• Why Altium, Challenger, Lynas, & Sydney Airport shares are sinking

    Fall in ASX share price represented by white arrow pointing down

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is out of form on Tuesday and tumbling lower. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.65% to 7,019.2 points.

    Four ASX shares that have fallen more than most are listed below. Here’s why they are sinking:

    Altium Limited (ASX: ALU)

    The Altium share price is down 5% to $28.50. Today’s decline appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Citi this morning. Although the broker retained its buy rating and $33.50 price target, it did warn that Altium has been discounting its platform subscriptions. It feels this could be an indication of weak trading conditions. Though, the broker remains positive on the company on the belief that its downgrade cycle is nearing an end.

    Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF)

    The Challenger share price has crashed 16% lower to $5.55. Investors have been selling the annuities company’s shares following the release of its third quarter update. While Challenger’s performance has been solid, investors appear disappointed that it is only guiding to the low end of its guidance range. The company advised that its earnings have been impacted by a sharp decline in credit spreads over the year, which were not fully reflected in customer pricing.

    Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) 

    The Lynas share price has sunk 8% lower to $.5.87. This follows the release of the rare earths producer’s third quarter update. Total rare earth oxide production for Lynas was 4,463 tonnes for the quarter. This was up from 3,410 tonnes during the second quarter. In addition to this, the company reported strong pricing for its rare earths. Despite this, investors appear to have been expecting an even stronger update.

    Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD)

    The Sydney Airport share price is down 2% to $6.01. This morning the airport operator released its latest monthly update. According to the release, total passenger traffic in March 2021 was 1,153,000 passengers. This is down 42.6% on the prior corresponding period in 2020 and 68.4% on the corresponding period in 2019. In other news, this morning Credit Suisse retained its underperform rating but lifted its price target to $5.30.

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    James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Altium. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Challenger Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of 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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  • Why the Challenger Exploration (ASX:CEL) share price is on the move

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    Challenger Exploration Ltd (ASX: CEL) shares are edging higher today after the company outlined plans for a new fully-funded drilling program in San Juan, Argentina. At the time of writing, the Challenger share price is trading 1.59% higher at 32 cents.

    Challenger Exploration is engaged in the exploration of gold and copper with operations in Ecuador and Argentina. The company is developing two complementary gold/copper projects in South America, namely the Hualilan Gold Project in Argentina (the focus of today’s update) and the El Guayabo Gold/Copper Project in Ecuador.

    New drilling program

    The Challenger Exploration share price is responding positively after the miner advised its fully-funded, five-rig, 30,000-metre drilling program at the Hualilan Gold Project is expected to significantly increase the scale of its operations. 

    Challenger’s new program builds on a recently completed 45,000-metre drill program, which it says has seen Hualilan emerge as a gold discovery “with significant scale that remains open in all directions”.

    Drilling is expected to continue to increase the scale of the project because it includes new targets away from Hualilan, which are to be tested in the current 30,000 metres of drilling.

    The program is being funded through Challenger Exploration’s available cash of approximately $14.5 million, bolstered by another $3.5 million in option financing.

    The company’s latest market update was released at 1.21 pm AEST, pushing the Challenger Exploration share price into the green.

    Management comments

    Challenger Exploration managing director Kris Knauer commented that Hualilan is proving to be very lucrative. He said:

    The extension of the current drill program was always going to be an easy decision given the results we have been receiving, not just recently, but since we started drilling at Hualilan. Already it looks like the new 30,000 metre program will emulate the old program.

    The last hole in our 45,000 metre program, and western most test of the Magnata Fault, has intersected strong mineralisation while the first hole in our new 30,000 metre program…has been deepened as it is still drilling through mineralisation. Hualilan continues to surprise us on the upside and where [we] land in the next 12 months will be a long way ahead of the expectations we had when we started drilling our first hole.

    Challenger Exploration share price snapshot

    The Challenger Exploration share price has gained 52% in 2021 so far, and 190% over the past 12 months. Based on the current share price, the company commands a market capitalisation of around $174 million.

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    Motley Fool contributor Lucas Radbourne-Pugh 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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  • Laybuy (ASX:LBY) share price slides on Q4 trading update

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    The Laybuy Holdings Ltd (ASX: LBY) share price is sinking in mid-afternoon trade following the release of a business update.

    At the time of writing, the buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider’s shares are fetching for 92 cents apiece, down 1%.

    What’s with the Laybuy share price?

    Investors appear unfazed by Laybuy’s latest performance update for Q4 FY21, sending its shares lower.

    For the quarter ending 31 March 2021, Laybuy reported strong growth across its key operational metrics. Annualised (multiplied by 12) Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) increased to NZ$645 million, up 129% on the prior corresponding period.

    Underpinning the result, the United Kingdom market saw GMV soar from NZ$108 million in Q4 FY20 to NZ$358 million in Q4 FY21. This represents a 230% jump in the space of 12 months. Additionally, this makes the United Kingdom Laybuy’s largest market.

    Laybuy highlighted that this was the second-highest trading quarter to date after Q3 FY21. Traditionally, growth rates in Q3 tend to be higher than any other quarter due to the timing of holiday sales.

    Active customers stood at 756,000 at the end of the period, representing an 87% increase on the prior corresponding period (pcp). Furthermore, active merchants came to 9,126, a surge of 75% over the same time frame. The growth was attributed to the company’s strategic initiatives in which a number of promotional marketing events took place.

    Revenue attained for the quarter hit a record high of NZ$9.8 million. This reflects a lift of 105% on the pcp, and contributes to FY21 revenue of NZ$32.6 million.

    Net Transaction Margin (NTM) also improved to 2.5% of GMV, up from a loss of 0.3% in the prior comparable period. Laybuy credited a reduction in customer defaults as the reason why.

    At the end of the quarter, Laybuy recorded cash and equivalents of NZ$15.5 million, with NZ$3.4 million in debt facilities.

    Tap to Pay

    Laybuy expects to gain robust instore traction with the United Kingdom launch of its “Tap to Pay” product in May.

    The feature is seen as a way forward in a post COVID-19 environment. Both Australia and New Zealand rolled out the product last quarter with much success.

    Outlook

    Looking ahead, Laybuy revealed that it is on track to reach NZ$1 billion in annualised GMV sometime in FY22. Year-on-year revenue growth is expected to skyrocket between 90% and 100% on FY21, driven by ongoing key operational growth. In addition, the rolling 12-month average for NTM is also set to rise through lesser defaults and increased repeat customers.

    The Laybuy share price has lost over half its value in the last 12 months, and is down 30% year-to-date.

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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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  • Why the Telstra (ASX:TLS) share price is a buy today

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    The Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price is having a rather undecided day today. After making a new 8-month high last week of $3.48, Telstra shares have been sliding ever since. The ASX’s largest telco opened this morning at $3.37 after going as low as $3.36 yesterday. At the time of writing, the Telstra share price is sitting at $3.40, up 1.04% for the day, but down close to 2.5% on last week’s high watermark.

    So is this a buying opportunity for Telstra shares?

    Telstra has been enjoying something of a renaissance for ASX investors of late. One of the catalysts for this share price recovery was the announcement last month of a new structural separation for the telco. Under the plan, Telstra will legally and regulatorily separate into four divisions by December this year. They will be InfraCo Towers, InfraCo Fixed, ServeCo and Telstra International. These divisions will house a component of Telstra’s business, while all still coming under the umbrella of the Telstra Group on the ASX. Since this announcement, Telstra shares are up close to 6%.

    A recent article in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) argues that this split is accretive for value. It quotes Gaurav Sodhi of Intelligent Investor, who has given Telstra a $5 share price target going forward. This is partially a result of the split, which he states will help the markets recognise that “infrastructure-style assets that can generate stable, recurring revenues, resulting in a far higher valuation than the present [Telstra] share price”.

    The report also asks the opinion of Will Granger of Airlie Funds Management. Mr Granger also thinks there is considerable value in the plans for a split. As an example, he notes that mobile tower companies can trade at an earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) multiple between 21-27. Telstra currently trades at an EBITDA multiple of roughly 8.

    Is Telstra a buy today?

    Granger and Sodhi aren’t the only investors bullish on Telstra today. According to CommSec, investment bank and broker Goldman Sachs has a ‘buy’ rating on Telstra shares as of 26 March. Goldman’s 12-month Telstra share price target is $4 a share, supported by “the potential upside in its infrastructure assets”.

    At the current share price, Telstra has a market capitalisation of $40.44 billion. Its dividend yield (including special dividends) is currently sitting at 4.71%, or 6.72% grossed-up with Telstra’s full franking.

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra 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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  • Experience Co (ASX:EXP) share price jumps 6% on latest update

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    The Experience Co Ltd (ASX: EXP) share price is climbing higher today. At the time of writing, shares in the tourism operator are trading for 28 cents – up 5.66%. By comparison, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is 0.18% lower.

    Today’s price growth comes as the company announced its latest acquisitions.

    Let’s take a closer look at today’s announcement and what it means for the Experience Co share price.

    What’s affecting the Experience Co share price?

    In a statement to the ASX, Experience Co said it had acquired the business assets of Wild Bush Luxury and The Maria Island Walk. The company believes the purchases will allow it to expand into ‘premium adventure’.

    The purchase of Wild Bush Luxury will also see its founder, Charles Carlow, be in the employ of Experience Co. Wild Bush Luxury owns the Arkaba Walk and Homestead in the Flinders Range of South Australia and the Bamurru Plains in the Kakadu region of the Northern Territory. The Arkaba Homestead and Bamurru Plains are both members of Luxury Lodges of Australia.

    The Maria Island Walk is located on its namesake, the Maria Island of Tasmania. Unlike Carlow, the founder of Maria Island Walk, Ian Johnstone, will not join Experience Co but rather retire.

    In its statement, Experience Co said it believes its expansion into premium adventure will be fruitful in the short-term, as the COVID-19 pandemic subsides but international borders remain closed. If that is the case, it will be good news for the Experience Co share price.

    Both purchases will be completed by June 2021 and cost $5.3 million, payable until April 2023. The purchase is being funded using existing cash reserves.

    Stakeholder commentary

    Experience Co CEO John O’Sullivan said of today’s announcement:

    During my time as Managing Director of Tourism Australia, I witnessed first-hand the increased demand by Australians and international visitors for our country’s premium tourism experiences. We are delighted to welcome Wild Bush Luxury and The Maria Island Walk.

    Wild Bush Luxury is an established business in a category with strong fundamentals and exciting growth potential that we look forward to extending to The Maria Island Walk. Domestic, nature-based tourism is going to be a key focus for our business into the future particularly in the near term with continued uncertainty on international borders.

    Carlow added

    I am delighted to be joining the Experience Co portfolio and working with the team to build out a premium adventure category through Wild Bush Luxury with a focus on conservation and nature-based experiences.

    It is a great time to join Experience Co, with record booking levels ahead for the upcoming season and further opportunity when international markets open up. The shared values of a passion for adventure experiences, environmental sustainability and disciplined capital management are a natural fit and the right foundation to grow the business into the future.

    Experience Co share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the Experience Co share price has increased 194.74%. Its current share price is only just below its 52-week record of 29 cents a share.

    Experience Co has a market capitalisation of $152.8 million.

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    Motley Fool contributor Marc Sidarous has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of EXPERNCECO 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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  • Argosy (ASX:AGY) share price climbs on Rincon construction update

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    The Argosy Minerals Limited (ASX: AGY) share price is climbing today following a construction update at the Rincon Lithium Project.

    At the time of writing, the lithium miner’s shares are swapping hands for 9.7 cents apiece, up 4.30%.

    Construction update

    Argosy shares are in the green today. This follows a positive investor sentiment on the company’s progress to date.

    In its announcement, Argosy advised that 10% of construction works have been completed to bring the Rincon Lithium Project online. The development of the modular 2,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate production plant is currently on schedule. Argosy is also targeting to achieve the first commercial production of lithium from mid-2022.

    Argosy holds a 77.5% interest in the Rincon project, located in Salta Province, Argentina. The mine is situated within the ‘lithium triangle’ – the world’s dominant lithium production source.

    Argosy noted that major works consisting of earth-moving equipment, site construction of the plant, and associated installations have advanced. As such, Argosy also provided a snapshot of the current progress:

    • 8% of earthworks/land movements completed.
    • 8% of site works completed (site camp/accommodation, laboratory and office, and other works).
    • 16% of the brine system completed (pumping station and plant settling ponds).
    • 16% of the process plant completed (plant equipment acquisition and plant warehouse).
    • 3% of utilities and associated services (vapour system, communication system and ancillary services).
    • 3% plant commissioning works completed (raw materials acquisition and team development works).

    Additionally, the entire build stages are expected to run throughout the current calendar year. Thus, completion will be around early 2022.

    Once the construction phase is finished, Argosy will begin plant commissioning, test-works, and ramp-up over a 4-month period. Should everything go smoothly, the company will then start production operations.

    Management commentary

    Argosy managing director, Jerko Zuvela touched on the company’s latest developments, saying:

    The Company’s Puna operations team have started positively with the 2,000tpa lithium carbonate production operation construction and development works.

    We are excited as we continue our works to transform Argosy into a battery quality lithium carbonate producer and cashflow generator, and further progress toward the 10,000tpa enlarged commercial scale development. We look forward to a significant near-term growth phase with increasing development activity at the Rincon Lithium Project.

    Argosy share price summary

    In the last 12 months, the Argosy share price has gained around 130%, with year-to-date up 20%. The company’s shares rose strongly at the start of the calendar year, before profit taking took hold. Nowadays, Argosy shares have been moving sideways since the start of March.

    On valuation grounds, Argosy has a market capitalisation of roughly $121 million, with 1.25 billion shares on issue.

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  • Why Accent, Bank of Queensland, Freelancer, & Zip shares are pushing higher

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    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has followed the lead of US markets and is dropping lower. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down a disappointing 0.45% to 7,033.8 points.

    Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here’s why they are pushing higher:

    Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

    The Accent share price is up 3.5% to $2.54. This is despite there being no news out of the footwear retailer today. However, earlier this month analysts at Bell Potter spoke positively about the company. According to the note, its analysts have put a buy rating and $2.65 price target on Accent’s shares.

    Bank of Queensland Limited (ASX: BOQ)

    The Bank of Queensland share price has pushed over 2% higher to $9.11. This follows the announcement of a correction to its earnings per share figures from its half year results earlier this month. In addition to this, this morning Morgan Stanley upgraded the bank’s shares to an overweight rating with a $10.00 price target.

    Freelancer Ltd (ASX: FLN)

    The Freelancer share price has surged 6% higher to 81.5 cents. Investors have been buying the freelancing marketplace provider’s shares following its first quarter update. Freelancer reported Gross Payment Volume of US$192.9 million for the quarter. This was a record quarterly high and up 39% on the prior corresponding period.

    Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P)

    The Zip share price has risen 2% to $9.15. This morning rival Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) released its third quarter update and advised that it was looking into a US listing. There have been rumours swirling around that Zip was planning to do the same. Doing so could open the company up to US fund managers and give its greater access to capital markets. Investors appear to believe Zip will follow suit in the near term.

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    James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group and Freelancer 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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  • Westpac (ASX:WBC) reports ‘extraordinary’ Australian consumer confidence

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    Australia’s economic growth is vastly outpacing its wealthy global counterparts, with the economy set to grow at its fastest rate since 2007 this year, and Australian consumer confidence hitting decade-highs.

    Westbank Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) has just released its Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment report, which tracks Australian consumer confidence and spending habits.

    It shows consumer confidence increased by 6.2% to 118.8 in April from 111.8 in March, which Westpac’s Chief Economist Bill Evans calls “an extraordinary result”. 

    Australians confident and eager to spend

    Evans outlined that Westpac’s confidence index is now at its highest level since August 2010 when Australia’s post-GFC rebound and mining boom were in full swing.

    Expectations for the economy are also up strongly and back near those 2009-10 record levels. The ‘economy next 12 months’ sub-index is up 10.3% and the ‘economy next 5 years’ sub-index is up 4.1%.

    Westpac’s index tracks several sub-indexes that track confidence in various industries and also specify consumer confidence on various spending habits.

    The industry breakdown shows those employed in the ‘recreational services’ and hospitality industries showed very big sentiment gains, up 23% and 14% respectively. There were also big sentiment gains among those working in construction (+17.3%), including tradies (+18.5%) and labourers (+14.6%).

    Evans’ report also highlights the strong housing market “more generally, is also likely to be boosting confidence.” Auction clearance rates are near 80% and dwelling prices have lifted by 5.8% nationally since the beginning of the year.

    Westpac’s view on potential interest rate rises

    Evans also speculated on why the Reserve Bank may be hesitant to raise interest rates, despite Australia’s strong economic performance.

    When the Index was last at these levels, in August 2010, the Reserve Bank had increased the cash rate by 150 basis points to 4.5% from its GFC low of 3% in September 2009. That sharp increase in rates is likely to have contributed to the Index falling 25% over the following year.

    No doubt the Reserve Bank will be aware of that period and continue to tread carefully with the cash rate.

    Caution for overly optimistic expectations

    While on the surface, Westpac’s consumer confidence index is cause for some celebration, Evans also noted areas for caution heading forward.

    He noted that confidence in the jobs market appears to have plateaued. Westpac’s survey also includes important insights into the shape of the recovery. Housing affordability appears to be weighing on homebuyer sentiment, with house price growth hitting 32-year highs. 

    Big-ticket item spending intentions – where the index asks consumers how confident they are in making large household purchases – are not nearly as buoyant as the overall index (down more than 2% against the last quarter).

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  • Treasurer outlines federal budget focus as IMF upgrades Australian outlook

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    Treasurer Josh Frydenburg has outlined the government’s focus for the upcoming federal budget. This comes amid a stronger-than-expected economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 5% in 2021 and Australia’s unemployment rate has fallen to 5.6%. This has led the IMF to upgrade its outlook for Australian economic growth to 4.5% this year. It also lists expected inflation at 1.7%. 

    The ABS data showed Australia’s workforce participation rate increased to 66.3%, while overall employment increased to 13,077,600. Unemployment, which has long been a dragging force on wage growth, also decreased to 7.9%.

    What to expect from the federal budget

    The ramifications of finishing the government’s JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme on 28 March are still to be seen. However, Australia’s economic recovery has exceeded all expectations.

    The Government is expected to use Australia’s strong economic performance and record-low global interest rates to continue funding increases to skills acquisition and job creation programs.

    It plans to lower taxes by over $50 billion over the forward estimates, including by $9 billion in 2020‑21 and $32 billion in 2021‑22. The government also recently extended its $4 billion JobMaker hiring credit program, as Australia’s real GDP levels exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

    Frydenberg also acknowledged increased funding for the aged care sector after a royal commission found extensive problems in access, transparency and training across the industry.

    Frydenberg said on 3AW radio:

    In this budget, we will have an emphasis on skills, on meeting the workforce shortages, age care is going to be a major feature as well

    We are going to focus on the essential services that we can guarantee as well as maintain the wonderful momentum in the jobs market.

    The federal budget is likely to be introduced next month.

    ASX benefits from Australia’s economic recovery

    Some of the ASX’s biggest companies have profited from favourable economic conditions. High iron-ore prices have been benefitting Australia’s largest mining shares. Furthermore, the BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price up 11.5% in 2021.

    Meanwhile, a record housing boom has led to strong growth in banking shares. Big-four leading Westpac Banking Corp‘s (ASX: WBC) share price up by 30% in 2021 so far.

    However, as the global economy is expected to enter a period of normalisation, the IMF expects Australia’s real GDP growth to slow to 2.3% by 2023.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is falling by 25 points today but is up more than 5% in 2021.

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    Motley Fool contributor Lucas Radbourne-Pugh 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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  • Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest only owns 4 Dow stocks, and they aren’t what you think

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

    digital and cyber picture of planet Earth

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

    Cathie Wood, the CEO of ARK Invest, is known for finding hypergrowth names with upside potential. The three largest holdings in ARK’s six actively managed funds are Tesla, Square, and Teladoc. None of the three is cheap by traditional valuation metrics like price to sales (P/S) or price to earnings (P/E). But ARK believes that these companies, and others like them, will lead to a doubling of U.S. GDP to $40 trillion by 2035. 

    By contrast, The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) will celebrate its 125th anniversary on May 26. But while it’s meant to reflect the entire U.S. economy, it doesn’t exactly conjure an image of growth. In fact, the Nasdaq has given investors twice the return of the DJIA over the last five years.

    Surprisingly, the four DJIA components that ARK owns — Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT), Boeing (NYSE: BA), and Honeywell (NYSE: HON) — are all relatively stable companies with histories of earnings growth, rather than up-and-coming rising stars. Here’s why Cathie Wood likes these four Dow stocks, along with some surprising reasons she doesn’t like a few others. 

    1. Apple: $79.6 million

    The ARK Fintech Innovation ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKF) owns 606,427 shares of Apple, which is worth nearly $80 million as of Apple’s closing price on April 12. While this may sound like a lot, Apple is the fund’s 24th-largest holding and comprises less than 2% of its total value. ARK is a firm believer in mobile technology’s increasing role in commerce, repeatedly noting the success of China’s mobile payment system, so Apple’s fintech developments like the Apple Card and Apple Pay make it a natural fit in ARK’s Fintech ETF.

    Augmented Reality (AR) is one of ARK’s most closely followed trends. In its Big Ideas 2021 presentation, ARK called out Snapchat, Facebook, and Apple for increasing their investments in AR (all three companies are held in the Fintech Innovation ETF). ARK also supports Apple’s decision to transition Macs to ARM processors. ARK believes ARM could become the new processor standard by 2030, displacing Intel and leading to further domination by AMD and NVIDIA

    AAPL Total Return Level Chart

    AAPL Total Return Level data by YCharts

    2. Caterpillar: $75.6 million

    Earth moving equipment manufacturer Caterpillar is the 15th-largest holding in the ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKQ). After a strong market-beating year in 2020, shares of Caterpillar are currently right around their all-time high. In fact, Caterpillar is up over 25% so far in 2021, making it one of the best-performing stocks in the DJIA.

    Caterpillar is an international company that generates over half its sales from outside the U.S. Global competition in the construction, mining, and energy industries is fierce, especially in China — which is Caterpillar’s hottest market. To stay ahead, Caterpillar is implementing machine learning and big data to help its customers better manage their fleets. Caterpillar has developed tools like Cat Connect and Cat Digital, which can be used for both existing and new equipment. 

    3. Boeing: $22.5 million

    Boeing is the 11th-largest holding in the newly launched ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKX). As the world’s second-largest maker of commercial airplanes and a leading aerospace company, Boeing has a clear role to play in the burgeoning space industry. Boeing’s Defense, Space, and Security segment is a prime contractor for NASA’s Space Launch System, a heavy-lift rocket for human space exploration. Boeing also builds satellites and software systems for commercial, military, and scientific exploration. 

    4. Honeywell: $7.4 million

    Honeywell is a minor holding, ranking 28th in ARK’s Space ETF. Honeywell manufactures and designs components for the commercial airline industry and the defense industry. However, its strides in the industrial internet of things (IIOT), which involves developing operational technology (OT) for industrial equipment, are right up ARK’s alley. Honeywell would fit nicely into the ARK Innovation ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKK), the largest of its actively managed ETFs. But because the fund is centered almost entirely around tech stocks, that’s unlikely to happen anytime soon.

    Surprising Dow stocks ARK doesn’t own

    ARK’s tech-centered focus may lead investors to assume it owns Salesforce and Microsoft, which are both Dow stocks. But it doesn’t. The ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKW) holds 53 securities, but not Verizon. And while five out of the DJIA’s 30 components are financial companies, Ark’s fintech fund holds none of them. Finally, the ARK Genomic Revolution Multi Sector ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKG) is focused heavily on healthcare, yet holds none of the DJIA’s five healthcare stocks. 

    Takeaways

    Industrial stocks aren’t often thought of as the most exciting sector on Wall Street. However, leading dividend-paying industrial stocks with growth potential have been handsomely rewarding investors for decades. Cathie Wood and her team think a handful of these names have bright futures in emerging industries. Honeywell and Caterpillar, in particular, stand out as two top-tier companies poised to raise their dividends and beat the market over the long term.

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

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    Daniel Foelber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Teresa Kersten, an employee of LinkedIn, a Microsoft subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Salesforce.com, Square, Teladoc Health, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Intel and Verizon Communications and recommends the following options: long January 2023 $57 calls on Intel, short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple, short January 2023 $57 puts on Intel, and long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple, Facebook, and NVIDIA. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest only owns 4 Dow stocks, and they aren’t what you think appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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