• TPG, Telstra share prices wobble on ACCC allegations and court action

    A man is connected via his laptop or smart phone using cloud tech, indicating share price movement for ASX tech shares and asx tech shares

    The Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price and fellow telco TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG) have had intraday wobbles after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced it was launching separate court proceedings against the 2 companies, as well as Optus, for allegedly misleading consumers about their NBN speeds.

    At the close of trading, shares in Telstra were selling for $3.82 – up 0.53%, and TPG shares were trading at $6.31 – down 0.47%. The Telstra share price was briefly slumped to a $3.79 low early afternoon, and the TPG share price also dropped on the ACCC announcement. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), meanwhile, ended the day 0.03% higher.

    Let’s take a closer look at the news.

    What is the ACCC alleging?

    In its statement, the ACCC says the 2 ASX companies and Optus promised home internet speeds of up to 100mbps that they could not deliver on. The telcos promised to test connection speeds once installed and offer alternative plans if the promised rates could not be attained.

    The consumer watchdog also alleges Telstra, TPG, and Optus “wrongly accepted payments from certain customers for NBN plans when they were not provided with the promised speeds.”

    ACCC chair Rod Simms called the alleged behaviour of the 3 telcos “concerning”.

    “Telstra, Optus and TPG each promised to tell consumers within a specific or reasonable timeframe if the speed they were paying for could not be reached on their connection. They also promised to offer them a cheaper plan with a refund if that was the case,” he said.

    “Instead, we allege, they failed to do these things, and as a result, many consumers paid more for their NBN plans than they needed to.”

    He goes on to further allege the telco giants were aware of these issues and had promised to remedy them.

    “We are very disappointed that these companies do not seem to have taken seriously the undertakings they gave to the ACCC,” Simms said.

    Motley Fool Australia contacted Telstra and TPG for comments but none were received before publication.

    Telstra has been in trouble over NBN speeds before

    In early July, Telstra self-reported to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) of the same issue of misleading NBN speeds between 2018 and 2020.

    Telstra was forced to refund $25 million to consumers and was threatened with a $10 million penalty if the breach happened again. The Telstra share price actually went up on this day.

    TPG also has previously tussled with the ACCC. In 2019, the competition ombudsmen attempted to block TPG’s ultimately successful merger with Vodafone Hutchinson.

    TPG and Telstra share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the TPG share price has decreased 22.5% while the Telstra share price has increased 12.8%. The ASX 200, meanwhile, is 23.4% higher in that time.

    Telstra has a market capitalisation of around $45 billion while TPG’s is about $12 billion.

    The post TPG, Telstra share prices wobble on ACCC allegations and court action appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Telstra, 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 Telstra 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 Marc Sidarous has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia 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 10 ASX 200 shares hit new 52-week highs this Monday

    happy child jumping for joy

    It’s a pretty good day to be an ASX 200 share market investor this Monday. For one, we have seen the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) hit yet another new all-time high, this one at 7,567 points. But ASX investors might be pretty blase about this new high, seeing as we seem to get another one every few days lately.

    However, with the all-time high for the ASX 200, we have also seen many new 52-week highs from other ASX shares. Quite a few today actually. So let’s run through 10 of the most prominent ones this Monday:

    10 ASX 200 shares hitting new 52-week highs

    ASX 200 company New 52-week high
    Argo Investments Limited (ASX: ARG) $9.65
    Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV) $6.95
    Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) $23.73
    Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL) $3.42
    Metcash Limited (ASX: MTS) $4.20
    NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF) $7.69
    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) $2.14
    Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN) $12.93
    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) $3.83
    Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) $64.10

    As you can see, it’s highs all round for many ASX 200 shares. So what’s behind all of this optimism?

    Firstly, it’s worth noting many of these companies were already on the precipice of new 52-week highs. A slight nudge upwards, which was happily provided by the ASX 200 today, was all that was needed to push some shares to their new 52-week highs.

    We can put Pilbara Minerals or Telstra in this bucket. In Telstra’s case, this ASX telco closed last week at $3.79 a share so it didn’t need much of a push to hit $3.83 this morning.

    Other ASX 200 shares here are benefiting from recently released earnings reports for FY2021. Suncorp is a good example. This ASX financials company released its earnings this morning which were well-received by investors. As a result, the Suncorp share price has surged more than 8% today.

    Don’t forget the dividends

    You might also note that all of these ASX 200 shares enjoy a reputation as ASX dividend heavyweights. Indeed, many of these ASX shares have trailing dividend yields at the top of the range of what ASX blue chip shares are offering at the present time. This might be telling us that investors are searching for income and yield right now.

    Whatever the reasons for each of these ASX 200 shares hitting new 52-week highs, there are no doubt an army of happy investors out there today.

    The post These 10 ASX 200 shares hit new 52-week highs this Monday 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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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Telstra Corporation 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 owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Corporation Limited and Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended NIB 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 best and worst performing ASX 200 healthcare shares of 2021

    best and worse asx shares represented by green best button and red worst button

    S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) healthcare shares have largely performed well in 2021.

    Of the 13 companies categorised as ASX 200 healthcare shares, 10 are in the black for the calendar year while only 3 are showing losses.

    Additionally, 7 of the 13 ASX 200 healthcare shares are beating the performance of the index, which has gained just under 13% year-to-date.

    Below we take a look at the best and worst performer so far this year.

    At the bottom of the 2021 list

    The worst ASX 200 healthcare share performer so far in 2021 is Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV).

    Year-to-date, Polynovo’s share price is down 44%. The medical device company is currently trading for $2.21 per share.

    Polynovo hit turbulence early in the year when its half year financial results for the 6 months ending 31 December 2020, while showing sales growth, came in below guidance. Shares fell by 31% in January

    COVID-19, a boon for some healthcare companies, has worked against this one.

    The company depends on its access to surgeons and ongoing elective surgeries for growth. In May, shares suffered another sharp fall after the company reported a slowdown on both fronts due to the pandemic.

    Top ASX 200 healthcare share performer in 2021

    Coming in at the top of the list for ASX 200 healthcare shares in 2021 is Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME).

    The healthcare imaging software and services provider’s share price is up 59% year-to-date, currently trading for $55.76.

    Pro Medicus kicked off the New Year well, with the announcement of a major new contract win on 13 January for its Visage Imaging business.

    The 7-year contract was signed with Intermountain Healthcare, the largest medical services provider in the US state of Utah. The company estimated the value of the contract at $40 million.

    Pro Medicus shares gained 22% in January.

    Shares enjoyed another boost in May with the announcement of another new contract win on 13 May. The 8-year deal with The University of Vermont Health Network in the US state of Vermont was valued at $14 million.

    The company’s share’s price has gained 37% since it released that announcement.

    The post The best and worst performing ASX 200 healthcare shares of 2021 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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    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended POLYNOVO FPO and Pro Medicus Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Pro Medicus 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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  • Bitcoin is now up 40% in just 3 weeks. What’s going on?

    Graphic of man on rocket holding bitcoin rising

    Followers of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), or any other crypto coin, would be well used to volatility by now. Cryptocurrencies have now long had a reputation for being some of the most volatile assets available to retail investors.

    To illustrate, let’s take the benchmark index for the Australian share market, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). Over 2021 so far, the ASX 200 is currently up 12.9%. Year to date, the ASX 200 has moved around somewhat, but has never dropped more than around 3% from a year-to-date high as of yet. Let’s compare that to Bitcoin. In 2021 so far, Bitcoin is up roughly 47.4%. But it has also fluctuated wildly, falling more than 50% between mid-April and mid-July.

    Yowza.

    But Bitcoin has also been on a mini-bull run in recent weeks too. In fact, since 20 July, the flagship cryptocurrency has risen from just under US$30,000 a coin to more than US$43,380 today. That’s a rise of almost 47% in just 3 weeks.

    It’s not just Bitcoin either. The second-largest crypto by market capitalisationEthereum (CRYPTO: ETH) – has also rallied strongly over the past few weeks. Over the same period, one Ether has risen in value by a whopping 68.7% on current pricing.

    So could the crypto bear market we have seen play out over the past few months finally be over?

    Well, technically yes, seeing as the prices of these cryptocurrencies have rallied so strongly. So what’s behind this recovery?

    What’s behind Bitcoin’s recovery?

    Like ‘most things crypto’, this rally is hard to put a finger on. But there have been some interesting developments in the crypto world that may be fuelling positive sentiment. The Motley Fool recently discussed the potential emergence of ‘Britcoin’, a cryptocurrency backed by the Bank of England. Moves like this could continue to lend legitimacy to the cryptocurrency space, and could well be helping to put a floor under Bitcoin’s recent losses.

    But we could also just be seeing some good old-fashioned bargain hunting going on here. Bitcoin has a famously (or perhaps infamously) loyal army of supporters. Perhaps many of these Bitcoin ‘ultra-bulls’ have been picking up cryptos like Bitcoin at an elevated rate after its dip below US$30,000 a coin last month. In many cases, investors who ‘buy the dip’ on Bitcoin and other cryptos in the past have subsequently been rewarded.

    Case in point, an investor who picked up $10,000 worth of Bitcoin on 20 July would have close to $15,000 worth of the cryptocurency today. That’s not a bad return for 3 weeks of waiting!

    The post Bitcoin is now up 40% in just 3 weeks. What’s going on? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Bitcoin, 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 Bitcoin 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 Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum. 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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  • FYI Resources (ASX:FYI) share price soars 22% today, up 37% in a week

    happy miner with arms in the airs standing in front of a mine

    The FYI Resources (ASX: FYI) share price has been one of the best performers on the ASX today. This comes despite no news from the mining company since its update last Wednesday.

    At the closing bell, FYI Resources shares finished the day trading at 77 cents, up 22.22%. In comparison, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is flat at 7,809 points.

    What’s pushing FYI Resources shares higher?

    Investors appear upbeat about the alumina company’s prospects, driving up its share price in Monday’s session.

    In May, FYI Resources and Alcoa Australia entered into an exclusivity agreement to facilitate negotiations of a high purity alumina (HPA) project joint venture. A 3-month term was to allow both parties to conduct due diligence to establish whether a joint venture could be technically and economically feasible.

    Fast forward to last week, FYI Resources announced that due diligence has been completed. In addition, the company noted that substantial progress has been made in negotiations for a possible joint venture.

    As a result, both FYI Resources and Alcoa Australia have extended the exclusivity agreement for another month. It is expected the extra time will finalise any remaining work and see the beginning of drafting a binding term sheet.

    FYI Resources managing director Roland Hill commented:

    Alcoa and FYI are negotiating a significant opportunity for a unique Joint Venture to leverage our combined strengths to capture opportunities in the high-growth HPA market. While the requirement for the extension is not ideal, our commitment to successfully negotiating a binding agreement is unwavering and we will continue to work constructively towards its completion.

    Alcoa Australia president Michael Gollschewski added:

    While not yet conclusive, Alcoa is encouraged by the progress made towards the establishment of a possible joint venture with FYI Resources for the production of HPA.

    About the FYI Resources share price

    Over the last 12 months, FYI Resources shares have accelerated by more than 978%, reflecting positive investor sentiment. The company’s share price is up almost 214% in 2021 so far.

    On valuation metrics, FYI Resources has a market capitalisation of roughly $235.3 million, with 336 million shares on issue.

    The post FYI Resources (ASX:FYI) share price soars 22% today, up 37% in a week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

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

    *Returns as of May 24th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Santos (ASX:STO) share price lower amid fresh revelations

    sad looking petroleum worker standing next to oil drill

    The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is in the negative territory on Monday. This comes amid fresh concerns regarding the chairman of the company’s merger target, Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH).

    At market close, shares in the oil and gas giant are fetching $6.42, down 0.54%. Meanwhile, the company’s shares have gained 11% over the past 12 months. Comparatively, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has rallied nearly 24% over the same time period.

    So, what’s all the fuss about on Monday?

    Oil Search management muddies merger

    Firstly, some background… On 19 July this year, previous Oil Search Chief Executive Dr Keiran Wulff abruptly resigned from his position. Based on the release, the resignation with immediate effect came as Dr Wulff suffered a deterioration in a long-term medical condition.  

    However, the announcement also specified that the board had entered into discussions with Wulff following the receipt of complaints regarding his behaviour. In specific terms, the behaviour was said to be, “inconsistent with the standards expected by the Board in relation to his management style.”

    Fast forward to today, now there are fresh revelations in relation to the matter. According to reports by The Australian, the whistleblower whose complaints resulted in the shock exit of Wulff now holds concerns the previous CEO was too close to Oil Search Chairman, Rick Lee. As a result, the whistleblower fears the closeness may jeopardise the chances of a fair enquiry into the complaint.

    It is believed that both Wulff and Mr Lee would speak as frequently as four to five times a day regarding a range of matters. Reportedly, this also led to the sense of exclusion from the other executives on the board.

    Impacting the Santos share price

    These latest developments throw a further spanner in the works for Santos as it plans to merge with the Papua New Guinean oil and gas producer. The Santos share price has been falling over the past month as it contends with potential blockades.

    For example, the PNG government recently made it clear that it held power over the merger. As such, the government has voiced that it wants the deal to be in the best interests of locals.

    The post Santos (ASX:STO) share price lower amid fresh revelations appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Santos, 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 Santos 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 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 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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  • 2 quality ASX growth shares analysts rate as buys

    white arrows symbolising growth

    There are a lot of growth shares out there for investors to choose from. To narrow things down, I have picked out two that analysts love.

    Here’s why analysts rate these growth shares highly:

    Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP)

    The first ASX growth share to look at is Bapcor. It is the Asia Pacific’s leading provider of vehicle parts, accessories, equipment, service and solutions. It is also the name behind a number of retail brands such as Autobarn, Burson Auto Parts and Midas.

    Bapcor has been performing very strongly in FY 2021. This has been driven by strong demand for used cars, which  has resulted in elevated sales across its brands.

    Positively, the company looks well-placed to continue its growth in the future. This is thanks to its strong market position and bold expansion plans. Those plans see Bapcor aiming to increase its store network by more than 694 new stores over the next five years. This includes both at home and in the Asia market.

    Citi is very positive on the company. It currently has a buy rating and $9.55 price target on the company’s shares.

    TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

    Another growth share to look at is TechnologyOne. It is Australia’s largest enterprise software company, providing a global software as a service (SaaS) ERP solution that transforms business and makes life simple for its customers.

    The company’s integrated enterprise SaaS solution is easy to use and available on any device, anywhere and anytime. Management notes that over 1,200 leading corporations, government agencies, local councils and universities are powered by this software.

    This has supported very strong recurring revenue growth in recent years and is expected to continue doing so over the coming years. For example, management is targeting annualised recurring revenue (ARR) of over $500 million by FY 2026. This is over double its current base of $233 million.

    One broker that is very positive on TechnologyOne is Morgans. It currently has an add rating and $10.00 price target on its shares. Morgans believes TechnologyOne can achieve its FY 2026 aspirational ARR target.

    The post 2 quality ASX growth shares analysts rate as buys 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 Bapcor. 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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  • FY 2021 results preview: Is the JB Hi-Fi (ASX:JBH) share price in the buy zone?

    hands at keyboard with ecommerce icons

    The JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH) share price will be one to watch next week when it releases its full year results.

    Ahead of the release, I thought I would look to see what the market is expecting from the retail giant on 16 August.

    What is expected from JB Hi-Fi in FY 2021?

    While JB Hi-Fi has already pre-released its FY 2021 results, that doesn’t mean there won’t be things in it that could move the JB Hi-Fi share price.

    Let’s start with the knowns. Last month the company revealed that it expects to report unaudited sales of $8,916.1 million and net profit after tax of $506.1 million. This will mean growth of 12.6% and 67.4%, respectively, over the same period last year.

    This top line growth was driven by strong sales momentum throughout the year following heightened demand for consumer electronics and home appliances. Whereas its bottom line growth was underpinned by significant operating leverage thanks to gross margin improvement and disciplined cost control.

    What about the unknowns?

    According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, it has suggested that investors watch out for its cash flow, drivers of performance across operating leverage and gross margins, and a trading update into July. The latter is particularly important given the ongoing lockdowns.

    Goldman commented: “JBH has largely pre-announced its FY21 results (Sales, EBIT and NPAT). Key factors to watch out for during the upcoming results are the cash flow, drivers of performance across operating leverage and gross margins and trading update into July 2021 especially given the ongoing lockdowns.”

    “We forecast the group to report an operating cash flow of A$613.3mn (A$455.2mn pre-AASB16). We expect capital expenditure to have been A$56.8mn and the group to have maintained a net cash position of A$310mn (excl. leases or A$374.3mn including lease liabilities). We expect the group to announce a final dividend of A¢107 for FY21.”

    Is the JB Hi-Fi share price good value?

    Goldman Sachs continues to sit on the fence with the JB Hi-Fi share price.

    It has retained its neutral rating and $49.40 price target. Based on the current JB Hi-Fi share price of $48.14, this implies potential upside of ~2.6% before dividends. Though, with dividends this potential return stretches to a more attractive ~8%.

    The post FY 2021 results preview: Is the JB Hi-Fi (ASX:JBH) share price in the buy zone? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in JB Hi-Fi right now?

    Before you consider JB Hi-Fi, 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 JB Hi-Fi 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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  • Transurban (ASX:TCL) share price slumps amid latest West Gate Tunnel drama

    falling infrastructure asx share price represented by disheartened looking builder on work site

    Shares in Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) have been bathed in red during today’s trading session.

    The slump comes after more controversy surrounding Transurban’s West Gate tunnel project.

    At the time of writing, the Transurban share price is exchanging hands at $13.93 apiece, down 2.6%.

    Let’s cover what this means for investors in closer detail.

    A bit of background

    The West Gate tunnel is a large infrastructure project in Melbourne. Transurban started a joint venture with building subcontractor John Holland back in 2017, after it was awarded the tender.

    However, tunnelling has not started on the project to date, due to a “result of disputes” between the major parties.

    The disputes relate to “changes in the requirements for disposal of soil contaminated with PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances)”, as per Transurban.

    As a result, a purpose-built site was required to dispose of the material, which is “currently being activated”, after approvals in the first half of 2021.

    The saga doesn’t end there, however.

    What’s the latest?

    Transurban released its FY2021 results outlining its progress at the West Gate project earlier today.

    In the presentation, Transurban outlined the headwinds the project faced moving forward, explicitly as a result of the PFAS saga.

    To illustrate, Transurban estimates the subcontractor’s construction cost could now mushroom “in the order of $3.3 billion” on top of the $6.7 billion costs already baked into the contract. Not to mention, the subcontractor’s “claims are higher” according to Transurban.

    In addition, the company must now advance a number of cash flow support initiatives to John Holland, totalling over $500 million.

    In order to reach any settlement, the company estimates that “all project parties would be required to make a meaningful financial contribution”.

    Unsurprisingly, the original planned completion in 2023 “is no longer considered achievable”. Moreover, a further update on West Gate “cannot be provided at this stage”.

    It’s not only the two construction giants that are unhappy with the squabbling and lacklustre results exhibited from West Gate.

    Victorian Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Jacinta Allan was quoted in today’s The Australian as saying: “We need an alternative to the West Gate Bridge – and that’s why we’ve been working with Transurban to try and fix their mess, and we’ve been clear with them that time is running out”.

    Investors have punished Transurban shares today after the news and the company’s FY21 results.

    Transurban share price snapshot

    The Transurban share price has posted a year to date return of 1.98%, extending the previous 12 month’s 1.8% gain.

    Both of these results have lagged the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s climb of around 25% over the past year.

    Transurban shares are also down 4.2% over the past month.

    The post Transurban (ASX:TCL) share price slumps amid latest West Gate Tunnel drama appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Transurban Group, you’ll want to hear this.

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

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

    *Returns as of May 24th 2021

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    The author Zach Bristow has no positions in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia 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 3 ASX 200 shares being heavily traded on Monday

    group of friends trading stocks on their phones

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has had rather a flat start to the week’s trading this Monday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is currently up, but only just, rising 0.07% so far today to 7,544 points. But let’s dig a bit deeper and check out some of the ASX 200 shares that are being the most heavily traded today.

    3 of the most heavily traded ASX 200 shares today

    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

    ASX 200 telco Telstra is our first cab off the rank this Monday. So far today, a hefty 10.75 million TLS shares have traded hands. This coincides with the telco hitting a new 52-week high this morning. Telstra’s latest high watermark is now $3.83 a share, pipping the previous high of $3.81.

    We also got some news today that the telco has had a ‘win’ from the federal government’s decision to impose a “45% purchase limit of low-band frequency for telcos in regional areas”. This 45% level was above the 43% that Telstra reportedly requested.

    Silver Lake Resources Ltd (ASX: SLR)

    ASX 200 gold miner Silver Lake is next up here. Silver Lake has seen an even higher number of 10.96 million of its shares trade on the share market today

    This is probably the result of the company’s nasty share price fall we are seeing. Silver Lake is currently down a substantial 4.03% today to $1.43 a share. This move is being mirrored across the ASX gold mining sector this Monday and is likely a reaction to the price of gold itself dropping sharply over the weekend.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    And last and certainly not least, we have lithium producer Pilbara Minerals. Pilbara is our most traded ASX 200 share so far today. The company has seen just over 12 million of its shares swap hands so far. That’s despite an absence of any major news or announcements out of the company — or any substantial share price moves.

    However, even though the Pilbara share price is currently up an unremarkable 0.48% to $2.10 today, it did hit a new all-time high of $2.14 a share just after market open this morning. It’s probably for this reason that we are seeing so many Pilbara shares change owners today.

    The post Here are 3 ASX 200 shares being heavily traded on Monday 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. 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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