Polynovo shares since August, over the company’s fundamentals.

    Polynovo share price snapshot

    The Polynovo share price has struggled this year to date and has posted a loss of 49%. This extends the loss over the previous 12 months to 7%.

    These results have lagged the broad index’s return of around 25% over the past year.

    The post The Polynovo (ASX:PNV) share price is down 10% in a month to a 52-week low. Here’s why. appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Polynovo, 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 Polynovo wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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    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 POLYNOVO 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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  • Why the Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) share price has beaten the ASX 200 in the last year

    Young boy in business suit punches the air as he finishes ahead of another boy in a box car race.

    The Bank of Queensland Limited (ASX: BOQ) share price has gained a massive 58% over the past 12 months.

    This time last year, the bank’s shares were trading for $5.90 apiece. Right now, the Bank of Queensland share price is $9.32.

    Comparatively, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained 25% since this time last year. Additionally, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has increased by 26%.

    Not to mention, only 2 other ASX 200 banks’ share prices – those of National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) and Virgin Money UK CDI (ASX: VUK) – have outperformed the Bank of Queensland’s over the last 12 months.   

    So, what’s been causing Bank of Queensland to outperform the broader market? Let’s take a look.

    What’s caused the Bank of Queensland share price gains?

    The Bank of Queensland’s shares have been surging over the last 12 months. And there’s been plenty of news to push them along.

    The first big move from the Bank of Queensland stock came in October when the bank released its full-year results.

    As The Motley Fool Australia reported at the time, while the bank’s FY21 results were down on those of FY20, it performed better than the market had expected.

    Thus, the Bank of Queensland share price was boosted 5% on the back of its full-year earnings.

    Then, the Bank of Queensland released the news that would keep the market’s interest for much of 2021. It announced it was to acquire Money Equity (ME) Bank for around $1.3 billion.

    The bank completed a capital raise to get the funds for the purchase.

    On returning from the trading halt during which it announced the acquisition, the Bank of Queensland’s shares gained a massive 12.7% on 23 February.

    It had another great day on the ASX when the treasurer approved its acquisition of ME Bank, which was then finalised on 1 July.

    Since then, the Bank of Queensland share price has gained around 4%.

    The post Why the Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) share price has beaten the ASX 200 in the last year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bank of Queensland right now?

    Before you consider Bank of Queensland, 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 Bank of Queensland wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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

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  • Why the South32 (ASX:S32) share price is leaping 5% today

    A hipster dude leaps in the air with glee, seeing positive news on his tablet.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has opened higher this Friday, giving ASX investors a much needed day in the green after a week of red days. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is up 0.12% to 7,378 points.

    But one ASX 200 share is going far better. That would be South32 Ltd (ASX: S32). The South32 share price has run out of the gate today, up a hefty 5.26% so far to $3.40 a share.

    This big upward move comes after yesterday’s dramatic sell-off of the diversified ASX miner. The South32 share price plummeted by as much as 5.1% at one point, even though it finished the day down 3.3%.

    Today’s move erases those losses and more. South32 shares are now up 3.2% over the past trading week, almost 17% over the past month, and an impressive 36.8% in 2021 so far. Over the past 12 months, South32 shares are up an even more impressive 59.8%.

    So, what’s behind this strong share price appreciation?

    Rivers of aluminium

    Well, since South32 is a mining company, we already have a fair idea of what’s going on here.

    Commodity prices have spent the past few months on fire. Yes, iron ore has cooled off in recent weeks, adding pressure to other iron ore miners like South32’s old owner BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), and Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO). Gold has been a bit flat, too. But outside these areas, commodity pricing has been exploding.

    According to Yahoo Finance, aluminium prices have just notched a 13-year high. Nickel is also at its highest level since 2014. Thermal coal and natural gas prices are also booming.

    South32 has extensive operations extracting aluminium, alumina and bauxite, as well as coal and nickel. All of these commodities have seen their pricing shoot the roof in recent weeks.

    So, perhaps it’s no surprise the South32 share price has done the same.

    What’s next for the South32 share price?

    As my Fool colleague James covered this morning, broker Goldman Sachs is currently very bullish on the South32 share price, even after its recent gains.

    Goldman currently rates this ASX 200 miner as a ‘buy’, with a 12-month share price target of $3.60. That implies a potential upside of about 5.9% over the next 12 months, not including dividend returns.

    Speaking of dividends, Goldman also reckons South32 will be able to provide “double-digit yields from FY 2023 through to FY 2026”.

    At the current South32 share price, the miner has a market capitalisation of $15.92 billion and a dividend yield of 1.87%.

    The post Why the South32 (ASX:S32) share price is leaping 5% today 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 more than eight 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 August 16th 2021

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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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  • How is the CSL (ASX:CSL) share price performing against its sector in 2021?

    Scientists in white coats look disappointed

    The CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price has failed to outperform the market as opposed to traditional times. The global biotech noted that the pandemic is causing challenging conditions on its business operations.

    At the time of writing, CSL shares are fetching for $302.39, down 1.02%.

    What’s happened to CSL recently?

    During mid-August, CSL provided investors with its full-year results for the 2021 financial year.

    The company noted that its CSL Behring’s portfolio faced headwinds, while its Seqirus business recorded strong tailwinds over the 12 months.

    Under the CSL Behring banner, sales of its leading subcutaneous immunoglobulin product, Hizentra, grew by 15%. This contributed to the overall revenue of US$8.8 billion for the CSL Behring portfolio, up 6% on FY20.

    CSL’s Seqirus business experienced a strong surge in seasonal influenza vaccines, up 41%. A record volume of around 130 million doses was distributed around the world. As a whole, Seqirus revenue jumped to US$1.7 billion, up 30% from the prior corresponding period.

    Investors were also updated on the company’s plasma collection issues.

    CSL noted that federal government stimulus packages from early 2021 had driven down the number of donors per week. This momentarily affected plasma levels before soaring again on the back of vaccine momentum, further marketing initiatives, and a “stimulus burn-off”.

    As such, plasma collection numbers are down around 20% compared to FY20’s levels.

    CSL opened 25 new facilities to attract lapsed and new donors through its doors. In FY22, the company plans to open another 40 centres, expanding its presence, mostly across the United States.

    How does the CSL share price compare to the Health Care sector?

    Over the last 12 months, the CSL share price has moved 7% higher, with year-to-date also up around 6%. The company’s shares hit a 52-week high of $320.42 in November 2020, before moving in circles.

    In contrast, the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care index (ASX: XHJ) has gained 12% from this time last year and is up 11.5% year-to-date. The sectors also registered a record high of 48,213 points in late August.

    Undoubtedly, CSL shares are lagging behind the Health Care Index which has continued to accelerate since March 2020.

    Based on today’s price, CSL commands a market capitalisation of roughly $137.7 billion, with approximately 455 million shares on issue.

    The post How is the CSL (ASX:CSL) share price performing against its sector in 2021? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider CSL, 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 CSL wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras owns shares of CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended CSL Ltd. 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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  • Santos (ASX:STO) share price climbs as Oil Search merger confirmed

    two miners shaking hands over a business deal.

    The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is rising today. That’s after the company confirmed itself and Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH) have come to an agreement to merge.

    At close of trade yesterday, shares in Santos were $6.03 and Oil Search shares were $3.65. At the time of writing, the Santos share price is up 0.91% to $6.08 while Oil Search shares are up 2.47% to $3.74.

    Let’s take a closer look at today’s news.

    What’s driving the Santos share price?

    Here are the specifics of the deal that is heating up the Santos share price:

    • The transaction will be all scrip. Oil Search shareholders will receive 0.6725 Santos shares for each Oil Search share they own.
    • Once completed, Oil Search shareholders will own approximately 38.5% of the new company and Santos’s shareholders will own about 61.5%.
    • Given the last Santos share price and 2.08 billion Oil Search shares outstanding, today’s deal values Oil Search at about $8.43 billion or $4.06 per share. This is an 11.2% premium on the previous share price.
    • The combined value of the new company will be approximately $21 billion, according to the statement.
    • The deal is still subject to shareholder approval, regulatory approval and approval from Papua New Guinea courts.

    Management commentary

    Speaking about the news which could be affecting the Santos share price, Santos chair Keith Spence said:

    The merger represents an attractive combination of two industry leaders to create a regional champion of quality, size and scale with a unique and diversified portfolio of long-life, low-cost oil and gas assets.

    The merged entity will be well positioned for success in the new era of oil and gas, with strong cash-flow generation from a diverse range of assets providing a platform to self-fund growth and deliver shareholder returns.

    Oil Search chair Rick Lee added:

    Put simply, this merger provides Oil Search shareholders with a compelling opportunity to participate in a larger entity with significant scale, product mix, ESG and geographic diversity, and access to capital. The combined entity will have the capacity to deliver on an exciting pipeline of organic growth opportunities.

    What happens now?

    The new company will be led by Santos managing director and CEO Keith Gallagher. PNG courts will hold hearings on the deal by the end of October and, if all goes to plan, the new company should come into existence by 16 December this year.

    According to the statement, the merger will result in synergies, pre-tax, of “US$90-115 million per annum (excluding integration and other one-off costs) creating value for both sets of shareholders”.

    Santos share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the Santos share price has increased by about 19%. Year-to-date, however, the share price has fallen around 5%.

    The post Santos (ASX:STO) share price climbs as Oil Search merger confirmed appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Santos, 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 Santos wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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

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  • The Dusk (ASX:DSK) share price is worth $5: fund manager

    two fashionable asx investors dancing among confetti

    Like most ASX retail shares, the Dusk Group Ltd (ASX: DSK) share price has been trading sideways for the past couple of months.

    Shares such as JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH), Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1) and Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL) have largely been range bound amid the cycling of elevated sales and prolonged lockdowns across major Australian cities.

    Looking through the potential near-term volatility, Datt Capital considers the fair value for the Dusk share price to be “around $5 a share”, according to a recent article.

    That’s a potential upside of 60% on today’s price of $3.10 at the time of writing.

    Why this fund is bullish on the Dusk share price

    Tailwinds for consumables sector

    Datt Capital highlights a combination of “soft and hard factors” that make the Dusk share price an attractive investment proposition.

    Dusk is most widely known for scented candles, in addition to diffusers, essential oils and homewares.

    In its article, Datt Capital said that the “products are orientated towards making homes and offices pleasant environments, which has become exceptionally important given the recent lockdowns”.

    “This ‘soft factor’ advantage translates into hard benefits; for example, the company’s loyalty program now boasts almost 700,000 highly engaged members.

    “This translates into exceptional gross margins of almost 70%, while the team has maintained and exercised exceptional capital discipline and allocation decisions. We expect this outperformance to persist over time,” they said.

    Dusk pushing through recent lockdowns

    The fund was pleased with Dusk’s recent performance amid the Victorian and NSW lockdowns.

    “Around half the company’s store network is within these two states, but it has only affected top-line revenue by 28%. This relative outperformance demonstrates that the company’s products are actively sought by its loyal customers, despite the state lockdowns.”

    Looking ahead, the fund is hoping that Dusk “may be able to achieve at least 80% of FY21’s revenue, while maintaining an EBIT above $30 million”.

    Other Dusk share price drivers

    Datt Capital pointed to both domestic and international expansion as another catalyst for the Dusk share price.

    It notes that the company is currently running about 122 physical stores in Australia. It plans to grow this figure to about 160 stores throughout Australasia by 2024.

    In addition, the fund said: “We believe there is significant scope and potential to begin examining larger international markets such as the UK and US for near-term expansion.”

    The post The Dusk (ASX:DSK) share price is worth $5: fund manager appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Dusk, 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 Dusk wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Kerry Sun 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 Super Retail Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group and Dusk Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s why the AMP (ASX:AMP) share price is down 4% in a week

    bars showing share price dip

    The AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) share price has struggled this week and landed itself around 3.5% in the red.

    That’s behind the return of the broad indices this week, and really just a continuation of the longer-term trend it has been on over the past 12 months.

    Let’s dive in a little deeper to understand the full picture.

    What has led us to this point?

    The AMP share price is still reeling the effects of the Royal Commission into Misconduct into Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry, which turned into a 3-year ordeal for the company.

    This has undoubtedly plagued AMP shares over the last three years, particularly after AMP admitted wrongdoing in its “fees for no service” policies that the company was found guilty on.

    However, ASIC dropped its investigations into AMP’s conduct in July this year. Keep in mind that the Royal Commissioner had recommended criminal proceedings in the outcomes of the hearing.

    Nonetheless, there’s been no recovery for AMP shares from this event. They came off highs of $5.43 back in March of 2018 and have cratered over 81% to currently trade at $1.05.

    What else is weighing in?

    Alongside this, AMP’s series of failed deals with Ares Management Corp over the last 2 years has been a weighting factor in its share price.

    Ares sought to acquire AMP back in 2020, before withdrawing from the deal. However, the pair were back at it again in 2021, trying to establish a joint venture (JV) to hold AMP Capital’s private markets segment.

    The deal would have netted AMP a $1.55 payoff. But as they say, history doesn’t repeat itself – it rhymes – and Ares and AMP simply just let the 30-day exclusivity period conclude.

    Then there are AMP’s demerger plans to form two separate entities – AMP Limited and Private markets. The former will focus on the retail investing crowd, whereas its other business will be a global investment manager.

    AMP’s decision here aligns with the spate of demergers that have occurred or have been proposed for ASX listed entities over the last 12 months.

    Not even a robust FY21 earnings report was enough to reverse the longer-term downtrend AMP shares have been stuck in since the beginning of this year.

    There’s been no market sensitive information released by the company this week, so the AMP share price is likely decreasing this week as a continuation of the longer-term trend.

    AMP share price snapshot

    The AMP share price has posted a loss of 33% this year to date, extending the loss over the last 12 months to 33%.

    Both of these returns have lagged the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO)’s return of 25% over the past year.

    The post Here’s why the AMP (ASX:AMP) share price is down 4% in a week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider AMP, 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 AMP wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    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.

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  • Here’s why the Webjet (ASX:WEB) share price is up 50% this last year

    Young girl smiles with her hand on top of a suitcase while standing on the tarmac with an aeroplane in the background.

    The Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) share price has been outperforming over the last 12 months.

    The online travel agent was hit hard by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic during early 2020 and didn’t truly begin recovering until November last year.

    This time last year, shares in Webjet were going for $3.91. Right now, the Webjet share price is $5.94, having gained another 1.37% today.

    So, what spurred Webjet’s shares to take off? Let’s take a look.

    What’s been driving the Webjet share price?

    The last 12 months have been good to the Webjet share price, boosting it by 51%.

    For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained 25% over the same period.

    Webjet’s best day of the last year was on 10 November 2020.  It’s a day many investors will remember for one extraordinary reason: It was the day that Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) announced it had created a vaccine for COVID-19.

    The Webjet share price soared 13.5% as a pathway out of the pandemic was finally realised.

    Webjet’s recovery was bolstered again when it released its earnings for the first half of financial year 2021.

    While travel restrictions plagued the company over the 6 months ended 31 December 2020, the market seemingly saw past its underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) loss of $40.1 million and a massive fall in revenue.  

    While the Webjet share price initially fell on the back of its results, it ended the day 5% higher than it had started.

    Most recently, Webjet’s stock surged following the release of a trading update late last month.

    Within the update, Webjet announced it expects to be cash-flow positive for the first half of financial year 2022. Of course, Webjet recently changed its financial year to run from 1 April to 31 March. Therefore, it expects to announce its first-half earnings in November.

    Additionally, it announced its WebBeds business finally returned to profitability in July.

    WebBeds operates as a business-to-business provider of accommodation. Webjet stated it managed to get back into the green as travel restrictions eased in Europe and North America.  

    The Webjet share price gained 3.4% on the day of the update. It has since gained another 4.9%.

    The post Here’s why the Webjet (ASX:WEB) share price is up 50% this last year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Webjet, 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 Webjet wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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

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  • Could falling iron ore prices be good for the Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price?

    Man looking puzzled and thinking about which shares to buy

    Iron ore prices have plunged more than 40% since May, dragging the Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) share price well into negative year-to-date territory.

    At its highest point in the past 12 months, the Fortescue share price was up almost 50% by late July to $26.58. It then rapidly deteriorated and is trading today at $18.01, a gain of just 0.67% over the year.

    However, Citi’s veteran mining analyst Paul McTaggart thinks there could be some benefits to lower iron ore prices, according to a report in the Australian Financial Review (AFR).

    What’s so good about lower iron ore prices?

    Well, lower iron ore prices isn’t exactly a positive factor for the Fortescue share price.

    After all, higher iron ore prices were the main driver behind Fortescue’s bumper FY21 full-year results, which included a massive fully franked dividend of $2.11 per share.

    According to the AFR report, McTaggart believes “falling iron ore prices will reduce the competition facing Australian miners, as higher-cost producers from countries outside Australia, Brazil and to a lesser extent India are forced out of the market”.

    The report said that Citi estimates if iron ore falls below $US100 a tonne, China’s imports from outside the major producing nations would fall from 200 million tonnes a year to 120 million tonnes.

    McTaggart also highlighted that the potential entry of production from Guinea, Africa appears to be far less certain following the coup that deposed president Alpha Conde.

    The Simandou project in Guinea is expected to produce 150 million tonnes per annum of iron ore at full capacity. It is partly owned by Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO).

    However, the coup is likely to add greater uncertainty to the “already complicated and expensive project”, the report said.

    What does this mean for the Fortescue share price?

    Fortescue’s record FY21 net profit of US$10,295 million would not be possible without high iron ore prices. The company’s average realised price increased from US$79/dry metric tonne (dmt) in 2020 to US$135 dmt in FY21.

    From a production perspective, Fortescue isn’t expecting a significant jump in iron ore shipments. It is forecasting 180 to 185 million tonnes in FY22 compared to 182.2 million tonnes in FY21.

    Perhaps what McTaggart is getting at is that Australia’s iron ore giants will be in a far better position than most to weather lower iron ore prices due to their highly competitive margins.

    The post Could falling iron ore prices be good for the Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Fortescue , 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 Fortescue wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Kerry Sun 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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