• ASX investors were buying Robinhood, Square shares last week

    US economy and sharemarket with piggy bank

    Most weeks, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)’s brokerage platform CommSec tells us the most traded international shares (usually just US shares) that its Aussie customer base have been buying and selling the previous week.

    CommSec is one of the most popular brokers in Australia. Because of this, CommSec’s trading data gives us a useful insight into the US shares that ASX investors are finding interesting right now. 

    So here are the top 10 international shares that CommSec-ers were trading last week. This week’s data covers 2-6 August.

    Robinhood and Square make their presence known to ASX investors

    1. Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) – representing 3.7% of total trades with a 60%/40% buy-to-sell ratio.
    2. GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME) – representing 2.9% of total trades with a 93%/7% buy-to-sell ratio.
    3. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) – representing 2.5% of total trades with an 86%/14% buy-to-sell ratio.
    4. Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) – representing 2.4% of total trades with a 65%/35% buy-to-sell ratio.
    5. Robinhood Markets Inc (NASDAQ: HOOD) – representing 1.9% of total trades with a 72%/28% buy-to-sell ratio.
    6. Square Inc (NYSE: SQ)
    7. AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE: AMC)
    8. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD)
    9. Moderna Inc (NASDAQ: MRNA)
    10. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE: BABA)

    What can we learn from these trades?

    We see some interesting movements in this week’s list. Firstly, it’s worth noting that the perenially popular shares of Tesla and GameStop remain at the top of this pile, cementing a trend we have pretty much seen all year. Investors remain super-bullish on these two companies as well, in particular with GameStop. A staggering 93% of all GameStop trades on CommSec last week were on the buy side, despite the fact that this original ‘meme stock’ has slid around 15% over the past month or so.

    Tesla also remains popular, albeit less so than GameStop. Tesla shares are up roughly 10% since the start of the month, which may be influencing trading activity here.

    But turning to other news, and it was interesting to see e-commerce giant Amazon climb into the top 5 shares this week. Amazon is a regular feature on this list, but usually occupies a spot at the bottom of the table when it does turn up. Perhaps a rare share price pullback in Amazon shares (the company is down more than 10% over the month just passed) is to thank for this.

    We also see a strong appetite for US share market newcomer Robinhood. Robinhood had an explosive IPO late last month, rising from around US$35 a share to US$85 by last Wednesday. The company is back down to the mid-US$50 range as it stands today.

    And finally, it’s also worth noting the presence of Afterpay Ltd‘s (ASX: APT) potential new overlord Square. Like Amazon, Square is a company that has turned up at the bottom of this table before, but its new presence in the ASX investor’s mind looks to have boosted its profile. Square’s commitment to list on the ASX if its acquisition of Afterpay goes through may also be at play here.

    The post ASX investors were buying Robinhood, Square shares last week 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 May 24th 2021

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    John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Square and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO, Advanced Micro Devices, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., Amazon, Apple, Square, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Moderna Inc. and has recommended the following options: long January 2022 $1,920 calls on Amazon, long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple, short January 2022 $1,940 calls on Amazon, and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon and Apple. 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 ASX lithium shares are surging to new highs today

    ASX lithium shares record A line-up of green lithium batteries, indicating positive share price movement for clean ASX lithium miners

    ASX lithium shares are dominating the leader board as several hit multi-year or record highs this afternoon.

    The Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share price jumped 11.4% to its all-time peak of $2.34 in after lunch trade. This makes it the top performer on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO).

    The Orocobre Limited (ASX: ORE) share price isn’t far behind as it too set a record. The shares surged 11% to $9.52 while its merger mate, the Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX: GXY) rocketed by a similar amount to a decade high of $5.43 at the time of writing.

    Upgrade for all ASX lithium shares

    ASX lithium shares have been outperforming other miners recently. While iron ore and gold have been on the nose, several experts are predicting that the world is facing a supply shortfall of the battery-making ingredient.

    A decision by JPMorgan today to upgrade the whole ASX lithium sector is also probably contributing to the bullish sentiment.

    Higher rates of return

    “We raise our long term-lithium spodumene price from $650/t to $850/t (+31%),” said JPMorgan.

    “This is the price required to generate a 20% IRR for a notional hard rock mine with 1% Li2O grade, 10yr life, and capital intensity of US$1,075/t.

    “We believe this is the style of project that is needed from the late 2020s to satisfy perpetual supply/demand gap.”

    ASX lithium shares powering up on supply deficit

    The broker also increased its long-term lithium hydroxide price by 12% to US$14,000 a tonne. This will also generate an impressive 20% internal rate of return (IRR) for a notional conversion plant.

    JPMorgan’s bullish view stems from its belief that there isn’t enough lithium to meet demand for the foreseeable future. This is largely driven by the electrification revolution with households turning to electric vehicles and battery power storage.

    Nearly half of all cars sold in 2030 will be electric

    “We have rebuilt our [supply/demand] model which is still based off JPM’s global equity team assumptions for auto sales, EV roll out, and battery capacity,” explained the broker.

    “The team expects total EV penetration of 45% in 2030, with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) at 21%.

    “BEVs account for the vast majority of lithium demand due to greater battery size when compared to plug in hybrid & hybrid vehicles.”

    Best ASX lithium shares to buy now

    This makes all lithium shares under JPMorgan’s coverage a buy even as the sector outperforms.

    The broker upgraded its recommendation on the Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN) share price and Pilbara Minerals share price to “overweight” from “neutral”.

    But if it had to pick its favourite ASX lithium shares, this would be the IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) share price, Galaxy share price and Orocobre share price. All three shares are rated “overweight”.

    The post Why ASX lithium shares are surging to new highs 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 May 24th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau owns shares of Galaxy Resources Limited, Independence Group NL, and Orocobre Limited. 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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  • Afterpay and Zip were among the most traded ASX shares last week

    group of asx 200 investors celebrating increasing share price

    Australia’s leading investment platform provider CommSec has released data on the most traded ASX shares on its platform from last week.

    Here’s the data:

    Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P)

    This buy now pay later (BNPL) provider was the most traded share on the CommSec platform last week despite its larger rival taking all the headlines. Zip’s shares were attributable to 3.5% of trades on the platform, but only 36% came from the buy side. With the Zip share price jumping 16% over the five days, it appears as though some investors may have taken a bit of profit off the table.

    Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT)

    This BNPL giant’s shares weren’t far behind and were responsible for 3.3% of trades on CommSec. This was driven by news that US payments giant Square is acquiring the company. And despite the Afterpay share price rocketing almost 37% higher during the week, the majority of the trades were from sellers. A total of 68% of the volume came from them. They appear happy to lock in these gains rather than convert their shares into Square scrip.

    Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)

    Fortescue’s shares were popular with CommSec investors last week. They were attributable to 2.3% of trades on the platform, with 76% of the volume from buyers. Unfortunately for them, a sharp pullback in the iron ore price led to the Fortescue share price tumbling 7.5% over the five days.

    Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

    This ETF was popular with investors once again last week. The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF was part of 2.1% of trades on CommSec, with a massive 92% of the volume coming from buyers. The Betashares ETF is up 19% since the start of the year.

    BetaShares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: ETHI)

    The growing popularity of ethical investing led to this ETF being heavily traded again last week. It was attributable to 1.5% of trades on the platform, with buyers making up 91% of the volume. The ETF rose 1.2% over the five days, bringing its year to date gain to 15.5%.

    The post Afterpay and Zip were among the most traded ASX shares last week 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO, BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. 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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  • Los Cerros (ASX:LCL) share price soars 14% after poor start to the week

    miner holding gold nugget

    The Los Cerros Ltd (ASX: LCL) share price is on the rebound today following a 6% drop yesterday.

    At the time of writing, the Australian gold miner’s shares are making amends today, up 14.29% to 16 cents.

    What happened?

    On Monday, Los Cerros released its latest drill hole assay results from Tesorito South, a near-surface gold porphyry discovery in Colombia. The area forms part of the company’s wholly-owned Quinchia Gold Project in Risaralda.

    Los Cerros revealed that drill hole (TS-DH27) delivered broad zones of gold porphyry mineralisation. The highlighted results included:

    • 36 meters at 1.01 g/t gold from 116 meters; and
    • 72 meters at 1.00 g/t gold from 188 meters; including 6 meters at 2.05g/t gold from 254 meters.

    The company expects to complete a drone-based regional magnetic survey and deep IP geophysics programs in the near term. This will provide it with directions on where next to drill possible extensions for mineralisation.

    As well, a fourth diamond drill rig will be added to the company’s fleet to continue testing on multiple targets. It is expected the rig will arrive within the next 4 weeks.

    Los Cerros managing director Jason Stirbinskis commented:

    Drillhole TS-DH27, at some 120m to the E of the drillpad for TS-DH24, ’25 and ‘26, was a significant step out that still intercepted gold porphyry mineralisation. It has given us further directions where we might expect to see additional extensions to mineralisation.

    About the Los Cerros share price

    Over the last 12 months, Los Cerros shares have gained almost 83% and 24% year to date. The company’s share price reached a 52-week high of 23 cents in October 2020 before treading lower.

    Based on valuation grounds, Los Cerros has a market capitalisation of roughly $95 million with approximately 612 million shares outstanding.

    The post Los Cerros (ASX:LCL) share price soars 14% after poor start to the week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Los Cerros right now?

    Before you consider Los Cerros, 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 Los Cerros 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    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.

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  • a2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price rises on bullish broker note

    happy investor, share price rise, increase, up

    The A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price is pushing higher on Tuesday.

    In afternoon trade, the fresh milk and infant formula company’s shares are up 1% to $5.92.

    Why is the a2 Milk share price rising today?

    The rise in the a2 Milk share price today may have been driven by a broker note out of Bell Potter.

    According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating and $8.50 price target on the company’s shares.

    Based on the latest a2 Milk share price, this implies potential upside of 45% over the next 12 months.

    What did Bell Potter say?

    Bell Potter has been looking at a number of monthly activity points that it uses to judge how the company could be performing.

    One of those is Chinese infant milk formula (IMF) imports. While the broker notes that volumes are still down significantly year on year, it believes they have bottomed now.

    It said: “The largest exporters of IMF to China are the EU, NZ and Australia. We view movements in volumes to China from these markets as indicative of overall market dynamics, with the R3M average removing monthly noise. While volumes continue to demonstrate double digit YOY declines (-23% YOY in May’21), sequentially volumes look to have formed a bottom in recent months, up +29% from Jan’21 lows.”

    What should you look for with a2 Milk’s results?

    With the company’s full year result just around the corner, Bell Potter also spoke a little about what could move the a2 Milk share price when it releases its numbers.

    The broker explained: “The key focuses of the FY21e result will be the extent to which inventory impairments, volume swaps and sales delays have impacted headline EBITDA. In total we estimate NRI’s [non-recurring items] to be taken above the line total NZ$110-150m, with an additional NZ$30m impact from 4Q21 sales slowdown to reduce channel stocks. Incorporating MVM and recent currency movements would indicate FY22e baseline EBITDA closer to NZ$250- 340m, which compares to a FY22e consensus of NZ$264m. In our view consensus FY22e EBITDA expectations are on the low side.”

    The a2 Milk share price is down 50% in 2021.

    The post a2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price rises on bullish broker note 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. 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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  • The Telstra (ASX:TLS) share price just hit another new 52-week high

    a woman smiles widely while using an old fashioned hand set telephone with dial.

    The Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price is once again on the climb today. Telstra shares are currently trading for $3.84 apiece at the time of writing.

    However, this ASX 200 telco was trading even higher after market open this morning, climbing all the way to $3.88 a share – the company’s new 52-week high. In fact, it’s the highest the Telstra share price has climbed since before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic early last year.

    Telstra, one of the ASX 200’s most prominent blue chip shares, has been on quite the run over the past year or two. Year to date in 2021, Telstra is now up a healthy 28.69% on the current pricing. Over the past 12 months, it’s up 13.13%. But it has still been a poor long-term performer, losing its investors close to 30% over the past 5 years.

    Even so, its more recent gains have been hard to ignore. So what’s propelling the telco to these new highs?

    Why is the Telstra share price at a new 52-week high?

    Well, a number of developments seem to be giving investors reason to dive into Telstra shares. It’s fairly safe to say the sale of half of Telstra’s InfraCo Towers business back in June really lit the rocket under the telco.

    Back on 30 June, Telstra announced that a consortium of investors had agreed to purchase a 49% stake in InfraCo Towers for a price of $2.8 billion. This gave this business an earnings multiple of 28x, which was the part that really got chins a’wagging.

    If Telstra could command such a robust earnings multiple for this sale, perhaps its remaining assets (such as Telstra’s fixed-line division InfraCo Fixed) are worth more than the market previously estimated? As a case in point, since the announcement of this sale, the Telstra share price has risen almost 7%.

    But that’s not all that Telstra has pulled out of its hat in recent months.

    The federal government’s recent maneuvers to help Telstra potentially acquire the Pacific telco Digicel Pacific has been piquing investors’ attention. As has Telstra’s recent $350 million acquisition of MedialDirector.

    Telstra also got some good news yesterday regarding the regional radio frequency limits. The government sets these limit and Telstra had requested that a 43% limit for telcos be established. The government came back with a 45% limit, which is good news for the company.

    All in all, the Telstra share price seems to be responding to a combination of these catalysts and, perhaps as a result, is now exploring the new 52-week highs we are seeing today.

    At the current Telstra share price, the telco has a market capitalisation of $45.43 billion, a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 25.77 and a trailing dividend yield of 4.17%. Telstra reports its FY2021 earnings this Thursday.

    The post The Telstra (ASX:TLS) share price just hit another new 52-week high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Telstra, you’ll want to hear this.

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

    The online investing service he’s run for 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Telstra Corporation Limited. 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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  • Why the St Barbara (ASX:SBM) share price is sliding 4%

    Miner standing at quarry looking upset

    The St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) share price has crept out of the money in early trade. St Barbara shares are now exchanging hands at $1.63 apiece, a 4.66% drop on the day.

    Although there is no market sensitive news today, we examine what’s behind St Barbara shares of late.

    A bit more on St Barbara

    St Barbara is a gold mining company with interests in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

    The bulk of St Barbara’s revenue is obtained from its Leonora site in WA, through the Gwalia underground mine.

    At the time of writing, St Barbara has a market capitalisation of $1.21 billion.

    Broker downgrades

    St Barbara shares have faced downward pressures since investment bank Citigroup revised its recommendation on the St Barbara share price.

    Citi revised its recommendation from “buy/high risk” to “neutral/high risk” in a note to investors, citing headwinds to St Barbara’s production forecasts.

    For instance, Citi estimates its Gwalia site must “consistently replicate June quarter to achieve bottom guidance of 180koz”.

    In addition, costs will “remain high” for the company, implying “$1,710 – $1,880/oz vs FY21 (actual) $1,616/oz” as per Citi.

    Moreover, the broker’s stance on gold also folds into its narrative on St Barbara. As such, it has cut its price target to $1.75 per share, implying a 6.3% upside potential at the time of writing.

    St Barbara’s quarterly results

    St Barbara reported a 24% year-on-year decrease in fourth-quarter gold production to 82,698 ounces.

    However, the company also halted operations at its Simberi site after the death of a worker. Issues were also found with a waste disposal pipeline throughout the quarter, which also contributed to the shut-down at Simberi.

    In addition, St Barbara acquired an approximate 20% stake in Kin Mining NL (ASX: KIN), and announced its Leonara Province plan. This plan adds around 1.4 million ounces on top of the 5 million ounces of gold in mineral resources, as per the company.

    Moreover, St Barbara estimates “lower than expected” ore grades at its Atlantic site in FY22, and that forecasts are “marginally weighted to H2 FY22”. Note this coincides with Simberi’s restart in December, as per the company.

    Investors have punished the St Barbara share price over the past few weeks after these two events in the final week of July.

    To illustrate, St Barbara shares have slipped around 12% into the red over the past week. Even in the last month, the St Barbara share price is down 12.7%.

    St Barbara share price snapshot

    The St Barbara share price has posted a loss of 30% this year to date, extending the last 12 month’s loss of 54%.

    These results have lagged the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of around 25% over the past year.

    The post Why the St Barbara (ASX:SBM) share price is sliding 4% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in St Barbara right now?

    Before you consider St Barbara , 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 St Barbara 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 May 24th 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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  • The Bubs (ASX:BUB) share price has fallen 17% in a month. Here’s why

    person holding hand to head in despair while holding a glass of milk with the other hand.

    The Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB) share price is slipping today despite no news having been released by the company.

    Right now, the Bubs share price is 42 cents, 1.19% lower than its previous close.

    Today’s dip marks the most recent of Bubs’ ASX woes. The Bubs share price has now fallen 17% in a month.

    Let’s take a look at what’s been weighing on Bubs’ shares lately.

    The month that’s been for Bubs

    Bubs has only released a single piece of price-sensitive news to the market over the past month.

    That news came in the form of a trading update, to which the Bubs share price reacted poorly.

    The update stated the company’s financial year 2021 gross revenue was $46.8 million – 24% lower than the previous financial year.

    However, its revenue over the fourth quarter was 8% higher than that of the third quarter. Additionally, the second half brought 10% more revenue than the first half did. Yet they both saw less revenue than their respective previous comparable periods.

    The company stated the revenue slump was due to COVID-19.

    Bubs has been hit particularly hard throughout the pandemic, largely due to the impact it’s had on daigou channels.

    It wasn’t all bad news though. The company announced it has shipped the first batch of its Aussie Bubs formula to its new US retailers. The formula is destined to be stocked by Amazon.com and Walmart‘s online store next month.

    Bubs also reported it had $27.9 million in cash reserves – enough to fund its operations for another 11 quarters.

    Despite the company’s optimistic spin, the Bubs share price fell 8.7% over the 3 sessions following the trading update’s release.

    The company also announced a new addition to its board last month.

    Intellectual property, brand, and consumer lawyer Katrina Rathie has been appointed to Bubs’ board. Rathie’s appointment means the board is now gender-balanced.

    Bubs share price snapshot

    It’s not only been a bad month on the ASX for Bubs.

    Bubs’ shares have fallen 31% year to date. They’re also trading for 54% less than they were this time last year.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $257 million, with approximately 612 million shares outstanding.

    The post The Bubs (ASX:BUB) share price has fallen 17% in a month. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bubs Australia right now?

    Before you consider Bubs Australia, 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 Bubs Australia 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 

    John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, 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 Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2022 $1,920 calls on Amazon and short January 2022 $1,940 calls on Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon and BUBS AUST 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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  • Why BlueBet, James Hardie, Megaport, & Novonix shares are racing higher

    happy child jumping for joy

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is fighting hard to stay in positive territory. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up slightly to 7,541.9 points.

    Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are racing higher:

    BlueBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: BBT)

    The BlueBet share price is up 6.5% to $2.03. Investors have been buying the sports betting company’s shares after it signed an exclusive agreement with the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, BlueWater Resort and Casino. The agreement will see the parties pursue online sports betting market access in the state of Arizona.

    James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX)

    The James Hardie share price is up 4% to $49.87. The catalyst for this was the release of a strong first quarter result from the building materials company. According to the release, James Hardie delivered a 35% increase in quarter sales over the prior corresponding period to US$843.3 million. And thanks to margin expansion, its net income was up 50% to US$134.2 million. This strong start to the year led to management upgrading full year net income guidance.

    Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

    The Megaport share price has climbed almost 4% to $18.02. This follows the release of the network as a service (NaaS) solutions provider’s full year results. For the 12 months ended 30 June, Megaport reported a 35% increase in revenue to $78.28 million. Also growing strongly was its monthly recurring revenue (MRR), which increased 32% year on year to $7.5 million. This annualises to $90 million. Megaport also announced the US$15 million acquisition of InnovoEdge. It is an AI-powered multi-cloud and edge application orchestration company.

    Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX)

    The Novonix share price has jumped 16.5% to $3.52. Investors have been fighting to get hold of the lithium-ion battery tech company’s shares after United States energy giant Phillips 66 made a strategic investment in the company. Phillips 66 will have a 16% stake in the company following the transaction.

    The post Why BlueBet, James Hardie, Megaport, & Novonix shares are racing higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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  • EMvision (ASX:EMV) share price leaps 14% on product update

    Jumping asx share price represented by young girl smiling and jumping up

    The EMvision Medical Devices Ltd (ASX: EMV) share price is charging higher today. This follows the company providing an update in regard to its portable medical imaging technology.

    At the time of writing, shares in the medical device company are 14.07% higher to $3 apiece. However, earlier in trade the EMvision share price had been as high as $3.10.

    Milestone achievement

    Investors are excited about the potential for EMvision today after the company announced the latest development of its brain scanner. After working on prototyping and development of its portable medical technology, today EMvision has notched up an achievement.

    According to the release, the company has successfully fabricated and assembled its alpha unit of its first-generation portable brain scanner. These units are intended for commercialisation, giving shareholders hopes for future sales.

    However, before we get ahead of ourselves… the first-gen units will be the subjects of a range of tests for assessing compliance with regulatory standards. These include:

    • Functional compliance,
    • Reliability compliance,
    • Integration (software and hardware) compliance,
    • Safety compliance, and
    • Performance compliance

    In addition to the above-noted compliance tests, the units will also be assessed on suitability for manufacturing, assembly, shipment, environmental impact, use, service, and repair.

    Furthermore, the intended use of portable brain scanners is in applications where conventional neuroimaging machines are not accessible or practical.

    For example, co-chair of the Australian Stoke Alliance, Professor Stephen Davis AO mentioned the possibility of such technology being incorporated into standard ambulances and aircraft. This potential has fed into the excitement surrounding the EMvision share price.

    Management commentary

    Speaking on the monumental step, EMvision CEO Dr Ron Weinberger said:

    This is an important milestone for the Company. Our product represents a game-changing opportunity to provide accessible point-of-care neuroimaging for stroke patients, wherever they are. The value proposition for our scanner is simple – portable, accessible, fast, safe, and affordable.

    We are tackling the immense health burden that is stroke, with potential future adjacencies in traumatic brain injury and other neurological disorders. We see an enormous market opportunity ahead in neuroimaging that is poised for disruption. Our device will undergo various tests as we prepare for our next stage of expanded clinical studies.

    EMvision share price recap

    The EMvision share price has delivered an exceptional return to shareholders over the past year. This is despite bottom-line losses deepening as it continues to invest heavily in research and development. Specifically, over the course of the year, shares in the company have surged nearly 60%. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has returned 23.4% during that time.

    Finally, based on the current EMvision share price, the company holds a $216 million market capitalisation.

    The post EMvision (ASX:EMV) share price leaps 14% on product update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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 EMvision Medical Devices Limited. 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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