• Why the Opthea (ASX:OPT) share price is rocketing 12% higher

    person riding rocket indicating share price increase

    The best performer on the All Ordinaries on Thursday has been the Opthea Ltd (ASX: OPT) share price.

    In morning trade, the biotechnology company’s shares are up 12% to $1.58.

    Why is the Opthea share price rocketing higher?

    Investors have been fighting to get hold of the company’s shares in response to an update from rival Clearside Biomedical.

    This week, Clearside Biomedical provided an update on the Phase 1/2a trial of its wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) candidate, CLS-AX.

    According to the release, the open-label, single dose-escalation study is designed to assess the safety and tolerability of three increasing doses of CLS-AX administered by suprachoroidal injection via Clearside’s SCS Microinjector.

    Pleasingly, Clearside Biomedical reported positive safety results from six patients with wet AMD. The release explains the primary endpoints were achieved, with the initial lowest planned dose well tolerated with no serious adverse events and no drug related treatment emergent adverse events observed throughout the study period.

    Why is this impacting Opthea?

    This news appears to have brought Opthea onto the radar of investors. This is because both companies are developing experimental drugs that target wet AMD. However, Opthea is ahead of Clearside Biomedical in terms of development with its lead candidate, OPT-302. It started treating its first patient in its phase 3 trial in March, following successful phase 2 trials.

    OPT-302 is a novel biologic inhibitor of VEGF-C and VEGF-D and a complementary medicine to be used in conjunction with VEGF-A inhibitors for the treatment of wet AMD and also diabetic macular edema (DME). These are markets worth an estimated ~US$13 billion at present.

    Is it too late to invest?

    One broker that still sees a lot of value in the Opthea share price is Goldman Sachs.

    Goldman currently has the company on its conviction buy list with a price target of $4.70. Based on the current Opthea share price, this implies potential upside of ~200%.

    Commenting on OPT-302, it said: “As successful as current treatments have been, they only inhibit up to two of the factors responsible for the retinal disease (VEGF-A/B). Over half of patients do not achieve significant vision gains, and a quarter experience continued vision loss.”

    “OPT-302 is intended for use in combination with these treatments, blocking a further two factors (VEGF-C/D), hence targeting improved outcomes via a more complete blockade. We currently forecast non-risk-adjusted peak sales of US$5.3bn (US$2.3bn risk-adjusted), of which US$3.6bn relates to wAMD (US$2.0bn),” it added.

    The post Why the Opthea (ASX:OPT) share price is rocketing 12% higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Why the BetMakers (ASX:BET) share price isn’t going anywhere today

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    The BetMakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET) share price has shed more than 30% of its value since its all-time record high of $1.60, reached on 28 May.

    BetMakers shares slipped another 2.26% to $1.08 on Wednesday, but that’s where they will stay, at least for now.

    The company requested a trading halt today, pending an announcement regarding the completion of a material acquisition.

    BetMakers shares will remain frozen until Monday 21 June or upon the announcement being released to the ASX.

    What acquisition is BetMakers referring to?

    Investors will likely associate this “material acquisition” announcement with BetMakers’ recent non-binding, indicative proposal to acquire the Tabcorp Holdings Limited (ASX: TAH) wagering and media business.

    But unfortunately, we will need to wait a little longer to learn exactly what has been acquired.

    The elephant in the room

    It’s likely been a frustrating experience for shareholders who have witnessed the BetMakers share price shed 30% in value on the back of its proposal to acquire Tabcorp’s wagering and media business.

    Before the sharp selloff that took place on 28 May, BetMakers shares had surged about 138% year to date from 67 cents to their all-time record high of $1.60.

    The recent selloff has more than halved their year-to-date performance to about 60%.

    Tabcorp announced it had received the indicative proposal on 28 May, with the announcement saying:

    The proposal is subject to numerous conditions including due diligence, arranging financing, receipt of all relevant regulatory approvals and obtaining various third party approvals and consents.

    The Tabcorp Board has not yet formed a view on the merits of the proposal and will assess it in the context of the previously announced strategic review.

    What’s interesting about this acquisition is that BetMakers, which has a market capitalisation of about $900 million, wants to fork out $1 billion in cash and issue $3 billion worth of new shares to acquire Tabcorp’s wagering and media business.

    Unfortunately, investors will likely need to wait until Monday to find out what deal the company has struck.

    The post Why the BetMakers (ASX:BET) share price isn’t going anywhere today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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  • The BHP (ASX:BHP) share price slips on future potash potential

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    The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price is slipping in early trade today after the mining and metals giant held an investor and analyst briefing.

    The company’s shares have enjoyed a 34% rally over the past 12 months as demand for resources has boomed. That means before dividends, BHP has outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) by 11% — which any investor would be chuffed with.

    At the time of writing, the BHP share price is trading at $47.97, down 0.8%.

    Today’s announcement has given the market some insights into BHP’s plans for the future.

    Potash gives food for thought

    BHP’s presentation goes into depth on the supply and demand dynamics of potash. For those unfamiliar with it, potash is a mixture of various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water-soluble form. Potash is widely used as the potassium additive in fertilisers, making up approximately 92% of its applications.  

    According to the presentation, there are several factors that BHP sees as strong demand catalysts for potash. A combination of population growth, a shift to plant-based diets, and a need for increased crop yields are all attractive for demand.

    See, potassium is essential for healthy crop growth and increased yield. Additionally, BHP believes there are major yield gaps between regions that could narrow with better farm practice, including fertiliser application.

    With that in mind, the mining giant sees a 4th wave of major demand underway. Once demand catches up with supply, the company expects an inducement pricing regime. That means, at minimum, the pricing would cover the costs of production. Currently, the consensus view is that demand will catch up in the late 2020s to early 2030s.

    BHP’s Jansen potash project is located roughly 140km east of Saskatoon, Canada. According to the company, the project has an anticipated initial capacity of 4Mtpa, boding well for the BHP share price.

    Big picture thinking

    BHP also covered some megatrends that could present opportunities for potash. Firstly, climate change is presenting greater pressure on land use. As a result, increased potash usage to increase yields and aid in drought tolerance might ensue. Secondly, the adoption of precision agriculture presents an opportunity for automated potassium regulation.

    It also helps that the potash market is estimated to grow to between 89Mt to 97Mt by 2035 from 70Mt today. Evidently, the miner is hoping to capture a big chunk of that growth for itself.

    Fuelling the BHP share price

    Despite the BHP share price putting on a stellar performance over the past 12 months, one broker thinks there’s more to come. Analysts at Goldman Sachs have a 12-month price target of $53.90 per share. In addition, Goldman is forecasting a dividend bonanza — potentially yielding in excess of 6.5% for FY21 and FY22.

    Today’s investor briefing shows the mining giant is looking for the fuel to keep that growth engine pumping into the future.

    The post The BHP (ASX:BHP) share price slips on future potash potential appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Telix (ASX:TLX) share price lower despite key FDA update

    ASX share price movement represented by doctor pressing digitised screen with array of icons including one entitled health insurance

    The Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) share price is edging lower on Thursday morning despite the release of a positive announcement.

    At the time of writing, the biopharmaceuticals company’s shares are down slightly to $5.61.

    What did Telix announce?

    Investors have been bidding the Telix share price higher today after it provided an update on its U.S. Food and Drug Administration new drug application (NDA) review for its Illuccix product.

    Illuccix is Telix’s lead investigational product for prostate cancer imaging, which is a market management estimates to be worth US$900 million.

    According to the release, the company has participated in a late-cycle review meeting with the FDA regarding the ongoing review of the NDA for the prostate cancer imaging investigational product.

    Positively, during the meeting, the FDA indicated that there are no outstanding substantive review issues with Telix’s submission.

    Management commentary

    Telix’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Christian Behrenbruch, was pleased with the news.

    He commented: “The late-cycle review meeting with the FDA continued a series of productive meetings with the Agency and sets the stage for the concluding phase of the NDA review process, including alignment on the final Illuccix product label.”

    Dr. Behrenbruch revealed that the company is now preparing itself for a potential launch if it gains approval.

    “We remain optimistic about a positive outcome and, accordingly, are working closely with our commercial partners to prepare for the U.S. launch of Telix’s lead product for prostate cancer imaging, pending approval. Delivering patient access to this important technology to support the management of prostate cancer remains a major corporate objective for Telix,” he added.

    The Telix share price has been a very strong performer over the last 12 months. Despite today’s weakness, the Telix share price is now up a massive 325% since this time last year.

    The post Telix (ASX:TLX) share price lower despite key FDA update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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  • 4DMedical (ASX:4DX) share price flies 5% higher on purchase order

    four excited doctors with their hands in the air

    The 4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) share price is on the move this Thursday morning.

    This follows the company’s latest announcement regarding a purchase order for preclinical scanner.

    At the time of writing, 4DMedical shares are trading at $1.34, up 5.51%.

    What did 4DMedical announce?

    In today’s statement, 4DMedical advised it has sold one Permetium preclinical scanners to the University of Michigan in the United States.

    The $600,000 purchase will see the University of Michigan deploy the medical device to its Centre of Molecular Imaging. From there, it will be used to perform safe and quick quantitative imaging of lung function and vascular changes.

    The Permetium preclinical scanner adopts the company’s patented XV Technology in analysing lung airway disease. Utilising the hospital’s existing systems, a series of x-ray images are taken from different angles simultaneously.

    The XV Technology then uses image-processing methods to measure the motion in lung tissue, calculating ventilation at each stage of breath. The measurements are then recorded and visualised as a coloured heat-map to identify ventilation deficits.

    The United States National Institutes of Health (NIH), a government agency responsible for biomedical and public health research, will fund the purchase. While this includes the preclinical scanner and its software, additional scans required will generate Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) revenue for 4DMedical.

    It is expected that the preclinical scanner will be shipped to the University of Michigan in the next few months.

    Commenting on the sale, 4DMedical founder and CEO Andreas Fouras said:

    We are very pleased to support the University of Michigan’s activities with our XV Technology and preclinical scanner. This provides the organisation with the only commercially available device for ultra-high- resolution imaging and quantification of cardiothoracic disease models. The sale of preclinical scanners and XV Technology software to opinion-leading sites will provide further evidence of the effectiveness of our technology and help drive clinical demand for 4DMedical’s software products.

    About the 4DMedical share price

    Despite today’s gain, 4DMedical shares have disappointed investors, trailing at a loss close to 50% in the last 12 months.

    The company’s share price is travelling within the lower end of its 52-week range of $1.12 to $2.98.

    4DMedical has a market capitalisation of roughly $263 million, with more than 207 million shares outstanding.

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  • SEEK (ASX:SEK) share price hits record high and could keep climbing

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    The SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK) share price has been a strong performer this year.

    In fact, the job listings company’s shares have just hit a record high of $33.29.

    When the SEEK share price hit that level, it meant it was up a solid 14% since the start of the year.

    Why is the SEEK share price at a record high?

    Investors have been bidding the SEEK share price this year on the belief that it will be a big winner from Australia’s economic recovery.

    This is thanks to its domination of the local jobs market. For example, at the end of the first half, the SEEK ANZ business had 16 million candidate profiles, 35 million monthly visits, and 160,000 active hirers.

    This led to SEEK having almost a third of all placements in the region, which was five times greater than its nearest rival. So with job ads recently hitting record highs, things are looking bright for SEEK.

    What else is supporting its shares?

    The most recent rise in the SEEK share price appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG).

    On Wednesday, analysts at Macquarie upgraded the company’s shares to an outperform rating with a significantly improved price target of $40.00. Based on the latest SEEK share price, this implies potential upside of 21% over the next 12 months.

    Macquarie made the move due to its belief that SEEK will get a big boost on ad yields from the removal of discounts. In addition to this, the broker is forecasting Australia’s unemployment rate to fall to 4% in 2023. It expects this to underpin strong growth in ad volumes.

    All in all, despite its strong rise in 2021, this broker doesn’t believe the gains are over just yet. This could make it worth considering if you’re looking for blue chip options.

    The post SEEK (ASX:SEK) share price hits record high and could keep climbing appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Bigtincan (ASX:BTH) share price jumps 7% on acquisition and guidance update

    Monadelphous share price rio tinto A small rocket take off from a laptop, indicating a share price surge

    The Bigtincan Holdings Ltd (ASX: BTH) share price is pushing higher on Thursday morning.

    At the time of writing, the sales enablement software provider’s shares are up 7% to $1.09.

    Why is the Bigtincan share price pushing higher?

    Investors have been buying Bigtincan’s shares this morning after it announced a small acquisition and released an update on its guidance.

    In respect to the former, the company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of Vidinoti SA for ~$770,000. The consideration will be 50% cash and 50% equity.

    Vidinoti is a leader in augmented and virtual reality systems based in Fribourg, Switzerland. It has developed a comprehensive suite of tools to create, deploy, and manage augmented reality content, including V-Director, V-Player and the Vidinoti SDK.

    It holds patents in core areas of technology that will further advance Bigtincan’s leadership in this important technology sphere. This is expected to support the company’s mission of creating the “Buying Experience of the Future” for the world’s leading Enterprise Customers.

    Bigtincan’s CEO and Co-Founder, David Keane, said: “We have been collaborating with the Vidinoti team for some time and I am delighted that we could now bring our companies together to accelerate development in this exciting space for enterprise use cases.”

    Guidance update

    Also giving the Bigtincan share price a boost today was management revealing that it is on course to surpass its guidance in FY 2021.

    As things stand, the company has achieved $53 million in Annualised Recurring Revenue (ARR) with two weeks of the financial year remaining. This represents year on year growth of 48% and compares to its previous guidance of ARR at the top end of $49 million to $53 million.

    Mr Keane commented: “Achieving $53m in ARR before the end of the FY21 period is another milestone in the development of Bigtincan This result demonstrates the ongoing progress of the Bigtincan business and arises from a combination of new orders in the USA, Europe and Asia/Pacific, together with expansion from existing customers, and shows that as the world continues to move forward and economies strengthen, Bigtincan technology is critical to the success of customer facing workers in an increasingly digital and remote economy.”

    The Bigtincan share price is up 27% over the last 12 months.

    The post Bigtincan (ASX:BTH) share price jumps 7% on acquisition and guidance update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    James Mickleboro does not own any shares mentioned.The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended BIGTINCAN FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended BIGTINCAN FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why has the Alcidion (ASX:ALC) share price rocketed 20% in the last month?

    three excited doctors with hands in the air

    Shares in the Alcidion Group Ltd (ASX: ALC) share price have rocketed 20% in the last 30 days, and are up 163% in the last 12 months. At yesterday’s market close, the Alcidion share price was trading at 44 cents.

    Let’s look at some of the news around the tech company’s recent share market performance.

    A quick company snapshot

    Alcidion helps healthcare organisations “harness the power of technology” to create digitally enabled care. In other words, its platforms support medical professionals to make decisions.  Artificial intelligence and real-time visualisation are some of the capabilities of Alcidion’s technology.

    It’s flagship product, Miya Precision provides clinicians with actionable insights that directly impact patient care. The company’s tech is used in 322 hospitals across the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand with 130,000 active users. 

    Strong organic growth

    In its March quarterly update the company reported strong organic growth adding $4.8 million of contracted revenue in the third quarter, of which $3 million will be recognised in FY21. 

    In other highlights, there was a positive net operating cash flow of $2.8M for Q3 FY21 and contracted revenue of $24.7M expected to be recognised in FY21.

    ExtraMed acquisition

    The significance of the news in April that Alcidion acquired ExtraMed, a UK national health service (NHS) software provider, was not lost on investors.

    The acquisition positioned Alcidion at the forefront of the UK deployment of patient flow management software, according to the company. 

    Alcidion expects the acquired ExtraMed business to add approximately $2.7 million in FY22 revenue and $0.5 million earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) from its existing contracts. 

    As a result, the acquisition will boost Alcidion’s exposure to 27 NHS trusts.

    Defence Department contract

    Closer to home, the Australian Department of Defence has selected Alcidion to utilise its Miya Precision digital product to improve occupational care in the defence force.

    As the preferred provider for a $21 million Department of Defence contract, Alcidion will help capture data and support clinical decision-making across the Australian Defence force.

    Foolish takeaway

    There has been a push in the medical industry to use technology to enable more accurate and efficient decision-making in a paperless environment. Judging by the Alcidion share price gains of the past 12 months, the company appears to be positioning itself as a global frontrunner in the field.

    The post Why has the Alcidion (ASX:ALC) share price rocketed 20% in the last month? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Bitcoin crashed nearly 50% last weekend — Should you worry?

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    bitcoin coins falling

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is going through a rough patch as it has plunged nearly 50% since its previous high in April 2021. The flagship cryptocurrency lost $1 trillion in market cap last month, and this downward spiral has a mix of factors at play. In May, Elon Musk’s tweet about Tesla not accepting Bitcoins wiped off 10% of its value. Later that month, China’s crackdown on cryptocurrencies pushed Bitcoin below $30,000. And the IRS calling for stringent reporting on large crypto transfers added to the woes. 

    So, has the tide turned against Bitcoin permanently? The situation might be rattling for new investors, but if you have traced the journey of Bitcoin, this is nothing new. According to analysts, investors who owned Bitcoin for one to six months spurred the sell-off. Nevertheless, institutional investors, big corporations, and analysts are still pretty confident of Bitcoin’s price rebound. 

    Here are three main reasons to explain that the current Bitcoin crash is nothing to worry about.

    Institutional investors are still stocking up on Bitcoin

    Institutional investors include large public and private companies as well as fund houses that invest in Bitcoin-related products.

    Jack Dorsey-led Square invested an additional $170 million in Bitcoin in February 2021. In the same month, Microstrategy spent more than $1 billion in high-yield debt to acquire additional bitcoins. In March 2021, Morgan Stanley became the first big U.S. bank to offer access to Bitcoin funds to its high net worth clients. 

    Institutional investors aren’t just hooked on Bitcoin for the price appreciation. They view the currency as a credible store of value and a hedge against economic instability. The continued influx of large corporations can single-handedly push Bitcoin into the mainstream. Bloomberg claims rapid bitcoin adoption indicates a bullish growth phase. The media giant also predicted bitcoin’s price to reach $400,000 by the end of Q4 2021.

    Bitcoin sees increased acceptance from countries

    Besides institutional investors, many governments are also viewing cryptocurrencies in a new light. El Salvador recently declared Bitcoin as a legal tender alongside the U.S. dollar. Speculation is rife that India might also recognize Bitcoin as an asset class. Moreover, the U.S., UK, Finland, Canada, and Germany already have a positive stance over Bitcoin. These initiatives could perpetually alter the way investors and regulators view Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies and make them mainstream. 

    Bitcoin has seen a bull run after halving events

    50% of Bitcoins were mined by January 2009, but the remaining 50% will be mined in more than 120 years. This is because of a unique event called ‘halving’ that Bitcoin undergoes every four years. The miners’ reward is reduced to half every four years or after mining every 210,000 blocks. Thus, the supply of Bitcoin relative to the demand declines, and the price climbs. Historically, Bitcoin has always experienced an upward spiral after a halving event. After the first halving in 2012, the price of Bitcoin surged 90x. 

    The next event is due in 2024, and we can expect the cryptocurrency to see a bull run after that. However, the market has now matured since 2012, and the impact might not be too pronounced this time. Also, it could take four to six months for the price appreciation to fructify. Hence, you may buy Bitcoin before the halving event, but only if you plan to hold it over the long term. 

    A word of caution

    Though the current scenario suggests otherwise, the game is not over for Bitcoin. It has an inherent value, and a few tweets cannot shake it.

    As for the regulatory landscape, I would say that stricter laws are indeed awaiting the cryptocurrencies. But better regulation will only enhance the credibility and prompt investors to pick Bitcoin with more conviction. 

    Bitcoin price movements are a simple play of supply and demand. Unlike stocks, there aren’t any fundamentals at play. So when investors are optimistic about the future of cryptocurrency, they buy more of it, and the price climbs. On the contrary, when their belief in the currency begins to shake, they sell-off.

    There is no doubt that Bitcoin has come under pressure, and it could take some time to recover due to regulatory headwinds and global macro risk. However, further declines below this point, if any, will be transient. 

    Bitcoin is a highly volatile asset, and you can hold them as a part of a diversified portfolio over the long term. However, don’t be surprised to see such dramatic price fluctuations periodically because that’s very typical of cryptocurrencies. So, be sure to invest money only to the extent that you are OK to lose. Also, don’t try to time the markets because, with an asset so volatile, timing can bring a rude shock.

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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    Namrate Sen doesn’t own any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Bitcoin, Square, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended MicroStrategy. 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.

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.



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  • Coles (ASX:COL) share price on watch following strategy update

    a row of supermarket shopping trollies going from large to small

    The Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price will be one to watch on Thursday.

    This follows the release of the supermarket giant’s strategy update this morning.

    What was included in its update?

    Coles provided the market with an update on its Refreshed Strategy, which was announced in 2019.

    According to the release, the company is tracking well against most key strategic metrics. One of those is its sales density target. In FY 2019 its supermarkets were generating sales of $16,704 per share metre. This has now improved 6.5% to $17,789 per square metre.

    Also progressing well is its cost cutting. Coles is targeting a $1 billion reduction in costs by FY 2023. Today, management advised that it is on track to deliver in excess of $550 million in cost savings by the end of FY 2021. Supporting this has been the optimisation of its stores and supply chain through artificial intelligence and the opening of innovative store formats.

    Another metric that has been improving is customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction has lifted from 88% in FY 2019 to 90% today.

    And while the company’s market share is below target and has softened since FY 2019, management notes that this has been driven by COVID-19 headwinds. Having fewer neighbourhood stores and more metro and shopping centre stores impacted its market share at the height of the pandemic. However, the local shopping trend is now unwinding and management appears to be expecting market share growth to resume.

    Online shopping update

    Coles also gave investors an update on its online business, revealing strong growth in its customer numbers, penetration, and sales.

    But it isn’t stopping there. It is continuing to invest in Click & Collect and its home delivery service. In respect to the latter, same day delivery will soon be available in over 400 stores and the company is aiming to increase its regional delivery capacity and reach.

    Positively, it notes that its Ocado partnership is going to enable a step-change in ecommerce. It expects the partnership to double its online product range, expand delivery slots and locations, and support best-in-channel economics and operating costs.

    All in all, management appears confident the actions it is taking with create value for shareholders in the future.

    The post Coles (ASX:COL) share price on watch following strategy update 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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    James Mickleboro does not own any shares 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 COLESGROUP DEF SET. 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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