• Afterpay (ASX:APT) ‘Touch Ventures’ eyes IPO

    IPO graphic

    Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) shares are in the headlines again today with the buy now, pay later business eyeing an initial public offering (IPO) for Touch Ventures.

    What is Touch Ventures?

    Touch Ventures is going to be the new name for AP Ventures.

    AP Ventures is an investment vehicle where Afterpay is the largest shareholder. It aims to create long-term value for its shareholders by investing in high growth companies. According to the AP Ventures website, Afterpay owns/owned 44% of this business.

    AP Ventures says:

    AP Ventures provides high growth, scalable companies that have proven revenue models with access to capital and, where appropriate, Afterpay’s experience, merchants and customers.  Particular areas of interest includes retail innovation, consumer and finance, and data with a preference for businesses that are or can expand globally.

    We target making investments of $10m+ and are interested in post revenue and later stage companies looking to scale.  While not generally our focus, we may from time to time pursue early stage opportunities where there is a strong strategic rationale.

    Planning for an IPO?

    According to reporting by the Australian Financial Review, Touch Ventures is working on a plan to IPO and list onto the ASX. It is currently pitching to potential institutional investors to try to raise $100 million.

    It could start trading on the ASX by the end of September 2021, with a listing price of $0.40 per share.

    The AFR said that Afterpay has already agreed to invest $10 million into the raising and current shareholder Woodson Capital is expected to participate in this raising as well. Touch Ventures directors are also expected to take part to the tune of a few million dollars.

    The newspaper also reported that Alex Waislitz’s Thorney Investment Group is likely to participate and become a substantial investor in the business.

    Investors are being told that AP Ventures has already invested more than $75 million in five companies, including two buy now, pay later companies – Happay in China and Postpay in the United Arab Emirates.

    It was pointed out that the biggest investment that Touch Ventures has made is a US$25 million investment for 10% of Sendle, which is a competitor to Australia Post.

    A final interesting point that the AFR reported was that Touch Ventures may invest around 5% of the new funds into earlier stage investments.

    Afterpay share price snapshot

    Afterpay shares are down around 2% at the time of writing, but since 30 July 2021 it has gone up 37% after receiving an all-share takeover offer from global payments giant Square Inc (NYSE: SQ).

    The post Afterpay (ASX:APT) ‘Touch Ventures’ eyes IPO 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 August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • What’s happening with the Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) share price?

    A woman smiles as she crosses the tarmac, happy to be boarding a plane at the airport and travelling again.

    The Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD) share price has seen renewed interest this past week.

    Shares in the airport have been trending higher in the past 7 days, nudging 52-week highs.

    Let’s take a look at why investors have been bidding up the Sydney Airport share price.

    Sydney Airport shares maintain takeover momentum

    Despite widespread lockdowns and border closures, shares in Sydney Airport have soared in 2021.

    The company has managed to maintain the momentum following a $22.6 billion buyout offer in July.

    A consortium of infrastructure investors – IFM Investors, Global Infrastructure Management, and QSuper – launched the takeover offer, valuing Sydney Airport at $8.25 per share.

    The offer saw shares in Sydney Airport storm more than 34% on the day.

    Fast forward to September and the Sydney Airport share price has managed to hold onto much of its gains.

    Shares in the infrastructure giant were recently buoyed after the company released its half-year report.

    How did Sydney Airport perform in the last 6 months?

    The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were reflected in Sydney Airport’s half-year report for FY21.

    For the 6 months ending 30 June 2021, the airport noted a 36.4% decline in overall passenger numbers.

    Highlights from Sydney Airport’s half-year report include:

    Outlook for Sydney Airport shares

    Sydney Airport is Australia’s largest international gateway, generating revenue through various operations.

    Since the start of the year, shares in Sydney Airport have soared more than 25%.

    In comparison, the broader S&P/ASX200 Index (ASX: XJO) has only managed to gain around 13% in 2021.

    Following the takeover offer, Sydney Airport’s management noted the predatory nature of the bid and noted sunnier days ahead for the infrastructure giant.

    One of the key catalysts for the Sydney Airport share price will be vaccination rates in Australia.

    According to the federal government’s National Plan, overseas travel is on the cards once 80% of the population is vaccinated.  

    At the time of writing, shares in Sydney Airport are trading lower for the day at around $7.87.

    The post What’s happening with the Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) share price? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Sydney Airport right now?

    Before you consider Sydney Airport, 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 Sydney Airport wasn’t one of them.

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor 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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  • How did the ASX 200 shares perform compared to the FTSE 100 shares in August?

    Investing in ftse 100 represented by investor placing money in piggy bank in front of English flag

    Welcome to September, fellow Fools! With a new month and season upon us today, it’s a great time to check out how the markets performed on the month that has just passed us by. So today, we’ll be checking out the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), and how it went over August compared with the United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 Index (INDEXFTSE: UKX). 

    Much how the ASX 200 encompasses the largest 200 companies on the Australian share market, the FTSE 100 tracks the performance of the largest 100 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Both of these indexes are useful benchmarks that effectively track the performance of the Aussie and British share markets respectively. So let’s see how we measured up against the Motherland over August.

    So the ASX 200 started August at a level of 7,392.6 points. Yesterday, the ASX 200 closed at 7,543.3 points. That puts its total gains for August at a healthy 2.04%.

    So how does this compare to the FTSE 100?

    Well, the FTSE 100 started August at 7,032.3 points. Yesterday, it ended the month at 7,119.7 points. That puts its monthly gain at 1.24%.

    So head to head over August, the ASX 200 comes up on top with a 2.04% gain, clearly outperforming the FTSE 100’s 1.24%.

    The ASX 200 also comes out on top over some other periods too, as of today anyway. Year to date in 2021 so far, the ASX 200 has managed to put on a very pleasing 11.91%. Over the same period, the FTSE 100 is up 8.34%.

    Over the past 12 months, we also see the ASX 200 pip the FTSE to the post. The ASX 200 has managed to gain 25.65% over the past 12 months. In contrast, the FTSE 100 has put on 21.45%.

    How does the ASX 200 compare to the FTSE 100?

    There are both similarities and differences in how these two indexes are constructed. For one, the FTSE actually has a few famous Aussie names on it. You’ll find both Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) amongst its top 10 holdings, which of course is a very similar situation to the ASX 200.

    But while the ASX 200 has 5 bank shares in its top 10 holdings, the FTSE presently only has one – HSBC Holdings plc (LON: HSBA). That’s according to fund provider BetaShares, whose BetaShares FTSE 100 ETF (ASX: F100) tracks the FTSE 100.

    Instead of more banks, the FTSE has a global tobacco giant in British American Tobacco plc (LON: BATS), an alcoholic beverages company in Diageo plc (LON: DGE) and a pharma titan in AstraZeneca plc (LON: AZN). All companies that we can’t really say we have an ASX equivalent to.

    Even so, the numbers speak for themselves: ASX investors have fared better than FTSE 100 investors over August, 2021 so far, and the past 12 months. Bring on the Ashes!

    The post How did the ASX 200 shares perform compared to the FTSE 100 shares in August? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Betashares FTSE 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended British American Tobacco, Diageo, and HSBC Holdings. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why the Immutep (ASX:IMM) share price is leaping 5% today

    smiling health care workers in a medical setting

    The Immutep Ltd (ASX: IMM) share price is gaining today following news of the company’s Two ACTive Immunotherapies (TACTI-002) trial.

    Recruitment for the trial’s stage 2 of part B is now officially complete.

    Right now, the Immutep share price is 55.5 cents, 4.72% higher than its previous close. Additionally, the company’s shares are flying off the shelf.

    At the time of writing, more than 1.6 million Immutep shares have swapped hands today. For comparison, an average month sees slightly more than 1.7 million of the company’s securities traded.

    Let’s take a closer look at today’s news from the biotech company.

    Immutep finishes part B recruitment

    The Immutep share price is in the green today on news its TACTI-002 trial’s stage 2 of its part B can begin.

    The company has managed to recruit a milestone 154 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients for its trial. The now-enrolled patients represent 84% of the participants needed to complete the trial.

    Immutep is continuing to recruit patients for the trial’s part A’s expansion phase.

    The trial is operating at 19 clinical sites across Australia, Europe, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

    It’s evaluating the combination of Immutep’s efti with Merck and Co.‘s KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in patients with second line head and neck squamous cell carcinoma or non-small cell lung cancer in first and second line.

    So far, the company believes it has presented encouraging data from the trial’s first stages.

    It plans to present more data from the trial at a scientific conference in late 2021 or early 2022.

    Immutep share price snapshot

    The Immutep share price has been performing well on the ASX lately.

    It is currently 33.3% higher than it was at the start of 2021. It has also gained 192% since this time last year.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $472 million, with approximately 850 million shares outstanding.

    The post Why the Immutep (ASX:IMM) share price is leaping 5% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Immutep, 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 Immutep wasn’t one of them.

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor 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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  • 11 straight months of gains for ASX 200. Scott Phillips on Nine’s Late News

    Scott Phillips on Nine Late News 1 Sept 2021.

    Motley Fool Australia Chief Investment Officer Scott Phillips joined Nine’s Late News on Tuesday night to discuss the ASX’s record streak, plus BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) versus Twiggy’s Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG), and expectations for GDP.

    The post 11 straight months of gains for ASX 200. Scott Phillips on Nine’s Late News appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips 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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  • Guess which sector August’s top performing ASX shares all came from

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

    ASX shares in the lithium and battery sector have once again topped the leaderboards last month.

    This is despite a sharp 10-20% drawdown across most ASX lithium shares during mid-August as lofty valuations and broader market volatility witnessed sellers take control.

    The lithium sector continues to benefit from higher spot prices and the hype around increased electric vehicle adoption. This has helped many prospective explorers and emerging players surge in valuation in a short period of time.

    Top performing ASX shares in August

    Charger Metals NL (ASX: CHR)

    The Charger Metals share price has topped the list as one of the best performing ASX shares in August. Shares in the diversified explorer surged 173% in August from 23 cents to 63 cents.

    The company successfully listed on the ASX on 9 July, raising $6 million at an issue price of just 20 cents.

    Charger Metals is in its early days, with an interest in the following projects:

    • A 70% interest in the Coates nickel-copper-cobalt project
    • An 85% interest in Coates North Project
    • A 70% interest in the Bynoe lithium and gold project
    • A 70% interest in the Lake Johnston lithium and gold project

    The capital raised from the initial public offering will be used to fund the company’s exploration activities to determine whether or not these projects can be monetised in the future.

    Recent announcements from Charger Metals include the commencement of exploration activities at Bynoe and an aerial electromagnetic survey at Coates.

    Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX)

    The Novonix share price rallied 75% in August from $2.58 to $4.52.

    The company is an emerging battery player, focused on the development of technologies that support longer life batteries, higher efficiency, reduced material usage and reduced waste.

    Novonix reported its FY21 results on 26 August, with revenues increasing 22.9% to $5.2 million and a loss before tax of $18 million.

    A near-term focus for the company is to produce its own synthetic graphite used in lithium-ion batteries. The company is targeting a capacity of 10,000 tonnes per annum in early 2023 before ramping up production to 40,000 tonnes by 2025 and 150,000 tonnes by 2030.

    Jindalee Resources Ltd (ASX: JRL)

    Jindalee is another top-performing ASX share in the exploration space. The company owns two prospective US-based lithium projects.

    The Jindalee share price added 55% in August to $3.79.

    The McDermitt project is Jindalee’s flagship project and what the company calls “the largest lithium deposit in the USA”.

    The company has a busy schedule ahead with plans to continue mining studies and an initial scoping study, obtain a permit for additional drilling and engage with US investors for additional funding.

    The post Guess which sector August’s top performing ASX shares all came from appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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    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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  • Here’s what a top broker thinks of the Ardent Leisure Group (ASX:ALG) share price

    People on a rollercoaster waving hands in the air, indicating a plummeting or rising share price

    Ardent shares are now exchanging hands at $1.50 apiece, up 0.33% on the opening of trade on Wednesday.

    Zooming out, the Ardent Leisure Group (ASX: ALG) share price has soared firmly into the green over the last week. In the past seven days, shares in the theme park operator have climbed 54% up until the open on Wednesday.

    Why is the Ardent Leisure Group share price climbing over the last week?

    Investors have been buying Ardent shares after the company released its FY21 earnings report last week.

    In it, Ardent recognised an approximate 2% decrease in revenue for the year but grew EBITDA by 166% to just over $67 million.

    Ardent is also optimistic about realising the pent up demand for visitation of its theme parks as coronavirus begins to settle, and has four new centre openings scheduled for FY22.

    What are analysts saying?

    One leading broker JP Morgan believes the recent run-up in the Ardent Leisure share price could be a buying opportunity.

    According to a note released to investors, JP Morgan has updated its modelling and also upgraded its rating on Ardent shares from underweight to overweight.

    As such, it has increased its price target for the company’s shares from 75 cents to $1.75. This implies an upside potential of approximately 10% from Ardent’s opening price on Wednesday.

    What did the broker say?

    JP Morgan believes Ardent’s FY21 results have “invalidated a number of (its) key concerns” regarding the Ardent Leisure share price.

    The investment bank previously held the posture that Ardent’s recovery was “being driven solely by government stimulus”.

    Commenting on its reasoning, JP Morgan said:

    Strong trading has continued into 4Q21 and early FY22 highlighting that demand is less stimulus led than we had thought. Secondly, with earnings now returned to record levels, this de-risks our concern that ALG’s private equity partner would be able to exercise their option over 51% of Main Event and reap the majority of the recovery upside.

    It went on to add that “a sale of Main Event would see ALG move to a significant net cash position after a period of financial struggles which pre-dated the COVID-19 pandemic”.

    As a result, the broker has updated its modelling to “reflect (Ardent’s) much better than expected FY21 result”.

    Bringing it all together, this leading broker believes that investors can expect further strengths in the Ardent Leisure share price over the coming periods.

    Ardent Leisure Group share price snapshot

    The Ardent Leisure share price has gained 117% over the year to date, extending the gain over the previous 12 months to 252%.

    In the past month alone, Ardent shares have climbed a further 53% into the green.

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

    The post Here’s what a top broker thinks of the Ardent Leisure Group (ASX:ALG) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Ardent Leisure right now?

    Before you consider Ardent Leisure, 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 Ardent Leisure wasn’t one of them.

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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  • APA Group (ASX:APA) confirms potential Basslink Bank acquisition

    changing asx share price from acqusition represented by man reaching out to touch acquisition sign

    The APA Group (ASX: APA) share price has sunk around 1% in the red in early trade on Wednesday.

    APA shares are on the move as the energy player responded to media speculation about discussions it is holding with Keppel Infrastructure Trust.

    What did APA Group announce?

    APA confirmed in an announcement that it is in “confidential, exclusive and incomplete” discussions with Keppel Infrastructure to potentially acquire Basslink Pty Ltd.

    Keppel Infrastructure Trust is “the largest diversified business trust in Singapore” and has over $5 billion in assets under management (AUM).

    Basslink owns and operates a “370km high voltage, direct current (HVDC) electricity interconnector” that links the electricity grids of Victoria and Tasmania, running across Bass Strait to do so.

    According to the release, APA has submitted the “confidential, conditional and incomplete” proposal to Keppel. No terms were specified of the conditional proposal, but APA did state it has $1.9 billion in “available liquidity” as of 30 June.

    The acquisition would add to APA’s extensive list of energy assets that comprise a portfolio worth approximately $21 billion.

    APA stresses that while all discussions are exclusive, they are incomplete, and that “no definitive agreement has been reached” between any parties involved.

    APA Group share price snapshot

    The APA Group share price has struggled this year to date, posting a loss of around 6% since January. Over the last 12 months things aren’t much better, sinking 12% in the red.

    For context, the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) climbed around 25% over the past year.

    The post APA Group (ASX:APA) confirms potential Basslink Bank acquisition appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider APA 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 APA 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 August 16th 2021

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    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 owns shares of and has recommended APA Group. 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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  • Metcash (ASX:MTS) share price drops following trading update

    a woman ponders products on a supermarket shelf while holding a tin in one hand and holding her chin with the other.

    The Metcash Limited (ASX: MTS) share price is trading lower on Wednesday morning.

    At the time of writing, the wholesale distributor’s shares are down 1% to $4.03.

    Why is the Metcash share price trading lower?

    The Metcash share price has come under pressure today after broad market weakness offset the release of a positive trading update ahead of its annual general meeting.

    According to the update, Metcash has started FY 2022 in a positive fashion, with trading continuing to be strong in all pillars and well above pre-COVID levels in FY 2020.

    Management notes that a key driver of this is a shift in consumer behaviour. This includes more local neighbourhood shopping, the move from city to regional areas, more eating at home, home consumption of liquor substituting on-premise consumption, less overseas travel and duty free shopping, and a high level of home renovation and DIY activity.

    Also underpinning its strong form has been the improved competitiveness of its store network supported by its MFuture program, COVID-related trading restrictions in Australia and New Zealand, and manageable increases in COVID-related costs.

    How are its businesses performing?

    For the first 16 weeks of FY 2022, Supermarket sales were down 1.8% over the same period last year. However, they are up a solid 12.9% over the prior corresponding period in FY 2020. This led to total Food sales falling 7.4% over the prior corresponding period or 1.4% excluding the impact of the 7-Eleven contract loss.

    Things have been a lot more positive for its Liquor and Hardware businesses. Total liquor sales are up 9.5% over the same period last year, whereas Hardware sales are up 16.3% year on year.

    In respect to the latter, management notes that Trade sales have continued to be strong, buoyed by a high level of residential construction and renovations activity. This has more than offset a decline in DIY compared with the same period in FY 2021.

    One slight concern, though, is that strong demand is continuing to put pressure on stock availability, particularly for timber.

    What else was announced?

    Metcash’s Chairman, Rob Murray, also revealed the company is looking to make its operations even more efficient.

    He explained: “We are also investing in a new project named ‘Horizon’ which aims to drive efficiencies through simplification, as well as growth through making it easier to do business with Metcash. This will be a staged program with the first phase focused on simplification and building a better future operating platform.”

    However, despite this and its strong start to FY 2022, it hasn’t been enough to stop the Metcash share price from dropping into the red today.

    Nevertheless, the Metcash share price is still beating the market this year with a gain of 18% in 2021.

    The post Metcash (ASX:MTS) share price drops following trading update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Metcash, 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 Metcash wasn’t one of them.

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. 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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  • 4DMedical (ASX:4DX) share price is lifting on its covid-related technology

    a smiling doctor looks at her computer screen with medical imaging X-rays on a light screen in the background.

    The  4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) share price is in the green this morning. That’s after the healthcare company announced it will move on to phase-2 clinical trials for its respiratory scanning technology.

    At the time of writing, shares in the company are trading for $1.62 – up 1.57% after earlier hitting $1.65. The ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), meanwhile, is 0.75% lower.

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

    4DMedical share price rises on latest announcement

    In a statement to the ASX, 4DMedical says it will progress to phase 2 clinical trials for its XV Lung Ventilation Analysis Software (XV LVAS) – a respiratory imaging platform. The trials are being completed in partnership with I-MED Radiology Network (I-MED).

    The company says its technology provided “valuable insights” into a plethora of respiratory diseases, including asthma, silicosis, and long-COVID. Long-COVID refers to the continuation of symptoms felt by some covid patients long after acquiring the infection.

    Phase one trials were conducted in Victoria. 4DMedical says the next stage will be completed in a different state “over the remainder of the year”. The company is still looking into a commercial partnership with I-MED going forward.

    Investors clearly love today’s announcement, judging by the rising 4DMedical share price.

    Management commentary

    4DMedical founder and CEO Andreas Fouras said:

    We are very excited to be conducting a clinical pilot with I-MED – a leader of pioneering new medical imaging technologies – to provide doctors and patients with improved insight into their lung health. Phase One of the clinical pilot was an overwhelming success with radiologists and patients reporting strong positive feedback. Although the partnership is not generating revenue at this stage, we aim to secure a commercial XV LVAS contract with I-MED provided that Phase Two is successful.

    I-MED General Manager of external partnerships and government relations Mark Simpson added

    Patients involved in the Phase One pilot overwhelmingly reported a positive experience. Beyond the technical success of the program, this important comfort and compliance metric shows we can adopt such transformative technologies without detriment to patient satisfaction, sustaining our ongoing commitment to outstanding patient care.

    4DMedical share price snapshot

    Over the past12 months, the 4DMedical share price has increased around 14%. It’s underperformed the All Ords Index by approximately 12 percentage points in that time.

    4D Medical has a market capitalisation of around $342 million.

    The post 4DMedical (ASX:4DX) share price is lifting on its covid-related technology appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 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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