• The CSL (ASX:CSL) share price is up 6% since earnings result

    rising medical asx share price represented by excited doctors dancing in ward

    The CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price has pushed almost 6% ahead following the release of the company’s full-year results.

    This comes after the global biotech company recorded another robust performance despite navigating through challenging conditions brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

    At Monday’s market close, the CSL share price finished the day slightly down 0.24% to $310.30. It’s worth noting the company’s share price is just 3.2% short of its 52-week high achieved in November 2020.

    What did CSL report?

    A little more than a week ago, CSL provided investors with a detailed update on its business operations. The CSL share price initially dipped on the announcement but has since recovered to push higher.

    The company noted that its CSL Behring’s portfolio faced headwinds, while its Seqirus business recorded strong tailwinds in FY21. The latter deals in seasonal influenza vaccines.

    Under the CSL Behring banner, sales of its leading subcutaneous immunoglobulin product, Hizentra, grew 15%. In addition, sales of hereditary angioedema product, Haegarda, lifted 15%. This contributed to 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.

    In other news possibly affecting the CSL share price, investors were updated on the company’s plasma collection issues.

    The company 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 also 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.

    CSL CEO Paul Perreault commented:

    Plasma collections are expected to continue improving following multiple initiatives we have implemented. Together with the global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines I’m optimistic of a global recovery with greater social mobility and more normalised conditions.

    CSL share price summary

    Over the course of the past 12 months, CSL shares have taken investors on a rollercoaster ride, but are up 8%. It appears investors believe the worst is over for the company, with vaccination rates climbing and countries eyeing a post-COVID-19 world.

    In early trade today, the CSL share price is up 0.53% to $311.94.

    On valuation grounds, CSL is the second-largest company on the ASX with a market capitalisation of roughly $141.22 billion.

    The post The CSL (ASX:CSL) share price is up 6% since earnings result 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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  • Why Tesla put the pedal to the metal on Monday

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

    Tesla

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

    What happened

    Shares of electric car superstar Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) accelerated 2.5% as of 12:10 p.m. EDT Monday, continuing a winning spurt that began late last week.

    As CNBC reported, on Thursday Tesla’s Tesla Energy Ventures subsidiary applied to the Texas Public Utility Commission to “sell electricity directly to customers in Texas.”  

    So what

    As you’ve probably heard, Tesla has been building a global business in the new field of battery warehouses, setting up electricity storage facilities in Australia, Belgium, and California. In Texas, it’s building two more battery facilities — one near Houston and another near Austin — totaling hundreds of megawatts of capacity.  

    This seems somewhat different from that.

    Rather than just storing electricity produced by other companies, and feeding it back into the grid as needed to prevent blackouts and brownouts, Tesla’s new license would authorize it to produce and sell electricity directly to consumers, utilizing a sales force shared with the Tesla division that sells home solar roofs.

    Now what

    It’s not 100% clear how Tesla intends to produce the electricity that it wants to sell — whether through solar panels (the logical conclusion), or windmills (very popular in Texas), or cogeneration of electricity at its Austin gigafactory.

    For that matter, Tesla might only be planning to buy electricity when it’s cheap, store it in its battery warehouse, and then resell the power whenever it’s dear. We simply don’t know. (TexasMonthly, which first reported on Tesla’s application, laments simply that “details … are scant.”)

    What is clear is that Tesla is growing and expanding into new markets once again. For investors today, that seems to be plenty to send Tesla shares higher.

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

    The post Why Tesla put the pedal to the metal on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Tesla, 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 Tesla 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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    Rich Smith 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 Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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

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  • Here’s why the A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price is down 12% in a week

    sad milk drinker, infant formula share price drop, fall, decrease

    After a brief mid-August rally, the A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price tumbled 12% in the past week to a 2-month low of $5.82.

    Why the A2 Milk share price continues to fall

    Gloomy near-term outlook

    A2 Milk released its FY21 results on Thursday, 26 August.

    The result was in line with the company’s guidance it downgraded four times during FY21.

    But at face value, the figures were far from inspiring. The company’s revenues declined 30.3% to NZ$1.2 billion, while net profit after tax (NPAT) took a 79.1% hit to NZ$80.7 million.

    The company flagged that “China market growth has reduced significantly from globally high rates to be flat, and cross -border trade has been disrupted significantly which has had a profound impact on the Company’s results”.

    A2 Milk’s near-term outlook wasn’t so bright either.

    A2 Milk observed that the Chinese infant nutrition market was “materially impacted by a lower birth rate, especially recently due to COVID-19 and related vaccination programmes causing many people to delay pregnancy”.

    As a result, the company expects the value of the overall infant nutrition market to decrease due to the lower number of births, an increase in competitive intensity and promotional activity impacting average pricing.

    In addition, A2 Milk flagged that “market share gains by domestic brands compared to international brands are expected to continue”.

    A2 Milk share price tumbles on high volume

    The A2 Milk share price tumbled 11.8% to $6.05 on Thursday, 26 August following the release of its FY21 results. By market close, approximately 27 million shares had traded hands, more than double its current 10-day average volume of 9.5 million.

    The selling pressure would carry over to the next day, with A2 Milk shares sliding another 2.64% to $5.89. Selling volumes remained elevated, with just over 15 million shares traded on Friday.

    The post Here’s why the A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price is down 12% in a week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider A2 Milk, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and A2 Milk wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for 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 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 recommended A2 Milk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why the Facebook share price popped on Monday

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

    digitised face hovering above share investor looking at computer screens

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

    What happened?

    The Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB) share price had risen a modest 2.3% at 3 p.m. EDT on Monday.

    That may not sound like much, but on a $1.1 trillion dollar stock, it works out to $25 billion in extra market capitalisation. (For context: If Snap moved that much in a day, its stock would be up more than 17%!)

    What sent the Facebook share price up so much?

    This morning, Facebook announced it will begin asking Instagram users for their birthdays (Facebook owns Instagram). As the company went on to explain, Facebook needs “to know how old everybody is on Instagram” in order to “create new safety features for young people.”

    Facebook said that knowing a user’s age will permit it to, for example:

    • Prevent adults from messaging minors they don’t follow.
    • Restrict advertising to users under age 18.
    • Show ads that are more relevant to a user’s age.

    Now what?

    At least two of those announced purposes do seem aimed at safety for young people. The third might be more aimed at generating better ad sales for Facebook.

    Be that as it may, whatever Facebook’s motivation, the company’s announcement clearly means more data for Facebook, and as an information company, that’s something that will probably make Facebook more valuable.

    Speaking of which, Facebook clarifies that it will be requesting birthday information only from users who have not already provided it. Those users will be asked repeatedly to provide the information until they finally consent — or find themselves unable to use Instagram. However, Facebook also knows that “some people may give us the wrong birthday.” (Surprise!) But that gambit might not work as well as you think it does.

    Going forward, Facebook will be using artificial intelligence to estimate how old people really are based on the content of their posts. And lest you think you can still outsmart Facebook: “If someone tells us they’re above a certain age, and our technology tells us otherwise, we’ll show them a menu of options to verify their age.”

    In short: Big Brother isn’t just watching you. Now it’s counting the candles on your birthday cake, too.

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

    The post Why the Facebook share price popped on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Facebook, 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 Facebook 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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    Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Facebook. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Facebook. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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



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  • PointsBet (ASX:PBH) share price on watch after stellar sales growth but $187m loss

    Anxious people gambling

    The PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) share price will be on watch today.

    This follows the release of the sports betting company’s full year results.

    PointsBet share price on watch after strong year but large loss

    • Turnover up 228% to $3,781.4 million
    • Revenue increased 159% to $194.7 million
    • Normalised EBITDA loss of $156.1 million
    • Normalised loss after tax of $164.3 million compared to $39.7 million loss in FY 2020
    • Statutory loss after tax of $187.1 million
    • Cash balance of $276.2 million (including $30.6 million of client cash)

    What happened in FY 2021 for PointsBet?

    For the 12 months ended 30 June, PointsBet reported a 228% increase in turnover to $3,781.4 million. This was driven by a 117% annual increase in Australian active clients to 196,585 and a 661% increase in US active clients to 159,321.

    Also growing quickly was its gross and net win. PointsBet’s gross win increased 201% to $353.1 million, whereas its net win jumped 152% to $207 million. This ultimately led to the company reporting a 159% increase in revenue to $194.7 million for FY 2021.

    However, due to big increases in its cost of sales and operating expenses, PointsBet reported a normalised loss after tax of $164.3 million. This sizeable loss could potentially weigh on the PointsBet share price today.

    One of its largest expenses was marketing. The company spent $51.4 million on Australian marketing. This includes a refreshed brand campaign featuring NBA MVP Shaquille O’Neal. Over in the United States, its marketing spend came to $119.2 million. Management explained that this reflects an increase in the number of operating jurisdictions. Its US marketing expense is expected to continue to increase as its footprint expands.

    What’s next for PointsBet in FY 2022?

    No guidance was given for FY 2022, nor has a trading update being provided for the first two months of the financial year.

    However, management appears confident in the future after a busy year. In fact, it feels that everything is now in place to attack the massive US market.

    It commented: “PointsBet has put together all the pieces of the puzzle needed to take advantage of the significant North American opportunity – with a continued focus on first class execution and building upon the growth and success achieved to date.”

    The PointsBet share price is down 11% in 2021.

    The post PointsBet (ASX:PBH) share price on watch after stellar sales growth but $187m loss appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider PointsBet, 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 PointsBet 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 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 Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pointsbet Holdings 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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  • Shaver Shop (ASX:SSG) share price in focus as profit jumps but outlook softens

    shaver shop profit results share price rise represented by hands holding up various shaving device products against pink background

    The Shaver Shop Group Ltd (ASX: SSG) is under the spotlight as it unveiled a big increase in earnings but warned of softer sales.

    The desperate rolling COVID-19 lockdowns are both a friend and foe for the personal grooming retailer.

    The group posted a 68.3% surge in FY21 net profit to $17.5 million as sales improved 9.6% over the previous year to $213.7 million.

    Shaver Shop profit and margin expands

    What may be particularly pleasing was a large expansion in profit margins. Gross profit margin expanded 240 basis points, or 2.4 percentage points to 44.3%.

    In a period when so many ASX companies are complaining about cost pressures, Shaver Shop is flexing its muscles.

    One big contributor to the improved margins is cost control. Management shaved 110 basis points off operating expenses to 25.8% of sales in the period.

    Shaving costs helped with strong result

    “Shaver Shop worked proactively and collaboratively with landlords during lockdown periods,” said the company.

    “In doing so, Shaver Shop received $0.8m in rent abatements in FY2021 for stores that were significantly impacted by government-imposed trading restrictions due to COVID-19.”B

    Perhaps the comments were meant to contrast with the more confrontational approach some retailers, such as Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV), have taken with landlords.

    Shaver Shop profit results boost dividends over 70%

    The retailer also credited its astute management of store rosters during the long COVID lockdowns. This resulted in employment cost savings during the year.

    Shaver Shop is using some of the stronger profit and margins to reward shareholders. It declared a fully franked final dividend of 5 cents a share, which takes total dividends for the year to 8.2 cents. That’s a 71% increase over FY20’s total dividends.

    Has Shaver Shop’s sales peaked?

    But management’s outlook could be the chink in the armour as it suggests its revenues may have peaked.

    Shaver Shop reported that total sales since the start of this financial year is 7.3% below that of the same period in FY21.

    The retailer blamed the long painful lockdowns in Victoria and New South Wales for the drop. Interestingly, Shaver Shop was seen as a COVID winner during the earlier COVID outbreak as more stuck-at-home consumers had to turn to DIY grooming.

    Foolish takeaway

    The latest round of lockdowns is driving a big surge in Shaver Shop’s online sales, but that’s not enough to offset the losses.

    Website sales has jumped 52% since the start of FY22 over the same time last year and is up 368.1% versus FY20.

    Given that the Shaver Shop share price is “only” up 13% over the past year, maybe investors will be happy to overlook the negatives.

    The post Shaver Shop (ASX:SSG) share price in focus as profit jumps but outlook softens 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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  • 2 leading ASX dividend shares to consider for income

    Cool woman in a bright yellow suit and sunglasses excited about the cash she's splashing, flicking notes all around her.

    Some ASX dividend shares offer yields that may be attractive enough to consider them as potential dividend candidates.

    These companies are ones that have been rated as buys by analysts and just paid large dividends in FY21.

    Here are two to think about:

    Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING)

    Inghams is a large poultry business. In FY21, its core poultry volume rose 4.2% to 446.9kt. Underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) pre-AASB 16 increased by 28.4% to $101.2 million.

    The company decided to increase its annual fully franked dividend by 17.9% to 16.5 cents per share after the increase of profit. This represented a dividend payout ratio of 71%, which was within the company’s targeted dividend payout ratio of between 60% to 80% of underlying net profit.

    Inghams also said that its balance sheet is in a strong position, with net debt declining during the period to $240.2 million. The company said this leaves Inghams “well positioned for future growth opportunities”. It was also able to reduce its inventory by $30 million as it reduced its excess frozen processed poultry stock that had built up as a result of the COVID-19 effects.

    In terms of an outlook, the ASX dividend share said that volumes are expected to show continued growth with new business across various channels with a consumer recovery restart when vaccination rates increase and the current lockdowns are lifted.

    It also said that feed costs have stabilised during the second half. However, volatility in international commodity markets has led to domestic pricing “holding firmer”. The business continues to hold forward purchase cover on key feed ingredients of between three to nine months.

    The broker Citi currently rates the Inghams share price as a buy. It’s expecting the FY22 dividend to be 17.8 cents, an increase of around 8%. The projected forward grossed-up dividend yield is 6.2%.

    Nick Scali Limited (ASX: NCK)

    Nick Scali one of the largest furniture retailers in Australia and New Zealand. It had 61 showrooms at the last count and it continues to assess the new opportunities in line with its long-term showroom network target of 85 showrooms.

    FY21 was a year of strong demand for Nick Scali products, which also allowed profit margins to rise substantially.

    Sales revenue rose by 42.1% to $373 million and underlying net profit after tax doubled to $84.2 million. The underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margin improved by 940 basis points to 32.7%.

    Looking at the dividend, Nick Scali’s board decided to increase the final dividend by 11.1% to 25 cents per share. That brought the full year dividend to 65 cents per share – a dividend payout ratio of 63%.

    However, the ASX dividend share warned that lockdowns caused written sales orders to fall 27% in July 2021 (which is the start of FY22) compared to July 2020, but up 24% on July 2019. Online growth was 88% for July 2021 compared to July 2020.

    Management said that the company’s future growth will be primarily driven by the continuing store rollout and increasing online penetration.

    The broker Citi currently rates Nick Scali as a buy. It thinks the company will pay a FY22 dividend of $0.55 per share, equating to a projected grossed-up dividend yield of 6.5%.

    The post 2 leading ASX dividend shares to consider for income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Nick Scali right now?

    Before you consider Nick Scali, 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 Nick Scali 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 Tristan Harrison 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 Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) share price is up 5% in 6 days

    asx share price increase represented by golden dollar sign rocketing out from white domes of lithium

    The Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN) share price has been rebounding in recent days. Shares in the Aussie lithium miner climbed 2.7% higher to $53.53 per share on Monday and are now up 4.9% in the last 6 trading days.

    What’s been boosting the Mineral Resources share price?

    There have been very few ASX announcements from the Aussie lithium miner since its full-year results release on 11 August. That hasn’t stopped the Mineral Resources share price from climbing higher in recent days.

    One thing to always consider with commodity-based shares is how the underlying commodity price is tracking. In the case of Mineral Resources, that means looking at global lithium prices.

    Lithium prices are currently sitting at 92,500 Chinese Yuan (CNY) per tonne, up some 98.9% since the start of 2021. That has helped boost ASX lithium shares like Mineral Resources higher throughout the year.

    It’s been a similar story for rival miner Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS). Pilbara Minerals shares jumped 6.3% higher on Monday and are up 152.9% year to date while Galaxy Resources Ltd (ASX: GXY) shares are up 136.7% this year.

    The Mineral Resources share price has seen strong, if more modest, gains. Shares in the lithium miner are up 39.2% this year and 83.5% in the last 12 months.

    There have also been signs of positivity coming from abroad. Aussie lithium miners have reported strong realised average prices in recent results while global electric vehicle (EV) demand climbs.

    Are there other factors at play?

    Commodities shares globally have been on something of a rollercoaster in recent weeks. One key factor has been market speculation on the withdrawal of COVID-19 stimulus measures by the US Federal Reserve.

    Volatility has been seen in commodities pricing as participants try to guess the next move by Jerome Powell and the Fed. That has had a knock-on effect for some ASX mining shares with the Mineral Resources share price still down 11.2% year to date.

    Shares in the lithium miner have hit something of a purple patch in recent days and are riding on high commodities prices, greater investor optimism and recent FY21 results.

    The post Why the Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) share price is up 5% in 6 days appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Mineral Resources right now?

    Before you consider Mineral Resources, 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 Mineral Resources 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 Ken Hall 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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  • Here’s why the Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price has been volatile in August

    Scared looking people on a rollercoaster ride, just like the Afterpay share price in recent months.

    It has been an eventful month for the Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price.

    At one stage, the buy now pay later (BNPL) provider’s shares were up as much as 20% month to date to $7.99.

    However, ahead of the final day of the month, the Zip share price is up just 2.7% in August and in danger of slipping into the red.

    What’s been going on in August for the Zip share price?

    The Zip share price was rocketing higher earlier in the month after it was announced that rival Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) would be acquired by US payments giant Square.

    Investors were buying Zip shares on the belief that it could be a takeover target as well.

    Particularly given how there has been speculation recently that larger BNPL rival, Klarna, has been building up a strategic stake in the company. This has never been confirmed nor denied by Klarna.

    What has been weighing on its shares?

    Unfortunately, the Zip share price failed to hold onto these gains and has pulled back almost 15% over the last three weeks.

    This appears to have been driven partly by the release of its full year results for FY 2021.

    Zip reported a net loss after tax of $653 million for the year due largely to a number of one-off non-cash items. It also revealed a significant increase (6x) in its marketing spend in FY 2021 to drive growth. This appears to have spooked investors.

    Is this a buying opportunity?

    The team at Morgans appear to believe the weakness in the Zip share price could be a buying opportunity.

    Following the release of its full year results last week, Morgans retained its add rating and lifted its price target to $8.87. Based on the current Zip share price of $6.82, this implies potential upside of 30% over the next 12 months.

    Morgans commented: “We lower our Z1P FY22F EPS by ~12% on higher costs but lift our FY23F EPS >10% (off a low base) on the benefits of higher growth.”

    “We continue to see longer term upside if Z1P can execute on its ambitions of becoming a global payments player and maintain our ADD recommendation,” it concluded.

    The post Here’s why the Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price has been volatile in August 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 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 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 AFTERPAY T FPO and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • August has been a good month for the AMP (ASX:AMP) share price

    boy in celebration pose with pointed fingers raised high

    The AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) share price has been quietly climbing higher in August. Shares in the Aussie wealth manager are up 2.8% in the past month, having hit as high as $1.16 on 13 August.

    Those numbers may not seem like much to investors, but 2021 has been a tough year for AMP. The AMP share price has slumped 28.9% lower in 2021 and remains down 78.8% in the last 5 years.

    Here’s why August has been a good month for AMP and its shareholders.

    What’s been boosting the AMP share price in August?

    Perhaps the most obvious place to start is AMP’s full-year earnings result. For those who missed it, AMP reported a 57% increase in net profit after tax to $181 million. Group assets under management climbed 8% to $121.0 billion in what was good news for investors.

    Controllable costs (ex AMP Capital) fell 6% to $387 million as AMP reported surplus capital of $452 million – above target requirements.

    The news helped boost the AMP share price even as the wealth manager declined to pay an interim dividend. New CEO Alexis George has her sights set on the AMP Capital Private Markets demerger in the first half of FY22.

    Shares in the Aussie wealth manager have been up and down in August but have managed to make incremental gains in recent weeks. That has also been helped by a broadly positive ASX earnings season including solid results from other investment management firms.

    Investors appear positive enough about AMP’s relative performance with the company holding onto recent gains as we near the end of the month.

    Foolish takeaway

    Prior to the company’s earnings, the AMP share price was languishing just shy of an all-time low. While recent gains have not been monumental, they have helped boost AMP’s market capitalisation to over $3.5 billion.

    The post August has been a good month for the AMP (ASX:AMP) share price 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

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    Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall 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/38t3TXP