• How do you value the a2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price?

    The A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price has been among the worst performers on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) in 2021.

    Since the start of the year, the fresh milk and infant formula company’s shares are down a disappointing 49%.

    In light of this, investors may be wondering if the a2 Milk share price is good value now.

    How do you value the a2 Milk share price?

    One way that investors might value the a2 Milk share price is with a price to earnings (PE) ratio.

    The PE ratio measures a company’s current share price against its earnings per share (EPS).

    This method can be useful for valuing companies like a2 Milk in normal times, but things are far from normal for the company right now. The collapse in the daigou channel and excess supply have weighed heavily on its near term earnings. This means that its shares are trading on elevated earnings multiples currently.

    For example, a recent note out of UBS reveals that it expects earnings per share of ~11 cents in FY 2021. Based on the current a2 Milk share price, this will mean a PE ratio of ~59x.

    For a company that has downgraded its guidance four times in FY 2021, has an uncertain outlook, and is seeing its earnings go backwards, that would appear to be vastly overvalued. So why are investors happy to pay this to own its shares?

    Forward PE

    Investors appear to be looking beyond FY 2021 and to the future when valuing the a2 Milk share price.

    Going back to the UBS note, its analysts expect the company’s earnings to rebound in FY 2022 and have pencilled in EPS of ~24 cents.

    Based on this, the company’s shares are trading at a more reasonable 25x FY 2022 earnings. This compares to the ASX 200’s PE ratio of 23x earnings according to Blackrock.

    Though, it is worth remembering that this is a forecast and a2 Milk still needs to achieve it. Which, unfortunately as we have seen from its disastrous performance over the last 12 months, is far from guaranteed.

    The post How do you value the a2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in A2 Milk right now?

    Before you consider A2 Milk, 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 A2 Milk 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 recommended A2 Milk. 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 rate these ASX dividend shares as buys

    Rolled up notes of Australia dollars from $5 to $100 notes

    If you’re wanting to overcome low interest rates, then you may want to look at the dividend shares listed below.

    Both shares are expected to provide investors with generous yields that are vastly superior to those offered with term deposits and savings accounts. Here’s what you need to know about these dividend shares:

    Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ)

    The first ASX dividend share to look at is Aurizon. It is Australia’s largest rail freight operator, transporting more than 250 million tonnes of Australian commodities each year.

    Last week it released its full year results and revealed a 1% decline in revenue to $3.019 billion and a flat net profit after tax of $531 million. This was in line with the expectations of leading broker Credit Suisse.

    Its analysts remain positive on the company and have an outperform rating and $5.30 price target on its shares. This is notably higher than the current Aurizon share price of $4.00.

    The broker is also expecting generous dividends in the near term. It is forecasting dividends per share of 29.5 cents in FY 2022 and then 30.9 cents in FY 2023. This represents yields of 7.4% and 7.7%, respectively.

    South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

    If you’re not averse to investing in the resources sector, then another ASX dividend share to consider is South32.

    This mining giant has exposure to a diverse group of commodities. These include alumina, aluminium, energy coal, metallurgical coal, manganese ore, nickel, silver, lead, and zinc.

    Goldman Sachs is very positive on the company due to its exposure to aluminium. It believes the metal is in the early stages of a multi-year bull market and expects South32 to benefit greatly.

    As a result, the broker has South32 shares on its conviction buy rating with a $3.70 price target. This compares to the latest South32 share price of $3.01

    As for dividends, Goldman is forecasting dividends per share of 6.9 US cents in FY 2021 and then 22.1 US cents in FY 2022. Based on the latest South32 share price and current exchange rates, this will mean yields of 3.1% and 10%, respectively, over the next two years.

    The post Brokers rate these ASX dividend shares as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    These Dividend Stocks Could Be Your Next Cash Kings (FREE REPORT)

    Motley Fool Australia’s Dividend experts recently released a brand-new FREE report revealing 3 dividend stocks with JUICY franked dividends that could keep paying you meaty dividends for years to come.

    Our team of investors think these 3 dividend stocks should be a ‘must consider’ for any savvy dividend investor. But more importantly, could potentially make Australian investors a heap of passive income.

    Don’t miss out! Simply click the link below to grab your free copy and discover these 3 high conviction stocks now.

    Returns As of 15th February 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 recommended Aurizon Holdings 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 Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) share price could offer good dividend income

    Telstra dividend upgrade best asx share price dividend growth represented by fingers walking along growing piles of coins upgrade

    The Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) share price might be a good idea to consider for long-term income.

    What’s Wesfarmers?

    You won’t see the name “Wesfarmers” in a shopping centre and the parent business itself is not a leading online retailer. But Wesfarmers is one of the biggest retailers in the country with a number of category-leading retail businesses.

    It operates the department store businesses Target and Kmart in Australia. The hardware store Bunnings is the crown jewel of Wesfarmers when it comes to profit generation. Office supplies business Officeworks is another leader in the portfolio. Catch is a rapidly growing e-commerce business.

    Wesfarmers share price performance

    The business has seen a lot of investor interest over recent times. Over the last month the Wesfarmers share price is up around 10% and in the last year it has risen by more than a third.

    But Wesfarmers doesn’t have much direct control over the share price performance. But it is committed to dividends and shareholder returns.

    The shareholder returns goal

    Wesfarmers has said that its primary objective is to “provide a satisfactory return to shareholders.”

    The business has a number of strategies to try to deliver on this goal.

    It aims to strengthen its existing businesses through “operating excellence” and satisfying customer needs. Next, it aims to secure growth initiatives through entrepreneurial initiatives. Wesfarmers also looks to renew the portfolio through value-adding transactions. Finally, the company looks to ensure sustainability through responsible long-term management.

    It has been pretty successful with this strategy. At 31 May 2021, it was able to say that its total shareholder return (which is dividends plus growth of the Wesfarmers share price) was an average of 19.9% over five years, compared to an average return of 10.5% for the All Ordinaries Accumulation Index.

    Continuing strength of existing businesses

    Some of the Wesfarmers businesses are producing a lot of growth, which is helping the overall Wesfarmers numbers. FY21 half-year net profit after tax (NPAT) grew by 25.5% to $1.4 billion.

    There were two divisions that were largely responsible for that growth. In underlying earnings before tax (EBT) terms, Bunnings grew by 35.8% to $1.275 billion and Kmart Group saw EBT growth of 42% to $487 million.

    Those two businesses, which are important drivers of the Wesfarmers share price, are also the two most profitable divisions. Bunnings saw a return on capital of 76.6% and Kmart Group saw a return on capital of 35.5%.

    But Wesfarmers is always looking to improve its business. For example, it’s working on improving Bunnings’ commercial offer to better service builders, tradespeople and organisations. It’s going to open Adelaide Tools stores outside South Australia in FY22. Wesfarmers has also agreed to acquire Beaumont Tiles.

    The company is also investing to improve its supply chain efficiency to improve costs and support higher volumes.

    Useful acquisitions

    Management are always on the look out for acquisitions that can improve or diversify the business.

    For example, it is involved with the Mt Holland lithium project and will leverage Wesfarmers’ WesCEF chemical processing capabilities. Construction will commence in the second half of the 2021 calendar year with the first production expected in the second half of 2024. It’s looking for further project expansion to improve returns and further “step out” opportunities in the electric vehicles value chain.

    Acquisitions have been an important part of the puzzle for the Wesfarmers share price. Bunnings itself was an acquisition a few decades ago.

    Wesfarmers recently launched a takeover approach for Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ASX: API). The (first?) bid was knocked back by API.

    Wesfarmers share price valuation and dividend forecast

    According to Commsec, Wesfarmers share is valued at 30x FY23’s estimated earnings. It’s forecast to pay a dividend of $1.95 per share in FY23, translating to a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.3%.

    The post The Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) share price could offer good dividend income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Wesfarmers, 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 Wesfarmers 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 Tristan Harrison 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 Wesfarmers 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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  • Wilson Asset Management believes these 2 leading small cap ASX shares are a buy

    A clockface with the word 'Time to Buy'

    The fund manager Wilson Asset Management (WAM) has recently identified two top small cap ASX shares that it owns in its portfolio that could be ideas.

    WAM operates several listed investment companies (LICs). Some focus on larger companies like WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) and WAM Capital Limited (ASX: WAM).

    There’s also one called WAM Microcap Limited (ASX: WMI) which targets small cap ASX shares with a market capitalisation under $300 million at the time of acquisition.

    WAM says WAM Microcap targets the most exciting undervalued growth opportunities in the Australian microcap market.

    The WAM Microcap portfolio has delivered gross returns (that’s before fees, expenses and taxes) of 24.2% per annum since inception in June 2017, which is superior to the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Accumulation Index average return of 12%.

    These are the two small cap ASX shares that WAM outlined in its most recent monthly update:

    Silk Logistics Holdings Ltd (ASX: SLH)

    WAM explains that Silk Logistics is one of the largest third-party logistics suppliers in Australia.

    Over the last several years, the business have been active with making acquisitions. The business has been successful at this, according to the fund manager. Silk Logistics has benefited from industry consolidation.

    The business recently listed, in July 2021. The Silk Logistics share price increased by 25% on the first day of trading.

    WAM explained that Silk Logistics is a beneficiary of the tailwinds in the logistics sector triggered partly by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to a surge in demand for delivery services.

    The fund manager likes the long-term outlook for the ASX share, targeting industries less impacted by economic downturns such as food and packaged agriculture products.

    It was also pointed out that Silk Logistics is investing in tracking technology that “gives visibility” to the inefficiencies in a supply chain, adding to its customer service offering and improving its competitive position.

    Swoop Holdings Ltd (ASX: SWP)

    Swoop is the other ASX share that WAM Microcap noted.

    This business is an Australian internet provider that is headquartered in Victoria and has expanded into South Australia. It listed onto the ASX a few months ago – there was apparently a lot of demand from both institutional investors and retail investors for the capital raising which was $20 million in size.

    Talking about the bull case for the business, the fund manager said that it’s a beneficiary of the increased demand for home internet in a world where many more people are working from home because of COVID-19.

    WAM believes Swoop’s growth potential has increased after the acquisition of the South Australian based wireless broadband provider Wan Solutions, which trades as Beam Internet. The deal means Swoop can use Beam’s recently upgraded network to grow well in the South Australian market.

    The post Wilson Asset Management believes these 2 leading small cap ASX shares are a buy 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 Tristan Harrison 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 Lendlease (ASX:LLC) share price respond last earnings season?

    three Lendlease builders on construction site

    Monday will be an exciting day for the Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC) share price.

    The company will be releasing its FY21 results, and market watchers will likely be ready to react to the property and infrastructure group’s performance.

    The Lendlease share price finished yesterday’s session trading at $12.59, up 0.24%.

    Let’s look at how the company’s share price went after the FY20 earnings release last year.

    How Lendlease investors reacted to FY20 earnings

    The last time Lendlease reported its full financial year’s earnings, its share price gained 1.39% to close at $11.68.

    However, over the 3 sessions following the release of its results, its shares fell 4.2%.

    The company’s earnings for FY20 were in the red. It reported a statutory loss after tax of $310 million.  

    The loss was driven by Lendlease’s non-core businesses, which finished the financial year down $406 million.

    Lendlease’s divestment of its engineering business didn’t help things – it cost $368 million.

    Luckily for the Lendlease share price, the company’s core businesses brought in an after-tax profit of $96 million.

    COVID had an impact in the final quarter of FY20. The pandemic brought delays for the company’s urbanisation pipeline developments and weakened Lendlease’s trading conditions.

    Additionally, some of Lendlease’s internationally-based construction projects were hindered or halted when some cities and regions were put into lockdowns.

    However, the company did sign two new major urbanisation projects for its portfolio over the financial year. Together, the projects were worth about $37 billion.

    What’s happened to the Lendlease share price since?

    Since then, the Lendlease share price has gained 8%.

    It completed the sale of its engineering business and its work on the Melbourne Metro project.

    The company’s half-year report stated its business had partly recovered from the worst of its recent troubles.

    We’ll see to what extent its recovery has continued on Monday.

    Lendlease share price snapshot

    On Monday, all eyes will be on Lendlease and its share price, with investors waiting to see if the company recovered over FY21.

    The company’s shares need all the good news they can get. They’re currently trading for 4% less than they were at the start of 2021. However, they’re 9.3% higher than they were this time last year.

    The post How did the Lendlease (ASX:LLC) share price respond last earnings season? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Lendlease, 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 Lendlease 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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  • 3 of the best ASX results from week two of reporting season

    3 asx shares represented by investor holding up 3 fingers

    Reporting season went up a gear last week when a large number of companies released their latest results.

    Three of the best results from last week are summarised below. Here’s what they reported:

    Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

    Arguably the best result from last week came from Australia’s largest bank. The CBA share price stormed to a record high after its full year result revealed a 19.8% increase in cash earnings to $8,653 million. This was ahead of the analyst consensus estimate of $8,464 million. This strong form and its exceptionally strong capital position allowed the bank to announce a $6 billion off-market share buyback. This was also notably ahead of the market’s expectations.

    QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE)

    This insurance giant has been struggling in recent years but returned to form during the first half of FY 2021. QBE released its first half result and revealed strong gross written premium (GWP) and profit growth. QBE achieved GWP growth of 26.9% to US$10,203 million, which underpinned an adjusted cash profit after tax of US$463 million. This compares to a US$66 million loss in the prior corresponding period. Management advised that the result was driven by a strong premium rate environment, improved customer retention, and new business growth across all regions.

    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

    One of the most well-received results last week came from this telco giant. The Telstra share price climbed to a 52-week high after it delivered a profit result in line with guidance. This allowed Telstra to maintain its 8 cents per share fully franked final dividend, bringing its full year dividend to 16 cents per share. Another positive was the announcement of a $1.35 billion on-market share buyback. But perhaps the biggest positive was management’s guidance for the year ahead. It expects its underlying EBITDA to return to growth at long last. Management expects growth of 4.5% to 9% in FY 2022.

    The post 3 of the best ASX results from week two of reporting season appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    *Returns as of May 24th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor 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 owns shares of and has recommended 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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  • These 2 leading ASX 200 tech shares could be good ideas

    A hand hovers over a laptopn sparkling with tech symbols, indicating ASX technology shares

    There are some S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) tech shares that may be good ideas to consider for the long-term with their growth plans.

    Technology businesses can have higher-than-average profit margins if they deliver a product that is software based. It can be quite cheap for a business to replicate a piece of software, rather than having to make and ship a new table or TV.

    These businesses are expecting more growth of both revenue and the profit margin over time:

    TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

    TechnologyOne is a rapidly growing, large software as a service (SaaS) company. It provides enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.

    The ASX 200 tech share is investing in research and development (R&D) to increase its functionality and capabilities. One example is its new local government digital experience platform. It will “revolutionise how residents interact with councils”. TechnologyOne believes this will create an additional long-term platform for future growth.

    The UK is another region that that could provide long-term growth. TechnologyOne says that it’s on track to deliver strong growth in the UK in FY21 with “significant” growth opportunities in the coming years.

    TechnologyOne is expecting see its SaaS annual recurring revenue (ARR) to grow by more than 35% over the full FY21. In the first half, SaaS ARR was up 41% to $155.8 million.

    Over the long-term, TechnologyOne sees its total ARR increasing to more than $500 million by FY26.

    The ASX 200 tech share also said the economies of scale from its global SaaS ERP solution will see its profit before tax margin improve to 35% over time.

    The broker Morgans currently rates TechnologyOne as a buy. It’s valued at 44x FY22’s estimated earnings according to Morgans and it rates the business as a buy.

    Altium Limited (ASX: ALU)

    Altium is a leading electronic PCB design software business. It’s already one of the leading players in the world and it wants to dominate the industry in the years ahead.

    It has a number of software offerings including Altium Designer, Octopart and Altium 365.

    Altium recently attracted the attention of Autodesk, one of the world’s biggest software businesses. There was a formal bid of $38.50 per share, and informal talk of potentially more. But it came to nothing.

    The ASX 200 tech share’s management believes that the value of the business is significantly higher.

    In justifying the takeover rejection, Altium stated:

    Altium’s strong track record of setting ambitious long-term and achieving them, gives the Altium board confidence in the company’s ability to pursue its transformative strategy for the electronics industry and to achieve its 2025 financial goals. Having successfully pivoted to the cloud, Altium is now well positioned to pursue market dominance and industry transformation. The adoption of Altium’s cloud platform is transforming Altium’s business model from maintenance-based subscription to capability-based SaaS subscription.

    In 2025, the business is aiming for $500 million of revenue with 100,000 subscribers. These numbers are set as a measure of dominance. It’s also aiming for an earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin of between 39% to 44% by 2025.

    The cloud platform of Altium 365 is a key part of the ASX 200 tech share’s plans which could unlock both indirect and direct monetisation. Direct possibilities include things like premium services (like Amazon Prime) and transaction fees (like Airbnb).

    According to Commsec, the Altium share price is valued at 55x FY23’s estimated earnings.

    The post These 2 leading ASX 200 tech shares could be good ideas appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Altium, 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 Altium 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 Tristan Harrison owns shares of Altium. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Altium. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Altium. 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 Carsales (ASX:CAR) share price respond last earnings season?

    flying asx share price represented by cartoon car rocketing above all other cars on the road

    The Carsales.com Ltd (ASX: CAR) share price will be one to watch this reporting season.

    With more COVID-19 induced lockdowns and border closures, there could be pent-up demand amongst consumers.

    As a result, investors will be keen to see how Carsales performed during this period.

    These operating conditions are very similar to the ones faced by the online automotive company last year.

    Let’s take a look at how the Carsales share price responded last earnings season.

    Here’s how Carsales shares responded last year

    The Carsales share price was given a jump-start after reporting its results for FY20.

    Shares in the online automotive company soared more than 4% higher on the day.

    Despite the impacts of COVID-19, the company revealed growth in revenue and profits.

    Carsales reported adjusted revenue of $423 million for FY20, a 1% increase on the year prior.

    In addition, the company saw earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grow 6% to $237 million.

    Carsales also reported EBITDA margins of 55%, reflecting the company’s strong operating leverage and cost control.

     In addition, Carsales also declared a final dividend of 25 cents per share which was on par with the previous year.

    Carsales share price snapshot

    The Carsales share price has continued its strong momentum into 2021, currently nudging record highs.

    Shares in the online automotive company have soared more than 14% since the start of the year.

    Carsales operates the largest online automotive, motorcycle, and marine online classifieds business in Australia.

    The company’s operations have also expanded into South Korea and Brazil.

    Following the pandemic, Carsales cited a strong rebound in demand for vehicles across multiple international markets as a driver of growth.

    For FY21, Carsales expects revenue between $433 million to $437 million. In addition, the company expects an increase in net profit after tax, forecasting estimates of $149 million to $153 million for the year.

    Analysts at UBS have parried their positivity on the company.

    The broker recently slapped a buy rating on shares in Carsales with a share price target of $24.

    UBS also forecasts Carsales to pay out dividends of 44 cents per share in FY21.

    Carsales is listed to report its earnings for the full year on Monday the 16th of August.  

    The post How did the Carsales (ASX:CAR) share price respond last earnings season? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    *Returns as of May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor 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 recommended carsales.com 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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  • BHP (ASX:BHP) dividend in spotlight amid China iron ore cutback

    Man in suit looks at bag of money with dollar sign in spotlight

    The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) dividend could be something to keep an eye on following the recent collapse in iron ore prices.

    What happened to iron ore?

    Iron ore prices have managed to defy gravity, holding well above the US$200/tonne level between May and July this year.

    These sky-high prices would support a generous interim BHP dividend of $1.311 on 4 March. However, prices would rapidly deteriorate in August as a result of steel production mandates in China.

    China is hoping to limit production on its steel mills to ensure production is no more than 2020 figures.

    Steel output grew by more than 12% in the first half of this year, which suggests a significant cutback could take place in the second half.

    This news would see iron ore spot prices nosedive from highs of around US$220/tonne in July to less than US$170.

    Despite the sudden collapse of iron ore prices, BHP would hold its ground, edging just 2.20% lower in August.

    In contrast, pure play iron ore miners such as Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG), Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA) and Mount Gibson Iron Limited (ASX: MGX) have all tumbled more than 15% this month.

    Is the BHP dividend at risk?

    The BHP dividend could be at risk in a world where iron ore prices continue to weaken.

    The Australian reported commentary from Morgans Financial analyst Adrian Prendergast who said “the share prices of the big iron ore miners are likely to come under pressure as they trade ex-dividend”.

    “We still view the value downside vs. big dividend return as a trade-off that on a total return basis is skewed to the downside for the big iron ore miners,” Prendergast said.

    He added that “[investors] looking to lighten positions opportunistically in the big miners should consider waiting to see their full-year results, but then trim before these stocks go ex-dividend”.

    The post BHP (ASX:BHP) dividend in spotlight amid China iron ore cutback 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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  • These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week

    Investor covering eyes in front of laptop

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form again last week and stormed higher. The benchmark index rose 90.5 points or 1.2% to finish the period at 7,628.9 points.

    Unfortunately, not all shares were able to climb higher with the market. Here’s why these were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week:

    Silver Lake Resources Limited (ASX: SLR)

    The Silver Lake share price was the worst performer on the ASX 200 last week with an 11.1% decline. Investors were selling the gold miner’s shares after the price of the precious metal tumbled amid concerns that the US Fed may taper sooner than expected. For the same reason, the shares of Resolute Mining Limited (ASX: RSG) and Ramelius Resources Limited (ASX: RMS) fell heavily. They were down 10.7% and 10%, respectively.

    News Corporation (ASX: NWS)

    The News Corp share price wasn’t far behind with a 10.8% decline over the five days. This was despite the media giant being the subject of a number of positive broker notes. One of those came from Macquarie on Monday. It retained its outperform rating with a slightly trimmed price target of $49.00. This compares to the current News Corp share price of $31.39.

    Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA)

    The Champion Iron share price was out of form and tumbled 8.1% over the week. Investors were selling the Canadian iron ore producer’s shares after the price of the steel making ingredient dropped. Concerns over steel production curbs in China and rising supply are weighing on prices.

    Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO)

    The Rio Tinto share price was under pressure and fell 7.5% last week. This decline was driven by Rio Tinto’s shares going ex-dividend on Thursday for its interim and special dividends. The mining giant is paying its shareholders fully franked dividends totalling 760.06 cents per share. This comprises an interim dividend of 509.42 cents per share and a special dividend of 250.64 cents per share.

    The post These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week 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 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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