• Cimic (ASX:CIM) share price races 5% higher on financial result

    happy engineer, construction worker, mining employees, share price up, rise, increase

    The Cimic Group Ltd (ASX: CIM) share price is surging higher today following the release of its 6-month financial result.

    At the time of writing, the global engineering company’s shares are up 4.79% to $19.91. In comparison, the S&P/ASX200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 1.19% to 7,338 points.

    Let’s take a closer look at what the company announced to the ASX this morning.

    How did Cimic perform for the first-half of FY21?

    In today’s release, Cimic reported its financial result for the last 6 months ending 30 June 2021.

    According to the update, group revenue jumped to $7.1 billion, up 10.6% when compared to this time last year. The company’s Australian Construction and Services business recorded a strong uptick in revenue which led the charge.

    Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) stood at $464.5 million, compared to $442 million in H1 FY20.

    Net Profit After Tax (NPAT) came to $208 million versus $205.3 million in the prior comparable term.

    As such, EBITDA, Profit Before Tax (PBT) and NPAT margins remained resilient at 10.1%, 5.4%, and 4.5% respectively.

    Free operating cash flow increased by $166.3 million to a loss of $115.9 million. Previously, the company recorded negative $282.2 million in free operating cash flow during H1 FY20. The positive shift reflected management’s efforts in winning new projects and reducing capital expenditure and finance costs.

    Cimic declared a strong balance sheet of $4.3 billion in liquidity, comprising $3.2 billion in cash and $1.1 billion in undrawn bank facilities. Net debt stood at $272.2 million at the end of June.

    The company also declared an interim dividend of 42 cents per share, franked at 20% payable to eligible shareholders. This represents a 62.8% payout ratio on the H1 FY21 financial result.

    Cimic group executive chair and CEO Juan Santamaria commented on the result:

    Growth in revenue and profit during the first half of the year, along with a significant increase to our orderbook, provides Cimic with a confident outlook for 2021 and beyond.

    The strong performance of our Australian Construction and Services segments supported the increase in revenue and resulted in an improvement in operating cash generation in the second quarter.

    Outlook

    Cimic noted its core businesses remain positive with numerous stimulus packages by governments in the Construction and Services markets. In addition, around $470 billion of tenders are to be bided/awarded for the remainder of 2021 and beyond.

    The company reaffirmed its full-year NPAT guidance of $400 million to $430 million, subject to market conditions.

    Mr Santamaria added:

    We’re seeing an increased volume of work coming to the market as a result of the various economic stimulus packages. The $10.4 billion in new work we secured in the past six months exceeds the $6.8 billion won in the 12 months to the end of 2020 and there is a substantial pipeline of work yet to be awarded

    Cimic share price update

    The last 12 months have seen the Cimic share price fall by around 12%, and 18% year-to-date.

    Cimic presides a market capitalisation of roughly $6.2 billion, making it the 84th largest company on the ASX.

    The post Cimic (ASX:CIM) share price races 5% higher on financial result appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Cimic, 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 Cimic 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.

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    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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  • Here’s why the Xero (ASX:XRO) share price is up 5% in a week

    Group of people cheer around tablets in office

    The Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) share price is pushing higher again on Thursday.

    In afternoon trade, the cloud business and accounting platform provider’s shares are up 0.5% to $141.63.

    This means the Xero share price is now up over 5% since this time last week.

    Why is the Xero share price up 5% in a week?

    The catalyst for the recent rise in the Xero share price appears to have been the release of a bullish broker note out of Goldman Sachs last week.

    According to the note, the broker retained its buy rating and lifted its price target on the company’s shares by 9.3% to $165.00.

    Based on the latest Xero share price, this implies potential upside of 16.5% over the next 12 months even after its recent gains.

    What did Goldman Sachs say?

    The note reveals that Goldman has increased its estimates to reflect price increases in the key ANZ and UK markets.

    The broker said: “We see this as a strong positive for Xero in addressing previous concerns on value monetisation, and see limited risk for increased churn, noting (1) it’s consistent with broader industry pricing, and (2) XRO has successfully passed through similarly targeted price rises in Sep-18/Mar-21, with limited churn impacts.”

    Goldman is now forecasting revenue growth of 33% in FY 2022. This is up from its previous estimate of 28% and ahead of the market consensus for growth of 27%.

    Are there dangers to increasing prices?

    While price increases carry risks, as you might have guessed from the Xero share price reaction, Goldman is confident this won’t be an issue.

    It explained: “Xero has announced a planned price rise in September 2021 across mid-high plans in its ANZ and UK subscriber bases (Australia +A$2-11, New Zealand +NZ$1.5-3, UK +£2-3).”

    “We see this as a strong positive for Xero noting: (1) it will provide meaningful earnings growth into FY22 (uplift of NZ$37mn, with an equal incremental benefit in FY23); and (2) it addresses previous concerns around Xero’s intent to monetise its more mature markets and capture greater value (especially since the COVID deferred price rise came into effect recently in Mar-21).”

    “We see limited risk for increased churn, noting (1) that this still places Xero comfortably within broader industry pricing, and (2) XRO has successfully passed through similarly targeted price rises in Sep-18 and in Mar-21, with ANZ churn remaining flat in FY19 to FY21,” it added.

    The Xero share price is now up 47% over the last 12 months.

    The post Here’s why the Xero (ASX:XRO) share price is up 5% in a week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Xero, 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 Xero 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 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 Xero. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Xero. 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 is the RPMGlobal (ASX:RUL) share price up 7% this Wednesday

    miners at computer screen at a mine site

    The RPMGlobal Holdings Ltd (ASX: RUL) share price has jumped into the green today.

    At the time of writing, RPM shares are exchanging hands at $1.98 apiece, a 6.45% gain on the day.

    Even though there is no price sensitive news on RPM, let’s take a look at what it has been up to lately.

    Quick recap on RPM Global

    RPMGlobal is a consulting and software provider with niche expertise in the mining industry.

    The company’s software arm is the major contributor to revenue, whilst its advisory division is focused on providing economic consultation to the mining industry.

    At the time of writing, RPM has a market capitalisation of $454 million.

    What has RPM Global been up to lately?

    June was a busy month for the company when it released two key announcements.

    On 16 June, the company confirmed it had acquired the environmental, social and governance (ESG) company Nitro Solutions Pty Ltd.

    Nitro provides ESG solutions to the mining industry and lends RPM a “dedicated division focused solely on ESG”.

    Nitro was acquired through a $2.1 million cash transaction that was finalised on 30 June. RPM Global shares climbed 4.7% in the five days following this announcement.

    Then, on 18 June, RPM revealed it had a stronger than expected total contracted value (TCV) for its subscription software sales.

    From the release, RPM increased TCV software subscriptions by $9 million, reaching a total of $40 million at that time.

    Finally, on 2 July RPM Global shares reached their all-time high after the company revealed strong growth in its FY 2021 results.

    RPM explained that TCV from software subscription sales and perpetual licence contracts totalled $52.9 million, up $9.5 million from the announcement on 18 June.

    Of particular note was that TCV from software subscriptions alone was $47.7 million, up $7.3 million from $34.5 million the same time last year.

    RPM Global shares have climbed a further 10% since this date. Therefore, it stands to reason that investors continue buying RPM shares on the back of these three positive events in the company’s growth narrative.

    RPM Global share price snapshot

    The RPM Global share price has had a strong year to date, posting a return of 55% since January 1. This has extended the previous 12 months’ return of 108%.

    These returns have outpaced the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of ~20% over the past year.

    The post Why is the RPMGlobal (ASX:RUL) share price up 7% this Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Here’s why the BARD1 (ASX:BD1) share price is frozen today

    A dollar sign embedded in ice, indicating a share price freeze or trading halt

    The BARD1 Life Sciences Ltd (ASX: BD1) share price is frozen today as the company prepares to announce news of a capital raise.

    Trading of its shares will be halted until it either releases an announcement or the ASX opens on Friday morning.

    The BARD1 Life Science share price finished yesterday’s session trading at $1.80.

    The company is focused on creating non-invasive methods to detect early stage cancers.

    Let’s take a closer look at today’s news of BARD1 Life Science.

    Trading halt ahead of capital raise

    The BARD1 Life Sciences share price is halted as it prepares to announce a $10 million placement and a $2 million share purchase plan. The share purchase plan is open to eligible retail investors.

    The placement will see shares in BARD1 going for $1.55 apiece. That’s a 13.88% discount on its previous closing price.

    The company is currently working on autoantibody tests that have been proven to detect some early-stage cancers.

    Its lead pipeline product is its ovarian cancer tests. It is also working to create tests for early stage breast cancer.

    Also in BARD1’s pipeline are tests for early stage lung cancer.

    The BARD1 share price was temporarily boosted late last month by news its ovarian cancer detection technology had been published by international peer-reviewed journal Genes.

    Today’s news is the first time the market has heard of a capital raise by BARD1 since June 2019.

    Back then, the company raised $7.5 million to put towards its growth strategy.

    BARD1 Life Sciences share price snapshot

    2021 has been a good year so far for the BARD1 Life Sciences share price.

    Right now, it’s 172% higher than it was at the start of the year. It has also gained 114% since this time last year.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $144 million, with approximately 80 million shares outstanding.

    The post Here’s why the BARD1 (ASX:BD1) share price is frozen today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in BARD1 Life Sciences right now?

    Before you consider BARD1 Life Sciences, 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 BARD1 Life Sciences 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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  • Aeris Resources (ASX:AIS) share price slides on exploration update

    A young girl stands by the slide in a playground while her friend slides down head first and on her back.

    The Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX: AIS) share price is falling today, down 1.32%.

    Below we take a look at the ASX resource share’s latest exploration update.

    What update did Aeris provide?

    The Aeris Resources share price is moving lower after a market update on its exploration work in the Cobar region in New South Wales.

    According to the release, Aeris’ five-hole drill campaign at Canbelego extends the envelope of copper sulphide mineralisation both down dip and along strike.

    While assays are still pending for three of the drill holes, the company said it had intersected several intervals of copper mineralisation in one diamond drill hole (CANDD005). This included “zones with visual estimates of between 1-3% copper sulphide (chalcopyrite) mineralisation”.

    However, Aeris Resources shares may be sliding after the company also reported that:

    Continuation of the massive high-grade chalcopyrite shoots intersected in CANDD002 were not intersected within this complexly deformed and folded host sequence. Further interpretation and modelling is required to determine controls and potential extensions to the high-grade mineralisation, prior to further drilling.

    The five diamond drill holes completed so far since the exploration campaign kicked off in April total 1,913 metres. The company says the assay results for the remaining holes are subject to a five to eight week laboratory turnaround time. This lag is being experienced across the entire sector.

    Aeris Resources share price snapshot

    Aeris Resources’ share price has gained a remarkable 368% over the past 12 months. It has far outpaced the 22% gains posted by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

    A sharply rising copper price has been among the tailwinds helping drive investor interest. One year ago, copper was trading for US$6,486 per tonne. Today that same tonne of the red metal is worth US$9,336, or 44% more.

    Year to date the Aeris Resources share price has continued to outperform, up 70% so far in 2021.

    Incidentally, Aeris’ shares have gained 87% since 30 April.

    The post Aeris Resources (ASX:AIS) share price slides on exploration update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Aeris Resources, you’ll want to hear this.

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

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of 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.

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  • Camplify (ASX:CHL) share price rallies 7% on triple-digit quarterly growth

    happy campers, recreational vehicle hire, tourism, holiday market share price rise, up, increase

    The Camplify Holdings Ltd (ASX: CHL) share price is making a strong rebound on Wednesday, up 6.61% to $1.29 after the company announced its June quarter results.

    This follows a sharp 6.56% tumble on Tuesday to a record low of $1.21.

    Camplify is a digital marketplace platform for recreational vehicles (RVs) such as campervans and motorhomes. It operates a similar business model as Airbnb, allowing holidaymakers to hire RVs for their outdoor adventures.

    The company had a successful debut on the ASX on 28 June when its shares closed at $1.40.

    What’s moving the Camplify share price today ?

    Camplify was pleased to announce that its metrics for the fourth quarter of FY21 are tracking ahead of forecasts.

    The company reported Q4 FY21 gross transaction volumes (GTV) of $9.6 million, representing a 163% increase against the prior corresponding period.

    On Camplify’s first day of listing, the company upgraded its FY21 forecasts, citing GTV to be in the range of $30.0 million to $31.5 million instead of the $27.8 million in its prospectus.

    The company’s strong performance to date has translated to yet another upgrade in FY21 forecasts. It’s now expecting between $31.5 million and $31.8 million in GTV.

    In addition, unaudited net revenue for FY21 is forecast to be between $7.1 million and $8.2 million. This exceeds the prospectus forecast of $6.7 million.

    Camplify delivers growth across the board

    Camplify’s business has experienced strong growth across its core geographic locations.

    Today’s announcement reported the Australian and New Zealand markets both experienced “excellent growth rates”.

    The Australian market delivered an FY21 GTV growth rate of 158% compared to FY20. Q4 delivered a significant 582% uplift against the previous corresponding period (pcp).

    Meantime, the New Zealand market has experienced “strong domestic support in the market as travellers returned to the local caravan and camping markets”. This resulted in a 485% lift in GTV in FY21 and a massive 2,627% surge in Q4 GTV.

    On the other side of the globe, Camplify also experienced a “fast recovery” in its UK and Spain markets in terms of GTV and revenue.

    The company said the UK and EU markets experienced an FY21 GTV growth rate of 199%, while Q4 growth rates delivered another 4 digit increase of 2,792% against the pcp.

    Are lockdowns affecting the Camplify share price?

    On 16 and 20 July, the Camplify share price tumbled 5.6% and 6.6% respectively.

    It coincided with Victoria announcing, on July 20, that its five-day snap lockdown would be extended by another week until midnight Tuesday, 27 July.

    On the same day, South Australia moved into a 7-day lockdown after its health authorities confirmed an outbreak of the coronavirus delta strain.

    Commenting on the effect of lockdowns, Camplify said that Melbourne’s 14-day lockdown in May resulted in a temporary decrease followed by a sharp recovery in marketplace activity.

    The overall result was a net GTV increase in May.

    Similarly, the company expects a similar minor temporary impact on Q1 FY22 performance as a result of more recent lockdowns. But, overall, Camplify forecasts “no negative impact is expected” to its FY22 growth projections and outlook.

    The post Camplify (ASX:CHL) share price rallies 7% on triple-digit quarterly growth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Camplify, 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 Camplify 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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  • The Apollo Minerals (ASX:AON) share price has rocketed 37%. Here’s why

    investor wearing a hard hat looking excitedly at a mobile phone representing rising boral share price

    The Apollo Minerals Ltd (ASX: AON) share price has jumped firmly into the money this morning.

    Today’s leap into the green comes after the company announced a major zinc and lead discovery from its drilling program at Kroussou, Western Gabon.

    Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening with the Apollo Minerals share price today .

    What did Apollo announce?

    In its release, Apollo confirmed the discovery of “high-grade zinc and lead mineralisation within 40m of [the] surface” at its Kroussou project.

    The results “could allow for simple open pit mining extraction” of the minerals, according to the company.

    Apollo is adamant drilling will continue to yield positive results, with “multiple opportunities for further discovery” at the Kroussou site.

    As such, Apollo anticipates “strong news flow” and expects further results from assays that are currently pending at the site.

    Speaking on the assay results, Apollo’s executive directory Neil Inwood said:

    These first drilling results confirm the potential of the Dikaki Prospect and of the larger Kroussou system… The results highlight a shallow, flat-lying, broadly mineralised system, with potential for mineralisation to link up across multiple areas; demonstrating that Kroussou has the potential to deliver a significant, large scale, base metal project.

    Apollo intends to continue with further assays and exploration at the site.

    A bit more on Apollo Minerals

    Apollo Minerals is in the business of minerals exploration. Its key interests are located at the Kroussou zinc-lead project, located in Western Gabon, Africa.

    The company also has gold projects at its projects in Southern France and Spain.

    At the time of writing, Apollo has a market capitalisation of $27 million.

    Apollo Minerals share price snapshot

    The Apollo Minerals share price has posted a year to date return of around 80%, extending the previous 12 month’s return of more than 250%.

    These returns have far outpaced the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of ~20% over the last year.

    The Apollo Minerals share price is trading near its 52-week high of 14 cents, and aloft the 52-week low of 2.4 cents.

    The post The Apollo Minerals (ASX:AON) share price has rocketed 37%. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Apollo Minerals right now?

    Before you consider Apollo Minerals, 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 Apollo Minerals 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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  • Macquarie picks the best ASX shares to buy for the August reporting season

    ASX shares latest buy ideas upgrade best buy Stopwatch with Time to Buy on the counter

    The rolling COVID-19 lockdowns to hit our major cities will leave a mark on next month’s reporting season, but a top broker believes these ASX shares will outperform.

    The Australian economy is likely to contract in the September quarter. This is threatening to derail the ASX’s best earnings upgrade cycle in decades.

    Against this backdrop with more than half of the country’s population living in lockdown, the analysts at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) highlighted several ASX shares to buy.

    ASX earnings growth under a COVID cloud

    “Australia’s run of positive EPS [earnings per share] revisions – the best in decades – is into its 11th month,” said Macquarie.

    “The key drivers were banks and resources; but both are cyclicals, and the cycle is slowing. Results for 2H21 should beat expectations, but this makes for a tougher comp for FY22.”

    Best ASX shares to buy for the reporting season

    In this regard, the broker reckons the best ASX shares to buy ahead of the August reporting season are the COVID losers.

    This is despite this group taking another beating from the current string of lockdowns to hit New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

    Talk about a contrarian trade! ASX shares that are suffering under lockdowns are likely to provide dour outlooks. No one knows how long these lockdowns could go on for.

    How ASX COVID losers could turn into winners

    But Macquarie isn’t fussed. It pointed out that the COVID hit to profits isn’t expected to be as significant as it was in 2020.

    “A miss on results could also cause a sell-off in these stocks, but we would buy the dips in re-opening plays, as they offer growth within a slowing cycle,” said the broker.

    Macquarie’s best buy ideas for ASX shares favour defensives, growth and capital returns.

    Defensive ASX shares to buy now

    The defensive ASX shares that it likes includes the Amcor CDI (ASX: AMC) share price and Brambles Limited (ASX: BXB) share price, just to name a few.

    Among the growth shares, it rates the Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price a buy even as expert opinion is dividend on its outlook.

    Increasing competition and high valuation have taken the gloss out of the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) posterchild.

    Other ASX growth stocks on Macquarie’s buy list include the Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC) share price, Resmed CDI (ASX: RMD) share price and SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK) share price.

    Capital return hopefuls to add to wishlist

    The ASX shares that are likely to deliver capital returns that the broker rates a “buy” include three iron ore miners. These are the BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price, Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) share price and Deterra Royalties Ltd (ASX: DRR) share price.

    Outside of these ASX miners, Macquarie also added the Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) share price as a capital return “buy” idea.

    The post Macquarie picks the best ASX shares to buy for the August reporting season 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 BHP Billiton Limited, Deterra Royalties Limited, and Fortescue Metals Group Limited. Connect with me on Twitter @brenlau.

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

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  • Here’s why the Service Stream (ASX:SSM) share price is halted

    woman sitting at desk holding hand up in stop motion

    The Service Stream Limited (ASX: SSM) share price isn’t going anywhere today. This comes after the essential network services provider entered into a trading halt early this morning on the ASX.

    Looking at yesterday’s market close, Service Stream shares last traded at 96 cents.

    Why did Service Stream put a halt on its shares?

    In today’s statement, Service Stream advised it is launching a capital raise to acquire 100% of Lendlease Services Pty Ltd.

    A subsidiary of parent company, Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC), the Services business is a leading provider of essential network services across telecommunications, utilities and transportation sectors. This includes wireless and fixed-line network infrastructure, maintenance of electricity, water, and industrial assets, as well as roads and tunnels.

    To fund the $310 million acquisition, Service Stream is seeking to undertake a capital raise of $185 million. This will consist of a $123.1 million fully underwritten 1-for-3 entitlement offer and a $61.9 million fully underwritten placement. All shares under the offer will be issued at 90 cents apiece, with approximately 205.6 million new ordinary shares being added.

    The remaining $123 million shortfall for the transaction will be sourced from the company’s expanded debt facilities and available cash.

    Service Stream expects the takeover to be highly accretive to Service Stream shareholders. Earnings per share (EPS), excluding one-off costs are forecasted to increase by around 30% on an FY22 pro forma basis.

    The combined group FY22PF (pro forma) revenue is forecasted to reach roughly $1.7 billion. Furthermore, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for FY22PF is estimated to be $120 million to $125 million.

    The acquisition has received pre-approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and is not subject to any further regulatory approvals.

    Service Stream managing director, Leigh Mackender said:

    The acquisition is highly complementary to Service Stream’s existing business, expanding our utility operations, delivering an established transportation infrastructure division and enhancing Service Stream’s contracted operations within the telecommunications sector.

    The Acquisition will further diversify Service Stream’s revenues, bolster the scale and depth of our operations and expand the Group’s immediate and future addressable markets to support ongoing growth.

    About the Service Stream share price

    Over the last 12 months, Service Stream shares have failed to take off, resulting in losses of almost 50%. The company’s share price is near its 52-week low of 83 cents reached in May.

    Service Stream presides a market capitalisation of about $393 million, with 410 million shares currently on its books.

    The post Here’s why the Service Stream (ASX:SSM) share price is halted appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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