• Here’s why the Boral (ASX:BLD) share price is falling today

    A stockmarket chart on a red background with an arrow going down, indicating falling share price

    The Boral Limited (ASX: BLD) share price is falling today despite no news having been released by the company.

    Today’s drop sees Boral stock trading for 5% less than it was when Seven Group Holdings Ltd‘s (ASX: SVW) takeover offer closed on Friday.

    Right now, the Boral share price is 2.24% lower than its closing price yesterday. Boral shares are swapping hands for $6.97 – 33 cents less than what Seven Group was paying for them just last week.

    At the same time, the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) has gained 0.26% today. The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is also in the green, gaining 0.26%.

    Let’s take a closer look at what might be weighing on Boral’s shares.

    The latest news from Boral

    The Boral share price is falling during its first week under Seven Group’s control.

    The last time we heard from the company was when Seven Group’s CEO announced changes to the Boral board.

    The major change was the outing of Boral’s now-former chair Katheryn Fagg.

    Seven Group’s CEO and managing director Ryan Stokes has instead taken the wheel on Boral’s board.

    Other changes to the construction supply company’s board include the instatement of Seven Group’s chief financial officer Richard Richards and the impending retirement of Peter Alexander and Deborah O’Toole.

    News of the changes broke on Friday morning. The Boral share price fell 2.7% in response.

    Stokes claims he still intends for Boral’s board to be made up of a majority of independent directors.

    Boral share price snapshot

    Despite being in the red today, Boral price has been performing well on the ASX lately.

    It has gained 40% since the start of 2021. It is also 88% higher than it was this time last year.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $7.8 billion, with approximately 1.1 billion shares outstanding.

    The post Here’s why the Boral (ASX:BLD) share price is falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Boral, 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 Boral 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. 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/3yoLw1K

  • Why the EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price is up 11% on Wednesday

    asx share price growth represented by cartoon man flexing biceps in front of charged battery

    The EcoGraf Ltd (ASX: EGR) share price has jumped into the green this Wednesday, extending the return over the last week to 27%.

    Shares in the battery materials and technology company are now exchanging hands at 88.5 cents, an 11.32% gain from the market open.

    What’s up with the EcoGraf share price today?

    Investors continue buying EcoGraf shares since the company announced its plans to gain market share in the lithium-ion battery market.

    EcoGraf recently signed a “land reservation agreement” with a locality in Sweden, thereby expanding its footprint in Europe.

    The site offers renewable energy benefits and boasts low costs of production to compress operating margins.

    As a result, EcoGraf states the site is eco-friendly and, therefore, aligns with the company’s sustainable production process.

    EcoGraf’s process involves removing “toxic hydrofluoric acid (HF)” via a patented technology process.

    The company also released its quarterly report at the end of July. In it, EcoGraf detailed it finished the quarter well capitalised with $52.6 million in cash on its balance sheet.

    Moreover, the company explained the Battery Anode Material facility in WA was given major project status.

    Furthermore, EcoGraf successfully secured an Australian government funding facility of US$35 million.

    EgoGraf then capped this off by successfully listing on the OTCQX market during the quarter

    EcoGraf share price snapshot

    The EcoGraf share price has delivered outsized returns of 411% this year to date, extending the previous 12 months’ return of 1,259%.

    These returns have far outpaced the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of around 26% over the past year.

    The post Why the EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price is up 11% on Wednesday 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

    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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3Cd0REK

  • Should you buy ANZ (ASX:ANZ) shares in August 2021 for the dividend yield?

    A smiling woman with a handful of $100 notes, indicating strong dividend payment by Thorn Group

    Australia and New Zealand Banking GrpLtd (ASX: ANZ) shares are up an impressive 21% in 2021.

    In light of this, investors may be wondering if it is too late to buy its shares for its dividend.

    Is it too late to buy ANZ shares for its dividend yield?

    The good news is that it doesn’t appear to be too late to buy ANZ shares despite their impressive gain this year.

    According to a recent note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have a buy rating and $30.00 price target on the bank’s shares.

    Based on the current ANZ share price of $27.92, this implies potential upside of 7.5% over the next 12 months before dividends. And if you include the ANZ dividend, this potential return gets even more attractive.

    Bell Potter is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 140 cents in FY 2021, 146 cents in FY 2022, and 154 cents in FY 2023. This represents yields of 5%, 5.2%, and 5.5%, respectively, over the coming years.

    Is anyone else bullish?

    Goldman Sachs and Morgans are even more bullish on ANZ shares. The former has a buy rating and $30.50 price target, whereas the latter currently has an add rating and $34.50 price target.

    Morgans’ price target of $34.50 suggests that there is upside of 23% over the next 12 months for ANZ shares.

    The broker has also pencilled in dividends per share of 145 cents in FY 2021 and 165 cents in FY 2022. This implies fully franked yields of 5.2% and 5.9%, respectively, over the next two years. This stretches the total potential return to over 28%

    Morgans was pleased with ANZ’s announcement of a $1.5 billion share buyback and suspects that there could be more to come once trading conditions return to normal.

    All in all, based on what these brokers are saying, it may not be too late to buy ANZ for its dividends.

    The post Should you buy ANZ (ASX:ANZ) shares in August 2021 for the dividend yield? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider ANZ, 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 ANZ 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 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/3rZU50E

  • Splitit (ASX:SPT) share price surges 20% on Wednesday

    green arrow representing a rise in the share price

    The Splitit Ltd (ASX: SPT) share price is an outlier amongst its buy now pay later peers on Wednesday, surging 19.23% to 62 cents.

    Surprisingly, the company has not made any price-sensitive announcements since its Q2 FY21 activities report on 29 July.

    Let’s take a closer look at the price action behind Splitit shares.

    Splitit share price leading the BNPL sector

    Splitit opened 8.65% higher to 56.5 cents on Wednesday morning but managed to climb as high as 62 cents before noon.

    At the time of writing, approximately 7 million shares have traded hands, compared to its 10-day average of 3 million.

    By comparison, leading BNPL names such as Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT), Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) and Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL) have managed to eke out some small gains, rising 0.18%, 1.41% and 0.91% respectively.

    Smaller peers with a similar market capitalisation as Splitit have delivered mixed performances on Wednesday, with Laybuy Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: LBY) up 0.95% but Openpay Group Ltd (ASX: OPY) and Humm Group Ltd (ASX: HUM) down 3.31% and 0.51% respectively.

    Maybe its Afterpay

    Afterpay’s $29 billion takeover offer from Square Inc (NYSE: SQ) has sent ripples throughout the BNPL sector.

    Most ASX-listed BNPL shares have logged double digit returns since the takeover announcement on Monday.

    The Zip share price, for example, has welcomed the takeover news, surging 19.58% this week.

    Similarly, the Splitit share price has jumped 32.61% this week as well.

    Or maybe a dead cat bounce

    The Splitit share price is one of the most beaten up BNPL shares.

    Last Friday, the company’s shares hit a 13-month low of 45.5 cents or a year-to-date decline of about 65%.

    While a 32% rally this week is impressive, Splitit has a long road ahead to reach breakeven for the year.

    The post Splitit (ASX:SPT) share price surges 20% on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Splitit, 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 Splitit 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 Kerry Sun 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 Australia has recommended Humm Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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

  • Air New Zealand (ASX:AIZ) share price flat despite earnings downgrade

    ASX 200 travel shares A man sits on a suitcase with his head in his hands as a plane flies overhead

    The Air New Zealand Limited (ASX: AIZ) share price has edged only marginally lower today. It comes with the airliner announcing greater than expected losses and a change in liquidity.

    At the time of writing, shares in the company are trading for $1.41 – down just 0.35% on yesterday’s close. For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is 0.16% higher.

    Let’s take a closer look at the company’s announcement.

    What did Air New Zealand announce?

    In a statement to the ASX, Air New Zealand gave a financial update following the New Zealand government’s decision to suspend the Trans-Tasman bubble for 8 weeks.

    The Kiwi carrier says it expects losses before other significant items of NZ$530 million for FY22. That assumes a fuel price of US$78 per barrel and an exchange rate of 70 New Zealand cents per US dollar.

    The company previously said it expects losses for the last financial year to be no more than NZ$450 million.

    In its statement, the company said it does not expect demand to pick up to previous levels once the suspension is over. It cites the risk of further travel bubble suspensions as one reason.

    As well, Air New Zealand says operating cash flow, unsurprisingly, will be reduced due to the current coronavirus situation in Australia. Therefore, the airliner will draw down from its loan facility from the New Zealand government.

    While cash flow is reduced, the company says it is still net positive, mostly due to domestic travel in New Zealand and Ardern government funds. Air New Zealand still has NZ$1.15 billion available to it under the loan facility agreement.

    Air New Zealand share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the Air New Zealand share price has increased 14.1%. Year-to-date, however, it is down 16.3%.

    On the first trading day of 2020 (pre-pandemic), Air New Zealand shares opened at $2.86. At its current share price, the company has lost just over half of its value since then.

    Air New Zealand has a market capitalisation of around $1.58 billion.

    The post Air New Zealand (ASX:AIZ) share price flat despite earnings downgrade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Air New Zealand right now?

    Before you consider Air New Zealand, 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 Air New Zealand 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 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/37llDDY

  • Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price edges higher despite Scarborough cost increase

    ASX energy share price buy represented by man holding petrol pump line which is forming upward trending arrow

    The Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price is pushing higher during early afternoon trade. This comes despite the energy producer providing investors with an update on its Scarborough project.

    At the time of writing, Woodside shares are fetching for $21.95, up 0.60%. In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is standing at 7,507 points, up 0.4%. 

    What did Woodside announce?

    In today’s statement, Woodside revealed that it has increased its capital cost estimate by 5% to US$12 billion for its Scarborough project.

    The revised amount comprises US$5.7 billion for the offshore component, including modifications to Pluto Train 1 to allow processing of Scarborough gas.

    The US$6.3 billion offshore component encompasses an increase in offshore production capacity from 6.5 Mtpa to 8.0 Mtpa of LNG and an additional well.

    Woodside’s previous cost estimate was last updated in November 2019.

    The price increase is a result of a refreshed pricing from major contractors which underpins the updated cost estimate. Woodside noted that this reflects its work with the contractors since last year, maximising the project’s value.

    Management stated that the expected internal rate of return (IRR) on Scarborough and Pluto LNG plant is more than 12%. The venture has a global competitive cost of supply of approximately $6.8/MMBtu (metric million British thermal units) to north Asia and is anticipated to deliver the first cargo in 2026.

    Woodside acting CEO, Meg O’Neill commented:

    Significant progress has been made towards our targeted final investment decision on Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 this year.

    The cost update includes value-accretive scope changes to deliver an approximately 20% increase in offshore processing capacity and to modify Pluto Train 1 to allow increased Scarborough gas processing. It also reflects the work undertaken with our contractors to optimise the execution schedule and manage costs in preparation for FID.

    Woodside’s contracting strategy for Scarborough reduces cost risk, with approximately 90% of total project contractor spend structured as lump-sum and fixed rate agreements.

    The final investment decision (FID) is being targeted to be completed sometime later this year. Woodside has finalised technical work to be ready for the construction phase following the FID.

    Woodside share price summary

    The Woodside share price is up around 7% over the last 12 months, but down 3% year-to-date. The company’s shares took a dive to $14.93 when COVID-19 put the global economy at a standstill. However, gradually its shares began to rebound.

    Based on the current share price, Woodside has a market capitalisation of roughly $21.2 billion.

    The post Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price edges higher despite Scarborough cost increase 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

    More reading

    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.

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

  • The Dicker Data (ASX:DDR) share price has a new all-time high

    Happy office workers throw reports in the air

    The Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) share price has just hit a new high. Shares hit the milestone of $14.10 during early intraday trading. Since then, however, shares in the software as a service (SaaS) company are down 2.84% to $13.66.

    While the company has not made any market announcements since 30 July, its share price has been on the up in subsequent days.

    Let’s take a closer look.

    The data is in

    The Dicker Data share price rocketed 16% on Monday when it announced the acquisition of IT distribution company Exceed Group for $68 million, cash.

    Exceed generates an annual turnover of approximately $295 million, of which $228 million is generated in New Zealand. At the time of the announcement, Dicker Data said the deal will “propel Dicker Data NZ to become the second-largest IT distributor in New Zealand”. Dicker Data expects to generate about $476 million.

    Since close of trade on Monday, Dicker Data shares have continued to appreciate. At the time of writing, their price is up an additional 3.9%. When they hit their all-time high, they were 4.8% higher.

    Investors may still be trying to get in on the company, post the announcement.

    Another potential reason for the rising Dicker Data share price? The general market is up.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has increased 1.69%. The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) is an astonishing 7.59% higher over the same time period.

    Dicker Data share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the Dicker Data share price has increased 78%. Year-to-date, shares are 31% higher. Since listing on the ASX, Dicker Data shares have increased an astronomical 5,600%.

    Given its current valuation, Dicker Data has a market capitalisation of around $2.4 billion.

    The post The Dicker Data (ASX:DDR) share price has a new all-time high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    These 3 stocks could be the next big movers in 2021

    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.*

    In this FREE STOCK REPORT, Scott just revealed what he believes are the 3 ASX stocks for the post COVID world that investors should buy right now while they still can. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks these could really go gangbusters as we move into ‘the new normal’.

    *Returns as of 15/2/2021

    More reading

    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Dicker Data Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Dicker Data Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3A9JNxA

  • Square earnings, what it means for the Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price?

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

    There has been a lot of excitement around Square Inc (NYSE: SQ) planning to acquire Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT). The acquisition news has sent the share price higher this week. In the hubbub, you might have missed the latest earnings report from the US-based payments company.

    If and when the deal is done, Afterpay shareholders will effectively become Square shareholders. As such, it’s worth taking a look at how Square performed over the last quarter.

    Square’s Q2 FY21 earnings and the Afterpay acquisition were announced on the same day. Because of this, it’s hard to tell which news investors were predominantly reacting to. Either way, it led to a 10% jump in Square shares.

    Let’s review the results.

    Square jumps on revenue more than doubling

    Much like its acquisition target, Square can put on some impressive figures of its own. According to the release, net revenue in the second quarter increased 143% year over year (YOY) to US$4.68 billion.

    For investors not fond of cryptocurrency, the company’s net revenue increased by 87% YOY to US$1.96 billion, excluding Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC).

    Speaking of Bitcoin, customer transactions with the cryptocurrency skyrocketed compared to the same time last year. This resulted in Square’s bitcoin revenue roughly tripling on a YOY comparison.

    Similarly, gross profit for the company jumped 91% YOY to US$1.14 billion. This was a team effort between the ‘Cash App ecosystem’ and the ‘Seller ecosystem’.

    In June, Cash App reached 40 million monthly transacting active customers. Meanwhile, the Seller ecosystem achieved an 86% increase YOY on gross payment volume to US$38.8 billion.

    The US$122.7 billion company finished the quarter with US$6.6 billion of cash at its disposal. Remember, the Afterpay acquisition is in exchange for Square shares, so this large cash pile should still be available.

    Finally, for potential new Square investors – the company also acquired a majority stake in music streaming platform Tidal in April.

    What it means for the Afterpay share price

    If all goes ahead, Afterpay will come under the Square umbrella in the near future. Co-founder and CEO of Square Jack Dorsey said:

    Square and Afterpay have a shared purpose. We built our business to make the financial system more fair, accessible, and inclusive, and Afterpay has built a trusted brand aligned with those principles. Together, we can better connect our Cash App and Seller ecosystems to deliver even more compelling products and services for merchants and consumers, putting the power back in their hands.

    By the looks of it, the US payments company plans to integrate Afterpay into its own offerings to make buy now, pay later an option to merchants of all sizes. For example, think of the craft store at your local markets offering BNPL.

    In short, Square’s continued growth momentum bodes well for Afterpay shareholders as it potentially opens the door for more Afterpay merchants. Additionally, until further notice, the Afterpay share price is somewhat intrinsically linked to the success of Square.

    The post Square earnings, what it means for the Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Afterpay, 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 Afterpay 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 Mitchell Lawler owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO, Bitcoin, and Square. 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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3ioE80S

  • Why the 88 Energy (ASX:88E) share price is rocketing today

    happy miner, happy oil and gas worker with thumb raised wearing a hard hat amid rigging

    The 88 Energy Ltd (ASX: 88E) share price is rocketing today, up 11% to 5 cents apiece in late morning trade, having earlier posted gains of more than 20%.

    Below we take a look at the ASX energy share’s latest oil field update.

    What update did 88 Energy report?

    The 88 Energy share price is soaring after the company updated the market on its Umiat oil field in the US state of Alaska.

    According to the release, new studies conducted in conjunction with its Merlin-1 post well testing and analysis “have identified additional upside” at the Umiat oil field.

    This comes after the oil field lease holder Emerald House, a wholly owned subsidiary of 88 Energy, received a data pack on the region that included the Umiat 3D seismic data. Before that, the company only had data interpreted from 2 seismic lines across the Umiat structure.

    Other tailwinds

    The 88 Energy share price may also be getting lifts after it reported that Emerald House had received approval from the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to defer its Umiat Year 2 Unit well commitment by 24 months. That commitment has now been pushed back to 31 August 2023.

    The company said the extra time would enable it to optimise its plan for full field development. That includes looking into potential synergies with the Project Peregrine plans.

    It also needs extra time to review the “extensive amount of historical data” it received from the sellers of the Umiat oil field. Potential development cost savings have been identified in studies already underway reviewing historical Umiat development plans.

    88 Energy entered into an agreement to acquire the Umiat oil field on 8 January 2021 via its wholly owned subsidiary Emerald House. According to the company:

    Umiat is a known oil field of high quality (38-degree API) crude at shallow depth. It is covered by two leases comprising 17,633 acres, which are in a unit that was formed in September 2019 with an initial 10-year term.

    88 Energy share price snapshot

    The 88 Energy share price has been on a tear this year, up an eye-popping 400% since March 2021. By comparison the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has gained 26% over that same time.

    The post Why the 88 Energy (ASX:88E) share price is rocketing today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in 88 Energy right now?

    Before you consider 88 Energy, 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 88 Energy 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 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/3CdJV12

  • Here’s why the Vulcan (ASX:VUL) share price is up 8% on Wednesday

    Santos share price worker in front of oil mine puts thumbs up

    Investors continue to rally behind the Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL) share price, surging another 11.26% to $11.07 on Tuesday.

    Shares in the emerging lithium producer are up a solid 30.11% in the last month and 288.45% year-to-date.

    What’s so special about the Vulcan share price?

    Vulcan has come from humble beginnings, trading at just 16 cents at the beginning of 2020.

    There is a distinct difference between the way Vulcan aims to produce its lithium compared to traditional brine and hard rock methods used by household names such as Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX: GXY)Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) and Orocobre Limited (ASX: ORE).

    Vulcan’s Zero Carbon Lithium project aims to use nearby geothermal energy to help it produce lithium chemicals and general electricity to power its operations.

    A potential driver of the Vulcan share price this morning could be the company’s industry-leading life cycle assessment announcement.

    The company estimates negative 2.9 tonnes of CO2 emitted per tonne of lithium hydroxide to be produced from its Zero Carbon Lithium project

    Vulcan said that the negative figure is a product of “the significant impact offset generated by renewable geothermal energy production as well as use of geothermal heat to drive lithium processing”.

    One offtake deal after another

    Vulcan is fast approaching the construction phase for its Zero Carbon Lithium project.

    Most mining companies seek to secure offtake partners prior to mine construction to help the producer lock in a future buyer for the material they plan to produce.

    Vulcan’s feasibility study found that the project will have the capacity to produce approximately 40,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per annum from a current deposit of 1.12 million tonnes of lithium carbonate.

    Last week, Vulcan announced that it had signed a binding lithium hydroxide offtake agreement with LG Energy Solution for 5,000 metric tonnes in the first year and ramp up to 10,000 metric tonnes from year two onwards.

    On Monday, the Vulcan share price emerged from its trading halt, revealing a 5-year strategic partnership with Renault Group.

    Renault has agreed to purchase between 6,000–17,000 tonnes per year of battery grade lithium chemicals for a 5-year term commencing 2026.

    The post Here’s why the Vulcan (ASX:VUL) share price is up 8% on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Vulcan, 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 Vulcan 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 Kerry Sun owns shares of Vulcan Energy Resources 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.

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