• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    A clockface with the word 'Time to Buy'

    With so many shares to choose from on the ASX, it can be hard to decide which ones to buy. The good news is that brokers across the country are doing a lot of the hard work for you.

    Three top ASX shares leading brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

    News Corp (ASX: NWS)

    According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts have retained their conviction buy rating and increased their price target on this media giant’s shares to $44.50. This follows the release of its full year result last week. And while News Corp fell a touch short of its expectations, the broker remains very positive on its outlook. It is forecasting operating earnings growth of 17% in FY 2022. It also believes share buybacks could unlock value for shareholders. The News Corp share price is trading at $32.37 today.

    REA Group Limited (ASX: REA)

    A note out of Morgan Stanley reveals that its analysts have retained their overweight rating and $185.00 price target on this property listings company’s shares. Morgan Stanley was pleased with REA’s FY 2021 result. And while it suspects that its first half result could be a touch softer than expected in FY 2022 because of lockdowns, it expects listing volumes to rebound quickly. In light of this, it appears to believe any short term share price weakness would be a buying opportunity. The REA share price is fetching $154.24 today.

    ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD)

    Analysts at Morgans have retained their add rating and lifted their price target on this sleep treatment company’s shares by almost 42% to $41.34. This follows the release of a stronger than expected fourth quarter update last week. It also notes that management expects a US$300 million to US$350 million revenue benefit in FY 2022 from the product recall by rival Philips. The broker notes that this has led to unsatisfied demand everywhere. Though, Morgans acknowledges that bottlenecks in the supply chain could limit the benefit from pent-up demand for devices. The ResMed share price is trading at $37.77 today.

    The post Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    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.

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended REA Group Limited and ResMed Inc. 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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  • Treasury Wine (ASX:TWE) share price struggles amid supply concerns

    A businessman sits on a wine barrel floating at sea

    The Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) share price is in the red after The Australian reported the entire wine industry is facing a shortage in oak barrels.

    At the time of writing, shares in the Penfold’s brand owner are selling for $11.98 – down 0.58%. For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is 0.11% higher.

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

    An oak barrel shortage?

    According to the newspaper report, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted the global supply chain of French oak wine barrels. Diminishing supply has sent the price of the highly sought-after containers rocketing to more than $2,000 a unit. And as we know, constricted supply in any given product usually leads to price increases.

    The report said the supply chain issues were a result of “lengthy delays out of Europe, storms that have destroyed oak trees and a lack of shipping containers…”

    Australian Grape and Wine chief executive Tony Battaglene was quoted in the paper as saying:

    “It is difficult to get and even more difficult to get on a boat, and the price of freight is really starting to cause problems… and when margins are tight it makes a big difference and there is a big concern – I don’t know what we can do about it.”

    With Treasury Wine shut out of its biggest market, China, for the next five years – its margins were already pretty tight. These additional costs appear to concern investors, judging by the falling Treasury Wine share price.

    Supply issues hit other sectors

    French oak barrels are not the only product hit by the global pandemic. Notoriously, a shortage in semiconductor chips is wreaking havoc on the tech sector and new and used car market. An initial cut back in production and rocketing demand – with everyone working from home – has seen the price of the computer chips skyrocket.

    Another product with COVID-related supply problems is timber.

    As Motley Fool Australia has reported, timber prices have increased 300% and even 400% on falling supply as well as increased demand. These issues have led to short term spikes in inflation.

    Apparently, not even wine is immune to the pandemic.

    Treasury Wine share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the Treasury Wine share price has increased 8.73%. That’s a 15-percentage point underperformance of the ASX 200. Year-to-date, however, has been better for shareholders. In that time, Treasury Wine shares have appreciated 25.7% to the benchmark’s 12.9%.

    Treasury Wine Estates has a market capitalisation of around $8.7 billion.

    The post Treasury Wine (ASX:TWE) share price struggles amid supply concerns appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Treasury Wine right now?

    Before you consider Treasury Wine, 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 Treasury Wine 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

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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 owns shares of and has recommended Treasury Wine Estates Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why the Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price plunged 15% from all-time highs

    Man in mining or construction uniform sits on the floor with worried look on face

    The Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) share price looked as if it was going to break out after a record close of $26.50 on 29 July.

    Previously, the Fortescue share price spent 7 months trading sideways after an earlier high of $26.27 on 8 January.

    Unfortunately, since their last record close, Fortescue shares have staged a sharp U-turn, tumbling more than 14% in the past 7 trading sessions to $22.76 at the time of writing.

    What triggered the sharp selloff?

    The sharp decline in iron ore prices has underscored the weakness across ASX iron ore shares.

    Two weeks ago, iron ore prices were well above the US$200/tonne mark.

    However, steel production mandates from China have seen prices rapidly pull back, sliding to US$172/tonne according to Market Index.

    The sharp collapse in iron ore prices saw the Fortescue share price slide 6.06% to $24.90 on 30 July.

    According to Mining.com, China has imposed output limits on its steel mills to ensure this year’s production is no more than 2020 figures.

    However, steel output grew more than 12% in the first-half compared to 2020, meaning a significant cutback would be needed in the second-half.

    Mining.com quoted analysts from Huatai Futures which said, “Domestic consumption (for iron ore) is weakening significantly… Due to different perception of crude steel output cuts, iron ore prices have been fluctuated recently”.

    “Under the current strict implementations of steel production controls, high iron ore prices are not seen to be supported,” Huatai Futures added.

    Fortescue share price slides to 1-month low

    The Fortescue share price has given back a month worth of gains thanks to the free fall in iron ore prices.

    This follows a pleasing June quarterly and full-year FY21 update on 29 July.

    According to the release, Fortescue delivered 1282.2 million tonnes of iron ore shipments in FY21, topping its guidance of 182 million tonnes.

    In addition, the company received US$168/dry metric tonne (dmt) for the quarter and US$135/dmt for FY21.

    Many investors will tune in to the August reporting season for a greater insight into how Fortescue has performed over the past financial year and whether or not any special dividends are up for grabs.

    Fortescue is expected to deliver its full-year FY21 results on 30 August and here’s a peep into what investors should look out for.

    The post Why the Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price plunged 15% from all-time highs 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 May 24th 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 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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  • Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price edges higher despite falling oil price

    man pointing up at a rising red line which represents a growing share price

    The Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price is on the mends despite oil prices falling on Friday night.

    At the time of writing, the oil and gas company’s shares are swapping hands for $22.05, up 0.23%. In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is 0.1% higher to 7,544 points

    What’s going on with Woodside shares?

    Investors are buying Woodside shares with no new news out of the company today. Its most recent update came last Wednesday in regards to an increased capital cost estimate on the Scarborough Project.

    According to Bloomberg, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped 1.95% to US$66.95 per barrel. In addition, its more expensive brother, Brent crude also sunk 1.84% to $69.40.

    WTI is sourced from oil fields in the United States and is lighter due to its low density and low sulphur content. Brent crude on the other hand is sourced from the North Sea between the Shetland Islands and Norway and is popular to refine into diesel fuel and gasoline.

    Nonetheless, the drop in oil prices will undoubtedly weigh on Woodside’s profits. This is especially given the fact that WTI and Brent crude reached the $75 mark in July this year.

    However, investors appear to be bargain hunting as the company’s shares are trading near year-to-date lows around the $21.70 mark.

    After reporting its Q2 trading update in mid-July, a number of brokers changed their rating on the company share price.

    Swiss investment firm, UBS cut its price target for Woodside shares by 0.4% to $26.10. Morgans followed suit to also reduce their rating by 3% to $29. The most recent broker note came from Goldman Sachs, which has initiated a bullish price of $34 for the energy producer’s shares.

    Based on the current Woodside share price, Goldman Sachs’ 12-month price target implies an upside of roughly 35%.

    Woodside share price snapshot

    Over the last 12 months, Woodside shares have failed to make any significant movements, up 8%. Year-to-date, however, the company’s shares are down about 3%.

    Woodside commands a market capitalisation of roughly $21.2 billion, with 963 million shares on its registry.

    The post Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price edges higher despite falling oil price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Woodside, 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 Woodside 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

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras owns shares of Woodside Petroleum Ltd. 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 ELMO, Flight Centre, Northern Star, & Regis shares are dropping

    white arrow dropping down

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the week with a modest gain. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.1% to 7,546.1 points.

    Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here’s why they are dropping:

    ELMO Software Ltd (ASX: ELO)

    The ELMO share price is down 5.5% to $5.08 following the release of its full year results. For the 12 months ended 30 June, ELMO reported a 52.1% increase in annualised recurring revenue (ARR) to $83.8 million. This was driven by a combination of organic growth and the benefits of acquisitions. However, investors may have been disappointed with an increase in its churn levels. Though, it is worth noting that this was driven by COVID-19 impacts on some customers. Management is forecasting strong ARR growth again in FY 2022.

    Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)

    The Flight Centre share price is down 3% to $14.80. The weakness in this travel agent’s shares appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Macquarie this morning. According to the note, the broker has downgraded Flight Centre’s shares to a neutral rating and cut the price target on them by 11% to $15.50.

    Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

    The Northern Star share price has fallen 5% to $9.46. Investors have been selling this gold miner’s shares following a sizeable pullback in the gold price on Friday following the release of strong US jobs data. It isn’t just Northern Star that is under pressure. The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index is down 4% this afternoon.

    Regis Healthcare Ltd (ASX: REG)

    The Regis Healthcare share price has sunk 7.5% to $1.94. Investors have been selling the aged care operator’s shares after it revealed that it has identified potential employee underpayments. The company notes that these payment shortfalls have arisen because some employee entitlements due under various enterprise agreements were recorded inaccurately in the payroll system. It estimates that the underpayments could total $30 million to $40 million.

    The post Why ELMO, Flight Centre, Northern Star, & Regis shares are dropping 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 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 Elmo Software. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Elmo Software. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • BHP (ASX:BHP) share price struggles amid renewed climate pressure

    A young boy standing in a grassy field surrounded by trees holding a world globe over his head.

    The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price is slipping amid calls for the company to strengthen its adherence to the Paris Agreement.

    The calls were put forward by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) on behalf of BHP shareholders as a movement to be considered at BHP’s annual general meeting. The ACCR is a shareholder advocacy group.

    Right now, the BHP share price is $51.70, 0.77% lower than its previous closing price.

    Let’s take a closer look at the news that might be weighing on the resource company’s share price today.

    BHP will consider adhering better to Paris Agreement

    The BHP share price is slipping after the ACCR’s request for the company to review its links with lobby groups advocating against the Paris Agreement.

    The ACCR is representing shareholders calling for BHP to cut ties with industry groups working against the Paris Agreement’s goals.

    After Friday’s close, BHP announced the movement would be put to the board at the company’s annual general meeting.

    ACCR’s director of climate and environment Dan Gocher commented on the resolution potentially impacting the BHP share price today:

    The advocacy by key BHP industry associations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been fundamentally at odds with the Paris Agreement’s goals…

    The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) claims credit for the Government’s ‘gas-fired recovery’; the Minerals Council of Australia continues to block meaningful environmental and climate action—as well as having the gall to claim that Australian thermal coal could reduce global emissions; while the American Petroleum Institute has recently opposed the Biden Administration’s electric vehicle policy.

    It’s the second time the ACCR has brought shareholders’ concerns regarding the Paris Agreement to BHP’s board.

    In 2020 ACCR gained the support of 22.4% of BHP’s shareholders when asking for a similar stance from the company. It called for BHP to influence its industry associations to transition to greener practices. Additionally, the ACCR asked BHP not to accept the pandemic as an excuse for their associates neglecting the Paris Agreement.

    According to the ACCR, these expectations haven’t been met. It urges shareholders to vote for its latest proposal.

    ACCR’s calls came the same day BHP announced it will forge forward with 2 new oil projects.

    BHP share price snapshot

    Despite today’s slump, the BHP share price has been performing well on the ASX lately.

    It has gained 20% since the start of 2021. It is also 29% higher than it was this time last year.

    The post BHP (ASX:BHP) share price struggles amid renewed climate pressure appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in BHP Group right now?

    Before you consider BHP Group, 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 BHP Group 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

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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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  • All eyes on Qantas (ASX:QAN) shares this reporting season

    Large airplane on tarmac

    The Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price will be on watch this reporting season.

    In an article published in the AFR, Australia’s largest airliner ranks amongst the top 5 companies to watch this August.

    Here’s why all eyes will be on the Qantas share price this profit season.

    Why will investors be watching the Qantas share price?

    Going into this reporting season, Australia’s domestic economy has been rocked by widespread lockdowns.

    As a result, many investors will not only be looking at how companies have performed but also what the future holds for them.

    According to the article published in the AFR, Qantas will be amongst the most scrutinised companies this earnings season.

    Despite the airliner building optimism over the past 12 months, the delta outbreak has cast serious doubts on the future of Australia’s domestic travel market.

    The article highlighted Qantas’ decision to stand down 2500 workers last week as a reflection of the crisis.

    So, according to the article, investors will be watching a couple of things when Qantas reports its earnings.

    Firstly, how badly the damage of the lockdown has been.

    Secondly, investors will be interested to know how an extended lockdown might impact the airliner’s future profits

    According to the article, analysts from noted broker Citi have already published their expectations.

    Analysts are expecting the airliner to report a loss of $1.2 billion for the 12 months to June 30.

    In addition, the broker has forecasted that Qantas could generate a profit of $213 million in 2021-2022.

    Citi’s analysts estimate that Sydney accounts for 35% to 40% of Australia’s aviation activity.

    As a result, investors will be paying attention to how an extended lockdown for Greater Sydney would impact the airliners future profits.

    More on Qantas

    The last 3 months have not been kind to Qantas.

    Shares in the airline have struggled following a plethora of COVID-19 induced travel restrictions and lockdowns.

    The seriousness of the dire situation was recently displayed after the airliner stood down 2,500 crew.

    The stand-downs follow a drastic reduction in the Qantas’ domestic capacity, with more than 9000 flights cancelled in June.

    Despite an initial recovery earlier this year, the Qantas share price is trading more than 5% lower since the start of 2021.

    The post All eyes on Qantas (ASX:QAN) shares this reporting season appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Qantas, 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 Qantas 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

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    Motley Fool contributor Nikhil Gangaram 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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  • Family Zone (ASX:FZO) share price climbs 17% on UK acquisition

    child wearing a space helmet and sitting with thumbs up next to two toy rockets on a desk with a computer, keyboard and mouse.

    The Family Zone Cyber Safety Ltd (ASX: FZO) share price is soaring higher today after resuming trade. This follows the cyber safety company entering a trading halt on Friday with the announcement of a $142 million acquisition.

    Since returning to trade, investors have been buying into the company. At the time of writing, the Family Zone share price is swapping hands for 70.5 cents, up 17.5%.

    The company’s ambitious acquisition is worth nearly half the current value of Family Zone which has a market capitalisation of $294 million.

    Let’s check out the details.

    Expanding abroad

    On Friday, Family Zone revealed it had executed a binding agreement to acquire United Kingdom (UK)-based digital safety solution provider Smoothwall.

    The company is the UK’s leading provider of monitoring and filtering products to the education sector.

    Smoothwall services approximately 38% of the UK’s education market. To detail the extent of its market presence, it currently provides services to more than 12,400 schools and 6 million students.

    This translates into A$30 million of annual recurring revenue and a pro-forma earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of roughly A$7 million for the last financial year.

    Family Zone believes the acquisition of Smoothwall creates “…the world’s most compelling K-12 digital safety solution incorporating Family Zone’s fast-growing Linewize K-12 solutions, Family Zone’s parental controls, and Smoothwall’s scale and world-leading solutions”.

    Accompanying the acquisition announcement was the reveal of a A$146.4 million capital raise to fund the attainment at 55 cents per share.

    This would be comprised of a fully underwritten institutional placement of A$71 million and a non-renounceable entitlement offer of A$75.4 million.

    As of today, we now know Family Zone has been successful in raising $114.1 million through the institutional offer. Subsequently, the retail offer is aiming to deliver another $32.3 million in capital. The retail offer will open to investors on 11 August 2021.

    What’s next for Family Zone and its share price?

    The retail portion of the capital raise will close on Friday 20 August 2021. Following this, the announcement of the retail raising outcome will be made on 25 August.

    Additionally, It is worth noting that shareholders will experience a significant share dilution.

    With roughly 266 million new shares on issue, this would represent more than a 60% increase in shares outstanding. There is potential that such dilution may put downward pressure on the Family Zone share price.

    Finally, in Family Zone’s recent June quarter results, the company outlined strong momentum for its immediate future. This is largely driven by the sales cycle and US funding. However, positive regulatory changes are also expected to act as tailwinds.

    The post Family Zone (ASX:FZO) share price climbs 17% on UK acquisition appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Family Zone Cyber Safety right now?

    Before you consider Family Zone Cyber Safety, 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 Family Zone Cyber Safety 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

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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. 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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  • Tesla stock: Headed to $1,200?

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

    Inside of a Tesla self-driving car

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

    It’s been a wild year for Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) stock. When the year started, shares initially surged more than 20%. But the stock has now given up all of those gains, with a year-to-date return of negative 1%. This means the stock has significantly underperformed the S&P 500‘s 18% gain this year.

    But one analyst thinks the stock could take off.

    “We still really like this stock.”

    In February, Piper Sandler analyst Alexander Potter made a bold call, boosting his 12-month price target for the growth stock from $515 to $1,200. He said Tesla deliveries could increase from 500,000 vehicles in 2020 to nearly 900,000 this year. Of course, this projection was made before global supply shortages worsened. Nevertheless, Tesla is growing extremely rapidly. The company’s second-quarter deliveries more than doubled compared to the year-ago quarter, rising to 201,304. 

    Following Tesla’s second-quarter earnings release late last month, the analyst reiterated this target, noting that the company looks poised to benefit from market share gains, the monetization of the company’s Autopilot software, and “underappreciated opportunities” in Tesla’s energy business, which includes revenue from battery energy storage and solar energy generation products. 

    Further, Potter pointed to Tesla’s strong second-quarter operating margin of 11%, which he expects will see incremental improvement from Tesla’s recently launched Autopilot subscription. 

    On Aug. 3, Potter once again reiterated an overweight rating on the stock and a $1,200 price target, saying “We still really like this stock.” He pointed to growing demand for battery electric vehicles overall. 

    So what gives?

    If shares could truly rise to $1,200, why do so many investors seem to think the stock is worth so much less (based on the stock’s price of just under $700 at the time of this writing). After all, if $1,200 was generally viewed by investors as a likely outcome for Tesla stock within the next 12 months, shares would be trading significantly higher today.

    The issue boils down to the stock’s forward-looking valuation. With a price-to-earnings ratio of about 370 at the time of this writing, Tesla shares are largely priced for strong growth for years to come. Since the company’s valuation is based largely on profits far into the future, slight variances in views for Tesla’s future growth trajectory yield dramatically different assumptions about the stock’s intrinsic value today.

    Investors, therefore, shouldn’t be quick to buy Tesla stock just because one analyst has a high price target for shares. Still, Potter does notably have some good points about Tesla’s strong business momentum. Even Tesla itself reiterated guidance for vehicle deliveries to grow more than 50% this year — and that guidance was provided during a time that many companies around the world (including Tesla) are negatively impacted by supply chain shortages. Further, Tesla management noted in its second-quarter update that demand for its vehicles was at an all-time high going into Q3.

    While a $1,200 price target for Tesla stock would be difficult to justify, shares may be trading low enough for investors to start a small position in the stock.

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

    The post Tesla stock: Headed to $1,200? 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 May 24th 2021

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    Daniel Sparks 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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  • Why the Tassal (ASX:TGR) share price is surging higher today

    Tassal share price asx share price jump represented by salmon jumping out of water

    The Tassal Group Limited (ASX: TGR) share price is surging ahead as it got bitten by the merger and acquisition (M&A) bug.

    Shares in the salmon farmer jumped 4.4% to $3.53 when the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) inched up 0.2% at the time of writing.

    The Tassal share price is even outperforming the Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG) share price as it gained 4.3% after announcing a board shake up.

    M&A fever sends Tassal share price jumping

    Investors are getting excited about the Tassal share price after its rival received a takeover offer. The Huon Aquaculture Group Ltd (ASX: HUO) share price surged close to 40% when it revealed South American food giant JDS was offering $3.85 a share for the Huon.

    Huon’s board of directors are urging shareholders to accept the deal as the offer is a 38% premium to its Friday closing price.

    The offer is priced at around eight times Huon’s FY20 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation. That looks to be a generous multiple given Huon’s track record.

    How much could the Tassal share price be worth to an acquirer?

    In this market, just about everything is a takeover target. Some high-profile examples include the Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price, Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ASX: API) share price and Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX: GXY) share price.

    Little wonder that investors believe Tassal too could make an appetising target. This is particularly so given that the Tassal share price is barely at breakeven over the past year when the ASX 200 has surged 26%.

    If the same multiples were applied to the Tassal share price, a bidder could be willing to cough up around $4.30 a share for Tassal – or roughly 20% more than the current share price.

    That’s all hypothetical of course, but we can’t let the truth stand in the way of an exciting story!

    Smelling fishy

    With such a buzz around the sector, investors have forgotten (or chosen to ignore) the controversies surrounding salmon farming in Tasmania.

    Environmentalists have warned that large scale farms run by Tassal and Huon is polluting the bay. Mass fish death has captured headlines and pitted scientists against the salmon farmers and state government.

    The next big catch

    But JDS doesn’t seem concerned about this and said that if it gets all the necessary approvals, the transaction could be completed by year end.

    JDS will be paying around $500 million (including debt) for Huon. One billionaire that could be happy is Andrew Twiggy Forrest. He recently paid $20 million for a 7.5% stake in Huon, reported the ABC.

    It’s a big question mark if Tassal will get baited by a large suitor. But one thing is for sure, Huon won’t be the last ASX share to get an offer.

    The post Why the Tassal (ASX:TGR) share price is surging higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau owns shares of Galaxy Resources Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and Insurance Australia Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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