• The Stockland (ASX:SGP) share price hit a new 52-week high today

    Family celebrates buying new house

    A bump to the Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP) share price saw it hit a new 52-week high today. Earlier this afternoon, shares in the housing developer were trading for $4.93 – the highest they’ve been in 12 months.

    The Stockland share price fell slightly to end the day at $4.87, which is still 2.31% higher than its closing price yesterday.

    Stockland shares did extremely well today when compared to the broader market. At close of trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was up 0.45% today, while the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) gained 0.52%.

    The gains came despite Stockland not releasing any news to the market today. However, it did announce exciting news of its upcoming dividend on Tuesday.

    Let’s take a look Stockland’s latest news.

    What’s been happening at Stockland?

    Earlier this week Stockland announced it will be passing on its biggest dividend in 2 years to shareholders.

    The half-year dividend, to be paid to shareholders for the 6 months ended 30 June 2021, will be 13.3 cents. That’s higher than the 10.6 cents it paid out to its shareholders in 2020. Although, it’s less than the 14.1 cents Stockland handed out in 2019.

    Investors who hold Stockland shares as of 30 June will receive a payment from the company on 31 August.

    The company also stated its full-year dividend will be 24.6 cents ­– in line with the company’s previous guidance. However, Stockland doesn’t pay franking credits on its dividends.

    When Stockland announced its dividend on Tuesday, its share price was $4.80.

    That left the company with a 5.2% yield – a pretty good return considering Australia is currently seeing record low interest rates.  

    Stockland share price snapshot

    Today’s gains have added to a good year on the ASX for Stockland shares.

    Currently, the Stockland share price is 14% higher than it was at the beginning of 2021. It has also gained 41% since this time last year.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $11 billion, with approximately 2 billion shares outstanding

    The post The Stockland (ASX:SGP) share price hit a new 52-week high today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Stockland, 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 Stockland 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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  • Here are some of the most actively traded ASX 200 shares today

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    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a pretty decent day today, ending the day up 0.45% to 7,308 points. So let’s take a look at the ASX 200 shares that moved big today in terms of trade volume.

    3 of the most traded ASX 200 shares today

    Vocus Group Ltd (ASX: VOC)

    ASX 200 telco Vocus tops the list today, with a whopping 48.1 million shares trading hands.

    That comes despite the Vocus share price not doing too much this Friday. At close of trading, Vocus shares were swapping hands for $5.49 — exactly where they opened this morning.

    Saying that, and as we discussed yesterday, it looks as though Vocus’ days on the ASX are numbered, with shareholders approving a takeover offer (of $5.50 a share) from a Macquarie Infrastructure consortium earlier this week.

    If all goes to plan, 25 June will be the last day Vocus trades on the ASX. Obviously, a potential upcoming transaction of this nature might be upping the number of shares trading today.

    AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP)

    AMP is another ASX 200 share that worked its way through the market today. By the end of trade, 18.3 million AMP shares had changed hands.

    This could be explained by the wealth manager’s hefty share price rise today. AMP finished up a healthy 3.02% at $1.19 a share, despite no official news or announcements out of the company.

    Since dipping to a new all-time low of just $1.05 a share about a month ago, AMP is up roughly 12% since, including today’s bump.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    A final ASX share which traded well today was lithium miner Pilbara Minerals. Pilbara once again finds itself in this list of the most traded ASX 200 share on the market, as it has all week.

    Today, a hefty 27.6 million Pilbarra shares changed hands. This is likely a result of the poor performance of the Pilbara share price itself today. The miner ended the day down a nasty 3.88% to $1.48 a share after making a new all-time high of $1.60 yesterday.

    This seems to be in response to an announcement this morning that the company intends to restart its Ngungaju Operation by the end of the December quarter. Even so, Pilbara is still up 8.8% in the past 5 reading days, and up a staggering 31% in the past month.

    The post Here are some of the most actively traded ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 Botanix (ASX:BOT) share price jumped 20% today

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    The Botanix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: BOT) share price was a very strong performer on Friday.

    The clinical stage synthetic cannabinoid company’s shares ended the day a massive 20% higher at 7.8 cents.

    However, despite this strong gain, the Botanix share price is still down 40% since the start of the year.

    Why did the Botanix share price rocket higher?

    With no news out of the company, today’s gain in the Botanix share price is a bit of a mystery.

    However, as I mentioned above, with its shares down by materially since the start of the year, some investors may believe they had fallen to an attractive level. Especially given some of its promising studies that are currently underway.

    One of those is the BTX 1204 Pilot Study. BTX 1204A is a new higher dose formulation of synthetic cannabidiol (CBD) for atopic dermatitis. It leverages the company’s Permetrex formulation used in the recent successful BTX 1801 Phase 2a study.

    Management notes that results from a pilot study of canines with atopic dermatitis provides encouraging data to support further investigation. It also provides a clinically efficient approach to inform progression to further human studies.

    What else has been happening?

    Optimism over the aforementioned BTX 1801 Phase 2a study could also be giving the Botanix share price a lift. A recent update revealed that BTX 1801 was safe, well tolerated, clinically effective, and successful at achieving decolonisation of Staph aureus in the nose.

    The success of this study has seen the company launch the next phase of BTX 1801 development, targeting the nasal decolonisation of Staph aureus in haemodialysis patients to prevent bloodstream infections.

    Management highlights that there is an urgent need and significant market opportunity for novel approaches to prevent bloodstream infections in haemodialysis patients. Positively, plans for a Phase 2b clinical study are well advanced and can be fully funded with existing capital reserves.

    Some investors may be hoping positive updates relating to these studies will keep the Botanix share price heading in the right direction during the second half of the year.

    The post The Botanix (ASX:BOT) share price jumped 20% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Botanix, 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 Botanix 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. 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 Sezzle (ASX:SZL) share price has lifted 15% this week

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    Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL) shares have had a bumper week on the ASX. By today’s market close, the Sezzle share price had gained just over 15% for the week to finish at $9.50.

    With no price-sensitive announcements out of the company this week, let’s take a look at what might be helping boost Sezzle shares.

    Tech shares on the rise

    The past few weeks have been a glorious time to be a tech investor.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Info Tech Index (ASX: XIJ) has surged by around 21% since 20 May, propping up heavyweight names including Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT), Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) and WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC).

    The recent jump in the tech sector brings it to within around 7% of its record all-time highs achieved in February.

    A far more bullish narrative is taking place on Wall Street, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQ: .IXIC) making new record highs in each of its last three trading sessions.

    So, it’s possible the resurgence of tech shares is helping support the Sezzle share price this week.

    Leading BNPL shares surge in June

    ASX-listed buy now, pay later (BNPL) shares struggled to make headway in late April through to late May.

    This was despite the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) topping its pre-COVID highs in the last week of May.

    However, June appears to have turned over a new leaf for the underperforming sector, with leading players such as Afterpay and Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) running around 17% and 39%, respectively, this month.

    In addition to their impressive gains this week, Sezzle shares have also lifted by around 27% this month.

    The post The Sezzle (ASX:SZL) share price has lifted 15% this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Sezzle , 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 Sezzle 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. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO, WiseTech Global, Xero, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Sezzle Inc. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sezzle Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • What moved CBA (ASX:CBA) shares this week?

    The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price looks to close the day in the green, up 0.8% in late afternoon trading to $99.43 per share.

    Barring a last moment sell-off, today will be only the second day of the week CBA shares closed higher.

    Monday was the biggest loss for the big 4 bank, with shares plummeting 5.4%. This was followed by a 2.2% gain on Tuesday, and smaller losses on Wednesday and Thursday.

    All up, CBA shares look to close the week down around 4% from last Friday’s $103.69 closing price. By comparison the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) looks to finish the week down 0.7% over the same period.

    What moved CBA shares this week?

    As mentioned up top, CBA shares suffered their biggest hit of the week on Monday. That followed on the bank’s announcement it was selling off its general insurance division,  CommInsure General Insurance, to Hollard Group.

    Although CommBank didn’t reveal all the details of the sale, it reported it expected to realise a post-tax gain of $90 million. ASX investors, clearly, were less than impressed.

    Tuesday’s 2.2% boost in CBA shares came amid news that it was spending big on its technology and innovation efforts. CommBank already employs some 4,000 engineers, the biggest internal tech team in Australia. But that team is set to grow. The bank plans to hire at least 650 more engineers over the coming months.

    Bold call on RBA interest rates

    CommBank was back in the financial news the following day, when its head of Australian economics, Gareth Aird, upped investor expectations on the pace of coming interest rate rises. While the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has flagged the official cash rate will remain at a rock bottom 0.1% until 2024, Baird says this might happen by November 2022.

    CBA shares slid again on Thursday after it announced it was re-entering the invoice financing market after a 10-year hiatus.

    What’s invoice financing?

    As my Foolish colleague Mitchell Lawler explained:

    Invoice financing is a method of borrowing for businesses where its accounts receivable, or ‘invoices’ are used as the collateral. This can give small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access to cash to grow while waiting for customers/clients to make payments.

    At the current price of $99.43, CBA shares are now down 6.1% from 17 June’s all-time closing high of $105.91.

    The post What moved CBA (ASX:CBA) shares this week? 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.

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    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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  • Is the Telstra (ASX:TLS) share price still good value?

    investor staring off as if wondering about asx share price

    It certainly has been a great year so far for the Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price.

    The telco giant’s shares are up 20% since the start of the year.

    Incredibly, this means the Telstra share price is even outperforming market darling Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) in 2021.

    Why is the Telstra share price storming higher?

    There have been a number of catalysts for the strong performance by the Telstra share price in 2021. This includes a solid half year result, its plans to unlock value through a restructure and asset monetisation, and bullish commentary by management.

    In respect to the latter, the company’s CEO, Andy Penn, revealed that he is targeting mid to high single digit operating earnings growth in FY 2022.

    Mr Penn commented: “I am confident the many initiatives we have taken under our T22 program, particularly in simplifying the business and the digitisation program, will further improve customer experience.”

    “To get the real benefits from all the effort we’ve already made, Telstra needs to be bold. I’ve set an aspiration for mid to high single-digit growth in underlying EBITDA in FY22 and $7.5 to $8.5 billion of underlying EBITDA in FY23. I am confident we can deliver this if we remain focused,” he added.

    In light of this, the market appears confident that Telstra’s dividend cuts are over and that 16 cents per share will be sustainable in the coming years. This was no doubt a huge relief for shareholders who have faced countless dividend cuts over the last decade.

    Is it too late to invest?

    According to a note out of Ord Minnett from earlier this month, its analysts still see a lot of value in the Telstra share price.

    The note reveals that the broker has a buy rating and $4.10 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of ~14% over the next 12 months excluding dividends. Whereas if you include the 16 cents per share fully franked annual dividend the broker is forecasting for the foreseeable future, this stretches to over 18%.

    Ord Minnett believes Telstra is well-positioned to benefit from its leadership in 5G internet.

    The post Is the Telstra (ASX:TLS) share price still good value? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    *Returns as of May 24th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO 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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  • Supply Network (ASX:SNL) share price jumps 4% on positive full-year guidance

    hand selecting happy face from choice of happy, sad and neutral signifying best ASX shares

    The Supply Network Ltd (ASX: SNL) share price is up 4.3% today. This came after the company posted its full year guidance update earlier today.

    The company cited revenue expecatations of around $162 million and a net profit after tax (NPAT) of around $13.5 million.

    Supply Network has had a busy year weathering the pandemic. Cash and liquidity reserves on its balance sheet rose from $1.64 million to $3.17 million from June to December 2020. The company was able to maintain its dividend distribution schedule, most recently paying a fully franked dividend of 8 cents per share to investors in April 2021.

    In February, Supply Network posted its half-year report for December 30 2020, reporting year on year increase in revenue of 15.4%. Net profit after tax also grew 38.4% year-on-year to $6 million.

    Shares in the niche aftermarket commercial-vehicle parts supplier have climbed 67.44% over the single-year period to date. The Supply Network share price currently trades at a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of around 25.5.

    The post Supply Network (ASX:SNL) share price jumps 4% on positive full-year guidance appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Supply Networks right now?

    Before you consider Supply Networks, 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 Supply Networks 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 Zach Bristow 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 Supply Network Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Supply Network 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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  • Boral (ASX:BLD) share price surges 6% on changes to Seven takeover bid

    Rising mining ASX share price represented by man in hard hat making excited fists

    Boral Ltd (ASX: BLD) shares are surging to a new 52-week high today following a variation in the takeover bid from Seven Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: SVW). At the time of writing, the Boral share price is trading 6.38% higher at $7.34.

    Let’s take look at the latest takeover news.

    Seven Group revises offer pending acceptances

    Boral shares are having a bumper end to the week after Seven Group today revised its all cash offer to take over the company. In an ASX announcement around midday, Seven advised it is increasing its buy offer from $6.50 per share to $7.30 per share providing it secures acceptance to increase its stake in Boral to 29.5% by 2 July.

    Seven Group also laid out a second offering to a ceiling of $7.40 per share if it secures the necessary acceptances to increase its stake to 34.5% by 7 July.

    Despite spending a decent portion of the morning trading in the red, Boral shares have rallied to their current level since the announcement was released.

    Earlier moves in review

    It was only Tuesday this week when Seven Group made further changes to some key tension points in its $8 billion offer for Boral. In that update, the conglomerate made its offer unconditional in an effort to increase the deal’s attractiveness for current Boral shareholders.

    However, Boral management counter-argued that Boral shareholders should reject Seven Group’s offer of $6.50 per share on the basis it undervalued the company.

    On Monday this week, Boral also divested its US building products segment in a transaction worth around $3.6 billion. Boral chair Kathryn Flagg stated at the time:

    The sale is expected to generate sufficient surplus capital once the transaction closes. Based on Boral’s financial framework, we estimate this surplus (prior to any reinvestment alternatives) to be ~$3.6 billion which equates to $3.02 per share.

    Boral also advised in the footnotes of its US divestiture update that, in addition to the $3.6 billion in estimated surplus, the company also expects proceeds of around $167 million following the divestment of Meridian Brick. This is set to close in the first quarter of FY22.

    The market has continued to digest these moves over the past few days, driving the Boral share price around 8% higher for the week. 

    Boral share price snapshot

    Including today’s gains, the Boral share price is up by around 48% year to date. It has also rallied by around 100% over the past 12 months. At its current share price, Boral has a market capitalisation of around $8.7 billion and trades at a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of around 45.

    Boral paid its last dividend of 9.5 cents to shareholders in April 2020, which was 50% franked, but opted to withhold the interim dividend in the first half of FY21. 

    The post Boral (ASX:BLD) share price surges 6% on changes to Seven takeover bid appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Boral, you’ll want to hear this.

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

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

    *Returns as of May 24th 2021

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    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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  • Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    ASX shares Business man marking buy on board and underlining it

    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:

    Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT)

    According to a note out of Morgan Stanley, its analysts have retained their overweight rating and $145.00 price target on this payments company’s shares. This follows news that the company will allow US consumers to shop at retail giants such as Amazon and Nike with a pay anywhere offering. The broker notes that combined, the 12 retailers account for almost half of all U.S. ecommerce volume. Morgan Stanley sees this as a big positive and suspects that it could lead to fully integrated BNPL services at some of these merchants in the future. The Afterpay share price is fetching $129.95 today.

    Catapult Group International Ltd (ASX: CAT)

    A note out of Morgans reveals that its analysts have retained their add rating but trimmed their price target on this sports analytics and wearables company’s shares slightly to $2.45. According to the note, the broker believes that Catapult’s acquisition of UK-based SBG Sports Software will support its sales growth and strengthen its competitive position and customer value proposition. However, it does expect this deal to push back its cashflow breakeven point into FY 2025. The Catapult share price is trading at $2.01 today.

    Metcash Limited (ASX: MTS)

    Analysts at Citi have retained their buy rating and $4.10 price target on this wholesale distributor’s shares. According to the note, the broker is expecting a strong full year result from Metcash next week. Citi has pencilled in a 23% increase in full year earnings to $399 million. This is thanks partly to Food earnings and the Total Tools acquisition, which are expected to offset a couple of major contract losses. The Metcash share price is trading at $3.67 this afternoon.

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

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

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

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

    *Returns as of May 24th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and Catapult Group International Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and Catapult Group International 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 Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) share price is up 12% in a week

    Miner with thumbs up at mine

    The Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share price has been a standout performer among the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) this week.

    At the time of writing, the Pilbara Minerals share price is down 3.02% to $1.50 per share, however, despite today’s losses, Pilbara shares have gained more than 12% across the past week.

    Today’s price movement follows an update regarding a plant restart, production costs and June quarter shipments.

    Ngungaju plant restart

    Pilbara Minerals is looking to grow its lithium production through the restart of its Ngungaju plant.

    The Ngungaju operation was formerly owned by Altura Mining Limited (ASX: AJM), which Pilbara Minerals acquired in October last year for $175 million. This was during a time where lithium spot prices had collapsed to multi-year lows, resulting in Altura falling into administration.

    In today’s announcement, the board has approved the staged restart of the Ngungaju plant, with operations expected to recommence in the December quarter of 2021.

    The company estimates the restart will cost approximately $39 million, consistent with its original forecast at the time of the acquisition.

    Pilbara Minerals said costs will likely be funded by existing cash, however, will consider funding support via a potential restructure of its existing syndicated debt facility, if favourable terms and conditions can be achieved.

    Production is expected to be ramped up to approximately 180,000 to 200,000 dry metric tonne (dmt) by mid calendar year 2022. The company advises this will make a significant contribution to the annual production of its overall Pilgangoora project, increasing from 560,000 to 580,000 dmt.

    Shipments and costs update

    In the same announcement, Pilbara Minerals expects a record June quarter spodumene concentrate shipment of approximately ~96,000 dmt.

    In light of strong production figures, the company flagged the likely increase in unit cash operating costs in FY22. The higher costs were driven by factors including higher sea freight rates, costs associated with the Ngungaju plant restart, and a stronger Australian dollar to US dollar exchange rate.

    Additionally, Pilbara Minerals said a higher mining strip ratio, the amount of waste material that must be removed to reach the ore, will be required over the 12–24 months to support higher plant output. The higher ratio will drag on operating costs.

    According to the announcement, cash operating costs of the combined Pilgangoora operation for FY22 is expected to be in the range of A$525 to A$575/dmt (including cost, insurance and freight to China) or approximately US$395 to US$430/dmt at an AUD:USD exchange rate of 75 cents.

    Beyond calendar year 2022, the company expects costs to trend lower, as it realises synergies and improved economies of scale from the ramp-up of Ngungaju operations and the normalisation of freight costs and strip ratios.

    What did management say?

    Pilbara Minerals’ managing director and CEO, Ken Brinsden welcomed the restart, saying:

    The well-timed acquisition of the Altura Lithium Operations provides Pilbara Minerals with available spodumene concentrate at the same time the market is expected to grow rapidly to deal with the mass global adoption of lithium-ion battery technology for use in clean energy applications

    Brinsden acknowledged higher costs in FY22 but remains confident in the company’s long-term trajectory:

    While production costs will likely be slightly elevated during FY22, we remain confident in both Pilgangoora’s pre-eminent position as an important global lithium raw materials supply base and the trend towards lower cost in the coming years as the Ngungaju Plant restarts, normalises and production settles at a higher rate.

    Head above the clouds for the Pilbara Minerals share price

    The Pilbara Minerals share price has set a new record all-time high in each of its last four trading sessions.

    It looks like its year-to-date returns are fast approaching triple digits, currently up about ~85% this year.

    The Pilbara Minerals share price has benefited from factors including firmer lithium prices and a broader bullish performance of lithium-related shares.

    The post The Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) share price is up 12% in a week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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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