The GWR Group Ltd (ASX: GWR) share price went gangbusters today. At close of trade, shares in the mineral exploration company were swapping hands for 36 cents each – up 9.09%.

The positive price movement comes as the company updates investors on recent iron ore production and its gold mining spin-off.

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

What’s been driving the rocketing GWR share price?

Iron ore production

In a statement to the ASX, GWR Group told investors of recent developments in its iron ore production.

Last month, the company exported more than 116,000 wet metric tonnes of iron ore, which GWR Group labelled as a “significant milestone”. The average realised price for its iron ore in June was about US$214 a tonne.

In further good news for the GWR share price, the company says it expects to ship more than 1 million tonnes of iron ore by the end of this year.

GWR Group chair Gary Lyons said:

With the financial year coming to a close I am very proud of the entire GWR team and our Alliance partners PRG, with the many challenges we have and continue to overcome. It was a fantastic achievement to export more than 325,000 WMT of iron ore mined from our flagship C4 Iron deposit.

The first month of the new financial year is shaping up to be a rewarding one for GWR shareholders.

…we already secured our first ship for the month of July which is due to commence loading at the Port of Geraldton between 16 and 20 July 2021.

The price of iron ore is 37.5% higher year-to-date.

Gold production spin-off

In other news, the company gave an update on its planned demerger of its gold assets into a new, ASX-listed company.

In what GWR says will “enable” it to focus on its more lucrative iron ore production, the Western Gold Resources (WGR) spin-off will occur on 19 July. Eligible shareholders will receive 1 WGR share for every 8.38 GWR Group shares they own.

In addition, gold projections at the company’s Wiluna West site have been increased to approximately 300,000 ounces of gold.

GWR share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, the GWR share price has increased by 490%. However, since reaching its 5-year high of 47 cents per share, the company’s value has decreased by 23%.

Given its current valuation, GWR Group has a market capitalisation of about $110 million.

The post Why the GWR Group (ASX:GWR) share price soared 9% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• ASX blue chips set to unleash buybacks and dividends! But which is better?
• Thorn Group (ASX:TGA) share price closes 6% lower as it goes ex-dividend
• Why BWX, IPH, Novatti, & QBE shares are dropping
• Province Resources (ASX:PRL) share price rockets 1000% in 2021

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The Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX: GXY) share price and the Orocobre Limited (ASX: ORE) share price were on form on Friday.

Both lithium miners finished the day almost 3% higher and within sight of their 52-week highs.

Why did Galaxy and Orocobre shares storm higher?

Investors were buying Galaxy and Orocobre shares on Friday after their mega-merger took a big step forward.

According to a joint announcement, the Supreme Court of Western Australia has made orders for Galaxy to convene a meeting of shareholders to consider and vote on the proposed merger that will see Orocobre acquire all of the shares in Galaxy by way of a scheme of arrangement.

The Court has also approved the dispatch of an explanatory statement providing information about the scheme, together with the scheme meeting notice to Galaxy shareholders.

What are the merger terms?

In April, the two companies agreed to a proposed $4 billion merger of equals, which they believe establishes a new force in the global lithium sector.

Management notes that the merger would create the fifth largest global lithium chemicals company, with a diversified production base and exciting growth platform. It also sees potential to unlock significant synergies and realise value to be shared by all shareholders.

The merger will see Galaxy shareholders receive 0.569 Orocobre shares for each Galaxy share held at the scheme record date. Based on the current Orocobre share price of $6.62, this represents approximately $3.77 per share.

The scheme continues to be unanimously recommended by each director of Galaxy, subject to no superior proposal emerging and the independent expert continuing to conclude that the scheme is in the best interests of shareholders. Each Galaxy director intends to vote in favour of the scheme, subject to those same qualifications.

What now?

Galaxy shareholders will be given the opportunity to vote on the proposed scheme in just over a month on 6 August.

If all goes to plan, the scheme will become effective on 16 August and new Orocobre shares will commence trading on the ASX on 17 August.

The post Galaxy (ASX:GXY) and Orocobre (ASX:ORE) shares rise on merger update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• The Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) share price smashes another record high

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Galaxy 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.

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The Thorn Group Ltd (ASX: TGA) share price closed 6.67% lower at 21 cents. This came as shares in the household goods operator went ex-dividend today.

Let’s take a look at what investors can expect with the company’s dividend.

Thorn Group dividend summary

Thorn Group will pay shareholders a fully franked 1 cent per share final dividend on 21 July.

At the current share price of 21 cents, the dividend yield of the 1 cent payment is 4.44%.

The company reinstated the dividend distribution schedule from October 2020, after it was periodically terminated in January 2018.

Prior to this, the company had made good on each payment from December 2012 to January 2018.

Time extension on target statement

Yesterday, Thorn Group released a statement referring to the unsolicited on-market takeover offer made by Somers Limited on 18 June.

Somers has offered to acquire all shares in Thorn that it does not already own for 21 cents per share all cash.

In the statement, Thorn outlined it had received a declaration from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) granting an extension of time to provide its target’s statement in respect of the offer.

Thorn states the extension permits the company to include an independent expert’s report, and the target’s statement shall be made to the ASX, ASIC and Somers and Thorn shareholders on or before Friday 16 July 2021.

Thorn has confirmed it will provide the documentation on or before this date.

In the statement, Thorn said:

Thorn reiterates its previous recommendation that shareholders TAKE NO ACTION in relation to the Offer
until they have received and considered Thorn’s target’s statement.

Thorn Group share price snapshot

The Thorn Group share price is around 13% in the green this year-to-date. Over the previous 1 month, Thorn’s share price has increased 2.38%.

This week, the Thorn share price is 2.27% in the red, and on a current share price of 21 cents, Thorn Group has a market capitalisation of $75.9 million.

The post Thorn Group (ASX:TGA) share price closes 6% lower as it goes ex-dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Thorn Group (ASX:TGA) share price jumps 7% on takeover offer

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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ASX investors love a good dividend, that much is certain. With Australia’s unique system of franking credits now entrenched, the benefits of owning dividend paying shares are well known. That might be why some of the most popular ASX shares in the average investors’ portfolio are big, dividend paying blue chips like the ASX banks, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW).

Dividends are returning to the ASX

As most ASX investors would know, 2020 was an absolutely disastrous year for ASX dividends. Last year saw the ASX banks slash their payouts by more than 50%, with Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) failing to pay a bi-annual dividend for the first time in decades.

But 2021 has seen dividends return, and dramatically so. We’re only half way through the calendar year, but already there are strong signs that ASX 200 dividends are returning to levels ASX investors were used to. But alongside the prospect of increasing dividends, another form of capital return has been growing in discussion, that of share buybacks. Telstra’s recent sale of half of its mobile towers business is one such example. In its market announcement detailing this sale, Telstra CEO Andy Penn said the following:

We then expect to return 50 per cent of net proceeds to shareholders. We anticipate providing further details about the manner in which we will return those proceeds, including a potential share buy-back in FY22, at our full-year results in August.

Buybacks as well?

Further, we also recently discussed the prospects of share buybacks for the ASX banks. The banks’ boards are also considering returning excess capital to shareholders. They might do this with a combination of dividends and buybacks. But, with all of this ‘floating’ going on, investors in these companies might be wondering: which is preferable? Well, that’s a good question.

We probably all know how a dividend works, but here’s a quick refresher. A dividend is a cash payment made by a company to its shareholders. As we touched on before, many ASX shares’ dividends also come with franking credits. These credits further enhance shareholder returns by essentially attaching a tax deduction to the dividends, which investors can use to offset other taxable income. Or else claim as a cash refund. For most people, dividend income is assessed as normal income on your tax return.

A share buyback works in a completely different way though. Instead of sending cash out the door as a dividend, a company instead uses the cash to ‘buy back’ its own shares on the share market. This obviously reduces the number of shares in circulation, which gives existing shareholders increased ownership of the company. All other things being equal, this buyback will increase the earnings per share (EPS) of the company, seeing as earnings (and potential dividends) are divided between fewer shares.

As such, a share buyback will normally result in a proportionate increase in the price of each share (under the laws of supply and demand, less supply means higher prices). As such, a share buyback also benefits existing shareholders.

But which is better?

But share buybacks have a distinct advantage here. They increase the wealth (at least on paper) of existing investors, without increasing said investors’ tax liability. The same can’t be said of a dividend. It’s for this reason that the legendary investor Warren Buffett has always preferred to give his investors a share buyback rather than a dividend. Indeed, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B) hasn’t even paid a dividend since the 1960s. But then again, some investors would be happier with cash in their pocket.

So long story short, when it comes to dividends and buybacks, the investor wins either way. These two mechanisms just take different roads to get there.

The post ASX blue chips set to unleash buybacks and dividends! But which is better? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Telstra Corporation Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2023 $200 calls on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), short January 2023 $200 puts on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), and short January 2023 $265 calls on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Corporation Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). 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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to end the week on a high. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.5% to 7,301.7 points.

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

BWX Ltd (ASX: BWX)

The BWX share price is down over 2% to $5.11. This morning the personal care products company announced the completion of the acquisition of vegan-focused online retail platform operator Flora & Fauna. Investors may be disappointed that the new acquisition is only on track to achieve the low end of the guidance range BWX provided when first announcing the deal.

IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH)

The IPH share price is down 5% to $7.56. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Goldman Sachs this morning. According to the note, the broker has downgraded the intellectual property services company’s shares to a neutral rating with an $8.35 price target. Goldman made the move on valuation grounds.

Novatti Group Ltd (ASX: NOV)

The Novatti share price has sunk 9% to 58 cents. The catalyst for this decline was the company raising $45 million at a 14% discount of 55 cents. This comprises a $40 million placement and a $5 million share purchase plan. These funds will be used to expand the company’s presence in existing markets, enter new markets, and acquire a 19.9% interest in Reckon Limited (ASX: RKN).

QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE)

The QBE share price is down 1% to $10.62. This morning the insurance giant revealed that Strand Fitness and others have filed a representative proceeding against QBE Insurance in the Federal Court of Australia. Those proceedings allege that QBE wrongfully denied cover to certain policyholders during the COVID 19 pandemic for losses arising from business interruption. QBE advised that the allegations will be defended. Nevertheless, it is satisfied that its reserving in respect of Business Interruption claims remains robust.

The post Why BWX, IPH, Novatti, & QBE shares are dropping appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended IPH Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended BWX Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended IPH Ltd. 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 Province Resources Ltd (ASX: PRL) share price has had a bumper year thus far. Shares in the natural resources company are up by more than 1000% since the start of the year.  

Province Resources shares opened the year at around 1.3 cents, hitting a high of 25 cents in late April. Since then, shares in the company have consolidated, and are currently trading in the range of 14 to 15 cents per share.

At the time of writing, the shares were swapping hands for 14.8 cents, up 13.46% on yesterday’s close.

Lets take a closer look at what’s been happening.

What’s been fuelling the Province Resources share price?

The initial catalyst for the ballistic move in Province Resources shares can be traced back to mid-February. Around this time, Province Resources announced the acquisition of its Industrial Minerals and Renewable Green Hydrogen project.

After trending higher, Province Resources shares went on to hit a high of 25 cents in late April.

Shares in the company surged on news that Province Resources had entered a binding memorandum with French-based company Total Eren.

The announcement noted both companies were to perform a feasibility study in view of potentially developing a major green hydrogen project in Western Australia.

Following the announcement, the Province Resources share price began to wane.

In addition, the company also launched an $18 million equity raising in May. In total, it issued 120 million shares at 15 cents.

Province Resources said funds raised will be put towards advancing the scoping and feasibility studies at its HyEnergy Zero Carbon Hydrogen project.

In addition, Province will also seek to further its mineral exploration portfolio.

More on Province Resources

Province is an ASX-listed natural resources company focused on mineral exploration, with projects in Australia and Sweden.

The company is currently investigating the growing green energy market and the potential of renewable green hydrogen in Australia.

In addition to launching projects and partnerships, Province Resources has been on the receiving end of favourable tailwinds in the green hydrogen sector.

The post Province Resources (ASX:PRL) share price rockets 1000% in 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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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The Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) share price is charging higher this afternoon. Shares in the booking platform provider are up 4.6% to $5.12.

Webjet is not alone though, with other travel companies also gathering optimism. At the time of writing, Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT), Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD), and Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) are 4.8%, 2.4%, and 3.5% higher respectively.

This follows the announcement of a new COVID-19 plan, shared at the government’s National Cabinet meeting today. Prime Minister Scott Morrison shared the plan which hopes to better manage the pandemic.

New COVID-19 plan

It appears investors are looking upon travel shares with a more optimistic lens today following the announcement of a new COVID-19 plan from the National Cabinet.

The four-phase plan will be delineated by percentages of the eligible population vaccinated. Currently, we are in the first phase of this new endeavour to return to ‘normal’. This phase is all about ‘Vaccinate, prepare, and pilot’, according to Morrison.

During this step, the government plans to temporarily reduce commercial inbound passenger international arrivals by 50% to ease pressure on quarantine facilities due to increased risks from the delta strain.

Further to this, the National Cabinet agreed lockdowns in the current phase of the plan would only be used as a ‘last resort’. Although some states have responded that they are already implementing this approach. The problem is ‘last resort’ isn’t exactly a quantifiable distinction.

Additionally, the government plans to adopt the Medicare digital vaccination certificate. The PM suggested that by the end of the month it would be able to be incorporated into Apple Wallets, “and the like”.

A beacon of light for the Webjet share price

The next phase (post-vaccination) of the plan poses lockdowns to occur only in extreme circumstances. In addition to this, arrival caps would be increased – particularly for vaccinated persons.

Where it starts to look interesting for travel shares such as Webjet is the third phase. This is where the plan would remove lockdowns as a control measure entirely and vaccinated persons be exempt from all restrictions, that includes outbound travel.

Hence, if/when we get to this phase, travel companies may start to see international segments come back to life. Mr Morrison pointed out that this would be the phase where travel bubbles may be extended to Singapore and other destinations.

Speaking to the press today, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said:

What it means is, Australia gets vaccinated, Australia is able to live differently. Winning in the post-vaccination phase looks very different to winning in the phase we are in now. Winning now, means we suppress the virus as best as we can.

The announcement follows Webjet CEO, John Guscic’s calls for clear frameworks governing when international borders will open and close, in order to give travellers booking confidence.

We’ve seen significant long-lead time bookings for markets that are currently amber, where they’re making a prediction they will go to green.

From here the plan will go to the COVID-19 Risk Analysis and Response Taskforce to make recommendations for finalisation. The PM anticipates this will be done over the course of the month.

Webjet share price in the rearview

The Webjet share price has endured a volatile year so far in 2021. Between February and March, the company’s shares rallied while domestic restrictions were minimal.

However, the impact of the more virulent delta strain has taken a toll on many travel shares. Even with today’s gain, the Webjet share price year-to-date remains flat.

The post Webjet (ASX:WEB) share price jumps on new four-step COVID-19 plan appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• ASX travel shares tumble amid widening COVID restrictions

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Corporate Travel Management Limited and Webjet Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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Shares in Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) fell from their good start today following news the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) is fining the media company for overcharging its customers.

After the news broke, the Nine Entertainment share price dropped 2.05% into the red to trade at $2.85 apiece. However, it has since recovered and is currently bumping along close to its previous closing price of $2.88.

The penalties imposed by the watchdog total $159,840 and are spread across 6 of the conglomerates’ subsidiaries.

Let’s take a closer look at Nine’s journey into the ACCC’s bad books.

Infringements issued

According to an ACCC release, Nine Entertainment has been handed 12 infringement notices for allegedly charging “excessive” payment surcharges.

On top of the fine, Nine will be returning around $450,000 to affected advertisers, home delivery and digital subscription customers.

According to the ACCC, it holds concerns that Nine has been overcharging some customers since it merged with Fairfax Media in 2018.

The infringement notices regarded surcharges on Mastercard Inc (NYSE: MA) and Visa Inc (NYSE: V) payments between August 2020 and December 2020.

During this time, surcharges of between 0.9% and 1.55% were added to Nine’s customer’s payments. The ACCC noted the surcharges imposed were between 0.09% and 0.84% more than it cost Nine to process the transactions.

The ACCC sent infringement notices to Fairfax Media Management, Nine Radio Operations, Fairfax Media Publications, NBN, Nine Digital, and Nine Network Australia.

As a result, Nine will return to around 220,000 subscribers a cash adjustment of $1.92 – the average excess payment surcharge. In some cases, it will offer subscribers an extension of their subscription. It will also offer to refund the surcharge to affected advertising clients.

According to the ACCC, Nine has now fixed the disparity in its surcharges.

Commentary from ACCC

ACCC’s deputy chair Mick Keogh commented on Nine’s infringements, saying:

A payment surcharge is excessive and in breach of the law if it exceeds the costs to the business of processing the payment.

While the average over-charge per consumer was relatively small, given the number of transactions processed by Nine, this added up to a significant amount.

Nine Entertainment share price snapshot

The Nine Entertainment share price has been performing well in 2021 – gaining 24% since the beginning of the year.

It’s also 107% higher than it was this time last year.

The company has a market capitalisation of around $4.9 billion, with approximately 1.7 billion shares outstanding.

The post ACCC fines Nine Entertainment (ASX:NEC) for ‘excessive’ surcharges appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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. owns shares of and has recommended Mastercard and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Mastercard. 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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It has been another busy week for Australia’s top brokers. This has led to the release of a large number of broker notes.

Three broker buy ratings that have caught my eye are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

Amcor CDI (ASX: AMC)

According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have upgraded this packaging company’s shares to an outperform rating with an improved price target of $16.56. Macquarie made the move partly on valuation grounds after recent softness in the Amcor share price. In addition, the broker expects Amcor’s full year result in FY 2021 to be strong, with further growth being recorded in FY 2022. And with Amcor generating significant free cash flow each year, the broker sees opportunities for the company to make bolt-on acquisitions. The Amcor share price is fetching $15.40 today.

Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN)

A note out of Morgans reveals that its analysts have retained their add rating but trimmed their price target on this infection prevention company’s shares to $6.57. According to the note, the broker is pleased with Nanosonics’ plans to launch a new digital platform, AuditPro. However, Morgans already had a new product launch built into its forecasts, so no real changes have been made to its estimates. Nevertheless, it remains positive on its outlook and continues to rate it as a buy. The Nanosonics share price is trading at $5.68 this afternoon.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Analysts at Ord Minnett have retained their buy rating and lifted the price target on this telco giant’s shares to $4.25. This follows news that the company has agreed to sell a 49% stake in InfraCo Towers for $2.8 billion. In addition to this, the broker believes that Telstra’s head start with its 5G rollout leaves it well-placed in the mobile market. It suspects the company could make market share gains with lucrative postpaid subscriptions because of this lead. The Telstra share price is fetching $3.77 on Friday.

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

More reading

• Here are the 3 most traded ASX 200 shares on the market today
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• ASX 200 rises, Telstra up, AGL sinks
• Why the Telstra (ASX:TLS) share price jumped 4% higher today

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 Nanosonics Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Amcor Limited, Nanosonics Limited, and Telstra Corporation Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) share price is rising today despite no recent market announcements. At the time of writing, shares in the coal miner are trading for $2.00 – up 2.56%. By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is 0.42% higher.

Let’s take a closer look at what might be driving today’s price jump.

Coal prices are flying

Coal is currently trading on the commodity market for about US$132 a tonne – its highest price in more than 10 years. A 2.7% jump in the fossil fuel’s price overnight saw the black rock reach this record.

Coal has been trending upwards for at least a year. Its market price is 150% higher than compared to this time last year, 63% greater than the beginning of 2021, and 21% above its price last month.

The website Trading Economics puts this sharp price rise down to constricting supply and surging demand, especially out of Asia. Trading Economics is also forecasting the price of coal to increase by almost 20% in 12 months’ time.

This could be one explanation for the growing Whitehaven share price.

Brokers are digging the Whitehaven share price

As Motley Fool Australia reported, Whitehaven shares appreciated by almost 24% over the month of June. A series of positive broker notes related to the company and its chief product, coal, seem to have piqued the interest of investors.

For example, Ord Minnett upgraded Whitehaven shares to a buy rating with a target price of $3.00 – 50% higher than its current share price.

Whitehaven share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, the Whitehaven share price has increased by 33%. While it has been good news for investors over the past year, for longer-term shareholders, it has not been as bright.

Two years ago, shares were trading for $3.65 and 3 years ago Whitehaven shares were valued at $5.87. In percentage terms, this is respectively a 45% and a 66% fall.

The shift in global demand from coal-fired power to renewable energy probably fuelled this decline. Whitehaven Coal has a market capitalisation of around $2 billion.

The post Why the Whitehaven (ASX:WHC) share price is climbing today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Here are the 3 most active ASX 200 shares today

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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